SUSTAINABLE EXTRUSION
Solutions for the life cycle of plastic
Sustainability has become one of the major issues facing society today. Companies are increasingly focused on their environmental impact. TimaFlex has been dedicated for years to producing plastics using the most sustainable methods possible. The main focus of our industry is the lifespan of plastic. This poses a risk but also an incredible opportunity all at once. Because the problem is not whether to use plastic or not. Plastic waste is the problem: it takes a very long time to decompose. Our sustainable approach in 6 steps:
How is TimaFlex working to ensure a sustainable extrusion process?
1. Taking back used products
You can return your used plastics to us free of charge. TimaFlex recycles the material that is still usable and processes it into new applications. This way, we extend the life cycle of the raw material and give the product a new life cycle. You receive a certificate stating that your company is handling waste materials responsibly.
2. Investing in effective recycling infrastructure
TimaFlex operates various in-house grinding mills. We use these to process our own start-up waste along with collected plastics from external sources into high-quality products.
3. More than 60% recycled, guaranteed
In 2018, more than 50% of the plastic used in our extrusion processes was recycled. In 2019, the proportion of recycled plastics rose to 60%. Along with our customers, we are working to continue increasing the amount of recycled plastic we use.
4. Bio-based and compostable plastics
Bio-based and compostable plastics are a rapidly developing field, offering many new possibilities. Production processes for these plastics have dramatically improved in recent years. This makes bio-
based and compostable plastics suitable for use in an ever-increasing range of applications, including for TimaFlex products.
5. Sorting production waste
TimaFlex has achieved an 85% reduction in waste by sorting the various types of waste it produces. This puts us in a position to turn plastic processing into a truly circular economy.
6. Using green energy
TimaFlex does not use natural gas to heat its production facility in Ermelo. We rely solely on green power for all our energy needs.
Product or raw material? Avoid confusion
TimaFlex makes a clear distinction between raw materials and products. Just because the lifecycle of a plastic product ends, it does not necessarily mean that the raw material decomposes. On our work floor, we reuse plastic every day to make new products, for example. We grind our start-up waste from certain products and process them later into new extruded profiles. As a result, we have reduced waste within our production facility to a
minimum. Outside our company, the circular mentality is still in its early stages. That is why TimaFlex believes that all companies in the plastics industry must find solutions, whenever possible, for how to handle plastic products at the end of their life cycle.