Highly Effective Additive Combination for Biodegradable Plastics

WACKER, the Munich-based chemical group, is showcasing two products for processing biodegradable plastics at the Compounding World Expo 2021: its VINNEX additive system based on polyvinyl-acetate technol- ogy and its silicone-based performance additive GENIOPLAST for many thermoplastics. Both additives enhance the process- ing and material properties of bioplastics. VINNEX furthermore ensures hassle-free mixing of different biopolyesters and fillers. Latest tests show that the two additives can also be readily combined. The benefits here are optimally adjusted processing and product properties and even higher effectiveness. WACKER will present the test findings for the first time at the Compounding World Expo 2021, which runs from September 29 to 30 in Essen, Germany.

WACKER’s applications engineers who carried out the screening chose the biopolyesters polylactic acid and polybutylene succinate as representatives of biodegradable plastics. While biopolyesters are, in principle, considered alternatives to conventional thermo- plastics, they are difficult to process and require suitable additives to achieve the property profile customary of thermoplastics. The additives examined were VINNEX 2504, VINNEX 2525, GENIOPLAST Pellet S and GENIOPLAST Pellet P plus. The key finding of the screening is the observation that VINNEX and GENIOPLAST complement each other in their effects – in both filled and unfilled bioplastic systems. When used together, the processing and performance properties of bioplastics can be optimally adapted to the specific requirements. But there is also another advantage: both additives are more effective when they are used in combination than when they are used separately. Depending on the grade used, VINNEX either has a particularly positive influence on the polymer melt or the mechanical properties. The additive ensures that bio- plastics can be processed without difficulty. Mixed in with VINNEX GENIOPLAST primarily affects the surface properties of the plastic item, especially in filled systems.

In the bioplastic samples that were tested, GENIOPLAST acts as a booster and enhances the effects achieved with the VINNEX additive which had been previously added. In several cases, the silicone additive also improves properties that VINNEX has no influence on. It is the addition of GENIOPLAST for instance, that reduces surface friction, thus increasing the bioplastics’ scratch and abrasion resistance. This was verified by examination of the depth and roughness of scratches with a confocal microscope. The unique additive combination furthermore improves the mecha- nical properties of the final good. Used together, VINNEX and GENIOPLAST boost the flexibility and impact strength of bioplastics and, in filled systems, increase elongation at break without impairing thermostability. Plastics modified in this way are thus suitable for applications previously reserved for conventional thermoplastics. When added in the usual amounts and depending on the individual system, VINNE and GENIOPLAST additives do not hamper the degradability of biopolyesters such as polybutylene succinate, polylactid acid or thermoplastic starch and combinations of these biodegradable polymers.VINNEX and GENIOPLAST Pellet VINNEX
additives were specifically developed for modifying biopolyesters and starches. These homopolymers, copolymers and terpolymers are based on polyvinyl acetate. The following grades will be presented at the Compounding World Expo 2021:

• VINNEX 2504 is a powder-form polyvinyl acetate-polyethylene copolymer. As a soft plastic, it increases the impact strength of bioplastics. Unfilled polylactic acid modified with VINNEX 2504 is opaque.
• VINNEX 2525, a resin available in granular form, is a polyvinyl acetate homopolymer. It acts as a production aid. Biopolyesters modified with VINNEX 2525 are particularly suitable for producing packaging films by blown film extrusion.

The additive leaves unfilled polylactic acid highly transparent. GENIOPLAST Pellet S and GENIOPLAST Pellet P plus are silicone-based plastic additives in pellet form. Both grades are universally suitable for compounding all thermoplastics. As active component, they contain a non-crosslinked ultra-high-molecular silicone polymer mounted on pyrogenic silica. GENIOPLAST Pellet P plus is approved for food contact and GENIOPLAST Pellet S is the respective grade for technical applications. Both grades reduce friction. They thus act as production aids and enhance the plastic’s end properties.
www.wacker.com

