2 polymerandpackaging · in 2006, Arburg was the first European injection moulding machine...

2 polymerandpackaging.com

Dear Readers, At the juncture when 2016 is about to come to a close, we are pleased to present the 16th edition of Polymer & Packaging International Magazine, Pakistan’s leading industrial magazine for the allied sectors.

As the New Year rings closer, statistics confirm a continued growth trend in Pakistan’s polymer and packaging industry that is in tandem with technological improvements worldwide. From airtight wraps to shelf stable bottles and standalone pouches, plastic packaging is continuing to play an important role in delivering a safe food supply right from the farm to the table. Plastic is also becoming the material of choice when it comes to preserving frozen foods. Arguably driven by competition and the benefits of deploying cutting edge developments, healthier and environmental friendly plastic and packaging techniques are now being used locally more than ever as business owners are now looking for biodegradable plastics and packaging solutions. In order to reduce the cost of the materials, plastics are also being produced in such a way that they can also be recycled easily which directly relates to increased environmental sustainability and increases the magnitude of plastic consumption patterns in Pakistan.

In terms of editorial content, previous editions of this publication included topics ranging from Injection Molding, Extrusion, Integrated and Flexible Packaging, PET and Food Packaging. In the current, the core discussion will be about Injection Stretch Blow Molding and Smart Packaging that constitute current trends used by the polymer and packaging sector worldwide.

As a representative of Pakistan’s local industry, Polymer & Packaging International continues in its strive to bring the allied sectors closer to cutting edge technology and play our role in coordinating more business engagements between local companies and conglomerates worldwide. Directed by this approach, we will continue to forge media partnership relationships with leading exhibitions in the world so that we can prove our mettle as the flag bearer of Pakistan’s industry internationally.

We hope you will find this issue informative and would also like to thank all our advertisers, subscribers and contributors for their continued support and appreciation. Furthermore, we assure them of dissipating the latest happenings of the industry worldwide in the coming year.

Happy Reading!

Our TeamManaging EditorS.H. [email protected]

Assistant Manager MarketingParas Ali [email protected]

Editorial AssistantKarishma [email protected]

Business CoordinatorM. Eijaz Uddin [email protected]

Layout & VisualizationRehan A [email protected]

Published by:Thesis Publishing (Pvt) Ltd.

Address:Room No. 706, Business PlazaMumtaz Hassan Road, Karachi-74000, PakistanPhone: +92-21-3246-1722Website: www.thesis.com.pk

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Printed at:Quick Process, Plot No; 20, Sector 24, Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi.

polymerandpackaging.com 3

EDITOR’S NOTE


CONTENT

03 / EDITOR’S NOTE

05 | MARK YOUR CALENDAR

06 / BARE ESSENTIALS

07 | NEWS

10 | TECHNOLOGY UPDATE

11 | INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

12 | COUNTRY IN FOCUS

14 | INTERVIEW

17 | COMPANY IN FOCUS

18 | EVENT NEWS

24 | HIGHLIGHTS 2016

26 | ARTICLE

12

14 16

1817

2624

28


MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Pack Expo East 27 February - 01 March, 2017Philadelphia, USA

Arabplast 8-10 January, 2017Dubai, United Arab Emirates

HealthPack 20177-9 March, 2017Denver, USA

IC Packaging Technology Expo18-20 January, 2017Tokyo, Japan

UPAK ITALIA 201724-27 January, 2017Moscow, Russia

interpack4-10 May, 2017Dusseldorf, Germany

Sino-Pack 20171-3 March, 2017Guangzhou, China

International Plastic Fair24–28 October, 2017Tokyo, Japan

Omanplast 21-23 March, 2017Muscat, Oman

Chinaplas16-19 May, 2017Guangzhou, China


BARE ESSENTIALS

Polymers (material and machinery) trade review

Jan – Sept 2016Source: Federal Board of Revenue


ANNIVERSARY IN JAKARTA: TEN YEARS OF THE ARBURG SUBSIDIARY IN INDONESIAArburg’s Indonesian subsidiary celebrated its tenth anniversary together with 50 invited guests, subsidiary employees and a representative from the company headquarters. At the time of its foundation in 2006, Arburg was the first European injection moulding machine manufacturer with a fully-owned subsidiary in this country.

Haryadi Mulyono, Subsidiary Manager of Arburg Indonesia, warmly welcomed the guests to this happy occasion. On behalf of the Partners, Managing Directors and the entire parent company, Regional Sales Manager Rainer Kassner then thanked customers for the trust they had shown, and the entire Arburg Indonesia team for their great commitment and tireless endeavour.The highlights of the evening festivities were the traditional “Tumpeng” thanksgiving ceremony as well as the presentation of the “10 Years of Arburg Indonesia” anniversary sculpture to David Chan, who is responsible for the Arburg organisations of the entire ASEAN region.Arburg has been active in Indonesia since as far back as 1993, initially through a representative office, and with a fully-owned organisation since 2006. It is continuously investing in the Indonesian market. The principal applications are high-quality packaging, precision technical parts and LSR processing.The team, which now counts ten members, offers an extensive range of services, expert advice and prompt local support. This includes machine commissioning, fault rectification and preventive maintenance.

POLYMER TECHNOLOGY & SERVICES EXPANDS TRISTAR® RANGE OF FLAME RETARDANT POLYCARBONATESClariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, is presenting new AddWorks® additive solutions that support the evolving needs of major segments of the plastics industry.Since introducing AddWorks at K 2013, Clariant has expanded it to several ranges of innovative, tested and ready-to-use plastic additive solutions to cover specific needs for key segments of the plastics industry. Clariant selects the most appropriate form-giving technologies and the obtained solutions contribute to making conversion processes lean and cost-effective for customers. Martin John, Vice President Polymer Additives at Clariant, comments: “AddWorks underscores Clariant’s company-wide commitment to providing Value for People – our chosen theme for K 2016 and beyond. Over the last three years we have developed the concept to support the industry’s requirements for sustainable and innovative solutions as the Megatrends influencing society create new opportunities for plastics.”

At K 2016, Clariant features latest solutions for customers in the automotive, agriculture and packaging market segments, including: Automotive interiors: AddWorks ATR 146 is a new light and heat shield for automotive interior plastics that responds to the emerging OEM trend for improved durability and a low VOC environment. The sulfur-free solution provides exceptional light and heat stabilization in filled PP compounds, setting the new benchmark in performance by almost doubling the duration of thermal stability and in sustainability by reducing VOC emissions. AddWorks ATR 146 successfully passes the heat ageing standard test of no surface cracking after 700 hours at 150°C at low dosage with minimal VOC emission. Agricultural films: AddWorks AGC 102 is a cost-effective solution to extend the service life of greenhouse films and to optimize the light transmission required to grow UV sensitive flower crops. Films based on AddWorks AGC 102 and its food-crop counterpart AddWorks AGC 104 is proven to perform even in the presence of high concentration of agrochemicals.Food packaging: AddWorks PKG 902 allows polyolefin film manufacturers to incorporate a higher amount of recycled resin in their film process, resulting in significant raw material cost savings. It allows the resin to withstand the high line speed, and maintain the film quality with reduced breakages and significant gel and black spot reduction. Stabilizer for plastic resins: AddWorks LXR 568 is a high performance process stabilizer that combines outstanding color and melt flow protection with a good resistance to hydrolysis. The product’s hydrolytic stability helps processors to prevent degradation of plastic resins used to produce a wide range of end-use applications including packaging films, ensuring that consistent product performance is maintained.

NEWS

IRAN PETCHEM EXPORT TO REACH 20 MILLION TONSThe Director of the Planning and Development Department at National Iranian Petrochemical Company (NPC) Farnaz Alawi made the remarks in a press conference.Iran will increase export of petrochemical products abroad to 20 million tons till the end of this Iranian calendar year, she added.Alawi noted that the nominal capacity of Iran’s petrochemical industry has increased to 64 million tons till this Iranian calendar year.She referred to production of 46.5 million tons of petrochemical products worth of 9.6 billion dollars the last year (ended March 19, 2016) and said in the first 7 months of this Iranian year, 29 million tons of petrochemical products were produced.Alawi predicted promotion of production of petrochemical products during this Iranian year to 50-51 million tons till the end of year. Iran presented 18.8-19 million tons of petrochemical products to the foreign markets and 14 million tons to the domestic market, she added.The official said that Iran exported 11.6 tons of petrochemical products abroad and 8.5 million tons were sold in the domestic market.Alawi referred to export of 9.6 billion dollars of petrochemical products abroad during the previous Iranian calendar year and said “we have already exported 4.8 billion dollars of petrochemical products in the first seven months of this year.”She pointed to negative effect of energy market on the price of petrochemical products since 2014 and noted that due to the decrease of crude oil price at the international markets, Naphtha price as the major feedstock for production of ethylene decreased.During the past four years, the price of petrochemical products exported abroad witnessed 50 percent decrease and the price of products used in the domestic market experienced 40 percent decrease, Alawi said.Iran is expected to play a significant role in the international market of polymers and currently, it has 10 percent of the international market of methanol, the official added.Presence of international Asian and European companies in Iran has increased after the nuclear deal reached between Iran and G5+1, she added.Alawi voiced hope for reaching agreement with the visiting foreign companies in the coming months.


SOLVAY TO BUILD TECHNYL® COMPOUNDING UNIT IN MEXICO TO SERVE REGIONAL AND NORTH AMERICAN MARKETSSolvay, a world leader in polyamide-based performance materials, is building a Technyl® polyamide compounding unit in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, with initial annual capacity of 10KT. This new facility is expected to become operational in the third quarter of 2017 to serve the region’s and America’s growing automotive and consumer goods markets. Mexico is the second largest producer of automobiles and commercial vehicles in the Americas and is ranked seventh worldwide with annual production exceeding 3,5 million units in 20151. In addition, many consumer goods and electrical equipment players are located close by, offering new opportunities for Solvay.“This new plant will help us to support our fast growing Technyl® polyamide business in North America, in addition to our current capabilities,” states Vincent Kamel, President of Solvay Performance Polyamides. “Many of the world’s top automotive OEMs are located in the region, which makes it an ideal base for us to serve both local and U.S. markets and contribute with our solutions to cleaner mobility.”To minimize investment cost and time to market, Solvay is partnering with Chunil Engineering, one of its major customers. Solvay is planning additional investments to serve the NAFTA2 market.“Our collaboration with Chunil Engineering - a global automotive tier 1 - enables us to optimize the site’s infrastructure including the use of power, water and waste treatment,” explains Peter Browning, General Manager of Solvay’s Engineering Plastics Business Unit. “As our business develops we will expand this modular 10KT unit’s capacity to meet the rapidly growing needs of our customers in the region.” Solvay supports customers worldwide with a complete array of advanced services designed to speed the development of new applications, from material characterization to application validation. This offering includes 3D printing of functional prototypes in Sinterline® PA6 powders, predictive simulation with MMI® Technyl® Design as well as part testing at fully equipped APT® Technyl® Validation centers.

