Germany and Croatia advance bottle-to-bottle best practices

Germany’s RCS Group has taken a stake in Croatian PET recycler Rekis, combining expertise and capacity to strengthen bottle-to-bottle recycling.

The deal takes effect this autumn and is retroactive to the start of the year. Financial terms have not been disclosed.

Rekis, based in Donja Dubrava, is a joint venture between beverage producer Steinrieser and Austrian-Croatian company KIS Pica. Its facility uses Sesotec sorting technology, Lindner Washtech washing and drying systems, and an in-house laboratory for quality control.

The plant produces roughly 15 000 tonnes of rPET pellets annually for preforms and bottles. Processing includes sorting, shredding, hot washing and pelletising.

Combined strength

Over the past decade, RCS has shifted from traditional waste disposal to plastics recycling. It has produced rPET since 2012. RCS operates two sites at its Werne headquarters, supplying food- and non-food-grade rPET to international beverage manufacturers.

In 2022, it commissioned a second Vacunite bottle-to-bottle system from Erema, increasing annual output to over 70 000 tonnes. The company is planning to set up a third production site in Nordkirchen to expand its capacity further.

‘As a beverage manufacturer, access to high-quality, food-grade rPET is vital,’ says Franz Steinrieser, md of Rekis. ‘With Rekis and RCS, we are combining strengths and supporting circular-economy implementation in the beverage sector.’

Alexander Rimmer, md of RCS Group, adds: ‘Rekis meets the same quality standards and sustainability goals as RCS. Material purity, certified product safety, and a consistently implemented circular economy make this partnership valuable for both sides.’