(PlasticsToday) -- One of Asia's leading suppliers of polyethylene and petrochemicals, Thailand's PTT Chemical, is investing $150 million in NatureWorks, the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based supplier of the Ingeo brand of polylactic acid-based bioplastics. NatureWorks has been actively searching for a site in Asia for a new facility and now also announced that Thailand is the preferred location for its next Ingeo manufacturing facility. Steve Davies, global director for marketing and public relations at NatureWorks, told PlasticsToday that when the deal finalizes, PTT Chemical will hold a 50% stake in the company, splitting ownership with agricultural giant, Cargill.