Kuusakoski announces first composite treatment plant in Finland

The Finnish recycling company Kuusakoski announced plans to build a new composite shredding and treatment plant at its Hyvinkää site in Southern Finland. The new composite treatment plant will shred composites safely and effectively. The investment includes the renovation of a building that currently exists at the Kuusakoski Hyvinkää site, as well as the construction of the new processing line. The value of the investment will be over 4 million €, of which 35 % will be financed by Business Finland from RRF (Recovery and Resilience Facility) funding.

“Our investment brings the circular economy solution piloted in Germany to Finland. With it, we can provide the best industrial scale recycling process for composite materials locally,” says Mikko Kuusilehto, President and CEO. “The demand for a recycling solution for composites is rising already, as the amount of composite waste will increase: wind turbines, airplanes, boats and other vehicles contain considerable and increasing amounts of composites.”

 

Composites are utilised in cement

production

The composite waste is supplied as a raw material by Kuusakoski to the cement industry. The shredded composite material is co-processed in cement production, where it can be efficiently utilised without residual ash. Composite material contains both fibres and polymers. In this co-processing, the fibres are substituting limestone and the polymers are substituting fossil fuel. The utilisation of composite lowers the CO2-emissions significantly.

Kuusakoski CEO highlights a common misconception about the shredded composite material that this new plant will produce: “It is good to understand that the shredded composite materials are not mixed with concrete. They are used in the production of clinker – the pre-product that is used to prepare cement – and no trace of fibres is left in the cement that is then used for preparing concrete,” reminds Mikko Kuusilehto.

Two industrial shredders ensure effectiveness

The new facility will improve the efficiency of the process that was piloted in the award winning KiMuRa project. The processing line is planned to be in full production by the end of 2025. The new plant will consist of two shredders, several covered conveyors, a magnet, and a dust control system. The dust control system is especially important, as the processing of composites creates large amounts of fine, harmful dust.

www.kuusakoski.com

x

Related articles:

Kuusakoski invests in first carbon free steel recycling plant

Kuusakoski, a forerunner of the green transition, is going to build a market first steel recycling plant that will operate 100 % carbon free and utilise the latest technology. The investment responds...

more

Kuusakoski´s new copper centre to recycle all cables in Finland

A € 7 million processing plant for aluminium and copper containing materials will be completed next year in Heinola/Finland. This is part of the multi-year investment program which aims to increase...

more
Issue 04/2020 UNIVERSAL GRANULATOR XG

Universal granulator for single-stage shredding

THM‘s Universal Granulator XG is used for single-stage shredding of a variety of different materials. Whether wood, RDF, cable scrap, electronic scrap, metals or other materials, the Universal...

more

Kuusakoski invests € 25 million to meet increasing demand in pure recycled metal products

Recycling pioneer Kuusakoski invests € 25 million in a major new production line that is being built at the company’s recycling plant in Heinola/Finland, to meet higher demand. Demand for recycled...

more
Issue 02/2021 Demonstration through Finland

ARJES shreds all demolition waste on the construction site

Initial test runs have successfully crushed concrete, waste wood, roots, plastics, commercial and industrial waste, construction and demolition waste and even roofing felt, among other materials....

more