Tag: Greenbutts

  • Greenbutts to Produce at 22nd Century

    Greenbutts to Produce at 22nd Century

    Photo: Greenbutts

    22nd Century Group will provide Greenbutts with manufacturing space at its Mocksville, North Carolina, USA, NASCO manufacturing facility and with NASCO staff to operate the equipment for a new cigarette filter solution.

    Greenbutts offers a patented technology to replace single-use, plastic-based filters currently used in tobacco products with water-soluble, fully biodegradable filter solutions.

    “With an estimated 6 trillion manufactured every year, plastic-based cigarette butts are the most abundant form of plastic waste worldwide,” said 22nd Century Group chairman and CEO Larry Firestone in a statement.

    “Adding to that, an estimated 65 percent are littered, making them the world’s single most littered item. Unfortunately, the cellulose acetate plastics used in conventional cigarette butts takes decades to biodegrade, resulting in toxic waste that is harmful to ecosystems and wildlife, especially aquatic ecosystems. Greenbutts provides a simple, nontoxic, 100 percent biodegradable, plant-based and water-dispersing solution that is free of plastic and harmful chemicals while providing the same smoking experience as current filters.

    “Under this new multiyear agreement, 22nd Century Group will provide the manufacturing space and support needed to produce sample product to allow Greenbutts to pursue FDA approval, with the mutual goal thereafter of expanding to full commercial production.

    “We see this as an exciting new innovation and disruptor that could be used in both our VLN reduced-nicotine content cigarettes, the first and only combustible cigarette to receive an FDA harm reduction authorization, and in our CMO business for other conventional cigarette brands as well, where advanced discussions about potential use in cigarette products are already underway.”

  • Greenbutts Qualifies on Next-Gen Machinery

    Greenbutts Qualifies on Next-Gen Machinery

    Photo: Greenbutts

    Greenbutts has successfully completed filter conversion qualification with Aiger Group.

    Tadas Lisauskas

    “Our consistent innovation and unique intellectual property related to our biodegradable filter technology empower our multinational partners to achieve their plastic reduction objectives without compromising the sensory experience that smokers expect,” said Greenbutts CEO Tadas Lisauskas in a statement.

    “Collaborating with Aiger, we envision significant success in the European market, where changing environmental regulations necessitate the adoption of plastic-free alternatives.”

    “More than 10 years ago, we recognized Greenbutts’ innovation and creativity. We shared their vision, and since that time, we have developed state-of-the-art machinery for their products,” said Courtland MacDuff, executive board member and director at Aiger Engineering.

    “Aiger took steps early on to engineer new machines to produce high-quality filter rods using natural, nonplastic materials. The task was not only to modernize the process but to do it better and differently. Aiger’s Bio-FleX production line hit the targets and stands today as the most advanced and versatile filter maker in this new segment.”

  • Green Pact

    Green Pact

    Greenbutts’ product is sold in bulk or as ready-made rods of filters and filter tips. Photo: Greenbutts

    Filtrona partners with Greenbutts to expand its range of sustainable filter offerings.

    By Stefanie Rossel

    Discarded cigarette butts are a major source of plastic pollution. Of the more than 5 trillion cigarettes produced globally per year, an estimated 4.5 trillion end up in the environment, with 40 percent making their way into our oceans and waterways. Smokers often are unaware that the products will not decompose. While most of a cigarette’s components disintegrate quickly when disposed of, the filter will not. Around 98 percent of cigarette filters consist of cellulose acetate (CA), a polymer that is very slow to degrade in the environment. Depending on the environmental conditions, a CA cigarette filter can take up to 14 years to degrade.

    While littering is illegal in many jurisdictions, the potential penalties, which can include fines, cleanup, community service or imprisonment, are insufficient to deter many consumers.

