We are pleased to announce that Nicolas Beyl will take over as Chief Executive
Officer of the Single group and of Single Holding GmbH as of December 1, 2020. He
succeeds Frank Spork, who has managed the company on an interim basis since
March 2020. Frank Spork will concentrate on his role as Director Product
Management and will continue to lead Single’s efforts in that area. We thank Frank
Spork for his tireless efforts and capable leadership during the transition phase in the
Single group leadership.
Nicolas Beyl (51) who holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, brings
extensive knowledge of the plastics and rubber machinery industries as well as a
wealth of management and leadership experience. Over the past 14 years, he has
held various leadership positions at the KraussMaffei Group, a leading manufacturer
of plastics and rubber machinery. From 2012 until 2020, he was Managing Director of
KraussMaffei Technologies, responsible for the Reaction Process Machinery division,
and was also a member of the Group’s Executive Committee. Before that, he was
head of technology in KraussMaffei’s Injection Molding division. Before joining the
KraussMaffei Group, he was a Principal at the Boston Consulting Group, advising
companies in the machinery and automotive industries on strategic and operational
issues.
Tim Talaat, Chairman of SIHAG, the parent of the SINGLE Group, stated: “Nicolas
Beyl, brings a wealth of experience and strong leadership to the SINGLE Group. I am
convinced that under Nicolas Beyl’s guidance the SINGLE Group will be able to
successfully master the next phase of our development”.
About Single: Single is the market leading supplier of powerful and energy-efficient temperature
control technology. A globally operating supplier of powerful and energy-efficient temperature control
and cooling technology on the world market, with a correspondingly expanded international
manufacturing, sales and service network. The range of products and services at a high level of quality
and innovation, as well as the international presence, guarantee high availability, reliable service and
fast, flexible processing worldwide.
http://www.single-temp.com
Appointment of Nicolas Beyl as Chief Executive Officer of the Single Group
High-speed extruder from battenfeld-cincinnati melts and degasses granulate from used plastic
Oil from plastic waste
Non-recyclable plastic is one of the problems of the present. Various technologies ensure the re-use of plastic products and their separation in waste processing. But the loss rate incurred in this area is still high. In the first place, plastics cannot be recycled and re-used indefinitely. Secondly, separation of pure homogeneous materials often presents a problem which leads to large quantities of non-reusable mixed fractions. These are normally burnt or disposed of on landfill sites.
However, latest research findings have opened up a possibility to extract oils and fuels from this no longer usable plastic once more. In this way, the material cycle can be closed again by returning the oils gained by this method to the chemical and petrochemical industries.
The Dutch company Petrogas – Blue Alp, domiciled in Eindhoven, has developed a production plant for this process over several years and commissioned it for Renasci, located in Oostende, Belgium.
In this process, the starting material (used plastic) is first collected and shredded, then its ingredients are analyzed. Next, undesirable foreign substances are filtered out, and the material is dried. By renewed agglomeration, a starting material is created in the form of a granulate.
This granulate is melted by battenfeld-cincinnati high-speed extruders and degassed via vacuum zones. In this way, volatile foreign substances are extracted and pumped off separately. The high-speed extruder is particularly well suited for this purpose, since its compact design in combination with a powerful transmission drive ensures a high output. These two advantages were decisive factors in the design of the entire system. An additional benefit is this extruder model’s user and maintenance friendliness. battenfeld-cincinnati specially developed a new processing unit and screw geometry for this application.
Downstream reactor units then split up the melt delivered by the extruder into its individual components.
About Blue Alp
BlueAlp is part of the Mourik group of companies. Mourikis, a Dutch family-owned business with a yearly turnover of ~ 430 million euros and almost 2000 employees, operating in 45 countries.
For engineering and construction, BlueAlp works very closely with Petrogas Gas-Systems, also part of the Mourik group. Petrogas has over 70 years of experience in the oil & gas and (petro) chemical industry. The process modules for the BlueAlp™ process are fabricated and assembled in Petrogas’ workshop in Eindhoven.
www.bluealp.nl www.petrogas.nl www.renasci.be
Nestlé Waters North America Invests in Startup Timeplast to Explore Alternative Packaging Technologies
Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA) has invested in Timeplast, a Florida-based startup that is researching solutions for one of the critical aspects of the global plastic waste challenge – plastic that isn’t properly recycled and ends up in landfills, oceans and waterways. Timeplast is exploring a new technology that may help to minimize the impact of plastic that leaks into the environment.
