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Low Gauge - less is more A consistent theme in the history of the industrial use of sheet steel concerns the ongoing reduction of sheet thickness. The advantages for all links of the value-added chain are obvious: increasing material efficiency is an immediate cost advantage while weight reduction slashes transport costs and environmental pollution as well as raising a company’s competitive edge. These are considerations which have also led to an impressive innovation in the production of crown corks – the so called low- gauge crown corks. The standard sheet thickness for conventional crown corks has been between 0.22 and 0.24 millimeter to date. With the reduction of the steel thickness to 0.17 millimeter the new low-gauge crown corks are 0.07 mm thinner and 0.24 grams lighter. Considering the entire annual volume of 42 billion crown corks produced for one brewery alone (one of the biggest ones), these savings involved around 10,000 tons of steel or 10 million EUR. The development continues: first steps are done to reduce the sheet thickness to only 0,15 millimeter. This is an impressive development. Nevertheless: similar to metal vacuum twist closures for preserving jars, the sheet thickness of crown corks can only be reduced with the aid of a special sealant compound. After all, the sealant is practically required to assume some of the steel's characteristics. And this is only possible using an extremely flexible and soft plastic. Actega DS met the challenge. With the of experience in handling thermoplastic elastomers and developing the most demanding formulae, a new sealant compound evolved during a two-year development phase in close collaboration with beverage and closure manufacturers. Meanwhile ready for market, free of PVC and plasticizers, a true innovation has been achieved in the form of the SVELON® 830 LG (Low Gauge) sealant compound supplied as granulate to closure manufacturers. The new sealant compound for lightweight crown corks displays similar properties to PROVALIN® the sealant compound free of PVC and phthalates for metal vacuum closures. The experience gleaned during complex development and testing of this sealant compound has made an enormous contribution toward SVELON® 830 LG which is also based on thermoplastic elastomers. A group of materials whose enormous flexibility and high degree of thermal and media resistance has displayed major advantages in processing and recycling in practically all areas when used as an alternative to vulcanized rubber, PVC and silicone. What's more, it also largely complies with the requirements concerning efficiency of resources and energy as well as safety and health for customers and consumers. Against this backdrop a FoodSafe brand for sealant compounds and closures has been registered. FoodSafe stands for low-migration (falls short of the global migration limits) and certified for direct contact with food. Only sealant compounds and closures which satisfy these quality features simultaneously are awarded the FoodSafe seal.
The Specialist B2B magazine
www.plasticsandrubberreview.com
Vol.2 No.3 | May-June 2014 | New Delhi, India
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: US$100
I n T h e P a g e s 4 Plastics Recycling Facility 12 “The future of moldmaking and tooling 18 “Green and Clean” with extrusion blow moulding 21 LSR (liquid silicone rubber) micro injection molding 24 Beverage packages: uniqueness counts 28 Packages for industrial goods 32 Food industry focuses on better packaging 36 Packaging for confectionery and baked goods: 40 Packages for cosmetics 43 Maag Automatik Plastics Machinery wins major contract
Editorial: Reny, Sarvjit, Vishwapreet & Amrita (India), Anna (Sweden), Mike (UK), Liza (Singapore), Upi (Indonesia), Ying & Adrian (China), Arvi (Australia). Public Relations Director: Winnie. Advisor: Rajiv Sanghavi. Production: Rakesh. Design, Art & Web Development: Diamond Infomedia. Publisher: Milinia Inc. Founded by: Late Mr N.S. Kanwar. B-2-B Group Publications: PRINTING REVIEW, Medical Device ASIA, autoASIA, Hotels & Culinary ASIA, Electronics & Electrical ASIA, Beauty & Fashion World. Contacts: To advertise: advertise@plasticsandrubberreview.com, to submit a press release: editorial@plasticsandrubberreview.com, to subscribe: subscribe@plasticsandrubberreview.com, for any other enquiries: info@plasticsandrubberreview.com. Head Office: D-182, PR House, Anand Vihar, 110092 New Delhi, India. Tel: +91 11 22141542 | Fax: +91 11 22160635. Published, printed, & owned by S. Singh on behalf of Milinia Inc. at , D-182, PR House, Anand Vihar, 110092, New Delhi, India and printed by him at Technical Press, D-182/C, Anand Vihar, 110092, New Delhi, India. Views expressed in this magazine are of the contributors, authors and companies and not necessarily of the publisher and/or editors’ and they do not take any responsibility for the errors and/or accuracy of the information published in this publication. No part or design of this magazine can be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher, who reserves the right to use the information published in this magazine in any manner whatsoever.
Plastics & Rubber Review | May-June 2014 | 3
MINI PRF - Plastics Recycling Facility AMUT MINI PRF sorting and pre-washing system improves the quality of recycled PET
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MUT Recycling Division has successfully started up a new MINI PRF at Wellman’s inJohnsonville, South Carolina, with a capacity of 6÷7 tons/h (14,000 lbs/h). The quality of bottles is worsening every day. Some years ago, the contamination of material at the inlet of the washing lines was about 20-25%, today it is more than 40%.
Without entering in a detailed analysis of the causes, we would like to just mention a few: - the growing diffusion of PET as material also used for other liquids, different from beverages; - the packaging development to make beverages and various bottled liquids more captivating; - the new conservation and protection techniques for beverages and food, which often
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clash with recycling exigencies. Think about multi-layer barriers of some bottles, caps safety seals or PET-G thermoformed trays to allow the lamination of the covering film; - the low efficiency of various selection plants, that are not suitable for the new and more challenging stream quality for technical or economic reasons; - the non-convenience for MRF and PRF companies to select and reject good PET only because it is contaminated by sleeve labels or other elements necessary for packaging. The recyclers complaint about the increasing worsening of the quality of material to be treated was the incentive for AMUT Recycling Division to design a “pre-treatment” that completes the wide range of machinery for post-consumer PET valorization and this new high efficiency upfront system to feed PET bottles wash lines is the result. The new technology in Wellman’s installation overcomes the lower quality of Comingle Bales and improves both efficiency and yield of the recycling plants.
The MINI PRF system includes a preselection of the bales, to eliminate all of the pollutant materials in a dry phase and have just the clean bottle stream go through the sorting and a pre-washing equipment, without those foreign materials that create inefficiency, more scraps volume for disposal and higher maintenance costs. The main equipment to perform this task is the AMUT “Elliptical Ballistic Separator”. This low maintenance machine has the function to mechanically select the bottles stream after the Bale Breakers and eliminate the fines and the 2D pollutants such as carton board, paper and packaging films. De-Labeller / Pre-Wash System will prepare the bottles for the following NIR sorters line. The Pre-Selection and De-Labeler action of the MINI PRF drastically improve the efficiency of the NIRs with better results on the yield of the plant.
Official ground-breaking ceremony on 28 April 2014 for the new Arburg building section in Lossburg (from left to right): Arburg Partners Eugen Hehl, Juliane Hehl, Michael Hehl and Renate Keinath with Siegfried Schmelzle and Claus Matt (both from Schmelzle+Partner architect’s office), the Mayor of Lossburg Christoph Enderle, Hans J. Theurer (Hans J. Theurer Hoch- und Tiefbau) and Mario Müller (A. M. Müller Tief- und Straßenbau).
Ground-breaking ceremony in Lossburg: Arburg expands central production plant • • •
New hall: Floorspace expanded by 18,600 m2 to a total of just under 165,000 m2 More space: New building for assembly of large injection moulding machines and turnkey systems Commitment to the Lossburg location: Tens of millions of euros invested
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rburg held the official groundbreaking ceremony for a new assembly hall in Lossburg, which will expand the central production location by 13 percent to just under 165,000 sqm. Initial excavation work began in March 2014 and the completion date has been set for the autumn of 2015. With the new building section, Arburg is responding to the increasing demand for large injection moulding machines and complete production cells. “Growth means preservation, means actively securing the future,” explains Michael Hehl, Managing Partner and Spokesperson for the Arburg Management Team at the start of his speech, adding: “The capital investment for the new building section, to the tune of many tens of millions of euros, demonstrates our clear commitment to Lossburg as a
production location and is an indicator of the long-term, targeted strategy for which Arburg has been famous for decades and makes us a reliable partner.” Significantly more time and space is required for assembly and testing of the large injection moulding machines up to a clamping force of 5,000 kN and complete turnkey systems. Modern facility management reduces energy requirements During its construction activities, Arburg always focuses on functionality and aesthetics. Moreover, environmental protection and the conservation of resources and energy represent a permanent feature of Arburg’s corporate culture. “With the new building, we are implementing highly integrated facility management, which will reduce the primary energy requirements to a minimum and therefore
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further expands our environmental protection activities,” said Michael Hehl in this context. The waste heat produced is utilised for heating the hall, for example. Collected rainwater is used by the gardeners and covers all the requirements for the sanitary facilities. Furthermore, its use as a buffer storage for the industrial cooling required in the building is a special feature. North-facing shed roofs reduce the thermal load and minimise the need for electric lighting. The natural cold of the ambient air is used for air conditioning purposes – e.g. via an ingenious facade design that employs natural ventilation instead of ventilation systems. Furthermore, extension of the photovoltaic plants to generate a further 340 kWp (kilowatt-peak) is also planned.
New hall ready for occupation by autumn 2015
The new two-storey building section with a floorspace of 18,600 m2 will increase the total area in Lossburg by some 13 percent to just under 165,000 m2. A few key figures illustrate the scale of the construction project: 22,000 m3 of earth are being excavated. A total of 8,000 m3 of in-situ concrete, 2,500 tonnes of reinforcing steel and 100 tonnes of pre-stressing steel are being used for the building. The glazed facade covers a surface of 3,800 m2. The new building will match the assembly hall built in 2000 as part of the ARBURG II plant expansion. At the time, Arburg was already thinking in forward-looking terms by employing a modular construction concept so that the new building section can be integrated into the existing building complex with relative ease.
Managing Partner Juliane Hehl (right) thanks Zhao Tong, Managing Director Arburg Shanghai, along with his team and hands him the anniversary sculpture.
Ten years of Arburg Shanghai • • •
Exclusive anniversary celebration with over 500 invited guests Managing Partner Juliane Hehl presents anniversary sculpture to subsidiary manager Zhao Tong Awards for selected customers and employee of the year
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n 24 April 2014, the Arburg subsidiary in Shanghai celebrated its tenth anniversary during an exclusive evening event. More than 500 guests responded to the invitation from subsidiary manager Zhao Tong to celebrate the anniversary in style in the special atmosphere of the “1933 House Shanghai”. Highlights included the presentation of the anniversary sculpture by Arburg Managing Partner Juliane Hehl, awards to special customers and Arburg employee of the year. Juliane Hehl thanked the entire subsidiary team for their successful work over the past decade and presented Zhao Tong with an anniversary sculpture as sign of recognition. In his welcoming speech, Helmut Heinson, Managing Director responsible for international sales, emphasised
the great importance of the subsidiary in Shanghai and thanked the customers for their trusting cooperation. Success
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In his speech, Zhao Tong added his thanks before reminiscing on the successful development of the subsidiary since 2004. “Over the course of the past decade, close contacts and strong partnerships have been established with our customers. Without them and their support, we would not be what we are today,” he emphasised, adding that, “a competent team plays a central role in providing them first-class support.” To thank his employees for their commitment, he invited them all up onto the stage. Mark Xiao received special praise as the “best employee of the year” and was
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presented an award by Helmut Heinson. Awards for selected customers Moreover, Arburg bestowed customer awards in a number of categories. The prize for the greatest innovative strength went to Derjin, that for the greatest influence to Hongfa, that for the leading company within the industry to Kostal and that for excellence in partnership to Pigeon. The outstanding performance of all award-winners was presented using videos. Between the official programme events, the multi-course menu was served and entertainment provided in the form of impressive performances. Strong presence in China
In addition to the subsidiary in Shanghai, Arburg operates two
further fully-owned organisations in China: one in Hong Kong since 1991 and another in Shenzhen since 2006. Another important milestone was the opening of our machine warehouse in Shanghai in 2013. A range of electric, hybrid and hydraulic Allrounder injection moulding machines is available here, which can be adapted to specific customer requirements as required, so that they can be quickly commissioned on-site at the customer’s premises. A total of 53 employees ensure a comprehensive pre- and aftersales service in China. Besides large global players, the customer portfolio includes a continually increasing number of local companies. This confirms that Arburg has chosen the right path with the investments it has made in the Chinese market over the past years and decades.
