(AUREA 2018 AWARD NOMINATION): Solagro – Interactive recycling presses

Source: eKapija Tuesday, 20.03.2018. 15:46
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The Belgrade-based company Solagro developed a unique interactive press for recycling packaging waste in 2017, called Solagro Smart Recycler, featuring game elements, as well as the analysis of recycled material, which motivates people to recycle, together with the mobile app. As such, it is unique in the world market.

The press in fact communicates with users, explaining how to recycle in 30 seconds. The mobile app enables the user to find the nearest press, enter the codes and win awards, receive information about the recycling process and follow the data about the recycled material. Special modes for festivals, concerts and similar events are available to companies and sponsors of the app.

The presses compress packaging waste, reducing the volume by 90%. They feature an attractive exterior, are suitable for installation on squares, beaches, at festivals, concerts, sports and cultural events.

The new system enables cities to be more efficient in the sector of collection and primary selection of waste, saves time and money for recyclers by compressing the packaging, thereby optimizing the costs of transport, whereas companies are provided with real and measurable data about the amounts of recycled packaging material.

Since the foundation in 2014, the Solagro team has developed and successfully marketed promotional hand presses for cans and PET bottles, as well as bicycles for recycling cans and PET bottles. So far, they've installed more than 120 devices in 7 countries of the world. New smart presses were installed in two locations in Belgrade and one location in Kopaonik in early 2018. Another three should be installed in the capital of Serbia by the end of April, and there's also interest in the Belgrade-based company's new product abroad.

INNOVATION


(Photo: ESB Professional/shutterstock.com)
Solagro Smart Recycler is an innovative system which motivates people to recycle more and which consists of a smart press and a mobile app.

The smart press is an interactive machine for the compression of packaging waste with the capacity of 2,000 cans, made of galvanized sheet steel combined with stainless steel. The press compresses waste at a simple pulling of the lever, reducing its volume by 90%. It can be used by people of all ages and pressed cans are delivered to the recycling industry.

The press is equipped with an LCD screen, sensors for detection of aluminum and capacity fulfillment and a system for collecting and analyzing the data about the recycled material It communicates with people, guides them through the recycling process and awards them with codes for each instance of recycling. The mobile app helps detect the location of the nearest press installed, and after the recycling is completed, codes are entered and gifts are awarded (books, drinks, portable oral hygiene sets etc) based on points collected (each can is worth 10 points).

Furthermore, the app can be used to see the number of users per location, and in the upcoming period the option to see which brands the press recycles will become available, based on sensors and a sophisticated monitoring system. Companies can thereby get real and measurable data about the amounts of recycled packaging material, while being able to promote their products to a large number of users through an “in app” model (award sponsorship, background branding, festival app modes) or the branding of the press itself.

This kind of smart press system accompanied by a mobile app does not exist in the world, and, compared to similar solutions in the market, such as the devices in Germany based on a deposit system, which are bulky and expensive, they are cheaper, more reliable, easily portable and can be installed in numerous locations.

The Solagro team develops and implements new solutions for recycling packaging waste, and since the foundation in 2014, they've successfully marketed promotional hand presses for cans and PET bottles, as well as bicycles for recycling cans and PET bottles.

Their smart press with an app won the Smart City Challenge for the best innovation in December 2016, under the sponsorship of Telenor, BEUM and ICT Hub. In 2017, they developed the prototype, and the first press was presented in March 2017, whereas the first 5 were commissioned at Belgrade Beer Fest last summer. They were bought out by the company Ball Packaging, which gathered around 2 tons of cans during the festival. The system officially started working on January 11, 2018, with the installation of the first smart press at the Sports Center Milan Gale Muskatirovic 25. Maj in Belgrade.

SOCIAL USEFULNESS

The new recycling system is designed to be available to all citizens and to provide them with information about where, when and how they can recycle. Furthermore, it guarantees that all the packaging will be processed, that is, that cans will return to the shelves in 60 days, which is not the case with disposing them in containers, where it is not known with certainty where the waste ends up.

