British Plastics
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bp&r jan/feb 2017
New laws for temperature control systems - turn to page 4 to find out more...
Temperature control performance GET AHEAD OF THE GAME POLYMER RAW MATERIALS PRICES: ANNUAL REVIEW
MAINTAINING MATERIALS HANDLING SYSTEMS: FIT. FORGET. FAIL
INDUSTRY 4.0: “AS MUCH ABOUT PEOPLE AS PROCESSES”
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NEW YEAR, NEW HALL
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 (0) 1244 671074 © 2017 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.
T
he new year has brought with it fresh speculation surrounding the unpredictability that lies in the months ahead for the UK plastics industry. However, according to findings from the EEF, firms are taking a “keep calm and carry on” approach, by continuing to forge ahead with plans for investment, export and recruitment. According to PMMDA Chairman, Kevin Horne, the high level of activity seen by UK machinery suppliers at the end of last year looks set to continue – at least until the end of the first quarter. Whilst the second half of the year looks less certain, the industry was boosted by the news last week that leading UK plastics trade show, Interplas, will expand outside of one hall for the upcoming event in September for the first time in over a decade. Testament to the current health of the industry and its positive expectation in the face of adversity, the show will now provide an even larger platform for visitors and exhibitors to maximise their opportunities in uncertain times. You can read the first of our full-length reports on Interplas on page 35. We’ll be covering the show in every issue from now until the end of the year, ensuring you get the most out of your visit. The new year also brought news from Davos, Switzerland, where the World Economic Forum took place last week. During the event, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation launched a new action plan with a strategy for implementing the ambitious plastics recycling goals
Whilst the second half of the year looks less certain, the industry was boosted by the news last week that leading UK plastics trade show, Interplas, will expand outside of one hall for the upcoming event in September for the first time in over a decade.
it set out in its inaugural ‘New Plastics Economy’ report last summer. The number of companies and organisations pledging their support to the initiative is symbolic of the need for change felt throughout the supply chain. You can read more about this new initiative in our recycling section, starting on page 22. Finally, if you’re wondering what effect 2016’s events will have on polymer raw materials prices for the coming year, then look no further than to page 15, where we feature our annual review and outlook. Enjoy the issue.
Leanne Taylor, Group Editor
bp&r
THE BIG STORY New legislation for temperature control
GET AHEAD OF THE GAME
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t will not have escaped any of us in manufacturing that the rolling programme of carbon reduction legislation is affecting both our personal lives and the environment in which we work. It’s ongoing and the talk this year for those of us in the sector using process cooling revolves WITH THE NEXT TRANCHE around the OF LEGISLATION AFFECTING next wave of TEMPERATURE CONTROL legislation IN THE MANUFACTURING that comes into force on 1 INDUSTRY DUE IN 2018, IT’S January 2018. FORCING MANUFACTURERS It falls TO TAKE A CLOSE LOOK under the AT PROCESS SYSTEMS banner of the TO ENSURE FUTURE ‘Ecodesign COMPLIANCE. BUT THERE’S Directive’, which is about ALREADY A WIDE RANGE OF Energy Related PROVEN EQUIPMENT THAT Products ALLOWS THE PLASTICS (ERP), and AND RUBBER PROCESSING is aimed at SECTOR TO GET AHEAD OF reducing carbon THE GAME, AS RICHARD footprints in METCALFE, SALES line with the DIRECTOR FOR INDUSTRY Low Carbon SPECIALISTS ICS COOL road map ENERGY, EXPLAINS. to lower greenhouse gas emissions. The new legislation covers process cooling equipment that is to be rated with a SEPR (Seasonal Energy Performance Ratio). Tier 1 will be introduced on the 1st January 2018, with Tier 2 coming into effect on 1st January 2021. Put simply, new temperature control equipment and systems purchased from the beginning of next year will need to meet stringent new levels of energy performance. While this may sound ominous (and expensive), it doesn’t have to be the case. 4
As a leading manufacturer, we’ve been at the forefront of ensuring that our product solutions already meet the precise performance demands of the plastics and rubber sector. In addition, they are already ‘future fit’ – ensuring our customers can be confident of meeting, and exceeding, compliance. So, while the new legislation is likely to put decisions about temperature control solutions in the spotlight again, there’s no need for manufacturers to be concerned about future compliance. The technology is already here, and when it comes to getting ahead of the game, it’s just a matter of choosing the right ‘team’ or temperature control solutions partner.
i-Chiller – compliance here and now
The acclaimed i-Chiller range set new standards in energy performance when it was introduced several years ago, developed from temperature control expertise that’s been working for nearly 30 years. Most importantly, it’s already compliant with the legislation that’s coming, with thousands of systems out there delivering reliable process cooling for the most challenging of environments. With class-leading efficiency, Eurovent accreditation and in capacities of up to 230kW in stock, it’s a true workhorse designed specifically to cope with the demands of the plastics, rubber and process industries, backed by the confidence of a three-year guarantee. Its robust and practical design includes a uniquely designed
WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK
coil-in-tank evaporator, adapted for varying process load and diverse flow conditions while minimising pressure drops. Features of the iChiller range include: internal water bypass to protect pumps against dead heading; efficient and durable, with scroll compressors; EC fan options and condenser air filters for reduced maintenance and improved life expectancy; additional premium components including phase monitoring, pressure switches, level sensors, crankcase heaters.
2017 – New range preview
The next generation of energy performance for mould temperature control is on its way from ICS Cool Energy, with a range of four standalone water cooled heater/chillers, with free cooling that can easily deliver 70 percent-plus in energy savings. It’s designed for ease of installation as a stand-alone beside the press and/or as part of a superefficient purpose-designed central cooling system. Highlights of the new range include: enhanced mould temperature control thanks to fluid outlet temperatures from 5°C to 90°C and in capacities from 14 to 36kW; digital scroll compressor technology; all non-ferrous fluid circuits; touch screen HMI with full network capability; and space saving packages. WWW.ICSCOOLENERGY.COM The i-Chiller range
bp&r BRITISH
contents
PLASTICS &RUBBER
jan/feb 2017
on the cover New legislation for temperature control get ahead of the game With the next tranche of legislation affecting temperature control in the manufacturing industry due in 2018, it’s forcing manufacturers to take a close look at process systems to ensure future compliance. But there’s already a wide range of proven equipment that allows the plastics and rubber processing sector to get ahead of the game. SEE PAGE 4
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EDITOR’S LETTER New Year, New Hall
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Feature Materials Outlook and Review 2016/17 After a momentous 2016 in which the outcome of the EU Referendum started a process of unprecedented change, exactly what effect did it have on polymer raw materials prices? Here, in our annual materials review, Mike Boswell looks back on last year and gives an outlook as what the industry can expect from the year ahead.
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Feature Fit. Forget. Fail. Think maintaining materials handling systems is optional? Think again. Steve Payne, Director at materials handling and cooling specialists, AB Systems, explains how failure to maintain even the most basic components can wreak havoc over entire systems. 6
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Feature “Industry 4.0 is as much about collaboration between people as it is processes” The CEO of robotics and automation company, Sepro, says that plastics processors need to share insight and resources with other companies to truly reap the benefits of Industry 4.0.
REGULARS
INDUSTRY NEWS Reclamation and Recycling materials machinery BUYERS’ GUIDE SOFTWARE NEWS FROM THE FRONTLINE
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Feature Demand from UK plastics industry sees Interplas expand into additional hall Interplas, the leading trade show for the UK plastics industry, is to expand outside of a single hall for the first time since 2005 following a huge surge in demand for space. British Plastics and Rubber looks in more detail at what at a bigger show floor means for visitors to the 2017 event.
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Feature New applications for an old polymer Can you teach an old dog (or in this case, polymer) new tricks? Dr John Williams, Director of UK plastics manufacturer, Aquapak Polymers Ltd, certainly thinks so. In this article, he explains how giving an already well used polymer a makeover is creating wider opportunities for its use and could push plastics a step closer to the circular economy.
WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK
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INDUSTRY | NEWS INNOVIA GROUP ACQUIRED BY CANADA’S CCL INDUSTRIES INC Canada-based converter, CCL Industries Inc., has announced it is to acquire the Innovia Group for €810 million (approx. £679.5m GBP) from managing shareholder, the Smithfield Group. The transaction, which is expected to close at the end of Q1 2017, follows a successful period for Innovia, during which it has “substantially enhanced” the capabilities and performance of both its high-tech film and banknote businesses. CCL is the world’s largest speciality label business and is publicly quoted on the Toronto Stock Exchange with a market value in excess of CAN $8 billion (approx. £4.8 billion GBP). It employs more than 20,000 people and operates from 156 production facilities across 35 countries on six continents. CCL has a complementary presence in the markets in which Innovia operates, with capabilities in security printing, polymer extrusion and surface engineering that are deployed across all business segments. “This transaction is another transformative acquisition for CCL, propelling the company to world
Innovia Group has been acquired by Canada’s CCL Industries Inc
leadership in the disruptive, fastgrowing polymer banknote market while strengthening our depth in the materials science arena with proprietary BOPP films technology for the label, packaging and security sectors,” commented Geoffrey T. Martin, President and CEO of CCL. For Innovia, the acquisition follows the company’s increasing strategic focus on high value-add
and differentiated films with world leading technology. It divested its legacy cellophane business early last year while making significant growth investments over the last four years, including a state of the art new facility to produce polymer banknote substrate in Cumbria. WWW.CCLIND.COM WWW.INNOVIAHOLDINGS.COM
The mail-order wine in speciallydesigned plastic bottle
MINE’S A LARGE ONE, MR. POSTMAN A UK start-up company is making letterbox wine deliveries a reality, thanks to the use of plastic bottles. Garçon Wines, based in London, runs a mail order service using specially-designed PET-G bottles in a slimline shape that, when packaged, fit through a conventional letterbox. Garçon says it hopes the switch from glass to plastic will not only reduce the carbon footprint of manufacturing 75cl wine bottles, but also improve recycling rates. Santiago Navarro, Garçon’s Co-Founder, said the plastic design eliminated the inconvenience of missed deliveries and the cost of glass broken in transit.
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GOVERNMENT “ON SIDE” OF PLASTICS INDUSTRY IN BREXIT TALKS In a meeting with senior civil servants to discuss the issues and opportunities arising from forthcoming Brexit negotiations, the British Plastics Federation (BPF) says the Government is firmly “on side” with industry. Making the comments following a meeting on 18 January, David Hall, BPF President, said it was “refreshing” that the Government representatives understood the issues the plastics industry faces in the wake of the UK’s exit from the European Union. “They were keen to learn the impacts Brexit is likely to have on businesses in the plastics industry,” Hall said after the meeting. “They have a good team and they are keen to bat for our side.” Civil servants from the business and trade departments visited the BPF Council, composed of leaders of UK plastics firms, to listen to requirements of the industry in
BUNTING MAGNETICS ACQUIRES UK-BASED MASTER MAGNETS IN “SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE” Bunting Magnetics Co. has acquired UK-based magnetic separation equipment supplier, Master Magnets Ltd, for an undisclosed fee. Based in Redditch, Master Magnets Ltd provides a complete line of magnetic separation, recycling
The BPF Council held Brexit talks with Government advisors recently
respect of Britain’s settlement leaving the EU. Last summer the Federation surveyed its members about priorities in Britain’s future relationship with the EU. Companies have stressed that free access to the single market and skilled workers, continued support for business development and EU compatible legislation will be important factors for continued industry growth. “The BPF has been in dialogue with
Government ever since the result of the EU referendum was announced. This meeting was a great opportunity for them to speak with industry in a face to face meeting,” explained Philip Law, Director General of the BPF, who also attended the meeting. “The [Government] delegation was in listening mode and was keen to hear from our member firms on their ideal outcome from negotiations.”
and metal detection equipment to several industries worldwide through a network of distributors. Bunting says the acquisition will build on and complement its existing business through broadened customer reach, new manufacturing capabilities and the opportunity to sell into new markets. “We’re thrilled to add Master Magnets Ltd to our family of
companies,” commented Bob Bunting, President and CEO, Bunting Magnetics Co. “Joining forces decisively extends Bunting’s status as a leading global supplier of magnetic equipment and is a significant milestone in the company’s history,” he added. Simon Ayling, Managing Director of Bunting Magnetics Europe, will assume operations management responsibility of the new division, which will continue to operate out of its UK headquarters. Ayling said the acquisition is an “exciting opportunity” to combine the strengths and expertise of the two businesses. Adrian Coleman, General Manager, Master Magnets Ltd, added: “We will continue to focus on ensuring our UK operations perform seamlessly for our customers who will also benefit from this new partnership. We’re excited for this new future that awaits Master Magnets as part of the Bunting family.”
g Simon Aylin n ia dr A and Coleman outside the Master Magnets ring manufactu facility in K Redditch, U
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RAPRA ACQUIRED BY MADE IN THE MIDLANDS IN “HISTORIC DEAL” The Rubber & Plastics Research Association (RAPRA) has been acquired by privately run peer group, Made in the Midlands, in what has been described as a “historic deal” for the UK manufacturing industry. Made in the Midlands has more than 340 members and represents firms with a combined turnover of £1billion. It says the continual rise of Industry 4.0 technology in the UK will generate increased interest in 100-year-old not-for-profit organisation, RAPRA’s, specialist technical support and R&D services. The acquisition comes as a result of RAPRA looking to revamp its business model and modernise its operations. The two associations will now work on a new, joint model to grow RAPRA’s offering and support research and development, manufacturing improvement and the introduction of new applications involving polymer science in the UK. “It’s very exciting for us to be given the opportunity of acquiring and growing RAPRA, this comes off the back of our expansion into Yorkshire and will help us become an integral part of the future industrial strategy of the UK,” said Jason Pitt, Made in the Midlands CEO. “Although there is uncertainty globally, I don’t think the future of
WhatMore nge says its ra of plastics homewares mark carries the quality h is it Br of
L-R Made in the Midlands’ Jason Pitt; RAPRA Director, Steven Shaw; and Made in the Midlands’ Charles Addison
manufacturing and industrialisation is uncertain. With America taking the lead, I expect to see growth in industry, in particular those businesses and sectors that have invested in R&D. The acquisition of RAPRA will help us to deliver that message more powerfully.” RAPRA will continue as a standalone association, although its headquarters have relocated from Telford to Wolverhampton. It retains two staff who will continue to provide consultancy to the new board and Made in the Midlands team. Commenting, RAPRA Director, Stephen Shaw, said: “We are looking
forward to working and developing the joint model together in the coming months and years.” Made in the Midlands COO, Charles Addison added: “It is a great privilege to be overseeing part of the stewardship of a historical organisation that benefits manufacturing and being able to put a 21st century spin on a membership model, we are using our technology and expertise that has worked for seven years and represents billions of pounds worth of industry in the UK.”
