Closed-loop densifier for post-consumer and post-industrial plastic waste

Officially unveiled at the K 2022 fair, Tecnova new Liontek closed-loop densifier is intended for the in-line and offline batch processing of post-consumer and post-industrial plastic waste or of plastics from washing systems.

The densifier plays a fundamental role in the processing cycle of post-consumer and post-industrial plastic waste, also considering that today it is increasingly difficult to find materials with a residual moisture content below 5-10%, therefore perfectly suitable for direct feeding into extruders. The function of Liontek is fundamental to reduce the moisture levels that often affect the pellet quality and processing cycle and consequently the performance of the end product.

Rounding off the current range of machines marketed under the Tecnova brand, the Liontek densifier is destined for  national and international recyclers and converters who already operate a Tecnova extrusion line or systems of other brands, since Liontek is totally compatible and can also be combined with other systems available on market. Its outstanding features include versatility of use, control of productivity and moisture content thanks to specific software, as well as ease of installation and operation.

"The German exhibition gave us an excellent opportunity for exchanging ideas with the market, further confirming the real needs of the extrusion sector. Today, there is a greater awareness of quality, also because the initial conditions of the plastic material to be processed are often very poor, especially in the case of heavily contaminated post-consumer waste. Therefore, equipping one’s line with a Liontek densifier is necessary in order to guarantee the quality and homogeneity of the end product. We currently have two major orders in place in Mexico and Belgium for which the first tests are already underway," commented Marco Massaro, CEO of Tecnova.

The Liontek densifier is based on a project drawn in 1997 by Antonio Massaro, the current president of Tecnova. The original designs are still kept at the company, but over time the project was abandoned due to other production priorities. On the basis of this project, the company started to develop the new machine. Liontek is available in three models with output rates from 500 to 3,500 kg/h and is able to process materials with a moisture content of up to 20% in combination with cascade extrusion systems and depending on the type of material to process.