ambition

As a family business, instead of thinking in years we think in generations. We want to pass on an even more beautiful company to the next generation. We consider it our duty to contribute to a more beautiful world. This is why we are committed to a circular business model. This means that we will not let raw and other materials, as well as energy, go to waste. We make sure to use as few raw materials as possible and that what we do use retains as much value as possible. To determine our measure of circularity, we use our own measurement method, the Swinkels Circularity Index (SCI), which we continue to refine. 

Swinkels Circularity Index

The quality
of the
measurement method is increasing.

Marthijn Junggeburth,
Sustainability Manager

The world is constantly changing and knowledge about circularity is increasing. This gives us sufficient reason to update the SCI every three years. Does it still meet our requirements and what the world demands of us? Are there new visions and measurements that can add value and enhance insight?

We have critically reviewed our circularity model on all themes in 2021 and developed it into a 2.0 version. In 2022, we applied this new version for the first time. Adding more detail to calculations increases the quality of the measurement method. We are gaining increasingly more knowledge about circular business operations and as a result are becoming more critical of our own performance as well as the performance of our partners. At the same time, it strengthens our ambition to do the right thing and work toward Swinkels Family Brewers being a circular company.

Our circular business operations scorein 2022
was 59%.

Results SCI in 2022

Our circular business operations score in 2022 was 59%. This is a 3% improvement compared to 2021, which means that we have exceeded our goal for 2022. The score was achieved through a series of improvements in the areas of reducing production wastage, water reuse, making the energy provision more sustainable and reducing energy consumption, making packaging more sustainable for both product and marketing purposes, transportation optimisation and factoring in the circularity value of our buildings. In addition, we offset part of the CO2 emissions due to transportation. These improvements are further explained under our three pillars: Circular procurement, Circular production en High-quality reuse.

  • Ambition: Fully circular business operations
    Ambition: Fully circular business operations
  • Ambition: Fully circular business operations

    Ultimately, our goal is to be fully circular. This is quite a tough challenge. We see that we can still make an impact primarily by investing in multi-year projects. Furthermore, the market is under pressure, limiting the availability of (sustainably produced) raw materials and recycled materials. Therefore, increasing sustainability requires big steps (and investments).

    These include:

    • Realisation of the emission-free malting plant in Eemshaven (by 2024).
    • Making energy supplies more sustainable which includes the use of heat pumps.
    • Making our water use circular.
    • Continuing to make packaging and consumables more sustainable.
    • Reducing and partially offsetting CO2 emissions from transportation.
  • Continued development Swinkels Circularity Index
    Continued development Swinkels Circularity Index
  • Continued development Swinkels Circularity Index

    The further detailing of the Swinkels Circularity Index is as follows:

    • We consider energy and transportation as separate categories allowing more accurate measurements. There is more focus on CO2.
    • We look at water in more detail, inbound (what we use) and outbound (what we return to the environment).
    • When procuring raw and other materials, we measure on the basis of the actual number of kilograms which is in line with international standards. This means that “barley” is currently a larger category than “hops” as we use many more kilograms of barley than hops.
    • Initially, each brewery and malting plant counted equally in the calculation. This was adjusted to the size of the breweries and malting plants.
    • The circularity label of our buildings now counts in the calculation.

    To ensure comparability of SCI 1.0 and SCI 2.0, we determined the 2021 score according to both methods (see reporting manual). This showed that the 2021 results were not significantly different from the earlier SCI calculation (1.6%). At the same time, we see larger shifts in underlying figures. Given the limited deviation over 2021, we can continue to use the results from earlier years, with the note that deviations in earlier years are possible because of the more detailed calculation.

    For some (sub)components of the SCI, insufficient information is available to determine the circularity. For example, of the KPI “Machines and buildings”, the “facilitating materials” component is not yet known. We have opted for a conservative approach here by setting the circularity percentage to zero. This may result in data availability leading to an increase in SCI scores in the future.

  • Climate ambition
    Climate ambition
  • Climate ambition

    Climate change is becoming more and more pronounced. In 2022, for example, we faced massive drought world­wide. These and other changes bring risks and affect our ability to deliver on our ambition. For this reason, an internal working group within our circularity consultation periodically discusses developments related to climate change, the influence we have on it and the impact of climate change on our breweries, malting plants and the value chain. In this way we can make the right choices regarding circularity, embed them in our business processes and align them with our sustainability strategy.

