EPPM 14.4

PLAST 2012 On-site special issue

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eppm May 2012

Volume 14 | Issue 04

ALBIS UK – In Touch with Plastics s #OMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF THERMOPLASTICS FOR INJECTION MOULDING AND EXTRUSION s ,OCAL 5+ MANUFACTURING s ,OCAL WAREHOUSING s %XPERT TECHNICAL SUPPORT

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editorial editor david gray david.g@rapidnews.com

in this issue

publisher mark blezard

production art samantha hamlyn production peter bartley production jonny jones

advertising

MACHINERY

pages 6–12

european sales manager caroline plant tel: +44 (0) 1829 770037 fax: +44 (0) 1829 770047

REGULARS:

caroline@rapidnews.com

6–7 12 11

Latest news roundup Industry news New installations

subscriptions subscriptions tracey nicholls

SHOWCASE: MATERIALS HANDLING

8–9

SPOTLIGHT: BLOW MOULDING

tracey@rapidnews.com

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MATERIALS

pages 13–17

REGULARS: Latest news roundup Industry news

13–14 17

SHOWCASE: AUTOMOTIVES

15–16

EVENTS - PLAST 2012

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pages 29–33

pages 34–35

© May 2012.

While every attempt has been made to ensure that the information contained within European Plastic Product Manufacturer is accurate, the publisher accepts no liability for information published in error, or for views expressed. All rights for European Plastic Product Manufacturer are reserved, and reproduction in part or whole without written permission is strictly prohibited.

REGULARS: 29–32

SHOWCASE: PLASTICS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS

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Address changes should be made on the original carrier sheet (address label) that came with this issue and then faxed to the publisher at +44 (0)1829 770047.

European Plastic Product Manufacturer is published by Plastics Multimedia Communications Ltd. European Plastic Product Manufacturer is distributed in electronic and print formats to a combined readership of over 12,400 manufacturing professionals.

Send address changes to European Plastic Product Manufacturer, Unit 2, Chowley Court, Chowley Oak Lane, Tattenhall, Cheshire, CH3 9GA, UK.

A look ahead at what’s in store in Milan

Latest news roundup

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THE GREEN ROOM

outside qualifying criteria

General Industry Insight

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John Ellis, Segment Manager Polycarbonate, Bayer MaterialScience

Clive Maier, Owner and Director, Econology Ltd.

Dr Martin Kay, Chief Consultant, Pira International

Jan Herring, Strategic Sourcing Leader, Nokia

Charmaine Bowers, Operations Manager, Polymer Training & Innovation Centre

Pipe Extrusion Recycling Micro Manufacturing Home Appliances

Automotives & Compounds

Mark Bonifacio, President, Bonifacio Consulting Services

Andy Bone, Sales Director, Formaplex

Andrew Smith, Head of Manufacturing, Numatic International

Wire & Cable

Aerospace Biopolymers Sourcing & Manufacturing

Alex Collins, Director, Vannplastics Ltd.

Nigel Brown, Founding MD, Frontier Aerospace

Jonathon Short, MD, ECO Plastics Ltd.

Jon Herbert, Director, FS Cables

Biopolymers/Materials Science

Simon Chidgey, Director, M&H Plastics

General Industry Insight

Film & Sheet Extrusion Recycling Mould Making

Paul Maley, Senior Mechanical Engineer, Selex Elsag

Graeme Diston, Senior Injection Moulding Engineer, Bausch + Lomb

Education in the UK & Ireland

Andrew McArthur, Engineering Manager, IKO

That’s it from me — I hope to see you in Italy…ciao!

