What EPI does

EPI (Europe) Limited is a privately held UK specialty chemicals company founded in 1994 that develops and licenses TDPA™ (Totally Degradable Plastic Additive), a family of additive masterbatches that render conventional polyolefins (PE and PP) oxo-biodegradable through a two-phase oxidative-then-biodegradation process. The company's core technology is sold or licensed to plastic manufacturers who incorporate it at 1-2% addition rates into existing production lines without specialized equipment, producing end products (bin liners, carrier bags, food packaging, mulch films, personal care items) that retain conventional plastic properties during use and biodegrade in open environments to CO2, water, and biomass within 12-36 months. The product portfolio has been extended beyond TDPA™ Plastics into TDPA™ Mulch Films (agriculture), Customized Additives (multi-property bespoke masterbatches combining degradability, anti-microbial, UV, flame retardant, and other properties), and Stabilizers (antioxidant and UV SCP masterbatches that work with or independently of TDPA™).

EPI operates a hybrid B2B revenue model combining direct sales of TDPA™ masterbatch units to plastic manufacturers, technology transfer licensing arrangements granting regional partners in the Middle East, Africa, and Central/South America rights to manufacture and market TDPA™ products, and a global distributor network. Certifications include FDA and EFSA food-contact compliance, ASTM D6954, BS 8472, and OECD 208 eco-toxicity conformity. The company faces structural regulatory headwinds: EU Directive 2019/904 Article 5 restricts oxo-degradable plastics in the EU, and US environmental marketing claims are constrained, forcing a defensive positioning strategy that directs the heaviest commercial emphasis toward emerging markets, agricultural applications, and regions outside the EU/US regulatory perimeter.

Name

EPI

Legal name

EPI (Europe) Limited

Website

https://epi-global.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EPI (Europe) Limited is a UK-based specialty chemicals company founded in 1994 that develops TDPA™ oxo-biodegradable plastic additive masterbatches, selling and licensing the technology to plastic manufacturers and agricultural film producers across 30+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biodegradable Plastic Additives

NAICS

Resin and Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing (32521)

SIC

Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821)

akta.pro primary industry

Masterbatch Manufacturing (Color, Additive, White/Black) (IMANABAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Biodegradable Additives & Masterbatches (pro-oxidant-free, bio-based modifiers) (IMAEAOAD)

Keywords

• Oxo-biodegradable additives
• Plastic masterbatch
• Degradable plastics
• Plastic additive technology
• Environmental plastic additives

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. TDPA™ Additive Masterbatch Sales: EPI sells TDPA™ additive masterbatches to plastic manufacturers who incorporate them into plastic resins to produce oxo-biodegradable plastic products. The additive is sold at low addition rates (typically 1-2%).
2. TDPA™ Technology Licensing: EPI grants technology transfer licenses to partners in the Middle East, Africa, Central and South America to manufacture and market TDPA™ oxo-biodegradable plastic masterbatches. Licensees receive masterbatch formulations, training, and technical support.
3. Distributor Partnerships: EPI partners with distributors to sell and distribute TDPA™ products globally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

EPI develops and supplies TDPA™, a proprietary oxo-biodegradable additive masterbatch that plastic manufacturers incorporate into conventional polyethylene and polypropylene products to make them degrade after use. Founded in 1994 and headquartered in London, the company sells the masterbatch and licenses its technology to converters and brand owners seeking to produce environmentally degradable plastic packaging and products.

Product overview

EPI offers TDPA™ (Totally Degradable Plastic Additive™), a family of oxo-biodegradable plastic additive masterbatches that represent the core product line. The portfolio includes TDPA™ Plastic Products as the flagship offering, supplemented by TDPA™ Mulch Films for agricultural applications, Customized Additives for bespoke all-in-one masterbatch solutions, and Stabilizers (antioxidant and UV) for extending product life. These products work synergistically: TDPA™ additives make conventional plastics biodegradable, while stabilizers allow customization of product lifespan for specific outdoor applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TDPA™ (Totally Degradable Plastic Additive): EPI's flagship product - a family of additive masterbatches that renders conventional plastics oxo-biodegradable. TDPA™ is added to plastic resins to enable them to biodegrade in the open environment without leaving microplastics.

Products and services

• TDPA™ Oxo-Biodegradable Plastic Additive Masterbatch TDPA™ is a proprietary oxo-biodegradable additive masterbatch sold to plastic converters and packaging manufacturers, who blend it into conventional polyethylene and polypropylene products to make them biodegrade after use.

Quantifiable outcome

• TDPA™ plastics designed to degrade between 12 to 36 months depending on specific product applications and environment
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Society of Biodegradable Polymers (SBP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPI is a founding member of the Society of Biodegradable Polymers (SBP) - an industry-wide, global collaborative group that promotes the responsible use of biodegradable products through the development of standards, regulations, material guides and positive community interaction. This membership positions EPI as a key stakeholder in shaping industry standards and best practices.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Avient Corporation (formerly PolyOne): Large specialty polymer materials company with a broad additive and masterbatch portfolio including sustainable solutions. Overlaps with EPI's customer base of plastic converters, though Avient's degradable offering is one of many product lines.
• Clariant AG: Global specialty chemicals company producing additive masterbatches and performance additives for plastics. Competes in the same additive formulation space as EPI but at much larger scale across multiple chemistries beyond oxo-biodegradation.
• Ampacet Corporation: Global leader in plastic masterbatches (colour, additive, white/black). Competes with EPI on the additive masterbatch layer of the value chain and serves the same converters, but does not specialise in oxo-biodegradable technology.
• BASF SE: World's largest chemical company with a broad plastics additives portfolio (including Ecovio biodegradable resins). Relevant as a benchmark for incumbent scale, R&D depth, and regulatory lobbying power in the biodegradable plastics space.

Emerging players

• NatureWorks LLC: Manufacturer of Ingeo PLA biopolymer, the leading bio-based substitute to PE/PP in single-use and packaging applications. Competes with TDPA™ for the same sustainability-driven converters but through a fundamentally different chemistry.
• Danimer Scientific: Producer of Nodax PHA biopolymers for biodegradable single-use packaging and coatings. Competes for the same brand-owner and regulatory-driven demand for biodegradable single-use plastics via a bio-based rather than additive approach.
• TotalEnergies Corbion: Joint venture producing Luminy PLA from sugarcane for packaging and single-use applications. Competes with EPI for converters responding to single-use plastic regulations, representing the bio-based alternative to oxo-modification.
• Novamont S.p.A. Italian developer of Mater-Bi biodegradable and compostable bioplastics for mulch film, food packaging, and carrier bags. Targets the same agricultural and single-use packaging end-uses as TDPA™ but using bio-based rather than oxo-degradable chemistry.

Direct peers

• Symphony Environmental Technologies plc: UK-listed developer of d2w oxo-biodegradable plastic additives and finished products. Direct competitor to EPI's TDPA™ in the same technology category, serving similar plastic converters with a comparable masterbatch-plus-licensing model.
• Wells Plastics Limited: UK-based compounder of oxo-biodegradable masterbatches (Reverte range) for PE and PP applications. Closest direct comp on product technology, geography, and customer base (plastic converters and agricultural film producers).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/epi-ltd

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EPI