SA POLYMER TECHNOLOGY

Publisher & Managing Editor: Martin Wells (martin@summitpub.co.za)

Editor: Tessa O’Hara (tessa@summitpub.co.za)

Publishers Assistant: Heather Peplow (heather@summitpub.co.za)

Bookkeeper: Gloria van Heerden (gloriavanheerden@gmail.com)

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Southern African Polymer Technology is published six times a year and focuses on these industries in South and Southern Africa. We welcome news, articles, technical reports, information in general and photographs about events and developments related to the plastics industry. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Plastics Converters Association, Institute of Materials or Association of Rotational Moulders either.

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ISSN number: 1684-2855 (ISDS Centre, Paris)

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First recycling of post-consumer thermoformed PET containers –

Zibo Containers has recently commissioned a major new washplant at its factory in Blackheath in the Western Cape and the company’s CEO André Smit was happy with the quality of the first flake produced. Part of the project’s goal is to reprocess post-consumer PET punnets and trays and reuse the resulting rPET in the production of the same range of containers. After the wash stage, the flake is further processed on an Erema Vacurema system where it is re-extruded and pelletised. Up till now all the PET thermoformed trays and containers in South Africa have gone to landfill or been abandoned as litter, so this a huge step for Zibo – as well as for the PET thermoforming sector. About 26,000 tons of PET is converted by the thermoforming sector in South Africa a year currently. See pages 6-7

Load shedding is dampening enthusiasm to invest

A FURTHER effect of load shedding, which has gotten worse, is that it has reduced appetite for investing. Some of the most efficient convertors in the country have mentioned this. We are talking about businesses that view capex as a standard item on their balance sheets, having a budget for machinery purchases annually and fully utilising that. Having new kit on the floor is exciting for production staff, and that enthusiasm can rub off on the whole organisation. With the on-going power problem, one of the top convertors opted instead to send more staff to the K in October. Apparently over 50 employees from the company attended the show in Germany, giving them the opportunity to witness how big the industry is and how impressive the machinery is. That experience would have been an eye-opener for first-time attendees and also made them feel special and needed by their company. And probably improved their technical knowhow.

Thank you to our readers

THANK you to all our readers and advertisers who participated in our mag this past year, their stories have been interesting and encouraging in every way. We find the topic of most interest for most convertors is what the other guys are doing, for obvious reasons. Some have also not wanted to reveal anything about their businesses, ‘flying under the radar’ being one of their favourite sayings, and not wanted to participate. But even if your competitors know what machinery you have (or who’s working for you), will it make any difference? You still have to use it profitably and your toolroom and sales team have to be ultra-efficient, among other parts of your business that have to be running 100% – without which you’re not going to be operating at full potential. We look forward to continuing to report about what you are doing in 2023.

… if you have something to say Look at the bright side: if you have some gem of wisdom to impart, please write to us at tessa@summitpub.co.za

Find out more at www.sapt.co.za

INDUSTRY NEWS

Zibo commissions washplant

PIMMS Group establishes cleanroom

ALPLA starts production at the new plant in Lanseria

Polyoak takes Gold Pack trophy

Safrique’s best K ever

Atlantic Plastics implements re-investment strategy

KZNR lands agency for Ineos Composites in sA

‘Green’ pavers an innovative solution for waste plastics

SUSTAINABILITY

Image of plastics must improve

US Plastics Pact’s sustainable Packaging Innovation Award winners

DESIGN

SPE auto awards showcase the best of the best!

WORLD NEWS

PepsiCo cuts bottle costs, time with 3D printed mould inserts

Project to develop new materials under microgravity conditions

Breakthrough technology used to create designer chair

ON THE COVER:

Overallwinnerofthe2022GoldPackTrophyisPolyoak Packagingfortheir20-litrebucketsmanufactured usingPCR.Readmoreonpage12.

PIMMS Group in Honeydew recently commissioned its new cleanroom following its acquisition of pharmaceutical packaging brand Medena in what is a big step for the company. It’s a big capex project and caters to demand for pharmaceutical and related products where high hygiene levels are required, maybe even extreme levels. Few others have mastered this art in South Africa, so it’s hats off to Stephen Stanley and the Pimms team – See pages 8-9

Convertors are facing up to

new challenges

Our products still offer potential to meet all requirements THIS ISSUE

Good

day winners !

Yes, I refer to you. If you’ve survived the past year in business then you simply are that – a winner. With the Covid-induced economic upheaval, material shortages and huge cost and availability shifts, load-shedding and the like, 2022 has not been easy. Miraculously, the majority of convertors and suppliers are still here and operational. To achieve that, business owners and managers have had to be extremely resourceful. Facing up to the new challenges created by the circular economy, environmental and sustainability requirements have provided further challenges, but what has bided us through is possibly the fact that plastics and composites products still offer potential to meet all requirements, particularly by inclusion of recycled grades in manufactured items. Now all the big material and machinery suppliers are facing up to these challenges too.

It’s exciting and 2023 should see a continuation of these developments.

In this issue we have articles on some of these initiatives, with the item that may have been of most interest to you being that of the design of Alpla’s new mega plant at Lanseria. Plant design is one of the most fundamental aspects required for success in the manufacturing sector but, not surprisingly, guests at the event in early October got barely a glimpse of the layout and technology. The point is that Alpla, which is an Austrian container manufacturing group with plants

in 45 countries, entered the South African market as recently as 2014 and has been extremely competitive. A costing assessment was conducted on behalf of the brand groups and retailers about that time and Alpla was adjudged to be the lowest-cost and most efficient manufacturer overall. The Alpla business model would thus be of interest to all in the FMCG sector.

It’s extremely difficult to compete at that level, but a number of SA blow moulding businesses accordingly lifted performance and quality of products impressively, as you will see in the section about the Gold Pack Awards (page 12)

We also have articles about noteworthy recycling projects by Atlantic Plastic Recycling and Zibo Containers, with the latter’s rPET venture being particularly audacious, especially if you consider that its core activity is that of thermoforming (and not material supply).

Challenging but exciting times lie ahead. Best wishes for a happy festive season as well as for good fortune in 2023 to all of you.

Martin Wells, Publisher

A number of SA blow moulding businesses accordingly lifted performance

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Zibo Containers’ washplant

for PET thermoforming goods goes into operation

ZIBO Containers is busy with one of the biggest plastics recycling projects to date in South Africa, that of the commissioning and trialing of a washplant to clean postconsumer PET thermoformed containers – with the aim of reusing the resulting rPET in the production of food-grade thermoformed packaging containers.

By late-November Zibo an estimated 6-8 tons of material was going through the washplant a day, running a single shift, and the material produced is already entering its thermoformed tray production lines.

The big capex project follows on the 2020 commissioning of an Erema Vacurema system, which is the next step after the washplant stage. The Erema system processes the hot washed flake from the washplant and produces rPET according to EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) standards for reuse in trays and punnets.

The bulk of the material going through the washplant is still collected PET bottles, with thermoformed containers accounting for just 10%; Zibo aims to increase that figure to 30%

The perceived deterrent for the recycling of thermoformed trays has been that of the silicone coating that is applied to the trays, which is necessary to prevent the trays from sticking together when stacked, in which form they are supplied to food and other manufacturers for packaging. The silicone layer is said to compromise the recycling process and prevent the recycled polymer yielded from being reused.

Zibo is one of South Africa’s leading manufacturers of thermoformed PET trays, punnets, clamshells, and similar containers, mainly for the food packaging sector and as such, with regard to its circular economy and sustainability objectives, wishes to increase its use of recycled polymers as well as to reprocess its production scrap.

With plants in Blackheath in the Western Cape and Olifantsfontein in Gauteng, Zibo is the leader in the

thermoformed tray sector in South Africa. The wash and decontamination processes allow Zibo to include 30% postconsumer PET in all its products. Where requirements demand, it is possible to produce trays and punnets from 100% post-consumer rPET.

An estimated 26,000 tons of PET is processed by the thermoforming sector in South Africa. Up till now, none of this material has been recycled, with the bulk of the material going to landfill, so the potential to reuse this material is clearly an incentive for manufacturers.

But Zibo Containers CEO André Smit was not put off by the challenge and, in what is a major capex project, the design and set-up of the plant has proceeded over the past two years. The main washplant unit, from Beier of China, was commissioned earlier this year at the Zibo site in Saxenburg business park in Blackheath near Somerset West.

The line includes conveyors to transport the collected material, a stage for manual sorting, an infrared sorting line from Tomra of Germany (which can detect different polymers, metals and even be set to expel certain colours),

A Tomra IR sorting unit is used to kick out containers or items using different materials, and even different colour containers can be expelled from the line

10% tray material added to rPET recycling stream

Thermoformed containers recycled and resulting rPET reprocessed on site

and granulators to reduce the containers into flake state, with all this all leading up to the actual Beier washplant. Once washed, in a further step, the flake is dried to allow it to be processed on the Erema line in an adjacent building at the Zibo site.

Switch-on for the washplant took place in early October, with only PET bottle grade material being processed at first, which was necessary in order to ramp the system up progressively and calibrate it before the addition of thermoformed material. The latter was added in progressive levels, with 10% thermoformed material being added as at mid-November. At that point, the system was processing up to 8 tons of material a day and Smit was happy with the results achieved.

Part of the argument against the recycling of PET trays was that PET bottle manufacturers require material with zero traces of silicone, but Smit says this is not a problem for thermoforming

tray production. Zibo operates a comprehensively equipped laboratory where, among the tests conducted, checks to detect evidence of the presence of silicone are conducted.

Other problems remain to be resolved, however, including that of labels affixed to thermoformed trays. Labels are also used as a tamper evidence solution, simultaneously sealing the containers too. All label material can be removed in the Zibo process, but a further current restraint is that some of the adhesives used to attach labels are difficult to completely remove. Even in minimal traces, these adhesive materials can contaminate the rPET production stream and hence need to be eliminated, which task is commenced in the washplant and completed in the Erema stage, as with the silicone component.

A major motivation for the recycling project at Zibo was that a number of national brand and retail businesses in South Africa, and globally, now desire

The epicentre of the Beier system is the washplant (left) and ‘reactor’ (above). By the point the shredded material flake arrives at the wash stage a considerable portion of the dirt (including sand clinging to bottles and containers after collection from landfill) has been removed.

The PET particles, with a specific density of 1.37g/cm³, sink and most of the remaining impurities such as label material floats

to include recycled materials in their packaging containers, or at least percentages thereof, and Zibo is thus meeting this demand.

According to Woolworths Foods’ chief technology and sustainability officer Latiefa Behardien, her company fully supports these objectives: “An example of this is our recent switch to an ‘easy wash off’ glue like Cleanflake® which ensures that glue from the packaging’s label washes off entirely in the recycling washing process, leaving no leftover residue to compromise the recycled plastic.”

www.zibo.co.za

CEO André, with Anré Claassen who runs the lab at Zibo, where comprehensive tests are performed on the rPET yielded from the washplant/re-extrusion process

A veritable network of conveyors transports the collected containers through various stages of the process, ever closer to the washplant itself

Cleaned flake achieved after the process has met with Zibo Containers’ CEO André Smit’s approval. After this point the material is fed through the Erema line at Zibo where all remaining impurities are removed, attaining food-grade standard

PIMMS Group establishes cleanroom

Offering in-mould labelling and product printing

PIMMS Group has experienced significant growth over the last two years and, with its acquisition of pharmaceutical packaging brand Medena, has established a cleanroom facility offering in-mould labelling and product printing.

The organisation, a plastic product manufacturer focusing on innovative, high-quality products, has also expanded into three IMM plants, built a larger and dedicated toolroom as well as a design and engineering studio and a large distribution centre.

PIMMS Group’s cleanroom can manufacture plastic solutions for the pharmaceutical, medical and cosmetic industries. Medena is the vehicle through which it sells these products to these industries, offering full-service design, development and manufacturing.

Its current product range includes containers, stoppers, closures, dispensing and administering systems.

PIMMS can also develop individual, tailored products in terms of design and functionality to suit a customer’s needs.

With a dedicated and efficiently run cleanroom housing the latest technology injection moulding machinery, PIMMS is now capable of manufacturing products for other industries such as the electronics and aerospace industries.

PIMMS Group’s newly established clean room facility offering in-mould labelling and product printing

PIMMS can ensure safe products that can be used in the above niche industries because they are manufactured in a controlled environment according to GMPs (Good Manufacturing Processes) standards. It is also certified according to ISO 9001:2015 requirements.

The cleanroom design revolves around the principles of

Deep insights, deep impact

ISO 14644-1: Air that enters the facility is HEPA filtered. The systems also perform temperature control to keep the production process stable and reliable. PIMMS has trained and specialised staff who follow GMPs and other protocols required to control the introduction, generation and retention particles inside the room.

The importance of cleanrooms and their functionality for production and testing will only increase in the future, said a PIMMS spokesperson. Controlled environments

PIMMS Group’s clean room can manufacture plastic solutions for the pharmaceutical, medical, and cosmetic industries. Medena is the vehicle through which it sells these products, offering full-service design, development, and manufacturing

arenecessary for a variety of industries, including food production, pharmaceutical and medical packaging and device production and even the aerospace sector.

As legislation changes and industries move forward, they will require accurate and safe facilities. PIMMS Group is excited about this growth project and future collaborations with its partners and customers, said the spokesperson.

process with the moulding process is a time saving solution that cuts the total cost of the product. This production unit is located within the cleanroom to prevent contamination and dust particles from getting into inks, adhesives and assemblies. Printing in-house allows PIMMS to control quality and costs as well as guarantee inventory, produced in a variety of quantities and bring products to market faster. There are various benefits to IML including improved sidewall strength, improved appearance for a customer’s brand, lower costs and reduced container weight.

Trade. Create. Elevate. > www.meraxis-group.com

IML for brand specific packaging solutions PIMMS has also identified a gap in the market for in-mould labelling (IML) for brand specific packaging solutions. The company has subsequently installed a new IML machine which allows it to attach a pre-manufactured custom label (with branding) directly in the mould.

Trade. Create. Elevate. > www.meraxis-group.com

www.pimmsgroup.co.za

23 Deep insights, deep impact.

23 Deep insights, deep impact.

23 Deep insights, deep impact.

Trade. Create. Elevate. > www.meraxis-group.com

Steven Coates - Gauteng, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho & Zimbabwe Sales steven.coates@meraxis-group.co.za 063 699 5105

Tiago dos Ramos – KZN, Free State & Mozambique Sales

Meraxis South Africa (Pty) Ltd Johannesburg +27 11 2889 Cape Town +27 21 7787 Durban +27 31 9381

Trade. Create. Elevate. > www.meraxis-group.com Meraxis South Africa (Pty) Ltd 455 2889 556 7787 816 9381

Tiago.dosramos@meraxis-group.co.za 082 775 5344

Carlotta Sta ord – Zambia & Malawi Sales

Trade. Create. Elevate. > www.meraxis-group.com Deep insights, deep impact

Trade. Create. Elevate. > www.meraxis-group.com Meraxis South Africa (Pty) Ltd 4552889 556 7787 8169381

Carlotta.sta ord@meraxis-group.co.za 082 600 7403

ALPLA starts production at the new plant in Lanseria

In the presence of the South African Environment Minister, the ALPLA Group opened a state-of-the-art production site in Lanseria near Johannesburg. In the new headquarters for Sub-Saharan Africa, the internationally active plastic packaging specialist is merging five previous locations in South Africa under one roof. All ALPLA technologies, processes and materials are combined in the Lanseria plant and the first apprenticeship programme of ALPLA in Africa will start at the beginning of 2023.

A total of 35,000m² of covered production, administration, and storage space, another 12,500m² for future expansion, and 30,000m² of roof area equipped with solar panels: with the new plant in Lanseria, ALPLA is setting the course for further growth in SubSaharan Africa. After around two years of construction and relocation, ALPLA celebrated the opening of the ultramodern location on 12 October in the presence of the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, the Premier of Gauteng province, Panyaza Lesufi, Austrian ambassador-designate to South Africa Romana Königsbrun and many other high-ranking guests.

“All of Sub-Saharan Africa is on the upswing, the markets have enormous potential. Our investment in South Africa is a clear commitment to the continent. In this way, we are increasing our competitiveness and guaranteeing the long-term regional supply of safe, affordable, and sustainable packaging solutions,” said ALPLA CEO Philipp Lehner.

“Here in Lanseria we concentrate our expertise, optimise production processes, use state-ofthe-art equipment and create energy-efficient operations,” said Mike Resnicek, managing director for Sub-Saharan Africa at ALPLA.

The plant has one of the largest solar installations on a privately owned manufacturing building in South Africa.

Combined competencies and technologies

The new location in the industrial area north of Johannesburg combines and builds on the five previous plants in Harrismith, Denver, Isando, Kempton Park and Samrand. The departments, employees and machines were

In addition to information on the business segments and technologies, the ALPLA Skywalk offers insights into the history of the internationally active packaging and recycling company.

relocated step by step. Around 350 employees will start working in Lanseria and their number is subject to further growth. The new plant will produce bottles, closures and special packaging for the food, personal and home care, chemical, cleaning agent and pharmaceutical industries – a total of around 3.5 billion pieces per year.

ALPLA uses six different technologies, including injection and compression moulding, injection stretch blow moulding and extrusion blow moulding. In addition to international corporations, ALPLA also supplies smaller local companies with plastic packaging solutions.

“The new plant with its modern equipment meets all international quality standards, is operated efficiently, and increases flexibility. Our customers in the region will benefit from this service in the long term,” said Javier Delgado, ALPLA regional MD for Africa, Middle East, and Turkey.

Success

story apprenticeship

With the new plant in Lanseria, ALPLA is also promoting its own training of

At the new plant in Lanseria, ALPLA uses state-of-the-art technology and machinery to produce high-quality bottles, closures and special packaging –around 3.5 billion units per year in total.

New headquarters for Sub-Saharan Africa: 35,000m² for production, logistics, administration and training

Around 350 employees will start working in Lanseria … producing around 3.5 billion pieces per year

specialists and has established a dual education and apprenticeship programme. This dual system of practical and theoretical training based on the Austrian model is already in operation at the ALPLA locations in Germany, Mexico, India, Poland, and China. From 2023, the first 12 South African apprentices are to begin their training in the plastics technology and machining technology trades in the ‘Future Corner’ training centre in Lanseria.

Independent personnel development is an important building block for the future of the company, as Resnicek emphasises: “Global know-how, ability to run on state-of-the-art equipment, innovative spirit, team spirit and

problem-solving skills characterise our ‘Family of Pioneers’. We introduce young people, mainly from the Lanseria community to the world of ALPLA and offer them the opportunity for professional and personal development. We look forward to the African and South African premiere of this successful model.”

ALPLA operates recycling plants for PET and HDPE in Austria, Germany, Poland, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Romania, and Thailand. Other projects are being implemented internationally.

www.alpla.com/en/africa-middle-east-turkey/sub-saharan-africa

AMT purchased by

StonCor, part of USA

group

RPM International of the United States has recently purchased AMT Composites of Johannesburg, for an undisclosed amount.

AMT (Advanced Materials Technology) Composites is a leading South African supplier of a range of resin, silicone and PU systems, foams, pigments, reinforcing fabrics and honeycomb sheet and various other composite solution products.

