More Value from Recycled Materials – HAMK’s Research Supports Circular Economy Development
Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK) has launched the PLUTO project, which focuses on enhancing the business of circular economy SMEs by increasing the refinement level of recycled materials and providing tools for data-based service development.
The project addresses the growing need to move beyond traditional recycling toward regenerative operating models, where the refinement of recycled materials is improved while also creating environmentally restorative solutions. Circular economy companies can boost their efficiency and profitability by developing new upcycling products or processes. At the same time, digital services and customer data open new business opportunities, enabling circular economy companies to provide reporting and monitoring services related to material flows.
The project’s goal is to collaborate with SMEs in the waste management and material circulation sectors in the Kanta-Häme region to explore ways to increase the value of side streams through new products or business models and to identify opportunities for integrating data-driven services into companies’ offerings. The project involves company-specific case analyses, collaborative workshops, and pilot implementations, leading to documented development plans and new service concepts. All pilots and concepts are tailored based on the needs of participating companies.
We invite circular economy companies and other industry stakeholders to join us in developing material flow management and data-based services. PLUTO is part of a broader transition toward a circular economy, where material efficiency and reuse are at the core. The project aims to build a more sustainable and responsible future in collaboration with companies and other key stakeholders.
Development of Data-Based Services and Regenerative Operating Models in Circular Economy SMEs – PLUTO is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the Sustainable Growth and Skills in Finland 2021–2027 program.
PLUTO – Development of Data-Based Services and Regenerative Operating Models in Circular Economy SMEs
The PLUTO project supports circular economy SMEs in developing their business in two key ways: by increasing the value of recycled materials through new products and operating models and by utilizing customer data to create new services. The goal is to develop profitable and environmentally beneficial solutions in collaboration with companies.
For more information:
Anne-Mari Järvenpää
Principal Research Scientist, tenure track