For PDF View

Transcription

For PDF View

Polymer & Packaging | 1
2 | Polymer & Packaging
Editor’s Note
Dear Readers,
Greetings from Polymer & Packaging International
Magazine!
The turn of year has marked quite considerable
improvements in polymer and packaging industry of
Pakistan. In the global context, a huge decline in the
crude oil prices may effect the price of petrochemical
products which could ultimately decrease the cost of
finished goods available to the consumers. As per the
trade statistics provided by Federal Board of Revenue,
the total imports from Jan to Nov 2015 were US$
1.226 billion and are contributed by plastic material,
paper & board machinery, plastic & rubber machinery,
packaging machinery and printing machinery. Among
all these sectors, Plastics Material and Plastic
& Rubber machinery sector merely contributes
1.1 billion. Since Pakistan’s Polymer & Packaging
industry depends on the imports of raw materials
and machinery that is the reason why these imports
indicates that the local demand of the industry is
simultaneously increasing which depicts the future of
plastics is more favorable for the industry players and
overall market of Pakistan.
As the local industrial sector of the polymer
and packaging in Pakistan is based on SMEs; the
government of Pakistan is taking keen interest
towards its growth and expansion. In this year, the
trade relations of Pakistan and Iran are improved to
the extent that business activities in the international
market are expected to intensify in near future. The
uplifting of sanctions from Iran will bring an economic
boom because Iran provides end-to-end solution for
polymers industry. Correspondingly, there are trade
MoUs signed between Pakistan and other countries
such as Turkey and Turkmenistan which supports the
development of industries.
Previously during the year, we have focused on
Bio-plastics, Flexible Packaging and Plastics in
Automotive Applications. In each edition, we have
tried to cover latest happenings and information
suitable for our clients. The theme of this issue is
“Medical Plastics” which discusses how different
pharmaceutical companies have adopted latest trends
and technologies of pharma packaging in replacing
metal and glass by plastics. We have also learned that
due to light weight and high portability of plastics, it
is been used widely all over the globe.
The aim of Polymer & Packaging International Magazine
is to bridge a gap between local and international
business entities. In our mission to achieve towards
this goal, we will continue to link technical and market
excellence available internationally to bring Pakistan
closer to more advance technology. The continued
efforts of the Magazine have been gratifying for last
three years. We have not only received recognition
from the local industries but have also been highly
recognized by many international players. Moreover,
we also had an honor of representing Pakistan at
leading tradeshows of the regions such as Asia, Europe
and Middle East and we look ahead to cover more
regions in the forthcoming year.
We look forward to another successful and prosperous
year. We truly express gratitude towards all our
contributors, subscribers and advertisers for their
continuous support.
Content
Editor’s Note
3
Mark Your Calendar
4
The Bare Essentials
5
News
6
Spotlight on Events
12
Astra Polymers – Revolutionizing Medical
Care with Innovation Plastics
18
Excellence through innovation- An
interview with Sama Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd
20
Updates on Technology
21
Industry Analysis
22
What is a good polymer?
23
How to Know What’s Safe for Your Baby
24
One Stop Shop for All Your Plastic
Packaging Need
24
Consistently High Quality Pet Bottles With
New eHR Solution For Sidel Matrix Blower
Range
26
Sanitized AG has appointed IR Group as
their Exclusive Representation
27
Recycling and Pharmaceutical Industry
28
FAV’s Masterbatches for Pharmaceutical
Applications
30
OUR TEAM
Managing Editor
S.H. Rizvi
[email protected]
Assistant Manager Marketing
Paras Ali Nawab
[email protected]
Business Coordinator
M. Eijaz uddin
[email protected]
Editorial Assistant
Karishma Zahid
[email protected]
Layout & Visualization
Rehan A Hashmi
[email protected]
Published by:
Thesis Publishing (Pvt) Ltd.
Address:
Room No. 706, Business Plaza
Mumtaz Hassan Road, Karachi-74000,
Pakistan
Phone: +92-21-3246-1722
Website: www.thesis.com.pk
Agent in Malaysia:
Al-Shams Global Sources Sdn Bhd,
Suite 33, 33rd floor Menera Keck
Seng, 203 Jalan Bukit Bintang,
Kuala Lumpur 55100
Tel: 603 21163444, Fax: 603 21164445
Printed at:
Quick Process, Plot No; 20, Sector 24,
Pol
ymer
& Packaging
Korangi
Industrial
Area, Karachi.| 3
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Omanplast
05-07, January 2016
Oman
19th Annual PPPEXPO 2016
16 – 18, June 2016
Nairobi, Kenya
GPCA PlastiCon
10-12, January 2016
Dubai
19th PPP Africa 2016
12-14, July 2016
Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania
Gulf Packaging & Polymers Show
01-03, February 2016
Abu Dhabi
Plasti&Pack 2016
18-20, August 2016
Expo Centre, Lahore, Paksitan
Plastivision Arabia 2016
22 to 25, February 2016
Expo Centre, Sharjah, UAE
Iftech Pakistan
18-20, August 2016
Expo Centre, Lahore, Paksitan
PakPlas 2016
25-27, March 2016
Expo Centre, Lahore, Pakistan
K 2016
19-26, October 2016
Dusseldorf, Germany
Chinaplas
25-28, April 2016
Shanghai, China
Plastics & Petrochem Arabia 2016
21-23, November 2016
Dammam, Saudia
THE
BARE
ESSENTIALS
Pakistan’s Import of Machinery (Jan – Nov 2015)
7%
Packaging
Machinery
1%
Printing
Machinery
48%
Plastic Material
1%
Paper & Paper Board
Machinery
42%
Plastic & Rubber
Machinery
Plastic Material
US$ 589.64 million
Sheet Fed, Office Type s-22 & 36 (US$ 0.4m)
Polyethylene SP Gravity < 0.94 (US$ 267.02m)
Polyethylene SP Gravity > 0.94 (US$ 226.98m)
Other Polyether (US$ 95.23m)
Plastic & Rubber Machinery
US$ 520. 37 million
Injection or Compression Types (US$ 4.57m)
Extruders (US$ 5.43m)
Other Blow Moulding Machines (US$ 10.57m)
Polypropylene (US$ 359.21m)
Propylene Copolymers (US$ 107.6m)
Injection Moulding Machines (US$ 21.43m)
Other Moulds for Rubber / Plastics (US$ 11.56m)
Packaging Machinery
US$ 90.52 million
Other Packaging / Wrapping Machine (US$ 24.68m)
Machine for Filling / Closing Bottles (US$ 48.95m)
Other Part Filling / Pack / Wrapping Machines (US$ 16.88m)
Paper & Paper Board Machinery
US$ 13.69 million
Other Parts Machine Paper & Paper Board (US$ 2.62m)
Other Parts Pulp / Paper Making Machinery (US$ 0.82m)
Cutting Machines (US$ 7.63m)
Machinery Make Paper & Paper Board (US$ 2.61m)
Printing Machinery
US$ 11.8 million
Gravure Printing Machinery (US$ 4.04m)
Flexographic Printing Machine (US$ 1.69m)
Other Offset Printing Machinery (US$ 4.92m)
Offset Printing Machine Reel Fed (US$ 1.15m)
NEWS
PepsiCo franchise joins
hands with Sidel
Pakistan Beverage Limited has purchased
Standalone SBO8 Universal2Eco Blower
for Carbonated Soft Drinks from Sidel, a
leading global provider of PET solutions for
liquid packaging, to increase its production
and meet the market demand said a press
release. This is the second blower that PBL
has purchased from Sidel in less than a year.
Sri Lanka for joint efforts to
boost mutual trade
A high powered 17-member Sri Lankan
delegation had B2B meetings with their
Pakistani counterparts here at the Lahore
Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The
delegation was headed by Prasanna
Jayasinghe while LCCI President Sheikh
Muhammad Arshad, Vice President Nasir
Saeed and Executive Committee Members
also spoke on the occasion. LCCI President
Sheikh Muhammad Arshad and Sri Lankan
delegation agreed to make joint efforts to
enhance exiting trade volume.
Leader of the Sri Lankan delegation Prasanna
Jayasinghe said that there is a vast scope
for the expansion of two-way trade between
Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the presence of
Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the
two countries to further strengthen their
multifaceted and multi-sectoral cooperation
in the fields of herbal medicine, gem &
jewelry, culture, commerce & trade, science
and technology and tourism. He was full of
praise for Pakistan government and people
for their moral support to Sri Lanka on every
issue. He said that Sri Lanka offer huge
opportunities in gem and jewelry, rubber,
garments, hospitality, services and there is
a need to take advantage by liberal trade
policies of the Sri Lankan government.
The LCCI President Sheikh Muhammad Arshad
said that the ideal and friendly relationship
between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is based
on historical and cultural links as well as
common understanding on a wide range of
bilateral, regional and international issues.He
said that Pakistan and Sri Lanka are members
of SAARC and are enjoying good cordial
relations. He said that both countries are old
trade partners and Sri Lanka ranked 19th in
the export destinations of Pakistan.
Pakistan packaging giant
invests in high-tech sheetfed
offset technology from KBA
First highly automated Rapida 106 with
double coating and cold foil for Saima
Packaging Pvt Ltd
In January 2016 KBA-Sheetfed will be
delivering a seven-colour Rapida 106 raised
press with double coating for both UV &
Conventional Printing on board and plastics,
and a cold-foil transfer system to Saima
Packaging Pvt Ltd in Karachi/Pakistan. The
company, founded by Muhammad Yousuf
Tinwala, today is one of the country’s largest
producers of high-quality packaging.
The balance of trade between the two
countries is heavily in favour of China, which
requires to be turned into a win – win situation
for both the countries. Major imports of
Pakistan from China include iron, steel
products, tyres, tubes, chemical, medical,
pharma products, fertilizers, yarn and thread
of synthetic fiber, railway vehicles, spare
parts hand tools and hardware products etc.
Clariant healthcare
packaging to build
new plant to support
pharmaceutical industry in
India
Healthcare
Masterbatches
Packaging Global
Healthcare
• CHF 10 million investment in Tamil Nadu
State
• Healthcare Packaging plant will produce
moisture-control products
Economic Partnership
between China & Pakistan
accelerated trade activities
Head of the 5-member Chinese delegation
Chao Ni has said that Chinese investors
are keen to invest in Pakistan. Economic
Partnership between the businessmen of the
two countries would not only help tap huge
potential exists in China and Pakistan but
would expedite growth.
• India’s pharmaceutical packaging market
is large and growing
Clariant, a world leader in specialty
chemicals, today announced plans to
invest CHF 10 million in a new Healthcare
Packaging manufacturing plant in Cuddalore
in Tamil Nadu State, located about 25 km
from the city of Puducherry. The plant will
manufacture
Clariant’s
market-leading
moisture control products to support the
growing pharmaceutical packaging market in
India.
He was talking to the LCCI President Sheikh
Muhammad Arshad and Senior Vice President
Almas Hyder at the Lahore Chamber of
Commerce & Industry. Members of the
Chinese delegation Li Zheng, Zhou Guangyan,
Wenhong Zhan, Fan Shengci and LCCI
Executive Committee Members also spoke on
the occasion.
Chao Ni said that China-Pak Economic corridor
is an ample proof of China’s seriousness in
economic uplift of Pakistan. He said that both
the Pakistan and China had huge potential to
increase the bilateral trade as the existing
volume of two-way trade between the two
countries is very small when it is compared
with the total Chinese business with the
world.
The LCCI President Sheikh Mohammad Arshad
said that China is a sincere friend of Pakistan
and always extended best cooperation. He
said that China is also a very important partner
in Pakistan Economic Development and
bilateral trade. The involvement of Chinese
enterprises, both in terms of Technical and
Financial assistance in several development
projects is reflective of our cordial relations
based on mutual trust and sincerity. He further
said that China is one of the largest trading
partners of Pakistan and it is expected that
bilateral trade between Pakistan and China
will touch the figure of $ 15 billion within the
next few years. Although Pakistan’s exports
to China have been gradually increasing, the
trade has always been in favor of China.
“India is the largest provider of generic
drugs globally,” says Ketan Premani, Head
of Clariant Healthcare Packaging Sales in
India, “making it a key market for Clariant’s
desiccant products. We want to ensure that
we serve our customers here as directly and
efficiently as possible. When the plant is
complete, they will now have the ability to
procure Clariant’s global-standard products
directly produced in India.”
Clariant Healthcare Packaging, a member of
Business Unit Masterbatches, manufactures a
full range of controlled atmosphere packaging
solutions including pharmaceutical desiccants,
equilibrium sorbents, adsorbent polymers,
oxygen scavengers and pharmaceutical
closures and containers. The new plant in
Cuddalore will initially produce desiccant
canisters and packets, which are inserted into
pharmaceutical packaging to control moisture
and protect the stability of the medicine
during shelf life. The desiccant production
area will be Clean Room Class 100,000 and
certified ISO 8. It will be compliant with all
relevant cGMP and US FDA standards.
Dr. Deepak Parikh, Region President – India,
Clariant, said, “We are happy to announce
our plans to invest in a new state-of-theart manufacturing plant in India. This new
manufacturing facility is in alignment with
our overall growth strategy in the country.
The new facility will enable us to enhance
our medical specialties business and offer
