Mittelstandspresse
15.07.2026
Source One Plastics is gradually resuming operations at its sorting and recycling plant
Refurbished and optimised
Eicklingen, 15.07.2026 (PresseBox) - Eicklingen, Lower Saxony. The flake sorter section of Source One Plastics’ dry mechanical sorting and recycling plant in Eicklingen resumed operations for the first time on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, following a fire at the end of January 2026. In future, thanks to improved processes, the rebuilt plant will process hard-to-recycle plastic waste even more efficiently than before. Dr Oliver Krahn is the new managing director of Source One Plastics GmbH.
Around six months after a fire in parts of the recycling hall, Source One Plastics’ flake sorters are once again sorting 3D regrind by colour and material purity. Renovation work on the building has now also been completed. In September, the plant’s upstream sorting and processing area is set to resume partial operations. The company expects to be fully operational by November 2026. The total cost of the reconstruction amounts to around 20 million euros.
The technical design of the rebuilt sorting and recycling plant corresponds to the original version, which had only been inaugurated in February 2024. However, Source One Plastics has used the refurbishment to optimise material handling, install a new plant control system and consistently further develop the plant’s automation and digitalisation. As a result, this leads to better quality, higher output and even lower emissions.
“As we maintained five-shift operation throughout, we were able to work on rebuilding the plant 24/7,” says Kai Hoyer. He is the former managing director of Source One Plastics GmbH, as well as the founder and managing director of 23 Oaks Investments GmbH, which established the ‘Source One Plastics’ joint venture together with LyondellBasell. “Our partner companies from the first construction phase are also supporting us. They are still very familiar with the conditions on site. That helps us work quickly.”
The Source One Plastics team is characterised by a strong sense of unity. “My life’s work went up in flames before my very eyes,” says Kai Hoyer. “It was a challenge for me to find the focus and motivation to rebuild it all again after such a short time. Yet every single one of my colleagues and partners showed tireless dedication and worked with extraordinary commitment to ensure that high-quality raw materials are once again flowing through our plant. We fought for this together for six months. The moment the plant processed material again for the first time touched me deeply. I would like to thank everyone who made this possible from the bottom of my heart. We are coming back stronger, more modern and with improved performance.”
Since 1 July 2026, Dr Oliver Krahn has been the sole managing director of Source One Plastics GmbH. A mechanical engineer with a PhD and fifteen years’ industry experience, he took over as plant manager at Source One Plastics in January 2025. By appointing him to the management board, the shareholders are recognising his commitment to the company. Kai Hoyer will support Dr Oliver Krahn in an advisory capacity.
Ansprechpartner
Sonja Jüde
+49 531 21492737
Zuständigkeitsbereich: Corporate Communications
Über source one plastics gmbh:
About Source One Plastics
Source One Plastics GmbH is a German-Dutch joint venture between LyondellBasell and 23 Oaks Investments. The aim of the company is to process post-consumer plastic waste, which is currently usually incinerated, for reuse with the help of an energy-efficient and advanced sorting and recycling plant. In 2024, Source One Plastics aims to fill up to thirty positions at its Eicklingen site in Lower Saxony to create a true circular economy for plastics. Source One Plastics GmbH was founded in October 2022 and is managed by Dr. Oliver Krahn.
About LyondellBasell
We are LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB) – a leader in the global chemical industry creating solutions for everyday sustainable living. Through advanced technology and focused investments, we are enabling a circular and low carbon economy. Across all we do, we aim to unlock value for our customers, investors and society. As one of the world’s largest producers of polymers and a leader in polyolefin technologies, we develop, manufacture and market high-quality and innovative products for applications ranging from sustainable transportation and food safety to clean water and quality healthcare. For more information, please visit www.lyondellbasell.com or follow @LyondellBasell on LinkedIn.
About 23 Oaks Investment
23 Oaks Investment GmbH is a holding company that aims to create the global infrastructure for a closed-loop circular economy through financial and operational investments in sustainable companies in the plastics industry. It invests in resource-saving product development and in the design and construction of innovative collection, sorting, and recycling systems. 23 Oaks combines environmental and economic gains in the Circular Economy, providing solutions for the environmentally and climate responsible use of plastics. 23 Oaks was founded in June 2019 by Kai Hoyer in Leiferde/Lower Saxony, Germany.
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