Case Study: Zero-Waste In-House Recycling with the Alpha S Plus Re-Pelletiser

Industry: Food, barrier, and industrial packaging
Customer: Leading UK Blown Film Supplier

Challenge: Eliminate Waste and External Recycling Costs

The customer, a major UK supplier of specialist blown film products—including vacuum bags, heavy-duty sacks, and high-barrier packaging—was shipping all post-industrial scrap off-site for recycling. This process was costing over £100,000 per year in transport alone and offered no direct return on material value.

With a zero-waste goal in mind, the customer sought a cost-effective way to recycle internally, reintroducing scrap directly into the production process. However, they needed a solution that required minimal labour, complied with food-grade production standards, and delivered fast ROI.

Solution: Alpha S Plus Re-Pelletiser by Plasmac

UK Extrusion provided a loan unit of the Plasmac Alpha XS for trials. Installed and commissioned by UK-based engineers, the system demonstrated excellent results—producing high-quality re-pelletised material that could be fed directly back into new product runs.

Following successful trials, the customer placed an order for a higher-throughput Alpha S Plus, equipped with a roll feeder and trim basket for seamless inline recycling. Designed in accordance with BRC standards and powered by Plasmac’s short screw technology, the Alpha S Plus ensured high efficiency and low running costs. The intuitive, operator-friendly system allowed for semi-automatic operation with minimal labour requirements.

Results: Zero Waste, Zero Transport, Rapid Payback

With the Alpha S Plus now fully operational, the customer has eliminated their off-site recycling requirements and is running a fully closed-loop operation. Key outcomes include:

• Payback achieved in under 9 months
• Over £105,000 saved in 7 months through reduced transport, energy, and labour costs
• Machine runs semi-automatically, requiring minimal operator input
• Energy-efficient operation: savings of over £2,000/month
• Zero-waste operation: all post-industrial scrap is now re-used in production

The Alpha S Plus was exactly what we wanted—simple to use, low labour, and once running, it just works. The local support from UK Extrusion and Plasmac was excellent. We’re very happy with our decision.
— Customer feedback

Interested in Reclaiming Your Scrap In-House?

Contact us to discuss your application or to arrange a trial of the Alpha XS or Alpha S Plus systems. Talk to UK Extrusion today.