No.11 2021 www.petpla.net D 51178; ISSN: 1438-9452 22 . 11 . 21 PETplanet is read in more than 140 countries MAGAZ I NE FOR BOT T L E R S AND BOT T L E - MAK E R S IN THE AMER ICAS, AS IA, EUROPE AND AL L AROUND THE PLANET MARKETsurvey Suppliers of recycling machinery and washing units Page 27 Page 11 Page 14 PREFORMS
No.11 2021 www.petpla.net D 51178; ISSN: 1438-9452 22 . 11 . 21 PETplanet is read in more than 140 countries MAGAZ I NE FOR BOT T L E R S AND BOT T L E - MAK E R S IN THE AMER ICAS, AS IA, EUROPE AND AL L AROUND THE PLANET MARKETsurvey Suppliers of recycling machinery and washing units Page 27 Page 11 Page 14 PREFORMS
Europe +44 (0)1623 556 287 USA +1 816 525 0353 World Leading Suppliers in Single-Stage ISBM tooling • Proven methods of working with sustainable material • Worldwide sales coverage • Product evaluation • Pilot and production tooling testing • Technical service assistance For more information visit www.rdleverage.com IN THIS CHANGING WORLD OF PLASTICS Moulds Matter
imprint EDITORIAL PUBLISHER Alexander Büchler, Managing Director HEAD OFFICE heidelberg business media GmbH Vangerowstraße 33 69115 Heidelberg, Germany phone: +49 6221-65108-0 fax: +49 6221-65108-28 info@hbmedia.net EDITORIAL Kay Barton Heike Fischer Gabriele Kosmehl Michael Maruschke Ruari McCallion Anthony Withers WikiPETia. info petplanet@hbmedia.net MEDIA CONSULTANTS Martina Hirschmann hirschmann@hbmedia.net Johann Lange-Brock lange-brock@hbmedia.net phone: +49 6221-65108-0 fax: +49 6221-65108-28 LAYOUT AND PREPRESS EXPRIM Werbeagentur | exprim.de Matthias Gaumann READER SERVICES Till Kretner reader@hbmedia.net PRINT Chroma Druck Eine Unternehmung der Limberg-Druck GmbH Danziger Platz 6 67059 Ludwigshafen, Germany WWW www.hbmedia.net | www.petpla.net PETplanet Insider ISSN 1438-9459 is published 10 times a year. This publication is sent to qualified subscribers (1-year subscription 149 EUR, 2-year subscription 289 EUR, Young professionals’ subscription 99 EUR. Magazines will be dispatched to you by airmail). Not to be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher. Note: The fact that product names may not be identified as trademarks is not an indication that such names are not registered trademarks. 3 PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net Dear readers, The most important news for our industry in the last few weeks has nothing to do with recycling, not even directly with CO2 savings, nor even with delivery bottlenecks. It is the message that the first production line in Europe has switched to tethered caps. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) officially announced that in their first plant, small one-way containers of CSD products will be screwed on with tethered caps, which will be mandatory by 2024. CCEP has chosen a closure that can be opened up to 160 degrees (please see also page 8). Steffen Türk, Director Public Affairs & Communication GER of CCEP reported to PETplanet Insider that every plant will be converted by 2024. To ensure business runs as smoothly as possible, the work will be undertaken gradually during the non-peak months. The process will begin with production in Dorsten, Germany. The changeover to the new closure – Türk went on – provided CCEP with the opportunity to optimise the weight of the neck area. A narrower neck saves about 1.02 g of PET and, depending on the closure, between 0.15 and 0.35 g of material on the cap. All that remains to be said is that our Editourmobil has been on the road for the past month and will certainly be on a supermarket parking lot in Dorsten for the next few days. Yours sincerely, Alexander Büchler
PETcontents 4 PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net 11/2021 Page 31 EDITOUR 11 The European Road Show to Drinktec 2022 13 Kick-off European Road Show PREFORM PRODUCTION 14 Same floor space, more output - Sipa debuts preform mould with 200 cavities 15 Flow+, a new hot runner system for preform moulds 16 Preforms for all purposes 18 Manufacturing monitoring systems 19 Lightweighted preforms made of PCR PET material - A two-step injection process BOTTLE MAKING 21 Sustainable bottle with plantable label 22 Keeping the AA level low BOTTLING / FILLING 25 Nature in a bottle - Holderhof Produkte installs aseptic PET line for its organic fruit drinks 30 Scrutinising every step - Carbon-neutral juice production plant for Innocent MARKET SURVEY 27 Suppliers of recycling machinery and washing units LABELLING 31 How the label becomes more sustainable and flexible - Interview with Artem Krukov, Labelling Business Development Director at Sidel MATERIALS / RECYCLING 34 Efficient sorting for various applications - High-quality PET recyclate for the plastics processing industry EVENT REVIEW 35 PRS Europe 2021 - Safety and circular economy can go hand in hand, part 1 36 Fakuma 2021 review, part 1 38 Flexible dry ice cleaning with selective particle size 39 Compact FT-IR spectrometers in recycling 40 Run, drink, recycle - The PET recycle initiative 41 2021 PET Chemical Recycling: Depolymerization Forum 42 Icis PET Value Chain Virtual Conference BUYER’S GUIDE 48 Get listed! INSIDE TRACK 3 Editorial 4 Contents 6 News 54 Products 47 Patents 54 Outer Planet PREFORMS Page 25 Page 21
yellow.agency T OTA LLY SW I S S. A FAMILY OWNED SWISS COMPANY. OUR INJEC T ION MOULDS FOR PE T AND PAC FE ATURE CRAF TSMANSHIP THAT I S UNIQUELY SWI SS . OT TO-HOFS TE T TER . SWI SS
