Catalisti werft aan: Program Manager


Over deze functie

Er beweegt heel wat in de chemie- en kunststoffensector. Elke dag werkt de sector over landsgrenzen heen aan innovatieve technologieën, producten en processen om ons leven te vergemakkelijken en de transitie naar een duurzame industrie te versnellen. Als speerpuntcluster voor de chemie- en kunststoffensector in Vlaanderen, draagt Catalisti actief bij aan deze innovaties.

Ben ook jij gebeten door innovatie? Werk je graag rond concrete innovatieprojecten en toekomstgerichte businessopportuniteiten? Vind ook jij dat duurzaamheid en competitiviteit hand in hand gaan? Wil jij de Vlaamse industrie via internationale partnerschappen versterken? Solliciteer dan als Program Manager bij Catalisti en geef de duurzame industrie van morgen mee vorm!



Jouw profiel

Je beschikt over een PhD in de exacte of toegepaste wetenschappen en je bent opgeleid tot bijvoorbeeld (bio)chemicus, biotechnoloog, burgerlijk ingenieur, bio-ingenieur of industrieel ingenieur. Idealiter heb je aantoonbare kennis en ervaring over kunststofrecylage en circulaire producten en/of processen. Circulariteit en kunststofrecyclage boeien jou, en je bouwt graag je kennis en netwerk hierrond uit. Affiniteit met open innovatie, economische valorisatie, business development of het uitwerken van projectaanvragen is een meerwaarde.

Je wil graag frontrunner zijn, innovatieve technologieën, processen en producten van nabij opvolgen, en baanbrekende innovatieprojecten opzetten.

Je gelooft in de kracht van samenwerking, werkt graag in teamverband, bouwt vlot een netwerk uit, bent in staat om de noden en wensen van verschillende actoren in rekening te brengen, erkent nuances, en gaat van nature op zoek naar opportuniteiten en oplossingen.

Je spreekt Nederlands en hebt een goede kennis van het Engels.

Je bent vertrouwd met het Microsoft Office-pakket.


Jouw verantwoordelijkheden als Program Manager

Als Program Manager verbind je technisch-wetenschappelijke kennis aan bedrijfsnoden en toekomstgerichte innovaties. Je neemt een echte voortrekkersrol op binnen jouw expertisedomein. Je hebt een gevarieerd takenpakket, waaronder:

  • het identificeren van interessante innovatiekansen en -partners in chemie en kunststoffen
  • het opzetten en opvolgen van innovatieprojecten met meerdere bedrijven, universiteiten en/of onderzoeksinstellingen (projectmanagement: van ideedetectie, brokerage en bemiddeling tot projectrealisatie)
  • het selecteren en implementeren van een geschikt projecttype of financieringsinstrument
  • het beschermen van IP door bemiddeling tussen innovatiepartners
  • het identificeren en realiseren van sector- en clusteroverschrijdende initiatieven
  • het uitbouwen van een netwerk met spelers die aansluiten bij jouw expertisedomein, en dat zowel binnen de bedrijfswereld als binnen het academische landschap (community building)
  • het verlenen van business support, subsidie-advies en individuele strategische begeleiding aan Catalisti-leden


Jouw voordelen

Als Program Manager kom je terecht in het hart van het Vlaams innovatielandschap. Je hebt rechtstreeks toegang tot een rijk netwerk aan professionals in chemie en kunststoffen. Je krijgt de kans om je eigen expertisedomein voortdurend te verdiepen en te verbreden. Zo maken we jou bijvoorbeeld wegwijs in subsidiemechanismen en IP.

Je kan je prima ontplooien dankzij de:

  • open werksfeer in onze dynamische organisatie
  • intensieve samenwerking binnen ons klein en enthousiast team
  • flexibele werkomgeving (met combinatie kantoor- en thuiswerk)

Verder biedt Catalisti jou een:

  • contract van onbepaalde duur
  • marktconform loon
  • mooi pakket aan extralegale voordelen (bedrijfswagen, maaltijdcheques, …)
  • leerrijke omgeving

Een match met jouw profiel? Zo solliciteer je:

Grijp snel jouw kans en stuur je cv en een heldere motivatiebrief naar Managing Director Ann Verlinden (sollicitaties@catalisti.be). We kijken uit naar jouw sollicitatie!

Vragen over deze vacature of de functie van Program Manager? Contacteer info@catalisti.be


Wordt uw bedrijf een Factory of the Future?

