Hellweg Boosts Sales and Enters Polish Market with Flexal Group as New Sales Partner

In the face of a challenging market where many European plastics recyclers experienced significant sales declines, Hellweg Maschinenbau, a German recycling machinery manufacturer, reported a robust increase in output, ranging from 30% to 50% by the end of 2023.

Leveraging this surge in production, Hellweg has recently inked a distribution deal with Flexal Group, a company based in Poland. Flexal Group will now serve as Hellweg’s official sales partner in Poland, taking on responsibilities for the maintenance and technical support of Hellweg’s entire line of grinders.

Known for distributing machinery used in thermoplastics and rubber processing, as well as automation solutions, Flexal’s offerings include pellet dryers, centralized feeding systems, conveyor belts, laboratory extruders, robots, and dosing devices, among others.

A key product likely to gain traction is Hellweg’s newly introduced MDSGi 1500/600 wet grinder, unveiled at Fakuma 2023. This grinder features energy-efficient motors ranging from 45 kW to 110 kW, achieving remarkably low power consumption levels of 70 kWh to 90 kWh, particularly beneficial in the current climate of high electricity costs. It’s designed for materials like PET, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, PVC, polycarbonate, polylactic acid, and PE films, and is capable of processing up to 5 tonnes of film per hour, even with contaminated inputs.

Despite only launching commercialization in October 2023 at Fakuma, Hellweg has already received six orders for the remainder of the year, with an additional eight orders placed for 2024.

The plastics recycling market in Poland is expected to expand, particularly with the implementation of the European Union’s single-use plastics directive on July 1, 2024. This directive not only bans certain single-use plastics but also sets recycled content targets for new products. For instance, from 2025, single-use plastic bottles will be required to include 25% recycled material, increasing to 30% by 2030.