Alfa Laval has introduced ThinkCircularity, a take-back initiative designed to recycle materials from its ThinkTop valve control units. This pilot project has been positively received, with the company already processing returned products for recycling. Inger Bygum, Head of Sustainability at Alfa Laval Hygienic Fluid Handling and Heat Transfer Technologies, stated, “Circular thinking is not just a buzzword for us — it is a responsibility. With ThinkCircularity, we ensure that materials from old ThinkTops can be reused, recycled, or disposed of in the most responsible and value-creating manner.”
The initiative primarily targets plastic recycling, as each ThinkTop contains approximately 500 grams of plastic. Tests have shown that this material can be recycled to manufacture new units without sacrificing quality. The blend of reused and virgin plastic in future units meets all performance standards, including tensile strength and durability. Additionally, other materials such as metals and electronics are recycled responsibly.
Industries like food, dairy, and pharmaceuticals, which focus on process optimisation and resource conservation, are already benefiting from the ThinkCircularity programme. In Norway, Skala, an Alfa Laval Master Distributor, has introduced the scheme to its clients, returning several hundred units for recycling. Owe Barsten, Responsible Manager at Skala Components, remarked, “Our customers care about water and energy efficiency — and sustainability. Upgrades mean that older units are scrapped, but now we can offer a truly circular solution where old ThinkTops give life to the next generation.”
ThinkCircularity represents the first step in Alfa Laval’s broader circularity strategy, which emphasises product durability, efficiency, and longevity. By providing an end-of-life solution, the company ensures that old products are responsibly recycled, enabling the creation of new products from recycled materials. Inger Bygum highlighted the significance of this pilot project, stating, “Recycling plastic from old ThinkTops is just a small drop in a vast ocean of circular opportunities. Still, this pilot project is important to us and has taught us valuable lessons that will help us develop new business models, partnerships, and methods to scale reuse and recycling.”
Currently, the ThinkCircularity initiative is available in select European countries. More information can be found on Alfa Laval’s ThinkCircularity page.
