Expanding Direct rPET Recycling Beyond Japan

Founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1899, Suntory Group has grown into a global beverage leader while staying true to its founding commitment to grow in harmony with nature. Under its corporate Plastic Policy, the company aims to transition all PET bottles globally to recycled or bio-based materials by 2030, completely eliminating the use of virgin fossil-based plastics.

Central to that goal is Suntory's inline flake to perform direct recycling technology, which has been used to produce the company's soft drink PET bottles in Japan since 2018. To advance its 2030 target, Suntory set out to expand the technology beyond Japan and introduce commercial-scale production of 100% recycled PET bottles in Thailand.

The challenge was in adapting the technology to regional recycling conditions. Direct flake to preform technology traditionally required a stable supply of used PET bottles that met specific quality standards, limiting its application in markets with different collection and recycling systems. In Thailand, Suntory needed to optimize the process to accommodate collected PET bottles of varying quality while maintaining the high standards and safety established in Japan.

Bridging Direct Flake to Preform Technology in a Single Line

Suntory worked closely with Husky and recycling machinery specialist NGR throughout the project. Husky provided its HyPET® HPP5e Recycled Melt to Preform (RMTP) system as the core of the solution, integrating it directly with an upstream melt decontamination unit from NGR. 

Together, the two systems deliver food-contact-approved recycled melt straight into the Husky machine, which molds it into PET preforms, skipping the pelletizing, drying, and remelting steps required in conventional production. That direct link between decontamination and molding cuts the energy required to produce rPET packaging.

This also includes Husky Advantage+Elite™ proactive monitoring as a standard feature, using real-time analytics to reduce the variability risk associated with higher levels of post-consumer resin. The result is stable processing and consistent preform quality, even as feedstock quality varies.

The integrated solution will support the commercial introduction of inline flake to preform technology in Thailand, where Indovida (Thailand) Limited will lead local production. Indovida is a joint venture between Indorama Ventures and Iwatani Corporation.

Lower Energy, Reduced Carbon, Scaled Production

Beginning in 2028, the Thailand project is expected to deliver approximately:

• 400 million PET preforms annually, supplied to Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand)
• 30% lower energy consumption compared with producing preforms through conventional in-house pellet production, drying, and remelting
• 70% lower CO₂ emissions compared with bottles made from virgin fossil-based materials 
• The first commercial introduction of inline flake to preform technology for PET bottles in Southeast Asia

These results, taken together, show how direct recycling can support commercial-scale 100% rPET production while cutting the environmental impact of conventional PET recycling. That progress brings Suntory a step closer to its goal of eliminating virgin fossil-based materials from its PET bottles worldwide by 2030.

WHY CHOOSE A HyPET® HPP5e RMTP INJECTION MOLDING SYSTEM?

Husky's HyPET® HPP5e Recycled Melt to Preform (RMTP) system is designed to help beverage packaging producers streamline rPET production by converting food-grade recycled melt directly into finished preforms.

Key advantages include:

• Direct melt-to-preform processing: Accepts food-grade melt from an upstream recycling and decontamination process, eliminating intermediate pellet production.
• Reduced energy consumption: Bypassing in-house pellet production, drying, and remelting can reduce processing energy over 30%.
• Greater process stability: Standard Husky Advantage+ Elite™ monitoring helps reduce variability risks associated with higher levels of post-consumer resin.
• Proven HyPET® platform: Built on the high-performance HyPET® HPP5e platform, supporting fast cycle times, mold protection, and consistent high-cavitation preform production.

NEXT STEPS

Speak with a Husky packaging expert to learn how our RMTP system and sustainable molding technologies can support your recycled packaging initiatives.