30 million euros for matterr: EU funding accelerates construction of the first small-scale industrial polyester recycling plant in NRW
The company matterr, which specializes in the recovery of polyester from packaging and textiles, has successfully taken part in the "Produktives.NRW" funding competition as part of the ERDF/JTF NRW 2021-2027 programme. Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Mona Neubaur presented the funding decision of 30 million euros to Melanie Hackler, CEO of matterr. The funding will support the construction of a small industrial plant in North Rhine-Westphalia. Production is scheduled to start in 2027, with an annual capacity of 10,000 tons of recycled material.
Technology for the next generation of the circular economy
With its innovative technology, matterr relies on a process that breaks down polyester (also known as PET) into its original primary materials by means of depolymerization under atmospheric pressure.
After purification, these can be processed into new products in existing polyester production plants - completely replacing fossil raw materials from petrochemical processes.
In contrast to mechanical recycling processes, this method also enables the recycling of mixed textile fabrics and multi-layer packaging, which until now have mostly been landfilled or incinerated. A decisive step towards closed material cycles.
Investment in scaling and location
The total investment volume of the plant is around 63 million euros. In addition to the state subsidy, the financing will be supplemented by other funds.
"The funding approval is a decisive milestone for matterr - it enables us to implement our plan to provide recycled polyester economically, scalably and in primary material quality. The decision to locate in Germany was a conscious one: Our technology was developed here - and we are also scaling it up here. This ensures our strategic independence in a key technology for the circular transformation of textile and packaging markets worldwide," explains Melanie Hackler, CEO.
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
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