“My motivation is to create a better industry, to create an industry of the future that makes the world a little better!”

In the Netherlands, many people work passionately with biomass as a raw material. They work on innovations, improve (production) processes or create policy for a fossil-free future. In this mini-series we highlight what drives them to work on the transition to a sustainable world.

Roger Blokland, co-founder of Relement, shares a fascinating insight into the development of his company and the growing role of biomass in the chemical industry in an interview with Biomassafeiten.nl. This interview shows the passion and dedication of these people, and shows how companies like Relement contribute to a more sustainable future, with biomass as an important raw material. Rogers' personal story is a good example of this.

Relement’s mission is to make sustainable chemical products from biomass. Roger has worked in the chemical industry for many years and says his motivation to work with biomass comes from his observations within that same industry. “What many people don’t realize is that almost everything around us is made from petroleum,” he says. “From the paint on the walls to the clothes we wear, everything contains petroleum. And although this raw material will eventually run out, we also want to make the world a cleaner place.” His goal is to build a better, more sustainable industry, one that is less dependent on petroleum and uses more renewable resources such as biomass. “A key element is that I don’t want to live a life and spend my energy on something that breaks down, I prefer to build something.”

What is Relement?

Relement focuses on developing chemical components that can be used in paint and lightweight composite materials, among other things. An important factor in their approach is the use of biomass as a raw material. This biomass is extracted from residual flows of, for example, sugar cane or wood fibers, which remain after the production of sugar or cellulose fibers for the clothing industry. These residual flows are not edible and are often burned or thrown away, but Relement sees this as a valuable source for their products.

What is special about Relement is that their products can match or even improve the functionality of existing petroleum-based products. Roger proudly states: “For example, our products make paint harder and more durable. This gives us a competitive edge and offers our customers a better solution.” Relement plays a crucial role in making industries that often produce hard-to-recycle end products, such as paint, more sustainable.

Back to the origin

Interestingly, Relement draws inspiration from techniques that were used long ago, before petroleum became the dominant raw material. “We use a chemical product that is extracted from fibers such as those left over from sugar cane,” Roger explains. “This material used to be used to make nylon, but after World War II it was replaced by petroleum because it was cheaper and easier.” Relement is now returning to these old techniques, but with modern applications and technology.

Roger emphasizes that they only use biomass that is not suitable for human consumption, such as the fiber left over from sugar production. This way, they do not contribute to food or feed competition, which can be a problem in some cases when using biomass. “We do not want to use edible crops,” he says. “There is enough waste material that we can make our products from, and that is exactly what we do.”

The road to sustainability

One of the biggest challenges Relement faces is the low cost of petroleum products. “Crude oil is ridiculously cheap,” Roger explains. “If we want to introduce a more sustainable alternative, we have to be smart about our production costs.” He emphasizes that it is difficult to compete with the huge economies of scale of the current petroleum industry, especially since most of it is located in countries such as China and the Middle East.

However, Relement has found a unique position in the market. By focusing on hard-to-recycle products such as paint, the company offers a solution that the industry desperately needs. “Paint is hardly recyclable. When a car is recycled, the metal is reused, but the paint is burned,” says Roger. This makes paint a logical place to deploy sustainable alternatives.

Challenges and opportunities

Another obstacle Relement faces is the lack of government incentives for sustainable alternatives. “The government is not doing much to help us,” says Roger. “We really have to do it ourselves with our customers and investors.” Although sustainability is gaining traction, it remains a challenge for companies like Relement to find investors who believe in the long term. Many investors are still reluctant because petroleum products are so cheap and there are no clear government measures yet that support sustainable alternatives.

Roger remains optimistic, however. “Sooner or later this trend will come,” he says. “Whether it is through CO2 taxes or other measures, we are moving towards a world where sustainable solutions are necessary.” He points out that the industry itself is increasingly realizing that they need to do something about sustainability. “The people who really know what is in these products realize that we have to change.”

The importance of collaboration