Erema Group and Lindner Holding have jointly founded holding company BLUEONE Solutions in the hopes of combining their expertise in research projects to create industrial standards for plastics recycling.
The companies explain that current plastics recycling processes consist of several steps, including sorting, shredding, washing, drying to extrusion, filtration, compounding, and odour optimisation. With recyclers now aiming to achieve high recyclate qualities and energy efficiency, Erema and Lindner hope to fine-tune these individual processes.
Erema will contribute its knowledge of extruding and filtering, while Lindner will bring its experience in processing waste streams and washing to the table. It is anticipated that this exchange of knowledge will optimise the recycling process as a whole, drive progress in the field of plastics recycling, and enable synergies to be exploited.
BLUESTONE Solutions will be owned in a 50:50 share by the Erema Group and Lindner Holding, with shares of Lindner Washtech also contributing. It is hoped that the collaboration will increase the added value, adjust and optimise processes, and enable the companies to conduct joint research projects.
Michael Lackner, managing director of Lindner, says: “As the respective industry leaders, we recognised the need for process optimisation some time ago. Only when waste streams are optimally used, can the required quantities of regranulate be made available and only if the processes between the individual recycling steps are perfectly adjusted, can an increase in efficiency and quality optimisation be achieved.
“A functioning circular economy is only possible by merging waste management with recycling management.
“With the merging of the companies, we want to revolutionise plastics recycling and, above all, set new standards in terms of quality, quantity and efficiency.”
“A functioning recycling industry demands a focus on the entire process and value chain from waste collection and processing to recycling and the final plastic product,” adds Manfred Hackl, CEO of EREMA Group. “Thanks to this merger, Erema and Lindner will create a better overall understanding to jointly shape the necessary further development, especially in the polyolefins sector.
“In detail, the recycling extruder, the upstream washing system and material handling can be optimally coordinated so that quality standards can be ideally met and energy optimised – thanks to cross-process control and monitoring, supported by digital solutions. In the future, we will offer optimally coordinated all-in-one solutions that will enable our clients to buy a total package that is perfectly tailored to their needs.
“A functioning recycling industry demands a focus on the entire process and value chain from waste collection and processing to recycling and the final plastic product.”
In their own €50 million joint venture, TOMRA and Plastretur signed a majority ownership agreement to found a plastic packaging sorting plant in Norway; it is expected to sort 90,000 tonnes of plastic waste every year.
Additionally, a collaboration between Toppan, Mitsui Chemicals Tohcello, and Mitsui Chemicals aims to scale up recycling technologies and operational infrastructure to horizontally recycle printed BOPP film back into new flexible packaging film.
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