Coordinating beneficiary and their role in the project:
Inštitut za hmeljarstvo in pivovarstvo Slovenije / Slovenian Institute of Hop Reserach and Brewing
The Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing (IHPS) is a research, development, advisory and educational public organization, established in 1952. Its principal functions are research and advisory services in growing field crop plants with emphasis on hops, brewing and a production of medicinal and aromatic plants. The R&D fields are complemented by applied projects relating to agriculture, environmental impact, as well as the preservation of the environment. Specific research areas in agribusiness are focused on field crops production technology, plant breeding, especially hop breeding, management and marketing.
Project role: IHPS is the Coordinating Beneficiary of the LIFE project BioTHOP and takes over the management of the project and monitors the project’s impact, as well as working on dissemination. Its technical role is to replace polypropylene twines with biodegradable and compostable PLA twines in hop-growing industry and therefore 100% enlarge usability of hop biomass after harvest. The quality valorisation of the compost, consisting of hop biomass after harvest and PLA twine, will be investigated as a potential organic fertilizer. IHPS role is also to test the new planting pots, produced by partner TECOS within the project, in hop plantlets production.
Find more: http://www.ihps.si
Associated beneficiaries and their role in the project:
Lankhorst Yarns
Lankhorst Yarns, the industrial textiles division of Lankhorst Euronete Portugal S.A., is specialised in producing and delivering high-quality yarns and tapes. They are a worldwide supplier within selected Product Market Combinations (PMC). Their company’s greatest assets are: the high quality of our products, flexibility, excellent service (including after sales) and high reliability. Customers see them as a quality supplier with a high level of innovation and a sustainable approach to the market and the environment. With newly developed sustainable products, they are making an important contribution to the reduction of waste. They define and develop new markets in response to new developments in sustainability. For example, Lankhorst Yarns is a key innovator when it comes to the use of compostable yarns.
Project role: Development of on-site compostable PLA twine for hop-growing sector.
Find more: www.lankhorstyarns.com
Zelfo Technology
Zelfo Technology was formally established in 2011. Using patented technology and extensive knowhow, Zelfo Technology engineers ligno-celluose fibre from a wide variety of sources to create self binding fibre for use as bio-binders, reinforcing agents, pulp formed products and composites. Beyond fibre engineering, their technology is designed to deliver additional material and chemical properties resident in various forms of bio-mass. With a wide spectrum of partners and clients Zelfo Technology has extensive relationships with international businesses and corporations.
Project role: Re-engineering of hop waste fibers to be usable in fiber pulp moulding applications and extrusion compounding transforming processes.
Find more: www.zelfo-technology.com
Tecnopackaging
Tecnopackaging is a technology-based company specialised in the production of advanced nanocomposites & blends, including the development of plastic parts & packaging, particularly for industry application, and moulding of polymer parts with a high-quality surface & high requirements. Tecnopackaging main purpose is conducting R&D on advanced polymeric materials and their transformation processes industrial plastic applications, targeting companies which operate directly or indirectly in the agri-food & other industrial sectors such as automotive, construction, biomedical & aeronautical. Currently Tecnopackaging develops all its activities keeping in mind circular economy and bioeconomy perspective, analysing in each case the different alternatives that would reduce the environmental impact of both their products and processes. Find more: https://tecnopackaging.com
Project role: Production of hop fiber PLA compounds for injection piloting & replication on extrusion blow moulding for producing films from BioTHOP materials.
Welcome to see the video about partner Tecnopackaging work on the #LIFEproject #BioTHOP: Tecnopackaging – production of hop fiber PLA compounds
TRIDAS
TRIDAS ranks among prime European moulded fibre producers. At present it manages three production facilities covering the total area 22,000 m2. Since 2018 TRIDAS has 9 fully automatic production lines providing a high variety of manufacturing and of products. The whole process is supervised by the quality control department, in compliance with the ISO, OHSAS, and FSC certificates. Its advantage is our own design and technology department, which is involved in the development of end products and manufacture of production moulds. Its own development and modern production technologies, as well as vast warehouses provide to their customers high-quality and flexible services.
Project role: lead of the piloting action on hop-waste fiber transformation into pulp moulded packaging products.
Find more: www.tridas-pulp.cz
TECOS – Slovenian tool and Die Development Centre
Slovenian tool and Die Development Centre, TECOS, was established in 1994 to represent the collective interests of the Tool, Die & Mould-making (TDM) Industries. TECOS today operates on three dimensional assets, as Research and Develoment Centre, International Business Cluster and VET Institution, providing applicative engineering and plastic transformation processing services not only for TDM industry but also for other metal-plastic production companies in Slovenia and EU. Find more: www.tecos.si
Project role: TECOS will lead the piloting action on injection moulding of planting pots for horticulture, in particular for hop seedlings cultivated by IHPS. Additionally, TECOS will have a strong impact on the external stakeholders’ involvement, as it will link all the important actors of the bioplastic industrial chain to strengthen the inter-sectoral cooperation on the B.5 Action, and to prove that BioTHOP materials can be effectively used in multi mass production sectors.
Welcome to see the video about partner TECOS Razvojni center orodjarstva Slovenije work on the #LIFEproject #BioTHOP: TECOS – leading the pilot action on injection moulding of plating pots for horticulture – YouTube
Development Agency Savinja
Development Agency Savinja was founded in 1998. It is located in the Lower Savinja Valley (unites municipalities Braslovče, Polzela, Prebold, Tabor, Vransko and Žalec), which is part of the Savinja region. Its founding and associated members are all 6 municipalities and the Chamber of Private Enterprises Žalec. Municipalities represent the largest hop growing region of Slovenia and strongly support the BioTHOP LIFE project proven by their co-financing contribution. The Agency cooperates with the supporting environment – institutions, organizations, farmers, hop-growers, companies, NGO`s in different fields. Besides many projects where DAS cooperated there are two most important references: Establishment of The Eco-Museum of Hop Growing and Brewing Industry in Slovenia and the project From the chest of grandmothers and grandfathers for the wealth of grandchildren – harvesting of hops.
Project role: DAS will stimulate the active hop-growers involvement, disseminate, exploit and transfer the project results regionally & transnationally.
Find more: www.ra-savinja.si