D&L Industries, Inc., Breathes New Life Through Plastic Upcycling Technologies

D&L Industries is leading the way in the Philippines towards a circular economy through its subsidiaries, First in Colours, Incorporated (FIC) and D&L Polymer & Colours, Inc. (DLPC). The company is the first to offer technologies that revitalize plastics that are typically deemed low-value or non-recyclable, like single-use plastics.

D&L Industries has been in the plastics industry for more than 60 years; in fact, the company's initial venture was the production of colorants for plastics. The additives and chemicals that give plastics a variety of physical and chemical qualities are the area of expertise for subsidiaries FIC and DLPC.

“Plastics are materials that are almost indispensable in the modern way of life. Its application extends to virtually every industry, from food to construction and infrastructure to transportation to health care and many more. To date, there is no other material known to mankind that is as lightweight, hygienic, malleable, and economical as plastics,” remarked FIC and DLPC President Lester Lao.

“Sadly, a good percentage of post-consumer plastic materials which are considered as low-value or nonrecyclable end up in landfills and those that are improperly disposed of find their way in our oceans. We believe that the key in truly utilizing the potential of plastics lies in technologies that enable plastics to be reincarnated multiple times, if not indefinitely, and that’s where FIC and DLPC come in,” Lao added.

The company began researching and developing solutions to make plastics sustainable as long as twenty years ago. Up until now, FIC and DLPC have been successful in developing a number of methods that facilitate the upcycling of plastic. These technologies include plastic additives like Deomate®, which neutralizes and eliminates odors; Polyguard®, which increases the stability of plastics to delay degradation; and Plastibond®, which acts as a bonding agent to allow various types of waste plastics to mix together and become compatible. 

Instead of simply offering these additives to the market, FIC and DLPC goes one step further by providing custom-compounding services to fit the specific needs and applications of customers. “We believe upcycling is the future of plastics. In fact, in certain cases, upcycled plastics can even exceed the physical properties of virgin plastics. This technology also offers another way for companies to comply with the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) Act by increasing recycled content of their plastic packaging materials,” Lao added.

“As the world moves towards a more sustainable path, we want to be at the forefront of this development driving the change. To innovate continuously in the direction of green chemistry is a commitment that we have made to the profession and to the future generations. As a company, FIC and DLPC aim to be a one-stop-shop in enabling our customers thrive in the ever changing business environment by providing custom technology solutions to the country’s plastics industry,” Lao concluded.

​D&L Industries is a Filipino company engaged in product customization and specialization for the food, chemicals, plastics and consumer products ODM industries. The company’s principal business activities include manufacturing of customized food ingredients, specialty raw materials for plastics, and oleochemicals for personal and home care use. Established in 1963, D&L has the largest market share in most of the industries it serves, as well as long-standing customer relationships with the Philippines’ leading consumer and manufacturing companies. It was listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange in December 2012.