In partnership with Messe Düsseldorf, OMV, Bockatech, MCC Global IML, Fearch and ARBURG
At K 2025, the world's leading trade fair for plastics and rubber, over 35,000 specially designed reusable cups will be used to serve hot and cold drinks to visitors across the entire Messe Düsseldorf fairground.
First reusable cup system at K 2025 powered by chemically recycled plastics
© Borealis
The initiative is the result of a value chain collaboration between Borealis, OMV, Messe Düsseldorf, Bockatech, MCC Global IML, Faerch, and ARBURG. As well as reducing waste at K, the project will provide insights that will help create circular solutions at other major events. Here's the full lifecycle story.
The journey begins with post-consumer plastic waste that's not suitable for mechanical recycling. This discarded material finds its way to the Schwechat refinery near Vienna, where OMV uses its proprietary ReOil® chemical recycling technology to transform it into high-quality circular feedstock.
At Borealis, we use this chemically recycled feedstock to create the modified foamable polypropylene (PP) used later for labels and cups production.
Next, MCC Global IML manufactures laminated in-mold labels and sends them on to be applied to cups.
Finally, a value chain partnership of Bockatech, Faerch, and ARBURG steps in to make the cups. Bockatech's EcoCore® foam injection molding technology means that each cup can be made with 50% less material than would be needed for solid molded cups. The foamed cups also provide twice the thermal insulation and five times the strength1.
The finished cups—over 35,000 of them—are then shipped to Messe Düsseldorf, ready for use.
The 35,000 cups will be used at all bars, restaurants, and food trucks to serve both hot and cold drinks. An additional quantity of cups will also be available from the Borealis and Borouge stand (Hall 6, Stand A43) and MCC stand (Hall 5, Stand B37).
After using them, visitors can return cups at 50 dedicated collection points across the fairground, plus the partner stands mentioned above. Logistics staff will also collect cups left on tables and in collection containers.
The cups will then be cleaned thoroughly using on-site dishwashing facilities and returned to service. This cycle repeats throughout each day—cups can be cleaned and redistributed within hours, ready for their next use.
50 dedicated collection points across the fairground will enable reuse of the cups
© Borealis
The end of K 2025 isn't the end of the story. As the fairground empties, the cups' circular journey continues:
- Recycling: Borealis will recycle used cups using our Borcycle™ M advanced mechanical recycling technology, transforming them into feedstock for new, high-quality products.- Home reuse:
Visitors can take cups home for further use and eventually recycle them through normal household plastic recycling streams.- Donation: Unused cups will be donated to local organizations for continued use.
No matter what, once cups have been used many times, and are ready for disposal, the material will have a new life in other high-quality plastic products.
This initiative will have a meaningful impact on waste at K 2025—but that's not where the benefits end.
The K 2025 cup story will provide valuable data for the future. Throughout the fair, together with Messe Düsseldorf we will track how cups are used, reused, and what happens to them at the end. These insights will be used to refine the model for future large-scale events.
This is value chain collaboration in action—the very spirit of K. See you there!
Born to be Reused – Bring Me Back!
Borealis and Borouge - Curious, Collaborative, Circular
© Borealis
1) Compared solid PP cups of the same weight