“I knew a strategic partnership would be critical to further develop a solution that both addresses plastic pollution while maintaining compatibility with the existing recycling system,” said Manuel Rendon, CEO at Timeplast. “With Nestlé Waters’ packaging and recycling expertise, we are excited to continue testing the capabilities of a technology that we will work together to bring to market. This is a steppingstone of our company’s big plan to a world where all plastics are transformed based on their expected use.”
As part of the investment in Timeplast, NWNA will provide financing and additional support to evaluate the technology, combining NWNA’s stringent safety, quality and performance standards for food-grade packaging with Timeplast’s technology. The investment has created a limited liability company, TPN Alliance Polymers, LLC, which is based in Coral Gables, Florida.
“For more than five years, we’ve brought to market an increasing number of bottles made with other bottles and launched campaigns to inspire consumers to recycle their bottles helping to drive toward a circular economy,” said David Tulauskas, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Nestlé Waters North America. “As we make progress toward a zero-waste future, we’re enthusiastic to build on our work by exploring alternative technologies such as those presented by Timeplast.”
The investment is part of NWNA’s efforts to identify multiple and simultaneous sustainable packaging solutions that address plastic pollution across the globe. In September 2020, Poland Spring announced a collaboration with the University of Maine and its Forest Bioproducts Research Institute to evaluate and develop bio-based solutions that could serve as alternative packaging for Poland Spring products. As part of the collaboration, the University of Maine will explore new possible uses of materials derived from sustainably harvested Maine wood, an effort that has the potential to advance the circular economy by contributing to the total utilization of this renewable resource.
In addition to alternative packaging, as of June 2020, NWNA has doubled the amount of recycled PET plastic (rPET) used since 2019 across its U.S. domestic portfolio to 16.5%. In July, the company announced that three of its regional spring water brands have started to offer bottles made of 100% recycled plastic, joining Poland Spring 100% Natural Spring Water in offering bottles made with 100% rPET. Now, five of NWNA’s six regional spring water brands offer bottles made with recycled plastic, and four of these offer bottles made with 100% rPET. NWNA also offers three of the only major, nationally distributed bottled water offerings on the market made using 100% rPET – Nestlé® Pure Life 700mL, Poland SpringORIGIN, Nestlé Pure Life “DC Collection.” These steps are all helping NWNA reach its commitments to achieve 25% rPET across its U.S. domestic portfolio by 2021 and reach 50% by 2025.
https://www.nestle-watersna.com/
The Acquisition of a Comexi Offset CI8 Allows Totalflex to Better Service Its Customers
The Brazilian company stresses that central drum offset printing brings
innovation, productivity, and profitable shorter runs by combining multiple SKUs
Comexi, a specialist in solutions for the flexible packaging printing
and converting industry, and Totalflex Indústria de Embalagens, one of the largest flexible
packaging companies in Brazil, have reached an agreement for the acquisition by the Brazilian
company of a Comexi Offset CI8. This purchase will allow Totalflex to increase productivity,
offering customers shorter runs, capable of combining various SKUs within the same job. This is
the first central drum offset press which Comexi installs in Brazil.
“We are able to offer innovation and productivity to our customers, as well as sustainable printing,
as a result of EB (Electron Beam) inks and lacquers”, explains Clodoaldo Martins Neto, executive
director of Totalflex. He also comments that the Brazilian company strives to make a difference
with the options that presently exist on the market, confirming that for this purpose, Totalflex
“offers monolayer materials, thinner films, higher productivity, and high quality printing, which has
positioned the company and its products on the forefront of the market”.
Neto emphasizes that one of the strengths of Comexi’s offset central printing technology is its
capability of grouping multiple SKUs in one single run. “It allows us to market our services to
clients with an extensive mix of SKUs and offer SKU combinations within the same job. As a
result, we are able to competitively perform short or medium runs at the highest quality level”.
The commercial relationship between Comexi and Totalflex began in 2003 with the purchase by
the Brazilian company of the first machines. “We had an extremely positive appreciation of
Comexi and identified considerably with the company because its profile was similar to ours.
