BP&R October 2018

British Plastics

and Rubber

bp&r OCTOBER 2018

HIGH PERFORMANCE POLYMERS

for Lightweight Construction in the Automotive Industry SKY HIGH COOL TOOLS New composites How hybrid thermoplastic additive manufacturing developed for mould lighter making aeroplanes can speed up

NO TRACE PIPE DREAMS PET preform moulder sees major reject How groundbreaking pilot system reduction thanks tosteps purging compounds shortens process

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editor’s letter

Change is Coming

www.britishplastics.co.uk head of content: Leanne Taylor

T: +44(0)1244 952 371 E: leanne@rapidnews.com Deputy Group Editor: Rose Brooke

T: +44 (0) 1244 952 370 E: rose.brooke@rapidnews.com

“In spite of the vastly complex landscape, there was real sense of more change to come and a desire to seize the ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to make a difference.”

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ISSN 0307-6164 Incorporating Polymer Age and Rubber and Plastics Age.

T

he annual RECOUP recycling conference is always one of stimulating discussion, debate and conversation and, in that respect, the 2018 edition was certainly no different. However, there was certainly something different in the sense of change that has come, and is coming. Where the spotlight has intensified on the recycling, waste and resource industries – and expectation is growing – there was multiple examples of real change to the status quo in the name of keeping plastics and packaging in a circular system and out of the environment demonstrated by stakeholders across the value chain. In spite of the vastly complex landscape, there was real sense of more change to come and a desire to seize the ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to make a difference. You can read the full roundup of conference highlights on pages 26 - 27.

Of course, the need for change stimulates innovation and the UK plastics industry is renowned for its technical skills and ability to conceive, design and implement new processes, technologies and equipment. One company that has shown exactly such expertise is Swindon-based Recycling Technologies, whose chemical process to economically recycle mixed plastic waste into a valuable hydrocarbon product has come one step closer to reality with the

signing of a major new contract at Scotland’s Binn Eco Park. You can read more about this, and its ambitions to see the process divert huge values of waste from landfill, on page 37.

Enjoy the issue.

Leanne Taylor, head of content

the big story Fast and Light: The potential of plastics for the automotive industry

T THE CHALLENGE FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY TO REDUCE WEIGHT CO2 EMISSIONS AND FUEL CONSUMPTION WHILST STILL PRODUCING ATTRACTIVE MODERN VEHICLES HAS INTENSIFIED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AS MANUFACTURERS STRIVE TO REACH THE LOWER EMISSIONS TARGETS BY THE END OF 2020. HERE, BERND SPARENBERG, AND SÖHNKE MÜLLER OF MATERIALS COMPOUNDER AND DISTRIBUTOR, ALBIS, SHARE WITH BP&R THE MATERIALS DEVELOPMENTS FROM ITS OWN PORTFOLIO THAT IT BELIEVES CAN HELP SOLVE SUCH CHALLENGES. ABOUT THE AUTHORS BERND SPARENBERG IS VICE PRESIDENT OF TECHNICAL COMPOUNDS AT ALBIS PLASTIC AND SÖHNKE MÜLLER IS DIRECTOR OF SPECIALTIES.

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As European car manufacturers work towards the 2020 deadline to ensure the average CO2 emissions of their vehicles is under 95g per kilometre, three areas that are targeted for adjustment are smaller and more efficient engines, alternative drive trains, and lightweight construction concepts that reduce overall weight and fuel consumption.

Whilst the considerable potential around engines has been all but exhausted, lightweight construction has become highly prioritised in the automotive industry. It pays off – a 100 kilogram reduction in weight reduces fuel consumption by, on average, half a litre per 100 kilometres and saves somewhere between eight and 10 grams of CO2 per kilometre.

This concept is not just useful for conventional combustion engines, but is also highly sought after in the construction of electric vehicles. The motivation here is obviously different. The reduction in vehicle weight does not lead to a reduction in CO2 emissions, but rather to an increase in vehicle performance and operating range.

A MATERIAL OF PROMISE A promising keyword in the context of future production is ‘carbon’. Indeed, compounds based on recycled carbon fibre have great potential, not only with regards to the weight savings, but also the sustainability aspect also of increasing importance in the automotive industry.

With the help of the technology developed by WIPAG Deutschland GmbH and its WIC PP and WIC PA product ranges, heavy and highly concentrated glass fibre PA compounds, for example, could be replaced with relatively lighter PP CF compounds.

WIPAG is a company, acquired by ALBIS Plastic, that specialises in the processing and production of carbon fibre-based compounds that can be injection-moulded and are made from CFRP production residues from the automotive and aviation industries in a closed-loop system. The weight reduction is huge. Switching material can save up to 30 percent for comparable characteristics and costs.

Another interesting aspect of this compound is the financial side. Even though, at first glance, the price per kilo seems higher than the PA compounds, for example, the PP carbon fibre components are more cost effective due to their lower density.

A good example of this is the sample calculation that the ALBIS team did for an Audi gas cap hinge arm. For the review, a polyamide 6 with a 50 percent glass fibre content was replaced by a polypropylene strengthened with 30 percent recycled carbon fibre. The resultant significant weight reduction, which was greater than 30 percent, came from the difference in density

between the glass fibre compound, with 1.58g per cm3, and the carbon fibre alternative, with 1.05g per cm3. Looking at the volume price calculation of the compound, the team saw a reduction in the material costs for the component of some five to ten percent. The apparent additional cost of the carbon fibre compound in Euro/kg disappeared when we looked at the litre price in Euro/l. The end customer buys based on volume, and not on the weight of a component.

PEDAL TO THE METAL For the direct replacement of metal for weight reduction, ALBIS designed Tedur, the brand name for PPS-based compounds. Tedur is characterised by very high fixity/rigidity and dimensional stability, as well as by high internal pressure. Furthermore, the combined materials have excellent resistance to hydrolysis, chemicals and fuels, and also show high creep resistance even at high temperatures. It is suitable for permanent operating temperatures of up to 240 degrees Celsius and can, therefore, be used for attachments that come into direct contact with the engine block, for example. An additional benefit of using the PPS instead of aluminium is not only a weight reduction, but the fact it only requires one processing step.

FILLING THE GAP Weight and cost reductions were also the aim in the development of ALTECH NXT PP. These technical compounds, with a polypropylene base, are available with fibre glass and fibre glass/mineral fillers. Unlike standard PP, Altech Nxt has very high levels of rigidity and heat resistance, as well as resistance to aging. It fills the gap that has existed until now between standard PP and polyamide and can even be used as a replacement for PA6 GF30. It can be directly replaced in components and tools and results in a weight reduction of around 15 percent. The difference in density is significant.

PA6 GF30 comes in at 1.36 g/cm³, Altech Nxt PP GF35 at 1.18 g/cm³. This means a reduction in the amount of material needed. PP is, therefore, significantly cheaper than PA.

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OCTOBER 2018

On the Cover

FAST AND LIGHT: THE POTENTIAL OF PLASTICS FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY The challenge for the automotive industry to reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption whilst still producing attractive modern vehicles has intensified over the last few years, as manufacturers strive to reach the lower emissions targets by the end of 2020. Experts from materials compounder and distributor, ALBIS, share with BP&R the developments from their own portfolio that they believe can help solve such challenges.

SEE PAGE 4.

3

Editor’s Letter CHANGE IS COMING

15

Feature

“DO NOT FEEL UNDER THREAT” COFFEY TELLS PLASTICS INDUSTRY Speaking at a Parliamentary Reception cohosted by Mark Pawsey MP along with the British Plastics Federation and PlasticsEurope, Thérèse Coffey told the UK plastics industry not to feel under threat, but to see the Government’s upcoming Plastic Waste and Recycling Strategy “as an opportunity”. BP&R looks at the details.

26 – 27 Review

CHANGE IS COMING: SEIZE THE DAY After a year where the questions and challenges facing the UK’s recycling and waste industries have increased and intensified, so too have the opportunities. BP&R reports from RECOUP’s annual conference, where the message was ‘seize the day’.

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31

REGULARS

NEW AUTOMATED THERMOFORMING PACKING MACHINE IS A ‘SHAW’ THING Derbyshire-based medical packaging manufacturer, Riverside Medical Packaging, has created the ‘Shawpak’, a space-saving, automated thermoforming packaging machine it believes overcomes many of the limitations of standard systems. BP&R looks at the details.

09 INDUSTRY NEWS 17 COMPOSITES 23 RECLAMATION AND RECYCLING 29 AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS 33 RECYCLING MACHINERY 39 PURGING COMPOUNDS 43 MACHINERY 49 MATERIALS 51 BUYERS’ GUIDE 53 SOFTWARE 54 NEWS FROM THE FRONTLINE

Feature

41

Case Study

PET PREFORMS MOULDER ACHIEVES HIGHER SUPPLIER RATING USING PURGING COMPOUNDS Due to black specks, a European PET moulder was seeing batches of up to four billion preform parts rejected. This led to the implementation of a maintenance programme using Chem-Trend’s Ultra Purge 5160. BP&R looks at the impact it had on business and performance.

47 Q&A

SIMPLY THE BEST(ON): WHY IMM PROJECTS IS PUTTING SERVICE FIRST WITH NEW RANGE Since introducing the Beston range of injection moulding machines to the UK plastics industry for the first time in July, Managing Director of IMM Projects, Michael de Beer, told BP&R why the machines’ attributes fit perfectly with the company’s ethos of ‘service first’.

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INDUSTRY | NEWS Clariant and SABIC announce new high performance materials business Clariant and its major shareholder, SABIC, have announced they are to collaborate on the creation of a new speciality chemicals joint venture in high performance materials.

The move would combine Clariant’s existing additives and high value masterbatch division with parts of SABIC’s specialities business - comprising its ULTEM and NORYL resins, and its families of LNP compounds and copolymers - to form the new ‘High Performance Materials’ platform.

Clariant will have the majority stake in the intended business combination. Once it is established, Clariant’s remaining Plastics and Coatings business (for pigments,

Motan Colortronic’s ‘million-mile man’ retires after 28 years Motan Colortronic Limited has bid a fond farewell to one of its longserving Field Service Engineers after he retired at the end of August.

Kevin Groves, who served 28 years with the Chesterfield-based firm, is known as the ‘Million-Mile Man’ by his colleagues, having clocked up the same number of miles during his time travelling around the country installing and servicing a range of products.

“Kevin got to know many customers personally over the 28

standard masterbatches and medical specialities) will be divested.

The companies hope the new division will generate annual sales of CHF 9 billion (approx. GBP £7.1 billion).

“The portfolio upgrade together with the continuation of Clariant’s strategy enables the Group to realise a significant step change into higher value specialities, which will allow the Group to considerably augment value creation for all our stakeholders,” said Hariolf Kottmann, CEO of Clariant.

This new business area, say the two companies, will offer a “customerspecific, application know-how driven and competitively advantaged product range” of high-performance thermoplastics for demanding thermoelectro-optical and mechanical environments, speciality additives and masterbatches in tandem with a global compounding platform. Major applications, they say, include smart

electronics, health care, aerospace, automotive, robotics, additive manufacturing, renewable energy, and e-mobility.

SABIC’s Executive Vice President for Specialities, Ernesto Occhiello, will become Clariant’s new Chief Executive and Clariant’s current Chief Executive, Kottmann, is proposed as the new Chairman of the Board.

years and we wish him all the very best of health and happiness for many years to come,” commented Karl Miller of Motan Colortronic Limited. “We also thank him for all his years of dedicated service to both the company and customers.”

Stepping into the team recently are John Cawton and Mark Mullineux, who Motan Colortronic Limited has appointed as part of the continued investment in its Technical Support Team. Cawton is employed in an internal engineering role and Mullineux as a Field Service Engineer.

PMMDA: Positive outlook for members as sales remain steady

www.motan-colortronic. co.uk

Left to right: Mark Mullineux, Kevin Groves, John Cawton

www.clariant.com www.sabic.com

The Chairman of the Polymer Machinery Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMMDA) says that members are reporting a positive outlook for the last quarter of the year.

Kevin Horne says several moulding machine suppliers are recording good sale levels, with a backlog of ordered machines due to be delivered in early 2019. In addition, the association reported a significant rise in enquiries for recycling machinery and equipment.

