AIMPLAS - ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION DE MATERIALES PLASTICOS Y CONEXAS

Their core work

AIMPLAS is Spain's plastics technology centre, specializing in polymer research, plastics recycling, and sustainable packaging development. They develop practical solutions for making plastics circular — from bio-based alternatives and recyclable multilayer packaging to enzymatic depolymerization and chemical recycling processes. Their work spans the full plastics lifecycle: material design, processing, eco-design for end-of-life, and waste valorization, serving sectors from food packaging to automotive composites. With 46 H2020 projects and nearly €20M in EU funding, they are one of Europe's most active applied research centres in sustainable plastics.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), AIMPLAS focused on automotive applications, thermal materials, and general bio-based feedstock processing — projects like JOSPEL (vehicle thermal comfort), ECOBULK (car parts), and AgriMax (biorefinery) reflected a broader materials research profile. From 2019 onward, their work sharply concentrated on plastics recycling, eco-design, and packaging sustainability — with projects like DECOAT, NONTOX, REMADYL, BIOnTop, and BioICEP all targeting end-of-life plastics challenges. The shift mirrors Europe's plastics strategy and circular economy action plan, positioning AIMPLAS squarely at the centre of the EU's green plastics agenda.

AIMPLAS is doubling down on circular plastics — expect future work in enzymatic recycling, biodegradable packaging, and hazardous substance removal from plastic waste streams.

How they like to work

AIMPLAS balances leadership and partnership effectively: they coordinated 16 of 46 projects (35%), showing they can build and manage consortia, while also contributing specialist plastics expertise as a participant in larger teams. With 655 unique consortium partners across 37 countries, they operate as a well-connected hub rather than a closed-circle collaborator. Their high partner diversity suggests they are easy to work with and adapt to different consortium configurations — a practical, reliable partner for both coordination and technical contribution.

AIMPLAS has collaborated with 655 distinct partners across 37 countries, making them one of the most networked plastics research centres in Europe. Their partnerships span the full EU geography with no narrow regional bias, reflecting broad demand for their plastics and recycling expertise.

What sets them apart

AIMPLAS occupies a rare position as a research centre that covers the entire plastics value chain — from polymer synthesis and bio-based material development through processing and manufacturing to end-of-life recycling and waste valorization. Unlike university labs focused on fundamental research, AIMPLAS works at pilot-plant and industrial scale (Innovation Actions make up 37% of their portfolio), making them a bridge between lab discovery and market-ready solutions. For any consortium tackling sustainable plastics, packaging, or circular economy challenges, AIMPLAS brings both the technical depth and the industrial translation capability that funders want to see.

Highlights from their portfolio

• NEMOSINE
  An unusual application of packaging science — preserving 20th century cultural heritage (films, photographs) using MOF-based innovative packaging, coordinated by AIMPLAS with €742K funding.
• BIOnTop
  Coordinated €649K project developing bio-based packaging films with tailored end-of-life properties (home composting, recycling) — directly at the intersection of their two strongest competences.
• CARMOF
  Demonstrates AIMPLAS's range beyond plastics: coordinated CO2 capture project combining carbon nanotubes, metal-organic frameworks, and 3D printing for adsorption technology.