Extrusion International USA 2-2022

29 Extrusion International 2/2022 Klöckner Pentaplast www.kp f i lms.com packagingmarkets through the addition of an extrusion line and two thermoformers, delivering a total of 15,000 metric tonnes of new rPET/PET capacity. kp currently leads the in- dustry with over 20% of its volumes made from PCR mate- rial. Scott Tracey, kp’s Chief Executive Of fi cer states, “The expan- sion responds to continued demand for sustainable options from our food packaging, pharmaceutical, consumer and label fi lm customers. The extrusion line will support produc- tion of important sustainable product lines such as kpNext™ recyclable pharmaceutical blister fi lms, and Smartcycle ® re- cyclable label and consumer packaging fi lms. The thermo- formers will produce award winning kp Elite ® mono-mate- rial protein trays which are made using up to 100% recycled PET and are easily recycled creating a circular economy.” The addition is part of kp’s continued North America expan- sion plans. The state has committed to local grants and in- centives for the placement. The installation will add 60 jobs to the West Virginia facility with commercialization begin- ning at the end of 2022 for the fi rst thermoform line. The extrusion addition will be completed in mid-2023. The com- pletion of the second thermoform line and new production hall, which will be capable of additional capacity expansions in the future, is scheduled for the end of Q4 2023. Sustainably Produced Compounds „ SER North America is the second US plant built in Ander- son, Indiana, by the Italian Sirmax Group, a sustainable pro- ducer of polypropylene compounds, engineering plastics, post-consumer compounds and bio-compounds for a wide range of applications. SER North America, the Group's thir- teenth plant, is entirely dedicated to the production of re- cycled polypropylene from post-industrial waste. The new plant, which stands next to Sirmax North America (built in 2015), brings the plastic selection and processing models applied to post-consumer plastic in Europe to the US market. Its mission is to carefully select, shred, and regener- ate post-industrial waste, and its fl agship product is GREEN ISOPLEN™, a polymer based on 100% regenerated polypro- pylene. Incoming waste material is controlled at the source through stringent supplier selection and later processed to obtain high-quality output materials. SER North America's recycled polypropylene is intended both for industrial applications and to be processed by Sirmax North America as a second- ary rawmaterial for hybrid compounds marketed under the GREEN ISOFIL and GREEN ISOGLASS brands. These materials contain mineral fi llers or are reinforced with glass fi ber and are intended for the production of durable goods for the household appliance and automotive sectors. Though their performance is equivalent to high-grade compounds, they contain varying percentages of green material (depending on client speci fi cations), which ensure they have a lower en- vironmental impact. “SER North America marks a new stage in Sirmax's sustain- able growth,” states Lorenzo Ferro, US country manager at Sirmax Group. “These new green products give us the op- portunity to enter sectors where we do not yet have a pres- ence, such as industrial packaging or garden furniture. Our production processes and the fact we have full control of supply sources also means that we are ready to bring post- consumer mechanical recycling technology to the United States by 2024. The vertical integration we have undertaken with SER allows us to differentiate ourselves in the market and meet Sirmax client demands for more sustainable mate- rials in the automotive and household appliance sectors – all without compromising on traceability and the high quality standards required for premiummaterials, which are already being supplied today." Post-consumer mechanical recycling technology means Sir- max products contribute to the reduction of CO 2 emissions. This is substantiated by a life cycle assessment (LCA) study commissioned to Spinlife, a company of the University of Padua (Italy), which showed that replacing virgin polypro- pylene with recycled waste material can often halve carbon dioxide emissions. Sirmax has been working towards sustainability for years, and since last September, it has beenworking alongsideUM- ass Lowell and MIT – two Massachusetts universities – on a research project funded by the ReMade Institute (part of the DOE, Department of Energy) entitled "Chemical Conversion and Process Control for Increased use of Polyethylene and Polypropylene Secondary Feedstocks". UMass Lowell, the top US university in the fi eld of injection molding, is study- ing a model for recycling polyethylene and polypropylene industrial waste for correct reuse in the packaging industry. With an investment of $100,000 per year, Sirmax Group is the only non-US company partneringwith the project. Other participants include giants such as Procter&Gamble. In light of the USA’s increased focus on green policies, the purpose of the project is to provide the knowledge and technology needed to accelerate the implementation of good recycling practices and promote a culture of urban waste sorting. “The pandemic has determined a change of pace,” said Sirmax Group president and CEO Massimo Pavin, “as evi- denced by the 43 million dollars invested at the federal level to initiate as many as 24 projects engaging in the research of new technologies to reduce energy consumption and decrease emissions. Among these is the UMass project in Lowell, selected by the Remade Institute. In addition to its economic commitment, Sirmax will contribute by providing knowledge and by making its laboratories available for re- cycling tests.” Ser North America - Sirmax Group www.sirmax.com