Extrusion International 1-2020

16 Extrusion International 1/2020 INDUSTRY NEWS Corona Technology for Quality Extrusion One of Thailand’s leading suppliers of flexible packaging, Pre- pack, has installed Vetaphone Corona technology on its two ex- trusion lines located in Amphawa Samutsongkram, some 100 km south-west of the capital Bangkok. The company, which is re- nowned for the international quality of its work, is set up as a sin- gle source supply for its portfolio of ‘A list’ customers. In addition to extrusion, Prepack has gravure and flexo print capabilities, as well as solvent-based lamination and forming. Established initially in 1973 from Prepac France, the company’s earlyworkwas for the Nongpho Ratchaburi Dairy Corporation for which it produced packaging for pasteurisedmilk under Royal pa- tronage. Other early products included 5kg rice bags the Prathum Rice Mill. Today, the company has expanded its product range to Vetaphone www.vetaphone.com supply flexible packaging to industries as diverse as food, personal care and hygiene, snacks, chemical and industrial, and various other consumer areas. Setting such high standards of production quality is not with- out it problems, as Production Manager of 20 years at the plant, Veraphan Thiampu explained: “We are located close to the sea and there is always a high level of salt in the air, which added to the humidity levels that we experience in southern Thailand cre- ates a perfect environment for corrosion. This was having a dis- ruptive effect on production and creating high levels of waste.” Disappointed that it was incurring such issues with well-known European brands of Corona treaters, Prepack made contact with Techno Global Graphics, who represent Vetaphone in Thailand. The result was the replacement of the existing surface treatment unit on one of its extruders with Vetaphone VE2B station, and af- ter twelve months of satisfactory performance, the replacement of the treater on the other extruder with a Vetaphone VE2C unit. The B station is 1.8mwide and runs at 90m/minwith a 6 kW(2 x 3) capacity. The C station is 1.6 mwide and runs at 80 m/min. It has an 8kW capacity and is fitted with a larger backing roller – both Vetaphone units are for double-sided treatment. Certification to Key Food-Contact Standard Clariant’s Business Unit Masterbatches, a leader in the field of color and functional additive masterbatch concentrates and com- pounds, announced it has completed ISO22000 certification for its site in Santa Clara Coatitla, near byMexico city. TheMexican site is the first in the Americas, to have completed the GMP (GoodMan- ufacturing Practice) certification, and joins the global footprint of certified sites in Asia Pacific and Europe. Certification strengthens Masterbatches global capabilities and leadership position as a supplier of high-quality, high-perfor- mance color for the regulated industries of food, healthcare and toys. Applications supported by the Mexican site include plastic caps and closures, food tabs and bottles, as well as film and sheet. In recent years, regulators have determined that packaging that comes in direct contact with food products must be considered a food ingredient andmust meet the same standards for safety. Be- cause Clariant’s color and additive concentrates are used in mak- ing plastic packaging, achieving ISO 22000 status for its manufac- turing plants simplified the certification process for its customers and their clients. “Our objective is to expand the business related to food contact applications and support our long-standing collaborations with current local and international customers in the region,” says Miguel Ramirez, Headof Region LatinAmericaBUMasterbatches. Clariant www.clariant.com ISO22000belongs toa family of international GMP standards such as ISO13485 for medical, devices, ISO22715 for cosmetics that ad- dress assessment and management of risk in the manufacturing and associated processes. ISO22000 is focused food-safety man- agement and lists themeasures that an organization needs to put inplace to control eventual food safety hazards. These regulations are more stringent than earlier standards governing simple food contact. The need for such a standard is driven by an increased level of awareness of consumers towards food safety. Clariant Masterbatches plant in Mexico joins growing list of global sites to comply with ISO 22000 (Photo: Clariant) (left to right) Pakorn Chotikorn of Techno Global Graphics and Finn Hinze of Vetaphone with Prepack Thailand’s Production Manager Veraphan Thiampu