PreZero expands its presence in South Carolina

PreZero US Inc., headquartered in Los Angeles, is planning to invest $11.5 million in a facility in Westminster, South Carolina, that will have the capacity to process 40,000 tons of plastic scrap per year.

PreZero US tells Recycling Today that the Westminster facility was once owned by ACI Plastics, which had been one of the company’s strategic partners. PreZero US says it will no longer be in partnership with ACI Plastics and that it is investing to improve the facility to meet its production goals.

The facility will feature state-of-the-art equipment to process plastic scrap into high-quality recycled resins. PreZero US is renovating and refitting the facility with new equipment to accommodate additional lines to meet the growing demand among U.S. manufacturers for postconsumer recycled content.

In its first two phases of development, PreZero US plans to process polyethylene, polypropylene and low-density polyethylene at the Westminster facility. The company says it will consider adding processing lines for additional materials in the future, depending on business needs.

According to a news release from the South Carolina governor’s website, PreZero plans to source mixed rigid plastics from material recovery facilities in the region as well as from businesses with large volumes of flexible packaging, such as warehouses and distribution centers. The expansion is expected to be completed by the fall of 2023 and will add 32 jobs to the area.

PreZero US tells Recycling Today that it has been in the Oconee County region of South Carolina since 2019. The company says, “As we have integrated into the community, we have come to see the value in developing here as we look to have a presence and service every major region in the U.S.”

“We are excited to be building our facility with the community of Westminster,” says PreZero US CEO Hernan de la Vega. “We have been operational since 2019, and this is only the beginning. We have made significant investments into the region, and we are happy to provide stable, long-term employment opportunities for the surrounding community that will allow us to grow together.”

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster adds, “We congratulate PreZero US on today’s announcement and look forward to the company’s increased presence in Oconee County. South Carolina’s business climate continues to provide the resources needed for companies to be successful, and we are happy to have great firms like PreZero US call South Carolina home.”