Demag Plastics Group SP. z.o.o. demonstrates the effects of switching activeFlowBalance on and off live at Plastpol 2014 Successfully compensate uneven and fluctuating balancing of multi-cavity moulds using activeFlowBalance
Demag Plastics Group SP. z.o.o. presented an exhibition piece of particular added value on Stand 15 in Hall G at Plastpol 2014; a highly precise, dynamic and energy efficient fully electric injection moulding machine, which used the innovative technology building block activeFlowBalance.
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t Plastpol 2014, the Demag Plastics Group SP. z.o.o. presented a fully electric IntElect 100 (clamping force 1,000 kN) with a 32-fold wall plug mould. The particular challenge is to fill the mould process capable without creating burrs. Therefore, the technology building block activeFlowBalance is used here. The effect of activating activeFlowBalance on the formation of the elements in the individual cavities of the mould was practically demonstrated. The characteristic attributes of the fully electric series IntElect are safety, process continuity and precision during the most demanding tasks with closest tolerances. The IntElect machine series uses the electric direct drives, which are optimised for the injection moulding process, and are developed and produced by Sumitomo (SHI) Demag. When compared with belt-driven electric drives, these direct drives with their highly dynamic movement axes offer a higher energetic efficiency and offer the highest possible precision, higher repeatability and furthermore, a significant cycle time advantage. Therefore, the electric Sumitomo (SHI) Demag machines fulfil, in particular, the requirements for injection moulding of precision articles in mass production. activeFlowBalance – balanced multi cavity moulds
activeFlowBalance allows the successful adjustment of irregular 10 | May-June 2014 | Plastics & Rubber Review
and fluctuating balancing of multi-cavity moulds, which otherwise leads to the formation of burrs, insufficient filling and damage to the mould. For this, the machine function uses the expansion of the compressed melt during the transition of injection pressure to holding pressure, when partly filled cavities fill more due to their lower counterpressure. In this way, the fill levels regulate themselves in a natural way without increasing the cycle time.
Demag Plastics Group SP. z.o.o.
Through its subsidiary company Demag Plastics Group SP. z.o.o. Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery has been represented in the Polish injection moulding machine market since 2004. Dipl.-Ing. Tomasz Tybura, General Manager of the Demag Plastics Group SP. z.o.o., as founder and joint owner of Dematech, the former Demag agency, looked after (SHI) Demag machine customers for many years. The company is located 230 km southwest of Warsaw in Czestochowa, where Demag Plastics Group SP. z.o.o. has facilities for customer training and instruction as well as for machine presentations, tool certification and customer trials. As well as Tomasz Tybura, a further thirteen Demag Plastics Group staff are employed in Poland. Sales engineers and service staff are situated mainly in the three largest centres of the Polish plastic manufacture in Schlesia, Warsaw/Lodz and Bydgoszcz/Posen.
Interview with Dr.-Ing. Eberhard Döring, Manager of the EuroMold trade fair
“The future of moldmaking and tooling, design and application development is EuroMold” Dr. Döring, EuroMold is a highlight of the business year for many companies. Why is that?
- Firstly, the trade fair is a communication platform for representatives from along the entire process chain, “from the design, to the prototype, to series production”. We bring industrial designers, product developers, processors, suppliers and users together. There is no comparable trade fair where you have this type of scope with regard to the industrial sector represented. And the true social network is still personal contact: People share their thoughts face-to-face, present genuinely good products, discuss exciting ideas and exchange opinions as to which direction developments are heading. Many exhibitors and visitors consider this absolute added value. So for you as the organizer of the trade fair, EuroMold is more than just an exhibition?
- Absolutely! We have been providing the entire industry with a global point of reference for more than 20 years. EuroMold closes the gap between designers and engineers like no other trade fair in the world. Alongside the aspect of exchange just mentioned, with our conferences, symposia and workshops we offer a platform for the most cutting edge discussions and findings in the area of application development. Are investments made right there at the trade fair?
- Yes, that is the EuroMold tradition. The much-celebrated “Business to Business” approach is a tangible reality at EuroMold. Everyone who is anyone meets together at EuroMold: Management staff, buyers and experts. The exhibitors continually provide us with positive feedback regarding the ideal synergy effects and the specific business deals closed at the trade fair, and of course during the period following EuroMold. Why do companies and industry professionals return to EuroMold time and again?
- Not least because EuroMold outlines strategies for the faster, cheaper and more efficient development and manufacture of new products. In the modern economy this fact is taking on an increasingly significant role. Why are there five partner trade fairs abroad?
- The concept behind this is “think global, act local”. Every market is a little different and has certain points of focus. Of course it goes without saying that our international trade fairs follow our basic principle of representing the entire process chain, however, they each have their own individual, local character. We don’t view the concept as a rigid template but rather more of a flexible structure. Therefore we are in regular contact with our exhibitors, who help us to re-align the trade fair with their requirements each year. 12 | May-June 2014 | Plastics & Rubber Review
Do you observe cultural differences in the global marketing of the EuroMold trade fair concept?
- These naturally exist. Trade fairs are not a European creation. The principle of the exchanging of goods and ideas is almost as old as humanity itself. For this reason, each trade fair is tailored to the respective region and to the needs of the regional markets. Through exchanging ideas with other markets, we are continually learning and can continually develop and improve as a whole. What significance do moldmaking and tooling, design and application development have for Germany as an economic location – including with regard to the European and global competition?
- Almost every aspect of our modern lives uses products or components that were initially realized as the result of innovative moldmaking and tooling: from dental technology to aerospace solutions. The basis for the success of “Made in Germany” can be found in the most important “raw materials” that we have at our disposal in Germany: ideas and expertise. Germany plays a prominent role when it comes to high-quality, cost-efficient and innovative products. This is recognized and valued by European and global competitors. In your opinion, how is the moldmaking and tooling, design and application development industry set to develop further? In which main areas is there still development potential? And how is German industry positioned in this regard?
- Globalization is posing new challenges for the industry. An electronic file is all you need to be able to produce around the world. However, at the beginning of the process chain there are still the developers. Industrial nations such as Germany have a great tradition in this regard, which will also carry them forward in the future. Now this doesn’t mean that German companies can rest on their laurels. They must continually find new niches, identify potential and develop markets in order to set themselves apart from the international competition. In future, cooperation and communication will increasingly be two of the most significant aspects for the industry. Therefore the future of moldmaking and tooling, design and application development remains: EuroMold. What is the “future vision” for EuroMold? How will the trade fair look in 10 years?
- As a leading global trade fair, EuroMold will continue to be an indispensable point of reference for the entire tooling, engineering and product development industry. At no other venue in the world do exhibitors receive insight into the most recent technologies, products and trends in such a short period of time. This isn’t set to change any time soon. We also want to continue as the world’s largest communication platform, offering unique opportunity for synergy between industrial sectors. Specifically, in the coming years we are planning to grow sustainably and to maintain our high level of quality. With regard to our international sister trade fairs, there are still some regions – for example in Central America – that definitely have the potential to be considered for this type of trade fair. So you can see that we have big plans for EuroMold!
“Edgelight” light design with prism geometry from Hella sets new trends for brake lights Hofmann Innovation combines tool making and model making to create innovative light strips for the rear lighting system of the Porsche Macan. Edgelight design as a new rear light technology
Competence in lighting is both a demand and a challenge at Hella. Thus it is no coincidence that the staff in Lippstadt have set themselves the objective of being the preferred developer in the automotive sector when it comes to automotive lighting. Numerous patents prove this claim. Automotive lighting is an interplay of function and design. It should be functionally outstanding and contribute to the unique look of a vehicle. In order to create something new, designers and engineers with ideas are needed - in development and in production. For the new Porsche Macan, Hella developed a completely new rear lighting system with light strips for guiding LED light. The functional principle of these patented “Edgelights” for a strip-form signal lamp provides a new level of quality in light for the safety-related brake light function. The heart of the rear lighting system of the Porsche Macan is a thick-walled part made of PMMA, which is the so-called light module or light strip. This part, which has a highly complex prism geometry and reflective qualities for light guidance, required a new approach to tool and model making from the development partner Hofmann. The light module also required the production team at Hella to fulfil high standards in production quality. We spoke to the project manager at Hofmann, Friedrich Voßwinkel. 14 | May-June 2014 | Plastics & Rubber Review
“Edgelights” are highly complex light strips for rear lighting systems, and are superior in design and precision to conventional lighting systems. In combination with other individual parts, “Edgelights” are part of the safety-relevant functioning of the brake lights in the rear lighting system of a vehicle. The design for the Porsche Macan which was chosen by Hella consists of three component groups: T1 upper, T1 middle, two component groups which are screwed to an element (for lighting and the direction indicator) and a component group T1 lower (brake light and/or strip-form signal function). Using this technology, the signal light can be integrated flexibly and in a space saving manner into the outer skin of the vehicle body. An observer sees signal lamps which have been smoothly integrated into the rear of the vehicle, and which give the Porsche Macan its distinctive appearance. An overview of the component groups
In addition to the “Edgelight” light modules, the rear light component groups consist of other components usually found in rear lights. This includes lenses made of PMMA in four colours (red transparent, grey transparent, black opaque and light red transparent), which are injection moulded using 3-step technology. The heavily tiered external contour of the upper light lens is unusual.
Development partnership as a “triangular relationship” between customer, manufacturer and tool maker.
