Stena Recycling Lab
Our focus areas are
Automation
Increase efficiency in recycling processes, to achieve better sorting and to create safer work environments.
Digitalization
Create more efficient processes.
Product development
Aiming at creating new products from materials that today are considered waste residue or that otherwise go to energy recovery.
Examples of projects
We cooperate with entrepreneurs, partners, researchers and students to meet challenges and find new opportunities, aiming at streamlining recycling processes and create new products from unwanted materials. Here are some examples of completed research projects.
AUTOMATED SORTING
Using advanced sensor technology from Combitech and the latest robotics from ABB we developed a robotic solution for more efficient sorting of plastic in electronics. We showed that it’s possible to sort high grade plastic from the electronics, so that it can be recirculated as new raw material. With the aid of new technology and digitalization we can create purer flows of material, thus supporting sustainability in both society and manufacturing industry. The lab in Halmstad provided both the sufficient space and large amounts of products for the tests.
SOUNDS ABSORBERS OUT OF OLD CAR SEATS
Waste ends being waste as someone develops a new use for it. By constantly challenging ourselves we can create new products. The collaboration between Volvo Cars, Repur and Stena Recycling resulted in a car hood sound absorber. The material comes from old car seats, showing a new way to close the loop. At Stena Recycling Lab the project used equipment and expertise in order to manufacture the prototypes.
Hacking societies’ challenges!
Stena Recycling is a proud sponsor of Openhack Gothenburg. Openhack is a digital collaboration arena where ideas and knowledge are exchanged to solve humanitarian challenges.
Openhack Gothenburg acts as a platform for meetings to give life to new innovations. Technical volunteers, NGOs, influencers and sponsors gathered in this arena to collaborate. The event was free and open for everyone with no previous experience of coding required – the only requirement was ideas and the motivation to create new technical solutions for humanity.
Welcome with your input
Do you have an idea or rough sketch of how we can achieve smarter resource management or sustainable products? Want to collaborate with us? If so, send us your thoughts. Looking at contributions, we select ideas that we think can be put to market. If your idea is picked, we will soon start a collaboration project.
- Idea - Send your idea or rough sketch to us.
- Concept identification - By understanding the challenges and seeing the possibilities we identify winning concepts.
- Project - Together with expertise and partners we create solutions and concepts.
Resources at Stena Recycling Lab
Stena Recycling Lab offers a creative and inspiring collaboration arena, with access to Stena Recycling’s own experts in recycling and materials. At our site in Halmstad, we can offer large-scale testing in real-world conditions, with access to state-of-the-art machinery and large material flows. In our material laboratory, materials and products can be tested, in order to evaluate and develop recycling potentials.