Furthermore, in order to motivate people to recycle, they've offered awards for recycling, adapted to all ages – school supplies, earphones, household appliances, theater tickets...

By carrying out the selection and the primary compressing, smart Solagro presses are mediators between the user and the end recyclers. Pressed cans are delivered to the recycling industry, in which there's a great demand for quality compressed aluminum packaging, considering that it imports a large part of the raw materials it needs each year.

In the Western Balkans, as well as in all of Europe, new regulations are being implemented, treating the topic of packaging waste. Cities oblige to use efficient smart city systems which save resources and are more efficient, all to the end of making life easier and more comfortable in big, over-crowded cities. Besides, beverage companies oblige to recycle the packaging they put in the market, and there's also the trend of promoting brands through CSR activities in the field of environmental protection.

The system designed by the Solagro team enables cities to become more efficient in the sector of collection and primary selection of waste, saves time and money for recyclers, as the packaging they deliver is compressed and transport costs optimized, whereas companies are provided with real and measurable data on the amounts of recycled packaging material. Furthermore, they are able to promote their products to a large number of users through an “in app” model (award sponsorship, background branding, festival app modes) or the branding of the press itself.

Over 250 tons of packaging has been recycled in the Solagro presses they've put in the market since the foundation in 2014, and over 3,000 children have passed the educational program they organize. The bicycle for recycling cans and PET bottles is a favorite among pupils, who familiarize themselves with the process of recycling by turning pedals to press cans. As an award for their effort, the Recan Foundation provides schools and pupils with educational trips and recreation classes.


In cooperation with Recan, they also carry out the Limenkica-Ulaznica (Can-Ticket) promotion, which awards a ticket for the Carapa theater in Belgrade for each 5 cans brought for recycling. This activates the youngest children, and they also plan to further adapt the app to children through the gamification of the process in the upcoming period, so that they would further develop the motivation and the creation of recycling habits.

FINANCIAL POTENTIAL

(Photo: Tony Stock/shutterstock.com)
Solagro Team operates in the industry of recycling packaging waste and belongs to the sector of selection and collection of drink packaging waste, the so-called beverage industry. The value of the market of Southeast Europe, to which Solagro belong geographically, amounts to around EUR 950 million, whereas the total value of the global market of unrecycled beverage packaging waste amounts to USD 94.8 billion.

Solagro is B2B oriented and their main clients are companies, cities and institutions. They cooperate with over 30 clients, among which are the biggest brands in the world: Ball Packaging, Coca Cola, Molson Coors, Haineken, Calsberg. So far, they've sold over 120 of their devices throughout Europe: in Serbia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Greece, Ireland, Belgium, Romania and Spain.

The business model they are developing has thereby already proven to be sustainable, and when it comes to the new product, Solagro Smart Recycler, they count on several sources of finance:

- sale of presses (priced EUR 2,000 to EUR 3,500 depending on the model);
- renting presses for events (EUR 80 a day);
- renting ad space on presses;
- revenues from collection of packaging waste (1 kg for 1 euro);
- revenues from the data the app collects – user habits, number of recycled cans – companies are interested in;
- in app branding.

The first Solagro Smart Recycler press was installed in January 2018 at the Sports Center Milan Gale Muskatirovic, the second on March 9 at ICT Hub, and then another one in Hotel Rtanj in Kopaonik. The plan is to install another 3 in Belgrade by the end of March (the next location planned is the National Library, followed by the Youth Center). Over 6,000 cans have been recycled this way so far. Solagro expect to have 50,000 users by the end of the year.

They also sold five presses to Ball Packaging last year, which were used to collect 2 tons of packaging waste during the Belgrade Beer Fest.

In December, the company was supported by the Innovation Fund with EUR 72,356 for a further development of the system, a new press design, an improvement of the mechanism for pressing and registering the number of cans, the completion of the Android app, the preparation of the iOS app and a web portal which could collect and display analytical data from the presses, as well as for obtaining a CE certificate so that they could start exporting as well, as there's already great demand for these presses abroad.

If interactive recycling Solagro presses are your investment of the year favorite, you can vote for them on the official website of the Aurea award.
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