Anniversary, Innovation, and Global Presence: Looking back at 2025 

5 Years of Polytives

In March, we celebrated our fifth company anniversary. Looking back, it has been an incredible journey marked by growth, change and many achievements. Since our official founding in March 2020, our team has continuously evolved and gained invaluable insights. Together with our partners and customers, we have pushed the boundaries of polymer innovation time and again. This innovative drive is also reflected in our most recent projects – and is shaping the path we will continue to take in 2025.

Forward-Looking Projects and Proven Quality

In cooperation with Brac-Werke and Nordmann, we demonstrated that our additives help reliably process even technically demanding materials such as recycled PET. The results were published in the renowned Kunststoff Magazin. Another highlight was the successful increase in efficiency and design freedom in the processing of PLEXIGLAS® from Röhm GmbH – with long-term stability.

We also achieved an important technological breakthrough in the field of biopolymers, even though much of the work had already been completed in 2024: Together with our partner TITK e. V., we published results on PHA processing that clearly show how significantly the processing can be facilitated – paving the way for new, sustainable applications.

Late spring saw the launch of two new projects with a strong focus on recycling and circular economy. The project ReEnAdd – in cooperation with TU Ilmenau and KOMOS – aims to improve energy efficiency and recycling quality through the use of new additives. At the same time, the project BiKoPow (in collaboration with Lean Plastics Technologies GmbH and TITK e.V.) focuses on additive manufacturing. With these initiatives, we are consistently strengthening innovation, efficiency and sustainable solutions for the plastics industry.

A major team success was the completion of our ISO 9001:2015 re-certification audit. As in previous audits, there were no notable findings – a result our small team is particularly proud of. We continually work on optimising our processes, and we validate our high quality standards through regular material testing. Using so-called xenotests, we examine the ageing behaviour of plastics (yellowing, loss of transparency, surface wear), especially for outdoor applications. In this way, we ensure the reliability of our polymer additives even under demanding conditions.

Our Trade Fair Highlights: From KPA to K – and Around the World

Direct exchange with the global plastics community is especially important to us. Accordingly, we were once again present at numerous trade fairs and events this year, with the K-show in Düsseldorf standing out as a particular highlight: It all began here in 2022 with the introduction of our first product. This year’s response was overwhelming. The strong interest in our solutions and the many inspiring conversations left a lasting impression.

As a co-exhibitor with our partner Nordmann, we also took part in RePlastEurasia in Istanbul and the well-attended PRSE in Amsterdam. Thanks to our partner Kangshin, our technology was also showcased at KOPLAS in Korea – an important step in strengthening our position in this dynamic region.
KPA and KUTENO in Bad Salzuflen once again convinced us with excellent networking opportunities, a relaxed atmosphere and a new location. To extend our reach beyond physical trade fairs, we also participated digitally: with a short presentation at the INDUSTRY.forward EXPO. Our trade fair season concludes in December with PlastEurasia in Istanbul.

Customer Proximity and New Partnerships in Asia

We continue to build valuable partnerships across the globe. Especially in Asia, we strategically expanded our market presence and established important new collaborations. In spring, together with PolymerMat e.V. – the plastics cluster of Thuringia – and BASF Performance Polymers, we organised the association’s first PolyTour. As part of this initiative, we welcomed our Japanese partner Sanyo Trading as an honoured guest in Rudolstadt to deepen the collaboration and strengthen the mutual understanding.

These encounters not only strengthened regional networks but also created a solid foundation for further market development in Asia.

Shaping & Connecting: Our Engagement in the Plastics Industry and Beyond

We are proud to be part of a broad plastics and start-up ecosystem in which we share expertise and learn from one another – whether through formal committee work or at specialised industry events.
Our management team is actively engaged in various honorary roles that extend far beyond our own company and contribute directly to the economic, scientific and social development of our region. Viktoria Rothleitner strengthens start-up support and women’s entrepreneurship as a board member at ThEx innovativ and StarTH, and supports the EXIST-Women programme. Oliver Eckardt brings the industry perspective into strategic committees such as the SANS-F Industrial Advisory Board and the IHK Committee for Industry and Research.

