AUSTRIA – Hard-based packaging solution provider ALPLA is consolidating all of its activities under the new brand ALPLArecycling.
Since 2005, the company has been investing in the development of its own recycling facilities and currently has a total of 13 plants for the production of high-quality recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) and recycled high-density polyethylene terephthalate (rHDPE).
ALPLA has nearly 1,100 employees across its business and currently has four joint ventures with regional partners.
Through these efforts, ALPLA aims to process a minimum of 25% post-consumer recycled (PCR) material by 2025.
The production of good quality PCR materials will help the company in developing sustainable packaging solutions that have high contents of recycled materials, with low weight and optimum recyclability.
The company said that all of these recycling activities and businesses have now been consolidated under one brand – ALPLArecycling.
ALPLA CEO Philipp Lehner said: “Every year, we are producing more high-quality, affordable and sustainable packaging from used packaging.
“With our own production, development and material optimization, we ensure quality and quantity, while also strengthening regional and national recycling loops.”
Recently, ALPLA invested €8 million (US$8.7m) to expand the capacity of its PET Recycling Team (PRT) plant in Radomsko, Poland.
The company says that this investment will be used to build the third extrusion line at the site to increase the production capacity from 30,000 to 54,000 tonnes of food-grade PET recycling material (rPET).
ALPLA also invested US$65.59 million (€60m) in a new polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling plant in Ballito, in the South African province of KwaZulu Natal.
The expansion of these existing facilities, the opening of new plants, and strategic acquisitions are together expected to double ALPLA’s installed and projected output capacity to 350,000 tonnes (t) of PCR material, including 266,000t of rPET and 84,000t of rHDPE, per year.
ALPLA Recycling’s managing director Dietmar Marin added: “Our many years of expertise and access to our own materials give our customers a competitive advantage.
“The new brand is a clear commitment to recycling and to our expansion plans in growth markets.”
Recycling target
The company currently processes 20 percent PCR material and aims to increase this to at least 25 percent by 2025. In addition, all packaging solutions are to be fully recyclable by then.
The company has been part of the New Plastics Economy, an initiative of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, since 2018.
“‘We firmly believe in plastic as a recyclable material and in the success of closed bottle-to-bottle loops,” concludes Günther Lehner, Chairman of the Company Advisory Board.
“With our commitment, we want to create infrastructure in as many countries as possible, raise awareness and thus generate added value for the environment, economy and society.”
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