‘MADE IN BRITAIN’ MARK AN “UNWRITTEN GUARANTEE OF QUALITY” SAYS SUCCESSFUL PLASTICS EXPORTER
What More. That’s testament to the high quality of our products and the value for money that we offer.” Israel is the company’s 70th export destination. It recently shipped a large order of bakeware, plus some plastic homewares to a customer in the region. The business, which manufactures and distributes plastic household goods from its 500,000-square foot purpose-built facility in Altham, already exports to countries including Madagascar, China, Afghanistan, New Zealand and Brazil. “We’ve found that the ‘Made in Britain’ mark still carries an unwritten guarantee of quality for international markets and our products are serving to strengthen that conviction,” Grimshaw concluded.
A UK-based manufacturer of plastic homewares says the ‘Made in Britain’ hallmark still carries a quality guarantee that has seen it start the year by adding two new export destinations. Tony Grimshaw OBE, Director of Lancashire-based What More, says the recent addition of customers in Switzerland and Israel is testament to the high quality of British-made products. “A British plastic homewares manufacturer selling to a customer in Switzerland is simply brilliant,” Grimshaw commented. “We have competitors in Germany and Italy – much closer geographically to this customer than us – and yet, they have chosen to do business with WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK
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BROADWAY CELEBRATES A COLOURFUL 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS A masterbatch supplier from Suffolk is continuing to find new applications for products after 20 years. Broadway Colours begun trading in 1997 by supplying the cosmetics packaging industry, starting with three extruders. The firm has since grown, building a 90,000ft2 (8260m2) facility in Halesworth and is now working with eight extruders and two high capacity grinders. It has added specialities in special effect colouring to its portfolio, offering several options to broaden its range. In 2011 Broadway started its grinding facility to supply high quality powders to the rotational moulding market. Since then, its capacity has more than doubled after investment over the 2015/16 period. Broadway also provides technical support assisted by its recently expanded laboratory and weather testing facilities. Last summer Broadway released ‘Process+ Technology’, encompassing its range of performance-enhancing additives for plastics.
PLASTIC AUTOMOTIVE PARTS SUPPLIER TO BUILD NEW UK MANUFACTURING BASE Manufacturer of high quality plastic parts, Polytec Group, has announced plans to build a new manufacturing facility in Telford to supply the automotive industry. Polytec, which is headquartered in Austria but has manufacturing facilities worldwide, is a leading developer and manufacturer of high
Broadway Colours is celebrating a successful 20 years
Joe Maynard, Broadway Colours’ Managing Director said: “Broadway Colours has always been at the cutting edge of innovation in plastics. Investment in the best equipment the market offers, alongside qualified, experienced staff has given Broadway the reputation it has today.
The company has now evolved to not only supply colours, but serves to improve production efficiency and product longevity across the entire plastics industry.”
quality plastic parts, a full service provider in the field of injection moulding and a specialist in fibrereinforced plastics supply. The new base, at Telford’s T54 technology park, is a result of securing several major new contracts with vehicle manufacturers that it is unable to fulfil from its current production site in Bromyard, Hertfordshire. The new site will be constructed
in three phases; the first to build a new paint plant and assembly hall, followed by a manufacturing facility and further assembly hall. It is thought the new investment will bring as many as 100 jobs through the first phase alone. Commenting, a spokesman for Polytec said: “We are very excited about this investment as it will allow us to both increase our capacity and introduce the latest technologies specifically in the painting process.” The new facility is a result of the Land Deal between the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and Telford & Wrekin Council. Karl Tupling, General Manager for HCA in the Midlands, said: “Polytec’s proposed investment has the potential to bring significant jobs to Telford and fits squarely with the local strategy to encourage automotive supply chain growth.”
Phase one of Polytec’s new facility in Telford. (Image: Telford and Wrekin Council)
WWW.BROADWAYCOLOURS.COM
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UK CAR MANUFACTURING HITS 17-YEAR HIGH Production output in the UK car manufacturing industry reached a 17-year high in 2016, boosting prospects for the domestic plastics supply chain. The latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), reveal 1,722,698 cars were produced in the country last year, an increase of 8.5 percent on total production in 2015 and the highest output since 1992. SMMT says more cars are now being exported from Britain than ever before, the result of investments made over recent years in world-class production facilities, cutting-edge design and technology and one of Europe’s most highly skilled and productive workforces. Total committed investment announcements in the automotive sector in 2016 were approximately £1.66 billion across several companies. However, this figure is down from £2.5 billion in 2015, likely to be a result of caution following the EU Referendum. Ten brand new car models began production in the UK last year, nine of them from premium brands, which has helped make the UK the second biggest producer of premium cars after Germany and the third biggest car producer in Europe. Production growth was predominantly driven by overseas demand, with global appetite for British-built cars rising by 10.3 percent to an all-time high of 1,354,216 – a second consecutive annual record. Around eight out of every 10 cars manufactured in the UK is now exported, bound for one of 160 markets worldwide. It was continuing economic
recovery across Europe, however, that accounted for the bulk of the growth. Exports to the rest of the EU grew 7.5 percent to 758,680 and accounted for more than half of all UK car exports. Growth was strong across a number of markets, notably the US – the UK’s biggest export destination after the EU – where demand rose by almost half (47.2 percent). Domestic demand for UK built cars also grew last year, up 2.4 percent in the year, and the UK remains the second largest car market in Europe, again after Germany. One in seven new cars registered by UK buyers is now made in Britain, up from one in eight three years ago. Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, described the growth in UK car production last year as “tremendous” stating it is testament to the global competitiveness of the UK automotive sector. “High class engineering, advanced technology and a workforce committed to quality have helped turn around the industry, making the UK among the most productive places in Europe to make cars,” he explained. However, Hawes was eager to add that the growth came as a result of “significant investment” in new plants and products over the past few years and “not a post-Brexit bounce.” He also stressed the importance of carefully calculated negotiations for new trade deals for the future of the industry. “We want trade deals but they must be the right deals, not rushed deals. Failure to do so could damage UK automotive manufacturing beyond repair,” he concluded. WWW.SMMT.CO.UK
Graph showing UK car exports
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UK Plastics Industry in 2017: “Watch this space”
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fter what was an unprecedented 2016, we start the new year with a high level of confidence being reported. In our latest meeting, PMMDA committee members, along IN THIS MONTH’S with representatives of COLUMN, KEVIN HORNE, several member firms, said that although it is still very CHAIRMAN OF THE early in 2017 to know exactly POLYMER MACHINERY how things will play out MANUFACTURERS this year – there is positive AND DISTRIBUTORS expectation. Feedback from the ASSOCIATION (PMMDA) meeting, attendees of AND MANAGING which come from a range of DIRECTOR OF RENMAR suppliers including moulding PLASTICS MACHINERY machinery, ancillaries, robots LIMITED, LOOKS TO and other capital machinery, THE YEAR AHEAD suggests that the high AND SPECULATES level of activity we all saw towards the end of last year AS TO WHETHER THE seems, for the moment, to MOMENTUM FELT IN THE be carrying on into the first INDUSTRY AT THE END quarter. Many have overflow OF 2016 WILL CONTINUE. orders from the end of 2016 coming in within the next few months, which is creating a feeling of ongoing momentum. As for the effect of last year’s Referendum vote and the decision to leave the European Union, it would seem ‘Brexit’ has not dampened the enthusiasm of the UK plastics industry. We do, however, expect some turbulent times ahead whilst the long and drawn out process of negotiating our way of the EU is being dealt with. The general feeling from the processors themselves seems to be very upbeat, with numerous customers stating they have seen a huge increase in business and, as a result, are going to need to invest in new machines and ancillaries. The larger the project value the higher the success of securing finance, or so it seems. We at the PMMDA hope that this trend will continue for some while longer, however the consensus seems to be that the second half of 2017 may be less certain. However, we do all have the Interplas trade fair to look forward to and a year off from PDM. All that’s left to do in the meanwhile is watch this space… WWW.PMMDA.ORG.UK
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Market Report Polymer raw material prices: 2016 review and 2017 outlook AFTER A MOMENTOUS 2016 IN WHICH THE OUTCOME OF THE EU REFERENDUM STARTED A PROCESS OF UNPRECEDENTED CHANGE, EXACTLY WHAT EFFECT DID IT HAVE ON POLYMER RAW MATERIALS PRICES? HERE, IN OUR ANNUAL MATERIALS REVIEW, MIKE BOSWELL LOOKS BACK ON LAST YEAR AND GIVES AN OUTLOOK AS WHAT THE INDUSTRY CAN EXPECT FROM THE YEAR AHEAD.
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rom a raw materials supply perspective, 2016 was relatively quiet. Whilst for many the difficult supply situation that started in Q1 2015 remains a bitter memory, the reality was that, in the main, availability was much improved in 2016, albeit that prices of the more volatile materials remained relatively high. Of course, for 2016, the UK Referendum on EU membership and the consequent Brexit vote was predominated both prior to – and after – what is a momentous decision. With a 72.2 percent voter turnout, the margin was finally just 3.1 percent, with some 51.9 percent voting to leave the EU versus 48.1 percent wishing to remain. Since the 24th of June Brexit, and its potential implications, is never out of the news and is a regular topic of conversation both within the UK and, not too surprisingly, outside the UK, as foreigners voice their concern about the implications of the world’s fifth largest economy leaving the world’s second largest trading block.
Despite the Brexit issue, the UK economy continued to perform well in 2016, with further increases in employment rates, very low inflation, continuing record low interest rates and strong rates of economic growth.
Continued on page 16
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UK plastics strong, despite Brexit
Despite the Brexit issue, the UK economy continued to perform well in 2016, 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 stability in the housing and construction sectors. Whilst much focus in Europe was placed on the UK referendum, the underlying economic woes in the EU continued, with the Italian banking sector adding further concerns to the issues in the southern area.
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Fig 1: Polyolefins Basket
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From a UK perspective, one of the challenges of 2017 will be the further alignment of prices following Brexit because there is still some discrepancy in pricing following the devaluation of the GBP. This latency in price adjustment is a
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reality this could not have been more fortuitous, as the burden of passing through the full impact of deflation would have met with significant resistance from UK customers buying in GBP. The price of crude oil increased quite steadily through 2016 until the end of the year when the markets were buoyed by OPEC making an agreement on reducing output. It is not surprising to see naphtha, ethylene and propylene follow a very similar trajectory to crude oil pricing, as feedstock producers seek to maintain their own margins. In the graph (Fig. 4) the impact of Brexit at the end of June is clearly depicted, but it is also easy to observe the market volatility where, despite a fundamentally sound UK economy, the uncertainty surrounding Brexit has brought great uncertainty to the financial markets. This has also been clearly evidenced at the beginning of 2017 where speculation of a ‘Hard Brexit’ has caused the GBP to weaken to the extent that the gains made in Q4 against the Euro — and particularly the USD — have been wiped out.
Fe b-
So, what has Brexit got to do with the price of plastic? The simple answer is exchange rates, because not only is the UK highly dependent on imported plastic raw materials, which are typically priced in USD or Euros, but even for those polymer producers based here in the UK, their raw materials are too priced in USD or Euros. On this basis, the material devaluation of the GBP following the Brexit vote has resulted in price inflation – albeit that due to some reduction in materials priced in USD and Euros this, in part, has been relative price inflation – there is no avoiding the fact that input costs have gone up. Of course, many politicians and economists would argue that the UK value-added element of our goods has benefitted from the devaluation, making the UK plastics industry more competitive in overseas markets, which is of course correct, if the raw material price inflation is not greater than the benefit of devaluation and that domestic inflation affecting input costs like labour and energy don’t consume the advantage. Given that exchange rates are a significant factor, the table in Fig. 1 now includes Euro- and GBPbased measures of volatility in the ‘Polyolefins Basket’, which we at Plastribution look at monthly. What is surprising, is that despite an approximate 12 percent devaluation in GBP versus Euro, it appears that in 2015 the GBP based volatility was 14 percent, compared with 11 percent for the Euro. This apparent anomaly can only be explained by the devaluation of the GBP being coincidental with a reduction in market prices for polyolefins. In
Fig.3
Feedstock Costs GBP £950.00
£850.00
£750.00 Naphtha Spot Ethylene (C2) Spot
£650.00 £ per tonne
The price of plastic
Ethylene (C2) Contract Propylene (C3) Spot
£550.00
Propylene (C3) Contract Benzene Spot
£450.00
Benzene Contract Styrene (SM) Spot
£350.00
Styrene (SM) Contract
£250.00
£150.00
Jan 2016 Feb 2016 Mar Apr 2016 May Jun 2016 Jul 2016 Aug Sep 2016 Oct 2016 Nov 2016 2016 2016 2016
Fig. 4
Exchange Rates 1.50 1.45 1.40 1.35 1.30 Euro
1.25
USD
1.20
Euro:USD
1.15 1.10 1.05
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016
combination of goods in the supply chain purchased prior to devaluation, forward currency deals at pre-Brexit exchange rates and concern from sellers over demand and the risk of a fall in market prices. Whilst most polymer groups have largely aligned, there are some materials where there is likely to be further price inflation and this particularly applies to engineering polymers, where, in many areas, only partial alignment has so far taken place. In the case of standard POM and PC grades, adjustments have been quite restricted. Furthermore, exchange rates will continue to be a significant influence on UK polymer pricing and the Brexit process is ever likely to create further volatility. Discounting the peculiarities of the UK market following Brexit, it is useful to look at the sector spreads
MIN
MAX
AVERAGE
RANGE
GBP VOLATILITY
EURO VOLATILITY
£1,083.86
£1,254.28
£1,254.28
£170.42
14%
12%
2012
£996.99
£1,296.36
£1,190.35
£299.38
24%
23%
2013
£1,178.07
£1,312.98
£1,252.85
£134.91
11%
29%
2014
£1,075.70
£1,254.23
£1,182.12
£178.53
14%
12%
2015
£879.41
£1,265.62
£1,088.53
£386.21
31%
10%
2016
£1,071.30
£1,239.74
£1,157.95
£168.44
14%
11%
WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK
Dec 2016
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
£1,200.00 £1,000.00 £800.00
PE Basket Over Crude
£600.00
PE Basket Over Naphtha
£400.00
Mike Boswell is Managing Director of UK materials distributor, Plastribution, as well as the Chairman of the British Plastic Federation’s Polymer Compounders and Distributors Group, as well as its ‘Brexit Committee’. He has a broad knowledge of both materials and the issues affecting the wider industry, with over 20 years experience in the field.
