Borealis AG (Vienna, Austria; www.borealisgroup.com), a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals, and fertilizers; and the EREMA Group (Ansfelden, Austria; www.erema.com), the global market leader in the development and production of plastics recycling systems, have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the purpose of deepening their cooperation in the field of mechanical recycling. The shared goal is to advance mechanical recycling technologies in order to accelerate the transition to a circular economy of plastics. The companies also aim to enhance recycling processes in order to satisfy increasing market demand for higher-quality recyclate used in high-end applications.
While the ultimate aim of the stepped-up cooperation is to effect the more rapid transformation to a circular economy, Borealis and EREMA will collaborate most specifically on:
- Developing improved technologies and processes in mechanical recycling by leveraging each company’s respective area of expertise: Borealis in polymers, and EREMA in engineering; to this end, there will be joint tests, trial runs and pilot projects
- Using knowledge exchange and best practices to design and implement new and practical technical solutions
– Such recyclate should be available in greater amounts, exhibit improved mechanical properties, be suitable for high-end applications and commercialized at a faster rate - Standardizing and harmonizing input feedstock and recyclate output (pellets) in order to enable the broader use of recycled solutions for individual end-use applications, and in particular for everyday consumer products
- Upscaling the mechanical recycling industry: exploring the potential of increasing plant size and total production volumes in order to ensure secure and reliable market
- Working in tandem to acquire more sophisticated market intelligence in order to deliver sufficient quantities of those specific types of materials demanded by customers.
With headquarters in Ansfelden, Austria, the EREMA Group has more than just a geographical proximity to Borealis’ Austrian operations: the two companies share a deep commitment to leading the way to a more circular economy of plastics.