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Description
As a result of the project, RECELLO will offer a new service on the Polish market: recycling waste from the manufacturing of non-woven textiles through defibration (tearing) to a form close to the original raw material. This service will enable technological conversion of raw material in sanitary products manufacturers, thus preventing the generation of waste, which will result in more efficient material management and, indirectly - more energy-efficient production.
The project consists in the purchase and start-up of a defibering line where the key component of the line, a defibering machine, will be specially adapted to process non-wovens with synthetic fibres. In addition, our service will be energy-supplied from new photovoltaic panels, thus contributing to a reduction in CO2 emissions into the atmosphere of 38.37 tons per year.
The Norwegian partner of the project, InnoBiz AS, will mentor our project leader, and will suggest ways of identifying new business partners in Scandinavian countries, with particular emphasis on Norway. Due to the high demand on the domestic market, our offer will be addressed primarily to Polish enterprises in the initial period after launching the service, later to be followed by customers from nearby European markets.
Summary of project results
The Beneficiary - Recello Sp. z o.o (RECELLO is a nonwovens recycling plant based in Kisielice in Poland) offers the unique service of tearing and opening nonwovens to recoup fibre and recycle the raw material (Nonwovens tearing and fibre opening in order to recover raw material). Their offer is directed mainly to producers of hygienic products. The Beneficiary helps them to recycle fibre contained in those batches of products that do not qualify for processing into the final product. They recover raw material in the tearing process by returning it to a form similar to the virgin fibre suitable for reuse.
Before implementing the project financed under the Norway Grants the Beneficiary successfully offered tearing service of cotton materials only. That is why the main issue of the project was to offer an innovative tearing service of particularly difficult materials - nonwovens made of synthetic materials and viscose-cellulose nonwovens.
The aim of project implementation was to solve the problem of reusing the postproduction waste of nonwovens (e.g. starting rolls, improper cutting or winding rolls) in the process of manufacturing hygienic products. This type of services strongly focused on the quality of the torn material close to the virgin fibre was not available in Poland. The postproduction waste disposal was the challenge for all manufactures of hygienic products who tried to sell the waste for other applications at very low prices or disposed it as a waste.
The ambition of the Beneficiary was to implement solutions reducing pressure on natural resources which are fully in line with the new circular economy action plan (CEAP 2020) and the Polish “Road Map towards circular economy”.
The main part of the project concerned installation of the new modern tearing line which allowed to launch an innovative tearing service of particularly difficult materials - nonwovens made of synthetic materials and viscose-cellulose nonwovens (https://www.recello.pl/en/norway-grants).
The implemented line consists of the two linear tearing units, rotary filter and baling press. The first unit is armed with pins, and the second one with carding wire. This sequence of two units had been developed within the project during the trials ran at different equipment manufacturers. The modern rotary filter allows to separate the reusable short fibre (pulp) from the dust. The powerful bale press at the end of the line improves the economics of the logistic and transportation process. This new line is powered by energy from renewable sources - a micro photovoltaic power plant which boosts the ecological nature of the investment.
The project was implemented in the partnership with the experienced Norwegian manager and consultant who provided mentoring and advisory support for the Beneficiary. The project leader Agnieszka Girzejowska who has a vast experience in marketing from previous jobs, lacked the experience in the project development in the small family business. The Mentor provided regular consultancy for the key elements of the project. Thanks to them the project leader has significantly improved her managerial skills. The contact with the Mentor is maintained, however the form of the further cooperation has not been defined yet.
The implementation of the project brought economic and environmental benefits for various groups of stakeholders - direct and indirect beneficiaries.
The project promoter extended the range of services offered to the clients by providing innovative and new to the Polish market service of tearing synthetic materials and viscose-cellulose nonwovens. Thanks to that the company can offer wider and more comprehensive services which enhanced the substantial growth of sales and the profitability of business activity. The project leader got new competences due to the support of Norwegian mentor.
As the new tearing line is partly powered by the renewable energy there are also significant environmental results of the project. The photovoltaic installation provides, depending on the month and on the weather conditions, up to 100% new line energy consumption, thus reducing the CO2 emission by 38 tonnes per year.
Significant benefits were gained also by the clients of the project promoter. Producers of hygienic products have got the possibility to recycle new batches of nonwovens which counteracts the generation of waste. Using recycled fibre is environmentally friendly and reduces material costs of production up to 40%.
Last but not least are Recello’s employees who got the opportunity to be acquainted and work on the new generation of tearing equipment and bale press. Moreover, due to the implementation of the project three new jobs were created in the company.
The project is a good example for other companies of successful implementation of investment related to the business activity in circular economy which was used in promotional and educational videos (promotional videos including information on this project: Watch here and here; educational video on circular economy with the example of Recello’s project - What is GOZ (circular economy)? – RECELLO Watch here; video on conference for female entrepreneurs with the participation of the project leader Watch here).
Summary of bilateral results
The partnership in the project was limited to the mentorship provided by the experienced retired manager and consultant. The project leader Agnieszka Girzejowska who had a vast experience in marketing from previous jobs, lacked the experience in the project development in the small family business. The Mentor provided regular consultancy for the key elements of the project. Thanks to them Agnieszka Girzejowska has significantly improved her managerial skills. The contact with the Mentor is maintained, however the form of the further cooperation has not been defined yet.