ANTWERP, Belgium—Bolder Industries Inc. and European affiliate Bolder Industries Belgium are getting a major helping hand in their global expansion efforts.
The European Commission awarded the Boulder, Colo.-based circular solutions provider a grant worth roughly $34.3 million as part of its EU Innovation Fund pilot program, the commission said Nov. 5.
The grant, awarded from a pool of more than 300 applicants, gives Bolder a leg up on its planned expansion into Belgium. The planned state-of-the-art facility will allow Bolder to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent through sustainable carbon black solutions, in comparison to traditional methods, the company said.
"This is more than a grant—it's an investment in the future of sustainable manufacturing," Bolder Industries Founder and CEO Tony Wibbeler said in a statement. "Support from the European Commission and the Flanders region validates the innovation at the heart of our technology and the critical need for sustainable solutions across the globe. This allows us to create a blueprint for a greener, more circular future."
The new Antwerp facility is modeled after Bolder's building in Marysville, Mo., the company said. The building is set to recycle upward of four million end of life tires annually and will use wind power for its energy needs.
"This increased production capacity will accelerate the availability of the company's flagship sustainable raw materials, BolderBlack and BolderOil, to meet the rising global demand for eco-friendly alternatives," the company said.
The company added that BolderBlack is used in over 3,000 commercial products like tires, belts and hoses. BolderOil also provides sustainable alternatives to renewable energy, it said.
Wim Van den Broeck, Bolder Industries Director of Project Development, said that construction on the Antwerp facility will begin in 2026, and the plant will be fully operational by 2027.
"As Bolder's first facility of this scale in Europe, the Antwerp plant is a foundational step in the company's broader European growth strategy," Van den Broeck said.
