Pekutherm is planning to expand its operations to Italy, Spain, France, and the Baltic states.
The Germany-based PMMA mechanical recycler is already present in Denmark and Finland and wants to double its recycling volume to 10,000 tonnes/year by 2027.
PMMA, also known as acrylic glass, has excellent optical and physical properties. It is used for glazing applications in, for example, caravans, facades, furniture, and vehicle taillights, but is also found in flat screens, neon signs, jewellery and more. Around 300,000 tonnes of PMMA are produced in Europe alone each year of which just 10% cent is being collected for recycling.
Pekutherm operates a PMMA collection service called Ecobox. Clients can order Ecoboxes, fill them with PMMA or polycarbonate (PC) scrap, and have them picked up free of charge.
At its Geisenheim plant in Germany, Pekutherm meticulously separates the plastic waste by hand. The company’s managing partner Heiko Pfister argues this traditional method beats modern sorting technology like infrared sensors.
"We require 100% type-specific separation, which no technology can reliably achieve,” Pfister said. A single sorting mistake can render an entire batch unusable, placing us at significant economic risk,” he added.
Without relying on modern technology, Pekutherm is betting on acquiring more factory space and hiring more hands to do the job across Europe. The company also wants to recycle an additional 1,000 tonnes of PC and 1,000 tonnes of other plastics in the next three years.