Rigid Packaging More
Rigid Packaging More than Cups ... Consumers are a very demanding group when it comes to quality and cost awareness – perhaps even more so in these times of crisis. This applies both to the home market in general and also to fast service restaurants, canteens and the whole catering industry. But this does not necessarily mean ‘cheap at any price’! Customers rightfully expect good value for their money. Meals have to be served fresh, and look appetizing. To be fresh and appealing is, therefore, also expected from the packaging. Price per portion has to remain affordable, while still serving high-quality food. Thus dishes and packaging must be easy to handle! Eco-efficiency is seen as a precondition for any packaging. At the same time sustainable and ecological management is being demanded. Combining all of these requirements in one packaging concept comes close to achieving the impossible. Huhtamaki’s answer to this dilemma is its BioWare range of environmentally compatible packaging. This range consists of cold drinks tumblers and clamshells, suitable for cold drinks, salads and desserts, as well as bio-coated paper hotcups and sturdy plates and bowls made from Chinet material. Crystal-clear tumblers and clamshells are made from Ingeo PLA. This plastic resin is made from renewable plant material, thus saving fossil resources. Products made from Ingeo PLA fully biodegrade within a few weeks, when deposited in industrial composting units. Huhtamaki produces beer and Polarity tumblers made from this material in its plant in Alf, Germany, and clamshells are made in Istanbul, Turkey. European users with a minimum of eco-awareness will easily see the advantageous ‘carbon footprint’ of these locations as opposed to transport routes for packaging imported from overseas regions. Thermoformed packaging items are relatively thin-walled compared to, for instance, injection-moulded items. Ingeo PLA is the choice basic material, as its density and stability allow for perfect functionality even at low weight. It is a matter of common knowledge that prices for conventional raw materials are currently rather low. In the long run, however, there will be no alternative to further development of regenerative fuel and plastics. Paul Blankert, Huhtamaki Sales Director Central Europe, comments: “Ingeo PLA clearly is the raw material of the future for Huhtamaki. Increasingly excessive fluctuations in fossil fuel based plastics result in an increasingly unpredictable business for participants in the market. And fossil deposits are finite. Even if it is possible to tap a few more oil fields, time and effort for their exploitation are mounting up. Nevertheless, there is and there will be considerable demand for practical and hygienic service packaging. We are well prepared for this demand, thanks to our Bioware - Range.“ www.huhtamaki.com 20 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/09] Vol. 4
Preview NPE Preview Taking place June 22-2, 2009 at Chicago‘s McCormick Place, NPE2009 will be a showcase and technology exchange for polymers derived from corn, castor beans, soybeans, potatoes, tapioca, and other natural resources. Thus bioplastics take center stage in this year‘s NPE2009, The International Plastics Showcase organized by SPI (The Socienty of the Plastics Industry). “The dawn of the era of sustainability has brought with it a worldwide industry consensus on the need to proactively address issues such as resource depletion,“ said SPI president and CEO William R. Carteaux. “Bioplastics have emerged as one of the most promising means for companies to carry out this strategy while operating profitably. Besides enabling businesses to comply with mandates for renewable resources, these exciting new polymer families will help ensure the long-term viability of our industry by providing an alternative to traditional raw materials.“ www.npe.org Kingfa Sci & Tech Co.,Ltd present Ecopond biodegradable plastics, made from aliphatic polyester, aliphatic-aromatic copolyester, biobased polyester, starch or modified starch etc. The materials can be 100% biodegradable and compostable and have been certified to meet EN13432 (AIB Vincotte, incl. ‘OK-Compost’) and ASTM D400 (BPI). Ecopond can be used for many kinds of bags, such as garbage bag, t-shirt bag, shipping, agricultural film etc. “There is not any polyethylene in Ecopond bags and no chemical additive to enhance decomposition“ as Kin Wong, (M.Sc. M.Eng) Sr. Manager Global Sales & Marketing points out. Ecopond bags biodegrade naturally under composting conditions. Kureha America is introducing a unique, biodegradable polymer, Kuredux Polyglycolic Acid (PGA). This high-strength polyester resin provides excellent carbon dioxide, oxygen and aroma barrier properties. Kuredux PGA also offers controllable hydrolysis, resulting in its certification as a biodegradable/compostable plastic in the US, Europe and Japan. Very importantly, Kuredux PGA is compatible with widely practiced industrial PET bottle recycling processes, satisfying the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR) Critical Guidance Protocols and ensuring the quality of the recycled PET stream. One promising application offers the potential to replace 20% of the PET used in carbonated soft drink bottles with only 1-2% of Kuredux PGA, without sacrificing shelf life requirements. This unique combination of source reduction, recyclability and inherent barrier characteristics makes Kuredux PGA ideally suited for high-performance packaging and industrial applications. www.kureha.com ETP & W11901 www.Kingfa.com.cn W103023 Nanobiomatters is producing, developing and patenting additives based on nanotechnology designed to maximize plastics and bioplastics properties through unique, green and cost effective nanotechnology. These unique aspects allow the NanoBioTer ® additives to be adapted to almost any plastics matrix while offering compliance with EU ad FDA legislations for food packaging. The main effect of the NanoBioTer additives is to increase barrier properties in packaging materials and extend shelf life of packaged food. www.nanobiomatters.com W9028 Leistritz will operate their Nano-1 twin screw extruder publicly for the first time processing 20 and 100 gram micro-batches. The Nano- 1 utilizes segmented screws/barrels, and a state-of-the-art control/ data acquisition package with a torque sensor load cell integrated into the drive train. The Nano-1 replicates the unit operations of larger scale equipment with a free volume of only 0.9 cc/diameter - the lowest volume available for a twin screw extruder that is scalable to production class machinery. A series of to 10 minute tutorials will be viewable on demand in a mini-theatre area on the following topics: HSEI (High Speed Energy Input) twin screw theory overview, HSEI twin screw terms and formulas, HSEI twin screw developments (torque/volume/cooling), direct extrusion, and extrusion of bioplastics. www.leistritzcorp.com N04 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/09] Vol. 4 21
