From the Sector

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL) reported a record FY22 financial performance from the company’s global manufacturing footprint serving end-consumers’ resilient need for daily necessities. The unusually high level of customer destocking that weighed on the fourth quarter result is expected to have leveled out and business should return to normal operating conditions, with China’s reopening to further spur demand.

Full-year Core EBITDA climbed 31% YoY to $2.3 billion as revenue rose 28% to a record $18.8 billion. The company recorded strong cash flows of $2.2 billion, up 111% YoY. Indorama Ventures’ geographically diversified, integrated platform, backed by management’s agility, withstood unprecedented global events to generate earnings through the business cycle. During the year, the company continued to focus on its growth plan, successfully integrating its strategic surfactants business in Latin America and Vietnamese packaging acquisition. A dedicated senior team is working tirelessly and is committed to the company’s ‘Vision 2030’ sustainability goals including recycling technologies and introducing biomass feedstock to the company’s product portfolio. The ongoing ‘Project Olympus’ cost transformation program delivered an annual run rate of $449 million in efficiencies.

The annual result was impacted by an unusually challenging final quarter as fears of a recession and reduced transit times led to widespread destocking by customers. 4Q22 Core EBITDA declined 43% YoY to $264 million on a 1% drop in revenue to $3.9 billion. The pandemic lockdown in China also continued into the final quarter, reducing factory demand across Indorama Ventures’ portfolio and resulting in narrower margins from lower prices and higher costs. Higher energy and utility costs impacted European operations as the war in Ukraine continued into the winter.

To improve competitiveness and build resilience, Indorama Ventures rationalized underperforming assets in the Fibers business in Europe and a PTA site in Asia, resulting in a $7 million cash impairment in 4Q22 and a $253 million non-cash impact. As a result, the company looks forward to a $38 million uplift in EBITDA in 2023, reaching up to $65 million by 2025.

Textile waste is a problem in Europe. Out of 7-7.5 million tonnes of textiles discarded every year, 30-35 % are collected separately – and of that quantity, 15-20 % are sorted by medium and larger sorting facilities within the EU. After sorting, 60 % still qualify as wearable clothes, however after a second or third collection-loop, all of the textiles become non-wearable sooner or later. Therefore, fibre-to-fibre recycling is becoming increasingly important to preserve the valuable resources.
 
The textile recycling value chain is not yet mature, but we are on the verge of a turning point, as different fibre-recycling technologies are deployed on a large scale. If successful, the textile recycling industry could reach a recycling rate of 18 to 26 percent of gross textile waste in 2030. This would create economic, social and environmental value that could total 3.5 to 4.5 billion euros in 2030.

Today, there is a sorting gap to achieve a circular economy for textiles in Europe. To feed this new circular value chain, a significant sorting-capacity increase is needed with 150 to 250 sorting and recycling facilities nearby, as the McKinsey-study “turning waste into value” assessed.

There is also a technology and capacity gap in sorting for reuse and recycling to ensure that high quality raw materials from non-wearable textile waste can be made available on a large scale. This is why the “Transform Textile Waste into Feedstock” project was initiated by TEXAID, within the ReHubs initiative together with well-known stakeholders of the textile value chain.

The major outcome of this project will be a sorting-factory blueprint fulfilling the requirements to the future needs of fibre-to-fibre recycling, enabling the future of more sustainable textiles by using recycled fibres. TEXAID, who is leading the project, is committed to build and operate scalable sorting facilities across Europe, the first with a capacity of 50,000 tonnes by the end of 2024.

Companies like Concordia, CuRe Technology, Decathlon, Inditex, Indorama Ventures, L’Atelier des Matières, Lenzing, Marchi & Fildi, PurFi, Södra, Worn Again and others are taking part in the project to jointly evaluate technologies and the business case for scaled sorting for reuse and recycling. ITA Academy GmbH (in cooperation with RWTH Aachen) together with CETIA has been commissioned for the assessment of technologies. The outcome will be an innovative sorting system 4.0, building on cross-functional technologies with digitalization and automation are at the heart.

