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Kees de Maertelaere, Operations Director of Folietechniek B.V.

Dutch film producer Folietechniek B.V. has expanded production at it’s Raamsdonksveer headquarters with the installation of a new 150mm screw diameter extruder from Battenfeld resulting in the installation of a 3000 litre capacity IRD to supplement the two existing 1000 litre models catering for some 10,000 tonnes per year of amorphous PET that requires crystallising and drying to final moisture contents of better than 50ppm (0.005%).

Kees de Maertelaere, Operations Director of Folietechniek B.V reports complete satisfaction with the performance of the first two IRD units which were supplied as part of a total turn key project and also congratulated UPM on their professionalism and expertise in achieving a trouble free and reliable installation operating on a 24 hour 7 day basis with zero maintenance.

Kees also commented that IRD is probably the most exciting development in material drying technology experienced to date.

Leigh Wilson, Extrusion Manager of Pregis, justified the purchase of an IRD based on the ability to crystallise and dry a blend of PET regrind and virgin in one pass eliminating the need for a separate crystalliser and a separate dehumidified air dryer leading to improved quality due to the consistency of drying and maintaining IV.

Frank Coleman, Site Director of Sharp Interpack reports IRD offers significant technical and economic advantages particularly on energy usage where savings of some 40 to 50% are being achieved compared to conventional drying equipment plus the initial investment cost is reduced.

John Snowden, Process Engineer at Huhtamaki (UK) Limited based in Gosport considers IRD to be quote “the most simple, user friendly crystallising and drying system ever developed allowing quick start up and full fail safe control conditions to the extent that we are now considering the purchase of another IRD” unquote.

Sergio Brina, Technical Product Manager of SIMA Group who are acknowledged as the market leader for extrusion line manufacture specialising in strapping tape applications worldwide has evaluated IRD for crystallising and drying PET bottle flake regrind with quote “excellent results in achieving final moisture contents of 30ppm (0.003%) and maintaining IV” unquote.

Kevin Mills, Managing Director of Flight Plastics specialise in custom sheet extrusion and purchase PET skeletal waste back from their customers thermoforming operation but PVC is also processed and so from time to time there is cross contamination and in a normal crystalliser this would mean dumping at least 1500 kilos and then waiting 4 hours to prepare a new batch.  However with IRD the amount of material in the drum is only 100 kilos so they can change very quickly to a new uncontaminated source of material with no loss of production.