Sumika Polymer Compounds Europe has opened a new recycling unit in France. The €13+ million investment is supported by the European Union and ADEME as part of France 2030, as well as the Southern Region, with the facility set to aid manufacturers and equipment suppliers in the growing integration of recycled materials in future vehicles. The new European regulation on end-of-life vehicles was a key influence behind building the new facility, with the regulation introducing new requirements for the design, recycling and incorporation of recycled materials in new vehicles, including integration targets for recycled plastics.
The facility will boast a production capacity of over 10,000 tonnes of recycled polypropylene per year, with industrial waste from the automotive sector recovered and reintroduced into new high value-added applications. This process will contribute to the development of a true circular economy within the automotive sector. The new site complements the group’s recycling plant in Turkey, with the pair representing an annual capacity of over 25,000 tons of recycled polypropylene.
“This new plant illustrates our belief that regulatory compliance should not be seen as a constraint, but as an opportunity to build a more resilient, circular and competitive European automotive industry,” said Bruno Pendélio, Head of Marketing & New Product Development Director, Sumika Polymer Compounds Europe.
The company’s Thermofil Circle, a range of recycled polypropylenes developed for automotive applications, meet the challenges of performance, circularity and regulatory compliance. Manufacturers can utilise the range in their projects to integrate recycled materials.
Thermofil Circle offers:
- Mechanical performance for demanding automotive applications.
- Secure supply with a closed-loop value chain.
- Recovery by mechanical recycling of plastic waste.
- A significant reduction in carbon footprint, up to 65% less CO₂ emissions.
- Sumika’s expertise in the formulation and recovery of recycled polymers.
- A solution designed to meet the future requirements of the European End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Regulation.