end-to-end solutions to our existing as well
as potential customers. Clariant in India is
accelerating change and continues to fulfil
our commitments to all our stakeholders,
as the Indian market stays at the core of
Clariant’s global focus.” The new plant will
primarily serve globally active generic and
branded pharmaceutical companies operating
in India, as well as the domestic Indian
pharmaceutical market. According to Markets
and Markets, a major global market-research
firm, India’s pharmaceutical packaging
market is projected to grow at a compounded
annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2 percent
from 2015 to 2020.
In addition, the company has ISO 9001, ISO
14001 and ISO 50001 certifications – something
which allows them to ensure the quality of not
only their products but also their management
whilst upholding the responsibilities of the
chemical sector by responsibly making use
of natural resources, energy resources and
waste management.
The Sun European Partners, LLP investment
group has been a shareholder since 2012.
As a result, ELIX has achieved great global
presence
–currently
maintaining
sales
relationships with more than 40 countries–
through an extensive network of sales
managers, agents and distributors in Europe,
America, Africa and Asia.
“We are proud of the things we’ve achieved
and thankful to everyone who has trusted
our company throughout these 40 years. The
best way to celebrate is by taking on new
challenges. That’s why one of the strategic
steps has been to renew our Corporate
Identity and strengthen our communications
policy to emphasise what sets us apart: the
tailored services that ELIX offers,” states
Wolfgang Doering, CEO.
Sandretto does not produce only injection
presses, but it also provides its clients with
total technology solutions: from the choice of
the polymer to the machine model and the
type of mold, from the processing parameters
to the electronic control of the process.
400, 700), designed as Delta robot, able to
operate using every kind of plastic filament
(FDM technique). Sandretto plans to extend
the selection with new Cartesian models
dedicated to the serial production.
The company states that despite the price
– oriented to a “consumer” approach – the
printers are designed for a “professional”
target,
guaranteeing
performances,
reliability, toughness and a top-quality
firmware.
Keeping a forward-looking attitude, Sandretto
settled an agreement with the University of
Pavia (Department of Civil Engineering and
Architecture) to enhance the research in
medical applications.
The printers presented at Plast2015 are some
of the largest and fastest FDM Delta machines
on the market and show many remarkable
evolutions in terms of firmware, function
control and error management. Following
the same kind of technology, Sandretto will
develop a full series of Cartesian printers
dedicated to mass-production, and after
that, a full series of products dedicated to
polymerization and laser sintering of powders.
AFS – Breathable
Perforation
Machines for the cost-efficient production
of breathable packaging, filters and gas
membranes
HOT NEEDLE PERFORATION (PM 5)
To maintain the tear strength of thermoplastic
foils after perforation.
ELIX Polymers celebrates 40
years of experience in ABS
manufacturing
Many thermoplastic foils (e.g. PP) must be
hot-perforated to ensure a high tear-strength.
An electrically-heated needle roller, driven
at web speed in combination with a heat
resistant counter roller guarantee completely
round holes with a clean well-formed rim.
This process fulfils the highest aesthetic
demands,
combined
with
optimum
functionality.
The chemical company ELIX Polymers
celebrates 40 years on the market. Thanks to
numerous investments and innovations, it has
become one of the main ABS manufacturers
in Europe.
COLD NEEDLE PERFORATION (Spiked Roller &
PM 10)
With its plant in Tarragona, Spain, and with
a production capacity of 180 kilo-tonnes per
year, ELIX has strived, especially in recent
years, to be the one of the leading companies
in Europe for ABS specialities. It is a customeroriented company which offers personalised
service and a wide selection of products
whilst being committed to environmental
sustainability and promoting the professional
development of its more than 250 employees.
Conical needles pierce the web material (e.g.
paper, thin metal foils, PE foils). The grooves
in the counter-roller line up perfectly with
the needles.
Based upon its continuous improvement
policy, ELIX has developed a strategic plan to
offer added value to its customers in terms
of the SERVICES offered. This policy is based
on key factors like flexibility, closeness with
clients, proactivity, global scope and customtailored services.
Conical needles produce holes with a conical
profile increasing air and water permeability
of PE foils
Sandretto goes forward with
3D printing
After the launch during the last Plast Fair in
Milan, Sandretto started in Pont Canavese
the production of 3d printers, considering to
make 25 printers a day, 6000 in a year. For this
purpose, an assembling line has been set up,
where ten workers are already at work.
The printers, according to the diameter of the
heating platen, are available in 3 sizes (250,
Exxonmobil Chemical
Extends Vistamaxx
Polymers Portfolio With A
New High Melt Flow Grade
For Enhanced Processing
• Potential increases in productivity and
lower processing costs
• Designed for polypropylene modification
and filler masterbatch applications
• Suitable for food packaging applications
that use thin wall injection molding
ExxonMobil has extended the portfolio of
its Vistamaxx™ performance polymers with
the introduction of Vistamaxx 6502. With
a high melt flow rate of 48, Vistamaxx 6502
can enhance the processing efficiencies
of polypropylene compounds and filler
masterbatch applications to deliver potential
increases in productivity and processing cost
reductions. The new grade is U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) and European Union
compliant for food contact applications,
and is on the Chinese Positive List for resins
permitted in food packaging products.
In polypropylene compounding applications,
the use of Vistamaxx 6502 can enhance
the flow properties while improving the
physical property balance of the compound.
Flexibility can be increased, impact strength
improved, stress whitening reduced and
clarity maintained.
Used with existing
compounding equipment, it can deliver costeffective solutions as it enables lower melt
pressures and reduced power consumption
for energy savings. In addition, the need for
processing aids may be eliminated.
“Vistamaxx
6502
is
well-suited
for
polypropylene
rigid
food
packaging
applications, especially those that use thin
wall injection molding. Beverage cups and
food containers are two examples,” said
Andre Dallaire, Vistamaxx molding and
extrusion segment manager, ExxonMobil
Chemical. “The new grade could provide
growth potential for our customers.”
vehicles that, depending on the application,
are more typically fabricated from aluminum
or engineering polymers.
“The intrinsically high wear-resistance of
Torlon® PAI makes it a natural candidate for
seal rings and other high-wear applications in
both dual clutch and automatic transmissions,”
said Brian Baleno, global automotive business
development manager for Solvay Specialty
Polymers. “A parallel trend is the increasingly
frequent replacement of needle bearings
with bearings made of Torlon® polymers.
This conversion allows space savings of about
2.5 mm, which allows engineers to downsize
metal castings and thereby achieve significant
weight reduction without compromising on
performance or reliability.”
Both hydraulic chambers within FTE
Automotive’s dCSC each incorporate two
seal rings made of Torlon® 4275 to ensure
reliable and durable performance over the
transmission’s lifetime. The seal rings have
small cross-sections with relatively large
diameters. Yet, due to Torlon PAI’s elongation
properties, they maintain flexibility for easy
assembly.
As a polymer carrier in masterbatch
applications, Vistamaxx 6502 enhances flow
while allowing high filler loading of materials,
such as calcium carbonate. This enables
compounders to differentiate their products
and develop cost-effective solutions for
customers.
Solvay’s Torlon® PAI
Delivers High Strength,
Wear Resistance in HighPerforming Clutch System
from FTE Automotive
Torlon® PAI used to fabricate sealing rings
and locking mechanism
Dow Expands PacXpert™
Flexible Packaging
Technology Reach in
Asia with Second License
Agreement in Japan with
Takigawa Corporation
in FTE Automotive’s innovative new dual
concentric slave cylinder
Solvay Specialty Polymers, a leading global
supplier of high-performance thermoplastics,
announced today at the 14th annual CTI
Symposium (Booth H06) that Solvay’s Torlon®
polyamide-imide (PAI) technology forms
several key components in a high-performing
dual concentric slave cylinder (dCSC)
developed by FTE Automotive, a premier
producer of automotive drivetrain and brake
systems. Signaling the first time Solvay’s
Torlon® materials have been specified for
this type of application, FTE Automotive’s
dCSC forms the heart of the new SGM X44F
Dual Clutch Transmission from a leading
automaker, SAIC General Motors Co., Ltd. The
transmission was successfully launched on the
2015 Chevrolet Cruze platform for vehicles
produced and sold in China.
The critical core of an automotive clutch
system, concentric slave cylinders are
positioned directly around the drive shaft
and on the clutch. They are consequently
subject to extreme loads each time a car
shifts gear. FTE Automotive offers various
CSC designs for light and heavy commercial
produce the packaging for a wide range of
applications to their customer base across
Asia Pacific through its manufacturing sites
in Japan and Vietnam. This marks the 11th
licensee agreement for PacXpert™ packaging
technology globally, and the third in Asia
Pacific.
Takigawa Corporation is a leading flexible
packaging converter in Japan, and provides
high-end packaging for a wide range of
applications for both liquid and granule
content for food and non-food related
products. With the agreement, Takigawa
Corporation will advance the reach of
the award-winning PacXpert™ packaging
technology across Asia Pacific to their
distribution markets in Australia, Indonesia,
Japan, Thailand and Vietnam.
“We are enthusiastic about bringing our
innovative PacXpert™ packaging technology
to various parts of Asia Pacific. Japan is a
sophisticated market, with high standards in
flexible packaging. A second licensee within
a year is evident of the ability of PacXpert™
to provide a valued and innovative solution
to the country. The consistent growth of
the flexible packaging industry in the region
has seen the standards and demands of
packaging significantly raised,” said Mark
Saurin, commercial vice president for Dow
Packaging and Specialty Plastics, Asia Pacific.
“By partnering with Takigawa Corporation, it
allows Dow to meet the rising expectations
of the consumers, access new markets with
the technology, and offer customers more
choices in sustainable packaging with greater
convenience and functionalities.”
Nordson pelletizing and
crystallizing system plays
central role at Lotte
Chemical’s world-scale pet
resin plant in England
New On-Site Video Shows Nordson’s EnergySaving BKG® CrystallCut System in Operation,
along with Kreyenborg™ POLY Screen Changer
for Continuous Melt Throughput
Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics, a
business unit of The Dow Chemical Company
(NYSE: DOW) announces the second PacXpert™
packaging technology collaboration in Japan
with Takigawa Corporation. This license
agreement comes a year after the first
partnership with Kyodo Printing in November
2014, and will allow Takigawa Corporation to
A new video shows how melt filtration
and pelletizing technologies from Nordson
Corporation conserve energy and enhance
productivity at the 600 ton per day PET
resin plant of Lotte Chemical UK Ltd.,
Nordson announced today. Commissioned
late in 2014, the world-scale plant at Lotte
Chemical’s Redcar, England facility includes
three pelletizing / crystallizing units based
on Nordson’s patented BKG® CrystallCut™
process, which saves energy by retaining heat
from the molten polymer and using it for
crystallization. The installation also includes
a Nordson Kreyenborg™ POLY screen changer,
whose quick-change operation makes possible
filter screen replacement while maintaining
continuous production.
Conventionally,
PET pellets are cooled after pelletizing,
then reheated for crystallization. The video
shows how the CrystallCut process eliminates
cooling by rapidly transporting pellets from
the cutter face of the die through hot water
and directly into a centrifugal dryer. The
pellets exit the dryer at a temperature of 140
to 150 °C and are uniformly crystallized.“For
a modern, world-scale PET plant operating
‘24/7,’ we estimate that the CrystallCut
system can save millions of Euros per year
in energy costs by combining pelletizing and
crystallizing into a single integrated process
without a cooling step,” said Ralf Simon,
Nordson BKG managing director. “And because
the retained heat causes pellets to crystallize
from the inside out, the result is an improved
crystalline structure that requires less energy
for re-melting.”
Freedonia Group projects will grow by 6.5
percent annually to more than $101 billion in
2019.
Uhlmann Group, long established as a king
of blister packaging machinery, at the
recent Pack Expo Las Vegas trade show was
promoting, of all things, a compact bottlefilling machine – or “modular Integrated
Bottle Packaging Center,” dubbed the IBC 120
– for solid-dose products.
New rigid PVC for outdoor
