eKapija | Solagro to start serial production of smart recycling presses in late 2018 – Further expansion and new investments planned

The young Belgrade-based company Solagro is currently developing Smart Recycler 2.0, an improved version of its recycling press, which will be able to recognize materials put into it, as well as brands. The team is also working on a new, unique design, which will enable the installation of the device in all weather conditions, indoors and outdoors, at festivals, concerts, sports events, beaches... It will be waterproof and enable easier communication with users. Solagro has received an investment from the Innovation Fund of the Republic of Serbia for this year-long project.

– We expect the presses to be ready for serial production and sales in both the local market and foreign markets, where there's already great interest, in late 2018 – Nemanja Janic, CEO of Solagro, says in his interview with eKapija.

The Belgrade-based company Solagro, let us remind, developed a unique interactive press for recycling packaging waste in 2017, called Solagro Smart Recycler, featuring game elements, as well as the analysis of recycled material, which motivates people to recycle, together with the mobile app. As such, it is unique in the world market. The press in fact communicates with users, explaining how to recycle in 30 seconds. The mobile app enables the user to find the nearest press, enter the codes and win awards, receive information about the recycling process and follow the data about the recycled material.

Janic says that the updated press design will be further adapted to more modern street furniture, which is the trend in all cities in Europe, so that it can fit in with various types of architecture without major changes. The shape will be somewhat different, whereas the size remains the same, as does the capacity of 2,000 cans.

– The most important new feature is a more comfortable user experience and a facilitated code input through a QR scanner, instead of a mechanical input through the app.

The first Solagro Smart Recycler press was installed in January 2018 at the Sports Center Milan Gale Muskatirovic, the second on March 9 at ICT Hub, and then another one in Hotel Rtanj in Kopaonik. The plan is to install another 6 in Belgrade by the end of the year in order to make them more accessible and to collect relevant data from various parts of the city about user habits and the packaging. Tthe next location planned is the National Library, followed by the Youth Center and then Ada Ciganlija in the summer season.

– Over 10,000 cans have been recycled this way so far and we expect to have 50,000 users in Belgrade by the end of the year.

The importance of this innovative solution for the development of the recycling industry, but also for the education and the raising of awareness of the importance of recycling, was also recognized by our portal, and Solagro was one of the eight finalists for the Aurea 2018 investment of the year award.

Searching for a new investment

The Solagro team consists of four colleagues – two programmers, a business developer and the head engineer, who develops the press itself. They also have external associates in charge of electronics and design, hired per need.

(Zdravko Loncar, Executive Director of eKapija, handing out finalist's acknowledgment to Solagro representative) Our interviewee points out that, as a startup, Solagro invested around EUR 50,000 of its initial funds in the development of the device. As he says, they were lucky to have the sales start immediately, making the project practically self-sustaining. Since the foundation in 2014, they've successfully marketed promotional hand presses for cans and PET bottles, as well as bicycles for recycling cans and PET bottles.

Janic also points out that, once the new, upgraded product is ready for serial production in late 2018, Solagro will look for a serious investment for scaling, that is, the growth, and the sales in foreign markets. In line with this, they will probably also expand their team.

– In three years of operations, we've sold around 120 mechanical devices in eight countries and six smart presses. It took us two years to make the press “smart” and it is only now that we are doing the so-called “user experience” in order to further upgrade the press and the app based on it – he says.

Solagro is B2B oriented and cooperates with over 30 clients, among which are the biggest brands in the world: Coca Cola, Molson Coors, Haineken, Calsberg. Ball Packaging is the sponsor and a partner on this project.

Russia World Cup actions

Nemanja Janic points out that Serbia has a big problem when it comes to ecology in general and that big investments are needed in this sector, around EUR 10 billion. From Solagro's angle, this is a business opportunity and a challenge to increase the sales of the recycling press.

– Our system can function independent of whether it's a depositing or integral system of recycling and it provides guarantee that all packaging waste will be recycled, which the main EU requirement in the accession process. This is certainly a business challenge for us – our interviewee explains.

Through this project and this app, Solagro also sends a very important message about the importance of recycling, as their device doesn't just recycle, but also invites people to socialize and educate themselves in interesting ways. Over 3,000 children have passed the educational program they organize, involving the so-called recycling bicycle.

– We are preparing interesting actions related to recycling for the World Cup, such as a table for table soccer, activated through cans, or a tic-tac-toe, where the game is played with cans. We will present these actions as part of the World Cup campaign, as well as at summer festivals, both in Serbia and in the region – Nemanja Janic announces.

Over 100 awards for users

The user feedback for the three presses installed by Solagro in Serbia so far has been very positive. According to Janic, over 100 awards have been handed out as well.

– People are interested in recycling, they only need to be motivated at the beginning, until they become familiar with the entire process. Once they acquire the habit, it all becomes a routine. We are now launching a campaign of informing users where they can recycle and how available it is to them – Janic says.

The app is free and available at Google Play. It provides all the info about the smart press locations and the awards available. Also, everyone interested will soon be able to get information about the project on Solagro's website.

Marko Andrejic

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