PETpla.net Insider 06 / 2020

7 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 21 No. 06/20 www.petpla.net In the current situation of social, health and economic challenges, the PET indus- try shows its innovative side. We receive a lot of news about short-term adjustments that ensure the continuity of production under increased hygienic standards. And there are also many projects that were realised with a lot of heart and soul in a very short time in order to provide sup- port to the healthcare sector. PETplanet collects official statements from custom- ers & companies in the PET value chain on how they cope with the situation on www.petpla.net (re gular updates). Thyssenkrupp to build second polymer plant for Köksan in Turkey Thyssenkrupp’s plant engineering busi- ness has won a second order from the Turkish packaging producer Köksan for a new PET production plant. The plant will be built in Gaziantep, Turkey, next to an existing pro- duction line erected by thyssenkrupp in 2013. Its construction will double the site’s production capacity to 432,000t of PET resin per year. Completion and commissioning are planned for 2022. The plant will use the Melt-To- Resin (MTR) process patented by thyssenkrupp’s subsidiary Uhde Inventa Fischer to produce various grades of resin. With this investment, Köksan intends to strengthen its market position both nationally and in the region. The PET will be sup- plied to the local market as well as to countries of the Middle East, CIS, America, Europe, andAfrica regions. According to Werner Steinauer, CEO of Uhde Inventa-Fischer, the plant can also be fed with a certain amount of recycled PET to meet the changing needs of customers and local authorities. The MTR process developed by thyssenkrupp is a continuous poly- condensation process that obviates the need for the solid-state-post- condensation process steps in the production of PET resin. This leads to energy savings, reduced invest- ment, operating and maintenance costs and a higher raw material yield compared to conventional technolo- gies. The technology is claimed to meet today’s demand for sustainabil- ity by reducing the carbon footprint in terms of fuel and electrical energy by up to 30 per cent. A retrofitting of the plants with Thyssen-krupp’s FTR (Flakes-To- Resin) recycling technology is also possible. www.thyssenkrupp-ind ustrial- solutions.com