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Polystyvert secures $16M to revolutionize polystyrene recycling, enabling the global deployment of innovative technology for sustainable polystyrene production from plastic waste

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MONTRÉAL, July 8, 2024 /CNW/ – Polystyvert, an innovative company specializing in recycling technologies and the circular economy of styrenic plastics (polystyrene and ABS), announces the closing of a first tranche of a Series B funding for over $16 million. This investment represents another step for the company towards the construction of its very first commercial plant in Québec, dedicated to recycling highly contaminated polystyrene waste. With funding from European and North American investors, Polystyvert will further solidify its position as a leader in the field of styrenic plastics circularity, thanks to its patented dissolution and purification technology. Other investors will participate in the second tranche of this financing to enable the Series B round to raise up to $30M.

A Crucial Step for Polystyvert’s Future
With an increasingly stringent environmental regulatory framework worldwide and a growing demand for sustainable solutions in plastic recycling, this Series B fundraising arrives at a strategic moment for Polystyvert. It lays the ground for the industrial-scale commercialization of its technology already proven at the pilot and demonstration unit scale.

“This announcement, in the current economical context, reflects the unwavering support of our investors in our team and our proven technology, which is not only economically viable but also represents the shortest recycling loop for this type of waste, greatly reducing its environmental footprint. All the conditions for success are thus met to move forward with the next steps towards our first commercial plant in Montréal. This is a key step in the promotion of our technology, which will allow us to achieve our ambitious goals in order to break into strategic global markets and position ourselves as a key player in the circularity of styrenic plastics in collaboration with the industrial leaders of this value chain,” said Ms. Nathalie Morin, President and CEO of Polystyvert.

Remaining true to its roots as a technological innovator, part of this funding will also be dedicated to further diversify Polystyvert’s intellectual property (IP) portfolio, which already includes over forty patents with worldwide coverage.

Financial Partners’ Support
Polystyvert is grateful to the investors in the Series B round who are supporting the company in a new era in the circularity of highly contaminated styrenic plastics. Infinity Recycling led the round, followed by SWEN Blue Ocean, and Earth Foundry, an existing shareholder. 

“Polystyvert’s game-changing recycling process upcycles contaminated plastic waste into premium materials.  This commitment to scaling advanced recycling technologies is crucial in tackling the plastic waste crisis and fostering sustainable circular market growth,” declared Jan-Willem Muller, Managing Partner at Infinity Recycling.

“Polystyvert has developed a unique technology to recycle styrenic polymers. It combines the best of mechanical and chemical recycling with low costs, small-scale units, ability to treat contaminated feedstock and virgin-quality end products. This technology will create new markets for styrenic polymer wastes and help divert them from nature and landfill,” declared Olivier Raybaud, Managing Director at SWEN Blue Ocean.

An Influential Player in Plastic Waste Decontamination
By positioning itself as a key player in the circular economy of styrenic plastics, Polystyvert collaborates with international industry leaders who aim to achieve zero plastic waste goals, in line with UN negotiations and government environmental policies. Furthermore, the technology directly addresses the challenges of plastic waste purification through processes that remove all contaminants found in plastic compounds, allowing safe recycled content to be used in the same applications as virgin resin.

Following the closing of the first tranche of the funding, the Series B round will remain open for a second tranche that is expected to close within the next three months, for a total amount from both tranches of up to $30M. Polystyvert’s first commercial recycling plant, to be located in Montreal (Canada), is expected to be operational in 2026.

About Infinity Recycling
Infinity Recycling BV was established in 2019 to create markets for end-of-life waste streams by investing in advanced technologies that enable circularity in the plastics industry. Their first offering, the Circular Plastics Fund, contributes to solving the plastic waste problem and unlocking much-needed capacity in high-in-demand recycled commodities. The fund implements a return and impact-driven investment strategy that drives value creation in advanced recycling and accelerates the transition to a circular economy for plastics. Building on the momentum in investor interest and deployment, the fund recently closed their first fund for €175 million.

About SWEN Blue Ocean
SWEN Blue Ocean backs startups that deliver both systemic impact and competitive market returns. Our focus is on solutions to overfishing, ocean pollution and marine solutions to climate change. SWEN Blue Ocean’s first fund was launched at the World Conservation Congress of the IUCN in 2021, in scientific partnership with Ifremer. The strategy deploys €170 million in innovative ocean health startups, with over 80% institutional investors.

