The PET packaging specialist, formerly known as Artenius PET Packaging Europe, said the expansion comes as the company struggles to keep up with demand.
“With raw material prices increasing and the political agenda across Europe promoting sustainability, demand for recycled PET continues to grow, outstripping current levels of supply,” said Frédéric Blanchard, plant manager at APPE’s recycling site in Beaune, France.
Kinza Sutton, marketing manager at APPE, added: “We are experiencing strong demand from many of our customers across Europe, particularly the multinational companies such as Coca-Cola.
“Therefore the demand, in terms of volume, is strongest where these companies are active. The UK, France and Germany are the countries currently leading the way in demand for rPET.”
To increase output from 25,000 to 35,000 tonnes, APPE said it has invested in a new wash line and an additional extruder – which turns the washed flakes into recycled pellets.
Two recycled PET resins are produced at the plant – one for food and drink packaging and a lower grade product for other applications like bottles for household cleaners.
APPE said 28,000 of the 35,000 tonnes of material produced at Beaune would be food grade resin.
As for the sourcing, it said the PET that is recycled at the plant comes from across Europe, with 65 per cent from France, 15 per cent from Belgium, 10 per cent from Germany and 7 per cent from Italy.
Sutton told FoodProductionDaily.com that these countries supply Beaune with post-consumer PET because they have the most advanced collection schemes. She added that APPE aims to source bales from sites that are as near as possible to Beaune.