PETpla.net Insider 12 / 2020

BOTTLE MAKING 25 PETplanet Insider Vol. 21 No. 12/20 www.petpla.net BOTTLE MAKING 25 The standard small bottles have a capacity of 30, 50, 100, 120, 150, 250, 350, 500 and 700 ml, with 30 ml bottles with the “dropper” cap by far the most popular. These bottles end up in the hands of foundation, serum, essence and hair care brand owners. 30, 50 and 80 ml jars are also available, with 50 ml being a best seller. Of the 80% PET content mentioned earlier, 70% is in small bottles and 30% in jars. The remain- ing 20% are, for example, PMMA and ABS. “70% of our products can be found in the skin care sector, 23% in cosmetics and 7% in phar- maceutical products”. “For PET processing, we use one Nissei ASB-12M, one 12N/10 and one CMS two-stage blow moulding machine supplied by the Taiwanese machinery builder. Another 12M is to be added shortly. For caps, we use six injection moulding machines from Nissei and OMC”, explains Mr Lai as he takes us around his factory where 2.4 million thick-walled bottles, 6.6 million standard-walled bottles and 2.2 million jars, together with 20 million caps, roll off the production line via this system. “On the CMS model, we only make preforms with 24/410 threads, How- ever, I have to admit that the potential for design and productivity is not as good compared to ASB for example which is why we have scaled back developments with two-stage blow- moulding. We are outsourcing other neck finishes anyway”. Moulds made by the company are used exclusively for processing in their own machines. As well as the local market, which accounts for 40% of sales, Limner sells 40% to the USA and 20% to Japan. “Of course, we want to con- tinue to grow and expand our client base, particularly in the USA and Europe, and are currently looking for local distributors who could help with this. We are also planning to open a sales and mar- keting office in California in 2022. Here in Taiwan, we want to put our new ISBM line into production next year. We have no real competition at local level since our products, like those of other converters, are unique”, said Mr Lai. Entering the company’s premises “On the other hand, we believe that those in our industry com- plement one another rather than inevitably excluding parts of the sector. We have also been explor- ing the potential for using alternative material such as rPET or PCR PET but have yet to be fully convinced. We have been carrying out some research and development in this area for nine months now given the ever-increasing demand from customers for recycled material to be used in packaging. However, our initial successful field trials showed that our products looked less attrac- tive with added recycled material than they do with brand-new PET. So, it is hard to say at this stage if customers from the premium end of the market will really approve of this and therefore whether any further work in this area is worth the effort”, said Mr Lai. www.limner.com.tw Closure manufacturing area PETcast In our new Road Show podcast, PETplanet meets industry experts from Down Under to Japan and talks with them about their successes, decisions and current developments. Listen to the full conversation at www.bit.ly/2HVwbAd BERICAP Tethered Cap Solutions • Easy& intuitive handling • 180° opening • No change to - Neck finish - Capper - Filling line Approved and ready for line trials now!