PE Basket Over C2 Spot
£200.00 Jul-16
Oct-16
Jan-16
Apr-16
Jul-15
Oct-15
Jan-15
Apr-15
Jul-14
Oct-14
PE Basket Over C2 Contract Apr-14
£0.00
Fig.7
PP Basket Spreads £1,400.00 PP Basket
£1,200.00 £1,000.00 £800.00
PP Basket Over Crude
£600.00 £400.00
PP Basket Over Naphtha
£200.00 £0.00
Apr-14 Jul-14 Oct-14 Jan-15 Apr-15 Jul-15 Oct-15 Jan-16 Apr-16 Jul-16 Oct-16
About the Author
PP Basket Over C3 Spot
WWW.PLASTRIBUTION.COM Fig. 8
“
Engineering Polymer Basket Spreads £2,700.00 £2,500.00 £2,300.00
Engineering Polymers Over Crude
£2,100.00
Engineering Polymers Over Spot Benzene
£1,900.00
Engineering Polymers Over Contract Benzene
Oct-16
Jun-16
Feb-16
Jun-15
Oct-15
Oct-14
Feb-15
Jun-14
£1,500.00
Feb-14
£1,700.00
Engineering Polymers over Naphtha
Fig. 9
Styrenics Spread £1,400.00 Styrenics Basket Over Crude
£1,200.00 £1,000.00
Styrenics Basket over Benzene Spot
£800.00
Styrenics Basket over Benzene Contract Jun-16
Oct-16
Feb-16
Jun-15
Oct-15
Oct-14
Feb-15
£400.00
Jun-14
£600.00 Feb-14
From a UK perspective, one of the challenges of 2017 will be the further alignment of prices following Brexit because there is still some discrepancy in pricing following the devaluation of the GBP.
Styrenics Basket Over Spot Styrene
Fig. 10
Price Monitor £1,900.00 Crude Oil
£1,700.00
Naphtha
£1,500.00
Benzene Spot
£1,300.00
Benzene Contract
£1,100.00
C2 Spot
£900.00
C2 Contract
£700.00
C3 Spot
£500.00
C3 Contract
£300.00
Styrene Spot Styrene Contract
Se p14 No v14 Ja n15 M ar -1 5 M ay -1 5 Ju l-1 5 Se p15 No v15 Ja n16 M ar -1 6 M ay -1 6 Ju l-1 6 Se p16 No v16
4
4 l-1
Ju
M
ay -1
14 n-
ar -1
4
£100.00
Ja
In summary, it appears that the polymer market in 2017 will continue where it left off in 2016, and, at least until Q4 2017, prices are likely to remain stable and, in the case of standard polymers, at relatively high levels. The prospects of some fundamental change in the price levels of engineering polymers is an increasing possibility, as producers look to restore profitability. Here in the UK, exchange rates are likely to remain a key factor and, although increasing certainty about a ‘hard’ Brexit appears to have created some stability in the market, the prospect of elections in some important
Fig. 6
PE Basket Spreads
-£200.00
M
2017 will prove to be another interesting year
European countries, coupled with the increasing economic woes in Southern Europe, could impact negatively on the value of the Euro in the second half of 2017. No doubt 2017 will prove to be another interesting year in the world of plastic raw materials.
£ per tonne
outlined in the graphs to the right. In the case of polyethylene (Fig. 6) it looks like after a reduction in performance around the mid-year point margins have been restored. The expectation is that prices are likely to remain firm until at least Q4 2017; it is from this point that shale-based capacity expansions in the US may start to have some influence on the European LLDPE and HDPE markets. However, LDPE is likely to remain fundamentally tight, as there will be not any significant capacity expansion. PP (Fig.7) faces an interesting future particularly as the influence of shale gas-derived PE will mean that the economics of C3 (propylene) will need to change if Naphtha cracking, which is the predominate source of C3, is to remain economically viable and this in turn has implications for the relative pricing of PP versus PE. A recent spike in Benzene prices has put pressure on both the engineering polymers group (Fig 8.) and styrenic polymers (Fig. 9), and in the case of materials such as PA66, ABS and HIPS, the rapidly increasing price of butadiene/polybutadiene is a further inflationary pressure. It remains to be seen whether these influences are short-term or if this could be the first step in a longerterm recovery of engineering polymer prices. The graph below (Fig. 10) clearly depicts the strong historic correlation between oil, feedstock and standard polymers pricing. The 2015 situation now looks to be exceptional with a ‘normal’ relationship restored since about October 2016.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks to the following organisations: - PIE (Plastics Information Europe) www.pieweb.com HM Treasury www.hm-treasury.gov.uk
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Polyolefins Basket
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 accepts no liability for purchasing decisions based upon the information provided, as the petrochemical market is complex and volatile.
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think materials management
MATERIALS HANDLING | NEWS MORETTO LAUNCHES NEW MEDICAL DRYER THAT “CHALLENGES THE STATUS QUO” Moretto has introduced the latest addition to its series of mini dryers for treating small batches and engineering resins that it says “challenges the status quo” in terms of its technology. The new X-COMB mini-dryer has been specifically engineered for use by the medical industry where stringent requirements on performance and design are compulsory. The X-COMB mini-dryer packs several Moretto technologies into a compact design and is available in four sizes ranging in throughput from 1.4 – 14.4kg/h (3.1 – 32lb/h). “The X-COMB dryer brings together some of our most innovative technologies in developing a revolutionary dryer that again proves we are challenging the status quo,” said Benjamin Sutch, Chief Marketing Officer, Moretto S.p.A. “We engineered this dryer to be medical ready, Industry 4.0 compliant and all the while optimising energy consumption for small batch and engineering resins.” The dryer includes Moretto’s patented OTX hopper technology. OTX takes a new approach to drying hopper technology by utilising a unique internal geometry that Moretto says “significantly improves” material mass flow and air flow distribution throughout the hopper.
The hopper in the X-COMB can reportedly treat the same material as conventional hopper designs whilst requiring 40 percent less hopper volume, drying time and airflow. At its core, the X-COMB dryer features an integrated dew point equaliser that manages the speed and revolution of a zeolite-based desiccant cartridge. A direct drive geared motor drives the cartridge rotation and can achieve a stable -52°C (-61.6°F) dew point. Powering the X-COMB are two, high performance, VFD driven turbo-compressors; one compressor dedicated to the process circuit, with the second managing the regeneration cycle. In addition, the dryer has a self-adjusting variable air-flow and resin anti-stress control, which Moretto says used together ensure optimal drying while never over-drying. The dryer’s filter has been positioned externally and can be easily accessed for cleaning without tools. The regeneration exhaust air can be channeled ensuring that the dryer is suitable for medical and other clean-room, optical, or technical applications. An integrated colour touch-screen control comes standard with either model of the X-COMB series, which allows for quick selection and control of all dryer parameters. In addition, the control has been adapted to centrally manage an optionally connected Moretto Venturi feeder. Standard RS485 Modbus, Ethernet
and USB connectivity options are available and the dryer is compatible with Moretto’s MOWIS plant-wide supervisor system. The X-COMB mini-dryer series has been further developed under the umbrella of the Moretto Drying 4.0 initiative, which sees Moretto ensure that its full range of machine auxiliary solutions are Industry 4.0 ready. The company says compact design of the X-COMB mini-dryer makes it well suited for installation on either the injection machine throat or located machine side. Discharge bases and portable trolleys can be further integrated with the dryer, Moretto confirmed.
BARTON AWARDED SAFECONTRACTOR ACCREDITATION FOR STORAGE SILOS
“We are delighted to receive the accreditation in recognition of the high standards of health and safety procedures we adopt and the record we have achieved,” explained Mark Barton, Managing Director and owner of Barton Fabrications. “Our aim is to make on-site silo installation a safe and simple process for the customer and the SafeContractor award gives the customer third party reassurance that we meet the highest levels of onsite safe working procedures.”
Barton Fabrications, the UK’s largest manufacturer of aluminium storage silos, has been awarded accreditation from SafeContractor for its commitment to achieving excellence in health and safety. The SafeContractor scheme aims to harmonise safety standards across industry and, specifically for the food and plastics industry, helps simplify silo supplier assessment and selection.
18
ing craned A Barton silo be er ready ad lo wlo a to on t en ipm sh r fo
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WWW.MORETTO.COM The new X-COMB dryer
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INDUSTRY 4.0 “HAS SET THE TONE FOR PLASTICS PROCESSING” SAYS WITTMANN Wittmann Battenfeld says that Industry 4.0 has “set the tone” for plastics processing, particularly in the field of connectivity for materials handling equipment. Making the comments, UK Managing Director, Barry Hill, says the development of the company’s new ‘net5’ technology is designed to enable the communication of system components for more accurate and efficient production. The net5 system, launched at K in October 2016, was developed to advance the field of material handling; connecting dryers and conveyors together. “Industry 4.0 has set the tone for plastics processing and our new net5 system is a natural outcome of that,” Hill explained. “These installations can be set up very easily and information can be input from one of our Aton dryers in the same way
that it is applied for the control of material loaders.” The net5 technology clears away the need for manual feeding of any materials handling equipment. The conveying time and quantity of material can be set via a potentiometer at the material conveyors. The use of a remote control is not mandatory, but Hill says it “certainly eases” operations and additional functions can also be activated. When production capacity increases – and when the conveying system is enlarged – the same remote control can operate any material loaders that are added to the system. Adding another material loader to the system only requires a keypress. Every ancillary device can also be displayed on the dryer’s touchscreen: material loaders, blowers, and of course the dryer itself. When a material loader is added, or when an additional Aton plus is used (and
D
IN THIS EDITION OF MO’S CORNER – OUR REGULAR FEATURE THAT AIMS TO ANSWER COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MANUFACTURE AND PROCESSING OF PLASTICS – WE LOOK AT THE TYPES OF DRYING TECHNOLOGIES AVAILABLE, INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE LESS COMMONLY KNOWN. AS IS THE CASE WITH MANY FIELDS OF INDUSTRY, WHEN IT COMES TO DRYING PLASTICS, THERE ARE COMMON, AND LESS COMMON, TECHNOLOGIES. HERE, WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE LATTER.
linked with the first dryer), these additional devices can also be displayed with just a keystroke. All devices can also be displayed on the screen of the additional Aton dryer. The flexibility of the new Wittmann net5 system allows for a system that can control from one to 24 material loaders. If needed, the dryers can all be displayed, and two vacuum circuits can be established. For an easy distribution of the material, a coupling station can be used. To avoid the risk of blocked up material lines, a purging function emptying the lines can also be applied. WWW.WITTMANN-GROUP.COM
rying cabinets, which fall within the hot-air dryer category, are suitable for very small batches and microgranulate. It is important to keep in mind that drying cabinets use ambient air. As a result, that they are only suited to drying slightly hygroscopic or nonhygroscopic material. Granulate is spread out on trays, and hot air is passed over it, wicking away moisture. When throughput is low, it is advisable to operate the dryer in conjunction with a blanketing bin to keep granulate clean and dry. Granulate is generally already dry when delivered; this state must simply be maintained. With the integrated control unit correctly configured, and a continuous supply of dry air, blanketing bins can easily keep granulate dry for several days. All that is required is a small quantity of expanded compressed air. Larger material quantities are typically drawn from octabins of varying sizes, provided that a central material supply is not available. The danger of moisture absorption is also present here after opening the inner foil, resulting in the change of important material properties. This can be prevented with a material blanketing cover. This guarantees stable processes with minimal effort for the entire length of the extraction from the octabin, even during longer production breaks. Expensive and time-consuming subsequent drying of open containers is saved. Thermal conduction is less important for infrared dryers, as infrared radiation
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Example of the net5 system connecting multiple units
penetrates the plastic material directly. For the granulate to be heated properly, a large surface area – and therefore a large drum – is required. Vacuum dryers are essentially batch dryers. The term “vacuum” is slightly misleading, as these dryers operate with underpressure. This underpressure causes the moisture’s boiling point to increase, driving it from the granulate as vapour. A typical vacuum dryer has three bins, which go through the drying cycle in sequence. First, the granulate is heated to a defined temperature under atmospheric pressure. A partial vacuum is then created in the chamber, and the resulting water vapour is removed by suction. Vacuum dryers are unquestionably fast and efficient, but are not well suited to high-throughput batch drying. FURTHER QUESTIONS? EMAIL: ASKMO@MOSCORNER.DE A mobile blanketing bin or a blanketing cover are useful. (photo: motancolortronic)
19
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Fit. Forget. Fail. THINK MAINTAINING MATERIALS HANDLING SYSTEMS IS OPTIONAL? THINK AGAIN. IN THIS ARTICLE, STEVE PAYNE, DIRECTOR AT MATERIALS HANDLING AND COOLING SPECIALISTS, AB SYSTEMS, EXPLAINS HOW FAILURE TO MAINTAIN EVEN THE MOST BASIC COMPONENTS CAN WREAK HAVOC OVER ENTIRE SYSTEMS, LEADING TO A MULTITUDE OF COSTLY AND DISRUPTIVE PROBLEMS.
F
ew, if any, materials handling systems fall into the ‘fit and forget’ category. Yet far too many plastics manufacturers are doing just that; forgetting about, or at least putting aside, the ongoing maintenance needs of the equipment that their plastics processing - their business - relies upon. Unfortunately, failure to maintain even basic system components and consumables, such as filters and desiccant, often leads to significant problems. These can include material wastage, material contamination, incorrect mixtures and blends, poor material delivery, high scrap rates, compromised safety (such as oil or raw pellets on the floor), reduced production and system downtime, to list but a few. As a case in point, an AB Systems engineer recently visited a new plastics manufacturing customer where the material handling system had ground to a halt. The business owner, quite understandably, was frantic, with downtime costing thousands of pounds an hour. Upon inspection, it was found that the filter in the central vacuum system was blocked, and, rather than picking up dust, was full of plastic and powder. As a result, this seemingly insignificant component had knocked half the machines out of operation. Filter examination and cleaning is one of the most basic items on a maintenance engineer’s checklist, however, neither had been carried out for over a year - ever since the maintenance budget had been cut. Of course, filters are just one example of basic components that require maintenance; there are many more, including those outlined below.
Desiccant
Historically, desiccant dryers worked fairly seamlessly and maintenance was minimal, but nowadays problems are commonplace. This is due to the evolution of plastics from
simple to technical polymers. Regrettably, the many additives present in modern technical polymers degrade desiccant much faster. And when the desiccant deteriorates, so does the dryer’s ability to remove excessive moisture. As a result, a variety of operational problems can ensue, including splash and/or burnt black marks (the latter caused by desiccant burning on the screw) in the product, which leads to higher scrap rates, and corrosion in the dryer pipework and filters, which will inevitably mean the dryer needing an overhaul.
Granulator blades
Another often-overlooked maintenance requirement is granulator blades. If not kept sharp, blunt granulator blades generate excessive dust, which is quickly and easily introduced into materials handling systems and dryers. As a consequence, the dust will travel through all the downstream equipment, causing problems from filter blockages to complete system failure.
