BP&R Mar 24

British Plastics and Rubber

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As ever, energy savings in the industry remain a prominent topic in the conversations I've had during visits across the UK this month. Energy prices for businesses are still double the level they were in 2021, which shows a 100% increase, while the inflation rate was just 11%. Initial forecasts suggest that energy prices could remain high well into 2024.

Plastics & Rubber is published monthly (8 times/ year) by Rapid Plastics Media Ltd, No. 3 Office Village, Chester Business Park, Chester, CH4 9QP T: +44 (0) 1244 680222 F: +44 (0) 1244 671074

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While every attempt has been made to ensure that the information contained within this publication is accurate the publisher accepts no liability for information published in error, or for views expressed. All rights for British Plastics & Rubber are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

ISSN 0307-6164

Incorporating Polymer Age and Rubber and Plastics Age.

With this problem in mind, Haitian, who is our cover star this month, has launched the new Generation 5 range of Haitian moulding machines through Premier Moulding Machinery, which has been the Haitian distributor in the UK for almost 20 years. Read more from technical development manager, Veronica Edmunds on pages 18 & 19. She said: “We have been very vocal on the need for the UK Plastics Sector to invest in modern technology so that it can improve competitiveness and produce a rapid return on investment. According to the PMMDA, the UK has the oldest fleet of machinery in Europe, outside of Romania, and at the current rate will take more than 20 years to upgrade, Generation 5 offers energy savings of between 20 and 40% on our previously already impressive figures.  This is showing circa 80% energy savings vs. fixed or variable pump machines, which still make up the bulk of the UK market.”

Since the last issue, the Plastics team has been back on the road visiting STV Machinery at their impressive facility in Wellingborough. We met with Richard Perry and his long-standing client Nick Skidmore from Fenton Precision Engineering Ltd, to discuss how it has built a union that not only promises to raise the standards of manufacturing and precision toolmaking but also signals a

“As ever, energy savings remain a prominent topic in the conversations I've had during visits across the UK this month."

pivotal moment in the UK’s manufacturing industry. Read more about it in our interview on pages 20 & 22.

As the year marches on, the planning of which trade shows to visit comes to the fore. June 5-6th will see Rapid News events taking place at NEC in Birmingham, make sure you have registered to attend both our Med-Tech Innovation Expo and TCT 3Sixty shows for free. There is plenty of crossover with the plastics industry and an ideal opportunity to network with clients and industry colleagues - which now leads me seamlessly into an Interplas 2026 promotion! Now just over 2 years away, we are in three halls for June 2026 and are over 60% booked already. Get in touch to see the current floorplan or secure your space in this unmissable UK plastics show!

MANDY O'BRIEN

HEAD OF SALES, PLASTICS

Europlaz

How

32

34

YOU AND

WORKING TOGETHER FOR BETTER MOULDING SOLUTIONS

“Big energy savings have been a reality for us with YIZUMI.”

“How much energy can I save with your Yizumi machines?”...was the question that Nick, like many customers, asked us when we first met.

Energy saving is the hot topic right now. With so many machine manufacturers making bold claims, we decided to run our own trial, comparing a servo-driven Yizumi machine against a variable displacement pump machine from a competitor, using the same tool and settings. You can see the remarkable result of that carefully run trial here on our website, at: www.stvmachinery.co.uk/energy-saving-comparison

Nick saw it and had no hesitation in buying a Yizumi machine. Will you do the same? Give us a call today, to discuss your application or arrange a visit to our showroom and workshop.

www.stvmachinery.co.uk/yizumi

Tel: 01933 27 27 47

A5-EU SERIES

D1 SERIES

VM SERIES ROBOTS

MODEL SHOWN: YIZUMI A5-EU SERIES

Nick Skidmore, Fenton Precision Engineering Ltd

FF SERIES

NEWS

Lionweld Kennedy on how the construction industry must respond to sustainability through GRP innovation

The construction industry is under increasing pressure to produce durable, environmentally considerate solutions that enable a stronger, lighter and quicker build and at Lionweld Kennedy - using GRP Composites - we have witnessed some exciting results across a range of projects including offshore wind, construction and rail.

As a business, Lionweld Kennedy made a firm commitment to reach carbon net zero by 2040 and developed a Carbon Reduction Plan to demonstrate how we would achieve this target, and reduce our carbon emissions, in the short term. Our net zero target for 2040 was successfully reached in 2023, 17 years ahead of schedule. Featuring heavily in this is the increased use of GRP and replacing more traditional materials with those that lower carbon footprint and minimise environmental impact across the construction industry.

Across our industries, composite GRP offers significant benefits over the more traditional materials - most notably strength, durability, ease of handing and affordability - and is proving an innovative and sustainable solution for a range of key construction projects. Alongside this, the reduction in possession times on major construction projects through the use of GRP, particularly on walkways, platforms, gulleys and drainage, is proving that this low weight, ease

of use technology is enabling the industry to achieve more for less.

These significant benefits are seeing many major asset owners harnessing this innovation and increasingly demanding that GRP is used across retrofit, reinforcement and new build projects.

This demand for GRP innovation means that, across our product range, we are consistently looking at how we innovate this material to provide the lightweight, high mechanical strength, chemical and corrosion resistant, temperature stable solution demanded of manufacturers.

Furthermore, Lionweld’s continued innovation across the product suite is demonstrating specific properties that make composite GRP suitable for multiple applications and environments.

Lionweld’s innovation in composite GRP can replace metal grating, flooring, handrails and treads and cases where products have been

specifically designed to mitigate sparks, for example. With GRP product ranges that already prove over twice as effective as steel grating and over three times more effective than solid top steel flooring in terms of slip resistance, Lionweld’s GRP flooring ranges are proving that when assessed under British Standard Test BS4592, the slip resistance of these products far outweighs traditional steel material.

Recent GRP innovations, including our Flowtread Pultruded Grating, are now also providing the construction industry with a moulded GRP system capable of achieving longer spans and higher load capacities, with a phenolic option also available that meets BS476 Part 7 Class 0, US Coastguard level II

www.interplasinsights.com

approval and section 12 of London Underground standards for low smoke and toxicity.

Our innovation continues in partnership with leading academics through Teesside University and the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) where new product development is already in the advanced stages. This development will not only leverage the significant benefits composites bring to the construction industry but will also bring to market significantly increased sustainability and environmental advantages.

With significant benefits over the more traditional construction materials, GRP is proving its suitability for a wide range of industry applications and increasingly, where environmentally considerate solutions are also being demanded.

As the construction industry seeks more transformative advancements in material science and products that offer novel solutions and new possibilities, innovation in GRP is now integral to modern architecture and construction. GRP composites are revolutionising building designs in their flexibility, design innovation, and the potential for sustainability and energy efficiency.

