Bottle News ALPLA showed
Bottle News ALPLA showed first PEF bottles As part of EXPO 2015 (1 May – 31 Oct), the innovative and creative nation of Austria is present at the Triennale Design Museum in Milan, Italy. ALPLA (Hard, Austria), leading international specialist in packaging solutions, is part of the Austrian Design Explosion exhibition with its PEF plastic bottles. The 100 % bio-based plastic PEF (polyethylene furanoate) is the packaging material of the future, as it is made from renewable materials (see pages 16 – 19 for more details). “For ALPLA, as a specialist in packaging solutions, sustainability and the use of materials made from renewable resources are some of the most fundamental bases for the next generations. We have a responsibility to drive innovation in this area,” says ALPLA CEO Günther Lehner. In 2013 the company joined Coca-Cola and Danone in a development collaboration with Avantium for the bio-based plastic PEF. As a technological leader, ALPLA brings its decades of experience in plastics processing to the fore for the continued development of PEF. PEF (polyethylene furanoate) has an exceptional gas barrier (e. g., 10 times higher barrier properties for oxygen compared to PET). Together with its higher strength this enables the development of thinner and lighter bottles. In addition, PEF is more heatresistant and it can also be processed at lower temperatures. With these superior properties it has the potential to prolong the shelve life of certain food products and beverages. This 100 % bio-based and 100 % recycleable new polymer is expected to be the packaging material of the future. “PEF is suitable for the production of extremely thin and light, yet strong, packaging, such as for drinks and foods,” the ALPLA CEO explains. “This technology offers our customers added value, and also has benefits for consumers and for the environment. We are proud to bring this pioneering technology to the market together with distinguished partners.” MT www.alpla.com www.avantium.com World’s first 100 % bio-based PET bottle On June 3 rd , 2015 also during EXPO 2015, The Coca-Cola Company unveiled the world’s first PET plastic bottle made entirely from plant materials at the World Expo – Milan. PlantBottle packaging pushes the boundaries on sustainable innovation by using groundbreaking technology to create a fully recyclable plastic bottle made from renewable plant materials. Nancy Quan, Global Research and Development Officer, The Coca-Cola Company, said, “Today is a pioneering milestone within our Company’s packaging portfolio. Our vision was to maximize game-changing technology, using responsibly sourced plant-based materials to create the globe’s first fully recyclable PET plastic bottle made entirely from renewable materials. We are delighted to unveil the first bottles here at World Expo – a world-class exhibition where sustainable innovation is celebrated.” In response to this announcement, Erin Simon, Sustainable Research and Development Manager of the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) stated: “With every technological advance made in the bioplastic industry comes the opportunity to continue to scale the impact of more sustainable production for the materials we depend on today. “We’re working with major companies around the world, including The Coca- Cola Company, to consider all the tradeoffs involved with plant-based plastics. We all want to make sure that as we shift from fossil fuel based feedstocks to biobased feedstocks for materials we provide net positive solutions without putting additional strain on precious land and water resources. “Plant-based plastics, if responsibly produced, allow us to continue to benefit from the tremendous value that plastics provide but without the negative environmental effects of using fossil fuels.” In addition to biobased PET Coca- Cola is also pursuing and supporting Avantium’s approach to develop a 100 % bio-based PEF resin. MT www.coca-colacompany.com 20 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/15] Vol. 10
4 th PLA World Congress 24 – 25 MAY 2016 MUNICH › GERMANY is a versatile bioplastics raw PLA material from renewable resources. It is being used for films and rigid packaging, for fibres in woven and non-woven applications. Automotive industry and consumer electronics are thoroughly investigating and even already applying PLA. New methods of polymerizing, compounding or blending of PLA have broadened the range of properties and thus the range of possible applications. That‘s why bioplastics MAGAZINE is now organizing the 4 th PLA World Congress on: 24 – 25 May 2016 in Munich / Germany Experts from all involved fields will share their knowledge and contribute to a comprehensive overview of today‘s opportunities and challenges and discuss the possibilities, limitations and future prospects of PLA for all kind of applications. Like the three congresses the 4 th PLA World Congress will also offer excellent networking opportunities for all delegates and speakers as well as exhibitors of the table-top exhibition. The conference will comprise high class presentations on Call for Papers bioplastics MAGAZINE invites all experts worldwide from material development, processing and application of PLA to submit proposals for papers on the latest developments and innovations. Please send your proposal, including speaker details and a 300 word abstract to mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com. The team of bioplastics MAGAZINE is looking forward to seeing you in Munich. › Online registration will be available soon. Watch out for the Early–Bird discount as well as sponsoring opportunities at www.pla-world-congress.com › Latest developments › Market overview › High temperature behaviour › Barrier issues › Additives / Colorants › Applications (film and rigid packaging, textile, automotive,electronics, toys, and many more) › Fibers, fabrics, textiles, nonwovens › Reinforcements › End of life options (recycling,composting, incineration etc) organized by bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/15] Vol. 10 21
