The Portugal-based ImatosGil Group (IMG), parent company of Selenis North America, has reaffirmed its commitment to build a textile-to-textile recycling facility in Cedar Creek, North Carolina, despite recent news surrounding the recycling industry in the area. IMG released their confirmation after Mexico-based Alpek S.A.B. de C.V., a PET plastic recycling facility in the area, announced the closing of that facility. However, IMG then clarified that Alpek’s decision “does not affect our operations in the region” and that Selenis’ project with Sweden-based Syre was “fully on schedule.”
The facility will be a newest technology facility to process and recycle over 50,000 tons of textile waste per year, creating new textiles from used polyester textiles that are then made back into good quality raw material. This new facility sits on over 150,000 square feet and is part of Selenis’ broader plan to improve sustainable manufacturing and promote circularity in textiles.
Selenis North America, based in Fayetteville, NC, indicated with the operations in Cedar Creek, are proceeding and are unaffected, with a robust development and investment plan underway. The project supports the local economy and US recycling infrastructure, to help make Cedar Creek a center of innovation for manufacturing and recycling.
Selenis is known for its specialty polyesters and sustainable product lines. The company stated that the plant will support the production of resins with up to 50 percent recycled content and will support the ability to make significant contributions toward overall PET stream recyclability and textiles circularity commercially in the US market.
This confirms that, while Alpek has stopped PET recycling in Cedar Creek, Selenis and Syre are fully engaged in the advanced textile-to-textile recycling project–demonstrating their intent to be long-term partners in the region.
