The plastics industry is under pressure. The industry is searching for alternatives to petroleum-based raw materials—and regulatory pressure from the new European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is further exacerbating the situation. For many manufacturers, the use of recycled materials is thus shifting from a future trend to a concrete requirement. Silac has been testing such alternatives for quite some time.
Sustainability as Part of Corporate Development
For years, Silac has been intensively exploring the question of which raw materials can sustain the plastics industry in the long term. The goal is not to slap on a “sustainable” label as quickly as possible, but rather to find materials that actually work in everyday industrial applications.
Silac took a first major step in this direction in collaboration with ZHAW Life Sciences and Facility Management. As part of a research project, the team investigated whether food waste—such as potato peels, whey protein, or coffee grounds—could serve as a raw material for plastics processing. The preliminary study showed that it is possible. All three by-products were successfully compounded into pellets and processed using injection molding.
Further steps followed: Ocean Plastic was tested in everyday production, and bioplastics were further developed. Each of these projects has contributed technical expertise to Silac—and reinforced the conviction that sustainable raw materials are not a compromise, but a genuine development challenge.
Tests with Kuori “Biowa Olive”
Today, Silac is collaborating with the Swiss company Kuori. Kuori develops sustainable granules from food byproducts and other bio-based raw materials—an approach that aligns well with Silac’s previous research.
An initial field test is currently underway with the material “Biowa Olive.” The granules contain olive kernel meal—a byproduct of olive production that is otherwise rarely used. The material is flexible and soft, which sets it apart from other bio-based compounds such as the more brittle “Paper-Pearls.” Another feature: “Biowa Olive” is home-compostable—a key factor for many customers when selecting materials.
Silac is currently using this material to produce its first tube threaders. At the same time, process parameters, tool performance, and machine settings are being tested and gradually optimized.
New Project: Injection-Molded Parts Made from Paper
Also being tested is “Paper-Pearls”—a material from the Swiss company Model AG. The granulate is based on highly filled paper fiber blends combined with approximately 49% bioplastic (PLA-based). What’s surprising at first glance: “Paper-Pearls” can be processed on standard injection molding machines—that is, without special technology. The material is home-compostable, though the rate of degradation varies depending on the part’s geometry.
At Silac, the first tube screwdrivers were manufactured from this material and tested in everyday production. However, the high paper content makes the material brittle—the tube screwdrivers broke under stress. “Paper-Pearls” has not (yet) proven itself for this application; the search for more suitable geometries and applications continues.
Silac is thus deliberately pursuing several material avenues in parallel. Not every material will prove suitable for every application—but only by testing different approaches in practice can one ultimately determine which one works. Yet as promising as new materials may be, processing them poses very real challenges for production.
Why Recycled Materials Are More Than Just a Substitute for Other Materials
What sounds simple is actually quite challenging in practice. New raw materials such as “Biowa Olive” or “Paper-Pearls” often behave differently in injection molding than traditional plastics. They are more sensitive to temperature fluctuations, require longer run-in periods, and pose new challenges for tooling and design.
Simply put: In injection molding, molten plastic is injected into a mold under high pressure. That sounds like a robust process—and it is. But every material behaves slightly differently during this process. Factors such as viscosity, shrinkage, processing temperature, etc., must be retested whenever a different raw material is used. What works on paper must first prove itself in practice.
That is precisely why the use of alternative materials requires time, experience, and close collaboration between development, tooling, and production. At Silac, all three areas are under one roof—and the machine fleet is designed with this in mind.
The right machine makes all the difference
The injection molding machines from our long-standing partner Arburg feature a special recycled material package that makes the processing of challenging materials feasible in practice.
The package intervenes in three ways: It automatically compensates for fluctuations in material quality, continuously analyzes the injection molding process, and ensures consistent part quality through uniform mold filling. This is a decisive advantage, especially when working with recycled materials and new raw materials—where batch-to-batch variations are the rule rather than the exception.
For Silac, this means that investing in modern machinery and working with new materials go hand in hand. One wouldn’t work without the other.
PPWR: When Voluntary Participation Becomes Mandatory
The new European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is changing the framework for the entire industry. In the future, companies will be subject to stricter requirements to use recycled materials and design packaging to be more sustainable. What was previously often a voluntary effort is now becoming a regulatory requirement.
At the same time, it is true that sustainable raw materials are often no cheaper or easier to process than conventional materials. They require more development effort and a willingness to explore new avenues—on the part of both producers and customers.
Networking as a Strategy
For Silac, one thing is clear: Sustainable plastic solutions cannot be developed in isolation. They require dialogue, partnerships, and a willingness to gain experience together. That is why the company deliberately focuses on collaborating with innovative material developers such as Kuori and Model, and on engaging in dialogue with research partners such as ZHAW and Realcycle.
“Recycling and the circular economy aren’t just a trend. They’re an important part of the future of the plastics industry—and we don’t want to just stand by and watch; we want to be at the forefront, helping to shape it.” Peter Birchler, Managing Director
Are you interested in sustainable plastic solutions for your product?
Please contact us—we’d be happy to discuss the options available for your application.
