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Interseroh pushes plastics recycling
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-forciert-das-kunststoffrecycling/
Berlin. Due to media reports about sales of ALBA metal companies to the international steel group ArcelorMittal, Interseroh and ALBA clarify:
The sales exclusively comprise companies of ALBA International Recycling (AIR), which belongs to the Interseroh group of companies of Dr. Axel Schweitzer. No companies of ALBA SE, which is majority-owned by Dr. Eric Schweitzer, were sold. In the course of the split-up of the ALBA Group, three metal companies had remained with Interseroh, the majority of the metal business bundled in ALBA SE belongs to Dr. Eric Schweitzer.
ALBA International Recycling, which belongs to Dr Axel Schweitzer's Interseroh group of companies, has concluded agreements with ArcelorMittal on the sale of ALBA Electronics Recycling, ALBA Metall Süd Rhein-Main and ALBA Metall Süd Franken.
No ALBA SE companies were sold. The majority of the shares in ALBA SE are held by ALBA Europe Holding, which belongs to Dr. Eric Schweitzer's group of companies.
"ALBA International Recycling wants to concentrate on the area of plastics recycling in Europe and expand this further," explains Dr. Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Supervisory Board and owner of Interseroh. "To this end, we had already acquired an additional plastics recycling company, CPE, last year in order to expand the production of both post consumer and post industrial recycled plastics." In addition, Interseroh, the parent company of ALBA International Recycling, is planning to build another dedicated state of the art high tech sorting plant in Walldürn to provide feedstock for chemical recycling.
"ALBA SE remains together as a successful group of companies active in steel and metals recycling," said Dr. Eric Schweitzer, CEO and Owner of ALBA. ALBA SE is one of the leading reprocessing companies in Europe. The listed public limited company, majority-owned by Dr. Eric Schweitzer, is currently looking for a strategic investor who would like to take a majority stake in ALBA SE and use the opportunities for organic growth and acquisitions with it. "Metal recycling will undergo a significant structural change in the coming years, as recycling companies and the steel industry alike face the common challenge of producing climate-neutral steel," says Dr. Eric Schweitzer. He registered a growing interest on the part of the steel industry to secure direct access to scrap in view of the climate protection requirements and not to be dependent only on external suppliers. ALBA SE had already publicly announced its search for an investor a few weeks ago.
ArcelorMittal, one of the world's leading steel producers, is taking over ALBA Electronics Recycling, ALBA Metall Süd Rhein-Main and ALBA Metall Süd Franken. At the same time, ArcelorMittal and Interseroh have concluded a comprehensive cooperation agreement: Interseroh will support ArcelorMittal with its leading know-how in the transition to the circular economy. For the employees of the three steel and metal companies, nothing will change as a result of the change of ownership. "AIR will do its utmost to support the integration of the new acquisitions at ArcelorMittal," says Stephan Schwarz, CEO of AIR. "It is in both our interests that the transition of the companies and the path to a functioning circular economy succeed well."
About ALBA:
ALBA is one of the leading environmental service providers and raw material suppliers in Europe. With its business units, the company achieves an annual turnover of around
1.3 billion euros (2021) and employs a total of 5,400 people. Further information on ALBA can be found at www.alba.info.
About Interseroh:
Interseroh is one of the leading environmental service providers in the field of closing product, material and logistics cycles. Under the guiding principle of "zero waste solutions", the company advises customers throughout Europe on the responsible handling of recyclable materials, thus helping them to improve their own sustainability performance and conserve primary resources. With 2,300 employees, the company achieves a turnover of over one billion euros. Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.de.
Please also note our online portal with information on all aspects of raw materials and recycling: www.recyclingnews.de.
Fri, 06 May 2022 12:00:00 +0200
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"Future Resources 2021": scope for sustainable packaging ideas
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/future-resources-2021-scope-for-sustainable-packaging-ideas/
Cologne. Interseroh+ and the Deutsche Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (German Packaging Institute, dvi) invite you to attend the "Future Resources" conference on 9 November 2021. The leading industry event will bring together experts from retail, the consumer goods industry and the recycling sector to discuss pioneering ideas for the packaging cycle. "The industry is ready for change", says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of Interseroh+ GmbH. "At this year's 'Future Resources', we want to provide fresh impetus and explore new ways of optimising packaging recycling that benefit both the environment and business.
The trend analyst and futurist Matthias Horx will open the joint Interseroh+ and dvi conference with a talk entitled "Die blaue Ökologie – Wie Technologie, Kreislaufwirtschaft und neues Denken unsere Welt neu erfinden" ("Blue ecology: how technology, the circular economy and new ways of thinking are reinventing our world"). Thomas Schmid-Unterseh, Division Head at the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, will then set out and explain current political developments, and Gunda Rachut, Director of the Central Agency Packaging Register (ZSVR) will explore the German Packaging Act and minimum standards. New technical developments in the sorting and recycling of packaging and best practice examples of sustainable packaging design are also on the agenda for the event. More and more companies are following Interseroh's "Made for Recycling" assessment methodology. "We are not just talking about necessary changes, but also presenting practical solutions and working together to develop new ideas. That is exactly what the dvi, the packaging industry network, sets out to do. And it is precisely what makes 'Future Resources' so attractive as an industry platform", says Winfried Batzke, Managing Director of the dvi.
Another sign of a whole new approach is the involvement of Interseroh+ GmbH, which is hosting the conference this year for the first time. Interseroh is launching the innovative concept of a "recycling alliance" in 2022 as part of its dual system. Stakeholders will be able not just to meet their statutory packaging licensing obligation but also to take responsibility for closing recycling and material cycles.
Why not take this opportunity to find out about pioneering concepts for the packaging industry of the future and share ideas and information with experts from manufacturers, retailers, institutes and other organisations. This year's "Future Resources" conference is to be a hybrid event: you can attend in person at BALLONI Hallen in Cologne, or virtually.
Registration for Future Resources 2021 at: https://www.future-resources.de/
About the Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi):
The Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi) (German Packaging Institute) is the only network for the packaging industry to bring together companies from every stage of the value chain. The dvi supports the transfer of knowledge and promotes discussions between more than 230 companies, institutions and partners. The dvi is a platform for information, insights, inspiration and discussions surrounding the topic of packaging.
Further information about the dvi is available at www.verpackung.org.
About Interseroh
Interseroh, an ALBA Group company, is one of the leading environmental services providers for the closure of product, material and logistics loops. From next year onwards, Interseroh will be launching a new dual system and a new concept. The offer from the newly-founded company Interseroh+ GmbH is oriented to all companies which not only want to fulfil their legal obligation for packaging licensing but also want to take responsibility for closing recycling and raw material loops. And if they so wish, they can become a silent partner in the start-up.
The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europe and Asia. In 2020 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 1.9 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,700 employees. In 2020 alone ALBA Group saved about 3.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 28.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Free use of the attached picture is authorised, provided the source "ALBA Group" is acknowledged.
Tue, 19 Oct 2021 10:00:00 +0200
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Sebastiaan Krol new CEO at ALBA Services
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/sebastiaan-krol-new-ceo-at-alba-services/
Berlin. ALBA Services Holding (ASH) is restructuring its management team. By 1 January 2022 at the latest, Sebastiaan Krol will assume leadership of the company together with CFO Melanie Freytag. After a few weeks, when his successor has settled in, the current CEO Markus Müller-Drexel will switch completely to the new dual system "Interseroh+", which, together with partners, is fundamentally developing the circular economy for packaging.
Sebastiaan Krol brings 15 years of management experience from the B2B services sector. Previously, he was CEO of the development consultancy Modis AG, which belongs to the globally active Adecco Group. Here, he merged four companies into one, promoted digitalisation and modernised the HR department.
Previously, the 41-year-old native Dutchman had studied engineering in Hamburg with a focus on aircraft systems technology. Afterwards, the engineering graduate worked for twelve years in Germany for the French technology consulting company Altran. Here he reorganised the structure of the sales department and other departments and started a change process for the entire company. By the end of his tenure, he was in charge of all five of Altran's industrial divisions.
For the coming years, the strategy is clearly focused on innovation and growth, especially by taking advantage of digitalisation opportunities. In addition to the profit orientation of the existing units, new business units are developing from those projects that are in the innovation pipeline: for a future without waste.
About ALBA Group:
The ALBA Group, one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide, operates with its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – within Germany, Europe and Asia. In 2020 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 1.9 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,700 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.com.
Free use of the attached picture is authorised, provided the source "Leif Schmodde/Modis AG" is acknowledged.
Thu, 07 Oct 2021 10:04:00 +0200
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New study: recycling secures raw materials for a climate-neutral Europe
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/new-study-recycling-secures-raw-materials-for-a-climate-neutral-europe/
Berlin. “Fit for 55” thanks to the circular economy: the recycling of raw materials leads to a systematic reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions of our civilisation – and can therefore make a key contribution to achieving the EU climate goals. This is the outcome of the “resources SAVED by recycling” study presented today, which the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT prepared on behalf of the ALBA Group. Thanks to the closed-loop circulation of 4.8 million tonnes of recyclable materials, the ALBA Group succeeded in preventing some 3.5 million tonnes of climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions in the year 2020 alone. This amount is equivalent to the emissions from some five million return flights between Frankfurt am Main and Mallorca. At the same time, recycling also secures valuable raw materials for the industry: in 2020, in comparison with primary production, recycling saved 28.8 million tonnes of resources, such as crude oil and iron ore.
“The circular economy is one of the strongest pace-setters on the journey to achieving climate neutrality,” highlights Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of the ALBA Group. “We will only achieve the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 per cent throughout Europe by 2030 if we make consistent use of recycled raw materials.” This includes the area of plastics, for example: compared with primary plastics made from crude oil, the use of high-quality recycled plastics achieves a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of more than 50 percent. “It is now necessary to lever this potential,” explains Schweitzer. “We are expecting the new Federal Government in Germany to act decisively and push ahead directly with the transition to a circular economy. The environmental benefits of recycling due to its clearly superior CO2 balance should also find reflection in prices. As immediate climate protection measures, clear industry standards for recyclates combined with minimum quotas on the use of recycled raw materials in products and packaging are also urgently necessary. Last but not least, the state sector is also called upon to prioritise resource protection in the area of procurement. Sustainable procurement can ultimately provide a significant boost to the circular economy”.
Plastics,metals, waste electrical (and electronic) equipment, wood, paper, cardboard, cartons or glass: the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT has now been researching the specific benefits of recycling for 14 years. Detailed comparisons have also been made of the primary processes and recycling processes for the various material flows. “This means we can precisely quantify the extent to which the recycling activities of the ALBA Group can contribute to reducing the burden on the environment,” explains Dr Ing. Markus Hiebel, Director of the Department for Sustainability and Participation at Fraunhofer UMSICHT. Hiebel believes that the greatest savings can be achieved if the entire value chain is aligned consistently with the circular principle: “The transformation towards a genuine circular economy requires completely new thinking. Products should be designed and managed to ensure that they contain recycled raw materials right from the start – which enables them to be recycled appropriately.”
About ALBA Group:
The ALBA Group, one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide, operates with its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – within Germany, Europe and Asia. In 2020 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 1.9 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,700 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.com.
Free use of the attached picture is authorised, provided the source "ALBA Group" is acknowledged.
Wed, 06 Oct 2021 10:00:00 +0200
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Market-oriented plastic recyclates: The path to greater resource efficiency and climate protection
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/market-oriented-plastic-recyclates-the-path-to-greater-resource-efficiency-and-climate-protection/
Cologne. Recycled plastics as a contemporary solution for a more sustainable form of production: at the international Fakuma trade fair for industrial plastics processing which is taking place from 12th to 16th October 2021 at Friedrichshafen Exhibition Centre, environmental services provider Interseroh will be showing what recyclates can do today. “The use of high-quality recycled plastics offers both ecological and economic advantages for the processing industry,” explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEOH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “Recyclates are the viable answer to the challenges of climate change and dwindling primary resources. In many areas, they perform just as well as new materials, they help to conserve raw materials and they also improve companies’ sustainability footprints.”
The plastic recyclates Procyclen and Recythen which Interseroh makes using its many-times award-winning production process Recycled-Resource, can now be found in many high-quality applications. The granulate Recythen, for example, is suitable for the manufacturing of cable drums, garden furniture as well as drainage and cable protection tubes. The exceptionally high-quality recompound Procyclen can be adapted precisely to the requirements of customers in terms of their flowability, stability, UV and heat resistance and colouring – and is increasingly gaining new areas of application. Among others, Procyclen is now used in the manufacturing of designer furniture, sports goods and packaging elements for decorative cosmetics. The in-house Interseroh laboratory is responsible for the market-oriented development and qualitative monitoring of recycled plastics. In 2020, the Centre of Competence for Plastics Recycling in Maribor, Slovenia was awarded its official international accreditation. This means it is the only recognised research institution in the EU to have specialised on the development and analysis of recycled plastics.
From a technical perspective, recycled plastics are now a real alternative to new materials – and the benefits for the environment have also been proven: a recent study by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT on behalf of Interseroh demonstrated that the use of Procyclen saves an average of 1,002 kg of greenhouse gases per tonne in comparison with primary plastics that are made from crude oil. That is equivalent to 56 percent fewer climate-damaging emissions. At the same time, the consumption of primary energy per tonne is reduced by an average of 21,199 kWh – equivalent to using a washing machine 14,133 times. In the case of the recycled plastic Recythen, the savings total as much as 1,100 kg of greenhouse gases and 22,254 kWh of primary energy per tonne. These figures have a positive impact on the sustainability balance sheet of plastics processing companies.
Interseroh will be in hall B1, stand B1-1125 at the Fakuma 2021. It goes without saying that we attribute considerable importance to the currently applicable coronavirus protection measures and to your safety. We look forward to your visit!
About Interseroh
Interseroh, an ALBA Group company, is one of the leading environmental services providers for the closure of product, material and logistics loops. From next year onwards, Interseroh will be launching a new dual system and a new concept. The offer from the newly-founded company Interseroh+ GmbH is oriented to all companies which not only want to fulfil their legal obligation for packaging licensing but also want to take responsibility for closing recycling and raw material loops. And if they so wish, they can become a silent partner in the start-up.
The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europe and Asia. In 2020 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 1.9 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,700 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Free use of the attached picture is authorised, provided the source "ALBA Group/Amin Akhtar" is acknowledged.
Thu, 30 Sep 2021 09:50:00 +0200
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ALDI embarks on a new journey with Interseroh+
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/aldi-embarks-on-a-new-journey-with-interseroh/
Cologne. The new Interseroh+ dual system has forged its first major strategic partnership: the “Recycling Alliance” will support the retail companies ALDI Nord and ALDI SÜD in achieving their clearly-formulated packaging mission. In combination with the comprehensive service portfolio of its recycling system and with a focus on post-consumer material, Interseroh+ offers the two ALDI groups of companies the ideal basis for closing raw material loops in the area of sales packaging. With this cooperative approach, in the form of a joint strategy, ALDI Nord and ALDI SÜD are taking great strides forward.
“As a leading retail company, it makes us very proud that after in-depth research, ALDI has decided in favour of the model of our recycling alliance,” explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Interseroh+. “Both groups of companies have embarked on an exceptionally sustainable and ambitious packaging strategy, which we will be working on together with ALDI. The full service portfolio of Interseroh+ forms part of this strategic partnership.” Interseroh+ not only ensures that the legal requirements are fulfilled in every area, but also that wherever possible, the collected packaging is made into new packaging and products. This is the key approach of the Interseroh+ recycling alliance.
“We can also offer the efficiency of a company which is integrated across the entire recycling chain and the joint further development of this system to other partners from the world of industry and the retail trade,” adds Frank Kurrat Managing Director of Sales (CSO) at Interseroh+. “The offering ranges from the optimisation of the packaging recyclability to the development of new formulations for plastic applications with the use of what are known as post-consumer recyclates.”
Interseroh+ introduced its sustainable approach to the market in the spring of this year. At the heart of the strategy is providing the respective company with comprehensive support on its path to achieving a sustainable packaging strategy. In this respect, the goal is the strategic promotion of sustainable innovations in a large alliance with interested companies on the part of the producers and the recycling industry in the market, and to thereby achieve the actual goal of the German Packaging Act. For individual companies, this is very difficult; an alliance of numerous partners, on the other hand, offers several options for establishing sustainable material loops.
About Interseroh
Interseroh, an ALBA Group company, is one of the leading environmental services providers for the closure of product, material and logistics loops. From next year onwards, Interseroh will be launching a new dual system and a new concept. The offer from the newly-founded company Interseroh+ GmbH is oriented to all companies which not only want to fulfil their legal obligation for packaging licensing but also want to take responsibility for closing recycling and raw material loops. And if they so wish, they can become a silent partner in the start-up. Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.plus.
The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2020 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 1.9 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,700 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Fri, 24 Sep 2021 08:30:00 +0200
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Interseroh+ wird neuer Umweltpartner und Hauptsponsor des Deutschen Basketball-Meisters ALBA BERLIN ¬
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-wird-neuer-umweltpartner-und-hauptsponsor-des-deutschen-basketball-meisters-alba-berlin/
Köln. Mit dem heutigen Saison-Auftaktspiel in Berlin schmückt ein neues Logo das Trikot und den Freiwurfkreis der Albatrosse für die Saison 2021/22: Interseroh+ wird ab sofort Umweltpartner von Titelverteidiger ALBA BERLIN. Die Interseroh+ GmbH wird damit neben Titelsponsor ALBA und Trikotsponsor Bett1 offizieller dritter Hauptsponsor bei den Albatrossen.
„Nachhaltigkeit ist heute längst mehr als nur ein geflügeltes Wort. Tagtäglich übernehmen wir Verantwortung für das Schließen von Recycling- und Rohstoffkreisläufen“, sagt Markus Müller-Drexel, Geschäftsführer von Interseroh+. „Die Erwartungen der Verbraucherinnen und Verbraucher an Produkte und Verpackungen sind in den vergangenen Jahren deutlich gestiegen. Nachhaltigkeit und Umweltschutz sind aber auch in anderen Bereichen, beispielsweise bei sozialer Verantwortung für Bildungs- und Entwicklungschancen für Kinder und Jugendliche, ein Top-Thema. Daher freuen wir uns sehr, gemeinsam mit ALBA BERLIN in der nächsten Saison eine Partnerschaft einzugehen und unser Know-how weiterzugeben.“
„ALBA BERLIN ist nicht nur ein erfolgreicher Sportverein, sondern auch ein engagierter Sozialakteur. Unserer gesellschaftlichen Verantwortung wollen wir Rechnung tragen, indem wir mit all unseren Aktivitäten und Veranstaltungen möglichst schnell klimaneutral werden“, sagt Marco Baldi, Geschäftsführer von ALBA BERLIN. „Durch die Partnerschaft mit Interseroh+ steht uns umfassende Expertise zur Seite, wie sich Umweltbewusstsein mit Professionalität vereinen lässt. Wir freuen uns auf die Zusammenarbeit.“
Das Angebot der Interseroh+ GmbH richtet sich an alle Unternehmen, die nicht nur ihre gesetzliche Pflicht zur Verpackungslizenzierung erfüllen wollen, sondern selbst Verantwortung für das Schließen von Recycling- und Rohstoffkreisläufen übernehmen wollen. Sie können auf Wunsch sogar als stille Beteiligte einsteigen. Weitere Informationen erhalten Sie unter www.interseroh.plus oder als Video: https://youtu.be/dBdmSzzuEp4
Über Interseroh+:
Interseroh+ ist neben Interseroh und ALBA eine der Marken unter dem Dach der ALBA Group. Ab dem kommenden Jahr startet die neu gegründete Interseroh+ GmbH als neues duales System und mit einem neuen Konzept. Die ALBA Group ist in Deutschland und Europa sowie in Asien aktiv. Im Jahr 2020 erwirtschafteten ihre Geschäftsbereiche einen Umsatz von 1,9 Milliarden Euro und beschäftigten insgesamt rund 8.700 Mitarbeiter*innen. Damit ist die ALBA Group einer der führenden Recycling- und Umweltdienstleister sowie Rohstoffversorger weltweit. Durch die Recyclingaktivitäten der ALBA Group konnten allein im Jahr 2019 mehr als 4,2 Millionen Tonnen Treibhausgase im Vergleich zur Primärproduktion und 32,3 Millionen Tonnen Primärrohstoffe eingespart werden.
Weitere Informationen zu Interseroh+ finden Sie unter www.interseroh.plus. Unter www.albagroup.de/presse können alle Pressemitteilungen der ALBA Group als RSS-Feed abonniert werden. Bitte beachten Sie auch unser Onlineportal mit Informationen rund um die Themen Rohstoffe und Recycling: www.recyclingnews.de.
Das anliegende Foto ist unter der Quellenangabe „Interseroh+“ frei verwendbar.
Bildunterschrift:
Von links nach rechts: Luke Sikma (Kapitän und PF ALBA BERLIN), Markus Müller-Drexel (CEO Interseroh+ GmbH) und Israel González (Cheftrainer ALBA BERLIN), Jaleen Smith (SG/PG ALBA BERLIN)
Thu, 23 Sep 2021 14:21:00 +0200
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“Made for Recycling” – packaging analysis by Interseroh now available for the international market
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/made-for-recycling-packaging-analysis-by-interseroh-now-available-for-the-international-market/
Cologne. Recyclable packaging – certified for the international market: environmental services provider Interseroh will be presenting its extended range of “Made for Recycling” services at the European trade fair for packaging, technology and processes, FACHPACK, from 28 to 30 September 2021. “The demand is considerable. Our customers want to know whether their packaging can be recycled in France or Italy, for example, to the same high quality as it is in Germany,” explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “With the internationalisation of our scientifically-based packaging analysis, we will be able to provide companies with even better support in the future with the development of sustainable and resource-saving packaging solutions for their sales markets.”
The “Made for Recycling” method of assessment is established as the standard for recyclable packaging in Germany. Three years after its launch, the international rollout is now taking place: from now on, all interested companies are also able to benefit from the independent assessment of recyclability in selected European countries. In this context, the experts don’t just assess the materials and the design of the packaging, but also the actual sorting capability and recyclability, which depend heavily on the local technological infrastructure. The international packaging analysis has been validated by the bifa Environmental Institute and the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, and will initially be available for Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Spain and the UK. With the “Made for Recycling” seal, manufacturers can also demonstrate to their customers that they attribute great importance to an efficient circular economy and take responsibility for the protection of the climate and resources.
This year’s FACHPACK trade fair has been planned to take place as a hybrid event, which means that those interested can obtain information at the Interseroh stand at the Nuremberg exhibition centre or through the digital myFackpack platform. One of the highlights of the event will be a presentation on the subject of internationalisation by packaging expert Julian Thielen.
On the occasion of the trade fair, Interseroh will also be offering a 33 percent discount on the new international “Made for Recycling” packaging analysis. The offer will be available online at https://www.interseroh.de/leistungen/beratung/verpackungsoptimierung/verpackungsanalyse/ from 27 September until 5 October and at the Interseroh trade fair stand until 8 October.
Interseroh will be in hall 6, stand 420 of the FACHPACK 2021. It goes without saying that we attribute considerable importance to the currently applicable coronavirus protection measures and to your safety. You are also welcome to visit us at the online digital trade fair area at “myFachpack”. We look forward to meeting you!
About Interseroh
Interseroh, an ALBA Group company, is one of the leading environmental services providers for the closure of product, material and logistics loops. From next year onwards, Interseroh will be launching a new dual system and a new concept. The offer from the newly-founded company Interseroh+ GmbH is oriented to all companies which not only want to fulfil their legal obligation for packaging licensing but also want to take responsibility for closing recycling and raw material loops. And if they so wish, they can become a silent partner in the start-up.
The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2020 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 1.9 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,700 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Free use of the attached picture is authorised, provided the source "ALBA Group" is acknowledged.
Tue, 14 Sep 2021 10:00:00 +0200
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“Made for Recycling” established on the market: Interseroh extends certificates for recyclable packaging
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/made-for-recycling-established-on-the-market-interseroh-extends-certificates-for-recyclable-packaging/
Cologne. Customer loyalty due to recyclable packaging: with the “Made for Recycling” seal from Interseroh, companies show their customers that they are taking responsibility for the protection of the climate and resources directly on the packaging. This has been well received by environmentally aware consumers – and due to the positive response, companies want to use the quality seal for recycling-friendly packaging on a permanent basis. This is possible if the certificate holders have themselves had their certification renewed by Interseroh after a period of two years. For this purpose, the packaging is tested once again according to the current state of the art. The experts also check whether the minimum legal requirements have changed. In this way, companies ensure that their packaging fulfils all the requirements for the effective recycling of the raw materials, receive valuable impetus for further optimisation – and are able to demonstrate their commitment to the general public.
Just like the horse feed manufacturer St Hippolyt: “We have received very positive feedback from our customers, who aren’t just seeking high-quality feed for their animals, but also sustainable packaging,” explains Ivo Ebert, Managing Director of St. Hippolyt Mühle Ebert GmbH. “We therefore want to continue printing the ‘Made for Recycling’ seal on our packaging.” In 2018, St. Hippolyt and Interseroh modified various plastic packaging from the manufacturer, not only in the interests of ensuring the optimum product protection, but also the recyclability of the materials. Along with others, the “Gold Medal” supplementary feed has been carrying the “Made for Recycling” seal of approval from Interseroh since 2019.
“It is precisely these examples of success that encourage us in our work,” enthuses Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “Together with our customers, we are increasingly succeeding in making packaging recycling-friendly and in closing raw material loops. In this way, companies not only protect the environment, but can also score points in the competition at the point of sale.” Since the launch of ‘Made for Recycling’ three years ago, the recycling specialists at Interseroh have carried out more than 1,600 packaging analyses. The scientific method of assessment, which was developed by Interseroh together with the environmental institute bifa, and has been confirmed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, is now a recognised standard. Increasing numbers of companies are therefore opting for renewed certification, which entails a reduced (cost-related) workload in comparison with the initial audit.
About Interseroh
Interseroh, an ALBA Group company, is one of the leading environmental services providers for the closure of product, material and logistics loops. From next year onwards, Interseroh will be launching a new dual system and a new concept. The offer from the newly-founded company Interseroh+ GmbH is oriented to all companies which not only want to fulfil their legal obligation for packaging licensing but also want to take responsibility for closing recycling and raw material loops. And if they so wish, they can become a silent partner in the start-up.
The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2020 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 1.9 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,700 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
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Wed, 18 Aug 2021 10:00:00 +0200
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Earth Overshoot Day: ALBA Group demands a strengthening of the circular economy instead of the consumption of more resources
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/earth-overshoot-day-alba-group-demands-a-strengthening-of-the-circular-economy-instead-of-the-consumption-of-more-resources/
Berlin. We are clearly living beyond our means: according to calculations of the Global Footprint Network, by tomorrow, 29th July 2021, the world’s population will already have used up all of its natural resources for this year. “Earth Overshoot Day should be a wake-up call to us all,” explains Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of the recycling specialist and raw materials provider ALBA Group. “To conserve the basis of life for future generations, a change of course is imperative – away from the current linear economic approach and towards a circular economy that conserves natural resources and reduces the burden on the climate.” In this respect, the technical conditions and the know-how for closing raw material loops are available at a sophisticated level in Germany. “With primary resources running out, it is imperative that we incorporate the idea of sustainability into every stage of production, starting with 'Design for Recycling'. We also need to strengthen both the use of recyclates and the demand for products which use recyclates. This is an area in which the world of politics needs to take action: we require uniform industry standards and a minimum statutory quota for the use of recyclates. This is the only way in which we can realise the full potential of recycling.”
It is also very important to raise awareness among those responsible in the manufacturing industry for the use of recycled materials. The use of recycled raw materials offers significant advantages – from both an ecological and an economic point of view. Example of plastic recyclates: these offer businesses a practical answer to the ever-increasing demands of an efficient management of raw materials and an ambitious sustainability balance.
A recent study by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT on behalf of the ALBA Group subsidiary INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH has demonstrated the extent to which the use of recycled plastics relieves the burden on our planet: according to this study, the use of the recycled plastic Procyclen, which is manufactured by Interseroh, saves an average of 1,002 kg of greenhouse gases per tonne in comparison with primary plastics made from crude oil. That is equivalent to 56 percent fewer climate-damaging emissions. At the same time, the consumption of primary energy per tonne is reduced by an average of 21,199 kWh – equivalent to using a washing machine 14,133 times. In the case of the recycled plastic Recythen, the savings total as much as 1,100 kg of greenhouse gases and 22,254 kWh of primary energy per tonne.
The environmental services provider Interseroh, which is part of the ALBA Group, manufactures the high-quality recycled plastics Procyclen and Recythen from used packaging which has been disposed of in the Yellow bag/Yellow bin. Supported by the innovative "Recycled-Resource" process, both the quality of the recyclates and their environmental balance has been improved continuously over the course of recent years. The individually modifiable recycling raw materials are now being used in several industrial and everyday products.
Whether it is plastics, steel and metal, waste electrical equipment, wood, paper or glass: the more consistently recyclable materials are kept in circulation, the more effectively our climate and material resources can be protected: in 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
About ALBA Group:
The ALBA Group, one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide, operates with its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2020 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 1.9 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,700 employees.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.com.
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Wed, 28 Jul 2021 09:57:00 +0200
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ALBA sets its course for the future
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-sets-its-course-for-the-future/
Berlin. The owners of the ALBA Group, Dr Axel Schweitzer and Dr Eric Schweitzer, are reorganising the group of companies in order to create agile units that also reflect their respective operational responsibilities in the ownership structure. Subject to the approval of the Federal Cartel Office, these will correspond to the market requirements and the individual focal points for the regions and the business models:
in the future, Dr Axel Schweitzer will have sole ownership of the principal activities in Asia, including ALBA Group Asia in particular. The joint shareholdings in ALBA Services Holding (ASH) and especially the plastics activities of ALBA International Recycling (AIR) will also be transferred to Dr Axel Schweitzer, so that there the whole plastics recycling with all processing steps – from high-tech sorting to the returning into the raw material loop – will be concentrated. Here, the activities are therefore brought together that pursue the global corporate vision of a “world without waste” and growth in Asia.
In the future, Dr Eric Schweitzer will hold all the shares in ALBA Europe Holding, which primarily operates the waste management business and important parts of the recycling business with innovative facilities to extend the value chain and a growing municipal business, as well as the steel and metal recycling. Since the foundation of the family business more than 50 years ago, this is where the greatest share of the turnover and the greatest number of employees are to be found. In addition to this, there are also certain activities from the area of the previous ASH and AIR.
The business units will continue to work closely together within the framework of a family grouping. Co-owner Dr Eric Schweitzer: "This reorganisation corresponds to our content-related priorities. I am very much based in Berlin, Germany and Europe, while in recent decades, Axel has become a recognised expert for Asia and a pioneer of a world without waste.” Co-owner Dr Axel Schweitzer adds: “Each of us can focus on what we are most passionate about. Eric has a more in-depth understanding of the waste management business in our home markets. As genuine ‘fraternal’ companies, we will continue to make the best use of the arising synergies.”
In the background to the reorganisation are the challenges that have emerged in recent years in the markets in which the companies operate under the ALBA and Interseroh brands. Competition has become even more intense in both the waste management and recycling business and in steel and metal recycling. The packaging licensing market is undergoing a strategic transformation. A significant degree of commitment is required in the Asian growth sector in order to realise the considerable potential.
To successfully rise to the challenges in the various areas of business, including at the personal level, as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ASH, Dr Axel Schweitzer has also initiated the start of the new “Interseroh+” dual system with the goal of closing material loops together with the worlds of retail and industry. With ALBA Group Asia, which has now been positioned alongside the ALBA Group as an independent unit since last year, he has significantly driven the expansion in Asia, including new projects in China, two orders in Singapore and the construction of a new plastics plant in Hong Kong. As the CEO of ALBA Europe Holding, Dr Eric Schweitzer is driving the successful strategy forwards. This encompasses numerous new municipal partnerships and the extension of the value chain through innovative recycling plants, for example.
About ALBA Group:
The ALBA Group, one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide, operates with its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2020 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 1.9 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,700 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.com.
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Fri, 23 Jul 2021 11:00:00 +0200
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“Made for Recycling”: Interseroh and Hochland optimise the recycling capability of the “Grünländer” packaging
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/made-for-recycling-interseroh-and-hochland-optimise-the-recycling-capability-of-the-gruenlaender-packaging/
Cologne. Achieving a completely circular economy, one step at a time: together with Interseroh, the cheese producer Hochland has improved the recycling capability of its “Grünländer” packaging and has now been awarded the “Made for Recycling” seal of quality by the environmental services provider. The accolade is based on a scientific method of assessment which was developed by Interseroh together with the bifa environmental institute – and has been confirmed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV. “This example demonstrates the importance of the partnership-based cooperation between manufacturers and recycling specialists for ensuring an effectively-operating circular economy,” explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “We are pleased to have been able to support Hochland with this sustainable packaging optimisation.”
The “Grünländer” packaging was completely redesigned in a multi-stage development process. The special challenge: by using recycled plastic from used PET bottles, Hochland had already improved its CO2 footprint, but it still wasn’t possible for the PET cheese packaging to undergo material recycling at the end of the product life cycle. “We therefore had to choose between a currently non-recyclable PET package with a recycled content, and a recyclable package made from polypropylene/polyethylene,” explains Markus Birzer, Head of the Grünländer Brand at Hochland Germany GmbH. “In the interests of a climate- and resource-friendly circular economy, we ultimately opted for recyclable packaging; in this way, the valuable recycling raw materials are conserved for reuse in industry. During the optimisation, the expert advice we received from Interseroh was a great help.
Relevant data was also provided by the GaBi Packaging CalculatoR+, which was used during the process. This online tool was developed jointly by Interseroh and the life cycle specialist Sphera. In just a few clicks, users can create life cycle assessments for packaging, determine the recycling capability and compare design alternatives in terms of their environmental impact.
Combined expertise for successful packaging optimisation: the new packaging for the “Grünländer” cheese is made from the polyolefins polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE). The paper label has also been replaced with a PP label. With the thinnest possible barrier layers, the packaging provides maximum product protection and minimum contamination for the recyclate. For these reasons, the packaging was awarded 19 out of 20 possible points, and is therefore “Made for Recycling”.
With the “Made for Recycling” seal on its packaging, Hochland now offers its customers a genuine guidance for sustainable consumption. After all, the recycling of recyclable materials makes a major contribution to climate protection. Such were the findings of the “resources SAVED by recycling” study of the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT: with its closed-loop management of 6 million tonnes of recyclable materials, the ALBA Group, which includes Interseroh, was able to save 4.2 million tonnes of climate-damaging greenhouse gases in the year 2019 alone. That is equivalent to the positive annual impact on the climate of about 59 million trees.
About Hochland
With 394,000 tonnes of cheese sales and a turnover of 1.6 billion euros, Hochland SE is one of the biggest privately-owned producers of cheese in Europe. Founded in 1927, the company has 5,500 employees, 2,100 of whom are in Germany. Hochland is represented with its products in food retail, and in addition supplies the food industry and the world of gastronomy with individually designed products in all the required retail formats.
Within the group, Hochland Deutschland GmbH is responsible for the German brand business. With the well-known cheese brands of Hochland, Almette, Grünländer, Patros, Gervais and Valbrie, Hochland is represented in all the leading cheese segments. Its product portfolio includes processed cheese, hard and semi-hard cheese, cream cheese, grainy cream cheese, white cheese/feta, soft cheese and herb quark.
Thu, 22 Jul 2021 10:00:00 +0200
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Interseroh supplements “knowledge portal Quickstart Online” with know-how on packaging licensing
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-supplements-knowledge-portal-quickstart-online-with-know-how-on-packaging-licensing/
Cologne. With immediate effect Interseroh is available to retailers as a specialist expert for the German Packaging Act through the “Quickstart Online” knowledge portal, and provides free training videos on packaging licensing at quickstart-online.de. In illustrative case studies, the environmental services provider explains how companies that are set to ship increasing amounts of products in the future and are therefore subject to the requirements of the German Packaging Act with their mail-order packaging are able to position themselves on a legally secure basis.
Since last autumn, retailers seeking to launch their business digitally have been able to obtain training offers and information on getting started in e-commerce via “Quickstart Online”. The goal of the initiative from HDE, Germany’s biggest retail association, the “Retailers Helping Retailers” network and Amazon is to provide free support to small and medium-sized enterprises in their digitalisation efforts, thereby helping them to become more future-proof.
“Since the outbreak of the pandemic at the latest, many companies have realised that going digital has become more vital than ever before,” explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “To keep the hurdles in the area of packaging licensing as low as possible and to avoid high penalties for any unintentional infringement of the German Packaging Act, our goal is to prepare and support these retailers in the best possible way through our training offer at 'Quickstart Online'.”
The training videos from Interseroh make specific reference to the respective obligation scenario from the perspective of a manufacturer, reseller and importer: according to the German Packaging Act, who is responsible for licensing the packaging that enters into circulation and for its recycling? And how do things look in a Europe-wide context? After completing the training, the users have a good overview of the measures that are necessary for complying with the law and are able to implement them in just a few steps.
Interseroh launched the Lizenzero online shop in 2018 to support small and medium-sized companies which put packaging that is subject to licensing into circulation, and have therefore been affected by the German Packaging Act since 2019. This enables the fast, intuitive and completely digital processing of the packaging licensing and supports users with a comprehensive range of support services.
About Interseroh
Interseroh, an ALBA Group company, is one of the leading environmental services providers for the closure of product, material and logistics loops. From next year onwards, Interseroh will be launching a new dual system and a new concept. The offer from the newly-founded company Interseroh+ GmbH is oriented to all companies which not only want to fulfil their legal obligation for packaging licensing but also want to take responsibility for closing recycling and raw material loops. And if they so wish, they can become a silent partner in the start-up.
The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2020 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 1.9 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,700 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
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Tue, 06 Jul 2021 10:00:00 +0200
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VAUDE launches first ever pannier made from recycled material
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/vaude-launches-first-ever-pannier-made-from-recycled-material/
Innovative, climate-friendly and extremely stable – that's the new, sustainable material made from recycled plastic packaging which outdoor equipment provider VAUDE is using for the first time for the rear panel system on its new “ReCycle” range of panniers. For this purpose, the German family-owned company has worked together with the recycling companies Interseroh and APK.
“The fabric of our panniers has long been made from recycled material – the key innovation is that we can now make a rear panel system from recycled materials as well,” explains Clément Affholder, Project Manager Innovation at VAUDE. The new panniers are the first panniers at VAUDE – and on the market in general – in which all the key materials are made from recycled products.
The panniers have also taken a big step towards VAUDE’s climate goal: “We are aiming for global climate neutrality and want to manufacture most of our products from organically-based or recycled materials by 2024,” explains Antje von Dewitz, Managing Director of VAUDE. This orientation is based on the principle of the circular economy: the use of renewable raw materials and the recycling of materials conserves fossil resources and significantly reduces emissions of CO2 during the production of materials.
A rear panel made from post-consumer waste
The rear panel of the panniers is made of 100 percent Procyclen – a recycled plastic that the environmental services provider Interseroh makes from post-consumer waste taken from the Yellow Bin/Yellow Bag according to strict quality standards.
To enable a light and permanently stable attachment of the pannier to the luggage rack, it is necessary for the plastic design to meet special requirements. The especially for VAUDE developed Procyclen, a polypropylene recompound, has a particularly long-term impact strength in the extremely low and high temperature range, with additional UV and surface scratch resistance being guaranteed. At the same time, an improved tensile strength ensures the geometric stability of the product. “This product is a unique, new formulation, the properties of which have never been achieved before on an industrial scale, including the modification of virgin materials,” explains Dr Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Business Unit Recycled-Resource at Interseroh.
With its “Recycled-Resource” process, Interseroh has perfected the compounding of used plastics and the production of customer-specific recycling raw materials – to the benefit of industry and the environment: according to a study by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT, the use of Procyclen spares roughly 56 percent of greenhouse gas emissions compared with the use of virgin material.
Fastening hooks made from recycled multilayer film
For the pannier’s fastening hooks VAUDE uses a high-performance, reinforced polyamide 6 recyclate from APK AG. The polyamide recyclate was produced using the innovative Newcycling® process, a physical, solvent-based process in which high-purity recyclates are obtained from waste from the manufacturing of PA/PE multilayer film for packaging.
For the hooks, VAUDE required a recycled material which can withstand high loads under the most varied outdoor conditions and stands out due to its durability. It was also necessary to ensure the good colouring capability of the material to take design-relevant factors into account. The recyclate Mersamid® from APK AG fulfils all of these requirements, at the same time as reducing its CO2 footprint in comparison with virgin polyamide by 88 percent (ifeu, 2019).
“We are very pleased to have this excellent opportunity to demonstrate the suitability of our PA recyclates for demanding applications such as the panniers from VAUDE. This is a great example that it is possible to close loop-recycle plastic waste from a material stream that was not previously possible to recycle effectively using conventional technology,” says Klaus Wohnig, CEO of APK AG.
New “ReCycle” range of panniers now available from retailers
The new range of panniers consists of three different sized rear panniers (ReCycle Pro Single, ReCycle Back Single, ReCycle Back) and a shopping bag for the bike luggage rack (ReCycle Shopper). All the panniers are sealed so they are waterproof and manufactured on a climate neutral basis in Germany. They will be available in stores from October 2021 onwards.
Image download
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About VAUDE
As a sustainable provider of outdoor equipment, VAUDE contributes to a world worth living in, so that the people of tomorrow can enjoy nature with a clear conscience. In this respect, the family-owned company sets ecological and social standards along the entire global supply chain. VAUDE publishes an annual sustainability report and regularly undergoes external certification. Since 2001, the company has been working with the strict environmental standard the bluesign® system, which controls the entire textile value chain. The location of the company in Tettnang and all the products to be manufactured there are 100 percent climate-neutral. VAUDE has approximately 500 employees at its headquarters. For further information, visit www.vaude.com.
About Interseroh
Interseroh, an ALBA Group company, is one of the leading environmental services providers for the closure of product, material and logistics loops. From next year onwards, Interseroh will be launching a new dual system and a new concept. The offer from the newly-founded company Interseroh+ GmbH is oriented to all companies which not only want to fulfil their legal obligation for packaging licensing but also want to take responsibility for closing recycling and raw material loops. And if they so wish, they can become a silent partner in the start-up.
The ALBA Group operates with its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2020 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 1.9 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,700 employees. Therefore the ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
About APK
APK AG was founded in 2008 with the goal of obtaining plastic recyclate from plastic waste with the highest possible degree of purity. In this context, the properties of the recyclate should be comparable to those of virgin plastics. The researchers and engineers at APK have developed the Newcycling® process, an efficient recycling technology that combines mechanical and solvent-based steps. Increasing the quality level in the field of physical recycling technologies and thereby opening the door to new end markets while keeping the CO2 footprint low at the same time is both the mission of APK and its contribution to a circular economy for plastics. APK currently has approximately 130 employees at its Merseburg site. The production facility has an annual recycling capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes. The established plastic recyclates from Merseburg are marketed under the names of Mersalen® and Mersamid®.
For further information, visit www.apk-ag.de
Tue, 29 Jun 2021 10:25:00 +0200
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Three years of “Made for Recycling”: the standard for recyclable packaging
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/three-years-of-made-for-recycling-the-standard-for-recyclable-packaging/
Cologne. An important step towards a closed-loop economy: three years ago, in June 2018, the environmental services provider Interseroh officially launched its “Made for Recycling” assessment procedure – and thereby set a ground-breaking standard for the recycling capability of packaging. “The packaging design of the future is a closed-loop design which is focused on conserving raw materials and protecting the climate right from the start,” explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “The success of ‘Made for Recycling’ shows we are heading in the right direction: we are accompanying our customers on their journey to greater sustainability and developing solutions with them for an effective closed-loop economy.”
From professional personal advice, to the examination and assessment of recycling capability, through to the “Made for Recycling” seal of quality: in the past three years, the recycling specialists at Interseroh have supported brand and packaging manufacturers throughout the packaging optimisation process and carried out some 1,600 analyses. Their "trademark" is the uncompromising quality of the analyses: at Interseroh’s centre of competence for plastics recycling in Maribor, each piece of sample packaging is subjected to a detailed assessment and checked for its materials and machine sorting capability, for example. The laboratory was awarded international accreditation (ISO/IEC 17025:2017) in March 2020, making it the only recognised research facility in the EU to specialise on the development and analysis of recycled plastics. The “Made for Recycling” standard is based on a scientific method of assessment which was developed together with the bifa environmental institute, and has been confirmed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV.
If the assessment is successful, the packaging is able to carry the “Made for Recycling” seal if it scores at least 18 out of 20 points – an important signal for environmentally-aware consumers. The certificate is valid for two years, subsequent to which recertification is required. The first Interseroh customers have already successfully recertified – thereby expressing their interest in a long-term cooperation.
Close cooperation in a spirit of partnership has now resulted in a unique network for packaging optimisation, in which the packaging industry, distribution companies and recycling experts exchange know-how and innovative ideas. “We want to build on this platform further and make it more accessible to international companies, for instance,” explains Markus Müller-Drexel. “By integrating it into our Interseroh+ offering, our customers will also be able to benefit from additional sustainable competitive advantages in the future.” The new dual system, which is to commence operations at the beginning of 2022, stands for the complete recyclable loop in the area of packaging. In addition to licensing and improving recycling capability as part of the “Made for Recycling” initiative, it also provides access to recycling raw materials. This gives companies the necessary planning security regarding the use of recyclates.
About Interseroh
Interseroh, an ALBA Group company, is one of the leading environmental services providers for the closure of product, material and logistics loops. From next year onwards, Interseroh will be launching a new dual system and a new concept. The offer from the newly-founded company Interseroh+ GmbH is oriented to all companies which not only want to fulfil their legal obligation for packaging licensing but also want to take responsibility for closing recycling and raw material loops. And if they so wish, they can become a silent partner in the start-up.
The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2020 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 1.9 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,700 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
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Wed, 23 Jun 2021 09:55:00 +0200
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The sustainability magazine from Interseroh: closing circles with innovations
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/the-sustainability-magazine-from-interseroh-closing-circles-with-innovations/
Cologne. The environmental services provider Interseroh has published its annual sustainability magazine – together with the sustainability report which appears every two years. The researched and edited magazine, which is entitled “Building bridges. Closing circles.”, presents the innovative projects with which Interseroh builds bridges between environmental protection and the creation of value. The readers get to find out how businesses can help to reduce CO2 emissions by selling old IT equipment, how Interseroh is supporting customers in the development of new packaging with the scientific assessment method “Made for recycling”, and the potential which is offered by strategic material flow management.
“The circular economy is an important solution-based approach in the area of climate protection,” explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “In addition to this, the advantages of the circular economy are clear: starting with resource protection, all the way through to competitive advantages for the participating companies. Our new sustainability magazine highlights the opportunities offered by a sustainable and comprehensive circular economy – and how we are accompanying our customers along their journey there.”
Another highlight in the sustainability magazine is a discussion between Sabine Nallinger, a Director of the “Stiftung 2” foundation, and Markus Müller-Drexel about the meaning of the European Green Deal and the potential of the circular economy. The full discussion is also available at www.interseroh.de/greendeal .
The sustainability magazine from Interseroh is published annually and is a popular add-on to the traditional sustainability report. The current magazine is available at https://www.interseroh.de/fileadmin/Nachhaltigkeit/PDFs/Interseroh_Sustainability_Magazine_2020_ENG.pdf
The online sustainability report from Interseroh for the years 2019 and 2020 presents the social and ecological services in detailed form. On a transparent basis, it reports about the objectives, progress and challenges of the environmental services provider, and was compiled according to the standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). It is available at https://www.interseroh.de/fileadmin/Nachhaltigkeit/PDFs/Interseroh_Sustainability_Report_2020_ENG.pdf
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2019 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
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Tue, 01 Jun 2021 09:57:00 +0200
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Packaging licensing with added value: Lizenzero now providing industry-relevant partner offerings
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/packaging-licensing-with-added-value-lizenzero-now-providing-industry-relevant-partner-offerings/
Cologne. The environmental services provider Interseroh is upgrading its online store Lizenzero to include an exclusive partner area, and thereby helping its customers to network with companies and services that are relevant to the industry. In this way, (online) retailers and manufacturers which license their packaging via the web shop not only fulfil their obligations according to the German Packaging Act, but will also benefit from special offers in the areas of packaging, software and logistics in the future. The selected partner companies are furthermore able to reach more than 20,000 regular customers with their offerings.
“We want to create a win-win environment for businesses and the environment,” explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “On the one hand, our web shop simplifies the licensing with a dual system. This gives smaller companies, in particular, added security, also in terms of the stricter requirements of the German Packaging Act. On the other hand, with our new partner area, we can offer targeted support to meaningful and sustainable cooperation in the areas of e-commerce, packaging, fulfilment and consulting. When the participant’s business runs smoothly, they can fulfil their product responsibility more easily – and the packaging recycling is strengthened.”
At the launch, the following partner companies are supporting the initiative from Interseroh: with its packaging made from renewable and recycled materials, BB-Verpackungen wants to make online shipping easier, albeit with a “good conscience”. With Kartonplus, another specialist for packaging materials in the field of e-commerce shipping is on board. Sustainable packaging solutions are also the focus at Packiro. With its know-how in the area of recyclable packaging, this company also sees itself as playing an advisory role in the Lizenzero network.
Logistics and fulfilment services are equally as relevant to online retailers as packaging is. With its international fulfilment network, byrd supports rapidly growing online retailers and direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands with their expansion, and together with Lizenzero, wants to establish sustainable solutions for the e-commerce industry. Alaiko offers cutting-edge fulfilment solutions, especially for rapidly-growing e-commerce brands. As a provider of e-commerce solutions, Shopware is also participating as a service partner. The online shop Lizenzero, for example, is based on the software from this provider. Kaufland.de is one of the fastest-growing online marketplaces in Germany. This marketplace provides (online) retailers with an optimum platform for the development and expansion of their multichannel sales. Last but not least, the Händlerbund, the biggest online retail association in Europe, is complementing the offer for Lizenzero customers, also by providing extensive support with legal matters, advice and further training.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2019 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Free use of the attached picture is authorised, provided the source "ALBA Group" is acknowledged.
Wed, 26 May 2021 10:40:00 +0200
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Burger King® is awarded the “Made for Recycling” seal from Interseroh for the packaging used on its fruit pouches
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/burger-kingr-is-awarded-the-made-for-recycling-seal-from-interseroh-for-the-packaging-used-on-its-fruit-pouches/
Cologne. Retro look on the outside, forward-looking packaging design on the inside: According to the scientific “Made for Recycling” method, the packaging for the new apple and banana fruit pouches from Burger King® have been classified as excellently recyclable. The “pouch” packaging, which is to be used at the fast food chain from the end of April 2021 onwards, was awarded 19 out of a possible 20 points and is therefore able to carry the quality seal of the environmental services provider Interseroh. “We are pleased that increasing numbers of companies are using recycling-friendly packaging,” explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “After all, the better the recyclable loop works, the more effectively we are able to reduce the use of natural resources and ease the burden on the climate.”
The “Made for Recycling” testing standard was developed together with the bifa environmental institute, and has been confirmed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV. The key factor in the positive rating of the new fruit pouches used at Burger King®: they are made exclusively from polypropylene (PP). Conventional pouches, by contrast, often consist of three different materials plus aluminium foil, which makes their mechanical recycling either very hard or even impossible. “For us, the launch of the new packaging is another important step forwards in the direction of sustainability,” explains Klaus Schmäing, Director Marketing at BURGER KING Germany GmbH. “The ‘Made for Recycling’ seal supports our customers in making environmentally-aware purchasing decisions.”
The contribution of the recycling of recyclable materials to easing the burden on the climate has also been demonstrated by the “resources SAVED by recycling” study by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT. On this basis, the ALBA Group, to which Interseroh belongs as well, saved with its closed-loop management of 6 million tonnes of materials 4.2 million tonnes of climate-damaging greenhouse gases in 2019. That is equivalent to the positive annual impact on the climate of roughly 59 million trees.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2019 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Free use of the attached picture is authorised, provided the source "ALBA Group" is acknowledged.
Tue, 18 May 2021 10:16:00 +0200
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Interseroh+: entry ticket to the entire raw material loop
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-entry-ticket-to-the-entire-raw-material-loop/
Cologne. The environmental services provider Interseroh is starting this year with a new dual system and a new concept. The offer from the newly founded "Interseroh+ GmbH" is aimed at all companies that not only want to meet their legal obligation for packaging licensing but also want to take responsibility themselves for closing recycling and raw material loops. They can even become a silent partner in the start-up, if they want.
"Consumers are demanding products and packaging that are not only recyclable but are made from an ever-higher share of recyclates," says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of Interseroh+. "For manufacturers and distributors, but also for retailers with own brands, this means that they must secure access to the material loop to have sufficient recycling raw materials for their production in future." There will be a huge shortage, at the latest when the EU Commission introduces a minimum recycling quota for packaging and products in Europe. "A contract with Interseroh+ not only meets the licensing obligations but is more like an entry ticket to the entire raw material loop."
Anyone who signs up to the new Interseroh+ dual system can also take advantage of other services in addition to access to recycling raw materials – from the research laboratory in Maribor, Slovenia, to the "Made for Recycling" testing procedure, which evaluates the recyclability of packaging and provides advice on packaging design. In addition, Interseroh+ offers the complete recyclable loop beyond the licensing business from one single source, with the "in-house" partners from the Alba Group. With Alba Recycling, Germany's market leader in sorting plants, and its own plastics processing as well as national and international partners in specialised recycling processes, Interseroh+ has a comprehensive production of recycled plastics at its disposal.
Distributors can also enter into this concept in the legal form of a silent partnership. "Outwardly, this doesn't have to be done silently at all. Our partners can advertise this and make it clear to their customers that they go far beyond meeting the normal legal obligation with their commitment," says Müller-Drexel. They are no longer commissioning a service provider but getting involved themselves and taking responsibility." To clear the way for the investment, Interseroh is spinning off all competencies relating to the recycling cycle from the previous company ISD and bundling them in the new company "Interseroh+". The spin-off has legal consequences: as the system approval is in the name of ISD, "Interseroh+" has already reapplied for this approval in all federal states. Müller-Drexel: We hope that the states can approve these applications very quickly because once we receive all the approvals, we will also return our previous permit.
All old contracts as well as all experts for this business area are to be transferred to the new company. Müller Drexel continues: "Together with our customers and partners, we want to focus on the important issues of the future: the further development and closing of the loop as well as the secure supply of recyclates, in the long term too: transparency throughout the system is the absolute maxim in the new 'recycling alliance'."
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2019 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Fri, 07 May 2021 09:55:00 +0200
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Sustainably attractive: cosnova makes use of recycled plastic from Interseroh for cosmetics packaging
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/sustainably-attractive-cosnova-makes-use-of-recycled-plastic-from-interseroh-for-cosmetics-packaging/
Cologne. An innovation in the field of decorative cosmetics: for the first time ever, a cosmetics company is using post-consumer recycled plastic from used packaging from the Yellow Bag/Yellow Bin to manufacture the packaging for its beauty products. Starting from the spring of 2021, the expert for decorative cosmetics, cosnova, is launching its CATRICE nail polish vials and its camouflage+ matt and camouflage+ healthy glow essence concealers with caps made from Procyclen. As part of the relaunch of its best-selling essence lip gloss products, extreme shine volume lip gloss, cosnova is also using Interseroh’s recycled plastic for the caps – and reducing the amount of material used by some 25 percent. Procyclen is made from plastic waste collected in the dual system by the environmental services provider Interseroh according to strict quality standards. Moreover, the caps do not come into contact with the product contents.
“cosnova is a trendsetter, and that includes the field of sustainable packaging design,” explains Axel Geiger, Executive Expert Purchase & Packaging at cosnova. “By increasing the use of recycled materials in our product packaging, we want to contribute to reducing the use of new plastic. A corresponding note on the nail polish caps is also designed to raise awareness for the importance of recycling for the protection of the environment and the climate.” According to scientific studies by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT, the use of the recycled plastic Procyclen results in a 54 percent reduction in climate-damaging greenhouse gases compared with the use of new material.
The use of Procyclen in decorative cosmetics sends an important signal for the market. So far, clear legal standards are yet to have been agreed regarding the use of plastic recyclates from packaging waste from the Yellow Bag/Yellow Bin in the cosmetics industry. The example of the cosnova packaging shows what is technically possible in the area of plastics recycling today. With the award-winning Recycled-Resource process, Interseroh produces quality-assured recyclates according to individual specifications. “The formulation developed especially for cosnova contains more than 94 percent post-consumer material, and was precisely tailored to the customers’ requirements through the minimal addition of precisely combined specialist additives,” explains Dr Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Busines Unit Recycled-Resource at INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “This ensures that the recyclate fulfils all the quality expectations in terms of its colour, mechanical resistance and stability in processing, not to mention the material purity, and therefore fulfils the exacting requirements of decorative cosmetics.”
Field test passed: In this sector, too, recycled plastics can serve as a full-value substitute for new materials – and reduce the burden on the environment at the same time. This is all the more reason to encourage its use and to support it at the political level with suitable regulations, whether through binding standards or financial incentives.
About cosnova Beauty:
cosnova Beauty, which is based in Sulzbach/Germany, is managed by its Directors Mathias Delor, Javier González, Gesine Hild, Dirk Lauber, Christina Oster-Daum, Hilko Prahl and Yvonne Wutzler. At the end of the 2020 financial year, cosnova Beauty employed some 650 people worldwide. The essence and CATRICE cosmetics brands are now sold in more than 80 countries in Europe, North and South America, the Middle East, Asia, Oceania and Africa. The company’s customers include pharmacies, food retailers, department stores, perfumeries and fashion chains.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2019 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Tue, 23 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0100
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Interseroh certifies the new grated cheese packaging from MILRAM with good recycling capability
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-certifies-the-new-grated-cheese-packaging-from-milram-with-good-recycling-capability/
Cologne. The scientifically-proven “Made for Recycling” assessment method from the environmental services provider Interseroh has confirmed the recycling capability of the packaging recently used by its customers, the DMK Group. The bags used for the packaging of the new MILRAM “PizzaLiebe” and MILRAM “AuflaufLiebe” grated cheese products which have been supplied to retailers since March were awarded 18 of 20 possible points, and thereby given the seal of quality for recycling capability. The testing standard was developed together with the bifa environmental institute, before subsequently being reviewed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV.
“Good recycling capability is of considerable importance for an effective recyclable loop,” explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “We can only make use of the full potential of the closed loop economy if the waste which citizens separate at home is also optimally recyclable. On the one hand, the “Made for Recycling” service sets fixed standards for companies in the development of packaging, while on the other, it provides orientation to consumers who want to make environmentally-aware purchases that are climate-friendly and resource-conserving.“
The importance of the recycling of recyclable materials for easing the burden on the climate, which is urgently required, is also demonstrated by the “resources SAVED by recycling” study by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT. On this basis, the ALBA Group, to which also belongs Interseroh, saved 4.2 million tonnes of climate-damaging greenhouse gases in 2019 by recycling 6 million tonnes of recyclable materials. This corresponds to around one percent of Germany’s CO2 savings on the basis of a direct comparison of the annual emissions from 1990 with 2019, or the positive climate protection impact achieved by roughly 59 million trees.
About the “Made for Recycling” valuation method:
To assess the recycling capability of packaging, together with the bifa environmental institute specialising in technical environmental protection, Interseroh has developed a three-stage points system. In the first stage, it is determined whether the consumer can assign the packaging to the right collection system without any problems. In the second stage, a verification takes place as to how the packaging performs during the sorting. Are the currently available sorting technologies able to sort the packaging into the right material fraction – or do certain materials prevent a clear allocation? In the third stage, an evaluation takes place as to whether the packaging is suitable for material recycling, or whether labels, colours or barriers make the recycling process more difficult. Packaging barriers are usually used to protect the product from exterior influences and to guarantee the product attributes. They serve the purpose of providing protection against UV or oxygen infiltration, for example.
The greater the number of points the packaging achieves on a scale of 0 to 20, the more easily and better it can be recycled. The “Made for Recycling” service also fulfils the requirements of the minimum standards for measuring the recycling capability of packaging of the German Central Agency Packaging Register (ZSVR) which have applied since 1 September 2019.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2019 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Tue, 16 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0100
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ALBA Group wins global tender in Singapore for the construction and operation of a completely new collection system for electric waste
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-wins-global-tender-in-singapore-for-the-construction-and-operation-of-a-completely-new-collection-system-for-electric-waste/
Berlin/Singapore. The ALBA Group is the first environmental services provider to have been awarded the official contract for the collection of electric and electronic waste in Singapore. The National Environment Agency, the environment ministry in the city state, awarded the recycling specialist the contract following a global tender. The key purpose of the contract is the establishment of a collection system consisting of containers, temporary collection points at weekends, a take-back system at retailers, and a fee-based collection service throughout the urban area of Singapore. It is based on a new law that has established the principle of producer responsibility for the collection and recycling of waste in Singapore for the first time. In this respect, ALBA is also the first company to configure and implement a full range of services for the metropolitan centre of some 5.7 million people on this basis.
The material is to be sent to audited recycling firms selected by ALBA Singapore for its dismantling and reprocessing. The concept also includes providing more information to locals so as to familiarise them with the new system. The STEP UP app, which ALBA launched on securing the waste management contract for the district of Jurong last year, is also to be integrated for this purpose. With the app, people who collect electric waste are credited points which are converted into shopping discounts at various retail outlets.
