PET | TECHNOLOGY


Work continues apace to improve technology and processes in PET recycling to support the industry’s transition to circularity. Simon Robinson reports


PET recycling technology makes greater gains


PET may be the best-established sector in plastics recycling, but that has not suppressed the motiva- tion of companies and organisations in the PET value chain to improve PET recycling further. Recent technology developments can be seen in conical twin-screw extruders, flake-to-preform processing and liquid state polycondensation. Meanwhile, compliance with food safety and other regulatory requirements are the drivers for other new announcements. NGR showcased a couple of important tech- nologies for rPET at K2025 in October. First up, the conical co-rotating ECO-Twin extruder was present- ed in association with the company’s P:React liquid state polycondensation (LSP) system, which can achieve total throughput of up to 4,000 kg/hr. An ECO-Twin 220 machine was displayed on the NGR stand. “The ECO-Twin 220 is a true milestone,” said Stefan Lehner, Head of Product Management PCR


www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com


at NGR. “The combination of low melt temperature, high degassing performance, and minimal energy consumption makes it the ideal solution for demanding PET recycling.” Conical co-rotating extruders have proven


particularly effective in processing PET bottle flakes, according to NGR. The conical design ensures very low energy input during the melting of pre-dried flakes, allowing the extruder to operate almost adiabatically. The screw geometry makes the ECO-Twin a gentle solution for process- ing low bulk density plastic regrind. Another key feature is a robust gearbox based on Beveloid technology, enabling smooth operation and long service life, said the company. In another rPET development at K2025, NGR’s LSP technology was combined with injection moulding technology group Husky’s HyPET RMTP system, for an integrated PET flake-to-preform process. The advantage of this approach is that it


November/December 2025 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 29


Main image: Bottles, flakes and pellets: stages in the PET circle


IMAGE: STARLINGER


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