Research Projects
Progress depends on research. This is why we contribute our materials expertise to various research projects.
Our Vision:
Resi - Reststoffe innovativ
As part of the joint project "Resi – Reststoffe Innovativ," (Innovative Residual Materials) we are collaborating with strong partners from science and industry to actively drive the transition from a fossil-based economy to a bio-based circular economy.
Bio-based residual materials—such as nutshells, asparagus peelings, coffee grounds, or grain husks—are not waste. They are valuable raw materials. The goal of this project is to identify the potential of these biogenic side streams for plastics engineering and to unlock their application in bio-based composite materials.
The Role of Holzmühle Westerkamp:
We contribute our decades of expertise in the milling and processing of by-products. Our responsibilities include:
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Characterization & Input Control: Analyzing residual materials to meet industrial standards.
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Processing: Tailored drying, milling, sieving, and agglomeration for dust-free integration into plastics.
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Development: The project findings flow directly into our arweco brand, allowing us to further optimize our certified natural fiber products and explore new fields of application.
Project Partners
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Leibniz Universität Hannover (TCI – Technisch-Chemisches Institut)
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Vogelsang GmbH & Co. KG
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IfBB – Institut für Biokunststoffe und Bioverbundwerkstoffe
This project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the State of Lower Saxony within the program area "More Developed Region" (SER) for the 2021–2027 funding period.
LeguTec
Holistic use of leguminous plants in technical applications.
Agriculture is undergoing a significant transformation. Climate change and the growing demand for plant-based proteins for vegetarian and vegan diets have made legumes—such as peas, faba beans, soy, and sweet lupins—increasingly important.
Our Vision:
Currently, the cultivation of these crops primarily focuses on grain production, while secondary components such as hulls and stems are often left unused. The LeguTec project aims for a holistic approach: we want to utilize the entire plant. This not only creates significant economic incentives for farmers but also represents a crucial step toward a more sustainable supply of raw materials.
Project Partners
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Landwirtschaftlicher Betrieb C. Habermann
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Hochschule Hannover
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IfBB – Institut für Biokunststoffe und Bioverbundwerkstoffe
The LeguTec project is supported by the State of Lower Saxony with funds from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) as part of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) ‘Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability’ in Lower Saxony and Hamburg. The project is scheduled to run from 1 June 2025 to 15 December 2028.
DigAForst
What does the agriculture of the future look like? In the DigAForst project, we are demonstrating how digital innovation can create new value chains in the intensive agricultural region of Northwest Lower Saxony.
Our Vision:
We are bridging the gap between modern agriculture and technological precision. Using an autonomous robot and AI-supported analysis, we are creating a digital inventory of woody biomass in Agroforestry Systems (AFS). This allows for full transparency regarding the quality and quantity of available wood resources—without needing invasive interventions.
The Role of Holzmühle Westerkamp:
For us as a processing company, DigAForst is a key component in securing sustainable raw material supplies. We use the data generated by this digital catalog to accurately evaluate wood from these systems and prepare it for innovative applications.
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Industrial Refining: The timber sourced from these systems serves as the foundation for developing high-quality, sustainable wood-plastic composites (WPC).
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Planning Security: The economic and ecological evaluation of AFS provides farmers with harvest optimization strategies while enabling us as a company to conduct reliable raw material planning.
Project Partners
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Universität Vechta-, Verbund Transformationsforschung agrar Niedersachsen (trafo:agrar)
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Hochschule Osnabrück, Fachgebiet Landwirtschaftliche Betriebswirtschaftslehre
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Nature Robots GmbH
The DigAForst joint project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs (BMLEH) on the basis of a resolution passed by the German Bundestag. The project is managed by the Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR) as part of the ‘Sustainable Renewable Resources’ funding programme. The project is scheduled to run from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2027.
SpaPlast II
This is a follow-up project investigating the processing and utilisation of asparagus by-products for bio-based semi-finished products.
Project SpaPlast II is the direct successor to the SpaPlast initiative. Our goal is to transform asparagus peels—an agricultural residual material that often goes to waste—into a valuable raw material for the plastics processing industry.
Having already proven in the laboratory that processed asparagus peels perform effectively as natural fibers, SpaPlast II now focuses on industrial upscaling. We are addressing the critical challenge of perishability by developing efficient logistics and drying processes, ensuring the material remains stable and storable immediately after harvest.
Our Vision:
We are committed to a sustainable "Green Bio-economy Made in Germany." Our vision is to drive a true circular economy where agricultural by-products replace finite resources in the plastics industry. We aim to integrate sustainable innovations into everyday industrial use in a way that is both economically viable and user-friendly.
The Role of Holzmühle Westerkamp:
Our role is to bridge the gap between laboratory research and industrial application. We are developing the technical and procedural framework to ensure the consistent supply and quality of asparagus peels as a raw material throughout the season. We act as the connecting hub, turning a "waste product" into a reliable industrial material.
Project Partners
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Hochschule Hannover, Fakultät II- Maschinenbau und Bioverfahrenstechnik
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IfBB – Institut für Biokunststoffe und Bioverbundwerkstoffe
The SpaPlast II project is supported by the Lower Saxony Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection with funds from the Stadt.Land.ZUKUNFT ‘Economic Development Fund – Ecological Sector’ package of measures to support the implementation of the state strategy for organic farming ‘New paths for a sustainable Lower Saxony’. The project is scheduled to run from 2 January 2024 to 30 June 2026.