International. Helios Resins and its member company Helios Tblus present a joint investment in a pilot reactor system to process biomass into feedstocks for the production of bio-based resins and coatings .
According to the company, the investment is an excellent example of how to connect research with the economy and, at the same time, cooperation between companies, as it will be the first of its kind to be openly accessible. The central mission is to promote integration and development projects according to the principles of the circular economy.
"In addressing climate change and other current challenges, a circular approach is crucial for the future of the economy. Companies that adopted sustainable visions years ago are now more competitive and doing better business," said Aleksandra Podgornik, Director of the Štajerska Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Managing Director of SRIP.
"We need comprehensive and revolutionary changes, which requires broad integration and cooperation, as we are successfully developing in the REPI – Circular Economy," Podgornik added.
TBMCE is an international meeting, where theoretical models of the transition from a linear to a circular economy, methodologies and concrete technologies are discussed.
"The characteristic of the conference is its multipathway or balance between the academic, research, economic and development spheres," said Dr. Zdravko Kravanja, chair of the TBMCE conference and faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology at the University of Maribor.
Modern society is based on the use of polymeric materials of fossil origin, which demands a more sustainable model. The reactor system for the transfer of technologies from the laboratory to the pilot level represents a research team for the optimization and transfer of innovative technology based on sustainable resource management to industrial practice.
It uses residual biomass from the wood and agricultural industry as raw material for the production of various products. The National Institute of Chemistry is responsible for the development part of the project and the equipment will be available to partners and other companies.
Increasing the volume of bio-based materials will significantly reduce the carbon footprint in the polymer industry and enable the production of environmentally and human-friendly products.
The amount of the total investment amounts to just over 323,000 euros, of which the State will contribute half as part of the operation of the REPI – Circular Economy, and the project partners will contribute the other half.
"Advances in science and technology enable the development of better quality products that are environmentally friendly and comply with strict Slovenian and European environmental legislation. We consider cooperation in partnership to be our important competitive advantage in the demanding European markets where we sell our products," concluded Dr. Peter Venturini, Director of Helios TBLUS.
