Choosing the right plastic recycling machine manufacturer is one of the most important decisions when investing in a new recycling plant. Different manufacturers specialize in different stages of the recycling process—from shredding and washing to extrusion, filtration and pelletizing.
Rather than treating this list as an absolute market-share ranking, we selected eight established plastic recycling equipment manufacturers based on their product portfolios, technical specialization, global presence and suitability for different recycling applications.
Here are eight plastic recycling machinery companies worth considering in 2026.
1. EREMA
Country: Austria
Website: www.erema.com
Main Focus: Plastic extrusion, filtration and pelletizing systems
EREMA is one of the most recognized names in the global plastics recycling industry. The company specializes primarily in high-performance recycling extrusion and pelletizing technologies for post-consumer, post-industrial and PET applications.
According to EREMA, approximately 7,500 of its systems are currently operating worldwide, producing more than 20 million tonnes of recycled pellets annually.
Key Strengths
- Advanced extrusion and melt filtration technology
- Strong expertise in post-consumer recycling
- PET bottle-to-bottle recycling solutions
- High level of automation and process control
- Extensive global installation base
Best Suited For
Large recycling companies and processors where recycled pellet quality, process stability and automation are major priorities.
Analysis:
EREMA is particularly strong at the extrusion and pelletizing end of the recycling process. Its systems are generally positioned toward technically demanding and high-value recycling applications. For projects focused mainly on washing, shredding or basic size reduction, however, buyers may also need to evaluate complementary equipment suppliers.
2. Lindner Recyclingtech
Country: Austria
Website: www.lindner.com
Main Focus: Shredding, sorting, washing and complete recycling systems
Lindner has a long history in industrial shredding and waste-processing equipment. Its plastics recycling portfolio covers shredding, sorting, washing and drying for post-consumer plastics.
The company is especially well known for heavy-duty shredders designed for continuous industrial operation.
Key Strengths
- Heavy-duty industrial shredding technology
- Complete post-consumer plastic processing systems
- Washing and drying solutions
- Strong European engineering and manufacturing
- Experience with demanding, highly contaminated waste streams
Best Suited For
Large-scale post-consumer recycling plants handling films, rigid plastics, mixed plastics and other challenging waste streams.
Analysis:
Lindner is particularly competitive in front-end material preparation. Its combination of shredding and washing technologies makes it suitable for high-throughput recycling facilities. Through its cooperation with EREMA, the two companies can also address a broader recycling process extending from waste preparation to recycled pellets.
3. Vecoplan
Country: Germany
Website: www.vecoplan.com
Main Focus: Shredding, conveying, storage and material handling
Vecoplan is another established German manufacturer with extensive experience in recycling and waste-processing machinery.
For plastic recycling applications, the company is particularly strong in size reduction and material handling. Its portfolio includes shredders, conveying systems, storage equipment and separation technologies.
Key Strengths
- High-performance industrial shredders
- Strong material handling expertise
- Automated feeding and conveying systems
- Modular system engineering
- Suitable for difficult and bulky materials
Best Suited For
Recycling facilities requiring robust shredding and automated material preparation before washing, sorting or extrusion.
Analysis:
Vecoplan should be considered particularly when shredding reliability and material-flow engineering are important. Compared with companies focused primarily on extrusion and pelletizing, Vecoplan’s traditional strength lies further upstream in the recycling process.
4. Herbold Meckesheim
Country: Germany
Website: www.herbold.com
Main Focus: Size reduction, washing, separation and drying
Herbold Meckesheim specializes specifically in machinery and systems for plastic recycling.
Its equipment portfolio covers pre-crushing, granulation, fine grinding, washing, separation, drying and agglomeration. This makes Herbold particularly relevant for recyclers processing contaminated post-consumer plastics.
Key Strengths
- Extensive plastic washing experience
- Granulators and size-reduction equipment
- Separation and mechanical drying technology
- Solutions for contaminated post-consumer material
- Strong engineering experience in complete washing systems
Best Suited For
PET, PE, PP and other plastic recycling projects requiring intensive washing, separation and drying.
Analysis:
Herbold’s main advantage is its strong specialization in mechanical recycling. Instead of concentrating primarily on the final extrusion stage, the company has extensive expertise in converting contaminated plastic waste into clean, reusable flakes.
5. Starlinger Recycling Technology
Country: Austria
Website: www.starlinger.com
Main Focus: Recycling extrusion, pelletizing and PET recycling
Starlinger supplies recycling systems under its recoSTAR product family for processing post-industrial and post-consumer plastics.