#modernplasticsindia #indianplasticmagazine #modernplasticsaward #plasticnews #modernplasticsgermany #ginujoseph #modernplastic #plasticindia  #plasticrecycling #sustainability #modernplasticsglobalnetwork #modernglobalnetwork #modernplasticsaward2023 #plasticmagazine #PlasticIndustry  #modernplasticsmiddleeast #indianmagazine #innovations #modernplasticsamerica #modernplasticsbangladesh #modernplasticsasia #modernplasticsitaly  #cortecadvertising

UBQ Materials Raises $70 Million in Funding, Led by Eden Global Partners

Financing Round, Joined by Current Investment Partners, to Drive Global Expansion, and Advance R&D for Additional Product Lines
climate tech developer of advanced materials made from waste, today announced it has closed $70 million in funding, led by Eden Global Partners. Additional participants in the financing were return investors in the company, including TPG Rise Climate, TPG’s Rise Fund, Battery Ventures, and M&G’s Catalyst strategy. The investment will support the company’s commercial, sales, and marketing scale up, as UBQ Materials continues its global expansion. This will include additional facilities in Europe and North America, alongside the impending opening of UBQ’s industrial-scale facility in Bergen Op Zoom, Netherlands. The new facility will have an annual production capacity of 80,000 tons of UBQ , converting 104,600 metric tons of waste annually into a new raw material.

“We have long admired what the team at UBQ has built and are firm believers in the potential of the company’s groundbreaking waste conversion technology,” said David Dwek, Chief Executive Officer of Eden Global Partners. “At Eden, we partner with visionary companies working to shape a better future for their industries and our world, and UBQ is a pioneer in its space with the power to redefine global sustainability at scale. We believe the market opportunity for UBQ’s materials is enormous and look forward to supporting UBQ’s world-class management team as they continue to grow the business.” UBQ Materials’ bio-based thermoplastic, UBQ , serves as a sustainable alternative to fossil-based plastics. UBQ Materials converts residual household waste diverted from landfills or incineration, including all organics, into an advanced thermoplastic material that is both climate-positive and highly recyclable. Leading industry brands have already integrated UBQ into durable and semi-durable products such as car parts, footwear, pallets, display stands, panels, planters, with customers including Mercedes-Benz, PepsiCo, and McDonald’s.Over 3 billion tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) are expected to be produced annually by 2050 while current approaches to waste management continue to contribute to climate change. Landfills are the third largest human source of methane, a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) 84 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over 20 years, while incineration emits 1.7 kg CO2eq for every kilogram of MSW incinerated. Every kilogram of Israeli-manufactured UBQ replaces 1 kg of oil-based plastic, diverts 1.3 kg of waste from landfills and incinerators, and prevents up to 11.7 kg of CO2eq emissions measured over a 20-year time horizon. “UBQ has pioneered a fully sustainable resource, pivotal for existing manufacturing industries across endless applications,” said Jack (Tato) Bigio, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of UBQ Materials.

“Beyond major brands adopting UBQ, our compounding partners have become integral to our ecosystem allowing us to further expand our ‘Made with UBQ’ applications and international footprint, driving a true circular economy.” UBQ Materials is investing significantly in its R&D, developing new product lines to meet functional and performance requirements to serve the building and construction, consumer durables, automotive, and logistics and supply chain industries.

About UBQ Materials Ltd.
UBQ Materials Ltd. closes the loop between the ecosystems of waste and materials. Through its advanced conversion technology, UBQ Materials Ltd. has created the world’s first bio-based thermoplastic, UBQ, made entirely from residual waste, including all organics and hard-to-recycle materials. A sustainable plastic substitute, UBQ preserves finite resources, diverts waste from landfills and incinerators and prevents emissions. A certified B Corp, UBQ Materials is expanding globally to provide the world’s largest businesses and consumers with a climate positive solution for a circular economy.
www.ubqmaterials.com

#modernplasticsindia #indianplasticmagazine #modernplasticsaward #plasticnews #modernplasticsgermany #ginujoseph #modernplastic #plasticindia  #plasticrecycling #sustainability #modernplasticsglobalnetwork #modernglobalnetwork #modernplasticsaward2023 #plasticmagazine #PlasticIndustry  #modernplasticsmiddleeast #indianmagazine #innovations #modernplasticsamerica #modernplasticsbangladesh #modernplasticsasia #modernplasticsitaly

