Together with GER and Midea, we have created the world’s first large-scale closed-loop circular economy system for home appliances.
Midea is the global leader for household appliances and air conditioners, owning the most comprehensive white goods portfolio, while GER is a world-leading waste recycling enterprise based in China’s Jiangxi province.
At a recent event held by Midea at their site in Foshan, China, a pilot product was made using recycled ABS provided by GER and processed by INEOS Styrolution, with the same impressive ease of processing and high quality seen in conventional grades.
This successful trial is an important milestone for the establishment of a closed-loop circular economy system, by which we will produce ABS ECO and PS ECO grades using Midea’s products at their end-of-life, after being dismantled and recycled by GER. These ABS ECO and PS ECO grades, specially tailored made for Midea, will then be used as a drop-in solution to manufacture Midea’s range of sustainable household appliances, including air conditioners, refrigerators and water dispensers.
The three companies are also collaborating to validate the use of our PS ECO grades on a commercial scale at Midea’s production facilities, finalising an integrated supply chain solution starting from Midea’s finished goods, to recycling after their end-of-life, and turning them into PS ECO and ABS ECO grades exclusively for Midea.
Mr Durante Lin, Director of Systems and Resources, Midea Group Supply Chain Management, says, “As one of the world’s leading home appliance producers, Midea has been investing into R&D for innovative and sustainable materials to significantly increase PCR content within the next five years. With the successful commercialisation of INEOS Styrolution’s ABS ECO grades for our household appliances, we have set a new benchmark in the circular economy for the industry and a step closer to realizing our goal in creating the first large-scale home appliance closed-loop circular economy system in the world.”
“We are really excited to be able to collaborate with such an innovative and creative company like Midea,” adds Alexandre Audouard, Vice President Standard Polymers Asia-Pacific, INEOS Styrolution. “Midea shares our passion for sustainability and we are fully committed to providing high quality products and sustainable solutions to help them achieve their sustainability ambitions".