Plastics News - Show Daily - October 21, 2022 - 23

SHOW DAILY
Plastics News, October 21, 2022 * 23
Ukraine
Continued from Page 1
served the surrounding region,
including Russia, since its founding
in 1999. The company is
based in Chernihiv, Ukraine, dangerously
positioned in the north
of the country, less than 45 miles
from the Russian border.
Before Russia invaded the
country in February 2022, PET
Technologies employed 240
people at its 10,000-square-foot
plant. Then the bombing began
near its factory. While the plant
was miraculously unscathed in
the constant air attacks, the area
around it was in places reduced
to ashes and some buildings became
damaged shells.
The company had a decision
to make, Poliansky said. Many
of its fellow businesses were relocating
out of Ukraine, moving
to the western part of the country,
where bombing was not as
fierce, or closing entirely. PET
Technologies briefly considered
moving to a safer haven,
but it decided to stay put.
The decision was as much
about taking a symbolic stand
against terror as it was in continuing
production and maintaining
consistency, he said.
" We decided to be part of rebuilding
the local area and pay
our taxes to support the government
and its fight, " Poliansky
said. " It was difficult but
not impossible to do that. We
saw the worst of it and survived
through it. Spring was taxing,
and we lost a good part of our
business. Now, we are intent on
not only surviving but growing. "
The company decided to
explore new markets to replace
some of the 30 percent
of its business that was sent to
Ukrainian processors before the
war. With many of those businesses
in lockdown or closed, it
was a must to focus on global
work, Poliansky said.
The company had one advantage:
For the last seven years:
it had already made inroads
into the Americas, both North
and South, and in central Asia.
It had supplied machinery and
molds to 55 countries, growing
its overseas business considerably.
Both 2020 and 2021 had
been extremely good years, Poliansky
said.
Another hurdle was showing
the world that PET Technologies
was surviving and even thriving
as a company. A decision was
made to invest in booths at both
Drinktec, a large packaging show
that was held in Munich in September,
and at K 2022.
The company needed to make
an impression, Poliansky said.
The reasoning was simple: The
war with Russia had damaged
the reputation of Ukrainian
companies as strong business
partners, and customers were
worried about the ability of PET
Technologies to supply machinery
and molds, he said.
" Not so many wanted to invest
in Ukraine, " he said. " We had
to tell people that we were still
here and could fill their needs. "
PET Technologies became a
story of resilience. The plant is
inching back closer to capacity.
Of the 240 workers who were
at the company before the war,
about 200 were rehired, he said.
The others either left the country
or joined the military in the
fight against Russia.
Now, the company is finding
both new customers and returning
customers, Poliansky
said. Inside Ukraine, the company
had supplied machines
to processors producing vegetable
oil. Poliansky added that
Ukraine was the biggest global
exporter of vegetable oil before
the war and that supply is coming
back.
Outside the country, the company
is gaining momentum. It
sold three machines to customers
in the United States this
summer, and two more were
shipped to companies in Asia,
he said.
The company is supporting
applications in dairy and juice
bottles and in beer and is working
with customers in the use
of recycled PET. Its machines,
like others from blow molding
equipment suppliers, are more
energy efficient and able to cut
down on kilowatt hours.
Someday soon,
Poliansky
hopes the war will be over or
that it will have less effect. In
the region where PET Technologies
works, air attacks have
already subsided and the community
is rebuilding. But there
continues to be some concern
about what the future will hold
and whether the company can
stay in its current location for
the longer term.
" There is no other choice but
to keep working, " he said. For
PET Technologies, each day
it can produce machines and
parts is a good one, he added.
Bio-based and
circular material
options for shoes
are featured
at materials
company booths
during K 2022,
including a more
sustainable
polyurethane at
Covestro.
Plastics News photo by
Caroline Seidel
MIDDLE EAST
& AFRICA
5-7 September 2023 Dubai
Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai
Interested in showcasing your products and services
to buyers in UAE? 2023 will see the launch of the
Plastics Recycling Show Middle East & Africa.
To book your stand contact Matt Barber,
Global Events Director, Crain Communications
0 mabarber@crain.com 1 +44 (0)7739 302081
Organised by
www.prseventmea.com
Supported by
PRS ME&A 2023 Junior page ad K show daily.indd 1
06/10/2022 15:00
Find out
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in Hall 6
Stand C08
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Plastics News - Show Daily - October 21, 2022

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