MEAF

Plastic waste is a growing problem worldwide, with serious consequences for the environment and human & animal health. The majority of plastic waste comes from packaging materials. There is a significant need to increase the proportion of recycled plastic in the production of new plastic packaging materials.

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is a type of plastic that is excellent for packaging food and is one of the few plastics that can be recycled into food packaging. However, existing solutions for PET recycling have high energy consumption, are space and capital-intensive and therefore not accessible to small and medium-sized food packaging producers.

The solution: Xtender

To make PET recycling more accessible and sustainable in the plastics industry, MEAF Machines has initiated the development of the Xtender. This is a new type of polymer processor that distinguishes itself from current solutions through excellent energy efficiency while simultaneously offering lower investment and maintenance costs. Compared to similar alternatives, the Xtender uses only half the energy per kilogram of processed material, resulting in a reduction of up to 214 tons of CO₂ emissions per year during the production process.

DEI+ subsidy

For the design, manufacturing, and testing of two pilot setups demonstrating the operating principle of the Xtender, Ugoo, in collaboration with MEAF, prepared and submitted an application for the DEI+ subsidy. The DEI+ subsidy supports innovative CO2-reducing technologies. The development of MEAF's Xtender aligns seamlessly with the objectives of the DEI+, due to its excellent energy efficiency and promotion of recycling in the plastic film industry. MEAF has received a subsidy amount of over €300,000 for this pilot project to finance this development.

Subsidy Partners MEAF Machines and Ugoo

Since 2020, Ugoo has been a strategic partner of MEAF Machines in the field of subsidy acquisition. This collaboration can rightly be called a strategic partnership: together with MEAF, we have successfully applied for the DEI+ subsidy twice, once for the MIT subsidy, and for the annual recurring WBSO subsidy.

This success is attributed to our proactive approach of annually discussing MEAF Machines' projects and exploring new subsidy opportunities. The factory visits in Yerseke consistently inspire Ugoo, where we not only witness the in-house test facility but also gain insight into MEAF's innovation ambitions. Additionally, Ugoo supports MEAF Machines in setting up their administration and subsidy accountability.