Chinaplas: Austrian-based NGR plans to open customer care center in Shanghai

(Next Generation Recyclingmaschinen GmbH; Feldkirchen) is looking to establish a customer care center in Shanghai by January 2014.

At Chinaplas 2013, Michael Heinzlreiter, head of marketing and business development for NGR, told PlasticsToday the company plans to display at least two machines at the center as well as provide training to Chinese engineers, which will help expand the company's distribution network in China.

This news follows the announcement that the company has opened a representative office in Taipei. NGR is currently represented in China by Hong Kong-based Jebsen & Co.

"In the last few years, we have seen strong growth progressing in China," he said. "We believe there is enormous potential. We feel quite comfortable in the Chinese market, which is why we opened up the representative office in Taipei."

NGR manufactures plastic recycling machines for the post-industrial and post-consumer markets, with an annual growth rate of 20%. Heinzlreiter said the company is heavily investing in R&D, with a focus on post-consumer plastic recycling.

The China government has implemented a goal of recycling 70% of major waste products by 2015. One area from the Chinese recycling market that is receiving quite a bit of attention is the "Operation Green Fence," a 10-month long initiative that was launched in February by Chinese environmental and customs officials. Operation Green Fence consists of the random inspection of imported waste from Europe, North America, and elsewhere covering plastic, metals, textiles and paper materials, in an effort to keep excess trash out of China.

Heinzlreiter said they are keeping an eye on how limiting the export will affect the China market.

"Out of this China must implement the post-consumer usage of plastics as a resource, which fits exactly what we are," he said.