APK has completed its new laboratory at its production site in Merseburg (Germany).
APK AG has invested over one million euro in the comprehensive equipment and initially, the facility will focus on LDPE- and polyamide-recyclates.
With its state-of-the-art laboratory and wide-ranging in-house testing capacities APK AG is uniquely positioned within the recycling industry.
The research and development (R&D) team of APK surrounding Dr. Jürgen Flesch, Chief Technology Officer, and Hagen Hanel, Director R&D, will drive the development of process technology of plastics recycling, as well as the conception of new – solvent-based – recycling facilities and the valorization of different plastic input streams.
Dr. Flesch says creating plastic recyclates with near-virgin-qualities is our declared goal.
Mechanical test values as well as optical, physical and rheological properties can be examined in-house from now on. Enabling project partners of APK to benefit from the ample testing options in the future.
Corresponding service packages will be available to interested companies from the packaging and plastics value chain in the near future.
The laboratory features testing equipment such as Melt-Flow-Indexer, Differential Scanning Calorimetry analysis (DSC), Universal Tensile Testing Machine, Pendulum Impact Tester and Injection Moulding Machine.
Testing will be conducted according to existing norms such as the DIN EN ISO 527-1 for the testing of tensile properties of plastics. Furthermore, the APK team has gained comprehensive experience in the development of methods and criteria as not all process- and product-specific tests are backed by ISO and EN norms yet.
Klaus Wohnig, CEO APK AG, said: “To make the use of plastic recyclates in packaging a viable option and by this to close cycles for real, a considerable set of quality criteria needs to be met. We need ambitious quality assurance as well as dedicated investments into research and development.”
