Chemco commissions INR 125-crore rPET recycling facility

On 19 January, Chemco Group announced the commissioning of a food-grade rPET recycling facility in Sanand, Gujarat. The project represents a capital investment of approximately INR 125-crore. 

In addition, the investment positions Chemco among a select group of Indian companies offering end-to-end bottle-to-bottle recycling at an industrial scale.

The facility is designed to recycle over 1-billion post-consumer PET bottles annually, converting them into high-quality, food-grade rPET suitable for direct food and beverage packaging applications. With this commissioning, Chemco strengthens India’s domestic capability to replace virgin plastic with certified recycled material while maintaining stringent quality and safety standards.

Located in the industrial hub of Sanand, the plant has been developed to meet global regulatory expectations. The rPET produced at the facility is US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) approved, and compliant with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) requirements for food-contact applications in India. 

Additionally, the operations adhere to all applicable Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) governing plastic recycling and recycled PET materials.

Vaibhav Saraogi, managing director, Chemco Group, commented on the commissioning, “This facility represents a strategic shift in how Chemco approaches sustainability. Rather than treating recycling as an external dependency, we have built a fully integrated bottle-to-bottle ecosystem that gives our customers confidence in supply security, traceability, and compliance.”

Saraogi said, “This is not just an investment in infrastructure; it is an investment in the future of responsible packaging.”

The commissioning of this plant coincides with a growing focus on recycled content, carbon reduction, and circularity among global brands and regulators. By establishing in-house recycling capabilities, Chemco is enabling brand partners to meet recycled-content mandates, extended producer responsibility (EPR) obligations, and sustainability commitments without compromising on performance or food safety.

The Sanand facility has been developed as a closed-loop operation, ensuring complete control across the recycling value chain. This integrated approach enhances traceability, reduces dependency on external suppliers, and lowers the environmental impact associated with long logistics routes. The scale of operations also allows Chemco to deliver consistent quality and volumes required by large beverage, FMCG, and food brands.

Beyond environmental impact, the project delivers industrial and regional benefits. The facility generates skilled employment, strengthens Gujarat’s position as a manufacturing and sustainability hub, and contributes to India’s broader objectives of waste reduction, resource efficiency, and circular manufacturing.

As demand for food-grade recycled materials continues to rise across global markets, Chemco plans to leverage this platform to support higher recycled-content applications and future capacity expansions.

With the commissioning of its Sanand rPET facility, Chemco Group is taking a step forward in closing the loop on PET packaging, transforming waste into a valuable resource.