Yaskawa six-axis robot: Quickly programmed and integrated into Gestica control system
Mounted in the mould: Capping and unscrewing the moulded part in a confined space
At the Interplas in Birmingham from 26 to 28 September 2023, Arburg (Stand H4/Hall 4) will be exhibiting an efficient production cell that produces Luer connectors made of PP and TPE for the pharmaceutical industry. The centrepiece is a two-component Allrounder More 1600 injection moulding machine, handled by a Yaskawa six-axis robot. Closures are capped and threads unscrewed directly in the mould. The innovative high-end solution eliminates the need for a second mould and additional assembly line. This significantly reduces the manufacturing costs.
Precision and a delicate touch are required when injection moulding the Luer connectors on an Allrounder More 1600: the shot weight of the soft TPE component is only 0.05 grams.
“We provide our plastics processing customers with efficient technologies to ensure their competitiveness. Especially during these more challenging economic times, not least due to increased energy costs, they can totally rely on us,” says Colin Tirel, Managing Director of Arburg Ltd. “We are seeing a growing interest among our customers in process capability, energy efficiency and digitalisation. Interplas is an excellent platform for showcasing these key topics and our new technology developments.”
Injection moulding with a delicate touch
The highlight at the trade fair stand is a two-component Allrounder More 1600 injection moulding machine with 1,600 kN clamping force and two size 100 electric injection units. The exhibit produces four ready-to-use Luer connectors at a time within a cycle time of around ten seconds. Injection moulding requires a delicate touch and precision: the part weight of the PP component is 0.2 grams and the soft TPE component weighs as little as 0.05 grams. The 4+4-cavity mould features Braunform’s RotaricE2 technology. Four servo-electric axes from Arburg’s sister company AMKmotion control the internal mould sequences for core-back, lifting the lid, capping the closures and unscrewing the Luer threads. The compact design translates to a large number of cavities in a small space, with up to 64+64-cavity versions possible in series moulds.
The “aXw Control CycleAssist” assistance function generates a graphic comparison of the current times and previously defined reference values for each cycle step. Unproductive time segments can be displayed with a click. This enables the user to reduce the cycle time and makes high productivity programmable in advance.
Integrated in Gestica: Yaskawa robot
The six-axis robot from Yaskawa is integrated into the Gestica control system. Similarly to the linear Multilift robotic system, it can be programmed quickly and easily directly via the machine controller. For the trade fair application, the six-axis robot removes the finished parts from the mould with a four-cavity gripper and feeds them individually to an inline camera inspection. It then deposits them separately by cavity.
Allrounder More: More space, modularity and convenience
The modular and production-efficient Allrounders in the More series are specially designed for multi-component injection moulding and can be flexibly adapted to specific customer and market requirements. They offer more space for larger moulds and a usable ejector stroke, more modularity during assembly, and many optimised features for greater ease of use and simple maintenance. As standard, the machines feature a highly dynamic electric toggle-type clamping unit with energy-efficient liquid-cooled servo motors and two electric injection units. This allows all common two-component applications to be realised.
Colin Tirel, Managing Director of Arburg Ltd. in the UK: “At Interplas 2023, we are focusing on process capability, energy efficiency and digitalisation.”
Further information about Arburg can be found at www.arburg.com
New OE-A Roadmap Unveils Exciting Printed Electronics Industry Prospects
The highly anticipated OE-A Roadmap offers valuable insights into the present state and prospects of flexible, organic, and printed electronics. The Whitepaper delves into key markets such as Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Healthcare, Printing and Packaging, Smart Building, and Internet of Things, providing comprehensive analyses and forecasts for each sector. The Whitepaper is now ready for download.
“In the last couple of years we have seen the accelerating adoption of printed, flexible, and hybrid electronics in a wide range of products and markets.” states Dr. Klaus Hecker, Managing Director of OE-A. This proves the latest Roadmap Whitepaper published by OE-A (Organic and Printed Electronics Association), a working group within VDMA. The new edition of the “OE-A Roadmap for Flexible, Organic and Printed Electronics” offers an in-depth exploration of the industry’s advancing maturity. In addition to updates on key technologies and capabilities, the roadmap incorporates the insights of over 100 industry experts, who provide detailed short, medium, and long-term forecasts for various markets. “These are exciting times for our industry. We will see more flexible and even stretchable displays, building facades that harvest energy with transparent OPVs. Car interiors will change completely with the widespread integration of sensors, light sources and heating in the interior trim. Printed electronics will also play a major role in improving healthcare, for example with sensors that make it easier to monitor vital signs. And these are just a few examples for what is afoot.” adds Klaus Hecker.
