After a rigorous process and careful planning, Bolder Industries – an American tire pyrolysis operator focused on recovered carbon black (rCB) has announced its new address in Europe. With canal, deep water, rail and motorway access the Port of Antwerp now provides sustainable and economically attractive delivery options for Bolder’s global customer base.

The news has come from the NextGen District in Port of Antwerp, the Netherlands, where Bolder Industries and Triple Helix and have become the first concessionaires. Port of Antwerp says that “the commitment of two pioneers, Triple Helix and Bolder Industries, is an important milestone in securing this future circular economy hotspot. Together with innovative game changers, this cluster of circular companies aims to contribute to the transition to a climate-neutral society.”

NextGen District is expected to become the future circular economy hotspot in the port of Antwerp, on the former 88 hectares of General Motors. Port of Antwerp consciously chose to set aside this large area close to Europe's largest chemical cluster for the circular economy. Innovative players in the circular process and manufacturing industry will give end-of-life products (including tires) a second or third life, explore circular carbon solutions (recovered carbon black) and carry out experiments with renewable energy. In order to attract as many national and international pioneers in the field of circularity as possible, a market survey was organized in October 2020 and June 2021.

Triple Helix and Bolder Industries are first concessionaires on NextGen District | Video by Port of Antwerp.

Bolder Industries, the pioneer of advanced sustainable chemical manufacturing sourced from end-of-life tires, aims at delivering dramatic environmental savings to the global rubber and plastics industry and their customers. The company’s proprietary material science process repurposes the chemicals in end-of-life tires to create BolderBlack® and BolderOil™ for rubber, plastic, and petrochemicals supply chains and their new product outputs. In this recovery process, 98% of the tire's materials are utilized and 75% of the solids and liquids make their way back into new tires, manufactured rubber goods, and plastics.

Another company, the Antwerp-based Triple Helix, is set to build a factory to convert polyurethane foam from, among others, discarded mattresses, insulation panels and car seats, along with used PET from the retail and food industries, into polyols. These pure chemicals can then be reused, for example in the production of new polyurethane products. The factory will be fully circular and self-sufficient in terms of energy.

According to a press release by Port of Antwerp, the total investment value of these two new players amounts to approx. 100 million euros and will generate at least 70 new jobs. After applying for the necessary permits, the objective is to be operational by 2023-2024.

To read more about the topic, please proceed to Port of Antwerp’s website.