The recycling process is the result of a three-year research programme conducted by several environmental and process specialists from the plastics and graphics industries at Kurz’s headquarters in Fürth
Injection moulding granules developed by Kurz from residual and recycled PET material. (Credit: Kurz)
Leonhard Kurz, a Germany-based provider of thin-film technology, has developed a new process that can recycle residual PET material into injection moulding material.
Kurz claims that its recycled material can be used for advanced injection moulding applications, unlike recycled plastics that are used in simple secondary applications like park benches, exercise mats or flowerpots.
The recycling process is the result of a three-year research programme conducted by several environmental and process specialists from the plastics and graphics industries at Kurz’s headquarters in Fürth.
The Germany-based said that it has invested several million euros on the PET recycling concept.
Kurz management board member Markus Hoffmann said: “As a global market and innovation leader in the printing sector, we view it as our duty to offer the printing and plastics industries sustainable ways to achieve excellent finishing and decoration.
“For many years now we have been striving to ensure that our transfer products are manufactured, processed and disposed of in a sustainable manner. Thanks to our new recycling process, we have now fully closed the material cycle. This is a milestone in plastics recycling.”
Fürth recycling facility to use power from renewable sources
According to Kurz, the recycling concept includes the collection and shipment, or pickup of the company’s transfer products at the customer. Later, the products will be converted into new injection moulding material at the company’s recycling facility.
Kurz said that its recycling facility in Fürth is in pilot operation. The recycling facility will use power from renewable sources.
Currently, it is recycling residual Kurz PET material from packaging manufacturer Edelmann. Later stages will involve the deployment of PET recycling concept for additional clients.
The company is planning to establish recycling facilities at all its manufacturing locations to ensure a universally sustainable approach via short transport distances.
In August 2019, Leonhard Kurz has announced that it will present new all-rounder cold foil for web-fed printing.