For the third time, nova-Institute awards the “Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year” award in the frame of the “Cellulose Fibres Conference 2023” (8-9 March 2023). The conference advisory board nominated six remarkable products, including cellulose fibres from textile waste, banana production waste and bacterial pulp, a novel technology for producing lyocell yarns and a hygiene product. The innovations will be put to the vote of the conference audience on the first day of the event, with the awards ceremony taking place in the evening. The innovation award “Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year 2023” is sponsored by GIG Karasek (AT).

Here are the six nominees
Vybrana – The new generation banana fibre – GenCrest Bioproducts (India)
Vybrana is a Gencrest’s Sustainable Cellulosic Fibre upcycled from agrowaste. Raw fibres are extracted from the Banana Pseudo stem at the end of the plant lifecycle. The biomass waste is then treated by the Gencrest patented Fiberzyme technology. Here, cocktail enzyme formulations remove the high lignin content and other impurities and help fibre fibrillation. The company's proprietary cottonisation process provides fine, spinnable cellulose staple fibres suitable for blending with other staple fibres and can be spun on any conventional spinning systems giving yarns sustainable apparel. Vybrana is produced without the use of heavy chemicals and minimized water consumption and in a waste-free process where balance biomass is converted to bio stimulants Agrosatva and Bio Fertilizers & organic manure.

HeiQ AeoniQ™ – technology for more sustainability of textiles – HeiQ (Austria)
HeiQ AeoniQ™ is the disruptive technology and key initiative from HeiQ with the potential to change the sustainability of textiles. It is the first climate-positive continuous cellulose filament yarn, made in a proprietary manufacturing process and the first to reproduce the properties of polyester and nylon yarns in a cellulosic, biodegradable, and endlessly recyclable fibre.
HeiQ AeoniQ™ can be manufactured from different cellulosic raw materials such as pre- and post-consumer textile waste, biotech cellulose, and non-valorized agricultural waste, such as ground coffee waste or banana peels. It naturally degrades after only 12 weeks in the soil. Each ton of HeiQ AeoniQ™ saves 5 tons of CO2 emissions. The first garments made with this innovative cellulosic filament fiber were commercially launched in January 2023.

TENCEL™ LUXE – lyocell filament yarn – Lenzing (Austria)
TENCEL™ LUXE is LENZING’s new versatile lyocell yarn that offers an urgently needed sustainable filament solution for the textile and fashion industry. A possible botanical alternative for silk, long-staple cotton, and petrol-based synthetic filaments, is derived from wood grown in renewable, sustainably managed forests, and produced in an environmentally sound, closed-loop process that recycles water and reuses more than 99 % of organic solvent. Certified by The Vegan Society, it is suitable for a wide range of applications and fabric developments, from finer high fashion propositions to denim constructions, seamless and activewear innovations, and even agricultural and technical solutions.

Nullarbor™ – Nanollose & Birla Cellulose (Australia/India)
In 2020, Nanollose & Birla Cellulose started a journey to develop and commercialize tree-free lyocell from bacterial cellulose, called Nullarbor™. The name derives from the Latin “nulla arbor” which means “no trees”. Initial lab research at both ends led to a joint patent application with the patent “production of high-tenacity lyocell fibres made from bacterial cellulose”.
Nullarbor is significantly stronger than lyocell made from wood-based pulp; even adding small amounts of bacterial cellulose to wood pulp increases the fibre toughness. In 2022, the first pilot batch of 260kg was produced with 20 % bacterial pulp share. Several high-quality fabrics and garments were produced with this fibre. The collaboration between Nanollose & Birla Cellulose now focuses on increasing the production scale and amount of bacterial pulp in the fibre.

