The demand for recycled and sustainable products has strengthened
The demand for recycled sustainable products in the marketplace is continuing to grow due to consumer preferences and national legislation requiring the use of more recycled materials, said Dieter Henau, sales manager for industrial fiber R&D at Procotex Corporation/Apply CarbonSAS), a Pritex Associates and Applied CarbonSAS company.
In particular, demand for recycled carbon fibers is "soaring," Henau said, partly due to the increased cost of producing virgin carbon fibers and the need for more sustainable, low-carbon emissions.
He also noted strong market demand for his company's natural fiber pellets, which are primarily used for blending bioplastics or green plastics. Given the rapid growth in demand, Applied Carbon Materials, a subsidiary of Pritex, is building a second plant in France to double its current capacity.
Pritex is a global supplier of sustainable fibers, Pritex Associates and Applied Carbon, based in Belgium. The company is mainly engaged in the development of industrial fibers and natural fibers, and it has factories in Belgium and Turkey.
Henau said that much capital has been invested in recycling plants, such as chemical recycling and pyrolysis plants. The upcoming market for fuel cells (hydrogen-fueled engines) is also expected to be a strong driver of demand for thermoplastics and carbon fibers.