Market trend Sustainability
The market for flexible and printed electronics continues to show strong growth. New technological approaches in both production and products are the basis for significantly increasing energy and resource efficiency along the value chain. It is clear that the technology is opening up new possibilities when it comes to sustainable production processes and sustainable materials. Printing, as an additive process, consumes less material and energy, and reduces the amount of waste. Printing plus related advanced processing enables broader use of recycled or eco-friendly materials to support product lifecycle circularity.
OE-A Roadmap Whitepaper for download
„The OE-A Roadmap Whitepaper highlights the wide-ranging opportunities made available by printed electronics technologies. We invite all interested parties to check out our OE-A homepage to have a closer look at the findings of the latest Whitepaper.” adds Klaus Hecker. The full 180-page OE-A Roadmap Whitepaper and an executive summary are available for download at oe-a.org/roadmap.
Transformation in a Difficult Environment – Incoming Orders Slump by 30 Percent in the First Quarter
Transformation: decarbonisation and defossilisation as decisive factors
Global economic situation puts pressure on current investment behaviour of customer groups
Moderate turnover development expected from 2024
German plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers closed the year 2022 with a price-adjusted increase in turnover of 10 percent. In nominal terms, the increase amounted to 18 percent. “This growth stems from the numerous orders the sector was able to attract in recent years and shows that the supply chains have eased to some degree,” explains Ulrich Reifenhäuser, Chairman of the Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association at the VDMA. Currently, the order books are still reasonably full, which hints at a comparatively good sales year in 2023.
Subdued expectations for 2024
Expectations for the turnover trend from 2024 onwards are cautious. “We lost new orders last year, with a price-adjusted minus of 13 percent, and in the first quarter of 2023 even more significantly at minus 33 percent”, says Thorsten Kühmann, Managing Director of the Plastics and Rubber Machinery Trade Association. “That probably means fewer orders on the books that can be processed and converted into sales in 2024.
World economy shows low growth due to high inflation and high interest rates
Unfortunately, there is not much hope that demand will pick up again in the short term. The global economic climate with low growth, high inflation and correspondingly high interest rates is unsettling investors. On the one hand, the plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers will benefit from the American economic stimulus package IRA (Inflation Reduction Act), but it remains to be seen whether this will be enough to boost the global economy again. The areas of e-mobility and packaging are still the most promising in terms of growth opportunities. In China in particular, the transformation towards the electrification of vehicles is advancing at an enormous pace, and the rising global population is also increasing the demand for packaged food. In both cases, plastic can bring its advantages to bear.
Transformation: decarbonisation and defossilisation as decisive factors
Against this background, the major tasks of decarbonisation and defossilisation of the plastics industry are even more challenging: The plastics industry is already in the middle of the transformation process towards a circular economy. This is in line with the goals of the two aforementioned mega-trends. But reducing carbon emissions or even establishing carbon-neutral production requires investment and restructuring.
This is currently countered by the planning uncertainty experienced by many companies and customer groups, particularly where issues of energy supply and the corresponding costs are concerned.
Plotting the strategic course for the industry
For the trade association and its board, the focus is therefore on plotting the strategic course for the plastics and rubber machinery manufacturing industry and its partners along the value chain. This includes the following areas of action:
Recruiting young talent – time to cooperate!
Attracting committed young people to mechanical engineering and in particular to the plastics industry is a joint project. The trade association is working intensively with the VDMA Education Department. The figures collected there show that the shortage of skilled workers is seen as the greatest risk in mechanical engineering. The cause is a demographic change on the one hand, and competition from other sectors that seem more appealing to young people on the other. Very often, they do not have a clear picture of what mechanical engineering entails, neither of its achievements for climate protection nor of the career opportunities it offers. This is even more true for the plastics industry, which has to contend with an image problem. On the other hand, the satisfaction rate of technical trainees with their companies and their jobs is very high.
