Danish producer J. Krebs & Co. transforms coffee grounds into reusable biodegradable cups thanks to Arburg technology. The results: 30% cost savings compared to single-use alternatives, waste reduction and 35% business growth. A concrete example of circular economy applied to food service packaging.
Seven days a week, 24 hours a day: coffee is consumed virtually all the time. And this corresponds to the "working hours" of the turnkey Arburg system used by Danish producer J. Krebs & Co. Among other things, it produces recyclable coffee cups — made from coffee grounds!
The idea is compelling: one of the most common organic wastes — coffee grounds — is transformed into an everyday product with a real sustainability factor. The reusable coffee cup produced by J. Krebs & Co. is bio-based, food-safe, biodegradable and home compostable, and replaces traditional single-use cups made of paper or plastic.
30% more cost-effective
Pilot projects in Denmark have already achieved 30% savings on production costs compared to single-use cups — whilst simultaneously reducing waste. The cups can be reused for up to six dishwasher cycles before being composted.
We think it's rather fantastic," says Managing Director Peter Bay. "The material is complex and reacts differently compared to traditional polymers. That's why it was important for us to collaborate with a partner who would not only supply the presses, but also bring in-depth process knowledge and on-site after-sales service expertise.
Operating 24/7
For two years, J. Krebs & Co. has therefore relied on Arburg presses — five are now operating 24/7, including an Allrounder 820 S with a clamping force of 4,000 kN as the heart of production. Its special plasticising screw is designed for the unusual proprietary material blend composed of purified coffee grounds and fermented food oils, developed by the company.
The injection moulding process has been adapted to the material's characteristics, including a customised pre-mixing phase before the material enters the barrel. Production is carried out using an 8-cavity hot-runner mould with valve-gate nozzles. The cycle time is approximately 15 seconds. A classic Multilift V 15 robot system in gantry version removes the parts. After the injection moulding process, laser engraving takes place — for example with the customer's logo — followed by automated packaging by a six-axis robot.
We have worked with Arburg presses from the beginning because we needed stable process control and robust technology from the outset," says Bay. "We only tested Allrounder presses — and the system works.
Chris Kollmann, Applications Manager at Arburg, summarises the testing phase with a trial mould on an Allrounder at the Customer Centre in Lossburg: "We supported the customer with a trial at Arburg in Lossburg and successfully demonstrated that the special material can be processed with our presses."
Technology as a growth driver
Two years ago we didn't have a single Allrounder in operation, says Peter Bay. But when we began our reorientation, Arburg proved to be the right partner to configure our production for the future.
Another advantage: the high flexibility of the presses enables the processing of various bioplastics and special blends — a crucial factor for the company's future-oriented strategy, which has grown by over 35% compared to the previous year.
The presses are robust, the after-sales service is excellent, and we feel that ARBURG is genuinely interested in our development, emphasises Peter Bay.
