Reading of 3 mins 
- María Guardiola could learn more about the progress of the European project called ‘Sustainext’, which will turn this production plant into the most efficient, sustainable and innovative factory in the world
- The president leads an institutional visit that has counted with the mayoress of Hervás, the minister for Economy, Employment and Digital Transformation of the Regional Government, the commissioner for the Circular Economy of the Spanish Government and the executive director of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE-JU), among other authorities.
The president of the Regional Government of Extremadura, María Guardiola, has visited Natac’s factory in Hervás (Cáceres), where she has been able to check the progress of the project ‘Sustainext’. This initiative will transform this production centre into the most efficient, sustainable and innovative plant extract biofactory in the world.
After being welcomed by the company’s CEO, Antonio Delgado, and the vice-president José Carlos Quintela, the regional President visited Natac’s facilities together with the Mayoress of Hervás, Gloria de los Santos, and the minister for Economy, Employment and Digital Transformation, Guillermo Santamaría, among other local and regional authorities.
The visit was also attended by the commissioner for the Circular Economy of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO, by its Spanish acronym), Alejandro Dorado, and the executive director of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE-JU), Nicoló Giacomuzzi-Moore.
During her visit, Guardiola was able to learn more about the plant extraction process used to obtain high-quality natural ingredients, as well as the expansion works that are being carried out and that will allow Natac to reinforce its capacity and efficiency.
At the end of the tour, the president of Extremadura praised Natac for choosing the region of Extremadura to establish its production centre. ‘They could have chosen anywhere, but they chose Extremadura, and we are very proud of that. Because Extremadura offers everything a company needs to grow.’ She also emphasised that the enlargement project ‘is a pioneering project. We have a biorefinery that is transforming agricultural waste into high added value compounds’.
Antonio Delgado, Natac’s CEO, pointed out that ‘the Sustainext project consolidates our strategy of embracing the circular bioeconomy as a sustainable business model. The initiative we are leading is an example of our commitment to the economic and social development of Extremadura.’
The mayoress of Hervás, Gloria de los Santos, highlighted ‘how important it is for a town like Hervás to have a company as important as Natac. We have always been, and will continue to be, determined to help in any way we can so that it continues to grow, as this will benefit Hervás and the whole Valle del Ambroz.’
Nicoló Giacomuzzi-Moore, executive director of CBE-JU, has highlighted that ‘Sustainext shows the power of collaboration in the circular bioeconomy, transforming a visionary idea into a future groundbreaking biorefinery that will drive sustainability, innovation, and economic growth in the Extremadura region. This flagship project not only showcases Europe’s leadership in bio-based industries but also creates new opportunities for rural regions through zero-waste, zero-emission solutions’.
Finally, the commissioner for the Circular Economy, Alejandro Dorado, has emphasised that ‘projects such as Sustainext show how the ecological transition (through decarbonisation, circularity or the conservation and restoration of ecosystems) is an agenda of opportunity. An environmental necessity, such as reducing the impacts of our unsustainable linear model of production and consumption, becomes an economic opportunity for the competitiveness of this region, for employment and for territorial cohesion.’
