Long-term partnerships need durability and partners that can be relied on to be truly successful. For this reason MNEXT, Centre of Expertise for resource- and energy recovery and Looop, experts in the recovery of by-products, have agreed to enter a strategic partnership. What exactly does this mean in practice?
The basic idea behind the partnership is simple: creating a collaborative network between the two companies in their respective fields of expertise. MNEXT is renowned for doing a lot of research in the area of resource and energy recovery. Looop is a reputable matchmaker in its own right for companies that are desperately looking for alternative ways to use their waste and by-products and at the same time want to make a contribution to practice-based research.
‘There is a good synergy between MNEXT and Looop’, says Kelly Vermeer, Strategic Business Development Manager at Looop . ‘The areas of knowledge and expertise of both parties combined ensures that as a unit we can become more successful in the field of resource and energy recovery’.
Synergy
The strategic partnership between Looop and MNEXT came about because of the match in experience and expertise of both organisations. Kelly Vermeer Kelly Vermeer: ‘MNEXT has expert knowledge and access to research resources. We are also grateful for the support of students during research projects. In addition Looop has access to by-products of the food, fermentation and beverage industry. We have over thirty years of experience in the recovery and logistics of by-products. That’s why we are familiar with the properties and nutrient values. The knowledge and expertise of both our companies combined ensures that we can truly move forward together’.
MNEXT has expert knowledge about cleaning and treating by-products to prepare these for processing. Resource – and energy recovery is set in motion through the synergy these two parties have. Jappe de Best, Lecturer in Bio-based Resources & Energy at MNEXT, is keen: ‘This strategic partnership offers many opportunities to boost MNEXT’s research projects. Looop has an extensive network of businesses that need a solution for their by-products. Previous projects have already proven that our collaboration is highly valued’.
The building blocks
The first collaboration between MNEXT and Looop, a few years back, was the project WOW! Capitalisation. During this project a study was made of PHA bioplastic, which can be obtained from industrial wastewater. Consider the wastewater of a brewery or a potato manufacturer. These kinds of projects have already contributed to significant progress in PHA production. During the latest ImPHAct! Project, MNEXT and Looop once again join forces and commit themselves to making the PHA production process of industrial wastewater more predictable and stable.
Another project, started in September 2023, that MNEXT and Looop are currently collaborating on is TUrn FUnghi potentials into a COLorful future (TUFUCOL). This project is aimed at the production of colourants through yeast fermentation. These yeast-based colourants offer a good alternative to synthetic colourants and a promising and durable long-term solution.
In addition Looop plays an active role in projects of the courses Bio-based Technology and Business Development and Sustainable Energy and Resource Recovery, during which students get involved with initiatives in sustainability. Last January, for instance, a project began aimed at the by-products recovery of insects. In short, together MNEXT and Looop have a bright future ahead!
