Agglolux is a family company that has recovered an historical activity to create valuable products from the waste of cork local wine industry.
In the past, cork production was an important activity in the Landes and Lot-et-Garonne departments. However, the industry declined as a consequence of climate change, reforestation of many areas with maritime pine and high competition with Portuguese and Spanish industry. The cork industry is also extremely related to the Aquitaine region as this is very well known for wine production.
After years in which the import of cork was preferred, since 2000, two associations for the re-development of the cork industry (Le Liege Gascon) and for the recycling of used corks (Recyc’liege) were created by local stakeholders, including Agglolux. The company produces different cork products for a wide range of clients and prices through the collaboration with designers, architects, distributors, exhibitors.
The main target groups involved in the GP are: cork product customers, charities and citizens for collecting cork from wine bottles, private owners of forests that aim to maintain their trees and collaborating with industrial partners. other industrials for optimizing the transformation of cork.
Resources needed
In the past Cork industry has manufactured important products for Industry. New polymers (plastic) propose an alternative to cork. Nevertheless these alternative have often side effects mainly form the environmental point of view. Agglolux is a private company looking for research collaborations.
Evidence of success
One of the main indicators of success of the GP is the collection and treating of 90 tons of used cork stoppers by Recyc’liege association. The company also continues to develop new models of interaction with private owner and organizes training sessions to raise awareness on the historical activity of cork collection.
Potential for learning or transfer
Besides being interesting to be transferred in regions where the same industry is established, the main learning that ca be taken from the GP is related to the idea and the process behind it, that is the willingness and ability to recover an historical activity strongly related to a territory by creating a network of organizations that manage different steps of the value chain with the aim to reduce the amount of waste produced, to create valuable and marketable products. The recreation of this local value chain enables to revitalize a territory, ensuring also the preservation of local know how.
Tags: Agriculture, Food