APK AG enters the coming year strategically strengthened. The company from Merseburg/Leuna used 2023 to put key elements in place for successful expansion and the planning and construction of the next large-scale Newcycling® plant. Strong investors such as LyondellBasell and KIRKBI A/S, successful ISO certifications and initial supply contracts form an optimal basis for further planning and the start of construction in 2024.
“With its initiatives for mandatory recyclate use in the packaging segment and, in future, in the automotive sector, the European Commission is creating an ideal framework for our expansion and the construction of further plants with our material-based, solvent-based Newcycling®technology,” says Dr. Robert Marx, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of APK AG, explaining the framework conditions for the expansion. LyondellBasell, a global leader in the chemical industry, and KIRKBI A/S, the family-owned holding and investment company of the LEGO® brand, signed an agreement in early 2023 to invest €130 million in the next major Newcycling® plant with APK AG and other investors. High-quality LDPE recyclates are to be obtained from mixed waste from flexible plastic packaging. High-quality LDPE recyclates are an increasingly sought-after raw material, and not just in the packaging market. With current Commission plans for the recyclability of vehicles and quotas for the use of recycled materials, demand and interest from the automotive industry will increase rapidly.
Internal milestone reached in summer
TÜV Rheinland certified APK AG in accordance with the ISO 9001 quality management standard. APK AG now has ISO 9001 quality management systems, ISO 14001 environmental management systems and ISO 50001 energy management systems certification. These are important qualifications for the planned expansion and of central importance for investors. “With its services, TÜV Rheinland supports the development of an efficient circular economy. We are therefore pleased to be able to ensure confidence in innovative and growing companies that want to contribute to environmental sustainability through successful certification,” comments Sebastian Vorthmann, Team Leader Automotive & Transportation / Lead Auditor, TÜV Rheinland Cert GmbH.
In addition to these milestones, more than half of the LDPE recyclate production of the next plant has already been sold. In 2024, the planning and construction of the large-scale Newcycling® plant will make decisive progress. “Early next year, we will share more information about the location and capacity of our new plant. 2024 will be an extremely exciting year for APK AG and the Newcycling® technology,” comments CTO Dr. Robert Marx.
Cover photo: APK