Xeikon introduces top-speed toner label press for lights-out operation

Xeikon LION LX3000, featuring new Cruise Control System, guarantees exceptional productivity and label quality with a five-star performance.
Xeikon has announced the introduction of a new high-productivity and highly automated dry toner press aimed specifically at volume label printing with the highest quality. The Xeikon LX3000 model, affectionately known as The LION, will be presented to the public for the first time at the Xeikon booth during Labelexpo Europe 2023 in Brussels, on 11–14 September. Built for a web width of 330mm, the Xeikon LION LX3000 is a five-color dry toner press developed as the answer to customer demands for higher productivity and more cost-effective solutions for mass production of high-quality digital labels. Visitors to the trade show will have the opportunity to experience first-hand its cutting-edge 42 m/min operation. This is a 40% speed increase from Xeikon’s current 30 m/min capability. Its automated, precise quality control ensures that the final product meets the highest standards without manual intervention.

The Xeikon LX3000 features Xeikon’s innovative Cruise Control System, which utilizes advanced vision technology and artificial intelligence to continuously monitor and automatically adjust print production settings. Cruise Control checks, adjusts, and reports on five key settings to ensure precise color registration, print station densities, and consistency with the set color reference. as production quality is depending on external (environment, substrate, operator) and internal (print process) factors. If the quality does not meet customer expectations, an automatic notification is generated and printed alongside the print. This physical marking can drive next actions in the following steps of the manufacturing processes.Additionally, it provides quantitative data for monitoring Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), helping printers to optimize their production workflows even further. According to Frank Jacobs, Senior Product Manager, the new Cruise Control System significantly enhances press efficiency and productivity, reducing waste and allowing operators to focus on higher-level tasks. “Brand owners have grown accustomed to the advantages of digital printing, including unmatched flexibility, great quality, and rapid delivery. Now, with the reliability of Xeikon’s toner technology, which comes with highly accurate variable repeat length, coupled with the LION’s powerful performance and Cruise Control for 100% perfect output, label printers can produce higher volumes of high-quality work much more cost- effectively.”

As an evolution of Xeikon’s market-leading toner technology, the LION LX3000 can print on a broad range of self-adhesive substrates without priming and does so using the most food-safe toners in the market today. The print quality also matches Xeikon’s established high-quality standards, boasting a resolution of 1200 dpi. The high-end LION is configured with Xeikon’s new ECO toners, which have been formulated with >60% high-grade recycled PET for maximum sustainability. Free from fluorine, Bisphenol A (BPA), TPO and mineral oils, as well as being 100% vegan, ECO toners comply with restrictions around food safety and remain the most foodsafe digital technology, addressing consumers’ concerns about their health and animal welfare.

This innovation is further evidence that Xeikon is fully committed to digitizing print manufacturing always adapting to the changing demands of the market and the variable needs of its customers. Furthermore, by boosting the speed of its toner technology for labels, Xeikon is also elevating the breakeven point between digital and conventional printing, allowing customers to capitalize on profitable opportunities in this extremely competitive market. “Xeikon continues to respond to the specific requirements of our customers, and we increasingly receive larger numbers of requests for more competitive solutions. The Xeikon LX3000 is the result of listening to that valuable feedback, especially from those of our customers who handle higher volumes. Having discussed the new press with some of them in more detail over the past few months, it is clear that this launch is a significant step in the right direction,” adds Jacobs.

“We’re very excited about the impact the LION will have on the market and the value it will bring to our customers.” “It is fantastic to finally return to Labelexpo in Brussels, particularly because Xeikon comes to the show with so many amazing new solutions, including the groundbreaking Xeikon LX3000. The introduction of this advanced label press represents an important milestone in our commitment to creating application-tuned solutions that provide our customers with a competitive edge. Xeikon’s mission is to continue on this path and make digital the first choice for all label printers,” comments Filip Weymans, Vice President Marketing, Xeikon. Visitors to Labelexpo Europe 2023 in Brussels should make their way to the Xeikon booth (#C29) in Hall 5 to hear the LION roar.

