CIRCE, founding partner of the new Aragón Circular Economy Cluster, CIRCLEAR
The new Aragón Circular Economy Cluster (CIRCLEAR) has begun its work. After months of preparation, this week the new business and technology alliance was formally established, aiming to accelerate the transition toward a more sustainable, competitive, and innovative productive model.
CIRCE – Technological Center is one of the founding partners of this cluster, made up of more than 30 Aragonese entities—mostly SMEs, alongside large companies and knowledge agents—sharing a common goal: to position Aragón as a European leader in the circular economy.
What does CIRCE bring to CIRCLEAR?
As a founding partner, CIRCE contributes to the cluster its well-established experience in R&D, technology transfer, and supporting companies in their circular transition. Our role within CIRCLEAR focuses on:
- Turning industrial challenges into real, measurable, and scalable circular projects.
- Providing technical expertise in innovation, waste valorization, resource efficiency, and new value chains.
- Connecting Aragón with European networks and opportunities, so that the cluster’s initiatives also have impact beyond the region.
“At CIRCE we believe circularity is built through alliances, and CIRCLEAR is the right space to speed up that transformation through cooperation, innovation, and shared ambition,” explains Carmen Bartolomé, Director of the Circular Economy Group and board member of the cluster.
An alliance to turn challenges into opportunities
CIRCLEAR is born with the purpose of boosting the competitiveness of Aragón’s business fabric, creating new economic and social opportunities, and accelerating the shift toward more sustainable production models. The circular economy is not only an environmental response: it is also a clear path to innovate, reduce costs, create value from resources, and open new markets.
Among the cluster’s main objectives are:
- Promoting collaboration between companies, technology centers, and public administrations.
- Encouraging innovation in circular processes, products, and business models.
- Fostering transparency, training, and outreach on circularity.
- Improving the overall environmental performance of Aragón’s economy.
Official presentation at the Pignatelli Building
CIRCLEAR’s establishment was celebrated in the Hermanos Bayeu Hall of the Pignatelli Building (Zaragoza), headquarters of the Government of Aragón. During the event, the founding charter was signed and the statutes approved, along with the short-, medium-, and long-term work strategy and the first governing board.
Representing CIRCE, Sara Olivera, Director of the People and Finance Unit, signed the founding document.
During the presentation, the cluster’s president, Jesús Alijarde (Ibersyd), stated that circular economy principles are key to creating real competitive advantage for Aragonese companies, and emphasized the importance of cooperation to seize the economic, social, and environmental opportunity that circularity offers.
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CIRCLEAR’s first governing board is made up of:
- President: Jesús Alijarde (Ibersyd)
- Vice President: Carmen Urbano (Quérqus)
- Secretary: Alfonso Conde (Cemex)
- Treasurer: Jorge Chueca (Griñó Ecologic)
- Board Members: María Pérez (Grupo Gestcompost), Sergio Fernández (Sphere España), Berta Lorente (Sistemas de Impresión), Pedro Ruiz (IQE), Carmen Bartolomé (CIRCE), José Antonio Villalba (Adiego Hermanos), Julián Mermejo (Pinaform), Alberto Fumanal (Sostenibilidad Sinergias y Soluciones), and Alba García (Grupo Empresarial Costa).
