Krones introduces resource-economical, affordable packaging technology

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Krones AG, Neutraubling, Germany, introduces a whole series of innovations and design enhancements, as per the company's statement.

All of them geared to creating even lighter, more attractive, consumer-friendlier packages, plus energy-economical, eco-friendly and affordable production operations designed to reduce the total cost of ownership.

In the field of plastics technology, Krones has developed a new base design for PET containers that features better resistance to heat and pressure coupled with good stability during transport. In comparison to classical hotfill, filling this bottle in the NitroHotfill process enables lower bottle weights to be used, even at high line speeds. In actual operation, the NitroHotfill process, which is used with fruit juices and other sensitive beverages, enables bottle weights down to an exceptionally light 15.5 grams to be achieved.

But it’s not only with sensitive beverages like fruit juices that the thrust towards lightweight containers is being progressed. For carbonated beverages, too, Krones presents a true lightweight, one that weighs 30 to 45 per cent less than comparable PET containers on the market: the "PET lite 9.9 carbonated", a prize-winning study based on the NitroPouch concept. This 500-millilitre bottle, weighing a mere 9.9 grams, scores highly in terms of low material costs and suitability for use at high line speeds.

Deployment of a square 500-millilitre PET bottle weighing just 12.5 grams for product-friendly aseptic filling is made possible by the development of the innovative technology featured in the Contiform AseptBloc, and by the container’s own design, which is particularly persuasive in terms of the bottle’s haptics, and is based on a square-rounded cross-section and a lightweight 33-millimetre neck finish.

In comparison to dressing containers in labels, direct printing on the containers themselves, using the DecoType direct printing system, offers significantly more scope for individualised, attractive design of the containers concerned. It is also ideally suited for supporting marketing campaigns and product launches. With the debut of the DecoType, Krones has expanded its product portfolio for container dressing to include an entirely new variant.

For non-returnable sixpacks, Krones has come up with what’s probably the world’s most space-saving packaging and palletising solution, with the lowest energy consumption, in the shape of the LitePac. Three EvoLite machines are already up and running successfully: up to the present date, 15 million LitePacs have hit the retail shelves. The EvoLite pack strapping machine creates packs with an integrated looped handle. In comparison to shrink-packs, and to other packaging systems on the market as well that operate with gluing, the exceptionally resource-economical production process for the LitePac (which comprises six plastic bottles) offers extremely high potential savings for packaging material and energy, with a cost reduction per pack of up to 74%.

As MRC informed previously, England's Petainer, leading plastic container supplier, has opened a new site in Russia producing recyclable PET beer kegs and water cooler bottles for the local market. The factory, which is located 40 miles from Moscow in Klin, is equipped with a state-of-the-art SIDE blowing machine capable of manufacturing 700 kegs per hour, up to a maximum keg size of 50kg. The facility is currently supplying 20 and 30-litre PetainerKegs to customers in Russia, as well as Belarus and the Ukraine.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF, the world's largest petrochemical major, has developed new ingredients and innovative concepts for the personal care market, as per the company's press release.

Driving forward the development of the brand Care CreationsTM, the company is taking a more and more science based approach to explore consumer needs: the focus is on a validated typology system with which users can define different consumer personalities.

Based on the results of one study carried out for conditioning hair care products, BASF is presenting a new formulation concept that picks up the personality traits and emotional needs of the different consumer archetypes and translates these requirements into exceptional conditioning products. Furthermore, the company has developed new ingredients for personal care products. Some of them are already tailored to the needs of the archetypes.

Thus, the new Ultrahold Power styling polymer targets the "Energetic" archetype with its dynamic consistency for sensational looks. It provides better hold in applications such as hair spray, gel and cream, it is easy to use and provides a high level of formulation flexibility.

The demand for better hold in styling gels continues. The rheology modifier Luvigel Fit UP increases the performance and styling power of formulations. The polymer reduces the risk of flaking from extreme styling formulations and broadens the spectrum for bold and dynamic hairstyles that are preferred by the "Energetic" archetype.

This new hair dye is characterized by its great color intensity and excellent color stability when shampooing, even at low dosage. Easy to formulate, Vibracolor Moonlight Blue introduces a wide range of fashion shades - from very light to intensely dark blue, as well as brown and other dark shades. It thus appeals to the desires of individualistic and creative consumers in particular.

Cetiol Ultimate answers to the rising market demand for new formulation textures and appealing skin sensations in cosmetics industry. With this ultrafast-spreading emollient, BASF meets a wide range of claims from ultra-thin oil-in-water formulations to smooth dry body oils and very light facial foundations that ensure a good coverage. Thanks to its volatile properties, skin care products with Cetiol Ultimate are easy to apply, absorb quickly and leave a smooth, fresh skin feeling. The natural-based, volatile hydrocarbon is readily biodegradable and approved by Ecocert and COSMOS.

PerlauraTM, a water extract from the roots of meadow bistort (polygonum bistorta) participates in the maintenance of the dermo-epidermal junction and dermal capillaries cohesion for a combined optical and biological radiance. The new anti-aging active contributes to restore skin’s homeostasis and integrity. Within four weeks, the skin appears visibly brighter with a smoother, more even surface.

RadianskinTM is a pure molecule that erases dark spots from the face and hands. RadianskinTM reduces melanogenesis through an innovative mechanism blocking the melanin release by the melanocytes, an alternative to the broadly known inhibition of tyrosinase. Besides unifying the complexion, the active also helps slow down premature photo-aging of the skin by preventing cell damage caused by UVB radiation and reducing the release of inflammatory cytokines. The skin is safely evened and protected from pigmentary disorders within 14 days.

