BP&R Jan/Feb 2016 by BP&R Magazine

British Plastics

and Rubber

bp&r jan/feb 2016

LEADING THE WAY: THE ONGOING PROGRESS OF THE PVC INDUSTRY

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bp&r BRITISH PLASTICS &RUBBER

www.britishplastics.co.uk EDITORIAL

group Editor: Leanne Taylor T: +44(0)1244 680222 E: leanne@rapidnews.com

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duncan wood T: +44(0)1244 680222 E: duncan@rapidnews.com British Plastics & Rubber is available on free subscription to readers qualifying under the publisher’s terms of control. Those outside the criteria may subscribe at the following annual rate: UK, Europe and rest of the world £249 British Plastics & Rubber is published monthly (8 times/year) by Rapid Plastics Media Ltd, Carlton House, Sandpiper Way, Chester Business Park, CH4 9QE T: +44 (0) 1244 680222 F: +44 (01244) 671074 © 2016 Rapid Plastics Media Ltd 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.

A NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION FOR BUSINESS…

ith this first issue of the year being a dualmonth, January/February publication, by the time you read this you are either enjoying smug selfcongratulation at having made and kept your New Year’s resolutions, or, in complete denial that you even attempted to stick to them at all. However, despite not being 1st January, it is never too late to start good habits, especially when it comes to business. This is something that our guest columnist, Jeff Day, insightfully points out in his article on page 16 on how plastics processors can ‘slim down’ their outgoings when it comes to temperature control. If you can take some of his advice and implement it in your own business, then you perhaps might not feel so bad about some of those personal resolutions after all. The New Year also brings with it new events on the horizon, not least the Rio 2016 Olympics. Hard as it is to believe, it’s now four years since London 2012, the sporting event that set a positive legacy for PVC as a sustainable material. It is pleasing to see that the material is again being specified for use in a number of high-profile applications, including the PVC membrane being used in the aquatic stadium as a replacement for tiles, which will be dismantled and re-used when the Games are over. In our PVC and Vinyls feature this issue, Dr. Brigitte Dero, VinylPlus General

Manager, has written an exclusive comment on page 31 on the material’s ongoing progress, as well as its sustainability goals to 2020. With skills still high on the industry’s agenda for the coming year, we are delighted to introduce our new ‘skills series’ on page 46. In conjunction with RAPRA, the series will feature a bi-monthly comment from a guest author working in the skills sector, who will offer insight and advice into the courses, apprenticeships and training available, their importance and how to access them.

Hard as it is to believe, it’s now four years since London 2012, the sporting event that set a positive legacy for PVC as a sustainable material.

Enjoy the issue. Leanne Taylor, Editor

bp&r

THE BIG STORY

ALBIS UK MARKS 50 YEARS

WITH “FURTHER SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS” PLANNED AS ALBIS UK CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF BUSINESS, LEANNE TAYLOR CAUGHT UP WITH THE COMPANY’S MANAGING DIRECTOR, IAN MILLS, TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE STORY BEHIND THE MILESTONE.

n a quiet industrial estate in Knutsford, Cheshire, lies a great British success story. For it is here that the UK division of Hamburgbased thermoplastic materials compounder and distributor, ALBIS PLASTIC GmbH, calls home. Employing 120 people the business has grown to a turnover of over £65m, supplying more than 850 customers across the UK and Ireland in core markets including automotive, healthcare, E&E and packaging. The story didn’t start in Cheshire, though. Established on the 2nd September 1966 as ALBIS Plastic Company (Great Britain) Limited, the company was originally located in the south. It began trading from offices within sight of the old Wembley stadium, at York House in Wembley, London. Initially the main focus of the Wembley office was to trade polymers and plastics, something which the company says has always been firmly at the roots of the business. However, in 1974 a factory was established in Knutsford to process polypropylene coming from the Shell Chemicals factory situated close by in Carrington. This was ALBIS’ first move into manufacturing outside of Germany and formed the beginnings of the compounding business that is established today. In 1980 the Wembley office

was closed and all activities were centred on the Knutsford site.

Growth in names and numbers

In the 50 years that have followed, the company has signed distribution agreements with major materials manufacturers, such as Bayer GmbH (now Covestro) in 1986, LanXess, Styrolution, Lyondellbasell, Eastman, BASF, Solvay, Ampacet, Alphagary, Neutrex, MBA Polymers and Uteksol. At the same time, the company’s own portfolio of materials has also developed significantly. “We have seen strong sales growth in both our distribution and manufacturing businesses,” Mills explained. “We have increased the number of distribution partners we work with and our product portfolio as well as investing in our manufacturing capacity, which has been restructured during the last 10 years to improve both efficiencies and our cost position.” This investment has seen the Knutsford facility expand to become a manufacturing and distribution site operating six compounding lines, with the ability to warehouse more than 4,000 tonnes and a manufacturing nameplate capacity of greater than 20,000 tonnes. The offices

and laboratories on site were expanded in 1997 with a new warehouse purchased in 1998 creating what is today a 100,000 square foot site close to the M6. Plans for the site in 2016, Mills told me, are going to be significant. “We are planning to further develop the infrastructure around our manufacturing operation, which will improve workflows, environment, safety and allow us to automate and improve material handling systems. We also plan the next phase of our energy efficiency programme.”

“Without our customers we don’t have a business”

With competition in the UK industry high, the company needs to have a strong sense of difference. Mills told me that a combination of flexibility, sound technical knowledge and customer service is what sets it apart. “We try to adopt a flexible approach to our customers as well as offering sound technical advice,” he explained. “We realise without our customers we don’t have a business. We run a customer survey every year and take the findings very seriously. At all levels we try to put the customer view first and this is instilled into our culture and approach. We aim to deliver as personal a service as possible.”

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And with such an approach, Mills needs a team on which he can rely. With some of ALBIS’ employees having been with the business for 25 years, he believes that empowering staff to take pride in their work, continual development and learning is a winning formula. “I would like to think ALBIS UK is a very positive place to work,” he said. “Employees are encouraged to develop and learn and to take ownership and responsibility. We have excellent feedback from our ‘Investors in People’ audits and we carry out an annual employee survey on engagement, motivation and empowerment, which has showed year-on-year improvements since 2007. We have a wide-ranging development programme for employees including NVQs and other accredited learning.”

The future is bright

With the development plans in place for the coming year and business buoyant, Mills says the future for the company looks promising. “It’s a great milestone and one I feel very proud of. We have a strong, growing company and a team that has contributed hugely towards the success of ALBIS UK over this time,” he concluded. WWW.ALBIS.COM

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contents

PLASTICS &RUBBER

JAN/FEB 2016

on the cover ALBIS UK marks 50 years WITH “FURTHER SIGNIFICANT investments” planned As ALBIS UK celebrates 50 years of business, Leanne Taylor caught up with the company’s Managing Director, Ian Mills, to find out more about the story behind the milestone. SEE PAGE 4

EDITOR’S LETTER

A New Year’s resolution for business…

16 comment

temperature control There’s no better time than the start of a New Year to think about dropping a few pounds – off cooling costs, that is. Jeff Day, Managing Director at process cooling and materials handling specialists, AB Systems, gives his top tips for getting cooling budgets in shape.

27 FEATURE

Mo’s Corner

This issue, we continue our series looking at the drying of plastics, this time looking at the differences between the varying drying methods.

19 REGULARS special review

INDUSTRY NEWS

materials outlook and review 2015/16

MATERIALS

In our annual special, Plastribution’s Mike Boswell starts the year with a review of the thermoplastic materials market in 2015 and looks ahead to the shape 2016 may take.

MACHINERY

31 comment pvc and vinyls

The PVC industry continues to make great strides towards its sustainability goals. In an exclusive article for BP&R, Dr Brigitte Dero, VinylPlus General Manager, highlights recent achievements and reports on latest progress towards the 2020 targets.

Reclamation and Recycling 42

BUYERS’ GUIDE

SOFTWARE

NEWS FROM THE FRONTLINE

34 case study automation and robotics

Manufacturer of robots, Sepro Group, has recently launched a new programme to supply fully complete production cells for plastics processors, encompassing robot, peripheral equipment, automation system design and services. BP&R looks at the technology in more detail.

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INDUSTRY | NEWS

“ECONOMIC HANGOVER” FROM 2015 MEANS A TOUGH START FOR UK MANUFACTURERS The “global economic hangover” from 2015 and a “landscape where opportunities are outweighed by risks” are two reasons the UK’s manufacturers expect 2016 to be a year of tough decisions, says a new survey. According to this year’s annual EEF/Aldermore Executive Survey, faltering confidence is expected to continue into 2016, fuelled by the uncertain economic situation, EU membership, currency markets and business costs. Global economic volatility is a key driver, with manufacturers identifying significant movements in exchange rates, economic volatility in a major market and uncertainty around the UK’s place in the EU as the top risks they face this year. At the same time, over a third of manufacturers see upward pressure on business costs as a possible risk to growth in 2016, with pressure expected to come from a range of sources. However, the survey does contain some good news. Despite the headwinds, over half of manufacturers expect to increase productivity, while over four in ten

is Michelle Jou rst female Covestro’s fi es Polycarbonat Head of its it business un

the A survey of acturers UK’s manuf cky 2016 indicate a ro

expect to boost UK and export sales. To support growth, their main focus will be on increasing investment in technology and innovation, selling into new export markets and collaborating with customers and suppliers to ensure supply chain flexibility. “The gloom that took the shine off UK manufacturing’s performance in 2015 is set to continue into 2016. But, while expecting similar challenges as those seen last year, manufacturers are still planning for growth,” commented Terry Scuoler,

Chief Executive of EEF. “There is particularly good news about the number looking to prioritise investment in technology and innovation and those looking to explore new export markets. These are positive and proactive steps. At the same time, however, tough conditions call for tough decisions – and restructuring and cost-cutting efforts are clearly high on the agenda for some.”

MICHELLE JOU NAMED AS COVESTRO’S FIRST FEMALE HEAD OF POLYCARBONATES

positions. Before joining Bayer in 2003, she worked for approximately ten years for a leading French petrochemicals company in Hong Kong and Shanghai. At Bayer MaterialScience, she performed a number of different managerial duties in Shanghai, initially with the company’s central departments. Jou then joined the Polycarbonates Business Unit, where in 2012 she was named Head of Commercial Operations in the Asia region.

Michelle Jou has been named as Head of the Polycarbonates Segment at Covestro, the first woman to hold this position. In a management reshuffle effective from 1 January 2016, Jou succeeds Dr. Markus Steilemann, who has become Head of the company’s Polyurethanes Segment. Jou, a native of Taiwan, has over 20 years of professional experience in the chemical industry in Asia, where she served in a variety of

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

WWW.EEF.ORG.UK

WWW.COVESTRO.COM

Temperature Control. Smart. Reliable. www.motan-colortronic.co.uk

KRAUSSMAFFEI GROUP ACQUIRED BY CHEMCHINA FOR €925MILLION After much speculation it has been confirmed that China-based chemicals group, China National Chemical Corporation (“ChemChina”), has agreed to acquire KraussMaffei Group from Onex Corporation for €925million. The KraussMaffei Group will continue to operate in its current corporate structure, with the transaction expected to accelerate the growth of the company “considerably” in China’s high-end plastics injection moulding industry. “Following Onex’s acquisition in late 2012, KraussMaffei Group has achieved strong growth and had a very successful year in 2015. As part of ChemChina, we expect to considerably accelerate our growth strategy, especially in China and Asia, and to further strengthen the Company in Germany and Europe,” commented Frank Stieler, CEO of the KraussMaffei Group. In China, the company is expected to benefit in particular from the trend towards higher quality and sustainability. The KraussMaffei Group says machines and systems within its three brands KraussMaffei, KraussMaffei Berstorff and Netstal - are especially suited to meet “more challenging” customer requirements.

Training and consultancy will remain key to the RJG business

Jianxin Ren, Chairman of ChemChina, said that the acquisition of KraussMaffei was an opportunity to invest in the company’s “strong management” and “technical expertise.” ChemChina is hoping to use this to build and sell equipment for the rubber and chemical industries through its Chinese subsidiaries, enhancing the company’s own portfolio and working towards the ‘Made in China’ programme designed to enhance Chinese industry. “The growth potential of the KraussMaffei Group is tremendous, especially through improved access to the Chinese market, which we can make possible. We expect trends

(Left to right): Ting Cai, Chairman and CEO of the China National Chemical Equipment Co. Ltd. (CNCE), Dr. Frank Stieler, CEO of the KraussMaffei Group, and Chen Junwei, CEO of the ChemChina Finance Co. Ltd.

G&A MOULDING TECHNOLOGY AND RJG IRELAND TO REBRAND AS RJG TECHNOLOGIES LTD

G&A Training and Apprenticeship qualification, but added to this training portfolio will be the RJG courses of ‘Maths for Moulders’, ‘Systematic Moulding’, ‘Master Moulding 1’ and ‘Master Moulding 2’. Training and consultancy will remain key to the business, but it will now be able to support existing RJG customers from its facility in Peterborough with the supply of eDART Process Control Systems and in-mould sensors from its UK base. The restructuring, says the company, will require an increase in staff numbers to ensure customer support, both technically and administratively, is maintained.

Following the acquisition of G&A Moulding Technology Ltd in March 2015 and a successful trading period, RJG is restructuring its operations in UK and Ireland. The G&A brand will merge into RJG Technologies Limited, and RJG Technologies Ireland will become a subsidiary of the business. “These changes strengthen the business at a time when training is at the forefront of the skills agenda in the UK,” explained Richard Brown, Manging Director of of RJG Technologies Limited. RJG Technologies Ltd. will still offer the portfolio of the current

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in the automotive industry towards advanced manufacturing and lightweight components will provide a huge development opportunity for the high-end plastic injection moulding industry. Together, ChemChina and the KraussMaffei Group will be well positioned for future growth,” Ren added. WWW.KRAUSSMAFFEI.COM WWW.CHEMCHINA.COM

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UK CAR MANUFACTURING REACHES TEN-YEAR HIGH The UK’s car manufacturers produced 1,587,677 vehicles in 2015, a ten-year high. A growth of 3.9 percent resulted in the industry overtaking pre-recession levels for the first time. The data, released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveals that a record number of cars – representing 77.3 percent of total production – were for export, with 1,227,881 units leaving the UK, up 2.7 percent on 2014 levels. Challenges were experienced in some global markets such as China and Russia, however, the economic recovery in Europe, the UK’s biggest trading partner, boosted demand for UK-built cars considerably by 11.3 percent in 2015. The region now accounts for 57.5 percent of all UK car exports. “Achieving these hard fought for

results is down to vital investment in the sector, world class engineering and a committed and skilled UK workforce – one of the most productive in the world,” commented Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive.

