Clusterorganisaties zijn cruciaal voor de competitiviteit van de Vlaamse bedrijven

Vlaamse bedrijven slagen er in om hun competitieve voordelen t.o.v. het buitenland te behouden door een performante clusterwerking. Een recente VUB-studie concludeert dat de zes Vlaamse speerpuntclusters Catalisti (chemie & plastics), De Blauwe Cluster (mariene), Flanders’ FOOD (voeding), Flux50 (energie), MEDVIA (gezondheid) en VIL (logistiek) hun rol zeer goed vervullen en er voortreffelijk in slagen om vanuit hun neutrale en deskundige positie vele partijen samen te brengen.

Consensus over rol clusters

Kennisinstellingen, bedrijven en lokale overheden zijn unaniem dat de zes speerpuntclusters instaan voor kennisdeling en kennisdoorstroming en mede aan de wieg staan van ontwikkeling van nieuwe kennis. Ook blinken ze uit in het borgen van de kennis voor de volgende generaties. Dit zorgt voor een innovatie-boost waardoor Vlaamse bedrijven de moeilijkheden van de energiecrisis, de grondstoffenschaarste, de klimaatuitdagingen en de problemen van een krappe arbeidsmarkt de baas kunnen blijven.

“Barry Callebaut wil als wereldspeler in chocolade aan de top blijven op vlak van innovatie. Via de cluster werken we samen met andere top-voedingsbedrijven in Vlaanderen, zoals Vandemoortele en Soubry om een grote sprong vooruit te maken in digitalisering in onze fabrieken. De hefboom die ontstaat via deze samenwerking heeft een positieve impact op de volledige voedingssector. Clusterorganisaties zijn cruciaal om ons te verbinden in innovatie”

– Barry Callebaut

Cluster Memorandum

Op vraag van de speerpuntcluster-directies voerde de Vrije Universiteit Brussel een studie uit om met een constructief-kritische blik te analyseren wat een optimale rol kan zijn van een clusterorganisatie in het snel evoluerende economisch en maatschappelijk landschap. De directies willen met de output van de studie aan de slag gaan om hun strategische en operationele doelen te verfijnen. Ze zijn overtuigd dat hun goede werk moet verder gezet worden en op basis van de inzichten zal een memorandum uitgewerkt worden waarmee de Vlaamse Regering aan de slag kan om te waarborgen dat Vlaanderen aan de top blijft inzake innovatie en clusterbeleid, een clusterbeleid van en voor ondernemingen, een clusterbeleid dat het transformatief proces ondersteunt waarin elke onderneming vandaag verkeert. 
 

“De speerpuntclusters bundelen het economisch weefsel en zorgen ervoor dat de  opgebouwde kennis snel en transparant zijn weg naar de bedrijven vindt.”

Kurt Van Donink, Vice President European Logistics, Nike

Elke speerpuntcluster is uniek

De speerpuntclusters zijn divers in hun organisatiestructuur en aansturing. Er worden dan ook andere accenten en prioriteiten gelegd. De studie, waarbij naast een literatuurstudie als benchmark t.o.v. het buitenland ook een aantal focusgroepen van bedrijfsleden, kennisinstellingen en andere innovatie-actoren georganiseerd werden, bevestigt dat deze diversiteit nodig is om ervoor te zorgen dat er op maat diensten kunnen geleverd worden aan de leden. Deze leden komen immers vanuit de verschillende sectoren, technologieën en disciplines die elk  hun specifieke en andere uitdagingen  hebben. Speerpuntclusters zijn dé katalysator en gatekeeper bij uitstek. Sandro Iacovella, oprichter van ThermoVault bevestigt dit:

“Als startende ondernemers met academische achtergrond was het essentieel om een klankbord te hebben dat je begrijpt, in je gelooft en meedenkt met jouw specifieke uitdagingen. De cluster heeft hierin een belangrijke rol gespeeld en ons geïntroduceerd tot de juiste partijen. Momenteel zijn we met onze eigen retrofit oplossing voor residentiële verwarmingssystemen actief in meerdere landen, in combinatie met de wereldwijde afzetmarkt van fabriekstoestellen door onze strategische partner Ariston. Ik kan gerust zeggen dat zonder die ondersteuning we nu niet zo ver hadden gestaan bij de uitbouw van ThermoVault”. 

