New Rehau PVCR Plant Manager aims for 70% recycled PVC in frames

The newly appointed Plant Manager at Rehau’s PVCR polymer 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 joined the Rehau Group in October 2022 as a Lean Management Expert and Training Manager before taking on his new role. He previously spent 32 years working in supervisory and management positions for the chemical sector, having started as an operator. John’s experience will be invaluable to affecting continuous improvement at the PVCR site as the Rehau Group looks to further improve its processing capacity.

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, with targets to expand this further while increasing the percentage of recycled materials in frames to 70%.

“My experience tells me that answers can usually be found in empowering teams and giving them opportunities to grow,” John explains. “I will keep to this approach in my new role – the PVCR team constitutes a major part of Rehau’s contribution to more sustainable operations, so just knowing we are making a difference is a major factor of success.

“Striving for positive change and accepting what’s good enough today will not be good enough tomorrow, so making small changes in everything we do can make a big difference to our sustainability goals. I’m on a steep learning curve but we’re already making great strides, and everyone is pulling in the same direction to improve things further.”

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.

“Sustainability is vital to the windows industry because it supports environmental stewardship, conserves resources, enhances energy efficiency, meets consumer demand, and ensures regulatory compliance,” John concludes. “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.”