Zotefoams, a UK-based producer of cellular materials, has entered into a licencing agreement with Censco, a US-based mechanical design company. Censco will start manufacturing equipment for the production of Zotefoam’s mono-material barrier packaging, called ReZorce.
Censco will manufacture under licence the proprietary gas injection equipment marketed by Zotefoams under the MuCell brand. The equipment is installed on plastic extrusion lines to inject atmospheric gases during the melt phase.
Zotefoams uses MuCell technology to produce ReZorce. Not only is the mono-material packaging designed for recycling, it also enables up to 100% recycled plastic to be incorporated within the core of its multi-layer structure.
Zotefoam’s previously produced MuCell equipment at its MuCell Extrusion unit based in Woburn, Massachusetts. The agreement with Censco will allow it to increase capacity and reduce lead times for equipment critical to ReZorce production.
“Partnering with Censco to manufacture MuCell equipment at this point makes absolute sense,” said Neil Court-Johnston, president of MuCell Extrusion. “Censco has the resources and know-how to scale the manufacture of MuCell equipment very effectively and to reduce lead times significantly. We have a shared vision for the future of this technology and its potential to reduce plastic usage and costs for manufacturers,” he added.
The ReZorce packaging range includes beverage containers which are made from 100% HDPE. Unlike aluminium-plastic composites, the cartons are easily recyclable and can be placed in kerbside recycling streams.
In May, Zotefoams announced it entered a contract manufacturing partnership with Südpack for ReZorce. The German flexible film manufacturer will provide a ‘potential capacity’ of up to 100 million ReZorce cartons annually.
Zotefoams is partnering with Refresco, a global player in beverage packaging, to bring ReZorce beverage cartons to market. The partners signed a joint development agreement to develop the cartons up to and including in-market trials for a major European retailer.
