Recycling is making global headlines this year, and that's good news for the leading player in the plastics recycling equipment market, Erema Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen GmbH.
The Ansfelden, Austria-based company has recently completed expansion projects in both Austria and the United States. Investment was necessary to keep up with demand; Erema has seen its global sales nearly double in the last eight years.
"Times are changing," CEO Manfred Hackl said in a telephone interview. "Worldwide, orders are quite good."
Hackl was visiting the Erema North America Inc. technical center in Ipswich, Mass., which is preparing for a Sept. 26 open house. Erema expects 80 to 100 customers to attend, where they'll see a variety of recycling equipment in operation.
Erema is hearing a lot of questions from customers about China's recent decision to stop accepting imports of dirty plastic waste. Hackl expects the news to create opportunities, including in the United States, but not necessarily in the short term.
"We see clear possibilities in the U.S," he said. Erema is seeing growing business from processors recycling their in-house waste, in addition to recyclers of post-consumer PET, high density polyethylene and supermarket film.