ReCB Opens Iowa Facility to Transform Carton Waste into Sustainable Building Materials

ReCB LLC has officially launched operations at its upgraded facility in Des Moines, Iowa, creating a new US domestic outlet for recycled food and beverage cartons. According to the company’s announcement, the site will produce Everboard™, a premium building material made from post-consumer cartons, while generating local jobs and advancing the U.S. circular economy.

The Des Moines plant, operated by subsidiary ReCB Iowa LLC, was acquired earlier this year and upgraded with new technology to boost efficiency and production capacity. Once fully operational in September, the site is expected to recycle approximately 10,000 tons of cartons annually, providing the construction sector with an alternative to virgin materials.

The facility’s proprietary process turns gable-top and aseptic cartons into roof cover boards and other durable, moisture-and mold-resistant building products. Unlike traditional gypsum board production, the system uses no water, formaldehyde adhesives, or hazardous chemicals, relying instead on heat and pressure to deliver high-performance boards.

“We’re supplying the construction sector with premium, sustainable materials while conserving natural resources, cutting carbon emissions and driving demand for recycled cartons across the U.S. This is how targeted investments in recycling infrastructure deliver scalable, circular economy solutions,” said Jan Rayman, Managing Director at ReCB LLC.

According to the company, the flagship product Everboard™ is marketed as a high-strength alternative that not only extends the lifecycle of construction projects but also closes the recycling loop for packaging waste. The facility also works in partnership with the Carton Council, which continues to advocate for carton recycling nationwide.

The U.S. construction industry is under increasing pressure to adopt low-carbon and sustainable building materials, driven by both consumer demand and stricter environmental policies. The launch of ReCB’s facility comes at a time when domestic recycling markets are struggling to find viable end uses for collected cartons. By converting waste into market-ready products, the initiative reduces reliance on imports and aligns with recent federal initiatives to strengthen recycling infrastructure.

According to the announcement, ReCB LLC, in collaboration with the Carton Council, Elof Hansson, and Upcycling Group, is setting up a new production facility in Lodi, California. The plant, expected to come online later this year, will be the company’s second U.S. site and is designed to expand national recycling capacity. These joint investments represent a strategic effort to reduce landfill dependence while strengthening regional supply chains for recycled materials.

“Continued access to carton recycling is essential. We need people to keep recycling their food and beverage cartons so we can keep them out of landfills and reintegrate them into the market,” said Jordan Fengel, Executive Director of the Carton Council.

By combining private-sector innovation with industry partnerships, ReCB is positioning itself at the forefront of sustainable construction materials while reinforcing the economic case for recycling infrastructure in the United States.

Source: Carton Council