The red algae hydrolysate with proven efficacy on both face and body reshaping, was inspired by studies conducted in the field of obesity. Two compounds that are found in abnormally high concentrations in obese subjects have been targeted: spermine and spermidine. These two compounds take part in many mechanisms in fat metabolism: activation of lipogenesis, inhibition of lipolysis and activation of preadipocyte differentiation. Slim-Excess acts like a molecular trap, blocks these two polyamines and redesigns the face contours within four weeks.

As MRC wrote before, BASF has recently been awarded the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification for cosmetic ingredients according to the European Federation for Cosmetic Ingredients (EFfCI).

BASF Care Chemicals division offers a broad range of ingredients for hygiene, personal care, home care, industrial & institutional cleaning, and technical applications.

BASF is the leading chemical company. It produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Shenhua Baotou Coal Chemical is in plans to take off-stream a linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE)/high density polyethylene (HDPE) swing plant for maintenance trunaround, reported Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the plant is likely to be shut in July 2014. It is expected to remain shut for around one month.

Located in Shenhua, China, the plant has a production capacity of 300,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed previously, Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical shut its HDPE plant on March 26, 2014 owing to feedstock issues. A restart date for the plant could not be ascertained. Located in Shanghai, China, the plant has a production capacity of 250,000 mt/year.

Besides, top Asian refiner Sinopec Corp won initial approval in October 2013 from China's top economic planner for a plan to build a USD10-billion refinery and petrochemical complex in Shanghai. Sinopec had started formal planning for the 400,000 barrels-per-day refinery and a 1 million tonnes-per-year ethylene project in a plan to curb pollution by shifting an old plant to Shanghai's southern edge.

Sinopec Corp. is one of the largest scale integrated energy and chemical companies with upstream, midstream and downstream operations. Its refining and ethylene capacity ranks No.2 and No.4 globally. The Company has 30,000 sales and distribution networks of oil products and chemical products, its service stations are now ranked third largest in the world.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- KraussMaffei Berstorff (Munich, Germany) presented its innovative concept for producing weatherproof sheets based on renewable raw materials to a 60 customers during a live demonstration in Munich on March 12, 2014, said the producer in its press-release.

The customers were able to watch the production of so-called "Resysta" sheets at the company's TechCenter, which is equipped with a twin-screw extruder in the 32D series. Due to their outstanding properties and their deceptively realistic fine wood design, these sheets are primarily used for outdoor applications such as facades.

"Our customers showed an unexpectedly high level of interest in this innovative product," emphasized Andreas Kessler, general sales manager at KraussMaffei Berstorff in Munich. “We welcomed more than 60 international visitors who provided us with positive feedback on both the production facility and the end product," said Kessler.

The sheet production line, equipped with the KMD 90-32/WPC twin-screw extruder and a vertical three-roll polishing stack as the key components, produced 4-mm-thick, 1000-mm-wide Resysta sheets with a guaranteed output of 300 kg/h. During a series of talks focusing primarily on this topic, the customers were also able to obtain more detailed information on the material composition, the production requirements and the end product. Kessler is anticipating a promising future: "Since we are now also seeing greater use of renewable raw materials in sheet extrusion due to growing worldwide demands for sustainable production, we will be able to serve a new market segment with this product in the long term."

Processing of natural fiber-reinforced plastics calls for special machine technology, a high degree of process engineering know-how and active wear resistance of the processing unit.

Resysta International GmbH, a company based in Taufkirchen near Munich, distributes its patented compound Resysta ARF (Active Resysta Filler) all over the world. Extracted from rice husks, an agricultural raw material which has barely been used to date, the material is extremely resistant, has an excellent ecological balance sheet and therefore sets new standards in sustainable production.

The material can barely be distinguished from real wood. It is therefore mainly used whenever both weather resistance and a wood look are required, for example in outdoor furniture, floor coverings in a wet cell or outside, ships' decks or house facades.

As MRC wrote earlier, two leading pipe manufacturers from Russia have recently chosen KraussMaffei Berstorff as a systems supplier for premium-quality technology and invested in PO pipe extrusion systems.

The KraussMaffei Group is a global leader in the plastics and rubber processing industries. The company covers all areas of injection molding machinery, extrusion technology and reaction process machinery, which gives it a unique selling point in the industry.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Saudi Aramco Products Trading Co., the fuel marketing unit of Saudi Arabia’s state oil producer, started selling products of an affiliated petrochemicals maker, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Aramco Trading will sell products including polypropylene and polyethylene made by Rabigh Refining & Petrochemicals Co., according to a statement on the state oil company’s website. The company began physical deliveries of the first chemical products today, it said.

Saudi Arabian Oil Co., the world’s largest oil exporter, owns all of the marketing unit and 37.5% of the refinery, known as Petro Rabigh. Sumitomo Chemical holds an equal share in Petro Rabigh, with the remainder traded on the stock market.

The partners will sell equal amounts of Petro Rabigh’s products, according to a Petro Rabigh statement.

Persian Gulf oil producers such as Saudi Arabia are boosting chemical output to diversify their economies away from reliance on crude sales for revenue by selling finished products like transport fuels and plastics.

As MRC reported previously, Petro Rabigh had signed an agreement with Tasnee and Saudi Advanced Industries (SAIC) for the supply of propylene oxide to the joint venture for the production of polyether polyol. The plant is located in Rabiga, in the west of Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea.

Aramco and Sumitomo plan to expand the Petro Rabigh plant, and Aramco is building additional chemical capacity at Jubail on the Gulf. PetroRabigh, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Japan's Sumitomo Chemical, has an annual output capacity of 18 million tonsne of refined products and 2.4 million tonnes of petrochemicals.
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