In this area of tension, the representatives of the associations of “Wir sind Kunststoff” (We are plastics), GKV, PlasticsEurope and VDMA came together to jointly address the issue of young talent here as well. There are initial ideas: for example, how to attract more women to the plastics industry through good examples across all levels of the company and networks. Another area of activity is to attract employees from abroad. In this field, mechanical engineering with its international networks is well positioned.
Circular Economy made in Europe – technology is the key to global success
If circular economy is to work effectively, we need to think globally. Climate change, scarcity of resources, and the avoidance of environmental damage caused by plastics are not local problems. Mechanical engineering plays a central role in its implementation. The trade association has therefore developed an event format at which, through a joint campaign, member companies can present their technological know-how as system providers focused on plastics recycling and the processing of recycled materials within key sales markets. It is important to take local specifics into account and to involve local players. The first venue will be Mumbai in India.
Digitalisation as an enabler of CO2-neutral production
Production processes are to become increasingly resource-efficient; CO2 emissions are to be reduced or avoided altogether. In order to find the savings potential and make the efficiencies measurable, the individual process steps must be digitally inter-networked, with the best scenario being across the entire value and supply chain. This will support users not only in the increasingly strict documentation and reporting obligations, but also in the conception phase of new product types. A digital test version can save energy use and material. Using alternative materials instead of fossil raw materials can drive their marketability; however, digitalisation also helps at the end-of-life stage when sorting plastic waste into single-variety material streams.
There is another factor involved in the digitisation of production: work structures are changing due to increased automation, which aids companies with a lack of workers, who need fewer, but better trained skilled workers.
Whether It’s AI, Health Apps, Lab Medicine or Robotics, Start-Ups Are Shaking Things Up in the Health Sector and Causing a Stir at MEDICA
The agenda includes many highlights for and by the start-up scene
For years, the internationally leading medical trade fair MEDICA in Düsseldorf has also been the global leading event for start-ups seeking to enter the health sector. Among the more than 5,000 exhibiting companies at MEDICA 2023 and the parallel suppliers’ professional trade fair COMPAMED 2023 (date: 13 – 16 November), there will accordingly again be several hundred young developer teams seeking business contacts for cooperation concerning funding, production, product approval, marketing or sales of their product ideas.
Numerous programme highlights place a targeted focus on the start-up scene and offer start-ups an ideal platform to present their innovative solutions and to do business with the international world of professional health care. Among those worth mentioning are the 12th MEDICA Start-up Competition, the 15th Healthcare Innovation World Cup, the MEDICA START-UP PARK and many more start-up exhibitions at the MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM.
Both for the 12th MEDICA Start-up Competition and for the 15th Healthcare Innovation World Cup, the kick-off for the registration process has already taken place. Interested start-ups will find information concerning the rules and options for participation in the competition on the programme page of the MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM (https://www.medica.de/mchf2).
At the MEDICA Start-up COMPETITION, the focus is on the entire spectrum of innovations for the healthcare sector: from artificial intelligence (AI) to health apps, solutions for laboratory diagnostics and medical robotics. For the first time this year, “Sustainability” features as a novel category.
All winning teams of the MEDICA Start-up COMPETITION 2022 united on stage.
Previous year’s winning team continues to profit from global visibility
The Spanish start-up Idoven was the winning team in the competition of 2022 and has subsequently profited immensely from participating in the event. The young company has, in their own words, developed an AI-based platform for “cardiology-as-a-service”. This proprietary AI uses electrocardiographs (ECG) of any length and by any diagnostic tool to improve the accuracy and consistency of the interpretation. Rika Christanto, COO at Idoven, is pleased with the effect of participating at MEDICA and the competition finals on the stage of the MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM: “I was very surprised at how global this trade fair is!” The MEDICA Start-up COMPETITION gave her start-up an immense, global visibility, notwithstanding which Idoven also wants to enter the German market.
According to Rika Christanto, it was also helpful to share experiences with other start-ups during MEDICA, for example concerning how to overcome legal obstacles to entering the market. Currently, Idoven is strengthening the partnerships that came out of MEDICA 2022, for example with the company GE Healthcare regarding a project to reduce the necessary efforts for interpretation of ECGs in a clinical setting. “We also signed an agreement with AstraZeneca regarding a cardiac insufficiency project”, says Rika Christanto. This is primarily concerned with avoiding hospitalisation of affected persons. Together with the pharmaceutical company, the star-up is therefore working on solutions to improve individual therapies. To do this, Idoven’s analytical platform uses early data from patient records to estimate the effectiveness of planned treatments and the necessity for changes.
