New packaging line at Jokey relies on recycled PET

Transparent containers for the food and pharmaceutical industries: Jokey launches production of PET packaging using the ISBM process. The plastic is largely made from recycled material.

The North Rhine-Westphalia-based packaging manufacturer Jokey is expanding its product portfolio to include PET packaging produced using the Injection Stretch Blow Molding (ISBM) process, which consists of the highest possible proportion of recycled rPET plastic. The raw material for this comes from post-consumer waste collection. "The ISBM process and the use of rPET meet our requirements for efficiency and sustainability and are consistent with our goal of a circular economy for plastic packaging," says Mateusz Buliński, Business Development Manager at Jokey Poland. The new product line will be manufactured at the Kędzierzyn-Koźle site in Upper Silesia.

To start with, Jokey is producing so-called Blow Jars (JBJs), including matching closures, in sizes ranging from 150 to 300 milliliters. These transparent containers, known as ketchup bottles, soap dispensers, or pill boxes, are primarily used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. ISBM technology enables a wide range of customized shapes and designs. At the same time, Jokey explains, material usage can be reduced by up to 15 percent compared to traditional PET injection molding. This also contributes to greater resource efficiency.

Growing Market

In 2022, a total of 5 million tons of PET were used for packaging in Europe. According to the European PET Association Petcore, around three million tons of this was collected, corresponding to a collection rate of 60 percent. The vast majority of PET packaging collected was bottles, at 2.8 million tons. "With rPET-based PET packaging, we can meet the demand of existing customers and also open up new sales markets," says Christof Kölschbach, CSO of the Jokey Group. The high strength, low weight, transparency of the material, and recyclability ensure that the industry is opting for this packaging solution. The market for PET packaging using the ISBM process is growing worldwide.