No.7+8 2024 www.petpla.net D 51178; ISSN: 1438-9452 29 . 07 . 24 M A G A Z I N E F O R B O T T L E R S A N D B O T T L E - M A K E R S I N T H E A M E R I C A S , A S I A , E U R O P E A N D A L L A R O U N D T H E P L A N E T PETplanet is read in 159 countries MARKETsurvey Suppliers of 2-stage SBM machinery Page 27 EDITOUR Recycling Page 12 Page 10
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No.7+8 2024 www.petpla.net D 51178; ISSN: 1438-9452 29 . 07 . 24 M A G A Z I N E F O R B O T T L E R S A N D B O T T L E - M A K E R S I N T H E A M E R I C A S , A S I A , E U R O P E A N D A L L A R O U N D T H E P L A N E T PETplanet is read in 159 countries MARKETsurvey Suppliers of 2-stage SBM machinery Page 27 EDITOUR Recycling Page 12 Page 10
Crystal ThumpUp Our extended SportCaps range Biarritz NEW In sport, you never settle for less. That’s why we strive for the perfect closures, also when it comes to sustainability. Many closures, such as Biarritz and Monet, are made from a single material, making them easy to recycle. In addition, our sport closures are easy to handle, have integrated tamper evidence solutions and are suitable for cold, dry, or wet aseptic filling. So take the leap – and opt for more sustainability. NEW Monet Visit us at FACHPACK Hall 6, Booth 6-151 Contact us and arrange your line trials now! www.bericap.com New mono-material caps for optimized recyclability Going the extra mile for you
imprint EDITORIAL PUBLISHER Alexander Büchler, Managing Director HEAD OFFICE heidelberg business media GmbH Hubweg 15 74939 Zuzenhausen, Germany phone: +49 6221-65108-0 info@petpla.net EDITORIAL Kay Barton Heike Fischer Gabriele Kosmehl Michael Maruschke Ruari McCallion Anthony Withers Editorial & WikiPETia. info petplanet@petpla.net MEDIA CONSULTANTS Martina Hirschmann hirschmann@petpla.net Johann Lange-Brock lange-brock@petpla.net phone: +49 6221-65108-0 LAYOUT AND PREPRESS EXPRIM Werbeagentur Matthias Gaumann www.exprim.de READER SERVICES reader@petpla.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. 25 No. 07+08/24 www.petpla.net Collecting PET bottles can sometimes be a highly emotive issue. Dr Yusuf Nughraha, founder and owner of the Harapan Sehat Clinic in the small town of Cianjur, Indonesia, wishes to rid the world of plastic waste. For the 44-year old, health and the protection of the natural environment are inextricably linked and he wants to connect with poorer people in particular. Environmental protection programmes are often highly complex, which a lot of people find difficult to understand. “That is why I came up with the idea of using plastic bottles as a means of payment.” Poorer people feel confident to come to him and he is keen to help. He offers the poorest of the poor a free examination for every ten PET bottles collected. His aim is to create an understanding among the population of environmental protection, recycling and waste separation issues. Since the closure of their only landfill site, waste ends up in rivers or is burnt in front gardens, with no rubbish collection service. In the early years, he had to put his own money into the scheme to enable the clinic to continue with its work. Today, patients are able to offset payment for the cost of approximately 30-40 daily examinations by producing vouchers, which recycling dealers provide for every ten bottles collected, for their treatment. The people’s gratitude is overwhelming – watching the video brought tears to my eyes. But it is not only in the clinic that he campaigns for the need to protect the environment. He visits a school every month and talks to the pupils, explaining to the younger ones that bags and packaging simply do not belong in the environment, while he speaks to the older children about clean drinking water. This cannot be taken for granted in Indonesia which is why so many people here buy plastic bottles. Water has to be boiled or drawn from drinking water fountains. The doctor also explains to the pupils where they can start to reduce waste. With his tireless dedication to health and environmental protection, Dr Yusuf Nughraha has clearly shown how innovative ideas and personal commitment can improve the lives of so many people. His initiative, in which PET bottles are used as a means of payment for medical treatment, is not only a step towards a cleaner environment but also a significant contribution to supporting the poorest in society. Through his work, he not only inspires the inhabitants of his small town but also sets an important example for the global community: every single contribution to prevent waste and to recycle counts. Yours, Alexander Büchler Dear readers, PET bottles at the doctor’s
PETcontents 4 PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 07+08/24 www.petpla.net 07+08/2024 EDITOUR 10 From 0 to 100 - Two Saudi water brands take off MATERIALS / RECYCLING 12 Chemical innovation supports growing rPET demand 14 PET tray packaging recycling - The CircuTray-UP project 16 Colour correction in rPET preforms 17 PET to monomer via glycolysis reaction 18 Closed-loop recycling of HDPE - Pellets for food contact 19 Additives and colour management solutions for recycled polymers CAPS & CLOSURES 21 The tethered cap story - A blessing and a curse at the same time? 24 Implementation insights - Solving tethered closure challenges 25 Ultralight neck finish debut - Sipa launches high-performance GME 30.40 LW neck finish MARKET SURVEY 27 Suppliers of 2-stage SBM machinery EVENT REVIEW 30 NPE review - part 2 37 Linear blow moulder in a compact design 38 Flexible material drying and dosing systems 39 Cutter-compactor-extruder combination 40 Review on Plastics Recycling Show Europe, PRSE Amsterdam, NL OUTER PLANET 54 Listen to Moon Music - The Ocean Cleanup & Coldplay announced LP made using recycled river plastic BUYER’S GUIDE 48 Get listed! INSIDE TRACK 3 Editorial 4 Contents 6 News 20 Recycling products 47 Patents RECYCLING Page 18 Page 24 Page 40 EDITOUR
