PETpla.net Insider 09 / 2021

PET news 6 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 09/21 www.petpla.net New CEO at Tomra Tove Andersen has joined global resources sustainability company Tomra as president and CEO effective August 16 th , 2021. She took over from Stefan Ranstrand, who held the position for the past 12 years.She became the first female president and CEO of the com- pany since it was founded in 1972. Tove Andersen comes to Tomra from the leading global fertiliser company Yara International, which is also headquartered in Norway, where she was Executive Vice President Europe. Commenting on starting her new role, Tove Andersen said: “With the increased focus worldwide on sustainability and, in particular, the circular economy, Tomra is more relevant than ever before and is perfectly placed to continue being a very successful company. “What especially excites me about Tomra is that it is a technology-based business which is purpose-led and delivering on a truly global scale. It is a business that is making a positive difference to the world we live in. www.tomra.com Spin-off of Netstal into an independent group KraussMaffei Group announced that its Swiss business unit KraussMaffei HighPerformance AG (formerly Netstal- Maschinen AG) and the associated Netstal brand will be expanded into an independent group under the name Net- stal. In addition to the headquarters in Näfels, Switzerland, sales and service subsidiary based in Stuttgart, Germany, as well as the two sales and service units in Barcelona, Spain and Singapore will be transferred to the new Netstal Group. Employees from the Netstal sales and service organisa- tion in existing KraussMaffei subsidiaries will also be trans- ferred to the new group and integrated into existing or newly founded subsidiaries. As part of this restructuring, around 500 employees will transfer from the KraussMaffei Group to the Netstal Group, which will in future be managed from Näfels. The restructuring is scheduled to be completed by October 1 st , 2021. The existing organisational units will be renamed to the familiar Netstal name at the earliest possible date. With the spin-off of Netstal into an independent group, the leading supplier of high-speed, high-performance injection moulding machines and systems is to be further developed and expanded. With the creation of an independent group, Netstal will gain promising strategic options for the further development of a growth-oriented Netstal Group, with its own sales and service companies in the most important markets. www.kraussmaffei.com Joint research project on returnable PET for sensitive beverages In the beverage packaging market, returnable PET containers currently play a rather small role. Unjustifiably so, say the results of a joint research project of Krones and Alpla. In the project’s first phase, the material and process para- meters underwent a comprehensive scientific evaluation. Based on these findings, Krones and Alpla developed a returnable PET container that provides an optimal environment for sensitive ESL (Extended Shelf Life) products such as juice and milk in the cold chain. Bottle samples and cleaning processes tested Krones and Alpla teamed up to make these benefits available for use for a wide range of beverages. “Until now, the main applications for returnable PET contain- ers have been carbonated soft drinks and water,” explains Jörg Schwärzler, returna- bles expert and project lead at Alpla. “But we were certain that, if we combined our expertise in materials science, preform design, container design, and systems engineering, we could find a solution for sensitive beverages like juices and dairy products. The option of using a 38mm bottle neck offers particular advantages for sensitive returnable applications.” The partners dedicated particular attention to the container cleaning process because “PET is less heat-resistant than glass,” explains developer Ines Bradshaw. “So we had to find a way to ensure both a high level of microbiological safety and a high number of use cycles while cleaning at lower temperatures.” To obtain an objective and meaning- ful base of data, Krones’ development plant for washing technology in Flens- burg, Germany, carried out an elaborate series of tests, analysing the interaction of different bottle designs and cleaning processes. “The tests provided us with a very clear picture of the respective thermal, chemical, and mechanical fac- tors,” says Bradshaw. “Among the find- ings: With the right combination of para- meters – especially lye concentration, temperature, additive, and mechanical impact – temperatures around 60 °C are sufficient to reliably remove even dried protein, fat, and starch contamination from the containers.” Direct comparison with returnable glass A direct comparison of returnable PET and returnable glass brought to light another interesting discovery: Over the course of several cleaning cycles, the alka- line cleaning medium visibly roughened the surface of the glass bottle, whereas nothing comparable could be observed with the PET containers. “For the filling of sensitive beverages in particular, consist- ent container quality can be an advantage that should not be underestimated,” notes Ines Bradshaw. Microbiological tests are currently being conducted to definitively establish whether the technology is safe. Initial results confirm the observations made thus far: “Microbiologically, PET bottles that had gone through 25 cycles could not be distinguished from new ones,” says Ines Bradshaw. With this proof of concept, the project has reached an impor- tant milestone and is now ready for the next major step: preparations are already well underway for the technical field test. www.krones.com www.alpla.com