Packaging for polymers: a new industry benchmark

The production of plastic pallets intended for ZapSibNeftekhim has been launched in Tobolsk.

iPlast, a Russian manufacturer of industrial plastic packaging, has launched the production of pallets for SIBUR at its Tobolsk facility. This project will provide the ZapSibNeftekhim petrochemical complex with the pallets it needs to store and transport the polyethylene and polypropylene it produces.

“Plastic pallets are preferable to wooden ones when it comes to storing and transporting ZapSibNeftekhim products, since the design of the polymer pallet, with its larger contact area, offers a more uniform load distribution,” says Yelena Kuleshova, an expert at SIBUR’s Internal Warehouses function. “Phasing out wood strengthens SIBUR’s position as a green company that strives to minimise its environmental footprint.”

Using reusable and recyclable plastic pallets in the polymer shipment logistics chain opens a new chapter in the chemical industry’s development

iPlast’s pallets are an example of a product made of virgin polymers that can be reused or recycled.

A total of RUB 750 million were invested into the project. To implement the project, 4,200 sq m of production facilities were built, with two injection moulding machines from the leading European manufacturer, Germany’s KraussMaffei, installed. iPlast’s Tobolsk site has a production capacity of 700,000 plastic pallets per year, which will use over 7,700 tonnes of polymer feed per year at its first stage.

“The ZapSibNeftekhim project is a turning point not just for us, but also for the entire Russian chemical industry, as we are looking at setting a new packaging benchmark for polymers. Using reusable and recyclable PE pallets in the polymer shipment logistics chain opens a new chapter in the chemical industry’s development that is compliant with modern environmental requirements,” explained Maxim Zhukov, CEO of iPlast.

Furthermore, SIBUR’s customers can now benefit from an additional service: when shipping polymers, pallets can be returned for reuse under a repurchase scheme.


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