Interseroh develops new Procyclen formula for shipping containers

Interseroh Dienstleistungs GmbH, Cologne, Germany, says it has developed a special formula of its Procyclen recycled plastic for the mail-order retailer memo AG. In the future, containers used in the reusable “memo Box” shipping system will be made from this material, which has been awarded several prizes. The new formula offers unique material attributes, such as a long product lifespan, mechanical stability to up to -30 degrees Celsius, as well as UV-resistance and transport safety, which are only rarely achieved in such a combination, even with the use of new materials, Interseroh says.

Interseroh, a subsidiary of the Alba Group, manufactures Procyclen from recyclable plastic that is collected within the German Dual System. The use of Procyclen reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases alone during the production of the memo Box by up to 30 percent, the company says.

Procyclen comes in a variety of colours. “We used a special pigmentation for the memo Box which over-dyes the variegation of the starting material, so that we achieved a green which is also able to keep up with new products in terms of its intensity and clarity,” says Dr. Manica Ulcnik-Krump, manager of research and development, Recycled-Resource, at Interseroh.

Additionally, Procyclen can be made from a range of used plastics, depending on the individual requirements and intended purpose, in addition to polypropylene materials, such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polystyrene (PS). The Recycled-Resource process developed by Interseroh with which Procyclen is manufactured is based on a sophisticated upcycling and recompounding process: Following a thorough sorting process, the plastic scrap is recompounded, encompassing the extrusion, restabilising and reconstruction of the molecular structure as well as chemical modification with the addition of additives to achieve the precise plastic characteristics that are required by the customer, the company says.