    Circularity is the main pillar of our sustainability strategy. As part of our circularity ambition, climate strategy plays a central role when it comes to reducing energy consumption, material usage and managing risks in the area of climate-driven raw material scarcity, among others. Thus, in 2022, we sourced barley in more countries and from more suppliers.

    We are continuously looking for an optimal energy mix for our brewing and malting processes and value chain with minimal CO2 emissions. We are working on this by, among other things, increasing energy efficiency and making maximum use of renewable energy sources. We also investigate the efficiency of transport movements. In addition to collecting data, we want to have an increasingly better understanding of transition and physical risks.

    In addition to the climate topics covered by the SCI, we are taking steps to further align our climate strategy in terms of content with what is expected of us. We will continue to prepare in 2023 for developments regarding laws and regulations, such as the EU taxonomy for sustainable activities and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). We also committed to a Science Based Targets (SBTi) Net Zero objective in 2022. This objective forms the basis for a climate strategy in line with the Paris Climate Agreement which requires that global warming be limited to 1.5°C.

    Last year we installed an additional heat pump at our Lieshout location. This has saved us one million cubic metres of gas, equivalent to a reduction of 1,800 tons of CO2. The installation of this heat pump resulted in a 2.5% reduction in our total scope 1 and 2 CO2 footprint. 

    Objectives reduction CO2 equivalent

  • Cultivating circular awareness
    Cultivating circular awareness
  • Cultivating circular awareness

    Circular business operations are only possible if you do it together. Therefore, we are actively working on increasing circular awareness among our employees. In 2022, we organised several inspiration sessions. In collaboration with the Made Blue Foundation we organised a clean drinking water awareness workshop. During the workshop, participants learned about the impact of their own water use.

    Groups of colleagues also engaged in the “Footprint workshop”. An interactive workshop in which participants mapped their own personal CO2 footprint under guidance. Subsequently, the session offered targeted advice to take concrete steps towards improvement. These low-threshold knowledge sessions bring external expertise into the organisation and provide employees with insights that they can immediately apply in their daily lives.

    Every new employee also receives an onboarding training on circularity, and the Sustainability Team organises roadshows to visit existing teams in order to increase knowledge and awareness related to circularity.

Results 2022

Circular procurement

AMBITION

We want to procure the goods and services we use as circularly as possible and apply strict sustainability requirements. By doing so, we encourage our suppliers to also take steps in the fields of sustainability and circularity. By collaborating closely with our partners, we increase our impact in the chain.

Image of 2022
In 2022, the market remained erratic. The war in Ukraine and the shifting geopolitical relations as a result are leaving their mark on the raw materials and energy markets. Availability declined and prices rose. In the process, the effects of climate change are becoming more pronounced. The year 2022 was exceptionally dry, which affected the availability of agricultural raw materials.

  • Agricultural raw materials
    68% circular
  • Agricultural raw materials

    Barley
    We buy as much sustainably produced barley as possible from producers affiliated with the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI). Due to disappointing harvests and the impact of the war in Ukraine, this was not possible for the entire barley volume. For the procurement of barley, we were forced to turn to other growers who do not yet have the SAI label. They do apply their own sustainability criteria, but do not yet have a certificate for this as is the case with SAI. For this reason, we were not able to count this procurement as “sustainable”, causing the proportion of circularly sourced barley to slightly decrease compared to 2021. 

    For our brewery in Ethiopia, we procure barley close to the brewery: 100% of the barley is locally grown. Locally grown barley is considered sustainable in the Swinkels Circularity Index. This shift from 70% to 100% locally grown barley has a positive impact on the barley index in 2022. 

    Score barley: 67%

    Hops and sugar
    We buy hops and sugar grown sustainably to the maximum extent possible, and we have been able to maintain the percentages despite drought and erratic market conditions. With that, the numbers amount to:

    Score hops: 86%
    Score sugar: 91%

  • Packaging
    77% circular
  • Packaging

    In recent years we have invested heavily in making our packaging more sustainable. Step by step, we have reduced the weight of our packaging. After all, using less packaging is more sustainable. We have also continued to increase the proportion of recycled material in packaging. In doing so, we were faced with limits. For example, some packaging cannot be thinner as it would not have enough carrying capacity. The proportion of recycled material in plastic cannot increase further because the packaging would lose the necessary characteristics, such as elasticity, carrying capacity or food safety.