The EU was the UK’s biggest car export market, says the SMMT data

WWW.SMMT.CO.UK

LUXUS AND POLYPIPE JOIN FORCES FOR APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME Technical compounder and recycler, Luxus, and its partner, plastics piping manufacturer, Polypipe, have launched a ‘Compounding Polymer Apprenticeship’ scheme to help solve the skills gap in the plastics industry. The first group of three apprentice technicians — Callum Ely (16) and James Laurence (22) from Luxus and Kamil Ostrowski (22) from Polypipe — have begun the new two-year, multi-site apprenticeship in polymer processing. It is delivered in partnership with training provider, Solutions4Polymers and funded by Cogent. The new scheme is part of the Government’s ‘Trailblazer Apprenticeship Standards’ initiative launched earlier this year. Its aim is to help develop apprenticeships in direct consultation with employers to ensure that training is directly relevant to industry needs. As long standing industry partners, Luxus and Polypipe say they decided to be ‘early adopters’ of this initiative, stating there is a “genuine lack of apprenticeships and training dedicated to polymer processing” - particularly at the sub12

From left to right: Simon Thompson, Quality Manager, Luxus, Ashley Bell, Quality Manager, Polypipe, James Laurence, Luxus Apprentice, Luxus Kamil Ostrowski, Polypipe Apprentice and Callum Ely, Luxus Apprentice.

degree level. The new scheme, they say, will therefore offer an effective means of developing the skills of their workforce. “We are really pleased to offer this new scheme to our technicians. It has been widely reported that we are facing a chronic skills shortage in engineering talent in the UK, which is particularly acute in the plastics industry,” explained Simon Thompson, Quality Manager at Luxus. WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

Andy Barnard, Managing Director at Solutions4Polymers, said: “Although engineering training is well catered for, we have seen the need for industry specific plastics processing training in the market. We are therefore, pleased to help develop a scheme from scratch and are looking forward to seeing their progress over the next two years.” WWW.LUXUS.CO.UK WWW.POLYPIPE.COM

The team at Hardie Polymers celebrating the win

HARDIE POLYMERS SCOOPS SECOND INDUSTRY AWARD Glasgow-based plastics raw materials distributor, Hardie Polymers, has been recognised with the award for ‘Best Independent Polymer Supplier 2015’ by International Publishing Group, Corporate Vision. This is the second time the company has won an accolade for its distribution and supply credentials, having been awarded a Plastics Industry Award (PIA) in 2014. Managing Director, Fergus Hardie, said the company was “delighted” with the win. “This recognises our ongoing and continued success in meeting the needs of our fast growing

customer base,” he explained. Over the past few years, the company says it has worked hard to locate and develop new suppliers across Europe in order to enable it to increase the range of materials that it offers, as well as offer competitively priced products. “We now have over 300 polymer suppliers supporting us, giving us a real edge over our competition,” said Hardie. By taking advantage of the company’s international supply base, he added, meant customers benefit from faster delivery, allowing them to “compete more effectively and to improve profitability.”

The automotive superstar continues to shine bright In this month’s column, Nigel Flowers, Chairman of the Polymer Machinery Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMMDA) looks back at 2015 in terms of numbers and what was driving them, as well as outlining a clear direction for UK industry in 2016.

and through acquisitions. ” Rosti’s divisions in the UK consist of Rosti McKechnie, which has sites based in Stamford Bridge and Pickering, England, and Canning Brett, Wales, as well as Rosti UK Ltd, based in Larkhall, Scotland.

very happy New Year and welcome back. You won’t be surprised to know that I spent at least some of the Christmas break mulling over the UK plastics industry and I thought that I would share some of those thoughts with you. 2015 was a very successful year. After a slow start, investment in new machines and equipment continued and I would estimate that the market has grown by at least 10 percent over prior years. This is driven, in the most part, by the continued investment in the automotive sector, which continues to be the star performer. In simple terms, the PMMDA membership accounts for almost £100 million of annual investment in UK manufacturing, machines, robots and ancillary equipment – a contribution that we can all be proud of. But what of the future? The UK-installed machine base totals around 15,000 machines, installed in 1000 companies. We know that around five percent of these machines are replaced annually – meaning it will take 20 years to refresh the UK machine park. This is far too long. We need to replace old and inefficient equipment as quickly as possible if we are to have a competitive advantage over other manufacturing locations. This is an area where Government can really help, through investment tax breaks, as well as simplifying access to grants and subsidies etc. The UK has to be highly efficient and highly competitive if we are to be successful in the long term. This means we have to invest in advanced manufacturing at a much higher rate and, equally as important, we have to have the skills to support the investment. I for one welcome the focus on advanced apprenticeships, but we cannot stop there, or wait for all those apprentices to find their way into the workplace. We also need to ensure that we invest in the workforce we already have. I wish you all a very successful 2016.

WWW.ROSTI.COM

WWW.PMMDA.ORG.UK

WWW.HARDIEPOLYMERS.COM

BRENDAN COLGAN ANNOUNCED NEW CEO OF ROSTI GROUP Global plastics injection moulding company and subcontract manufacturer, Rosti Group, has appointed Brendan Colgan as its new CEO, effective from March 1, 2016. Northern Ireland-born Colgan succeeds Börje Vernet, who has been CEO since 2007, as the Group looks to double its turnover by 2019. “It will be a privilege to continue to build upon what has already been accomplished at Rosti with good profitability and well-anchored values internally,” Colgan commented. “Rosti Group has a strong position in the European and Asian market and I look forward to leading the company towards its vision to double the turnover to 2019 – from the current 500 million to 1 billion Euro – both organically

Comment:

Brendan Colgan

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

TEMPERATURE CONTROL | NEWS

A German manufacturer of plastic components for the electronics industry says temperature controllers from Wittmann Battenfeld emerged as the most suited to its needs after undertaking in-house trials. Fischer Elektronik GmbH in Lüdenscheid, Germany, produces products that require a constant monitoring of the manufacturing process. Within its test it compared products from four manufacturers of temperature controllers. In the comparative testing of the temperature controllers, special attention was paid to certain parameters. One of these was the accuracy of temperature control in high-temperature applications up to

160 °C. Another was the monitoring of extremely narrow tolerance margins in flow measurement. Other criteria were user-friendliness in setting the monitoring functions and maximum maintenance-friendliness of the appliances. Fischer says the latest generation of Wittmann Tempro plus D temperature controllers “won through on all counts” giving the company “absolute precision” in all its parameter settings. Commenting, Wittmann Battenfeld said “Tempro D temperature controllers provide ultimate thermal stability and optimised processes and offer clear and complete visualisation of processes – and consequently unlimited process control.” WWW.WITTMANN-GROUP.COM

RocTool’s Manager for Systems and Peripherals. The company now offers a wide range of equipment designed to deliver high performance cooling, mainly, it says, for RocTool technology users, and the new C series has been designed specifically for RocTool processes. Dedicated to both plastic injection and composites processes, the company says the units are easily controlled by RocTool’s interface. One of the main objectives for its teams working on the new RPC units, it added, was to optimise cycle times to increase equipment productivity. With the C2V for instance, each RocTool technology user for plastic injection can reportedly improve

cooling time by reducing the flow to a laminar state during heating, while accelerating the flow to a turbulent state during cooling. “It is a great cycle time improvement and an extra cooling control capability. It’s a real technological breakthrough that enables our users to have better control over temperature changes and save valuable production time,” explained Martinez. For composites processing, the C-series has been developed to improve the complete cycle time by purging the water from the mould in order to reduce the heating time and manage water flow during cooling. WWW.ROCTOOL.COM

TEMPRO PLUS D MAKES AN IMPACT DURING CUSTOMER TRIALS

ann The Wittm D controller us pl o pr em T

ROCTOOL LAUNCHES NEW PERFORMANCE COOLING UNITS Technology and manufacturing solutions provider, RocTool, has introduced a new range of performance cooling units. The new ‘C Series’ RocTool Performance Cooling (RPC) units are designed to complement the company’s induction heating process for plastics injection and composites processes. “RocTool Systems and Engineering teams have developed a wide range of new performance cooling units to meet manufacturers’ growing demand for heat and cool technologies in production globally,” said Jean-François Martinez,

COOLING FLUIDS for Extrusion & Moulding Processes Expert technical advice and factory direct pricing, since 1998 www.hydratech.co.uk info@hydratech.co.uk tel: 01792 586800

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parts The automotive ced its du re s ha er produc rcent pe 25 cycle time by

TEMPERATURE CONTROL SOLUTION HELPS EXPANDING AUTOMOTIVE MOULDER REDUCE CYCLE TIME BY 25 PERCENT A rapidly growing automotive manufacturer that specialises in the production of high quality injection moulded parts has reduced its cycle time by 25 percent thanks to the installation of a new temperature control system. The company, which supplies parts to automotive brands such as BMW, Nissan, Jaguar and Renault, invested in a new 750 tonne Arburg injection moulding machine for its expanding production line, used for the production of PP-based front fog mounting brackets and tow hooks for one of its

customers. In addition, the company installed an i-TempCD 90t, 9kW temperature control unit from ICS Cool Energy, in order to accurately manage of a wide range of operating parameters during the moulding cycle. Following evaluation of the customer’s tool drawings, ICS Cool Energy identified that a high flow rate across each mould circuit was required as a result of the tool design. In addition, a high cooling capacity was required across a narrow approach temperature due to the lower operating temperature, common when moulding polypropylene. The increased cooling capacity and direct cooled operation would help keep the process temperature

stable and consistent by dissipating the excessive residual heat in a controlled manner. “Efficient cycle times are a real benefit to injection moulders with long production runs,” Sales Director of ICS Cool Energy’s Heating Division, Dave Palmer, explained. “Before the addition of

rs Mold-Maste TempMaster ess line of proc NEW SOFTWARE PLATFORM control systems line of process control

FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE TEMPERATURE AND PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS

Milacron has introduced a new software platform for high performance temperature and process control systems. The new Adaptive Process System (APS) for its MoldMasters melt delivery control technologies will be used in Milacron’s entire core controls products, including hot runner controllers, E-Drive, Sequential Valve Gate, SEVG, E-Multi, SmartMold, and any future controls developments. “Mold-Masters TempMaster

systems is designed for unparalleled performance and ease of operation. The new APS takes the industry’s best control units to a level unmatched in the plastics processing industry,” said Kevin Bamford, Mold-Masters Director of Global Control Systems. The improved APS features a number of propriety technologies, including an adaptive autotuning heat control, as well

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

the new machine, the customer’s cycle was around 25-30 seconds. Now, with the new unit in place and our latest i-Temp unit installed, it has reduced the cycle time down to 20 seconds; putting them in the best possible position to maximise production.” WWW.ICSCOOLENERGY. COM

as an adaptive motor control with autotuning for maintaining precise linear movement. The APS technology, says Milacron, will solve a number of common issues injection moulders face, including the ability for the system to adapt to difficult engineering materials, high pressure, small shot size, high viscosity and electrical environment variations. The APS’s ability to self-adjust speed to maintain 0.1F control accuracy, adaptive control low mass – high watt density nozzle and auto-staged heating system will “ensure perfect parts every cycle” the company claims. WWW.MILACRON.COM

comment

TIME TO Slim down cooling costs P

rocess cooling systems often have the highest running costs of all plant equipment, typically up to 15 percent of total energy usage in plastic manufacturing facilities. To put it in monetary terms, a THERE’S NO BETTER TIME traditional 10-year-old chiller THAN THE START OF A NEW with 300kW cooling capacity YEAR TO THINK ABOUT (operating at 50 percent load) DROPPING A FEW POUNDS — will set a manufacturer back OFF COOLING COSTS, THAT around £45,000 a year. With this in mind, any percentage IS. JEFF DAY, MANAGING in energy saving – whether DIRECTOR AT PROCESS two or 70 percent – could COOLING AND MATERIALS contribute significantly to HANDLING SPECIALISTS, AB reduced operational costs.

SYSTEMS, GIVES HIS TOP TIPS FOR GETTING COOLING BUDGETS IN SHAPE.

Put the system through its paces

There’s a lot to be said for subjecting cooling systems to a regular programme of maintenance, as standard checks have the potential to deliver energy savings from two to 10 percent, all with little or no outlay. Furthermore, most standard checks can be undertaken quickly without affecting business continuity. In general, key areas of scrutiny include the refrigeration system for signs of leaks and wear on flexible connections, condenser fins for degradation and cleanliness, scale build up on evaporator water channels, and interconnecting pipework and water quality. Jeff Day Specific examples of energy and cost saving maintenance measures include checking integral water filters or strainers, which will ensure “Specific examples optimal water flow and could save seven of energy and to 10 percent on energy. Furthermore, a chemical condenser clean will ensure cost saving correct airflow and condensing gas maintenance pressures, saving anything from five to 10 percent on energy (on average), while measures include testing the system pump efficiencies checking integral is extremely worthwhile – every one water filters or percent increase in pump efficiency has the potential to decrease energy strainers, which consumption by two percent. will ensure A further cost saving measure is optimal water flow maintaining optimum superheat and efficiency by adjusting expansion valves, and could save which often results in energy savings seven to 10 percent of five to 10 percent. In addition, by reviewing set points and discharge on energy.” pressures (increasing the former and

decreasing the latter) it is possible to reduce energy consumption by two to four percent. While these energy saving figures may not sound like a lot in isolation, a full set of standard checks, carried out as part of regular maintenance practice, could reduce energy consumption substantially, providing noteworthy cost savings. What’s more, planned preventative maintenance will help to ensure peak system performance, minimise the need for repair, and maximise system and component longevity.

The often-overlooked cost cutter

When it comes to purchasing strategies for chiller equipment, many manufacturers try to secure the highest quality products at the best prices. Although that may be a sound approach to cost cutting, it would be greatly enhanced by taking lifetime running costs into consideration at the same time. For instance, astute refrigerant selection can make one of the greatest differences to chiller operational expenditure; a chiller filled with high efficiency R407 refrigerant costs around 35-40 percent less to run

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Switching from R410 refrigerant to energy efficient R407 could save 35-40 percent on chiller running costs

than the same chiller filled with R410. This is because R407 refrigerant boasts a Coefficient of Performance (CoP) value between 5.2 and 5.8, while R410 refrigerant has a much lower CoP value of just 3.5. It is also worth noting that R407 refrigerant has a lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) value than R410, making it a better option from an environmental perspective as well as cost. To avoid falling into the trap of purchasing chillers filled with R410, ask suppliers to make the choice of refrigerant clear on all quotes, or better yet, only select suppliers that use R407 refrigerant exclusively.

Stretch it out

According to the Met Office, the mean temperature across the UK during the winter of 2014/15 was 3.9oC (of course, this is not unusual â&#x20AC;&#x201C; most British winters, and even many springs, autumns and summers, experience low temperatures). Why run chillers, then, when the ambient could be used to cool system processes for much of the year? Free cooling technologies, such as air blast coolers, use low ambient conditions to pre-cool water returning

from the process before it reaches the chiller. As the temperature drops, intelligent controls reduce the load on the compressors, and switch them off altogether when the ambient reaches a certain point. The result is up to 100 percent direct air cooling. The cost of free cooling equipment varies greatly, but in all cases return on investment is substantial, with many proven to deliver energy savings of up to 80 percent. Moreover, most free cooling technologies can be retrofitted onto existing chiller systems (often fairly quickly with minimal shutdown), thus avoiding major plant overhauls. As a result, payback schedules can be very short; in many cases less than 12 months.

