Because of the increasing prices of virgin pellets [in 1995], plastic recyclers are at long last enjoying a measure of prosperity. This cyclical upswing has coincided with the refinement of Vincent products for the recycling industry.

Dewatering wash tank sludge is an application in which Vincent presses have been used since 1990. The screw press is used to dewater the sludge that settles when the paper label, dirt and residues are washed from post consumer plastics. A 1993 survey of the industry showed that few firms could afford a VP-6 press to dewater this waste material. Based on the survey, the CP-4 press was developed. At a third of the price of a VP-6, it is proving highly successful.

A related application involves the removal of water from the washed plastic. Prior to extruding the recycled plastic into a final pellet form, normally a series of machines are used to remove water from the clean plastic: screens, presses, spin dryers and fluidized bed dryers. Vincent presses with special low compression screws have found some limited use in this dewatering application on film, fiber, ground bottles and polystyrene.

January 1998
Lower prices for virgin plastic have driven many recyclers out of business. The industry is largely made up of small companies that have little, if any, cash available for equipment. Despite these conditions, a number of the very economical KP-6 presses have been sold for dewatering wash tank sludge.