SK chemicals Targets the North American market with Circular Recycling Technology participating in NPE 2024

• Exhibition of circular recycled materials and waste plastic recycling comprehensive solutions
• “We will further accelerate our expansion into North America by strengthening brand owner marketing.”

ORLANDO, Fla. and SEONGNAM, South Korea, May 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Following Chinaplas last month, SK chemicals plans to expand the global market by introducing technology that leads the circular recycling industry in North America.”

SK chemicals (CEO Jae-hyun Ahn) participated in NPE 2024 (NPE 2024: The Plastics Show, hereinafter NPE) held at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Florida, USA from the 6th to the 10th. The day was revealed.

NPE is an event hosted by the American Plastics Association and is a plastics/chemical exhibition that covers all industries, from automobiles to medical, consumer goods, construction, etc., and is the largest plastics trade fair in the Americas. It is held every three years with the goal of promoting innovation and sustainability in plastics, and is considered one of the three major exhibitions along with China’s Chinaplas and Germany’s K Trade fair.

Recently, North America has followed the global trend and is introducing various policies for plastic recycling.

The U.S. federal government’s Environmental Protection Agency announced the U.S.’s first national recycling strategy (National Protection Agency) to achieve a 50% recycling rate by 2030, Illinois’ ‘Plastic Recycling Modernization Act’ and California’s ‘Producer Responsibility Plastic Recycling’. It is known that local governments, including Je, are also considering enacting laws mandating plastic recycling.

In line with this trend, SK chemicals introduced a wide range of sustainable materials using circular recycling technology at NPE.

‘ECOTRIA CR’, a highly functional recycled copolyester produced based on chemical recycling technology, and ‘SKYPET CR’, a PET material, as well as ‘ECO’, a copolyester that can be classified as PET after use and recycled. A diverse lineup of materials, including ‘ECOTRIA CLARO’, was presented, attracting the attention of visitors.

Circular recycling is the name given to SK chemicals’ unique chemical recycling method. Unlike physical recycling, where waste plastic is broken into small pieces, washed, and then used as a raw material for plastic, it has the advantage of being able to be recycled infinitely without damaging the quality of the product, such as transparency, because it is chemically broken down to the molecular level and then used as a raw material for plastic.

In addition, products that have already been commercialized through circular recycling were also displayed. Various global brand products of cosmetics containers, home appliances, and daily necessities with ECOTRIA CR applied, tire cord with Skypet CR applied, Samdasoo Reborn, etc. Finished products that have passed strict quality tests from famous brand companies and have been commercialized, attracting the attention of visitors. 

Jeong Sang-min, head of marketing/operations at SK chemicals, said, “We were able to resolve the preconceived notion that recycled plastic has limitations in physical properties and quality, following Chinaplas and NPE, by meeting customers with actual products made of recycled materials,” adding, “For the first time in the world, we have been able to achieve recycling.” “We plan to actively continue marketing through the differentiation of SK chemicals, which has achieved commercialization of recycled materials through a plant,” he said.

In addition, Ecotrion, a bio material made from industrial starch used in spandex, artificial leather, and urethane elastic materials, Ecozen, a highly heat-resistant copolyester mixed with materials extracted from biomass such as corn, etc. Based on transparency and chemical resistance Skygreen materials, which are mainly used in various applications such as cosmetics, food packaging containers, and home appliances, were also exhibited and presented various solutions for the North American eco-friendly market.

Kim Eung-soo, head of SK chemicals’ Green Materials Business Division, said, “North America is one of the important markets expected to grow at an average annual rate of 7.9% by 2030. We will lead this market through close cooperation with brand owners and customers in North America.”