How Recycled GPPS Pellets Helped a Ukrainian XPS Insulation Board Manufacturer Improve Foaming Perfo

Customer Background

KIC is a Ukrainian company serving the thermal insulation materials industry, with a particular focus on the production of extruded polystyrene, commonly known as XPS insulation boards.
XPS insulation boards are widely used in building insulation systems because of their thermal insulation performance, moisture resistance, compressive strength, and long service life. However, the quality of the polystyrene raw material can directly affect extrusion stability, cell structure, expansion ratio, surface quality, and overall production efficiency.
To maintain consistent XPS board quality, KIC needed a reliable recycled polystyrene supplier capable of providing stable material performance and professional technical support.

Challenges in XPS Insulation Board Production

Before working with INTCO RECYCLING, KIC already had a long-term raw material supplier. This meant that changing suppliers was not an easy decision.
The customer was especially concerned about several common challenges in XPS production:

• Uneven foaming during extrusion
• Fluctuations in material performance between different batches
• Difficulty controlling the expansion ratio
• Excessive raw material consumption
• Unstable finished-board density and surface quality

For XPS manufacturers, recycled polystyrene pellets must offer more than an attractive price. The material needs to maintain consistent melt flow performance, stable processing behavior, and suitable foaming characteristics.
These requirements made product stability and application experience critical factors in KIC’s supplier evaluation.

INTCO RECYCLING's Recommended Solution

After learning about the customer’s production process and technical concerns, the INTCO RECYCLING team recommended several recycled polystyrene grades for further evaluation:

• rPS-A01
• rPS-B01
• rPS-B02

These recycled GPPS and polystyrene pellet grades were matched according to the customer’s XPS production requirements.
Rather than simply providing product specifications, our team shared practical experience from previous applications of recycled GPPS pellets in XPS insulation board production.
We focused on how suitable recycled polystyrene materials could help address uneven foaming, support a more stable expansion process, and reduce unnecessary raw material consumption.

Why KIC Chose INTCO RECYCLING

Strict Quality Inspection for Every Package

Consistency is one of the most important requirements for XPS raw materials.
At INTCO RECYCLING, each package of recycled polystyrene pellets is inspected according to established quality-control procedures. This helps reduce performance differences between batches and provides customers with more stable processing conditions.
For XPS manufacturers, stable raw material quality can help minimize repeated parameter adjustments and reduce production interruptions caused by material fluctuations.

Controllable Melt Flow Performance

The melt flow performance of recycled PS pellets influences extrusion, mixing, foaming, and final board quality.
INTCO RECYCLING provides recycled polystyrene grades with controllable melt flow characteristics. Based on the customer’s equipment, production formula, board density, and performance requirements, our team can recommend a more suitable material grade.
This application-based matching process helps customers avoid using recycled materials that are technically available but unsuitable for their specific production conditions.

Extensive Experience in Downstream Applications

INTCO RECYCLING is not only a recycled plastics manufacturer. We also have extensive experience in understanding how recycled polystyrene pellets perform in different downstream applications.
For the XPS insulation board industry, our team considers factors such as:

• Extrusion stability
• Melt flow rate
• Foaming behavior
• Expansion ratio
• Board density
• Surface quality
• Raw material consumption
• Customer production formulas

By understanding the application first, we can recommend a more appropriate recycled PS grade instead of providing the same material to every customer.

From Technical Communication to a Four-Container Trial Order

At the beginning of the cooperation, KIC was cautious about introducing a new recycled polystyrene supplier.
The customer already had an established supply relationship, so gaining trust required more than a competitive quotation. Our team communicated with the customer several times to understand the production process, existing material performance, and major technical concerns.
During these discussions, we shared our experience with recycled GPPS pellets used in XPS insulation board production.
We explained that a properly matched material could help improve foaming consistency and support a higher and more stable expansion ratio. Better expansion performance may allow manufacturers to optimize their formulas and reduce raw material consumption while maintaining the required board quality.
After several rounds of in-depth technical communication, KIC decided to place an initial trial order of four containers.

Successful Testing and Stable Monthly Repeat Orders

The first material trial was successfully completed.
The recycled polystyrene pellets met the customer’s processing requirements and demonstrated suitable performance in the XPS insulation board production line.
Following the successful trial, KIC began placing regular monthly repeat orders. The cooperation has continued to develop, with rPS-A01, rPS-B01, and rPS-B02 becoming important material options for the customer’s production.
What started as a cautious supplier evaluation gradually developed into a stable, long-term partnership based on product consistency, technical communication, and mutual trust.
Over time, the relationship has extended beyond ordinary business cooperation, and the two sides have built a strong professional friendship.

The Importance of Selecting the Right rPS Pellets for XPS

Not every recycled polystyrene pellet grade is suitable for XPS insulation board production.
Using an unsuitable material may result in unstable extrusion, irregular cell structures, uneven board density, excessive material consumption, or frequent production adjustments.
When selecting recycled PS pellets for XPS applications, manufacturers should evaluate:

Material Consistency

The appearance, melt flow rate, impurity level, moisture level, and processing performance should remain stable between batches.

Foaming Performance

The material should support the required cell structure and expansion ratio under the manufacturer’s actual production conditions.

Melt Flow Compatibility

The melt flow characteristics should match the extrusion equipment, production temperature, additives, blowing agent system, and target board density.

Technical Support

A supplier with XPS application experience can provide more relevant material recommendations and help shorten the testing process.

Stable Supply Capacity

Continuous production requires a reliable supply of recycled polystyrene materials with consistent quality and delivery schedules.

Benefits of Recycled GPPS Pellets in XPS Production

When appropriately selected and tested, recycled GPPS pellets can provide several potential benefits for XPS insulation board manufacturers.

Reduced Dependence on Virgin Polystyrene

Using recycled polystyrene can help manufacturers optimize their raw material structure and reduce dependence on virgin fossil-based materials.

Potential Raw Material Cost Optimization

Suitable recycled materials may support more cost-efficient production, particularly for manufacturers with stable monthly demand.

Improved Resource Efficiency

Recycling post-consumer and post-industrial polystyrene helps keep valuable plastic resources in circulation and reduces unnecessary waste.

Flexible Material Matching

Different recycled PS grades can be selected or blended according to the manufacturer’s formula, equipment, density target, and product requirements.
However, all recycled materials should be tested under actual production conditions before being used on a large scale.

About INTCO RECYCLING

INTCO RECYCLING is a recycled plastics manufacturer and supplier with extensive experience in the collection, recycling, processing, and application of plastic materials.
Our recycled polystyrene product portfolio includes recycled GPPS and HIPS pellets for applications such as:

• XPS insulation boards
• Plastic profiles
• Injection-molded products
• Extruded plastic products
• Packaging applications
• Other polystyrene-based manufacturing

With manufacturing capacity in Malaysia and an established quality-control system, INTCO RECYCLING provides recycled plastic materials to customers in international markets.
Our team works closely with customers to understand their equipment, formulas, finished-product requirements, and production challenges before recommending a suitable material grade.

Looking for Recycled PS Pellets for XPS Insulation Boards?

The cooperation with KIC demonstrates that successful recycled material sourcing depends on more than price.
Stable quality, controllable melt flow performance, appropriate grade selection, practical application experience, and continuous technical communication are all essential for long-term cooperation.
INTCO RECYCLING supplies recycled GPPS and recycled PS pellets for XPS insulation board production. Material grades can be recommended according to your production equipment, board density, formulation, and processing requirements.
Contact INTCO RECYCLING to discuss your XPS raw material requirements, request technical information, or arrange a sample evaluation.