About Earth Foundry
Earth Foundry’s founding team pioneered a new way of investing in and building cleantech startups more than a decade ago and has been honoured to serve as early investors catalyzing groundbreaking climate innovations. Now scaling up its unique model, Earth Foundry continues its unwavering dedication to building great companies that drive positive change across energy, mobility, water, waste and agriculture innovations.

About Polystyvert
Founded in 2011, Polystyvert is a Montreal-based clean technology company that is revolutionizing plastic recycling by implementing a circular economy. Through its unique process of dissolution-based recycling and low-temperature, low-pressure purification, Polystyvert can recycle and purify plastic waste that is typically considered non-recyclable due to high contamination. The result is a recycled raw material of unparalleled purity that can replace virgin plastics while reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by up to 90% in an economical manner, meeting the needs of various sectors.

Polystyvert provides the shortest recycling loop for both polystyrene and ABS, serving industries such as packaging, construction, electronics, automotive, and toys. The technology is protected by over 40 patents across 17 countries.

Contact :

Fabrice Giguère
Communications Advisor
514 262-2437
fgiguere@polystyvert.com

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SOURCE Polystyvert Inc.

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Galloway Company Expansion Nearly Doubles United States Industrial Sweetened Condensed Milk Capacity

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NEENAH, Wis., Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Galloway Company, a leader in premium dairy ingredients, announces the completion of a major expansion to its production capabilities. The addition of a custom-built evaporator will nearly double the United States’ total capacity for industrial sweetened condensed milk. The expansion comes at a critical time, relieving a highly constrained market for premium concentrated dairy ingredients in the United States.

The expansion will set new industry benchmarks in capacity, operational efficiency, and quality.

The expansion will allow the company to serve existing clients with the same premium quality ingredients they’ve come to rely on, while also welcoming new customers for the first time in four years.

“Over the last four years, we’ve seen growing constraints from the bakery and confectionery markets, with extended lead times and maxed-out production capacities,” said Mike Hasler, Director of Industrial Sales, Galloway Company. “This expansion ensures we can not only meet the demand of our existing customers but also welcome new business.”

With the addition of the second evaporator, Galloway Company is building redundancy into its production process, minimizing the risk of service interruptions for clients. The new system will also enable greater customization of products, allowing the company to meet the needs of clients of all sizes—from full tanker trucks to smaller batches packaged in totes and 5-gallon pails.

The expansion will set new industry benchmarks in capacity, operational efficiency, and quality. The upgraded system includes high-efficiency motors and precision-engineered valve systems, with a fully automated homogenization process, advanced lactose seeding technologies, and state-of-the-art cooling systems. These updates minimize energy consumption and reduce environmental impact while advanced quality control measures ensure consistent performance and accuracy. 

For more information or to place an order, please visit gallowaycompany.com or contact Mike Hasler at mhasler@gallowaycompany.com.

About Galloway Company

Galloway Company is the number one supplier of cream liqueur bases and sweetened condensed milk in the U.S. Located in Neenah, Wisconsin, Galloway specializes in producing unique formulations of condensed dairy blends and beverage bases. Classic Mix Partners, a subsidiary of Galloway Company, is the largest manufacturer of frozen dairy dessert mixes in Wisconsin, serving customers nationwide. For more information on our complete line of innovative dairy product mixes and bases, visit gallowaycompany.com.

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SOURCE Galloway Company

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SOCi Scales its AI Agent Solutions While Bolstering Path to Profitability

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SAN DIEGO, Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — SOCi, Inc., the leader in AI-powered marketing solutions for multi-location businesses, today announced initial results from its AI Agent strategy. In less than eight months, SOCi’s Genius AI™ solutions now account for more than 10% of the company’s annual recurring revenue (ARR). These results cap off a year of remarkable milestones for SOCi, including surpassing $100 million in ARR—a feat that places the company among the elite Centaur SaaS organizations globally.

In 2025, the company plans to continue to enhance and expand its advanced Genius AI™ technology, allowing SOCi’s AI Agents to take on even more local marketing tasks at scale and deliver unprecedented efficiency and value for SOCi’s nearly 1,000 multi-location customers. Additionally, SOCi is committed to accelerating its journey to profitability by strategically realigning resources to focus on high-impact areas with proven success. This reorganization is designed to enhance efficiency, drive scalability, and position the company for sustainable, long-term growth.

“We remain committed to revolutionizing the industry with our AI Agent innovation and Genius solutions, delivering the first digital workforce to drive unparalleled value for our customers,” said Afif Khoury, CEO of SOCi. “Simultaneously, we are focused on achieving sustainable growth by prioritizing financial stability and operational efficiency, solidifying our position as the leader in marketing innovation.”

