NextWave Plastics Expands Consortium Supplier Network with the Addition of Heng Hiap Industries (HHI), Ocean Recovery Group, and PLIHSA

NextWave Plastics today welcomes three new members to the consortium, Heng Hiap Industries (HHI), Ocean Recovery Group, and Plásticos Industriales Hondureños SA (PLIHSA). These companies bring a wealth of experience and capabilities to the consortium, as well as an expansion of NextWave’s geographic reach, with Heng Hiap Industries (HHI) headquartered in Malaysia, Ocean Recovery Group operating in the Dominican Republic, and PLIHSA in Honduras. 

“We are excited to welcome Heng Hiap Industries (HHI), Ocean Recovery Group, and PLIHSA to NextWave Plastics,” remarked Michael Sadowski, Executive Director of The Circulate Initiative, which is the convenor of NextWave Plastics. “Adding these organizations expands NextWave’s geographic reach and brings fresh energy and expertise to help NextWave realize its goal to divert a minimum of 25,000 tonnes of plastics from entering the ocean by the end of 2025. We are particularly excited about the potential of these new members to help us advance our strategic priorities, including addressing low-value plastics and human rights in the plastics recycling supply chain.” 

Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Malaysia, Heng Hiap Industries (HHI) is a fully integrated plastics recycling company, owning three collection facilities and working with 28,000 informal communities of plastic suppliers. Heng Hiap Industries (HHI) sources 2,000 tonnes of ocean-bound plastic (OBP) annually and 60,000 tonnes of post consumer resin annually and exports its material to 38 countries. Heng Hiap Industries’ recycled resin is used in a range of applications including furniture, toys to comply with EN71 requirement, cosmetic packaging, flexible packaging, personal care, household, automotive and more. In 2020, Heng Hiap Industries (HHI) was the first company to receive the Zero Plastic Oceans (ZPO) Ocean Bound Plastic Certification.

“By embracing the collaborative spirit of the NextWave partnership, we will share our expertise in certified ocean-bound plastic and a deep understanding of the Southeast Asia market with like-minded innovators,” said Kian Seah, CEO of Heng Hiap Industries (HHI). “We are excited to engage with fellow NextWave members, pooling our efforts to achieve common goals of creating a circular economy on a global level.”

A subsidiary of 4th Generation Recycling, with over 100 years of experience in the industry, Ocean Recovery Group (ORG) is a plastics recycling company focused on the ocean pollution crisis in the Western hemisphere. Ocean Recovery Group is US based and currently owns & operates a recycling facility in the Dominican Republic. ORG was the first company to achieve Zero Plastic Oceans’ certifications for Collection, Recycling, and Neutralization of ocean-bound plastics. The company supplies a wide range of ZPO certified materials including PET bales, flake, and FDA pellets along with certified Mixed and Natural HDPE flake.

“Ocean Recovery Group is thrilled to embark on this transformative journey with NextWave Plastics. With over 100 years of experience in the recycling industry, one element has remained true across our operations: collaboration is a critical catalyst for change,” said Dave Kumar, Director of Sustainable Trade & Corporate Partnerships. “We are delighted to bring our deep recycling expertise to the consortium and look forward to learning more about the world plastics crisis and sharing insights across the industry to accelerate impact. As with everything we do at ORG, from operations to 3rd party certifications, we seek out the best-in-class and in this space that’s clearly Nextwave.”

Founded in 1965 and headquartered in Honduras, PLIHSA, a subsidiary of Milenio, is a leading manufacturer of crown caps and injection molded products including plastic crates, baskets, buckets, and pallets. PLIHSA serves customers around the world including ABInBev, Coca-Cola FEMSA, PepsiCo, Cargill, and more. Expanding PLIHSA’s offering of quality recycled materials is a key pillar of the company’s comprehensive ESG strategy. By joining NextWave, PLIHSA aims to develop OBP offerings to meet the growing interest of its customers.

“Over the last five years, we have produced and reintroduced over 8,000 tonnes of recycled plastic resin. Now, with the help of NextWave, we’re expanding our investment into ocean-bound plastic, inspiring our clients to see and champion their role in offering something new,” said Aldo Micheletti, CEO of Milenio Group. “We are delighted to join this global group of dedicated changemakers and look forward to contributing a new perspective.”

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For more information on NextWave, visit www.nextwaveplastics.org and download the NextWave Plastics 2022 annual report.