Recycling & scrap reclaim. (What to See at NPE 2003).

Most of the news to he found at NPE in post-consumer recycling comes from Europe and concerns direct recycling of PET flake into sheet without repelletizing. You'll also see a proliferation of film-reclaim machines that combine a single-shaft shredder and an extruder. The concept was pioneered by Erema a few years ago.

Among the exhibitors there will also be plenty of recyclers showing off their services or materials. They include veterans like Phoenix Technologies and United Plastic Recycling, as well as newcomers like New Age Environmental, which both recycles and represents a half-dozen Italian makers of recycling equipment. Another new player is Resyk, which licenses its proprietary compression molding process for mixed plastic waste and will show licensees' products.

PET news from Europe

Luigi Bandera is introducing a corotating twin-screw extruder for direct extrusion of PET flake into sheet for thermoforming, including two- and three-layer sheets for foodgrade packages.

Erema's recently developed Vacurema system is being used in Europe, Asia, and North America to recycle PET flake directly into sheet for dry-food contact. The flake doesn't have to be predried or crystallized. It is fed directly into a vacuum densifier, then into a vented or nonvented extruder and comes out as pellets, sheet, or fiber. The I.V. gain is as much as 5 or 6 points.

Starlinger's new Recostar IV extruder, which won't be on display, is a continuous single-screw system that can reclaim PET and raise the I.V. in the process.

OMV is also developing a five-layer barrier technology in Italy for direct PET recycling into sheet for thermoformed food packaging.

Gneuss's integrated screen changer and melt pump is also designed to recycle PET flake directly into cast film or sheet.

All-in-one shredder/extruder

Erema will show for the first time in North America its Coax 100E system, in which a single drive powers a single-shaft shredder and reclaim extruder. Since Erema introduced the Coax at the K 2001 show in Germany, competitors such as Artec and Next Generation Recycling (both of which are exhibiting in Chicago) have followed with variations on the theme.

Most recently, Starlinger, which has expanded heavily into recycling extruders, launched a Recostar model that combines a single-shaft shredder, an agglomerator, and an extruder, but with separate drives. A small Recostar 65 model at NPE will provide the first U.S. demo of Econ's wear-resistant ceramic pelletizing die.

New chompers

There will be plenty of granulators displayed at NPE, especially small machine-side models to return sprues, runners, and film edge trim directly back into an injection molding or extrusion process. Many of the new granulators feature low rotor speeds that reduce dust and noise.

Look for new entrants in the screenless granulator category following the expiration of a patent on the Scutter granulator from Nissui in Japan, which closed its doors last year. Scutters are now built by Stolz Co. Ltd. in Japan and represented at NPE by USNI Tech LLC and Size Reduction Specialists Corp.

Exhibitor Listings

Includes granulators, shredders, densifiers, pulverizers, and systems for both in-plant scrap reclaim and post-consumer or post-industrial recycling. New developments appear in boldface type.

ACCU-GRIND PARTS-SERVICES

See Reduction Engineering.

ADLER BUZZI GRANULATORS

Booth 13425 (Exhibiting w/Zambello)

Showing two granulators, one of them a new beside-the-press model.

ADVANCED EXTRUDER TECHNOLOGIES

Booth 5575 (Exhibiting w/American Extrusion Services Inc.)

Builds dual-diameter reclaim extruders from 6/3.5 in. to 12/8 in. Also offering crammer feeders.

AEC INC.

Booth 1840

Launching two new granulators--GSC 500/700 beside-the-press and GSH 800/1200 central model. Both will run at the show. Also showing four other granulators: a 7 Series beside-the-press, 1600 Series Opti-Angle, Marathon beside-the-press, and 2200 Series central unit.

AMERICAN CUTTING EDGE

See C.B. Manufacturing & Sales.

ARTEC MASCHINENBAU GMBH

Booth 9133 (Exhibiting w/Austrian Trade Commission)

Displaying a complete extrusion recycling line. Reel feeding is an option to reclaim rolled film.

ARTECH REDUCTION TECHNOLOGIES

Booth 11357

Builds large, low-speed, high-torque industrial shredders with 30 to 1000 hp.

ASSN. OF POST-CONSUMER PLASTIC RECYCLERS

Booth 822

Recycling arm of the American Plastics Council and NAPCOR, the National Association of PET Container Resources. It will promote members' recycled products.

BALL & JEWEL

Booth 1415 (Exhibiting w/Sterling Inc.)

