About Kaumera

A discovery

Kaumera is a new bio-based raw material that is extracted from the sludge granules that form during the Nereda® purification process. In many cases, it can be used as a subsitute for petrochemical materials. The Netherlands has the world first: the first production site is in Zutphen, a second plant was opened in Epe in 2020. By removing Kaumera from the purified sludge, 20- 35% less sludge needs to be removed and processed. This has a positive effect on energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

Adding value

By recovering Kaumera, we add value to the water chain. We produce a valuable raw material that we can market. As a result, water purification can become more profitable around the world and we make an important contribution to the global need for circularity.

Because of its special properties, Kaumera can be used in many applications. It can retain and repel water, it is fire retardant and is an excellent binder for composite materials, among others. Since its introduction, many promising products are under development in agriculture, forestry and horticulture, the construction industry and the world of new materials and composites.

The name

Kaumera. It is a versatile name for a versatile product. Kaumera means "chameleon" in Maori, the language of New Zealand's original inhabitants. The chameleon is known for its colorful transformation and adaptability.

Kaumera is an enhancer and connector of properties. Combining Kaumera with another raw material changes the character of the fabric. It is a binder and adhesive, as well as fire retardant. This ensures that the application possibilities are practically endless.
Kaumera can retain but also repel water. This makes applications possible in, for example, agriculture, horticulture and the concrete industry. Consider, for example, the coating of fertilizers so that the crops absorb the fertilizers better. As a result, less fertilizer ends up in the water or soil unnecessarily. As a coating of seeds, Kaumera ensures that the plants are more resilient and grow better. In concrete, Kaumera keeps it from curing too quickly and prevents cracking.

The Kaumera organisation 

Four Dutch water authorities are working together in a cooperative responsible for production. Kaumera Sales and Services B.V. takes charge of marketing operations. The company is owned 50/50 by Royal HaskoningDHV and the Kaumera cooperative, taking the production of this biobased raw material into a new phase. 

The Kaumera Cooperative 

By working together in a new cooperative, there is an additional commitment to the development of Kaumera. An innovation like this requires a lot of research. By combining their expertise and resources, the water authorities can do more research and share knowledge. In this way, they accelerate the product development that the market needs. The participants in the cooperative make decisions together on production and on the strategy for Kaumera's development. 

The following four water authorities form the cooperative:

- Water authority de Stichtste Rijnlanden

- Water authority Limburg

- Water authority Vallei and Veluwe

- Water authority Rijn and IJssel

The water authorities are choosing this form of cooperation because they want to make a major contribution to the national government's goal of making our country fully circular by 2050. Therefore, together with partners, they are fully committed to the research, production and marketing of Kaumera.

The cooperative has started with four Dutch water authorities. The possibility is open for other water authorities to also participate in the future.

Kaumera Sales and Services BV

The new company is owned 50% by the cooperative and 50% by Royal HaskoningDHV. The latter has been one of the partners in the Kaumera cooperation from the beginning and is responsible for the development and supply of the technology.

Kaumera Sales and Services BV deals with marketing and sales. The BV also directs product development based on market demands.

This is a unique collaboration between the producing water authorities and a company with expertise in marketing innovative products.