PETnews 6 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net Carbios’ Board of Directors nominates a new Chief Executive Officer Carbios, developer of enzymatic solutions dedicated to the end-of-life of plastic and textile polymers, announced the nomination of Emmanuel Ladent as Chief Executive Officer of the company. He will also be Chairman of Carbios’ subsidiary, Carbiolice. His role will take effect on December 1, 2021. At the same time, the Board of Directors acknowledged the resignation of JeanClaude Lumaret on November 5, 2021 from his position as Chief Executive Officer. In order to ensure the transition with Emmanuel Ladent, Jean-Claude Lumaret will remain an employee of the Company until his retirement on March 31, 2022. He will also continue to serve as a Board member of the company until the end of the general meeting, which will be held in 2025 to approve the financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2024. Emmanuel Ladent, 52, a graduate of the Neoma Business School, has 30 years of experience in the automotive sector and more specifically in mobility. Most recently, he managed the Michelin Group’s largest business line, the Automotive Global Brands division. His management career is characterised by a strong international background, with more than 20 years spent working on several different continents. Specialised in business transformation through innovation, Mr. Ladent has contributed to the development of subsidiaries with multi-billion euro turnovers. Jean-Claude Lumaret, 64, cofounded Carbios in 2011 and led the company as CEO throughout this period. He supported Carbios in its growth: ten years devoted to the research and development of proprietary enzymes and innovative processes dedicated to PET recycling and PLA biodegradation, leading to the first industrial achievements. www.carbios.com Key considerations for integration of recycled content in plastic products Eunomia consultancy carried out new research which has identified key considerations to verify recycled content claims in plastic products. The reason for the research was to inform actions in support of Canada’s target of achieving at least 50% recycled content in plastic products, where applicable, by 2030. Cur rent ly, Canada generates approximately 3 million tonnes of plastic waste, of which 9% is recycled and represents a loss of approximately $8 billion in value to the Canadian economy. The remainder is discarded in landfills or leaks into the environment as plastic pollution, where it has caused harm to organisms and their habitats. To address this, companies around the globe in various sectors across the economy are increasingly using recycled content and adopting voluntary recycled content targets for plastic products and packaging. As governments and industry consider actions to increase the use of recycled plastic, a critical element will be how to measure and verify recycled content in products. To support this approach, the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and Environment and Climate Change Canada commissioned Eunomia to carry out a comparative assessment of existing and in-development North American and international standards and certification protocols for verifying recycled content in plastic products, following which we identified needs for effective future certification programs. The project also engaged Circular Innovation Council, which interviewed industry and government stakeholders to understand uptake and use of standards and certifications; factors influencing choice; as wel l as the key barriers affecting the integration of recycled content in manufacturing processes. Interviews also revealed that recycled plastic feedstocks move freely between packaging and product sectors, which underscores the need for new recycled content standards to consider the plastics economy at a macro level. Sarah Edwards, Head of Eunomia’s Americas Office, said: “As governments and brands set recycled content targets, there needs to be clear and common rules on how compliance is measured, and traceability demonstrated through agreed chain of custody models to ensure uniformity. The landscape analysis of recycled content certification programs presented in our report provides a basis for the Government of Canada and industry to consider their approach to recycled content verification.” The study found that use and verification of recycled content is still in its infancy and varies between resin types and product sectors. The use and choice of program also varies by industry sector and includes third-party and internally developed programs, which reflects several differences. These include definitions of key terms; acceptable chain of custody models for physical and chemical traceability; what to include in the calculation of recycled content; auditing and compliance methodology; labelling systems; and how outputs from non-mechanical recycling contribute to recycled content goals. The study further suggests the federal government should consider setting minimum requirements for verification and reporting of recycled content that any new or existing program would have to meet to incorporate effective verification in Canada. The report’s release comes amid a growing number of initiatives and regulations worldwide aimed at reducing plastic pollution. The focus on how to measure recycled content to ensure there is a common and fair process for doing so is being discussed in many other jurisdictions, including the European Union, which is also being supported by Eunomia to develop a general method for the calculation, verification and reporting of recycled content in single-use plastic bottles as part of the Single Use Plastics Directive. www.eunomia.co.uk
7 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net PRODUCE MORE THAN 25 MILLION PREFORMS EXTRA PER YEAR FROM JUST ONE 72 CAVITY MOLD! Explore Cold Jet’s PCS 60 PET dry ice cleaning solution for the Preform and Blow Molding Sector • Up to 75% labor cost reduction • Up to 75% less time for mold maintenance • 3-6% higher production rate • Reduced running costs • Improved product quality • Less downtime • Environmentally friendly B E N E F I T S Learn more at coldjet.com i n f o . e u @ c o l d j e t . c o m + 3 2 1 3 5 3 9 5 4 7 *Get your ROI calculation. Contact Us! C H O O S E B E T W E E N 2 8 D RY I C E PA R T I C L E S I Z E S F R OM 0 . 3 MM TO 3 MM A N D E V E RY S I Z E I N B E T W E E N
