Rehau targets 70% recycled content in frames

The newly appointed plant manager at Rehau’s PVCR recycling site is looking to increase the share of recovered PVC in the company’s new frames to 70% by further enhancing the facility’s processing capacity.

John Jones, who joined the Rehau Group in October 2022, said: “Sustainability is vital to the windows industry because it supports environmental stewardship, conserves resources, enhances energy efficiency, meets consumer demand, and ensures regulatory compliance.

“Leaving the world in a better place for our future generations is important to us at PVCR, so we are continuing to work on longer-term strategies to enhance Rehau’s overall sustainability. By further enhancing our processing capacity, we can create value for our customers, partner businesses and the planet.”

Since its opening in 2019, the Runcorn-based facility has taken on a key role in helping Rehau UK ensure its frame output currently contains 55% recycled materials. The site currently processes 15,000 tonnes of post-consumer polymer.

Rehau continues to invest in the PVCR plant to improve its processing capacity. This includes the previous installation of a pre-shedding operation to remove impure coloured plastic known as jazz, which previously made up 20% of the facility’s overall sorted polymer.

As this material is of insufficient quality for use in Rehau polymer, it is used in other frame parts including reinforcements and supports, reducing waste and improving the circular economy of materials.