New year, new savings

In short, whether achieving cooling system energy savings of seven or 70 percent, plastics manufacturers can expect to reap weighty financial returns from these cost-reducing actions, and benefit from better performing, longer-lasting, and overall healthier cooling systems to boot. WWW.AB-LTD.CO.UK

Free cooling technology could slim down cooling costs up to 80 percent

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MARKET REPORT Polymer raw material prices: 2015 review and 2016 outlook AS 2016 GETS WELL UNDERWAY, MIKE BOSWELL REFLECTS ON THE ACTIVITY AND PRICING THAT INFLUENCED THE UK POLYMER MATERIALS MARKET IN 2015 AND GIVES AN OUTLOOK AS TO WHAT THE INDUSTRY CAN EXPECT FROM THE YEAR AHEAD, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT FACTORS INCLUDING OIL PRICES, EXCHANGE RATES AND THE ECONOMY. An unprecedented 2015

decline in crude oil prices.

From a raw materials supply perspective, 2015 was without precedent. The sentiment in January 2015 was of plentiful supply and a downward price trend, with converters struggling to convince their customers to place orders for fear of price deflation. In February, a modest upturn in crude oil prices was taken as a signal to polymer converters that the market had bottomed-out and the time to replenish stocks had arrived. A perfect storm then ensued with a combination of high demand, reduced output from European polymer producers (as numerous force majeures heavily impacted output) and the weakness of the Euro, coupled with relatively low pricing in Western Europe, prevented imports from supplementing supply. The situation that then followed from February onwards caused much grief within the supply chain. There is little doubt that we are now much more acutely aware of the increasing globalisation of the polymer market and, in particular, Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s increasing dependency on imported polymer raw materials. As identified in Fig 1 below, the extreme market conditions resulted in the highest level of volatility in the last five years. The incredible 31 percent volatility was recorded in the short period from February to June. Thereafter, there has been a very gradual relaxation in pricing, which is largely attributed to the continuing

Crude Oil and Feedstock Prices Whilst crude oil and feedstock prices (Figs 2 and 3) rose towards the mid-point of the year, the dominant force in terms of polymer pricing was the supply-demand balance. This was a marked contrast to the normal relationship between crude oil and standard polymer pricing. As identified in Fig 4, exchange rates are also a key factor both in terms of pricing in Europe and also for the UK. For polyolefins and polystyrene, local UK prices are derived from the prevailing Euro price. The graph to the right clearly depicts the rapid devaluation of the Euro against the USD at the beginning of 2015 and the role that this critical factor then played in terms of preventing imports from making-up the supply shortfall in Europe. In the case of engineering polymers, the USD tends to be more dominant in terms of pricing. However, given the typically higher margins in this business and the fact that prices tend to be dictated by global economic conditions, producers were, on the basis of low demand, pretty much forced to absorb exchange rate differences. As was evident at the end of 2014, the effect of the increase in import duties from the Middle East into the EU started to have a much more significant influence, and the better

Fig 2:

Fig 3:

Fig 4:

Fig 1:

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Fig 5:

“In the case of engineering polymers, the continuing slowdown in the global economy is likely to place further downward pressure on pricing as demand continues to soften.” net-backs from other parts of the world meant that HDPE and LLDPE were in short supply within Europe and the price delta between locally produced LDPE and LLDPE was often eliminated.

The Economic Perspective From a general economic perspective, the UK economy continued to perform well in 2015, with further increases in employment rates, very low inflation, continuing record low interest rates and strong rates of economic growth. Within the manufacturing sector, plastics were again noted for their strong performance; supported by the robust automotive sector and further strong recovery in the housing and construction sectors. However, as the UK’s major trading partner, the economic woes of Europe continue to give cause for concern and this is clearly continuing to influence the view that financial markets have on the future performance of UK PLC.

2016 Outlook The fall in oil prices has completely changed the complexion of the European Petrochemical Industry. The previous difficulty of competing with lower cost gas feedstocks all but disappeared for ethylene, and propylene supply exceeded requirement. Low input costs have dramatically cut Naphtha costs and cracker and producer margins have significantly increased as the supply-demand balance for polymers has enabled producers to retain profit. Although many in the industry would question the ability of the polyolefin producers to maintain such significant margins over feedstocks (and crude oil) as depicted in the graphs on the right (Figs 5, 6 and 7), for most it is difficult to see what is going to change in 2016 to alter market fundamentals, as it looks as if supply will continue to be well matched to demand. The apparent ability to maintain this market status is upheld by both low downstream inventories which is a function of: Firstly, companies making efficient use of working capital, or arguably, as 20

is typically the case of venture capital-funded business, simply minimising funding. There is also the legacy of 2008, both in terms of premiums to borrow money being possibly of greater significance than the stock losses resulting from rapid polymer price deflation. Secondly, the fear from the recent extreme volatility that there is inherent financial risk in carrying inventory that could result in either stock losses or a lack of competitiveness in downstream markets. This low inventory strategy has the potential to fuel volatility, as relatively subtle changes in the supply-demand balance have quite dramatic effects on the market, and consequently influencing buyer behaviour. For styrenics the situation looks rather more stable, and feedstock and exchange rates are likely to be more dominant factors. In the case of engineering polymers, the continuing slowdown in the global economy is likely to place further downward pressure on pricing as demand continues to soften.

Fig 6:

Fig 7:

Pricing in 2016 The graph on page 21 (Fig 8) clearly depicts the strong historic correlation between oil, feedstock and standard polymers pricing and the relative uniqueness of the prevailing market conditions. It will be interesting to see at what point there is a return to ‘normality’. It would, however, appear unlikely that any correction would result from increasing oil prices given the current high levels of crude oil inventory and high rates of production. It is predicted that oil prices will remain depressed throughout 2016.

Exchange Rates and a potential BREXIT Exchange rates will continue to be an import factor. The Euro looks set to weaken further against the USD as the US economy continues to perform well and the woes of the Eurozone look set to continue. The GBP is likely to float somewhere between the USD and the Euro and uncertainty around the EU referendum/BREXIT is likely WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

to have a negative impact, which will drive up the cost of imports (and polymers), but also increase the competiveness of UK manufacturing in export markets. The increase in import duty on polymers sourced from the Middle East and parts of South America into the EU are continuing to impact on the availability of LLDPE and HDPE, as producers seek the better returns from other parts of the globe. This increase in duty is contrary to the longer-term objective of removing duty barriers to world trade, and pressure is mounting to further review this situation. It is anticipated that US shale gas will still not have a significant impact on global polymer pricing in 2016, as

Fig 8:

This report is produced based upon the following fundamentals: • EURO based pricing for feedstock and polymer pricing • Conversion of Euro and USD based prices at prevailing exchange rates • Product baskets weighted according to UK consumption

Acknowledgements

it is not until late 2016 and beyond that US production capacities will necessitate a significant level of imports. The possibility of creating a free trade agreement between the EU and the US is in marked contrast to the recent increase of import duties described previously, and ultimately could have a far more significant impact on polymer production within Europe.

standard polymers at relatively high levels.

About the Author:

Mike Boswell is Managing Director of Plastribution, a leading UK distributor of plastics raw materials. WWW.PLASTRIBUTION.CO.UK

Summary In summary, it appears that the polymer market in 2016 will continue where it left off in 2015, and for the foreseeable future prices are likely to remain stable, and in the case of WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

Thanks to the following organisations: - PIE (Plastics Information Europe) www. pieweb.com HM Treasury www. hm-treasury.gov.uk

Disclaimers The information provided in this report are based upon data available from both external an internal sources, and whilst care is exercised in producing this report we give no guarantee of accuracy. Furthermore Plastribution and British Plastics and Rubber accept no liability for purchasing decisions based upon the information provided, as the petrochemical market is complex and volatile.

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MATERIALS HANDLING | NEWS RENMAR AND SURESENSE TEAM UP FOR ENERGY-SAVING MACHINERY SOLUTIONS Machinery and ancillaries supplier, Renmar, and manufacturer of energysaving technology, Suresense, have announced a new UK partnership. The companies are working together to reduce the energy costs associated with the ownership

of granulators, shredders and conveyors by using Suresense’s ‘Integra’ line of products. “We have been providing machinery to the plastics industry for over 35 years and have always tried to bring products and innovation that can add value to our customers,” explained Renmar’s Managing Director, Kevin Horne. “In the past we had suggested variable speed drives to clients, but they are expensive; they consume energy themselves, and with some types of technology you do not want to reduce motor speed, as it can affect operational performance. Then we came across Suresense Technologies and their product, the Integra, which completely solved the problem for us.” The ‘Integra’ is an innovative, single-speed motor control system designed with unique energy saving capabilities. Suresense says it provides “excellent” soft-start and braking abilities like traditional soft starters, but has the ability to save energy when the system load is varying, which is so often the case with these types of machinery. “We found it simple to install and with its supplementary energy saving ‘apps’, it’s proven as one of the most versatile means of helping companies to take control of their

energy consumption,” Horne added. Through the use of Suresense’s Integra, the typical plastics company will reportedly save in the region of 10-20 percent on the energy consumption on granulators and shredders, as well as conveyors. “This is part of our programme of working directly with manufacturers and their sales channel partners, and Renmar is the perfect fit for Integra,” explained Suresense’s Managing Director, Ian Hambly. “The facts are that the capital cost of machinery such as granulators typically only relates to five to 10 percent of its overall lifetime costs, with energy costs being by far the largest component. As an example, a £50k granulator will typically have lifetime costs of circa £1m and we can reduce that number by £200k for no more than a £1,500 outlay,” Hambly continued. “The Integra brings excellent energy savings through intelligently monitoring motor torque and dynamically adjusting the voltage accordingly, reducing the cost of Renmar’s solutions for their customers, as well as positively impacting upon their carbon emissions,” he concluded. WWW.RENMARLTD.COM WWW.SURESENSE.CO.UK

ANCILLARY SOLUTION HELPS PLASTIC MANUFACTURER ACHIEVE 40 PERCENT ENERGY REDUCTION A UK-based precision moulded plastic component manufacture has reduced its energy consumption by 40 percent after the relocation of its plant and installation of a bespoke ancillary system. Maxell Moulding Services appointed TH Plastics last year to relocate its Telford factory to a nearby premises, as well as design, test, install and maintain a bespoke ancillary solution that would facilitate both an increase in operational efficiency and a reduction in energy consumption. TH Plastics installed a Moretto cooling system with new water pipework feeds throughout the plant. The new solution integrated existing hopper loaders with new

The installation at Maxell

Moretto ‘One Wire’ material handling controls and pipework, allowing for a reduction in the number of dryers. Maxell says the introduction of the new solution has contributed towards a 40 percent reduction in energy consumption across the entire site. “It was a complex project, during which downtime had to be at an WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

absolute minimum,” explained Sam Shagauchi, Maxell’s Head of Production. “In the end, we experienced only 28 hours’ downtime per machine, which was far lower than we had expected.” WWW.THPLASTICS.CO.UK

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PLASTIC OMNIUM CLAWS BACK COSTS WITH PUMP TECHNOLOGY Manufacturer of plastic components for the automotive industry, Plastic Omnium, says it is saving energy and reducing material degradation thanks to the installation of new pump technology on its existing feed system. The company has installed two ‘inverter-controlled claw pumps’ from Summit Systems, designed to enhance the vacuum driven flow of plastic pellets around factories, saving energy, material and breakdowns. “We were looking for new ways to trim back on energy and material degradation over long distances and we were experiencing angel hair at the machines,” explained Plastic Omnium’s Andy Baker. “The inverter-controlled claw pump ticked both boxes and it fits into our existing material feed system. We were so pleased with the first unit we purchased a second unit and I am now looking at replacing our other units over the next few years.” The inverter-controlled claw pump can save up to an average of 50

RAPID LAUNCHES LOW HEIGHT GRANULATORS FOR SHEET AND FILM SCRAP Size reduction equipment specialist, Rapid, has launched a new series of granulators with a very low height for handling sheet and film scrap. The new LBB 300 series (LBB stands for Low Built Base) is intended principally for use in-line with a thermoforming unit, where its very low height allows it to be located directly under the output conveyor, saving valuable floor space. The LBB 300 series, which appeared in prototype form at K 2013 in Düsseldorf two years ago, made its official commercial debut at the Fakuma show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in Q4 last year and is now available worldwide. The height of the LBB 300 series is 600 mm (excluding feeder) and it is available in three widths: 900, 1200 and 1500 mm. The unit can be equipped with a rollfeed unit synchronised to the thermoforming line speed, or with a simple tray that collects skeletal frames as they fall

percent in energy requirements, as it can be programmed to different speeds depending on the distance of an injection moulding machine from a material bin. In addition, the controlled material flow contributes to less dust and material flowing at a consistent, lower speed, meaning a reduction in materials degradation and pipe wear. The inverter control adds further value by speeding up material changes. When the line needs cleaning it quickens the pump, emptying residual material at maximum velocity. The claw pump works by two clawshaped rotors turning in opposite directions inside the casing. The specialist shape of the rotors causes air to be sucked in and compressed air to be discharged. This action is superior to side channel and lobe pumps using around 50 percent of the energy, which, says Summit Systems, generally delivers a payback in less than a year. Further costs are saved thanks to its powerful action, which transfers material at a higher density, allowing pipes to be thinner. A typical 11kw

blower requires 60mm pipework; a claw pump system needs just 50mm saving around £1,000per km.

from the line. Rapid says the modular granulator can also be configured to fit directly under a shredder to provide final size reduction, without the need for the conveyor belt used as common practice for connecting the two units. Rapid offers the LBB granulator in versions with various types of rotors and hoppers, depending on the application. The very compact design of the LBB 300 series means that it takes up very little extra space on the production floor. Depending on the model, width is between 2000 and 2300 mm, and depth is 700 mm. It is designed to handle film and sheet up to 8 mm thickness, depending on material. ”We are really delighted with our latest addition to the extensive Rapid range of granulator solutions,” said Bengt Rimark, Sales and Marketing Director at Rapid. “The new LBB 300 series represents what we are all about at Rapid - innovative, flexible and highly-efficient space and cost beneficial granulator systems that meet our customers’ needs.”

The LBB 300 series uses a true scissor-cutting action to provide clean and precise cutting of sheet and film, and high quality regrind. The rotor on all models is 300 mm in diameter, fitted with six, eight or ten blades depending on model size. The two smaller units have six fixed knives, while the largest has nine. Units can be fitted with motors rated at between 7.5 and 30 kW. Maximum throughput capacities range from 800 to 1200 kg/h. Output can be transported via a vacuum conveyor straight back to the production line for reprocessing. All units are fitted with a rotor stand-still guard for operator safety. The two larger units both feature split screens and split screen boxes for extra ease of service and maintenance. The equipment is mounted on a solid stand with castors for ease of movement when required. Basic units weigh between 1200 and 1500 kg, depending on size.

