Oerlikon Barmag and Evonik are working together to promote chemical recycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste. Both companies are committed to develop technologies for robust and efficient depolymerisation and purification processes, coupled with an integrated concept for repolymerisation and the associated EPC business models.

Oerlikon Barmag and Evonik are both leading suppliers in their respective key markets. The Remscheid-based machine and plant manufacturer Oerlikon Barmag contributes its expertise in polymer processing for the production of chemical fibers and packaging materials to the new partnership. In addition, as a core brand of Oerlikon Manmade Fibers Solutions of the Swiss Oerlikon Group, the company has excellent international market access in the polymer processing industry.

Evonik is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of specialty chemicals, dedicated to driving sustainability initiatives and developing next-generation solutions. The partnership with Oerlikon Barmag aims to advance technology and process solutions for the chemical recycling of PET, leveraging innovative catalytic processes.

The partners plan to fully launch and commercialize the jointly developed chemical recycling technology solution by the end of the current decade. The intensive involvement and active participation of other companies within the ecosystem (including feedstock, technology and production) and the establishment of a global development partner network are planned. 

“We are firmly convinced that with Evonik we gained a strong and experienced partner in the field of specialty chemicals, and together we will establish a significant market position as a total solution provider in the growth market for chemical recycling of PET, but also drive the next generation of sustainability within the plastics industry,” says Georg Stausberg, CEO of Oerlikon Manmade Fibers Solutions.

“This partnership marks a great step forward in the chemical recycling of PET. Our new catalytic processes and chemical technologies will complement the current mechanical recycling approach enabling high recycled PET content from heavily contaminated and mixed PET waste that would otherwise be incinerated or landfilled. This way we are actively supporting a sustainable circular economy,” says Max Preisenberger, Head of Catalysts at Evonik.

The PET recycling technology will bring numerous advantages. From a chemical perspective, it is a highly efficient process, and it can be seamlessly integrated into existing PET production processes. Operational costs, investment cost and scalability are the key drivers in the development. 

The combination of cooperational know-how in catalyst and process technologies will allow a chemical recycling of polyester materials from many closed- and open-loop sources, which need chemical technology to allow for high, fossil-like recyclate qualities. 

“The strong and complementing technological knowhow and expertise of both companies in combination with Oerlikon Barmag’s market access and PET processing knowhow, establishes a competitive and unique partnership within the emerging chemical PET recycling industry. With the goal of creating a circular economy for all types of PET waste that is currently incinerated or landfilled, we want to scale our technology to a significant size and make it available to global PET producers and processors. In this way we will enable our customers to become more sustainable and contribute to a circular economy,” explains Lukas Adamek, Head of Strategy & Business Development of Oerlikon Manmade Fibers Solutions.