David Gray, Editor

Martin Marron, MD, Biffa Polymers

James Goddard, Honorary Lifetime Member, Plastics Pipe Institute

Dr Terence A. Cooper, CEO, ARGO Group International

Ken Braney, 2010-2011 President, Society of Plastics Engineers

Advisor for the German & Scandinavian Speaking Countries

Barry Assheton, Sales Director, CRDM

Packaging

John Bunker, Member, Worshipful Company of Horners

Graham Pickwell, Technical Adviser, Polymer Training & Innovation Centre

Medical

Blow Moulding

Omer Kutluoglu, CEO, 2K Manufacturing

Medical

Rapid Prototyping

John Sturgess, Director, MG Stuma

Andrew Feilden, Principle Consultant, Smithers Rapra

Construction

Pizza, pasta and plastics: I have to say, it sounds like it’s going to be a good week.

I’m talking of course about Plast 2012 in Milan, which starts on May 8 and lasts for 5 days. This show doesn’t come around as often as some of the others, and I’m told it’s a vital event for showcasing the very best in Italian engineering.

It’s true to say there will be plenty of companies at Plast 2012 who we don’t see at some of the other international shows – I’ll be keen to speak to these in particular, and find out exactly why Italy has such a great reputation for first-class machinery.

If you’re visiting the show, we’ve included a map of the Fiera Milano grounds in the centre pages of this issue, along with a hall-by-hall guide to some of the key exhibits for you to visit.

On top of that, there’s a whole section full of news from the exhibitors, so if you only have time to see a few stands, our guide to the show will tell you all you need to know.

Finally, don’t forget to take a look at the materials section, where this month we’re looking at plastics in automotives. I speak with JSP about its expanded foam product ARPRO, which is found in most vehicles, plus you can find out how Porsche is getting ‘the right sound’ thanks to BASF.

Wood Plastic Composites

Pizza, Pasta and…Plastics!

Recycling

Injection Moulding

from the editor

Plastics for the Environment

“

Our Editorial Advisory Board is compiled of a cross-section of the plastics industry, including processors, consultants, technicians and key industry figures.

Dr Gerd Schmaucks, Independent Consultant

cover story

In Touch with Plastics ALBIS UK Ltd is one of the leading polymer distributors and compounders in the UK. Established in 1966 it operates from a 30,000m2 manufacturing and storage facility in Knutsford, Cheshire and has over 110 employees. With a turnover approaching £60 million it is one of the biggest in the UK.

Distribution of famous name brands ALBIS UK’s distribution portfolio represents a who’s who of the thermoplastics industry with many world class brands included. From Bayer MaterialScience, BASF, LanXess, Styrolution, Lyondellbasell, Solvay Speciality Polymers, Eastman, MBA Polymers, AlphaGary, Ampacet, Neutrex, Azoty Tarnow, Uteksol, Romira and many more. This industry leading portfolio covers the full spectrum of materials from high performance engineering plastics like PEEK through to renewably sourced plastics and post consumer recycled plastics. With most product lines available from stock, ALBIS has an international coverage that is unrivalled, with local positioning of stock across a network of over 17 countries.

Licence manufacture of famous name brands In addition to the confidence polymer producers show in ALBIS as a distributor, they are also entrusted with the licence to manufacture and customise brands such as Makrolon, Bayblend, Durethan, Pocan, Novodur and Lustran from their brand owners Bayer MaterialScience, LanXess and Styrolution. This gives an important flexibility to customers allowing them to customise products with colour whilst retaining brand integrity.

This is increasingly important as more and more counterfeit products appear in the market and stated performance is critical.

Manufacture of own brand thermoplastic compounds The ALBIS Group has a manufacturing capacity of over 80,000 tonnes from its three sites (two in Germany and

one in the UK) with a new €10m investment in manufacturing in Shanghai, China just announced. In addition, they have had compounding capability in the USA since 2010. The Knutsford, UK site has just completed a £450,000 investment into an automated robotic packaging line.

The new investment in China is part of an international growth strategy that the ALBIS Group is pursuing from its already strong base in Europe to better serve their increasingly global customer base.

These sites manufacture the Altech, Alcom, Tedur, Alfater, cellidor, Alcolor and Shelfplus® O2 brands under the strict control of ISO TS16949.

