SK Geo Centric (SKGC), SUEZ, and Loop Industries (Loop) announced on Feb. 15 (Montreal, Canada local time) that the Chemesis industrial platform in Saint-Avold, located in the Grand Est region of France, has been selected as the site for the first European Infinite Loop manufacturing facility.
SUEZ is a global leader in circular solutions in water and waste, and Loop is a clean technology company whose mission is to accelerate a circular plastics economy by manufacturing 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic and polyester fiber.
This international project, supported by the French Ministries of Industry and Ecology, the Grand Est region and the Saint-Avold Synergy region community, leverages the experience of SKGC in petrochemical processes, the expertise of SUEZ in the area of resource management and the innovative depolymerization technology of Loop. The facility will manufacture 100% recycled and infinitely recyclable virgin-quality PET resin and has a planned capacity of 70,000 metric tons per year. This facility will help address the demand for recycled PET, which has continued to grow due to European regulations and requirements, and will provide European-based global brands with a solution to their sustainability objectives of increasing the use of recycled content in their packaging and products.
The Saint-Avold Chemesis industrial platform is strategically situated in the heart of Europe and provides an efficient industrial and infrastructure network (access to energy notably via existing heat networks, road and rail logistics, suppliers, etc.) making it the optimum environment for the manufacturing facility. This project, which represents a projected overall investment of 450 million euros, will contribute to the sustainable revitalization of the local industrial base and enable the direct creation of 200 new jobs.
Loop’s depolymerization technology utilizes low heat and no added pressure to upcycle low to no value feedstocks (that will otherwise go to incineration or landfill) into the highest purity, virgin-quality PET plastic. At full capacity, the facility could save over 255,000 tons of CO2 annually, when compared to virgin PET resin made from fossil fuels. The entry flows of feedstock will be collected, sorted and prepared by SUEZ, leveraging its knowledge of the European plastics market, its partnerships with industrial players and its dense treatment infrastructure network coverage. By leveraging low value waste that is currently destined for landfill or incineration, this facility offers a solution to the global plastic waste challenge.
A local consultation process will be launched in the coming weeks to present the project to the public. The three partners aim to start construction work in early 2025 with plant commissioning slated for 2027.
The facility in Europe is part of the global commercialization strategy of Loop’s technology. SKGC and Loop are currently focused on the planning of the projected first Infinite Loop manufacturing facility in Ulsan, South Korea, which is expected to break ground in 2023.
Na Kyung-Soo, CEO of SK Geo Centric, said: “We are pleased to achieve the meaningful milestone of selecting the Infinite Loop™ Europe project location in France. SK Geo Centric is committed to contribute its extensive petrochemical operating experience to this strategic partnership with Loop and SUEZ which will lead to a sustainable circular economy and a low-carbon future in Europe.”
Source : Business Korea