Press release: 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 shortage of high-quality recycled engineering polymers and foresees that the problem will drastically exacerbate in the next few years. “HolyPoly has reacted to this problem with brand-owned material streams. With this new offering, we are providing brand manufacturers with the future today: a reliable supply of recyclate at a stable, competitive prices”, explains Röder. Previously untapped feedstocks of waste provide the basis for these new plastic recycling streams. We convert these material flows into traceable, high-quality recyclates that are tailored precisely to customer requirements.” This allows HolyPoly to secure supply capacity for its customers ahead of competitors, 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, materials sustainability and innovation. “On this journey, our vision becomes reality”, says Fridolin Pflüger, CEO of HolyPoly. “Our customers can meet their recycled content targets for engineering plastics with ease, because we have a stable supply from new sources that we develop into unique circular ecosystems.”
After the trip, the “time travellers” can remain in the DeLorean to discuss with Pflüger and HolyPoly CRO Laura Cordes the relevance of this vision of the future and HolyPoly’s offering for their sector and their company. Visitors can book the trip into the future and subsequent discussion at holypoly.co/K2025.
High-quality plastics not readily available
HolyPoly’s successful service business makes it clear to Pflüger just how severe the lack of high-quality recycled engineering plastics is even today. “Our clients are searching for recyclates for long-term projects”, he explains. “They simply cannot find these materials on the open market — particularly not if they work in sectors that have high quality and safety requirements for engineering materials.”
According to a study by the German plastics industry think-tank BKV, “The Status Quo and Forecast of Demand and Supply of Post-Consumer Recyclates in 2030”, the shortage of recyclates is set to worsen in the coming years due to legally mandated minimum quotas. Such requirements are likely to appear in legislation like the EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation (ELVR), which is expected to stipulate that from 2032 onwards every new vehicle type must contain 15–25 percent recycled plastic from post-consumer waste streams.
HolyPoly taps new material streams for virgin-quality recyclates
Pflüger has a solution to meeting these needs. “At HolyPoly, we are tapping into new, traceable sources of materials 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 premium recyclates with qualities similar to virgin plastics, for instance 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 tailored to their applications and are successfully applied in volume production.
Brand-Owned Material 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 launched a new offering. With Brand-Owned Material Streams, OEMs and brand manufacturers have the opportunity to secure supply of premium recyclates from limited-quantity, proprietary plastic recycling streams.
Offtakers become co-owners of the end-to-end material flow (from feedstock through the entire process to plant output), assuring access today to the materials of tomorrow. With this model, HolyPoly is providing a pioneering solution for recyclate sourcing that offers an alternative to both the traditional post-consumer plastics market (which predominantly relies on established waste streams such as packaging) and virgin products (whose prices are subject to significant fluctuations). “Unlike commodity suppliers, we provide something very different: novel qualities, guaranteed access, and long-term price stability”, says Pflüger.
HolyPoly has already developed several Brand-Owned Material Streams and is now scaling this offering with its customers. To support this growth, 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.