Bel Group has inaugurated a new biomass boiler at its Ulzama production site in Iraizoz, Navarra, and announced a €1.5 million expansion of the facility.
The event was attended by Navarra’s Minister of Industry and Ecological and Digital Business Transition, Mikel Irujo; Bel Group Chief Operations Officer Stéphane Dupays; Ulzama Plant Manager Iñigo Purroy; and representatives from regional institutions, industry partners and employees.
Developed by BKTECH and powered by locally sourced pellets from Naparpellet, the new biomass boiler replaces fossil fuels previously used for steam generation at the plant. With a capacity of 700 kW and efficiency above 90%, it will meet all of the site’s steam requirements and cut CO₂ emissions by around 500 tonnes each year.
The €700,000 installation enables the Ulzama plant to operate entirely on renewable energy, supported by certified green electricity and on-site solar panels. It becomes Bel’s second international facility to adopt biomass technology after its site in Tangier, Morocco, and its fifth worldwide. It is also the first Bel factory to use a pellet-based system, which the company sees as a demonstration model backing its commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) aligned with the 1.5°C pathway.
Bel said the boiler is part of its broader goal to make all factories carbon neutral by 2025, with additional pellet biomass projects already being implemented in France.
Bel also announced a €1.5 million investment to construct a new 600 m² building that will house two additional packaging lines. The expansion will raise production capacity by 15%, allowing the site to produce nearly 7,000 tonnes of The Laughing Cow portions each year — roughly 500 million portions. The new lines are scheduled to begin operating in the first half of 2026.
The company said the investment supports its long-term plans in Spain by strengthening local operations and helping advance its focus on healthier snacking products.
Bel Group COO Stéphane Dupays said the dual developments reflect how “environmental responsibility and economic progress move forward together,” adding that Ulzama shows how the company’s sustainability goals align with industrial growth and local development.
Plant Manager Iñigo Purroy described the biomass system as “a major technical achievement,” noting that it meets the facility’s steam needs “without depending on fossil fuels.”
Navarra’s Industry Minister Mikel Irujo said the project sets an example for the region’s decarbonisation path and highlighted the role of clean energy and reduced waste in building “a committed, self-reliant and forward-looking Navarra.”
BKTech France Director John Robinson said the company is pleased to support Bel’s “ambitious decarbonisation strategy” and to contribute to Europe’s shift toward cleaner energy.
