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PRN: - MCN/200/2015-2017

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October 2015

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• April 2015 • Plastics News •3October

Plastics News • October 2015 •

Contents

Plastics News MCN/200/2015-2017 Volume 94

October 2015 No. 10

Chairman - Editorial Board Mr. Ravinder Kumar Aggarwal Hon. Editor Mr. Ajay Desai

IS H T N

. . . E SSU

13...... AIPMA At Work

Members Mr. A. E. Ladhaboy Dr. Y. B. Vasudeo Ms. Poorvi Desai

AIPMA’s participation in IFLEX 2015

Editorial Co-ordination: Padmesh Prabhune, Dhruv Communications, Mumbai, Tel No: 022 2868 5198 / 5049 Fax No : 022-28685495 email: dhruvpr@vsnl.net

CHALLENGES FOR PLASTIC INDUSTRY

Interviews AIPMA supports Microsoft Summit

Published by Ms. Umaa Gupta on behalf of the owners, The All India Plastics Manufacturers’ Association Plot No. A-52, Road No. 1, M.I.D.C., Andheri (E), Mumbai-400 093. Tel: 67778899 • Fax : 00-22-2821 6390 E-mail : office@aipma.net • Website : http://www.aipma.net Printed by her at : Dhote Offset Technokrafts Pvt. Ltd., Goregaon (E), Mumbai-400 063. Annual Subscription Single issue

Rs. 1,000/Rs. 75/-

Views/Reports/Extracts etc. published in Plastics News are those of the authors and not necessarily of the Editor. Furthermore except for copies of formal AIPMA communications no other matter in this journal should be interpreted as views of The All India Plastics Mfgrs. Association. Office Bearers Mr. Ravinder Kumar Aggarwal Mr. Sanju Desai Mr. Jagat Killawala Mr. L. K. Singh Mr. Meela Jayadev Mr. Ashok Agarwal Mr. Haren Sanghavi

President Senior Vice President Vice President – Finance Vice President (North Zone) Vice President (South Zone) Vice President (East Zone) Vice President (West Zone)

27...... Company News 32...... Features IPLEX 2015 Soil Solarization Seksaria at the helm at Plastindia Fully automatic ‘zero defect’ manufacturing of precision moulded parts Myths and misconceptions around compostable plastics Plastic packaging reduces food waste Rajoo Creates A New Footprint with Green Sheet Extrusion Line Kabra solEX 75 HDPE Pipe Extrusion Plant Shrinath Rotopack plans to offer various packaging solutions

48...... International News 52...... Business News 56...... Product News 60...... Technology 64...... In the News

• October 2015 • Plastics News

PlasticsNews News••April October Plastics 20152015 • 4•

• October 2015 • Plastics News

Plastics News • October 2015 •

THE PRESIDENT SAYS

My Journey to Achieve Goals of AIPMA Dear Friends,

t is indeed a great honour to be elected as President of The All India Plastics Manufacturers’ Association. Thank you for the confidence you have shown in me. I am grateful to you for giving me this opportunity to work for the betterment of AIPMA. I express my gratitude to members of Governing Council. I also express my gratitude to the Managing Committee and to the out going President Shri Rituraj Gupta for their extraordinary efforts in leading the association. This is the first time that the President of AIPMA has been elected from outside the Mumbai region, this will make my work all the more difficult but with your help I wish to prove your decision correct. This shows that AIPMA is on the path of reinventing and transforming itself which is the need of the hour. Before we begin this year’s journey, let us pause and take a look at ourselves. It is a time for re-commitment. It is a time to reaffirm our commitment and vision of leading the Indian Plastic Industry to process at least 20kg of Plastic per head by 2020.

• F o r g e g o o d w o r k i n g relations with foreign e m b a s s i e s ( G e r m a n y, Italy, UK, USA, Japan, etc.), High Commissions, International Institutions, I n t e r n a t i o n a l Tr a d e Agencies (Italian Trade Agency, Indo German Chamber of Commerce, Indo UK Chamber of Commerce, etc.). • To start work in the area of Plastic Parks (Rajasthan, MP, UP, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, etc.). To revive, redesign & address issues faced by units in Dahej Plastic Park. • To open new office of AIPMA in Ahmedabad. • To strengthen Delhi Office (infrastructure, additional manpower, etc.) to cater to the needs of its members and also create and maintain effective linkages with governments and its institutions.

Some of the major initiatives I propose to take are:-

• ISO certification for AIPMA

• In addition to DCPC, AIPMA will engage with other key Ministries of Government of India. Some of these are Ministry of MSME, NSIC (for Incubation Center), Ministry of Skill Development, Ministry of Commerce, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (for ease of Doing Business & Make in India), Ministry of Agriculture (Plastics in Agriculture), Ministry of Health (Plastic in Medicine), Ministry of Rural Development (Mobile Toilets) and Ministry of Urban Development (Smart city, Plastics in infrastructure), Ministry of External Affairs.

• Engage professionals for market research, industry survey, data collection and data mining. Dear friends, I hope to get your continued support and confidence in my upcoming responsibilities. During this task together we will achieve the best results in advancing AIPMA’s goals. Thank you once again for this honour. R. K. Aggarwal president@aipma.net

• October 2015 • Plastics News

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FROM THE EDITOR's PEN

Technological Advances

As you are aware technology is the key for our industry and any advances into it interests me much more. This time we have World’s first 9-Manifold extrusion Die and a Pendant software that makes hassle free operating of robots. Nordson EDI World’s first 9-manifold extrusion die Nordson Corporation has introduced Nordson EDI nine-manifold flat die, the first of its kind, that has been successfully commissioned, producing nine-layer film from various resins. The latest advance in coextrusion technology from Nordson Corporation enables film processors—particularly those with high-throughput lines dedicated to a narrow range of products to achieve tighter thickness tolerances for the individual layers in a multi-layer structure. The so called most advanced multi-manifold die also provides tighter tolerances than a comparable feedblock system, saving material costs and enhancing product quality. As it happens while the degree of improvement will vary with the application, in general the technology promises to reduce variation in individual layer thickness from the +/- 15% tolerance often encountered with comparably advanced feedblock systems to +/- 5% and Nordson has agreed to the fact. In a multi-manifold die, each polymer flow stream has its own manifold, and the layers are combined into a single structure only after each layer has been individually spread to its full width. By comparison, a feed block combines multiple polymer streams into a narrow multilayer “sandwich” that is subsequently distributed to full width in a single-manifold die. One of the reasons why the multi-manifold method provides greater layer uniformity and thickness accuracy is that it avoids much of the layer-interface deformation that occurs when multiple layers pre-assembled in a feedblock are then spread simultaneously through the die.

I am of the opinion that greater accuracy achievable with multimanifold dies would enable processors to run thinner layers of the costly specialty materials often required for high-performance packaging films, while at the same time would also help enhancing product quality and consistency. Yaskawa SPI Pendant software Yaskawa Motoman (Miamisburg, OH) has introduced SPI Pendant software, an easy-to-use graphical interface for Motoman robots utilized in the plastic injection molding industry. It allows users to quickly create and modify programs without being versed in Yaskawa Motoman's proprietary INFORM robot programming language.A setup wizard leads users through a series of configuration options for robots, conveyors, de-gating stations and more. The icon-driven interface allows users to develop program flow without knowing robot programming. This will make it easier for operators can then interact and control the robot by using an event-driven paradigm and language that is familiar to them. By looking at the robot program as a series of events, the operators are better able to understand and modify it, as needed. It is no longer about how to program a robot; it becomes about how to improve the tending operation.The interface supports multiple robots, external axes, grippers, conveyor/drop locations and de-gating stations. It also has a production data screen, built-in mold warm-up and part-stacking options and three levels of security that will be more of a help.. Lets improve and serve better..

Hon.Editor Ajay Desai

• October 2015 • Plastics News

Aipma at work

Plastics News • October 2015 •

Aipma at work

AIPMA’s participation in IPLEX 2015

IPMA had actively participated at the recently held IPLEX 2015 at BIEC, Bengaluru from 25th to 27th September 2015 . The exhibtion was organised by the Karnataka State Plastics Associations' (R) The Event was Organised by Karnataka State Plastics Association( R ), Tamilnadu Plastics Manufacturers Association, Telangana and Andhra Plastics Manufacturers Association, Kerala Plastics Manufacturers Association

Plastic Industries. We have got Potential Exhibitors with Signed forms for Plastivision India 2017, Plastivision Arabia 2016 and Membership. Our Chairman AIPMA Governing Council Shri Arvind Mehtaji, President Shri. R.K. Agarwalji, Vice President Shri. Meela Jayadevji, Chairman Kailash Murarkaji - Plastivision India 2017, Chairman Harish Dharamsiji – Plastivision Arabia 2016, Shri. Anil Kanugaji and Manager Exhibitions Ms. Sanjeevani Kothare

with Central Institute of Plastics

and Regional Senior Manager South

Engineering & Technology.The exhibition was inaugurated at 10.30 am on 25th September, 2015.

Zone Mr. Ramarethinam was attended

The exhibition hall was very vibrant with many of the exhibitors, Visitors and their Products. Every day there are many visitors came to the stall whereas there all are

this exhibition. Our Chairman had a discussion and highlighted the need for the plastic fraternity to work together for development of plastic industry with Mr. Thakkar – Conveyor of IPLEX’15.

Ms. Sanjeevani Kothare– Manager Exhibitions set up potential meetings with the Exhibitors and some suppliers. Also issued them Plastivision 2017 and Plastivision Arabia 2016 brochures to all of them and approached for the same. She has also tried to meet for their Supporters for PVI 2017 Sponsorship Mileages. Mr. Ramarethinam Regional Senior Manager explained about the aims and objectives of AIPMA, networking through Fairs and Exhibitions. Special emphasis was laid on the benefits of membership of AIPMA. Plastivision India, Plastivision Arabia, Plastic Parks, Plastic News Monthly magazine were duly highlighted with a request for stall visitors to enrol as members of AIPMA.

• October 2015 • Plastics News

Aipma at work

R K Aggarwal

New President AIPMA Q) What would be your goal as the President of the AIPMA? A) We need to have 360 degrees approach. We plan to make AIPMA more visible and audible both ‘Nationally’ as well as ‘Internationally’. We also plan to have frequent interactions with all the major ministries along with DCPC Q) How do you plan to counter the ‘Plastic Ban’? A) Plastic Ban as we have been saying is all about perception blocks. Actually the problem is not with Plastic, but littering and the onus also lies upon government bodies to ensure have a effective system for waste collections. Can a modern world imagine a day without plastics, No one can’t. Plastic reinforces with construction waste as well and that adds to the problem. Q) Do you think the Government is supporting the cause of Plastic Industry? A) No. The government needs to consider the Plastics Industry as it contributes to the overall GDP. Q) What are your plans for the growth of the Industry as a whole? A) We are looking forward to higher growth and for this we need to create more awareness about Plastics. We plan to enlighten everybody including the officials in government as well as the ‘Decision makers’ to have a favorable atmosphere for the industry. Q) Should we have a focus on export oriented market? A) Yes, definitely. Plastics Industry should focus on higher exports and for this as said we plan to have regular communications across the level including the foreign embassy along with Government officials Q) When do you expect the GST to actually become a reality? A) I think it will happen for sure but not before 2017.

Plastics News • October 2015 •

Rituraj Gupta

Immediate past President AIPMA Q) What do you feel about the current scenario in the Plastic Industry India ? A) Urgent attention is required .We lack in exports. There is a huge scope in country though we have a cheap labour available we are not able to market as it should have been. We need to take strong measures to stand out globally as well. Q) With the given slack in the market when do you feel the market will come on track ? A) The effect is taking its beat.. We need a reduction in the interest rate that will help to create the momentum and boost the system. With the given higher rate of interest we are not able to compete. Perhaps it will take some time to come on track only after reductions in rates. Q) What are the challenges faced by the industry? A) As said the higher rate of interest, lack of skilled work force and the negative perception are some of the challenges we need to work on. Q) What are your plans for the Association as a whole? A) We need to develop skill development centre, design member –oriented programs and schedules. Also we need to upgrade ourselves with data collection, collating and then co relating it. Q) What do you think about the growth potential in the Industry? A) The industry will see the growth approximately 15% looking at the current trends

Aipma at work

Jagat Kilawala

Sanjay Desai Q) What do you feel about the current scenario in the Plastic Industry India ? A) There is a immense scope for growth in country. We are at the lower level of the pyramid. We need to change our mind set and improve ourselves. The ‘Make in India’ call make an impact but most of them are not ready to take the risk.

Q) What do you feel about the current scenario in the Plastic Industry India? A) The domestic Plastic Industry is going through a rough patch because of low demand and dumping of finished products from the neighbouring countries. Q) With the given slack in the market when do you feel the market will come on track? A) The Indian Market will improve with the sentiment of the Financial Market and Manufacturing Industries.

Q) With the given slack in the market when do you feel the market will come on track ? A) It is already on track. The domestic market is doing well and comparing the international market the domestic Indian market is quite stable. Q) What are the challenges faced by the industry? A) As said the biggest challenge is the Mental block – mindset, lack of skilled work force, development and cost of technology affordability is high. Q) What are your plans for the Association as a whole? A) We need to transform the association and make it professional and ’by Professionals’, making it a common voice of the Industry and compete globally. Q) What do you think about the growth potential in the Industry? A) The industry will see the growth approximately 8-10 % per annum as a whole looking at the current trends. Vietnam has had a huge growth and as such comparatively India could do it as well. By 2020 we have huge potential to grow for every industry needs plastics in its development.

If GST is implemented it will help the overall economy and so will be the Plastic Industry.

Q) What are the challenges faced by the industry? A) The challenges faced by industry is erratic supply of Raw Materials, higher cost of finance, higher cost of energy and dumping of finished products from neighbouring countries under FTA’s. Q) What are your plans for the Association as a whole? A) As know that 90% of Plastic Industry comprises of MSME, we want to consolidate and take advantage of size. This may include collective buying and positioning Indian products overseas. In a nutshell we are focusing on growth of our Members in term of volume, quality and market reach. 5. What do you think about the growth potential in the Industry? A) Indian Plastic Industry is growing at around 14%. As of know we are using around 9Kg of the per capita consumption and world around 90kg. There is immense potential of growth of plastic industry as Government is also taking proactive steps to use plastics in core sectors like Agriculture, Housing, Infrastructure Development, and Packaging. The retail chain and distribution network of plastic which has rigid and flexible packaging will have better demand. This will help the growth of the Indian Plastic Industry.

• October 2015 • Plastics News

Aipma at work

Meela Jayadev

Haren Sanghavi: Q What do you feel about the current scenario in the Plastic Industry India? A) The current scenario in the Plastic Industry is very puzzling with growth of industry on one side and issues like Environment, taxation policies, Labour policie s, e t c t ryin g t o restrict the growth on the other side. Q) With the given slack in the market when do you feel the market will come on track? A) Indian market is shelf sustainable hence the current slack does not hurt as much to the industry. If it lasts for more than 3 months maybe there will be a sharp decline in the industry. Q What are the challenges faced by the industry? A) Labour especially skilled labour shortage, unclear taxation structures, anticipation of industrial negative strigent policies are some of the major challanges for the plastic industry Q What are your plans for the Association as a whole? A) Improve industry connect, Improve image of Plastics in common mans mind, Improve member service are some of the plans that an association should target. Q What do you think about the growth potential in the Industry? A) According to the growth pattern and the growing needs and newer range of plastic products for common man usage it looks like India should achieve a target of atleast 25 kgs per capita consumption of Plastic material by 2020. Identically the worldwide per capita consumption should also double by 2020.

Plastics News • October 2015 •

1.Q. What do you feel about the current scenario in the Plastic Industry India? 1.A. Current scenario is not good for the industry, because of severe draught conditions prevailing in India and slackness/ sickness in Infrastructure Industry 2.Q. With the given slack in the market when do you feel the market will come on track? 2.A. Certainly market will bounce back very shortly. Present market slackness is mostly due to accute draught conditions prevailing in all over India. Once the situation improves and infrastructure industry picks up, the plastic industry also will have better growth 3.Q. What are the challenges faced by the industry? 3.A. Power shortage in most of the states, frequent raw material price changes, which is greatly affecting working capital management. 4.Q. What are your plans for the Association as a whole? 4.A. a) Enrolling New Members - To find potential members from the consolidated data of the plastic Industry. b ) Student Membership - To address all polymer institutions, departments and students to join AIPMA. c) Affiliate Membership - To Bring all the local & district associations as a Affiliate Member. d) Renewal Membership - To revamp the existing lists of active, inactive members and find the reason to withdrawal from the membership and address the same. e) Associate Membership - To Enroll all the Polymer Institutions as a Associate Member. f) Affiliate Member - To enroll all district associations as affiliated members. g) Advertisement - To collect data from all plastic magazines besides our data base to create new advertisers for our magazine Plastic News. h) Seminars - To conduct seminars with coordination with CIPET and other associations atleast twice a year. i) Workshop Social Activities – “AN AIPMA INITIATIVE” - As the plastic industry needs to make over as a non-pollutant industry, environment friendly.To conduct workshop or demonstrate the effectiveness and usefulness of plastics, and the hazards of disposal. j) AIPMA green activities - To plant trees near by bus stops, schools and college highlighting the effective plastic disposal system. k) Exhibitions - To classify the existing list of exhibitors and to promote new exhibitors for PVI & PVA from the consolidated data prepared,To Encourage the new exhibitors by giving the best offer price. l) Delegations - National & International Trade fairs, To improve upon the number of delegates for both international fair and national fairs. To strengthen the AIPMA delegation from all over south. Kindly suggest any other activity which will enhance our AIPMA image and mission. 5.Q. What do you think about the growth potential in the industry? 5.A. The per capita consumption of plastic is increasing rapidly,thereby industry is expected to grow.

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• October 2015 • Plastics News

Aipma at AT work AIPMA Work

Ashok Agarwal

Lalit Kumar Singh

Q. What do you feel about the current scenario in the Plastic Industry India?

Q. What do you feel about current scenario in the Plastics Industry India?

A) India has one of the fastest growing economies of the world . It is one the most favoured destination for the overseas investors and Plastic industry in india is growing at a very fast speed . With the advancement of technology and plastic being the best suited material replacing wood, steel and its consumption being increasing in all sectors from Automobile, Electronics, Construction, irrigation etc.

