Extrusion International 2-2024-USA

43 Extrusion International 3/2022 Successful Integration of U.S. Recycling and Compounding Facilities at NPE 2024 Sirmax North America, a lead- ing global supplier of polypropyl- ene (PP) compounds, engineering polymers, post-consumer recycled compounds, and biopolymers for a broad range of industries, will high- light the highly successful integra- tion of its U.S. recycling and PP com- pounding facilities at the NPE 2024 exhibition. 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.), servingglobal customers in the automotive, appliance, furniture, electrical/electronics, and building and construction industries. Sirmax’s vertically integrated op- eration 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. compa- ny 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 compound- ing 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 dif- ferentiate ourselves in the market and meet client demands for more sustainable materials in the auto- motive and household appliance sectors,” said Ferro. “This is accom- plished without compromising on traceability and the high-quality standards required for premium vir- gin materials, which are already be- ing 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 in- cluding flexible and rigid packag - ing. Recycled PP can be incorpo- rated into virgin polypropylene compounds, typically at content lev- els of 20 to 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 sus - tainability goals. Sirmax’s integrat- ed system – which includes innova- tive production processes and full control of supply sources – ensures OEMs greater reliability and consis- tency in recycle-content compounds compared to competitive recycled materials from at-large industry sources, said Ferro. “We ensure traceability and of- fer a sustainable option that still provides performance comparable to virgin-grade compounds for technical applications,” said Ferro. Sirmax’s recycle-content PP materi- als are used in a range of injection molding applications including vis- ible automotive interior parts such as door panels, and structural parts, as well as appliance washer tubs and furniture. A life cycle assessment (LCA) com- missioned by Sirmax has confirmed the environmental benefits of re - cycle-content PP compounds. The study showed that replacing virgin PP with recycled PP can reduce car- bon dioxide emissions by 20 to 50%. Sirmax can provide LCA data for each specific material. Sirmax’s PP compounding plant in Anderson has a capacity of 105 mil- lion 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 Ander- son facilities. The integrated manu- facturing model is among a wide range of sustainability initiatives that Sirmax has undertaken to reduce energy consumption and decrease carbon emissions. Recently, the com- pany received the UL Yellow Card HB certification for its recycle-content PP materials and is among the first com - panies to have UL Yellow Card certi- fied recycled-content materials, typi - cally necessary to supply the home appliance and E&E markets. The company also offers a wide range of virginUL yellow card certifiedmateri - als, including flame retardants, for a wide range of markets. Sirmax Group www.sirmax.com NPE2024: Booth #S34027 Sirmax granules and part Sirmax North America campus