SOUTH AFRICA – ALPLA, a leader in plastic packaging and recycling, has inaugurated a new recycling plant spanning 90,000 square meters in Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal, following a €60 million (US$65 million) investment.
Starting next year, ALPLArecycling aims to produce up to 35,000 tons of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) annually. This high-quality rPET will be processed into sustainable plastic packaging at ALPLA’s production facility in Lanseria, Gauteng.
In a recent announcement, ALPLA emphasized its commitment to growth in South Africa, noting the economic boost this plant will bring to KwaZulu-Natal and the iLembe district.
“South Africa is a strategically important market for us, and we’re excited to continue growing here,” said ALPLA CEO Philipp Lehner.
“Our goal, in partnership with our customers, is to provide safe, affordable, and sustainable packaging solutions that improve standards of living. Our investments in Ballito and previously in Lanseria have laid the foundation for a successful future.”
The Ballito plant will have an initial capacity of 35,000 tons of rPET flakes, with 16,000 tons earmarked for conversion into rPET pellets through a new extrusion line.
Production is expected to commence in early 2025, following quality approvals for both the flakes and pellets.
This capacity expansion will benefit South Africa’s beverage industry by supplying high-quality rPET material to meet the country’s legal requirements for recycled content.
Under South Africa’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulation, which took effect in 2021, PET beverage bottles have been required to contain at least 10% recycled material since 2022, a figure set to double to 20% by 2026.
“Our facility will increase the availability of rPET in the national market,” explained ALPLArecycling Managing Director Dietmar Marin.
“The beverage industry will benefit from a reliable supply of quality material, enabling compliance with local regulations.”
Additionally, the plant manager, Gerhard Meyringer, noted that ALPLA’s partnerships with regional collection programs will advance the circular economy in South Africa by reducing waste.
Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal CEO Sihle Ngcamu highlighted ALPLA’s role in driving industrial development in the iLembe District.
“ALPLA’s investment not only supports local industrialization but also aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, attracting other companies along the value chain and generating thousands of jobs in collection infrastructure.”
The Ballito plant was designed with future scalability in mind, including space for an additional extrusion line and 30,000 square meters for further expansion.
This facility complements ALPLA’s Lanseria plant, which opened in 2022 and processes recycled PET into preforms for beverage bottles.
ALPLA’s strategic growth extends beyond South Africa. In June 2024, the company completed a confidential deal to acquire Heinlein Plastik-Technik, a German packaging specialist.
This acquisition will strengthen ALPLA’s pharmaceutical division, ALPLApharma, and bolster the company’s position in the global packaging market, enabling a promising expansion of its product portfolio.
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