From 2050 onwards, the Netherlands wants its economy to run entirely on recoverable raw materials. To be able to make a valuable contribution to this transition, Saxion is opening the Field Lab Circular Innovations in the Manufacturing Industry today. Companies facing circular economy challenges can approach this multidisciplinary service point for innovative solutions. "We want the Field Lab to be a recognised innovation hub in the region."
The Netherlands has dozens of field labs: places where companies, knowledge institutions and government institutions come together to tackle concrete business challenges through innovation. Usually the labs are situated at one physical location. The Field Lab Circular Innovations in the Manufacturing Industry (CIM), however, has a slightly different set-up. "It is a field lab in the sense that we solve concrete circular economy challenges for companies by deploying Saxion's expertise," says Timber Haaker of the Business Models research group and coordinating professor of the field lab. “However, it is not situated at one physical location. The challenge is often multifarious, i.e. it can have technical, logistical or design aspects for example. Saxion already has several labs for product design, textiles and business models, to name a few. If we combine them into a single field lab, we can jointly offer our services to the business sector and the region. We centralise our activities and thus create a single service point where companies can go when they are facing circular economy challenges.”
Which of the Saxion labs fall under the new field lab?
Saxion has several labs and practical training rooms, but which ones are supervised by the field lab?
In its many labs, Saxion offers practice-oriented teaching and conducts research, often in collaboration with the neighbourhood, companies and other institutions. The field lab includes labs that specialise in:
- Textiles
- Energy
- Water and minerals
- Construction materials
- Product design
- Regional development
- Business Models
This service point is the starting point for all collaborations involving the field lab. “It has a team that makes the first diagnosis: What exactly is the question? The answer to this question determines which of the twelve affiliated research groups is/are most suited to take up the challenge. The research groups can answer a fairly broad range of questions. The idea is also that the research groups feel connected to the field lab, so that we can pool the expertise within Saxion and make it more clearly visible to the outside world.”
Serving the entire East Netherlands
According to Timber, the field lab is designed for companies that want to take steps towards a more circular approach to business. “Companies that are merely looking for ways to solve the problems they are facing. Often, companies have a rough idea of what to do, but subsequently run into implementation problems. This is where we come in as field lab. This is also how we will position ourselves. There are plenty of parties that want to help companies take the first step, but I believe that we as field lab want to facilitate the second step. With our partners we will then be looking to also take the next step. You could for instance make a ‘demonstrator’ with the field lab, but implementing and scaling up a solution is an entirely different ballgame. For this, we have our relations in the region to pass on ideas and ensure continuity."
CIM consists of various labs, spread out over the Saxion buildings in Deventer and Enschede. While much of Saxion's research focuses on the Twente region, the field lab focuses on the Cleantech Region: the area between Deventer, Apeldoorn and Zutphen. “Part of this area is of course located in the province of Gelderland, but we also receive support from the province of Overijssel, and that is part of a larger package for the Cleantech Region. That is why our focus is there and why we are going to cater our services to the companies in that area. Our ambition, however, is to scale-up the field lab and offer our services to the entire East Netherlands region.”
What does the Cleantech Region stand for?
The field lab that is opening its doors today, will focus primarily on the Cleantech Region. But what exactly does Cleantech Region stand for?
The Cleantech Region involves the municipalities of Apeldoorn, Brummen, Deventer, Epe, Heerde, Lochem, Voorst and Zutphen. They work together with entrepreneurs, educational institutions and research groups on an energy-neutral and sustainable (circular) economy and society. The region's ambition is to become one of the most ‘circular’ regions in the Netherlands by 2030. "And this will require a huge effort," Timber says. “To achieve these ambitions, the region needs this field lab. We can help it achieve its ambitions by proposing solutions through which companies can take significant steps towards a circular working method or a circular business model.”
Moreover, the support offered by the province is temporary. “We aim to do three things in this period. First we want to make the Field Lab a recognised innovation hub in the region. In addition, we will focus our innovation efforts on around ten companies to move them forward, hoping to create some success stories. Finally, we will be developing tools in a digital environment which companies can use to set up circular business models themselves.”
Connecting research and education
Together with his partners Cleantech Regio and CIRCLES, Timber is trying to create as many channels and entry points as possible, so that the companies can easily find their way to the online service point and the field lab. “Our research groups have a fairly large network of companies in the region. We also organise a number of face-to-face meetings where ‘matchmaking’ will be one of the topics. The first meeting will take place during the opening of the field lab, where we bring together research groups and companies. The aim is to really impress the companies by showing them things that symbolise their challenge. We want them to come into contact with Saxion researchers and students to discuss the challenges they face and how Saxion might be able to help.”
But there is also much enthusiasm among the companies. They not only wanted to be present at the opening, but also wanted to communicate with the audience: This is our challenge, can you help us? Wonderful. This is exactly what we want to achieve.
Students will of course also be involved in the field lab. A number of innovation projects will be organised within the lab. The projects will be attuned to the teaching programme. “In this way, we can link a number of projects to Smart Solutions groups and graduates every semester, but also to the Circular Economy minor. Some fifty students doing this minor are currently working in pairs on assignments for companies. It would be great if we could link these activities to the field lab, so that we create critical mass and enthusiasm among students. This is a way of connecting research and education."
Much support and enthusiasm
Timber noticed that the opening of the field lab created quite a stir in the region. “I can tell from the questions we already receive, including from the municipalities that want to join in and be present at the opening. The officials are aware that the companies in their municipalities want to participate in achieving the ambitions of the Cleantech region. But there is also much enthusiasm among the companies. They not only wanted to be present at the opening, but also wanted to communicate with the audience: This is our challenge, can you help us? Wonderful. This is exactly what we want to achieve."
Deventrade: the perfect example
One of the companies (present at the opening) on which CIM will be focussing, is Deventrade. Why is their business case so suitable for the field lab?
"Deventrade is a company from Deventer that manufactures sportswear with polyester," says Timber. "They serve a large part of the amateur sports market and are putting a lot of effort in introducing circular working methods: recovering and recycling their materials. But what approach should they take? There are technical aspects to this question, which have to do with chemical recycling: you have to reduce it to a raw material again. But there are also a logistical aspects, because the materials have to be recovered and collected. Finally, the business question: What would the business model look like? Will this work? And how should this be organised? It is a perfect case for the field lab: It touches upon all the relevant elements. We will then start working on this case with the input from the various labs."