    Marthijn Junggeburth, Sustainability Manager: ‘Making packaging more sustainable is a challenge. For example, the availability of sustainable raw materials for packaging in the market is limited. In addition, the requirements for food packaging are very high. This makes improvement in this area quite challenging. On the other hand, we do see a positive trend among suppliers. There is a greater awareness of the need for sustainable packaging and there is continuous development in making materials and processes more sustainable. The further defining of EU rules on packaging is going to help accelerate the transition in the coming years. We work closely with our packaging suppliers and partners to continually optimise and innovate.’

  • Marketing materials
    44% circular
  • Marketing materials

    When choosing sustainable marketing materials, we made great strides in 2022. We are reaping the benefits of the registration system we implemented specifically for this purpose in 2021. We use it to register all the very different materials and marketing products. Thanks to this system, we are far better able to control the circularity value of materials. For example, we use more and more POS materials (promotional materials, such as clothing, glassware) that meet our criteria. We also see a positive trend among our suppliers. More and more producers are aware of their impact and are creating sustainable alternatives for their marketing products.

  • Machines, buildings and facilitating materials
    53% circular
  • Machines, buildings and facilitating materials

    To increase the circularity of our buildings, we want to categorise them. In 2022, we defined the conditions for a circular building, as we see them, and according to that definition, we can categorise all buildings. For this purpose, we purchased a software package in 2022. We use it to record the purchase of the building material in quantities, in proportion of circular building materials and in possible circular outflow after end of life. This approach leads to improvement in the design question; how do we create a circular building? It also leads to improvement in reuse; how can we best reuse the building as a whole or all the materials it contains?

    Insight into buildings, energy labels
    A great result: Head Office awarded energy label A++
    Energy performance requirements for office buildings are increasing nationwide. As of 1 January 2023, office buildings must have at least energy label C. If the building does not meet the requirements, the government dictates that it may no longer be used as an office unless it is modified.

    During the energy performance scan in 2022, our head office was awarded energy label A++. A future-worthy result.

In-depth

Small optimisations with large sustainable effects

We are constantly looking for ways to save on virgin material.

Patrick Blom,
Packaging technologist
<strong>Patrick Blom,<br> Packaging technologist</strong>

‘With all new packaging we put in the market, it is a prerequisite that our design is recyclable. Furthermore, we are constantly looking for ways to save on virgin material,’ says Patrick Blom, Packaging Technologist at Swinkels Family Brewers. ‘It is, however, becoming much more of a challenge. We have almost reached the limits of what is technically possible and/or safe. Moreover, an erratic raw materials market sometimes makes it challenging to fully meet our sustainability needs. Thus, even in 2022, we faced limited availability of recycled materials in some areas. Still, by working smartly, we achieved great results.’

Results 2022 and ambition 2023
In 2022, the contribution of packaging to our circularity index has risen from 73% to 77%. In this respect, packaging makes a larger contribution to the Swinkels Circularity Index score. All of our packaging is now 100% recyclable. This applies to glass, metal, plastic and cardboard.

An overview of the results by packaging material:

  • Plastic
  • Plastic

    Patrick: ‘We continue to improve the use of plastic. Last year we made a plastic saving by leaving the stretch films around pallets open at the top. This year we rolled out this innovation further, saving roughly an additional 10,000 kilograms of virgin plastic per year. We have also made strides with our (un)printed (tray) films. Almost all of our films already consisted of at least 50% recycled plastic, but for some specific variants we have now switched to 50% recycled plastic as well. This saves 30,000 kg of virgin plastic on an annual basis.’

    Efforts are also underway at brewery Habesha in Ethiopia to reduce the proportion of plastic in packaging. For example, all new crates purchased by Habesha in 2022 are made of 50% recycled plastic. This will save 85,000 kg of virgin plastic.

    Total virgin plastic savings by 2022: 140,000 kg.