“We are honoured to support Singapore on its journey to become a leading location for sustainability. We will continue to work with all our partners to bring Singapore a step closer to its goal of becoming a Zero Waste Nation,” explains Dr. Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ALBA Group. “To achieve this, we are linking our advanced waste management and recycling technology with digital offerings.”
ALBA Singapore used an artificial intelligence-based geo-information system to select the optimum collection points. This means that every resident of Singapore who lives in a building owned by the state housing association, which is 80 percent of the local population, is within a maximum distance of 500 metres from their nearest collection point – a major convenience. The collection points have containers in which electric waste, batteries and lights are collected separately. Due to the new law on producer responsibility for electric waste, the collection is funded by producers and importers, who pay a fixed fee as well as a surcharge for each kilogramme of recycled waste. The new system is scheduled to enter operation as soon as 1st July of this year.
About ALBA in Singapore:
The ALBA Group has been responsible for a completely new waste management system in the Jurong district of Singapore, which has a population of approximately 500,000, since April 2020. ALBA was awarded the contract in an international tender to set up a digitalised system to a high environmental standard. For this purpose, the “Singapore Trash Evolution Program” was developed, in which ALBA and its regional partners use innovations to create added sustainability with the motto “STEP UP Singapore”. The digitalisation of waste management in Singapore is considered to be one of the most ambitious environmental projects in Asia.
About ALBA Group:
The ALBA Group, one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide, operates with its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.com.
Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0100
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LIZENZERO.EU: Interseroh launches information platform on Europe-wide packaging licensing
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/lizenzeroeu-interseroh-launches-information-platform-on-europe-wide-packaging-licensing/
Cologne. In future, dealers and manufacturers will be able to access the information platform of LIZENZERO.EU for their packaging that they want to send into other European countries and to which different country-specific licensing specifications apply. The new service offers all the key facts as well as action guidelines on Europe-wide packaging licensing and is available immediately online with the first target countries. INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH is thus further expanding its online packaging licensing service, which is aimed particularly at smaller and medium-sized companies.
“Depending on the target country, those who want to send their products into other European countries are confronted with a wide variety of regulations on packaging licensing,” says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. Packaging must be registered individually for each country, as there is no central registration body. Additionally, the legal specifications differ from country to country and in most cases the law texts are available only in the respective national language.
Smaller and medium-sized dealers and producers often do not have the personnel options for dealing with the in part complex regulations. Moreover, services that process the licensing for the companies using a proxy model mostly make sense only as of large volumes. With LIZENZERO.EU, Interseroh is closing this gap: by means of the online platform, small to medium-sized dealers and producers can find out whether there is a licensing obligation in the respective target country, which costs are likely to be connected with it and how they can perform the licensing themselves in the respective country. In this way, small and medium-sized companies can position themselves in their export countries on a legal basis and circumnavigate possible sanctions due to unintended violations. The first target countries are already available on LIZENZERO.EU, with the service to be expanded successively over the next few weeks.
Interested parties will find on the information platform, for example, the so-called “individual country service” or the “TOP 5 package” with the five most important target countries. Should the self-performed licensing be too intricate after all, LIZENZERO.EU additionally offers the expanded “premium package”, involving a full-scale service using a proxy model. For this purpose, close cooperation is taking place with the Interseroh unit “Umwelt Compliance Europa” (UCE), which bundles all Europe-wide packaging licensing services.
More information at: www.lizenzero.eu/
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2019 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Thu, 04 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0100
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BAU 2021: Interseroh provides information online on take-back and recycling solutions for transport packaging
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/bau-2021-interseroh-provides-information-online-on-take-back-and-recycling-solutions-for-transport-packaging/
Cologne. The environmental services provider Interseroh is participating for the first time as a main exhibitor at BAU, the world's leading trade fair for architecture, materials and systems, which will take place online from 13 to 15 January 2021. The subsidiary of the recycling specialist ALBA Group is a long-standing partner of the construction industry and provides information about its take-back and recycling solutions for transport packaging and how to close loops for special materials such as aerated concrete. Another topic is the new unit “Umwelt Compliance Europa (UCE)” for EU-wide packaging licensing and taking back of waste electrical equipment and batteries.
“Together with the construction industry, we have established a sustainable solution for recycling transport packaging,” says Frank Kurrat, Business Unit Manager at INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “We are constantly working on new services to simplify the processes for our customers and to keep resources in circulation. That's why we're delighted to be a main exhibitor at BAU for the first time this year and are looking forward to seeing how the digital presentation is received.”
For almost 30 years, Interseroh has been coordinating the nationwide collection and recycling of used transport packaging together with around 600 certified partners. The company is market leader and sets standards in terms of quality, customer orientation and innovative recycling technologies as these numbers show: approx. two million waste management processes per year, over 360,000 tonnes of transport packaging taken back and more than 100,000 commercial collection points.
Interseroh has founded the “Umwelt Compliance Europa (UCE)” unit to enable manufacturers, distributors and importers of packaging, waste electrical equipment and batteries to fulfil their product responsibility and to conveniently comply with the resulting registration and take-back obligations in Europe with legal certainty. With the UCE unit, the environmental services provider assumes all tasks arising from the legal obligations within the EU as well as in Great Britain, Norway and Switzerland: from the analysis and selection of the appropriate country-specific licensing and take-back system up to contract management and reporting.
Interseroh also organises individual recycling solutions especially for the construction industry and closes, for instance, the cycle for Ytong and Multipor residues for building materials manufacturers. These are collected in big bags, sorted by type, at the construction site, picked up by Interseroh and processed by the manufacturer for the production of new goods. Also, products of all kinds can be disposed of via the take-back platform ecoservice24.com in an environmentally friendly and simple manner.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2019 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Mon, 04 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0100
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ALBA Group celebrates two million recycled units of waste electrical and electronic equipment at the WEEE facility in Hong Kong
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-celebrates-two-million-recycled-units-of-waste-electrical-and-electronic-equipment-at-the-weee-facility-in-hong-kong/
Berlin/Hong Kong. The ALBA Group is celebrating two million recycled pieces of waste electrical and electronic equipment at the “Hong Kong WEEE·PARK”, the most modern facility for the treatment and recovery of electrical and electronic waste in South East Asia. The facility, which opened in 2018, specialises in processing what is known as “regulated electronic waste”. On this basis, the specialised recovery of more than 250,000 refrigerators and 500,000 washing machines has been possible – with a recycling rate of more than 88 percent.
“We are very proud of the exceptional performance of our on-site team, and I would like to thank all the employees for their hard work”, says Dr Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of the ALBA Group. “For us, reaching the mark of two million units of equipment just over two years after the facility first opened is a milestone. Our cutting-edge recycling technology and know-how have made us an important partner for the protection of the environment and the climate in Hong Kong. We shall continue to work on innovative solutions surrounding the urgent questions regarding the closed-loop economy.”
The high-tech installation, which is situated in the EcoPark in Hong Kong, is the biggest combined facility in the world for the range of equipment that it processes. The majority of the “regulated” electronic waste from the Asian metropolis of Hong Kong is processed at this facility, which is owned by the City of Hong Kong. The ALBA Group secured this order, which is the biggest single order in its company history, in the year 2015. In addition to the operation of the facility, the order also includes the operation of a comprehensive collection system with satellite collection centres and an in-house fleet of HGVs.
About ALBA Group:
The ALBA Group, one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide, operates with its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.com.
Thu, 26 Nov 2020 10:00:00 +0100
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Packaging products have to be made suitable for closed-loop circulation – throughout Europe
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/packaging-products-have-to-be-made-suitable-for-closed-loop-circulation-throughout-europe/
Cologne. Conserving raw materials, preventing waste, managing recyclable materials in the closed loop: at today’s “Future Resources 2020” conference, 251 experts from the retail trade, industry and the recycling industry discussed the international importance of the recycling of packaging – and highlighted approaches for its sustainable optimisation. Due to the current situation with the coronavirus, the event that was hosted by Interseroh and the German Packaging Institute (dvi) took place online in its entirety.
“We are pleased about the considerable resonance and the intention of the participants to bring a joint sense of impetus to the topics of recycling and the closed-loop circulation for packaging,” said Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH on welcoming the participants to the event. “The goal of a climate-friendly closed-loop economy that focuses on conserving resources will be easier to achieve if the stakeholders are prepared to embark on new paths and overcome boundaries.”
“Large parts of the business world consider the closed-loop economy to be a key strategy in reducing emissions of CO2 and also think it is a strong motor for innovation,” confirmed Sabine Nallinger, Chair of the CEO Initiative The 2 Degrees Foundation – German Business Leaders for Climate Protection in her presentation on the topic of “Packaging vs. raw materials – what is more important right now?” In this respect, taking decisive action at the European level is the key. “These businesses want a strong Green Deal, and are demanding strong EU legislation to protect the climate.” To enable the creation of a closed-loop economy, additional regulations must be advanced on a targeted basis: “We need new taxes on primary raw materials and guidelines concerning the minimum use of recyclates. In the future, packaging products must be made suitable for closed-loop circulation.”
Dr Carl Dominik Klepper, Managing Director of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Verpackung + Umwelt e. V. (Working Group for Packaging + the Environment / AGVU) then turned his attention to Europe and the current challenges posed by the EU legislation, and presented corresponding initiatives from the AGVU.
Ansgar Schonlau, Managing Partner at packaging manufacturer Maag GmbH steered the focus to the practical level. The suitability of packaging for closed-loop circulation requires both a recycling-friendly design and the respective sorting and recovery infrastructure. Taking the example of plastic packaging: “A high degree of quality and/or homogeneity in the area of mechanical recycling can only be achieved with single material packaging. When choosing the packaging material, it is also necessary to pay attention to the sales markets for recyclates. The demand for (PP) recyclate is particularly high,” explained Urban Buschmann, Director of Packaging Development and Sustainability at FRoSTA AG, who reported about specific experiences with the optimisation of packaging. A few years ago, the food retailer changed its packaging to PP mono material – and is now offering frozen food products in paper bags to respond to the wishes of the consumers.
Despite every effort of the world of business, however, the closed-loop circulation of packaging can only succeed if the consumers actively cooperate. After all, the advance sorting of the waste packaging by households is an important requirement in ensuring the high quality of the subsequent recycling. To inform and motivate and to dispel errors, the dual systems have launched the “Mülltrennung wirkt” (separating waste works) campaign. Axel Subklew, the spokesman of “Mülltrennung wirkt”, presented the individual measures for clarification and information regarding the separation of waste to those attending the Future Resources conference.
“Our event demonstrated the importance of bringing all the stakeholders together if we want to achieve a sustainable circular economy in Europe,” explained Winfried Batzke, Managing Director of the dvi, summing things up. “Whether it is on-site or virtual – in the future, we will use this platform to bring the participants in the value chain for packaging around the table and to develop joint solutions for the future.”
Further information: www.future-resources.de (German).
About the Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi):
The Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi) (German Packaging Institute) is the only network for the packaging industry to bring together companies from every stage of the value chain. The dvi supports the transfer of knowledge and promotes discussions between more than 230 companies, institutions and partners. The dvi is a platform for information, insights, inspiration and discussions surrounding the topic of packaging.
Further information about the dvi is available at www.verpackung.org.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2019 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Tue, 10 Nov 2020 12:00:00 +0100
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New Interseroh unit “Environmental Compliance Europe”: services throughout Europe from one single source
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/new-interseroh-unit-environmental-compliance-europe-services-throughout-europe-from-one-single-source/
Cologne. From now on, the environmental services provider Interseroh is bundling all of its services throughout Europe for packaging licensing and the taking back of waste electrical and electronic equipment and batteries under the name Environmental Compliance Europe (Umwelt Compliance Europa / UCE). Via a central contact point, manufacturers, distributors and importers are able to comply with their product responsibility and the resulting registration and take-back obligations in Europe on a convenient and legally-compliant basis.
“Any manufacturer, importer or (online) retailer who places waste electrical and electronic equipment, batteries and packaging on the European market faces a veritable thicket of national laws and regulations,” says Frank Kurrat, Division Manager for Recycling Solutions at INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. Due to the lack of a central reporting and registration office, the registration has to be completed separately for each country and for each type of product and packaging. Then there is the fact that the statutory regulations differ from one country to the next, and in most cases, the legislation is only published in the respective national language. “The risk of unintentionally breaking the law and being fined is correspondingly high, especially for small and medium-sized businesses, many of which do not have the requisite personnel resources or knowledge of the various foreign languages,” explains Frank Kurrat.
This is where the new UCE Unit from Interseroh steps in. With an efficient network of partners, the team of experts is able to manage all the tasks that arise from the legal obligations within the EU and in Great Britain, Norway and Switzerland. Its spectrum of services ranges from the analysis and selection of suitable country-specific licensing and take-back systems, to contract management, through to reporting. “With a service provider, businesses are able to manage both the taking back of waste electrical and electronic equipment and batteries and the packaging licensing in other European countries without burdening their own teams or incurring administrative costs. This means they can circumvent compliance-risks – which gives them additional capacity for their core business,” explains Kurrat.
For further information on Environment Compliance Europe, visit: https://www.interseroh.de/en/services/consulting/environmental-compliance-europe/
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2019 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2019 alone ALBA Group saved 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Wed, 04 Nov 2020 10:00:00 +0100
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Borderless packaging: running resources in a closed loop across national borders
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/borderless-packaging-running-resources-in-a-closed-loop-across-national-borders/
Cologne. The fourth "Future Resources" conference will take place under the motto "Borderless packaging" on 10 November 2020 – online and without a participation fee. Experts from the retail trade, consumer goods industry and recycling industry will discuss the requirements of an international packaging market and possibilities to use packaging materials in a way that protects the climate and conserves resources. The event also offers an insight into the latest political developments at European level and presents material innovations.
"The high level of interest in the event jointly hosted by Interseroh and the German Packaging Institute (dvi) over the last few years demonstrates how important the handling of finite resources is for all those involved in the packaging loop," says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. "To ensure that no risks are taken during the current corona situation, the entire programme will take place online this year."
Sabine Nallinger, chairwoman of Foundation 2° – German Businesses for Climate Protection, will speak on the topic "Packaging vs. raw materials – what is more important in today's world?", before Dr Carl Dominik Klepper, Managing Director of Arbeitsgemeinschaft Verpackung + Umwelt e.V. (AGVU), takes a look at Europe and the current framework conditions for packaging. In addition, Urban Buschmann, Head of Process Development at FRoSTA AG, will present a best-practice example of paper packaging for frozen goods and Axel Subklew, spokesperson for the "Waste separation works" campaign, will introduce the information campaign of the German dual systems. Finally, Ansgar Schonlau, Managing Director of maag GmbH, will speak on the recyclability of meat and cheese packaging.
"In the medium term, the goal must be to make all packaging recyclable and to produce the majority of it from recycled materials," says Winfried Batzke, Managing Director of dvi. "Future Resources offers the ideal platform for dialogue and exchange between all stakeholders to support the necessary paradigm shift."
Free registration for Future Resources 2020 at: https://www.future-resources.de/ (German).
About the Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi):
The Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi) (German Packaging Institute) is the only network for the packaging industry to bring together companies from every stage of the value chain. The dvi supports the transfer of knowledge and promotes discussions between more than 230 companies, institutions and partners. The dvi is a platform for information, insights, inspiration and discussions surrounding the topic of packaging.
Further information about the dvi is available at www.verpackung.org.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2019 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2018 alone ALBA Group saved 4.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 31.9 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Wed, 21 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0200
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Scientifically proven: recycling is the key to climate protection / ALBA Group demands minimum quotas for the use of recyclates
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/scientifically-proven-recycling-is-the-key-to-climate-protection-alba-group-demands-minimum-quotas-for-the-use-of-recyclates/
Berlin. The use of recycled raw materials makes a direct contribution to climate protection. This is the outcome of the “resources SAVED by recycling” study presented today, which the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT prepared on behalf of the ALBA Group. According to the study, the ALBA Group saved more than 4.2 million tonnes of climate-damaging greenhouse gases in 2019 through the closed-loop circulation of 6 million tonnes of recyclables. This corresponds to approx. one per cent of the overall German CO2 savings in direct comparison to the annual emissions of the year 1990 to 2019 or the positive annual impact on the climate of about 59 million trees. At the same time, recycling saved 32.3 million tonnes of resources, such as crude oil, bauxite and iron ore compared to primary production.
“Recycling leads to far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the use of primary raw materials,” explains Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of the ALBA Group. “The use of our quality-tested recycled plastics, for example, reduces emissions of greenhouse gases by more than 50 percent in comparison with the production of plastics from crude oil. There is no better argument for the increased use of recyclates.” From the perspective of the environmental services provider, it is therefore all the more incomprehensible that in the amendment to the Circular Economy Act, the German Bundestag once again failed to specify minimum quotas for the use of recyclates. This means that another opportunity has been missed to push ahead with the transition from a resource-intensive to low-CO2 economy in which raw materials aren’t lost but are recycled.” The German government should now use its Presidency of the EU Council to legally anchor mandatory quotas for the use of recyclates – especially in view of the stricter climate goal announced by the EU Commission. “In this respect, the wording of the proposed resolution by the German Bundestag is far too timid. Nevertheless, the Federal Government must still take the opportunity to encourage Brussels to create markets for recyclates. Whatever happens, we shall continue to work unwaveringly on improving the quality of recycling, thereby paving the way for a climate-friendly world without waste,” explains Schweitzer.
“Our life-cycle analysis demonstrates the currently excellent potential of recycling for climate protection right down to the kilogram,” explains Dr Ing Markus Hiebel, Director of the Sustainability and Participation Department at the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT. “The better the individual stakeholders in the value chain of products and packaging collaborate, the greater the potential for possible savings.” The scientist perceives there to be an increasing willingness on the part of all those involved to take responsibility and to work closer together. Many manufacturers are now committed to using recycled raw materials in their products. “All in all, further incentives should be created to increase the use of recyclates. If the share of recyclates becomes a purchasing criterion in the procurement, this will significantly increase demand,” explains Hiebel.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT has been researching how the recycling activities of the ALBA Group have been affecting the climate and natural resources for 13 years. Its results are published annually in the “resources SAVED by recycling” brochure. The material flows for plastics, metals, waste electrical and electronic equipment, wood, paper/board/cardboard and glass were included in the study in 2019. In total the ALBA Group divisions saved about 70 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents worldwide since the beginning of the Fraunhofer scientific investigations in 2007. In comparison, this corresponds with about 9 per cent of 2019’s German greenhouse gas emissions of 805 million tonnes.
The full results of the study are available at the information portal www.resources-saved.com.
About Fraunhofer UMSICHT
Fraunhofer UMSICHT acts as a pioneer in a sustainable world by providing and transferring scientific findings to businesses, society and the world of politics. Together with its partners, the committed UMSICHT team researches and develops sustainable products, processes and services which are very impressive. In this respect, it focuses on the balance between economically successful, socially just and environmentally friendly developments. The institute has locations in Oberhausen, Willich and Sulzbach-Rosenberg. With its staff team of 529 employees, Fraunhofer UMSICHT generated a turnover of 49.4 million euros in 2019. As one of 74 institutes and research facilities in the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Europe's leading applied research organisation, Fraunhofer UMSICHT is part of a global network and promotes international collaboration.
Further information on Fraunhofer UMSICHT is available at www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de.
About ALBA Group:
The ALBA Group, one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide, operates with its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2018 alone ALBA Group saved 4.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 31.9 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.com.
Thu, 08 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0200
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Recyclability of packaging: bifa and Interseroh welcome the new minimum standard of the Central Agency
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/recyclability-of-packaging-bifa-and-interseroh-welcome-the-new-minimum-standard-of-the-central-agency/
Cologne. The environmental services provider Interseroh and the bifa environmental institute, one of Germany's leading applied research, development and consultancy institutions, welcome the new legally binding minimum standard for measuring the recycling capability of packaging in accordance with section 21 of the German Packaging Act (VerpackG). The new standard, a practical tool to help ensure compliance with requirements, was published yesterday (Tuesday) by the Central Agency Packaging Register (CAPR).
"The Central Agency minimum standard is an extremely useful standardised framework for systems and distributors", says Dr. Siegfried Kreibe, Deputy Director of bifa Umweltinstitut GmbH. "We welcome the changes to the minimum standard, which take account of new developments and findings. We also update the methodology we developed for Interseroh on an ongoing basis in the light of the current minimum standard."
"The objective of a circular economy that protects the climate and resources can only be achieved if we work together – and the new minimum standard is a key point of reference here for packaging manufacturers", believes Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. "Establishing a recycling fund under public law at the Central Agency, something that is currently under discussion, could also offer useful incentives for the increased use of recycled raw materials. With our 'Made for Recycling' service, we are actively supporting the necessary steps towards a circular economy and helping with both current and future compliance with legal requirements."
Section 21 VerpackG states that dual systems must offer benefits for customers who use recyclable packaging. Companies can find out just how well a packaging product can be recycled simply and easily using the scientific "Made for Recycling" valuation method developed by Interseroh and bifa. "Made for Recycling" not only ensures companies' compliance with VerpackG requirements, it also improves their image with environmentally conscious consumers.
About the “Made for Recycling” valuation method:
To assess the recycling capability of packaging, bifa and Interseroh have developed a three-stage points system. In the first stage, it is determined whether the consumer can assign the packaging to the right collection system without any problems. In the second stage, a verification takes place as to how the packaging performs during the sorting. Are the currently available sorting technologies able to sort the packaging into the right material fraction – or do certain materials prevent a clear allocation? In the third stage, an evaluation takes place as to whether the packaging is suitable for material recycling, or whether labels, colours or barriers make the recycling process more difficult. Packaging barriers are usually used to protect the product from exterior influences and to guarantee the product attributes. They serve the purpose of providing protection against UV or oxygen infiltration, for example.
The greater the number of points the packaging achieves on a scale of 0 to 20, the more easily and better it can be recycled. The “Made for Recycling” service also fulfils the requirements of the minimum standard for measuring the recycling capability of packaging of the Central Agency Packaging Register (CAPR). The methodology was reviewed by experts from the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV.
About the bifa environmental institute
bifa is one of the leading applied research, development and consultancy institutions in Germany and has implemented more than 1500 projects. bifa provides a wide range of custom environmental research and other services relating to material flows, energy flows and process engineering.
Further information about bifa is available at www.bifa.de.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2019 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2018 alone ALBA Group saved 4.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 31.9 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Wed, 02 Sep 2020 13:00:00 +0200
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Take-back campaign with the “Fisher Price” toys brand: Recycling used toys the right way
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/take-back-campaign-with-the-fisher-price-toys-brand-recycling-used-toys-the-right-way/
Cologne. To mark the 90th anniversary of the Fisher Price brand, environmental services provider Interseroh is cooperating with toys manufacturer Mattel. From now until 19th September, under the “Fisher-Price” brand, Mattel is holding a temporary take-back campaign to recycle used toys on a sustainable basis. At selected “REWE Centres”, used toys can be handed in at containers provided especially for this purpose. Interseroh is doing the sorting and sending the donations off for recycling. Recycling used plastics helps to prevent emissions and conserves resources.
Where should used plastic toys be disposed of? This is a question that many parents ask themselves. Old toys shouldn’t be disposed of in the residual waste, where they are incinerated, but sent for the right kind of recycling. During the campaign, a total of six REWE centres in various German cities will be equipped with coloured collection containers. The key focus of the donation campaign is on the regions of Cologne/Bonn, Munich, Kiel, Darmstadt and Hamburg.
The donated toys are sifted and sorted according to their materials by the certified disposal partner, Interseroh. Toys which are suitable for recycling go to the Dresden “Kunststoffschmiede”, a development laboratory with a workshop for recycling plastics. There, the collected toys are disassembled into their separate parts, and the various materials are processed as recyclate which is used to make new toys. Mattel is donating these to the Johanniter “Pusteblume” children’s hospice in the Spreewald.
“Recycling raw materials in the closed loop is always the right way to take the burden off the climate and to conserve resources,” explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “In this way, we are also bringing a little joy into the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves.”
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2019 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.0 billion Euros and employed a staff of approx. 8,800 employees. In 2018 alone ALBA Group saved 4.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 31.9 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Thu, 27 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0200
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New sustainability magazine: Interseroh presents innovations in the circular economy
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/new-sustainability-magazine-interseroh-presents-innovations-in-the-circular-economy/
Cologne. The environmental services provider Interseroh has published its annual sustainability magazine which features innovations in the circular economy. Interseroh presents 38 pages of examples of successful climate protection concepts, recycling-friendly packaging optimisation and digital solutions for more sustainability and more considered consumption in the journalistically prepared magazine.
For example, Interseroh reports on its successes in the area of packaging optimisation. The environmental services provider is helping one of Germany's largest discounters to maximise the recyclability of its packaging with the specially developed "Check for Recycling" tool. Another example of sustainable resource protection the reader learns about is how a new designer chair was created from the recycled plastic Procyclen and how the "STAY AWHILE" online shop is supporting the population's growing need for sustainable consumption by hiring clothing.
"The new sustainability magazine shows how versatilely the possibilities of a digital world can be used for more climate and resource protection," says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. "Climate protection has not just become a major political issue but is now the motivator for a large number of decisions along the entire value chain. Our task at Interseroh is to accompany our customers in this process and I am pleased to be able to highlight the success of this work in the annual sustainability magazine."
Another highlight of this year's edition of Interseroh's sustainability magazine is a discussion between sustainability expert Prof Dr Günther Bachmann and Markus Müller-Drexel on the significance of climate protection efforts in the circular economy. Bachmann headed the Council for Sustainable Development's office from 2001 to March 2020 and advised the German government in this capacity for almost 20 years. In dialogue with Müller-Drexel, Bachmann is appealing for improved structures for returning raw materials to the cycle, among other things. The whole discussion is also available to listen to as a free podcast (in German) at www.interseroh.de/podcast.
Interseroh formulated the current sustainability strategy, which is based on the United Nations' 17 goals (Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs), in 2018. The Interseroh sustainability magazine is published annually and constitutes an extension of the traditional sustainability report, which is published every two years, as part of reporting. The current magazine is available at https://www.interseroh.de/en/sustainability/.
Tue, 09 Jun 2020 09:59:00 +0200
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Interseroh launches webinar offering: Designing recycling-friendly packaging – a guide!
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-launches-webinar-offering-designing-recycling-friendly-packaging-a-guide/
Cologne. The environmental services provider Interseroh is extending its consulting offer in the field of “Made for Recycling” and launching a no-cost series of webinars on the topic of packaging optimisation. The first webinar will take place from 10:00 until 11:30 am on Thursday 28 May 2020, when interested participants can learn more about the recycling-friendly design of packaging and its relevance to the conservation of resources and climate protection. The webinar will also provide insights into the possibilities for fulfilling the requirements of the retail trade and consumers as regards a greater degree of environmental protection with sustainable packaging optimisation. For further information on the content of the webinar and registration, please visit https://www.xing.com/events/recyclingfreundliche-verpackungen-gestalten-gewusst-2857694.
“To return as many materials as possible to the closed loop to the benefit of the environment, the recycling capability should be taken into account in terms of the type and design of the packaging,” explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “Even simple changes have a positive impact on the recycling capability. To communicate this as effectively and clearly as we can, we have launched a new series of webinars.”
Further workshops will follow the launch in May, with the details being published under https://www.interseroh.de/webinar-anmeldung/.
About “Made for Recycling”:
To assess the recycling capability of packaging, working together with the bifa environmental institute specialising in technical environmental protection, Interseroh has developed a three-stage points system. In the first stage, it is determined whether the consumer can assign the packaging to the right collection system without any problems. In the second stage, a verification takes place on the way in which the packaging performs during the sorting. Are the available sorting technologies able to allocate the packaging into the right material fraction – or do certain materials prevent the correct separation? In the third stage, an evaluation takes place on whether the packaging is suitable for material recycling, or whether labels, seals or barriers, for instance, make the recycling process more difficult. Packaging barriers are usually used to protect the product from external influences and to guarantee the product characteristics. They serve the purpose of providing protection against UV or oxygen infiltration, for example.
The greater the number of points the packaging achieves on a scale of 0 to 20, the more easily and better it can be recycled. The “Made for Recycling” service also fulfils the requirements of the minimum standards for measuring the recycling capability of packaging of the Central Agency Packaging Register (Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister) which have applied since 1 September 2019.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.1 billion Euros and employed a staff of more than 8,000 employees. In 2018 alone ALBA Group saved 4.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 31.9 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Mon, 18 May 2020 10:00:00 +0200
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Interseroh centre of competence for plastics recycling awarded official accreditation
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-centre-of-competence-for-plastics-recycling-awarded-official-accreditation/
Cologne/Maribor. In March 2020, the centre of competence for plastics recycling of environmental services provider Interseroh in Maribor, Slovenia, was awarded its official international accreditation. This means it is the only recognised research institution in the EU to have specialised on the development and analysis of recycled plastics. It is therefore setting the bar throughout Europe with the implementation of uniform standards of quality.
“When it comes to supplying industry with good quality recycled raw materials, this is an important step forwards,” explains Dr Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Business Unit Recycled-Resource at INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “The international accreditation according to laboratory standard ISO/IEC 17025:2017 confirms the considerable technical know-how of our centre of competence, and creates transparency and confidence in the market.” The standard sets the general requirements regarding the competence, impartiality and operation of laboratories. In fulfilling the standard, they can demonstrate that they achieve valid results and ensure their international acceptance. The research centre in Maribor has fulfilled all the requirements of the Slovenian accreditation body Slovenska akreditacija (SA).
Interseroh has been operating the centre of competence for plastics recycling in Maribor, which has developed into a renowned research and innovation facility, since 2016. In 2017, the environmental services provider was awarded the Slovenian Environmental Prize for the development of its Recycled-Resource upcycling process. "We are working on producing ever-improving, market-oriented plastic recyclates from used packaging which are a sustainable alternative to primary material," explains Ulcnik-Krump. "In this respect, assured global standards for processes, analytics and quality control are essential."
Among others, the accreditation confirmed that Interseroh fulfils the international requirements regarding the mechanical and physical analyses of plastics. The standardised test procedures serve to improve the long-term stability of the mechanical and thermal characteristics of the material – and therefore its suitability for sophisticated applications. Examples include a high level of low-temperature resistance and tensile strength of the boxes and pallets that are used in the supply chain, or the surface scratch resistance of furniture. "This offers genuine added value both to our customers and all interested companies," says Ulcnik-Krump. “The accreditation is a seal of quality for our work – as well as being the 'licence to test' from the leading authority. It allows us to offer the independent and standard-compliant quality testing of recyclates as a service on the market."
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.1 billion Euros and employed a staff of more than 8,000 employees. In 2018 alone ALBA Group saved 4.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 31.9 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Mon, 20 Apr 2020 10:03:00 +0200
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Unilever is awarded the “Made for Recycling” seal from Interseroh for Cremissimo packaging
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/unilever-is-awarded-the-made-for-recycling-seal-from-interseroh-for-cremissimo-packaging/
Cologne. It is scientifically proven: the Cremissimo ice cream packaging from Unilever has a very good level of recycling capability – and has been awarded the “Made for Recycling” seal of quality from Interseroh. This seal is only awarded to packaging which achieves a total score of 18-20 out of a 20 possible points according to a scientific method of evaluation developed by Interseroh in combination with realistic empirical values. The packaging from Cremissimo was awarded a total of 19 points. The testing standard was developed together with the bifa environmental institute, before subsequently being reviewed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV.
“As far as we are concerned, climate and resource protection are our daily responsibility. This means we are working on the development and implementation of sustainable solutions every day,” explains Susanne Lutkat, Category Business Team Leader Dessert & Tea. “The Made for Recycling seal from Interseroh provides us with great confirmation that we’re on the right tracks.” The Cremissimo ice cream packaging is made 100 percent from polyolefins and without recycling-unfriendly barriers which are usually used to protect the product against external influences. The Cremissimo packaging provides the optimum product protection even without these barriers and is also reusable for the storage of other food products. “In addition to the reduction of new plastic during the manufacturing of packaging, our top priority is to increase its recycling capability, and – where possible – to work with mono materials,” highlights Lutkat.
“Simple changes also have a positive impact on the recycling capability of packaging,” explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “Our ‘Made for Recycling’ service provides businesses with tangible opportunities for successfully reconciling the increased requirements in terms of product protection and closed-loop circulation.”
The importance of the recycling of recyclable materials for easing the burden on the climate, which is urgently required, is also demonstrated by the “resources SAVED by recycling” study by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT. On this basis, the ALBA Group, to which Interseroh belongs, saved 4.4 million tonnes of climate-damaging greenhouse gases in 2018 by circulating 5.6 million tonnes of recyclable materials. This corresponds to one percent of Germany's CO2 savings compared with 1990, or the impact on climate protection to be achieved by a mixed forest that covers 441,000 hectares.
About the “Made for Recycling” valuation method:
To assess the recycling capability of packaging, together with the bifa environmental institute specialising in technical environmental protection, Interseroh has developed a three-stage points system. In the first stage, it is determined whether the consumer can assign the packaging to the right collection system without any problems. In the second stage, a verification takes place as to how the packaging performs during the sorting. Are the currently available sorting technologies able to sort the packaging into the right material fraction – or do certain materials prevent a clear allocation? In the third stage, an evaluation takes place as to whether the packaging is suitable for material recycling, or whether labels, colours or barriers make the recycling process more difficult. Packaging barriers are usually used to protect the product from exterior influences and to guarantee the product attributes. They serve the purpose of providing protection against UV or oxygen infiltration, for example.
The greater the number of points the packaging achieves on a scale of 0 to 20, the more easily and better it can be recycled. The “Made for Recycling” service also fulfils the requirements of the minimum standards for measuring the recycling capability of packaging of the German Central Packaging Register (ZSVR) which have applied since 1 September 2019.
About Unilever:
Unilever is a leading international manufacturer of consumer goods. The company distributes food products, body care products, detergents and household cleaning products to 190 countries which are used by some 2.5 billion consumers every day. Unilever has more than 155,000 employees worldwide, and in 2018 achieved a turnover of 51 billion euros. The Unilever group includes some of the world's best known and most popular brands, such as Knorr, Bertolli, Lipton, Dove, Duschdas, Axe, Rexona, Coral, Langnese and Ben & Jerry’s.
Unilever has set itself the following goals:
to support more than one billion people in improving their health and wellbeing by 2020, to reduce the environmental impact of our products by half by 2030, and to improve the living conditions of millions of people by 2020.
Unilever creates corporate value by increasing growth and trust and by reducing costs and risks. Our brands, which support a sustainable way of life, are growing 46 percent more quickly and account for 70 percent of our growth in 2018.
In the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, in 2019, Unilever is occupying a leading position once again. The company intends to achieve a positive CO₂ balance in its production processes by the year 2030. Unilever has also ensured that 100 percent of its plastic products are completely reusable, recyclable or biodegradable by 2025. By 2025, the amount of new plastic to be used is to be reduced by half, meaning the use of 350,000 fewer tonnes of new plastic for packaging
Further information about the company is available here: www.unilever.com and at www.unilever.de.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.1 billion Euros and employed a staff of more than 8,000 employees. In 2018 alone ALBA Group saved 4.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 31.9 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Tue, 04 Feb 2020 10:15:00 +0100
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Interseroh attends the “DACH+HOLZ International” trade fair for the first time
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-attends-the-dach-holz-international-trade-fair-for-the-first-time/
Cologne. This year, environmental services provider Interseroh will be presenting its comprehensive range of products and services at the leading "DACH+HOLZ International” trade fair for the first time. At its allocated exhibition space in Hall 10-412, the specialist for the closed-loop economy will be providing information on take-back and recycling solutions for used transport packaging in the construction industry and informing building materials retailers about their obligations according to the German Packaging Act. The “DACH+HOLZ International” is taking place from 28 to 31 January 2020 in Stuttgart.
“On construction sites, transport packaging accumulates daily as waste following the delivery of materials or components; this waste has to be collected promptly, recovered professionally and returned to the loop," explains Frank Kurrat, Business Unit Manager of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. "To fulfil these requirements, we have been operating a sustainable solution together with the construction industry for more than 25 years, and we coordinate a reliable collection system for transport packaging with some 600 certified waste management partners".
At the start of January 2019, the German Packaging Act replaced the previous Packaging Ordinance. The German Packaging Act also regulates the taking back of transport packaging and its environmentally compatible sorting, management and recycling. The environmental services provider Interseroh fulfils the requirements of the German Packaging Act on behalf of its contractual partners and is also available to the construction industry in an advisory capacity.
In addition to the taking back of transport packaging, retailers are also able to register their sales packaging in the German Dual System through Interseroh, using the web shop Lizenzero, for example (www.lizenzero.de). With the "Made for Recycling" service, the environmental services provider also supports businesses with the recycling-friendly configuration of their packaging, and also oversees the environmentally compatible management of waste electrical (and electronic) equipment according to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act. Interseroh also offers all these services throughout Europe.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.1 billion Euros and employed a staff of more than 8,000 employees. In 2018 alone ALBA Group saved 4.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 31.9 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Tue, 21 Jan 2020 10:00:00 +0100
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Interseroh commissions second Mobile Counting Centre / Relief of load on retail trade and environment
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-commissions-second-mobile-counting-centre-relief-of-load-on-retail-trade-and-environment/
Cologne. Shorter routes, more efficiency: at the start of this month, Interseroh commissioned its second Mobile Counting Centre (MCC) for used PET deposit bottles and drinks cans in Zarrentin, east of Hamburg. The environmental services provider is thus meeting the need of the retail trade for more flexible structures and optimised logistics. “Our customers no longer need to travel long, inefficient routes to stationary counting centres in order to redeem their deposit money. Instead, we bring the mobile system directly into their vicinity,” explains Claus Jüsten, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Pfand-System GmbH. “Retailers thus reduce their logistics costs and save on greenhouse gas emissions, which are harmful to the climate. In addition, we offer a need-based, streamlined solution for the existing quantities.”
The Interseroh MCC fulfils all the specifications of Deutsche Pfandsystem GmbH (DPG) and represents a full-value alternative for trading companies that do not possess their own reverse vending machines and are dependent on external counting centres. Interseroh’s innovative concept is unique on the market: integrated into a lorry with a semi-trailer, the MCC can be used whenever and wherever it is needed. The modern counting and communication technology collects more than 100 empty containers per minute, which are counted, devaluated and compacted on the spot.
“Our first Mobile Counting Centre, which was started up at the beginning of 2016 near Oldenburg, is running very successfully and relieves the burden on trading companies in the region in reliable fashion. This has encouraged us to expand the system further,” says Jüsten. “With our investments in an increasingly flexible network for logistics, counting service, recycling and deposit clearing, we have chosen the right answer to the market development. Additionally, we help our customers to implement the ecologically and economically most sensible solution for their business.”
The new mobile system was enhanced technically with a view to the sorting service in particular. Coloured and white PET as well as aluminium and tinplate cans no longer land in the press container as a mixed “fraction”; rather, they can be collected directly, neatly separated from each other. Thus, nothing further stands in the way of more efficient and higher quality recycling of raw materials.
Wed, 11 Dec 2019 10:13:00 +0100
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Future Resources 2019: Quality standard for recyclates urgently necessary to strengthen sales markets
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/future-resources-2019-quality-standard-for-recyclates-urgently-necessary-to-strengthen-sales-markets/
Cologne/Frankfurt. At today's “Future Resources 2019” conference, about 150 experts from the retail trade, the consumer goods industry and the recycling industry made a clear stand: against wasting resources and in favour of a consistent responsibility on the part of manufacturers for packaging. “The continued high level of interest in the event jointly hosted by Interseroh and the German Packaging Institute (dvi) demonstrates the extent to which all of those involved in the packaging loop consider this topic to be of concern,” explained Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “At the same time, the best practice examples which were presented underscore the fact that a sustainable design of packaging is possible when manufacturers, retailers and recycling companies work together.”
To return plastic packaging – which is currently the subject of much discussion – to the loop as a raw material after it has been used, political leaders will have to reconsider their restrictive regulations, however. In addition to the standard appropriate to foodstuffs, a quality standard for cosmetics and personal care products as well as a third standard for cleaning agents will be necessary in the interests of significantly strengthening the sales markets for recyclates, explained Müller-Drexel.
Gunda Rachut, Executive Director of the Central Agency Packaging Register (Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister), agrees with this requirement. “As of now, all manufacturers are requested to put their packaging to the test with a view to prevention, design for recycling and the use of recyclates. Only in this way will it be possible to avoid the need for new legislative measures,” explained Rachut at the discussion forum in Frankfurt. To encourage the use of recyclates, a full package of measures would be necessary, including a further standardisation with the use of new standards.
groku Kunststoffe GmbH is one of the companies playing a pioneering role in the introduction of recyclable plastic packaging. The company specialises in the production of plastic buckets for the food and non-food sectors, and several years ago launched a fully recyclable paint bucket made from 100 percent post-consumer recyclate. In comparison with conventional containers, the packaging achieves a 30 percent reduction in CO2 emissions. “The current debate surrounding plastics is finally putting the topic of recycled packaging in the spotlight,” explained Henrik Großekämper, Managing Director of groku Kunststoffe GmbH. “This is also a great opportunity to increase the acceptance for recyclates over the long term.” The company Schur Flexibles Germany GmbH has shown how it is possible to design packaging for meat and cheese products which is also recyclable. “By changing our strategy, we have succeeded in combining the attributes of product production, processing capacity, handling and logistics which are all key requirements for food packaging with recycling capability,” explained Max Wolfmaier, Manager Sustainability at Schur Flexibles Germany GmbH.
“The Future Resources event has once again fulfilled its aspirations. This is because it highlights exemplary approaches and solutions to which the entire industry is able to adapt to achieve a rapid transition from the resource-intensive production of packaging to a climate- and recycling-friendly loop economy, summarised Winfried Batzke, Managing Director of the German Packaging Institute e. V. (dvi).
Further information: www.future-resources.de
About the Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi):
The Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi) (German Packaging Institute) is the only network for the packaging industry to bring together companies from every stage of the value chain. The dvi supports the transfer of knowledge and promotes discussions between more than 230 companies, institutions and partners. The dvi is a platform for information, insights, inspiration and discussions surrounding the topic of packaging.
Further information about the dvi is available at www.verpackung.org.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.1 billion Euros and employed a staff of more than 8,000 employees. In 2018 alone ALBA Group saved 4.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 31.9 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Thu, 07 Nov 2019 13:39:00 +0100
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ALBA Group secures first contract in Singapore
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-secures-first-contract-in-singapore/
“Singapore is one of the most modern cities in the world and a leader in digitalisation,” said Dr. Axel Schweitzer, CEO of the ALBA Group. “It is a major project and an honour to contribute to this development process with our Smart City recycling and waste management solutions. Together with our local joint venture partner, we aim to play a pioneering role here and build a collection system that sets the new standard for the future.”
With a contract value equivalent to some €100 million, the tender was won by a consortium comprising the ALBA Group and a local family-owned recycling company, Wah & Hua Pvt. Ltd. Singapore. The ALBA Group holds 70 percent of the joint venture and Wah & Hua 30 percent. “Singapore has the goal of becoming the first zero waste nation,” Schweitzer said. “That fits in perfectly with our vision of a world without waste.”
The joint venture makes full use of Smart City solutions in modernising waste management for the Jurong region. On the basis of a specially developed waste evolution programme, ALBA and Wah & Hua will tailor innovations to the specific situation in Singapore under the banner of “STEP UP Singapore”. For example, digital route planning is supported by waste containers equipped with sensors that report the fill level to the company’s control centre. Some trucks will have solar mats on the roof to cut fuel consumption. The new vehicles for Jurong will be supplied by German truck makers Mercedes-Benz.
With the household recycling rate currently between just two and four percent, ALBA provides an app to promote household recycling. By properly separating waste, users collect bonus points that they can redeem with participating retailers or other partners. The app also displays the nearest recycling bins and centres in the area and gives tips on green living.
About the ALBA Group:
With its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – the ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe and Asia. With annual revenue of €2.1 billion in 2018 and a workforce of over 8,000, the ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2018 alone, as a result of its recycling activities, the ALBA Group saved about 4.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and 31.9 million tonnes of primary raw materials.
Information on the ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse. We also publish an online portal with information on raw materials and recycling: www.recyclingnews.de.
Wed, 30 Oct 2019 14:57:00 +0100
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New study: ALBA Group realises one per cent of German greenhouse gas savings
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/new-study-alba-group-realises-one-per-cent-of-german-greenhouse-gas-savings/
Berlin. The recycling of recyclable materials makes a significant contribution to relieving the pressure on the climate. This is proven by the "resources SAVED by recycling" study presented today, which the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT prepared on behalf of the ALBA Group. According to the study, the ALBA Group saved 4.4 million tonnes of climate-damaging greenhouse gases in 2018 by recycling 5.6 million tonnes of recyclable materials. This corresponds to one per cent of the overall German CO2 savings compared to 1990 or to the climate protection effect of a mixed forest of over 441,000 hectares, comparable to an area almost twice the size of the Saarland. In addition, recycling saved 31.9 million tonnes of resources such as ores, coal or wood compared to primary production.
"To achieve the climate protection targets by 2030, recycling must become an integral part of all business activities," says Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of the ALBA Group. "Politicians are still wasting huge potential to relieve the pressure on the climate. Recycling makes it much easier and more effective to achieve climate protection than many measures in the climate protection package. We are also certain of the citizens' support, as it does not even burden them financially. Therefore, a world without waste is always as well a world with less greenhouse gases. This is why we need clear goals for the circular economy: The use of recyclates has to be promoted consistently, e.g. by implementing further quality standards and by the public authorities purchasing only products with a share of recyclates. Unfortunately, the Federal Government's new climate protection package should contain goals that are more ambitious."
"Our comprehensive balancing makes it possible to quantify the environmental effects of recycling precisely; this is an important signal in light of the current climate protection discussion," says Dr Ing Markus Hiebel, Director of the Department for Sustainability and Resources Management at the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT. Compared to previous years, the investment in innovative technologies and energy-efficient processes, such as the Recycled Resource plastics recycling process developed by the ALBA Group, had a positive effect. Today, the use of high-quality recycled plastics already saves more than 50 percent of climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions compared to the use of new granulate from crude oil.
"To exploit the full potential of recycled raw materials, however, we must focus even more strongly than before on the design and manufacture of recyclable products and packaging in future," stresses Markus Hiebel.
With its "Made for Recycling" service, a scientifically sound methodology for assessing recyclability, the environmental services provider Interseroh, a member of the ALBA Group, is already providing companies with targeted support in the sustainable optimisation of their packaging. This method was developed by Interseroh together with the bifa environmental institute (bifa Umweltinstitut) and was finally reviewed by the experts of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV (Fraunhofer-Institut für Verfahrenstechnik und Verpackung IVV).
The Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT has been investigating how the ALBA Group's recycling activities affect the climate and natural resources for twelve years now. Its results are published annually in the “resources SAVED by recycling” brochure. The material flows for plastics, metals, waste electrical and electronic equipment, wood, paper/board/cardboard, lightweight packaging and glass were included in the study in 2018.
You can find the complete results of the study and Best Practices for Recycling from the ALBA Group on the information portal www.resources-saved.com.
About Fraunhofer UMSICHT
Fraunhofer UMSICHT is a pioneer of sustainable energy and raw materials management, providing scientific results and transferring them to businesses, society and politics. Working together with partners, the dedicated team researches and develops sustainable products, processes and services that inspire. We want our developments to be economically successful, socially equitable and sustainable. The balance between these objectives is always at the forefront of our thinking. Based in Oberhausen, Willich and Sulzbach-Rosenberg in Germany, the institute in 2018 generated a turnover of more than 42.2 million euros with a staff of 529 persons. As one of 72 institutes and research units of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the leading organisation for applied research in Europe, we are a worldwide network and promote international collaborations.
More information on Fraunhofer UMSICHT can be found at www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de.
About ALBA Group:
The ALBA Group, one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide, operates with its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.1 billion Euros and employed a staff of more than 8,000 employees. In 2018 alone ALBA Group saved 4.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time 31.9 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.com.
Mon, 14 Oct 2019 10:00:00 +0200
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Expert platform “Future Resources 2019”
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/expert-platform-future-resources-2019/
Cologne/Frankfurt. The packaging market is changing. At the “Future Resources 2019” conference on 7th November 2019, experts from the retail trade, the consumer goods industry and the recycling sector will be discussing the paths to achieving the climate- and resources-conserving use of packaging products. Following the positive feedback in previous years, the event's organisers, Interseroh and the Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut (German Packaging Institute) e.V. (dvi), are expecting a high turnout at the event. “Designing packaging the right way – the message has now arrived in the market”, explained Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “Businesses have understood that they have to consider the recycling capability of the packaging as soon as the design stage – just the same as the product protection, the advertising function or the transport logistics.”
Designing packaging so that it can be sent to the closed recyclable loop after its use – this approach has also been pushed forward by the new German Packaging Act. At the conference, Gunda Rachut, Chair of the Central Packaging Register Foundation, will be drawing some initial conclusions after approximately one year of the Packaging Act. At the same time, best practice examples and innovative packaging solutions from start-up businesses will also be on show. This includes a manufacturer of organic popcorn who has switched from a non-recyclable material mix to mono-material packaging which is suitable for the closed-loop system without compromising the product protection.
"The worlds of industry and retail have set the course for all packaging to be recyclable by 2025, and plastic packaging, in particular, to consist of at least 50 percent recycled material," explained Winfried Batzke, Managing Director of the dvi. "In this respect, Future Resources has established itself as an important dialogue and discussion platform for the stakeholders in the closed loop for packaging. After all, it is now important to take the required steps at every stage of the value chain and to coordinate with each other.”
It has also proven possible to secure the following highly-regarded speakers for the conference: Prof. Dr. Josef Radermacher, pioneer for the eco-social market economy and member of the Club of Rome, as well as Sebastian Bayer, Managing Director Marketing and Procurement at dm-drogerie markt GmbH + Co. KG, and Kristin Buro, Bahlsen GmbH & Co. KG.
The "Future Resources 2019" conference is taking place at the Römerberg on 7 November 2019 in the heart of the Old Town of Frankfurt. Further information about the event, the programme and registration is available at: www.future-resources.de. www.future-resources.de.
About the Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi):
The Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi) (German Packaging Institute) is the only network for the packaging industry to bring together companies from every stage of the value chain. The dvi supports the transfer of knowledge and promotes discussions between more than 230 companies, institutions and partners. The dvi is a platform for information, insights, inspiration and discussions surrounding the topic of packaging.
Further information about the dvi is available at www.verpackung.org.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.1 billion Euros and employed a staff of more than 8,000 employees. In 2017 alone ALBA Group saved almost 4.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 30.2 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Thu, 10 Oct 2019 10:00:00 +0200
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“Check for Recycling” – the smart and fast test for packaging
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/check-for-recycling-the-smart-and-fast-test-for-packaging/
Cologne. How well can product packaging be collected separately, sorted and recycled into new products and packaging? With the new “Check for Recycling” service from Interseroh, companies can now find this out for themselves. Thanks to the fast and simple online test, it is possible to make a first assessment of the recycling capability of packaging with just a few pieces of information needing to be provided. “The quick check is another customer-orientated innovation from Interseroh that supports companies in optimising their packaging according to the minimum standards of the Central Agency,” says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. The online tool can be accessed directly via the customer portal of the Dual System Interseroh.
“Check for Recycling” couldn’t be simpler: The user enters the data on size, weight and composition of the packaging and the components into the self-explanatory input mask. For further documentation, they can also upload a photograph of the packaging material in question. With one click, the quick analysis starts and the user receives an assessment for the sub-areas of collection, sorting and recycling as well as an overall estimation of the recycling capability. In the customised database, it is immediately visible how environmentally friendly a packaging portfolio already is; additionally, assessments that have already been created can be accessed again.
From the status quo to packaging optimisation: The online tool “Check for Recycling” highlights where companies currently are with their packaging and where there is a concrete need for action. On this basis, in the next step they can then optimise their packaging in a targeted manner using the scientifically founded consulting service “Made for Recycling” from Interseroh. Here, the recycling capability of the packaging is analysed in laboratory tests and concrete recommendations are derived. At the end of the process, usually the companies can prove with the “Made for Recycling” seal that their packaging is highly capable of being recycled. “With our services, it is now even easier for packaging manufacturers and bottlers to achieve fast progress on the way to an environmentally friendly packaging design,” says Markus Müller-Drexel.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.1 billion Euros and employed a staff of more than 8,000 employees. In 2017 alone ALBA Group saved almost 4.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 30.2 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Tue, 08 Oct 2019 10:00:00 +0200
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Interseroh Austria further expands its engagement at REMEDIA TSR in Italy
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-austria-further-expands-its-engagement-at-remedia-tsr-in-italy/
REMEDIA is the leading collection system for waste electrical (and electronic) equipment and batteries in Italy. It generates a turnover of approximately EUR 30 million and has 250 partners in the logistics sector and 30 in the recycling industry. In 2018, REMEDIA collected approximately 125,000 tonnes of electrical equipment at the end of its lifecycle across Italy and led it to re-use or to environmentally friendly recycling. The demand emphasises the strong concept and quality. Last year alone, the company acquired 840 new customers. Numerous of the world’s biggest electrotechnology and electronics manufacturers are partners of the REMEDIA consortium, including industry giants such as Samsung, Electrolux, Panasonic, Mitsubishi, Daikin and Hisense.
Interseroh and REMEDIA want to expand innovative solutions in the ReCycle and ReUse areas further in Italy as well. Interseroh Austria is thus vigorously continuing its expansion and growth strategy and is strengthening its presence in the Italian market, which will offer large and interesting potential in the area of the return of packaging, waste electrical (and electronic) equipment and batteries in the next few years. Together with Interseroh Italia, Interseroh Austria thus wants to offer its national but also its international customers a wider range of services and become a leading market participant in Italy.
“We are very pleased to complete our call option to acquire a further 40 per cent of REMEDIA TSR six months earlier than agreed,” says Interseroh Austria Managing Director Martin Ulke, who has chief responsibility for the partnership. “Together with our strategic partner, Consorzio REMEDIA, we will offer new services along the value chain in the field of waste electrical (and electronic) equipment and packaging as of 2020.”
Additionally, the participation in REMEDIA offers the advantage of stronger cost efficiency due to recycling of the waste equipment in the Austria-Northern Italy-Slovenia triangle. Further, there is to be an even stronger integration of existing strategic Interseroh suppliers into the REMEDIA system as well as an exchange of expertise in the areas of collection and sorting.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.1 billion Euros and employed a staff of more than 8,000 employees. In 2017 alone ALBA Group saved almost 4.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 30.2 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.de/en/.
Tue, 01 Oct 2019 11:00:00 +0200
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Groundbreaking ceremony for Hong Kong’s first PET and HDPE recycling plant
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/groundbreaking-ceremony-for-hong-kongs-first-pet-and-hdpe-recycling-plant/
Berlin/Hong Kong. The ALBA Group is expanding its engagement in Asia. In the presence of Wong Kam-sing, Secretary for the Environment HKSAR, it is celebrating today the official groundbreaking ceremony for the first recycling plant for the processing of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) waste in Hong Kong. The plant will be operated by the joint venture “New Life Plastics Ltd.”. Here, the ALBA Group’s partners are Swire Coca-Cola Limited and Baguio Waste Management & Recycling Limited (Baguio), a Hong Kong‘s leading recycling firm which is the subsidiary of Baguio Green Group Limited (HKEx Stock Code: 1397).
The plant is being built in the EcoPark in Hong Kong, an industrial site for recycling and environmental technology. The ALBA plant for recycling electrical and electronic waste (Hong Kong WEEE·PARK), officially taken into operation in March 2018, is also located here. The new plant will consist of three process stages: the high-tech sorting, the production of food-grade PET flakes and the manufacture of HDPE pellets. The planned annual capacity amounts to more than 35,000 tonnes, with the commencement of regular operations planned for the second half of 2020.
In the joint venture of the ALBA Group, Swire Coca-Cola and Baguio, the expertise and operational areas of the three participating companies are combined. Swire Coca-Cola, as a key player in the domestic beverages market, is in full support of delivering a working plastic collection and recovery system in Hong Kong. As the project manager, Swire Properties Limited, part of Swire Pacific Limited, is responsible for design and construction of a facility with latest technologies for wastewater management and photovoltaic systems. As the local partner of waste management and recycling, Baguio will leverage on their strong expertise in waste management in contributing to collection and logistics management. The ALBA Group provides the technology expertise for sorting and processing the delivered plastics into flakes and pellets. The food-grade PET flakes are subsequently reused to produce new bottles, while the HDPE pellets go into the classic recycling into new, high-quality products both in the consumer area and in industrial applications.
“The ALBA Group is a leader in the area of recycling technology and with the new project in Hong Kong is further expanding its position in the Asian market,” says Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of the ALBA Group. “After the successful opening of the largest recycling plant for electrical and electronic waste in South-East Asia last year, we are very proud now also to construct Hong Kong’s first recycling plant for PET and HDPE.”
“As an integrated environmental services provider, we believe recycling in Hong Kong is very important to the sustainable development of the city. We are pleased to be able to work together with an experienced partner like the ALBA Group, which is known for its technology expertise,” says Mr. Ben Ng, Chairman of Baguio Green Group, parent company of Baguio Waste Management & Recycling Limited. “Our objective is, with the new plant, to be able to process a large proportion of the volume of PET drinks bottles and packaging waste from personal care products in Hong Kong within a foreseeable time and thus to prevent burying in landfill sites. Additionally, we aim to leverage our extensive waste collection network to create a positive impact in shaping the recycling behaviour in Hong Kong in order to build a sustainable living environment.”
“As a leading soft drink producer in Hong Kong, we are determined to turn the tide on single-use drinks packaging and create a more sustainable approach to plastic. This joint venture takes steps to cover our responsibility in the total life cycle management of a key single-use packaging – PET, which echoes The Coca-Cola’s ‘World Without Waste’ vision,” says Mr. Pat Healy, Managing Director of Swire Coca-Cola Limited. “We are also an end-user for the recycled PET, which can go back into our supply chain, so it's a significant step towards us becoming self-sustaining in the plastic materials we use and ensuring a closed loop for plastic beverage packaging in Hong Kong as a whole.”
ALBA Group in China:
The ALBA Group has had a presence in Hong Kong since the early 1990s and developed its Asian activities from there. Since 2011, the Group has become increasingly active in recycling consultancy and technological project management in China. Today, the ALBA Group is involved through long-term projects in many parts of the recycling and circular economy sector in China, providing innovative solutions adapted to the Chinese market among other things in end-of-life vehicle and WEEE recycling and in the environment-friendly treatment of municipal solid waste.
About ALBA Group:
The ALBA Group, one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide, operates with its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.1 billion Euros and employed a staff of more than 8,000 employees. In 2017 alone ALBA Group saved almost 4.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 30.2 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.com.
Wed, 25 Sep 2019 11:30:00 +0200
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Interseroh finalist in the special category Digitalisation at the German Sustainability Award
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-finalist-in-the-special-category-digitalisation-at-the-german-sustainability-award/
Cologne. Environmental services provider Interseroh has made it into the top 3 in the special Digitalisation category with its online shop Lizenzero in the competition for the German Sustainability Award. This was decided by the panel consisting of numerous experts in the areas of business, research, politics and civil society. Thus Interseroh, a subsidiary of recycling specialist ALBA Group, is finalist in the competition for the renowned distinction. The special digitalisation award is offered for the first time this year, the award ceremony takes place in Düsseldorf on November, 21.
“It is a great honour to now be among the top 3 in this competition,” says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “This shows us that conservation of resources and a strong circular economy with digital solutions are promising. Therefore, we will continue to pursue the path of sustainability with a focus on the future and with many innovative ideas.”
Via Lizenzero, dealers and companies can register their circulated packaging quickly and easily and thus fulfil their obligations according to the new German Packaging Act, which has been in force since January 2019. Lizenzero bears the Trusted Shops quality seal and is aimed especially at smaller dealers and companies that so far have little experience with packaging licensing in a dual system. At the same time, their awareness is raised of the quantity of packaging produced by them and they are thus urged to reduce consumption in the interests of sustainability. Further information on Lizenzero can be found at https://www.lizenzero.de/en.
About the German Sustainability Award:
The German Sustainability Award acknowledges those companies which, through their products and services, are particularly successful in facing ecological and social challenges and which, in doing so, use sustainability as a business opportunity. You can find more information at https://www.nachhaltigkeitspreis.de/en/.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.1 billion Euros and employed a staff of more than 8,000 employees. In 2017 alone ALBA Group saved almost 4.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 30.2 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Tue, 17 Sep 2019 10:09:00 +0200
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FachPack 2019: Interseroh presents assessment method for climate and resource-conserving packaging optimisation
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/fachpack-2019-interseroh-presents-assessment-method-for-climate-and-resource-conserving-packaging-optimisation/
Cologne. At FachPack in Nuremberg from 24 to 26 September 2019, Interseroh will show how packaging not only protects the packaged goods, but also relieves the burden on the climate and the environment. With the scientifically founded analysis methodology “Made for Recycling”, the environmental services provider assesses the recycling capability of packaging and highlights concrete potential for improvement.
“Appropriate to the main theme of this year’s FachPack ‚Environmentally-Friendly Packaging’, we present an effective tool to balance product protection and closed-loop circulation – both central tasks of packaging,” says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “We want to show the professional visitors to the trade fair how even simple changes can have a significant, positive impact on the recycling capability of packaging.”
