November X, 2025
Over 90% of extracted materials are wasted, with only 8.6% repurposed in our economy.1 That’s the stark reality our global economy faces today. But within this gap lies an opportunity and companies like Van Maren Systems, are finding practical ways to close it.
Across Europe, industries are rethinking the way materials flow through their supply chains. For Jean Marc Van Maren, founder of Van Maren Systems in the Netherlands, this rethink started with something simple but essential: the humble pallet.
His company uses recycled polyAl to make the blocks that sit inside pallets. And it’s these pallets that transport everyday goods around the world, for well-known brands.
The blocks, made from the polymer and aluminium recovered from food and beverage cartons, are a clear example of how recycled materials can deliver circular value while solving a practical business challenge.
For Jean Marc, this work grew from a specific challenge he encountered regularly. It started with a clear, practical need.
“We kept seeing wooden pallets break,” he explains. “The blocks would split, and loads would collapse. That’s time lost, material wasted, and real money down the drain.”
The issue wasn’t new but it pointed to an opportunity of whether a stronger, more reliable material could be used to solve the problem.
Seeing potential in the overlooked
PolyAl, short for polymer and aluminium, is the non-fibre material left over when food and beverage cartons are recycled. In the past, this material used to be treated as “hard-to-recover” waste. But that’s changed. Improved recycling infrastructure has made it easier to work with polyAl in Europe.
“Because it comes from food and beverage cartons, polyAl is a clean and consistent stream,” says Jean Marc. “That makes it much more reliable than mixed plastics, where you never quite know what you’re getting.”
For manufacturers, consistency matters. Van Maren Systems now uses polyAl to mould high-strength pallet blocks using processes inspired by a surprising source, the shoe industry.
“When I was living in Italy, I saw how they made thick soles for shoes. They were moulded with precision, that was durable, and repeatable,” Jean Marc says. “That gave me the idea for how we could do the same with pallet blocks.”
That idea became a working production model. Today, Van Maren Systems produces around 1,400 metric tonnes of polyAl pallet blocks per year in Italy.
PolyAl proves its performance
Van Maren Systems supplies logistics companies such as CHEP, IPP, and Volvo.
“Signing with CHEP was a turning point. It meant we had something that worked in real operations, with real pressure,” says Jean Marc. “Once you’ve got that proof, it was much easier to build momentum.”
The blocks are currently used across European logistics networks and have been tested in demanding conditions. In some cases, outlasting their wood-based pallets without splintering or cracking.
“What we see now is confidence growing. You can’t ask people to switch just because something is recycled. It has to work. And this does,” he adds.
PolyAl applications are growing
The use of polyAl isn’t limited to blocks within the pallets. Now, entire pallets are being produced, made with high levels of recycled polyAl, in some cases up to 100%.
The interest in business applications using polyAl is growing, particularly in markets looking for strong, repeatable performance that support a circular economy.
“We’re seeing real potential for these materials to take on more roles,” Jean Marc says. “We’re also looking to expand into places like Benelux and Poland, where demand is rising.”
Creating the right conditions for circularity
Tetra Pak plays a supporting role in creating the market for this kind of solution to grow. This includes facilitating connections across the value chain, investing in recycling capacity, and supporting applications - like pallets made using recycled cartons - that can scale.
“This is an example of circularity working in practice,” says Thijs van Hooijdonk, Account Director at Tetra Pak. “We help connect recyclers, compounders, and end users. That’s where we can support, and that’s what helps solutions like this move forward.”
Thijs also points out that many stories focus on consumer products because it’s easier for people to relate to tangible outcomes of their own recycling efforts. But it’s in industrial applications, like pallet blocks, where the biggest opportunities are and where businesses can play a big role in keeping materials in use.
From one idea to industry interest
For Jean Marc, the progress so far has been steady and deliberate. Starting with a clear use case, proving performance in the field, and then expanding into new regions and product formats.
“We didn’t want to rush. First, we had to make sure the blocks worked. Then, we focused on producing them consistently. Now, we’re starting to see others take interest in using the same material.”
He sees this as part of a broader opportunity for others to look again at the potential of polyAl, especially when it meets both technical and commercial needs.
“Circularity can only grow if the materials work in real-world settings. That’s what we’re doing here and what we’re proving.”
When he talks about the future, Jean Marc comes back to the idea of lasting value. One day, he hopes to tell his granddaughter that her grandfather helped turn food and beverage cartons into something useful and lasting, maybe even a pair of tiny clogs.
To see how polyAl and other recycled materials are being used to support circular systems, read more here.
1Circularity Gap Report: FIVE YEARS of the Circularity Gap Report (2022). https://www.circularity-gap.world/2022