The ALBIS range of compounds covers a wide range of technical performance capabilities and has strong sales into the automotive, electrical, domestic appliances, packaging and construction sectors.

Technical support and market expertise ALBIS prides itself on its excellent market knowledge to better understand and serve its customers needs. This supports all the sales activities and each sector has its own specialist sales and technical team. The support given to customers begins at the outset of a project with impartial material selection advice, assistance with tool design (Moldflow and FEA capabilities are offered) and processing guidance. In addition, in sectors such as medical, where ALBIS is particularly strong, regulatory advice and guidance is also provided. All of this is backed up by its own in-house testing capabilities and links to external test houses as required.

ALBIS has its own dedicated team of field-based Technical Engineers who regularly work in partnership and close collaboration with customers, often providing in-house training, material advice, troubleshooting and processing information.

Market coverage ALBIS offers excellent market coverage with a local field-based sales and technical team in the UK and Ireland on hand to support customer needs. This closeness to the market is a core strength of ALBIS with over 35 warehouses in its network distributing over 320,000 tonnes to its customers.

See ALBIS UK at Medtec UK on the 23rd-24th May 2012 and at PDM on the 29th-30th May 2012.

ALBIS In Touch with Plastics For more information contact: Tel : +44 (0)1565 755777 Email: albis.uk@albis.com Web: www.albis.com

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MACHINERY

Increased Payload, Reach and Value from New Wittmann Robot The Wittmann Group has launched a new version of its popular W821 linear robot. The new features on the robot come at no extra charge and the new models are available now from the Wittmann Group worldwide.

Martin Stammhammer, International Sales Manager, Robots and Automation, said: “The time is now right for many moulders to upgrade their equipment and have the capability to quote for more jobs. With the new W821 we wanted to give our customers some extra performance and enhanced features but at no added cost. I am delighted to say that the W821 has exceeded my expectations in what it delivers.”

The total payload of the new W821 is now increased to 12 kg weight from 10 kg for models with vertical strokes of 1,000 mm. W821 models with longer vertical strokes will continue to carry a 10 kg payload. Another addition to this model type is the increase of the vertical stroke up to 1,400 mm.

The Z-axis of the new W821 is available in various lengths with standard strokes of 2,000 and 2,500 mm, and with extensions of 500 mm up to 4,000 mm.

The upgraded W821 can be also equipped with different rotational servo

axes. The standard control for the robot remains Wittmann’s R8.2 unit. The R8.2 control has numerous real time features which are being enhanced and updated by the Vienna-based group on an ongoing basis.

Martin Stammhammer noted: “Although everything depends on particular applications, we are recommending the use of the W821 robot on moulding machines of up to 400 tonnes of clamping force.

Because of their current market situation, many European and American moulders are tending to process higher payload applications even on smaller tonnage machines. The make-or-break factor now depends even less on the weight of the moulded parts, but more on the increasing complexity of end-ofarm tooling increasing the gripper weight.”

This situation applies less to Asian countries — where applications still tend to be pick-and-place. For these markets, Wittmann’s W821 increased payload and stroke can be ideally used for mounting on slightly larger sized moulding

Visitors to the NPE show in Orlando last month might have spotted the Wittmann robots practising to try out for the Harlem Globetrotters team — if you didn’t get chance to see this, scan the QR code below — impressive stuff!

machines with a maximum reach of 780 mm.

The W821 remains one of the Wittmann Group’s most versatile robots. It is the smallest Wittmann robot model with moveable kick stroke design. The W821 redesign helped it score some 20 per cent increase in sales over its predecessor model, the W721.

In common with all Wittmann Group robots, the newly launched W821 comes with a small footprint; equipped with an integrated control cabinet, thus saving valuable production space.

Kreyenborg Debuts Backflush Screen Changer to International Market At NPE 2012 in Orlando, Kreyenborg of Germany presented its new backflush screen changer (named K-SWE-4K-75V/RS) to the public for the first time.