A) The present scenario is very good with the kind of potential India offers. However, the Indian economy passing through a slack period. The worldwide slump is also taking its toll on the Indian industry. The expectation from a single party does not seem to be coming forth. Nevertheless, we can expect very good times not so far in the near future. Looking at the potential of 20MN ton consumption in the next 5 years, the Growth has to gain momentum very fast. I feel a great leap for the industry growth just around the corner.

With all the required infrastructure available for the plastic industry in india and huge market for the nished goods in india , the future of plastic industry is very bright . Q. With the given slack in the market when do you feel the market will come on track?

Q. With the given slack in the market when do you feel the market will come on track?

A) The revival of market will depend upon reinforcing domestic drivers of growth and some stability in the global economic environment . With expected investment activity to accelerate over the coming years , which will help the indian economy achieve a higher growth rate .

A) As I have explained, that the slack in the market is short lived. Looking at the potential of 20MN ton consumption in the next 5 years, the Growth has to gain momentum very fast. I feel a great leap for the industry growth just around the corner. It is my belief that The large companies have already planned to expand/take over companies/order machines seeing the potential in the near future. Industry is affected with short liquidity in the market.

Massive infrastructure investment by the government along with increased investment activity by the private sector will accelerate overall investment during the current decade . The rising income and urbanisation will boost demand for infrastructure investment in sectors such as electricity , roads, telecom etc. Thus it is just a matter of no time when the market will be on track . Q. What are the challenges faced by the industry? A) Presently the biggest challenges faced by the industry are the scarcity of skilled labours . It is becoming increasingly difcult to get skilled labours, which disrupts the production and quality of the material produced. The other problems faced by the industry are the Finance Arrangement , procurement of raw material , fast changing in technology leading to obsolete of machines and nished goods, infrastructure . Q. What are your plans for the Association as a whole? A) As we are having full edged ofce in Kolkata my plan for the Association as a whole is to make AIPMA the platform which will help people in getting information required regarding plastic industry in eastern zone and help the people to set up units by information or bonding through government . Q. What do you think about the growth potential in the Industry? A) As there is huge investment from private sectors and also infrastructure development and full support from government to manufacturing sectors there is huge growth potential in the industry in the coming years.

Plastics News 2015 Plastics News 2015 • October • • 18 • October

Q. What are your plans for association as a whole? A) I feel the association has an important role to play here. With the industry on the threshold of a boom in growth, and 80% industry Being small and Consuming barely 20% of raw material. Small industries have to be supported, technically and on other fronts to improve, ensure planned the Govt schemes to the MSME. We have to liaise with DCPC, MSME, Industry, and other Related Govt department for beneting the industry, in addition to NGT cases which the association is doing. Other Programs of AIPMA, are very good, and must be pursued for Job Fairs, Plastic Park developments etc., facility Q. What do you think about the growth potential in the industry? A) The potential of the plastic industry is well known, and if we look at it, our Per capita Consumption of 10 Kg to go to world average of app. 25 Kg is a tall order. Obviously it is going t double in the next 5/6 years, and that too is inadequate. This has to grow or rather boom, in every eld of polymers upstream and downstream.

• October 2015 • Plastics News 43 • April 2015 • Plastics News

Aipma at work President Er. R. K. Aggarwals' Achievements

Export Award function held along with Diamond Jubilee Celebration of Plexconcil on 10th September, 2015 Er. R.K. Aggarwal receiving Export Award in category of Masterbatches

Bombay Fountain Pen Manufacturers and Traders Association, 11th Export Award Function held on 3.10.2015

Meeting of Immediate Past President Shri Rituraj Gupta, Shri L. K. Singh – VP North, Shri Kailash Murarka – Chairman Plastivision India 2017 and Raju Desai – Chairman Advisory Board with Chairman and Managing Director, NSIC

Plastics News • October 2015 •

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• October 2015 • Plastics News

Aipma at work

AIPMA supports Microsoft Summit Microsoft Summit was held on 12th October, 2015 at JW Marriot, Juhu, Mumbai. With the objective of helping the industry the Summit was Titled : From Blue Print to Reality Make Growthy Real .The summit was supported by AIPMA along with Bombay Small Scale Industries Association and All India Cosmetics Manufacturers Association

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Plastics News • October 2015 •

Aipma at work

Challenges For Plastic Industry Indian Plastic Industry which is growing by leaps and bounds to achieve a target of 20+ kgs per capita by 20/20 is facing the flake from competitive industries in the guise of pollution, environment, health, etc., whereas the facts are contradictory to the facts. Plastics are supposed to be most environmentally friendly for various reasons like: 1) They can be recycled to reclaim the precious crude fuel used to convert them to plastics. 2) Plastics have the lowest carbon foot print. 3) Plastics do not cause any harm to human body. All ingredients / chemicals that are part of process to produce plastics like Polyethylene (PE) Polypropylene (PP), Poly Ethylene Tetra Phthalate (popularly known as PET), etc., used for packaging of food or medical products are well within or to say way below prescribed limits of FAD (FOOD AND DRUGS Administration). 4) The myth that multilayer Plastics are not recyclable are also proved wrong as today there are various process to recycle the multilayer plastics waste. One of the most important being conversion to fuel. 5) Plastics are extremely light-weight vis-a-vis glass, metal or any other alternative. This reduces fuel consumption for transportation

of packed products using plastic packaging. 6) Durability and reusability is another advantage leading to multiple reuse of the plastic product. The simplest example is reuse of carry bags till it tears. 7) These are only some of the few major benefits. There are many more benefits related to environment. Plastics are used today in almost all sectors of the economy infrastructure, medical, agriculture, consumer & household products, telecommunications, packaging, aerospace & aeronautics, automotive, etc., to name few. More than 60% of plastics produced in the country are being recycled today and the quantities are growing day by day. The reason for slow growth is majorly the effect of un-supportive policies and counter-productive licencing rules. Some of the unsupportive policies are: 1) Excise duty on equipment used for recycling plastics which should be exempted. 2) VAT on final recycled granules which should be exempt such that recyclers can fetch better pricing. 3) Most countries who believe in environment conservation provide subsidies to recyclers but in India it is not provided for. 4) Finance is available in most of environment conserving countries at extremely subsidised interest

rates unlike India. 5) Special support like Insurance, medical aid, child education for free, alike are some benefits that NGO's, rag pickers, waste collectors, waste dealers, recycling enterprises, etc., should be provided. This feature will boost unemployed mass to do waste collection. 6) Missing licencing policies should be industry supportive policies which attract all recyclers to register and effectively support environment conservation. The NGT matter was listed for hearing on 18th August, 2015: The minutes of the 70th meeting of the Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) held on 18th August’2015 contended that it has been clearly established that certain pharmaceutical preparations packaged in PET bottles upon testing showed presence of Chromium, Antimony, Lead, DHP therein at the room temperature. According to one of the respondents, an Accredited Laboratory did not perform this test. It was also noted that the there was no proper procedure followed for controlled samples, and, therefore, no weightage may be given on these findings, and the minutes made mention about the need for further study. NGT Court directed all the parties i.e. Applicant, Ministry of Health and MoEF, CPCB and the Board under the Drugs Act and all the other respondents, Stakeholders, Food

• October 2015 • Plastics News

Aipma at work Safety and Standards Authority of India, each one of them to respond to these reports so submitted not exceeding three pages clearly stating:-

MOEF, DCPC, PCMA, AIPMA, OPPI, AIPIA, Kalpavriksh Environment Action Group, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Smriti Sansthan.

1) Whether there should or should not be ban on the use of plastic packaging in food items.

The matter was again listed for hearing on 5th, 6th and 7th October’2015. During these dates, some important decisions were made for the case like respondents requesting to delete the name of the applicant (Him Jagriti Uttaranchal Welfare Society) from the case as they had direct links with the glass industry. The discussion in NGT would continue as the matter is related to environment and health safety. However, due to the respondent lawyer’s outcry the judges heard Plastics in a positive way.

2) Whether or not there should be complete ban or complete prohibition for use of plastic packaging in pharmaceutical formulations of any kind. 3) Whether there should be a partial ban on either of the above, and if yes, its extent. All Respondents, Stakeholders and Ministries were granted liberty to state their note, either based on the Study they wish to annex in their submission and if there is need for imposition of any prohibition on either of the above items, whether there are standards to regulate both and, if so, what are the prescribed standards sufficient for protecting human health and environment. 10 days were given to file the 3 Page Note. The matter for final arguments was listed on day-to-day basis from 14th and 15th September, 2015. On 14th September, 2015 the matter was listed in the NGT Court. Whereas D.G.H.S. had formed a technical committee to make their final decision on the response and had not yet filed any response. C.P.C.B. too had not filed their responses. They were given further 7 day’s time to file their responses. 12 parties had filed their - 3 Page Note i.e. Respondents – UoI, MoHFW, FSSAI,

Plastics News • October 2015 •

The next hearing is scheduled on 27th October’ 2015 on day-to-day basis. In context to the draft Waste Management Rules 2015, a meeting was scheduled on 7th October’2015 in MoEF. The final draft notifications committee was called for open discussions. AIPMA made lot of suggestions the most important being request for reverting back to 2003 definition for Carry bags. On behalf of AIPMA, Mr. Haren Sanghavi – VP (West) attended the meeting. The meeting could not conclude as there were lot of points for discussions on the notifications. AIPMA took a strong lead supported by ICPE Mr. Vijay Merchant and Mr. Bandopadhyay and IPI Mr. Banerjee. In continuation the meeting was called on 16th October’2015 where with Mr. Haren Sanghavi – V. P. (West) & Mr. Akhilesh Bhargava – Chairman Environment Committee attended

the meeting. There were discussion on EPR and Multilayer Packaging. For EPR the discussion was highly positive as the notification will not allow any Government body to collect any tax or funds towards Extended Producers responsibility but an intermediate system was fixed for the producers which include Brand owners, Importers, etc., to device their own collection system to get back the waste equivalent to the Polymer they consume per annum by whatever incentive packages that suite the producers. The producers will have the liberty to join hands with waste recyclers who would do the task on their behalf and collect the waste and recycle it. It was decided that a body of State Pollution Control Board should audit the polymer consumption and collection. The second most important point of discussion was introduction of Waste Collection banks right upto small village levels. These waste banks will be accept any type of waste, immediately sort, segregate and distribute for recycling or reclamation. After the final discussion of Plastic Waste Management 2015 Rules MoEF finalised a 5-member committee consisting of AIPMA lead by Haren Sanghavi, ICPE lead by Mr. Bandhyopadhyay, 1 NGO, 1 representative of C.P.C.B., and 1 from existing team of the which formalised the new Draft waste Management Rule. The role of this committee is to define the new Draft Notifications word to word so that the same can be placed for discussions.

COMPANY NEWS

Shanghai Pret Composites announces TPO expansion of 20000 tonnes

hanghai Pret Composites, which acquired WPR Holdings LLC (Wellman Plastics Recycling) of Johnsonville, S.C. earlier this year, announced that the new name of its US operating unit will be Wellman Advanced Materials and that it will benefit from a capacity expansion of 20,000 tons. The new capacity expansion of 44-million pounds/20,000 tonnes at the Johnsonville site in order to offer Pret's highly regarded TPO, long-glass (reinforced) polypropylene (LGPP), and other engineered polypropylene (PP) compounds to automakers and tier suppliers in North America. The first compounding extruder will be installed by the end of 2015 with a second to be installed in

early 2016. Wellman also plans to expand its product development and application testing services at its R&D facility in Johnsonville with testing equipment with more inhouse mechanical testing, material characterization, and color-matching resources. Moldfilling and structural analysis support will also be offered for its North American customers. “The name change is to signify that Wellman Advanced Materials' product portfolio in North America has been expanded to include TPOs [thermoplastic polyolefins] and various engineered polypropylene compounds in addition to Wellman’s traditional nylon products,” explained Xy Sun, chief-executive officer, Wellman Advanced Materials.

BPCL to start working on Kochi petrochem

PCL is all set to start work on Rs 5,000 cr complex in Kochi. The upcoming petchem facility, adjacent to its Kochi refinery, once completed will produce 250 mln tons speciality propylene derivative products, which are fully imported now, as per moneycontrol.com. The petchem project is part of the over Rs 20,000 crore expansion BPCL is undertaking to upgrade and increase its refining capacity from 9.5 mln ton to 15.5 mln ton. The expansion is alone will cost the Rs 16,500 crore and is expected to be completed by December 2015.

To Our Precious Readers Wish you a Very Happy Diwali & Prosperous New Year 25

• October 2015 • Plastics News

COMPANY NEWS

China commissions second unit to produce propylene China has commissioned its second unit to produce propylene, a key ingredient in plastics, using UOP LLC’s C3 Oleflex™ process technology. In addition to technology licensing, UOP also provided engineering design, catalysts, adsorbents, equipment, staff training and technical service for the project. Equipment supply included Callidus Low NOx (Callidus Stage Gas Ledge Stabilization) burners, manufactured at UOP Callidus Shanghai, which feature a patented tile configuration to achieve a "stiffer" flame. Zhejiang Shaoxing Sanjin Petrochemical Co., Ltd. became the second company in China to commission a UOP C3 Oleflex process unit to produce propylene from propane, increasing the global production capacity from UOP technology to approximately 3.8 mln mtpa. Traditionally, propylene

is a byproduct of certain refining processes, but those processes no longer produce enough propylene to meet rising global demand. This propylene shortage has sparked investment in technology to create propylene from propane, also known as on-purpose propylene. "By 2020, 20% of the world's propylene production is expected to come from on-purpose propylene production technologies, and UOP is proud to be leading the development of this essential petrochemical with our Oleflex technology," said Pete Piotrowski, senior vice president and general manager of UOP's Process Technology and Equipment business. "For more than 20 years, the Oleflex process has been a reliable, independent source of high-quality propylene and we look forward to helping increase its availability in China and around

the world." Zhejiang Shaoxing Sanjin Petrochemical Co., Ltd. will produce 450,000 MTA of propylene at its facility in Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, China. Zhejiang Shaoxing Sanjin Petrochemical Co., Ltd. is a fully owned subsidiary of Zhejiang Fuling Holding Group, located in Shaoxing City, China. Established in 2003, the company specializes in polypropylene production and produces 600,000 metric tons of the substance annually. "We selected UOP Oleflex technology for our propylene production needs due to its reliability, economics, experience in integrating with polypropylene technologies, and overall processing flexibility," said Mr. Zhong Jianming at Zhejiang Shaoxing Sanjin Petrochemical Co., Ltd. "UOP's local service and support team worked well with our team to make the startup a success."

DuPont to pay $724,000 as fines

uPont Co. will pay $724,000 in fines for Clean Air Act violations which led to a 2010 vinyl fluoride gas explosion that killed one person and seriously injured another at a chemical plant in Tonawanda, N.Y., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced October 1 2015 . In the settlement, DuPont also will spend $112,000 purchasing vapor and radiation detection equipment and training for the local fire department. Since the November. 9, 2010 fire and explosion, DuPont has already made approximately $6.8 million in chemical safetyrelated improvements at the facility, according to the EPA,

Plastics News • October 2015 •

including installing equipment, developing more stringent safety and monitoring standards and changing the configuration of equipment to reduce the chances of another seepage or buildup of vinyl fluoride vapors or other dangerous gasses. Warren Hoy, the DuPont Yerkes plant manager, said, “Safe and reliable operations are our top priorities, and we have implemented extensive modifications to the process and operating procedures at the site. Contract welder Richard Folaron was welding on top of a 10,800-gallon storage tank that had held slurry used in the production of photovoltaic panels. Though the tank

that Folaron and DuPont employee William Freeburg were working on had been emptied weeks earlier, according to the report, flammable vinyl fluoride vapor flowed from elsewhere, undetected, into the tank through an interconnected pipe and tank system. The vapor ignited and Folaron was killed instantly; Freeburg was badly burned, according to the reports. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board’s 2012 report concluded that numerous hazards had been overlooked by DuPont, which EPA’s subsequent investigation confirmed. Vinyl fluoride is a monomer used to make polyvinylfluoride, a fluoropolymer resin.

COMPANY NEWS

Battenfeld Cincinnati unveils new global structure Extrusion equipment manufacturer Battenfeld Cincinnati has announced an organisational re-jig that aims to centralise global responsibilities for key operations. The group said its new structure, which aligns activities such as sales and technology research and development around the world, will “ensure that we can keep an eye on the bigger, worldwide picture”. It added the move would “strengthen the unity of the company and ensure that the work of each entity can be efficiently brought together to achieve our regional and global goals”. The new areas of responsibility would report directly to Battenfeld Cincinnati’s chief executive Gerold Schley. Production competence centres would be located in China, Germany, Austria and the US, the firm said, while its global sales network would operate out of the US, Europe/Africa/Near Middle East, and Asia, and be led by reigonal sales directors. The group said its goal was its customers’ success. A spokesperson added: “Our sales team is already active worldwide. In the

new structure, we will eliminate boundaries; all sales people will sell all products, independent of which entity they come from. “The key to this approach is making the best use of our employees’ extraordinary technical expertise. “Product specialists with deeper technical knowledge about individual products will support the sales team, so that we can maximise our ability to deliver products and services that meet our customers’ most pressing needs.” Battenfeld Cincinnati’s chief sales officer, Grant Flaharty, said of the new look: “More and more customers have production plants in several countries and on different continents.“The new structure will make it much easier for us to implement global projects and offer our customers optimal package deals.” Having its worldwide sales team and product specialists to hand, the group said it could create the best, tailor-made package for customers out of its range of products, “keeping in view their global goals and their local needs”.

Nova adds compression molding machine for caps market support

ova Chemicals Corp. has purchased a Sacmi compression molding machine for its testing laboratory facility in Calgary, Alberta, to beef up support of the caps and closures market.The 48-cavity press is a small commercial-scale machine, said Alan Schrob, Nova’s group manager for rigid markets. The Centre for Performance Applications in Calgary already has a Sumitomo Demag injection molding press running a fourcavity mold. Compression molding can turn out huge quantities of closures. “We’re going to use the commercial machine in a lab environment,” Schrob said at the Plastics & Closures Conference in Itasca, at the Nova exhibit. “If we’re going to support this market, it makes perfect sense for us” to run both technologies, Schrob said.