As manufacturers, Lionweld Kennedy remains committed to driving this innovation and being part of the transformative impact that GRP composites are having across our industries.

INJECTION MOULDING

by today’s UK and

Some twenty years ago, the UK’s contract injection moulding numbers of the UK could be generously counted at some 1050 companies – and with hindsight, quite possibly the crest of a wave.

Back then, Industry 4.0 had yet to fully emerge but terms such as kaizen, kan ban, and 6 Sigma were all becoming well-known and practiced - as part of the trickle-down from global manufacturing practice. The sciences of metrology and a revolution in QA technology and methods were also becoming incorporated as standard in many moulding enterprises.

INJECTION

MOULDING:

DOING MORE WITH LESS

All this by way of a preamble to note that the UK’s injection moulding sector has been continually becoming ever more efficient, simply to survive. Meanwhile, the Irish injection moulding sector races forward on all fronts. The expansion is largely in line with the Republic’s general economic expansion and also largely powered by the growth demand from medical OEM throughout that country.

The UK’s contract moulding population now stands at about 880 businesses and its remaining cohort now faces a series of new challenges.

Doing more with less…

It’s a simple rule of thumb that injection moulding businesses have to extract more and more value and value-per-head from their operations: Low-value and low-margin moulding manufacture is not a place to be today. Instead, operating high-

“Operating high-value contracts, more investment, and more longevity is the balancing act that contract moulders must master."

value contracts that demand more advanced technology, more investment and more longevity is the balancing act that any contract moulder must master.

…less space

Over the past five years, WIBA UK has found that for many of its moulding customers “doing more with less’” means accomplishing the difficult trick of expanding the business within the fixed constraints of an existing site. And that mastery often comes down to simple physical factors.

Moving staff and equipment out of the confines of one factory and into another is easier said than done. Indeed, it very rarely happens. Instead, the business has to somehow achieve more within the same physical constraints. Anything to help that process therefore - smaller, more compact technology - will automatically go to the front of possible procurement.

“A reduced machine height can literally give you the clearance to get through some factory doors, and a shortened length and depth usually means that our machines are creating space for the customer – not taking it away,” said Dan Williams, joint managing director of Wittmann Battenfeld UK.

The current generation of Wittmann’s MacroPower, EcoPower, SmartPower

BP&R talks to Wittmann Battenfeld (WIBA) UK on the variety of challenges now faced

Irish injection moulders and how, working together, these can be overcome.

Richard Brown, Chair of Judges Design Innovation in Plastics Awards

Dr Sally Beken Knowledge Transfer Manager –Polymers Innovate UK KTN

Robin Kent Managing Director Tangram Technology

Dr Carmen Torres-Sanchez Reader in Multifunctional Materials Manufacturing Loughborough University

BP&R's editorial advisory board

LEFT: Wittmann president, Michael Wittmann, puts the company's bicycle-powered robot through its paces.

INJECTION MOULDING

and MicroPower moulding machines have been designed by Wittmann with these factors in mind and are now the most compact ever made by the company.

…less energy cost

Over the past thirty years, Wittmann has also invested energy and innovation in ensuring that all of its machines are leaders in low energy consumption. Energy cost is a critical issue for populations today; particularly for manufacturers and all the more so since the Russia/ Ukraine war began.

Based on its long-standing energy experience, the Wittmann strategy is simple: “Either your inefficient machinery costs you money every day or else it makes you money and helps pay off your investment earlier.”

Wittmann’s software

IMAGOxt allows the energy consumption of connected machinery, devices and any consumption clusters in

injection moulding to be visualised and displayed in a scalable manner.

The energy data can also be aggregated into logical units to make evaluation even more straightforward. The energy costs per machine can be apportioned to the individual production cycle of the IMM or even for specific injection moulded parts and jobs – thus providing production and environmental transparency.

…less (no) product variance

For many moulders, the ‘plug and produce’ aspects of the Wittmann moulding systems give complete peace of mind when it comes to Quality Assurance. Repeatability and reliability become paramount – especially when it comes to contracts such as medical, which typically also need intensive and expensive systems of process validation.

The Covid emergency brought plenty of those. Dick Walsh, founder and owner of Plymouth-based injection moulder TML recalled that the “most time-consuming part of medical verifications consists of the capability studies. These involve measuring various numbers of components that have been produced during three x three-hour production runs.”

Walsh said: “Having carried over fifty of these medical validations, we have found that the repeatability of the new Wittmann Battenfeld Machines are so good that any variation whatsoever on part dimension can be attributed to operator measuring error rather than machine variation.”

...less management

Moulders today also have less time to spend and ‘old school’ engineering skill sets are increasingly hard to find – for example, those that involve mixing, matching and fine-tuning disparate pieces of equipment from various suppliers. Those days are perhaps nearly over– both for suppliers and buyers.

Today’s moulders are therefore increasingly appreciative of a ‘plug and produce’ system, especially when setting up shop for a new client. Those suppliers who can supply and service a moulding system solution are increasingly in favour. All moulding aspects are covered – including machine production, automation, conveying, temperature control, materials drying and feed, granulation, as well as connectivity and 4.0 control.

For its part, the equipment supplier must be willing to embrace the challenge of designing, manufacturing and servicing all of this connected equipment to add value for the moulder and reduce moulding production costs.

For Mark Fellowes, operations director with Malvern-based Talisman Plastics, the advantage in single source supply includes

the peace of mind and equipment synergy provided by one manufacturer. More importantly, the move opens up opportunities in aftersales service and partnership.

...less (environmental) waste

In addition to all these factors, the past twenty years have brought another issue sharply into focus – the world’s emerging circular economy and the need for sustainable manufacturing practices within it.

For many years, the British Plastics Federation - of which Wittmann is a member - has been carrying the torch for the sustainable manufacturing agenda, advised and maintained by its consultant, Dr. Robin Kent, an expert practitioner in plastics processing of over 50 years standing.

Principally through its energyreduction expertise, Wittmann has been staying ahead of the sustainable curve. Solarpowered injection moulding machines and bicyclepowered robots, along with diagnostic tools such as IMAGOxt, have been making a practical and sustainable difference for its customers.

BELOW: Interplas 2023 was WIBA UK's biggest and best ever

Dr Michael Junior Hopkins Managing Director Ross Polymer Services

Professor Edward Kosior CEO and Founder Nextek

Dr Thomas Bennett Research Fellow University of Manchester

Pravin S Mistry Global CEO PREA Ltd.

ABOVE: WIBA UK joint MDs, Dan Williams and Tracy Cadman

Be the first ...

... for modern medical technology.

The medical sector poses many challenges for machines and production environments. Stable, repeatable processes based on validated parameters and the constant reduction of operating costs are the challenges of our time. ENGEL machines have been developed to meet your production requirements. Get connected – and talk to our experts in the medical sector right now.

