ALPLArecycling
ALPLArecycling is the recycling division of Austrian-based ALPLA Group, operating 14 plants across 10 countries with ~400,000 tonnes per year of post-consumer recycled (PCR) capacity, producing food-grade rPET and rHDPE pellets via mechanical bottle-to-bottle recycling for packaging manufacturers, consumer goods brands, and food and beverage companies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersJohannesburg, South Africa
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What ALPLArecycling does
ALPLArecycling is the dedicated plastics recycling division of Austrian-headquartered ALPLA Group, operating 14 businesses (including 5 joint ventures) across 10 countries with an installed and projected annual output capacity of approximately 400,000 tonnes of post-consumer recycled (PCR) material. The division was unified under the ALPLArecycling brand in 2023, consolidating activities that began in 2005 through a joint venture with IMER in Mexico. Its core products are recycled PET (rPET) pellets, available in food-grade and non-food-grade variants across multiple color grades, and recycled HDPE (rHDPE) pellets in natural and white variants for non-food packaging and milk-bottle applications.
The underlying technology is mechanical bottle-to-bottle closed-loop recycling, in which post-consumer PET and HDPE bottles are sorted by food-grade suitability and color, then processed into pellets suitable for new preform and bottle production. The company applies a climate-optimised PET recycling process using green electricity and CO2 certificate offsets for residual emissions, with verified product carbon footprint savings of up to 94% for rPET and 92% for rHDPE versus virgin material. Key proprietary differentiators include food-grade material certification capability, climate-optimized energy use, and integration with parent ALPLA Group's packaging design and manufacturing expertise, which enables recyclability to be optimized from the design stage.
ALPLArecycling operates a B2B enterprise sales model, selling recycled plastic resins to packaging manufacturers, converters, and consumer goods brands through long-term supply contracts, direct commercial relationships, and joint-venture tolling arrangements. Customer segments include packaging manufacturers and converters (primary), consumer goods and food and beverage brands (primary, e.g., Unilever, Sandoz, Frosch), and non-food consumer product companies. Revenue is generated from per-tonne resin sales by material grade and color; pricing is not publicly disclosed. As a signatory to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, ALPLArecycling has committed to invest at least 50 million euros per year through 2025 to develop the recycling business, with additional capital deployed through acquisitions (Clean Bottle in Brazil, Texplast and PET Recycling Team Wolfen in Germany, BTB PET-Recycling, Suminco) and greenfield joint ventures (Coca-Cola FEMSA in Mexico, PPT Global Chemical in Thailand, Ecohelp/UPT in Romania).
ALPLArecycling firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ALPLArecycling
- Legal name
- ALPLA Group
- Website
- https://alplarecycling.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- ALPLArecycling is the recycling division of Austrian-based ALPLA Group, operating 14 plants across 10 countries with ~400,000 tonnes per year of post-consumer recycled (PCR) capacity, producing food-grade rPET and rHDPE pellets via mechanical bottle-to-bottle recycling for packaging manufacturers, consumer goods brands, and food and beverage companies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ALPLArecycling industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recycled Plastics Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing (325211), Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins (325991)
- SIC
- Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820), Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food-Grade & rPET/rHDPE Recycling (Decontamination/SSP, Bottle-to-Bottle) (EUAIAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Rigid Plastics Recycling (HDPE/PP, Injection/Blow Molded) (EUAIAKAF), Reprocessed Resin & Recycled Polymer Compounding (PCR/PIR Compounds) (IMANAMAG), Recycled Resin Trading & Distribution (PCR/PIR Commodity Markets) (EUAIAKAK)
Keywords
Where ALPLArecycling is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Johannesburg
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices14 records
Markets served
ALPLArecycling business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Recycled Plastic Materials Sales: Sale of rPET and rHDPE recycled plastic pellets to packaging manufacturers, consumer goods companies, and food & beverage brands. Revenue is generated through long-term supply contracts and spot sales of recycled polymers, priced per tonne based on material grade (food-grade vs non-food-grade) and colour. The company also offers tolling arrangements through joint ventures.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
ALPLArecycling product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ALPLArecycling operates as the dedicated recycling division of ALPLA Group, mechanically processing post-consumer plastic (PET and HDPE) bottles into food-grade and non-food-grade recycled resin pellets (rPET and rHDPE) for sale to packaging manufacturers and consumer goods brands. The company operates 14 facilities across 10 countries (including five joint ventures) with approximately 400,000 tonnes of installed and projected annual PCR capacity, applying a bottle-to-bottle closed-loop principle.
