IMG Group Launches €15 Million Everbio Innovation Hub for Circular Polymers in Portugal
PORTALEGRE, Portugal — IMG Group has officially launched the Everbio Innovation Hub, a €15 million research and development platform at its industrial site in Portalegre, Portugal, dedicated to accelerating circular polymer solutions across its portfolio of subsidiaries.
The hub integrates the R&D capabilities of four IMG Group companies — Evertis (PET films), Selenis (PET resins), Renascis (mechanical recycling), and Renewis (chemical recycling) — into a single collaborative infrastructure for developing, testing, and scaling recycled and bio-based polymer materials.
Strategic Rationale
The investment responds to accelerating regulatory demands — particularly the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) — which mandates increasing recycled content in packaging and drives demand for circular polymer solutions that meet food-contact and performance requirements.
“The Everbio Innovation Hub is our answer to the industry’s need for speed in circular innovation,” said João Miranda, CEO of IMG Group. “By co-locating our subsidiaries’ R&D teams with pilot-scale equipment, we collapse the timeline from lab concept to industrial validation.”
Hub Capabilities
The Portalegre facility includes:
- Pilot extrusion lines for film and sheet testing with recycled content
- Analytical laboratories for material characterization and food-contact compliance
- PET tray-to-tray recycling demonstration line (Renascis technology)
- Chemical recycling process development for depolymerization (Renewis)
- Bio-based polymer formulation and processing (Selenis/Evertis)
Circular Portfolio Focus
Initial projects target:
- PET tray-to-tray recycling: Closing the loop on PET thermoformed packaging
- Chemical recycling of polyester: Depolymerization to monomers for food-grade rPET
- Bio-based PET/PEF blends: Reducing fossil carbon footprint while maintaining recyclability
- Multi-layer film solutions: Design for recycling without compromising barrier performance
Funding & Partnerships
The €15 million investment includes financing from C2 Capital Partners. The hub is actively seeking brand owner and retailer partnerships for joint development projects aligned with 2025–2030 sustainability commitments.
Resources
- Recycling Today: IMG Group Launches Everbio Innovation Hub
- Plastics News: IMG Group invests €15M in Portugal hub
- World Bio Market Insights: IMG Group backs circular polymer innovation hub
- Ecotextile News coverage
Company Boilerplate
IMG Group is a Portuguese multinational specializing in polyester-based materials for packaging, fibers, and specialty applications. Through subsidiaries Evertis, Selenis, Renascis, and Renewis, the group covers the full value chain from resin production to film extrusion, mechanical recycling, and chemical recycling technologies.
Source: IMG Group press release via Recycling Today, June 18, 2026