[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]Rockwell Automation (NYSE: ROK) has won a $15 million engineering, procurement, construction and management contract from Vadxx Energy LLC for its first commercial-scale, plastic waste-to-synthetic crude energy facility in Akron, Ohio.

The new plant will transform end-of-life plastics into higher value energy products, recycling nearly 60 tons of waste daily, diverting it from landfill disposal. The solution includes the PlantPAx Process Automation System suite, utilizing Rockwell Automation’s multi-discipline control platform to deliver an integrated smart plant for Vadxx.

Liberation Capital, a global private equity firm, signed an agreement with Vadxx to fund the first unit and additional commercial units.

“Vadxx is focused on successfully establishing our first commercial unit as the important first step toward global expansion,” said Jim Garrett, Vadxx Energy CEO. “Liberation Capital, Rockwell Automation, feedstock suppliers, and other partners will play key roles in our growth and success.”

“Our technology represents a unique and profitable way to decrease the amount of end-of-life plastics that are disposed in landfills and covert them to synthetic oil and gas,” said Jeremy DeBenedictis, vice president operations, Vadxx Energy. “Rockwell Automation strengthens our technology by providing complete design, build and commissioning of our new plant. We'll have a process technology solution that will enable us to rapidly deploy our technology globally.”