- ALPLA acquires Suminco S.A. and Replacal S.L. in Spain to expand HDPE recycling.
- The annual capacity of the new plants will be increased to 35,000 tonnes.
- ALPLA has earmarked 50 million euros to expand its recycling activities.
- All packaging solutions are to be fully recyclable by 2025.
Expansion into HDPE Recycling
ALPLA, a global manufacturer of plastic packaging solutions, is expanding its recycling activities by acquiring two HDPE recycling companies in Spain. The acquisition includes Suminco S.A. in Montcada and Replacal S.L. in Palencia, both of which have over 35 years of experience in HDPE recycling. The combined annual capacity of these plants will be increased to 35,000 tonnes, and they will continue to operate under their existing management.
Strategic Goals
ALPLA's move into HDPE recycling aligns with its broader goal of becoming a leading manufacturer of sustainable plastic packaging. The company aims to safeguard its material supply for production plants and contribute to a functioning circular economy. The acquisition will also allow ALPLA to produce HDPE packaging with a high content of recycled post-consumer material, meeting customer and consumer demand.
Investment and Future Plans
In 2018, ALPLA committed to the Global Commitment of the New Plastics Economy, an initiative by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the United Nations Environment Programme. As part of this commitment, ALPLA has earmarked 50 million euros to expand its recycling activities. The company aims to make all its packaging solutions fully recyclable by 2025 and increase the volume of processed post-consumer recycled materials to 25% of total material usage.
Current Operations
ALPLA already operates PET recycling plants in Austria and Poland and has joint ventures in Mexico and Germany, with a combined annual capacity of 70,000 tonnes. In the UK, the company uses 13,000 tonnes of recycled HDPE annually for producing milk and juice bottles. The new acquisitions in Spain will further bolster ALPLA's recycling capabilities and support its sustainability goals.
