Sidel, a leading provider of packaging solutions, has introduced its ‘RePETable™ offer,’ a comprehensive range of services aimed at facilitating the seamless transition to recycled PET (rPET) bottle production and enhancing the circularity of primary packaging. The goal of the RePETable™ offer is to establish a one-stop shop for rPET, providing customers with the necessary support to adopt up to 100% rPET without compromising bottle production efficiency.
Consistent production performance and bottle quality
By leveraging its extensive expertise in blowing and PET packaging, Sidel aims to ensure consistent production performance and bottle quality in rPET bottle production. The company’s packaging innovation experts have been actively developing advanced knowledge about recycled PET resin and efficient bottle production techniques, utilizing their small-scale recycling pilot line located in France.
Jérôme Neveu, Packaging & Moulds Product Manager at Sidel, emphasizes the importance of adapting the production process to the characteristics of rPET resin, stating, “Our RePETable™ offer is made of solutions to address the challenges associated with rPET bottle production, securing bottle mechanical resistance with optimum material stretchability and bottle shaping.”
The RePETable™ offer provides a range of services that can be tailored to the specific needs of customers. In addition to the packaging optimization services for lighter bottle weight, Sidel’s offering includes rPET-ready features with packaging services, mould solutions, equipment upgrades, and process support to achieve consistent production performance and bottle quality, even with high levels of rPET content. The blowing process is optimized to manage the challenges associated with different rPET grades, ensuring any out-of-spec rPET is identified and rejected before processing.
Furthermore, Sidel has made significant investments in its small-scale recycling pilot line, supporting primary packaging suppliers in developing new materials for closure, sleeve, glue, label, additives, and coloring. Through this pilot line, the company focuses on ensuring process efficiency, resin quality, and rPET bottle performance, examining every step of the recycling process to meet the requirements of bottle-to-bottle recycling.
A cost-effective transition to rPET
While the demand for rPET continues to increase due to regulatory measures and brand commitments to circular packaging, the cost of rPET remains higher than that of virgin PET. Sidel’s packaging optimization services for bottle weight reduction help offset the costs of rPET resin, offering potential savings and quick payback.
A virtuous closed-loop
Sidel’s RePETable™ offer aligns with the company’s commitment to creating a closed-loop process for food-grade rPET bottles. Naima Boutroy, Packaging Expert Global at Sidel, highlights the environmental benefits of combining lightweight and recycled PET, stating, “Lifecycle analysis shows that PET already has the best carbon footprint of all the packaging materials currently available. Creating a robust recycling loop to achieve full circularity at scale will make PET an even more sustainable choice.”