Q. Can you provide a brief overview of your company and the products/services you'll be showcasing at the event?
A. STEINERT is a global leader in sensor-based sorting technology for waste, plastics, metals, and glass recycling. At RACE in Mumbai, we will showcase our UniSort PR EVO 5.0 with near-infrared (NIR) and hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology. Our exclusive sensor fusion approach combines NIR and colour detection at the same spot on the belt, ensuring not only the best sorting results but also generating ideal training data for AI models. HSI technology provides more data points within the NIR spectrum than conventional sensors, further improving material identification. Beyond optical sorting, we offer magnetic separation solutions such as overband magnets and eddy current separators, as well as sorting systems for fine fractions like flakes. Our solutions enable recyclers to recover high-purity recyclates, maximising material circularity and resource efficiency.

Q. What recent trends or developments in the industry are you most excited about, and how do your products/services align with them?
A. Regulations are driving recyclers to go beyond sorting only the most common plastics—now, more complex materials must also be recovered. While our technology has always been one step ahead, allowing for the precise separation of various polymers, new challenges require additional solutions. In many cases, our existing sorting systems can already meet these requirements, but AI based sorting programs provide an additional advantage. By leveraging the rich training data generated by our sensor fusion technology, AI can further refine sorting results and handle even more difficult material streams. This ensures that recyclers can continue meeting evolving regulatory standards while maximising output quality.

Q. Could you share a success story or case study demonstrating how your products/services have benefited a customer?
A. GRAF, a leading manufacturer of sustainable water management solutions, relies on STEINERT technology for sorting black plastics— a particularly difficult application. To achieve high-purity recyclates, GRAF uses UniSort Finealyse and UniSort BlackEye, both designed for flake sorting. These systems allow them to separate high-quality polymer fractions from post-consumer plastics, even when dealing with dark or black materials. However, our involvement goes beyond GRAF itself: we supply sorting solutions across the entire value chain before the material reaches them. From large-scale post-consumer packaging sorting plants to recyclers who refine plastics to near-perfect purity before delivering them to GRAF, our systems ensure high-quality secondary raw materials. GRAF then processes these recyclates into rainwater storage tanks, infiltration modules, and garden tanks—replacing virgin plastics with postconsumer materials. This demonstrates how STEINERT technology supports a fully circular economy.

Q. Will you be conducting any demonstrations or interactive activities at the event? If so, what can attendees expect?
A. While we will not have live demonstrations at RACE, we demonstrate our technology every day at our Test & Development Center. Björn Lövenich will also give a talk on "High-Quality Sorting Solutions for PET & Waste Recycling," offering insights into the latest sorting advancements. Additionally, visitors can discuss their specific sorting challenges with our team. For those wanting to test their own materials, our Test Center provides industrial-scale trials to analyse sorting performance and optimise processes under real operating conditions.

Q. What are your company's goals for the future, and how do you see yourselves contributing to the evolving industry landscape?
A. STEINERT is committed to continuously advancing sensor-based sorting to improve material recovery and recyclate quality. Our Test & Development Center, inaugurated in 2020, enables us to rapidly innovate while also opening our expertise to the industry. We regularly host stakeholders across the plastics value chain—including producers, OEMs, processors, and recyclers—to collaboratively improve recycling processes. Beyond technology development, we actively engage in industry associations to push for higher recycling standards and drive regulatory progress. By combining innovation with industry collaboration, we help shape the future of high-quality plastics recycling.

Q. What are you most looking forward to at this year's show?
A. India has a uniquely dynamic plastics recycling landscape, presenting both challenges and opportunities. We enjoy working with the industry to tackle complex sorting tasks and explore new ways to improve material recovery. The enthusiasm and technical expertise in India make it an exciting market for advanced recycling technologies, and we look forward to engaging in productive discussions, strengthening partnerships, and supporting the industry's circular economy ambitions.