The companies acquired include Der Grüne Punkt – Duales System Deutschland GmbH, which operates one of the leading dual systems for the collection and recycling of used sales packaging in Germany, as well as Systec Plastics GmbH with its production facility in Hörstel and Systec Plastics Eisfeld GmbH, which produce high-quality recyclates for the plastics and packaging industry from plastic waste collected in the German yellow bag and yellow garbage can.
Founder and President of Circular Resources Carlos Monreal says: “The acquisition of Der Grüne Punkt by Circular Resources is a milestone for closed-loop recycling. Circular Resources will fully support Der Grüne Punkt’s current licensing, waste collection and mechanical recycling businesses, which are performing very strongly, and complement this by introducing large scale chemical recycling of waste plastics in Germany.” Carlos Monreal is also the founder and CEO of Plastic Energy, a global leader in chemical recycling of end-of-life plastic waste. The deal is expected to unlock further synergies between mechanical and chemical recycling of plastic waste in Europe that will allow plastics currently being lost from the value chain to be brought back into the recycling loop.
“Waste has long since become a valuable raw material. With plastics in particular, we must ensure that the fossil carbon they contain does not end up in the environment, causing pollution and exacerbating climate change”, says Laurent Auguste, CEO of Circular Resources, explaining the commitment. “The concept of circular carbon is becoming increasingly important for a true circular economy. Our goal is therefore to provide a holistic solution for the recyclability of plastic. Together with Der Grüne Punkt, we are developing a unique approach by combining sales packaging licensing and direct access to the recycled material stream, whether mechanically or chemically recycled. We want to partner directly with packaging producers and help them to close the loop through their buying decisions.”
“With Circular Resources, we are gaining the strategic partner we need to further develop our business and to develop into new areas to create additional value for our customers,” Michael Wiener, CEO of Der Grüne Punkt, is convinced. “We will continue to invest in mechanical recycling, expanding both quality and capacity and adding new applications for our recyclates. In addition, we will work to develop solutions for plastic waste that cannot be mechanically recycled, including through chemical recycling. This will mean we can keep more materials in the loop and reduce the environmental impact of packaging waste. We will also seek to develop the business internationally. Circular Resources is just the right partner to work with us in this mission.”
The partners emphasize that the well-positioned business areas of the various companies complement each other optimally and will be further developed as part of a holistic solution. Packaging licensing and recycling will continue to go hand in hand. “Our common goal is to act quickly and innovatively to realize synergies between the businesses to serve our customers in this rapidly evolving market,” Auguste says. “Together with Der Grüne Punkt, we will be a driver for new circular solutions, including chemical recycling.”
“We will take the concept of extended product stewardship to a new level and offer our customers a one-stop-shop solution as part of an exclusive partnership,” Wiener announces. “The group offers comprehensive consulting services around Design4Recycling and the use of recyclates, licensing of sales packaging in the dual system, high-quality recyclates from mechanical recycling – and polymers from chemical recycling, obtained from post-consumer waste and suitable for the production of new plastics, including for food packaging.”
Circular Resources has taken over the entire group of companies with all shares, the management of Der Grüne Punkt remains on board and will take a significant stake in the new company. The companies of Der Grüne Punkt will continue to operate and develop in their current form. The aim is to continue to grow together, and to increase the volume of high quality recyclates provided. The investments already planned independently of the takeover to increase quality and capacity in the German recycling plants of Der Grüne Punkt will be carried out as planned. For example, the company will invest to develop one of its existing sites into a processing facility for plastics that are currently destined for incineration to divert them instead towards chemical recycling.
Two prominent German businessmen, who through their investment fund CirCap will be investors in Circular Resources, will join the board of the holding company of Der Grüne Punkt group. Ralf Huep (ex-Advent International) and Karl-Georg Altenburg (ex-JP Morgan) will serve as non-executive chairman and director respectively. Huep says: “We are totally committed to unlocking the full potential of Der Grüne Punkt. The Company has pioneered the dual system in Germany, developed a very strong brand, adapted to different regulatory and market changes and is now ready to expand. The foundations are solid, and the new shareholders will help to boost its growth.”
