Cirplus offers supply chain platform with AI component

Cirplus GmbH, a Hamburg, Germany-based company that offers a platform in Europe for the trading of recycled plastics, says it is building on its capabilities with the release of its Supply Chain Agent Cirplus AI solution.

The company says its new product combines artificial intelligence (AI) agents, standardized compliance data and workflow automation to unlock scalability “in a highly fragmented market,” adding that the result is a “radically shorter path” from material discovery to measurable business outcomes, enabling the faster, more transparent and efficient global sourcing of recycled plastics.

After years of developing data structures, driving digitalization and setting standards, Cirplus says it now is using AI to transform supply chains, noting that sourcing the right recycled material can be complex when considering the wide variety of polymer types and additive variations. The company says its Cirplus AI Supply Chain Agent addresses this by guiding procurement through three stages: assist, augment and automate.

In the first stage, the company says AI provides material recommendations and faster approval cycles. The second stage strengthens decision-making with in-depth insights into market trends, connecting pricing, demand, supply, freight rates and testing data. The company says the third stage will fully automate procurement from inquiry to delivery, ensuring compliance, efficiency and speed across global supply chains.

Cirplus says it draws data from more than 2,500 material suppliers and tracks more than 230,000 tons of recycled plastic in 70 countries every month. It claims this volume data enables precise procurement decisions, minimizes human error and allows for seamless scaling, while incorporating the latest standards for digitalization and recycled material based on EN 18065, including the digital product passport for recycled plastics.

“Since our founding, Cirplus has been driven by a clear mission: to close the loop for plastics using digital technologies at scale,” Cirplus founder and CEO Christian Schiller. “Despite the currently tough market conditions for plastic circularity, we stay committed to help the industry succeed with implementing ever greater amounts of recyclates in the value chain. Implementing our new AI solution lays the groundwork for building more reliable supply chains in recyclates at scale, worldwide.”

Cirplus says European Union regulations, such as the proposed Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and the existing End-of-Life Vehicles Directive, encourage industries to incorporate a minimum amount of recycled material, while negotiations on a global plastics treaty remain unresolved. “Nonetheless, European demand for recyclates is expected to exceed supply by a factor of two to three by 2030,” Cirplus says, adding that its AI “enables companies to stay ahead of this impending shortfall by providing greater certainty, transparency and price stability in their sourcing.”

The company will be showcasing its new product at this year’s K-Show in Düsseldorf, taking place Oct. 8-15, at Booth 7a-B25, in cooperation with the German Federal Environmental Foundation at Booth 7a-D29.