Atlantic Plastics Recycling recently commissioned the Intarema RegrindPro 1108TVE Plus recycling plant, which will increase production of recycled HD and LD polymer by over 200 tons per month

Atlantic Plastics implements re-investment strategy

ATLANTIC Plastics Recycling (APR) recently commissioned the Intarema RegrindPro 1108TVE Plus, the latest technology from Erema, with Counter Current, Smart Start and EcoSAVE technology, successfully implementing Phase 1 of APR’s re-investment strategy.

This is in alignment with APR’s renewed vision of being a key strategic recycling partner in the South African plastics industry, adding value through collection, innovation, specialised technology, efficient manufacturing, and consistent supply of quality recycled polymer to meet their valued customers requirements under mandatory EPR.

The Intarema RegrindPro 1108TVE Plus can process flexible and rigid plastic material to produce a quality pellet, based on its high filtration efficiency compared to other recycling machines. This investment by APR will increase production capacity of recycled HD and LD polymer by over 200 tons per month, producing a polymer suitable for quality critical end-use markets.

Phase 2 and 3 of the investment strategy for production expansion will follow in 2023/2024, to deliver on APR’s ultimate 2027 vision of being one of the largest high-quality recycled plastic polymer producers in South Africa, producing a quality recycled polymer suitable for virgin polymer replacement.

The global landscape for plastic packaging and plastic recycling has shifted radically in the last three years, with a growing focus on environmental sustainability. Global initiatives such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation have gained a very high profile, highlighting the global challenge facing the world with the management of single use plastic packaging. Where plastic packaging was previously seen as a disposable waste item, it is now seen as a valuable resource that must be used and recycled again and again in a circular economy.

This shift is creating exciting new market opportunities for APR, who is seen as a respected market leader in the production of quality recycled plastic polymer due to their knowledge, recycling expertise, innovation, and technological competencies.

APR is a proudly family-owned and operated business, which began its operations in 1989. What initially began as a scrap metal trading company, evolved, and developed into a successful plastics collection and recycling business, with its’ success based on trusting long-term customer and supplier relationships, technology investments for efficiency, R&D, and recycling expertise for innovative recycled polymer development and all underpinned by a quality-focused mindset. A recycling survey conducted in 1990 identified 90 plastic recyclers in operation in South Africa, and APR can declare that it is one of only a very few of those first 90 companies that remains in operation today.

Since operating as a plastic recycling company, APR has aligned itself to Erema recycling technology. Erema is an Austrian-based company which has been operating and servicing the South African market through its new subsidiary Erema Africa, founded in 2020 (previously Relloy SA), since 1983. As leaders in the world’s recycling technology, Erema Engineering will celebrate its 40-year birthday in 2023.

The relationship between Atlantic Plastic Recycling and Erema dates back 25 years, to when APR invested in its’ first ever Erema asset, a RGA120TE extruder. APR have continued to invest in Erema technology, based on its quality and efficiency, with a further three extruders being purchased.

APR has officially signed up to the South African Plastics Pact, making it the third recycler to become a member. This demonstrates APR’s commitment to be a strategic recycling partner in the plastics industry, helping their customers to take advantage of the market opportunities for quality recycled polymer, suitable for virgin polymer replacement end-use markets, to assist them in meeting the legislated EPR targets.

APR is also a member of the South African Plastics Recycling Organisation (SAPRO) and has been a founding member since inception.