introduction of american fuji seal - plastic recycling · 2016-08-26 · introduction of american...

Introduction ofAmerican Fuji Seal

Shutaro KurosawaAmerican Fuji Seal, Inc.

4/24/2014

Who is Fuji Seal?

Confidential 25/13/2014

The Largest Shrink Sleevesupplier in the world!The only Shrink Sleevesupplier to offer:– A fully supported, vertically

integrated global system

Spouted Pouch maker withmore than 15 years in themarket.PSL maker with more than110 years of experience.

Who is Fuji Seal?


• Key moments in our history…..

– 1897 - Founded - Fujio Carpentry Shop– 1960 - Invented Shrink Sleeves– 1973 - Application Machines for Shrink Sleeves– 1975 - AFS established - Shrink Sleeves

introduced into USA

– 1985 - Steam tunnels for Shrink Sleeves– 1989 - PET Shrink Sleeves introduced– 1995 - 1000 BPM Application Machine– 2006 - Alpha & Delta Sleeves introduced– 2008 - Fuji Seal Mexico S.A. de C.V. established– 2012 - Celebrating 115 years partnering customers– 2012 – Acquired 100% of PAGO PSL Company– 2014 – IN Plant – PSL / Pouches.– 2014 – Mexico Plant Expansion– Pressure Sensitive Labels

and New Extrusion Line.

Who is Fuji Seal?


Product Range from Fuji Seal Group


• American Fuji Seal

– Bardstown, KY– Jeffersonville, IN– Irapuato, MX

Manufacturing in the Americas


PSL - BookletsMain sectors of application are:• Promotions• Extended information for

consumer products(background information,ingredients, cross-marketing)

• Essential product informationfor usage, risk and safety,e.g.:– Pharmaceutical / OTC– Chemical / Agrochemical– Other technical applications

Pouch - Spouted Pouches


• Greenfield Site Jeffersonville, IN• Quality Focus

– Clean Room Class 100,000– 100% Leak Check– Qualify FSSC 22000 – PAS223

SSL - Film• Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

• High quality print is obtained due to thestiffness of the film

• Shrinks relatively quickly, difficult tocontrol the shrink process, steam is preferred

• Specific gravity = 1.30

• Good for perforations

• Good product resistance


SSL - Applications


20 micron PETg film. Lowest gaugecommercialized in the market today.Enables full coverage high-endgraphics at roll-Fed or stretch-sleeveprice ranges.

Low Haze ultra-transparentmaterials to simulate glass.

SSL - Film• Film Development – White

PET

• Sophisticated Matte finish

• Opaque – Light Barrier

• Specific Gravity ≈ 0.91


SSL - Film• Film Development – Delta

• Best Characteristics of PETand OPS morphed together


SSL - Film• Film Development – Alpha

• Easy separation for PETbottle recycling

• Specific Gravity <1.0


ALPHA from American Fuji Seal:Recycle Friendly Shrink Sleeve

Shutaro KurosawaAmerican Fuji Seal, Inc.

4/24/2014

Environmental Impacts• 3 R’s

– Reduce– Re-use– Recycle

• Containerrecycling /down-gauging

• Perforations


Source: APR – Design guide for PET Bottle recyclability

Efforts Made• Down gauging is an on-going project; technically we

can produce 20 Micron shrink sleeves– Current Situation:

• USA – 50µm• EU – 40µm• Japan – typically 40µm, but thinner for specific projects

Development of low density materials• PVC - 1.32• PET - 1.33• FUJI DELTA - 1.15• OPS - 1.05• FUJI ALPHA (EU) – 0.95-0.97• WHITE PET - 0.91


Issues to be Addressed

• About 80% of full-wrap labels in NorthAmerica are found on PET containers

• “Full-wrap bottle labels that sink in hot waterand/or bleed inks during the wash process”yields losses and impacting RPET quality

APR Principles for SleeveLabels on PET Bottles

1. The label does not interfere with the ability of aNIR automatic sorter to identify the underlying PETbottle.2. The label separates from the bottle in a wholebottle wash step.3. Any sleeve label that remains after bottlegranulation will float in water.4. Label residue present during hot caustic wash willnot cause discoloration of PET flakes or moldedplaques made from flake.

Focus

• Provide recycle-friendly sleeves as a solutionto PET bottle recycling issues– Perforation design for easy off by end users, but

durable throughout shelf life– Dissolvable seam for recycling stream– Floatable shrink film (clear or light blocking)– Non-bleeding inks in hot caustic bath

Dissolvable Seam Technology

• Hot caustic water reacts with seam bond under sink/floatseparation conditions (85~90oC, pH~13)

• Seam strength drops by contact w/ caustic• Shrink force accelerates seam apart

• Multiple tests indicate bottles are exposed to much lowertemperatures in actual recycler facilities

• Being optimized for prewash conditions (60oC, lower pH)

Film

Film

OH-

Special Bond

Floatable Labels• Commercialized for 10 years in Europe• NIR can distinguish labels from bottles• Stiff: No OPV required for anti-scuffing• Shrink tunnel: steam or hot air• Limited shrinkage ~ 50%• Specific gravity = 0.95 g/cm3 2-hit white + OPV

can make label too heavy

• Newly developed for US market with less density any design labels can float!

Plastics Forming Enterprises (PFE)Testing Complete

– Generic Unprinted label (“FVH2-050”)50um Polyolefin shrink film (Density = 0.93 g/cm3)

– Generic Printed label (“FVH2-050”)50um Polyolefin shrink film with (IA1-L) Inks

•Colors including metallic•Whites•OPV

• The Critical Guidance Document was completed for:

APR guidelines for a generic application require minimum 3% by weight

Unprinted Wash & Rinse Water

Printed Wash & Rinse Water

Unprinted Oven Test

500 g QC Sample 538-UPost Wash (ppm) 137

Post Air Separation (ppm) 27

Printed Oven Test

500 g QC Sample 538-PPost Wash (ppm) 125Post Air Separation (ppm) 26

Plaque DataRun # Description

L*Average

∆a*Average

∆b*Average

HazeAverage

538-Ctrl Control Bottle 94.73 0.94

538-U Unprinted Label 94.63 0.08 0.16 1.02

538-P Printed Label 93.10 0.47 1.20 4.61

The APR specifies that plaque sample meet the following parameters incomparison to the control in order to be acceptable:

L* >82 for all Blends∆b* & ∆a* <1.5, (no problem)C. Control Haze <9.5%, Test Haze not to exceed 20% (no problem)

ConclusionThis study analyzed both unprinted and printed decoratedsleeve labels, using the APR’s guidelines for Sleeve Label CGDthe following conclusions were determined from testing:

• < 150ppm residual label from both test variables was able tobe removed from the sink/float process.

• Label that was not able to be removed during wash, rinse &sink float was removed through air separation to < 50 ppm.

The Combination of the bottle structure, resin, ink system,and label substrate are showing favorable results and meetthe APR guidelines for Sleeve Label Critical Guidance.

Future

• Improvements being made– Anti-ink bleeding for all colors– Shrinkage vs mechanical strength vs density– Optical properties – gloss and haze– Dissolvable seam for any prewash– Perforation for easy removal

Thank Youfor

Your Time Today

Please Feel Free to Ask Questions

introduction of american fuji seal - plastic recycling · 2016-08-26 · introduction of american...

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