Two recycling executives are partnering to revitalize the former Entropex LLC plastics recycling facility in Sarnia, Ontario.
Emmie Leung and Tony Moucachen agreed to purchase the assets of Entropex, one of the larger plastics recyclers in North America. They announced Oct. 18 that court had approved their purchase offer, but they did not disclose terms of the deal. Entropex had been in receivership since July 14 with MNP Ltd. acting as receiver.
Entropex was a victim of depressed recycled plastics prices due to the global low-price environment of crude oil and natural gas compounded by a competitive market for recycled materials. It had been recycling about 175 million pounds per year.
It was the 13th largest reprocessor of resin in North America according to Plastics News' most recent ranking.
Leung and Moucachen intend to restart the company in stages and with a new name.
“Our aim will be to create products that help our customers — producers and brand owners — achieve the best possible environmental outcomes that result in cost-efficient end-of-life product management,” noted Moucachen in a news release.
Moucachen founded and is CEO of Merlin Plastics Group of Delta, British Columbia.
Merlin Plastics processes industrial and post-consumer rigid and flexible packaging in Canada and the United States, handling an estimated 132 million pounds to land at No. 19 on Plastics News' ranking of reprocessors. Its major facilities are in Delta, where it focuses on high density polyethylene, and in Calgary, Alberta, mainly a PET recycling operation. Its main products are HDPE pellets and PET flakes.
Leung founded Emterra Group in 1976. Emterra is a diverse recycler with four divisions in Canada and in the state of Michigan. It collects, processes and markets various waste streams, including plastics and used tires. Its customers are municipalities, industrial and commercial companies, and institutions.
Merlin and Emterra are recycling partners in British Columbia's multi-material producer responsibility program for packaging and paper.