Plastics Technology

AUG 2016

Plastics Technology - Dedicated to improving Plastics Processing.

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Most of the firm's blown-film equipment utilizes three-layer technology, though Petoskey also operates multiple five-layer lines. Petoskey is manufacturing converter- grade films utilizing high levels of recycle content. Jason Keiswetter says the company is "more than pleased with the quality and perfor- mance of these films." He adds that the company continues to invest in new equip- ment. "We are looking at anything that will get us close to a cleaner pellet that is closer to prime," he says. "We are chasing this perfect post- consumer pellet." Petoskey offers closed-loop programs to help customers divert landfill-bound waste into reusable products like resin or bags and film. It manufactures post-consumer plastic resin (called GreenPE) in Hartford City. Products made with GreenPE resin include the Greencore product lines of industrial and institutional can liners and recycling bags made with up to 70% PCR. SUSTAINABILITY SCORECARD Earlier this year, Petoskey introduced a recycling scorecard for customers that purchase products made with its recycled blown film. Working with sustainability consultants, Petoskey developed a system of calculating the impact its closed-loop recycling part- ners are having on the environment. The company is measuring and providing documentation to its customers for free on landfill diversion, carbon-footprint equivalents, emission offsets, and water savings. The data is based on the level of recycled content in film and bags pur- chased from Petoskey. Jason Keiswetter believes this is a first in blown film. "Sustainability scorecards are not new, but they are typically more focused on internal sustainability practices such as recycling or energy-saving measures," he says. "This is the first robust, proactive effort we have seen that is specifically targeted at customers purchasing products with recycled content. Moreover, the reporting highlights their involvement in a closed-loop recycling program." Petoskey is offering the program to its recycling partners in retail,distribution, shipping, automotive, and other market sectors. In 1999, Petoskey Plastics acquired the assets of a polyethylene film plant in Morristown, Tenn. The Morristown plant today has multiple extrusion lines utilizing recycled materials, along with converting lines and a four-color offset paper printing press. Then in 2007, the company completed renovations to a former garage-door manufacturing facility in Hartford City, Ind., converting the building to a 330,000 ft² recycling plant. In 2013, the company added blown- film manufacturing and converting lines at the Indiana plant. The Petoskey plant in Michigan features numerous extrusion lines utilizing recycled materials originating from the firm's Indiana recycling facility. Currently, the company collects and reprocesses approximately 30 million lb/yr and about 30% of its overall production is dedicated to recycling. "Almost 90% of that material is used in our own blown-film extrusion process and the rest is sold to other processors of film and similarly based plastic products," Keiswetter said. "Our pellet is designed for thin-gauge blown film applications and we are continually improving the quality of our product." At the end of 2015, Petoskey announced it would expand its recycling operations in Hartford City, due to a 10-yr tax abate- ment from the Hartford Council and a $5.4 million investment, marking the third expansion for the company in Hartford City. Keiswetter said the expansion is due to the response to the growth in its recycling services. The most recent expansion will include refurbishing vacant buildings on the plant property, adding storage and sorting capacity for post-consumer materials coming into the plant, and adding one extrusion line. Petoskey will also make improvements to existing lines that manufacture products using post- consumer recycled (PCR) resin. The expansion is expected to be completed this year and will create six new jobs. Petoskey currently employs about 115. "Growth in recycling and green products remains strong, and this expansion enhances our capacity to meet that demand," says company president Paul Keiswetter (father of Jason). "One of the things that weighed on our decision to purchase the Hartford City facility in 2007 was the potential for ongoing expansion. Now, with higher volumes of post-consumer plastic flowing from major national retailers and other sources, that decision is paying off." "We've been recycling since 1978. This is a part of who we are." Visit the Recycling Zone. Learn more at PTonline.com QUESTIONS ABOUT RECYCLING? Petoskey recently commissioned a new five-layer blown-film line from Alpine American that runs high levels of recycled content. @plastechmag 47 Plastics Technology On-Site Petoskey Plastics

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