If you want to produce food-grade sheet directly from PET bottle flakes, without going through separate pelletizing, a bottle-to-sheet PET sheet extrusion line handles the whole process in a single step. The system takes washed flakes and delivers food-grade PET sheet for thermoforming, with high transparency, stable viscosity, and barrier properties suited to packaging food and beverages.
In the recycling flow, this PET sheet extrusion line replaces the classic flakes → pellets → sheet chain, eliminating one melting step and its energy cost. It integrates right after washing, where the flakes become a sellable finished product, and suits any plant that wants thermoforming sheet from recycled material. See the full range of PET recycling equipment and where each piece fits into your flow.
Key Advantages of a Recycled PET Sheet Line
• Single-step process, a bottle-to-sheet PET sheet extrusion line turns flakes directly into sheet, without the intermediate pelletizing step and a second melting.
• Food-grade sheet, the finished product meets the requirements for direct food contact, eligible for trays, blisters, and beverage packaging.
• Efficient vacuum drying, safPET drying technology prepares the flakes without yellowing and maintains the material's viscosity throughout extrusion.
• Excellent melt decoloring, the decoloring process noticeably reduces color deviations, so the sheet comes out clear and uniform, batch after batch.
• Stable physical properties, the resulting sheet has consistent thickness and predictable behavior during thermoforming, with no rejects caused by material variation.
• Reduced energy consumption, eliminating one melting step lowers the cost per kilogram of sheet compared with the separate pelletizing option.
• In-house recycled material, you produce food-grade sheet from your own flakes, instead of buying expensive pellets from third parties.
• Fast payback, food-grade thermoforming sheet sells at a price well above raw flakes, shortening the recovery period of the investment.
Technical Specifications, PET Sheet Extrusion
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Process type | Food-grade PET sheet extrusion, bottle-to-sheet (single step) |
| Feedstock | Washed PET flakes from post-consumer bottles |
| Finished product | PET film / sheet for food thermoforming |
| Drying system | Vacuum drying (safPET technology) |
| Decoloring | Melt decoloring process |
| Viscosity | Kept stable throughout extrusion |
| Food contact | 100%, all types of food |
| End application | Thermoforming of trays, blisters, beverage packaging |
| Certification | Compliant with food contact requirements (FDA approved) |
| Sheet width and thickness | Configurable per project |
| Capacity | Configurable per project |
Applications and Industries for Thermoforming PET Sheet
A PET sheet extrusion line primarily serves food packaging producers who want thermoforming sheet from recycled material. The resulting sheet goes directly to thermoforming machines for fruit and vegetable trays, containers for ready meals, blisters, and lids, where transparency and safe food contact are mandatory. For a packaging producer, this means full control, from flake to sheet.
More and more customers in retail and the food industry require packaging with recycled content, and a PET sheet extrusion line covers this demand from in-house material, without depending on external pellet suppliers.
Food-grade thermoforming PET sheet is strictly regulated in the European Union; material produced by a compliant PET sheet extrusion line meets the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2022/1616 on recycled plastic materials intended for food contact.
Beyond food packaging, recycled PET sheet is used for blisters for consumer products, protective packaging, and technical applications that require rigidity and clarity. For producers who make sheet to order, a PET sheet extrusion line with in-house recycled material raises the margin on each ton and opens contracts with customers who require recycled content and traceability. For those who sell sheet by the square meter, the low cost of in-house recycled material translates directly into margin on each order.
Compatible Materials
The system works with PET flakes from the recycling of post-consumer bottles, but it also accepts other PET sources, as long as the material is washed and dried. The quality of the sheet depends directly on how clean the incoming flakes are, which is why a PET sheet extrusion line gives the best results coupled after a high-performance washing line. We recommend flakes with low moisture and no contaminants, for a sheet with uniform thickness and no transparency defects. The system allows the sheet thickness to be adjusted over a wide range, depending on the targeted thermoforming application.
