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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. 04/24 www.petpla.net Dear readers, The switch from Netstal to Krones is now official. The purchase follows a series of acquisitions that Krones has made in recent years. Examples include Gernep in 2015 (labelling machines) and MHT in 2018 (preform moulds). What all these takeovers have in common is that the acquired companies continue to operate on the market under their own label, largely retaining their independence. Another thing they have in common is that none of the companies has a global market presence yet and they certainly still have a lot of potential for the future. With Netstal, Krones has brought a technological market leader into the group that also has enormous growth opportunities in the market. With the new PET-Line machine generation and its side entry in particular, Netstal now has a product that can hold its own with the top dog, Husky. The circle that Netstal has not been able to break out of in recent years was certainly its low market share, selling only a limited number of machines and thus not generating sufficient resources to offer a full after sales service worldwide. No full service, so no new machines, which brings us back to the low market share. Let’s see if Krones can break the cycle and take Netstal into another dimension with its global presence. Yours, Alexander Büchler
PETcontents 4 PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net 04/2024 EDITOUR 12 Visiting the drinking water department of the Sharjah government - PET bottle filling from the wells of Hamda region in Sharjah 14 Packaging with passion from Sharjah - Manufacturer from Thailand reaches for the stars 16 Food-grade rPET from Nigeria for Europe, North America and beyond - Plastic material distributor in Dubai fights against low-cost suppliers with quality promise PREFORM SPECIAL 18 Optimising PET preform handling 20 Influence of PET processing on preforms & bottles MATERIALS / RECYCLING 24 Plastic collected in coastal areas - The Prevented Ocean Plastic Programme 26 Differentiation in detail - AI-powered object recognition for sorting food-grade from non-food-grade plastics PACKAGING / PALLETISING 27 How the “Greenwashed out” trend will impact the beverage PET market BOTTLE MAKING 28 A classic reinterpreted - A distinctively eye-catching design and an unusual container type INSPECTION 30 Detecting contamination - Inspection and sorting of plastic pellets MARKET SURVEY 32 Suppliers of preform machinery EVENT PREVIEW 34 NPE 2024 preview - part 2 42 Set to boost product quality - Expansion of Vision1 model range & live demonstrations 44 Filling & packaging in a resource-saving way 45 Digital tools & AI - Sacmi will be highlighting human machine interaction based on new controls, digital tools & artificial intelligence 46 Dry ice cleaning solutions and the chance to win 47 Vision inspection solutions for plastic packaging 48 128 beverage caps every 1.9 seconds - Netstal’s Cap-Line system solution 50 Hot runner systems & more - Mold-Masters to present its latest systems EVENT REVIEW 51 2nd Icis Recycled Polymers Conference Asia BUYER’S GUIDE 56 Get listed! INSIDE TRACK 3 Editorial 4 Contents 6 News 22 Products 54 On site 55 Patents 62 Outer Planet PREFORMS Page 22 Page 12 EDITOUR Page 28
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PETnews 6 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net The And&Or Group acquires Icebel The industrial automation company And&Or, headquartered in Palomares del Río, Spain, announced the acquisition of Icebel, a leading Portuguese company specialising in machinery and technologies for the glass industry. This operation reflects the continued growth and expansion of the And&Or Group in the market, further solidifying its position as a leader in automation solutions for the industry. The acquisition of Icebel represents a key strategic step for the And&Or Group, as it combines its expertise in handling plastic packaging (PET, HDPE) with Icebel’s analogous experience in glass packaging. This is intended to complement the product and service portfolio of the And&Or Group, allowing both companies to leverage synergies and collaborate in creating comprehensive solutions for the industry. The integration is expected to enable the Group to offer a wider range of solutions, increasing its manufacturing capacity to address the growing demands of the market and provide greater value to its customers. “We are delighted to welcome Icebel to the And&Or family. This acquisition reflects our ongoing commitment to excellence and innovation in the field of industrial automation,” said Antonio Ortega Suarez, CEO of And&Or. “Together, we are better positioned to provide comprehensive and advanced solutions to our customers across Europe, strengthening our position as industry leaders.” Alfonso Cardeira, Managing Director of Icewbel, stated, “This integration into the And&Or Group is a great opportunity to drive the company’s growth and progression. We are focused on ensuring that our relationship with all stakeholders is strengthened with this acquisition.” Both companies will work together to ensure a smooth transition that benefits both employees and customers. It is expected that this acquisition will strengthen the Group’s international presence. www.andyor.com Eastman plans to invest in two additional molecular recycling plants Eastman announced it has achieved on-spec initial production and is generating revenue from its new molecular recycling facility in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. The company expects to ramp up production of the new facility over the coming months and enable growth across a wide range of markets. Achieving this critical milestone enables the company’s pathway to deliver approximately $75 million of incremental EBITDA in 2024 from this facility as it builds momentum in its circular economy platform. “By demonstrating molecular recycling at this scale, we have solidified our position as a leader in the creation of a circular economy. Demand for recycled material at virgin-quality levels from our new facility remains strong, and we are excited to announce this significant next milestone in our journey,” said Mark Costa, Board Chair and CEO. In addition to this recently completed facility in Kingsport, Eastman plans to invest in two additional molecular recycling plants, one in