We also maintained close professional exchange within the industry: The TecPart annual conference in Heilbronn offered the ideal opportunity to connect with leading plastics processors. The Central German Plastics Day in Halle (Saale) provided an important platform for discussing the future of the plastics industry, bringing together industry, policy and research. Our CTO and co-founder, Oliver Eckardt, contributed on site.
We used numerous other forums for networking: At the ECP Industry Speed Dating we engaged with potential customers and partners and reconnected with familiar faces. The 14th Materials Seminar in Rothenburg ob der Tauber offered deep insights across the plastics sector. As part of the Jena delegation at the East German Economic Forum (OWF) in Bad Saarow, we moved important future topics for Thuringia forward together with partners such as JENA Digital and Fraunhofer IOF. At the ThEx Zukunftswirtschaft Conference in Jena, co-founder Viktoria Rothleitner shared practical insights on how companies in Thuringia can integrate sustainability into their daily operations.

Whether at team events such as archery and brewery tours, at trade fairs or through co-organising the PolyTour – our team grew even closer together this year.

We carry this positive momentum forward: While ongoing projects reach their milestones and new ones successfully take off, we set our sights on the next goal – making our polymeric additives the standard in even more demanding applications.

Looking Back at K 2025: Our Journey in Düsseldorf

After an intense week full of inspiring talks, new connections, and shared visions for a more sustainable plastics industry, we’re taking a moment to look back at our experience with Polytives at K 2025 in Düsseldorf.

When we arrived on October 7 – the day before the official start of the fair – we already knew this week would be something special. A networking evening in the heart of the city offered the perfect kick-off: inspiring conversations, first familiar faces, and new connections that set the tone for what was to come.

A Flying Start

From the very first morning, Polytives at K 2025 took off at full speed. We had scheduled more than 40 meetings in advance – but by the end of the fair, we had spoken with more than 300 people. Incredible!

Our booth in Hall 7a, as part of the TecPart joint stand together with Cirplas, Schwarz Plastic Solutions, KMA, and Voelpker, was initially manned by Oliver Eckardt, Steffen Felzer, and Viktoria Rothleitner. On Sunday afternoon, Oliver Guntner joined the team to support the second half of the fair.

While Sunday brought a quieter atmosphere, Monday once again saw a strong surge of visitors – and by Tuesday, the booth was buzzing with discussions until the very end.

When we finally packed up our exhibition pieces and tapped the last few drops of our Watzdorfer beer from the barrel on Wednesday afternoon, we did so with a big smile and full hearts.

Thank You for Your Interest and Trust

We want to express a sincere thank you to everyone who stopped by, who took the time to talk to us, and who shared their ideas and challenges. We were truly impressed by the openness and curiosity of so many international visitors who had travelled long distances to meet us, often more than once.

It was equally rewarding to meet people who had no prior connection to us but were drawn in by curiosity or recommendation. Hearing visitors this year say they came “because someone recommended Polytives” was a proud and motivating moment for our team.

Across the many conversations throughout the week, one topic kept coming up again and again: How to make recyclate processing more efficient and reliable. The topic of recyclate processing clearly continues to gain momentum, and it’s exciting to see how many companies are actively seeking practical and long-term solutions.

We are deeply grateful to both our long-standing partners and our new collaborators for their trust and openness. Your feedback and joint projects are what keep us moving forward – and we can’t wait to see what’s next!

Tradition Meets Celebration

Or: A Little Fun Never Hurts

Every three years, the K show brings the plastics industry together for an entire week of exchange, innovation, and inspiration. And with it comes a certain rhythm that many of us know and love. That includes the traditional Exhibitors’ Party on Saturday night, which once again in 2025 – the 76th year of K – marked a fitting celebration after the first week of the show.

Exceptional food, great entertainment, and a dance floor that filled up quickly – the perfect way to wrap up intense and inspiring days at the fair.
And yes, we decided not to share photos from that night – the memories will do just fine!

