“Where others see challenges, we see opportunities,” says Hoang Minh Nguyen, Material and Innovation Manager for Plastics and Metals at IKEA.

The National Center for Sustainable Plastics at RISE unites industry, academia, institutes, and trade organizations with the aim of collectively achieving freedom from fossil-based plastics and strengthening the market position of the Swedish plastics industry. With 460 stores worldwide, IKEA is a player capable of significantly reducing global use of fossil-based plastics. Now, the furniture and homeware giant is joining the center.

“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigating climate change are commitments shared by many. At IKEA, these goals are a top priority. If we are to limit global warming, it is extremely important to embrace a collective approach, involving both industrial players, institutes like RISE, and the academy. Plastics is an area in which we need to place a substantial amount of our efforts,” says Hoang Minh Nguyen.

He explains that the center has been eagerly awaited.

“Finally, we have a common platform in Sweden where we can collectively address shared challenges across industries. A key advantage is the all-in-one deal. We gain access to different technologies, material development, and a big network of organisations all working with the same issues. We've already cultivated a strong relationship with RISE and are actively collaborating on a portfolio of possible solutions in the plastics field. Hopefully, we’ll soon get to expand this collaboration to include other partners within the center.”

Plastic waste: an enabler

The pursuit of sustainable solutions to replace fossil-based plastics has been a longstanding topic on IKEA’s agenda. They are currently exploring both recycled and biobased sources, as well as the future potential of carbon capture sources.

“To reduce our overall plastic consumption, we have decided to phase out our single-use plastics. Additionally, we've incorporated recycled plastics into our product range. But recycled plastics come with certain limitations. They may not always be suitable for food or children’s products, or items requiring transparency. Hence, we need to seek out new solutions for these cases, with biobased options appearing the most promising. The challenge extends to composite plastics, which are typically difficult to recycle. Nonetheless, plastic waste also presents significant opportunities. Currently, only 9 percent of plastic waste is recycled; doubling this figure could have a tremendous impact. We want to be part of that journey,” says Hoang Minh Nguyen.

Strength in numbers

He is optimistic that the center will effectively address and generate viable solutions to these challenges.

“I believe we've reached a point where large-scale collaboration is essential, focusing on specific pathways and decisions for the future. My hope is that the center will yield several solutions in the fields of mechanical recycling and material development that we can pursue together with the industry. Creating synergies is crucial, as tackling these issues alone is beyond the capacity of any single party. Hopefully we can also jointly monitor and influence policy makers, so that they to a greater extent support the transition into sustainable plastics. IKEA’s primary focus areas are developing products with durability, circularity, and a minimal residual footprint at the end of their life cycle. I hope that these three themes will form a shared agenda for the center.”

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, or Fraunhofer Society for the Advancement of Applied Research, is a German research organization with 76 institutes spread throughout Germany, each focusing on different fields of applied science. RISE’s German sibling, in many ways. 

Through a recent project the two organisations have discovered the potential of further collaboration.

But let’s back the tape. There once was a park in southeastern Germany… 

“…It was sitting on the brink of this beautiful lake, which used to be a coal mine. Flooded long ago. Picture the scenery: breathtaking mountains, a nice little town. And twenty-five-year-old wooden benches, practically falling apart.”

Thus begins the tale, as told by Sebastian Scholz, leader of the Fraunhofer Plastics Centre Oberlausitz, Professor at the University of Applied Sciences Zittau/Görlitz, and guest researcher at the Application Center for Additive Manufacturing at RISE.

Arriving at RISE

Sebastian Scholz arrived in Sweden in 2023, to work together with the additive manufacturing and composite teams at RISE. With him, he brought his family and the prospect of 3D printed benches. 

“I had been in contact with the town, called Olbersdorf, and discussed how to go about the bench-problem. The idea of 3D printing was raised, and Fraunhofer was asked to make it happen. Unfortunately, our large-scale printer was still under development. I arrived in Sweden, at RISE, and thought: why not do it here?” Sebastian Scholz continues. 

The Application Center for Additive Manufacturing at RISE has two large-scale robotic printers which previously have been used to print everything from designer furniture to fully functional kayak prototypes in innovative materials.

Capturing nature

RISE was intrigued by the proposed collaboration, prompting Constanze Kuring, product designer and Sebastian’s colleague at the Plastics Centre, to start working on the design.

“It was new to me, designing for big parts and this type of printing. When you know how it works it’s easy, but it’s a learning process. The benches were to be placed right next to the lake, atop these very linear concrete blocks. My goal was to create a contrast and incorporate the surrounding nature. The printed benches are quite heavy, but I wanted them to look light, nice, and friendly. And I wanted them to capture the waves of the lake,” says Constanze Kuring. 

There were to be five benches in total, made up of three different design models. Benches for sitting, benches for laying down, and one bench adapted for face-to-face conversation. Bike stands were to be incorporated into some of them, as cyclists are frequent visitors to the park.

“For every design model we printed at least one test bench, in form of a short section, so that we could try out the ergonomics. Then we did the final benches. That is one of the many perks with 3D printing, that you are able to approach your final design step by step, and pick up problems at an early stage,” says Constanze Kuring.

Despite conducting test prints, numerous challenges were encountered along the way. These included the need for adjustments to the 3D printing infill design, addressing shrinkage and warping issues with larger parts, and ensuring proper fixation on the print bed to maintain stability throughout the entire printing process.

"Thanks to the extensive experience in large-scale 3D printing from the RISE team, coupled with Constanze’s design expertise, we were able to overcome all challenges successfully. I'm confident that we've gained valuable insights and are now well-equipped for future projects involving 3D printed outdoor furniture," says Sebastian Scholz. 

Planting a seed

Sustainability played a crucial role throughout the project, influencing not just the selection of manufacturing process, but also the choice of materials.

“It’s a 100 percent biobased and recyclable material, a PLA containing 20 percent wood fibres. It possesses all the properties we want for the future, and is hopefully also resistant to the environmental influences in Olbersdorf,” says Sebastian Scholz. 

The benches were shipped to Germany and installed by the end of May, 2024. All in all a successful project, and hopefully the start of a series of collaborative initiatives between Fraunhofer and RISE.

“We have many things in common, but we are not competitors. We possess a deep understanding of the industrial and societal needs within our respective countries, and can only benefit from this cooperation. During my time in Sweden, I have worked on setting up transnational projects involving both RISE, Fraunhofer and the University Zittau/Görlitz. The first project just started, and I’m convinced that more applications will be approved. The primary objective of coming here was to plant a seed for future long-term collaboration, and that has certainly been accomplished,” says Sebastian Scholz.