NEWS

MORE ADDWORKS® SOLUTIONS FOR KEY PLASTIC SEGMENTS AT K 2016Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, is presenting new AddWorks® additive solutions that support the evolving needs of major segments of the plastics industry.Since introducing AddWorks at K 2013, Clariant has expanded it to several ranges of innovative, tested and ready-to-use plastic additive solutions to cover specific needs for key segments of the plastics industry. Clariant selects the most appropriate form-giving technologies and the obtained solutions contribute to making conversion processes lean and cost-effective for customers. Martin John, Vice President Polymer Additives at Clariant, comments: “AddWorks underscores Clariant’s company-wide commitment to providing Value for People – our chosen theme for K 2016 and beyond. Over the last three years we have developed the concept to support the industry’s requirements for sustainable and innovative solutions as the Megatrends

influencing society create new opportunities for plastics.”At K 2016, Clariant features latest solutions for customers in the automotive, agriculture and packaging market segments, including: Automotive interiors: AddWorks ATR 146 is a new light and heat shield for automotive interior plastics that responds to the emerging OEM trend for improved durability and a low VOC environment. The sulfur-free solution provides exceptional light and heat stabilization in filled PP compounds, setting the new benchmark in performance by almost doubling the duration of thermal stability and in sustainability by reducing VOC emissions. AddWorks ATR 146 successfully passes the heat ageing standard test of no surface cracking after 700 hours at 150°C at low dosage with minimal VOC emission. Agricultural films: AddWorks AGC 102 is a cost-effective solution to extend the service life of greenhouse films and to optimize the light transmission required to grow UV sensitive flower crops. Films based on AddWorks AGC 102 and its food-crop counterpart AddWorks AGC 104 is proven to perform even in the presence of high concentration of agrochemicals.Food packaging: AddWorks PKG 902 allows polyolefin film manufacturers to incorporate a higher amount of recycled resin in their film process, resulting in significant raw material cost savings. It allows the resin to withstand the high line speed, and maintain the film quality with reduced breakages and significant gel and black spot reduction. Stabilizer for plastic resins: AddWorks LXR 568 is a high performance process stabilizer that combines outstanding color and melt flow protection with a good resistance to hydrolysis. The product’s hydrolytic stability helps processors to prevent degradation of plastic resins used to produce a wide range of end-use applications including packaging films, ensuring that consistent product performance is maintained.

TETRA PAK GETS CLOSER TO FULLY RENEWABLE PACKAGING GOAL WITH NEW ASEPTIC CARTONTetra Pak announces the launch of a new version of Tetra Brik® Aseptic 1000 Edge with Bio-based LightCap™ 30. This is the first aseptic carton package in the world to receive the highest class of Vinçotte certification for its use of renewable materials. The new package is manufactured using a bio-based plastic film and cap, made from polymers derived from sugar cane. Combined with the paperboard, this lifts the share of materials from renewable sources

in the package to above 80%, the threshold for four-star certification from Vinçotte, the Belgium-based accreditation agency that is world-recognised for assessing the renewable content of packaging products.The new package also boasts up to 17% lower carbon footprint than a standard package, according to an independent lifecycle analysis conducted by IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute.“Increasing the use of renewable materials, defined as natural resources that can be replenished over time, plays an increasingly important role in mitigating resource scarcity and climate change,” said Philippe Dewolfs, President of the Certification Committee from Vinçotte “This is the only aseptic carton package we have certified so far and it has qualified for four-star certification.”Charles Brand, Executive Vice President, Product Management and Commercial Operations at Tetra Pak said: “There is a growing trend that consumers want to do more for the planet, and they want brand owners to help. With the authentic certification from Vinçotte, our new package gives customers credible information to communicate with consumers, and helps them differentiate their products.


NORDSON APPOINTS GAEP AS ITS DISTRIBUTOR IN THE MIDDLE EAST FOR PELLETIZERS AND MELT DELIVERY SYSTEMS

Nordson Corporation has appointed Gulf Application Engineering and Packaging (GAEP) to represent the BKG® range of products in the Middle East. GAEP will

provide sales, support service, and spare parts for BKG underwater pelletizers, melt filtration systems, gear pumps, and valves in Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The affiliated company Services Technology Establishment (SE-TECH) will provide the same services in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.GAEP has represented other Nordson businesses since 1989, including fluid dispensing and application systems, in the Middle East and West Africa.“GAEP brings experience in sales and support of precision systems, including our company’s fluid coating equipment, that will benefit users of BKG polymer processing systems,” said Udo Grund, global sales manager for the BKG brand. “They will provide customers in the Middle East with even greater access to Nordson technologies for enhancing productivity, product quality, and capability for automation.”Mr. Grund noted that GAEP will work closely with Nordson Polymer Processing Systems (PPS) regional sales managers, who have a good knowledge of the industries and customer base in the countries to be served by GAEP. Spare parts will be stocked at GAEP’s warehouse in the Jebel Ali Free Zone located in the United Arab Emirates.

COSMO FILMS LAUNCHES UNIVERSAL LIDDING FILMS FOR ALL THERMOFORMED PLASTIC CONTAINERS

Cosmo Films, a leading manufacturer of speciality BOPP films announced the launch of BOPP based Universal Lidding Films; suitable for heat sealing to any of the rigid thermoformed cups/containers made up of PP/HIPS/PET/PVCor PE. The films are generally used for lidding of unit packs of

packaged drinking water, juice, yogurt, jelly, jam, marmalade, butter etc., as well as trays used for packing salads, meals and fresh fruits etc. The different products available in the market for lidding generally are aluminum foil/PE or PET/PE structures. However, BOPP used for lidding applications scores over its counterparts in terms of sustainability, yield and therefore cost, better aesthetics and fold/flex resistance. These films are available in white opaque cavitated & semi-transparent variants. BOPP film based lids are safe for direct food contact as no solvent is involved and ingredients involved in the manufacturing of this product are approved by FDA. The films offer excellent peelability, printability with water & solvent based inks and high aesthetic appeal. The films offer good moisture barrier properties and films to cater high barrier needs are also available.The films can be easily die cut & punched and display good stiffness for dispensing. The films can be used for both in-line and offline lidding processes. The product is available in standard thickness of 50, 75 and 85 microns. Other microns are also possible on demand. Commenting on the development, Mr Pankaj Poddar, CEO Cosmo Films said “We saw both end consumers and printers facing challenges while using unit packs especially for packaged drinking water. The consumers invariably found it challenging to peel open the pack without spilling and the label printers faced issues with finding the right adhesives for heat sealing of the lidding film. Looking at the need gap, we have developed a cost effective universal product where all that the printer needs to do is to print, die cut and supply the film to the brand. The film can also be sealed at lower sealing temperatures of 140-150 degrees”.


TECHNOLOGY UPDATE

The vehicle to help producers achieves all the benefits of industry 4.0

At Brau Beviale 2016, Gebo Cermex unveiled the Agility 4.0™ programme. By increasing the productivity of beverage manufacturing plants, making them more connected, flexible and responsive – in a word, agile – this Advanced Production Systems programme plays a major role in making the factory of tomorrow a reality today.The beverage market is changing fast. With distribution looking for more customised delivery methods and increased responsiveness, and with people showing different consumer behaviours that influence their purchasing decisions, the packaging industry needs to find new ways to improve line operations in terms of speed, efficiency, flexibility and versatility.As we move towards the era of Industry 4.0, the smart factory has become an important and much-discussed topic in manufacturing, highlighted by the trend for an increasing use of automation, cyber-physical equipment and computerised systems for the acquisition and processing of data.

At Brau Beviale, Gebo Cermex demonstrated its contribution to the factory of tomorrow, addressing in particular the requirements of the beer, wine and spirits market – one in which the company has more than 50 years of experience. The company showed its leadership by offering customers increased performance via four steps in its asset management model based on design, build, maintain, and improve.Design: taking advantage of line flow simulation to create a new agile production conceptAt Gebo Cermex, designing a line concept has long been – and is still – a matter of expertise and one that helps to resolve the current challenges of Industry 4.0. Given the complexity in developing bottling and canning plants to distributors’ expectations, it is now up to computer generated modelling to solve the future challenges of Industry 4.0.By combining its extensive knowledge and the power of computerised systems, the company has successfully brought the virtual factory to life. It is now possible to accurately simulate daily operations in a production plant, and therefore develop and test new production models, such as the dematerialised layout. This substitutes traditional packing solutions with intralogistics by linking small specific production islands with automatic guided vehicles handling either semi-finished or finished goods. In this way, production can be customised on a mass scale without changing costs. It is a breakthrough concept that breathes ‘agility’ and which visitors

New gear pumps operate more efficiently, improve product quality, and are available for all applications worldwide

Harmonizing the technologies of two world-renowned product lines, Nordson Corporation has created a new generation of gear pumps that provide up to 15% greater throughput without an increase in rpm and deliver a more consistent and stable polymer melt for enhanced product quality. Nordson introduced the optimized pump design at K 2016, where it also highlighted the availability of a comprehensive range of these components with options that meet the needs of virtually all melt processing applications in all geographic regions. BKG® BlueFlow™ gear pumps are a new-generation product range that improves upon well-known technologies developed separately by the Münster-based melt-

filtration and gear pump business of Jan-Udo Kreyenborg, and by US-based Xaloy Corporation, both of which were acquired by Nordson in 2013 and 2012, respectively. Chief among the improvements are:- More efficient melt delivery, which

makes it possible to achieve up to 15% greater throughput without increasing pump rpm; or reduce rpm to lessen shear stress on the polymer without sacrificing throughput.

- Better sealing performance and more sealing options. The full range of sealing types are now available worldwide. In addition to air- and water-cooled systems, alternative designs with cooling fins are also available.

- Improved control over melt parameters. The new gear pumps include pressure and temperature sensors at both the inlet and the outlet sides, contributing to more consistent melt properties and improved quality.

“BKG BlueFlow gear pumps provide better melt delivery performance for all processes and are particularly valuable in operations involving technical polymers, optically clear products, or other high-specification applications where it is important to minimize shear stress,” said Sven Conrad, business unit director for melt delivery products. “In designing these new pumps, we have drawn from a unique combination of U.S. and German expertise that spans many decades.”

were able to experience live via a Virtual Reality demo.Build: simulating and supervising energy consumptionSustainable production processes and the role that optimising energy usage plays are becoming ever more important in developing the factories of the future. How energy is being consumed and the carbon footprint created by a packaging line are now central factors in purchasing decisions.The energy consumption simulation tool introduced as part of the Agility 4.0 programme can be used to audit existing installations or to assist in the design of new ones. It enables beverage producers to test a wide range of possible configurations, validate design variants and optimise energy saving proposals. It can be used in conjunction with the Eco Audit service from Gebo Cermex to help significantly improve the environmental performance of a beverage producer’s line.With water an increasingly important resource, focusing on water management, particularly in relation to tunnel equipment such as pasteurisers, is also an important part of the sustainability equation. Contributing to this are the many features of the SWING® pasteurising system, now available as an upgrade for standard Gebo Cermex pasteurisers. Coupled with the PRINCE Plus pasteurising software, most recently enhanced with an Energy Advanced Diagnostic module, it offers a pasteurising solution which achieves the greatest water savings on the market.


INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

GPCA supports new generation of downstream industry students with Leaders of Tomorrow initiative

Maintain: from real-time monitoring to remote video assistance To achieve the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) of invested equipment, effective and connected maintenance and troubleshooting are vital in helping to reduce costly downtime, particularly given the increasing sophistication of packaging lines.The conveyor monitoring software is a significant step toward the creation of the connected factory. It gives real-time views

The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), the voice of the petrochemical industry in the Arabian Gulf, is set to launch an initiative that supports students in the petrochemical sector across the GCC states.Referred to as the ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ program, this platform will provide university and college students who have studied in Science, Technology, Engineering and

of the whole line’s conveyor running status, also providing preventive maintenance instructions and automatically generating email alerts listing the parts to be replaced, thus ensuring the continuous running of the line. No less important, in the event of a broken part, easy online ordering is just a click away.In addition, Gebo Cermex now offers Remote Video Assistance, which uses video, audio and augmented reality technology. The audio and video facilities allow Gebo Cermex experts to better understand the issue through real time viewing from a remote location, almost as if they were on-site. The augmented reality then allows a full explanation of the problem and, more importantly, provides the assistance in how to resolve it. The operator on-site can see the hands and the tools used by the Gebo Cermex expert, superimposed on the operator’s view, thereby providing precise visual guidance in what actions to take while the verbal instructions are given via the audio facility.Improve: actionable intelligence insideIt is difficult to improve what is not being measured. This simple truth is at the heart of EIT™, a packaging line Efficiency Improvement Tool that serves as the best example of the value that the connected factory can create. It is a powerful real-time supervision system, permanently monitoring key machine performance indicators, product flows and accumulations, as well as consumptions. However, having a system recording production data and

Mathematics (STEM) fields an opportunity to build industry knowledge through participation at GPCA events and close interaction with industry leaders. The first edition of this initiative — which expects 60 participant students — was sponsored by Dow Chemical at the 11th Annual GPCA Forum, held from November 27- 29 in Dubai.“With the region’s governments casting their eyes on the downstream industry for their drive towards economic diversification, the GCC petrochemical industry is poised to be a focal point for expansion in the near future,” said Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA. “In order to realize this potential, we as an industry must invest in the brains behind the operations and focus on future talent. While the opportunities exist, we have noticed that there is a gap between the study and the practice of the various disciplines that make up the petrochemicals industry.“The ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ initiative has therefore been established as a method to bridge the gap between academia and industry. As the brainchild of the GPCA and its member companies, we consider this to be the first collective step in which industry stakeholders collaborate in shaping and preparing future

events, providing visual dashboards and comparing performance is not enough. The market is looking for systems with “built-in intelligence” capable of translating raw data into actionable information. EIT™ handles production issues to meet ongoing challenges and also anticipates them through trends and forecasts based on historical and multi-plant analysis. The outcome is clear: beverage producers reduce losses, reach their production objectives and set their priorities in the long run.Experience in innovative packaging line solutionsPart of the Sidel Group, Gebo Cermex has some 37,000 equipment and system installations operating throughout the world, bringing advanced performance and greater agility to packaging lines. Leveraging more than 50 years of experience, the company offers solutions in complete packaging line engineering, equipment design manufacturing and integration, material handling and end-of-line packaging. Ludovic Tanchou, Vice President Strategy, Products and Innovation at Gebo Cermex, said – “Gebo Cermex is an innovative leader in delivering packaging solutions in PET, can and glass liquid packaging and material handling. Through the latest developments in our Agility 4.0 Advanced Production Systems programme, we are now offering a pragmatic answer to the new challenges the packaging industry is facing: greater performance and agility, backed by extensive engineering expertise.”

industry leaders with the required skillset.”The initiative consisted of a year round program, through which GPCA member companies will sponsor students to attend the GPCA conferences focused on plastics, fertilizers, R&D, and supply chains. Each conference will incorporate a specialized seminar, workshop, roundtable and site visit to a relevant petrochemicals facility. Meanwhile, the GPCA member companies that sponsor this program was benefited through their access to local talent.“Over the last 10 years, our research has shown that the region’s petrochemicals industry has a unique ‘multiplier effect’ on employment, meaning that every direct job created by the downstream industry leads to the creation of an additional three employment opportunities elsewhere,” explained Dr. Al-Sadoun. “The chemicals industry of the GCC is the region’s second largest within the manufacturing sector, creating over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs and $108 billion worth of products in 2015. It spurs investment into local and regional talent and has shown to be a highly productive use of the labor force.”


COUNTRY IN FOCUS

Italian Plastics and Rubber Processing Machinery and Moulds IndustrySince the early fifties, the “made in Italy” plastics and rubber processing machinery and moulds had steadily grown during the second half of the last century, reaching a technological sophistication, targeting productivity and quality levels such as – how it can be seen by looking at the export figures – to be sold all over the world and, in particular, to be highly appreciated by the most industrialized countries.The progressive increase of the turnover along the past decades has also been supported by the world polymers consumption progress, thanks to the advanced offer, first of all because of high versatility for different applications, meaning as well a better economical choice and functional for two main reasons: to preserve natural resources and being easy recyclable, via mechanical or thermal recovery systems, when plastics products come to life-end.The Italian evolution in this field, technologically and by process, offering plastics and rubber processors a wide range of tailor-made machines and related equipment, none the less moulds and dies, it cannot be interpreted a part from the expansion of the global polymers demand. At the same time, the economic upturn of the branch is also linked to the particular size of the firms and to the experience achieved along over 50 years of activity.The continuous upgrading has permitted to supply the Italian and foreign end–users – in particular those ones interested in highly hour production and/or higher added value – with tailor made machinery, being more compatible and suitable for satisfying single and more precise needs of the processors, worldwide. This attitude, during the last decade, has become a topical matter, pushing the Italian suppliers to start a “philosophy” of direct cooperation with their customers for designing and testing together all viable chances to realise productive solutions with higher performances, under the operating and economic points of view. In this respect, anyhow, it must be recognised that, often, the branch itself faces a reduced dimension and capacity to invest in applied researches in order to compete with the major producers around the world and to supply with integrated systems.It is as well worthy to remind, although, another positive peculiarity: to be a bulk of complementary companies in term of production, even if lacking in being synergic on an industrial base, having capitalized their own experience and therefore realised machinery more and more specific by use–destination, targeting from the original project of the equipment the optimization of its productivity and rational price/quality ratio.Moreover, it shall be remarked that Italy ranks among the very top world manufacturing countries, as per production and export of plastics and rubber processing and recycling machinery and moulds, with a 10% share on the total.The present and up–to–date Italian technology, having an average high level, may match with the global demand as its machine supply varies a lot, covering a wide range of single and twin screw extruders from 20 to 400 mm, injection moulding machinery from 20 to 10,000 ton clamping force, several kinds of extrusion and injection–blow

moulding machines suitable for producing both small bottles and very large containers, several lines of machinery for rigid and flexible polyurethane foams etc.. It is finally of further interest to briefly outline a few historical facts, thanks to which, since the early ‘50s up to day, the Italian plastics and rubber machinery industry – especially when talking about technological progress – has hit the progressive globalised marketplace with its own records. After mentioning that, in 1910, some Italians developed the original models of compression and transfer presses to produce special electric items in phenol–formaldehyde (among the first synthetic materials used to replace the traditional ones), the most emblematic facts must be shortly reported through few examples. The first injection moulding machine in the world with a 5,000 ton clamping force, released in the middle of the ‘60s to manufacture large containers. The largest thermoforming machine, worldwide, was built at the end of the ‘60s and was capable to process 7x3 m sheets for sport crafts. The production and trade of injection moulding machines with microprocessor to monitor and control process parameters, started – for the first time – in Italy since 1979, anticipating for a certain times the worldwide competitors, that reached the same goal years later. A last quotation deserves also the particular Italian production niche of post–consumption plastics recycling machinery. In this particular field our producers, after having installed several and complex treatment plants both in Europe and United States, have experienced and met the growing demand for those technologies, in particular from the emerging markets.Last but not least, in light of the current trend, it is important to highlight how Italian manufacturers have been investing so much to provide their customers with plants, machinery and equipment which from one side fully comply with the European safety standards and from the other side offer technological solutions to improve environmental sustainability of the converting process: in other words, machinery with low energy consumption also capable to produce lighter articles, using less raw materials.All the above mentioned characteristics are confirmed by almost 600 patents hold by the Italian plastics and rubber machinery and equipment manufacturers. ***ASSOCOMAPLAST (the national trade Association including over 160 manufacturers of plastics and rubber processing machinery, equipment and moulds) has analysed ISTAT data on Italian foreign trade in the sector for the first three quarters of 2016, comparing them to the same period in 2015. The general result is that imports continue to rise (+8.5%) and exports have returned to positive values (+1.5%). “In particular, the recovery in exports – which historically represent a significant share of national production – is an important signal for Italian manufacturers,” stated ASSOCOMAPLAST president Alessandro Grassi, “after the negative performance that had characterized previous months. For that matter, 2015 was a record year, the best ever, for foreign sales by Italian manufacturers in the sector. If the recovery is confirmed in the year-end balance sheet, we will see overall values that are fully worthy of note.”


Imports∆%

Exports∆%

2015 2016 2015/16 2015 2016 2015/16flexographic printing machines 21,625 24,708 14.3 103,545 104,704 1.1plants for mono and multifilaments 1,503 1,535 2.1 28,165 44,213 57.0injection moulding machines 76,480 91,430 19.5 71,807 85,908 19.6extruders 15,318 14,591 -4.7 209,804 213,635 1.8blow moulding machines 4,280 10,764 151.5 103,871 95,360 -8.2thermoforming machines 10,069 4,489 -55.4 38,177 46,452 21.7presses for tyres and inner tubes 741 1,211 63.6 45,332 23,323 -48.6presses 7,836 7,865 0.4 69,147 55,199 -20.2machines for moulding and forming 8,547 9,898 15.8 102,354 85,453 -16.5machines for foamed materials 4,309 4,375 1.5 29,891 36,885 23.4size reduction equipment 3,553 2,644 -25.6 12,817 14,377 12.2mixers 3,322 1,388 -58.2 25,213 20,959 -16.9cutting machines 3,348 2,661 -20.5 11,662 11,131 -4.6other machines 38,694 47,579 23.0 297,751 288,242 -3.2parts and components 21,625 24,708 14.3 279,184 315,415 13.0moulds 211,576 225,083 6.4 560,825 586,151 4.5

Italian imports-exports of plastics and rubber machinery, equipment and moulds(January-September - 000 euro)

On a regional basis, sector exports to the principal market, Europe, have fallen off by a couple of percentage points, with a 58% share of the total. Within this context, EU markets show a drop in sales of 1.8% while extra-EU markets fell by a more limited -0.5%. The former were influenced primarily by lower sales to Germany, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, and Romania – citing the countries with the most significant absolute values. This was almost counterbalanced by increasing sales to Poland (+15%), Spain (+15%), and Portugal (+77%).As regards the rest of Europe, the critical situation in Russia continues to exert an impact. Italian exports to Russia for the sector have stalled at less than 36 million euros, as opposed to 47 million in the first nine months of 2015.In parallel, we observe a continuing positive trend in sales to the NAFTA countries, however this progress is driven exclusively by Mexico, which has more than doubled its Italian imports, while the United States (-12%) and Canada (-26%) have fallen back.In South America, the two principal markets show diverging trends: Brazil is still contracting strongly (-33% to less than 30 million euros) while Argentina shows an upward trend (+22% to nearly 24 million euros). Exports to Asia show positive figures both in the Middle East (nearly +7 percentage points) and the Far East (+8%). Sales to Iran continue their strong growth (from 11 to 18 million euros), almost certainly attributable to the partial lifting of sanctions. Shifting further east to more significant markets, positive figures are recorded for China (+9% to 104 million euros),

India (+42% and 43 million), South Korea (+39%, 14 million), and Vietnam (+62%, 13 million).For what concerns Pakistan, the Italian exports of plastics and rubber machinery in January-September 2016 topped 4,4 million euro, with a 13% increase over the same period in 2015.Even if the total value is not so high, it shall be highlighted that the trend in the last 5 years is quite positive. Moreover, a quite considerable share of the Italian sector exports towards Pakistan is represented by extruders/extrusion lines and blow moulding machines that, generally speaking, are high added value plants, often tailor-made according to the specific request of customers. This issue well represents from one side the demand of the Pakistani processors for customised machinery to improve their installed equipment, from the other side the capability of the Italian manufacturers to supply turn-key advanced technology for high quality and high productivity items.On the other hand, the Pakistani import from other emerging countries like China, offering standard equipment with less technological content, has increased con-siderably.A divide is also noted in Africa: a significant drop in average sales in the Mediterranean area attributable to lower sales to Morocco and Tunisia (whereas Algeria has been performing well) against strong growth in the Sub-Saharan markets thanks to increasing exports to South Africa, which is by the far the largest African market. Exports to Oceania (essentially Australia) have dropped off by nearly half to just over 10 million euros.


