EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net 14 Once local, now global: PET production in Oman by Alexander Büchler Two years ago, Alpek Polyester acquired OCTAL, the largest PET resin and PET sheet manufacturer in the GCC, thus marking its expansion into global markets beyond the Americas and Europe. We visited the plant in Salalah and discussed bottle grade PET resin, sheet production, chemical recycling, and the Gulf market in general. The Alpek Polyester Middle East (APME) plant is a state-of-the-art modern manufacturing facility for production of bottle grade PET resin and sheets, with a combined capacity of close to 1 million t/a. With Uhde Inventa-Fischer ’s MTR technology, a differentiated, sustainable, and efficient PET resin production process, they eliminate a crucial step in conventional manufacturing, resulting in 63% less electricity consumption compared to traditional technologies, leading to a shorter cycle time for customers. The facility benefits from its strategic location, which is close to the Port of Salalah, a major hub for connecting raw materials from Asia, that allows rapid delivery of finished goods, resin and sheets, to global markets. The site can store more than 3,000 TEUs (Twentyfoot Equivalent Units) within its perimeters and includes container cleaning facilities. According to the company, the market in the GCC is dominated by the water segment which contributes to around 70% of bottle grade PET resin. APME’s WG02 grade is the most popular to service this segment and is regularly supplied to major regional and international brands. Furthermore, the use of MTR technology for PET production ensures a very low acetaldehyde content in its products, which is particularly important for water producers as it achieves the best product characteristics. APME’s strengths include just-intime (JIT) delivery in trucks by road to regional markets like the UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Qatar, Yemen, and Jordan. Their strategic location adjacent to Salalah port enables them to ship product to over 75 countries around the world from US East Coast to Japan main ports, with short transit times. The market in Oman and that of the neighbouring Gulf states is, according to the company, a stable market with the prospects of solid growth. “Offering unique products to our customers is key to our success, especially in today’s competitive market where cost optimisation is crucial. We are a preferred supplier instead of just a one-off vendor in the highly volatile commodity market.” stated Senior Sales Director - PET Resin, Prashant Boloor and he also emphasised the popularity of fast reheat grades owing to increasing energy cost globally and growing awareness among brands on reducing CO2 generation targets. As a leader in sustainability and promoting a circular economy, APME is already contributing by offering its Single Pellet Technology (SPT) which is chemically recycled PET with up to 25% recycled content to their customers in the region. Many brands have shown interest in the product due to its excellent quality and how it supports their commitment towards sustainability. Ajith Ravindranath, Sales Manager, comments: “Our aim is to ensure best quality product available to our customers, at an affordable price and on time to serve the beverage industry, FMCG and many other markets.” EDITOUR F.l.t.r.: Mustafa Deraiya, Manager - Technical Sales; Prashant Boloor, Senior Sales Director - PET Resin; Ahmed Al-Harthy, Assistant Manager - MEA and Ajith Ravindranath, Sales Manager Alexander Büchler (on the right) with the APME Sales Team, Salim Ba Awain, Continuous Improvement Process Manager & Andrea Frigerio, Site Quality & Continuous Improvement Manager. The background shows the FG Product Silos.
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