yellow.agency T OTA LLY SW I S S. A FAMILY OWNED SWISS COMPANY. OUR INJEC T ION MOULDS FOR PE T, PAC AND MED FEATURE CRAF TSMANSHIP THAT IS UNIQUELY SWISS . OT TO-HOFSTE T TER. SWISS
PETnews 6 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 07+08/24 www.petpla.net New system concept for the production of large-volume containers Otto Systems hosted an open house event in Switzerland in midJune. Around one hundred international experts took part in the event to visit the Otto Systems Tech Centre and Otto Hofstetter’s production facilities. The hosts from Uznach presented two systems in the new Techcenter. Firstly, the PET-Series 240 3100-SP-100, which was introduced at Drinktec 2022, was shown. Secondly, the HOD-Series 160 EXT 4100TSU-100 with extended external toggles was presented to the public for the first time. This system processed Indorama Polyclear T94N on eight cavities into 330g preforms. The cycle time was 36 seconds, resulting in an output of 800 preforms per hour. The well-known 240 series was equipped with a 96-cavity mould that had cavities for a 9.8 g preform with a 26/22 neck. The cycle time here was 5.48 seconds, resulting in a production rate of 63,000 preforms per hour. The Techcenter is designed for four generously positioned systems. A central material handling system from Eisbär supplies the injection moulding machines. Thanks to this system, various PET materials as well as blends of rPET and virgin PET can be processed. As is usual at Otto Systems, the injection moulding machines come from partner BMB. The handling system is developed and built in-house. www.otto-systems.com The first PEF World Congress PEF (polyethylene furanoate) is a novel polyester, produced from 100% plant-based raw materials. It is recyclable and is regarded as a packaging material of the future, particularly in the food and beverage sector but also for textiles and more. That is why the trade magazine Renewable Carbon Plastics (previously knowns as bioplastics magazine), together with PEFerence is now organising the 1st PEF World Congress. The global conference will be held on October 30 & 31, 2024 in Düsseldorf, Germany (or online = hybrid event). It offers high-class presentations from top individuals in the industry from the complete value chain. The event will cover HMF, FDCA, and PEF, as well as applications and end-of-life solutions. There will also be excellent networking opportunities along with a table-top exhibition. Often compared to PET due to their similar chemistry, both polyesters are produced from the monomers ethylene glycol (MEG) and an aromatic diacid-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) for PEF and terephthalic acid for PET. Despite this similarity, PEF’s small molecular difference results in several distinct properties. PEF is claimed to have a 50% lower carbon footprint compared to PET and better barrier properties against oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water, which ensures a longer shelf life for packaged products. Additionally, PEF exhibits a lower melting temperature and a higher glass transition temperature than PET. Another advantage of PEF is its higher mechanical strength. PEF can be processed using the same equipment and methods as PET, and its recycling process is identical. Furthermore, PEF is versatile and can be used for stretch blow moulding of bottles, as well as for producing fibres, films, and even biaxially oriented (BOPEF) film. PETplanet Insider is the premium media partner of the PEF World Congress. www.pef-world-congress.com Blow Moulding 2024 International Conference, exhibition & networking event The 8th edition of the Blow Moulding Conference and exhibition will take place from December 9-11, 2024 in Brussels, Belgium. The conference brings together the entire supply chain – from brand owners to raw materials and additives, recyclers and sustainability experts as well as the regulatory authority. Presentations include market reviews and general trends as well as sessions on innovations in stretch blow moulding (Session 1), recycling, sustainability, circularity (Session 2) and advances in extrusion blow moulding (Session 3) and features keynote presentations from Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Suntory, Asevi Home Brands & Searious Business, L’Oréal, Carrefour, Bayer, Henkel, Nestlé Waters & Leibniz Institute and the European Commission. Blow Moulding 2024 is organised by Nortal Consulting, a business consultancy specialising in the polymers and plastics industry. The conference will be chaired by Mr. Noru Tsalic, a polymers and plastics industry professional with broad expertise and experience. The full conference agenda can be found at www.blow-moulding.com The guests had the new HOD-Series 160 EXT 4100-TSU-100 explained to them.
