At Interplas 2026, Symbiotex co-exhibited with ARBURG, a collaboration that highlights the breadth of possibilities of this material. We spoke with Olivia Simpson, Managing Director at Symbiotex, to gather the ins and outs.
symbiotex
[BP&R] What makes seaweed uniquely powerful as a feedstock?
[OS] Cultivated red seaweed is grown on ropes in high salinity ponds and the sea. It grows much more quickly than land-based crops, with harvests possible every 45 days year-round. It doesn’t need fresh water, fertilisers or pesticides. It’s also 100% renewable.
[BP&R] What has been the biggest barrier to getting the plastics industry to adopt your solution?
[OS] We anticipated resistance, especially as many other biomaterials haven’t delivered. Changing people’s preconceived thoughts about biomaterials has been challenging, but once we’ve showcased the capability of our biomaterial, we have been met with a great response! I think the sector is ready for a change – it’s just finding the right product fit.
[BP&R] How does the material perform in terms of flow, cycle time and repeatability?
[OS] We wanted to develop a plug-and-play solution that everyone could use without many disruptions or adaptations. It runs at lower temperatures on the barrel, which saves energy. We require heat on the tool, and there’s some consideration around the residence time in the barrel, which is also the case for most engineering plastics. We also have good comparative cycle times to plastic. We’ve been able to do thin-wall injection moulding, multi-cavity, different gate types, hot runners and cold runners.
[BP&R] What’s next for Symbiotex?
[OS] Interplas was an invaluable platform for demonstrating the possibilities of our material and the impact of strong industry collaboration (a huge thank you to Arburg). We want to continue pushing the boundaries of what sustainable materials can deliver.
