The facility processes approximately 45,000 tonnes of packaging waste annually, operating at a throughput of 15 t/h and relying on the advanced technologies of French intelligent sorting specialist Pellenc ST, a trusted partner since 2002.
“At Firminy, we have been working with Pellenc ST since 2002,” notes Yves Defour, Director of the sorting centre. It was therefore a natural choice for the newly modernised 2023 facility, representing a €33 million investment by the local authorities, to once again be equipped by Pellenc ST.
An Innovative Process
The new site is designed to recover 13 material fractions, including five fibrous materials, four plastic categories (clear PET, PE-PP, flexible plastics, and rigid French Development Stream), food cartons, aluminium, small aluminium, and steel. Operating across two shifts, the facility is equipped with 13 Mistral+ CONNECT™ units.
The process also incorporates two fully automated grapple cranes in the reception hall, delivering space savings, improved fuel efficiency, and reduced accident risks. These are followed by conventional mechanical sorting stages that prepare the hollow-body and flat-body streams for further separation.
At the heart of the six machines dedicated to 3D sorting is Firminy’s key innovation: the CNS BRAIN™ artificial intelligence module. Developed by Pellenc ST’s R&D teams, this deep learning neural network has been trained on millions of images to identify unique object characteristics, including shape, size, and subtle visual differences. Combined with NIR/VIS sensors, it is capable of handling highly complex sorting operations. According to the manufacturer, the system can deliver up to a 2% improvement in the purity of sorted materials.
CNS BRAIN™: A High-ROI Performance Driver
The three Mistral+ CONNECT™ units assigned to clear PET recovery are equipped with the CNS BRAIN™ PET module, while the two units dedicated to the PE-PP mix are fitted with a specialised CNS BRAIN™ module.
“The CNS BRAIN™ PET optimises the capture of clear PET bottles,” confirms Yves Defour.
“We trained the AI on thousands of bottle images, including dirty bottles or those with labels that obstruct material identification, ensuring they can still be accurately recognised,” adds Romain Galia, Pellenc ST After-Sales Technician.
The same principle applies to PE-PP recovery, where the neural network enhances the separation of rigid and flexible products, delivering significant gains in output purity.
“Without the need for additional cameras, this option can be implemented simply through software updates, with no extra installation work or production line stoppages. Energy-efficient and straightforward to deploy across an existing machine fleet, these lightweight upgrades require no specialised maintenance,” explains Romain Galia.
CNS BRAIN™ supports a broad range of use cases, including PE purification, fibrous material sorting, wood grading, and PE/PP differentiation. “By improving capture rates and output stream purity, we can deliver ROI to operators within three to six months.”
A Story of Trust
Seven Mistral+ CONNECT™ units on the 2D sorting line are equipped with TURBOSORTER™, which stabilises lightweight objects on the conveyor. Three of these also feature the TOP SPEED™ option, improving sorting performance at 4.5 m/sec compared with the standard 3 m/sec.
“The combination of all these technologies improves yield, performance, and purity across every category of recoverable material,” highlights Yves Defour. This includes grade 2.05/2.06 white paper varieties, which are sorted separately at the request of local authorities.
Building on more than two decades of collaboration, Suez and Pellenc ST continue to identify new optimisation opportunities. By leveraging data from the Mistral+ CONNECT™ units, analysed through the SMART&SHARE™ SaaS application, both companies are sustaining a shared commitment to innovation, efficiency, and the advancement of the circular economy.
