Thermoplastic recycling – Evonik and Schneider Electric Join Forces to Digitally Transform Thermoplastic Recycling
thermoplastic recycling
Pioneering a Smarter, More Sustainable Future for Thermoplastic Processing
In a bold move to accelerate the circular economy, Evonik and Schneider Electric have announced a strategic partnership to automate and digitize thermoplastic processing and recycling. The collaboration, unveiled at K 2025—the world’s leading trade fair for plastics and rubber in Düsseldorf—marks a significant step forward in the evolution of thermoplastic recycling.
Held from October 8–15, 2025, K 2025 served as the perfect stage for this announcement, drawing global attention to the future of sustainable plastics. The initiative centers on the digitization of a pilot plant at Evonik’s Essen Goldschmidt site in Germany, where the two companies are integrating advanced automation and data-driven technologies to revolutionize how thermoplastics are processed and recycled.
Why This Partnership Matters for Thermoplastic Recycling
The plastics industry is under increasing pressure to reduce waste, lower emissions, and embrace circularity. Thermoplastic recycling—the process of recovering and reprocessing plastic materials that can be melted and reshaped—offers a promising path forward. However, traditional recycling methods often suffer from inefficiencies, inconsistent quality, and limited scalability.
By combining Evonik’s expertise in high-performance additives with Schneider Electric’s leadership in industrial automation and digital transformation, this partnership aims to overcome these challenges. The result? A smarter, more efficient, and scalable approach to thermoplastic recycling that aligns with global sustainability goals.
Inside the Digital Transformation at Evonik’s Goldschmidt Site
At the heart of this initiative is the digitization of Evonik’s pilot plant in Essen. This facility will serve as a testbed for cutting-edge automation technologies designed to optimize every stage of the thermoplastic recycling process.
Using an open automation architecture, the plant will collect and contextualize data from various machines and systems into a centralized platform. This unified data environment enables:
- Real-time performance monitoring
- Predictive maintenance
- Automated quality control
- Reduction of manual interventions
- Streamlined process calculations
This digital backbone not only enhances operational efficiency but also ensures consistent recyclate quality, a critical factor in scaling up thermoplastic recycling for industrial applications.
Voices from the Partnership
“Digitalization is essential for advancing circularity. Our collaboration with Evonik demonstrates how automation can enhance recycling efficiency and quality, showcasing the power of teamwork in building a sustainable future,”
— Jessica Bethune, VP Industrial Automation DACH, Schneider Electric
“Our partnership with Schneider Electric highlights how digitalization and chemistry enable circularity in plastics. Combining Schneider Electric’s process automation with our innovative additives takes thermoplastic processing to the next level,”
— Patrick Glöckner, Head of Next Markets Program, Evonik
These statements underscore the shared vision of both companies: to lead the transformation of thermoplastic recycling through innovation, collaboration, and sustainability.
Scaling Innovation: From Pilot to Production
The digitized pilot plant is just the beginning. The long-term roadmap includes:
- Leveraging lab-scale insights to inform full-scale production
- Accelerating time-to-market for new additive solutions
- Quantifying performance improvements with real-time data
- Enabling modular, scalable recycling systems for global deployment
This approach ensures that innovations developed at the pilot level can be rapidly adapted and implemented across commercial thermoplastic recycling facilities worldwide.
Beyond Recycling: A Holistic Approach to Plastics Processing
While the partnership’s initial focus is on thermoplastic recycling, its implications extend much further. The technologies and methodologies being developed are applicable across the entire plastics value chain—from raw material processing to end-of-life recovery.
By embedding circularity into the DNA of plastics manufacturing, Evonik and Schneider Electric are setting a new standard for sustainability in the industry.
Meet the Innovators at K 2025
Want to see the future of thermoplastic recycling in action?
Visit Evonik and Schneider Electric at K 2025 in Düsseldorf:
- Evonik: Hall 6, Booth D79
- Schneider Electric: Hall 10, Booth H18
- Dates: October 8–15, 2025
Explore how automation, chemistry, and circularity are converging to reshape the plastics industry.
Conclusion: A New Era for Thermoplastic Recycling
The partnership between Evonik and Schneider Electric is more than a technical collaboration—it’s a blueprint for the future of thermoplastic recycling. By embracing digitalization, automation, and sustainability, they are setting a new benchmark for what’s possible in plastics processing.
As the world moves toward a circular economy, initiatives like this will be essential in closing the loop and creating a more sustainable, efficient, and intelligent materials ecosystem.
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