A Comprehensive Guide to Resin Reprocessing Services

Discover the transformative process of resin reprocessing (repro) with Decker Packaging to be a sustainable solutions. Resin reprocessing involves recycling plastic resin to reduce waste and environmental impact. Explore how Decker navigates through the collection, sorting, cleaning, reprocessing, quality control, and manufacturing stages. Learn why repro resin is advantageous for both the environment and your bottom line. Find out how Deckers’ expertise in repro resin can benefit your business and contribute to a greener future.

What is Resin Reprocessing?

Resin reprocessing (repro) refers to the process of recycling or reclaiming plastic resin, which is the primary component of plastic materials. It involves collecting used plastic products, such as bottles, containers, or packaging, and subjecting them to various mechanical, chemical, or thermal processes to break them down into their constituent resin pellets or granules. The process typically follows these steps:

1. Collection
2. Sorting
3. Cleaning
4. Reprocessing
5. Quality control
6. Manufacturing

What does Decker Reprocess?

Typically, we reprocess clean, plastic (low-density polyethylene; LPDE) packaging which helps take away a step in the repro process. Here are the steps that Decker follows:

1. Collection
   • Our plastic materials that are reprocessed come from scrap that are in-house. This can include making film, cutting of the film to make measurements, and then using the scrap from that to be reprocessed. The plastic scrap comes from within Decker that is clean/un-used.
2. Sorting
   • The collected plastic waste is sorted based on the resin type, color and other characteristics. There is a machine that helps sort this. At Decker, there is not a lot that needs to be sorted as we only use certain types of resin and plastic to begin with.
3. Cleaning
   • Our plastic is already “clean” from the material that we are using.
4. Reprocessing
   • The clean material will now be melted down and processed into resin pellets using techniques such as extrusion, injection molding, or compression molding.
5. Quality Control
   • The reprocessed resin pellets are quality control tested to ensure that they meet the required standards for use in manufacturing new plastic products. These tests include checking for purity, strength and compatibility with other materials.
6. Manufacturing
   • The recycled, repro resin pellets are then used as raw materials in the production of new products at Decker.

Why is repro beneficial?

There are many perks of repro resin for both the manufacturer and the customer. Here are some reasons why repro is beneficial both environmentally and economically:

1. Environmental Benefits
   • Reducing Plastic Waste
     • Instead of plastic waste going to landfills and oceans, we put it back into plastic.
   • Conversation of Resources
     • Repro reduces the demand for virgin plastic resin which converts natural resources such as crude oil or natural gas which are the raw materials for plastic production.
   • Energy Saving
     • Producing repro resin typically requires less energy than producing virgin resin.
2. Economic Benefits
   • Cost Savings
     • Using repro can be cost-effective compared to virgin resin!
   • Compliance with Regulations
     • Often, regions regulate or incentives recycling and sustainability products. Using repro resin can help companies comply with these requirements and access associated benefits or avoid penalties.
3. Corporate Image
   • Green Marketing
     • Using recycled or repro materials can be a selling point for products which can potentially attract customers who prefer environmentally friendly options.
4. Quality and Performance
   • Advanced Technology and Comparable Performance
     • Repro resin has been made to make it more suitable for a wide range of applications with new technologies. With this, repro can offer performance comparability to virgin resin ensuring that products meet required standards and specifications.

Overall, using repro resin can provide a range of benefits to businesses. Take action today and become green! Contact us on how your company can start using repro resin.

What products are typically made in repro resin at Decker?

Since we mainly reprocess LPDE, here are a few examples of some products that can be made with the grade 4 resin:

1. Plastic Bags
2. Packaging films
3. Plastic sheets and liners
4. Medical packaging

How do you get repro resin in your products?

We want our partners to know how we make their products! If repro resin is something you are interested in, our sales representatives walk you through the process to ensure you get what you ask for. Repro has to be requested to use in a product which can happen if you contact us today. The possibilities are endless at Decker!

Contact us today at order@deckerpackagingcorp.com or call us at (712) 323-9995