Weber International Packaging Corp. is expanding its PET blow molding capacity with a new machine at its plant in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec.
"We feel the market wants it," said Weber spokesman Andre Parent in a recent phone interview from Vaudreuil-Dorion. The new machine will make cosmetics bottles that have better aesthetics because of PET's clarity, he explained.
PET is also desirable for environmental reasons since high volumes are recycled. Parent said some cosmetic packaging could be made of PVC but it is less popular now.
The new blow molding machine arrived in May and is due to begin production at the beginning of October. Weber officials declined to reveal the cost of the machine or the supplier.
Weber of Plattsburg, N.Y., specializes in health and cosmetics packaging. In-house capabilities include closure molding and a toolroom. In Plastics News' most recent survey of North American blow molders, it recorded 2011 sales of $11.8 million.
Its two plants run 63 blow molding machines and employ about 112. It molds high and low density polyethylene, PET, polypropylene and PVC.