Extrupet, a leading force in PET bottle material recycling across the African continent since its establishment in 2000, is set to expand its operations with the acquisition of a VACUNITE® machine from EREMA in June 2024. This expansion marks the latest chapter in Extrupet’s longstanding collaboration with EREMA, which dates back to 2009 when Extrupet first invested in EREMA’s VACUREMA® technology. However, their history of cooperation stretches even further, to the 1990s, when Extrupet received its first conventional extruders from the EREMA group.
Extrupet’s expansion project, scheduled for 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa, is a response to the rising demand for their PhoenixPET® recyclate. Chandru Wadhwani, Joint Managing Director at Extrupet, explains, “Given the superior quality of the recyclates we currently offer on the market, it was imperative that the chosen technology not only met our current standards but also offered the opportunity for further improvements. Our long-standing relationship with EREMA and their proposal for the new VACUTINE® system perfectly aligned with our requirements. We eagerly anticipate the commissioning of the new plant next year, which is poised to set new industry benchmarks for the future.”
For efficient PET recycling with high throughput, Extrupet has selected EREMA’s VACUNITE® 2318 T-1500 for direct bottle-to-bottle production. Ravi Chanrai, Group Director of the Extrupet Group, emphasizes the importance of working with a technology partner that shares a similar geographical footprint, in line with Extrupet’s ambitions for continental growth.
He notes, “As Extrupet’s footprint is expected to grow across the continent, it was also important to work with a technology partner that has a similar geographical footprint to meet our ambitions. We are delighted that the South African company has ordered a VACUNITE® 2318 T-1500 for direct bottle-to-bottle production. We expect to start our East African operations in 2024. It is also envisaged that we will be able to supply several African markets with our food-grade rPET from the new plant in Cape Town next year to establish a similar operation to the one in South Africa. The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled to take place in Lagos, Nigeria, in the same year. In 2025, a fully integrated food-grade rPET plant is to be put into operation there.”
Furthermore, Extrupet is proactively preparing to meet the burgeoning demand for food-grade rPET by securing options for two more VACUNITE® systems to be installed in Cape Town next year. This strategic move aligns with Extrupet’s vision to cater to the increasing demand for food-grade rPET across the African continent, a development that will be communicated to the markets in due course.