Catalisti gaat samen met technologiefederatie Agoria opnieuw op zoek naar Factories of the Future. Omarmt uw onderneming de digitalisering binnen industrie 4.0 en heeft uw bedrijf de voorbije jaren uitzonderlijke prestaties geleverd om performanter te kunnen werken, te automatiseren of de kwaliteit te verbeteren? Heeft u grote stappen gezet op het vlak van technologie, arbeidsorganisatie, duurzaamheid of groei van het personeelsbestand? Stel u dan kandidaat voor deze prestigieuze award! Wie weet vervoegt u sectorbedrijven Janssen Pharmaceutica, L’Oréal Libramont, Rousselot, Takeda, TotalEnergies Ertvelde en Vinventions.

Maar eerst: weet hoever u staat!

Bent u klaar om een Factory of the Future te worden? Voer de Factory of the Future-scan uit, ontdek hoever u staat en zet de eerste stap naar een duurzame toekomst. Behaalt u een score van minstens 8/10 op de zeven kerntransformaties? Bevestig dan uw kandidatuur voor 23 juni via het inschrijvingsformulier of via mail.

 Waarom deelnemen?

  • Evalueer uw aanpak en maak de stand van zaken op van uw transformatie naar een Factory of the Future. Ten minste vier experts beoordelen de maturiteit van uw onderneming op het vlak van de zeven dimensies van de methodologie. Na de evaluatie ontvangt u een rapport
  • Valoriseer het werk van degenen die elke dag bezig zijn met de transformatie van uw onderneming
  • Word erkend als inspirerende organisatie op een of meerdere transformatiedomeinen
  • Leer bij, wissel best practices uit en krijg feedback tijdens ons activiteitenprogramma
  • Vergroot uw visibiliteit:
    • Erkenning van uw onderneming op gewestelijk en nationaal niveau
    • Externe erkenning tijdens de awarduitreiking en dankzij de daaropvolgende communicatie
    • Realisatie van een bedrijfsvideo die u in uw eigen communicatiecampagne kunt gebruiken

Timing

  • 23 juni 2022: uiterste datum om kandidaturen te bevestigen via het inschrijvingsformulier of via mail
  • 15 september 2022: uiterste datum om kandidaatsdossiers in te dienen
  • December 2022: validatie van de winnaars door de jury
  • Februari 2023: voorbereiding van de prijsuitreiking

Download de guidelines Factory of the Future 2022-2023

Meer Info

Ann Verlinden
Managing Director
+32 491 861 717
averlinden@catalisti.be

Catalisti Day June 8 2022


A warm welcome to our Catalisti Day 2022 on 8 June which will take place at the historical mine site in Genk, Thor Park.
 
The Catalisti Day is a half-day event, with one purpose: Connect to Innovate! For this event we hand-picked some thought-provoking keynotes for you, we crafted an overview with results and updates on Catalisti projects, and finally created the ideal setting for interpersonal exchanges.
 
Let’s dive into the bioeconomy and the renewable plastics perspective, brought to you by Dieter Cuypers (VITO), Dries Maes (EWI) and Peter Goult (SystemIQ). Later we will get inspired by Michael Carus (Nova-Institute) view on the biggest transformation of the chemical sector since the industrial revolution. All presentations will be in English.


Program

Starting at 13h00:
  • Registration & lunch
Part one:
  • Welcome by Ann Verlinden (Managing Director at Catalisti)
  • Keynote: Renewable Carbon from Biomass by Dieter Cuypers (VITO) & Dries Maes (EWI)
  • Keynote: ReShaping Plastics by Peter Goult (SystemIQ)
Break & innovation tour

Part two:
  • Keynote: The biggest transformation of the chemical sector since the industrial revolution by Michael Carus (Nova-Institute)
  • Interactive panel conversation with Catalisti frontrunners
  • Closing remarks by Ann Verlinden & Wouter De Geest (Chairman Catalisti)
  • Networking and walking dinner
Ending around aprox. 19h

Register now!


New additions to the Catalisti Team!

Martijn Mertens

Martijn joined the Catalisti team as project manager in February. Earlier this year, he successfully defended his PhD in the faculty of Science – Chemistry at Hasselt University. More information about his solar cell research can be found in De Standaard. Martijn will also be responsible for the international projects and collaborations at Catalisti. Glad to have you with us Martijn!
dr. Martijn Mertens, Project Manager

Julie Jannes

Julie started her internship at Catalisti in February and will be with us until the end of April. She is studying a master’s degree in communication science at Ghent University and is helping us out with all of our communication outlets as well as helping with the organisation of Catalisti Day, welcome!
Julie Jannes, Communications Intern

Join the ‘Pot Marigold’ Advisory Board

Is your company a candidate processor or buyer of pot marigold raw materials, the flowers, the seeds or derivatives thereof such as flower extract or seed oil, from locally grown pot marigold (Calendula officinalis)?

