Visit to SOPREMA Manufacturing Facility, Antwerp & Circular Innovation Insights

T & T Roofing Limited was recently invited to SOPREMA’s manufacturing facilities in Antwerp, Belgium, joining leading roofing contractors from across Europe for an insight into SOPREMA’s operations, research and commitment to sustainability.

SOPREMA has been a trusted supplier to T & T Roofing Limited from the earliest days of the business, and the relationship has grown into one based on mutual respect, technical alignment and hands-on product knowledge. Both directors of T & T Roofing Limited come from installer backgrounds and have personally worked with SOPREMA systems on site — a key reason the business chooses to work only with manufacturers whose products it has tried, tested and built with in real environments.

The visit offered a rare tour of SOPREMA’s state-of-the-art facility and highlighted the company’s ongoing investments in research, development and sustainable manufacturing. A major focus was SOPREMA’s SOPRALOOP programme and its latest advancement, ZLOOP — a closed-loop recycling system that transforms bituminous membrane waste back into high-quality raw materials for new waterproofing membranes. ZLOOP takes bitumen cutting and demolition waste and, rather than sending it to landfill, reintegrates it into the production cycle — ensuring that the output of the recycling process becomes the input for new material manufacture right on site. This approach exemplifies true industrial circularity, reducing waste and raw material demand while maintaining product integrity.

Beyond ZLOOP, SOPREMA’s broader sustainability initiatives under the SOPRALOOP banner include recycling of EPS/XPS insulation, plastic packaging and other construction waste streams — all integral to lowering environmental impact and supporting a circular economy.

The scale of SOPREMA’s operations and the depth of its R&D investment were impressive, reinforcing its role at the forefront of waterproofing innovation. The event was exceptionally well organised with excellent hospitality throughout, and the experience offered valuable insight into how leading manufacturers are advancing sustainable solutions for the built environment.

T & T Roofing Limited values its long-standing partnership with SOPREMA and looks forward to continuing collaborative work that blends practical performance with forward-looking environmental stewardship.