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Wellman Engineering Resins receives 2014 SPE and SAE Industry Awards

7/25/2014

In March of this year, Wellman Engineering Resins was awarded the GPEC®2014 SPE Environmental Stewardship Award for Plastic Recycling Technologies and Applications for our clear demonstration of commitment to the environment and leadership in sustainability and recycling.  SPE had this to say about the award, “Our Plastics Environmental Division’s awards are given to those corporations or institutions that clearly demonstrate their commitment to our environment and leadership in sustainability and recycling.  Wellman is the World’s largest recycler of carpeting, and nylon producer from 100% Post Consumer Resins (PCR), brand named “EcoLon^®.” Wellman is also the only 100% vertically integrated PCR nylon supplier, owning everything from its carpet collection sites through its pellet extrusion and packaging operations. With 100% control of everything from collection through extrusion and its patented chemical and mechanical raw fiber separation processes, Wellman has taken carpet recycling and PCR nylon production to a new quality and consistency level, rivaling oil-based virgin nylon. EcoLon^® quality and consistency differentiates Wellman above and beyond other carpet recyclers in the industry and allows them to compete toe-to-toe with the virgin nylon suppliers. Today, Wellman has over 600 employees and diverts over 100 Million pounds of used carpeting before it gets to landfills and is expected to double that number by 2015. To date, the use of Wellman’s EcoLon^® has meant oil demand for production of nylon auto parts has been reduced by over 167,000,000 gallons!  Wellman’s bottle recycling operation is one of the largest in NAFTA and Wellman is also the largest producer of lanolin for the cosmetics industry. The award in the category of “Plastic Recycling Technologies and Applications” recognizes Wellman’s leadership in carpet/nylon and bottle/PET recycling.”

In June, at the 2014 SAE World Congress, Wellman Engineering Resins received the SAE Environmental Excellence in Transportation (E2T) Award for our "ingenuity and dedication to make significant innovations in reducing the environmental impact caused by the transportation industry."   Ed Lulibrand, Senior Material Specialist of Chrysler/Fiat said in his nomination: "Wellman has elevated their EcoLon^® and recycling to a level above and beyond the others recyclers.  Wellman’s 100% PCR Nylon6 and Nylon66 grades can now consistently compete toe-to-toe with the virgin suppliers.  We love the fact that they are GREEN, but to be honest we also like the GREEN they save Chrysler.”