The purchase was handled through StonCor Africa, the South African operating company of RPM Performance Coatings, which has its head office in New Jersey, USA. StonCor companies can be found in India, the Middle East and South America and form part of the RPM platform markets. These StonCor companies represent the various brands within the RPM Performance Coatings Group, including Stonhard, Carboline, Fibergrate, Tremco, Flowcrete, Euclid and Universal Sealants.

RPM Int’l is a multinational and Fortune 500-listed holding company, achieved sales in excess of US$6 billion in fiscal 2021. Shares of the company’s common stock are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol RPM. The group employs over 14,500 people worldwide and has 145 manufacturing facilities in 26 different countries.

AMT managing director Jo Jacinto has been retained on a three-year management contract.

StonCor Africa has been accredited with the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Certification. It is a certified Level 3 BBBEE contributor.

Important visitors at the opening of ALPLA’s new headquarters for Sub-Saharan Africa in Lanseria on 12 October: ALPLA CEO Philipp Lehner welcomed the South African Environment Minister Barbara Creecy and the Premier of Gauteng Panyaza Lesufi.

ALPLA management team: Philipp Lehner CEO, Mike Resnicek MD Sub-Saharan Africa, and Javier Delgado Regional MD Africa, Middle East and Turkey.

The international packaging specialist ALPLA is merging its activities in South Africa and starting production in the new ultra-modern plant in Lanseria near Johannesburg.

Polyoak takes Gold Pack Trophy

First time in SA 20-litre buckets have been manufactured using PCR

THE Gold Pack Trophy is the most coveted award in South Africa’s packaging industry and is presented annually to the overall best entry received in the Institute of Packaging SA Gold Pack awards.

winner

These awards are a true celebration of the packaging Industry, honouring excellence across a wide range of categories and pack types. From its origins in 1973, these awards have grown into an event of considerable importance and prestige. The attributes of entries submitted tend to reflect current market conditions – this year the tough economic climate, the continued

Contan Multilayer PCR Bucket 20L

Entrant: Polyoak Packaging / Converter & Brand Owner: Polyoak Packaging

This is the first time in South Africa that 20-litre buckets have been manufactured using PCR whilst retaining the aesthetics and critical technical functionality of virgin buckets. The middle layer of the bucket comprises postconsumer recycled polypropylene, which has a 70% lower global warming potential than virgin PP.

The bucket contains 42% PCR, which significantly reduces its carbon footprint and environmental impact, driving demand for PP recyclate and increasing collection and recycling rates of used PP containers.

The interior, rim and lid of the bucket are injection-moulded using virgin PP to retain the critical technical functionality. Paint and chemicals require safe containment of potentially hazardous contents. Corrosive contents may interact more aggressively when in direct contact with recycled PP, compared to virgin PP. PCR, by its variable nature, presents challenges for colour matching and achieving colour consistency between batches. The PCR is also a dark grey colour which cannot be lightened by adding costly masterbatch. This limits decoration opportunities for brand owners who prefer a white surface which provides maximum flexibility regarding artwork. Virgin PP is used for the outer layer of this bucket and provides the option of print and in-mould label (IML) decoration. The result – a PCR bucket with the critical technical functionality and aesthetics of a virgin bucket.

Polyoak Group took the overall Gold Park Award for 2022 for its multilayer PCR 20-litre paint drum manufactured by Contan. Pictured here are the happy group at the awards function, from left Bill Marshall (Chairman of Gold Pack Awards), Dennis Stewart, Charles Muller (National Chairman of IPSA), Colin Gibb, Karl Lambrecht, Nic Botha and Tiaan van der Walt

focus on sustainability, and extended producer responsibility featured prominently. All medal winners in the Gold Pack Awards become eligible to enter the international WorldStar Awards, giving them to chance to receive worldwide recognition for their outstanding packaging.

Here we feature the awards made to entrants using plastics substrates.

food

NON-PERISHABLE

Woolworths Muesli Range

Entrants: Constantia Flexibles, Woolworths, PepsiCo/Pioneer Foods

Converter: Constantia Flexibles

Brand Owners: PepsiCo/Pioneer Foods, Woolworths

The first reel-to-100% recyclable, laminated muesli-pouch range. The ECOLAM laminate is made from one polymer, not multiple polymers, yet has all the required barrier properties to protect and preserve the muesli. ECOLAM is manufactured in South Africa by Constantia Flexibles from OPE/PE.

NON-PERISHABLE FOOD FINALIST

PET Honey range

Entrant: Mpact Plastics FMCG Atlantis

Converter: Mpact Plastics FMCG Atlantis

Brand Owner: Mpact Plastics FMCG Atlantis

The three-fold benefit lies in converting approximately 197 tons of rPET/PET per annum, saving the same amount of vinyl from going to landfill, contributing to the dominant PET recycling stream and to the beneficiation of PET from landfill due to the 25% rPET content of the bottle.

PERISHABLE FOOD BRONZE MEDAL

rPET Mono-layer Heat Seal Punnet

Entrant & Converter: t3 Plastic Packaging

Brand Owner: Cecil Vinegar Works

A move away from the standard heavy glass bottle into a PET bottle has resulted in much shorter lead times and improvements in distribution, material costs, a reduction in breakages and an overall change in consumers’ perception of plastic.

Entrant, Converter & Brand Owner: Mpact Versapak

A 100% post-consumer, lidless, mono-layer fruit punnet that reduced cooling time by 43%, exceeding international alternatives. It is 7.5% lighter than international specifications, resulting in the lowering of product spoilage and the need for increased storage facilities while also eliminating time and environmental challenges posed by value chain members.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

HeALTH & BeAUTY PACKAGInG FInALIsT

Listerine Fluoride Mouthwash

Entrant & Converter: Siyakha Imperial Printing

Brand Owner: Johnson & Johnson

The pressure-sensitive label previously used on this PET bottle would leave a residue, compromising the recyclability of the PET bottle. The new label material fully detaches during the washing and recycling process. This packaging process change has resulted in potentially all 10 million PET bottles being recycled annually by Extrupet in SA.

HeALTH & BeAUTY PACKAGInG BROnZe wInneR

Oh So Heavenly 470ml Body Cream Jars

Entrant & Converter: Teqal Brand Owner Canway

A new in-mould labelling (IML) technique was created to manufacture this jar. A dimpled cap design and a full wraparound IML results in jars with a no-label look. The cap contains a transfer device that presents a leaflet, sachet, or promotional item to consumers with the pack, but is isolated and protected from the product inside.

PeRIsHABLe FOOD FInALIsT

Woolworths Flavourburst Apple Pouch

Entrants: Packaging World, Woolworths Converter: Packaging World Brand Owner: Woolworths

A significant differentiator in product merchandising, a new stand-up, fully-recyclable, zipped pouch range. The seasonal Flavourburst Envy pouch was produced in record time against challenging conditions.

PeRIsHABLe FOOD FInALIsT

President Cream Cheese Range

Entrant & Brand Owner: Lactalis South Africa, Brand Line Converter: Brand Line

The first oval, thin-wall, injection-moulded and labelled cream cheese tub range in South Africa. The fully recyclable polypropylene tub features a pedestal, flexible foil seal, a matt, soft-touch finish, and the widest face in this retail category.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

SofnFree Multipack

The main feature of this duo jar design is the inclusion of a 60ml bottle within the body of the jar. The combined pack is stackable and utilises space efficiently to ensure maximum use of shelf space at retailers and to reduce transportation/storage costs. The bottle has a unique cap that clips into the underside of the jar with a pleasing snap.

The duo jars are supplied in 500ml and 250ml sizes, providing a complete relaxer kit in a single pack format.

2022’s Packaging Achiever

EVERY two years, Packaging SA names its Gill Loubser Packaging Achiever – an honour bestowed to an individual at any level of the packaging chain in recognition of outstanding service to the industry – that is traditionally presented at the Institute of Packaging SA’s Gold Pack Awards function. This year’s posthumous winner, Clive Glover, joins an elite band of previous recipients – David Brown, Piet Neethling, Peter Campbell, Gill Loubser, Trevor Evans, Di van Breda, Derrick Minnie, Andrew Marthinusen, Ray Crewe-Brown, Keith Pearson, Horst Sass, Mike Arnold, Ralph von Veh, Tom McLaughlin (posthumous), Bill Marshall and Charles Muller.

Charlotte Rhys 100% rPET bottle

Charlotte Rhys, a brand synonymous with leading hotel groups, has successfully embraced the concept of sustainability in a visually sensitive industry, without compromising visual impact. It initiated a change in perception of aesthetically pleasing versus environmentally friendly packaging by converting its 50ml PET bottle to 100% rPET.

After cutting his teeth in marketing and sales positions at consumer goods manufacturers, such as Unilever, Colgate and Beecham, Clive’s packaging industry career began in 1986 when he was appointed as marketing manager at Kohler Flexible Packaging by Ian Willis. It was that decisive career move that brought him into the orbit of Derrick Minnie, who subsequently appointed Clive as the group’s environmental affairs executive.

In this position, he embarked on compelling presentations to Kohler’s customers and numerous pressure groups in an effort to dispel the myths surrounding packaging’s environmental impact. In 2000, however, independence beckoned: Clive quit the corporate world, taking on the entrepreneurial mantle of a packaging consultant, and putting to good use the valuable expertise he’d gained while assisting Kohler’s customers to solve their packaging challenges.

In addition, his attributes were highly esteemed by industry bodies such as the Institute of Packaging South Africa (IPSA) and the Flexographic Technical Association of South Africa (FTASA) and he played an integral role as photographer of both winning packs and personalities at their respective functions, such as the Gold Pack Awards and Print Excellence Awards.

As a loyal IPSA member for four decades and as a long-time lecturer of IPSA’s Certificate in Packaging Technology students in the Northern Region, Clive was awarded well-deserved honorary membership of IPSA in 2013 and named as a Fellow in 2019.

Entrant & Converter: Teqal Brand Owner Amka Products

HeALTH & BeAUTY PACKAGInG sILVeR MeDAL wInneR

Entrant & Converter: Mpact Plastics FMCG Atlantis

Brand Owner Charlotte Rhys

HeALTH & BeAUTY PACKAGInG FInALIsT

All that glitters IS gold!

The Gold Pack Awards this year was another glittering event, with décor and guests dressed to the nines! Here we give you a glimpse of it all …

Student Packaging Design winner, Kieren Murugan with Kishan Singh, Gold Pack Awards judge

The Circular Economy Award was presented to iPACKCHEM

Ralph van Veh, a judge for the awards, and Bill Marshall, Chairman of the Gold Pack Awards

Teqal award winners for their SofnFree and Multipack entries

Judges Kishan Singh and Charles Muller from Packaging SA

Guests at the Gold Pack Awards wait in anticipation for a winner to be announced

Shabeer Jhetam from Packaging SA

The dessert buffet was a work of art!

Student Gold Pack Award winners and judges

Non-Perishable Food finalist, Mpact Plastic, for their PET Honey range

household products

HOUseHOLD PRODUCTs BROnZe MeDAL wInneR

APC Bottle 750ml

Entrant & Converter: t3 Plastic Packaging

Brand Owner: Spar South Africa

An extrusion blowmoulded 750ml all-purpose cream bottle, ergonomically designed for ease of holding and pouring with a custom designed flip top cap. The bottle is made of 50% post-consumer recycled material but has managed to maintain an overall white look. The ergonomic design of the bottle and the side opening flip top cap enhance the ease-of-use and make the contents simple to pour. The orifice of the flip top was designed with the viscosity of the cream in mind. The flip top cap has a spring hinge ensuring a good tight fit and makes it very easy to close.

HOUseHOLD PRODUCTs FInALIsT

Live Green Range 500ml

Entrant & Converter: t3 Plastic Packaging

Brand Owner: Pick n Pay

Twin HDPE and PET ergonomic 500ml allpurpose cleaning bottles, both suitable to be used with a trigger spray. Both bottles are made from 100% recycled material, without compromising the integrity of either. Sleek, slim, tall, maximising label area and shelfpresence with no compromise of stability on the shelf.

industrial products

InDUsTRIAL PRODUCTs sILVeR MeDAL wInneR

Blowpack Multilayer PCR Drum

Entrant, Converter & Brand Owner: Polyoak Packaging

This multilayer HDPE drum with 30% PCR is UN approved and fully recyclable. The inner layer and closure are virgin HDPE to mitigate the risk of contamination and chemical reaction. The PCR middle layer reduces the drum’s carbon footprint while advancing circular economy targets. The virgin outer layer enables consistent and impactful decoration.

InDUsTRIAL PRODUCTs BROnZe MeDAL wInneR & CIRCULAR eCOnOMY GOLD MeDAL AwARD

UN Approved PCR 20-litre Drum with Barrier

Entrant, Converter & Brand Owner: IPACKCHEM

The drum contains previously used polymer from crop fields around South Africa, which is re-used to manufacture the drum. This creates a closed cradle to cradle system. The technology allows the use of a virgin HDPE inner layer to create a barrier and then to add at least 30% PCR, relative to the container’s weight, to the outside layer.

STUDENT GOLD PACK AWARDS 2022

The Student Gold Pack Awards is a key aspect of IPSA’s education objective. Through participation, students tackle projects to illustrate the skills required and the challenges that the discipline offers. Project briefs are created to give students the opportunity to demonstrate the role packaging can play in the supply chain and marketing of a product as well as its benefits and functionality of packaging. Here we feature medal winners working with plastics.

PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY MPACT BRONZE AWARD

Granadilla Yoghurt Tub

Student Name Maroli van der Merwe Region Western Cape

Offers

sustainability benefits through the removal of an imported in-mould label (IML) and replacement with a paperboard. The pack optimises the plastic material of the tub and lid by removing the white pigment and changing it to an opaque option, giving the pack its high recycling value and aiding in increasing its collection and recycling rate.

PETCO DESIGN FOR RECYCLING AWARD

Kunu Zaki

Student Name: Onalaja Moyosore Region: Nigeria

This project showcases the development of packaging for Kunu Zaki, a popular Nigerian beverage, to boost the perception of this drink in the mind of consumers, promote its purchase and encourage its recycling. The entry showcases how to use packaging – in this case, the PET bottle – to add value to the product. The PET bottle was chosen over other pack types because of its ease of recycling, and overall, a positive story about the use of PET is communicated in the submission.

Hummoes Tub

Student Names (team entry): Tarryn Ohlsson, Esme Broeksma, Jana Gerryts, Lara Coetzee, Lerato Ntsime, Lydia Landman and Rory Lutz

Institution: Stellenbosch University

Hummoes is a ready-to-eat spread, packaged in a lightweight polypropylene tub and lid. The biltong-flavoured spread is available in a 110g size, which offers differentiation in the category and convenience to the target market. The tub features a half circle PP label on the lid, making the product visible to consumers in the hope of building product interaction.

Safrique’s best ever

MERVYN Moodley and his team have visited the K show since 2001 (8 times) of which they exhibited twice, in 2016 and 2019. At this year’s K the company didn’t exhibit but were present at the booths of their key principles – W&H, Nordmeccanica, Bimec and Flexowash, and on sustainability lines, NGR, Lindner and Sesotec.

Mervyn reports that visitors from about 20 sub-Saharan African countries attended K2022, some of which resulted in successful orders and several enquiries for W&H coming from West, Central and Southern Africa for blown film lines, Flexo and Roto presses as well as PP woven bag lines.

Nordmeccanica were also successful in receiving orders

Safrique celebrates sales of W&H and Nordmeccanica lines to West and Central African countries

for Super Combi Lamination Lines for the same regions. NGR received orders for two recycling lines destined for South Africa. Another NGR line that was sold previously is currently being commissioned in Cape Town and Angola.

Several other enquiries were also received from across all of Africa for post-industrial as well as post-consumer recycling lines. NGR’s P:REACT LSP PET bottle-to-bottle technology received the most interest from customers at K2022. Lindner Washtech received several enquiries from across Africa for washing of post-consumer waste, which also has a wash plant recently commissioned in South Africa and Angola.

www.safrique.com

Safrique at Lindner Washtech’s Booth

Visit by customers from West Africa at W&H Booth

NGR 25th anniversary celebration

Safrique meeting with the Sasol team

Safrique meeting with Global Plastics USA

Hestico impressed by new technology

HESTICO representatives visited K2022 and were impressed with the new technology from their principals and happy to see new developments in the plastics field, obviously, of which there were many.

With Arburg being one of the principals it has longest represented, Hestico MD Juanita Stiehler-Brits and the team naturally gravitated to the Arburg stand where, as predicted, cutting-edge technology was again on show, as has been the case at the K over the years.

Pride of place on the Arburg was an electric Allrounder 720 A with a clamping force of 2,900 kN, a new size 1300 injection unit in the new ‘Ultimate’ performance variant for high-speed and sophisticated processes to demonstrate that high-quality injection moulding technology can be an alternative to thermoforming. The exhibit used a 4-cavity mould from Brink to produce thin-walled IML round cups from PP monomer by means of injection compression moulding. The plastic is biomass-balanced and ISCC-certified.

Four moulded parts, each weighing 12 grams and with a wall thickness of only 0.37mm, are produced in a cycle time of 3.95 seconds. Also integrated into the production cell is a side-entry robot from Brink that inserts the labels, removes the finished cups and stacks them on a conveyor belt. In this application, special attention was paid to designing parts with low material requirements and to energy efficiency.

Hestico thanks the customers who came out to support them at the show.

A highlight on the Arburg stand was an automated three-component Allrounder Cube 1800 unit

On the Maguire stand Chris Crittenden, Maguire director; Ernest Green, Hestico business manager; Danie Strydom, Hestico business unit manager and Tim Lloyd, Maguire head of technical projects

which produced a functional component from PP, TPE and POM using an 8+8+8-cavity cube mould including new index turning technology from Arburg’s partner Foboha. The challenging assembly process took place in the gripper of the associated six-axis robot

The Uniloy group: Jens Theuerkauf, Fredrik Johnsson, Tetsuo Oga, Sotaro Susuki with Danie Strydom of Hestico

Ernest Green and Danie Strydom of Hestico on the Uniloy stand

Ernest Green, Hestico business unit manager and Hanz Zimmerman, Arburg overseas sales on the Arburg stand

Tederic sells 628 machines to China’s largest EV maker

CHINA’s burgeoning electric car market is driving growth at injection press maker Tederic Machinery Co Ltd part of a wave of business that Chinese plastics equipment suppliers say they’re getting from manufacturers of alternative fuel vehicles.

Userve Plastic Machinery has been the agent for Tederic machinery in South Africa since 2005, and celebrates its 25th year of operation this year. Userve’s Umberto Favini visited K2022 where Tederic exhibited an impressive array of injection moulding machines.

Tederic recently won a contract to supply 628 moulding machines to China’s largest electric vehicle maker, BYD Automobile, which the machinery company valued at about 500 million Chinese yuan ($69 million). This is part of an estimated 3 billion yuan ($410 million) investment that BYD is making in plastics moulding machines, as it seeks to address its capacity problems.

Electric cars have become a major market for Tederic, as more traditional markets have softened.

