Efficient plastics recycling
Evonik pilot plant digitized in partnership with Schneider Electric
A new pilot plant at Evonik's Essen site is being operated with Schneider Electric's open automation solution to optimize additives for plastics recycling. The collaboration aims to use data analytics, improve scalability and support circular practices.
Schneider Electric and Evonik have entered into a partnership to digitalize and automate a thermoplastics processing plant at Evonik's Goldschmidt site in Essen. The joint project was presented at K 2025 in Düsseldorf. The aim of the collaboration is to increase the efficiency of mechanical plastics recycling processes and improve the quality of the resulting recyclates.
Evonik is contributing its experience with high-performance additives and its commitment to the circular economy, while Schneider Electric is contributing modern automation and digitalization technologies. The two companies are thus combining their strengths to drive innovation in the recycling and processing of thermoplastics.
"Digitalization is essential to advancing the circular economy. Our collaboration with Evonik demonstrates how automation can improve the efficiency and quality of recycling and highlights the power of teamwork in building a sustainable future," said Jessica Bethune, VP Industrial Automation DACH at Schneider Electric.
Evonik also sees the collaboration as an important step: "Our partnership with Schneider Electric shows how digitalization and chemistry enable the circular economy in the plastics sector. Schneider Electric's process automation in combination with our innovative additives takes thermoplastic processing to a new level and brings it in line with the principles of the circular economy," said Patrick Glöckner, Head of the new Next Markets Program at Evonik.
The first step of the cooperation is the digitalization of an existing pilot plant at the Essen Goldschmidt site. An open automation approach is being used here, which brings together data from various machines and makes it centrally available. This data-supported approach is intended to facilitate the analysis of plant performance, reduce manual work and make process steps more efficient.
In the long term, the partners want to make greater use of their laboratory experience, optimize existing solutions based on data and shorten the time to market for new additives. In addition, the scalability of pilot plants to industrial production plants is to be improved.
Evonik at the K 2025: Hall 6, Stand D79
Schneider Electric at the K 2025: Hall 10, Stand H18
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