New Corema System Combines Recycling, Compounding in a Single System

EREMA, Ansfelden, Austria, has introduced Corema, a new product concept in which plastics are recycled and compounded in a single step, the company says. The development is based on processing inexpensive recyclables to make customized plastic compounds in a single step without intermediate cooling.

The system is designed to offer flexibility in terms of the materials processed and system configurations. According to EREMA, this combined recycling and compounding system allows forward integration for recyclers in terms of material production, and reverse integration for the compounder towards material procurement.

The system was presented publicly for the first time earlier this year during EREMA’s Discovery Days at the company's headquarters.

Corema’s compounding technology comes from Coperion GmbH. Inexpensive material such as PP nonwoven, PE edge trim and PA fibers are turned into filtered melt using EREMA technology. In EREMA’s cutter/compactor the material is cut, homogenized, heated, dried and buffered. The preheated material is plastified in a single-screw extruder and cleaned in the fully-automatic, self-cleaning filter. The prepared melt is then shipped to the co-rotating twin-screw extruder from Coperion. With its mixing and gas removal properties, this part of the system can handle all compounding tasks, EREMA says. Besides the dosing of a wide variety of additives, high amounts of fillers and reinforcing agents can be used, the company says.

"We made a conscious decision in favor of Coperion as a partner. This company has a wealth of experience in the production of compounds and the twin-screw extruders are made in such a modular way that they can be adapted for any individual job. And the same applies to our recycling system," says one of the two EREMA CEOs, Manfred Hackl. The result is customized plastic compounds for high-quality applications. Hackl continues: "Together, we are convinced that with this combined technology customers can take another step in the value added chain and turn waste into new products in an economic way."

Corema systems are available for both smaller amounts of 300 kilograms per hour and large amounts of up to 4 tons per hour. According to EREMA, Corema is suitable for a broad spectrum of material. The company says the large, patented EREMA cutter/compactor can be used for a wide variety of recycling jobs and applications according to the design.

CEO Manfred Hackl explains, "We are of the opinion that Corema is the ideal system, not only to process inexpensive mixed fractions such as PET/PE with additives, but also to produce a compound with 20 percent talcum out of PP nonwoven waste, for example.” As well as being used in the electrical and construction industry, PP/talcum compounds are used mainly for white household goods and in the automotive industry.”

A pilot Corema system with an output of 400 kg/h is already in use at a customer's plant near the company's headquarters, and EREMA operates a system of its own at the headquarters with 600 kg/h output.

Erema also notes that the Dutch company Rodepa Plastics has been operating two EREMA recycling systems and has seen an increase in demand for filled recyclates over a longer period.

Mark Langenhof of Rodepa explains, "This is why we looked very closely into compounding and had a look at what machines were available on the market. When we heard that EREMA covers this topic with their own product line we contacted them straight away."

For Langenhof the logical configuration of the system was convincing. "The recycled material is processed and filtered in the robust and proven cutter/compactor single-screw system. The clean melt then moves directly to the twin-screw unit which is available for a wide variety of compounding tasks. All in all you can expect outstanding energy efficiency from this process. Besides this it is also important for us to have a strong partner by our side, especially in this field. Thanks to its excellent after-sales service EREMA is second to none and has been for many years."