Lotte Titan restarts Indonesia LLDPE line at Cilegon plant L o t t e Ti t a n h a s r e s t a r t e d t h e 200,000 tpa No.3 linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) line at its Cilegon plant in west Java, Indonesia, as per Argus. The LLDPE line was restarted on 18 September after being shut around 10 days earlier because of a lump accumulation. A first attempt at bringing the line back on stream

failed, delaying the restart by around five days. The line now is operating at about a 95% run rate. Lotte Titan is one of two polyethylene (PE) producers in Indonesia, together with Chandra Asri. Lotte Titan has total PE production capacity of 450,000 tpa. Local LLDPE prices in Indonesia spiked last week because

of panic buying as a result of the Lotte Titan shutdown and plans by Chandra Asri to shut its 600,000 tpa Cilegon cracker and PE unit starting 24 September. Local LLDPE prices jumped about 600-700 rupiah/kg (US$41-48/ton) compared with two weeks earlier to about Rp19,000/kg or US$1310/ton.

• October 2015 • Plastics News

COMPANY NEWS

Essel Propack expects eyes overseas growth Flexible packaging firm Essel Propack Ltd. has aggressive expansion targets as it hopes to grow to $500 million in annual sales in several years, with overseas markets playing an important role. “We have a CAPEX of around 150 crore rupees ($22.6 million) annually on new projects and expansions and it is a continuous process with us,” said Ashok Goel, vice chairman and managing director. Essel has annual sales of about $380 million, with 21 factories in 11 countries, and is part of the $2.4 billion Essel Group. Essel is interested in continuing to push in global markets. “We are hungry to grow in Europe and South America,

Africa is also a good geography to explore,” he said. “We could also look at the Far East as it too has fast growing economies. Goel said, “We are working on a couple of greenfield projects in Europe and Asia.We will take a decision soon on where to expand first.” The company has benefited from an expansion into the market for non-oral care plastic laminated tubing.The company has a 33 percent share of the global market for plastic tubes for oral care products, but has been expanding into the larger market for non-oral care products like cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The decision to

diversify required lot of changes in operations, he said: “We have made changes right from the size of the orders, lead times and the capabilities required to execute them.” It also had to work on getting customers to transition in packaging from other formats of packaging to laminated tubes, he said. The firm has also invested in new equipment to diversify, he said, with earlier versions of its tubing machines producing 60 tubes per minute, compared with new machines that manufacture 500 tubes per minute. It has also upgraded its printing and decorative capabilities, Goel said.

Franz retires from Haitian executive roles

elmar Franz, a longtime executive at Chinese injection molding machine maker Haitian International Holdings Ltd. and a prominent figure in the German plastics machinery industry, retired from his operational positions at Haitian this October. Franz, chief strategy officer for the Ningbo, China-based company, will remain on Haitian’s 12-member board in a non-executive role but will give up his executive roles in the firm because he is 65 years old, the company said. “Franz will continue to act in the capacity of non-executive director of the board and serve as a strategic consultant to the group,” Haitian said in an announcement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, where the company is listed. “The board of Haitian International thanks [Franz] for 10 years of engaged and devoted work in developing and implementing strategies that

Plastics News • October 2015 •

helped Haitian International become a sustainable worldwide market leader,” the company said in an Oct. 5 statement. “Haitian International is looking forward to continuing a long-lasting, successful cooperation with Professor Franz in the future.” Haitian said responsibility for the company’s strategic development will now be led by Zhang Jianming, executive director and CEO of Haitian International. “The other operational responsibilities previously under Prof. Franz’s direction in research and development, export markets and marketing will be assumed by the respective top management members,” the company said. According to the company during Franz’s time with Haitian, it grew from $320 million in sales in 2005 to $1.21 billion last year, and into one of the two or three largest injection machine makers in the world, by

sales. The company also established operations worldwide, including in Brazil, Turkey and Germany.Franz has been a regular fixture at global plastics trade shows, and began his career in plastics machinery in 1972, at East Germany’s Plastmaschinenwerk Schwerin, working up to senior executive jobs in research and marketing. In 2005 he worked for Haitian and set up Zhafir Plastics Machinery GmbH in Ebermannsdorf, Germany. Zhafir became a subsidiary of Haitian in 2007, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Haitian in 2014. Haitian and Demag had a joint venture in China that ended in 2005. Franz will receive a director’s fee of 196,000 Chinese yuan ($30,788) annually by Haitian for his work on the board, for an initial three-year term, along with fringe benefits in accordance with company policy and market conditions.

FEATURES

IPLEX 2015

he IPLEX 2015 was recently held at at BIEC, Bengaluru from 25th to 27th September 2015 . The exhibtion was organised by the Karnataka State

neighbouring states like Tamil Nadu,

Plastics Associations' (R) The Event

passes were issued to more than 1500

Kerala, Telangana & Andhra Pradesh reaching venue early in the morning According to reports at 10 am visitors

was Organised by Karnataka State

and it swelled to 4000 by 12.30 PM.

Plastics Association( R ), Tamilnadu

By end of the day a total of 4600

Plastics Manufacturers Association,

visitors were able to make for the

Telangana and Andhra Plastics

show. This has been an overwhelming

Manufacturers Association, Kerala

response from industry as well

Plastics Manufacturers Association

as students. On both the days 25th & 26th, six seminars were held on subjects like Polymer Usage in Agriculture, Packaging applications & emerging new grades in Polymers by eminent speakers from Reliance Industries Limited, MRPL, Indian Oil Corporation and Borouge Pte Limited. The seminars were attended by industrialists, students from CIPET & Polymer Engg Colleges of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Agri consultants.

with Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology. The first ever Plastic Exposition – IPLEX 2015 held organized by KSPA witnesed over 220 Exhibitors from Machine Manufacturers, Polymer Producers, Ancillary Units, Product manufactures. Apart from this various govt agencies from KUM, CIPET, NSIC, MSME, NCPAH & associations like FKCCI, KAASIA, AIPMA, GSPMA etc had participated at the IPLEX-2015. The Exhibition was inaugurated on 25th September at 11 AM, by Chief Guest Mr.Surjit K Chaudhary, IAS Secretary, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Govt. of India. The Guest of Honour’s were Mr. Siddhartha Mitra, Executive Director, Indian O i l C o r p o r a t i o n ( Po l y m e r s ) & Mr. KK Seksaria, President, Plastindia Foundation and host of dignitaries from the industry as well other associated associations from southern states, CIPET , AIPMA, IPF, OPPI etc. The first day attracted over 4500 visitors/entrepreneurs/students in all. On the second day, 26th September the exhibition had visitors from

country as well in Europe. Speaker explained them, how 7000 liters of industrial usage diesel can be extracted from 10 MTs of plastic waste and from that we can produce 1 MW of power. He also invited for live demonstrations at Mumbai any time. The deliberations were well received and few corporators requested to arrange for detailed discussions in BBMP premises for all elected corporators. The Mayor in his concluding remarks showed interest on the project and requested to organize a detailed seminar in near future. The whole exhibition had attracted around 15000 visitors and the machine

On the last day of the Exhibition i.e., 27th September, CSR activity were organised by holding a seminar on “Future sustainable municipal solid waste mangement” . The Seminar was addressed by Mr.Suhas Dixit, Director Pyrocrat , a leading Plastic/ Tire Pyrolysis Plant Technologist & consultant , who is managing the SWM of Mumbai, Ahmadabad, Chandigarh municipalities & 17 other locations.

manufactures had good response by

The seminar was inaugurated by Hon’ble Mayor of BBMP & attended by Deputy Mayor, Chairman Standing Health Committee, corporators, and SWM officials. The speaker gave a detailed presentation on SWM as well shown videos of the running plants across

their request. The exhibitin was

getting lot of orders. The industries from Karnataka around 40, who participated in IPLEX 2015 had fruitful responses from prospective buyers and were very happy on the first ever Plastic Exposition held at Bengaluru for the first time. The exhibitors have given suggestions and have assured to support in coming years, which has given us strength to consider also supported by Government of Karnataka, Plastindia Foundation, GSPMA, IPF, Organization of Plastics Processors of India, Indian Plastic Institute & The Plastics Export Promotion Council, India.

• October 2015 • Plastics News

FEATURES

Soil Solarization An Ecofriendly & Effective Method To Control Soil Borne Diseases National Committee on Plasticulture Applications in Horticulture (NCPAH), Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India, Delhi

oil solarization is an ecofriendly and most effective method of controlling soil borne pathogens and pests by covering moist soil with transparent polyethylene film during hot period for 2 to 6 weeks. It is a hydrothermal process and its success depends on moisture, day length and intensity of light for maximum heat transfer to soil borne organisms. It is a function of time and temperature relationships. It is most effective in region where maximum daily air temperatures commonly exceeding 32°C. It encompasses the objectives of Integrated Pest management (IPM) and reduces the use of toxic chemical in crops. Several methods have been developed for the management of diseases incited by various plant pathogens, which include fungicidal application, breeding for disease resistance, sanitation, crop rotation, biological control and soil disinfestations. Moreover, the life cycles of pathogens may vary in different crop systems, thus requiring different management strategies. Commonly, soil borne diseases and pests are controlled by the application of pesticides, including the fumigants methyl bromide, chloropicrin and sodium. Application of these materials is often undesirable due to their residual toxicity in plants and soils.

Plastics News • October 2015 •

Restrictions on the use of soilapplied pesticides seem imminent as existing environmental legislation is implemented. As a result, there has been an increased emphasis on reduced-pesticide or non-pesticidal control methods. Soil solarization has proven one of the most effective and ecofriendly management practices among the others soil borne diseases management practices. The new method of disease management is particularly true with innovative non chemical approaches which are needed to replace hazardous chemicals. Use of this method has been reported to reduce the population of many soil borne pathogens including fungi bacteria and nematodes as well as weeds (Pullman et al.1981; Katan et al., 1983; Barbercheck et al; 1986; Verma et al; 2005). Soil solarization applied singly or in combination with bio-control agents or reduced doses of soil fumigants/fungicides has shown a remarkable destructive effect on most soil borne plant pathogens.

Principle of soil solarization The principle behind the soil solarization is enhancing the diurnal heating and cooling cycle of the soil. Most of the plant pathogens and pests are mesophylic, i.e. they are unable to grow at temperatures above 32°C. They are killed directly or indirectly by the temperatures achieved during the solar heating of moist soil under transparent polyethylene film which greatly restrict the escape of gasses and water vapour from the soil. Solarization is based on heating soil to relatively mild levels, generally

ranging from 32° to 45°C in the upper 30 cm. Increase in soil temperature was achieved through improved heat conduction within the soil owing to its higher moisture levels. The thermal decline of soil borne organisms during solarization depends on both the soil temperature and exposure time, which are inversely related.

Advantages: K Non-pesticidal and simple method for controls nematodes and other soil borne diseases. K Saves weedicides /herbicides. K Saves seeds, increases germination and emergences healthy seedlings and enhances plant growth and yield. K Increased availability of essential plant nutrients such as nitrogen, calcium, and magnesium and other beneficial microorganisms hence increase soil fertility K No health or safety problems associat ed with use of soil solarization K Crops produced are pesticidefree and may command a higher market price

Factors effecting soil solarization: K Physical properties of soil (heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and

FEATURES emissivity) K Soil moisture K Air temperature K Day length and intensity of sunlight K Thickness and light transmittance of the polyethylene film K Duration of the treatment

selective polyethylene (PE), transmits ultraviolet (UV) and visible lights but not infrared radiation (IR). As the short-wavelength solar radiation passes through the polyethylene films, it loses energy; the wavelengths increase in length and the radiation essentially becomes infrared radiation, which generates heat.

Selection of Plastic films I n d i c a t i v e P E f i l m s for Soil solarization requirements per hectare Among the various plastics films used in agriculture such as Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) and Polyethylene (PE), the chemical and physical characteristics of transparent Polyethylene film have made it most useful in soil sterilization because it transmits maximum solar radiation and reduces the escape of heat from the soil. Polyethylene is a petro-chemical and its cost is directly related to its thickness. Thinner

Thickness of films (micron)

Approximate weight (Sqm/ kg)

Film required (kg/ha)

181

226

362

452

The transparent Polyethylene films used in solarization, known as photo-

Adequate soil moisture during solarization is necessary to increase the thermal sensitivity, improve heat conduction in the soil, and enable biological activities. Saturated soil is optimal.

Transparent polyethylene film of 25 micron is recommended for soil solarization, since it is both cheaper and somewhat more effective in controlling soil borne pathogens & pests due to better radiation transmittance. In windy area greater than 25 micron transparent polyethylene films is better.

Since the temperature at the deeper soil layers are lower than at the upper ones, thus extending the solarization period usually four weeks or longer enables control at deeper layer.

Ke y I n d i c a t o r s o f S u c c e s s f u l Solarization K

Water droplets collect on the underside of the plastic

The surface of the polyethylene film will be very hot

Weed seeds will sprout and grow under the polyethylene film but within a few days the weeds will die.

K polyethylene films of 25 micron are more effective in soil heating and are more cost effective than thicker polyethylene films having thickness greater than 25 micron that reflects more solar energy than doeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thinner Polyethylene film (25 micron) but is also more susceptible to tearing from wind. In windy area, slightly thicker polyethylene film up to 50 micron is better in windy areas.

temperature and intense solar radiation.

When the polyethylene film is removed, the soil surface will be black and covered with dead weeds, no living weeds should be visible

Limitations of soil solarization: K

Use of solarization is restricted to the region where the climate (intense solar radiation and clear sky) is suitable and land is free of crops at the period of soil solarization. It is most suitable during the period of high

Conclusion Soil solarization can control many soil borne pathogens and pests. The method is simple, ecofriendly and most effective, leaves no toxic residues and can be easily used on a small or large scale. Plant grown in the solarized field enhances plant health, growth, yield and quality and also increases growing season. Hence, soil solarization is one of the alternatives to enhance the availability of nutrients in soil and favour beneficial micro flora, ultimately resulting in increased plant growth response in many crop plants besides controlling soil borne pests including weeds.

â&#x20AC;˘ October 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ Plastics News

FEATURES

Seksaria at the helm at Plastindia

lastindia Foundation, the apex body of Indian Plastics Industry Associations had recently elected Mr KK Seksaria as its President, Mr Rajiv Raval as Vice-President and Mr Raju Desai as Treasurer of the Plastindia Foundation for three years. All were selected unanimously. The new Managing Committee comprising of senior entrepreneurs of the Plastics industry assumed office with immediate effect. K K Seksaria took over from Subhash Kadakia. Speaking to Plastics News Seksaria

Mr KK Seksaria along with Mr Rajiv Raval and Mr Raju Desai said that he was grateful to everyone for unanimously electing him as the President of Plastindia Foundation. He said, “Plastindia Foundation is working and will continue to work with all sincerity for the growth of plastics industry in India for betterment of nation and its citizens. Though there are various challenges before the industry, we are confident that with wider participation of all segments & stakeholders, collectively we will be able to meet all challenges and to take plastics industry forward qualitatively and quantitatively. We, the newly elected office bearers of PIF along with its managing committee will act as true representatives of entire

Plastics News • October 2015 •

plastics industry.” Speaking about the challenges ahead Seksaria added “we need to educate rather than defend on waste management.” Mentioning his future plans Seksaria said that he would work for the all inclusive growth of the industry ensuring micro level participation (local manufactures/ Processors) though there are same gaps to be filled but he seems to be confident. He was also very promising about the Plastindia University at Vapi and expects it to be functional very soon. If all goes according to plans one might have the university functional from 2016. Seksartia said, “It’s all meticulous planning and we have plans for Short term and Long term courses. The focus would be on skill development through higher studies and R&D as well. The university will be functional in phases and perhaps we might start Diploma and / undergraduate courses very soon.” It plans to have full-time and Part time course for the Technical and Management courses. Mr Sakseria have the task to keep up with the achievements of last 28 years and many Presidents. Other Office Bearers for 2015-2018 includes Mr. Rajiv Raval - Vice President, Mr. Raju Desai – Treasurer.While Rajiv Raval has been earlier the President of Gujarat State Plastics Manufacturers Association and has served as Treasurer for Plastindia Foundation (2012 – 2015), he is the Executive Director of Vishakha irrigation Pvt Ltd. Rajiv Raval was very categorical in speaking about the his road map about the exhibitions for ensuring higher

footfalls. Raval said that there are plans lined up for higher participation both Domestic and International for the PlastIndia 2018 that would be held at GandhiNagar, Gujarat.. “We are looking forward to higher participation from international players from Europe, US ,China. We are also considering Russia given their increasing presence in the Industry.” However Raval did not mention the plans in detail. He also expects to have wider technical exposure for the domestic exhibitors and thus is also preparing to have more numbers of B2B conferences and related concurrent events at the PlastIndia2018. Speaking about the PlastIndia 2018 newly elected NEC Co-chairman, Pradip Nayyar said that all the plans are in place. “We have had NEC with clear focus on increasing the area and facilities at the PlastIndia2018. We plan to have bigger space and better amenities. There is a huge untapped potential from US and Europe. We are working for higher participation.” Raju Desai said, “The onus is on organisations like Plastindia Foundation to fulfil our Prime Ministers vision of ‘Make in India’. The plastics industry in India has the capability of making India as the global hub of plastics and plastic-products. At Plastindia Foundation, we shall make all efforts in this direction” Raju Desai is the past Chairman of Plastivision 2013 and past-President of The All India Plastics Manufacturers’ Association (AIPMA). Raju Desai is the Senior Executive Director – Marketing and HR of Jyoti Group.

FEATURES

Fully automatic ‘zero defect’ manufacturing of precision moulded parts

utomation” and “zero defect manufacturing” are buzz words that are increasingly gaining importance for manufacturers of elastomer products. In particular when it comes to using resources more effectively and improvements in cost savings. The basis of this strategy is the deployment of process integrated control systems using sensors. The motto here is: more performance and optimal unit costs or higher delivery assurance with less process risks.

“

In general this means reduced costs and increased customer satisfaction. Especially in the case of high volume elastomer parts, automation offers excellent process design and at the same time, through the use of sensors for improved vulcanisation processes, a new level of quality. Vulcanisation can then truly become an industrial process with a production flow of zero defect parts. The latest example of this development is the delivery of a new manufacturing unit to an important development partner of the automotive industry for precision moulded parts. These parts are subjected to tough demands in terms of temperature and medium resistance and also have to exhibit convincing elastic recovery for the life of the part. In the case of this special development on the basis of a MaplanMTF400/250editionS machine with two hydraulic drives

featuring Cool-Drive technology which are placed in the mould by means of an automatically extendable hotplate shuttle. Paul-David Betea states: “since the whole cycle is fully automatic, there are practically no sources of error.” Productivity is maximised by means of multi-cavity moulds.

parts have beencorrectly ejected. The parts require sensitive handling – due to their shape, it is absolutely essential that they are ejected obliquely from above. The parts then fall onto a conveyor belt below which transports them to the finished parts container. Such concepts are a logical step towards zero defect manufacturing.

