Producing 100% rPET food-grade films from all colours and all kinds of PET scrap (post-consumer PET bottle, trays and industrial) is now possible at RETAL.
Investment in a new extrusion line at RETAL Baltic will help the company use greater volumes of post-consumer resins and industrial scrap from metalized, multilayer, laminated, black and coloured PET film packaging in the production of food-grade packaging material, supporting this global packaging manufacturer’s ongoing commitment to a plastic circular economy.
RETAL Baltic has invested more than three million Euros in a third new extrusion line that can process up to 100% of recycled PET (rPET) flakes, significantly increasing on the facility's current 60% capability. These 100% rPET films are recyclable and easily recognised in standard recycling sorting facilities.
This third extrusion line will be at full capacity by October 2019, increasing RETAL Baltic’s annual consumption of sec-ondary raw material (post-consumer and post-industrial PET waste) from 7200 metric tonnes to 12,800 metric tonnes.
Robertas Grizas, RETAL Baltic's APET Production Development Manager, says, “There's no need to incinerate or send black and/or metalized films to landfill anymore as RETAL can effectively and efficiently put it back into production for food-grade packaging film which can be used by global brand owners.”
The demand from brand owners for black and/or metallized film has been decreasing, as brands are keen to increase their sustainability performance. Thermoformed packaging made from black and/or metallized PET film is labelled "difficult to recycle" due to being unrecognised by recycling plants’ infrared sorting equipment, meaning that used packaging is not directed to the recycling stream.
Yet, particularly for the meat, dairy, fish and ready meal categories, black and metalized multilayer PET/PE films are the ideal packaging vehicle as they support excellent shelf life, provide strong barrier properties and are visually appealing to consumers. Black rPET is also valuable to the circular economy in general as it offers an excellent destination for scrap PET of all colours, so keeping it in the packaging value chain is crucial.
Grizas adds, “RETAL has acquired the technology to use multilayer PET waste in the form of regrinds that we buy back from our customers, reducing the post-industrial waste which might otherwise be channeled to incineration. RETAL produces almost all colours of films, including non-carbon black and metalized films, and there has been a tendency for thermoforming customers to specify transparent films. But now we can help with their post-industrial waste as we have the capacity to reprocess it into food-grade films.”
With RETAL increasingly aware of its influence across stakeholder groups, investments such as this new film extrusion line highlights how, by working together with brand owners, thermoforming customers and influential industry players, the company can keep edging towards a responsible life cycle of PET packaging solutions that deliver convenience and sustainability.
Attending trade exhibitions is resource-intensive. As a responsible global packaging manufacturer, RETAL takes attending trade exhibitions seriously; we don't go to many, so those we do need to be excellent.
As a global company with senior management located worldwide, the vast majority of our internal communications is conducted online. Group meetings are usually through video conferencing, with only annual meetings face-to-face, as part of the company's Smart Travel approach. Effective online communication means we greatly reduce our carbon footprint as well as offer a more flexible workplace for our employees.
This autumn, members of the international RETAL team will be attending both FachPack and BrauBeviale, giving us a chance to not only meet with key customers and potential customers, but also to see each other in person!
RETAL's senior marketing manager Mariya Ushakova says, “Sustainability is a priority across RETAL and across the packaging industry; it's a key theme for both FachPack and BrauBeviale, and very much underpins everything we do at RETAL. Both events are great opportunities for us to share interesting innovations with our customers, particularly our new tethered closure solution that’s closely aligned to RETAL’s plastic pollution reduction strategy in line with EU Directives. I also really value the chance to be on the stand with my colleagues! We enjoy each other's company and it's so good to bring our combined energy to the stand.”
FachPack, from September 24 – 26 in Nuremberg, Germany, will see RETAL at stand 9-203. Our multilingual team is pleased to join this key complete packaging industry supply chain event, with environmentally-responsible innovations including our latest up-to 100% rPET film.
Get free entry to FachPack as our guest by using the RETAL code A410244 here.
BrauBeviale, from November 12-14 and also in Nuremberg, hosts the RETAL stand at 4-323, with the whole of the beverage value chain represented. It’s a great opportunity for our local team to present our complete PET and rPET portfolio, including our much-anticipated tethered closures, with plenty of samples available and experts on hand to share performance advantages.
Visitors to BrauBeviale are welcome to use the RETAL code B413453 for free entry
See you at RETAL’s stand!
