Tetra Pak and Greencroft claim UK first with wine packed in cartons

(packagingnews) -- Packaging giant Tetra Pak and Greencroft Bottling Company, part of the Lanchester Wine Group, are claiming a UK first after packaging wine in cartons.

The news was revealed at the London International Wine Fair. Both firms state that the UK’s first facility for packaging wine in cartons will "bring benefits across the industry".

Last month, Tetra Pak revealed to Packaging News that it was eyeing food and wine markets and would be working with Durham-based wine bottling firm Greencroft.

Greencroft Bottling Company managing director Mark Satchwell said: "The Tetra Pak carton is a really credible alternative to the glass bottle. The materials are much lower cost and the final product is extremely space-efficient, meaning more products can be merchandised on-shelf, maximising return per square foot of selling space".

MRC

Recyclers to expand their capacity despite short supply

(plasticsnews) -- Plastics recyclers may be strapped for supply, but that hasn’t been a deterred them from opening new plants and investing in new wash lines, grinders and extruders to expand their capacity.

For example, one of two new wash lines being added by KW Plastics Recycling in Troy, Ala., began operating earlier this year, and a second wash line — the first major investment by a recycler to process bulky rigid plastics made from injection-high density polyethylene — is scheduled to be completed by early July.

Those two new wash lines will give KW a total of five wash lines that will have the capacity to wash 450 million pounds of HDPE, and 300 million pounds of polypropylene annually.

"Our new wash line for flexible polypropylene is up and running and we are making adjustments to the process," said Scott Saunders, general manager of KW Plastics Recycling. “We expect to be running that line at an annual rate of 50 to75 million pounds of material per year" by late July.

The company’s USD5 million wash line for bulky rigid HDPE plastic is expected to be completed by early July, Saunders said.

That line, which will have the capacity to process 10-12 million pounds of bulky rigid plastics monthly, will recycle items such as carts, crates, buckets, baskets, toys and lawn furniture. "There is more material available in that stream" than in HDPE milk containers and laundry containers, which today constitutes the main source of materials in the U.S. for HDPE recycling, he said.

MRC

Borealis and Borouge introduced a new grade of PP for Renault

(plastech) -- Borealis and Borouge, leading providers of innovative, value-creating plastics solutions, have introduced a new grade of polypropylene (PP) specified for use in lightweight bumper applications for two new Renault automotive platforms.

High flow Borcom WH107AE was specified for the recently introduced Dacia Lodgy, a minivan produced at Renault’s new plant in Morocco and for the Renault Twizy, Renault’s first electrical car produced at its plant in Spain. Borcom WH107AE is already in use for new generation bumper applications in other Renault platforms including but not limited to the new Dacia Duster and Sandero in South America and Russia.

Borcom WH107AE is a global automotive grade available from Borealis and Borouge. This new generation high flow PP was specially developed to meet new specifications for bumpers. The material’s main characteristics are high flow and low density for lightweight applications with excellent surface quality.

The material helps to achieve substantial weight savings by making it possible to design lighter and thinner parts while maintaining the mechanical performance required for these specific applications. By facilitating reductions in part thickness and density, Borcom WH107AE can make a significant contribution to overall weight reduction for car manufacturers.
MRC

Polyvinyl chloride players expect price plunge in SE Asia


(chemmonitor) -- The demand for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is currently described as stable in the southeast part of Asia.

Until recently, a sufficient purchasing interest has been the key factor defining the price level in Southeast Asia.

Nevertheless, values trends in the market for PVC is set to change in the following month. Prices for the material are expected to trend lower.


MRC

Iran's new petchem complex to produce 340,000 tonnes of PVC annually

(downstreamtoday) -- Iran is due to inaugurate a new petrochemical company named Arvand with the capacity of producing 340,000 tons of PVC annually.

Iran is slated to officially inaugurate three important petrochemical industry projects in the country's Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Economic Zone.

The projects include the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production line at Arvand Petrochemical Complex, the oxygen and nitrogen production line at Maroon Petrochemical Plant and the second liquids loading pier at Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Economic Zone.

All three enterprises are due to be inaugurated in the presence of senior Iranian officials on Monday, May 21, to mark the anniversary of the liberation of Khorramshahr from Iraqi occupation during the eight-year imposed war (1980-1988).

Arvand, the fourth petrochemical complex to produce PVC in Iran, will increase the country's annual production capacity by 340 thousand tons.

The output will fully satisfy Iran's domestic demands and even turn the country into a PVC exporter. It is estimated that the Islamic Republic will hold 25 to 30 percent of the global market following the export of the product.

MRC