RAFF Plastics and Toyota drive circularity forward with electric forklifts
RAFF Plastics gives plastic waste a second life. When your core business is built on recycling, sustainability is embedded in your DNA. Although their recycling activities already create a positive environmental impact, RAFF Plastics wanted to push its sustainability ambitions further, reducing emissions, improving energy efficiency and strengthening their circular philosophy across all operations. That ambition led them to Toyota Material Handling and into a transformative shift: replacing their diesel forklifts with a fully electric fleet. What followed is a story of partnership and innovation.
About RAFF Plastics
RAFF Plastics, a Belgian family business based in Houthulst, specialises in the recycling of plastic waste. Every piece of plastic that enters the facility is ground, washed, melted, cleaned and transformed into high quality pellets, ready to be used as raw material for new products.
Facts and figures
- Company: RAFF Plastics
- Location: Houthulst, Belgium
- Industry: waste recycling
- Solutions: 8 Toyota Traigo electric trucks, 23 Toyota Tonero diesel trucks
A company driven by purpose
Caroline van der Perre, Managing Director at RAFF Plastics, representing the second generation in the family business, explains that sustainability has always been part of the company’s DNA. Their recycling activities already create a positive impact, but customers increasingly challenge them to monitor and reduce emissions across the entire value chain. That external push, combined with their own internal drive, inspired the company to look beyond their core processes.
Solar panels and electric company cars were early steps. But when RAFF Plastics achieved a Gold medal from EcoVadis, a global leader in sustainability ratings, it sparked a broader transformation. The company began scrutinising every aspect of its operations, including the forklifts that keep production moving.
A turning point: from diesel to electric
RAFF Plastics had a long-lasting partnership with Toyota Material Handling, which started with the deployment of diesel forklifts. Their operations are intensive, with trucks running across multiple shifts in demanding environments. When the company began exploring electrification, Toyota was a natural partner.
“Our team,” explains Chris Bonny, Sales Manager at Toyota Material Handling Belgium, “approached the project with their characteristic Kaizen mindset: small, thoughtful steps, taken together with the customer. They applied the Genchi Genbutsu principle: going to the source, to understand RAFF Plastics’ processes, challenges and ambitions firsthand. Only then did they begin shaping a roadmap toward a fully electric fleet.”
The shift brought immediate benefits. But the impact went far beyond efficiency. Electric forklifts consume significantly less energy and require less maintenance thanks to fewer moving and wear-sensitive parts. RAFF Plastics can also charge them using their own solar power, reinforcing the company’s circular philosophy. Even the batteries fit the story: they are 98% recyclable.
A better working environment
In addition to cost savings and lower environmental impact, there are other benefits. Inside the factory, the difference was felt instantly. The electric forklifts reduce noise pollution and odour nuisance in the production environment, which improves working conditions for employees. "Our factory hall has become a lot more pleasant. The constant hum of diesel engines disappeared as did the exhaust fumes," says Caroline, “The improvement in working conditions is remarkable.”
“Because the forklifts operate across multiple shifts, we recommended a classic leadacid battery exchange system,” explains Dominique Van Mol, Regional Key Account Manager at Toyota Material Handling Belgium, “As intermediate charging was not always possible, this proved to be the most reliable solution for continuous use. It ensures that production can run uninterrupted.”
Electrification across the entire site
The transition began in the warehouse, where the switch to electric forklifts was the most straightforward. Encouraged by the results, RAFF Plastics moved on to the grinding department, which is now fully electric as well. The extrusion department is next, a more complex challenge, but one Toyota is already helping them navigate.
“That’s exactly where Toyota’s expertise comes in,” Caroline explains, “They guide us in choosing the right trucks for each part of our operations. It’s a sustainable collaboration in every sense.”
A partnership built on shared values
The partnership between RAFF Plastics and Toyota is about more than just supplying forklifts. It is a partnership based on shared values and a shared vision of sustainability. The collaboration is a perfect example of how sustainability and operational excellence can go hand in hand.
Today, RAFF Plastics enjoys lower operating costs, reduced maintenance, and a more pleasant production environment with better working conditions. The company has strengthened its circular philosophy and taken concrete steps toward a more sustainable future.
Caroline sums it up nicely: “Economy and ecology are not opposites, they reinforce each other. There’s no turning back for us. We will continue to focus on electrification and make our processes more sustainable.” We can only echo that message.