Technological watch

Coperion GmbH has enabled Asahel Benin Sarl, a blown film manufacturer in the African country of Benin, to produce bio-based films by delivering a complete compounding system and sharing process engineering expertise.The system includes a ZSK 26 Mc-18 twin screw extruder, four feeders from Coperion K-Tron, a water bath, an air wipe and a strand pelletiser.According to Coperion, standard plastic bags and packaging were banned in Benin starting in July 2018. Prior to that, Asahel Benin had made its plastic films using virgin and recycled polyethylene.The new law forced the West African company to convert its production. The firm’s bags are mainly used in household products and for shopping bags.Asahel Benin ordered a laboratory-scale compounding line to develop a biodegradable compound formulation that could be used on its existing blown film equipment.Asahel Benin employees went through a test and training phase at Coperion’s test lab in Stuttgart, Germany.Peter von Hoffmann, general manager of Coperion’s business unit for engineering plastics and special applications, said typical applications for the bioresins include single-use flatware, trash bags and trash can liners, food packaging, shopping bags, straws and agricultural films.