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New materials handling range from Renmar Cost saving with Renmar

Renmar has been appointed the UK alarm and desiccant bed change-over and Ireland distributors for the Marse valve location. All of which is handled by range problem of materials equipment quickly anand automatic programming A significant thathandling can occur reaches the desired facility. There which includes hopper loaders, dryers are nine different models in the range. with moulding machines is when the operating temperature in a much and descalers. Manufactured in tool overheats. Whendelivery this happens, This launched not only reduces Europe, short times and highly shorter Thetime. recently range of the only options areprices to increase the cycle times but sohas using competitive are guaranteed. compressed airdoes dryers been the cycle times or stop production less energy than competitive designed formany elevated installation in Hopper Loaders – There are three heaters. situations that require a small to medium altogether. Neither option is in anyway individual series throughput. An electronic control panel desirable but there is a within simplethe andhopper loader range - answer; MA, MATinstall and Duplo easy via an internal data relatively economic, an Both allows the TCU andsetting VCU ranges are – and a total of seventeen different base of main materials. AEC TCU or VCU mould heater. more than capable of handling mould models. So there really is a machine with complex cavity designs. to suit all applications. Every model is tools Mould Tool Descaling - Lime scale The high flow rates delivered bygrade the stainlessWe have a number of customers manufactured from high buildup in injection moulding tools can TCU and VCU range moulda heaters who have successfully reduced the Mould Tool steel and can of handle variety of be a thing of the past with the different materials. Descaling If used regularly mean that as the water is delivered number of olderunit. competitors heatersas part of ainstance planned where maintenance through the tool, turbulence occurs - in one 6 x 6kWprogramme Dehumidified and Compressed the Mould Tool Descaling Unit will keep which increases the efficiency of the conventional units were replaced by 3 Air dryers - Packed with features all the mould tool waterways clear. unit and gives better heat transfer. x AEC TCU300-9kW units, essentially including different timing options and Portable and is easy to move from one Because the water is delivered at a halving their running costs. For more industry-leading safety elements covering machine to the next. higher compressed rate and at aair potential failure, higher over temperatureinformation contact Renmar on 0844 temperature, the tool is heated more 6933225 or go to www.renmarltd.com

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Q: What types of drying are there? A: There are differences between various drying methods

lastics are generally dried by the transfer of heat by convection or radiation. Typical convection drying methods include hot-air, dehumidifying, compressed air and vacuum; infrared dryers are an example of the radiation method. A convection dryer transfers heat to plastic via air, driving entrained moisture to the surface, where it is removed by an airflow. Radiation dryers, on the other hand, use electromagnetic waves to transfer energy to the plastic, thereby heating it. However, here as well, airflow is employed to wick away the moisture. The plastic’s behaviour in relation to air humidity is key to the choice of dryer type. Is the material hygroscopic or nonhygroscopic? Does the plastic contain fillers or reinforcing materials that may absorb moisture? Hot-air dryers are suited to non-hygroscopic or slightly hygroscopic plastics. They are used to pre-warm the material and remove surface moisture. As they transfer heat via ambient air, results are dependent on ambient humidity – and therefore current weather conditions. Consequently, drying performance differs between summer and winter, even when drying temperature is unchanged. Dehumidifying dryers are suitable for all plastics. In practice, there are two methods. The first employs

dehumidified air from a dry-air generator (adsorption drying), while the second uses dry compressed air. Adsorption drying takes place within a closed loop. Pre-dehumidified hot air flows through the drying hopper, extracting moisture from the granulate. The air, now entrained with moisture, subsequently passes through a desiccant bed, which adsorbs the moisture. A separate process extracts the moisture from the desiccant bed, regenerating it. Water’s boiling point is a direct function of air pressure. This is the principle underlying vacuum or low-pressure dryers. ASKMO@MOSCORNER.DE

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PVC AND VINYLS | NEWS PVC 2017 will be held at Brighton’s Hilton Metropole Hotel once more

BRITISH PLASTICS AND RUBBER ANNOUNCED AS SOLE MEDIA PARTNER FOR PVC 2017 British Plastics and Rubber will be the sole media partner for next year’s PVC 2017 conference, following on from the successful collaboration in 2014 that saw more than 490 delegates attend from 36 countries worldwide. The triennial event, which will take place from 25-27 April 2017 at the Hilton Brighton Metropole, is the world’s leading and most reputable forum to support the future of PVC globally, celebrated for its broad appeal through the extensive programme of subjects addressed. “We are thrilled to be partnering the industry-renowned PVC conference once again in 2017,” said Leanne Taylor, Editor of BP&R. “The event is held in high esteem as a result of its ability to attract high calibre speakers that deliver

presentations on stimulating and thought-provoking topics that are crucial to the material’s continuing development and use.” A call for papers has now been issued for the conference, which provides a global platform for the exchange of information, educational

Window profiles

TEKNOR APEX LAUNCHES NEW RIGID PVC COMPOUND FOR OUTDOOR APPLICATIONS Teknor Apex has launched a new rigid PVC compound it says is highly suitable for outdoor applications. New ‘Apex RE-9218’ compound 28

is an optimised and competitively priced alternative to existing rigid PVC products that are designed to resist the UV light, heat, and moisture encountered in outdoor applications, according to Michael J. Renzi, Vinyl Division Business WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

debate and discussion. Prospective authors are asked to submit an abstract of up to 500 words via the online event management system on or before the deadline of 30 June 2016.

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Development Manager at Teknor Apex. “The enhancements provided by Apex RE-9218 include improved flow properties for intricate profile structures, greater Izod impact resistance for post-extrusion cutting and fabrication and a smoother, more appealing surface finish,” said Renzi. “In addition, Teknor Apex supports this new product with a wide range of customised services, including advanced real-time weatherability testing at several Teknor Apex on-site laboratories.” As a custom compounder, Teknor Apex says it can supply Apex RE-9218 compound in speciality colours. In addition, it says in its fully equipped laboratory, the company can assist with development validation by replicating the customer’s process and die design. Recommended applications for the new compound include window and door lineals, profiles for recreational vehicles, umbilicals for marine oil and gas wells, and other demanding applications. WWW.TEKNORAPEX.COM

Dugdale has a raft of investments planned for 2016/17

NEW PERCEPTIONS OF PVC BRING NEW OPPORTUNITIES For West Yorkshire-based PVC compounder, Dugdale, recent high profile successes for the material have brought a revival of confidence that is paving the way for investment, expansion and development. The construction of several successful major buildings and installations at the London 2012 Olympics, as well as the recently reported surge in European PVC recycling reported under the Recovinyl scheme, are certainly helping the sector’s environmental performance and credentials. Postconsumer PVC recycling across the EU28 countries stands at over 480,000 tonnes a year – with a commitment to raise this to 800,000 tonnes by the year 2020. “We see several signs of renewed confidence in our materials within the architectural and building trades and rightly so,” explained Dugdale’s Managing Director, Dave Outen. “This is immensely cheering to ourselves and our customers and gives us confidence and hope to invest in our joint future.” Dugdale, which specialises in the development of rigid and flexible PVC compounds and high performance PVC compounds and alloys, has invested significantly in its manufacturing facility in Sowerby Latest team member, Stuart Hope

The building sector shows renewed appetite for PVC profiles and fittings

Bridge, with this investment set to continue into 2016. The company is planning additional materials capacity as well as the purchase of new compounding machinery, expected by the end of the second quarter of the year. Groundwork construction has also begun on a site adjacent to the main factory that will support and equip an additional materials silo. In over 50 years of business, Dugdale has developed “literally thousands” of PVC compunds for “almost as many applications”. It now says, however, that its eagerness to expand and develop new products and compounds has been boosted with the appointment of a new staff member. Stuart Hope has been brought into the business in the newly-created position of Customer Development Manager. Within this role, Hope will use his previous 25 years of experience of working in the PVC industry,

combined with recent work in technical service within the PVC Stablisers division of Baerlocher UK Ltd, to help Dugdale pursue growth in new markets. “We are delighted that Stuart has joined us; fulfilling a key role in customer service and development and helping establish new markets and new opportunities for Dugdale,” said Dugdale’s Technical Director, Dr. Jeff Ryan. “We take a pioneering approach to the creation of PVC compounds and alloys – always seeking to give our customers a new and competitive materials edge. Stuart’s in-depth experience of the sector is key to that process. It helps us build a future for all of us customers and suppliers together.” Dugdale’s support and confidence in the PVC industry has led it to put its name to one of the sector’s leading events, the triennial PVC conference, which returns to Brighton in 2017. The company, which is sponsoring the event, says it provides an ideal forum for the sector as a whole. “PVC 2017 provides an unrivalled platform for discussion and debate concerning the drivers within our industry, and on a scale not experienced anywhere else in the world. We are delighted to be preparing for a central role in the event – and in the general development of our industry.” WWW.DUGDALEPVC.COM

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LEADING THE WAY: THE ONGOING PROGRESS OF THE PVC INDUSTRY

eflecting on the tremendous advancements the vinyl industry has made over the last 16 years in tackling a number of sustainability challenges for PVC, it’s fair to conclude that few other materials IN AN EXCLUSIVE ARTICLE can come close in terms of FOR BP&R, DR BRIGITTE matching this level of commitment DERO, VINYLPLUS to co-operation throughout the GENERAL MANAGER, entire supply chain. Since its launch in June 2011, HIGHLIGHTS THE RECENT VinylPlus continues to build ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE on the accomplishments of its PVC INDUSTRY AND predecessor Vinyl 2010, the REPORTS ON THE LATEST European PVC industry’s voluntary PROGRESS TOWARDS commitment, with the aim of 2020 TARGETS. making PVC truly sustainable. Currently just over midway through our 10-year programme, progress is being made on all the Five Sustainability Challenges derived from The Natural Step System Conditions for a Sustainable Society1. Thanks to the continuing and considerable efforts by the European PVC industry, we have met a number of our targets and can be rightly proud of our achievements to date. Continued investment in recycling infrastructure and technologies is driving the controlled-loop management of PVC; with 481,018 tonnes of PVC waste recycled in 2014, we are on track towards our 2020 target of recycling 800,000 tonnes per year. Although nearly all European countries have improved their performance, new recyclers from France and Poland have also helped up to drive up volumes. VinylPlus recently completed an investigation on the use of renewable raw materials for the production of PVC and will continue to monitor opportunities in this field. A significant milestone was reached at the end of 2015 with the announcement by the European Stabiliser Producers Association (ESPA – www.stabilisers.eu) that they were confident to have met their target to replace lead-based stabilisers in the EU-28 by the end of 2015. ESPA, a VinylPlus co-founder, is the pan-European trade association representing more than 95 percent of the PVC stabiliser industry across Europe and has been working closely with converters in helping them to switch to alternative stabilisers, such as calcium-based formulations. From 2007 to 2014, use of lead-based stabilisers decreased by 86 percent. More recent developments in chemicals and waste regulations and their impact on ‘legacy additives’ are of major concern for the European PVC industry, as they might jeopardise the future of PVC recycling. VinylPlus and ESPA are studying the migration of legacy additives, (including lead), from the PVC matrix to demonstrate that they pose no risk for the use of articles made from recycled PVC. European plasticiser producers are reacting to the evolving demands of the market by adapting their products to address the new regulatory constraints, including REACH, and investing in R&D to provide solutions for the PVC chain. VinylPlus has also further strengthened its cooperation with the relevant authorities with the aim of ensuring that recycling can continue

Source: VinylPlus Progress Report 2015.

to grow and contribute more and more to the Circular Economy. As the Circular Economy concept becomes more deeply ingrained, its policies are increasingly reshaping the environmental debate in which VinylPlus and its members are playing a vital role. Raising sustainability awareness of PVC and its place in the 21st century, both throughout Europe and globally, is a key priority. We will continue to build sustainability awareness across the value chain – including stakeholders inside and outside the industry – to accelerate resolving our sustainability challenges. Looking ahead, VinylPlus will be capitalising on existing foundations, such as a concept for evaluating the sustainable use of additives in PVC products. In the coming months, we will be publishing the conclusions from our mid-term review of targets which will provide an opportunity to reflect on progress in light of the higher expectations of stakeholders and an accelerating pace of sustainability-driven activity in downstream industries, international policy-making and society at large. In just under 16 years, we have come a long way and achieved much, but to achieve its vision VinylPlus must continue to further strengthen collaboration and engagement globally. The voluntary approach of VinylPlus and its scope, encompassing the entire value chain, constitute an interesting and motivating example of what a committed and united industry can achieve. Its relevance extends well beyond the boundaries of the European PVC industry. By actively sharing knowledge and best practices with the other regional PVC associations in the Global Vinyl Council (GVC), we have spread the word to new audiences. We all share the same planet and we need others to share this journey to greater sustainability and future care of our world. Progress together in one united global aim, while seeking higher fundamental standards for PVC sustainability, is the ultimate answer. 1

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AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS | NEWS FANUC BREAKS WORLD RECORD FOR INDUSTRIAL ROBOT PRODUCTION Fanuc Europe says it has broken a world record for industrial robot production, with an installed base of over 400,000 units globally. The recent drivers behind reaching this major milestone, it says, have been the popularity of the FANUC R-2000i Series, LR Mate series, and the CR-35iA, collaborative green robot. “We’re incredibly proud to have broken the world record and we believe this is testament to FANUC’s longstanding commitment to innovation, and continually pushing the boundaries of automation to increase productivity,” commented Head of Marketing and Sales Coordination of FANUC Europe, Konrad Grohs. The FANUC R-2000i and LR Mate series are the company’s highest selling robots, while the collaborative robot has attracted new attention

Fanuc has announced record sales of its robots worldwide

of customers. Collaborative robots bring a variety of benefits to the manufacturing plant floor, says Fanuc, including improved employee welfare and increased cost savings. At the same time, demand from manufacturers in China to transform

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their factories with new and emerging technologies has fuelled production for industrial robots, and Fanuc says this has played a major role in the doubling of production over the last seven years. “Over the coming years, we will build on our rapid growth to help even more manufacturers across the world take advantage of the benefits that robotics and automation bring to their businesses. We believe that benefits of factory automation and robotisation will be better recognised also in European plants and will further increase the competitiveness of European industry.” WWW.FANUC.EU

INVESTMENT IN MANUFACTURING ROBOTICS TO BOOST UK COMPETITIVENESS Investing in robotics and automation technology will help to increase the international competitiveness of the UK’s manufacturing sector through increased productivity and efficiency, suggests new research from Barclays. The ‘Future-proofing UK manufacturing’ report suggests that investing an additional £1.2bn into integrating robots and automation into manufacturing processes over the next decade could add as much as £60.5bn to the UK economy. As a result of the additional investment, the report forecasts that the manufacturing sector will be worth £191bn in 2025, £8.6bn more than currently projected. In addition, it suggests increased investment in automation will help to soften the expected long-term decline in manufacturing sector jobs by safeguarding 73,500 additional workers in 2025, due to the creation of a larger, more productive and competitive UK manufacturing sector. “This report highlights the importance of investing in robotics and automation for manufacturers as a potential solution to the on-going ‘productivity puzzle’,” commented Mike Rigby, Head of Manufacturing at Barclays. “By investing an additional £1.2bn in automation technologies over the next decade, the UK manufacturing sector is forecast to create an additional £60.5bn of economic output and safeguard more than 105,800 jobs throughout the wider economy. “However, to reap these rewards we need to address some of the

TM ROBOTICS ENDS 2015 WITH EIGHT MORE DISTRIBUTORS IN SEVEN COUNTRIES Manufacturer of industrial robots, TM Robotics, ended 2015 with growth in “virtually every area of the business.” The company says it achieved several important milestones by bringing on eight new partners worldwide, extending its reach to seven additional countries, and hiring a senior sales executive tasked with expanding the U.S. market. These changes, it says, helped

Investing in robotics and automation technology will help to increase the international competitiveness of the UK’s manufacturing sector, suggests the report

barriers to investment including the need for more user-friendly and flexible technology, addressing skills barriers within the sector and supporting manufacturers to access the funding and information already available to them for robotics investment.” The report found that more than half of British manufacturers surveyed say that they have already invested in automation and, of these, two-thirds felt that they are more

productive as a result. Furthermore, 76 percent of British manufacturers report that they believe there are opportunities for further investment in their business with parts manufacturing, assembly and packaging identified as areas of the business with the greatest potential for future investment in automation technology.

the company realise its goals for development in 2015 and laid the foundation for the company’s move into new markets like food packaging and plastics in 2016. The company, which now sells and services robots throughout Europe, the Middle East, India, Russia, and Africa, as well as North, Central, and South America, from headquarters in Hertfordshire, England and Illinois, USA, says it will use its newly-formed distribution network and regional sales teams to meet increasing market demand in 2016 for the

smaller and more flexible automation systems in which it specialises. “The need for customisable, automated robotics solutions shows no sign of slowing down. Our new staff and distributors will work sideby-side with customers, helping them integrate more cost-effective, qualityfocused solutions in as many regions as possible,” said TM Robotics CEO, Nigel Smith.

