Driving Business Success Through New Materials

Introduction

NOVA Chemicals and Saeplast Americas have collaborated on rotomolding projects for several years. Both companies strive to develop more sustainable packaging and achieve a circular economy for plastics. Through their synergistic and innovative projects, their goals of sustainability are becoming a reality.

NOVA Chemicals, a producer of polyethylene and recycled polyethylene recently began a new endeavor with Saeplast to increase operational efficiency and sustainability. Saeplast, a subsidiary of Rotovia, has a strong history in Atlantic Canada dating back over40 years, providing rotomolded solutions to the fish and meat markets in the form of insulated containers. The company has been under the leadership of Brian Gooding (Managing Director) since July 2011 supported by his all-star team. Rotovia was formed by a management led buy of the rotational molding business from a large international packaging firm. Rotovia has a large global presence in the rotational molding industry with ten manufacturing facilities in 7 countries. They utilize their expertise in the rotomolding process to produce sustainable plastic products that are used globally across the agriculture, commercial vehicles, renewable energy, leisure, chemical and food markets.

“Our rotomolded products are already inherently sustainable but as an organization we are striving to do more development in the circular economy and building a sustainable business model” says Gooding. “We believe in collaborative partnerships and that’s what we get when working with NOVA Chemicals”.

Evaluating needs and opportunities

NOVA Chemicals and Saeplast have always enjoyed a collaborative technical relationship that was originally fostered by retired Rotomolding Technical Service expert, Henry Hay, who has since passed the torch to Dustin Turgeon, Professional Engineer and Technical Service Specialist.

“I was really eager to work with the Saeplast team,” says Turgeon.

“Saeplast already had been using TRx0338 when I came in, but I knew that if Brian took advantage of its exceptional performance, it could not only improve their bottom line but also help them down their sustainability path.”

The relationship began gaining momentum when NOVA Chemicals commercialized its new portfolio of hexene rotational molding polyethylene, NOVAPOL® TRx resin. Hay collaborated with Saeplast and began discussions on how to optimize the physical properties of their insulated containers and explore the processing benefits of the NOVAPOL® TRx0338-U(UG) resin.

As a material supplier, it is critical that NOVA Chemicals understands what customers need to be successful. Through many engagements with expert rotomolders, such as Gooding and his team at Saeplast, it was clear that all the key business drivers support the larger picture of improving sustainability in products that are already inherently sustainable. Namely, improving cycle time, operational flexibility, energy savings, and the potential to lightweight.

The NOVAPOL® TRx0338-U(UG) resin, a hexene linear low polyethylene that was designed to have unprecedented productivity, part performance, and designed to support the key business drivers in the roto industry. NOVA Chemicals and Saeplast explored the practical benefits of the TRx0338-U(UG) material from a rotomolding process and part lightweighting potential.

Testing Methods

NOVA Chemicals and Saeplast teams developed a testing plan to quantify and expand the benefits that Saeplast had already been experiencing with the TRx material. The team decided to use the D660 double walled stackable insulated container as the part for the testing. This is a Saeplast legacy core product that is strong, dependable, and well suited for the seafood industry