Development of the new rear light generation “Edgelight” from Hella required a range of fundamental investigations, as well as a check of production processes. This meant close cooperation with the designers and engineers of the final customer, Porsche, and at the same time with Hofmann, the development partner for tool and model making. The Hella project consisted of eight development stages, which partly ran in parallel: 1. Principle development, 2. Design, 3. Generation of basic CAD data in 3D at Hella, 4. Use of this data for functionally identical parts in model making, 5. Implementation of this data for tool design, 6. Preparation of production tools, 7. Start-up tests at the technical centre and 8. “Start-of-production“ (SOP) at Hella. “This was not just a matter of the close meshing of tool and model making with the Hella project, but also the adaptation of the final light module to the needs of production. The design of the component and all other system components had to be made suitable for manufacture,” explains Friedrich Voßwinkel. Friedrich Voßwinkel and his colleagues had 16 exciting months before the delivery of the series-production tools. The important step from development to production
Hofmann’s expertise is generally required as early as the initial devel-
3D illustration of the tool for the Edgelight Part 1 Lower (ejection side view)
opment stages, and contributes to the design of series tools and production processes. In this project, the highly complex prism geometry was constantly modified in order to achieve the difficult balance between mould making and light design. “The light module is subject to high expectations in terms of design, surface look and function. At the same time, the customer expects a design which is optimised for plastics and which ensures process stability during production, with complete freedom from distortion” explains Voßwinkel. In this connection, Hofmann offers trial and pilot production in its state of the art technical centre in Lichtenfels. Hofmann’s production specialists were sought-after discussion partners for the production team at Hella before SOP. Friedrich Voßwinkel: “The higher the requirements for a component are set, the more conservative the view of the production team concerning stable processes.” Demanding production at Hella
Hella manufactures the series-production “Edgelights” from transparent PMMA on turning tools, as multicomponent parts, using a 2 step process. Each tool produces a left-hand and a right-hand component in each cycle, which is pre-injected and finish-injected using 2K technology. Here, the challenge for production is in the correct geometrical forming and absolute cleanliness of the “Edgelights”, which is essential to allow the light beams to shine with the desired intensity. After cooling down, the light modules are delivered as individual parts to the rear light production facility. In order to achieve the required light values, the thickwalled PMMA part, which is made of Altuglas HT121 or Plexiglass 8N, requires the highest standards in the 2K process for the seams. A further decisive factor is the highly complex “prism geometry” for the entry and exit
3D illustration of the tool for the Edgelight Part 1 Lower (nozzle side view)
of the LED light. In the framework of tool development, it was the task of the tool making company Siegfried Hofmann to develop a contour which would allow the maximum light output at the point of emission and at the same time be manageable from a production technology point of view. This applied not only to the manufacture of the series-production tools but also to the demoulding characteristics of the light module in the tool, as well as the manageability of the process in terms of strict absence of distortion. “The function of the light module demands the complete absence of distortion in the component, which is a challenge for us as tool designers, and for production at Hella”, adds Friedrich Voßwinkel.
One-stop-shopping over the complete life cycle of the production of a part
The choice of partner and the definition of interfaces is important in the development of new products. From Hella’s point of view, the Hofmann Group is interesting, because the plastics producer only needs to deal with one partner during the life cycle of the product. This applies to everything from product development and pre-series production during the model making phase, as well as series-production tool making with trial capacities in the injection moulding technical centre, right through to after sales service, remote diagnosis, maintenance or possible face lifting of production tools.
Plastics & Rubber Review | May-June 2014 | 15
AMUT COMI: RELIABLE SUPPLIER OF THERMOFORMING MACHINES
AMUT COMI, member of AMUT GROUP, is a 100% Italian company result of the cooperation between AMUT and COMI who had merged their technological know-how in thermoforming field. Together AMUT thermoforming division, operating since 2002, and the production of the packaging lines of COMI, have created an industrial facility capable of providing plants that, in the international thermoforming scenery, can be distinguished for the sturdy structure and for a running high speed at low energy consumption. AMUT COMI thermoforming machines boast a proven strength and durability also under conditions of cutting of tougher materials such as PET and PP at high speeds. The great passion for the challenges and the ongoing efforts of the R&D Department make AMUT COMI the ideal partner for thermoformed plastics manufacturers. AMUT COMI designs and manufactures special solutions dedicated to specific products: it works on a constantly improvements of its machines to always meet the needs of the market. The technological know-how in extrusion enables AMUT COMI to supply complete in-line plants and
“turnkey projects� with the relative auxiliary equipment (rimming machines for PP or HIPS, pre-heaters for PP foil; multi-axis stackers; stacking manipulators, automatic units to convey the formed products to the subsequent operations, end line automated systems). Innovative design criteria are the strength of AMUT COMI: to give an example, F series is distinguished for its modular structure, which allows to add one or more stations in a second time, satisfying the productive requirements of the customers. F and V series include a pressure or vacuum forming and steel rule die cutting, technology suitable for the production of trays, plates, lids, containers, plant pots, using every thermoplastic material. The number of station can be chosen, from 3 up to 4: forming, punching, steel rule die cutting and stacking unit. AMP, FTV and PA1000 series are fit for processing materials with barrier layers and general purpose ther-
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moplastic (PP, GPPS, HIPS, PET, PLA, PVC), with simultaneously forming and punching technology, divided into tilting or vertically movable. GLE series include forming and punching in two different stations, suitable for manufacturing disposable products, such as cups, vending, in Hips. AMUT COMI counts in its range also special machines for peculiar requests: FTLT series is able to produce thermoformed panels for cooling towers (PVC or PP) and FFG-E e VK-C series PS foam packaging. AMUT COMI has
presented two of its new cutting edge machines during K show, meeting with success the consent of the customers: thermoforming machine model FFG-820-ADV and AMP 850 S-GP. Model FFG-ADV-820:
Equipped with dual technology, separate forming and steel rule die cutting and in-mould forming and steel rule die cutting, it has a mold for PET food containers and is defined by an extreme versatility and flexibility.
control in percentage. (Various configurations of control and management of the thermoforming oven on request). - Stacker bulkheads. - Evacuation molded ergonomic height via elevator. Transport system chains into the shot. - PLC supervision of the work parameters. Model AMP 850 S-GP:
Main Features: • Max mold size: 880 x 620 mm • Thermoforming depth positive/negative: 140mm (up to 210mm version pos/neg) • Foil width, max: 920 mm • Forming press: 60 tons (up to 80 tons) • Cutting press: 60 tons (up to 80 tons) • 6-cavity mold for dual compartment container mm 260 x 180, h30 • Cycles: 61/min - Handling system with knee pads and satellite roller screw. - 4-columns forming press, 4-columns cutting press. - Upper and/or lower cupping with servomotor. - Sheet index, with double toothed chains and wear-resistant slide plates. - Chains adjustment on three points. - Forming with compressed air and / or vacuum. - Quick clamp system of forming and punching mold, cutting and stacking tools. - Connections consumers direct -print port on the plans. - Heating plate frames. - Infrared heating with
Equipped with a 45 cavities mould for the production of “AQUA CUP” in PP with the diameter of 73,5 mm, weight 3,2 g and capacity equal to 240 ml.
points, with independent electric drive; - upper and lower forming oven, with lengthwise control of rows of heaters (customized zoning layout on request); - Special oven for PP; - final cut regulation with electric drive; - no-cut system; - PLC supervisor to set up parameters; - automatic stacker with counting cup system; - in line automatic packing machine, following the stacker; - machine configuration including line to pack into sacs; in-line mill for scrapes, placed after the thermoforming machine. Model VPK-C84
The total production is more than 95.000 pc/h. In case of a 55 cavities mold, the output is up to 116.000pc/h. Main Features: • Mould size max: 850 x 560 mm • Forming depth, positive/negative: 15 / 150 mm • Max foil length: 900 mm • Pitch max.: 500 mm • Closing force: 70 ton • Cycles: 35/min in production • Number of mould cavities: 45 or 55 - Pick up stacker for conical and squared cups, independently from cup weight; - forming and cutting simultaneously, with tilting movable lower platen; - forming by compressed air; sheet index, with double toothed chains and wear-resistant slide plates; - chains adjustment on two
Equipped with forming and steel rule die cutting, it has a mold for OPS food containers. Main Features: • Mould size max: 840 x 650 mm • Forming depth, positive/negative: 130 mm • Max foil length: 890 mm • Forming press: 25 ton • Cutting press: 60 ton • Number of mould cavities: 8 • Cycles: 30/min - Handling system by servomotors. - 4-columns forming and cutting press. - Upper and/or lower plug with servomotor. - Forming with compressed air and/or vacuum. Quick clamp system of forming and punching mold, cutting and stacking tools. - Steel-rule dies heating plate. - Upper oven partial heating (last pitch). - Wall stacker.
Plastics & Rubber Review | May-June 2014 | 17
EBLOW and HYBLOW Series Stand Out in the Packaging Sector
Product quality, productivity and design benefits “Green and Clean” with extrusion blow moulding The BEKUM group is one of the world’s leading producers of blow moulding equipment for plastic container packaging worldwide. At Interpack 2014, BEKUM is presenting its extensive range of blow moulding machines. The centrepiece of Interpack 2014 is the fully-electric EBLOW machine generation. The electric drive concept is very popular with manufacturers of plastic packaging due to its efficiency. In addition to the clear benefits of the machine technology, extrusion blow moulding also meets the current trends in the packaging
sector. These include greater demands on design, extended service life, as well as rising demands for turnkey systems and resource conservation as part of the expanding sustainability goals of manufacturers. Small blow moulding machines produce millions of plastic
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packages very economically
Plastic packaging and containers can be economically produced on the single- and double-station blow moulding machines of the electric EBLOW and hydraulic HYBLOW series from BEKUM. Bottles and containers with capacities of between 3 ml and 20 litres can be manufactured, depending on the machine type. This makes an output rate of more than 100 million containers possible per year, depending on the size. Modern production technologies, such as the “tandem
blow” method, which enables simultaneous blowing from top and bottom from one extruding parison, are ideal for producing packaging of up to 330 ml at very high volumes, such as for drinkable yoghurt and Actimel® bottles. The “tandem blow” method not only enables 100% higher output compared with conventional production processes, it can also reduce the weight of the bottles by optimising the production of the system technology from Berlin. This results in substantial savings on material compared to the usual standard market weights. This is an
possible. This means that the higher the quality of the packaging equipped with barrier technology, the longer the shelf life will be. A long shelf life (use by date) is a good selling point for consumers, as it facilitates stocking and tends to reduce the waste rates for food in retail and for the end users. With Bekum, this logic can be applied to food or retail pharmacy packaging, but especially to pharmaceutical packaging. “If valuable contents need to be protected, coextrusion blow molding technology offers many options, which “traditional” packaging is not able to provide”, adds Andreas Kandt. “Green and Clean” in everyday production
The spiral distributor extrusion heads from BEKUM are especially suited to coextrusion technology. They provide an excellent, even parison wall thickness distribution, which opens up significant potential for the processor for optimising the parison quality and the neck finish. impressive contribution toward conserving resources and improving sustainable production of hollow packaging. The significance of “individualised packaging” grows
The extrusion blow moulding method is proving increasingly popular with packaging processors due to its “geometric product versatility”, compared with stretch-blown products, for example. This design is beneficial in the retail pharmacy or food sectors as an option for getting certain packaging models onto the shelf very quickly. “Blow moulding also offers a degree of freedom or versatility for when packaging needs to be presented attractively on the shelf to promote sales” states Andreas Kandt, CEO of BEKUM. Coextrusion technology gains importance for packaging
Packaging with built-in protective barriers, which are intended to
prevent diffusion from the outside to the inside or vice-versa, can be produced with coextrusion
technology. Food or pharmaceutical products need to be protected from oxidative reactions as much as
The combination of great precision and high structural rigidity in the EBLOW series ensures improved product quality and process reliability, as well as energy and material efficiency. This results in a whole host of relevant benefits in terms of efficiency in everyday processing production. Thus, the high precision of the calibration, coupled with the effective support of the mould carrier in the C-frame, ensure that the quality of the mould parting line is consistently high, especially in the critical neck area, even after many hours of operation. The machine is highly resistant to wear: the service life is significantly increased by the balanced, even load.