In September, the Chinese press maker announced the BYD contract, saying it would supply presses in 10

of BYD’s 13 factories around China by year end. It said clamping forces of the machines range from 85 to 1 920 tons. That included 450 Neo·E all-electric machines for lighting and beam bars, 103 Neo·H two-platen machines for interior and exterior trim, and 75 Neo·M and Neo-Mv multimaterial two-platen models for trim components.

The automotive market accounts for about 40% of Tederic’s business now, with most of that coming from new energy vehicles.

The company is expanding. Later this year or early next year, Tederic is opening a Smart 4.0 factory in Hangzhou, focused on making injection presses for Industry 4.0 digitally linked manufacturing. It also opened a research and development centre in Munich in 2020, with 16 designers and engineers, to strengthen sales in Europe.

• Tederic is represented in SA by Userve Plastic Machinery cc

www.userve.co.za

www.tedericglobal.com

Tederic Machinery Co. Ltd. Chairman Terry Zheng said electric vehicle maker BYD is making a $410 million investment in plastics moulding machines, as it seeks to address its capacity problems.

Stable & sustainable: highlights moulding precision

SUMITOMO (SHI) Demag has gained a reputation for developing very impressive moulding cells with its choice of market introduction invariably being that of the K, and K2022 didn’t disappoint in this regard.

The German-Japanese machine maker highlighted its LSR (liquid silicone rubber) processing competence with another outstanding presentation. LSR is not widely injection moulded in South Africa, but the precision and capability of the system on display was truly impressive. It showed a fully electric IntElect 180/570-250 injection moulding machine with an OPC-UA interface with compatibility on mainstream dosing systems.

Live demonstrations focused on the sustainability

advantages of using a single tool to produce four variants of durable and reusable silicone Smart Cap covers for beverage and energy drinks, food tins and cans.

In a cycle time of just 35 seconds, the IntElect LSR package produces 12g Smart Caps with absolute precision. Featuring a 570mm wide tiebar, the generous tool space is especially suitable for accommodating multi-cavity and complex tools. The system and corresponding LSR package perfectly match the high-precision processing requirements for this application.

Achieving outstanding process stability, the actual weight of the parts is 0.01g accurate. Vacuuming and venting provide optimal tool support. The synchronised

From fashion to function: the wonders of 3D printing

THE future is here, and its 3D printed! Visitors at K2022 saw for themselves the Stratasys J850 TechStyle™ 3D printer is enabling designers to produce one-of a kind garments that would be near impossible to create with traditional techniques.

3D printing is becoming an increasingly popular tool for fashion designers. From sneakers to dresses, and even accessories like purses and glasses. 3D printing enables designers to create unique products quickly and efficiently, with unlimited possibilities.

Revolutionizing the fashion industry with Stratasys Mindful Manufacturing™, Stratasys is a founding member of the Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association, which is comprised of AM companies that have a vested interest in the creation of a circular economy within the 3D printing industry. The goal of the AMGTA is to encourage the research and implementation of new technologies and practices that will lessen the environmental impact of 3D printing, while also promoting

the use of additive manufacturing to reduce waste and conserve resources.

• Stratasys is represented in SA by Demaplastech

www.demaplastech.co.za www.stratasys.com

The Smart Cap covers for containers and cans were produced in 35-second cycles, which is rapid for silicone, and is an area of specialty for SumitomoDemag

sequence of the axes is highly precise and perfectly parallel to each other. Additionally, the system is extremely efficient, characterised by very low energy consumption. While the OPC-UA interface between the moulding machine and LSR dosing systems supports interoperability to support data contextualisation.

According to Jacques Kleynhans, MD of Demaplastech, the local agent for Sumitomo-Demag, the stand was not visited by a large number of South African visitors, but some of the top SA users were there, and we again impressed by

The IntElect 180/570-250 machine produced four variants of durable and reusable silicone Smart Cap covers

the speeds and precision achieved by the IntElect system. The Sumitomo-Demag users in South Africa, most if not all of whom prefer to remain anonymous, are among the top convertors in South Africa, and possibly in Africa.

www.demaplastech.co.za

Atlantic Plastics implements re-investment strategy

ATLANTIC Plastics Recycling (APR) recently commissioned the Intarema RegrindPro 1108TVE Plus, the latest technology from Erema, with Counter Current, Smart Start and EcoSAVE technology, successfully implementing Phase 1 of APR’s re-investment strategy.

This is in alignment with APR’s renewed vision of being a key strategic recycling partner in the South African plastics industry, adding value through collection, innovation, specialised technology, efficient manufacturing, and consistent supply of quality recycled polymer to meet their valued customers requirements under mandatory EPR.

The Intarema RegrindPro 1108TVE Plus can process flexible and rigid plastic material to produce a quality pellet, based on its high filtration efficiency compared to other recycling machines. This investment by APR will increase production capacity of recycled HD and LD polymer by over 200 tons per month, producing a polymer suitable for quality critical end-use markets.

Phase 2 and 3 of the investment strategy for production expansion will follow in 2023/2024, to deliver on APR’s ultimate 2027 vision of being one of the largest high-quality recycled plastic polymer producers in South Africa, producing a quality recycled polymer suitable for virgin polymer replacement.

The global landscape for plastic packaging and plastic recycling has shifted radically in the last three years, with a growing focus on environmental sustainability. Global initiatives such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation have gained a very high profile, highlighting the global challenge facing the world with the management of single use plastic packaging. Where plastic packaging was previously seen as a disposable waste item, it is now seen as a valuable resource that must be used and recycled again and again

in a circular economy.

This shift is creating exciting new market opportunities for APR, who is seen as a respected market leader in the production of quality recycled plastic polymer due to their knowledge, recycling expertise, innovation, and technological competencies.

APR is a proudly family-owned and operated business, which began its operations in 1989. What initially began as a scrap metal trading company, evolved, and developed into a successful plastics collection and recycling business, with its’ success based on trusting long-term customer and supplier relationships, technology investments for efficiency, R&D, and recycling expertise for innovative recycled polymer development and all underpinned by a quality-focused mindset. A recycling survey conducted in 1990 identified 90 plastic recyclers in operation in South Africa, and APR can declare that it is one of only a very few of those first 90 companies that remains in operation today.

Since operating as a plastic recycling company, APR has aligned itself to Erema recycling technology. Erema is an Austrian-based company which has been operating and servicing the South African market through its new subsidiary Erema Africa, founded in 2020 (previously Relloy SA), since 1983. As leaders in the world’s recycling technology, Erema Engineering will celebrate its 40-year birthday in 2023.

The relationship between Atlantic Plastic Recycling and Erema dates back 25 years, to when APR invested in it’s first ever Erema asset, a RGA120TE extruder. APR have continued to invest in Erema technology, based on its quality and efficiency, with a further three extruders being purchased.

APR has officially signed up to the South African Plastics Pact, making it the third recycler to become a member. This demonstrates APR’s commitment to be a strategic recycling partner in the plastics industry, helping their customers to take advantage of the market opportunities for quality recycled polymer, suitable for virgin polymer replacement end-use markets, to assist them in meeting the legislated EPR targets.

APR is also a member of the South African Plastics Recycling Organisation (SAPRO) and has been a founding member since inception.

Commissions latest technology from Erema – Intarema RegrindPro

Atlantic Plastics Recycling recently commissioned the Intarema RegrindPro 1108TVE Plus recycling plant, which will increase production of recycled HD and LD polymer by over 200 tons per month

Waste sector income & plastic recycling on the up

MORE than 40 local, district and provincial municipalities countrywide have benefitted from strategic sustainability partnerships in 2021/2 – not just improving waste collection and PET plastic recycling rates, but also creating much-needed income opportunities in the sector and helping develop South Africa’s circular economy.

One such drive involves the Zonda Insila Programme (ZIP) which was launched in Breyton in 2019 with only four projects and now boasts 14 projects supporting 240 community members spanning the Nkangala, Gert Sibande and Ehlanzeni district municipalities in Mpumalanga.

“With the level of interest shown and the growing number of informal waste pickers, there is no doubt that ZIP is encouraging more and more young people to shift their thinking towards waste as a form of potential income generation. To say waste is trash is outdated,” said ZIP coordinator Linah Duduzile Ndala.

For the past 17 years, plastic producer responsibility organisation (PRO), PETCO, together with its members, has been engaging with municipalities on sustainability programmes to improve effective waste management and recycling rates. Key among municipal waste management priorities is the diversion of waste that has value from landfills, as well as accommodating waste pickers in the recycling value chain.

PETCO’s role in such municipal waste management partnership projects

comes in the form of equipment provision and infrastructure support for waste pickers and buy-back centres – with the goal of incorporating waste pickers in the formal recycling sector – as well as training and skills development for municipal employees involved in waste management.

“Currently, there are very few municipal separation-at-source collection systems, so we work with interested municipalities to establish collection projects and expand PET collection into new areas,” said PETCO CEO Cheri Scholtz.

“This year so far, we have conducted 28 training workshops for 1 357 waste pickers in eight provinces, and a further three accredited business training workshops. We help grow sustainable businesses and sponsor infrastructure and equipment to unlock collections and improve the quantity and quality of post-consumer PET collected,” she added.

Another successful drive has seen the Drakenstein Municipality reaping the rewards of a recycling programme launched four years ago at the Wellington Landfill Site, with several success stories emanating from it.

According to Thys Serfontein, Senior Manager: Solid Waste and Landfill Management at Drakenstein Municipality, PETCO had been “amazingly supportive of this project right from the start and still are today”.

GOING STRONG: Linah Duduzile Ndala is the coordinator of Zonda Insila Programme, which was launched in Breyton in 2019 and now boasts 14 projects supporting 240 community members throughout Mpumalanga

Drakenstein Municipality has been one of the first municipalities to successfully complete the “integration of waste pickers into the formal waste industry at municipal level” – one of national government’s focus areas.

“As soon as our Material Recovery Facility [MRF] and Refuse Transfer Station are fully functional in 2022/23, these wastepreneurs will be accommodated. They will be able to increase their production and it will also mean that approximately 50 tonnes less material will reach the landfill site,” said Serfontein.

PETCO CEO Cheri Scholtz said waste pickers play an important role in diverting waste from landfill and will play an increasingly valuable role in municipal waste collection systems and rolling out kerbside projects.

“In the past year alone, PETCO and our partners ensured that 90 402 tons of post-consumer PET, which equates to 2.1 billion bottles, was collected for recycling, saving 560 495 cubic metres of municipal landfill space. A further R1.2 billion was injected into the national economy from the sale of recycled materials.”

Plans are currently underway to assist a further 21 sustainability projects with equipment, branding and accredited training.

Municipalities countrywide have benefitted from strategic sustainability partnerships

28 training workshops for 1 357 waste pickers in eight provinces

KZN Resins lands agency for Ineos Composites in SA

KZNR has been appointed as the official distributer of Ineos Composites for the Derakane™ range of vinyl esters, unsaturated polyester resins and gelcoats products for the sub-Saharan and Indian Ocean Islands region.

Acknowledged worldwide as a leader in corrosion-resistant resins for the composites market, the Derakane™ range offers high resistance to oxidizing acids and solvents for corrosionresistant FRP processing.

Used in corrosion-resistant fibreglass reinforced plastic (FRP) and coatings applications, Derakane resins are specified by engineers who need global consistency and proven performance in demanding applications. The Derakane Signia range builds on Ineos Composites’ legacy polymer performance to deliver less environmental impact, and better quality and efficacy.

Akhtar Moosa, CEO of KZNR, commented that INEOS Composites is a perfect fit for the KZNR family given their leading role in both the UPR and Vinyl Ester Resins market globally.

“Their global footprint will benefit our local composite industry whilst furthering the individual growth and knowledge within the SA market,” he said.

KZNR hosted Ineos Composites’ members on a countrywide roadshow recently where KZNR customers were invited to learn more about the Ineos Composites’ products. Of particular interest is the comprehensive technical support offered to all Ineos Composites product users via the INEOS Corrosion Science Centre, a centre of excellence to support corrosion applications based on fibre reinforced polymers (FRP).

The CSC is a forum where industry partners, end-users, design engineers and fabricators work with the INEOS corrosion team to improve the knowledge of FRP composites in corrosion resistant applications, and where Ineos scientists help match the customer with the correct resins to provide maximum longevity

and reliability for its process parameters. Customers in South Africa can call on the CSC for assistance via the KZNR, Derakane@kznr,co.za email address.

Through testing and tracking the historical performance of Derakane™ resins, the INEOS CSC assures the successful and appropriate use of FRP composites in demanding applications. Support is provided at two centres of excellence globally – Dublin, Ohio and Kehl, Germany.

The focus of the CSC is to define the value of FRP in new corrosion applications as well as to support customers in existing FRP industries. The CSC’s rich blend of both commercial and technical experts solve complex customer problems through extensive laboratory and field corrosion testing combined with real-world case studies.

INEOS Composites’ products provide fabricated composite products with an array of functional properties including corrosion resistance, fire retardance, ultraviolet resistance, water and chemical resistance, high mechanical properties, thermal and electrical insulation, impact and scratch resistance and high strengthto-weight ratios. INEOS Composites’ materials are used in several global markets, including building materials, corrosion resistant FRP, recreation, transportation, and wind energy.

KZNR a significant producer and distributor of resins in South Africa KZNR, with headquarters in Durban and distribution centres in Jet Park, Gauteng, and Beaconvale, Cape Town, manufacture unsaturated polyester resins and gelcoats for the composite market, as well as alkyd and acrylic resins for the coatings and automotive industries.

The family-owned company was established in 1998 and has grown steadily from inception to become a significant producer and distributor of resins in South Africa. The company started with the production of unsaturated polyester resin and within

a year introduced alkyd resins to its range of products. By 2000, KZNR had added hydroxy functional acrylic resins to its range as well. Currently it manufactures and distributes a wide range of unsaturated polyester resin and gelcoats to the composites industry, as well as alkyd resins for the coatings industry and hydroxy acrylic resins for the automotive market.

KZNR’s manufacturing site in Durban boasts a modern and versatile manufacturing plant capable of simultaneously producing unsaturated polyesters, alkyds, and acrylics resins, with an annual plant capacity of 12 000 tons.

The company intends to further improve its production and technical facilities to be able to meet the growing

THE Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) hosted yet another successful ‘Introduction to PVC Course’ in November, with 16 industry professionals attending the twoday course at Sasol’s Polymer Tech Centre in Modderfontein.

The course covered the basics of polymers, the production process for vinyl, and an overview of the regional vinyl industry. Delegates also had the good fortune of having Sasol experts walk them through the various polymers vinyl grades, vinyl stabilization, vinyl additives, conversion and applications, vinyl mixing and processing, and PVC testing.

Day 2 of the course took a closer look at SAVA’s Product Stewardship Commitments with regards to responsible production, but also focussed on PVC recycling in South

Africa and how South Africa is successfully recycling of nonhazardous PVC waste from hospitals with the My Walk Made with Soul Project.

Johannes Nkosi and Leon Meintjies (Arengo Plastics), Sanet Cilliers (Omya Idwala), Funky Minyuku, Nkitseng Ntwayagae, Bushy Kgopolo, Francinah Keabonye and Tumisang Ontlogetse (Flotek Africa), Hellen Lamola, Titus Boloko, Pontsho Radebe, Pertunia Mothoa, Joseph Tshabalala and, Ayanda Zwane (SASOL), Marinus Jordaan (Odd Binn Recyclers) and Kate Kleingeld (Plastic and Chemical Trading) on the following successfully completing the course and being awarded their Certificates of Completion.

Polyco funds recycling technology to convert plastic

A breakthrough eco-aggregate made from mixed plastic waste

THE Centre for Regenerative Design & Collaboration (CRDC) is building a new upscaled RESIN8 plant in Cape Town, which will be the first of its kind in Africa, following recent plant openings in Costa Rica and an upcoming factory launch in York, Pennsylvania. The goal is to complete the construction phase before the year-end and to be fully operational from March 2023. Once operational the plant will be able to process 610 tons of plastic waste per month into RESIN8.

Polyco has provided R7 million to the CRDC to fund machinery for its plant in Cape Town that converts unrecyclable and difficult-to-recycle plastic into eco-aggregate (RESIN8) used in the building and construction industry.

This is one of the biggest loans Polyco has ever provided, showing its commitment to Extended Producer Responsibility and is a significant step forward in combatting plastic waste in landfills and the environment.

“One of the greatest challenges of the plastics and recycling sectors has been finding ways to repurpose and reintegrate difficult-to-recycle plastics in the economy,” says Polyco’s CEO, Patricia Pillay.

“The CRDC’s RESIN8 will divert thousands of tons of plastic that would have gone to landfill or landed up in the environment. It will now be used to supply the construction sector with a high-quality eco-aggregate to be used in the production of various concrete products,” she adds.

“The Cape Town RESIN8 plant has been designed to be scalable and we aim to increase our production to 1 220 tons of plastic waste per month. Our ambition is to replicate the Cape Town RESIN8 plant in a further two cities before the end of 2023,” says Abraham Avenant, CEO at CRDC South Africa.

To produce RESIN8, all types of discarded plastic (Resins 1-7) is received from industrial, municipal and environmental waste streams. The mixed (and often dirty) plastic waste is shredded and batched according to bulk density. The shredded plastic is ‘pre-conditioned’ during a waterless stage that eliminates odours and then melted during a heated extrusion stage that produces an inert hybrid mineral-polymer. The bulk RESIN8 is then granulated into the size, shape and gradation required by standard concrete mix designs.

RESIN8 is the only material from plastic waste to improve the

New PP bag for rotisserie meals from

Bag for Woolworths Foods ticks all the recycling boxes

PACKAGING World of Durban, which has extensively expanded its print capability, has recently begun producing a new PP bag for rotisserie chicken for Woolworths which ticks all the boxes as far as recycling and zero packaging to landfill are concerned.

The bags are produced in a virgin polypropylene, which offers good heat resistance (meaning that the bag will not deform when in contact with heated items packaged) and slight rigidity, to the extent that the bag tends to retain its shape.

Woolies previously supplied its rotisserie chicken in paper bags, which tended to absorb a lot of the oil and juices from the cooked chicken, whereas

the new bag can readily be washed (for recycling) and, to top that, it even looks similar to the original paper bag, meaning that the transition was less confusing for consumers. It offers a cleaner and better contained solution, first-time users said.

The bags are printed and manufactured on site at Packaging World’s plant in Westmead Durban, using film which it buys in. Packaging World does not extrude its own film and prefers to both laminate and/or print as well as make the bags on site and is expanding its capacity in all these latter areas.

Woolworths estimates that it will use 11,5 million of the bags annually, which are now all recyclable

Bag that Builds programme pilots at South Africa vs Wales rugby game

into eco-aggregate

performance of structural concrete products and earn acceptance from the construction industry. Concrete applications using RESIN8 exceed ASTM standards which are the international benchmark for material performance. RESIN8 has been tested to demonstrate an increase in compression strength, flexibility, fire resistance, thermal resistance and acoustic properties. It can be used in structural or non-structural concrete applications, and “poured in place” concrete.

To date, RESIN8 has been used in the construction of 700 houses in Costa Rica, and in South Africa, three large-scale residential buildings in Khayelitsha and about 2 000m of roadside kerb and channels on various projects in Cape Town.