    By banning single-use plastics, such as disposable plastic cutlery, fast food packaging or cups, from July 2021, the European Union became a forerunner in the fight against marine litter and plastic pollution with its Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD). While the legislation does not prohibit CA cigarette filters, it has established extended producer responsibility schemes (EPR) requiring tobacco companies to tackle the single-use plastic pollution generated by the filters they put on the market.

    Although a February 2023 report by Rethink Plastic Alliance and other NGOs noted significant delays in implementation, the SUPD definitely helped trigger a rethink within the tobacco industry on the sustainability of its products. Experts believe that environmentally friendly filter solutions will be the next big thing in the industry, and they may be right.

    In February 2022, the United Nations Environment Programme partnered with the Secretariat of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to raise awareness and drive action on the environmental and human health impacts of microplastics in cigarette filters, which it designated as a form of single-use plastic. One month later, the U.N. Environmental Assembly adopted a resolution to draft a legally binding U.N. treaty on plastic pollution, which addresses the full life cycle of plastic, from production to product design to waste management. Public health organizations around the world argue that the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for the plastics treaty, the fourth session of which will be held this April, must consider a ban or strict regulation of all single-use plastics as a necessary measure to reduce pollution.

    Joining Forces

    Robert Pye

    To meet the growing demand for biodegradable filters, Singapore-based specialty filter manufacturer Filtrona in October 2023 announced a partnership with Greenbutts of California. Greenbutts has developed a patented substrate and filters that are made of all-natural, food-grade fibers, such as abaca fiber, cotton flock and industrial hemp as well as a starch-based binder, which debuted on the market in 2019. The product is sold in bulk or as ready-made rods of filters and filter tips.

    “Filtrona’s collaboration with Greenbutts strengthens our support for our customers in helping them shift away from CA to more sustainable materials,” says Filtrona CEO Robert Pye. “As a major supplier to this industry, we are committed to help companies move into more sustainable solutions while ensuring they get the supply. Filtrona will continue to invest in our equipment and technology as we continue our research in alternative materials. Together with our partners and suppliers, we are ready to help our customers make the transition to plastic-free filter solutions. We have expanded our portfolio by adding Greenbutts filters to our ECO Range portfolio, thus providing a wider array of tailor-made solutions to address specific customer requirements in certain territories/markets.”

    According to Pye, Filtrona alone can currently not meet the volumes required for sustainable filter conversion. “Filtrona currently works with various suppliers to select the most appropriate materials to create sustainable filter solutions that meet the unique requirements of our customers. We are constantly scouting the market for new, innovative materials. To give our customers wider options, we will offer Greenbutts filters that can be customized according to various product specifications.”

    Under the joint development agreement, Filtrona will lease a machine from Greenbutts to produce biodegradable filters using proprietary technology. The company aimed to have the machine at its site in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA, by the end of February and begin production shortly thereafter.

    The U.S. has been chosen as a location because the state of New York recently reintroduced the Tobacco Product Waste Reduction Act to the State Senate. The act would prohibit the sale of cigarettes using single-use filters as well as ban the sale of single-use electronic cigarettes. “With New York having proposed a law that would ban the sale of single-use filtered cigarettes and single-use e-cigarettes, we believe North America will eventually follow the EU in implementing the SUPD and EPR in the future,” Pye says. “We want to be ahead of the curve while expanding our capabilities to make our ECO Range available globally.”

    Greenbutts has developed a patented substrate made of all-natural, food grade fibers. Photo: Greenbutts

    Significant Market Potential

    For the time being, biodegradable filters remain more expensive than CA varieties, but this may change as output increases. “Globally, consumers and regulators are pushing for more environmentally sustainable solutions and biodegradable products,” says Pye.

    “Consumers are increasingly seeking sustainable products while tobacco companies want to be compliant to regulations by reducing the use of single-use plastics and be the first to market sustainable, plastic-free products. But having said that, pricing is still an important factor and will be affected by the scale of production. As the production of biodegradable products grows, we expect prices to become more competitive.”