France and another U.S. site. The location of its second U.S. molecular recycling facility will be Longview, Texas. The selection of the Longview site was based on several factors, says Eastman, including existing infrastructure and operations synergies, favourable energy supply, access to feedstock pools in the western and central U.S., and ample space for renewable energy generation. The Longview facility will have the capacity to recycle approximately 110,000 metric tonnes of hard-to-recycle plastic waste. Eastman’s proven polyester renewal technology recycles hard-to-recycle plastic waste currently bound for landfill or incineration. The company’s technology allows this waste to be broken down into its molecular building blocks and then reassembled to become virginquality material without compromising performance. Eastman is enabling the potentially infinite use of materials by keeping these valuable molecules in production, in a material-to-material high-yield loop. Eastman can transform waste plastic into virgin quality food contact polyesters with lower greenhouse gas emissions than traditional methods. www.eastman.com Change in the CHT management board As of April 1, 2024, Eva Baumann takes over the posi t ion of CEO of CHT. Together wi th Prof Dr Klaus Müller, who acts as CFO, she forms the management of the internationally act ive Group. Unt i l 2020, Eva Baumann had worked for many years in a leading global company in the chemical industry. She has been part of the CHT Group since January 2020 and, as Group Vice President, has headed the Business Field General Industries at Group level. As CEO, she is now responsible for Marketing, Sales, Corporate Strategy, Human Resources and Sustainability. Eva Baumann has ambitious plans for the future of the CHT Group: “We are facing challenging but promising times of change. As a foundation-owned company, we have a strong backing. Nevertheless, we bear an immense responsibility for the continued existence of the company and for our employees all over the world. As a player in the chemical industry, we are also particularly committed to preserving our planet. Having been part of the CHT Group for many years, I know the character of the company and the people who make it up very well.” www.cht.com
7 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net SEE HOW MUCH YOU CAN SAVE MAINTENANCE COSTS 70% LESS ENERGY 90% LESS 70% REDUCTION IN CO2e 50% MORE PRODUCTIVITY Discover your potential savings. With just a few clicks, you’ll gain valuable insight into how ULTRA will positively impact your bottom line. 1. Go to ultra.maguire.com 2. Input your data. 3. Receive your customized PDF report of potential savings via email. The savings will vary based on your circumstances and should be reviewed with our sales team. USA Toll Free +1 888 459 2412 l Canada +1 905 879 1100 l Europe +44 1827 338 280 l Asia +65 6848 7117 l Taiwan +886 4 2658 1535 info@maguire.com www.maguire.com
8 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net Triple success in Australia’s circular plastic projects Circular Plastics Australia (PET), a joint venture between Pact Group, Cleanaway Waste Management, Asahi Beverages, and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), has selected Amut as the preferred partner for designing and constructing its “Duet and Symphony” recycling projects in Albury and Melbourne. The Italian recycling company was also chosen by the Circular Plastics Australia (PE) joint venture between Pact and Cleanaway for the “Choir” project, also in Melbourne. These integrated, custom-engineered sorting and washing plants ensure that the bottles are part of a closed cycle, where they are used, collected, and given another life. While Duet and Symphony are intended for sorting and washing PET bottles, Choir focuses on HDPE and PP. The Duet recycling line, in operation since 2022, was initially designed for a total output of 3,400 kg/h. After one year of operation, it now reaches a total output of 4,000 kg/h. Amut expresses pride in the acceptance of their specialised technology provided to the Symphony project last November. The opening ceremony of Symphony took place in the presence of Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and Victorian Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos. In December, Amut received approval from the client for the Choir project as well. The Symphony plastic recycling facility is the largest of its kind in Victoria and is furnished with state-of-the-art equipment capable of producing up to 20,000 t/a of recycled PET resin. When fully operational, Symphony can convert the equivalent of up to one billion 600ml PET plastic beverage bottles annually into high-value food-grade PET pellets, which are then used to make new rPET beverage bottles and food packaging. Additionally, the Symphony plant has the capability to process low-viscosity PET tubs and trays. Amut’s washing lines are equipped with technical solutions claimed to ensure the high purity of the final PO/PET flakes, particularly in removing organic and inorganic contaminants and separating PSA labels and glue. These highly automated washing systems are claimed to ensure low operational costs by reducing power and water consumption, as well as chemicals.” www.amut.it +49 7584 9226-0 info@w-stadler.de www.w-stadler.de STADLER Anlagenbau GmbH Premium machines, smart solutions From cutting-edge engineering and complete solutions to single-machine brilliance: Discover STADLER’s smart solutions for every need! US recyclers recovered over five billion pounds of post-consumer plastic for recycling in 2022 Recyclers recovered just over five billion pounds of post-consumer plastic for recycling in the United States in 2022 with the vast majority staying in North America to be processed and remanufactured into new products, according to new data released by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), ISRI, and the U.S. Plastics Pact. Prepared by Stina Inc., and based on surveys conducted by Stina Inc. and the National Association for PET Container Resources (Napcor), the 2022 U.S. Post-consumer Plastic Recycling Data Dashboard details U.S. sourced post-consumer plastic recovered for recycling. North American reclaimers acquired 93.7% of plastic recovered for recycling in the U.S. while exports overseas fell to 6.3%. Although total volumes recovered were down by 1.4% (71.2 million pounds), U.S. reclaimers acquired 21.4 million pounds more U.S. sourced post-consumer plastic over 2021, for a total of 4,307.8 million pounds or 85.9% of the total. Bottles: largest decrease of 107.1 million pounds The 2022 data shows that the five billion pounds of plastic recovered in this year include Bottles (2,784 million pounds, 55.5% of total); Non-Bottle Rigids (1,111.8 million pounds, 22.2% of total), Film (1,110.3 million pounds, 22.1% of total) and Other Plastics (11 million pounds, 0.2% of total). While the volumes reported as recovered for recycling in Non-Bottle Rigids and Film categories held steady or increased in 2022, as compared to 2021, the volumes in Bottle and Other Plastics categories decreased. Bottles had the largest decrease of 107.1 million pounds with a decline across all bottle categories. www.plasticsrecycling.org
