On June 24–25, the MECALO consortium came together in Enschede, the Netherlands, for its first progress meeting since the project launched. The meeting marked a key moment for the partners to assess the results achieved during the first nine months and to align on the activities and goals ahead.
Hosted by BTG, one of the project partners, the two-day event brought together representatives from all partner organisations for an intense and fruitful exchange. The meeting offered the opportunity to review progress, tackle current challenges and plan the next steps toward the development of MECALO’s innovative bio-based solutions for sustainable raw materials in metallurgical applications.
Strengthening collaboration across the consortium
As the project reaches Month 9, several technical activities have already been initiated and are progressing steadily. During the meeting, each partner presented updates on their work packages and shared insights on their contributions. From feedstock characterisation and biobinder development to the preparation for raw material synthesis and future testing, the discussions highlighted the high level of collaboration and dedication across the consortium.
Participants also addressed key scientific and technical challenges, discussed interdependencies between work packages and agreed on coordination strategies to ensure smooth progress in the coming months.
The open and constructive atmosphere allowed the team to take stock of the work done so far, identify critical areas for improvement and align priorities for the next phases of the project.
A closer look at the biobinder production
One of the highlights of the meeting was the visit to BTG’s laboratories, where partners had the chance to get an inside look at the development of the project’s biobinder, a central component of the MECALO process.
BTG plays a key role in the project as the provider of the bio-based binder that will be used in the production of carbon agglomerates for metallurgical applications. The biobinder is designed to serve as a more sustainable alternative to fossil-based binders, helping reduce the carbon footprint of manganese production and similar processes.
The guided tour offered a unique opportunity to observe the facilities, learn more about the production steps and discuss the upcoming work related to raw material synthesis, which will soon begin.
Looking ahead
The MECALO project is still in its early stages, but strong foundations have already been laid. The results shared at the recent meeting point to promising advances and a unified outlook among all partners.
The discussions held during the meeting helped consolidate a shared understanding of the project’s priorities and foster alignment across partners as MECALO moves into a new phase of implementation. The team departed Enschede energized and armed with a practical to-do list for the coming months.
We eagerly await the next project meeting; follow MECALO on LinkedIn to catch our newest updates.