Bolder Industries Inc. – the circular solutions provider for rubber, plastics, and petrochemical industries – announced partnerships with Antea Group, Cyclops, and OSQB as Bolder establishes its global footprint with their first E.U. facility at the NextGen District in the Port of Antwerp, Belgium. These partnerships ensure Bolder’s development plans remain on track for commercial operations to begin in 2024, significantly increasing the volume of sustainable BolderBlack® and BolderOil™ available to their customers in Europe and beyond.

The Antea Group was instrumental in helping Bolder identify its E.U. location and will support permitting moving forward. The partnership considered multiple European locations and selected the Port of Antwerp for its dedication to sustainability, partnerships with other circular organizations, access to canals and rail systems, and proximity to Bolder’s growing client roster.

“Bolder made a smart move by developing in this specific location near the largest petrochemical cluster in Europe – the multimodal transport possibilities, and the site's focus on circular economy make it the ideal choice,” said Jan Parys, General Manager of Antea Group Belgium. “We are pleased to guide Bolder Industries through the entire permitting process. It is yet another step towards building a sustainably growing port and a liveable city of Antwerp.”

Bolder Industries will base the Belgium facility’s design on its highly successful U.S. plant in Missouri and its second, larger facility in Terre Haute, Indiana. Phase 1 of Bolder’s Antwerp location will house three reactors on site, which will process approximately over 3 million end-of-life tires per year and dramatically increase production volumes for BolderBlack® and BolderOil™ to satisfy increasing market demand for these sustainable, circular raw materials. Additionally, this location will bolster Bolder Industries’ environmental savings by using 98% less CO2 and 85% less water and energy than traditional methods of virgin carbon black production while utilizing 98% of every scrap tire.

Cyclops was chosen as Bolder’s project management partner for their experience with industrial recycling facilities and commitment to a transition towards a climate-neutral society.

“Our partnership with Bolder Industries, one of the first two companies to build on the Antwerp NextGen District, gives us the opportunity to make a difference as a company and work towards a better future,” said CEO Cyclops, Ruth Van Hellemont.

Bolder selected OSQB for the build-out of the site due to their ability to deliver architecture, structural engineering, and technical engineering disciplines under one roof.

“The road to sustainable tires is only possible if we move towards full recycling of tire waste. We are excited to partner with Bolder in building the new recycling plants for Antwerp where we will apply BolderBlack-made rubber and plastics materials in the architectural concept, showcasing the versatility of the product”, said Tanguy Oosterlynck, Founder of OSQB Architects.

“Antea Group, OSQB, and Cyclops are the ideal partners to bring Bolder Industries Belgium to fruition. They’re as ambitious and committed to solving environmental issues as we are and they have proven success in building projects similar to ours—smoothly and effectively,” said Wim van Den Broeck, Director of Project Development for Bolder Industries. Wim, a native of Antwerp, joined the Bolder team earlier in 2022, bringing experience in plastics pyrolysis and deep expertise in local development and logistics from his work on infrastructure projects in the city of Antwerp and industrial projects in the Port of Antwerp.

“The Bolder Industries Antwerp location is changing the game for our international clients. Once operational, we can more easily serve our customers and expand our delivery to major markets, including EU-based tire manufacturers,” said Bolder Industries Founder and CEO, Tony Wibbeler. “We’re eager to broaden our customers’ sustainable impact, grow our team internationally, and establish ourselves as a global circular solutions provider.”

Press release by Bolder Industries.