Issue 02/2016

Application News
Foodstuff packaging
The compounder and plastics distributor FKuR Kunststoff
GmbH, Willich, Germany, the film manufacturer Oerlemans
Plastics BV, Genderen, the Netherlands, and the specialist
foodstuffs packaging distributor BK Pac AB, Kristianstad,
Sweden, are closely working together on expanding the
possibilities for using bio-based plastics for sustainable
foodstuffs film packaging.
In this transnational cooperation project, FKuR is the
distributor for the Green PE from the world-leading,
Brazilian biopolymer manufacturer Braskem which is used
to produce the film. This 100 % recyclable, sugar cane-based
polyethylene helps to reduce the environmental impact caused
by greenhouse gases because using renewable raw materials
binds up to 2.15 tonnes of atmospheric CO 2
for each tonne of
Green PE. And since the plastic is not biodegradable, this CO 2
remains bound in the plastic over the entire product life cycle.
In the next step, Oerlemans Plastics uses the Braskem
bio-based PE supplied by FKuR in its two production sites in
Genderen and Giessen in the Netherlands to produce highquality
flexible films.
The printed and perforated films produced from Green
PE are sent to the Scandinavian distributor BK Pac, which
specialises in packaging materials such as films, trays,
bags, carton boxes etc. for vegetables, fruit, meat and other
foodstuffs. Being a local company, BK is highly familiar with
the requirements of its customers and the market and can
therefore feed valuable information back into the value chain
which can be used for further development and innovation.
Since the introduction of the product line based on Braskem’s
Green PE, the three companies have been continuously
working together on extending and further developing the
line with the aim of promoting this bio-based plastic as
a sustainable alternative on the Scandinavian market. As
Patrick Zimmermann, Marketing & Distribution Manager at
FKuR Kunststoff, says: “Our successful collaboration with
Oerlemans Plastics and BK Pac is typical of our continuous
search for ways of increasing product sustainability by using
renewable resources. It is also a model for many further
possible national and multinational cooperative projects.
It clearly demonstrates the potential of such projects to
conserve resources and help to maintain an environmental
balance while at the same time generating economic benefits
along the entire value chain by using Green PE.”
www.fkur-biobased.com | www.oerlemansplastics.nl
| www.bkpac.se
Bioplastic for furniture
In JELUPLAST ® , the German company JELU-WERK
presents a novel and versatile material for furniture
making. Like plastic, Jeluplast can be moulded threedimensionally
and offers wide scope for design, yet it
possesses the positive attributes of wood. Jeluplast thus
attains higher rigidity and flexural strength than plastics.
In its appearance, feel and smell, the new material closely
resembles wood, delivering creative design and usage
opportunities for designers and the furniture industry.
Due to its special properties, this versatile material is
suitable both for outdoor and indoor use. Jeluplast is free
from formaldehyde, chlorine, phenol, plasticisers and PVC.
It can be processed, for instance, to make high-quality
seating shells, decorative elements or feet for shelves
and cabinets using injection moulding. By means of
compression moulding, the bioplastic can be processed to
produce stable boards for the substructure of upholstered
furniture, for example, and for shelving, side and back walls
as well as for cabinet doors. Panels and injection moulded
parts from Jeluplast can be glued, bolted, dyed, coated and
welded.
Furniture made from Jeluplast is also suitable for
damp interiors, such as bathrooms, kitchens and saunas,
because it is resistant to moisture. The bioplastic’s weather
resistance makes it an attractive material for outdoor
applications too. It is suitable for garden furniture, exterior
railings, fences, wall cladding and decking boards.
Bioplastic with consistent running properties
Jeluplast consists of food-safe thermoplastic and natural
fibres. The proportion of natural fibres can be set individually
between 50 and 70 %. Depending on the type of plastic,
Jeluplast consists up to 100 % of sustainable materials.
The properties of the plastic used determine whether
the end product is long-lasting or biodegradable. The
properties can be further adjusted by means of additives.
Flame retardants can be added as well as additives that
make the material more resistant to moisture.
Jelu-Werk offers biocomposites based on polyethylene,
polypropylene, thermoplastic starch (TPS), polylactides
(PLA) and other plastics. The fibres used are wood
fibres and cellulose fibres. Compounding helps the WPC
granulates from Jelu to achieve higher compression and to
be processed better. The bioplastic has consistent running
properties on the machine, facilitating a higher output.
Jeluplast can be processed by injection moulding, extrusion,
compression moulding, blow moulding or foaming. MT
www.jelu-werk.com
36 bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/16] Vol. 11