“From basic shredders and granulator through to complete large scale sorting and wash lines, we have seen a significant rise in enquiries for recycling equipment,” Horne commented, adding that enquiries received by his own company, Renmar, when exhibiting at the RWM show in September had also been strong.

The PMMDA’s own membership has grown further, with Rockson Lubritek the latest company to sign up.

www.pmmda.org.uk

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

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Plastribution urges UK processors to consider implications of ‘No Deal’ UK polymer materials distributor, Plastribution, is asking UK processors to consider, and subsequently prepare for, the outcome of a potential ‘no deal’ Brexit.

According to the recent survey undertaken by EEF, the Manufacturers’ Organisation, along with ComRes, four in five manufacturers say they are not prepared for ‘no deal.’

Plastribution says it has researched the possible implications for the polymer industry and wants to help customers understand, and prepare themselves for, the possibility of a hard Brexit.

In terms of the effect on currency, the company warns that economists have predicted a 10 percent devaluation of the pound in the case of a ‘Hard Brexit’, which could lead to increases of over £100 per tonne on materials such as PP and PE, with potentially more for higher value engineering grades.

“Devaluation of the pound against the euro is especially critical, as around 80 per cent of polymer imports come into the UK from the Eurozone,” explained Mike Boswell, Plastribution’s Managing Director.

Where tariffs are concerned, Plastribution says that ‘no deal’ between the UK and its trading partners in the EU could see the reversion of WTO tariffs of 6.5 per cent on all UK polymer imports. This, it warns, will impact UK polymer pricing.

“Tariffs could also mean that the UK is seen as a less attractive export region and this would tighten supply,” added Boswell.

Finally, Plastribution believes the biggest concern for UK polymer

Counterplas acquires Showpla West Midlands-based injection moulding company, Counterplas, has purchased the trade and assets of Showpla Plastics.

The company says the acquisition of Showpla Plastics, which went into administration in June this year, displays its ambition to become one of the UK’s leading plastics moulding companies, expanding its capacity to 1600 tonnes and providing custom-

processors is hard borders being imposed, leading to delays at the country’s ports and a significant extension of lead times.

“UK warehousing capacity is already under pressure and may be further stretched as Brexit uncertainty encourages businesses to secure their own supply chain by increasing stock holding in the UK,” Boswell continued.

In order to help prepare for such outcomes, Plastribution says it can offer customers various options, including securing specific stock at a fixed price; increasing general stock levels of key materials over critical

periods; working with suppliers to ensure supply chains are robust; and helping ensure deliveries are flexible.

“Whilst the details of the Brexit divorce settlement and future trading relations are likely to become clearer over the coming weeks, it is important to consider the ways in which you can protect your business to ensure continuity of supply during this period of transition,” Boswell concluded. www. plastribution.co.uk Plastribution is urging UK poymer processors to plan for a possible hard Brexit

ers with one of the largest ranges of machines and processes available.

This acquisition also complements Counterplas’ client portfolio, adding white goods, packaging, electronics and consumer products. The group will now operate 39 machines ranging from 22 tonnes to 1600 tonnes, including twin shot for overmoulding and gas injection, and covering shot weights up to 12 kg. www.counterplas.co.uk WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

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BPF launches 2018 Polymer Ambassador training scheme

The OOHO sachets (Credit: Skipping Rocks Lab)

Harrow Half Marathon replaces plastic water bottles with edible sachets Participants of the Harrow Half Marathon in London last month received water packaged in edible seaweed pouches instead of PET bottles.

Organisers say in its ambition to be the first ‘plastics-free half marathon’, it replaced conventional plastic bottles at water stations along the route with ‘OOHO’, the brand name for the biodegradable and edible sachets made from a 100 per cent plant and seaweed-based membrane.

Skipping Rocks Lab, the London-based start-up behind OOHO, says it has focused on creating edible, seaweed-based membranes filled with water and made from an abundant natural resource that disappears “as quickly as natural food waste”.

The sachets are edible and safe to be swallowed, or, if they are discarded, will reportedly

decompose into their natural components between four and six weeks, whether in the natural environment or in landfill.

Skipping Rocks Lab has trialled the sachets at several sports events, festivals and functions and hopes that the product will “revolutionise the water-onthe-go market”. The sachets can also be used for other products and markets, including soft drinks, spirits and cosmetics.

The firm says the proprietary material is “cheaper to produce than plastic, uses less energy and produces less CO2.”

Organisers of the Half Marathon said: “Removing single use plastic bottles and cups from the course is a big step towards achieving our goal of becoming a more sustainable half marathon.”

In addition to removing the plastics from the course, they also supplied finishers with reusable and refillable plastic water bottles.

The BPF, in conjunction with Cogent Skills and supported by PlasticsEurope, has launched its 2018 Autumn training seminars for the Polymer Ambassador Scheme (PAS).

The scheme is an initiative to give polymer industry specialists the opportunity to teach children and students about the world of polymers, engaging them in the possibilities of science, engineering and manufacturing.

In partnership with the Cogent SIP Ambassador Programme, which involves a network of industry professionals who aim to inspire and propel young people into careers within the science-based industries, the training sessions will be held in Birmingham and London.

The BPF believes the UK requires more employees with science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills, and the polymer ambassador scheme is one way industry professionals can inspire young children to pursue these educational pathways.

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“Do not feel under threat”

Coffey tells plastics industry Words | Leanne Taylor

T THÉRÈSE COFFEY HAS TOLD THE UK PLASTICS INDUSTRY NOT TO FEEL UNDER THREAT, BUT TO SEE THE GOVERNMENT’S UPCOMING PLASTIC WASTE AND RECYCLING STRATEGY “AS AN OPPORTUNITY”.

Thérése Coffey (Credit: Parliament.uk)

Speaking at a Parliamentary Reception co-hosted by Mark Pawsey MP along with the British Plastics Federation and PlasticsEurope, Ms Coffey, a DEFRA Minister with responsibility for the upcoming strategy, said she recognised the importance of plastics in modern society.

“I think that the Government is very clear that we are not about to try and eliminate plastics,” she told delegates. “But where Government does have a responsibility is to try and make sure that we avoid using certain kinds of resources and materials that we don’t need, either because there are good alternatives, or because without proper treatment they end up impacting the environment.”

She continued: “There are certain ways in which we deal with this.

One is by saying we need to be sensible about how we use plastics packaging, for example we know it’s good with regards to carbon footprint and good for food waste prevention, but we also need to be mindful of the consequences that it can, unfortunately, at times have on our national environment, which we have a responsibility to tackle.”

The Minister said that therefore the Government is looking at measures that tie in with “a much more circular economy approach” within the new strategy.

“I know how important this is to you [the plastics industry] to get this future strategy right whilst still making sure

The Parliamentary Reception took place in Westminster

you help the environment in the way you do already.

“I can assure you the Plastic Waste and Recycling Strategy is taking a lot of my time as well as that of the Secretary of State, who is passionate about this. There are other activities underway, but we should launch the document by the end of the year.

The BPF has been very active on the policy formulation so far,” she told delegates.

“WE ARE RECEPTIVE TO YOUR MESSAGE” After an address by the British Plastics Federation’s Director General, Philip Law, Mark Pawsey MP said that Government is receptive to the plastics industry’s message and vision for a circular economy – and it should continue to showcase the good work it is doing.

Pawsey said that despite the negativity surrounding plastics and packaging in the mainstream, it was important to get the “alternative message” out, highlighting plastics’ versatility as a material, as well as its contribution to the UK in terms of both the economy and jobs.

“It may be natural for the plastics industry to be feeling somewhat unloved,” Pawsey told delegates.

“However, there are people in Government receptive to your message. I cannot encourage you enough to get in touch with your local MP and show them the good work that you are doing.”

This sentiment was echoed by Richard Harrington, Parliamentary Under-Secretary within the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), who said “as far as we [BEIS] are concerned, plastics has a huge future and we want to thank you for everything you have done.”

Harrington said that the Government “does not take lightly” the contribution of the plastics industry to the UK economy, and that the future holds “green shoots” in terms of the industry’s technological development and that it would support it through R&D and support for business.

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

OPERATION CLEAN SWEEP MARKS A UK FIRST The plastics industry was praised throughout the reception by both MPs and Ministers for the headway made with regards to environmental protection.

Simon Clarke MP, for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, congratulated the BPF on its Operation Clean Sweep initiative, which is designed to prevent pellet loss from the production process entering the waterways.

He announced that Teesport in his constituency has become the first UK port to sign up to the scheme, saying he wanted to “pay immense tribute” to the British Plastics Federation for setting up the initiative.

“AN IMPRESSIVE TURNOUT” Along with MPs, Ministers and other officials, the Parliamentary Reception was well supported

by BPF members, with around 150 company representatives in attendance.

Speaking to BP&R, Mike Boswell, Managing Director of UK materials distributor, Plastribution, as well as the Chairman of the British Plastic Federation’s Polymer Compounders and Distributors Group and its BREXIT Committee, said that he was impressed with the turnout.

“I think today has been good.

Philip [Law’s] speech hit home all the key points of the BPF’s vision for a circular economy and MPs have gone away seeing a very well represented industry that wants to be treated fairly in what is a crucially important time.”

Agreeing, Bruce Margetts, Managing Director of Bericap and BPF President, told BP&R it was “fantastic to see so many people” at the event. “Today’s discussion was objective rather than emotional, which is encouraging.

It looks like balance in the debate around plastics is starting to come,” he added.

www.bpf.co.uk www.plasticseurope.org 15

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COMPOSITES | NEWS The study looks at end of life options for FRPs

New study looks at Circular Economy for FRPs in the UK Composites UK, Scott Bader and Renuables, with funding support from the National Composites Centre and Innovate UK, have collaborated on a new report detailing the best way forward for disposal/recycling of waste fibre reinforced polymer material (FRP) in terms of cost and environmental impact, in the UK. Its intention is to direct research and development spending, as well as commercial investment to accelerate the most environmentally and economically sustainable solutions.

The material being considered in the study is primarily glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP),

Covestro introduces brand name for thermoplastic composites Covestro is continuing the development and marketing of its continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTP) by introducing a brand name for the materials.

Under the brand name ‘Maezio’, Covestro says the mass-producible materials will tap into the growing Films and sheets made from Maezio can be combined to give designers new creative freedom

which uses a thermoset resin.

It may also be relevant to thermoset carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) which is currently uneconomical to recycle by pyrolysis.

“Composites have an important role in the drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to lessen our reliance on fossil fuel, however, composites can never be truly sustainable until we have suitable options for their endof-life management,” explained Jean-Claude Pierre, CEO of Scott Bader Company Ltd. Stella Job, Supply Chain and Environment Manager at Composites UK, added: “We are working hard to accelerate the best disposal routes for the industry and for the environment.

This study highlights what is happening now and what the next

demand from industries ranging from mobility and electronics to consumer goods and medical products for strong and light materials that contribute to resource conservation and energy efficiency.

“The brand gives us a clear and strong identity to further expand our expertise in thermoplastic composites,” explained David Hartmann, Co-CEO of CFRTP, one of Covestro’s two Co-CEOs for CFRTP composites.

“We believe the new brand can truly bring value to next-generation products across industries by delivering a combination of lightweight construction, specific strengths and finishes at a scale unreachable by advanced materials today.”

Covestro says its Maezio composites are suitable for the mass production commonly craved by designers and manufacturers, as they can be thermoformed with existing thermoforming tools at high yield rates and low cycle times. Other production technologies, such as hybrid injection moulding, automated

steps are for the future.”

The study also drew on consultancy from Axion, circular economy specialists, and over 30 industry professionals and academics who contributed information from past or present experience.

www.compositesuk. co.uk/frpce

UD tape laying and automated fibre placement can also be easily integrated.

As thermoplastic composites, Maezio products can be recycled at the end of their useful life, which Michael Schmidt, Co-CEO for CFRTP composites, says makes them “a perfect example of what scalable and sustainable composite solutions look like in giving industries the material tools to push boundaries.”

Maezio is so far attracting interest from a diverse range of segments, including electrical and electronics, automotive, household appliances and furniture producers, medical technology, sports goods manufacturers, shoe producers and the luggage industry.

Haier, the world’s largest white goods brand, has launched a state-of-the-art air conditioner under its Casarte brand, which uses Maezio for the main housing of the product, and Chinese athletic wear startup, Bmai, has used it to develop light and strong marathon shoes.

