PET Sheet Extrusion: Enormous Variability with Top Performance


PACCOR International GmbH, based in Zell / Mosel in Germany and now a member of the Coveris group, has expanded its production capacity for PET sheet with the purchase of a complete 3-layer coextrusion line, including an in-line lamination station, for its Polish factory in Skierniewice. The line from battenfeld-cincinnati achieves enormous output of 1.1 t/h and great variability through thicknesses ranging from 200 µm to 1.2 mm. Due to the in-line lamination station multi-layer sheet are just as easy to produce as barrier sheet and sealing sheet made of different polymers and regrinds.



Since the end of August 2013 the new 3-layer co-extrusion line has now been operating at the Polish Coveris plant in Skierniewice to the customer's complete satisfaction. "We have once again chosen a line from our long-standing machine supplier in Bad Oeyn-hausen, as we are absolutely satisfied with the energy-efficient operation and the options of manufacturing a variety of different sheet products with one extrusion line only. Another decisive argument in favor of the purchase was the high output of 1.1 t/h with a net sheet width of 900 mm, which enables us to optimally cater to the growth market of food packaging," says Marcin Antos, Managing Director of Coveris, Skierniewice.



The complete line includes all components from material dosing to the sheet winder and lamination unit. The co-extrusion line is able to produce 3-layer PET sheet in thicknesses ranging from 200 µm to 1.2 mm. Thanks to an optional rotating infrared tube (or heater) for precrystallization of the material, regrinds can also be used in the middle layer without any problems.



The immense variability of the complete line is rounded off by the lamination unit in which, for example, the sheet can be provided with a barrier layer to extend the shelf life of the packaging, or with a PE sealing layer for subsequent peelability and/or weldability.



Process technology highlight of this line is the main extruder model BC 1-120-40 D WT 170, equipped with a processing unit in which a single screw is combined with a planetary roller extruder section. The machine's design is similar to that of a standard single screw extruder, but equipped with a planetary roller zone in the degassing area. The operating principle in this area causes the melt to be spread out in very thin layers. In this way, an extremely large surface is generated, which produces excellent degassing results. This even permits the use of undried regrind material and ensures energy-efficient operation of the entire line.



About Coveris

Coveris was established in May 2013 through the merger of the American company Exopack with the four European packaging companies Britton Group, Kobusch, PACCOR and Paragon Print & Packaging. The group, which belongs to the portfolio of the private equity company Sun Capital Partners Inc., is recognized today as the sixth largest packaging producer worldwide, with 2.5 billion USD in sales, 8,600 associates and subsidiaries in 21 countries. The Coveris product range includes rigid and flexible packaging for virtually all branches of industry, including the agricultural, pharmaceutical, medical and electronic industries as well as the food industry, which has the largest share in the company's sales figures.



About battenfeld-cincinnati

The battenfeld-cincinnati group operates production facilities in Bad Oeynhausen and Kempen (Germany), Vienna (Austria), Shunde (China) and McPherson (USA). It is a leading manufacturer of energy-saving, high-performance extruders and complete extrusion lines to customers' specifications. The company is organized in three Divisions: Infrastructure (all applications for single screw extruders), Construction (all applications for twin screw extruders) and Packaging (extrusion equipment for non-PVC sheet, granulators, calenders and lamination equipment). battenfeld-cincinnati offers its customers an extensive global sales and service network.


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