The new Reju site spans 18.9 acres and sits on the Eastman Business Park, with the firm explaining its selection will provide opportunities for diversifying and nearshoring manufacturing.
It will regenerate textiles that would otherwise end up as textile waste and will produce rBHET that will then be repolymerised into Reju PET.
The project is subject to a final investment decision by the board of Technip Energies, the parent company of Reju.
Reju CEO Patrik Frisk said: “As our first Regeneration hub in the United States, this site selection is a major leap forward in building a truly global circular system. We are proud to bring Reju’s sustainable manufacturing and jobs to the Rochester community.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul added: "New York State is committed to creating good paying jobs, and supporting innovative projects and companies that are working to keep materials out of landfills and protecting our planet.
"Reju’s ambitious project, that will create approximately 70 new jobs at Eastman Business Park, shows how smart investments can turn waste into opportunity, further supporting our state’s overall green economy efforts and creating a brighter future for everyone."
Frisk pointed out that the US Regeneration Hub further strengthens the company's US footprint.
He said: "Reju is investing in a future where post-consumer textile waste becomes a resource, not a liability.
"The US Regeneration Hub further strengthens Reju’s US footprint. It’s a signal to the market that circularity at scale is possible and now is the time to ensure the momentum continues to build."
The facility will complement Reju's demo plant, Regeneration Hub Zero, which is up and running in Frankfurt and the site selection of Regeneration Hub One at Chemelot Industrial Park in Sittard, Netherlands, which was announced earlier this year.
Reju explains that it uses proprietary recycling technology developed by Technip Energies and IBM Research to regenerate textile waste, starting with polyester, into high-quality Reju Polyester.
This regenerated material has a 50% lower carbon footprint than virgin polyester and is engineered to be recyclable multiple times, reducing the industry’s reliance on fossil-based inputs.