  • Glass
  • Glass

    Glass packaging has had a high proportion of recycled material for a long time. Today’s glass consists of about 75% recycled material. In this we have not been able to make any further improvement. The limit is determined by the availability of recycled glass and the processing capabilities of suppliers. Through ongoing dialogue with the supply chain, we aim to further increase the proportion of recycled glass in our packaging in the coming years. 

  • Paper and cardboard
  • Paper and cardboard

    Since 2020, all of the corrugated cardboard and folding cardboard we use carries the FSC or PEFC quality mark. The cardboard is made of wood from sustainably managed forests and recycled material. To reduce usage, we are engaged in several projects to make packaging as light as possible. In 2022, we spectacularly deployed a new multipack machine in Lieshout. It enables us to use thinner (cardboard) packaging for our multipacks. This saves 40,000 kg of cardboard per year.

    At our brewery in Steenhuffel, since the end of 2022, we have also been working with a new machine that can automatically process multipacks for bottles, using lighter cardboard. This is going to save 75,000 kg of cardboard per year. Furthermore, by packing part of the multipacks in crates instead of boxes, we created an additional saving of 16,000 kg cardboard per year.

    Total cardboard and paper savings: 131,000 kg per year.

  • Pallets
  • Pallets

    In collaboration with our transporters and customers, we worked to further optimise pallet usage in 2022. For example, we make use of different pallet patterns (stacking of products) to be able to transport more products per pallet, thus saving on packaging costs and transport movements. The wooden pallets we used in 2022 are FSC or PEFC labelled, making them 100% sustainable. 

  • Metal
  • Metal

    To calculate the proportion of recycled steel and aluminium in our cans, we apply a “world standard” as the exact numbers are not shared by suppliers; steel comprises 32% and aluminium 72% recycled material. All our cans are fully recyclable. 

    Since 2019, we have made big steps in saving on metal by using lighter cans. We continued to optimise this method in 2022 as well. Thus, we replaced more steel cans with (lighter) aluminium ones. This saves 250,000 kg of material per year. Furthermore, in collaboration with our supplier, we were able to make the aluminium 25 cl and 50 cl cans even lighter, saving 140,000 kg of material per year.

    Total metal savings: 390,000 kg per year.

  • Innovations
  • Innovations

    As we have almost reached the limits of technology and availability, further sustainability of packaging is only possible by investigating alternatives with our own staff and our suppliers. Over the past year we ran interesting pilots, made innovations and initiated developments.

    Some examples:

    • Brewery De Molen switched to lighter bottles.
    • In Lieshout we introduced keg collars made of FSC material. Beer brewery De Koningshoeven will follow in 2023.
    • For our Cornet brand, we have developed new crates made of 100% recycled plastic.
    • Beer brewery De Koningshoeven previously used keg caps made from 100% virgin plastic. The brewery switched to keg caps made of 100% recycled plastic in 2022. This saves 2,000 kg of virgin material annually. After this successful test at beer brewery De Koningshoeven, more of our breweries will follow in 2023.
  • Looking ahead: Setting off for 2025
  • Looking ahead: Setting off for 2025

    Our ambition in the field of packaging is challenging to say the least. We aim for all our packaging to be 100% recyclable and 100% made from sustainable materials by 2025. 

    Patrick: ‘We can only achieve full circularity in collabo­ration with other parties in the chain. This requires trust, but also the optimisation of knowledge. We are happy to commit to that.’

We can only achieve full circularity in close cooperation with other parties in the chain.
This requires trust, but also optimisation of the knowledge we gain. We are happy to commit to that.

Results 2022

Circular production

AMBITION

We ensure the most efficient use of energy, water and transport. In doing so, we opt for renewable energy, steer for life extension of our machines and buildings and work, in everything we do, on the continuous reduction of (production) process wastage.

Image of 2022
Currently, 17.3% of our energy comes from renewable sources. Compared to benchmark data, 56% of our breweries and malting plants are more efficient in terms of water consumption and 67% of our breweries and malting plants outperform the benchmark in terms of energy efficiency. Each year, we remain committed to improving these results by implementing innovations and optimisations in the production processes. Making transportation more sustainable remains a challenge. We chose to partially offset CO2 emissions in 2022. We also remain critical of our water use, but were able to make little improvement in specific water consumption in 2022.

