Achim Grefenstein

Achim Grefenstein serves as the Scientific Director of Circular Economy and Professor for Plastics Compounding and Recycling at the Institut für Kunststoffverarbeitung (IKV) in Industrie und Handwerk an der RWTH Aachen, a position held since September 1998. Grefenstein also holds the role of Chairman of the Packaging Division at the European Plastics Converters (EuPC) since March 2020, and is a member of the Advisory Board and Technical Committee for Polyolefin Films at RecyClass since June 2019. Grefenstein has been Senior Vice President of Group R&D at Constantia Flexibles since July 2013, overseeing global R&D management and patent affairs. Additionally, Grefenstein served as Chairman of the Working Group Bioplastics at IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen e.V. from September 2016 to March 2020, and as Director of Corporate R&D at RKW SE from February 2004 to June 2013. Previous experience includes leadership roles at BASF SE and an academic position at IKV where Grefenstein contributed to the field of plastics since 1990. Grefenstein earned a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Plastics Technology from RWTH Aachen University between 1984 and 1989.