Al-Watania Plastics is one of the strategic business units of Al-Watania Industrial Group. It is a leading manufacturer of wide range of plastics products like Injection Molded, Blow Molded, Thermoformed PS and PP products, Blown films, Flexible packaging, UPVC and PPR Pipes, Drip Irritation tape etc. Its brand name for disposable product is “WATANIA”. The sales offices of Al-Watania Plastics are spread in Western, Central and Eastern regions in the KSA and also have wide distribution networks in MENA region. In order to meet the growing demand of market and export, Al Watania Plastics recently acquired over 75,000 m2 land in Jeddah for new expansion and factory is under construction. The team of Polymer & Packaging International has recently met Mr. Abdullah Al-Zahrani, President, Al-Watania Plastics at the sidelines of Gulfood Manufacturing 2016. Here is what he had to share:

Q. How are Al-Watania’s plastics different from that of the competitors? Are there any innovations that can be credited to your company?

A. Al-Watania Plastics always focuses in providing quality products, services and is committed to continuous innovation and investment in high volume latest art machineries and technologies to meet the growing market demand. Al-Watania Plastics also takes pride in being the first company to introduce thermoformed 250 ml water glass, tubs and lid in PP material and also recently PP trays in the Middle East market.

Q. What are some of the latest trends that you see shaping the plastics industry and how much emphasis does your company lay on R&D activities?

A. The latest industrial trends in plastics industry includes long shelf life food packaging applications, smart green housing and Engineering parts. There are many businesses and organizations who have been working in providing

innovative and reliable plastics. Within our own business development division, Al-Watania Plastics is always developing new ideas and products by collaborating with local and international petrochemical and government R & D facilities.

Q. Does your company plan to launch new products / categories in the near future?

A. Al Watania Plastics will launch Stretch Hood film in two months-time to serve customers and new PET products to the market in near future.

Q. Your company takes pride in maintaining high quality in all of your product lines. How do you ensure this?

A. In addition to all ISO, SASO (Saudi Standards, Quality and Metrology Organization) and BRC (Britch Retail Consortium) related certificates, AL Watania Plastics adopting very advanced

Leading Regional Manufacturer & Distributor of Plastic ProductsAn interview with Mr. Abdullah Al-Zahrani President, Al-Watania Plastics Company

INTERVIEW

We believe that there is good Market potential in Pakistan and it is one of our targets.

Total Quality Systems in all process, our labs are equipped with latest technologies and instruments. Moreover, we are always in the market getting feedbacks from all business partners.

Q. Do you export plastics to Pakistan? If so, how do you rate the potential of the market?

A. We believe that there is good Market potential in Pakistan and it is one of our targets. We have tried before but there were few obstacles which we are on the way to overcome.

Q. Does Al Watania Plastics have any plans to expand business in other countries/markets?

A. AL Watania Plastics five years plan (2021 plan) is very ambitious, we started exploring opportunities to expand business in other countries /market and there is good progress in this direction.

Q. We have seen a significant growth of plastics processing industry in the Middle East region. How this growth has impacted on your company’s market share?

A. Al Watania Plastics is one of fastest growing companies in the region, we grow at rate of 20% annually and always increasing our market shares in Middle East region.

Q. Have your Company taken any CSR initiatives? If yes, what were they?

A. Al Watania Plastics is 100 % owned by AWQAF Al Shaikh Sulaiman Al Rajhi which is an endowment establishment, but nevertheless, we have many initiatives all over the year to our community.



INTERVIEW

Founded in Helsingborg, Sweden in 1996 – Ecolean is a global innovator and producer of lightweight packaging solutions for liquid food, for chilled and ambient distribution. The Company focuses to reduce our impact on the environment while at the same time increase consumer satisfaction with our convenient, innovative and eye-catching packages. The largest markets for Ecolean are China, Russia, Europe and Pakistan. The team of Polymer & Packaging International Magazine recently met Ms. Anna Annerås – Marketing Director, Ecolean at the sidelines of Gulfood Manufacturing 2016. Here is what she had to share:Q. What are the new trends that are

shaping the packaging industry and how do you predict the future?

A. We see a big increase in end-user awareness and knowledge in package-related topics, concerning both the environment as well as convenience. Regarding environmental awareness, we feel that many consumers have gone from simply talking about the global environmental footprint to actually implementing actions in order to really make a change, and this is consequently changing the packaging industry.

From the perspective of the owner of the brand, the clearest trend is the desire for differentiation on the shelf and being able to stand out on the shelf. There are also a lot of things happening concerning package size. The on-the-go sizes are gaining market share, as more and more people have busy lifestyles, and with the launch of our new smaller package size, Ecolean® Air Aseptic 125ml, Ecolean continues to follow current consumer convenience trends.

Q. How do you maintain quality and innovation both at the same time? What are your long-term strategies behind it? / How much do you believe in R&D?

A. Offering high-quality and innovative products and services means one has to work very quickly and to be detail-oriented while at the same time remain dedicated and persevere, and allow the development to take its time. Something which can be tricky in many ways. Ecolean is fortunate to have customers that pride themselves in being innovators and who are driven by deep consumer insights. This means that we, as their package and full systems supplier, have to be on our toes and

respond to the customer’s demands and requirements, 24/7. R&D plays a vital part of this.

However, we see our customers in a wider perspective too. Retail chains and consumers are just as important as producers. We continuously monitor developments so as to be able to understand their needs and demands. This is vital to our continued innovation and production process. Quite simply, a package must function from production, filling and distribution all the way to the kitchen table.

Q. How is Ecolean packages different from other packaging options available in the market?

A. An Ecolean package weighs only 14 grams, which is only forty to fifty percent of a conventional liquid food carton or bottle, with all convenience features still intact. The many benefits of the Ecolean package includes easy-to-open, easy-to-pour, microwavability, an air-filled handle (enabling the package to stand up straight even when almost empty), along with flexibility which makes the package easier to empty down to the last drop. All of these benefits makes us unique. Another obvious reason why customer choose the Ecolean package is the benefits it delivers in differentiation on the shelf as well as the new convenience features for the consumers.

Q. To what extent is your Company focused towards environmental sustainability? Is Ecolean® Air Aseptic is eco-friendly?

A. The trend is clear and apparent all around the world – producers, consumers, retailers and governments all strive for more sustainable products. It is our firm view that in reducing the amount of package material used, transported and disposed of, establishes great gains in the entire

A lighter approach to packagingAn interview with Ms. Anna AnneråsMarketing Director, Ecolean

product life cycle. Independent studies have shown the Ecolean package to be effective throughout the package’s entire lifecycle. The Ecolean manufacturing process requires less water and less use of energy and thus emits less greenhouses gas. So you could say that saving resources is saving the environment. Brand owners using lightweight packages are not only reporting cost savings but also an improved environmental profile, brand image and reputation to their company, among other benefits. This is completely in line with the global demand for a resource saving, sustainable society.

Another obvious advantage is the fact that an empty Ecolean package is totally empty. When viscous products such as yoghurt are sold in conventional one litre packages, as much as one decilitre remain in the package and is disposed of for no reason, other than it is difficult to get it out. With the Ecolean package, it is easy to squeeze every single last drop out. Once empty, the Ecolean package is flat as an envelope, saving space in the trash bin, which naturally has a positive effect on the whole waste handling process.

Q. How important is the Pakistan market for Ecolean? How do you see opportunities in Pakistan?

A. The Pakistan market is an exceptionally important market for Ecolean. Last year, we were involved in one of the most comprehensive deals in the industry when Fauji Foods introduced almost the full extent of their products in the company’s liquid dairy portfolio in a variety of Ecolean packages on the Pakistan market, making Ecolean Fauji Foods’ leading packaging supplier. We are also proud to supply Engro Foods with our lightweight and unique packages in Pakistan, which we have been doing since 2013. Today their brands Olper’s Milk, Olper’s Cream and Omung Dobala Cream are all packaged in the Ecolean format.

Since Pakistan is the third largest dairy producing country in the world and one of few where more than 90 percent of milk is still distributed unprocessed and unpackaged, we see great potential here. Ecolean has been present in the Pakistan market for several years, and our activity in the region was strengthened earlier this year with the registration of a fully-owned subsidiary company Ecolean Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd in Lahore, Pakistan.

Pakistan is the third largest dairy

producing country in the world

The Pakistan market is an exceptionally

important market for Ecolean.


CORE COMPETENCIES:• The most modern BOPET film’s line “Dornier” from Germay

having capacity of 30,000 TPA.• The product range is from 8 microns to 150 microns including all

types of clear film for packaging and textile applications.• The company has also installed the most modern Vacuum

Metallizer of General Vacuum Systems UK and online coating machines on the plant which will enhance the barrier properties of the films.

• It has also imported state-of-the-art slitters from “Kampf” Germany.

TECHNICAL SERVICES:Due to the latest technology acquired, Novatex is also producing films which are suited more towards high demand applications, such as solar panel arrays, medical applications besides food packaging and textile usages and various other industrial applications.

INNOVATIONS/DEVELOPEMNT:Novatex has plans to market Krystofilms locally and internationally and has developed a full R&D department where it focuses for the development of the new products and continuously improves the quality of our existing product range. The objective is to introduce a vast range of applications which aim to bring a dynamic rise in the PET packaging consumption in future.

COMPANY IN FOCUS

PET PREFORMS-SIZES & GRAMMAGE:• The capacity to produce over 2.5 billion preforms per year. The

PET Resin (raw material) for these preforms is produced in-house by Gatron and Novatex and therefore gives standardized & consistent preforms.

• The sizes range from 11.25 gms to 55 gms, with neck sizes 28 mm PCO, 29/25 neck & 30/25 neck, for 330ml to 2250 ml Water / CSD bottles.

• Produced on Husky HyPET & HPP Machines mainly installed after 2004.

• The Company performs are approved and used by Coke, Pepsi, Nestle and other major brands, both domestically and in the international market.

• These preforms are tested not only in the laboratory but also by actual blowing into bottles on regular basis. So, quality of preforms is also monitored in actual use.

SCOPE OF RESEARCH:• The future growth and business expansion largely depends on the

quantum of Research & Development.• The Core Management at the G&T Group firmly believes in

evolving a continuous pattern of modern and innovative products.• This is done through technological diversification.• The R&D facilities feature state-of-the-art laboratories, computer

facilities, data collection and classification, product specifications, evaluation and analysis.

Leading Edge of Innovation and Advancement - Novatex Ltd.Novatex Ltd is a G & T Group company and is the only PET Resin manufacturer in Pakistan and sells its PET Resin under the brand name of ‘Gatronova’. The Company also manufactures and exports film grade resin for use in production of BOPET Films.Gatronova PET Resin is approved by FDA, EEC, Danone, Coca Cola, Nestle and Pepsi Cola and is used not only in Pakistan but also in USA, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Novatex along with its other group company Gatron, is also the largest manufacturer of PET Preforms in Pakistan In addition Novatex also installed biggest manufacturing unit of BOPET film in Pakistan and fullfilling the requirement of major packaging application in which film is being used for tea, milk powder, tomato ketchups, instant drinks, biscuits, spices, detergents and hosiery.