Thanks to the Interseroh service “Made for Recycling”, companies can make specific improvements to their packaging in just a few weeks and thus fulfil in full the minimum standard for recycling capability that has applied since September 2019 according to the German Packaging Act. Analyses are initially being carried out in laboratory tests under realistic conditions as to how packaging behaves during collection, sorting and recycling. Using near-infrared scanners, which are among the standard equipment of sorting plants today, Interseroh determines whether packaging is also detected correctly in different positions on the conveyor belt. The results are assessed using a standardised point system that packaging and recycling specialists of Interseroh have developed together with the bifa environmental institute. Additionally, the scientific methodology was tested and confirmed by experts of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging (IVV).
The Interseroh stand in Hall 9 is dedicated completely to the new consulting service “Made for Recycling”. The variety of information related to a recycling-friendly packaging design is complemented by a more in-depth programme with daily expert presentations:
24/9, 14.00: How does the sorting of packaging from the Yellow Bag work? Dos and don’ts of recycling-friendly packaging design
25/9, 11.00: Pollutants in plastic packaging from a recycling perspective
26/9, 11.00: We explain! The recycling capability of paper and paper composites
You can find more information on “Made for Recycling” at https://www.interseroh.de/en/services/consulting/packaging-optimisation/
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.1 billion Euros and employed a staff of more than 8,000 employees. In 2017 alone ALBA Group saved almost 4.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 30.2 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Wed, 11 Sep 2019 10:00:00 +0200
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Interseroh wins ARC award for its 2018 sustainability magazine
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-wins-arc-award-for-its-2018-sustainability-magazine/
“Transparent reporting about the services and opportunities in the area of sustainability is especially important to everyone here at Interseroh,” highlighted Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistung GmbH. “Therefore, we are very pleased that our sustainability magazine was praised by the international jury once again. We shall continue to report about our social and environmental achievements in this way.”
Interseroh’s sustainability magazine is published annually and constitutes an extension to the traditional sustainability report, which is published every two years. The journalistically prepared magazine focuses on the positive impact of the services provided by Interseroh according to the motto “zero waste solutions”. Above all, these include the innovative solutions with which the environmental service provider works to prevent the wastage of products and materials. The services of the company also aim to achieve an active reduction in CO2 emissions, and are increasingly based on digital solutions. The current sustainability magazine and the complete 2018 sustainability report are available at www.interseroh.de/en/sustainability.
About the ARC Awards:
The “Annual Report Competition (ARC)” awards have been conferred each year since 1987 by the independent events organiser MerComm, Inc./The International Academy of Arts & Sciences, N.Y. The awards recognise annual reports which feature customised design concepts as well as harmonising imagery and text. With an independent panel of 200 expert volunteers, the competition is the biggest international call for tenders for annual reports. In the individual sectors and categories, awards are presented in the categories of “Gold”, “Silver”, “Bronze” and “Honors”. Following from the Gold Awards, the “Grand Awards” are conferred on a sector-spanning basis. The awards ceremony is taking place in Seoul on 17th October 2019.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.1 billion Euros and employed a staff of more than 8,000 employees. In 2017 alone ALBA Group saved almost 4.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 30.2 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Tue, 13 Aug 2019 10:00:00 +0200
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Recycle plastic, protect the climate – an approach that bears fruit
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/recycle-plastic-protect-the-climate-an-approach-that-bears-fruit/
Cologne. A sustainable investment in the circular economy: with the consistent development of its Recycled-Resource recycling process – most recently through the introduction of the COREMA® cascade extrusion system – the environmental services provider Interseroh is actively contributing to the protection of both the climate and resources. This has been confirmed by a study completed on behalf of Interseroh by the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT). According to the calculations of the researchers, the use of the recycled plastic Recythen with the new single-stage process leads to an average 60 percent reduction in climate-damaging emissions in comparison with the use of newly granulated plastic from crude oil. In addition, the consumption of primary energy per tonne is some 21,000 kWh below the comparative value. This difference is roughly equivalent to the energy consumption of 14,000 washing machine cycles. Even the use of the recycled raw material Procyclen, which is relatively expensive to manufacture, results in a 54 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. The data is based on values from 2018.
“The figures strengthen our view that we are on the right path,” said Dr Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Business Unit Recycled-Resource at INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “An effective closed-loop management of plastics which has been improved further from the technical perspective relieves the burden on the climate and increases the benefit to our customers from the industrial sector.”
Recompounds, which are manufactured with the use of Interseroh’s multi award-winning in-house Recycled-Resource process, are already replacing new products in many areas. With the innovative extrusion system COREMA®, for which Interseroh and the manufacturer EREMA were presented with the 2019 Plastics Recycling Award Europe, for the first time, it is now possible to manufacture recycling compounds in just one process stage rather than the previous two. “This leads to a clear reduction in the consumption of both energy and resources,” explained Dr eng. Markus Hiebel, Head of the Department for Sustainability and the Management of Resources at Fraunhofer UMSICHT. In addition to this, additives, modifying agents and inorganic fillers can be ad-mixed directly in the manufacturing process. In this respect, the quality control of the material rheology and colour-stability takes place on a digital basis and in real time. In this way, Interseroh is able to manufacture individual recompounds for particularly high-quality applications according to customer requirement – and protect the climate at the same time.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.1 billion Euros and employed a staff of more than 8,000 employees. In 2017 alone ALBA Group saved almost 4.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 30.2 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Wed, 07 Aug 2019 09:49:00 +0200
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Secure erasure of data: Interseroh confirms partnership with Blancco
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/secure-erasure-of-data-interseroh-confirms-partnership-with-blancco/
Cologne. The environmental services provider Interseroh is now working together with Blancco, the leading provider of software for the secure erasure of data. As a “Logistics Blancco Gold Partner for ITAD” (ITAD = IT Asset Disposal), Interseroh can now further optimise its service offering in the area of IT refurbishment and offer a certified solution for the erasure of data on used PCs; notebooks, servers, smartphones and tablets.
“We are pleased about this partnership because Interseroh stands for sustainability and reuse,” emphasized Tanja Kühnl, Managing Director of Blancco Central Europe GmbH. Jan Höschel, Head of Business Center ReUse at INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH, added: “Our objective is to combine the extension of the product life cycle with high standards of data protection. Enabling the secure reuse of the devices together with their hard disk and data medium means that we can save valuable resources.”
Interseroh currently processes some 200,000 IT and telecommunications devices per year and organises every step along the path to reuse. This includes the collection throughout Europe, as well as the erasure of the data and technical functional tests at the end-of-life service centres in Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt/Main. The partnership with Blancco means that the devices can now be processed efficiently and reliably on the basis of the server-based erasure of the data and the recognition of the components by the software partner. Following each erasure procedure, a comprehensive, digitally signed erasure certificate is created automatically. In this way, Interseroh is able to offer its customers added security in the scope of its ISO-certified procedure: The changeover to the software from Blancco, which is recognised and certified by numerous government agencies and testing organisations, means that the reuse of ICT equipment is linked securely to a practised form of resource protection which is of even greater interest for the customers.
About Blancco:
Blancco is the industry standard in the area of the erasure of data and the diagnosis of mobile devices. With the data erasure solutions from Blancco, thousands of businesses and organisations can access the requisite tools to securely delete the data from IT assets and to enhance their endpoint security guidelines. Every erasure procedure is verified and confirmed with a tamper-proof erasure certificate.
The erasure of data by Blancco is verified, certified, approved and recommended by more than 15 governmental agencies and leading testing organisations worldwide. No other form of data erasure offers such a comprehensive degree of compliance with the strict regulations and requirements of the authorities and testing agencies. For further information, visit https://www.blancco.com.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide and operates within Germany, Europa and Asia. In 2018 its divisions generated an annual turnover of 2.1 billion Euros and employed a staff of more than 8,000 employees. In 2017 alone ALBA Group saved almost 4.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 30.2 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com.
Thu, 01 Aug 2019 08:58:00 +0200
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Interseroh nominated in two categories for the German Sustainability Award
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-nominated-in-two-categories-for-the-german-sustainability-award/
The company impressed with its innovative concepts for a circular industry, its versatile approaches for preventing and recycling plastics as well as its digital solution for licensing packaging, allowing it to qualify for the next round of the competition. The special award for the use of digitalisation in the interests of sustainability is being granted for the first time this year. A panel of experts from business, research, politics and civil society will now decide which applicants will receive the renowned award in Düsseldorf in November 2019.
“We are very proud to be nominated twice for our innovative ideas on sustainability in Europe’s biggest competition of its kind,” says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “We thus strengthen our role as one of the leading companies in the circular economy field. We also see the nomination as an encouragement to remain true to our approach and to continue to develop sustainable solutions related to the circular economy and the protection of resources.”
The measures that demonstrate the bandwidth of solution models of Interseroh for sustainable handling of assets and resources, especially plastics, include, for example, thought-provoking impulses in the manufacturing and design process of products and packaging for better recycling capability or recycling and processing plastics into high-quality regranulate. The application also focused on the successes that the Cologne-based company has already recorded: in 2017, 5.84 million tonnes of primary resources and 834,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions were saved thanks to the activities of Interseroh.
Interseroh achieved the second nomination in the special category “Digitalisation” with its new online shop Lizenzero. Via Lizenzero, dealers and companies can register their packaging quickly and easily and thus fulfil their obligations according to the new German Packaging Act, which has been in force since January 2019. Lizenzero bears the Trusted Shops quality seal and is aimed especially at smaller dealers and companies that so far have little experience with packaging licensing in a dual system. At the same time, their awareness is raised of the quantity of packaging produced by them and they are thus urged to reduce consumption in the interests of sustainability.
About the German Sustainability Award:
The German Sustainability Award acknowledges those companies which, through their products and services, are particularly successful in facing ecological and social challenges and which, in doing so, use sustainability as a business opportunity. In autumn, the panel will select the top 3, as well as the winner. You can find more information at https://www.nachhaltigkeitspreis.de/en/.
Free use of the attached picture is authorised, provided the source "Frank Fendler" is acknowledged.
Tue, 02 Jul 2019 10:30:00 +0200
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Modern and transparent: ALBA Group website now even more compact for all users on the web
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/modern-and-transparent-alba-group-website-now-even-more-compact-for-all-users-on-the-web/
At www.albagroup.com, users can find the information they are looking for or the right contact even more easily thanks to a compact and customer-optimised design. The much more streamlined navigation is tailored to the needs of the users and is helpful for quick orientation. A new feature is the ALBA Group Newsroom. There, all the information from the ALBA world is collected together for customers, journalists and other interested parties from the industry. Here, users have transparent access to current media reports, press releases, articles from the industry magazine recyclingnews and the latest contributions on the ALBA Group’s social media channels. The careers section has also been expanded considerably so that interested applicants can access current vacancies and vocational training information more quickly. In addition to the location-based job search in the job portal, the new “Apprentice Matching” helps interested parties to find the right apprenticeship. “After 50 years of successful history as a company, our new website sets standards for our future communication”, says Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of the ALBA Group. “The fastest way to the service with an excellent overview of topics and key information – our focus is the optimal use of our site by our customers.” “The modern design suits an innovative company like the ALBA Group”, says Henning Krumrey, Head of Corporate Communication & Political Relations of the ALBA Group. “With the thematic and visual organisation of the site, in addition to interactive features and news formats, we present ourselves as a modern pioneer of the industry.” Free use of the attached picture is authorised, provided the source "ALBA Group" is acknowledged.
Wed, 05 Jun 2019 10:00:00 +0200
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Interseroh presents current reporting on sustainability commitment
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-presents-current-reporting-on-sustainability-commitment/
The journalistically prepared sustainability magazine as well as the sustainability report, which adheres to the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), focus on the topic “change of perspective”. Under this theme, Interseroh presents how a linear business method can be converted into a circular business method. “The increasing consumption and the concomitant wasteful use of resources are placing an enormous load on our planet,” explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “Ensuring a safe and environmentally friendly raw material supply for the growing population of the earth is therefore the global challenge of our time. For this reason, a comprehensive circular economy is not just a possible solution, but an absolute necessity.” In this regard, the new edition of the sustainability magazine presents current projects of the environmental services provider: from sustainable mobility to optimised packaging recycling to preparation and reuse solutions for IT accessories and toner cartridges. The constant driver behind all the business models: the goal of a world without wastefulness. Together with its customers, Interseroh is thus improving resource efficiency – a plus for environmental and climate protection. The concrete objectives Interseroh has set itself and the contribution the company makes itself to a holistic circular economy are shown in the sustainability strategy newly presented last year, which is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Initial, concrete progress can already be seen: in the ReUse business division alone, which deals with extending product lifecycles, the business volume has been raised significantly. The Interseroh sustainability magazine is published annually and constitutes an extension of the traditional sustainability report, which is published every two years. The complete Sustainability Report 2018 and this year’s sustainability magazine “zero waste solutions” are available at www.interseroh.de/en/sustainability.
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Tue, 04 Jun 2019 10:00:00 +0200
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ALBA joint venture wants to operate recycling Plant for plastics in Japan
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-joint-venture-wants-to-operate-recycling-plant-for-plastics-in-japan/
Berlin/Tokyo. The ALBA Group, one of the leading recycling and environmental services and raw materials providers worldwide, is expanding its engagement in Asia. Yesterday in Tokyo, as part of the Japan trip of the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Michael Müller, the company signed a cooperation agreement for the construction and operation of a recycling plant for PET (polyethylene terephthalate). It is the first ALBA plant on Japanese soil.
Together with its local partner, the private waste management company SEIU Japan Ltd., Co., the Berlin company will set up the plant in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The plant for the production of PET flakes and PET pellets will have a capacity of 35,000 tonnes per year and will go into operation in 2020. These products will then be processed into recycled material for the plastic-processing industry.
TheGoverning Mayor of Berlin, Michael Müller, said: “I am very pleased that environmental technology from Berlin and expertise from our capital are in demand in Asia. Berlin is increasingly developing into the research and development location for technologies of the future. Berlin companies have a good reputation worldwide and we can be proud of this.”
“The joint venture is to combine the strength of Japan’s leading private waste management company with the leading recycling technology of ALBA,” saidDr Axel Schweitzer, ALBA Group CEO, on the occasion of the signing of the cooperation agreement. “As an advanced industrialised country with an active environmental policy, Japan is a very interesting market for us.” Therefore, the joint venture with SEIU is also to examine further investment possibilities in the Japanese recycling industry.
Tue, 21 May 2019 12:07:00 +0200
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ReUseMe: Interseroh sells its own refill toner cartridges
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/reuseme-interseroh-sells-its-own-refill-toner-cartridges/
Cologne. The loop is complete: Starting right away, as part of the “Collecting Dragon” project INTERSEROH Product Cycle GmbH will sell sustainable refill toner cartridges for companies and end users. The cartridges, sold under the trademark ReUseMe, are cleaned, reworked and refilled in Germany and are comparable to the original cartridges in terms of quality and coverage. The new refill cartridges are available atwww.reuseme-toner.shop.
“The ‘Collecting Dragon’ project is a great example of sustainability in practice. We collect empty cartridges in support of schools and nurseries”, saysTom Reidick, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Product Cycle GmbH. “This way we can protect the environment and do something for the next generation at the same time.” The “Collecting Dragon” is the national collection system for toner and printer cartridges in Germany. Since 2000, around 50 million empty cartridges have been returned to the product cycle. A valuable contribution to environmental protection and a win for children and young people as for each toner cartridge collected, Interseroh awards points that can be donated to schools and nurseries.
A recent study conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT on behalf of Interseroh shows that the professional processing and reuse of used toner cartridges makes a significant contribution to climate and resource protection. According to the study, reusing one single cartridge saves 4.49 kg of greenhouse gas emissions compared to new production. In addition, 9.39 kg of primary resources are saved per cartridge. According to these calculations, in 2017 the environmental services provider was able to save 13,100 tons of primary resources and managed to avoid around 6,300 tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Interseroh wants to continue to significantly improve these figures by selling environmentally-friendly rebuilt toner cartridges.
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Picture 1
Picture 2
Thu, 09 May 2019 10:47:00 +0200
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Interseroh and EREMA Win Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2019
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-and-erema-win-plastics-recycling-awards-europe-2019/
+++ Cascade Extrusion System COREMA® is declared “Recycling Machinery Innovation of the Year” +++
Cologne. Interseroh and EREMA are winners at this year’s Plastics Recycling Awards Europe. At yesterday’s award ceremony as part of the Plastics Recycling Show Europe in Amsterdam, the environmental services provider and the technology manufacturer received the sought-after award for the cascade extrusion system COREMA® in the category “Recycling Machinery Innovation of the Year”. COREMA® allows the manufacturing of customised recycling compounds for exceptionally high-quality applications in just one processing step for the first time. In its combination, the innovative technology was specially developed for Interseroh’s requirements.
“We are very pleased about the award in the category ‘Recycling Machinery Innovation of the Year’,” sayDr Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Business Unit Recycled-Resource at Interseroh, and Michael Heitzinger, Managing Director of EREMA GmbH.“COREMA® is the best proof of the strong innovation capacity generated by collaboration between a recycling services provider and a technology manufacturer. At the same time, with COREMA®, we have reached a milestone in the development of mechanical plastics recycling,” both stress. “COREMA® allows us to fulfil the wishes of our customers even more precisely and much more sustainably,” adds Dr Ulcnik-Krump.
For years, Interseroh has already been working intensively on the development of high-quality recycled plastics for different market requirements through mechanical recycling of polyolefins. The use of the new COREMA® system now significantly shortens the manufacturing process of the recompounds: a “one-extrusion process” allows customised formulas according to the customer’s wish in just one step, instead of in two steps as previously. Direct in the manufacturing process, additives, modifiers and inorganic bulking agents are added in proportions of 0.25 to 40 per cent. In this respect, the quality control of the material rheology and colour-stability takes place on a digital basis and in real time. Thus, Interseroh can produce individual recompounds for particularly high-quality applications. The one-extrusion process also reduces the use of both energy and resources. The new process also reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 50 per cent in comparison with the use of new granulate from crude oil, also during the manufacturing of sophisticated formulas.
About the award
The Plastics Recycling Show Europe was launched as the first professional plastics recycling exhibition on the European mainland and is freely accessible to all interested parties. To coincide with this conference, the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe are to honour achievements in the European plastics recycling industry and to offer insights into current developments in the areas of recycling, product design and innovative productions.
About EREMA:
Not just one specialist among many, but the world market- and technology leader for plastics recycling systems. The consistent innovations of EREMA have been setting new standards for more than 30 years. Whether it is the in-house recycling of clean manufacturing waste or highly contaminated post-consumer waste – its range of efficient systems is aligned to all cases of application. For all thermoplastic plastics, biopolymers or compounds. For further information, visit www.erema-group.com.
Free use of the attached pictures is authorised, provided the following sources are acknowledged:
Photo 1: „COREMA”: „ALBA Group / Amin Akhtar“
Photo 2: „Award Ceremony Amsterdam“: „ALBA Group“
Fri, 12 Apr 2019 09:49:00 +0200
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Reuse of toner cartridges: Study proves concrete environmental benefit
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/reuse-of-toner-cartridges-study-proves-concrete-environmental-benefit/
+++ New study by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT
+++ With the return of 1.4 million toner cartridges, Interseroh saved approximately 6,300 tonnes greenhouse gas emissions in 2017, which corresponds to the annualemission of pollutants from 3,530 cars
Cologne. A new study conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT on behalf of the environmental services provider Interseroh shows the specific contribution the professional processing and reuse of used toner cartridges makes to climate and resource protection. According to the study, the reuse of one single cartridge saves 4.49 kg of greenhouse gas emissions compared to new production. In addition, 9.39 kg of primary resources are spared per cartridge. By way of comparison, the material recycling of a defective cartridge saves 0.41 kg of greenhouse gas emissions and 1.94 kg of resources. The study therefore provides evidence of the environmental benefits of a consistent ReUse strategy, as demanded by policy-makers too: it is the federal government's intention that used toner cartridges be reprocessed and refilled more frequently in future; a corresponding ordinance on the treatment of waste electrical (and electronic) equipment is in the works.
Tom Reidick, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Product Cycle GmbH:"Thanks to the processing and recycling of toner cartridges collected by Interseroh alone, we were able to save as many climate-damaging greenhouse gases in 2017 as 3,530 cars in Germany emit in one year. The potential is huge."
"Our study once again shows the indispensable contribution that the closed-loop circulation of products makes to climate and resource protection," emphasisesDr. Markus Hiebel, Head of Sustainability and Resource Management at Fraunhofer UMSICHT. "Multiple-use toner cartridges significantly reduce environmental impact and can still be recycled at the end of their product life cycle." The Fraunhofer experts recommend that professional processing and reuse should be preferred to material recycling wherever possible.
INTERSEROH Product Cycle GmbH has been providing various collection systems for empty printer cartridges and toner cartridges for many years. It was able to take back a total of around 1.4 million used cartridges in 2017 alone. Half of these were reprocessed; the other 50 percent mostly went into material recycling due to damage or lack of demand. According to calculations by Fraunhofer UMSICHT, this recycling practice saved around 6,300 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and 13,100 tonnes of primary resources.
About Fraunhofer UMSICHT
Fraunhofer UMSICHT is a pioneer of sustainable energy and raw material management, providing and transferring scientific findings to business, society and politics. Together with its partners, the UMSICHT team researches and develops sustainable products, processes and services which are very impressive. In this respect, it focuses on the balance between economically successful, socially just and environmentally friendly developments. In 2017, the institute and its 450 staff generated a turnover of more than 41.6 million euros. As one of 69 institutes and research facilities in the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Europe's leading applied research organisation, we are part of a global network and promote international collaboration.
More information on Fraunhofer UMSICHT can be found atwww.umsicht.fraunhofer.de
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Tue, 29 Jan 2019 10:12:00 +0100
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Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2019: Interseroh and EREMA among the finalists
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/plastics-recycling-awards-europe-2019-interseroh-and-erema-among-the-finalists/
Awards Europe. Together with the technology manufacturer EREMA, the environmental services provider goes into the race for the sought-after award in the category “Recycling Machinery Innovation of the Year” with the cascade extrusion system COREMA®. COREMA® allows the manufacturing of customised recycling compounds for exceptionally high-quality applications in just one processing step for the first time. In its combination, the innovative technology was specially developed for Interseroh’s requirements.
For years, Interseroh has already been working intensively on the development of high-quality recycled plastics for different market requirements through mechanical recycling of polyolefins. The use of the new COREMA® system now significantly shortens the manufacturing process of the recompounds: a “one-extrusion process” allows customised formulas according to the customer’s wish in just one step, instead of in two steps as previously. Direct in the manufacturing process, additives, modifiers and inorganic bulking agents are added in proportions of 0.25 to 40 per cent. In this respect, the quality control of the material rheology and colour-stability takes place on a digital basis and in real time. Thus, Interseroh can produce individual recompounds for particularly high-quality applications. The one-extrusion process also reduces the use of both energy and resources. The new process also reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 50 per cent in comparison with the use of new granulate from crude oil, also during the manufacturing of sophisticated formulas.
“We are pleased that, together, we were able to convince technically,” saysDr Manica Ulcnik-Krump, head of the Recycled Resource business unit at INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH, and Manfred Hackl, CEO of the EREMA Group. “Being chosen among the finalists in the ‘Recycling Machinery Innovation of the Year’ category is a significant recognition of our efforts,” they add. “COREMA® allows us to fulfil the wishes of our customers even more precisely and much more sustainably,” emphasises Dr Ulcnik-Krump.
About EREMA:
Not just one specialist among many, but the world market- and technology leader for plastics recycling systems. The consistent innovations of EREMA have been setting new standards for more than 30 years. Whether it is the in-house recycling of clean manufacturing waste or highly contaminated post-consumer waste – its range of efficient systems is aligned to all cases of application. For all thermoplastic plastics, biopolymers or compounds. For further information, visit www.erema-group.com.
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Fri, 18 Jan 2019 10:03:00 +0100
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Full power for sustainability: Interseroh successively converts energy supply to green power
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/full-power-for-sustainability-interseroh-successively-converts-energy-supply-to-green-power/
+++ Interseroh headquarters in Cologne and sorting plant in Walldürn will be supplied completely with power from renewable energy sources from 2019 +++ Site emissions are to decrease by 50 per cent by 2025 +++
Cologne. From January 2019, environmental services provider Interseroh will successively convert its energy acquisition to certified eco-power. This measure is part of the company’s climate strategy and is to contribute to halving site emissions by 2025. “Our entire business model is aligned towards a sustainable, climate and resource-protecting business approach,” says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “We support our customers in improving their environmental balance – and we also want to make our own processes and business activities as eco-efficient as possible.”
With its environmental and recycling services, Interseroh already demonstrably contributes to climate and resource protection today. This is shown, for example, by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT’s annual study “resources SAVED by recycling” for the ALBA Group, of which Interseroh is part. In 2017, according to the study, approximately 4.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gases were spared in comparison to primary production and approximately 30.2 million tonnes of primary raw materials were spared through recycling. To reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions as well, in 2017 Interseroh formulated a climate strategy based on its corporate carbon footprint. The key objectives: By 2025, the company wants to reduce its site emissions by 50 per cent. At the same time, optimisation potential in the area of logistics is being systematically identified. In addition, Interseroh wants to make an even greater contribution to emission reduction through the circular economy.
An important step is now the conversion to certified eco-power. The product of supplier DB Energie GmbH meets the requirements of the quality seal “ok-power”, which means that the power comes completely from renewable energy sources, promotes the energy transition and is obtained only from power suppliers that are not financially involved in nuclear or coal power plants. The forecast annual consumption for 2019 is approximately 10 million kilowatt hours. Thus, the entire energy requirements of the Interseroh headquarters in Cologne as well as the sorting plant in Walldürn, which forms part of the Interseroh portfolio, are covered.
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Mon, 10 Dec 2018 10:14:00 +0100
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“PackTheFuture”: Markus Müller-Drexel presents Sustainable Plastic Packaging Award in the Ecodesign category
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/packthefuture-markus-mueller-drexel-presents-sustainable-plastic-packaging-award-in-the-ecodesign-category/
+++ Interseroh, as the new partner of the initiative “PackTheFuture”, involved in the award winners’ selection for “Sustainable Plastic Packaging Award” +++
Cologne/Paris. As the new partner of the initiative “PackTheFuture”, Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH, presented this year’s Sustainable Packaging Award in the Ecodesign category to the companies Groupe Barbier, Heinz Plastics Böhm, Incoplas, Jokey Plastik Wipperfürth and Nordfolien at yesterday’s ALL4PACK trade show in Paris. The winners prevailed against 34 competitors in this category. The candidates were able to apply in four categories in total: Ecodesign, Product Protection, Consumer Benefit and Save Food. The objective of this prize is to advance the creative potential in the field of sustainable plastic packaging in Europe.
“This year, we were able to assess exciting innovations which make a real contribution to environmental protection”, said Markus Müller-Drexel. “All five winners have impressed us with their recyclable and therefore sustainable plastic packaging. It represents a positive example of active circular economy – for our environment and for a world without waste. We would like to thank all the participants and congratulate the award winners.”
To assess the recycling capability of the packaging, the environmental services provider Interseroh focuses on three criteria in particular: Firstly, the packaging should best be made of mono-material to allow for a homogeneous separation of the packaging. Secondly, the packaging should be free from unnecessary barrier layers or metallised materials. And thirdly, the type of packaging should be intuitively identifiable by consumers and should point them clearly towards the respective collection system for used packaging, which is often made difficult by paper compounds.
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Wed, 28 Nov 2018 09:38:00 +0100
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Future Resources 2018: Advancing the solutions for a comprehensive packaging cycle
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/future-resources-2018-advancing-the-solutions-for-a-comprehensive-packaging-cycle/
+++ Retail trade, the world of industry and the recycling sector deepen their exchange +++ Focus on recycling-friendly packaging design +++
Cologne/Frankfurt. At the “Future Resources 2018” conference which took place today in Frankfurt am Main, some 120 experts from the retail trade and the packaging and recycling industries discussed sustainable solutions for the packaging of tomorrow. The outcome of the second conference to be jointly hosted by the environmental services provider Interseroh and the Deutsche Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi): the recycling capability of packaging needs to be further improved so as to bring about a comprehensive closed-loop circulation. Only when all the participants in the value chain support the appropriate concepts will it be possible to achieve better recycling rates and to fulfil the requirements of the new German Packaging Act.
Speaking at the conference, Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH, explained the steps that the sector can now take: “Packaging which fulfils its functions in the areas of product protection and marketing, but which is also made from just one raw material, would be an optimum solution for a high quality and efficient form of recycling. Composite packaging made from several plastic types is poorly suited to the mono-fraction separation of waste. The German Packaging Act has increased the pressure on product and packaging manufacturers to apply superior solutions in this area.”
“Ensuring the recycling capability of packaging is no longer voluntary, it is obligatory – and it applies to the manufacturers of packaging, designers, retailers and those responsible for the recycling alike,” emphasized Winfried Batzke, Managing Director of the dvi. “Therefore, discussions between the various players about the challenges and definitive solutions are all the more important. We are delighted to have been able to further strengthen our constructive discussions on the occasion of this year’s Future Resources conference.”
Manufacturers of consumer goods also used the platform, and spoke in favour of a more sustainable use of packaging. “It is necessary for us to reduce our use of plastic packaging and the huge amounts of plastic waste that we produce,” explained Konstantin Bark, Director of Communications at Unilever in Germany. “Reducing the quantities of plastic packaging is the first key step. We will also make packaging recyclable and close the cycle of reusable materials.”
Dr. Martin Schlummer of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV explained how the recycling capability of sales packaging can be measured and assessed. Presentations by high profile speakers including Michael Brandl, Managing Director of the German Association for the Carton Packaging of Liquid Foods, and Thomas Reiner, CEO of Berndt & Partner, resulted in further discussions. Further information about the conference is available at www.future-resources.de.
About the Deutsche Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi):
The Deutsche Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi) is the only network of the German packaging industry, which unites companies of all stages of the value chain as members. The dvi supports the transfer of know-how and promotes the dialogue between its more than 230 member companies, institutions and parnters. It is a platform for information, insights, inspiration and exchange in the field of packaging. You can find more information about dvi at www.verpackung.org.
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Tue, 06 Nov 2018 09:27:00 +0100
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New German Packaging Act: data reporting now possible
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/new-german-packaging-act-data-reporting-now-possible/
Cologne. From now on, retailers and manufacturers who bring sales packaging into circulation can fill in their volume of packaging and name their dual system in LUCID – the database of the Central Agency Packaging Register (CAPR – Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister). In return, retailers and manufacturers will receive a registration number from the CAPR. They must then present this number to the dual system in which they participate with their packaging.
Reporting this data is an important step with regards to the new German Packaging Act (VerpackG), which comes into force on January 1, 2019. According to this law, everyone who brings packaging filled with goods into circulation for the first time in a commercial capacity must register with LUCID. From January 2019 on, the database will offer a publicly-available index of all registered businesses. This is aimed at ensuring transparency and fair rules on the market.
In addition to the obligation to register, all affected retailers and manufacturers must participate in a dual system and, in doing so, contribute to the costs of waste management and recycling of the packaging – or risk facing severe penalties. “Those wishing to avoid these penalties in the future should get their ‘licence to package’ today“, says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “Last but not least, this is also an important contribution towards the conservation of resources and environmental protection.” Interseroh offers retailers and manufacturers who are affected by this a way to carry out their licensing in a quick and uncomplicated manner with the Lizenzero online shop (www.lizenzero.de).
All packaging must be licensed Independent of business size, volume of packaging or type of packaging, the specifications of the Packaging Law relate to all packaging materials, which typically end as waste at the private consumer’s home. This means that product packaging, secondary packaging, service packaging and mail-order packaging (incl. packaging aids and padding materials) all come under the umbrella term of ‘sales packaging’.
When it comes to simple, uncomplicated packaging licensing at a fair price, the Lizenzero online shop offers all affected retailers and manufacturers not only comprehensive background information, but also a calculation tool. Using this tool, the business owner enters the number of items of the packaging types required every year with just a few clicks. This information is used to automatically calculate the corresponding total packaging weight, which can then be licensed directly. “We have tried to keep the red tape to a minimum so that affected retailers and manufacturers can quickly get back to focussing on their business“, says Müller-Drexel.
About Lizenzero:
Lizenzero is a shop brand of the environmental services provider Interseroh, who has been active for more than 25 years, and who fulfils the requirements of the Central Agency Packaging Register (Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister) and of the German Packaging Act (VerpackG) as a nationwide established dual system in accordance with Paragraph 18 VerpackG. With a view to problem-free handling of the VerpackG coming into force on 1 January 2019, the online shop is focussing particularly on smaller (online) dealers and manufacturers that have so far had little experience with packaging licensing in a dual system. The features of the website distinguished by Trusted Shops include a calculation tool that makes it easier for the user to quickly calculate their individual packaging quantities, an individual participation record, a resource protection certificate, an online seal that the customer can use for his outward communication, and an extensive FAQ that answers questions about the VerpackG.
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Mon, 29 Oct 2018 09:42:00 +0100
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ALBA Group showcases itself at the Eco Expo Asia and China International Import Expo
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-showcases-itself-at-the-eco-expo-asia-and-china-international-import-expo/
+++ New corporate film presents the flagship Hong Kong WEEE Park project +++
Berlin. In the year of its 50th anniversary, the ALBA Group will showcase its solutions for Smart Cities at two international trade fairs in Asia. At the first one, the recycling and environmental services specialist will be represented from tomorrow, 25 October 2018, with its own stand (3-E27) at the 13th Eco Expo Asia in Hong Kong. Furthermore, the ALBA Group will be represented as part of the German Pavilion (3A3-003) at the first ever China International Import Expo (CIIE) from 5 to 10 November 2018 in Shanghai.
The ALBA Group will showcase its new corporate film presenting the Hong Kong WEEE Park project at both trade fairs. The “Hong Kong WEEE Park” for the treatment and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), which was officially put into operation in March of this year, is the most cutting-edge recycling facility of its kind in the whole of Southeast Asia. It is also regarded as being the biggest combined facility for the processing of such a wide range of equipment in the world. In the future, the majority of the “regulated” electronic waste from the Asian metropolis will be processed at this facility, which is owned by the City of Hong Kong. The ALBA Group secured this order, which is the biggest single order in its company history, in the year 2015. In addition to the construction and operation of the facility, the order also includes the creation and operation of a comprehensive collection system, with five satellite collection centres and a special fleet of HGVs. You can see the film on the ALBA Group’s Hong Kong project at https://youtu.be/a3vNwZURNpI.
“Modern cities require modern solutions and concepts, with the Hong Kong WEEE Park, we’ve created a flagship project here”, says Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of the ALBA Group. “Smart Cities are a very fascinating topic, especially in Asia. Here we can see how quickly modern trends are implemented and new logistics develop. It is an incentive for us to contribute here again as a pioneer to innovative Smart City solutions.”
Eco Expo Asia is an international trade fair for environmental protection, and takes place annually as part of the AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong. It will be supported by the Eco Asia Conference with speeches, panels and seminars on current topics, trends and best practices. The key representatives from Asia’s environmental industry are getting together until 28 October 2018 to exchange ideas, information and innovations.
On the other hand, the China International Import Expo (CIIE) takes place against the background of the Belt and Road Initiative (One Belt, One Road – OBOR), and is expected to give countries neighbouring the Silk Road the opportunity to export more products and services to China. Up to 150,000 attendees are expected, including government procurement officers from the Chinese provinces, trading associations, and consumers. Since 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative has been concentrating the interests and aims of the People’s Republic of China under President Xi Jinping on the development and expansion of intercontinental trade and infrastructure networks between the PRC and altogether 64 other nations from Africa, Asia, and Europe.
ALBA Group in China:
The ALBA Group has been represented in Hong Kong since the early 1990s, from where it developed its Asian business. Since 2011 the company has also played a strong role in the fields of recycling consulting and technological project management in China. Today, the ALBA Group is engaged in long-term projects in the wide-ranging areas of the recycling and circular economy in China, and is offering innovative solutions which have been adapted to Chinese conditions in the areas of end-of-life vehicle recycling or WEEE, and the environmentally friendly treatment of municipal waste, amongst others.
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Wed, 24 Oct 2018 09:08:00 +0200
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Smart recycling: New technology for recompounds increases both quality and environmental benefit
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/smart-recycling-new-technology-for-recompounds-increases-both-quality-and-environmental-benefit/
+++ Interseroh and EREMA jointly present the COREMA® cascade extrusion system +++ Data transparency in real time for maximum processing stability with the recycling of plastic +++
Cologne/Friedrichshafen. Today, at the specialist international trade fair for plastics processing, the Fakuma in Friedrichshafen, environmental services provider Interseroh and technology manufacturer EREMA jointly presented the COREMA® cascade extrusions system. This system allows for the manufacturing of customised recycling compounds for exceptionally high-quality applications in just one processing step for the first time. “With this innovative technology, which in its combination has been developed especially for the requirements of Interseroh, we are advancing to a new level in the field of plastics recycling,” explained Dr. Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Director of the Business Unit Recycled-Resource at INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH, at the event.
Interseroh is using the new technology in the scope of its many-time award-winning Recycled-Resource process. Along comparable lines to the compounding of new products, additives, modifying agents and inorganic fillers can be ad-mixed in shares of 0.25 to 40 percent. In this respect, the quality control of the material rheology and colour-stability takes place on a digital basis and in real time. “The re360 Manufacturing Execution System brings additional safety to the manufacturing process,” explained Manfred Hackl, CEO of EREMA Group. “The combination of optimised systems technology, transparent manufacturing and machine data as well as formula management ensures a high degree of process stability and high quality material, and with the maximum degree of flexibility.
The “One Extrusion Process” also reduces the use of both energy and resources. The new process also reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 50 percent in comparison with the use of new granulate from crude oil, also during the manufacturing of sophisticated formulas. “From our perspective, sustainable innovations of this kind represent the right way of fulfilling the objectives of the EU plastics strategy and successfully developing the circular economy further in Europe,” highlighted Ulcnik-Krump. “In this way, we aren’t just able to fulfil the customers’ requirements on an efficient and targeted basis, we can also improve the environmental benefits of the plastic recyclate at a high level.”
About EREMA:
Not just one specialist among many, but the world market- and technology leader for plastics recycling systems. The consistent innovations of EREMA have been setting new standards for more than 30 years. Whether it is the in-house recycling of clean manufacturing waste or highly contaminated post-consumer waste – its range of efficient systems is aligned to all cases of application. For all thermoplastic plastics, biopolymers or compounds. For further information, visit www.erema-group.com.
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Photo „Press Meeting_Fakuma“: „ALBA Group“,
Photos „COREMA_1” and „COREMA_2”: „ALBA Group / Amin Akhtar“.Anlagen / weitere Informationen181017_Rede_MUK_Fakuma_EN.pdf
Wed, 17 Oct 2018 09:39:00 +0200
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The packaging of tomorrow – made for recycling
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/the-packaging-of-tomorrow-made-for-recycling/
+++ Following the successful launch event 2017: Second symposium by dvi and Interseroh taking place on 6 November 2018 in Frankfurt am Main +++ The experts will discuss the effects of the new packaging law and innovative recycling concepts +++
Cologne/Frankfurt. Putting the spotlight on packaging recycling: At the symposium “Future Resources 2018” on 6 November 2018 experts from the areas of trade, as well as in the packaging and recycling industries, will discuss new legal requirements and sustainable solutions. With their second joint event, the environmental services provider Interseroh and Deutsche Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi) want to build on the success they enjoyed last year and actively contribute to a constructive dialogue among all players in the value chain. Under the motto “The packaging of tomorrow”, the participants will discuss and share their ideas in relation to the German Packaging Act that will come into effect from 2019, the environmentally friendly design of the packaging and innovative recycling technologies.
“The ability to recycle packaging will become one of the most critical factors in a company’s success – especially with respect to the new Packaging Act, a change of mindset towards sustainability is required”, said Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “One of the primary things that needs to change in order to meet the higher recycling quotes that are required is a well thought out organic design of the packaging from the beginning”. As a specialist for innovative recycling technologies, Interseroh supports companies with the range of services called “Made for Recycling”, which analyses sales packaging and aims to optimise it.
“Bringing packaging into circulation is a joint task for all involved in the value chain", emphasised Winfried Batzke, Managing Director of dvi. “The Future Resources Congress offers us the necessary platform in order to develop the ecologically and environmentally sensible solutions for the packagings of tomorrow together with traders and recyclers.”
On the programme are the current practically relevant presentations and discussions with the speakers – among others Konstantin Bark, Director of Communications at Unilever DACH, Dr Martin Schlummer, Managing Director Recycling and Environment at the Fraunhofer Institute IVV, and Michael Brandl, Managing Director of the trade association Kartonverpackungen für flüssige Nahrungsmittel e. V.
The “Future Resources 2018” symposium will take place on 6 November 2018 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Design Offices in Frankfurt Westendcaree. You can find more information about the event, the programme and registration at www.future-resources.de.
About the Deutsche Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi):
The Deutsche Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi) is the only network of the German packaging industry, which unites companies of all stages of the value chain as members. The dvi supports the transfer of know-how and promotes the dialogue between its more than 230 member companies, institutions and parnters. It is a platform for information, insights, inspiration and exchange in the field of packaging. You can find more information about dvi at www.verpackung.org.
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Wed, 10 Oct 2018 09:38:00 +0200
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ALBA Group contributes to the implementation of the EU plastics strategy
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-contributes-to-the-implementation-of-the-eu-plastics-strategy/
+++ Closed loop-circulation of plastics more efficient than primary production; one tonne of recycled propylene alone conserves almost 5 tonnes of raw materials +++ In 2017, recycling activities of the ALBA Group conserved a total of 30.2 million tonnes of primary resources and led to the saving of 4.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions +++
Berlin. With its recycling activities, the ALBA Group contributes to the achievement of the goals of the EU plastics strategy. This is proven by the survey “resources SAVED by recycling“ presented today, that the Fraunhofer-Institut UMSICHT carried out for the eleventh year, on behalf of the ALBA Group. According to this, closed loop-circulation of plastics by the environmental services provider saves resources and greenhouse gas emissions on a large scale, compared to crude oil based primary production.
Concretely, for example, primary production of one tonne of polypropylene – the second most frequently used plastic worldwide – requires around 5.2 tonnes of raw material and releases 1.7 tonnes of greenhouse gases. The production of one tonne of polypropylene from secondary raw materials, by comparison, on average uses only 224 kilogrammes of resources while 966 kilogrammes of greenhouse gases are released.
“The requirement for a sparing closed loop-circulation is state of the art procedures such as Recycled-Resource, with which our subsidiary company Interseroh completely closed the material circulation of plastics“, says Dr Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ALBA Group. “Therefore, we not only support the goals of the EU plastics strategy from the start of 2018, which amongst other things promotes increased use of innovative technologies for closed plastic circulation.”
Overall, the combined recycling activities of the environmental services and raw material provider conserved around 30.2 million tonnes of primary resources in the last year, and at the same time saved around 4.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. In order to bind the same amount of greenhouse gases naturally, a mixed forest of around 410,000 hectares would be necessary – this corresponds to around the size of the Ruhr region.
“The more low-emission and energy saving waste logistics and processing technologies are, the lighter the ecological rucksack of recycling materials will become”, points out Dr Eng Markus Hiebel, Director of the Department for Sustainability and Resources Management at the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT. “Therefore, only a high quality closed loop-circulation like that of the ALBA Group leads to a clear positive environmental balance. Our survey should therefore raise awareness of the way to actually achieve more sustainable business practices.”
For eleven years the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT (Umwelt-, Sicherheits- und Energietechnik), has now been researching how the recycling activities of the ALBA Group impact the environment – specifically the climate and natural resources. Its results are published annually in the “resources SAVED by recycling” brochure. In this year’s survey, the scientists took a detailed look at the material streams of plastics, metals, waste electrical (and electronic) equipment, paper/cardboard/carton, glass and wood. You can find the complete results of the study and best practices for recycling from the ALBA Group on the information portal www.resources-saved.com.
About Fraunhofer UMSICHT
Fraunhofer UMSICHT is a pioneer of sustainable energy and raw material management, providing and transferring scientific findings to business, society and politics. Together with its partners, the UMSICHT team researches and develops sustainable products, processes and services which are very impressive. In this respect, it focuses on the balance between economically successful, socially just and environmentally friendly developments. In 2017, the institute and its 450 staff generated a turnover of more than 41.6 million euros. As one of 69 institutes and research facilities in the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Europe's leading applied research organisation, we are part of a global network and promote international collaboration.
More information on Fraunhofer UMSICHT can be found at www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de
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Mon, 08 Oct 2018 08:17:00 +0200
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Attention, e-commerce dealers: new legislation will be coming into effect from 2019
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/attention-e-commerce-dealers-new-legislation-will-be-coming-into-effect-from-2019/
+++ Trusted Shops Survey: More than a third of the surveyed online retailers have never heard of the new law
+++ Environmental service provider Interseroh explains the consequences
Cologne. From 1 January 2019, e-commerce retailers will be threatened by substantial penalties according to the new German Packaging Act (VerpackG). According to a current survey of Trusted Shops among 700 online retailers, more than a third of those surveyed had not heard of the new law and one out of two (49 percent) did not yet know what changes the law will bring.
According to the new Packaging Act, every manufacturer and retailer that sells packaged goods to private end-consumers has to participate in a dual system with a licence. Every competitor and customer can also consult a public register to see whether a company is registered for the purpose of VerpackG. Licensing is already compulsory from the first sent package. And: The obligation to participate in the system affects not only shipping packaging made of paper, cardboard, or plastic, but also those made of glass or metal.
Licensing is quite simple, though, such as through Lizenzero, for example, (www.lizenzero.de), the new online shop of the environmental services provider Interseroh. Here, retailers and small companies can register with just a few clicks and thus fulfil their mandatory participation in accordance with the new Packaging Act from 2019 on. The amount that is to be paid to the dual system depends on the annual packaging quantities and the packaging material used. As a rule of thumb: The fewer packages that are brought into circulation the smaller the fee.
A calculation example of Lizenzero shows (see adjacent graphic): If an online retailer ships, for example, 2,500 cardboard boxes (size S), including packing tape and filling material made of paper, the licensing amount is 49.00 Euros (subject to alteration of prices). That is equivalent to just under 0.02 Euros per parcel. Due to the inclusion of this amount of packaging in the dual system and the subsequent recycling, 530 kilograms of primary resources are saved.
“It is important to explain the new Packaging Act and the duties resulting from it”, says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “Many manufacturers and retailers do not know the new regulations, but still want to act in compliance with the law, of course. Lizenzero comes in here as a simple, uncomplicated, cheap, and above all legally watertight solution.”
About Lizenzero:
Lizenzero is a shop brand of the environmental services provider Interseroh, who has been active for more than 25 years, and who fulfils the requirements of the Central Agency Packaging Register (Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister) and of the German Packaging Act (VerpackG) as a nationwide established dual system in accordance with Paragraph 18 VerpackG. With a view to problem-free handling of the VerpackG coming into force on 1 January 2019, the online shop is focussing particularly on smaller (online) dealers and manufacturers that have so far had little experience with packaging licensing in a dual system. The features of the website distinguished by Trusted Shops include a calculation tool that makes it easier for the user to quickly calculate their individual packaging quantities, an individual participation record, a resource protection certificate, an online seal that the customer can use for his outward communication, and an extensive FAQ that answers questions about the VerpackG.
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Tue, 02 Oct 2018 16:33:00 +0200
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SIMPLi RETURN: Vollmann and Jüsten appointed Managing Directors
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/simpli-return-vollmann-and-juesten-appointed-managing-directors/
+++ First joint appearance for joint venture between Saubermacher and Interseroh at the ICBR Conference from 26 until 28 September in Berlin
Feldkirchen near Graz/Cologne. The management of the first take-back system for lithium-ion batteries, SIMPLi RETURN, has been decided: Michael Vollmann (43) from Saubermacher and Claus Jüsten (45) from Interseroh were appointed Managing Directors, a role that they will share from now on. For the first time, on behalf of SIMPLi RETURN, they will be attending the 23rd International Congress for Battery Recycling (ICBR), which will take place next week from 26 until 28 September in Berlin.
Claus Jüsten, who has a degree in business administration, has been working in leading positions in the area of logistics at Interseroh for more than ten years, including as Managing Director of INTERSEROH Pfand-System GmbH. Michael Vollmann, who has an MSc. in Accounting and Controlling, has spent more than five years working in commercial management positions at Saubermacher, including the position of Managing Director Finance / Deputy CFO.
The SIMPLi RETURN joint venture brings Saubermacher, the world's leading batteries recycling specialist together with Interseroh, the leading provider of environmental services for the closure of product-, materials- and logistics cycles. In addition to holistic consulting services, the
SIMPLi RETURN offer also includes the organisation of professional transport services and environmentally friendly recycling. It is oriented towards manufacturers and distributors of lithium-ion batteries from the industrial sector and electronic vehicles of all types.
“I am looking forward to my new tasks, says Claus Jüsten. “The combination of the recycling know-how of Saubermacher and the logistics and systems operating know-how of Interseroh offers a complete vertical integration and therefore promises considerable synergies.” Vollmann adds: “The recycling market for lithium-ion batteries has a considerable potential for development. We are expecting double digit rates of growth per year, which means that the professional and sustainable recycling of these waste streams is imperative.”
SIMPLi RETURN provides all services across the entire waste management chain around the world from a single source. Thanks to the optimised process organisation, placing orders is simple, the entire recycling cycle is transparent and comprehensible, and gap-free documentation is guaranteed. To ensure safe transport, special containers will be made available and the packaging of batteries will take place on-site. By using existing infrastructures and expertise, the global recycling service can be implemented very quickly.
You can find more information on SIMPLi RETURN at www.simplireturn.com.
About Saubermacher
Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG is an international disposal and recycling company, whose headquarters are located in Feldkirchen near Graz. The family business was established in 1979 and is a competent partner for approx. 1,600 municipalities and over 40,000 companies. The company has around 3,050 employees in Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Hungary and the United Arab Emirates. The company is a leader in the sector of battery recycling and with their “Zero Waste” vision, pursues the objective of processing all materials at the end of their lifecycle in such a way that an increasing percentage of the original material can be recycled and fed into an (almost) never-ending cycle. You can find more information at www.saubermacher.at.
Fri, 21 Sep 2018 10:51:00 +0200
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ALBA Group Celebrates 50-Year Anniversary
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-celebrates-50-year-anniversary/
+++ New image film shows development to international technology leader +++
Berlin. The ALBA Group, one of the leading recycling and environmental services and raw materials suppliers worldwide, is 50 years old. To mark the anniversary, the company is presenting itself with a new image film that reflects it as a modern, international player of the future.
The recycling experts can look back at rapid development. The company was launched with just six employees and two lorries on 3 September 1968 in Berlin. At that time, the idea that refuse is not waste but recyclable material was still almost revolutionary. The small waste management company became an international group for recycling, environmental services and the supply of raw materials whose core business continues to be recovering raw materials from waste. In addition, the ALBA Group is still a family business, run today by Dr Axel Schweitzer and Dr Eric Schweitzer, the sons of the company founder Franz Josef Schweitzer.
Thanks to constant innovations, the ALBA Group has written recycling history: from the introduction of the separate collection of recyclables to the development of leading technologies such as the Green Fuel technology to state-of-the-art recycled plastics such as Procyclen – the list is long and is still being continued today. The ALBA Group is present in the Chinese megacity of Shanghai with a company for automotive recycling and in Hong Kong with an e-scrap recycling plant – currently the largest and most state-of-the-art in the world. In Europe, too, it wants to further expand its position in future and take top place – when it comes to quality of raw materials, customer friendliness and environmental performance. Above all, it wants to advance the digitalisation of the waste management and recycling industry and to this end it is working intensively on new, digital strategies and business processes in the InnovationLAB at the company’s Berlin headquarters. The focus here is on Smart City solutions.
“The particular strength of the ALBA Group as ‘the recycling company’ and as one of the ten leading environmental services providers worldwide is our determination to keep on developing our leading recycling expertise. A future world without waste cannot remain only a vision,” explains Dr Axel Schweitzer, co-owner and CEO of the ALBA Group. “Our anniversary motto, ‘Tradition meets innovation’, is therefore not just a principle for the future, but also our recipe for success.”
“We have become a global player of the recycling industry and have remained a family business,” says Dr Eric Schweitzer. “This huge development is unthinkable without our employees, who have been at our side in the last few exciting years and decades. We owe them our special thanks.
With the new image film, the ALBA Group positions itself as an international technology leader that, with pioneering recycling solutions, closes raw material cycles and actively contributes to shaping the way to a world without waste. You can view the film at http://bit.ly/corporatevideo2018.
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Mon, 03 Sep 2018 09:06:00 +0200
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Interseroh launches online shop Lizenzero
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-launches-online-shop-lizenzero/
+++ Product range aimed especially at small dealers and companies +++ Online service bears Trusted Shops quality seal +++ To licensing with just a few clicks of the mouse +++
Cologne. With immediate effect, dealers and companies can register their packaging quickly and easily via Lizenzero, the new online shop of environmental services provider Interseroh, and thus fulfil their obligations pursuant to the new German Packaging Act as of 2019. Lizenzero bears the Trusted Shops quality seal and is aimed especially at smaller dealers and companies that so far have little experience with packaging licensing in a dual system.
“Anyone who brings packaging into circulation must also take responsibility for the eco-friendly recycling. The new German Packaging Act takes this principle of product responsibility very seriously, which is a good thing for the environment,” says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “In Lizenzero, we have developed an intuitive and functional online shop that makes it particularly easy to fulfil the obligations resulting from the Act in a non-bureaucratic manner and to position oneself in a legally compliant manner with just a few clicks of the mouse.”
For example, a calculational aid is available to the companies at www.lizenzero.de with which they can determine in uncomplicated fashion the packaging quantities they have brought into circulation and can register their packaging with Interseroh’s dual system (DSI). In turn, Interseroh looks after the secure recovery, sorting and recycling of the materials.
In addition, Lizenzero fulfils the quality criteria of Trusted Shops – and has therefore been awarded the leading quality seal for online shops in Europe. The Trusted Shops criteria include secure, responsible dealings with customer data, transparent communication and reliable customer service. This buyer protection guarantees that shopping can be done securely on portals bearing the seal.
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Tue, 28 Aug 2018 12:09:00 +0200
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Interseroh welcomes CAPR catalogue and participates in consultation process
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-welcomes-capr-catalogue-and-participates-in-consultation-process/
+++ Catalogue creates clarity regarding duty to participate in System +++ Precise regulations as a means against sub-licensing +++
Cologne. Cologne-based environmental services provider Interseroh has welcomed the catalogue for the classification of packaging subject to participation in the system of the Central Agency Packaging Register (Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister), which was announced yesterday, and is participating in the consultation process that begins today. For over 400 product categories, it is made clear in the catalogue whether manufacturers and distributors are subject to a duty of participation in a dual system. Previously, packaging was often defined out of the sphere of obligation due to scope of interpretation, for example with individual expert reports. According to CAPR, this has led to a distortion of competition of approximately EUR 200 million per year.
“The catalogue offers a transparent reference system with a significant binding character and is an important contribution to creating fair competitive conditions for all dual systems,” says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “Thus, all parties involved will now prioritise the search for solutions for less or better recyclable packaging and will thus focus, as a priority, on the innate objective of packaging recycling.”
The mission of the CAPR is to monitor and ensure the legally compliant licensing of packaging. It also has the official task of establishing, on request, whether specific packaging is subject to participation in the system. With the catalogue, manufacturers and distributors of packaging are spared a large number of individual case-related applications to the CAPR and they can find out from the catalogue directly whether their packaging needs to become registered and involved in a dual System.
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Fri, 10 Aug 2018 13:38:00 +0200
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Interseroh at Fakuma 2018
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-at-fakuma-2018/
Cologne. This year, INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH is again represented at the international trade fair Fakuma, which takes place in Friedrichshafen from 16 to 20 October 2018. In Hall B1-1125, the environmental services provider will present its expertise in plastics recycling and the associated range of services under the motto “Innovative recompounds for diverse applications”.
With the specially developed and multiple-award-winning production process Recycled-Resource, which is based on a complex upcycling-recompounding process, Interseroh manufactures the plastic recyclates Procyclen and Recythen. According to a study by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT, their use provides a valuable contribution to the sustainable use of resources in comparison with the use of new granulate and reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases during the manufacturing by 30 to 50 per cent.
“From our many years of experience, we know that sustainable operations can be successful only if they are practised consistently at all levels – economically, ecologically and socially”, says Dr Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Business Unit Recycled-Resource at Interseroh. “Our recycled plastics, which can be modified specific to the customer’s wishes, can contribute significantly to this. We expect exciting discussions with the professional visitors and interested parties on site.”
Fakuma is a globally leading trade fair for industrial plastics processing. At the five-day trade fair in Friedrichshafen, over 1,800 international exhibitors will present their range of products and services, providing an holistic overview of all plastics technologies. More than 40,000 professional visitors from 120 countries are expected at the event.
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Wed, 01 Aug 2018 08:09:00 +0200
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Create reports at the click of the mouse with Nachhaltigkeitsreporting360
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/create-reports-at-the-click-of-the-mouse-with-nachhaltigkeitsreporting360/
+++ Small and medium-sized companies save up to 80 percent on production costs and 70 percent on time +++ Sustainability reporting is done in accordance with recognised standards and strict data protection guidelines +++ Interseroh presents Nachhaltigkeitsreporting360 in collaboration with the software provider 360report
Cologne. The Cologne-based environmental services provider INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH will henceforth be particularly supporting small and medium-sized businesses in the creation of sustainability reports in accordance with the current international standards with “Nachhaltigkeitsreporting360”. You can access the service at nachhaltigkeitsreporting360.de/. There, data concerning things like energy and water consumption or the waste volume can simply be entered in an entry screen. Based on this data, the system generates a sustainability report with text modules, tables and graphics largely automatically.
In comparison with a report created in-house and associated with a great deal of effort, companies save up to 70 percent of the time and up to 80 percent of the costs for production with “Nachhaltigkeitsreporting360”. The software used for the service takes the individual circumstances and conditions of the company in question into account in the process. Additional reporting standards and as many sites and suppliers as desired can be integrated into the report, for example.
“Even smaller companies are increasingly relying on well-founded sustainability reporting in order to satisfy their social responsibilities and the associated requirements from their clients and customers,” explains Frank Kurrat, Head of the Business Center ReCycle at INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “We want to use integrated solutions to contribute to our customers’ ability to improve their sustainability practices in all areas and to optimally communicate this to their stakeholders.”
Users who have already compiled sustainability data themselves can also easily integrate them. Entering data is intuitive and requires neither the installation of software nor specific sustainability knowledge. Once the data has been entered, text modules with clear tables and graphics can simply be exported in Word or PDF format with a click of the mouse. All data is stored in Germany, thus ensuring a high level of data protection in accordance with German law.
Interseroh offers the new service in collaboration with the Dortmund-based software company 360report, which has also developed the first intelligent, web-based and SME-appropriate software in this form. Reporting in line with the current standards, for example in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines, ISO 26000, UN Global Compact and the German Sustainability Code (DNK) is therefore possible.
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Tue, 10 Jul 2018 09:41:00 +0200
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Interseroh is a nominee for the European Business Awards for the Environment
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-is-a-nominee-for-the-european-business-awards-for-the-environment/
+++ Slovenia-based subsidiary of the environment specialists is nominated in the “Process” category +++
Cologne. The Slovenia-based subsidiary of the environmental services provider Interseroh, INTERSEROH Plastics R&D d.o.o., is among the nominees in this year’s European Business Awards for the Environment (EBAE). The recycling specialist, which also maintains a centre of competence for recycling plastics in Maribor, Slovenia, succeeded in convincing the EBAE jury with its Recycled-Resource plastics recycling process.
The Recycled-Resource production process – which has won several awards – is based on a sophisticated upcycling recompounding process: the automated high-tech sorting of the various types of waste is followed by grinding, cleaning and washing the plastic according to pre-defined quality parameters, extrusion and restabilisation, as well as chemical modification with additives so as to obtain the exact characteristics that the customer requires.
The key innovation factor to be associated with Recycled-Resource is the modified recipe design. The recipes are developed by Interseroh in order to upgrade materials which originate from plastic waste – a key factor for the innovative recycling process. This means that Recycled-Resource constitutes a clear improvement to conventional recycling processes.
“Our nomination for this important European award recognises our long standing research and development work, and is a great honour to us,” explained Dr. Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Plastics R&D d.o.o. and leader of the Business Unit for Recycled-Resource at Interseroh. “The key benefits which Recycled-Resource offers for the environment are plain to see: in this way we are able to achieve a clear reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, conserve dwindling natural resources, and achieve a far better level of energy efficiency compared with the manufacturing of primary products.
About the EBAE:
Every two years, the European Commission awards prizes to businesses which both implement and integrate sustainability in their business model. The prize honours ecologically innovative methods, processes and products from all the sectors represented in the EU which contribute to a transition to the circular economy by reducing the impact of production and consumption on the environment, which simultaneously help the natural environment to resist ecological pressure, and which therefore achieve a more efficient and responsible use of natural resources.