| Accepted feedstock | Notes |
|---|---|
| Flakes from post-consumer PET bottles | The main source for food-grade sheet |
| Reject recycled PET sheet | Edges and waste from thermoforming |
| Reject PET preforms | From injection or blow molding, after grinding |
| R-PET pellets | When you want to start from pellets, not from flakes |
How It Works
The flow on a PET sheet extrusion line is continuous and automated, from washed flake to sheet roll:
1. The washed PET flakes are fed into the safPET vacuum drying system, which prepares them without yellowing.
2. The dried material passes into the extruder, where it is melted and homogenized under temperature control.
3. The melt decoloring process corrects the color and maintains the sheet's transparency.
4. The filtered melt is formed at the flat die into sheet of the required thickness.
5. The calenders cool and calibrate the sheet, ensuring consistent thickness across the full width.
6. The finished sheet is wound into rolls, ready for thermoforming.
Because viscosity stays stable throughout, the sheet behaves predictably during thermoforming, with no rejects. A continuously monitored PET sheet extrusion line quickly brings new operators to consistent results, a real advantage in plants with staff turnover. The automation system keeps recipes per material type and thickness, and switching an order is quick, without laborious adjustments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the sheet produced on a PET sheet extrusion line food-grade?
Yes. The safPET vacuum drying and the melt decoloring process maintain viscosity and transparency, resulting in a sheet compliant for direct food contact. The sheet is suitable for thermoforming trays, containers, and blisters, meeting the European requirements for recycled materials in food contact. On request, we also configure multilayer sheet, with a thin layer of virgin PET on the outside for applications with special barrier requirements.
Why is the bottle-to-sheet process more efficient?
Because it produces sheet directly from flakes, without the intermediate pelletizing step and a second melting. This means less energy consumption, less handling, and better-preserved viscosity. A bottle-to-sheet PET sheet extrusion line shortens the path from waste to finished product. In addition, fewer stoppages for screen changes and better color control mean fewer rejects and a more consistent product.
Is the delivered equipment new?
Yes. We deliver new, unused equipment, built to order, not refurbished units. The construction uses components from established suppliers, with CE marking where applicable, and every unit undergoes a complete inspection before shipping. You receive the technical documentation and operating manuals in your language, for a commissioning without surprises and predictable long-term operation.
What makes URSTAG a premium brand?
European design, top-tier components and experience. Every machine is designed by our engineering teams in Europe and built from components by industry leaders such as Siemens, Schneider Electric, ABB, WEG, SEW-Eurodrive, NORD Drivesystems and Bonfiglioli. The result is reliable, energy-efficient and durable equipment, backed by over 15 years of experience and by delivery, installation, training and service included.
How long does installation and commissioning take?
Transport, commissioning, and operator training are included and carried out by a local team, in your language. Before shipping, the line undergoes a free inspection, so your unit becomes operational quickly, with no hidden installation costs.
Can the line be integrated with a thermoforming machine?
Yes. A PET sheet extrusion line can feed a thermoforming line directly, for recycling and packaging production in a continuous flow. This integration reduces roll handling, lowers energy consumption, and shortens the path from flake to packaged product. We configure the coupling according to your machines and the desired capacity, so the loop stays free of unnecessary intermediate stock.
Why URSTAG?
URSTAG is a premium brand of recycling equipment, with over 15 years of experience. You don't just get a machine, you get a solution engineered by specialists, built from top-tier components and backed by a team that supports you from design through commissioning.
• European engineering, every machine and every complete line is designed by our engineering teams in Europe, with a focus on reliability, safety and energy efficiency.
• Premium components, we build on motors and automation from industry leaders: Siemens, Schneider Electric, ABB, WEG, SEW-Eurodrive, NORD Drivesystems and Bonfiglioli.
• Over 15 years of experience, we know how materials and machines behave in real-world operation, and we configure each solution for your flow and volume.
• New equipment, configured for you, we supply new units, made to order for your application, with complete technical documentation.
• Delivery, installation and training included, we handle transport, commissioning and operator training, with support throughout the equipment's life.
As a premium brand, URSTAG relies on European engineering, top-tier components and experience. You choose a partner that supports your production long term, with equipment built to run reliably in demanding industrial environments.
