PETpla.net Insider 06 / 2012

PET news 6 PET planet insider Vol. 13 No. 06/12 www.petpla.net ColorMatrix reduces carbon footprint, gains recognition for recycling Liquid colorant and additive technologies ColorMatrix, now part of PolyOne, presented the results of an independ- ent comparative study carried out by Sidel. It found that the company’s Joule RHB PET reheat additive, offers the largest carbon footprint reduction in PET preform processing com- pared with similar products, while maintaining performance and aesthetic qualities. The study compared resin containing 5ppm Joule RHB-2, an inert blue-shaded inorganic particu- late, with a typical 5ppm carbon black commercial reheat resin and a commercial non-reheat resin. The Joule RHB-2 outperformed the other materials in terms of NIR absorption, L* luminance, reheat efficiency and energy use. Sidel tested the three materials in the form of 18.8g, 500ml carbonated soft drink (CSD) bottles and compared various qualitative characteristics. Using data from the Sidel study, ColorMatrix has determined that JouleRHB facilitates an energy reduction of 38% made possible when blowing one metric ton of PET. Joule RHB has FDA and EU food contact approved for use in PET bottle resins. ColorMatrix also exhibited the announce- ment by APR (Association of Post Consumer Plastic Recy- clers) that its HyGuard oxygen scavenging system and Ulti- mate UV390 light-blocking technology achieve full recyclability under its Critical Guidance guidelines. www.colormatrix.com Stute commissions Krones PET recycling line Food company Stute Nahrungsmittelwerke, of Paderborn, is continuing its eco-friendly strategy with the commissioning of Germany’s first PET recycling line from Krones, which will commence operation a its beverage plant in August 2012. Stute already has three wind farms, a biogas system and several solar power installations that together provide more than 30% of its energy requirements and will soon be able to completely recycle PET material. The Krones PET recycling line, which features the company’s SuperClean-PET-flake process, is able to produce flakes that can be directly used for making new bottles. The recycling process washes and decontaminates the PET recyclate, guaranteeing its suit- ability for future food-grade applications. The recycling line is made up of a washing module, decontamination module, and peripherals. It is installed on two different levels: the wash- ing module and the decontamination module are spatially separated, with the latter located directly next to the exist- ing preform injection-moulding machines. Stute is shifting its container requirements progressively away from cardboard towards PET packaging and selected the Krones recycling solution because it is the only manufacturer currently able to offer a complete system, from container feed through to finished, decontaminated flakes. Using a high proportion of recycled PET enables the company to avoid the additional levy on non-returnable PET. www.krones.com Simei turns 50 in 2013 Simei, the International Exhibition of Machinery for Winemaking and Bottling, will celebrate its 50 th anniver- sary with the 25 th edition of the biennial show, which will run from November 12 - 16,2013 at Fiera Milano – Rho. The first Simei fair occupied 12,000m², hosted 170 exhibi- tors – 144 from Italy – and attracted 11,000 visitors; the 2013 show is confirmed for halls 9, 11, 13 and 15 at Fiera Milano. It will again feature the “technological innovation prize”, which began in 2011, which will be extended to the bottling and packaging of drinks in general. Other concur- rent events will be announced in due course. www.simei.it Pramia Plastic opens rPET plant in Finland Pramia Plastic, a newly acquired subsidiary of alcohol manufacturing company Pramia, has opened in Tohol- ampi, Finland, in an existing 7,000m2 manufacturing and processing facility that has now been reorganised. Pramia Plastic re-processes crushed recyclable bottles into renewed industrial raw material, such as rPET flakes, granulates and preforms. Starlinger equipment makes up the granulating line, and flake washing is undertaken by machinery from STF Maschinen und Anlagenbau GmbH. The company focuses on the production of 100% rPET with high IV. Output capacity for granulating and wash- ing is 10,000t/a, which is in excess of current demand for rPET preforms. Pramia says that production will expand as opportunities arise. The plant has been organised in line with the parent company’s strategy of eco-friendli- ness and sustainability, and is a zero-waste facility. The company has integrated an internal system to ensure that quality is maintained at FDA standards. The opening of the facility means that Finland once again has domestic bottle recycling capacity, which had been absent for over a year. www.pramia.fi KHS exits Chinese joint venture KHS GmbH is divesting its 70% holding in the Guang- dong Light Industry Machinery No. 2 Plant Co., Ltd (GLM2) joint venture. The shares, which were purchased in 2006, will be sold back to the minority shareholders. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Niemeyer, CEO of KHS, said that the joint venture had not achieved the company’s objec- tives in terms of profitability and sales growth. Spare parts and service for machines, lines and systems from the GLM2 joint venture will continue to be provided by GLM2. KHS intends to expand its activities in China and is to invest in sales activities. A production plant for line business is currently being commissioned for the Salzgit- ter Group in the Chinese city of Suzhou. It will build machines from the new EcoBloc range and will be ori- ented towards the requirements of the growing Asian PET market. The withdrawal from the joint venture is part of the company’s Fit4Future optimisation programme. www.khs.com