The upgraded Des Moines facility uses post-consumer cartons to produce premium building materials, creating local jobs, reducing landfill waste and advancing the circular economy
Des Moines, Iowa– August 21, 2025 – ReCB Iowa LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ReCB LLC, is officially up and running, adding a critical domestic end market for post-consumer food and beverage cartons. The facility produces EverboardTM, a high-performance building material that helps the construction industry reduce reliance on virgin materials while meeting demand for sustainable alternatives.
After acquiring the facility in early 2025, ReCB LLC invested in technology and equipment upgrades to boost efficiency and capacity. A joint venture of Elof Hansson USA Inc., Upcycling Group and Lisa Tech, the company expects the site to reach full operational status by September. Once working at full capacity, ReCB Iowa LLC, is expected to upcycle approximately 10,000 tons of cartons annually.
“We’re supplying the construction sector with premium, sustainable materials while conserving natural resources, cutting carbon emissions and driving demand for recycled cartons across the U.S. This is how targeted investments in recycling infrastructure deliver scalable, circular economy solutions,” said Jan Rayman, Managing Director at ReCB LLC.
The proprietary process transforms post-consumer gable top and aseptic cartons into premium roof cover board and potentially other moisture-resistant, mold-resistant building materials. This closed-loop system uses no water, formaldehyde adhesives or hazardous chemicals. Instead, it relies on heat and pressure to produce resilient, high-performance boards that are more durable and sustainable than traditional gypsum products.
In partnership with the Carton Council, Elof Hansson and Upcycling Group, ReCB LLC is also building another production facility in Lodi, California, set to open later this year. Together, these facilities strengthen domestic carton recycling infrastructure and reinforce the critical link between recycling collection programs and viable end markets.
“Continued access to carton recycling is essential. We need people to keep recycling their food and beverage cartons so we can keep them out of landfills and reintegrate them into the market,” said Jordan Fengel, Executive Director of the Carton Council. “The facility reopening and its expansion underscores the growing momentum behind expanding domestic carton recycling infrastructure and our commitment to helping develop sustainable, scalable end markets.”
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About ReCB LLC
ReCB Iowa LLC is the owner and operator of the new circular manufacturing facility in Des Moines. The facility produces Everboard™ — a high-performance roof cover board made from post-consumer cartons. Everboard™ is designed to meet the demands of commercial roofing systems, offering strength, moisture resistance, and a lower-carbon alternative to traditional materials. The Des Moines facility is ReCB’s first operating site, followed by its second facility in Lodi, California.
About Elof Hansson USA Inc.
Elof Hansson USA Inc is a subsidiary of the Elof Hansson Group who conducts international trade in the forest industry across the world. Elof Hansson was established in 1897 and is represented in the Americas, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Scandinavia. As a business facilitator we provide our partners with a variety of quality options in pulp, paper, stocklots, machinery and building material, as well as logistics, risk management and financing services.
About the Upcycling Group
For over 15 years Upcycling Group designs, installs and operates green manufacturing facilities capable of converting diverse post-consumer materials into valuable products, primarily for the construction sector. The company has used its global experience and networks to develop the UPFACTORY® model – a standardized system for launching and operating local facilities that was licensed to ReCB Iowa LLC to convert beverage cartons and other packaging materials into construction materials. This operational framework supported by unified technical standards and centralized digital tools ensures consistent quality, performance and investor returns.
About the Carton Council
The Carton Council is a coalition of four leading food and beverage carton manufacturers—Elopak, Pactiv Evergreen, SIG, and Tetra Pak— united to deliver long-term solutions to expand the recycling of used food and beverage cartons in the U.S. and Canada. Cartons are commonly used to package products like milk, broth, soup, juice and other beverages. When recycled, they can be transformed into new paper products or premium building materials, contributing to a circular economy. The Carton Council is committed to working with all stakeholders in the value chain to increase collection, sorting and recycling of used cartons. For more information, visit RecycleCartons.com (U.S.) or RecycleCartons.ca (Canada).