The Austrian plastic recycling technology supplier Erema Group generated total turnover of €380m in its 2023/24 financial year ended on 31 March, the company announced on Thursday. Compared to the €355m in the year before, this is an increase of around seven per cent. Other financial details were not disclosed.
"We are proud of this result for the past financial year given the general economic situation, but we look ahead to the coming months with a certain degree of caution," commented Manfred Hackl, Erema Group's CEO. "The plastics recycling industry is struggling due to low prices for primary material, in particular in Europe, and high energy and production costs continue to pose challenges for companies." Mr Hackl said that the group would use this period to further optimise its processes and invest more in research and development activities.
"The opening of the new R&D Centre in Ansfelden last summer and the new machines in the Customer Technology Center at Erema North America at the beginning of this year have seen us complete the largest phase of investment in our history to date. We have invested more than €110m in the expansion and modernisation of our international locations over the past five years," commented Horst Wolfsgruber, Erema Group's CFO.
The group reported that it manufactured 290 extruders for plastics recycling in the past financial year, as well as 100 individual components such as filter systems or its "Refresher" anti-odour technology. Overall, around 8,500 machines and components from the group are now in use in more than 100 countries.
Erema Group, which has its headquarters in Ansfelden near Linz, consists of eight subsidiaries: Erema, Pure Loop, Plasmac, Keycycle, Lindner Washtech, Umac, Plasticpreneur, and 3S. It employs around 950 people worldwide.
Erema and Lindner partnership on plastic recycling yielding results
In August 2023, the Erema Group and Lindner Holding established the 50/50 joint venture Blueone Solutions. At the IFAT trade fair in Munich in May, Erema and Lindner Washtech revealed first results results of their partnership.
The companies are working together on a process that will help them achieve consistent pellet quality in plastic recycling. The Austrian companies showcased new technologies designed to increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the recycling process through data exchange between the extruder and washing system and through smart energy management.
This standardisation of the process control system is the first outcome of the partnership. At the trade fair, Erema’s CEO, Manfred Hackl, said, "Together, we have developed a platform that allows data to be exchanged between the extruder and the washing system. This enables us to analyse the data more precisely so that effective improvement measures can be deduced." By monitoring key parameters via a digital interface, these parameters can be optimised, increasing output quantity and efficiency, he said.
The goal of the partnership between Lindner and Erema is to improve the entire value chain for plastic recycling. Lindner’s managing director, Michael Lackner, underscored the importance of taking a coordinated approach: "Finding the right process for each application and perfectly coordinating each step in this process is essential to make recycling sustainable."
The approach to waste heat recovery is one tangible example of the partnership’s success. "We use the waste heat generated during the extrusion process as a source of energy for the washing and drying process," Mr Lackner added. "This allows our customers to make lasting reductions in their energy costs and CO2 emissions."
Harnessing synergies along the value chain is another key to success. Mr Hackl and Mr Lackner agree that the partnership between industry leaders is vital to improving the end product and boosting the overall efficiency of the recycling process. One case in point is the loop for HDPE feedstock that is turned into high-quality, food-grade HDPE regranulate.
The two companies are still working to develop strategies for upcycling plastic and to raise recycling rates. "We want to encourage our customers to come to us with their feed material so that we can discuss the options that are open to them," Mr Hackl remarked.
