Marc Verbruggen

Marc Verbruggen is president and chief executive officer for NatureWorks LLC.  In his role, Verbruggen is responsible for the first company to offer commercial scale availability of a family of polymers derived entirely from annually renewable resources with the cost and performance to compete with petroleum based plastic materials and traditional fibers.  The company’s technology utilizes the processing of natural plant sugars creating a proprietary polylactide polymer called Ingeo™ biopolymer which is used in a wide variety  Ingeo™ branded innovations ranging from apparel to home textiles, durable goods, non-wovens for personal and home/garden use, food serviceware, gift transaction cards and packaging. Ingeo innovations are found around the globe on more than 70,000 store shelves.

Since 2005, NatureWorks has posted double and triple digit sales growth as it has worked with major retailers and brandowners around the globe.  In October of 2007, NatureWorks became a 50/50 JV between Cargill in the US and Teijin of Japan. This new JV will continue to allow NatureWorks to expand investment in its facilities and commercial organization to expand both capacity and global reach.

Verbruggen comes to NatureWorks from Teijin subsidiary Toho Tenax America, where he served as president since 2004. Based in Rockwood, Tenn., the subsidiary makes carbon fiber for the industrial, automotive, aerospace and sporting goods markets. Prior to Toho Tenax America, he served as business manager, rubber goods, in Teijin Aramid in the Netherlands. Verbruggen, 48, holds masters and doctorate degrees in aerospace engineering from Delft University of Technology (Netherlands) and brings 20 years of marketing, sales and business leadership experience.