TOMRA uses IFAT 2024 to demonstrate the role its technologies are playing in transforming resource recovery

Global sensor-based sorting technology provider TOMRA Recycling will further strengthen its position as a leader in resource recovery when it reveals its latest technology portfolio at IFAT 2024 (13-17 May in Munich, Germany).

TOMRA's experts will be on stand B6.339/438 to highlight the company's continued commitment to leading the resource revolution. TOMRA's chosen theme for IFAT 2024 is 'Transforming Resource Recovery'.

 The industry's latest AI-powered solution enables food-grade sorting

With forthcoming changes to EU legislation governing packaging waste and recycled plastic food contact materials, TOMRA is anticipating a lot of interest among IFAT visitors in the latest advances to its GAINnext™ technology. Thanks to TOMRA's continued investment in the company's AI-powered deep learning technology—available as an add-on for its AUTOSORT™ units—it is now possible to separate food-grade from non-food-grade plastics for PET, PP, and HDPE on a large scale with exceptional purity levels of over 95 per cent.

TOMRA has used AI technology to improve sorting performance for decades, but this latest groundbreaking application marks another industry first for TOMRA, who also introduced the first deep learning technology for waste sorting in 2019. With this latest sophisticated application of deep learning and AI, TOMRA has once again demonstrated its position as a pioneer in the AI-powered transformation of recycling.

More IFAT highlights: From flake sorting to aluminium alloy sorting

Visitors to TOMRA's stand will also be able to learn about the company's recently launched solution for high-throughput purification of plastic flakes, INNOSORT™ FLAKE. Thanks to its enhanced features, the unit ensures unrivalled flake sorting performance even from highly contaminated inputs. These features enable simultaneous flake sorting using polymer, colour, and transparency. Launched in November 2023, TOMRA's INNOSORT™ FLAKE solution is helping customers globally recover more recyclable materials with maximum yield from a wide range of waste streams.

For those visitors interested in discovering more about TOMRA's latest metal recycling solutions, TOMRA's metals experts will be on hand at the show to highlight the company's AUTOSORT™ PULSE unit. Designed for high throughput sorting of aluminium alloys, AUTOSORT™ PULSE features dynamic laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The solution redefines industry standards and paves the way for the high-throughput production of green aluminium. And, thanks to its AI-based object singulation feature, even overlapping and adjacent objects can be accurately separated to maximise yield.

Digital solutions to optimise process and material flow

TOMRA recognises that the data insights generated from sorting operations play a critical role in facilitating plant operators' quest to run a profitable business – with minimum downtime and maximum output. At IFAT 2024, TOMRA's experts will be able to demonstrate two digital solutions that help its customers optimise their process and material flow: TOMRA Insight and PolyPerception's waste analyser.

TOMRA Insight is a cloud-based data monitoring platform that allows for data-driven optimisation of sorting processes through near-live monitoring. It can be installed as an add-on service. As critical sorting data is available anywhere and at any time, operators can anticipate operational issues and future maintenance requirements and be in control of the entire sorting line.

Following TOMRA's acquisition of a 25 per cent stake in PolyPerception – a pioneering start-up offering AI-based waste flow monitoring – TOMRA's customers can now also benefit from PolyPerception's real-time end-to-end waste flow monitoring. The waste analyser solution measures data at key points during the sorting process, providing traceability and transparency. Sorting facility operators are able to continuously assess the quality of sorted streams and the loss of good material in the residual stream to enable data-driven decisions. The technology also functions as an automated compliance system, which can ensure adherence to stringent regulations governing food-grade recycling and local legislation.

TOMRA booth in hall B6

Fabrizio Radice, the Head of Global Sales and Marketing at TOMRA Recycling Sorting, comments, "At TOMRA, we have accomplished what many in our industry have tried to solve: separating food-grade from non-food-grade plastics for PET, PP and HDPE. We are very excited to be in a position to unveil our new GAINnext™ application, and IFAT 2024 is the perfect platform to share this fantastic news. We look forward to welcoming existing and prospective customers and partners to our stand, where we will highlight the many ways in which our advanced solutions can help plant operators elevate their sorting performance, explore new revenue streams and transform resource recovery."

TOMRA Recycling invites all IFAT attendees to bring their sorting challenges to TOMRA booth #B6.339/438.