Recycling specialist Pekutherm Kunststoffe (Geisenheim, Germany; www.pekutherm.de) plans to significantly expand its recycling capacity, with output expected to increase to 10,000 t/y from its current 8,000 t/y over the next few months, according to MD Heiko Pfister.

He justified the expansion plans with the demand for high-quality plastics recyclates from post-industrial waste, which has been increasing for months. The company did not disclose information on the exact timeline or the amount being invested.

In October 2022, Pekutherm said it commissioned a new shredding plant for pre-crushing large and heavy sheet materials, which also created an unspecified number of jobs in the areas of purchasing, sales, and production.

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Pfister said he primarily sees sales potential for high-quality plastics such as PMMA. This polymer can be used in up to seven cycles, he explained. “The material does not belong in the rubbish, it belongs in the cycle.”

In July, Pekutherm announced it was acquiring a stake in Grünstoff Kunststoff-Recycling (Frankfurt, Germany; www.gruenstoff.com). Founded in 2019, Grünstoff specialises in processing plastics waste from polycarbonate, PC/ABS, PMMA, POM, polyamides, ABS, and PET. Together, the two companies employ more than 50 and have a combined recycling capacity of 10,000 t/y.

Pekutherm is by its own account Germany’s leading PMMA recycler. The material resulting from the sorting and processing of waste is of a high quality and can be used to produce new products. Pekutherm collects PMMA waste by providing Ecoboxes to companies using the polymer.