One of the largest PET bottle processing plants in Northern Europe has been opened in Latvia

On October 23, the new factory of AS “ITERUM” (formerly “PET Baltija”) was opened in Olaine – one of the largest in Northern Europe with a planned processing capacity of 80,000 tons per year, or about 30% more than it was possible to provide at the company’s previous production facility in Jelgava. “ITERUM” has invested more than 10 million euros in the creation of the new factory, while the total investment reaches more than 35 million euros.

Taking into account the goals of climate neutrality and the “Green Deal” set by the European Union (EU), the role of waste recycling will significantly increase in its member states in the coming years. While the leading countries of the EU – Germany, Slovenia, Austria, the Netherlands, etc. – is able to recycle an average of 65% of generated waste, Latvia reaches less than 50%*.

Jānis Irbe, parliamentary secretary of the Ministry of Climate and Energy: “In the implementation of circular economy principles, first of all, we are talking about the production of high-quality and long-lasting goods. Secondly, also about the use of raw materials obtained in the waste recycling process in its production. The circular economy model for the economy comes with challenges, but also opportunities to turn waste into raw materials that are in demand in the market. In the circular economy, the product’s harm to the environment and also to human health is reduced throughout the product’s life cycle – from the extraction of raw materials to production, packaging and transportation, all the way to the consumer. Not forgetting about waste recycling. The new production plant is a vivid example of how to turn waste into a valuable resource in the circular economy. The circular economy must become the basis of the European economy.”

Continuing to expand the full-cycle circulation of waste in Latvia and beyond, the PET bottle recycling company “ITERUM” of the largest environmental resource management and recycling company group in the Baltics “Eco Baltia” opens a new factory in Olaine. The newly opened factory will be one of the largest and most modern PET processing plants in Northern Europe and one of the largest industrial buildings in Latvia, with a total indoor area of ​​approximately 30,000 square meters and an outdoor area of ​​approximately 40,000 square meters.

JSC “Eco Baltia” board chairman Māris Simanovičs: “The creation of the new “ITERUM” factory is one of the most ambitious development projects of “Eco Baltia” in recent years, the main goal of which is to increase the production capacity of PET granules and provide the necessary conditions for further development, strengthening our market share on the European market. In recent years, we have implemented a rapid course of development of “Eco Baltia” companies in the Baltics and beyond, and along with organic growth, we have acquired several companies to expand our range of services. The new factory of “ITERUM” will be a significant step forward in the group’s growth, providing three times more production capacity than ten years ago and 30% more than was possible at the production facility in Jelgava. This will allow us to significantly increase the fulfillment of the goals set by the EU.”

The project complies with the highest energy efficiency indicators. The building complies with the sustainable construction standard BREEM®, it will fully use energy obtained from renewable resources. Wastewater treatment equipment, unique in Latvia, has been installed in the factory, which allows to significantly reduce the consumption of chemicals in the process of wastewater treatment. An efficient air recuperation system has been created, which also provides that the excess thermal energy generated in the PET melting process will be used for heating the building. The new factory will have more than 250 jobs, with a special focus on employee well-being and the sustainability of the working environment.

Jūlija Zandersone, the chairman of the board of JSC “ITERUM”, says that sustainability is one of the main pillars of the factory’s operation, while at the same time prioritizing the quality of the final product, which the Latvian manufacturer can offer on the international market: “Almost 100% of our production is exported. The main sales countries are Lithuania, Germany, Finland, Poland and other regions of the world. Although Latvia is territorially small compared to other European countries, we can be proud that in terms of PET processing with high-quality production, we are able to reach up to 5% of this market share. We believe that the new “ITERUM” factory is a new step for the further development of PET recycling, aiming to increase its market share even more.”

The “Eco Baltia” project was implemented with the support of “INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund” and in cooperation with domestic industrial park developer SIA “Piche”. In turn, equipment suppliers are among the distributors of the most modern solutions, one of which is the Austrian manufacturer “Starlinger”. In Europe, equipment of this level has been installed in only two production plants, but in the world – ten. Thus, the plant will also be technologically one of the most modern PET processing plants in Europe and the world.

*The latest “Statista” data on the amount of recycled waste in 2022 in the countries of the European Union.

About ITERUM

“ITERUM” (until June 6, 2024 – “PET Baltija”) is one of the largest polyethylene terephthalate (PET) processing companies in Northern Europe and the largest PET processing company in the Baltic region. Its owner is the group of environmental resource management companies “Eco Baltia”. “ITERUM” recycles used PET bottles and is the industry leader in the Baltic countries. The processing product portfolio includes high-quality PET flakes and granules (including those suitable for the production of food packaging), which are almost 100% exported.