To test RESIN8’s viability as a construction aggregate, multiple concrete manufacturers partnered with CRDC’s South Africa team to test RESIN8 in building blocks, maxi bricks, pavers, kerbs, channels, and concrete pipes. There is no leaching, abrasion, or micro-plastic release after its use in concrete.

“Using RESIN8 decreases weight, increases or maintains strength, and increases the thermal properties of concrete bricks and blocks,” says CRDC South Africa’s CEO, Abraham Avenant.

www.crdc.global/resin8

Packaging World

and, as it said in a statement, are “now not doomed to go to landfill”.

“As part of our vision to have ZERO packaging waste to landfill, we are designing our packaging for circularity,” said Latiefa Behardien, Woolworths Foods’ Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer.

“This means we are designing our packaging to keep it out of landfill and that it can rather be reused in a continuous process within the packaging supply chain.

“While recycling alone cannot solve the world’s pollution problems, it has significant potential to impact on cleaning up our waste systems, creating jobs and reducing the use of virgin plastics. Every step of the way helps to bring about a cleaner country for all,” added Behardien.

SUPPORTERS attending the Castle Lager Incoming Series match in South Africa in October were asked to deposit all plastic waste in the green plastic waste bags that were dotted throughout the stadium. The plastic waste collected at the Springboks’ match against Wales will be turned into RESIN8 and converted into building bricks for a nearby housing development.

The CRDC Global’s programme, aptly titled, “The Bag That Builds” has been rolled out in other countries around the world but never with an audience this large; 62 000 people attended the game. The plastic waste collected at the game was taken to CRDC’s South Africa Cape Town processing plant where it will be converted into RESIN8.

“Everyone has a responsibility to look after the natural environment for future generations and rugby is not blind to its responsibility,” said Jurie Roux, SA Rugby CEO. “This is an exciting project that we are trialing to reduce our impact on the environment – the fact that the outcome helps build houses is a double win in our South African environment.

The bricks created from RESIN8 are earmarked for use as part of the National Department of Housing’s plan for the development of sustainable human settlements, called Breaking New Ground Homes. Around 17 000 bricks (enough for roughly three houses) are expected to be produced with plastic collected at the match.

Plastic waste collected from 62,000 spectators to be converted into RESIN8

Since inception in 2011, Polyco has invested over R85 million into the South African plastics recycling sector, with a capacity growth commitment of over 195 000 tonnes through our 105 project partners. 2022 has been a progressive year for Polyco PRO NPC, being South Africa’s largest registered Plastics Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO). Polyco has made tremendous strides through its EPR scheme by investing in a number of projects and educational initiatives to ensure positive growth in the plastics recycling and collection industry and enabled a positive shift in mindset with the South African consumer.

2022 Project Highlights 2022 Education Highlights

CRDC SA

Capacity to process up to 630 tonnes per month of previously unrecyclable, mismanaged plastic waste that is now diverted from landfill.

Myplas Capacity to increase recyclate grade quality with the commissioning of a new decontamination machine.

Third Element Holdings

Capacity to increase plastics collection with a new bailer and conveyor by 150 tonnes per month.

Pick n Pay Schools Club

Engaged over 74 000 learners from 80 schools by providing recycling bins and educational material in collaboration with thePick n Pay Schools Club.

Polyco’s Million+ Return the Favour Campaign engaged over 250 000 South African consumers to commit to recycle their plastics packaging.

World of Work

Engaged over 4000 learners from more than 25 schools at the World of Work exhibition held in Cape Town.

Thank you to our member organisations for enabling these investments.

‘Green’ pavers an innovative solution for waste plastics

ALL the bottle tops that AfriEco are unable to use are donated to Green Corridors, shredded and processed to manufacture AfriEco clipboards, or go into the top screed to give colour to ‘green’ pavers.

Green Corridors is mainly funded by eThekwini’s Economic Development Unit, so a large part of its focus at the KwaMashu Materials Beneficiation Centre (KMBC) is on developing low tech, highly replicable, small business models.

Much of the innovation at KMBC pertains to developing technologies and products that give value to the following waste materials: non-recyclable plastic and multilayer/mixed dirty plastics; building rubble; street swept sand; low/no value glass; alien invasive plant material; garden and food waste; and non-recyclable shoe waste.

One way KMBC diverts many of these challenging materials from landfill is by reducing them into small pieces and blending them together with cement to make ‘Green Concrete’ products.

The paver is manufactured from 87% waste materials, 35% of which is made up of non-recyclable polymers, including shoe rubber, multilayer laminates, cleaned household detergent bottles, PET clamshell packaging, toy waste and more. Green Corridors is also currently exploring incorporating various fabric wastes (including polycotton blends) into its mix.

“We take special care to design and manufacture our green concrete products to ensure all materials are responsibly processed, fully integrated and optimally resistant to wear and UV degradation,” explains Jonathan Welch, technical expert at Green Corridors and owner of AfriEco.

“We are particularly careful to make sure that sunlight does not break down our plastic and exacerbate the problem of microplastics in our rivers and marine ecosystems. Our green concrete paver is a good example of this in that we use a high percentage of glass for abrasion resistance in our top layer; put our non-recyclable plastics, alien invasive plants, building rubble and shoe waste in a middle layer, and use a different composite of materials to seal and optimise paver strength in the bottom layer.”

Where pavers are to be used in schools, brightly coloured plastics are encapsulated in the tops of the pavers.

“We believe this will draw attention to the paver and stimulate conversations about its being made from 87% waste. We hope this in turn raises awareness of the importance to manage our waste responsibly,” Welch adds.

Green Corridors also pay close attention to end-of-life solutions for its products and use a cradle-to-cradle protocol where all products are designed to be able to be returned, re-crushed and recycled into new ‘green concrete’ products at their end of their lifecycle.

“We are currently in the process of testing the pavers against SABS and eThekwini municipality standards so we can access markets that require compliance with those standards. We have tested them onsite, and they perform better than pavers we have bought from leading retail stores,” says Welch.

He adds that Green Corridors is establishing a model where multiple production facilities will be set up to produce high strength and aesthetically pleasing pavers, creating four to six direct and multiple indirect jobs in the process. With each facility producing 200 pavers a day, there will be substantial demand for problematic waste materials, thereby stimulating the collection of these materials rather than their disposal which in turn will clean up the environment.

“We plan to build these facilities by creating a demand for the unique pavers at schools and facilitating the funding thereof through crowd funding, corporate CSR projects and donating one paver to a school for every 10 we sell. We believe the paving stones will be impactful in their ability to show future generations that plastic has great value if we manage it responsibly,” Welch says.

Multiple production facilities will be set up to produce high strength and aesthetically pleasing pavers

The paver is manufactured from 87% waste materials, 35% of which is made up of non-recyclable polymers, including shoe rubber, multilayer laminates, cleaned household detergent bottles, PET clamshell packaging, toy waste and more

Your situation:

Energy prices are exploding and electricity suppliers are adjusting their tari s upwards. But you as a company cannot raise your prices from one day to the next. Under these circumstances, your calculations could be ruined.

The solution from ENGEL:

We don‘t just look at the injection moulding machine, but the entire system. The combination of temperature control, intelligent device communication and smart process control leads to maximum e ciency. Up to 67% energy can be saved compared to a hydraulic injection moulding machine with a constant pump and conventional temperature control.

Read more: engelglobal.com/be-e cient

Be the first. Be efficient.

Engel has made improvements to the drive technology used in its machine, to the point where power useage has been halved, and it is making increasing use of sustainably supplied power

‘The image of plastics

Dr Engleder, what options does an injection moulding machine manufacturer have to reduce the CO2 footprint?

As a mechanical engineering company, we start by reducing the CO2 footprint within our own company. This means, for example, that we purchase green electricity, install PV systems, and reduce the share of fossil fuels. Our sustainability strategy aims at making production as climate neutral as possible at all our locations worldwide. In addition, we keep an eye on our customer production, and continuously reduce the CO2 footprint of our products, the injection moulding machines. Very efficient drive technologies have already led to their energy requirement being reduced by half.

Optimised processes and temperature control solutions tailored to the application can reduce energy requirements even further. We also use digitalisation, such as assistance systems. For climate protection however, it is not only important to have new, efficient machines, it is equally important that the installed base is converted, for example with retrofit solutions or assistance systems that can

also be upgraded. Action must be taken more swiftly within this field because an injection moulding machine will last for 20 years or more.

In the face of current problems such as war and high energy prices, many fear that climate protection and also the circular economy will disappear from the agenda. What’s your take on this? The main topic at the moment is certainly saving energy because energy is scarce and expensive, but ultimately this development also serves the goal of CO2 reduction. Our customers are increasingly looking at the total cost of ownership, and energy plays a decisive role in this, both in the intake of the machine itself and in the raw material. The focus continues to be on the circular economy, even if perhaps there is less talk about that subject right now in view of the various crises. Closing the reusable material cycle is an endeavour that will stretch over years, and a lot of the work continues to be done in Europe. In other parts of the world, in Asia or in the USA, it is not being pushed forward with the same intensity. Nevertheless: the circular economy is on the way.

Will this be more of a competitive disadvantage or a competitive edge for the European plastics industry?

If we can manage the circular economy in such a way that it is both ecological and economical, it will be a competitive advantage, plus, if we also work in a resource-efficient way, we will also be paying less for raw materials and energy. Maybe that will not be the case at the beginning, when the entire operation is not yet scalable, but in the medium and long term it will be cheaper. What is important, is that European policy in particular sets the right, achievable goals and pursues them consistently. However, if we all do the right thing together, I am sure that the circular economy will bring advantages for our industry over international competition.

Digitalisation is a tool in various processes. How great is its benefit for Engel?

Digitalisation helps us on two levels. On the one hand, directly in connection with the machines – keyword assistance systems. These are becoming increasingly important, also because the lack of personnel is becoming increasingly

Interview with Dr Stefan Engleder, CEO of Engel Austria GmbH

Dr Stefan Engleder, who is interviewed here, is CEO of Engel Austria

must improve’

evident; we already have an enormous shortage of trained machine operators. Digital assistance systems make it possible for the machines to work relatively autonomously and also optimise themselves. So, the machines are becoming much easier to operate. The lack of personnel is an issue that is not yet being discussed as much as the issue of carbon emissions, but that will change in the next few years, and in most parts of the world.

Digitalisation also helps to connect the individual parts of the value chain horizontally. Plastics processing is a very specialised process with many different stages in the value chain. It makes sense and is also necessary for a circular economy to use common data and establish common interfaces. This starts with the recycler, who prepares the material, and continues through the producers and packers to retailers and consumers.

Many parties find it difficult to exchange information however... That’s how it is right now, and the trend towards uncoupling – a consequence of the Covid pandemic – has made it even more difficult. Nevertheless, horizontal exchange is possible if it is approached in

a well-considered manner. Data leaks must be prevented, and only relevant data should be exchanged. This is already working quite well. It also helps that large consumer goods manufacturers put pressure on the entire manufacturing chain because they themselves are under public pressure.

In particular as packaging contributes significantly towards the bad image of plastic...

Yes, plastic does not have a good image, but the more people engage with it, the more they realise its advantages, such as when packaging makes food last longer and therefore less is thrown away – or when plastic enables lightweight construction, which in turn contributes to CO2 reduction. Looking at it from a self-critical perspective, it must be said – and here I return to the topic of circular economy – that the plastics industry has not yet managed to close the loops for all materials. That is its most important task, we are working intensively on it, and this is something we communicate, as it is the only way we can correct the image people have of plastics and the plastics industry. It is also necessary for our industry to recruit well-trained employees.

Gold for ENGEL

ENGEL is one of the most sustainable industrial companies worldwide. This was confirmed by the current sustainability ranking on the EcoVadis platform in which Engel has improved its ranking from silver to gold and is the only injection moulding machine manufacturer with gold status to date.

EcoVadis is the world’s largest provider of sustainability rankings. The rankings include data from more than 90 000 evaluated companies and focus on the global supply chains in each case.

Henkel, Siegwerk join forces to create new solution for recyclable flexible packaging

HENKEL and Siegwerk have joined forces to co-develop an innovative oxygen barrier coating. The new solution provides outstanding performance and also enables mono-material flexible packaging that is easier to recycle – opening up exciting potential to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

The companies have agreed to codevelop an oxygen barrier coating for more recyclable food packaging and are preparing to launch that solution in North America and Europe.

The solution? An industrially validated oxygen barrier coating that enables mono-material flexible packaging for dry food products, setting recyclers free from the headache of mixed materials.

Recently, the product has been recognized by APR (Association of Plastics Recyclers) Critical Guidance to be compatible with recycling.

www.henkel.com www.siegwerk.com

Landmark emissionsreduction project in Louisiana announced

CF Industries, a leading global manufacturer of hydrogen and nitrogen products, has entered into the largest-of-its-kind commercial agreement with ExxonMobil to capture and permanently store up to 2 million tons of CO2 emissions annually from its manufacturing complex in Louisiana.

Start-up for the project is scheduled for early 2025 and supports Louisiana’s objective of net zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

‘It must be said: the plastics industry has not yet managed to close the loops for all materials’

first-ever US Plastics Pact’s Sustainable Packaging Innovation Award winners

Four companies have been awarded for their efforts in sustainable packaging design

THE US Plastics Pact have awarded four winners in its inaugural Sustainable Packaging Innovation Award. The award showcases companies that are eliminating problematic and unnecessary plastic packaging while taking actions to ensure that 100% of plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

compostability

“We know that the only way to effectively address both the plastic waste crisis and climate destabilization is through systems change. While more than half of the Paris Agreement target can be achieved by a global switch to renewable energy, the rest will depend on other factors such as our relationship with things – how they are made, transported, used,

and whether they become waste or are kept in the economy,” said Emily Tipaldo, US Plastics Pact Executive director. “The US Pact has set a national strategy with our activators to eliminate plastic pollution across the packaging value chain. We are proud to recognize the first cohort of scalable innovations which align with our four targets.”

Smile Compostable Solutions’ Coffee Pods are the only fully certified compostable turn-key pod system. Smile offers private label options for producers of coffee pods that are compatible with Keurig brewers.

The company also offers TÜV-Austria OK Home compostable straws and certified commercially compostable laminate bags. Smile’s coffee pods provide a compostable alternative to the PP or aluminium commonly used for coffee capsules. The pods compost whole, eliminating water waste from cleaning and lid disposal.

www.smilecoffeewerks.com

Recyclability

Amcor’s AmSky™, a breakthrough blister system innovation, free from vinyl and aluminium. AmSky is both a more sustainable alternative for the most in-demand healthcare packaging and designed for recycling in rigid and flexible recycling streams. Amcor’s world’s first recyclable polyethylene-based thermoform blister packaging is designed to meet the stringent requirements of highly specialized and regulated pharmaceutical packaging. This innovation also benefits from up to 70% reduction in its carbon footprint, when compared to packaging alternatives on the market today. AmSky™ eliminates PVC from the packaging by using a mono-material PE thermoform blister and lidding film.

www.amcor.com/sustainability

Refill

The Clorox Company’s Concentrated Refillable Cleaners, a refill spray solution. In addition to less plastic used there is also less weight and carbon emitted from transport since customers add water at home. The Clorox Company developed a refill spray solution so customers can buy a Clorox cleaning solution without purchasing a new spray bottle after the first bottle’s use.

The refill pods contain a liquid concentrate that only activates once attached to the bottle. The refill pods are recycled after one use, but the overall plastic reduction by using only one spray bottle is 80%.

www.shop.clorox.com

1 Boon Leat Terrace, #08-03, Harbourside Building 1, Singapore 119843 TEL : 65-6778-4633 FAX : 65-6778-9440 E-Mail : sales@nisseiasb.com.sg

Reuse

DeliverZero’s reusable delivery containers provide a more sustainable alternative for the takeout food industry. DeliverZero reusable polypropylene and BPA-free containers that can be used up to 1 000 times and have a return rate of 98%. The company provides plastic, reusable containers to participating restaurants, and when customers order from their favourite New York City joints via the DeliverZero app or website, their food is delivered in the containers. Customers then hold on to the containers and return them to a delivery courier the next time they order food from a DeliverZero restaurant. To date, at least 135 restaurants in three of New York City’s five boroughs have joined the programme.

www.deliverzero.com

Unit 2 The Shields, 33 Victoria Link Route 21 Corporate Park Nelmapius Drive, Irene Ext.30, 0062, 0157, South Africa TEL : 27(12) 345 4924 E-Mail : sales@nisseiasb.co.za

Dow, Mura Technology to build multiple advanced recycling facilities

DOW and Mura Technology, a global pioneer of an advanced plastic recycling solution, will construct multiple world-scale 120 kilotons (KT) advanced recycling facilities in the US and Europe – collectively adding as much as 600KT of annual capacity. This investment represents both companies’ largest commitment to date to advance and scale global advanced recycling capabilities.

The world’s first plant using Mura’s HydroPRS process, located in Teesside, UK, is expected to be operational in 2023 with a 20KT per year production line set to supply Dow with a 100% recycled feedstock. The extended partnership is set to considerably increase this supply, playing a significant role in Dow and Mura’s planned global rollout of as much as 600KT of advanced recycling capacity by 2030.

India bans 19 singleuse plastic items

INDIA has imposed a ban on single-use plastics on items ranging from straws to cigarette packets to combat worsening pollution in the nation of nearly 1.4 billion people. Some disposable plastic bags will also be phased out and replaced with thicker ones to encourage re-use. Thousands of other plastic products – such as plastic bottles – are not covered by the ban. But the federal government has set targets for manufacturers to be responsible for recycling or disposing of them after their use. The government has decided to set up control rooms to check any illegal use, sale and distribution of single-use plastic products. But the actual enforcement of the law will be in the hands of individual states and city municipal bodies.

Next-generation plastic foaming technology for thin wall and reusable packaging

Greater sustainability gains made possible thanks to ecocore platform’s compatibility

BOREALIS and Bockatech, inventor and licensor of the innovative EcoCore® manufacturing technology, have manufactured lightweight and ultralightweight reusable cups made of Borealis polypropylene (PP) using the patented EcoCore plastic foaming technology.

These robust and fully recyclable cups represent the many thin wall and reusable packaging applications that can be developed using Borealis PP resins and the next-generation EcoCore foaming technology. True to the EverMinds™ ambition to accelerate circularity, Borealis and Bockatech are easing the transition for converters and brand owners by providing highperformance, sustainable packaging solutions that can be produced using existing equipment and processes, yet at low cost.

Today’s ultra-lightweight cups made using Borealis PP and the EcoCore technology platform for sustainable packaging are even lighter than many conventional single-use paper cups. Yet they boast good insulation properties, with twice the thermal barrier of PP

cups with solid walls of the same weight. Durable EcoCore mouldings can be microwave and dishwasher-safe. Because they are made solely of PP, they are easy to recycle once they have reached end of life after hundreds of use cycles.

