Bilfinger : supports textile-recycling innovator Renewcell

September 21, 2021

• Prefabrication and installation of piping systems at textile recycling plant in Sundsvall, Sweden
• Bilfinger contributing to another circular economy project after collaborations in the areas of plastics recycling and biofuels

Bilfinger supports Swedish sustaintech company Renewcell in building its first industrial-scale textile-to-textile recycling plant in Sundsvall, Sweden. The contract scope covers comprehensive pipework services that have started in September 2021 and will run until the end of March 2022.

"We are proud to accompany Renewcell in the build of its new facility. Sustainable, circular textile recycling aligns with Bilfinger's mission to support the process industry on its way to decarbonization. With our comprehensive service portfolio, we help our customers in implementing new technologies to reduce their emissions and change to renewable energy sources," says Christina Johansson, Bilfinger's interim CEO and CFO.

"We signed with Bilfinger because it was important for us to have an experienced and reliable partner who could provide enough highly qualified personnel at short notice. With Bilfinger's contribution, we are confident that we can keep our ambitious timeline in building our first industrial-scale textile recycling plant," says Patrik Lundström, CEO of Renewcell.

A team from Bilfinger Industrial Services Sweden will assume responsibility for the manufacturing, delivery, assembly and installation of around 198 tons of piping for the new plant. The pipes will transport environmentally friendly chemicals needed for Renewcell's patented technology for recycling cellulosic textile waste, such as cotton clothing. The chemicals decompose the textiles into a biodegradable pulp product called Circulose®, which is fed back into the textile production value chain as a replacement for virgin materials like cotton, oil and wood. The Sundsvall plant will be the world's first commercial-scale chemical recycling plant for cellulose textiles and will have a capacity of 60,000 tonnes per year, which is about half of Sweden's annual textile consumption. At present, nearly three quarters of these textiles typically end up in landfill or are incinerated, while less than 1% of all new clothes come from recycled sources.

Bilfinger is involved in numerous projects for the transition to a circular economy, such as a partnership with recycling tech company Umincorp, the build of Clariant's first-of-a-kind sustainable biofuels plant or a start-up program for young companies and technologies in the circular economy. From mature technologies like energy efficiency, hydro and wind power or waste heat utilization to new areas such as carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) as well as green hydrogen solutions, Bilfinger is constantly developing its capabilities to better support its customers along the entire value chain of their assets and deliver solutions for a more sustainable industry.

Renewcell is a multi-award winning sustainable technology company based in Sweden that works with global fashion companies like the H&M Group. Its recycling product Circulose® is the only commercially available textile-to-textile recycled material that matches the quality of virgin material, making it a real alternative to resource-intensive conventional fibres.