9 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 Aldi launches first supermarket own-brand Packamama ‘flat’ recycled PET wine bottles Aldi has announced the UK’s first, supermarket own-brand flat rPET wine bottles. The Chapter & Verse Shiraz and Chapter & Verse Chardonnay are now available to buy in lightweight, fully recyclable PET bottles nationwide. Made from 100% rPET, the flat bottles weigh just 63g – making them nearly seven times lighter and stronger than a standard glass bottle, while being completely shatterproof. Removing 42 t of bottle weight for this launch alone, the next-gen bottles are claimed to be ideal for picnics and BBQs. The compact design means 30% more bottles can be loaded onto pallets and transported to supermarkets; and converting to these bottles compared to standard round glass, takes 30% of lorries off the road. What’s more, the packaging allows shoppers to stack and organise bottles in their homes, optimising storage space. Aldi has worked with Packamama on the supermarket-first initiative. With soft cherries and berries on the nose, the fruity Chapter & Verse Shi raz is claimed to delight tastebuds with a juicy palate. Aldi’s Chapter & Verse Chardonnay, by contrast, offers notes of honeysuckle and baked spiced apple, with nectarine and vanilla on the palate. Alongside the new plastic bottles, Aldi is reducing the average bottle weight of all its still wine products by 8%. The process has been started already and will be completed by 2025. www.packamama.com We will contribute to the realization of a sustainable low-carbon society by leveraging aseptic technologies. www MAXIMUM EXPERIENCE & QUALITY The world‘s largest supplier of aseptic filling systems for PET bottles of UHT tea. Aseptic Systems Your Solutions Provider Krones completes acquisition of Netstal In a press release dated February 7, 2024, Krones announced the signing of the contract for the acquisition of 100% of the shares in Netstal Maschinen AG (Netstal), based in Näfels, Switzerland. The acquisition remained subject among other things to regulatory approval. Krones has now received that approval with no conditions. The acquisition of the injection moulding technology company is thus final. Krones consolidates Netstal in the Filling and Packaging Technology segment as from March 28, 2024. Netstal will continue to manage its business self-responsible. www.krones.com
10 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net Inauguration of Circular PET plant in Japan Veolia, in partnership with a global trading and investment company Mitsui & Co.Ltd. and Japanese leading retail conglomerate Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd., announces the inauguration of the Circular PET plant in Tsuyama, Japan. This state-of-the-art facility is claimed to mark a milestone in realising a circular business model that recycles used PET bottles into high-quality raw materials for PET bottles. This plant joins Plastiloop, a network of over 40 Veolia plastic recycling plants spread across the world. Veolia is the world leader in recycled plastic, with 500,000 metric tons of plastic recycled by 2023. PET bottles with caps or labels left on or leftover drinks have been considered difficult for bottle-to-bottle recycling in Japan. Using Veolia’s experience and know-how, the Circular PET plant has been designed to recycle such material and produce new food-grade PET bottles, contributing to a more sustainable future. The plant can produce 25,000 t of food-grade recycled PET resin per year, reducing 27,500 t of CO2 emission and meeting brand owners’ increasing demand. To ensure a steady supply of raw materials, Circular PET has established partnerships with key players in the industry, including the West Japan Railway Company and Kyushu Japan Railway Company. These partnerships enable the collection of used PET bottles, which are then sorted, crushed, washed, melted, and subjected to solid-state polymerisation to produce high-quality recycled PET resin. www.veolia.jp/en Dairy Gropper obtains independent certification for rPET Dairy Gropper has had the use of rPET recyclate in its PET bottle range certified by the independent seal “Flustix Recycled – DIN tested”. With the successful certification of rPET usage in bottles through this seal, the actor in the beverage and dairy industry intends to provide its customers with transparency for product labelling of their packaging in terms of responsible resource management. The customer base of the traditional dairy includes international retail conglomerates as well as the largest German retailers such as Lidl and Aldi. With the certification, the company, headquartered in Bissingen, Germany, ensures that a variety of packaging is produced as sustainably as possible and can be communicated to consumers at the point of sale as a more sustainable alternative to comparable products. “Our goal is the cycle. Plastic is ideal for preserving the safety and high quality of our food and is therefore an important resource. That’s why we have been working with recycled PET for years – out of conviction,” says managing director Heinrich Gropper. A particular advantage for retailers sourcing products from Gropper: If they wish to continue highlighting the use of recyclates in their own brands and communicate this to consumers, this can be done with a simple fast-track procedure. “Buyers can sub-certify their own brands produced at Gropper and now pre-certified. This offers, for example, the LEH the opportunity to use the recognised seal and thus communicate their sustainability commitment to consumers, also within the framework