For 40 years, Trotec has been processing by-products from industrial food companies, such as industrial bakeries, cake factories, snack and pasta products, chocolate and confectionery manufacturers, into a high-quality end product that is gratefully used as a raw material for animal nutrition. By giving food by-products a second life, these products can be preserved in the food chain and prevent them from becoming waste. Today, Trotec already processes more than 200,000 tons of by-products, which means that more than 30,000 hectares of agricultural land can be kept free for the cultivation of primary raw materials.
Multi-year program
The new processing line aims to give a second life to 30,000 to 50,000 tons more products. We focus on complex by-products, such as products where unpacking and processing are not self-evident. Trotec has developed unique expertise over the years and as a result succeeds in processing an extremely diverse range of by-products into a nutrient-rich end product that meets the highest quality standards. With the new drying installation, the processing capacity in Veurne will be increased by about 15 percent to almost 230,000 tons (now 180,000 tons).
Trotec does not want to stop at this recently completed investment. CEO Sigrid Pauwelyn is talking about the first step of an extensive investment program. Further investments are foreseen in 2021, 2022 and are supported by Flanders and Europe. Trotec, which has a turnover of around 27 million euros, employs 44 people. Trotec's range extends across the entire Benelux, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The processing unit is centrally located in Veurne on the Belgian-French border. There are also additional collection points throughout France.
The niche company Trotec was founded at the time by the father, Bruno, who made it his life's work and successfully passed the torch to his daughters Sigrid and Dorothé.