Pumps
Poorly maintained pump systems can have a significant impact on system energy efficiency and performance. Incorrectly set control panels, faulty control valves, and blocked filters make the pump work harder for longer, thus promoting greater energy consumption, faster wear and premature replacement. Beyond these, there are many more components that require regular care, and many more problems that can arise as a result of neglect. But are these issues significant enough to warrant investment in planned maintenance? While there is no official industry research into the costs of failure to maintain, it is clear that foregoing maintenance is a false economy. In the event of issues, the costs associated with factory ed Contaminat t an ic s des
A damaged filter
downtime, emergency call-outs, premature parts replacements and repairs commonly run into the tens of thousands of pounds. In contrast, planned preventative maintenance (PPM) helps to ensure that materials handling systems operate at optimum performance and efficiency, and keeps potential problems in-check by spotting and rectifying issues before they cause significant damage. In addition to cost saving, PPM gives peace of mind, allowing manufacturers to concentrate on business growth. What’s more, downtime, if required at all, can be planned far ahead, as can the maintenance invoices. One further point; whether hiring an inhouse engineer or engaging an ancillaries’ specialist, it is vital that maintenance staff have specialist knowledge of, and experience in, all different types of ancillary equipment and systems, tooling, process engineering and the characteristics of polymers. It is not enough to have expertise in granulators, for example; maintenance engineers must understand how the granulator affects the whole downstream process operation. Maintenance is not only essential for the long-term, optimal operation of materials handling systems, but is also one of the most cost- and hassle-saving practices that plastics manufacturers can employ. In other words, take care of the basics and they will take care of you. WWW.AB-LTD.CO.UK
About the Author
Steve Payne is a Director at materials handling and cooling specialists, AB Systems, a Buckinghamshire-based distributor of Novafrigo, Avian Granulator and SB Plastics equipment.
WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK
21
RECLAMATION AND RECYCLING | NEWS Unilever has made a commitment to ensure all its plastic packaging is 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.
UNILEVER COMMITS TO FULLY RECYCLABLE PLASTIC PACKAGING BY 2025 Global consumer goods manufacturer, Unilever, has made a commitment to ensure all its plastic packaging is 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. Making the announcement on January 14, the company called on the entire fast-moving consumer goods industry to accelerate progress towards the circular economy. As part of its new commitments to achieve ‘Sustainable Development Goal 12’, shifting away from a “take-make-dispose” model of consumption to one which is fully circular, Unilever has also renewed its membership of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation for another three years, and will endorse and support its ‘New Plastics Economy’ initiative (see article opposite). As part of this, Unilever will publish the full “palette” of plastics materials used in its packaging by 2020, which it says will “help create a plastics protocol for the industry.” In addition, the company said it will also invest in proving – and then sharing with the industry – a technical solution to recycle multilayered sachets, particularly for coastal areas that are most at risk of plastics leaking into the ocean.
“Our plastic packaging plays a critical role in making our products appealing, safe and enjoyable for our consumers. Yet it is clear that if we want to continue to reap the benefits of this versatile material, we need to do much more as an industry to help ensure it is managed responsibly and efficiently post consumer-use,” commented Paul Polman, Unilever CEO. “To address the challenge of ocean plastic waste we need to work on systemic solutions - ones which stop plastics entering our waterways in the first place. We hope these commitments will encourage others in the industry to make collective progress towards ensuring that all of our plastic packaging is fully recyclable and recycled.
“We also need to work in partnership with governments and other stakeholders to support the development and scaling up of collection and reprocessing infrastructure which is so critical in the transition towards a circular economy. Ultimately, we want all of the industry’s plastic packaging to be fully circular.” As part of its commitment, Unilever says it will ensure that by 2025, it is technically possible for its plastic packaging to be reused or recycled and there are established, proven examples of it being commercially viable for plastics re-processors to recycle the material. WWW.UNILEVER.CO.UK
HERE’S ONE I RECYCLED EARLIER… Long-running BBC children’s television programme, Blue Peter, has announced it will make all its plastic badges from recycled plastics from now on. Made in the UK from recycled plastic yoghurt pots at a factory powered by solar energy, the move is part of the show’s efforts to share the importance of sustainable production with its viewers, as well as have a positive environmental impact. The iconic ‘Blue Peter’ badges are awarded for effort and achievement in six different categories. The designs of the badges will remain the same, with just the production method changing. 22
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ELLEN MACARTHUR FOUNDATION LAUNCHES NEW PLAN TO CATALYSE RECYCLING RATES Over 40 industry leaders have endorsed a new plan from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation that follows last year’s inaugrual report on a new approach to plastics waste and aims to give a clear strategy for implementation. The plan is detailed in ‘The New Plastics Economy: Catalysing Action’ a report jointly written by the Foundation and the World Economic Forum, which, if implemented, could increase total plastic packaging recycling rates from 14 to over 70 percent. Launched at the 2017 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, at the beginning of January, the new plan aims to give the global plastics industry a “transition strategy” for better package design and increased recycling rates. Commenting, Ellen MacArthur said: “The New Plastics Economy: Catalysing action [report] provides a clear plan for redesigning the global plastics system, paving the way for concerted action.” The New Plastics Economy says to implement the plan, its focus over the next 12 months will be on innovation. It will launch two global innovation challenges to kick-start the redesign of materials and
The new report sets out a plan for increased recycling through better design, collection and packaging formats
packaging formats as well as begin to build a set of global common standards (a “Global Plastics Protocol”) for packaging design, concentrating initially on the most significant changes. It will also aim to improve recycling systems by delivering collaborative projects between participating companies and cities, as well as launching a new, publicly-available ‘Circular Design Guide’ to encourage a shift to “circular” design thinking. “Minor changes in material, format
and treatment, in conjunction, can make the economics of recycling viable and take us into a positive spiral of higher yields, lower costs and better design. The result will be plastic that remains a valuable material before and after use,” said Martin R. Stuchtey, Professor for Resource Strategy and Management at Innsbruck University, who contributed to the report. WWW.NEWPLASTICSECONOMY.ORG
Head & Shoulders will appear in Carrefour shops in France this summer in limited-edition bottles made using beach plastics
“WORLD’S FIRST” BEACH PLASTIC SHAMPOO BOTTLE TO LAUNCH IN SUMMER 2017 The world’s leading shampoo brand, Head & Shoulders, will appear in Carrefour supermarkets in France this summer in limited-edition bottles made using 25 percent recycled plastic collected from beaches. The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G), which produces Head & Shoulders, has revealed that the new, limited-edition bottle is part of a sustainable business model designed to advance the circular economy and is a world first in the haircare industry. The limited run of bottles, which will be produced in partnership with recycling experts, TerraCycle and SUEZ, will be the world’s largest production run of recyclable bottles made with post-consumer recycled
(PCR) beach plastic. P&G says their production is “a first major step” in establishing a unique supply chain that involves the support of thousands of volunteers and hundreds of NGOs collecting plastic waste found on beaches. Additionally, P&G announced that by end of 2018 in Europe, more than half a billion of its bottles per year will include up to 25 percent post-consumer recycled plastic. This represents more than 90 percent of all the hair care bottles sold in Europe across P&G’s hair care portfolio of brands, including household names such as Pantene and Head & Shoulders. P&G said the launch of the beach plastic bottle and the commitment to the use of recycled plastic was “an important step” in the company’s journey to meet its corporate 2020 WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK
goal of doubling the tonnage of PCR plastic used in packaging. “Increasing the use of recycled plastic in the packaging of our flagship brands, like Pantene and Head & Shoulders, makes it easier for consumers to choose more sustainable products, without any trade-offs. So while we’re proud of what we’ve done and what we’re doing, we know there is much more work ahead,” said Virginie Helias, Vice President of Global Sustainability, P&G. WWW.UK.PG.ORG 23
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34 percent of British public “uncertain” about recycling plastic packaging
I
n the November/December edition of British Plastics and Rubber, we reported that in his annual address at the RECOUP conference, Stuart Foster, the A NEW CONSUMER organisation’s CEO, RESEARCH STUDY said it was “gutting” CONDUCTED BY that plastic RECOUP AS PART OF packaging recycling ITS ‘PLEDGE4PLASTIC’ rates had slowed in the UK. This, INITIATIVE HAS GIVEN he, and the other FRESH INSIGHT INTO speakers agreed, HOW TO REDUCE was the result of CONFUSION AND several factors, not INCREASE RECYCLING least, however, the ongoing confusion RATES. HERE, BP&R of the consumer. LOOKS AT THE The importance, FINDINGS IN MORE therefore, of DETAIL. understanding and engaging the public with a view to improving plastic packaging recycling levels is great. Through its Pledge4Plastics initiative, RECOUP carried out a combination of face-to-face and online research in late 2016, delivering the latest insight into consumer attitudes and behaviour towards plastics packaging recycling and compared its findings to its last such survey, in 2014.
The consumer, confusion and consistency
A third of respondents in 2016 (34 percent) said they were “uncertain” about which plastics are recyclable. This, says RECOUP, points to the importance of Local Authorities being able to collect consistent materials and engaging consumers in effective communication programmes about what should be recycled, but it also points to maximising the use of schemes that are working effectively. The consumer remains confused about plastics packaging recycling
On-pack recycling label
“Consistency is a common theme in the feedback received from consumers and industry alike, and there has been much strategy, dialogue and work looking at households being able to recycle the same core set of materials, using the same collection methods and containers – which is all positive – but it needs to move faster. There also remains many opportunities around plastic pots, tubs and trays, which RECOUP is looking at in 2017,” Steve Morgan, Technical Manager at RECOUP, told BP&R. Other key barriers to consumer recycling include 16 percent “not worrying about the odd thing here or there” as they “feel they do enough recycling”, and 14 percent not wanting to rinse packaging in the house.
The role of OPRL
The face-to-face survey found almost 80 percent of householders refer to the On Pack Recycling Label (OPRL), a standardised recycling message on packaging, to check where to put their rubbish. Comparisons with the Pledge4Plastics consumer study in 2014 show a moderate increase in the proportion who say that they use OPRL ‘very often’ – from 19 percent in 2014 to 24 percent. Among the consumers who currently use ORPL, almost one in three (32 percent) use it “frequently” for most items. The other two thirds, by contrast, use it in particular situations – for example when they have multi-material packaging or if the item is not one that they have had before. “The role of OPRL in reducing consumers’ confusion can only be maximised by consistent collection of materials irrespective of where you live,” Morgan added.
Burning Plastics for Energy and Sending it to other Countries
When asking consumers how acceptable or unacceptable they find how plastics were dealt with by their Local Authority, the Pledge4Plastics consumer study in 2014 found over seven in ten considered burning plastics for energy as an acceptable option, WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK
with less than half considering sending plastics to be recycled in other countries as acceptable. In 2016, although there was far less acceptance of burning plastics for energy (53 percent online and 45 percent in the faceto-face survey), it was still considered more acceptable than sending it to other countries (45 percent and 39 percent respectively). “Given that two thirds of UK collected plastics packaging is recycled overseas this is something that needs to be addressed,” said Morgan.
Terminology - What is the Circular Economy?
RECOUP also asked participants about their understanding of environmental terminology, to understand how to communicate and engage with consumers about sustainable activities in clear terms, with a practical call to action. The survey findings revealed a high number of consumers who had heard of “sustainability” and “carbon offsetting” in both surveys, with a good proportion of these feeling able to explain these terms to others. However, over 90 percent of consumers in the online survey hadn’t heard of the term ‘Circular Economy.’ Morgan believes, despite this high figure, that consumer understanding could be influenced by factors such as where they live. “The number of consumers that said they hadn’t heard of the Circular Economy was lower (63 percent) in the face-to-face survey that took place in Peterborough. It raises the question as to whether this increased awareness could be due to Peterborough being a ‘Smart City’, with local media covering this status and the Circular Economy. It is difficult to know, but it is these type of local initiatives that can spread the word to grow and engage with consumers and businesses alike,” he explained. WWW.RECOUP.ORG
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Dugdale
PVC AND VINYLS | NEWS WORKING TOWARDS CIRCULAR ECONOMY REMAINS PVC INDUSTRY FOCUS SAYS VINYLPLUS MANAGER The General Manager of VinylPlus says it is vital the PVC industry continues to work towards its sustainability goals as the Circular Economy becomes increasingly more important on the European political agenda. Making the comments ahead of the upcoming Vinyl Sustainability Forum (VSF) in May, Brigitte Dero said that delivering durable solutions for PVC within the high-profile context of the European Commission’s Circular Economy Package was the priority for the industry to 2020. “The Circular Economy is currently very high on the European political agenda. Important decisions will be taken in the context of the Circular Economy Package, which will have an impact on the plastics industry as a whole in the future,” explained Dero. “Through the VinylPlus Voluntary Commitment, we are moving the European PVC industry towards a Circular Economy and have already
demonstrated significant progress and achievements towards our sustainability goals.” The VSF event, which will take place in Berlin, Germany, on May 10th and 11th 2017, will feature sessions with EU authorities on Circular Economy policies, both regionally and Europe-wide, as well as give rise to opportunities for delegates to share insight on potentially growing opportunities for PVC to contribute to a stronger circular economy where resources are used in a more sustainable way. Key topics will include the contribution of the vinyl industry to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global vinyl market and industry initiatives. Featuring case studies, success stories and panel talks, the twoday programme will also include discussions on eco-design and innovation concepts, including a look at better lifestyles with smart PVC products. “Once again, our annual event provides a valuable opportunity for participants to collaborate, share
The VinylPlus Sustainability Forum in 2017 will address working towards a circular economy as a central theme
best practice and gain positively from collective input,” Dero concluded. WWW.VINYLPLUS.EU
Vinyl Compounds, Derbyshire
UK’S VINYL COMPOUNDS ACQUIRED BY MEXICHEM Petrochemicals giant, Mexichem, has acquired Derbyshire-based PVC compounds manufacturer, Vinyl Compounds Holdings (VCHL), for an undisclosed sum.
VCHL will be integrated into Mexichem’s Compounds Business Unit, a supplier of PVC compound solutions serving the global market and part of the Company’s Vinyl Business Group, which reported sales of $2 billion (approx. £1.6bn) for the twelve months ending September 30, 2016. Mexichem says the addition of Vinyl Compounds, which achieves annual revenues of US$40 million (approx. £32m), will “expand its ability to meet global PVC compound demand”, as well as enabling further vertical integration of its Compounds Business Unit operations through VCHL’s stabiliser technologies and recycled PVC capabilities. VCHL’s key raw materials are PVC resin and plasticisers, which Mexichem says should bring additional synergies to its vinyl operations.