7 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 Krones Recycling is spun off as an independent subsidiary company With 25 years’ experience in the field of recycling, Krones has now taken the decision to pool its recycling expertise in the independent subsidiary Krones Recycling GmbH from July 2024. A logical step, as Krones CEO Christoph Klenk explains: “The spin-off will enable Krones Recycling to develop faster and in line with market requirements. Because in line with our claim ‘Solutions beyond tomorrow’, this division makes a decisive contribution to protecting the environment by returning plastic waste to the value-added cycle.” In addition, thanks to leaner processes and structures, the new company will be able to respond more quickly to changes in the constantly changing recycling market, says Michael Gotsche, Managing Director of Krones Recycling GmbH: “The newly founded company offers us the necessary flexibility and scope for action to be able to implement decisions in a customer-oriented, fast and optimised manner.” A large number of plastics such as PET, PE, PP and PS are already being processed on Krones Recycling’s lines worldwide. “Our vision is to make a daily contribution to a global circular economy for all plastics by offering our customers sustainable and profitable recycling solutions,” says Michael Gotsche, describing the overarching business objective. Consequently, Krones Recycling will continue to conduct intensive research into new innovations at its in-house Recycling Technology Centre. There, tests on the recyclability of various plastics, including adhesives and colours, can also be carried out under real conditions on behalf of customers. www.krones.com CREATING FUTURE STANDARDS Japan’s leading Aseptic PET Filling System Provider. Our website Our solution high quality reliable technology safe & secure
8 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 07+08/24 www.petpla.net Husky founder Robert Schad passes away Robert Schad, the founder of Husky Injection Molding Systems and one of the most famous entrepreneurs in Canadian plastics history, died in Toronto on July 11 at age 95. Born in Karlsruhe, Germany in 1928, Schad trained as a tool and die maker and then emigrated to Canada in 1951, arriving with $25 in his pocket and a letter of reference from family friendAlbert Einstein. He founded Husky in rented space in an Esso garage in Toronto in 1953, and the company originally built the Huskymobile snowmobile. The commercial interest in this product was limited, however – it was considered too heavy to skim over the snow – causing the business focus to change from snowmobile manufacturing to toolmaking, making tools, dies, and fixtures for others. Husky Moulds got its first piece of business when Amalgamated Electric Corp. placed an order for an electrical component mould. By 1957, Schad had moved Husky into a 12,000-square-foot facility, where it produced moulds and dies for high-production applications. Schad thought that moulding machines of the time were too slow to run his moulds at their full potential, so he designed and built his own high-speed injection moulding machine. The company had found its niche and grew rapidly, being renamed as Husky Injection Molding Systems, and supplying high-speed moulding machinery to customers in more than 100 countries from its headquarters in Bolton, Ontario. Under Schad’s guidance, Husky became one of plastics’ most dominant injection moulding machine makers, especially in the PET preform and closures market, with manufacturing plants in Canada, the U.S., Luxembourg, and China. The company eventually grew to have sales of $1 billion, 3,350 employees, and 1,600 patents. Schad also founded Husky’s hot runner division in Milton, Vt., which became an industry leader in hot runners for highcavitation injection moulds. “Robert’s leadership and foresight were instrumental in setting new standards for quality and efficiency in plastics manufacturing,” Husky’s vice president Wassim F. Labban said in a LinkedIn post. “His dedication to sustainable practices set the stage for an environmentally responsible manufacturing, long before sustainability became a global imperative. His approach based on value and customer engagement set new benchmarks in building global brand success and recognition.” Schad retired from Husky in 2005 and sold the company in 2007 but wasn’t done with the industry yet – in 2008, on the cusp of turning 80, he founded injection moulding machine maker Athena Automation, in Vaughan, Ont. Athena developed a rugged, accurate, and flexible two-platen machine platform, and then changed its name to Niigon Machines Ltd. in 2018. But the company struggled during the Covid-19 pandemic and went out of business in 2021. For his contributions to the plastics sector, Schad was inducted into the Plastics Hall of Fame in 2006 – the first Canadian to receive the honour. He also received a LifetimeAchievement Award from The Plastics Academy in 2003, and was named to the Order of Canada in 2010. “We mourn the loss of Robert. Aman who taught us that a quick decision is often better than no decision at all - this lesson remains in our hearts.” - Alexander Büchler, Publisher PETplanet Insider Schad was also a noted philanthropist, donating some $200 million to various initiatives over the course of his lifetime. He also created the Schad Foundation in 1987, which supports projects focused on solutions to environmental problems; founded Earth Rangers, a wildlife refuge and outdoor education interpretive centre for children; and was a major benefactor for the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and Schad Clinic. www.canplastics.com www.plasticshof.org www.schadfoundation.com
