PETpla.net Insider 05 / 2019

MATERIALS / RECYCLING PET planet Insider Vol. 20 No. 05/19 www.petpla.net 10 Novel mobility aid masterbatch improves PET bottle production efficiency More clarity, fewer blockages Sukano launches a novel masterbatch that allows bottle makers and brand owners to run conveyor belts and robots at maximised speed, increasing productivity and yields. Using this mobility aid additive masterbatch, problems like release, scuffing, and sticking will be a thing of the past. Sukano, a global leader in the development and production of addi- tive and colour masterbatches and compounds for polyester and special- ity resins, announced the launch of a new mobility aid additive masterbatch for injection stretch blow moulded (ISBM) PET bottles. This new additive masterbatch allows bottle makers and brand owners to run their conveyor- belt systems and production robots without the need for a spray coating. Bottles must rotate freely as they pass through the production con- veyor, as forced rotation caused by friction can lead to a blockage on the line. The new Mobility Aid solution, believed to be the first commercially available for this application, is pro- vided as a solid PET masterbatch that is blended with virgin PET or rPET material during moulding or process- ing. Even at low concentrations, the masterbatch disperses consistently through the PET material, reducing its coefficient of friction (COF), and modifying the surface texture with a microstructure. This new masterbatch produces a silicone-like mobility aid effect in PET material, yet has been engineered to preserve material clarity with mini- mal impact on haze. It is well suited to clear, translucent, and coloured bottles produced for personal care, household and cleaning, cosmetics, as well as food and beverage applica- tions. It is also widely applicable, as PET material containing the new mas- terbatch can be run on existing ISBM bottle production equipment without modification. Sukano is currently assisting a customer in the U.S. optimise its production process. “Our customer, a key and leading global player in the consumer goods industry, reported that PET bottle mispicks by their pro- duction robot decreased sixfold when using our Sukano Mobility Aid master- batch,” stated John Price, director of technology and operations in the U.S. The consistency and even dis- tribution of the masterbatch lead to improved performance. The additive masterbatch preserves secondary processing steps that require adhe- sion, like labelling and printing. It also helps eliminate the cost and cleaning requirements associated with spray coatings, which leave a waxy residue on bottles and packaging equipment that must be removed through regular cleaning. Additionally, the masterbatch is claimed to avoid the potential risk of microbiological contaminations of bottle surfaces by aqueous-based coatings, which may require additional additives or application in a clean- room environment. Formulated according to EPBP guidelines Circularity as a decisive design criterion to Sukano’s products placed in the market; PET recyclability is essential in an increasingly envi- ronmentally conscious world — and Sukano’s mobility aid is claimed to make no compromises in this area, as it is formulated according to the European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP) guidelines. These enable the industry to innovate and bring new PET bottle packaging solutions to the market without disrupting the existing clear PET recycling value chain, with spe- cial focus on bottle-to-bottle recycling. The company’s vision is that the new mobility aid supports the PET value chain to keep and further enhance its circularity goals to meet the voluntary pledge of exceeding the Plastics Strategy targets for recycled PET rates by 2025. www.sukano.com