Biopolymer maker NatureWorks names new president and CEO

Erik Ripple. Photo Credit: NatureWorks LLC

Biopolymer producer NatureWorks LLC has named chemical industry veteran Erik Ripple as its new president and CEO.

Ripple takes over from interim president and CEO Jill Zullo, who has served in the role since March 2023 when former CEO, Rich Altice, retired from the Plymouth, Minn.-based company.

Ripple comes to NatureWorks from Nexeon Ltd. in the UK, a manufacturer of silicon carbide composites for electric vehicle batteries. Prior to that position, he was the chief growth and innovation officer with Ingevity; and before that he spent 18 years with Eastman Chemical Co., where he served in leadership roles in innovation, business management, and corporate development including holding regional responsibilities in Europe.

Ripple received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the University of Tennessee and a Master of Business Administration degree from Washington University.

Ripple joins NatureWorks shortly after it announced, in October 2023, the next phase of construction on the new fully integrated Ingeo polylactic acid (PLA) manufacturing facility in Thailand. The plant will include three manufacturing facilities: lactic acid fermentation, lactide monomer production, and polymerization. The facility will have an annual capacity of 75,000 tons of Ingeo biopolymer and produce the full portfolio of Ingeo grades. Production is anticipated in 2025.