Laser-focused: Distinguishing laser welding of plastics with and without colour additives

For welding plastic parts, the approach to using laser light as an energy source to melt the plastics has become increasingly established in many industries. The main advantage when compared to other techniques is that the energy is introduced locally and precisely into the material without influencing areas near the weld seam. Only static clamping is necessary to bring the two parts in physical contact, but no motion relative to one another like in ultrasonic or vibration welding, which can create particles or damage nearby sensitive items like electronics or

the other part must absorb it. The laser wavelengths used are in the near-infrared wavelength range, typically between 800 and 1100 nm. Historically, diode lasers at 808 nm were more common, but nowadays, 980 nm lasers are preferred due to their better energy efficiency, allowing for air-cooling instead of water-cooling.

Since the vast majority of polymers are transparent at these wavelengths, a colourant must be added for the laser to be absorbed. This colourant can simply be carbon (carbon black) to colour it black or other colours with a suitable masterbatch. Almost any colour can be formulated laser-absorbent with the right additives.

Ulrich Gubler, ProByLas AG. and Andrew Geiger, ProByLas USA Inc., distinguish between classical and clear-to-clear laser welding methods and their relevant applications.

reagents. Consequently, the laser technique is frequently applied in applications with higher quality requirements like medical technology, electronics, or automotive, which can also afford slightly higher investment costs for machinery.

article, we will distinguish by the wavelength of the employed laser in the classical laser welding process with a laser-transparent and laserabsorbing part and a newer adaptation, which allows also for clear-to-clear welding.

Classical laser welding process: laser-transparent on laser-absorptive

Laser welding of plastics can be subdivided into several different process types like contour welding, quasisimultaneous, simultaneous, or mask welding. In this >

In typical laser welding of plastics, one part must be transparent to the laser, while

For the laser-transparent part, it is ideal if no colourant is added and the polymer remains in its natural form. Depending on the polymer, the part can be clear like glass for amorphous polymers, or translucent and milky for semicrystalline polymers. While the laser beam can penetrate centimetres of amorphous polymers for welding, the crystallites in semi-crystalline polymers scatter the beam, limiting the possible thickness. Typically, the achievable thickness is in the range of millimetres, but can also be less than one millimetre for highly crystalline polymers like PEEK or PPS. Similar to

MEDICAL PLASTICS

crystallinity, additives like glass fibres or mineral fillers also scatter the laser and limit the possible thickness of the translucent part.

As the visible wavelengths (400-700 nm) differ from the laser wavelengths, the laser-transmissive part can be formulated in nearly all possible colours to the human eye and still be transparent for the laser. A frequent example in the electronics and automotive industry is a black-to-black combination.

The laser-absorptive part is doped with carbon black, and the laser-transmissive part is coloured with a special black pigment, which is black to the eye but transparent to the laser, as shown in the image right (Figure 2&3)

Clear-to-clear welding process: special long wavelengths

Another application case involves welding plastic parts that do not contain any colourant. This is particularly relevant for medical devices and consumables where adding colourants could necessitate re-qualification of the material.

The alternative is to change the laser wavelength to a range where many polymers naturally absorb, eliminating the need for colourants. In the 1700-2000 nm range, most polymers absorb through vibrational overtones of their molecular bonds. Depending on the type of polymer, these absorption bands are different in strength and shifted in wavelength.

Within the interesting wavelength range, two types of lasers primarily offer enough power to melt plastics: the standard fibre laser at about 1070 nm shifted by the Raman effect to longer wavelengths at 1725 nm, and the Thulium fibre laser at 1940 nm. While

absorption is generally higher for all polymers at 1725 nm, making it more efficient, the 1940 nm wavelength can be more suitable when dealing with thicker upper parts. This is because, at 1725 nm, the laser energy might be absorbed too readily before reaching the weld seam. In these cases, the laser beam is strongly focused on the weld seam plane. Still, most energy is absorbed at the front face of the first part, albeit over a larger area compared to the focal region. The highest energy density is present at the focal point leading to the melting required for welding only around the laser focus.

Since the upper part absorbs part of the laser beam at these longer wavelengths, the melting zone becomes significantly deeper than with the standard process. The laser penetrates deeper into the material and is not solely converted into heat on the top surface of the lower part. Consequently, the spatial

resolution of the weld seam is not as precise as with the classical standard process.

As an example, the image below shows an inflatable balloon welded to a tube both based on soft PVC for artificial respiration. It is achieved without additional colour additives using the

special long wavelengths. The inflatable balloon requires an airtight connection with the tube to ensure proper sealing within the trachea when inflated. During welding, the tube is rotated beneath the optics, which focuses the laser into a spot, and simultaneously moved along the rotation axis.

LEFT: Figure 2. BELOW: Figure 4.

ABOVE: Figure 3.

ABOVE: Figure 5. | BELOW: Figure 6.

Your technical experts for plastic injection moulding

Make Pentagon your UK supplier of choice for Mould Tool manufacture and Plastic Injection Moulding. Whether you need a supplier for a new injection moulding project or sourcing a new manufacturing partner for existing production, Pentagon will support you at every stage.

There are three key areas where temperature control is crucial to the injection moulding process, these being the three ‘M’s’ of Material, Machine and Mould. Reduction in the effectiveness of cooling over time is often overlooked and only comes to realisation when components get returned from the customer for distortion or poor fit and function issues.

Mould tools are designed with internal cooling channels through which feed a flow of circulating coolant at a predefined temperature. The coolant is pumped into the tool via a temperature control unit (TCU).

When the material is injected into the mould tool, the initial purpose of the cooling system is to maintain an even temperature on the mould tool surface to ensure the tool does not overheat as the injected material takes shape in the tool cavities. The excess heat is removed to cool the mould tool which enables the injected material to harden and form the finished component.

Richard Brown, chair of Judges Design Innovation in Plastics Awards, addresses the overlooked importance of cooling systems and mould tool design in injection moulding.

Quality in injection moulding: Why is temperature control so important?

The coolant exiting the mould tool is directed to a chilling system to remove the heat and then recirculates back to the TCU and through the mould tool again.

The cooling cycle is generally 60% to 80% of the process and coolant flow is critical to remove heat from the mould tool, so the coolant temperature must be controlled and monitored.

The importance of mould tool temperature and cooling profile

Processing temperatures and cooling rates vary for different polymer materials. The coolant must get to the surface of the tool cavities and achieve the

correct temperature to ensure the resin flows into the tool correctly and cools at the required rate to solidify with the expected quality.

However, if you are working with a semi-crystalline material such as PEEK, oil is usually used to allow the material to cool at a more gradual rate to maintain the consistent material crystallisation of the part.

