Dutch chemical recycler Pryme is scaling back plans to build additional pyrolysis plants in Europe.
According to an investor presentation dated Jan. 30, 2025, Pryme now expects to commission its second pyrolysis plant in the Netherlands by the end of 2028. It had initially planned to roll out a second plant by 2026, as well as up to two additional plants in Europe by 2027, according to a September 2024 company presentation. Plans for the third and fourth plants seem to have been fully scrapped for the time being.
Pryme said it is scaling back its immediate rollout plans due to ‘slower progress of industrialisation of Pryme One’, as well as ‘rapid and continuous learnings’ from this first plant.
The chemical recycler started building the Pryme One facility in Rotterdam in 2021, with a nameplate capacity to process 40,000 tonnes/year of mixed plastic waste. It then expected production to start in 2023, which was subsequently pushed back to 2024.
In 2024, the plant produced approximately 340 tonnes of pyrolysis oil, processing over 500 tons of plastic waste. It posted estimated loses of €12,772,000 (EBITDA) in the 2024 financial year.
Pryme identified various issues affecting production volumes and plant economics, from slow feedstock feed rates and short production runs to mechanical and sealing issues with the reactor. It added it also needs to improve pyrolysis oil quality in order to fetch a higher selling price.
The company aims to achieve ‘proper’ production levels on an ongoing basis during the second half of 2025. It expects to produce up to 200 tonnes of pyrolysis oil in Q1 2025; between 750 and 1,250 tonnes in Q2 2025; between 1,500 and 2,500 tonnes in Q3 2025; and between 3,000 and 4,000 tonnes in Q4 2025.
Assuming the plant produces 6,854 tonnes of pyrolysis oi in the 2025 financial year, Pryme expects annualised loses of €9,557,000 (EBITDA). Plant economics is expected to reach positive values at nameplate capacity, particularly for the second planned facility.
Pryme has received almost €13 million in funding from an investment consortium consisting of Infinity Recycling, Invest-NL, and LyondellBasell. At the time, LYB said the investment would open up a potential source of feedstock for the integrated hub it is now operating in the Cologne area, Germany.