EcoCore produces durable, monomaterial moulding walls with a composite skin-foam-skin structure in only seconds, and at low cost. When using the innovative technology and Borealis PP in combination, converters and brand owners benefit from:

• Up to 50% less plastic used in production when compared to solid wall mouldings;

• Improved recyclability of moulding and injection moulded labels (IML) thanks to monomaterial PP;

• Suitability for existing injection moulding machines, ancillary equipment, and processes;

• Shorter cycle times of 5 to 7 seconds;

• Design freedom for shapes, colours, transparency, high-precision details as well as for decorative elements such as in-mould labelling.

The ultra-lightweight (430ml) cups by Borealis and Borouge weigh just 14g and are produced in around five seconds using an Arburg electric Injection Moulding Machine (IMM) with a Roboplas robot and Trexel MuCell physical gas along with a chemical foaming agent.

www.borouge.com www.borealisgroup.com

Premiere for PC from massbalanced biowaste and residues

The world’s first wallbox with Makrolon® RE

THE new, more sustainable Makrolon® RE polycarbonates from Covestro are celebrating their premiere in an electromobility application, which the company presented at K2022. EVBox, a global company headquartered in the Netherlands, is manufacturing the entire housing of its new EVBox Livo wallbox from a compound of the new product series. Makrolon RE is produced proportionately from biowaste and residual materials, partly using renewable electricity, and therefore has a very low carbon footprint. As thermoplastics, the more sustainable polycarbonates are also easy to recycle and therefore well suited to building up material cycles. EVBox develops charging solutions for electric vehicles. With the new charging station, EVBox are taking a big step forward in further decoupling mobility from resource depletion and putting it on a more sustainable footing.

The sustainability of Makrolon RE is demonstrated by a partial life cycle analysis tested by TÜV Rheinland. If 3.5kg of fossilbased Makrolon is replaced with an RE counterpart with an assigned biocircular material content of more than 70%, the carbon footprint of the charging station is reduced by approximately 10kg of CO2 equivalents.

The RE compounds are identical to their fossilbased counterparts and have the same material properties. Therefore, they can be used directly as drop-in solutions for substitution.

www.borealisgroup.com DEC 2022 / JAN 2023 43

Bronwyn October Zita Rodrigues (T) 021 933 3331/2 bronwyn@rawmac.co.za ct@rawmac.co.za

SPE auto awards showcase the best of the best!

Most innovative use of plastics

THE Automotive Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers has named finalists for the 51st auto innovation awards. For over 50 years the SPE Automotive Innovation Awards

Programme has been the most prestigious and largest competition of its kind in the world. Dozens of teams made up of OEMs, tier suppliers, and polymer producers submit nominations

GRAND AWARD WINNER

Tension Leaf Spring

OEM make and model: 2022 General Motors Co. Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra

The Chassis/Hardware category winner was also this year’s Grand Award winner. The all-composite leaf spring for light truck programmes reduces mass up to 75% versus all-steel and 58% versus hybrid steel/composite solutions while doubling durability, eliminating corrosion, improving ride

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Spoiler closeout

OEM make and model: 2022 General Motors Co. Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon

Material/process: BASF SE Ultrasint TPU01 thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/HP Multi Jet Fusion 5200 Series

The powder bed fusion (PBF) process was used to source, print, process and install 60 000 TPU spoiler closeout seals to meet 10 weeks of production as a bridge solution while hard tooling was being produced. Innovative vapour polishing and

describing their part, system, or complete vehicle and why it merits the claim as the year’s “Most Innovative Use of Plastics”.

Material/process: Epoxy/prepreg layup and compression moulding

comfort, lowering noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH), and increasing payload. Fibreglass-reinforced epoxy prepreg is used to form a single leaf with a progressive spring rate that eliminates the shackle, shackle bushing and helper leaves, yet passes all OEM test requirements.

drying processes cleared a bottleneck, halved production time, were used to finish parts, eliminating the need for post-print dyeing. The seals close out gaps on left and right sides of rear spoiler, improving finish and fuel efficiency.

AFTERMARKET AND LIMITED EDITION

Carbon Fibre C-Brace

OEM make and model: 2022 Ford Motor Co. Ford Bronco Raptor

Material/process: Ultramid B3WC4 HP CF and GR PA6/ injection moulding

This customer-visible, Class A C-brace was designed to meet offroad desert durability requirements for convertible versions of the vehicle while boosting torsional stiffness 40% to improve handling and NVH. Weight was reduced 55% versus aluminum and 85% versus steel by adopting a sandwich

composite approach. Upper and lower shells were injection moulded in 35% GR PA6 while a core was injection moulded in 20% CF-PA6, then components were bonded with a newly formulated methacrylate adhesive.

Panoramic Sunroof Frame

OEM make and model: 2022 Hyundai Motor Group Kia Sorento

Material/process: Hiprene ALG14BF PA6/injection moulding

Several novel technologies contributed to this large injectionmoulded LFT-PA6 panoramic sunroof frame. First, flat rather than round glass fibres provided higher dimensional stability and reduced warpage. Second, the twist pultrusion was used to produce long fibre-reinforced thermoplastic (LFT) pellets whose fibre length exceeds the length of the pellets, again contributing to mechanical improvements. Weight was reduced

BODY INTERIOR

51% and part count dropped from 33 to four versus a steel frame. Compared to carbon fibre reinforced LFT, torsional rigidity was 13% higher and breaking force 25% optimized at 24% lower cost.

Second Row Seat Backs and Cushions

OEM make and model: 2022 Toyota Motor Corp. Toyota Tundra Material/process: Ultramid B3ZG7 35% GR-PA6 and Elastocoat 74850 80% GR-PUR PA6 and PU/pultrusion and injection overmoulding

Several novel technologies contributed to this large injectionmoulded LFT-PA6 panoramic sunroof frame. First, flat rather than round glass fibres provided higher dimensional stability and reduced warpage. Second, the twist pultrusion was used to produce long fibrereinforced thermoplastic (LFT) pellets

BODY EXTERIOR ELECTRIC AND AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE SYSTEMS

High-Voltage Power Distribution System

OEM make and model: 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning

Material/process: Crastin FR684 and HR5339 PBT/injection moulding, silicone overmoulding

This customizable, shielded high-voltage power distribution system permits seven sets of subassemblies and up to 64 possible configurations from a single tool, providing both flexibility and scalability for future programs. Three different materials are used: A flame retardant 25% GR-PBT forms the internal assembly and terminal blocks, and a silicone seal is overmoulded directly onto a 30% GR-PBT cover. A unique

whose fibre length exceeds the length of the pellets, again contributing to mechanical improvements. Weight was reduced 51% and part count dropped from 33 to four versus a steel frame. Compared to carbon fibre reinforced LFT, torsional rigidity was 13% higher and breaking force 25% optimized at 24% lower cost.

shielding system uses stamped connection interfaces that reduce mass by two-thirds versus cast products while maintaining electromagnetic shielding.

MATERIALS

Thermoplastic BEV Thermal Management Solution

OEM make and model: 2023 General Motors Co. Cadillac Lyriq

Material/process: PA6/12, PA66 and PP/extrusion, moulding, forming and automated assembly

Two developments provide a lightweight, thermoplastic solution for electric vehicle (EV) thermal management systems. PlastiCool 2000 multilayer tubing for glycol applications to 120°C provides excellent chemical resistance, 25% better permeation resistance and 60% lower weight than EPDM, and is available in smooth, convoluted, round and non-round configurations. Ergo-

POWERTRAIN

Lock+ modular VDA connectors are flexible, offer visual and scannable latch verification, and reduce insertion forces >30%. The system’s modularity permits hundreds of connector configurations to be produced from a standard set of moulded subcomponents at lower total cost.

High-Pressure Oil Cooler Gasket Seal

OEM make and model: 2022 General Motors Co. Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Material/process: UMC V7401 Ethylene Acrylic Elastomeric Plastic/injection moulding

Oil cooler gaskets are small parts with important sealing functions between oil coolers and oil pumps in demanding engine environments. To eliminate leaks seen with fluorocarbon seals during temperature cycling, a new ethylene acrylic TPV was developed. It offers low-temperature sealing

and maintains good compression set and controlled oil swelling from -40° to 150°C and 14 bars oil pressure. Gasket height also was increased to provide higher contact pressure and better sealing. Costs were reduced 66% and sustainability was increased since the thermoplastic material is recyclable.

PROCESS, ASSEMBLY AND ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES

Direct Exposure Laser Welding

OEM make and model: 2022 General Motors Co. Chevrolet Blazer

Material/process: Makrolon LED 2245 000000 PC/injection moulding, laser welding

Hot-plate welding was replaced with a new process called direct exposure laser welding to meet customer styling requirements for the light guides. Scanning lasers replace heated tools and can weld opaque lens borders without need for more costly laser-transparent materials. Additionally, clearance between internal components and weld ribs was reduced and ribs can be heated very precisely. The current

SUSTAINABILITY

design’s complex geometries would not have been possible with traditional welding processes. Additionally, scrap was reduced 40-50% and energy use by 85-95%.

Reclaimed TPO/Foam System

OEM make and model: 2020 General Motors Co. Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Material/process: Inteather TGTPO ECO TPO/extrusion and repellitizing; co-extrusion of TPO sheets; vacuum forming and injection graining; press lamination; and assembly

Thanks to a patented recycling process, PIR bilaminate scrap comprised of TPO skins attached to cross-linked olefin foam is given new life in the same interior trim applications without sacrificing quality or performance. An additive package eliminates/binds/

deactivates reactive residuals and trapped gases from foam. Just on this program, 680,389 kilograms of TPO resin is reclaimed annually, reducing landfilled scrap 93%, replacing 50% of prime TPO and lowering CO2 emissions and energy use by 48% each.

Drako Dragon makes history

THE Italian GranStudio team have designed a new hyperluxury SUV called Drako Dragon which is the most powerful, quickest, and fastest model of its kind. The SUV has many impressive features.

In terms of body panels, Drako is pioneering the use of sustainable natural fibres to reduce weight and improve rigidity while avoiding the use of plastic by up to 70%.

These natural fibre composites also offer full end-of-life recyclability, helping further to reduce the car’s environmental footprint.

Dragon’s four electric motors combine to provide 2,000 horsepower. The front wing’s carefully sculpted lines allow air to pass through the nose to reduce drag, increase range and create meaningful downforce at speed. The rear flying buttresses also serve this dual ethos of striking visual style and functional aerodynamics, guiding airflow rearward toward the rear end and its diffuser.

The gullwing doors eliminate the B-pillar to make it easier to get in and out of Dragon’s front and rear seats, enhance outward sight lines for rearseat passengers, and are designed to open upward more than outward for easy access even when parked near vehicles, walls, or other obstacles.

RotoFlo

Largest Supplier of

Largest Supplier of Colour Compounded LLDPE in Sub Saharan Africa

Largest Supplier of Colour Compounded LLDPE in Sub Saharan Africa

Colour Compounding of Rotomoulding Speciality Polymers

Compounding of Rotomoulding Speciality Polymers and Speciality Powders

Pulverising of Rotomoulding and Speciality Powders

PSD Rotoworx PP, LaPlastecnica Vents and MIGS®

Agents for PSD Rotoworx PP, LaPlastecnica Vents and MIGS®

Contact: Clive Robertson

Contact: Clive Robertson clive@rotoflo.co.za +27 82 880 4976

clive@rotoflo.co.za +27 82 880 4976

Michael Böltau tech@rotoflo.co.za +27 84 540 2896

Michael Böltau tech@rotoflo.co.za +27 84 540 2896

Andrew Robertson andrew@rotoflo.co.za +27 76 101 7805

Andrew Robertson andrew@rotoflo.co.za +27 76 101 7805

+27 82 880 4976 +27 84 540 2896 +27 76 101 7805 +27 11 708 3361 (Tel) +27 11 708 1919 (Fax)

Beverley Cooper sales@rotoflo.co.za +27 11 708 3361 (Tel) +27 87 721 1701 (Alt)

Website: www.rotoflo.co.za

Chanda Mukuka sales@rotoflo.co.za +27 11 708 3361 (Tel) +27 11 708 1919 (Fax) Website: www.rotoflo.co.za

Address: 28 Hilston Road

Address: 28 Hilston Road

Kya Sands Randburg, Johannesburg South Africa

Kya Sands Randburg, Johannesburg South Africa

Dave Ransom made massive contribution

Rubber technologist who put experience to good use as an educationist

DAVE Ransom, who put his many years of experience in all aspects of rubber compounding and manufacturing to good use by spending the last two decades of his life training people in the rubber industry in South Africa after he ‘retired’ in 2000, passed away recently.

Ransom had an exceptionally dry sense of humour and achieved a rare blend of that and practicality in rubber technology training, an area not characterised by much comedy. He was born the second eldest in a family of ten and educated in Bath in England. He left school at the age of 16 before completing the A level courses. He knew he needed to get a job with a technical bias and applied for a job at a chocolate factory, which he didn’t get, so he joined the rubber industry! His first job was as a technical trainee at the Avon India Rubber Company. That was back in the 1950s, and thereafter he was involved in many assignments in the rubber sector in England, including completing the Institution of the Rubber Industry and National College of Rubber Technology qualifications. He also completed his national service in the RAF (1958 to 1960) which time, Ransom said, was “not completely wasted as I was taught how to teach”.

He emigrated to South Africa after his wife and son were killed in a road accident in 1967. He took up employment with Dunlop Industrial Products in Benoni near Johannesburg, on a three-year contract. The fact that he knew several individuals in South Africa who had completed the National College of Rubber Technology courses in England – including Brian Hughes, Mike Jones, Tony Hesp and Mike Gillette – was a plus for the man. He was roped in to assist in the operation of training courses, which proved popular. The courses held on a block release system were attended by students from all over southern Africa. Dave was involved in rubber technical training in South Africa for the next 50 years, which is a noteworthy achievement.

At that time DIP made hose, vee belts, conveyor belting, mouldings, calendared sheeting and rubber lining and was also involved in the manufacture of plastic hose.

Dave also remarried in South Africa, which involvement also extended beyond the half-century mark.

He later joined Tensile Rubber, at that time with Tony Hesp as MD and Barry Hunt as technical manager. He was appointed as works manager. At that time Tensile Rubber was part of the Conti-Calan group, jointly owned by Continental

was formerly in the same position at Sizabantu Piping Systems in Richards Bay, KZN, where he was involved in the production of u, o and m PVC pipe, whereas at Sun Ace he will be working with PVC additives.

FEW individuals move from the material supply to the converting sector, but one who is now doing so for the third time is Louis van Greunen, who has joined Covenant Tool & Die in Krugersdorp. Louis was most recently at Chemipol in Meadowlands, Joburg. He has previously had stints at Nu World Industries, prior to its exit from manufacturing, then in 2011 he joined Chemgrit, a material supply business, then he returned to converting at Lesco (2016) and in 2020 he was back in material supply at Chemipol. Now, apparently due to popular demand, he’s returning to converting at Covenant, which is chiefly a toolroom with an onsite injection moulding division.

Renier van Wyk has been appointed production manager at Sun Ace SA in Jet Park, Johannesburg. He

Grant Page has taken up a position with Amcor Flexibles in Belgium. Grant was originally at Megapak in Olifantsfontein, then left the Nampak group and joined SRF, the BOPP films manufacturer in KZN in 2013, and then returned to what had in the interim become Amcor Flexibles (Amcor, an international group, bought what was Nampak Flexibles in 2015). The Amcor Flexibles business in South Africa at one time included three flexibles plants. During the riots of mid-2021, the group’s plant in Southmead Industrial in Durban was torched. The plant has not reopened and the two other plants, in Gqeberha and Cape Town, have since been sold to CTP Flexibles.

Twenty-eight years after starting Skye Plastics and a total of 52 years in the plastics industry, Fred Morawitz finally retired in August, adding that he was now, “for the first time in my life, unemployed”.

Grant Page has taken up a position with Amcor Flexibles in Belgium

He and Cyril Shand had started Skye in 1996, with Cyril later handling the company’s financials from the West Coast. The company was bought by Bowler Plastics earlier this year and the starting duo have now left the scene.

Also moving on is Coen Burger of Orchem, and prior to that Protea Specialty Chemicals and Rubber Nano Products. He has settled in Velddrif on the West Coast. Coen was also for many years involved in the organization of the PRI and IOM rubber conferences; in the respect he was always the calmest imaginable organisers.

Hermann Naudé of Alphaplast of Joburg has retired. Hermann, who had a ‘licence to automate and innovate’ at Alpha, spent a large part of his working career looking for better and more economical ways to manufacture, as a

Louis van Greunen, who has joined Covenant Tool & Die in Krugersdorp

to rubber training in SA

Rubber (from Germany) and Calan a local financial group. He later joined Fenner, a British company making vee-belts in South Africa. He also commissioned a PVC conveyor belt department along the way.

He was awarded the John Tallent Medal for services to the rubber industry in South Africa in 1979.

In 1980 he moved to Piggot & Maskew, later to become Mining & Industrial Rubber Co. This was part of the General Tyre/Continental Rubber group. There were numerous assignments along the way, all of which enabled Ransom to further expand his knowledge of rubber processing and management, among those as being at General Tyres and later returned to Mining & Industrial Rubber, but it closed in 1994. His final appointment was as manager of the Rubber Division of Mono Pumps South Africa until he retired in 2000. But as so often happens, retirement did not pan out in that exact context. He joined Dave Wardle, a qualified rubber technologist from Newton Heath Manchester, in a training enterprise called the Rubber Association of South Africa. This organisation set out to provide training in the rubber industry from shopfloor level up to the old Associateship standards.

Dzunisani Portia Baloyi has been appointed by Plastics SA as its new Head of Finance based at the company’s head office in Midrand

result of which the Devland company’s plant was one of the most energy-efficient polymers producing plants in SA, if not southern Africa. Several innovations took place over the years, including the introduction of a 1000KVA solar system in 2016, which was ahead of its time with respect to industry in South Africa in general, and machine feeding direct from silo, which Hermann oversaw.

Dzunisani Portia Baloyi has been appointed by Plastics SA as its new Head of Finance based at the company’s head office in Midrand, Gauteng. Portia is a registered SARS Tax Practitioner and a SAIPA Professional Accountant (SA). She holds an Advanced Diploma in Accounting Science obtained from UNISA, an Advanced Diploma in Financial Markets (University of Johannesburg), and a National Diploma

He concentrated on the shopfloor and junior supervision and technician levels whilst Wardle dealt with the more academic aspects of the training.

In this guise he travelled for 15 years spreading the message in factories and classrooms all over South Africa. In 2015 he “finally hung up his board duster” and thereafter was engaged in transferring the lessons on to video discs.

Ransom also doubled up as a taxi driver in KZN ferrying his grandchildren to school and so on, in which respect he added his customary brand of comedy and understatement.

Zikhona Nokama has been promoted to Plastics SA Training Administrator of the Western Cape regional office

in Internal Auditing (Vaal University of Technology). Prior to joining the Plastics SA team, she previously worked at Mega High Voltage Technologies.

Zikhona Nokama has been promoted to Plastics SA Training Administrator of the Western Cape regional office. Zikhona started her career at Plastics SA in 2013. During the past nine years, she has actively been involved in managing the day-to-day activities of the Maitland office. As part of her new responsibilities, Zikhona liaises with clients regarding training dates for their workforce, ensures the necessary paperwork is completed correctly and assists the technical trainers in promoting the various courses to their clients situated in the Western Cape and Gqerberha.