Since 2001, before our first acquisition, Comexi was already providing us flexographic technical
support, which was unmatched in Brazil. By virtue of Comexi, we have been able to competitively
differentiate ourselves by offering a high standard of quality that has never been seen in our
region. Together, we are building a beautiful alliance”, says Clodoaldo Martins Neto.
Totalflex Indústria de Embalagens, which has its headquarters in the city of Jequié (Bahia), was
founded in 1977 under the name of Artplástico. In 1994, the company was acquired by its current
owners. After investments in technology, which culminated with the acquisition of modern and
high-performance equipment, Totalflex Indústria de Embalagens began offering a variety of
services in 2006, the year the new Totalflex brand was created, becoming a sector leader of a
main industry. The company specializes in supplying flexible laminated packaging with two or
more layers, and produces packaging that preserves and maintains the characteristics and quality
of various products. Totalflex has the ABFlexo seal given to notable flexographic printing
companies, placing it among the top five companies of the sector in Brazil.
The Comexi CI8 Offset press is the result of combining the advantages of offset variable size
printing with central drum technology. It is the best solution for short and medium size runs,
embraces the demand of time to market and printing quality, reduces the operative cost, and has
less of an impact on the environment.
About Comexi – www.comexi.com
Webinars open the new W. MÜLLER Academy
In May 2020, W. MÜLLER, a specialist in extrusion heads and extruders, started offering
virtual seminars for its customers and business partners. In September 2020, the German
mechanical engineering company ran its second technical webinar. Under the title
"Recommended Head Tooling Handling" it was said for the second time "Welcome to the
program of the W. MÜLLER Academy!" The webinars are a free release from the new
training program of the blow molding specialist.
"In the future, the W. MÜLLER Academy will become a point of contact for anyone who
wants to educate themselves on the topic of blow molding technology. Whether our
customers or not, newcomers or long-term professionals; we want to boost the exchange of
knowledge, train skilled and unskilled workers and, among other things, bring the world a
little closer to how much the plastics industry can actually contribute to a sustainable world.
Because our raw material is far more valuable than its reputation and one of the great
solutions – if used and recycled correctly – to the many issues of climate change.", Brigitte
Müller, CEO describes.
The webinars are a small preview of what W. MÜLLER offers at the W. MÜLLER
Academy. Further information on the complete training program, including all contact
options, will be available on the website of W. MÜLLER soon.
INEOS STYROLUTION HOSTS GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR ITS NEW 600KT ABS PLANT IN NINGBO, CHINA
· Additional resources for the world’s biggest ABS market
· Improved service offering for customers
· Investment reflects commitment to the company’s Triple Shift growth strategy
INEOS Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, today announced its ground-breaking ceremony for its new 600kt ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plant located in Ningbo, China. The development of the new site is part of INEOS Styrolution’s larger expansion plans into China, following an earlier acquisition of two polystyrene production sites in Ningbo and Foshan.
The location of the new site was selected because of its extensive access to feedstock supply options and excellent supply chain connection to customers. The new site is expected to be operational by 2023.
The ground-breaking ceremony was hosted by Meizhu Fang, INEOS Styrolution APAC Project Director. Attendees included local government and business leaders, engineering and construction representatives, and several project service providers/partners.
“First, we want to thank the Ningbo Municipal Government, Zhenhai District Government, Sinopec Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Co., Ltd.,Ningbo Zhoushan Port Group, State Grid Ningbo Power Supply Company and Ningbo Petrochemical Economic and Technological Development Zone administrative committee for providing their very strong support as we embark on this exciting project for our company,” said Steve Harrington, CEO INEOS Styrolution. “The successful completion of this project will be a significant step forward for our ambitious growth plans in China and will allow us to further serve our customers in their domestic market.”
Rob Buntinx, President Asia Pacific at INEOS Styrolution, added: “I am excited to see us building a world-class ABS manufacturing plant here in Ningbo. ABS is a versatile high performance styrenic resin. Its properties make it the material of choice for many everyday products across industries, including automotive, electronics, household, healthcare and toys/sports/leisure. This investment affirms our commitment to support the growth of our customers in Asia.”