Plastics & Rubber Review | May-June 2014 | 19
WITTMANN BATTENFELD at the Plastpol in Kielce
WITTMANN BATTENFELD presented itself at the Plastpol with high-tech injection molding equipment WITTMANN BATTENFELD demonstrated latest injection molding technology to the visitors in Plastpol, the international plastics processing trade fair in Kielce, Poland. The Polish market is one of the most important markets in Europe for WITTMANN BATTENFELD. This is why the Plastpol in Kielce is a significant platform for the company to present its highlights in both machinery and process technology. Multi-component technology with In-Mold Assembling
At this year’s Plastpol, WITTMANN BATTENFELD will exhibit an interesting application from the field of multi-component technology. On an HM 180/525H/210S multi-component machine with ServoPower drive, an atomizer for the cosmetics industry will be manufactured from PP and SEBS (TPE) with a 4+4+4-cavity mold. A process known as IMA (In-Mold Assembling) makes it possible to produce such complex hollow parts in a single step. For this purpose, the two half-shells are brought into an overlapping position by means of an adaptive index platen drive supplied by Grosfilley, F, which cooperates with a WITTMANN robot. In this position, the parts are subsequently joined together and sealed by overmolding. The WITTMANN robot simultaneously handles the removal of finished parts and deposits them on a conveyor belt. Thanks to the adaptive design of the index platen drive, which is integrated in the machine’s UNILOG B6P control system, the machine can be adapted flexibly to standard multicomponent applications.
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EcoPower – the benchmark for ultimate energy efficiency
The second exhibit will be a machine from the all-electric EcoPower series, which stands out primarily by its energy-efficient operation, high precision and repeatability. Screw-in dart tips weighing no more than 0.3 grams are produced from POM on an EcoPower 180/750 with a 32-cavity hot-runner mold supplied by Haidlmair with extremely narrow distances between cavities and a fully clean-room-compatible, electromagnetic needle drive. Every single item is injected directly via the needle valve. Needle opening takes place while injection pressure is already building up, in order to ensure absolutely simultaneous opening of all 32 cavities.
Liquid silicone rubber micro parts are manufactured on a MicroPower 15/10
Dust protection cap for mini jacks
WITTMANN BATTENFELD at the Medtec in Stuttgart
WITTMANN BATTENFELD demonstrates its competence in LSR (liquid silicone rubber) micro injection molding
F
rom 3 to 5 June 2014, WITTMANN BATTENFELD will present an interesting micro injection molding application to trade visitors at booth 5B10, at the Medtec Europe in Stuttgart, the leading European medical technology fair.
With its electric machines – the all-electric EcoPower series and the MicroPower series specially designed for injection molding of small and micro parts – WITTMANN BATTENFELD has developed over the last few years into a competent partner for the medical technology industry and is again using the Medtec in 2014 as an important platform to demonstrate its competence in this area.
LSR micro injection molding in a clean-room environment
The company will present hands-on evidence of its know-how in this area by processing liquid silicone rubber into micro parts, a product line gaining more and more significance in medical technology. On a MicroPower 15/10, dust protection caps for mini jacks will be manufactured on a 2-cavity mold supplied by Awetis, Germany, from 2-component liquid silicone rubber supplied by Momentive, Germany, with the material being conveyed by a dosing pump from two 1-liter cartridges to the injection unit. The surface of the parts is embossed with micro structures engraved into the mold by means of laser technology. The machine on display comes as a full-fledged clean-room production cell, equipped with a rotary disk, parts removal handling device, integrated quality inspection by image processing, as well as a clean-room module. Thanks to its clean-room-compatible design and the clean-room module, which produces class 6 clean air according to the ISO 14644-1 standard, it is an ideal platform to produce high-quality medical parts. In the application demonstrated at the fair, the parts are all injected, quality-inspected and deposited inside the clean room.
About WITTMANN BATTENFELD WITTMANN BATTENFELD, a company of the WITTMANN group based in Kottingbrunn, Austria is a leading manufacturer of injection molding machines for the plastics industry. With its own sales and service companies as well as representations in about 60 countries, WITTMANN BATTENFELD provides optimal support to its customers in all matters concerning injection molding technology. Its innovative strength, highest precision and strong focus on maximum customer benefit make WITTMANN BATTENFELD a valuable partner for its customers. Contact: WITTMANN BATTENFELD GmbH & Co.KG Werner-Battenfeld-Strasse 1, D-58540 Meinerzhagen Tel.:+49 2354 72-0 | Fax:+49 2354 72-485 info@wittmann-group.com | www.wittmann-group.com
Plastics & Rubber Review | May-June 2014 | 21
The NORRES anniversary with 125 innovations enters Q2
Three at one blow: TIMBERDUC® PUR 533 and 534 SE AS now antistatic
How businesses can maximize revenue when introducing new products - University at Buffalo
Forthcoming in Management Science, the study notes a proliferation of new products in the consumer packaged-goods market each year. For example, U.S. manufacturers introduced more than 150,000 new products in 2010 alone. Of these, more than 90 percent were extensions of existing brand-name products. “These new products can be line extensions, like when Pepsi introduces another type of soda, such as Pepsi Lime, or brand extensions, like when a toothpaste brand such as Crest introduces a mouthwash product,” says study co-author Debabrata Talukdar, PhD, professor of marketing in the UB School of Management. “Given the significant investment and high failure rates of product-extension launches, deeper insight into the impact of these brand-development strategies can be very valuable,” Talukdar adds.
N
ORRES Schlauchtechnik now also offers its suction and blast hoses for the wood industry with permanently antistatic walls without migrating antistatic agents. The TIMBERDUC® PUR 533 SE AS and TIMBERDUC® PUR 534 SE AS are now flame-retardant, microbe resistant and permanently antistatic. The product portfolio of permanently antistatic full plastic hoses is rounded off by the super-heavy NORPLAST® PUR-CU 387 AS, with smooth interior. Hoses for the wood industry: The TIMBERDUC® PUR 533 SE AS and TIMBERDUC® PUR 534 SE AS are perfectly suited for high flow rates of abrasive solids such as powder, chips and granulates. They comply with the safety stipulations of the German Professional Trade Association for Wood and are conductive pursuant to TRBS 2153. The new hoses are used for the suction of wood dust and wood chips, on wood processing machines as well as in de-dusting and suction plants. The heavy TIMBERDUC® PUR 533 SE AS is highly abrasion-proof. The super heavy version TIMBERDUC® PUR 534 SE AS is extremely abrasion-proof. By modifying the properties of these hoses, NORRES, one of the leading trendsetters in hose technology, increases the efficiency of these new products.
Full plastic hose for extreme applications:
The 125 innovations in the ongoing anniversary year 2014 are complemented by a new full plastic hose: The NORPLAST® PUR-CU 387 AS is now also available as standard with non-migrating antistatic agent so that it is permanently antistatic. Thus, the scope of applications of the super heavy, abrasion-proof suction and transport hose with smooth interior is extended. NORPLAST® PUR-CU 387 AS is used for high flow rates of extremely abrasive solids such as sand, gravel, grain, refuse glass and chips in areas exposed to explosion hazards (explosion protection), for roof gravel conveying, silo loading and unloading, as conveying hose in glassworks, docks, steelworks, quarries, shipyards, cementworks etc. 22 | May-June 2014 | Plastics & Rubber Review
The study analyzed 155 new product extensions introduced to 20 markets across the U.S. Researchers investigated the market performance of the new products and the effects that introducing them to the market had on their parent brands. “We found that brand extensions generate positive overall revenues,” says study co-author Ram Bezawada, PhD, associate professor of marketing in the UB School of Management. “In addition, sub-branding, where a new brand name is used to help consumers distinguish from the parent brand, such as Gillette Mach3, generates greater revenues for a typical brand extension.” Past studies have investigated the effects of introducing new product extensions, but have not evaluated the aggregate market impact of these effects across different brand-development strategies or accounted for the strategic decision to introduce the extension. The scope and analysis approach of this study provide more general insights for manufacturers to better introduce and manage new product extensions.
NYLON TUBING - NewAge Industries
GN Europe Thermoforming Technical Center Open House - A SUCCESSFUL EVENT!
T
he recent GN Open House of our new GN Europe Thermoforming Technical Center was a huge success!
Approximately 100 guests from various countries around the world travelled to our new venue in Czech Republic where they were able to see three of our GN machines in operation with various materials. - A GN3021DX with our newest generation Robotic stacker - we launched this new RSX Robotic Stacker last year and it is now in very popular demand. Our GN customers love its reliability, speed and all of its stacking possibilities combined with rotation.
- A GN760 on which we ran PET meat trays - here the key advantage is in the special design of our GN tools; it is very cost efficient, generating approximately 18% waste while our competitors’ equipment produce around 25-30% waste. This is even more important when you work with special materials like PET/PE which cost more. Our calculations show that you can save up to 400 000 EUR per year using our GN technology. - A GN1914DM which we ran with a special R&D double common edge tool - the only waste was the small star in the center of the trays. The GN1914DM is a very universal, unique machine that can work with many different materials. During our opening, we ran it with PET and three PP grades at speeds varying from 23 cpm with a natural homo polymer to 36 cpm with a filled PP. For More details please contact: SATELLITE PLASTIC INDUSTRIES 2A2 Court Chambers 35, New Marine Lines Mumbai 400 020 Phone: 022-22006477, 66346816 Email: rajiv.satellite@gmail.com Plastics & Rubber Review | May-June 2014 | 23
Unlike any other, Absolut Vodka is spearheading the trend towards individual bottles. (Photo: Deutscher Verpackungspreis)
Beverage packages: uniqueness counts “Less is more” is the consumer’s motto when it comes to beverages: less additives and preservatives and zero sugar. With packages the opposite is true, for they have to be individually designed, promise product quality and possibly offer extra utility as well. Such consumer behaviour is not exactly kind to the environment. The packaging sector is countering this with resource-conserving and low-cost packaging technology. “As real as knowing where you belong” – with this slogan of the new Ruhr district edition of the Brinkhoff’s No. 1 beer brand, the Dortmund Brinkhoff’s brewery is targeting the hearts of people in the area. On the labels of the special edition, the company is showing 40 sights 24 | May-June 2014 | Plastics & Rubber Review
from 21 Ruhr district towns. Brinkhoff’s No. 1 is also supplying the information to go with them, with a description of the pictured sight on the reverse of the peelable labels. Local patriotism and beer-drinking – a sure source of sales. “Our edition has really gone down well,” says Brinkhoff’s Marketing Manager Andreas Thielemann. If you want to sell your product successfully, you have to make it stand out. This applies particularly
to the embattled beverage market. The times when mineral water, beer and schnapps were sold in standard bottles are long gone. Thanks to the unstoppable rise of alcoholic mixed drinks and aromatised soft drinks, beverage diversity has become almost overwhelming. Without professional brand building, i.e. a communication strategy that makes one’s own brand the must-have for a certain customer group, spring owners and breweries no longer have a chance in this
The bottle of the future from BTC Concepts consists of three individual bottles screwed together. It is innovative and offers consumers variety. (Photo: Deutscher Verpackungspreis)
highly competitive market. “The general goal is to create a visual vocabulary that can be seen, felt and understood within five seconds or less,” explains brand expert Terri Goldstein of The Goldstein Group, a US marketing company. While Brinkhoff’s with its home-region labels chooses a relatively low-key vocabulary, other beverage manufacturers are taking more elaborate measures – by embossing brand names in the bottles and using colours and memorable motifs so that no two bottles are the same. Individualisation is the name of the trend that is growing in popularity in the beverage sector. A bottle for every occasion
One of the pioneers of this trend is the Swedish company Absolut Vodka. In 2012 it launched its Absolut Unique series, a limited edition of four million glass bottles that are above all two things: colourful and unique. Because no two bottles are alike. To enhance this effect, each bottle bears its own number – like limited prints of a work of art. Consumers love this, and Absolut Vodka now ranks among the most popular distilled beverages worldwide. The trend towards uniqueness can also be observed with multi-way bottles. Every major beverage manufac-
turer uses individualised containers today in order to appeal more directly to target groups. Beverage manufacturer Sinalco, for example, has introduced a 0.5 litre multi-way bottle for its lemonades so that it can access smaller households as well. For its part, Staatl. Fachingen in Hesse markets its mineral water in special faceted bottles that it sells in three different sizes exclusively to restaurants.
falling, transport distances from the bottler to the consumer are growing and the life-cycle assessment of multi-way bottles is deteriorating. All the same, individual bottles are often lighter than comparable standard multi-way bottles, which offsets this effect to some extent. Nevertheless, the growing diversity of bottles is increasing the complexity of sorting and pushing up costs.
