PETpla.net Insider 04 / 2021

7 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 04/21 www.petpla.net Henkel and Plastic Bank open first collection centres in Egypt Henkel and Plastic Bank have opened their first three plastic waste collection centres in Cairo. The project is part of Henkel’s long-term partnership with the social enterprise. The opening of three collection centres in Egypt marks the first step in the commitment to deliver environmental, social and economic impact in the country. Working together, Henkel and Plastic Bank aim to steadily expand their engagement in the coming years and to reach a yearly collection capacity of 5,000t of plastic waste in 2023. At the collection centres, people can return collected plastic waste and exchange it for money. This prevents the plastic from entering the rivers and oceans, and at the same time Henkel and Plastic Bank support the local population by improving the lives of collector communities. Plastic Bank reprocesses the material and returns the so-called Social Plastic back to the value chain – for example in Henkel’s product packaging. Henkel was the first global con- sumer goods company to partner with Plastic Bank in 2017 and has already launched first product packaging made from Social Plastic in the market. David Katz, Founder and CEO of Plastic Bank says “Since the beginning of our partnership, Henkel has helped to collect over 1.7 million kilograms of plastic waste, preventing over 86 million plastic bottles from entering the ocean. With our collection centres in Egypt, we are taking a significant step towards stopping ocean plastic and improving lives on the African continent.” Plastic Bank establishes recycling ecosystems in countries that still lack adequate waste management infrastructure. Collec- tors receive a premium for the materials they collect which helps to provide basic family necessities such as groceries, cooking fuel, school tuition or health insurance. The collected plastic is processed as Social Plastic which can be reintegrated into products and pack- aging as part of a closed-loop supply chain. In Egypt alone, Henkel and Plastic Bank aim to create 1,000 jobs over a two-year period which will directly impact over 4,000 Egyptian citizens through the establishment of a long-term recycling infrastructure. The companies will build on a successful partnership in Haiti, which began in 2017. Henkel has already integrated Social Plastic into several of its products. The Beauty Care brand Nature Box was the first cos- metic brand to introduce Social Plastic as a packaging material for its complete bottle portfolio, with all bottle bodies being made of 98 per cent Social Plastic. And Henkel’s Laundry & Home Care Pro Nature cleaners have transitioned to PET bottle bodies that are made of 100 per cent recycled plastic, of which up to 50 per cent is Social Plastic. www.henkel.com www.plasticbank.com +44 (0) 1254 584210 sales@petmachinery.com petmachinery.com Active for over 25 years, our global network and specialist knowledge makes us the go-to company for the sale or purchase of a PET machine. Commercially savvy, we work closely with our customers and our global network, to make sure everyone gets the best deal. Providing comprehensive advice throughout your sale or purchase; we can arrange dismantling, loading, packing, shipping, specialist insurance and commissioning. If you have amachine to sell or you’re looking to purchase, please get in touch. THE INDUSTRY EXPERTS Repi announces acquisition of Novosystems GmbH Repi, a leading supplier of high-performance liquid colour and additive solutions for polyurethanes and thermoplastics, has acquired Novosystems GmbH, one of the few independent European players in the field of liquid colours and additives for thermoplastic materials. With the acquisition of the German- based company, Repi intends to strengthen its position in one of the key polyurethanes and plastics markets in the world, as well as improving the Group’s geographical footprint in Central and Northern Europe, with the aim of providing better and faster response to the market. Novosystems will also contribute with interesting com- plementary technology platforms, which can be leveraged by Repi’s global presence, and will accelerate value creation through superior level of expertise in liquid formulation and dispersion technologies. “Welcoming a private, family-owned company in our Group is another exciting milestone for Repi, as both companies shared a common history in liquid colour- ants for plastics, and we are looking forward to shaping our future together based on common values and a long-term vision and strategy. Germany has long been one of the most important markets for Repi, and this investment strengthens our commitment to a country served by Repi for over 40 years”, comments Filippo Angiolini, Repi Group CEO. www.repi.com