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Thu, 05 Jul 2018 12:44:00 +0200
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Interseroh new partner of the “PackTheFuture” initiative
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-new-partner-of-the-packthefuture-initiative/
+++ Environmental services provider takes part in the selection of the prize winners for the “Sustainable Plastic Packaging Award” for the first time +++ Official prize-giving ceremony on 27 November in Paris +++
Cologne. This year, INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH is the partner of the “PackTheFuture – Sustainable Plastic Packaging Award 2018” for the first time, an initiative of the French ELIPSO association for plastic packaging and the German IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen e.V. (industry association for plastic packaging). The award honours innovative packaging solutions which contribute to environmental protection. Candidates are able to apply in four categories: Eco-design, Product Protection, Consumer Benefit and Save Food. The objective of this prize is to advance the creative potential in the field of sustainable plastic packaging in Europe.
“The ‘PackTheFuture – Sustainable Plastic Packaging Award 2018’ offers an excellent platform for further extending our commitment to recyclable – and therefore sustainable – plastic packaging,” explained Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “We intend to honour packaging which is innovative and optimised for recycling and therefore represents a positive example for a circular economy. For our environment and for a world without waste.”
In the course of the new collaboration, Müller-Drexel also participated in the decisive meeting of the jury in Paris which took place last week. The prizes will be presented on 27 November as part of the ALL4PACK trade show, which is also taking place in Paris.
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Tue, 03 Jul 2018 16:17:00 +0200
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kilenda nominated for the German Sustainability Award 2018
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/kilenda-nominated-for-the-german-sustainability-award-2018/
Cologne. Sharing economy provider kilenda is counted among those nominated for this year’s German Sustainability Award in the KMU category (small and medium-sized companies). With its business model – the hiring of children’s clothing and all the basic equipment for children up to the age of three, apart from maternity wear and baby carriers – kilenda now has the opportunity to convince the specialist jury, chaired by Prof Dr Günther Bachmann, General Secretary of the German Council for Sustainable Development, and to be distinguished as “Germany’s most sustainable company”.
“The nomination for the German Sustainability Award makes us very proud, as it shows that our idea is being well-received,” says Hendrik Scheuschner, founder of kilenda and Managing Director of Relenda GmbH, a subsidiary company of environmental services provider Interseroh. “Of course, we would be particularly thrilled with the distinction of being Germany’s most sustainable company! We want to encourage even more people to shape their consumption in a more conscious and environmentally-friendly way.”
The German Sustainability Award acknowledges those companies which, through their products and services, are particularly successful in facing ecological and social challenges and which, in doing so, use sustainability as a business opportunity. In autumn, the jury will select the Top 3, as well as the winner. The award will be presented on 7th December 2018 in Düsseldorf.
The kilenda system is really simple: there is a large range of good-quality, durable children’s clothing in different sizes, maternity wear, baby carriers and all the basic equipment for children up to the age of three available to hire at www.kilenda.de. Once used, customers return the hired items or replace them with other or larger items. Thus the use of individual items is extended for as long as possible.
Consequently, less new items of clothing have to be produced, which measurably reduces the ecological footprint. To this day, kilenda has saved roughly 370 million litres of water and 184 thousand tonnes of CO2 by hiring out children’s clothing. The model is convincing more and more people: kilenda initially had 100 customers in 2015, today it’s already 4,000. kilenda is a trademark that belongs to the Interseroh subsidiary Relenda GmbH.
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Tue, 26 Jun 2018 15:40:00 +0200
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Global goals in focus: Interseroh presents new sustainability strategy
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/global-goals-in-focus-interseroh-presents-new-sustainability-strategy/
+++ The Cologne environmental services provider has oriented its sustainability strategy to the 17 Sustainability Development Goals of the United Nations +++ Four central fields of action defined for sustainable development +++ Sustainability magazine “zero waste solutions” reports on new solutions for more circular economy and less waste +++
Cologne. The environmental services provider Interseroh presents its new sustainability strategy, which is oriented towards the 17 goals of the United Nations (Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs), in its sustainability magazine published today. Therefore, the subsidiary of the international recycling specialist ALBA Group is facing increasing global challenges which the company specifically targets with its mission “zero waste solutions“.
“Zero waste solutions” is also the title of the new sustainability magazine in which Interseroh presents current projects: From lithium-ion battery recycling to sharing economy for children’s clothing, right up to closed-loop circulation of plastic packaging. Together with its customers, the environmental services provider improves the resource efficiency and counteracts the waste of products and materials.
“We take on responsibility for future oriented, holistic circular economy”, explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “That means, we want to make the most effective contribution possible to sustainable development, both with our business model and in-house. The goals of the United Nations give us concrete starting points for this, in a global context.”
It is the aim of Interseroh to concentrate on measures with the greatest sustainability effect, in the coming years – and at the same time further develop its own business, in a customer and market oriented way. In this way, Interseroh wants to develop new upcycling solutions for plastics annually, and close further recyclable material and logistics loops, amongst other things, with which at least 3 million tonnes of resources and/or 500,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions could be saved. The company has also set itself the mission of developing more new approaches to “Design for Recycling”, together with their customers, i.e. to contribute to products being made recyclable from the start. Furthermore, Interseroh encourages inter-sector approaches and standards for circular economy solutions – and not least, is committed to equal opportunities for all employees as far as possible.
The Interseroh sustainability magazine is published annually and constitutes an extension of the traditional sustainability report, which is published every two years. The current magazine is available at www.interseroh.de/en/sustainability/.
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Tue, 19 Jun 2018 10:45:00 +0200
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ALBA BERLIN is the runner-up to the German Basketball Championship title and the most successful club in the youth section
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-berlin-is-the-runner-up-to-the-german-basketball-championship-title-and-the-most-successful-club-in-the-youth-section/
Berlin. The ALBA Group congratulates the ALBA BERLIN basketball team and its U14, JBBL and NBBL youth teams on a sensational season.
The youngest professional team in the Basketball-Bundesliga (Federal Basketball League) led by Head Coach Alejandro “Aíto” García Reneses was runner-up to the German Basketball Championship title in a thrilling final against FC Bayern yesterday evening.
The Albatrosses’ youth teams are also looking back on a successful season. ALBA BERLIN is the first club that has won three titles in the youth leagues in one season.
Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA Group, emphasises: “We don’t just give sustainability top priority in our everyday work but also believe in it with our sponsoring. Good techniques, total commitment and trust in our youth are what the ALBA Group shares with the basketball players from ALBA BERLIN. This trust and the intensity that is invested in youth work is paying off. That makes us really proud.”
Head Coach Alejandro „Aíto“ García Reneses: “It’s a shame that it wasn’t quite enough for the title in the end. But I am very proud of my team, which has developed superbly during this season. We played attractive and successful basketball with a very young team and had the chance to win the championship right up to the end. ALBA is a great programme, being runner-up to the Championship title and the Championship titles in the U19, U16 and U14 leagues speak for themselves. We are going to build on this. I would like to thank our great fans who have given us fantastic support throughout the season.”
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Mon, 18 Jun 2018 12:17:00 +0200
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ALBA Group sells metals location in Mannheim
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-sells-metals-location-in-mannheim/
Berlin. The ALBA Group, one of the leading environmental services providers and suppliers of raw materials, has parted company with its metals location in Mannheim in the course of the group’s strategic development. The location, which was previously owned by ALBA Metall Süd GmbH, was sold to the Bernhard Westarp group of companies for raw materials trading. In the future, ALBA Metall Süd will be consolidating its business operations at its other locations.
“We are continuously advancing with the strategic realignment of our group”, explained Dr. Axel Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA Group plc & Co. KG. “Our objective remains further increasing the depth of value creation in our key areas of business.”
The Mannheim location was mainly used by ALBA for the purchase and sale and also the preparation of scrap and metals for the castings- and steel industry. In 2017, it processed a total volume of approximately 100,000 tonnes. The purchase contract was signed on 29 May 2018. The buyer will continue to employ all of the workforce.
Wed, 13 Jun 2018 17:01:00 +0200
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SIMPLi RETURN: Interseroh and Saubermacher have created the first global recycling service for lithium-ion batteries
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/simpli-return-interseroh-and-saubermacher-have-created-the-first-global-recycling-service-for-lithium-ion-batteries/
Feldkirchen near Graz/Cologne. Interseroh and Saubermacher have pooled their expertise and established a joint venture for taking back and recycling lithium-ion batteries called SIMPLi RETURN. As the first global take-back system in this sector, SIMPLi RETURN offers all-round consulting, as well as the organisation of professional transport and environmentally friendly recycling. The services provided by SIMPLi RETURN are oriented towards manufacturers and distributors of lithium-ion batteries for the industrial sector and all types of electronic vehicles.
The joint venture, SIMPLi RETURN, provides all services along the entire waste management chain all around the world from a single source. Thanks to the optimised process organisation, placing orders is simple, the entire recycling cycle is transparent and comprehensible, and gap-free documentation is guaranteed. To ensure safe transport, special containers will be made available and the packaging of batteries will take place on-site. By using existing infrastructures and expertise, the global recycling service can be implemented very quickly.
Interseroh is one of the leading providers of environmental services when it comes to the closure of product, material and logistics loops. For over 25 years, the company has developed individual and industry-specific concepts for customers all over Europe so that they can avoid waste and operate more efficiently. Even the processing of IT and communication devices used for recycling is part of the company’s portfolio. Saubermacher has been internationally active in the environmental and recycling industry for almost 40 years. The company is a leader in the field of battery recycling and at the start of 2018, commissioned a new high-tech processing plant for lithium-ion batteries in Bremerhaven. After the approval of all cartel authorities, the headquarters of the company will be situated in Cologne.
“With SIMPLi RETURN, we are creating a unique, high-grade, vertically integrated provider in the future lithium-ion battery market,” explains Dr Timo Langemann, Member of the Management Team at INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “Together with our partner Saubermacher, we offer our customers a comprehensive, worry-free package which fully takes into account the challenging recycling in this sector,” continues Langemann.
The quantity of lithium-ion batteries is increasing year upon year with a double-digit growth rate. “If you only take into account the EV sector, the demand for lithium-ion batteries in 2015 was 205 million cells. In 2020, this demand will rise to 1,808 million units. That’s an annual growth of 37 percent[1],” explains Ralf Mittermayr, Spokesman of the Board of Saubermacher. This value will continue to grow in the coming decades; however, the legal requirements concerning the take-back and recycling of lithium-ion batteries are regulated differently in each country. This situation presents the manufacturers and distributors with some challenging issues regarding their disposal. What’s more, lithium-ion batteries cover a broad range of products, with regards to their composition, and, due to the fact that it is a relatively new waste material, there are few recycling plants which are suitable. “With the special recycling plant in Bremerhaven, we are able to achieve recycling targets which are significantly higher than the target values as specified by the law,” emphasises Mittermayr.
The handling of lithium-ion batteries is subject to strict legal requirements and requires high safety standards, both with damaged and intact batteries. Cross-border transport is particularly complex. In each and every case, a fully documented recycling certificate must be produced. With the help of the online portal, which was developed in-house, the entire take-back process for customers from SIMPLi RETURN has been greatly simplified and made more transparent, starting from when they place an order. All data and documentation is available at the touch of a button, and the batteries can be followed step by step on their recycling journey. “The amalgamation of the logistics and recycling expertise in the sector of taking back lithium-ion batteries is also unique in a digital context, and solves the complex requirements of our customers,” adds Langemann, talking about the further advantages of SIMPLi RETURN.
You can find more information on SIMPLi RETURN at www.simplireturn.com.
About Saubermacher
Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG is an international disposal and recycling company, whose headquarters are located in Feldkirchen near Graz. The family business was established in 1979 and is a competent partner for approx. 1,600 municipalities and over 40,000 companies. The company has around 3,050 employees in Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Hungary and the United Arab Emirates. The company is a leader in the sector of battery recycling and with their “Zero Waste” vision, pursues the objective of processing all materials at the end of their lifecycle in such a way that an increasing percentage of the original material can be recycled and fed into an (almost) never-ending cycle. You can find more information at www.saubermacher.at.
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[1] Source: markt-technik, 5.7.2017, Engelbert Hopf, http://www.elektroniknet.de/markt-technik/power/boom-der-li-ionen-technik-verlangt-hoehere-versorgungsicherheit-143235.html
Mon, 11 Jun 2018 09:41:00 +0200
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Interseroh, bifa and Fraunhofer IVV present new testing method for packaging optimisation
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-bifa-and-fraunhofer-ivv-present-new-testing-method-for-packaging-optimisation/
+++ Points system makes recycling capability of packaging measurable +++ Improvement potential in the “packaging” value chain can be raised targetedly in future +++ Optimal preparation for packaging law +++
Cologne. With a new, scientifically well-founded assessment method, companies from retail and industry can now find out how well packaging can be recycled. The system was developed by Cologne-based environmental service provider Interseroh together with the bifa environmental institute (bifa Umweltinstitut) and was finally reviewed by the experts of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV (Fraunhofer-Institut für Verfahrenstechnik und Verpackung IVV). The aim is to enter more sales packaging into a high-quality recycling process in future and to manage the raw materials contained therein in the cycle.
“When packaging is designed, the course is set for the recycling capability,” says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “As part of our packaging optimisation service, we now enable manufacturers and dealers to optimise their sales packaging in a targeted manner using a scientifically reliable assessment pattern. This is also important with a view to the packaging law coming into effect in 2019. Afterwards, manufacturers are to receive financial incentives to use recycling-capable packaging for the first time.”
In order to assess the recycling capability of packaging, Interseroh, together with the bifa environmental institute specialising in technical environmental protection, has developed a three-stage points system. In the first stage, it is determined whether the consumer can assign the packaging to the correct collection system without any problems. Then, in the second stage, it is examined how the packaging performs when it comes to sorting. Can the currently available sorting technologies sort the packaging into the right material fraction – or do certain materials prevent a clear assignment? In the third stage, it is analysed whether the packaging is suitable for material recycling or whether, for example, labels, colours or caps make recycling difficult. The more points the packaging achieves on a scale of 0 to 20, the more easily and better it can be recycled.
“Using our assessment method, weak points of packaging and potential for improvement can be identified very clearly,” explains Dr Siegfried Kreibe, Deputy Managing Director of bifa Umweltinstitut GmbH. “The better the recycling works, the higher the achievable qualities are and thus also the sales opportunities of the emerging recycled raw materials.”
“It is high time that movement comes into packaging design,” says Dr Martin Schlummer, Business Area Manager Recycling and Environment at Fraunhofer IVV. “What is important now is that all the participants in the value chain commit themselves to combining the product and design requirements of packaging effectively with its recycling capability.”
The assessment methodology developed by Interseroh and bifa and reviewed by Fraunhofer IVV is part of the Interseroh packaging optimisation service “Made for Recycling”. Here, the recycling specialist – in collaboration with the customers from retail and industry – illuminates the lifecycle of packaging from manufacture to disposal and recycling. Based on this, practicable action recommendations and solutions are developed for improved recycling.
You can find more information about “Made for Recycling”, Interseroh’s packaging optimisation service, here.
About the bifa environmental institute:
Since 1991, bifa, as an application-orientated research, development and consulting institution, has offered a multifaceted range of services related to “technical environmental protection”. This includes the areas of process technology, integrated operational environmental protection, sustainable waste management as well as system and process analysis. bifa analyses and assesses material flows, energy flows and process-technology processes.
About Fraunhofer IVV:
The Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging (IVV) stands for high-quality food and for safe packaging that allows high quality and convenient handling. In its developments along the value chain, Fraunhofer IVV aims for efficient use of raw materials and low environmental loads. The “Recycling and Environment” and “Packaging” business areas devote themselves to the development of innovative recycling processes and recycling-capable packaging materials.
Tue, 05 Jun 2018 09:35:00 +0200
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Despite insolvency of ELS: disposal of sales packaging is ensured
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/despite-insolvency-of-els-disposal-of-sales-packaging-is-ensured/
Cologne. The nine dual systems remaining after the planned opening of insolvency proceedings by the dual system ELS, have reached an agreement on ensuring disposal and recycling of sales packaging in the period from opening the insolvency proceedings, and suggested an appropriate solution for ELS. The uncertainties caused by the ELS insolvency, and speculations regarding the security of the disposal of sales packaging in Germany, would therefore be quickly dispelled.
“Our offer is on the table. A pragmatic and practicable solution is found, to be able to further guarantee disposal safety in Germany“, says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH, operator of the German Dual System Interseroh. “The current case proves that the private sector can create solutions even in crisis situations. Now it is up to ELS, to bring this solution to a close.“
The customers of ELS are now also requested to act: They must register with one of the remaining dual systems immediately, in order to comply with the legally prescribed participation of their packaging quantities in a dual system.
“The irregularities that were seen at ELS have shown that the past discussions about uniform regulations were more than justified”, continues Müller-Drexel. “We are happy that with the entry into force of the new German Packaging Act, from the coming year, a clearly defined competition for technical performance will once again take place“
In mid-March, ELS applied for renovation under self-administration, and submitted overdue notifications of volumes to clearing points. The details revealed irregularities in the previous notifications of quantities since the start of the system operation by ELS. The liabilities towards the other system operators total a mid eight-figure amount.
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Thu, 31 May 2018 15:24:00 +0200
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Interseroh to manage workshop waste from Volkswagen OTLG
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-to-manage-workshop-waste-from-volkswagen-otlg/
+++ Contract covers the management of workshop waste from the service partner operations of the brands Volkswagen, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Audi, Seat, Škoda and Porsche +++ Environmental services provider is responsible for approx. 3,000 businesses in Germany +++ Overall solution for the collection, logistics, recycling and recovery increases cost-effectiveness and efficiency +++
Cologne. From 1 January 2019 onwards, INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH will be responsible for the management of workshop waste for Volkswagen OTLG. Volkswagen OTLG supplies some 3,000 service partners from the Volkswagen, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Audi, Seat, Škoda and Porsche brands with original parts, accessories and services throughout Germany. The company, which is part of the Volkswagen Group, also offers a waste management service to its service partner businesses – for which Interseroh is to become responsible as service provider. In the future, the experts from the Cologne-based environmental services provider will be responsible for the collection, transport and storage, as well as the recycling respectively the environmentally friendly recovery, and secure removal of the workshop waste. In addition to packaging waste, that also includes service waste such as car glass or hazardous waste such as service fluids.
“The different types of waste which arise at the workshops require a considerable degree of specialist knowledge surrounding the management and recycling of waste. We have gathered more than ten years of experience in this segment, which enables us to offer secure, efficient and environmentally friendly overall solutions throughout Germany,” explains Ronald Bornée, Division Manager of the Business Unit for Recycling Solutions at Interseroh. “The fact that we have been awarded such a large-scale contract by Volkswagen OTLG for the management of waste from their workshops demonstrates that our customised offering meets the needs of this sector.”
“Both the ‘zero waste’ principle and Interseroh’s price-performance ratio convinced us of the offering of the environmental services provider,” explains Nicole Müller, Manager of the Central Competence Centre for Sustainability Management at Volkswagen OTLG. “Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in every area of industry, including the management of waste from workshops. We are therefore looking forward to developing new ideas together with our new service provider surrounding the management of waste from the workshops that relate to the circular economy and future sustainability.”
As an ALBA Group company, the international recycling specialists, Interseroh develops solutions for the management of waste from workshops which are continuously adapted to the individual requirements of the appropriate businesses and fulfil the latest environmental and quality standards. Some 4,500 workshops throughout Germany now rely on the professional expertise of the environmental services provider, including filling stations, independent garages, as well as manufacturers and importers of cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, agricultural vehicles and construction vehicles.
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Wed, 23 May 2018 22:11:00 +0200
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Interseroh included in KlimaExpo.NRW climate protection initiative
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-included-in-klimaexponrw-climate-protection-initiative/
+++ Environmental services from Interseroh pave the way to a climate-friendly future without waste +++ A strong signal for the economy: innovative circular economy significantly reduces the emissions of harmful greenhouse gases +++
Cologne. The Cologne-based environmental services provider Interseroh has successfully qualified for the KlimaExpo.NRW. Including Interseroh in its state-wide climate protection initiative, the government of the federal state of North Rhine Westphalia (NRW) praised the efforts of the company surrounding the circular economy and climate protection. “At Interseroh, protecting the climate is practised at every level: from its employees, to its business activities, to the way in which it addresses its customers. Interseroh’s comprehensive and carefully considered approach won us over and is a good example of how protecting our climate can be achieved at both the internal and external levels,” highlighted Dr Heinrich Dornbusch, Managing Director of KlimaExpo.NRW, at the presentation of the official certificate yesterday afternoon in Cologne. As an initiative of the government of the federal state of NRW, in the form of 1,000 steps, the KlimaExpo.NRW will showcase positive examples of climate protection in and from North Rhine Westphalia until the year 2022. Interseroh is the 301st step.
“As a member of the KlimaExpo.NRW we are part of a movement which is continuously expanding and we’re setting the pace when it comes to the protection of our climate,” explained Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “Together, we can defend the idea of a resource- and climate-friendly approach to our economy on a more convincing basis. In a core industrial region such as North Rhine Westphalia in particular, this gives us the opportunity to encourage technological innovations, increase our competitiveness and create new jobs."
The environmental services provider, which is part of the international recycling specialist and raw materials provider ALBA Group, has aligned its entire business model to sustainability. Together with its customers from trade and industry, Interseroh implements innovative solutions for bringing materials, products and packaging into the recycling loop. In 2016, the recycling activities within the corporate group alone enabled the prevention of some 4.3 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions – equivalent to the annual CO2 emissions from a city the size of Wuppertal, which has a population of roughly 350,000 and is home to approximately 430 industrial businesses. This was determined in a scientific study by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT.
In addition to this, over the course of several years of research, Interseroh has developed a process which enables the production of high-quality plastic granulates from used plastics, and which, among other sources, comes from the collection of waste packaging in the Yellow Bin and the Yellow Bag. In this respect, an increasing number of manufacturers are already using the patented upcycling plastic Procyclen as a full-value replacement for crude oil based new materials – e.g. for the production of reusable shipping boxes, marker pens and plastic bottles. Compared with the use of primary materials, its use results in a 30 up to 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Interseroh reveals the amount of by which the greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced once a year in an individual certificate for its customers.
Interseroh has also set the course for protecting the climate at the in-house level. The company calculates its carbon footprint every year, and in 2016, succeeded in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by almost 4 percent in comparison with the previous year. By 2025, this value is set to fall further, with the Interseroh locations responsible for just half the volume of greenhouse gas emissions as today.
About the KlimaExpo.NRW:
The KlimaExpo.NRW is a state-wide initiative by the government of the federal state of North Rhine Westphalia. The state government founded the KlimaExpo.NRW to make the energy transition, climate protection and the necessary adaptation to the consequences of climate change into an advancing force for the sustainable economic and social development. The objective of the state company is to present successful projects in innovative formats to a wide-ranging audience, also at the international level, and to initiate an additional commitment for protecting the climate. The KlimaExpo.NRW aims to present the technological and business potential of North Rhine Westphalia in this area. It is both an exhibition and an ideas lab for the location of NRW, not only at one location and on one day, but throughout the federal state and until 2022. Since 2017, in the scope of its interim presentation, the KlimaExpo.NRW has also been a participatory exhibition for every citizen in North Rhine Westphalia. This project is supported by the European Fund for Regional Development (EFRD).
For further information, visit www.klimaexpo.nrw.
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Wed, 09 May 2018 09:02:00 +0200
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Interseroh Austria acquires a share in REMEDIA TSR
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-austria-acquires-a-share-in-remedia-tsr/
Vienna. Interseroh Austria, a part of ALBA Group, one of the leading recycling and environmental services providers worldwide, launches its strategic partnership with the Italian WEEE Consorzio REMEDIA (Milan). Through a capital increase, Interseroh now holds a 40 percent share of REMEDIA TSR, the consortium’s operating company, with the option of increasing the share at a later stage.
REMEDIA TSR has a turnover of EUR 25 million as well as 250 logistics and 30 recycling partners. In 2017, REMEDIA TSR collected 100.000 tonnes of electrical equipment at the end of its life cycle in the Italian market. Consorzio REMEDIA is one of the leading WEEE and battery take-back systems in Italy. 20 of the 30 largest global electronics producers are shareholders of the REMEDIA consortium, among them tech giants such as Apple, Samsung, Siemens, Panasonic, Vodafone, Dell, Lenovo and Hitachi.
This partnership is Interseroh Austria’s most substantial investment since the firm was founded in 1997. ‘This transaction is of high strategic value, establishing a front-line position for Interseroh in Italian WEEE collection’, explains Martin Ulke, Interseroh Austria’s Managing Director responsible for the deal. Franz Sauseng, Managing Director for ReCycle, states: ‘We consistently work towards optimized, tailored solutions for our clients. Due to the partnership with Consorzio REMEDIA, we will be able to increase efficiency and to establish additional services. Clients benefit from the value added and deflated administration – a real win-win for everyone involved.’
Following their expansion in Austria and Poland, Interseroh will grow their Italian business to match the country’s promising development.
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Tue, 10 Apr 2018 12:09:00 +0200
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Official Opening of New Electrical and Electronic Waste Recycling Plant in Hong Kong
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/official-opening-of-new-electrical-and-electronic-waste-recycling-plant-in-hong-kong/
+++ Beacon project gets started in year of ALBA's 50th anniversary +++ Comprehensive collection and recycling of “legally regulated” electronic waste in the Asian metropolis +++
Berlin/Hong Kong. In the presence of Chief Executive Ms. Carrie Lam, the Head of Government of the special administrative region of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Minister for the Environment Wong Kam-sing, as well as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ALBA Group, Dr Axel Schweitzer, today marked the official opening of “Hong Kong WEEE·PARK” for the processing and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The facility is the most modern in the whole of South East Asia. It is also regarded as being the biggest combined facility for the processing of such a wide range of equipment in the world.
ALBA Group won the contract for the construction and operation of this plant in 2015 – the largest single contract in the company’s history. In addition to the construction and operation of the plant, the order also includes the development and operation of a city-wide collection system with five satellite collection centres and a special fleet of HGVs for the duration of ten years. In total, over its lifetime, the contract will have a value of approximately 318 million Euros. For the first time, in the interests of ensuring the environmentally-friendly recycling of the waste materials, the City of Hong Kong has combined the collection and recycling of electrical and electronic waste in a single tender.
It is anticipated that the majority of “regulated” electronic waste of Hong Kong will be treated at the plant, which is owned by the Hong Kong government. The regulated material encompasses large household devices, including air conditioning equipment, fridges, television sets, washing machines and computers.
“This is a milestone for more recycling in Hong Kong”, highlighted Dr. Axel Schweitzer, CEO of the ALBA Group. “As one of the leading recycling companies of the world we are proud of being chosen as a partner by the Hong Kong government. For us, this is an incentive to continue supporting Hong Kong in its aim to establish professional recycling.” The official opening of this beacon project comes within the 50th anniversary of ALBA.
“To the contractor ALBA congratulations and I look forward to your continued contributions towards the recycling and recovery of WEEE in Hong Kong”, said Chief Executive Carrie Lam, Head of Government of the special administrative region of Hong Kong on the occasion of the opening ceremony. “This project will underpin the producer responsibility scheme on WEEE that the Government will be implementing in full later this year. Environment is a key priority of this term of the Government. I look forward to closer collaboration and cooperation between the Hong Kong and overseas’ economies as we are working in full steam to green our environment and make Hong Kong an even more liveable city.”
The facility is situated on the EcoPark industry park, which has been constructed by the City of Hong Kong and which is reserved for GreenTech businesses only. The park is located to the north of the airport. Its annual capacity amounts to 30,000 tonnes in a 1.5 shift operation, with the option to expand to up to 56,000 tonnes per year through multi-shift operations. The Hong Kong facility is a major part of ALBA Group’s China activities, which the Berlin based company pushes mainly together with its Chinese partner Techcent.
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Mon, 19 Mar 2018 09:59:00 +0100
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Giving smartphones and tablets a second life brings clear relief to the environment
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/giving-smartphones-and-tablets-a-second-life-brings-clear-relief-to-the-environment/
+++ Reconditioning smartphones and tablets for a second operating life extends the product lifecycle and makes a significant contribution to the protection of both the climate and resources +++ Through IT refurbishment, Interseroh was able to save a total of some 7,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases – equivalent to the emissions from about 4,200 cars
Cologne. The professional refurbishing of a single smartphone saves 14 kilograms of primary resources and 58 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions. This was the conclusion reached by the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT) in a study project that was commissioned by Interseroh. The survey has been published on the occasion of the Global Recycling Day which is being held by the world recycling association, the BIR, this Sunday, 18th March 2018. In the study project, the Fraunhofer researchers confirm the positive environmental impact of the reconditioning and reuse of IT devices offered by Interseroh compared with buying a new product. In addition to smartphones, the scientists also examined tablets. According to the results, the one-off reconditioning of a single tablet saves a total of 58 kilograms of primary resources and also reduces the emissions of climate-damaging gases by 139 kilograms. Since no details on device composition were available from many manufacturers, the experts at the Fraunhofer largely used data from the company Apple for their study.
Last year, in Germany alone, consumers purchased approximately 24 million smartphones and 6.6 million tablets. In addition to this, old devices are being replaced by new ones at increasingly short intervals. “If one considers the data calculated by Fraunhofer for all smartphones purchased in Germany last year – regardless of the brand – it is possible to calculate that their refurbishing alone is able to save some 1.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. That is equivalent to the annual emissions from a city the size of Heilbronn,” explains Jan Höschel, Head of Business Center ReUse at INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “For our customers, the refurbishing constitutes a very affordable solution. Its positive impact on both our climate and resources is huge.”
The Fraunhofer scientists previously analysed the environmental impact of the reuse of PCs and notebooks on behalf of Interseroh in the year 2017. If the results of both study projects are combined, in the year 2017, the savings due to IT refurbishment by Interseroh amounted to more than 11,500 tonnes of primary resources and some 7,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases. Such a saving of harmful greenhouse gases is equivalent to the annual emissions from about 4,200 passenger cars. The experts’ survey was based on the assumption that new and reconditioned smartphones and tablets are used for two years, while PCs and notebooks are used for three and a half years.
“The reuse of IT devices leads to a reduction in the use of resources and contributes to the protection of the climate,” explained Dr. Markus Hiebel, Departmental Director of Sustainability and Resources Management at the Fraunhofer UMSICHT. “Our survey demonstrates the importance of the targeted extension of product lifecycles along the path to achieving an efficient loop economy.”
The IT Refurbishment Service offered by Interseroh is aimed at companies whose IT and communication devices frequently have a short useful life, even though they are mostly still functional. The subsidiary of recycling specialist ALBA Group buys these devices and organises all of the steps along their journey to reuse. This encompasses their collection throughout Europe and the secure and certified deletion of data and/or destruction of data carriers, including the detailed reporting. If the data carriers are defective or cannot be used for other reasons, the provider of environmental services will organise their professional disposal. Following the reconditioning, a conclusive analysis and functional tests take place, ensuring that high quality reconditioned devices only make it back onto the market.
Further information on the ReUse offer from Interseroh is available here:
https://www.interseroh.de/en/services/reuse/it-and-communication-equipment/
About the Global Recycling Day:
With the Global Recycling Day, the world recycling association, the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) aims to raise the awareness of political decision-makers, the world of business and the general public for the importance of recycling to global protection of the environment and the climate. The day is taking place on 18th March 2018 – the 70th anniversary of the world association. The Global Recycling Day aims to support and advance recycling all over the world.
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Fri, 16 Mar 2018 08:35:00 +0100
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Interseroh Among Finalists in Two Categories / Award Ceremony on 25 April 2018
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-among-finalists-in-two-categories-award-ceremony-on-25-april-2018/
Cologne. Interseroh is among this year’s finalists at the international Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2018. The environmental services provider is in the race for one of the sought-after awards in two categories, “Best Recycled Plastic Packaging Product” and “Plastics Recycling Ambassador of the Year”. A seven-strong panel, consisting of representatives from politics and business, had voted.
In the “Best Recycled Plastic Packaging Product” category, Interseroh convinced the panel with containers for the reusable shipping system “memo Box” of environmentally aware mail-order retailer memo AG. The company had developed a special formulation of its recycling plastic Procyclen for memo AG. This new formula offers unique material attributes such as a long product lifespan, mechanical stability to up to -30°C, as well as UV-resistance and transport safety, which are only rarely achieved in such a combination, even with the use of new materials. These material properties are indispensable for the high requirements of the logistics industry.
In the “Plastics Recycling Ambassador of the Year” category, Interseroh’s plastics recycling expert Dr Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Business Unit Recycled-Resource, was chosen as one of the finalists. The purpose of this category is to recognise particularly inspiring personalities in the field of plastics recycling. Since 2008, Ulcnik-Krump, who has a PhD in chemistry, has used her expertise at Interseroh to advance the development of high-quality recycling plastics. In this function she was a key contributor to the development of the multiple-award-winning recompound Procyclen, which Interseroh manufactures in the specially developed upcycling process Recycled-Resource.
“We are pleased that we were able to convince the panel with our work. This is major recognition of our efforts in the last few years,” says Dr Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Business Unit Recycled-Resource at Interseroh. “The personal nomination as ‘Ambassador of the Year’ fills me with pride and strengthens me to continue on my path and to devote all my efforts towards high-quality plastic recycling.
Interseroh, a subsidiary of the recycling specialist ALBA Group, manufactures the recycling plastic Procyclen from plastic waste which origins from the German Dual System recyclables collection. In addition to the unique combination of the material attributes, the recycling plastic is also superior to new materials in terms of its raw material, energy and climate protection balance.
About the award
The Plastics Recycling Show Europe was launched as the first professional plastic recycling exhibition on the European mainland and is freely accessible to all interested parties. To coincide with this conference, the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe are to honour achievements in the European plastic recycling industry and to offer insights into current developments in the areas of recycling, product design and innovative productions. The official award ceremony of the newly launched series of awards takes place in Amsterdam as part of the Plastics Recycling Show Europe on 25 April 2018.
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Fri, 02 Mar 2018 09:49:00 +0100
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China's first expert visa is presented to ALBA
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/chinas-first-expert-visa-is-presented-to-alba/
Berlin. As the first German citizen to have received such an honour, Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of the ALBA Group, has been awarded the new Chinese “visa for talents” (aka the “high-end foreign experts visa”). The visa is presented to highly qualified scientists, technicians, executives and artists. On the occasion of the presentational ceremony at the Chinese embassy in Berlin, Chinese Ambassador Mingde Shi said that due to its rapid economic development, China had a considerable demand for advanced environmental technologies of the kind that ALBA Group has to offer. He hopes that the “visa for talents” will see more experts coming from Germany to China and thereby intensify the collaboration between both countries in every area.
“As the leading recycling company we are now in an even better position to modify, apply and disseminate our cutting-edge technology together with our Chinese partners,” explained Dr Schweitzer on the occasion of the presentation of his visa. “By combining our 50 years old recycling expertise with the Chinese entrepreneurial spirit we want to contribute to achieving the country’s goal of a ‘more beautiful China” more rapidly. The ALBA Group is active at numerous locations in China, with its systems and projects, among others, for the treatment of electric waste, old cars and household waste. Only a few days ago, ALBA announced its establishment of a joint venture with the Baowu Group, the second biggest producer of steel in the world.
Schweitzer said that “as CEO of the ALBA Group, I am honoured and proud to be presented with the first visa of this kind.” The visa is valid for 10 years and allows its holders an uninterrupted stay of up to 180 days as well as numerous individual journeys.
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Tue, 30 Jan 2018 09:27:00 +0100
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kilenda project chosen among Top 3 finalists of “Lifestyle” category / Award ceremony on 13 May 2018
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/kilenda-project-chosen-among-top-3-finalists-of-lifestyle-category-award-ceremony-on-13-may-2018/
Cologne. Online hire service kilenda is among the Top 3 finalists in the GreenTec Awards 2018 in the “Lifestyle” category. This is the result of a selection process in which the panel – consisting of prominent personalities – chose two projects from the top 10 nominees of all categories, while the third finalist was determined by the public online vote that took place in parallel. With its “sharing economy” approach, hiring out maternity wear, children’s clothing, baby carriers and all the basic equipment for children up to three years old, kilenda now has its sights on one of the sought-after awards. The official award ceremony takes place on 13 May 2018 as part of the world’s leading trade fair for environmental technologies, IFAT, in Munich.
“We are very pleased that our commitment is being recognised. It is important to highlight to society an alternative to excessive consumption and its throwaway mentality. Doing good does not mean having to do without luxury,” says Hendrik Scheuschner, founder of kilenda and managing director of Relenda GmbH, a subsidiary of environmental service provider Interseroh. “Therefore, we would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers who have placed their trust in us in the last few years.”
The kilenda system is really simple: there is a large range of good-quality, durable children’s clothing in different sizes, maternity wear, baby carriers and all the basic equipment for children up to the age of three available to hire at www.kilenda.de. Once used, customers return the hired items or replace them with other or larger items. Thus the use of individual items is extended for as long as possible.
Consequently, less new items of clothing have to be produced, which measurably reduces the ecological footprint. kilenda already saved roughly 327 million litres of water and 169 tonnes of CO2 last year by hiring out children’s clothing. The model is convincing more and more people: kilenda had just 100 customers in 2015, today it’s 3,500. kilenda is a trademark that belongs to the Interseroh subsidiary Relenda GmbH.
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Wed, 17 Jan 2018 09:49:00 +0100
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ALBA Group and Baowu Group launch automotive recycling joint venture
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-and-baowu-group-launch-automotive-recycling-joint-venture/
Berlin/Shanghai. The ALBA Group, one of the world’s leading recycling, environmental services and raw materials providers, continues to forge ahead with activities in Asia. At the beginning of the year, ALBA International Recycling GmbH becomes 51-percent majority owner of Shanghai Baosteel Auto Recycling Co., Ltd., one of the leading automotive recyclers in Shanghai. The joint venture is co-owned by Shanghai Baosteel Iron & Steel Resources Co., Ltd., a company of the Baowu Group, which is China’s biggest and the world’s second biggest steel producer with an annual output of approximately 58.4 million tonnes.
The focus of Shanghai Baosteel Auto Recycling Co., Ltd. is on the environment-friendly processing and recycling of used vehicles and the trade in used vehicle parts. The business operates from a 60,000 square-metre site in central Shanghai.
The investment by way of a capital increase in Shanghai Baosteel Auto Recycling Co., Ltd. marks the entry into a further rapidly growing recycling market in Asia for the ALBA Group. There are more than 3.2 million vehicles in the greater Shanghai region and licences for recyclers there are very limited. In this market environment, the joint venture, which combines ALBA International Recycling GmbH’s many years of expertise with the extensive network of Shanghai Baosteel Iron & Steel Resources Co., Ltd. as a strong local partner, is set to be one of the leading players.
“We are very pleased to be able to further deploy our knowhow in automotive recycling in Asia. Our aim is together with Baowu to establish a model for all of China and actively support the country in building a modern and sustainable circular economy,” said Dr. Axel Schweitzer, CEO of the ALBA Group. “At the same time, we are further extending our strong position in the Chinese recycling sector.”
The ALBA Group in China:
The ALBA Group has had a presence in Hong Kong since the early 1990s and developed its Asian activities from there. Since 2011, the Group has become increasingly active in recycling consultancy and technological project management in China. Today, the ALBA Group is involved through long-term projects in many parts of the recycling and circular economy sector in China, providing innovative solutions adapted to the Chinese market among other things in end-of-life vehicle and electronic waste recycling and in the environment-friendly treatment of municipal solid waste.
About the Baowu Group:
China Baowu Steel Group Corporation (hereinafter as “China Baowu”), established by consolidation and restructuring of former Baosteel Group Corporation and Wuhan Iron & Steel (Group) Corporation, was officially unveiled on December 1, 2016. China Baowu is a pilot enterprise of state-owned capital investment company with a registered capital of RMB 52.79 billion, an asset scale of RMB 739.5 billion and a staff of 228,000 people. In 2016, China Baowu achieved the best performance in Chinese steel industry, realizing an operating revenue of RMB 307.2 billion and a profit of 7.02 billion.
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Fri, 12 Jan 2018 11:22:00 +0100
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Interseroh presents comforter teddies to Porz am Rhein Hospital
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-presents-comforter-teddies-to-porz-am-rhein-hospital/
Cologne. The Cologne-based environmental services provider INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH presented 200 comforter teddies to Porz am Rhein Hospital for the sixth time today. The cuddly bears make uncomfortable examinations easier for a child. In addition, they can accompany the little ones into the operating theatre and during therapies, and make it easier for the doctors to communicate with the children.
Dr med. Alfred Wiater, Senior Physician at the Porz am Rhein Children’s Hospital: “For children, a stay in hospital is associated with uncertainty, and often with high anxiety. The comforter teddies make the time in the clinic easier for the children. Since public funds for this are lacking, we are delighted to receive this donation from Interseroh once again.”
Including today’s donation, the value of the teddies sponsored by Interseroh is a total of 12,000 Euros.
“We see ourselves not just as a Cologne-based employer, but also as an intrinsic part of society. Consistently fulfilling our social responsibilities in the region is therefore a matter of course for us,” says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH.
Interseroh has been active in the field of corporate citizenship for more than 14 years. Alongside sponsorship of KidS – the child and youth facility in the city of Cologne – this includes operational typing for the German Bone Marrow Donor Registry (DKMS), blood donation campaigns with the German Red Cross or regular support for children in hospitals, among other things.
Thu, 23 Nov 2017 16:34:00 +0100
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A modern circular economy reveals potential for climate policy
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/a-modern-circular-economy-reveals-potential-for-climate-policy/
+++ Joint declaration by 51 businesses and associations +++ The German circular economy is a trailblazer in reducing greenhouse gas emissions +++ Fraunhofer UMSICHT confirms a positive effect on the climate and the environment as a result of zero waste solutions from Interseroh +++
Cologne. With its modern solutions for a closed-loop economy, INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH demonstrates how effective climate protection can be realised in practice. Last week, 51 large and medium-sized companies – also including the environmental services provider Interseroh – and business associations stipulated this in a joint declaration by the parties. According to this, the next German government should make committed and accelerated climate protection their central task and manage it within the context of a modernisation programme for Germany.
“The best argument for the rapid political implementation of the climate and energy transition is the success of the German loop economy,” says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “This is an international example and trailblazer when it comes to climate and resource protection, it drives technological innovations and generates thousands of jobs as a result.”
Climate protection through the closed-loop economy assessed annually
The renowned Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT has documented the positive ecological effects which Interseroh achieves with its solutions (“zero waste solutions”) in regular studies: so, for example, the processing of a notebook for a second useful life saves around 154 kilogrammes of greenhouse gas. To save as much CO2 as the use of Interseroh’s Mobile Counting Centre for non-refillable containers avoids every year, an area of forest the size of three football pitches would be needed.
Interseroh discloses the amount of by which greenhouse gas emissions were reduced once a year in an individual certificate for its customers. “Seeing the ecological benefits of their commitment in black and white motivates many of our customers to do even more for the environment and the climate,” Markus Müller-Drexel continues. “But our work is just one of many elements in the overall framework of climate protection. That’s why we are asking the government to now take the necessary action towards a comprehensive climate and energy transition quickly.”
Boosting innovation and competitiveness
“Taking on a vanguard role in climate protection represents a tremendous opportunity for promoting innovation and bolstering Germany’s economic competitiveness,” the joint declaration from the 51 companies and association which was published last week states. “The new German government should accelerate the speed of the transformation to a carbon-neutral economy.” To achieve this, all would depend on clever governmental frameworks.
The coordinators of the declaration are the business associations Stiftung 2° and B.A.U.M., and the development and environmental organisation Germanwatch. The full declaration can be found here: www.germanwatch.org/en/14634.
Tue, 14 Nov 2017 16:43:00 +0100
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Plastic upcycling by Interseroh awarded Slovenian environmental prize
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/plastic-upcycling-by-interseroh-awarded-slovenian-environmental-prize/
Cologne/Ljubljana. Today, the environmental service provider Interseroh was awarded the Slovenian environmental prize for its ground breaking research and development work on the upcycling procedure Recycled-Resource. The renowned award has been presented annually for more than twenty years by the business newspaper Finance and the Slovenian environmental fund Eko sklad. Since 2016, Interseroh, a company of the international recycling specialist ALBA Group, has been operating its own competence centre for recycling plastics in Maribor, Slovenia.
“The competence centre in Maribor has now become a kind of modern think tank for recycling innovations. Here, we continually develop Recycled-Resource and the materials that arise from this, and exactly according to customer requirements“, says Dr Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Business Unit Recycled-Resource at Interseroh. “Our claim is to provide high quality and tailor made plastic regranulates, which are a better, sustainable alternative to primary material. That is why I am delighted about the environmental prize, which is an important official recognition of our work.”
The Recycled-Resource production process – which has won several awards – is based on a sophisticated upcycling recompounding process: Automated high-tech sorting of various types of waste is followed by grinding, cleaning and washing plastics, according to pre-defined quality parameters, the extrusion and restabilisation as well as chemical modification with additives, to obtain the exact characteristics that the customer requires.
In this process, the two plastic recyclates Procyclen and Recythen occur, whose use is proven to have a positive effect on the environment, in comparison to new granulate: According to a study by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT, Procyclen and Recythen provide a valuable contribution to the sustainable use of resources and reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases during manufacturing by 30 to 50 per cent.
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Thu, 09 Nov 2017 13:54:00 +0100
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Future Resources 2017: Successful start under the theme “Packaging is raw material”
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/future-resources-2017-successful-start-under-the-theme-packaging-is-raw-material/
+++ Discussion on the topic of the recycling capabilities of packaging +++ Experts agree: “More focus must be placed on eco-design” +++
Cologne/Frankfurt. Environmental service provider Interseroh and the Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (German Packaging Institute, dvi) held their first joint symposium “Future Resources 2017” in Frankfurt am Main yesterday. 100 participants from retail, the production industry and the recycling industry engaged in an intensive discussion on the topic of the recycling capability of packaging.
“It was time to arrange constructive dialogue between the participants of the packaging value chain,” says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “We all agree that more focus in packaging production must be placed on eco-design. The recycling quotas demanded can be achieved only if we address this topic together as well and use packaging efficiently as a resource.”
“We are pleased that our first joint symposium with Interseroh was so well received in the industry. This gives us confidence that the packaging industry will continue to vindicate its role as a pioneer of the circular economy”, says Winfried Batzke, Managing Director of the dvi. “We hope that having now begun this dialogue, we can continue it productively in the next few years.”
As part of the event “Future Resources 2017 – Packaging is raw material”, dvi and Interseroh had extended the invitation to discuss the necessity for the optimal economical and ecological use of packaging in closed cycles together with renowned speakers including Gunda Rachut (Director of the Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister), Peter Heydasch (materials expert at Dow Europe GmbH) and Stefan Dierks (Head of CR Product & Strategy Tchibo GmbH). You can find more information about the event at www.future-resources.de
About the Deutsche Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi):
The Deutsche Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi) ist he only network of the German packaging industry, which unites companies of all stages of the value chain as members. The dvi supports the transfer of know-how and promotes the dialogue between its more than 230 member companies, institutions and parnters. It is a platform for information, insights, inspiration and exchange in the field of packaging.
You can find more information about dvi at www.verpackung.org.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group operates with a total of about 7,500 employees within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 1.8 billion Euros (2016) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2016 alone ALBA Group saved almost 4.3 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 36.2 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
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Wed, 18 Oct 2017 07:50:00 +0200
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ALBA Group builds new production plant for recyclable materials at Chemiepark Marl
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-builds-new-production-plant-for-recyclable-materials-at-chemiepark-marl/
+++ The latest generation of plant combines many years of expertise with state-of-the-art technology +++ Building starts in autumn 2017 / Commissioning at the beginning of 2019 +++
Berlin. The ALBA Group, one of the world’s leading recycling services and raw materials providers, is investing in a new production plant for recyclable materials in North Rhine-Westphalia. The new plant is being built on a roughly 55,000 square metre area of land in the south of the Chemiepark Marl (Marl Chemical Park) and combines state-of-the-art digital technology (“Sorting 4.0”) with the ALBA Group’s almost 50 years of expertise.
The new plant will process lightweight packaging waste from roughly 6.4 million people, meaning about 200,000 tonnes in total per year. At the end of the process chain are materials with the highest level of purity that are made available to industry and replace raw materials from primary sources that are running low. “With our new plant we are not just a leader in terms of sorting technology in Germany and Europe,” says Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA Group. “We are also well equipped to achieve the high-volume requirements of the new Packaging Act in Germany. With our investment we are clearly positioning ourselves for our German domestic market and a future of raw materials efficiency in Europe.”
“We are proud that we have been able to attract another internationally renowned company for our park with the ALBA Group”, says Dr Jörg Harren, Site Manager of Chemiepark Marl. “With this we are not just expanding the varied range that we offer but we will also be a flagship project in terms of recycling and sustainability. This makes our location more attractive.”
The construction of the plant in Marl, which begins this year in the autumn, has an investment volume of over EUR 60 million and will be completed in a four-shift system. The commissioning of the plant is planned for the beginning of 2019.
About Chemiepark Marl:
Chemiepark Marl is one of the largest chemical sites in Germany. It covers an area of more than six square kilometres and is home to ultramodern infrastructure typical of the chemical industry. In addition to Evonik, its subsidiaries, and its affiliates, twelve other companies have operations in the Chemical Park. The roughly 100 production plants are linked in a tightly integrated material and energy network and are, for the most part, operated around the clock.
About ALBA Group:
With its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – and a total of about 7,500 employees ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 1.8 billion Euros (2016) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2016 alone ALBA Group saved almost 4.3 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 36.2 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
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Tue, 17 Oct 2017 14:22:00 +0200
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In the run-up to COP23: recycling is a key factor for UN climate targets
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/in-the-run-up-to-cop23-recycling-is-a-key-factor-for-un-climate-targets/
+++ In 2016, ALBA Group recycling saved some 4.3 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and some 36.2 million tonnes of primary resources +++ Anniversary: the Fraunhofer UMSICHT confirms the positive environmental impact of the closed cycle management system for the 10th time +++ Eco-design, reuse and the sharing economy support the move away from the throwaway society +++
Berlin. In the survey that it presented today, the Fraunhofer UMSICHT confirmed the positive environmental impact of recycling for the tenth time. According to the scientists’ findings, the closed cycle management system for materials conserves natural raw materials to a decisive degree and also reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The survey that was completed on behalf of the ALBA Group demonstrates how the circular economy is of key relevance to a successful climate policy. This is because recycling provides the opportunity to achieve sustainable economic development which – as demanded by Chancellor Angela Merkel – respects the limits surrounding the global availability of resources and makes everyone into a winner.
In the anniversary year of the survey, the business activities of the provider of raw materials and environmental services enabled the prevention of some 4.3 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. This is equivalent to the average annual emissions of a city of 375,000 inhabitants, such as Wuppertal or Bochum. A mixed forest would have to cover some 428,000 hectares to absorb the same volume of greenhouse gases. Moreover, last year, the ALBA Group proved able to conserve some 4.3 million tonnes of materials and 36.2 million tonnes of primary resources thanks to its loop management system.
“There can be no delaying the drive to protect our climate and save resources. The current global developments make this more than clear,” explained Dr. Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of the ALBA Group. “In the run-up to the COP23 World Climate Conference in Bonn this November, highlighting the huge potential of recycling is of central importance. Companies operating in the loop economy have the know-how and technologies to be able to complete more and more loops together with partners from the worlds of industry, retail, services and logistics – and to therefore reduce greenhouse gases and save resources on a straightforward and effective basis. If everyone pulls together, it will be possible to achieve the climate targets of the UN.”
“If taken to its logical outcome, the circular economy will ultimately lead to a radically changed economic model,” highlighted Dr. Eng. Markus Hiebel, Director of the Department for Sustainability and Resources Management at the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT. “In a number of surveys, we have already demonstrated that the ALBA Group doesn’t only relieve the burden on the environment through its ‘conventional’ recycling. Projects dedicated to the manufacturing of high quality recycling plastics, innovative collection systems and the reuse of IT equipment are also driving the necessary move away from the throwaway society.”
The Fraunhofer Institute for the Environmental-, Safety- and Energy Technology (Umwelt-, Sicherheits- und Energietechnik – UMSICHT), has now been researching how the recycling activities of the ALBA Group impact the environment – specifically the climate and natural resources – for ten years. Its results are published each year in the “resources SAVED by recycling” brochure. In this year’s survey, the scientists took a detailed look at the material streams of metals, old electrical equipment, paper/cardboard/carton, glass, lightweight packaging, plastics and wood. In addition, with the use of case examples from the individual material streams, the current brochure highlights how a holistic circular economy can be realised on a definitive basis.
The full results of the survey are available online at the ALBA Group information portal: www.resources-saved.com.
About Fraunhofer UMSICHT
Fraunhofer UMSICHT is a pioneer of sustainable energy and raw material management, providing and transferring scientific findings to business, society and politics. Together with its partners, the UMSICHT team researches and develops sustainable products, processes and services which are very impressive. In this respect, it focuses on the balance between economically successful, socially just and environmentally friendly developments. In 2016, the institute and its 465 staff generated a turnover of more than 38.8 million euros. As one of 69 institutes and research facilities in the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Europe's leading applied research organisation, we are part of a global network and promote international collaboration.
More information on Fraunhofer UMSICHT can be found at www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de
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Wed, 04 Oct 2017 17:35:00 +0200
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ALBA Facility Solutions presents its portfolio at the EXPO REAL 2017
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-facility-solutions-presents-its-portfolio-at-the-expo-real-2017/
Berlin. At this year’s EXPO REAL, the ALBA Facility Solutions team will be presenting its service offering to a wide audience of professionals from the real estate sector. From 4th until 6th October, at the ALBA stand, those attending the biggest trade fair for real estate in Europe will be able to find out about the ALBA portfolio in the field of facility management and property management.
“ALBA Facility Solutions stands for the efficient and reliable full-scale management of commercial, residential and specialist real estate. We convince with individual and customised solutions which we will be presenting in Munich,” explained Hans-Stefan Kalinowski, Managing Director of ALBA Facility Solutions GmbH. “At this year’s EXPO REAL, we are looking forward to interesting discussions and a stimulating exchange of ideas.” As in previous years, the ALBA Facility Solutions stand will be situated on the joint stand for Berlin and Brandenburg in hall B2, stand 420.
The EXPO REAL is the biggest trade fair for real estate and property investment in Europe. It has taken place at the Munich Trade Fair and Exhibition Centre (Messe München) at the beginning of October each year since 1998, and is hosted by Messe München GmbH. This year, more than 1,900 companies, cities and regions from 35 different countries will be presenting their products and services at the EXPO REAL. New this year: the REIN Real Estate Innovation Network, which will be highlighting digital change and the opportunities it offers the real estate sector, as well as the EXPO Real City Leaders Summit, which is oriented to cities and regions and will allow them to discuss developments and exchange ideas.
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Fri, 29 Sep 2017 12:36:00 +0200
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ALBA Group launches InnovationLAB to digitalise the recycling industry
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-launches-innovationlab-to-digitalise-the-recycling-industry/
Berlin. The digitalisation of business and society will also revolutionise the waste management and recycling industry. For this reason, the ALBA Group, one of the world’s leading recycling services and raw materials providers, has opened an InnovationLAB today at its company headquarters in Berlin in order to advance the use of modern technologies, networking in the “Internet of Things” and the development of new business models in collaboration with start-ups.
“We want to be an active driver of digitalisation ourselves, just as we are the leader in Germany and Europe with our recycling technology,” says Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA Group. “Our industry has some catching up to do here. Only a few companies in the waste management industry use digital technology as we do or are currently carrying out pilot projects.”
An example of these revolutions is the AMCS platform, which ALBA is currently launching nationwide in Germany. It optimises the tour planning of the refuse collectors so that they become more customer-friendly, more transparent and environmentally friendly. The driver receives an optimised route, which also takes the current traffic situation into account, directly to the vehicle in real-time. “The result is less traffic, fewer CO2 emissions,” emphasises Dr Eric Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA Group. “In the next step, this will also offer more transparency for our customers. They can follow the waste management service in real-time.”
ALBA has assured itself of renowned partners for the continuation of the digitalisation offensive. For instance, the recycling specialist is collaborating with “Plug and Play”. The accelerator based in Silicon Valley is considered a leader in the promotion of start-ups. Other project partners include Deutsche Telekom and the Chinese telecommunications manufacturer Huawei.
"To fully embrace digital innovation, corporations in today’s world need to be open to start-up technology. By plugging into a global network of innovators, corporations can constantly check the ‘pulse’ of upcoming technology”, says Felix Scheuffelen, Managing Director Plug and Play Germany. “At Plug and Play we stand for Open Innovation and our mission is to bring corporations together with the most innovative start-ups from around the world to collaborate with one another. In this context, we are honored to have the ALBA Group as a new partner on board.”
Another important milestone of the ALBA digitalisation strategy was the placement of two projects on “#openspace”, Commerzbank’s digitalisation platform. “In the digitalisation process, the ALBA Group relies on its own strengths, its employees and its expertise structure. This shows a great desire to implement and courage, with a high probability of success,” says Joachim Köhler, COO & Co-Founder #openspace. “As #openspace, we are proud to have accompanied the first steps actively in the last few months.”
The waste management and recycling industry is only just starting off with digitalisation. A study by management consultancy Roland Berger conducted on behalf of the Federal Ministry for the Environment established that the recycling industry is at only 30 per cent on a scale of 0 to 100 on which readiness for the digital revolution is measured. By way of comparison, the energy sector is above 70 per cent, while the mobility sector is at approximately 50 per cent.
About #openspace
Commerzbank’s “#openspace” is the digitalisation platform for SMEs. It offers SMEs the space and the opportunities to turn the challenges of the digital future into success for them - with the focus on expertise transfer, co-creation and network (including with start-ups). The two managing directors Holger Werner and Joachim Köhler and their currently 10-strong team see themselves as partners of medium-sized companies in their digital transformation. “#openspace” is a subsidiary majority-owned by Commerzbank and based in Berlin.
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Tue, 26 Sep 2017 15:34:00 +0200
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The first dvi and Interseroh symposium on the recycling capability of packaging materials
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/the-first-dvi-and-interseroh-symposium-on-the-recycling-capability-of-packaging-materials/
+++ Meeting of experts in Frankfurt am Main on 17 October 2017 +++ Symposium under the motto “Packaging is raw material” +++
Cologne/Frankfurt. Representatives from retail, the production industry and recycling industry are meeting for a professional exchange of ideas on the recycling capability of packaging materials in Frankfurt am Main on 17 October 2017. The environmental services provider Interseroh and the Deutsche Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi) are organising their first joint symposium “Future Resources 2017” under the motto “Packaging is raw material”. The event will bring together players from the packaging value chain and address legal changes and their impacts on innovations in packaging and recycling.
“Against the backdrop of finite resources with increasing amounts of waste at the same time, it is essential to include sustainability and recycling capability in packaging design,” says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “If retail and industry work as one in this process, it won’t just benefit the environment but will pay off for companies too.”
“For more than 25 years the packaging industry has been a circular economy pioneer. The issue recycling plays a main role at all events of the dvi. We are happy that, together with Interseroh at Future Resources 2017, we can work on the improvement of sustainability and recycling capability of packaging together with important players of the industry“, says Winfried Batzke, Managing Director of dvi.
During the event, dvi and Interseroh invite you to discuss the necessity for the optimal economical and ecological use of packaging in closed cycles together with renowned speakers including Gunda Rachut (Director of the Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister), Peter Heydasch (materials expert at Dow Europe GmbH) and Stefan Dierks (Head of CR Product & Strategy Tchibo GmbH).
The “Future Resources 2017” symposium is being held on 17 October 2017 from 10 a.m. to 4.45 p.m. at the Frankfurter Kunstverein in the city centre of Frankfurt between the cathedral and the Römer (town hall). You can find more information about the event, programme and registration, at www.future-resources.de.
About the Deutsche Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi)
The Deutsche Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (dvi) ist he only network of the German packaging industry, which unites companies of all stages of the value chain as members. The dvi supports the transfer of know-how and promotes the dialogue between its more than 230 member companies, institutions and parnters. It is a platform for information, insights, inspiration and exchange in the field of packaging.
You can find more information about dvi at www.verpackung.org.
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Fri, 22 Sep 2017 10:50:00 +0200
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Interseroh and Fermacell optimise the supply chain in the construction industry
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-and-fermacell-optimise-the-supply-chain-in-the-construction-industry/
ALBA Group, has developed a new logistics concept to manage reusable palettes, together with the gypsum fibreboard manufacturer Fermacell GmbH. The aim of this joint project is the optimisation of the supply chain, with better traceability of the palette flow of building sites and the building materials trade.
The new logistics concept in detail: Interseroh collects Fermacell own brand and Euro palettes from building sites, and in the building materials trade, nationwide. To this end, the environmental service provider has built up an area wide transport network. Then the palettes go to one of the 12 depots run by Interseroh, where sorting and technical testing take place. Then the palettes are sent to the plant sites of Fermacell GmbH, where they will be used again. The service will be handled via an online portal, where you can see all steps. Full data transparency is therefore guaranteed for all participants in the process chain, at all times.
"With Fermacell GmbH, we have found a partner with whom we were able to position an innovative solution for the return, preparation and reprovision of palettes on the market", says Dr. Timo Langemann, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Pool GmbH. "The aim is to gain further partners for the logistics concept, so that all participants in the process chain benefit from having one contact person and therefore uniformly high quality standards."
"Our goal was to find an efficient and sustainable pooling system which considers our individual requirements and palettes", says Klaus Bröker, Head of Sales, Germany, for Fermacell GmbH. "Interseroh gave us excellent advice on the conversion process from single use to reusable palettes, meaning that we also wanted to introduce the management of Fermacell palettes to the market together."
