avk-esg-2024-25 - Flipbook - Page 30
RECYCLED
PLASTIC IN
OUR PRODUCTION
Recycled plastics is a value-adding component in the
product manufacturing process in the AVK Plastics
companies where thousands of tonnes of recycled plastics
go into production every year.
The mission of the AVK Plastics group,
consisting of four companies, is to support
the circular economy of plastics through the
development, manufacturing, and sales of
injection moulded products made from recycled
plastics. Every year, thousands of tonnes
of recycled plastics are converted into new
products with conversion volumes growing
steadily.
AVK Plastics’ major product categories are
transport pallets, surface boxes, and waste
containers. In addition to marketing of their
own products, the AVK Plastics companies
also manufacture products and components
for other companies within the AVK Group as
well as for other businesses. In the financial
year 2024/25, AVK Plastics converted about
35,000 tonnes of post-consumer plastics into
new products.
Circularity of materials is becoming increasingly
important, and recycling is an important part
of AVK’s business. As the global population
grows and consumption patterns continue to
strain natural resources, we are using materials
faster than they can be replenished. In parallel,
environmental pollution from end-of-life product
waste is another major topic, especially for
materials as lasting as plastics. Implementing
circularity is a way for AVK Plastics to reduce
CO2 emissions.
Most injection moulding companies, producing
with some degree of recycled plastics, use
granulated plastic materials, which can be
processed like virgin plastic. However, the
production of granules from plastic waste,
involves an energy intensive extrusion step.
30 | AVK Group Sustainability report 2024/2025
Over the years, AVK Plastics have adjusted the
production process to use recycled materials
such as regrind. Regrind is produced by sorting,
washing and shredding hard plastic waste. It
is a simple process, resulting in a significantly
reduced energy consumption and CO2 footprint
of the recycling activity compared to the use of
re-granulated material.
AVK Plastics produce at four different European
locations to serve the European market. All
sites use locally sourced recycled raw materials
produced to controlled specifications. This
decentralised operation approach, with locally
sourced materials and proximity to the end
customer, significantly reduces the transport
requirements compared to a centralised setup,
thereby contributing to a lower CO2 footprint for
AVK Plastics’ products.
All AVK Plastics’ manufacturing sites use
renewable energy, generally based on
Certificates of Origin (COO) from the energy
supplier. Recently, AVK Plastics’ largest
production site in Balk, NL, stepped up further
in their contribution to the renewable energy
transition by entering into a corporate Power
Purchase Agreement (cPPA) with a nearby
solar park. Through this long term cPPA, AVK
Plastics commit to using 100% of the solar
energy generated by this park, on average
covering 25%, and during peak performance
100%, of the electricity used at AVK Plastics
site in Balk.
