Plastic recycling has become a rigid demand in the industry

        In the challenging 2021-2022 fiscal year, EREMA Group, an Austrian recycling equipment solutions provider, delivered a brilliant report card. Revenue increased by 17%, sales reached 295 million euros, and the number of employees increased to 840.

        "We have once again achieved milestone growth with our technology!" said Manfred Hackl, CEO of the Erema Group. "The current market environment remains challenging due to increased power, energy and logistics costs and supply chain disruptions."

        According to reports, Erema's plant in Ansfelden, Austria, manufactured a total of 220 extrusion granulation equipment and delivered it to customers around the world in the 2021-2022 fiscal year. If individual components and modules such as filtration systems and fresh deodorization technologies are included, the number of deliveries can reach 320. In addition, 53 extruders come from Erema's Italian subsidiary PLASMAC. In the 2021-2022 fiscal year, Erema delivered extrusion pelletizing systems with a capacity of approximately 1.34 million tons of recycled pellets per year.

        Large-scale plants are the mainstream

        Erema said that the current market segment for post-consumer materials clearly shows that both PET recycling and polyolefin processing are moving towards large-scale plants. For example, the first VACUREMA® Basic 2628 T machine with an annual capacity of up to 40,000 tons was recently commissioned at a customer site in Brazil. The plant has a 10-meter-long special geometry screw with a diameter of 280 mm and a weight of 3.5 tons. The screw was developed and manufactured by Erema's subsidiary 3S. "The production of such large-scale recycling plants once again demonstrates EREMA's innovative technology and the synergies it brings," said Manfred Hackel.

        It is worth noting that the market demand for equipment from EREMA's subsidiary UMAC remains strong. In addition to the general trend towards plastic recycling, customers prefer existing equipment and systems that can be delivered within a short time due to the tight procurement market.

        At the same time, companies that have had little contact with recycling are also becoming more and more interested in the topic. They are also becoming more and more interested in the topic for companies that have had little contact with recycling so far.

        KEYCYCLE, an EREMA group company, can meet their needs for feasibility studies, consulting and engineering services, project management and turnkey projects. KEYCYCLE has also acquired the patent and distribution rights for an innovative ink removal technology from Cadel Deinking, which is currently being further developed using the EREMA Group's know-how and formed into products that meet industrial standards.

        During the current fiscal year, EREMA's plants were modernized and a PLASMAC equipment demonstration center was expanded in Milan. All companies within the Group have expanded their production workshops as well as their customer service centers to meet the growing market demand. With the construction of the new R&D center in Ansfelden, EREMA is continuously optimizing its own structure to prepare for the future plastic recycling market.

        From niche market to rigid demand

        Erima said that plastic recycling is rapidly evolving from a niche market to a rigid demand market. This is both a challenge and an opportunity for the entire plastics industry. The plastics industry and brand owners are increasingly aware that with the help of recycling technology, plastics can play a positive role in accelerating the transformation of climate carbon neutrality, resource efficiency and competitive economy. "This is not just collective goodwill, it has inspired more and more very specific initiatives, such as the Circular Plastics Alliance. This is why the circular economy remains the top priority of the K 2022 exhibition." Erima said that at the upcoming K2022 exhibition, its innovative technologies and professional services will be displayed on a shared booth for the first time.