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“This transaction is aligned with Mexichem’s strategy of completing bolt-on acquisitions that provide us with access to new geographies and end markets, expand our portfolio of speciality products and serve as a platform for future growth, while enhancing returns on invested capital,” said Sameer S. Bharadwaj, President of the Compounds Business Unit. “We are pleased to partner with Vinyl Compounds Holdings, a company with a strong management team that has achieved consistent sales growth and has developed a loyal and impressive customer base. With the benefit of Mexichem’s resources, VCHL will be able to anticipate and more fully address the needs of its customers as we move forward together.” WWW.MEXICHEM.COM
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Dugdale
Rigid and Flexible PVC Compounder www.dugdalepvc.com PVC 2017 TO PRESENT “MOST COMPREHENSIVE” REVIEW OF SECTOR TO DATE Attendees of next year’s PVC 2017 conference are to get the “most comprehensive review and update” of the sector to date, according to the event’s organising committee. The three-day event, held in Brighton, UK, from 25-27 April, will comprise a programme covering everything from sustainability and regulatory updates to breakout sessions looking at new, developing markets for PVC, such as the 3D printing industry. Speakers from across the world will attend the event, including keynote speaker, Dr. Brigitte Dero, General Manager of VinylPlus, who will update attendees on April 25 on the progress made in year six of a challenging 10-year voluntary sustainability development programme. The first day of the conference will also see a keynote paper delivered by Professor Michael Braungart, who will look at sustainability as an innovation driver for the PVC industry. He will challenge delegates to think beyond current efforts towards a ‘cradle-to-cradle’ approach, where products and production processes are designed through principles that are healthy and beneficial to humans and nature.
A very recent addition to the opening day programme is a paper to be delivered by Martin Baitz from thinkstep AG, who will review how to succeed sustainably with suitable software and databases based on international standards to enable credible business value. The United Nations Sustainable Goals will also be covered, where Professor Mark Everard will be advising how PVC and industry can make a contribution. Regular contributors to the event will be back in 2017, including the IHS’ Henry Warren, who will provide a global market overview followed up with individual updates from Europe, North America, China, India and Japan from locally-based experts. Delegates will also receive the latest updates on the European stabilisers and plasticisers sectors. Days two and three of the conference, on 26 and 27 April respectively, will feature three concurrent sessions throughout the day, covering a total of around 60 papers. Delegates will have the option of attending sessions dedicated to their area of industry, for example, converters will benefit from an almost full-day strengthened session on the processing side covering latest machinery, processing efficiency and savings. In addition, there will be a
full day for profile producers covering profile formulation developments and efficiency improvements. Sustainability and recycling, including medical recycling, will again feature in the programme. As previously mentioned, a new session, entitled ‘Future and Developing Markets’ will include 3D printing as an option for PVC. Another session looking at the many and varied formulation possibilities for flexible PVC developments, with an additional and separate focus on plastisols, will also be of interest to those working in the different applications in these areas. The session ‘Property Evaluation and Improvements’ will cover wood composites, nanocomposites, fibre fillers and an update on the residual quality of old uPVC gas and water pipe. Additional sessions will cover resinpolymerisation, development and supply and additives, with reference to new heat stabilisers, surface modification, smoke suppression and the very latest updates on the regulatory position regarding titanium dioxide pigment and azodicarbonamide blowing agent. WWW.PVC2017.ORG
The PVC conference in 2017 is designed to give delegates from around the world a comprehensive overview of the sector
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PoLYONE DEVELOPS HIGHPERFORMING PLASTICISER ALTERNATIVE
y Dugdale is confident for a bus and successful 2017
PVC COMPOUNDER LOOKS TO “REAP THE FRUIT” OF THREEYEAR INVESTMENT PROGRAMME West Yorkshire-based PVC compounder, Dugdale, is hopeful of “reaping the fruit” of a £3million, three-year investment programme as it starts 2017. The company says it anticipates a “confident and busy” year ahead, as it looks to find new markets and new customers, particularly once its new laboratories and pilot production scale plant come on stream in time for the second quarter. It says the new laboratory facilities will help catalyse company capabilities in mixing, compounding, additives, the introduction of new materials and accelerating time-tomarket.
Dugdale’s Managing Director, David Outen, says that much of the confidence it holds in the coming months is a result of requests for new compounds it receives each month, which he says demonstrates the versatility of PVC. “Dugdale flies the flag for PVC compounds,” he explained. “Our products demonstrate the continuing versatility and cost performance of the material – helping our customers to do the same.” Outen says he does not expect the requests for new compounds to alleviate any time soon, with the demand from UK processors being fuelled by new legislation, expansion in the building and environmental markets and opportunities with new materials and technology.
PolyOne has announced the commercial availability of a new, high performing alternative to 810TM linear plasticiser for flexible PVC that achieves critical performance properties at both elevated and low temperatures. New SynPlast L9TM was developed because of a global supply shortage of 810TM plasticiser in 2013, after 810 alcohol became scarce and flexible PVC compounders were left facing major disruption. The new plasticiser, which was developed by PolyOne’s Synthetic Esters team along with a leading wire and cable PVC compounder, relies on linear 9 alcohol to achieve the same performance properties as 810TM, but with “abundant supply availability”. It is formulated for use in both wire and cable and automotive slush moulding PVC applications. “The 810TM shortage could have spelled disaster for our wire and cable compounding customers,” said Don Wiseman, General Manager, Performance Products and Solutions at PolyOne. “The foresight and expertise of PolyOne’s Synthetic Esters team, combined with PolyOne’s manufacturing agility, enabled rapid development, production and delivery of a costeffective alternative.”
Polyene’s SynPlast L9TM plasticiser is now commercially available
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AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS | NEWS MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT COST OF ROBOTS ARE STOPPING SMES REALISING THEIR POTENTIAL, SAYS ABB Misconceptions about the cost, flexibility and complexity of robots are holding many UK SMEs back from realising their true potential, says a supplier of industrial robotics and automation equipment. According to Mike Wilson, General Industry Sales Manager for ABB Robotics in the UK and Ireland, multiple benefits of switching to robots, such as improved productivity, increased competitiveness and enhanced flexibility, are overlooked by many small and medium sized companies unsure of what to specify. In order to help UK SMEs better understand if robotic automation is right for their business, and what particular strategies or approach should be taken, ABB Robotics is holding a seminar at its headquarters in Milton Keynes on Wednesday, 17th March. The ‘Switch to Robots’ seminar will reportedly provide a simple, step-by-step guide to introducing robot automation to the factory floor,
AUTOMATED PRODUCTION CELL QUADRUPLES CAPACITY FOR OVER-MOULDED PART UK-based technical moulder, White Horse Plastics (WHP), has quadrupled its production capacity for an intricate over-moulded part following the implementation of a new automated production cell. The company, which specialises in the development and production of tight tolerance technical injection mouldings and sub-assemblies, Paul Bobby, WHP Factory Manager, conducts final checks before the start of automated production
Robots at ABB’s Headquarters in Milton Keynes
as well as to the key issues around specifying, installing and operating a robot, including how to assess which processes can be automated and how to develop the right solution for specific needs. “Our Switch to Robots event has been designed to help businesses to easily identify whether a robot could be beneficial and explain the steps they need to take in specifying and installing the best solution for their requirements,” explained Wilson. Other topics covered will include how to calculate the potential return on investment that can be achieved
in different types of applications and how to make the case for an investment. There will also be a hands-on workshop session in ABB’s training centre, providing the opportunity to see and use some of the latest robot technology, including ABB’s RobotStudio offline programming software, which is designed to greatly reduce the time and cost of setting up a robot system by enabling robot cells to be modelled and tested off-line.
collaborated with Wittmann Battenfeld and systems integrator, Adept Automation, to produce the cell, which is being used to produce an automotive bearing used as part of a four-stage door checker. The automation work was centered on the need to align four off-inserts with micron-accurate location into the mould tool, involving sixteen moving cores and 32 shut through windows, an 18 second cycle time and next to no tolerance on the 2 x 3mm key-ways into the bearing. The PA66- MoS2 filled part was then to be over-moulded in a metal bearing sleeve before being shipped to the automotive customer. A customised Wittmann Battenfeld injection moulding machine was specified and commissioned, together with a Wittmann 818 threeaxis robot. The downstream process was assisted by the work of Adept Automation leading to an effective fulfilment of the project. “This was a very challenging project, and took us through a number of process iterations,”
explained Paul Bobby, WHP Factory Manager. “Because of the complexity of the new tooling we were presented with a major automation alignment challenge. The 3mm key way was the datum point for the whole assembly and allowed next to no dimensional tolerance.” Bobby said that the company’s determination, along with the collaboration with the two industry partners allowed it to succeed in automating the work. “The current state-of-the-art of plastics processing automation is now nothing short of incredible,” Bobby continued. “However fantastic the technology, however, automation requiring this level of investment still requires a positive business case in order to proceed. “In this instance we were more than happy to identify the same and to work with our partners to achieve the production solution.”
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Sepro CEO: Industry 4.0 is as much about collaboration between people as it is processes THE CEO OF ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION COMPANY, SEPRO, SAYS THAT PLASTICS PROCESSORS NEED TO SHARE INSIGHT AND RESOURCES WITH OTHER COMPANIES TO TRULY REAP THE BENEFITS OF INDUSTRY 4.0.
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ean-Michel Renaudeau says that the technologies surrounding the ‘Factory of the Future’ and the concept of Industry 4.0 have been used by the industry for several years, where robots already collaborate in a master/slave relationship with other machines and can react automatically in real time to adapt to programming and sensory inputs. However, he believes that the communication, integration and collaboration not only between machines, but also between people and between companies around the world, that will take the industry “to the next level” in terms of growth and success. “When people and companies share resources,” Renaudeau explained, “they develop a more global view. They gain information and understanding that allows them to become stronger quicker.” Jean-Michel Renaudeau, Sepro CEO
Communication and Integration
Sepro has already taken what it says are “significant steps” toward Industry 4.0, with the development of its proprietary visual control platform. This is one control, developed specifically for plastics injection moulding, that can be customised to control the simplest sprue picker or the most advanced 3-, 5– or 6-axis robots; that can control one robot or an entire automation cell. This same control can be used to operate not only Sepro robots, but also robots developed by other companies, including Sepro partners Stäubli Robotics, Yaskawa Motoman and Machines Pagès. It can integrated into the control systems on injectionmoulding machines made by many moulding machine manufacturers, including Sumitomo Demag, Billion, Stork and others, making it easier for moulders to set up and operate manufacturing cells. Sepro is currently collaborating with various IMM partners to offer three different levels of control integration, outlined below.
More Ergonomic
Firstly, the robot control can be mirrored on the operator panel of the injection moulding machine. The IMM doesn’t control the robot, but it does provide the interface to the robot control. In this configuration, it is possible to control the robot from two different locations. For instance, on the operator side of the machine, the machine control interface can be used and on the back of the machine, the robot control pendant can be used. Sepro says this can “greatly simplify” the fine-tuning of robot movements without the operator having to move back and forth from one side of the machine to the other.
Quick Access
This configuration represents a middle range of control integration. It offers the same
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operational features and benefits as the basic level outlined above, with the added ability to use shortcut icons and keyboard functionality built into the IMM control. For instance, Sepro says the operator can start up the whole production cell on one touchscreen. Also, IMM set-up actions – like selecting or entering a mould or job code – automatically trigger similar actions in the robot control. When a specific user (operator) profile is entered on the IMM control, similar access is automatically granted in the robot control.
Integrated Operation and Data Storage
With the third level, the robot application programme is fully integrated in the IMM control and all application data, including robot programming and possibly other auxiliary equipment like
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mould temperature controls, are filed in one place in the IMM control memory. Operation is similar to the middle level, but this configuration files and backs up application parameters of the entire cell in one single archive. Sepro says this arrangement is best for moulders that want to centralise management of plant production and prevent any chance of a conflict between robot and machine controls.
Technology already a reality As far as the ‘Factory of the Future’ is concerned, this integration technology is already reality, as each of these configurations has been implemented to some degree with certain Sepro partners. However, the onset of Industry 4.0 will see different machines working together as a unit. Sepro says processors are increasingly
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discovering that they can, in fact, improve productivity and make added-value parts when robots collaborate not only with IMMs but other equipment as well. These include customised, multifunctional end-of-arm tooling, insert feeders and positioning systems, and postmould inspection, assembly and packaging equipment that yield specific solutions in control, parts handling, traceability, assembly and cutting operations.
Collaboration Drives Industry Forward
Because Industry 4.0 is bigger than the plastics industry alone, Sepro is working with other businesses and institutions to share knowledge, resources and perspective. For instance, the company is collaborating with the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon
Email: connectors.uk@staubli.com
University in Pittsburgh, PA, to develop the next generation of robot and injection-moulding machine controls. The project is still in the development phase, but Renaudeau says it is “likely” that the new controls will feature elements like ‘agile’ ergonomics, similar to tablets, the ability to ‘learn by doing,’ 3D simulation to make programming easier, extensive customisation, and ‘apps’ to facilitate routine functions like maintenance and troubleshooting. However, Renaudeau adds that collaboration cannot be confined within one industry. So, he is actively involved in developing innovative management practices with Audencia Business School in Nantes, one of the top business schools in France and in Europe. The school has 3470 students from over 80 countries in its bachelors, international
A Sepro robot on a Sumitomo Demag moulding machine at K2016 (image: Sepro)
and specialised masters, MBA, doctoral and executive education programmes. Renaudeau calls this “crossing the border” and points to his own company as an example of how these kinds of connections ultimately benefit plastics injection moulders. “How does a relatively small company like Sepro, in the middle of nowhere in western France, become a global leader in robotics and automation,” he asked. “Industry 4.0 is not just about technology that allows machines to communicate. That’s a part of it, but more importantly it is about people and companies
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multiplying our own capabilities through collaboration and a shared vision of the future. Why else are auto companies like Ford actively working with service companies like Uber?” This vision of Industry 4.0, is what Renaudeau refers to as “the commons sense view,” and Sepro’s commitment to it, he says, has allowed the company to make big things happen in a short period of time. He says that this approach, along with today’s robots and evolving technology, can help plastics injection moulders to do the same. WWW.SEPRO-GROUP.COM 33
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PRE-SHOW NEWS
Demand from UK plastics industry sees Interplas expand into additional hall INTERPLAS, THE LEADING TRADE SHOW FOR THE UK PLASTICS INDUSTRY, IS TO EXPAND OUTSIDE OF A SINGLE HALL FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2005 FOLLOWING A HUGE SURGE IN DEMAND FOR SPACE. HERE, BRITISH PLASTICS AND RUBBER LOOKS IN MORE DETAIL AT WHAT AT A BIGGER SHOW FLOOR MEANS FOR VISITORS TO THE 2017 EVENT.