8 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net Coca-Cola Germany begins the switchover of beverage caps and closures for PET bottles From the beginning of November 2021, Coca-Cola in Germany will begin the gradual changeover to new caps on all single-use PET bottles. In doing so, Coca-Cola is implementing an EU requirement that plastic beverage caps on single-use bottles must remain on the bottle after opening by July 3, 2024. Coca-Cola is using the changeover as an opportunity to optimise the use of materials of the bottles as a whole. The company intends to save up to 1.37g of plastic per bottle with the new caps. Changeover period of two and a half years Coca-Cola is starting the changeover to the new closures early in order to meet the EU requirement in Germany by July 2024. The bottling plant in Dorsten will start in November 2021, followed by the non-refillable PET lines at the sites in Mannheim, Mönchengladbach, Hildesheim and Knetzgau in 2022. By January 2024, all German plants with single-use disposable PET lines will successively convert their production to the bottles with the new closures. To ensure a smooth process, this will happen in a maximum of five plants per year. Due to the long-term changeover phase, for a while there will be single-use PET bottles with both the previous type of closure and the new closures on the market. In order to draw consumers’ attention to the new closures, the caps will be marked with the inscription “Lass mich dran!” (“Leave me on!”). The previous opening mechanism does not change. The new closures will, however, remain connected to a part of the safety ring at the neck of the bottle. For comfortable consumption, the cap can be opened and closed easily and moved back and forth. In addition, it can be fixed in one position, to allow for easy pouring. As before, the PET bottles with the new caps can also be handed in via reverse vending machines including the cap throughout Germany. Thanks to the deposit system, the material can be collected and recycled. www.cocacolaep.com Alpla selects Kansas City for new facility, dedicated to injection moulding The Alpla Group, a global packaging solutions manufacturer and recycling specialist headquartered in Hard, Austria, announced that it has selected the Kansas City region for its new 23,000m2 manufacturing plant. In a facility located at the Blue River Commerce Center in Kansas City, Missouri, the regional organisation Alpla Inc. will create 75 jobs while continuing to invest in the city over the next several years. “We are excited about our new Kansas City site, which represents a key element of our growth strategy and our continued commitment to the expansion of our injection-moulding capabilities,” stated James Rooney, Managing Director, Alpla North America. The new addition in Kansas City will be Alpla’s fourth site in Missouri and the first dedicated to injection moulding. As such, Alpla Inc. will utilise cutting-edge technologies to produce packaging systems, bottles, caps and injectionmoulded parts for a wide range of industries. Led by Cushman & Wakefield, the project is slated to begin in late 2021, with a completion date in the fourth quarter of 2022. The company cited the Kansas City region’s central location and strong community relationships as key drivers for the decision. The Kansas City Area Development Council is proud to have worked with a number of regional partners in attracting Alpla Inc. to the Kansas City area, including the State of Missouri; Missouri Partnership; Port KC; City of Kansas City, Missouri; Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City; Cushman & Wakefield – Joe Accurso, NorthPoint Development, Evergy, Spire and KC SmartPort. www.alpla.com Conair Group names new president Jason Ganim, whose background includes almost 30 years of success in sales, management and executive leadership, as well as a degree in Finance, is the new President of Conair Group, effective November 8. Most recent ly, Ganim was a senior executive for Transtar Industries, Cleveland, a leading distributor of automotive aftermarket parts and solutions. He held multiple high-level positions during his 13 years with that company. He was Vice President Business Development for East West Manufacturing, Atlanta, for just over 5 years before that, and, earlier in his career spent 6 years as Director of Aftermarket Business for a large distributor of automotive and industrial replacement parts. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Georgia, with special concentration in Finance. www.conairgroup.com
9 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net
10 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net Icis launches first interactive global database of chemical recycling projects Targets set by brand-owners and regulators have been contributing to a growing demand for recycled plastics globally, particularly for use in food and beverage packaging. However, supply of high-quality food grade recycled polymer material remains limited. To assist the industry in effectively securing supply of recycled resins suitable for these applications, Icis has announced the release of the Recycling Supply Tracker – Chemical which provides FMCGs, chemical producers, large converters and retailers with the most comprehensive view of the emerging chemical recycling market. Many industry players have public sustainability targets and need to understand the capacities in the market to ensure they can source the necessary materials to meet these. As of 2021, the global installed capacity for chemical recycling is under 2.5 mt, including both commercial and pre-commercial facilities with Asia Pacific and North America as the leading regions. The Icis Recycling Supply Tracker – Chemical will provide up to date data including installed capacity, output volume, process, and feedstock, as well as details about the licensor and investors. Chemical recycling processes can also be used to revert plastic waste back to an earlier molecular state. The tracker has identified that, in terms of capacity, only around 20% of the global recyclers currently produce polymers as an output of their chemical recycling facilities. The interactive database is updated with new projects and project developments as they happen, helping the industry understand the pace of growth in this sector. Less than 30% of projects are currently operating at commercial scale, but over half of the plants identified are expected to start-up in the next three years. Louise Boddy, Head of Commercial Strategy, Sustainability at Icis, said, “Plastic waste is one of the biggest issues facing society and the investment now going into the development of new technologies to deal with plastic waste could be a game changer in the prevention of