PETpla.net Insider 10 / 2013

NEWS 10 PET planet insider Vol. 14 No. 10/13 www.petpla.net petengineering.com info@petengineering.com P.E.T. Engineering: the one-stop shop for beverage packaging. Technology excellence, captivating design, ergonomic shapes: a product developed by P.E.T. Engineering is easily recognizable. Its technical know-how and experience have made of it a leader brand in the sector of PET containers. Design, prototyping, laboratory tests and the production of blow moulds: P.E.T. Engineering is the perfect partner, holding itself all the possible solutions. PACKAGING. EVERYTHING YOU NEED DESIGN The perfect shape for an easy handling. PROTOTYPING Bottles available just a few hours DIWHU WKH ȴQDO GHVLJQ RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT New materials, innovative solutions and cutting edge technologies. PRODUCTION AND CUSTOMISING OF THE MOULDS High quality blow moulds for every kind of container and any type of blowing machine. STARTUPASSISTANCE AND TRAINING Supporting the client during the whole project. Gevo opens Texan paraxylene plant Gevo, Inc., currently the world’s only commercial pro- ducer of bio-isobutanol, has formally opened its demon- stration-scale paraxylene plant in Silsbee, Texas, USA, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The facility is located adjacent to its existing jet fuel plant in the town. Gevo is working with The Coca-Cola Company to deliver a new production technology for renewable paraxylene, a key building block for producing fully renewable PET for bev- erage bottles, and with Toray Industries, Inc., to develop it as a building block for fully renewable polyester for packaging films and fibres used in textiles, clothing and other applications. R&D support for the plant was pro- vided by the Coca-Cola company under a Joint Develop- ment Agreement; Toray provided funding assistance for its construction. Gevo and Toray have successfully produced fully renewable and recyclable PET fibres and films from isobutanol at laboratory scale in 2011. Toray is expanding its biomass-derived materials business and has signed an offtake agreement for paraxylene produced at the Silsbee facility. www.gevo.com Croda buys in China Croda International Plc has received Chinese regula- tory approval to acquire a 65% equity interest in Sichuan Sipo Chemical Co. Ltd, a non-listed speciality chemicals manufacturer based in Mianyang City, Sichuan Prov- ince, China. The purchase consideration is RMB361.6m (£38.26m at an estimated exchange rate of RMB9.45/£). Completion of the transaction is subject to customary clos- ing conditions, which are expected to be fulfilled within the next few weeks. Sipo, which was established in 1993, has approximately 300 employees and makes speciality derivatives from natural raw materials. Its products include primary amides, novel fatty acids and speciality esters. A custom-built production facility, opened in 2011, will pro- vide Croda with additional capacity and increase improve proximity to customers in the region, helping to strengthen its existing operations across China as well as the Group’s overall position in Asia, the company says. Sipo will also consolidate Croda’s position in fatty acid amides (currently sold under the Crodamide brand) and add new technology that will enable the Group to expand its portfolio across a number of its core markets. Its intention is to grow sales into the polymer additives and lubricants sectors, with further opportunities in new markets expected to follow in due course. www.croda.com