Manufacturing Today Issue - 225 June 2024 | Page 58

Beyond Plastic __________________________________________________________________________________________________
processes and trialing alternative applications . In terms of our compression molding , we ’ ve been able to innovate more quickly because of all the learning that has come before . We ’ ve evolved the applications and continue to do so . We have commercialized a custom 38 mm bottle closure that meets all standards for TUV Austria composting as well as their Marine Biodegradability certification . The closure is compatible with standard beverage offerings with the benefits of added packaging performance while raising the conservation effort and value . Our next innovation is likely to be in firm reforming solutions , such as coffee cup lids ,” Fred enthuses .
To support its precision innovation , Beyond Plastic works closely with suppliers , such as Movacolor . With over 30 years ’ experience in developing tailor-made dosing solutions for the plastics manufacturing industry , Movacolor ’ s mission is to support plastic producers in achieving their sustainability goals by means of its unique modular dosing and blending concept . “ Movacolor is a great supplier of ours . The company is responsive
and willing to custom create solutions to meet our emerging and precise needs ,” Fred adds .
“ Since I ’ ve been working on this project , it ’ s become increasingly clear that we need to educate people on the possibilities and potential of PHA use in products . From the raw material to the finished product , Beyond Plastic is the link enabling commercialization and accelerating its application . Many of our suppliers are based in Asia , so , looking to the future , we ’ ll probably expand closer to our supply source to enable mass manufacturing . We ’ re talking to one of the largest cosmetic suppliers in the world right now , looking at how we can replace cosmetic tubes with sustainable solutions . While there has been a shift in the cosmetics industry ,” he concludes , “ the packaging side of things is still a big issue and that ’ s where PHA can really come into its own . It can replace non-recyclable packaging with a biodegradable alternative that offers the same appeal and identical functionality .” ■
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