Avangard, KW Plastics partner in Mexico

The plastics recycling firm KW Plastics, headquartered in Troy, Alabama, has engaged Avangard Innovative (AI), based in Houston, in an exclusive agreement to manage the market development and purchasing of HDPE (high-density polyethylene) injection grade and bulky rigids from Mexico.

Operating in Mexico since the 1990s in PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and HDPE collection and processing, AI, one of the largest recyclers in North America, provides recycling services and management of all commodity streams for retailers. Avangard says its knowledge of working in Mexico and its expertise in managing the quality, logistics, customs and overall supply chain will help KW bring in more HDPE injection-grade material to meet rapidly growing consumer demand.

“KW Plastics is very excited to be working with Avangard Innovative. KW and AI have a long-lasting relationship that began in the mid-1990s as the two companies successfully developed the market for HDPE and mixed color bottles in Mexico,” says Scott Saunders, KW Plastics Recycling Division general manager. “KW has recently completed the installation of a new wash line designed to process bulky rigid HDPE containers with the capacity to consume 12 million pounds per month of material. We believe Mexico can supply a substantial portion of the material needed for our new line.”

KW started developing markets for the recycled resin from the HDPE bulky rigid stream. The product is so well-received today that the company says demand has outgrown the current supply available in the United States. In an effort to increase its inbound feedstock, KW looked to Mexico as a source. Knowing the extent of its capabilities, KW determined that AI would be the answer to KW's hurdles in Mexico and fulfilling management needs.

Rick Perez, AI CEO, says,"We are delighted to be working with KW on this project as their sourcing group in Mexico. It shows the progress of our industry in an effort to align companies to achieve goals in which we leverage the expertise of each company. This will have a positive impact in our communities we operate in; not only economically and environmentally but also socially by increasing collection, improving quality, educating recycling facilities and making quality recycled resin available in grades that were once not available to converters."

Both companies are members of the Washington-based Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers’ (APR) Rigids Committee, formed in 2011, which was created to focus on the recovery of polypropylene (PP) packaging commonly found in the home, including bottles and yogurt containers as well as caps and lids. As a result of the committee’s efforts, a new opportunity was uncovered in the recycling stream. HDPE injection-grade bulky rigid containers, typically collected at the front end of a material recovery facility processing single-stream materials, promised rapid growth, the companies say. 

To sell HDPE injection-grade and bulky rigid bales, contact AI at 281-582-0700 or email the Mexico sourcing representative managing this program, Octavio Victal, at HDPE@avaicg.com.