Circulose® – makes fashion circular – Renewcell (Sweden)
Circulose® made by Renewcell is a branded dissolving pulp made from 100 % textile waste, like worn-out clothes and production scraps. It provides a unique material for fashion that is 100 % recycled, recyclable, biodegradable, and of virgin-equivalent quality. It is used by fibre producers to make staple fibre or filaments like viscose, lyocell, modal, acetate or other types of man-made cellulosic fibres. In 2022, Renewcell, opened the world’s first textile-to-textile chemical recycling plant in Sundsvall, Sweden – Renewcell 1. The plant will eventually reach 120,000 tons of annual capacity.

Sparkle sustainable sanitary pads – Sparkle Innovations (United States)
Globally, around 300 billion period products are discarded every year, resulting in millions of tons of non-biodegradable waste. Since most conventional sanitary pads contain up to 90 % plastics, they do not biodegrade for around 600 years. Sparkle has designed sustainable, plastic-free, biodegradable and compostable Sparkle sanitary pads. From product to packaging, they are made up of around 90 % cellulose-based materials with top sheet, absorbent core, release paper, wrapping paper and packaging made of cellulose-based fibres. Whether Sparkle pads end up in a compost pit, are incinerated or end up in a landfill, they are a more sustainable alternative compared to conventional pads that contain large amounts of plastics, complex petro-chemical based ingredients and artificial fragrances. When tested according to ISO 14855-1 by a leading independent lab in Europe, Sparkle pads reached over 90 % absolute biodegradation within 90 days in commercial composting conditions.

Mey GmbH & Co. KG, a global manufacturer of underwear, nightwear and lingerie based in Germany, is launching the world’s first men’s nightwear with CELLIANT® Viscose, which converts body heat into infrared energy.

Called mey Zzzleepwear - THE NEW SLEEP-LIFE BALANCE, the collection follows the successful debut of the similarly named women’s collection in 2021. It consists of four designs in Indigo available in T-shirts, short pants, long-sleeved shirts and long pants. CELLIANT works by recycling the heat emitted by the body into full-spectrum infrared energy and then returns it to the body. As a result, it increases the supply of oxygen to the cells and promotes a restful sleep.

CELLIANT Viscose was developed by Hologenix®, creators of CELLIANT, a textile-based infrared ingredient brand, and Kelheim Fibres, a leading manufacturer of viscose specialty fibers. CELLIANT Viscose features natural minerals embedded into plant-based fibers and is biodegradable. It provides all the benefits of being a viscose fiber — lightweight, soft, highly breathable, excellent moisture management — as well as the fiber enhancements from CELLIANT infrared technology. In addition, CELLIANT is durable and will not wash out.

Hologenix®, creators of CELLIANT®, began 20 years ago with the idea of improving the quality of people's lives and health with an emphasis on non-invasive, natural, holistic healing. Co-founder and CEO Seth Casden became fascinated with the effect infrared has on the body and worked with a dedicated team to develop and market CELLIANT® infrared technology and thus materials science innovator Hologenix came to be.

CELLIANT, a proprietary blend of IR-generating bioceramics that are ethically sourced, is a unique combination of nature and performance. CELLIANT captures and converts body heat into infrared energy for increased local circulation and cellular oxygenation, resulting in stronger performance, faster recovery and better sleep. It is a key ingredient in textiles, spanning both performance and fashion apparel, sleep and lounge wear, bedding, upholstery, uniforms and medical supplies.

The first partnership Hologenix secured was with the Ireland-based fiber company Wellman International Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of Indorama Ventures and a pioneer in recycling technologies. Hologenix still works with them today, a tribute to the company’s ability to form long-term partnerships with like-minded organizations, and their joint project of pure white CELLIANT rPET fiber was shortlisted for a prestigious Drapers Sustainable Fashion Award earlier in the year.

On the brand side, many of the first brands to incorporate CELLIANT were in the sportwear industry, including Adidas, Reebok, Saucony, Eastern Mountain Sports, Sierra Designs sleeping bags and Superfeet insoles.