Compared to the previous version, this newly redesigned screen changer with power backflush technology includes several improvements, according to the company. The so-called “75 per cent technology” is applied, meaning that only one out of four screens is taken out of production during backflush or screen change. This results in a higher constant melt pressure during screen change and backflush. The new version of the V-Type has been designed for efficiency, longer screen life and constant process, pressure, and volume flow during.

In addition the screen retainers have also been optimised. The result is a more efficient backflush due to higher pressure capability. The new V-Type shows low melt volume due to rheologically optimised displacement pistons and flow channels and therefore shorter residence time of the melt. The installation space can be considerably reduced due to the modified design of the displacement pistons.

Prior to the backflush action, the required melt is stored by a reverse movement of the displacement piston, creating a reservoir. The backflush material is then compressed and discharged for flushing, thereby cleaning the screen. During normal production this reservoir is always filled by the volume of the displacement piston, therefore eliminating any points of melt stagnation.

During screen change the screen bearing piston containing the dirty filter elements is driven out of the housing so that the dirty screen pack can be exchanged with new filter elements.

During screen change, the second screen in this piston as well as the two screens in the second piston remain in the production position so that the melt flow is not interrupted. A minimum of 75 per cent of the total filtration area remains in the process melt flow at all times.

Kreyenborg Tel: +49 251 214050 Email: s.woestmann@kreyenborg.de Web: www.kreyenborg.com EPPM 6

The W821 is offered at a very competitive price and can be configured by the user in many ways: The options range from servo driven rotational motions as well as extensive I/O extensions. The W821 design also offers unlimited flexibility and expandability for current and future applications.

Wittmann Tel: +49 6078 93 390 Email: info.de@wittmann-group.com Web: www.wittmann-group.com

MACHINERY ROUNDUP High Performance Clothing for Plastic Industry Increases Machinery Safety New clothing range is particularly effective for sheet processors A brand new range of cut resistant clothing has now been launched by UK based PPSS Group, in order to effectively reduce the risk of accidental cut injuries within the plastic processing industry.

All cut resistant garments are made out of 100 per cent Cut-Tex PRO and have been tested against European, American and International standards.

Robert Kaiser, CEO of PPSS Group, said: “Using Cut-Tex PRO has helped us to design, develop and manufacture cut resistant clothing with the highest possible cut, abrasion and tear resistance levels.”

“Our cut resistant clothing is also machine washable and has achieved

excellent results in dimensional stability test and appearance assessment,” Kaiser continued.

All cut resistant clothing made by PPSS offers exceptional protection, whilst maintaining a very high degree of dexterity to the wearer.

“We can also design and manufacture bespoke cut resistant garments based on our customer’s needs, operational risks and clear design suggestions” said Kaiser.

PPSS Group has already supplied many of the world’s leading plastic processors, as well as sheet metal and flat glass processing firms, with their high performance PPE.

The entire range of PPSS cut resistant clothing is being manufactured at an ISO 9001:2008 quality standard controlled textile manufacturing facility in the European Union, to ensure the best possible quality.

Recent changes within health and safety regulation and the potential legal consequences of not complying with these strict guidelines have led to an increasing demand for such types of PPE. PPSS Group Tel: +44 845 5193 953 Email: info@ppss-group.com Web: www.ppss-group.com

Slitter Web Guiding Made Simpler and Greener

Universal Converting Equipment focuses on re-usable energy and ease of use for its web guiding system.

As a part of its commitment to ‘actively reduce energy usage’, Universal Converting Equipment has developed a ‘regenerative’ web guiding system. The ‘Converter Guide 4’ is a simple to use web guiding system designed as an upgrade for slitters and winding machines, or as a replacement for obsolete or inefficient guiders. The guider is operated via a touchscreen interface which is reported to be very simple to use.

The Converter Guide 4 web guider is energy efficient, partly because it uses electric linear actuators instead of inefficient hydraulics. A typical guider actuator spends as much time braking as it does motoring, whereas the UCE system stores the energy produced by braking to be utilised during the motoring phases of operation, thereby reducing the overall energy consumption of the web guider.