Innovations in closures and caps give brand-owners an opportunity to differentiate through convenience and style - and helps packaging manufacturers stay ahead of the game. With lightweighting and clever design key in the more visible role of closures and caps, Emma-Jane Batey speaks to players across the packaging value chain to learn more.
Light yet strong
For global packaging manufacturer RETAL, the closures issue is a chance to add an extra level of responsibility to its offering, with its multinational household-name customers increasingly demanding solutions that support their CSR targets. The company showcased its new high-grip closure design at BrauBeviale last year, which offers more options for plastic reduction in beverage packaging. RETAL’s high-grip closure is 19.85mm, the same height as a standard closure, but just 2.45g, saving around 1.3g of weight per bottle compared with standard bottles, thanks to the unique manufacture of the closures that allows for deeper grooves to distribute the weight across a taller surface area.
The innovative design is more sustainable as it uses less plastic, is easy to grip and open, and retains rigidity due to the height. Dalia Petrauskaite, RETAL’s closures director, says, “We worked closely with the market-leading bottle-filling company to create a functional solution that delivers high market acceptance thanks to its consumer-friendly attributes such as being easy to open and grip. Our High Grip closures offer many unique advantages; light yet strong, it also allows co-packers to reuse their existing stacking trays that are for standard 1810 specifications, making the High Grip even more eco-friendly.”
Read online version on Packaging today
Joining RETAL Baltic, RETAL Lithuania and RETAL PA (USA), the company's Italian facility is now part of the company’s initiative to reduce its carbon footprint and has switched to 100% renewable energy.
RETAL Italia purchases renewable electricity through the Guaranteed Energy accountability scheme, that certifies that the energy provided by the supplier is effectively produced from renewable sources.
In April 2019, RETAL Italia signed a contract with largest energy and gas supplier SUM, part of the Confindustria organisation that supports manufacturers in buying renewable energy. RETAL Italia has cooperated with SUM and Confindustria for many years. Their deep market knowledge and expert advice gave the possibility to buy renewable electricity that will provide constant and competitively-priced power for RETAL Italia facility.
RETAL’s volume of electricity consumption from renewable sources will now be 37% across the group and 55% in the European Region, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions will be 37% and 62%, respectively.
Sustainability director Emmanuel Duffault says, “This is excellent progress as we continue to meet our GHG emissions reduction targets, ensure we adhere to our global customers’ CSR requirements and contribute to climate change mitigation.”
RETAL is committed to increase the use of renewable energy and has already identified new opportunities for 2020.
These initiatives are yet another proof of RETAL’s total commitment to sustainable development and taking action to combat climate change.
Investment in advanced CAD software means RETAL can create precise bottle simulations without incurring the cost or time of prototyping.
PET and rPET packaging producer RETAL is dedicated to delivering responsible solutions to its global beverage customers, so this latest development supports its focus on creating lighter, stronger bottles that meet the precise performance and sustainability goals of brand owners.
Designer Andzejus Buinovskis explains, “We searched the market for a dedicated software suite that would allow us to simulate the stretch blow moulding process, but we couldn't find what we wanted, so we worked with Dassault Systemes to add several plug ins to its ABAQUS software product that provided the exact 3D modelling and types of parameters we require.”
The bespoke simulation software now in operation at RETAL's dedicated R&D Centre means that it is able to create precise information regarding performance relating to the distribution of the thickness and stretch ratio of the bottles without needing to produce a physical product. Buinovskis adds, “With the 3D model of the preform and bottle, we can simulate different temperatures, movements, pressures and pre-blow and blow variations. It's a powerful tool that saves the considerable time and money associated with prototyping; in one case, two bottles of the same weight but different geometry showed that one had a better stretch ratio, making it stronger.”
Comparing bottles of the same weight with different geometry, it is possible to choose the most durable bottle in terms of stretch ratio. This means that physical tests can be conducted for the most optimal model, avoiding the cost of testing all intermediate versions.
Investing in this complex software makes it faster, cheaper and easier for its global brand customers to choose the precise bottle for their food and beverage applications.
Petcore Europe, the Brussels based association representing the entire PET (PolyEthylene Terephthalate) value chain in Europe, increases its competence by welcoming twelve new members in 2019.
