Tom van Aken, CEO of Avantium, looked back at the last 10 years at the EFIB-conference in Brussel. EFIB celebrates its 10th year: a decade in which it has grown from a small-scale event to a one of the major international meeting points for the European bio-economy.
According to Van Aken, the last ten years have been characterized by a relatively slow, but steady progress. True, not many products have made it to the market, yet, but brand owners and consumers are ready for product concepts that are more sustainable than existing ones, Van Aken stated. ‘Have we reduced our dependency on fossil resources or reduced climate change in the last 10 years? No. Admittedly, current oil price levels make it a very challenging task. However, the interest of the industry and consumers and growing awareness regarding climate change indicate that the tide is turning.’