Sandro Lacovella, oprichter ThermoVault

Een gericht VLAIO, sterke clusters in Europa

De VUB-studie bevestigt ook de sterke positie van Vlaanderen waarbij clusters vele rollen en taken opnemen en heel strategisch ingezet worden. In het bijzonder wordt hierbij de rol van VLAIO, agentschap voor innoveren en ondernemen, genoemd dat met een heel gericht clusterbeleid aan de bron staat van het succes.  Uniek aan dat beleid is de industriële focus en bedrijf gestuurde werking.  Deze sterkte moet  VLAIO ook de volgende jaren blijven uitspelen in Europa.

InnovFest

InnovFest is een invloedrijk netwerkevenement dat de synergie tussen de Vlaamse overheid, de zes speerpuntclusters en bedrijven benadrukt. Op 20 februari bij Lamot in Mechelen worden de resultaten van de VUB-studie toegelicht door Prof. Elvira Haezendonck.  De 6 speerpuntclusters brengen die dag ook, zij aan zij,  de recentste technologische doorbraken in drie break-out sessies om de uitdagingen rond duurzaamheid, energie en arbeidsmarkt op te lossen. Het evenement biedt een unieke inkijk in het dynamische landschap van innovatie en groei in Vlaanderen.

CropExplore for Farmers 

In het CropExplore for Farmers project wordt het potentieel van meer dan 200 akkerbouwgewassen binnen de Vlaamse bio-economie in kaart gebracht met deder, yacon en hennep als demonstratiecases. 

Waarom dit project? 

Stel: je wil als teler inzetten op gewasdiversificatie door een nieuw gewas aan je rotatie toe te voegen. Maar hoe beslis je welk gewas dit wordt? En wat is het meest geschikte ras om mee aan de slag te gaan? Ook vanuit de verwerkende industrie is er door de huidige crisissen een duidelijke noodzaak om te werken met duurzamere grondstoffen, te kiezen voor een ‘zero-waste’-productie en om de afhankelijkheid van het buitenland te beperken. Maar welke grondstoffen hebben dan het grootste potentieel? 

Tot op vandaag is het niet gemakkelijk om deze vragen te beantwoorden. De kennis over nieuwe teelten die een potentieel hebben binnen de Vlaamse bio-economie is namelijk sterk gefragmenteerd en nergens in één oogopslag waar te nemen. Dit maakt het heel moeilijk voor telers om twee potentiële gewassen met elkaar te vergelijken en de juiste keuze te maken, maar ook voor de voedingsindustrie en andere sectoren om de juiste opportuniteiten te vinden. 

Onderzoeksaanpak? 

CropExplore for Farmers (CEF) is een landbouw (LA)-traject en bovendien een sectoroverschrijdend (intercluster) project met als doel landbouwers te inspireren en te stimuleren om nieuwe gewassen te telen die een potentieel hebben binnen de Vlaamse bio-economie.  

Concreet willen we dit doel bereiken door: 

  • Een kennismatrix op te stellen met daarin teelttechnische eigenschappen, opbrengsten, arealen, inhoudsstoffen en afzetmogelijkheden van minstens 200 bekende en minder bekende akkerbouwgewassen met potentieel binnen de Vlaamse bio-economie. 
  • De kennismatrix te vertalen naar een handig te gebruiken online tool die enerzijds telers zal toelaten om gewassen onderling te vergelijken op basis van bepaalde economische of ecologische criteria en die anderzijds een inspiratiebron zal zijn voor productinnovaties in de verwerkende industrie. 
  • Drie demonstratiecases uit te werken rond deder, yacon en hennep waarin meer specifiek: 
  • De teelttechniek (onkruidbeheersing, rassenkeuze en mengteelt) van deder op praktijkschaal zal uitgetest worden en de toepassingen van dederolie en -perskoek onderzocht zullen worden. 
  • De teelt van yacon op grote schaal zal geoptimaliseerd worden op gebied van plantgoed en mechanisatie. En de bewaring en verwerking tot halffabricaten op labo-en pilootschaal uitgetest zullen worden. 
  • De afzetmogelijkheden en rendabiliteit van hennep geoptimaliseerd zal worden door te focussen op de valorisatie van de henneptoppen en -scheven. 
  • Het contact en de kennisuitwisseling tussen telers en verwerkers te faciliteren. 

Doelgroep en resultaten 

Landbouwers vormen de primaire doelgroep van het CropExplore for Farmers project. Meer specifiek gaat het hier over akkerbouwbedrijven actief in de gangbare of biologische teelt. 