of the upcoming EU Green Claims Directive, with a certified seal,” says Malte Biss, founder of the Flustix initiative. “In a time when consumers are increasingly sceptical of self-declarations, the independent certification implemented by us simplifies the offering of credible and recognised sustainability claims for our customers’ own brands,” explains Wolfgang Hoff, managing director of Gropper. “With this step, we are preparing: even before the EU Green Claims Directive comes into effect, we offer a fast and easy-to-implement sub-licensing system with Flustix. This minimises the effort for our customers.” The Flustix Recycled certification covers the rPET (PCR) content of 50% and 100% in all transparent and light blue rPET bottles of Gropper products in 14 sizes ranging from 90ml to 1,500ml. www.gropper.de www.fl ustix.com PROCESS PILOT+ Achieve Your Sustainability Goals and Produce Your Best Product TM Agr’s Process Pilot system provides personalized process control response to each unique bottle GHVLJQ EORZPROGHU ȴQJHUSULQW Ȃ VDIHO\ DQG TXLFNO\ 1R ELJ GDWD MXVW UHOLDEOH GDWD ZZZ DJULQWO FRP
11 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net % 8 +9 * % 2(2 ! " "! # )2 $ 7 7 : '. 8
EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net 12 PET bottle fi lling from the wells of Hamda region in Sharjah Visiting the drinking water department of the Sharjah government by Kay Barton Zulal was founded in the village of Hamda, part of the Emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Court and Ruler of Sharjah. His vision was to provide clean, pure drinking water from the Hamda wells for the general public of Sharjah and other emirates of the United Arab Emirates. December 12, 2023: Interview with Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority, Zulal Water Department (SEWA) We met: Mr Padubidri Shridar Niranjan, Production Manager Ms Hamda Bukhatir, Chemical Engineer Zulal Water Factory was established in 1995 as a government organisation under the Sharjah Electricity and Water Gas Authority (Sewa). Our interviewee Mr Padubidri Shridar Niranjan, the Production Manager in charge, is relatively new to the factory and has many years of professional experience in the FMCG industry, having managed various projects throughout his career. His colleague Hamda Bukhatir, Chemical Engineer, also took part in the interview. Sewa (Zulal) sits on a number of wells in and around the Hamda region, at an average depth of 150 to 350 metres, from which it extracts water, treats it with modern technology and bottles it in various PET bottle sizes. We sat on a comfortable couch opposite the man who has worked in every branch of the FMCG industry for 37 years and can look back on a remarkable wealth of experience. Mr Niranjan, originally from Bangalore, India, has a mechanical engineering background and has been passionately dedicated to the Authority and Hamda water since Q3 2022, having previously worked in various industries and packaging sectors such as can, PET, HDPE, or glass filling for beverages. His professional experience includes stints at tin can manufacturer Sapin in Saudi Arabia, the edible oil manufacturer Savola in Bharain, the German plant manufacturer Krones, the water bottler Masafi, which is around 50 km away from here, and the water bottler Mai Dubai. He also worked as a freelance consultant for a preform project. Now he is part of Zulal, where he reports directly to Mr Majid Abdulaziz Alowais, Director of the Zulal Water Factory. Zulal is headed by His Excellency Abdalla Abdelrahman Al Shamsi, Director General of Sewa. As we learnt, Zulal is said to be the purity of the natural beauty of the Emirates from the Hamda wells. The water is characterised in particular by its low sodium content and pH value of 7.5. “Zulal Water,” explained Mr Niranjan, “switched completely to PET from 2004 onwards. Our current setup is fully automated across the board, from pumping the water from the numerous wells to the finished bottle. We are talking about a purely natural sourced product from the Hamda wells.” The plant covers nearly 11,150 m2 and is currently running at around 70% capacity. The company is using a complete Sidel line with 45,000 bph capacity for 0.2 l, 0.33 l, 0.5 l and 1.5 l, all with standardised 29/25 neck finish. Two Bosch packaging systems, each with 16,000 bph, produce small-format drop bottles. 18.9 l containers are produced on a Bardi machine and small thermoforming cups on Novopack equipment. The preforms and closures are sourced locally. “We attach great importance to high-quality packaging, which is why the preforms and closures come from Husky, Netstal, Sacmi and Engel machines”, said Mr Niranjan. www.zulal.ae EDITOUR Production Manager Padubidri Shridar Niranjan Zulal employee blowing bottles on a Sidel SBO18 0.5 l bottles on their way to the shrink tunnel
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EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net 14 Manufacturer from Thailand reaches for the stars Packaging with passion from Sharjah by Kay Barton When talking about the packaging market in Asia, it is impossible to ignore the listed company Thai Plaspac (TPAC), Asia’s fastest growing packaging company. The manufacturer of predominantly food and pharmaceutical packaging (focused on rigid mono-material packaging formats) is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand. December 14, 2023 Interview with Sun Packaging Systems FZC We met: Mr Nimit Bhatia, CEO UAE, CEO Malaysia, and India export business Today it boasts 16 world class production facilities, four of which are in Thailand, nine in India, one in Malaysia and two in the UAE. A 17th plant will soon be added, which is currently under construction in the Philippines. The Group uses technologies from Sidel, Netstal, ASB, Husky, Arburg and Sumitomo Demag, among others. Its customer base comprises over 1,500 companies, including almost all the well-known multinational brands. TPAC employs around 3,000 people and exports to ~ 50+ countries. Back in 2019, we visited the TPAC plant Sunrise Containers in Mumbai as part of the India Road Show (see PETplanet 10/2019, pages 30-31) and learned a lot of interesting facts about the company. Since then, the company has grown and evolved considerably. We spoke to the CEO responsible for the UAE and Malaysia business, Mr Nimit Bhatia, at the Sharjah site, about what this means in concrete terms for activities in