Sidel proves “the perfect fit” for Mai Dubai installing the fastest water line in Middle East, Africa and Asia

A PET complete bottling line at leading water company Mai Dubai LLC has been hailed as the fastest single line in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Sidel’s Super Combi solution, adapted to optimise space and increase efficiency, is helping the UAE-based company deliver high-quality water and take another step towards becoming the region’s number one water brand. Sidel has provided what Mai Dubai’s Director of Operations Mohamad Usman called the “perfect fit.”

Water makes up nearly one-third of soft drinks sales in the UAE and sales are forecast to grow by 436m litres, more than any other category, by 2026. In addition, buying habits in the UAE are changing, with consumers becoming more concerned about shopping responsibly and demanding climate-friendly packaging and larger pack sizes in response to spending more time at home with family during the pandemic. [1]

Mai Dubai was established in 2012 and is one of the leading bottled water companies in the UAE. It is fully owned by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). Mai Dubai represents Dubai, a global brand which stands for high quality, high standards and an impressive consumer experience. Aside from the UAE market, the company has also been supplying its products internationally and since 2015, it has supplied Emirates Airlines.

Mai Dubai recently benefitted from Sidel’s expertise with the installation of a new complete packaging line. The line fills 86,000 bottles per hour (bph) in three different formats (200ml, 330ml and 500ml). But speed was just one consideration when it came to selecting Sidel, as Mai Dubai CEO Alexander van ’t Riet explains:

“Our key considerations were the optimal use of space, high consistent quality and efficiency with flexibility. Sidel’s digital capability was very attractive, too, with its Efficiency Improvement Tool (EIT®) enabling us to track the performance of every part of the line.

Sidel also added extra value by using its design expertise to help us to strengthen our 500ml bottle without compromising its iconic design. Finally, Mai Dubai is a leader in sustainability and Sidel’s solution supported our low energy requirements.”

Boosting quality and efficiency

The complete high-performance line provided by Sidel delivers optimum water quality. It includes the all-in-one Super Combi solution for blowing, labelling and filling, with the unique ground level preform infeed system, EasyFEED, and the top ergonomic cap feeder, Gebo OptiFeed. These pieces of equipment all ensure that Mai Dubai’s high quality standards are met including:

Safe and clean conditions are ensured by EasyFEED with its UV lamps. In addition, a dedusting system for preforms is integrated into the blower, while a deionizing system on the caps chute further boosts the hygienic conditions.
At the labelling stage, quality and efficiency are also met by three labelling stations, all equipped with an auto-splicing system, delivering consistent uptime by ensuring non-stop production. Bottles are scuff- and scratch-free, improving the quality of the end-product. This is due to the ease of handling of lightweight bottles, enabled by labelling between the blowing and filling stage.
The accurate, reliable no-contact filler features a reduced enclosure kept in overpressure with high-efficiency particulate-absorbing (HEPA) filters. This results in a protected environment around the filling valves, and an easier to clean area using less sterilising agents and time.
Gebo OptiFeed’s features enable smooth cap handling. Its inspection system improves efficiency by automatically detecting cap quality and colour.

Continuing down the line, the seamless shrink-wrapper EvoFilm meets Mai Dubai’s key requirements for maximising efficiency by minimising downtime. It also manages nested packs – where bottles are offset so they can be closely packed – and gives stability while reducing the pack’s footprint, bringing cost savings in logistics.

Additional features of the new line include, the high-speed, high-level pack infeed, PalLinear palletiser. It features a fully robotic layer preparation, RoboSmart, offering flexibility and saving time as well as being easier to operate.

In addition, Mai Dubai was so impressed with Sidel’s Efficiency Improvement Tool (EIT), the all-in-one line performance software, that it has now installed it on its other packaging lines.

Exceeding expectations

Mai Dubai appreciated Sidel’s smooth implementation of the line and ability to meet deadlines but exceed expectations:

“We were very impressed with Sidel’s adaptability and understanding of our requirements,” says Mohamad Usman.

“They delivered a line that was faster than our original specification. Sidel also met our additional request for bottle strength improvement. Within 15 days they had done a Failure Mode and Effects (FME) analysis and come up with a solution. With Emirates Airlines as a flagship client, premium, distinctive and reliable packaging is important to Mai Dubai.”

Meeting consumer demand

The new installation is enabling Mai Dubai to respond to the growing demand for bottled water in the UAE, which already has one of the world’s highest per capita water consumption, as consumers opt for healthier products and move away from sugary drinks to no-calorie options.

