Romanian plastics waste recycler Calex SRL. boosted its processing capacity recently with the installation of a new post-consumer film recycling line from delivered by Austrian supplier Starlinger.
Calex, based in Satu Nou de Jos in northern Romania, is already operating the new recoSTAR ‘dynamic’ 105 C-VAC unit, the second such line from Starlinger run at its plant in the nearby village of Comuna Groși.
The Romanian firm, owned by Candi Plastic Recycling of Sollenau, Austria, processes chiefly post-consumer plastic waste such as film packaging and pipe made from polyethylene and polypropylene. Whereas Candi focuses on recycling industrial waste from plastics moulding including production rejects and manufacturing scrap material.
The parent company aims to concentrate on recycling ‘big bags’ and is investing in its operation with a new washing line due to start operating at its Sollenau plant next month (Dec).
One of the two Calex recoSTAR ‘dynamic’ lines is dedicated to recycling ‘big bags’ while the other processes used coloured, transparent and highly printed low density polyethylene packaging films. The recycler installed the first of the two lines in 2016.
Starlinger has also supplied the Romanian offshoot’s two other recycling lines.
Calex, which employs around 25 workers at the plant sorting the incoming used plastic, recycles around 700 tonnes of waste material per month.
The Romanian business has attracted a number of regular customers among its overall clientele, chiefly plastics processors including injection and blow moulding firms.
Candi group managing director Gheorghe Campan stressed how important it is that the regular customers are able to depend on the quality of its regranulate.
“We installed a second Starlinger ‘dynamic’ line this year because the first line has proven its excellent suitability for post-consumer recycling.
“The lines are equipped with different filter systems which gives us flexibility when processing material with contaminants such as aluminium, sand and paper,” the executive said.
Although the quantity of material being recycled at present by Calex remains relatively constant despite a current boom in plastics reuse, it should be ready for growth in recyclable material.
Factors likely to stimulate an increase in quantities, according to Campan, include the ficus of manufacturers on the recyclability of their products and European Union requirements for a minimum proportion of recycled material in new products.
In addition, a rise in currently lower prices for virgin polymers, would favour greater use of recycled materials, suggested the chief executive.