In order to continue this growth course, Idoven is looking for further partnerships, working intensely on the performance of its proprietary AI tools and on the evaluation of the usefulness of their solutions in clinical practice. How important global visibility is for start-ups, and thus participation in internationally successful trade fair events like MEDICA, for example, is illustrated by this figure: Idoven has already managed to gain financial support amounting to almost 20 million US dollars (approximately 18.1 million euros) for the realisation of upcoming projects and further developments.
Healthcare Innovation World Cup: the next generation of intelligent medtech devices
For start-ups, scale-ups and smaller mid-level companies, participation in (and the free-of-charge application to) the 15th Healthcare Innovation World Cup could also be interesting. The focus here is on intelligent “Internet of Medical Things” (IoMT) solutions, e.g., digital biomarkers, smart band-aids or wearables with network connectivity. The 12 finalists, chosen by a renowned professional jury, are invited to present their businesses during MEDICA 2023 on the programme stage of the MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM (in Hall 12). The previous year’s winner was ViewMind Inc., a company specialising in the management of neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer’s. Mark Edwards, CEO and co-founder of ViewMind Inc., says that while the effects of winning cannot be quantified, “I can say that winning was very helpful to make the company and its products known”. This start-up, too, has completed another round of financing, which was facilitated by their success at MEDICA. The already CE-certified ViewMind product, which is already on the market, was validated in approx. 30 clinical trials on four continents with thousands of patients. Approval by the FDA is currently ongoing.
ViewMind initially addresses the pharmaceutical industry, says Mark Edwards, but also the healthcare sector in general. “We are working on clinical trials with several pharmaceutical companies in order to give them a tool with which to find suitable participants, set up cohorts precisely and measure the effects of therapy with corresponding sensitivity.” The start-up sees itself as a pioneer for the development of precision drugs.
Edwards has often visited MEDICA in Düsseldorf. From his perspective, the size of the event is an advantage. He has already met with many contacts from the sales sector here in order to assess possible sales partnerships. ViewMind keeps its eyes on the prize, as Mark Edwards says: “We want to establish a sensitive marker for neurocognitive diseases and cognition which is a easy to operate and as useful as a device for measuring blood pressure or blood sugar.”
The MEDICA START-UP PARK is the meeting place for networking for and with the young start-up scene.
Meet-up point at MEDICA START-UP PARK
The MEDICA START-UP PARK (in Hall 12) also emphasises networking and has established itself as the central meet-up point for the start-up scene. A good 40 start-ups have already registered in a very early phase for this year – a new record.
The start-up initiative “Up To Future” from Ukraine will be there for a second time. In 2022, registration could only take place shortly before the trade fair. Among the Ukrainian start-ups promoted by the initiative was HandyUsound with its product idea for a portable ultrasound system. The product met with such a great response from the trade fair audience that the founding team wants to use the opportunity again this year to make further business contacts. Megnosis from Korea is also participating in the MEDICA START-UP PARK this year. The company has developed EEG helmets which are intended to detect dementia at an early stage and ameliorate the effects through the stimulation of brain cells and neurons.
Germany is also represented at the joint stand. One example is AssistMe. For MEDICA 2023, they will present a smart sensor system for use in underwear for incontinence. The system serves as a kind of indicator for liquids. Through a clip connected to the incontinence aid, data retrieved is transmitted to a software cloud system. This way, nursing staff in an institutional setting can better care for residents according to their needs, because with one glance at a central location, staff can determine when it seems necessary to change which person’s incontinence aid.
Solvay and Spirit Announce Strategic Collaboration to Accelerate Composites Adoption on Tomorrow’s Aircraft
Solvay and Spirit AeroSystems have cemented their research and technology relationship on the development of composite aerostructures
Solvay and Spirit AeroSystems (Europe) Limited have strengthened their relationship as Solvay becomes a strategic partner of Spirit’s Aerospace Innovation Centre (AIC) in Prestwick, Scotland. The AIC facilitates collaborative research into sustainable aircraft technologies and processes with Spirit’s industrial, academic and supply-chain partners. Both companies intend to further engage on composite development opportunities to meet the performance, cost and production-rate requirements of future aircraft.
