Sustainable Plastics - March/April 2023 - 11

sustainability
Equipment
can make a
diff erence
Integrating sustainability at every stage
is a cornerstone of responsible plastic
packaging production. We know that
making smart decisions when it comes
to material choices and reducing waste
is a logical part of the journey, but what
about earlier on in the process? How can
we make sure that money is spent wisely,
in a way that will help to future-proof
the companies that are working hard to
create packaging solutions that deliver on
performance and sustainability?
Emma-Jane Batey
C
hoosing the equipment
that will make
the right diff erence
is not the decision
of one department, nor is it a
wishlist of nice-to-haves that
will somehow revolutionize an
ineff icient production facility. As
Posh Spice famously said, 'It's
easy to buy a £5m house'. OK,
she wasn't talking about investing
in packaging machinery -I
don't think - but the message
is the same: you'll always find
someone who's trying to sell
something, but it's your responsibility
to buy the right thing at
the right price.
So, what is the 'right thing'
when it comes to choosing
equipment that will enable
converterrs to progress sustainably?
With sustainability
coming from all directions, that
choice needs to consider the
production site, the product,
and the consumer - and the
environment.
It's not about thinking that
choosing to add recycled PET is
enough, or that lightweighting
preforms is enough. Yes, these
are both very important steps
forward, but there is more that
can be done, even if the buzzwords
are not quite as trendy.
Equipment that uses less energy,
generates less waste, or requires
less water means that responsibility
is integrated earlier.
Industry 4.0-ready equipment
means that maintenance can be
done by experts remotely, without
needing downtime or travel.
Anton Sugoniaev, head of
R&D at Retal, explains how this
converter considers the complete
journey of the packaging it
produces. " We're observing the
growing trend for 'conscious
consumption', with it being
evermore important for people
to know about the goods
they consume, how they're
packaged, where the product
comes from. Consumers value
trustworthy brands and need
to identify with the whole story
behind the product and its
package to create motivation
for purchase. "
Investment in equipment that
pays back in the medium to long
term is the privilege of producers
with capital, so there is a
responsibility to choose modern
machinery that will quickly bring
sustainability advantages to the
brands that work with them.
Invest wisely
For Retal, eff iciency of production
is the driver for its ongoing
investment. As Sugoniaev
points out: " Investment decisions
are made with eff iciency
and sustainability in mind; our
latest corporate social responsibility
report highlights our
progress and the importance
this progress is to our global
partners. For example, we've
upgraded two more of our preform
machines to handle flakes,
and we've made a significant
investment in closure compression
moulding with several new
lines. We chose these lines as
they are proven to run shorter
cycle times and show reduced
energy consumption in comparison
to conventional injection
moulding. We've been utilizing
both cap manufacturing
technologies and deploy new
products with a rational balance
between them both, developing
new, lighter closures and tethered
closures by harnessing all
the experience of our R&D team
and the technological advantages
of our investments. "
Investment in equipment at
the Retal testing laboratory also
tests for temperature, humidity
and oxygen permeability, with
preforms and closures tested
alongside third-party products.
This off ers clear benefits to the
customer as there's no downtime
on customers' lines, plus
the certified laboratory can advise
on modifications as well as
identifying any defects quickly.
All this careful investment
points to the same goal: eff iciency.
Perhaps the definition of
eff iciency has evolved to incorporate
sustainability now that
all brands have to be clear that
the 'whole story' of their products
is considered. Sustainability
for its own sake is better than
nothing, but when investment in
eff iciency is combined with understanding
sustainable design,
production, and testing, then a
more circular approach to plastic
packaging is within reach.
Wrap-up
* Ultrasonic welding uses
around 50% less energy than
conduction heat sealing systems.
* Pneumatic power can help
stretch blow moulding eff iciency
with higher throughput and
continuous production.
* Smart automation reduces
downtime, promotes preventative
maintenance, and gives
clear analytics in real time.
March/April 2023
11
Sustainable Plastics - March/April 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Plastics - March/April 2023