Solami Bassaw, has been appointed as Plastic SA’s new

Obituary

Solami Bassaw, has been appointed as Plastic SA’s new knowledge management and research analyst

knowledge management and research analyst based at the head office in Midrand, Gauteng. Solami holds a BSc Chemistry honours degree. Her background in plastics comes from the masterbatch sector, where she worked in research & development in the liquids masterbatch division. She later moved on to R&D in pulp and paper. She will collaborate with Annabé Pretorius, technical operations executive, in the recently established knowledge base, which was developed specifically to meet the growing demand for current, region-specific, and easily accessible technical and industry information. Solami will concentrate on gathering pertinent industry data, research reports, and trend and data analysis. She will also concentrate on locating industry gaps and putting initiatives in place to close those gaps.

Dave Ransom introduced a rare blend of comedy and practicality to rubber technology training

Untimely

SHAWN Thompson, who was well-known among convertors in Gauteng as a

salesman with Plastomark over the past near two decades, died in a motor cycle incident recently. Shaun was a large powerful man who many referred to as a ‘gentle giant’.

Shawn was born in Pretoria on 28 January 1970 and went to Valhalla Primary School and finished his school career at Lyttelton Manor High in Centurion. After that he joined the SA Air Force, where he signed up with the permanent force, but, as so often appears to happen, unexpectedly moved into the plastics industry. It’s likely that a coincidental visit to an injection moulding factory, with its complex precision equipment, stirred his interest. He first worked at SB Plastics in Pretoria in 1994/1995 and later joined Plastomark, in September 2004, as a sales representative, where he had the advantage after his factory experience of better understanding of polymer performance.

He remained with Plastomark from then and was promoted to National Sales Manager for Engineering Polymers, which capacity he filled at the time of his passing.

Several comments have been received from colleagues, customers and friends, including that he was always calm and gentle, was a good family man who was so proud of his children, and was a good friend with a fine sense of humour.

His wife Esmé commented: “I’ll always remember his laugh and his gentle heart. A child of God. Mr John 3:16, was known as the gentle giant.”

Shawn Thompson lived up to his reputation as a ‘gentle giant’

Qatar’s petrochemical industry develops

announced they would host the 2022 World Cup. In the years since then it has repeatedly made the headlines, and not always for the right reasons. There were allegations of bribery, reports of migrant worker’s mistreatment and deaths building the seven new stadiums required, all of which western newspapers happily reported to audiences who were aggrieved that someone else managed to buy the tournament that they had wanted to host.

Which is not to say that there was no corruption – of the 22 FIFA Executive Committee members who voted in Qatar’s successful 2010 bid for the World Cup, 15 have since faced criminal charges – or that the Kafala system where employers sponsor employees (much like an employer sponsored residence which doesn’t allow you to change jobs, but with some additional restrictions), but not every story should be believed.

The Qatari’s have to take the blame for some of their own bad publicity – forcing the tournament to be shifted from the traditional (Northern Hemisphere) summer to the cooler months of November and December (after promising it wouldn’t be necessary to change the dates) which caused scheduling headaches for the major European Leagues. And then there is the issue of Qatar being a Muslim country which restricts the sale and consumption of alcohol. As someone who has lived in the Middle East for years, and visited Qatar many times, I would have been very surprised if the Qatari authorities agreed to make an exception to allow alcohol sales inside the stadiums. Even selling alcohol in the Fan Fest zones is a concession – normally beer is only sold in 4- and 5-star hotels, and you need to show your passport to enter the bars.

Instead of bending to pressure to allow beer sales in the stadiums the Qatari officials appear to have reneged on the initial compromise that beer would be sold before and after the games within the stadium perimeter, and that only nonalcoholic beer would be sold in the stadium concourse when, two days before the tournament started, FIFA announced that beers wouldn’t be sold at the stadiums after all.

But Qatar is doing some things which deserve recognition: it will be the first world cup with female match officials. And it has also made “sustainability” a key component of the tournament. It has promised to be carbon neutral and is planting tens of thousands of trees, shrubs, and bulbs as well as the usual offsetting emissions buying carbon credits.

World Cup promises to be ‘plastics-neutral’

But more interesting from a plastics perspective is that they have promised the World Cup to be a “plastics-neutral” tournament. What this means is that they are focusing on increasing the recycling of plastics used in the World Cup and eliminating single-use plastics. They will also recover an equivalent amount of plastic from the ocean and rivers as is generated from hosting the tournament.

It is also interesting to look at how the Qatari petrochemical industry has developed since Qatar was awarded the hosting rights to the World Cup. In 2010, Qatar produced approximately 1.3 million tpa of polyethylene. In the 12 years since then it has increased its polyethylene production to 2.1 million tons per year. To put it in perspective, Saudi Arabia only produced approximately 3 million tons of polyethylene in 2006. But there are plans to further increase capacity, including a new 1.6 million tpa cracker and a 540 ktpa polypropylene plant. It is also expanding its LNG production capacity from 77 million tpa to 110 million tpa by 2027 and then to 126 million tpa. Along with the additional LNG, which will be exported as part of a global move to using more environmentally gas an energy feedstock than diesel or coal, there will be large volumes of naphtha and ethane to feed further petrochemical plants.

The conversion industry has also grown in the last 12 years, partly driven by a need to be self-sufficient when Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt broke off diplomatic ties as a result of Qatar’s (alleged) interference in their domestic affairs as well as the opportunities presented from the massive infrastructure projects such as a new airport, metro systems, roads, stadiums and accommodation for the World Cup. It is impressive to see what has been achieved in only 12 years and I hope the World Cup is a success, enjoyed by millions of fans all around the world and that it is not overshadowed by politics.

Lusail Stadium that will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup final

Swept BendS Bend

Producing a production method statement for swept bends is difficult

because of the number of variables

By Mike SMart Pr. eng. B.Sc. (HonS) civ. eng, MSaice

IN South Africa, the production of swept bends is a “cottage industry” with each manufacturer developing process parameters they jealously guard as their IP strategic advantage. This is because the standard is “performance based”; it specifies what the finished product shall conform to. Producing a production method statement for swept bends is difficult because of the number of variables in the process, which I discuss here.

Pipe quality

The quality of the pipe used to fabricate the swept bend is critically important. A COA or COC for each pipe used shall record not less than the following – see table below.

It is expedient to specify the pipe manufacturer extrudes the pipe, to be used to form the swept bend, on the upper tolerance of the wall thickness

swept bend on the outside of the bend curve will reduce, relative to that on the inside of the curve, because it is redistributed over a longer length.

Oven size and temperature

The oven must accommodate the largest diameter and length of pipe for any configuration of the swept bend to be fabricated. The larger the oven, the greater the thermal capacity and thereby its temperature stability. Factors that influence the optimal temperature for the oven:

• 133°C HDPE melt temperature.

• 150°C HDPE Thermal Conductivity Coefficient lower limit.

• 150°C commonly used oven temperature.

• 150°C no increase in heat absorption rate.

• 190°C MFR 190/5 test temperature.

Increasing the oven temperature above

150°C will not increase the rate of heat transfer to the pipe. It tends to overheat the pipe surface resulting in a shiny surface, reduced OIT and other property degradation.

Pipe size & heating time

The total mass of pipe material determines the oven power. The product of pipe mass per unit length and wall thickness, that is relevant to heat penetration required, determines the heating time.

For pipe heating, the relevant parameters are mass per unit length and wall thickness, the former considers the thermal capacity of the pipe and the latter the thickness the heat must penetrated – the product of the two gives the time to heat the pipe (Pipe Heating Factor).

If the oven temperature is changed the Oven Temperature Factor will change according to the “best fit” equation with oven temperature.

Attribute Requirement Measured

Nominal Diameter – DN

SANS 4427-2 Table 1

Minimum Diameter – Dmin. SANS 4427-2 Table 1

Maximum Diameter – Dmax. SANS 4427-2 Table 1

Out-of-roundness

SANS 4427-2 Table 1

Minimum wall thickness – emin. SANS 4427-2 Table 2

Maximum wall thickness – emax. SANS 4427-2 Table 2

Hydrostatic strength – 20° 100 h

Hydrostatic strength – 80° 165 h

SANS 4427-2 Table 3

SANS 4427-2 Table 3

Hydrostatic strength – 80° 1000 h SANS 4427-2 Table 3

Elongation at break – >350%

Longitudinal reversion – <3%

MFR (190/5) raw material

SANS 4427-2 Table 5

SANS 4427-2 Table 5

SANS 4427-1 Table 1

MFR (190/5) pipe SANS 4427-2 Table 5

OIT – >20 minutes

Marking

SANS 4427-2 Table 5

SANS 4427-2 Table 6

Table 1: Documented proof (COC) of pipe attributes

The oven requires sufficient energy to heat the pipe to the required temperature, as follows: E = m x S x ΔT

• E = energy required

• m = mass to be heated

• S = specific heat of PE100

• ΔT = temperature change

A typical oven will have more than 50 kW power – 18 x 1 kW stove spiral plates in the ducts and 12 x 3 kW stove spiral plates under the sides of the floor grating. Oven heat distribution is critically important, achieved by blowing it through an inlet manifolding under the floor grating and extracted through a ceiling manifolding.

Example:

Oven 140°C: pipe 500 OD SDR11 (PN16); what is the heating time?

Pipe Heating Factor Δ = kg/m x mm = 65.209 x 47.75 = 3113.73

Oven Temperature Factor (O):

O = 2464.5 X 1401 O = 17.589

Heating time (t):

t = 17.589 x 3113.730.3327 t = 255.5 minutes t = 4 hours 15.5 minutes

If the oven temperature is 10°C lower, the time is 16.5 minutes longer.

Pipe in the oven

The pipe is suspended by one end, the other resting on non-stick material on the oven floor grating, if necessary. Small pipes may lay on a smooth surface, but larger pipes tend to distort under their own weight. End plugs, of PE sheeting equal to the thickness of the wall pipe, are placed in the oven with the pipe for use later to retain the pipe fill material prior to bending. Using Glycol to heat the pipe is not recommended.

Filling material

Time is of the essence when the heated pipe and end plugs are removed from the oven. Secure an end plug in one

end of the heated pipe and fill it with thermoplastic granules as quickly as possible. A purpose-built rig to vibrate and compact the fill is recommended – do not strike the hot pipe. The pipe must be filled well, completely, and uniformly with compacted material before the other end cap is secured. Any granules embedded in the inner wall surface must be removed when the filling is removed. Custom made “filler devices”, one per pipe internal diameter, comprising slats of material that slide relative to each other as the bend is formed, may be used.

Bending rate

A slow bending rate induces less stress in the bent pipe but increases the heat loss that increases the induced stress. Therefore, the distortion rate shall be about 500mm per minute. The bend shall be bent about 5° beyond the required angle to allow for relaxation. Ripples on the outside surface of the bend may indicate the bending rate was too high.

Holding time in

bending jig

Retain the bend in the bending jig until it is “touch hot”, using the back of the hand. The granules may be removed whilst the bend is in the bending rig or after it has been removed. A vacuum recovery system for granules is quick, efficient, reduces wastage and dirt contamination. The bending jig shall have a profiled “shoe” for each pipe diameter. Forced cooling shall not be used, to avoid increasing the “frozen-in stress”, and the cooling time shall be approximately equal to the heating time.

Competence of the production personnel, particularly practical experience, is critical to the production of conforming bends. Cut the “mushroom” off each end of the bend,

this also removes any marks caused by suspension straps or however the pipe was supported during heating.

“Mushroom” cause

Extruded thermoplastic pipes are cooled from the outside, that “freezes” the outside of the pipe wall whilst the inside layer is still in a hot semi-molten state. The inner material tries to contract inwards but is restrained by the “frozen” outer layer resulting in forced compressive strain in the outer wall and forced tensile strain in the inner wall of the pipe. This “built-in” or “frozen-in” strain is exhibited when the pipe is cut, the forced deformation is released, and the diameter of the cut end of the pipe contracts –known as “barrelling”.

Forced deformation magnitude

Prior to 2000, the quality control of extruded pipe with a wall thickness not less than 15mm was PE standard SABS 533 Part II, Clauses 3.7 and 6.6 applicable to Type IV (PE63) pipe and SABS 533 Part 3, Clause 4.9 applicable to Type V (PE80) that specified “a pipe shall have a maximum internal stress level of 3 MPa”.

If you are interested in reading the full text, please email tessa@summitpub.co.za

The author of this article, Mike Smart with swept bends from which the “mushrooms” have been removed

It is expedient to specify the pipe manufacturer extrudes the pipe

Signs of price downturn in European recycled plastic as demand falters

IN JULY, recyclers of most plastics in Europe were able to raise prices thanks to continued demands for their materials. But not all recyclers managed to pass through the full energy and base material costs.

Recycled PET coloured posted a triple-digit price increase as strong demand, particularly from Eastern European converters, outstripped availability. Recyclers of low density polyethylene black extrusion pellet also achieved a large price increase with settlements rising by €50 per ton as a result of strong demand for construction applications.

The surprise was that clear, food grade recycled PET prices failed to rise for the first time since January 2021. Recycled high density PE black injection moulding pellets and recycled polypropylene prices also rolled over from the previous month. All other recycled plastic types registered price gains in the order of €10-30 per ton during July.

In August, only recycled PET materials registered price gains. Recycled PET clear food grade pellets resumed an upward trend with notations settling €50 per ton above the previous month. PET clear flake and PET coloured flake grades gained around €20 per ton over the same period.

Several other recycled plastics grade prices declined in August. Recycled HDPE black injection moulding pellet prices fell €20 per ton, recycled LDPE prices fell between €15-40 per ton and recycled PP prices were down €20-50 per ton.

Recycled HDPE coloured blow moulding pellets and recycled high impact polystyrene prices remained unchanged compared to the previous month.

The price softening trend in August was generally the result of slowing demand, especially from the construction sector. Meanwhile, supply has remained generally satisfactory. Higher price discounts are widely anticipated for September.

Pepsico cuts 3D printed

3D printing solutions meet size and materials requirements

SPEED to market has never been more important in the consumer goods sector as brands aim to develop new package designs to address ever-shifting customer desires and set themselves apart from the competition. But it’s expensive to change packaging design, especially in the bottled beverage industry. Creating conventional metal tooling for the blow moulding of bottles at PepsiCo’s R&D campus in the USA, used to mean weeks of waiting and thousands in costs.

PepsiCo could spend up to $10 000 to produce a single metal mould tool set depending on its complexity, according to Max Rodriguez, senior manager of global packaging R&D, advanced engineering and design, at PepsiCo’s research centre.

Once a digital design of the bottle is created, it would take up to four weeks to machine a metal mould using conventional manufacturing, and then an additional two weeks to get a trial unit to do the actual blow moulding of the prototypes.

To get new products to market faster by lowering the time and cost of prototypes, Rodriguez started working with 3D printers several years ago.

Although 3D printers were excellent at producing design prototypes, early attempts to 3D print mould tooling lacked durability. When the 3D printed moulds were used in blow moulding machines, they could produce only about 100 bottles before the mould began to fail. This prompted Rodriguez and his team to explore using a hybrid approach, combining parts of a conventional metal mould with 3D printed inserts.

This hybrid model – which PepsiCo patented in late 2020 – involves using a universal metal outer mould shell that fits into most commercial blow moulding

SABIC

SABIC

bottle costs, time with mould inserts

machines. PepsiCo then explored using additive manufacturing to print only the essential internal parts of the mould that yield the final product’s geometry.

Working with Chicago-based additive manufacturing technology distributor Dynamism, the PepsiCo team explored industrial 3D printing solutions that could meet their requirements for both size and materials.

Between 2020 and 2022, Rodriguez conducted proof-of-concept trials with a pilotplant-scale blow moulder at a third party, running bottles at a rate of 600 to 800 bottles per hour, with a single hybrid mould. The modular mould set concept was a success, but the durability of the materials was still a challenge.

The only viable material solution at the time Rodriguez started his research about three years ago was cyanate esther. Since then, the major material suppliers, such as Henkel Loctite and BASF, accelerated their material development for additive manufacturing applications. Henkel introduced its XPEEK147 material about a year ago, which provided several advantages cyanate esther.

The team applied a backing of dental stone to the printed

3D printed bottle molds using the xPEEK147-Black material from Henkel on the Nexa3D NXE 400

inserts to give the mould cavities the compressive strength needed for blow moulding pressure. It then used a modified, lab-scale stretch blow moulding machine to produce the actual test bottles. PepsiCo has been producing bottles on a daily basis using its hybrid tooling approach for the past few months.

www.

awards in design & innovation

coating and can withstand aggressive atmospheres

association announced the results in an award ceremony during K2022.

In the “Innovation” category, SABIC won for its Lexan Extrite Sheet panels that were used to create an exterior dome in a private home located at Kavouri Beach, Vouliagmeni, just south

In the “Design” category, SABIC was honoured for its LEXAN EXELL-D Sheet panels that were used to create the façade design of the LuLu Hypermarket in Sharjah Dubai in the United Arab Emirates

of Athens, Greece.

In the “Design” category, SABIC was honoured for its Lexan Exell-D Sheet panels that were used to create the façade design of the LuLu Hypermarket in Sharjah Dubai in the UAE.

The material used for the Greek dome needed to be UV-resistant, with high weatherability, and provide protection from the elements and against abrasion. SABIC’s 6mm Lexan Extrite Sheet has a high abrasionresistant coating and can withstand aggressive atmospheres. As it has a protective layer on both sides, it is

ideal for applications where abrasion, scratch, and chemical resistance are crucial. This low-maintenance, costeffective PC sheet also has a long life.

For the LuLu Hypermarket in UAE’s Sharjah Dubai, the group cited the design freedom and aesthetics of SABIC’s Lexan Exell-D sheet as the primary reasons for that material choice. Benefits included the ease of cutting the PC sheet versus cutting glass, polycarbonate’s excellent screen-printing capabilities, and the virtually unbreakable impact resistance of the lightweight PC sheet.

Project to develop new materials under microgravity conditions

IN its first aerospace project, the Aimplas Plastics Technology Centre will identify opportunities for creating new, high-quality and high-performance polymers and fibres in space.

Endowed with a budget of more than €400 000 in its first phase, the new Advanced Materials Accelerator is an initiative of the European Space Agency’s Business in Space Growth Network Programme.

The Advanced Materials Accelerator was created as an initiative of the Business in Space Growth Network (BSGN) Programme of the European Space Agency (ESA), where AIMPLAS is working to drive the development of new materials under the microgravity and vacuum conditions of space.

The BSGN accelerator is being developed by a European consortium of six leading space and materials companies. The first phase of the project, led by Satellite Applications Catapult, will focus on generating interest and demand in the growing in-orbit servicing and manufacturing industry so that advanced manufacturing companies can explore the possibilities that space has to offer and get involved in the programme. The project focuses on five advanced materials technology areas: superalloys and hybrid materials; nanomaterials; advanced ceramics; novel polymers and fibres; and functional coatings and thin film systems.

Future phases will focus on upscaling the opportunities identified in phase one in each area, including in-orbit demonstrations and the delivery of prototype products.

