HMF (5-Hydroxymethylfurfural) is a furanic monomer, structurally similar to an aromatic aldehyde. It serves as a valuable building block in green chemistry. At ResiCare, we identified HMF as a promising alternative to formaldehyde in phenolic resins. Thanks to its chemical nature, we began incorporating it into some of our formulations.
Michelin initiated a study to evaluate whether we should produce HMF ourselves or source it externally. The conclusion was clear: HMF was nearly unavailable on the European market, and the limited supply made it prohibitively expensive for industrial use.

This scarcity, combined with a strong desire for industrial sovereignty, led Michelin and ResiCare to invest in our own HMF production. While HMF is already used in some of our resins, its potential goes far beyond that. That’s why we deliberately built a plant capable of producing large volumes, 3000T by year, not just for ResiCare, but also to support other manufacturers. The start of the plant production is expected to be early 2027.

Our strategy is to make HMF more accessible and affordable for industrial applications. This facility is the first in the world to produce HMF at such a scale.