SIZE REDUCTION | GRANULATORS
Increasing the use of recyclate is the new priority for processors, and granulator firms are meeting
demand with new models that deliver quality regrind, reduce dust and noise and improve energy efficiency. By David Eldridge
Granulators come out from the shadows
Has the time come for granulators to step into the plastics industry limelight? For decades, the granula- tor has been a piece of equipment virtually ignored by processors but indispensable for the fundamental task of dealing with production waste. At Wittman Group’s K2019 press conference, Michael Wittmann made a comparison with a human body part and process: “Everyone has one, but no-one talks about it.” What’s changed in the past 18 months is the greater importance attached to circularity in plastics by processors as they help customers respond to pressure to increase recyclate in new products. Wittmann said lots of injection moulders are now showing interest in circularity, asking about circular functionality in the group’s moulding machines and also about its range of granulators. Bengt Rimark, CEO of Rapid Granulator, agreed
that the attitude of injection moulders has changed when it comes to investing in equipment for new production. “Many times, granulators were an afterthought,” he said in an interview at K2019. “They called us when they were starting up the line to say they needed a granulator as well. Now they talk to us early in the process to make sure this becomes a very effective part of the production process.”
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com One customer producing parts for the automo-
tive market is a case in point. Rimark recently visited the company where he met the same purchasing manager he used to see as a sales engineer for Rapid years ago. “When the automo- tive customer was doing an audit at this company, they were hiding the granulators because they were not allowed to have recycled material in the product. Now, he said, when we are making an audit we have to prove that we bring in a minimum 15% of recycled material in their products. So now they are polishing all the granulators and standing them in the front.” In the past, the discussion with the purchasing manager would take place in the reception, but now Rapid’s sales engineers are invited into the produc- tion area to provide detailed advice, said Rimark. “It’s completely switched. Now we have become an important part of the total production process, rather than being seen as an auxiliary product.” Rapid’s approach goes beyond just selling a
product to the customer. “With our accumulated knowledge and experience, we travel around now making sure our customers are environmentally friendly. On top of this, we are making them very
November/December 2019 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 29
Main image: At K2019, Rapid Granulator launched the OneCut Pro system with adjustable speed for recycling injection moulding production waste
PHOTO: RAPID GRANULATOR
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