  • Energy
    29% circular
  • Energy

    In 2022, the contribution of energy on the circularity index was 29%. CO2 emissions and specific energy consumption improved compared to 2021 through the application of a new additional heat pump in Lieshout, among other things.

    Lieshout heat pump project
    In 2022, we started to focus more on CO2 reduction because it is an important parameter of circular production. To minimise CO2 emissions, we are working hard to implement a clean energy supply. Applying the latest heat pump technology would be one way of achieving that. This technology is constantly evolving and we are already able, with the help of heat pumps, to reach water temperatures of 95 degrees Celsius. Heat pumps that perform in this way are an important addition to the energy supply of the systems in our breweries and malting plants and will play an increasingly prominent role in the future.

    With the installation of new heat pumps and the existing heat pumps at our Lieshout location, we achieved a reduction of 5 million m3 of natural gas in 2022 compared to 2019. This is a reduction of over 20% compared to 2019 and accounts for a CO2 reduction of 8,900 tons.

    Update emission-free malting plant Holland Malt Eemshaven
    The transformation to the world’s first emission-free malting plant is in full swing. Once the transition is finalised, and from 2024, Holland Malt Eemshaven will no longer use fossil fuels, biomass or other energy sources that create harmful emissions for the malting process. We are realising the transition by deploying a new, innovative heat system. This will enable the malting plant to take a huge step that also has a major positive impact on our circularity business operations score.

    Work continued in 2022 on the further detailing of the emission-free malting plant. The technology has been further developed and is being translated into practice. Supplier choices, machine choices, construction drawings and flow charts were considered. In addition to the thinking, we also started the execution. In 2022, the first components of the malting plant were dismantled to make room for the new heat pumps. We also encountered the first challenges. For example, the demand for heat pumps is high, which has increased the delivery time and cost of parts. For now, the execution of the project is proceeding on schedule.

    In 2023, we will convert the current gas infrastructure to a heat pump system, which will allow us to have the zero-emission malting plant in production by April 2024.

    Table: CO2 emissions and energy consumption

  • Transport
    17% circular
  • Transport

    For years, we have been actively working on the reduction of our CO2 emissions from transportation. We are also committed to offsetting CO2 emissions. For example, in 2022 we offset 17% of the CO2 emissions from our transportation by buying CO2 certificates from a wind farm in Turkey.

    One way of making our transportation more sustainable is by choosing alternatives such as rail or water, rather than transport by road. In doing so, we previously reduced our emissions by 40%. A second important step is to deliver directly to customers, rather than via a warehouse. We also make sure that our trucks are as fully loaded as possible. 

    In addition, we invest in biofuel for the ships that transport our beer over long distances to America and Australia, for example (deep sea transport). In 2022, we started a trial with the Port of Rotterdam through the certified ISCC. Deep sea transport, at 9.16 kilotons, accounts for almost half our annual total of 20.66 kilotons of CO2 emissions, so the move towards biofuel could make a big difference. We look forward to seeing the results of the trial.

    Furthermore, we closely follow developments in the transportation industry and investigate what is needed for our business. 

  • Water use
    53% circular
  • Water use

    Starting in 2022, and in addition to the benchmark, we use international standards for water scarcity and water reuse to assess circular water use.

    In addition, we further defined our vision on circular water in 2022. This not only concerns the residual water we purify, but also the partial reuse and partial return to the environment. Climate change brings periods of drought and also makes us realise that we must be careful with the water we extract from the ground. We started looking more critically at the proportion of inbound water and adjusted that in the calculation of our SCI.

    We want to handle the pumping of groundwater to be used in our breweries responsibly to avoid soil imbalance. With international attention to this issue, more and more data and knowledge are becoming available which we can use for analysis and consideration. In the coming years, we will closely monitor developments and adjust our calculation and actions where necessary.

    Optimisations water building and bottling plant
    To brew our beer, we need water. This water is pumped from deep underground in Lieshout. Before we can make beer from this water, one of the things we have to do is filter it. This takes place in the water building. Research in 2022 showed that we can skip a filtration step without making compromises on the quality of the water. Each filtration step causes water loss. Skipping this filtration step allows us to pump 6% less water. This equals 100,000 cubic metres of water or 3,300 full tanker lorries.