About Fermacell:
As a company in the business unit "Dry Lining", Fermacell GmbH, a company in the Xella group, sells gypsum fibre and cement bound boards, as well as fire resistant boards, under the brand "AESTUVER". The Xella group develops, produces and sells building materials, dry construction boards, chalk and limestone. With the brands Ytong, Hebel and Silka, Xella is one of the biggest manufacturers of porous concrete and sand-lime brick worldwide. The Multipor brand stands for non-flammable mineral insulation boards. Fermacell and Fermacell Aestuver offer dry construction and fire resistant solutions, and Fels is one of the leading providers of chalk and limestone in Europe. With a turnover of 1.33 billion Euros (2016), and over 5,900 employees, the Xella group is a leading international solution provider in the area of building materials and related industries. Xella is based in Duisburg/Germany, and has 95 factories in 20 countries and sales organisations in more than 30 countries. The products from Xella are completely sustainable, both in manufacturing and in use. Therefore they make an important contribution to the construction of high quality, long lasting and energy efficient buildings, and therefore also environmental protection and conservation of resources.
You can find further information about Fermacell GmbH at www.fermacell.de.
About Interseroh:
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group operates with a total of about 7,500 employees within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 1.8 billion Euros (2016) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
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Thu, 21 Sep 2017 10:09:00 +0200
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Interseroh develops new Procyclen formula in cooperation with ExxonMobil Chemical
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-develops-new-procyclen-formula-in-cooperation-with-exxonmobil-chemical/
+++ Improved impact properties at room temperature
+++ First use of ExxonMobil Chemical additives in recycling plastics
Cologne. INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH has developed a new formula of its recycling plastic Procyclen. Thanks to the use of special additives from ExxonMobil Chemical, this recompound made from post-consumer waste receives substantially increased impact resistance, which leads to even greater resilience, especially at room temperature. The use of Vistamaxx™ performance polymers was previously reserved for non-recycled products made from primary raw materials, making this the first time it has occurred in the field of plastics recycling.
"This latest generation of Procyclen is particularly suitable for products in the logistics segment, which are subjected to strong, recurring loads", said Dr. Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Business Unit Recycled-Resource at Interseroh. "For example, as a first application we have already been using reusable crates and pallets made of Procyclen with Exxon additives in different areas of supply chain management and are more than convinced by the result. With the development of our innovative recycling material, we are achieving substantially higher application efficiency, and thus a further increase in the contribution to sustainability in the handling of existing resources."
"We are very happy that, together with Interseroh, we are now also making further progress in the area of plastics recycling and can support the development of high-quality recycling plastics", said Christoph Warmeling, Sales Developer Central & Eastern Europe Area, Plastics & Resins EMEAF, EMCCE of ExxonMobil Chemical Central Europe GmbH. "Vistamaxx™ performance polymers are based on propylene and make it possible to modify the impact resistance, and also the flowability and elasticity of the material, in any dimensions that the customer requests."
Interseroh developed the new Procyclen formula at its competence centre for plastics recycling, in the Slovenian city of Maribor, which was opened by the environmental services provider one year ago, on 13 September 2016. At this competence centre, for the first time, Interseroh is bundling its entire research and development activities in the field of plastics recycling. This way, the recycling specialist, who belongs to ALBA Group, can itself cater to all customer requirements for the manufacturing of modern recycling plastics. This allows greater flexibility and independence in product manufacturing. For the customers, this shortens the development and delivery times considerably.
Interseroh manufactures its recycling plastics in its own internally developed Recycled-Resource procedure, which is based on a complex upcycling process. After comprehensive high-tech sorting comes recompounding, consisting of extrusion, restabilising, rebuilding of the molecular structure and chemical modification with additives, in order to achieve exactly the plastic characteristics desired by the customer. The final result is high-quality, custom-made plastic granules such as the recyclate Recythen and the multiple award-winning recycling plastic Procyclen. , the use of which - according to a study by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT - reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases during the manufacturing by 30 to 50 per cent in comparison with new granulate.
About ExxonMobil Chemical:
ExxonMobil Chemical is a global leader in technology, innovation and supply of petrochemical products. A pioneer and leader in metallocene technology, it channels its breakthrough proprietary technology into valuable products that improve quality of life all over the world. ExxonMobil Chemical products lead in some of the largest-volume and highest-growth petrochemical markets today. A strong global network of manufacturing facilities, technology centres and marketing operations and full integration with the other businesses of its parent ExxonMobil Corporation gives ExxonMobil Chemical an unparalleled advantage to serve customers and share technologies and best practices. Find out more at exxonmobilchemical.com.
About Interseroh:
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group operates with a total of about 7,500 employees within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 1.8 billion Euros (2016) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities. Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
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Tue, 19 Sep 2017 13:20:00 +0200
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Interseroh Wins Three ARC Awards for Sustainability Magazine
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-wins-three-arc-awards-for-sustainability-magazine/
Cologne. INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH has won three of the Annual Report Competition (ARC) awards for its sustainability magazine. The panel of the largest international call for entries for annual reports granted the environmental service provider a Gold Award for the overall presentation of the magazine and in the “Photography” category. Additionally, the magazine of the company that forms part of the ALBA Group, an international recycling specialist, received an Honour Award in the “Interior Design” category.
“We are very pleased to have won three of the sought-after ARC awards,” says Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistung GmbH. “It shows that we made the right decision when selecting our method of sustainability reporting. Sustainability is a core topic for us that we practise very consciously, both internally and externally. This makes it all the nicer that we have now received this international recognition for our efforts in this area."
The Interseroh sustainability magazine is published annually and constitutes an extension of the traditional sustainability report, which is published every two years. The journalistically prepared magazine focuses on the positive effects of Interseroh’s services, which are rendered under the motto “zero waste solutions”. These are above all innovative solutions with which the environmental service provider counteracts the wastage of products and materials.
The current sustainability magazine and the complete Sustainability Report 2016 can be accessed at www.interseroh.de/en/sustainability.
About the ARC Awards
The “Annual Report Competition (ARC)” Awards have been issued annually by the independent event holder MerComm, Inc. since 1987. The awards recognise annual reports that exhibit customised design concepts as well as harmonising imagery and text. With an independent, volunteer panel of 200 experts, the competition is the largest international call for entries for annual reports. The “Gold”, “Silver”, “Bronze” and “Honours” awards are issued in various categories, within the individual industries. In 2017, there were a total of 1,987 entries from 34 countries. The award ceremony will take place in Tokyo on 12 October 2017.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group operates with a total of about 7,500 employees within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 1.8 billion Euros (2016) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
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Thu, 31 Aug 2017 11:40:00 +0200
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Fakuma 2017: Interseroh to attend the world leading event
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/fakuma-2017-interseroh-to-attend-the-world-leading-event/
Cologne. This year, INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH will once more be attending the Fakuma trade fair in Friedrichshafen. At the international trade fair for industrial plastics processing, which is taking place from 17th-21st October 2017, the subsidiary company of recycling specialist ALBA Group will be presenting its Recycled-Resource business division and its accompanying range of products and services. In Hall B1-1125, the provider of environmental services will demonstrate the wide-ranging possibilities offered through the use of recycled plastics gained from post-consumer material.
The Recycled-Resource production process - which Interseroh developed itself and has won several awards - is based on a sophisticated upcycling recompounding process. The comprehensive, high-tech sorting of the plastic waste is followed by the re-compounding, encompassing the extrusion, re-stabilising and reconstruction of the molecular structure, as well as the chemical modification with the addition of additives so as to achieve the precise plastic characteristics that are required by the customer. According to a study by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT, the use of the resulting recycled plastics Procyclen and Recythen provides a valuable contribution to the sustainable use of resources in comparison with new granulate, and reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases during the manufacturing by 30 to 50 per cent.
"Thanks to the latest developments, we are now able to integrate special inorganic components in the production process of Procyclen as a bulking agent," highlights Dr. Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Business Unit Recycled-Resource at Interseroh. "This is a unique development in the market for the processing of post-consumer material." An example in this respect is glass fibre reinforcement, which is achieved through the successful binding of glass fibres and plastic matrix.
The key developments behind these advances have taken place in the company's in-house competence centre for plastics recycling, which Interseroh has been operating in Maribor, Slovenia, since September 2016. It is here that Interseroh has developed preparations which ensure material attributes such as durability, transport safety, mechanical stability up to -30°C and UV-resistance. On this basis, the recycling services provider is able to manufacture recycled plastics in accordance with individual requirements and purposes. In addition to polypropylene for example, materials such as high-density polyethylene, polystyrene and other technical plastics can also be processed.
Fakuma is the world leading event for industrial plastics processing and is celebrating its 25-year anniversary this year. At the five-day trade fair in Friedrichshafen, over 1,700 visiting exhibitors from 35 different countries will present their products and services on 85,000 square metres of exhibition space, providing an holistic overview of all plastics technologies. Over 40,000 people are expected to visit the event from 120 different countries.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group operates with a total of about 7,500 employees within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 1.8 billion Euros (2016) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities. Further information on Interseroh can be found at http://www.interseroh.com/. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
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Tue, 01 Aug 2017 09:11:00 +0200
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With “zero waste solutions” against wastage of resources
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/with-zero-waste-solutions-against-wastage-of-resources/
Cologne. INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH, a subsidiary of the international recycling specialist ALBA Group, gives comprehensive account of its sustainability engagement in two publications. The journalistically prepared sustainability magazine and the GRI-compliant sustainability report both focus on the positive effects of Interseroh's services, which are rendered under the motto "zero waste solutions". These are above all innovative solutions with which the environmental services provider counteracts the wastage of products and materials.
"The world's population simply consumes too many resources for one earth," explains Markus Müller-Drexel, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. "The solution can only be to extend the lifespan of products, to recycle raw materials and to make processes more efficient. Therefore, zero waste solutions is at the heart of our business model."
In various new zero waste projects, Interseroh is working to combat the wastage of resources, both with the customers and on an internal basis. One example is the joint venture Encory, initiated by Interseroh and BMW, which advances the innovative industrial preparation of used car parts - combining the expertise of the ALBA Group and the BMW Group. A further pilot project carried out together with Coca-Cola European Partners Deutschland GmbH led to a 99 per cent recycling ratio of all recyclable materials from production of the leading drink manufacturer at the Genshagen location (near Berlin).
The environmental services provider also counteracts wastage with its "IT refurbishment" service. According to calculations of the Fraunhofer institute UMSICHT, the professional preparation of PCs and laptops for a second usage saves approximately 387 kilogrammes of primary resources per PC, when a first and second usage of 3.5 years each is assumed. Interseroh is also examining its own actions. A planned list of measures includes the first-time calculation of the corporate carbon footprint, from which an internal climate strategy will be derived.
This year, Interseroh is also making its sustainability report available as a transparent online balance for the first time. The report is guided by the demanding current guidelines (G4) of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and fulfils the "core" criteria established therein. In addition, parts of the report are audited by the audit company KPMG.
The complete Sustainability Report 2016 and this year's sustainability magazine "zero waste solutions" are available at www.interseroh.de/en/sustainability.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group operates with a total of about 7,500 employees within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.2 billion Euros (2015) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
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Tue, 20 Jun 2017 09:00:00 +0200
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Interseroh presents a new service for packaging optimisation
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-presents-a-new-service-for-packaging-optimisation/
Cologne/Berlin. INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH, a subsidiary of the international recycling expert ALBA Group, presented its new service for packaging optimisation "Made for Recycling" to an audience of packaging developers from renowned brand manufacturers today at the "Packaging Day". The service was presented during a guided tour through one of the four ALBA high-tech sorting plants for lightweight packaging and other recyclables in Berlin-Mahlsdorf, where the guests could get a picture on site of how important it is to integrate recyclability into a product's development process. The Deutsche Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (DVI - German Packaging Institute) organised the "Packaging Day" for the third time.
As part of the new "Made for Recycling" service, Interseroh analyses the lifecycle of packaging from production to waste management and reuse together with the customer. The aim is to sustainably improve the recyclability of packaging. Packaging optimisation protects natural resources and the climate, and convinces environmentally conscious consumers.
"Packaging recycling starts with product development. In times of an increasing shortage in raw materials as well as the growing importance of eco-design and compulsory recycling labels, product manufacturers have no choice but to confront this issue. This is where our "Made for Recycling" service comes in", says Markus Müller-Drexel, CEO of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. "We help combine product and design requirements with recyclability. Only if packaging developers and recycling industry work together we can recycle more and protect primary resources."
Anyone interested can find more information about the Interseroh packaging optimisation service at https://www.interseroh.de/leistungen/beratung/verpackungsoptimierung/.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group operates with a total of about 7,500 employees within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 1.8 billion Euros (2016) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities. Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
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Wed, 07 Jun 2017 14:00:00 +0200
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ALBA Group, Techcent and Deyang Construction Investment Group are planning to build a high-tech recycling park
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-techcent-and-deyang-construction-investment-group-are-planning-to-build-a-high-tech-recycling-park/
Berlin. The ALBA Group, one of the world’s leading recycling, environmental services and raw materials providing groups, has agreed to build a high-tech recycling park with Chengdu Techcent Environment Co., Ltd. (“Techcent”) and Deyang Construction Investment. The signing ceremony took place today on the occasion of the meeting between the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Prime Minister Keqiang Li in Berlin.
The roughly 3.3 square kilometre “Deyang Resource Recycling Industrial Park” is to be built south-east of the city of Deyang in the eastern agglomeration of Sichuan Province. The park’s unique concept provides for all types of waste and all treatment and recycling steps to be processed in one place using the state-of-the-art plants available. The strictest environmental standards will be complied with in the process. Thus reducing transport costs and environmental pollution. All the region’s waste is to be returned to the economic cycle, residual waste is to be minimised and the region’s air and water pollution is to be reduced as best as possible using state-of-the-art technology, the intelligent networking of material and energy flows and a centralised park infrastructure. ALBA is providing specialists for all types of waste, taking a lead in designing the concept, organising the interaction and also applying for several modules itself.
“China is very interested in rapid progress in terms of environmental protection. In the process it is relying on German recycling expertise, like we offer at ALBA,” says Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA Group, on the occasion of today’s signing of the agreement. “We want to develop these kinds of high-tech recycling parks, like the one planned now, in various Chinese regions. We are delighted to be able to make a start with our partners in Deyang and be a role model for other projects with this. As a result, we are actively supporting China to continue to set up and expand the concept of modern and sustainable recycling and reuse.”
The Deyang Resource Recycling Industrial Park is seen as a model for sustainable waste management in China; sustainable waste and recycling concepts for use in mega cities are being practically tested here. The investment volume is roughly EUR 1 billion. Enquiries for other parks in other regions have already been received.
The ALBA Group’s expertise in China
The ALBA Group has been represented in Hong Kong since the early 1990s, from where it developed its Asian business. Since 2011 the ALBA Group has also played a strong role in the fields of recycling consulting and technological project management in China. The ALBA Group is therefore providing information about the possibilities and experiences in recycling technology using the example of its own plants. The ALBA Group also acquired the contract for the collection and recycling of household “regulated” electronic scrap for the more than seven million residents in the large metropolis of Hong Kong in spring 2015. The contract includes the building of a recycling plant for electronic scrap as well as the operation of the collection and recycling system for the duration of ten years. The ground-breaking ceremony for the building of the reuse plant which is supposed to be commissioned this year took place in January 2016.
About Chengdu Techcent Environment Co., Ltd.
Chengdu Techcent Environment Co., Ltd. is a leading environmental specialist with head office in Chengdu in Sichuan Province. The technology company was founded in 2001 and is active in research, development, services and plant construction for environmental technology, among other things. Techcent has had a 60 percent share in the ALBA Group’s services and China business since the start of 2017.
About Deyang Construction Investment Group
Deyang Construction Investment Development Group is a wholly state-owned, large enterprise group. Based on the former Deyang City Construction Company Limited, the Group was set up in March 2016 with a registered capital of over 700 million euros. They are mainly engaged in the investment and operation of urban and rural infrastructure and public goods in the area of Deyang, such as public transportation, municipal and water conservancy construction.
About ALBA Group:
With its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – and a total of about 7,500 employees ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 1.8 billion Euros (2016) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
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Picture 1, Picture 2
Thu, 01 Jun 2017 11:33:00 +0200
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toom Baumarkt sells keeeper rotary stacking box from Interseroh recycled plastic
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/toom-baumarkt-sells-keeeper-rotary-stacking-box-from-interseroh-recycled-plastic/
Cologne. The toom Baumarkt DIY stores (REWE Group) are now carrying a rotary stacking box in their product range, consisting completely of the recycled plastic Procyclen and distinguished with the Blue Angel environmental mark. The rotary stacking box is part of the ECO-Line series, which manufacturer keeeper developed together with INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH, a subsidiary of recycling specialist ALBA Group. The box is available in two colours – grey and black – nationwide at all toom DIY stores. Further products of the Eco-Line series are to follow.“One of our main objectives as a company is to offer our customers a steadily growing range of sustainable products,” says Dominique Rotondi, Managing Director for Purchasing of toom Baumarkt GmbH. “Therefore, the products that keeeper and Interseroh manufacture from procyclen are an ideal opportunity for us to lay down a marker not just with respect to recycling ability, but also with respect to the use of resource-friendly materials.”“With our Eco-Line, we have developed a forward-looking product series of household items that stands up to the high standards of environmentally conscious consumers,” says Mike Carlos Wolf, Spokesman of the Executive Board of keeeper GmbH. “Thanks to our collaboration with Interseroh, we are able to use resource-friendly products completely from procyclen to provide an ideal product range that offers a range of ecological advantages such as saving energy, reducing gases hazardous to the climate and protecting natural sources of raw materials.”“With our recycled plastic procyclen, which we manufacture from household packaging waste, we can cater specifically to individual wishes such as improved mechanical properties or UV resistance and are also flexible when it comes to colouring,” says Dr Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Research and Development for Recycled-Resource at Interseroh. “There is thus no longer a need to resort to primary raw materials such as crude oil for the manufacture of new products. Thanks to our range of solutions, customers have the chance to come into contact with the topic of raw material efficiency at the highest-quality level.”Interseroh manufactures the multiple-award-winning secondary plastic procyclen in the specially developed upcycling process Recycled-Resource. In addition to the unique combination of the material attributes, the recycling plastic is also superior to new materials in terms of its raw material-, energy- and climate protection balance: The use of procyclen reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases during the production of new products by 30 to 50 per cent.
About toom Baumarkt:
With more than 330 stores in its portfolio (toom Baumarkt, B1 Discount Baumarkt and Klee Gartenfachmarkt), 15,100 employees and gross sales of more than EUR 2.6 billion, toom is one of the leading providers in the German DIY industry. The company belongs to the REWE Group, one of the leading retail and tourism groups in Germany and Europe. The cooperative REWE Group, founded in 1927, achieved total external sales of more than EUR 54 billion in 2016 and is present in 19 European countries with its 330,000 employees and 15,000 stores. Further information at www.toom-baumarkt.de.
About keeeper:
As an international company, keeper is the market leader in Germany with its innovative, high-quality plastic household products and is among the top 3 in the industry in Europe. More than 500 employees work at two production sites in Stemwede, Germany, and in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Moreover, keeeper works with its own sales organisations in Germany, Poland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Turkey and the Czech Republic and makes use of sales and distribution organisations in other countries. Further information at www.keeeper.com/en.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group operates with a total of about 7,500 employees within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.2 billion Euros (2015) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities. Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.Free use of the attached picture is authorised, provided the source "toom Baumarkt" is acknowledged.
Mon, 22 May 2017 18:09:00 +0200
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Interseroh represented at international trade fair PLASTPOL for the first time
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-represented-at-international-trade-fair-plastpol-for-the-first-time/
Cologne. This year, INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH is represented at PLASTPOL in Kielce, central Poland, for the first time. Next week, from 23 to 26 May 2017, the environmental services provider will present its Recycled-Resource business area and the associated services range at the international trade fair for plastic and rubber processing (Hall D 29). At the trade fair, the subsidiary of the international recycling specialist ALBA Group will present the process (Recycled-Resource) it developed itself for the sustainable production of high-quality regranulate to a wide specialist audience. Interseroh manufactures the recycled plastics Recythen and Procyclen that result from this process from a large number of used plastics from the recyclables collection of the dual systems, according to customer wishes, individual requirements and intended purpose.“PLASTPOL is hugely important for the industry and therefore offers a fantastic opportunity to present oneself to potential customers,” says Dr Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Research and Development for Recycled-Resource at Interseroh. “The recycled plastics produced in our process are used in many areas including the construction, garden, supply chain and household industries – with this diversity, we also hope to reach a large breadth of interested parties at the trade fair.”The Recycled-Resource process has won multiple awards and is based on a complex upcycling and recompounding process. The comprehensive, high-tech sorting of the plastic waste is followed by the re-compounding, encompassing the extrusion, re-stabilising and reconstruction of the molecular structure as well as the chemical modification with the addition of additives in order to achieve the precise plastic characteristics that are required by the customer. This results in high-quality, customised plastic granulates, whose use, according to a study of the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT, makes a valuable contribution to sustainable use of primary resources compared to new granulate and reduces the greenhouse gases produced in manufacture by 30 to 50 per cent.PLASTPOL is a four-day international trade fair focusing on the topics of plastic and rubber processing. In addition to a comprehensive conference and seminar programme, approximately 800 exhibitors from 32 countries are presenting product innovations from all areas of the plastics industry this year. Approximately 18,000 industry representatives, specialised journalists and representatives of specialist publishers as well as institutions associated with the industry are expected at the pure business-to-business event. The trade fair has taken place annually since 1997 and is considered the leading event of the industry in Central and Eastern Europe.
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group operates with a total of about 7,500 employees within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.2 billion Euros (2015) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.Further information on Interseroh can be found at www.interseroh.com. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
Thu, 18 May 2017 15:09:00 +0200
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Fraunhofer Study Proves: Recycling service of Deutsche Post and ALBA is climate and resource-friendly
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/fraunhofer-study-proves-recycling-service-of-deutsche-post-and-alba-is-climate-and-resource-friendly/
Berlin. The recycling service ELECTORETURN from Deutsche Post and ALBA Group contributes to climate protection and the preservation of resources. This is shown by a new study of the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT).
According to the study, the ALBA Group, one of the world’s leading environmental services providers and recycling specialists, saves approximately 16.22 tonnes of primary resources per tonne of small electrical devices collected via ELECTRORETURN, a weight comparable to approximately 13 medium-sized vehicles. At the same time, emissions of climate-damaging gases decrease by approximately 550 kilograms. This is equivalent to the emissions that result from driving about 4,000 kilometres in the average passenger car – or all the way from Berlin to Barcelona and back again. In total, ELECTRORETURN thus has an annual saving potential of up to 273 tonnes of primary resources and 9 tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions.
“Many small electrical devices are still not recycled after use. In most cases they are incinerated or they remain at home in drawers or cellars or in storehouses, without being returned or passed on,” says Manfred Fahrner, an expert in electronic scrap recycling at the ALBA Group. “ELECTRORETURN contributes to increasing the quantity of devices used, thus making – as is now also scientifically confirmed for the first time – a crucial contribution to the protection of resources and the climate.”
“With ELECTRORETURN, we offer consumers an environmentally friendly and convenient solution for the disposal of their waste equipment,” says Jens Terboven, Vice President of Letter Communication Additional Services. “Our green logistics are the perfect foundation for this and they are complemented optimally by the ALBA Group as a partner for environmentally friendly recovery to produce a holistic solution for return logistics and recycling.”
About ELECTRORETURN:
The joint electronic scrap recycling project of the ALBA Group and Deutsche Post has existed for more than five years. Since February 2012, consumers have been able to download a free shipping label at www.electroreturn.de and thus recycle their mobile phones and other small electrical devices that no longer work that fit into a (maximum-size) envelope, such as shavers, postage-free. Simply placed into the nearest letterbox, these envelopes then go to ALBA Electronics Recycling GmbH, the electronic scrap recycling specialist within the ALBA Group. At its location in Lustadt, Rhineland-Palatinate, the equipment is crushed in the company’s own, officially controlled machines and the material recycled so that data can no longer be read out.
Since March 2016, the Deutsche Post DHL Group has offered an expanded recycling shipping service for waste electrical equipment up to 31.5 kilograms. Within the framework of this service, dealers can contractually agree the use of ELECTRORETURN to fulfil the requirements placed on them by the amended Used Electrical Equipment Act and then supply their customers with post-paid shipping labels for letter and package shipments. After the waste equipment has been packed, it goes from the nearest letterbox or the nearest Deutsche Post DHL receiving office straight to ALBA for recycling. In addition, Deutsche Post and ALBA Group organise for dealers the ascertainment of the data required to fulfil the legal notification obligations and assume the communication of this data to the competent authority.
About ALBA Group:
With its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – and a total of about 7,500 employees ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.2 billion Euros (2015) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
About Deutsche Post:
Deutsche Post is Europe’s largest postal service provider and the leader in the German letter and package market, with a leading position in international correspondence. With its strong Deutsche Post brand, the company is further expanding its status as “The post for Germany”. The portfolio ranges from standardised products to environmentally friendly and customised solutions for private and business customers in the areas of letter communication, dialogue marketing and package transportation. With its approximately 175,000 employees, Deutsche Post will continue to advance the connection of physical and electronic communication, thus expanding its position as a comprehensive service provider for secure, simple and reliable communication.
Deutsche Post is part of the Deutsche Post DHL Group. In 2016 the group generated a turnover of more than 57 billion Euros. Further information can be found at www.dpdhl.de/en.
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Wed, 10 May 2017 09:11:00 +0200
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Ready for the Packaging Act: State Minister Franz Untersteller visits the ALBA waste sorting plant in Walldürn
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/ready-for-the-packaging-act-state-minister-franz-untersteller-visits-the-alba-waste-sorting-plant-in-wallduern/
+++ District administrator Dr Achim Brötel and Mayor Markus Günther accompany the State Minister +++
+++ Chairman of the ALBA Group Axel Schweitzer: “Private sector Investments are the guarantor for the achievement of ambitious recycling goals” +++
Berlin/Walldürn. Today the State Minister of Baden-Wuerttemberg for the Environment, Climate Change and Energy Management, Franz Untersteller, visited the ALBA Recycling GmbH plant for the processing of recyclables in Walldürn. Mr. Untersteller toured the facility with the District Administrator of Neckar-Odenwald Dr Achim Brötel and the Mayor of the town of Walldürn Markus Günther. Accompanied by Dr. Eric Schweitzer, CEO of the ALBA Group, the politicians were able to admire the high standards at the innovative plant at which ALBA Recycling GmbH – a subsidiary of the environmental services provider and recycling specialist the ALBA Group – processes approximately 200,000 tonnes of used packaging, as collected under the dual system, per year.
“The sorting technology here at the location of Walldürn is the most modern in Europe. Thanks to its continuous further development and modernisation, it is ideally positioned to fulfil the high-volume requirements of the pending Packaging Act in Germany,” explained Dr Eric Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ALBA Group. “Private sector investment in technology and know-how of the kind that we can see here are of decisive importance for maintaining Germany’s leading position in the recycling sector. Only in this way it will be possible to achieve the ambitious goals in the area of raw materials efficiency and recycling.”
“The recycling of waste packaging saves resources and therefore makes a key contribution to environmental protection. Therefore, it is not only a good idea, it is also right to set down ambitious recycling goals and to work hard to ensure that they are achieved,” highlighted Franz Untersteller, Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Energy Management of the Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg. “Recycling quotas alone are not enough, however, it is more important to focus on the recycling capability of the packaging materials during their actual development,” said the Minister, appealing to the manufacturing sector. Mr Untersteller believes there to be a considerable need for further work in this area – an area in which the new Germany-wide Packaging Act has regrettably fallen short.
The Walldürn sorting plant opened in 2008 and has been subject to continuous further technical development ever since. It is one of four ultramodern production plants for recyclables to be owned and managed by ALBA Recycling GmbH, and combines the latest environmental technology with the 50 years’ know-how of ALBA. Recyclable material separators sort the waste materials which arrive at the plant into different fractions, such as plastics and metals. The latest technology enables rapid and flexible responses to changes in the materials that arrive at the plant for processing. The recyclables which are gained satisfy the highest standards of quality, and following their sorting they are compressed into bales to enable their reuse as valuable raw materials.
About ALBA:
Next to Interseroh, ALBA is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group operates with a total of about 7,500 employees within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.2 billion Euros (2015) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
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Thu, 13 Apr 2017 09:28:00 +0200
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From hospitals to gourmet cuisine: waste management optimisation for food catering facilities
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/from-hospitals-to-gourmet-cuisine-waste-management-optimisation-for-food-catering-facilities/
Cologne. INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH and the association United Against Waste e.V. have started a collaboration in the area of waste prevention and the conservation of resources. The provider of environmental services and the non-profit association want to apply their specialist knowledge together to achieve an even more varied optimisation of waste management in food catering facilities. For this reason, Interseroh has now become a member of the association.
In the scope of the shared project, the United Against Waste association is responsible for the analysis of processes within the preparation of food – including the development of practical steps for the reduction and prevention of food waste. For its own part, for unavoidable waste, Interseroh, subsidiary of the recycling and environmental services provider ALBA Group, is responsible for organising the waste management – starting with the development of an efficient waste management concept, to the logistics and sorting, to the recycling.
“With its long standing expertise in the development of sector-specific waste management solutions, Interseroh can support the optimum expansion of our offer,” explains Torsten von Borstel, Director of United Against Waste e.V.. “This enables us to get even closer to achieving our goal of a closed loop.”
“We advise customers in every sector on how they can achieve a sustainable, cost-efficient optimisation of their supplier chain management,” adds Ralf Tölle, Leader of the Sector Management for Gastronomy Recycling Solutions Interseroh. “We are therefore very pleased that with United Against Waste, we have found a partner who supplements our expertise excellently and is also convinced that a world without waste is possible.”
About United Against Waste e.V.:
United Against Waste e.V. is an initiative for the food industry. Together with its members, the association develops practical solutions which highlight how the reduction of food waste is possible – and also saves money. The steps developed by United Against Waste also support operators in the restaurant and catering sector (AHV) in making the topic of food waste in everyday kitchens more accessible. At the same time, the active public relations work ensures that awareness is raised for the respectful management of the resource of “food” in the public sphere.
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Mon, 20 Mar 2017 13:02:00 +0100
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Proven for the first time: Reconditioning of laptops etc. protects the climate and saves valuable resources
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/proven-for-the-first-time-reconditioning-of-laptops-etc-protects-the-climate-and-saves-valuable-resources/
Cologne. The reconditioning of PCs and notebooks, as offered by Interseroh, makes a significant contribution to protecting the climate and saving natural resources. This has now been proven scientifically for the first time in a research project at the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology (UMSICHT) which was completed on behalf of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH.
According to the research, reconditioning a single notebook saves 181 kilograms of primary resources, and also prevents the emission of around 154 kilograms of climate-damaging gases. That is equivalent to the emissions that result from driving about 1,100 kilometres in an average passenger car – or all the way from Berlin to Munich and back again. Reconditioning a PC is even more effective: it enables 387 kilograms of primary resources and 229 kilograms of climate-damaging resources to be saved. The researchers based their calculations on the assumption that the devices are used for 3.5 years each by their first owner and their second owner.
"By extending the lifetime of these devices, we are making a major contribution to ensuring that the principles of sustainability and the prevention of waste also become established in the area of information technology," explains Jan Höschel, Director of the Business Center ReUse at INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. "Through the reconditioning of their equipment, our customers can also demonstrate their targeted savings at any time with one of the certificates that we compile."
"In terms of the Circular Economy, the reuse of products is the best option from the point of view of resources because it conserves the greatest possible value of the products to be maintained," explains Dr Markus Hiebel, Head of Department Sustainability and Resources Management at Fraunhofer UMSICHT. "Subsequent to the reuse of the device, the additional use of spare parts can follow, and then the recycling of the valuable materials that it contains".
The service offered by Interseroh is aimed at companies whose IT and communication devices frequently have a short useful life, even though they are mostly still functional. The subsidiary of recycling specialist ALBA Group buys these devices and organises all of the steps along their journey to reuse. This encompasses their collection throughout Europe and the secure and certified deletion of data and/or destruction of data carriers, including the detailed reporting. If the data carriers are defective or cannot be used for other reasons, the provider of environmental services will organise their professional disposal. Following the reconditioning, a conclusive analysis and functional tests take place, ensuring that high quality reconditioned devices only make it back onto the market.
Interseroh offers the customer a choice of three options for the marketing: the resale to employees at company terms and conditions via a shop solution, the sale to private customers or the donation of the devices for a charitable purpose.
Further information on the ReUse offer from Interseroh is available here:
https://www.interseroh.de/en/services/reuse/it-and-communication-equipment/
About Interseroh
Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group operates with a total of about 7,500 employees within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.2 billion Euros (2015) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
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Thu, 23 Feb 2017 14:19:00 +0100
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Upcycling polyolefins / Interseroh presents Recycled-Resource process
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/upcycling-polyolefins-interseroh-presents-recycled-resource-process/
INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH will present its innovative recompounding process Recycled-Resource at the international conference “Future of Polyolefins”, which begins next Wednesday. With Recycled-Resource, the subsidiary of recycling specialist ALBA Group has created a technique with which products made from recycled plastics can be manufactured exactly according to customer technical requirements. The “Future of Polyolefins” conference is an international industry gathering of senior executive from petrochemical companies, plastic converter, technology providers, chemical intermediate suppliers, researchers, as well as other influential stakeholders amongst the value chain and is taking place this year at Hotel Park Plaza Victoria Amsterdam in the Netherlands from 18 to 19 January.
Dr Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Research and Development Recycled-Resource at Interseroh will explain the developments in the field of polyolefin upcycling process for used plastics from household waste on the second day of the conference as part of a lecture entitled “Upcycling approach that enables polyolefin plastic waste to lead a second life”. “With our process and our research and development team, we offer manufacturers application solutions for almost all areas and technical requirements,” says Ulcnik-Krump. “Our recycled raw material Procyclen has been honoured with several awards and is in every respect technically equal to new material based on crude oil. Thanks to our range of solutions, customers have the chance to come into contact with the topic of raw material efficiency at the highest-quality level. It is a great pleasure to present our unique Recycled-Resource process to the most prominent market key players in the area of polyolefine value chain. This confirms that polyolefin recycling is gaining an increasing importance for the manufacturers of plastic products.”
Recycled-Resource is based on a complex upcycling recompounding process: The comprehensive, high-tech sorting of the plastic waste from the yellow bin is followed by the re-compounding, encompassing the extrusion, re-stabilising and reconstruction of the molecular structure as well as the chemical modification with the addition of additives in order to obtain the precise plastic characteristics that are required by the customer. The Fraunhofer institute UMSICHT has compared the production of plastic granulate from new material with the production of Procyclen through Recycled-Resource in terms of sustainability. The clear result: if new granulate is replaced directly by Procyclen, the greenhouse gas emissions produced in manufacturing decrease by up to 50 per cent.
Thu, 19 Jan 2017 16:20:00 +0100
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ALBA SE Sells Europe Metals Group
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-se-sells-europe-metals-group/
+++ Carla Eysel becomes Managing Director of ALBA SE +++ Rob Nansink steps down as Managing Director and administrative board member of ALBA SE as of year-end +++
Cologne. ALBA SE, the listed subsidiary of international waste management and recycling specialist ALBA Group, has sold the Europe Metals Group. The current Managing Director of ALBA SE, Rob Nansink, will take on management of the holding with effect from 31 January 2017.
Rob Nansink has informed the administrative board of ALBA SE that he would like to relinquish his office as Managing Director and member of the administrative board of ALBA SE as well as all the other offices held by him in the ALBA Group for personal reasons with effect from 31 December 2016. The administrative board has consented.
Rob Nansink leaves the ALBA Group on the best of terms after many years of successful work. “We thank him for his many years of successful work and we wish him all the very best for the future,” said Dr Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Administrative Board of ALBA SE.
Carla Eysel, Head of Business Development & Organisation of the ALBA Group, has been appointed as Managing Director of ALBA SE as of 1 January 2017. She maintains her other functions within the ALBA Group. ALBA SE will apply to the Local Court of Cologne for the appointment of Carla Eysel as a member of the administrative board, also so as to ensure the legally prescribed size of the administrative board until the General Shareholders' Meeting in summer 2017.
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Fri, 23 Dec 2016 18:30:00 +0100
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Markus Guthoff switches to finance sector
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/markus-guthoff-switches-to-finance-sector/
Berlin. Dr. Markus Guthoff, Chief Financial Officer at ALBA Group since September 2011, is to take on a new challenge in the finance sector. After a successful restructuring process and a total of eight years with the Group, he has decided to leave as of 28 February 2017. “We regret Markus Guthoff’s decision enormously and thank him for his great commitment,” said Dr. Axel Schweitzer, CEO and co-owner of ALBA Group. “He made a major contribution to ALBA Group’s business and strategic development and leaves the company in excellent shape. We wish him all the very best for his personal and professional future.”
“Now that the restructuring and realignment of ALBA Group will be completed with the two M&A transactions by the year-end, the time is right for a new professional challenge,” explained Guthoff (52). “I look back on my time with ALBA with gratitude.” Major changes during his term on the Board of Directors included the merger of ALBA AG and Interseroh SE to form ALBA Group, the establishment and expansion of key holding and management functions, and the response to the current crisis in the sector. “Taking part in the company’s development in so many ways has been an interesting and worthwhile task,” said Guthoff.
About ALBA Group:
With its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – and a total of about 7,500 employees ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.2 billion Euros (2015) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
Wed, 12 Oct 2016 09:48:00 +0200
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Interseroh develops new Procyclen formula for shipping containers from memo AG
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-develops-new-procyclen-formula-for-shipping-containers-from-memo-ag/
Cologne. Interseroh Dienstleistungs GmbH has developed a specialist formula of its recycling plastic Procyclen for the environmentally-aware mail-order retailer memo AG. In the future, the containers used in the reusable “memo Box” shipping system are to be made out of the material that has been awarded several prizes. The new formula offers unique material attributes such as a long product lifespan, mechanical stability to up to -30°C, as well as UV-resistance and transport safety, which are only rarely achieved in such a combination, even with the use of new materials.Interseroh, a subsidiary company of the recycling specialist ALBA Group, manufactures Procyclen from recyclable waste plastic which is collected within the German Dual System. In addition to the unique combination of the material attributes, the recycling plastic is also superior to new materials in terms of its raw material-, energy- and climate protection balance: The use of Procyclen reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases alone during the production of the “memo Box” by up to 30 percent.Procyclen also has a lot to offer in terms of colour: “The customers can choose from a wide variety of colours. We used a special pigmentation for the ‘memo Box’ which over-dyes the variegation of the starting material, so that we achieved a green which is also able to keep up with new products in terms of its intensity and clarity,” explained Dr Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Manager of Research and Development Recycled-Resource at Interseroh.Of interest to the customer is also the possibility of making Procyclen from a range of used plastics, depending on the individual requirements and intended purpose. In addition to polypropylene materials such as, for example, high-density polyethylene, polystyrene and other technical plastics can also be processed. The Recycled-Resource process developed by Interseroh with which Procyclen is manufactured is based on a sophisticated upcycling and re-compounding process: The comprehensive, high-tech sorting of the plastic waste is followed by the re-compounding, encompassing the extrusion, re-stabilising and reconstruction of the molecular structure as well as the chemical modification with the addition of additives in order to achieve the precise plastic characteristics that are required by the customer.Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group operates with a total of about 7,500 employees within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.2 billion Euros (2015) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
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Wed, 05 Oct 2016 16:35:00 +0200
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Deng family owning Techcent invests in segments “Recycling” in China and “Services” via a family-controlled fund
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/deng-family-owning-techcent-invests-in-segments-recycling-in-china-and-services-via-a-family-controlled-fund/
Berlin. The ALBA Group, one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material provider worldwide, seeks to grow its China business and its segment Services jointly with the Chinese company Techcent. The ALBA Group and an investment fund led by the Deng family, who is also the dominating shareholder of Techcent, signed a joint venture agreement, which is supposed to become effective as of 1 January 2017. The share in the Berlin based recycling company's two segments will amount to 60%.
"As announced, we were able to identify a matching co-investor for our China business and our segment Services before the end of the year," said Dr. Axel Schweitzer, chairman of the ALBA Group. "As a listed but still a family-run company, Techcent shares both our values and our strategy. Techcent is the perfect partner to powerfully promote the growth of both lines of business." The ALBA Group and Techcent established their close collaboration by concluding a "Strategic Partnership Agreement" in an additional document.
Also from Techcent's perspective, both companies are a perfect match. "The ALBA technology enjoys an excellent reputation in China. Based on our experience in our home market, we jointly aim to take recycling to the state of the art level in China", said Deng Xiang, managing partner at Techcent. "This partnership with ALBA Group constitutes a further significant step in terms of our worldwide successful business strategy, also in Germany. After our entrance at Bilfinger Water, it illustrates our position as leading Sino-German environmental services company."
The joint venture will consist of selected areas of ALBA Group's China business relating leading high-end technology growth areas such as electronical waste and automobile recycling. In addition, the partnership will comprise the segment Services including the Dual System Interseroh, which plays a major role in the collection and treatment of packaging waste from the Yellow Bin/Yellow Bag, as well as the worldwide leading sorting facilities for light packaging.
The participation agreement further provides that both parties of the joint ventures will take charge for the companies involved with Dr. Axel Schweitzer acting as chairman. Both parties agreed to treat the details of the agreement strictly confidential.
"By teaming up in this promising partnership, we have set the course for a successful development in particular regarding the internationalization of ALBA Group as well as the enhancement of the recycling to a level of perfection including the digitalization of our business", commented Dr. Axel Schweitzer. "Even internationally, a 'future without waste' should not remain a vision."
About ALBA Group:
With its two brands - ALBA and Interseroh - and a total of about 7,500 employees ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.2 billion Euros (2015) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities. Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
About Techcent:
Chengdu Techcent Environment Co., Ltd ("Techcent") is a leading environmental company headquartered in Chengdu in Sichuan/China. Founded in 2001, the company focuses on research, development, services and engineering in the field of environmental technologies. In March 2016, Techcent acquired Bilfinger Water Technologies GmbH, one of the world leading providers of plants, components and services with respect to water treatment technologies, for approx. 200 million €. Listed at Shenzhen Stock Exchange, Techcent has a market capitalization of €1.2 billion.
Further information on Techcent can be found at www.tbhic.cn/En
Mon, 03 Oct 2016 10:02:00 +0200
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Strategic recycling is driving the shift in raw materials and energy supply
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/strategic-recycling-is-driving-the-shift-in-raw-materials-and-energy-supply/
+++ ALBA Group recycling saved around 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and 51.8 million tonnes of primary resources in 2015 +++ Brass, zinc, stainless steel and lead included in the study for the first time +++ Brass recycling found to have great resource conservation potential +++
Berlin. Strategic closed loop management for recyclables can be a key driver in changing both raw material and energy use. This is the conclusion of the new resources study conducted by the Fraunhofer UMSICHT Institute on behalf of the ALBA Group.
The study found that the raw material and environmental service provider saved 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases through its recycling operations alone in 2015. This is the same amount of harmful gases that would be bound by a mixed forest covering 587,703 hectares – nearly four times the urban area of Mexico City. At the same time, the ALBA Group conserved around 51.8 million tonnes of primary resources last year by recycling around 5.5 million tonnes of material. The resources saved would fill around 130 of the world's largest bulk carriers.
"The study’s results make clear, that a closed loop management is indispensable to reach the goals of the global climate treaty. Our recycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions, at the same time we are paving the way step by step to a future without waste”, says Dr. Axel Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA Group plc & Co. KG. "An equally important aspect for us is that closing material cycles reduces the negative social and ecological consequences of excavation and exploration in the source countries – we are therefore assuming responsibility right along the supply chain."
There is a new aspect in the latest "resources SAVED by recycling" study by the Fraunhofer UMSICHT Institute: alongside aluminium, copper and steel, the researchers for the first time also present the business-specific resource savings offered by recycling brass, zinc, stainless steel and lead. This year's study therefore takes account of the value added from the ALBA Group scrap recycling sites.
"Metals have a key role in natural resource conservation. Excavating and processing metals is usually very resource-intensive. It is therefore very interesting to see the results for metals that we had not previously investigated", said Dr.-Ing. Markus Hiebel, Head of the Sustainability and Resources Management Department at the Fraunhofer UMSICHT Institute. "For brass in particular, we discovered significant potential: ALBA Group recycling of 48,000 tonnes of brass alone saved over 5 million tonnes of primary resources. Findings like this help us to understand what impact recycling could still have on environmental, resource and climate protection."
For this year's study, Fraunhofer UMSICHT analysed in detail the environmental effects of ALBA Group aluminium, copper, steel, stainless steel, lead, zinc, brass, electrical devices, paper/cardboard/cartons, glass, lightweight packaging, plastics and wood recycling. The study also considered mechanical physical stabilisation (MPS) for residual waste. You can read the "resources SAVED by recycling" study findings in full on the ALBA Group information portal at www.resources-saved.com.
About Fraunhofer UMSICHT
Fraunhofer UMSICHT is a pioneer of sustainable energy and raw material management, providing and transferring scientific findings to business, society and politics. In 2015, the institute and its 489 staff generated a turnover of 39.1 million euros. As one of 67 institutes and research facilities in the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Europe's leading applied research organisation, we are part of a global network and promote international collaboration.
More information on Fraunhofer UMSICHT can be found at www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de
About ALBA Group
With its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – and a total of about 7,500 employees ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.2 billion Euros (2015) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2015 alone ALBA Group saved almost 5.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51.8 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
Weitere Informationen zu Fraunhofer UMSICHT unter www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de
Wed, 28 Sep 2016 09:15:00 +0200
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Interseroh opens new centre of competence for recycling plastics
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-opens-new-centre-of-competence-for-recycling-plastics/
Cologne. In the city of Maribor in Slovenia today, the provider of environmental services Interseroh opened its new centre of competence for recycling plastics with an opening ceremony. In the presence of the Slovenian Minister for Education, Science and Sport, Prof. Dr. Maja Makovec Brenčič, the General Director of Internationalisation of the Slovenian Ministry Eva Štravs Podlogar and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ALBA Group Dr. Axel Schweitzer, several guests from the worlds of politics, business and science were able to see how modern plastics recycling works and how the efficient use of our raw materials is being researched and worked on.
The new centre of expertise of Interseroh also brings together the research and development activities of the provider of environmental services in the area of plastics recycling for the first time. “At our new location we can service all of our customers’ requirements surrounding the production of modern recycling plastics ourselves,” highlighted Dr Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Manager of Research and Development Recycled-Resource at Interseroh. “This allows us to achieve a greater degree of flexibility and independence in product manufacturing, while for the customers, the periods of development are significantly reduced. Thanks to our geographical location in the city of Maribor in Slovenia, we can also provide the optimum logistics coverage for both the German market and the entire Eastern European market.
Over the course of long-standing research and development work, Interseroh, subsidiary of the recycling specialist ALBA Group, has created a ground-breaking upcycling process for plastic waste from the collections from the German dual system: Recycled-Resource. In this process, the comprehensive, high-tech sorting of the plastic waste is followed by the re-compounding,encompassing the extrusion, re-stabilising and reconstruction of the molecular structure as well as the chemical modification with the addition of additives in order to achieve the precise plastic characteristics that are required by the customer. The end result is high-quality, customized plastic granulates, including the recyclate Recythen, which is especially suitable for the production of technical items, films or pipelines. The recycling plastic Procyclen, which is also manufactured with the help of Recycled-Resource and has won several awards, is just as impact-resistant, rigid and heat-resistant as primary granulate on a crude oil basis. The material can also be used in blow moulding for the production of liquid detergent bottles, for example. In addition to the unique combination of the material attributes, the recycling plastic is also superior to new materials in terms of its raw material-, energy- and climate protection balance: In this way, the use of Procyclen reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases alone by up to 50 percent.
Free use of the attached pictures is authorised, provided the source "ALBA Group" is acknowledged.
Tue, 13 Sep 2016 14:48:00 +0200
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From used caps to highlighters
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/from-used-caps-to-highlighters/
+++ Producing the STABILO GREEN BOSS highlighter with the recycled plastic “Procyclen” saves up to 50 per cent greenhouse gas emissions
+++ The material comes from used caps from Coca-Cola bottles
Cologne/Berlin: STABILO, one of the world’s leading producers of writing instruments, has started a plastic recycling project together with soft-drink manufacturer Coca-Cola and recycling service provider Interseroh that could set a precedent. For the first time, STABILO is making highlighters from used caps of Coca-Cola bottles. STABILO is marketing the highlighter, with a recycled “Procyclen” plastic content of up to 83 per cent, under the name STABILO GREEN BOSS. The recycled plastic “Procyclen” was developed by INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH, a subsidiary of the international recycling specialists and raw materials supplier ALBA Group.Coca-Cola bottle used caps are particularly suited as a starting material for producing the highlighters because their plastic was originally approved for food products and therefore meets STABILO’s particular requirements concerning health considerations. As part of their Germany-wide process of preparing returned PET bottles for refilling, Coca Cola collects the bottle caps and supplies them as an unmixed recyclable material for highlighter production. “For this reason, it quickly became clear to us that we had found a source of plastic that met our needs perfectly,” says Peter Satzinger, Manager Global Engineering, STABILO International GmbH.Interseroh uses a proprietary process to turn the Coca-Cola caps into Procyclen, the multi-award-winning recycled plastic. “What makes Procyclen special is that this recycled plastic meets all of the expectations placed on a high-quality product thanks to its unique formulation and is absolutely equivalent to new materials produced from oil. But it has a far better raw material, energy and climate protection balance,” says Dr. Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Recycled-Resource Research and Development at Interseroh. Scientists at Fraunhofer UMSICHT reported that the greenhouse gases released during production can be reduced by up to 50 per cent when Procyclen is used instead of granulate that has not been recycled. Ulcnik-Krump: “Using Procyclen is therefore the best choice when it comes to sustainability.”“When it comes to innovative packaging solutions, we are constantly working on making our bottles lighter, and we have a strategy of using recycled materials and plant-based raw materials and naturally also of multiple usage of materials by reusing and recycling them. It is all the more gratifying for us that we, together with our partners, have found a high-quality way to further process our screw caps, says Sanam Moayedi-Stummer, Director Procurement, Coca-Cola European Partners Deutschland GmbH.STABILO is marketing the highlighter in four colors as part of its “green range” under the name STABILO GREEN BOSS. The STABILO GREEN BOSS can be refilled using the STABILO BOSS refill and is the first product to result from the cooperation between STABILO, Coca-Cola and Interseroh. More products are to follow.STABILO International is one of the leading manufacturers of writing instruments in Europe and continues to set standards for writing, coloring, drawing and highlighting – such as with the STABILO BOSS, with over 2 billion highlighters sold worldwide.With a sales volume of almost 3.9 billion liters (2015), Coca-Cola European Partners Deutschland GmbH (CCEP DE) is the largest German beverage company. They are responsible for bottling, selling and distributing Coca-Cola brand products in Germany. CCEP DE serves approx. 370,000 retail and catering customers and has around 9,000 employees. CCEP DE is part of Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP), one of the leading producers of consumer goods in Europe. CCEP caters to over 300 million consumers in twelve countries with a wide range of alcohol-free beverages. You can find out more about sustainability at Coca-Cola at: http://nachhaltigkeitsbericht.coca-cola.de/Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group operates with a total of about 7,500 employees within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of 2.45 billion Euros (2014) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
Press photos:
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Fri, 09 Sep 2016 09:00:00 +0200
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ALBA SE: Positive result despite continuing crisis in the steel market and falling prices for non-iron metals
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-se-positive-result-despite-continuing-crisis-in-the-steel-market-and-falling-prices-for-non-iron-metals/
+++ Group generates earnings before taxes (EBT) of EUR 11.7 million +++
+++ Turnover after six months amounted to EUR 491.1 million +++
+++ Management expects a noticeable plus in earnings before taxes up until the end of the year +++
Cologne. Despite the extremely difficult framework conditions in the steel and metals recycling segment the publicly quoted environmental services and raw material provider ALBA SE generated earnings before taxes of EUR 11.7 million (compared to EUR 16 million during the same period the year before) in the first six months of 2016. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) amounted to EUR 16 million (previous year's value: EUR 24.7 million).
On the occasion of the presentation of the mid-year financial report, the Chairman of the ALBA SE Administrative Board, Dr Axel Schweitzer, said: “We have managed to improve the margins in the steel and metals recycling segment through our in-depth value-adding measures in conjunction with our structural cost reductions. The continuing crisis did, however, lead to a strong decline in the volumes being traded, and as result, to a significant reduction in the gross profit.”
The revenues in the first half of 2016 fell compared to the first six months of 2015 by around EUR 301.5 million (-38 per cent) to EUR 491.1 million. While the revenue generated in the services segment increased a strong fall in revenues in the steel and metals recycling segment occurred due to a weak market demand and the low price levels.
Compared to the 31st of December 2015, the balance sheet total fell by EUR 43.4 million to EUR 401.5 million. The equity capital ratio could be increased from 25.6 per cent to 31.6 per cent. The ALBA SE group continues to be incorporated in the financing of the ALBA Group. This guarantees that the ALBA SE group has sufficient reserves of liquid assets at its disposal.
The price of ALBA SE shares when XETRA trading was opened on the 4th of January 2016 was quoted at EUR 51.98. The share price reached its highest point of EUR 53.22 a share in the first six months of the year, the lowest share price was EUR 47.39. At the end of the reporting period on the 30th of June 2016, the ALBA SE share price finished trading at EUR 48.20.
Segment development in detail
Steel and metals recycling
The global production of raw steel fell by 1.9 per cent compared to the same period the year before. The production across the EU fell by 6.1 per cent, in Germany by 2.1 per cent. While the German steel production using iron ore only fell by 0.1 per cent, the electric-furnace steel production, which predominantly uses scrap steel, fell by 3.1 per cent. Despite the drop in its own steel requirements, China increased its steel production in April 2016 to a historic level. As a consequence, Chinese exports on the global market increased significantly.
According to the Federal Association of German Steel Recycling and Disposal Companies (BDSV), the average ex-warehouse selling price for leading scrap type 2 in the first six months of the year was EUR 166.60 per tonne, meaning it was EUR 50 below the average price of EUR 216.60 compared to the same time period the year before. The average price for aluminium fell by 13 per cent to USD 1,544 US per tonne, while the average price for a tonne of copper fell by 20.7 per cent to USD 4,701 US, and the average price for a tonne of nickel fell by 36.6 per cent to USD 8,662 US.
The steel and metals recycling segment at ALBA SE did not remain unaffected by these extremely difficult framework conditions. The traded quantity of iron scrap was 695,000 tonnes (compared to 1,118,000 tonnes during the same period the year before), the tonnage of non-iron metals was 123,000 tonnes (compared to 183,000 tonnes during the same period the year before). The previous years’ values – adjusted for the effects of portfolio modifications – amounted to 935,000 tonnes iron scrap metals and 177,000 tonnes non-iron metals. The turnover fell by EUR 304.3 million to EUR 317.1 million due to the erosion of prices and the weak market demand.
A slight increase in the margins stood in contrast to the adjusted reduction in volumes due to the weak demand and the associated reduction in the gross profit. In contrast to last year, there were no revenues generated from the optimisation of the portfolio. These effects could partially be compensated through savings on outward freight, transport and storage costs, as well as staff-related costs. On the whole, EBITDA fell compared to the same period of the previous year.
A fall must also be recorded for the EBT with respect to the same period of the previous year. The effects described before are accompanied by reduced amortisations and interest expenses in comparison to the reference period.
Services
During the first six months of 2016, revenues in the field of transport packaging fell only very slightly compared to the same period last year. Despite the fierce competition, the volume of orders developed positively with numerous new contracts. Falls in revenues resulting from the fall in the price for plastics were compensated by the higher marketing prices for cardboard/paper/cartons.
The sales packaging business remained on the same level compared with the first six months of 2016. The Dual System Interseroh's market share increased slightly. The turnover of the service Recycling Solutions Interseroh (management of waste from branches, warehouses and production sites and marketing of the raw materials gained) increased marginally, which predominantly resulted from higher contract volumes.
Revenues in the services segment were at EUR 174.4 million, in the first two quarters of 2016, higher than the turnovers in the reference period of the year before (EUR 172.1 million).
EBITDA and EBT are above the values compared to the reference period of the year before. This is predominantly caused by higher business model-related effects from other accounting periods which arose in the operating system business but with partly higher commission expenditures.
Outlook
According to the Economic Association for Steel, the perspectives for the second half of 2016 remain uncertain in light of the global economy’s and steel markets’ developments. Experts are assuming that in 2016 the People's Republic of China will push 120 million tonnes of steel onto the global market at dumping prices, another 8 per cent more than in 2015. According to the Federation of German Metal Traders (VDM – Verband deutscher Metallhändler e.V.), the expectations for the second half of 2016 are also rather muted.
The ALBA SE management expects, as already forecasted at the beginning of this reporting year, to see on the whole a significant fall in the volumes of iron scrap in the current financial year due to the difficult situation on the steel market, as well as due to the planned continuation of the portfolio optimisation. Due to the unexpected tense situation on the metal market, a considerable drop in non-iron metals is also being reckoned with. The volumes and prices will, as expected at the outset of the year, mean a significant reduction in the turnover revenues. An improvement continues to be assumed for the segment's EBITDA. This results predominantly from the in-depth value-adding measures in conjunction with the structural cost reductions. These effects will also have a positive effect on the EBT.
For the services segment, the management expects marginally increasing revenues through the acquirement of new customers. At the beginning of 2016, the company had expected significant declines in EBITDA and EBT for the financial year. Contrary to expectations, the result for the first half of 2016 improved due to positive business model-related effects relating to other periods. However, for the financial year 2016 the management still expects a development of the EBITDA and the EBT as predicted at the beginning of the year, which will yet increase to the extent of the effects relating to other periods. It continues to be expected that the EBITDA and the EBT will significantly decrease compared to 2015.
In 2016, the ALBA SE group expects to see a considerable fall in turnover compared to the financial year 2015. The EBITDA will – in contrast to the forecast at the beginning of the year – only reduce moderately compared to 2015. The EBT will continue to increase, meaning that an exceptional increase can be expected due to the more favourable development of the EBITDA and the recurring, unplanned amortisations that will not be of the same extent as in 2015.
You will find the mid-year financial report in German at http://www.alba.info/ALBASE/Halbjahresfinanzbericht-2016
Fri, 12 Aug 2016 09:52:00 +0200
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AlmaWin and Interseroh establish innovative Procyclen bottle for organic detergent
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/almawin-and-interseroh-establish-innovative-procyclen-bottle-for-organic-detergent/
Cologne. Natural laundry detergent producer AlmaWin and environmental services provider Interseroh brought out an innovative detergent bottle not long ago, made from more than 95 per cent plastic packaging waste and manufactured by blow moulding. One year after its launch, the cooperation partners are seeing very positive results: the eco-friendly laundry detergent of the "environmental heroes" line has found a permanent place on the shelves of organic retailers and is setting an example for sustainability and resource conservation.The bottles are manufactured from the multi award-winning recycled plastic Procyclen, produced by Interseroh, a subsidiary of the ALBA group recycling specialist, in its proprietary ‘recycled-resource’ process. Procyclen is special because the raw material’s unique formulation meets highest expectations in terms of flow, impact strength, rigidity, UV and heat resistance, and can thus be used as a 100 per cent substitute for new material.“It was an exciting task to adapt the recycled-resource material to the blow moulding process”, relates Dr. Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of the Research and Development business unit Recycled-Resource at Interseroh. “Our approach is a unique combination of reactive extrusion and chemical modification, and is being employed for the first time to adapt the entire technical characteristics of Procyclen from packaging waste. We have thus created a world first, with which we can guarantee constant product characteristics and consistent processing parameters for our customers.”“Using plastics from vegetable raw materials was not an option for our ‘environmental heroes’ line. We wanted to close the loop once and for all, which is why we placed our trust in the know-how of the recycling experts at Interseroh”, says Ignaz Muttenhammer, Head of Sales at AlmaWin Reinigungskonzentrate GmbH. “After one year, we can say that the recycled plastic bottles are very well accepted among organic retail customers. The closed loop works.”AlmaWin Reinigungskonzentrate GmbH has been producing high quality, high performance, skin-friendly and eco-friendly washing and cleaning products since the 1990s under the two brand names “AlmaWin” and “Klar EcoSensitive fragrance-free”. The products and companies are certified by Ecogarantie/Certisys sprl., Ecocert Greenlife and the Vegan Society. Furthermore, consumer foundation Öko-Test has rated products multiple times as “good” and “very good” (its highest rating). AlmaWin was distinguished for the third time with the GREEN BRANDS Seal for Sustainability at this year’s Biofach trade fair.Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group operates with a total of about 7,500 employees within Germany, Europe and Asia. With an annual turnover of 2.45 billion Euros (2014) ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2014 alone ALBA Group saved about 6.6 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time more than 48.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
Fri, 10 Jun 2016 11:46:00 +0200
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Chairman of the Administrative Board Axel Schweitzer: “Successful strategy is to be continued in 2016.”
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/chairman-of-the-administrative-board-axel-schweitzer-successful-strategy-is-to-be-continued-in-2016/
Cologne. ALBA SE, publicly quoted subsidiary of global waste management and recycling specialists ALBA Group, was back in profit in 2015 and expects to sustain the positive trend in the current financial year. The company anticipates a drop in sales revenues due to lower prices and further restructuring, but projects a further increase in earnings before taxes. “The past financial year shows that we are on the right track with our strategy. We are extending our value chains, improving the quality of the materials we process and developing new business ideas. This successful strategy is to be continued in 2016, allowing us to move forward with renewed strength,” said Chairman of the Administrative Board Dr Axel Schweitzer before the Annual General Meeting held today in Cologne. Schweitzer is also CEO of the parent company, the ALBA Group.
