19. Dec 2023
APK new large-scale Newcycling® plant will start construction in 2024
APK AG will bring in the new year with its corporate strategy stronger than ever. The company from Merseburg/Leuna, Germany, devoted itself in 2023 to putting in place key elements of its successful expansion as well as to the planning and construction of its next large-scale Newcycling® plant.
Strong investors, including LyondellBasell and KIRKBI A/S, successful ISO certifications, and the signing of first product supply contracts provide the ideal basis for ongoing planning and the start of construction in 2024.
“The European Commission’s initiative mandating the use of plastic recyclates in the packaging sector and, in the future, in the automotive branch, has created the ideal framework for our expansion and the construction of additional plants for our physical and solvent based Newcycling technology”, says Robert Marx, APK AG’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), explaining the conditions of the expansion.
In early 2023, LyondellBasell, a global leader in the chemical industry, and KIRKBI A/S, the family-owned holding and investment company of the LEGO® brand, signed an agreement with APK AG and other investors to invest EUR 130 million in the next Newcycling plant. Mixed waste from flexible plastic packaging will be used to produce high-quality LDPE recyclates. There is an increasing demand for these high-quality LDPE recyclates as a raw material, and not only in the packaging industry. Current plans by the Commission regarding the recyclability of vehicles and quotas for the use of recyclates will rapidly increase the demand and interest from the automotive industry.
In the summer of 2023, APK AG achieved a highly significant internal milestone: The independent testing and certification company TÜV Rheinland certified APK AG in accordance with ISO Standard 9001-Quality Management Systems. APK AG has now received certifications for ISO 9001-Quality Management Systems, ISO 14001-Environmental Management Systems, and ISO 50001-Energy Management Systems. These certifications are key for the planned expansion and are of central importance to investors. “With its services, TÜV Rheinland supports the development of an efficient circular economy. We are therefore pleased if, through successful certification, we can ensure trust in innovative and growing companies that want to contribute to environmental sustainability,” comments Sebastian Vorthmann, Team Leader Automotive & Transportation / Lead Auditor, TÜV Rheinland Cert GmbH.
Beyond these milestones, over half of the LDPE recyclate production from the new plant could already be sold. In 2024, it’s full steam ahead for the planning and construction of the large-scale Newcycling plant. “Early next year, we’ll share more information about the location and capacity of our new plant. 2024 is going to be a very exciting year for APK AG and our Newcycling technology”, remarks CTO Robert Marx. AT
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