Reifenhäuser shows five-layer line processing biopolymers

At a recent open house at its facility in Troisdorf, Germany, extrusion machinery maker Reifenhäuser Blown Film highlighted the EVO line, which was introduced at K2016. A EVO five-layer line was producing different biofilms using raw materials from various manufacturers.

For demonstrating the EVO Ultra Stretch Reifenhäuser processed the bioplastic GuiltfreePlastics from its cooperation partner United Biopolymers. This next generation starch-based bioplastic may contain up to 90% renewable resources and is both 100% recycable and 100% biodegradable. The material can be stretched inline with EVO Ultra Stretch up to a ratio of 6:1. The result, says Reifenhäuser, is better mechanical properties, maximum transparency and totally new applications that can be opened up for the use of bioplastics in the packaging industry. Here the EVO technology for modular blown film lines for 3 to 12+ layers is said to score above all with significantly reduced complexity and films of the highest quality in blown film production, says Reifenhäuser.

Alternative materials used in the production of plastics are a key issue for the packaging industry and were also the focus of the Open House event: "Biomaterials are not just a trend anymore, but are establishing themselves in many fields of applications,“ explains Eugen Friedel, Senior Sales Manager at Reifenhäuser Blown Film.

Here the HDPE resin is successfully replaced with biomaterials. Today, not only T-shirt carrier bags are ecologically produced but to an increasing extent also fruit and vegetable bags, garbage bags for biowaste and mulch film for the agricultural industry.

Reifenhäuser says its solutions for the production of blown film are convincing: "Crucial for film quality is the raw material processability on the extruder,“ says Friedel. "Due to their considerably lower melt temperatures biomaterials need to be processed on cold running extruders. Reifenhäuser extruders offer this feature and are able to produce a homogeneous melt even at low temperatures which are necessary for perfect processing of biomaterials.“

Beside the films of United Biopolymers also products of the Italian producer Novamont were shown in the Reifenhäuser Technology Centre. The biomaterials of both companies are perfectly suited for the Ultra Flat Plus and Ultra Stretch technologies where the film is stretched so that it becomes extremely thin. The result is impressive as the extremely thin film features higher strength and thus better stability, and it offers a further advantage allowing film producers to reduce raw material costs due to the simple fact that less raw material is needed, adds Reifenhäuser.

The open house was held during the Interpack trade fair. "Our customers from the packaging industry invest in production efficiency and quality,” said Ralf Pampus, Sales Director at Reifenhäuser Blown Film. Therefore, the focus of the Reifenhäuser Open House event was on economical blown film technology, production efficiency, latest developments and process solutions to improve film properties and process stability.

Over 100 visitors from 27 countries were at the open house.

(PRA)