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Yorkshire manufacturer sees demand for recycled composite decking soar Manufacturers of composite decking produced using recycled plastics says it has seen demand soar for its products.

Yorkshire-based Composite Prime says interest in its products, made using a combination of sustainable Forest Stewardship Council FSC 100 hardwood timber sources and recycled plastics, is growing as consumers become increasingly aware of the environment.

Managing Director, Dom Harrison, said in the last six months, Composite Prime has saved the equivalent of 9,520,000 plastic milk bottles from landfill and recycled the equivalent of 121,500,000 plastic bottle caps in the production of its decking solutions.

Established two years ago, Ilkley-based Composite Prime now has over 70 stockists nationwide and has seen business performance double in the last 12 months.

“Our entire ethos is centred

Teijin acquires Inapal in European composites expansion Teijin Limited has acquired Inapal Plasticos SA (Inapal), a Portuguese automotive composites supplier, as it looks to expand its business in Europe.

Teijin expects its automotive composite business sales to reach approximately GBP £1.5bn by 2030

Composite Prime says demand for its composite decking products has soared on a range of products that offer low maintenance and long life, are socially responsible and kind to the environment,” explained Sales Director, Charles Taylor.

“Consumers are increasingly switching to composite materials instead of plastic and, as global challenges around plastic waste and the ability to plant forests to meet future timber demands increase, composite provides

a sustainable and genuine alternative to timber.

“There has been extraordinary growth and very positive feedback in the last twelve months alone, which suggests there is enormous potential for expansion into other sectors,” he concluded.

The move follows Teijin’s acquisition of Continental Structural Plastics, which strengthened its capabilities in lightweight materials, and Ziegler, which opened its automotive materials supply base in Germany.

Inapal, headquartered in Leca do Balio, Porto, is a Tier One supplier of composite components to the automotive and heavy truck industries.

The company’s capabilities include Class A body panels, structural and underbody components using a variety of materials and processes, including sheet moulding compound (SMC), carbon fibre SMC, prepreg compression moulding (PCM), direct long fibre thermoplastic (D-LFT) and glass mat thermoplastic (GMT).

The company has two manufacturing locations in Portugal serving a variety of European OEM customers including Jaguar, Land Rover, BMW, Mercedes, Volkswagen

and Bentley. It had sales of EUR 31.9 million (GBP £28.6m) in 2017.

“We are leveraging our lightweight, strong, highperformance materials and integrated composite technologies as one of the key focuses of the transformation strategies for our medium-term management plan,” said Jun Suzuki, President and CEO, Teijin Limited. He said that the acquisition of Inapal enables the company to expand its technologies on a global basis, including in Europe.

Teijin expects its automotive composite business sales to reach approximately €1.7 billion (GBP £1.5bn) by 2030. The company says it now has the ability to serve customers in most major regions of the world, including North America, Europe and Asia, and has “established business with every major global automotive OEM.”

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New hybrid thermoplastic composites developed for lighter, stronger aeroplanes

A AVIATION IS SET TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS THANKS TO A NOVEL PLASTIC WHICH IS TOUGHER, WEIGHS LESS AND IS CHEAPER TO CONSTRUCT DEVELOPED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF BATH. BP&R LOOKS AT THE DETAILS.

Researchers at the University of Bath are leading a project that could see aviation reach new heights, thanks to the development of a new type of plastic that is said to be tougher, weigh less and cheaper to construct than existing materials.

The NHYTE (New Hybrid Thermoplastic Composite Aerostructures manufactured by Out of Autoclave Continuous Automated Technologies) project has received €5.2m (approx. £4.7m GBP) of Horizon 2020 funding and brings together the expertise of several academic and industrial partners from across the EU. The NHYTE project, led at Bath by Professor Michele Meo alongside Dr Francesco Ciampa and Dr Fulvio Pinto from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, aims to develop an innovative multifunctional composite which is both easier to manufacture and higher in mechanical performance.

In comparison to current material used on aeroplane wings and other components, this new multilayer material is structurally stronger and is simpler to process, particularly the shorter time it takes to manufacture, as well as the reduced energy associated with the manufacturing process.

REDUCING ENERGY, REDUCING EMISSIONS As a result of reducing energy, the project aims to also reduce associated Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxide emissions from a less energy intensive manufacturing process, as well as directly from flying due to lighter and more efficient aeroplanes.

The researchers say holiday-goers and regular flyers are expected to benefit from an overall increase in aviation safety because of this material performing better, health benefits due to cleaner air

through reduced emissions, and, eventually, cheaper ticket prices as airline companies pass down their own cost savings as a result of this innovative new material.

The high-performing material proposed in the NHYTE project is based on a commercial PEEKCarbon Fibre Prepreg with the addition of amorphous (PEI) films. It answers to the needs to have reduced weight and, consequently, reduced fuel consumptions and emissions on an aircraft, as well as reduced manufacturing and operational costs.

Currently, such innovative materials have been limited to being produced at just a laboratory level, but the NHYTE research team are aiming to identify and implement a suitable manufacturing process which can be upscaled to an industrial level.

HIGHER QUALITY AND IMPROVED SAFETY “This innovative material, conceived and patented by a partner of the Consortium, is an example of a multifunctional composite, since it returns both functions of toughness improvement and process simplification,” explained Professor Meo. “This concept on one side will provide an advantage in terms of better impact damage performance. On the other side, major advantages will result on processing simplification, in particular including improved cycle times and lower energy consumptions. The technological advances of NHYTE will also reflect in higher inspection quality of aerospace composite components and therefore an increase of safety.”

www.bath.ac.uk

This innovative material, conceived and patented by a partner of the Consortium, is an example of A multifunctional composite, since it returns both functions of toughness improvement and process simplification

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RECLAMATION AND RECYCLING | NEWS An example of a foamed cup using Bockatech EcoCore.

Borealis partners with UK technology company for sustainable packaging Borealis has partnered with UK green technology start-up, Bockatech, to develop low-cost, reusable and recyclable foam injection moulding solutions for packaging.

Through the new strategic alliance, the open-innovation agreement will accelerate the development of Oxford-based Bockatech’s ‘EcoCore’ technology for sustainable packaging, broadening the platform so that it can be licensed to more manufacturing partners in a variety of markets and for products including cups pots tubs and trays.

The patented EcoCore solution, in combination with Borealis grades BH381MO and Daploy WB140HMS,

produces high-performance packaging that is reusable and recyclable. The partner companies say foamed mouldings that use EcoCore require less material and have faster cycle times to reduce material costs, energy use and environmental impact. Investment costs for new equipment are also minimal.

End products made using EcoCore feature high strength and a smooth surface finish ready for printing. The foam core is also said to offer excellent insulation and is ultra-lightweight.

Carlsberg launches a six-pack with a snap Carlsberg has launched a new design for its six-packs of beer that replaces plastic wrapping with a pioneering technology that glues its cans together.

Known as ‘Snap-Pack’, the joining method is a first for the beer industry, and Carlsberg says it will reduce the amount of plastic used in traditional multi-packs by up to 76 per cent.

Cees ’t Hart, CEO of the Carlsberg Group, said: “Carlsberg’s Snap Pack will significantly reduce the amount of plastic waste and we look forward to giving our consumers better beer experiences with less environmental impact.”

Coral Products invests in recycling in-house Coral Products is investing in an in-house recycling plant within its UK-based factory in Haydock, Merseyside.

The company, which supplies plastic recycling and food waste containers, boxes and caddies to various UK councils, says it estimates 700 tonnes of plastic could be recycled back into recycling and kerbside products by 2019.

Currently, the company regrinds

Their high strength also makes them ideal for deposit return schemes and, as mono-material packaging, EcoCore solutions are 100 per cent recyclable.

“As strong advocates for the circular economy within our industry, we at Borealis are eager to partner with pioneering firms like Bockatech to develop polyolefins-based solutions that are reusable and recyclable,” explained Andreas Leitner, Borealis Head of New Business Development.

“Combining our foam products with EcoCore technology to produce innovative, lightweight solutions is more than an exciting business opportunity: it’s a real step forward for more circularity in packaging.” www.borealis.com www.bockatech.com

waste plastic where possible for reuse in its products. It says the new investments are part of its ambition to become an entirely circular business.

Neil Ashurst, Managing Director at Coral Products, added: “Investing in the in-house recycling plant creates opportunity to offer councils, housing associations and other companies the option of recycling their waste plastic or old containers, and we can then use this new recycled material to create other plastic products.” www.coralmouldingsltd.com

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Tesco and MacRebur partner on recycled plastic car park

MacRebur, produced the surface material by adding the plastics into a special asphalt mix.

“We’re able to take the waste plastics that are otherwise destined for landfill and add them into an asphalt mix to create a stronger, longer lasting, pothole free road surface,” explained Toby McCartney

Tesco has partnered with MacRebur to resurface one of its car parks using the equivalent weight of 225,000 plastic carrier bags.

The car park at Tesco Extra in Cuckoo Bridge, Dumfries, was resurfaced using 900kg of waste plastics that would have been destined for landfill or incineration.

“We are working hard to reduce plastics and re-use and recycle wherever possible. Re-using waste plastics in this way is another example of how Tesco are innovating in the war against waste,” said Kene Umeasiegbu, Tesco Head of Environment.

Scotland-based producer of roads and surfaces using waste plastic,

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Tesco will be testing this new road surface out at the Cuckoo Bridge store through the winter and says it hopes to work with MacRebur on future projects to help re-use waste plastics. www.tescoplc.com www.macrebur.com

Tesco is trialling the new surface at its Cuckoo Bridge store

Veolia: Give consumers the recycled content they want to see Veolia is calling on designers, manufacturers and Government to work together with the recycling industry to give consumers the levels of recycled content they expect to see in plastic bottles.

New research undertaken by the resource management and recycling company suggests 93 per cent of consumers think that plastic bottles should contain some recycled material, with 55 per cent believing it should make up the majority.

The results of the research are published in ‘Plan for Plastics’, a new report launched by both Veolia and RECOUP. The findings describe an “indisputable gap” between the amount of recycled content the public expect to be in plastic products and the reality.

In order meet consumer expectations, and create a market for recycled material in the UK, the Plan for Plastics report suggests simplifying recycling to remove confusion;

standardising packaging so it is recyclable by design; and increasing the use of recycled content in the manufacturing of new products.

“The British public have told us they expect plastic bottles to be made of recycled content,” commented Richard Kirkman, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Veolia UK and Ireland.

“We see 50 per cent recycled content for plastic bottles and 30 per cent for plastic packaging as realistic ambitions for every manufacturer to aim for within the next 10 years. When more packaging is both recyclable and made from recycled material, it will be the shift needed for recycled plastic to become mainstream.”

The research undertaken for the report also suggested that most consumers are willing to pay as much as 2.5p extra for bottles containing recycled materials, as well as that those bottles should be recycled in the UK. “Veolia is planning to invest £1 billion in recycling and recovery infrastructure in the UK over the next five years. It is up to

designers, manufacturers and Government to ensure supply matches our stake; so more plastic is collected and sorted to a higher quality standard. We owe it to future generations to make circular and sustainable living this country’s priority,” Kirkman concluded. www.veolia.co.uk

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

Veolia’s research says 93 per cent of consumers think plastic bottles should contain some recycled material

25

Change is Coming: Seize the Day

A AFTER A YEAR WHERE THE QUESTIONS AND CHALLENGES FACING THE UK’S RECYCLING AND WASTE INDUSTRIES HAVE INCREASED AND INTENSIFIED, SO TOO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES. BP&R REPORTS FROM RECOUP’S ANNUAL CONFERENCE, WHERE THE MESSAGE WAS ‘SEIZE THE DAY’.

Following an unprecedented year for the UK’s recycling, resource and waste industries, it is little wonder that the annual conference held by plastics resource and recycling charity, RECOUP, attracted its highest number of attendees to date. Some 400 delegates descended on Peterborough in September, where discussions covered the whole of the plastics resource and recycling value chain.

In his opening address, RECOUP’s CEO, Stuart Foster, told the audience that the growing number of challenges facing the industry are matched by the opportunities. “We’ve got the chance to seize the day,” said Foster. “For a number of years, we have talked about what could be done, might be done and what the future might hold, but now it’s time for action. We can’t wait for tomorrow and we certainly can’t wait until 2042.”