About INEOS Styrolution
INEOS Styrolution is the leading global styrenics supplier, with a focus on styrene monomer, polystyrene, ABS Standard and styrenic specialties. With world-class production facilities and more than 90 years of experience, INEOS Styrolution helps its customers succeed by offering innovative and sustainable best-in-class solutions, designed to give them a competitive edge in their markets, and at the same time, help make the circular economy for styrenics a reality. The company provides styrenic applications for many everyday products across a broad range of industries, including automotive, electronics, household, construction, healthcare, packaging and toys/sports/leisure. In 2019, sales were at 5 billion euros. INEOS Styrolution employs approximately 3,600 people and operates 20 production sites in ten countries.
SABIC’S GLOBAL FOOTPRINT MEETS LOCAL DEMAND FOR PROTECTIVE PRODUCTS TO HELP COMBAT COVID-19
SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, is making a significant contribution to the battle against
COVID-19 through increased production within its LEXAN polycarbonate portfolio. The focus of the
production increase has been on innovative polycarbonate sheets and films for a wide variety of high-
performance products to help improving sanitation control and preventing infections.
SABIC’s efforts in combatting COVID-19 are boosted by the company having production facilities across
Europe, Asia and North and South America. This provides the company’s Functional Forms business with the
ability to manufacture and swiftly distribute its sheet and film products across every region around the world.
SABIC and its predecessors have a long history as an innovator in polycarbonate technology, having invented
polycarbonate resin in 1953, and initiated production of high-performance sheets and films in 1968. Since
then, SABIC excels in polycarbonate development with a portfolio of over 350 material grades. SABIC’s
Functional Forms business spearheads materials innovation, enabling applications in industries where there is
a need for safety, high optical quality, durability, anti-bacterial properties and flame, chemical and impact
resistance products.
LEXAN protective sheets and films have applications across an extensive range of sectors that are
experiencing particular hygiene and social distancing challenges during the pandemic. These include
hospitals and medical clinics, care homes, dental practices, schools and kindergartens, retail and hospitality
outlets, sports centers, reception areas and mass transportation, among many others.
“There is an urgent and ongoing need around the world for protective equipment, not only to fight against this
current pandemic, but also to improve safety and hygiene standards in the future ”, said Sandeep Dhawan,
Global Business Director Functional Forms, SABIC. “As a company that excels in ground-breaking materials,
we are driven by the ambition to innovate and are committed to providing the latest technology and expertise
to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and help mitigate further infection.”
Market takes action against pandemic with LEXAN film and sheet solutions
As testament to its global reach, SABIC has supplied innovative polycarbonate sheet and film solutions to
some of the world’s leading organizations, for some of the most demanding applications aimed at providing
increased protection against COVID-19. Examples include:
Brillant BusGlas, Germany
Helping bus operators cope with distancing regulations in the combat of COVID-19, Brillant BusGlas is
offering transparent partition panels for separating bus drivers from passengers in public transportation. The
2
ECE-R43 certified and TÜV approved panels are made from virtually unbreakable, coated 8 mm MARGARD ™
MR5E sheet and available in kits for installation on-site and/or by Brillant’s retrofit service.
“Thanks to the freedom of design and ease of conversion of SABIC’s polycarbonate sheet products, we can
customize and supply these partition panels for virtually any public bus brand. The rigidity, outstanding impact
strength, double-sided abrasion-resistant coating, and long-term transparency of the material make them an
ideal solution providing permanent professional driver protection as well as compliance with current anti-
pandemic contact restrictions.”
Image Labels PVT. LTD., India
Image Labels supplies face shields to government bodies, police departments, hospital groups and leading
OEMs such as Schneider, as well as partitions for taxis and other modes of transportation.
“Through our association with SABIC we are now into our 25th year of successfully supplying leading
polycarbonate solutions for a wide range of applications,” said Sujan Nailady, Managing Director, Image
Labels. “We are particularly appreciative of the support SABIC has provided in helping to overcome some of
the challenges posed by the COVD-19 pandemic.”
Krüger Aviation GmbH, Germany
For the aviation industry to recover from the economic impact of the pandemic, airlines must instill confidence
in passengers using their aircraft, without the costly need to implement an empty seat policy. Krüger Aviation
has taken up the challenge by developing seat dividers, made from SABIC’s LEXAN F2000A polycarbonate
sheet, which provide passengers with a high level of protection from any aerosols produced by neighbors. The
seat divider, which is attached to the middle seat in rows with three seats, is constructed for easy mounting
without need of any modification of the seat itself, with a full aircraft being equipped within a few hours.
