Commissioning and start-up at the FDCA Flagship Plant is progressing, with utilities and the sugar dehydration unit already operational and work now focused on starting up the oxidation and purification units. During the commissioning activities of those units, construction-related quality issues were identified in certain titanium welds in the piping, representing a safety risk for start-up and operations. Additional inspections over the past period provided a clearer picture of the extent of the issue, showing that more remediation work was required than initially expected and that the previous timeline was therefore no longer achievable.
Back
(Photo credit: Avantium)
Progress
Avantium expects to complete start-up of its FDCA flagship plant by mid-2026
1:30 min
Biobased Material
Avantium provides an update on the start-up of its FDCA Flagship Plant in Delfzijl, the Netherlands. Avantium now expects to complete start-up by mid-2026 and to commence sales of product under its existing offtake agreements in the second half of 2026. This updated timeline is a result of construction-related piping issues involving certain titanium welds uncovered during commissioning, which require additional work to ensure a safe and reliable start-up. Avantium has made strong progress with the weld repair activities, providing a clear basis for the remaining start-up steps.
The titanium weld remediation will result in an additional €7 million in capital expenditure. Avantium is reviewing its contractual and legal options to potentially secure compensation for these unexpected cost increases and delays.
Hero de Jager, interim Chief Operating Officer of Avantium, comments: “We are taking all necessary measures to ensure a safe, reliable and high-quality start-up of the FDCA Flagship Plant. With the weld repair program underway and commissioning progressing well across all parts of the plant, we have a clear plan to complete start-up by mid-2026. This will enable us to begin commercial product sales in the second half of 2026.”
PETnology's Resource Guide
comPETence center
The comPETence center provides your organisation with a dynamic, cost effective way to promote your products and services.
Our premium articles
comPETence
magazine
magazine
Find our premium articles, interviews, reports and more
in 3 issues in 2026.
