Coperion & Herbold Meckesheim Host Recycling Conference

Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim hosted Recycling Days, a two-day recycling conference, in Weingarten, Germany, on Nov. 6 and 7, 2024.

In keeping with the theme of “Experience A New Dimension of Plastics Recycling,” the two-day conference featured a variety of presentations and live demonstrations, allowing participants to gain insights into various technologies designed to enhance the efficiency of the plastics recycling process.

More than 180 participants from 25 nations accepted the invitation from Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim to attend the Recycling Days in the newly opened Recycling Innovation Center.

Internal and external experts from the industry, including researchers, shared insights on how the right equipment can save resources and costs without compromising the quality of the recycled compound. Practical examples from successful recycling plants also significantly enhanced understanding of the topic.

Washing Lines & Bottle-to-Bottle Recycling

Achim Ebel, head of Sales at Herbold Meckesheim, and Kürşat Başdemir, the company's founder and project director at Ekosistem Ltd., presented the latest advancements in Herbold washing lines, focusing on the impact of water treatment on the quality of the recycled compound. Martin Müller, CEO at Polymetrix, and Sabine Schönfeld, sales manager at Coperion, gave a joint presentation on a bottle-to-bottle recycling plant. This system of Indian preform and plastic packaging manufacturer Magpet Polymer Pvt Ltd. produces rPET granulate approved for direct food contact by both the European Food Safety Administration (EFSA) and the US FDA. Furthermore, it is brand owner approved.

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Extrusion

As well, Coperion's Frank Mack, head of Process Technology Engineering Plastics, and Jochen Schofer, Head of Sales Recycling, presented a lecture on the range of possible extruder types for plastics recycling, demonstrating how the choice of extruder technology can impact both the overall process efficiency as well as end product quality. 

Twin screw extruders offer an especially high output capacity. Coperion developed the ZS-B MEGAfeed to complement its ZSK twin screw extruders. This side feeder compresses recyclates with primarily very low bulk density, such as flakes and fibers, enabling them to be introduced into the recycling extruder in large quantities while leveraging the equipment’s optimal performance.

Another advantage of twin screw extruders is their flexible configuration, adaptable to a variety of recycling applications. This flexibility makes it easy to incorporate additives, glass fibers, and fillers commonly needed in high-value recompounds into the process.

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Live Demos

The conference included demos on the newest developments in action in the Recycling Innovation Center. The added value of individual technologies was demonstrated on running systems, along with their impacts on the entire recycling process.