Pregis pumps £5m into kit to boost rPET production

Jane Ellis, packagingnews.co.uk, 20 August 2007

 

Pregis Rigid Packaging is investing £5m in thermoforming and extrusion equipment for its plants in England and Scotland to meet increased demand for recycled PET (rPET) packaging.

 

The investment includes Vacurema technology from Austrian plastics recycling and systems design firm Erema, which allows post-consumer PET waste to be cleaned inline to food quality standards and meets Marks & Spencer's definition of "SuperClean".

 

Pregis commercial director Keith Damarell said: "The whole point of the investment is that it will make us one of the largest rPET producers in the UK."

 

The lines will not be dedicated just to Marks & Spencer, but will also supply packaging to the food-service industry across the UK.

 

Damarell said the firm would start to install four new thermoforming and extrusion lines at its factories in Stanley, County Durham, and Livingston, West Lothian, from 1 September.

 

Pregis, which will use a minimum of 50% post-consumer recyclate, will meet rPET requirements for direct food contact.

 

The firm specialises in thermoformed containers for salads, sandwiches, meats and bakery products, supplying Marks & Spencer and other retailers across the UK.