The new members are Bandera, IFPEN – French Institute of Petroleum Energies nouvelles, Point Plastic, AFA Dispensing, Remondis PET Recycling, CUMAPOL, RETAL Industries, PepsiCo, Mitsubishi Polyester Films, Suntory, Digimarc and Finat.
“In the past 15 months Petcore Europe could welcome 29 new members. It is great to see that more and more key players of the value chain want to work together on a circular economy of PET within our association”, outlines Christian Crépet, Executive Director of Petcore Europe.
Investment in advanced CAD software means RETAL can create precise bottle simulations without incurring the cost or time of prototyping.
PET and rPET packaging producer RETAL is dedicated to delivering responsible solutions to its global beverage customers, so this latest development supports its focus on creating lighter, stronger bottles that meet the precise performance and sustainability goals of brand owners.
Designer Andzejus Buinovskis explains, “We searched the market for a dedicated software suite that would allow us to simulate the stretch blow moulding process, but we couldn't find what we wanted, so we worked with Dassault Systemes to add several plug ins to its ABAQUS software product that provided the exact 3D modelling and types of parameters we require.”
The bespoke simulation software now in operation at RETAL's dedicated R&D Centre means that it is able to create precise information regarding performance relating to the distribution of the thickness and stretch ratio of the bottles without needing to produce a physical product. Buinovskis adds, “With the 3D model of the preform and bottle, we can simulate different temperatures, movements, pressures and pre-blow and blow variations. It's a powerful tool that saves the considerable time and money associated with prototyping; in one case, two bottles of the same weight but different geometry showed that one had a better stretch ratio, making it stronger.”
Comparing bottles of the same weight with different geometry, it is possible to choose the most durable bottle in terms of stretch ratio. This means that physical tests can be conducted for the most optimal model, avoiding the cost of testing all intermediate versions.
Investing in this complex software makes it faster, cheaper and easier for its global brand customers to choose the precise bottle for their food and beverage applications.
Renewable energy was celebrated at the official opening of the largest roof-mounted solar powered plant in the Baltic States at global plastic packaging manufacturer RETAL's Lentvaris factory.
Attended by many of Lithuania's leading business people interested in green energy, the event, called “Solar Energy and Lithuanian Business: Good Practices and Challenges”, was held on Thursday 7th February. Installed by contractors I + D Energias Lietuva in autumn 2018, the power plant will reduce RETAL’s CO2 emissions by 733.6 tonnes per year.
Giedrius Viederis, Director of RETAL Lithuania, opened the event, where he explained that this huge project was driven by the obligation to both conserve the environment and consume clean energy. Thanking the partners and representatives of the LPA for financing the project, he said, “Today, RETAL is also taking a step forward. The solemn opening of the largest roof-top solar power plant in the Baltic States is the result of a three-year project by many people to implement our idea.”
Guests included Marius Skuodis, Deputy Minister of Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania, Rytis Kėvelaitis, Adviser to the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Lithuania, representatives of the Lithuanian Business Support Agency (LPAA), Arnold Gaudiešius Ruta Jakubauskienė, Director of the Large Business Customer Department, and representatives from companies from across Lithuania interested in the use of renewable energy.
The event also included an interesting panel discussion where guests, Albertas Trakimavičius, Chief Energy Officer of RETAL Lithuania and Rūta Jakubauskienė, Executive Director of I + D Energias Lietuva, engaged in debate about issues related to the future of renewable energy in Lithuania and financing opportunities. Viederis adds, “It was wide-ranging discussion that presented excellent information on the possibility of state aid for enterprises, important details that businesses need to know before installing solar panels and facts about the most successful large-scale solar panel plants in Lithuania and across Europe.”
Guests were given a tour of the roof-mounted solar panel plant and had the opportunity to learn about the technology used and ask questions of the suppliers involved in this project. RETAL's solar panel roof stands out for its exceptional safety and the quality of the materials used for its installation - all the solar modules have been manufactured in the European Union, giving the plant a twenty-year warranty. The power of the power plant is 1.4 MW and the value of the project exceeds one million euros.
RETAL President Anatoly Martynov notes how this investment represents the company's ongoing commitment to sustainability across its operations. Martynov says: “The installation of solar panels at our facility in Lentvaris is a key part of RETAL’s significant investment in sustainability and shows the progressive approach of the whole region. This large-scale project demonstrates our ongoing commitment to environmental protection; we intend to be as efficient as possible in increasing the use of renewable energy across the RETAL global plants.”