However, although individual beverage packages generate higher sales, they have their drawbacks. Elaborately designed bottles drive up development and production costs and burden the environment. To counteract the littering of towns and the countryside, countries like Germany have set themselves the goal of high re-use rates in the beverage package sector. The growing share of individualised multi-way bottles is encouraging the opposite, however: return rates are
More and more beverage manufacturers are therefore reverting to one-way plastic bottles and cans. In Germany, the “Bund Getränkeverpackungen der Zukunft” was even founded last year to advocate a renaissance of one-way bottles and cans. Its lobbying has evidently been successful, as, according to information from NABU, the German nature conservation organisation, the one-way package rate in Germany has already reached 50 per cent, and the figure continues
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to rise. Benjamin Bongardt, head of resource policy at NABU, is concerned: “The environment only benefits when we choose the right beverage package solution and make it increasingly efficient. A single multi-way bottle replaces up to 50 one-way bottles – and is additionally recycled at the end of its life. One-way is therefore synonymous with active resource wastage.” Package manufacturers are therefore faced with major challenges. How can they make containers even more attractive and consumer-friendly? And how can they conserve resources and go easy on the environment at the same time? The performance profiles of packaging machines are also becoming more exacting: “We have to think about how bottlers can boost the energy efficiency and eco-friendliness of product packaging at lower cost,” says Product Manager Jochen Forsthövel of Bavarian filling technology and packaging machine manufacturer Krones. At interpack 2014 in Düsseldorf from 8 to 14 May 2014, visitors can see for themselves the strategies and products that companies are using to address the needs of the market. interpack promises an abundance of exciting impressions, as packaging specialists are working flat out to innovate and cut costs.
Packaging specialist Krones has considerably reduced the material usage and weight of its extra-light PET bottles. (Photo: Krones) 26 | May-June 2014 | Plastics & Rubber Review
Saving materials on a broad front One of the main focuses at Krones, for an example, is to develop PET bottles and in doing so cut down on valuable material. The company’s new 0.5 litre “PET lite 9.9 carbonated” bottle weighs only 9.9 grams – about a third less than conventional PET bottles of this size. The container’s special design nevertheless ensures that it stands firm and can be safely transported. Krones is also innovating with PET bottles that can be filled with hot
Saving energy, modern labelling machines need less and less electricity by dispensing with energy-intensive thermal processes like hot gluing. (Photo: Krones)
product, e.g. fruit juice. These bottles usually have to have a stronger design as they readily shrink on exposure to heat. Krones’ novel NitroHotfill process keeps containers stable during filling by raising the internal pressure with nitrogen. “We can thus achieve weight savings in both the bottle body and mouthpiece,” explains Product Manager Forsthövel. French manufacturer BTC Concepts is showing the direction that plastic bottle development may soon be taking. By screwing three individual bottles together to create a single large one, the Paris company has created a three-in-one container whose innovative design alone sets it apart from other bottles. The BottleClips concept also conserves resources, as the bottles save storage space and hence fuel during transport. The consumer for his part wastes less product, as the three bottles are opened one after the other. Cost-cutting innovation can be found not only in bottle design, production and filling, but also in downstream labelling. Krones’ new DecoType direct printing system is capable of embellishing uneven surfaces with a digital inkjet process – so there is no need for a special label and the associated adhesives materials. But this does not mean the end of classical labelling. Here, too, there is huge innovation potential, as the Italian specialist PD
Labellers is demonstrating with its new Adhesleeve rotary labelling machine. To save energy, the machine operates with acrylic adhesive to bond the labels instead of a hot-melt adhesive. PE Labellers also claims that Adhesleeve is capable of using labels 30 per cent thinner than conventional ones. The Dortmund KHS company sees itself as the “First Choice in Technology and Service” in beverage packaging. At interpack, the specialist in packaging solutions and filling plant presented its new KHS INNOPACK Kisters TSP A-HTPFO packaging machine, which, it claims, is particularly versatile in its use, cuts costs in production and sets new standards of sustainability. “The machine is modular and thus also equipped for future needs and customer wishes,” explains KHS expert Frederike Arndt. A special feature of the machine
is that, thanks to a special device, it has recently become capable of packaging PET bottles in fully enclosed packages. The advantage of this is that these packages are stronger than current conventional shrink packs, thus ousting extra cardboard trays for stability and reducing the input of materials. The wrap-around shrink packing process for packages in the new KHS INNOPACK can also be performed in a shrink tunnel with either electric or gas heating. “Energy costs can thus be reduced by up to 50 per cent over conventional electric heating,” Arndt explains. There is also an energy-saving package that can be optionally integrated in any shrink tunnel variant. Here, a roller shutter system automatically closes the opening for product inlet and outlet during packaging machine stoppages to facilitate extra energy savings of up to 20 per cent.
Plastics & Rubber Review | May-June 2014 | 27
Packages for industrial goods: high tech under difficult conditions Electricity and resources are becoming more expensive, and the shortage of freight capacity is pushing up the cost of transport. So how can highgrade packages be marketed under these difficult conditions without appreciable price rises? The manufacturers of industrial packages are showing that this is possible – by using low-cost recycled materials, participating in the development of logistics strategies and generating their own renewable energy.
If large Intermediate Bulk Containers are to be filled with foods, high standards of hygiene apply in production. (Image: SchĂźtz)
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Industry is in a predicament. Because newly industrialised countries like China are growing rapidly and business is booming in industrialised nations like Germany, resources are becoming scarcer and more expensive. In its current report on the state of resource supplies in Germany, the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources is already issuing a warning about serious supply bottlenecks. In many European countries, energy prices are on the up because of increasingly expensive imports of oil, gas and coal. In Germany, industrial enterprises are now paying an average of 12 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity, roughly 25 per cent more than only five years
What’s the best way to move as many containers as possible with minimum effort? Special stackable transport dollies are the answer. (Image: Utz Group)
ago. The manufacturers of industrial packages are being hit particularly hard by the price rises. Their containers, pallets, technical components and workpiece carriers are usually made of plastics. Although they are light and robust, a lot of energy is required for the injectionmoulding of plastics packages. Furthermore, the manufacturers need granulate for this, which is in big demand and no longer available in limitless quantities. “In the long term, this not only means increases in the price of all load carriers, but availability will also become a crucial factor sooner or later,” says Udo Schwabe, Marketing Manager of the German branch of the Swiss Utz Group, a container specialist. Rising transport costs are exacerbating the situation. The problem is that large industrial packages on their way to the customer by trucks and train take up a good deal of space. “In this situation, cost savings are pretty much out of the question,” Schwabe claims. Customers are becoming more demanding
While the financial leeway for customers is declining, customers are becoming more demanding. Whatever the sector – the wholesale trade, food industry or pharmaceuticals industry – they all want to shrink their carbon footprint and are insisting on sustainable packages produced with minimum resource input
but without compromising on strength. Companies are also resorting to highly automated conveying technologies to ensure trouble-free materials flow. And this raises the bar significantly for packaging. “Like other packages, industrial packages also have to protect the product while using less material. Less material also means less space taken up by the packaged product,” explains Vera Fritsche, specialist of the Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association in the German Engineering Federation. In addition, the containers have to become identifiable so that they can be controlled by different logistics systems. “Coding plays a very important part here, particularly as regards the traceability of the product over the entire distribution chain as well as the entire in-plant logistics,” Fritsche explains. Novel in-mould labelling technology is making
rapid inroads, as it produces durable and easy-to-clean labels, although it is more elaborate and more expensive than the currently widespread barcodes. These are simply stuck onto the packages in a downstream cycle, while in-mould labelling is integrated in container production. Pre-printed labels are inserted in the injection mould and fuse with the plastic melt on its injection into the mould. Packaging suppliers are also expected to offer space-saving containers. “Freight and storage space is becoming not only scarcer, but also costlier,” Fritsche continues. Companies pass on the pressure to the packaging industry in the form of demands for volume-reduced containers, be they folding, conical or stackable/ nesting. The biggest challenge facing packaging manufacturers is to deliver the required innovations
Plastics & Rubber Review | May-June 2014 | 29
Raw materials for plastics are in big demand and expensive. More and more often, materials are being recycled into containers and pallets for a new lease of life. (Image: Schütz)
without loss of quality and at as little extra cost as possible. At interpack 2014 in Düsseldorf from 8 to 14 May 2013, visitors can find out for themselves the strategies and products that suppliers of industrial packages are adopting in order to meet the needs of the market. interpack promises a multitude of inspirational ideas, as packaging specialists are working flat out to innovate and cut costs. Cologne-based drum specialist Greif, for example, aims to tap further cost and efficiency potential right across the company in the short term, says its Managing Director Dirk Heidmeyer. “This way we are pursuing two major goals on behalf of our customers. Firstly, we want to do all we can to keep package costs as low as possible for our customers in the long term. And, secondly, we want the improvement in the earnings situation to contribute to long-term security in terms of what we call ‘The Safe Choice’.” The Safe Choice is Greif’s pledge to always offer high-grade packages with maximum product safety and delivery reliability. No package like any other
Using extra-safe packages to keep the customer coming back is the approach also pursued by the Schütz packaging company in Germany. Its innovations 30 | May-June 2014 | Plastics & Rubber Review
include Foodcert packages for the food industry, which are based on the latest industrial standard FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification). This standard calls among other things for high cleanness precautions during production to minimise the risk of contamination. Schütz also manufactures its Foodcert packages exclusively just in time, i.e. to meet actual demand in response to individual customer orders. Long storage and contamination are thus avoided. “Schütz is the first manufacturer of intermediate bulk containers and drums worldwide to subject all of its production plants to this audit,” the company claims. Intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) are among the most widely used large packages. These cubic plastic containers are used in industry mainly as collection and transport
containers. Another Schütz strategy to attract customers in the long term is sustainable package solutions. The company’s latest developments in this area include a plastics IBC pallet that is made by reprocessing used IBCs. Schütz is thus killing two birds with one stone. It is firstly satisfying growing demand for carbon-footprint-reduced and ecologically produced, recyclable products. And, secondly, by reprocessing scrapped IBCs, Schütz is making itself less dependent on expensive supplies of raw materials. And without loss of quality, the company insists. For the recycled material is highly resistant to chemicals, deformation and damage, Schütz claims. VDMA expert Fritsche cites another example of a resource-conserving, reusable package: the so-called
Instead of just focusing on packages, suppliers of industrial containers also have to consider how best to transport large goods. (Image: Schütz)
Xfach Folding Coil from DS Smith Packaging for the transport of rubber seals, hoses, cord and the like. “It takes just two manipulations to set it up and collapse it. When the coil is collapsed, all the parts remain connected, and losing parts during the return trip is prevented. Thanks to its construction with robust corrugated board, the folding coil is designed for multiple use,” says Fritsche. One of the focuses of Utz is also on the sustainable, cost-effective production of its plastics load carriers. At the company’s own recycling centre, boxes and pallets are processed into granulate. Alongside this, the company is developing new packaging materials like wood-plastic composite as well. To supply itself with eco-friendly electricity, Utz has also invested in its own photovoltaic installation and a combined heat and power plant. “These are initially large investments, but they will make us more independent of electricity exchanges and government price interventions in the long term,” Marketing Manager Schwabe explains. In addition to sustainability and cost reduction, Utz accords a key role to flexibility in production and to delivery readiness. “One thing is certain: the search
is on not for the universal solution for multi-way packages, as was perhaps on the agenda a few years ago, but for solutions geared to specific industries and customers,” says Schwabe. In cooperation with meat processers and the global standards organisation GS1, it has thus developed a new, e-performance meat container whose enhanced base geometry and corner design makes it extrastrong. It also bears an in-mould label on all four sides for easier identification within the supply chain. For a chain of chemist’s stores, Utz has also developed a transport dolly that can be moved on casters without great effort to its in-plant destination. The basis of this dispatch tower is a dolly that has four recesses on its upper surface to accommodate the casters of the next dolly. The dollies can thus be
stacked one on top of the other to save space in the warehouse. Utz also serves large industrial enterprises. For an international technology corporation, the Swiss Group’s headquarters has designed a large package composed of a folding box pallet, various interior divisions and deepdrawn intermediate panels. The package unit is used worldwide for transporting turbine blades for gas and hydroelectric power plants when these undergo inspection. So that it can supply industry with its many packaging solutions, Utz is constantly investing in the extension of its machine park. The Swiss production plant in Bremgarten alone now has 29 injection moulding machines. “We don’t have any products that would warrant a mono-product system,” the company claims. There is plenty afoot in the packaging sector.
