Aurora IL, May 18, 2020— Processing Technologies International, LLC (PTi), Aurora, IL is pleased to announce the recent sale of one of its Technology Development Center's (TDC) demonstration production sheet extrusion lines.  PTi's TDC permits customers to conduct sheet extrusion process trials on brand new full-scale production equipment, often using their own materials to demonstrate the overall equipment performance and related features.

This PTi TDC system includes a HVTSE^® (high vacuum twin screw extruder) Model 85mm-52D DryerLESS^™ extruder, G-SERIES^® GSVD661824 sheet take off unit and an ACW6640/2 dual position differential shaft winding system that will be utilized in the production of PPE (Covid-19 related personal protection equipment).  It offers an output capacity of 2,200 pph (1,000 kg/hr) and was one of two unique demonstration lines running in the PTi TDC facility - the second of which is a SUPER-G^® HighSPEED^™ Model 3000-36D (75mm) system with an output capacity processing PP up to 2,500 pph (1,130 kg/hr).

PTi and its Mexico based sales agent, Grupo Janfrex, began working together as recent as last October and six months later have successfully sold its first line together.  The buyer of the line, Laminados Extrudios Plasticos, also known as Laminex, is one of the largest suppliers of extruded sheet in Mexico with an extensive product offering.

Laminex was founded during the Mexican economic crisis of 1993 and prides itself with noteworthy achievements made over the years and during various challenging economic periods, including those recently brought on as a result of the global pandemic of the Coronavirus, oil price market collapse, etc.  Laminex credits its success to perseverance of the many employees who have helped carry the company through very tough times. 

The current situation has made Laminex move into new markets related to Covid 19, such as sneeze guards, face shields under the label of ProTG www.ProTG.mx and other medical supply plastic sheet. The new extrusion line will eventually support Laminex's production of sheet for a wide range of industries, including packaging, automotive, point of purchase, refrigeration and construction, etc. Two years ago, Laminex was certified in ISO 9001:2015 with both Mexican and US Certifications.

Laminex first started extruding polystyrene sheet for the printing industry.  It has since expanded its business to include the production of PE, PS, PP, ABS, PETG and hollow PP (Lamicor) sheet.  With the PTi HVTSE^® DryerLESS^™ system purchase, Laminex can now introduce PET into its manufactured product portfolio and better align itself competitively in the rapidly evolving sheet extrusion market within Mexico.  With manufacturing facilities in Guadalajara, Mexico and Fort Worth, Texas, coupled with distribution warehouses in Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico, Laminex will locate the line in the Guadalajara facility to provide locally produced PET sheet, thus reducing import dependencies with superior sheet quality and immediate availability.

Laminex desired to acquire PET sheet extrusion technology that would permit them to compete with anyone in the marketplace.  With PTi's unique and advanced technologies represented in the HVTSE^® DryerLESS^™ system purchase, Laminex's objectives were soon realized.  The system's multi-resin capability provides Laminex the added flexibility to run many resins from one line and features a twin-screw extruder that operates under high vacuum to eliminate the need for drying and crystallizing PET/PLA feed stocks, while removing moisture up to 12000+ ppm (more than twice the normalized undried moisture levels for this geographic region).  This technology also allows processing up to 100% regrind materials - a critical component for energy savings and recycling.

Precision machinery offering high production rates, combined with flexible resin capabilities and supported by a professional responsive equipment partner like PTi, will help Laminex ascend to the next level as a leading producer of extruded sheet throughout the entire North American markets and perhaps beyond.

PTi is currently in the advanced stages of manufacturing the next version of its TDC Line 1 sheet extrusion system, which will feature its latest state-of-the-art technology for multi-resin capabilities including the ability to process several polymers including PET, PLA, PP, PS and PE polymers.  The next generation  MultiRESN^™ DryerLESS^™ extrusion technology, will be equipped with a Configurable J-roll Stack with auxiliary cooling rolls, and edge-trim-recovery system, and a variety of other components and features.