In 20 years, Hologenix has achieved many scientific milestones, and CELLIANT has been and continues to be rigorously tested by a Science Advisory Board composed of experts in photobiology, nanotechnology, sleep medicine, and diabetes and wound care. The Science Advisory Board has overseen nine peer-reviewed published studies that demonstrate CELLIANT’s effectiveness and the benefits of infrared energy.

Looking ahead, Hologenix is continuing to research applications for CELLIANT in the agriculture industry and wound healing and diabetes. Expansion into the FemTech market with both product applications and scientific research about the benefits of infrared for women’s health issues is also on the horizon.

• European textile industry needs to prepare for a paradigm shift, and become global leader in sustainable textiles

Organised by EURATEX in partnership with the Portuguese Textile Association (ATP), the Porto Convention – Sustainability meets Competitiveness: How to Square the Circle? – took place on 13-14 October in Porto, Portugal, with nearly 250 entrepreneurs attending from all over Europe. They discussed the current challenges of the European textile industry and set the grounds for a bright future, based on some strong foundations: innovation, creativity, quality and sustainability.

In his keynote speech, Mr. Pedro Siza Vieira, Former Minister for the Economy and Digital Transition of Portugal, assessed the geopolitical and macroeconomics changes, and how this will impact on the future of the textile industry: nearshoring and friend-shoring, independence from foreign gas through the use of European sustainable energy, as well as circular and automated production lines. While the current turbulence causes uncertainty, he sees a better future for our industry.

The first CEO Panel, addressing the theme of How to Measure and Communicate about Sustainability, focused on the challenges to translate “sustainability” towards the consumers. The panel addressed the issue of greenwashing and the role of brands in communicating about sustainability. It looked at how the new European Commission regulations on eco-label, digital product passport (DPP) and product environmental footprint (PEF) will create a new framework.

The second CEO Panel, discussing Financing Sustainability, looked at the cost of sustainable investments, and how this cost should be managed within the entire supply chain, including the brands and retailers.

Four workshops with industry experts followed in the afternoon, addressing the themes of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Textiles, Digital Product Passport (DPP), Recycling Textile Waste and Labelling Textiles (Product Environmental Footprint). As these initiatives will roll out in the coming years – as part of the EU Textile Strategy – participants got a better understanding of the future framework for our industry.

Dirk Vantyghem, Director General of EURATEX, commented on this: “to prepare for a brighter future requires a new regulatory framework, where quality and durability become the norm, where transparency and sustainability is rewarded, where free riders – who do not comply with rules and standards – are kept outside the market. The EU Textile Strategy aims at creating such a framework, which must be fair and balanced, and requires a close and constant dialogue between the regulator and the industry.”

During the 2nd day of the convention, participants had the opportunity to visit state of the art textile companies (Têxteis J.F. Almeida, RIOPELE, and TMG Automotive) and the Portuguese textile  research centre CITEVE. They showcased how the Portuguese textile industry is making this transition, while remaining globally competitive.

Alberto Paccanelli, President of EURATEX, concluded: “We need to attract creative people in our companies, we need to produce top class quality products, and we need to become more sustainable. That is the recipe for our success in a globalised and highly competitive industry.” Paccanelli is positive about the future: “While we face very tough times, I am optimistic about the future of our European textile industry. The rest of the world is watching us, as we move forward with our strategy. We should become their benchmark and Europe should become a global leader in sustainable textiles.”

• Carbios’ biorecycling and biodegradation technologies internationally recognized by consumers as promising answers to their top environmental concerns
• Carbios’ innovations considered one of the best for solving recycling effectively and achieving a real plastic circularity
• Consumer research including qualitative and quantitative fields was conducted between March and August 2022. The research institute, Strategic Research, conducted 6000 interviews in Europe and USA

Carbios’ biorecycling and biodegradation technologies acclaimed by consumers
During the first research field study, respondents were exposed to Carbios’ biorecycling process; a new enzyme-based biotechnology that enables biological recycling of all types of PET plastic waste (including bottles, packaging and textiles), and pushes the boundaries of recycling in terms of the number of cycles.

