Niagara Bottling Acquires Recycling Facility to Boost rPET Production

Niagara Bottling, a major producer of water and soft drinks based in California, has acquired an idle recycling and packaging facility located in Vernon, Los Angeles County. The facility, previously owned by rPlanet Earth Los Angeles Holdings, spans over 305,000 square feet. While the financial details of the acquisition remain undisclosed, the deal includes the rPlanet Earth packaging brand.

By acquiring this site, Niagara aims to bolster its recycling capabilities. The facility will allow the company to sort, clean, and reprocess PET into recycled flakes and pellets, which will be used for manufacturing packaging for its products. This initiative is expected to help Niagara reduce its reliance on virgin plastics and move towards a more circular economy.

Rali Sanderson, President of Niagara Bottling, emphasized the significance of reviving the facility, stating, "We’re proud to bring this facility back to life and become one of the few companies in the country with a true bottle-to-bottle process." The company plans to invest in new equipment to transform recyclable plastic materials into new bottles within California.

The Vernon plant has been offline since September, and Niagara plans to restore it in phases. The facility will have the capability to process complex B-bales from curbside mixed recycling bins, a feature deemed critical as PET was the most recycled material in California last year.

Niagara expects the plant to produce approximately 45 million pounds of recycled PET (rPET) for its products. The company also intends to employ about 60 people at the site, including former employees of rPlanet Earth.

Founded in 1963, Niagara Bottling operates multiple bottling sites across the United States, Mexico, Australia, and the United Kingdom, offering a variety of beverages including flavored water, teas, sports drinks, and ready-to-drink coffee.