9 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 07+08/24 www.petpla.net Bericap opens new production facilities in Africa, South America and South East Asia Bericap is continuing its geographical expansion with new production facilities in Africa, South America and South East Asia. The closure specialist has opened new plants in Nairobi (Kenya) and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) and acquired production facilities in Lima (Peru) and Durban (South Africa). The company now operates 30 production sites in 25 countries to be close to its customers in terms of project support, logistics and services. New production facility in Kenya Kenya is the driving force of economic growth in East Africa and it plays an essential role in a regional supply context. The new 3,500 m² facility in Nairobi/Kenya makes the localisation of the commercial business that has been built up over the last eight years possible. Especially closures for the lubricant industry and for food and beverage manufacturers are produced there. Bericap exports closures manufactured at the Nairobi facility to ten African countries. Operations in South Africa The company has recently invested in another plant in Africa and now has also operations in SouthAfrica. The closure business that Bericap acquired was a division of Nampak, a company with which Bericap has had a technological partnership since 1998 for the SouthAfrican market. The production facility in Durban started trading as Bericap South Africa (PTY) LTD in March 2024. Bericap SouthAfrica will be marketing the company’s entire closure portfolio, as well as the locally manufactured closures, in SouthAfrica and neighbouring countries. Production site in Peru Peru is Bericap’s fourth production site in Latin America and allows good access also to Bolivia, the northern part of Chile and Ecuador with a total of around 60 million consumers. Major companies in Peru have signalised their interest in having a closure specialist with explicit research and development expertise in the region. This prompted Bericap to acquire a 5,000m² production facility in Lima with 50 employees. The Bericap team in Peru is supported by the teams at Bericap do Brazil and Bericap Argentina. Plant in Vietnam In September 2023, Bericap chose Vietnam as another base in the prospering region of South East Asia and set up a production site there. This investment is a reflection of the region’s excellent market potential for modern closure solutions in the sectors of beverage and dairy products, food and chemical products. Production commenced in mid-October and the plant has passed all mandatory external audits. “Tamper-evident closure solutions are particularly relevant for manufacturers in the Vietnamese market who are keen to protect themselves against product piracy. Bericap has the right solutions for these manufacturers, and the fact that they are also easy to use and therefore consumerfriendly explains why they are very much in demand,” said Swee Heng Lee, Managing Director of Bericap Vietnam. www.bericap.com
EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 07+08/24 www.petpla.net 10 From 0 to 100 - Two Saudi water brands take off by Kay Barton Two water brands are virtually omnipresent in Saudi Arabia: Oska and Ival. The company behind them is Pure Beverages Industry Company, which bottles the brands in two production facilities. One of these bottling plants is located in Al-Kharj Industrial City, around 130 km south of Riyadh, near the town of Al Kharj. And although you can’t go past almost any supermarket today without coming across the water brands, the company is still very young and the brands have only been on the shelves since 2021. We asked what has led to this rapid success and met with Mr Shibin Kungaran, the Plant Manager at the Al-Kharj plant. EDITOUR Meeting with Pure Beverages Industry Company February 28, 2024 We met: Mr Shibin Kungaran, Plant Manager Al Kharj Plant Mr Shibin Kungaran welcomed us into the beautiful foyer of the bottling plant, where there is a showroom shelf displaying the various bottle formats and materials, PET and glass, and a large flat screen providing information about the production of Oska and Ival with insights into the bottling process. Shortly afterwards, we sat in a bright and very open-looking office with glass walls opposite the man who ensures that the production process runs smoothly. Mr Kungaran comes from India, holds a master’s degree in microbiology and has already worked there for a water bottler, as well as seven years for Coca-Cola Aujan in Saudi Arabia. He has been part of the team here for two years, basically since the plant was built, first as Plant Supervisor, then as Production Manager and in his current position since December 2023. Pure Beverages is part of the investment company Ajlan & Bros Group, which conceived the idea of bottling water in 2017 and began building the first plant in 2019. Mr Kungaran explained: “Here in Al-Kharj, we went live in 2021, starting with two lines and then adding a third, all PET lines. In our other plant in Jeddah, which we launched in 2022, we fill with two PET lines and an additional glass line for premium hotel and catering areas. We chose Krones as our supplier for both plants because we believe they offer the best service.” The total of five PET lines at both sites consist of four Ergobloc L and one Contiform Bloc. The glass line in Jeddah is also from Krones, as are the water treatment systems. “Here at the plant, we process around 700,000m3 of water a year. That corresponds to around 30 million cases with 40 bottles each in 2023. 420,000m3 of water is used in Jeddah and we had 23.5 million cases there in 2023. Oska and Ival are bottled in volumes of 200ml, 330ml, 600ml and 1.5 l. “The so-called drop bottle with 200ml also exists,” says Mr Kungaran. As the company does not have its own wells, the water comes from five different suppliers who extract it from wells and the municipal water supply and deliver it pre-treated to Pure Beverages. The company’s growth since it was founded has been remarkable. It started with 1.6 million cases in 2021, rising to 21 million in Riyadh in 2022 and 29.9 million together with the recently launched Jeddah plant. “We expect 83 million cases in 2024, 46 million of which will be here in Riyadh.” According to the company, this puts it among the top four water bottlers in the country, alongside Nova Water, Safa (Makkah Water) and Aquafina (Coca-Cola). 92 people are currently employed at the Al-Kharj site. www.purebeverages.com Plant Manager Shibin Kungaran with his two brands Oska and Ival Oska production Shibin Kungaran in front of the Krones Contiform
EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 07+08/24 www.petpla.net 11
