Bobine Secures $14 Million to Push Electrified Chemical Recycling Toward Industrial Scale

French climate technology company Bobine has raised $14 million to accelerate the industrial rollout of its electrified chemical recycling process, a move that could lower emissions and costs in plastics production as European regulation tightens, according to company and investor reporting.

The funding round was led by Axeleo Capital’s Green Tech Industry fund, with backing from UI Investissement and Angelor, and participation from several regional and private investors. Public financing support from Bpifrance and local authorities in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region will continue, the company said.

Bobine was founded in 2023 to address one of the petrochemical sector’s largest emissions sources: high-temperature, fossil-fuel-based processing. Traditional steam crackers, which produce basic building blocks such as ethylene and propylene, are energy-intensive and account for a significant share of industrial carbon output in Europe. Analysts say electrifying these processes has become a priority as carbon pricing rises and energy markets remain volatile.

According to reports, the new capital will be used to build Bobine’s first industrial demonstrator, designed to process about one metric ton of plastic waste per day. The unit will be installed in partnership with Michelin at its Center for Sustainable Materials in Clermont-Ferrand, reflecting growing interest among major manufacturers in lower-carbon feedstocks. Observers note that demonstrator projects of this scale are increasingly seen as a prerequisite for customer commitments in heavy industry.

Bobine’s technology combines heterogeneous catalysis with electromagnetic induction, converting mixed or non-recyclable plastic waste into olefins suitable for producing virgin-grade polymers, including materials compliant with food-contact standards. The process originates from research conducted at France’s ICPEES laboratory under CNRS and the University of Strasbourg and is licensed through SATT Conectus Alsace.

Company data indicate the electrified system can improve conversion yields by roughly 45 percent while cutting energy use by about 60 percent compared with conventional methods, with production costs reduced by a similar margin. Industry groups argue that cost competitiveness is critical for chemical recycling to gain broader adoption, particularly as previous projects have struggled with high operating expenses.

Regulatory pressure is adding momentum. The European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and France’s AGEC law are increasing recycled-content and waste-reduction requirements, forcing plastics producers to reassess supply chains. Analysts say these policies, combined with stricter emissions standards, are pushing companies to explore alternatives that can meet compliance without undermining output quality or reliability.

Bobine said laboratory results have already been validated at pilot scale, with throughput expanded by a factor of 1,000, and that early collaboration agreements have been signed with petrochemical players. Part of the funding will also support recruitment in engineering and commercial roles as the company prepares for market entry later in the decade.

Investors described the round as a bet on industrial-ready climate technology rather than experimental research. Axeleo Capital said the consistency of performance from lab to pilot scale differentiated Bobine in a field where scale-up risk has often stalled progress.

Observers note that electrified chemical recycling remains unproven at full commercial scale, but success could reshape feedstock economics for plastics producers and help meet recycled-content mandates. With policy pressure intensifying, solutions that combine emissions reduction with economic viability are likely to attract increasing capital and scrutiny.

Source: ESG News

SUNSHINE Spotlight: Bobine’s latest funding underscores a broader shift toward hard-tech solutions as Europe looks to decarbonize plastics production without sacrificing industrial competitiveness.