Dit project is ook relevant voor de verwerkende industrie en dit uit verschillende sectoren binnen de bio-economie. Door de teelt van nieuwe grondstoffen te stimuleren kan de verwerkende industrie meer inzetten op productinnovaties met lokaal geteelde grondstoffen. Vandaar dat bedrijven binnen de Vlaamse voedings- en drankenindustrie en de chemie- en kunststoffensector ook tot de doelgroep van dit project behoren. 





Project Details
Project type: Intercluster – LA
Approved on: 15/12/2022
Duration: 01/01/2023 – 31/12/2025
Total budget: €936.198
Subsidy: €842.578
Project Partners
Flanders’ FOOD beheert en coördineert het project. De uitvoering is in handen van Boerenbond, Catalisti, HoGent, ILVO, Inagro, KU Leuven, Praktijkpunt Landbouw Vlaams-Brabant, Provinciaal Proefcentrum voor de Groenteteelt (PCG) en VIVES.

Vlaams Bio-economie Label
Het stimuleren van speerpuntclusters is één van de acties in het Vlaams beleidsplan bio-economie, dat gefinancierd wordt uit het relanceplan ‘Vlaamse Veerkracht’. Speerpuntclusters zijn immers goed geplaatst om economische en maatschappelijke doelstellingen te realiseren in samenwerking tussen kenniscentra, bedrijven en overheid. Met deze middelen geeft de Vlaamse regering een extra impuls door (inter)clusterprojecten tussen de onderzoekswereld en verschillende private sectoren te ondersteunen. Deze clusterprojecten moeten betrekking hebben op het hergebruik of omzetten van biomassa en biologisch afval tot bruikbare materialen en producten, en vallen binnen één of meer van de thema’s gedefinieerd in het beleidsplan bio-economie.

Deelnemen?
Het project CropExplore for Farmers is gestart op 01/01/2023 en loopt nog tot 31/02/2025 (projectduur 3 jaar). Tot die tijd is deelname mogelijk (mits betaling).

Contact
Vragen over dit project? Neem contact op met catalyst Bert Boekaerts (bboekaerts@catalisti.be) of Aron Deneyer (adeneyer@catalisti.be).

PROMIS

sustainable PROduction of bio-based Multi-reactive ISocyanates 

PROMIS will help the chemicals and materials industries in the production of more sustainable polyurethanes (PUs). Using inventive organic chemistry and catalysis, novel bio-based PU building blocks, called isocyanates, will be designed. As a result, current challenges in polyurethane industry will be addressed through closely interlinked valorisation goals. 

New bio-based isocyanates 

Currently, commercially available isocyanates originate from petroleum resources and are thus non-renewable. To replace these petrochemical isocyanates, PROMIS will investigate the design of new or “lookalike” bio-based isocyanates originating from biomass sources. Their molecular structure and chemical reactivity will be compared to the commercial benchmarks, identifying their potential as drop-ins or superior substitutes. PROMIS aims at the production of these new bio-based structures with distinct reactivities and/or extra beneficial properties (e.g. oxidative & UV stability and/or reduced (eco)toxicity).  

Safe and sustainable polyurethane production 

Polyurethane materials are made from the chemical reaction between isocyanate and polyol building blocks. PROMIS will focus on improved PU sustainability in several ways. First, the bio-based content of the isocyanate building blocks will be increased by starting their production from biomass resources such as lignin and carbohydrates. Crucially, the PROMIS project will select those lignocellulose biomass streams that will not compete with the food or feed industry. Furthermore, the project will identify those synthesis methods that generate the least amount of waste and involve reagents with minimal risks to the environment and human health. In particular, current commercial petrochemical isocyanate production requires phosgene, which is a highly toxic chemical reagent. In PROMIS, alternative and more sustainable isocyanate synthesis methods will be developed, removing the need for phosgene entirely.  

Intercluster project 

In the search for new bio-based building blocks for renewable PU materials, PROMIS creates an interface between the chemistry and materials domains. Therefore, PROMIS is set up as intercluster strategic basic research supported by the Flemish chemistry and materials innovation spearhead clusters, Catalisti and SIM respectively. 