230,000 investment-oriented visitors from all over the world make for excellent mood at K 2016Exhibitors report concluding numerous dealsNoticeably more guests from overseas – with particularly high numbers from Asia

The international plastics and rubber industry presents itself in top shape. It benefits from a globally growing end-user market with high quality demands and stands for impressive innovative power across the entire value chain. The extraordinarily good economic state of this sector and the positive outlook for the future characterised the world’s biggest trade fair for the industry and made for an excellent mood amongst the 3,285 exhibitors of K 2016 in Düsseldorf. Companies reported a host of new leads, many of which already led to closed deals over the eight days of the trade fair. Ulrich Reifenhäuser, Chairman of the K 2016 Advisory Board, put it in a nutshell: “I have never seen such a vast number of decisive customers willing to buy at a trade fair before! The number and magnitude of deals, some of which were concluded here spontaneously, as well as the many concrete enquiries about new projects by far exceed our expectations! It was clear from day one that customers wanted to not only find out about new technologies but also purchase them. There is strong investment in all our customer industries and in all regions of the world.” This assessment held true for all ranges on offer at the trade fair. Exhibitors unanimously confirmed that trade visitors were extremely serious about their business negotiations and showed a pronounced willingness to invest. Furthermore, they emphasised the again higher percentage of international visitors and their very high degree of professional expertise as well as the fact that a disproportionately high number of top managers and company owners had come to Düsseldorf. 230,000 trade visitors from over 160 countries were welcomed to the exhibition halls over the eight days of K 2016. Delighting at the results Werner Matthias Dornscheidt, President & CEO of Messe Düsseldorf, says: “Just the sheer number of experts visiting K 2016 impressively confirm the appeal and importance of the

trade fair – since this number is once again clearly higher than at the previous event in 2013. However, what is more important: the breakdown of trade visitors was of an exceedingly high standard. We can register a constantly good level of demand from Germany and a disproportionately high level of interest from abroad, especially from overseas. It is known the world over that K in Düsseldorf is the innovation platform for the entire sector. A visit here is simply indispensable for everyone wanting to stay ahead of the competition.”The previous event in 2013 was attended by 218,000 visitors and 3,220 exhibitors. The results from the visitor survey underpin the exhibitors’ view that the proportion of international guests has risen once again: some 70% came from abroad. More than 40% of all foreign visitors hailed from overseas – even from as far-away places as Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, the Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Oman, Madagascar, Mauritius, Surinam and Togo they travelled to the Rhine. As expected, the experts from Asia accounted for the largest group among foreign guests, which grew yet again: nearly 30,000 experts came from South, East and Central Asia. Guests from India again constituted the biggest group here but the number of visitors from China, South Korea and Iran also rose significantly. Almost on a par remained the proportion of visitors from the USA and Canada with some 6% of all foreign visitors. Regarding guests from the neighboring European countries Italy dominated with over 10,000 visitors followed by the Netherlands (some 9,500), France (some 6,700), Belgium (some 6,300), Spain and Poland (some 5,000 each). There was perceptibly stronger interest taken by Turkey, Hungary and Greece. Across all country borders the percentage of executives among trade visitors is extraordinarily high. Some two thirds are top managers or are in middle management.

Almost 60% have the final word on, or are decisively involved in, their companies’ investment decisions. K plays an outstanding role in deciding which investment will be made: almost half the visitors stated that they waited for the trade fair before realising any purchasing projects. Exhibitors in all exhibition segments had prepared for K 2016 for months in order to face international competition with convincing innovations. And they met with enormous approval: trade visitors were thrilled with the wealth of new technical developments presented to them by raw materials producers, machine manufacturers and producers of semi-finished and technical parts. Over 70% of visitors confirmed having received information on news and trends. By their own accounts, numerous visitors wish to immediately convert these new insights in investment: 60% of industry decision-makers said they had visited the trade fair with concrete intentions to buy while 58% had already found new suppliers. With these new purchases visitors first and foremost pursued three objectives for their enterprises: expand their product portfolio, extend production capacity and increase efficiency. The results of the visitor survey also confirm the positive business situation in the downstream sectors of the plastics and rubber industries: 60% of the visitors polled rate the current situation as “very good” and “good” while the same percentage even expect the situation to improve over the next twelve months. Energy, material and resource efficiency were the dominating themes at K 2016. Also meeting with avid interest were new materials, innovative recycling concepts, new application areas for organic plastics and additive manufacturing. Smart, quick and flexible lines and services were in high demand among customers; Industry 4.0 dominated not only lectures and discussions but was also demonstrated hands-on at many stands. Commenting on this Ulrich Reifenhäuser said: “The possibility the Internet of Things brings stimulates strong, serious interest – especially among younger, IT-savvy customers from throughout the world. Industry 4.0 is a theme of the future that will keep us busy for years to come.” Machine and plant manufacturing, which occupies the biggest exhibition area at K 2016 with over 1,900 exhibitors, was also the centre of attraction for visitors; a good two thirds of all experts polled ranked this segment first. 46% said they were predominantly interested in raw and auxiliary materials, while for 25% semi-finished products and technical parts made of plastic and rubber were the main reason for coming (multiple choice possible). Albeit the smaller sector of the two, the rubber industry made a highly visible appearance at K 2016 and underscored its importance in the areas of mobility, leisure, household and energy.

POST SHOW COVERAGE


Cosmo Films to showcase a comprehensive range of speciality packaging products at Pack2Pack 2016Cosmo Films, a leading manufacturer of speciality BOPP films will be showcasing its comprehensive range of speciality packaging films, especially barrier films, at the upcoming Pack2Pack 2016– a show for packing & packaging machinery, products, materials, logistics and services, held at 14th December to 17th December 2016 at Casablanca, Morocco.Some of the barrier films (with excellent moisture, oxygen and aroma barrier properties), which displayed are as follows:Broad Seal & High Hot Tack Barrier Films: This category of metalized films is a new addition to the Cosmo’s range of barrier films and these metalized films having a broad heat seal range & high hot tack, have been designed to run on high speed machines and can be used for medium size food packs.High Moisture Barrier Films: These are metalized films used for duplex and sandwich lamination in snack foods, shampoo sachets, dry milk powder and powdered drinks sachets/packs, where loss of moisture is a concern.Aroma Barrier Films: These are transparent barrier films typically used for coffee/tea, spices, chewing gum and perfume boxes overwrapping.High Moisture & Oxygen Barrier Films: These transparent films have both excellent moisture and gas barrier properties and are used for packaging of cream biscuits, chocolates, chips and snacks. The company showcased Cold Seal Release Films meant for packaging of ice creams, chocolates and confectionary in gloss, matte and white varieties.Some of the new packaging films that displayed are: Universal Lidding Films: These films are mono layered BOPP films which can take printing on one side and can be sealed with the other. They are referred to as Universal Lidding films as they can be sealed with any of the thermoplastic containers such as PP, PVC, HDPE, HIPS and PET. Available in white opaque cavitated and semitransparent varieties, they can be used as easy peelable lid on packed drinking water glasses, meal trays, butter trays, fresh fruit containers, and milk containers to name a few. Both Sides Heat Sealable Matte Films: These are both side heat sealable matte films with low seal initiation temperature, specially designed for lap seal applications. Besides the packaging range, Cosmo will also be showcasing its range of top coated labelstock films, In-mould label films and wrap around label films.

Exxonmobil and Colines showcase performance polymer power pre-stretch film solutionsExxonMobil and Colines are collaborating at K2016 to demonstrate three different cast stretch load protection film solutions at the Colines booth (Hall 16/A39). The film formulations developed for all three end user applications include Exceed™, Enable™ and Vistamaxx™ performance polymers.A 7-layer ALLROLLEX®-2000 line equipped with 5 PERFORM-EX extruders will produce at very high extrusion line speed a thin power pre-stretch film.The PREROLLEX®-1000 line will produce a 5-layer ultra-thin in-line pre-stretched hand wrap film.Colines will also demonstrate a new-to-the-world high-speed wrapping technology, ALLWRAPPER®. This process uses a thin

high tenacity stretch wrap film to bundle a range of products from bottles and cans to carton drink bricks in a continuous process. Developed to replace collation shrink film, the technology uses less energy as a shrink tunnel is not required. It also allows similar or better stability (testing by ESTL equipment) to be achieved using less film for lower packaging weight. A unique feature of the technology is that the wrapping film can be cut at high speeds, through thick bundles and operate in-line with the package filling operations. The formulation was designed to provide excellent toughness, optical properties and outstanding holding force at thin gauge.“Because stretch film provides packaging and protection at the same time, it is important for the safe and secure shipment of loads globally. However, because the dynamics of the stretch film market are continuously evolving, processing solutions are required that help film manufacturers to be one step ahead of this changing environment”; said Mr. Eraldo Peccetti, chief executive officer, Colines SpA. “The collaboration with ExxonMobil Chemical allows us to demonstrate our capabilities to deliver higher performing stretch solutions that help reduce film costs, while delivering efficient pallet wrapping with fewer damaged goods.”With a portfolio of high performance polymers and global application expertise, ExxonMobil Chemical is in a unique position to offer a range of solutions that can be tailored to meet the needs of varying cast stretch film applications.

EVENT NEWS

enable Powerjet to supply up to 4,000 units machines to the market within two years. Powerjet with enormous potential has supplied its products over 100 countries and regions. We are going to attend the Plastic, Packaging, & Print Asia Exhibition from 24th to 26th March, 2017 in Lahore. Our booth number is 2-083 in HALL 2. Welcome to visit us for further communication!

Model JEV-380Product 500ml food boxCavity 6Thickness 0.37mmWeight 12gMaterial PPCycle time 6.1s (robot included)Power 22KW

Contact person: Kian Huang, WendyEmail: [email protected] [email protected]: +86-13929985852 +86-13450853394

Powerjet with New Plant looks for Cooperation Opportunity Powerjet Plastic Machinery Co., Ltd. (Powerjet), founded in 2000, is one of the leading manufacturers of plastic machinery in China. In order to increase its prodution capacity to meet the global competition of plastic machinery, Powerjet moved to its new 98,000 square meters production base this November. The new production base will


Flexible packaging experts to gather in Singapore at AMI’s Specialty Packaging Films Asia 2017Asia Pacific is one of the most exciting and dynamic markets for flexible packaging in the world. Across the region, flexible packaging suppliers and producers are exploring ways to further enhance packaging performance, improve processability and drive sustainability. AMI’s fourth Specialty Packaging Films Asia conference, being held from 23-24 March 2017 at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, Singapore, will cover the very latest innovations in films, raw materials, production techniques and applications that are setting the new standards for packaging excellence in Asia. The conference will open with AMI Consulting giving an update on the latest market trends driving the industry forwards. The innovation journey of flexible packaging will also be discussed by Thai Plastic Bags Industries.With environmental and social responsibility truly ingrained into the business landscape, packaging has become a key element within sustainability frameworks. Global consumer goods company Nestlé will share the approach it is taking to reduce environmental impact, and Futamura, Avantium and Natureworks will explore the latest innovations in bio-based products.Reifenhäuser, Macchi and Davis-Standard will showcase their latest extrusion systems for the production of customized, economical and source optimized films. Meanwhile companies including Dupont, Kuraray and Borouge will demonstrate new resins and high barrier solutions to improve shelf life and reduce food waste.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.