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Visitors at Interplas 2014
or over 60 years, Interplas has been the mainstay of the UK plastics industry; providing a live arena for visitors to view working machinery, see new materials, discuss projects and speak to experts about development and ideas. Over the course of time, Interplas has experienced natural peaks and troughs because of economic conditions, the health of the industry and the management of the show itself. That said, since Rapid News Communications Group (RNCG) took over the organisation and ownership of the show in 2011, it has returned to strength and has grown in terms of both visitor numbers and exhibitors. Owing to the success of the 2014 event, RNCG says demand for stand space from exhibitors is
“unprecedented”, with only a quarter of the entire show floor remaining some nine months out before the show starts on September 26. As a result, the decision was made in December 2016 to expand the available space for the first time since 2005. September’s edition will now encompass all of Hall 4 of Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC), as well as half of neighbouring Hall 3A, representing an increase of 23 percent compared to the previous edition in 2014. An additional benefit for visitors, the show will remain allied with other key sector exhibitions, not least TCT Show, the leading event for the 3D printing and additive manufacturing industries, with which it will share the remainder of hall 3A.
An “incredibly important” show
For visitors, the expanded floor space will bring a myriad of benefits; not least as it allows exhibiting companies to take larger stands, run more machinery and display more materials and applications. Commenting, Ian Ray, Principal Engineer of Materials Engineering at Jaguar Land Rover
UK, said that Interplas offers the automotive giant an important opportunity to keep up-to-date with industry progress, in a convenient location. “One of the great things about Interplas for us is the fact that it is just down the road,” Ray told BP&R. “People talk about K Show, which is obviously huge for plastics, but it’s not always possible for us to dedicate the staff resources to go to K. For us as a company, the fact we can see the materials suppliers that we would get to see at K Show without having to travel to Düsseldorf is a real benefit. They of course might not have as big a stand as they do at K, but for them to have a presence at Interplas is incredibly important.” Ray said Interplas acts as a forum for Jaguar Land Rover’s staff to meet new suppliers and ask the questions as to how new materials can be applied in the field of automotive. “Because it’s held every three years the conferences, too, are a way of finding out what has changed in that time, which is another draw for us to go,” Ray continued. “As a materials engineer, I’m of course interested in the material and its properties, but I also want to know how you process it to take advantage of that, which the conferences explain. During the last Interplas I said I’d be there for a day, but I came away thinking I could’ve done with being there a second.” The conference for Interplas in September will take place in a purposebuilt auditorium, new for the 2017 edition. The enclosed space will not only provide better
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audibility, but will allow both interactive and panelstyle discussions. Former speakers from Government, industry and academia have been noted for their passion and enthusiasm in presenting to Interplas audiences and the 2017 line up – yet to be revealed – promises to be equally as interesting.
Big names, live demonstrations
Interplas 2017 has already secured stand bookings from some of the industry’s biggest names, with many taking an increased floor space to replicate the high levels of success seen in the 2014 outing. “Having exhibited since the 1980s, Interplas is an exhibition that we look forward to and thoroughly enjoy,” commented Mike Jordan, Managing Director of ancillaries supplier, Summit Systems. “It provides an opportunity for us to get together with customers, showcase our innovations and voice our thoughts on the hot industry topics.” Names already committed to attending include injection machinery manufacturer, Arburg, which displayed a 300-tonne servo hydraulic machine equipped with robotics in 2014. The response the company received from visitors has led it to sign up once more in 2017. “Arburg exhibited at the Interplas show in 2014 after an absence of nine years. We felt that the time was right to take a presence and we were rewarded with a very high level of enquiries during the show and constructive discussions with both existing and potential customers,” said Colin Tirel, Managing Director of Arburg UK. Further Interplas exhibitor news will appear in every issue of BP&R in 2017. WWW.INTERPLASUK.COM 35
TEMPERATURE CONTROL | NEWS IRISH MOULDING COMPANY INSTALLS NEW DRY COOLING SYSTEM AS IT SETS SIGHTS ON EXPANSION A precision moulding company based in County Sligo, Ireland, has installed a new dry cooler and reservoir system to improve operational efficiencies as it looks to expand. Tool & Gauge, one of Ireland’s original tool and mould-making, precision engineering and moulding companies, says the new Frigosystem DCMS 250 dry cooler and reservoir is improving the cooling water supply to its injection moulding machines, as well as freeing up internal space. “We needed to improve the cooling water supply to the existing moulding machines, remove several internal chillers and provide room for expansion, reduce our operating costs and have the system protect itself in the event of frost during shut downs,” explained Gerry Rafter, Co Owner and Director at Tool & Gauge. Supplied by UK distributor, Intellicare, the Frigosystem DCMS 250 is mounted vertically at Tool & Gauge’s site to aid air flow. The cooler has six independently controlled fans with 250 kW of cooling capacity and incorporates a
SURFACE GENERATION’S HEAT AND COOL PROCESS TO BE USED IN NEW AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH PROJECT Developer of a unique thermal management technology for composite moulding, Surface Generation, has started work on an 18-month research and development project to produce affordable lightweight carbon fibre components for the automotive industry. Backed by Innovate UK, Surface Generation is working with project partners to create enhanced automotive components, exploiting its patented ‘PtFS’ production process to overmould long-fibre reinforced carbon composites with short-fibre thermoplastics. Surface Generation will develop manufacturing solutions for the production of coupons, sub-element components and demonstrator
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programme that alternates the duty of the fans so that each will operate for the same number of working hours. In addition to the cooler, Intellicare also supplied a 1000-litre, fully insulated reservoir connected to the dry cooler by a recycle pump. To meet the company’s request to free up space and allow for future expansion, the whole system, including reservoir, allows for the addition of a second dry cooler to increase cooling capacity to the mould shop when additional process machines are added. A pair of process circuit pumps circulate water from the reservoir around the factory cooling water circuit with the pumps automatically operated; one running and one in standby. Pump changeover is dictated by the programme controller, which would also switch on the standby pump in the unlikely event of a malfunction with the duty pump. Sized to cater for the existing injection moulding machines on site at Tool & Gauge, which include 720 and 800 tonne machines, the cooling system employs a low temperature activation circuit that switches on both the process and recycle pumps when the ambient temperature drops
articles, designed to improve performance. Part of the Thermoplastic Overmoulding for Structural Composite Automotive Applications (TOSCAA) project, the consortium is led by SGL Carbon Fibers and includes Jaguar Land Rover, Engenuity, LMAT, Nifco, The University of Nottingham and AMRC at the University of Sheffield and has attracted more than £2 million in UK Government funding for initiatives focused on making cars lighter and more fuel efficient. The advanced manufacturing techniques developed by Surface Generation rely on its unique PtFS process, which uses active thermal management technologies incorporated in mould faces to adjust heating and cooling levels for each mould area and process stage in real-time. PtFS is already
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Tool & Gauge Co-Owner and Director, Gerry Rafter, with Commercial Director of Intelicare, Julie Jones
below a predetermined safe level. This, Intellicare says, safeguards the system, which is operated without glycol. Rafter says he is pleased with the results of the new installation. “The dry cooler and reservoir installed by Intelicare ticks all the boxes,” he continued. “At the rate of expansion we are experiencing due to customer orders, it will not be long before the new dry cooler has a twin.” WWW.INTELICARE.CO.UK WWW.TAG.IE/ WWW.FRIGOSYSTEM.IT
being used by global automotive, aerospace and consumer electronics manufacturers to improve the quality and throughput of compression and injection moulding applications and will be further developed over the course of the project. “The benefits of lightweight carbon fibre materials have been proven in Formula 1 and high-end supercars but are often uneconomic outside niche user cases,” Ben Halford, Chief Executive at Surface Generation, commented. “Surface Generation’s PtFS technology will extend the capability of thermoplastic overmoulding, thereby delivering the functional benefits of carbon composites to a new class of cost sensitive automotive components.” WWW.SURFACE-GENERATION.COM
RENMAR’S TEMPERATURE CONTROL EQUIPMENT PROVIDES HEAT AND COOL FOR CRESSALL Ancillaries provider, Renmar, has helped a UK manufacturer test a new product line through the implementation of its temperature control equipment. The company assisted Cressall, a leading manufacturer of resistors, when it needed to undertake research and testing of a line its new, EV2 water-cooled resistor at its manufacturing facility in Leicestershire. Within the test environment, Cressall engineers needed to replicate the situation where the resistor was generating a large quantity of hot water. This water would then need to be cooled so that it could be reused and fed back into the resistor. Renmar supplied a special temperature control unit and chiller package based on its TCU50048kW unit, which has high flow rate characteristics and is capable of heating fluid to more than 100°C. The water from the EV2 resistor is cooled by a self-contained GPAC50 package chiller that can cool water at the rate of 50kW – 43000k/cal. For safety reasons, when equipment is being tested in the centre engineers must leave. The
NEW CHILLER RANGE “UP TO 27 PERCENT MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT” UK-based manufacturer of cooling systems, Swegon, has launched a new range of chillers it says are up to 27 percent more energy efficient than competitor brands. The new PowerCool chillers have been specifically designed to work for a wide range of process and industrial applications, including cooling injection and blow moulding machines. There are two models in the range, the PowerCool and PowerCool Mini, both of which are fitted with a high turbulent design heat exchanger that reduces energy consumption. Swegon says this unique feature has no coil degradation or drop off in performance and efficiency. In addition, it has an evaporator outer surface that is epoxy coated for enhanced corrosion resistance.
TCU500-48kW has its own built in control panel, so engineers at Renmar supplied a separate control panel, installed in a secure control room, so the testing to be conducted properly. Andrew Keith, Engineering Director at Cressall, said: “The EV2 test cell works extremely well. We are able to replicate a wide range of different situations giving us the flexibility to further develop our innovative product.”
Renmar provided its TCUs for Cressall’s testing operation
WWW.RENMAR.CO.UK
The PowerCool chillers have an advanced digital controller with diagnostic and storage alarms, as well as a free general alarm, on-off remote control and patented RS485 Modbus communication. Up to 7bar pump is available for water units, or up to 30bar pump for oil units. Equipped with an easy to use electronic controller, Swegon says the chillers have the added benefit of plug and play design and a wide supply temperature range of -10°c to +30°c. Cooling capacities start at 0.9kW up to 100kW. Andy Legg, Product Director and General Manager at Swegon, commented: “Now in its fifth generation, we are particularly proud that our latest PowerCool chiller range is up to 27 percent more energy efficient than other competitors on the market.”
in the chillers The new l range oo PowerC
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Moulding the future of plastics automation Flexible. Fast. Consistent. Suitable for all industries including Electronics, Optical, Medical device and consumer goods: The clean consistent performance of Stäubli robots make them the ideal solution for all types of robotic applications from complete process automation through In mould labelling to high speed parts handling. Man and Machine www.staubli.com
Staubli (UK) Limited, Tel + 44 1952 671917, robot.uk@staubli.com
MATERIALS | NEWS
Dr Everitt says the shrimp shellderived polymer could prove highly beneficial in Egypt
NEW RESEARCH INTO THE USE OF SHRIMP SHELLS FOR “GREEN” POLYMERS UNDERWAY Bioengineers at the University of Nottingham are experimenting with shrimp shells to make biodegradable polymers for use in carrier bags and packaging material. An expert in testing materials, Dr Nicola Everitt, from the Faculty of Engineering, is leading the research project together with academics at Nile University in Egypt. The engineers hope the ‘green’ alternative to oil-based plastics will reduce pollution in Egypt, as the country struggles with effective waste management and shrimp shells are in abundance. Where natural biopolymer products made from plants are growing in popularity as an alternative to oilbased polymers in other regions, Egypt’s agricultural focus on food crops means material production is less viable. “Non-degradable plastic packaging is causing environmental and public health problems in Egypt, including contamination of water supplies, which particularly affects living conditions of the poor,” said Dr Everitt. “Use of a degradable biopolymer made of prawn shells
DOW CORNING LAUNCHES MASTERBATCH DESIGNED TO OPTIMISE WIRE AND CABLE APPLICATIONS Dow Corning has launched a new silicone masterbatch designed to optimise the processability of highly mineral-filled polyethylene (PE) compounds for wire and cable applications. New MB25-502 Masterbatch is the first in the industry to combine best-in-class processing with an affordable cost, says the company. By reducing screw torque, die build-up and die pressure, the material can reportedly improve extrusion throughput by up to 110 percent compared to PE compounds, without a processing additive.
for carrier bags would lead to lower carbon emissions and reduce food and packaging waste accumulating in the streets. It could also make exports more acceptable to a foreign market within a 10-15-year time frame. All priorities at a national level in Egypt.” The shrimp shell derivative, Chitosan, will be used to make a nanocomposite material which is degradable, affordable and suitable for shopping bags and food packaging. Chitosan is a man-made polymer made from the organic compound chitin, which is extracted from shrimp shells, first using acid (to remove the calcium carbonate ‘backbone’) and then alkali (to produce long molecular chains which make up the biopolymer). The dried chitosan
flakes are then dissolved in solution and a polymer film is made by conventional processing techniques. The second strand of the project is to develop an active polymer film that absorbs oxygen. This future generation food packaging could have the ability to enhance food shelf life with high efficiency and low energy consumption, making a positive impact on food wastage in many countries. If successful, Dr Everitt plans to approach UK packaging manufacturers with the product. Additionally, the research aims to identify a production route by which these degradable biopolymer materials for shopping bags and food packaging could be manufactured.
“The wire and cable industry is moving toward the use of halogenfree flame retardants, but these mineral additives can cause major processing issues due to the high loadings that are required for effectiveness,” said Christophe Paulo, Global Segment Leader, Plastics and Composites for Dow Corning. “Until now, customers were forced to choose between expensive, over-engineered additives with higher performance, or low-cost but underperforming products. New Dow Corning MB25-502 Masterbatch enables wire and cable customers to maximise productivity without paying a premium for unneeded functionality.” Dow Corning MB25-502 Masterbatch raises throughput of PE compounds with high mineral loadings (up to 70 percent by weight)
by reducing screw torque by as much as 30 percent. Lower torque, in turn, accelerates production and cuts energy costs. This silicone masterbatch also avoids die buildup and die pressure that require frequent interruptions for cleaning. By narrowly targeting processability issues instead of including extra functionality, the new masterbatch is said to achieve “outstanding results” at a competitive price. Adding to its cost-effectiveness, the Dow Corning product is highly efficient at lower loadings (0.5 to 1.0 percent) than competitive silicone-based additives. Dow Corning MB25-502 Masterbatch is compatible with lowdensity PE (LDPE), linear low-density PE (LLDPE) and cross-linked PE (XLPE). It is supplied globally as freeflowing pellets.