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A VISION FOR PLASTICS:

Moulder sees robotics in a new light

t the tail end of 2015, Sepro Group launched a new programme it said is designed to provide injection moulders with the equipment, engineering expertise and additional services MANUFACTURER OF ROBOTS, needed to bring new levels SEPRO GROUP, HAS RECENTLY of efficiency and quality to the process. Its ‘Solution LAUNCHED A NEW PROGRAMME by Sepro’ platform is a TO SUPPLY FULLY COMPLETE complete package including PRODUCTION CELLS FOR robot, peripheral equipment, PLASTICS PROCESSORS, automation system design ENCOMPASSING ROBOT, and services designed to work together to add value PERIPHERAL EQUIPMENT, to a company’s processes. AUTOMATION SYSTEM “For years we have been DESIGN AND SERVICES. saying that robots should SUCH SOLUTIONS, SAYS be expected to do much THE COMPANY, ARE ADDING more than simply replacing VALUE AND INCREASING a machine operator for part removal,” explained PRODUCTIVITY FOR ITS Jean-Michel Renaudeau, CUSTOMERS. HERE, BP&R CEO of Sepro Group. “And, LOOKS AT THE TECHNOLOGY recently, more and more IN MORE DETAIL. of our customers are discovering that they can, in fact, improve productivity and make added-value parts, by harnessing the power of automation. That is why we have launched this new initiative.” The new solutions are available for control, parts handling, traceability, assembly and cutting operations and incorporate the Group’s range of 3-axis, 5-axis and 6-axis robots, along with multifunctional end-of-arm tooling, insert feeders and positioning systems and postmould inspection, assembly and packaging equipment. “Sepro is already a trusted supplier of robots for all kinds of injection moulding machines and we initiated

Adam Hubertz, Vision’s Account Manager, works closely with the lighting company for which Vision moulds lens assemblies.

the Solution by Sepro programme to demonstrate that we are also an ideal partner for automation projects,” Renaudeau added.

The Technology

One customer reaping the benefits of integrating robotics into its processes is Vision Plastics, based in North America, which moulds lenses and frames for LED lighting products. More than four years ago the company began making small lenses and frames to hold and focus light from rows of small, high-efficiency LEDs clustered into architectural and street lighting products. Since then, as its customer’s highefficiency LED technology developed into larger and brighter forms, Vision added the use of robots into its production and the company is growing rapidly. Vision Plastics CEO, Craig Hubertz, once considered robots an expensive substitute for competent machine operators and struggled to justify the cost. However, with the help of three-axis Cartesian robots, the company has now not only optimised its speciality lens production, but has begun to automate high-value and long-cycle-time production equipment in its custom moulding operations.

Guarantee error-free deliveries

Hubertz’ education in robotics began after his customer asked if Vision Plastics could deliver LED lenses in pre-counted stacks, properly oriented (front-to-back, side-to-side) so they could be loaded directly into its automated assembly process. Knowing that even conscientious, experienced human operators were prone to lapses of attention, Hubertz decided to look seriously at robots. “My product was going into my customer’s automation and they’re running it ‘lights-out.’ We couldn’t afford to be the cause of a problem because we delivered a part in the wrong orientation.”

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Increased use of robotics has er level brought Vision Plastics a high ificant sign with g alon of consistency, yield and quality gains.

Reduce costs and boost quality

After this initial success Hubertz and his team realised that robotics might help in ways they hadn’t considered before. The customer wanted to produce bigger lenses for new LED products and these would require brass sleeves moulded into the corners of the lenses to prevent damage during assembly. “In the past,” Hubertz explained, “we would have looked at the investment for automation and figured ‘Hey, let’s just load these sleeves by hand.’ But after we saw the quality benefits of the robots, we thought, ‘it’s not a big stretch to buy a sleeve feeding system and use a robot on the press to load the brass sleeves into the mould’.” Vision says it has also seen productivity and quality gains due to cycle-time improvements, with consistent, automated handling resulting in lower scrap. “All of this runs ‘lights out,’ so I don’t have to put a dedicated operator on each machine,” added Hubertz. However, he’s not replacing people with robots, in fact, quite the contrary. “We have not dislocated or fired any employee due to the increased use of these robots. We have effectively used automation to improve what the operators are able to do.”

Enable value-added innovation

The precision and consistency of the sleeve-loading robot led Hubertz and his team to propose a further costsaving production innovation. Up to this point, Vision had supplied lenses and frames separately to the customer, who would assemble them into finished lens modules. But, with confidence born out of the earlier automation successes, the customer simplified the product design and Vision began making the finished modules in the mould.

So, Vision worked with Sepro America to develop a simple automation cell around one of the company’s JSW moulding machines and a Sepro S5-25 three-axis beam robot. The robot removes the frames from the mould, passes them by a camera for quality inspection, then places them onto stacking rods, properly oriented and counted. Each frame ‘stack’ is then secured and packaged. They are delivered, ready to load into the customer’s equipment, which would insert LED lenses that Vision moulds in high volume elsewhere in its plant. That approach, Hubertz said, “guarantees that everything going into the customer’s assembly system is properly oriented.”

Improve competitiveness

Having seen the kind of benefits robotics brought to their lens-related operations, Hubertz and his team are now adding robots to their custom-moulding operations, starting with high-value and long-cycle parts. To date, the company has installed five cells, each more complex than the last. Along with the obvious benefits, Hubertz and his team believe that the move to robotics has brought Vision Plastics a higher level of consistency, along with significant yield and quality gains. “When you’re running a more consistent process,” he says, “you can expect that quality will follow.” WWW.SEPRO-GROUP.COM

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In association with Hardie Polymers – www.hardiepolymers.com

// Materials Technical //Blog Mouldings looking a bit off-colour? This month, polymer expert and technical blog author, Dr Charlie Geddes, offers his expert diagnosis on what might be the cause

WHAT CAUSES MOULDINGS (AND MOULDERS) TO BE OFF-COLOUR? When mouldings are not the intended colour, the first thing to check is the raw material, particularly the dosing rate, if you are using masterbatch, and the quality of regrind. If the change of colour is making the mouldings more yellow or brown, the problem probably

NEC BIRMINGHAM, UK | 26-28 SEPTEMBER 2017

INJECTION MOULDING

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lies with thermal decomposition of the base polymer, due to excessive times at elevated temperatures. Possible courses of action are to reduce the melt temperature, if possible, but certainly to reduce the time the melt is sitting in the plasticising cylinder or in the hot runner system, by reducing the overall cycle time, reducing the cushion in the cylinder and delaying the plasticisation stage. Moving the job to a machine with a smaller plasticising capacity cylinder will also limit the time at high temperature. However the decomposition may have been triggered at the drying stage, from selecting temperatures and dwell times beyond the recommended drying conditions. As a rule of thumb, the rate of decomposition doubles with every 10oC rise in temperature. Some thermoplastics are sensitive to high shear rates and the temperature rise this induces in narrow feed and cavity channels. In this case, reducing injection speed can help. If the discolouration is more localised, in spots or streaks, the problem may still lie in contamination of the raw material and regrind but localised decomposition can result from some material being held up in dead spots in the cylinder and mould feed system. If the spots or streaks are still present after purging the system, checks should be made on the nonreturn valve on the screw tip and hot runner feed system to establish where material is being held up and exposed to multiple cycles.

Got a view on the above? Blog posts will also be published on the BP&R website at

www.britishplastics.co.uk - feel free to leave your comments

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MATERIALS | NEWS The polymer-based drug delivery patch for administering ibuprofen directly through the skin

WARWICK RESEARCHERS DEVELOP “WORLD’S FIRST” POLYMER IBUPROFEN PATCH Researchers at the University of Warwick have worked with Coventrybased bioadhesives specialist, Medherant, to produce and patent what they say is the world’s “first ever” ibuprofen polymer patch. The transparent adhesive patch works by consistently delivering a prolonged high dose of the painkiller ibuprofen directly through the skin. The researchers have found a way to incorporate significant amounts of the drug (up to 30 percent weight) into the polymer matrix that sticks the patch to the patient’s skin, with the drug then being delivered at a steady rate over up to 12 hours. This, they say, opens the way for the development of a range of long-acting, over-the-counter pain relief products that can be used to treat common painful conditions without the need to take potentially damaging doses of the drug orally or apply topical gels. The patch incorporates polymer technology developed by the global adhesive company, Bostik, exclusively licensed for transdermal use to Medherant. “There are only a limited number of existing polymers that have the right characteristics to be used for

GLOBAL TPE CONSUMPTION EXPECTED TO GROW 5.5 PERCENT BY 2020 The global consumption of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) is expected to grow to nearly 5.5 million tonnes by 2020, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5 percent from 2015 to 2020. The statistics are highlighted in a new report from Smithers Rapra, ‘The Future of Thermoplastic Elastomers to 2020’, which examines technologies affecting the TPE market and analyses future trends across multiple market sectors. Commodity TPEs (TPE-S, TPE-O and TPE-V) occupy the largest market share in 2015, which will recede slightly in 2020 due

this type of transdermal patches - that will stick to the skin and not leave residues when being easily removed,” explained University of Warwick research chemist, Professor David Haddleton. “Furthermore, there are also only a limited number of drugs that will dissolve into these existing polymers. Medherant’s technology now opens up the field

to increased sales of higher performance TPEs. This change, says the report, will be driven by the demand for higher heat and chemical-resisting TPEs in the automotive sector. The report suggests new cuttingedge technologies are on the horizon, with continuous emphasis on the growth of biomass-sourced TPEs and a possible future for TPEbased smart rubbers. Automotive and other transportation applications will continue to dominate the end-use market increasing their market share to 44 percent in 2020. Rising stars are medical and hygiene applications, as well as those for wire and cable. WWW.SMITHERSRAPRA.COM

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of transdermal drug delivery to previously non-compatible drugs.” The researchers and Medherant are now looking to test a wider range of drugs and treatments with the patches. WWW.MEDHERANT.CO.UK WWW.WARWICK.AC.UK

PERFORMANCE PLASTICS SIGNS NEW UK DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT Stockist and distributor of polymer granules and bespoke compounds, Performance Plastics, has signed a new distribution agreement with Indiabased Gharda Chemicals Limited. The the Hampshire-based company will distribute Gharda’s G-PAEK (PEKPolyether Ketone), GAPEKK (PEKKPolyether Ketone Ketone) and GAZOLE (ABPBI-Polybenzimidazole) products, as well as its blends and compounds in the UK. Performance Plastics’ focus is engineering plastics and the company says the addition of these products to its portfolio will enable it to offer “greater solutions” for ultra performance and very high temperature applications. WWW.PERFORMANCE-PLASTICS.CO.UK

28 SEPT - 29 SEPT 2016

EXHIBIT NOW

DUPONT AND DOW CONFIM MERGER The Dow Chemical Company and DuPont have made official the announcement that they are to combine in a merger of the two companies. The new company, which will be called DowDuPont, will split into three independent, publicly traded companies in the areas of agriculture, materials science and speciality products. Upon closing of the transaction, the collective company would have a combined market capitalisation of approximately $130 billion at announcement. “This transaction is a gamechanger for our industry and reflects the culmination of a vision we have had for more than a decade to bring together these two powerful innovation and material science leaders,” said Andrew N. Liveris, Dow’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Over the last decade our entire industry has experienced tectonic shifts as an evolving world presented complex challenges and opportunities – requiring each company to exercise foresight, agility and focus on execution. This transaction is a major accelerator in Dow’s ongoing transformation, and through this we are creating significant value and three powerful new companies. This merger of equals significantly enhances the growth profile for both companies,

while driving value for all of our shareholders and our customers.” Commenting, Edward D. Breen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DuPont, added: “This is an extraordinary opportunity to deliver long-term, sustainable shareholder value through the combination of two highly complementary global leaders and the creation of three strong, focused, industry-leading businesses. Each of these businesses will be able to allocate capital more effectively, apply its powerful innovation more productively, and extend its valueadded products and solutions to more customers worldwide. “For DuPont, this is a definitive leap forward on our path to higher growth and higher value. This merger of equals will create significant nearterm value through substantial

cost synergies and additional upside from growth synergies. Longer term, the three-way split we intend to pursue is expected to unlock even greater value for shareholders and customers and more opportunity for employees as each business will be a leader in attractive segments where global challenges are driving demand for these businesses’ distinctive offerings.” Upon completion of the transaction, Liveris will become Executive Chairman of the newly formed DowDuPont Board of Directors and Breen will become Chief Executive Officer of DowDuPont. www.dow.com WWW.DUPONT.COM

HEXCEL ACQUIRES REMAINING INTEREST IN FORMAX UK STYROLUTION BECOMES INEOS STYROLUTION Styrolution has changed its name and logo to INEOS Styrolution in order to establish its identity under new ownership. Styrolution was founded in October 2011 as a joint venture between BASF and INEOS. On November 17, 2014, INEOS completed the purchase of BASF’s 50 percent share – making Styrolution a wholly owned, standalone company within INEOS. The company says the new name and logo make the INEOS ownership more visible, while acknowledging Styrolution’s established identity. It

will continue to operate and actively pursue business opportunities as before, including continuing with its ‘Triple Shift’ growth strategy introduced three years ago, which calls for a focus on higher-growth industries, styrenic specialties and Standard ABS and emerging markets. Corporate structure, company organisation, all financing arrangements and operative contracts with business partners are not affected by the name and logo change. WWW.INEOS-STYROLUTION.COM

