Page 43 - Plastic News November 2023

of PVC in the HDPE would be disas- software, providing visibility across sets up grinding equipment at the
trous,” Benvenuti recalls. the three facilities. Bags of sample ma- convention center, making it possible
In addition to pipe and other con- terial from each shipment are stored to begin the recycling process on-site.
struction scrap, CPR’s shredding, for 30-60 days. Now that WEIMA has been brought
grinding and pulverizing equipment “If there is a claim — and there into the partnership, the process is
processes a wide variety of industrial shouldn’t be because we have clean much more efficient. Instead of ship-
scrap, including roll stock, containers, regrind — we can go back and see ping boxes of recyclables that may
caps and other defective or excess what grinder it ran on, what shift, weigh as little as 200 pounds, they are
product from converters. what personnel, to narrow down ex- now moving 1,000-pound boxes of
actly what happened,” says Ryan Bro- regrind, thereby dramatically reduc-
dowski, who manages quality control ing shipping costs. “We’re learning
for CPR, in addition to working in every year we do it,” Benvenuti says.
sales and purchasing. In 2018, the last year in which the
NPE2024: A Unique Recycling and show was held, 535 tons of plastic
Logistical Challenge waste were diverted, about 89% of
Every three years, CPR gets the op- the total amount produced at the
portunity to demonstrate their know- show. For NPE2024 the sights are set
how on a very big stage, the Orange even higher, with CPR, WEIMA and
County Convention Center in Or- PLASTICS aiming for 100%. EREMA
Producers are another source of ma- lando, Florida, during NPE2024, May and Conair have also joined the effort,
terial for CPR, including some of the 6-10. CPR coordinates recycling for and will provide on-site extrusion and
largest chemical companies in the all the plastic products created dur- grinding services, respectively.
world. Offgrade resin intended for ing live demonstrations on the trade NPE2024 will kick off May 6 in Or-
major convertors can be less than show floor. lando, but it will begin the week be-
perfect for a demanding food grade fore for many, including CPR. As ex-
application, but still have significant CPR began working on recycling for hibitors set up their demonstrations,
value. For this reason, resin produc- NPE with the Plastics Industry As- they’ll want to try things out before
ers will sell off-prime resin to CPR, sociation (PLASTICS) in 2015. CPR the audience arrives. That means
and CPR finds customers for it. Pro- shipped 48 truckloads of demo prod- making parts, so CPR will start sup-
ducers also sell plant scrap in the form ucts from the convention center back plying and collecting bins full of parts,
of purge. “A 30-yard dumpster will to Tampa for size reduction. even as other exhibitors are still mov-
have one solid block of purge, and it’ll “NPE is always a great place to bring ing their equipment into the million
be dumped out on a slab. We break it new people. We don’t have an educa- square feet of exhibit space. Work to
up, shred it, grind it and find a home tion system that shows manufacturing review plans of the trade show floor
for it,” Benvenuti says. to students, not nearly as much as it and discuss materials and timing with
With the variety of materials com- should.” exhibitors has already begun.
ing in from different sources, it’s im- “The cost of transporting air just kills Of course, the primary objective for
portant to ensure everything is well you,” Benvenuti says, referring to the exhibitors at the trade show will be
characterized and tracked. Each box low density of the bins of plastic parts to show what they can achieve, that
is given a six-digit number. If the ma- that were trucked back to Tampa that can mean turning out parts quickly
terial is not well characterized by the first year. Learning from the experi- and complex designs. But sometimes
supplier, CPR will perform flake sink/ ence, CPR came up with a new plan, adjustments can be made to a demo
float and melt flow testing at its lab in which involved partnering with equip- product that eases recycling.
Tampa. Data is managed by Cietrade ment manufacturer WEIMA. WEIMA

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November 2023 PLASTICS NEWS