Referencing the effect mainstream programmes such as the BBC’s Blue Planet II and Sky’s Ocean Rescue have had in putting a greater focus on the leakage of materials into the environment, Foster said more organisations are recognising the urgent nature of the change that’s required and that the past 12 months has seen “a fundamental shift” in attitudes.

BOTTLE RATES HIT MILESTONE Reflecting on progress, Foster said the amount of plastic bottles collected for recycling from UK households has risen by the biggest annual total in three years. The findings of the data, which is published by RECOUP as part of its annual ‘Household Plastics Collections Survey’, suggests during 2017 there was steady progress in the amount of not only bottles collected (up 2.5 per cent), but also plastic pots, tubs and trays (up 3.5 per cent). The combined total for both streams was 527,010 tonnes collected – representing an overall 2.8 per cent increase versus 2016.

“Although there is still work to do, we need to focus on how far we’ve come,” Foster explained. “We talk about the journey ahead, but we need to keep remembering where we’ve come from and in the last decade we’ve have seen significant increases in

collection, particularly in rigid household packaging from various kerbside schemes.”

“HUGE OPPORTUNITIES” ON-THE-GO Foster outlined the huge potential in ‘on the go’ services in both increasing overall materials collection and preventing litter and plastics ending up in the environment. “On the go provision, including litter bins and recycling units on the streets, needs a complete overhaul,” he explained.

“We know from a report we did that local authorities are under pressure, and it’s an area that’s under prioritised and there’s issues around consumer engagement. However, it’s a fantastic opportunity and one we can’t ignore.”

NEW CONSUMER INITIATIVES To help engage the consumer and inform, educate and incentivise behaviour change, Foster announced a relaunch of RECOUP’s own national recycling communications campaign.

Formerly ‘pledge4plastics’, the initiative is now known as ‘pledge2recycle plastics’. It will continue

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to provide resources and be a catalyst in supporting consumer communications in plastics recycling across the UK. Foster outlined the engagement projects that have been held throughout the summer as part of the initiative, and encouraged Local Authorities to contact RECOUP for assistance in future plastics recycling campaigns and to gain access to free resources. Foster also called on manufacturers, brand owners and retailers for financial commitments to run match-funded pledge2recycle plastics campaigns with local authorities on a voluntary basis, until new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements are in place.

PLASTICS – CARPE DIEM? The chair of the morning session, Professor of Sustainable Waste Management at the University of Northampton, Margaret Bates, emphasised in her address that as plastics “are not all created equal”, the UK needs a sensible debate about packaging. “Thanks to the spotlight on the issues relating to plastics in the environment there has become an amazing awareness, but people have little knowledge about what is realistic. People have great ideas, but they won’t work,” she told the audience, warning of the unintended consequences that can arise from material replacement or elimination, such as increased carbon footprint or higher food waste.

Faced with a complex situation, the panellists involved in the morning session were asked what one, UK-wide change they would each implement to make the biggest change. Andy Rees, Head of Waste Strategy at the Welsh Government, said a robust and futureproof deposit return scheme that works together with Extended Producer Responsibility would have the biggest impact. “EPR will be a game changer if the modulated fees that have been proposed are implemented,” he told the audience. Shane Monkman of ASDA, the UK’s third biggest supermarket chain by market share, said that standardised collection across all local authorities would make the biggest difference and was long overdue. Chris Brown, Managing Director of Clean Tech, one of Europe’s leading rPET pellet and flake manufacturers, said a significant reduction in the amount of collected material that is currently exported was imperative to making real change. “We have to ensure there is enough material to meet demand in this country,” he commented.

Elena Polisano, Campaigner at Greenpeace said for her it ultimately “comes down to using less plastic.” Finally, Justin Kempson of Charpak said the need for a clear and consistent On Pack Recycling Labelling (OPRL) system was needed.

FLEXIBLE FUTURES In the first ever session at a RECOUP conference dedicated to films and flexibles, session chair Mike Baxter from RPC bpi said there was opportunity in the recycling of pouches, films and flexibles to be widely recycled, but the systems need investment. Backing up this opinion, Richard McKinlay of Axion Recycling updated the audience on the findings of the REFLEX project, stating that the barriers to the increased

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“For a number of years, we have talked about what could be done, might be done and what the future might hold, but now it’s time for action. We can’t wait for tomorrow and we certainly can’t wait until 2042” – Foster recycling of flexibles “is not a material problem” and that there was potential for both PE and PP based packs. “I see a big market for recycled PP into rigids,” he explained. “PP film is fully recyclable, including that which is metallised, and coatings, adhesives and barrier layers have little effect on recyclability. We need to invest in flexible packaging recycling. We should use this opportunity to develop a solution for all flexible packaging,” he added.

A RESPONSIBLE PLASTIC FUTURE? The final session of the day looked at the changes likely to happen in the future within plastics resources, recycling and packaging. There was debate on what any future deposit return scheme might look like, how recycling could be measured and the possible outcomes of EPR for both recycling and litter.

Both Nick Brown from Coca Cola and Stuart HaywardHigham from Suez highlighted some of their ongoing plans and activities to change the way we treat plastic resources, and make the current systems better, with John Read from Clean Up Britain recognising the current litter problems in the UK and highlighting its campaign in Leamington Spa to change consumer thinking.

CONCLUSION Throughout the day, the event embraced the current work of many organisations in this space and challenged all involved to make the most of the ‘once in a generation’ opportunities that are presenting themselves. “Change is coming, and we need to ‘seize the day,” concluded RECOUP’s Stuart Foster.

www.recoup.org

The 2018 conference drew a record attendance

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AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS NEWS FANUC adds 6kg payload variant to SCARA robot range FANUC has extended its range of Selective Compliance Assembly (SCARA) robots to include a model capable of processing parts weighing up to 6kg.

It says the SR-6iA is ideally suited for a variety of applications within a circular working envelope, including fast automated assembly, testing and inspection, packaging and material handling. It is FANUC’s largest SCARA robot to date, with a horizonal reach of 650mm and a vertical stroke of 210mm; whilst a high inertia capacity allows it to handle larger workpieces up to 6kg.

As with other models in the range, the SR-6iA has a compact footprint (180 x 258mm) to avoid interference with peripheral devices. It has a lightweight design – coupled with integral air lines, 24VDC power and I/O signal cables, as well as optional solenoid valves – to enable easy system integration

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and continuous fast operation.

“The introduction of the SR-6iA to the UK market will represent a step-change in SCARA technology,” explained Andrew Armstrong, Sales and Marketing Manager at FANUC UK. “Previous models have boasted speed of operation and compact footprint, yet our newest offering combines these benefits with double the payload capacity, as well as extended reach. As such the SR-6iA can open up new market opportunities for industrial endusers by improving the capacity they can offer their own customers.”

For those new to automation, Fanuc says the robot is simple to program by using the iRProgrammer, which can be accessed remotely via a PC or tablet. The SR-6iA is available with a bottom cable exit or wallmounting equipment, depending on the application. The SCARA range has, like all FANUC robots, got integrated iRVision, force sensing, conveyor tracking, fieldbus connectivity, integrated safety, and most other software options.

“As with all FANUC robots, ease of use is at the heart of the SR-6iA,” Armstrong continued. “Whether users are seasoned factory automation experts, or completely new to the concept, the intuitive iRProgrammer can ensure that their new investment is up and running in no time at all. While the SR-6iA may be one of the most compact in the FANUC portfolio, it can still lead to tangible increases in productivity and, ultimately, profitability.”

The winner of the ‘Golden Cobot’ for Northern Europe is B-Loony Ltd, a Buckinghamshire-based manufacturer of bespoke promotional products, where it is being used to help the company produce two million metres of promotional bunting each year.

“B-Loony is the perfect example of how small and medium-sized manufacturers can realise the benefits of flexible automation. Adopting

cobots has enabled it to continue manufacturing in the UK and to remain highly responsive to customer demands for personalised products, all while remaining highly competitive and growing their market share,” commented Mark Gray, UK Sales Manager, Universal Robots.

Since the sale of the its first cobot in December 2008, Universal Robots’ cobots have been utilised in a diverse range of markets, taking on tasks including industrial assembly, pick-andplace and quality inspections.

Unlike conventional robotic solutions, Universal Robots’ says its cobots are designed to work hand-in-hand with operators with maximum efficiency, opening up more opportunities for human-robot collaboration in the workplace.

The cobots can take on a wide spectrum of tasks and Universal claims they have the fastest payback time in the industry, which it says makes them a viable option for smallscale businesses where conventional options may be too expensive.

Mark Gray, UK Sales Manager, Universal Robots (L) hands the robot over to James Clephan, Operations Director, B-Loony Ltd

www.fanuc.eu

Fanuc’s new SCARA SR6iA robot

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WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

29

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EEF launches new Robotics and Automation training EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, has launched a new training course it says will retrain and up-skill employees by covering the knowledge and practical skills involved with robotic and automation engineering.

The organisation says this will make it one of the very few providers able to offer the training, which will lead to the EAL Level 3 Certificate in Robotics and Automation.

According to EEF, there is a significant gap between where the workforce is now and where it needs to be. With employers installing robotics and automated systems in factories, it says there is “an essential need” to develop the right skills to work alongside this technology in a manufacturing environment.

Employers, it adds, will need a multi-skilled workforce able to adapt to these new systems and solve a wide range of issues that may arise in a day to day operation.

The new course, lasting eight weeks, will include: mechanical and electrical maintenance of automation; robot processes and functions; automated control systems; machine software design, robot programming; and simulation engineering.

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New automated thermoforming packing machine is a ‘shaw’ thing

D DERBYSHIRE-BASED MEDICAL PACKAGING MANUFACTURER, RIVERSIDE MEDICAL PACKAGING, HAS CREATED THE ‘SHAWPAK’, A SPACESAVING, AUTOMATED THERMOFORMING PACKAGING MACHINE IT BELIEVES OVERCOMES MANY OF THE LIMITATIONS OF STANDARD SYSTEMS. BP&R LOOKS AT THE DETAILS.

Different forming drums with cavities of various dimensions can be easily removed and replaced to pack objects of different sizes and shapes on the same machine. [Source: Riverside Medical / Shawpak]

Designed and developed by a team of engineers at Riverside Medical Packaging, and built in Derby, the new Shawpak-branded cleanroom thermoforming packaging machines offer manufactures a flexible, efficient and space-saving alternative to conventional systems.

Thanks to clever design and the use of a compact integrated control solution, the Shawpak can replace a packing line that could stretch out to 20m with a unit that is under 2m in length. Riverside Medical says the cost advantages for operators are clearly significant, as the opportunity to increase production or re-purpose existing floor space is considerable.

“The high cost of maintaining a clean room production environment increases the benefits and reduces the ROI when using one of our machines” explained David Shaw, Riverside Medical’s CEO. “The company has been involved in contract manufacturing and machine development on behalf of the medical industry for over 40 years, so we knew the market for a solution was there.”

Having developed the initial concept, Riverside Medical approached Mitsubishi Electric to help it develop its vision of a super-compact design into a fast, efficient, robust and reliable machine.

The resultant Shawpak models are compact thermoforming sealing machines that can be loaded manually, or for additional speed and efficiency, using an integrated Mitsubishi Electric robot.

INNOVATION ON A DRUM The main innovation, says Riverside Medical, is the forming, packing and sealing process which is now carried-out on a drum, rather than a linear conveyor system. The rotary motion of the drum, along with the sealing film is indexed using precision servo control while the product and package manipulation uses suction.

The product to be packed is loaded on-top of the drum and ejected into a discharge conveyor underneath. The webs of packaging material, for example PET or polyethylene sheets, plus the forming, sealing and cutting stations are positioned around the drum. Thanks to the rotary format, Shawpak machines start at 1.5m long and can occupy less than 2M2 of floorspace. This represents a reduction of up to 95 per cent compared to the space occupied by a traditional form fill sealing (FFS) machine.

“A comparable FFS machine can be anywhere from 7 to 20 metres in length depending on the packaging process requirements, occupying

Mitsubishi Electric has provided Riverside Medical Packaging with an integrated control solution [Source: Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V.]

a working space of up to 40 square metres,” explained Ivor Rowe, Technical Manager at Riverside Medical. “As a result, a given cleanroom space can fit six times more packing machines with a Shawpak design, increasing both productivity and throughput.”

