Prime location
BlueChem is located at Blue Gate Antwerp, the first eco-effective and water-bound business park in Belgium.
Blue Gate Antwerp is located on the site of the former Petroleum Zuid industrial estate, once the heart of the Antwerp petroleum industry. Today, the sites have been remediated and are ready for a new and sustainable chapter.
Ready to make an impact in sustainable chemistry? Make Antwerp your first choice.
The chemical cluster at Europe’s second-largest port is crucial to the economies of Flanders and Belgium. Whatever your level of technology readiness, Antwerp’s ecosystem has an innovation hub to fit your needs. Moreover, this ecosystem is focused on solutions to address the climate challenge.
Join us on our way to a better, cleaner and more sustainable future.
Why Antwerp?
Antwerp has a modest number of inhabitants – more or less 540.000. Due to its small size it has a very dense ecosystem. Everything is located close to each other.
But nevertheless, it is home to 175 different nationalities – this gives Antwerp a very international feeling. The combination between the diversity and the density gives Antwerp the unique position of being a human size metropolis... that is the economic powerhouse of Belgium.
Antwerp again made the Financial Times top 10 ranking of cities with the strongest economic potential for 4 years in a row.
Why companies in BlueChem chose Antwerp
D-CRBN: Made-in-Antwerp climate technology with global potential
"We have a very good relationship with the City of Antwerp, which closely monitors our latest developments.
The Antwerp innovation ecosystem for sustainable chemistry, made up of BlueApp, BlueChem, Blue Gate Antwerp, and NextGen District, forms a unique backbone that is invaluable for our development and growth. It strongly encourages and facilitates interactions between start-ups and multinationals.
BlueChem, for example, is home to multinational companies such as BASF, Air Liquide, Borealis, ExxonMobil, INEOS, and VOPAK, making initial contacts much more accessible."
- David Ziegler, CCO at D-CRBN
Article by Business in Antwerp
The story of Fairbrics’ revolutionary solution
"There are two reasons why Antwerp is the perfect location for us. First, it’s the largest chemical cluster in Europe, so the best location to find our clients, which are chemical companies with CO2 resources. Secondly, NextGen District’s concept inspired us. It’s a circular hotspot in the port, and their vision aligns seamlessly with what we want to do. One company’s waste becomes the next one's starting point. That kind of circular thinking is the change this world needs.”
- Benoît Illy, CEO at Fairbrics
Article by Business in Antwerp
Antwerp as Innovation Powerhouse
The five priorities of Antwerp
Beat climate change
Because Antwerp is a future-oriented city, it took a headlong rush by adopting end 2020 an ambitious Climate Action Plan. This Plan envisages with concrete measures minus 50 to 55% CO2 reduction by 2030, and a climate neutral city by 2050.
Build the port of the future: digital & sustainable
A top focus for Port of Antwerp-Bruges is digitalisation. POAB opens the port as an innovation platform for new technologies and works together with public and private players on the port of the future.
The port of the future is a digital port, but as well a sustainable port. Mainly this is about energy transition.
Achieve a sustainable transition of the chemical cluster
Antwerp is the largest integrated chemical cluster in Europe. In line with the European Green Deal, this industry is working hard on a transition to become more sustainable.
That is why established companies, promising start-ups, knowledge centres and the government are working together to build an ecosystem focused on innovation and entrepreneurship in sustainable chemistry.
Make Antwerp a healthier city
Digital pandemic control: Pandemic control is the most wanted issue at the moment. Covid19 made unseen cuts in our world economy. Start-up research organisation StartupBlink puts Belgium and Flanders on the fourth position world wide as best Covid-innovators.
Digital health: This is about two things: integrating digital flows in hospitals and introducing digital healthcare at a distance.
Innovate traditional sectors: diamond, fashion & retail
Diamond Innovation: Antwerp has encountered a lot of competition from new diamond countries. But it has kept its world leading position in specialising in cutting large stones with high added value. Automation in this gives better results.
Digital Retail: Changing consumer behaviour and the increase of online competition puts pressure on the traditional retail landscape. Therefore we invest in innovation through digitalisation in order to make shopping smarter in Antwerp.
New Fashion: Antwerp enjoys a unique status in international fashion and has a strong reputation alongside fashion capitals such as Paris, London, Milan and New York.