The packaging industry is changing in response to customers’ demands for improved sustainability by consumers. Packaging suppliers are turning to Polyethylene Terephthalate or PET, a recyclable plastic helping to meet the need for more sustainable products. RETAL is one of the largest companies in Europe and Central Asia to use this light, yet strong and flexible plastic to produce packaging preforms.
In addition to producing standard preforms, which vary in neck finish, weight, color and shape, RETAL also manufactures bottle closures and preforms tailored to customer requirements. They are facing the common industry challenges of driving sustainability, delivering on shorter lead times to market and improving the consumer experience with distinctive and innovative packaging designs.
Bottle design – fast and simple
To meet these challenges, RETAL adopted the 3DEXPERIENCE® platform including its integrated applications CATIA for design and SIMULIA for analysis and digital simulation. With the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, RETAL can design and simulate the best package. Designers can quickly explore alternative design models using CATIA and customers can then visualize those models digitally before choosing the best one for physical prototyping. In addition, reverse-engineering an existing bottle design is made simpler and faster. With SIMULIA, RETAL engineers analyze the stresses exerted on the bottle and check how the bottle reacts when handled. Digital simulation helps RETAL to optimize design and hence reduces material costs.
With the 3DEXPERIENCE platform RETAL can focus on becoming a leader in both the European and global packaging industries. By continuously improving their products, operations, processes, technologies and software they can quickly react to market trends in this fast-moving industry.
Want to learn more about how RETAL is using the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to achieve a leading position in the packaging industry? Hear from RETAL how they benefit from the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and check out a written case study and video. Click here to view.
Maryann is a Senior Communications Manager on the Dassault Systèmes corporate communications team. She’s been with the company for over 16 years, in roles ranging from marketing communications,internal communications, creative and branding, blogging to marketing programs manager.