The rotary design of Shawpak also increases versatility and flexibility during packaging operations. Different forming drums with cavities of various dimensions are available, which Riverside Medical says can be easily removed and replaced in order to pack objects of different sizes and shapes on the same machine. In addition, the new concept ensures that every piece of packaging material is used, reducing the amount of waste from cut packaging material experienced by other designs.

It is possible to further improve productivity on the factory floor as well as maintaining a controlled environment in the cleanroom more easily by adding a robotic arm for loading. “The traditional form fill sealing machines used in medical device packaging industries do not fit the modern requirements of plant flexibility, process optimisation and throughput. We believe our novel approach is a gamechanger that can revolutionise the sector,” Rowe added.

STATE-OF-THE-ART AUTOMATION Mitsubishi Electric provided the Shawpak with a compact integrated control solution based on the company’s diminutive L-Series PLC, supplied with servo control and safety modules, HMIs and an optional MELFA articulated arm robot.

“We relied heavily on Mitsubishi Electric to realise this project,” said Shaw. “As this was a completely new concept for us, we needed an automation solution provider that could deliver on the PLC, servo and indexing aspects, as well as providing a cost-effective robot integration package.” www.shawpak.co.uk gb3a.mitsubishielectric.com

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RECYCLING MACHINERY | NEWS Cranfield University heads up research into power from incineration in townscale pyrolysis plants Researchers at Cranfield University are working to understand the potential recovery of valuable chemicals from plasticcontaining waste which is not currently recycled.

This would divert low-grade plastic waste from landfill to produce chemicals for use in manufacturing or as liquid fuels.

The University’s research will support producing high value materials from wastes otherwise destined for landfill, or as use as direct energy conversion, that is, power from incineration.

Partnering with Syngas Products and WestAfricaENRG, Cranfield’s research team will demonstrate that RDF and wastes containing low-grade plastic materials, which are currently rejected by material recycling facilities (MRFs), can be used in a town-scale pyrolysis plant.

Developed by Syngas Products, the plants produce energy, alongside affordable and highquality liquid fuels, for use as base chemicals in manufacturing. The team says by adding additional processing to the existing Syngas Products technology for waste processing, this ‘upcycling’ approach could be a commercially viable option to solve both the low-grade plastic waste issues and dependency on fossil fuels for transport.

“RDF material is energy-rich and represents a loss-of-resource once it leaves the UK. Similarly, substantial quantities, around 340,000 tpa, of rejected and mixed low-grade plastics from UK MRFs are produced each year, as the market for recovering and recycling this material is not commercially viable. Our research to date shows that through smaller-scale advanced thermal treatment, pyrolysis in this case, products can be recovered in addition to the energy and power,” explained Dr Stuart Wagland, Senior Lecturer in Energy and Environmental Chemistry at

Cranfield’s research is looking at power from incineration

Cranfield.

“To ensure the UK is at the forefront of flexible ATT (advanced thermal treatment) processes we are developing a business case for the commercialisation of the liquid fuels and chemical products in both the UK and internationally.

ATT processes are not necessarily rivals with conventional energy from waste technology – combustion, larger-scale facilities play a key role in diverting waste from landfill. However, town-scale advanced thermal treatment facilities are key to developing a diverse and flexible resource management future in the UK.” There is a significant availability of plastic-containing mixed waste streams in the UK and in

Nigeria, yet further development is needed to demonstrate ATT on a community scale and to outline a pathway to commercialisation of liquid fuel outputs.

It is hoped the knowledge gained from this research could reduce transportation emissions by siting technology locally at a small modular scale, where the waste arises or where there is a need for fuel. Cranfield says it could prevent the use of fossil fuels by utilising the energy from non-recyclable waste, improve security of supply and provide a low cost and sustainable fuel, avoiding the volatility of the oil and gas industry. www.cranfield.ac.uk

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The S-Max 2

Wittmann launches new screenless granulators for inline sprue recycling Wittmann has launched a new series of screenless granulator models specifically tailored for the inline recycling of sprues made from hard and brittle engineering resins.

Depending on the granulator model, either S-Max2, S-Max 2 Plus or S-Max 3, Wittmann says a material throughput of 12, 20 or 30kg per hour can be achieved.

The S-Max series models, available since August, are specifically designed for the closed loop recycling of sprues/ runners from injection moulding machines with up to 300 tons of clamping force. The granulators are portable and can be moved easily from one moulding machine to another.

Wittmann says in order to meet the needs of processors in achieving a constant quantity

Benefits of metal separation are a ‘draw’ for Bunting Bunting Magnetics says the demonstration of equipment for metal separation during recycling operations at the Recycling and Waste Management Show (RWM) last month received “an unbelievable” amount of interest

of dust-free and high quality regrind at a constant size, as well as ensuring operational efficiency, it has developed several industry firsts. The new S-Max series granulators produce less noise, save more energy, have a more compact footprint, need less maintenance, are equipped with hardened cutting tools, provide for easy cleaning and maintenance, and also have excellent safety features.

Where software is concerned, an interface enables full communication with the injection moulding machine. As an option, a special shutdown function is available where the granulator stops automatically when the injection moulding machine is ‘off’.

Other benefits, says Wittmann, include sensors underneath the cutting chamber that trigger both visual and audible alarms if a collection bin is full, as well as outlet pipes that are tailored to quickly remove regrind. The new series, Wittmann says, has

from visitors.

The company exhibited its Master Magnets-branded range of magnetic separators and eddy current separators as a ‘live test centre’, resulting in a number of enquiries and a sale at the show.

“We wanted to do something different this year,” explained Dave Hills, Bunting’s Head of Sales. “Visitor interaction is so

come as a result of the change in attitude of plastics processors towards waste – in regards to both that generated in house and using plastics recyclate in new products. www.wittmann-group.com

important and we wanted people to handle the metal and then see what happens when they place it on the belt of the metal separation system.”

Bunting used its appearance at the show to demonstrate its Stainless Steel Magnetic Separator (SSSC version) for the first time at a UK trade show, where large, fist-sized balls of fragmented stainless steel were recovered from a conveyor.

“Being able to show visitors the separation capabilities of the equipment was vitally important,” explained Hills. “This made it easier to relate to their metal separation requirements.

Following the exhibition, we will be conducting tests at our Master Magnets Redditch laboratory, where we can confirm the separation capabilities. It is going to be a busy few months.” www.buntingeurope.com

The Stainless Steel Separator in action WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

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Better together: Recycling Technologies says symbiosis is the future for the UK’s waste

A AS PLANNING PERMISSION IS GRANTED FOR ITS FIRST CHEMICAL RECYCLING MACHINE IN SCOTLAND, WHERE IT WILL WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH MECHANICAL RECYCLING, RECYCLING TECHNOLOGIES IS LOOKING FORWARD TO A FUTURE WHERE BOTH PROCESSES WORK IN HARMONY TO TACKLE THE WASTE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES IN THE UK AND BEYOND. BP&R REPORTS.

Recycling Technologies, the Swindon-based company that has developed a chemical process to economically recycle mixed plastic waste into a valuable hydrocarbon product, is now one step closer to its goal of achieving its targets after planning approval for its first machine was approved.

During the Recycling and Waste Management (RWM) exhibition in Birmingham last month, the company announced that its first plastic-to-oil machine, the RT7000, will be built as part of ‘Project Beacon’ at Binn Eco Park, Scotland. As part of the project, the machine, which is capable of recycling 7,000 tonnes per annum of mixed, laminated, black, film and even contaminated plastic waste, will convert this into a product known as ‘Plaxx’, an oil for use in making new polymers.

The RT700 will run alongside mechanical recycling, with the ambition of, in future, as much as 90 percent of Scotland’s plastics being recycled.

It is precisely this type of model, that sees mechanical and chemical recycling working symbiotically, that Recycling Technologies hopes will be replicated in both the UK and beyond.

“Chemical recycling not only has the economics, but the ability to scale very quickly due to its mass produceability and the implementation into MRFs around the world,” explained Adrian Griffiths, CEO of Recycling Technologies. “When used alongside mechanical recycling, it can divert waste from being exported, landfilled or incinerated and turns it into a valuable new material.”

This new material, he added, has uses in multiple industrial sectors and can be sold individually or combined dependent on the drivers of the local market place.

Given the volatility of virgin polymer pricing based on fossil-derived oil, as well as the desire for companies to use more sustainable materials, Griffiths says the Plaxx material provides a reliable revenue stream. The company has already sold all the Plaxx material produced from its first 12 machines.

SCALE-UP The first RT7000 will be built at Recycling Technologies’ new assembly facility in Swindon, which has capacity to mass-produce 200 machines a year for installation at waste sites in the UK and worldwide.

Chemical recycling not only has the economics, but the ability to scale very quickly due to its mass produceability and the implementation into MRFs around the world With an innovative distributed approach, Recycling Technologies says it has the potential to quickly react to meet the demand for more plastic recycling capacity.

“With plastics set to double in its use in the next 20 years, and given how it keeps us safe in hospitals, keeps food fresher for longer and has an awful lot better carbon footprint than often the steel or glass equivalents, I’d be extremely happy to see the growth of plastics, so long as we develop the capacity to recycle as much of it as is possible at the end of its life,” Griffiths added.

EXCLUSIVE PRN DEAL In addition to the news of the planning permission for the RT7000 at Binn Eco Park, the firm also announced at RWM that the company’s growth will be supported by selling Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs), in an exclusive three-year deal with compliance partner, Ecosurety.

This new contract, it says, will deliver clear benefits to Ecosurety’s retail and FMCGs customers looking to invest in building domestic recycling infrastructure and, will support innovative re-processing of erstwhile ‘unrecyclable’ single-use plastics.

“We are changing the story of plastic by providing a commercial solution to chemically recycle waste plastic currently blighting the world’s environment,” Griffiths continued. “We are keen to accelerate our goto-market and investment plans and this PRN contract and planning permission puts us closer to achieving these plans.” www.recyclingtechnologies.co.uk

Adrian Griffiths

Beta Plant sited at Cheyney Manor, Swindon (Credit: Recycling Technologies) WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

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PURGING COMPOUNDS | NEWS Purging plan sees UK manufacturer double turnover in three years Manufacturer of purging compounds for the plastics industry, Aquapurge, has doubled its turnover in three years, with export sales increasing six-fold in the same period.

The Hayes, Middlesex-based company says the growth has been down to a new business focus implemented in 2015, which saw it limit sectoral R&D and concentrate on realising the sales potential of three of its core product lines.

Barrel Blitz Universal (BBU), PolyClear 100 and PolyClear HMEX all have stringent carbon cleaning properties to strip out all carbon black deposits from plastics machinery; rendering the production equipment as new. The company made the decision to promote these products not only in the UK, but in core geographical markets.

Following the recruitment of sales distributors in Italy, France, and Spain, the company has seen demand soar in these new territories, which, coupled with a strong domestic market has led it to relocate to bigger premises to

Skills training vital to productive purging, says CJP UK materials distributor, CJP Sales, says that operator skills and training is essential to effectively using purging compounds for efficiency gains.

The Bridgend, South Walesbased company, believes that when undertaking evaluation of how to prevent waste and production shutdown, plastics processors need

Purging compounds need to be understood to be fully utilised, says CJP

satisfy demand.

John Steadman, Company CoFounder and Technical Director, has been responsible from the outset for the continuing development of these products. “Today’s industry operates in a world where there are clear shortages of good technical people. In these conditions and in the absence of complex skill sets, companies are in clear need of simple, provable and cost-saving solutions,” he explained.

“The targeted application of purging compound material is such a solution.

It provides a clear route to liberating machine time and improving quality.”

Aquapurge Co-Director, Richard Brayne-Nicholls, says that customer feedback has proven the products meet the key criteria for increasing efficiency and reducing downtime.

“For a very modest outlay, one of our Italian trade moulders let us know that they are saving hundreds of thousands of euros a year – in terms of increased machinery availability (OEE); reduced downtime; reduced machine refurbishment and strip downs not to mention expensive faulty mouldings, customer returns and re-runs and so forth,” he explained.

Now the company is in its new, upgraded premises it intends to

to take understanding of materials behaviour into account.

Prior to the use of any purging compound, CJP says it is not uncommon for processors to run up huge amounts of scrap production when clearing residue from a colour or material change.

Where a commercial purging compound can, and will, in most cases prevent this, CJP says the use of these products needs to be taken a step further, and this is where training becomes a critical factor.