    Beyond the U.S. and Europe, Pye sees potential for environmentally friendly filter solutions in Indonesia, where Filtrona is already supporting the kretek cigarette market with its ECO Range of filter solutions. He also anticipates increasing demand for sustainable filters for heated-tobacco products (HTPs). “We offer a range of patented sustainable HTP filter solutions that has a carbon footprint that is four times lower when compared with a similar offering made with CA, in line with our commitment to develop more renewable, degradable and sustainable products,” says Pye. “We see it as a logical next step for the HTP category to evolve as the market continues to grow rapidly. Filtrona is also at the forefront of revolutionizing the botanicals sector with our sustainable and compliant ECO Range.”

    Stefanie Rossel is Tobacco Reporter’s editorial contributor. An experienced trade journalist, she combines sharp reporting skills with in-depth knowledge of the tobacco and vapor industries. Prior to joining Tobacco Reporter, Stefanie was editor-in-chief at Tobacco Journal International, where she worked for a decade. Fluent in English, German and French, Stefanie covers tobacco news around the world. She is based in Germany.
  • Filter Makers Partner for Biodegradables

    Filter Makers Partner for Biodegradables

    Photo: DragonImages

    Greenbutts and Filtrona have established a partnership to manufacture biodegradable filters for tobacco companies in the U.S.

    Under the joint development agreement Filtrona will lease a manufacturing machine from Greenbutts to produce biodegradable filters using proprietary technology. The partnership supports the strategy of both companies to drive the industry’s transformation by providing alternative sustainable filter solutions to traditional cellulose acetate filters.

    “In response to the detrimental impact of plastic pollution on our planet, there is an urgent need to address the No. 1 most littered item globally. Greenbutts has pioneered proprietary technology and advanced material science to bring a novel, performance-driven plastic alternative to the tobacco industry,” said Greenbutts CEO Tadas Lisauskas in a statement.

    By partnering with Filtrona, this joint endeavor is set to transform the way cigarettes are manufactured, with post-consumer waste and our planet front of mind.

    Tadas Lisauskas, CEO, Greenbutts

    “Our certified biodegradable technology offers a new alternative to single-use plastic filters, providing a pathway for the industry to embrace environmental sustainability without compromising performance or consumer experience. By partnering with Filtrona, a company committed to driving positive change within the industry, this joint endeavor is set to transform the way cigarettes are manufactured, with post-consumer waste and our planet front of mind.”

    We believe that by collaborating with other suppliers who share our environmental goals, we can meet the growing demand for sustainable products more rapidly.

    Robert Pye, CEO, Filtrona

    “We recognize that our customers are increasingly seeking sustainable products, and we are on a journey with them to support this transformation alongside Greenbutts with our advanced filter technology and portfolio of renewable, degradable and sustainable filters that can meet their product and regulatory needs,” said Filtrona CEO Robert Pye.

    “Today, Filtrona alone cannot meet the volume requirements in terms of sustainable filter conversion. We believe that by collaborating with other suppliers who share our environmental goals, we can meet the growing demand for sustainable products more rapidly. This joint development with Greenbutts is the first of many such collaborations which we will embark on to help drive the industry forward,” said Pye.

    “We believe that true impact can be achieved through strategic collaboration, and that’s why we are partnering with Filtrona,” said Lisauskas. “Our dedicated innovation hub is committed to fostering new technology, collaboration and knowledge exchange, propelling the industry towards a more sustainable future.”

  • Greenbutts Partners with H.I.E. Handelsgesellschaft

    Greenbutts Partners with H.I.E. Handelsgesellschaft

    Image: pickup

    Greenbutts, a science-driven leader in biodegradable filter technology, has entered into a strategic agreement with H.I.E. Handelsgesellschaft mbH effective Sept. 15, 2023, according to a press release. H.I.E. Handelsgesellschaft mbH is appointed as Greenbutts’ exclusive distributor for Poland in the European Union.