“While facemasks may be still required, seat dividers will establish an additional layer of protection and
significantly reduce risk of infection” said Florian Ehinger, Head of Customer Service. “We believe this will be
a highly cost-effective way to help restore passenger trust in airline travel.”
Focaccia Group, Italy
Using SABIC’s LEXAN MARGARD MR5E polycarbonate sheet, Focaccia has designed and manufactured the
first “L”-shaped anti-COVID partition, which can be installed in vehicles to separate the driver from
passengers. Called the “Elle Corona Stopper”, the partition does not obstruct the driver and does not interfere
with airbags, mirror view, seat belts or safety systems. It can be installed in minutes, removed without
damaging the car interior and can be completely disinfected.
“SABIC’s LEXAN sheet has enabled us to deliver the desired characteristics of resilience and creativity in
manufacturing for which we are known”, said Mr. Riccardo Focaccia, General Manager, Focaccia Group.
“Even in challenging times, our ideas never stop, and a flexible polycarbonate solution enables some of our
other creative ideas come to life.”
SABIC products to enable better protection against viruses
SABIC’s next generation LEXAN sheet and film solutions have all been developed to bring Chemistry that
Matters™ to the marketplace. Our clear understanding of product needs and performance attributes supports
application success for our customers. The journey of innovation will be highlighted with technology which
supports anti-bacterial performance to assist in the fight against COVID-19 across its portfolio. SABIC LEXAN
polycarbonate solutions are available through a large network of localized distribution centers globally.
To learn more about SABIC’s efforts to help combat COVID-19, please visit www.sabic.com/sfs.
The Streamrunner from HASCO hot runner opens the door to completely new design possibilities in hot runner technology.
For over 50 years, elm-plastic GmbH in Dudeldorf/Germany has stood for
high-quality, technically sophisticated articles in plastic. With some 100
employees, this mouldmaking and injection moulding company in the Eifel
region produces primarily injection moulded parts for the pharmaceutical
industry. An existing 500 kN injection moulding machine was to be used for a
small DIY-store article. The perfect solution with an optimum opening stroke
was provided by the new Streamrunner, with an additive-manufactured
manifold block, from HASCO, the Lüdenscheid/Germany-based standard
component and hot runner specialist.
Bild 1
Even though elm-plastic’s product range mainly comprises pharmaceutical primary
packaging materials and dosage aids for human and veterinary preparations, the
company repeatedly works on projects from different areas. These include a product
with a highly demanding geometry that is to be sold in DIY stores in future. The
HDPE injection moulding is produced on an 8-cavity mould. “The customer calls off
batch sizes of 400,000 articles several times a year,” explains Roman Möhs,
development manager at elm-plastic. The geometry of the article posed a particular
challenge, however. “Our 500 kN injection moulding machine is actually ideally
suited to this article with its 8-cavity production,” explains Möhs, “but the permitted
installation height is somewhat tight for the application. We had to find a different
solution, because switching to the next largest 750 kN machine was not a real
alternative.
Streamrunner – Compact 3D-printed HASCO hot runner system
The in-house mouldmaking department at elm-plastic, which produces some five to
ten moulds itself each year, relies on standard components and hot runner
technology from HASCO. Roman Möhs looks back to the last K – the world’s
leading trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry in Düsseldorf – where the
HASCO specialists presented a new development. “The new Streamrunner has
indeed made it possible to save 10 mm on the mould thickness for this project,
despite the complex installation situation and the demanding gating,” explains
Stephan Hatarik, a technical sales engineer at HASCO hot runner. Since the
manifold block, which is available on the market exclusively from HASCO, is
manufactured in an additive laser sintering process, the complete “hot half” can be
produced much more compactly. “This gives us the necessary space for the
opening stroke to ensure reliable demoulding,” says Möhs, “and we also have a
certain reserve when it comes to the installation height and ejector stroke, etc.” This
would have been almost impossible with a conventional standard hot runner, the
development manager stresses. “And 10 mm is really a lot for a cylindrical article
with a length of 25 mm,” he adds.