the MENA region. Sun Packaging Systems (SPS) was founded in 2004 by three individuals and has plants located in Sharjah Airport International Free Zone. Nimit Bhatia, now CEO of SPS, has been with the company since inception i.e. 2004, when he joined as Business Development Manager. The passionate 40-yearold and father of two was born in Bahrain and grew up in Dubai after his family emigrated here from India. He attended Indian High School Dubai, later completed his bachelor’s degree at Indiana Bloomington University, USA, eventually returning to Dubai, starting his career where we visited him today, 19 years later. “Unlike probably most managers in this industry, I only learned the packaging business and all the technical details when I was on board at Sun Packaging, strongly believing that practical experience is the most effective way to learn. In addition to guidance from my father, I am fortunate to have a mentor (Mr K L Mundhra) who has played a significant role as a father figure, imparting valuable lessons in integrity and business complexities. These teachings have been instrumental in shaping my journey to where I stand today”, explained Nimit Bhatia. “Over time, we wanted to expand our fields of activity beyond food and also gain a foothold in other applications,” says Mr Bhatia. “Around 2009, we started single-stage production. Our sales target was the Gulf Cooperation Council states.” Additional storage space became necessary and so the company built a warehouse nearby in 2012. In 2019, SPS agreed a share sale with TPAC, which was aiming to expand its market presence in the Middle East. With this partnership, and now stronger backing and commitment behind Mr Nimit, a new bolder more aggressive vision was set out for the company. Today, Sun Packaging Systems employs 200+ people from six nationalities and uses state-of-theart technologies with a no compromise philosophy when choosing vendor partners. SPS provides various packaging solutions such as injection stretch blow moulding, extrusion blow moulding, PET preforms and injection moulding to cater for the needs of customers. SPS offers an extensive range of common mould portfolio (500+ products), keeping in mind market demands and serving global customer requirements. TPAC Group has a world class R&D team which co-create products with its customers (help with curating of packaging from birth to delivery of final product) for any of their specifications. Within the group, more than ten people are involved in R&D,” explained Mr Bhatia. These custom-made designs account for around 40% of the SPS local business. “Our mindset and our curiosity are also important for our success, we are a young, creative team and what that means is reflected in the figures: from 2019 to 2022, the company doubled its capacity thanks to customer loyalty and growth,” continued Mr Bhatia. EDITOUR CEO Nimit Bhatia shows the new jar series made of 100% rPET Pooja inauguration ceremony of a brand new Nissei ASB 12M machine with (f.r.t.l.) Nimit Bhatia, Kay Barton and employees
EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net 15 “Sustainability is another element which is core in all our decision making. As a conscious decision, we are only working with resins which are 100% mono-material formats with proven mechanical recyclability (PET, PP & PE). On a continual basis, we are evaluating using rPET in production. One new project is a test series of jars that we have produced from Sun Packaging’s Nissei ASB department 100% rPET.” Mr Bhatia placed various sizes of these wide-mouth jars on the table between us. “My dream would be that in the next 24 to 26 months, we would produce at least 20% of our products here using rPET.” Nimit Bhatia has also been responsible for the plant in Malaysia as CEO since 2023. Combipack, the name of the brand that became part of the Group through acquisition in 2021, specialises in food and thin-wall packaging with IML technology, another area that Mr Bhatia finds exciting. “I am very excited about the new challenge in Malaysia,” he said with a laugh. SPS’s expansion strategy includes further growth in the MENA region with Egypt being a focus market, further consolidating its PET rigid packaging consumer business, and further penetration into the med-pharma space which complements the companies hygiene clean room manufacturing mindset well. www.tpacpackaging.com
EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net 16 Plastic material distributor in Dubai fi ghts against low-cost suppliers with quality promise Food-grade rPET from Nigeria for Europe, North America and beyond by Kay Barton The sales office for plastic raw materials, masterbatches and calcium carbonate, Shad Polymers DMCC, was founded in 2016 by our interview partner and Managing Director Mr Girish Wadhwani together with Mr Chandru Changrani and Vivek Changrani to administratively serve global markets from the Emirates, trade materials and ensure smooth supply. December 20, 2023 Interview with Shad Polymers DMCC We met: Mr Girish Wadhwani, Managing Director. The company is the exclusive distribution partner for rPET for the Polysmart Group, a synthetic fibre processor and recycling company based in Ota, Nigeria. Shad runs a local warehouse in Sri Lanka, CVG Resins & Polymers, one in Ethiopia and other warehouses in Nigeria. With the growing markets for rPET and the potential for post-consumer PET in Nigeria, Polysmart invested US$8 million and installed an Erema Vacurema turnkey recycling line, which has been producing rPET since 2022. We spoke to Mr Wadhwani about market trends, challenges and goals. Mr Girish Wadhwani is a Mechanical Engineer with a specialisation in Process Control Instrumentation and has lived in Nigeria for 18 years and in London for 20 years. The idea for the current sales office in the Jumeirah Lake Towers, around 25 km south of Dubai city centre, was born out of his long time spent in Nigeria. In addition to vPET and rPET, the products offered here include various other synthetic polymers, copolymers and terpolymers. Back in mid-2023, Mr Wadhwani gave us an insight into the fields of activity and the still young rPET project at the World Expo in Essen (see PETplanet 7+8/23, p. 32). We then accepted his invitation to meet during the Middle East Road Show in Dubai. “I find the new recycling project fascinating,” explained Mr Wadhwani over a cappuccino. “There is a lot of movement in the markets, but not always in the right direction, for example in terms of consistent quality or price expectations. Everything is determined by the core issues of availability, quality requirements and ultimately price. That’s why we are also focussing on sales in North America or, above all, Europe, where there is a constant demand for good quality, food-grade base material due to the minimum quantities of recyclate in PET packaging,” he explained. This source material is currently produced at Polysmart in Nigeria with an annual capacity of 6,000 t and is FDA and Efsa-certified. This makes it one of an estimated 15 to 20 significant recycling plants across Africa, of which around five to six produce around 80% of all recyclate on the continent. The largest of these are located in South Africa. The input material EDITOUR Managing Director Girish Wadhwani (right) with Kay Barton
EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net 17 EDITOUR 17 comes from the unorganised waste sector due to the lack of collection and sorting infrastructure in Nigeria, is taken to collection points and eventually ends up at Polysmart, where it is processed thanks to the state-of-theart sorting and treatment, turned into pure form and sold through the Dubai office. Mr Wadhwani continued: “The difficulty in other parts of the world is often the expectation of recycled material. They want it to be as cheap as possible and there is often a lack of understanding about using recycled material when virgin material is much cheaper. Sometimes we have to face discussions in which customers try to push down the price of rPET by asking us to sell poor-quality material because they know that the end consumer wouldn’t notice the difference anyway. Of course, we can’t and don’t want to get involved in that in any way.” Mr Wadhwani suspected that the prices for recyclate will remain high for at least another three years and that Asian companies, especially Chinese companies, will likely dominate the pricing policy for virgin material in the future thanks to good technology and low general costs. “Of course, we are already seeing the extreme extent to which buyers often end up opting for Chinese virgin material and even that is sometimes too expensive for them,” said Girish Wadhwani. “Prices are being extremely dumped. It goes to the extent of selling material outright without any profit and adding X amount to the freight instead.” Despite the circumstances, he remains optimistic: “We cannot avoid recognising PET waste as a recyclable material. In my view, governments and brands should equally promote the issue of recycling, for example by setting minimum quantities in packaging, and educating the public on how to deal with it. www.shadpolymers.com BOTTLE TO BOTTLE RECOVERY MOISTURE CONTENT CONTROL PROCESS CONSISTENCY EXTREME BLENDING FLEXIBILITY moretto.com follow us MAKING THE DIFFERENCE ON PET. Booth W1743
PREFORM PRODUCTION PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net 18 Optimising PET preform handling TB series conveyor belts PET Solutions’ TB series features meticulously engineered conveyor belts. These belts are designed to facilitate the seamless transfer of plastic products, particularly preforms, from transformation machines such as injection moulding machines, extruders, or blow moulders. These conveyor belts operate in close proximity to production machines, ensuring a smooth flow of preforms while minimising production waste. Constructed with high-quality materials, they feature polyurethane (PU) strips certified for food industry standards, ensuring durability and compliance with regulations. The PU strips are adept at handling high-temperature products, minimising the risk of material damage. Customisable options such as adjustable height, length, and variable inclinations, are claimed to ensure seamless integration into any production layout. Controlled by a state-ofthe-art microprocessor with a userfriendly touch display interface, these conveyor belts offer programmable functionality for easy configuration and monitoring. Standard features such as mobility wheels and inclinations at 30°, 45°, and 60° enhance versatility. Accessories like preform cooling systems, misting applications, and inverters for speed regulation complement the functionality of the TB Series conveyor belts, ensuring performance in various operational scenarios. SD series soft drop PET Solutions’ SD series introduces soft drop devices, pneumatic- driven storage units designed for preforms and plastic material exiting transformation machines. These devices receive material directly from injection machines through TB series conveyor belts, minimising handling damage. Controlled by a microprocessor with a user-friendly touch display, the soft drop series is claimed to guarantee precise material release at predetermined minimal heights, safeguarding against potential damage during unloading. Integrated features such as fixed screws prevent product contamination, while standard inverters ensure that the distribution inside the storage box is optimised by regulating the speed as needed. Accessories such as safety barriers and load cell applications enhance operational safety and efficiency. VB series vibrating tables The company’s VB series vibrating tables serve as an optional feature for soft drop and conveyor belts, ensuring uniform distribution of stored plastic products within containers. These tables with variable-intensity motors have been designed to optimise container capacity, eliminating central accumulation. Two variants are available, featuring either spring or anti-vibration buffer systems, catering to diverse operational requirements. By enhancing container capacity by up to 15%, these vibrating tables reduce storage volume requirements. PET Solutions offers a range of vibrating platforms compatible with various container types, including cardboard, metal, and plastic. The company says that the integration with soft drop or conveyor belt operator panels allows seamless operation, while customisable vibration modes ensure good performance tailored to specific needs. www.petsolutions.it PREFORMS TB series conveyor belt In PET preform manufacturing, precision and efficiency play vital roles. PET Solutions specialises in optimising the handling of preforms, streamlining production processes for enhanced productivity. SD series soft drop storage units receive the preforms directly from injection machines.
