Recycling

Product information

Sustainability is a key focus area at KraussMaffei Extrusion. With our proven and well-established extrusion technologies, we offer time-tested solutions for all recycling process requirements, especially for challenging applications that demand high quality and high throughput, or involve novel technologies. As an independent systems provider, we can select the optimal equipment for your specific needs, supported by a team of experts dedicated to turning your ideas into reality.

More than 25 years experience

Over 500 kta in advanced recycling process capacity installed

FDA-approved mechanical recycling

FDA-approved recycling of polyolefines and PET
Energy-efficient upcycling with integrated compounding, tailored to product needs
High-volume, high-torque twin-screw extruders for gentle agglomerate dispersion to enhance optical and mechanical properties
Fully scalable with high degassing capabilities and flexibility
High temperature systems for chemical recycling, safe handling of solvents

Why our Extrusion Line stands out

Because we are pioneers. Each major process category in the field of recycling that involves extruders has already been implemented using our extrusion technology. Solvent-based processes, solvolysis, and even pyrolysis are not new to us: our extruders often play an integral role in these applications.

They are far more than just pumps for melt filters: They can serve as reaction units with adjustable pressure, temperature, and mass flow, or as efficient devolatilization machines that meet strict regulatory requirements.

Fully scalable, highly adaptable, energy-efficient, and reliable.

Applications

Mechanical Recycling – Polyolefin

Polyolefins make up about two-thirds of all plastic packaging waste and offer enormous recycling potential. KraussMaffei Extrusion provides technologies to recycle rigid materials for food-grade applications, upgrade streams into high-quality compounds for technical uses, and process (multi-layer) flexible materials into films with significantly improved optical and mechanical properties.

Mechanical Recycling – PET

PET is the flagship material of the circular plastics economy: consistently available, low in variability, and reactive for re-condensation. Our ZE BluePower twin-screw extruder offers a fully scalable system (20–12,000 kg/h) for gentle melting, effective moisture removal, and short residence times, preserving intrinsic viscosity and making the material fully reusable for preform production.

Mechanical Recycling – Engineering Plastics

Today, recycling goes far beyond packaging, from coated car parts to discarded fishing nets. Flexible twin-screw extrusion lines transform complex waste streams into high-quality recyclates. With pretreatment partners, our extrusion technology center, lab, and material network, we develop optimal formulations, boost margins, and ensure quality for a sustainable, green future.

Solvent-based Recycling

As the circular economy advances toward contact-sensitive recyclates from polyolefins or polystyrenes, even improved mechanical recycling reaches its limits. Solvent-based processes are gaining importance, using advanced separation to purify polymers. KraussMaffei Extrusion´s twin- and single-screw extruders efficiently integrate and remove solvents, meeting throughput, safety, and quality standards across a wide range of concentrations.

Chemical Recycling – Depolymerization and Solvolysis

Solvents can dissolve polymers for separation or act as reactive agents in depolymerization. For polymers with cleavable bonds like PET or PC, they enable oligomer and monomer recovery at mild temperatures and low pressures, often within extruders. Thermally depolymerizable polymers such as PA6, PMMA, and PS yield high-value chemicals recoverable via condensation and purification.

Chemical Recycling – Pyrolysis

In addition to dissolving polymers for separation, solvents also act as reactive agents in depolymerization processes. They enable the recovery of oligomers and monomers from polycondensates like PET or PC under mild conditions, often directly in extruders. Thermally depolymerizable polymers such as PA6, PMMA, and PS yield high-value chemicals recoverable through condensation and purification.

Technology Center

At our facility in Laatzen, we maintain one of the largest extrusion centers of the world. Offering space for 26 extrusion lines, the complete KraussMaffei Extrusion portfolio of machines and equipment is available for customers. For recycling applications, we are able to asses pre-compaction steps with a production scale flat-die press, perform inline compounding on up to 65 mm high volume twin-screw extruders, handle medium to low bulk density materials, leverage different filtration-technologies with melt-pumps for highly contaminated materials and effectively decontaminate the melt with deep vacuum (1 mbar with high volume rates).

Supported by our fully equipped analytical lab, our customers can test the incorporation of flammable solvents (incl. subsequent degassing), simulate pyrolysis reactor-feeds, perform challenge tests and of course do mechanical recycling for virtually any polymer available.

Turnkey-Solutions

We offer Turnkey-Solutions for complete recycling lines! Are you looking for expert support in optimizing processes, concepts, logistics, basic or detailed design and interface coordination for your recycling system? Then you need a strong partner with the necessary expertise in process technology, facility design and turnkey solutions.

Integration of third-party components in our lines and providing full support during installation and start-up are natural parts of our daily business. As an independent solution provider KraussMaffei Extrusion can work with different partners to always choose the best option for your task.

Contact

Lennart Eberlein

Teamlead Sales Compounding & Recycling

lennart.eberlein@kraussmaffei.com +49 (0)5102 86088178

Consulting

Spare parts