The latest issue of Sustainable Plastics is out - and it’s now ready for you to download or read on our website. Subscribers will see the print issue delivered straight to their door in just a few days.
One of the people we talked to for this spring issue of 2021, is Fred Schmuck, the CEO of an advanced recycling company headquartered in the US called Alterra Energy. Advanced, or chemical, recycling has in the past been viewed with suspicion but the processes a decade ago cannot be compared to what the technology is capable of today, he said. “It is not incineration in disguise,” he emphasised.” That’s the message we need to get out.”
Alterra is currently looking ahead at exciting times. Finland’s Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel acquired a minority stake in the company in January - a collaboration that will serve to support Alterra Energy’s target of initiating construction of a liquefaction site in Europe sometime in 2021.
Additive manufacturing is another focus in this issue. For additive manufacturing systems manufacturer Nanofabrica, it’s a focus on very, very small details. The company, specialised in the 3D printing of miniaturised products with micron resolution at volume, has developed and is marketing a technology called direct rapid soft tooling, which allows the problem of finding the right materials for 3D printing end products to be circumvented. As Avi Cohen, Executive VP at Global Sales, said: “ It’s what the market was waiting for.”
According to the results of Ultimaker’s second 3D Printing Sentiments Index, he’s right. Ultimaker’s survey of the 3D printing industry revealed a number of interesting insights into the sentiments of the sector, including a wish list of improvements. Near the top of the list was the need for better materials, illustrating just how important this issue is for the industry.
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