18 January | 2017 recyclinginternational.com
company profile
2017 has been declared the ‘Year of Ecology’ in Russia. Major changes in
environmental legislation are expected to boost recycling rates. ‘There is huge
potential growth for any recyclables in Russia,’ claims entrepreneur Evgeny
Galikhaydarov, founder and owner of plastics recycling company Recyclene.
By Martijn Reintjes
E
vgeny Galikhaydarov is fired with
ambition as he looks to move his
business and operations forward –
which in Russia can be quite a challenge.
‘The major problems for recyclers are the
same as for many other private enterpris-
es in Russia: unpredictable government
regulations and pressures, an unstable
currency rate, lack of affordable bank
financing,’ he summarises.
According to Galikhaydarov, who is
founder and owner of plastics recycler
Recyclene, the banks do not consider
recycling as a solid business. ‘The margins
are rather low, the market is mostly self-
shaped and a significant part of it is in the
so-called “grey zone” with non-registered
transactions taking place,’ he explains. ‘A
bank loan against an 18-23% interest rate
is the best an ordinary small or medium-
sized company can get.’
A market leader
The Recyclene Group is a rapidly-
growing business that specialises in
plastics recycling. Operating three plants
and employing 130 people, the company
processes up to 15 000 tonnes of post-
consumer plastics per year. ‘We have four
integrated washing lines for PE film and
HDPE plastics with an overall production
capacity of up to 3000 kg per hour, and
10 pelletising reprocessing lines with an
overall production capacity of up to 5000
kg per hour,’ Galikhaydarov explains. ‘We
process various kinds of post-consumer
plastics.’
Headquartered in Moscow and with
subsidiary plants in Kaluga and St Peters-
burg, Recyclene lays claim to a 15-20%
market share for recycled plastics in cen-
tral Russia.
The company’s main facilities are
located in the city of Maloyaroslavets
some 120 km south west of Moscow in the
Kaluga region. On 25 000 square metres of
company-owned land, there is a modern
facility that started production as recently
as March last year and is currently pro-
cessing up to 500 tonnes of plastic scrap
per month. Three other buildings, each
Wanted: modern techno logy, proper collection
Recyclene aims to take plastics and
e-scrap recycling in Russia to the next level
Evgeny Galikhaydarov:
‘Some Euro 500 000 has
been invested in new
machinery and upgrades.’