Advanced composites company, Hexcel, has acquired full ownership of Formax UK Limited. This follows Hexcel’s acquisition of a 50 percent interest in the privately owned company in December 2014. Located in Leicester, UK, Formax is a manufacturer of composite reinforcements, specialising in the production of lightweight carbon fibre multi-axials and highly engineered glass fibre and aramid fibre fabrics. Hexcel says the purchase of the remaining interest in Formax will allow it to further advance dry reinforcements technology for future aerospace applications and provide scale for growing industrial markets. WWW.HEXCEL.COM

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Engineering Passion

NATIONAL COMPOSITES CENTRE ADVANCES RESEARCH WITH KRAUSSMAFFEI MACHINE The National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol has expanded its TechCentre with a new KraussMaffei RimStar Compact 4/4/4 mixing and metering machine. The installation of the machine comes as the NCC looks to develop new production methods for composite materials and advance into industrial series production in a number of markets. “The composites market is experiencing pronounced growth in the UK. In vehicle manufacturing, the big OEMs are advancing lightweight construction development and the use of CFRP in structural components. The aviation industry is also very active,” commented Stephen Lambert, Reaction Process Technology Business Manager at KraussMaffei Group UK. The new mixing and metering machine can process both epoxy resin and polyurethane (PUR) and enables short cycle times for production of lightweight components. “High-pressure injection using the RimStar Compact allows us to process fast-reacting resin systems. This shortens cycle times, enabling us to produce fibrereinforced components in large

quantities,” explained Wolfgang Hinz, Product and Sales Manager Business Unit Composites and Surfaces at KraussMaffei. “Previously, the HP-RTM process primarily used epoxy resin as the matrix material. Recently, however, an increasing number of components are being made of polyurethane in the HP-RTM (high pressure RTM) process. Because the RimStar Compact 4/4/4 can process both matrix systems, it gives the NCC and its member companies great flexibility for carrying out applicationoriented test series.” The research at the National Composites Centre is focused on areas including the automated

Romi EN 300 machine

NEW MOULDING MACHINE AT MEDICAL DEVICE MANUFACTURER Expanding medical devices developer, MJS Group, has taken delivery of a new EN 300 plastic injection moulding line from Romi Machines. The company moved from Bartonle-Clay, Bedfordshire, to a new 35,000 sq. ft. freehold premises in Luton last year in order to triple its floor space and capacity to grow 40

its market share in the medical equipment sector. “We had had very good experience with the Romi EN 260 we put in three years ago. It was the first machine we had bought new and, given that second-hand prices are not much lower than buying new at the moment, it made sense for us to return to Romi for this latest investment,” explained Chris Saggers, MJS’ Managing Director. MJS, which produces medical WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

manufacturing of fibre preforms, component manufacturing using autoclaves and compression moulding and post-mould processing of fibre-reinforced components. Over 30 industrial companies are now registered members of the NCC. The total floor space of the institute was expanded to 8500 m² recently, with the installation of the RimStar Compact 4/4/4 part of this development. Since then, KraussMaffei has also been a member of the NCC, offering interested companies the opportunity to run tests on-site. WWW.KRAUSSMAFFEI.COM WWW.NCCUK.COM

mattresses, pressure sensitive airbeds and cold therapy devices for sports injuries and post-operative applications, handles the design, tool making and manufacture of its products in-house, ensuring that quality control is tight and predelivery checks thorough. “We use the plastic injection lines to produce the control system units that go with our equipment and this larger machine does allow us to extend our portfolio further,” he added. Neil Bathard, National Sales Manager for Romi Machines in the UK, commented: “It is great to see MJS Group growing and increasing its plastic injection moulding capacity to meet customer demand. Our business takes us into many different engineering sectors but this one provides medical equipment and we know it is critical that MJS have equipment that can provide quality components efficiently.” WWW.ROMIUK.COM

www.kraussmaffei.com

PLAZOLOGY LAUNCHES NEW VIRTUAL DESIGN MOULDING ANALYSIS UK-based Plazology Ltd has launched a new simulation product design service aimed at closing the gap between the virtual and physical manufacturing worlds and significantly reducing the risks to successful product launches. By enabling verification of a plastic part’s design, manufacturability and quality earlier in the development stages, Plazology says its new Virtual Design Moulding Analysis (VDMA), addresses the many challenges to be met during the creation of plastic components. “VDMA is like having a virtual, remote plastic engineering squad as part of your design team dedicated to supporting product launches,” said Plazology’s Shaun Mollon. Current market forces command reduced development costs, more complex designs and shorter lead times. Recognising a need to confront these demands, VDMA enables designers and manufacturers to design, visualise and simulate products, from the conceptual design phase right through to manufacture, reducing the need for costly physical prototypes. Plazology says the use of VDMA

WM THERMOFORMING INTRODUCES ITS N.EXT LINE OF EXTRUDERS WM Thermoforming Machines has announced the availability of a new line of extruders for use with ne of The new li ers rm fo o m ther liver de to are said ctivity du o pr er h hig savings. and energy

Before and after shots of part optimisation

can not only provide an excellent end product for customers, but can also address additional company objectives, such as providing accurate quoting for jobs, more precise estimations of cycle times, eradication of production errors and process inefficiencies such as wasted materials. In addition, it says the VDMA service allows its customers to create better plastic components with less design loops. It provides a greater understanding of potential part/ mould quality defects before the mould is manufactured, producing a comprehensive mould layout

with every concern risk- assessed to give to the mould maker. VDMA enables early decisions on the most appropriate cooling layout prior to mould manufacturing, using simulation to provide accurate results for heat transfer, Reynold numbers and cooling efficiencies. “Importantly,” Mollon concluded, “it allows clients to have far greater confidence that the T1 trials will be more successful than before. The need for multiple processing trials, to modify and adjust is greatly reduced, saving both time and money.”

its inline systems that are said to deliver higher productivity and energy savings. The line of extruders, known as ‘N.EXT’, includes screw diameters of 45-75-90 mm, L/D (length/diameter) ratio of 36 and an output capacity range from 450 to 900 Kg/h for polypropylene. The extruders are single screw operated by watercooled AC motors for high energy efficiency and low noise emissions. All cylinders and screws are made of nitride steel, but special versions made of bimetal and stellite (tipped hard metal) are available upon request, for the processing of filled materials. Particular care has been dedicated to the design of the screw profile, says WM, in order to obtain a better and optimal homogenisation and plasticisation values of the material. The temperature control settings are made through the industrial PC B&R operated by touch-screen. Special stainless steel covers protect the heating zones and can be easily removed for maintenance.

All extruders are supplied with continuous hydraulic screen changers in order to avoid material flow interruption. A gear pump system is supplied as standard on all the main extruders to eliminate the possible pulsations during the melting process, guaranteeing constant and uniform feeding of the extrusion flat die head. In case of additional extruders, a co-extrusion feed block is installed before the flat die head, in order to distribute the material flow in different layers in function of the sheet characteristics required for the final product. The extrusion flat die head is provided with a flexible lip, adjustable through nuts, that works by pulling and pushing to control the sheet thickness, while the deckling bars adjust the sheet width manually. The vertical calenders are available in different versions, according to the extruder and the required output capacity.

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RECLAMATION & RECYCLING | NEWS RECYCLED POLYMER RANGES DRIVE EXPANSION FOR AXION A growing demand for technically sound recycled polymer compounds is driving demand for Axion Polymers. The Manchester-based recycler says demand is rising, particularly from the construction, drainage, water and horticultural sectors, for sustainably sourced and competitively priced high-grade polymers that can be formulated to match exact specifications. “More manufacturers are recognising the value of using recycled polymers that not only can be modified to suit specific requirements, such as adjusting melt flow, impact resistance and tensile strength, but also are genuinely sustainable,” explained Mark Keenan, Development Technologist. Axion’s range of Axpoly high-grade recycled plastics is sourced from its end-of-life vehicle (ELV) recycling facility — the Shredder Waste Advanced Processing Plant (SWAPP) at Trafford Park— and refined

Storage box made from recycled polymer

further at its advanced polymerprocessing site in Salford. “We are working with a number of new customers, including a building components manufacturer, for whom we have developed polymers with specific characteristics for their respective products. Of course, all customers also benefit from the opportunity to reduce their carbon

The report proposes a new approach to plastics waste management

REPORT PREDICTS “MORE PLASTICS IN THE OCEAN THAN FISH” BY 2050 By 2050 the world’s oceans could contain more plastics than fish (by weight), according to a new report. The suggestion comes from the findings by the World Economic Forum and Ellen MacArthur Foundation, entitled ‘The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the 42

Future of Plastics,’ which says without intervention, and at the global rate of consumption, then this could be the reality. The report outlines a vision for a new circular economy-approach to the global plastics packaging system, which aims for zero waste and a drastic reduction of “negative externalities” such as leakage into the oceans. It acknowledges that plastics and plastic packaging are an integral part of the global economy and deliver many benefits, but say their value chains currently entail significant drawbacks. Assessing global plastics packaging flows comprehensively for the first time, the report finds that most plastic packaging is used only once; 95 percent of the value of plastic packaging material, worth $80-120 billion annually (approx. WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

impact, the cost savings on virgin plastics and reliable, consistent supply,” Keenan continued. A recent example is bioreactorpacking pieces where Axion’s team achieved the precise melt flow rate to rapidly fill a complicated 24-up injection moulding tool. Following technical consultations at the customer’s site, custom compounds were developed to suit the process. The polymer underwent extensive tests to ensure the formulation was correct. The initial success led to Axion supplying a further variation to the original polypropylene grade. “In the transition to a circular materials economy, it’s clear that manufacturers are recognising the advantages of using high-quality recycled polymers in new products. At Axion Polymers, our expertise, technology and products can help them realise their vision,” Keenan concluded. WWW.AXIONPOLYMERS.COM

£56-84bn), is lost to the economy. In this context, it says “an opportunity beckons” for the plastics value chain to deliver better system-wide economic and environmental outcomes, while continuing to harness the benefits of plastic packaging. The New Plastics Economy, outlined in the report, envisages “a new approach based on creating effective after-use pathways for plastics; drastically reducing leakage of plastics into natural systems, in particular oceans; and decoupling plastics from fossil feedstocks.” Achieving such systemic change, it says, will require major collaboration efforts between all stakeholders across the global plastics value chain – consumer goods companies, plastic packaging producers and plastics manufacturers, businesses involved in collection, sorting and reprocessing, cities, policymakers and NGOs. WWW.ELLENMACARTHURFOUNDATION.ORG

BROTHER’S DRINKS ‘BOTTLES’ SAVINGS FROM PET LINERRECYCLING SCHEME A PET label liner-recycling scheme has saved one drinks manufacturer significant costs, as well as providing reduced environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions. Brother’s Drinks Co. Limited started shipping its PET liner to Scotland-based recycling specialist, PET UK, on a regular basis in July 2014 following the implementation of a new sustainability scheme by labels producer, Avery Dennison. In the following 12 months, approximately 50 tonnes of PET liner has gone from Brother’s manufacturing base in Somerset to Scotland. This has saved waste liner from more than 1.5 million square metres of labels from incineration and yielded enough PET resin to make almost two million microwave trays. Peter Faxholm, Operations Manager at Brothers Drinks, said that as well as reducing the material going to incineration or landfill, the PET UK scheme offered additional benefits. “We estimate that we have saved around £6-8,000 by taking part in this programme. More importantly, we are able to save significant amounts of CO2 emissions by having our PET liner recycled and turned into a resource, instead of incinerated. From both business and brand value perspectives, this programme is a real winner,” Faxholm explained. Xander van der Vlies, Sustainability Director for Avery Dennison, said that

POLYTALK 2016 TO ADDRESS SOLUTIONS TO MARINE LITTER A key European conference established to address some of the plastics industry’s controversial issues will use the 2016 edition to address the global problem of marine litter. The ‘PolyTalk’ conference, organised by European trade association, PlasticsEurope, will present a two-day event entitled ‘Zero Plastics to the Oceans’, which will take place on 16 and 17 March at the Egg Congress and Meeting Centre in Brussels. PolyTalk was launched in 2010 to identify joint visions and

Brother’s Drinks range of ciders

the PET UK recycling scheme is one part of a much wider global effort to meet Avery Dennison’s ambitious 2025 Sustainability Goals, which includes a target of eliminating 70 percent of matrix and liner waste from its value chain. “Our work with PET UK makes an important contribution to our ongoing efforts – and we are determined to meet our 2025 Sustainability Goals and minimise environmental impacts,” van der Vlies said. John Currie, Commercial Director at PET UK said that the end product from the scheme is a valuable raw

opportunities through an open, constructive and forward-looking dialogue on controversial topics. PolyTalk 2016 will gather delegates from European and national policy and decision makers, representatives of non-governmental organisations, brand owners, designers, civil society and the plastics industry to open a constructive, multi-stakeholder dialogue on solutions to marine litter. The full conference programme can be viewed on by visiting the websites below. WWW.POLYTALK.EU WWW.PLASTICSEUROPE.ORG

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

Brothers Drinks saves 1.5 million square metres of label liner waste from incineration.

material. “Instead of these PET liners going to a general waste bin, for disposal, at a cost to Brothers Drinks of approximately £120 per tonne, it becomes a raw material for our plant in Dumfries to produce new PET resin granulate. This resin becomes a feedstock for the production of items such as PET staple fibre, strapping or thermoformable sheets, used for the production of microwave trays.” WWW.AVERYDENNISON.COM WWW.PETUK.COM

The 2016 PolyTalk conference will address the problem of marine litter

BPI RECYCLED PRODUCTS DONATES PLASTIC SACKS TO CUMBRIAN FLOOD VICTIMS BPI Recycled Products has teamed up with a cleaning and supplies firm to donate 43,000 recycled plastic sacks to the victims of the recent flooding in Carlisle. The Derbyshire-based company produces the sacks from 100 percent UK-sourced recycled material, much of which comes from Cumbrian farm waste. “Cumbria farmers collect more farm waste for BPI Recycled Products than any other county. We have a very good relationship with the region and so it is only right that we show our support,” explained Lorcan Mekitarian, Commercial Director, BPI Recycled Products. “The cleanup is not a nice job and if we can make it a little easier for homeowners by supplying heavy duty

sacks, to not only throw damaged items away in but also to help keep their possessions dry over the next few months, then that is the least we can do.” The bags supplied via distributor, Bunzl Cleaning and Hygiene Supplies, are from BPI’s Green Sack range, which boasts an ultra-low carbon footprint and, importantly for the flood victims, is said to be ultra tear resistant. Thanks to the use of tough farm polythene, the Green Sack range offers up to 10 times the tear resistance of other premium brand refuse sacks, says BPI. The strength comes from the UK farm waste polythene used in silage bale wrap and horticultural film which BPI Recycled Products choses for its strength. WWW.BPIPOLY.COM The bags donated for the cleanup effort