“Understanding how the polymers behave when processed is an area often overlooked when personal skills are being considered. The skills pool within the UK plastics industry is exceptional in terms of design and development, engineering and polymer selection,” explained Connor Benyon of CJP. “However, there is a grey area in truly understanding what is WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

The expanded Aquapurge team

capitalise on the growth seen in the past three years. Further investments are also in the pipeline, including a new website to be launched in four languages and a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system that will be able handle an increasingly global operation.

Benelux territories are currently being targeted for new sales people and an Aquapurge distributor is now appointed for Turkey. “We now have an international team of six employees and we plan to grow that to a total of nineteen within the next two years,” said Brayne-Nicholls.

Both Directors say they are targeting a 40 per cent annual sales growth in the coming years. www.aquapurge.com

taking place within the processing equipment and what is happening to the polymer when processed, as well as why polymers are different and what correlation this has to scrap rates.”

CJP, which has been the UK distributor for Dyna-Purge (Shuman) since 2008, says through using its own technical skills to offer training to on-site operatives it is helping customers reap the ‘true’ benefits of purging compounds.

“We don’t just sell our customers Dyna-Purge and move on,” Benyon continued. “We train the staff on site how to understand both polymer behaviour and the importance of machine maintenance through short, straight forward site visits and training sessions. This is hugely important for solving this area of the skills gap.” www.cjpsales.co.uk 39

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WWW. ALBIS.COM | HIGH PERFORMANCE POLYMERS FOR DEMANDING APPLICATIONS CASE STUDY:

PET preforms moulder achieves higher supplier rating using purging compounds

D DUE TO BLACK SPECKS, A EUROPEAN PET MOULDER WAS SEEING BATCHES OF UP TO FOUR BILLION PREFORM PARTS REJECTED. THIS LED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A MAINTENANCE PROGRAMME USING CHEM-TREND’S ULTRA PURGE 5160.

IN THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE, BP&R LOOKS AT THE IMPACT IT HAD ON BUSINESS AND PERFORMANCE.

PET preform production

Like many moulders, Chem-Trend’s North West Italybased customer had seen PET resin flow scrape carbonised contamination from machine parts and carry it downstream. The result was that black specks were appearing in moulded preforms several hours into new production runs.

Although preform defects are noticed as soon as bottles burst in the blow-moulding station, just a small fraction of non-compliant parts will mean the entire production batch is rejected. Being forced to scrap good quality preforms not only increases production costs but also weakens the supplier’s rating.

Moulders commonly find that black specks are being flushed into moulded parts hours after production has started. A key cause is the tendency for liquid colourants to stick to metal surfaces and degrade, causing contamination to build layer-upon-layer. Add temperature, shear rate and pressure factors to that and, over time, degradation becomes critical.

Chem-Trend says when layers of contamination reach this level, polymer flow and moving parts act to break those contamination layers up, detaching them from metal surfaces so they flush into moulded parts.

This consequence of black speck contamination can last a long time.

As a heavy metal component, the shooting pot has great heat inertia. Its lengthy heat-up and cooldown times contribute to the degradation of the PET resin and pigment in contact with its surfaces. Even empty shooting pots retain a thin layer of resin that will degrade during a regular mould maintenance production halt, or over a weekend.

The severity of the problem, Chem-Trend adds, depends on several reasons, such as length of the production batches; the number of colourants and additives used; the number of stop/restarts planned (mould maintenance or weekend shutdowns, for example); whether there is a preventive maintenance programme in place; and, finally, more unpredictable factors, such as power shortage, equipment

Using a suggested amount of the product, and following a collaborative process, the moulder implemented a purging procedure that took just five minutes.

Six months later, checks showed very good results breakdown etc.

If quality controls fail to detect the black speck problem in time and a non-compliant production batch reaches the blowing station, contaminated bottles burst and the entire batch is rejected.

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE When an Ultra Purge sales representative visited the Italian PET moulder, scrap rates were unacceptable.

Chem-Trend collaborated with the customer to devise a simple yet effective preventive maintenance approach, which saw the introduction of a regime using Ultra Purge 5160 involving screw and barrel cleaning after each mould change and regular maintenance (weekly basis); during every dark-to-light colour change; as well as cleaning during shut downs and start-ups on weekends or long maintenance periods.

Using a suggested amount of the product, and following a collaborative process, the moulder implemented a purging procedure that took just five minutes. Six months later, checks showed very good results.

Because contamination is ejected from the system as the machine starts up, once process parameters reach desired values, all preform moulds will be black speck-free. Consequently, Chem-Trend says enhanced PET preform quality is a key advantage of Ultra Purge 5160 use. Having embraced a proactive approach to screw and shooting pot cleaning, the preform customer’s contamination layers are now removed as they form.

RATINGS ON THE UP Chem-Trend says that regularly using Ultra Purge 5160 preventatively will help PET preform moulders achieve a better supplier quality rating by improving the machine start-up. An injection moulding machine kept in good shape maintains a predictable production restart. Recurrently flushing out contaminated layers avoids impurity build-up and random parts contamination.

Chem-Trend says the reject reduction its Italian PET moulder experienced with Ultra Purge 5160 use had the direct advantage of cutting downtime and scrap, while improving the firm’s environmental footprint. www.chemtrend.com

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celebrating 180 years

MACHINERY | NEWS Billion UK expands team with “hands on” Business Development Manager Billion UK has recruited a new Business Development Manager that is undertaking a “hands on” role of both sales and servicing.

Simon Johnson, who has been working in the plastics and toolmaking industry since the age of 15, has joined the firm in a role where he will use his many years of experience in tool and machine diagnostics and repair to help customers across the UK. “I have always enjoyed being hands on,” Johnson told BP&R. “This new role enables me to try something new whilst still being able to utilise the knowledge I’ve built up over the years to really help customers get the best out of their machines through advice, servicing and repairs.”

Johnson, who began working alongside his father in the family toolmaking company, studied an apprenticeship after leaving secondary school. He then went on to purchase two injection moulding

BOY sees successful future in UK injection moulding market The Managing Associate of the BOY Group of injection moulding machinery says he sees a

machines, despite having no experience of injection moulding, and ‘self-taught’ the skills needed through advice and learning from friends in the industry.

Later, he went on to use these skills to open a moulding shop, with 13 machines making parts for the fishing industry and later, the Ministry of Defence.

Following this, he worked for several trade toolmakers before progressing his career with roles in the automotive sector and as a technical manager at a Wellingborough-based company that manufactures household cleaning products. Here, as well as undertaking the management of the company’s moulding and toolroom departments, he also has responsibility for automation and aided with product design projects.

“My career in plastics has been one that’s come from a love of learning,” Johnson said.

“I’d encourage young people to consider a career in the industry but also to try an apprenticeship.

Many think they want an officebased job, but once they see something being made and produced, for example on a tool

“successful future” for its business in the UK, regardless of what happens with Brexit.

Alfred Schiffer made the comments whilst visiting its subsidiary, BOY Ltd, in Rushden, Northamptonshire, where he presented the company with a plaque to commemorate 35 years of successful partnership.

“Whatever may happen in Great Britain in the future with the likes of Brexit and the euro, with this successful partnership we have optimised our position in this market,” Schiffer explained.

“With BOY Ltd. we have a very competent partner and the direction for a successful future

From left: Bob Wilson, Alfred Schiffer and Tracey Wilson

Simon Johnson

they’ve manufactured, then it becomes both real and rewarding.”

Johnson believes the plastics industry is one of the most exciting and underappreciated in the country. “With virtually everything we use containing plastics on a day-to-day basis, and their use in ever more complex and exciting products, I feel young people both today and in future will get great fulfilment out of working in this sector,” he continued.

Johnson will work alongside Peter Kirkham, Managing Director at Billion UK, based in Milton Keynes, although will travel across the UK. www.billion.fr/en/

of both firms has already been defined.”

BOY Ltd took over the responsibility for all sales, support and servicing of BOY injection moulding machines in Great Britain in 1983, later extending these activities to Northern Ireland.

Managed by Bob Wilson and his wife, Tracey, the company has, over its 35-year history, sold machines from across BOY Group’s product portfolio to customers supplying to a variety of sectors.

It has also opened a dedicated mould and materials trial facility at Rushden.

“Certainly through both the good and difficult times we were always able to rely on BOY as our partner to create our current success,” said Bob Wilson. www.dr-boy.de/en/

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celebrating 180 years

Chess Plastics makes further investments as part of five-year plan Chess Plastics Ltd is realising efficiency gains at its Midlands-based manufacturing facility thanks to an ongoing programme of investment.

The plastic injection moulding firm is progressing a five-year business plan that sees “substantial

annual investment” in its machinery, infrastructure and organisation.

Following a trail of a Borche machine in early 2018, the company has replaced some of its older machines with three new Borche 500T machines.

“Having successfully trialled the first Borche machine earlier in the year, we felt that the compact footprint and the lower height gave us new opportunities to look at factory efficiency,” explained Glyn Olden, Chess Plastics’ Director. “Tool changes have always been slower than desired and so the factory layout was given consideration.”

Following a review by Pelloby Cranes, Chess Plastics installed a

The new Pelloby Ltd overhead crane and one of the new Borche machines at Chess Plastics

Pentagon Plastics Group makes major investment into tooling division The Pentagon Plastics group has made a £150,000 investment into onsite CNC machining capabitilies for its specialist tooling division.

Phoenix Engineering, part of the Pentagon Group, took delivery of two machining centres – a Mikron VCE800 Pro 3-axis and a DMG DMU 50 Evo Linear – full 5-axis.

The company says the new in-house machining centres are “an excellent addition” that complement the Group’s existing CNC capabilities, as well as helping to decrease lead times for

tooling and reducing the need for work to be subcontracted.

The investment sees the company looking to recruit new staff to its engineering team and says it is actively seeking skilled CNC machinists and toolmakers.

“We’re very happy to bring this updated functionality and efficiency to our clients, which further improves our in-house processes,” explained Paul Edwards, Managing Director of the Pentagon Group. “As we continue to grow after years of investment into both our services and staff, milestones such as these are something we take pride in.” www.pentagonplastics.co.uk

Managing Director, Paul Edwards, with the new machining centres 44

6.5 tonne overhead crane which has reduced the company’s tool change times and increased overall efficiency.

Alongside the capital investments, Chess has also been combining internal and external training and apprenticeships to develop its staff and achieve its growth ambitions.

“Chess sees its future growth plan being achieved through meeting quality, service and value requirements and, having already achieved the transition of ISO 9001/2015, we are well on our way to achieving the automotive standard IATF 16949 certification for early 2019,” Olden added.

The company will showcase its capabilities when it exhibits at the K show in Dusseldorf in 2019, as well as Interplas in the UK in 2020. www.chessplastics.co.uk

Colourmaster NIP and Kavia Tooling agree new distribution agreement Colourmaster NIP is to distribute UK-manufactured plastic injection moulding tools from Kavia Tooling.

The service offered through the partnership will include review of component design to ensure the best cost of manufacture for both the tooling and the component, design of the mould tool, full functional testing prior to delivery and first-off sampling and adjustment if necessary.

Options for tooling can include standard P20 or fully hardened tooling, single impression or multi cavity, single component or multi component family tooling and polished or textured finish as required.

Eddie Thurloway, Sales and Business Development Manager at Colourmaster NIP, said: “Having purchased mould tools

by Kavia Tooling for several years in my previous role, I know the quality of the tools they manufacture. When discussing the possibility of Colourmaster working together with Kavia Tooling I had no hesitation in recommending that we should.” www.colourmaster.co.uk

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HRCM15 1-zone • Full feature 15A hot runner controller • Industry standard features without the cost • Includes connector plug

Just £195 Large stocks of Ancillaries available for next day delivery Call our sales team on 01536 403886 / 206653 to discuss your requirements

46

CUSTOM COLOUR MASTERBATCH T: +44(0)1986 875100 sales@broadwaycolours.com UNIVERSAL MASTERBATCH WWW.BROADWAYCOLOURS.COM UNBEATABLE SERVICE

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|

celebrating 180 years

EXCLUSIVE Q&A

Simply the Best(on): Why IMM Projects is putting service first with new range

S SINCE INTRODUCING THE BESTON RANGE OF INJECTION MOULDING MACHINES TO THE UK PLASTICS INDUSTRY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN JULY, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF IMM PROJECTS, MICHAEL DE BEER, TOLD BP&R WHY THE MACHINES’ ATTRIBUTES FIT PERFECTLY WITH THE COMPANY’S ETHOS OF ‘SERVICE FIRST’.

