Successful integration of U.S. recycling and compounding facilities

Sirmax North America will highlight the highly successful integration of its U.S. recycling and PP compounding facilities at the NPE 2024 exhibition May 6-10 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. (Booth #S34027). Sirmax, headquartered in Cittadella, Italy, is one of the first polypropylene compounders with in-house mechanical recycling in multiple regions (Europe and the U.S.), serving global customers in the automotive, appliance, furniture, electrical/electronics, and building and construction industries.

Sirmax’s vertically integrated operation in Anderson, Ind. reaffirms its commitment to sustainability and the circular economy, according to Lorenzo Ferro, U.S. country manager for Sirmax Group. The U.S. company transforms plastic derived from post-industrial scrap and selected post-consumer recyclate not derived from urban waste collection, into valuable products with aesthetic and mechanical qualities comparable to virgin compounds with lower carbon footprint. The recycling plant, which stands next to Sirmax’s compounding facility, brings the processing expertise and know-how applied to post-consumer recycling from urban collection, that Sirmax operates in Europe, to the U.S. market.

“The vertical integration we have undertaken allows us to differentiate ourselves in the market and meet client demands for more sustainable materials in the automotive and household appliance sectors,” said Ferro. “This is accomplished without compromising on traceability and the high-quality standards required for premium virgin materials, which are already being supplied today."

Sirmax’s recycling plant operates two lines and has a total capacity of 40 million lb of recycled PP, derived from post-industrial and selected post-consumer waste streams. Due to low availability and quality of post-consumer streams in the U.S compared to Europe, Sirmax has focused on post-industrial recycled waste streams. The PIR material comes from a range of sources including flexible and rigid packaging. Recycled PP can be incorporated into virgin polypropylene compounds, typically at content levels of 20-40%, depending on the final application.

Ferro said OEMs and processors in the automotive and appliance industries are not only looking to meet performance specifications but also seeking to fulfill key sustainability goals. Sirmax’s integrated system - which includes innovative production processes and full control of supply sources - ensures OEMs greater reliability and consistency in recycle-content compounds compared to competitive recycled materials from at-large industry sources, said Ferro.

“We ensure traceability and offer a sustainable option that still provides performance comparable to virgin-grade compounds for technical applications,” said Ferro. Sirmax’s recycle-content PP materials are used in a range of injection molding applications including visible automotive interior parts such as door panels, and structural parts, as well as appliance washer tubs and furniture.

A life cycle assessment (LCA) commissioned by Sirmax has confirmed the environmental benefits of recycle-content PP compounds. The study showed that replacing virgin PP with recycled PP can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20-50%. Sirmax can provide LCA data for each specific material.

Sirmax’s PP compounding plant in Anderson has a capacity of 105 million lb and consists of seven lines, five dedicated to production and two to R&D activities. The company employs a total of 95 workers at both Anderson facilities. The integrated manufacturing model is among a wide range of sustainability initiatives that Sirmax has undertaken to reduce energy consumption and decrease carbon emissions. Recently, the company received the UL Yellow Card HB certification for its recycle-content PP materials and is among the first companies to have UL Yellow Card certified recycled-content materials, typically necessary to supply the home appliance and E&E markets. The company also offers a wide range of virgin UL yellow card certified materials, including flame retardants, for a wide range of markets.