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Qualified as Injection Molder of Solvay’s Torlon® PAI in ChinaSolvay, a leading global supplier of high-performance polymers, has added the Minhang (Shanghai) China manufacturing site of Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, Seals, as a qualified injection molder of its Torlon® polyamide-imide (PAI) resin. Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics (SGPPL) is the first company to gain certified Torlon® PAI injection molder status in two different regions of the world. The other approved SGPPL facility is located in Europe at Wertheim, Germany where critical components are manufactured using cutting-edge expertise in custom-design, tooling, testing and the processing of high-temperature polymers. The Wertheim facility was expanded to include a dedicated global training and technology center, offering an inventive and constructive environment for their engineers to develop customer solutions based on growing future needs.“Our Torlon® PAI certified molder approval recognizes processors who have demonstrated their use of best manufacturing practices, following the recommendations defined in our design and processing guidelines”, explains Christopher Wilson, Senior Vice President, Ultra-Polymers for Solvay’s Specialty Polymers Global Business Line. “Torlon® PAI provides superior reliability under conditions frequently too severe for other injection-moldable thermoplastics and experience has shown that it also requires

Tetra Pak showcased “Future Ready” innovations at Gulfood Manufacturing 2016Tetra Pak participated in Gulfood Manufacturing 2016, the largest event for the food manufacturing, processing and packaging industry in the Greater Middle East and Africa region. Located at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Gulfood Manufacturing 2016 that took place from 7th – 9th November 2016. With operations in 49 countries across the region, including Pakistan, Tetra Pak is a long–

special attention to several unique processing aspects. The certified molder status is a valid and valuable proof of the molder’s expertise in converting this advanced polymer material into components used in some of the most demanding applications in a wide range of industries.”SGPPL is a leader in critical parts for extreme application conditions with sealing, wear and tolerance control functionalities and utilizes Torlon® PAI for molding a number of components for demanding applications. With in-house compounding, application and tooling knowledge, they have maximized the properties of polymer materials specifically for automotive transmission and drive applications. “We are always looking for materials with enhanced tribological properties in the presence of high heat, pressure and aggressive chemicals so that we can apply our knowledge in compounding, design and molding in order to bring value to our customers,” says Torsten Hupe, SGPPL Global Business Manager - Automotive. “The wear-resistant grades of Torlon® PAI offer unsurpassed performance in lubricated environments and have exceeded our expectations.”Torlon® PAI combines the exceptional performance of thermoset polyimides with the melt processing advantage of thermoplastics. It offers the highest strength and stiffness of any thermoplastic material up to 275°C and exhibits higher impact strength than most other advanced engineering polymers. Its outstanding creep resistance and extremely low coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE) provide excellent dimensional stability. This high-end property profile gives Torlon® PAI an ideal fit in many precision, repetitive-use, high heat and load bearing friction and wear applications such as automotive seal rings and transmission thrust washers, ball joint sockets, molded gears and slide elements for steering systems, where it successfully replaces metals.

standing exhibitor at Gulfood Manufacturing. This year the company’s 570m² stand was one of the largest in the exhibition and most elaborate ones, reinforcing Tetra Pak’s ongoing commitment to the region. Under the theme of “Future Ready”, Tetra Pak showcased its latest product and service offerings at its multimedia, multi-function stand. Several food and beverage companies from Pakistan also participated in the exhibition.Demand of packaged good is growing in Pakistan and there is also a huge potential of packaged food export in the region. Gulfood Manufacturing has given an opportunity to local businesses to understand modern trends in the industry to help their businesses grow. Dennis Jönsson, President and CEO of Tetra Pak, said: “We are proud to be back at Gulfood Manufacturing. This allows us to connect with our customers and business partners here in the Middle East and Africa region. This year’s ‘Future Ready’ theme represents Tetra Pak’s commitment to deliver industry-advancing technology and support customers’ growth by sharing market insights and innovative solutions”.

EVENT NEWS


Arabplast 2017: Efficient production of packaging itemsArburg will be presenting its new electric entry-level machine series in the Middle East for the first time, at the Arabplast 2017 in Dubai (United Arab Emirates): an Allrounder 570 E Golden Electric will produce closure caps for drinking yoghurt bottles on stand D110 in Hall 5. Thanks to its consistent standardization, the electric entry-level machine offers an excellent price/performance ratio.Electric entry-level Golden Electric machine seriesLike their successful “Golden Edition” hydraulic counterpart, the new “Golden Electric” Allrounder machines offer an excellent price/performance ratio thanks to consistent standardisation, including a fixed combination of distance between tie-bars, clamping force and injection unit size. The entry-level electric machines are primarily intended for the cost-efficient and reproducible manufacturing of high-quality technical parts. High-performance, precise, energy efficientThe Allrounder Golden Electric is available in four machine sizes with clamping forces from 600 to 2,000 kN. The double five-point toggle system ensures fast, high-performance cycles. The play-free spindle drives operate with high precision. The position-regulated screw ensures high moulded part quality.Efficient packaging applicationAt the Arabplast 2017, Arburg will present the efficient production of packaging items: an Allrounder 570 E Golden Electric with a clamping force of 2,000 kN and size 800 injection unit will produce 16 closure caps for drinking yoghurt bottles in a cycle time of around 5 seconds. Each PE moulded part weighs 1.6 grams.Moreover, for particularly demanding applications, Arburg offers a Packaging version (P) for the hybrid and electric high-performance Allrounders of the Hidrive and Alldrive machine series. These machines combine high productivity with reduced energy consumption, and excel in their precisely matched combination of distance between tie-bars, clamping force and opening stroke.

ENGEL at Arabplast 2017Top efficiency and extremely low unit costs for the packaging industry – this is the theme of the ENGEL presentation at Arabplast 2017 from January 8th to 10th in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Austrian injection moulding machine manufacturer exhibits product examples, technology presentations and videos at their stand that clearly demonstrate how integrated system solutions from a single source help leverage an even greater extent of the potential for better quality and efficiency. Energy-efficient, precise and powerful, all rolled into oneThe caps and closures market in the Middle East is extremely dynamic. The all-electric injection moulding machines of the ENGEL e-cap series have established themselves very well here. “In the United Arab Emirates, for example, all the well-known bottlers and bottle cap producers now use ENGEL technology,” says Leitner. Besides the machine and mould, most projects also include further peripheral equipment and integrated quality inspection systems.“In the field of caps and closures with very short cycle times and very high material throughput, the trend is clearly going towards all-electric,” emphasises Leitner. “The issue of energy efficiency is continuing to grow in importance.” In addition, there are very high requirements for machine precision and performance. In terms of geometry, caps have reached the limits of lightweighting and therefore require greater repetition accuracy than ever. In addition, the demands on plasticizing performance have also increased enormously due to the new, high-

Exxonmobil introduces new exceed xp performance polymers to Middle East Region at ARABPLAST 2017ExxonMobil has expanded its new Exceed™ XP performance polymers portfolio with two new grades – for when eXtreme Performance matters. The portfolio will be featured at the ExxonMobil booth (7C140) at Arabplast 2017 – The Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai, January 8-10, 2017. Exceed XP performance polymers deliver exceptional performance advantages for film converters and end-users in a range of applications including: liquid and food packaging; soft-shrink packaging; construction liners; and agricultural film such as greenhouse, mulch and silage.

strength HD-PE materials with MFI values significantly lower than 2 or even 1 g/10 min.Ready for filling in a single stepThe production of cartridges for the do-it-yourself sector also requires efficient thin-wall technology to be combined with high output. In order to produce ready-to-fill cartridges in just one step, ENGEL integrates IML automation from Beck Automation in an ENGEL e-speed injection moulding machine that operates with a 16-cavity mould from Otto Hofstetter.The cartridge production makes optimal use of the advantages of the hybrid machine, which has an electric clamping unit and a servo-hydraulic injection unit. Moulding the long hollow bodies with a wall thickness of only 1.2 mm requires very high dynamics and injection performance. Very short cycle times are achieved despite the relatively high total shot weight of 800 grams. A basic requirement for the high efficiency of the IML process is very precise movements of the mould mounting platen, which the ENGEL e-speed ensures with its all-electric clamping unit.A plastic solution for greater sustainabilityThe third application example at the ENGEL stand at Arabplast presents the production of pallets on ENGEL duo dual-platen large-size machines. Plastic pallets are the more environmentally-friendly and robust alternative to wooden pallets in the Gulf region. As there are no forests, all the raw material for the production of wooden pallets has to be imported, whereas plastic granulate is produced in the region. In addition, plastic pallets do not have to be treated with pesticides and fungicides, which means environmentally harmful chemicals do not have to be used. Plastic pallets are also neither hygroscopic nor combustible, have no sharp edges and cannot splinter. This reduces the risk of injury and simplifies customs clearance procedures in many countries. In order to make the pallets lighter while keeping them very stable and stiff at the same time, ENGEL and its system partners and raw material producers take advantage of a broad spectrum of technologies and materials. “Some companies are already using plastic pallets to reinforce their image,” as Andreas Leitner reports.

“Since Exceed XP was launched in April, it has been exceptionally well received in the market with customers reporting that these polymers provide an unprecedented level of performance,” said Olivier Lorge, global performance polyethylene manager, ExxonMobil Chemical. “Customers in the Middle East and Africa will be able to learn first-hand about the extreme performance they deliver and the value they can provide.”ExxonMobil will also demonstrate how the versatility of its Vistamaxx™ performance polymers adds value in a range of applications including raffia packaging, cast polypropylene film and rigid packaging. Vistamaxx polymers create new possibilities in these applications by enabling high filler loading, improved properties and excellent sealing performance. A series of daily “TechTalk” presentations will take place discussing industry trends, application innovations and sustainability benefits.


EVENT NEWS

Maguire will bring to Arabplast a comprehensive portfolio of innovative plastics material handling systemsMaguire IMEA will present an extensive array of raw material handling equipment at ArabPlast 2017, including new systems that provide molders and extrusion processors with increased productivity, efficiency, and capability for automation (Hall 6, Stand 6C114). Dubai-based Maguire IMEA sells and supports Maguire® auxiliary equipment for plastics processors and compounders in India, the Middle East, and Africa. “Maguire Products supplies the world’s most widely used gravimetric blender and is recognized worldwide as a cost-performance leader for conveying, loading, dosing, and drying systems,” said Chris Crittenden, managing director of Maguire IMEA. “We’re mounting a comprehensive exhibit at ArabPlast, including all of our latest innovations, because this show is a crossroads for one of the world’s fastest growing plastics processing regions.” Here are some of the innovations to be featured at ArabPlast:- Super-fast blender controller advances automation. The new Maguire 4088 blender controller has far greater data processing capability than the previous controller, substantially enhancing communications with other devices in an Industry 4.0 setting,

Extrusion made easy-The best K show everPerhaps not a World Record, but definitely MACCHI staged a spectacular performance by running, full time, and 1300 Kg/h of coextruded; five layer flexible pouch laminating grade film. Nested under the wings of its towering extrusion line, one of the very last releases of the blown film co-extrusion high capacity film lines belonging to the POD generation which quickly rose to be one of the pivotal points of Hall 17, Macchi recorded over 1000 presences on their booth, arranged around an extremely elegant Italian style setting recalling the new black and white Corporate colour scheme, with an extremely high level of qualified visitors and trade inquiries that generated a large number of sales contracts, even signed on the spot. As commonly shared comment amongst the world of over 230.000 plastic operators that invaded the German city of Düsseldorf in occasion of the Largest plastic show, the 2016 edition collected a general optimistic feeling.The 2016 thus resulted as the “confirmation” show, with solid expectations ahead and no mysteries about a plastic film industry currently in an upswing moment.Macchi innovations, even if facing lots of trends and indications of what the Industry 4.0 might turn out in the short foreseeable future, remain clearly aimed toward a more “traditional” film extrusion business, where many examples show that Industry 2.0 or 3.0 are still well alive, and mark a difference from what could be the present reality in the manufacture of more sophisticated plastic goods. The Company’s helm is still steering to follow a well identified route: flexibility, simplicity, capability. The final aim is to make even sophisticated line management easier for the Operators, reducing downtimes and product change-over routines. This is a further step to complete the global effectiveness of a proper manufacturing process, where costs and performances are paralleled by sustainability and flexibility, paramount factors in a flexible packaging environment where the beauties of the “long running orders” are lost and fast changeover is becoming a daily jargon.