The Converter Guide 4 web guider is designed to retrofit onto a wide range of slitting machines such as Atlas, Titan, Kampf, Goebels, Parkland, Cameron, Elite, Dusenbery, Ashe Converting and many others. It can also be used on other converting machines including coating and laminating machines, sheeters, unwinds, presses and hot melt coating machines.

Universal Converting Equipment Tel: +44 1473 403333 Email: sales@universalconvertingequipment.com Web: www.universalconvertingequipment.com EPPM 7

SHOWCASE MATERIALS HANDLING Even More New Toys for Lego Mexico Materials handling specialist, motan-colortronic, delivered its 1000th Gravicolor mixing and dosing system to the newly-established Lego Mexico plant late last year, with a jubilant ceremony to mark the occasion.

Now, an order for a further 100 Gravicolor systems has extended the project into the spring of 2012.

The production facility in Monterrey, Mexico, was

officially opened by Lego owner Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen in a special ceremony on September 30, 2011. As part of the ceremony, motan-colortronic officially handed the 1000th Lego-specific Gravicolor dosing and mixing system which was designed to look like a tower of Lego bricks. Ulrich Eberhardt, CEO of the motan group said: “This unique project was a challenge for us, as — there is no doubt — 50 large containers are not sent to Mexico every day. The inauguration today confirms that we have fulfilled the trust placed in us as partners. The successful implementation is primarily due to the optimal performance and competence of our members of staff who have worked and cooperated as one team, right from the design, to procurement and production to sales and logistics.” Henrik Priess Sorensen, Senior Director at Lego, also commented: “We have worked with motan now for the last 10 years or so and were able to rely on motan’s competence and reliability with other projects. But also further criteria, such as technology, full automation, energy efficiency as well as operational and industrial safety within the production process were essential factors in our decision making process. If nothing else, this manufacturer of ancillary equipment is fully geared towards achieving such volumes.”

The order started with 24 external silos on load cells (total capacity 1,320 m³), and included the material feeding zones at 700 injection moulding machines with clamping forces of between 400 and 1,500 kN. Luxor dryers, positioned in two rows of eight and comprising 104 drying bins, process the raw material (ABS, PP, PC, PE, PA, among others). Altogether 48 Metrolink central distribution stations deliver the material to the target positions; 1,500 METRO material vacuum loaders as well as initially 500 Gravicolor dosing and mixing stations ensure sustainable injection moulding. A Controlnet process management system controls and monitors the entire raw material handling centrally.

Detlev Schmidt, Sales Director at motan-colortronic, who has been responsible for this project since 2009, said: “If you see this massive facility fully functional, in the two halls of approximately 100 x 150 m each — a little larger than a football pitch — you ask yourself how this could possibly have been achieved, particularly in such a short period of time.” A stainless steel material feed pipe bundle system of some 100 km had to be newly designed, using 3D CAD feasibility simulation technology. Curves, radii, differences in height as well as the coordination of the pipe delivery and its installation posed a considerable challenge for supervisor Raphael Zepada and his twenty-strong expert assembly team. The Gravicolor dosing and mixing stations were also redesigned to suit the fast material and colour changes. The mobile gravimetric equipment is situated adjacent to the processing machines, for fast changes for the next material and colour batches.

The thousandth Gravicolor gain-in-weight dosing and mixing station delivered in special Lego livery. motan-colortronic gmbh Tel: +49 6175 792 214 Email: ruediger.kissinger@motan-colortronic.de Web: www.motan-colortronic.de

Luxor drying systems with dry air generators and drying bin stations

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E Newly Installed Mixer Speeds Up Production for Scottish Compounder Recycled polymers by their nature have variations in their properties depending on the feedstock which has been used to produce them. Yet the end user requires a material which has constant and repeatable processing characteristics.

