At CHINAPLAS 2024, Adsale Plastics Network talked to Felice Meliti, Chief Commercial Officer at PiovanGroup, to understand more about the market landscape, technology trends as well as the developments of the company.

Felice Meliti, Chief Commercial Officer, PiovanGroup.

What’s your view on the plastics market in 2024? What would be the main technology trends?

Felice Meliti: In 2024, despite the unstable socio-political situation, the plastics market will continue to evolve under the influence of key factors such as sustainability, circular economy, and technological innovations. Key trends will include improved recycling processes for high-quality post-consumer polymers and the integration of bioplastics and compostable materials into production chains.

With a prospective of increasingly demanding regulatory changes that shall allow the use of recycled plastic in food packaging applications, the industry is at a pivotal moment. Particularly noteworthy is the technological trend towards single large size lines with very high production capacity, which promises to reshape manufacturing efficiencies.

The Condenso technology, a finalist in the Plastic Recycling Awards Europe 2024, is exemplary in this context, as it enables the use of purer post-consumer polymers, facilitating the use of recycled plastics even in demanding sectors such as food.

What products are you displaying at the exhibition? What are the advantages of these products?

Felice Meliti: At this year's CHINAPLAS, PiovanGroup, with its brands Piovan, Aquatech, Doteco, Pelletron and Piovan Penta, brings its latest technological innovations on automation for plastic processing.

With its brands Piovan, Aquatech, Doteco, Pelletron and Piovan Penta, PiovanGroup showcased its innovative technologies at CHINAPLAS 2024. 

※Condenso, the top-notch oil condenser especially developed for the plastics recycling process, capable of effectively removing VOCs from the process air during the resin drying stage thanks to the following key drivers:  

－ a uniquely controlled condensation process driven by the GENESYSNEXT resin dryer algorithm, securing the highest capability to entrap volatiles on continuous basis, no matter is the quality of PET recycled materials in use;

－ a continuous air filtration process operated through a consistent “active carbons” system pack;

－ operating through a “high-efficiency” Energy Recovery System, which remarkably contributes to minimize the use of energy, securing anyway the overall PET drying system high-end energy performance.

※ CR, the new crystallizer that ensures best-in-class quality in the crystallization process, improving the drying phase.

※ Inspecta Ac & Be, quality inspection instruments for real-time detection of Acetaldehyde and Benzene on preforms, pellets, bottles samples.

These innovations are part of our set of continuous products and solutions development program also in view of the expected legislative changes and market demands, especially in Asia and China, where there are significant opportunities due to the availability of local feedstock for recycled plastic material.

What sectors will benefit from these products? What are the trends and potential of these products?

Felice Meliti: The global trend favors the use of recycled plastics in packaging and, wherever possible, the use of compostable polymers. This is an opportunity for the PiovanGroup, which has developed technologies for efficiently and sustainably delivering process automation of recycled and compostable plastics.

The Asia-Pacific region, particularly China, presents significant opportunities as global suppliers of recycled plastic raw material and products, thanks to the substantial presence of local feedstock.

The booth of PiovanGroup at CHINAPLAS 2024. 

What would be the main drivers that may affect the plastics processing equipment sector and your company’s developments in the next 2-3 years?

Felice Meliti: Among the key drivers affecting the industry are increasingly stringent environmental regulations, developments in recycling technologies and growing consumer demand for sustainable products.

The PiovanGroup is at the forefront of meeting these challenges, demonstrated by the success of technologies like Condenso. Anticipating the shift towards high-capacity production lines and the legislative changes expected in the coming years, we are currently moving forward with the construction of the new Asian HQ in China.

This plant will not only significantly enhance our production capabilities in this strategic region for the group, but also feature sustainability-oriented infrastructures like photovoltaic systems and a training facility for both employees and clients, designed according to the lean-kaizen philosophy.

The completion of this site, between the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025, will mark a significant step in our commitment to innovation and sustainability as well as to local and global market presence deployment.

