The most durable solutions tend to emerge not from a single company working in isolation, but from the moment when two organisations with complementary capabilities find each other at the right time — and with the right support to build something neither could have built alone.
A materials company based in Spain had developed bio-based composites using agricultural residues — rice husk and olive waste. The product was technically sound and environmentally competitive, but the company struggled to access industrial applications at scale. At the same time, a manufacturing SME in the Netherlands, specialising in modular urban furniture for municipalities, faced growing pressure to integrate more sustainable materials without compromising durability, cost, or design standards.
IGTCA identified the complementarity and facilitated a structured collaboration over approximately eleven months. The Spanish company adapted its material specifications to meet the performance requirements of outdoor public space applications. The Dutch manufacturer integrated these materials into its existing modular designs, producing and testing prototypes for resistance, maintenance, and lifecycle performance.
The culmination was a pilot project with a mid-sized municipality: benches and public space elements installed and monitored in live urban environments. During this phase, approximately thirty to fifty tonnes of bio-based and recycled materials were used, replacing conventional plastics and treated wood, with estimated emissions savings of forty to eighty tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.
The commercial outcomes were equally concrete. The Spanish company gained a defined industrial application and a reference client. The Dutch manufacturer strengthened its sustainability positioning without redesigning its product line. IGTCA’s role throughout was to hold the collaboration together — facilitating alignment, supporting technical coordination, and enabling access to a pilot opportunity that neither company would likely have secured independently.
Cross-border collaboration between SMEs is underutilised as a mechanism for both commercial growth and environmental impact. With the right facilitation, complementary capabilities can become viable, market-ready solutions.
For more information about how to join the IGTCA, please contact: membership@greentradeandcommerce.org
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