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Relement settles on Green Chemistry Campus
March 15, 2021
TNO's Biorizon spin-off Relement settles on the Green Chemistry Campus. The company will produce and sell bio-aromatics on a commercial scale for use in lubricants and coatings, among other things. Nowdays aromatics are made from fossil feedstock and the production of these chemical building blocks has a negative impact on the climate. Relement's bio-aromatics are a qualitatively better and more sustainable alternative to fossil aromatics in existing products. In this way, Relement contributes to a green chemical industry and better products.
“The Green Chemistry Campus is a logical location for us,” says Relement CEO Roger Blokland. “Our team works closely with TNO, which has advanced equipment in the Campus demo facility to produce samples of bio-aromatics. In addition, the Campus offers everything we need: laboratories, offices, experts and a community of like-minded entrepreneurs who want to help each other. ”
“The Campus has been home to Biorizon since 2013,” says Green Chemistry Campus director Connie Paasse. “Where better than on Campus could Biorizon's first spin-off land? Relement is a great addition to our community. I wish Roger and his team the best of luck!”
Bio-aromatics: sustainable alternative for the chemical industry
Relement stems from the work that TNO does within Shared Research Center Biorizon. Biorizon, an initiative of TNO and VITO, has been working on the Campus on technologies for the production of functional bio-aromatics since 2013. Aromatics are essential building blocks for the chemical industry: no less than 40% of all chemicals are aromatics. They add functionality to products such as plastics, paints, coatings and lubricants, including scratch resistance, stability and UV resistance.
Relement markets bio-aromatics
Last summer Relement B.V. was established to produce and sell the bio-aromatics developed within the TNO part of Biorizon on a commercial basis. The name Relement refers to "the renewable element": the renewable nature of the essential element aromatics. Relement uses renewable biomass residual flows as a raw material instead of petrochemical raw materials. The market size for high-quality aromatics is € 2.5 billion, so the potential to green these so far petrochemical building blocks is enormous. In time, Relement wants to build commercial factories for various premium bio-aromatics and thus contribute to a greener chemical industry.
Substantial CO2 reduction & superior properties
One of the first bio-aromatics to be launched by Relement is an alternative to fossil phthalic anhydride that is used in alkyd paint, among other things. For the first time, 100% biobased alkyd paint can be made with Relement's bio-aromatics. This paint not only lasts longer due to better scratch resistance and UV resistance, it is also considerably more durable, as shown last month from a study by CE Delft commissioned by Circular Biobased Delta. By replacing petrochemical phthalic anhydride by biobased 3-methylphtalic anhydride, Relement can achieve a CO2 reduction of 3.1 kg CO2-eq per kilogram from 2027. realize. In total, this means an annual CO2 reduction of 94 kt CO2-eq.
Relement
Relement converts biomass residues into high-quality bio-aromatics. These functional bio-aromatics are not only much more durable, but also of better quality: for example, paint becomes more resistant to sunlight and insulating foam becomes stronger. For more information, please contact CEO Roger Blokland via roger.blokland@relement.eu or +31 (0) 6 11 27 60 55.
Relement is honored and grateful to be among the winners of the Tech Tour Bio-Based Industries 2024 Award. The Tech Tour event highlighted >30 selected companies at the forefront of bio-based innovation, chosen through a rigorous selection process led by a panel of active investors. Our CEO Roger Blokland was on site to present our activities. He pitched about transforming sustainable biomass residues into high-performance bio-aromatics for coatings, adhesives, and materials, offering a renewable alternative to fossil-based ingredients while also enhancing product performance. The expert jury acknowledged Relement as one of the companies that is setting new benchmarks in sustainability, circular materials, and green technology. The Tech Tour Bio-based Industries 2024 event was co-organized by Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) and co-hosted by Circular Valley and City of Wuppertal, as well as supported by partners like Bayer, DWNRW, ZAZ Ventures, and Shaping Bio. Of course, we would also like to congratulate the other winners: Arda Biomaterials, Blue Ocean Closures, Mevaldi, Origin by Ocean, Quorium and SenseUP Biotechnology.
Relement has completed its first collaboration project with Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Eindhoven (The Netherlands). During a 18 months period, a team of teachers and 21 students worked on alkyd coating research based on Relement’ launching product bio MPA. To accelerate the research, coating experts Joost van Dijk (Puroc) and Henk van den Haak (Resinconsult) advised the students with experimental setup and formulation work. A wealth of knowledge has been created supporting the commercial use of bio MPA in performance alkyd coatings. The Relement team enjoyed the project and is convinced about the effectiveness of collaborative applied research. We are thankful with at least 21 new ambassadors for sustainable chemistry! This project is partially funded with subsidy from KIEM GoChem, a joint subsidy program from the Dutch Regieorgaan SIA and ChemistryNL.
