FOR REC’s strategies for the recycling industry
Recycling Industry meets Marco Zoccarato, CEO of FOR REC, to delve into the philosophy guiding the company, highlighting the technical innovations and future strategies aimed at treating complex materials, such as next-generation WEEE and photovoltaic panels.
An approach oriented toward technical and engineering expertise and the ability to transform waste into a valuable resource are the pillars upon which FOR REC has built its leadership in the recycling sector. More than just a machinery supplier, the company positions itself as a technological partner capable of designing "turnkey" and customized solutions, engineered to guarantee robustness and operational continuity even under the most demanding conditions.
With 80% of its revenue generated in foreign markets, FOR REC exports cutting-edge technologies worldwide that aim for "zero environmental impact" through the optimization of consumption and the maximum recovery of secondary raw materials. To fully understand the corporate philosophy that leads to the genesis of advanced waste treatment technologies, we are publishing an interview with Marco Zoccarato, CEO of FOR REC.
Recycling Industry: FOR REC has been active in the recycling technology sector for many years. What is your current position in the market, and which customer needs are you able to meet most effectively?
Marco Zoccarato: "FOR REC has long been established in the recycling technology sector and is now recognized as a highly specialized partner in the design and manufacturing of machines and complete plants for waste treatment.
Our market positioning stems from a solid engineering approach that allows us to combine performance, reliability, efficiency, and deep process knowledge.
Today, customers seek robust and versatile systems with controlled operating costs, capable of guaranteeing production continuity even under demanding conditions. The demand for turnkey, customized solutions that maximize the value of secondary raw materials is growing steadily—and this is precisely where our know‑how delivers its greatest value.
We respond effectively to the need for systems capable of continuous operation, high production capacity, high‑quality material separation and reduced treatment costs. At the same time, we invest in designing zero‑impact technologies: optimized energy consumption, streamlined material flows, and solutions that minimize emissions and waste.
Advanced control systems play an increasingly important role, enabling higher energy and operational efficiency, lower management costs, and longer machine lifespan.
For us, being more than a supplier is crucial: FOR REC is not just a manufacturer, but a partner that develops tailor‑made plants. We stay close to our customers with high‑level technical consultancy, based on listening and rapid needs assessment, to identify effective and cost‑efficient solutions quickly.
This approach—together with a well‑structured after‑sales service—strengthens our position in a market that demands reliability and continuity.
In a rapidly evolving industry, customers seek partners capable not only of providing machines, but of building complete, high‑performance solutions aligned with the ecological transition. It is precisely in the space between technological innovation and engineering expertise that FOR REC expresses its highest value”.
Recycling Industry: Your product range covers very different materials and sectors. Which design principles unite your solutions, and what distinguishes you technically from other manufacturers?
Marco Zoccarato: "All FOR REC solutions are based on clear and consistent design criteria that define our technological identity.
The first distinctive element is project customization: every plant is developed according to the customer’s materials and objectives. This is one of the pillars of our offering and reflects how FOR REC designs dedicated systems for each waste stream.
Technically, our machines share several core principles:
- extremely robust mechanical structures;
- high energy and production efficiency;
- simplified maintenance, with easy access and components designed to minimize downtime;
- modular flexibility, allowing fully configurable and scalable lines for different materials;
- advanced separation systems that ensure high‑purity fractions, proven especially in our metal and WEEE (such as fridges and photovoltaic panels) treatment lines.
What truly sets us apart is our engineering‑driven approach: every plant is developed through detailed material analysis, application testing, and direct customer interaction. This method ensures solutions that are not only high‑performing but also stable, durable, and efficient.
Furthermore, our machines are designed to operate at high capacities and maintain continuous workflow even with challenging materials, ensuring zero environmental impact through optimized consumption, reduced emissions, and complete recovery of all output fractions”.
Recycling Industry: In recent years, energy, operational, and maintenance efficiency have become key priorities in treatment plants. How do your machines respond to this evolving demand?
Marco Zoccarato: "In recent years, efficiency has become a decisive criterion in choosing a plant: reduced energy consumption, operational continuity, ease of management, and the quality of recovered fractions.
FOR REC technologies are developed precisely in this direction, integrating solutions that enhance energy, operational and maintenance efficiency. Our plants are designed for continuous operation, to ensure stability even with challenging materials, and to optimize consumption.
From an operational standpoint, we focus on easily accessible components, systems that reduce wear, and modular configurations that simplify management and minimize downtime. This enables us to offer complete lines capable of delivering clean, high‑value fractions.
When it comes to maintenance and operational continuity, we complement our engineering approach with a structured assistance and preventive maintenance service that keeps machine downtime to a minimum. We provide fast interventions even in emergency situations, on‑site support with mobile workshops and specialized technical staff, along with dedicated phone assistance.
Another significant advantage is spare‑parts availability: thanks to an internal warehouse, we guarantee immediate access to most components — including custom parts — and 24/48‑hour worldwide shipping. This is supported by integrated real‑time remote assistance systems and training programs for technical personnel, making plant management simpler, faster and more efficient.
For us, efficiency means consistent performance, stable processes, minimized energy consumption and controlled maintenance — all essential elements for reliable, sustainable plants capable of generating long‑term value”.
Recycling Industry: One of the most significant aspects of your recent journey is strong growth in international markets. Which geographical areas are responding best, and which factors have driven your global expansion?
Marco Zoccarato: "In recent years, we have experienced significant growth in international markets, where we now generate 80% of our export sales, thanks to a flexible design approach and technologies capable of meeting very different industrial needs. The areas responding most positively to our solutions are Central Europe and Northern Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and North America—markets that value efficient, reliable technologies capable of processing complex materials.
This expansion has been driven by four main factors:
- tailor‑made engineering, allowing us to adapt every plant to local requirements;
- high‑efficiency, zero‑impact technologies, highly appreciated in advanced markets;
- the wide versatility of our lines, capable of treating WEEE, metals, plastics, wood, electrical cables, photovoltaic panels, MSW and virtually any type of waste stream;
- a fast and reliable service and spare‑parts support, ensuring continuous assistance to our customers.
This combination of customization, technological quality and reliability has enabled us to consolidate our presence abroad and secure new projects in several countries”.
Recycling Industry: Looking ahead, which development guidelines is FOR REC focusing on: new markets, new applications, or technological evolution?
Marco Zoccarato: "Looking ahead to the coming years, we are investing in three strategic pillars that will drive FOR REC’s growth.
The first concerns the expansion into international markets. Today, 80% of our turnover comes from exports, and we intend to further strengthen our presence in areas that are experiencing a strong demand for advanced waste treatment technologies, such as Northern Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North America.
The second pillar focuses on the development of new applications. Waste streams are evolving, and the market is increasingly demanding solutions for emerging materials with high recovery potential. For this reason, we are expanding our lines dedicated to photovoltaic panels, complex industrial waste, and new‑generation WEEE, which are becoming increasingly heterogeneous. Our goal is to continue delivering plants capable of ensuring high‑quality separation and economically sustainable recovery.
Finally, we are pursuing a continuous path of technological evolution. We invest in research and development to make our machines even more efficient, with reduced energy consumption, lower wear, and greater operational continuity, as well as solutions with higher processing capacities and zero environmental impact”.
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