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Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini acquires US bioplastic firm to take 'a step closer' to saving the world

Flamini's GFBiochemicals company is working to discover ways of replacing oil-based products with sustainable green alternatives

Jack de Menezes

Friday 19 February 2016 16:38 GMT

Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini is the co-founder of GFBiomechanics (Getty Images)

Mathieu Flamini has had to play a central role to Arsenal’s Premier League campaign given the number of injuries his team-mates have suffered this season, but he may have just made his most important move of the season – to tackle climate change.

The 31-year-old revealed in December that he is the co-founder of GFBiochemicals, a firm that produces sustainable levulinic acid with the aim to replace oil compounds and reduce the impact of climate change on the earth.

Now, the France international has reason to celebrate long before the season is over, as his company has taken “a step closer” to his aim of finding sustainable alternatives to oil-based products by acquiring assets and intellectual property from leading US bioplastic producer Segentis.

Speaking after the announcement was made, Flamini said: “Climate change is the biggest issue of our time and now more than ever urgent action is required. We founded GFBiochemicals with an ambition to find sustainable alternatives to oil-based products. By acquiring Segetis, the market-leading producer of bioplastic using levulinic acid, we are a step closer to achieving that ambition.”

GFBiomechanics has snapped up Segentis in order to produce green products made from biocompounds. It already makes fragrances, household cleaners and PVC from sustainable levulinic acid sourced from plants, and the company’s chief commercial officer, Marcel van Berkel, added that the announcement is a defining moment in their growth to tackle climate change.

“This acquisition marks an important transformational moment for GFBiochemicals and the beginning of its growth strategy,” Van Berkel said, before revealing that further acquisitions of levulinic acid’s derivative technologies are in the pipeline and could be of interest to GFBiochemicals.

Arsenal's most injury prone players

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1/16Arsenal's most injury prone players

Arsenal's most injury prone players

Theo Walcott

Having been at Arsenal for a decade after moving from Southampton in 2006, Theo Walcott has racked up an astounding 44 injuries. His ankle has been the main offender, causing the winger to be sidelined nine times. Other injuries, including six instances of thigh problems and three hamstring problems have caused the striker to have racked up over 1000 days out the beautiful game.

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Arsenal's most injury prone players

Abou Diaby

The injury prone ex-Arsenal midfielder endured a 17-month spell on the sidelines and is due to soon return to action with new club Marseille, no doubt with caution. The France international suffered a whopping 42 injuries during his time at Arsenal and spent over 2100 days injured for the club, over two thirds of his north London career. He appeared just twice in his final two seasons with the Gunners.

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Arsenal's most injury prone players

Tomas Rosicky

The midfielder, currently out with a partial rupture of his tendon, is another member of the 1000+ club. Rosicky has been plagued by injury throughout his career, having suffered eight different instances of hamstring problems and seven thigh-related issues.

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Arsenal's most injury prone players

Jack Wilshere

Jack Wilshere, once hailed as having a very high skill ceiling, had a recurring spate of injuries seemingly ruin his potential for true greatness. Marred by a stunting hairline crack in his calf bone, the England international missed 196 days and 36 games from one injury alone. His total of 839 days out led many fans to lose faith in the exclusively Arsenal player. Wilshere has undergone several surgeries on his ankle and knee in order to return to fitness for the Gunners.

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Arsenal's most injury prone players

Fredrik Ljungberg

From a broken wrist and Achilles tendon problems to calf and hip troubles, the Gunners legend may have been magical on his toes, but they were fragile feet. He claimed after leaving the club in 2007 that manager Arsene Wenger forced him to play while injured and had a particularly strict fitness regime. Wenger allowed Ljungberg to miss matches twice when had a migraine, so maybe Freddie was being a little dramatic.

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Arsenal's most injury prone players

Kieran Gibbs

Still relatively young at 26, Kieran Gibbs has been no stranger to the medical room. He is quickly approaching the likes of Walcott and Rosicky’s feats, having long surpassed 500 days out. The defender has mainly suffered with hip, calf and groin problems, with over three sets of each injury.

