Driving force behind EPS Recycling Partners: Bart de Wijs

Whether you have been working with EPS for years or are just getting started, one thing is immediately clear: the person selling used EPS rarely determines the price.

The people who collect, compact and load often have to deal with traders who take margins without adding real value. At the same time, the price of used EPS fluctuates – depending on supply and demand, and on the price of crude oil.

This mix of unclear pricing and unnecessary intermediaries is what led to the creation of EPS Recycling Partners.

EPS Recycling Partners is built on real-world experience. Not the kind of experience you gain in a sterile office, but on the shop floor. Between the EPS blocks, in the trucks, with collectors and processors.

That practical experience comes mainly from Bart de Wijs, founder and driving force behind the platform. He grew up in a family that has been active in EPS recycling for more than twenty years. Bart has seen the entire journey up close: from loose EPS scraps to compressed blocks, from waste stream to raw material. He knows the daily challenges – and the opportunities that are often left on the table.

“What frustrated me? That the people doing the work often don’t get the value. And that the people who never touch the material are the ones deciding what it’s worth. I wanted to change that.”

That led to the founding of EPS Recycling Partners: a platform that connects sellers and buyers directly. Without middlemen.

Bart learned the trade at family business Poredo. After many years working among the EPS blocks, he grew into the role of Managing Director and became co-owner. During his time leading Poredo, he helped the company achieve 600% growth in turnover and volume in just four years.

Bart’s growth within the family business, and his continued role at BEWI after the acquisition, gave him insight into every aspect of the EPS industry. Combined with his entrepreneurial mindset, this makes him an ideal partner for companies that want to unlock the full value of their EPS streams.