Cyclyx International, LLC (The Woodlands, Tex.) has reached construction milestones at their first Cyclyx Circularity Center in Houston. The project is well underway, with all major civil and structural work now complete. The company is also implementing strategic organizational changes to align with their next phase of growth.
New leadership appointments at their corporate headquarters at Hughes Landing in The Woodlands, TX reflect a sharpened focus on accelerating progress to the Cyclyx Circularity Center currently under construction in Houston.
“We have recently brought on board senior, experienced industry leaders to support Cyclyx in our strategic focus,” said Cyclyx CEO Chris Yandell. “The company continues to shift towards a disciplined and results-driven approach as it works to revolutionize plastic recycling. These changes allow us to concentrate resources on the capabilities required to deliver value, scale effectively and meet the expectations of our partners.”
Beginning in May, Walter Sopp will serve as the company’s new Chief Operating Officer and Vinny Pires also will join as the Commercial Vice President. Chief Impact Officer Dr. Leslie Hushka joined Cyclyx in January.
Yandell was named CEO in December. Under his direction, Cyclyx is undergoing a pivotal phase of transformative growth. The company’s new leadership brings a proven record and unified emphasis on operational execution and commercial excellence.
Sopp is a forward-thinking operations leader with more than 20 years of experience building top-performing teams and organizations. He joins Cyclyx with critical experience in starting up industrial facilities in the U.S., Australia and China. He is an expert in operational planning, risk management and change management. Besides his extensive experience in the energy and manufacturing industry, he also served a distinguished career in the U.S. Marine Corps for 22 years.
Hushka joined Cyclyx with 25 years of experience in strategic engagements and partnerships. She has built multiple sustainability-focused organizations and programs in the corporate and non-profit sectors. In her energy industry career, she helped create an award-winning advanced recycling program, defined and led the Alliance to End Plastic Waste. She holds a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology from Purdue.
Pires has nearly 25 years of experience in commercial management, strategy and business development across the steel, mining and advanced materials industries in South and North America. His experience in sales, marketing and strategy within the manufacturing sector brings strategic value to Cyclyx. Pires holds an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and MBA in Commercial Management from FGV in Brazil.
The company’s Houston-based circularity facility, currently under construction, will have the capacity to produce 300 million pounds of custom-formulated feedstock annually, once operational. Cyclyx selected the Dallas-Fort Worth area as the site for their second center. After full commissioning, the two facilities will have the capacity to produce 600 million pounds annually of custom-formulated, ISCC-PLUS-certified feedstock for recycling applications. Cyclyx has named The Woodlands, TX, just north of Houston, as its corporate headquarters. The Hughes Landing location will serve as the operational base for Yandell, the incoming senior leaders and key personnel supporting operating sites, including the circularity centers.
“We value the collaboration, efficiency improvements and strong business relationships with industry stakeholders we’ll have access to here in the Houston area,” said Yandell.