ERT, Axion land first order for Axplas

Two U.K. companies, Environmental Recycling Technologies plc (ERT) and Axion Polymers, have received the first order for Axplas, the formulated recycled polymers tailored to ERT’s Powder Impression Moulding (PIM) technology.

The contract follows the commercial collaboration agreement between ERT and Axion to develop the recycled plastic powder formulations for use by end-users using ERT’s moulding technology.

The agreement brings together Axion's in-house expertise in polymer processing and quality assurance with ERT's PIM technology, to prepare a set of standard PIM powder products under the Axplas registered brand name.

ERT says that the 100-percent-recycled plastics formulation ensures a consistency of blend and increased final product strength, while simplifying the end customer's production process and reducing process waste levels.

Under the terms of the agreement, ERT will provide the know-how and pilot scale test equipment to enable recycled plastic byproducts to be milled into controlled powder blends that can be molded using its PIM technology. The process is complemented by Axion's polymer processing knowledge and blending facilities to enable a set of formulations to be created from the engineering plastics recovered by the company's automotive end-of-life vehicle and waste electrical equipment recycling plants.

ERT receives a royalty on the tonnage shipped by Axion under the terms of the agreement. In support of the collaboration ERT has deployed a dedicated polymer technologist to concentrate on developing the recycled powder blends and the associated polymer tests to accompany the processing system.

Lee Clayton, ERT’s managing director, says, “We are delighted that our collaboration has generated its inaugural commercial order. Axion has demonstrated its commitment to develop Axplas PIM powder formulations, to support the roll-out of our PIM technology for the recycling of plastic waste into commercial end user products and are able to ship at scale to current and potential licensees.”

ERT develops technologies that focus on plastics recycling. The company holds the worldwide intellectual property rights to the PIM process.