Alpla to boost its PET recycling offer through new collaboration

Austrian packaging manufacturer Alpla has partnered with Swiss firm Fromm Group to boost its PET plastic bottle recycling capabilities.

The companies said that the goal of the collaboration is the optimisation of recycling rates for PET as well as a reduction in CO₂ emissions through saved transport. They added that there will be benefits for the firms’ partners, such as simplified access to markets in the respective countries.

PET recycling plants in Wöllersdorf, Austria, and Radomsko, Poland, are part of the Alpla Group. These facilities have an annual capacity of approximately 45,000 tonnes of food-grade rPET produced from post-consumer materials.

Meanwhile, the PET recycling company Texplast in Wolfen, Germany, has been a subsidiary of Fromm Plastics since 2004. Texplast produces PET pellets and PET flakes. Fromm uses these for its own production of strapping bands and also supplies manufacturers of beverage bottles, thermoforming sheets and fibres.

Alpla head of corporate recycling services Georg Lässer said: “The requirements at our production sites complement one another very well. At Alpla, we mainly need clear, food-grade pellets. Fromm processes coloured flakes for the strapping bands.

“The collaboration between our recycling facilities will ensure the necessary quantity and quality of materials for production for both sides.”

Fromm Group owner Reinhard Fromm added: “The three recycling plants are integrated in various procurement markets and complement one another ideally in the procurement of raw materials.”

The news follows Alpla’s announcement last week that it will appoint two new board members – a new chief technology officer and a new chief operations officer.