GCR strengthens contaminant control and material purity in recycled polyolefins with new chromatography systems

Advanced analytical capabilities for recycled polyolefins

GCR has expanded its analytical capabilities at the Innovation Hub with new UPLC™-MS and GC-MS chromatography systems from Waters and Agilent . This investment significantly enhances our ability to perform exhaustive in-house quality control across our entire portfolio of recycled polyolefins.

By integrating high-performance liquid and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry, we can now detect contaminants, additives, volatile and non-volatile substances, and NIAS (Non-Intentionally Added Substances) with greater sensitivity and precision. As a result, we can ensure the purity, stability and regulatory readiness of our materials from the earliest stages of production through to final application.

What this means for our customers

These advanced analytical systems enable:

Maximum quality and safety assurance
In-depth control of volatile compounds, semi-volatiles and additives in every batch, ensuring material consistency and performance.

Access to premium and regulated applications
Stricter control of volatile and non-volatile substances opens doors to food-contact packaging, cosmetics, hygiene and other high-demand technical segments.

Optimized product development
Precise quantification of antioxidants, HALS and degradation products allows us to fine-tune material properties across multiple recycling cycles.

Enhanced traceability
Advanced profiling differentiates PIR and PCR streams in PP and other polymers, reinforcing customer confidence and supply chain transparency.

Real-world applications across key markets:

• Automotive: Precise measurement and control of volatiles in technical and interior applications with demanding performance requirements.
• Cosmetics: Advanced screening aligned with COS-PA-TOX expectations, enabling safer and compliant packaging solutions.
• Food & Near-Food: Deeper control of NIAS, volatiles and non-volatiles to meet strict regulatory and brand-owner requirements.

Supporting Rexelian’s high-performance compounds

These analytical capabilities also reinforce the development of Rexelian, GCR Group’s company specialized in high-performance recycled compounds for mobility and other technically demanding applications. By combining advanced material characterization with compounding expertise, Rexelian delivers solutions where performance, consistency and compliance are critical.

Reinforcing a safe and reliable circular economy

This investment strengthens GCR’s contribution to a responsible circular plastics system. By certifying material purity and traceability in-house, we ensure that our recycled polyolefins meet the expectations of converters, brand owners and regulatory bodies — building trust through analytical rigor.

The new equipment implemented by Waters plays a key role in enhancing the analytical capabilities behind our innovation and sustainability efforts, supporting our mission to provide best-in-class sustainable plastic solutions.

Learn more about our capabilities

Explore our analytical equipment and innovation resources at the Innovation Hub.