“Solvay’s product development leadership and our best-in-class, UK-based Application Center will be key in contributing to the development of future-proofed, industrial-ready technologies in this exciting cooperation with Spirit,” said Rob Blackburn, Head of Global Customer Engineering Aerospace and Defence at Solvay Materials Global Business Unit.
The collaborators aim to develop advanced manufacturing concepts and secure a step change in composite fabrication, automation and assembly technologies to de-risk and shorten the development cycle. They will also explore further strategic alignment on future innovation.
“Solvay’s expertise in product development, combined with our own capabilities in advanced manufacturing and aerospace design, will allow us to create new technologies and processes that will push the industry forward,” said Jahan Ali, Director of Research and Technology, Europe at Spirit AeroSystems. “Spirit looks forward to continued collaboration with Solvay as we work towards achieving shared goals of enhanced performance, sustainability and competitiveness on future aircraft platforms.”
Safe harbor
This press release may contain forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements describe expectations, plans, strategies, goals, future events or intentions. The achievement of forward-looking statements contained in this press release is subject to risks and uncertainties relating to a number of factors, including general economic factors, interest rate and foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, changing market conditions, product competition, the nature of product development, impact of acquisitions and divestitures, restructurings, products withdrawals, regulatory approval processes, all-in scenario of R&I projects and other unusual items. Consequently, actual results or future events may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Should known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, or should our assumptions prove inaccurate, actual results could vary materially from those anticipated. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.
Atlas Xenotest Now Also Available “American Style.”
Atlas extends its compact entry rotating-rack weathering product series to meet American standards
Atlas Material Testing Technology, the global leader in weathering and lightfastness testing instruments and services, has expanded the performance capabilities of their Xenotest 440 and Xenotest 220/220+ xenon-arc instruments to conform to major American testing standards.
Used by a wide range of industries, air-cooled Xenotest instruments simulate on an accelerated basis the effects of natural sunlight, moisture and heat to predict the service life of products, materials and formulations.
While the Xenotest series has previously focused on European standards, the new enhancements allow these instruments to meet the specific testing requirements for American markets, including ASTM G155 for weathering testing of polymers, AATCC TM16 for lightfastness testing of textiles, and ASTM D7869 for weathering testing of transportation coatings.
Right Light Optical Filter – High Spectral Fidelity
Previously available only for Atlas’ flagship Ci Weather-Ometers, Right Light provides the most precise match to natural sunlight. Introduced to the Xenotest 220+ in 2022, this high-end, high-fidelity filter technology is now available for the more powerful Xenotest 440. With Right Light, Xenotest instruments are capable of meeting the most recent American weathering and lightfastness testing standards, including ASTM G155 for plastics and ASTM D7869 for transportation coatings, as well as International standards, such as ISO 4892-2.
New XENOSENSIV 340/420 BPT-C Sensors
Unlike European weathering testing, which rely on broad-band 300-400 nm light monitors and insulated black panel temperature sensors (BST), American standards specify 340/420 nm narrow-band light monitors and uninsulated black panel temperature sensors (BPT). Designed for the American market, the new Xenotest control sensors – available as options for both the Xenotest 220+ and 440 – provide one narrow-band 340 nm and one narrow-band 420 nm XENOSENSIV light monitor. Both come with a connected, American style BPT sensor.
Xenotest: Setting a New Standard
The introduction of the Xenotest performance extensions – Right Light technology and XENOSENSIV 340/420 BPT-C sensors – propel Atlas’ compact rotating rack instruments into the premier league of xenon weathering instruments. Now, in addition to European and International (ISO) standards, Xenotest now can meet demanding American (ATSM) weathering standards. These include ASTM D7869 (Xenotest 440), ASTM G155 (Xenotest 220+/440), and AATCC TM16 (Xenotest 220/220+/440), as well as all similar or related ASTM or American-style weathering test methods.
DUYTAN Plastic Recycling Co. Ltd. is the first plastics recycler in Vietnam to produce recycled PET for beverage bottle production. The company is about to install its third Starlinger PET bottle-to-bottle recycling line which is scheduled to take up production by end of 2023.