Showing new Model 1224 tangential-feed granulator. Also featuring BP Series beside-the press granulators in four sizes; EX Series screenless granulators; MVP Maverick beside-the-press granulators; VG Series Opti-Angle central granulators; and SH Series shredders. Daily drawing for prizes.

LUIGI BANDERA SPA

Booth 7019 (Exhibiting w/Vistar Machinery International Inc.)

Introducing corotating twin-screw extrusion of PET cast film for thermoforming directly from bottle scrap without drying or crystallizing.

BOSTON MATTHEWS INC.

Booth 4926

Recently acquired Munchy Reprocessing Machinery. Highlighting Munchy's K40 recycling extruders for film edge trim.

CARTER DAY INTERNATIONAL

Booth 4336

Exhibiting Model 2030 high-torque shredder for purgings.

C.B. MANUFACTURING & SALES CO. INC.

Booth 9407

Makes granulator knives. Introducing a new stocking service called Critical Component Management to manage customer spare-parts inventories.

CHYAU LONG MACHINERY CO. LTD.

Booth 7227 (Exhibiting w/Taiwan Trade Center)

Builds pulverizers and granulators.

COMMODORE MACHINE CO. INC.

Booth 8443

Offers complete reclaim extrusion lines for rigid and foamed post-industrial PS.

CONAIR

Booth 2616

Will show two new beside-the-press granulators: CLS low-speed (up to 160 rpm) and CHS high-speed (up to 480 rpm). Introducing Model CW central granulator with the screen built into the door.

CONTINENT MACHINERY INDUSTRIES CO.

Booth 13004

Makes two-stage pelletizing extruders for recycling.

CRESSWOOD RECYCLING SYSTEMS

Booth 9025

Exhibiting new low-speed Model HF-6850-75 grinder with 50-in. opening for large parts and purgings. Also builds several styles of low-speed, single-shaft shredders with openings from 12 to 72 in. Exhibiting its Dunrite Div. knives for all brands of single-shaft shredders.

CUMBERLAND ENGINEERING

Booth 2638

Featuring 14 recently redesigned granulators, 10 of which will be running at the show. These include a 1200X Series beside-the-press granulator with three infeed sizes and double-walled hopper; a new 2000 medium-duty series with three infeed sizes; and the RG42 series. Also exhibiting a 65 Series beside-the-press granulator; S Series screenless, low-speed granulator; 1000 Series; 1600 Series; X Series; B Series central granulator; and 56T Series. Daily drawings for prizes.

DAVIS-STANDARD CORP.

Booth 5107

Offers ram stuffers, crammers, and dual-diameter reprocessing and reclaim systems.

DUNRITE TOOLING

See Cresswood Recycling Systems.

ECONOMIZER

Booth 2260

Showing Econogrind ES Series central granulators with three or five rotor knives; ESL Series low-speed, beside-the-press granulators; and EM series hopper magnets.

EIN ENGINEERING

Booth 12727

Japanese company offers licenses for a proprietary process to mix recycled wood flour with reclaimed plastic.

EREMA NORTH AMERICA INC.

Booth 7918

Demonstrating new Coax 100E machine with single-shaft shredder mounted on the same shaft as the extruder screw. Also running KAG 600/50 edge-trim recycling system for heat-sensitive resins and materials with non-melting components. Showing an SW 2/104 automatic screen changer.

EUROHANSA INC.

Booth 4570

Showing two Model ZTLP shredders, 1400 x 1600 mm and 1200 x 1600 mm, both with hydraulic screen removal and adjustable anvil. Also offers complete post-consumer recycling systems with automatic sortation, granulating, washing, and drying.

EXACT SRL 

Booth 7144 (Exhibiting w/Ital-Plast)

Displaying a Cyklop 20 film densifier, which compresses scrap film without heat into small squares.

FBE CORP.

See Size Reduction Specialists.

FONG KEE IRON WORKS CO. LTD.

Booth 7525 (Exhibiting w/Taiwan Trade Center)

Builds compounding machines for reclaim.

FOREMOST MACHINE BUILDERS

Booth 5539

Introducing two beside the press granulators: 8X series and RR series. Low-speed, high-torque RR comes in three sizes from 8 x 8 to 8 x 16 in. with optional sound deadening.

GAMMA MECCANICA SRL

Booth 12740

Demonstrating new E-Trim grinder to recycle edge trim into granules.

GETECHA INC.

