Pioneering with plant-based building blocks

A third generation with a mission

Rodenburg is a family business now in its third generation, celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. Thijs and his brother took over the company ten years ago. Their core focus: upgrading plant-based side streams from the food-processing industry and native starch into semi-finished products that replace fossil-based chemicals. Applications vary widely, including bioplastics, paper coatings, wood adhesives, raw materials for gypsum boards, additives for drilling fluids, and even pet food ingredients. “We target high-volume markets,” says Thijs. “You only create impact when it is scalable.”

From side stream to platform molecule

With the pilot plant Tony Starch, Rodenburg is developing a new production technology that economically converts native starch into a platform molecule, a building block from which countless applications can be made. “There are hundreds of known applications,” says Thijs. “And in every one of those production processes, you replace a fossil base with something plant-based.”

On site, the future-oriented approach is clear: office (business development), lab (R&D), and production space with storage for raw materials and end products all work closely together. “We are growing fast,” he says. “Setting up processes, expanding teams, scaling equipment — there is continuous movement.”

Building the value chain together

New materials require collaboration across the entire value chain, from raw material to end product. Rodenburg therefore works with technology suppliers, universities of applied sciences, academic institutions (including Antwerp, Delft, and Barcelona), and local and regional governments. Brand owners also participate. “You need to understand early in the chain where the material will end up,” says Thijs. “Between a brand and us, there are still steps like film blowing or printing. Making decisions together in each link — that is where progress happens.”

Education is a key priority. “This region needs chemists and green-chemistry skills,” he explains. Rodenburg actively contributes to curriculum development at Curio and previously initiated the Biopolymer Application Centre at Avans University of Applied Sciences. “Young people are interested; now we must ensure that knowledge and jobs come together here.”

Technology that breaks through

The development focus is clear: products and process technologies that work at industrial scale. “We only produce something when it is economically viable and scalable,” says Thijs. The development pipeline is full for the coming years, ranging from coatings and binders to materials for tanneries and the paper industry.

The motivation is personal. “Our family has worked with plant-based materials for generations,” he says. “It fits perfectly with this era. We want to create relevant products — products that make a real difference in the world.”

A campus as innovation hotspot

In parallel, Rodenburg is building a plant-based innovation campus in Oosterhout — a place where companies and researchers can collaborate, supported by production and lab facilities. “It has to become a hotspot,” says Thijs. “By bringing parties together, you accelerate.” The Toekomstmaker recognition helps. “It is great to see this work being acknowledged. It creates visibility and gives us a push forward. Hopefully it inspires others to move toward this new economy.”

A mark on the horizon

What does he want to tell other entrepreneurs and young talent? “Dare to pioneer. Swim against the current sometimes. If your long-term vision is clear, you will get there.”

On the bigger picture, he is certain: “That we will replace fossil with green is inevitable; only the timing is uncertain. We are fully ready.” He expresses pride in the team and the pace of innovation. His dream for ten years from now: commercial products at scale, a vibrant innovation centre, and a regional cluster that propels green chemistry forward. “There are hundreds of applications where our green building blocks fit. Replace toxic with plant-based. Better for health and the environment. That is the future we want to build.”

Rodenburg’s story is part of the Toekomstmakers series by REWIN

Read more inspiring stories from West Brabant frontrunners via: www.rewin.nl/case/toekomstmakers