Combined Nissei and Negri Bossi Bring Collaborations to K

Japan’s Nissei Plastic Industrial Co. Ltd., which acquired Italy’s Negri Bossi SpA in 2019, co-exhibited at a show for the first time during K 2022, using the opportunity to celebrate their 75th anniversaries and showcase new collaborations. Sustainable molding was a key theme and to that end, the company displayed an all-electric NOVA 5e180T H590 press with a specialized mold, to demonstrate the injection and blow molding of 100% PLA bottles, with an in-mold label.

Created on a standard injection machine with specialized tooling, these PLA bottles featured inmold label decoration.
Photo Credit: Plastics Technology

The system uses a general-purpose injection molding machine and special mold to form bottles in one process. In this case, automated in-mold labeling (IML) was also incorporated. A Nissei spokesperson stressed the company’s interest in reducing the carbon footprint of injection molding, noting that biobased PLA is a carbon neutral material. The hybrid technology utilizes specialized tooling and requires less air than stretch blowmolding, saving money and energy.

Using specialized tooling, the system creates bottles normally produced in an injection stretch blowmolding process.
Photo Credit: Plastics Technology

In a separate display, a 110-ton NOVA 5e110T H230 molded cutlery from a PLA wood-flour compound. With 10% wood flour, the spoon, fork and knife represented a 100% plant based product that can be composted and satisfies European and German food-contact requirements. Nissei told Plastics Technology that the company makes the PLA/wood compound in house. The process the company developed for creating the micro wood flour has been patented.

Using a proprietary process to create wood flour, Nissei molded these food-contact approved cutlery from a PLA/wood compound.
Photo Credit: Plastics Technology

The companies also debuted the NOVA 5e-T Series—a new all-electric injection machine line that is the first to be co-developed by Nissei and Negri Bossi. Targeting the European market, the NOVA 5e-T Series is based on Nissei’s fifth generation NEX-V Series, which was released in May 2022. The external design was handled by Negri Bossi. The NOVA5e-T Series features the new TACT5 controller, which allows the press to act as a hub to connect auxiliary equipment.

Other features include a new screw design meant to ensures stable plasticization and a “flat clamp” clamping unit, which Nissei describes as a high-cycle capable toggle. For its small footprint, Nissei says the machines provide wide platens and broad daylight.