Designing RePET: creating the technology that makes circular manufacturing possible for Autex Acoustics®

Creating a groundbreaking technology is rarely a straightforward journey. The path is filled with challenges, obstacles, and unexpected detours. Yet, upon completion, the end result serves as a powerful testament to the perseverance and innovation that went into its creation.

For Autex Acoustics^®, the visionary minds behind the world’s first Pelletiser, the design process was exactly that—a long and arduous journey fraught with dead ends and setbacks.

“The RePET project started as a search for existing technology, we searched the world and couldn’t find a simple effective process. So, we had a go at making one,” says Jonathan Mountfort, Autex Acoustics’ Creative Director.

“The thought behind the project was, ‘If this textile has come from a solid material, then a truly circular product should be able to return to a solid material’. There ended up being seven reworks, and now that it’s running I can see more opportunities for development. It will only get better.”

A major challenge the team encountered was ensuring a consistent material output. Variations in material density led to different textures and shapes, resulting in inconsistencies in the final product.

“We took twice as long as we set out to, as you would expect when designing an industry first technology,” Mountfort quips.

This machine’s development provides Autex Acoustics with a concrete solution for producing circular products. While gathering used items or material off-cuts is important, converting them into functional products prolongs the material’s lifecycle and significantly reduces landfill waste. Moreover, since components and accessories made from RePET, such as SpinFix™ and Frontier™ End Caps, can be continuously recycled through the same process, the system truly achieves a closed loop.

The development and integration of the RePET into Autex Acoustics’ manufacturing process is just the initial phase.

“Our aim is to make this process widely available,” Mountfort says. “While this is an important and pioneering achievement for our business, it is just another step in our continual effort to reduce our impact on our natural environment. Now that we have rolled this technology out to each of the countries that we operate in, we want to ensure that we continue to improve, increase, and partner with other businesses in the industry to scale the capacity. Eventually we can build out an industry solely fueled by reclaimed materials that are re-manufactured into high-value long-lasting products.”