Recycling – an exciting experience

MBA Polymers Austria

The “open house days” at the Müller-Guttenbrunn Group (MGG) on 8 and 9 October 2015 were a huge success. Both the local population as well as interested business partners thronged to the three sites in Amstetten and Kematen. Altogether, 700 visitors informed themselves about the work and the processes in the three plants: Metall Recycling Mü-Gu, Metran and MBA Polymers.

Lots of exciting facts, data and figures were presented to the guests – and also a fascinating insight into one of the most innovative recycling companies in Europe.

Horsepower Giants and the New Gold Rush

Group visitors were first put into the mood with short films about the Müller-Guttenbrunn Group. These took them step by step through the development of the company from a small scrapyard in Waidhofen to the internationally active recycling specialist it is now. Subsequently, MGG employees led groups of visitors through tours of the respective factory premises. The guests were able to experience the recycling process “live”: using different technologies, delivered waste (including old cars, electrical and electronic waste) is processed into mono-fraction metals or plastics that can be used in new products.

Both young and old were particularly fascinated by the big machines which were often developed in the respective plant. For example, you could sit in the cockpit of a large shredder in Amstetten and witness how this horsepower giant is controlled.

At the Metran site in Kematen, the inquisitive visitors learned, among other things, that the metal recovery from the recycled material partly works on the simple principle than that of the gold mining in the Wild West, but also by means of high-tech separation procedures.

Next door at MBA Polymers, the storey-high plastic separation systems made for a wow effect among visitors. They were particularly astonished that from a waste, this kind of new products for technical applications can be produced.

Contribution to Environmental Protection

In addition to the large machines and plants, the facts surrounding the Müller-Guttenbrunn Group caused a lot of astonishment. Anyone who watched closely noted the daily contributions of the employees themselves to the saving of energy and the conservation of the environment at the three open sites. How deeply the topic of recycling moved people was shown by the many questions of interested visitors that were answered by the MGG employees in detail.

MGG CEO Mag. Christian Müller-Guttenbrunn was happy about the great interest shown: “It’s great to see that the population displays such a strong interest in our company. We will thus surely open our doors again for all in the future.”