IceBear, producer for the circular economy
In 2022 IJsbeer Energie will continue its business with a new company name. The reason for this change is a new business model which will focus on the production of pallet blocks.
As this article goes to press the businesspark in Steenwijk is being rebuilt and remodeled to meet the standards of the new line of production. The ambition is to be fully operational in2022 with a line of production in circular pallet blocks, green energy and hot water. IceBearalso expects to create new jobs in the local area because of these developments. Current customers of IJsbeer Energie can expect no changes in our services for the future.
From IJsbeer to IceBear
In the late months of 2016 IJsbeer Energie first appeared on the radar in the Netherlands as a producer and supplier of green energy. At the time they took over a biomass power plant formerly owned by the Dutch company Rendo. Starting there IJsbeer Energie has been supplying green energy to local parties, using resources that are CO₂-neutral. From day one IJsbeer was in operation, the company was committed to explore new ideas for using biomass for sustainable purposes. By starting a line of production in pallet blocks the company has delivered on its ambitions.
Processing waste wood
After completing the rebuilding of the complex, IceBear will start collecting waste wood from the local area of Steenwijk. In the power plant the process starts with grinding and cleaning of the waste wood. During this process unusable material like metal, plastic and sand will be extracted. Furthermore, the cleaned waste wood will be dried by using residual heat from the biomass boiler. The wood is then pressed, using six different presses and a variety of molds. For the near future IceBear's plans include the ambition to bring 32 different type of pallet blocks products onto the market. As a result of these plans, the company also expects to be able to expand its workforce by 30 to 40 employees in the upcoming years.
Optimizing the circular process
In order to reinforce the ambitions, the IceBear business park located in Steenwijk is also being expanded. This creates space for storage, for the production of IceBear pallet blocks and also for the storage of used pallet blocks from future customers. These old pallet blocks are re-introduced into the production process and prepared for reuse.