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New applications for an old polymer
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ometimes the most effective innovations involve improving something that already exists. This is the approach we adopted six years ago in developing Aquapak’s ‘super polymer’. Instead of formulating a new polymer that ticked all the boxes for society, environment and economy, we focussed on enhancing the functionality and performance of an already wellused polymer, Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVOH). As most readers will know, PVOH has been around for 100 years and is extremely versatile. It is widely used as an adhesive and thickener in paints, shampoos and glues, as well as in eye drops and contact lens solution as a lubricant. Its most common use is in individually packaged pouches for dishwasher tablets or washing detergents, where it works well as it dissolves completely in water without leaving any residue. PVOH is a synthetic polymer and, although its solubility is a key attribute in current applications, it has also been one of its biggest drawbacks in terms of widening its usage. Food packaging is a good illustration of this. Food manufacturers and brands want to replace packaging with sustainable alternatives. But, first and foremost, manufacturers demand highly functional packaging that provides the necessary barrier properties and maintains or increases the lifespan of their products.
Identifying the focus areas
We therefore focussed on how to maintain the environmental advantage and solubility that PVOH provides, while improving its strength and functionality. By refining and modifying the production process – and overcoming many of the traditional process barriers associated with production – we have created a resin that can be used to make flexible film in a range of weights and thicknesses that is at least twice as strong as comparable plastic. We also specifically designed the resin to work in standard polyethylene machines so production can be scaled up quickly and without the need for manufacturers to invest in new equipment.
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CAN YOU TEACH AN OLD DOG (OR IN THIS CASE, POLYMER) NEW TRICKS? DR JOHN WILLIAMS, DIRECTOR OF UK PLASTICS MANUFACTURER, AQUAPAK POLYMERS LTD, CERTAINLY THINKS SO. IN THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE, HE EXPLAINS HOW GIVING AN ALREADY WELL USED POLYMER A MAKEOVER IS CREATING WIDER OPPORTUNITIES FOR ITS USE - AND COULD PUSH PLASTICS A STEP CLOSER TO THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY.
Unlike the majority of food packaging, such as crisp packets and bread bags which can’t be recycled, Aquapak’s material can. Using a closed loop system, the polymer can be recovered via a simple chemical process so it can be re-pelletised and reused. The material is non-toxic and fully biodegradable, being compatible with anaerobic digestion or composting systems, and doesn’t need to be depackaged prior to processing, which is a big advantage. As well as being FDA approved and twice as strong as comparable plastic films, the new polymer can also be printed on directly, avoiding the need for traditional Corona treatment. It also provides a barrier to oil, solvents and oxygen, as well as extending the shelf life of fresh and dried produce making it an ideal packaging solution for the food industry. There’s already a great deal of interest from the sector and we believe it has the potential to significantly drive up recycling rates for plastic packaging.
Testing the water
We’re also testing out opportunities in the healthcare sector. Water-soluble laundry bags are already widely used for washing soiled bed linen. In laboratory tests our material was shown to be highly effective in terms of infection control, reducing the risk of cross contamination from E-coli, Ebola and the Zika virus. Demand from the Australian healthcare sector has led to further work in the region, which involves expanding the use of Aquapak’s material in other singleuse plastic applications by care providers. Additionally, we’re exploring potential applications in the paints and coatings sector. These include developing a lining for paint tins, trays and larger receptacles used by commercial contractors. We’ve also developed a prototype for a recyclable paint pouch as an alternative to traditional plastic containers or metal tins. According to the British Coatings Federation, the UK uses 78 million tonnes of plastic pails
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Aquapak polymer can be used for food packaging
Aquapak is FDA-approved and twice as strong as comparable plastic films
and 50 million tonnes of metal paint tins each year. As only a third of household recycling centres accept waste paint, and by proxy paint containers, most end up being landfilled or incinerated.
A word on sustainability
The polymer can be used for applications across many sectors
“The material is non-toxic and fully biodegradable, being compatible with anaerobic digestion or composting systems, and doesn’t need to be depackaged prior to processing, which is a big advantage,” – Williams
Although Aquapak’s polymer shares some characteristics with bioplastics, it is made from a petrochemical source. This is an intentional move and forms a key part the company’s long-term strategy. Sustainable polymers, or bioplastics, still make up less than 10 percent of the total plastics market. One of the biggest disadvantages is they cost too much to produce.
Using a petrochemical source means it’s cheaper to produce. This, combined with the resin’s compatibility with standard polyethylene machines, means we can scale-up production as market demand increases. Once demand reaches a critical mass we will look at a sustainable, bio-based source for the material; until then it just isn’t financially viable.
A potential game changer
There’s still several challenges ahead, especially in terms of moving some of the regulatory restrictions that exist for processing new and innovative materials. However, we believe our material has the potential to be a real circular economy game changer for the plastics sector.
Traditional polymers were designed with function as the primary purpose, whereas for bio-plastics the emphasis is on how it performs at the end of its life. With Aquapak’s material we’ve focussed on the full package; a material that has the same, or better, functional performance of conventional polymers, comes from a sustainable feedstock, can be produced in large quantities to meet demand, and when it reaches the end of life, there’s a choice of options. A product that epitomises the circular economy perfectly. WWW.AQUAPAKPOLYMERS.COM
About the Author:
Dr. John Williams is a Director of Birmingham-based plastics manufacturer, Aquapak,
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thplastics Complete ancillary solutions
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MACHINERY | NEWS Automotive assembly robots are not tolerant to variables, which is driving moulders of automotive parts to invest in precision applications
SUMITOMO (SHI) DEMAG UNVEILS ITS NEW INJECTION MOULDING MACHINE SERIES IN UK Sumitomo (SHI) Demag has introduced its latest all-electric injection moulding machine series to the UK market, where the company says it will closes the price and performance gap between hydraulic and all-electric machines for the automotive industry. The new IntElect series, which made its worldwide premiere at the K Show in October 2016, is 20 percent smaller than its predecessors in the range, which was first introduced in 2009. It comes in two performance categories, a standard and top-end version, both said to be designed with the automotive market in mind. The standard model is designed for applications previously run on hydraulic machines, for example the moulding of mass-produced automotive components. The topend option is geared to cater for even more challenging dynamic and precision applications. “Because automotive plants are predominantly automated, assembly robots are not tolerant to variables or even the smallest defects, and this is driving the automotive supply chain towards precision moulding. Furthermore, all-electric machines, like the IntElect, are more efficient if working with more complex materials or reducing the weight of components,” explained Nigel
KASAI UK INVESTS IN NEW NEGRI BOSSI MACHINE FOR AUTOMOTIVE PARTS PRODUCTION Kasai UK, formerly R-TEK, has invested in a new Negri Bossi
Flowers, MD of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK. Included within the standard package is fast clamp speed; high force, high-speed and controlled ejector technology for the removal of components from the mould; an injection speed of 300 to 350mm per second; fast nozzle movements; cycle analysis; and a sub-sevensecond cycle time. Distinguishable by its darker blue cladding, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag has reduced the footprint of the new IntElect by 20 percent. To slash production costs by reducing the complexity of stock holdings, it’s the first all-electric injection moulding machine with a standard platform worldwide. In addition, it now features direct servo drives, enabling higher levels of precision, improved repeatability and shorter cycle times than indirect
injection moulding machine to produce plastic interior components for British-made vehicles. The new V800-4250 Vector series machine will replace an older Negri Bossi model as part of Kasai UK’s ongoing machinery replacement programme. Specified with integrated hot runners and a special profile screw, the machine will produce automotive interior trim components at Kasai’s plant in Washington, Tyne and Wear, for supply to Nissan Motor
electric drives. Also new is the NC5 plus control panel, which features a glasslike touch screen to enhance the operative user experience, as well as an improved response time and higher screen clarity, allowing users to interact naturally and safely with the machine. WWW.UK.SUMITOMO-SHI-DEMAG.EU The new ies IntElect Ser
Manufacturing UK and Honda UK Manufacturing. “We find Negri Bossi very competitive in price while still supplying a high-end machine,” said Kasai UK’s Senior Facilities Engineer, Rick Dyball. “Their machines are flexible but robust enough to meet our changing demands. We have worked successfully with Negri Bossi for over 20 years and look forward to many more.” WWW.NEGRIBOSSI.COM
The Vector V800-4250 WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK
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Engineering Passion
UNIVERSITY’S MACHINERY INVESTMENT TO OPEN UP PLASTICS-BASED RESEARCH PROJECTS Investment in new injection moulding machinery at the University of Swansea is opening new opportunities for research projects with the plastics manufacturing industry. The University’s Materials and Manufacturing Academy (M2A) has recently invested in technology from Engel UK that will enable it to produce lightweight parts using the company’s foammelt (MuCell) process. The University of Swansea’s M2A academy will offer new opportunities for plastics-based research
Storage – Indoor & outdoor modular silos
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This process involves nitrogen or carbon dioxide being metered into the plasticising unit, which causes the melt to expand in a very controlled way after injection into the mould. Negative compression further ensures a uniform micro-cell distribution in the foam structure. “If you are comparing this process with un-foamed technology, it can be seen that MuCell technology minimises warpage and the occurrence of sink marks. Possibly, of most interest to the manufacturing industry and the research sector are the advantages offered by foam injection moulding in process engineering, machine dimensioning and part design,” explained Graeme Herlihy, Managing Director of Engel UK. The Academy at Swansea is part of the University’s new £450million Bay Campus and provides industry-led postgraduate research training, allowing students to work towards a Doctorate qualification. “The benefits derived from smaller processing machines, reduced wall thickness and ultimately lower raw material costs are all areas for exploration. The research facilities offered by The Materials and Manufacturing Academy at Swansea University are clearly of great value to the plastic processing industry,” Herlihy added. The postgraduate programme involves the undertaking of a four-year research project that is determined, sponsored and co-supervised by an industrial partner. In addition to the research project the taught element of the EngD (Engineering Doctorate) also provides training in business, management and leadership skills to enhance employability profiles and create leaders within industry. WWW.ENGELGLOBAL.COM WWW.MATERIALS-ACADEMY.CO.UK
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BANDERA INCREASES PRESENCE IN UK MARKET Italy-based manufacturer of blown film and foil sheet extrusion lines, Luigi Bandera, is increasing its presence in the UK market. The company is partnering with UK Extrusion Ltd, a new venture started by Steve Trainor and Nigel Hallett, in order to expand its offering to UK processors. “I am attracted to the innovative approach Bandera have to their lines and the fact that their technical assistance to their customers is so strong. They continually exceed their clients’ expectations, developing close relationships during every stage and we consider that this is vitally important,” commented Trainor. Bandera manufactures plant for the production of blown film, including agricultural film and geomembranes; packaging and converting; and heavy-duty bags. It also constructs flat die lines for PET, rigid film and sheet. It has recently opened a brand
CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY TAKES DELIVERY OF COMPOSITE CURING PRESS FOR R&D Cranfield University has invested in a new composite curing press in order to carry out vital research into composite materials for aerospace and automotive industry applications. The Fontijne Grotnes Composite Curing Press, supplied through UK agents, Intellicare, is a laboratory
new technical centre in Italy following an investment of €4 million (approx. £3.4m GBP). The ‘House of Extrusion’ is Bandera’s flagship centre for R&D, customer trials and test facilities. Commenting on the decision to partner with Bandera to supply its extrusion technology in the UK, Hallett said he was impressed with the worldwide reach of the company. “Bandera have 35,000 extruders installed worldwide and 100 percent
platen press designed for the polymer processing, rubber and composites industry. The model purchased by Cranfield is a LabPro 1000, a hydraulically operated, two-column press with prism guiding with 500 x 500 mm heated platens, platen heating up to 450°C and a wide range press force; from 100 to 1000kN. The press will enable Cranfield to carry out research into composite materials for aerospace and automotive industry applications, as well as enabling further advancement in postgraduate studies for a number of students directly involved with the projects. “We purchased the LabPro 1000 to assist our investigation and development of cost
UK Extrusion’s Steve Trainor (left) and Nigel Hallett
of their design and production is carried out in-house in Italy. We are currently working on our first joint demonstration event with Bandera and are compiling a list of interested companies who would like to see the new technology on offer,” he concluded. WWW.LUIGIBANDERA.COM
effective manufacturing technology for lightweight composite structures in partnership with industry, in particular but not limited to current research projects for unmanned aircraft structures with BAE Systems and sports car bodies with McLaren Automotive,” commented Andrew Mills, Principal Research Fellow, Composites Manufacturing, Enhanced Composites and Structures Centre at Cranfield. Mills added that the choice of press was based on a number of factors, including the high specification of the press, temperature distribution during both the heating and cooling cycles, the quick closing and opening speed of the heated platens, the reputation of Fontijne Presses and the build quality. WWW.FONTIJNEGROTNES.COM
The Fontijne Grotnes Composite Curing Press housed in the Cranfield University laboratory being programmed by Aurele Bras, Research Fellow at Cranfield University.
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Netstal “immensely proud” of latest injection moulding machine offering
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ommenting on the new ELIOS 7500-4200 machine series during its unveiling at K, Markus Dal Pian, Netstal’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, said the machine underscored the FOLLOWING PRE-ORDERS company’s leading position in the high-performance injection moulding BEFORE ITS OFFICIAL of thin-wall packaging and technical LAUNCH AND A WORLD components for constructive PREMIERE AT K LAST lightweight design. “What is special about this OCTOBER, NETSTAL SAYS IT IS “IMMENSELY PROUD” machine? I am proud of this OF ITS LATEST INJECTION machine. It’s the fastest machine in this dimension in the world with an MOULDING OFFERING. injection speed up to 2,200 mm/s for HERE, BP&R LOOKS AT thin wall thicknesses,” he explained. THE MACHINE SERIES IN When developing the new series, MORE DETAIL. Netstal focused on the high standards of users in the field of thin-wall packaging. “Our main intention was to close this target audience’s gaping performance hole on the market in the clamping force range of 7,500 kN,” Dal Pian continued. “True to our motto ‘Engineering Excellence’ we did not merely want to build a very fast machine. Instead, we also wanted to offer the high precision, reliability and cost effectiveness that the Netstal brand is known for and that is valued by our customers.”
Patented clamping unit drive with recuperation of kinetic energy The main component of the new series is a highperformance clamping unit with a five-point dual toggle lever. Netstal says the patented design for the actuation of the toggle lever is particularly innovative. “Due to the clever combination of a dynamic electro drive and a powerful hydro-mechanic assistance system, a high movement speed can be reached even with high clamping forces,” explained Marcel Christen, Netstal’s Head of Product Management. As a result, the dry cycle time is merely 1.9 seconds according to the Euromap standard. Despite its speed, Christen says the machine is “just as precise” as all other Netstal models, with a centrally-aligned toggle lever ensuring an optimum introduction of force into the centre of the mould installation space, and hence uniform distribution of the clamping force. The design effectively prevents any deformation of the mould plates. In addition to its high speed, the new clamping unit offers an opening stroke of 1,000 mm as well as a widely spaced column distance of 1,050 mm x 1,050 mm. However, it also has another key advantage says
The new ELIOS 7500 features the fastest dry cycle in its size class
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Christen; its ability to recoup kinetic energy. The energy generated during braking processes flows into the electric motor of the main drive, where it is converted into hydraulic energy and stored. “Because the energy generated in this way can be re-used in the overall system immediately, energy savings of up to 50 percent can be achieved compared to a fully hydraulic machine even during full-load operation,” he added.
