BTB PET-Recycling is engaged in the transformation of PET bottles into recycled material, which will be again used for the production of new beverage bottles
Alpla has acquired German PET recycler BTB PET-Recycling. (Credit: ALPLA Group)
Austrian packaging solutions and recycling specialist Alpla Group has acquired German PET recycler BTB PET-Recycling for an undisclosed sum.
Based in Bad Salzuflen, BTB PET-Recycling is involved in the transformation of PET bottles into recycled material, which will be again used for the production of new beverage bottles.
Alpla stated that BTB PET-Recycling bottle-to-bottle packaging cycle is a closed-loop and the acquisition enables it to further develop the recycling loop in the region.
BTB PET-Recycling is said to process used PET beverage bottles sourced from the country’s reverse vending system and transform them into food-grade rPET (recycled PET) pellets.
Later, the pellets will be used for the manufacturing of new preforms for PET bottles, including beverage bottles.
Initially, the company will pre-sort, shred and wash the input material for sorting it again. Now, it will be melted down in an extrusion process and turned into pellet form to produce valuable food-grade rPET.
With around 35 employees, BTB PET-Recycling holds the potential to process up to 20,000 tonnes of PET bottles per annum. Alpla will retain all the employees.
Alpla corporate recycling head Georg Lässer said: “BTB produces highly efficiently, using established technology. The team in Bad Salzuflen is highly motivated and does a fantastic job. For us, buying this company is an investment in the future, enabling us to increase the existing capacities and further strengthen the bottle-to-bottle loop.”
Recently, Alpla and its partners announced the establishment of the joint venture (JV) PET Recycling Team Targu Mures to recycle post-consumer PET bottles in Romania.
The JV aims to produce 15,000 tonnes of food-grade rPET per annum to boost the local materials cycle in Central and South-Eastern Europe.
Alpla is also working with the British waste management company Biffa to source food-grade rPET pellets from its Biffa recycling facility in Seaham.
At the starting of this year, Alpla announced that it intends to invest an average of €50m per annum until 2025 as part of the ongoing expansion of the company’s recycling activities.
In addition, the annual capacity of Alpla firms, joint ventures and partnerships reach around 130,000 tonnes of PET and 60,000 tonnes of PE.