Extrusion International 5-2026

57 Extrusion International 5/2026 Plastics Recycling Remains a Long-Term Growth Market Despite challenging market conditions, the EREMA Group remains focused on the ongoing development of its recycling technologies and committed to producing in Austria. Since 1983, the Group has sold around 9,200 systems and components with an annual global capacity for recycling over 26 million tonnes of plastic waste. The EREMA Group de ed the dif cult market condi - tions in the 2025/26 nancial year to post a positive re - sult. To increase the percentage of recyclates in plastic products, the family-owned business continues to invest in research and development. Global demand for plastic is rising fast. As a result, the Group’s management ex- pects a sharp increase in demand for high-performance recycling technologies too. In addition, recycled plastic is also gaining importance around the world as a sec- ondary raw material. Pro ts despite lower revenue For the third year in succession, the plastics recycling market nds itself under considerable pressure. It is hav - ing to cope with high energy costs, slack demand for re- cyclates and intense international competition. Accord- ing to Manfred Hackl, CEO of the EREMA Group, these challenges are felt particularly by businesses based in Europe: “In Europe we have created a cost structure that puts industrial companies at an increasing disad- vantage in the international marketplace.” The EREMA Group also felt the effects of current mar- ket trends. In the past nancial year, which ended at the end of March, the recycling specialists posted revenue of EUR 235 million – a drop of 28 per cent compared to the previous year. “Many customers are postpon- ing their investments,” says Horst Wolfsgruber, CFO of the EREMA Group. “We feel the effects of that straight away. That the EREMA Group was able to close the past nancial year with a pro t in these challenging mar - ket conditions lls me with pride and gratitude. We achieved it thanks to our structure as a stable, family- owned business, to keeping a tight rein on costs and to the dedication of our employees.” Sharp rise in global demand for plastic Because the EREMA Group operates internationally, it can compensate for the lower demand in Europe to some extent with orders from other parts of the world. Europe nevertheless remains the company’s biggest market. “This is the traditional home of recycling,” ex- plains Manfred Hackl. That said, other regions are catch- ing up: “Asia is making great strides and America is also gaining ground, chiey with the recycling of production Manfred Hackl (CEO) and Horst Wolfsgruber (CFO) are leading the EREMA Group through a period of challenging market conditions. Although investment in the plastics recycling sector has fallen, the family-owned business posted a pro t for nancial year 2025/26 (Photos credit: EREMA Group) The EREMA Group regularly invites international guests to its headquarters in Ansfelden/Linz, Austria, to demonstrate new solutions for plastics recycling and pass on practical expertise