September 5, 2024 16:42

LyondellBasell, a leading polyolefin manufacturer, has made a significant move in plastic recycling by securing control of APK, a German company headquartered in Merseburg.

APK is known for its Newcycling process, a solvent-based selective dissolution technology used to recycle multilayer flexible packaging waste made of polyethylene.
This acquisition is an important step for LyondellBasell, which already held a minority stake in the company and had supported APK during its insolvency proceedings last May.

Once the transaction is finalized, the recycled materials produced through APK's selective recycling process will be integrated into LyondellBasell's Circulen portfolio.

"We see APK's solvent based recycling technology as a vital addition and complementary to our existing and future mechanical and advanced recycling operations - says Yvonne van der Laan, LyondellBasell Executive Vice President, Circular and Low Carbon Solutions -. This is an important further step toward reaching our goal to produce and market at least 2 million metric tons of recycled and renewable based polymers annually by 2030".

Founded in 2008, APK produces recycled plastics with properties similar to virgin materials using the proprietary Newcycling process. Its demonstration plant in Merseburg, Saxony-Anhalt (Germany), has a recycling capacity of 20,000 tons per year. Since 2022, APK's subsidiary, APK Newcycling Competence Center, has also operated a technology center in Frankfurt-Höchst.

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