It’s been a busy week. Let’s get stuck in!

Industry News

Close the Loop restructures to refocus core circular divisions. Following a review, the ASX-listed company is consolidating into ITAD, recycling, and sustainable packaging business units. The move addresses over-diversification and aims to cut costs and sharpen growth. Read more.

Reju and Circle-8 partner to scale textile recycling. Circle-8 will supply post-consumer feedstock to Reju’s fibre regeneration hubs. The partnership targets converting 700,000 tonnes of waste into low-carbon polyester and signifies a major step toward commercial-scale fibre-to-fibre recycling. Read more.

Muller & Phipps (M&P) launches MnP Technologies in the US. The new Dallas-based arm expands M&P’s global footprint with AI-powered logistics and reverse supply chain services. Capabilities include service parts logistics, repairs, spare parts, and lifecycle management. Read more.

SEKO opens Singapore hub to strengthen APAC operations. The global logistics firm is enhancing its regional capabilities in ecommerce fulfillment, freight forwarding, and value-added services including repacking, kitting, returns, and reverse logistics support. Read more.

Vodafone partners with Fonehouse to launch “Fix & Go” in-store repair service. The service offers same-day diagnostics and trained-technician repairs for any network. Vodafone is leveraging Fonehouse’s software and training capabilities. Read more.

China opens world-first 200,000-tonne chemical recycling plant. The facility converts mixed plastic waste directly into feedstock using deep catalytic cracking. It skips sorting, achieves a 92% yield, and supports China’s circular goals. Read more.

FARM Rio launches Closet to Closet recommerce program with ThredUp and Poshmark. The program enables customers to keep clothing and accessories out of landfill by reselling gently worn items on Poshmark, or trading in items from any brand on ThredUp, all in return for FARM Rio store credit. Read more.

Micronclean partners with Avena Group to divert 180,000+ garments from landfill. The partnership leverages Avena’s textile recycling capabilities to repurpose old uniforms into insulation materials. The move cuts landfill waste and supports Micronclean’s goal of a fully circular approach to resources. Read more.

Ikea-backed Nilo to build $20,000,000 demo plant to scale circular adhesive tech. Nilo has developed a formaldehyde-free wood binder made from waste plastic. The Drury-based facility will enable industrial trials ahead of full commercial rollout and aims to cut toxic emissions and scale circular materials. Read more.

BHP signs MoU with CATL to accelerate mining electrification and battery recycling. The partnership is targeting reduced emissions and enhanced circularity by focusing on battery-powered equipment, rapid-charging tech, and integrated recycling systems at BHP mining sites. Read more.

Universal Fibers and Circular Building Solutions partner to accelerate circular flooring solutions. Universal Fibers brings recycled, carbon-negative Thrive yarn to the partnership, while Circular Building Solutions provides MagTab systems to protect subfloors and reduce waste. Read more.

Nestlé and Barry Callebaut partner on 25-year cocoa agroforestry project. Current cocoa farming drives deforestation and emissions, but this initiative will plant 7,700,000 trees in Brazil to cut carbon and restore ecosystems. It aims to make cocoa production climate-positive and secure farmers livelihoods. Read more.

Amazon releases its 2024 sustainability report. Whilst Amazon hit certain clean-tech and circularity milestones, such as a 16.4% reduction in single-use plastic delivery packaging globally, total emissions increased by 6%, ending a three-year decline. Growth in data centres and logistics outpaced decarbonisation gains. Read more.

Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) launches US circular economy roadmap. The roadmap is designed to prepare the solar industry for the challenge of responsibly managing the growing volume of equipment approaching end of life, and targets solar panel reuse, repair, recycling, design-for disassembly, and industry-wide take back schemes. Read more.

AIMPLAS coordinates EU-wide SOPHIA project to enhance circularity in solar panels. The 15‑partner consortium will run for 36 months, developing robot‑assisted repairs, fast diagnostics, debond-on-demand designs, and efficient recycling processes. The project also introduces digital product passports and a dedicated marketplace to commercialise repaired modules and secondary solar materials. Read more.

Investment News

Toyota Tsusho America completes acquisition of Radius Recycling. The Portland-based recycler, operating 100+ sites and an electric-arc furnace mill, is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho. Read more.

MP Materials secures $500,000,000 deal with Apple to build a domestic rare‑earth magnet supply chain. The agreement funds new neodymium magnet lines in Fort Worth, Texas, and a recycling facility in Mountain Pass, California, to reuse rare-earth elements from electronics. Read more.

Distributor Exertis acquired by private equity house AURELIUS for ~£100,000,000. The deal positions the distributor to accelerate transformation in IT hardware and services, with a focus on circular and value-added solutions. Read more.

Mint Innovation secures £8,100,000 partnership with Jaguar Land Rover, LiBatt Recycling, and WMG to accelerate lithium-ion battery recycling. The three-year West Midlands project will demonstrate Mint’s low‑carbon, hydrometallurgical “black mass” refining to recover lithium, nickel, and cobalt. Read more.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) outlines $1,000,000,000 of support for circular economy projects. IFC will invest in circular economy initiatives across emerging markets, targeting sectors like e-waste, textiles, and plastics. The goal is to scale circular systems across multiple sectors and regions. Read more.

Ionic Technologies secures £11,000,000 of funding for circular rare-earth supply chain. Ionic’s CirculaREEconomy project launches August 2025 to build the UK’s first sovereign circular supply chain for rare‑earth permanent magnets. The project is backed by a consortium including EMR, Less Common Metals, and subsidiaries of major automotive companies. Read more.

ServiceUp raises $55,000,000 Series B led by PeakSpan Capital. The autotech startup automates and manages vehicle repair processes for fleets and insurers. Funding to date is nearly $70,000,000, and the recent round will aid expansion into Canada and other states, platform automation and AI integration. Read more.

Veolia acquires Icetec to scale digital energy capabilities. The acquisition adds energy optimisation software and grid market access tools to Veolia’s Hubgrade platform. It supports Veolia’s GreenUp strategy to double North American revenue by 2030 while improving energy efficiency, decarbonising industry, and promoting a sustainable global energy system. Read more.

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Have a great one and we’ll meet again on Monday!

Cheers to circularity,

#TeamCircularConnect #ConnectingTheCircularEconomy