Coolant flow rate

As stated, maintaining the correct mould tool temperature during processing is achieved with the coolant set at the correct temperature, but the flow rate of the coolant is also a critical factor.

The coolant should flow at the rate required and with sufficient pressure to ensure turbulence in the coolant flow. Baffles can be incorporated into coolant channels to offset laminar flow to create turbulence. Turbulent flow forces the coolant to the walls of the coolant channels whereas laminar flow only enables a portion of the water to be in contact with the walls of the coolant channels. Therefore, laminar flow insulates the centre of the coolant flow preventing it from making full contact with the channel walls and thereby wasting its heat transfer potential.

Mould tool design

If you are struggling to achieve the required coolant flow it might be that the tool design may not be adequate concerning the cooling channels. Several areas can cause problems, including the cooling channel diameter being too small, too distant from the tool cavity surface, reduced due to scale build-up

Continued from page 11 >

or corrosion, or the coolant does not flow adequately due to its layout.

If conventional cooling channels are unable to reach some areas of the mould tool surface, it is possible to use bubblers or baffles to divert the coolant at a 90° angle from the main coolant channel to the area of the tool needing better temperature removal.

The aim is to circulate coolant through the mould tool to deliver it evenly. Ideally, coolant flow should be designed to make a single pass through the mould tool, utilising a balanced manifold to achieve similar flow rates in order to remove a comparable amount of heat.

Although, it is not always possible to achieve an ideal coolant flow leading to temperature, pressure and heat transfer imbalances.

Some of the factors that can cause this are:

• Cooling channel lengths vary causing heat and pressure imbalance.

• Coolant being taken from a cooling channel output and redirected back into another cooling channel for a second pass through the mould tool, thereby causing heat imbalance.

Another cause for not being able to maintain a constant temperature may lie in the mould tool, as a result of a coolant leak within the mould tool. This can be due to fractures in tool steel or failure of a seal in the coolant

channels. A solution often used, instead of addressing the root cause, is to run the cooling on negative pressure where a TCU equipped with a negative pressure option pulls, rather than pushes, water through the mould tool channels.

Coolant quality

The lowest-cost solution to use for heat transfer is water. However, this has its problems as ‘clean’ water is loaded with minerals which vary depending on which part of the world you are in. These minerals are attracted to the channel walls or the internal pipes of a TCU causing scale deposits to form. These scale deposits have two effects; they can reduce flow and heat transfer over time.

Testing the coolant quality at predefined intervals as part of preventive maintenance is important as is testing coolant flow rates over time to determine if any reduction of flow is occurring. Also, flushing tools with chemical descaling agents will help reduce scale build-up.

Conclusion

Process monitoring and stable process control are essential prerequisites to achieve quality components. Therefore, you can conclude from this that temperature control in the process is a critical component, and should not be underestimated when observing the impact poor temperature control can have during the manufacture of components.

“Coolant flow should be designed to make a single pass through the mould tool, utilising a balanced manifold to achieve similar flow rates in order to remove a comparable amount of heat."

PTA UK Ltd partners with Frigosystems

PTA UK Ltd announces a new partnership with Frigosystems, enabling PTA to provide a wide range of chiller units to the UK and Ireland. The first public reveal will be held at PlasticsLive, June 12-13th at Coventry Building Society Arena.

The high-quality Italian product will be held in stock at PTA UK’s facilities, along with spare parts. Several units have already been shipped this year despite the fact the launch has not yet begun.

Marketing manager, Charlotte Robb said: “The new range of chiller units offers a wide variety to our customers, with cost-effective solutions and fast turnarounds. We are extremely excited to begin the launch over the coming months on the build-up to PlasticsLive.”

Adding a chiller range to PTA UK was the next step after 25 years of trading. PTA UK has been supplying, designing, and project managing the supply and installation of central cooling systems since the nineties. The extension to the product range allows PTA to offer customers a solution for the entire process.

At the start of every project, PTA invests time to understand customers’ operational and environmental goals as well as their business needs. This way it can provide effective solutions to a customer’s short and long-term requirements.

For every project, PTA provides detailed proposals

that include scalable 2D and 3D CAD files and clearly presented estimates for all stages of work. Projected energy, cost savings and payback schedules are supplied, if required, and where applicable.

To minimise customers’ initial capital investments, PTA seeks to integrate and upgrade existing plants into new schemes, wherever practical.

The company’s track record in system design speaks for itself. Having supplied effective turnkey solutions for many businesses in the plastics sector, pharmaceuticals and healthcare products, composites, engineering sector, and food and beverage processing.

The design and installation teams operate as an integrated unit, ensuring a seamless transition from initial concept right through to customer handover.

All on-site work is carefully planned and scheduled to minimise disruption and system downtime, PTA pre-fabricates as much as possible off-site to streamline on-site operations.

Director Jeremy Radcliffe said: “The Frigo units offer efficient solutions due to lower energy consumption, which is what PTA and its customers are looking for. The wide range allows us to provide the best and most cost-effective solution for our customers. The units are already available for purchase, but we are in the process of building up for the launch.”

HAITIAN LAUNCHES GENERATION 5 MACHINES TO TARGET EFFICIENCY IN UK PLASTICS

The new Generation 5 range of Haitian moulding machines will be hitting UK shores in the coming weeks. Veronica Edmunds, head of the UK sales team, shares what we can expect from the world’s largest manufacturer of moulding machines.

Premier Moulding Machinery has been the Haitian distributor in the UK for almost 20 years, so obviously we have seen huge changes in technology over that time. I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of us that this fifth generation from the market-leading manufacturer is so impactful. Haitian have always positioned themselves as a highquality brand, for whom the customer’s experience is paramount. Unlike some suppliers, we are not in a race to deliver the cheapest functioning machine or,

conversely, to use customers as revenue streams post-purchase.

The “Generation 5” range continues Haitian’s philosophy of sharing the advantages that their economies of scale produce, with our customers. This time the step change is higher than previously seen, and that is because technological improvements are happening so quickly. We have over 700 people working in R&D, in a constant quest to innovate and improve. There has been a massive increase in investment by Haitian to improve their manufacturing excellence and infrastructure, including a new site in Serbia to manufacture up to 3000 machines a year for the European market.

What are the main differences that moulding companies will see?

Well, as you know, we have been very vocal about the need for the UK Plastics Sector to invest in modern technology so that it can improve competitiveness and produce a rapid return on investment. According to the PMMDA, the UK has the oldest fleet of machinery in Europe, outside of Romania, and at the current rate will take more than 20 years to

upgrade. In the meantime, European moulding companies are racing ahead, with governments offering financial assistance to their manufacturers to help reduce their carbon footprint and improve efficiencies. Generation 5 offers energy savings of between 20% and 40% on our previously already impressive figures. This is showing circa 80% energy savings vs. fixed or variable pump machines, which still make up the bulk of the UK market.