ABOUT XEIKON
Xeikon, a division of Flint Group, is a long-standing leader and innovator in digital printing technology. Grounded in the principles of quality, flexibility and sustainability, Xeikon designs, develops and delivers digital colour presses for label and packaging applications as well as graphic arts and commercial printing. These printing machines work with different imaging technologies, open workflow software and application-specific consumables. Xeikon is Flint Group’s “Digital Printing Solutions” division for the leading global print consumables and solution provider to the packaging and print media industries. Flint Group develops and manufactures an extensive portfolio of consumables for the printing industry. These include a vast range of conventional and energy-curable inks and coatings, press room chemicals, and pigments and additives for use in inks and other colorant applications. The Flint Group is based in Luxembourg and employs around 5500 people. On a worldwide basis, the company is the number one or number two supplier in every major market segment it serves.
www.xeikon.com

#modernplasticsindia #indianplasticmagazine #modernplasticsaward #plasticnews #modernplasticsgermany #ginujoseph #modernplastic #plasticindia  #plasticrecycling #sustainability #modernplasticsglobalnetwork #modernglobalnetwork #modernplasticsaward2023 #plasticmagazine #PlasticIndustry  #modernplasticsmiddleeast #indianmagazine #innovations #modernplasticsamerica #modernplasticsbangladesh #modernplasticsasia #modernplasticsitaly

Reifenhäuser relies on new “Circular Plastics Traceability” Guideline by using digital product passports from R-Cycle

• Future-proof technology for the application of standardized digital product passports
• Turnkey Software-as-a-Service solution according to new GS1 Germany Guideline
• Enormous potential for data management in the manufacturing process and recycling
The Reifenhäuser Group – leading manufacturer of extrusion machinery and components – relies on R-Cycle, the digital product passport (DPP) for plastics based on GS1 standards. With R-Cycle DPPs, Reifenhäuser enables its customers to make their products traceable. All relevant information on the material and processing is stored in the DPP and made available along the entire product life cycle, offering enormous potential for data management in the manufacturing process and recycling of plastic – especially in the packaging industry. R-Cycle was founded as an initiative by leading companies and organizations along the plastics value chain (including Reifenhäuser) and today offers – as a solution provider – a turnkey software-as-a-service solution for the application of digital product passports. GS1 Germany, known for standards and solutions around barcodes, has now published a new guideline “Circular Plastics Traceability”, which offers all stakeholders in the plastics value chain a uniform framework to model cross-company processes and exchange data.

R-Cycle was involved in the development of “Circular Plastics Traceability” and follows the new GS1 Germany Guideline with its solution. The underlying technology is the cross-industry and internationally established GS1 EPCIS interface (Electronic Product Code Information Services). EPCIS is GS1’s core standard for improving transparency in companies or value networks. Bernd Reifenhäuser, CEO of the Reifenhäuser Group, explains, “The publication of the ‘Circular Plastics Traceability’ Guideline is a decisive milestone for the establishment of R-Cycle. It gives us, as a machinemanufacturer, the certainty of investing in a future-proof technology that enables our customers to use standardized digital product passports.”The plastics industry – particularly in the packaging sector – faces ever- increasing industrial and regulatory information and reporting requirements. Recyclability assessments, EPR schemes or plastic tax calculations are just a few examples. The otherwise time-consuming and costly generation of the relevant data is now possible with R-Cycle at the push of a button. Currently, more than 45 leading industrial companies and organizations rely on R- Cycle as the solution for the digital product passport. In addition to providing efficient information in the manufacturing process, digital product passports also enable better recycling to recover high-quality recyclates. Using the information stored in the DPP, waste sorting facilities can precisely categorize recyclable packaging and form recycling-friendly, single-sort fractions. The DPPs can be accessed via suitable marking (e.g. digital watermarks or QR codes) on the packaging.

