Extrusion International 5-2026

37 Extrusion International 5/2026 ings in the maintenance cycle. In all trials with recycled material, no discoloration occurred, and no additional stabilizers were required. REHAU thus achieves a clear economic and environmental advantage, as expensive virgin material can be replaced with recycled one. Global Implementation on the Horizon The new PVC pump has since been successfully in- stalled for production purposes at a REHAU plant in Spain. An extended lease agreement now provides the necessary time to gradually implement the innovative pump system across the plastics processor’s global eet of facilities. Martin Schwanck (Process Engineering, REHAU Indus- trial Solutions SE & Co. KG) offers an all-around positive assessment: “The development of the melt pump into the current, near-production prototype was handled professionally and driven forward with great dedication by all involved. The necessary steps were coordinated in a spirit of partnership and on an equal footing. After commissioning and training at our production facility, our employees were immediately able to operate the pump independently – thanks in part to the very clear instructions. The robust design and wide process win- dow meant that operators quickly gained con dence in the machine and came to appreciate it as an important contribution to stabilizing production.” Maag Pump Systems AG Aspstr. 12, 8154 Oberglatt, Switzerland www.maag.com Fakuma 2026: A6-6202 EXTRUSION TECHNOLOGY – CASE STUDY From PP to PET – MRS Technology Enables Energy-Efficient Processing of Recycled PET By expanding its production capacity, the Hungarian thermoforming specialist Kurucsai Plastic has taken an early step towards meeting the future requirements of the packaging industry. Since the beginning of 2025, the company has been producing PET sheet for food packaging on a Gneuss MRS extrusion line. The investment was made to increase material exibility, reduce energy consumption during extrusion and create the basis for processing food-grade recycled PET. O riginally established as part of an agricultural business, the company initially produced thermo- formed packaging for its own fruit and vegetable products. Today, it also supplies customers throughout the food industry. As production capacities continued to expand, the company gradually converted its sheet production from polypropyl- ene (PP) to polyethylene terephthal- ate (PET). This transition was driven by increasing requirements for re- cyclable packaging and the grow- ing use of recycled content within the European circular economy. At the same time, the company aims to become less dependent on raw material availability and price uc - Production of PET thermoforming sheet at Kurucsai Plastic, Hungary