In the context of an agricultural project, it has been established that the cultivation of pot marigold for Flemish agriculture is technically feasible and, provided that it is scaled up and optimized, also profitable. Eleven pioneers have already tried the cultivation and no less than 52 farmers are interested. Pot marigold can be grown for a dual purpose: first, flowers are harvested several times and then seeds are harvested. The crop looks beautiful in the Flemish agricultural landscape (see photo) and also contributes to biodiversity (supporting beneficial insects). In the short term, our pioneers can realize a production of about 10 ha, good for about 5 tons of seeds and 5 tons of dried flowers. The yields per hectare are currently not yet optimized and potentially about twice as high. If necessary, the acreage can be scaled up quickly.

Pot marigold offers a wide range of raw materials and possible applications. For the flowers, there are applications in food (dairy, chocolate, jam, …) , cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, medical textiles (antibacterial effect). The seed oil can be used in the paint and coating industry. Also the press cake has applications in animal feed.
The pot marigold raw materials contain several active ingredients:

FLOWER
Apolar (fat-soluble) compounds that can typically be extracted with supercritical CO2:
  • Essential oils are a mixture of volatile, fat-soluble molecules. Essential oils are well known and widely used in ointments for burns, insect bites and skin treatments.
  • Carotenoids are natural, fat-soluble dyes that can be used in food as antioxidants (to preserve oil better and longer) and as colorants.
Polar (water-soluble) compounds that can be extracted from the petals via water and/or alcohol extraction:
  • Polyphenols, aromatic compounds known for their antioxidant properties.
  • Polar natural dyes (flavonoids) that can be used in food or textiles.


SEEDS
Oil can be extracted or pressed from the seeds. The oil content of the seeds is around 20%. This oil contains high concentrations (50-65%) of C18:3 Calendic Acid. This oil can be used in high quality resins and paints and hopefully in the future in food applications after going through the novel food procedure. After removing the oil, a press cake remains that can be used in animal feed.

Despite these numerous possibilities, there is currently no concrete sale of Calendula raw materials in Flanders. Therefore, we are looking for companies that want to work with these raw materials. Are you interested? Then you can commit yourself as a member of the guidance group of the project ‘Marketing and product quality as keys to the success of pot marigold cultivation’. In this VLAIO La-traject Praktijkpunt Landbouw Vlaams-Brabant and ILVO work together on new cultivation techniques and on markering of the flowers and seeds to achieve better product quality and rendability. If this project is approved, you will be closely involved in the further development of the pot marigold chain and you will receive, in exchange for your participation in the guidance group and in the co-financing, the necessary test material (quantity to be agreed upon).

For more information about this project, please contact Linsey Garcia-Gonzalez (lgarciagonzalez@catalisti.be))

Hydrogen Matchmaking Event

On 9 November, all Flemish research institutes had the opportunity to present their research on hydrogen in a series of short pitches to an audience of industrial partners.

Research inventory
The Flemish hydrogen strategy focusses on economic and innovative development. Flanders has expressed the ambition to become a European leader in the field of hydrogen. One of the pillars of this Flemish hydrogen vision is the strengthening of the Flemish research base in the field and the drawing up of a “research agenda”.

The federal hydrogen strategy aims to position Belgium as an import and transit hub in Europe for green hydrogen, make the country a leader in hydrogen technologies and create a robust hydrogen market. The focus is mainly on infrastructure to import and transport hydrogen in the future.

In this context, WaterstofNet has made a research inventory of the hydrogen-related research currently being carried out at the Flemish knowledge institutions.

Link with industry
In a quick fire round, the institutes presented the themes of their research. Afterwards, the questions of the industrial partners present were addressed in smaller, topical sessions, such as:
  • Production of hydrogen and e-fuels
  • Transport and storage of hydrogen
  • Use of hydrogen in engines and fuel cells
  • Interaction hydrogen/materials and safety
  • Overarching themes: techno-economic modeling, LCA


Conclusions
Low TRL research is interesting, and there are companies that want to be kept abreast of emerging possibilities and solutions, but in order to be of use to the industry, a vision on valorisation and a valorisation approach needs to be developed from the very inception of the research project, as is the case with the Moonshot projects. Crucially, the business case needs to include the LCA/TEA and the service life span of the materials, right from the lower TRL onwards.

