Swiss plastics trading group Meraxis (Muri; www.meraxis-group.com) plans to deal polypropylene compounds and recyclates from Italian producer Rialti (Taino; www.rialtispa.com) in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with the two companies recently signing contracts for a corresponding strategic partnership. In addition, both want to push ahead with the development of recyclates.

Rialti commissioned a fourth extrusion line at its Taino, Italy, plant in 2020, with a focus on production of glass fibre-reinforced materials. According to founder and CEO Massimo Dal Toso, the installation represents the culmination of a EUR 15 mn investment programme that began in 2015. The plan is to increase capacity to 50,000 t/y from 35,000 t/y.

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The target of the additional capacity is international markets. Exports already accounted for about three-quarters of the total sales volume. The Italian company, which claims to be the European market leader in PP compounds for the automotive industry, processes primary plastics, industrial manufacturing scrap, and post-consumer waste into compounds under the brands Rialbatch (mineral high-filled), Rialglass (reinforced), and Rekindle (flame-retardant). In the recent past, however, recyclates have predominated.

Rialti operates three shredders that process PP-based carpet waste, food packaging films, agricultural non-wovens, nappy films, and ropes and nets as input material for the subsequent granulate production.