So, how has Haitian achieved this? Features which were previously available as additional options are now included as standard specifications, including new energy-saving technology, both hardware and software. It’s fair to say that these options would have cost thousands of Euros previously, but our economies of scale make it more costeffective to upgrade the whole range. So, for example, Haitian Generation 5 Servo hydraulic machines will now offer Electric Screw Motors as standard, at no extra cost. Thus, enabling a more precise and reliable process with reduced energy consumption, not to mention that they are

a lot quieter too.

Savings of these magnitudes offer moulders the opportunity to pay off their brand-new Haitian Generation 5 machine, with the savings they make on energy, in months rather than years.

While energy savings and a quick return on investment are often enough of an incentive to add to our rapidly expanding customer base, we believe the new HT-X tend software will further set us apart from our European and Asian competitors.

The HT X-tend software is available on all Generation 5 and is included as a standard option in the purchase price. Charging customers extra for features that are included on their machines is a policy that has backfired on those suppliers who have tried it. Customers remember when car companies tried to charge to use heated seats that were already fitted in their vehicles, and the same reaction is commonplace in our sector when manufacturers will “switch on features for a price.” Our system is free of charge and can be turned on and off, by our customers, whenever they require it. This software has been tested on over 1000 machines pre-launch and the improvements achieved when processing recycled material are of particular benefit.

The intelligent control system will optimise the entire moulding process to ensure repeatability, efficiency and lowest energy consumption, this reduces wear and tear on the machine and tooling. It’s as though your most considerate technician has set each machine.

To support the launch of the new Generation 5 machines, Haitian UK has recently opened a new Technical Centre in Buckinghamshire. Onsite, we have a selection of machines from our Haitian and Zhafir ranges plus our Hilectro automation, ranging from 90 to 550

tonnes. All are available for sale and quick delivery if required.

Whilst the centre is certainly an impressive facility from which to showcase our technology, it is also available to support customers in their machinery selection processes. We have already run multiple tool trials, energy comparisons and training sessions. This investment in our UK infrastructure extends to the provision of a full-quality office to enable our customers’ teams to fully investigate their own tools’ performance in our machines. Our engineering team work alongside our customers to ensure that the best possible outcomes can be achieved. We have also been able to assist customers with some small production runs when needed.

We aim to provide the highest level of customer support alongside the best machinery available at a price which is affordable for all. In particular, I would also like to give credit to our own engineering team whom our customers continually praise for the excellent levels of service they provide. Whilst it may be the sales team who sells the first machine to a new customer, it is the engineers who sell the rest. Time and time again, we hear how important it is to be supported by a team who have the customers’ best interests at the forefront of what we do. Haitian UK have a policy of not using our engineering support as a revenue stream which enables a strong working relationship with our customer base.

The aim for us, in a commercial sense, is to provide the best machine priceperformance ratio, coupled with such a high level of customer service that our customers do not consider using another supplier. It’s proved to be a successful formula so far and we are sure that the introduction of Generation 5 will X-tend this advantage.

HT·CLAMP

Smart

HT·INJECT

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INSIDE THE ALLIANCE:

STV Machinery & Fenton Precision Engineering Ltd

In this interview, Mandy O’Brien (MOB) speaks to Richard Perry (RP), managing director at STV, and Nick Skidmore (NS), director and co-owner of Fenton Precision Engineering Ltd, to shed light on the details of their partnership.

Nestled in the core of the UK’s plastics sector, STV Machinery and Fenton Precision Engineering Ltd have forged parallel paths, marked by innovation and commitment to quality. It was against this backdrop of shared ambition that BP&R’s Mandy O’Brien went to uncover the story behind their growing partnership. A union that not only promises to raise the bar for manufacturing and precision toolmaking but also marks a significant moment for the UK’s manufacturing industry.

STV Machinery started its journey back in 1999 and has grown from a specialist in refurbishing BOY machines to a respected name in the industry, offering a broad spectrum of moulding machines and ancillary equipment. With Richard Perry joining the ranks in 2007, the company has continually expanded its capabilities, cementing its status as a cornerstone of the industry and the UK’s go-to agent for Yizumi moulding machines.

Alongside STV’s rise, Fenton Precision Engineering Ltd has been shaping its legacy since the early 1970s. From its strategic locations in Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, Fenton Precision Engineering Ltd has emerged as one of the UK’s

market leaders in precision toolmaking and injection moulding services. Their expansive offerings, from conceptual design to final distribution, along with an unwavering commitment to quality, as evidenced by their ISO9001 certification, underscore Fenton Precision Engineering Ltd’s role as a custodian of manufacturing excellence.

MOB: Could you describe the origins of the partnership between STV Machinery and Fenton Precision Engineering Ltd and what sparked this collaboration?

NS: The partnership was born

out of necessity when we were urgently seeking new machinery for a significant automotive moulding project for Jaguar Land Rover. The tight timeline and specific requirements led us to STV Machinery, which was in the process of considering Yizumi as a new partner. It was serendipitous timing, and our decision to adopt its first Yizumi machine marked the beginning of a highly productive partnership.

MOB: What were some initial hurdles you faced together, and how were they tackled?

RP: One of the primary challenges was ensuring

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Q&A

the Yizumi machines were a perfect fit for Fenton’s demanding projects. We decided not just to take on the agency but to put the machinery through rigorous tests. We aimed to ‘break’ it, to ensure it could withstand the intense demands of production. This comprehensive testing phase was critical in building trust and ensuring the machinery met Fenton Precision Engineering Ltd’s high standards.

MOB: Can you share how this partnership has led to innovations or improvements within your operations?

NS: A standout improvement has been the significant energy efficiency we’ve achieved with the Yizumi machines. Compared to other brands we’ve used in the past, we’ve noticed a substantial reduction in power consumption, which not only benefits our bottom line but also aligns with our sustainability goals.

MOB: Is there a particular success story that stands out to you that highlights the strengths of your partnership?

RP: A particularly challenging yet rewarding success was adapting a machine to include a quadruple core pull for a demanding project during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was for a high-profile branded

“We're excited about expanding our machinery range to embrace even more advanced technologies. Our vision includes a more unified production environment with matching robots and machinery.”

company and involved a complex modification under significant time pressure. The success of this project really showcased our ability to come together, innovate, and deliver under challenging circumstances.

MOB: Looking at the broader trends in the plastics and moulding industry, how does your partnership align with these movements?

NS: We’re keenly aware of the industry’s push towards

sustainability and efficiency. The energy savings we’ve observed with the Yizumi machines, which have been substantial, represent our commitment to not just keeping pace with these trends but also leading by example. The reduction in scrap rates, especially with the introduction of robots, has also been significant.