Booth 10520

Launching GRS 180 and GRS 300 beside-the-press granulators with split-opening, bowl-shaped cutting chambers for fast cleanouts. Also presenting a new RS 8012 grinder with 32-m.-diam. rotor and staggered, segmented cutters for up to 10,000 lb/hr throughput without preshredding. Also showing new series RS 4506 central granulator with very aggressive rotors and four mid-sized and beside-the-press granulators.

GLOUCESTER-CMG

Booth 1070

Showing Italian-built 0MG granulators.

GNEUSS INC.

Booth 4372

Highlighting integrated filtration system for direct twin-screw extrusion of PET bottle flake into film or sheet without repelletizing, using an HSSprimus 60 screen changer, melt pump, and RSFgenius 90 filtration.

GRANUTECH-SATURN SYSTEMS CORP.

Booth 4303

Presenting its newest and biggest Rotogrind single-rotor shredder, Model 300, with a 30-in.-diam., 115-in.-long rotor and 400-hp drive. Feed chamber is 115 x 96 x 120 in. with 30- to 60-mm cutters.

GRANUTEC INC.

Booth 427

Introducing Transformer Series granulators with "Duo Pak" of replaceable tangential-feed cutting chambers. Displaying a Transformer 1624 model with throat sizes of 16 x 16 or 16 x 32 in. and up to 100 hp.

HAMILTON AVTEC INC.

Booth 6136

Introducing "Instant Recycling System" attachment for a beside-the-press grinder. Two infeeds, one from the grinder and one from a virgin source, allow the mix to be tuned. Also showing three low-speed, beside-the-press grinders, two screenless.

HERBOLD MECHESHEIM GMBH

Booth 7004

German firm builds size-reduction and washing systems to grind and clean post-consumer plastic. Exhibiting new specialized shredder for plastics with embedded metal like tires or window frames. Showing the largest size, an HGM 60/145 for 6000 to 8000 lb/hr.

HOSOKAWA POLYMER SYSTEMS

Booth 5561

Introducing large, heavy-duty Rotoplex Model AOL 3255 granulator with 32 x 55 in. cutting chamber and 150 hp. Also showing 16 other granulators, including a 6 x 7 in., 2-hp, low-speed model and a 50-hp fine-grinding mill for making rotomolding powders of PVC and PE.

INTERNATIONAL KNIFE & SAW INC.

Booth 11437

Manufactures granulator knives.

LAROS EQUIPMENT CO. INC.

Booth 985

Offers rugged granulator-feeding conveyors designed for recycling. Options include metal detection and separation. Also offers a fines-removal device.

L-R SYSTEMS

Booth 4326

Supplies granulators and shredders.

MAGUIRE PRODUCTS INC.

Booth 9101

Demonstrating new-generation shuttle granulator for large parts and purgings.

MAINE PLASTIC

Booth 8431

Post-industrial plastics recycler. Buys and sells all thermoplastics in all forms. Also offers toll grinding, baling, and cleaning services.

MARATHON REDUCTION SOLUTIONS

Booth 12704

Offers single-shaft rotary shredders, dual-shaft shredders, grinders, knife hogs, granulators, and chippers.

MATSUI AMERICA INC.

Booth 5965

U.S. introduction of Plas-Aid low-speed, screenless grinders with low noise and dust for beside-the-press use.

MEISEI AMERICA

Booth 8309

Introducing robot-fed Minicrusher/Repelletizer to process sprues and runners beside the press. Also featuring a runner separator with a Minicrusher and virgin/regrind loading system.

MERRITT DAVIS CORP.

Booth 4509

Featuring reclaim extruders with new screw design, proprietary ram feeder and increased horsepower. Displaying a 6-in., 36:1 model with 600 hp (vs. 400 before) and new computerized controls, accompanied by a 10-in, screen changer and Conair Vortex pelletizer. System can process up to 4000 lb/hr of reclaimed PE film.

MIDWEST KNIFE GRINDING INC.

Booth 11347

Offers granulator knives and a resharpening service for all types of knives.

MIXACO/TRIAD SALES LLC

Booth 1227

Triad Sales distributes German-built Mixaco densifiers for sheet trim as well as various types of granulators.

MOD MODITEC

Booth 7940

Showing a range of grinders, starting with a new Mini model to grind small sprues and runners up to a model for grinding large car parts.

MPG SERVICE & SALES INC.

Booth 9552

Displaying nine granulators, including a new screenless GC1917 beside-the-press granulator.

MYUNG-IL MACHINERY CO.

Booth 9030

Makes primarily foam extrusion lines and sells a recycling machine to re-extrude waste PS foam sheet.

