Preview New Mater-Bi
Preview New Mater-Bi Applications Among the most innovative solutions which Novamont will be putting on display during interpack, will be the new Mater-Bi ® products used in the area of packaging. Co-extruded films which combine various grades of Mater-Bi. The use of co-extrusion technology allows the incorporation into a single composite structure of the various functional features of the individual grades of Mater-Bi. It is thus possible to broaden the range of available technical solutions and to produce film with better mechanical properties, barrier forming capability and processability on packaging lines, together with improved aesthetic qualities. Co-extruded films in Mater-Bi have been recently adopted by one of the main UK supermarket chains in FFS-type packaging for its own-brand organic fruit & veg. Laminated films, which involve the synergetic combination of the different properties of a variety of biodegradable materials, as can be seen from the new cereal packaging recently launched by Jordans Cereals. The traditional plastic bags were replaced with bags made up of one layer of “NatureFlex” (Innovia Films, booth E15) and another in Mater-Bi. The combination ensures excellent mechanical and barrier-forming properties in a compostable packaging. This is the first such application for long-life dried foods ever manufactured. Extrusion coating: a special grade of Mater-Bi has been developed for extrusion coating and extrusion lamination. This material is suitable for conversion using standard industrial machinery and offers performance very similar to traditional polyolefins in terms of process stability, production line speed and thicknesses obtained. Research is already at an advanced stage for a number of applications in flexible packaging (food and non-food) and rigid containers, given the material‘s excellent sealing and very good adhesive properties in multi-layer applications. Thermoformed expanded trays used mainly for food packaging (usually fruit & veg). Thanks to their high shock absorption they are especially suitable for more delicate products such as pears. Disposables for Catering Permapack AG from Rorschach, Switzerland offers a range of catering products. The Permafix Bioplastic products include 100% transparent PLA cups highly suitable for all kinds of cold drinks. These cups are very much welcomed by breweries, “because the beer foam does not collapse back upon itself immediately” as a company spokesman stated. PLA bowls and lids, for cold food, such as salads, desserts, fruits, etc.. Lids for protection of food as well as PLA straws are also available. All PLA products are DIN EN 13432 certified. Permafix plates, bowls, cups are made from vegetable fibres. They are heat resistant and do not absorb any liquid. Stiff, stable and are thus well suited for fast, standing refreshments. There is no risk of spilling on carrying with one hand. The fibres are from bamboo, sugar cane or reed. The program is rounded off by cutlery made from Biograde 300 A (a cellulose blend with natural fillers by FKuR, see booth C21). Biograde cutlery is heat resistant up to 95°C, hygienic and odourless. It also features stability and excellent haptic properties. The surface is pleasantly smooth. In the field of renewable raw materials Permapack has a well-founded technology know-how, based on a direct co-operation with the compound manufacturers. Thanks to co-operations world-wide, the company can also draw on 10 years of experience. Worldwide access to these resources allows comprehensive, tailor-made solutions. Permapack’s service includes the customer support in questions of disposal. www.permapack.ch C11 www.novamont.com E05 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/08] Vol. 3 17
Preview PHBV Products on the Move Tianan Biologic, the world’s largest producer of PHBV, is located in Ningbo, a major city in China’s economically dynamic Zhejiang Province. PHBV (Poly-b- Hydroxy Butyrate-co-Valerate) is a crystalline biopolymer with high temperature resistance. It is a fully biobased 100% biodegradable polymer derived through a completely natural fermentation process. In 2007, Tianan’s ENMAT PHBV capacity doubled from 1,000 to 2,000 tonnes. 2008 promises to be even more exciting as interest in PHBV-based products continues to grow rapidly. The company ultimately plans to increase capacity to 50,000 tonnes by end of 2011. Several customers are in the final stages of developing and commercializing a range of products. In February, Design Ideas introduced a range of durable, attractive bathroom accessories to enthusiastic buyers at Trade Fairs in New York, Frankfurt, Birmingham, and Tokyo. This line will launch under the EcoGen Brand in April 2008. The bath items, initially available at The Container Store, feature a bath cup, pump bottle, soap dish, toothbrush holder and waste can, range in price from approximately .00 to .00. EcoGen products, along with others in the development stage, will be on display at Tianan’s booth at interpack 2008. www.tianan-enmat.com www.EcoGenLife.com C20 PLA Films for Innovative Products Sidaplax Europe will show its extensive range of EarthFirst ® PLA Films, based on NatureWorks LLC’ Ingeo TM polymer. EarthFirst PLA Films are certified as compostable (EN 13432/ASTM D6400) and offer a more sustainable alternative for today‘s packaging applications. Currently, a variety of grades and thicknesses of EarthFirst are finding their way into many innovative products: window envelopes, bread bags, folding carton windows, transparent bags, postal pouches, fresh food & bakery product packaging, full-body shrink sleeves, tamper-evident bands and label films. EarthFirst PLA Films combine the environmental advantages of being compostable and offering significant CO 2 -emission reduction, with the inherent benefits of their performance: high moisture transmission rate, excellent printability, a consistent shrink curve, outstanding optical properties, good deadfold retention, and sealability at low temperatures producing stronger seals. EarthFirst PLA: a bright idea in bio-films indeed ! www.earthfirstpla.com www.sidaplax.com www.plasticsuppliers.com C19 Kristallisator K200 Crystallisation and Drying of PET and PLA MANN+HUMMEL ProTec GmbH produces equipment and systems especially designed for the plastic industries’ material processing. The product range includes not only equipment for conveying, drying, dosing and mixing, but also the procedural know-how for the production of readyto-use installations for the material processing of free flowing plastics. Thus ranging from the layout to the assembly of the installation and from the delivery of the goods up to the point of their final processing. When using PET and PLA for the production of preforms, bottles, foils, PETstraps and applications in the field of textiles and non-woven materials, the processing of the material is crucial for the finished product’s quality. Considering the steadily rising prices of raw materials it becomes very essential to include PET and PLA regrind into the processing. This again requires very special techniques for the material handling. MANN+HUMMEL ProTec introduces a SOMOS crystallizer for crystallization of amorphous PET and PLA and, in addition, shows possibilities for the best material preparation of both, virgin material, as well as regrind. www.mh-protec.com E12 18 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/08] Vol. 3