Photopolymer film for next-generation AR displays

THE Bayfol® HX photopolymer film from Covestro has helped the R&D of Sony Group Corporation to realise the prototype of a transparent display. This display delivers novel and fascinating visual experiences, as the images holographically generated within it appear to float freely in a transparent cylindrical column. Viewers can walk around the 360-degree display and look at the displayed image from all angles. Since the holographically evoked image is very bright – but the display is transparent at the same time –the image and background merge almost seamlessly. In the spirit of an augmented reality (AR) system, this

transparent 360° holographic display expands reality.

Bayfol HX consists of a transparent film as a substrate and a photoreactive layer that is optimized for the specific customer requirements. Bayfol HX gives designers the greatest possible design freedom. For example, it is flexible enough to be bent – as in the Sony application – so that it can completely enclose a cylinder. It has tailor-made optical properties to produce high-quality holographic images. Both the very high transparency of the photopolymer film

and the image brightness it enables were key factors in Sony’s decision to use Bayfol HX for its development project.

Bayfol HX is used in Sony’s prototype 360-degree holographic display

Sony 360-degree Cylindrical Transparent Display: the Bayfol® HX specialty film enables volume holography.

Opportunities for creating new, high-quality, high-performance polymers & fibres in space

Breakthrough technology used to create designer chair

The chair system by designer Thomas Schnur is the first application of Covestro’s Arfinio solution in furniture, and demonstrates the technology’s potential to enable lighter, truly seamless furniture with organic and clean shapes.

Opening new furniture design possibilities

COVESTRO and Arcesso Dynamics, a manufacturer of custom polyurethane parts, have used their breakthrough Arfinio® technology to realize a chair system by designer Thomas Schnur. As the first application in furniture, the Arfinio chair demonstrates the technology’s potential to revolutionize the sector by enabling lighter, truly seamless furniture with organic and clean shapes that bring together construction, function, and shape to increase visual and physical quality.

Furniture designers face limitations when working with traditional solidsurface materials. Individual pieces must be cut and glued together – a long, labour-intensive, and expensive process that

makes creating complex shapes impractical.

Arfinio provides a solution to this challenge by combining reaction injection moulding (RIM) with aliphatic polyurethane chemistry –previously considered impossible. The resulting material has the look and feel of a solid-surface material but can be produced in one piece. This enables truly seamless pieces with far fewer design restrictions; the mould can simply be adjusted to the desired shape.

The design chair is lightweight, enabling the use of less material per piece. Because of its truly seamless nature and strong resistance properties, it is also more durable. Next to this, it has excellent haptics and is warm to the touch. Finally, as a monomaterial, Arfinio can be milled and reintroduced into new products at the end of its lifetime, helping furniture manufacturers to close the loop and reduce industry waste.

www.covestro.com

Thailand’s largest plastics recycling plant

FOLLOWING 18 months of construction and installation, the ALPLA Group and PTT Global Chemical are opening the state-of-the-art ENVICCO recycling plant in Thailand. With an annual production capacity of 45 000 tons of recycled PET and HDPE, it is one of the largest recycling plants for these plastics in Asia.

The 30 000m2 plant is on a plot of land measuring a good 90 000m2 at the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, giving it space for future capacity expansions. The companies have long-term plans to promote the bottle-tobottle cycle not only in Thailand, but across Asia and other regions around the world.

ALPLA operates recycling plants

for PET and HDPE in Austria, Germany, Poland, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Romania and Thailand. Other projects are being realised elsewhere around the world.

www.alpla.com

First PET bottle-to-bottle recycling line in Ghana

A fi ne for child labour

A USA automotive plastics supplier is facing more than $47 000 in combined fines from state and federal Department of Labour for hiring a 13-year-old and two 15-year-olds to work at a plant in Alexander City, Alabama.

SL Alabama is a supplier of headlights and mirrors for Hyundai vehicles made in Alabama. The state and federal labour agencies said SL Alabama worked with staffing firm JK USA in bringing the three minors into the plant.

“Our investigation found SL Alabama engaged in oppressive child labour by employing young workers under the minimum age of 14 and by employing minors under 16 in a manufacturing occupation,” Kenneth Stripling, wage and hour division district director for the US Department of Labour in Alabama said.

“Employers are responsible for knowing who is working in their facilities, ensuring that those individuals are of legal working age, and that their employment complies with all federal, state and local labour laws.”

Starlinger’s recoSTAR PET iV+ recycling lines produce food-safe rPET that can be used up to 100 % in PET preform production

MOHINANI Group, a third-generation family business group, ordered two Starlinger recoSTAR PET 165 HC iV+ PET bottle-to-bottle recycling lines for its new plants in Ghana and Nigeria.

The two new systems will be delivered in 2023 and installed at the Mohinani Group companies Polytank Ghana Ltd based in Accra, Ghana, and Sonnex Packaging Nigeria Ltd in Lagos. While the extrusion and pelletising equipment is provided by Starlinger, the sorting equipment is supplied by Tomra.

In Ghana, it will be the first bottleto-bottle recycling plant in the country supplying food-grade rPET that can be used for producing new bottles. Polytank Ghana is going to source the post-consumer PET bottles for recycling through partners and through the company’s own collection network.

The produced bottle-grade rPET will go to Polytank’s preform production and also be available on the market for other packaging producers.

The West African market also plays an important role for Starlinger. For decades, the company has been installing its woven plastic packaging machinery in almost all of the Sub-Saharan countries, and many of the African plastics recycling operations that opened in the past years use Starlinger plastics recycling lines. This long-time engagement has led to solid knowledge of the market and the establishment of a well-working technical service network. With Starlinger branch offices in Nigeria and South Africa, customers can rely on fast and efficient trouble shooting and spare part replacement.

ExxonMobil to add 454 million kg of PP capacity

in Louisiana

EXXONMOBIL will add nearly 454 million kg of polypropylene resin capacity in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, US by the end of the year.

Houston-based Exxon will spend more than $500 million on the project, which will double the plant’s polypropylene capacity.

ExxonMobil first announced the capacity expansion plan in early 2019. Company officials said at the time that the project would create up to 600 jobs during construction and 65 permanent jobs once completed.

K2022 results fulfil highest expectations

THE joy of the plastics and rubber industry at finally being able to exchange ideas in person on a global level again after three years characterised K2022 Düsseldorf and ensured an excellent mood among the 3 037 exhibitors. The companies reported extraordinarily good leads and a marked willingness to invest among trade visitors, mentioning promising new customer relations and the conclusion of numerous, in part, spontaneous business deals.

“K in Düsseldorf has once again fulfilled highest expectations. It continues to be the most international, complete and innovative trade fair of the global plastics and rubber industry,” says Erhard Wienkamp, managing director at Messe Düsseldorf.

176 000 trade visitors from all continents travelled to their most relevant sectoral event in Düsseldorf. At over 70% the proportion of international guests at

K2022 remained at a constantly high level.

The current unpredictability and uncertainty of events does make for a tight situation in the sector overall, but this did not do any harm to exhibitor commitment and visitor interest, quite the opposite.

It was especially the wealth of new technology developments that raw materials producers, machine manufacturers and plastics processors presented for implementing the circular economy, resource conservation and climate protection that thrilled the trade visitors.

The trade visitors at this year’s K travelled from 157 nations to the Rhine. Next to Germany, those European countries strongly represented on the visitors’ part included the Netherlands, Italy, Turkey, France, Belgium, Poland and Spain. With 42% of visitors coming

from overseas, the reach of K is as high as usual among the international trade audience. While visitors from the East Asian region, in particular, were less well represented than at K three years ago due to the currently more difficult conditions in those countries on account of quarantine regulations, numerous visitors from the USA, Brazil and India were welcomed at K2022.

At this year’s K in Düsseldorf, there was also a lot of discussion about the global production language, OPC UA. This standard allows the processing parameters of the machinery and equipment involved to be coordinated more precisely and in a more targeted manner. This, in turn, is considered an important prerequisite for optimised circular management.

The next K Düsseldorf will be held from 8-15 October 2025.

Innovation

driver for the global plastics and rubber industry

The trade visitors at this year’s K travelled from 157 nations to the Rhine

High-performance plastics meets sustainable design

SUSTAINABLE furniture is a growing business area with great potential. Customers and companies around the world are looking for products with a low environmental impact for their homes or work environments. Highperformance plastics offer enormous advantages in this area: they combine strength and durability with low weight, can be used in a variety of ways and, thanks to alternative raw materials, can contribute significantly to reducing the carbon footprint.

BASF demonstrated this together with the award-winning Spanish design studio Inma Bermúdez in a surprising application: the OTTO concept shelf, which they presented for the first time at K2022.

BASF and Studio Inma Bermúdez succeed in doing just that with the OTTO modular concept shelf. All plastic elements are expandable and interchangeable. The shelf can carry a load of up to 100kg per shelf. In addition to the wooden shelves,

the plastics parts are made from only one thermoplastic. Both the load-bearing outer structure and all connecting elements are made of a single polyamide, which guarantees optimal recycling of the plastic elements at the end of their life cycle.

In series production, OTTO’s carbon footprint could be further reduced using the biomass balance approach. Here, renewable raw materials replace fossil raw materials in BASF’s production Verbund, which significantly reduces CO2 emissions.

Bermúdez and her partner Moritz Krefter drew their inspiration for the design of OTTO from architecture, specifically bridge construction. To turn this inspiration into reality, they found support from the team at the BASF Creation Centre in Ludwigshafen. The Creation Centre is staffed by industrial designers, material and simulation experts who accompany customers on the path from design inspiration to design solution.

15th ICIS World Olefins Conference

WITH demand falling for ethylene and propylene, prices have fallen to record lows. Add to that the rising cost of upstream chemicals, such as naphtha, and the growing energy costs to produce olefins have caused a massive reduction in industry revenues. Further disruption from a logistics standpoint has also created even bigger challenges.

Find out how you can manage these big industry challenges by attending the 15th ICIS World Olefins Conference on 8 March 2023 at the Hilton Vienna Park, Vienna, Austria.

Africa Forum for Utility

Regulators

The Africa Forum for Utility Regulators (AFUR) will be hosting their 19th edition of their annual conference as an official side event of the Africa Energy Indaba in Cape Town from the 7-8 March 2023 The conference will be followed by the AFUR AGM on 9 March 2023.

The theme of the conference is “AFUR 20 year anniversary – what has regulation achieved in Africa? Regulatory independence vs decision making.” AFUR aims to establish and foster co-operation amongst utility regulators on the African continent in support of Africa’s growth and socio-economic development. AFUR’s primary focus is on issues pertaining to the regulation of infrastructure (energy, communications, water and sanitation as well as transport sectors).

National Rubber Conference due back in May 2023

BASF and Studio Inma Bermúdez have jointly developed an innovative heavy-duty shelf made of plastics, called the OTTO

THE Institute of Materials’ National Rubber Conference is due to stage a return after a three-year interruption when the event is held again, from 17-20 May 2023. The conference (this will in fact be the 25th edition of the event) is of interest and relevance to individuals in the rubber, elastomer and tyre sectors.

The 2023 edition also marks a return to the Cathedral Peak Hotel in the KZN Drakensburg, where the event was last held in the early 2000s.

BASF jointly develops innovative heavy-duty shelf made of plastics

Ultrathin & highly durable

PC film for use as a membrane in filtration, acoustics or electronics

THE new type of polycarbonate (PC) film, which Covestro presented to the industry at K2022, is just 15 micrometres thin. The previous lowest value for nonstructured films from the established Makrofol® brand was 125 micrometres. Thanks to a new extrusion process, the company can now significantly reduce this value. It offers the new film under the name Makrofol® TF.

Ultrathin PC films are used, among other things, in the electronics industry: for the electrical insulation of capacitors or for the manufacture of flexible printed circuit boards. Until now, they could only be produced using the rather complex

solvent cast film technology.

With Makrofol® TF, now there is an alternative with an ultrathin thermoplastic extrusion film.

The industry can also use the new film to produce very thin membranes, for example as sound transducers for loudspeakers. To do this, the manufacturers of such membranes first irradiate films with heavy ions to create tracks. In a second step, chemical etching creates the pores. Track-etched membranes have multiple applications in biology and diagnostics. They serve, for example, as filters in laboratory analysis or as cell culture substrates.

The electrical and automotive industries also use track-etched membranes, for example, in systems for venting headlights, car batteries, or electronics housings.

Makrofol® TF is a suitable material for the production of track-etched membranes: the transparent films are very homogeneous, inert with a uniform surface and isotropic mechanical properties. Other advantages of the PC material include its excellent resistance to heat, durability over a wide temperature range, and high optical clarity.

www.covestro.com

Maguire debuts New ULTRA 2200 Dryer

MAGUIRE introduced the new ULTRA 2200 series dryer at K2022, designed to meet the higher throughput requirements of central drying, sheet extrusion, preform, and fibre markets and offers much faster drying than conventional methods while using significantly less energy.

While the principal phases of the vacuum drying process remain the same as those of the existing ULTRA-150, ULTRA-300, ULTRA-600, and ULTRA-1000 models, the ULTRA-2200 uses a pair of identical multi-function chambers that alternate in sequence to provide an uninterrupted flow of dry material. Each chamber can self-load, heat, vacuum, and dispense. This design allows for a compact arrangement with a relatively low ceiling height requirement.

Vacuum drying provides speed and efficiency to dramatically lower energy

consumption compared to conventional desiccant dryers. While each system uses the same amount of energy to heat up the resin, the energy required to dry the material is significantly less – as there is no regeneration process required in vacuum drying. The result is dramatic savings.

Maguire’s ULTRA 2200 incorporates load cell technology which provides the operator the ability to monitor and control each step of the drying process allowing for process optimization throughout the entire drying cycle. By digitalising the process, every granule within the drying system is actively monitored and controlled. The data can easily be

viewed on the touchscreen and details of the exact operating process as it happens are logged, giving the user a clear understanding of how the material has been dried. In addition, all of this data is available for export for integration with any ERP or other process control systems.

Elongation of a transparent, ultra-thin plastic film pulled from a roll

Fully recyclable monomaterial pouch solution

BOREALIS and Borouge launched three all-polyethylene (PE) pouch concepts at K2022, developed in extensive collaboration with technology partners across the entire value chain to meet the most demanding challenges in flexible consumer packaging.

The three designs address the need for significant improvements in monomaterial barrier packaging, carbon footprint reduction and design for recycling (DfR). Key challenges identified by Borealis and Borouge for a new generation of fully recyclable monomaterial pouch solutions included reliable sealability, mechanical properties, thermal stability as well as different levels of barrier performance depending on end use:

1. Laminated PE pouch for gas barrier packaging of oxygen sensitive products including modified atmosphere packaging, such as nuts or cheese.

2. High-barrier PE laminate pouch for packaging of moisture sensitive food products, such as crisps, biscuits and confectionary.

3. New PE pouch with 35% Ecoplast low density polyethylene

Propak launches in Ghana

THE organisers behind West Africa’s largest manufacturing event have announced the launch of the latest edition in their portfolio; Propak Ghana. Propak Ghana will focus its attentions on the packaging, plastics, printing and processing sectors in Ghana and its neighbouring countries and act as a catalyst for business connections and growth. The exhibition will take place from the 6-8 June 2023 at the Grand Arena in the centre of Accra.

With a verified audience of 2,500 visitors descending on Accra to interact with 120+ brands on display it promises to be a melting pot of ideas, commerce and knowledge sharing, that will help support these key manufacturing sectors in the region and provide access for international brands looking to expand their footprint in the region. www.propakghana.com

Kwazulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition 2023

KZN’s premier trade show for the industrial technology sector will take place from 18-20 July 2023 at the Durban Exhibition Centre, KwaZulu-Natal. KITE connect buyers and sellers of manufacturing equipment, products, services and software to advance the industry and its businesses. Exhibiting at KITE effortlessly puts exhibitors in touch with the specifiers and buyers looking for their industrial technology products and services.

(LDPE) low-gel post-consumer recycled (PCR) for non-food applications, such as detergent powder.

In all three PE monomaterial pouch solutions, BorShape™ and Borstar® provide the required mechanical and thermal stability performances, while Anteo™ and AnbiqTM combined with Queo™ deliver outstanding sealing performances.

The full PE monomaterial approach eliminates the use of non-recyclable multimaterial solutions. At the same time, it supports the aesthetic consumer appeal (look and feel) of the pouches as well as their end-of-life mechanical recycling in existing flexible PE waste streams.

Physical promotional samples of the new full PE pouch concepts can be requested for evaluation, supported by full technical documentation and extensive test results of performance on various packaging lines.

www.borouge.com www.borealisgroup.com

• Official Distributor in Southern Africa for BASF on TPU Elastollan® Thermoplastic Polyurethane

• Official Distributor in Southern Africa for BASF on TPU Elastollan® Thermoplastic Polyurethane

• Official Distributor in Southern Africa for Elastron on TPE, TPV Elastron® SEBS and EPDM/PP

• Official Distributor in Southern Africa for Elastron on TPE, TPV Elastron® SEBS and EPDM/PP

• Official Distributor in Southern Africa for CGFSE on FSE® Fluoroelastomers and Perfluoroelastomers

• Distributor for Weifang on Weipren® CPE

• Official Distributor in Southern Africa for CGFSE on FSE® Fluoroelastomers and Perfluoroelastomers

• Suppliers of EPS, Various Grades

• Engineering Polymers

• Engineering Polymers

• Polyolefins

• Polyolefins

• Reworked and Repaletised Materials

• Reworked and Repaletised Materials

• Official distributor for Politem on PA6, PA66 unfilled and filled compounds

• Official distributor for Politem on PA6, PA66 unfilled and filled compounds

Contact Carlo Cell: 084 506 7660 Tel: 011 760 1089

orders@dhpolymers.co.za

The new PET bottle with a glued-in handle from KHS reduces material consumption by up to 30%. Both the bottle body and handle are fully recyclable and made of rPET.

PET bottle with glued-in handle

Containers made entirely of rPET

KHS has further developed its rPET containers for the home care and food sectors. In addition to bottle handles slotted into place mechanically, the company now offers a glued-in process that gives users plenty of benefits: stretch blow moulded using the preferential heating method, the KHS PET bottle is more stable than the extrusion-blowmoulded polyolefin alternatives currently available on the market.

Glued-in handles also require a simpler contour than the clip-in variety, again saving on material and at the same time increasing efficiency in the stretch blow moulding process. Both the bottle body and handle are fully recyclable and made of rPET.

PLAST 2023

THE organisation of PLASTInternational Exhibition for the plastics and rubber industries will take place from 5-8 September 2023 at the Fiera Milano exhibition centre in Rho-Pero. A total of 30 000m2 has been reserved by approximately 600 exhibitors of PLAST 2021.

The development of the 2.3 litre PET bottle with a glued-in handle is the result of a one-and-a-half-year cooperation between KHS and Logoplaste Innovation Lab. The aim was to design a bottle specifically for home care products with the smallest possible carbon footprint.

Direct comparison reveals that up to 30% fewer resources are used in the manufacturing process, with 10% in material saved over a clip-in handle. Instead of producing the bottle on an extrusion blow moulder as is common, stretch blow moulding it is particularly energy-efficient – a not inconsiderable advantage in view of the rising prices for energy and raw materials.

