Methanol Plant Takeover to Bring Bio-methanol Production to Delfzijl

Utrecht, The Netherlands, November 2 (ots/PRNewswire) - The new
owner of the methanol plant in Delfzijl is BioMethanol Chemie
Holding (BV), a consortium of Econcern, NOM, OakInvest, Ir. S. Doorn
and Ir. P. Hamm. After modification, the plant will be used to
produce bio-methanol.

Rapid growth in biofuels market

BioMethanol Chemie Holding should help meet the European Directive
requiring that biofuel accounts for 5.75% of total transport fuel by
2010 - a share that currently lies at less than 2%.

Ad van Wijk, CEO of Econcern, elucidates: "The market for biofuels
is growing fast, not only because of the need to meet the European
Directive, but also due to high oil and gas prices. We are very
pleased that the plant will make a substantial contribution to the
growing biofuels market."

BioMethanol Chemie Holding

Paul Hamm, co-initiator of the consortium and temporary CEO of
BioMethanol Chemie Holding: "The plant will be started up as soon as
possible, initially producing fossil methanol as before.
Modifications will be carried out over the next nine months, turning
the plant into the world's first bio-methanol plant. In the first
phase, it will produce 100 kT bio-methanol, a capacity that will be
increased substantially in the following phases."

Ed van de Beek, executive vice president of NOM, states, "I'm very
happy with the re-opening of the plant. It's not just that an
important chemical industry will be kept in the Netherlands - the
production of bio-methanol also represents a major contribution to
build up a renewable industry in northern Netherlands, known as the
'Energy Valley'concept."

Note for Editorial Staff:

Econcern (www.econcern.com)

Econcern is the holding company of Ecofys, Evelop, Ecostream and
Ecoventures. The mission of these European companies is to ensure 'a
sustainable energy supply for everyone'. Econcern delivers unique
projects and innovative products and services for a sustainable
energy supply. The Econcern group employs about 450 professionals in
thirteen countries. Econcern and is one of Europe's 500 fastest
growing companies.

N.V. NOM

NOM provides risk-bearing finance and participates in companies
based in the northern Netherlands. As well as offering support with
investments, subsidies and choice of location, it promotes
investments in the northern Netherlands, and initiates projects
intended to strengthen the competitiveness of regional businesses. It
has invested over EUR90 million in approximately 130 enterprises
launched (or due to be launched) in the northern Dutch provinces of
Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe.

OakInvest

Working in collaboration with Praxis, a leading multi-client
family office in Belgium (www.praxisnv.be), OakInvest manages the
private equity activities of some major industrial families based in
the Benelux. In its investment strategy it acts as a knowledgeable
financial partner across industries and types of investment. By
preference it invests alongside other private equity and/or
industrial players that demonstrate a strong vision on creating value
within their respective key markets.

Ir. Sieb Doorn

Sieb Doorn started his career at Akzo (now Akzo Nobel) in 1970,
holding several research and development posts. In 1974 and 1978 he
was also a member of the Akzo teams which started up methanol
production. After retiring from Akzo Nobel, where he last served as
technology manager at Twaron Products, he launched his own firm,
Wendelin BV. Acting for third parties, this specialises in
synthetics, research and development in chemicals and the
agricultural sector. It also specialises in the production and export
of tulip bulbs, a pastime that has developed into a business in its
own right.

Ir. Paul L.A. Hamm

Paul Hamm, who graduated from Delft Technical University as a
chemical engineer, started his career in the pulp and paper industry
in 1972. In 1977 he became owner-operator of a small engineering firm
which, over a 20-year period, he developed into an international
company. In 1997 he joined DSM and was appointed business group
director. In this capacity he was responsible for a wide array of
businesses, and also represented DSM as a board member of Methanor, a
VOF company in which DSM was one of the three partners. In 2004 he
left DSM to recommence industrial activities as an investor but also
as a consultant. In such a capacity, he was president of the Dutch
Energy Transition Platform for Green Feedstock, a platform initiated
by the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs.

ots Originaltext: Econcern
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
For more information please contact: Ir. Paul Hamm, Initiator,
co-investor and interim CEO, T: +31(0)6-420-38-273, E:
phamm@pandora.be; Drs. Marlon Mintjes, Marketing Communication
Consultant, T: +31(0)30-280-83-11, E: m.mintjes@econcern.com; Joris
de Meester, Managing director OakInvest, T: +32(0)475-76-52-77, E:
Joris.de.Meester@OakInvest.eu; E.C. (Ed) van de Beek, Acting
director N.V. NOM, Head of department for stimulation of investments
and development & innovation, T: +31(0)50-521-4415, E:
vandebeek@nom.nl