At the beginning of October, Bremen became the meeting point for the next generation of the waste wood industry: the Junge Gruppe (meaning: Young Group) of the German Waste Wood Association was hosted by the Brüning Group and, amid brewery kettles, power plant construction sites, and expert talks, discovered how cycles are created and the future is shaped.
FROM BREWERY KETTLE TO INDUSTRY DIALOGUE
The event kicked off with personal exchanges. On 7 October, we started with a brewery tour and beer tasting at Hopfenfänger. Surrounded by malt and measuring instruments, the Junge Gruppe found what defines it most: an open space for ideas, perspectives, and discussions on equal footing. These continued over a shared dinner at Pizzeria Zio Manu di Napoli – with palpable enthusiasm for the topics driving the industry. “That’s exactly what the Junge Gruppe is about: asking questions, sharing ideas, and learning from one another,” summed up Matthias Warnke, COO of the Brüning Group and co-founder of the Junge Gruppe, the next day – a day rich in knowledge from both theory and practice.
WASTE WOOD UTILISATION – FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE
Four presentations provided fascinating insights into current trends and projects within the waste wood sector. Building on the previous evening’s theme, Ferdinand Schmidmeier of Schmidmeier NaturEnergie GmbH presented the Avangard project: a malthouse soon to be powered by renewable energy from a waste wood power plant now nearing completion. Afterwards, Jörg Dobbrunz and Christian Gollmer from HanseKraft Stade reported on the progress of the planned waste wood power plant at the port of Stade, which will supply energy to the adjacent industrial chemical park as well as the city of Stade.
For such projects to become reality, well-functioning processes are essential in the background, particularly when it comes to the cross-border transport of waste wood. Sören Späder from the Brüning Group’s Notification Unit explained just how complex these processes can be. A particular focus of his presentation was the new Waste Shipment Regulation (2024/1157), which will come into force on 21 May 2026. “For both authorities and the companies involved, this represents a significant change with far-reaching implications for day-to-day operations,” Sören elaborates. “Not all details are known at this stage, and many specifics will only be published and clarified in the coming weeks. Nevertheless, we wanted to give our guests a brief preview of what lies ahead next year.” Following this, Jan Wünderlich from Project Management gave our guests a tour through the company headquarters, offering insights into the implementation of energy efficiency measures within the building.
This was followed by the highlight for many of those involved: exclusive visits to a recycling facility and a power plant construction site. At the Nehlsen-Gruppe, attendees witnessed how waste wood is sorted and prepared for further processing. Afterwards, the group visited the construction site of Schmidmeier NaturEnergie GmbH’s waste wood power plant, where the theoretical knowledge from the presentations became tangible in practice.
A STRONG NETWORK FOR THE FUTURE
Technical innovation, regulatory expertise, and practical experience combined to form a diverse programme that brought the industry’s complexity to life. Two days full of dialogue, energy, and a relaxed atmosphere once again demonstrated that supporting young professionals works best through direct exchange. What began at the brewery kettle led all the way to the energy source – highlighting how much our industry thrives on the interplay of experience, innovation, and community. For us, it was truly inspiring to see how motivated and curious the next generation is. We thank all participants and speakers for the engaging discussions, their commitment, and are already looking forward to the next gathering! Until then, our goal remains clear: to connect young professionals, open up new perspectives, and actively shape the future of the industry.
