German speciality films producer Klöckner Pentaplast (kp, Montabaur; www.kpfilms.com) has announced plans to expand its post-consumer recycled PET extrusion capacity by 17,500 t/y in North America, significantly increasing output of thermoformed recyclable trays. The multi-million-dollar expansion will be carried out among eight (undisclosed) locations that kp said are “best situated to serve its sustainable consumer and protein packaging customer base.”

Kp said the investment is in response to continual rising demand for a higher percentage of post-consumer recycled material in various consumer and health packaging applications and will ensure customers can meet sustainability targets. “As major brands announce robust sustainability initiatives that include post-consumer and recyclable packaging, kp will be positioned to service those market needs for the foreseeable future,” said CEO Scott Tracey. “The extra capacity will also go a long way in supporting our company’s goals for product innovations and sustainability.”

This latest expansion adds to two others that kp has implemented so far this year. In March, it completed a project at Cotia / Brazil, to hike pharmaceutical films capacity by 30% and in June, kp broke ground in Virginia / USA to raise pharmaceutical films capacity by 6,000 t/y (see Plasteurope.com of 19.06.2020).