environmental leakage of used plastic.” Boddy continued, “Efforts to bring more complex technology and greater scale to this industry are accelerating fast and Icis is detailing these developments with its new supply tracker, helping to foster partnerships and investments that improve circularity and prevent waste.” Available through Icis Digital, the tracker is the world’s only interactive database on global chemical recycling projects. Based on 18 years of leading recycled market expertise, with data sourced and maintained by a team of analysts with deep market knowledge and daily interactions with the marketplace, it offers the ability to filter, download and connect with suppliers. www.icis.com Napcor’s 2020 PET Recycling Report The National Association for PET Container Resources (Napcor) announced the release of its 2020 PET Recycling Report. Overall, the 26th annual report revealed a 10% increase in end use consumption of recycled PET (rPET) in the U.S. and Canada. According to the analysts, this increase signals strong support of post-consumer content in brand packaging, and demonstrates the resiliency of PET’s value in recycling-minded communities - even during a pandemic. Examining the use of rPET in specific end markets, the 2020 report positions the industry at a pivotal point where Food/Beverage and Non-Food/Beverage Bottle categories grew by 32 per cent in total, surpassing fibre for the first time as the largest end market user of post-consumer PET bottles. In addition, over the past decade, there has been a cumulative increase in rPET consumption in U.S. and Canadian markets, climbing from 1 billion pounds in 2010 to 1.8 billion pounds in 2020. Napcor’s analysis shows the higher market demand outpaced collection, which drove PET reclaimers to rely more heavily on imports, after depleting their existing inventory. While demand was strong, collection of PET bottles decreased by approximately 2.3%in the United States, which resulted in a 26.6% recycling rate for PET plastic bottles, a decrease from the 2019 rate of 27.9%. The decline in recycling rate is not surprising, given the challenges faced in 2020, including closure of redemption centres and disruption in kerbside recycling due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2020 North American PET recycling rate is 33.9%, which incorporates statistics from Mexico and Canada, in addition to the U.S. This is a slight drop from the 35% reported in 2019. PET Thermoform Analysis New in the 2020 PET Recycling Report is an in-depth PET Thermoform Market Analysis including post-consumer collection volumes of these packages which surpassed 2019 numbers. “PET thermoforms have been a significant and growing end market over the years. By expanding our discussion and analysis of PET thermoforms, we have additional data points illustrating that thermoform-to-thermoform recycling is occurring,” stated Darrel Collier, Napcor Executive Director. “We have worked to better understand the challenges involved with recycling PET thermoforms, which still exist, and are encouraged with the work being done by our PET reclamation and thermoform industry to incorporate into packaging, thus, closing the loop.” Napcor continues to work to address the industry’s ongoing challenges, with particular focus on methods to increase the amount of PET that gets recycled. This is the 26th year that the PET Recycling Report has been issued. To purchase the full 2020 PET Recycling Report, visit Napcor’s website. www.napcor.com
EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net 11 Will it all be diff erent? And if so, how exactly? The European Road Show to Drinktec 2022 is underwayby Kay Barton The Editourmobil is back in Europe! In the most exciting project we have implemented since the annual Road Shows, the PETplanet Team is working in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic to highlight the current challenges, strategies and opportunities for the European PET sector. The global crisis has put the global economy, global requirements and consumer behaviour to the test. Conservative sectors, some operating constantly for decades, have been knocked around, forced to rethink on the fly and restructure themselves to suit the new situation. The way we communicate, invest and consume has undergone lasting change during the pandemic and the climate crisis. In many places, digitalisation has undergone massive expansion and remodelling; topics like health, sustainability, logistics and e-commerce have received an unprecedented boost and are once again the topics of our time. How can we achieve our future climate goals and structure production with greater added value? How can we ensure continuity and become more self-sufficient while maintaining competitiveness? What trends have arisen both because of and during the pandemic? And what adjustments must be made so we can offer our customers and partners security paired with good service? We want to discuss all these topics and much more on the European Road Show. Tour Sponsors: Sponsors to date Interested in becoming a Sponsor? sales@hbmedia.net The worldwide round trip with EDITOURS Interested in being interviewed? barton@hbmedia.net Let Your Inspiration Flow. 7KH (XURSHDQ 5RDG 6KRZ PART2 Empowered by drinktec Autumn 2021 - 2022 Back to Europe The second part of PETplanet’s bipartite Drinktec Editour is right ahead! After the successful first part “From Down Under to Japan” in 2020, our second stage of the project takes us back to the flourishing European hub where we will be exploring the latest technologies, news, innovations and developments that move our PET industry. We will be asking how global thinking might change as a result of Covid-19. How will bilateral business relationships cope with the aftermath of the pandemic? What opportunities will there be for the drinks industry and its suppliers? Our planning, in terms of precise timeframes and details of the countries to be visited will be flexible, in order to take account of the rapidly changing pandemic situation. We will be at the very heart of the roadshow as usual and are already looking forward to welcoming you back on board the Editourmobil! Share this exciting experience with us!
EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net 12 Tour Sponsors: A year and a half of pandemic lies behind us and somehow we have got used to, or at least come to terms with, the ongoing topic of Covid-19 and the associated restrictions that affect so many areas of our lives, both personal and professional. Many places in Europe saw a relaxation in cases during the summer months alongside rising vaccination rates but now, figures are rising once more to new heights. Nevertheless, thanks to vaccinations, testing and various governmental strategies to stem the pandemic, Europeans are on the right track, maybe not always “together”, but at least there is hope. Small steps, such as the opportunity to meet here and there once again at trade fairs and conferences, offer some feeling of normality. However, the crisis is of course far from over. It has generated deep divides in society, politics and the global economy and has shown us all too clearly how much fragility can hide in our comfort zone. How then is the sector to continue to keep itself fit for the future and which learning processes are required? Here in the technology hub Europe, we want to investigate these questions with the European Road Show. Together with Drinktec 2022 and our sponsors ADS, Nissei ASB, Bericap, Contexo, Erema, MHT Mold & Hotrunner, Otto Systems, Pressco, Sesotec, Side, Sorema, Sukano and z-moulds, we are visiting the entire PET process chain in 17 European countries between now and the Drinktec trade fair, which is taking place in Munich from September 12-16, 2022. We will talk to material manufacturers, preformers, bottle blowers, bottlers and recyclers, as well as suppliers to the PET and drinks industries, mechanical engineers and equipment suppliers, about the past, present and future of the sector. The principal aspects over the coming years – namely CO2 reduction, sustainable raw material production and the associated recycling infrastructure – have become mandatory topics on any agenda. The “closed loop” should be the goal of our sector. Nicholas Hodac, Director General of Unesda Soft Drinks Europe, explains: “We have a responsibility to make sure that the bottles we bring to the market are collected and recycled to be turned into new bottles. Our goal is to achieve full circularity for our beverage packaging by 2030. We can only achieve packaging circularity if bottle-to-bottle recycling is real and effective. That’s why we call on the European Commission for “right of first refusal” to the recycled plastic material that we put on the market to be incorporated in the upcoming revision of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. This is a crucial step towards helping our industry to produce new packaging with foodgrade recycled PET compliant with EU food safety standards and achieving the EU collection and recycling targets. It will also prevent our recycled PET from being downcycled into non-food applications such as textile, thus breaking the bottle loop.’’ As always, you will find out all the important details right here in the PETplanet magazine. We are delighted to be on the road for you again and we wish you pleasant reading over the next few months. And if you would be interested in putting your views a fascinating interview in your factory here in Europe, let us know by emailing us at barton@hbmedia.net www.drinktec.petpla.net www.drinktec.com www.unesda.eu *includes: carbonates, still drinks (<25% juice), iced/RTD tea, iced/RTD coff ee, sports drinks, energy drinks, fl avoured water, enhanced water, squash/syrups, fruit powders Soft drinks* by pack material in the EU EU soft drinks volume sales per capita in litres EU soft drinks total volume sales in million litres
EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net 13 rPET100 Designed for recycling. Made from recycling. • Heat resistant • Fully recyclable • Thermoformable like PET BENEFITS HOT CUPS · DAIRY PRODUCTS · INSTANT SOUPS · TO-GO MEALS · COFFEE LIDS foodgrade without compromise Kick off European Road Show 2021Part 3 In the run-up to our European Road Show, we asked Mr Sukhbir Singh, Director ADS Acme Drinktec Solutions LLP, about topics that are currently relevant: PETplanet: PETplanet’s latest Roadshow takes a critical look at the European market, which is picking up steam this year after pandemicrelated slumps. How has the pandemic affected your business and what are your expectations for the coming months? Singh: The global Covid-19 pandemic stimulated demand for hand sanitiser, especially in handy, easyto-carry sizes – such as 30 and 50ml. These small bottles are produced in PET exclusively by the single-stage ISBM process. ADS swiftly got special approval to supply this market, as a necessity product. ADS and its employees have been pleased to carry the risk and rise to the challenge to support the nation during this critical period and has continued to operate with minimal restrictions at the factory. PETplanet: The European PET bottle market is on the move - not least due to the potential impact of various EU directives. Which of these are particularly relevant for your company and how are you placed to meet them? Singh: As we have seen several times, whenever a change in direction occurs, market requirements expand and more business can be expected, particularly in the light of restrictions on trade between nations and continents. PETplanet: What future challenges do you see for the PET industry? Singh: The increased competitive design & quality requirements of PET rigid packaging users, such as the FMCG, pharma and beverage segments, will not be easy to accomplish with sustainable, environmentally friendly solutions, in the context of worldwide concerns about global warming. www.acmedrinktec.com
PREFORM PRODUCTION PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net 14 Sipa debuts preform mould with 200 cavities Same floor space, more output Not long ago, Sipa broke through a barrier of multi-cavity PET preform production with the first mould in the world to hold 180 cavities. The mould was the same size as one with 144 cavities, but advanced hot runner technology allowed to insert an extra 36 cavities – almost 25% more. Now the Italian company has gone and broken its own record. It is just what major packaging companies are after: producing more preforms with a single system, cutting consumption of utilities, being more efficient in the use of labour, and to tie up less valuable floor space. Sipa has made a mould containing 200 cavities for preforms with necks up to 28 mm, typical for mineral water and beverage bottles. The mould still has the same external dimensions, so it can be mounted on an XForm 500 GEN4 injection moulding machine. The 200-cavity mould facilitates the production of over 140,000 preforms every hour. This is making the investment in an XFormM 500 production system more cost-effective than ever, says Sipa. Companies can also maximise the potential for packaging line integration: one preform production system with a 200-cavity mould could be used to provide input for two bottle production and filling lines running at 81,000 bph. More output without stressing the equipment Sipa engineered the 200-cavity mould using the principles that applied to the 180-cavity mould, developing a solution that their customers could rely on. Sipa‘s Preform Tooling Manager comments: “We have the ability to create extremely wellbalanced hot runner systems that are virtually unconfined by limits on geometry. Sipa’s Gen4 hot runner design concept provides best-in-class balance, long maintenance intervals, and excellent ease of access when intervention is finally required.” He continues, “By increasing output on a 500 t machine without making it run faster – rather than running a mould with fewer cavities and shorter cycle times to achieve similar output, but putting extra stress on the machine – we can help the processor prolong equipment lifetimes.” www.sipasolutions.com PREFORMS
