BEKAERT NV

Their core work

Bekaert is a major Belgian multinational specializing in steel wire transformation and advanced coatings, headquartered in Zwevegem. In H2020, they contribute industrial expertise in electrochemical CO2 conversion to sustainable fuels (methanol, e-fuels) and in durable construction materials using alkali-activated binders. Their participation reflects a large manufacturer exploring decarbonization pathways — both for chemical production and for sustainable building materials. They bring real-world manufacturing scale and materials science know-how to research consortia.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Bekaert entered H2020 in 2018 with parallel interests in CO2 electrochemistry (LOTER.CO2M) and sustainable concrete (DuRSAAM). By 2021, their focus consolidated around CO2 electrolysis and e-fuels with ECO2Fuel — a larger project that directly extends LOTER.CO2M to industrial scale. The trajectory shows a clear move from exploratory participation toward deeper commitment in Power-to-X and green fuels production.

Bekaert is scaling up its CO2-to-fuels involvement, moving from lab-scale proof-of-concept (LOTER.CO2M) to large-scale conversion (ECO2Fuel), signaling serious industrial commitment to Power-to-X technologies.

How they like to work

Bekaert never coordinates — they join consortia as a participant or third party, contributing specific industrial capabilities rather than managing the research agenda. Despite only 3 projects, they've worked with 43 partners across 15 countries, indicating they plug into large, diverse consortia. This is typical of a large manufacturer that provides real-world testing, materials expertise, and industrial validation rather than leading the fundamental research.

Bekaert has collaborated with 43 unique partners across 15 countries through just 3 projects, reflecting participation in large pan-European consortia. Their network spans a broad geographic range typical of major Innovation Actions and MSCA training networks.

What sets them apart

Bekaert brings large-scale manufacturing capability and deep materials science expertise that most academic or SME partners cannot offer. Their involvement in CRM-free electrode development (LOTER.CO2M) and the scale-up project ECO2Fuel suggests they can bridge the gap between laboratory electrochemistry and industrial production. For consortium builders, Bekaert provides credible industrial end-user validation and a pathway to real market deployment.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ECO2Fuel
  Largest funding (EUR 432,688) and most recent project, scaling CO2 electrolysis to industrial production of liquid fuels — runs through 2026.
• LOTER.CO2M
  Pioneered CRM-free (critical raw material-free) low-temperature CO2-to-methanol electrolysis, directly informing the follow-up ECO2Fuel project.