Packaging major ‘on track’ to double recycling

It’s the time of the year big companies present their annual results and global packaging and recycling specialist Alpla is no exception.

In 2024 its turnover increased by EUR 200 million to EUR 4.9 billion. What’s more, the company claims to be well on the way to boost recycling capacity. By 2030, it aims to double its annual recycling output to 700 000 tonnes.

Alpla has made recycling a cornerstone of its growth strategy. The company operates 13 recycling plants in nine countries, producing recycled PET and recycled HDPE. With an annual investment of EUR 50 million in recycling infrastructure, the company is ‘on track’ to achieve its short-term target of incorporating 25% recycled material into its packaging this year.

‘We’re not just meeting demand for sustainable materials, we’re driving innovation in recycling to reduce carbon footprints and ensure recyclability,’ comments company ceo Philipp Lehner. The strategy includes light packaging and designing products specifically for recycling, ‘further optimising material use and sustainability’.

Global expansion

In 2024 Alpla launched new locations and now has 200 production plants worldwide. Plans for a new plant in Thailand in 2025 will boost the company’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region, a market with ‘significant’ potential.
In Europe, Alpla is addressing ever-strict regulation regimes with a focus on efficiency and innovation.

Meanwhile, growth markets in South America, Africa, and the Middle East have shown ‘robust performance’, contributing to the company’s overall expansion.

Beyond capacity growth

Alpla’s investments in recycling are not just about capacity, according to Lehner: ‘They are about leadership in sustainability.’ By integrating advanced recycling technologies and expanding global operations, the company wants to set the standard for circular economy practices in the packaging industry.