PREFORM PRODUCTION PETplanet Insider Vol. 18 No. 0/17 www.petpla.net 15 Flow+, a new hot runner system for preform moulds In 2020, Sacmi supplied the market with over 3,200 preform stacks, half of which were self-produced. Marketed in synergy with the injection preform system (IPS) machine family, yet also available for the most common commercial applications, the Sacmi mould range provides proprietary design solutions. PREFORMS These mainly regard the hot section, with the latest generation of Flow+ hot runners, also the cold part, with a moulding section designed to incorporate enhanced cooling. Sacmi’s technical solutions as standard on its components are for example, quality steels and treatments such as Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) on the neck-rings to lengthen maintenance intervals and extend mould lifespans. Less maintenance Compared to previous versions, the new Flow+ involves limited dust formation inside the runner. Maintenance intervals are now twice as long resulting in lower costs and greater mould (and therefore machine) availability. This solution has already proved on the market. The patented Sacmi solution has been tested by European customers who appreciated its multiple plus-points of product quality and repeatability, moulding process efficiency and mould-machine availability, says Sacmi. Unmatched PET temperature control Thanks to better insulation and an increased number of control zones, the new Flow+ ensures temperature control along the entire PET pathway inside the hot runner, resulting in higher production quality and minimising stress on the material (and its consequent decay). During each stage of the process both the cross manifold and main manifold are kept ‘packed’ by a system of springs. This ensures the hot runner stays sealed, even during heating and cooling, considerably reducing dust generation and any PET leakage problems. The improved nozzle temperature control is reflected in a stable process. Process optimisation The Flow+ features new solutions developed with the aid of simulation systems, allowing balance and low pressure drops along the entire PET pathway, from the runner inlet to the cavities. Sacmi said that Flow+ helps shorten size changeover times as it’s designed to integrate cooling and make cavity plate assembly easier. Maximum feasibility for customers The new Flow+ is available on some models with a double shot counter, allowing effective maintenance control. Maintenance is streamlined by improved accessibility to components subject to wear and a special toolbox that includes everything needed to perform maintenance tasks. www.sacmi.com German Technology Innovative hotrunner optiRun
PREFORM PRODUCTION PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net 16 Preforms for all purposes French Société Générale des Techniques, SGT, offers a wide range of preforms. While some, such as the preforms for 3 or 5 gallon containers, have been further developed and improved, the company is also introducing new projects like the 24/410 neck preforms dedicated to cosmetic and personal care applications. In comparison to developments in PC, the 5-gallon PET alternative is claimed to be more eco-responsible as PET is a reliable and robust material which is suitable for food contact - and it is recyclable. The SGT group’s R&D department set itself a real technical challenge by developing a shorter version of the “5-gallon”, compatible with all injection press and blower models. This specific feature enables better bi-axial orientation and therefore better distribution of the material. Finally, the preform may be customised and provides the possibility of integrating a handle. PET “cup” preform SGT has developed a recyclable alternative to polystyrene (PS) yoghurt and dessert cups that may integrate up to 100% rPET. The cup preform that SGT is proposing is claimed to be light and transparent. It enables an unbreakable pot with a lid to be blown. This PET yoghurt pot version also seeks to replace glass jars which are much heavier (80 g compared with 11 g for its plastic equivalent). Since glass generates more CO2 emissions when it is manufactured and transported, compared to PET, it is a less eco-responsible solution. SGT states: “It is clear to see that today PET is the material which can be converted the most, is suitable for food contact, is 100% recyclable and which responds precisely to new PREFORMS 3- and 5-gallon refill preforms The 3- and 5-gallon refill preforms for water bottles have been developed by SGT for the re-use market. They can contain up to 25% rPET. This preform, which was already available but has been improved, has been completely re-imagined in terms of its design and geometry: 33% shorter than most 5-gallon preforms currently on the market, it optimises bi-orientation, obtains a better stretching and blowing ratio and prevents the bottle from crystallising, with no compromise on the quality and robustness of the packaging, states SGT. Its weight has also been reduced from 730 g to 650 g for the 5-gallon version, and 450 g for the 3-gallon one. This not only saves material costs but also transport costs. The 55mm preform neck has been specially designed to guarantee a perfect seal. The ovoid preform base enables the bottoms of the bottles to be lightened after blowing. The PET “refill” preforms are designed as an alternative to polycarbonate solutions for water fountain bottles. The bottle obtained is consignable, reusable, refillable and recyclable. It provides a response to current economic and environmental objectives. The development of the “refill” preform is in keeping with the Group’s 3 R strategy: SGT is committed to Recycling, through its SGR unit, to Reducing the weight of its preforms and now to project to Re-use plastic packaging. SGT’s “refill” preforms are both reusable and recyclable. SGT points out that the gallon bottles respond to current market demands since today it is not only companies who use large water bottles but also private customers who no longer want to buy, carry and store packs of water bottles.