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Food industry focuses on better packaging and smarter process technology for less spoilage Innovative packages are the key in the fight against food loss and wastage. More effective barrier layers, germicidal films and freshness indicators are intended to help products to keep for longer and halt consumers’ throwaway mentality. However, despite all these improvements, companies have to keep a constant eye on process efficiency and on costs.
Films under the microscope: the better the barrier properties of a packaging film are, the longer the contents stay fit for consumption. Scientists all over the world are therefore searching for new materials. (Photo: Fraunhofer IVV) 32 | May-June 2014 | Plastics & Rubber Review
In the developing countries, one child in six is undernourished, which amounts to an absolute figure of 100 million. The United Nations (UN) estimates that undernourishment causes the deaths of 2.6 million children under five years old per year. This means that hunger is still one of the biggest scourges of humanity. Yet no one should have to go hungry. Every year some 1.3 billion tonnes of food worldwide ends up in the bin – a conclusion of the current report “Food Wastage Footprint: Impacts on Natural Resources” of the
Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). If food losses were reduced by using food more prudently, famines could be curbed. 54 per cent of wasted food, says the report, is lost during production, post-harvest treatment and storage. Particularly badly affected are the poorer countries of Africa and Asia where shortcomings during harvesting and logistics destroy 6 to 11 kg of food per capita each year. Exposed to heat, fruit and milk spoil, and meat is rendered inedible by contamination with dangerous germs. On the other hand, wastage during processing, transport and consumption is more a problem of the industrialised nations. In Europe and North America, some 100 kg of food is thrown away per person and year although it is still fit for consumption. Demands for a change of attitude are therefore coming from the highest authorities. At his general audience during World Environment Day last June, Pope Francis called for an end to consumerism and the wastage of food. Central theme of interpack 2014 Industry has already got the message. According to a current study by the Royal Melbourne Institute of
Helping others to help themselves: some years ago, in India, Bosch Packaging mounted packaging machines developed especially for local conditions on trucks in order to demonstrate the advantages of packaged foods to farmers and representatives of local authorities. (Photo: Bosch Packaging Technology)
Technology in Australia, suitable packages are capable of reducing food loss considerably. Developers are therefore working hard on new concepts for packaging machines, the related process technology and “smart� packages. A total of
100 companies from the entire food value chain, from production, retailing and packaging through to logistics, are now participating in the SAVE FOOD Initiative, a joint project of the FAO, the United Nations Environment Programme
Cans to combat wastage: in emerging and developing countries, a great deal of food spoils due to shipment in its unpackaged state after harvesting. Simple anti-spoilage packages like these cans could prevent this. (Photo: Messe DĂźsseldorf/Tillmann) Plastics & Rubber Review | May-June 2014 | 33
Everything under control: high speeds are essential for efficient production. MULTIVAC has a variety of automation solutions for food packaging available. (Photo: MULTIVAC)
(UNEP) and Messe Düsseldorf GmbH. Its goal is to foster dialogue between industry, research, the political sphere and civil society on the subject of food loss. Reducing spoilage will also be the central theme at the Innovationparc Packaging at interpack 2014 in Düsseldorf. Exhibitors at this special show will be presenting their ideas on how food can be protected better from 7 to 14 May 2014. Furthermore, during the SAVE FOOD Conference at Messe Düsseldorf’s Congress Center South on 7 and 8 May, experts from politics, industry and society will be exchanging views on food loss and wastage. The sector has a lot of work ahead of it. Farmers in Africa first have to be convinced that it is better to package their produce at source than to send it off unprotected. It is not high tech that is called for here, but education locally. Representatives of companies like Bosch, for example, therefore toured emerging and developing countries with mobile packaging machines some years back in order to demonstrate to farmers the advantages 34 | May-June 2014 | Plastics & Rubber Review
of packaged foods. The throwaway mentality of the Western world, on the other hand, is even more difficult to combat. According to a survey by Berndt + Partner management consultants, 20 to 25 per cent of food in Europe is binned even though it is still fit for consumption. One contributory factor is the “best before date” that has to be printed on all food packages. Once it is reached, food is often thrown away. However, “best before” does not mean that food is no longer edible after this date, but merely that its colour and consistency may change. The currently still widespread big packs exacerbate the problem. The best before date is often reached before the package contents have been consumed. Smaller, customised packages should help to solve the problem. “In our view, portioned packages
for one-person households, for example, can help to stem food wastage,” says Christian Traumann, Managing Director of Bavaria packaging specialist MULTIVAC Sepp Haggenmüller. Creative package solutions
Reporting continuously on a product’s state of freshness, time/ temperature indicators are another approach in the battle against spoilage and waste. The useful thing about them is that they render visible any breaks in the cooling chain, for instance. BASF and the Swiss Freshpoint company are already producing labels containing a special pigment which are printed straight onto the package. The colour changes when the contents spoil. Research is also being conducted on active packages that interact with their contents. PET bottles are treated with oxygen absorb-
The new-generation Slicer 906 is one of the most advanced cutting machines in Weber Maschinenbau’s product range. It operates more efficiently and hence more sustainably than its predecessors. (Photo: Weber Maschinenbau)
ers like iron so that oxygen sensitive beverages such as beer and fruit juice keep for longer. Then there are films enriched with preservatives like sorbic acid that combat germ proliferation on foods. Critics claim that the additional chemicals on active packages impair the products’ natural quality. In their search for a remedy, scientists of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging (IVV) in Freising, Bavaria, are developing antimicrobial materials based on plant extracts, e.g. from rosemary. “This way, food manufacturers can go further towards meeting the consumer’s wish for natural, health-promoting products,” says IVV materials developer Sven Sängerlaub. The downside of many food-saving packages, however, is that they are relatively expensive to produce. If, for example, a “stronger” package calls for more material, it uses up more resources. The sector is therefore trying to offset the expenditure on “smarter” packages by economising elsewhere along the food value chain. The manufacturers of packaging machines therefore endeavour to boost the efficiency of their lines by increasing the degree of automation and optimising their processes. MULTIVAC, for example, offers its customers innovative technologies that ensure among other things that as little film waste is generated during production as possible, Marketing Manager Valeska Haux explains. This is achieved with the aid of advanced
machine tools, she continues, citing cutting tools as examples. The integration of handling modules in the packaging line as well ensures package-by-package quality control for maximum consumer protection, says Haux. “We boost the efficiency and hygiene of our production lines and prevent waste arising during production,” explains Mathias Dülfer, Managing Director of Weber Maschinenbau. This company specialising in high-performance cutting machines is constantly refining its range of lines. In the latest machines, innovative blade technologies, intuitive operating concepts and an open design ensure ease of operation, good accessibility and inspectability, and simple cleaning. “All this helps to make production even more efficient, more reliable and hence more sustainable,” says Dülfer. Packaging foods more securely and with higher throughput – this is also the aim of Spanish machine manufacturer ULMA Packaging.
