How process efficiency supports the production of sustainable PET packaging
Across the PET packaging industry, companies are increasingly looking to improve production efficiency as a way to reduce environmental impact and support more sustainable operations. At RETAL, production systems are designed to balance output, precision, and resource management, with the aim of reducing waste, optimising energy use, and maintaining consistent product quality.
RETAL’s Production Director Dainius Staniulis leads the coordination of production processes across its ten plants in Europe and the US. His role involves coordinating operational standards while allowing for local adaptations. He explains: “My background in computer engineering and PET production process helps me understand equipment working algorithms, different sites’ operational structures, and how to extract the best bits to make RETAL production standards. By setting shared efficiency indicators across our factories, we can identify patterns, compare performance, and apply best practices while respecting each site’s specific processes and equipment. Openness and clear communication are essential as they allow teams to learn from each other and continuously improve within GMP [Good Manufacturing Practice] standards.”
This approach aims to ensure that efficiency measures are grounded in actual production contexts. Areas of focus include energy management, equipment utilisation, and material recovery, with the goal of supporting more sustainable PET packaging through process improvements.
Selecting the right production equipment is a crucial factor in both process and environmental performance. RETAL’s investment decisions consider lifecycle efficiency, including energy use, scrap rates, and output consistency. Recent installations include next-generation injection moulding machines equipped with advanced vacuum dryer technology at RETAL Lithuania and RETAL Italy. These systems are claimed to bring benzene levels in the drying process down to zero and deliver more stable material quality for high-rPET content preforms. In parallel, a new CMM machine (a Strato Apex 7106 from Mitutoyo) has been introduced at RETAL’s Research Centre in Lithuania to strengthen quality assurance. The equipment’s precision supports efficient product development, reducing iteration time and waste during prototyping and mould testing.
Staniulis adds, “The new generation of injection moulding machines and vacuum dryer systems allow us to use energy more efficiently and maintain consistent material quality, which is essential when producing high-rPET content packaging. Improved control means fewer adjustments during production, less scrap and more stable output, all of which contribute directly to making PET packaging more sustainable.”
RETAL France is the latest facility to introduce a comprehensive energy management system, integrating real-time monitoring with compressed air optimisation.
Sustainability through smart production
RETAL’s long-term strategy includes continuous reduction of scrap levels, expansion of renewable energy sourcing, and increasing the share of rPET in its preforms. Process efficiency directly supports the aims of less waste and energy per tonne of PET produced, meaning a smaller carbon footprint for every packaging component manufactured. By combining technical precision with energy monitoring and employee training, RETAL aims to align operational improvements with sustainability objectives.