profiles is optimized for
impact strength, surface
finish, and flow properties
For Apex® RE-9218 Outdoor ExtrusionGrade PVC, Teknor Apex Provides Custom
Colors, Process Development Support, and
Outdoor Testing
A new rigid PVC compound for outdoor
applications provides the excellent weatherand UV-resistance of industry-established
grades along with superior performance in
processing and fabrication and improved
surface appearance, it was announced today
by Teknor Apex Company. Apex® RE-9218
compound is an optimized and competitively
priced alternative to existing rigid PVC
products that are designed to resist the UV
light, heat, and moisture encountered in
outdoor applications, according to Michael
J. Renzi, Vinyl Division business development
manager. “The enhancements provided
by Apex RE-9218 include improved flow
properties for intricate profile structures,
greater Izod impact resistance for postextrusion cutting and fabrication, and a
smoother, more appealing surface finish,”
said Mr. Renzi. “In addition, Teknor Apex
supports this new product with a wide range
of customized services, including advanced
real-time weatherability testing at several
Teknor Apex on-site laboratories.” As a custom
compounder, Teknor Apex can supply Apex RE9218 compound in specialty colors. In a fully
equipped laboratory, the company can assist
with development validation by replicating
the customer’s process and die design.
Market forces driving
Pharma Packaging changes
Strategic moves by a pair of German
pharmaceutical packaging giants are shedding
light on drug packaging trends related to
bottles vs. blisters and glass vs. plastic
syringes. And such trends are worth watching
for a global pharma packaging sector that
And separately, Gerresheimer Group –
traditionally best known as a maker of glass
containers for the pharma and cosmetics
sectors – continues to push strongly into
plastics, particularly cyclic olefin polymers
(COP) for prefillable syringes.
Neither Uhlmann’s interest in bottles nor
Gerresheimer’s in plastics packaging is new,
of course, but their increased emphasis on
what, for them, is not traditional technology,
is noteworthy and reflects some interesting
trends in their respective sectors.
Nano technology in Doctor
Blades
coated blades in both flexo and gravure
applications. The blade will outlast any nonceramic blade on the market, without any
of the brittleness associated with long life
blades, with no extra consequent anilox roll/
gravure cylinder wear and at a competitive
price.
Ampacet’s Telford plant
brings colour and capacity
to UK
Global Leading Producer of Masterbatch,
Ampacet, has recently increased its capacity
in the UK at its production site in Telford.
The site, which is accredited with ISO 9001,
ISO14001 and OHSAS 18001 and has a capacity
of approximately 2000 tonnes in colour,
is designed to give extended flexibility on
production lines, as well as shifts, to suit
customer demands.
“With the new sales team setup that has
encountered great success during 2015, the
UK plant brings the domestic presence to
the region focusing on providing a quality
product and service with fast colour matching
services, on time deliveries and guaranteed
made to stock products in place,” explained
Caroline Scheydecker, Ampacet’s Senior
Marketing and Communications Coordinator.
The company has grown considerably since
its formation in 1937, now operating 24
sites globally, producing in excess of 400,000
tonnes annually and selling its range of
products in more than 90 countries.
“Ten years ago we were perceived as a
commodity player. We were seen as a
company that could only offer black, white
and additive Masterbatch. Now, however, we
are not only seen as a company offering a full
product range; black, white, additives and
colour Masterbatch, but also one that adds
value and creates specialty products for our
customers,” Scheydecker added.
PrimeBlade 900 Nano has been developed by
PrimeBlade® Sweden together with partners
in Nano technology, to treat and produce
different steel qualities to optimizing the
properties and performance.
The microstructure of the PrimeBlade 900
steel consists of finely distributed, small
carbides, giving it an exceptional wear
resistance, reduced friction and higher
printing performance.
PrimeBlade 900 Nano is produced by using
the latest Nano technology, with the idea
of not using the ceramic & nickel coatings
that are used today; resulting in none of the
side effects this can have on environment,
brittleness and other issues.
It´s a revolutionary patented metallurgictreated steel blade which will extend blade
life to hitherto unseen levels in non-ceramic
The company says its success is due to its
ability to partner suppliers and customers, as
well as to create Masterbatch formulations
that help bring products quickly to market
and satisfy the needs of its customers to the
best of their ability.
AV Flexologic - Automatic
plate mounting machines
For the past 30 years AV Flexologic has
been the driving factor behind the biggest
innovations in the flexographic prepress and
especially mounting industry.
Jiangsu Cenmen and Its New
Developed Technologies
Contributed by Albert Wang
Jangsu Cenmen Company was founded in
1999, a private enterprise and professional
manufacturers
of
complete
extrusion
equipment, in 2014 annual sales is more than
two hundred million RMB.
After inventing the mounting cameras, AV
Flexologic now has a patent on automatic
mounting using image recognition. The (semi) automatic mounting machines are more
accurate and precise than any operator could
be. AV Flexologic continues to innovate for
the benefit of its customers.
One of the new inventions of AV Flexologic are
their Automatic plate mounting machines.
These machines mount the photopolymer
plates making use of AV Flexologic’s patented
image recognition software. The accuracy is
impeccable (down to 5 microns (0.005mm)
and the machine is very fast. Consequently
these machines diminish the printing press
downtime due to mounting and improve the
quality of the prints tremendously. Due to this
value creation these machines are the most
popular machines in AV Flexologic’s product
portfolio. AV Flexologic’s Semi-Automatic
Mounting Machine is the SAMM and the FAMM is
the completely automatic mounting machine.
The company was able to recoup their
investment in a few months. This customer
mounts 22000 - 24000 sleeves per year;
Downtime savings and operator savings in the
press drive the return on investment.
Good news for Pakistan Market is that recently
AV Flexologic have started collaboration
with K-Group of Companies as their main
representative and customers can have the
support available for AV Flexologic products
locally as well.
Main products co-rotating twin screw extruder,
reciprocating kneader, double rotors continuous
mixer.
There are three major aspects of the Company,
the first one is the traditional compounding
equipment, which we currently have three
major categories: single and twin screw
extruder, reciprocating kneader, continuous
mixer; second is our ONE FORMING technologies.
I. Traditional Compounding Field
In the traditional polymerization and compounding industries, such as color master batch,
reinforcement, high ratio organic additive filling, engineering plastics, polymer alloying and
blending, TPE compounding, TPU polymerization, etc. We have the three major machines to
fulfill different kinds of needs in different markets, and the brief layout is as follow, and we
also can offer TURNKEY project including feeding system, metering system, and also many
kinds of pelletizing system to packing system.
II. One Step Forming Technology
By using this technology, we can get lots merits as:
* Combines the polymer compounding pelletizing and product forming industry, adopts
new equipment and technology to realize the integration of the two major process of
compounding modification and extrusion forming process with continuity and automation
control. Shorten and simplify the process dramatically, reduce plant occupancy and labor
cost, cut down the energy consumption and production cost tremendously, at the same time,
reduce the heating experience of polymer and improve and enhance the comprehensive
quality of final products.
* Extend to the up steam raw material conveying and metering system, adopt the advanced
continuous multi and gravimetric feeding to realize the seamless integration of metering
system and the compounding unit.
* Integration and interaction with other forming technology continuously. Including but not
limited to all kinds of functional sheet, panel, pipe and film products and multi-layer coextrusion, new type hollow composite sheet & panel, glass fiber sheet & panel, on line
spinning forming, etc.
III. Two Examples of Our One Step Forming
DuPont and Dow announce
merger to become
DowDuPont
The Dow Chemical Company and DuPont have
made official the announcement that they are
to combine in a merger of the two companies.
The new company, which will be called
DowDuPont, will split into three independent,
publicly traded companies in the areas of
agriculture, materials science and speciality
products. Upon closing of the transaction, the
combined company would have a combined
market capitalisation of approximately
$130 billion at announcement. The merger
transaction is expected to close in the second
half of 2016, subject to customary closing
conditions, including regulatory approvals,
and approval by both Dow and DuPont
shareholders. The subsequent separation of
DowDuPont, which the companies intend to
pursue, would be expected to occur 18-24
months following the closing of the merger.
A. LFT-D New Technology for Reinforcement of Glass Fiber/Carbon Fiber
In the traditional process of reinforcement, people will make the compounding of polymers
with fibers (glass or carbon) first, and the go to the injection step to make the final product,
but now, we use one step forming to form the product with many advantages. The basic idea
is to using two extruders to conduct this task, the first extruder will melt and homogenizing
the polymer, and the second will accommodate the fibers .
B. New Process TPU Toe Puff Production Line
In the traditional process of Toe puff production, the sheet is a composite one with ABA
structure, and more than 3 minutes heating will be need when making the shoe parts on
the production line, this can not meet the
high speed production requirements, so,
right now, a new process was invented,In
this process, we will use two kinds of
material and we can call A and B material,
A material is most of TPU materials, and
B is majorly of hot melt materials, they
will make the pellets with extruder first,
and then make the co-extrusion to form
the sheets for next step, this process can
say the manufacture time and enhance
product quality.
SPOTLIGHT ON EVENTS
Shaping New Trends
for Packaging IndustryVersatile, Smart and
Sustainable
Plastics packaging has occupied over 30%
of share in packaging market, thanks to its
outstanding properties such as lightweight,
versatile, anti-corrosive, anti-abrasive, and
easy to process properties and more that other
materials cannot match. In the next few years,
safe, environmentally friendly, lightweighted,
multi-functional and intelligent packaging will
remain in mainstreams. Packaging products
which feature multiple characteristics such
as anti-microbial, high temperature resistant,
UV-ray resistant, high barrier, biodegradable
and recyclable will be at market’s focus.
Many of the key players involved in advancing
these materials and processing technologies
will be among those exhibiting in CHINAPLAS
2016 next 25-28 April in Shanghai. 3,200
exhibitors will be categorized into 16 theme
zones, such as Automation Technology;
Plastic Packaging & Blow Molding Machinery;
Extrusion Machinery; Film Technology;
Recycling Technology; Chemicals & Raw
Materials; Color Pigment and Masterbatch,
etc.
Leading players in plastics packaging over
the world are flexing their muscles to push
the technologies into limits in order to meet
the consumers’ needs in this fast changing
packaging world. Below are some of the
examples.
It is expected that some 140,000 professional
buyers from 150 countries and regions will
visit the show. In the past exhibitions, it had
attracted a number of leading packaging
companies and endusers from food &
beverage and daily chemicals to attend, such
as Alcan, Amcor, Amway, Aptar, Beauty Star,
Bemis, Coca Cola, Colgate, Essel, FSPG, Lee
Kum Kee, Nongfu Spring, P&G, Rex, Rexam
Plastics, Sealed Air, Wrigley, among other
famous enterprises.
Plastics & Rubber Vietnam
2016: Arburg to exhibit
high-end packaging machine
• In focus: efficient packaging technology
• Specific:
hybrid,
high-performance
machines in “Packaging” version
• Challenging: 24 screw caps in three
seconds
Lossburg. At the Plastics & Rubber Vietnam,
which takes place in Ho Chi Minh City from
1 to 3 March 2016, Arburg will present an
efficient production solution based on a
hybrid Allrounder from the high-performance
Hidrive series, thus placing the focus on the
packaging industry. The high-speed Allrounder
570 H in the “Packaging” version will
demonstrate the cost-effective production of
drinks bottle closures at exhibition stand G
19 in Hall A1, A2.
“With a hybrid Allrounder 570 H in the
“Packaging” version, we will be presenting
an injection moulding application designed
for high volume production in the packaging
industry at the Plastics & Rubber Vietnam
2016. This efficient high-speed machine
produces 24 water bottle closures in only
three seconds,” explains David Chan,
Managing Director of Arburg Singapore and
responsible for the entire ASEAN region.
ARBURG 30441-02 570H Packaging
The hybrid Allrounder 570 H in the “Packaging”