A laser sensor is mounted on the sprue removal unit at the front of the machine. This device moves into the clamping unit of the machine on every cycle to grasp the sprue and then remove it on the basis of the “pick and place” principle. As it moves out of the machine, the laser sensor scans the sprue plate to check whether for example a sprue has not been removed from the mould. The metal rings are fed from a vibration hopper. This hopper supplies rings sequentially. In addition, it also separates the single or multiple rings and places them in the correct position onto a separation section, so that the rings are laid out in a matrix ready for the next cycle.

“The trend towards higher levels of automation in connection with sensor technology is steadily growing. Customer-specific requirements have considerably increased in the last three years”, comments Paul-David Betea. Due to the high degree of globalisation of elastomer processing, in particular in the automotive industry, this effect can be seen in every region of the world. As Paul-David Betea explains further: “with reference to automation and sensor components, we estimate there is an average extra cost of up to 50% compared to conventional capital expenditure for machines. Particularly in the case of moulds for high volumes or with many cavities, there is, however, a significantly higher level of quality and considerably faster amortisation.”

The shuttle with the finished precision moulded parts is then moved to the rear of the machine. High resolution cameras are mounted between the rear shuttle and the machine for QA inspection purposes. The cameras check the positioning of all parts on the shuttle as it moves into the machine. When the shuttle plate moves into the machine again, the cameras check whether the moulded

The integration of automationand sensor technology in new elastomer processing plant has a very long-term effect on profitability. This naturally also applies to the whole lifespan of a machine. Operating faults can be avoided or process deviations identified early on. By moving

• October 2015 • Plastics News

FEATURES towards zero defect manufacturing, disturbance variables become more manageable. Whereas in the case of conventional machines quality has to be checked after the production

process, i.e. offline, a fully automated machine can implement in-line QA controls, assuring quality during the ongoing production run. The reduced risk of faulty parts in part flow means a

high degree of reliability and possible cost savings. A consistent flow of parts generates a “feel good factor” for all parties involved in the supply chain: parts producers, OEMs and users.

Myths and misconceptions around compostable plastics Hasso von Pogrell While growing ecological awareness

feedstock basis of a material has microorganisms. Biodegradation can

and changing consumer demands

nothing to do with its characteristic occur in many different environments

are leading to a boom in the

to biodegrade. Biodegradability is an ( s o i l , m a r i n e e n v i r o n m e n t ,

research and development of

inherent feature of a material and composting and fermentation its chemical structure. Bioplastics facilities, etc.) and under varying

more sustainable products with a reduced environmental footprint such as bioplastics, there are a few persistent myths and misconceptions that need to be set straight once and for all. Like most myths, they are inspired by reality, but are mixing up fact and fiction and, in this case, are ultimately unhelpful to a budding industry that is solidly progressing toward a resource-efficient and sustainable future. Misconception 1: All bioplastics are biodegradable/compostable It is an easy mistake to make, but not all bioplastics are biodegradable. Quite the contrary, the main feature of many bioplastics is the fact that they are made from renewable resources, biomass. Most of these

are a diverse family of materials conditions (absence or presence with different properties. There of oxygen, bacteria or fungi) and are three main groups: Biobased, at different levels of influencing non-biodegradable materials such factors, such as temperature, as PE, PET or polyamides; biobased humidity and timeframe. In order and biodegradable materials such to be able to make any substantial as PLA, PHA, and starch blends; claim on the biodegradability of and fossil-based, biodegradable a material or product, all these materials such as PBAT which different factors need to be taken are mainly used as a blend for into consideration. Resorting to biobased and biodegradable plastics. acknowledged standards, which are Biodegradability is an additional more than a mere testing method feature that adds value for specific and provide clearly defined pass/ applications, such as biowaste bags fail criteria, is the most commonly or food packaging. It is not, however, accepted way of doing so. the single defining attribute of bioplastics.

The European Standard for industrial

compostability, EN 13432, for Misconception 2: Biodegradability is instance, defines the minimum the same as compostability requirements that materials have

commodity plastics such as bio-PE

Strictly speaking, biodegradation to meet in order to be processed is but a collective term for a in industrial composting plants

or bio-PET with the same properties

natural chemical process in which (timeframe, temperature, humidity,

as their conventional counterparts.

materials are transformed into etc.). If these requirements are

Neither PE nor PET is biodegradable,

natural substances such as water, not met or can't be proven, any

which demonstrates that the

carbon and biomass with the help of reference to the standard or claims

biobased materials are durable

Plastics News • October 2015 •

FEATURES about compostability of the product would be considered greenwashing. Wherever there's a successful innovation, you will find "free riders" attempting to piggyback on the good reputation of products that adhere to accepted standards, without fulfilling the latter. This hampers the market development for environmentally responsible, standard-adhering products and potentially poses a threat to the environment. European Bioplastics, the European association of the bioplastics industry, has long been warning against the malpractice of producers of additive-mediated plastics, including oxo-degradable plastics, falsely claiming that their materials (bio)degrade. These claims have not been scientifically proven and do not comply with any of the acknowledged standards for biodegradability and industrial composting (ASTM D6400 or EN 13432). Furthermore, in a recently published peer reviewed publication, scientists at Michigan State University's School of Packaging and the MSU's Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering department concluded that "no evidence was found that these [degradable] additives promote and/ or enhance biodegradation of PE or PET polymers." Yet, the harm has been done. In a recent article published the editor has fallen into the same trap, offering a company called ENSO, a degradable additive supplier, as an example of what she

calls "reasonable alternatives" to compostable products. What she doesn't mention is that California's Attorney General filed a first-ofits-kind "greenwashing" lawsuit against ENSO, over alleged false and misleading marketing claims on their degradable additives. Products based on the ENSO additives have apparently since disappeared from the shelves. This case demonstrates that the key to the success of emerging biotechnologies are acknowledged standards and stricter guidelines on how to communicate these claims in order to allow for informed consumer choices. On the other hand, the value proposition for compostable plastics is well recognized in the market and at the municipal level. Compostable products are a key tool in the zero waste programs successfully implemented by major municipalities such as Seattle and San Francisco. In fact "the ASTM Standard Specification for Compostable Plastics D6400" is explicitly called out in California law (SB-567). The same law also prohibits "the sale of plastic packaging and plastic products that are labelled with the terms biodegradable, degradable or decomposable," which has found bioplastics producers and the recycling industry unanimously in strong support, because it precisely eliminates the sort of false and misleading marketing claims that can otherwise occur. Misconception 3: Compostable plastics are the solution to landfills and littering

Biodegradable materials are often wrongly presented as a way to help minimize the amount of waste in countries that have no existing waste management infrastructure. Yet, biodegradable plastics should not and cannot be considered a solution to the problem of littering and landfilling. In fact, littering must never be promoted or accepted for any kind of waste. Instead, the issue needs to be addressed by educative and informative measures to raise awareness for proper and controlled ways of management, disposal and (organic) recycling. Municipalities are now deeply engaged with the complexities of handling their solid waste streams. Bioplastics are suitable for a broad range of end-of-life options, including reuse, mechanical or organic recycling, and energy recovery. The use of compostable plastics makes separate biowaste collection a more valuable option and helps divert more organic waste from recycling streams or from landfills and increases the volume of valuable biomass (compost). Cities like Seattle and San Francisco in the United States and entire countries like the Netherlands recognize and capitalize on the role of certified compostable products in that endeavor. Misleading claims about "false benefits" of biodegradability only distract from what we as a society really need to be focusing on: Getting better at diverting valuable material streams away from landfills.

â&#x20AC;˘ October 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ Plastics News

FEATURES

Plastic packaging reduces food waste

ctober 16 is celebrated World Food Day to create awareness that food in not wasted no one goes to bed empty stomach however India wastes Rs 44,000 cr worth food every year. While the wasted fruits and vegetables alone was estimated at Rs 15000 crore, other food products like rice, wheat, serials and meat are also allowed to perish without

Austrian environmental sustainability solutions think tank, has indicated that increasing the use of plastic in food packaging in a smart way can reduce spoilage in food and drink products, reducing waste. It is the latest salvo in a long debate over the value of packaging — with packagers having been on the defensive for a decade, arguing that their output, by protecting products, reduces waste flows. The Safety of Plastics in Food Packaging

consumption. India produces around 250 million tonne of foodgrain in a year, but its annual consumption remains far lower at 220 million to 225 million tonne. The country has failed to take advantage of the higher production levels as it is reported that more than 250 million people go to bed hungry each day. The government has taken many steps to encourage creation of additional storage capacity and complimented states that had taken more interest in efficient food storage.,It is also reported that a proper mechanism for food packaging can thus help However ironically Plastics manufacturers and their customers world over are under constant pressure to reduce the volume of plastics used in packaging . Those who oppose plastics and wants it to be banned there is a news for them A new research from Denkstatt, an

Plastics News • October 2015 •

• Innovation in rigid plastic packaging adds quality and a variety of new dimensions to food packaging. Rigid plastics can be shaped to the contour of the product and thus provide improved visibility. • Plastics make possible both rigid and flexible packages for long shelf-life foods including several that rely on high barrier properties to restrict penetration by oxygen and flavor loss, thus supporting ambient shelf storage.

• Plastics in food packaging help keep our food fresh and safe, and protects against spoilage. Plastic packaging provides a hygienic and safe environment for foods and medicine by protecting against contamination while keeping foods fresh throughout use. It also often provides tamper-evident features (shrink bands, tear strips, etc.) for food and medicine.

• Modified atmosphere packages, made possible through the unique properties of plastic, are used in packaging fruits, vegetables, baked goods, fresh and processed meats, and cooked poultry. Through this process, fresh produce and other food products can be packaged in controlled atmospheres that maintain the carbon dioxide/ oxygen ratio at its optimum level, thus greatly extending the shelf life of these foods.

• Thanks to plastics, a wide range of foods - from fresh produce to dairy products to beverages - can be transported over long distances and stored safely without compromising the quality of the product. This also helps prevent food waste.

• The advent of new technology (e.g., multilayer package applications) is allowing highbarrier food and beverage bottles, pouches and containers to prolong the shelf life of products such as beer, ketchup, juice and milk.

• Plastics allow packaging to perform many necessary tasks and provide properties including strength and stiffness, barrier to oxygen transmission and moisture, resistance to food component attack, and flexibility.

• The use of plastics in aseptic packaging significantly increases the non-refrigerated shelf life and because of changes made to its packaging. The steak’s traditional packaging consisted of a 20 gram polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate plus PE/polyvinylidene

FEATURES chloride/EVA + PE vacuum bag (for 6 kilograms of meat) and an 11 g expanded polystyrene tray with 4 g ethylene vinyl alcohol/ PE/nylon film, with the enclosed absorbent pad not considered. The optimized packaging for the steak was comprised of 19 g polystyrene/ EVA/PE-based Darfresh skin packaging, the enclosed absorbent pad also not considered. The original packaging had a food waste percentage of 34 percent, while the innovative Darfresh packaging made by Cryovac, a subsidiary of the U.S.-based Sealed Air Corp., had a rate of 18 percent, or exactly half of its traditional counterpart. The Darfresh skin packaging extended the shelf life of the steak from six to 16 days. For meat and other expensive fresh items, optimized packaging is key in terms of protecting high quality products, said the report. “The more high-quality the product, the more it should be protected by high-quality packaging,” Pilz said. “The environmental cost of the production of meat or cheese products is relatively high. If packaging helps that, in the end, as little as possible is thrown away, then the packaging has also made the environmental point of view more than pay off,” said Pilz. For something less expensive, such as cucumbers, plastic film packaging can also make a large difference. The study examined a cucumber on its own without any packaging and cucumber packaged in a 1.5 g film. The cucumber by itself had a food waste rate of 9.4 percent; with the

plastic film, the rate dropped to 4.6 percent. The study concluded optimized plastic packaging provides important environmental benefits. The carbon dioxide not emitted by prevented food waste outweighs the carbon dioxide emissions from the plastic packaging used to protect the food. For 1 kg of fresh, packaged food, the ratio is 70 g of carbon dioxide emitted for the plastic packaging to 350 g of carbon dioxide emissions saved from food waste because of the optimized packaging. India wastes Rs 44,000 cr worth food every year About two months back,

the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO, for short) published its 2015 edition of The State of Food food in the World. It placed India, with 194.6 million malnourished people, on top of a list of countries where people invariably go hungry The government is preparing to develop food waste prevention plans, with an option that they reduce food waste by 30 percent overall by 2025. Total 42 Mega Food Parks have been sanctioned by the Government for setting-up in the country Recently 17 new Mega Food Parks (MFPs) were announced in the country

17 new Mega Food Parks (MFPs) sanctioned by the Government shall entail fresh investment of around Rs. 2330 crores. This will include grant-in-aid for an amount of Rs.850 crores. Food Processing Minister Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal said that these 17 new MFPs spread across 11 States would attract a total investment of around Rs.4,000 crores and the annual turnover of the Food Processing units in these MFPs would be more than Rs.8,000 crores. She informed that these new MFPs will generate direct/ indirect employment for around 2.5 lakhs. The Indian packaging industry is expected to become the fourth largest packaging market in the world with revenues of USD 43.7 bn in 2016. Indian packaged food industry in the past couple of years has seen an exponential growth of demands both within the country and outside. It is expected that the surging demand will further exceed the present growth expectation in the near future. Indian packaged food market and packaging industry is thriving and has witnessed strong annual growth for several years now. For instance, confectionery, dairy, baked goods, sauces and household staples such as packaged rice, was worth approximately Rs 1 lakh crore at the end of 2011. With rising incomes, changing lifestyle and favorable demographics, the Packaged Food Industry has shown a remarkable growth of over 13 per cent per annum over the last few years. This annual growth is not only considered a big opportunity for the companies serving agricultural and several ancillary sectors but also a new gateway for

• October 2015 • Plastics News

FEATURES employment, economic growth and quality of life in India. With the changing lifestyle, there has been a consistent increase in preference and demand for packaged foods amongst the Indian

population. These can be seen as a great opportunity by the packaging companies of India. The agricultural strength amalgamated with a various other factors like competent market price and favorable government policies have further aggrandized the Indian food packaging sector. The main categories of packaged food are bakery products, canned processed food, frozen processed food, meal replacement products and condiments. Some emerging new categories in this segment are processed dairy products, frozen ready-to-eat foods, diet snacks, processed meat and probiotic drinks. According to study by ASSOCHAM the growth in the economy, coupled with a strong desire among consumers to maintain a healthy lifestyle and the growing awareness of functional ingredients such as herbs, minerals, vitamins, omega fatty acids and probiotics is driving the functional foods and beverages market. According to the study, metropolitan city

Plastics News • October 2015 •

residents are the largest consumers of processed food and there is a large divide between urban and rural consumers in India. Urban residents consumed 78 percent of all packaged food, while rural residents consumed just over 22 percent. The study -- Craze for ready-to-eat food among young Indians -- is based on responses from 2,000 representative households with children or without children, nuclear family and bachelors. It said over 82 percent of workforce prefer packaged food rather eating outside or at a roadside dhabha in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. The key players in the market are Hindustan Uniliver, ITC, Nestle, PepsiCo, Dabur, Cadbury, Haldiram, Britannia, Godrej and Parle Agro. Innovation in Packaging Indian industry must innovate and adopt and adapt to new technologies to be able to grow and realise its full potential, noted scientist R.A. Mashelkar said. He added that "The 'I' in India has to be innovation and not imitation, not inhibition. There is an enormous potential for growth. Intelligent packing, active packing, functional diagnostic packing - they're all going to be the future." Innovation in the industry is helping worlover. “Number one with the public is food safety, and active or barrier packaging that can help prevent spoilage or contamination is in strong demand,” said Don Rosato, publications chairman of the Plastics Institute of America, and president

of PlastiSource. “Consumers want easy-to-open, see-through, economic packaging that also protects against oxygen, water vapour and aromas.” According to Katrin Schwede, spokesperson for industry association European Bioplastics, packaging made from bioplastics, or materials that are bio-based, biodegradable or both, can offer sustainable solutions to plastic packaging, further increasing the environmental benefit of innovative plastic packaging. Bioplastics reduce dependency on fossil fuel resources at the same time as well. “With regards to waste management options, bioplastics can be treated in various established recycling and recovery streams and even offer additional options such as feedstock recovery or organic recycling. New materials such as polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), cellulose or starch-based materials create packaging solutions with completely new functionalities, such as biodegradability or compostability… particularly sought after for packaging food or other perishables,” Schwede said. Compostable plastic that meets EU standards allows the packaging to be

