BioBTX is like Sjakie's Chocolate Factory of the circular economy

It is an oh so effective process. Because what is all too often overlooked as an advantage: until now we could not do anything with that waste plastic except burn it. And because this plastic, thanks to BioBTX, no longer goes into the oven, but is converted into new aromatics or BTX (a combination of benzene, toluene and xylene), a strong reduction of CO2 is realized.

CEO Pieter Imhof beams as he tells it all. The story of BioBTX sounds like a fairy tale but it is as factual as can be. It is a new and necessary reality - after all, everything must be green and sustainable - that is being created. For the scale-up BioBTX, it is now still experimenting in a pilot plant on the Groningen Campus, but from 2023 the serious work will begin in a mature plant. Where that will be is not yet a done deal. Imhof: "The factory can land anywhere. Delfzijl is in the picture with us, but it's about the big picture. Supply and disposal play a role, finances, partners, personnel, you name it.'

All the big companies want to get circularity right. Therefore, they help us, they are often interested.
Pieter Imhof, CEO BioBTX

Imhof is now primarily concerned with both the new plant and the applications for the technology used by BioBTX. 'There is a lot of material available to us worldwide,' says Imhof. 'Huge amounts of plastic are dumped or incinerated. We mainly focus on plastics that are difficult to recycle such as plastic mixtures that cannot be separated, multilayer materials such as potato chip bags and the blades of wind turbines.'

Imhof knows the ropes like no other. He is an expert by experience because, as a chemist, he also built up expertise in strategy and marketing and sales at technology manager Avantium. BioBTX is flying into the future on a broad runway and is working with Teijin, among others, which uses BTX as a raw material for the super fiber Twaron and wants to provide this fiber with a sustainable label.
label. Imhof: "We have the whole chain in view, we work together with many more major parties. But not everyone wants to be named yet.'

Whereas BioBTX provides building blocks for chemistry, alliances of this kind with large parties are the building blocks for eventually a factory. Imhof: "All the big companies want to get circularity right. That's why they help us, they are often interested. Soft drink brands don't make the bottles themselves, but if the supplier of a well-known brand shouts 'I want to have those bottles where BioBTX plays a role', it all goes faster.

Pieter Imhof points out that it's not just about building that one plant. It is much more about proving the BioBTX technology, which heats the plastics, captures the gases from the plastics and produces a combination of benzene, toluene and xylene from them. "It is the intention to build several plants in the future or to sell the technology through licenses," Imhof said. It is also possible to integrate other technologies.

BioBTX's technology is highly regarded worldwide. In a global Sustainability Challenge, the northern initiative was among the top five when it comes to innovative packaging. It reinforces BioBTX's promise. Pieter Imhof: "This year we are going to make big steps. We are still working with a small group. We therefore need to focus and in doing so we have made the conscious choice for waste plastics.' And with a telling smile: 'You have to focus, but you also have to do everything.'