Dutch company PaperFoam, which makes sustainable and biodegradable packaging from starch, has secured a €2 million loan from Invest International. The company will use the funding to expand its production facility in the Czech Republic and support the working capital needs of its plants in Malaysia and the United States.
Invest International is based in The Hague, Netherlands. It is a government-backed organisation that supports Dutch businesses and companies connected to the Netherlands as they expand into international markets.
The organisation provides financial support, market knowledge and industry expertise to help businesses overcome challenges and grow their operations in other countries.
Jeroen Plag, Chief Investment Officer at Invest International, said, “PaperFoam is a great example of a Dutch innovator that has travelled a difficult path from promising technology to an internationally scalable company. Our involvement dates back to 2020, when we supported the company during its first expansion into the Czech Republic. With this new investment, we’re helping to enable the next phase of growth at a time when traditional financiers still view it as too risky. For the Netherlands, it’s crucial that we help green leaders in the manufacturing industry scale up. This way, we retain innovation within our own country and demonstrate that sustainability and international competitiveness go hand in hand.”
Founded in 1998 by former Dutch IT company Vertis Holding, PaperFoam is based in Barneveld, the Netherlands. The company develops biodegradable, starch-based packaging solutions and operates production facilities in the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, the United States and Malaysia.
PaperFoam b.v. is owned by PaperFoam Holding b.v. Since March 2023, Japanese publicly listed company Nissha Co. Ltd. has held a 30% stake in PaperFoam Holding. The remaining 70% is owned by Dutch company Sustainable Pioneers Holding b.v.
Willem Derkman, CEO of PaperFoam, said, “Developing an innovative and sustainable alternative to traditional packaging requires time, investment, and partners who are willing to look further ahead. Thanks to the ongoing support from Invest International, we have been able to take important steps in our international growth. This funding helps us further expand our production capacity and efficiently serve new markets and clients.”
The company says the expansion is partly supported by production equipment supplied by Dutch companies Kuyer Metaal, based in Nijkerk, and Shuffle-Mix, based in Barneveld.
