Quinn Packaging have invested €3million in state of the art technology to facilitate growth in the supply of PET Sheet to packaging companies across the UK, Ireland, and Europe. The arrival of a new PET Sheet extrusion line to the company’s Cavan-based facility will significantly increase its capacity for production of food grade thin gauge sheet
The additional capacity will enable Quinn Packaging to increase their supply of PET Sheet to both packaging companies for thermoforming applications and food companies for FFS (form, fill and seal) applications. It will also better position the company to supply more PET trays to the meat industry, a key market for Quinn Packaging.
One of the leading thermoformed food packaging companies in the UK and Ireland, Quinn Packaging are developing plans to supply PET sheet to a number of European countries, which will be aided by this latest technology investment.
The new technology underpins Quinn Packaging’s Eco-Innovation initiative, which focuses on the use of cutting edge technology and research to deliver superior environmentally friendly products, and reduce the company’s carbon footprint.
The new SML extrusion line incorporates patented Vacurema recycling technology, which allows the production of food grade plastic sheet with increased volumes of recycled raw materials. With a technology suite which also saw the recent addition of cutting edge IV testing equipment to ensure consistent high quality output, the combination ensures Quinn Packaging can develop more eco-friendly products without compromising on the quality.
Mark McKenna, General Manager of Quinn Packaging, emphasised how the investment complements the company’s plans for growth:
“Our recent technology investments fit with our commitment to sustainability and innovation, and gives us in-house capabilities which you simply don’t find as standard in packaging companies. Our aim to be at the forefront of Eco-Innovation in our industry enhances the appeal to potential European customers, and certainly gives us a substantial competitive advantage.
The investment in the new extrusion line not only gives us increased capacity to produce more products; it allows us to produce more environmentally friendly products, and that’s what supermarkets and food processing companies are interested in. Volume alone is not enough. It must be combined with quality and sustainability.”
Installation of the new sheet extrusion line began in the summer of 2016, and was completed in late October, when the line also became operational. The machine was supplied by SML, an Austrian company who specialise in building high performance extrusion equipment, and features the Vacurema Recycling System from EREMA, a patented technology which allows the use of post-consumer, or recycled PET bottle flake to make food contact approved PET sheet.