A further key advantage of the 3D-printed manifold is that the flow channels can be
freely designed to suit the precise requirements, thus ensuring an optimally
balanced design with radii everywhere and hence no dead corners. The additive
manufacture of the hot runner employing the 3D laser sintering process enables the
complete manifold block, including all the threads, to be manufactured in one piece
in a single operation. “No deflection elements have to be shrunk in, which could then
leak,” Stephan Hatarik explains. In addition, 3D printing permits very close hole
spacing and highly variable nozzle configurations.
Bild 3
Small but very complex DIY-store article
It became clear during the 3D design process for the mould already that the space
problem could be solved with the aid of the 3D-printed manifold. The demanding
gate for the relatively small, complex article prompted HASCO to additionally
conduct a Moldex filling simulation, or flow analysis – a service that HASCO
generally offers its customers free of charge. This simulation resulted in the gating
point being moved by a number of millimetres prior to the manufacture of the mould
so as to avoid air inclusions.
Roman Möhs was pleased that the delivery time for the individually designed and
manufactured 8-cavity Streamrunner with its modified screw-in 20 mm Techni Shot
nozzles was only slightly longer. “We can easily recover the slightly higher costs by
using the smaller machine.” He was delighted about the HASCO innovations, which
enabled the entire project to be carried out and handled without any problems. The
fact that the nozzle tips and the heating can be installed from the parting plane also
proved to be a great help, since this facilitates maintenance.
Fig. 4
The mould has moving parts on the ejector side. The DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon)
coating on the slideways reduces the coefficients of friction and permits a
considerably longer mould life without separate lubrication.
Bild 5
Even though the current project is an article for DIY stores, the absence of
lubrication is important for elm-plastic because the machines are operated primarily
in a clean-room environment for the production of medical devices. All the injection
moulding machines at elm-plastics have all-electric drives.
Faring well in the crisis with medical devices
Since elm-plastic produces mainly products for eminent international pharmacists
and contract fillers working for the pharmaceutical industry, the Eifel-based
company has not suffered any significant loss of sales during the corona crisis.
“Our product range primarily comprises pharmaceutical packaging materials and
dosage aids for human and veterinary preparations. Apart from disposable syringes,
this also includes products such as pipettes, applicators and injectors in a wide
range of designs, dosage aids, perforated screw caps, pipette wipers and a great
deal more,” explains Roman Möhs.
During the corona crisis, additional orders have been received, even from the USA,
for items including measuring beakers and a wide variety of pipettes.
The positive experience obtained with these projects is the reason for elm-plastic “to
continue working together closely with HASCO” says Roman Möhs.
For elm-plastic, is it a huge advantage that all HASCO’s standard components can
be supplied from stock and that replacements are available without any problems in
the event of a failure. “If we order a replacement part in the online shop, it’s there
within 24 hours”. We can’t even produce a replacement part ourselves that quickly,”
adds Roman Möhs. And the restructured hot runner zone in the HASCO online
portal has also had a large amount of information added to it. One feature is the
new, intuitive enquiry form which can be used to request hot runner systems in a
straightforward and time-saving manner.
Bild 6
With more than 100,000 products, HASCO is a full-range supplier for tool and
mouldmaking and supplies its customers with everything from a single source. A
modular standard-component range, perfectly tailored to customer requirements,
and individual hot runner solutions provide a reliable basis for high-quality moulds
and hence sustainable competitiveness.
www.hasco.com
EPL’s Platina Is World’s First Fully Recyclable Packaging Tube
EPL Limited (formerly known as Essel Propack Limited), the world’s largest specialty packaging company, has received global recognition from the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), USA for its Platina Tube with an HDPE closure.
EPL’s Platina is the first fully sustainable and completely recyclable tube in the world, including shoulder and cap, to get this recognition. It is the only tube to have an integrated shoulder INNER BARRIER LINER (IBL) that is also recyclable in HDPE recycle stream. This is a big step forward as it allows the total tube to be recycled in a single recycle stream
APR maintains exacting standards for certification. Platina went through a rigorous test and qualification process for more than 3 months before the results were announced. Platina is an eco-friendly laminated tube produced with less than 5% barrier resin, and has earlier received recognition from the APR, USA, for consistently meeting or exceeding the most stringent APR HDPE Critical Guidance criteria.
