Smart Molding International 2-2023

50 smart_molding international 2/2023 materials LEONHARD KURZ takes the packaging industry one step closer to the circular economy The recycled injection-molded granulate already saves up to 40 percent CO 2 compared to virgin material, is suitable for the production of stable and durable plastic products. Thanks to optimized processes, RECOSYS® 2.0 now not only enables even more KURZ products to be reclaimed, but also expands the application possibilities of the recycled material. interpack 2023, the world’s largest trade fair for the packaging industry and the related process industry, took place in Düsseldorf fromMay 4 to 10. In line with the trend topics of the circular economy and resource conservation at the event, LEONHARD KURZ presented RECOSYS® 2.0 to the public as a real trade fair highlight. This is the further development of the take-back and recycling system for PET transfer materials launched by KURZ, the first company in the world to introduce a system like this in the plastic industry. The Fürth-based thin-film specialist is thus taking the packaging industry one step closer to the circular economy. The first major step in this direction was already taken with the introduction of RECOSYS® and the post-industrial compound RECOPOUND®. The recycled injection-molded granulate already saves up to 40 percent CO 2 compared to virgin material, is suitable for the production of stable and durable plastic products, and can also be decorated to a high quality. Thanks to optimized processes, RECOSYS® 2.0 now not only enables even more KURZ products to be reclaimed, but also expands the application possibilities of the recycled material. With the help of RECOSYS® 2.0, surplus carrier materials from the graphic industry can now be processed into recycled PET (abbreviated: rPET) for the first time. rPET is used, among other things, in the manufacture of plastic bottles or plastic packaging and also offers a wide range of possible uses. "We are currently the onlymanufacturer in the industry that converts the PET carrier of our ultra-thin transfer decoration into valuable raw material. Our long-term goal is to recycle all our products and use them to produce new carrier material. This will enable us to achieve a truly circular economy in the future, where excess material no longer has to end up in the trash," says Rolf Schmidtke, RECOSYS® 2.0 project manager at LEONHARD KURZ. All customers participating in RECOSYS® receive a recycling certificate, which is confirmed by the independent environmental expert organization Intechnica Cert GmbH. This certificate confirms the traceability of the process, and transparency towards end customers and consumers. It also provides information on the annual CO 2 savings. RECOSYS® 2.0 can also reduce scope 3 emissions, i.e., greenhouse gas emissions along a company’s entire value chain, by up to 90 percent. This is achieved, among other things, by avoiding burning carrier materials, a lower product carbon footprint (PCF) and general conservation of resources, as the use of primary raw materials for the extraction of PET is not necessary. With RECOSYS® 2.0, KURZ customers get a demonstrably optimized sustainability balance and a distinct competitive advantage that also benefits our environment. LEONHARD KURZ www.leonhard-kurz.com Picture: LEONHARD KURZ