Amcor launches high-speed AmPrima PE Plus production line for plastic film recyclability boost
29 Jun 2021 --- Amcor Flexibles North America (AFNA) is installing a seven-layer blown film line to produce ready-to-recycle polyethylene (PE) at higher speeds and with similar quality to traditional manufacturing technologies.
The packaging giant says this latest innovation will help industry players achieve their environmental sustainability targets.
The new machine will produce the company’s recently launched proprietary AmPrima PE Plus ultra-clear and heat resistance films.
The AmPrima line uses machine-direction orientation technology to produce films that can run at speeds that “competitors are unable to match,” says the company.
This year, the line received pre-qualification to carry the store drop-off label from the How2Recycle program.
“This move enhances our ability to grow our AmPrima product line,” says AFNA president Fred Stephan. “The integration of this technology is an important example of how we’re leaning into our commitment to satisfying customer demand for more sustainable solutions.”
Production teams at AFNA Oshkosh Converter Films have completed first runs on the new AmPrima line. Amcor expects full production capability by the end of June.
Amcor is innovating a range of products that can improve recyclability in flexible packaging.Curbside recycling
AmPrima is part of Amcor’s efforts to grow its portfolio of responsible packaging solutions. The films are designed to enable customers to shift to recycling-ready solutions without compromising performance, product appearance, or manufacturing throughput.
In the US, once films are cleaned and dried, AmPrima can be collected for curbside recycling where available or through existing in-store drop-off locations.
The How2Recycle certification highlights that plastic bags, wraps and films are not typically recyclable in US curbside recycling bins. However, the Store Drop-Off program enables recycling flexible plastics if they qualify for the How2Recycle Store Drop-Off labels.
According to a 2021 Innova Market Insights survey, half of US consumers (49%) recognize recyclability as packaging’s most important sustainability credential, followed by reusability (44%) and recycled material use (35%).
Amcor’s PE advances
The AmPrima line represents another step in the company’s efforts to make all its products recyclable or reusable by 2025.
This year, the company also launched customer trials for a new mono-material PE blister pack, in what it claims is a “breakthrough” for pharmaceutical packaging.
Branded AmSky, the packs eliminate polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a material that makes recycling difficult due to its chlorine content.
Amcor estimates the packs will result in a 70% reduction in carbon footprint, estimated by comparing a standard PVC blister and aluminum lidding versus a new AmSky PE blister and PE lidding film.
Edited
By Louis Gore-Langton
