Extrusion International USA 6-2020

27 Extrusion International 6/2020 For more information about the PLASTICS Market Watch Reports: www.plasticsindustry.org/data/plastics-market-watch The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) plasticsindustry.org Terephthalate (PET), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), and Poly Propylene (PP), have become the leading material for bottling and packaging of products around the world. While bottling is often associatedwithwater and carbonated drinks, plastic bottles are used by brands that manufacture medicine, personal care and cleaning supplies, food and bev- erages. Competition among packaging materials, including paper, steel, aluminum and glass, has been – and will con- tinue – to be intense, as innovations are adopted, and brands look for the best packaging material to protect and market their products. “When nearly 40% of food products in the U.S. are not con- sumed, it is evident why plastics packaging is so essential to the food chain that delivers products fromthe farmto kitchen tables,” said PLASTICS president and CEO Tony Radoszewski. “Spoiled foods represent wasted water, land and fuel; and they are the single largest material sent to land fi lls and emit methane gas.” Estimates vary on the market size for plastic bottles. In 2019, the trade volume in plastic bottles totaled $18.5 billion based on data from the International Trade Center (ITC) – a joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Na- tions. “The bottling landscape is expected to remain competitive as manufacturers innovate, redesign packaging, evaluate pack- aging materials and costs to stay competitive, and introduce or develop new products in response to changing consumer tastes and preference or adapt to industry trends,” noted PLASTICS Chief Economist Perc Pineda, PhD. “Thinking back, the choices of fruit juices and drinks were somewhat limited decades ago. Over time, due to demographic changes, dif- ferent variations of fruit juices including drinks from exotic fruits can now be found in most U.S. grocery stores.” Turnkey Extrusion System Helps Meet Quality Targets for Tracer Wire around the tracer wire and is sized to supply the HDPE at the desired diameters consistent with various tracer wire require- ments. Included in this production line is closed-loop diameter control, on-line testing equipment to ensure real-time quality monitoring, and controls provided by Graham Engineering’s XC300 Navigator ® system. Copperhead Industries provides end-to-end solutions for the accurate and ef fi cient location of underground utilities. Their CCS tracer wire and Complete Utility Locating System™ are a crucial part of that process. Copperhead has invested in Gra- ham Engineering’s American Kuhne system in order to meet their strict internal quality standards, noted Jeff Atwood. “One of our cornerstones is quality – quality in everything we do,” he said. “This includes who we interact with, who we purchase from, and the partners with whom we choose to do business. Graham Engineering has proven to be one of those quality partners.” Copperhead Industries, Inc. www.copperheadwire.com Graham Engineering Corporation www.grahamengineering.com American Kuhne www.americankuhne.com Welex www.welex.com „ Industries, Inc. has partnered with Graham Engineering Corporation to install a complete new American Kuhne extru- sion line intended tomeet growing demand for Copperhead’s copper-clad steel (CCS) tracer wire. Buried alongside pipe or other utility lines, tracer wire enables these lines to be located. “Our ultimate goal is to continue providing a tracer wire system that utilities and engineers can trust to protect their underground assets,” said Jeff Atwood, president of Copperhead Industries. The new American Kuhne wire coating system from Graham Engineering is a complete turnkey extrusion line, from a dual payoff/accumulator system to the take-up, and it includes all ancillary equipment. The system applies HDPE insulation Copperhead Industries president Jeff Atwood is shown alongside newAmerican Kuhne wire coating system fromGraham Engineering Corporation