Click here to view the actricle from comPETence online.
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Sustainability. Innovation. Disruption. Words that get used freely. The time has come to prove what we say.
Across the packaging value chain, sustainability, innovation and disruption are all more necessary now than ever before...as long as there's transparency too. The bright light that is shining on the plastic packaging industry is not always flattering; it shows up our imperfections. But with transparency, that bright light is a good thing. For us to be as honest and progressive as possible, to create and support a plastic packaging industry that is fit for purpose from both a consumer and an environmental perspective, transparency has to be at the heart of everything we do.
Emmanuel Duffaut, Sustainability Director at global plastic packaging manufacturer RETAL, is vocal about the need for transparency across the packaging value chain. Duffaut says, “Climate change and the circular economy are the two main sustainability drivers for our industry; action has to be proactive, productive and provable. I'm determined that every CSR action must be quantifiable and realistic.”
The discrepancy between what consumers think about plastic packaging and what is actually true is huge. For example, a commonly-held belief is that plastic bottles can only be recycled once, when actually they can happily be recycled 7-9 times before quality is compromised for food-grade applications, and many more times for non-food packaging. And an organic cotton shopping bag would need to be reused thousands of times to match a plastic shopping bag for water, energy and additive consumption in production. Yet consumers think that choosing cotton shopping bags over plastic bags is the sustainable option...but how many cotton totes do you actually own?
Duffaut continues, “Transparency isn't about the feel-good factor; it's about the truth. For climate change, we need to talk about renewable energy and production. Last year, RETAL installed the largest solar panel plant on the roof of its Lithuanian facility – it's the biggest photovoltaic installation in the Baltic States and will generate 1.4 megawatts of power per year. The factories in the US, Lithuania and Czech Republic buy 100 per cent renewable electricity. Management systems are key too, plastic packaging manufacturers must be able to prove responsibility of performance, such as with the ISO 50001 certification and energy monitoring systems we have across RETAL plants.”
In terms of the plastic packaging itself, manufacturers are also capable of transparency, literally and figuratively. The incredible capabilities of rPET are currently limited by effective and efficient collection, yet the potential for consumer education is great. Duffaut adds, “Reliable supply of rPET – reliable in quality and quantity for food applications - is crucial to a realistic circular economy. RETAL produces a 100 per cent rPET bottle for Nestlé Pure Life mineral water in the US, where our dedicated R&D team worked with Nestlé Waters to create a totally transparent rPET that delivers the glass-like look that consumers want, thanks to our deep knowledge of additives and equipment fine-tuning; none of that slightly grey rPET here! We have an incredible knowhow of working with up to 75 per cent rPET flakes and the specific additives required.”
RETAL has recently joined PETcore, the responsible voice of the European PET value chain, with Duffaut active in the non-profit's working groups that is focused on the long-term stability of the PET industry. He concludes, “By creating responsible plastic packaging that has a lighter impact - including light-weighting of the preform and the closure, highly efficient energy management across production and smart use of renewable energy - we are determined to be part of the solution."
Click here to view the article.
We are pleased to announce that RETAL has joined PETCore Europe, the non-profit European trade organisation that is the voice of the PET value chain. With a clear focus to promote the collection, sorting and recycling of PET packaging across Europe, PETCore works closely with the EU administration, EU and national sector associations, Governments and the plastic recycling industry.
Becoming a member of PETCore highlights RETAL's ongoing dedication to working collaboratively with the whole PET value chain, with a focus on sustainability and the circular economy.
RETAL's Sustainability Director Emmanuel Duffaut participated in PETCore's Annual General Assembly and Technical Committee in Brussels on 5th - 6th February, giving him the opportunity to discuss the issues facing the PET industry with key players across the value chain.
Duffaut says, “I'm very enthusiastic about RETAL joining PETCore Europe as it allows drivers from the PET industry to interact in a non-competitive way; to listen and to learn from each other, to gain great insights from multi-stakeholder perspectives on the different challenges we face and to develop strategies to overcome these challenges. Most importantly, this established platform lets us focus on the effective foundations of the circular economy: by participating in global fact-finding, we can continue to develop essential knowledge that translates into clear actions. Global knowledge of the circular economy is crucial for us all connected to the PET value chain. RETAL is committed to continuing our active role in this process and we look forward to working with PETCore and its members.”