After use, the Platina tubes and caps can be recycled in the dominant #2 plastic stream used across the globe for recycling Milk Cans, Juice bottles etc. Use of HDPE in Platina and GML tubes increases the stiffness of the tubes, enabling EPL to reduce polymer content and in turn help users to deliver on their sustainability commitments.
The Platina range of HDPE tubes are designed to deliver source reduction and recyclability without the loss of any barrier properties. This allows for sustained product stability and durable shelf life of the packed content. Platina tube is especially suited for oral, toiletries, and food brands. Platina tubes and caps were also certified as 100% recyclable by RecyClass European certification for ‘Code 2’ (recycling) earlier, making them the only speciality packaging tubes and caps to be recognised as 100% recyclable, globally.
Mr. Sudhanshu Vats, MD & CEO EPL said, “Sustainability is a key area of focus for us and we constantly endeavour towards achieving it. We are extremely delighted to receive this recognition from APR, and this will motivate us to develop more innovative and sustainable solutions and consciously reduce our carbon footprint. This showcases our strong R&D capabilities, underlining EPL’s global position as one of the world’s leading innovative packaging manufacturers with the highest standards of sustainability, resource efficiency and recycling/reuse (PCR)”.
“We will encourage and enable our customers to convert to this packaging format; helping them to meet their sustainability commitments faster.” he added.
Mr. Hariharan K. Nair, Vice President, Creativity and Innovation, said “This is a big achievement for us at EPL. Sustainable solutions is a key focus area for us and we are striving towards achieving this objective across product lines. A first-in-the-world tag makes us proud and is a testament to our disciplined and creative work ethic. Recycling helps the environment and even as it creates new economic opportunities, as recycled products can be made into new goods. Recycling helps still-useful materials prevent clogging up landfills and helps reduce fossil fuel consumption.”
About APR
The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) is The Voice of Plastics Recycling®. As the international trade association representing the plastics recycling industry, membership includes independent recycling companies of all sizes, processing numerous resins, as well as consumer product companies, equipment manufacturers, testing laboratories, organizations, and others committed to the success of plastics recycling. APR works to enhance quality and increase supply through technical resources, testing programs, design solutions, corporate training, regulatory leadership, and education programs.
About EPL
EPL Limited (formerly known as Essel Propack Ltd.) is the world’s largest specialty packaging company, manufacturing laminated plastic tubes catering to the FMCG and pharma spaces. Employing 3158 people from 25 nationalities, EPL operates through twenty state-of-the-art facilities in eleven countries, selling about 8 billion tubes per annum.
With a market leading Oral Care volume share of 36% globally, EPL has units operating across the USA, Mexico, Colombia, Poland, Germany, Egypt, Russia, China, Philippines and India. These facilities cater to 5 core categories of Oral Care, Beauty & Cosmetics, Pharma & Health, Food & Nutrition and Home Care; offering customized solutions through constant innovations in materials, technology, design and processes.
The plastic industry in your hand
m-hub is the first mobile app that helps you to promote your business and find all
players in the plastic industry with the tap of a finger.
Launched during last year K-show in Düsseldorf, M-HUB was born as an easy-to-use business tool to brake
barriers within the plastic industry and help plastic professionals to take a step towards a digital future.
EXPLORE THE WORLD OF PLASTICS By creating a free personal account, you will join the first business network
including all players in the industry, ranging from the early stage of the supply chain to the very end customers. You will be able to search for any company that fits your specific needs with just a few taps.
There are two main ways to explore M-HUB’s network: the free text search on the top where you can
simply type what you need, and the dedicated advanced search for companies, products and machines.
Within the advanced search for companies and products you will be able to use a wide range of filters, from country and geolocation to core business, field of application and expertise. The advanced machine search also adds a few technical filters as well such as the availability and price of the machinery you are looking for.
From the list of results, you will be able to review in detail the companies, products or machines which may fit your needs.
Once you find suitable matches, you can easily get in touch with them using the call to actions available in M-HUB. A map view is also available to help you understand where your new potential partners or customers are located and focus on the ones more valuable for you. You can also explore our “Featured Companies”, “Featured Products” and “Featured Machines” which are showcased on the home page of M-HUB.
