The packaging and recycling specialist ALPLA is strengthening its recycling activities in South America and acquiring a majority stake in the Brazilian company Clean Bottle. With this new partnership, ALPLA aims to secure the supply of high-quality recycling material.
The Austrian packaging specialist ALPLA enters the South American recycling market and becomes the majority owner of the Brazilian company Clean Bottle. The joint venture includes a modern plant in São José dos Pinhais, which produces 15,000 tonnes of recycled HDPE (rHDPE) annually. According to ALPLA, this is a strategic move to meet the growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions in South America.
Dietmar Marin, Managing Director of ALPLArecycling, emphasises that the participation in Clean Bottle will help to secure the supply of high-quality recycled material to the Brazilian plants in the long term. The proportion of post-consumer recycled material (PCR) in the production of HDPE packaging in Brazil is already 32 per cent. This figure is set to rise further.
Sustainable infrastructure and experienced partners
Clean Bottle is known for its modern infrastructure, which includes a self-sufficient rainwater treatment system. The company employs around 120 people on an area of 15,000 square metres. The company founders Leandro Tanaka, Adriano Tanaka and Jadir Voltoline Junior will remain part of the management team and want to expand recycling activities in the region together with ALPLA.
The collaboration with the Clean Plastic Group, which has a collection centre in Curitiba, is intended to further strengthen the joint venture. This centre is responsible for the collection and processing of plastic waste and is to be expanded in the future.
Expansion of the circular economy
By joining Clean Bottle, ALPLA says it is consistently realising its vision of a functioning circular economy. „We see ourselves as a link in the circular economy and give used plastics a value,“ explains Leandro Tanaka, Managing Director of Clean Bottle.
The joint venture is still subject to approval by competition authorities. The parties have agreed not to disclose the financial terms.
Source and photos: ALPLA