Q) THE UK INJECTION MOULDING MACHINERY MARKET IS INCREASINGLY COMPETITIVE, WITH MORE BRANDS AVAILABLE TO PROCESSORS THAN EVER. WHY INTRODUCE THIS NEW BRAND NOW? Having worked in the industry for 12 years as a service engineer for a leading machinery manufacturer, I set up IMM Projects in 2017 as an attentive and conscientious start-up business; offering maintenance and servicing, component sourcing and fitting, and training for almost any injection moulding machine brand. Through my work I was introduced to Beston and was overwhelmed by the simplicity of the set-up and maintenance for the user, especially when paired with the overall cost savings. This resulted in IMM Projects bringing Beston to the UK market as its sole supplier. In line with my company’s ethos, we decided to offer clients an outstanding hands-on after sales service and long-term maintenance support, including 24-hour telephone help.

Q) THERE IS A WIDE RANGE OF MACHINES IN THE BESTON RANGE. WHICH MODELS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE UK AND WHAT FUNCTIONS AND FEATURES DO THEY OFFER? There are 13 models available from the Europeanmanufactured SYS Series, with clamping forces ranging from 600 – 13,500kN. They offer minimum mould heights of 120mm through to 1,350mm and are available as a semi- or closed-loop system. In addition, we are also able to supply 12 models from the Asian-manufactured BTW-V series. Clamping forces in this series range from 1000 – 12,000kN and minimum mould heights are between 150mm to a maximum 1,250mm. Again, a semi- or closed-loop system is available.

There are several elements in the machine’s design that have been developed with both business needs and machine operators in mind. These include an energy-saving hydraulic circuit and patented high response, which enables savings of between 20 and 55 per cent on energy usage. The machine’s clamping system has a ‘V’ design, which decreases distortion of the mould platen, increases the mould

SYS Series machines are available in the UK through IMM projects

life by up to 30 per cent and is exceptionally rigid.

The linear guide rail has a more effective nozzle seal when compared to a guide post design, meaning it is extremely safe under high pressure. There is a double cyclinder for an ultra-reliable injection movement and overall the barrel is kept straighter and more stable.

The machines are suited to a range of sectors, including household, electrical and electronics, white goods, telecom and FMCG, as well as product and packaging. They are already being used in the automotive sector, producing components including dashboards, heating vents and radio pocket buttons and panels for use in Volkswagen, BMW and Fiat vehicles. In terms of the materials that the Beston machines can process, examples include ABS, PA, PC, PP and GPP. Q) WHAT ARE THE STANDOUT DIFFERENCES OF THE BESTON IMMS COMPARED TO OTHER MACHINES? The price point is the primary standout element with the Beston SYS Series, which starts at £27,000 – and even more so with the BTW-V Series, which starts at £22,000. The difference comes as the latter is manufactured in Asia; the reduced production costs can be passed on straight to UK businesses.

When you compare these two Beston models with market counterparts, you get more ‘bang for your buck’, but it’s not all about price. We are offering an aftersales service that provides a higher level of support and training, both during installation and after, which plastics manufacturers might not necessarily be accustomed to. We want to ensure that customers are fully equipped to deal with programming and maintenance challenges, and, ultimately, reduce downtime.

Q) INTELLIGENT SOFTWARE AND INTUITIVE PROCESS CONTROL FUNCTION IS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF MACHINE SELECTION. WHICH PLATFORM DO THE BESTON MACHINES USE? Long standing automation expert, KEBA, which concentrates its efforts on the injection moulding sector, is behind the software, basic micro-computer and control panel of Beston machinery. With 45-years inventive experience, the solutions it provides are forward-thinking, maintained to exacting standards, allow maximum flexibility for end-users and are simple to use. KEBA is actively involved in various committees that work on standardising Industry 4.0 technologies and protocols on the smart factory market, integrating new developments quickly to support the latest standards. The modular software design of the open system lets customers choose which KEBA modules they would like to use and which modules they wish to develop themselves, adding more on at any time. www.immprojectsuk.com

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47

WWW.ULTRAPOLYMERS.COM | YOUR PARTNER FROM DESIGN TO PRODUCTION

MATERIALS | NEWS BASF develops world’s first particle foam based on polyethersulfone After two years of intensive research, BASF has produced prototypes of the world’s first particle foam based on polyethersulfone (PESU).

The foam is characterised by a

AirWash System -AirWash the system which can convey and clean simultaneously System AirWash System AirWash System -- the which can convey clean theitssystem system which can process conveyitand and clean simultaneously simultaneously With two stage cleaning is a precise de-duster that can eliminate - pelletisation the systemand which can convey and cleancosts. simultaneously drastically reduce processing

With stage cleaning cleaning process process it it is is a a precise precise de-duster de-duster that that can can eliminate eliminate With its its two two stage pelletisation and drastically reduce The AirWash is designed to effectively evacuatecosts. material from granulators, mixers and pelletisation and drastically reduceitprocessing processing With its two stage cleaning process is a precisecosts. de-duster that can eliminate other process equipment using its own blower, which is also used for the cleaning pelletisation and drastically reduce processing costs.

The process.

The AirWash AirWash is is designed designed to to effectively effectively evacuate evacuate material material from from granulators, granulators, mixers mixers and and other process equipment using its own blower, which is also used for the cleaning other process equipment using its own blower, which is also used for the cleaning The AirWash is designed to effectively evacuate material from granulators, mixers and process.

The result is a homogeneous clean regrind that can be introduced back into your process. other process equipment the using itsof own blower, which is also used for the cleaning product mix eliminating cost pelletisation. process.

The result is a homogeneous clean regrind The result is a homogeneous clean regrind that that can can be be introduced introduced back back into into your your product mix eliminating the cost of pelletisation.

For free sample evaluation please contact us. product mix eliminating the cost of pelletisation.

The result is a homogeneous clean regrind that can be introduced back into your

product mix eliminating the cost of pelletisation.

For free free sample evaluation please contact us. us.

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AFTER

For free sample evaluation please contact us.

BEFORE BEFORE

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BEFORE

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Kongskilde U.K. Ltd. Tel.: +44 1263 808 580 kuk@kongskilde-industries.com Kongskilde U.K. Ltd. Kongskilde U.K. Ltd. www.kongskilde-industries.com/Industry Tel.: +44 1263 808 580 Tel.: +44 1263 808 580 kuk@kongskilde-industries.com Kongskilde U.K. Ltd. kuk@kongskilde-industries.com www.kongskilde-industries.com/Industry Telwww.kongskilde-industries.com/Industry .: +44 1263 808 580 industry@kongskilde-industries.com www.kongskilde-industries.com/Industry

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unique combination of properties, including high-temperature resistance, inherent flame retardancy and extreme light weight coupled with stiffness and strength.

BASF says it is therefore particularly well suited for complexshaped components that answer to trends such as e-mobility in automotive construction, the modernisation of aircraft cabin interiors and increasing flame retardant requirements in public transport.

The expandable PESU granulate is pre-foamed into beads with low densities between 40 and 120 g/L and can be processed into moulded parts with complex 3D geometries using technologies available on the market.

Ultrason E, the trade name for BASF’s PESU, is an amorphous thermoplastic with a high glass transition temperature of 225°C. It remains dimensionally stable up to this temperature.

The material has a high limiting oxygen index of 38 (according to ASTM D 2863), which meets the requirements for commercial aircraft with regard to combustibility, low heat release and low smoke density, even without the addition of flame retardants, which means it is intrinsically flame retardant.

Despite its low density, BASF says the PESU particle foam can produce very stiff and strong components with excellent dimensional stability at high temperatures. Expanded moulded parts made from one single material offer numerous advantages compared to traditional honeycomb structures coated with phenolic resins, such as flexibility in terms of densities and shapes and therefore greater freedom in design.

There are also fewer processing steps and, therefore, lower system costs. Additional functional parts such as inserts and screw threads can be integrated in the complex geometries. Additionally, recycling of the parts can easily be carried out as the polymer is of one single origin. www.basf.com

03/09/2018 11:02

WWW.ULTRAPOLYMERS.COM | YOUR PARTNER FROM DESIGN TO PRODUCTION

Covestro develops sustainable and performanceenhancing new plastic Covestro, along with partners, has developed a new, a highperformance thermoplastic (HPT) that it says would significantly increase the future sustainability and performance of products in areas such as aviation, automotive and health.

The new HPT is a highperformance plastic, processable by injection moulding, that combines “numerous good properties”, including being stable with high hardness, and resistant to heat and several solvents.

A special feature of the HPT production is that it is based on easily accessible basic chemicals that are already being used to produce foams, for example.

Through a novel catalyst system, thermoplastic HPT can be produced from these basic chemicals for the first time, saving CO2 emissions and energy throughout the process, because complex steps are no longer required compared to the

Warwick researchers create bacteriafighting polymers using light Researchers at the University of Warwick have developed a method to produce and test hundreds of polymers, which could be used to kill drug-resistant superbugs, using light.

Researchers at the University of Warwick have created bacteria-fighting polymers, using light

production of conventional highperformance thermoplastics.

Compared to the products already available on the market, Covestro says there are quantifiable potential savings in resources. An initial Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for the industrial manufacturing process has shown that HPT produces more than 20 per cent fewer greenhouse gas emissions for production compared to similar thermoplastics.

In addition, the new continuous process, which the project partners RWTH Aachen University, The Technical University of Berlin, the Leipzig Plastics Centre and Airbus want to develop and implement, requires fewer solvents. It therefore has a significantly better life cycle assessment than conventional processes.

Test batches of HPT are being produced and Covestro says the challenge now is to enable environmentally compatible and economical production of the new plastic on an industrial scale.

“With this new joint project, we are underlining our efforts to produce particularly highperformance plastics in a climate-

The new methodology may help identify antimicrobials for a range of applications from personal care to coatings.

The researchers, from the Department of Chemistry and Warwick Medical School, developed a way to synthesise large libraries of polymers, in such a way to make their screening for antimicrobial activity faster, and without the need to use sealed vials.

By using multiple ‘building blocks’ in their polymers, new antimicrobials were identified – some of which appear to inhibit bacteria growth, contrary to predictions.

The benefit of the method, the researchers say, is that it allows screening of hundreds of different structures, enabling the researchers to ‘go fishing’ for new WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

HPT is a high-performance plastic, processable by injection moulding

friendly and simultaneously economically efficient process,” explained Dr Markus Steilemann, CEO of Covestro.

The development of the material and process is part of a research project known as ‘DreamCompoundConti’, which is funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research. www.covestro.com

properties, which, in this case, was antibiotic activity.

“Whilst many people have successfully mimicked antimicrobial peptides with polymers, the limiting step was the number of different combinations of building blocks you can use,” explained Professor Matthew Gibson from Warwick’s Department of Chemistry and Warwick Medical School and lead author of the paper. “We used simple robotics and a lightcontrolled polymerisation, which lets us do the chemistry open to air, without any sealed vials which are essential for most polymer syntheses.”

The research is published in the journal Chemistry; A European Journal. www.warwick.ac.uk 49

WWW.ULTRAPOLYMERS.COM | YOUR PARTNER FROM DESIGN TO PRODUCTION

IN HIS COLUMN THIS MONTH, OUR RESIDENT POLYMER EXPERT, MIKE BOSWELL, UNTANGLES THE TRUTH BEHIND THE HEADLINES AND DISCUSSES THE REAL IMPLICATIONS GLOBAL TRADE WARS HAVE FOR THE POLYMER INDUSTRY.

Who is ‘Polymerman’?

Mike Boswell is Managing Director of UK materials distributor, Plastribution, as well as the Chairman of the British Plastic Federation’s Polymer Compounders and Distributors Group and its ‘BREXIT Committee’.

‘Polymerman’ is the title used for announcements made via his Twitter account. This column is compiled using data from PIE (Plastics Information Europe) www.plastribution. co.uk | www.pieweb.com

50

What are the implications of trade wars for polymer pricing and availability?

The ‘Trump Administration’, through its protectionist trade policies, is bringing a new dimension to the global plastics market.

