PETpla.net Insider 11 / 2010

NEWS 8 PET planet insider Vol. 11 No. 11/10 www.petpla.net Continued growth in plastic closures market report Market research organisation Ceresana’s recently-published plastic caps and closures report forecasts continued growth in the market and increase in sales revenue, to more than €2 bn a year by 2017. More than 200 bn plastic closures were sold throughout Europe in the past year, 60 bn more than at the start of the decade. Growth is expected to average 2.3% a year, with consequent increase in revenues. Downward pressure on prices of commodified products is expected to be offset by the continuing trend towards greater complexity. “More functionality, better technical characteristics, and con- venience are in demand, in addition to weight reduction, energy saving during production, and recycling,” said Oliver Kutsch, owner of Ceresana. Manufacturers, of both caps and closures and production machinery, are expected to profit primarily from an increased use of plastic packaging for foods and drinks, where PP and PE are increasing market share. Significant growth is forecast for beer, yoghurt, milk products, and sports drinks segments. Production and consumption of plastic caps and closures is growing most strongly in Russia, Poland, and Turkey, where manufacturers are currently investing in mass production of standardised products, such as screw-caps for PET bottles. Producers in Western Europe are focussing on complex closures systems, such as those with built-in seals and dosing devices for medications. The 1100-page study analyses production, consumption, imports, exports, and revenue in the plastic closure market in 31 European countries and presents information on the most important varieties of closure types: advantages, application possibilities, legal situations, disposal, and recycling. It also includes a producer directory with profiles of 379 closure manu- facturers. www.ceresana.com/en/market-studies/industry/plastic-caps Uhde Inventa-Fischer to build new MTR plant for Octal Octal Petrochemicals, headquartered in the Sultanate of Oman, recently signed a contract with Uhde Inventa- Fischer (Uhde) of Berlin, Germany, to build a 550,000 tpy plant for the production of PET resin. The contract for delivery of two lines unique to Octal will use Uhde’s pro- prietary MTR Melt-to-Resin technology. The plant will be built at Octal’s existing PET complex in Salalah, Oman, and will make the company the world’s largest single-site packaging-grade PET manufacturer. Its existing plant also uses MTR technology to produce APET sheet and bottle- grade chips. Uhde will provide technology, expertise, engi- neering, process equipment such as Espree and Discage reactors, auxiliary and utilities processes, site supervision and commissioning support for the PET polycondensation plant. Uhde says that its MTR technology offers advan- tages in quality, investment costs, raw material usage and utilities consumption, resulting in a significantly lower carbon footprint of the production, compared to other tech- nologies. In just a year since it ramped up production at the world’s first integrated PET resin and PET sheet plant, Octal has established itself as a leader and one of the most energy efficient PET manufacturers in the world. www.uhde-inventa-fisch er.com www.octal.com 175 years of Starlinger This year marks the 175 th anniversary of flexible woven plastic packaging and PET recycling technology specialist Starlinger & Co GesmbH. Starting life as a small mechanic’s workshop in 1835 under the name of Franz Laubek, the com- pany has evolved from a specialist in stationary steam engines and drive elements to a leading supplier to the textile industry. From the 1920s to the 1940s, it became known as supplier of winders and auxiliary equipment, such as lace and trim- ming machines, to the Austrian textile industry. The acquisition of Starliger by Erna and Franz Xaver Starlinger-Huemer, in 1959, can be regarded as the foundation for today’s com- pany. It began exporting with the introduction of circular looms for weaving fabric from plastic tapes and broke into the PET market in 2005, with the introduction of PET reprocessing lines. With offices in the USA, India, Russia, China and Brazil, the company is a globally-recognised supplier of flexible woven plastic packaging and a leader in PET recycling and refining. It has grown from within and by acquisition and now employs more than 920 people across the world. Despite the economic downturn, the company expects to achieve its high- est turnover ever during 2010. Its notable anniversary year has seen a series of significant upgrades and new product launches, which were on display at the K Show in Dusseldorf, October 27 - November 3, 2010. www.starlinger.com 2011 Packaging Conference, Las Vegas The 2011 Packaging Conference, organised by Plastic Technologies, Inc. (PTI) and SBA-CCI, Inc., will be held February 7-9, 2011 in Las Vegas at the ARIA Resort at CityCenter. Aimed at businesses in the supply chain, exhibitors and delegates are expected to range from retailers and brand owners to resin suppliers, technology providers, equipment manufacturers, and converters. It is also expected to include presentations on sustainability, market analysis, merger predictions, plastic resin supply/ demand and emerging technologies/ applications. Among the keynote speakers will be Dr. Anne Roulin, Nestlé’s global head of packaging and design, who will be giving a presentation on Opportunities and Challenges in Food and Beverage Packaging. The session will include a dis- cussion on emerging technologies and legislative trends projected to shape the face of packaging. Registration is $1,995; an early registration discount of $200 is available to those registering prior to January 14. Fees include two nights accommodation at the ARIA Resort at CityCenter, conference sessions and proceedings, breaks, lunch and a Monday evening reception and networking opportunity. www.thepackagingconference.com www.sba-cci.com www.plastictechnologies.com