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Novihum is the name of a humus granulate derived from brown coal, or lignite, by means of an innovative process developed by the Technical University of Dresden in Germany. Novihum Technologies, a young, local SME, is now taking this soil enhancement technology from the lab into the land.
Intense R&D activity was done to prepare for market entry, which notably involved ramping production up to an industrial scale. As of October 2017, the company’s pilot plant had been operating successfully and at full capacity for 12 months, reports Virginia Corless, head of strategy and business development at Novihum Technologies.
The plant is designed to produce 1 000 tonnes per year, Corless adds, and plans for the construction of an even bigger facility are under way. The product range is also being extended.
The company is engaging with potential customers, several of whom are trialling the product – with very encouraging results, Corless notes.
One such trial, now in its third year, involves a German vineyard. “The yields remain more than 20 % higher,” she says.
Novihum Technologies benefits from EU support for its work to take Novihum to market. More specifically, it was awarded a grant for a project named SCALING UP NOVIHUM, which is due to end in May 2018. This funding was provided by the SME Instrument – a programme that backs market-creating innovation taken forward by small businesses with high growth potential and global ambitions.
And indeed, says Corless, Novihum is a product with potential applications around the world. It can, she adds, be used to improve even the poorest soils and also boosts crop resilience to environmental stress such as droughts and frost.
“Of course, as a small company, we have to focus on specific markets at the beginning,” says Corless.
As a first step, Novihum Technologies is pursuing business opportunities in Germany, Italy, Spain and North America.