‘Orders are back on track!’

Hundreds of recycling players from all over the world roamed the halls of the Plastics Recyclers Show Europe in Amsterdam last week. Delegates agreed unanimously that the ‘green carpet’ event was a melting pot for like-minded people with great enthusiasm for circular technology.

‘For us, it’s all about bottles at the moment,’ says Starlinger’s marketing specialist Corinna Franz. She points at the company’s new innovation, the recoSTAR PET art recycling line, which was officially launched at the end of last year.

‘We’ve already sold ten units so far. The first is being installed in Egypt as we speak,’ she says. ‘Recyclers are eager to open the next chapter in PET recycling, and we’re here to help them!’

The recoStar PET line builds on 20+ years of Starlinger’s food-grade recycling solutions. ‘It’s proving to be a game-changer for emerging markets dealing with huge waste flows,’ Franz notes. ‘The great thing is, it keeps the material in the same application loop, thus preventing downcycling.’

She believes China will be the next region witnessing a big uptake in recycling tech. ‘Recyclers there are facing very critical rules regarding the quality of recycled fractions and their applications. New FDA approval rules are pending, likely to be announced by early 2024.’

Franz argues: ‘Once the gates open, so to speak, we will be able to make a difference in the bottle-to-bottle segment there, too. For now, we have to stay optimistic and be patient. Good things will come eventually.’

Cor Groen, sales manager of Nihot Recycling Technoloy, is equally excited about the future of the recycling sector. ‘We’re in a competitive industry witnessing a lot of advancements and cutting-edge projects lately. At Nihot, we believe in investing in ongoing innovation.’

As he puts it, there are leaders and followed in the recycling industry. ‘We refuse to be a follower with wait-and-see attitude. When it comes to technology, you can’t afford to sit still too long.’

Groen notes that demand for the company’s smart sorting solution Max AI is ‘going through the roof’. He points out that there was a peak in sales just before the pandemic, which then understandably plateaued. ‘Orders are back on track, it’s wonderful!’

The Dutch tech provider plans to set up a new factory to keep up with growing demand. ‘We’re scouting for new locations in Amsterdam. We could really use more room to grow. We’ve been at our current site since the 60s!’

The next Plastics Recycling Show will take place in Dubai from 5-7 September. This edition of the event will focus on recycling and technololgy trends shaping the Middle East and Africa.

More details are available here >>