May 13, 2026 — Recticel Group announced that its new industrial-grade recycled polyol plant in Wevelgem, Belgium, has officially commenced operation. This milestone marks a major stride forward for Recticel Group on its sustainable development roadmap, and also serves as a key initiative for the insulation board products manufactured by its subsidiary Recticel Insulation to transition toward a circular economy model.

Building a Circular System for PIR Materials

The newly commissioned facility forms part of Recticel Group’s ambitious strategic plan, which aims to convert PIR (Polyisocyanurate) waste generated from industrial production into high-quality recycled polyols.

Recticel Group is the first PIR manufacturer to invest in and build such an industrial-scale recycled polyol reaction unit. Adopting this closed-loop recycling process, PIR offcuts and production residues are converted into reusable raw materials for the manufacturing of brand-new insulation board products.

This innovative approach helps cut waste generation, reduce reliance on virgin raw materials, and deliver a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, strongly supporting the development of more sustainable building solutions.

Balancing Industrial Efficiency and Low Carbon Emissions

Purpose-built for continuous industrial production, the plant can initially recycle up to 4,000 tonnes of PIR waste annually and produce approximately 6,000 tonnes of recycled polyols. Supported by this production capacity, Recticel Group can replace up to one-third of virgin polyols with recycled alternatives in the production of PIR insulation boards, while maintaining the high performance standards expected by customers.

Calculations show that the recycled polyols produced at the plant can reduce carbon emissions by around 40% compared with virgin polyols.

Laying a Foundation for Future Circular Economy Projects

Beyond recycling internally generated PIR production waste, the plant also lays a solid foundation for future circular economy initiatives across the entire insulation materials value chain, including:

• Increasing the recycled material content across the full product portfolio;
• Exploring the establishment of potential product take-back schemes;
• Further minimizing waste generation in production and distribution processes.

Ward Dhaese, Innovation Manager at Recticel Insulation, stated: “For us, the circular economy is not a slogan, but a core design principle. Through advanced technology, we are demonstrating to the industry how to grant high-performance insulation materials multiple lifecycles, driving the entire sector to move away from the traditional linear production model.”