Recently recognized as an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company for the seventh consecutive year, and named one of Fast Company Most Innovative Companies, SOCi continues to expand its reach into new high-growth markets with its cutting-edge local marketing solutions. Over the past two years, the company has forged partnerships with iconic enterprises such as Ford, Jersey Mike’s Subs, and Ace Hardware, while establishing a strong presence in the Financial Services and Insurance sectors with notable partners like Liberty Tax and Motto Mortgage.

About SOCi, Inc.
SOCi is the leader in AI-powered marketing solutions for multi-location businesses. With its proprietary Genius AI™ and suite of Genius Agents™, SOCi provides a first-of-its-kind, AI-powered digital workforce capable of handling the workload of 1,000 local marketers™, empowering brands to achieve unmatched digital visibility, strengthen customer engagement, and scale faster than ever before.

SOCi is recognized by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies, and is trusted by nearly 1,000 top brands—including Ford, Ace Hardware, Kumon, Liberty Tax, and more—to automate and optimize local marketing tasks across all locations. Founded in 2012 and backed by leading strategic investors, SOCi is transforming how multi-location brands manage and scale their marketing efforts. Learn more at www.soci.ai or contact us at hello@soci.ai.

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SOURCE SOCi, Inc.

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Verdantas Acquires M-H-M, Inc. Expanding Water Services Throughout Northern California

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TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Verdantas, a leader in digitally enabled technical consulting solutions for the environment, water, and energy transition markets, backed by Sterling Investment Partners, is pleased to announce the acquisition of M-H-M, Inc. (MHM). The acquisition aims to enhance Verdantas’ expertise in the northern California water market and expand the services offered by both firms.

Based in Marysville, California, MHM brings invaluable expertise and experience to Verdantas, broadening the depth and range of services within the water, and land development markets with strong relationships with municipalities, public agencies, and private clients. The integration of MHM into Verdantas enhances its water service capabilities bringing valuable expertise in water supply and storage, distribution, irrigation, water master planning, flood control, storm drainage, as well as land development and surveying.

Jesse Kropelnicki, CEO of Verdantas, stated about the acquisition: “Integrating MHM into Verdantas will continue our growth strategy by further diversifying our business on the west coast, and by furthering our capabilities in the water market. This expansion enhances our expertise and ability to serve water clients more effectively in northern California. Additionally, MHM improves our land development and surveying capabilities, which will enhance other services we provide in the same geography. We look forward to providing their team with new opportunities for growth while they continue to contribute to our mission.”

California brings unique engineering design complexities. By partnering with Verdantas, we can now integrate robust in-house geotechnical and geological, structural engineering, and environmental expertise into our projects that we previously outsourced,” stated Sean Minard, President of MHM. “Our collaboration with Verdantas aims to expand our service offerings, providing comprehensive solutions in flood control, storm drainage, and water resource management as well as land development. This growth will add value to our current clients in Northern California, enabling us to deliver a more extensive suite of engineering and environmental solutions.”

James Soldano, Partner at Sterling, said, “We are proud to support Verdantas in this strategic acquisition of MHM. This move reflects our shared vision of growing Verdantas’ presence throughout the western United States and addresses the critical need for water-related expertise in a region facing challenges related to water resources and flood control.”

This acquisition is a vital component of the company’s sustainable service offerings objectives. By participating in significant projects, Verdantas plans to address critical water challenges, advocate for conservation, improve water quality, and encourage sustainable practices.

About Verdantas

Verdantas is a leader in digitally enabled technical consulting solutions for the environment, water, and energy transition markets. Blending balanced strengths in environmental and engineering expertise, we partner with clients and communities to create comprehensive solutions that contribute to a sustainable future. With a team of over 1,700 professionals nationwide, we harness diverse skills and innovative technologies to address complex challenges, protect vital resources, and foster resilient communities. For more information, visit www.verdantas.com.

About Sterling Investment Partners

Sterling Investment Partners is a leading private equity firm that has been building leading middle-market companies for over 30 years with a highly experienced, cohesive team of senior investment professionals. Sterling focuses on control investments in value-added distribution and business services, acquiring businesses that the firm believes have strong, sustainable competitive advantages and significant opportunities for value creation. Over its history, Sterling has completed over 230 transactions, representing over $31 billion in aggregate value, and was recently ranked a Top 10 performing middle market private equity firm globally by Dow Jones-HEC Paris. For more information, visit www.sterlinglp.com.

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SOURCE Verdantas LLC

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