Achieving sustainability goals

Consumers are also increasingly influenced by the environment when making purchasing decisions. Mai Dubai promotes PET as a sustainable product and runs education initiatives about plastic recycling with local schools. The company’s clear commitment to sustainability is also demonstrated through its energy strategy. The entire plant is run on renewable energy, generated from its more than 52,000 rooftop solar panels – an area equivalent to all the windows in the Burj Khalifa, the iconic Dubai skyscraper and the world’s tallest building. For the past two years Mai Dubai has been net positive, generating more power than it uses.

“Sidel is, of course, one of the respected suppliers in the industry,” concludes Alexander van ’t Riet.

“When we compared the services that we needed, the equipment, the digital technology, and the solutions that were important to us such as energy consumption, we decided that Sidel would be the right partner for us.”

Inspection and classification: Effective evaluation & distribution of raw materials such as polymers or flakes

Pellet inspection ensures 100 % control during the production or compounding process. Many manufacturers in the field already offer the inspection systems as well as units for the production of polymers. The pioneering inventor Thomas Alva Edison once said: “If there is a way to make something better: Find it!“. That is exactly what OCS have done. What is thebenefit of detection, classification and sorting? Be part of the leading international event for the process industries, Achema in Frankfurt am Main, Germany from 22 – 26 August 2022. With live demonstrations, OCS will provide the customers and visitors insights into the fascinating possibilities of this inspection and classification technology.

Classification of polymers – optimised product mix
OCS devices and systems not only provide the appropriate image processing system for inspecting such defects, they can also be classified directly on the basis of specific measurement parameters. Product quality begins with the selection of only high-quality raw materials and top-notch production OCS Optical Control Systems GmbH has been developing innovative and efficient
customer-specific solutions for quality control and assurance for more than 30 years now.

What is the benefit of sorting out contaminated material and how can we use this? Depending on the end product, product mixes can be used, for example, and the scrap can be used efficiently. customer,
for example.
What are the advantages of direct online quality control with OCS measuring systems?
• Optimised product mix on the basis of precise results
• Optimisation of system flexibility through remix
• Significant shortening of transition times
• Possibility for direct intervention

However, also the sales team can use this qualified data to actively promote a certain raw material to their customers.

Digitalisation – Industry 4.0
For example, several options are available for data communication. Customer-specific data preparation and transfer as well as remote control (via communication protocol or digital I/O). Easy
integration of external devices (e.g. colour measurement), OPC Server Industry 4.0, easy data transfer to CSV. Further interfaces can be implemented on customer request.

Customer Benefits of Inspection Equipment by OCS:
– Consistently high quality of polymers / defect prevention / scrap minimisation
– Individual and trend-setting solutions
– Best life-cycle costs and performance
– High ROI

OCS Communication Software COM100
COM100 Modul
▪ To process values of our devices
▪ Prepare the process values for the customer control system
▪ Display the process values
▪ Send the process values to the customer control system via a protocol
▪ Receive control information from the customer’s control system
▪ A COM100 module can exchange data with a COM100 module

COM100 Software
▪ The COM100 software can also monitor process values and display historical events
▪ The COM100 software can run as a service on a customer system

Teknor Apex replaces standard PA66 GF (Glass Filled) materials with PP GF resulting in several processing advantages for an AdBlue Tank Cover

Replacement reaped economical and visual benefits from the new compound

Teknor Apex, known for its customer centric approach, has become the global market leader in compound manufacturing through the efforts of its 2,300 employees at 16 locations worldwide. In the city of Rothenburg ob de Tauber – Bavaria / Germany, Teknor Apex is represented by around 140 employees in a wide range of areas. In mid- 2020, the new plant in Rothenburg was completed, providing space for further growth.

“Teknor Apex Germany is one of the most important European manufacturers of engineering thermoplastics and thermoplastic-elastomers for high performance applications, the range of our
products is articulated in a huge range of formulations, ready-to-use or tailor-made on request, and are exported worldwide for the electrical and electronics, industrial, and automotive and transportation sectors,” said Mr. Joseph Leforestier, Account Manager – Export.

Thanks to its innovative spirit and the know-how of its chemists, Teknor Apex Germany has developed a family of glass-filled engineering polypropylene with E-modules that reach 11,000 MPa
and a HDT that reaches 160°C. The purpose of this development was to replace glass filled PA66 and PA6 with modified glass filled PP, in an effort to offer customers alternative solutions that have similar properties to but are more economical than glass filled PA.

