Eekels | TBI completes Protastar project at Avebe

Recently Eekels Technology has completed its E&I activities for a new Avebe plant in Gasselternijveen. Avebe has long been an important customer for Eekels, and Protastar is one of the projects Eekels has executed in the past year. Eekels employees’ craftmanship in the food industry and many years of collaboration have been essential in successfully realising this project.

“This factory will make it possible for the Protastar protein to be produced at a single location. This investment represents an important step in the execution of Avebe’s strategy focusing on sustainablitly. Protastar is a top quality protein derived from starch potatoes and aimed at the anmial feed industry. The standard protein used to be dried at the production facility in Gasselternijveen and then transported to the facility in Foxhol for further processing. At the new factory in Gasselternijveen this process takes place at a single location, integrated into the existing processes.”

CO2 reduction

With this investment Avebe will be saving a drying step that corresponds to an annual reduction of 10,000 tons of CO2. We are also reducing the annual number of transport kilometres by 40,000. Avebe’s overall CO2 emission is thus being reduced by three percent, which corresponds to the CO2 emission of about 1250 households.

Drenthe Green Deal

The provincial and national authorities have supported this energy-saving project with a €1.5 million Drenthe Green Deal. Not only will this new factory enable Avebe to save energy, but it may also make it possible for Avebe to extend the protein production for for food for human consumption in the future. This is a rapidly growing international market. “This investment will enable us to make better use of these opportunities.”