On the heels of the National Geographic Circular Economy Forum, diversified global manufacturer Milliken & Company has strengthened its commitment to the world’s circular economy. Milliken was a sponsor of the forum, alongside Waste Management and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which convened approximately 400 thought leaders to explore solutions for eliminating waste.

“Closing the loop on waste requires a holistic plan,” said Halsey M. Cook, president and CEO of Milliken & Company. “We’re committed to forums and conversations that will lead to aligned, sustainable innovations.”

Milliken says its materials science expertise can help catalyze collaborations around waste, especially focusing on the end of life plastics challenge—a key emphasis of its 2025 sustainability goals. The forum, hosted by National Geographic, convened leaders spanning industry, nongovernmental organization and government for a multifaceted solutions approach to achieve zero waste.

Halsey M. Cook, president and CEO of Milliken & Company. © Milliken

“Our aim is to make the manufacturing of recycled goods more effective,” said David Moody, Ph.D., president of Milliken’s Chemical Division. “But Milliken cannot do this work alone. The leaders who came together today will undoubtedly be a part of the solution.”

“Plastics are an integral part of our everyday life, from sustainable transportation to healthcare and safety. We can maintain, and even enhance, the critical role they play through intentional recycling and improved manufacturing of recycled plastics. We are already doing this work through Milliken’s innovations. We are committed to moving the needle even further,” Moody continued. 

Milliken says its award-winning DeltaMax Performance Additive has revolutionized manufacturing with recycled polypropylene, which is among the fastest-growing plastic globally. The novel additive balances the product quality and production challenges of manufacturing new products with recycled polypropylene, enabling the use of up to 100% post-consumer and post-industrial recycled polypropylene resins from which new products are made.

The National Geographic forum is helping to spark collaboration and inspire innovations across stakeholders, value chains and industries. Milliken hopes to play a critical role in redefining sustainability for manufacturing and positively impact the world through R&D-driven innovations.

The forum, which was live streamed, can now be viewed at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/circular-economy-2020/livestream/

www.milliken.com