EREMA and Lindner Washtech establish subsidiary in India

Emerging recycling market increases demand for high‑quality recyclates

India’s population of 1.47 billion and the further growth of the middle class continue to drive demand for consumer goods and consequently for plastic products. According to the OECD, plastic consumption in India is expected to increase more than fivefold between 2019 and 20601. To address the resulting volumes in plastic waste, the country has introduced ambitious circular economy goals. Stricter EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) regulations and the expansion of collection and sorting systems further increase the relevance of plastics recycling. In the bottle-to-bottle sector alone, around 25 recycling plants with a total capacity of approximately 600,000 tonnes are expected to be installed by 2026.

"The Indian market is developing at an impressive pace. The combination of regulatory tailwinds and increasing quality requirements makes India a strategically important growth market," says Christoph Wöss, Global Sales Director at EREMA. "Over the past two years, we have seen in bottle-to-bottle recycling how quickly implementation progresses once the regulatory framework is set. The next steps, including mandatory recycling quotas for all plastic packaging that will gradually increase to 60 percent by 2029, offer enormous potential, especially in the postconsumer sector."

European expertise in integrated washing and extrusion technology

EREMA India provides Indian recyclers with access to European technology for washing, extrusion, and thermal decontamination. EREMA and Lindner Washtech have joined forces to deliver fully coordinated process chains that consistently produce high-quality results at high throughput rates. This allows recycling companies to reliably meet increasing quality requirements, including international food contact standards. Alongside the local service organisation, which provides support for commissioning, troubleshooting and after-sales service, these technologies help to ensure high system availability.

"With strong local service support, continuous technology upgrades and a close collaboration with our customers, we are committed to transforming India into a global hub for high-quality recyclates and closed-loop recycling solutions. Lindner’s washing equipment plays a crucial role in ensuring a stable and reliable treatment process, which together with EREMA’s extrusion technology, provides recyclers with integrated system expertise enabling them to consistently produce foodgrade quality, increase production efficiency and achieve long-term operational excellence," says Ganesh Karankal, Sales Director and Partner of Business Unit Washing at EREMA India.

"In the bottle-to-bottle sector, our PET recycling technologies are already in successful operation with several Indian customers, giving them an edge with the best colour values and polymer properties," adds Maharshi Mehta, Sales Director of Business Unit Extrusion at EREMA India. For polyolefins such as HDPE, LDPE and PP, the integrated recycling solutions create a process chain capable of handling even complex post-consumer waste streams. "Following the washing and separating stages, the INTAREMA® extrusion system in combination with the ReFresher module reliably removes odours, ensuring the highest quality of recycled output," Mehta explains.

With ReadyMac and ReadyWash, EREMA India also offers a fast-delivery system in a standardised design for customers seeking proven, high-quality and efficient recycling technology in a lower price segment.

Two locations and a new Customer Center

The establishment of EREMA India is the logical continuation of long-term successful partnerships between EREMA, Lindner Washtech and their respective local representatives. The existing teams will be fully integrated into the new structure, bringing extensive experience in commissioning and servicing systems.

The new subsidiary operates at two locations. The site in Vadodara, Gujarat, is home to a sales office and Customer Center, where customers can conduct trials and material tests under realistic conditions. A ReadyMac HD recycling machine with EREMA Laserfilter, as well as laboratory equipment for quick material checks, will be available for customer trials in the near future. In Mumbai, there is an additional sales and service office ensuring customer proximity and support in western and southern India.

www.erema-group.com    www.lindner.com