Page 54 - Plastics News November 2019

Business news

Berry Global partners with SABIC Falcon buys Poly-Cast, adding

for circular polymer production capabilities, footprint

S-based plastic packaging producer Berry Global alcon Plastics, a custom injection molder based in
Uhas partnered with global chemical company FBrookings, has acquired Poly-Cast Inc., a customer
SABIC for the circular polymer production and use. The molder in Tigard.Terms of the deal, announced,
partners will focus on innovation and use of polyolefin were not released. Falcon Plastics officials said the
resins from chemical recycling. The move is a part acquisition enhances Falcon's injection molding business
of Berry’s sustainability through extended service and product offerings, with
strategy Impact 2025 the addition of wax molding components, and gives
announced earlier this further market share in the areas of industrial, medical,
year.According to the automotive and recreational. After the deal, Falcon
strategy, Berry will operates molding facilities in three states: South
transform its packaging Dakota, Tennessee and Oregon, plus the Poly-Cast
t o be comple t e ly plant in Suzhou, China. Poly-Cast owner and CEO Dan
reusable, recyclable or Leedom will join Falcon as sales account manager in
compostable by 2025. the northwest. The current Suzhou general manager,
The company has also Jeff Leedom, will become general manager of both the
planned to collaborate Tigard and Suzhou facilities.
with ‘trusted suppliers’ Falcon Plastics plans to integrate the 60-plus Poly-Cast
to introduce environmentally sustainable packaging. employees into its core business structure. Dan Leedom
Berry chairman and CEO Tom Salmon said: “As a leader said three main criteria played a key role when officials
in sustainable packaging, we place a high value on considered selling Poly-Cast: The buyer would have a
innovation surrounding the methods, by which we similar family-business environment and culture; the
recover valuable plastic materials.“SABIC’s timeline deal had to be beneficial to the growth of the company,
for beginning semi-commercial production is one of the the employees and clients; and the third generation
fastest we have seen in the industry and we were eager of the business,
to join with them in initiatives that support circular Je ff L e e dom,
economy.” would continue to
participate in building
Chemical recycling involves removal of contaminants, the business. "I am
inks and colourants. It can recycle mixed plastic waste proud to say we were
and develop new material for food packaging. SABIC able to achieve all of
is planning to construct a unit in the Netherlands to this. I could not be
purify feedstocks produced from mixed plastic waste more excited about
recycling. The company’s plants have already produced the future our clients,
certified circular polymers, which Berry used to develop our team members
a recyclable, coextruded stand-up pouch.Berry’s pouch and the new direction
includes 30% post-consumer recycled content sourced of our organization," Dan Leedom said. Falcon President
from SABIC’s circular polymer. SABIC Sustainability Jay Bender agreed that the two companies have
Technology and Innovation executive vice-president Bob similar business philosophies. "The culture and mutual
Maughon said: “This exciting project is testament to our values of Poly-Cast and Falcon Plastics are closely
commitment to scale up advanced chemical recycling aligned," Bender said. "This addition will open up a
processes of plastics back to the original polymer. “This whole new territory for us in the Northwestern U.S.
project is just one example of TRUCIRCLE, SABIC’s new and bring additional capabilities and resources to our
launched initiative to encompass circular materials entire team." Both family-owned molding companies
and technologies to enable our consumers and product were founded in the 1970s — Poly-Cast in 1972 and
manufacturers to deliver greater sustainability.” Falcon in 1975.

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