version, which is specially designed for the
high demands of the packaging industry.
Polymer foam goes global
There are strong globalisation trends in
the polymer foam industry, particularly in
the field of construction insulation foams
where the leading companies such as Dow
and Armacell have built production plants
worldwide, and a similar pattern can be seen
in the automotive suppliers industry, while
across packaging there is a move towards
worldwide supply too with companies
buying up and incorporating suitable local
businesses in order to gain market share. In
each region there are different standards
and regulations, for example the fire
retardancy tests vary between Europe and
North America for insulation. A whole range
of foam manufacturers will be represented
at AMI’s international Polymer Foam 2016
conference, to be held on April 5-6 at Liberty
International Airport in New Jersey, USA. The
Managing Director and R&D lead at Armacell
will be speaking in New Jersey in April 2016
on construction foam properties and Songwon
will outline the additive selection and use of
the latest polymeric flame retardant for XPS.
Foam materials are seeing a renaissance as all
areas of industry look to improve production
economics by reducing the volume of resin
required, plus the added bonus of lightweighting, which reduces transport costs
for all types of application and also reduces
fuel consumption in vehicles. There will
be a paper at the conference from Volvo
focused on lightweight material development
for heavy duty trucks. The profiles
around automotive glazing are extruded
elastomeric foams: ExxonMobil Chemical
has developed new formulations for EPDM
in this application. Automotive interiors and
thermal management is another automotive
application and Michael Sproule will talk on
this topic from his extensive background in a
division of Ford, which became Visteon and
is now owned by the South Korean company
Hanon Systems.
The challenge is to get the foam processing
right and controlled for each material type
and for each component shape. ZOTEFOAMS is
the world leading manufacturer of crosslinked
block foams and is currently building new
plant in Kentucky, the Director of Technology
and Development will be speaking on foam
technology at the AMI Polymer Foam 2016
event in NJ in April. Cabot Microelectronics
uses foams and in one recent project worked
on the microcellular foaming of thermoplastic
urethane (TPU) and styrene maleic anhydride
(SMA) blends. The University of Toronto leads
the field in physical foaming technology
and Professor Chul Park has looked at many
aspects of foam including a study of bubble
nucleation in high pressure molding. Injection
molded parts may need to be adapted for the
material flow in structural molding. MilacronUniloy produces specialty low pressure
injection molding (LPIM) machinery for
manufacturing large structural foam parts.
Trexel has a chemical foaming agent that
enables light weight injection molded parts
with an aesthetically acceptable surface.
There are opportunities available to
join leading experts to debate foam
manufacturing, markets and performance at
AMI’s Polymer Foam 2016, April 5-6 in New
Jersey, a key center of plastics manufacturing
in the US.
Flexible packaging experts
to gather in singapore
The Asia Pacific region is one of the most
exciting and dynamic markets for flexible
packaging in the world and the signing of the
Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement
is expected to create further opportunities
for packaging manufacturers and suppliers
particularly in South East Asia.
Singapore, one of the signatory countries
of the free trade deal, is playing host to
AMI’s third Specialty Packaging Films Asia
conference, being held from 15 -17 March
2016 at the Swisstel The Stamford. The
extensive programme will cover the very
latest innovations in raw materials and film
technology to meet the demands of customers
in Asia and beyond, as well giving delegates
an understanding of how the industry is
evolving and the possibilities that are
emerging from these developments. Setting
the scene for the conference, AMI Consulting
will open with a review of the latest trends
shaping new market opportunities.
Sustainable consumption is a high priority
across the supply chain. At the conference,
Nestlé will discuss the brand owner’s
perspective on the use of flexible packaging
for maintaining product integrity and safety
whilst enabling the reduction of food and
packaging waste. Playing a part in this are
innovations in speciality films, coatings
and barrier properties to improve shelf
life and Cosmo Films, Sealed Air, Milliken
and Michelman amongst others will explore
these areas in more detail. End of life
options for packaging will also be examined
with presentations from Starlinger and Dow
Chemical.
Reifenhäuser Blown Film and Mamata
Extrusion Systems will show how their
blown film line technologies combine the
properties of different polymer materials for
the production of customized, economical
and source optimized films.
Cast film
developments for specialty applications will
be shown by Futamura Chemical and Scientex
Great Wall while Singapore’s Institute of
Materials Research and Engineering will look
at advanced polymer composite packaging.
AMI’s Specialty Packaging Films Asia is
relevant for all members of the supply
chain including brand owners, retailers,
packaging companies, researchers, materials
and manufacturing experts. In addition to
delivering quality papers, the conference also
offers superb and cost-effective networking
opportunities with its extensive table top
exhibition area.
Borouge illustrates its latest
plastics solutions supporting
infrastructure applications
Borouge, a leading petrochemical company
that provides innovative, value creating
plastics solutions, showcased its portfolio of
sustainable and value-added plastics solutions
for the civil infrastructure applications
and construction industry at the Big 5, an
international building and construction
tradeshow, held in Dubai from 23-26
November 2015.
The Big 5 fair provided Borouge with an
opportunity to demonstrate its wide range of
polyolefin products for water, gas and heating
piping systems for domestic and industrial
buildings and constructions, in addition to
wire and cable solutions.
“Big 5 is a key event for Borouge to meet
with our partners in the water and energy
industry value chain. An ideal platform to
share thoughts and ideas on the latest trends
moving the industry forward as well as to
learn about successes achieved and best
practises from the leaders in the industry,”
said Hazeem Sultan Al Suwaidi, Senior Vice
President Middle East Africa (MEAE), Borouge.
At Big 5, Borouge offered a range of high quality
PP-R, PP-RCT and PEX polypropylene and
polyethylene materials for the manufacture
of hot and cold water and gas pipe systems.
These corrosion resistant materials, which
are rapidly replacing metal pipes in buildings
throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East,
provide long maintenance free operation at
high temperatures.
Muntajat and Qatar’s
producing entities reinforce
Qatar’s leading position
at the region’s largest
downstream event
Muntajat (Qatar Chemical and Petrochemical
Marketing and Distribution Company Q.J.S.C.)
and Qatar’s producing companies returned
to the Middle East’s largest chemical and
petrochemical forum to represent and
promote the State of Qatar’s downstream
industry. Muntajat was joined this year by
Qatar Fertiliser Company (QAFCO), Qatar
Petrochemical Company (QAPCO) and Qatar
Chemical Company (Q-Chem).
The GPCA Annual Forum ran from the 17
to the 19 of November in Dubai, UAE. The
event marked an important milestone for
the Association as it celebrated its 10th
edition. The Muntajat delegation, led by
the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr.
Abdulrahman Ali Al-Abdulla, joined industry
leaders and specialists from more than 42
countries to discuss the latest development
in the industry under the forum’s theme
of ’Building on Achievements- Enabling
Continued Success in the Changing Chemical
Landscape’.
Qatar’s representatives welcomed customers
and industry peers as they visited the Qatar
pavilion to learn more about Qatar’s chemical
and petrochemical sector.
More than 350 participants
at the ENGEL trend.scaut in
Shanghai
With more than 350 participants from China
and all of Asia, the ENGEL trend.scaut
in late October in Shanghai was a great
success. For the first time, the international
automotive conference hosted by ENGEL
took place in Asia. The current and future
challenges for plastics processors in China
and Asia were discussed and innovative
solutions were presented in the context of
a local perspective and with international
expertise. The main focus was on the topics
of lightweight design and energy. The field
of lightweight design can be surprisingly
diverse – something that once again became
clear at the ENGEL trend.scaut. “In Asia and
particularly in China, there is already a broad
spectrum of lightweight design technology in
use”, as pointed out by Michael Fischer, Sales
Manager Technologies at ENGEL. For instance,
in addition to composite technologies, the
presentations held in the Shanghai City
Theatre also discussed chemical and physical
foaming, injection-compression moulding,
thin-walled injection moulding, glazing
solutions on the basis of polycarbonate and
the use of natural fibres for reinforcement.
Sample parts were presented illustrating each
kind of technology. Among others, Shuwen Liu
of the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Centre
(PATAC) demonstrated in his address just
how innovative lightweight design can be
combined with high cost-efficiency thanks
to the diversity of processing methods and
materials that are available.
Plastivision Arabia 2016 to
court food industry
Plastivision Arabia 2016 and Print Pack Arabia
2016 will be courting the food industry with
the superior packaging technologies the
market has to offer at their joint show in
Sharjah in February.
February 22nd-25th 2016 will mark the third
Plastivision and the second Print Pack Arabia
and exhibitors at both shows are aiming to
take advantage of rising food import and reexport sectors, and the emergence of the UAE
as a regional hub of food trade, while at the
Expo Centre Sharjah-hosted outing.
Both Plastivision Arabia and Print Pack Arabia
are held in association with Indian partners
- All India Plastics Manufacturers Association
(AIPMA) and Indian Printing, Packaging and
Allied Machinery Manufacturers’ Association
(IPAMA), respectively - which will help
facilitate the participation of leading Indian
industry players who are formidable in the
packaging sector.
The shows, which are held once in two years,
are expected to better the previous edition’s
visitor turnout of more than 7,250, given
the steady rise in pre-registrations, visitor
enquiries and confirmed visits by business
delegations. The Hosted Buyers Lounge from
Africa has already received assurance of visit
by around 200 buyers from Africa.
Dr Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun
The future of the GCC plastics processing industry
Plastics have molded the modern world and transformed the quality of
our life. A growing world population and growing material consumption
has put severe pressure on our natural resources and fragile ecosystems. The material needs of our population are growing and plastics
offer a cost effective and sustainable alternative.
In the GCC region, the plastics industry is a key segment of the
petrochemical industry, which was launched to reduce the heavy
reliance of the regional governments on volatile oil revenues and has
the potential to further add value and creating job opportunities. In
2015, the GCC plastic resin industry continued its growth trajectory
from the past decade, despite volatile commodity markets. The
industry’s production capacity grew by 6% year-on-year to a new high
of 26.1 million tons.
By 2020, the region’s plastics industry is expected to grow by 2.9% per
annum from its current level, reaching 30.1 million tons, driven by
greater self-sufficiency in downstream products and increases export
opportunities. Major regional developments in the areas of automotive,
aviation, renewable energy and other industries provide further
opportunities and demand for local plastics conversion industries.
The plastics industry also benefits the Arabian Gulf region by
generating employment and career opportunities for GCC nationals.
Currently, the industry employs 32,000 people, while 125,000 people
are employed in the GCC plastic processing industry.
Plastics producers from the Arabian Gulf have partnered up with local
universities and vocational institutes, such as the Higher Institute for
Plastics Fabrication and the King Abdullah University for Science and
Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia and the Petroleum Institute in the
UAE to support the development of future talent and the innovation
capabilities needed to establish the Arabian Gulf as a leading center
for production, plastic conversion and plastics innovation.
The industry has also shown its commitment to innovation by heavily
investing in R&D. Successful examples of new plastics application
developments centers are SABIC’s Plastic Application Development
Center in Riyadh; Tasnee’s innovation center in Jubail; Sipchem’s
innovation center in Dhahran Techno Valley; and of course Borouge’s
innovation center which opened last month.
Based on the above, we can say that the plastics processing industry
in the region is built on solid foundations. The next three to five years
will be a game changing moment for the industry, with the availability