FEATURES organically recycled along with other food waste. Byatt stressed that in future, “there will be more ‘bio-waste’ used to create plastics: PLA was derived from corn. Now they’re making it from biomass such as sugar cane waste, because if you take away food supplies to make plastic, you’ve got a problem.” Biodegradable plastic innovations are being developed worldwide. U.S.-based Kureha can produce soft drink bottle grade polyglycolic acid (PGA) from natural gas — it is a thermoplastic polymer and the simplest linear, aliphatic polyester. It is biodegradable, ideally suited for high performance, and has a high gas barrier to oxygen and carbon dioxide, enhancing the gas and moisture barrier of bio-based polymers, such as PLA. Meanwhile, nanocomposite technology can help packagers use lighterweight materials, while boosting protection and product shelf life. In fact, Rosato said, “Nanocomposites appear capable of approaching the elusive goal of converting plastic into a super barrier — the equivalent of glass or metal — without upsetting regulators.” An example is a nanoclay layer inside a plastic bottle developed by Japan’s Mitsubishi Gas Chemical. And US nanoclay supplier Nanocor has developed a nanocomposite and MXD6-brand nylon blend for use in multilayer PET bottles called Imperm. It uses nanoclay to give the

bottle significantly higher resistance to pervasion by oxygen, carbon dioxide, and moisture. Because the nanocomposite retains high clarity, it is ideal for use in carbonated soft drink and beer bottles. Another innovation is high barrier silicone oxide coated flexible biofilm. Most films have good clarity, sealability, and are biodegradable, but have poor ability to regulate heat and poor barrier properties. However, by adding a clear silicone oxide barrier layer, the PLA film is improved. An example is CeramisPLA, made by Australia-based Amcor Ltd., a fully biodegradable film, which complies with U.S. and EU regulations. H o w e v e r, d e s p i t e b i o p l a s t i c s ’ advances, they are not yet mainstream for packaging. Schwede said bioplastics account for merely 1 percent of the entire plastic packaging market: “We at European Bioplastics hope that the European Union will make a stronger effort to put the right regulatory measures and incentives in place to encourage an uptake of bio-based, sustainable materials and to allow bioplastics a full-scale market penetration,” said Schwede. She added that the United States has been investing much more strongly into these market measures. Innovations in plastic packaging frequently help reduce the amount of materials used to package food and everyday products. This often results in lighter packaging, less fuel to transport products, reduced use of natural resources, fewer greenhouse

gas emissions, less waste—a lighter environmental footprint. Here are some examples: Ecolean Liquid Packaging: These plastic pouches used for liquids such as milk and juice can cut packaging weight by more than 50 percent. Flat as an envelope when not filled, they take up little space in transit to food companies and when discarded. Made with polypropylene and polyethylene plastic, the pouches use as much as 85 percent less energy to manufacture than conventional packaging, according to Ecolean. Bertolli® Pasta Sauce Pouches: These microwavable pouches use 70 percent less material compared to glass jars and take up significantly less space in trucks, especially when shipping unfilled packaging. Made from plastics and other materials, one truckload of unfilled pouches equals 25 truckloads of unfilled jars, leading to less energy use and fewer emissions. Eco Pack Green Box: The Eco Pack is an innovative, reusable container for shipping and displaying produce, meat, baked goods and other foods. An easy-to-assemble plastic frame and plastic sleeves create a durable, stackable flat or tray that is half the weight of cardboard. According

• October 2015 • Plastics News

FEATURES to the manufacture, Eco Packs use up to 90 percent less energy than existing packaging and fit into existing distribution methods (pallets, containers, trucks), from farm to store. Prilosec OTC® Pack: Tamperresistant blister cards made with plastics and other materials are designed to conveniently dispense one dose of medication at a time. This pill pack was redesigned to double the number of pills on the card, so one course of treatment would fit on one card, cutting down on packaging

waste. It’s compact, lightweight and durable to help protect the pills from contamination or breakage during shipping. Plastic Wine Bottles: Some wines are sold in handy, shatter-resistant plastic bottles. The plastic is much lighter than glass, so these bottles are easier to tote to events. As an added plus, the lighter weight means less energy is needed to ship bottles. And, of course, the plastic bottles can be recycled after use. Eco-Shape® bottles: Bottled water companies have put their plastic

bottles on a bit of a diet. Companies such as Nestlé®, which sells numerous brands of water in its Eco-Shape® .5-liter bottle, have significantly reduced the amount of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic in the bottles—by as much as 60 percent since the mid 1990s. The Eco-Shape® bottle is lighter and requires less energy to make, which also results in a reduction in CO2 emissions. (Tip: remember to replace the caps when you recycle your bottles. Recyclers want bottles and caps!

Rajoo Creates A New Footprint with Green Sheet Extrusion Line A new design double barrier screw geometry has resulted in an extremely energy efficient sheet extrusion line. A 40% power saving is no mean achievement.

A new design double barrier screw geometry has resulted in an extremely energy efficient sheet extrusion line. A 40% power saving is no mean achievement.

Commodity markets always pose a commercial challenge for businesses. Innovations to get more out of every rupee is always welcome. In one such approach, Rajoo today presents Lamina e Asia’s greenest Sheet Extrusion Line.

The 65 mm/700 mm width sheet line with an output of 255 kg/hr (with 50% PP regrind) consumes a minimal power of 0.25 units/kg, whereas the 90 mm/700 mm width sheet line with an output 320 kg/hr (with 50% PP regrind) consumes power as little as 0.22 units/kg. Unbelievable but true.

A meaningful innovation as this would only help the PP/PS disposable container industry to be competitive in their price sensitive, yet rapidly growing market as well as assist them in improved profitability in business. Power continues to hog the number two spot as the most significant cost component, after raw materials. The research and development team at Rajoo worked hard to find a solution.

Plastics News • October 2015 •

‘I am delighted that while this line adds the much needed commercial

allowance for companies into processing of PP/PS disposable containers; it also saves energy, a precious resource. Sustainability continues to be an important agenda for Rajoo not only through its activities, but also through its products’, emphasises Khushboo Chandrakant Doshi, Director, Rajoo Engineers Limited. This universal machine can be seamlessly operated with available thermoformers for an end-to-end solution. A growing market for semiflexible packaging, an attractive ROI with the Rajoo Sheet Extrusion Line Lamina e (minimal capital and operating costs), proven Rajoo postsale-support and technical assistance, will help in your business success. With this Lamina e Sheet Extrusion Line, engineering at Rajoo moves a notch higher. Another first for Asia from Rajoo!

October 2015 •• Plastics Plastics News News •41 • April 2015

Plastics News • October 2015 •

Event Endorsed & Supported by :

Silver Sponsor

State Partner

THEME PAVILION

Highlights of Plastivision Arabia 2016 Exhibitors Expected From 21 Countries

Country Pavilions: India, China, Taiwan, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan etc.

Exhibition Space of 16,000 sq. mtr. (Plus)

Pre Fix B2B Meetings with Potential Exhibitors

Meetings with various state government of�cials on global investment opportunities

Visitors Expected from 77 countries

Numbers of exhibitors expected: 300 (Plus) from all over the globe

Special focused on visitors from South African Countries, GCC Countries, India, China etc.

Special Features: Business Opportunity Pavilion, Consultation Counters, Job Fair, Medical pavilion etc.

Various State Partners Participations: Govt. Bihar, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh, Govt. of Orissa, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, Govt. of Andra Pradesh, Govt. of Telangana, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, Govt. of Gujarat etc.

Organized by:

• October 2015 • Plastics News

Plastics News • October 2015 •

FEATURES

Kabra solEX 75 HDPE Pipe Extrusion Plant High performance HDPE Extruder with larger processing window

abra Extrusiontechnik Ltd. hosted a successful demo of their product – solEX 75 HDPE pipe extrusion plant to showcase the latest high output extrusion technology for large diameter (250 mm to 800 mm OD) HDPE pipe applications. The demo was attended by the leading processors in India and KET’s esteemed customers.

specific output even for heavier grade

The demonstrated plant comes with special features like – next generation grooved feed design, servo haul off, swarfless pipe cutting, gravimetric system for weight/meter control,

Supreme Industries Limited - one of

and output of 1200 Kg/hour. The

solutions offered by Kabra

larger processing window of 40:1 L/D,

Extrusiontechnik for the processing

helps in obtaining excellent linear

needs of the customers.” commented

material - higher than PE 100. Adding to quality & technology, machine also offers – easy start-up with negligible start-up waste and low power consumption (0.30 kWh/ Kg). This ensures significant resource saving for the benefit of processors. The plant will be delivered to The the esteemed customers of KET.

Mr. S. Shenoy (CEO – KET) “We always strive to offer better solutions to our customers based on their requirements and be their

“The plant stands for the technical

parteners in progress.” Said Mr. Sunil

expertise and high quality extrusion

Ambekar (VP – Marketing, KET) With the supply of this plant, KET is all set to offer more such products for PE & PP pipe applications.

Shrinath Rotopack plans to offer various packaging solutions

hrinath Rotopack Pvt. Ltd.,the flagship company ofthe Shree Group of Industries plans to offer various packaging solutions . With their experience of over two decades in the plastics industry, the Group diversified its operations in the flexible packagingindustry in the year 2000.

different applications. Also included are EVOLUTION Ultra Flat and the highperformance

Recently SRPL has ordered two highly automated blown film lines which will beequipped with the up-todate assistant systems which will be installed in their newly built factory in Hyderabad.

EVOLUTION Ultra Cool cooling system. The line enables output rates of 800 kg/h to be achieved without problem. A further order was placed for a 7-layer line for the production of complex barrier film for packaging of edible oils, dairy products, liquids, meat, sea food, dry fruits, vacuum packaging, etc. The line is also intended for the production of highbarrier film for lids and asymmetric thermoforming sheets.

The investment package includes a 3-layer line for the production of high-quality laminating film for

Kurt Freye, Director of Sales at Reifenhäuser Blown Film says, "Our convincing technology in combination

with a longstanding trustingbusiness relationship between Shrinath Rotopack and Reifenhäuser India has considerably contributed to the fact that the purchase decision was finallytaken in favor of Reifenhäuser." With continuous expansion over the years the current capacity of the unit stands at 27,000 metric tons per annum. Today their sales stand at USD 80 million a and they plan im to reach USD 185 million by 2017. Some of their special products include retort pouches, microwavable retort pouches,hot fill laminates, easy peel lidding films, degassing valve coffee bags, vacuum pouches and printed shrink films.

• October 2015 • Plastics News

FEATURES

TAIWAN MACHINERY MAKERS ZOOM IN ON MIDDLE EAST Sharjah, xx October 2015 Taiwan’s plastics and packaging industries are zooming in on a premier regional event to expand their presence in the high-potential markets here. Some of the leading manufacturers of plastics and packaging machineries from Taiwan have confirmed their participation for the upcoming 3rd Plastivision Arabia international plastics exhibition and conference in Sharjah. “In the biggest participation by Taiwanese exhibitors since the inception of the show, 20 leading establishments have already confirmed their presence for Plastivision Arabia 2016. This clearly shows the potential of the show and the markets here,” said Mr Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO, Expo Centre Sharjah. Some of the exhibitors who have confirmed their participation include Lung Meng, Matila, KWT, Seal Pack, Auger, Long Durable Machinery, Hao Yu, Polystar Machinery, Chum Power, San Tung, Pack Leader, Atlas, Kung Long Hong, Inora, Chuan Peng, Vpet, Wordly, Neilson, Yuh Feng, Chia Ming and Hemingstone, among others. Moreover, the Taiwanese exhibitors will also hold live displays of their latest machines, which will be a great opportunity for regional industry to understand the new technology and decide on their requirements. The impressive Taiwan participation is set to underscore the importance international machinery makers place on the regional markets, and will be a key highlight of Plastivision Arabia that gets under way at Expo Centre Sharjah from February 22 to 25, 2016.

Plastics News • October 2015 •

The Taiwanese firms will be looking at supplying their machinery and other products to the regional industry, apart from exploring distribution and dealership opportunities that will help them cater to not just Middle East but also the African region. The rising Taiwan participation is also a reinforcement of the increasing trade between the UAE and Taiwan, which expanded 7.4 per cent to US$7.2 billion in 2014 compared to US$6.7 billion in the previous year. The Taiwanese companies will be part of the more than 250 international and regional exhibitors that will display their latest machinery and products at 14,000 square meters of exhibition space. The past edition of the biennial show attracted more than 10,000+ visitors from 66 countries and made headlines when all live machines on display were fully sold out. “We are expecting a bigger visitor turnout and industry response this time with the plastics industry evolving into a larger, more diverse and sustainable sector and demand for packaging products rising alongside a growing economy,” added Mr. Harish Dharamsi, Chairman of Plastivision Arabia. Plastics producers are steadily increasing their production capacity, which resulted in a growth of 6% to 25.5 million tons in 2014 and is projected to increase 25% to 33.8 million tonnes by 2020, while manufacturers are set to increase their product portfolio from the current to 13.02 nearly billion tonnes in the coming years to cater to growing demand from sectors like aviation, transport and food packaging.

FEATURES The flexible packaging industry in the region will also be counting on the show to help source latest machinery to meet the rising demand on the back of rising demand from processed and packaged food industry. The 3rd Arabia Mold and 2nd Print Pack Arabia will be held concurrently with Plastivision Arabia, helping transform Sharjah into a mini hub of plastics, printing and packaging February 22 to 25, 2016. Plastivision Arabia 2016 will also feature two new special focus areas this time – the Filling & Packaging section and the Plastics Finished Good Pavilion.

Ends About Plastivision Arabia 2016: Plastivision Arabia 2016 will be organized by Expo Centre Sharjah, in association with All India Plastics Manufacturers Association, and the support of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It will be held at Expo Centre Sharjah from February 22 to 25 in 2016, displaying raw materials and machinery for key segments such as plastic processing, injection molding, thermoforming, packaging, industrial users, construction, infrastructure, automobile and telecommunication, among others.

ZAMBELLO Single-Screw Extruder Gearbox Growing Market in India

he ZPE series for single-screw extruders places Zambello at highest level in the world as to the transmissible torque as referred to weight and dimension of the gearbox. The series of this range are very complete and go from the smallest gearbox of size 90 (for extruders with 25 to 30mm screw diameter) up to gearboxes of size 630 (for big extruders with 300 to 400 mm screw diameter).

The high level of this range regards designing and manufacturing of toothed gears, which are completely Built and tested at the Zambello factory, and also of the components which are supplied by the most important European manufacturers. Due to the politics of the constant extension of the spare parts stock, Zambello is able to ensure best punctuality as regards delivery times. The ZPE range offers 3 different series:

Blowing of hollow bodies (bottles, cans, reservoirs) Cast film for thermoforming (foodstuff bowls) Cable coating (electric cables, optical fiber cables) Pipes, hoses and profile les for civil buildings Recycling of plastics Foodstuff packages (pasta, croquettes) Textiles and chemical fibers Chemical products ZAMINDIA MANISH SANANDIYA / CEO Mobile: +91 9925835500 E-mail: msanandiya@zambelloindia.com C/602, Riddhi Tower, Nr. Lotus School, Jodhpur Gam Road, Jodhpur, Satellite, Ahmedabad –380015 Gujarat. India

ZPE1 for high revolutions (reduction ratio from i=2 to i=6.3) ZPE2 for medium revolutions (reduction ratio from i=6.3 to i=28) ZPE3 for medium and low revolutions (reduction ratio from i=6.3 to i=125).

Examples of application: Rubber (tyres, seals, profiles ) Blow-film (shopper bags and films, foils for farming)

• October 2015 • Plastics News

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

S-Oil commits to complete new FCC, petrochem capacity by June 2018

outh Korean refiner S-Oil has made a final commitment to build a 60,000 bpd fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit with associated petrochemical capability, to be completed by June 2018. S-Oil has an existing 580,000 bpd refinery and petrochemical complex at Onsan. The new FCC will adopt highseverity technology licensed by Axens. It maximizes a propylene yield ratio of up to 20% compared with a normal yield at about 5-10%. S-Oil has not yet finalized the final plans on propylene capacity but said output will be close

to 700,000 tpa. The new unit will take the company's total propylene capacity to about 900,000 tpa. The FCC will also be able to produce up to 200,000 tpa of ethylene from an off-gas recovery unit. S-Oil has planned to build two propylene derivative units to extend its petrochemical supply chain, including a 400,000 tpa polypropylene unit and a 300,000 tpa propylene oxide plant, which are targeted to start up in the second half of 2018. No investment plans have been made for ethylene downstream units.

New York State Supreme Court overturns city's ban on foam

he New York State Supreme Court today overturned Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia's decision to ban foam foodservice items, clearing the way for New York City to embrace a recycling program that would cover 100 percent of polystyrene products and generate revenue for the city. "This decision is a victory for the environment and for New York City, which can now become a national leader in recycling by removing every piece of polystyrene from its waste stream—and making money in the process," said former City Councilman Robert Jackson, who heads the Restaurant Action Alliance that was a part of the lawsuit. "The judge has ended the debate about polystyrene recycling by making clear it can be recycled and there is a market for it. Now it's time for the city to capitalize on this development." Michael Westerfield of Dart Container Corp., which was also party to the legal case, said, "Our offer to pay every dime of the startup costs for recycling, and to ensure the city can sell its recycled product, stands. The victory here is for the environment and for recycling. We are eager to work with the city to get recycling started as soon as possible." In

Plastics News • October 2015 •

2014, a City Council mandate required the Sanitation Department to determine if and how foam foodservice products could be recycled in an economically feasible and environmentally effective way or else foam would be banned. Earlier this year, the de Blasio administration announced that it would uphold the ban, despite extensive evidence that EPS foam can be recycled safely and affordably, reported PlasticsToday in an article titled, "NYC polystyrene foam ban called nonsensical by former deputy mayor." The ruling from Judge Margaret Chan overturns the ban completely, stating clearly that the "one undisputed short answer to whether EPS is recyclable is, yes: Single serve EPS is recyclable." The ruling refers the matter to the Department of Sanitation for further consideration consistent with the court order, allowing for recycling the city's foam and #6 rigid polystyrene to move forward. "We're gratified by Judge Chan's decision and look forward to working with the city to implement a comprehensive recycling plan that will reduce the volume of our city's waste stream and generate revenue for the city," said Randy Mastro, Partner at the law firm Gibson Dunn.

Formosa Plastics Group rejects allegation for Polluting Taiwan

ormosa Plastics Group has rejected an allegation that its naphtha cracker in Yunlin County’s Mailiao Township was responsible for behind a recent surge of PM2.5 pollutants in central Taiwan, laying the blame on wind and the burning of agricultural waste, as per Taipei Times. Levels of PM2.5 airborne pollutants measuring less than 2.5 micrometers, in Nantou County, Taichung and Yunlin earlier this week reached “red levels,” at which point there is a greater risk of health problems for sensitive groups-those with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular diseases and senior citizens. The PM2.5 reading in Yunlin’s L u n b e i To w n s h i p w a s 7 9 micrograms per cubic meter, which was more than twice the national daily average of 35 micrograms per cubic meter, leading the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) to issue a recommendation that lasted until yesterday for residents to avoid outdoor activities. The company said that nationwide PM2.5 levels were elevated, and that even an observation station in Taipei’s Yangmingshan National Park recorded excessive PM2.5 levels, suggesting that climate was a principal factor and that the naptha cracker was not a major contributor to air pollution.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

French court gives split decision on BPA

rance’s highest court has delivered a split decision on bisphenol A. While the French Constitutional Council ruled that a 2012 law suspending the manufacture and export of items using BPA unjustifiably restricted trade, it also said that it did not have the ability to assess the scientific merits of BPA, and let stand the part of the current law banning the use of BPA for products touching food within France. This means while manufacturers can use BPA for export, they cannot use the same product for domestic use. More so because of that divide and the Council’s failure to address the compatibility of the French law with existing European Union law, trade group PlasticsEurope said it is continuing a legal battle that calls for the entire French law to be removed.“Given that the French court has repealed the ban on exports from France, and yet maintained the ban within France, necessitates immediate

action at European level to resolve this very arbitrary situation,” said Jasmin Bird from the polycarbonate/ BPA group within Plastics Europe. “The fact remains that leading independent scientific authorities worldwide such as the European Food Safety Authority have concluded that BPA-based food contact materials pose no risk to consumers.” PlasticsEurope is not alone in seeking a resolution. British Plastics Federation director-general Philip Law said: “The French law introduced a significant distortion of trade in what are essentially safe materials, as confirmed by a major EU Risk Assessment process. “France and the European Union's institutions should now complete the job, permit the availability of these materials in the French market itself and respect the principles of the single European market which is already armed to the hilt with safety legislation affecting chemicals.”