MAKE YOUR COMPANY STAND OUT
The plastic supply chain is a highly complex, diversified sector which comprises hundreds of thousands
of companies and employs millions of people worldwide. Thanks to the possibility of creating a company profile
for free, M-HUB helps businesses stand out across the entire plastics world. The app allows even smaller
companies and entrepreneurs to gain visibility worldwide and maximize their business opportunities.
Creating a company profile in M-HUB is as easy as it gets: after specifying a few basic contact details, such as the address and contact email of your company, you will be able to specify your business information:
• Core Business: pick up to 3 core businesses for your company. Embracing
all sectors in the plastic industry we made sure you can find yours.
• Field of Application: all plastic applications are covered in M-HUB.
You will be able to select the most important markets for your company,
ranging from automotive to domestic appliances, electronics, etc…
• Expertise: this is the last step of the company creation which will
allow you to specify in detail your strengths and technologies. You will be able to choose from a list of 500+
expertises and even add your own! The list is constantly growing thanks to the contribution of our users.
Once you set up your company profile your business will be available for all the matching searches!
The company page can be further enriched by adding your logo, a background picture, your products, and other documents and certificates: the more data you add, the higher the company will be displayed in search results.
Should you need help to fill these data, you can even invite your colleagues from the “Members” tab of the company by simply adding their email. If they do not have an account yet, they will have to
register before accepting the invitation. If they already have an account, they can simply accept the invitation via
email or in the notification center. M-HUB leverages mobile technologies to keep you up to date with the latest
companies and products joining the network. Within the notification center, you will receive weekly notifications on the latest additions to our global network. If you want to push the visibility of your business and maximize your brand awareness, you can pay a small fee to be featured in the “Featured Companies” list in the home page of M-HUB.
PROMOTE YOUR PRODUCTS ON THE GLOBAL STAGE
Each company can add unlimited products and services to showcase heir capabilities to their potential
customers on a global stage. With a few taps, it is possible to add up to 3 pictures for each product, specify the
related expertise and field of application and add a dedicated description. Your product will be searchable by
all users in the community! You canuse this feature also to showcase your most important case studies.
Each product you add will be shown in the weekly product notification, so everyone will be aware of the updates to your portfolio. Keep adding them regularly! For a small fee you can add one of your products to the “Featured
Products” in the home page and boost its visibility across the plastic world.
MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR MACHINERY M-HUB is also a marketplace for
any kind of machinery in the plastic sector, allowing companies to add their machines for sale, for rental
or to fill their production capacity. On the other hand, buyers can find new or
used machines with the specific technical requirements they need from the palm
of their hand – without any middlemen. Companies can add their machines
specifying basic details such as:• Machine category: select the
category among all the types
of machinery in the industry.
• Machine name
• Availability: machines can either be available for sale (new, in stock or used), for rental, for production or for trials.
• Price: the price can be explicit or “on request” if you would like to disclose it at a later stage.
You can add the machine price in your local currency: M-HUB will take care in converting the price with the latest
exchange rates so that everyone will see the price in its preferred currency. Once the machine is created, you can
specify further details such as the manufacturer of the machine, the manufacturing year, the model and
a description. You can even attach pictures and other relevant documents to allow potential customers
to find more information. The more data you add, the higher your machine will be displayed in search results.
If you have an urgent need to sell your machine or fill your production capacity, you can promote it in the
home page of M-HUB in the “Featured Machines” section always for a small fee.
A MOBILE APP TO CONNECT THE PLASTIC SUPPLY CHAIN M-HUB
is now available in 13 different languages and can be downloaded for free on Google Play, Apple App Store
and the main Chinese Android Stores. ‘’The story of m-hub starts from four professionals working in the plastic
industry, like you. Seeing customers and suppliers bothered by the lack of visibility, market knowledge and integration, we decided to take on the challenge of connecting all the plastic supply chain through an all-round platform tailor-made on the needs of the industry. One year after the launch, the App has reached more than 8000 professionals and 1500+ companies from more than 80 countries: a global App to serve a global industry!’.
2021 will bring new features – chat and web version on the horizon – providing more and more value to our users. Stay tuned, the best has yet to come!’’ Andrea Tellan, Co-founder of M-HUB
https://app.m-hub.com