The increasing demand for high-performance solutions for bottle-to-bottle recycling is resulting in the capacity levels of PET machines also needing to grow. EREMA is helping to meet this demand with its VACUREMA solution which can recycle up to six tonnes of PET an hour. A dozen VACUREMA machines with various capacities have been installed and commissioned across the world since 2020.
EREMA
EREMA VACUREMA basic.
“While the bottle-to-bottle market initially tended towards 3-tonne machines, over the past three years we have been seeing increasing demand for PET recycling solutions with throughputs in excess of three tonnes per hour,” said Christoph Wöss, Business Development Manager for the Bottle segment at EREMA. “Together, these large recycling machines produce almost 350,000 tonnes of rPET per year, which is a clear sign that this order of magnitude is now commonplace in the industry.”
VACUREMA’s versatility
The VACUREMA technology provides throughputs between 600 and 6000 kilograms per hour. EREMA’s solution achieves efficient decontamination, gentle IV treatment, and fulfils the strict requirements set in Europe and North America by food safety authorities. The basic version of the solution produces food-grade rPET.
The pellets can then be used with SSP for IV adjustment for bottle-to-bottle as well as high IV applications. An additional upstream vacuum treatment provides a direct connection to perform production, or the material is processed inline into sheets or fibres.
Wöss added, “This versatility allows users to react flexibly to changes in the market and fluctuations in demand, an important advantage in a dynamic market environment.”
Meets high material quality requirements
By combining the proven VACUREMA system with integrated vacuum-assisted SSP in a nitrogen atmosphere, the solution can meet high material quality requirements. The combination reduces the yellowing of pellets and optimises material properties, which is important in bottle-to-bottle recycling.
Additionally, a closed nitrogen cycle with optimised process control will help lower nitrogen consumption, making way for a more environmentally friendly process. Machines with throughputs up to 2500 kilograms per hour, feature low energy consumption, and a compact design are compatible with VACUNITE.
EREMA at Chinaplas
“In several markets, like Latin America, there is a clear trend towards larger PET recycling machines,” said Wöss. “We expect the market to develop this way in China too, to meet the increasing demand for high-quality rPET suitable for sensitive applications such as food packaging.”
More than 50 VACUREMA and VACUNITE systems have been installed in China. However, only a small amount of the solutions boast throughputs of over four tonnes per hour. This could be an area for future expansion, as explained by Wöss, “For Chinese recyclers, the bandwidth and flexibility of the VACUREMA and VACUNITE systems offer great potential for a wide variety of applications. We are looking forward to discussing the various options in more detail at Chinaplas.”
Chinaplas attendees will be able to visit EREMA in Hall 10, Stand B41.