Looking Ahead

Polytives at K 2025 once again showed how valuable personal exchange and strong networks are for driving innovation in the plastics industry.

We’re already looking forward to the next milestones – and maybe to seeing you again soon at PlastEurasia, PlastIndia, or one of the regional trade shows such as KUTENO or KPA.

If we missed each other at the fair, feel free to reach out under the subject “K 2025” via info@polytives.de – or through your familiar contacts and channels.
We’re always happy to continue the conversation!

Oliver, as QMB and as the person in charge of sustainability at Polytives: You have been dedicated to the topic since 2022, so you could say that you lay focus on sustainability. But you’re not obliged to produce a report, are you?

Due to the size of our company, we are still exempt from the reporting obligation. However, we are not primarily addressing the issue due to legal expectations, but because the topic of sustainability is important to us personally on the one hand and is also part of our long-term corporate strategy on the other. For us, sustainability is considered throughout company scaling and product development and is an intrinsic part of how we identify topics and potential.

It was important for us to establish this procedure as early as possible in order to then gradually approach the day-to-day circumstances and the legal framework. For the latter area in particular, a quick start made sense to get a feeling for which data and key figures could be collected. The effort involved in starting from scratch naturally increases as soon as a company is larger at a later stage.

That sounds understandable. Have there also been any external inquiries, although you are not obliged to report?

There certainly were. Being exempt from the reporting obligation does not mean leaving the topic completely unaddressed. Larger companies pass on inquiries within their supply chain and even in the run-up to a prospective collaboration, the players are increasingly focusing on sustainability.

As we are already somewhat active in this field, we can therefore react quickly and purposefully and provide appropriate answers. I think we can definitely say that our customer-centric way of working also creates small competitive advantages for our customers and for us.

If you have been reporting since 2022: What has changed over this period, what have you learned and what is your conclusion?

It was clear to us from the outset that our first report would not be “textbook”. Rather, it was a stocktaking exercise and showed what was possible in a short space of time and with little effort. We were still missing too many data points for in-depth reporting and the dimensions of sustainability had not yet been explored in depth. With the next report, we then knew where we needed to start with improvements and had also found new ways to close gaps. We are still mainly focusing on the ecological and economic aspects of sustainability, as our work and our products can have a significant impact here. For example, in 2023 we had already dealt with carbon accounting for the first time, which is an indispensable part of the report.

Our goal will ultimately be a report that meets a fully-fledged standard in terms of content – there is still a lot to do before then, but the methodology of small improvement steps will also lead us there. For example, we are currently using the VSME model as a guide.

It is generally advisable to start early in all areas, but not too ambitiously, and to grow organically. For example, consulting, networking and general information events have helped us to develop the right speed.

5 Years Polytives GmbH: How it all started, where we are now, and what’s next?

The Beginning: When Polytives Was Still “Hyperflow”

When chemist Oliver Eckardt and Prof. Felix H. Schacher decided in 2014 to shape the topic of Oliver’s dissertation and commenced their research, neither of them anticipated that this would ultimately lay the foundation for the establishment of Polytives.

Originally initiated as a ZIM project at Friedrich-Schiller-University in Jena, it soon became clear that their developed technology had immense potential — too much to not at least attempt to bring it to market maturity. Thus began their journey, initially supported by an EXIST research transfer grant, ultimately leading to the founding of the company.

After foundational research and a research stay in Belgium by Oliver Eckardt, Viktoria Rothleitner joined the team in 2017. With her Bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences and currently studying for her Master’s in “Business Administration for Scientists,” she added essential business expertise. Together, in July 2017, the three founders successfully applied for EXIST funding, which kicked off the project in March 2018—initially still under the name “Hyperflow.”

Two years later, again in March, the official founding took place with the company’s registration in the commercial registry. During these two years, the team built a solid network, demonstrated proof-of-concept, established a scalable synthesis method, and further expanded the team. And although March 2020 also marked the start of something completely different, the team quickly adapted, successfully advancing their goals digitally and remotely.