NatureWorks Doubles Ingeo Natural Plastic Supply Availability

MINNETONKA, Minn.--(Business Wire)--
NatureWorks LLC, maker of a broad portfolio of Ingeo™ biopolymers made from
plants, not oil, confirmed today that personnel at its Blair, Nebraska, Ingeo™
manufacturing plant have successfully installed and commissioned additional
equipment allowing the facility to increase production from 70 metric tons to
140 metric tons (~ 300 million pounds), its full Ingeo™ design capacity.

Bringing this full design capacity on-line is NatureWorks` second breakthrough
at the Blair facility in less than a year. In late 2008, the plant inaugurated a
new manufacturing supply process that further lowered CO2 emissions and reduced
the energy required to produce Ingeo™ bioresin. As a result, the production of
Ingeo™ bioplastic emits less CO2 and consumes less energy from sourcing through
manufacturing than the most commonly used petroleum-based plastics, including
PET, PVC, polystyrene, polypropylene, low density polypropylene, and
polycarbonate.

NatureWorks` pursuit of greater capacity at the Blair processing facility is
based on steadily increasing Ingeo™ demand, stemming from the rise in global oil
prices, the trend to greater use of renewably resourced materials for consumer
products, and from the support of customer projects such as Frito-Lay`s
groundbreaking move toward a fully compostable chip bag. NatureWorks is also
assessing locations for a second processing plant, which may be located in Asia
near reliable sources of plant material.

With the introduction of Ingeo™, NatureWorks became the first company to make
commercially available low carbon footprint biopolymers - derived from 100
percent annually renewable resources -- with performance and economics that
compete with oil-based plastics and fibers. Ingeo™ has seen steady adoption and
growth in markets that include packaging, consumer electronics, clothing,
textiles, and personal care products. While the rate of sales growth has slowed
during the global recession and the fall in oil prices, overall sales continue
an upward curve for the company`s more than 15 different grades of Ingeo™
bioresin.

About NatureWorks

NatureWorks LLC is a company dedicated to meeting the world`s needs today
without compromising the earth`s ability to meet the needs of tomorrow.
NatureWorks LLC is the first company to offer a family of commercially available
low carbon footprint Ingeo™ biopolymers derived from 100 percent annually
renewable resources with performance and economics that compete with oil-based
plastics and fibers.

Ingeo and the Ingeo logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NatureWorks
LLC in the USA and other countries

NatureWorks LLC
For Editorial Information:
Steve Davies, +1-952-742-0630
steve_davies@natureworksllc.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009