Pelletising

Also called: Pelletizing, granulation, reprocessing, recycling extrusion

Pelletising melts, filters and cuts recycled plastic into uniform granules that are easier to transport, store and process.

Pelletising converts scrap, regrind, flakes or agglomerate into uniform granules. The material is fed into an extruder, melted, degassed and passed through a melt filter screen, then cut into pellets. Common cutting methods are strand pelletising, where strands are cooled in water and chopped, die-face cutting, and underwater pelletising.

Why it matters when buying recycled plastic

• Melt filtration removes solid contaminants. Finer screens give cleaner granules; ask what screen size the recycler uses.
• Degassing or venting removes moisture and volatiles, reducing bubbles and odour.
• Each melting cycle adds heat history, so careful temperature control protects properties such as MFI and impact strength.
• Blending lots before pelletising gives more consistent granules; ask whether lots are homogenised.

Why buyers prefer pellets

Pellets feed smoothly, have predictable bulk density and can be tested and certified per lot. Compare costs and trade-offs in our scrap vs regrind vs granules guide.

When comparing suppliers, ask about their extruder type, filtration, degassing and quality checks, as these largely decide the consistency of the granules you receive.