The company covers all packaging technologies from tubular bag packages to deep-drawing machines. At interpack 2014, the Spanish company will be showing new deep-drawing systems for skin packages, among other things. The main function of this kind of packaging is to extend shelf life while also preventing liquid loss due to evaporation. This retards germ growth. ULMA has also developed a new control for all machine models with user-friendly software. The newly developed control promises “a huge boost to productivity on all systems”, the company claims. The innovations from the manufacturers demonstrate that a whole battery of packaging strategies for preventing food loss is already available. And that they can be realised on the industrial scale at acceptable cost thanks to on-going improvements in the efficiency of the production technology. At interpack from 8 to 14 May, food manufacturers will have the chance to see them for themselves. v
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Confusing diversity: what to buy? The consumer is most likely to reach for the most eye-catching package. (Photo: Bosch Packaging Technology)
Packaging for confectionery and baked goods: low-cost and eco-friendly persuasion Energy and raw materials are becoming more expensive, and consumers want to do more for the environment. This is forcing manufacturers of sweets and snacks to make difficult adjustments: their products have to stand out from the crowd without extravagant packages that drive up costs. Help is on hand from packaging producers and machine manufacturers – with materialsaving packaging solutions and more efficient production lines. 36 | May-June 2014 | Plastics & Rubber Review
“Halloren Kugeln” chocolates have been a longstanding favourite on the confectionery shelves, and without much publicity. A bigselling product for over 60 years, they have repeatedly assured the Halloren chocolate factory in east Germany of outstanding business figures. In 2013, the company aims to pass the EUR 100 million sales mark for the first time after roughly EUR 90 million in 2012. “Since privatisation in 1992, we’ve managed to hold our own on the market without neglecting our roots and what we do best,” says CEO
Klaus Lellé. But the Halloren chief refuses to rely solely on popularity and tradition. To stay successful, Lellé last year subjected the image of the “Kugeln” to an “all-round facelift”, as they put it at Halloren. The box packages for the total of 16 different flavours are now based on a strategy with uniform corporate design elements. In addition, the company’s own snack brand Choc’n Snack is now being sold in stand-up pouches – this way they are more conspicuous in the shops
stream of new products,” says Torben Erbrath, spokesman of the Association of the German Confectionery Industry. The package is the key to the purchase. It not only has to protect the product’s delicate contents, but also catch the eye. This calls for exceptional creativity from packaging designers: showy colours and shapes are just as important as effective consumer marketing. Waste of space
Brand awareness: “Halloren Kugeln” are a household name. Extravagant packages are therefore unnecessary. (Photo: Halloren Schokoladenfabrik)
and are also resealable. Anyone wishing to survive on the market for confectionery and snacks against the likes of Nestlé and Kraft Foods has to present his goods well at the point of sale. The range of sweets and snacks has become enormous: nougat with salted butter, saffron butter biscuits and marshmallow sticks with orange blossom flavouring and chocolate coating are just some of the new products that manufacturers are flooding the shelves with. “In a highly competitive environment, companies want to win market shares with a constant
However, some manufacturers of confectionery and baked goods tend to overdo it. Companies misleading customers with fraudulently oversized packages have come in for repeated criticism. A survey by the North Rhine-Westphalian (NRW) Consumers Association revealed that biscuit and snack packages contained an average of 40 per cent empty space. Such deception is not only illegal, but also pointless. Many consumers feel cheated by the purchased products, says Klaus Müller, board member of the NRW Consumers Association. There are also environmental arguments against XXL packages. Wasting resources has a negative impact on the environment and damages our climate – something that consumers are well aware of. Inflated packages are also counterproductive for economic reasons. Confectionery and baked goods manufacturers are facing massive pressure on costs, as energy and packaging materials on the one hand and raw materials like milk, cocoa and sugar on the other are becoming dearer. For instance, the spot price for cocoa butter, which is used in the production of bars of chocolate, shot up by 80 per cent to USD 8,000 per tonne in 2013 – and this puts a squeeze on profit margins. To avoid putting off environmentally aware consumers and to offset cost increases, companies have only one choice: they have to re-
strain themselves with the packaging and manufacture their products more efficiently. Halloren is leading here by example, as the chocolate maker’s new packages make their mark without elaborate design and extra frills. Other manufacturers also seem to be rethinking their strategies. Some are resorting to material downsizing, giving preference to packaging materials that are easier to recycle and that conserve resources by being thinner. “On the packaging market a number of overarching trends can be identified. Sustainability is one of these megatrends,” says Ralf Weidenhammer, head of the eponymous packaging company. Among other things, Weidenhammer produces readily recyclable composite cans for confectionery and savoury snacks. With its cardboard cans, the company has helped brands like Knack & Back and Pringles to achieve greater popularity, enabling them to find the right balance between extravagance and efficiency. A resource-conserving lightweight, the Pringles can promises freshness and fun. Scientists are meanwhile searching for alternative methods that are even greener and cheaper. A sustainable alternative to transparent multi-layer films, as also employed in Weidenhammer’s composite can, has recently been developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging – in the form of a film coating made of whey. In the “Wheylayer” project funded by the European Union, the researchers make use of whey protein instead of oil-based plastics. The practical thing about it is that the substances naturally occurring in whey extend foods’ shelf life. What is more, unlike oil, whey is available in unlimited quantities and is also biodegradable. At interpack 2014 from 8 to 14 May in Düsseldorf, many more packaging innovations for confec-
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Sorting wizard: packaging swiftly and precisely at the same time – large assortments of biscuits, for example, are a technical challenge. (Photo: Bosch Packaging Technology)
tionery and baked goods will be on show. Over 1,000 of the roughly 2,700 expected exhibitors have named the confectionery industry as the target group for their products and services – the items on display will be correspondingly varied. Machine manufacturers will also be present with many new developments in Düsseldorf. “Their focus is on boosting efficiency, because every tenth of a cent counts in the production of confectionery today,” explains Beatrix Fraese of the Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association in the German Engineering Federation (VDMA). Making production more efficient
There is still plenty of potential for boosting efficiency in confectionery production, Fraese continues. “A significant proportion of the machine park is outdated.” This view is endorsed by a current survey by Swiss plant manufacturer Bühler. According to this, the chocolate industry spends EUR 200 million per year worldwide on the clean38 | May-June 2014 | Plastics & Rubber Review
ing, roasting, sterilising, cracking and grinding of cocoa beans. With its energy audit and its novel shell burning technology, Bühler promises savings of up to 65 per cent. During the free energy audit, Bühler engineers track down energy leaks in the cocoa production process. The new combustion system makes use of the energy derived from the shells for the roasting and sterilisation operations, instead of treating the shells as waste – so no expensive energy has to be bought in for heating. “The combination of the audit and new technology heralds a new energy drive that will dramatically change the future,” says Bühler Product Manager Thomas Bischof.
For its part, Bühler’s Danish rival Aasted has developed a new temperature control system for chocolate by the name of SupaNova Quick Shift. To achieve a smooth melt-in-the-mouth consistency, each chocolate has to be carefully heated several times so that the crystals in the mixture dissolve. In the new Quick Shift, a special warm water system makes it possible to control crystallisation with greater precision – thus accelerating production. In addition, the stirrer in the Aasted unit is detachable. The machine is thus easier to maintain, which improves its availability. Cutting labour costs and extending machine operating times – these
are also the goals of Walterwerk, a manufacturer of industrial baking ovens in Kiel. At interpack, the company will be presenting its Jupiter IC, a new generation of sweet wafer and snack production lines that produce wafers faster than existing systems, says Markus Bartels, head of Technical Marketing. Jupiter IC produces more than five wafers per second, while its predecessors managed only four. Furthermore, the company has designed the new production line so that it requires less maintenance – another way of reducing costs. The next generation of machines is already in the development pipeline at Walterwerk. “We’re working on making our systems even more user-friendly and versatile,” Bartels explains. This is necessary because growing product diversity is imposing tougher requirements on production systems. “With today’s frequent product changes and shorter product life cycles, they have to be more flexible and easier to modify,” says Bartels. With their numerous innovations, packaging producers and machine manufacturers have adjusted to the new requirements in the confectionery and baked goods sector. Manufacturers willing to invest will have plenty to choose from among all the new packaging and more efficient machine solutions.
Oven-fresh: baking wafers is energy-intensive. The higher the throughput, the cheaper the process. (Photo: Walterwerk Kiel)
Simple packaging: composite cans are light, recyclable and popular with consumers. More and more manufacturers are therefore turning to them. (Photo: Weidenhammer Packaging)
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Packages for cosmetics: beautiful and efficient Few sectors are confronted with as divergent consumer wishes as the cosmetics industry. While luxury articles presented in glossy garb are growing in popularity, another beauty trend is embracing sustainability in response to the growing market for natural cosmetics with resource-conserving packaging. Flexibility is therefore the order of the day for packaging manufacturers and packaging machine suppliers.
T
he world is becoming more affluent, and people want to wallow in luxury. This is illustrated among other things by the fact that more expensive cosmetics are being sold today than ever before. Lavish and upmarket packages are commonplace for perfumes, lipstick and creams. Even the outward impression has to promise quality and extravagance and offer as much extra utility as possible. But in the beauty sector, there is also an entirely contrary trend, with “Back to nature” being the credo of many consumers. Attaching importance to naturalness and sustainability, they go for natural cosmetics for which lavish luxury packages would tend to be counterproductive. According to a current study by auditors and accountants KPMG and commercial researchers IFH Köln, the German market for natural cosmetics is set to grow by 7 per cent per year until 2020 – more than any other cosmetics segment. 40 | May-June 2014 | Plastics & Rubber Review
Gold embellishment is a sign of increasing affluence worldwide. The willingness to spend money on expensive luxury cosmetics is therefore also growing. (Photo: Deutscher Verpackungspreis)
Cosmetics suppliers are thus faced with a difficult task, for they not only have to cater to two contrasting trends, but are also having to deal with increasingly choosy consumers. “It is now becoming obvious that the illustrative effect of an idealised design has reached its promotional peak. From now on, it will be a question of showcasing the product itself. In the aesthetics of package design, the trend towards purity and authenticity is juxtaposed with a conflicting trend towards complexity and exoticism,” trend researcher Peter Wippermann, Professor for Communication Design in Essen, explains. Less sheen, more green The complicated issue of appropriate package design is compounded, finally, by the problem of the soaring cost of energy and raw materials, which is an obstacle to
the production of elaborate packages. Although there is a demand for perfumes in glass flacons with real gold print, they are unlikely to become mainstream. Wippermann in fact believes that companies will increasingly espouse sustainability and attempt to curb costs by abandoning certain materials in favour of new combinations. The trend researcher cites the example of Gillette that is using mouldable cellulose from renewable bamboo and reed fibres for secondary packaging. Other companies are also following this trend. Packaging specialist Carl Edelmann, for example, has developed a folding box for natural cosmetics that, it claims, embodies an all-out ecological strategy coupled with high quality. The box is made of 80 per cent recycled materials and is printed with oil-free
Aspiring to naturalness and sustainability, another beauty product trend is “Back to nature!” Carl Edelmann is following this trend with a package made of 80 per cent recycled materials. (Photo: Deutscher Verpackungspreis)
inks produced exclusively with renewable resources and green electricity. This way, says Edelmann, the carbon footprint in production is 76 per cent smaller than for conventional packages. Cosmetics suppliers can thus clearly reduce their emissions via the package as well. For their part, consumers can feel good about “going green” in their purchasing behaviour. Another way of conserving resources is with packages whose special material properties enable them to be emptied more efficiently. Tubes and shower gel packages are very popular with consumers for practical and aesthetic reasons, although it is often difficult to get the last drops of the product out of them. When disposed of, these packages often still contain sizable product residues. Researchers at the Technische Universität München are therefore developing packaging with the lotus effect, for example. The cosmetic contents adhere
poorly to the water-repellent surface structure of the material, and it is therefore easier to completely empty the package. Another solution is readily deformable tubes susceptible to creasing whose contents can be squeezed out more easily. At interpack 2014 visitors gained their own precise ideas of the products that packaging manufacturers are creating to meet market requirements. interpack promises plenty of exciting insights, as packaging specialists are pulling out all the stops in their efforts to innovate and to boost efficiency. Overall, more than 1,160 companies of the total of roughly 2,700 exhibitors have products for the cosmetics industry in their portfolio. Increasingly technology
efficient
packaging
The image and tradition of a brand often make it impossible to give the packaging a new, ecological face. For the relaunch of the
Nivea brand, in which packaging specialists Weener was involved, the emphasis was on a return to the brand’s roots and user-friendliness. Manufacturer Beiersdorf is continuing to resort to classical PET bottles for the Nivea body care series. The image has undergone a change in terms of design, and the new overall package is said to be memorable and minimalistic with clear, tidy labelling, a slender, rounded, pleasant-to-touch bottle and gently sloping shoulders which almost seamlessly merge into the straight, upward-pointing closure. To conserve resources and cut costs in package production and filling, groups like Beiersdorf have high expectations of the filling and packaging technologies. “There is a trend towards ever-faster and more reliable packaging machines. By using them, companies can shrink their ecological footprint and also cut costs,” Oliver Bernd, production expert at Deutsches Ver-
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Going for speed, manufacturer Beiersdorf aims to fill as many tins of Nivea as possible per unit of time. Only the most efficient packaging machines are therefore good enough for the group’s production shops. (Photo: Beiersdorf)
packungsintitut in Berlin, explains. Beiersdorf, for instance, claims to sell its Nivea body care line in 200 markets worldwide. Because different regions demand different product quantities, the bottle sizes have to vary. Weener, which produces the closures and supplies the injection moulds for them, therefore has to ensure that the package can be handled without a hitch on all production lines at all filling plants worldwide. Efficiency and production security are all-important for Beiersdorf. Reject packages and frequent stoppages, on the other hand, squander resources and push up costs. Higher throughput, lower costs High availability of its production lines is also top priority for the French L’Oréal cosmetics group. The company also sells strong brands that cannot readily be marketed in a downscaled, ecological get-up. To cushion rising raw materials prices, L’Oréal is putting its suppliers to the test. To optimise the filling processes on its makeup line, it has invested in the latest production technology from the German packaging and process specialist Bosch Packaging – among other things in the piston filling machine of the FLK 8000 CIP Plus Se-
ries. Piston filling machines are used above all for filling thin-bodied, thick-bodied and pasty products. The FLK from Bosch raises efficiency and output, the company claims, and thus reduces production costs despite rising prices.
operates with three tanks that can be cleaned independently of each other, meaning that two tanks are constantly in operation. “This way we’ve eliminated downtime and upped throughput,” says Sigonneau.