PREFORM PRODUCTION PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net 19
Spherical pellets exiting an SSP reactor PREFORM PRODUCTION PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net 20 Influence of PET processing on preforms and bottles based on an article by Brent Culbert, Senior Process Engineer, Polymetrix AG Solid State Polycondensation (SSP) has been an integral part in the PET processing chain since the 1970s and is today considered a given in the manufacturing of PET bottles. It complements the melt phase by increasing the molecular weight of PET in the solid state above values that cannot be comfortably reached in continuous polymerisation, eliminates difficulties associated with the stirring of the viscous melt, limits degradation and removes byproducts such as acetaldehyde (AA) and oligomers. Process conditions, such as temperature and residence time, can vary considerably during SSP. This can be due to differences in the starting IV after continuous polymerisation (CP) or the final IV, which depends on the bottle grade targeted - mineral water or CSD for example, or equipment constraints and throughput variation. To illustrate the influence of SSP on preforms and bottles, four bottle grade resins from four different commercial production facilities were compared in a standard preform trial at Packaging Technologies & Inspection (PTI) European headquarters in Switzerland. The resins, shown as 1 to 4 in Table 1, all target the mineral water market and do not contain a reheating agent. Their IVs range from 0.77 to 0.80 dl/g (ASTM); level modification varies from 3.9 to 4.6mol% (DEG+IPA). These differences do not significantly influence the preform results shown. Resins 1, 2 & 4 are all spherical pellets, crystallised directly from the melt; resin 3 is cylindrical and cooled below the glass transition (Tg) before storage and SSP processing. Generally, the longer residence time and the higher the temperature during SSP, the greater the IV increase. Resins 1, 2 & 3 were all processed under nitrogen N2 for between 9 h and 22 h at temperatures over 200 °C. Resin 4, from a Melt to Resin plant (MTR), has undergone a solidstate treatment (“conditioning”), which involves processing under dry air for an estimated 15-18 h at 180-185 °C, to remove AA while SSP also occurs. In Table 2, resin 4, the MTR resin, is clearly shown to differentiate from the other resins in several respects. It has a lower crystallinity, because of lower SSP temperatures, which is typified by a lower beginning of melting, although its melting point and PREFORMS Process parameters Unit Resin 1 2 3 4* Intrinsic Viscosity (IV) by ASTM** [dl/g] 0.785 0.768 0.779 0.800 Total modification (DEG+IPA) [mol%] 4.65 4.19 3.88 4.57 SSP processing Medium [-] N2 N2 N2 dry air SSP residence time [h] 22 9 17 15-18 SSP temperature [°C] 203 207 208 180-185 Pellet shape [-] spherical spherical cylindrical spherical Table 1: SSP processing conditions of various bottle grade resins *SSP conditions not known and therefore estimated **ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials
PREFORM PRODUCTION PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net 21 end point of melting remain similar to the other resins. It is darker (lower L*colour), due to the very high Sb content (>300 ppm) and is yellower (higher b* colour) due to processing under dry air at 180-185 °C for long periods of time. Yellowness is an indication of thermo-oxidative degradation. It is assumed that the high Sb content is required to boost reactivity in both the CP and SSP, for making higher IV in the CP and compensating for lower temperatures in SSP, which indicates a lack of flexibility during processing. Generally, the level of contaminants tends to decrease with increasing IV across SSP. Both Resins 1 & 3 easily reach the industry standard for residual AA of <1 ppm indicating sufficient SSP treatment. Resins 2 & 4 have AA values >1 ppm, due to reduced SSP treatment. 2-Methyl-1,3-Dioxolane (MDO) is referred to as “hidden AA”, as it can be converted back to AA and ethylene glycol in the presence of water. The MDO level in the MTR resin is around 10 times higher than the other resins; this is thought to be caused by processing under dry air. Preforming 43 g preforms were made at PTI in Switzerland on an Arburg 370C mono-cavity moulding machine. Process parameters were kept the same for all resins: drying for 5-6 h at 160 °C to less than 10 ppm and injection moulding at barrel temperatures of 280 °C. The preform results in Table 3 can be used to compare the behaviour of the different resins, but the results cannot be compared directly to results from production scale preforming. All resins melted out without any issues during preforming. Neither the differing modification levels nor the level of crystallinity level influenced the melt out behaviour of the resins at 280 °C. No significant difference was observed in the melting behaviour of spherical and cylindrical pellets. An IV drop of around 0.02 dl/g was seen in all resins, regardless of solid-state treatment, which is typical during preforming as the resins were all well dried. This would suggest that moisture content, which was the same for all samples, had a more significant effect on IV drop than any difference in molecular weight distribution (polydispersity) between the samples. The influence of SSP processing can be seen when comparing the combined AA and MDO (mmol/ kg) loading of the preforms. Resins 1 & 3, with the longest SSP residence times and highest temperatures, have a much lower overall AA & MDO content, by 25-40%, compared