Last year, on the basis of some EUR 1.4 billion in sales revenues, ALBA SE generated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of EUR 41.2 million (an increase of 22.5%). Earnings before taxes climbed even more strongly: After two years of negative EBT, the figure shot up by EUR 44.2 million and was back in positive figures at EUR 9.9 million.
Questions from shareholders and shareholder representatives focused on the continuation of the investor process launched several weeks earlier. ALBA Group is choosing a partner for the services business with whom better use can be made of the growth opportunities in that market. Schweitzer already announced in his presentation that the services segment will be carved out of ALBA SE in the course of the process and brought under an intermediate holding company. “This makes it easier to link up the segment with other services units within the Group, enabling us to put together a package so that we can make the best possible use of growth opportunities,” Schweitzer said in explanation for the move.
“The transaction will leave ALBA SE a strong and attractive company,” Schweitzer said, “as we have achieved turnaround in EBITDA in the steel and metals business. The fact that ALBA SE is back in the black is down to successful efforts in the metals business.” ALBA SE has restructured this business over the past few years.
The Annual General Meeting – with 93.64 per cent attendance – elected ALBA Group Managing Director Rob Nansink and Commercial Manager Dirk Beuth alongside Schweitzer to the Administrative Board for a four-year term.Im vergangenen Jahr hatte die ALBA SE bei einem Umsatz von rund 1,4 Milliarden Euro ein Ergebnis vor Abschreibungen, Zinsen und Steuern (EBITDA) von 41,2 Millionen Euro (plus 22,5 Prozent) erzielt. Das Vorsteuerergebnis entwickelte sich noch besser: Nach zwei Jahren mit negativem EBT schnellte der Wert um 44,2 Millionen Euro in die Höhe und war mit 9,9 Millionen Euro wieder positiv.
Im Mittelpunkt der Fragen von Anteilseignern und Aktionärsvertretern stand der Fortgang des vor einigen Wochen begonnenen Investorenprozesses. Die ALBA Group wählt einen Partner für das Dienstleistungsgeschäft aus, um mit diesem die Wachstumschancen auf diesem Markt besser nutzen zu können. Schweitzer hatte bereits in seiner Rede angekündigt, dass im Zuge dieses Prozesses das Segment Dienstleistungen aus der ALBA SE herausgelöst und in eine Zwischenholding eingebracht wird. „So kann es leichter mit anderen Dienstleistungseinheiten der Group verknüpft werden, damit ein Paket geschnürt werden kann, mit dem wir die Wachstumschancen optimal nutzen können“, begründete Schweitzer den Schritt.
„Die ALBA SE bleibt auch nach dieser Transaktion ein starkes und attraktives Unternehmen“, so Schweitzer. „Denn wir haben im Stahl- und Metallgeschäft beim EBITDA den Turn around geschafft. Dass die ALBA SE jetzt wieder in den schwarzen Zahlen ist, gründet auf den erfolgreichen Anstrengungen im Metallgeschäft.“ Diesen Bereich hatte die ALBA SE in den vergangenen Jahren umstrukturiert.
Bei einer Präsenz von 93,64 Prozent wählte die Hauptversammlung neben Schweitzer auch den geschäftsführenden Direktor Rob Nansink und den Commercial Manager der ALBA Group, Dirk Beuth, für vier Jahre in den Verwaltungsrat.
Tue, 07 Jun 2016 13:37:00 +0200
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ALBA SE delivers further sharp increase in operating income
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-se-delivers-further-sharp-increase-in-operating-income/
+ EBITDA up 22.5 percent to EUR 41.2 million with slight decrease in sales revenues by EUR 0.2 billion to EUR 1.4 billion+ EBT improved by EUR 44.2 million despite impairments and – after two negative years – back in positive figures at EUR 9.9 million
Cologne. The publicly quoted environmental services and raw materials provider ALBA SE together with its subsidiaries once again generated stronger earnings in financial year 2015 than in the previous year. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) went up by EUR 7.6 million or 22.5 percent to EUR 41.2 million. Earnings before taxes climbed even more strongly: After two years of negative EBT, the figure shot up by EUR 44.2 million and as announced was back in positive figures at EUR 9.9 million. “The figures prove that we are right on course with our restructuring. With regard to the operating result our plans have been confirmed,” said Dr Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Administrative Board of ALBA SE, on presentation of the annual financial statements for 2015. “The services segment performed positively, but we faced an exceptionally difficult operating environment in steel and metals recycling. Therefore we have to continue our restructuring process and realise every started and planned measure.” As a result of this operating environment, earnings before taxes (EBT) were heavily impacted by impairments on goodwill and other intangible assets recognised in accordance with financial reporting standards. EBT for 2015 was nonetheless in positive figures. Sales revenues decreased from EUR 1.6 billion in 2014 to EUR 1.4 billion in the financial year 2015.New projects in Germany – progress in ChinaIn Germany, ALBA SE is intensifying activities to close the loop in production processes and to meet special customer requirements with innovative detailed solutions. INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH, for example, has just launched a custom-tailored recycling service for online retailers of electrical and electronic equipment. This simplifies the management of waste electrical and electronic equipment in compliance with the country’s new Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG). As part of the service, Interseroh takes on all types and sizes of waste equipment from retailers at a flat rate. The take-back scheme is supported by a newly established network of dedicated acceptance points. The service includes the necessary verification system for compliance with all statutory requirements.To improve environmental performance in connection with plastic one-way deposit bottles, Interseroh has developed a mobile counting centre. Until now, retail chains and drinks wholesalers had to transport empty bottles at significant cost to stationary counting centres. Now, an Interseroh truck counts, crushes and compacts plastic bottles on site. The crushed material can be transported directly to the recycler, making unnecessary numerous journeys between retailers, wholesalers and counting centres. That is good both for the environment and for the cost base of the companies involved. The mobile counting centre is currently being made available to initial customers on a trial basis for a week at a time.The ALBA Group achieved further progress in its Chinese activities. In late summer 2016 the ground-breaking ceremony for the green fuel facility in Jieyang will take place. Using a process developed by the ALBA Group this facility will separate hazardous materials and extract recyclables from household waste. The left-over waste is converted into pellets that power stations can use in place of fossil fuels.Work proceeds in Hong Kong to plan on construction of South East Asia’s most advanced waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) treatment and recycling facility. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in January and the facility is scheduled for completion in mid-2017.The contract also includes providing the metropolis of seven million people with a collection scheme for large discarded household appliances. Falling prices create challenges for both segments of ALBA SE ALBA SE countered the overcapacity in global steel production, further decline in iron ore prices and excess capacity in German scrap recycling thanks to its successful restructuring, enabling itto continuously increase EBITDA in the steel and metals recycling segment to EUR 16.3 million in the first three quarters of the year. It was not possible to make up for the collapse in scrap prices in the fourth quarter, however, resulting in EBITDA of EUR -8.4 million in that quarter. Scrap prices went down by some 30 percent in just 12 months. With the implementation and realisation of all planned adjustment measures ALBA SE will succeed in compensating these falling prices. “The reporting year in the services segment was marked by fierce competition with discountsand a sharp decline in selling terms for specific fractions,” Axel Schweitzer reported. In plastics recycling, for example, the average price of transparent PET fell by 44.2 percent relative to the previous year, and the average price of coloured PET by no less than 85.3 percent. However, the system launch in Austria and the seventh amendment of the Packaging Ordinance in force since the beginning of the financial year made for an increase in sales packaging recyclingrevenue. The system is now on a stable foundation ready for the 25th anniversary of Germany’s Packaging Ordinance and of Interseroh.The success of the restructuring undertaken within ALBA SE is shown by EBT adjusted for impairments. This came to EUR 24.0 million, an improvement of EUR 20.1 million on the previous year’s adjusted EBT of EUR 3.9 million. Adjusted EBT thus exceeded the expectations set at the beginning of the year.“The past financial year shows that we are on the right track with the restructuring of the ALBA SE and the entire ALBA Group. We are extending our value chains and consequently improving the quality of the materials we process,” Schweitzer continued. This successful strategy is being continued in 2016.Anlagen / weitere InformationenAxel_Schweitzer_ALBA_Group__3__01.jpgKennzahlen_ALBA_SE_01.jpg
Wed, 27 Apr 2016 10:28:00 +0200
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ALBA Electronics Recycling Offers Uniform European Safety Standards
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-electronics-recycling-offers-uniform-european-safety-standards/
Eppingen. ALBA Electronics Recycling GmbH, a subsidiary of the international environmental service provider and raw materials supplier ALBA Group, has undergone certification at the Eppingen (Baden-Wuerttemberg) and Lustadt (Rhineland-Palatinate) locations in accordance with the latest requirements of the European CENELEC standards. In accordance with these standards (DIN EN 50625), the entire process chain of the recycling process, including the freedom from hazardous materials of the output material, is examined and certified.
ALBA had the audit performed in accordance with the CENELEC standards for the treatment of electrical and electronic equipment and screen equipment. A particular focus was on the treatment of flatscreen monitors, for which ALBA had developed automated dismounting last year.
"Certification in accordance with CENELEC standards is not prescribed in Germany. Nevertheless, we decided to have such an audit performed voluntarily. We can thus offer our customers the security that we fulfil high quality requirements that are standardised and binding across Europe," says Manfred Fahrner, Sales Director of ALBA Electronics Recycling GmbH.
The European standard series DIN EN 50625 describes the requirements for the collection, logistics and treatment of electronic waste equipment. It is aimed at promoting materials recycling and supporting high-quality recycling processes. It was introduced in order to fulfil the requirements of the European WEEE directive. However, the corresponding implementation of the WEEE directive in German law by means of the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG) does not contain such an auditing requirement. Accordingly, the European CENELEC standards in accordance with DIN EN 50625 go far beyond the German requirements.
Wed, 17 Feb 2016 13:45:00 +0100
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ALBA Group plans to boost China business and service activities with added capital
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-plans-to-boost-china-business-and-service-activities-with-added-capital/
Berlin. ALBA Group has delineated its strategy within the investor recruitment drive to step up the expansion of its China business and domestic market growth. “We want to strengthen our key growth areas of China and the ‘4 R’s – reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink’ – with additional equity investors,” said Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA Group plc & Co. KG. Negotiations with Asian partners have shown that it makes sense to focus their investment on China.
Under the “China Growth” strategy launched by ALBA Group around six months ago as part of its investor recruitment drive, a partner is to be selected for the China business. "We have made good progress and we are already at an advanced stage in talks. As announced, the contract signing will be in the first half of this year,” Schweitzer said. The focus here is on selected technology areas such as automotive and electronic waste recycling, where ALBA’s leading expertise will be put to work in additional facilities in China.
To further strengthen home market activities, the ALBA Group is going to bring on board a strong investment partner in its service business. Capabilities in this sector include take-back systems for sales and transport packaging, waste avoidance and product recycling solutions, and facility management.
Meanwhile, the ALBA Group’s activities in China continue to grow: New Year’s Eve saw the signing of a 30-year contract for the management of municipal solid waste (365,000 tons a year) in the city of Jieyang. Jieyang is also going to be home to the first of eight currently planned green fuel facilities. Once hazardous materials have been separated out and recyclables extracted, waste is converted here into pellets that power stations can use in place of fossil fuels. Construction of the first green fuel facility is planned to begin in summer 2016.
On 21 January, the ground-breaking ceremony took place in Hong Kong for the most advanced waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) treatment and recycling facility in Southeast Asia. For ten years from when the facility comes into operation, ALBA will perform collection and recycling of what will mostly be large household appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, televisions, washing machines and computers.
Sun, 31 Jan 2016 23:00:00 +0100
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Martin Becker-Rethmann leaves ALBA Group
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/martin-becker-rethmann-leaves-alba-group/
Berlin. Martin Becker-Rethmann, Member of the Board of Directors of ALBA Group, is leaving the Berlin-based international recycling and raw materials firm at the turn of the year. In addition to his Group-wide responsibility for the area of technology, the 47-year-old most recently led the operational business in Poland as well as the implementation of the growth projects in China and Hong Kong.
"Thanks to his many years of experience in all areas of the waste management industry, Mr Becker-Rethmann made a significant contribution to the successful establishment of ALBA Group in China. I thank him for this and for his commitment to the company's operations," says Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA Group. However, the further expansion of the activities there now require a higher presence in China, which is not compatible with Becker-Rethmann's life planning.
Martin Becker-Rethmann: "I can look back at two challenging and successful decades in the ALBA Group, in which I was able to contribute to the expansion of the Group into an international player in the waste management industry. However, after such a long time and shortly before the mid-point of my life, it is the right time to venture something new."
In 1994, following a post in the Environmental Protection/Residual Waste Directorate of the Treuhandanstalt, industrial economics graduate Becker-Rethmann began working as a controller in what was then ALBA AG & Co. KG. After management roles in various companies of the ALBA Group in Germany and abroad, he was promoted to the Board of Directors of the management company in 2009.
In leaving the ALBA Group, Becker-Rethmann also ends his activity as a Member and Vice Chairman of the Administrative Board of ALBA SE.
Fri, 18 Dec 2015 14:36:00 +0100
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Portfolio optimisation delivers results: ALBA SE boosts earnings despite ongoing difficult market situation in steel and metals recycling
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/portfolio-optimisation-delivers-results-alba-se-boosts-earnings-despite-ongoing-difficult-market-situation-in-steel-and-metals-recycling/
+++ Group generates in the first nine months of 2015 earnings before taxes (EBT) of EUR 26.9 million – an increase of more than 90 percent on the previous year (previous year’s period: EUR 14.0 million) – on nearly 7 percent lower revenue +++
Cologne. The listed environmental services provider and raw material supplier ALBA SE increased earnings before taxes (EBT) in the first three quarters of 2015 – on lower revenue than in the same period last year – from EUR 14.0 million to EUR 26.9 million. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and shares in profits of associated companies (EBITDA) came to EUR 39.2 million, compared with EUR 32.4 million in the same period a year earlier. Revenue amounted to EUR 1,099.5 million (previous year’s period: EUR 1,176.0 million).
On presentation of third quarter 2015 figures, Dr Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Administrative Board of ALBA SE, said: “The steel and metals recycling segment faced tough conditions with a further fall in scrap demand and prices. In the services segment, on the other hand, the seventh amendment of the German Packaging Ordinance helped stabilise the quantities of lightweight packaging which were registered in the Dual system and for which license fees were duly paid.”
Third-quarter EBITDA was EUR 14.5 million in 2015 (Q3 2014: EUR 10.9 million). EBT was just short of EUR 11 million, higher than the EUR 4.9 million recorded a year earlier. Revenue for the three months July to September, at EUR 306.9 million, was down on the previous year’s level (Q3 2014: EUR 427.3 million).
Segment performance in detail
Steel and metals recycling
The hard conditions on the steel scrap market continued in the third quarter unabated. Persistent low iron ore prices meant that more steel was produced from primary resources. Electric arc furnace steelmaking, which unlike blast furnace steelmaking mostly uses steel scrap, was consequently once again down on the previous year’s period. As a result, prices for steel scrap were likewise lower than in the same period a year earlier. The average ex-yard sale price of Grade 2 light scrap, for example, dropped from EUR 275.97 per tonne in the first three quarters of 2014 to EUR 237.80 per tonne in the first nine months of 2015.
Non-ferrous metal prices likewise fell steeply in the reporting period. While the price for a tonne of aluminum decreased by 6.3 percent compared with the comparative period to USD 1,717, the price of a tonne of copper fell by nearly 18 percent to USD 5,701. The nickel price slid by 26.7 percent to USD 12,619 per tonne.
The difficult situation squeezed margins and held back earnings. The segment was more than able to make up for these impacts, however. Sales of yards, the disposal of the Balkan Group and of the stake in the TOM Group (Poland) announced at the annual press conference in April and completed in the third quarter, and cost reductions from the reorganization and efficiency enhancement program all made for a rise in EBITDA. EBT likewise increased. Besides the factors mentioned, depreciation and amortization and interest expenses were down on the previous year. Mainly because of price movements and the portfolio streamlining, revenue decreased from EUR 938.8 million in the first nine months of 2014 to EUR 842.4 million in the first three quarters of 2015.
Services
Revenue in the services segment was EUR 258.4 million in the first three quarters of 2015, compared with EUR 238.7 million in the first nine months of 2014. Transport packaging recycling revenue was on a par with the previous year’s period. A positive trend in orders on hand and new contracts was countered by fierce competition and consequently discounts for customers and by lower revenue from selling raw material.
The seventh amendment of the Packaging Ordinance in force since the beginning of the financial year made for an increase in sales packaging recycling revenue compared with the previous year’s period. This contrasted with a steep drop in raw material prices. Clearing contracts were modified and signed under the Dual Systems Joint Office. Modified checks that apply from audit year 2016 will help further stabilize the market. Revenues gained a strong boost from liberalization of the Austrian sales packaging recycling market.
The Recycling Solutions Interseroh service (management of waste collection from retail outlets, warehouses and production facilities and marketing of the acquired raw materials) was able to partially make up for a steep drop in revenue from PET marketing compared with the same period a year earlier. The main factor in this was business development in contracts on hand.
ALBA SE expanded its licensing business on the Polish market and pushed its market share in packaging recycling there above 20 percent with the September 2015 acquisition of Polski System Recyklingu Organizacja Odzysku Opakowań SA (PSR), Warsaw. The PSR acquisition is part of the ongoing optimization process across the ALBA SE Group.
The balance sheet total was slightly down on December 31, 2014, mainly thanks to the sale of the TOM Group and the Balkan Group. The ALBA SE Group continues to be included in the ALBA Group’s financing arrangements. This makes sure that the ALBA SE Group has sufficient liquid funds at its disposal.
Outlook
Despite the harsh conditions facing the steel and metals recycling segment, Management anticipates only a slight decrease in the traded volume of ferrous scrap and in non-ferrous metal quantities. Adjusted for the quantities involved in the portfolio streamlining, ferrous scrap volumes will be around the same levels as the previous year, while non-ferrous metals will see a slight decrease. Revenue will also be slightly down in 2015 relative to 2014. The segment continues to expect an exceptionally strong increase in EBITDA and EBT through to the end of 2015.
In the services segment, Management expects that revenue will show a moderate increase on 2014. EBITDA will be around the same level as in the previous year, while EBT will rise slightly.
In total, for financial year 2015 as a whole, ALBA SE anticipates a marginal decrease in revenue and a strong increase in EBITDA compared with 2014. Management expects that EBT will be back in positive figures and will likewise show a strong increase as of the financial year-end.
Fri, 13 Nov 2015 08:30:00 +0100
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New study: When comparing ‘primary’ with ‘secondary’, recycling wins every time
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/new-study-when-comparing-primary-with-secondary-recycling-wins-every-time/
Berlin. Through its recycling activities, the international raw materials supplier and environmental services provider ALBA Group is making a significant contribution to safeguarding resources and protecting the climate. This was the conclusion arrived at by experts at the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT in their recent study ‘resources SAVED by recycling’. According to the study, ALBA Group saved more than 48.3 million tonnes of primary resources in 2014 alone by recycling around 6 million tonnes of material. Over the same period the recycling specialist also saved around 6.6 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve a similarly positive effect on the climate, the number of cars on German roads needs to be reduced by around 3.7 million.
Through its recycling activities the ALBA Group is helping in the effort to achieve the targets set by the federal government as part of the resource efficiency programme ProgRess. The aim of the programme is to double resource productivity in Germany by 2020 compared to 1994. However, if the negative trend seen over the last five years continues, the target could be missed by as much as 40 per cent, according to a preliminary progress report by the Federal Environment Ministry. The Fraunhofer scientists have shown in their current study that an integrated recycling economy can turn this trend around.
Dr Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the ALBA Group plc & Co. KG: ‘With international demand for raw materials rising and with primary resources becoming increasingly scarce, it is vital that we recognize the raw material that is already in circulation as our most important source, and that we make full use of it. In the long term we need to break the link between global growth and resource consumption. The results of the Fraunhofer study show that we are already holding the key to securing a sustainable supply of raw materials and can set the course for improved resource efficiency.’
Dr Hartmut Pflaum EngD, Head of Resource and Innovation Management at Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT: ‘With the aid of the method we developed in-house, we can make exact models of the recycling processes of the ALBA Group in all the material flows under examination and compare that with the raw material costs of primary production. The remarkable result of our ‘primary’ against ‘secondary’ comparison was that recycling always wins. From a scientific perspective that is not only a step forward for the environment but also a milestone for the recycling economy and, ultimately, for society as a whole.’
To ascertain the savings in resources, the scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT looked at the material flows of metal, old electronic devices, paper/cardboard, glass, lightweight packaging, plastics and wood. You can read the results of the ‘resources SAVED by recycling’ study in the ALBA Group information portal www.resources-saved.com.
Wed, 07 Oct 2015 09:31:00 +0200
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ALBA SE expands licensing business in Poland
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-se-expands-licensing-business-in-poland/
Cologne/Warsaw. Publicly quoted environmental services and raw materials provider ALBA SE is expanding its licensing business on the Polish market with the acquisition of Warsaw-based Polski System Recyklingu Organizacja Odzysku Opakowań SA (PSR). The acquisition is taking place through the Polish subsidiary of ALBA SE, INTERSEROH Organizacja Odzysku Opakowań S.A. (Interseroh Poland). ALBA SE bundles its activities in the licensing business under the Interseroh brand. The corresponding purchase contract was signed in Warsaw last Thursday.By acquiring PSR, which has operated in the field of packaging recycling in Poland since 2002, Interseroh Poland increases its market share to more than 20 per cent. Interseroh Poland has already operated in the field of licensing on the Polish market for eight years and through the acquisition of PSR it becomes the second-largest partner for trade and industry, with approximately 3,300 customers."In addition to our path of internationalisation towards Asia, we have always emphasised that we also want to grow in our core markets of Germany and Poland, since these remain particularly important to us. I am therefore very pleased that we have further expanded our market position in Poland in the field of packaging recycling," says Dr Axel Schweitzer, chairman of the administrative board of ALBA SE.The acquisition of PSR goes hand-in-hand with the continuation of ALBA SE's on-going optimisation process. The planned separation from the holding in the TOM Group, a group in Poland operating in the field of scrap recycling and raw material recycling, announced at the balance sheet press conference in April 2015 as part of this process, has now been completed. The shares have been purchased by shareholder Jaromir Zandecki, 54. He is assuming the ALBA stakes in all four companies of the TOM Group. The completion of the sale is still pending the approval of the Polish cartel authorities.
Mon, 07 Sep 2015 17:54:00 +0200
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Reorganisation plan effective - ALBA SE's result clearly positive
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/reorganisation-plan-effective-alba-ses-result-clearly-positive/
+++ Group generates earnings before taxes (EBT) of EUR 16.0 million in the first half of 2015 – which is an increase of 76 percent compared to the year before (1st half year of 2014: EUR 9.1 million). +++
+++ Revenue grows by almost 6 percent from EUR 748.7 million to EUR 792.6 million +++
+++ Management expects positive EBT at the end of the financial year +++
Cologne. The listed environmental services provider and raw material supplier ALBA SE has strongly improved its result over the first six months of 2015 as a consequence of the restructuring measures it has implemented and the realisation of the portfolio optimisation which the company had announced earlier. Earnings before taxes (EBT) rose by 76.2 percent to EUR 16.0 million compared to EUR 9.1 million in the first quarter of 2014. Earnings before interest, taxes, deprecation and amortisation and shares in profits of associated companies (EBITDA) improved to EUR 24.7 million in the first half of 2015 and were thus by more than 14 percent higher than the previous year's figure of EUR 21.5 million. Revenue grew by almost 6 per cent to EUR 792.6 million (previous year's value: EUR 748.7 million).
On the occasion of the presentation of the mid-year financial report, Dr. Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Administrative Board of ALBA SE, said: “In light of the persistently difficult economic conditions in the steel and metals recycling segment and the fierce competition in the services segment, we performed well in the first half year of 2015. This performance reflects clearly that our strategic new orientation is the correct approach and that our measures to reduce costs and optimise our portfolio have the desired effect.“
The balance sheet total saw only a negligible increase compared to 31 December 2014. It rose by EUR 22.0 million to EUR 488.1 million. ALBA SE group is still included in ALBA Group's financing. It ensures that ALBA SE always has sufficient liquid funds available.
When the stock exchange opened on 2 January 2015, ALBA SE's share was quoted at EUR 51.25 in XETRA trading. The highest price during the first half year was EUR 56.50, the lowest EUR 49.08. At the end of the reporting period on 30 June 2015, ALBA SE's share closed at EUR 52.00.
Segment development in detail
Steel and metals recycling
The steel scrap industry was still characterised by difficult conditions in the first half of 2015. Global raw steel production fell by 2 percent compared to the same period in the year before. The electric steel production, which uses predominantly steel scrap contrary to the furnace procedure, experienced another decline in the period under review compared to the first six months of 2014 due to falling prices for the primary raw material of iron ore in the period under review. In Germany, this decline amounted to 3.6 percent. Steel scrap prices were consequently lower than the prices in the same period of the year before. For example, the average warehouse selling price of leading scrap type 2 dropped from EUR 279.20 per tonne in the first half year of 2014 to EUR 242.70 per tonne in the reporting period.
Apart from prices for aluminium which rose by 1.7 percent to USD 1,782 per tonne, prices for non-ferrous metals declined compared to the previous years' period but were stabilised by exchange rate effects. The average price for copper fell by 14.3 percent to USD 5,928 per tonne, while the average price for one tonne of nickel dropped by 17 percent to USD 13,677.
The difficult market situation in the segment put pressure on the margins and affected the result. However, the segment was able to overcompensate for these effects. The sale of locations and cost cuttings achieved through the reorganisation and efficiency enhancing programme led to an increase of the EBITDA. Another positive effect was that no new restructuring expenses were incurred in the first six months of 2015.
The EBT rose as well. In addition to the effects described above which resulted in an increase of the EBITDA, depreciation and amortisation and interest expenses dropped compared to the year before.
Revenue was up from EUR 595.2 million in the first six months of 2014 to EUR 621.4 million in the first half year of 2015. Reasons for this rise were a higher number of traded tonnes of non-ferrous metals and higher prices for aluminium. And the revenue rose due to exchange rate effects in particular regarding copper which were the result of the weak Euro. This trend overcompensated the lower revenue achieved with the trade in iron scrap quantities.
In the first two quarters of 2015, the traded quantity of iron scrap of 1.12 million tonnes was only negligibly below the quantity traded in the comparative period (1.18 million tonnes), the volume of traded non-ferrous metals amounted to 183,000 tonnes and was slightly up by 12,000 tonnes. Taking into account the portfolio optimisation performed in the second half of 2014, ALBA SE was able to increase the traded iron scrap volume by 134,000 tonnes and the marketed volume of non-ferrous metals by 19,000 tonnes.
Services
In the first six months of 2015, the services segment generated revenue of EUR 172.1 and thus significantly more than in the previous year (1st half year 2014: EUR 155.0 million).
Revenue generated by transport packaging in the first six months of the reporting period was at the level of the previous year. The fierce competition and the price discounts which needed to be granted to customers on account of this situation combined with lower proceeds from raw material marketing were compensated by late registration, a positive trend in orders on hand and new contracts.
In the first half year of 2015, the sales packaging business achieved a significant rise in revenue. Reason for this trend is the higher volume of licensed packaging, caused by the seventh amendment of the Packaging Ordinance. The volume of licensed light packaging in yellow bins/yellow bags for which the recycling charge was duly paid went significantly up after this amendment took effect. This positive development is confirmed by the volume registered for the third quarter of 2015.
On July 27, 2015, the operators of the dual systems additionally signed a new volume clearing contract and thus implemented a revised draft prepared by the Länderarbeitsgemeinschaft Abfall (Work Group of the Federal States for Waste - LAGA) regulating the verification of volume reports made by brokers and trading companies. The system operators thus make another contribution to optimising and safeguarding the disposal of packaging from households organised by private companies.
The Recycling Solutions Interseroh service (management of waste collection from branches, warehouses and production sites and marketing of the raw materials gained) was able to moderately raise its revenue, despite lower proceeds from the marketing of raw materials, thanks to new orders.
Another positive effect came from the liberalisation of the Austrian market for recycling of sales packaging.
Both the EBITDA and the EBT segment exceeded the values of the previous year at the end of this year's first half. Business model-related effects from other accounting periods which arose in the operating system business dropped significantly but were overcompensated by positive effects from additional volumes of licensed packaging in the sales packaging recycling business in Germany and Austria.
Outlook
At the beginning of the financial year, the World Steel Association still assumed that the global demand for steel would rise by 2 percent. In the meantime it has corrected this figure to 0.5 percent. Main reason being the declining demand from China. But, the country still wishes to maintain its production capacities. So it will offer any excessive quantities arising from this trend at lower prices on the world market, thus causing a negative effect on the world market prices and burdening the global steel market. Analysts forecast for 2015 that Chinese steel exports will be up by 25 percent. Some steel producers even plan with an increase by 50 percent.
Risks for the European steel market come also from Russia. The economic decline in this country will lead to higher exports to the EU.
It is to be assumed that the iron ore price will remain low. Despite this price collapse, major mine operators still wish to continue accelerating the mining to drive smaller providers out of the market.
Stable prices are expected in the trade with non-ferrous metals.
Against this backdrop and based on the developments in the first half year of 2015, the management still expects a negligible decline of the traded volume of iron scrap but a slight rise of the traded volume of non-ferrous metals for the entire financial year of 2015. Revenue will marginally rise in 2015 compared to 2014. The segment expects an extraordinary increase of its EBITDA and EBT to the end of 2015.
For the services segment, the management expects a moderate increase of the revenue compared to the previous year, mainly due to the price drops for foils and PET.
And it expects a slight rise of the EBITDA and EBT compared to 2014. Reasons are the positive effects from additional licenses in sales packaging recycling in Germany and Austria and the positive business model-related effects from other accounting periods in the operating system business.
In total, ALBA SE expects a slight revenue increase for the financial year 2015 and a strong increase of the EBITDA compared to 2014. Toward the end of the financial year, the management again expects a positive EBT which will have equally strongly improved. This would confirm the turnaround for the entire year.
The mid-year report in German language is available under:
http://www.alba.info/ALBASE/Quartalsbericht-2015-2
Fri, 14 Aug 2015 14:36:00 +0200
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Interseroh at the Fakuma 2015
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-at-the-fakuma-2015/
Cologne. The INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH, a subsidiary of recycling specialists ALBA Group, is again represented at the international Fakuma trade fair, which will this year take place in Friedrichshafen from 13-17 October, 2015. Interseroh uses the world's largest trade fair for industrial plastic processing to introduce to a broad audience the high-quality plastic recyclates Recythen and Procyclen and its complete range of services in closing recycling cycles. At the Interseroh booth, located in Hall B1 1125, the environmental services providerpresents interesting exhibits that demonstrate the diverse possibilities of the use of plastics recycled from post-consumer materials under the motto "Advanced Performance of Recycled Plastic".
Recythen and Procyclen arise out of the in-house Recycled Resource production process which contributes to a sustainable use of resources from LDPE, HDPE and PP regranulates to application-specific product development of recompounds. Both recycled plastics offer the plastics processing industry the desired quality level depending on individual requirements and are continuously available with professional product support.
The range of innovative customer applications and products in which Recythen and Procyclen can be used has grown significantly again this year. Thus PP grades with significantly increased mechanical properties through reinforcing with glass fibres and talcum complement the product portfolio as do flame-retardant recompounds. For the first time HDPE grades for use in blowmoulding processes could be used successfully in the production of sustainable packaging. Procyclen can also be adjusted in terms of fluidity, impact strength, stiffness and UV and heat resistance and thus completely replace new material. In addition, both recyclates have excellent environmental and climate balance.
"In the Recycled Resource business area we are combining our expertise in mechanical plastic recycling and consistently further developing the capacities. In addition, with an independent R&D laboratory in Maribor, Slovenia, we are creating a base in order to meet individual customer requirements even faster and more individually." said Dirk Mellen, Head of Recycle Operations at Interseroh.
Wed, 05 Aug 2015 10:32:00 +0200
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Patricia Hauswald leaves the administrative board of ALBA SE
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/patricia-hauswald-leaves-the-administrative-board-of-alba-se/
raw materials provider ALBA SE will temporarily have just four members instead of five. With effect from 30 June onwards, Patricia Hauswald, a Tax Consultant who comes from Berlin, took the personal decision to resign from the body. Ms Hauswald explained that she had taken on new clients which were temporally incompatible with her duties on the administrative board of ALBA SE.It now falls upon the shareholders of ALBA SE to choose a successor, and until that decision has been made, the board will temporarily have four members rather than five until the annual general meeting convenes next year.“We would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms Hauswald for her dedicated and excellent work on the administrative board of ALBA SE and regret that she is unable to continue her duties because of her other commitments,” highlighted Dr Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Administrative Board of ALBA SE.After studying Economics at university, majoring on accounting and taxation, Patricia Hauswald began her career at accountancy firm Price Waterhouse. In 1999, she assumed responsibility for the group accounting and tax auditing of an SDAX-listed corporate group in the mechanical and plant engineering sector before then moving to the ALBA Group, where she was appointed manager of the Accounting & Tax division in 2006. Patricia Hauswald has been working for Tax Consultants and Chartered Accountants Wagemann + Partner Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mbB in Berlin since 2010.
About ALBA SE:
ALBA SE is a subsidiary of the recycling services provider and raw material supplier ALBA Group. With its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe, the U.S. and Asia. With an annual turnover of 2.45 billion Euros (2014) and about 8,000 employees ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2013 alone ALBA Group saved more than 7 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.Further information on ALBA SE can be found at www.alba-se.com. Information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
Tue, 30 Jun 2015 16:09:00 +0200
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Berlin-based recycling technology from ALBA is a winning international export
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/berlin-based-recycling-technology-from-alba-is-a-winning-international-export/
Berlin. Berlin is the leading centre for recycling in Germany, and Berlin recycling know-how is now a winning international export. This is because together with two Chinese partners, Guangdong Rising Assets Management Co. Ltd. and Zhongde Metal Group Co. Ltd, the ALBA Group, one of the leading providers of environmental services and raw materials, is planning on the shared development and operation of several highly efficient household waste treatment systems in differing regions in China. The basis of the planned systems is the Green Fuel Technology developed by ALBA, the use of which is suitable worldwide for the conversion of household waste into so-called "Green Coal".
"The new project in China has provided confirmation of the value of our internationalization strategy, as it demonstrates that our technical know-how is both globally leading and in demand. This means we can also make a major contribution to the conservation of the environment and resources outside Germany," highlighted Dr Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ALBA Group. "Working together with our Chinese partners, we will be focusing on the further development of a sustainable loop economy in China at a high technical level."
For the purpose of the realisation of the project in China, a shared joint venture company has been established which is based in Hong Kong. This company will assume responsibility for the construction and operation of the planned systems in China. The technical advice regarding the Chinese systems will be managed by ALBA in Germany accordingly with a team of experts.
“Furthermore the project is able to generate new jobs. When realising eight plants we are talking about more than 500 jobs. At the same time, this is an ecological showcase project: With Green Coal, the total CO2 emissions are around 70 per cent lower in comparison with the use of conventional energy recovery”, Schweitzer continued.
With the help of the Green Fuel Technology especially developed by ALBA, municipal waste will be converted into substitute fuel – Green Coal – after hazardous materials have been separated and recyclables have been extracted. This Green Coal will then be used in the scope of energetic recovery in power stations, for instance. Together with the Berlin municipal refuse department, for several years, over a third of the residual waste in Berlin has been processed using this ALBA technology.
Background:
China is responsible for producing most of the world's waste, and over 70 per cent of municipal waste in china is still sent to landfill sites untreated, with an exceptionally negative environmental impact. The goal of the project of ALBA as well as Guangdong Rising Assets Management Co. Ltd. and Zhongde Metal Group Co. LTD is to help out in this area, and with the planned treatment facilities, to recover the recyclable material from the waste, to extract the hazardous materials, and to convert the rest into Green Coal. In this way, an effective solution is now on offer for each of the two mega-trends in China – too much waste and too few resources As a third generation household waste recycling system the ALBA technology therefore offers clear advantages compared with landfill (first generation) and waste incineration (second generation).
Last year, in the presence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Xi, the ALBA Group signed an agreement with Guangdong Rising Assets Management regarding the participation in the "Green Power" project in the Sino-German Metal Eco City. The agreement concerning the construction of the first facility for the production of Green Coal from municipal waste in China formed a key part of this agreement. The current agreement has extended the project with additional facilities of this kind in China.
About the ALBA Group in China
The ALBA Group has been represented in Hong Kong since the early 1990s, from where it developed its Asian business. Today, in the area of raw materials business, the ALBA Group is the biggest exporter of metals from Europe to Asia, for example. The ALBA Group has approximately 25 employees at its locations in Hong Kong and Peking, where they adapt the technologies and concepts developed in Germany, and market raw materials which have been recycled by the ALBA Group in Europe (plastic, paper and metals such as copper and aluminum). Since 2011 the ALBA Group has also played a strong role in the fields of recycling consulting and technological project management in China.
About ALBA Group:
With its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe, the U.S. and Asia. With an annual turnover of 2.45 billion Euros (2014) and about 8,000 employees ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2013 alone ALBA Group saved more than 7 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
Mon, 08 Jun 2015 10:48:00 +0200
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[Translate to English:] Branchen-News in Echtzeit: recyclingnews ganz neu nach umfangreichem Relaunch
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/translate-to-english-branchen-news-in-echtzeit-recyclingnews-ganz-neu-nach-umfangreichem-relaunch/
[Translate to English:] Berlin. Alle wichtigen News der Branche in Echtzeit auf dem mobilen Endgerät. Nach einem umfassenden Relaunch startet das prämierte Online-Branchenmagazin www.recyclingnews.info mit einer neuen Version. Zusätzliche News-Alert-Funktion, viele crossmediale Elemente, verbessertes Responsive Design und eine klarere Optik – die recyclingnews bieten ab sofort ein ganz neues Info-Erlebnis.
Verena Köttker, Herausgeberin der Recyclingnews: „Für die recyclingnews ist dieser Relaunch die größte Veränderung seit der Einführung vor acht Jahren. Das Online-Magazin, das gleichzeitig in Echtzeit über die News der Kreislauf- und Rohstoffwirtschaft journalistisch berichtet und zudem Kundenthemen adressatenspezifisch aufbereitet, entspricht auch technisch den neuesten Anforderungen.“
So ist das Webdesign noch besser auf die unterschiedlichen Endgeräte angepasst und das Layout mit seinen fünf Hauptrubriken (Politik & Recht, Recycling, Rohstoffe, Umweltservices, Nachhaltigkeit) klarer strukturiert. Außerdem können User aus einer Vielfalt von Multimedia-Links und weiterführenden Informationen rund um die Themen Recycling und Ressourcenschonung schöpfen.
Neu hinzugekommen ist der News Alert: Um über Neuigkeiten auf dem Portal auf dem Laufenden zu bleiben, können Leser ab sofort eine E-Mail-Benachrichtigung anfordern. Hierzu genügt die Anmeldung auf www.recyclingnews.info und die Auswahl der relevanten Themenbereiche, die von Interesse sind. Damit nicht genug: In den kommenden Wochen ist das Online-Magazin zudem auch als App verfügbar. Über neue Beiträge kann man sich dann unkompliziert per Push-Meldung informieren lassen.
Susanne Jagenburg, Chefredakteurin der recyclingnews: „Das Besondere an den recyclingnews: Das Magazin „lernt“, welche Themen die Abonnenten interessieren, und passt die Nachrichten-Auswahl für den Newsletter automatisch an. So können sich unterschiedliche Zielgruppen punktgenau über ihre Interessensgebiete informieren, vom Experten über Journalisten bis zum Kunden.“
Bereits 2012 wurde der Newsletter dafür mit dem Deutschen Preis für Onlinekommunikation ausgezeichnet.
Über recyclingnews:
recyclingnews, das journalistisch aufbereitete Branchenmagazin der ALBA Group, informiert derzeit kostenlos rund 12.500 Abonnenten über aktuelle Entwicklungen rund um Recycling und Rohstoffe. Ob Interviews mit Umweltpolitikern, Kommentare zur Rechtsprechung, Marktanalysen oder Recycling-Reportagen – mit seiner Themenvielfalt hat sich die Onlineplattform bei Experten, Kunden und Journalisten gleichermaßen als Informationsquelle etabliert.
Über die ALBA Group:
Die ALBA Group ist mit ihren beiden Marken ALBA und Interseroh in Deutschland und Europa sowie in Asien und den USA aktiv. Mit insgesamt rund 8.000 Mitarbeitern erwirtschaftet sie ein jährliches Umsatzvolumen von 2,45 Milliarden Euro (2014). Damit ist die ALBA Group einer der führenden Recycling- und Umweltdienstleister sowie Rohstoffversorger weltweit. Durch die Recyclingaktivitäten der ALBA Group konnten allein im Jahr 2013 über 7 Millionen Tonnen Treibhausgase im Vergleich zur Primärproduktion und rund 51 Millionen Tonnen Primärrohstoffe eingespart werden.
Weitere Informationen zur ALBA Group finden Sie unter www.albagroup.de. Unter www.albagroup.de/presse können Sie alle Pressemitteilungen der ALBA Group als RSS-Feed abonnieren. Bitte beachten Sie auch unser Onlineportal mit Informationen rund um die Themen Rohstoffe und Recycling: www.recyclingnews.info.
Thu, 04 Jun 2015 09:12:00 +0200
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ALBA SE: Pleasing start to the 2015 financial year
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-se-pleasing-start-to-the-2015-financial-year/
+++ Group generates earnings before taxes (EBT) of EUR 8.7 million in 1st quarter 2015 compared to EUR 2.1 million in the year before +++
+++ Both segments in the black +++
+++ Market opening in Austria results in sales growth for Interseroh Austria +++
Cologne. The listed environmental services and raw material provider ALBA SE generated earnings before taxes (EBT) of EUR 8.7 million in the first quarter of 2015 and thus clearly improved its EBT over last year. For comparison: Earnings before taxes stood at EUR 2.1 million in the previous year’s first quarter which is EUR 6.6 million less than this year. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation and shares in profits of associated companies (EBITDA) also improved in the first quarter of 2015 to EUR 13.0 million compared to EUR 7.8 million in the year before. Sales revenue grew only slightly by 2.6 percent to EUR 382.4 million (previous year: EUR 372.8 million).
For the steel and metals recycling segment, this significant increase of EBITDA and EBT is attributable to effects from the combination of this segment with the waste management and recycling division of ALBA group and one-time effects from the realisation of portfolio optimisation. In the services segment this increase was caused mainly by the clearly higher volume of licensed light-weight packaging collected in Yellow Bins / Yellow Sacks for which proper recycling fees were paid. Another positive aspect was the liberalisation of the Austrian market for recycling of sales packaging.
“The start to the new financial year confirms the strategic path we embarked upon. It makes us confident that the upward trend will continue as planned over the year and will also be reflected in positive figures,” says Dr Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Administrative Board of ALBA SE, when he presented the first quarter figures for 2015. “For years, we have been preparing for an opening of the market in Austria and therefore feel excellently positioned for facing the new competition.”
Segment development in detail
Despite the persistently adverse economic climate, the steel and metals recycling segment reported significant increases in EBITDA and EBT compared to the same period in the year before. This is the result of leaner structures realised by an intermeshing of this segment with the waste management and recycling division of ALBA group and one-time effects from the implementation of the portfolio optimisation. In the first quarter of 2015, ALBA SE sold the Aschaffenburg location which belonged to ALBA Metall Süd Rhein-Main GmbH, the Hanover site of ALBA Metall Nord GmbH and ALBA Metall Süd’s Freiburg location. Sales rose by one percent from EUR 298.0 million to EUR 301.2 million, despite the portfolio optimisation efforts.
The crude steel production, however, experienced a slight decline in the first three months of 2015, compared to the previous year’s period both in Germany, where it fell by - 2.0 percent and on a European level, where it was down by -0.6 percent. Prices for steel scrap dropped again in comparison to the first quarter of 2014. The average direct sales price for scrap type 2 fell, for example, from EUR 283.90 per tonne in the first three months of 2014 by little more than 15 percent to EUR 243.93 per tonne in the first quarter of 2015. One of the reasons are lower prices for the primary raw material of iron ore which is used in steel production and another reason is a change in demand behaviour of the steelworks which often ordered small quantities. Furthermore, steel is often procured from China which was able to further expand its steel exports. As a consequence, competition increased on the world markets.
Non-ferrous metal prices were also down compared to the same period in the year before, but could at least be stabilised, in part, by exchange rate effects.
Sales in the services segment rose from EUR 75.4 million in the first quarter of 2014 to EUR 81.7 million in the first three months of 2015. While sales in the transport packaging recycling unit declined based on the fierce competition and lower proceeds from marketing secondary raw materials, sales in the field of sales packaging were slightly above the figures of previous year’s reference period. New contracts resulted in sales increases in the Recycling Solutions Interseroh service (waste management for branches, warehouses and production sites and marketing of gained raw materials). Interseroh Austria reported a clear increase in sales thanks to the liberalisation of the Austrian market for sales packaging recycling.
In the services segment, EBITDA and EBT clearly exceed the values of the reference period in the previous year. This is mainly due to a clear rise in the German market volume for lightweight packaging compared to the same period of last year and the opening of the Austrian market for recycling of sales packaging.
ALBA – Balance Sheet Total
ALBA SE’s balance sheet total saw only a negligible change compared to December 31, 2014. ALBA SE group is still included in ALBA group’s financing. That ensures that ALBA SE will always have sufficient liquid funds available.
Outlook
The management believes that conditions for the steel and metals recycling segment remain challenging. Despite the ongoing portfolio optimisation, it expects only negligible declines in volume for iron scrap and only slight drops in volumes for non-ferrous metals. Sales should be at the previous year’s level. Extraordinary increases are forecast for EBITDA and EBT. This is attributable, in particular, to the continuing positive effects from restructuring measures which started in the 2013 financial year and continued in 2014.
A still stable market environment in the field of sales packaging will be decisive for the services segment. This segment expects a clear sales increase for 2015 while EBITDA and EBT will decline at the same time. The still fierce competition will have its effects on this development as will business model-related effects from the operating system business relating to other periods which, contrary to 2014, will no longer arise.
For the 2015 financial year, ALBA SE expects in total a moderate increase in sales revenue, a slight rise in EBITDA and a strong increase of EBT compared to 2014.
About ALBA SE:
ALBA SE is a subsidiary of the recycling services provider and raw material supplier ALBA Group. With its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe, the U.S. and Asia. With an annual turnover of 2.45 billion Euros (2014) and about 8,000 employees ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2013 alone ALBA Group saved more than 7 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
Further information on ALBA SE can be found at www.alba-se.com. Information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
Wed, 13 May 2015 09:14:00 +0200
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Clear increase of the operating income/ ALBA Group wins biggest order in the company's history
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/clear-increase-of-the-operating-income-alba-group-wins-biggest-order-in-the-companys-history/
+++ EBITDA of the SE increases by nearly 29 per cent to EUR 33.7 million with slight decline in turnover by EUR 0.1 billion to EUR 1.6 billion +++
+++ Expenses for restructuring and non-scheduled amortisations on goodwill and investments affect earnings before taxes +++
+++ Parent company wins order for collection and recycling of electronic waste in the world-beating metropolis of Hong Kong +++
Cologne. In the 2014 financial year, publicly quoted environmental services and raw materials provider ALBA SE and its affiliated subsidiaries achieved a clearly better operating income than in the previous year. The earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by just under 29 per cent to EUR 33.7 million – after EUR 26.2 million in the previous year. The EBITDA still include restructuring expenses in the amount of EUR 3.7 million and expenses for the portfolio optimisation of EUR 7.0 million. “The reorganisation of the group of companies, which was started in 2013, shows positive effects,” said Dr Axel Schweitzer, chairman of the administrative board of ALBA SE, concerning the presentation of the annual financial statements 2014 in Cologne. However, the EBT were considerably burdened with amortisations of goodwill against the backdrop of the IFRS accounting regulations. The earnings before taxes thus remain negative, but improve from EUR -42.1 million in 2013 to EUR -34.4 million in the 2014 financial year. The consolidated turnover slightly declined from EUR 1.7 billion to EUR 1.6 billion.
“The direction is right. The operating income, which is reflected in the EBITDA, clearly increased by nearly 29 per cent and shows that we are making progress with the restructuring of the group of companies. Of course, we are not yet satisfied with the figures,” Schweitzer adds. “The economic environment remains challenging and the German politics are not exactly helpful for us. We thus focus on the things we can influence, position us more efficiently and adjust our business areas to the future.”
According to Schweitzer, the goal is to develop Interseroh into the brand in Germany and Europe which supports the rejection of the throwaway society and establishes and implements the systems required to realise this. As the latest example, Schweitzer stated the inclusion of a start-up into the group of companies, which intends to use children's clothing more sustainably by renting children's items out (www.kilenda.de). “We think a future without waste is possible,” says Schweitzer.
ALBA Group establishes e-waste recycling in Hong Kong
A milestone for the future development of the entire group of companies was achieved by the parent company, ALBA Group. “A few days ago, we won the biggest order in the history of our family business ALBA Group. It is the collection and recycling of the ‘regulated’ household-related electronic waste for Hong Kong, which has more than seven million inhabitants.”
The order includes the construction of a recycling facility for electronic waste and the operation of the collection and recycling system for a period of ten years. Schweitzer: “We have once again proven that our business model is internationally marketable, and our long standing recycling know-how is highly valued and in demand, also in China.”
At the end of the year, the construction of the recycling facility will be started, which is scheduled to go into operation in April 2017. Together with a logistics partner, a joint venture company with the name ALBA Integrated Waste Solutions Hong Kong Ltd. was founded, which carries out this order. The entire “regulated” electronic waste will be processed in this facility in the future. These are devices for which the government in Hong Kong plans a recycling law, similar to the European WEEE Directive. It primarily encompasses large household devices, specifically refrigerators, air conditioning systems, television sets, washing machines and computers.
For ALBA SE, Schweitzer promised particularly the stabilisation of the Dual System for packaging recycling for the new financial year, as well as a further improvement of the return by the combination of the sites for steel and metals recycling with the locations for disposal and recycling of other materials streams.
Development of the individual segments:
Steel and metals recycling
In 2014, the steel industry found itself in a sustained period of difficulty regarding growth and in structural terms. Global production of crude steel recorded a minor increase of just over one per cent in comparison with the previous year, and of only 0.7 per cent in Germany. Production of electrical steel, of key importance in the steel and metals recycling segment, fell in comparison with 2013 by 2.9 per cent. This fall in production was caused by the prices of iron ore, which fell by almost 40 per cent since the start of the year, which meant that the production focused on classic steel production using iron ore. In addition to this, overcapacity in the steel market had a negative influence on the development of the price of scrap steel. According to the data from the German Steel Federation (Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl), the average price level of leading scrap type 2 in Germany during the year under review was EUR 271.67 per tonne. The comparable value for the previous year totalled EUR 292.50 per tonne. At international level, limited demand caused an oversupply of scrap steel, with falling prices and lower margins. The market for non-ferrous metals also proved to be tough on the purchasing side due to a lower availability of volumes.
Against this backdrop, the steel and metals recycling segment generated a turnover of EUR 1,245.7 million compared to EUR 1,397.0 million in the previous year. The reorganisation and efficiency enhancing programme, which was started in 2013, led to further restructuring expenses in the year under review as well. They amounted to EUR 3.7 million (previous year: EUR 12.1 million). Furthermore, in the scope of the further optimisation planned to our portfolio, expenses totalling EUR 7.0 million accrued for value adjustments to goodwill, property, plant and equipment and receivables. Starting from EBITDA of EUR -0.5 million in the previous year, the segment generated EBITDA in the amount of EUR 9.1 million in 2014, and thus a clearly better operating income. The previous year's EBT of EUR -66.7 million faces an also improved, but negative EBT of EUR -54.8 million. In addition to the effects described above, the negative EBT is essentially caused by additional impairments of goodwill in the amount of EUR 38.3 million (previous year: EUR 34.6 million).
The traded tonnage of iron scrap (Fe) amounts to 2,351,000 tonnes in the year under review (previous year: 2,510,000 tonnes). The sold volumes of non-iron metals amounted to 361,000 tonnes (previous year: 385,000 tonnes). Adjusted by the effects of the portfolio optimisation in the financial years 2013 and 2014, the Fe volumes exceeded the previous year's values with 2,329,000 tonnes (previous year: 2,284,000 tonnes), and the non-iron metals volumes exceeded the previous year's values with 361,000 tonnes (previous year: 346,000 tonnes).
Services
The services segment was characterised by intensive competition with price discounts and pressure on margins. Nonetheless, the transport packaging recorded slight turnover increase compared to the previous year. In sales packaging business, turnover in 2014 remained around the same level as the previous year. For this reason, the market share in the Interseroh dual system remained at the previous year's value of 7.6 per cent. The Interseroh Recycling Solutions (waste management organisation for branches, warehouses and production sites as well as marketing of the recovered resources) service achieved a level of turnover approximate to the previous year's level, as an extension of the portfolio in the Facility Management division failed to occur, and the turnover in the seasonal winter services business could not be increased due to the mild winter.
The turnover in the services segment increased from EUR 315.0 million to EUR 324.0 million. This is also caused by the extension of the business activities of two subsidiaries in Poland. As regards EBITDA and EBT, among others, due to the high competition intensity, with EUR 24.6 million (previous year: EUR 26.6 million) and/or EUR 20.4 million (previous year: EUR 24.5 million), they are below the previous year's values.
Outlook
Steel and metals recycling
On an international level, the expectations for the steel industry are subdued for the current financial year. According to information provided by the world steel association, the global consumption will only increase by approx. 2 per cent in 2015. The European steel association Eurofer predicts an increase of the European steel demand by 2.6 per cent. In Europe, the sector will still struggle with overcapacities.
In view of the prospects for the steel business, an increase of crude steel prices seems unlikely. The prices for iron ore will probably remain on a low level in 2015 as well.
In non-iron metal trading, a moderate increase of demand is expected for the first quarter of 2015. The development in the second half of the year strongly depends on the forecast economic growth in China. The continuation of the geopolitical tensions will affect the demand for non-iron metals as well.
Despite further portfolio optimisations, the management expects only negligible volume reductions for iron scraps and only slight volume declines for non-iron metals for 2015. The sales revenues are expected to be on the previous year's level. The forecasts predict an increase for the EBITDA and the EBT. The reasons are particularly lasting positive effects of the restructuring measures started in the 2013 financial year and continued in 2014. Furthermore, it can be assumed that the impairments and restructuring expenses accrued in the year under review will not occur again, at least not to the same level.
Services
The services segment will be characterised by intensive competition in the current financial year as well. The extension of the existing business, the extension of the Facility Management in the field of the Recycling Solutions Interseroh service and particularly the extension of the national and international packaging recycling are planned. The management plans a turnover increase with concurrent decline of EBITDA and EBT. Among others, the increasing pressure on margins affects this development.
Overall, the management expects a turnover growth and an increase of EBITDA and EBT for ALBA SE in the 2015 financial year.
Please find further detailed information here.
About ALBA SE:
ALBA SE is a subsidiary of the recycling services provider and raw material supplier ALBA Group. With its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe, the U.S. and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.6 billion Euros (2013) and more than 8,000 employees* ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2013 alone ALBA Group saved more than 7 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
* headcount / minority shareholdings included
Further information on ALBA SE can be found at www.alba-se.com. Information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
Tue, 14 Apr 2015 17:13:00 +0200
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Recycling specialist ALBA Group is looking for a partner
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/recycling-specialist-alba-group-is-looking-for-a-partner/
Berlin. The ALBA Group, one of the leading environmental services companies and raw material providers worldwide will be looking for a partner over the next few months. By taking in a minority investor, the family-run company wants to push ahead with growth on the Asian market and strengthen its network of locations with greater depth of value added on its home markets in the medium-term.
Axel Schweitzer, CEO and member of the founding family: “We want to speed up our further growth from a position of strength together with a partner. The opening for a minority investor opens up interesting new perspectives for our company on both our home markets and in Asia. We also see competitive advantages by strengthening our financial situation.” The planned expansion of the scope of financing and the opening for a partner, who is not part of the family, is also taking place in light of the company wanting to financially arm itself against turbulence on the stock exchanges.
At the start of October last year, external ALBA SE shareholders tendered their shares to the ALBA Group for the first time in three years during the collapse of the Dax. At that time, this restricted the scope for further investments in growth markets. As a result, the company successfully agreed the topping up of its financial capacity with its banks. “The Group’s liquidity is currently more than adequate but we are definitely stronger together with an equity partner,” says CEO Axel Schweitzer. He continues: “We have a strict plan, but are not in a hurry and are assuming, that it will take at least until the end of the year to find the right partner.”
The company is also on the right course in the operative business. Axel Schweitzer: “The Group has been able to assert itself really well on the markets where it operates.” At the same time, it has created a new industry standard by interlinking the steel and metals recycling segment with the waste management and recycling division of the ALBA Group. The more slimline structures associated with this also had an effect like the optimisation of the entire portfolio and sales campaign.
Background: The ALBA Group is one of the ten largest companies for recycling and environmental services in the world. The group can serve the relevant value creation chain of “urban mining” with leading recycling technologies.
About ALBA Group:
With its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe, the U.S. and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.6 billion Euros (2013) and more than 8,000 employees* ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2013 alone ALBA Group saved more than 7 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
* headcount / minority shareholdings included
Mon, 02 Mar 2015 09:09:00 +0100
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ALBA SE: Figures from Q3 confirm upwards operational trend – both segments achieve a plus
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-se-figures-from-q3-confirm-upwards-operational-trend-both-segments-achieve-a-plus/
In the first three quarters of 2014, the listed environmental services and raw materials supplier ALBA SE increased its earnings before taxes (EBT) – from 9.5 million Euros to 14.0 million Euros with a lower turnover than in the same period last year. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and shares in profits of associated companies (EBITDA) totalled 32.4 million Euros, after 31.3 million Euros for the comparative period in the last year. Turnover totalled 1,176.0 million Euros (last year: EUR 1,301.4 million Euros).
Dr Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Administrative Board of ALBA SE, made the following comments concerning the presentation of the figures for the third quarter of 2014: "The figures show that despite the wider economic conditions being difficult, in operational terms things are improving. We have held our position well in the markets in which ALBA SE and its subsidiary companies operate. The interfacing of the steel and metals recycling segment with the waste management and recycling divisions of the ALBA Group and the associated leaner structures are showing effect, as well as the optimisation of our portfolio."
In the first nine months of 2014, the ALBA SE group has continued to operate in a challenging market environment. While the services segment was characterised by extremely intense competition, the scrap sector was unable to benefit from the slightly positive growth in the steel industry. The low iron ore prices saw production focusing more strongly on classic steel production with iron ore. However, the tonnages traded by the ALBA SE group in both scrap steel and non-ferrous metals were slightly above the volumes when adjusted for sales of companies in the comparison period last year.
In the third quarter of 2014, at 10.9 million Euros, EBITDA exceeded the comparative value from last year (3rd quarter of 2013: 10.0 million Euros). The EBT totalled 4.9 million Euros – after 3.8 million Euros in the third quarter of 2013. At 427.3 million Euros, the turnover contribution in the months July to September was at the same as last year's (comparative value: 424.8 million Euros).
In comparison with 31 December 2013, the balance sheet total hardly changed. The ALBA SE group continues to be integrated in the financing of the ALBA Group. This guarantees that sufficient liquid assets remain available to the ALBA SE group.
Development of the segments in detail
Electrical steel production, which in contrast to the blast furnace process predominantly uses scrap steel, was unable to benefit from the slightly positive trend in steel production and actually fell in comparison with the same period last year. The low iron ore prices saw the stronger use of iron ore in the production of steel. The prices of scrap steel were therefore lower than those in the comparison period last year. For example, the average stock retail price of leading scrap type 2 fell from 297.00 Euros per tonne in the first nine months of 2013 to 275.97 Euros per tonne in the first three quarters of 2014.
While the average recorded price of aluminium was 4.2 per cent lower than price in the comparison period last year, and that of copper 8.0 per cent lower, the average price of nickel was 9.3 per cent higher than the comparative level in 2013.
Despite the appreciable pressure on the margins for scrap iron and non-ferrous metals, the EBITDA was increased in comparison with the same period last year. This was caused by the leaner structures resulting from the interfacing of the segment with the ALBA Group waste management and recycling divisions and the effects of the portfolio optimisation. Due to the price and because of the portfolio optimisation, the turnover fell from 1,063.0 million Euros in the first three quarters of 2013 to 938.8 million Euros in the first nine months of 2014.
In the services segment turnover totalled 238.7 million Euros in the first three quarters of 2014 after 244.9 million Euros in the first nine months of 2013. While turnover in the area of transport package recycling and in sales packaging remained at last year's levels, the falls in turnover were among other factors attributable to competition-related price pressure on the services of Recycling Solutions Interseroh and INTERSEROH Product Cycle. In the first nine months, the EBITDA was below the EBITDA in the comparison period last year. In addition to the intense competition, this is primarily attributable to effects from Dual System Interseroh relating to other periods, as based on the business model, which were lower in the first three quarters of 2014 than during the comparative period in 2013.