“We were looking for a flexible and extensible machine that can also be cleaned during operation,” explains Pascal Sigonneau, responsible at L’Oréal for machine procurement in make-up production. “We finally plumped for Bosch as it is the only manufacturer capable of offering highly efficient cleaning, particularly when machine components are in contact with the product.” What is more, the FLK Clean-In-Place process is reproducible, i.e. it can be endlessly repeated without any loss of effectiveness.
Sweden’s Norden Machinery, a subsidiary of the Italian Coesia
Make-up machines are considered particularly difficult to clean because most of the products are water-resistant and contain oily substances designed to stay in contact with the skin for as long as possible. L’Oréal used to have the machines cleaned manually, which meant dismantling certain machine parts. Production stoppages lasting several hours were the consequence. The new line from Bosch
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Versatile and flexible, the FLK piston filling machine from Bosch can be equipped both with a piston filler and a flow meter to enable manufacturers to adapt flexibly to different package sizes. (Photo: Bosch)
Group and a specialist in tube-filling machines, is also constantly working on ways to enhance the flexibility and versatility of its systems. Norden’s most recent developments include an inspection system that detects leaky plastic and laminate tubes in-line with a 100 per cent success rate and automatically sorts them out without interruption. The process speed thus stays high and output is not marred by rejects, which cuts costs. “There are plenty of testing systems, but none like ours that achieves 100 per cent results,” says Hans Söderström, in charge of Technology at Norden. In this Swedish process, the tubes are filled with the product plus a marking gas – harmless hydrogen – and sealed. Then they are squeezed gently on the sides. Any escaping gas, however minute the quantity, immediately triggers a hydrogen sensor, the key element of the inspection system – and the faulty tube is ejected from production. Innovations like this one ensure that high-quality packages are not thwarted by the spiralling prices of energy and raw materials.
Maag Automatik Plastics Machinery wins major contract Maag Automatik (a Dover Corporation Member) is proud to announce that M&G Finanziaria (Italy) has chosen the German manufacturer to supply the equipment needed for a complete PET pelletizing plant. Not only will Automatik deliver a number of its production proven underwater SPHERO® pelletizing systems but also corresponding melt pumps, screen changers and the company’s highly innovative direct crystallization CC-PET® process. Located in Corpus Christi, Texas, the new operation is designed for a capacity of 1 million tons per year and as a consequence will be the largest PET production site ever built. Commissioning is expected to commence by the end of 2015.The M&G Group is among the world’s three largest producers of PET resin for packaging applications, and the second largest in the Americas. The company expects that the project will both consolidate and strengthen its dominant position. Maag Automatik is particularly pleased that the M&G group has decided to further cement the existing, successful relationship between the two market leaders and selected Automatik as partner for this challenging and pioneering project. This once in a decade order underlines once more the unrivalled leadership of Maag Automatik in the supply of PET pelletizing systems.
About Maag and Automatik Plastics Machinery:
Maag is the worldwide leading manufacturer of gear pumps, pelletizing systems, and filtration systems for demanding applications in the plastics, chemical, petrochemical, and food industries. Maag develops, manufactures, and distributes innovative, customized solutions for complete pump and pelletizing systems – with the expertise based on its long-term industrial tradition since 1910. Automatik Plastics Machinery has been manufacturing innovative pelletizing systems of the highest quality for several decades. It is the world leader in underwater strand pelletizing systems. That leadership position is founded on state-of-the-art technology and on comprehensive know-how in all pelletizing techniques and pellet forms. The company’s longstanding tradition in development, production and global sales and distribution is complemented by comprehensive advice and service backup. Automatik Plastics Machinery is a subsidiary of Maag. The whole company employs more than 500 staff at its headquarters in Switzerland and its production sites and sales offices in Germany, France, Italy, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, China, Brazil, and the USA and is represented in the markets with its brands ”Maag Pump Systems“, ”Automatik Pelletizing Systems“, and ”Maag Filtration Systems“. Maag,a Dover Corporation Company (NYSE:DOV), is a part of the Pump Solutions Group, itself a business unit of Dover Engineered Systems.
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Farewell celebration for ARBURG’s Managing Director Herbert Kraibühler • • •
Event: farewell celebration held for Herbert Kraibühler in the presence of around 180 guests Award: Senior Partner Eugen Hehl presents golden Arburg logo as thanks for life’s work Retirement: handover of Managing Director Technology & Engineering position prepared long in advance Herbert Kraibühler entered into well-deserved retirement after 50 years of service to Arburg. Since assuming the position of Managing Director Technology & Engineering in 1996, he has played a decisive role in the company’s success. On special request by Herbert Kraibühler, the Arburg Partners had invited for the official farewell long-standing associates from business and science. On 4 April, around 180 guests experienced an impressive evening at the Arburg Customer Center in Lossburg. Herbert Kraibühler was the recipient of a special honour when Senior Partner Eugen Hehl presented him with the newly created golden Arburg logo for his life’s work. “This is an exceptional evening for us all. It is truly extraordinary to be taking leave of an employee after 50 years of service, who has achieved so much in a position of this kind and who has had such a profound influence on the company and on the industry,” said
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Senior Partner Eugen Hehl in his tribute speech. Award: Arburg logo in gold
Eugen Hehl reminisced about Herbert Kraibühler’s 50 years of service and the corresponding 50 years of company history, singling out the Managing Director’s special relationship with his brother Karl Hehl and himself. He further commended Herbert Kraibühler for the excellent manner in which he upheld the Arburg values, for his commitment to the company’s culture and strategic focus, as well as for the good judgement and humanity with which he performed the challenging job of
a Managing Director. “We would also like to express our thanks for your life’s work in a tangible form,” said Eugen Hehl. He then invited Herbert Kraibühler up onto the stage in order to ceremoniously present him the Arburg logo in gold. In future, exceptional and outstanding services to the company will be honoured with this newly created award. Next, the Managing Partners, Juliane Hehl, Renate Keinath and Michael Hehl expressed their thanks to Herbert Kraibühler. “Achieving success requires ability and expertise, the right production facilities, inventiveness, entrepreneurial flair and a great
deal of staying power. But what’s required above all, are the right people at one’s side. We have been particularly lucky in this respect with Herbert Kraibühler!” said Michael Hehl to put it in a nutshell. Thanks: “baton” passed on by Herbert Kraibühler
Herbert Kraibühler expressed his thanks for the honours bestowed upon him. He emphasised the significance of networking for the successes over the past 50 years and for the future: “Common ground is vital for our progress. That’s why we work closely with scientists, partners and our customers, the technical requirements of which have constantly helped us to grow.” He went on to say that both in terms of the modular machine range and of the order situation, Arburg had reached a high-point. “The wisdom to stop when you’re on top also applies precisely to me,” added Herbert Kraibühler in this context. With the words, “You are perfectly equipped for your new duties. Maintain close contacts with our partners, customers and employees. If you do so, I am convinced that you will be successful with Arburg and Arburg will be successful with you!” Herbert Kraibühler symbolically handed an oversized spanner to Heinz Gaub, who took over as the new Arburg Managing Director Technology & Engineering on 1 April 2014. Esteem: new Managing Director Heinz Gaub
Heinz Gaub had spent the previous nine months intensively preparing for his new responsibilities. “I got to know Herbert Kraibühler as an enthusiastic and inspiring man of technology, who is held in extremely high esteem throughout the company,” said Heinz
Gaub expressing his admiration before adding, “I would especially like to thank him for leaving me such a highly motivated and committed team, with which I can embark on new avenues and conquer new fields.” Career: from trainee to Managing Director
Herbert Kraibühler began his apprenticeship as a machine fitter in Lossburg in 1964 before studying precision engineering in Karlsruhe, specialising in plastics technology, thanks to a scholarship from Arburg. In 1972, he joined the company’s Development Department. His further professional path led him via various posts until he assumed the position of Managing Director Technology & Engineering in 1996. Over the course of the five decades, he continuously furthered the development of injection moulding technology. The technological milestones during this period included the development of the Selogica machine control system, Allrounder injection moulding machines with fully electric drives and expansion of the product range with additive
manufacturing through the Freeformer, which was extremely well received at its world premiere at the K 2013 trade fair. Arburg will not have to completely dispense with Herbert Kraibühler’s experience as he will continue to assist with the market introduction of the Freeformer and serve in an advisory role to the Partners on strategic questions. Show: spectacular performances round off the evening
The unique evening celebrations were completed by an impressive entertainment programme. Highlights included a Freeformer show by a female contortionist especially tailored for Herbert Kraibühler, a memorable address by German Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel, or rather by her stunning double Antonia von Romatowski, as well as acrobats performing breath-taking acts with cloth banners and rings suspended from the ceiling of the Customer Center. Musical entertainment was provided by the band “Wirtschaftswunder” as well as saxophonist Denise Engelhart and friends.
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Sales of INTAREMA® exceed expectations EREMA Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen Ges.m.b.H. has increased its order intake by 30% over the last two quarters compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. Plant sales alone in this period accounted for a turnover of EUR 57 million. This extremely positive result is largely due to the sensational initial sales figures of INTAREMA®, the new generation of systems launched last year in the course of the K 2013 show. As the order books remain full for the coming months, expectations for the current quarter and thus the fiscal year as a whole are high. “The new INTAREMA® system featuring innovative Counter Current technology has been exceptionally well received in the market. Based on the current order figures we expect a record turnover of around 28 million euros for the current, i.e. the first quarter of our 2014/15 fiscal year,” reports CEO Manfred Hackl. Total sales for the 2014/15 fiscal year at the Ansfelden headquarters are expected to climb 10% to EUR 110 million. Unlike other plant engineering companies, EREMA achieves these results solely with the core business of developing and building plastic recycling systems.
46 | May-June 2014 | Plastics & Rubber Review
About EREMA Since it was founded in 1983, EREMA Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen Ges.m.b.H has specialised in the development and production of plastic recycling systems and technologies for the plastics processing industry and is regarded as the global market and innovation leader in these sectors. EREMA technology has become firmly established as the leading global standard for a wide variety of recycling jobs in the applications in-house recycling of production waste and severely contaminated post consumer waste. The wide-ranging product portfolio can be divided into the following main segments: • Plastic recycling systems for standard applications and production waste • Plastic recycling systems for heavily printed/contaminated post-consumer waste • FDA-approved PET recycling systems, VACUREMA®, efsa approval requested via customers (e.g. for bottle to bottle recycling) • Inline PET applications (e.g. for fibre, film and strapping) • COREMA® plastic recycling system for the production of highly filled and customised compounds • Fully automatic, self-cleaning melt filters • Pelletising systems Around 450 people around the world work for the Austrian company group. With its own sales and service companies in the USA, China and Japan, plus around 50 local representatives in all five continents, EREMA provides custom recycling solutions for international customers. Innovative technology and global service support additionally ensure that owners enjoy the maximum benefit from their EREMA systems. Numerous patents, particularly energy-saving, environmentally friendly systems, exacting quality requirements and proactive commitment to customers form the basis for the continuing international success of EREMA.