Italy-based Freudenberg Politex, a Freudenberg Nonwovens business group, and Germany-based
Rethmann/Rhenus, a disposal logistics and waste separation company, have formed first*PET, a joint
venture to recycle plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) soda bottles into raw materials, which
in turn will be made into primary carpet backings.Jean Skinner, a spokesperson for Freudenberg,
said trial rolls have been delivered to customers, and actual production will begin this month in
Mannheim, Germany.Freudenberg claims the joint venture will be the first company in the world to
supply primary carpet backings that contain 25- to 100-percent post-consumer recycled content.
July 2003
