PETnews 6 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 05/23 www.petpla.net Sidel guides Niche Cocoa Industry Ltd’s move into aseptic beverage production in Ghana Niche Cocoa Industry Ltd, Ghana’s largest fully integrated cocoa processor, has successfully installed its first-ever aseptic line through Sidel. The line marks the company’s first venture into milk-based products in PET, with the assistance of Sidel’s expertise in aseptic production. Having chosen PET for its 100% recyclability, affordability, food integrity, and lightweight properties, Niche Cocoa Industry Ltd opted for Sidel’s Predis aseptic dry preform sterilisation technology. Besides its ease of operation, Predis also reduces water usage and chemicals consumption, says Sidel. Since its launch, it has successfully decontaminated more than 120 billion bottles globally. Aseptic PET solution The 16,000 bph aseptic PET complete solution integrates Tetra Pak Processing Systems technologies and the Sidel Aseptic Combi Predis with dry preform and cap sterilisation systems, two units of Gebo OptiDry, a sleeve labeller, a VersaFilm Access shrink-wrapping system, and finally a stretch wrapper. Sidel also supplied its EIT (Efficiency Improvement Tool) data acquisition and plant intelligence system. It is widely used to support its beverage company customers in decreasing unplanned downtime, reducing waste and costs, and increasing factory output. www.sidel.com Alpek maintains dividend in difficult conditions Alpek S.A.B. de C.V., headquartered in San Pedro Garza García, Greater Monterrey, Mexico, is one of the largest PET and PTA producers in the Americas and is the sole producer of polypropylene and caprolactam in Mexico. The company’s two business segments are: Polyester (including PTA, PET, rPET and polyester fibres) and Plastics & Chemicals (PP, expandable styrenics, and other speciality and industrial chemicals). Alpek’s Q1 2023 report demonstrated that challenging conditions continue in the industry, including the consequences of stockbuilding during the Covid period. Total sales volumes were down five per cent in Q1 2023 compared with Q1 2022, from 1.216 million tonnes to 1.161 this year. Plastics and chemicals were down quite heavily, by 13% year-on-year (0.254 million tonnes to 0.222), although this segment has shown a recovery between Q4 2022 and Q1 2023 of two per cent, from 0.217mt. Production volumes were are higher than sales. Q1 2023 production was 1.381mt (down 9% from Q1 2022 and 11% from Q4). Polyester was down 8% year-on-year (1.172mt Q1 2023 from 1.277mt 2022) and 12% since Q4. Polyester revenues were the stronger of the two segments. Total year on year receipts declined 12%, from US$ 2,332 million to US$ 2,062m, but Polyester was down only 2%, from US$ 1,521m to US$ 1,490m. Q4 2022 showed an increase over the first 3 months of last year to Q1 2023 (US$ 1,630) but that was not maintained into Q1 2023. Plastics and chemicals fell more heavily, by 30% year on year and 2% quarter to quarter. Margins and EBITDA have also been affected but the Board declared a dividend of US$159 million. The company has reviewed its capital expenditure strategy and will be delaying some projects, while the current situation stabilises and consolidates. PET resin operations at Alpek’s Cooper River site near Charleston, South Carolina, have been shut down indefinitely. CEO Jorge Young reported that oil prices have stabilised at an average US$ 81/ bbl Brent Crude, down on Q4 2023. PP prices have increased in the USA, despite a disconnect in prices between the Americas and the Far East, with some recovery towards historical levels. www.alpek.com Retal Iberia gains ISO50001 energy certificate The ISO50001:2018 energy certificate has recently been awarded to Retal Iberia following an external audit. Quality Manager Xavi Mora says, “This international standard is a tool to support us improve on energy consumption by developing and implementing an energy management system. The aim of this certification is to for continual improvement when it comes to energy consumption and efficiency.” The process of gaining the certificate involved the whole of the Girona-based facility, with the production zone, offices, storehouses and all processes assessed. During the audit, different simulations were done to see what consumptions are the most important in the plant’s processes, giving an opportunity to identify improvement measures to increase efficiency. Successful audit This analysis was followed by an evaluat ion, wi th a str ict process of documentation, checks and improvements implemented on the actual plant system. Only once this was complete, the audit from the certification body could be granted. Mora adds, “Everybody is involved in this process; we all use energy, so everybody must know that they can contribute to reducing the energy consumption, from switching off the lights, changing the climatisation of the different areas, reaching more efficient production procedures or implementing new controls or even changing some equipment for new ones. To reach new goals, we all have to participate!” www.retalgroup.com
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