The use of recycled plastics in high-quality end products is gaining importance worldwide – driven by sustainability targets set by international brand owners and regulatory requirements. At Chinaplas, taking place from 21 to 24 April 2026 in Shanghai, EREMA will show how proven recycling technology can deliver consistently high-quality regranulates for a wide range of applications.

Ansfelden, 13 April 2026 – At this year’s Chinaplas, EREMA will focus on recycling solutions for high-quality end applications. EREMA experts will be available for in-depth discussions at stand 2.1 B58.

"Many companies are currently addressing specific questions about which applications recyclates can and will be used for today and in the future," says James Qiu, General Manager at EREMA Shanghai. "These are exactly the topics we are addressing at Chinaplas."

PET recycling: flexibility for different target markets

Solutions for PET continue to account for the majority of recycling systems in China. EREMA has already installed more than 50 VACUREMA^® and VACUNITE^® systems in the region. The trend is moving towards food-grade applications. "Our technologies offer customers maximum flexibility," explains Christoph Wöss, Global Sales Director at EREMA. "The regranulates are used in applications such as sheets, fibers, or packaging. As soon as the market opens up for bottle-to-bottle recycling, our customers can immediately enter this segment as well."

One area with great potential is tray-to-tray recycling (take-away packaging). The required technology has already been proven on an industrial scale. Danish company Faerch, a leading food packaging manufacturer, is considered a pioneer in this field with its recycling division Cirrec: trays made from rPET thermoforming film contain up to 100 per cent recycled post-consumer PET and meet stringent requirements in terms of food safety, durability and transparency.

The VACUREMA^® and VACUNITE^® machine series have been approved by globally recognized food safety authorities for the production of food-grade rPET. In December 2025, EREMA also received four additional positive opinions from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in accordance with EU Regulation 2022/1616. This confirms that the technology meets current requirements for decontamination and process validation. Furthermore, the distinction between bottle and sheet applications reduces complexity for recycling companies.

"The majority of rPET in China is currently used in textile production," adds James Qiu. "With a future opening of bottle-to-bottle recycling, it will be crucial to establish solutions that keep PET within its respective loops." With the PET fibre-to-fibre technology FibrePro:IV, as well as the investment announced in October in Australian clean-technology pioneer BlockTexx^®, EREMA is consistently expanding its expertise in textile recycling.

Post-consumer recycling gaining momentum

"We are seeing growing interest in post-consumer solutions in China," says James Qiu. "EREMA supports customers with extensive expertise." For example, together with Irish company Polymer Matters and joint venture partner Lindner Washtech, a recycling process has been realised in which HDPE milk bottles from post-consumer collections are recycled and used again to produce new milk bottles. The combination of washing and extrusion technology forms the basis for the high quality of the recyclate. The process was recently classified by the European Commission as an advanced novel technology for direct food contact.

Increasing requirements can also be observed in the recycling of film waste. Household, supermarket, and agricultural films pose particular challenges due to contamination and moisture. With the INTAREMA^® TVEplus^® DuaFil^® Compact, EREMA offers a solution designed for such demanding material streams.

While post-consumer regranulates are already being used in high-quality products in Europe, there are still only a few applications in China. One pioneering example is INTCO. The company operates around 30 INTAREMA^® TVEplus^® systems equipped with EREMA laser filters for EPS recycling. James Qiu explains: "The regranulates achieve a high level of quality and are used in premium products such as picture and photo frames. Thanks to its integrated value chain, INTCO holds a strong international market position."

Close to the customer

EREMA has been present in Asia for decades and has operated its own subsidiary in China since 2005. The locally based technicians have received comprehensive training at the company’s headquarters in Austria and provide on-site support to customers. Additional subsidiaries in Asia are located in India and Thailand.

Visit EREMA at Chinaplas 2026: Hall 2.1, Booth B58

Save the date:

“The Power of Plastics” Conference, Hall 2.1 | Booth J92

• 21 April 2026, 11:25–11:45: Winning with PET in China: Flexible Recycling, Real References, Rapid ROI | Christoph Wöss, Global Sales Director at EREMA
• 21 April 2026, 15:40–16:00: Scaling High-Quality PCR Through Edvanced Recycling Technologies | Clemens Kitzberger, Business Development Manager at EREMA
• 22 April 2026, 12:30–12:50: Scaling High-Quality PCR Through Edvanced Recycling Technologies | Clemens Kitzberger, Business Development Manager at EREMA
• 23 April 2026, 14:00–14:20: Winning with PET in China: Flexible Recycling, Real References, Rapid ROI | Christoph Wöss, Global Sales Director at EREMA