…doors open for PET packaging consultant…

Though no newcomer to the PET packaging market, Otto Appel, principal of the recently formed consultancy tecPET innovation GmbH (Regensburg, Germany), in late March for the first time officially welcomed the PET packaging world to his new R&D center, following the PETnology Europe 2007 conference in Munich, about one hour away. Appel founded tecPET in 2004, not long after leaving filling machinery and stretch blowmolding machinery manufacturer Krones, where he directed the blowmolding machinery business.

Appel says 60 guests from the international beverage and PET packaging industry accepted his invite and toured the facility. “tecPET innovation positions itself as an international marketing-oriented (packaging) design agency and as a technology-oriented engineering office for the PET packaging industry,” says Appel. “The fight for the consumer''s private budget has become a lot harder, and pricing is often the most relevant factor.” His firm hopes to fill the void between package design and plastics processing expertise, so that time to market for new products is speeded.—[email protected]