Frisian waste management company Omrin and Heerenveen-based Morssinkhof play a central role in the creation of a 3D printed sloop made out of recycled plastic.
Translation by Traci White
The Leeuwarder Courant reports that the boats, which are the brainchild of a company called 10XLfrom Dordrecht, will be produced in Friesland, and the first prototype was presented at the Snekerpoort water gate over the weekend. The first boat belongs to the municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân, the province of Friesland and Omrin.
The electric sloops are printed using recycled polypropylene, which is a fairly thick plastic typically used for household products such as shampoo or ketchup bottles. Omrin director John Vernooij told the Leeuwarder Courant that consumers can identify the plastic products by their code 5 label on the bottom.
The six-meter-long boats are printed by a robotic arm with six axes, and each boat takes around 24 hours to create. Now that the company has more or less perfected the design, they are planning to open a ship building factory in Friesland. Each of the circularly produced boats will cost between 10,000 and 12,500 euros.
Two Frisian-based companies – waste management business Omrin and plastic recycling facilities run by Morssinkhof – are already involved in providing the materials for the boats, and the National Test Centre for Circular Plastic is located in Heerenveen. Gerbert Smits, one of the co-founders of 10XL, says that Friesland is setting itself apart through its expertise and infrastructure for recycling plastic and ship building.
Photo source: Twitter/Omrin
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