Swedish sustainable startup opens first factory in Indonesia

A Swedish sustainable agriculture startup by the name Our Ecolution will open its very first factory in Indonesia 1 July 2024. The startup turns agricultural waste from rice and wheat crops into building boards. The production is an alternative to field burning, where the waste of crops is being burned, emitting smoke and harming the quality of air.

Indonesia is the fourth largest producer of rice in the world, which is why Our Ecolution has chosen this as their first location. It also fits well with the Indonesian government’s plan to build more sustainable and affordable housing. The boards produced by the startup will be used for a social housing project.

In line with the companies focus on sustainability the factory will be placed close to the products buyers and suppliers. The goal is that the straw will be sourced within 20 kilometers of the Indonesian factory, combining the country’s need for building materials and large amounts of excess wheat and rice straw. Furthermore, the Indonesian farmers will earn more money from their harvest as the residual produce will be sold as well.

The boards can be used as drywall, exterior walls, ceilings, doors and subfloors. According to the startup 10,000 tons of straws can be produced into 360,000 square meters of boards and save 24,000 tons of CO2 emissions by repurposing the material. According to plan a second factory will open in Uruguay later this year.

Source: probuilder.com