NPE 2018 Sights, Sounds and Trends

by Laura Stewart, NAPCOR Communications Director

Amidst the whir of robotic arms and blow molding equipment churning out bottles at NPE 2018, attendees could overhear conversations at nearly every booth about post-consumer content. Overwhelmingly, the plastic industry is responding to brand owners’ requirements for increased recycled content, and it is evident that the plastic that bears the “Number 1” resin identification code – polyethylene terephthalate (PET) – and its industry are ready to support those goals.

It’s been nearly impossible to ignore the plethora of public announcements made over the past several months by leading brands committed to increasing post-consumer content and recyclability of their packaging. What may have once seemed like audacious goals, now seem within reach and heavily supported by all facets of the industry.

The PET value chain was well represented at NPE, and it’s clear that all involved are ready to support initiatives related to increasing recycled content and ensuring packaging is recyclable. While talking with a cross-section of the PET industry, I found many examples of how it is committed to supporting these leading brands’ goals toward creating a more sustainable package. Here are just a few examples:

  • Reclaimers are on the front line of recycling and continue to support demand for recycled PET content. These are companies in North America that seek bales of PET bottles and convert them into flake for use in bottle, other packaging and fiber applications.
  • Equipment companies are integral to manufacturers who convert PET into bottles or thermoform packaging. These companies also design and build equipment to recycle post-consumer PET bales, as well as engineer machinery to help increase the amount of flake that is recycled.
  • Technology has many applications that enrich the PET industry, ranging from additives that increase the strength of post-consumer PET flake to those that enhance the color of the finished product.

In summary, there is a “buzz” about the plastics industry, and an optimism about the future. Instead of hearing “no, that’s not possible,” I was hearing “yes, let me show you how we’re doing that.”

Need more information about PET? We encourage you to connect with us, or reach out to NAPCOR members by clicking here.

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Sixteen NAPCOR members shown below exhibited at NPE 2018, a five day event that was largest in its history dedicated to plastics manufacturing:

 

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