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SOREMA DIV. OF PREVIERO N. SRL

SOREMA is an Italian specialist in plastic recycling machinery and turnkey plants, focusing on washing, size reduction, separation, drying and process integration for post-consumer and post-industrial plastics such as PET, HDPE and PE/PP films. Founded in 1974 and merged with Previero in 1993, the company supplies customized high-productivity lines, wastewater treatment and plant upgrades that support circular-economy goals and food-grade recycled outputs.

7 views0 mentionsUpdated October 22, 2026

Introduction

SOREMA div. of Previero N. SRL is an Italian engineering company specializing in plastic recycling machinery and turnkey recycling plants, with a particular focus on washing, size reduction, separation, drying, conveying, and related process integration for post-consumer and post-industrial plastics. Based in Anzano del Parco, Como, Italy, the company operates within the broader Previero group and serves recycling applications for PET, HDPE, PE film, PP film and raffia, fibers, thermoforms, and other polymer streams.

The company traces its roots to Previero, founded in 1922, while SOREMA was established in 1974 as a specialized division focused on plastics washing and recycling systems; the two entities were merged in 1993 to strengthen synergies in ownership and operations. Over time, SOREMA developed from early film-recycling lines into a specialist supplier of high-productivity washing plants, and its portfolio has expanded to include process modules for water treatment, plant upgrades, and integration with sorting and extrusion equipment.

In the plastics industry, SOREMA is positioned as a niche technology supplier rather than a commodity machinery maker: its value proposition centers on customized process engineering, tailored plant design, and support for higher-quality recycled outputs, including rPET and recycled polyolefin flakes or granules. The company’s work is closely tied to current industry priorities such as circular-economy packaging, contamination control, food-grade recycled materials, and the upgrade of existing recycling assets.

History and Development

Previero’s industrial history began in 1922 in Como, where the company initially built its capabilities in machinery engineering before moving into plastics equipment in 1955. SOREMA was created in 1974 to concentrate on plastics washing and recycling plants, reflecting a strategic shift toward the growing need for post-consumer recycling solutions.

A major technical milestone came in the early 1980s, when the company built its first hot-wash PET bottle recycling line, followed by the development of a food-approved bottle-to-bottle system in Australia in the late 1990s. These steps positioned the company in one of the most demanding segments of plastics recycling: producing recycled outputs suitable for high-value packaging applications.

More recently, the company has broadened its scope with a wastewater-treatment division launched in 2020 and a partnership with Ambienta SGR announced in 2023, both of which support the company’s industrial and sustainability strategy. That evolution reflects a broader trend in plastics recycling equipment toward integrated, water-efficient, and contamination-sensitive process lines.

Business Operations and Segments

SOREMA’s business is centered on the design, manufacture, installation, and upgrading of plastics recycling plants. Its offering is structured around complete process lines, auxiliary systems, and service support across the plant life cycle.

Main operational areas include:

  • Recycling plant engineering for PET bottles, PE/PP films, thermoforms, and other plastic fractions.
  • Process modules such as pre-washing, cold washing, hot washing, chemical washing, wet grinding, drying, conveying, and storing.
  • Integration services for sorting, metal separation, extrusion, and wastewater treatment.
  • Revamping and upgrading of existing plants, including retrofit modules for improved output quality or higher throughput.

The company’s materials handling and size-reduction activities are linked to the broader Previero machinery tradition, which also covers grinding, feeding, conveying, and storage equipment for plastics and related materials. This combination allows the group to address several steps in a recycling line rather than supplying only one isolated machine class.

Products and Technologies

SOREMA’s technology portfolio emphasizes washing-line design and complete recycling systems tailored to the input material and target output quality. The company states that its lines are engineered according to customer-specific material streams and output specifications.

Key product and process types include:

  • PET bottle recycling lines for post-consumer bottles, producing recycled flakes used in bottles, sheets, BOPET, strapping, fabrics, and fibers.
  • PE/PP film recycling systems for post-consumer, post-industrial, and agricultural films, converting fluff into granules for reuse in cast, stretch, and blown-film applications.
  • PET tray and thermoform recycling systems designed for higher-contamination packaging fractions.
  • Continuous agglomeration and extrusion integration for downstream material reprocessing.
  • Dry cleaning and de-inking-related systems for difficult contamination cases and certain chemical-recycling-oriented applications.

The company also supplies or integrates supporting equipment such as screening machines, classifiers, dedusting systems, separation and sorting systems, crushers, shredders, and grinders. Technical materials indicate a capacity range from roughly 500 kg/h to 10,000 kg/h, depending on line configuration and application.

A notable operational feature is the company’s emphasis on water management. Sorema has added dedicated wastewater-treatment capabilities, reflecting the environmental and process-control demands of modern plastics recycling plants. It also highlights tools such as laboratory testing, pilot lines, material analysis, laser scanning for plant design, and pre-assembly validation before shipment.

