Chemelot Campus as a development hotspot
On 24 May 2019, the Brightlands Chemelot Campus proudly opened the first two Brighthouses: buildings that accommodate various companies, including Sitech Services. This is a great move, as creating links between companies inevitably leads to innovation and growth.
Campus as a hotspot for development
When you think of Brightlands Chemelot Campus, you think of innovation. CEO Bert Kip agrees: “We want to safeguard innovation in this region by building communities. We do this in three domains: materials, chemical processes and biomedical applications. Innovations are desperately needed due to the increasingly strict requirements for sustainability and safety. But these are complex and expensive. That is why we connect various companies and knowledge institutes: innovation occurs at an accelerated rate at the interfaces between them. A crucial aspect of this is the connection between people. We facilitate this from our Center Court, by organizing inspiring events and other occasions. Such an environment attracts talent. It’s not for nothing that the 10 leading campuses in the Netherlands are all growing faster than their environment.”
Sitech adds new competencies
“With the Brighthouses we are creating space for newcomers,” continues Bert. “The buildings have a flexible design, making them appealing to various parties. From small start-ups that want to grow to large companies like Sitech. With their arrival we have added a lot of competencies in one go. In turn that makes it interesting for other parties to set up their business here, which continually enriches the ecosystem. The concept of the Brighthouses is very popular; businesses are fighting for every square meter.”
Why has Sitech opted to establish itself on the campus?
“Our organization is in the middle of a change process and this new building helps by facilitating our way of working in the best way possible,” answers CEO Marc Dassen. “Its open and transparent structure promotes mutual collaboration and communication. You run into one another, that saves on meetings and emails. Furthermore, we want to be part of the ecosystem on the campus, because we believe that collaboration is the future. If we want to stand out as a technology partner for the process industry, we will have to set up alliances. And finally, we want to be an attractive employer, for young people as well. The new building and the campus with its facilities help us to achieve this.”
“I hope that in 10 years’ time we can say that the sustainability transition started here”
Bert Kip, CEO Brightlands Chemelot Campus
Collaborating to make the process industry more sustainable
The Brightsite knowledge center is living proof that connections lead to innovation. In it TNO, Maastricht University, Brightlands Chemelot Campus and Sitech Services collaborate to make the process industry more sustainable. Bert: “This is a great concept. I hope that in 10 years’ time we can say that the sustainability transition started here. I am convinced that we will succeed, because we have such a broad knowledge base and know how to collaborate.”
Companies with synergy attract one another
The collaboration within Brightsite has already prompted the arrival of partners to the campus. “Like the new Bachelor’s degree course in Engineering at Maastricht University,” explains Bert. “Or TNO’s Brightlands Materials Center.” Marc responds: “On our part we are mainly interested in companies that market new developments. Like Ioniqa, which built a plastic recycling demonstrator here, or DSM Niaga, which develops ideas to make products suitable for circular use. And with our focus on digitization, we are also hoping for the arrival of IT companies. We are therefore glad to help by encouraging companies with which we collaborate to find a place here.”