MATERIALS / RECYCLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 07+08/24 www.petpla.net 12 Chemical innovation supports growing rPET demand The growth in rPET usage is driven by a heady combination of legislation and consumer demand. The global rPET market was valued at USD 13159.36m in 2022 and is expected to see a nearly 7% CAGR, bringing it to USD 19736.88m by 2028. This, together with the recent study that shows 49% of consumers ‘feel better when they buy products with recycled packaging’, helps to explain why the upward trend for rPET usage shows no sign of slowing down. RECYCLING European Commission legislation on the requirements for recycled plastic materials for food contact is defined in EU 2022/1616. The aim of this regulation is to increase the use of recycled materials, which of course is influencing the demand for rPET for converters and packaging manufacturers, particularly in the food and beverage industries. The requirements from the EU state that 100% of plastic packaging must be recyclable by 2029, including PET packaging in separate collections, broken down into 77% by 2025 and 90% by 2030. Furthermore, PET packaging must contain 25% post-consumer recycled plastic content from 2025. However, the one potential pitfall is the unstable availability of rPET. Just because consumers want it and legislation says we must use it, doesn’t mean the industry can always get it in huge volumes. The challenge of a strong demand for rPET is showing in a lack of availability, with reliability of supply proving difficult for converters, producers and brands alike. PET resin and polyols producer Neo Group, founded in Lithuania in 2004, is proudly addressing this supply reliability issue while helping to close the loop for a circular economy. Its patented process, developed in-house by skilled chemical technologists, has created Neo PET Cycle. Food grade rPET availability Neo PET Cycle is a PET resin which includes up to 30% of rPET integrated directly into the virgin PET, so converters can use one product instead of two, while still meeting legislative requirements. Justina Volcek, PET Purchase Manager at Retal Group, explains, “They created Neo PET Cycle using a type of gentle glycolysis process and the result is a food contact grade resin that’s available at industrial volumes. With the partial replacement of fossil-based raw materials with liquified and purified rPET flakes, Neo PET Cycle supports Retal in meeting our environmental goals, as well as enabling our customers – the global brand owners of food and beverage products – to stay in line with both the EU legislation and the wishes of their consumers.” These environmental advantages include a reduction of plastic pollution, lower CO2 emissions due to the lower carbon footprint of rPET as compared to virgin PET, while reducing dependence on oil reserves. The strict filtration technology used in the Neo PET Cycle production process purifies depolymerised PET flakes from contaminants, ensuring a stable colour, intrinsic viscosity and melting point, stated Retal. With Neo Group a sister company to the multinational plastic packaging producer Retal, specialises in preforms, closures and films for the food and beverage industry, the family connection allows for a preferred supply of Neo PET Cycle, helping to overcome the challenges of rPET supply for its customers. The production process of Neo PET Cycle is based on a depolymerisation process using feedstock from postconsumer PET food packaging collections. Volcek explains, “The production consists of two raw material streams: standard raw materials and rPET flakes; Neo Group’s patented technology is a glycolysis process, chosen because it is the most efficient form of non-catalysed depolymerisation. Additionally, in Neo Group, they have a long experience in glycolysis processes producing their second product - aromatic polyester polyols - since 2011.” The technology and quality management system allow integration of flakes directly before the polymerisation stage of PET resin production, which enables part replacement of raw materials without affecting food contact approvals from state authorities for the final product. A senior Neo Group representative concludes, “We can keep control over the consistent product quality in the spherical shape of the resins, just as we can with our standard virgin Neo PET, which means that there’s no need for any changes in converters’, like Retal’s, processes. Neo PET Cycle allows customers to meet environmental legislation without any additional hassle.” www.retalgroup.com
MATERIALS / RECYCLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 07+08/24 www.petpla.net 13 Working with us bears a risk RI VWDUWLQJ D ORQJ WHUP SURƓWDEOH UHODWLRQVKLS IRU \HDUV yellow.agency Swiss-engineered Preform Systems At Otto Systems we focus on solutions for special applications in PET preform production. We provide you with the most economical answers to your needs. Our unique system concept is based on smart modularity, proven performance, IXOO LQWHJUDWLRQ DQG PD[LPXP ŴH[LELOLW\ )URP LGHD WR RSHUDWLRQ 2WWR 6\VWHPV JLYHV \RX D GHFLVLYH FRPSHWLWLYH HGJH with your satisfaction as our guiding principle. Jump-start your PET preform production with us. otto-systems.com
MATERIALS / RECYCLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 07+08/24 www.petpla.net 14 The CircuTray-UP project PET tray packaging recycling Although PET packaging is produced in large quantities and is one of the most common types of modified atmosphere packaging, it is rarely if ever recycled. Despite the established state of the art in sorting non-bottled PET packaging, the most common processing route for such packaging ends in incineration. The CircuTray-UP project, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the Plastics Recycling Technologies (KuRT) initiative, aims to close the loop for PET trays by establishing a value chain from innovative recycling strategies to the production of rPET-based tray packaging. RECYCLING The field of packaging structures encompasses a wide range of plastics, with PET being one of the most commonly used plastics for flexible food packaging after polyolefins such as PE. PET tray packaging with a production volume of 1,070 kt/a including PET film in the EU27+3 in 2022 [PET Market in Europe. State of Play. Production, collection & recycling data 2022], is used both for simple items such as fruit and vegetables and for more challenging items such as meat and cheese, which require modified atmosphere packaging. While only single-layer structures are required for low-value items, high-value items in modified atmosphere packaging usually require a multi-layer structure containing PE, EVOH, PA and adhesives. Such a conglomerate of plastics poses a problem for conventional mechanical recycling, as different processing conditions are required and the polymers do not dissolve into each other. While multi-layer structures are an obvious problem for mechanical recycling, single-layer PET is a problem in itself. The mechanical and thermal properties of PET used for trays, such as different melt viscosities, melting temperatures and intrinsic viscosities, differ significantly from bottle PET, resulting in limited compatibility with the well-established bottle PET recycling. In Germany, PET-based plastics are collected by the Dual Systems Germany (DSD) and sorted accordingly into waste fractions of non-food PET bottles and trays with different compositions and a majority tray