There is a great need for more demonstration projects. The industry has expressed the need for retrofit options and transition solutions. Linking up with start-ups and with technology companies is of particular benefit, which fits right in with the Catalisti mission.

For more information about this article, please contact our colleagues at Catalisti (pit@catalisti.be).

POLYAL CIRCULAR

Closing the loop in carton packaging recycling


The project PolyAl Circular will improve the recycling potential of PolyAl, the fraction remaining after fiber extraction from drink and food carton packaging recycling, by developing a scalable chemical recycling process. The project will support companies in incorporating more recycled PolyAl in their products and make carton packaging an even more competitive material in the circular economy.

Carton packaging

Carton packaging, also known as drink carton or beverage carton, is very effective in protecting foods, such as milk and fruit juices. Today, Flanders recycles most of the carton packaging once used by consumers. During the recycling process, however, a fraction called PolyAl remains. This by-product consists of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and aluminium. Unfortunately, only limited recycling outlets for PolyAl currently exist. Therefore, a large amount of this material is not handled in an environmentally sound way, being incinerated or sent to landfills across Europe.

A valuable feedstock

PolyAl has, however, been identified as a feedstock of significant potential for chemical recycling technologies. Preliminary tests have already indicated that recycling PolyAl into high-quality secondary raw materials is feasible, which would effectively close the loop in carton packaging recycling. Yet, some challenges remain.

Circumventing hydrotreatment

Most importantly, a hydrotreatment step is deemed necessary to convert the recycled material into usable LDPE feedstock. Although effective, hydrotreatment’s high cost forms a barrier in the scale-up of the chemical recycling of PolyAl to commercially relevant levels.

Therefore, PolyAl Circular seeks to identify and optimize a cost-efficient scalable alternative to current hydrotreatment that (i) displays a better economic and environmental performance compared to hydrotreatment and (ii) yields high-value market-ready products.

A circular economy

By developing an innovative and cost-efficient chemical recycling process for PolyAl, this project will support companies in incorporating more recycled polymer from PolyAl in their products and make carton packaging truly circular. In addition, the innovations pursued by PolyAl Circular will also represent a significant step forward for the chemical recycling of polyolefins in general.


Project type: ICON
Approved on: 21/10/2021
Duration: 01/11/2021 – 31/10/2024 (36 months)
Total budget: €2.828.783
Subsidy: €1.827.377

PolyAl is an innovation project under the umbrella of Catalisti, the spearhead cluster that accelerates innovation into business in Flanders’ chemical and plastics sector. The project is also supported by Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO). To accomplish the project’s ambitious goals and ensure that all process steps are aligned, several industrial players across the value chain are involved. Tetra Pak is the leading producer of carton packaging. INEOS is Europe’s largest olefin producer and supplier of LDPE. Indaver is a clean tech company, active in chemical recycling. Umicore develops catalysts for the chemical industry. These four industrial parties are complemented by three knowledge institutes with a demonstrated track record in advanced catalysis (KU Leuven CSCE), plastic recycling process development (UGent LCPE), and environmental sustainability assessment (UGent STEN).

Project Partners


Contact
Questions about this project? Please contact catalyst Stef Koelewijn (skoelewijn@catalisti.be).



Multi2Recycle

Evaluation of the recyclability of food packaging materials in function of their compostion and barrier properties

In the intercluster COOCK project proposal Multi2Recycle, Catalisti joins forces with Flanders’ FOOD, Pack4Food, UHasselt and VKC-Centexbel to work on the future of circular food packaging. Specifically, this project will seek to answer the following question:

“How can a multilayer plastic food packaging be recyclable and, at the same time, have the optimal barrier properties to ensure the shelf-life of food products?”

Summary
In the Multi2Recycle project, the goal is to develop ‘Design for Recycling’ guidelines for multilayer plastic food packaging, incorporating both recyclability and optimal barrier properties. The maximal acceptable concentration of a certain type of barrier material (e.g. metallisation, EVOH) will be defined in function of the packaging recyclability. Afterwards, we will investigate how this translates into the shelf-life of the food product. In addition, the packaging recyclability will be validated on the level of the sorting and recycling sector.


Packaging: problems & prospects
Circular food packaging remains high on the agenda, with both European and Belgian authorities setting ambitious recycling targets. In line with our innovation programme on Circularity and Resource Efficiency, Catalisti continues to focus on sustainable food packaging that enables both optimal product protection and maximal circularity, for example through the Multi2Recycle project. Plastic converting, packaging, sorting and recycling companies are invited to join the Advisory Board of this project.