Continued development of the hybrid drive technology
Netstal focused on the high standards of users in the field of thin-wall packaging for the development of the ELIOS
“In order to find the optimal solution with regard to performance and energy consumption for each actuation axis, Netstal is using state-of-the-art hybrid drive technology,” explained Adrian Angst, Netstal’s Head of Research and Development. “In doing so, the energy-technology related advantages of electric drives are combined with the highperformance density of hydro-mechanical drive concepts.” This basic idea, he added, was consistently refined during the development of the ELIOS. The movement of the clamping unit can generally be divided into two phases; movement and clamping force build up with the locking of the toggle lever. These two phases, due to their completely different characteristics, place contrasting demands on the driving actuating element. While a high dynamic and a high moving speed are required for the movement, building up the clamping force requires a great force in a very short time. It is for this reason, says Angst, that a servo-electric drive with double-toothed rack design was combined with a hydro-mechanical actuation for the ELIOS. “While the electric drive guarantees a high dynamic and drive speed, the two parallel-aligned synchronised cylinders ensure the required power assistance for building up the clamping force,” he explained. Since the two phases of the clamping process do not take place sequentially when using a five-point toggle lever, but are synchronous instead, a precise and fast-operating controller is needed. Thid led to the installation of digital highperformance controllers that are used in the ‘aXos’ machine control system.
A patented electric drive with hydromechanical assistance is used in the clamping unit of the ELIOS for building up the clamping force
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New models launching in 2017
After the launch of the 7500 and 6500 size machines at K 2016, Netstal will introduce additional models with clamping forces of 550 and 450 tonnes in 2017. In total, the company says customers will be able to choose from 33 combinations of clamping unit, injection unit and screw diameter. WWW.NETSTAL.COM
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InControl Ultrasonics Ltd (FFR Ultrasonics Ltd)
PO Box 10380, Sileby, LE12 7ZX T: 01509 621992 E: enquiries@ffr-ultrasonics. co.uk W: www.ffr-ultrasonics.co.uk
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
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
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
Accurate colour systems for the PVC and additives industries t: +44(0)1942 254006 e: sales@astropol.uk.com www.astropol.uk.com
MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT ASSEMBLY hot plate welding
TO ADVERTISE IN THis SPACE CONTACT LISA MONTGOMERY 01244 680222
Branson Ultrasonics
158 Edinburgh Avenue, Slough, Berkshire SL1 4UE T: 01753 756675 F: 01753 551270 E: bucuk.sales@emerson.com W: www.bransoneurope.eu
infrared welding
colour masterbatch
Infrared Welding Welding machines Innovative tooling concepts Emitter systems Control technology
Polymer Specific and Universal Colour and Additive Masterbatches. Fastmatch colour matching service. 1 mm Easysperse MicroPellets to 4 mm MaxiPellets. Standards second to none.
DEHUMIDIFIERS 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
TO ADVERTISE IN THis SPACE CONTACT LISA MONTGOMERY 01244 680222 MATERIALS HANDLING AND STORAGE hopper loaders
HEATING EQUIPMENT
01455 289842 enquiries@db-automation.co.uk www.db-automation.co.uk
www.frimo.com
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
automation
• Reliable and robust machinery with installation worldwide • High performance de-mould automation for injection moulding • High speed axis for reduced cycle times • Dependable after sales support if required
Eclipse Buyers Guide_Layout 1 07
Suction Blowers pipework cyclones New and Used recycling Equipment Kongskilde Spares, Parts and Pipework Suppliers industrial BLOWERS FLAKE/REGRIND Friendly Expert advice Les 01568 611338 Hereford W: WWW.GRAINBLOWERS.CO.UK
Branson Ultrasonics
DB-Automation specialises in designing and building bespoke high speed injection moulding automation
HIGH TECH AND HIGH PASSION.
AM&LT PUGH KONGSKILDE MAIN DEALER
vibration welding 158 Edinburgh Avenue, Slough, Berkshire SL1 4UE T: 01753 756675 F: 01753 551270 E: bucuk.sales@emerson.com W: www.bransoneurope.eu
MATERIALS HANDLING AND STORAGE
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
TO ADVERTISE IN THis SPACE CONTACT LISA MONTGOMERY 01244 680222
CHILLERS/TEMPERATURE CONTROLLERS 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
induction heating for platens and tools MF Induction Heating
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
WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK
MIXING, FEEDING & DOSING 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 FOR SALE W: www.motan-colortronic.co.uk
METAL DETECTION & SEPARATION EQUIPMENT Motan Colortronic Ltd
TO ADVERTISE IN THis SPACE CONTACT LISA MONTGOMERY 01244 680222
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
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BUYER’S GUIDE
MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT METAL DETECTION & SEPARATION EQUIPMENT Magnetics Separators Metal Detectors Eddy Current Separators
Bunting Magnetics Europe Ltd
RECYCLING SYSTEMS
Engineers to the Plastics & Rubber industries, specialising in the following:
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
European Design & Manufacturing Facility
Northbridge Road Berkhamsted Hertfordshire HP4 1EH, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1442 875081 Email: sales@buntingeurope.com www.buntingeurope.com www.magneticseparation.co
CHOOSE THE NUMBER ONE.
/magnetic_separation_and_metal_detection/
Mould change
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
We buy and sell high quality plastics
Cooper Plastics Machinery
028 9266 8009
www.vandenrecycling.com supply@vandenrecycling.com
SCREEN CHANGERS Tel: 01952 671918 Fax: 01952 608579 Email: connectors.uk@staubli.com
www.quick-mould-change.com TO ADVERTISE IN THis SPACE CONTACT LISA MONTGOMERY 01244 680222
Industrial Plastics Ltd
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
SCREWS & BARRELS
NOZZLES & NOZZLE TIPS
8 Lyall Court, Flitwick, Bedfordshire MK45 1UX T: 01525 719850 E: Cooperplastics@gmail.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
DTL Machinery UK
www.magog.co.uk Design, Manufacture, and Refurbishment of Screws & Barrels for the Plastics and Rubber Industries. • Screw design • New manufactured Screws, Barrels, Feed Sections & Liners • Proven wear resistant specifications for screws • Nitrided and Bimetallic barrels • Refurbishment and repairs • Condition monitoring and wear checks Contact us to find out how we can help you
We buy/sell Prime, reprocessed, regranulated flexible PVC compounds, dry blends, pulverised PVC, scrap PVC, PVC resin and associated raw materials. Please send us your offers/enquiries vinyl_ltd@mail.com We can offer prime and reprocessed flexible PVC compounding facilities to cover your specific requirements, bespoke compounds, breakdowns, holiday cover etc.
Vinyl Ltd
Tel: 01625 500912 Mobile: 07860 371294 Web: www.vinyl-ltd.com
Arrowquint 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.
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3D PRINTING
3D Printing in Plastic & Rubber
TESTING EQUIPMENT 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
TransXL International Ltd
MAPRA Technik Co – DOSS – MARCEL AUBERT – KAFER
TO ADVERTISE IN THis SPACE CONTACT LISA MONTGOMERY 01244 680222
ulders injection mo
Tel: 01420 88645
www.projet3d.co.uk
SERVICES MOULDFLOW ANALYSIS Injection
Moulding
Trainingancy Consultow fl & Mold c.co.uk www.rjgin
pad
for
STATIC CONTROL
Plastics Processing Machinery Bought & Sold, Thornhill, South Marston, Wiltshire SN3 4TA T: 01793 827666 F: 01793 823826 E: sales@transxl.co.uk W: www.transxl.co.uk
PRINTING MACHINES
TRAINING
211 )1733 232 P. +44 (0
Magog Industries Ltd, 10 Crane Mead, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG12 9PY T: +44(0)1920 465201 E: enquiries@magog.co.uk
- We buy / sell all makes / age / sizes of Plastic Injection Moulding Machinery & Ancillaries equipment. - We also buy redundant, nonrunners & faulty machinery. - Machinery repair and maintenance services available. T: 01925 596170 M: 07838138342 E: info@dtlmachinery.co.uk E: douglastrading@gmail.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
c.co.uk www.rjgin
I’VE GOT A BUMPER LOAD OF RECYCLED PLASTIC IN ME, THANKS TO VANDEN
SECONDHAND AND RECONDITIONED
thermocouples
Motan Colortronic Ltd
11 )1733 2322 P. +44 (0
Contact: Carlton Hicks
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
FOR SALE
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
WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK
BUYER’S GUIDE
SERVICES SOFTWARE
PRINTERS
Gammadot Rheology Testing & Consultancy Services
printers of plastic mouldings Total Print Ltd
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
PARTS & SERVICE
TESTINg/CONSULTANCY
Component PRINTERS
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
TO ADVERTISE IN THis SPACE CONTACT LISA MONTGOMERY 01244 680222
TAMPO.SCREEN.FOIL
c.co.uk www.rjgin
211 )1733 232 P. +44 (0
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
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
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 Tel: +44 (0)7747 014545 E: ianh@syscon-intl.com 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
Process Optimisation Software RJG Technologies Ltd Moulding Technology T: +44 (0)1733 232211 E ingo@rjginc.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
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bp&r BRITISH PLASTICS &RUBBER 50
Next, BPF’s education ‘Ambassadors’ campaign has moved into a higher gear following the training given to 31 volunteers at venues in Manchester and York in early December. Member firms were asked to nominate willing staff to go into schools to present the benefits of plastics. These volunteers received guidance on how to communicate with, and handle, issues connected with children in schools, as well as learning how to conduct experiments illustrating the manufacture and properties of plastics materials and products. They were each given a ‘schools kit’ – kindly donated by PlasticsEurope – and, with the aid of the Government’s STEMNET programme, they are now ready to go into schools. It is heartening that many of our volunteers are young people themselves, as we are convinced that schoolchildren are more readily influenced by people closer to their own age than older people. Regarding news from the World Economic Forum (WEF) recently, BPF applauded Unilever for its published commitment for all plastics packaging used to be fully reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. This will clearly be a challenge for Unilever, as it has set itself eight years to achieve this, but one of the biggest challenges will be to change consumer behaviour. BPF members are engaged in the work WRAP is carrying out in standardising collection schemes across local authorities and this should make it easier for the general public to understand what can be recycled and where to place their used items. Ultimately, that should improve the quality of waste streams and make the economics more viable for plastics recyclers. Finally, on a bitterly cold Friday afternoon recently I was interviewed by SKY Television outside the old ‘Parkesine’ factory in Hackney Wick, in east London. The aim of the coverage was to trace the historical development of plastic and the contribution it makes to the world today. I was able to inform viewers that the UK invented the plastics industry in 1862 with the introduction of ‘Parkesine’, a cellulose nitrate material invented by Alexander Parkes and how he had built his factory in 1866. I explained the boost given to plastics during the Second World War, when we were cut off from supplies of natural rubber and silk from the Far-East, and how today plastics contribute to energy saving, improved health and hygiene and assist in the preservation of food. Looking back at the remains of the old factory in an area that is rapidly succumbing to demolition companies, I reflected on how, out of such unlikely surroundings, this titan of a global industry had developed. WWW.BPF.CO.UK
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS
he cogs of the UK economy are now grinding back into action after the post-Christmas anticlimax, the disruption to transport caused by the cold snap, anticipation (and arrival) IN THIS MONTH’S EDITION OF of President Trump and HIS REGULAR COLUMN, PHILIP continuing squabbles over Brexit. LAW, DIRECTOR-GENERAL The BPF’s intensive start OF THE BRITISH PLASTICS to the new year was marked FEDERATION (BPF), UPDATES by a signal meeting on READERS ON A HIGH LEVEL January 18, between the MEETING WITH TOPLINE CIVIL BPF’s Council and some key civil servants from the SERVANTS AHEAD OF BREXIT Government Departments NEGOTIATIONS, APPLAUDS for International Trade; UNILEVER FOR ITS AMBITIOUS Exiting the EU; and PACKAGING PLEDGE AND MUSES Business, Energy and OVER HOW A FACTORY IN EAST Industrial Strategy. In the LONDON PROVIDED HUMBLE spirit of wanting to make Brexit as big a success for BEGINNINGS FOR TODAY’S the UK plastics industry MODERN – AND GLOBAL – as possible, our Council PLASTICS INDUSTRY. discussed the effects of currency movements on the industry, global trading opportunities and the components of trade deals. Members pointed out the industry’s significant reliance on EU migrant labour and the need for access to engineering skills. As our President, David Hall, noted, they “certainly understood” the issues the industry is facing and they were keen to learn about the impact Brexit is likely to have on our businesses. David commented that “they have a good team and they are keen to bat for our side.” We were very fortunate to get representatives from all the key Ministries to the meeting, as the Governmental machine is frenetically busy at the moment. It’s not obvious to the general public, but in recent years, layers of management have been taken out of the civil service. At the same time, the number and weight of issues Government necessarily must deal with has massively increased, Brexit being a leading example. It might not seem fashionable to say it, but it is absolutely key for the UK to have a well-resourced, highly qualified and motivated civil service. Generally, historical relations between UK industry and Government, irrespective of which party is in power, have always been reasonably good, but I do sense that in a Brexit mode, where the description ‘UK plc’ will have more reality than ever before, that this relationship will become much closer.
WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK
OR F E T A D A ! Y R A I D R YOU
The Medical Technology Event Med-Tech Innovation Expo is the UK and Ireland’s leading showcase for medical technology and innovation – it is the only event that serves the whole of the £27bn UK and Irish medical technology sector. Med-Tech Innovation Expo brings together stakeholders from the medical and healthcare sectors to source products, explore new ideas, understand emerging technologies and talk to over 150 companies representing the supply chain from the ideation stage, through design and validation to manufacture. The centrepiece Med-Tech Innovation Conference, produced in association with Medilink, enhances the show floor experience with a world class programme.
Register now to see the entire spectrum of medical technology under one roof
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Temperature Control Technology
HB-Therm is one of the leading manufacturers of temperature control units worldwide. The company has been producing innovative „Swiss-made“ temperature control technology to the highest quality standards since 1967.
Krauss Maffei Krauss Maffei Bernstorff Netstal
Agent for UK & Ireland KraussMaffei Group UK Ltd. Gemini Business Park, Warrington Phone: +44 1925-644 100 E-Mail: wayne.ball@kraussmaffei.co.uk