Flooding in South Carolina leads to plant closures

eavy flooding in South Carolina has led Intertape Polymer Group Inc. to temporarily close two of its facilities in the state. The historic flooding, which dropped as much 20 inches of rain in areas, was termed a 1,000-year storm by state officials. The sun came out on October 6, 2015 but officials were worried about dams that had breached and rivers that had not crested. At least 15 people died, and emergency actions are still being taken across the state. "At this time it is premature to determine the extent of damage nor the period of time the facility will be down," said Greg Yull, IPG president and CEO, in a statement about the Columbia plant. "We are just now beginning an assessment of the situation, a process that is being complicated by the damage to and accessibility of the area's road infrastructure. We believe that any damages incurred will be covered by insurance." The company said that its new Blythewood facility has not been damaged, but that production has been stopped to ensure the safety of employees in commuting to work and dealing with any personal damages they may have suffered. The plant is expected to resume operations before the end of the week.

Intertape, which is co-headquartered in Montreal, and Sarasota, Fla., has operations in 16 locations, including 11 manufacturing facilities in North America. The Department of Transportation listed on its website that 287 roads and 150 bridges were closed. A 74-mile stretch of I-95 the north-south highway from Washington to Florida, was shut down as well.

Europe likely to have 300 more recycling plants

erman-based consultancy ecoprog has claimed that the demand for plastic recycling plants in Europe will increase significantly by 2025, with capacity set to rise by a quarter. The market study, ‘The European Market for Plastic Sorting and Recycling’, predicted recycling plants with an estimated capacity of 5.2 million tonnes would be commissioned during the next decade, while the number of plants would increase by about 300. The report said the 1,200 active plastic sorting and recycling plants in Europe were not enough for projected capacity, with the European Union (EU) Waste Framework, which requires member states to re-use or recycle at least 50% of certain household wastes, including paper, metal, plastic and glass, by 2020 cited as a key factor in driving plastics recycling. However, almost no EU member state has yet reached this goal and a number, including the UK, are thought to be at risk of missing the target. "Within the waste management sector, recycling will thus be the most important growth markets in the next years" said Marcel Siebertz, consultant at Ecoprog and lead author of the study. The report noted that several European countries still incinerate much of their waste. Switzerland only recovers 10% of plastic waste, with the rest being incinerated.

• October 2015 • Plastics News

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

ISO publishes new standard on bonding S h e l l t o s p e n d plastic-metal assemblies US$80 mln to clean he International Organisation strength, impact strength and sealing e n v i r o n m e n t a l for Standardisation (ISO), the properties. The new suite of standards contamination at body that oversees specifications for will additionally allow quantitative products, services and systems has and objective evaluation. Iwata Monaca

published a new series of standards that offer guidelines for assessing the bonding of plastic and metal assemblies. The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) has published ISO 19095, which according to Dr Ritsuo Iwata, project leader for the new standard, “will provide the experimental data supporting the applicability of the test methods proposed to the evaluation of adhesion interface performance of metal-plastic assemblies”.

The ISO said the methods set out in ISO 19095 were intended to ensure that the integrity of the joint was realised through the interface and that traceability of the value improves data comparison. The adhesion interface performance is tested on tensile strength, tensile shear strength, peel strength, bending

added: “With the progress of bonding technologies, we expect to see an improvement in the strength of the whole-body structure by using highstrength plastic-metal assembly technique as well as high-strength structural adhesive technology and, as a result, lighter, thinner and highervalue-added products will be created for a wide range of applications.” The ISO said the 19095 standard would help manufacturers determine the correct values, enhance the traceability of these values and improve the comparability of data between different kinds of materials. “It will lead to the rapid spread of products and assembly parts made of plastics and metals into international industries, such as the automotive sector, electronics, aircraft and spacecraft, to name a few,” it added.

hell plans to build a petrochemical complex at the former Horsehead Corp. site in Monaca, Beaver County, which until 2014 housed the largest zinc smelter in the country. Shell Chemical Co. is preparing the site for a multibillion dollar petrochemical complex, should the company decide to go through with plans to build it. Shell will spend around US$80 million dealing with the environmental contamination it inherited in buying the 300-acre site. The plan is to raise the ground level by about six feet and cap the metal-laden soil with pavement, roads and buildings has been approved by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Report puts cost of ocean plastic clean-up at £3.3bn

n in-depth examination of where ocean plastic originates and how it ends up in the water and an actionable plan to stop its flow by 2035 has been set out in a new US-based report carried out by Ocean Conservancy, a non-profit environmental advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., United States A new Ocean Conservancy report, Stemming the Tide: Land-Based

Plastics News • October 2015 •

Strategies for a Plastic-Free Ocean, identifies the location-specific origins of most of the world’s plastic marine debris and how it leaks into the oceans as well as outlines of practical solutions, their relevant economics, and short and long-term plans for implementation in five priority countries: China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. Ocean Conservancy chief executive Andreas Merkl said, “Today’s report,

for the first time, outlines a specific path forward for the reduction, and ultimate elimination, of plastic waste in the oceans. The report's findings confirm what many have long thought — that ocean plastic solutions actually begin on land. It will take a coordinated effort of industry, [non-governmental organisations] and government to solve this growing economic and environmental problem.” The report was put together by the Washington-

INTERNATIONAL NEWS based non-profit advocacy group in partnership with the McKinsey Center for Business and Environment and Trash Free Seas Alliance partners including Dow Chemical, Coca-Cola and the American Chemistry Council. Experts estimate eight million tons of plastic “leaks” out of the waste system and into the watershed each year, according to the report, most coming from industrializing countries in Asia.“These are countries where the consumption of plastic is skyrocketing and waste management is not keeping

up,” Merkl said. The report proposes a five-point solution to cutting the “leakage” from land-based sources by 45% by 2025 with the ultimate goal of eliminating it by 2035. The cost of meeting those goals are estimated to be about $5bn (£3.3bn) annually, according to the report, but significant returns to the global economy are possible once the proper infrastructure is in place. Proposed solutions include expanded service collection and ultimately increased

waste collection rates; closing leakage points within the collection systems of all five countries, including targeting illegal dumping and containing legal open dump sites; implementing the latest waste-to-energy programs such as gasification or incineration with energy recovery; and improving systems to manually sort waste to extract high-value plastics for recycling and convert a significant portion of low-value plastic to refusederived fuel.

Fillers International News Irish survey says country tosses tons of recyclable plastic Repak Ltd., Ireland’s industry-funded body tasked with promoting packaging recycling, has said the number of plastic bottles put into landfill sites every year would stretch around the country 2,000 times.The not-for-profit company said the nation’s plastic packaging would generate enough electricity for 86,000 homes.Around 169,000 metric tons of this waste was generated every year in Ireland, amounting to 37 kilograms per person.Repak found that while plastics make up a third of household waste, just 36 percent of the material was recycled. Repak CEO Seamus Clancy said: “We aim to build on Ireland’s excellent record of packaging recycling and plastic is a key part of that equation. We want to get Irish people to up the ante with plastic recycling. “A lot of plastic packaging waste is generated outside the kitchen and we want to remind people to ensure they’re recycling all they can rather than a high percentage.”

A poll carried out for the recycling focus found one in three Irish people believed it was socially unacceptable to just dump waste.And three in four would confront a relative who put the wrong item in the green bin. More than half those surveyed felt those who contaminated their green bin should be penalized. This survey was carried out for the 15th Repak Recycle Week, which took place earlier this month. EPA looking into PVC contamination site again The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is launching a new investigation into groundwater contamination from a PVC facility in Delaware’s New Castle County that is already on the Superfund list. The Delaware City PVC Plant site occupies 400 acres, with a PVC manufacturing facility currently owned and operated by Formosa Plastics Corp., and a surrounding contaminated groundwater plume. The plant was built in 1966 by Stauffer Chemical Co., which used unlined earthen lagoons and pits to dispose of PVC waste and sludge. Stauffer sold the plant to Formosa in May 1981.

According to reports Groundwater, used locally for drinking water and agriculture, was found to be contaminated with chemicals, including ethylene dichloride, earning the Delaware City PVC Plant a spot on the federal Superfund list of most contaminated sites in 1983. Stauffer began cleanup in 1982 but the company was sold in 1987; through a series of acquisitions, Bayer CropScience is Stauffer’s successor to the site and is now working with the federal government. Responsibility for cleaning the site stayed with Stauffer after it sold the plant to Formosa, then passed to Bayer. According to the EPA, initial cleanup work agreements with Stauffer did not address contamination of a second, deeper aquifer or in groundwater east of the plant. The new investigation, with which the government says Bayer is cooperating and will pay for oversight costs, will “determine the nature and extent of groundwater contamination” around the original cleanup location.

• October 2015 • Plastics News

Business NEWS

Indorama Ventures to invest US$175 mln Petlon completes to renovate and restart ethane cracker Teknor Apex ndorama Ventures plans to invest and 30,000 metric tons of propylene assets deal to Ia US$175 mln to renovate and restart per year, with the facility capable of dormant ethane cracker west of processing both ethane and propane. invest £1m Lake Charles, Louisiana. Indorama IVL currently runs intermediate Ventures is acquiring the ethane cracker site and facilities as a joint investment with Singapore-based Indorama Corporation. Based in Bangkok, Thailand, Indorama Ventures Public Co. Ltd. has through its U.S. subsidiary, Indorama Ventures Olefins, acquired the dormant ethane cracker facility and approximately 250 acres. IVL already produces purified ethylene oxide and mono ethylene glycol in the U.S., with ethylene being the primary feedstock. The project in Carlyss will generate a production capacity of 370,000 metric tons of ethylene

petrochemical manufacturing sites located in Texas, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. “This acquisition will make us wellplaced to receive cost-advantaged ethane and propane feedstock,” Group CEO Aloke Lohia said. “We are targeting a commercial startup before the end of 2017, which will make us the first Thai company to take advantage of the shale gas revolution in the United States and ahead of the greenfield crackers being constructed. We are excited for this opportunity to join the Louisiana business

Alpla to have new plants in India, Mexico and Saudi Arabia

lobal packaging moulder Alpla continues to extend its production network with three new plants in India, Mexico and Saudi Arabia to be launched by the end of this year.

The firm, based in Hard, Austria, is due to begin operating a new facility for plastics bottle production at Dammam in the Third Industrial City in Jeddah in western Saudi Arabia. Last October, Alpla is reported to have awarded a turnkey construction contract to a local company, Zamil Steel Construction to build this plant. Alpla is all set to operate its sixth packaging plant in India when it launches a new facility to manufacture PET bottles, caps and closures at Hosur in the southern India state of Tamil

Plastics News • October 2015 •

Nadu. Currently, the blow moulder runs three other plants at the industrial centre of Baddi, in the far northern state of Himachal Pradesh with one each located in the central city of Hyderabad and in Sitarganj, also in northern India. In Mexico, where the company has 21 base and in-house bottle moulding plants, it is also due to operate a new production unit established in the western Pacific port city of Acapulco. Alpla is a major supplier to Coca Cola bottlers in Mexico. Its three additional plants will take its total network to 160 across 40 countries worldwide. Last year, the Austrian extrusion, stretch and injection blow moulder and injection moulder, recorded annual sales of more than €3.13bn (£2.32bn) and employs a total of 16,000 globally.

etlon Polymers has completed the purchase of selected customer and product technology from Teknor Apex. The deal has included the worldwide Beetle engineering thermoplastic brand and certain manufacturing assets. As a result, Petlon will make a £1m investment in its specialist extrusion capability at its facility in Lydney.

The investment will expand Petlon’s nameplate capacity to 20kt per annum by the end of 2015 and is set to see a number of new jobs created in the local area. Pe t l o n h a d e a r l i e r a c q u i r e d a number of product brands, manufacturing assets and customer lists from Teknor Apex. As part of the deal, nine Teknor Apex staff would be transferred over to Petlon. Trent Ward, chief executive of JWH Group, the parent company of Petlon, said he was “delighted to conclude the deal with Teknor Apex which marks an exciting milestone in the expansion and development of the Petlon Polymers business”. As part of the deal Petlon has welcomed onboard a number of former Teknor Apex employees including Mark Clayton, former UK director of Teknor Apex who has been named as Petlon’s managing director.

Business NEWS

Kraton buys renewable specialty chemical maker

ouston-based Kraton Performance Polymers will to buy Arizona Chemical Holdings Corp at $1.37 billion deal Arizona Chemical makes specialty resins and chemicals mainly based on pine wood for adhesive, road construction and tire markets. These products include phenolic resins as well as polyterpenes. Kraton is a major producer of styrenic block copolymers and is making a billion-dollar move into renewable specialty chemicals. Kraton President and CEO Kevin Fogarty said that the acquisition is part of his firm’s three-

part strategy and that it creates new opportunities for Kraton to deepen customer relationships in core markets. The deal is expected to close in late 2015 or early 2016. The primary owner of Arizona Chemical is American Securities LLC, a New Yorkbased private equity firm. Kraton operates plants in five locations worldwide and posted sales of more than $1.2 billion in 2014. The firm has had a challenging year on Wall Street, where its per-share price was near $21 on Jan. 1 but was under $18 in early trading September 2015.

Secos to sell Malaysian joint venture Melbourne based Secos Group Ltd. plans to sell its share in a Malaysian joint-venture company that manufactures release liners. Secos was formed in April though a merger of Cardia Bioplastics Ltd. with Stellar Films Group Pty. Ltd. The company makes bioplastics, and is publicly traded. The merger included Stellar’s 50.8 percent interest in Akronn Industries Sdn Bhd, which manufactures silicone-coated film products at a plant in Nilai, Malaysia. Secos also owns Stellar Films (Malaysia) Sdn Bhn, which operates a plant at Port Klang, Malaysia. Akronn silicone coats Stellar films and markets them as release liners to the personal care, hygiene, photovoltaic and graphic arts industries. Chairman Richard Tegoni said that the decision to sell Akronn follows a strategic review of Secos’ holdings. Secos Group Managing Director Stephen

Walters did not comment but said that the “The current negotiations are confidential therefore we cannot comment at all, on anything, at this time.” According to the company Secos is currently in discussions with suitable silicone release industry partners [about] the sale of its interest in Akronn. Potential industry partners have expressed a strong interest in either injecting further capital into Akronn with the objective of taking a controlling interest or effecting an outright purchase of the business. Secos also said it will sell its minority interest in Bioglobal Ltd., an unlisted Australian public company that moved its operations to Shenzhen, China, in January 2012. Bioglobal invests in and commercializes intellectual property to develop novel and profitable products for the biochemical pest and insect management markets.

Novolex buys Wisconsin Film & Bag Plastic sheet and bag giant Novolex is expanding and has bought Wisconsin Film & Bag Inc. for an undisclosed amount. Like its previous acquisitions, this deal helps Novolex diversify beyond its traditional base in plastic T-shirt bags — in this case into custom film and packaging. Based in Shawano, with about 175 employees, Wisconsin Film & Bag has been manufacturing custom film and bags for 43 years and has expanded into sustainable and recycled materials with its own converting and recycling plants. “We are excited about the addition of Wisconsin Film & Bag to the Novolex family,” Stan Bikulege, chairman and CEO of Novolex, said in an Oct. 1 news release. “This is important to us because it will further enhance our high quality packaging choices for customers while advancing our position as the industry leader in sustainability.” Chicago based Novolex ranks No. 13 in Plastics News’ most recent survey of North American film & sheet manufacturers, with estimated film sales of $600 million whereas Wisconsin Film & Bag ranked No. 84 in the same survey, with estimated sales of $62 million. Novolex also operates the world’s largest plastic bag recycling facility in North Vernon, Ind., and does an estimated $2 billion in annual sales across its 37 North American facilities.

• October 2015 • Plastics News

Business NEWS

Ineos delays startup at ethylene unit at Ineos Buys Texas Aromatics Business US olefins producer Ineos has delayed Sumitomo Demag reports record From Axiall a startup of one ethylene unit at its Alvin, Texas, complex, as per market sources in Platts. Ineos operates two steam crackers at the petrochemical complex, each capable of producing 907,000 tpa of ethylene, according to Platts, while polypropylene production at the site is at 440,000 tpa. The ethylene plant was scheduled for restart over the weekend. However, the process has been extended without clear indication of duration. The complex suffered an area-wide power outage in mid-September, which led to a two-week outage at its Olefins No. 1 plant and polypropylene plant on the site. According to sources the Olefins No. 2 plant was still down, though a company spokesman did not confirm which one of the units was still down. Mitsui - Celanese JV starts up 1.3 million ton methanol plant in the US Mitsui & Co and Celanese Corp jointly began production of methanol at a plant in Dallas, Texas, as scheduled, with an annual production capacity of 1.3 mln tons. The newly formed venture is 50:50 partnership with Mitsui & Co and Celanese Corp The plant ranks as the largest US methanol production facility. The companies will evenly split the output of the site.. "This investment provides us with supply certainty for a critical raw material and allows the acetyl chain to gain the economic benefit of abundant low-cost US natural gas," Celanese CEO and chairman Mark Rohr said. The project was completed in 21 months, Rohr said, adding that it was "the most efficient and economical greenfield methanol plant in recent industry history."

