More crossovers between agro and chemistry expected

Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Geleen and Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo want to initiate more projects to create a new value chain from agro to chemistry, campus directors Bert Kip and Saskia Goetgeluk tell Brightlands in an interview.

Within the European-supported research project 'Doing more with lignin', six partners in the circular value chain from small to large are already being brought together, using the facilities of both campuses for this purpose.

Circular circle around

Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo is involved from the campus-based company Bio Treat Center (BTC). In the start-up phase of the project, the SME production companies provide a good supply of renewable and green raw materials, such as champost or roadside grasses, through the BTC approach. The technical companies - which are affiliated with Chemelot Institute for Science & Technology (InSciTe), such as Vertoro - in turn make crude lignin oil from this. In the final phase, this sustainable oil is used as a raw material in physical products, thus completing the circular circle. Goetgeluk: "For us, this collaboration is important at project level, but also at strategic level. The demand for green raw materials from chemical companies will increase significantly and the AgriFood industry is a powerful supplier in the value chain from agro to chemistry."
Kip: "Our campus and the Chemelot Industrie Site are in the middle of the sustainability transition. We are on the way to becoming one of the first circular hubs in Europe. In that sense, 'Doing more with lignin' is an important frontrunner project, many will follow. Our campus is excellently equipped for that."

Connecting big and small

The connection between SMEs and larger corporate companies is a key success factor. The market is in a transition phase, but it is difficult for small business owners to finance the costly development step. Clustering the SME entrepreneurs on campus makes them stronger. Connecting them to corporate companies creates a new value chain. Kip: "Innovations nowadays come mainly from tech startups, often from an academic setting. Corporate companies need these startups for their innovation. And startups need corporate companies to bring those innovations to the market, as the first customer who wants to buy the product at guaranteed conditions. We see this happening a lot in this transition."

Good educated talent as an asset

In order to compete with other regions, both campuses are committed to offering well-trained talent, at academic, MBO and HBO levels. This is possible thanks to the good cooperation with trainers and the growing number of courses that offer the subject-oriented program physically on campus.

Read the full article here >

Read also the Germination Point article about the bio-oil from lignin that Vertoro produces >

Source: Brightlands