Circo®Lab
CircoLab is a co-creation programme for raw materials development, aiming to support customers in implementing recycled plastic into their production. In the CircoLab programme, Circo® recycled plastic material is customised into a compound tailored to the customer's needs and products.
Co-creating sustainability with customers
Circo®Lab is a co-creation programme for raw materials development. The programme aims to create a recycled plastic compound tailored to the customer's product and production. We work with the customer to assess and determine their needs, the common goals, and where and how recycled plastic can best be utilised in customers' products.
In the CircoLab process, the technical and environmental properties of the material are improved to fit more technical applications. The technical properties of recycled plastic, such as strength, processability, colour and other features, are reshaped and customised to develop a sustainable, tailor-made material compound.
“Circo® recycled plastic compounds are developed in close collaboration with customers in order to create the precise raw material compound that meets the requirements of the final product.”
Kari Aaltonen, Product Line Specialist, Plastics, Fortum Recycling & Waste
This is how the CircoLab process flows
Analysis
Each development project begins with an initial analysis, where the product features and performance are analysed.
Concept
During the concept stage, the initial specification for the raw material is made and the production concept is created.
Development
Iteration is an important part of the material development programme. In the development phase, recycled plastic is tailored into a specific compound based on your needs.
Support
Our plastic experts are there to support you at all stages when implementing a new recycled plastic compound material to produce more sustainable products.
Trial
The test stage produces the first version of the product with the new material compound to test the functionality and the visual and technical properties.
Production
Once the material has been approved in trial phase, the production and upscaling the volumes can take place in controlled manner.