A future-proof chemical industry 

Brand-new building at Blue Gate Antwerp, a climate-neutral business park. This location offers many accessibility and logistics advantages. Incubator BlueChem is a neighbour. 

BlueApp focuses on carbon recycling, circular water, clean air, electrochemistry, plasma technology, sustainable hydrogen and thermocatalysis, from proofs of concept and refinements (linked to University of Antwerp) to upscaling projects. 

• Science labs and testing environments tailored to your needs 
• Prototyping lab 
• Environmental lab
• Pilot hall 
• Reliable partners for projects  
• Benefits of multidisciplinary network 
• Coaching and training options  
• Flex desks for researchers and companies  

• Oxylum is developing green technology to convert CO2 into sustainable chemicals. 
• D-CRBN uses plasma technology to convert CO2 from flue gases into new raw materials for industry. 
• Fairbrics transforms captured CO2 into polyester.  

• BlueApp is a matchmaker for researchers and companies 
• Founded by University of Antwerp 
• Aimed at startups, scale-ups, corporations and researchers 

Blue Gate Antwerp is a climate-neutral business park. Its location offers many accessibility and logistics advantages. Pre-incubator BlueApp is a neighbour. 

BlueChem focuses on innovation in sustainable chemistry, specifically on bio-based value chains, process intensification and transformation, circularity and resource efficiency and advanced sustainable products. With Catalisti as the site’s spearhead cluster for chemistry and plastics, access to promising innovative projects is close at hand.  

• Unique network 
• Direct access to renowned research centres 
• Collaboration with leading global companies such as Air Liquide, BASF, Borealis, ExxonMobil, Ineos and Vopakl 
• 3,375 m² of floor space 
• “Ready-to-use” labs 
• Labs set up as required 
• Flexible workspaces 
• Furnished offices & meeting rooms 
• All-in service package 
• Access to advice of all kinds (strategic, financial, environmental, safety) 
• Funding support 
• HR management 

Tailor your innovation space to meet your specific needs. Thanks to the City of Antwerp’s BlueChem Kickstart Fund, you can have a laboratory subsidised up to EUR 1050 per m2 and up to 80% of your total costs to set it up. That includes purchases of cutting-edge technologies, state-of-the-art machinery and specialist laboratory equipment. Who knows, maybe even the flux capacitor you’ve always dreamed of! 

• D-CRBN has developed an innovative process that uses plasma to split CO2 molecules into their original building blocks for reuse in valuable products. 
• Aquature’s innovative water treatment technology uses renewable energy and a bio-electrical process to treat industrial wastewater.  
• Inopsys offers solutions to purify water and recover valuable components (metals, solvents) and helps customers in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries to work towards a circular economy. 

• Belgium’s first incubator for sustainable chemistry 
• Partnership between essenscia (Belgian Federation for Chemistry and Life Sciences Industries), City of Antwerp, research organisation VITO and POM (Provincial Development Agency) 
• Aimed at startups, scale-ups, large enterprises, research centres and knowledge institutions 

Industrial site in the Antwerp port area, close to Europe’s largest chemical cluster. This location encourages interaction with chemical companies and suppliers. 

NextGen District & Demo focus on transforming waste into new raw materials and energy, offering significant cost advantages, reducing external dependency and delivering crucial environmental benefits. 

• Vibrant hotspot brimming with new ideas 
• Focus on creative entrepreneurship 
• Heart of Europe 
• Excellent multimodal connections 
• Multiple innovation zones designed to meet your needs 
• NextGen Demo offers you support and space to demonstrate your technologies on a larger scale 
• Interaction with existing companies and suppliers 

• Triple Helix is a circular factory for recycling of polyurethane foam and PET dishes and a BlueChem resident. 
• Bolder Industries repurposes the chemicals in end-of-life tyres for supply chains and new products.  
• PureCycle will be building its first European polypropylene recycling facility at NextGen District. 

• NextGen District & Demo is a hotspot for the circular economy, alongside Europe’s largest chemical cluster  
• Founded by Port of Antwerp-Bruges 
• Aimed at the circular industry 

Right next to the city, in the economic heart of Europe. Location on the river Scheldt offers unique logistics and accessibility advantages.

Together with the like-minded businesses located here, Blue Gate Antwerp activates circular flows at the micro and macro levels for cost-efficient collaborations on and off-site.  

• Climate-neutral business park 
• 63 hectares 
• Upgraded public spaces with healthy green zones and historic heritage 
• Pooled innovation capacity 
• Guided eco-effectiveness 
• Smart logistics and distribution 
• Docking for water-bound transport

• DHL Express uses Blue Gate Antwerp as a starting point for city-wide distribution using its Cubicycles. 
• BlueChem is an incubator for sustainable chemistry.  
• Montea is an expert in logistics real estate. Eco-efficient construction and property management are part of its DNA. 
• Amazon’s first development in Belgium will serve the city centre and the wider Antwerp area.  

• Belgium’s first eco-effective and shore-based business park 
• Founders: DEME, DEC, Bopro, City of Antwerp, PMV and DVW  
• Aimed at innovative companies with a clear ambition to achieve linear growth through circular operations   

To achieve a viable hydrogen economy, sufficient renewable electricity for hydrogen production is crucial. In Belgium, wind and solar energy are not sufficiently available, requiring renewable energy to be imported. This requires specific expertise. Deme, Engie, Exmar, Fluxys, Port of Antwerp, Port of Zeebrugge and WaterstofNet have signed a cooperation agreement to coordinate their expertise and move towards a Belgian hydrogen economy. 

Plugpower is a hydrogen plant in Antwerp’s NextGen District that aims to produce green hydrogen by 2025. The HyoffWind Consortium in Zeebrugge is also currently constructing a factory to convert renewable energy into green hydrogen by 2025. In addition to local production, Port of Antwerp-Bruges invests in importing renewable energy from countries such as Chile, Oman, Namibia, Egypt and Brazil, where green electricity is abundant.  

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has the necessary infrastructure to receive and distribute hydrogen carriers, including docks, terminals and pipelines. The port actively invests in new infrastructure such as hydrogen storage tanks and the integration of hydrogen refuelling stations for various types of vehicles. Pipelines offer industry an environmentally friendly way to transport hydrogen and CO2. The port owns and controls 720 km of pipelines, 90% of which serve the chemical and petrochemical industries and those that depend on them. The port area contains over 1,000 km of pipelines managed by private companies and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. 

The chemical industry already uses hydrogen in refining processes and chemical production. This market is experiencing significant growth, driven by the potential of green hydrogen as a raw material for heat production and heavy transportation. By incorporating hydrogen into its processes, the chemical industry can reduce carbon emissions and transition to more sustainable practices.