Nextchem Strengthens Its Presence in the Netherlands: Innovation, Green Ammonia and Technologies for the Energy Transition

by Robert Crowe

Through its Dutch subsidiary Stamicarbon, Nextchem – the technology arm of the MAIRE Group – is reinforcing its role in the Netherlands as an international hub for sustainable fertilizers, green ammonia and circular solutions. With a long-standing and active presence in the country, the company contributes to the global energy transition and industrial decarbonization, exporting know-how and technologies developed within one of Europe’s most dynamic innovation ecosystems

In the Netherlands – one of Europe’s most advanced countries from both a technological and industrial perspective – Nextchem, the technology division of the MAIRE Group, has built a solid and long-term presence, playing an active role in the evolution of the fertilizer industry, the production of new energy carriers and the development of circular solutions. Through Stamicarbon, headquartered in Sittard, Nextchem stands out as a key player in the global transformation of ammonia and energy transition technologies.

The Netherlands as a strategic innovation platform

The Netherlands is widely recognized as a global industrial hub, driven by a strong knowledge-based and innovation-oriented economy. It is within this environment that Nextchem has found ideal conditions to develop its integrated technology model, spanning hydrogen and ammonia production, fertilizers and sustainable fuels.

The country’s central position within Europe’s logistics network, combined with its strong local engineering expertise, enables Nextchem to operate across the entire nitrogen value chain, delivering solutions that can be deployed at global scale. Choosing the Netherlands as a base for advanced technology development is a deliberate strategic decision by the MAIRE Group, aimed at securing a presence in key international innovation hubs.

Stamicarbon: a legacy of expertise shaping the future

Founded in 1947, Stamicarbon is a cornerstone of nitrogen fertilizer technology. Originally part of the Dutch chemical company DSM, it is now fully integrated into Nextchem’s strategic vision and serves as its technology licensing platform for the nitrogen sector. Building on its roots in urea, nitrates and ammonia production, Stamicarbon has expanded its role and now plays a decisive part in the Group’s global industrial sustainability strategy.

Over the decades, the company has achieved several technological milestones that have become industry standards, including urea stripping processes and the use of super-duplex stainless steel in critical synthesis equipment. These innovations, developed in the Netherlands, continue to be applied worldwide, reinforcing Stamicarbon’s position as a driver of technological progress and a symbol of Nextchem’s strategic and active presence in the Dutch industrial landscape.

MAIRE Group and the drive toward global decarbonization

As part of the MAIRE Group, Nextchem benefits from a portfolio of more than 30 market-ready technologies, protected by approximately 2,500 patents. The Group employs over 10,500 people across 50 countries and closed 2024 with consolidated revenues of €5.9 billion, confirming its ability to lead the global industrial transition toward climate neutrality.

This transition is built on concrete, deployable technologies, alongside a long-term vision centered on continuous investment in research and development to deliver, over time, zero-impact solutions. Within this framework, the Dutch subsidiary plays a pivotal role as a European hub for applied innovation.

Green ammonia: a key resource for future energy and agriculture

Europe’s energy transition also relies on the development of alternative energy carriers, among which ammonia is gaining increasing relevance. Traditionally used in fertilizer production, ammonia is now emerging as a strategic energy vector, capable of transporting hydrogen at scale, fueling maritime transport and supporting the decarbonization of high-emission industrial processes.

In this context, Stamicarbon – and therefore Nextchem – is involved in a number of pioneering projects worldwide, supported by a technology portfolio that enables the production of green ammonia from renewable energy sources, including modular solutions. Technologies developed in the Netherlands have already been selected for several international initiatives aimed at converting solar and wind energy into low-emission hydrogen and ammonia.

One of the most significant projects involving Stamicarbon is Initiate, co-funded by the European Union. The program focuses on reusing waste gases from the steel industry for ammonia synthesis, introducing a circular economy model applied to two highly energy-intensive sectors. If deployed at scale, this technology could fundamentally reshape the role of heavy industry in the ecological transition.

Exporting sustainable technology: the Netherlands in the global transition

While the energy transition debate is still ongoing across Europe, Dutch process engineering is already exporting tangible solutions, contributing to carbon footprint reduction in hard-to-abate sectors such as fertilizers, maritime transport and energy production.

Thanks to its strong and continuous presence in the Netherlands, Nextchem has been able to develop, test and deploy technologies with global impact. The expertise cultivated in the Dutch ecosystem is now being applied both to plants under construction in traditional energy markets and to green ammonia projects in regions rich in renewable resources.

The technological know-how developed in Sittard has become a strategic asset in addressing food security, reducing industrial emissions and enabling new energy vectors. It stands as a clear example of how a technology-driven company can influence global industrial transformation starting from a small yet highly influential European country.

Nextchem’s experience in the Netherlands confirms that the global energy transition will be led by industrial companies with deep-rooted expertise, capable of innovating and collaborating with public institutions, investors and international partners. Nextchem’s structured presence in the Netherlands represents a successful model of synergy between local know-how and global vision, aimed at delivering practical, scalable and sustainable technologies to address the major environmental and industrial challenges of our time.

L’articolo Nextchem Strengthens Its Presence in the Netherlands: Innovation, Green Ammonia and Technologies for the Energy Transition proviene da Associated Medias.