Flemish Bioeconomy Label 

In the framework of the Flemish government’s policy plan for the bioeconomy, PROMIS was awarded the Bioeconomy Label by VLAIO. Financed through the recovery plan ‘Vlaamse Veerkracht’, the policy plan for the bioeconomy seeks, amongst others, to stimulate spearhead clusters like Catalisti and support their collaborative innovation projects. PROMIS is awarded the Bioeconomy label, as it matches one or more of the focus themes identified by the policy plan, including the conversion of biomass into useable materials and products. 





Project Details
Project type: Intercluster – cSBO
Approved on: 15/12/2022
Duration: 01/01/2023 – 31/12/2025
Total budget: €1.480.879
Subsidy: €1.480.879
Project Partners

Contact
Questions about this project? Please contact catalyst Bert Boekaerts (bboekaerts@catalisti.be).

DELICARE

DEpolymerisation of hydrolysis LIgnin for Conversion to Acrylic REsins 

The DELICARE project maximally exploits the potential of hydrolysis lignin (HL) as a sustainable source of reactive bio-aromatic compounds. Using a catalytic depolymerization we target  applications in acrylic resins. DELICARE will link upstream HL producers and downstream acrylic resins and polymer stakeholders, resulting in an optimized value chain, new economic opportunities and new synergetic partnerships. 

Lignin: a biomass source of aromatics 

Lignin and especially depolymerized lignin are considered to be a valuable bio-based alternative for the replacement of aromatics in many applications. In particular, HL, an underexploited side product from second generation biorefineries, has high potential in terms of cost and availability. However, its detailed analytical characterization and solubilization to enable efficient depolymerization remains challenging, usually due to high carbohydrate content. Therefore, DELICARE will expand the current lignin characterization methods to HLs and make HLs available for new applications through suitable solubilization and lignin pre-treatment strategies.  

Continuous depolymerization and innovative 3D-shaped catalyst

To enhance the production efficiency of lignin-based bio-aromatic building blocks, the shift from a batch to a continuous depolymerization process based on heterogeneous catalysis provides a unique opportunity. To go from batch to continuous operation, shaped catalysts and accessible catalyst structures are needed. Therefore, DELICARE will develop novel catalytic materials that are perfectly tuned for continuous depolymerization of HL via innovative 3D printing techniques. Multi-scale modelling will guide the catalyst development by predicting their performance at optimal operating conditions. 

Acrylics as bulk materials and high-value additives 

Applications of acrylic resins range from paints and coatings to adhesives, inks, packaging materials and personal care products. Unfortunately, only a limited number of bio-based commercially available acrylic products exist. In DELICARE, HL oil-derived acrylics will be developed as bulk polymer matrix for curable thermosetting resins and for high value tailor-made thermoplastic polyacrylates with strong anti-oxidative properties. 

Intercluster project 

As the bio-based compounds will be used in various material applications (coatings, resins, …), and the innovative catalysts will be synthesized via 3D printing, this innovation project is situated at the interface between the chemistry and materials domains. Therefore, DELICARE is set up as intercluster strategic basic research supported by the Flemish chemistry and materials innovation spearhead clusters, Catalisti and SIM respectively. 

Flemish Bioeconomy Label 

In the framework of the Flemish government’s policy plan for the bioeconomy, DELICARE was awarded the Bioeconomy Label by VLAIO, as it matches one or more of the focus themes identified by the policy plan, including the conversion of biomass into useable materials and products. Financed through the recovery plan ‘Vlaamse Veerkracht’, the policy plan for the bioeconomy seeks, amongst others, to stimulate spearhead clusters like Catalisti and support their collaborative innovation projects.  





Project Details
Project type: Intercluster – cSBO
Approved on: 15/12/2022
Duration: 01/01/2023 – 31/12/2025
Total budget: €1.499.242
Subsidy: €1.499.242
Project Partners

Contact
Questions about this project? Please contact catalyst Bert Boekaerts (bboekaerts@catalisti.be).

ODORETION

Towards sustainable solutions for better malodor elimination 

ODORETION researches and develops technology paths to remediate and prevent malodors in bedrooms, bathrooms and toilets. A research platform with modular methodologies will form a solid basis for identifying the most effective biological and chemical technologies. On top of that, ODORETION aims to be more sustainable than the typically used toxic and less environmentally friendly strategies.  