KHS’s tried-and-tested, energy-

The solutions that will be proposed at PLAST 2023 – all addressing sustainability – will meet the needs of operators from all application sectors of the plastic and rubber industry: from packaging to automotive, from construction to electronics and medical equipment.

PLAST 2023 will be once again hosting the three satellite exhibitions

efficient heating method permits homogenous distribution of the material during the stretch blow moulding process in plastic bottles with an irregular and complex design, thus lowering the number of resources used and boosting bottle stability. Neck alignment with millimetre accuracy as an optional component allows precise product dosing with the help of oriented spout caps. Furthermore, as the new PET bottle does not have any seams – as opposed to those on standard containers made of HDPE or PP –it has proved convincing in rigorous in-house drop tests.

www.khs.com

that have so much contributed to enriching the latest editions of this international trade fair: RUBBER (dedicated to the world of rubber), 3D PLAST (with a focus on additive manufacturing and related technologies) and PLAST-MAT (dedicated to solutions based on innovative plastic materials). www.plastonline.org

events

2022

Propak West Africa: 22-24 November Landmark Centre, Lagos, Nigeria www.propakwestafrica.com

Pakistan-Africa Fair: 29 Nov – 01 Dec Sandton Convention Centre, Jhb info@patdc-sce.com

2023

Safripol’s 2023 Pipe Conference: 15 Feb Johannesburg jessica.chetty@safripol.com

Biopolymers & Sustainable Composites

1-2 March: Valencia, Spain www.biopolymersmeeting.com

Africa Energy Indaba: 7-9 March CTICC, Cape Town www.energyindaba.co.za

15th ICIS World Olefins Conference 8 March: Vienna, Austria www.icis.com

Firexpo 2023: 6-8 May Gallagher Convention Centre, Jhb www.firexpo.co.za

IOM National Rubber Conference 17-20 May: Cathedral Peak Hotel, Drakensberg: iomsa@mweb.co.za

Propak Ghana 2023: 6-8 June Grand Arena, AICC, Accra, Ghana www.propakghana.com

Smart Manufacturing: 21-22 June Sandton Convention Centre, Jhb www.manufacturingindaba.co.za

KITE 2023: 18-20 July Durban Exhibition Centre www.kznindustrial.co.za

ISTMA World Conference

18-22 September: Cape Town secretariat@istma.org

Plast 2023: 5-8 September

Fiera Milano exhibition centre, Milan, Italy www.plastonline.org

Interplas: 26-28 September NEC, Birmingham, UK www.interplasuk.com

Propak Cape: 24-26 October CTICC, Cape Town www.propakcape.co.za

Manufacturing Indaba 2023: 24-26 Oct Sandton Convention Centre, Jhb www.manufacturingindaba.co.za

Digitisation meets sustainability

BUILDING on the successful delivery of the first-of-its-kind pouch-to-pouch mechanical recycling concept, Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics (P&SP), a business unit of Dow, together with HP Indigo, Reifenhäuser, Cadel Deinking and Karlville have implemented the application of a digital product passport using the R-Cycle database. R-Cycle is a cross-company initiative to develop an open and globally applicable traceability standard for sustainable plastic packaging.

For a functioning circular economy for plastic packaging, two prerequisites are needed: The first is fully recyclable packaging which also uses the highest possible recycled content. The pouch-topouch recycling concept has impressively demonstrated this requirement. Secondly, for such a material cycle to work under real conditions for post-consumer waste streams, the waste sorting and recycling process must improve fundamentally.

In a complex waste stream consisting of a wide variety of products, it is not yet possible to separate by type of plastic, ingredients and use of the

flexible packaging, for example, for food, medicines or chemicals. These current recycling constraints result in a low-quality mixture of different plastics that can only be used in recycling to a very limited extent. As a rule, they end up in thermal recycling or, at best, in downcycling. A key reason for this is a lack of information to sort plastic waste into unmixed fractions and thus turn them into a valuable raw material for new products.

R-Cycle provides exactly this information, and the best part is the information already exists. Production and ERP systems capture, write and analyze all conceivable information related to a package. All that needs to be done is to aggregate the relevant information and transport it along the value chain. The vehicle for this is the so-called digital product passport. In the pouch-to-pouch recycling concept, all recycling-relevant information about the packaging is recorded in a standardized data record i.e., among other things, the type of plastic, printing colour or recycled content – and can be retrieved via a marker.

www.dowpackaging.com www.dow.com

Mass production of precision LSR parts has never been so efficient

AT K2022, Engel joined forces with partner Nexus Elastomer Systems to provide new impetus to the production of blade valves made of liquid silicone rubber (LSR). The fully automated high-end production cell combines maximum output with maximum quality consistency, substantially improving cost effectiveness at the same time.

Whether in cars, medical technology products or packaging, blade valves are used in a very wide range of applications. What all of these applications have in common is the very strict process consistency requirements in terms of injection moulding production. The precision of the small parts is safetyrelevant.

The production cell at the Engel stand leveraged the quality and efficiency potential for the production of blade valves with a blade diameter of 7mm in the best possible way. It combines an e-victory injection moulding machine and smart digital assistance with Nexus’s innovative

Propak Cape 2023

Propak Cape will take place from 24-26 October 2023 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

Imagine the bottom-line benefit of increasing your sales pipeline and converting leads to sales. These are pretty good reasons to exhibit at Propak Cape 2023 – the place where buyers and sellers meet. After 20 successful years, Propak Cape is a proven trade exhibition that delivers results for those serious about growing their business. Experience the power of face-to-face marketing on a huge scale. With a captive audience of almost 6,000 quality visitors, this is your opportunity to set your business up for success.

www.propakcape.co.za

Smart Manufacturing technology

Smart Manufacturing technology has the potential to radically alter the global

mould and plasticising technology. Production is fully automated in a 64-cavity mould with an Engel easix articulated robot and an integrated vision control system for 100% quality control.

The electric Engel injection unit ensures high-precision injection. On top of this, the machine design features of this model support low-flash, rework-free processing of low-viscosity materials.

The moving platen follows the mould precisely while clamping force is being built up, which results in excellent platen parallelism. Patented force dividers ensure that the clamping force is distributed evenly over the entire platen face. Even for large multiple-cavity moulds, the cavities near the outer edge of the platen are kept closed with exactly the same clamping force as those nearer the centre. But the highest possible machine movement precision alone is not enough. It is in cases of batch fluctuations in the raw material, or environmental conditions, for example,

manufacturing sector, creating gaps for new players in new markets to emerge and dominate in the post-pandemic economy. According to a new market research report by Meticulous Research, the global Smart Manufacturing market is projected to swell at a compound an nual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.5% over the next seven years, to reach a value of over $446 billion by 2029. The question is, how can emerging economies, such as those in Africa take advantage of market disruptions to boost local and regional manufacturing?

The 10th edition of the Manufacturing Indaba conference on 24-25 October 2023 at the Sandton Convention Centre will feature focused discussion unlocking how emerging economies can take advantage of Smart Manufacturing.

ISTMA world conference in Cape Town

THE International Special Tooling and Machining Association (ISTMA) will hold

due to weather conditions, that digitalisation comes into its own. Equipped with the iQ weight control smart assistance system from Engel’s inject 4.0 portfolio, the injection moulding machine continuously analyses the injection profile and readjusts qualityrelevant process parameters in the same cycle whenever deviations from the reference cycle occur. Nexus also specifically developed the ServoMix X20 LSR dosing system, which ensures air-free dosing of the liquid silicone rubber, for use on the smallest footprint.

ENGEL

www.engelglobal.com

www.greentechmachinery.co.za

its next triennial 16th World Conference and General Assembly in Cape Town, from 6-10 November 2023 in collaboration with the Production Technologies Association of South Africa (PtSA). High-end technical sessions will keep attendees up to date with the latest production trends and tooling technology as well as other relevant topics such as international and regional trade, gov ernment regulations and international trading conditions.

Also featured will be a comprehensive industry expo featuring country pavil ions, African manufacturing companies, African tooling systems manufacturers of moulds, dies, assembly systems and measuring equipment, importers of tool ing, moulds and dies and machine tool manufacturers.

The African Investment Indaba Con ference will be hosted during this time to expose potential investors to African investment opportunities and to solicit support and investment for the growth of manufacturing on the continent. info@sbs.co.za

is represented in SA by GreenTech Plastics Machinery (Pty) Ltd

Huhtamaki, Milliken partner to design for circularity

Joint research yields highly recyclable, mono-material HDPE tube

MILLIKEN is partnering with Finnish flexible packaging giant Huhtamaki Group to develop a more sustainable, mono-material laminate for use in tubes targeting cosmetics, toothpaste and other personal-care applications.

The results of this joint effort, designed to create a healthier future, was on display at K2022. Milliken displayed HDPE tubes produced using Huhtamaki laminates optimized with Milliken UltraGuard™ Solutions technology.

With the market’s keen focus on recycling and circularity, it is more vital than ever to find technologies that can eliminate the typical metalized (usually

aluminium) layers while maintaining the necessary barrier properties, especially against water vapour and oxygen transmission needed in personal-care applications.

By improving the barrier properties of HDPE film by up to 50%, UltraGuard Solutions contribute to sustainability by enabling more mono-material construction of popular products such as stand-up flexible pouches and tubes and making them ultimately more recyclable. These improved barrier properties also allow for downgauging of the PE film, resulting in a lighter-weight end product and a reduction in the amount of resin

needed to achieve the desired result.

Huhtamaki’s work on this project fits in perfectly with its blueloop™ initiative for sustainable, flexible packaging. Huhtamaki blueloop is a product portfolio aiming to make flexible packaging circular by introducing a range of recyclable solutions with mono-material structures using PP, PE and paper. The blueloop program contains recyclable and sustainable laminate solutions, with dedicated criteria, to ensure the resulting mono-HDPE-laminate is fully recyclable and approved by RecyClass.

www.milliken.com

Colourants designed for extreme conditions & demanding applications

MILLIKEN & Company introduced its latest extreme performance colourants for advanced engineering polymers at K2022. The addition of RESIST™ XTR 9798 builds on the company’s existing portfolio while continuing to contribute to a more sustainable future.

RESIST XTR 9798 is a high chromatic orange that Milliken have designed specifically to meet the extreme colourants performance required for demanding applications such as highvoltage battery connectors in electric vehicles (EVs) as well as for other demanding applications. From a safety perspective, such colour-coding is important for clearly identifying such parts. Customers can formulate the desired RAL 2003 shade using RESIST XTR Orange 9798 with multiple highperformance polymers, including polyamide 6, polyamide 66, polyamide 46, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyphthalamide (PPA), and polysulfone (PSU), among others.

RESIST XTR Orange 9798 shows excellent performance and compatibility with other performance additives and fillers such as glass fibres, glass beads, flame retardants (halogen as well as halogen-free), and both short- and long-term heat stabilizers.

This latest grade meets the colour and performance requirements of both shortand long-term thermal stability tests such as 1 000 hours at 120°C. RESIST XTR 9798 delivers a consistent, stable chromatic orange colour in engineering thermoplastics at lower loadings. This colourant also displays improved weather resistance and excellent lightfastness under UV exposure.

RESIST XTR 9798 offers excellent thermal stability up to 300°C or more, maintains the polymer’s electrical properties, and offers reliable availability due to Milliken’s proven supply chain.

Milliken’s RESIST XTR colourants designed for extreme conditions and demanding applications

Improved cost efficiency in structural foam moulding

ENGEL improved the cost-effectiveness of structural foam moulding at K2022 with new ENGEL e-foam XL multi central gas supply units. Another new feature was sophisticated sample parts produced during the show, which don’t require any additional overhead, but leave the injection moulding machine ready to fit with a structured class A surface.

Structural foam moulding is more popular than ever. It saves raw material, energy and weight, supporting the objective of producing and using plastic parts in a more sustainable way by doing so. ENGEL presented a new type of system technology for plastics processors who produce parts in parallel on several production cells using the structural foam moulding process.

Where each injection moulding machine previously required its own gas supply, ENGEL now offers the e-foam XL multi, a central unit for supplying several injection moulding machines with highly compressed nitrogen for structural foam moulding. Only the plasticising and control technology is still decentralised on the individual machines. This new solution sees ENGEL significantly reduce the capital outlay for structural foam moulding and makes a major contribution to reducing unit costs.

The new modular ENGEL e-foam XL multi systems, based on Trexel’s MuCell technology, are offered exclusively by ENGEL.

ENGEL e-foam XL multi, powered by Trexel, is improving the cost effectiveness of structural foam moulding

ENGEL represented in SA by GreenTech Plastics Machinery (Pty) Ltd

www.engelglobal.com

www.greentechmachinery.co.za

Tosaf

develops

new white masterbatch without TiO2

TOSAF presented a series of new white masterbatches with excellent properties in terms of whiteness, colour strength and opacity, which do not contain titanium dioxide (TiO2).

The company is responding to an increasing number of customers inquiries, since regular white pigment is suspected of being carcinogenic when inhaled in powder form, and because the EU has banned it as a food colourant. Although this decision by the EU does not yet ban the use of titanium dioxide as a pigment in polymers that come into contact with food, there is a growing demand among

manufacturers of hard and soft packaging for the food industry, as well as parts of the toys and cosmetics industries, to move to TiO2-free masterbatches in the future.

The new masterbatches have been developed by Tosaf as cylindrical as well as spherical granules. Although their formulation does not contain unbound titanium dioxide, their opacity as well as their colour strength is on the same high level as that of standard TiO2 masterbatches at equal let down rate. The colour shade itself can be adjusted from yellowish to neutral to bluish. As this applies regardless of the carrier

system, Tosaf’s new patent-pending white masterbatches are compatible with any host polymer. The low abrasiveness allows for long tool life, and no plate-out occurs when processed on tworoll systems.

www.tosaf.com

Motan presents new dryer

MOTON exhibited several new products at K2022, including the LUXOR SG compact and mobile dry air dryers, as well as introducing the latest products from the new “swift” brand.

The Luxor SG series dry air dryers are characterized by the combination of the well-known reliable process technology and state-of-the-art control technology, thus ensuring a perfect drying result. With the ecoPROTECT function installed as standard, the dryers offer an energy-saving drying process which guarantees that the material is not over- or under-dried.

In addition, motan launched some products from the “swift” brand. These

products have been specially designed as cost-effective entry-level models; these standardized products have an excellent price-performance ratio and feature the latest control technology.

The sCOMPACT dryers with integrated conveying are multifunctional and flexible. The dryers are available in three versions and are each equipped with one drying bin of the size 80, 150 or 250 litres and up to three sCONVEY hopper loaders for conveying to the drying bin and two processing machines. In addition, the sCOMPACT has a unique feature and can control an sCOLOR V additive dosing unit. The dryer is also offered

Blown film technology for reduced thickness thermoforming films

K2022 saw Kuhne Anlagenbau GmbH exhibiting as a manufacturer of largescale lines for producing simultaneously biaxially oriented thermoforming films

using Triple Bubble® technology.

At a thickness of 80 to 120 µm, these films are only about half the thickness of conventional cast films used in this application, and there is no need to compromise on service characteristics either.

The maximum achievable thermoforming ratio is 1:10. This means a reduction in material consumption and thus in the associated greenhouse gas

emissions of some 50%. Thanks to optimized cooling rates, these largescale lines can achieve throughputs of up to 2 000 kg/h or annual outputs of as high as over 15 000 tons per year, which means that they can match or even surpass the productivity and profitability of cast film lines.

Typical applications for such multilayer films include shelf-life extending vacuum packaging for the transport and storage of large pieces of ham, meat or cheese. Generally based on PA, EVOH and PE, these films combine high transparency with good thermoforming characteristics and elevated puncture resistance.

MOTON showcases completely new corporate design and logo at K2022

LUXOR SG – Dry air dryer for plastic granules

With the ecoPROTECT function installed as standard, the dryers offer an energysaving drying process

series, “swift” products

with advanced features such as dew point control and dry air conveying function with line purging.

The flexible sCONVAC conveying station enables cost-efficient operation of small conveying systems. With a wide range of blower sizes, the conveying station can be used for a wide variety of central conveying applications. The three-phase blower is low-noise and maintenance-free and is protected by a cyclone filter with dust collection container.

The volumetric additive dosing unit sCOLOR V offers excellent mixing quality and reliable, accurate and consistent dosing of additives. The unit is compact and designed to be directly mounted on the feed throat of the processing machine. Excellent recipe accuracy is achieved through synchronous dosing. This results in greater transparency and traceability for quality assurance of the end products.

sCOMPACT – Energy-efficient 4-in-1 drying technology

for high barrier containers

sCONVAC – Compact solution for simple central conveying

New carbon all-road wheels

FRENCH company Corima has launched its new pair of carbon all-road wheels, the Essentia 40. This new wheel took two years of development during which passionate cycling testers and World Tour riders put the Essentia 40 to the test on the most demanding roads in the world.

The hookless tubeless rim with a width of 23mm allows low pressure use, offering cyclists more comfort and stability on mixed terrain and uneven surfaces. The Essentia 40’s judicious choice of resins, carbon fibre and R2 lacing ensures efficient power transfer while maintaining maximum comfort. The Essentia 40 is formidable on asphalt with 28mm pneumatic sections and also accepts gravel tyres up to 50mm to face the most demanding surfaces.

The Essentia 40 has used its years of experience in designing and manufacturing performance wheels for road, track and gravel to develop this versatile new model.

Rigidity and reliability are ensured by 24 stainless steel spokes arranged in a unique way, according to an R2 lacing

specific to the Essentia 40, as well as a hub specially developed to withstand versatile road/gravel use.

The hub of the Essentia 40 incorporates a new “ratchet” toothed crown system allowing it to withstand the higher levels of torque encountered when practicing gravel and guaranteeing exceptional reliability and durability The design of this new ratchet mechanism is based on 36 teeth with a 10 degree engagement angle providing riders with optimal power distribution. Likewise, oversized bearings were selected specifically for disc brakes and all-road use.

Dragonfly electric hyperscooter

Features a carbon fibre composite deck for stability and control

PERSONAL recreation vehicle company D-Fly (London, UK) recently unveiled its Dragonfly electric hyperscooter, which features a lightweight carbon fibre composite deck among its innovations.

The four-wheel electric Dragonfly scooter is designed with patented full-tilt steering that controls all wheels at once, four-wheel dual-independent damped suspension and a high-class, sleek design to deliver stability and control even while navigating difficult terrain.

The 16.8kg Dragonfly’s deck is built by layering sheets of 3K carbon fibre, composite channels and foam core into a twin cavity tool. Resin is introduced and the deck is consolidated via heat and pressure. Specially designed composite channels within the deck permit electric cables to flow through it to connect rear lights and sensors. After moulding, the structure is then trimmed, polished and its outer coat applied. Finally, grip tape is applied to the top of the deck, before the finished deck is assembled with its complementary parts. Along with the deck, the scooter’s front fender and mudguard options come in carbon fibre as well.

Currently, both DF and DFX variations are available for purchase online via Indiegogo.

Equipped with new hookless tubeless rim and ratchet hub

FILLERS & ADDITIVES

AUXILIARIES &

ANCHOR CHEMICALS