Page 54 - Plastics News January 2022

PRoDUCT NEwS

Styromax Demonstrates Excellent Production Tetra Pak And Elvir

Output Develop Caps Made

From Recycled Polymers

uropean food packaging and
Eprocessing firm Tetra Pak has
partnered with beverage company
Elvir to introduce carton packaging
featuring caps made from recycled
polymers. Named HeliCap 23, the
sustainable screwcap is manufactured
at Tetra Pak’s Châteaubriant plant in
Loire-Atlantique, France. In addition
to being easy to open, the one-step
lariant has announced that its with productivity of 120% or more. resealable cap features a ‘clearly visible’
CStyroMax UL3 catalyst is At the same time, it is able to operate tamper evidence ring.The initiative
demonstrating successful results at at an extremely low steam-to-oil ratio is in keeping with both companies’
Risun’s new styrene monomer plant of 1.1 wt/wt, which is the lowest commitments to developing a circular
located in Tangshan, China. After a among all Ruihua process plants in economy. Tetra Pak France and Benelux
smooth and stable catalyst start-up in operation. Consequently, the Risun plant managing director Chakib Kara said:
October 2020, the plant is reporting is reporting exceptional energy efficiency. “We are extremely proud of the work
very profitable operation with excellent Such benefits are possible for plants being done alongside Elle & Vire. “Both
production output. The project is a operating adiabatic units with low steam- teams are inspired and motivated by a
cooperation between Clariant Catalysts to-oil ratios, since the catalyst is specially
and engineering company Changzhou designed for these conditions. The latest
Ruihua Chemical Engineering Technology generation of the series, the StyroMax
Co. Ltd (Ruihua Technology). Through UL3 catalyst, is designed to promote
Ruihua’s technology and Clariant’s dehydrogenation from ethylbenzene to
catalyst, the Risun plant has been able styrene at ultra-low steam-to-oil ratios.
to achieve productivity rates exceeding While previous catalysts could provide
120% of the new plant’s nominal design either high activity or high selectivity
capacity — which is also the highest at such conditions, StyroMax UL3
among all Ruihua process plants in China. is the first catalyst to support both, shared commitment to develop more
Stefan Heuser, Senior Vice President & thereby improving yield and significantly sustainable food systems. “Together,
General Manager at Clariant Catalysts, reducing process expenses for styrene we are contributing to making
commented, “We are delighted by the producers.Zhi Gang Xu, President recycling more economically viable
results of our cooperation with Ruihua while addressing increasing consumer
in this project. As one of China’s leading of Ruihua Technology, commented, preference for responsible companies.”
“Clariant’s advanced StyroMax UL3
private chemicals groups, Tangshan Elvir is using the cap for products in its
Risun is a highly valuable reference for catalysts and our ethylbenzene-to-styrene Elle & Vire range. This complements
our StyroMax UL3 styrene catalyst, process have proven that they are a great the brand’s cream product range, which
which has more than demonstrated match, bringing significant economic and uses Tetra Pak’s Tetra Brik Aseptic 1L
its excellence for profitable styrene process benefits for Tangshan Risun’s Slim carton packages. The HeliCap 23
monomer production.”Based on new plant. We look forward to continued cap is manufactured according to the
current catalyst performance, the plant excellent results at the Risun plant, and Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials’
is expected to maintain increased yields to further collaboration with Clariant.” chain of custody procedure.

54 PLASTICS NEWS JANUARY 2022