When grass becomes an industrial material: what GrasToPlast reveals about successful technology transfer

How does one make the leap from a bio-based material concept to industrial application? The project GrasToPlast illustrates precisely this path. It was developed within the BioBall innovation space, which was integrated into the TransBIB network as a centre of expertise. Even though the BioBall funding project has now come to an end, GrasToPlast remains a good example of how research, businesses and different areas of expertise can work together along a value chain.

The project investigated how grass fibres from regional permanent grassland can be utilised in plastic compounds. To date, around 50 tonnes of material have been processed and more than a million injection-moulded parts have been produced – clear evidence that the transfer to industrial practice has been successful.

It was not a single technical solution that proved decisive. From raw materials through material development to moulding technology, various stages of development had to be coordinated. It is precisely this interplay that makes GrasToPlast so interesting from TransBIB’s perspective.

What lessons can other bioeconomy projects learn from this?

GrasToPlast clearly demonstrates that decisions on technology transfer in the industrial bioeconomy are rarely made by a single party. Often, suitable partners, specialist expertise, appropriate scaling-up infrastructure and a thorough assessment of environmental impacts are required.

And this is precisely where several TransBIB services come into play.

Bringing the right skills together.
With the skills pool and the matching platform, companies and research organisations can carry out targeted searches for specialists, technologies or collaboration partners. This networking can be crucial, particularly for projects such as GrasToPlast, where expertise in raw materials, material development and processing technology must come together.

Enabling the next step in scaling.
The TransBIB database for scaling infrastructures highlights test, pilot and demonstration facilities. This enables projects to identify suitable opportunities more quickly for further developing technologies under real-world conditions.

Taking sustainability impacts into account at an early stage.
A life-cycle analysis was carried out as part of the GrasToPlast project. Here too, TransBIB offers support for future projects through its services in life-cycle assessment in the context of the bioeconomy.

Speed up the transfer, rather than repeating the process each time

GrasToPlast demonstrates what is possible when the right stakeholders and expertise come together at an early stage. This is precisely where TransBIB comes in: projects are to find suitable partners, infrastructure and expertise more quickly – thereby shortening the path from the initial idea to industrial application.