{"id":180712,"date":"2026-09-07T07:23:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T05:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/?p=180712"},"modified":"2026-08-31T12:08:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T10:08:09","slug":"halftime-interview-with-manfred-hackl-recycling-is-evolving-from-a-focus-on-sustainability-to-a-raw-materials-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/halftime-interview-with-manfred-hackl-recycling-is-evolving-from-a-focus-on-sustainability-to-a-raw-materials-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"Halftime Interview with Manfred Hackl: Recycling is evolving from a focus on sustainability to a raw materials strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

Plastics recycling is evolving from a sustainability issue into a raw materials strategy. In this interview, Manfred Hackl, CEO of the Erema Group, explains the technological challenges that need to be overcome, why integrated process solutions are gaining importance, and what policy frameworks enable investment.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Halftime<\/a>
Manfred Hackl\u00a0\u00a9\u00a0Erema<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

<\/a>What technological challenges does the processing of recycled materials present?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

From a technological standpoint, process stability is crucial in recycling. Recycling plants must consistently produce high-quality output from highly variable feedstock. This requires robust systems and a thorough understanding of the process to achieve high filtration and degassing performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are regulatory measures sufficient to strengthen the circular economy in a sustainable way?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Regulatorymeasures<\/strong>such as the EU\u2019s Packaging Regulation (PPWR) or End-of-Life Vehicles Directive (ELV) are important drivers. However, it is crucial that the rules are implemented in a clear, reliable, and harmonized manner across Europe. We need a uniform system to make recycled materials more attractive. Without reliable implementation, there will be no investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will the recycling business become a standalone pillar of growth for the mechanical engineering industry in the coming years?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Recycling is evolving from a focus on sustainability to a raw materials strategy. As a result, it is transforming from a niche topic into a strategic business. Integrated process solutions along the entire value chain create additional growth potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where do you currently see the greatest need for innovation in plastics recycling?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We see the greatest need for innovation in further improving recycled material quality while maintaining stable and cost-effective processes. Digital solutions are a key driver in this regard. The systems must be energy-efficient and integrate the entire process chain more closely\u2014such as the joint venture between Erema and Lindner Washtech, which brings extrusion and washing closer together. As a solution provider, we create measurable added value for recyclers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where do you see the biggest location disadvantages compared to competitors in Europe, Asia, or North America?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A key location disadvantage in Europe is the generally sharp rise in costs driven by inflation, which we are feeling particularly acutely in energy costs, for example. Added to this are regional regulatory requirements and national exceptions that make investment more difficult. If Europe wants to remain competitive in recycling, it needs harmonized rules and a reliable regulatory framework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How is competition in the recycling market changing?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Competition<\/strong> is becoming increasingly global and more heavily influenced by raw material prices. At the same time, the focus is shifting from individual machines to integrated system solutions, where digital tools and data-driven process control are becoming key differentiators. For recycling companies, it will not only be throughput and quality that matter in the future, but also energy efficiency and the ability to optimize processes holistically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you sense that the circular economy is a strategic priority for your customers, or is it still primarily a compliance issue for many companies?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We clearly see that the circular economy goes beyond a mere compliance issue<\/strong>. Mandated quotas are increasing the pressure to act. At the same time, recycling is seen as an opportunity\u2014not just to meet requirements, but as part of a long-term raw materials strategy. Those who ignore this will lose their competitive edge in the long run.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Plastics recycling is evolving from a sustainability issue into a raw materials strategy. In this interview, Manfred Hackl, CEO of the Erema Group, explains the technological challenges that need to be overcome, why integrated process solutions are gaining importance, and what policy frameworks enable investment. What technological challenges does the processing of recycled materials present? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":180735,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","nova_meta_subtitle":"Integrated process solutions along the entire value chain create additional growth potential","footnotes":""},"categories":[17143],"tags":[10416,14462,14441,22835,10453,5528],"supplier":[1338,5585,27511],"class_list":["post-180712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-recycling","tag-circulareconomy","tag-plasticwaste","tag-policy","tag-recyclates","tag-recycling","tag-sustainability","supplier-erema","supplier-european-union","supplier-lindner-washtech"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=180712"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180712\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":180762,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180712\/revisions\/180762"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/180735"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=180712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=180712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=180712"},{"taxonomy":"supplier","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/supplier?post=180712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}