Two Swedish innovation leaders, ABB and Syre, have entered a strategic partnership aimed at transforming the global textile industry through large‑scale polyester recycling. The companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore how ABB’s automation, electrification and digital technologies can support the development of Syre’s first industrial textile‑to‑textile recycling plant, planned for Vietnam’s Gia Lai province.
The collaboration marks a significant milestone for Syre, a textile impact company that has rapidly advanced from R&D to multi‑ton pilot production in just two years. Syre’s technology enables the conversion of used polyester textiles and industrial waste into new circular polyester, offering a scalable alternative to virgin fossil‑based polyester. As polyester remains one of the world’s most widely used fibres, the ability to recycle it at industrial scale is seen as a critical step toward reducing climate impact and addressing the global textile waste crisis.
Under the MoU, ABB and Syre will jointly assess how ABB’s distributed control systems, digital industrial software and electrification portfolio can be adapted to the specific requirements of polyester recycling. The work will run in parallel with the detailed engineering phase of Syre’s first plant, ensuring that process automation, quality control and energy‑efficient operations are embedded from the earliest design stages.
ABB views the partnership as an opportunity to apply its long‑standing expertise in fibre processing, chemicals and advanced industrial operations to a new circular materials sector. “This agreement reflects ABB’s role in supporting emerging industrial applications where automation and electrification can enable greater resource efficiency,” said Wilson Monteiro, Global Business Line Manager for Pulp, Paper and Fiber in ABB’s Process Industries division. “Together with Syre, we will explore how our experience can be applied to polyester recycling.”
For Syre, the partnership is essential as the company moves from pilot‑scale validation to full industrial deployment. “Industrializing textile‑to‑textile recycling is a complex undertaking,” said Syre CEO Dennis Nobelius. “Strong customer demand must be matched with best‑in‑class industrial partners. ABB brings exactly the depth of expertise and execution capability needed; they are a cornerstone of the industrial ecosystem we are building.”
Syre has already established an R&D facility and pilot production line in Mebane, North Carolina, and in 2025 achieved multi‑ton production of circular PET chips, demonstrating the viability of its process. The company now aims to begin construction of its first large‑scale plant in 2027, with the Vietnam facility intended to serve as a blueprint for future global expansion.
While exploratory in nature, the partnership signals ABB’s broader commitment to advancing next‑generation fibre‑based industries. As circular materials transition from ambition to industrial reality, ABB continues to apply its automation, electrification and digital expertise to enable efficient, scalable and sustainable production. With this collaboration, ABB and Syre position Sweden at the forefront of global efforts to build a circular textile economy—one capable of reducing waste, lowering emissions and reshaping the future of polyester production.