RP: To add to Nick’s point, our collaboration goes beyond just supplying machinery. It’s about understanding the needs of the industry and adapting our offerings accordingly. The versatility of the machines we’ve supplied to Fenton Precision Engineering Ltd, such as the Yizumi machines, is a testament to this. They’re not just energy-efficient; they’re designed to be adaptable to various production requirements, which is crucial in a fast-evolving industry like ours.

MOB: What future plans do you have to advance your capabilities through this partnership?

NS: Looking ahead, we’re excited about expanding our machinery range to embrace even more advanced technologies. Our vision includes a more unified production environment with matching robots and machinery, which not only enhances efficiency but also simplifies maintenance and service. This strategic direction is about ensuring we remain competitive and continue to deliver top-notch service to our clients.

RP: Building on Nick’s point, our role in this partnership is to facilitate these advancements by ensuring we have the right machines and technologies available. This includes keeping a close eye on industry trends and customer demands to ensure our offerings are not just cutting-edge but also highly relevant. Our collaboration with Fenton Precision Engineering Ltd is a dynamic one, where we constantly learn from each other and adapt to the changing landscape of the plastics industry.

MOB: Finally, being finalists in the Prime Machine Supplier category at the Plastics Industry Awards must have been an honour. Can you elaborate on what this recognition means for your companies?

NS: Being recognised as finalists was incredibly gratifying. It validated the hard work, innovation, and dedication that have been hallmarks of our partnership. This recognition not only enhances our reputation in the industry but also motivates us to continue pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve together.

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MEDICAL PLASTICS

Spurred on by being awarded the Silver Ecovardis Medal in 2023, high-end medical device manufacturer Europlaz continues to drive positive and sustainable production changes. The Essex-based company’s repeat order of three flexible, highperformance and energyefficient all-electric IntElect2 machines from Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, each featuring different clamp forces, mirrors its Quality In; Quality Out business ethos.

Manufacturing and assembling class I, class II and Class III medical devices annually, all three Sumitomo (SHI) Demag machines have been installed, creating new production cells to increase capacity and manufacture new product streams. This latest machine order follows another significant rise in medical, diagnostic and life science project wins.

Europlaz commercial director Rory O’Keeffe reflects on how the UK drug delivery device market is evolving and what’s driving the company’s investment in equipment that is so closely aligned with their sustainability credentials.

Regional medical director of the Global Sumitomo (SHI) Demag team Andrew Sargisson reports that the machinery manufacturer has observed a stronger

INVESTING IN PROGRESS

Manufacturing specialist Europlaz examines how its latest incorporations of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s machinery are shaping future treatment pathways in medical devices whilst prioritising sustainability.

leaning in the medical market towards larger strategic and more complex projects, such as drug delivery devices. The increasing demand for advanced glucose monitoring and insulin delivery devices is propelling innovation.

Trends of the times

Drug administration systems are sophisticated products, and their increased demand is likely to prompt additional capital spending to accelerate developments safely and increase production capacity within medical manufacturing facilities.

Industry R&D insiders are especially excited about the advances occurring in inhaler-based drug delivery devices. In particular, the future of reusable inhalers to reduce carbon footprints. Nebulisers, pressurised metered-dose inhalers (pMDI), and dry-powder inhalers (DPI), enhancing patient safety has already been a drive towards using new and more innovative regulated materials with a better flow and high-impact strength to mould components.

One thing all these applications have in common is their need for total accuracy and zero defects during the moulding process. To support these advances and meet the explicit quality management and validation ISO 13485 standards for medical devices, Europlaz intentionally selected the Sumitomo (SHI) Demag brand as the company is well-respected and known in medical circles as being a reliable, high-performance toptier machinery supplier. “Many of our customers know the Sumitomo (SHI) Demag name well. Given the sustainability

details we have to submit when preparing tenders, the reliability and energy efficiency statistics we can present certainly corroborates the advantages of actively selecting the IntElect series,” attested Europlaz technical director Ian Goodacre.

At the start of this year, Europlaz took delivery of two IntElect2 75T machines, one a 110 injection unit with a 22mm assembly and the other a 65 injection unit with an 18mm and additional 14mm assembly. Combined with the IntElect2 100T machine with a 250 injection unit and two further screw sizes - 40mm and 25mm - Europlaz has all of the in-built flexibility to accommodate its expansive medical device tooling estate.

Having the option to rapidly switch between five screw sizes (14, 18, 22, 25 and 40mm) ensures that the optimum screw size is selected to suit each application’s shot weight. Additionally, IntElect2’s large platen design means that the Europlaz team can fit tools with up to eight cavities that might previously have required

Below: Drug delivery devices are integral to enhancing patient care and treatment efficacyOperations Manager, ENGEL UK

Above: A repeat order of three flexible IntElect machines by Europlaz, mirrors the medical device manufacturer’s Quality In; Quality Out business ethos.

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MEDICAL PLASTICS

Continued from page 24

a larger tonnage and more energy-intensive machine.

The IntElect2 75/420-110 has a shot capacity of up to 35.9g in PP. The IntElect2 75/420-65 has a micro-moulding shot range of less than 1g through to 14.5g in PP. Putting this into production context, Ian confirms that 75T machines give Europlaz the clamp flexibility to take on most medical moulding projects.

Adding the 100T configuration extends the tie bar distance to 470mm, enabling Europlaz to accommodate mould tools ranging from 180mm to 550mm in height. “Between these three machines we can essentially mould components of any shot weight, using any tool, from the widest variety of medical-grade polymers,” extolled Ian.

A special Titanium Nitrate (TiN) coated 25mm screw assembly for the 100T IntElect was also sourced to support the high-quality processing of a cyclic olefin polymer (COP).

Supply chain sustainability

12 machines in the Europlaz fleet have now been upgraded to all-electric, the medical device contract moulder reports that it has reduced energy use on each unit by between 30% and 60%.

“There are big gains to be made by opting for more efficient machinery,” stated O’Keeffe. But for Europlaz, and indeed the medical device market, acting more sustainably is more than just business sense. It’s about taking steps and making changes now to protect the future.

“Energy consumption is a large part of the burden on medical device development. By targeting the ‘quick wins’ with short returns on investment you can see the real benefit of these changes and build steam for bigger changes,” added the commercial director.

Technical director Ian agreed and highlighted: “Quality leads to greater customer satisfaction, higher operational efficiency and zero product recalls, and even increases in productivity, innovation and workforce engagement. This is why we hold these IntElect2 investments and the Sumitomo (SHI) Demag team in such high esteem.”

Two 75T machines with different clamp forces, combined with the latest 100T configuration, are for new production cells and give Europlaz the flexibility to take on most medical moulding projects.