Whilst Donald Trump is a controversial figure, and not necessarily well-liked at home or abroad, he is widely credited for the recent revival of the US economy, although others may point to more tangible factors such as cheap energy resulting from shale gas. Nonetheless, President Trump continues to adopt a protectionist domestic agenda, applying tariffs to imported goods where otherwise US producers may struggle to compete.

In the case of plastics, the issue is not one of the US imposing additional tariffs on imports, but one of other countries applying tariffs on the imports of plastic raw materials in retaliation to the US imposing tariffs on their exports of other goods, including steel.

The selection of plastics for import tariffs comes as little surprise, given the recent resurgence in the US petrochemical industry based upon low-cost feedstocks derived from shale gas, along with the significant capacity build that now means that US producers are increasingly reliant on exports to fill capacity.

Whilst the imposition of duties makes imports less attractive, there are other factors to consider; most importantly is whether there is a fundamental demand, and, if so, will consumers be prepared to pay a price premium, or are there any options to dilute or avoid the duty? In a recent case, when, as a result of Turkey imposing an additional 25 per cent import duty on the import of PVC resin, it is rumoured that product was diverted via Europe (with which Turkey has a trade deal) in order to mitigate the duty premium and to keep Turkish

plastics processors supplied. It is understood that Turkey has now withdrawn the additional duty on PVC imports from the US. In a more recent case, China was initially rumoured to be considering applying additional duty on imports of LDPE from the US, only to ‘make a dummy pass’ and apply the tariff to LLDPE and HDPE instead. Whilst the initial reaction was for US producers to discount prices to other export markets to balance inventories, it soon became apparent that the market was rebalancing itself, with demand in South-East Asia booming as China sucked in more competitively priced material from this region to meet demand.

Furthermore, redistribution of supply is readily achievable due to the global nature of petrochemicals, and many US producers will simply reallocate supply to petrochemical plants outside of the US – which are not subject to duty – and other non-US producers will simply follow the arbitrage that will be a consequence of unbalanced supply.

In conclusion, it would appear that whilst selective import duties can be disruptive, and potentially harmful to the country that imposes them, in markets of global dimensions their true effect is rather limited.

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BUYER’S GUIDE MATERIALS

pulse staking

MOULD RELEASE

MASTERBATCH

TO ADVERTISE in this space CONTACT mandy o’brien 01244 952373

Specialists in supplying Plastic Joining, Bonding and Assembly Solutions

Technologies:

-Pulse Staking -Pulse Fusion -Ultrasonic Welding and Metal Insertion -High Frequency Induction Heating -Hot Air Staking

BLACK & WHITE MASTERBATCH Compounding

Recycling

Moulding

Film

Pipe

Conduit

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

Tel UK: +44 7467 959240 Tel IRL: +353 1 8013261 Email: info@hte.ie

www.hte.ie

ultrasonic welding

1 07

colour masterbatch

HOT RUNNER SYSTEMS hot runner controllers

CONTROL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT

quality monitoring control Kistler Instruments Ltd

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

DRYERS 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

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 Polymer Specific and Universal Colour and Additive Masterbatches. Fastmatch colour matching service.

1 mm Easysperse MicroPellets to 4 mm MaxiPellets.

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01943 875104 sales@wrightsltd.co.uk

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hot plate welding Branson Ultrasonics

infrared welding HIGH TECH AND HIGH PASSION.

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Purging Compounds Release Agents Mould Maintenance

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

Find your perfect joining method.

www.frimo.com TO ADVERTISE in this space CONTACT mandy o’brien 01244 952373

Ultrasonic Plastic Welders

MATERIALS HANDLING AND STORAGE gravimetric/ volumetric blending

New & Used

For Sale &

Wanted

Motan Colortronic Ltd

Branson - Mecasonic - Telsonic Sonotrodes (Horns) all Frequencies Fixtures, Repairs, Service, Parts Sub-Contract Welding, Hire & Consultancy

Tel; 01258 459257 Tel; 07730 413197

als.ultrasonics@gmail.com www.als-ultrasonics.co.uk

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 W: www.incontrolultrasonics.co.uk

Telsonic UK Ltd

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

HEATING EQUIPMENT

Unit 3 Vitrage Technical Park 27 Witney Road , Nuffield Industrial Estate, Poole, Dorset BH17 0GL T: 01202 697340 F: 01202 693674 W: www.telsonic.com Blog: telsoniccuk.wordpress.com

Branson Ultrasonics

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

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

TO ADVERTISE IN THis SPACE CONTACT mandy o’brien 01244 952373

hopper loaders

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

Motan Colortronic Ltd

AM&LT PUGH KONGSKILDE MAIN DEALER

MATERIALS HANDLING AND STORAGE

vibration welding

CHILLERS/ TEMPERATURE CONTROLLERS

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 E: sales@mfinduction.com W: www.mfinduction.com

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

51

BUYER’S GUIDE MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT MIXING, FEEDING AND 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 W: www.motan-colortronic.co.uk

METAL DETECTION AND SEPARATION EQUIPMENT Motan Colortronic Ltd

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

TO ADVERTISE IN THis SPACE CONTACT mandy o’brien 01244 952373 Magnetics Separators Metal Detectors Eddy Current Separators

Bunting Magnetics Europe Ltd European Design & Manufacturing Facility

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

/magnetic_separation_and_metal_detection/

Contact: Carlton Hicks

Refurbished machines with fault and leak free guarantee.

COMPOUNDS

We buy & sell all manner of plasscs equipment.

QUALITY PVC PELLETS FOR EXTRUSION

Visit our workshop in Wellingborough, Northants.

01933 272747

vekacompounds.com +44(0)1322 387 219

SCREEN CHANGERS 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

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 Magog Industries Ltd, 10 Crane Mead, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG12 9PY T: +44(0)1920 465201 E: enquiries@magog.co.uk

sales@stvmachinery.co.uk www.stvmachinery.co.uk

A new LATEX PRODUCTS Company seeking: A qualified Graduate Polymer Chemist as well as Plant Production Manager about 50 miles from London Center, North of England.

Apply with full experience and CV: ma_afzal@btinternet.com Tel: 07487 745839

SECONDHAND AND RECONDITIONED ANGLO PLASTICS LTD

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

Cooper Plastics Machinery

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.

POLYMERS MOULD CHANGE

HOPPER LOADERS 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

BUSINESS FOR SALE

Buying, Selling, Merging?

Whatever your business needs, Richmond Capital Partners are the industry experts with a proven track record of guiding acquirers or sellers through the process of buying, selling and merging.

Contact Paul Holohan in complete confidence on 07798 530684

• • • •

Injection Moulding Rubber Compression Ancillary Equipment Machine Servicing Your Complete Solution Provider Tel: +44 (0)1978 421761 www.panstone.eu

FOR SALE

Manchester Plastics

PVC / CABLE REGRIND / WASHED, SCREENED & DRIED / SUPPLIED IN ONE TONNE BULK BAGS @ £80.00 per tonne + VAT ex.works Available now from sales@macnchesterplastics.com Or call us on 01260 224010

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 MAPRA Technik Co – DOSS – MARCEL AUBERT – KAFER

richmondcapitalpartners.com

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

THERMOCOUPLES

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

Tel: 01952 671918 Fax: 01952 608579 Email: connectors.uk@staubli.com

www.quick-mould-change.com

DTL Machinery UK

NOZZLES AND NOZZLE TIPS Engineers to the Plastics & Rubber industries, specialising in the following: 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

52

- 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

TransXL International Ltd

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

SECOND HAND AND RE-CONDITIONED

‘USED INJECTION MOULDING MACHINERY DEALERS’

Single Machines to whole plants purchased Tel: David 07540 633552 info@plasticinvestments.co.uk www.plasticinvestments.co.uk

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

TRAINING

BUYER’S GUIDE 3D PRINTING

3D Printing

in Plastic & Rubber

SOFTWARE DIRECTORY TO ADVERTISE IN THis SPACE CONTACT mandy o’brien 01244 952373

PRINTERS

printers of plastic mouldings Total Print Ltd

Tel: 01420 88645 www.cdg.uk.com

TESTING/ CONSULTANCY

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

COMPONENT PRINTERS TAMPO.SCREEN.FOIL

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

Gammadot Rheology Testing & Consultancy Services

SERVICES CONSULTANCY

CONSULTANCY

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

SOFTWARE

TROUBLESHOOTING MOLDFLOW ANALYSIS PRECISION PROTOTYPE PLASTIC PARTS TRAINING

Mould Tool Design CAD CAM software

INJECTION MOULDING 3D LASER SCANNING

01743 213 007 sales@plastic-it.co.uk

MOULDFLOW ANALYSIS

plastic-it.co.uk

Tel: 01420 88645 www.cdg.uk.com

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, Standalone “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. Realtime 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 537100 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’

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

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).

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.

PROCESS OPTIMISATION SOFTWARE RJG Technologies Ltd Moulding Technology T: +44 (0)1733 232211 E info@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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e understand that the Budget is likely to be announced on October 29th. I would like to share with you the main points of the BPF’s Budget Submission, which has already been submitted to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on behalf of our £25.5bn industry.

Firstly, on a potential Virgin Polymer Tax, we have said that we do not believe that taxation on virgin polymer will resolve the environment issue. On the contrary, a tax on virgin polymer is likely to lead to responsible businesses being further dissuaded from future UK investment.

It is likely to increase costs for plastic manufacturers, brands and retailers — and this risks filtering through to price rises for consumers.

In addition, raising the price of the most resource-efficient, lightweight and recyclable material may encourage brands and retailers to adopt other materials, which will increase CO2 emissions and may have other unintended consequences such as an increase in waste. We cited Trucost, a leading environmental consultancy, who in 2016 estimated that the environmental cost to replacing plastic with alternatives materials would be nearly four times greater.

We said that a plastics tax on UK businesses in these challenging times will divert funds away from R&D and training, further damage global competitiveness and stifle the innovation that has driven improvements in recycling and reduced the weight of plastic products. It will also discourage inward investment and potentially result in job losses at a time when we want to support industries following Brexit.

Indeed, a plastics tax does not provide any guarantee that the money raised

AS

bp&r

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www.bpf.co.uk

ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS

THE INDUSTRY WAITS IN ANTICIPATION OF THE ANNOUNCEMENTS EXPECTED FROM THE CHANCELLOR RELATING TO ADDRESSING TACKLING PLASTICS WASTE, PHILIP LAW WRITES EXCLUSIVELY FOR BP&R ON WHAT THE BPF HAS SUGGESTED IS THE RIGHT WAY FORWARD FOR THE GOOD OF THE ENVIRONMENT, THE COUNTRY AND THE INDUSTRY.

will end up where it is required: invested in our badly under-equipped recycling infrastructure. It also does not guarantee that more recycled material will be used, merely that ‘virgin’ material is more expensive.

Part of the problem is that products cannot be recycled because of limited collection and recycling infrastructure.

We said that the BPF believes the best way to reduce plastic waste is to reform the existing Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) system, which would ensure any money raised is reinvested in the UK’s waste collection and recycling infrastructure. The PRN system is already a ‘plastics tax’. Reforming the system could see companies producing difficultto-recycle packaging paying more, meaning unsustainable products are likely to be phased out. This means that, worst case, consumers will only have the cost of some specific products passed on in the short term.

Reforming the PRN system so that it no longer incentivises the export of plastic waste will provide a much-needed confidence boost to UK plastics recyclers, will allow these businesses to grow, decrease reliance on other nations and help the UK to develop its innovative recycling technologies. If the UK’s plastics recycling capacity is significantly extended and modernized by 2030, an estimated 25,000 new jobs could be created.

These were messages communicated to our recent Parliamentary Reception in the House of Commons at which two Government Ministers spoke. You can read more about the event on page 15 of this issue of BP&R.

W W W . B R IW TW I SW H.PBLRAI S T ITSI C HS P .LCAOS. TUIKC S . C O . U K

www.kraussmaffei.com/px

er the Discovsizes ne w

and PX 25 20 PX 3

The all-electric PX series Power meets flexibility The PX series stands out with its flexibility throughout the entire service life, setting new standards for all-electric machines: – Flexibility in selection – Flexibility during production – Flexibility for retrofitting Simply configure your PX as you require – all-electric, all-flexible.

Fakuma, hall A7, booth 7303

Engineering Passion WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

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@plastribution

plastribution.co.uk

Brexit - supporting UK processors (whatever the outcome)

01530 560560