The research results demonstrated that European and US respondents find Carbios’ biorecycling technology more unique and innovative than traditional PET recycling (i.e. thermo-mechanical recycling), as well as more relevant in its ability to address their concerns and challenges regarding recycling.

In the second research study, conducted in the US, respondents were also exposed to Carbios’ biodegradation technology: an innovative enzymatic solution by which an enzyme is incorporated into plastics during the production process of bio-sourced PLA plastics (corn, sugar cane). This approach makes the material made from plants 100% compostable at ambient temperatures and degradable like plants with the built-in enzyme biologically breaking the bioplastic down in less than eight weeks without microplastics or toxic residues; creating a fully organic circularity.

Similarly to Carbios’ biorecycling technology, Carbios’ PLA biodegradation innovation caught US respondents’ attention with 64% overall liking it. Additionally, 93% of the respondents sampled described the concept as innovative, unique, easy to understand (49%), and believable (43%). Up to 82% of the most environmentally engaged respondents declared they would definitely buy more products made with Carbios’ fully circular biodegradable bioplastic.

Consumers: No other choice but to make plastic fully circular
The research says 99% of the respondents consider it important to protect the environment, while plastic pollution is now ranked the third most-concerning environmental issues after climate change and ocean pollution.

This awareness brings most of these consumers to be environmentally active when it comes to purchasing goods and sorting. For the US respondents, eco-friendly packaging comes in the fourth place in terms of purchase drivers for packaged goods and 65% of them declare sorting plastic from general waste on a regular basis, which makes plastic the most sorted type of waste.

Nevertheless, for a vast majority of the respondents across geographies, even if they would like to reduce their plastic consumption most of the time there is no suitable alternative that is as convenient, light, and cost-efficient as plastics. Hence in an ideal world, consumers would like all plastic waste in landfills and oceans to be collected, cleaned, reused and recycled.

On 13-14 October, EURATEX in partnership with ATP is organising the 10th European Textile & Apparel Convention in Porto, Portugal; the convention marks also the 24th Textile Industry Forum for Portugal.

The Porto Convention – titled Sustainability meets Competitiveness: How to Square the Circle? – will look at how companies can anticipate the new European regulatory framework, embrace innovation, and develop a business model where sustainability becomes a source of competitiveness and growth. In the current economic, social and political environment, Europe is facing many challenges: increased energy prices, unforeseen inflation and climate change, which add to the day-to-day challenges of running a business. Embracing the European Union’s commitment to a green and digital transformation, the textile industry needs to also move towards a new circular economy where recycling is at the core of the design process supported by digitalisation, innovation and new skills, and creativity. The conference will address explore solutions to turn quality and sustainability into a source of competitiveness.

The Porto Convention will see representatives of national and European institutions, experts from the industry and like-minded entrepreneurs come together to discuss ideas, share experiences and find solutions to face common challenges.

This year’s JEC forum DACH, taking place from November 29 to 30, 2022, is strategically located in a composites « golden triangle », between Munich, Augsburg and Ingelstadt. This dynamic area, at the heart of the Bavarian region is known to be hosting major companies such as Airbus, Faurecia, Kuka, Siemens, Voith Composites, KraussMaffei Technologies, Cevotec, Munich Composites, or Premium Aerotec, thus promising a two-days opportunity to meet with key decision makers.

The digital platform available to all participants prior to the event enables to schedule one to one business meetings between buyers and suppliers from the whole value chain of composites, as well as informal networking during breaks, lunches and evening event.

In total, 500 attendees, suppliers and buyers, from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, are expected to participate to JEC Forum DACH 2022.