“We want to promote a closed loop for plastic bottles in order to reduce plastic waste and the use of fossil resources in our country”, said Lê Anh, Sustainability Director at DUYTAN Plastic Recycling. “After spending many years researching recycling technology, DUYTAN Plastic Recycling found that Austria has a lot of experience with the circular economy. Therefore, in order to produce food-grade recycled PET for the production of high-quality PET bottle preforms, DUYTAN Plastic Recycling decided to choose recycling lines supplied by the leading PET bottle-to-bottle recycling machine manufacturer in Austria, Starlinger.”
The first two Starlinger recoSTAR PET bottle-to-bottle recycling lines are in operation since 2021 and produce rPET that meets the standards for food-contact packaging of the US FDA and European EFSA.
Located at the Duc Hoa Ha Plastic Industrial Zone in Long An Province, DUYTAN Plastic Recycling has been the first recycling enterprise in Vietnam to engage in PET bottle-to-bottle recycling. The new high-end PET bottle-to-bottle recycling line from machinery supplier Starlinger recycling technology, a recoSTAR PET 330 HC iV+, will be delivered and installed during the third quarter of 2023 and is planned to take up production by the end of the year. Like all Starlinger plastics recycling systems, this bottle-to-bottle recycling line is characterised by very energy-efficient operation, also due to de use of an underwater pelletising system. Compared to strand pelletisers, underwater pelletisers consume considerably less energy, especially when used in combination with a downstream SSP process. Furthermore, the investment costs and operational expenses for the recycling company are lower.
With the additional production capacity, DUYTAN Plastic Recycling will increase its reprocessing capacity to 60,000 tons of plastics per year, which equals about 4 billion post-consumer plastic bottles.
Currently, DUYTAN Plastic Recycling operates two PET recycling lines from Starlinger with a yearly production capacity of 30,000 tons of food-contact rPET pellets. The Starlinger PET recycling process meets the standards of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The produced rPET can be used at shares of up to 100 % for high-quality PET bottle preform production. To ensure a continuous supply of input material, DUYTAN Plastic Recycling has created a plastic waste collection network with more than 100 collection points all over the country. In 2022, the facility recycled over 1.3 billion domestically collected plastic bottles. DUYTAN Plastic Recycling supplies the produced rPET not only to large FMCG companies in Vietnam, but also exported 4,200 tons to Europe and the US in the past year.
For more information please visit www.duytanrecycling.com
ALPLA Invests 60 Million Euros in PET Recycling Plant in South Africa
New plant to recycle around 60,000 tonnes of PET bottles per year from 2025 onwards
Packaging and recycling specialist ALPLA is building a state-of-the-art recycling plant in the South African coastal town of Ballito, north of Durban. The plant, with an output of 35,000 tonnes of recycled PET material, marks the company’s entry into the African recycling market. Construction will start in summer 2023 and completion is planned for autumn 2024. In total, ALPLA is investing around 60 million euros in strengthening the regional circular economy.
The ALPLA Group is strengthening its commitment in southern Africa. After opening its new headquarters in Lanseria near Johannesburg in autumn 2022, the internationally active company is now announcing the construction of its first own recycling plant in South Africa. By autumn 2024, a modern plant for recycling used PET bottles will be built on a 90,000-square-metre site in Ballito near Durban in the province of KwaZulu Natal. It is the first investment in a food-grade PET recycling facility in South Africa’s second largest province by population and a key investment for the region. In future, almost 60,000 tonnes of PET bottles will be recycled per year and 35,000 tonnes of mechanically recycled rPET flakes and pellets will be produced from them, the majority of which ALPLA will process to produce its own bottles.
‘Our goal is a bottle-to-bottle cycle at the location of our activities. In this way, as a recycler and producer, we can secure the supply of safe, affordable and sustainable packaging worldwide and at the same time promote awareness of the recyclable material,’ emphasises ALPLA CEO Philipp Lehner. The company is investing around 60 million euros in the project in the industrial region around Ballito. The new plant will increase the annual production capacity of all ALPLA recycling companies and cooperations to around 238,000 tonnes for rPET (recycled PET) and 74,000 tonnes for rHDPE (recycled HDPE).
