Leonhard Kurz has commissioned the world's first recycling plant for the production of rPET pellets from distinct transfer film material at its Fürth site. The company's in-house development is considered a milestone for the circular economy in thin-film technology. At the same time, a new solar carport was opened to cover part of the plant's energy requirements.
The recycling solution is based on the company's own RECOSYS 2.0 programme. Since March 2024, Kurz has been taking back carrier material from customers in the graphic arts industry, who coordinate the process via an app. As soon as an ecological collection is feasible, the logistics partner Gebrüder Weiss takes over the transport to Fürth. There, the material is processed into high-quality rPET granulate. The new plant can process up to one tonne of material per hour.
Applications for rPET pellets
The recycled granulate is suitable for a wide range of applications. Initial tests for the production of PET film with a recycled content of around 40 per cent have been successful. This opens up the possibility for Kurz and its customers to conserve resources and at the same time develop new product applications.
Energy supply through solar carport
Part of the energy required is provided directly by the newly constructed solar carport at the site. With almost 3,000 photovoltaic modules, it produces around 1.15 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year. In this way, the company combines recycling processes and sustainable energy generation in an integrated approach, as it says.
Source: Leonhard Kurz