Plastic Technology Services, based in Dumfries, Scotland has been producing high quality recycled polymers for more than 25 years, and understands this requirement.

Previously, the group achieved this through batch harmonisation of their finished polymer using a 6000 kg capacity fountain blender. The mixer was charged from 1000 kg capacity IBCs or bulk bags using a gravity feed system. Once the blending cycle had finished, bulk bags were then filled using a blowing system. These bulk bags then had to be taken to a weigh station for their weight to be checked prior to sending to the customer.

Plastic Technology Services selected UK distributor K-Tech Plastics Ltd to install a new 20,000 litre mixer from Italian mixer specialist, Beccaria SRL. The TV 20,000 mixer featured a floor mounted hopper with forced auger feed capable of loading a 1000 kg container of material into the mixer in as little as three minutes. Once the mixing cycle is finished, the mixer can be completely emptied using the high level outlet. This fills big bags on a bag filling station with integrated weighing; once the target weight is reached a shut of valve stops the flow of material.

Steve Rice, Operations Manager at Plastic Technology Services, said: “Installing the blender has drastically reduced the length of time it takes to produce a batch of material. Formally it used to take 15–20 minutes to fill a bag which then had to be taken to a second station for weighing. The new system will fill a bag in 2.5–3 minutes, this combined with the increased batch size, and elimination of the secondary weighing operation has saved us in the region of 20 minutes of production time per tonne.”

K-Tech Plastics Machinery Tel: +44 1260 252156 Email: karl@ktechplastics.co.uk Web: www.ktechplastics.co.uk

Dehumidifying Dryers for the UK Market Measure Consumption in Real Time A new range of dehumidifying dryers have arrived on the UK market available exclusively through materials handling specialist, Summit Systems.

Developed by the company’s supplier, Plastic Systems, these machines are the result of a thorough analysis of the dehumidification process in fields such as automotive, medical, electrical components, and packaging.

This new series, named the DWC series, offers superior intelligence that allows power consumption to be monitored closely to ensure an excellent cost balance, according to Summit Systems. It offers capacities from 30 to 600 m3/h and a dew point at -45°C. The DWC series is characterised by its compact, integrated design that combines dehumidifier, hopper, and granular material feeder in a single unit. The integrated load cell on the material hopper transforms the concept of dehumidifying drying by measuring consumption in real time.

A colour touch screen interfaced to the load cells monitors the process to calibrate the volume of air to the amount of material and its residence time in the hopper.

Summit Systems Managing Director, Sam Hill, said: “For many years Summit have maintained an excellent reputation for their fine range of drying equipment and the DWC Intelligent Dryer is typical of this. We are very excited by the evolving improvements that all our suppliers are making to their machinery in the fields of drying, loading, conveying, colouring, and dosing etcetera, and anticipate a number of other new products to be launched soon.”

Summit Systems Ltd Tel: +44 1827 265800 Email: info@summitsystems.co.uk Web: www.summitsystems.co.uk

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MACHINERY SPOTLIGHT eppm

BLOW MOULDING

LARGE CONTAINERS TAKE SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY TO A NEW LEVEL

RPC Containers UKSC and Nexus Packaging have collaborated in the design and launch of a new generation of user-friendly large plastic containers that incorporate an innovative anti-glug feature.

RPC and Nexus have invested in the latest blow moulding technology which has been installed at RPC’s Plenmeller factory. This technology delivers sustainable benefits through the use of 3D material distribution technology to achieve precise drum wall thickness control, top load strength and the most favourable product to packaging weight ratios. The HDPE containers are 100 per cent recyclable.

The Ecostacker plastic drum range has been developed to overcome key ecological, transport, handling and pouring issues that have previously been associated with large containers in order to deliver an unrivalled performance in terms of safety, strength, stability and value.

Of major significance is the Safepour anti-glug system, developed by the

RPC design department.

