Bolder Industries has received final permits for its first European industrial facility at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, clearing the final regulatory step for a commercial-scale recovered carbon black (rCB) manufacturing plant
The Bolder Industries facility, located in the NextGen District at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, is supported by the European Union’s Innovation Fund and equity investment from Tiger Infrastructure Partners. The project aims to accelerate Europe’s transition towards circular raw material production by replacing fossil-based virgin carbon black with sustainable alternatives.
The Antwerp site will produce two ISCC PLUS-certified, mass-balanced products: BolderBlack®, a recovered carbon black used across tyres, rubber products, plastics, inks and coatings, and BolderOil®, a pyrolysis oil used as a lower-carbon feedstock for fuels, industrial applications and chemical production.
The facility will have a design capacity of 86,000 metric tonnes and will be developed in two phases: phase one will deliver 43,000 metric tonnes of annual production capacity and create more than 50 jobs in the Antwerp region, with the second phase expanding operations to full capacity.
Using Bolder’s proprietary continuous thermal pyrolysis technology, the facility is designed to recover around 98% of tyre material content. At full capacity, it is expected to divert approximately 6 million end-of-life tyres from waste streams every year and reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 85% compared with virgin carbon black production.
Tony Wibbeler, CEO of Bolder Industries, said: “This permit is a key milestone for Bolder Industries, Port of Antwerp-Bruges. It’s an important step in the disciplined development of our European platform and underscores our commitment to delivering BolderBlack® and BolderOil® to global customers.”
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges highlighted the project’s role in strengthening Europe’s circular economy infrastructure.
“The NextGen District was designed for exactly this kind of infrastructure – facilities that turn sustainability goals into operational reality,” said Rob Smeets, CEO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges. “Bolder Industries has demonstrated the technical credibility and partnership discipline required to bring a facility of this scale to construction.”
The project follows previous European support for Bolder’s Antwerp development, including backing from the EU Innovation Fund and Flemish Government ecological support. Contractor selection is now progressing as the company moves towards construction.
The Antwerp facility will complement Bolder Industries’ existing commercial operations in the United States, expanding its global platform for circular materials serving tyre, rubber, plastics and industrial manufacturing markets.
