The Ultra-Poly case study is part of PLASTICS’ larger New End Market Opportunities (NEMO) program that focuses expertise from throughout the plastics supply chain on developing new methods for the recovery, recycling, and reuse of plastic products. “NEMO is all about keeping plastics out of the landfill or environment and in the marketplace, where they can support the livelihoods of more than a million people who work in our industry,” added Patrick Krieger, PLASTICS’ Director of Sustainability & Materials.

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) and plastics recycler Ultra-Poly Corp. have successfully tested a process to collect and recycle car bumper covers made of plastic. According to a case study published on March 1, the process could divert approximately one million pounds of plastic from landfills annually. The recycled polyolefins (TPO) display 85 to 90% of the flexibility and elasticity found in virgin material, making them ideal for numerous end-product uses, said PLASTICS.

Piocelan is a hybrid foam molding material based on polyethylene and polystyrene. Among its applications are bumper cores and door pads, and packaging of auto parts for shipment. Sekisui Plastics counts among its Piocelan customers all of Japan’s automakers. Piocelan foam is also employed in packaging for electronic components such as liquid crystal display modules and glass substrates.

Point-of-generation collection also ensures a steady stream of source material — a single body shop can yield up to 30 scrapped bumper covers per month. The body shop saves money on dumpster space and is relieved of the concern that damaged covers may be “re-manufactured” and sold as replacement parts.

“This project demonstrates that true post-consumer material does not have to be collected only at the curbside and pre-processed by materials recovery facilities,” said Kevin Cronin, Vice President of Sustainability and R&D at Ultra-Poly. “It can also be sourced directly at the point of generation, reducing the carbon footprint and yielding more-consistent recycled products.”

“This new company headquarters and manufacturing plant in Valle de Santiago gives us the molding capacity we need for our expanding customer base,” said Thomas Pontiff, President, Sekisui Plastics USA and Sekisui Plastics Mexico. “It puts us in closer proximity to both our current and targeted OEM customers who require just-in-time (JIT) delivery.”

“This case study is a win all around for body shops, recyclers, manufacturers, and the environment,” said Tony Radoszewski, CEO of PLASTICS. “We’re proud to have innovative member companies like Ultra-Poly out there, seeking new ways to eliminate plastic waste, providing new sources of valuable materials, and expanding capabilities, which means more jobs in the recycling sector.”

Until she retired in September 2021, Clare Goldsberry reported on the plastics industry for more than 30 years. In addition to the 10,000+ articles she has written, by her own estimation, she is the author of several books, including The Business of Injection Molding: How to succeed as a custom molder and Purchasing Injection Molds: A buyers guide. Goldsberry is a member of the Plastics Pioneers Association. She reflected on her long career in "Time to Say Good-Bye."

Ultra-Poly Corp., based in Pennsylvania, has five locations offering a range of custom compounded polypropylene and polyethylene resins from recycled plastics. The company also provides toll reprocessing services for plant-generated scrap in several different industries. The recycled plastic resin is then used in applications such as plastic bags, injection molded parts, extruded components, and large structural parts. With an annual production capacity of over 250 million pounds across five plants, Ultra-Poly is currently one of the largest plastic recyclers in North America.

“Sekisui Plastics chose to locate its 6-acre plant in Valle de Santiago because it has a good, stable workforce and one that has ready access to shipment via major highways as well as customers and prospects,” said Pontiff. The new facility will create around 80 area jobs.

The 61,000 square foot facility houses administration, customer service, and sale functions according to Alfonso Escobedo, General Director, Sekisui Plastics Mexico. “In the near future we anticipate having technical service, prototyping, tool manufacturing, and raw material production.”

Sekisui Plastics USA (Mount Pleasant, TN) has officially opened a new $7 million manufacturing facility in the city of Valle de Santiago, Mexico. The plant, which came on line in July this year, has a molding capacity of approximately 60 tonnes per month for Piocelan hybrid moldable foam resin, with room for future growth.

Ultra-Poly’s technology does not rely on third-party collectors and processors to gather and pre-process the car bumper covers. Used covers are collected directly from body shops, where the bumpers are removed from automobiles and their reusable connected components salvaged.