GreenMantra Technologies, a rapidly growing producer of high-value waxes and specialty chemicals from recycled plastic feedstocks, completed construction of a new manufacturing plant in Brantford, Ontario. The company significantly expanded its capacity and the availability of its products.

"Our new plant is an important milestone in GreenMantra's evolution from technology concept, through scale-up and pilot plant manufacturing, to now operating a full-scale commercial manufacturing facility," said Kousay Said, President/CEO. "It will enable us to better serve our existing customers and expand our product lines into new markets and applications."

According to company officials, GreenMantra Technologies utilizes a proprietary catalytic system and patented process to cost-effectively transform hard-to-recycle polyolefin plastics such as grocery bags, shrink wrap, bottle caps, milk jugs and shampoo bottles into high-value waxes, greases, lubricants and other specialty chemicals. Its wax products include "drop in" replacements as well as novel waxes that are cost and performance competitive with waxes made from traditional petroleum-based feedstocks. These wax products have a broad range of applications in the coatings, plastics, adhesives, asphalt roofing and paving, and inks industries.

The Canadian plant, located at 81 Elgin Street in Brantford, features a semi-continuous manufacturing operation notable for its compact footprint and modular design. The capacity of the new plant is 5,000 metric tonnes per year. The plant is designed for future expansions as well as an upgrade to a continuous, fixed-bed process. It was funded primarily through GreenMantra's private equity investors, as well as with grants from the Ontario Innovation Demonstration Fund (IDF) and Sustainable Development Technology Canada.

"The unique configuration of our manufacturing plant is a prototype for future plants using our proprietary technology. The small size and modular design will enable us to locate similarly designed plants alongside feedstock suppliers such as plastics recyclers, or within the operations of large wax customers," Said explained.

The plant operation is extremely efficient in converting recycled olefin plastic feedstock into high-value wax products and other materials, according to Ryan L'Abbe, Vice President of Operations for GreenMantra.

"We strongly believe that this process is good for the environment as well as a strong business model," L'Abbe said. "We are diverting hard-to-recycle plastic waste from landfills or incineration and transforming it into waxes that go into long life-span products."

"Congratulations to GreenMantra on reaching this key milestone for its Brantford operations, deploying its made-in-Ontariore cycling technology," said Reza Moridi, Ontario Minister of Research and Innovation. "The province continues to work proactively with the research and manufacturing community to make Ontario the best place for pioneering innovative technology that both strengthens our economy and safeguards the environment."