Business meetings event*
DAY 1 – November 29, 2022:

• 10.15 – 11.45 am – “Keynote and Plenary Conference Session : Market Developments
• Moderator: Dr. Michael Effing, AVK
• 4.0 – 5.30 pm – “Keynote and Plenary Conference Session: Recycling of Composites

DAY 2 – November 30, 2022:

• 9.00– 10.30 am – “Keynote and Plenary Conference Session: Sustainability of Composites
• 3.15 – 4.45 pm – “Keynote and Plenary Conference Session: Innovations: Raw Materials, Processes and Applications

Celebrating composites innovation through awards and startup competition

• The AVK Innovation Awards: Goal is to promote and give prominence to new products/components and applications made from fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) and promote new processes and methods for manufacturing FRP products.
• Startup Booster competition: The contest is open to entrepreneurs, SMEs, startups and academic spinoffs building innovative composite and advanced materials projects that are based in Germany, Austria or Switzerland (the DACH region).

*You can view the full program here.

Im Automobilbau, dem Schiffsbau und der Luftfahrtindustrie sowie bei Windenergieanlagen steigen die Materialanforderungen zusehends. Die verwendeten Werkstoffe sollen leicht, ressourcenschonend und gleichzeitig hochbelastbar sein. Faserverstärkte Kunststoffe (Composites) rücken immer mehr in den Vordergrund, da deren Eigenschaften in Kombination mit Glas- oder Carbonfasern metallischen Materialien oftmals überlegen sind. Mit Fokus auf die klimaneutrale Herstellung und Nutzung von Produkten wächst auch der Bedarf an Recyclinglösungen. Im SmartERZ-Projekt TRICYCLE arbeiten Unternehmen gemeinsam an geeigneten skalierbaren und wirtschaftlich tragfähigen Prozessen zum Recycling von Smart Composites. Momentan gibt es dafür keine Anbieter oder Konzepte am Markt.

Smart Composites bestehen aus Werkstoffen, deren Funktionalisierung durch die Integration oder Applikation elektrisch leitfähiger Komponenten, z. B. Sensoren oder Mikroprozessoren, erreicht wird. Dazu zählen zum Beispiel smarte Textilien, die elektronisch wärmen, Lichtsignale geben oder zur Datenübertragung genutzt werden können. Das breite Anwendungsspektrum und die vielseitigen Einsatzgebiete dieser intelligenten Verbundwerkstoffe und Multimaterialverbunde werden perspektivisch zu einem wachsenden Bedarf und einer stärkeren Nachfrage führen.

Die funktionale und vielschichtige Verbindung verschiedener Materialien wie Kunststoff, Metall und Textil wirft beim Thema Recycling Nachhaltigkeitsfragen auf. Im Erzgebirge werden dafür bereits heute Lösungen entwickelt. Im Rahmen des WIR!-Projektes SmartERZ ist das Verbundprojekt TRICYCLE entstanden. Mit dem Fokus auf den Strukturwandel im Erzgebirge haben sich acht ortsansässige Partner aus Wissenschaft und Wirtschaft zusammengetan, um ein Recyclingkonzept aufzustellen und die Grobplanung für ein erzgebirgisches Recycling Center zu entwickeln. Das Ende des Produktlebenszyklus und die Nachnutzung bzw. Wiederaufbereitung stehen dabei im Mittelpunkt des Entwicklungsprozesses. Im Ergebnis sollen effektive und maßgeschneiderte Maßnahmen für eine möglichst hochwertige Wiederverwendung entstehen. Diese sollen dem steigenden Aufkommen an Abfällen aus diesem wachsenden Bereich der deutschen Industrie begegnen und anwendungsbereit sein.

Klassische Herausforderungen für die Projektbeteiligten sind die irreversiblen Verbindungstechniken (z. B. Kleben, Faser-Matrix-Haftung), die Integration vieler verschiedener Materialien in geringen Mengen sowie Form und Größe der Bauteile. Eigene Untersuchungen sowie Feedback von Partnerunternehmen bestätigen die Notwendigkeit sowie den Nutzen eines passgenauen Recyclingprozesses für Smart Composites und intelligente Multimaterialverbünde. Das Projekt soll dazu beitragen, den Wirtschaftsstandort Erzgebirge attraktiver und zukunftsfähiger zu gestalten.

