Alpla backs Polish rPET drive

Packaging specialist Alpla is expanding its recycling plant at Radomsko in Poland to become one of the largest recycled (rPET) facilities in Europe with a capacity of up to 54 000 tonnes per year.

A decade after the site was opened, around EUR 8 million is being spent on a third extrusion line. ‘Alpla stands for sustainable packaging solutions made of plastic,’ says Dietmar Marin, the company’s md in the recycling division. ‘We develop products optimised for recycling, process high proportions of recyclate in production and take care of efficient recycling. With our global focus on recycling and our commitment in Central and Eastern Europe, we make a significant contribution to the regional bottle-to-bottle cycle.’

The investment is in response to the requirement that by 2025 all PET beverage bottles in the EU should contain at least 25% post-consumer recycled material. ‘We actively work with customers to create closed loops for PET packaging and accompany them on their sustainability path,’ adds Mariusz Musiał, Alpla’s country manager in Poland.

‘Highly motivated team’

The installation of the third extrusion line in Radomsko will create 12 additional jobs and expand the team to more than 100 employees. The company says the site expansion is recognises ‘our highly motivated team and strengthens our position in the market’.
Alpla says it invests around EUR 50 million annually in the global expansion of its recycling activities. Recent projects include the start of production at joint venture facilities in Thailand and Romania. They have been followed in June by the announcement of the first recycling plant in Africa at Ballito, South Africa. The total annual production capacity of all recycling companies and collaborations is around 266 000 tonnes for rPET and 74 000 tonnes for rHDPE.