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Arsenal's most injury prone players

Robin van Persie

One of Arsenal’s true greats, RVP‘s ankle turned out to be his weak spot, a problem that carried through to his time at Manchester United. Of his 27 injuries sustained during his time at Arsenal that caused him to spend 341 days out of action, 11 of those were ankle-related. The star, who also suffered five thigh problems and metatarsal issues, missed 77 games for the Gunners.

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Arsenal's most injury prone players

Thomas Vermaelen

A bulwark in Arsenal’s defence for five years, Vermaelen suffered from various different injuries. His calves were particularly troublesome, causing him to miss games on six occasions. The Belgian international was out for 540 days at Arsenal and is now at Barcelona where his problems went with him. In his first season at the Nou Camp he played just once.

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Arsenal's most injury prone players

Johan Djourou

Now captain of Hamburg, Johan Djourou racked up a significant absentee record during his time at Arsenal between loans. Operations on his knee meant the defender was out for 231 days and missed 48 games. He was additionally sidelined for over 100 games with various other primarily groin-related issues.

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Arsenal's most injury prone players

Bacary Sagna

Sagna has perhaps the nastiest Arsenal injury record in memory, breaking his leg twice in the same season. The combined injuries sidelined him for 268 days, over half of his grand total of 451 on the treatment table. His other injuries included a neck injury that looked as though it could have been worse at the time, two pulled hamstrings and a back injury.

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Arsenal's most injury prone players

Philippe Senderos

The Swiss centre back spent six seasons in north London, repeatedly incurring injuries common in the footballing world. From his hamstring, ankles and knees to hips, back and shoulder injuries. Senderos’ injuries came from almost minute one of his Arsenal career, suffering a six week back injury followed by a season-ending bone complication in his foot. Luckily for his career longevity at the time, Senderos’ non-season occurred during Arsenal’s iconic 2003 performance, relieving initial pressure on the youngster.

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Arsenal's most injury prone players

Thierry Henry

The fulcrum of the ‘invincibles’ side that won the league in 2003/2004, Henry was no stranger to injury. He suffered 21 for the Gunners, of which four were hamstring, four were Achilles issues and three were groin strains.

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Arsenal's most injury prone players

Laurent Koscielny

In his six-year spell at Arsenal (2010-present), Koscielny has amassed 27 injuries. His calves have been a real problem for Arsene Wenger, who has missed his presence during his nine various calf-related absences. The defender also received treatment for three hip problems and a head laceration.

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Arsenal's most injury prone players

Cesc Fabregas

The Spain international suffered regular problems with his thigh while at Arsenal which caused him to spend 126 days sidelined over five different periods. Fabregas’ most notable injury was a broken leg in 2010 which ended his season.

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Arsenal's most injury prone players

Manuel Almunia

Arsenal’s white-haired panther spent 331 days out of action for the Gunners during his eight-year spell with the club. Suffering mainly wrist, elbow and thumb injuries, the Spanish keeper remained relatively fit during his first four years, but experienced sporadic problems in his twilight period at the Emirates.

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Arsenal's most injury prone players

Kim Kallstrom

When Arsene Wenger signed Kim Kallstrom on loan in the January window of the 2013/14 season the Swede was meant to be plugging a gap caused by injuries at the club. So when it turned out he was crocked before he had even arrived, it didn't make much sense. What was even more baffling was how he had sustained the injury; The midfielder apparently hurt himself playing beach volleyball. He ultimately made just four appearances.

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Despite playing for Arsenal and AC Milan – two of Europe’s biggest clubs – since 2004, Flamini managed to keep his involvement with GFBiomechanics under wraps until he revealed his other career in 2015.

Flamini based the company in Milan along with business partner Pasquale Granata seven years ago while he was playing for the Serie A side, before returning to Arsenal in 2013, and he has featured regularly throughout the season after both Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin – two of his fellow midfielders – suffered long-term injuries in November.

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