Extrusion International 5-2022

73 Extrusion International 5/2022 raw materials, reducing the CO 2 footprint and optimizing manufacturing processes. However, NGR has identified potential for improve - ment not only in post-industrial materials, but also in the field of PET reprocessing and is tackling used PET bottles with new technologies. Next Generation also in PET Improvement – The Future of PET Recycling Since PET materials such as empty bottles, films, or tex - tile fibers are also valuable raw materials for the manu - facture of new products, the specialists from Feldkirchen offer a revolutionary solution. With the Liquid State Poly- condensation (LSP) process, a completely new possibility has been developed under the trade name P:REACT for reprocessing PET waste into food-grade material making use of an extremely efficient process. While conventional PET reprocessing methods change the material properties in the solid phase, taking many hours, the decontamination of the material in the LSP process takes only a few minutes. In this innovative process from NGR, PET is reprocessed in the liquid phase, which guaran- tees simultaneous upgrading of the plastic and recycling to the highest standards of brand owners. With melt phase re- processing, the company exceeds regulatory requirements towards food grade (upcycling) and has created a unique selling point in the global market. Impurities and hazardous substances stored in PET, such as benzenes, are almost com- pletely removed, taking PET recycling to a new dimension. The material properties, which are chemically degraded during reprocessing, can be completely restored, and even improved, by the LSP process. As a result, the processor re- ceives a recycled material stream of the same high quality as is generally expected from the original granulate (virgin ma - terial). Brand owner tests confirm that, if required, the ma - terial properties after the LSP process are even higher qual- ity than those of the input material. Food grade approvals by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration - USA) and the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) certify that the LSP process produces the most suitable recyclate for 100% food contact. Due to the extraordinary cleaning performance, the processed PET can easily be recycled multiple times and thus saves further valuable resources compared to virgin PET or energy than other packaging materials such as glass. Plant expansion: new space for the next generation of recycling machines In order to continue to increase plastics recycling rates worldwide under the slogan "Working for a better Fu- ture" and to be able to offer ever more efficient machines for its customers, more than 10 million EUR was invested in the expansion of the Feldkirchen site. Near the com - pany's headquarters in the Feldkirchen industrial park, a new, energy-efficient operating facility was built offer- ing over 10,000 m² of space for the next generation of recycling machines. "Just as with the machines produced by NGR, the use of renewable energies and maximum energy efficiency are also at the forefront of the site expansion," explains Erich Fürst, COO of the company. "For energy efficiency, we use both groundwater heat and the heat output of our machines to heat or cool the premises. As a result, we don't need a secondary energy source." Through intelligent planning and a sustainable energy supply concept, the company thus saves 288 tons of CO 2 annually. The first building, which was construct- ed 15 years ago, is also being redesigned and equipped with sustainable technology. In the process, a complete- ly new plastics laboratory was set up and extensively equipped with the measuring and analysis techniques needed to compare and evaluate the plastic qualities of the starting and end products. In a demonstration cen- ter set up especially for this purpose, customers can fully evaluate the equipment and convince themselves of the quality of their newly obtained raw materials. Next Generation Recyclingmaschinen GmbH (NGR) Gewerbepark 22, 4101 Feldkirchen, Austria www.ngr-world.com The future of PET recycling - LSP: Liquid State Polycondensation – The PET recycling machine P:REACT is revolutionizing PET reprocessing The new energy-efficient NGR plant in Feldkirchen/ Donau (Austria) offers sufficient space for innovations and individual solutions to further advance the recycling economy (Photo © Kurt Hörbst)