ORLEN Venture Capital invests in novel recycling technology
ORLEN Venture Capital (“ORLEN VC”) has invested in ReVentas, a Scottish start-up whose innovative recycling technology converts plastic waste into high-quality polymers for demanding applications such as consumer packaging. The technology will cut the carbon footprint of plastics and meet rising demand for premium recycled feedstocks, underscoring the priority ORLEN places on decarbonisation and circular-economy principles in the ORLEN 2035 strategy.
“Growth at ORLEN is powered by innovation. We actively seek cutting-edge, high-tech solutions that create lasting competitive advantages and move us towards our strategic objectives. Our ambition is to evolve into a climate-neutral enterprise, which is why we are embedding circular-economy principles and investing in yet another technology company specialised in plastics recycling. The move will enable us to deliver tangible business and environmental benefits while keeping ORLEN ahead of EU regulations,” said Ireneusz Fąfara, President of the Management Board, ORLEN.
ReVentas’ patented process targets the two most widely used plastics—polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP)—which together account for almost 50 % of the world’s 390 million-tonne annual plastics output.
ReVentas employs a recycling process that dissolves the polymer and then strips out contaminants—including fillers, pigments, and odours—leaving behind a clean, homogeneous resin. The resulting virgin-like PE and PP can go straight back into the manufacturing of packaging, automotive parts and a wide range of consumer products.
The process operates at low temperatures and pressures, thus reducing the energy demand—and therefore its carbon footprint. Rolled out at industrial scale, it could materially increase the market supply of high-purity recycled plastic. At present, commercially available systems manage to recycle barely 9% of polymers globally, hamstrung by the difficulty of producing top-grade material from mixed plastic waste.
“EU rules require packaging to contain 10% recycled material by 2030, yet Europe already faces a serious shortfall of high-quality secondary feedstocks suitable for reuse. Complying with the mandate will therefore be challenging. We view that challenge as a business opportunity—one we intend to seize through this latest investment in cutting-edge recycling technology,” said Marek Garniewski, President of the Management Board, ORLEN VC.
“ORLEN VC’s investment gives us more than just the capital required to advance the business—it opens the door to broad-based collaboration. We see significant potential for our technology in Central Europe, and ORLEN, as the region’s leading player, is the perfect partner to fast-track its commercial roll-out,” said Tom Rose, CEO of ReVentas.
Under ORLEN’s 2035 roadmap, renewable and recycled feedstocks will account for an ever-larger share of the Group’s petrochemical slate as it pivots to a circular-economy model. Securing those inputs will hinge in part on strategic partnerships. Over the next decade ORLEN plans to lift its recycling capacity from the current 40 thousand tonnes to 250 thousand tonnes, with products made from renewable or secondary feedstocks targeted to deliver 10% of total petrochemical sales by 2035.
In its first three years of operation, ORLEN VC has invested almost PLN 250 million, assembling a portfolio of thirteen technology companies and two investment funds. ReVentas’ latest funding round also drew capital from Beiersdorf Venture Capital—the venture arm of one of the world’s leading skin care companies —and Scottish Enterprise, Scotland’s national economic development agency and a non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government.
