PETpla.net Insider 04 / 2014

PET - THE NEXT GENERATION 24 PET planet insider Vol. 15 No. 04/14 www.petpla.net Ford and Coca-Cola collaborate in plastic recycling initiative Beyond the bottle Interior fabric made from the same Renewable material used to produce Coke’s PlantBottle packaging is fea- tured in this demo model of the Ford Fusion Energi The Ford Fusion Energi, Ford motor company’s plug- in hybrid-powered passen- ger car, has taken a further step down the ‘green’ road with a collaboration that will see Coca-Cola’s PlantBottle technology used in the fabric interior of the seats, head restraints, and various liners and fittings. A demonstration model was showcased at the Los Angeles Auto Show, November 22 – December 1, 2013. Amid the high-profile unveilings of exotic supercars and eyecatching but barely-practical ‘concept cars’, Ford and Coca-Cola were showing a concept that is realistic, already features in a model available for sale, and extends ideas of sustainable manufacturing and plastics recycling into new areas. Recycled materi- als derived from PET bottles are already used in auto fittings but they are mostly tucked away out of sight, being deployed in such applications as noise and heat insulation. Plant- Bottle packaging is different: its visual appearance is perfectly acceptable, as are its comfort and wear perfor- mance levels. Scott Vitters, General Manager of the PlantBottle packaging platform at Coca-Cola, said the collaboration shows that the technology can be applied anywhere PET plastic is tradi- tionally used, but with a lighter carbon footprint. The company’s first-gener- ation PlantBottle packaging, used in fully-recyclable PET bottles, is made of two components: 30% plant-based MEG, and 70% PTA. In 2012 it signed an agreement with Avantium, of the Netherlands, to develop PEF, a 100% plant-based plastic. “We hope to drive awareness that PlantBottle Technol- ogy can be used across the entire polyester universe – in everything from the inside of a car, to carpet, to clothing,” said Vitters. R&D teams from Coke and Ford came together to discuss sustain- able innovation during the course of 2011. Both companies use PET but in different applications. For Coke, it is (unsurprisingly) about bottles. Ford looks more to fabrics, including carpets and readily concedes that the discussions with Coca-Cola helped them to appreciate the opportunities of working together to develop a wider range of applications that would use sustainable, recyclable and recycled materials. While Ford maintains that it was already using environmentally- friendly fabrics in its vehicles, it saw the technology as a further step along the road. Durable automotive-grade PET fabric Scientists and engineers at the two companies co-developed a fibre using PlantBottle material that could be woven into durable, automotive- grade PET fabric. Ford is evaluat- ing the potential of using the mate- rial in other applications. The Fusion Energi was the obvious choice for a test vehicle, given its ‘eco-friendly’ presentation and image. Other renew- able materials found in the car include carpet liner made from sound-absorb- ing denim and seat-cushion foam made from soybeans. www.coca-colacompany.com www.ford.com Ford and Coca-Cola showcased a demo ver- sion of the Ford plug-in hybrid Energi at the LA Auto Show– outfitted with the first-ever fabric covering for seat cush- ions, head restraints and more made with Coke’s PlantBottle Technology (photos: Coca-Cola/Ford)