Piovan group at ARABPLAST 2017The Piovan Group - with the brands of Piovan, Fdm, Penta, and Aquatech – will be attending the Arabplast exhibition, from the 8th to the 10th of January 2017, at the Dubai World Trade Center.At the stand 6B151, Piovan technologies on display will be represented by a conveying, drying and dosing system with the PureFlo

and offering centralized control of both blending and loading with FlexBus Lite.- Low-profile loaders automate conveying of materials to blenders. The new LoPro™ vacuum loading system for conveying pellets and regrind from storage to single or multiple blenders is simpler to operate than standard systems and consists of autonomously controlled receivers that are fully 80% lower than traditional material receivers. - Vacuum dryer is fast and energy-efficient. A substantial departure from conventional desiccant dryers, the Maguire® VBD™ vacuum dryer dries resin six times more quickly, uses 60% less energy, and exposes resin to elevated temperatures for up to 83% less time. - Connected extrusion control. Maguire will be highlighting last month’s launching of a partnership with Syncro srl, whose extensive range of control options for extrusion will enable customers to use existing equipment from Maguire while easily expanding control elements on both existing and new lines going forward. On display at ArabPlast will be an automatic blown film air ring designed for high efficiency and output. - Blenders for Injection molding, blow molding and extrusion. Recently Maguire shipped its 50,000th gravimetric weigh scale blender. There will be three WSBs on display at ArabPlast: The MicroBlender, Maguire’s smallest unit, provides throughputs up to 45 kg/hr (100 lb/hr) for four materials. - Materials conveying solutions. Also on display at Maguire’s ArabPlast stand will be two conveying system solutions: 1) QUAD™ three-phase receivers with 2 to 100 liter capacities, plus a range of QUAD™ vacuum pumps for loading up to four receivers. 2) FlexBus central conveying systems for more flexible and larger-volume conveying systems.

filterless receivers, the new Quantum blender, along with the HR desiccant wheel dryer. One primary innovation is the Piovan’s supervisory software for the Smart Factory - Winfactory 4.0 - launched as a world premiere at the K fair in Düsseldorf.Fdm, the company with base in Troisdorf, Germany, specializing in the production of advanced solutions for extrusion applications, will display its latest developments in the feeding and metering of powder ingredients.Penta, which designs and produces large-scale systems for the storage and handling of raw materials and ingredients in powdered form, will exhibit a system in operation for the feeding and management of additive materials in the compounding sector, along with a model of storage silo.Innovations in high-efficiency industrial cooling solutions will be presented by Aquatech, the company of the Piovan Group that specializes in advanced cooling technologies, with the new lines of Easycool+ chillers and DigitempEvo thermo-chillers.


PRE-SHOW COVERAGE


HIGHLIGHTS 2016


ARTICLE

Pakistan’s Packaging Powerhouse

The plastic industry in Pakistan is an important market of South East Asia, growing at an impressive rate of 16 per cent per annum, and providing employment to more than 600,000 skilled and non-skilled employees, with a production capacity of 624,000 tonnes per annum. Meanwhile, per capita consumption of plastics in Pakistan is less than 4.5kg per annum – far lower than the global average of 27kg. This low consumption level, combined with a robust GDP growth rate, indicates huge potential for the industry

– a dynamic that firms such as ATM Industries will be keen to capitalise on.

The current Director and his brother, Mr Zaheer Allana, founded ATM Industries in 2006. “We started off manufacturing foam cups and gradually moved into various other plastic to meet the needs that existed in the market,” advises the Director. “We started

Founded just 10 years ago, ATM Industries has experienced impressive growth to become the largest manufacturer of foam cups in Pakistan. As the company celebrates this momentous anniversary, Director, Mr Alee Allana, speaks to Euroasia Industry about ATM’s rapid rise and what the future plans are for such a dominant market player.Fran Roberts reports.

manufacturing injection-moulded containers for cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies, before moving into PP woven bags in 2010. Today we are the largest manufacturer of foam cups in Pakistan, the eighth largest manufacturer of PP woven bags in Pakistan, and we have many clients – including Proctor & Gamble, Reckitt Benckiser, Unilever, Engro and other multinational companies – to whom we cater for all of our different products, encompassing PP bags, injection-moulded containers and disposable cups.”

Disposable cups are big business, with global demand for cups and lids projected to increase 5.2 per cent per year to US$30.2 billion by 2019. Such demand is determined primarily by the size of the quick service restaurant (QSR) market and the production of packaged processed foods. As a result, the US has historically held a significant share of the global total. However, going forward, the Asia Pacific region will offer one of the

fastest rates of growth due to continued gains in emerging markets. Such a trend is clearly good news for ATM Industries as Pakistan’s largest foam cup manufacturer.

Advantageous expansionAcross Pakistan, ATM Industries currently has three manufacturing sites – two in Karachi (in the Korangi Industrial Area and at Bin Qasim Port), and one in Lahore. “We are in the process of shifting the facility in Korangi up to Bin Qasim because we are constrained by space,” notes Mr Allana. “For that expansion, we have bought two acres of land in Port Qasim and the new facility is presently under construction. By mid-next year, we expect to start moving the entire

Korangi facility there, as well as expanding the unit.” The move should prove advantageous for the company, given to Bin Qasim’s status as the second busiest port in Pakistan, handling an estimated 35 per cent of the nation’s cargo.

In addition to expanding its premises, ATM Industries has continuously expanded its production lines. “We keep upgrading our production facilities and have installed a brand new line of foam cup, a brand new line for lamination of PP woven bags, and a complete roll-to- roll printing machine,” comments Mr Allana. “The lamination and printing machines were imported from India


and China, and the foam cup machines were imported from the US. All of the machines came into operation around September last year. We keep on improving the knowledge of our employees by sending them to India or China, as per the requirements of the machines and the upgrades related to the process.”

The full packageAlthough ATM Industries is the largest foam cup manufacturer in Pakistan, the company manufactures a broad portfolio of products, which are sold across several market segments. “There are a wide range of sectors to which we cater, including cold drinks, hot drinks, bever- ages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food packaging, fertilisers, rice manufacturers, rice processors, and sugar,” advises Mr Allana. “Last year we had a major contract with Cevital in Algeria. We won that contract and supplied PP bags to them for almost a year. They set up their own plant, which is why they discontinued with us, although they were very satisfied with our quality. In addition to that, we have ongoing contracts with Engro and Fauji Fertilizer for our PP bags.”

Cevital is the largest private conglom- erate in Algeria, so that previous reference is sure to have boosted the profile of ATM Industries in North Africa, and Mr Allana expresses the company’s keen interest in growing into overseas markets. “We are

looking for international customers and we are definitely open to contracts as well,” he tells us. “So, if we get some good contracts we definitely will be looking forward to expansion. As we already have expertise in those bags, we have no issue with expansion if we have regular orders.”

This desire to expand beyond the domestic Pakistani market is key to what drives the employees at ATM Industries. “Our determination and consistency has really been key to the success of ATM Industries. We constantly strive to be the best plastic packaging solution provider in Pakistan, and even worldwide,” advises Mr Allana, revealing that the company is working to consolidate its reputation for quality, with the aim of becoming ISO 9001-accredited by the end of the year. This will come as a further enhancement to ATM’s already stringent internal quality standards and tests. “We are registered under the environmental protection agency and we have our own laboratory facility. It’s basically used for the testing of the strength and quality standards of the products that we’re manufacturing – there’s the drop test, the tensile test, and various product-specific tests that are conducted,” reveals Mr Allana. “We have food-grade certifications because most of the

products that we manufacture are related to foodstuff, and the entire process of handling is carried out under strict surveillance.

Polywood in LollywoodWhile traditional plastic packaging is the mainstay of the company’s operations, ATM Industries constantly tries to bring innovative new products to its portfolio. “We are undertaking R&D and we are looking forward to introducing another product,” notes Mr Allana. “We’re under negotiation for expansion of a product called polywood – it’s a mixture of plastics and wood. It’s a very innovative offering and there’s nobody in Pakistan manufacturing the material, so we would be the initiators.” Polywood is made by recycling high-density polyethylene plastics, and is predominantly used in all- weather furniture due to its resilience. “It’s basically a cost-efficient replacement for wood, thus helping to conserve trees and providing a durable solution. However, the best part is that polywood comes in at one-third the price of normal wood. We are looking to introduce the new material by the end of 2017.”

As well as polywood, ATM Industries is also looking to introduce converTex technology to its operations by the end of 2017. “Basically, this is an extension of PP woven bags and is especially for cement lines,” explains Mr Allana. “Since cement bags are in paper they are being converted worldwide into PP through this converTex technology. There are only two companies manufacturing PP bags for cement lines in Pakistan and we are hopefully going to be the third. The advantage of converTex is that it’s a complete line that manufactures a bag, which has an auto-sealing facility – and unlike the conventional PP bag, there are no leakages, which is obviously important for cement, as a powder product. That is the basic advantage of a converTex line.” ConverTex uses the coating applied to the fabric as joining material. Sack bot- toms, as well as valve and bottom patches, are heated by hot air to soften the coating and are then joined together by intense pressure. The omission of any glue saves significant cost, and avoids the necessity for cleaning associated with the usage of solvents.

Ongoing challengesAs ATM Industries invests in new technologies, some challenges endemic across Pakistani industry remain, as Mr Allana illustrates: “Touch wood, we have been very lucky due to our determination, but the only factor that we see as a hurdle is the lack of government policy to support Pakistani industry – and above that is the political situation. There’s no political stability.” Indeed, between 1999 and 2008, the country

saw its most recent of several periods under military rule. Even until 2013, Pakistan was governed by a coalition of parties, which failed to work cohesively, creating a strong element of volatility in the marketplace.

“However, since we have our own labour, our own power generation facilities, and everything is essentially in- house, we have managed to survive and expand,” observes Mr Allana. “Other factories are typically dependent on government-supplied power for their energy, meaning they suffer many out- ages and shutdowns. Yet since we are generating our own power, we have an uninterrupted power supply 24 hours per day. We have installed natural gas generators that are today producing almost two megawatts of power and we are running our entire industrial operation on those generators.” As with neighbouring India, the energy infrastructure of Pakistan is relatively under- developed and struggles to keep pace with the country’s strong rate of growth. That said, the government has committed to improving this situation, even pledging to have eliminated power out- ages by 2018.

In addition to challenges faced across industry in Pakistan, things have not always run smoothly for the Allana brothers since they moved to Pakistan from India 16 years ago, as their earliest venture demonstrates. “We initially started in the textile industry. After the 9/11 incident how-ever, many of our customers went bank-rupt, resulting in the failure of that company, which we had to shut down,” states Mr Allana. “Yet God has been kind and, with great determination,

we have strengthened our presence in packaging over the years to achieve top level status. After the closure of Our Textile Unit, it was our decision to venture into the plastic packaging industry, as there had long existed something of a vacuum in the local market with regards to such solutions. We therefore decided to move into disposable free-form cups and that is essentially how we started up this company.” Despite the initial challenges faced by the brothers, the dominant market position of ATM Industries today is certainly testament to the success of their endeavour and just how far the business has come over the past decade. With rapid growth in packaging consumption across the swiftly expanding economies of Asia, ATM Industries looks set to continue its impressive rise on both the domestic and international stage.

