Trinseo and Fernholz Commercialize Recycled Polystyrene (r-PS) for Food Packaging

New polystyrene material is based on 20%-30% post-consumer recycled content (PCR). Dairy companies can now rely on food-compliant r-PS products

BERWYN, Pa.--()--Trinseo (NYSE: TSE), a global supplier of material solutions and manufacturer of plastics, latex binders, and synthetic rubber, announced today that it has developed a new grade of post-consumer recycled polystyrene, together with the German packaging manufacturer Fernholz. The latest Form Fill Seal (FFS) formulations incorporate 40% r-PS, depending on final application, thanks to Trinseo’s unique technology, which embeds the material into the polymerization process using solvent processes.

“With r-PS technology, we have developed a process that will help the plastics industry conserve resources and reduce oil consumption,” said Nicolas Joly, Vice President Plastics & Feedstocks at Trinseo. “We are very pleased to work with Fernholz as our collaboration partner to jointly respond to consumer and market expectations, offering companies a tangible solution for more sustainable packaging.”

Fernholz is working closely with Trinseo to incorporate r-PS into sheet production, which can be used for food packaging applications in compliance with food safety requirements. To date, full-scale field tests for processing, migration, sensory testing and other common parameters have revealed that r-PS can be readily processed on classic FFS machines, eliminating the need for costly equipment upgrades.

“The feedback we have received from customers so far has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Uwe Fernholz, Managing Director at Fernholz. “The market has been waiting for a solution like this for a long time. As a result of the positive feedback, we are very confident that this breakthrough in recycled packaging made from polystyrene will help the value chain to meet its sustainability goals.”

The new material grade is already being trialed by several European dairy companies, some of whom have already launched new products using the recycled polystyrene food packaging. As one of the few materials with PCR content available in large quantities, Trinseo has the capacity to supply the dairy industry and related sectors with several thousand tons of the material. Furthermore, due to the recycling technology involved in the process, mono-material packaging, though preferable, is not mandatory. The lid or label can be safely separated as part of the recycling process.

About Fernholz

W. u. H. Fernholz GmbH & Co. KG develops and produces modern packaging solutions and sheets made of thermoplastics and employs 220 people. The company was founded in 1963 and operates two sites in Germany where approx. 2,000 t of plastics are processed every month for around 2.5 billion packaging per year. At its headquarters in Meinerzhagen in South Westphalia/ Germany, Fernholz manufactures packaging using thermoforming and injection molding processes as well as extrusion sheets made of polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The second plant in Schkopau specializes in the production of PP and PS sheets, in particular for Form-Fill-Seal (FFS) systems in the dairy industry.
For more information, see https://www.fernholz-verpackungen.de/.

About Trinseo

Trinseo (NYSE: TSE) is a global material solutions provider and manufacturer of plastics, latex binders and synthetic rubber. We are focused on delivering innovative and sustainable solutions to help our customers create products that touch lives every day – products that are intrinsic to how we live our lives – across a wide range of end-markets, including automotive, consumer electronics, appliances, medical devices, lighting, electrical, carpet, paper and board, building and construction, and tires. Trinseo had approximately $3.8 billion in net sales in 2019, with 17 manufacturing facilities around the world, and approximately 2,700 employees. For more information visit www.trinseo.com.

This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” including, without limitation, statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, projections, expectations, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are not statements of historical facts. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words like “expect,” “estimate,” “will,” “may,” or expressions of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements reflect management’s evaluation of information currently available and are based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions regarding the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company’s business, the economy and other future conditions. Specific factors that could cause future results to differ from those expressed by the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, risks related to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and those discussed in the Company’s Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), in subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in other filings and furnishings made by the Company with the SEC from time to time. Other unknown or unpredictable factors could also have material adverse effects on the Company’s performance. As a result of these or other factors, the Company’s actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof and are not a guarantee of future performance. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.

Contacts

Press Contacts:
Trinseo
Mandy Markert
Tel: + 41 44 718 3635
Email: mmmarkert@trinseo.com

Fernholz
Michael Roth
Tel: +49 3461 3426110
Email: michael.roth@fernholz-verpackungen.de

Release Summary

Trinseo announced that it has developed a new grade of post-consumer recycled polystyrene, together with the German packaging manufacturer Fernholz.

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Contacts

Press Contacts:
Trinseo
Mandy Markert
Tel: + 41 44 718 3635
Email: mmmarkert@trinseo.com

Fernholz
Michael Roth
Tel: +49 3461 3426110
Email: michael.roth@fernholz-verpackungen.de