    Tadas Lisauskas, CEO of Greenbutts, said, “We are confident that our partnership with H.I.E. Handelsgesellschaft mbH will provide Greenbutts customers in Poland with an outstanding quality and exceptional customer service. We seek to achieve strong supply chains by providing them with Greenbutts biodegradable filter rods and filter substrate, offering an expanded range of innovative filter material and local stock for quicker deliveries.”

    Marc Sohns, managing director of H.I.E., added that “As the industry is facing transition by single-use plastic legislation and strengthening environmental commitments in the European Union, we are very pleased to partner with Greenbutts to offer our customers a certified biodegradable filter solution. We will ramp up our supply chain of sustainable substrate in 2024 for our clients in Poland and be in a position to provide them supply and support for the Greenbutts material. The Greenbutts partnership will continue to expand the H.I.E. product offerings to supply the materials that our customers need to be successful.”

  • Greenbutts to be Featured in Docuseries

    Greenbutts to be Featured in Docuseries

    Image: Tobacco Reporter archive

    Greenbutts, a leader in biodegradable filtration technology, will be featured in the documentary series Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid, according to PR Newswire. The series produces educational documentaries on a range of topics, including business and technology—with a focus on highlighting innovation around the world.

    The documentary highlights Greenbutts by raising awareness on the most littered single-use plastic in the world—cigarette filters, according to a press release. In a national spotlight, Greenbutts aims to educate the public about the commercial readiness of its technology to replace trillions of these littered ocean-bound plastics every year with a plant-based and certified biodegradable alternative.

    By harnessing the properties of plant fibers, Greenbutts allows global manufacturing partners to sustainably transition away from cellulose acetate—the synthetic plastic used in filters. Without compromising on filtration performance or customer expectations, the innovation can be implemented for scalable adoption and measurable impact, according to the company.

    “We are excited to have Greenbutts featured in this latest Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid short documentary and to have the opportunity to illustrate not only the massive problem of single-use plastic litter in our environment but also the steps Greenbutts has taken to help solve this issue with regard to the cigarette industry.”

  • A Future Without Plastics

    A Future Without Plastics

    Photo courtesy of Greenbutts

    With its new environmentally friendly technology, Greenbutts wants to tackle the challenge of filter litter.

    By Stefanie Rossel

    Of the more than 5 trillion cigarettes produced globally each year, the majority ends up in the environment after consumption. Cigarette butts are the most littered plastic item on earth as many smokers don’t consider them to be litter. According to the Truth Initiative, butts have consistently made up 30 percent to 40 percent of all items collected in annual international coastal and urban cleanups since the 1980s.

    While most of a cigarette’s components quickly disintegrate when smoked or disposed of, the filter will stick around for some time. Around 98 percent of cigarette filters comprise cellulose acetate (CA), a polymer that is slow to degrade in the environment. It can take up to 14 years for a CA filter to degrade, depending on the conditions of the environment where it has been discarded.

    Tadas Lisauskas

    “Our estimation is that more than 4 trillion plastic butts are littered every year, and marine life researchers warn that there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050,” says Tadas Lisauskas, founder and CEO of California-based Greenbutts. “Urgent action is needed.”

    A material-science and impact-driven business, Greenbutts has made it its mission to eliminate CA cigarette litter. The company was founded in 2010 by Lisauskas and Xavier Van Osten, who were newcomers to the cigarette filter business at that time but were acutely aware of the need for a green alternative to the plastics-containing filters polluting the environment.

    They soon learned that creating a viable substitute was a science in itself. In addition to degrading quickly when discarded in the environment, a biodegradable filter or filter substrate must meet many requirements, such as adequate smoke chemistry and acceptable sensory performance. The filter must also be suitable for processing on high-speed filter assembly equipment and cigarette making machinery.