Contributed by Alee AllanaATM IndusriesBin Qasim Packages (Pvt) Ltd.


In recent years, biodegradable materials have been regarded as interesting materials among common polymers. These biodegradable polymers have been utilized in diverse applications including packaging, agricultural films, medicine and industrial fields. Biodegradable plastics and biodegradable polymer composites have been an appropriate substitution for polyolefin plastics. Moreover, they lead to reduce environmental threats. Biodegradable plastics are also competitive with fossil fuel-based plastics in terms of price and mechanical properties. The best examples of biodegradable plastics are plastics based on cellulose, polylactic acid, and starch and also, polymers synthesized by living organisms like polyhydroxyalkanoate. The highest and best known materials as a biodegradable component in industrial plastics are starch and cellulose. This paper is intended to provide a brief introduction about biodegradable polymers which are being used in packaging industry.

Biodegradation is a chemical destruction caused by micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi and algae. Biodegradable polymers are as nutrient for microorganisms and they can decompose into their components by means of their enzymes. Decomposed products are non-toxic and naturally exist in the environment.

The first thing that should happen in the biodegradation process is mechanical or chemical fracture of polymer chains by means of living and non-living organisms. Two major processes that cause destruction and shorten the polymer chains are oxidation and hydrolysis. In the next stage, polymer metabolize into minerals in the nature by living organisms. This process occurs inside the cell microorganisms and this is the main process of biodegradation that must occur in these substances. In this procedure, organic carbon becomes carbon dioxide and the measurement of this conversion illustrates the amount of the material’s biodegradability. There are two types of biodegradation process:

1. Aerobic biodegradationAerobic biodegradation:

Polymer + O2->CO2 + H2O + biomass + residue(s) (1)

2. Anaerobic biodegradationAerobic biodegradation:

Polymer -> CO2 + CH4 +H2O + business + residue(s) (2)

If there is oxygen in the process of destruction, Aerobic biodegradation occurs and carbon dioxide is produced but if the degradation happens in the absence of oxygen, anaerobic biodegradation occurs and methane is produced. It has been proven that biodegradable materials convert to carbon-filled soil, water and carbon dioxide, when they are disposed in the environment during a year by biological process. The chemical structure of the polymer including functional

A Review of Industrial Biodegradable Polymers and Their Application in Packaging Industry

group stability, reactivity, hydrophilic and swelling behavior is the most significant factor in degradation of polymer. However, mechanical properties, molecular weight, morphology, porosity, and also crystallinity influence on polymer degradation processes. Also, there are many microorganisms that are capable in biological degradation of polymers. The Activity of micro-organisms in various environmental conditions (humidity, temperature and PH) is different. Biodegradation rate depends on the type of microorganisms because microorganisms effect on some materials rather than others.

Method of measuring biodegradation

Biodegradable plastics are suitable for industrial composting procedure and they convert to appropriate chemical fertilizer for agricultural industries and then, they return to cycle of nature. According to the EN13432 standard, more than 90% of industrial composting material must be decompose during 6 months and they modify to mineral components. However, the synthetic plastics based on fossil fuels has remained for centuries in nature and do not return to the cycle of nature. There are several methods for measuring of the biodegradability of organic polymers including;

1. Measurement of produced CO2

2. Measurement of oxygen consumption

3. Determination of weight reduction

4. Investigation of Physical and mechanical properties of polymers and G22-76 and G21-70 standards in order to determine the resistance of plastics against fungi and bacteria

Industrial biodegradable polymersStarch is the common polysaccharide that is most easily found in nature. Although starch are easily degraded in many environments, the toughness and moisture resistance of starch-based polymers are less than petrochemical synthetic polymers. The use of starch as a biodegradable material is that it can be used as a component in the structure of polymers such as polyolefins. Starch is formed from a highly linear glucan called amylose and a highly branched glucan which is called amylopectin. Amylopectin branches can be highly crystallized leading starch to naturally obtain in the form of separated starch grains.

The starch molecules due to hydroxyl groups in their structure make hydrogen bonding which cause to make its dissolution more difficult at lower temperatures. The structure of starch granules in water or aqueous solution will be broken by heating, because the structure of crystallites and hydrogen bonds become weak. In addition, high pressure and fraction cause to fracture the organized structure of starch granules with lower moisture. This structure is named as Gelatinized starch or thermoplastic. For introducing starch in polymer composites,

ARTICLE

Mohammad Javad Shirkavand Research and Development department, Nirumand Polymer Pars Co.


the molecular structure should be broken to distribute starch particles uniformly in the polymeric matrix. Therefore, it is used thermoplastic starch in polyolefin composites and ads to polymer melt by heating and increasing plasticizer in extruder by means of side flow leading to complicated process. High water absorption also creates problems in the manufacturing process such as waterless cooling; moreover use of other methods such as blowing cold air cooling which requires a newer devices. Although the thermal stability of starch is much lower than synthetic polymers, starch is more prone to burn if it combines with these ingredients.

Hydroxyl groups of the starch chains have special reactivity that can trigger the degradation process. In addition, the starch molecules can participate in oxidation and reduction reaction. The starch are able to degrade in most environments since it can be both converted by hydrolysis into glucose and is metabolized by enzymatic attack leading to produce water and carbon dioxide. Thus, the destruction time of the polyolefin composites containing starch show a remarkable decrease and also, they decrease the storage problems, burning and financial issues.

CelluloseCellulose is a carbohydrate and it is an abundant natural polymer on earth so that the main part of the plants and trees are encompassed. In addition to plants, bacteria and acetic acid can be synthesized cellulose that has the same physical and chemical properties of it derived from plants. The main sources of cellulose are wood and cotton in industrial processes. Bio-composite products can be produced by combining the cellulose fibers with polymer materials that could be able to composting. Products in which the cellulose can be used as a matrix or fiber in plastic industry Including toys, sports equipment, decoration, furniture and the inside of the car instruments.

Polylactic acid (PLA)Polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the substantial biodegradable aliphatic polyester that can be used extensively. Monomer of lactic acid is found in the blood and muscle tissue as a product of glucose metabolism. After promoting in process technology, decreasing the prices of lactic acid by biological procedure leading to produce commercial biodegradable polymers in non-medical applications. PLA is water-resistant polymer and it is unstable against halogenated hydrocarbons. In addition, it decomposes during three weeks in industrial composting process. Hence, the use of this polymer in terms of environmental related industries is exceedingly appropriate. PLA production on an industrial scale began in 2002 and lately it is used as food storage containers, films for agricultural issues, as fibers in the textile industry and as an alternative to polystyrene foams. PLA also, decomposes by hydrolysis at first. Consequently, it is uncommon that high molecular weight PLA contaminate by fungus, mold or other microbes at high humidity. This feature of biodegradable polymer is important for applications where direct contact with food over a long time is very significant and remarkable. The usage of this polymer in

contact with food will cause not any health problems.

Poly-e- Caprolactone (PCL)PCL is biodegradable thermoplastic polyester that is synthesized by chemical conversion of monomers PCL during ring-opening polymerization. PCL has good resistance to water, oil, solvents and chlorine and it has a low melting point and viscosity and also, it is achieved simply by thermal process. In order to reduce manufacturing costs may be mixed with other materials such as starch for the production of garbage bags. PCL also combined with polymer fibers (such as cellulose) to produce preservatives bandage and surgical clothes. The rate of hydrolysis and biodegradation of PCL are greatly depends on molecular weight and degree of crystallinity. However, many microbes in nature that produces enzymes that can be able to complete biodegradation of PCL.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)Polyhydroxyalkanoates is natural aliphatic polyester which is synthesized through fermentation approach of sugars and fats (glucose, sucrose, glycerol and vegetable oils) by a number of bacteria. Bacteria are grown for producing PHA in the environment with specified conditions with a sufficient amount of food. When the population was favorable, the composition of their food is changed in order to the bacteria begin to synthesize PHA. PHA synthesis usually shows an increase in special conditions such as the lack of some nutrients, phosphorus, nitrogen and oxygen and also a lot of additional amounts of carbon. The advantages of this bacterial plastics is the ability of biodegradation into carbon dioxide and water and also create less risks for the environment, production from renewable sources rather than fossil fuels, appropriate mechanical properties and proper process conditions. PHA is a thermoplastic polymer and is processed by conventional machines. This polymer has good thermal and UV stabilization compared to PLA, and it shows good resistance to the passing of water. Consequently, their biological compatibility can be exchanged by blending with polymers, enzymes and mineral fillers by using surface modifiers.


ARTICLE

FAV Plastico (Pvt.) Ltd. is a firm with an understanding of the growing needs and requirements of the plastic industries of Pakistan and thrives in providing top quality masterbatch. FAV Plastico promises quality excellence in order to earn its vision of being one of the leading suppliers of masterbatches in Pakistan. As the leading manufacturer of color concentrates and additive masterbatches, we offer exceptional products and services. Our black, white, color and additive masterbatches meet the diverse appearance and functional demands placed on plastic products. We provide thousands of black and white masterbatches, including those having high pigment loadings, temperature resistance, UV resistance and electrical conductivity.Masterbatch play a major role in many rotationally molded products. The benefit of polyethylene is that it can be readily colored to provide a very wide range of verity. If you are talking about aesthetic value, pigment can play a major role by nature of their ability to absorb and reflect light and UV radiation from the sun. The ability to stop light is essential for applications such as water tanks. A tank produced from polyethylene without masterbatch would allow the transmission of light and also cause algae growth. Masterbatch added at recommended dosage can stop light sufficiently and to stop algae growth. As different color of masterbatch allows different levels of light to pass through polyethylene, the loading of quality pigment need to be different to achieve the different level of opacity. It is also fact that when considering the absorption of UV radiation. Most pigments used in the coloration of polyethylene for rotational molding for assist in resistance to weathering by absorbing UV radiation. Majority UV radiation attacks on PE Molded part and causes it to become brittle, leading to cracks. Some pigments color have a significant benefit. The best example of this is carbon black,

Master Batch in Rotational Molding

this pigment typically used to color for polyethylene black product. The good quality carbon black added at a rate of 2 to 4% can increase UV time period in polyethylene of greater than 20 years. Other pigments colors in combination with UV stabilizers can provide UV time period beyond 10 years. Suitable masterbatch color for rotational molding it should have certain properties. It needs to be safe to use. It is very important at time of selection product that come in contact with food or water. There is also question of environmental effect when the product has reached the end of its useful life. Masterbatch have good thermal stability during processing, and in the final application it needs to resist fading. It has good light fastness. Masterbatch color may also have negative effects upon polyethylene. If it is not properly dispersed the resulting concentrated areas of pigment may cause embrittlement of the polyethylene. The masterbatch can affect product the rate at which the material heats and cools due to nature of pigments. The machine parameters may differ from color to color. Different pigment colors may also affect shrinkage to varying degrees. It is very important factor when dimensional stability required. Some organic pigments increase the crystallization rate by acting as nucleating agents. They may, as a result, contribute to warpage and brittle behavior. The ability of pigments to absorb radiation from the sun may have another unwanted outcome, a change in dimensions. Radiation absorbed by a pigment may be converted in to heat and raise the temperature of a molding. This in turn leads to expansion. Such expansion may lead to increased stress in a molding and reduce its useful life. Other unwanted outcomes may be reduced rigidity and increased creep. The choice of pigment for developing masterbatch for coloring polyethylene can play an important role in the performance of molding.



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