About the Reifenhäuser Group
The Reifenhäuser Group together with its highly specialized business units is the leading provider of innovative technologies and components for plastics extrusion. Founded in 1911, the company is a global supplier of high-tech solutions. With its technologies and the know-how of its 1,750 employees, Reifenhäuser has the world’s largest network of expertise in plastics extrusion technologies. The CEO of the Group is Bernd Reifenhäuser.
www.reifenhäuser.com

#modernplasticsindia #indianplasticmagazine #modernplasticsaward #plasticnews #modernplasticsgermany #ginujoseph #modernplastic #plasticindia  #plasticrecycling #sustainability #modernplasticsglobalnetwork #modernglobalnetwork #modernplasticsaward2023 #plasticmagazine #PlasticIndustry  #modernplasticsmiddleeast #indianmagazine #innovations #modernplasticsamerica #modernplasticsbangladesh #modernplasticsasia #modernplasticsitaly  #cortecadvertising

Innovative paper bottle: ALPLA becomes the majority owner of Paboco

Packaging specialist takes over shares from joint venture partner Billerud Paboco develops bio-based packaging solutions made from pulp. The Danish joint venture was founded in 2019 by ALPLA and pulp and paper manufacturer Billerud. The internationally active packaging specialist ALPLA is now taking over Billerud’s shares and, as majority shareholder, is investing in scaling manufacturing capacity. From the end of 2024, Paboco plans to produce a fully recyclable paper bottle at a new state-of-the-art manufacturing site in Denmark Paboco (The Paper Bottle Company) develops and produces fibre-based packaging solutions using innovative pulp-forming technology. The company, based in Slangerup, Denmark, was founded in 2019 by ALPLA and Billerud as a joint venture. By taking over all of Billerud’s shares and investing in Paboco, packaging and recycling specialist ALPLA, as majority shareholder, is pushing the rapid industrialization of the fully recyclable paper bottle made from FSC-certified fibres. ‘Safety, affordability and sustainability are the central criteria of our packaging solutions. After several years of intensive development and groundbreaking innovations, the Paboco team is now ready to take its pioneering product to the market and establish the paper bottle as a sustainable alternative for a wide range of customers,’ says ALPLA CEO Philipp Lehner.

Successful test phase
Since 2021, Paboco has been testing the first products on the market together with the Paboco Pioneer Community members: The Absolut Company, Carlsberg Group, The Coca-Cola Company, L’Oréal and Procter & Gamble. After the successful test phase, series production of the next generation of recyclable paper bottles is scheduled to start at the end of 2024. ‘The vision of the fully bio-based and recyclable paper bottle has driven the team to create amazing results in just a short development period. With the bottle configuration now, we are targeting the beauty and fabric and home-care segment, but continuous development will also enable us to bring our next-generation bottle into further applications. We are happy that ALPLA is fully committed to supporting us on this journey,’ explains Tim Silbermann, CEO of Paboco. For the market launch, the company plans to set up a new state-of-the-art manufacturing site and development centre in Denmark. There are currently 18 employees at Paboco – the number of employees is expected to increase significantly by the time series production begins.Innovations for the future
The long-term goal of Paboco is to develop and scale fully bio-based and recyclable paper bottles. In doing so, the company can count on the support of ALPLA: ‘We at ALPLA work intensively on alternative materials, invest in promising projects and actively shape technological progress as a “Family of Pioneers”,’ emphasises Christian Zmölnig, Director Corporate Research, Development and Innovation at ALPLA and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Paboco. The newly formed Board of Directors of Paboco is completed by Ricardo Rehm, CFO of ALPLA, and Rainer Widmar, Managing Director Central and Eastern Europe at ALPLA. The transaction took place at the beginning of October. The contracting parties agreed not to disclose the details.

About the ALPLA Group
ALPLA is one of the world’s leading companies in the manufacture and recycling of plastic packaging. Around 23,300 employees worldwide produce custom-made packaging systems, bottles, caps and moulded parts at 190 sites across 46 countries. The high-quality packaging is used in a wide range of areas, including for food and drinks, cosmetics and care products, household cleaning products, detergents and cleaning agents, pharmaceutical products, engine oils and lubricants. ALPLA operates recycling plants for PET and HDPE in Austria, Germany, Poland, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Romania and Thailand. Other projects are being realised elsewhere around the world.

