INCIRCULAR will host its third emulation session on 16 April 2026 at the SISE facilities in Oyonnax, France. Entitled “The Present and Future of Circular Plastics in Europe: From Industrial Demonstration to Interregional Scale-Up”, the session will bring together clusters, industrial stakeholders, SMEs, policymakers and managing authorities to explore how circular plastics solutions can progress from pilot demonstrations to market-ready models that can be replicated and scaled across European regions.
About INCIRCULAR
INCIRCULAR (INtegrating Cybernated Innovation to Raise the Scale of Circular Units Looping Allied Regions) is a three-year project launched in October 2023, co-funded by the European Union’s Interregional Innovation Investments (i3) instrument.
The mission of INCIRCULAR is to enhance collaboration within the recycled plastics industry sector, aiming to improve its capabilities and promote the transformation of recycled plastics into new materials through the adoption of innovative technologies.
Key points in discussion
Scaling up the use of circular plastics requires more than just a successful industrial demonstrator. It also depends on trusted interregional cooperation, technology transfer, and investment pathways that enable replication across sectors and value chains. This session will present real-life industrial case studies and explore how cluster networks can facilitate the scaling up of circular plastic materials, acting as bridges between European regions.
Building on INCIRCULAR’s cross-regional work, this event will offer clusters, SMEs, policymakers and industry stakeholders a practical and forward-looking space for exchanging expertise and real-world experience on scaling circular plastics solutions. Leading regional plastics clusters from France, Spain and Slovenia will demonstrate how cooperation between clusters at an EU level can accelerate technology transfer, support the replication of successful pilot projects and improve access to funding and investment opportunities.
AGENDA
16. april 2026
Introduction
9:00 – Welcome speech
SISE & TECOS
9:10 – From waste to second-life plastics
Industrial symbiosis in practice. key insights from the INCIRCULAR pilot
TECOS & GORENJE
European industry vision and policy contect
9:30 – Foreword
Caterina Verde, European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency
9:40 – The status of circular plastics in Europe: where do we stand for 2026?
EU Plastics Strategy, Circular Economy Action Plan, Twin Green & Digital Transition, I3 follow-up investments; regional/national funding
European Commission / Policy Expert
10:10 – Replication across EU regions
Industrial uptake of INCIRCULAR results in Andalusia
Dr Raúl Carrillo Beltrán, EcoCastulum
10:30 – Replication across industrial sectors: from concept to production
ADRIA Mobil use case
Dr Matjaž Čop, Adria Mobil (Slovenia)
10:50 – 11:00 – Coffee break
Industrial reality and the role of clusters in scaling the circular plastics
11:00 – Key results from INCIRCULAR-funded projects
- MOIK: Metalization of industrial knives (Sl) – Ekstera & Additio
- CLARA: CLassification & Advanced Recognition Automation – ROVIMATICA S.L.
- PLASTRI: Sorting of plastic – Plas’tri
- PLASTNIR: Automatic detection system for industrial thermoplastic processes based on NIR and multispectral technology – Integración Sensorial y Robótica SL
- WR-KNIVES: Development of knives with significantly improved wear resistance for extended service life – TRO – cutting tools
- SMART-MOLD: System for Machine Anomaly Recognition and Telemetry in Moulding Operations for Lean Development – Logix
12:30 – Interactive round table
The role of cluster networks, OEMs and industry in scaling circular plastics
Polymeris (FR), Andaltec (ES), TECOS (SI), ADRIA (SI), OMAPLAST (SI), GORENJE (SI)
- Clusters as:
- Innovation orchestrators across the circular plastics value chain
- Matchmakers between SMEs, technology providers, and large industrial players
- Bridges between regions, enabling interregional collaboration and knowledge exchange
- Key enablers of inter-clustering cooperation at EU level
- OEMs and industrial players as:
- Drivers of market uptake and industrial demand for circular plastic solutions
- Anchors for pilot validation, industrial demonstration, and scale-up
- Integrators of circular materials and technologies into real production environments
- Leaders in setting technical, quality, and sustainability requirements across value chains
- How clusters, OEMs and industry together support:
- Technology transfer from research and pilots to industrial application
- Replication and scaling of successful pilots across regions and sectors
- Alignment of innovation with industrial needs and market readiness
- Access to funding, investment opportunities, and public–private financing mechanisms
13:15 – 14:30 – Networking
14:30 – Visit to the Industrial Technical Center for Plastics and Composites (IPC)
This two-hour visit includes two sites linked to plastic injection moulding, digitalisation, recycling, additive manufacturing and design.
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