NEW AGE ENVIRONMENTAL LLC

Booth 13129

New company represents seven Italian makers of recycling equipment, including Tecnofer Ecoimpianti SrL for washing systems, Meccanica Molinari SrL for grinders, Vibrowest Italiana for vibrating screens, Scolari Sri for dryers, and Morando SpA for tire shredders. Also recycles post-industrial and post-consumer plastics including LDPE agricultural film, PET bottles, and plastic from hydropulp waste.

NEW HERBOLD INC.

Booth 6130

Introducing Model SM450/600 heavy-duty granulator with 15 x 24 in. cutting chamber, 90-hp motor, and five-blade rotor. Also showing a pulverizer and a new 5 x 8 in. beside-the-press granulator. Offers complete post-consumer recycling lines with granulating, resin separation, and washing.

NEXT GENERATION RECYCUNG MASCHINEN GMBH

Booth 5384

Will launch a small integrated shredder and extruder to reclaim about 100 lb/hr of film edge trim without precutting. Larger sizes have a shredder that can handle purgings, solid parts, shapes, sheet, or carpet without precuffing.

NICOS POLYMERS & GRINDING

Booth 4594

Introducing a pulverizing service, along with its traditional toll grinding, fiber separation, metal and fines removal, blending, and certified product destruction services.

OMP PREALPINA

Booth 7019 (Exhibiting w/Vistar Machinery International Inc.)

Makes complete washing plants with granulating, float/sink and centrifuge separation, washing tanks, dryers, and single- and twin-screw extruders.

OEV-USA INC.

Booth 9510

Firm is developing extrusion technology to put post-consumer PET flake directly into food-grade sheet, using three- or five-layer coextrusion. OMV sells in-line extrusion and thermoforming systems.

OSPREY CORP.

Booth 4056

Builds grinders and distributes repelletizing systems from Plasmac Ltd. in the U.K Will run a demo line at the show.

PAGANI-DYCOMET S.A. DE C.V.

Booth 12607 (Exhibiting w/Mexican Trade Commission)

Will exhibit several Pagani grinders in different sizes.

PALLMANN PULVERIZERS CO. INC.

Booth 4101

Featuring PKM 300 and PKM 600 closed-loop grinding systems, PS4-5 granulator for rubber bales, and PSP 500 x 700 profile shredder.

PERIPLAST EQUIPAMENTOS INDUSTRIAIS LDA.

Booth 13537

Makes pulverizers for plastics. Not exhibiting machinery.

PHOENIX TECHNOLOGIES LP

Booth 7242

Recycler will show a video of its proprietary process for food-grade and non-food-grade post-consumer PET. Will display pellets and finished products made with its recycled resin--e.g., bottles for Coca-Cola and Colgate Palmolive.

PLASMAC LTD.

Booth 8324

First U.S. view of a new dual-diameter recycling extruder, XL 60-mm, with 8:1 L/D (reduced from 9:1). It processes 220 lb/hr of edge trim or roll film--reportedly the highest throughput for its diameter of any extruder. Offers in-line and off-line recycling extruders from 17 to 1700 lb/hr.

PLASTICYCLE CORP.

Booth 13010

A recycler primarily of post-industrial plastics. Offers guaranteed product destruction, grinding, densifying, and pelletizing. Also buys and sells plastics.

POLYREPS INC.

Booth 7108

Offers toll recycling services including pulverizing, grinding, repelletizing, metal separation, float/sink separation and cleaning using its own proprietary system.

PRECISION AIRCONVEY CORP.

Booth 9333

Will introduce its first repelletizer, Model 2REP200, for edge trim and roll stock. Also introducing a gravity-feed system to blend regrind with virgin. Demonstrating a trim-removal and in-line granulation system.

PROCESS CONTROL CORP.

Booths 3004, 5361

Features automatic scrap recycling (ASR) equipment to convey grind, and reintroduce trim and roll scrap into an extrusion process using Gravitrol extrusion controls to monitor overall material usage.

RAPID GRANULATOR INC.

Booth 2276

Launching Multi-Cutter Series of screenless beside-the-press granulators; Wrath granulator series with 18-in. rotor diameter for large, bulky parts; and a granulator for CD and DVD molding scrap. Also displaying a Storm model with 32 x 50 in. cutting chamber and assorted other granulators.

RECYCLING TECHNOLOGIES INC. (RTI)

Booth 13351

Demonstrating new low-speed, low-noise vertical rotary grinders with recessed indexing knives. Also offers horizontal grinders, augers, conveyers, and magnetic separators.