Product overview
ALPLArecycling is a plastics recycling division of ALPLA Group that operates as a single unified recycling business focused on bottle-to-bottle recycling. The company operates 14 recycling plants across 10 countries (including 5 joint ventures) with an annual capacity of approximately 400,000 tonnes of post-consumer recycled (PCR) material. The product portfolio centers on two core recycled plastic resins: rPET (recycled PET used for preform production) and rHDPE (recycled HDPE for non-food packaging applications). The company follows a closed-loop approach where packaging becomes packaging again, supported by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. ALPLArecycling was established in 2023 as the unified brand consolidating all ALPLA recycling activities globally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- rPET: Recycled PET (rPET) used primarily for production of new preforms, available in food-grade and non-food-grade variants in various colors (clear, light blue, green, blue).
- rHDPE
Products and services
- rPET (Recycled PET) Post-consumer recycled PET resin pellets used primarily for producing new preforms and beverage bottles. Available in food-grade (transparent, light blue, green, blue) and non-food-grade variants. Reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 94% compared to virgin PET. Sold to packaging converters and consumer goods brands.
- rHDPE (Recycled HDPE) Post-consumer recycled HDPE resin pellets used for non-food packaging (personal care, household cleaning) and milk bottles. Available in natural and white variants. Reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 92% compared to virgin HDPE. Sold to packaging converters and consumer goods brands.
Quantifiable outcome
- rPET reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 94% compared to virgin PET material
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use ALPLArecycling
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ALPLArecycling technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
ALPLArecycling partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Clean BottlecoreBrazilian HDPE recycling company. ALPLArecycling joined Clean Bottle at the beginning of 2025 and acquired a majority stake in the joint venture. Annual production capacity of 15,000 tonnes. Expands ALPLA's South American recycling footprint.
- Coca-Cola FEMSAcoreJoint venture partner in the PLANETA PET recycling plant in Cunduacán, Mexico. Groundbreaking in 2022; production ramp-up planned for 2024. Coca-Cola FEMSA provides offtake commitment and sustainability partnership for recycled content in their packaging.
- PPT Global ChemicalcoreJoint venture partner in the Envicco recycling plant for PET and HDPE in Rayong, Thailand. Commissioned in 2022. PPT Global Chemical provides regional market presence and local operational expertise in Southeast Asia.
- Ecohelp and UPTcoreJoint venture for PET recycling plant in Targu Mures, Romania. Production started in 2023 with annual capacity of 18,000 tonnes of rPET. Ecohelp and UPT are local Romanian partners providing regional market access and operational collaboration.
- FROMM GroupcoreJoint venture partner in PRT Wolfen (Germany) for PET recycling. ALPLA later acquired the entire stake in the PET Recycling Team Wolfen joint venture and also acquired the Texplast recycling company from FROMM Group in 2022, significantly increasing annual processing volume in Germany.
- IMER (Industria Mexicana de Reciclaje)coreALPLA became a joint venture partner in PET recycling at IMER in Mexico in 2005, marking its first entry into post-consumer recycling. This was the foundation of ALPLA's international recycling activities.
- Ellen MacArthur FoundationcoreALPLA is a signatory to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, an initiative of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. As a signatory, ALPLA has committed to 100% recyclable packaging, 25% average recycled content, and investing at least 50 million euros per year through 2025 in recycling activities. This partnership drives ALPLA's sustainability strategy and provides third-party credibility for its circular economy commitments.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ALPLArecycling competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Indorama Ventures: One of the world's largest PET producers with significant PET recycling capacity (PET-value chain vertical integration). Directly competes with ALPLArecycling in food-grade rPET and bottle-to-bottle recycling, serving overlapping beverage and FMCG customers.
