CHIMAR (HELLAS) AE - ANONYMI VIOMICHANIKI KAI EMPORIKI ETAIREIA CHIMIKON PROIONTON

Their core work

CHIMAR Hellas is a Greek chemical products company specializing in industrial chemical formulations and biomass-derived materials. They bring applied chemistry expertise to EU research consortia, particularly in converting agricultural and industrial waste streams (lignin, textile waste, biomass) into valuable chemical products and bio-based materials. Their core contribution lies in electrochemical processing and biorefinery technologies, where they help translate lab-scale chemistry into industrially viable processes. Based in Thessaloniki, they operate at the intersection of chemical manufacturing and circular bioeconomy.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

CHIMAR's early H2020 work (2015–2017) focused broadly on biomass processing and waste-to-feedstock conversion across different material types — wood biomass in MOBILE FLIP, textile waste in RESYNTEX, and cellulose in EXILVA. From 2018 onward, their focus sharpened significantly toward electrochemical methods for lignin and lignosulfonate valorization, with LIBERATE and SElectiveLi both centered on flow reactor electrochemistry. This evolution shows a clear trajectory from general chemical process participation toward a defined niche in electrochemical biorefinery technology.

CHIMAR is deepening its specialization in electrochemical flow reactor technology for lignin-based bio-materials, positioning itself as a go-to industrial partner for projects that need to scale up electrochemical biorefinery processes.

How they like to work

CHIMAR consistently joins as a participant rather than leading consortia, which is typical for a specialized SME contributing domain expertise without taking on coordination overhead. With 85 unique partners across 17 countries in just 7 projects, they operate in large, diverse consortia (averaging 12+ partners per project). This broad network suggests they are well-regarded enough to be invited into major collaborative efforts, and comfortable working within complex multi-national teams.

CHIMAR has built a wide collaborative network of 85 unique partners spanning 17 countries, almost entirely through large Innovation Action and BBI consortia. Their reach is decidedly pan-European, with no indication of geographic clustering beyond their Greek base.

What sets them apart

CHIMAR occupies an unusual niche as a chemical products SME that bridges industrial chemistry with biorefinery research — they are not a university lab or a research institute, but a private company that understands both the science and the manufacturing realities. Their growing specialization in electrochemical flow processing of lignin is distinctive; few SMEs in Southern Europe combine hands-on chemical manufacturing experience with this specific emerging technology. For consortium builders, they offer the rare combination of industrial credibility and willingness to engage in pre-commercial R&D.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EXILVA
  Largest funded project (EUR 319K) and a BBI flagship demonstration, indicating CHIMAR's involvement in scaling lab results to industrial supply.
• LIBERATE
  Defines their current technical direction — electrochemical flow reactors for lignin biorefinery — and represents their longest-running project (2018–2023).
• RESYNTEX
  Demonstrates cross-sector versatility: converting textile waste into chemical industry feedstock, a circular economy concept distinct from their biorefinery focus.