UK SUPPLIER OF RECYCLED CARBON FIBRE PRODUCTS ACHIEVES AS/EN9100 CERTIFICATION A supplier of recycled carbon fibre products has achieved AS/ EN9100 quality management system certification for the ‘Recovery of carbon fibre from manufacturing waste and end of life products’ and the ‘Manufacture of recycled carbon fibre materials and products’. ELG Carbon Fibre, based in Coseley, West Midlands, says it chose this particular quality standard to ensure it was able to meet the requirements of the aerospace industry, one of the largest users of carbon fibre, and therefore one of the industries where recycling is most important. “Achieving this certification is a significant milestone in terms of our ongoing expansion,” explained Frazer Barnes, Managing Director of ELG Carbon Fibre. The AS/EN9100 series is designed to meet the rigorous and stringent demands of the aviation and aerospace industry. It aims to provide a harmonised global standard for all manufacturers and offer customers greater reassurance in terms of product performance and reliability. WWW.ELGCF.COM

LUMIERE LONDON IS A SHINING ENDORSEMENT FOR PLASTICS RECYCLING An art installation displayed as part of a festival in London last month highlighted how simple technology changes thousands of people’s lives across the world. The stunning ‘Litre of Light’ exhibit, located in King’s Cross, was created using plastic bottles to highlight the work of the MyShelter Foundation, which uses old bottles to create a safe and sustainable source of light for people living without electricity in their homes. Image: Litre of light, Mick Stephenson, Lumiere London 2016. Photograph by Will Eckersley

New range of sortable colourants set to “revolutionise” plastics recycling

ccording to UK-based Colour Tone Masterbatch Ltd, its new IRDENT range of detectable pigments enables plastics that were previously undetectable by commonly-employed, automated methods of A NEW, PATENT PENDING identification to be detectable RANGE OF SORTABLE in the waste sorting process, COLOURANTS IS SET TO as well as providing excellent HELP “REVOLUTIONISE” colour quality. Working closely with Nextek, THE RECOVERY OF A WIDE the independent consultancy VARIETY OF PLASTICS, that specialises in assisting INCLUDING RIGID BLACK the plastics industry to meet PLASTIC PACKAGING, challenges in relation to PLASTIC COMPONENTS recycling, Colour Tone believes IN END OF LIFE VEHICLES it has addressed one of the AND WEEE WASTE. IN THE biggest issues in plastics recycling. The two companies FOLLOWING ARTICLE, BP&R say that if detectable pigments LOOKS AT THE TECHNOLOGY were used in all plastics, then IN MORE DETAIL. recycling would become “a much more commercial and widely accepted proposition”. The most common automated technology used by MRFs (Material Recovery Facilities) and PRFs (Plastics Recovery Facilities) for the sorting of plastics uses near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to detect the polymer type. These NIR detectors are capable of accurately discriminating between items made from different polymers such as PET, PP, PVC and PS. This works when material on a conveyor belt is fed underneath an identification sensor. This sensor uses an infrared beam to identify the plastic type by recognising a spectral signature, which is unique for each polymer. The unit then triggers compressed air nozzles that separate the selected materials as programmed. This sorting of polymers is essential to ensure that the resultant recycled material is commercially attractive to processors. However, a large amount of these potentially recyclable items cannot be identified by the NIR systems as they contain colour pigments such as carbon black that are very good infra-red absorbers and are therefore undetectable by the sorting system. Colour Tone says it is “confident” that the use of its IRDENT range can increase the recovery of high quality materials, diverting them away from landfill and enabling them to be used in place of virgin plastic to make new products. This does not only deliver savings in CO2, it says, but contributes to the achievement of both voluntary and legislated plastic recycling targets. An example of a sector where this innovative technology could make a vast difference is in black plastic packaging, typically produced from the polymers APET, CPET, PP and PE, which is traditionally coloured with carbon black pigment. Estimates suggest that there may be approximately one million tonnes of rigid mixed plastic packaging in the UK waste stream. Of this amount between 3-6 percent is considered to be black plastic packaging. In terms of

tonnage, this is in the region of 26,000 - 30,000 tonnes per annum and some studies have indicated that this figure could be as high as 60,000 tonnes (estimates from WRAP). Nextek says that this new technology is the first proven solution that that could be readily applied in the recycling industry in both Europe and USA. “To be able to recycle such large quantities of plastics whilst ensuring a constant and high quality supply for re-processing as an alternative to virgin material, means that brand owners can label the black packaging as being truly recyclable and improving the economics of material recovery in the closed-loop economy that is defining our future,” commented Tony Gaukroger, Managing Director of Colour Tone Masterbatch. “In using only the example of this particular sector, the use of IRDENT in plastic packaging allows processors of black rigid plastic packaging to ensure that their products are truly recyclable, whilst still achieving a really excellent colour. We have found that processors who have already tested this are particularly satisfied with the quality of the colour. We are additionally excited at the opportunities this range presents for automotive and electrical/ electronic product applications. This new generation of pigments now makes the concept of ‘designing for end of life’ a reality and a vital part of planning for the adherence to end-of-life legislation.” The subject of extensive studies, including industrial scale manufacturing trials by WRAP in partnership with Nextek, IRDENT has been found to be useable without adversely affecting the physical properties or manufacturing process conditions. WWW.COLOURTONE-MASTERBATCH.CO.UK WWW.WRAP.ORG.UK WWW.NEXTEK.ORG

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

New: The Skills Series

IN A NEW FEATURE FOR 2016, BRITISH PLASTICS AND RUBBER, IN CONJUNCTION WITH RAPRA, WILL HIGHLIGHT A SELECTION OF THE SKILLS AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE FOR THE UK PLASTICS AND RUBBER INDUSTRIES, WITH INSIGHT FROM A SERIES OF GUEST AUTHORS FROM SOME OF THE COUNTRY’S LEADING PROVIDERS OF COURSES. IN THE FIRST OF THIS SERIES, STEVE HARRATT, FROM THE POLYMER TRAINING AND INNOVATION CENTRE, BASED IN TELFORD, HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS OF A BUSINESS AND HOW TO TRAIN EXISTING STAFF TO FULFIL THEM

t is often heard that companies have experienced difficulties when trying to recruit candidates with the correct skill set to fill vacancies available within polymer processing establishments. This situation does not bode well for the UK economy unless changes can take place. With unemployment figures running at historically low levels in most parts of the country, recruitment often needs to be followed by a period of training and development. This is usually completed using internal activities but progress made can be accelerated through the involvement of external specialist

training providers. For most organisations, the payback against the cost of this external activity is greater operational efficiencies, better retention of their highest skilled employees, higher morale and improved internal departmental communications. Investment in capital equipment is currently on a 10-year high with many primary machinery suppliers reporting record sales figures during this decade. Advancement in machine control systems and operating performance require less energy, lower noise and greater levels of precision, repeatability and accuracy. However, such new technologies can only bring financial benefit to an organisation when the people operating that equipment have the necessary skills and knowledge levels to get the most out of it. So what skills do employees need to complete their daily duties? Well that of course depends on what those duties are. At PTIC we have a range of courses that have all been designed to provide employees on the production shop floor and in supporting office-based roles with the hands-on skills and supporting background knowledge to make the best of their time available. Our ‘World Class Manufacturing’ portfolio of courses covers many of these. The overall programme looks at various business improvement techniques, which include ‘Lean Manufacturing’, ‘Workpiece Flow, Cause and Effect’, ‘SPC’

and many more. The most widely talked about business improvement technique may well be ‘SMED’ – Single Minute Exchange of Die. SMED is a philosophy that is based around the ‘Toyota Total Production System’ (TPS) where everything that will affect the manufacturing process is optimised and simplified to identify, but then to maintain, best practise. It is therefore considered to be a Japanese approach, but in fact the people who worked for Toyota and created its TPS based their approach around manufacturing techniques used in better-performing American organisations at that time. Much can be learned by attending a one-day SMED course offered by PTIC. The general concepts covered can be applied not just to the shop floor, but any series of steps required to be taken to achieve an overall goal. By way of example, how orders are taken and then communicated through to the manufacturing plant.

A closer look at business needs

Take a closer look at your business to ask what the relationship is between how much is spent on new capital equipment against staff training and development in any given year. The first step in the journey would be to identify the size and areas where your employee skills and knowledge levels may not be appropriate for your current and hopefully future business needs. An initial assessment or review

would indicate the areas where an investment in staff training would prove most beneficial. Yes, there is a direct financial cost to these activities, but the largest investment that you will need to make is, once again, in time. If you are interested in completing such an exercise then PTIC would be able to provide some initial support and guidance on how best to proceed. We have a range of assessments available covering a wide range of polymer processing techniques, some of which are even provided free of charge. Once this initial skills gap analysis has taken place, then a staff training and development plan should follow, which identifies the initial areas of most immediate exposure where effort needs to be concentrated. This is the path of ‘Continuous Improvement’. World Class Manufacturing companies employ this technique and others alike in all aspects of their business. However in any journey, no matter how long it looks to be at the start, progress starts with the first step taken. WWW.RAPRA.ORG/CAPABILITIES/ TRAINING

About the Author

Steve Harratt is Sales Account Manager & Technical Advisor at PTIC, a part of City of Wolverhampton College. WWW.WOLVCOLL.AC.UK/POLYMER

About the RAPRA Training Programme Drawing on its experience of providing technical support through a unique network of Preferred Service Providers, RAPRA has launched its comprehensive training programme representing the best of rubber, plastics, composites and related industrial training available in the UK, of which The Polymer Training & Innovation Centre (PTIC) is

one of those providers. RAPRA will continue to identify where the gaps are and will be on the lookout for high quality, relevant training courses to add to the training programme. The RAPRA Training Programme can be viewed at WWW.RAPRA.ORG/CAPABILITIES/TRAINING

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

BUYER’S GUIDE vibration welding

MATERIALS

Branson Ultrasonics

158 Edinburgh Avenue, Slough, Berkshire SL1 4UE T: 01753 756675 F: 01753 551270 E: bucuk.sales@emerson.com W: www.bransoneurope.eu

MASTERBATCH

CHILLERS/TEMPERATURE CONTROLLERS

BLACK & WHITE MASTERBATCH Compounding

Recycling

Moulding

Film

Pipe

Conduit

Whitelands Mill, Whitelands Road Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 6UG, UK Tel: +44 (0)161 308 2550 Fax: +44 (0)161 343 2026 E-mail: aml@abbeymb.com Web: www.abbeymb.com

Burgess Colours & Compounds, 1-10 Burgess Street, Middleport, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 3PD, T: 01782 819670 F: 01782 816133 Email: sales@burgesscolours.co.uk We are one of the UK’s leading supplier of black, white, colours and additive masterbatches

DRYER HIRE Hire from one month Monthly rolling contract Opportunity to purchase Range of models Preventative Maintenance Visits

Motan Colortronic Ltd

WANTED

Matilda House, Carrwood Road, Chesterfield Trading Estate, Chesterfield S41 9QB Machinery BG 2015_LayoutT:101246 2 260222 F: 01246 455420 E: sales@motan-colortronic.co.uk W: www.motan-colortronic.co.uk Whatever your ancillary needs – we have the solution

We buy/sell prime, reprocessed, regranulated flexible PVC compounds, dry blends, pulverised, scrap, PVC resin and associated raw materials. Please send us your offers/enquiries.

Vinyl Ltd

MOULD RELEASE

Motan Colortronic Ltd

Matilda House, Carrwood Road, Chesterfield Trading Estate, Chesterfield S41 9QB T: 01246 260222 F: 01246 455420 E: sales@motan-colortronic.co.uk W: www.motan-colortronic.co.uk

We can offer prime flexible PVC compounding facilities to cover your specific requirements, bespoke compounds, breakdowns, holiday cover etc. Please telephone to discuss.

Tel: +44 (0) 1625 500912 Email: vinyl_ltd@mail.com

DEHUMIDIFIERS

HEATING EQUIPMENT

Telephone: 01582 883666 Email: sales@plmachinery.com Web: www.plmachinery.com

ASSEMBLY hot plate welding Branson Ultrasonics

158 Edinburgh Avenue, Slough, Berkshire SL1 4UE T: 01753 756675 F: 01753 551270 E: bucuk.sales@emerson.com W: www.bransoneurope.eu

induction heating for platens and tools

pulse staking H.T.E Engineering Ltd

Unit 9, St Ives Enterprise Centre, St Ives, Huntingdon Cambridgeshire, UK, PE27 3NP T: +44 (0) 1480 467321 M: +44 (0) 7435 967632 E: john@hte.ie W: www.pulsestaker.com

colour masterbatch

ultrasonic welding

MF Induction Heating

CONTROL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT quality monitoring control Kistler Instruments Ltd

T: 01256 741550 F: 01256 741551 E: sales.uk@kistler.com W: www.kistler.com Pressure transducers and associated monitoring/control equipment for new and existing injection moulding applications.

TO ADVERTISE IN THis SPACE CONTACT LISA MONTGOMERY 01244 680222

hot runner controllers

Motan Colortronic Ltd

www.colourmaster.co.uk

Polymer Specific and Universal Colour and Additive Masterbatches. Fastmatch colour matching service. 1 mm Easysperse MicroPellets to 4 mm MaxiPellets. Standards second to none.

HOT RUNNER SYSTEMS

DRYERS

Call: 0161 624 2114

Eclipse Buyers Guide_Layout 1 07 Email: sales@colourmaster.co.uk

Units 3E + 3F, Hillam Road Industrial Estate, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD2 1QN T: 01274 731552 F: 01274 738118 E: sales@eclipsecolours.com W: www.eclipsecolours.com

Unit 5, Martindale, Hawks Green, Cannock, Staffs, WS11 7XN Replacement Coils New platens T: 01543 570642 F: 01543 574460 E: sales@mfinduction.com W: www.mfinduction.com

Matilda House, Carrwood Road, Chesterfield Trading Estate, Chesterfield S41 9QB T: 01246 260222 F: 01246 455420 E: sales@motan-colortronic.co.uk W: www.motan-colortronic.co.uk

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT ANCILLARIES InControl Ultrasonics Ltd (FFR Ultrasonics Ltd) New and used Granulators, Shredders, Pulverisers, Wash Plants Blades and Screens

PO Box 10380, Sileby, LE12 7ZX T: 01509 621992 E: enquiries@ffr-ultrasonics. co.uk W: www.ffr-ultrasonics.co.uk

Blade Sharpening Ancillary Items Service – Repair - Spares UK & Ireland Agents for

Tel: 01827 838840 Email: info@granulators.org www.granulators.org

Telsonic UK Ltd

12a - 15 Birch Copse Technology Road, Poole, Dorset BH17 7FH T: 01202 697340 F: 01202 693674 E: info.uk@telsonic.com W: www.telsonic.co.uk Blog: telsonicuk.wordpress.com

MATERIALS HANDLING AND STORAGE gravimetric/volumetric blending Motan Colortronic Ltd

Matilda House, Carrwood Road, Chesterfield Trading Estate, Chesterfield S41 9QB T: 01246 260222 F: 01246 455420 E: sales@motan-colortronic.co.uk W: www.motan-colortronic.co.uk

BUYER’S GUIDE

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT energy saving

Motan Colortronic Ltd

Matilda House, Carrwood Road, Chesterfield Trading Estate, Chesterfield S41 9QB T: 01246 260222 F: 01246 455420 E: sales@motan-colortronic.co.uk W: www.motan-colortronic.co.uk

METAL DETECTION & SEPARATION EQUIPMENT Motan Colortronic Ltd

Matilda House, Carrwood Road, Chesterfield Trading Estate, Chesterfield S41 9QB T: 01246 260222 F: 01246 455420 E: sales@motan-colortronic.co.uk W: www.motan-colortronic.co.uk Magnetics Separators Metal Detectors Eddy Current Separators

LABORATORY MACHINES

Bunting Magnetics Europe Ltd European Design & Manufacturing Facility

Northbridge Road Berkhamsted Hertfordshire HP4 1EH, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1442 875081 Email: sales@buntingeurope.com www.magneticseparation.co

FOR SALE

SCREEN CHANGERS

BILL CARRINGTON

Regular quantity of Nylon/Polyester mixed fibre based in bales of 300400 kilos per bale. Contact 01253 736963

Motan Colortronic Ltd

Matilda House, Carrwood Road, Chesterfield Trading Estate, Chesterfield S41 9QB T: 01246 260222 F: 01246 455420 E: sales@motan-colortronic.co.uk W: www.motan-colortronic.co.uk

RECYCLING SYSTEMS EREMA Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen Ges.m.b.H. Unterfeldstraße 3 4052 Ansfelden / Austria Phone: +43 (0)732/31 90-0 Fax: +43 (0)732/31 90-71 sales@erema.at www.erema.at

Contact: Carlton Hicks CHOOSE THE NUMBER ONE.