Partner for the circular economy
The market for high-quality products made from recycled materials is growing not only in Europe, Asia, and North and South America, but also in the south of the African continent. In South Africa, the increasing demand is accompanied by the gradual expansion of nationwide collection systems. ‘Together with the Producer Responsibility Organisation PETCO, who identified KwaZulu Natal as an opportunity for enterprise development, and other key stakeholders, ALPLA has been supporting the development of the collection value chain, the sensitisation of society and the avoidance of landfills for years,’ explains Mike Resnicek, ALPLA Finance and Commercial Director Africa, Middle East and Turkey, and Director and Member of the Board of PETCO.
In addition, for the realisation of the recycling plant, ALPLA has jointly decided to approach the investment with a local partner. ‘Local know-how combined with a sound understanding of the cultural and economic landscape is key for such a large-scale project,’ Resnicek adds.
PETCO CEO Cheri Scholtz says: ‘This investment in a further bottle-to-bottle plant in South Africa, and particularly with a local partner, is welcome news. We need additional offtake for the growing number of post-consumer bottles that we are unlocking nationally, and this also complements our transformation strategy.’
‘By setting up the first recycling resources of our own in Africa, we are equipping ourselves for the future, making a contribution to increasing the collection rate and reducing waste by recycling valuable raw materials. At the same time, we are creating many new jobs locally,’ believes Dietmar Marin, ALPLA Managing Director Recycling Division. The new plant in Ballito will employ around 100 people in the future. The development of the regional collection system will also have an impact on regional value creation and is expected to generate more than 10,000 indirect jobs in the coming years.
Rund 35.000 Tonnen rPET wird der international tätige Verpackungs- und Recyclingspezialist ALPLA ab 2025 im neuen Recyclingwerk in Südafrika jährlich produzieren. // From 2025, the internationally active packaging and recycling specialist ALPLA will produce around 35,000 tonnes of rPET per year at its new recycling plant in South Africa.
Growth market in southern Africa
ALPLA is represented at a total of seven locations in South Africa, Mauritius and Angola in the sub-Saharan region on the continent, where it employs more than 1,000 people. In mid October 2022, the region’s new manufacturing headquarters was inaugurated in Lanseria near Johannesburg. Prior to this, a second production plant for PET preforms was opened in Angola’s capital Luanda. ALPLA is planning further investments in southern Africa in the coming years. ‘Regional anchoring and global know-how create the basis for strong partnerships and trust. With high-quality packaging solutions made from recycled materials, we can support our customers in meeting their sustainability goals and offer everything from a single source in the future,’ says Javier Delgado, ALPLA Regional Managing Director Africa, Middle East and Turkey.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Collaborates With Sidel to Successfully Transition to Tethered Caps and Lighter Bottle
When Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) took the decision to introduce tethered caps for its PET bottles to boost collection and recycling and prevent litter, Sidel utilised its expertise in this field to support CCEP with the transition. Required to implement the changes by July 2024 in line with single-use plastic (SUP) law, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners also identified the opportunity to move to a more sustainable package, working with Sidel to move to a lighter neck for its carbonated soft drinks (CSD) plastic bottles.
Sidel and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners share a strong historical partnership, having collaborated for over 30 years at a global group level across multiple projects in equipment, packaging development and supporting services. CCEP’s introduction of attached caps and the implementation of a new lighter neck, with a 1 gram saving, provided numerous technical challenges relating to the correct selection of preforms and caps as well as the right technical equipment configurations to switch across all its existing PET packaging lines in Europe.
Comprehensive expertise from the start to completion
From the beginning of the project, especially during the initial definition and planning phases, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners had to rationalise the solutions to implement in terms of caps, preforms and OEM technical modifications on the equipment. During the planning phase, pilot tests for the new product were handled on two different lines including one Sidel line in Barcelona, which was converted to accommodate both tethered capping and the new, lighter neck GME30.40 that was developed and made available for industry. These tests enabled Sidel to work closely with CCEP to assess the new specifications, along with the new equipment configuration, to ensure optimum efficiency on the line, validate quality requirements of new necks and allow CCEP to conduct a small-scale market evaluation to understand consumer acceptance.