Applications include films, fibers, nonwovens, woven bags, PET flakes and various production scraps. The company also has significant expertise in applications where recycled material quality and food-contact requirements are important.
Key Strengths
- High-quality extrusion and pelletizing systems
- Strong PET recycling expertise
- Food-contact recycling applications
- Solutions for film, fiber and woven plastics
- Extensive experience in closed-loop recycling
Best Suited For
Processors producing high-quality recycled pellets, particularly companies working with PET, packaging and demanding closed-loop recycling applications.
Analysis:
Starlinger competes strongly in premium recycling applications where pellet quality and downstream product requirements justify sophisticated recycling technology. Like EREMA, it is particularly strong in the later stages of the recycling process.
6. NGR – Next Generation Recyclingmaschinen
Country: Austria
Website: www.ngr-world.com
Main Focus: Plastic recycling extrusion and pelletizing
NGR develops recycling systems for converting plastic waste into reusable raw materials, with particular expertise in post-industrial recycling and extrusion-based recycling technology.
Its solutions are designed around integrating size reduction, feeding and extrusion into efficient recycling processes.
Key Strengths
- Integrated recycling and extrusion concepts
- Compact system design
- Strong post-industrial recycling expertise
- PET recycling and material upgrading technologies
- Automated operation
Best Suited For
Plastic processors that want to recycle production waste directly back into manufacturing or produce consistent recycled pellets.
Analysis:
NGR is especially attractive for manufacturers dealing with relatively controlled plastic waste streams. Its integrated approach can reduce the number of separate processing steps required between production scrap and reusable pellets.
7. POLYSTAR Machinery
Country: Taiwan
Website: www.polystarco.com
Main Focus: PE/PP film recycling and pelletizing machines
POLYSTAR specializes in plastic recycling machines and blown-film extrusion equipment.
Its recycling portfolio includes cutter-compactor recycling machines, shredder-integrated recycling machines, two-stage systems, rigid plastic recycling machines and compact air-pelletizing systems.
Key Strengths
- Strong specialization in PE and PP recycling
- Integrated cutter-compactor and extrusion systems
- Relatively compact equipment layouts
- Straightforward machine operation
- Solutions for film, raffia, woven bags and regrind
Best Suited For
Small and medium-sized recyclers, film manufacturers and plastic processors seeking practical PE/PP pelletizing solutions.
Analysis:
POLYSTAR’s strength is its relatively focused product range. Instead of trying to cover every recycling process, it concentrates heavily on extrusion and pelletizing, particularly for PE/PP film and production waste.
8. Amstar Machinery
Country: China
Website: www.plasticrecyclingmachine.net
Main Focus: Complete plastic washing, shredding, drying and pelletizing systems
Amstar Machinery is a China-based manufacturer specializing in industrial plastic recycling machines and complete recycling lines.
Established in 1986, the company supplies equipment for post-consumer, post-commercial and post-industrial plastic waste. Its product portfolio covers several stages of mechanical recycling rather than focusing exclusively on a single machine category.
Major equipment includes:
- Plastic shredders
- Plastic granulators and crushers
- PET bottle washing lines
- PE/PP film washing lines
- Rigid plastic washing lines
- Sink-float separation tanks
- Centrifugal and thermal drying systems
- Plastic pelletizing machines
- Extrusion and filtration systems
- Complete turnkey plastic recycling plants
Key Strengths
One of Amstar’s main advantages is the breadth of its equipment portfolio. A customer can source multiple stages of a recycling line—from size reduction and washing to drying and pelletizing—from the same manufacturer.
The company also focuses strongly on customized recycling projects. Equipment configuration can be adapted according to the input material, contamination level, required throughput and desired final product.
Best Suited For
Small, medium and large recyclers looking for complete plastic recycling lines, particularly projects involving:
PET bottles → clean PET flakes
PE/PP film → washed and dried flakes
HDPE/PP rigid plastics → clean regrind
Plastic waste → recycled pellets
Objective Analysis
Compared with premium European manufacturers such as EREMA or Starlinger, Amstar operates in a different competitive position.
European suppliers are particularly strong in highly sophisticated extrusion, process control and premium recycled-resin applications. Amstar’s competitive advantage is instead its ability to supply a broader range of mechanical recycling equipment and complete customized production lines while maintaining a more accessible investment level.
This can make Amstar particularly relevant for recyclers that need to balance equipment performance, customization and capital investment rather than maximizing automation regardless of project cost.
For buyers looking for a complete washing and recycling plant rather than only an extruder or shredder, this broad product range is an important consideration.
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