of performance polymers dramatically increasing (e.g. PC, TPE, PMMA,
PA, POM) through projects such as Sadara and PetroRabigh-2 coming
on stream and major growth rates in the building and construction
industries (e.g. pipe, cable, insulation, etc.). This will provide further
opportunities for the new set of plastics conversion industries in the
region. New industries where GCC potential is to be realized are
formulated specialties, including example water treatment chemicals,
surfactants, lubricants adhesives and oil; and performance polymers,
including acrylics, engineering plastics, elastomers and polyurethane.
Investment by ‘clustering’ to advance coherent integration between
producers and the plastics processing industry will become even more
important. Some good examples from which we can learn are already
being developed: PlasChem Park in Jubail, the KIZAD industrial park
in Abu Dhabi and Rabigh CIP in Rabigh. But, as we will discuss during
the upcoming GPCA PlastiCon conference on 10-12 January, more
needs to be done to boost the growth of small and medium-sized
industries operating in the field of plastics processing to generate highskilled employment and localized new technologies. Cross-sectoral
cooperation between producers and the plastics processing industry in
these industrial clusters will provide an impetus for further innovation
in the value-added chain and strengthen the Arabian Gulf’s position as
a hub or plastics manufacturers and processors.
Astra Polymers – Revolutionizing
Medical Care with Innovation
Plastics
These innovations are surprisingly new –
for example, plastics became common in
the operating room only in the last quarter
century.
We remember how fragile glass blood bottles
didn’t always make it to their planned
destination. We can also remember them
hanging dangerously next to the surgeons. Too
often even a simple misstep would send that
life-saving bottle crashing to the floor.
The above example would explain how
far medical care has advanced due to the
extensive introduction of plastics into
operating, emergency, and examination
rooms.
If we glance through the modern day operating
room we can locate:
• Flexible plastic blood bags that are never
opened to contaminants
• Sanitary plastic intravenous tubes that
deliver blood, electrolytes, and medicine
• Germ-free plastic syringes that are used
only once, to help prevent infection
• Plastic gloves that protect surgeons and
their patients
• Medical equipment contained in tough,
hygienic plastics
• Life-extending,
implantable
medical
devices such as artificial hearts
Operating lights, blood pressure gauges,
bandages, respirators, surgical masks,
monitors, gauze, tape … the list goes on,
right down to the clogs many surgeons wear.
Pharmaceutical packaging is also one of
the most essential components in medicine
industry with its sole purpose being the
safety of pharmaceutical preparations in
order to keep them free from contamination,
hinder microbial growth, and ensure product
safety through the intended shelf life for
the products. . Due their inherent physical
properties – plastics make possible many of
the life-saving innovations in the operating
room and beyond. Two basic advances alone
– sterile plastic packaging and disposable
medical items – have helped prevent countless
infections, one of the world’s leading causes
of death.
Protecting health and safety is always the first
priority. And, while medical packaging design
includes lids, pouches, bags and trays, the
drugs and devices within are what truly drive
design. That means almost every package
involves customization, whether to support
sterilization or ease of administration.
Why Astra Polymers?
Astra Polymers has more than 22 years’
of experience in producing high-quality
masterbatch for all sorts of plastic
manufacturers and converters strictly
complying with quality standards and
requirements especially for regulatory firm
industry such as pharmaceutical production
and packaging. Packaging is a critical tool
in this industry for product delivery and
regulatory
compliance,
pharmaceutical
companies will do all their packaging within
a contamination free environment requiring
highly sophisticated machinery and raw
material, and we at Astra Polymers make
sure all such requirements are met with
strict compliance. Our products address a
long checklist of essentials. They include
compliance with regulations, ease of use
for patients and caregivers, compatibility
with sterilization methods, and efficient
manufacturing.
What makes Astra Polymers stand out in
regional masterbatch market is the fact that:
• Astra
medical
and
pharmaceutical
packaging raw materials are compatible
with many sterilization methods are
tamper resistant, and have excellent film
clarity.
• All products are manufactured according
to rigorous regulatory standards.
• High emphasis on continuous innovation
and research.
• Continuous acquisition of latest Industrial
Safety & Quality accreditations.
• Proximity of material Supply through one
of the most efficient supply chain systems
in the modern business.
• Fully automated modern plants across
continents with a highly skilled workforce.
• Volume capacity and technical ability with
commitment to quality
• Solid financial base to back up all the
research, development and trials.
• Technical support, R & D facilities
available at all manufacturing plant.
• Well trained marketing and technical
support staff.
• Existing Sales Offices across all Astra
Polymers branches.
• Relationships with agents across Middle
East, Asia, Africa and Europe.
• Excellent
association
with
leading
government and private institutions across
the Kingdom.
Astra Polymers is a preferred partner
for technological innovations by leading
pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging
companies. Our fully equipped laboratory
enables our technical staff to rapidly prototype
new formulations conduct extensive in house
testing and offer our customers a first rate
sampling service for their required packaging
and containing solutions making Astra an
instinctive choice for high quality precision
plastic raw materials.
Excellence through innovation- An interview
with Sama Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd
on customize level using our experience and
best grip over technologies and innovation.
Even though there are a few things which
are in the process to be unveiled. We have
also introduced bottle filling lines and carton
packaging as well during last two years.
In short we are working to customize our
machinery as per need of the clients.
What are the latest trends
in the pharma packaging
industry which are known to
be your challenges?
There are number of products that are being
packed in different styles; likely to say
luxuries in small package. A recent example
we can take of GSK Pharma which is now
using pet bottles for medicines instead of
glass bottles. This ultimately indicates that
the scope of plastics in the pharma industry is
quite huge. Packing speed and safety features
has also been increased to cater exceeding
customer demand and an increasing rate of
population.
Leading with a mission to supply quality
packaging
machines
and
processing
systems to its customers, SAMA stands out
prominent on 56th rank out of 100 fastest
growing companies in Pakistan. For more
than 35 years, SAMA is fulfilling the needs
and requirements of the different local and
multinational Companies in the sectors
of food & beverages, pharmaceuticals,
cosmetics, health and personal care.
In recognition of its best practices,
the Company’s achievement has been
applauded by the industry via two Brand
of the year Awards in 2010-2011 and 20132014 and also Best Exporter Award from
KCCI (Karachi Chamber of Commerce and
Industry) in 2012-2013.
Polymer & Packaging International recently
had the privilege of meeting up with
Managing Partner of SAMA Engineering; Mr.
Shahzad Sama who has been serving the
Company for the last nine years. Here is
what he had to say:
Which significant products/
services does your
company contribute to the
pharmaceutical industry of
Pakistan?
Essentially we are the manufacturers of
packaging machines and processing systems
for all the FMCG companies. We are providing
turnkey solutions to a large number of
Companies in Pakistan as well as in other
parts of the world. In pharma industry we
are providing so many packing solutions,
like blister packaging machines, mixers and
blenders, powder filling, labeling, date coding
and many other similar one window solutions
Can you tell us a bit
about the cutting edge
technology and research &
development?
We turn challenges into opportunities by
the skills and expertise we have to provide
complete turnkey solutions to all our clients.
We have an efficient packaging machines
line which works at the highest production
rate under all safety standards. We also
provide the best technology to fulfill all the
requirements with a single machine by easy
variables. The machines have touch-based
control panels which basically minimizes the
numbers of workers and machine operators.
We also believe in sharing technology based
relations around the globe. We have a proper
R&D department which monitors the latest
trends of packaging and processing systems
internationally. This department has many
technically high qualified professionals who
constantly focus on research and updates.
They share their information to other in
house departments for implementation. This
definitely improves the performance, work
processes and productivity.
Being a recognized
company dealing in pharma
plastics in Pakistan,
what differentiates you
from other players in the
industry? Are you following
any international standards
of packaging?
We are an ISO Certified and CE marked in
terms of quality standards and this is our
competitive edge that we have among
different players of the industry. We are only
manufacturers of processing and packaging
machines having said standards in Pakistan.
If you see any of sachet packing machine in
pharma or in a FMCG company, it is basically
packed on our machinery. This is a simply a
benchmark of the Company and denotes our
impression in market.
How do you see Pakistan
Market for plastic and
packaging business in near
future?
I can see that the Foods and Drugs Authorities
are now very much active in Pakistan. The
concept of hygiene is spreading among the
masses. The production of flexible packaging
in food is increasing among the industries. I
believe that there is a huge scope in polymer
and packaging industry. Since Pakistan is
turning all the products into value addition
and perfection, there is a large market of
plastics in Pakistan.
Does your company have
any CSR activities that
contribute towards wellbeing of the society?
Being a largest manufacturer of packaging
machinery, CSR is the integral part of our
Company. Our main focus is on education and
to support the effected ones from natural
disasters. Therefore, different campaigns and
fund rising are being conducted as per the
requirements.
UPDATES ON TECHNOLOGY
New High Heat ABS from
ELIX Polymers delivers
weight reduction for roof
hatch application
Lower density, processing
benefits, very low emissions and
odour vs PC/ABS
BOS Group, a leading supplier of innovative
systems and components for the automotive
industry, selected new High Heat ABS HH3114
from ELIX Polymers for the production of roof
hatches for heavy duty trucks of a German
premium automobile manufacturer.
The roof hatch is produced using state-ofthe-art injection mould technology with
sequential controlled hot runner valve gates.
The material ELIX ABS HH3114 was chosen to
meet the high requirements of the application
and, following mold-flow-analysis, the
technical departments of BOS, Schulman and
ELIX Polymers worked together intensively to
design both the part and the tool.
The part, which requires complex assembly
and features several innovative functions,
was produced in special colours to match the
truck’s interior.
In production, HH3114 offers a number
of processing advantages. These include
excellent processability and high flow,
resulting in competitive cycle times. Less
mould deposits means less mould cleaning
and bring significant cost savings and higher
productivity. The final part offers a weight
reduction of 8% when compared to PC/ABS
thanks to the lower density of High Heat ABS
(1.04) vs PC/ABS (1.13). Moreover, high heat
ABS is more economical than PC/ABS.
ELIX ABS HH3114 is part of a new range of high
heat materials developed by ELIX Polymers.
In addition to processing and performance
benefits, the range is characterised by its
very low emissions and odour – for example,
HH3114: VDA277=9,9 μg C/g, VDA278 VOC=16/
FOG=3 μg/g (ppm), VDA270=3,0.
Fabian Herter said: “The successful
development of this part was made possible
thanks to the close cooperation between all
four partners. The end result clearly shows
that the use of High Heat ABS can lead to
major innovations and significant cost savings.
Overall, our new High Heat ABS Portfolio is
able to meet the stringent requirements of
the Automotive Industry in both interior and
exterior applications.”
Living To Expectations And
Beyond – Rajoo Receives
Order For A Third Blown
Film Line From Devendran
Plastic, Tamil Nadu
Technological supremacy of Rajoo in Blown
Film Extrusion, coupled with a strong intent
and astute comprehension of Devendran
Plastic in understanding the market needs
has helped create this winning combination.
Devendran Plastic Private Limited, one of
the youngest but fastest growing companies
in the business of flexible packaging in South
India, now orders its third blown film line
from Rajoo. Satisfied with the Rajoo fully
loaded 7-layer Blown Film Line for barrier
packaging and the Rajoo OBC 3-layer
