The subsidiary, PRT Radomsko, aims to build the €9m (PLZ 36m) plant in the Radomsko district of the Lodz Special Economic Zone for deliveries mainly to Eastern Europe.
A spokeswoman for Alpla told FoodProductionDaily.com: “The preform market is a big market for Alpla in Europe. In this sector especially, the demand for r-PET is increasing. Therefore, we (have decided to) invest in further capabilities to recycle PET to cover our own demand as well as the great demand from the market in Poland.”
Thermoplastic r-PET
The thermoplastic r-PET will be used to produce bottles at the new recycling centre which is expected to employ about 30 people.
In Poland, the company based in Hard, Austria, operates at three other sites in Nowy Dwor, in the north of the country, Ostrow in Eastern Poland and Zywiec in south central Poland.
Globally, the Austrian company employs nearly 11,000 employees at 128 plants in 37 countries. It manufacturers bottles, performs, caps and tubes, posting a turnover in of €2.145bn in 2009.
Meanwhile, the collection of PET bottles in Europe climbed by 6.5 per cent to total 1.45m tonnes last year, according to a report commissioned by European PET container group Petcore and plastics recycling association EuPR.
Total European mechanical reclamation capacity was estimated at 1.7m tonnes.
Star beverage pack
Euromonitor reported recently global off-trade demand for PET up 6 per cent last year describing it as “the star beverage pack performer.”
Growth was driven by the continued popularity of ready-to-drink tea and juices.
Demand for PET in the carbonated soft drinks market continues to grow at the expense of metal cans.
Despite modest PET demand for bottling alcoholic drinks, the material is starting to claim share from glass, according to Euromonitor.