Teknor Apex Bets on Biodegradable Future

Teknor Apex snaps up Danimer assets to scale biodegradable plastics in farming

28 May 2025

A century-old plastics maker is betting big on the future of farming. Teknor Apex has purchased the core assets of Danimer Scientific for $19 million, a bargain price that could reshape the market for biodegradable plastics.

Danimer built its reputation on bioplastics that break down naturally without special treatment. Farmers have used them in mulch films and seed coatings, but scaling production proved elusive. Once valued at $600 million, the Georgia-based company faltered before Teknor Apex swooped in.

With the deal, Teknor Apex gains Danimer's manufacturing facilities and a trove of patents, positioning it to ramp up supply just as regulators and consumers are demanding alternatives to conventional plastics. California and other states are tightening rules on non-degradable materials, adding urgency to the search for viable substitutes.

Analysts say Teknor Apex's global supply chain and production muscle could give Danimer's innovations the market lift they long lacked. "It's a smart play," one industry watcher noted. "They bought high-value technology at a fraction of its worth and planted themselves firmly in the sustainability race."

The acquisition may also trigger ripple effects. Competitors could be pushed to consolidate or pursue fresh partnerships in green technology. Many smaller startups, while inventive, lack the scale to compete in a market that increasingly favors large, well-capitalized players.

For Teknor Apex, the move marks a strategic pivot from traditional plastics toward sustainable inputs that could redefine how crops are grown and protected. What was once a niche experiment in biodegradable materials now looks ready to become part of agriculture's everyday toolkit.