Line, Devendran Plastic has now ordered
the Rajoo fully loaded 3-layer line to
specifically meet the needs and address the
challengesof films for milk packaging as well
as lamination grade films.
‘This far, we have produced high quality
barrier ( 7 layer) and non-barrier films
using the Rajoo machines and I remain
confident that the new Rajoo fully loaded
3-layer line will exceed our expectations,
help us add capacity and address the
stringent requirements of speciality films’,
accentuates D. Ashok Kumar, Director,
Devendran Plastic Pvt. Ltd. ‘Diversifying
from our traditional business of coal trading,
we were keen to work with a company that
could help us make a mark in this field of
speciality packaging; we now order our third
machine from Rajoo’, adds D. Ashok Kumar.
The new machine is customised to produce
films for milk packaging as well as lamination
grade films. The line is equipped with 75mm
x 2, 90mm x 1 - 3 extruders along with 12
component material conveying, gravimetric
batch blending & GSM control systems to
produce a film width of 2400mm with
output of 650 kg/hr. Other technological
advancements include circumferential profile
control system with controllable external
automatic air ring with triple lip, width
measurement and control and integrated
computerised touch screen based supervisory
process control panel.
plant for hazardous and flammable
solvents. Recently OFRU has started its
collaboration with K-Group of companies,
as their main partner in Pakistan to
provide support to the growing Packaging
& Printing Industry locally. The company
offers reliable and safe solutions for the
treatment of printing industry solvents.
Among typical printing industry solvents
that are easily recyclable are ethanol, ethyl
acetate, isopropyl (alcohol), and toluene
and the daily quantities of 250 to1000 liters
of solvents for modern printers are no longer
unusual, says the company. OFRU’s solvent
recycling plants ASC-100 or ASC-150 are
suitable for printing press or platemaking
solvents are said to reclaim between 160 and
800 liters/shift. With buffer tanks, they’re
designed for direct connection to the press,
where the solvent recycling plant supplies ‘inline’ fresh solvent for automatic cleaning of
printing decks.
Both units are equipped with innovative
safety devices. Printing solvents – in particular
nitrocellulose are easily flammable at certain
temperature and/or dryness levels. OFRU’s
solvent distillation unit ASC-150 is designed
for direct connection to a printing machine
and for this reason OFRU offers a special
safety device for nitrocellulose solvents,
which are distilled and supervised by means
of strong vacuum at low temperature.
Another security feature is the design of
the distillation boiler. Its specially-designed
bottom, combined with a strong agitator,
allows the walls to be optimally scraped
off. The heating surface is used efficiently,
not only saving energy but also ensuring
continuous distillation. If, for any reason,
the printing ink catches fire, a water shower
immediately stops the exothermic reaction.
AFS – Future looking
technology
‘A repeat order is most gratifying; especially
when it is the third machine, from a relatively
new entrant, who is producing one of the
best barrier and non-barrier films on our
machines and effectively competing with
machines imported from other parts of the
world’, states Khushboo Chandrakant Doshi,
Executive Director, Rajoo Engineers Ltd.
At Zecher everything always revolves
around the anilox roller: what began with
the production of the global first regular
engraved anilox roller has developed into
an international player supplying quality
innovative anilox roller solutions.
Today Zecher manufactures premium anilox
roller and anilox sleeves for almost all wellknown machinery manufacturers from the
flexography printing, label, corrugated,
cardboard, offset and coating industries.
A large part of Zecher anilox rollers run in
print applications, the quality of which has
a decisive impact on the selling success of a
product.
OFRU’s Innovative recycling
system
For more than 30 years, German company,
OFRU Recycling, has been known as a
technology leader in the design of recycling
Zecher is the main contact partner as far as
high quality print applications are concerned.
Continuous investments in new manufacturing
technologies, a high level of innovation and
100% customer orientation thus only serve
one purpose: To always produce the best
anilox roller solution for the customer.
Typical application examples:
• Treatment of EDPM profiles in the
automobile industry before the flocking
process.
• Treatment of the gluing channel before
bonding it to a headlamp diffuser.
• Treatment of electric razor or mobile
telephone surfaces before the padprinting stage.
• De-greasing of aluminum surfaced before
a gluing stag
ZECHER – Innovative Anilox
Roller Technology
At Zecher everything always revolves
around the anilox roller: what began with
the production of the global first regular
engraved anilox roller has developed into
an international player supplying quality
innovative anilox roller solutions.
Today Zecher manufactures premium anilox
roller and anilox sleeves for almost all wellknown machinery manufacturers from the
flexography printing, label, corrugated,
cardboard, offset and coating industries.
A large part of Zecher anilox rollers run in
print applications, the quality of which has
a decisive impact on the selling success of a
product.
Zecher is the main contact partner as far as
high quality print applications are concerned.
Continuous investments in new manufacturing
technologies, a high level of innovation and
100% customer orientation thus only serve
one purpose: To always produce the best
anilox roller solution for the customer.
INDUSTRY ANALYSIS
Packaging & Printing Industry of Pakistan
by Faisal Javed, Macpac Films Ltd
Introduction
Pakistani food was traditionally packed in
woven bamboo baskets, plastic boxes and
wooden boxes made of para-rubber wood.
Since the packages did not effectively
protect the produce during transport there
were tremendous losses. In addition, these
packages were uncompetitive in the world
market, in terms of appearance, ease of
handling, use and disposal, and strength
properties. Since the 1990’ies Pakistani
authorities have realized the importance
of improving the standards of packaging for
products sold both domestically and overseas.
The packaging industry in the country grew
at a CAGR of 9.17% during the period 200912. This is primarily attributed to the growing
demand in end-user markets. However, the
unfavorable economic conditions in 2013
affected consumer demand and overall
industrial activity in the country. The
economic situation in Pakistan is expected
to improve during the period 2015-16. As a
result, the packaging industry is expected to
register a CAGR of 6.38% during this forecast
period.
Slows Growth
Packaging in Pakistan registered moderate
growth in 2010-2012. This was due to several
negative factors such as uncertainty over
the pace of the ongoing economic recovery
coupled with political instability. Consumers
spent cautiously and this negatively affected
consumer goods consumption. Consequently,
packaging demand was also compromised.
Increase in Single-serve product
sizes
Due to the higher prevalence of busier urban
lifestyles and eating and drinking on-thego, more single-serve packs were launched
in Pakistan during 2010 and packaging
producers continued to adapt to this changing
demand. Lighter, smaller sized packs and
improved closures were some of the areas
in which packaging development was seen
in response to this evolving consumer trend.
Another trend which led to rises in singleserve packs was the trend towards eating
healthy and fresh food in single-serve packs
which do not need to be resealed and kept
for future consumption. Another factor was
the lower retail price of single-serve packs,
which helped sustained demand during 2010.
Small packs carry a lower retail price and
are therefore more affordable. For example,
single-use sachets remained popular in
shampoos and conditioners.
Change in Packaging Type
Rising incomes and increased education and
awareness is leading to a growing trend for
the consumption of health wellness products
in categories such as food, beverages and
beauty and personal care products. In light
of this, special packaging types for such
products are also emerging, including the
high quality plastic bottles and jars used for
premium health and wellness oriented food.
Furthermore, many premium beverages,
especially juice drinks, are being packaged in
glass due to its superior chemical compatibility
with the product. The increasing consumption
of yogurt, which is considered to be very
healthy, has positively impacted demand
for thin wall plastic containers in spoonable
yogurt and rigid plastic, mainly HPDE bottles,
in drinking yogurt. Many such premium
healthy products require packaging with high
quality graphics, designs and labelling. Often,
healthy eating entails the consumption of
smaller portions, particularly in indulgence
categories such as confectionery and sweet
and savoury snacks, and this trend is also
helping drive demand for smaller packaging
sizes.
Many Pakistani brand owners continued to
select flexible packaging as their main type of
packaging for both food and non-food products
during 2010-12. This is due to its lighter weight
and inherent economic benefits over other
packaging types. Flexible packaging can be
used for many applications including flexible
plastic and stand-up pouches. Furthermore,
new areas of innovation in flexible plastic
such as microwaveable packaging, boil-in-bag
and push-through blister packs are all helping
many manufacturers to bring innovation to
their products.
Bio-plastic
Due to the rising concern for the use of eco
friendly packaging, bio-plastic is currently
being evaluated in Pakistan as a viable
alternative to more conventional plastic as
well as other packaging types. The interest
in bio-plastic stems from its inherent
advantages. However, the use of bio-plastic
packaging is still at an early stage in Pakistan.
There are many agricultural products which
can be used as the raw materials for bioplastic production. However, as the cost of
its production is still several times higher
than for conventional packaging and there
are fewer packaging manufacturers currently
interested in offering their products with bioplastic packaging, bio-plastic may take some
time to take off fully in Pakistan.
Conclusion
Industrial packaging cannot grow by itself but
it will grow in parallel with the product, how
big or small will depend upon the number
of products. Every product should have
packaging to prevent itself and to increase
its product value. If production is high,
packaging will also be high, it is like a shadow.
If the economy of the country is good, both
internal and foreign trade will also increase.
Production will rise and therefore resulting
in the rise of the use of packaging. It is like
a chain that is tied to each other forever.
Packaging therefore becomes an economic
indicator for the country.
When consumers have the purchase power to
buy products, it would mean that consumers
have good earnings and this is a reflection
of the country’s economy. In order to be
able to compete with the world’s market,
Pakistan’s industrial packaging should always
be modernized and updated, the products life
span should be extended as long as possible,
its image should be outstanding enough to
attract those who saw, its product value
should increase, it should be able to respond
to consumer’s behaviour, it should be in
line with the modern market, and it should
be able to adapt to the new and changing
delivery system and technology in production.
For the future, the use of various form
of packaging will increase, i.e. Portable
Packaging for snacks foods and others,
Aseptic Packaging, Standup Pouch Packaging,
E-commerce Packaging, Photodegradable
Packaging and Environmental Friendly
Packaging. All these forms of packaging will
increasingly have more roles and will be used
tremendously both internally and abroad
according to the number of products made
for the world’s population. Form the reasons
mentioned above, industrial packaging in
Pakistan for 2016 will continue to grow which
should not be less than 10%.
What is a good polymer?
Any Polymer is a collection of repeat unit, Poly
means many and mer means unit. Monomer
means single unit, diamer means two repeat
units together, trimer means three repeat
units together and so onwards oilgomer means
several repeat units together. So PET - Poly
Ethylene Terephthalate or generally called as
Polyester is a collection of many ester repeat
units.
Basic property of a polymer is the identity
of its constituent monomers . A second set
of properties, known as Micro-structure,
describe the arrangement of these monomers
within the polymer at the scale of a single
chain. These basic structural properties play
a major role in determining bulk physical
properties of the polymer, which describe
how the polymer behaves as a continuous
macroscopic material. Chemical properties,
at the nano-scale, describe how the chains
interact through various physical forces. At
the macro-scale, they describe how the bulk
polymer interacts with other chemicals and
solvents.
The physica l properties of a polymer are
strongly dependent on the size or length of the
polymer chain. As chain length is increased,
melting and boiling temperatures increase
quickly. lmpact resistance tends to increase
with chain length, as does the viscosity, or
resistance to flow, of the polymer in its melt
state. Increase in polymer chain length results
in a viscosity increase, increasing chain length