At CHINAPLAS 2024, Adsale Plastics Network talked to Felice Meliti, Chief Commercial Officer at PiovanGroup, to understand more about the market landscape, technology trends as well as the developments of the company.

Felice Meliti, Chief Commercial Officer, PiovanGroup.

What’s your view on the plastics market in 2024? What would be the main technology trends?

Felice Meliti: In 2024, despite the unstable socio-political situation, the plastics market will continue to evolve under the influence of key factors such as sustainability, circular economy, and technological innovations. Key trends will include improved recycling processes for high-quality post-consumer polymers and the integration of bioplastics and compostable materials into production chains.

With a prospective of increasingly demanding regulatory changes that shall allow the use of recycled plastic in food packaging applications, the industry is at a pivotal moment. Particularly noteworthy is the technological trend towards single large size lines with very high production capacity, which promises to reshape manufacturing efficiencies.

The Condenso technology, a finalist in the Plastic Recycling Awards Europe 2024, is exemplary in this context, as it enables the use of purer post-consumer polymers, facilitating the use of recycled plastics even in demanding sectors such as food.

What products are you displaying at the exhibition? What are the advantages of these products?

Felice Meliti: At this year's CHINAPLAS, PiovanGroup, with its brands Piovan, Aquatech, Doteco, Pelletron and Piovan Penta, brings its latest technological innovations on automation for plastic processing.

With its brands Piovan, Aquatech, Doteco, Pelletron and Piovan Penta, PiovanGroup showcased its innovative technologies at CHINAPLAS 2024. 

※Condenso, the top-notch oil condenser especially developed for the plastics recycling process, capable of effectively removing VOCs from the process air during the resin drying stage thanks to the following key drivers:  

－ a uniquely controlled condensation process driven by the GENESYSNEXT resin dryer algorithm, securing the highest capability to entrap volatiles on continuous basis, no matter is the quality of PET recycled materials in use;

－ a continuous air filtration process operated through a consistent “active carbons” system pack;

－ operating through a “high-efficiency” Energy Recovery System, which remarkably contributes to minimize the use of energy, securing anyway the overall PET drying system high-end energy performance.

※ CR, the new crystallizer that ensures best-in-class quality in the crystallization process, improving the drying phase.

※ Inspecta Ac & Be, quality inspection instruments for real-time detection of Acetaldehyde and Benzene on preforms, pellets, bottles samples.

These innovations are part of our set of continuous products and solutions development program also in view of the expected legislative changes and market demands, especially in Asia and China, where there are significant opportunities due to the availability of local feedstock for recycled plastic material.

What sectors will benefit from these products? What are the trends and potential of these products?

Felice Meliti: The global trend favors the use of recycled plastics in packaging and, wherever possible, the use of compostable polymers. This is an opportunity for the PiovanGroup, which has developed technologies for efficiently and sustainably delivering process automation of recycled and compostable plastics.

The Asia-Pacific region, particularly China, presents significant opportunities as global suppliers of recycled plastic raw material and products, thanks to the substantial presence of local feedstock.

The booth of PiovanGroup at CHINAPLAS 2024. 

What would be the main drivers that may affect the plastics processing equipment sector and your company’s developments in the next 2-3 years?

Felice Meliti: Among the key drivers affecting the industry are increasingly stringent environmental regulations, developments in recycling technologies and growing consumer demand for sustainable products.

The PiovanGroup is at the forefront of meeting these challenges, demonstrated by the success of technologies like Condenso. Anticipating the shift towards high-capacity production lines and the legislative changes expected in the coming years, we are currently moving forward with the construction of the new Asian HQ in China.

This plant will not only significantly enhance our production capabilities in this strategic region for the group, but also feature sustainability-oriented infrastructures like photovoltaic systems and a training facility for both employees and clients, designed according to the lean-kaizen philosophy.

The completion of this site, between the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025, will mark a significant step in our commitment to innovation and sustainability as well as to local and global market presence deployment.