Zaandam, Netherlands, December 8, 2023 – On Thursday, December 7, Bunge hosted a first pile ceremony for its state-of-the-art, sustainable production facility in the Port of Amsterdam. When completed in 2025 the plant will replace the Maasvlakte refinery in Rotterdam. Production at the current Bunge location in Wormerveer will also be moving to this new facility.
The construction of the new facility on the HoogTij industrial area in the Port of Amsterdam is an important next step in optimizing Bunge's European asset footprint and will also allow Bunge to reach greater operational flexibility and efficiency.
“The new factory is built according to the latest technological standards, resulting in a highly efficient and sustainable factory, which will start production in 2026,” said David Vandermeersch, Bunge Vice President, EMEA. “We aim for direct energy savings of 40% and a CO2 reduction of 90% by 2030. I am extremely proud of the project team who worked diligently to get us to this important milestone and am thankful for the government agencies we have worked with in close partnership.”
Also in attendance at the first pile ceremony was King’s Commissioner Arthur van Dijk who said, “By driving the first pile for the new factory, an important step has been taken in the transition to a sustainable industry in our province. I am proud that the province of North Holland has been chosen as the location. This preserves knowledge and innovation for the region. The old factory site on the Zaan will be put up for sale and the current destination will transition from industrial to mixed-use property. That's good news for the province. Such a process has many challenges and requires good and intensive cooperation, perseverance, courage and trust. We all face the difficult task of making the transition to a sustainable and circular economy.”
Councilor Stephanie Onclin from the municipality of Zaanstad Economic Affairs and the Labor Market was also in attendance and said, “As a little girl, I looked out from my bedroom window at this Bunge production location. This milestone that we are jointly achieving here today affects me not only because of the personal ‘trip down memory lane,’ but even more so because together with all parties we are making a striking step forward in every respect for the economy, quality of life and the future of the residents of the Zaan region. From conservation to jobs, higher quality of life for local residents to a giant leap in energy savings and CO2 emissions.”
Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The Company's current production location along the Zaan in Wormerveer will move to the new location in phases after completion.
About Bunge
At Bunge (NYSE: BG), our purpose is to connect farmers to consumers to deliver essential food, feed and fuel to the world. With more than two centuries of experience, unmatched global scale and deeply rooted relationships, we work to strengthen global food security, increase sustainability where we operate, and help communities prosper. As the world’s leader in oilseed processing and a leading producer and supplier of specialty plant-based oils and fats, we value our partnerships with farmers to bring quality products from where they’re grown to where they’re consumed. At the same time, we collaborate with our customers to develop tailored and innovative solutions to meet evolving dietary needs and trends in every part of the world. Our Company has its registered office in Geneva, Switzerland and its corporate headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. We have approximately 23,000 dedicated employees working across approximately 300 facilities located in more than 40 countries.
Connecting farmers to consumers to deliver essential food, feed and fuel to the world.
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