Some advantages of the Teknor Apex engineering glass filled PP are:

• Easy to process material even through existing molds
•  Similar shrinkage to PA
• A more environmentally conscious process as there is no need to pre-dry the material and
  the melting temperature, processing temperature, and mold temperature are all lower than
  those of PA
•  Very good dimensional stability (no water or moisture absorption)
•  Temperature resistance (130°C/3000h) and UV stabilized.
• Superior surface aesthetics
•  Laser marking ability
• and more …

To date, the Teknor Apex modified PP has replaced several glass filled PA66 and PA6 applications
on existing molds. Here is one example of these PA application replacements:
• Former material: PA66 GF30
• Current material: Teknor Apex PP GF45
• Application: AdBlue Tank Cover for Mercedes

AdBlue, or diesel exhaust fluid, might be still unfamiliar to some motorists but owners of modern diesel cars with engines that are Euro 6 compliant will be familiar. AdBlue is a liquid used to reduce the nitrous oxide emissions of diesel engines and is made up of a mixture of urea and deionized water that is sprayed into the exhaust system. Its widespread introduction coincided with the
current Euro 6 emissions standards, which are part of ever more stringent emissions targets that car manufacturers are now required to meet. Without AdBlue, it would be much more difficult to lower the emissions of diesel cars and get them to comply with the latest standards

SABIC debuts new PP compounds for foam injection molding, providing both light weight and exceptional aesthetics for automotive interiors

SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, today introduced a specialized portfolio of SABIC® PP compounds for foam injection molding (FIM). New mineral-reinforced SABIC® PPc F9005, PPc F9007 and PPc F9015 grades can help deliver excellent aesthetics for visible automotive interior parts with complex geometries, such as door panels and trim, seat and trunk cladding, A/B/C/D pillar covers and center consoles. Unlike standard FIM materials, which typically exhibit surface defects, the new advanced PP compounds feature uniformly high surface quality similar to solid injection molded parts. Compared to solid components, foamed parts made with SABIC PP compounds offer significant weight savings that can help cut emissions. According to a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment study (pending third-party review), the advanced new materials can help OEMs lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by as much as 15 percent.

“The automotive industry continues to look for new weight-out strategies that can advance energy efficiency and sustainability goals,” said Abdullah Al-Otaibi, general manager, ETP & Market Solutions, SABIC. “Although foam injection molding produces desirable lightweight parts, manufacturers have been forced to sacrifice aesthetics, until now. We applied our extensive expertise in foaming technology to develop these new compounds to help resolve the issue of surface quality and open new application opportunities for foamed parts.”

Solving the FIM Aesthetics Challenge
Previously, the FIM process was essentially limited to non-visible parts, restricting its usefulness in automotive applications. Foaming can underperform in surface aesthetics: silver streaking, swirl lines and dimples are common defects. SABIC PP compounds for foamed interior parts deliver low-gloss textured (grained) surfaces with uniformly high quality, including the elimination of streaking and swirling. Talc filler in these grades acts as a nucleator that promotes the generation of finer bubbles, which contribute to a consistent surface appearance. For enhanced aesthetics, these grades are currently available in selected automotive interior colors with custom coloring also available.

Optimizing Weight-out Benefits
Weight reduction results with SABIC PP compounds depend on several factors, including the type of FIM technique used. Short-shot molding, which uses the same tooling as an injection molded part, can reduce weight by up to 10 percent. SABIC PPc 9007 is formulated for short-shot FIM and low-impact applications. Core-back molding, which requires part redesign and new tooling, can lower weight by as much as 30 percent. Both SABIC PPc 9005 and PPc 9015 grades are formulated for core-back molding and deliver medium stiffness and impact.

The choice between the short-shot and core-back techniques, with their different tooling requirements, also helps to determine whether FIM with SABIC PP compounds is cost neutral or delivers cost savings. Additional cost savings are possible from cycle time reductions from flow improvements inherent in FIM.

Another consideration is the foaming process, which can use chemical or physical agents. The new SABIC PP compounds are good candidates for use with chemical blowing agents, which are typically preferred for visible foamed parts. These agents are introduced to the molding machine in the form of a masterbatch, along with the plastic pellets, and activate during the melt phase to release gases for foaming.

Supporting FIM Application Development and Processing
SABIC fully supports its new PP compound portfolio with extensive expertise in foamed part design, development and processing, as well as predictive engineering capability. For instance, the company can provide guidance on the selection of the appropriate chemical blowing agent for each grade. SABIC’s technical team will collaborate with customers to achieve excellent aesthetics at the lowest possible part weight.