Join us!
Industrial input and participation is crucial for reaching the project goals. Therefore, Catalisti and its partners are cordially inviting plastic converting, packaging, sorting and recycling companies to participate in the Multi2Recycle Advisory Board. Is your company interested in this project and its goals? Then join the Advisory Board by sending a signed Letter of Intent (LOI) to Otto van den Berg (ovandenberg@catalisti.be). Click HERE to download the LOI template, including a more detailed project description.


Project Details
Project type: COOCK
Approved on: 18/11/2021
Duration: 01/11/2021-31/10/2023
Total budget: €838.558
Subsidy: €838.558
Project Partners


FUNY

Enabling advanced functionalisation of powder particles 

Summary
The ICON project FUNY will investigate whether the existing process to add functionalities to powder coating particles can be made more sustainable. The project proposes to integrate two core technologies for the production of such particles: atmospheric plasma technology and coating reactor technology. This combined technology will open up opportunities for the functionalisation of powder coating particles in a wide variety of applications, and support companies in making their processes more sustainable

Powder coating technologies
Powder coatings are applied in the industry to change the surface properties of all types of products. They can, for example, enhance a product’s adhesion, wettability or corrosion and wear resistance.

Today, the main technology used to add particular functionalities to powder coating particles is based on a wet chemical process. More specifically, a solvent is often evaporated to leave behind a homogeneous shell layer around powder coating particles.

Drawbacks
This wet coating process has some drawbacks. First of all, there are environmental concerns as the wet coating process requires solvents and toxic reagents, results in waste solutions, possibly leads to volatile organic compound emissions, and has a relatively high energy consumption. Secondly, this process can also suffer from agglomeration issues, especially with small particle sizes.

A more sustainable solution?
To deal with these drawbacks, the ICON project FUNY will investigate if a more sustainable technology can be used to add functionalities to powder coating particles. The project proposes to integrate two core technologies for the production of such particles. The first is MPG’s atmospheric plasma technology, an emerging technology to chemically modify the surface of materials at the nanometre level. The second is PROCEPT’s coating technology.

Advantages all around
The combined technology proposed by FUNY has advantages all around. It is a one-step process that can be scaled to large volumes. It is more environmentally friendly than traditional powder coating technologies as it is solvent-free, is more energy-efficient and produces less waste. It is operational at ambient temperature, enabling treatment of even the most heat-sensitive powder materials. Finally, the combined technology also has the potential to bring additional benefits by increasing homogeneity, optimising depth of penetration, and adding completely new functionalities to powder coating particles.

Impact
Functionalizing powder particles through a combined plasma-fluid bed reactor technology opens opportunities in a wide variety of applications, from the optimalisation of drug carriers (Janssen Pharmaceutica), over the adaption of cellulose esters (Eastman), to improvements in sealants and adhesives (Soudal). Overall, the innovative technology will support industries in making their processes more sustainable.

Project Details
Project type: ICON
Approved on: 18/11/2021
Duration: 01/11/2021-31/10/2023
Total budget: €2.801.965
Subsidy: €2.029.102
Project Partners
FUNY is an innovation project under the umbrella of Catalisti, the spearhead cluster that accelerates innovation into business in Flanders’ chemical and plastics sector. Integrating plasma and coating reactor technologies is a complex endeavour. The FUNY project therefore joins companies and research institutes with expertise in various fields. It includes MPG, PROCEPT, Eastman, Janssen Pharmaceutica and Soudal, as well as research partners KU Leuven, UAntwerpen, UGent and VITO. The project is also supported by Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO).
Contact
Questions about this project? Please contact catalyst Laura-Lynn Fockaert (lfockaert@catalisti.be).


B4Plastics is awarded the Food Planet Prize 2021!


On Thursday 18 November 2021, B4Plastics was awarded the $2 million USD 2021 Curt Bergfors Food Planet Prize for our work in developing biomaterials for degradable fishing gear within the Glaukos project. This is a huge recognition for B4Plastics, as it confirms our potential as biotech scale-up. The excitement of the B4P green team upon receiving the Food Planet Prize is immense. Check out the live reaction of Stefaan De Wildeman, founder and director of B4Plastics, on the announcement of this news as representation of this feeling HERE. And find out more about the story of B4Plastics within the Food Planet Prize in this video. CLICK HERE to learn more