Turning plastic waste into a trendy trend

Bel Albatros, a company in Brussels (Belgium), is pioneering the conversion of plastic waste into recycled materials to produce new items.

This is an initiative of Guilain Sevriere and Elisabeth Trivière, two founders who want to promote a circular economy model. By reusing discarded plastic resources, they not only reduce pollution but also meet the creative needs of young designers.

A chair made from recycled plastic by the Bel Albatros company. (Photo: ND).

Guilain Sevriere became interested in recycling while working in a fab lab, a digital manufacturing facility with 3D printers. 'In the manufacturing process, plastic waste is inevitable ,' he says. Unlike wood or metal, plastic is difficult to recycle and causes a lot of waste. This prompted Guilain to look for a solution to plastic recycling, and he discovered an open-source online project for building small plastic recycling machines. He then met a plastics manufacturer in Brussels, who introduced him to larger technologies and launched his career in the plastics industry.

After facing the technical challenges of plastic injection molding , Guilain decided to move into the production of recycled plastic panels. When the opportunity arose to purchase a compression molding machine, the company entered a new phase. They produced large plastic panels from recycled plastic, which were then used to make furniture, wall panels, and tiles. The manufacturing process involved grinding the plastic, compressing it in a mold, and heating it before cutting it into finished products.

Guilain Sevriere, founder of Bel Albatros company. (Photo: ND).

Furniture made from recycled plastic. (Photo: ND).

Bel Albatros is committed to recycling 100% of the excess plastic used in the production process. (Photo: ND).

Currently, Bel Albatros is recycling about 3 tons of plastic per month. (Photo: ND).

Bel Albatros purchases plastic from a variety of sources, including companies that need to dispose of plastic, recycling organizations, and the plastics industry. Plastic collection not only helps companies reduce waste disposal costs, but also provides Bel Albatros with raw materials to create environmentally friendly products.

With the technical advantages of plastic such as water resistance, easy shaping and customizable colors, Bel Albatros has attracted the attention of young designers looking for environmentally friendly materials. The company has collaborated with many architects and interior designers to produce innovative furniture and tiles . A recent typical project was the production of 4 km of skirting boards for the MIX Hotel, a major project in Brussels.

Bel Albatros is committed to recycling 100% of the plastic waste generated during production, from cutting dust to plastic pellets. This ensures a completely circular production cycle, with zero waste and minimal environmental impact.

Bel Albatros currently recycles about 3 tons of plastic per month and plans to expand within the next year. The company aims to build a larger production facility and install solar panels to improve the sustainability of its production process.

Bel Albatros not only creates recycled plastic products, but also contributes to reducing plastic waste, promoting a circular economy and meeting the growing demand for environmentally friendly materials.