PETpla.net Insider 09 / 2010

NEWS 7 PET planet insider Vol. 11 No. 09/10 www.petpla.net Financial restructuring of La Seda de Barcelona group Following the conclusion of the financial restructuring of La Seda de Barcelona Group (LSB), its packaging division Artenius PET Packaging Europe (APPE) says it is on course to fulfil its strategic aim of becoming the premier plastic packaging com- pany in Europe. New investors have now injected €300 million of capital into LSB, heralding a much needed return to financial stability. In addition to restructuring the Group’s debt, the new capital will provide significant investment to help develop the APPE business, now under the lead of Martin Hargreaves, recently appointed general manager of APPE Europe. In particular the Group will now be based on a new model, moving away from the previous strategy of vertically integrated resin and PET product businesses. Instead, focus will be placed on developing the plastic packaging product range, supported by material development with specialist resins and recycled PET and on developing new customers in new sectors of the packaging market www.laseda.es Mold-Masters opens new office in Mexico Global hot runner manufacturer Mold- Masters has officially opened its first direct Mexican sales and service centre in Toluca, Mexico. The new location is intended to enhance the company’s support for its hot runner, temperature controller and iPET clients in the region and help its ongoing expansion. The sales and service centre is designed to facilitate local service, repair and support needs. It will encompass hot runner mainte- nance and repairs, as well as full support for Mold-Masters’ PET business, including main- tenance and refurbishments. It will also provide local spare parts inventory for all Mold-Mas- ters products in the largest PET market in Latin America. www.moldmasters.com New facility, more capabilities Preform Technologies, LLC is moving to a newly-built 40,000 sq. ft. facility at 11362 S. Airfield Road, Swanton, OH 43558, where it will add extrusion blow moulding capability and accom- modate an increased demand for preforms. Part of Plastic Technologies, Inc., Preform Technologies is a niche manufacturing opera- tion, providing injection, reheat stretch blow and extrusion blow moulding for challenging plastic container applications. It special- ises in technically challenging, smaller volume polyethylene terephthalate (PET) preforms for food and personal care applica- tions. The company presents itself as a development partner for innovative PET bottle devel- opments, including demand- ing colours and shapes. It also has expertise in quick mould changes, custom resin blends and preform library. The new place is within seven miles of its former address. Expansion to more than five times the former size will enable production and ware- housing to be housed under one roof. The facility is expected to be fully operational by August 31, 2010. www.plastictechnologies.com.