Cleanliness and precision: ENGEL’s solutions for pharmaceutical and medical technology products

When human lives depend on your products: ENGEL medical emerges as a competent partner for meeting the strictest cleanliness and precision guidelines in the field of medical technology. Engel’s injection moulding solutions are ideal for producing highly sensitive medical technology products that are exposed to prolonged contact with body parts or fluids.

It takes specialists to translate these maximum safety and precision requirements into highquality injection moulded parts. That’s why ENGEL has a separate business unit dedicated to the needs of medical technology: ENGEL medical. This team combines the medical know-how within the company and merges engineering, production and sales, including high cleanroom and automation competence.

ENGEL medical has developed a series of innovative features which respond to the special requirements of the industry. For example, the patented

barrel extraction unit ensures that virtually no particles and very little heat escape from the machine into the cleanroom.

Additionally, the completely covered guides on the tie-bar-less victory machine also contribute to achieving cleanliness, keeping the clamping unit grease-free.

Another highlight is the fast mould closing and ejector movements of the fully electric ENGEL e-motion machine. This gives customers one of the most efficient and, at the same time, economical solutions for medical products with long cores such as syringes.

The advantages of ENGEL in the production of pharmaceutical and med-tech:

• High levels of cleanliness - All relevant systems guarantee cleanroom compatibility according to ISO 7 and GMP-compliant production.

• Precise speed - Injection moulding machines with extremely short cycle times for mass production of medical technology products.

• Energy-saving production - Thanks to ENGEL ecodrive servo-hydraulics.

• Low lifecycle costs - Quality, durable components in all parts of the production unit.

ENGEL UK managing director Nigel Baker, commented: “All ENGEL injection moulding machines are designed to be energy efficient. Furthermore, how we look at a customer’s entire plant in terms of energy efficiency, including temperature control, means that we can help them to make significant energy savings across the board.”

“It takes specialists to translate maximum safety and precision requirements into high-quality injection moulded parts."

THE FINISHING TOUCH: ENSURING QUALITY BEYOND THE INJECTION MOULDING PROCESS

Q: How does Pentagon Plastics’ experience with “filled and unfilled thermoplastics” translate into benefits for its clients (e.g., wider material selection, better product performance)?

GD: Pentagon has been processing high engineering grades of thermoplastic materials for more than fifty years and the use of fillers greatly increases the choice of materials available to our customers, and can provide advancements to the final function of the finished product.

Materials with glass filler offer the benefits of improved strength, structural rigidity, and dimensional stability. Glass-filled nylons also have lower moisture absorption and are therefore, less prone to taking in moisture compared to unfilled nylon, which can help ensure greater dimensional stability and reduce the risk of part failure in high-humidity environments. Material selection is largely based on the parameters surrounding the end use of the plastic component and the environment in which it will be used. The versatility of thermoplastic materials is advancing all the time which offers customers and their design engineers a wealth of options.

Q: Have you encountered any recent advancements in plastic materials that have significantly impacted your approach to injection moulding?

GD: In line with the modern environment and the hard focus on sustainability within the polymer industry, the current crop of recycled materials available is much

BP&R sat down with Gabby Day (GD), communications manager at Pentagon Plastics, to discuss Pentagon’s post-moulding procedures for adding features, maintaining quality control, and alignment with sustainability goals.

better than the products a few years ago, benefitting from much greater consistency and allowing for a repeatable process in the moulding machine. This, in turn, increases our confidence in offering them as an alternative to traditional virgin polymers. This is particularly attractive to customers who want to be more environmentally sustainable or are simply looking for ways to reduce costs on high-volume parts.

Q: In terms of Pentagon’s process beyond the mould, could you walk us through the process of post-moulding and how you ensure quality throughout?

GD: Processes beyond the mould are secondary operations to the injection moulding of the part, usually carried out for component features that are not compatible with the moulding process but are necessary to the finished product or to keep some of the initial cost out of the mould tool.

This includes things such as drilling or insert fitting, milling, trimming and light assembly. Within the department, quality checks take place every 1-2 hours whereby sample components that are being worked on are taken by the quality inspectors,

checked, and measured using equipment such as co-ordinate measuring, callipers, micrometres, pin/ thread gauges, and custombuilt product specific jigs or gauges.

The results are then recorded and monitored which enables the quality team to see if any changes have occurred over time and maintain consistent accuracy of post-moulding operations. The strict quality processes allow us to capture, report and rectify any quality concerns before they become an issue that could impact the fulfilment of a customer order.

Q: As concerns about sustainability grow, how can the use of thermoplastics be integrated into the injection moulding process while maintaining part quality and performance?

GD: Considering optimal cavitation, cooling, and ejection systems, to best align with the product material specification, will mitigate the generation of plastic waste in the moulding process. With the continuing advancements in recycled polymers and their improving compatibility with the plastic injection moulding process, there is tangible ethical progress for the plastics sector. Here at Pentagon, we are excited to be taking this journey in the next chapter of plastics processing and its contribution to wider environmental and economic sustainability.

“The strict quality processes allow us to capture, report and rectify any quality concerns before they become an issue that could impact the fulfilment of an order."

Networking and in-depth discussion with 400+ delegates from across the world on:

• The Global Plastics Treaty

• European & Global Regulations

• The Plastics Transition

• Market & Industry Direction

• Global Perspectives

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• Additives

• Lean Manufacturing, Industry 4.0, Machinery & Processing Technology

• Plastisols & Flexible PVC

• Polymerisation, Resin Development & Production

• Markets, Products & Applications

• Net-zero Carbon & Circular Economy

@POLYMERMAN ON PRICES

Howmightpolymerproduction overcapacityleadtoanextendedperiod oflowmaterialprices?

BP&R’s resin pricing guru Mike Boswell (aka Polymerman) writes.

The basic target of business economics in the manufacturing sector is to exceed business costs and thereby make a profit. Costs are typically classified as:

Variable (associated with the quantity of production) and include:

• Raw materials

• Energy

• Direct labour

• Transport

Fixed (costs that arise even if production is not taking place) and include:

• Indirect labour

• Depreciation

• Finance costs

The economics of production suggest that if your manufacturing process is profitable after variable cost, you should produce as much as you can - providing that there is sufficient demand. Furthermore, if by producing more you can do this more profitably, either by reducing variable costs per

Who is ‘Polymerman’?

unit or through a lower fixed cost per unit of output, then the argument to produce as much as possible is further reinforced. Some, or all, of that cost advantage in the form of lower selling prices can be deployed to win market share in order to sell the higher volume produced. In polymer production, a further economic factor to be considered is the manufacture of out-ofspecification material when changing grades. If a producer is going for flat-out productivity to win market share, then this may lead to concentration on the production of fewer grades that are in higher demand, which also reduces the need to sell non-prime material output at a discount.

