36 K SHOW REVIEW PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 12/22 www.petpla.net TRADE SHOWreview This was K’ 2022 The joy of the plastics and rubber industry at finally being able to exchange ideas in person on a global level again after three years characterised K’ 2022 Düsseldorf and ensured a good mood among the 3,037 exhibitors (2019: 3,300 exhibitors). The companies reported good leads and a marked willingness to invest among trade visitors, mentioning promising new customer relations and the conclusion of numerous, in part, spontaneous business deals. 176,000 trade visitors (2019: 225,000) from all continents travelled to the event in Düsseldorf. At over 70% the proportion of international guests at K’ 2022 remained at a constantly high level, say the organisers. It was especially the wealth of new technology developments that raw materials producers, machine manufacturers and plastics processors presented for implementing the circular economy, resource conservation and climate protection that interested the trade visitors. Those travelled from 157 nations to the Rhine. Next to Germany, those European countries strongly represented on the visitors’ part included the Netherlands, Italy, Turkey, France, Belgium, Poland and Spain. With 42% of visitors coming from overseas, the reach of this year’s K’ was as high as usual among the international trade audience, state Messe Düsseldorf. While visitors from the East Asian region, in particular, were less well represented than at K’ three years ago due to the currently more difficult conditions in those countries on account of quarantine regulations, numerous visitors from the USA, Brazil and India were welcomed at this year’s event. For around two thirds of all visitors polled machinery and plant construction ranked first in terms of interest. 57% and, hence 5% more than at K’ 2019, said they were interested in raw and auxiliary materials, with recyclates and bioplastics being particularly popular. For 28% semi-finished products and technical parts made of plastics and rubber were the main reason for coming (multiple responses possible). The next K’ Düsseldorf will be held from October 8 to 15, 2025. www.k-online.com Stackable jerrycans, industrial drums & returnable handled bottles Cypet Technologies Ltd. showed its latest developments in injection stretch blow moulded PET containers. Three highlights can be mentioned: PET stackable jerrycans for foodstuff and industrial packaging: an example of this is the 10 l stackable bottle with integrated handle and recess for a funnel, for Ad Blue application. Cypet showed two versions of this product, one made from virgin PET and another made from 100% rPET. Cypet has calculated that the 20 l version of this jerrycan has 50% the carbon footprint throughout its lifecycle compared to the HDPE equivalent jerrycan. Industrial PET drums of different sizes: having demonstrated live production of 120 l drums back in K’ 2019, Cypet this year displayed drums of 50 l, 80 l and 120 l used for bulk packaging of goods around the world. PET returnable water bottle with integrated rigid handle: Cypet’s new ergonomic solution for the water industry was one of the most eye-catching displays, garnering attention not only from the water industry but from all visitors. As the world progressively transitions from PC water bottles to PET water bottles, Cypet is already getting ready to offer compelling solutions that offer the best economics, ergonomics and least carbon footprint. Cypet machines can produce this bottle in 4 cavities, resulting in the highest output of any single stage ISBM machine globally. www.cypet.eu Mobile near-infrared spectroscopy for plastics identification The BASF subsidiary Trinamix demonstrated an extension to its NIR spectroscopy solution launched in 2020 that offers rapid identification of a wide range of plastic types. The mobile and battery-operated handheld device, which can ident i fy more than 30 plastics at the touch of a button when held up to them, can also flexibly distinguish between PET-A and PET-G in relation to PET as an application extension. For example, this gives recycling companies the opportunity to quickly and randomly check received goods for purity and quality during increasingly complex waste flows. “Using the associated app, the analysis is relayed to a smartphone via Bluetooth and displayed directly or stored for later retrieval”, said Business Development Manager Adrian Vogel. “More detailed information on all measurements can also be accessed via a dedicated cloud-based customer portal if required”. According to the company, the device has a battery life of 6,000 measurements, with the app compatible with common smartphone operating systems. www.trinamixsensing.com/plasticsorting Business Development Manager Adrian Vogel at the BASF trade fair stand with the compact NIR spectroscopy device. The Cypet team at their booth at K’
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