Composites, which are often made up of fibres (such as carbon or glass) and reinforced plastics (such as epoxy or polyester resin), can be challenging to recycle, and contribute to landfill waste, with annual composite waste amounts for wind turbine and aircraft industries alone projected to hit a combined 840,000 tonnes by 2050. This collaboration creates an opportunity to promote the reuse of composite waste, reduce landfill contributions and provide industries with innovative ways to recycle and reuse materials.

“Our cutting-edge recycling approach — using a technology called thermolysis —transforms how we handle composite waste, enabling us to convert it into valuable secondary raw materials for industry ,” said Guillaume Perben, co-founder of Composite Recycling. “ This collaboration is a significant step forward in demonstrating how composite waste can be reintegrated into a variety of products and provides us with the opportunity to scale our technology and make a meaningful impact across industries.”

Turning composite waste into valuable resources

The collaboration is designed to achieve several key objectives, including:

• Optimising material integration: The parties will jointly develop and refine methodologies to incorporate recycled materials from the Composite Recycling process into Owens Corning’s production streams of reclaimed glass fibres, which are used by industries such as boating, automotive, transportation, aerospace and construction materials, ensuring material performance and quality
• Scaling Composite Recycling’s technologies: Together, the companies will drive the industrialisation and scaling of Composite Recycling’s recycling technology to make the process cost-effective and efficient at scale, addressing the challenges of recycling composite waste in multiple industries
• Circular solutions for composite waste: Owens Corning’s glass reinforcements business and Composite Recycling will work together to establish circular economy systems that handle composite waste throughout its lifecycle.

“We’re committed to reducing our environmental impact, and this collaboration brings us one step closer to that goal ,” said Dr. Chris Skinner, Vice President of Strategic Marketing and R&D for Owens Corning’s glass reinforcements business. “ By incorporating glass fibre into composite materials used to produce automotive parts, building materials and insulation products, we are demonstrating the circularity and benefit of recycling composite materials.”

Impact on customers and market demand

As a result of this collaboration, Owens Corning’s glass reinforcements customers will be able to access products containing the reclaimed glass fibres, helping them meet the growing demand for sustainable solutions. This initiative ensures these customers can be part of the circular economy, offering products that meet today’s performance standards.

“The shift toward recycled content is no longer a trend — it’s a necessity, ” Dr. Skinner added. “ As consumer and regulatory pressure increases, this collaboration enables us to provide our customers with the solutions they need to meet these challenges. Together, we are driving the future of manufacturing.”

A vision for the future of recycling in industry

This collaboration seeks to revolutionise the way the industry addresses composite waste, demonstrating the viability of circular systems that can create value across various sectors. By working together to scale the recycling of composite waste, the companies are not only enhancing the circularity of composite production but also setting a new standard for recycling and material reuse.

Next steps

As part of the collaboration, the companies will conduct technical trials, assessing the commercial feasibility of incorporating recycled materials into Owens Corning’s glass reinforcements production systems. The relationship will also focus on ensuring compliance with regulations and industry standards. The companies have signed an LOI to align on content and next steps, and expect to finalise a formal agreement within the next 12 months and explore additional opportunities for using recycled composite materials in Owens Corning’s diverse glass reinforcements product portfolio.