INNOVATION | CAPS AND CLOSURES
Right: Ineos Olefins & Polymers is partnering with Forever Plast to use PCR from used caps in new closures
Ineos Olefins & Polymers is partnering with
Forever Plast, a leading polymer recycling technologies operator in Italy, to develop a range of new polyethylene grades that mirror Ineos’ virgin grades for injection moulding and compres- sion moulding machines. The new Recycl-IN products take PCR PE from used bottle caps and carefully blend them with highly engineered virgin polymer to create new high-quality caps. Over the next five years, the companies say that 6.5 billion bottle caps will be diverted from the waste stream to be recycled. The initiative is an expansion of the Ineos
Recycl-IN polymer range into the PE non-food caps market. “For a while PET bottles have been increas- ingly recycled but this is one of the first circular developments to tackle the caps,” says Iain Hogan, CEO of Ineos Olefins and Polymers. “This is a major step forward. We are creating a truly circular approach to ensure used bottle caps are recycled and returned to the market as new highly engi- neered high-quality caps, rather than being thrown away or wasted.” SABIC has opened a Technology and Innovation
Below: SABIC has opened a Technology and Innovation Center dedicated to caps and closures
Centre dedicated to caps and closures in Geleen, Netherlands, located in SABIC’s Global Technology Center for Europe on the Chemelot Campus. The opening ceremony of the new facility was led by Sergi Monros, SABIC Vice President of Performance Polymers & Industry Solutions, Petrochemicals. The facility opening comes a year after SABIC established its Caps & Closures industry segment organisation. “With our dedicated organisation, we already have a strong focus on innovation-driven solutions to meet the changing market trends that our customers within this strategic segment are demanding,” says Monros. “This new state-of-the- art facility will enable us to accelerate the pace by using market-leading materials and technologies aimed at a range of related applications – not only caps and closures, but also pumps, dispensing
systems and other product delivery mechanisms for beverages, food and non-food applications.” Monros points to the growing need for creative solutions that are sustainable, cost-efficient and compliant. These solutions are coupled with the increased number of regulations governing product safety and consumer well-being. “End- users are looking for convenience too, and we are always thinking about new ways to improve functionality,” he says. SABIC says that it is developing technologies
related to both new material development and to application testing. Polymers developed specifi- cally for applications in this sector help enable, for example, lighter caps, and pumps and dispensing systems that are more efficient and easier to manufacture, all the while supporting customer efforts to improve overall sustainability. The centre includes facilities that allow SABIC to simulate the real-life performance of finished products. The research laboratory has equipment for testing material characteristics such as mechanical properties, dimensional stability and environmental stress cracking resistance. Cap specimens can be produced in-house for performance testing for potential applications and for the development of improved products. There will also be capability for developing and testing new product designs.
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
www.husky.co �
www.bericap.com �
www.berryglobal.com �
www.csiclosures.com �
www.engelglobal.com �
www.kraussmaffei.com �
www.borealisgroup.com �
www.ineos.com �
www.foreverplast.it �
www.sabic.com
36 INJECTION WORLD | April 2020
www.injectionworld.com
IMAGE: SABIC
IMAGE: INEOS
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