The rise of traceless is one of Hamburg’s greatest startup success stories. With the opening of its own production facility – a world-first in terms of technology – for a plant-based plastic substitute, the company, founded in 2020, is taking the step into large-scale industrial production. Prominent figures from the worlds of politics and business attended the opening ceremony.
traceless is focusing entirely on Hamburg
‘Neuland’ (New Territory) is the apt name of the neighbourhood in the Harburg district where traceless has established its new headquarters in a former industrial bakery. Spanning around 4,000 m², the site brings together production, sales, product and technology development, as well as logistics and administration. The company’s pilot plant, which has been in operation in Buchholz in der Nordheide since 2022, is also set to be relocated to Harburg. The new facility is designed to process around 3,000 tonnes of traceless material per year. It is already operational, with production set to ramp up gradually over the coming months. The technology was developed in-house by the traceless team, which currently comprises around 110 employees. With a total investment of more than 20 million euros, a good 5 million euros comes from a German government funding programme. Plans are already in place to build an even larger industrial plant to support further growth.
Tailwind from the very start
traceless, which founder Dr Anne Lamp described in her welcome speech as an SME rather than a startup, has already won numerous awards and received a great deal of support from the outset. Hamburg’s Second Mayor, Katharina Fegebank, recalled the early days in a basement laboratory at Hamburg University of Technology. For the politician, the ceremony was a welcome opportunity to send a positive signal against the otherwise rather gloomy mood. The same applied to Environment Minister Carsten Schneider, who praised the special atmosphere in Hamburg. Marko Schneider, COO of the paper and packaging manufacturer Mondi, spoke of the collaborative partnership in the development of new products, which began as early as 2020.
The technology of traceless
Natural polymers are long-chain molecules of natural origin and form the basis for familiar products such as paper and cotton. Thanks to traceless’s patented technology, natural polymers can now be used in a much wider range of applications. This is made possible by an extraction process that utilises plant-based residues from the agricultural and food industries without altering their natural chemical structure. The resulting granulate is a compostable alternative to plastic. The material’s properties allow it to be processed using standard industrial technologies. It can therefore replace plastics in, for example, single-use products, packaging, paper coatings or adhesives. Another advantage, alongside its environmental friendliness, is that it eliminates dependence on fossil raw materials, as traceless can source materials from local suppliers.