The importance of indoor air quality 

The world health organization (WHO) lists indoor air quality as one of the most dangerous health threats. Indoor air contains more and even higher concentrations of pollutants than outdoor air. Moreover, people in industrialized countries spend up to 90% of their time indoors. Bad indoor air contains toxic and malodorous compounds, impacting health and quality of life. These compounds originate from living organisms and the release of chemicals related to the production process and/or usage of materials in-house. Several technologies are already available to neutralize these malodors, but unfortunately major drawbacks are still associated with these solutions (e.g. energy-intensive washing steps during production, low durability, extra unsustainable production steps, additional health risks or high cost). With the ODORETION project, we want to improve indoor air quality and the comfort of living in a novel, sustainable and nature-based manner. 

Sustainable and effective technologies 

The main challenge is to eliminate the smell of a complex mixture of volatile organic compounds quickly and carefully. Effective technologies to eliminate and prevent unwanted odors, and thus improve indoor air quality in a sustainable way, are urgently needed. Innovative solutions to tackle malodors can significantly impact good air quality, improving performance, health, and well-being. A central and ground-breaking innovation in the proposed ODORETION project is to identify and process suitable beneficial bacterial strains that can biodegrade and eliminate malodorous compounds and, as such, promote air quality. Plants will be enriched with these beneficial bacteria towards malodor metabolization, and other complementary technologies and methods will also be co-developed. 

Application domains 

The project will deliver proofs of concept that translate into technological building blocks for application across industry sectors. ODORETION schedules demonstrators for finishes of mattress covers and protectors that are less smelling, toilet rim blocks, botanical biofiltration units, and sprays for removing malodors in toilets and bathrooms. 





Project Details
Project type: ICON
Approved on: 15/12/2022
Duration: 01/01/2023 – 31/12/2025
Total budget: €3.664.345
Subsidy: €2.528.208
Project Partners
The ODORETION consortium consists of four well-established industrial partners (BekaertDeslee, Procter&Gamble, Milliken, and Breezo), one research institute (VITO) and two academic partners (UAntwerpen and UGent). The partners have complementary know-how and skills to create a new value chain with sustainable solutions for malodor elimination.

Contact
Questions about this project? Please contact catalyst Bert Boekaerts (bboekaerts@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).


BIOPOL4MOTIVE

Increasing the amount of biomass in foams: biobased polyols for flexible polyurethane foams in automotive applications

BIOPOL4MOTIVE will support car manufacturers and their suppliers in making polyurethane (PU) foams used in car acoustic interiors more sustainable. The project will create two grades of PU systems specifically developed for manufacturing flexible PU foams with a substantial biobased content, without functional loss, and at attractive cost.

Sustainable PU foams
Due to their high performance at low weight and their competitive cost, PU foams are the material of choice for car acoustic interiors. Today, fossil-based methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and polyols are used to produce these PU foams. As car manufacturers and their suppliers strive towards increased sustainability and a reduced CO2 footprint, they are looking for ways to incorporate more sustainable materials into their PU foams.

One such sustainable material is biobased polyol. Currently, however, the chemical structure, inconsistent quality and cost of bio-polyol are curtailing its full potential. PU foams containing more than 10% bio-polyols, for example, exhibit an immediate loss of functionality. To overcome this challenge and increase the amount of bio-polyols in PU foams, innovative solutions are needed.

New bio-polyols
BIOPOL4MOTIVE offers these solutions by developing new bio-polyols and modified MDI, targeting use in automotive acoustic applications. In practice, the project aims to create two grades of PU systems developed for manufacturing flexible PU foams (i.e. high-resilience and visco-elastic) with a substantial biobased content. This will be achieved by developing the bio-polyol polymer and the MDI pre-polymer including the bio-polyol, delivering the required biobased content without functional loss and at attractive cost.

Impact
The project will lead to a significant increase of sustainable content in PU-based car acoustic interiors, while preserving the use and production of light-weight, cost-competitive PU foams in the automotive value chain.

Project Details
Project type: O&O
Approved on: 16/06/2021
Duration: 01/04/2021-31/12/2023
Total budget: €2.553.157
Subsidy: €1.276.579
Project Partners
To execute the project, a partnership covering the entire PU foam value chain was established: from a polyol producer (Oleon), over a PU raw material and formulated systems producer (Huntsman), to a supplier of sustainable lightweight components for acoustic and thermal management (Autoneum).
Contact
Questions about this project? Please contact catalyst Bert Boekaerts (bboekaerts@catalisti.be).


Flemish Bioeconomy Label
In the framework of the Flemish government’s policy plan for the bioeconomy, BIOPOL4MOTIVE was awarded the Bioeconomy Label by VLAIO.