- CarbonLite: US-based PET bottle-to-bottle recycler producing food-grade rPET pellets. Directly comparable in technology (mechanical recycling), end-market (beverage bottlers), and regulatory positioning (FDA/EFSA food-contact).
Broad incumbents
- ALPLA Group: Parent organisation of ALPLArecycling and a top-tier global plastic packaging manufacturer with 206 locations. Provides the upstream packaging context into which ALPLArecycling's recyclate feeds, and is the integrated counterparty whose customer base anchors demand.
- Suez: French multinational water and waste-management company with plastics-recycling assets in Europe. Operates mechanical recycling lines for PET and HDPE and competes with ALPLArecycling for both feedstock and downstream recycled-resin customers.
- Eastman Chemical: US specialty chemical company with a methanolysis-based PET recycling technology (Eastman Renew) targeting food-contact applications. Competes in the same food-grade rPET market as ALPLArecycling but via chemical recycling, and leverages its broader polyester-resin footprint.
- Veolia: Global environmental services and waste-management major with substantial plastics recycling operations across Europe. Competes for the same post-consumer feedstock collection and offers recycled polymers, though as part of a broader waste-management portfolio rather than a recycling pure-play.
Emerging players
- Loop Industries: Canadian company using chemical depolymerisation to break down PET and polyester into monomer building blocks for virgin-quality resin. Competes in the same food-grade rPET market but with a different technology route that accepts lower-quality feedstock.
- APK AG: German company operating solvent-based recycling (Newcycling) for polyethylene and polypropylene. Targets mixed and multi-layer plastic streams that mechanical recyclers like ALPLArecycling cannot process, positioning it as a complementary/competing recycling route.
- Carbios: French biotech company developing enzymatic depolymerisation (PET hydrolase) for PET recycling. Targets the same food-grade rPET market as ALPLArecycling but via advanced/chemical recycling technology, representing both a competitive threat and a complementary technology pathway.
Regional players
- EcoBlue: European plastics recycler producing rPET and rHDPE pellets. Operates in overlapping geographies (particularly Central/Eastern Europe) with similar food-grade sorting and mechanical recycling technology, competing for both feedstock and brand-owner customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ALPLArecycling social profiles
Digital presenceALPLArecycling financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ALPLArecycling leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
ALPLArecycling subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries14 records
ALPLArecycling funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ALPLArecycling M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ALPLArecycling
What does ALPLArecycling do?
ALPLArecycling operates as the dedicated recycling division of ALPLA Group, mechanically processing post-consumer plastic (PET and HDPE) bottles into food-grade and non-food-grade recycled resin pellets (rPET and rHDPE) for sale to packaging manufacturers and consumer goods brands. The company operates 14 facilities across 10 countries (including five joint ventures) with approximately 400,000 tonnes of installed and projected annual PCR capacity, applying a bottle-to-bottle closed-loop principle.
Is ALPLArecycling a public or private company?
ALPLArecycling is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was ALPLArecycling founded?
ALPLArecycling was founded in 2005.
Where is ALPLArecycling based?
ALPLArecycling is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does ALPLArecycling make money?
One revenue line is on record: recycled Plastic Materials Sales.
Who are ALPLArecycling's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Indorama Ventures and CarbonLite. Broad incumbents are ALPLA Group, Suez, Eastman Chemical and Veolia. Emerging players are Loop Industries, APK AG and Carbios. EcoBlue is listed as a regional player.
Does ALPLArecycling have an API?
No public API is recorded for ALPLArecycling.
What industry is ALPLArecycling in?
ALPLArecycling's product category is Recycled Plastics Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIAKAD, Food-Grade & rPET/rHDPE Recycling (Decontamination/SSP, Bottle-to-Bottle), with a secondary code of EUAIAKAF, Rigid Plastics Recycling (HDPE/PP, Injection/Blow Molded). Its NAICS code is 325211 and its SIC code is 2820.