Applications and End Markets

SOREMA’s equipment is used primarily by companies engaged in plastics recycling, polymer recovery, and recycled-material production. Its main end markets correspond to the most commercially significant waste streams in plastics circularity.

Major application areas include:

  • PET bottle recycling, especially for rPET production in packaging and fiber uses.
  • Polyolefin film recycling, including PE and PP film from consumer, industrial, and agricultural sources.
  • Thermoform and tray recycling, which is increasingly important as packaged-food recovery grows.
  • Raffia, big-bag, fiber, and nonwoven recycling, particularly where contamination and moisture control are critical.
  • Specialized recycling of mixed or difficult wastes, including some EPS, EPP, EPE, PUR, and rubber applications listed in exhibitor and product directories.

The company’s process focus aligns with broader industry demand for higher-quality recyclate and more efficient sorting and washing. In practice, this means its technologies are most relevant where recycled output must meet demanding downstream standards, such as packaging, sheet, fiber, and technical applications.

Global Presence and Market Position

SOREMA states that it has installed several hundred plants worldwide and serves customers across multiple continents. Company materials also describe the Previero group as supplying customized size-reduction and plastics-recycling solutions in all five continents.

External trade and shipment databases show export activity and U.S. shipments, indicating that the company participates in international machinery trade rather than serving only the domestic Italian market. Its exhibitor listings at major plastics and recycling-related trade platforms further suggest recurring participation in global industry events.

In market terms, SOREMA occupies a specialized position in the plastics recycling equipment segment, competing on process know-how, line customization, and plant integration rather than on standardized mass production. Its technical profile is especially relevant in sectors where wash quality, contamination removal, and water treatment materially affect the economics of recycled resin production.

Sustainability and Environmental Initiatives

SOREMA frames its business around the circular economy and the improvement of plastics recycling efficiency. Its stated mission is to provide recyclers with technologies that add value to plastic waste, while also improving sustainability outcomes.

Its sustainability-related activities include:

  • Designing lines for higher-quality recyclate, which supports reuse in packaging and other higher-value applications.
  • Developing wastewater-treatment systems to reduce process-water impacts.
  • Supporting plant upgrades that can extend the life and efficiency of existing recycling assets.
  • Enabling de-inking and contamination-removal processes, which can widen the range of recyclable printed or complex materials.

At the same time, the company operates in an industry facing ongoing scrutiny over recycling yields, contamination, energy use, and the limits of mechanical recycling. SOREMA’s technical emphasis on washing, sorting, and process optimization reflects the sector-wide need to improve input quality and output consistency in order to remain commercially and environmentally effective.

Leadership and Corporate Governance

Publicly available sources identify SOREMA as part of the Previero business family and describe the company as privately held. The available material does not provide detailed governance disclosures comparable to a listed corporation, but it does indicate continuity of ownership and long-running industrial management.

The company’s commercial communications reference technical and sales leadership, with organizational attention directed toward engineering, customer-specific design, and post-sales support. That structure is typical of specialized capital-equipment manufacturers in the recycling sector, where senior decision-making is closely tied to project execution and client requirements.

Innovations and Future Outlook

SOREMA’s innovation strategy appears centered on customized engineering, process optimization, and integration of ancillary systems rather than on a single flagship machine. Its use of pilot testing, laboratory analysis, 3D scanning, and modular upgrades suggests a development model aimed at solving material-specific recycling problems.

Several industry trends are likely to shape its outlook:

  • Growing demand for food-grade and high-purity recycled polymers, especially rPET.
  • Rising need for thermoform and film recycling, as packaging formats diversify.
  • Tighter water and effluent management requirements, favoring integrated treatment solutions.
  • Retrofit demand from operators seeking to improve older plants rather than build entirely new ones.

The company’s technical positioning suggests continued relevance where recyclers need high-throughput, contamination-resistant, and application-specific washing systems. Its future prospects will depend on how effectively it adapts to changing polymer feedstocks, stricter regulatory expectations, and the economics of recycled resin production.

Summary

SOREMA div. of Previero N. SRL is a long-established Italian manufacturer of plastics recycling plants and washing systems, rooted in the broader Previero machinery tradition and specializing in demanding recycling applications for PET, films, thermoforms, and mixed plastic streams. Its role in the plastics industry is defined by technical specialization, process integration, and support for circular-economy recycling infrastructure.

References

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    CPS+ eMarketplace. (n.d.). SOREMA DIV. OF PREVIERO N. SRLSOREMA DIV. OF PREVIERO N. SRL. CPS+ eMarketplace. https://www.chinaplasonline.com/eMarketplace/ExhibitorInfo?CompId=1022072Link