Unifi Upgrades Recycling Plant
Its first backward integration into processing baled bottles instead of ground flake.

AMUT And Bulk Handling Systems To Provide Equipment For Unifi Recycling Plant
The new bottle processing plant will produce about 75 million pounds of recycled PET materials when it begins operation in June 2016.

EXTRUSION: ‘Next-Generation’ Cast Stretch Film Lines
Seven-layer line has six extruders, two operator workstations, scrap refeed.

THERMOFORMING: High-Speed Cup Former
110,000/hr with a 50-cavity mold.

THERMOFORMING: New Roll-Fed Systems Boost Output & Flexibility
Continuous in-line packaging systems headed up the K 2010 thermoforming news as suppliers launched a range of roll-fed systems with greater capacity, more flexibility, and improved automation.

K 2010 Preview, Extrusion More…Layers, Output & Quality
In most segments of extrusion technology, the word at K 2010 is more.

Sustainability Drives Innovation at Leading RPET Processors
Two Southern California processors have boldly gone where no one has ever gone before.

Larger 3- or 4-Station PET Former
The new FFG 920-ADV machine from Amut SpA in Italy (North American office in Woodbridge, Ont.) is the largest so far in Amut’s FFG series of in-line formers, which use “plug-and-play” tooling for complete tool changes in under 30 min.

High-Speed Extrusion: Are You Ready for the Fast Lane?
Around three dozen, mostly European, processors are pushing commercial development of high-speed single-screw extrusion. They have installed more than 100 of the small hyper-drive machines whose screws turn at up to 1500 rpm, about eight to 10 times faster than standard extruders. At least two German machine builders are working on machines that will go to 2000 rpm and even higher. The goal is to raise output without increasing extruder size.

Disk Pump Helps Compound Long-Fiber Thermoplastics
Already a familiar sight on European store shelves, the eye-catching appeal of "IML" is gaining traction among North American injection molders. The latest tooling and automation designs can handle the higher volumes needed here.

Recycling Is Hot: Lots of New Plants Trying Out New Technologies
With virgin resin so expensive, there’s plenty of recycling action—from PET bottle-to-bottle plants to new projects aimed at agricultural film, carpets, and auto-shredder residue.

K 2007 Extrusion: Extrusion Outputs Go Through the Roof
Dramatic production demonstrations of cast and blown film set throughput records on the show floor in Dusseldorf.

K 2007 Compounding: New Approaches to Mixing, Pelletizing
In addition to the news reported in our September K Show preview (see Learn More), previously unrevealed developments in Dusseldorf include several ingenious devices designed to save energy, reduce wear, and safeguard compounded material properties.

K 2007 Thermoforming: Packaging Lines Grow Bigger and Faster
There was plenty of news in thermoforming at K 2007 as suppliers rolled out continuous roll-fed packaging systems with greater output, enhanced cooling, reduced air consumption, and more automation.

What's New at the Show in THERMOFORMING
Continuous in-line packaging systems will be the main emphasis in thermoforming at K 2007.

Tilt-Mold Cut-Sheet Former Boosts Output
A new high-speed cut-sheet thermoformer features an 80° tilting mold for producing water and yogurt cups of PP, HIPS, and PET.

NPE 2006 News Wrap-Up: Recycling and Scrap Reclaim
NPE was full of new equipment and systems for recapturing valuable in-plant scrap and post-consumer/post-industrial plastic waste. Recovery of PET packaging and film or fiber waste were particular areas of emphasis, as were lots of new granulators, from the world’s biggest to micro-size and even ‘clean-room’ models.