PREFORM PRODUCTION PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net 17 European sustainable consumption requirements.” SGT’s cup PET preform meets new European single-use plastic directives since it can contain up to 100% rPET and is 100% recyclable. The new application has been developed as part of SGT’s continuous improvement approach: “We have extended our specific offer to ultra-fresh products by proposing this cup preform dedicated to yoghurts and fresh desserts in response to market demands. This solution is perfectly in keeping with a circular economy approach.” says SGT. The cup PET preform is transparent, light, hard-wearing and recyclable. This packaging provides all food safety guarantees and gets round the problems of broken glass during production. SGT’s cup preform also offers a host of design possibilities, which is a significant marketing asset for brands who want to stand out on the shelves. Thr cup preform is claimed to be compatible with the collection and recycling system currently in place for PET. It is currently the material which can be converted the most. PET yoghurt pots can then be used, sorted and recycled to be converted again and follow a more virtuous circuit. Multi-layer preform for UHT milk packaging For UHT milk packaging, SGT has developed a multi-layer preform with a very low opacifier rate (< 1%). The main innovation of this multi-layer process involves inserting a layer of black PET as close as possible to the internal wall of the preform, which enables 99.95% of light transmission to be blocked out. This technology enables the nutritional qualities of UHT milk to be preserved for longer and considerably reduces the use of opacifiers which disrupt recycling flows. The new multi-layer UHT milk bottle is also environmentally-friendly since it can contain up to 100% recycled clear or opaque PET and so potentially enter a recycling circuit with return to the milk bottle. This opaque multi-layer PET bottle also has the same preservation qualities as an HDPE bottle, says SGT. While this preform is currently being proposed for UHT milk packaging, a much wider-scale use is intended since it meets the preservation requirements of all photo-sensitive liquids. This solution is claimed to provide a response to: The issue of recycling opaque milk bottles in closed circuits; long-term preservation of photosensitive liquids: eco-design requirements because bottle weight can be reduced; the conversion of milk bottles at the end of their life; and the obligations set by European regulations which impose from 2025 the integration of 25% recycled plastic in PET bottles. The SGT R&D department based at Rezé in the Loire-Atlantique département in France has carried out a 3-year test programme to obtain an optimised solution with low mineral load (< 1%), integrating recycled PET and suitable for food contact. This work is also the product of long-term co-operation with their suppliers. In addtion to being recyclable, the opaque PET multi-layer milk preform protects the milk and enables long-term preservation, says SGT. It therefore contains less than 1% of opacifiers and adapts to the design constraints of different brands as it may be realised with a matt or glossy appearance. Other advantages include that it does not require a lid, and, by comparison, it is lighter than other materials which are currently used for UHT milk. It responds to current and future economic and environmental objectives with the obligation to incorporate recycled plastic into PET bottles by 2025 and the use of tethered caps. Increased preform range SGT is constantly increasing its portfolio to meet the demand of bottlers of hygiene and beauty products who are increasingly committed to 100% recycled, recyclable or refillable PET packaging. Now, SGT offers new 24/410 neck preforms dedicated to cosmetic and personal care applications (200ml). Body lotions, face creams, shampoo, conditioner and hand sanitiser are all suited with this new cosmetic preform. Involving in the 3R process for Recycle, Reuse and Reduce, the company has also increased its 38mm neck range with new preform weights, from 62 g to 75 g, for 3-5 l still water or detergent containers. Finally, SGT has developed a new CSD preform, the 26/22 neck finish, distinguished by a very low height and weight. SGT states that all its preform ranges are suitable for tethered caps. SGT has accumulated 40 years of experience and knowhow in the injection-moulding of PET preforms. A family business founded in 1981 in Rezé, France, the company today employs a staff of 450 on five sites, produces over seven billion preforms per year and exports its products all over the world. www.sgt-pet.com
PREFORM PRODUCTION PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net 18 Manufacturing monitoring systems A recent project at Retal was both proposed and initiated by the team at Retal Russia. Driven by Artem Kletchenkov, regional director for Retal in Russia and also the project sponsor who proposed this opportunity for improvement, the team was aiming to define real time monitoring across its production. Under the project name ‘PETscope’, the project started at the company’s PetRus facility before being implemented across other factories in the region, with global adoption throughout Retal expected within the next two years. Retal operates 21 factories worldwide, with more than half located in Russia. Solving issues Kletchenkov explains, “The aim of PETscope is to improve efficiency in production by integrating the possibility to check each machine online in real time and to be able to accurately predict the machine’s longer-term capabilities, such as when maintentance is needed so it can be effectively planned for. It allows us to ask questions to our production online too, such as volume parameters for a particular preform currently being produced. This was not possible before; we just had to check our reports each month and make decisions based on previous performance and our expertise. Now, our expertise is enhanced by our online analysis and we can make far quicker decisions and solve any issues immediately. It supports our forecasting as well as our daily operations as we can make small changes as we go along.” The strategic benefits of this monitoring system were explained by the Retal Russia team. Kletchenkov says, “Once we had implemented the system in our factories in PetRus, then Retal Kalug and others, the decision was made to roll out the monitoring to global Retal factories, starting with Lithuania. Uniting all our production systems is creating the best solution for us as a multinational manufacturer; essentially all our factories have similar requirements as