On 30 August 2024, a high-ranking delegation from Thailand visited the Müller-Guttenbrunn sites Metrec in Amstetten and Metran in Kematen/Ybbs. The participants were made up of members of UNIDO, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, and the Thai Ministry of the Interior.
The visitors were given a comprehensive insight into how the Müller-Guttenbrunn Group works.
The delegation was in Vienna as part of the project ‘Greening the scrap metal value chain by promoting BAT/BEP to reduce POP emissions from recycling plants’. As the participants had already travelled all the way to Austria, they seized the opportunity to benefit from the experience of the Austrian industry in the field of metal recycling and visited two of the three MGG sites in Austria.
Daniel Forstner (Innovation Management) and Lisa Maria Rainer (Head of Quality & Environmental Management) warmly welcomed the guests to Amstetten. Lisa Maria Rainer began by giving the experts from Thailand a presentation to familiarise them with the Müller-Guttenbrunn Group. This led to an intensive discussion about, for example, legal and organisational requirements such as recycling quotas or the demand for plastics. The differences between the two countries were analysed and experiences and procedures were exchanged and discussed.
Metran and Metrec provide impressive insights
The guests from Thailand listened with great interest to Daniel Forstner’s presentation.
The tour of the Metrec plant in Amstetten then began, where the EVA shredder and the state-of-the-art material separation system were particularly impressive. From Amstetten, the guests were taken by shuttle bus to the Metran site in Kematen/Ybbs. The aim was to demonstrate the entire ‘metal processing chain’ – from shredding to sorting secondary raw materials such as aluminium, stainless steel or copper. The delegation from Thailand was given a generous insight into the Austrian recycling industry and the waste utilisation technologies at Metrec and Metran. The detailed explanations of the innovative technologies in scrap processing and the circular economy aroused great interest. They were particularly impressed by the large number of innovative recycling processes and technologies for the efficient recovery of materials from ferrous and non-ferrous metals as well as waste electrical and electronic equipment.
The opportunity to follow the entire waste processing procedure on site with their own eyes provided a valuable insight into the high level of expertise and great pioneering spirit of the entire Müller-Guttenbrunn Group.
Recycling rates and processes in Austria and Thailand
The factory tours led to lively discussions based on what we had seen.
During the course of the day, discussions were held focussing on the legal regulations and recycling processes in Austria and Thailand. It was noted that Austria has more sophisticated systems and a higher recycling rate than is the case in the guests‘ home country. The experts explained that in Thailand, a large proportion of household waste is not collected by officially authorised bodies or companies, which poses major challenges for the recycling infrastructure. Added to this are the rapidly growing volumes of waste, which urgently need to be tackled through an improved separation system directly at the point of origin. The participants agreed that there is great potential for improvement in Thailand. More and more political initiatives are being launched to raise public awareness and establish effective recycling systems.
Enriching and inspiring encounter for everyone involved
The Thai delegation expressed their sincere thanks for the hospitality and the exciting insights into the work of the Müller-Guttenbrunn Group. They repeatedly emphasised how much the company contributes to progress throughout Europe with its vision of the circular economy and sustainability. They were also particularly impressed by the comprehensive safety measures in place to protect employees.
Daniel Forstner, who guided the group through the facilities, got to know the delegation as a committed and motivated team that clearly stands up for its convictions. The visit was a valuable and enriching experience for everyone involved.
Daniel Forstner guided the delegation participants through the Metrec (pictured) and Metran sites.