TOMRA Collaborates with Henkel to Enhance Packaging Recyclability

TOMRA Recycling and Henkel, a global leader in consumer goods and adhesives, aim to enhance the sortability of packaging. Henkel, known for popular brands like Schwarzkopf, Persil, and Pritt, has installed a TOMRA detection system in its test lab. This system will be used to evaluate packaging before market launch to ensure it possesses the necessary properties for efficient sorting and recycling post-disposal.

Dr. Volker Rehrmann, EVP and Head of TOMRA Recycling, stated, "Sorting is crucial for recycling packaging rather than it being incinerated. At TOMRA, we understand how to design packaging for optimal recognition by modern sorting technologies, and we are committed to sharing this expertise. A successful circular economy requires collaboration across the entire value chain, making partnerships like the one with Henkel vital."

Henkel’s Düsseldorf site features TOMRA’s AUTOSORT™ system, a versatile sorting solution that has been available for nearly 30 years. This scanner is equipped with near-infrared and VIS sensors, allowing it to detect both the material type, such as plastics like PP, PET, HDPE, or paper, and the color of the packaging, which is crucial for sortability. With the AUTOSORT™ installed in approximately 100 countries, Henkel can rapidly and efficiently obtain results that align with those of actual industrial plants.

Alba Santmarti, Packaging Sustainability Manager at Henkel Consumer Brands, states, "At Henkel, 'Design for Recycling' is a key component of our product development process. We invest in our internal capabilities to assess the sortability of our consumer goods packaging early on. This approach ensures that valuable materials can be recycled in later stages, thereby closing the material loop."

Established in 1972, TOMRA initially specialized in designing, manufacturing, and selling reverse vending machines (RVMs) for the automated collection of used beverage containers. Today, TOMRA offers solutions that support the circular economy through advanced collection and sorting systems, as well as food processing using sensor-based sorting and grading technology.

With approximately 105,000 installations across over 100 markets globally, TOMRA achieved total revenues of about 14.8 billion NOK in 2023. TOMRA’s presence spans all continents, and its solutions are increasingly essential for promoting sustainable societies. TOMRA was founded by brothers Petter and Tore Planke from Asker, Norway, who invented the world's first automated reverse vending machine. Their handmade prototype of the initial TOMRA RVM was installed in an Oslo supermarket on January 2, 1972. Between 1972 and 1976, TOMRA's revenues increased from 700,000 NOK to 6.9 million NOK.