    We have also made choices in the bottling plant that allow us to use less water.

    Table: Water consumption

  • Minimise wastage
    93% circular
  • Minimise wastage

    In 2022, we started measuring and reporting production losses more frequently. We use this information to further optimise our processes. We also expect this to reduce production losses.

    In the bottling plant of brewery Bavaria, a team is working on the “Beer Better Best” project. Read more about this in the article below.

Project story

Beer Better Best

We have aspirations to become a model location.

Dick van den Berg,
Production Manager

In the bottling plant of brewery Bavaria, a team is working on the “Beer Better Best” project. The goal of this project is to reduce losses and produce more reliably when canning. Dick van den Berg, Production Manager, explains: ‘We want to keep improving together; that’s the winning family culture we are all part of. In addition, we have aspirations to become a model location.’

Improving the workplace is part of the project. If a colleague on the line sees something happening that shouldn’t happen or that he/she thinks could be done better, he/she will work with the project group to look at opportunities for improvement. This “continuous improvement” has become increasingly prevalent among the project team and the workplace.

For a smooth running production, it is obviously important that the machines and workplace are well maintained. Previously, that maintenance was done via manually signed off cleaning and maintenance lists. With the advent of a line board and app for supervisors, paper lists are a thing of the past. On the line board, employees turn a slide to green after preparing the machines or their workstations. Team leaders check all workstations and machines, take a picture and store it in the app, reliably retrievable in the database. Thanks to this digitisation, maintenance work is now much more efficient.

Every month, the team leader and the team hold a meeting in which they discuss performance and set new actions together. This approach minimises packaging and product losses.

Results 2022

High-quality reuse

AMBITION

There is no such thing as waste. We look for high-quality reuse of each residual flow. In doing so, we want to return the residual flows of food as high up the food chain as possible. In this way they retain as much value as possible.

Image of 2022
The proportion of (raw) materials we reuse is growing every year. Together with our suppliers and partners, we are gaining more and more knowledge about how to redeploy residual flows in a high-quality manner, in the company’s process or in another way. For new applications, we often develop new value chains, in which different parties such as engineers, growers, producers and processors participate. In doing so, the awareness of reuse will increase as will our impact.

  • Co-products
    99% circular
  • Co-products

    At brewery Habesha in Ethiopia in 2022, several pilots were conducted to achieve optimal reuse of residual materials and substances. These pilots were successful and will be followed up on a larger scale in 2023.

    Brewer’s yeast
    The remaining yeast after fermentation in our brewery in Ethiopia is processed and distributed as animal feed for the farms near our brewery.

    Sludge from residual water
    Last year, several trials were conducted at our brewery in Ethiopia to use the sludge remaining after treatment of the residual water as a component for organic fertilizer. The sludge contains valuable nutrients for plants. Application of the sludge as a partial replacement for chemical fertilizer has been tested with several crops and found to be mostly successful. The study will continue in 2023 to check the consistency of the result.

    Alcohol
    At our brewery in Lieshout, alcohol is a co-product created when we produce non-alcoholic beer via the Fenix de-alcoholising installation. In 2020 this was converted to hand alcohol, in 2022 we sold this co-product as feed.

    Bavaria sausage roll made from brewers grains in collaboration with Houben
    Brewing beer requires malted brewing grains. The product left over from this raw material after brewing beer is called brewers grains. This granular residue contains all kinds of healthy nutrients and is totally suitable for consumption. Swinkels Family Brewers joined forces with sausage roll baker Houben, who created the first Bavaria sausage roll. Bart Houben: ‘Adding brewers grains to the familiar dough recipe enhances the flavour of the bread. The result is well worth it, if I may say so myself. But, most of all, it’s great that we can reuse the brewers grains from brewery Bavaria in this way. This also makes the sausage roll sustainable.’

    Romke Swinkels, Director Swinkels Family Brewers Netherlands: ‘At Swinkels Family Brewers, we are constantly working on running our operations smarter and more sustainably. This initiative immediately gets that message across and emphasises our Brabant roots. It turned out to be a delicious sausage roll that perfectly matches a good glass of Bavaria beer.’

