About us
Smile Again
About Seneplast
Seneplast in Thiès, Senegal, operates on a 'cash for waste' model, empowering women with fair wages and favorable working conditions. Seneplast runs independently under the Senegalese CEO Marie-Louise, while Smile Again's supported with establishment, recycling expertise, and staff training, Smile Again continues to assist with technical support and the sale of recycled plastic in Europe.
Our Team
Smile Again's team, backed with decades of experience in the recycling sector, is committed to transform areas with abundant plastic waste into zones of sustainable growth. We believe in the power of knowledge and the impact of sharing it, and strive to equip West African communities with the skills for effective plastic waste management and recycling. Providing them with the tools and insights to manage and recycle plastic waste effectively. Additionally, we connect them to markets, fostering a thriving circular economy
From left to right:
Han Stiphout (CEO Smile Again), Marie-Louise Shédèye Djiddi (CEO Seneplast), Sjoerdje Meijers (Marketing & Sales)
Our principles
From Trash to Treasure - At Smile Again, we don't see waste; we see resources. With the right knowledge and techniques, we transform waste into high-quality recycled plastic for the circular economy.
From waste to wealth - By transforming waste into reusable plastic, we don't just recycle, we regenerate value. We demonstrate to West Africa that perceived 'waste problems' can be a goldmine of opportunity and empower communities.
Innovation for growth - Our mission is more than just establishing recycling plants like Seneplast. It's about diving deep to understand the true issues of waste, then crafting tailored solutions with experts from various fields.
Advisory Board
Recycling is a collaborative journey. That's why we've gathered some of the finest minds for our board of advisory. These professionals bring with them years of expertise, innovative thinking, and deep insights into the plastic and recycling industry.
Prof. Em. Dr. Piet J. Lemstra
Bert Hanssen
Willem van Rijn
Also know as Dr. Plem, or the Pope of the Polymers, is a distinguished alumnus of the State University Groningen, and has an illustrious career marked by significant contributions to polymer science. Having pioneered at the development of the super-strong fiber, Dyneema, during his tenure at DSM Research. Lateron, Lemstra became professor at Technische Universiteit Eindhoven.
Bert Hanssen graduated in plastic materials and production processes product design. Later he specialized in fiber-reinforced materials and later in plastic packaging. He invented the globally used KeyKeg, a breakthrough in beverage packaging, now produced in four factories and used world-wide. After Bert transformed KeyKeg into a circular model, and started focusing on recycling and renewable energies. Beyond plastics, he invented our parabolic mirror to turn non-recyclable plastic into bricks.
Willem is the CEO of "Het Goed" with over 25 years of experience in the fields of waste, recycling, and retail management. Under van Rijn's leadership, "Het Goed" became one of the largest social enterprises in the Netherlands and a market leader with 31 secondhand stores and 5 textile sorting centers. The company's mission is to 'Make work of reuse', and in doing so, it creates "social" employment opportunities for over 1,200 people.
