Back to the Future of recycled plastics
Visitors to the K 2025 trade fair can time-travel in a DeLorean DMC-12 (made famous by the film Back to the Future) at the HolyPoly GmbH stand (North Entrance, Stand N01 A). HolyPoly has returned from the future with something that does not currently exist: a secure supply of premium-quality, competitively priced post-consumer recyclates. “We’re offering visitors to our stand the chance to go on a journey to the year 2035”, says Matthias Röder, Head of Marketing at HolyPoly. “They’ll see the next ten years through the rear-view mirror of history — it’s an experience that might change their view of the present.”
He explains that this campaign came about due to the lack of high-quality technical recyclates and foresees that the problem will drastically exacerbate in the next few years. “HolyPoly has reacted to this problem with Brand-Owned Streams. With this new offering we are providing brand manufacturers with the future today: a reliable source of recyclate at a stable, competitive price”, explains Röder. Previously unused sources of waste provide the basis for these new plastic recycling streams. We convert these material flows into traceable, high-quality recyclates that are tailored perfectly to customer requirements.” This allows HolyPoly to quickly secure supply capacity for its customers while setting new standards for the recyclate market in terms of sustainable quality and price stability.
A chance to experience a unique meeting
This journey into the future is designed for specialists who deal with the practical and strategic issues of using recycled materials at their companies in areas such as product management, R&D, purchasing, material sustainability and innovation. “On this journey our vision becomes reality”, says Fridolin Pflüger, Managing Director at HolyPoly. “It’s simple to meet recyclate quotas for technical plastics because we have a stable supply from new sources that we develop into unique circular ecosystems.”
After the trip, “time travellers” can remain in the DeLorean to discuss with Pflüger whether the vision of the future and HolyPoly’s offering is relevant for their sector and their company. Visitors can book this trip into the future and subsequent discussion at holypoly.co/K2025.
High-quality plastics not readily available
Almost every project makes it clear to Pflüger just how severe the lack of high-quality technical plastic recyclates is even today. “Our customers are searching for technical plastics for long-term projects”, he explains. “They simply cannot find these materials on the free market — particularly if they work in sectors that have high quality and safety requirements for materials.”
According to a study by the German plastics industry think-tank BKV entitled “The status quo and forecast of demand and availability of post-consumer recyclates in 2030” this situation will in future become even more acute due to legally prescribed minimum quotas for the use of recyclates. Such requirements may be included in legislation such as the EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation (ELVR). This regulation is expected to stipulate that from 2032 onwards every new vehicle type must contain 15 to 25 percent recycled plastic from post-consumer waste streams.
HolyPoly taps new material streams for virgin-quality recyclate
Pflüger has a solution to meeting these needs. “At HolyPoly, we are tapping into new, traceable sources of material from previously unused waste plastics, such as discarded washing machines and dishwashers”, he explains. As an expert in recycled plastic and circular economy strategies, HolyPoly develops virgin-quality recyclates with a colour accuracy that Pflüger describes being “unparalleled on the current market and a hugely important factor for manufacturers’ brand identity”. HolyPoly works with leading manufacturers on durable products such as electrical devices, automotive parts and toys. The company already provides its customers with recyclates that are perfectly tailored to their applications and are successfully utilised in actual products, such as front panels for washing machines by the Swiss premium household appliance manufacturer V-ZUG.
Brand-Owned Streams: access the future of a reliable, price-stable supply of recyclate today
Due to the looming shortage of high-quality PCR plastics, HolyPoly has already launched a new offering. With Brand-Owned Streams, OEMs and brand manufacturers have the opportunity to secure supply capacity from limited-quantity proprietary plastic recycling streams.
This turns purchasers into shareholders in the material flow (from the source through the entire process to the plant output) and secures long-term access to valuable recycled materials. With this model HolyPoly is providing a pioneering solution for recyclate sourcing that offers an alternative to both the traditional secondary plastics market (which predominantly takes a uniform “one-size-fits-all” approach to mass-produced plastics) and virgin products (whose prices are subject to significant fluctuations). “We, on the other hand, offer customisation, transparent processes and long-term price stability”, says Pflüger.
HolyPoly has already created several Brand-Owned Streams and is now scaling this offering with its customers. To achieve this, HolyPoly is investing in its own infrastructure and will in the next few years expand its supply capacity for series production. The DeLorean time-travel experience at K 2025 is a starting point for all those who want to be proactive in their preparations for the future.
About HolyPoly
HolyPoly offers brand manufacturers comprehensive consulting, development and manufacturing services on their path to a circular economy. The mission of the impact business is to make plastic recycling a matter of course and to collaborate with brands to bring recycled products into series production. HolyPoly's customers include well-known brands such as Mattel, Bosch, NUK and LAMY.