Argent Energy: new ACN Gold member

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Argent Energy, a manufacturer of biofuels in the UK and the Netherlands, will join the Amsterdam Chemistry Network with a Gold membership. The CEO of Argent, Mr. Erik Rietkerk, will take a seat on the prestigious Board of Directors of the network chemical companies and academia representing the Amsterdam region.

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After the announcement of a fivefold capacity expansion in the Port of Amsterdam, it is clear that Argent Energy is committed to and believes in the Amsterdam region. The company produces sustainable second-generation biodiesel from designated waste raw materials, achieving around 80% GHG savings when used as an alternative to fossil fuel: a great example of sustainable chemistry applied in business. Argent’s goal is to help towards the decarbonization of transport, among other industries. With the industrial hands on expertise of Mr. Erik Rietkerk in a stirring position within ACN, Argent Energy will be influential in shaping the Dutch and European chemical sector of the future, with a focus on sustainability and cutting-edge innovation.

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A warm welcome from the Board

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The University of Amsterdam represented by Joost Reek, professor at the Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS), welcomes Erik Rietkerk to the ACN Board: “Already during the start-up phase it became clear that ACN provides an important network function in the region and we are delighted that Argent Energy is joining the board of directors as this provides direct input from the business community in the area of sustainability. Society is facing huge challenges in the area of sustainable chemistry and energy, and with ACN we can connect the relevant regional partners to address these challenges. We can bring the academic community and the industry together to work on innovations that have impact, making the sustainable chemistry research carried out by our institute more relevant for society. We of course would like to continue to grow to also increase the relevance of the research. And we aim to offer opportunities for Amsterdam chemistry researchers and chemistry students in other areas of science, including health”.

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Argent Energy's role in ACN

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“We believe that a strong regional chemistry network will help companies achieve their goals of contributing to solutions for global challenges,” says the ACN director Mr. Willem Fokkema. “In addition, we believe that active clustering of the chemical industry in the Metropolitan Region of Amsterdam will attract more innovative companies, regional funds, foreign investments, and international talent. We are glad that Argent Energy believes in the ACN projects and will give us their full support. Mr Rietkerk will bring the voice of an industry leader, to make ACN’s growth increasingly more solid and our combined strategy more significant for Amsterdam.”

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The board is now complete, including Argent Energy, ChemistryNL, Matrix Innovation center, Port of Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam, VU Amsterdam.