Relement has contracted R&D partners to further optimize the production process for our launching product bio MPA (3-methylphthalic anhydride), enabling us to commence industrial-scale manufacturing soon. The efforts resulted in: a leaner and more robust process; increased bio MPA product recovery; reduced formation of byproducts such as humins; reduced the use of organic solvents; reduced energy requirement. After the summer, we will select a Contract Manufacturing Organisation to begin the production of our launching product bio MPA. Join us on our mission towards a greener chemical future. Get in touch if you would like to purchase bio MPA for your coating, adhesive or composite resin. For more information please contact our CTO Stefano Iannacone: Stefano.iannacone@relement.eu
Relement achieved an important milestone by successfully demonstrating the use of our ingredient bio MPA in high-quality composite materials. Relement worked with Hobum to create this game-changing material: a high-performance, biobased composite material with a glass transition temperature of >110 degrees Celsius. Hobum aimed to develop composites parts made of plant fibres and a vegetable oil-based resins using a resin-transfer moulding process to create a bisphenol A-free product. Hobum reached out to Relement for the utilisation of our ingredient bio MPA to replace fossil-based anhydrides such as MHHPA in their resins. After 1.5 year of testing of various formulations, the partnership hit a breakthrough with a recipe based on admergenic acid (ADA), epoxidized linseed oil (ELO) and Relement’s ingredient 3-methylphthalic anhydride (bio MPA). This resulted in a prototype car interior panel part. The composite material reached the highest % biobased (85%) and the highest glass transition temperature (Tg 95-120 °C depending on catalyst and temperature). A higher Tg results in enhanced strength, stiffness and heat resistance. There is a strong demand worldwide on availability of lightweight composite materials with high performance. Bio MPA can be a gamechanger for this industry. HOBUM recently showed all technical data at their HOBUM Innovation Exchange Webinar. Please view the complete record using the link below:
Following meetings with AkzoNobel, Relement is excited to note that AkzoNobel has been following our progress and technology development to date with interest. Relement and Akzo Nobel are working together to explore use of Relement's launching product bio MPA (3-methylphthalic anhydride) in coatings and measure the impact of our bio MPA in coating performances. Together, we have also identified a number of other opportunities that can broaden the scope of this partnership and add value in multiple areas. For more information please contact our Chief Commercial Officer Monique Wekking: monique.wekking@relement.eu
We are excited to be part of the consortium AROMATICS in which 3 promising bio-aromatics production platforms will be further developed and scaled, including furfural based aromatics such as our launching product bio MPA The consortium consists of 14 partners and the entire value chain is on board including brandowners. We are looking forward to explore new applications based on bio MPA and bio HMA. AROMATICS stands for Aromatic Renewables as an Opportunity for MATerials with Improved Circularity and Sustainability and this 3-year project is performed with MOOI-funding from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate.
An important milestone for Relement has been achieved: the successful demonstration of bio MPA in industrial coatings! Relement teamed up with Worlée Chemie and Baril Coatings to successfully demonstrate this game-changer industrial coating: a first of a kind, high performance, waterborne alkyd coating. Incorporating our ingredient bio MPA to replace the fossil-based ingredient phthalic anhydride.
Relement is in the final stage of selecting a European Contract Manufacturing Organisation that will produce our launching product bio MPA at ton-scale in 2024. It is possible to pre-order samples now. Please indicate to us the volume bio MPA you would like to purchase in 2024 to boost the sustainability and performance of your products. Fill in the form below:
Relement conducted a carbon footprint analysis as part of the initial Life Cycle Assessment for our launching product bio MPA (3-methylphthalic anhydride) A cradle-to-grave analysis has been carried out by E-hoch-3 and confirms: the production of specialty bio-aromatics from furfural, derived from non-edible residual streams, results in a significant reduction in CO2 emissions compared to fossil equivalent. It’s Relement’s mission to change the world, starting with fossil free coatings. We provide the missing renewable element for coatings and more. Our specialty bio-aromatic products provide an unmatched combination of sustainability and performance. All elements matter. Are you interested in the details and would you like to join us and green the chemical industry together? Please contact Roger Blokland for more information at roger.blokland@relement.eu
Relement is one of the 10 startups selected for the Dutch Pole Position Greentech Program of Techleap.nl in 2023. This batch showcases the brightest minds and boldest innovations with a focus on sustainability and environmental impact in the Netherlands. Relement is part of this the Greentech Pole Position program together with CarbonX, CyBe Construction, OneThird , Photanol, QuinteQ Energy, SeaQurrent®, Tarnoc, RIFT and Thorizon. The team will experienced coaches, entrepeneurs, investors and of course it is always good to challenge and learn from other passionate deep tech entrepreneurs. The program runs until January 2024 and will accelerate our biobased scale-up journey.