furthermore tends to decrease chain mobility,
increase strength and toughness, and increase
glass transition temperature (Tg).
Properties of a good
polyester:
A good polyester is one having even distribution
of chain length, I.V. as per requirement,
minimum ash contents, minimum yellowness
as possible and better filter-ability.
Common way of expressing chain length is
degree of polymerization which quantify
number of monomers present in chain length.
Chain length is expressed in terms of
molecular weight either as weight average
mol. wt. (Mw) or Number average mol. wt.
(Mn)
Polycondensation process yields a range
of chain length, polyester is polydisperse
substance i.e., it contains a distribution of
molecular sizes and weights. The pattern of
distribution is a reflection of polymerisation
parameters.
Molecular weight distribution (MWD) is
expressed as Poly dispersity (PD) = (Mw)/
(Mn).
A good polymer usually have PD= 50 000/25
000 = 2.0
Intrinsic Viscosity (I.V.) increases with
increasing molecular weight . Generally I.V.
range for textile grade polyester chips is
0.60 to 0.65. For staple fiber usually lower
range 0.6 to 0.62 is preferred to achieve easy
drawing while in filament higher range 0.63
to 0.65 is preferred to achieve better tensile
strength (Tenacity).
Beside I.V. other properties of good textile
grade chips ranges as follows:
DEG% < 1.2
CEG ueq/g < 30
Melting point deg C > 255
Glass transition temperature deg. C > 80
Hunter scale color
L values > 90
b values < 4.2
Ash % for BR 0.1 +/- 0.05 for SD 0.35 +/- 0.05
Oligomer contents % 1 to 2
Whiteness is indication of good polyester.
Yellowness of polyester shows degradation
or certain side reactions have taken place
during process. The color depends on degree
of decomposition in esterification as well as
in in prepolycondensation stage but mainly
is produced in the final polycondensation
stage due to side reactions driven by the
part of metal ions from catalyst. The factors
responsible for color deterioration are
temperature, residence time, oxygen or
moisture ingress in process, quality of raw
materials viz.
catalyst, dulling agent, stabilizers, etc.
Another phenomenon is the natural aging
of products on long storage and climatic
conditions.
TiO2 quality contributes to color deterioration
due to presence of rutile % and iron contents
and nonuniform distribution of particle size
inhibits agglomeration & clustering thus
results in poor filtration and spinning.
For better spinning usually drop in I.V. is
controlled with delta I.V. of < 0.02 i.e.,
difference in I.V. of wet chips ( or melt leaving
DRR) and free fall yarn. This indicates that,
degradation is under control and polymer
chain and color is good. This is achieved via
plant design based on residence time of about
28 to 30 minutes and transfer of melt to
spinning beam with minimum heat treatment
as possible. Also good filtration improves
spinning.
Write up By:
Zainul
Abedeen
(Manager
Development)
Gatron (Industries) Ltd.
January 2015
Product
Poison in Plastic Baby Bottles:
How to Know What’s Safe for Your Baby
sperm counts, hormonal changes, enlarged
prostate glands, abnormalities in the number
of chromosomes in eggs, and pre-cancerous
changes in the breast and prostate. It also
has been associated with obesity and insulin
resistance—a condition that commonly
precedes the development of diabetes.
The Government Needs Stronger Protections
for Consumer Products
The Dangers of BPA
Some baby bottles, water bottles, and
other clear plastic containers are made
of polycarbonate (PC) plastic, a polymer
made with the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA).
BPA is a hormone-disrupting chemical that
in animal studies has been associated with
reproductive abnormalities such as lower
Considering the potential hazards of BPA
on infants and babies, EU, USA, Canada
(including most of the North American
countries),Australia,
China,
Far-eastern
countries, GCC (including most of the Arab
countries) and many of the African countries
(less developed than Pakistan) have already
banned BPA containing plastics for the
manufacturing of baby bottles and sippy cups.
It is very unfortunate that till to-date no NGO
or government organization has bothered to
say a single word on this potential hazard.
Pakistan government should immediately
1) draft a law to protect the consumers from
such dangerous chemicals.
2) strictly ask the plastic articles producers
to show the plastic type on the article and
packing also make it mandatory to show
BPA Free sign on the packaging accordingly.
3) ban the import and local manufacturing of
the baby feeders made of Polycarbonate
or any other BPA containing plastic.
4) give incentives to the local manufacturers
to promote production of BPA free baby
feeders and other products.
What can I do to prevent exposure to BPA?
If you are concerned, you can make personal
choices to reduce exposure:
• Don’t use polycarbonate (PC) plastic food
containers.
• Avoid plastic containers made with
Polycarbonate (PC) and/or with the #7 on
the bottom
• Use infant formula bottles that are BPA
free and look for toys that are labeled BPA
free.
One Stop Shop for All Your Plastic Packaging Need
By Bin Qasim Packages (Pvt) Ltd
A Valued change in the market of packaging
industry in upcoming days which bring
diversification in the flexible & rigid packaging
industry. The combination of BQP & A-PAK
helps to provide unique packaging solution to
the clients of various sector. To be the most
admired and trusted organization through
excelling in everything we do, following
ethical business practices, compliance and
adding value to stakeholders.
Bin Qasim Packages Private Limited are the
manufacturer of PP Woven Laminated & NonLaminated Bags, PP Gusseted Bags, HDPE
Liners, PE Shopping Bags/ Wrapping Sheets
etc.
• On Timely Delivery
• Competitive Pricing
While A-Pak is involved in the business
different molded product range of Injection &
Extrusion blow molding. Beside these all it is
honor for us that we are the pioneer leading
manufacture of EPS product (glass, cup, fish
box and etc.).
We realize that every problem is slightly
different from the one before it, as is every
customer’s requirement. Which is why, we
never offer a “one size fits all” solution to
our customers. Every customer and indeed,
every order, is preceded by a thorough
understanding of the customer’s needs,
problems and the limitations with the current
approach to solving those problems.
Our passion to achieve excellence in all the
spheres of the business has consistently
fueled our growth in the competitive market.
• Stringent Quality Control
• Advanced Manufacturing Units
• Waste Management Cycle
Our future goal is to bring multi- layer
extrusion lines to provide multi- layer
films similarly to enhance the printing
technology by including gravure phenomena
in the process that enables us to improve the
printing graphics.
Consistently High Quality Pet
Bottles With New eHR Solution For
Sidel Matrix Blower Range
Sidel, the leading global provider of PET
solutions for liquid packaging, has introduced
a revolutionary PET blowing solution - the
Sidel Matrix™ blower eHR - to produce hot
fillable PET bottles of consistently high
quality. By heating the mould via electrical
heat resistance (eHR) instead of hot oil,
the Sidel Matrix blower eHR achieves
various benefits in terms of bottle quality,
performance, process flexibility, uptime,
energy savings and operator safety.
Enhancing consistent performance, saving
energy
Sidel’s eHR electrical heating replaces
traditional heating of the mould for the PET
bottle body by oil. Very responsive, it creates
a temperature increase three times quicker
than heating by oil, accurately providing the
correct temperatures from the first bottles
produced. Probes are directly located in each
mould shell to regulate the temperature as
closely as possible to the PET bottle as it is
formed. Temperature discrepancies between
different blowing stations are kept to an
absolute minimum. As a result, all bottles
undergo the same thermal conditioning and
therefore offer a consistent performance
when placed on the supermarket shelf and
when in the hands of the consumer.
The latest generation of blowing valve on
the Sidel Matrix blower, combined with the
mechanical blow nozzle system, electrical
stretching and automation, gives high control
of the blowing curve. This allows mechanical
output to be increased by up to 2,000 bottles
per hour per mould representing a speed
improvement of more than 10% compared
with the previous generation of Sidel HR
blowers. At the same time, it still maintains
enough cycle time to ensure a consistent
blowing process.
Electrical heating also offers energy savings
of up to 45% compared with the previous
generation of Sidel SBO Universal HR blowers.
This is much more efficient than oil mould
heating.
The performance of the Sidel
Matrix Ecoven with the infra-red lamps and
ceramic technology reduces use of power by a
further 25% and by implementing the AirEco2
air recovery option, air consumption can be
reduced by up to 45%.
Hygiene and safety
By eliminating oil altogether, the Sidel
Matrix blower eHR prevents hazards caused
by leakages, such as operators’ slipping and
contamination. With electrical stretching,
there is no need for lubrication above the
neck of the bottle, removing the risk of
contamination.
Some components are
lubricated for life and for those parts that do
need lubrication, food-grade grease is used.
The Sidel Matrix blower eHR benefits from
other proven Sidel Matrix developments such
as oven ventilation with air filtration for more
hygienic production.
As the moulds are insulated from the mould
supports, the hot temperature is focused on
the moulds while the ambient temperature
in the Sidel Matrix blower eHR remains lower
than in a traditional HR blower. This avoids any
thermal constraints on other nearby machine
components. Parts that operators may come
into contact with inside the machine are at a
lower temperature which contributes to safer
intervention conditions.
Staying ahead with innovative developments
With 35 years’ PET experience, Sidel has
delivered almost 560 HR blowers around the
world. This know-how is complemented by
its experience in the hot filling of beverages,
which it started almost four decades ago, first
in glass containers and then in plastic. Damien
Fournier, Blowing Product Management
Director at Sidel, comments – “Sidel has been
a central player in the hotfill segment of the
beverages market ever since the introduction
of the blow moulding HR PET process in
1986 and Sidel Matrix eHR provides unique
operational benefits to beverage producers.”
The Sidel Matrix blower eHR combines the
innovative eHR solution with the latest
proven technologies of Sidel Matrix blowers.
Mechanical settings are the same and 73%
of the eHR blowing station components are
similar to those of standard Sidel Matrix
blowers. It can be combined for example
with the Sidel Matrix Intelliblower™, which
brings control and self-regulation to the
blow moulding process, independent of any
operator intervention. As it is contactless,
electrical stretching is robust and gets no
wear, delivering consistently high quality PET
bottles and contributing to increased output.
Benefits of eHR blowing with Sidel Matrix
Combi Hot Fill
This new electrical heating resistance blowing
process is integrated into the Sidel Matrix
Combi Hot Fill that integrates the blowing,
filling and capping functions in one machine.
Sidel Combi systems offer line efficiency
levels up to 4% higher than standalone
machines and by reducing the number of
machines involved, can cut operating costs
by up to 12%. Compact and ergonomic, they
optimise line layout with a smaller footprint
and their controlled production environment
ensures hygiene and food safety are kept
under control.
The Sidel Matrix Combi Hot Fill has electronic
filling valves, equipped with individual flow
meters for accurate volume dispensing
with minimal wastage. Hygienic design and
contactless filling valves ensure complete
beverage safety. It can accommodate a broad
range of beverages with and without pulps
or particles, and it can easily manage neck
changeovers.
Meeting the challenges of hot filling PET
bottles
‘Hot filling’ is a method of safely bottling
sensitive beverages like juices, nectars, soft
drinks, isotonics and teas (JNSDIT), by heating
them. This heat sterilises the beverage and,
once the bottle is filled, capped and tilted,
then the bottle and cap. The temperature
required (between 80° and 95°C) is above the
normal thermal resistance of conventional
PET bottles.
The production of a quality HR PET bottle
to withstand these higher temperatures
requires processing via a particular stretch
blow moulding method.
This involves
blowing bottles in efficiently heated moulds
at temperatures above 120°C with reliable
controlled blowing.
Traditionally, this
temperature is attained by circuits of hot
oil connected to a thermo-regulator. The
mould base – and sometimes the mould neck
– is usually connected to a second thermoregulator. These conditions minimise PET
stresses during the blow moulding phase,
creating a heat-induced crystallinity and
the hot moulds ‘lock in’ the crystalline
microstructure.
The new Sidel Matrix™ blower eHR combines the
innovative eHR solutions with the latest proven
technologies of Sidel Matrix.
Electrical heating of the Sidel Matrix™ blower eHR
is located in each of the half-shells, with one probe
for temperature control and self-regulation. Set
temperature is directly applied to each mould shell,
with power delivered by decentralised control
units.
Thermal insulation avoids contact between the
half-shells and the mould support to keep the hot
temperature only in the mould of the Sidel Matrix™
