Discover your next big idea at PACK EXPO Las Vegas this September
Experience a breakthrough in packaging & processing and transform your business with solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries.
REGISTER NOW & SAVE

What happened to PEN?

As we look back over the first two years of Packaging World’s first two decades, few stories are more intriguing than our July ‘95 cover story about PEN (polyethylene naphthalate).

Pw 72137 20years 1014 Db

Touting oxygen and moisture properties four to five times better than PET, a glass transition temperature 43 deg C higher than that of PET (thus making it hot-fillable without sidewall deformation), and molding and blowing cycles shorter than those required for PET, PEN homopolymers and naphtha late-based copolyesters were all the rage at technical conferences throughout that year. But questions about cost, recyclability, machineability, and food contact clearance never really got answered sufficiently, and the end result is that today we hear very little about this once bright start in the galaxy of packaging resins.

2024 PACK EXPO Innovations Reports
Exclusive access: Packaging World editor-curated reports revealing PACK EXPO's most groundbreaking technologies across food, healthcare, and machinery sectors. Each report features truly innovative solutions selected from hundreds of exhibitors by our expert team. Transform your operations with just one click.
Access Now
2024 PACK EXPO Innovations Reports
Is your palletizing solution leaving money on the floor?
Discover which palletizing technology—robotic, conventional, or hybrid—will maximize your packaging line efficiency while minimizing long-term costs in this comprehensive analysis.
Read More
Is your palletizing solution leaving money on the floor?