to resins 2 (lowest SSP residence time) & 4 (lowest SSP temperature). A shift in Preform quality Unit Resin 1 2 3 4 IV (ASTM) [dl/g] 0.765 0.747 0.759 0.778 IV drop (ASTM) [dl/g] 0.019 0.023 0.019 0.021 Haze [%] 8.89 8.60 8.17 10.69 Colour L* [-] 82.03 81.56 84.28 76.10 Colour b* [-] 2.60 3.69 2.70 4.85 Residual AA [mg/kg] 6.2 9 6.2 6.7 Residual MDO [mg/kg] 5.9 8.4 8.1 9.9 Total MDO & AA [mmol/kg] 0.21 0.30 0.23 0.26 Table 3: Preform measurements - Note: Haze and colour measurements made directly on preform; glass preform used as zero reference for haze. Resin quality Unit Resin 1 2 3 4 Pellet crystallinity (av.) [wt%] 56.3 55.5 58.8 49.7 Colour L* [-] 88.0 87.9 90.6 83.7 Colour b* [-] -2.3 -2.73 -2.14 -0.31 Residual AA [mg/kg] 0.90 1.4 0.61 1.1 Residual MDO [mg/kg] 0.67 1.0 0.82 7.7 Antimony (Sb) content [ppm] 208 240 188 316 Table 2: Bottle grade resin measurements the MDO and AA balance can also be seen; this is due to equilibration. The colour of the preforms is directly influenced by bottle grade resin quality. The MTR resin, with a long residence time under air and very high Sb content, results in darker (lower L* colour) and yellower preforms (higher b*). It also has a significantly higher haze level than the other resins; this could be caused by either the high Sb content or, possibly, degradation reactions from the long residence time under air at high temperature. Summary SSP continues to prove its value in the PET processing chain. Better management of the IV split between CP and SSP can allow more process flexibility, such as lower Sb contents, and improve preform and bottle quality. Longer SSP times and higher SSP temperatures under N2 produce a cleaner resin, resulting in lower overall AA and MDO content in preforms and bottles while still maintaining good colour and low haze. SSP processing under dry air has limitations and leads to yellowness, an indication of oxidative degradation, as temperatures increase above 180 °C and residence times are extended to increase IV. www.polymetrix.com
22 PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 04/24 www.petpla.net PETproducts A bigger extrusion unit for ultra-high output preform production Sipa has expanded its lineup of extrusion units compatible with the Xform 500 injection moulding system. The EE155 extra-large extruder is designed to provide added convenience for processors utilising the company’s unique 200 cavity PET preform moulds for high-speed production. The EE155 is an addition to its range of extrusion units that fit on the Xform 500 injection moulding system. Sipa says that sales of its Xform systems are growing yearon-year and around 15% of current purchases of the Xform 500 are for use with 180 or 200 high-cavitation moulds. The company describes the introduction of the higher capacity machine, with a capacity of around 1,700 kg/h, as a “logical step”. The capacity is much higher than its previous top-of-the-range unit and is intended to offer customers more flexibility when making preforms with higher weights, across the full range of mould cavitations. Sipa started 2024 producing new Xform 500 systems equipped with the EE155 extruder, scheduled for delivery in April. The company now offers three sizes of Xform, with clamp forces of 250, 350, and 500 tonnes; each model can be equipped with at least three different sizes of extruder. There are now four extruder options for the Xform 500: the existing EE100, EE120, EE140 and the latest addition, the EE155. www.sipasolutions.com Quality control for flawless preforms Sacmi’s PVS156 vision system offers continuous, in-line quality preform control without interrupting machine operation. Offering real-time data analysis and user-friendly reporting, the system is claimed to empower preform producers to elevate both quality standards and production efficiency. The PVS156 features a comprehensive camera system, utilising six cameras to inspect preforms from every angle. Camera 1 focuses on the top seal area, detecting defects like dents and short shots, while also measuring inner diameter and ovality for precise shape control. Camera 2 examines the preform bottom, identifying issues such as crystallisation, gate flash, and pinpointing holes through the gate. Camera 3 is dedicated to dimensional analysis, capturing 44 images during a 360-degree preform rotation to measure critical dimensions like neck diameters and support ring heights, customisable to specific requirements. Camera 4 utilises polarised light and artificial intelligence to differentiate good preforms from bad with accuracy. Camera 5 provides an unrolled view of the neck, detecting inclusions, black spots, and reading cavity numbers with dual lighting. Camera 6 analyses the preform body, measuring diameters, gate length, wall thickness, concentricity, and colour variations, ensuring adherence to colour standards and rejecting preforms showing signs of excessive yellowing (indicative of RPFT degradation). Beyond inspection: empowering data-driven decisions Beyond inspection, the PVS156 delivers valuable data and comprehensive reports, including defect types, defects per cavity, measurement statistics, weight distribution, and historical performance data for informed decision-making. Operators can fine-tune the inspection process to their specific requirements by adjusting sensitivity, focusing on specific columns, and permanently rejecting problematic cavities. At NPE 2024, Sacmi will be showcasing its PVS156 vision system incorporated in the IPS 300 press (see also page 45). www.sacmi.com PREFORMS
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