fraction containing both single and multilayer structures. While the mixed PET fractions are partially recycled and mainly used in low-value applications, the majority tray fraction often ends up in plants for energy recovery. Pressure from legislator According to the latest revision of the European Plastic Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), touchsensitive packaging with PET as the main polymer, including food contact packaging, must contain at least 30 per cent recycled material by weight in 2030 and at least 50 per cent by weight in 2040. In addition, at least 70% of the packaging must be recyclable. None of the proposed minimum values can currently be achieved on an industrial scale. As the PPWR is on its way into legislation, a solution to this waste problem must be found soon, otherwise this type of packaging will have to be replaced by more recyclable packaging. Several market players have already partially addressed the problem, but not sufficiently solved it. Some have tried to take the delamination route (Repetco Spain, Linpac Packaging Ltd), others have addressed the issue of adhesives (BASF), while others have chosen the mechanical recycling route for monolayer structures only (Klöckner Pentaplast). In 2022, the recycling capacity for PET trays was 57kt/a, with the Netherlands, Spain and France contributing the most. [PET market in Europe. State of Play. Data on production, collection and recycling 2022] Advancing the recyclability one step at a time The CircuTray-UP project, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the Plastics Recycling Technology Initiative (KuRT), addresses the entire value chain by looking at sorting, waste processing, advanced recycling processes, film processing and packaging production in order to close the loop for PET trays. The strategic partners of the project committee, led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV in Freising, are ZWS Recycling GmbH, Unisensor Sensorsysteme GmbH, Lömi GmbH, Reifenhäuser GmbH & Co. KG, Silverplastics GmbH and Öko-Institut e.V. Fig. 1: Flow chart for PET tray recycling loop
MATERIALS / RECYCLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 07+08/24 www.petpla.net 15 With the technologies available, a recycling cycle from waste to food packaging is to be established. The aim is to provide tray packaging produced from recycled single and multilayer PET trays as early as 2026, which will replace today’s PET trays when they are ready for the market (Fig. 1). Municipal plastic waste is sorted using near-infrared sensors in the recycling centres. This results in waste fractions 328-1 to 328-5, which are heavily enriched with PET, the latter consisting mainly of PET trays. This waste is usually cut into flakes and washed for further processing. This task is tackled by ZWS Recycling. Due to the higher stiffness and brittleness of PET trays compared to PET from bottles, a large amount of fines accumulate during washing, which are often of limited use for further processing. A reduction in fines is to be achieved by developing suitable washing technologies with a design optimised to minimise material breakage. With Unisensor’s flake-based sorting technology, the flakes are sorted into a high-purity single-layer PET fraction and a multi-layer PET fraction, both of which are ready for further processing by mechanical and solvent-based recycling. The Fraunhofer IVV’s solventbased recycling aims to selectively remove the non-PET components from the multi-layer flakes to produce pure PET flakes. Previous projects have already demonstrated the applicability of such a process for mixed plastics. In an earlier project, PET flakes were obtained that are suitable for the production of films. With this film, it was also possible to produce three-dimensional trays using a thermoforming process (Fig. 2). This solvent-based recycling process, which is currently being carried out on a small technical scale, is to be scaled up to the size of a pilot plant in order to gain deeper insights for further scaling up to an industrial scale. At the same time, packaging orientated to the “Design for Recycling” guidelines is being developed that can contain a recycled content that exceeds the prescribed minimum. Such a design requires functional barrier technologies to ensure that there is no contact between the product and the rPET, as required by European legislation and necessary for modified atmosphere packaging. Suitable functional barrier technologies that prevent the migration of substances from rPET into the product during the typical storage period have already been identified and investigated prior to this project. Of the functional barrier technologies investigated, coextruded virgin PET film, PET lacquer, laminated virgin PET film and SiOx coating, both laminated virgin PET film and SiOx coating offer similar performance, although only laminated PET film can be thermoformed after application. Usually PE and EVOH are used for such barriers, but to make this packaging mechanically recyclable, a laminated PET film is chosen as the functional barrier. After washing and processing, processed and purified mono- and multilayer waste PET fractions are to be turned back into a film consisting of a sandwich structure with at least one laminated PET virgin material layer for food contact. Once Reifenhäuser has obtained the films, silverplastics will thermoform them into new trays, which can be tested on existing packaging lines. In order to prove suitability for food contact, the recyclate is analysed for non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) and the barrier is tested using a migration test in order to collect data for modelling potential storage durations. In order to demonstrate the ecological viability of the recycling chain, the processing chain is analysed and evaluated by the Öko-Institut using a life cycle assessment, whereby the recycling scheme competes with incineration with energy recovery and the production of new, modern virgin PET trays. A use case with a recyclate content of 66 per cent by weight and at least one additional life cycle is assumed. In addition, the production of the developed packaging is evaluated from an economic point of view. As the status of recycling technologies for PET trays poses a significant problem for the entire value chain involved with PET trays, cooperation is welcome. Quarterly meetings are planned for all those involved in the PET tray value chain. www.ivv.fraunhofer.de Fig. 2: From PET tray flakes to new PET trays by solvent based recycling
