MBA Polymers Austria now fully owned by MGG

Austria – Effective from July 1, plastics recycler MBA Polymers Austria will become a 100% subsidiary of the Müller-Guttenbrunn Group (MGG). The takeover follows the sale of MBA Polymers Inc. to an investment group.

In 2004, the Amstetten-based electronics and car recycling group stood at the cradle of MBA Polymers Austria, together with Californian partner MBA Polymers Inc. which was founded by plastics recycling expert Mike Biddle.

‘The high-tech recycling technology from the Silicon Valley region has become indigenous in the Mostviertel region (of Austria),’ observes MGG’s ceo Christian Müller-Guttenbrunn. ‘We are convinced that our own team will be able to continue this success story.’

Located at Kematen, the MBA Polymers Austria plant is claimed to be one of the world’s most advanced plastic recycling facilities where 125 employees produce high-quality recycled plastics using e-scrap as the main source.

Recent major investments include a fourth specialised extruder and a new warehouse, as a result of which processing capacity at MBA Polymers Austria has increased to more than 50 000 tonnes per year.

The recycled plastics are incorporated into new electronic devices such as vacuum cleaners and coffee machines. The idea to establish MBA Polymers Austria took root during the International Electronics Recycling Congress in Switzerland some 13 years ago.

Biddle and Müller-Guttenbrunn discussed new EU legislation to treat electronic scrap separately, leading to an agreement to build a plastic recycling plant in the Mostviertel region, next to MGG’s e-waste treatment facility.

In late 2004, a joint venture known as MBA Polymers Austria Kunststoffverarbeitung GmbH was founded. After setting up the plant in the following year, the Austrian MBA Polymers subsidiary started up operations in March 2006.