After several months of intense negotiations in the dual systems joint office, on 8 August, the system operators signed the clearing houses contract for 2014. With the provision of one-off support of the trading it was possible to close the existing coverage gaps in the Dual System. As a result of this and the new regulations from the amendment of the Packaging Ordinance, the waste management of packaging as organised by the private sector is being stabilised.
Outlook
Due to the leaner structures from the interfacing of the steel and metals recycling segment with the waste management and recycling divisions of the ALBA Group and the optimisation of the portfolio a positive EBITDA is expected in the segment at the end of the financial year.
In the services segment the management team is expecting lower EBITDA than in 2013. This is due to the sustained levels of intense competition with further increases in pressure on the margins. The realignment of the services business in the ReUse, ReDuce, ReCycle and ReThink business centres is set to bring about new opportunities for growth in new areas of business in the future.
All in all, for the 2014 financial year ALBA SE is expecting a fall in turnover and an increase in EBITDA.
About ALBA SE:
ALBA SE is a subsidiary of the recycling services provider and raw material supplier ALBA Group. With its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe, the U.S. and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.6 billion Euros (2013) and more than 8,000 employees*, ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide. In 2013 alone ALBA Group saved more than 7 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and at the same time about 51 million tonnes of primary raw materials through its recycling activities.
* headcount / minority shareholdings included
Further information on ALBA SE can be found at www.alba-se.com. Information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
Please also look at our online portal containing information on the topic of raw materials and recycling: www.recyclingnews.info.
Thu, 13 Nov 2014 08:38:00 +0100
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New methodology: How much expenditure on resources really goes into products
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/new-methodology-how-much-expenditure-on-resources-really-goes-into-products/
How much petroleum or iron ore are required to produce plastics, metals and other everyday materials? And how much can be saved by recycling? Fraunhofer UMSICHT has developed a new method by which for the first time these questions can be answered in a neutral, scientifically substantiated manner. To do so, in a recent study, the experts put the ALBA Group, a recycling and environmental services provider under the microscope. The research shows: as a result of recycling about 6.2 million tons of recyclable materials by the ALBA Group, around 51 million tonnes of primary raw materials can be saved - an amount equivalent to the annual global demand for aluminium.
For several years, Fraunhofer UMSICHT has already been doing research into what influence the recycling activities of the ALBA Group - one of the ten largest corporate groups for environmental services and supply of raw materials worldwide - have on the environment. First of all, the researchers calculated primarily the saving of greenhouse gases by recycling. In the current study, they go one important step further and now for the first time have shown the full extent of resource conservation due to the ALBA Group's recycling.
To this end, Fraunhofer UMSICHT developed a new method with which the whole recycling process can be modelled step by step. It is based on a life cycle assessment system into which all data is fed. The data base ranges from the amount of materials recovered, by way of the kilowatt-hours of individual power units up to the supply routes and fuel consumption of the trucks or container vessels deployed. Finally, the experts compare the result with the consumption of raw materials that would be necessary to produce a similar product based on primary resources.
Take aluminium as an example: the production of one tonne of aluminium from virgin materials requires the use of 26 tonnes of aluminium ore, overburden, coal etc. On the other hand, one tonne of secondary aluminium only requires 4 tonnes of raw materials. "The difference is enormous", says Dr. Hartmut Pflaum, Departmental Head of Resources and Innovation Management at Fraunhofer UMSICHT. "Every day, we use objects whose production has used up precious finite resources. Our study proves that the best for our environment is to replace primary resources with secondary raw materials, because recycling results in significantly less expenditure on resources, while at the same time industry becomes less dependent on primary commodity imports."
Dr. Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of ALBA Group plc & Co. KG states: "Today no one denies that the sustainable use of resources is essential to preserve our planet and to supply the economy with raw materials in the long-term. But talking about resource efficiency is one thing, calculating it scientifically and making it intelligible is another. The Fraunhofer study clearly shows that the ALBA Group's dedication to employing innovative material cycles pays off - and that a future without waste is possible."
An explanatory film can be seen on the ALBA Group information portal www.resources-saved.com, as well as the full results of the study.
About the ALBA Group:
With its two brands ALBA and Interseroh, the ALBA Group is actively at work in Germany and Europe, as well as in Asia and the USA. With over 8,000 employees all told*, it generates an annual turnover of around Euros 2.6 billion (2013). This makes the ALBA Group one of the leading recycling and environmental service providers and raw material suppliers in the world.
* employees/including minority shareholdings
Wed, 24 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0200
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ALBA SE: both segments end the first six months with positive results
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-se-both-segments-end-the-first-six-months-with-positive-results/
+ Following losses in the first six months of the previous year, the steel and metals recycling business has recorded profits
+ EBT for Group up by 60 percent to 9.1 millions euros
Cologne. The listed environmental services provider and raw material supplier ALBA SE has seen significant improvements in its operating results in the first six months of 2014, despite market conditions remaining difficult. Both segments – services and steel and metals recycling – generated positive pre-tax results. Performance in the steel and metals recycling segment was particularly encouraging: the segment achieved a turnaround after negative results in the first six months of the previous year, generating positive results with lower turnover. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation and shares in profits of associated companies (EBITDA) also improved significantly in this segment.
Pre-tax results for the ALBA SE group as a whole rose by 60 percent in the first six months of the year to 9.1 million euros (previous year: 5.6 million euros). EBITDA was up slightly on the previous year’s level at 21.5 million euros (previous year: 21.3 million euros). The 14.6 percent decrease in turnover to 748.7 million euros (previous year: 876.7 million euros) is largely a result of lower scrap prices and the sale of business shares.
Presenting the ALBA SE mid-year financial report, the Chairman of the Administrative Board of ALBA SE, Dr Axel Schweitzer, gave his view of performance. “These results clearly show that we are on the right track with the integration of the steel and metals recycling in the waste management and recycling divisions of the ALBA Group, and that our cost reduction and portfolio optimisation strategy is taking effect.”
There was no significant change in the balance sheet total compared to 31 December 2013. It was down by 7.9 million euros to 477.1 million euros. The ALBA SE Group is still involved in the financing of the ALBA Group. This is ensuring that the ALBA SE Group has access to sufficient liquid assets.
ALBA SE shares were listed at 61.49 euros at the start of trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on 2 January 2014. The highest price in the first six months was 63.00 euros and the lowest 58.00 euros. ALBA SE shares ended the last day in the period under review, 30 June, at 59.49 euros.
Segment performance in detail
Conditions in the steel scrap sector remained difficult in the first six months of 2014. Steelworks were operating at greater capacity but there was a rise in the use of primary raw materials: crude steel production in the German steel industry rose by 4.2 percent in the first six months of 2014 compared to the same period of the previous year. Production in German steelworks rose to 90 percent capacity, after 85 percent for the same period of the previous year. Steel production in the European Union (EU 28) increased by 3.8 percent. Electric furnace steel production, which unlike the blast furnace process largely uses steel scrap, did not benefit from the more positive trend in steel production and was down on the same period of the previous year. As a result of low iron ore prices, production focussed on traditional steel production from iron ore.
Prices for steel scrap were therefore lower than in the same period of the previous year. For example, the average direct sales price for scrap type 2 fell from 305.7 euros per tonne in the first six months of 2013 to 279.2 euros per tonne in the first six months of 2014.
Non-ferrous metal prices stabilised compared to the same period of the previous year; however, they were on average around 6.0 percent lower than the previous year’s levels.
Under these market conditions, the steel and metals recycling segment performed well. EBITDA and EBT were up strongly on the same period of the previous year. Turnover fell as a result of prices and of portfolio optimisation, from 719.3 million euros in the first two quarters of 2013 to 595.2 million euros in the first six months of 2014. The tonnage of scrap iron traded in the first two quarters of 2014 was 1,176 tto (tonnage from previous year adjusted for portfolio optimisation: 1,136 tto), and non-ferrous metals 171 tto (adjusted value from previous year: 169 tto), each up slightly on the volume traded in the same period of the previous year.
The services segment faced intense competition on both the sales and transport packaging recycling markets. This competition put pressure on margins and resulted in a significant reduction in EBITDA and EBT. Sales in the services segment in the first six months of 2014 were slightly below levels for the first six months of 2013 (162.0 million euros) at 155.0 million euros.
Turnover for the transport packaging business unit in the first six months of 2014 was at the same level as in the same period of the previous year. Sales in the sales packaging business were down only slightly, despite uncertainty surrounding the Dual System. The first six months on the sales packaging market were strongly affected by a funding gap in the Dual System following a historically low licensed volume. The funding gap was caused by self-managed take-back system models and so called sector solutions: while the volume of recycling collected from the Yellow Bin and the Yellow Bag remained constant, there was a continuous fall in the amount of packaging for which manufacturers and distributors bear the recycling costs.
The Recycling Solutions Interseroh business unit recorded a slight fall in turnover in the first two quarters of 2014. This was largely due to discounts awarded for contract extensions. Turnover from new client acquisition only partly made up for this decrease.
Outlook
The recovery of the EU steel business would still appear to be fragile in the second six months of 2014, one reason being the crisis in Ukraine. Current exchange rates are intensifying the competition. The price of iron ore is expected to remain at its current low level; traditional iron ore production is therefore set to account for an even greater proportion of steel production overall in the second six months of 2014.
The German Steel Federation (Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl) is expecting growth of 3.5 percent in global steel production in 2014. Production is expected to rise primarily in countries whose capacity can still be expanded.
Trade in non-ferrous metals stabilised in the second quarter and the forecast for the second six months of the year are for steady prices for both copper and aluminium, and for demand remaining at current levels.
The Management is therefore expecting only a slight fall in turnover in the steel and metals recycling segment in 2014 compared to 2013. EBITDA and EBT are expected to rise significantly in 2014.
For the services segment, the Management is expecting a slight rise in sales as a result of the planned expansion of the Interseroh Recycling Solutions business unit.
The Management is currently expecting only a slight decrease in turnover for the 2014 financial year as a whole for ALBA SE. EBITDA and EBT should rise significantly in 2014 compared to the previous year.
The half-year financial report is available at
http://www.albagroup.de/ALBASE/Quartalsbericht-2014-2
About ALBA SE:
ALBA SE is a subsidiary of the recycling services provider and raw material supplier ALBA Group. With its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe, the U.S. and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.6 billion Euros (2013) and more than 8,000 employees* ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide.
* headcount / minority shareholdings included
Further information on ALBA SE can be found at www.alba-se.com. Information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
For more information on raw materials and recycling, visit our online portal: www.recyclingnews.info
Thu, 14 Aug 2014 08:00:00 +0200
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Interseroh presents plastic recyclates at Fakuma 2014
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-presents-plastic-recyclates-at-fakuma-2014/
Cologne. INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH, a subsidiary of recycling specialist ALBAGroup, is attending the international Fakuma trade fair for the first time, which is taking place from 14 until 18 October 2014 in Friedrichshafen. Interseroh will be using the world's biggest trade fair for industrial plastics processing to present the high quality plastic recyclates of Recythen and Procyclen to those visiting the fair.Both recyclates are created in a production process developed in-house known as "recycledresource" and offer the plastics processing industry the required degree of quality according to the individual requirements. Both Recythen and Procyclen have a constant level of quality and have already proven their value in a wide range of different production processes, including injection moulding, blow moulding and extrusion. The areas of use are correspondingly wide ranging, and extend to include garden furniture, transport boxes, paint cans and office articles, for example. Both recyclates also boast an excellent environmental and climate performance. Procyclen can also be adapted in terms of its flowability, impact strength, rigidity as well as its UV and heat resistance, and thereby completely substitute new products.In addition to an information stand, Interseroh will be attending the trade fair with a specialist presentation. On 16 October 2014, Ms. Dr. Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Research and Development manager for recycled-resource at Interseroh, will be speaking as part of the exhibitors' forum on the subject of "The evolution of plastic recycling: high quality recyclate compounds from used light weight packaging." The forum is directly opposite the 30 square meter Interseroh stand (stand number FO-1-01).Interseroh will be one of more than 1,000 exhibitors from around 30 nations to attend the 23rd Fakuma trade fair. In 2012, the trade fair attracted approximately 44,000 visitors.Next to ALBA, Interseroh is one brand under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBAGroup operates within Germany, Europe, the U.S. and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.6 billion Euros (2013) and more than 8,000 employees* ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide.* headcount / minority shareholdings includedFurther information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases ofthe ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
Mon, 04 Aug 2014 17:00:00 +0200
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ALBA Group realigns the strategy of its Interseroh brand / vision of a future without waste
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-realigns-the-strategy-of-its-interseroh-brand-vision-of-a-future-without-waste/
+++ Growth to be based on four columns ++++++ New Management Team ++++Berlin. The ALBA Group, one of the world's leading corporate groups for environmental services, recycling and raw materials trading, is henceforth realigning the strategy of its Interseroh brand to the vision of a future without waste. This move means that with the motto of "More Value", the Services segment is to be based on four newly defined columns, where all business activities will be brought together. These four columns, which are to be managed in the form of Business Centres, are called: 1. ReUse, 2. ReDuce, 3. ReCycle and 4. ReThink. This restructuring takes a changing society into account, with changing aspirations regarding the use of raw materials – and the move away from a throwaway society towards the responsible management of resources.
Accordingly, ReUse refers to the reuse of products, embedded in the development and operation of return and preparation solutions, ReDuce, the avoidance of waste through customer specific logistical loop systems, ReCycle, customised recycling solutions through the completion of material loops, and ReThink, the "Full Service" services surrounding the business locations, subsidiaries and branches of the customer for the optimisation of the sustainability balance and costs combined with the simultaneous implementation."In a world with a continuously increasing demand for raw materials it is necessary to create new models for the handling of both products and waste. The ALBA Group is already one of the world's leading companies in the area of sustainable business solutions. We intend to build on this position and demonstrate that our vision of a future without waste is not an illusion," explains Dr. Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ALBA Group.In the course of the further development of the Services segment a Management Team will be established which consists of Dr. Timo Langemann, Markus Müller-Drexel, Christian Petschik and Hans-Stefan Kalinowski. Eric Mendel (45), as Member of the Board of Directors responsible for the Services segment. will leave the Board of Directors of the ALBA Group with effect from August 31, 2014. He will however stay linked to the ALBA SE as Member of its Administrative Board. Eric Mendel is leaving the ALBA Group to focus on an entrepreneurial challenge for a portfolio company of a financial investor. He occupied a leading position in the group for eight years; since 2010 he is a member of the ALBA Group Board of Directors where he was responsible for the Services segment."Eric Mendel made a major contribution to the ALBA Group and the further development of the Services segment. Thanks to his hard work and engagement in particular, we have succeeded in further strengthening our position as one of the world's leading sustainability firms in the area of environmental services. We would therefore like to thank Eric Mendel for his hard work over the years and to wish him every success in his new business activities," explains Dr. Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ALBA Group.As the Services segment is one of the most important areas of growth within the ALBA Group, in the initial phase, Dr. Axel Schweitzer will assume personal responsibility for this segment. A successor for Eric Mendel is currently being sought. The remaining responsibilities in the Board of Directors remain in unchanged form. In this context, in the future, the Board of Directors of ALBA Group Holding will consist of four instead of five members. About ALBA Group:With its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe, the U.S. and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.6 billion Euros (2013) and more than 8,000 employees* ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide.
* headcount / minority shareholdings includedFurther information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
Mon, 28 Jul 2014 09:00:00 +0200
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Patricia Hauswald elected to the ALBA SE
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/patricia-hauswald-elected-to-the-alba-se/
Cologne. At today's annual general meeting of the listed environmental services Provider and raw materials trading firm ALBA SE in Cologne, Tax Consultant Patricia Hauswald (41), from Berlin, was elected as a new member to the company's administrative board. The shareholders gave their approval to the corresponding suggestion submitted by the administrative board. The administrative board is the firm's executive and controlling body.
The new election was required as Dr. Werner Holzmayer had previously resigned from his position as member of the administrative board with effect from October 31, 2013 onwards. Ms. Hauswald's period of tenure will end on May 27, 2017 at the latest.
"I am pleased to have gained the trust of the shareholders, and over the next three years I look forward to bringing my experience and knowledge into the firm," explained Patricia Hauswald after her election.
Patricia Hauswald has over 17 years of experience in the fields of group reporting, company taxation, M&A and restructuring. After successfully completing her university degree in economics during which she majored in auditing and tax studies, Patricia began her career at accounting firm Price Waterhouse. In 1999 she became the Group Accounting and Tax Manager of a SDAX listed corporation operating in the field of mechanical and Systems engineering, before then joining the ALBA Group, where she became Manager of the Accounting & Tax division in 2006. Since 2010, Patricia Hauswald has been working for the tax consulting and accounting firm Wagemann + Partner Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mbB, Berlin, and principally advises family-owned businesses.
About ALBA SE:
ALBA SE is a subsidiary of the recycling services provider and raw material supplier ALBA Group. With its two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – ALBA Group operates within Germany, Europe, the U.S. and Asia. With an annual turnover of approx. 2.6 billion Euros (2013) and over 8,000 employees* ALBA Group is one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide.
* headcount / minority shareholdings included
Further information on ALBA SE can be found at www.alba-se.com. Information on ALBA Group can be found at www.albagroup.de. All press releases of the ALBA Group may be subscribed to via RSS feed at www.albagroup.de/presse.
We also have an internet site containing detailed information surrounding the topics of raw materials and recycling: www.recyclingnews.info.
Tue, 03 Jun 2014 14:38:00 +0200
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Changes at the top management level // ALBA Group reduces its Board of Directors – Joachim Wagner steps down for personal reasons
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/changes-at-the-top-management-level-alba-group-reduces-its-board-of-directors-joachim-wagner-steps-down-for-personal-reasons/
Berlin. With effect from 30 April 2014, Joachim Wagner (47) is stepping down from the top management level of the ALBA Group and its subsidiary, ALBA SE for personal reasons.
Since 2009, Wagner played a leading role at ALBA SE and was responsible for the Steel and Metal Recycling segment as COO from 2010. In October 2011, Wagner was additionally appointed to the Board of Directors of the holding company ALBA Group plc & Co. KG where he initially held responsibility for the Steel and Metal Recycling segment and, from April 2013, held responsibility together with Martin Becker-Rethmann for the Waste and Metals segment. After the switch to a monistic system in July 2013, Wagner took over the role of Managing Director and Member of the Administrative Board of ALBA SE.
In future, Dr Eric Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA Group plc & Co. KG, will be responsible for the Waste and Metals segment. He will be supported by Rob Nansink, Member of the Administrative Board and, henceforth, sole Managing Director of ALBA SE. Other responsibilities on the Board of Directors will remain unchanged. The Board of Directors of the holding company ALBA Group plc & Co. KG will therefore comprise five members from now in instead of the six at present.
Dr. Axel Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA Group and Chairman of the Administrative Board of ALBA SE: „We would like to sincerely thank Joachim Wagner for his outstanding work over the years. His contribution to the further development of our group of companies as a provider of recycling and raw materials, as well as his commitment to the tight integration of Steel and Metal Recycling with the Waste Management and Recycling units, was of vital importance. We wish him all the very best for the future."
Thu, 17 Apr 2014 14:51:00 +0200
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ALBA SE Annual Financial Press Conference 2014 // Groundwork done to ensure a forward-looking structure for ALBA SE
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-se-annual-financial-press-conference-2014-groundwork-done-to-ensure-a-forward-looking-structure-for-alba-se/
Cologne. In 2013, publicly quoted environmental services provider and raw materials trader ALBA SE successfully completed the groundwork required for the reorganisation of the corporate group. Such was the communication relayed by Chairman of the Board of Directors of ALBA SE, Dr Axel Schweitzer, on the occasion of the annual financial press conference. As Schweitzer commented: "Before a background of radically changing markets, in 2013, we invested strongly in the realignment of our corporate group and we will continue with our reorganisation process in 2014. The cornerstones of this strategy are a networking of the classic business areas of waste management and plastic/paper recycling with the area of steel and metals recycling, and connected with this, a further optimisation of our portfolio and our continued internationalisation." The goal of management is to gain new customer groups through a wider positioning, to optimise the logistics and business processes, and to thereby achieve superior gross profits.
The results of the 2013 financial year:
Over the course of the last year, ALBA SE and its associated subsidiary companies achieved a consolidated sales volume of approximately 1.7 billion Euros (comparative value from the previous year: 1.9 billion Euros). On 31 December 2013, the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) totalled 26.2 million Euros (previous year: 68.1 million Euros).
The EBT was affected by restructuring costs totalling 12.1 million Euros as well as depreciations on goodwill according to the IFRS accounting regulations totalling 34.6 million Euros and depreciations on holdings totalling 5.9 million Euros.
When adjusted for these effects, last year ALBA SE achieved an earnings before tax (EBT) totalling 10.5 million Euros. The adjusted EBITDA totals 38.3 million Euros.
When unadjusted, the EBT total minus 42.1 million Euros (previous year: 37.8 million Euros).
Schweitzer sees German packaging ordinance as being in urgent need of amendment
Schweitzer stated that the increasingly urgent situation with the dual systems was the topic dominating the market in Germany. Schweitzer criticised the fact that more and more manufacturers and retailers were shirking their obligations for proper recycling: "This situation is resulting in a form of competition with partially market-distorting conditions. I urgently appeal to the political decision makers that in the scope of its seventh amendment, they finally close the loopholes in the packaging ordinance." This would involve abolishing the self recovery and stricter rules for the sector solutions. At the same time, Schweitzer called for refraining from bringing into question a system that works well with high recycling rates simply due to the fraudulent behaviour of certain individuals. "Our problem isn't that the yellow bins aren't being collected, nor is it a quality-related matter – the problem is actually the simple question of ensuring the participants comply with their payment obligations once again."
The volume reports for the first two quarters of 2014 showed how important it is for the lawmakers to take action. According to the volume reports, the licensed volume of lightweight packaging (LP) only totalled just under 760,000 tonnes. In comparison with the first half of 2013, this means that another 28 per cent of the volumes of LP have been checked out. At the same time, the self recovery volume rose by 219 per cent. Extrapolated to the whole of 2014 that means that with 2.4 million tonnes being gathered via the yellow collection systems, only a third of the recycling is actually being paid for.
Internationalisation continues
Schweitzer highlighted that the group will continue to align itself internationally. In 2013, investments were made in a new deep sea terminal in Amsterdam with which ALBA SE is now able to export scrap steel, metal as well as paper and plastics worldwide. The terminal is a good five times bigger than the previous export terminal in Dordrecht. The new site has storage space for 200,000 tonnes of material and ships with a loading capacity of up to 50,000 tonnes can be processed there.
Development of the individual segments
The global overcapacity in the steel industry, the huge European steel crisis and the sustained pressure on prices all impacted on the collection and preparation of scrap steel in the year under report. Business with non-ferrous metals saw weak demand, with lower prices than the previous year. The procurement side saw material shortages, putting pressure on margins.
In this context, sales in the steel and metals recycling segment fell from 1.6 billion Euros in 2012 to approx. 1.4 billion Euros in the 2013 financial year. The EBITDA fell from 32.9 million Euros in 2012 to minus 0.5 million Euros. This was primarily caused by the higher purchase prices that resulted from the material shortages, which when combined with the price pressure on the sales side, led to lower margins. The EBITDA was also impacted by the effects of the restructuring. When adjusted for the restructuring costs, the EBITDA totals 11.6 million Euros. The EBT fell from 3.2 million Euros to minus 66.7 million Euros. In addition to the effects of the restructuring, depreciations also affected the goodwill. When adjusted for the restructuring costs and the depreciations, the EBT totals minus 14.1 million Euros.
Growth in Germany has been sustained to a great extent by public and private consumption. Increases in private consumption faced intense competition in both the sales packaging and transport packaging recycling markets. This competitive situation put pressure on the margins. In the sales packaging market, the year under report was especially characterised by an increasingly urgent situation in the area of the dual systems. In the year under report, many customers invested in machines such as presses or shredders and thereby became independently responsible for their previous recycling services. This led to a fall in the service volume in certain segments of the recycling market.
In the services segment, sales revenues fell from 330.9 million Euros to 315.0 million Euros. The EBITDA totals 26.6 million Euros (in the previous year 35.3 million Euros); the EBT 24.5 million Euros (in the previous year: 34.6 million Euros).
Outlook
In the current financial year, management expects the challenging conditions to continue in the markets in which ALBA SE and its subsidiary companies are active.
For Germany, the experts are predicting a stagnation in crude steel production in total of 43.0 million tonnes after 42.6 million tonnes in 2013. Due to the planned participation of autonomous industrial power generation in the financing of subsidies for renewable energies and the possible ban on the compensation scheme that forms part of the German renewable energy act (EEG) levy, however, this expectation is associated with considerable uncertainties. Globally, the association of the steel industry is forecasting growth in steel production to total 3.5 to 4 per cent, mainly in Asia, Turkey and Russia.
No improvement is currently forecast for German trade with non-ferrous metals in the first quarter. The experts are cautiously optimistic for the second quarter onwards. This also applies with regard to the forecasts for the European sales market which will remain weak in the first half of the year. No further growth is currently expected in Asia. Demand is set to remain at the same level.
In 2014, the management of ALBA SE is expecting to see a further intensification of the competition in the market for packaging recycling in the services segment. In the services segment, the focus is on the further development of new areas of business, in new markets as well as the further internationalisation.
"Before this background, we will continue with the restructuring of the group, interlinking segments closely, and continuing with the internationalisation," explained Schweitzer. In the steel and metals recycling segment, this not only applies to the sales market, it also applies to the procurement markets.
Thu, 10 Apr 2014 11:00:00 +0200
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German-Chinese lighthouse project "Sino-German Metal Eco City" // ALBA Group plans construction of first green coal plant in China
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/german-chinese-lighthouse-project-sino-german-metal-eco-city-alba-group-plans-construction-of-first-green-coal-plant-in-china/
Berlin. The ALBA Group, one of the world's ten largest recycling, environmental services and raw materials trading groups, has signed an agreement with Zhongde Metal Group Co. Ltd and Guangdong Rising Assets Management Co. Ltd for participation in the "Green Power" project in the Sino-German Metal Eco City. A key element of this agreement is the accord on the construction of the first plant for the manufacture of green coal from municipal solid waste in China. The signing took place yesterday as part of the inaugural visit of new Chinese State President Xi Jinping to German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin.
The "Green Power" project is to become a central component of the new “Urban Mining Base” in the Sino-German Metal Eco City, China's first ecological city. The city is currently being built at the doors of the city of Jieyang – which has six million inhabitants – in the south of the country, the centre of the Chinese metal industry. The Sino-German Metal Eco City is a German-Chinese cooperation project initiated and built by business and substantially supported by Chinese politicians. On approximately 23 square kilometres, a living and business area is emerging that is to set standards in technology and ecology.
Worldwide, China produces the most waste and more than 70 percent of Chinese municipal solid waste is disposed of untreated, with a very negative environmental impact. The objective of the "Green Power" project is to provide a remedy here and to re-extract the recyclables from the waste, to separate the hazardous materials and convert the rest into green energy using the planned green coal plant. Thus, an effective solution is offered for the two key mega-trends in China – too much waste and not enough resources. As a household waste recycling plant of the 3rd generation, the ALBA technology therefore offers significant advantages compared to disposal (1st generation) and waste incineration (2nd generation).
In future, 120 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year are to be produced from 400,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste and fed into the power supply system directly on a local basis in the Sino-German Metal Eco City with this plant. This is made possible in that the waste is previously converted into combustibles – so-called green coal – using technology specially developed by ALBA. Compared to traditional energy generation, the use of green coal causes approximately 70 percent fewer CO2 emissions. In Berlin, approximately half of the arising residual waste has been processed with this ALBA technology for many years. In the past, ALBA has conducted waste analyses in various Chinese cities and in 2012 it produced the first green coal from municipal solid waste. The test result was also certified in China.
"Germany is a global leader in the field of environmental technology; ALBA is a global leader in recycling. We are pleased to contribute our expertise to the development of the new ‘Urban Mining Base’ in China's first ecological city in this combined state-private-international line-up and are very grateful for the support of Chinese politicians in this project," says Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of the ALBA Group. "We are happy to contribute to establishing and expanding modern and sustainable recycling management in China."
ALBA Group in China
The ALBA Group has already had a representation in Hong Kong since the start of the 1990s and has developed its Asia business from there. Today, in the field of raw materials trading the ALBA Group is the biggest exporter of, for example, metals from Europe to Asia. Approximately 25 employees work at the locations in Hong Kong and Beijing, adapt the technologies and concepts developed in Germany and market raw materials that were recycled by the ALBA Group in Europe (plastic, paper, metals such as copper and aluminium). Since 2011, the ALBA Group has also run heavier operations in the field of recycling consulting and technological project management in China.
Fri, 28 Mar 2014 15:01:00 +0100
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ALBA Group drives internationalisation forward // The ALBA Group’s new export terminal ships raw materials all over the world
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-drives-internationalisation-forward-the-alba-groups-new-export-terminal-ships-raw-materials-all-over-the-world/
Berlin/Amsterdam. Provider of environmental services and raw materials, the ALBA Group, has opened a unique new export terminal in the port of Amsterdam which will enable the company group to market scrap steel and non-iron metals as well as plastics and paper all over the world.
With the opening of the terminal, the ALBA Group will not only benefit from new possibilities for the exporting of steel and metal, it will also enable the group to service high value customer-specific quality requirements.
The ultramodern terminal is one of the key investments by the ALBA Group in the business area of commodities in recent years and another key step forward in the company’s stronger international alignment. The operator of the terminal is the ALBA Group subsidiary, ALBA Scrap Trading BV (AST), which is also situated at the location.
With an area of 27,000 square metres, a quay length of 180 metres and storage capacities of over 200,000 tonnes, the new terminal is more than five times as big as the previous ALBA site in Dordrecht. In the future, ships with a loading capacity of up to 50,000 tonnes and a draught of 12.5 metres will be dispatched at the new terminal. The port of Amsterdam, with its water depth of 15 metres, offers the ideal conditions for this work. Its rapid links to the North Sea, just a few kilometres away, are also perfect. The location also offers superb links with the local motorway and rail networks and Amsterdam airport.
The configuration of the terminal includes a material handler, a wheeled loader and a mobile harbour crane (Liebherr LHM 550). The latter has a load bearing capacity of 40 tonnes and a total reach of up to 50 metres. The site also features a storage hall and an administration building.
The new AST terminal operates as a collection and transhipment point primarily for FE metals, and due to its provision of space, provides the possibility for loading with high quality products. In addition to this, non-ferrous metals, plastics and papers are also handled. The materials are delivered by inland waterway vessels, seagoing vessels or heavy goods vehicles, mainly from Benelux but also from the other European countries in which the ALBA Group is active. From Amsterdam, the raw materials are shipped to the recipient countries all over the world. The ALBA Group primarily exports to Turkey, Egypt, Spain, Greece, the far east and the United Arab Emirates.
“The terminal serves as an interface between the European and global market for the ALBA Group,” explains Dr. Axel Schweitzer, Executive Chairman of the ALBA Group. “In Amsterdam, we have created the best conditions for further building on our position as one of the leading international high quality recycling and raw materials handling company.”
Koen Overtoom, COO of the Port of Amsterdam is glad about the successful collaboration: „The cooperation between Alba and the Port of Amsterdam shows the true spirit of our Amsterdam Port slogan: Port of Partnerships. We are able to develop and to realize great things when we work together, when we use our flexibility, our creativity, share our knowledge, dedication and commitment.”Anlagen / weitere Informationen210214_DUTCH_VERSION_Persinformatie_Nieuwe_exportterminal_van_de_ALBA_Group_verscheept_wereldwijd_grondstoffen.pdfEroeffnung_Amsterdam_01.jpg
Fri, 21 Feb 2014 09:47:00 +0100
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recycled-resource among the best at German Raw Materials Efficiency Award 2013 // Plastics recycling by Interseroh convinces jury
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/recycled-resource-among-the-best-at-german-raw-materials-efficiency-award-2013-plastics-recycling-by-interseroh-convinces-jury/
Cologne. Recycling without limits: INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH, a subsidiary of the environmental services and raw material supplier ALBA Group, is one of the top candidates for the German Raw Materials Efficiency Award 2013 with its innovative plastics recycling process recycled-resource. The award was conferred yesterday afternoon at a conference on resources at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology in Berlin. The Economics Ministry and German Mineral Resources Agency confer the award annually for outstanding achievements by creative pioneers of corporate strategies aimed at efficient use of resources. Interseroh was nominated in the category “Companies”.
The recycled-resource process manufactures plastic granulates consisting totally of post-consumer material in a quality that can substitute virgin material completely. Interseroh developed the special sorting and processing method together with the plastics industry in years of research work. “With recycled-resource, we have managed to break down the limits to recycling of plastic and to close the substance cycle completely and permanently,” says Eric Mendel, member of the management board of the ALBA Group responsible for the segment Services, to which Interseroh belongs. “The process has opened up completely new perspectives for sustainable enterprise and contributes to easing the strain on commodity markets.”
Since the waste plastic is sorted and processed solely within the ALBA Group without subcontracting, Interseroh is able to supply regranulates from the recycling process in previously unattainable quality specifically to customer requirements. A new study by the Fraunhofer institute UMSICHT shows that recycled-resource not only saves resources, but also helps to protect the environment. For example, industrial use of the regranulates recythen and procyclen releases substantially less harmful greenhouse gases into the environment than use of virgin material. Both regranulates stem exclusively from the collection of recyclable materials from households and industry.
Thu, 28 Nov 2013 17:28:00 +0100
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Interim report on the third quarter of 2013 // ALBA SE announces close collaboration of its steel and metals recycling division and the waste management and recycling business of the ALBA Group
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interim-report-on-the-third-quarter-of-2013-alba-se-announces-close-collaboration-of-its-steel-and-metals-recycling-division-and-the-waste-management-and-recycling-business-of-the-alba-group/
+ Management responds to declining sales and drop in earnings+ Consolidated sales in the first nine months amount to EUR 1,3 billion, EBT EUR 9.47 million
Cologne. The listed environmental services provider and raw materials trader, ALBA SE, is to improve collaboration between its steel and metals recycling division and the classic waste management and recycling business of the ALBA Group on a successive basis. The Company announced this while presenting its figures for the third quarter of 2013. Both business areas are to be simultaneously managed by Joachim Wagner, member of the Board of Directors of the ALBA Group and Executive Director of ALBA SE, with immediate effect, for the national regions of North and South. "Our goal is to offer our customers all services from a single source. We will therefore increasingly present a comprehensive range of services from both business areas at our sites and coordinate logistics efficiently", said the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr. Axel Schweitzer. In doing so, the Company is responding to the continued poor market development of the European steel industry.
ALBA SE and its affiliated subsidiaries generated consolidated sales of EUR 1,301.42 million in the first nine months of 2013 (previous year: EUR 1,518.91 million). Earnings before shares in earnings in associated companies, interest and taxes (EBIT) amount to EUR 17.61 million as at September 30, 2013 (same period in the previous year: EUR 35.69 million), earnings before tax (EBT) totaled EUR 9.47 million (previous year: EUR 26.23 million). Adjusted for restructuring expenses to the value of EUR 5.63 million, EBIT amounts to EUR 23.24 million and EBT EUR 15.10 million.
EBIT for the third quarter of 2013 was EUR 6.07 million, lower than that of the third quarter of the previous year (third quarter of 2012: EUR 15.21 million); EBT suffered a similar fate, at EUR 3.83 million (same period 2012: EUR 12.88 million). Sales profits for the months July through September decreased to a consolidated EUR 424.76 million (same period 2012: EUR 463.91 million).
The balance sheet total has only changed minimally in comparison with December 31, 2012. The ALBA SE group remains involved in the financing of the ALBA Group. This guarantees that the ALBA SE group has sufficient liquid assets.
"The mildly positive development of the European steel industry projected for the second half of 2013 has failed to materialise. The current business year is therefore one of the worst in the entire scrap metal industry since the start of the 90s," said Schweitzer. The steel industry is struggling with overcapacities, subdued demand and high pricing pressure. European steel makers are largely in the red. This situation has affected the business of the steel and metals recycling segment. The services segment also suffered the ever inadequate supervision of regulatory statutes of the Packaging Ordinance determined by law enforcement agencies.
The corporate portfolio of ALBA SE will be further reviewed in addition to the close collaboration of steel and metals recycling and the waste management and recycling business of the ALBA Group. "We are consistently pressing ahead with reorganisation by strengthening areas with unique selling points on the market, intensifying value creation and growth in promising business areas and cutting back on activities that are not in our strategic area," said Schweitzer.
Developments in the individual segments
The steel and metals recycling segment was operating in a persistently difficult market environment in the first three quarters of the current financial year with subdued demand and lower prices than in the first nine months of 2012. An increased scarcity of materials added to this. This situation was reflected in a clear decline in sales and earnings. The business area generated sales revenue of EUR 1,062.95 million (previous year: EUR 1,267.81 million).
3.3 percent less crude steel was produced in Germany in the third quarter of 2013 than in the same period in the previous year. According to information from the Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl (German Steel Association), this decline is based on an extraordinary accumulation of production downtime caused by repairs and plant closures, for example. 2.2 percent less crude steel was produced in Germany in total in the first nine months than in the same period in the previous year, 4.2 percent less in the EU 27. Demand for steel scrap in the EU 27 and Turkey was subdued. A strong euro also rendered exports more difficult.
The low demand for steel scrap lead to low prices. The average price for leading scrap type 2 amounted to EUR 297.00 in the first three quarters of 2013, in comparison with EUR 324.52 in the first nine months of 2012.
The prices of non-ferrous metals have been decreasing since the middle of February in spite of a short interim recovery and were at their lowest point this year at the end of June. The price of copper was even at its lowest point for three years in June. Prices recovered somewhat in the third quarter. The demand for non-ferrous metals was below that of the same period in the previous year.
The steel and metals recycling segment continued the announced process of portfolio optimisation in the third quarter. In order to be best positioned for further internationalisation, a new export terminal was acquired in the port of Amsterdam, which created new export opportunities for steel scrap and non-ferrous metals. Amsterdam will replace the previous export terminal in Dordrecht and is expected to be in operation as of January 2014. The sale of INTERSEROH NRW GmbH, Dortmund, which was executed on October 1, 2013, also served to optimise the portfolio.
Services segment sales decreased from EUR 258.29 million in the first nine months of 2012 to EUR 244.87 million in the first three quarters of 2013. The reasons for this are declines in sales in trade incorporating transport and sales packaging owing to poorer marketing conditions than in the same period in the previous year.
The waste management costs of the Interseroh dual system business unit increased on account of the decline in licensed, and therefore paid by manufacturers and importers, quantities of sales packaging of competitors.
The Interseroh recycling solutions business unit was able to increase its sales and earnings in comparison with the same period in the previous year by acquiring new clients in the field of facility management and by developing waste management at branches.
INTERSEROH Austria GmbH, Vienna/Austria, recovered its license to operate the collection and recovery system for packaging accumulating in the commercial sector. The Company had to accept declines in sales and earnings on account of the four-month break. Salaries for collection systems in Austria were also under pressure in 2013.
Developments in recovered paper and plastic prices have a direct influence on the course of business of business units through the marketing revenues of these individually. Low raw material sales revenues strained the results of highly marketed business units.
Outlook
The management is continuing to expect difficult economic framework conditions for the steel and metals recycling segment. Prices of steel scrap are expected to decline slightly with demand remaining constant in the fourth quarter, while non-ferrous metals are expected to be at a continued low price level with demand also remaining constant. The situation of the procurement market will remain tense. The management is assuming a decline in sales as well as a clear decline in pre-tax earnings for the 2013 financial year in comparison with the previous year.
Margin pressure in the services segment will also continue in the future. All in all, the management is expecting a reduction in pre-tax earnings and a shift in sales to the benefit of unregulated business areas.
On the whole, ALBA SE is expecting a decline in sales as well as a clear reduction in pre-tax earnings for the 2013 financial year in comparison with the previous year.
Thu, 14 Nov 2013 08:00:00 +0100
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Increasing our international focus: an important step // ALBA Group will be again at the CMRA trade fair
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/increasing-our-international-focus-an-important-step-alba-group-will-be-again-at-the-cmra-trade-fair/
Berlin. From 6 to 9 November 2013, the ALBA group will be taking part in China’s largest trade fair for the non-ferrous metal recycling industry: the International Recycling Metal Exhibition & Trade Fair in the megalopolis Chongqing. This is being organised by the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CMRA). Against a backdrop of increasing internationalisation and as an established partner of the Chinese economy, the CMRA fair is hugely important to the ALBA Group, one of Europe’s leading recycling and environmental services companies and supplier of raw materials.
As highlight, the ALBA Group presents its new export terminal at the Port of Amsterdam, which is currently build. This is one of the most important investments in the steel and metal segment of recent years. It should be emphasised that this isn’t a scrap metal terminal in the classic sense, rather a state of the art multifunctional terminal. Quantities of more than 200,000 tons can be stored and ships up to a capacity of 50,000 tons will be loaded and unloaded for the export to China or elsewhere in the world.
Already at the start of the year we strengthened our activities in south east Europe, for example, by purchasing the company Reukema Balkan SRL. This has all served to strengthen our presence in the Balkans, especially towards Turkey.
As the largest exporter of metals from Europe to Asia, the ALBA Group’s steel and metal recycling division has high hopes for this trade fair. It will enable the ALBA Group to strengthen customer relationships and build new relationships with customers in China and throughout Asia, and promises to deliver much, much more. Rob Nansink, Executive Director ALBA SE / Trading: “We must prepare for the future and become less reliant on the European steel market. Therefore, the growth markets in Asia, Turkey, and maybe the USA should play an important role.”
Mon, 04 Nov 2013 09:27:00 +0100
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Plastics upcycling by Interseroh protects the environment and resources // recycled-resource nominated for German Environment Innovation Award
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/plastics-upcycling-by-interseroh-protects-the-environment-and-resources-recycled-resource-nominated-for-german-environment-innovation-award/
Cologne. Upcycling by Interseroh: the plastics recycling process recycled-resource developed by INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH, a subsidiary of the environmental services and raw material provider ALBA Group, has been nominated for the German Innovation Award for Climate and the Environment (IKU) 2013. With this award, the German Federal Environment Ministry and the Federation of German Industries honours the efforts of industry and research in climate and environmental protection. As announced today on http://www.iku-innovationspreis.de/ Interseroh’s innovative sorting and processing technique has been nominated in the category "Environment-friendly products and services".
Using recycled-resource, Interseroh is able to manufacture plastic granulates made completely from post-consumer material in the quality of virgin material. This protects both the climate and resources, as a study by the Frauenhofer institute UMSICHT shows. Industrial use of the regranulates Recythen and Procyclen releases significantly less harmful greenhouse gases than use of virgin material – and that with markedly less consumption of primary energy. Both regranulates stem exclusively from the collection of recyclable materials from households and industry.
"recycled-resource opens up completely new perspectives for sustainable enterprise and contributes to easing the strain on commodity markets," says Kai Bastuck, head of the responsible business unit at Interseroh. "The advantages of recycled-resource over other processes are clear: since 100 percent post-consumer material is used, manufacturers may apply for the eco-label "Blue Angel" for their end product. In addition to this, the waste plastic is sorted and processed by Interseroh only, which means we are able to supply new regranulates in previously unattainable quality specifically to customer requirements, for example, in a certain colour or meeting certain technical demands."
Interseroh has already won the INDUSTRY AWARD 2013 in the category "Support and Services" for its development of recycled-resource and the resultant recycled plastic Procyclen.
Thu, 31 Oct 2013 11:27:00 +0100
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ALBA Group publishes new Fraunhofer study and awards climate protection certificates // New study: recycling cuts impact of mining for raw materials substantially
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-publishes-new-fraunhofer-study-and-awards-climate-protection-certificates-new-study-recycling-cuts-impact-of-mining-for-raw-materials-substantially/
Berlin. The ALBA Group, one of the 10 biggest environmental service companies and raw material suppliers worldwide, saved around 7.1 million tons of greenhouse gases last year through efficient recycling of more than 7 million tons of recovered substances. This means almost one percent of total German greenhouse gas emissions were avoided. At the same time, almost 41.1 million tons fewer primary raw materials had to be dug out of the ground, processed and moved. This is the result of the latest study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT for the ALBA Group.
The Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT has studied the contribution the ALBA Group’s recycling activities make to environmental protection for several years now. This year, the experts also included – a first in the recycling industry – the quantity of so-called abiotic raw materials that did not have to be extracted from nature as a result of ALBA Group’s activities. This examination focused on the two substance streams of metals and plastics. The savings of around 41.1 million tons of primary resources top the annual quantity of lignite mined in the Garzweiler field (35 to 40 million tons per year).
“The new study clearly shows that the substance cycles closed by ALBA Group activities contribute measurably and immensely to helping industry become less reliant on primary raw materials. At the same time it also clearly shows that sustainable management of our environment is possible if we close product (reuse), logistical (reduce) and material cycles (recycle). Thanks to the development of innovative cycles, we can and must today take over responsibility for our environment more so than ever before,” says Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO and co-owner of the ALBA Group.
The brochure on the study is available online at www.albagroup.de/klimaschutzExterner Link. Following publication of the study, all customers of the ALBA Group will each receive a special climate protection certificate showing the customer’s contribution to environmental protection through use of the environmental services of the ALBA Group.
Mon, 07 Oct 2013 15:51:00 +0200
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The ALBA Group builds a new export terminal in Amsterdam // Sale of the INTERSEROH NRW GmbH
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/the-alba-group-builds-a-new-export-terminal-in-amsterdam-sale-of-the-interseroh-nrw-gmbh/
Portfolio reorganisation is progressing
Berlin/Amsterdam/Dortmund. The ALBA Group which deals with environmental services and the supply of raw materials continues with its announced process of reorganising its portfolio. So that the ALBA Group is in a better position for the internationalisation, a new export terminal in Amsterdam is built. It should be brought into service effective from January 1, 2014. To compensate, the lease on the terminal in Dordrecht (also in the Netherlands) has been terminated.
The new terminal offers a whole range of benefits: Across the premises all kinds of iron scrap can be dealt with; moreover with 27,000 square metres the site is five times the size of that in Dordrecht (5,000 square metres) and with its close proximity to airports, motorways and rail connections it is, from an infrastructure point of view, optimal. Eight of our own employees are employed at the terminal in the Dutch capital; up to 200,000 tonnes can be stored and ships with a capacity of up to 50,000 tonnes can be processed.
"The new terminal is part of our long term overall strategy to strengthen our international orientation. From this point of view the building and leasing is an important step", according to Dr. Axel Schweitzer, CEO of the ALBA Group.
The sale of the steel and metal recycling subsidiary in Nordrhein-Westfalen is also part of the portfolio reorganising: TSR Recycling GmbH & Co. KG has taken over the INTERSEROH NRW GmbH from INTERSEROH Scrap & Metals Holding GmbH. This was agreed to by both companies. The takeover is subject to the approval of the Federal Cartel Office, among other things. "Against the background of the rapidly growing interest in 'Recycling - Made in Germany' abroad, we will align much more international and deepen our value chain without questioning our home base", stressed Schweitzer.
INTERSEROH NRW GmbH is a scrap recycler based in Dortmund. The sale of the INTERSEROH NRW GmbH consists of the headquarters in Dortmund and the operating facilities in Mülheim, Münster and Werdohl, with an overall total of 98 employees.
Tue, 17 Sep 2013 16:43:00 +0200
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ALBA SE counters the weak economy with an efficiency enhancement programme // 2013 Mid-year financial report of ALBA SE
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-se-counters-the-weak-economy-with-an-efficiency-enhancement-programme-2013-mid-year-financial-report-of-alba-se/
+ Steel crisis and dropping non-ferrous metal prices are depressing Group sales and EBT + China's demand for non-ferrous metals is lagging behind forecasts + Criticism on control over the regulatory statutes of the packaging ordinance
The publicly quoted environmental service provider and raw materials trader ALBA SE is evidencing a decline in earnings and sales in its mid-year figures due to the ongoing European steel crisis. On the occasion of the submission of ALBA SE's mid-year financial report the Chairman of the Board of Administration, Dr. Axel Schweitzer, said: "Europe on the whole was still in recession in the first half of the year; demand from China for non-ferrous metals was less than forecast. This did not fail to have an effect on our business. We cannot be satisfied with our figures, although in an industry comparison we hold a leading position with earnings before taxes (EBT) of approximately EUR 5.6 million." Schweitzer emphasised that expenses related to the programme of structural and cost optimisation had significantly affected earnings. Adjusted for these one-time costs, ALBA SE's EBT in the first half of 2013 amount to approximately EUR 9.9 million (comparator figure from the previous year: EUR 13.4 million).
Furthermore, steel production was down over five percent in Europe compared to the first half of 2012. "Developments resulted in lower demand for scrap, while prices dropped," Schweitzer continued.
The services segment showed moderately lower sales revenues in the first six months of 2013 compared to the same period of the previous year, but earnings were higher.
In the first six months of 2013, ALBA SE achieved earnings before shares in earnings of associated companies, interest and taxes (EBIT) of EUR 11.53 million (previous mid-year’s figures: EUR 20.52 million). Earnings before taxes (EBT) totalled EUR 5.64 million (previous year: EUR 13.40 million). Adjusted for expenses on restructuring measures EBIT amounted to EUR 15.78 million and EBT to EUR 9.89 million.
Consolidated Group revenues totalled EUR 876.67 million (prior year: EUR 1,055.00 million). Sales between the steel and metals recycling segment and the services segment of EUR 4.57 million (previous year: EUR 4.95 million) were consolidated. Inter-segment consolidations in EBIT amounted to EUR 0.01 million (previous year: EUR 0.01 million) and EBT to EUR 0.01 million (previous year: EUR 0.00 million).
The General Shareholders' Meeting approved the transformation of ALBA SE from a dualistic into a monistic system along with the appropriate recommendation to change the Company's statutes. Upon recording of the new statutes in the commercial register on July 16, 2013, the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Board were replaced with a Board of Administration with two executive directors and four non-executive members. The ALBA SE share opened with an increase of EUR 3.08 on January 2, 2013, on the Frankfurt stock exchange over the closing price in 2012 of EUR 67.78. The closing price in January was EUR 63.00. Subsequently the share moved pretty much horizontally until the end of the reporting period and closed on June 30 at EUR 60.30. The equalisation payment for fiscal 2011 amounted to EUR 3.25 net per ALBA SE share.
Developments in individual segments
The steel and metals recycling segment operated in a persistently difficult market environment in the first half of 2013, with high levels of uncertainty, reduced demand and lower prices compared to the first half of 2012. On top of this, material shortages increased. The market situation has significantly impacted sales, as well as revenues and earnings, in the segment. The margins that have been squeezed by the competitive situation also had an adverse effect on earnings. The segment generated sales revenues of EUR 719.26 million (previous year: EUR 889.34 million).
Except for the month of January, steel scrap prices dropped continuously in the first six months of 2013; particularly in June there were considerable price discounts. The price of the leading scrap type 2 was at EUR 291.40 per ton in June of this year compared to EUR 326.20 per ton in June of 2012.
The prices for non-ferrous metals continued to fall since mid-February with an interim brief recovery and were at the lowest level of the current year at the end of June. The price of copper plummeted to its lowest level in three years. The reasons for this are, on the one hand, an excess of supply, due for instance to new mining projects, and, on the other hand, weak demand from China.
Sales in the services segment amounted to EUR 161.98 million (same period in the previous year: EUR 170.61 million). In addition to the efficiency enhancement programme, an expansion and further operational improvements in the business fields, business-related effects from other periods and other special influences contributed to a rise in earnings before taxes of EUR 10.62 million to EUR 16.47 million.
Schweitzer criticised the persistent deficiencies in the control over compliance with the regulatory statutes of the packaging ordinance established by the enforcement authorities. A comparison of the figures of the register for letters of representation of the Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag (DIHK – Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry) with the figures of the joint centre for dual systems has resulted in an inexplicable gap of 30,000 tons. "This corresponds to losses of EUR 17 million, that those traders and producers who comply 100 percent with the packaging ordinance have to bear," explained Schweitzer.
Outlook
After a weak first half of the year, forecasts for the steel industry for the second half of 2013 are cautiously positive. Management is anticipating moderate price increases for steel scrap from the third quarter of 2013. A slight recovery in quantity compared to the first half of the year is also expected. One reason for this is the increase in disassemblies in the summer months.
In the case of non-ferrous metals, continuing price drops, especially for copper and aluminium, are forecast. Demand for non-ferrous metals should stabilise in the second half of 2013.
For the steel and metals recycling segment, management is assuming a slight decline in sales for fiscal 2013 compared to the previous year, as well as a significantly greater decline in earnings before taxes.
Management is anticipating fairly constant sales revenues for the services segment for fiscal 2013 compared to the previous year. Management continues to believe that earnings will be considerably lower than in 2012. Reasons for this include significant competitive pressure, as well as the assessment that raw materials prices will remain at low levels until the end of 2013, and the special effects of the second half of 2012 will not be repeated to the same extent in the second half of 2013.
Currently a sales decline and a considerable reduction in earnings before taxes compared to the previous year is expected for ALBA SE for fiscal 2013.
You can find the (German) mid-year financial report at: www.albagroup.de/ALBASE/Quartalsbericht-2013-2
Wed, 14 Aug 2013 08:55:00 +0200
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Interseroh publishes first sustainability report // Strategic goal: Securing and creating value
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-publishes-first-sustainability-report-strategic-goal-securing-and-creating-value/
Today’s International Environment Day sees Interseroh publish its first sustainability report. The report underscores the environment and recycling company’s commitment to sustainable development as a system service provider. The Interseroh Sustainability Report 2012 comprehensively and systematically documents for the first time how the company’s internal processes and the projects it undertakes for customers are made environmentally and socially compatible.
Titled ‘Really Sustainable’, the report presents key developments and figures for the years 2010 to 2012 and covers both the services activities of Interseroh and the lightweight packaging sorting and facility management activities of the ALBA Group. The report is compiled in conformity with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines to Application Level B+.
Sustainability strategy with named targets
The report follows a six-month strategy process in which Interseroh analysed sustainability-related risks and opportunities for its business. Based on this analysis, Interseroh developed a sustainability strategy with six action areas – customers, material streams, supplier standards, ecological footprint, compliance, workforce, and social responsibility – and named measurable targets for each action area. These are coordinated by a newly created Sustainability Management function, with implementation the responsibility of the relevant departments.
nterseroh’s sustainability strategy follows two directions of thrust: “We want to secure value by avoiding social and environmental impacts. And we want to create value by reducing our customers’ resource use, tapping into new material cycles and sustainably developing innovation,” explained Eric Mendel, Member of the Board of the ALBA Group with responsibility for the Services segment, which includes Interseroh. Interseroh understands the strategy’s slogan, ‘Really Sustainable’, as a constant challenge to be addressed jointly with the workforce and business partners.
Regular reporting
The Interseroh Sustainability Report 2012 marks the start of regular sustainability reporting. This provides customers, the workforce, suppliers and the public with transparency about the impacts of Interseroh’s business activities – and a basis for regular dialogue.
For further information and a download link for ‘Really Sustainable’, the Interseroh Sustainability Report 2012, please see www.echt-nachhaltig.com.
Wed, 05 Jun 2013 09:11:00 +0200
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Shareholders resolve to change from a dualistic system to a monistic system // 2013 ALBA SE Annual General Meeting
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/shareholders-resolve-to-change-from-a-dualistic-system-to-a-monistic-system-2013-alba-se-annual-general-meeting/
The listed recycling services provider and raw material supplier ALBA SE is replacing its Board of Directors and Supervisory Board with an Administrative Board. In today's general assembly in Cologne, shareholders voted with an overwhelming majority in favor of a relevant proposal to change the company's statutes. The Board of Directors and Supervisory Board identified the integration of ALBA SE in the ALBA Group and the associated possibility for a more streamlined and flexible leadership and control structure within ALBA SE as the reasons for switching from a dualistic system to a monistic system.
The Annual General Meeting selected Dr. Axel Schweitzer, CEO and Member of the Board of Directors of ALBA Group plc & Co. KG, Berlin, as Chairman of the Administrative Board, as well as Joachim Wagner, Member of the Board of Directors of ALBA Group plc & Co. KG, and Robert Nansink, Member of the Board of Directors of ALBA SE since January 1, 2013, as managing directors. The Board is completed by Martin Becker-Rethmann, Member of the Board of Directors of ALBA Group plc & Co. KG, Eric Oliver Mendel, Member of the Board of Directors of ALBA Group plc & Co., as well as Dr. Werner Holzmayer, auditor, attorney and tax consultant at Ebner Stolz Mönning Bachem Wirtschaftsprüfer, Steuerberater, Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft (Auditors, Tax Consultants and Attorneys at Law Partnership), Cologne.
ALBA SE was previously led and controlled as part of a dualistic system with the Board of Directors as a leadership body and the Supervisory Board as a supervisory body. The statutes of a European Company (SE) can also provide for a monistic system with a single leadership and control body (Administrative Board) based on what is known as the SE Regulation. ALBA SE is therefore following the example of around 35 monistically structured companies that have already been established in Germany, accounting for around a third of SEs operating in Germany.
The conversion to the monistic structure by amending the company's statutes shall become effective upon its entry in the commercial register.
About ALBA SE:
ALBA SE is a subsidiary of the recycling services provider and raw material supplier ALBA Group. The ALBA Group and its two brands ALBA and Interseroh with around 200 subsidiary and associate companies is active in Germany and Europe as well as in Asia and the United States. With a total of almost 9,000 employees* it generates an annual sales volume of about 3 billion euros (2012) thus making ALBA Group one of the leading environmental services and raw materials providers worldwide. The operating activities of Interseroh focus on organizing the recovery of packaging and products and on the sale of secondary resources, particularly recovered steel and metals. ALBA’s operating activities focus on waste disposal services in municipal and commercial sectors, the sale of secondary resources, the development and operation of recycling and production plants as well as the design and performance of facility services.
* Staff (including minority holdings)
Tue, 28 May 2013 16:46:00 +0200
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ALBA Group and Miracle Group expand recycling project in China // ALBA Group advances Asia business
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-and-miracle-group-expand-recycling-project-in-china-alba-group-advances-asia-business/
+ Signing ceremony today at meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the new Prime Minister of China, Li Keqiang+ Car recycling project expanded to include recycling of nonferrous scrap
ALBA Group, one of the ten largest recycling, environmental services and raw materials providing groups in the world, has agreed to expand its project in the recycling business with Jiangsu Miracle Logistics System Engineering Co. Ltd. The signing ceremony took place today on the occasion of the meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the new Prime Minister of China, Li Keqiang.
The two companies have cooperated in scrap car recycling in Tongling (Anhui Province) since August 2012. These activities are now being expanded to include the recycling of nonferrous scrap.
"We are very pleased that we are able to further expand our cooperation with Miracle. Our long-term goal is to work together with the Miracle Group to establish a model for replication in other provinces across China. In this way, we can actively help China in developing and rolling out a modern recycling economy. Our vision for the next five years is for ALBA Group to assume a significant role in the Chinese recycling industry," said Dr. Axel Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA Group.
ALBA Group knowhow sought after in China
ALBA Group has had a presence in Hong Kong for nearly 20 years and in raw materials trading is the largest exporter of products such as metals from Europe to Asia. Its workforce in Hong Kong and Peking (the main location) adapt technologies and approaches developed in Germany, provide consulting and market raw materials (plastics, paper, and metals such as copper and aluminum) recycled by ALBA Group in Europe.
Since 2011, ALBA Group has also been increasingly active in recycling consultancy and technological project management in China. This includes advice on the possibilities and uses of recycling technologies based on the municipal solid waste facilities using ALBA technology that it operates with Berliner Stadtreinigung in Berlin. The Berlin facilities extract recyclables from mixed waste and process the remainder into fuel known as ‘green coal’. This is combusted in power stations—with a positive carbon impact. In this connection, ALBA Group experts have conducted waste analyses in various Chinese cities and last year started producing the first ‘green coal’ from Chinese municipal solid waste.
About Jiangsu Miracle Logistics System Engineering Co. Ltd.:
Jiangsu Miracle Logistics System Engineering Co. Ltd. is a listed subsidiary of Jiangsu Southern Miracle Group and is headquartered in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. The company is primarily active as a supplier of automation technology and logistics systems, a manufacturer of conveyor systems for the automotive industry, and as a producer of wind turbine components for the international market.
Sun, 26 May 2013 18:36:00 +0200
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ALBA SE achieves results at the previous year's level // Interim report on the first quarter of 2013
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-se-achieves-results-at-the-previous-years-level-interim-report-on-the-first-quarter-of-2013/
+ EBT slightly above the previous year’s comparative figure + Steel crisis and material shortages cause decline in sales and pressure on margins in the Steel and Metals Recycling segment + Focus set on further internationalisation and new markets
The listed environmental services provider and raw materials trader ALBA SE, a subsidiary of ALBA Group, achieved earnings before taxes (EBT) of EUR 7.8 million during the first quarter of 2013 (previous year’s figure: EUR 7.3 million). Earnings before interest and taxes and shares in earnings of associated companies (EBIT) amounted to EUR 10.1 million (previous year’s figure: EUR 9.7 million).
EBT in the Steel and Metals Recycling segment turned out lower than at this time in the previous year because of the continuing steel crisis whereas EBT in the Services segment increased.
Consolidated sales revenue for the group amounted to EUR 446.5 million in the first three months of the current financial year (previous year: EUR 553.3 million).
