Groningen Seaports is proud to announce Circulands – the name for the Oosterhorn-Zuid area in Delfzijl. The industrial site was already part of Groningen Seaports’ management area, and this afternoon, at the Eemsdelta Vision conference, it was officially given the name Circulands. Circulands offers businesses the opportunity of fully circular operation and is a blueprint for an industrial park of the future. Businesses that will locate here in the future operate in the circular industry and in green chemical industry.

In the spring of 2022, Groningen Seaports announced its intention to invest more than 40 million euro in the Oosterhorn-Zuid area. This investment is focused on developing this area into a modern industrial park, where businesses work together to reuse their waste flows and to implement sustainable energy solutions. Over the past years, many businesses have expressed a keen interest in a site at Circulands, and contracts have been signed with two parties. Sustainable Fuel Plant (SFP) and Circtec are already working hard on the construction of their factories.

Circular industrial park

Circulands will be a sustainable and circular industrial park, built with recycled materials and designed with plenty of green landscaping. Businesses will reuse waste flows, such as e-waste, plastics, and wind-turbine blades. A pipe infrastructure ensures the exchange of waste flows, such as gases and heat, which become raw materials for other businesses. The park is inspired by nature’s cycles and strives for maximum value creation of materials.

With lots of greenery and natural elements, the park works on balancing industrial activities and a healthy living environment for local residents. Cas König, CEO of Groningen Seaports, sees Circulands as a crucial step in making industry more sustainable: “We created ideal circumstances for building the ultimate circular industrial park of the future. Circulands demonstrates that it is possible for industry and sustainability to go hand in hand.”

Strategic location

A large part of Dutch green energy is generated in the Eems region, which is also the place where a large amount of sustainable energy arrives from other countries. That makes Oosterhorn-Zuid a strategic location in this region. This access to clean energy forms the basis for the green chemical industry and production in the park. In other words, Oosterhorn-Zuid is the perfect location for a circular industrial park.

Cultural-historical site

The city of Delfzijl has a rich history that started in the thirteenth century. Over the next few centuries, Delfzijl developed into a strong and vast port area. Circulands celebrates the cultural history of the area. On Kloosterlaan, there will be an area with references to the cultural history. Groningen Seaports believes it is important that this history is not forgotten and, together with historian Martin Hillenga, it has worked on gathering the cultural-historical narratives over the past few years. Studio Paul & Albert has turned this into a website. It can be found at www.groningen-seaports.com/historie (only in Dutch).

The development of Circulands is a steady process, where businesses in the green chemical industry and the circular industry have room to grow and to innovate. Groningen Seaports sees Circulands as a blueprint for future circular industrial parks, and as an important contribution to a sustainable future.

An animation has been produced about the future plans for Circulands. It can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV0HzIAbI3Q.

Circulands is on the left, south of the Oosterhorn canal (Photo Groningen Seaports – Koos Boertjens).