Am 1. September 2021 gestartet, kann TRICYCLE erste Ergebnisse vorweisen. Zunächst wurden die Bedarfe bei mittelständischen Unternehmen in der Region Erzgebirge abgefragt, um die aktuellen Gegebenheiten und den Status quo in Bezug auf technologische Recyclingkonzepte bestmöglich abzubilden. Für ein fundiertes Recyclingkonzept hat das TRICYCLE-Team drei Referenzbauteile für den vorgesehenen Prozess ermittelt, die in der erzgebirgischen Wirtschaft Verwendung finden, und folgenden Bereichen zugeordnet: Automotive, Technische Textilien mit applizierter Zusatzfunktion und Technische Textilien mit integrierter Zusatzfunktion.

Basierend auf dieser Auswahl, analysiert das Projektteam momentan die Herstellungs- und bisherigen Recyclingprozesse der Referenzbauteile. Das beinhaltet auch die Planung praktischer Versuche zum Recycling. Dabei fokussieren sich die Projektpartner auf ihr Know-how in verschiedenen chemischen, thermischen und mechanischen Prozessen zur Separierung, Rückführung und Wiederverwendung der eingesetzten Materialien. Um die Produkte den Recyclingtechnologien zugänglich zu machen, wurde die Herangehensweise innerhalb des Projekts angepasst, da insbesondere Textil aufgrund von Form und Struktur (z. B. endlose Struktur) herausfordernd sein kann.

Obwohl die Materialien selbst recycelbar sind, müssen diese dennoch für den Prozess optimal vorbereitet bzw. fachgerecht aufbereitet werden. Die Expertise und die Technologiekompetenz, die hierfür benötigt werden, ist bei den beteiligten Projektpartnern durch jahrzehntelange Erfahrung und zahlreiche Innovationen vorhanden. Das Zusammenspiel aller Beteiligten im Projekt TRICYCLE stellt bereits jetzt die Weichen für das geplante Recycling Center, um dieses später zum Drehkreuz zwischen regionalen Produktionsunternehmen und dem Recycling weiterzuentwickeln. Dieses soll als „Open Factory“ aufgebaut werden, um den Unternehmen des SmartERZ-Bündnisses bzw. perspektivisch der Region Erzgebirge eine gemeinsame Nutzung zu ermöglichen.

„Die Wiederverwendung der eingesetzten Ressourcen ist sowohl aus ökonomischer als auch aus ökologischer Sicht zwingend geboten. Momentan gibt es weder Anlagenbauer noch Dienstleistungsanbieter mit den entsprechenden Kompetenzen zum Recycling von Smart Composites oder Multimaterialverbünden am Markt,“ stellt Johannes Leis, der Verbundkoordinator vom Sächsischen Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. (STFI) in Chemnitz fest.Unter Leitung des STFI als Verbundkoordinator mit seiner über 30-jährigen Erfahrung in der Textilbranche und speziellem Know-how im Recycling von Carbonabfällen haben sich weitere Unternehmen und Forschungseinrichtungen zusammengefunden. Dazu zählen das Textilunternehmen Curt Bauer GmbH, die Professur Fabrikplanung und Fabrikbetrieb der TU Chemnitz, das Ingenieurbüro Matthias Weißflog, der Hersteller für Faserverbundbauteile Cotesa GmbH, der Spezialvlieshersteller Norafin Industries (Germany) GmbH, das Recyclingunternehmen Becker Umweltdienste GmbH und die Hörmann Rawema Engineering & Consulting GmbH. Am Ende der Projektlaufzeit sollen ein einsatzfähiges, technologisches Recyclingkonzept für die zukünftigen entstehenden smarten Produkte sowie die in der Produktion entstehenden Abfälle (bspw. durch fehlerhafte Bauteile und Randbeschnitte) und ein Konzept für den Aufbau eines Recycling Centers vorliegen, das im Erzgebirge entstehen soll.