    To help tackle these challenges, Greenbutts hired a former executive of specialty filter manufacturer Filtrona as technical advisor and teamed up with experts from the U.K. Nonwovens Innovation and Research Institute to evaluate fibers with sufficient porosity and thickness.

    Greenbutts spent almost a decade designing and developing filters that provide comparable taste and filtration properties as current CA filters but will disperse in water within several minutes with agitation and begin to degrade in compost within several days.

    After years of R&D and testing with tobacco companies, the company came up with a patented substrate and filters made of all-natural, food-grade fibers, such as abaca fiber, cotton flock and industrial hemp as well as a starch-based binder, which were introduced to the market in the summer of 2019. The product is sold in bulk or as ready-made rods of filters and filter tips. The blend of materials allows for the same filter manufacturing rates as acetate filters, according to Greenbutts.

    Greenbutts’ patented substrate and filters are made with all-natural, food-grade fibers.
    Greenbutts’ patented substrate and filters are made with all-natural, food-grade fibers.

    Better Alternative

    Greenbutts is now ready to take its innovation to the next level. In November, the company introduced Greenbossing, a trademarked process developed with Boegli-Gravures. According to the companies, the innovation will revolutionize Greenbutts’ filter rod manufacturing. “We want to offer to the tobacco industry not just an alternative but the state-of-the-art solution,” explains Lisauskas. “We believe we are creating the next generation of biodegradable filters by introducing our patented Greenbossing technology. Boegli and Greenbutts are actively innovating together and leading a sustainability pathway and building the future today. The Greenbossing technology arrives at the perfect time to accelerate the transitioning from cellulose acetate, which is a single-use plastic (SUP), to Greenbutts’ fully biodegradable and water dispersible substrate. The innovation will enhance the existing filtration capabilities and sensorial experience and much more, setting the Greenbutts substrate far ahead of all competitors and establishing a new ‘gold standard’ for cigarette filters.”

    CA filters are still considered the gold standard in cigarette filtration. While it is still early days, Lisauskas believes they may very well lose that position to his Greenbossing products. “The initial analytical lab tests have shown promising results, and we will be able to share them in due time,” he says.

    Regulatory Pressure

    In recent years, awareness of the cigarette litter problem has increased. Several countries are considering legislation to reduce cigarette butt waste. In July 2021, the European Union enacted its Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD). While the SUPD does not oblige tobacco manufacturers to use plastics-free cigarette filters, it requires producers to fund consumer awareness campaigns, extended producer responsibility schemes and tobacco filter collection initiatives from December 2023.

    Luis Sanchez

    “The question is not if the CA plastic filters will be banned; the question is when they will be banned,” says Luis Sanches, chief strategy officer at Greenbutts. “The CA butts are the No. 1 most littered single-used plastic item in the world, and there is no logical reason to stop them from being banned. Many other SUPs have already been banned, such as plastic straws, cutlery, plastic bags, plastic cups. And the banning of the CA plastic filters is simply a matter of time. The tobacco business is aware of this, and there is clear indication that they are fully committed to drive the change. We at Greenbutts believe that through awareness and education, the industry will eventually drive the change, the regulators will enforce the change, consumers will deliver the change. We at Greenbutts are facilitating this change to occur.”

    Despite the significant problem of cigarette litter, CA filters continue to dominate the market. Not only because CA has been a tried-and-tested, cost-effective material but also because there were no external incentives, such as stricter regulations, encouraging a rethink. In the U.S., the expensive regulatory approval process for new products actually presented a barrier to more environmentally friendly filters. In the first years since the launch, Greenbutts therefore marketed its product to hemp cigarette manufacturers and the marijuana industry.

    With agitation, Greenbutts’ filter will disperse in water within several minutes. In the environment, it will start degrading into compost within several days.
    With agitation, Greenbutts’ filter will disperse in water within several minutes. In the environment, it will start degrading into compost within several days.