Plastics News • October 2015 •

results Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery GmbH continued its focus on packaging, automotive, electrical and consumer products at Fakuma 2015. The machinery maker also is beefing up business in new geographical markets and continuing a push to make its injection presses more energy efficient, according to Gerd Liebig, Sumitomo Demag’s chief sales officer. Liebig said business is good in 2015. “We will achieve the best year of Sumitomo Demag,” during Fakuma in Friedrichshafen. Liebig gave production and sales numbers for Sumitomo Demag machines made in Germany and in China — 1,450 injection presses expected this year, with sales of 225 million euros ($256 million)and incoming orders of 255 million euros ($290 million). The company’s goal for those machines is 2,000 presses a year. Liebig said the injection molding market this year is declining in China, but the rest of Asia is growing, mainly driven by Japan. Europe is slightly positive, as the German market is strong. Press business to Spain and Italy is growing, which has surprised company officials, he said. Overall sales for Sumitomo Demag should be about 650 million euros ($739.6 million), according to Tetsuya Okamura, CEO of Sumitomo Demag and senior vice president of the Japanese parent company, Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd. Okamura said the company’s business is balanced between major regions around the world

neos Group has acquired the aromatics business of Atlantabased Axiall Corporation for $62.9 million. According to reports the deal includes phenol and cumene, which are used as feedstocks for plastics and related products. Ineos — based in Rolle, Switzerland — made the deal through its Ineos Americas LLC unit. According to reports Axiall’s cumene plant in Pasadena, Texas, is included in the deal. Production of phenol and other materials will be moved to an Ineos plant in Mobile, Ala. The cumene plant employs 43 and has annual production capacity of almost 2 billion pounds. Cumene is used to make phenol and acetone, which then are used in the production of polycarbonate, phenolics, solvents and nylon and other synthetic fibers for numerous markets including automotive and construction. Ineos Phenol CEO Hans Casier said that the deal and related asset moves “presents an excellent opportunity to further improve our competitiveness.” Axiall ranks as one of North America’s largest producers of PVC resins, compounds and construction products. Ineos produces a wide range of plastics and petrochemicals.

Business NEWS

Cosmo Films hiking BOPP capacity in Barnes Group acquires Priamus Gujarat osmo Films Ltd. is spending the expansion, it would be hiked to System

$30.8 million (200 crore rupees) to expand a biaxially-oriented polypropylene film plant at its factory near Vadodara, India. The New Delhibased company said the expansion, estimated to be completed in early 2017, is needed to cope with an Indian BOPP film market growing 15 percent a year, and is particularly needed for new orders in the consumer goods sector. Pankaj Poddar CEO Cosmo Films Ltdc said, “Currently, our capacity is 140,000 tonnes (308.5 million pounds) annually and with

200,000 tonnes (440.8 million pounds) to meet the growing demand.”

Poddar also said the addition of the 10.4 meter manufacturing line will make Cosmo the largest BOPP film manufacturer in India. He estimated the Indian market is about 1.1 billion pounds (500,000 metric tons) a year. The Vadodara plant also houses extrusion coating lines and metallization equipment. He said the line would be equipped to handle automated changeovers, allowing the company to save power and increase efficiency.

Sabic dissolves its Pittsfield Plastics unit

audi Basic Industries Corp. (Sabic) is dissolving its Sabic Innovative Plastics unit — the former GE Plastics business that ranks as one of the world’s largest polycarbonate makers — in a move that will also see it close Sabic IP’s office in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Sabic said that Sabic IP’s commodity products will be placed in the parent firm’s Chemicals and Polymers unit. Remaining Sabic IP products will be in a new Specialties unit. According to the company along with the Performance Chemicals (strategic business unit)…the Innovative Plastics SBU will cease to exist. Some of the 300 employees in Pittsfield will transfer to Sabic offices in the Houston area, officials said. The company is still evaluating Pittsfield’s Polymer Processing Development Center and its location. The business that is now Sabic IP has been based

in Pittsfield in some form since 1903, when General Electric Co. bought the Stanley Electric Manufacturing plant there. GE began making phenolic plastic resins there in 1909. GE's employment numbers in Pittsfield peaked at 13,000 in the 1940s. Sabic vice president and acting CEO Yousef Al-Benyan said, "Exiting the Pittsfield site was a logical yet very difficult business decision, knowing the important role our business and people have played in this community over the years." GE Plastics was based in Pittsfield for many years and the business remained there after being sold to Sabic for $11.6 billion in 2007. Officials say that one of the drivers of the change is “the differing technology priorities of commodity and specialty businesses.” The new structure is expected to be in place by Jan. 1.

arnes Group Inc., which has bought three hot runner makers in the past two years, is adding to its global plastics-business platform by acquiring Priamus System Technologies AG, the Swiss maker of in-mold sensing systems and process controls. Bristol based industrial company, Barnes is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. However the purchase price was not disclosed. Priamus was founded in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, in 2001. It grew to become a major maker of in-mold control systems. Priamus’ equipment monitors mold parameters in real time, like mold-cavity pressure & temperature, & feeds the data to the machine. It makes hot runner controls. Priamus opened its U.S. operation in 2002. Priamus System Technologies LLC is in Brunswick, Ohio. Barnes said Priamus employs about 40 people. Founded in 1857, Barnes specializes in precision machining and fabrication of components for a range of markets, including aerospace, industrial and automotive. Barnes has beefed up in plastics buying Synventive Molding Solutions Group in 2012, Otto Männer GmbH in 2013, and this year, Thermoplay SpA. “We are excited about adding Priamus and its exceptional design and applications engineering capabilities to Barnes Group,” Scott Mayo, senior VP, said, & announcing the deal. “We believe the combination of Priamus’ innovative suite of sensor & process control systems & Barnes Group’s portfolio of plastic injection molding solutions will enable us to create something truly unique and expand what’s possible in injection molding,”

• October 2015 • Plastics News

Product NEWS

Automatic rim rolling machines for conical cups and containers

M Wr a p p i n g M a c h i n e r y

units for counting, film sleeving

SA has introduced an

and subsequent boxing operations.

automatic rim rolling machines

When the cups come out from

for conical cups and containers

the punch and die mould or in-

in continuation of the roundup

line trim press, the upper edge

of machine accessories built

is formed into an inverted U

to optimize the production of

shape. The size and thickness of

thermoformed articles. These

this edge are critical and must

rimming units are widely used

therefore be carefully considered

in the production of disposable

when the mould is made and

cups, which can be made from

these parameters must be

various materials: Polystyrene,

constantly maintained during the

Polypropylene, APET or PLA. WM

thermoforming process to ensure

has created two different types of

a perfect flange and an adequate

automatic rimming machine, each

uniform aesthetic appearance.The

adapted to the characteristics of

rim-rolling screws are obviously

the material to be processed. One

the heart of the system and

rim roller for polystyrene cups and

the profile of the grooves that

another for polypropylene and

constitute the thread of the screw

PET. The two units differ mainly in

are produced according to the

the length of the rim-rolling screw

type of cup, the stacking step

(longer for polypropylene cups

and the material with which the

and shorter for polystyrene cups)

cup has been formed, taking into

and also the system of infrared heating which, for the polystyrene is housed in a tunnel before the entrance of the cups into the rim-rolling cylinders, and for polypropylene the heating extends along the length of the three rimrolling screws, creating a closed chamber through which the stack of cups passes.Once rimmed the cups exit from the screws they are automatically transported by a conveyor belt to the downstream

Plastics News • October 2015 •

account the dimensional shrinkage of the material. As there is a very wide range of cups with different diameter openings, the rim-rolling screws can easily be changed according to the design of the cup and readily adjusted in relation to the cup’s diameter. The rimming machine can be quickly retooled by the operator in a few simple steps, to make fast, easy and safe production changes.

Gap-free grippers from FIPA

n improved version of the gripper can securely grip and detect very flat sprues and tabs (>1 mm). FIPA GmbH has completely overhauled its tried-and-tested Series 100 grippers. The new FIPA grippers close without a gap. They securely grip not only thin sprues or tabs, but also soft malleable sprues and tabs, like those made of silicone, starting from a thickness of about 1 mm. Reliable parts inspection is possible starting from this sprue thickness as well. As a result, these grippers leave the competition’s models far behind. For automation, this is a reliable component for building gripper systems for complex workpieces with low material thickness. These can be used as sprue grippers in plastics processing operations or for removing components from tooling machines. With the new grippers, even workpieces with a high material thickness can be gripped, thanks to the wideopening gripper jaws. The dualaction variant is targeted at applications with short cycle times because opening and closing can be controlled separately. The gap-free grippers provide a High level of process safety with secure gripping and detection starting with a sprue thickness of 1 mm. It also has wide-opening gripper jaws: Ideal for gripping larger sprues or workpieces and a Dual-action variant for short cycle times.

Product NEWS

Jindal Films introduces new metallized Kraiburg develops barrier and sealant films TPEs with different very low temperature seal (VLTS) grades ew metallized barrier and

sealant films for a range of flexible packaging applications is being introduced by Jindal Films Europe, a global leader in the development and manufacture of specialty oriented polypropylene (OPP) film. The range of innovative film technologies for horizontal form fill seal (HFFS) packaging applications includes – Metallyte™ MM398 for use in laminations and Metallyte™ MM688 and MM648 for use as an unsupported monoweb. While the series of Metallyte™ MM398 Metallyte™ MM398 offers an excellent moisture barrier and much improved seal integrity compared to standard metallized OPP film alternatives. These films use a new heat sealant technology platform with improved heat seal performance when laminated to thin OPP or PET outer webs It provides brand owners with an opportunity to improve shelf life by reducing pack leak rates in various HFFS segments, such as biscuit & bakery, sweet confectionery and home & personal care. Also the new series of Metallyte™ MM688 and MM648 metallized films - clear MM688 and white MM648 - provide manufacturers with opportunities to replace laminated structures and reduce packaging weight without sacrificing protection. The films are new metallized, surface printable monoweb OPP film solutions with a broad sealing range and wide operating window for demanding high and variable speed HFFS applications. Both films feature a

coating on one side and a printable, over-coated metallized surface on the reverse side. They provide consistent machinability and good print surface, while maintaining barriers to keep products feeling, tasting and smelling fresh.

ELIX introduces new generation high heat ABS ELIX Polymers has introduced an innovative range of high heat ABS grades that combines very low emissions and high flowability, offering well balanced mechanical properties, low emission/odor, high heat resistance and excellent processability and paintability. This latest product development meets the stringent requirements of the Automotive Industry and is suitable for interior and exterior applications. ELIX Polymers recently extended its presence and business activities in North America, focusing on its global portfolio of ABS and PC/ABS products. Key amongst these are ABS specialties which will be available as tailor made pre-coloured grades, as well as the new high heat resistant grades. ELIX Polymers has fully embraced sustainable production by focusing on reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. The company holds ISO 50001 certification for energy management and has adopted a systematic approach aimed at achieving continual improvement of its energy performance.

raiburg has developed TPEs with different grades especially those can be called as Drinking water compliant TPE for hoses. KRAIBURG TPE has developed TPEs with different grades of hardness that contain no softeners and comply with the European standards in Great Britain (WRAS), France (ACS) and Germany (KTW and W270). Within the scope of the German guidelines for plastics in drinking water issued by the Federal Environmental Agency the new compounds are approved for drinking water applications. The formulation of the new drinking water compliant series had been optimized according the increasing requirements of the market: the economical thermoplastic extrusion process allow use of the material for the manufacture of supply hoses for showers or dishwashers According to the company especially in sanitary facilities and household appliances the components and functional elements come into direct or indirect contact with drinking water. Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE), due to their elastic properties and the economical processing methods of injection molding or extrusion, open up diverse possibilities for manufacturers of drinking water applications – at the same time, the materials must pass stringent controls, due to the extreme requirements of this market for quality and safety.especially for drinking water applications

• October 2015 • Plastics News

Product NEWS

New RTP 100 eXtra for higher strength, Ampacet introduces FusionFX for plastic and impact properties TP has developed the new RTP of reducing the overall weight of injection molded 100 eXtra Performance (XP) an application by replacing heavier products Ampacet

Compounds, a series of thermoplastic compounds formulated for higher strength, modulus and impact properties. RTP 100 XP Compounds provide a new realm of design possibilities for applications in the automotive, furniture, appliance, storage, industrial/construction, electronics, and energy markets. It comes with higher strength, stiffness, and impact resistance performance that is close to RTP’s Very Long Fiber (VLF) compounds, combined with the lighter weight and chemical resistance of standard PP compounds. In comparison to common glass fiber reinforced PP at similar load levels, RTP 100 XP Compounds exhibit up to 20% higher modulus values and twice the impact resistance. Their lighter density makes RTP 100 XP compounds an ideal choice for “lightweighting”, the process

metal components with lighter weight thermoplastic compounds. Due to their inherent chemical resistant properties and non-hygroscopic nature, RTP 100 XP Compounds are also an excellent alternative to nylon or other compounds where moisture can reduce load bearing capabilities. RTP 100 XP Compounds are available from RTP Company worldwide as standard pellets in formulations containing from 10-50 weight % glass fiber reinforcement, and can be easily injection molded into large or small complex geometries. Additional additive technologies may be incorporated to create robust compounds, engineered to meet demanding requirements such as long term heat aging, cold weather impact resistance, flame retardance, ultra violet protection, or compliance with government agency approvals.

Silvergate Plastics develops Masterbatches specifically for 3D printing

range of masterbatches specifically for 3D printing has been developed by UK’s Silvergate Plastics. An innovative range of colour and additive masterbatches has been designed for 3D printing and the company has the ability to customise any colour for both ABS and PLA polymers. The advanced ingredients compatible for use in

Plastics News • October 2015 •

this special range of masterbatch include Optiblo, the company’s advanced formula for optimising efficiencies and product performance during manufacture, along with laser marking, fragrant and antimicrobial additives. Silvergate Plastics is keen to support this burgeoning industry by developing performance-enhancing colours and additives.

orporation has introduced FusionFX masterbatch

coloring technology, which will provide manufacturers of plastic injection molded products with some new options for color effects. The process blends one or more individual masterbatch colors together during the feeding and blending stage of the molding process. This mix is then fed into the injection mold with the virgin polypropylene plastic. FusionFX maintains the physical properties of a part because the masterbatch is made of a compatible polyolefin resin. The proprietary technology works by allowing the masterbatch to melt at a slower rate during the melting and extruding stage of the process. The result is a randomly color-flecked design that is consistent across a product line, but with no two products looking exactly alike. Applications are mainly in the manufacturing industry for consumer goods, including sporting goods, housewares, caps and closures, toys, personal care/ cosmetic products, appliances, sports vehicles, accessories and outdoor furniture.

Product NEWS

Coperion launches new automatic strand conveyance system

operion Pelletizing Technology GmbH, Offenbach, has developed an automatic strand conveyance system (ASC) of the kind required by compounding systems for pelletizing at extremely high throughput rates. Designed to work in conjunction with Coperion's two large strand pelletizers, the SP 500 HD (working width 500 mm) and the SP 700 HD (700 mm), this new conveyance system is likewise available in two sizes: the ASC 500 for throughput rates of up to 3.5 tonnes/hour (depending on the product) and the ASC 700 for up to 5 tonnes / hour. The conveyance system automatically guides the extruded strands via a cooling water chute and downstream conveyor belt into the feed mechanism of the pelletizer. A likewise automatic startup mechanism facilitates the start-up operation, while any possible machine malfunctions caused by broken strands are avoided by the system's ability to rethread the strands. Compared to other processes, strand pelletizing ensures an extremely gentle treatment of the product, as it operates with much lower pressures. Other convincing advantages are the negligible complexity of the

system and the low rate of wear. These advantages combined with its relatively low operating costs make strand pelletizing an obvious preference for the compounder. The new SK92 die head has been developed specially for high throughput rates. Homogeneous heating/cooling ensures completely uniform extrusion of the strands across the entire width of the extrusion die. The die head is distinguished by its optimum rheology and efficient heat transfer, making for maximum possible throughput while ensuring gentle handling of the product. This feature ideally complements the increased throughput capabilities of the ZSK Mc18 extruder series.The ASC automatic strand conveyance system is modular, permitting flexible and rapid adaptation to the actual processing task. If, for example, the extruded material is such that it requires more intensive cooling, the strands – after being cooled in the water chute – can be additionally spray-cooled with cold water on the downstream perforated conveyor. The spray bars used for this purpose can be turned on and off individually and can be readily exchanged during

regular maintenance operations. Freely positionable suction stations in the conveyor system generate powerful streams of air that free the strands from adhering water. This postcooling facility may, if required, be readily converted to an intensive cooling section. A strand drying unit in the last section of the conveyor system ensures that residual moisture is absolutely negligible when the strands are fed into the pelletizer. Coperion's new automatic strand conveyance system may be used for a broad spectrum of materials. It is equipped as standard with a vertical adjustment permitting different points of strand placement on the water chute depending on the material being processed. An integrated strand monitoring device helps to maintain high take-off speeds in conjunction with a high number of strands and hence high throughput rates in fully automatic operation. Combination with a Coperion extruder permits direct integration of the strand conveyance control into the control system of the extruder, thus affording yet a further reduction in operating effort.

Quaker develops New smart polymer™ technology for the die casting

uaker Chemical Corporation (NYSE: KWR, "Quaker") Subsidiary – G.W. Smith & Sons has developed Smart Polymer™ Technology, a heat activated additive. DIE SLICK® die lubricants with Smart Polymer™ Technology are able to form an evenly distributed, tough, protective die coating when exposed to hot areas of the die, but do not accumulate residue in cooler areas. This unique

property translates to reduced solder on castings and helps in increasing productivity. It also helps enhanced release and wetting characteristics and provide bright and clean castings. Ideally uneven die protection caused by temperature variation on the die surface has been a constant challenge in the die casting industry. Temperature variation is caused by the variability

in die size, design, complexity, flow of alloy through the die, and heat profile of each system. Traditional die lubricants, unable to adapt to the disparity in die temperatures, can be good at protecting hot areas of the die, but can produce residue buildup in cooler, less demanding areas, causing complications with solder on the casting.