REDUCTION ENGINEERING

Booth 10740

Exhibiting Model 400 pulverizer for milling powders for rotomolding.

REMATECH/BEATRIX & FRANZ GOSSY OEG 

Booth 11050 (Exhibiting w/Austrian Trade Commission)

Makes recycling machines to grind and extrude PVC.

RESOURCE RECYCUNG SYSTEMS INC.

See Herbold Mechesheim GmbH.

RESYK

Booth 13349

Introducing proprietary compression molding technology for mixed post-consumer or post-industrial plastics. Displaying samples of commercial products made by its first three licensees--garden stepping stones, guard-rail spacer blocks, and garbage-cart wheels.

RJM INTERNATIONAL INC.

Booth 9438

Showing examples of compounds made with post-industrial recycled content.

ROTOGRAN INTERNATIONAL INC.

Booth 418

Showing eight heavy-duty granulators in sizes from 5 to 150 hp. Demonstrating two new options: removable wear plates for highly abrasive and contaminated materials and adjustable rotor knives, which can be gapped outside the machine for quicker set-up.

SATAKE USA INC.

Booth 12734

Demonstrating ScanMaster optical color-sorting technology.

SHIN I ELECTRIC HEATERS CO. LTD.

Booth 10215

Supplies low-speed granulators.

SHRED-TECH

Booth 8321

Offers systems for tire recycling, MSW shredding, and electronic scrap recycling. Displaying a 60-hp ST-75ES shredder with 25 x 37.5 in. cutting chamber.

SIZE REDUCTION SPECIALISTS CORP.

Booth 4536

Introducting and demonstrating Bi-Cutter screenless granulator for uniform regrind of soft elastomers. Also showing shredders from FBE Corp.

STARUNGER & CO. GMBH

Booth 9133 (Exhibiting w/Austrian Trade Commission)

Introducing Recostar 65 Universal Recycling Line, which combines a shredder, agglomerator, and extruder to recycle low-bulk-density material. Recostar has a crammer to prevent bridging, high-vacuum venting, and backflushing screen changer. It will be running with a newly developed ceramic-faced underwater pelletizer from Econ. Also offers edge-trim recycling machines.

STC EQUIPMENT CORP.

Booth 13425 (Exhibiting w/Zambello)

Showing two granulators from Adler Buzzi in Italy, including a new beside-the-press granulator.

STERLING INC.

See Ball & Jewell.

SUMMIT PLASTEK INC.

Booth 3022 (Exhibiting w/Comet Automation Systems)

Showing Summit Plastek's low-speed (30-rpm) screenless S-cutter granulator.

TANNER CHEMICALS INC.

Booth 10503

Offers toll cryogenic size reduction.

TONG SHIN PACK CO. LTD.

Booth 10629

Korean builder of recycling equipment.

TRADEPRO INC.

Booth 10249

Imports and exports scrap FE, PET, ABS, PC, HIPS, PS, and nylon.

TRIA SPA

Booth 677 (Exhibiting w/Automa SPA)

Manufactures knives, granulators, and custom grinding equipment

UNITED PLASTIC RECYCLING INC.

Booth 4693

Recycles post-consumer and post-industrial plastics; offers toll services like washing, grinding, float/sink separation, and metal separation.

USNI TECH LLC Booth 4635

Represents the S-cutter low-speed, screenless, beside-the-press grinder with an S-shaped rotor, formerly made by Nissui and now built by Stolz Co. Ltd. in Japan.

VECOPLAN LLC Booth 9725

Showing ReTech RG62/150K FF Surecut rotary grinder for film and fiber. Operating an RG 52/100 K rotary grinder with KKF chain conveyor. Displaying RG42/30 K rotary grinder, VH 18/60 CP horizontal grinder with vibratory conveyor, and RG70/200k rotary grinder.

VISTAR MACHINERY INTERNATIONAL INC.

Booth 7019

Imports turnkey scrap-reclaim lines.

WEIMA AMERICA INC.

Booths 10536, 10736

Introducing a beside-the-press granulator. Showing two sizes of WLK single-shaft shredders and a heavy-duty SMW granulator with an open rotor.

WITMANN INC.

Booth 1049

Introducing SJ Series screenless granulators with single and twin rotors. Also exhibiting MS Series high-capacity granulators.

ZENITH CUTTER CO.

Booth 13008

Makes blades for grinders. Featuring recently developed proprietary Z3 metallurgy for better wear resistance, longer life, and reduced maintenance.