    Table: Circular use of co-products

  • Residual water
    17% circular
  • Residual water

    Pilot water reuse
    We started a pilot in 2022 with the objective of reusing water from our water treatment plant in Lieshout as process water. For this, we re-treat the purified residual water, making it clean enough to be used again in production. Thus, if this pilot proves successful, we can reuse our residual water to clean our crates, bottles and hop boilers. In this way, we deploy water in a circular way.

    Table: Circular use of residual water

    * Click here for the reporting manual

  • Residual flows
    80% circular
  • Residual flows

    Residual flow: BierBrickz
    After purifying the water, sludge remains. This substrate consists partly of grain residues that contain valuable nutrients for plants and trees, for example. After treatment, we create moulds from the sludge called BierBrickz. You can fill these BierBrickz with seeds or plants before you put them in the ground. The bricks provide the plant with everything it needs for proper growth.

    The first (trial) projects with BierBrickz were initiated in 2022. These proved to be a success. We then mapped out the entire value chain for BierBrickz and looked for the right partners. BierBrickz will be more widely used in 2023. In addition, we plan to offer the treated sludge in bulk to growers. A beautiful phenomenon; the plants and trees that grow from the treated sludge will eventually reabsorb CO2.

    Table: Circular use of residual flows

  • Machines and buildings
    69% circular
  • Machines and buildings

    Buildings
    In the acquired building software package, in addition to circular design, we can also carry out end-of-life analyses and thus repurpose a building in the best possible way. The best form of repurposing is reusing an existing building for a new purpose. In Lieshout, for example, we have repurposed an old filling line as an event venue and R&D laboratory.

    Machines
    Of all new machines and accessories (such as piping), we accurately chart the materials and classify them by type, weight and supplier, among others. Thanks to this information, we know what we have in store and can more easily and effectively repurpose these materials in the future.

Project story

The breeding ground of Swinkels Family Brewers

We decided several years ago that we wanted to centralise all operations.

Emiel Hendrikx,
Manager Research &
Development

The Research & Development Department of Swinkels Family Brewers in Lieshout has literally and figuratively outgrown itself in recent years. Therefore, the department moved into a new space in October 2022. ‘This invest­ment makes us ready for the future,’ says Research & Development Manager Emiel Hendrikx.

The R&D Brewing Department of Swinkels Family Brewers develops new beers, mixed drinks, soft drinks and malt extracts, among other things. The team also works on improving existing recipes, conducts technological research and explores future trends. ‘Swinkels Family Brewers was traditionally a big lager brewery, but our portfolio has expanded quite a bit,’ says Emiel, who has been in charge of the R&D Department for about eight years now. ‘We have welcomed new breweries domestically, as well as in Belgium, Ethiopia and Cuba. For all breweries, R&D plays a significant role; you can consider us the breeding ground of Swinkels Family Brewers.’

Old warehouse converted circularly
As Swinkels Family Brewers grew, so did R&D. ‘The six employees had to lay out their equipment and supplies in various places in the brewery due to lack of space,’ shares Emiel. ‘We decided several years ago that we wanted to centralise all operations. The designated spot was the old warehouse where line 95 used to be set up. This warehouse was empty and we gave it new life in a circular way. Old elements and materials have been preserved and the warehouse has a purpose again for years to come. The name of the new area is “ITEC”, a combination of Innovation and Technology.’

Room to “dig even deeper”
In the words of Pieter Swinkels, Chief Supply Chain Officer, with the commissioning of ITEC, there is now “room to dig even deeper”, or in other words, research and test what works. ITEC has an office with plenty of workstations, an application lab, a practice hall, a large cold room and its own tasting room. ‘Also set up in the practice hall is the now indispensable mini-brewery,’ says Emiel. ‘Here, we produce test brews. We do this through a small scale brewing process and manual testing to find out whether an idea we have actually works. I sometimes jokingly say that we have moved from a broom closet to an oasis of space and tranquillity. This environment inspires our colleagues and creates a great experience.’

Staying ahead
There’s a reason why Emiel refers to R&D as the company’s breeding ground. Almost all product developments within Swinkels Family Brewers start here; from the first idea developed on a small scale, to a concept that can actually be tested and tasted. Products that can be improved or need to be changed, R&D also takes care of that. Emile: ‘The trends in the various markets in which we are active are moving fast. We want to offer consumers the right products, so we need to stay ahead of the curve.’