BTB PET-Recycling and Starlinger: a successful 10-year cooperation

Changing market requirements call for flexibility and constant adaptations on the part of the recycler. Over the course of the last 10 years, there have been massive changes in the design of PET bottles, e.g., the bottles have become lighter and/or their walls have become thinner (causing the bulk density to change significantly), and they may contain additives (acetaldehyde and oxygen blockers). According to one of the managing directors of BTB PET-Recycling, Andrzej Zajontz, the Starlinger recycling line is insensitive to variations in input material. These can be compensated by parameter adjustments alone, thereby ensuring consistent regranulate quality. To keep the machine up to date from a technical point of view, upgrades are provided on a regular basis. The recycler emphasizes the machine’s ease of operation – allowing for swift training of new personnel – as well as Starlinger’s uncomplicated service. Christian Lovranich, Head of Process Engineering of the division recycling technology, has provided support to BTB PET-Recycling from the very beginning and is clearly proud of the line’s high uptime: „The machine achieves an uptime of 95 %. This means that the output has far exceeded the client’s expectations.” Service of the machine has been optimized to minimize downtime; the line has to be stopped only for certain maintenance work such as a knife change.