ABB wins big order for textile recycling plant

ABB
has won a large-scale order for automation, electrification, quality control
systems, motors and drives from Renewcell for its new industrial textile
recycling production line in Sundsvall, Sweden. Renewcell is a fast-growing
Swedish sustaintech company specialising in textile-to-textile recycling.

 

With
ABB technology, a former SCA paper mill will be transformed into the world’s
first commercial-scale recycling plant for cellulosic textiles – created by
dissolving natural materials such as cellulose which is then regenerated to
create a wide range of fabrics. Renewcell is already working with several
fashion manufacturers, and in 2020, the company and H&M Group entered a
multi-year partnership to replace virgin fibers with recycled textiles in
clothing.

 

The
contract between ABB and Renewcell marks an important milestone for the fashion
industry, as it has a major impact on the environment due to the production of
raw materials that are made into clothing. According to Renewcell’s preliminary
calculations, textile fibers made from its recycled raw material use
approximately 50 liters of fresh water per kg in production, compared to around
1,600 liters for cotton and 90 liters for non-cotton cellulosic material
viscose. With a maximum production capacity of 60,000 tons per year Renewcell’s
innovative approach could help to preserve around 90 billion liters of fresh
water, the equivalent of 36,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The process also
lowers waste, plastic pollution and both CO2 and chemical emissions. The use of
recycled fabric can help brands deliver on their promises to reduce their
negative impact.

 

“The
ABB team proved their unique ability to deliver a complete automation and
electrification solution based on their products and services. They have the
knowledge, presence and experience that we need to keep this project on track,
both in terms of budget and schedule. We also share a joint vision when it
comes to resource efficiency, circular economy and sustainability so are
pleased to be working closely with them on this exciting project,” said Patrik
Lundström, CEO at Renewcell.

 

Theodor
Swedjemark, ABB’s Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer, added, “As a
technology company, we at ABB believe that electrification and automation
technologies can play a key role in transforming industries and reducing their
environmental footprint. We are honored to support Renewcell in their exciting
journey towards increased circularity of the fashion industry – an ambition
that is fully aligned with our own efforts to systematically improve
circularity across ABB’s supply chain as part of our 2030 sustainability strategy.”

 

The
process for clothing recycling is similar to pulp drying, breaking down
cellulose in cotton and viscose textiles to recycle into new raw materials.
This similarity enables Renewcell to use the existing infrastructure, including
buildings and the supply and processing of raw water, waste water, compressed
air and electricity at the SCA mill. This will be coupled with ABB’s paper and
automation expertise, to manufacture recycled textiles that might otherwise
have gone to landfill or incineration.

ABB
brings its domain expertise from the pulp and paper industry, for example with
specific technology to control the pulp dryer – a piece of equipment that was
previously in use to dry raw wood pulp for paper and packaging – and quality
control knowledge specific to the process. The customer requested weight and
moisture measurement based on testing on a pilot machine.