About Paboco
We are Paboco, The Paper Bottle Company, and we have decided to take action and become part of the solution – by designing for circularity using renewable materials. The paper bottle project is an innovation community joining some of the world’s leading players in materials, design and technology; united by the vision of creating the world’s first 100% bio-based and recyclable paper bottle. Paboco is a company leading the development and production of paper bottles out of Denmark, but supported across industries and geographies. ALPLA-Christian-Zmoelnig  Christian Zmölnig, Director Corporate Research, Development and Innovation at ALPLA and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Paboco. ( ALPLA)

www.alpla.com

#modernplasticsindia #indianplasticmagazine #modernplasticsaward #plasticnews #modernplasticsgermany #ginujoseph #modernplastic #plasticindia  #plasticrecycling #sustainability #modernplasticsglobalnetwork #modernglobalnetwork #modernplasticsaward2023 #plasticmagazine #PlasticIndustry  #modernplasticsmiddleeast #indianmagazine #innovations #modernplasticsamerica #modernplasticsbangladesh #modernplasticsasia #modernplasticsitaly  #cortecadvertising

Universally applicable: Latest Version of SML’s multi-purpose cast film line with new MDO unit

SML has just set up the newest version of its multi-purpose cast film line in its Technology Centre. The line is universally applicable and features a number of technical innovations: Above all, a further-developed MDO unit.
“Our new multi-purpose cast film line will not fail to impress even long-serving experts. The line has the technical capacity to fulfil almost every customer requirement in cast film production”, Elias Mayrhofer, R&D Engineer at SML, comments with pride. The cast film line is ready for the production of CPP, CPE, Cast-PET, barrier, as well as for mono-oriented films. The application areas are comprehensive as well: They range from film for metallized and laminated standard food and non-food packaging to easy-to-recycle stand-up pouches of MOPE film and further to label film, and also include technical products like cable insulations and easy-tear MOPP film. Despite its wide functional range, the line can be further optimized for the manufacturing of specialized products – assuring the highest efficiency and maximum quality.

Coherent concept
“A central characteristic of all of our machinery is the coherent line concept that we continue to develop and optimize,” Elias Mayrhofer states. This is underlined yet again by the modern and clear design of SML’s multi-purpose cast film line. SML’s new multi-purpose cast film line offers the following technical features:

• Five extruders for the processing of PP, PE, PA, PET, EVOH, as well as a tie-layer
• A seven-layer variable geometry feedblock with the possibility of numerous different layer arrangements
• Die width 2,850 mm, with internal deckling system two times 350 mm
• New MDO unit: maximum roll temperature of 160 ° C, maximum stretching ratio 1:10
• Horizontal sliding winder for up to 4 part bobbins

MDO unit for mono-materials
One key innovation featured in SML’s latest cast film line is the MDO unit, that is also designed for the manufacturing of easy-to-recycle mono-material films such as MOPP, MOPE and MOPET. With this MDO unit, properties such as the film strength in the machine direction, stiffness and puncture resistance are increased even further, while the film thickness and elongation in the machine direction are significantly decreased. SML has streamlined the whole MDO process: The clean and straightforward design makes operation comfortable and provides sufficient space for maintenance offering easy access.

New roller arrangement – tight stretching gap
One of the main technical features of SML’s latest MDO version is the process-optimized roller-arrangement. The adjustment of the stretching gap takes place in a motorized fashion, making the operation and alternations for product changes quite simple. As the stretching rollers have a diameter of 220 mm, the stretching gap can be kept narrow in a range between 50 and 200 mm (free length of the film between the rollers). While the distances between the stretching rollers can be reduced to a few mm only. The positions of the nip rollers in the stretching area are adjustable too. This ensures an ideal stretching process of the film, independent of the defined stretching gap.

Comfortable settings with SML’s new HMI
Finally, all the process parameters of the MDO unit are digitally recorded and can be comfortably set and adjusted with SML’s new HMI. SML’s new multi-purpose cast film line is available to customers for trials and sample production onwards.
www.sml.com

#modernplasticsindia #indianplasticmagazine #modernplasticsaward #plasticnews #modernplasticsgermany #ginujoseph #modernplastic #plasticindia  #plasticrecycling #sustainability #modernplasticsglobalnetwork #modernglobalnetwork #modernplasticsaward2023 #plasticmagazine #PlasticIndustry  #modernplasticsmiddleeast #indianmagazine #innovations #modernplasticsamerica #modernplasticsbangladesh #modernplasticsasia #modernplasticsitaly