Economic Example

In October 2023, Argus Media published a white paper titled ‘Key Manufacturing Considerations For World Scale Polyethylene Plants’ in which it estimated the following costs per tonne based upon the

operating rate of a typical 625kT per annum US HDPE/LLDPE swing plant:

• $565 per tonne at a run rate of 600kT per annum

• $672 per tonne at a run rate of 400kT per annum

• The $107 per tonne delta is a compelling argument to run ‘hard and fast’.

Although this economic approach may look like a ‘race to the bottom’, the economic reality is that those producers with nonprofitable economics are pressured into shuttering capacity which, in turn, will drive supply and demand back towards equilibrium and, thereafter, more normal economics are restored.

Given the excess global capacity for volume polymers including PE, PP, PVC, PET, it is unlikely that, in the short term, an improvement in consumer demand is capable of restoring a better balance between supply and demand. So, what is more likely is a fundamental shift in polymer production to regions that have lower costs, with the advantage most likely to result from a combination of feedstock and energy costs. Almost inevitably, this will lead to a further reduction of the amount of polymer produced here in Western Europe, where both feedstock and energy costs are typically higher than in other regions of the world including the USA and the Middle East.

Mike Boswell is Managing Director of UK materials distributor, Plastribution, as well as the Chairman of the British Plastic Federation’s Polymer Compounders and Distributors Group and its ‘BREXIT Committee’. ‘Polymerman’ is the title used for announcements made via his Twitter account. This column is compiled using data from PIE (Plastics Information Europe) www.plastribution.co.uk | www.pieweb.com

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It’s also the only plastics event in the UK where visitors can see working machinery LIVE on the show floor and where they’ll come to compare, contrast and buy.

With an expected 12,000+ attendees across the three-day event, as well as new features and an expanded floorplan, now is the time to position yourself as a company that can o er solutions, showcase innovation and o er expertise to an audience known for its quality and purchasing power.

Dave Raine

As Q1 2024 draws to a close, Dave Raine, chairman of PMMDA, breaks down the industry figures and identifies changes since the end of 2023.

2024: A turning point?

As we (almost unbelievably) head to the end of Q1 in 2024, 2023 will, for some, have faded into the background. However, an important part of the PMMDA role is collecting, collating and then delivering the industry statistics for the previous year, and February saw the annual Statistics Meeting take place, this year held in MTC Coventry.

Whilst the figures are always retrospective, the meeting and its results are always keenly anticipated, and the fantastic turnout from the industry underlined this. As full members of the Association, contributors are provided with the full analytical breakdown of the import figures for machines, automation and a summary of ancillary equipment sold by them too, as well as an analysis of performance in detail using several methods and metrics. Whilst it is both important and essential to control the dissemination of the figures, I have no problem with summarising some of the facts for general release and discussion – we as an industry must work together.

The figures, as expected, showed a significant slowing of investment in 2023, but also indicated that the UK was not an outlier as far as figures were concerned – performance Europe-wide was very similar.

Additionally, the figures suggested that we are still lagging behind the rest of Europe regarding automation, and the sales reflected this. However, given we have now almost completed Q1, what is reassuring to see and hear is that there seems to have been a watershed at the year end; positivity is translating into activity, and more importantly for everyone, results.

On a slightly less formal note, March also saw the hosting of the 49th annual SPRA gala dinner in Glasgow – 2025 will be its 50th. Whilst always popular, the

event numbers were up almost 30% in 2022, which I would love to think tied in with my thoughts above, and shows a gradual and positive return to some kind of normality. Additionally, the enthusiasm shown by PMMDA and SPRA members, when discussions regarding regular more technically focussed events in 2024 were tabled, shows the industry is ready to spring forward – my genuine hope is that we can all deliver on this and see the rewards it will bring.

Dave Raine chairman, PMMDA

“ The fi gures, as expected, showed a signifi cant slowing of investment in 2023, but also indicated that the UK was not an outlier as far as fi gures were concerned - performance Europe-wide was very similar. ”

COLUMN

Philip Law

BPF’s Philip Law reflects on the federation’s rich heritage and pays tribute to former members who contributed to its industrial success.

Honouring a legacy

Every so often, something happens to evoke nostalgia for the BPF heritage and the people who made the BPF what it is today. And so, it was three weeks ago that I heard of the passing of my former colleague from the late 1970s and 80s, Richard Edy (1945 – 2024), then head of public relations at the BPF.

Richard joined the BPF from the British Rubber Manufacturers Association but had earlier made his name at a record company, promoting the music of Desmond Dekker and Keith West (of ‘Excerpts from a Teenage Opera’ fame). At the BPF, Richard and I worked on many projects together but two stand out: we staged a series of regional seminars to promote the use of a code of practice on the safety of injection moulding machines and later, we fought hard to keep PVC cling film on the shelves as an internal industry spat between rival materials spilled over into the public domain. But despite the gravity of our assignments, Richard was always able to combine his many talents with good humour and geniality to defuse inevitable tensions. He went on to serve as director of the National Tyre Distributors Association for over 25 years.

Forgive this sentimental retrospective, but Richard’s career is a reminder that we need people of all backgrounds and skills to move the industry forward. As ever it’s difficult to

generalise about the industry’s current performance. Since Covid, there has been a mixed outlook on profitability with the industry evenly split between expectations of improvements and decline. Our most recent survey, of a few weeks ago, revealed only slight investment intentions for this year. However taking a twelve-month view, companies are generally optimistic, perhaps with an expectation of lessening political turmoil and greater certainty following an election.

I’m delighted to welcome Tim Wilson, chief technical officer at Engineered Foam Products, as the new chairman of the BPF’s Expanded Polystyrene Group, who takes over from David Emes. Tim is very experienced in the industry, having joined the firm as an intern when it was Tuscarora. He has progressed through design, sales and plant management to become operations director and latterly, to his current position. He is passionate about the material, and the future opportunities for the industry especially in the sphere

of ‘net zero carbon’. My personal thanks go to David Emes who has served the group as chairman for 15 years. My colleague Angela Fredericks has been appointed to manage the group’s activities and I know that she is very keen to work with Tim to take the group forward, dispel myths and to present impressive facts about EPS products.

With a further eye to the future, a group of 30 BPF moulders is looking forward to visiting the Lego plant at Billund in Denmark for a factory tour and a discussion on approaches to productivity, materials selection and sustainability, with senior Lego executives, on April 11th –12th. Later that month, BPF will also be exhibiting at Chinaplas in Shanghai, April 23rd - 26th, and will be leading a mission of members touring the fair and attending various networking events. More locally, the BPF is presenting its seminar on Improving Health and Safety in the Plastics Industry on March 21st, also supported by Composites UK.

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