Didier Decrock

Director, Portfolio PET Solutions

Speaker Biography:

Didier Decrock is a seasoned PET Business Development professional at Sidel, bringing more than 31 years of experience within the company. Throughout his career, he has developed deep expertise across the global packaging industry, covering PET, can, glass, and aseptic technologies. Didier has played a key role in building and supporting strategic partnerships with major accounts worldwide, contributing significantly to Sidel’s long-term customer collaboration programs.

In recent years, he has been actively involved in the development and market introduction of innovative PET technologies, including advancements in PET blowing processes and bottle coating solutions. His extensive international background and strong technical and commercial insight continue to reinforce Sidel’s leadership in packaging innovation.

Joel joined the company in March 2013 to cover Polyethylene (PE) and Polypropylene (PP) in North America. He is currently the service leader of three market advisory subscription services: The Global Plastics and Polymers Report, the North American PE Report and the North American PP report. He has brought a wealth of industry knowledge to IHS Markit through multiple stints along the plastics’ value chain. He began his career with polyolefins manufacturer, Solvay Polymers, which later became Ineos, in technical services and product development before he was moved into field sales.

Presentation Description:

Laser heating technology marks a major advancement in PET and rPET blowing, providing a transformative alternative to traditional halogen systems. Unlike halogen ovens, which use broad zone heating and are sensitive to environmental conditions, laser heating delivers highly localized, precise energy application. This precision enables unprecedented control over the thermal profile of preforms, allowing for lighter yet stronger containers and setting new standards in sustainability, efficiency, and design flexibility.

The core innovation lies in the use of multiple laser heating lines, up to 36, compared to the 8 heating zones typically found in halogen solutions. This allows for more accurate distribution of heat across the preform, enabling fine-tuned control of material thickness throughout the bottle. Such control facilitates innovations like the creation of invisible “power rings,” which reinforce structural strength without increasing material usage, and support lightweighting even in challenging areas, such as beneath the neck.

Laser heating also offers significant operational advantages. It is unaffected by ambient temperature fluctuations, reducing the need for constant recalibration and ensuring consistent bottle quality from the first unit to the last. Technology’s cold start capability eliminates warm-up times, reducing downtime and energy consumption. Maintenance demands are also lower, as the system lacks ventilation fans and filters, and laser diodes have long lifespans.

From a sustainability perspective, laser technology enhances the processing of recycled PET (rPET), which is typically more variable in quality. The precise adaptable heating enables improved stretching at higher temperatures, reducing waste and supporting increased use of recycled content. In conclusion, laser heating represents a paradigm shift in blow molding, overcoming longstanding limitations of halogen systems and opening new possibilities in packaging performance, design, and environmental impact. Its adoption is poised to set a new industry benchmark for PET packaging production.