To drive future developments in polymer foams, SABIC operates a Foam Innovation Center in The Netherlands. This center, which is equipped with foam process capabilities as well as analytical equipment, enables the company to develop new foam solutions and technology innovations and collaborate with customers.

The new SABIC PP compounds have launched in Europe, with upcoming availability in the Americas and Asia/Pacific.

Returns to Plastics Industry Association as Vice President, Industry Engagement

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) is pleased to announce that Ashley Hood-Morley has returned to fulfill the role of Vice President, Industry Engagement, effective immediately.

As a member of the Senior team, Ashley will be an integral part of PLASTICS’ growth and engagement. Ashley will lead strategy on membership acquisition and retention as well as oversee industry relationships and programs for PLASTICS stakeholders and key strategic partners.

“We are excited to have Ashley rejoining the PLASTICS team,” said Glenn Anderson, Chief Operating Officer of the Plastics Industry Association. “Ashley brings a diverse and significant set of executive skills to our association and is highly regarded by our members. In her new role, Ashley’s leadership will be instrumental as we work to rebuild the culture of our association.”

Hood-Morley has worked in the plastics industry for more than 15 years, and most recently, has focused on plastics recycling and sustainability. She returns to PLASTICS after serving as the Strategic Initiatives Manager on Eastman’s Corporate Sustainability team where she led the advancement of sustainability integration into business strategies and supported the success of the Circular Economy platform. In previous roles at Eastman, she worked in new product development, manufacturing, quality assurance, and product stewardship, all of which supported Eastman’s Specialty Plastics business. Ashley also spent more than 6 years at the Plastics Industry Association, where she managed new business development as well as PLASTICS’ portfolio of recycling, sustainability, and material initiatives across the organization.

“We absolutely could not have found someone more perfectly suited for this role than Ashley,” said Matt Seaholm, President and CEO of PLASTICS. “Her first-hand understanding of our members from multiple perspectives, as well as her industry expertise, makes her an ideal advocate on behalf of our association.”

“I am excited to return to PLASTICS and grateful for the opportunity to lead the membership and engagement teams,” Hood-Morley shared. “I am personally committed to the plastics industry and the people that this association represents. I am extremely optimistic about the great things we can accomplish on behalf of our members and looking forward to working with Matt, Glenn, and the leadership at PLASTICS.”

Since 1937, PLASTICS, the only organization that supports the entire plastics supply chain, has been working to make its members and the industry more globally competitive while advancing recycling and sustainability. To learn more about PLASTICS educational initiatives, industry-leading insights and events, networking opportunities and policy advocacy, and the largest plastic trade show in the Americas, NPE: The Plastics Show, visit plasticsindustry.org or go to This Is PLASTICS.

Lightweight construction technologies advance energy and material efficiency

• Hybrid Lightweight Technologies WG meets for general assembly at
TRUMPF in Ditzingen
• Focus on CO2 savings and recycling of lightweight components
• Networks for technology transfer and cooperation
• New board elected, Marc Kirchhoff, TRUMPF, continues as chairman

The member companies of the VDMA Hybrid Lightweight
Technologies Working Group share the same fate that many industries are currently experiencing: Order books are full, but sales are stagnant. COVID-19 has already caused supply chain problems over the last two years; these are now being exacerbated by the of the Ukraine war. They are now coupled with sharp price increases and supply bottlenecks for raw materials and energy.

However, the latter in particular offer great opportunities for the use of hybrid lightweight construction technologies. At their yesterday’s general assembly at TRUMPF Laser- und Systemtechnik GmbH in Ditzingen, the members of the VDMA Working Group Hybrid Lightweight Technologies made clear that they have the expertise to find solutions when it comes to significant savings in energy and materials – and thus also in CO2 emissions. But the requirements for sustainable concepts go far beyond. Therefore, the recycling of lightweight products was also one of the hot topics on the agenda.

Networks for cooperation and technology transfer
The development and marketing of complex lightweight construction concepts requires a close cooperation across the technological boundaries, but also the dialogue with the customer industries. Lightweight construction concepts are seen as key technologies to respond to social trends and to master the upcoming challenges.

This is why the Initiative Leichtbau Baden-Württemberg is an important partner for the working group members. With its network, it connects all levels: Technology, application and politics. This will be highlighted at the symposium “Lightweight construction in urban systems” that follows the members’ meeting, where examples of climate protection through sustainable building design are being presented.

Another important pillar for cooperation is the Lightweight Construction Technology Transfer Programme of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, which is promoting the cross-sector and cross-material transfer of knowledge and technology.