Interview with Julia and Willi Stadler

13 June 2024

Digitalisation, packaging, plastic and artificial intelligence are the topics addressed in the interview with the management of Stadler, the company specializing in waste recycling technologies and systems.

During the recent IFAT fair in Munich, Recycling Industry interviewed Julia and Willi Stadler, respectively Chief Digital Officer and CEO of STADLER Anlagenbau GmbH.

Recycling Industry: New European packaging regulations, according to some Italian trade associations, will damage the recycling system achieved in virtuous countries such as Italy, which recovers and recycles more than 70 percent of packaging. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think the recycling sector could be disadvantaged by this?

Willi Stadler: The new European packaging regulations present both challenges and opportunities for the recycling sector. While countries with efficient systems like Italy may face initial difficulties, there are significant long-term benefits in terms of innovation, environmental sustainability, and improved efficiency. Careful management of the transition, with phased implementation, financial support, and stakeholder engagement, will be crucial in ensuring that the recycling sector can adapt and continue to thrive under the new regulatory framework.

Recycling Industry: Digitization and artificial intelligence are extremely topical issues. You at STADLER have accustomed us to cutting-edge innovations and solutions. How do you think the recycling and waste facilities sector will change in the coming years? Should we expect a revolution or slow change?

Julia Stadler: We believe that we are reaching a point in the recycling industry, in which digital innovations play a more and more important role. Of course, the digital transformation will not happen overnight, still we believe that the pace will especially depend on the value that digital innovations can provide. As technologies mature and become more affordable, their adoption will likely accelerate, leading to significant improvements in efficiency, sustainability, and transparency across the sector.

Recycling Industry: You are a family business but invest heavily in research and development. How are the new solutions you introduce to the market born and developed?

Julia Stadler: Our approach to innovations is very customer centric. First, we are looking at the customers’ needs and pain points. We strongly believe that innovations must create an additional value to the customer. Prototypes are then created and iteratively improved based on testing and feedback, leading to scalable solutions ready for market introduction.