we all produce plastic packaging using modern equipment, so it is easy to share what we have learned with our wider family.” This sharing of expertise is the key to PETscope quickly proving to be a success for Retal. Connecting the whole company through an efficient network that can communicate in real time allows for any production issues to be quickly resolved, if they even happen thanks to early intervention, and means that factories producing products for global customers can share best practice. Kletchenkov concludes, “Every morning I have a meeting with my team and we all agree how to handle any issues in production, any delays, machinery maintenance; with PETscope, those issues are far less problematic as we can predict them and manage them smoothly, which helps to support the engagement of our team, and we can always use the lessons learned to help our colleagues at other factories. Our production is not interrupted so our customers can totally rely on us. This online system is easy to implement and easy to use yet it brings greater clarity to our daily operations; we are proud that PETscope was developed in Russia and is valued across the whole of Retal.” www.retalgroup.com PREFORMS
PREFORM PRODUCTION PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net 19 A two step-injection process Lightweighted preforms made of PCR PET material Years ago, PDG Plastiques and its partners developed Prelactia, a new two-step injection process. It is offering a solution to the dairy industry in finding alternatives to aseptic HDPE and carton solutions, offering complete light blockage. Taking care of the circular economy, PDG Plastiques introduced, as one of the first PET convertors in Europe, a dairy milk bottle with 100% recycled PET. The post-consumer material came from opaque bottles. PET converter PDG Plastiques is active in the PET industry for more than 30 years, being one of the pioneers in the PET industry in Europe. As a family owned company, integrity, reliability and partnership are the keys to PDG Plastiques. PDGPlastiques is located south of Paris and has a subsidiary plant in Algeria. It is producing approx. 2 billion preforms consolidated. Blowing activities represent approx. 60 million bottles per year. www.pdg-plastiques.com PREFORMS The company is ISO 22000 FSSC certificated. The technology applied allows PDG Plastiques to fulfill the European directives to achieve 25% recycling content in the PET bottle by 2025 and 30% by 2030. The company also developed active barrier solutions for the Prelactia technology. A different mindset in the green economy, PDG introduced one and a half years ago the 26/22 light neck finish for carbonated and still beverages, saving 2 g as a total package solution towards the standard 1881 finish. The current material price increase provides additional motivation to look for this solution. This trend will certainly be followed by mayor brand owners in Europe, says PDG. In the constant struggle to save material, PDG introduced a Light Base Technology together with its partner. By applying this technology, the French company removed between 6-8% of material from the bottom of the preform. This could be interesting for example for heavy preforms. This technology will shortly be shown in a new container development for a well known French Brand. “In our pursuit of a world with low CO2 emissions, we are an active player, witnessing active participation in organisations such as Elipso, chairing another association in France with the aim of finding solutions to promote the circular economy”, states PDG Plastiques, and continues, “We carry out the necessary checks on our injection process, using the most modern technologies, ensuring that our quality objectives are achieved and that our customers can market their products with a clear conscience. Our laboratory, equipped with the most modern measuring equipment, monitors the quality of its end product.”
DISCOVER MORE www.novapet.com Circularidad Circularity PET is a material 100% recyclable that can be transformed to offer other lives.
BOTTLE MAKING 21 PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 11/21 www.petpla.net Sustainable bottle with plantable label Sustainability is an issue that has changed from being just a trend to a key part in the business strategy for companies wishing to develop their business. This is especially true for manufacturers that use PET for their packaging and operate in the fast-moving consumer goods industry, where products have a short life cycle. Gentlebrand’s Packaging Tailors have focused on options currently available when developing a bottle solution that is quick to implement and accessible to all, thanks to a low investment required. The result is “Aroma”, a bottle made of 100% recycled clear PET, which is completely recyclable and designed by rethinking the manufacturing system, as Gentlebrand states. It is intended to meet both the demands of brands in terms of marketing and communication and the needs of the company in terms of production, investment and sustainability. Separate label without glue Particular focus was placed on the label which is made of a special organic paper which contains the seeds of the aromatic plants making up the different flavours of the beverage the bottle contains. It has been combined with the choice of inks of vegetable origin or inks for food use, which makes the label plantable, thus creating a further virtuous circle. Furthermore, the addition of the label on the neck of the bottle without the need for glue further reduces the use of waste materials in the plastic recycling stream. Thanks to its position and the different material component, the label is perceived by consumers as a separate element, facilitating proper disposal. A sustainable idea supporting manufacturers by guaranteeing the integrity of the product, as the label can be removed with a simple and intuitive gesture: pulling it off. 100% rPET bottle Made of 100% recycled clear PET to be considered highly recyclable by positively impacting the bottle-tobottle loop, Aroma also gives a nod in the direction of brands in terms of marketing and communication: the large label on the neck of the bottle provides plenty of space for all the information required by law as well as the various marketing messages. The bottle itself can be fully customised with decorations or product descriptions, Gentlebrand states, reaching a high level of quality detail thanks to Supervent technology. The bottle is available for both still and sparkling products. It has been realised by Gentlebrand, with technologies by Competek and Sidel. www.gentlebrand.studio
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