Financed through the recovery plan ‘Vlaamse Veerkracht’, the policy plan for the bioeconomy seeks, amongst others, to stimulate spearhead clusters like Catalisti and support their collaborative innovation projects.

BIOPOL4MOTIVE is the first cluster project to be awarded the label, as it matches one or more of the focus themes identified by the policy plan, including the conversion of biomass and/or biological waste into useable materials and products.

Enzymares

Enzyme Prediction Toolbox

The intercluster project Enzymares, supported by Catalisti, Blauwe Cluster and Flanders’ FOOD, will develop an enzyme prediction toolbox to speed up enzyme discovery and reduce the time-to-market for new enzymes. The innovative toolbox will contribute to the success of enzymes as sustainable bio-catalysts and thus support companies in making their processes and products more sustainable.

Enzymes everywhere
Enzymes are ubiquitous. They are used in fine and specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food and (aqua)feed products, textiles, cosmetics, and so many more industrial applications. As they are non-toxic and biodegradable, enzymes are an attractive alternative to chemical additives or catalysts. In fact, enzymatic catalysis has the potential to make industrial processes cleaner as well as more resource- and energy-efficient, thereby contributing to a more sustainable industry.

Given their wide array of applications and their sustainable profile, it’s no surprise that the global demand for enzymes is growing rapidly. Specifically, the hunt is on for new or better performing enzymes in terms of substrate selectivity, inhibition sensitivity, chiral selectivity, pH and temperature range. There is also an increased focus on enzyme performance in extreme conditions (e.g. high salt tolerance, hyper-thermostability, barophilicity, cold adaptivity).

Several sources…
Luckily, biological resources, and particularly marine environments, offer an enormous opportunity for enzyme exploration. Moreover, while current research has focused on tapping enzymes from microbial organisms, more complex eukaryotic organisms may represent yet another untapped reservoir of discovery.

… but difficult to discover
Tapping this reservoir and finding the right enzymes is, however, not straightforward. Today, most new enzymes are found through high-throughput functional screenings of genomic libraries and a comparison with biological databases.

Once interesting enzymes have been identified, their performance in industrial applications is assessed. This assessment can take years and, even then, the majority of enzymes identified through the screening process proves not to be particularly useful. In short, finding the right enzymes is extremely time-consuming and resource-demanding, slowing down their valorisation and application.

Optimising the enzyme discovery pathway
The intercluster project Enzymares seeks to speed up enzyme discovery by developing an enzyme prediction toolbox. The toolbox will optimise the enzyme discovery pathway through:
  1. an improved high-quality database that integrates different types of molecular and biological data
  2. the inclusion of ecological information about the organism and its habitat, as organisms inhabiting extreme habitats are far more likely to produce enzymes capable of performing under extreme conditions
  3. the inclusion, at an early stage, of process parameters and performance needs, to make sure that enzymes are indeed fit-for-purpose, to significantly increase the number of qualitative hits, and to reduce the time-to-market
All in all, a toolbox that integrates and includes different types of molecular data, ecological information, process parameters as well as performance needs will increase the chances of success in the enzyme discovery pathway. Furthermore, by exploring the diversity of enzymes in more complex organisms, a “new world” of previously unknown enzymes may become available for valorisation by the industry and may expand the application potential of enzymatic catalysis in industrial processes.

Through its innovative toolbox, Enzymares will contribute to the success of enzymes as sustainable bio-catalysts and thus support companies in making their processes more sustainable.

Project Details
Project type: SBO, intercluster with Blauwe Cluster and Flanders’ FOOD
Approved on: 20/05/2021
Duration: 01/09/2021 – 31/08/2025
Total budget: €2.699.884
Subsidy: €2.699.884
Project Partners
To tackle the complexity of the enzyme discovery pathway, a multidisciplinary approach is crucial. Therefore, Enzymares brings together experts in ecology, microbiology, protein (bio)chemistry, bioprocess technology, bioinformatics and machine learning. The intercluster project is supported by three Flemish spearhead clusters: Catalisti, Blauwe Cluster and Flanders’ FOOD.
Industrial Advisory Board
AB Mauri, Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services, B4Plastics, BASF, Bienca, Cargill, ChemStream, DEME, Flen Health, IMAQUA, Innovad, INVE, Kemin, Nutrition Sciences, Open Analytics, Proviron, Puratos, Tereos.

Contact
Questions about this project? Please contact catalyst Martijn Mertens (mmertens@catalisti.be).