“The combined project management between CCEP and Sidel was key to the success of the project,” said Geert Marse, Technical Packaging Lead at CCEP. “Anticipation, planning and collaboration between stakeholders was vital in readying these lines. We released the first sellable bottles on the Great Britain market in May 2022, as we had scheduled. The pilot in Barcelona helped us to learn and identify any potential issues together.”
In some cases, Sidel combined line conversion with line overhaul, while CCEP conducted maintenance to deliver optimised product execution and the highest level of line performance.
“The majority of converted lines achieved line efficiency objective. We are fully satisfied with the preparation, including line status assessment, the pilot line tests and the great collaboration in working together to make this project successful,” continues Geert Marse.
Delivering massive conversions across Europe
Once pilot tests were finalised in Barcelona, Sidel was engaged by CCEP to convert all of its Sidel lines within European factories. Line conversions have varied between factories. Some required significant development for a change to tethered cap and new neck, including adaptation of different equipment such as the preform feeder, blower, capper, cap feeder and labeller. However, CCEP was able to rely on Sidel’s strength in this field to carry out the detailed study of every machine’s configuration in each plant to address their respective unique set-up.
With a large number of lines across the EU requiring conversion, CCEP was among the first organisations within the CSD market to switch to tethered caps. The first line to be converted was completed in April 2022 in East Kilbride, Scotland, which produced CCEP’s 1.5L bottle, before a second single-serve line was completed at the end of 2022.
Geert Marse, adds: “To support this switch Coca-Cola launched a broad communication campaign to explain how to use this new cap and to help gradually change consumer habits, collecting all consumers feedback and taking corrective actions if needed.”
To date, Sidel has successfully converted one third of CCEP’s European PET bottling lines for CSDs, with the final line conversion scheduled to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2024.
MAAG Group is a broadly diversified global solutions provider of Pump & Filtration Systems, Pelletizing & Pulverizing Systems, Recycling Systems and digital solutions.
At Plast in Milan, Italy, from September 5-8, MAAG Group shows integrated solutions for the processing of polymers in the recycling process in hall 13, booth B31, in particular the ECO 500 high-performance melt filter from ETTLINGER.
MAAG ETTLINGERs ECO 500 is a high performance melt filter for the filtration of heavily contaminated polymer feedstock. For chemical recycling, this technology is outstanding for filtering low viscosity polymers. The filter is self-cleaning with a rotating, perforated drum, through which there is a continuous flow of melt from the outside to the inside. A scraper removes the contaminants that are held back on the surface and feeds them to the discharge system. This enables the filter to be used fully automatically and without any disruptions over long periods without having to replace the screen. The advantages: Reliable melt filtration, ultra-low melt losses constant pressure curve, fast spreading of the contamination and short residence time of the melt in the filter.
PEARLO 350 EAC with liquid-heated die plate for high capacities:
The underwater pelletizing system PEARLO 350 EAC is especially designed for high throughputs of like 18.000 kg/h of Virgin Polymer production. The unique cutting blade design and optimum water and material flow conditions within the cutting chamber provide not only ideal and homogeneous cooling effects but also outstanding pellet quality. Another innovative design feature of the PEARLO is the cutting blade advance system, which permits axial movement of the cutter shaft resulting in a precise blade advance as well as a regrinding of the blades during production. This allows higher equipment availability, elongated production runs and thus saves costs.
Under the name EBG, MAAG is presenting a strand pelletizing system for highly filled, hydroscopic and water-sensitive compounds. EBG scores with a high degree of automation, gentle material processing and excellent product quality. From the die head to the granulator, the pelletizing system forms a unit that, despite its compact design, has features of a large compounding system. Automatic feeding in case of strand breaks, removal of melt residues on the die plate by the patented Hot-Air-Knife and synchronization between conveyor belt and strand granulator to name a few. Also, in this machine the control system has been revised and now allows the operator to read out the machine status live via Bluetooth.
MAAG Group PEARLO 350 Underwater Pelletizer.
All MAAG Group extrex gear pumps in x6 class design are completely re-engineered and have redesigned components, from the shafts through to the bearings and seals, and optimized the interaction of the components. Specially developed gear teeth with low compression allow very high pressures to be achieved with low shear rates. The result is a further increase in achievable product quality, volumetric efficiency, as well as production consistency and safety.
For more information on our products, visit www.maag.com