• October 2015 • Plastics News

Technology

New category of bioabsorbable polymer drug-eluting stent

oston Scientific has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the SYNERGY™ B i o a b s o r b a b l e Po l y m e r D r u g Eluting Stent System (BP-DES) for the treatment of coronary artery disease. With this FDA approval, Boston Scientific will commence commercialization of the first and only BP-DES in the U.S. Notably, both the drug coating and the polymer – which modulates drug release – are fully absorbed shortly after drug elution is complete at three months. The SYNERGY Stent provides synchronized drug and polymer absorption. It is designed to enable more rapid and complete arterial healing, and to thereby reduce the risk of complications associated with long-term polymer exposure compared to currently-used drugeluting stents (DES) with permanent polymers. Existing DES devices reduce coronary restenosis, but the polymer remains on the stent after the drug is delivered. Long-term exposure to the polymer may cause inflammation, which delays healing and has been

associated with complications, including neoatherosclerosis and stent thrombosis. The SYNERGY Stent is designed for faster and sustained healing by eliminating long term polymer exposure. "Data from the EVOLVE II trial, which included the most complex patient population studied in a U.S. regulatory approval stent trial, demonstrated exceptional performance and safety of the SYNERGY Stent," said Dean Kereiakes, M.D., principal investigator of the EVOLVE II trial and medical director at The Christ Hospital Heart & Vascular Center/The Lindner Research Center, Cincinnati. "The U.S. cardiology community will have access to a bioabsorbable polymer DES which will provide excellent clinical outcomes and should optimize vessel healing." Results previously reported from EVOLVE II, a global, multi-center, randomized, single-blind, noninferiority pivotal trial demonstrated 0% definite stent thrombosis (ST) after 24 hours. Four-year EVOLVE trial data

demonstrated a continued 0% stent thrombosis rate and a very low target lesion revascularization (TLR) rate of 1.1%. Boston Scientific will continue to advance the robust clinical program supporting the SYNERGY Stent with the initiation of the EVOLVE Short Dual Anti-Platelet Therapy (DAPT) Study, expected during the first quarter of 2016. The company has received an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) for this prospective study designed to assess the safety of three-month use of DAPT in patients at high risk for bleeding undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with the SYNERGY Stent. "The introduction of the first bioabsorbable polymer stent in the U.S. is a tremendous milestone in the evolution of stent technology," said Kevin Ballinger, president, Interventional Cardiology, Boston Scientific. "The SYNERGY Stent is a next generation therapy designed to improve patient outcomes and ultimately reduce health care costs associated with the treatment of coronary artery disease."

Alternative process for making ethylene

thylene is produced in greater amounts than any other basic chemical in the world. The small molecule consisting of two carbon atoms and four hydrogen atoms, it is a basic building block in the manufacture of a wide range of basic chemicals, polymers and plasticisers. The packaging material polyethylene (PE) is just one popular application among many. Today ethylene is primarily manufactured from crude oil in a process known as cracking, but the ongoing price

Plastics News • October 2015 •

volatility and the finite availability of crude oil have caused a surge for an alternative manufacturing approach: its synthesis from methanol in the so-called methanol-to-olefins (MTO) process. Now a team of scientists at ETH Zurich and ENS Lyon has worked out in detail how the reaction begins.Chemists developed the MTO process in the late 1970s, and today there are manufacturing plants all over the world. China has more MTO plants than any other country: five large-scale facilities are currently

in operation and a further thirteen are planned. The reason for this is simple: China has a huge demand for petrochemicals with limited access to oil deposits. What the country does have is large coal reserves, and methanol can be manufactured quite easily by gasifying coal. In addition, methanol can be made from natural gas. Consequently, Chinese investors are planning to manufacture methanol in the United States for export to China, drawing on the U.S.'s plentiful shale gas reserves.

Technology For the MTO reaction to occur, methanol is brought together with socalled zeolites at 400 degrees Celsius. These zeolites are porous, granular aluminosilicate minerals facilitating the reaction as catalysts. For a long time, chemists were unable to exactly explain the MTO reaction. 20 years ago scientists postulated that other molecules had to be involved: positively charged cyclic hydrocarbon molecules in which five to six carbon atoms are bonded together, also known as cyclic carbenium ions. Such

species actually react with methanol: They stitch two methanol molecules together and form a carbon-carbon bond, before producing ethylene. Many scientists proposed that these ions must be present as adventitious contaminants in methanol. Now the Franco-Swiss research team has proposed a different explanation. "We have shown that alumina, which is always present in zeolites, can easily transform methanol into ethylene and other hydrocarbons, which can then be converted into carbenium ions in the

pores of the zeolite catalyst," explains Christophe Copéret, Professor of Surface and Interface Chemistry at ETH Zurich and one of the authors of the study. "While the MTO process is up and running at industrial scale, this work shades new light on how the process starts. And it shows that simple oxide materials like alumina can trigger carbon-carbon bond formation from methanol derivatives, thus opening new avenues for the upgrading of methanol into long chain hydrocarbon.

Trexel expands product line to include TecoCell chemical foaming agents

rexel Inc. (Wilmington, MA), the company has developed and commercialized the MuCell process for the production of microcellular foamed parts in injection molding, blowmolding and extrusion. Trexel long believed that CFAs could not produce a consistent microcellular structure needed for foaming thinwall parts. However, in the course of Trexel's research and development with Polyfil's EcoCell product line, it was able to identify process conditions that did, indeed, create generally consistent microcellular structures within certain parts and with specific materials. This now enables Trexel to offer multiple highperformance foaming products to its customers, depending on their exact requirements, by applying Trexel's expertise in designing and molding foamed parts with the TecoCell chemical agent. TecoCell is Trexel's brand name Unlike most foaming additive systems, TecoCell does not produce corrosive byproducts or require scavenger technology. Trexel has exclusive

rights to commercialize TecoCell for all injection molding and automotive blowmolding applications. TecoCell has a reaction temperature of 200°C (393°F), at which point the system releases CO2 to create a microcellular structure in the range of 20 to 80 microns. As with all foaming systems, the optimal size of the cell will depend on process conditions and the type of material used as well as part geometry. This system is targeted at injection molding across all industries and specifically at automotive blowmolding applications. Weight reductions of 30 to 35% for blowmolding and 7 to 10% for injection molded parts are typical for this additive package. The blowmolding applications have seen excellent property retention, according to the company. Kishbaugh explained that Trexel has supported the automotive market for blowmolded components, primarily vehicle ductwork, with the MuCell process for a number of years. Now it also will offer the TecoCell chemical foaming process, which features some property benefits as well as cost savings. "The

accumulated blowmolding process using MuCell requires some material modifications based on the fact that if you incorporate enough nitrogen to get good cell nucleation in the part, the parison melt strength is compromised," he said. "TecoCell serves as both the foaming agent as well as nucleating agent." For injection molding, especially in unfilled olefins— and HDPE in particular—Kishbaugh explained that the tendency is to see a drop-off in impact properties. "Running a relatively high nitrogen level to get good nucleation reduces the impact strength," he said. "The self-nucleating feature of TecoCell means that we maintain better impact strength, particularly with HDPE materials." TecoCell, which is produced through a specialized and patented process, creates a homogeneous gas/cell matrix by utilizing uniform size CaCO3 particles of 0.08 microns. The CaCO3 nano particles distribute themselves evenly in the material system, resulting in a strong and consistent cell structure throughout the blowmolded or injection molded part. The uniformity

• October 2015 • Plastics News

Technology of the cell gives the user a lightweight part with low warpage, faster cycle times, better stiffness and higher heat distortion properties. In addition to automotive applications, TecoCell will offer an excellent alternative for injection molded thinwall packaging. Packaging applications will benefit both in terms of material

costs and material flow. TecoCell, which may be added at levels ranging from 1 to 3%, involves relatively low capital investment but has high annual operating costs. For example, a 2% additive level may result in an additional cost of $0.06 per pound of end product. TecoCell will save on upfront investment costs, however,

because no special equipment is needed, such as the nitrogen system that is required for the MuCell process. "We have customers that have volumes that don't justify the investment in the MuCell system," Kishbaugh noted. "TecoCell is an excellent alternative foaming method for a low-volume application."

High-speed polymer detection and sorting technology on horizon

olymark, a three-year research project funded by the European Commission, has published the preliminary technical results of the research targeted at the development of a new technology that will enable the identification and sorting of polymers, including PET, in the high-value plastics waste stream. Stakeholders from the entire PET value chain are participating in the project in which food contact chemical markers are being developed that will help the recycling industry to more effectively distinguish between food-contact and non-food contact PET, while meeting EU regulation on the use of recycled PET for food-contact applications. This will enable the high-value waste stream to be further optimized, ultimately promoting a more valuable use of these materials.

Now that the first 18 months of the project have been weathered successfully, including a favorable project review with the European Commission in June, the Polymark consortium is ready to present the preliminary results. “Our research partners have successfully developed a complete technology package,” explained Patrick Peuch from Petcore Europe. “By publically releasing these results, in agreement with our

Plastics News • October 2015 •

Polymark Consortium and the approval of the European Commission, we aim to raise early awareness and to give unconstrained access to the widest number of interested parties for their faster consideration and longer-term planning.” What has been achieved in the project thus far? According to the report, a predominantly food contact approved, coating-based approach for the addition of a fluorescent marker to PET bottles has been developed, in which commercially available, near UV-excitable markers are used with strong fluorescence in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. These made it possible to develop a detection system with minimal UV/ozone generation hazards. Moreover, only low levels of marker were required for detection due to the strong fluorescence of the markers. A coating formulation was developed that was water-based and sprayable, to minimize use of VOCs with associated flammability hazards. Use of a coating approach had the added advantage that further, dispersible marker pigments to the coating formulation in combination to allow development of a coding system in the future. The researchers were also able to demonstrate that the marker could be removed following sorting, to keep marker

accumulation, and the associated potential for false positive detection in the long term, to a minimum. Detector technology suitable for high speed sorting was developed in parallel to the marking technology, and initial results in this area are also reported. During the next phase of this project, the coating-based marker system will be subjected to real-world environments, further testing and sorting efficiency trials and optimization using the prototype detection/sorting equipment currently under development. Additionally, an economic analysis and environmental impact study are planned. The results of these activities will be reported in due course. During the next 18 months, Polymark will focus on scaling up the technology to industrial conditions, as well as on communicating the results. An economic analysis and environmental impact study are also planned. The Polymark partners include: Petcore Europe, European Federation of Bottled Waters, European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery Organizations (EPRO), Plastics Recyclers Europe, UK Health and Environmental Research Institute, Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems, Sesotec GmbH, ColorMatrix Europe Ltd and 4PET Recycling

Technology

New category of bioabsorbable polymer High-speed polymer drug-eluting stent detection & sorting technology oston Scientific has received U.S. performance and safety of the

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the SYNERGY™ B i o a b s o r b a b l e Po l y m e r D r u g Eluting Stent System (BP-DES) for the treatment of coronary artery disease. With this FDA approval, Boston Scientific will commence commercialization of the first and only BP-DES in the U.S. Notably, both the drug coating and the polymer – which modulates drug release – are fully absorbed shortly after drug elution is complete at three months. The SYNERGY Stent provides synchronized drug and polymer absorption. It is designed to enable more rapid and complete arterial healing, and to thereby reduce the risk of complications associated with long-term polymer exposure compared to currently-used drugeluting stents (DES) with permanent polymers. Existing DES devices reduce coronary restenosis, but the polymer remains on the stent after the drug is delivered. Long-term exposure to the polymer may cause inflammation, which delays healing and has been associated with complications, including neoatherosclerosis and stent thrombosis. The SYNERGY Stent is designed for faster and sustained healing by eliminating long term polymer exposure. "Data from the EVOLVE II trial, which included the most complex patient population studied in a U.S. regulatory approval stent trial, demonstrated exceptional

SYNERGY Stent," said Dean Kereiakes, M.D., principal investigator of the EVOLVE II trial and medical director at The Christ Hospital Heart & Vascular Center/The Lindner Research Center, Cincinnati. "The U.S. cardiology community will have access to a bioabsorbable polymer DES which will provide excellent clinical outcomes and should optimize vessel healing." Results previously reported from EVOLVE II, a global, multi-center, randomized, single-blind, noninferiority pivotal trial demonstrated 0% definite stent thrombosis (ST) after 24 hours. Four-year EVOLVE trial data demonstrated a continued 0% stent thrombosis rate and a very low target lesion revascularization (TLR) rate of 1.1%. Boston Scientific will continue to advance the robust clinical program supporting the SYNERGY Stent with the initiation of the EVOLVE Short Dual Anti-Platelet Therapy (DAPT) Study, expected during the first quarter of 2016.The company has received an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) for this prospective study designed to assess the safety of three-month use of DAPT in patients at high risk for bleeding undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with the SYNERGY Stent. "The introduction of the first bioabsorbable polymer stent in the U.S. is a tremendous milestone in the evolution of stent technology," said Kevin Ballinger, president, Interventional Cardiology, Boston Scientific.

olymark, a 3 year research project funded by the European Commission, has published the preliminary technical results of the research targeted at the development of a new technology that will enable the identification and sorting of polymers, including PET, in the high-value plastics waste stream. In the project in which food contact chemical markers are being developed that will help the recycling industry to more effectively distinguish between food-contact and non-food contact PET. “By publically releasing these results, in agreement with our Polymark Consortium and the approval of the European Commission, we aim to raise early awareness and to give unconstrained access to the widest number of interested parties for their faster consideration and longer-term planning.” A predominantly food contact approved, coating-based approach for the addition of a fluorescent marker to PET bottles has been developed, near UVexcitable markers are used with strong fluorescence in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. A coating formulation was developed, water-based & sprayable, to minimize use of VOCs with associated flammability hazards. Use of a coating approach had the added advantage, dispersible marker pigments to the coating formulation in combination to allow development of a coding system.

• October 2015 • Plastics News

in the NEWS

Plastic bag makers in California file G o v t . t o r e v i s e second ballot measure PCPIR policy for easy implementation by states lastic bag manufacturers in The second ballot measure,

California are taking steps to get a second ballot proposal that will go to the polls in November 2016 to decide whether to uphold a statewide ban on plastic shopping bags.

Under a newly filed ballot initiative, voters could also be asked to direct any fees retailers collect for compostable and reusable bags to an environmental fund for projects like drought mitigation, recycling or beach cleanups. The current ballot measure allows retailers to keep those fees, which would be a minimum 10 cents per bag.Calling the first ballot question to repeal or ratify SB 270 a potential “billion dollar giveaway to grocers,” the American Progressive Bag Alliance filed the second ballot measure with the California Attorney General’s office on October 2, 2015. Members of the APBA estimate bag fees will generate up to $400 million a year for grocers while a vast majority of Californians — 84 percent by their count — believe the money should go to a public purpose. Lee Califf, executive director of the APBA, “We want to make sure voters have the power to actually put bag fees to work for the environment and their communities should SB 270 become law,”.

Plastics News • October 2015 •

which is tentatively called the Environmental Fee Protection Act, would send bag fees to the California Wildlife Conservation Board, which would distribute the funds as environmental grants. APBA says the money could go to “worthy” goals, such as remediating drought-stricken forests, restoring wetlands, and paying for recycling, litter removal and habitat restoration. APBA opposes bag bans, fees and taxes as a threat to 30,800 manufacturing and recycling jobs in the United States, and questions the environmental benefits of replacing single-use plastic bags with other bags. In California, Califf said SB 270 is a giveaway to grocers under the guise of environmentalism and its stated intent to rid that state of plastic bags is contradicted by a loophole that allows grocers to distribute thicker plastic bags to customers for a 10-cent fee. California lawmakers passed the bag ban in 2014 and it was to go into effect in July 2015. However, APBA collected some 800,000 signatures to put the ban to a vote of the people on Nov. 8, 2016. Now the trade group wants to give voters another option.

he Centre is planning to revise the Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR) policy to make it attractive for states to implement it and attract investment. We are planning to bring certain changes and revise the policy in the next six months," joint secretary to the ministry of chemicals and petrochemicals Avinash Joshi said on the sidelines of ICC organised Petrochem 2015.

According to reports from PTI. Elaborating further Mr Joshi said the policy will be revisited as it did not take off very well since 2007 and to make it more feasible for states to execute.

Odisha Govt to set up committee to lay down a roadmap for Petrochem

he Odisha government will set up a committee to lay down a roadmap for a downstream petrochemical complex and review of fiscal incentives for the 15 mln tons oil refinery project at Paradip. This was decided at a meeting by chief secretary G.C. Pati with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. B. Ashok and other state govt. officials.The meeting decided to constitute a working group of senior officials of the state government & IOCL to lay down a roadmap for the petrochemical complex and the role of IOCL as an anchor tenant for petroleum, chemicals and petrochemicals investment region, said an official release. The committee would also review the fiscal incentives under a fresh memorandum of understanding (MoU) to be signed for Paradip refinery project.

PRESS RELEASE

BLEND COLOURS UPS THE ANTE – FILLER AND WHITE MASTERBATCH CAPACITY IS NOW 9000 MTPA OUT OF THE TOTAL 24000 MTA Overall the company has clocked a turnover of 140 crores in FY 14-15 with a growth rate of 20%. Blend Colours adds to the festivity to the season by announcing its capacity expansion. For Blend Colours, with business on the rise and the road ahead vibrant, it was important to enhance offerings to its customers, both in terms of aggressive delivery timelines coupled with utmost batch to bath consistency. The company has successfully implemented its expansion plan and has commissioned a new facility for ller and white masterbatches with a capacity of 9000 MTPA at its unit III. In totality, the total production capacity of Blend Colours has now touched 24000 MTPA. The customers can now enjoy a whole new range / grades of masterbatches – ller and white. 'The rst of its kind automated feeding systems, will allow us to set new quality and productivity standards and empower us to further our presence in the local and global markets,' emphasises Sharad Rathi, Director, Blend Colours Pvt. Ltd. With the state-of-art R&D and well drawn out processes for stringent quality control, the company continues to make giant strides in the regulated markets of food and pharmaceutical with its range of products that comply to US, European and domestic regulatory standards.

Ms.

Rohini Mangale

Overall the company has clocked a turnover of 140 crores in FY 14-15 with a growth rate of 20%. Exports itself contribute a healthy 20% to the company turnover. With the requisite R&D facilities, the company has now made a foray into the PET bre business. Further, Blend Colours now strategies to embark on a vertical penetration programme, wherein it would explore newer and niche applications within its current markets by offering value-added solutions. Blend Colours Pvt. Ltd. Plot # 35, IDA Kattedan, Hyderabad - 500 077 INDIA Ph: +91-40 -2436 1499 Email: info@blendcolours.com Website: www.blendcolours.com

For more details contact : Email : mktg@aipma.net Phone : 022 4022 3750 / 51 / 52

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• October 2015 • Plastics News

Plastics News • October 2015 •

• October 2015 • Plastics News

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