Austrian company PET2PET has collaborated with Starlinger to raise PET recycling output by 20 per cent.
PET2PET processed around one billion PET bottles in 2018, an increase of nine per cent compared to 2017.
Since 2010, PET2PET has operated a Starlinger recycling line with a recoSTAR PET 125 HC iV+, with which the pre-cut, washed and sorted flakes are processed into high-quality regranulate.
Christian Strasser, Managing Director of PET2PET, said: “With Starlinger’s technology, we have chosen one of the safest methods that guarantees thorough decontamination of the material according to the FIFO principle. In this regard, the strict requirements of our owners, especially Coca-Cola, greatly influenced our decision when purchasing the line.”
Geographical proximity was also a factor, as Starlinger and PET2PET are only located 30 miles part which allowed short-term spare parts deliveries and swift technical assistance.
Last year, the growing demand for recycled material prompted PET2PET to approach Starlinger with the request for an increase in capacity of the recycling line, and the customer was convinced that in cooperation with Starlinger’a specialists, a higher throughput could be achieved.
Through a detailed analysis, they jointly identified areas that showed potential for an increase in performance.
Based on the analysis, Starlinger complied a package that was integrated into the line in several stages, and involved numerous process steps such as drying, extrusion, filtration, and energy recovery.
Christian Lovranich, Head of Process Engineering of Starlinger, said: “After completion of the revamp, the line runs at 20 per cent more output with consistent quality and constant IV. By doubling the capacity for energy recovery, we have not only made the line more productive, but also much more energy efficient.”
“The successful upgrade at PET2PET show that even after many years of reliable operation, recycling lines can still achieve an increase in performance.”