blower eHR.
Sanitized AG has appointed Cloud Packaging
Private Limited (A Company of IR Group) as
their Exclusive Representation in Pakistan
for Polymer Applications.
SANITIZED AG is a world leading
producer
of
antimicrobial
hygiene function and material
protection for textiles and
plastics. For over 80 years this
pioneering Swiss company has
used the latest technology to
develop individual antimicrobial
hygiene solutions. SANITIZED
is committed to responsible ecological practices with products that use only scientifically
researched and registered antimicrobial active ingredients, which have undergone strict,
internationally approved risk assessments for
people and the environment. The company
also offers support for marketing and technical
queries, comprehensive testing services, and
a universally recognized brand and licensing
concept.
Specialties
Antimicrobials, Freshness, Comfort, Protection,
Hygiene function, antibacterial effect, material
protection, dust mite protection, anti-fungi
protection (mold / mildew)
During a completely normal day there are countless contact points with bacteria. This begins
in the home environment. Bacteria find excellent living conditions in the kitchen, bedroom
and bath, for heat and humidity promote their
growth. Sanitized® protects: a daily companion
in the home, office, during sports and on the
road. With antimicrobial treatment plastics and
textiles can be reliably protected against the
colonization and spread of bacteria. SANITZED is
developing individual solutions for its customers
worldwide in the textile and polymer industry
By eliminating hot oil, Sidel Matrix™ blower eHR
prevents hazards caused by leakages, such as
operators’ slipping and contamination.
‘Hot filling’ is a method of safely bottling sensitive
beverages like juices, nectars, soft drinks, isotonics
and teas, by heating them to between 80° and 95°C.
Underestimated risk: health hazards due to a
lack of kitchen hygiene. Food can transmit germs
that are a threat to health. Many people have
insufficient knowledge about the importance
of kitchen hygiene. The Sanitized® hygiene
function has a multiple effect: against the colonization of bacteria, against the resulting
material destruction, against mildew formation
and unwanted odours, all caused by bacteria in
drains, on cutting boards, on hand towels or in
refrigerators. Do not give bacteria, mildew or
odours in your kitchen a chance.
Sports and Hygiene - Hidden Risks Lasting
security with the Sanitized® hygiene function:
Perspiration and sports are inseparable. Each
piece of sports equipment is exposed to this
human bodily secretion. Bacterial colonization,
increase in disease-causing germs, odor and
material deterioration are the unwanted
consequences. The Sanitized® hygiene function embedded in the plastic provides lasting and
dependable relief.
Recycling and Pharmaceutical
Industry
by small scale plastic goods manufacturers like
toys and house hold products manufacturers.
Plastics Recycling:
Plastic recycling is the process of recovering
scrap or waste plastic and reprocessing the
material into useful products, sometimes
completely different in form from their
original state. Since plastic is not normally
biodegradable, recycling it is part of global
efforts to reduce plastic in the waste stream,
especially the approximately eight million
metric tonnes of waste plastic that enter the
earth’s ocean every year. This helps to reduce
the high rates of plastic pollution.
As a matter of fact plastics are essential in
modern day health care. Plastic products
are used in surgery, health care products,
pharmaceuticals, drug delivery systems and
medical packaging.
Essential medical applications include:
Blood bags
Fluid bags
Heart and lung bypass sets
Blood transfusion sets
Surgical gloves
Drug containers and bottles
Unlike the household plastic products the
medical products are mostly disposable and
hence contribute to huge amount of waste
which has to be disposed. This waste can be
classified in to two main categories namely;
1- Postconsumer waste
2- un-used or company waste.
Postconsumer waste:
Hospitals produce most of the postconsumer
waste in form of used syringes, drip bags,
surgical gloves, bottles etc. Nowadays,
approximately 16 billion injections are
administered worldwide, every single year.
Hospitals all across the globe pay a significant
amount of money on utensils manufactured
from virgin materials and invest even more in
waste disposal.
Unattended, openly dumped waste, especially
under warm and moist conditions, becomes
an ideal breeding place for disease-causing
organisms. These badly managed heaps of
waste are time bombs which can cause serious
health hazards.
Unused or company waste:
Plastic waste generated during the production
of medical products such as syringes, drip
bags etc is due to the test production and
machine errors caused during moulding
process. This waste is usually cleaner as
compared to the post-consumer waste and
hence easily recycled through shorter process
mainly shredding and pelletizing only.
This type of waste is sold in the market at
comparatively good rates and is usually bought
In theory, any grade of Plastic can be recycled
over and over again. In practice, due to
contaminants and moisture, plastics can
normally be recycled upwards of 10 times.
This of course is a big environmental benefit.
The few grades that cannot be recycled
are generally supplied to heating plants for
energy recovery.
Recycled Plastics are mainly used for:
Garbage bags
Dustbins
Pallets
Baskets and crates
Cheap household products and auto parts
Recycling Post Consumer Plastic waste
Used syringes are a big source of recyclable
poly propylene, these syringes are collected
from hospitals and are sent to recycling
factories where they are first shredded by
a shredding machine usually known as a
crusher. Then the shredded material is put
on a magnetic conveyer which separates
the needles and any other metallic particles
from the mixture, it is then washed manually
or using automated rinsing system in soap
water where the dirt and other chemicals
are separated from the plastic. The shredded
plastic is now dried in either open air or
mechanically before going to the extruder
in which it is melted and transformed into
pellets, sometimes dyes are added in the
pelletizing process to give the desired
colour to the recycled material. Recycled
polypropylene from the used syringes is
commonly used is manufacturing low quality
house hold plastic products like; buckets,
soap holders, dust bins, cups etc. Other than
these, many other plastic goods are made by
mixing recycled material with virgin plastic
to reduce the cost and at the same time
maintain reasonable quality of the product.
Very similar to the recycling of Plastic syringes
is the process of recycling fluid bags i.e. drip
bags and blood bags, which are made from
Low Density poly ethylene.
Benefits of Recycling Medical Waste
Collecting, recycling and reusing medical
waste can avoid environmental hazards,
protect natural resources and can provide
economic benefits for health care facilities.
Recycling medical waste reduces consumption
of raw material and reduces the volume of
the waste materials that must be disposed in
a landfill. Less medical waste in a landfill will
mean reduced emission of green house gasses,
less burning of fossil fuels as well as less
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. So, with
using resources that are already processed
hospitals can protect the environment and
the already strained natural resources.
In addition to the reduction of pollutants
in the environments, hospitals can save a
significant sum of money with recycling and
re-using. “Health care facilities could save
the industry between $4 billion and $7 billion
by adopting greener practices” (Howell,
2011). By recycling medical waste hospitals
save $5.4 billion in five years and up to $15
billion in 10 years. That money comes from
the recycling centres that treat the medical
waste properly and then sell it for only 40 to
60 percent of the original price. Also, those
recycling companies pay money to those
hospitals that provide them with medical
waste that can be sterilized and re-used.
Danial Arshad
BSc. Materials Science & Engineering (G.I.K.I)
Proprietor – Pakistan Plastics (Pvt) Limited.
FAV’s Masterbatches for
Pharmaceutical Applications
It is a unique achievement for a young and
zealous local company to supply top quality
masterbatches that are used in maximum
industries. It is also significant for a relatively
new entrant in the realm to supply material
that large numbers of quality conscious
companies use in their leading products.
According to Farid Ahmed Vawda, the pioneer
and CEO of FAV Plastico Pvt. Ltd, dreaming
big does make a difference but at the end of
the day, success comes after well drawn out
feasibilities which are meticulously followed
by hard work and high end technology,
without compromising on quality.
Global demand for masterbatch is projected
to reach $12.1 billion by 2019. Growth will
be driven due to continuing robust progress in
the Asia-Pacific and South American regions.
The European region remains the largest
market for masterbatch, followed by North
America. The Asia-Pacific market is slated to
be the key growth area due to combination
of swift growth in plastics processing and the
need to produce at higher standards. This
has also helped with the masterbatch market
demand.
Numerous raw materials which are used
in Pharmaceutical packaging are usually
imported from different countries round
the globe. However, the pharmaceutical
industry is increasingly observing the local
manufacturers and sourcing high-quality,
cost-effective products. The packaging
technology of local manufacturer needs to
meet strict global standards. This will create
new possibilities for our customers to improve
the sustainability offering and overall
performance of their finished products. Being,
a trusted supplier in color and performance.
FAV Plastico has over five years of experience
in this segment.
FAV
Plastico’s
advanced
colors
and
performance of materials for medical and
pharmaceutical applications help customers
respond quickly to rapidly changing
preferences and demands. They meet the
latest industry trends for surface functionality
and aesthetics considering safety and
regulatory compliance.
FAV Plastico is manufacturing range of
polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP)based masterbatches. This range of white
masterbatches and compounds is targeted for
use in production of pharmaceutical tips, seals
and containers for ocular and nasal drugs. It
complements a range of colors and additives
for medical devices and pharmaceutical
packaging. Based on pre-tested ingredients,
this helps reduce development time and costs
of matching special colors, and the possibility
of
additional
regulatory
evaluation.
Classification of our raw materials and final
masterbatches through careful selection, pretesting and evaluation gives customers a clear
picture of their material of choice.
However, because of the wide variety of
medical device applications, sterilization
regimes, etc, it is the responsibility of the
device manufacturer to perform further
appropriate tests for compliance with all
requirements for the intended end-use
application. To reduce development time,
we have few ‘Standard Colors’ based on pretested ingredients, especially for Pharma
Industry. This avoids development time and
costs of matching special colors, and the
possibility of additional regulatory evaluation.
Medical & Pharmaceutical industry is
continuously challenged with tight regulatory
controls governing end users product and
packaging material ingredients. This has in-
turn increased responsibility of packaging
convertors to adhere to maintain traceability
of raw materials, ensuring batch-to-batch
consistency and high level of material safety.
FAV Plastico is constantly working to provide
a wide range of masterbatches which can be
widely used in Pharma industry in Pakistan.
Pet Amber is one of our thriving products
in Pakistan Pharma Industry, which has high
quality with good heat stability and migration.
The leading supplier has developed amber
masterbatch for the PET used pharmaceutical
prescription bottles. This grade facilitates
molders color PET in their premises rather
rely on pre-colored resin. This grade meets
strict light fastness, U.V. protection,
clarity, color and other requirements set for
pharmaceutical bottles.
As Pharmaceutical industry is considered very
strenuous and sensitive, FAV Plastico takes
extra care in producing medicated product
Masterbatches with high quality Titanium di
oxide, pigments and other raw materials. We
have a wide range of White Masterbatches,
which are especially made for ocular and
nasal drugs containers manufacturers. Since
the beginning of FAV Plastico’s career, we
are providing these products to well known
companies with a surety that our products are
non-hazardous.
Our well equipped analytical and color
laboratories allow us to quickly develop
formulations of a project. We are then able to
continually optimize products from the initial
trial stages through to full commercialization.
As we are constantly working on developing
a range for pharma industry to support and
share the responsibility of this sector which
aim to provide affordable medical facilities to
people of Pakistan.

For PDF View

Transcription

Similar documents

Ilapak Italia Spa

openSAFETY – Packaging line

Packaging – just a bare necessity?

Material To Your SuccessTM

- Ranpak Protective Packaging Systems

PadPak Jr.

“Instapak® Simple™,” “Sealed Air”

Campiano Ontaneta Spedale

sprayco consumer products completes acquisiton of miamica

Spray September 2010