MATERIALS / RECYCLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 07+08/24 www.petpla.net 16 Colour correction in rPET preforms Intravis has announced a collaboration with Husky Technologies that integrates Intravis’ preform monitoring system, PreMon, with Husky’s HyPET6e platform. This collaboration was demonstrated at the NPE trade show in May 2024 and introduces a closed-loop application for rPET preform production that improves and enables circular economy. Closed-loop technology At the heart of this collaboration is the closed-loop application, which focuses on colour correction in rPET preform production. The solution is claimed to provide automatic colour adjustment to reduce colour variability in PET preforms made from recycled content. By using an OPC UA interface for communication, the PreMon and the Husky HyPET6e system work in tandem to monitor and adjust colour values in real-time. According to the companies, this integration ensures fast feedback and immediate corrections, with masterbatch automatically added to immediately address any significant yellowing of the preforms. The fast response capability aims for consistent quality and minimises waste, enhancing overall production efficiency without the need for operator intervention, said Intravis. Driving circular economy with rPET bottle production At NPE, the production of a lightweight preform made entirely from 100% rPET was presented to be blown into a 595ml bottle. Weighing 5.89 g, the preform supports the circular economy using recycled materials without compromising performance. The HyPET 400 HPP6e system was equipped with a 144-cavity, 45-pitch mould running at a cycle time of 4.5 s, achieving a production speed of around 120,000 preforms per hour. The companies said that both the HyPET6e system and the PreMon can handle this rapid pace, ensuring seamless integration and continuous, high-quality output. Detailed quality monitoring beyond colour In addition to colour inspection, the PreMon provides comprehensive monitoring of several other critical quality characteristics in rPET preform production. The colour inspection evaluates L*a*b* values, colour intensity, colour deviation, and yellowness effect. The monitoring system includes long gate inspection to detect any overlength at the injection point, which can affect the finish of the final product. Furthermore, it inspects the preform body for contaminations such as black spots and contrasting impurities, which can compromise the structural integrity and appearance. The sealing surface undergoes two distinct inspections: one to detect short shots, ensuring that the preform mouth is properly formed, and another to identify any defects that could affect the sealing surface and usability of the final bottle. www.intravis.com www.husky.co PreMon integrated directly behind the HyPET6e system on a small footprint RECYCLING
MATERIALS / RECYCLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 07+08/24 www.petpla.net 17 PET to monomer via glycolysis reaction While plastic is an integral and indispensable part of modern life, traditional waste management methods, such as landfilling and incineration, are not sustainable solutions. As the demand for sustainable packaging solutions increases, the use of rPET has become a key focus area for industry. Recycling is overwhelmingly effected by either mechanical or chemical processes. Köksan has patented a chemical recycling process that the company describes as “the most advanced and energy efficient”. The chemical process method of depolymerisation breaks down plastic polymers into their basic monomeric building blocks that can then be used to create new plastic products or other useful chemicals. This process consists of collection and sorting, cleaning and preprocessing, chemical depolymerisation, purification, and repolymerisation. Köksan, the Turkish producer of PET resin, sheet, and PE closures, says that its patented chemical process of recycling PET to monomer (BHET) by glycolysis reaction is the most advanced and energy efficient technology. Depolymerisation can contribute to the circular economy by creating a closed-loop system for plastic production and consumption. Recycling plastic, particularly through advanced methods like depolymerisation, will reduce the carbon footprint associated with plastic production and disposal, says Köksan. It can be reused and repurposed, generating new economic opportunities and revenue streams, creating new jobs in the recycling and re-manufacturing industries, further boosting the economy. Advanced depolymerisation technologies have the potential to make plastic recycling more efficient and cost-effective. As they continue to evolve, the economic viability of plastic recycling can be enhanced, making it progressively a more attractive option for businesses and consumers alike. Köksan says that its patented process achieves high viscosity and lower than 1ppm AA level in resin. Without any SSP process, it is the most suitable technology for bottle grade application, according to the company. Its new plant will be the first of its kind for 100% rPET resin for all food grade applications. The process of recycling PET flakes through depolymerisation to BHET and subsequent threemicron microfiltration results in a resin that is comparable to virgin monomer, making it suitable for food-grade applications. The US$40 million investment in Köksan rPET plant is designed to produce up to 100% rPET content PET for food grade, textile grade, film grade and engineering applications. The plant has a capacity of 300 MTD bottle grade and 400 MTD for other grades. As of June 2024, Köksan has the capacity to produce about 240,000 metric t/a of plastic bottles and recycle 72,000 t of it. The chemical recycling project’s 110,000 t of capacity will bring the total recycling capacity to 182,000 t, which is 75% of its plastic bottle production. The recycled plastic bottles are also, themselves, recyclable. Köksan’s plastic recycling investment is set to generate more than US$ 200 million annually. www.koksan.com RECYCLING
