Avantium and Heynen Systems explore application of PEF in bedding and upholstery

26 May 2026 18:00 CEST

AMSTERDAM, 26 May 2026, 18:00 hrs CEST – Avantium N.V., a leader in renewable and circular polymer materials, announces a collaboration with Heynen Systems B.V., a Dutch technical textile knitting company and interliner automation plant, to develop and assess applications of Avantium’s plant-based and circular polymer PEF, marketed under the brand name releaf^®, in the bedding and upholstery industry. As part of this collaboration, Tricover® - a brand of Heynen Systems - has developed a prototype cushion incorporating releaf^®. This cushion will be showcased at the Interzum Forum Italy on 4–5 June 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. The prototype serves as a demonstration to explore the potential of releaf^® in comfort foam applications.

For over 40 years, Heynen Systems B.V. has provided a system solution for the comfort foam industry, serving both manufacturers and end users. Its business-to-business solutions are designed to automate the encapsulation process and reduce production costs. For end users, its technology helps prevent abrasion between comfort foam and outer covers, extending product lifetime. Heynen Systems’ solutions are used by leading international brands such as IKEA and Tempur.

The collaboration between Avantium and Tricover focuses on prototyping and exploration. The partners are assessing how releaf^® can be applied in automated foam encapsulation, enhancing both performance and sustainability.

“At Heynen Systems, we continuously explore new materials and technologies that support our customers and enable further development in our field. Innovation has been central to the company since its inception, as reflected in several EU patents registered by our founder, Chris Heijnen,” said Gabriela Caraman, Communication and Sustainability Adviser. “This collaboration allows us to experiment with releaf^® and explore how we can further reduce environmental impact while remaining competitive. We are pleased to share this first prototype cushion made with releaf^® with our customers and to start the conversation on circular products ‘Made in Europe’.”

“Exploring new application areas is essential as we scale releaf^®,” added Laleh Maleki, Business Development Manager at Avantium. “Working with Tricover^® allows us to bring our material into direct contact with real-life applications in bedding and upholstery. This prototype is a valuable step to learn, test, and inspire the industry with what’s possible using our plant-based material PEF.”

About Heynen Systems BV

Heynen Systems B.V. is a family-owned company founded in 1979 and based in Lelystad, the Netherlands. The company combines two core activities: knitting technical textiles and the design and building of automated encapsulation machinery. Together, these capabilities form an interoperable automated system for effortless encapsulation of the comfort foam cores in highly elastic stockinette, offering properties such as moisture resistance and flame retardancy (Crib5) i.a.

Tricover’s solutions are used in applications such as mattresses, cushions, upholstered furniture and automotive seating, serving customers worldwide.

To learn more about interliner automation, please visit: https://www.tricover.com/

About Avantium

Avantium is a pioneering commercial-stage company focused on renewable & circular polymer materials. Avantium develops and commercializes innovative technologies for the production of materials based on sustainable carbon feedstocks, i.e. carbon from biomass or carbon from the air (CO₂). The most advanced technology is the YXY^® Technology that catalytically converts plant-based sugars into FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid), the key building block for the sustainable plastic PEF (polyethylene furanoate). PEF is known under the brand name releaf^®, an EU registered trademark of Avantium. Avantium has successfully demonstrated the YXY^® Technology at its pilot plant in Geleen, the Netherlands, and is in the process of starting the world's first commercial plant for FDCA in Delfzijl, the Netherlands.  Avantium works in partnership with like-minded companies around the globe to develop revolutionary renewable chemistry solutions from invention to commercial scale.

Avantium’s shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Brussels (symbol: AVTX). Avantium is incorporated in the Euronext Amsterdam SmallCap Index (AScX). Its offices and headquarters are in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

For more information:

Caroline van Reedt Dortland, Director Communications
+31-20-5860110 / +31-613400179 
mediarelations@avantium.com

Aarne Luten, Director Investor Relations
+31-625687714
ir@avantium.com