Plastika Kosovo restarts with Lindner washing line

Plastika Kosovo has resumed recycling operations after a major fire in spring 2024 brought production at its site in the Drenas Industrial Park to a halt. The fire destroyed equipment and stored material, stopped production and affected around 40 jobs at the site. The company has restarted with a new washing line supplied by Lindner Washtech, its long-standing technology partner. The line has been running since December 2025 and, according to the companies, gives the plant higher capability than before the incident. Ordered in November 2024 and commissioned in December 2025, the installation was realised within a relatively short timeframe due to close coordination and fast decision-making on both sides. For Plastika Kosovo, the restart reduced downtime, helped maintain customer relationships and secured jobs.

A new line for higher capacity

The new Lindner washing plant is designed for double the recycling capacity while maintaining consistently high output quality. This enables Plastika Kosovo to process larger volumes of plastic streams that had previously gone unused in the region. The company has also gained more flexibility in its feedstock base. The plant can now process a wider range of input materials, including more heavily contaminated fractions, which broadens sourcing options and reduces dependence on individual supply sources.

The delivered line covers the recycling process end to end, from shredding through washing and drying to extrusion. A stationary single-shaft Micromat 2000 shredder provides consistently sized material and forms a stable basis for downstream process stages. Lindner Washtech supplied the components from a single source, with the elements matched to one another. The companies indicate that this approach provided one point of contact, reduced interface losses and supported faster commissioning.

Reconstruction based on partnership

Ardit and Arian Shabani, Managing Directors of Plastika Sh.p.k., said: "The customised plant has significantly accelerated our reconstruction phase while at the same time creating a solid basis for our further development. Our close cooperation with Lindner Washtech shows what is possible when partnership goes beyond day-to-day business."

Tomas Kepka, Sales Manager at Lindner Washtech, said the project was not limited to the installation of equipment. "We don't see this project as simply the installation of a new washing line. It is a commitment to standing by our partner at a difficult moment," he said. "Plastika is the first recycler in this region and has built something up over decades. The fact that this business continues is about more than one company's history, and that is exactly what we stand for as a family business."

Thanks to its long-standing partnership with Lindner Washtech, Plastika Kosovo achieved a technologically sound restart of its recycling operations in a remarkably short time following the major fire. The new plant is designed for double the recycling capacity, at consistently high output quality.