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Ryan Lash Ryan Lash / TED
Nicole Rycroft speaks at SESSION 5 at TED2023: Possibility. April 17-21, 2023, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Photo: Ryan Lash / TED
Faced with current environmental challenges, the growth in the use of packaging and the need to replace, in particular plastic ones, Restalk plans to create a first "agri-pulp" processing plant alternative fiber agro-residues, in particular from wheat straw available in the Aisne department and the Soissonnais agricultural basin. Thus this industrial unit will be able to produce both a molded cellulose intended markets for thermoformed products (for the food industry, for example), but also a cellulosic pulp intended for the packaging industry, as well as recoverable co-products (cosmetics, biogas, etc.).
From a sourcing of around 20,000 tons of straw within a radius of 100 km, ReStalk's goal is to produce over 6,000 tons of its "Fielded" line of cellulose pulp and more than 200 million units of products thermoformed, as well as more than 700 tons of co-products from 2025,on a land area of approximately 6 hectares. Restalk chose Parc du Plateau for its first industrial site in Europe.
The land right-of-way will make it possible to store the materials necessary for production as well as the finished products, and to install a methanizer on site which will transform biogas production residues, thus making it possible to cover the needed process energy. This investment of 38 million euros from Restalk France will enable the in service of the plant during 2025, with the creation of 40 direct jobs and approximately 50 indirect jobs.
The “biosourced products & industrial biotechnologies” fund from ADEME was requested to contribute to the financing of the project, in addition to bank financing and fundraising, and other co-financiers will be requested later (Rev3 Region...). For the deployment in Europe of this unique innovative process, Restalk has established links with the territorial partners of GrandSoissons Agglomeration: Aisne Chamber of Agriculture and CCI, B4C competitiveness cluster,...
Benjamin Cassou, CEO of ReStalk:
“I am proud to participate in the advent of the bio-economy, which is part of the a new industrial revolution underway. We anticipate that our initial project will generate more than 100 million euros in revenue by 2030 while bringing a stable additional income to regional farmers and will allow the creation of more than 50 direct jobs across all of our activities.”
Géraldine Poivert, President of (RE)SET:
“The transition is decarbonization but above all the advent of new materials, in a world where resources are becoming scarce. You have to get out at all petro-sourced! France is a huge agricultural country and it has everything to gain a better valuation of its co-products. The ReStalk project is part of perfectly in line with the emergence of a green industry. News opportunities for farmers! ”
Nicole Rycroft, founder of Canopy Planet:
“We are delighted that Europe is benefiting from additional production of “Next Gen” low-impact packaging thanks to the innovation partner of Canopy, ReStalk. Recycling agricultural residues as a raw material for paper packaging and viscose fabrics is not only a great way to alleviate sourcing pressure on vital forests, it also reduces waste, benefits farmers and will provide businesses local sourcing of low-emission packaging solutions carbon.”
Alain Crémont, President of GrandSoissons Agglomeration:
“The Restalk project is in perfect harmony with the ambition to develop a sector around bio-sourced materials in GrandSoissons, allowing the territory to play on its two historical economic assets which are industry and agriculture. The federation of economic actors for the reception of this new investor, the key factors of attractiveness of the Parc du Plateau, the labels “turnkey industrial site” and “Industrial Territories'', proximity to the cluster economy of Roissy have convinced Restalk France, which will be supported on its entire implementation phase. Company managers have also been sensitive to the living environment in GrandSoissons.”
Olivier JACOB, President of the CCI Aisne, President of Aisne Avenir:
“Aisne Avenir is an associative structure that brings together the CCI Aisne and the Aisne Chamber of Agriculture. Since 2018, Aisne Avenir has been working with the State support for the development of an economic sector for materials agro-sourced. We are in a department rich in agricultural production and the objective is to strengthen local added value, in a short circuit, by transforming and recovering agricultural co-products for various uses. The first uses identified are for biomaterials in construction and renovation of the building (thermal insulation in particular).
To highlight the development potential of this new sector without calling into question the current uses of agricultural co-products (breeding, soil amendments), a technical and economic study carried out by the firm AIRCOOP was conducted in 2021-2022, co-financed by Aisne Avenir, the State (FNADT), the Regional Council and ADEME.
Through this study, opportunities have been identified and some projects are currently in the making. As such, the Soissonnais is a territory that brings together many assets for see this sector develop:
- A space available and ready to accommodate industrial sites,
- Proximity to agricultural resources,
- Nearby markets (Paris region, Hauts de France, Grand East)
And above all a community of committed local actors ready to support emerging projects. Bio-sourced materials are sectors of the future for the Soissons region and for all residents of Axos.”