“Our business has been greatly affected by the economic conditions. The requirements for an upturn in Germany have already been in place for some time. This has however failed to materialise due to the intensification of the crisis in the Eurozone. In addition, the continuing severe European steel crisis and shortage of materials of both ferrous and non-ferrous recovered metal has also contributed. In this market environment ALBA SE group has been able to hold its own in the first quarter of 2013,” said Dr. Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Our strategy of internationalisation of sales and procurement routes has proven itself. We’re feeling the crisis but when comparing within the sector we are much less affected than our competitors.”
Working capital has increased at the end of the first quarter compared with the balance sheet date of December 31, 2012, because the business has expanded since the end of the year. As a result, the balance sheet total also increased. The net cash and cash equivalents – defined as the balance of debts and current liabilities from cash pooling with the ALBA Group, short and long-term liabilities to banks as well as liquid funds – has clearly decreased since December 31, 2012.
Development of the segments
Sales in the Steel and Metals Recycling segment amounted to EUR 368.2 million in the first three months of the current financial year (previous year: EUR 474.1 million). Lower prices than in the first quarter of 2012 and a lower marketed tonnage caused the decline inturnover. Margins were under pressure due to the intense competition in a market environment shaped by shortage of materials.
In the first quarter of 2013, raw steel production from the German steel industry remained steady at the level of the same period last year, however in the EU-27 steel production decreased by 5.4% in the same period.
Recovered steel prices stayed on the level they were at the end of 2012, and were still below the level of the first quarter of 2012. For instance the average warehouse sale price of leading scrap type 2 decreased from EUR 327.40 per ton in the first three months of 2012 to EUR 310.77 per ton in the first quarter of 2013.
The demand for non-ferrous metals from China was stable. Sales were however impeded by material shortages in the European procurement market.
INTERSEROH Scrap and Metals Holding GmbH, Dortmund, acquired 65 per cent of ZG Balkan Holding GmbH at the end of 2012 (now trading under ALBA Balkan Holding GmbH). Altogether the purchase, through its subsidiary, covers twelve scrap yards in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Romania. The antitrust authorities granted their approval on February 7, 2013.
The Services segment generated sales of EUR 80.7 million in the first quarter of 2013 (previous year’s figure: EUR 81.6 million). EBT has increased in comparison with the same period last year.In the area of sales packaging the portfolio was adjusted for further below-cost contracts in the first three months of 2013, which helped to stabilise the result. As before, it is difficult to react sustainably in this market. Reasons for this are unclear wording in the Packaging Regulation and a lack of checks by the enforcement authorities. However, it is encouraging that the BDE certificate co-initiated by Interseroh is increasingly applied as self-regulation of the economy. Lower marketing prices and amounts strained sales and the result of the business unit transport packaging. Business Unit Recycling Solutions Interseroh raised sales and results in particular through new acquisitions in facility management and by expanding branch waste disposal.
Outlook
The Board of Directors is not counting on a considerable change in the Steel and Metals Recycling segment in the second quarter of the current financial year. However, for the second half of 2013 there are the first signs of a recovery in the steel industry which assumes a steel production equal to at least 2012 levels. From China there are also new demands both for recovered metal and for non-ferrous metals. Furthermore the development of the European Single Market is seen as critical by the Board of Directors. “Our most important goal can and must be the further internationalisation of sales and procurement routes as well as the bundling of quantities. The acquisition of shares in the Balkan companies was an important step towards this,” stressed Schweitzer. “However emerging countries in South America such as Brazil are increasingly interesting partners in particular with regard to the procurement of recovered metals.”
In the Services segment the Board of Directors does not expect any considerable changes in the marketing situation and a stable economic development. However, the management is concerned about the development of the dual system: In 2012, 2.4 million tons of plastic waste were recovered in yellow bins and bags. However, trade and industry only paid the stipulated licence fees for 1.1 million tons. “Our focus in the Services segment is on thefurther development of new business areas and in new markets to support sustainable growth,” said the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Furthermore, cross selling is promoted within the segment and also within the whole ALBA Group in 2013. The interlinking of the Steel and Metals Recycling segment with the waste disposal business of the ALBA Group is being intensified. Considerable goals of these measures are the more efficient utilisation of resources and the achievement of synergies.
Wed, 15 May 2013 16:49:00 +0200
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Despite the steel crisis: ALBA SE above 2010 levels / Early indicators suggest a recovery / ALBA SE presents its financial statements for 2012
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/despite-the-steel-crisis-alba-se-above-2010-levels-early-indicators-suggest-a-recovery-alba-se-presents-its-financial-statements-for-2012/
+ Operating EBT drops 6.8 percent to EUR 37.7 million + Consolidated Group sales revenues 12.8 percent lower than 2011 at EUR 1.9 billionThe publicly quoted environmental services provider and raw materials trader, ALBA SE, a subsidiary of the ALBA Group, achieved positive earnings before taxes (EBT) in fiscal 2012, that were approximately 6.8 percent less than in the previous year. The reason for the slightly lower earnings was a tangibly weaker demand for steel scrap and metals against the backdrop of the Euro crisis and the European economic crisis, as well as a slowdown in China's dynamic growth. "Our 2012 earnings are still above the 2010 level, which shows that we have dealt with the difficult market environment in the steel and metals recycling segment better than a number of other companies in the sectoral comparison", states Dr Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the ALBA SE Board of Directors, on the occasion of the 2012 financial statements presentation in Cologne. He continues: "We already pointed out in the previous fiscal year that 2012 would be a challenging year. This proved only too true." Schweitzer referred to the production declines in those countries affected by the European national debt crisis - Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece - in the past year as dramatic. At the same time raw materials production in Germany was below the previous year and weaker growth in China had an impact on the scrap business. Schweitzer mentioned positive signals indicating recovery in the steel industry in the second half of 2013. There are budding signs of demand from China, especially for non-ferrous metals. At the same time, though, he is anticipating that the situation in the European domestic market will continue to be difficult and that growth in Germany will be subdued, Schweitzer continued. In Germany the Board of Directors perceived "considerable risks, resulting from a lack of controls for compliance with the packaging ordinance", especially for the dual system. In view of this situation, ALBA SE considers itself to be well positioned based on its current market share. Despite this, the Dual System continues to remain an important strategic business area. Schweitzer also announced additional earnings improvement measures for the ALBA SE Group. "We are pushing forward with the integration of the Interseroh companies into the ALBA Group. We will use the next two years to optimise this integration structurally. Efficient exploitation of resources, enhancing the quality of service and creating synergy within the ALBA Group are our key goals." In this context Schweitzer announced that the brand appearance will be better structured in 2013 as well. The plan is to turn the steel and metals recycling subsidiaries, which still operate under their own names on the market, into ALBA companies. In Schweitzer's words: "In order to remain distinctive in all of Germany, we are daring to dispense with the brands and logos that have hitherto been known only on a regional basis. Ultimately, the customer in Würzburg and the customer in Rostock should know: If I go to ALBA, I can be sure of getting what I need and that price and quality are in order." As communicated by the Company, in fiscal 2012 earnings before interest and taxes and shares in earnings of associated companies (EBIT) amounted to EUR 50.2 million (previous year: EUR 55.9 million) and earnings before taxes (EBT) to EUR 37.7 million (previous year: EUR 40.4 million). Consolidated group sales revenues total EUR 1,926.9 million (previous year: EUR 2,210.7 million).Group earnings total EUR 33.3 million in 2012 (previous year: EUR 37.2 million). Overview: The Course of Business in the Segments Despite declining sales, the services segment evidenced an increase in earnings in the past fiscal year. According to the Chairman of the Board, Axel Schweitzer, there were primarily several reasons for this: "We were able to counteract economic developments by strategic expansion of our service portfolio for existing customers," he explained. In addition, we have subsequently modified low-yield contracts in the Dual System. On the whole the interest of the processing industry in the long-term supply of raw materials has risen even more clearly than in previous years. "We are very happy to be able to offer a secondary plastics product, Procyclen, developed jointly by our Company and the plastics industry, which was awarded several prizes last year," says Schweitzer. The innovative plastic received three prizes this past year: In March of 2012 the Bundesverband Deutscher Heimwerker-, Bau- und Gartenfachmärkte e. V., (Federal Association of German Do-It-Yourself, Building and Garden Stores), Cologne, awarded INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH the special prize for sustainability, the Huber Verlag für Neue Medien GmbH (Huber Publishing House for New Media) included the Company in its list of the best for INDUSTRY PRIZE 2012 and in November INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH received the "Best Recycled End-Consumer Product 2012" prize together with a customer. Top player in the international market environment ALBA SE continued to build up its position as top player in the international market environment. The ALBA SE subsidiaries operating in the steel and metals recycling segment are among the top 3 in the ranking of German scrap treatment companies. With a trans-shipment site in Sweden and the acquisition of the ALBA Balkan Group at the end of 2012, including the associated expansion by twelve scrap yards in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Romania, further important steps were taken in strengthening its position as international player in the steel and non-ferrous metals trade. Developments in individual segments The market environment in the steel and metals recycling segment turned out to be considerably more difficult than expected in 2012, resulting in depressed sales and earnings. The segment achieved sales of EUR 1.6 billion (prior year: EUR 1.7 billion); EBIT in this segment amounted to EUR 18.6 million (prior year: EUR 33.9 million) and EBT to EUR 3.1 million (prior year: EUR 16.7 million). The services segment generated sales revenues of EUR 330.9 million (previous year: EUR 478.8 million). The segment, however, was able to offset these declining sales revenues by rising earnings as early as the beginning of the fiscal year. EBIT thus equalled EUR 31.6 million (previous year: EUR 22.1 million) and EBT rose from EUR 23.8 million to EUR 34.6 million. Outlook The overall weak economic environment has resulted in a muted forecast for the current fiscal year, 2013. Economic experts are assuming feeble economic development throughout the country as before and expect growth in German gross domestic product of only one percent at most. The poor economic prospects are also reflected in forecasts for the steel industry: Only a slight recovery is anticipated for 2013. Axel Schweitzer: "Framework conditions continue to be anything but easy. The economic situation remains fraught. As long as we have to struggle with the well-known problems of national and currency crises in Europe, the German economy will not be able to avoid these developments entirely. Nevertheless, we expect that the economy will accelerate in emerging markets, providing a significant stimulus for economic development in Germany." He perceives opportunities and potential for ALBA SE in active portfolio redesign, especially with a view to further development of international trade. The ALBA SE Group has risen to one of the top ten scrap suppliers to Turkey with the acquisition of the companies in the Balkans. "This market position is to be further expanded by consolidating quantities and extending the international sales business," Schweitzer continues. For the services segment the focus is on continued development of new business fields and on new markets in order to support sustained growth. Business volume especially in the area of the recycled resource business unit will be expanded.
Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:50:00 +0200
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ALBA Group starts waste management of electronic and hazardous waste in Turkey / Joint venture with Turkish conglomerate INCI agreed
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-starts-waste-management-of-electronic-and-hazardous-waste-in-turkey-joint-venture-with-turkish-conglomerate-inci-agreed/
ALBA Group, one of the ten largest groups of companies for recycling, environmental services and raw materials trading, agreed yesterday the joint venture ALBA INCI with the Turkish conglomerate INCI Holding in the context of the meeting of German chancellor Angela Merkel and the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara. The intention is that the recycling of electronic and hazardous waste in north-west Turkey will be the focus of the operations for the joint venture. To implement the joint activities in the Turkish recycling market, ALBA Group acquires 50 percent shares in the INCI subsidiary Aten Atik. This company already operates a highly modern intermediate storage facility for hazardous waste, an area that is going to be expanded further with the help of ALBA's expertise.
Each year around 1.35 million tons of hazardous waste accumulates in Turkey. According to current estimates, only 15 to 20 percent of this is currently treated properly in accordance with the law. Multinational companies with production centers in Turkey are increasingly requesting secure waste management and recycling services to the standard found in Western Europe. In addition, the planned cooperation should involve the processing of the hazardous waste into high-energy substitute fuels. These substitute fuels are already highly in demand within the cement industry.
ALBA INCI will also be setting new benchmarks in the fields of electronic waste recycling in Turkey: “With the introduction of the new regulations for the returning of electrical and electronic equipment which have applied in Turkey since the beginning of this year, we wanted to jointly establish a business to recycle these devices in Muradiye – in the Izmir region. Through our services, we will offer our customers high-quality recycling as well as the fulfilment of all obligations and their documentation required by the new legislation” said Murat Bodur, General Manager for the region of Turkey within the ALBA Group.
About INCI Holding:INCI Holding, Izmir, is a family-run Turkish company with around 2,000 employees. The company is largely active within the areas of the automotive industry (production of steel and aluminium rims as well as production and distribution of car batteries), logistics, insurances, the production and distribution of mini bars and within the recycling industry (hazardous waste). From this 65% of the production is exported to 70 countries.
Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:48:00 +0100
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ALBA Group expands activities in Turkish scrap metal market / INTERSEROH Scrap and Metals Holding GmbH acquires scrapyards in the Balkans
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-expands-activities-in-turkish-scrap-metal-market-interseroh-scrap-and-metals-holding-gmbh-acquires-scrapyards-in-the-balkans/
INTERSEROH Scrap and Metals Holding GmbH, subsidiary of environmental service provider and raw materials trader ALBA Group, acquired the company Reukema Balkan SRL. Thus, the ALBA Group expands its activities in the Balkans: Altogether the purchase covers twelve scrap yards in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Romania. The headquarters for the company, which will trade under the name “ALBA Balkan Recycling SRL”, is in Bucharest. The managing director and co-shareholder of ALBA Balkan Recycling SRL is Zlatko Garac. The purchase is still subject to the approval of the relevant cartel authority.“With this acquisition we are very pleased to strengthen our activities in South Eastern Europe, and therefore have a stronger presence in the Balkans – especially towards Turkey,” explains Joachim Wagner from the Board of Directors for the Steel and Metals Recycling segment of ALBA Group. With the purchase, ALBA Group can also build on their role as the leading provider of steel and metals recycling in the Balkans, and moreover the company can improve its position as a scrap metal supplier in Turkey: In a booming European market, Interseroh thus climbs into the Top Ten of active scrap metal suppliers in Turkey. The company already supplies the Turkish market with its deep-sea terminal in Dordrecht (port of Rotterdam/The Netherlands).The new ALBA Balkan Recycling SRL will be active from now on particularly in the purchase of ferrous scrap metal (iron scrap) from smaller to medium-sized suppliers. The such bundled amounts then primarily supply Turkish steel mills. In addition to the existing scrap iron business, future trade will also be established in the Balkans in so-called non-ferrous metals.Joachim Wagner: “With Zlatko Garac, an absolute expert in the field of steel and metals recycling serves as a director of our company. With his vast experience and expertise, especially in the Balkan markets, he will decisively drive our business forward.”
Sun, 23 Dec 2012 16:52:00 +0100
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ALBA SE Board of Directors: Decreasing demand for raw materials influencing revenues and earnings / ALBA SE interim statement on the third quarter 2012
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-se-board-of-directors-decreasing-demand-for-raw-materials-influencing-revenues-and-earnings-alba-se-interim-statement-on-the-third-quarter-2012/
EBIT and EBT in the third quarter nevertheless slightly higher than the previous year, though revenue for the first nine months and earnings are lowerDecreased demand for raw materials in Europe continuingAdjusted contract portfolio increases earnings in the Services segment compared to the previous year; however, margins remain under significant pressure
The Board of Directors of ALBA SE (until July 2, 2012: INTERSEROH SE) expects a further decline in demand on the raw materials markets in light of the European debt and economic crisis. "Far less is being produced in numerous European countries today than even a year ago. This is reflected directly in demand for raw materials and the supply of secondary resources and thus also reflects to some extent in our figures," said ALBA SE Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr Axel Schweitzer, on the occasion of the publication of the third quarter results. As a listed subsidiary of the family business ALBA Group, ALBA SE consolidates steel and metals recycling, packaging recycling, waste prevention and recycling management activities.
In the first nine months of 2012, ALBA SE and its associated subsidiaries generated earnings before share of results of associates, interest and taxes (EBIT) of EUR 35.69 million (previous year: EUR 39,74 million). Pre-tax profits (EBT) amounted to EUR 26.23 million (previous year: EUR 33.50 million). Consolidated group revenue totalled EUR 1,518.91 million (previous year: EUR 1,743.76 million). Revenue between segments of EUR 7.19 million was consolidated (previous year: EUR 8.90 million). Inter-segment consolidations in EBIT totalled EUR 0.02 million (previous year: EUR 0.07 million), in EBT EUR 0.02 million (previous year: EUR 0.00 million).
In the third quarter of 2012, EBIT was slightly higher than in the same period of the previous year at EUR 15.21 million (third quarter 2011: EUR 14.04 million); likewise, EBT totalled EUR 12.88 million (previous year: EUR 12.19 million). The contribution made to revenue in the months July to September fell on a consolidated basis to EUR 463.91 million (previous year: EUR 615.51 million).
Schweitzer emphasised that the raw materials sector, and with it the secondary resources sector, are good early indicators for further economic development. "In Germany things are going comparatively well in a European context, but all European countries affected by crises are battling negative growth rates. This also puts a strain on German manufacturers as well as upstream and downstream industries such as the recycling sector, for example."
Steel consumption in European industry (EU 27) alone is expected to decline by 5.6 percent this year; in Spain and Italy, the decrease is expected to be as much as around 12 percent. According to Schweitzer, difficult conditions in the European steel industry as well as the weakening growth dynamic in China also had a negative impact on the scrap metal collection and processing sector and, as expected, weighed heavily on revenue and earnings in the Steel and Metals Recycling segment.
In contrast, the Services segment recorded an increase in earnings. Fundamental to this, said Schweitzer, was the adjustment of the contract portfolio to remove low-return customer contracts. However, due to intensive competition in the German market, margins remain under considerable pressure.
Compared to the balance sheet date of December 31, 2011, working capital fell in the first nine months of the current year. The main reason for this is the reduction in inventories as well as declining prices and quantities in the Steel and Metals Recycling segment. As a result the balance sheet total and net debt also fell compared to December 31, 2011.
Developments in the individual segments
Since April, the Steel and Metals Recycling segment has been operating within an economically difficult market environment. As expected, low demand and lower prices depressed margins and earnings compared to the same period last year. At EUR 1,267.81 million, revenue was down on the previous year's figure of EUR 1,369.43 million.
From the second quarter onwards, the general uncertainty concerning the development of the European debt crisis led to restrained steel demand and declining prices below those of the same period last year. According to the German Steel Association, in the period from January to September 2012, Germany produced 5 percent less crude steel than in the same period last year. As a consequence, the average warehouse selling price of the leading scrap type 2 fell from EUR 352.20 per ton in the period from January to September 2011 to EUR 325.10 per ton in the first nine months of 2012.
Prices for non-ferrous scrap metals were characterised by high volatility. In the third quarter of 2012, difficult conditions in the sales and procurement market could also be attributed principally to relatively weak growth in the Chinese economy, low levels of demand from many customers due to the uncertainty already mentioned, but also to the high level of ocean freight and the weak US dollar. As a result, exports of zinc, copper and brass decreased compared to the previous year.
Revenue in the Services segment for the first three quarters of the year totalled EUR 258.29 million (previous year: EUR 383.23 million). The decline in revenue was accompanied by an increase in earnings. Both were primarily caused by the adjustment to the customer portfolio to remove low-return customer contracts in the area of sales packaging in the fourth quarter of 2011.
Revenue and earnings from the transport packaging business unit remained at the same level as the same period last year due to stable economic circumstances in the first three quarters. In the deposit business, the insourcing of clearing services, logistics, marketing and "counting" for some customers resulted, as expected, in a reduction in revenue and earnings. The market for toner cartridges was placed under significant pressure by imitation cartridges. This was reflected in the fall in revenue and earnings figures. Revenue volumes in the reusable transport crate business recovered, with earnings significantly improved compared to the same period last year. The recycled resource business unit, producing custom-made high-quality synthetic granules from used plastics for the product requirements of its customers, recorded an increase in revenues and constant earnings.
Outlook
Since the start of the current financial year, the expectations of steel producers have markedly deteriorated. According to the World Steel Association, steel production in Europe will fall by 5 percent this year compared with 2011.
Price reductions are forecast in Europe for non-ferrous metals. Uncertainty surrounding economic and currency developments is continuing to have a negative impact.
Revenue and earnings in the Steel and Metals Recycling segment are expected to decline accordingly in 2012 compared to 2011.
Despite intense competition and declining prices in the raw materials markets, the Board of Directors are assuming earnings in the Services segment to continue making positive progress.
"The economic conditions are currently far from favourable globally. As a result, we are focused on demonstrating to our clients how they can increase earnings by using secondary resources in the crisis to save resources and at the same time, further optimising our own cost structure", said Schweitzer.
Thu, 22 Nov 2012 16:57:00 +0100
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INTERSEROH Service Italia: New expert for packaging management / Europe’s recycling specialist ALBA Group offers tailor-made packaging recycling and environmental management solutions in Italy
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-service-italia-new-expert-for-packaging-management-europes-recycling-specialist-alba-group-offers-tailor-made-packaging-recycling-and-environmental-management-solutions-in-italy/
With immediate effect the new company INTERSEROH Service Italia S.r.l. has taken up its activities on the Italian market, offering tailor-made solutions for packaging recycling and environmental management to Italian trade companies and industries. The company, which belongs to the internationally operating environmental services provider and raw materials supplier ALBA Group, focuses its business on supporting its clients with innovative solutions aimed at a better environmental management of products throughout their life cycle. The company offers a completely new type of customer support as it helps to be compliant with Italian and European requirements for packaging recycling. On top of this, INTERSEROH Service Italia is also the first company in the country to offer global solutions for industrial wastes to producers in Italy.
The German ALBA Group has chosen a highly professional team to lead the new company, headed by managing director Roberto Magnaghi. Mr Magnaghi has a wide experience as far as issues like packaging and environmental sustainability are concerned. In fact, Roberto Magnaghi has been the Director of the Technical Area of CONAI, the Italian packaging compliance scheme, to the foundation of which he has also contributed.
“New legal requirements, constantly evolving markets, protection of the environment - these are only a few of the issues that companies in Italy have to cope with in their everyday activities,” states Roberto Magnaghi, Managing Director of INTERSEROH Service Italia S.r.l.. “Our new service will assist our business partners to efficiently manage aspects that do not pertain to their core business, but are, nevertheless, important. What we want is for our clients to reduce costs while they focus on what they do best.”
Through its German subsidiary Interseroh, ALBA Group is experienced on the sector of packaging recycling for more than 20 years. And also to the Italian recycling market ALBA Group is no newcomer: in 2006 it started with ISR INTERSEROH Italia S.r.l., which has become one of the leading companies handling and trading recovered paper in Italy. From its head office in Genoa, the company annually handles approximately 120,000 tonnes per year.
Further information about Interseroh in Italy can be found here ...
Comunicato stampa: INTERSEROH Service Italia: I nuovi esperti della gestione degli imballaggi
Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:55:00 +0200
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Half-year financial report from ALBA SE 2012: Innovative take-back and circulatory systems further established on the market / European national debt crisis puts pressure on the German secondary resources industry
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/half-year-financial-report-from-alba-se-2012-innovative-take-back-and-circulatory-systems-further-established-on-the-market-european-national-debt-crisis-puts-pressure-on-the-german-secondary-resources-industry/
Adjusted contract portfolio brings a rise in earnings in the Services segment. Revenue for the whole group following the European national debt crisis has lowered slightly to EUR 1,055.00 million (previous year EUR 1,128.25 million)Declines in production in the steel and metals industry are responsible for a weaker EBIT for the total group of plus EUR 20.48 million (previous year EUR 25.71 million)
The listed leading environmental services provider and raw materials trader ALBA SE (until July 2, 2012: INTERSEROH SE) has shown a fall in earnings and revenue in the second quarter figures for the first time in three years, against the backdrop of the European national debt crisis. At the presentation of the half-year financial report, the Chairman of the Board of Directors Dr Axel Schweitzer said: "The market for raw materials and therefore also secondary resources has clearly shown that the European national debt crisis has now also affected the German real economy. In view of the obvious signs of economic trouble, we therefore expect challenging times."
Considering declining prices and demand in the secondary resources markets the wide range of services offered by ALBA SE and the clear orientation towards profitability help. "Our efficiency programme to optimise structures and costs, already implemented in the first half of the year, will be continued consistently, at the same time strategically important decisions cannot be neglected", announced Schweitzer.
In the first six months of 2012, ALBA SE earnings before the share of results from associated companies, interest and taxes (EBIT) amounted to EUR 20.48 million (previous year's figure: EUR 25.71 million). Pre-tax profits (EBT) amounted to EUR 13.36 million (previous year: EUR 19.28 million). Group sales totalled EUR 1,055.00 million (previous year: EUR 1,128.25 million). Sales between segments of EUR 4.95 million were consolidated (previous year: EUR 5.72 million). Inter-segment consolidations in EBIT equalled EUR 0.01 million (previous year: EUR 0.05 million).
The Services segment showed a growth in earnings in the first half of the current business year thanks to the adjustment of the contract portfolio to remove low-return client contracts. At the same time, innovative take-back and circulatory systems were further established on the market. Axel Schweitzer: "The incoming orders show that more and more companies are looking for solutions for the sustainable handling of resources. In view of continuously growing energy and raw material costs, secondary resources and closed loop strategies are becoming more important." Thanks to the success of the high-quality material cycles, the management of the Services segment is currently in discussions with potential customers with a view to the development of further closed loop systems, according to the Chairman of the Board of Directors. "Our concept for success is based on the fact that we offer individually tailored ecological and sustainable solutions to our customers, which draws heavily on our core strengths: closing material and logistic cycles," continued Schweitzer.
In the Steel and Metals Recycling segment, the global uncertainty with regards to the further development of the European debt crisis in the second quarter lead to a restrained demand for steel and lower prices year-on-year. "Because of the economically difficult market environment, the steel industry has dramatically reduced production in the second quarter worldwide. This also had an effect on the demand for steel scrap and therefore on our profits," explained the Chairman of the Board of Directors. This is accompanied by higher freight costs and a flooding of the Chinese steel market with cheap steel.
An outstanding event in the first six months of the current business year was the name change from INTERSEROH SE to ALBA SE, resolved upon at the General Meeting on June 13, 2012. Following entry into the commercial register, the listed holding operates under ALBA SE since July 2, 2012. The share price of ALBA SE developed extremely positively in the first half of 2012. When the stock exchange opened on January 2, the share was quoted at EUR 52.22 on the Frankfurt stock exchange; it rose to EUR 60.50 in the period under review and stood at EUR 58.45 on June 30. The balancing payment for 2011 amounted to EUR 3.25 net per share in ALBA SE.
Developments in the individual segments
The Steel and Metals Recycling segment moved within an economically difficult market environment. Nevertheless, the division managed to maintain its revenue, with EUR 889.34 million, at the level of the previous year (EUR 887.47 million) and to raise the handled tonnage to more than 56,000 tonnes. However, lower margins and higher freight costs had an effect on profits.
The general uncertainty in regards to the further development of the European debt crisis led to a restrained demand for steel in the second quarter. Prices were below the level of the same period in the previous year. For example, the average warehouse selling price of the leading scrap type 2 decreased from EUR 350.70 per tonne in the first six months of 2011 to EUR 328.80 per tonne in the first half of 2012.
The prices for non-ferrous metals were highly volatile. The difficult sales and supplier market situation for non-ferrous metals in the first half of the year was principally due to the slowed growth of the Chinese economy and the low demand from many customers due to the uncertainty mentioned. This was accompanied by a rise in the cost of sea freight in Asia as well as partially non-competitive European prices for zinc and copper in Asia.
The revenue in the Service sector amounted to EUR 170.61 million in the first half of this year (previous year: EUR 246.50 million). The decline in revenue went hand in hand with rising earnings. Both are primarily due to the adjustment of the contract portfolio to remove low-return client contracts in the fourth quarter of 2011 as part of the sales packaging. Due to the positive development of the order situation in closed loop systems, the management is currently holding discussions with potential customers with regards to the development of further take-back systems.
Outlook
In view of the national debt crisis, the Board of Directors expects a further weakening in economic dynamism in Germany until 2013. In connection with this, the management expects a decline in raw material prices. A falling demand in scrap steel is expected to lead to lower volumes and smaller margins. In the non-ferrous metals division, the slowdown of growth in China should lead to reductions in prices in the coming months.
For the Services segment, the Board of Directors expects a stable development of results, despite a higher intensity of competition and falling prices in the raw materials market.
Tue, 14 Aug 2012 16:59:00 +0200
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Shareholders decide on rebranding INTERSEROH SE to ALBA SE / INTERSEROH SE: Successful General Shareholders' Meeting 2012
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/shareholders-decide-on-rebranding-interseroh-se-to-alba-se-interseroh-se-successful-general-shareholders-meeting-2012/
INTERSEROH SE, the holding company of the listed environmental services provider and raw materials trader Interseroh, is getting a new name. In today's general meeting in Cologne, shareholders voted with an overwhelming majority in favour of a relevant proposal to change the company's statutes. After this, INTERSEROH SE will be listed under the name of ALBA SE on the stock markets (Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, etc.). After this general meeting's agreement, all that is left is to enter the name change into the commercial register as a final effectiveness criterion. The application for this will be submitted to the relevant registry court immediately after today's decision in the general shareholders’ meeting.
Rebranding INTERSEROH SE to ALBA SE is being done to clarify its function as an intermediate holding company within the ALBA Group. After the control and profit transfer agreement which came into effect last year between INTERSEROH SE and the ALBA Group plc & Co. KG as the controlling organisation, the strategy of the two brands – ALBA and Interseroh – will continue to be implemented under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. Thus, the ALBA-brand stands for the operational disposal and recycling services, whereas the Interseroh-brand stands for the organisation of innovative environmental services and recycling solutions as a general contractor.
Dr Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of INTERSEROH SE and CEO of ALBA Group plc & Co. KG: "In order to continue following the two-brand strategy, we will gradually rebrand the operational steel and metal companies in the ALBA Group and move them under the ALBA-brand. This does not change their legal affiliation, which stays under the renamed holding company ALBA SE."
Wed, 13 Jun 2012 17:00:00 +0200
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INTERSEROH SE: sales growth despite pressure on margins / Interim report on the first quarter of 2012
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-se-sales-growth-despite-pressure-on-margins-interim-report-on-the-first-quarter-of-2012/
Earnings before tax increased slightly / Tonnages in Steel and Metals Recycling segment increased in Germany despite reduced raw steel production / Private consumption allows licensing volumes in the transport packaging market to growINTERSEROH SE, the market-listed environmental service provider and raw materials trader, improved its earnings before tax (EBT) in the first three months of the current financial year at Group level from a solid EUR 6.9 million in the first quarter of 2011 to EUR 7.3 million in the months January to March 2012.Earnings before interest and taxes and shares in earnings of associated companies (EBIT) amounted to EUR 9.7 million (previous year's figure: EUR 10.1 million).Consolidated Group sales fell in the first quarter of 2012 on the previous year's figures from EUR 561.5 million to EUR 553.3 million."The Interseroh group has held its own in the first quarter of 2012," said Dr. Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "For example, we succeeded in increasing the volumes traded in the iron metals business, although raw steel production in Germany was five per cent below the previous year's figure. The tonnage of non-iron metals also grew. The adjustment of the contractual portfolio for low-return customers in sales packaging recycling has led to sales growth in the Services segment."In comparison to the balance-sheet date of December 31, 2011, working capital increased in the first quarter of 2012. The cause of this is essentially higher purchase prices and sales prices in the markets for steel and non-iron metals scrap. As a result, the balance sheet total also increased. The net cash and cash equivalents – defined as the balance of loans and advances and current liabilities from cash pooling with the ALBA Group, short and long-term liabilities to banks as well as liquid funds – stayed at around this level as at December 31, 2011.Development of the segmentsSales in the Steel and Metals Recycling segment climbed from EUR 444.8 million in the first quarter of 2011 to EUR 474.1 million in the first three months of the current financial year.Raw steel production in the German steel industry was almost 5 per cent below the previous year's value in the quarter just ended. Interseroh still managed to increase the processed tonnage of steel scrap. The cause of this is optimizing the distribution channels.Steel scrap prices increased on the last few months of the previous year, but were still below the level of the first quarter of 2011. Thus, the average warehouse sale price of leading scrap type 2 decreased from EUR 335.00 per ton in the first three months of 2011 to EUR 327.40 per ton in the first quarter of 2012.Whilst the prices for steel scrap remained relatively stable after an increase in January 2012, the prices for non-iron metals were distinguished by high volatility during the entire period under review. In the first quarter, declining growth data in China led to a difficult sales and procurement situation in the non-iron metals market. However, even here, Interseroh succeeded in increasing the amounts of non-iron metals sold.Margins in the Steel and Metals Recycling segment were under pressure due to intensive competition.On March 1, 2012, INTERSEROH Stainless Steel GmbH, Dortmund, acquired the current assets of the "alloyed scrap" business division of INTERSEROH NRW GmbH, Dortmund and began operations with alloyed scrap.The Services segment generated sales of EUR 81.6 million in the first quarter of 2012 (previous year's figure: EUR 119.2 million). Adjusting the contractual portfolio for low-return customer contracts in the fourth quarter of the 2011 financial year led to a clear reduction in the market share and turnover in the Sales Packaging business. In contrast to this, earnings increased.Interseroh's success in transport packaging recycling marked an increased licensing volume in comparison to the previous year's figure and thus higher sales and earnings contributions. The reason for this was essentially higher private consumption. Acquiring new customers also contributed to the positive development.The return of disposable packaging subject to a deposit generated sales and earnings losses, as expected. The cause of this was essentially insourcing clearing services, logistics, marketing and "counting" with several customers.Further prospects for the industryManagement does not expect any improvement at the moment in the non-iron metals business. "We are cautiously optimistic about trading with iron scrap," said Dr. Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "Although the steel industry is likely to be less volatile in the current financial year than in 2011, looking ahead involves uncertainties because of the fragile economic environment."Along with the continued expansion of existing services, the European market is most interesting to the Services segment. Interseroh also wants to gain a foothold with take-back systems in other European countries – Italy, for example. The know-how in the Sales Packaging Recycling business is an excellent basis for growth in other EU countries."Even if we bank on intensive competition and pressure on margins in both segments, we are still convinced that we are very well positioned in the market with Interseroh. We will help form future trends such as sustainably closing loops and continue to expand our function as a raw materials partner in the industry," Schweitzer said in summary.
Wed, 16 May 2012 17:01:00 +0200
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INTERSEROH SE: Shareholders decide on new name ALBA SE on June 13 / INTERSEROH SE General Shareholders’ Meeting on June 13, 2012 in Cologne
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-se-shareholders-decide-on-new-name-alba-se-on-june-13-interseroh-se-general-shareholders-meeting-on-june-13-2012-in-cologne/
INTERSEROH SE, the holding company of the listed environmental services and raw materials trading company Interseroh, will be getting a new name this year as decided by the Board of Directors. Shareholders will vote on a proposal to change the Articles of Association presented by the Board of Directors at the ordinary general meeting on June 13, 2012. In the future INTERSEROH SE could be listed under the name ALBA SE on the stock markets (Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, etc.)
This proposal is taking place against the background of the control and profit transfer agreements that have come into effect in the last year between INTERSEROH SE and ALBA Group plc & Co. KG as the controlling organization. The rebrand of INTERSEROH SE to ALBA SE is intended to clarify its function as intermediate holding company within the ALBA Group.
Dr Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of INTERSEROH SE and CEO of ALBA Group plc & Co. KG commented: “The rebranding of INTERSEROH SE will not change our strategy of the two brands Interseroh and ALBA under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. Thus, the ALBA-brand stands for operational disposal and recycling services, whereas the brand Interseroh stands for the organization of innovative environmental services and recycling solutions that allow our customers to concentrate on their core business.
In order to continue to follow this strategy of two brands within ALBA Group, the operational companies of ALBA Group’s Scrap and Metals Recycling segment will be moved under the ALBA-brand in the medium term. In contrast, INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH and its subsidiaries will continue to operate under the name of Interseroh.
Fri, 04 May 2012 17:02:00 +0200
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ALBA Group enters Spanish recycled paper market, takes over paper recyclers Reciclajes DOLAF / ALBA Group pushes ahead with internationalisation
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-enters-spanish-recycled-paper-market-takes-over-paper-recyclers-reciclajes-dolaf-alba-group-pushes-ahead-with-internationalisation/
The ALBA Group, one of the world’s leading groups in recycling and raw materials supply, is pushing ahead with its internationalisation strategy and has entered the Spanish recycled paper market. The notarised contract of sale for the takeover of 99 percent of shares in paper recyclers and traders Reciclajes DOLAF, S.L. was signed Thursday afternoon. The transfer of ownership took effect immediately. The remaining shares stay in the possession of the Donoso Lafuente family, who have owned the company to date.
Reciclajes DOLAF was established in 1987 and operates in Madrid and Valencia. Its main focus is the transportation, sorting, purchasing and sale of paper and cardboard. As a very well-managed medium-sized company, Reciclajes DOLAF is well connected and among other things is one of three recipients of material under the largest municipal disposal contract for paper and cardboard in Spain (Madrid). In total, Reciclajes DOLAF has an input and output volume of some 100,000 tonnes of waste paper and cardboard per year.
“By entering the Spanish market, we are strengthening our position as raw materials suppliers in Southern Europe,” said Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA Group plc & Co. KG. “The Valencia location also gives us access to Spain’s largest deep-sea port, which is a perfect fit for the ALBA Group’s international network, allowing us to supplement our Spanish operations with additional material streams.”
To reflect the new company’s integration into the ALBA Group, the name has been changed with immediate effect to ALBA Servicios Verdes, S.L. The entire workforce of just under 80 employees at the Madrid and Valencia locations have been taken over by the ALBA Group.
Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:04:00 +0200
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A leap in earnings for the Interseroh Group after the control and profit transfer agreement with ALBA / INTERSEROH SE presents its financial statements for 2011
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/a-leap-in-earnings-for-the-interseroh-group-after-the-control-and-profit-transfer-agreement-with-alba-interseroh-se-presents-its-financial-statements-for-2011/
- The contract with ALBA has already shown an effect in the first year- EBT rose by over 20 percent (approximately EUR 6.8 million) to EUR 39.3 million- Adjusted sales rose by 22 percent to EUR 2.2 billionThe publicly quoted environmental services provider and raw materials trader INTERSEROH SE finished out fiscal 2011 with a rise in earnings before taxes (EBT) of approximately EUR 6.8 million when adjusted for deconsolidation profits to EUR 39.3 million (previous year’s figure: EUR 32.5 million).The Chairman of the Board, Dr. Axel Schweitzer, noted at the press conference in Cologne: “2011 was a year of changes for the Interseroh Group. With the control and profit transfer agreement with ALBA we have set ourselves up from the under corporate law and in terms of structure in such a way that, on the one hand, we control the extremely high volatility of the raw materials markets, while, on the other hand, we are taking part in the shaping of future trends and have increasingly become the raw materials partner of industry. Our business results show, even after a short six-month period, that we have chosen and continue to choose the right path. Moreover, uncertainties regarding the procurement of raw materials have significantly increased interest in recycling in Germany.”Earnings before interest, taxes and the shares of earnings in associated companies (EBIT), adjusted for deconsolidation profits (profits from the sale of fully consolidated companies), amounted to approximately EUR 54.8 million for fiscal 2011, as the Company announced today on the occasion of the publication of its annual financial statements (adjusted figure for the previous year: EUR 48.6 million). Only earnings from the segments of steel and metals recycling and services were included in EBIT and EBT.The companies in the raw materials trading segment were sold at the end of the third quarter to INTERSEROH SE’s holding company, the ALBA Group plc & Co. KG, and consolidated with the ALBA business division. EBIT totalled EUR 56.7 million (2010: EUR 49 million) including the business segment raw materials trading and adjusted for deconsolidation profits, while EBT was EUR 40.8 million (2010: EUR 32.1 million).Sales from the continuing business segments of steel and metals recycling and services rose from EUR 1.8 billion to EUR 2.2 billion. Sales in the raw materials trading segment as at September 30, 2011, amounted to EUR 127.8 million (previous year: EUR 107.7 million).Axel Schweitzer: “We have continued to grow profitably in a difficult economic environment due to the EU crisis. Furthermore, we profited from our stronger international orientation.”The contract with ALBA has already shown an effect in the first yearThe Chairman of the Board traced the positive earnings growth to, among other factors, the integration of the Interseroh Group with the ALBA Group. By entering into the control and profit transfer agreement between ALBA and Interseroh, both groups are flexible with respect to formulating agreements with one another and can cooperate in all business segments without bureaucracy. This is also of great significance to the development of completed cycles and innovations in waste treatment.Schweitzer states: “By entering into the control and profit transfer agreement, Interseroh - under the umbrella of the ALBA Group - is one of the world's ten largest corporate groups for environmental services and raw materials trading. We want to solidify this position. This is a demanding goal against the backdrop of strong global growth in the industry." Schweitzer further emphasized: “We have ensured that our professional sales team is committed to new products and niche markets, where we see considerably better earnings opportunities. One example is the numerous take-back systems for commerce and industry."Uncertainties in raw materials procurement in Germany resulted in a rise in interest in recycling on the part of industry, according to recent publications of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK). 76 percent of German companies already see the rise in raw materials and energy prices as the top risk to their companies’ futures.Interseroh has recognised the trend to higher demand for recycling material, has been offering valuable secondary resources for years and is a pioneer in the development of completed cycles and new processes for the treatment of waste and recyclables. For example, Interseroh has produced an innovative plastic out of almost 100 percent recycling material with companies from the plastics industry. The quality of the recycling plastic procyclen is comparable to the parameters of new material.The average size of the Interseroh Group’s workforce during the year was 1,959 (previous year: 1,774). Due to the acquisition of companies, the number of employees has risen especially in the steel and metals recycling segment.Developments in individual segmentsSales rose in the steel and metals recycling segment from EUR 1,384.5 million to EUR 1,743.5 million. EBIT in this segment totalling EUR 33.9 million (previous year: EUR 35.5 million) and EBT in the amount of EUR 16.7 million (previous year: EUR 19.5 million) failed to fully keep up with the positive sales trend. This was due in large part to one-time tax effects. These impacted EBIT in the amount of EUR 995,000 and EBT in the amount of EUR 3.7 million.The services segment generated sales revenues of EUR 478.8 million (previous year: EUR 452.9 million). Despite the difficult market environment, EBIT in this segment amounted to EUR 22.1 million (previous year: EUR 22.7 million) and EBT to EUR 23.8 million (previous year: EUR 22.6 million). Deconsolidation profits of EUR 7.1 million were included in the previous year.Sales between segments of EUR 11.6 million (previous year: EUR 5.2 million) were consolidated. Inter-segment consolidations equalled EUR 0.1 million (previous year: EUR 0.03 million). Inter-segment consolidations that would tend to impact EBT did not occur, as in the previous year.Sales in the raw materials trading segment amounted to EUR 127.8 million (9 months of the previous year: EUR 107.7 million). Earnings after taxes totalled EUR 3.5 million (9 months of the previous year: EUR 7.7 million, 12 months of the previous year: EUR 4.2 million).Consolidated earnings totalled EUR 37.2 million (previous year: EUR 34.1 million).OutlookINTERSEROH SE’s Board of Directors is anticipating a volatile, fragile economic environment and sharply fluctuating raw materials prices, due to the debt of numerous countries in the Euro zone and a global economy that is generally weaker than in 2011.Axel Schweitzer predicts: “2012 is likely to be a challenging year, since overall economic conditions are anything but rosy. Nevertheless, Interseroh is very well placed in the market. Setting up the Interseroh Group under the umbrella of the ALBA Group creates the conditions for further growth. It is my goal to continue to enhance the Group’s profitability. We do, however, anticipate slight losses in sales and earnings in 2012.”Schweitzer announced that Interseroh wanted to gain a foothold in additional European countries with its take-back systems. The corporate group perceives opportunities in a concentration on stronger gross margin products, such as non-ferrous metals and alloyed scrap, in the steel and metals recycling segment.On the other hand Interseroh is expecting a rise in sales and earnings for 2013.All speeches as well as the presentation regarding the annual financial press conference can be found here: http://www.interseroh.com/corporate/investor-relations/finanzberichte/geschaeftsberichte/
Mon, 26 Mar 2012 17:02:00 +0200
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ALBA Group continues to push forward with integration along the value creation chain / Waste Operations and Trading & Processing segments to be combined into one division
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-group-continues-to-push-forward-with-integration-along-the-value-creation-chain-waste-operations-and-trading-processing-segments-to-be-combined-into-one-division/
The Board of Directors of ALBA Group, one of the worlds’ leading groups in recycling and raw materials supply, is reorganising the business divisions of its 9000-employee group. The segments of Waste Operations and Trading & Processing are being combined under single management effective immediately. The aim is to continue the closer internal networking already begun in these business fields all along the value creation chain. Dr Eric Schweitzer (46), also CEO of ALBA Group, and Martin Becker-Rethmann (43), the Board member responsible for the Trading & Processing division since August of 2009, will assume joint management of the new division of Waste Operations and Trading.Due to this internal reorganisation, Hermann Holstein (57), engaged in management positions in the ALBA Group since the beginning of 2006 and the member of the Board of Directors of ALBA Group responsible for the Waste Operations segment since April 1, 2008, will resign as Member of the Board effective January 18, 2012. He will assume responsibility for future international growth of the Group in the field of Waste Operations.Responsibilities in the remaining divisions will stay the same. The Board of Directors of ALBA Group’s holding company shall, therefore, consist of six rather than seven members in future.Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA Group: “We wish to offer Hermann Holstein our heartfelt thanks for his outstanding work and untiring commitment as member of the Board of Directors. The success of his dedication is evident above all from the extremely positive developments in the segment of Waste Operations under his leadership in these past few years. We are, therefore, convinced that he will continue to contribute significantly to ALBA Group's further development in his new area of responsibility."
Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:03:00 +0100
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ALBA SE: New board member for international trading / International recycling services provider and raw materials supplier appoints Rob Nansink to Board of Directors
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/alba-se-new-board-member-for-international-trading-international-recycling-services-provider-and-raw-materials-supplier-appoints-rob-nansink-to-board-of-directors/
In its meeting today, the Supervisory Board of publicly listed recycling services provider and raw materials supplier ALBA SE (formerly known as INTERSEROH SE), headquartered in Cologne/Germany, has appointed Rob Nansink, 50, as new member of the Board of Directors, effective as of January 1, 2013. In his new role, he will take over responsibility for the new Trading segment. One major task will be intensifying the international focus of the company. Furthermore, he will be responsible for extending the non-ferrous metals business.
Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA SE: “The internationalisation of our markets is growing continuously. We have now taken account of this development by adding a Trading segment to our Board. We are delighted to have won over such an expert as Rob Nansink for this task.”
Dutchman Nansink can boast of 20 years of successful trade of non-ferrous metals to Asia: In 1990, he founded the Dutch company Europe Metals B.V. and successfully developed the company, with subsidiaries in The Netherlands and Hong Kong, to one of the biggest exporters of non-ferrous metals in Europe. Today, Europe Metals is a 100% subsidiary of ALBA SE.
Rob Nansink has been working for ALBA SE since 2007. Currently he is chairman of the management of INTERSEROH Scrap and Metals Holding GmbH, Dortmund/Germany.
The other responsibilities within ALBA SE’s Board of Directors are not affected by Nansink’s appointment: The Steel and Metal Recycling segment is still headed by Joachim Wagner, CEO Dr Axel Schweitzer continues to hold responsibility for the segment Services, as well as the finance department.
Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:56:00 +0100
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INTERSEROH SE: High demand for recycling metals spurs increase in sales and earnings
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-se-high-demand-for-recycling-metals-spurs-increase-in-sales-and-earnings/
Earnings before taxes up / market share in Dual System down / sale of raw materials activities to the holding companyThe publicly quoted environmental services provider and raw materials trader, INTERSEROH SE, proved successful during the ongoing fiscal year, 2011, despite a difficult market environment. In the first nine months of 2011, the Interseroh Group achieved earnings before taxes (EBT) of EUR 33.0 million. When adjusted for deconsolidation profits, the EBT figure is EUR 31.9 million. This signifies that Interseroh achieved an increase of EUR 3.6 million compared to the previous year’s figure of EUR 28.3 million, also adjusted for deconsolidation profits (including deconsolidation profits: EUR 41.9 million EBT).Earnings before shares in earnings in associated companies, interest and taxes (EBIT) amounted to EUR 41.6 million in the first nine months. Adjusted for deconsolidation profits, this figure was EUR 40.5 million (previous year adjusted figure: EUR 39.7 million). Consolidated Group sales rose from EUR 1,449.5 million in the months from January to September of 2010 to EUR 1,844.7 million in the first three quarters of 2011.EBT totalled EUR 14.3 million (3rd quarter of 2010: EUR 16.5 million) in the third quarter and EBIT amounted to EUR 12.3 million (comparative figure: EUR 12.6 million). Contribution to sales amounted to EUR 651.0 million on a consolidated basis (comparative figure: EUR 481.8 million).Improved margins, slight increases in sales and prices above the same period in the previous year positively impacted the Steel and Metals Recycling segment; the business divisions of Services and Raw Materials Trading, however, were affected by a more troubled market environment. In Raw Materials Trading Interseroh evidenced lower arbitrage effects in recovered paper exports to Asia. In the Services segment, Interseroh parted with a major customer group in line with the relevant contract. The reason for this step was that the overall market situation in the dual system, in contrast to what had been assumed when the contract was entered into, had come to a head due to significant violations of the Packaging Ordinance. According to the Bundesverband der Deutschen Entsorgungs-, Wasser- und Rohstoffwirtschaft e.V. (BDE-National Association of the German Waste Disposal, Water Management and Raw Materials Sectors), as at August 2011 approximately 800,000 tons of light packaging, i.e. circa 40 percent of the total market volume, had not been licensed, in other words, not paid for, by the production industry in accordance with the Packaging Ordinance.
This does not mean, however, that Interseroh is withdrawing from the dual system, according to Dr. Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the INTERSEROH SE Board of Directors. “We shall continue to service our customers who are interested in a legally compliant and qualitatively flawless system with the same dedication and to the same degree as we have to date.” Dr. Schweitzer emphasised the importance of the certificate “to safeguard the Packaging Ordinance” of the BDE and declared that Interseroh would continue to work towards consistent testing in compliance with the Packaging Ordinance on the part of the authorities.The companies in the Raw Materials Trading segment were sold to the holding company of INTERSEROH SE, the ALBA Group plc & Co. KG, as at October 1, 2011, and consolidated with the ALBA business division. This allows optimal bundling of the raw materials activities of the entire group in future, as well as the development of new markets for paper and plastics, such as in Western and Southern Europe.All assets and liabilities of the Raw Materials Trading segment have been classified as ‘for sale’ in the quarterly financial statements as at September 30, 2011. There was no effect on earnings in the quarterly financial statements.
The sales price of the Raw Materials Handling business division is equivalent to net segment assets. The deconsolidation as at October 1, 2011, therefore, has no impact on earnings.Working capital has risen in the months between January and September 2011 vis-à-vis the December 31, 2010, balance sheet date. The main reason for this increase is higher purchase and sale prices in the markets for steel and non-ferrous metal scrap. Consequently, total assets and net debt rose compared to December 31, 2010.Developments in the segmentsThe Steel and Metals Recycling segment Segment sales were up from EUR 1,036.9 million in the same period of the previous year to EUR 1,369.4 million in the months of January to September 2011. Enhanced coordination of the operating sites resulted in an improvement in margins and an earnings rise in this segment. The focus of the Interseroh Group was on the development of high-margin business along with slightly increased quantities.The sale of steel scrap was characterised by ongoing high demand from European industry at the beginning of 2011 and slowed significantly during the year. Prices for all types of scrap were above the previous year’s levels. Average prices for non-ferrous metals remained at a high level until the middle of the year, but were extremely volatile. They collapsed dramatically in August due to turbulence on the stock exchanges; in the first weeks of September, however, they stabilised. Interseroh achieved slight increases in sales quantities both in Europe and in Asia. INTERSEROH Scrap and Metals Holding GmbH, Dortmund, took over Elvira Westarp GmbH, Aschaffenburg, effective September 1, 2011. With this step Interseroh is expanding its portfolio in the field of collection, transport and recycling of steel and metal scrap and strengthening its site structure in the areas of Rhine-Main and Lower Franconia. In the Services Sales rose from EUR 332.2 million in the first three quarters of 2010 to EUR 383.2 million in the months from January to September of 2011. Compared to the first nine months of the previous year, the segment showed declining earnings due primarily to developments in market quantities in the area of light packaging (LVP) in the Dual System business unit. Sales in the Raw Materials Trading segment rose from EUR 107.7 million to EUR 127.8 million. Lower arbitrage effects in the recovered paper exports to Asia brought about a slight decrease in earnings compared to earnings in the same period of the previous year once adjusted for deconsolidation profits. After European paper prices rose from January to May and the necessary correction occurred in June, they initially remained stable in the third quarter, but declined in September. Average prices, however, for the first nine months of 2011 remained significantly above the levels of the same period in the previous year. Quantities dropped compared to 2010 due to the sale of French operations. Marketed plastics tonnage was up compared to the first three quarters of 2010. While average prices for foil at the middle of the year lagged behind prices in the first six months of 2010, price increases in the third quarter resulted in comparable average values on the whole. Prices for PET dropped in the months from July to September, but on average for the first nine months still exceeded the previous year’s values. Developments in the first half of the year in the Recovered Wood division continued in the third quarter as anticipated. Demand for material qualities was lower due to a reduction in capacity in the chip board industry. Fully stocked warehouses and audits of thermal recyclers resulted in lower sales of wood for thermal recycling.OutlookThe Board of Directors is anticipating earnings increases in the Services segment due to improved contract structures within the Dual System Interseroh business unit. Sales will fall due to the elimination of customers in this business division, as well as due to the sale of the Raw Materials Trading segment to the holding company, ALBA Group plc & Co. KG. The Board of Directors is expecting a weaker, demanding fourth quarter in 2011 in the steel scrap trading. “Traditionally, customers refrain from purchasing steel at the end of the year. Current economic forecasts pose an additional uncertainty factor”, explained Dr. Schweitzer. After three positive quarters in 2011, the willingness to sell non-ferrous scrap is low due to currently below-average prices. This hampers materials procurement. On the other hand, demand is at present subdued, both in Europe and Asia. Government regulation of banks in Asia limits financing options. The Board of Directors is not anticipating a recovery in demand for the fourth quarter of 2011. In the wake of the trend in the third quarter, Interseroh expects slightly lower quantity and earnings growth until the end of the year in comparison to the first half of 2011.
Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:05:00 +0100
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Interseroh sells raw materials trading segment to ALBA Group / ALBA Group combines raw materials trading under one roof
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/interseroh-sells-raw-materials-trading-segment-to-alba-group-alba-group-combines-raw-materials-trading-under-one-roof/
The publicly quoted environmental services provider and raw materials trader INTERSEROH SE has sold the companies of its raw materials trading segment to Berlin-based parent company ALBA Group plc & Co. KG. This move has allowed both companies, which already cooperate under the umbrella of the ALBA Group, to combine their raw materials activities in a single segment of the Board of Directors. The sale will take effect with retroactive effect to October 1, 2011. The companies sold cover RDB plastics GmbH, INTERSEROH Holzhandel GmbH and ALBA Recycling Asia Limited – including subsidiaries INDO China B.V. and ISR Italia S.A., as well as a shareholding in all of Interseroh's wood sites, and will bring them under the management of Martin Becker-Rethmann in the Raw Materials and Trading segment of the ALBA Group. Dr. Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Interseroh and CEO of the ALBA Group commented: "This move has brought us one step closer to optimising the structures and administrative processes within the ALBA Group and to standardising the workflows within our raw materials trading activities." In addition, the sale will make it easier to develop new markets for paper and plastic both in Western and Eastern Europe. Furthermore, ALBA Recycling Asia Ltd. based in Hong Kong will be increasingly used as a joint marketing platform for the south Asian Market.
Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:06:00 +0200
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Dallas Mavericks play ALBA BERLIN for the first time ever / ALBA Group raffles four pairs of tickets
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/dallas-mavericks-play-alba-berlin-for-the-first-time-ever-alba-group-raffles-four-pairs-of-tickets/
NBA premiere of Dirk Nowitzki and his teammates in Germany / basketball highlight of the year on 6 October 2012 in the o2 World
On Saturday, 6 October 2012, the basketball highlight of the year will take place in the o2 World, starting at 8 pm: as part of the NBA Europe Live Tour, the Dallas Mavericks will play ALBA BERLIN for the first time, a team in the highest German national league. This is also the first meeting of an NBA team with a German team in the NBA Europe Live Tour. ALBA Group will support the game as an “Official Associate Partner of NBA Europe Live Berlin 2012, presented by BBVA™” and, starting immediately, will raffle four pairs of exclusive tickets for the already sold-out highlight game online at www.albagroup.de/highlight.
“As main sponsor and name giver of ALBA BERLIN, we are very happy to be able to top off our unique partnership with the club, which has existed for more than 21 years, with a game as high-profile as this one. We are expecting an absolutely thrilling game. For us, it is important to support this type of basketball highlight and to further increase the interest in this great sport with German audiences,” says Dr. Axel Schweitzer, co-owner of ALBA Group and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ALBA BERLIN Basketball GmbH.
“This is the first time an NBA team will play a German team as part of the NBA Europe Live Tour. The entire basketball community in Germany is excitedly looking forward to this game. Of course, we are very happy that our long-term partner ALBA Group will also support us in this unique game,” says Marco Baldi, Managing Director of ALBA BERLIN Basketball GmbH.
To accompany this top event ALBA Group plans as well a smallish surprise for all fans and viewers of the game at the ALBAmobil in front of the o2 World, starting at 6:30 pm on the day of the match.
In its sixth year, the NBA Europe Live Tour continues the tradition of NBA teams travelling the continent to play a series of pre-season games against the top teams of the Euroleague. The game in Berlin is the only game of this year’s tour that will take place in Germany. Istanbul, Milan, and Barcelona are the other three venues.
You will find information about the other exciting games played by ALBA BERLIN in the German basketball Bundesliga and the Euroleague here: www.albaberlin.de/spielplan
Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:56:00 +0200
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toom Baumarkt introduces paint buckets made almost entirely from recycled plastic in Germany / Interior Paint with a Positive Impact on the Carbon Footprint
https://www.alba.info/en/our-company/newsroom/press-releases/detail/toom-baumarkt-introduces-paint-buckets-made-almost-entirely-from-recycled-plastic-in-germany-interior-paint-with-a-positive-impact-on-the-carbon-footprint/
Toom Baumarkt (REWE group), one of the leading German DIY-companies, has been offering the first paint bucket which is made almost entirely from recycled plastic. Together with the leading European paint manufacturer J.W. Ostendorf and the recycling professionals from Interseroh, toom is the first to offer a product that has been manufactured almost entirely from "domestic recycling" and which offers the same material properties as products made from primary resources. In total more than 320 toom stores across Germany toom Baumarkt will market the paint bucket. Initially, the paint bucket will be introduced in connection with white wall paint, but an extension of the product portfolio has not been ruled out.Detlef Riesche, toom Baumarkt's managing director responsible for sustainability, explains why a decision was made in favour of this material for the packaging of his favourite wall paint from the quality brand range toom: “For toom and all of the REWE group sustainability is the focus of all their actions – the same is naturally true for our products. The use of packaging made from 100 per cent recycled plastic is the next logical step for toom premium paints which are already identified by the PRO PLANET label as products providing an added ecological benefit. The most interesting fact about the substance procyclen is that it has been manufactured almost entirely from old plastic taken from household recycling bins, while nevertheless enabling the production of demanding products such as paint buckets.”This is the very reason why recycled plastics had until now been used for technically less demanding products explains Kai Bastuck, managing director of INTERSEROH Pool GmbH, in charge of the project. “Consistent quality and availability were up to now eliminating factors for recycled plastic. With our innovative process we have achieved the introduction of the first products made from procyclen into shops.” Bastuck explains that now plastic manufacturers do not need to shy away from recycled plastic because of the guaranteed high quality standards of procyclen, particularly in terms of technical material properties.High Security of Supply – Stable Prices Dr. Hans-Joachim Weintz, J.W. Ostendorf’s director of technological enterprise development, also confirms: “While usability of recycled plastic proved to be a problem for machines for a long time, procyclen now provides a viable alternative which complies with the high requirements for mechanical and hygienic properties for use in paint packaging.” Apart from quality, two further decisive factors also speak for the use of procyclen: “Security of supply as well as stable prices.”Interseroh obtains its raw materials from domestic recycling bins, which can be found on every street in every town. Kai Bastuck of Interseroh: “These resources are always available. Therefore we can offer a high security of supply with predictable costs.” And last but not least the use of recycled materials contributes to sustainable behaviour: discarded disposable packaging from recycling bins is returned to the production cycle and natural resources are being preserved which has a positive impact on the carbon footprint.The Bucket is only the BeginningInterseroh considers itself to be on the right path: “Many speak of closed loops, but most cannot maintain them – at least not without the quality of the plastic produced suffering. We are able to show now that it is possible to satisfy highest customer demand with the help of fully developed technology. In practice we have the opportunity to satisfy any customer request through our procedure to recycle the extracted plastic granules,” describes Bastuck. In the meantime more firm enquiries regarding procyclen have been received from various fields of industry.
Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:07:00 +0200