Collaboration and mutual support between companies are essential to drive innovation. The exchange of knowledge, the creation of synergies and a shared ambition are what enable the most specialised sectors of industry to progress. For Indumetal, the support provided by Zirkularte – Ecoinnovación in its R&D activities has been key over the past decade.
The management of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is both essential and complex. There is a wide range of WEEE, with differing structures and composed of diverse materials, making heterogeneity a defining characteristic of the sector. As in other industrial sectors, end‑of‑life management is often influenced by product design, commercial strategies and collection logistics that are not well aligned with circular economy objectives. As a result, such devices are rarely designed to be repaired or recycled, in fact, they do not always systematically reach authorised waste management operators.
In this context, and in the absence of a framework fully adapted to the sector’s needs, WEEE recyclers are required to develop and implement innovative processes to meet increasingly ambitious targets, often shaped by factors beyond their control. However, the linear economic model, the one from which global institutions are seeking to move away, places this responsibility on the final link of the value chain. For this reason, having access to forward‑looking perspectives, being able to interpret the reality of eco‑innovation, and guiding R&D&I decisions accordingly, while maintaining a strong connection with the local territory, is of great value to Indumetal.
Surrounding ourselves with the right people and organisations, who complement our capabilities in this field, is essential to ensure progress. At Indumetal, we have now reached 10 years of collaboration with the team at Zirkularte – Ecoinnovación, with whom we have worked on many of our strategic projects in recent years. These projects have consistently focused on innovative circular economy processes, regardless of the application area: the development of raw materials from recycled styrenic plastics; the implementation of responsible WEEE management strategies at municipal level; the activation of circular services for electronic products (projects CIRC4Life and C‑SERVEES); and the current REEPRODUCE project, focused on the recovery and recycling of rare earth elements from end‑of‑life products, as well as other services beyond publicly funded programmes.
Over ten years, it is possible to consolidate synergies and develop a deep understanding of partner organisations, leading to more valuable collaborations. We celebrate this shared journey in the way we know best: by coming together again, exchanging ideas, and jointly defining the next steps in this collaboration.