Omnimax recycling system with upstream single screw MATERIALS / RECYCLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 07+08/24 www.petpla.net 18 Pellets for food contact Closed-loop recycling of HDPE High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is widely used in the manufacture of bottles, pipes and containers because of its strength and rigidity, but also in personal care products, detergents and industrial fluids because of its durability. Another major application is the manufacture of bottle caps and milk bottles. A recycle stream already exists due to changes in deposit regulations and the attachment of bottle caps to the bottle. The caps go through the same washing systems as PET, are then separated in the float-sink tank and can be further processed. As a result, they meet the high-quality requirements for bottle flakes. When treated with the Gneuss “Super Clean Process”, the company says, the regrind can be reprocessed back into bottle caps, thus closing the recycling loop. The Gneuss Omnimax recycling system, integral to this process, has undergone multiple challenge tests and has several food contact approvals and letters of no objections (LNO.) The technology does not require any upstream or downstream process steps. This is of great importance for polyethylene, as it can only be treated in other processes at very low temperatures and requires long residence times due to the slow diffusion processes involved. The Omnimax purifies the polymer through degassing using an MRSpure extruder and a robust vacuum system to remove volatile contaminants. The Multi Rotation System (MRS), preceded by a melt extruder, optimises plasticising and degassing / deodorising / decontamination steps individually. Downstream of the melt extruder, the RSFgenius filtration system removes hard contaminants through ultra-fine filtration. Its fully automatic operation with guaranteed pressure and process consistency cleans the contaminated screens directly before they re-enter the melt channel, so that the screens can be automatically reused up to 400 times. Typical filtration finenesses in HDPE recycling are 125-300μm. In addition, for milk bottle recycling, the material can optionally be fed into the extruder via a 3C rotary feeder. The recycling system is claimed to provide great flexibility: the Omnimax system compensates automatically for variations in the plastic waste to be processed in terms of moisture, contamination, viscosity, bulk density, etc. by adjusting the process para-meters so that material of consistently high quality can be produced, says Gneuss. Material changes, e.g. for batch changes, are possible within minutes due to the short residence time, so that the flexibility requirements of a new recycling plant are met, and production interruptions can be reduced to a minimum. This feature is claimed to make the Omnimax recycling system cost-effective, especially in applications where food contact or odour reduction is required. www.gneuss.com RECYCLING Regrind from HDPE bottle caps Results of the HDPE challenge tests, submitted 2024
MATERIALS / RECYCLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 07+08/24 www.petpla.net 19 Additives and colour management solutions for recycled polymers based on an article by Lucia Buffoni, Marketing Manager Repi Group At the NPE, Repi showcased their latest advancements in additives and colour management solutions tailored for thermoplastic polymers. Their range of additives, which facilitate the inclusion of increasing percentages of recycled polymers in final products, garnered substantial interest. The portfolio includes aesthetics additives that correct off-shade raw materials such as toners, anti-oxidants or heat stabilisers, as well as performance aids such as intrinsic viscosity enhancers that make the recycled material mechanically valid for its purpose. The company says that their anti yellow, optical brighteners and IV enhancers have represented over the years a valid aid to rPET recyclers and packaging converters. Such additives can be used at different stages of the rPET value chain, e.g., from recycling up to preform or tray manufacturing with no impact on processes, thus offering maximum flexibility even when there are variations in batches. The increasing demand for recycled percentages and the scarcity of food grade rPET flakes are presenting challenges related to quality and colour consistency between one batch and another. What both recyclers and converters particularly struggle to manage is the drop of L* of CieLab numbers while respectively recycling and moulding or extruding the final packaging. While it is possible to correct offshade rPET pellets with custom-made formulations that act both on the a* and on the b*, the darkening of material (precisely the drop of L*) is very difficult to avoid. To address this, Repi introduced StabiPlus, a liquid additive that acts as a proactive stabiliser to prevent ageing and discolouration of rPET through multiple cycles. This additive can be used both at the recycling stage and directly by converters during packaging production. StabiPlus is claimed to preserve the intrinsic viscosity (IV) of rPET, maintaining its mechanical properties and broadening the sustainable use window of rPET. Repi also showcased its IV enhancers, linear chain extenders that prevent cross-linking and increase rPET IV by over 0.05dl/g. This enhancement is claimed to improve the top load performance of rPET bottles, making them comparable to those made from virgin PET. Performance of Repi’s IV enhancers at increasing dosage on rPET in extrusion moulding and in injection moulding Colour management system A highlight of Repi’s participation at the show was the introduction of their colour management system (CMS), developed in collaboration with Krauss Maffei. The CMS, integral to Repi’s core business of liquid colours and additives for thermoplastic polymers, is claimed to meet the growing need for control and correction in processes using recycled polymers. It has shown good results in PET and rPET sheet extrusion processes, where it monitors colour consistency and provides feedback to dosing units. The system offers remote control capabilities for immediate intervention by Repi’s technical engineers, working in both transmission and reflection modes to handle coloured and transparent sheets with transparent additives. The colour management system In a live simulation at the show, virgin PP transparent preforms were injection moulded. These were then sent to a shredder, directly connected to an extruder producing rPP granules that were coloured blue by three Repi dosing units. The blue granules were conveyed to an injection moulding machine producing bottle openers, made of 100% recycled plastics. In order to better simulate a real recycling closed loop, where the incoming material is often uneven in shade, a fourth Repi dosing unit was used to inject a “disturbing colour” into the extruder. The CMS worked to neutralise the off shade by varying the dosing of the three basic colours. This was possible thanks to a spectrophotometer that after reading the Lab* values of the resulting granules sent the correct input values to the three operating units that adjusted the dosage to the set tolerances. www.repi.com RECYCLING
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