Production of raw materials for PET bottles soon in Serbia - Greentech to finish first phase of factory near Backa Palanka in November

The first phase of construction of a plant where, for the first time in Serbia, PET packaging will be recycled to produce R-PET granules, raw materials for the production of new PET bottles, will be completed in November in Mladenovo near Backa Palanka. The Greentech company is going to invest EUR 5 million in this new factory that will employ 100 workers.

- The first phase of construction of our new factory near Backa Palanka will be finished in November 2013. In the first phase, this new facility will allow us to boost processing capacity and, what is even more important, achieve a higher technological level of processing. We are going to obtain a PET hot washing line made by Italy's Sorema. All this will run parallel to the setting up of a state-of-the-art wastewater and vapor treatment plant – Greentech CEO Mihail Mateski says in a talk with eKapija.

As our interlocutor explains, the first phase will enable them to proceed to the next two phases of investment - a PET bottle to bottle recycling plant that will be producing R-PET granules and a polyethylene and polypropylene recycling plant.

- In the following period, we will set up the first bottle to bottle recycling plant in Serbia based on Vacurema technology. This plant will make it possible for the first time in Serbia to recycle waste PET packaging to produce R-PET granules that represent a substitute for original granules used in the production of PET preforms. Manufacturers of PET bottles will be able to use a cheaper domestic raw material produced using the recycling technology in line with European standards instead of expensive imported original PET granules, which will contribute to environmental preservation in Serbia in addition to having economic importance - Mateski explains.

The plan is to have all the phases of construction finished in H1 2014. As people at Greentech announce, they plan to hire another 100 workers.

Greentech is an export-oriented company selling more than 90% of production abroad. R-PET granules are used by both foreign and local manufacturers of PET packaging.

- The factory will have a capacity of about 7,000-8,000 tonnes of R-PET granules a year. In that way, we will give impulse to other recyclers to start finalization in their respective fields. When it comes to PET packaging manufacturers, we are already running tests with several companies that produce PET preforms, such as Energopet, Ekstra pet, Polimark, Minaqua, and others.

Our interlocutor says that the new group-wide investment cycle is made possible with the EBRD's acquisition of a 25-percent stake in the company. Apart from investing in our country, the Green Group also plans to invest in a packaging recycling plant near Bucharest.

S.O.