    Into the Future

    The Greenbossing technology may help Greenbutts overcome the regulatory hurdle. “The FDA authorization is a lengthy and meticulous process,” says Lisauskas. “It requires a lot of data, patience and solid science. We have already started the process with the collaboration of world-class scientists and our legal team to embark on this challenging journey.”

    As rules for environmental protection tighten around the world, cigarette filter manufacturers and other industry players have stepped up their efforts to provide alternatives to CA-based filters. Most of these solutions, however, are made from paper, a substrate that presents challenges. For example, paper behaves differently than cellulose acetate so that it requires adjustments in the design of the filter and cigarette, and it often comes with a characteristic taste and smell.

    “The sensory performance, I would say, is the most challenging factor to overcome,” says Lisauskas. “The chemically and physically modified filaments of cellulose acetate associated with the plasticizer, triacetin, make the plastic filter a very well-designed filtration tool for several chemical compounds present in tobacco smoke.”

    The Greenbutts filter with the Greenbossing technology, by contrast, utilizes natural fibers, specifically selected for their sensorial neutrality, filtration capability and mechanical strength. This combination minimizes natural variability, enables airflow control and reduces paper filters’ cellulosic sensorial notes, according to Lisauskas.

    The company has recently experienced a clear and growing interest from EU-based tobacco companies in its product. “We can attest that other organizations, outside the EU, want to take the lead on the sustainability agenda by giving consumers what they are looking for: authentic products, no plastic, no chemicals, no additives, and all-natural alternatives,” says Lisauskas.

    Sanches hopes that because of the further benefits delivered by the Greenbossing process, the tobacco industry will adopt Greenbossing eventually as its new standard for both combustible and heated-tobacco products. “And it will open up further opportunities for other combustible products beyond tobacco,” he says.

    The company already has some experience with heated products. In August 2021, Greenbutts entered into an agreement with Poda Lifestyle and Wellness, which uses the biodegradable filters in its Beyond Burn Poda Pods.

    Greenbutts is currently evaluating heated-tobacco products, Lisauskas relates. “There is nothing that should impede the successful application to this sector,” he says. “The Greenbossing process should deliver the perfect match.”

    Stefanie Rossel is Tobacco Reporter’s editorial contributor. An experienced trade journalist, she combines sharp reporting skills with in-depth knowledge of the tobacco and vapor industries. Prior to joining Tobacco Reporter, Stefanie was editor-in-chief at Tobacco Journal International, where she worked for a decade. Fluent in English, German and French, Stefanie covers tobacco news around the world. She is based in Germany.
  • Greenbutts and Boegli Partner in Filters

    Greenbutts and Boegli Partner in Filters

    Image: Greenbutts

    Greenbutts and Boegli Gravures have jointly developed a new technology to manufacture biodegradable filters.

    Trademarked as Greenbossing, the innovation enhances and tailors existing filtration capabilities along with the sensorial experience, according to the companies.

    Greenbutts’ fully patented biodegradable filters deliver the sensorial experience of traditional cigarette filters without the plastic waste.

    “For decades, our company has placed itself on the cutting edge of new technological solutions in the field of macro, micro and nano embossing solutions called ‘Vividus,’ ‘Midas’ and ‘Iris,’” said Boegli Gravures CEO and chairman Charles Boegli in a statement. “We are very proud to partner with Greenbutts to join our competences and address the huge ecological needs arising in the field of filter manufacturing, to which Greenbossing will be the answer.”

    “Our organization has cultivated a strong partnership with the world-renowned embossing technology company Boegli and is pleased to announce the patent filing of our joint technology,” said Luis Sanches, chief strategy officer of Greenbutts. “This new IP will revolutionize the process of Greenbutts’ filter rod manufacturing. Greenbossing is a truly innovative feature, which will strengthen our position by introducing the next generation of biodegradable filters for the tobacco industry.”