SCREWS & BARRELS NOZZLES & NOZZLE TIPS

Unit 13 Canterbury Industrial Park, 297 Ilderton Road, London, SE15 1NP T: 020 7252 9600 F: 020 7252 9601 E: sales@ipl-london.co.uk W: www.ipl-london.co.uk

SECONDHAND AND RECONDITIONED ANGLO PLASTICS LTD

Buy/Sell Used Plastics Machinery Rutland Road, Scunthorpe, DN16 1HX T: +44 (0) 1276 470910 T: +44 (0) 7740 632907 E: information@ angloplastics.com W: www.angloplastics.com

Cooper Plastics Machinery

Unit 12, Harmill Industrial Estate, Grovebury Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire LU7 4FF T: 01525 850610 F: 01525 218008 E: cooperplastics@googlemail.com W: www.cooperplastics.co.uk Extruders, water baths, haul-offs, fly knife cutters, conveyors/tip tables, in-line punches, coilers etc. New and used. Repairs, servicing or rebuilds. UK agent for Lyons Electronics.

DM Machinery Ltd

Used Injection Moulding Machine Stockists 40 Thorne Lane, Wakefield West Yorkshire, WF1 5RR T: 01924 290206 E: sales@dmmachinery.co.uk W: www.dmmachinery.co.uk

MATERIALS HANDLING AND STORAGE

DTL Machinery UK

hopper loaders

Engineers to the Plastics & Rubber industries, specialising in the following:

PRINTING MACHINES pad

Screw & Barrel Manufacture Screw & Barrel Refurbishment Tie Bar Repair & Manufacture Screw Tip Assemblies Feed Liners, Plain & Grooved 100 Tonne Screw & Barrel Press Bimetallic Barrel Blanks up to 50 mm In Stock Please e-mail or phone Karl for more info. E. info@tws-mail.co.uk T. 01706 655402 W. www.tws-ltd.com Technical Welding Services (Rochdale) Ltd

MIXING, FEEDING & DOSING

We Buy / Sell all Makes, Age and Sizes of Injection Moulding Machines & Ancillaries Tool room machines and also complete factories / plants Factory Clearance Services Dismantling / Removal of obsolete plant and machinery T: 01925 596170 M: 07838138342 E: douglastrading@gmail.com

www.trfastenings.com sales@trfastenings.com

Kelsey Close, Attleborough Fields Industrial Estate, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV11 6RS T: 024 763 42002 F: 024 766 41670 E: Polytest@ray-ran.com W: www.ray-ran.com

hardness - IRHD and shore MAPRA Technik Co — BAREISS For Bareiss of Germany IRHD & SHORE hardness testers, Abrasion & Rebound testers. T: 020 8508 4207 F: 020 8502 5107 E: info@mapra.co.uk W: www.mapra.co.uk

inspection & measurement MAPRA Technik Co – DOSS – MARCEL AUBERT – KAFER

For DOSS visual solution of Italy – Inspection & sorting machines for O’rings, Seals, Gaskets. T: 020 8508 4207 F: 020 8502 5107 E: info@mapra.co.uk W: www.mapra.co.uk

TRAINING

Thornhill, South Marston, Wiltshire SN3 4TA T: 01793 827666 F: 01793 823826 E: sales@transxl.co.uk W: www.transxl.co.uk

TO ADVERTISE IN THis SPACE CONTACT LISA MONTGOMERY 01244 680222

Arrowquint Ltd

TO ADVERTISE IN THis SPACE CONTACT LISA MONTGOMERY 01244 680222

Ray Ran Test Equipment Ltd

TransXL International Ltd

STATIC CONTROL Global manufacturer & distributor of inserts for plastic, fasteners for plastic, cable management, circuit board hardware, nylon rivets & screws, rubber bumpers & feet & many more.

TESTING EQUIPMENT

Industrial Plastics Ltd

Unit 2 Sanders Close, Finedon Road Industrial Estate, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire NN8 4HQ T: 08450 655455 F: 08450 655456 E: sales@arrowquint.co.uk W: www.arrowquint.co.uk Static control solutions, equipment sales and rental, repairs and on-site servicing. UK/Eire agent for Eltex – market leaders in static control systems.

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

3D PRINTING

3D Printing in Plastic & Rubber

Tel: 01420 88645

www.projet3d.co.uk

BUYER’S GUIDE Component PRINTERS

SOFTWARE

SERVICES

TESTINg/CONSULTANCY

TAMPO.SCREEN.FOIL

Contour Marking Co Ltd Albert house, Gledrid Industrial Park, Chirk ,Wrexham, LL14 5DG T: 01691 770093 F: 01691 770023 Sub Contract Tampo, Screen & Foil Printing to the plastic moulding industry E: sales@contourmarking.com W: www.contourmarking.com

MOULDFLOW ANALYSIS

PARTS & SERVICE

PRINTERS printers of plastic mouldings Total Print Ltd

SOFTWARE DIRECTORY A listing in the Software Directory costs £160 per programme per year. Call Lisa on 01244 680222 for details.

real time production monitoring, scheduling and process monitoring Epicor Mattec Real-time MES (Microsoft Windows™ PC Servers & “Web Based”) Epicor Software (UK) Ltd T: +44 (0)1344 468 468 E: info.uk@epicor.com Modules: Production Monitoring, Process Monitoring, “Drag and Drop” Scheduling/Planning, “Family Moulding”, Preventative Maintenance, Bar Coding/Parts’ Trace-ability, Operator Visual Aids, Process Parameter Profiling, E-mail/Public Address System Alerts, Stand-alone “Drag and Drop” Scheduler, Stand-alone SPC “Machine Analyzer”, Machine Energy Monitoring, KPI Dashboards, Visual Manufacturing (Large LED Displays), Automatic Data Import/Export Functions (For Integration with Epicor ERP & Other Manufacturing Systems/Software Packages). PlantMaster BMS Vision Ltd T: 01254 662244, E: sales.bla@visionbms.com Website: www.visionbms.com/ plastics. Affordable and flexible MES system for the plastics/rubber industry. Real-time production monitoring features wireless data units and OPC Ethernet machine connections. “Drag & drop” job scheduling supports frame/insert level family tooling plus KAN BAN. ERP system integration, SPC/ SQC, Touch Screen Data Units, Machine Maintenance, Operator Tracking, Traceability, DNC, Energy

Specialist Pad Printers Station Road, Gedney Hill, Lincolnshire PE12 0NP T: 01406 330122 F: 01406 330123 E: info@totalprintltd.com W: www.totalprintltd.com Sub-Contract Pad Printers to the Plastics Industry

Monitoring, Bar Coding, Pager Alerts. Easy to use systems from a €600m company with over 30 years experience. intouch T: 01604 646144 E: enquiries@ intouchmonitoring.com Website: www.intouchmonitoring.com Real-time production monitoring systems. Designed to be easy to use and providing affordable solutions to all sizes of businesses. Production monitoring, scheduling, reporting, data import/export, databases for parts, tools and operators, integration with other software packages. ProHelp EPM (for Microsoft Windows™ PC Servers) Mattec Ltd T: 01909 561544 F: 01909 560675 E: a.jewell@mattec.com Real-time Modules: Production Monitoring, ‘Drag and Drop’ Scheduling/Planning, Preventative Maintenance, Bar Coding/Parts Traceability, Operator Visual Aids, Process Parameter Profiling, Pager/ Tannoy Alerts, Stand-alone ‘Drag and Drop’ Scheduler, Stand-alone SPC Machine Analyzer, Automatic Data Import/Export Functions (for integration to Manufacturing Systems and other software packages). SYSCON – PlantStar MTec Services Ltd Tel: +44 (0)7711 036750 Tel: +1 574 232 3900 E: mt@mtec-services.co.uk W: www.mtec-services.co.uk W: www.plantstar.org

PlantStar systems provide customised, scalable applications that deliver real-time plant floor data from any machine, shift, and plant anywhere in your business. Affordable systems available for all size of processor. Browserbased software and hardware, and wireless Ethernet technology make for highly versatile and configurable systems providing information wherever needed. Standard systems include realtime alarms, downtime & reject analysis, capacity scheduling , ERP integration and more. With options including SPC/SQC, Labour tracking and Scheduling, Family Tooling, Materials traceability, barcoding. New QuickShot entry level system, provides real-time data collection & reporting, plus drag & drop scheduling and much more for less than £500 per machine!

enterprise resource planning Epicor ERP Manufacturing Software (For Plastics’/Rubber Processors) Epicor Software (UK) Ltd T: +44 (0)1344 468 468 E: info.uk@epicor.com Epicor ERP software for the polymer converting industry covers the full range of back office operations from on-line and off-line sales and quotations to production planning, inventory management and finance through to logistics, warehousing and distribution. Available on-site, hosted & SaaS it seamlessly integrates with Epicor Mattec Real-time MES to provide a single system that offers a complete quote-to-cash solution for the plastics’/rubber industries.

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

Gammadot Rheology Testing & Consultancy Services

Unit 5C, Leaton Industrial Estate, Bomere Heath, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 3AP T: 01939 291677 E: enquiries@gammadot.com W: www.gammadot.com Providing independant testing solutions to all your quality control, failure analysis & flow simulation data needs

Process Optimisation Software RJG Technologies UK Ltd t/a G&A Moulding Technology T: +44 (0)1733 232211 E info@gamt.co.uk Zero Defect Moulding – What’s your target? • Cycle time reduction • Reduced scrap rates • Improved process capability • Higher yield and OEE PRO-OP™ software provides a stepby-step procedure for optimising the injection moulding process to deliver optimum quality products at the most favourable cycle time. PRO-OP™ is a server based application which, by setting an optimum moulding process, highlights weaknesses and problems in relation to part design, mould design, mould construction, moulding equipment efficiency, moulding equipment specification and material selection. The moulding process is documented with explanations for each key process parameter setting demonstrating the processing conditions and equipment contributions to the final result. PRO-OP™ is aimed at companies whose focus is quality and consistent part manufacture. PRO-OP™ supports companies by providing a documented and structured validation protocol which is recognised in the in the pharmaceutical and medical sectors.

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NEWS FROM THE FRONTLINE

bp&r BRITISH PLASTICS &RUBBER 50

here in the UK. Whilst much of what is said is certainly heading in the right direction, the report does at times seem piously hopeful. It talks about a ‘Global Plastics Protocol’ to oversee the implementation of the vision. To be really useful, this vehicle would need to involve supply chain stakeholders and governments. Not only is this a time when, arguably, all forms of global governmental architecture are under some strain, it could be said that in the areas where plastics in the sea is reputedly at its most severest, the local governments are much more concerned about who owns those seas than the loading of plastics in them. Technical people in the industry might smile at the recommendation that we search for a ‘super polymer’ that combines “functionality and cost with superior afteruse properties”. Likewise, the aspiration to “decouple plastics production from fossil feedstocks” presents very many well-known and well-debated issues. We look forward to exploring these thoughts with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation! As 2016 begins I can sense a mood of increasing caution among companies and we are currently polling our members for their confidence levels. At the BPF we will be doing our hardest to maximise the opportunities. We are looking forward to several well-subscribed trade fair stands, most notably at Chinaplas, this year in Shanghai, 25th – 29th April, and at the ‘K fair’ in Dusseldorf, October 19th-26th. We will be initiating a ‘Polymer Ambassadors’ programme later in the year, where volunteer executives from our industry — we have 56 already — will go into schools to brief children — and teachers — on the role of plastics in science and society. They will be armed with kits jointly branded BPF and PlasticsEurope and be available to provide careers guidance as well as be informative about plastics materials and products. You will also see the BPF emerging in the next couple of months with a strategy for the whole UK industry to advance its role as a global leader. WWW.BPF.CO.UK

ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS

his week saw the publication of a report entitled ‘The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the Future of Plastics’ by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Not another report, you might groan. THIS MONTH, BPF But this one is worth taking DIRECTOR-GENERAL, with more than a modicum PHILIP LAW, GIVES of seriousness. Firstly, it was essentially written by McKinsey HIS OPINION ON THE and Co and launched with all RECENTLY RELEASED their PR might just before the REPORT FROM THE ELLEN Davos conference. Secondly, and MACARTHUR FOUNDATION, perhaps more significantly, the Ellen AS WELL AS INITIAL MacArthur Foundation acts as an advisor to the European Commission THOUGHTS ON WHAT THE and was one of the forces behind COMING YEAR WILL HOLD the EU ‘Circular Economy Package’, FOR UK PLASTICS. the EU’s flagship attempt to reinvigorate its economy. Thirdly, McKinsey themselves had previously carried out a study for the Princes Trust on ‘Plastics in the Seas’. Both reports reflected similar philosophies and conveyed the same headline-grabbing message that, condensed very crudely, before too long there will be as much plastics in the sea as fish. To retain their independence, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and McKinsey refused to enter into dialogue with trade associations, although they did consult some individual ‘experts’. It’s very much a vision and, hence, idealistic. Overall, to be on the right side of history, there are many things in it we should welcome. The report certainly vindicates the use of plastics and, in particular, plastics packaging, which is its principal focus. It recognises all the benefits we articulate and it pays tribute to the industry’s innovative capacity, indeed, it refers to “the industry’s innovation engine.” What it is concerned about more is the leakage of plastics waste from the system, much of this, they believe, going into the sea. The plastics industry in the UK would certainly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with this view. Plastics should not be going into the sea and the outfall must be prevented at source. We are very much for the development of a domestic recycling culture

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

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