    “We are very proud to have Boegli Gravures as a solid and reliable partner,” said Greenbutts CEO Tadas Lisauskas. “The embossing technology that we jointly developed is nothing short of revolutionary, and we look forward to introducing even further technological advances in the coming months. As the cigarette industry is faced with transformative changes, driven by single-use plastic legislation and stronger commitments to their environmental agendas, we will ensure that Greenbutts continues to offer industry-leading innovations to maintain our leadership status in assisting with this transition.”

  • Greenbutts’ Filter Certified

    Greenbutts’ Filter Certified

    Greenbutts has received the Hohenstein Quality Label for a novel biodegradable filter technology designed to replace the most littered single-use plastic item—cigarette filters. 

    “Receiving this certification of biodegradability from Hohenstein is validation of all the hard work over the past decade to develop and optimize our Greenbutts filter technology to be a truly eco-friendly replacement for cellulose acetate,” said Greenbutts CEO Tadas Lisauskas in a statement.

    “We are excited to offer this certified material to a variety of filtration media products in the near future to help eradicate single-use synthetics used in the filtration industry.”

    “We have put our best minds toward delivering a transformative solution for the global tobacco industry,” said Greenbutts Chief Strategy Officer Luis Sanches. “Our world demands high corporate responsibility coupled with measurable impact, and no matter where our customers may be, we all can do our part.”

    Using patented material science, Greenbutts filters are biodegradable, plastic-free and water dispersing. According to the company, Greenbutts filters will disperse in water within a few minutes and will degrade in compost within days as opposed to 10–15 years as is the case with traditional cellulose acetate filters.

  • Greenbutts Taps Luis Sanches as Chief Strategy Officer

    Greenbutts Taps Luis Sanches as Chief Strategy Officer

    Luis Sanches (Photo courtersy of Greenbutts)

    Greenbutts, a company that specializes in biodegradable filter technology, has appointed tobacco veteran Luis Sanches as chief strategy officer.

    Sanches is a senior corporate executive with more than 30 years of international, cross-functional and cross-cultural experience responsible for managing business teams, supporting growth and leading transformations across multiple geographies such as Australasia, North and South America and Europe.

    He was previously the senior vice president of R&D for Reynolds American Inc., a subsidiary of British American Tobacco. His corporate tenure under BAT spanned 31 years in total, including the position of group head of product development in the United Kingdom and vice president of Kentucky BioProcessing KBP, a leader in developing and employing cGMP processes to manufacture recombinant proteins using novel plant-based technology. He successfully led the development of novelty scientific knowledge and multi-category consumer lead product innovations.

    “Never before in history have industry and humanity at large shared such a commitment to understand and urgently address matters that negatively impact the sustainability of our planet and, ultimately, our lives,” said Sanches in a statement.

    “Greenbutts is pioneering solutions that will allow business partners to focus on their growth strategy and deliver their product innovation pipeline while materially advancing their ESG agendas. I am proud to join the Greenbutts team and am committed with them ‘to give every fiber of our being’ to offering meaningful sustainable solutions to our partners.”

    “We are delighted to have an executive of Mr. Sanches’ caliber and industry presence, knowledge and experience join our already accomplished team,” said Tadas Lisauskas, founder and CEO of Greenbutts.

    “For the past 11 years, Greenbutts has been focused on developing a viable alternative to cellulose acetate filters for the global cigarette industry, through extensive R&D and cross-continental partners. While we have had much success in achieving this goal; patenting our technology, continuously adding intellectual property to our portfolio and validating business cases on a global stage, the addition of Luis Sanches to the team is an opportunity to reintroduce ourselves to the global cigarette industry and assist in their efforts to make the inevitable transition to a zero-plastic alternative as seamless as possible,” said Tadas.

    Sanches will oversee the company’s global expansion strategy regarding material and filter production. In addition, Sanches will work on optimizing the company’s filter manufacturing process to meet the regulatory needs and customer specifications.