Glugging during pouring has always been a problem with conventional necked containers as it can result in spillages which, as well as being extremely hazardous, create mess which then has to be cleaned at the cost of labour and lost production. This problem is also potentially dangerous when handling hazardous chemicals.

Safepour counters the effects of glugging by equalising the pressure inside and outside the container via a speciallydeveloped insert to give a consistent, fast and safe flow of product for both viscous and non-viscous liquids.

Equally important, the new system has achieved UN approval for the transport of hazardous goods.

Another important design feature is the innovative head/foot interlocking system which maximises performance during stacking and transport. Filled containers are stacked with the load evenly distributed across eight contact areas to the container beneath, ensuring that the

integrity, shape and visual presentation of the product is not compromised. The efficient stacking system also reduces transport costs by over 10 per cent compared with existing 20 litre drums and 15 per cent for 25 litre sizes, which helps to minimise companies’ carbon footprints.

The Ecostacker range is available in different specifications to meet individual customer and market

EPPM 10

requirements. Features include fill level graduations and the containers can also be specified with a view strip.

They are suitable for food contact as well as UN approved for the transportation of hazardous materials.

RPC Containers Ltd, UKSC Tel: +44 1933 411221 Email: sales@rpc-rushden.co.uk Web: www.rpc-rushden.co.uk

New Installations

Rotogal Takes on Modern Fine-Grinding Technology from Pallmann Rotogal, a major rotomoulder headquartered in northern Spain, has recently replaced the fine-grinding mill used until now with the latest PolyGrinder PKMM 600 type fine-grinder from Pallmann.

Rotogal’s broad product portfolio extends from complex, high-precision technical parts for the fishing industry to pallets and also robust containers made of HDPE in a wide range of forms and sizes for the food industry. The company has been producing the required powder for its own purposes with a PKM type mill from Pallmann since 1996,

which it bought second-hand. Supported by continuing growth, Rotogal decided to invest in a new grinding system.

Relying on its excellent experience in the past, the company has again opted for a Pallmann grinder and chosen the latest PKMM 600 PolyGrinder. The system was delivered with a power rating of 110 kW and electronic speed control. Depending on the material processed, this allows for throughput rates from 200 to up 600

kg/h for rotomoulding parts made from PP copolymer and LLDPE. With this system, Rotogal is now in a position to set up a second field of business. While the company will continue to grind various PE grades to high-quality powders for rotational moulding for its own purposes, the new PolyGrinder will be used in the future to grind an even broader range of materials. Rotogal will be using the only

Albis UK Completes €450k Automatic Packaging Line Investment

Knutsford-based compounder Albis UK has completed the installation of a new centralised and automated packaging line supplied by Chronos BTH Limited.

Designed to reduce manual handling as well as improve the consistency and appearance of its packaging, the new system is based around a Tubular Form Fill and Seal system (T-FFS). Product from the compounding lines is loaded into Individual Bulk Containers (IBCs) and then fed via a feed hopper into a gross weigher located above the T-FFS packing unit to create a 20 or 25 kg bag.

Bags are then conveyed to a robot palletiser and automatic stretch wrapper.

Designed to run at up 12000 kg per hour the unit has helped Albis increase its production efficiency and outputs.

Commenting on the investment Ian Mills, Managing Director of Albis UK Ltd, said: “This investment has had a positive effect on our productivity and has significantly reduced manual handling within the business. Presentation of our packaging is also more consistent.”

Albis Tel: +44 1565 755777 Email: albis.uk@albis.com Web: www.albis.com EPPM 11

machine type worldwide that is able to process, for instance, PP copolymer to powders with a particle size of less than 600 µm with a high level of process reliability — without additional cooling required.

Pallmann Tel: +49 6332 802 103 Email: rolf.gren@pallmann.eu Web: www.pallmann.eu

Industry News

TH Plastics Signs UK Agreement with JSW TH Plastics, the UK-based ancillaries solutions provider, has signed an agreement with world leading plastics machinery manufacturer JSW, to distribute its cutting-edge injection moulding machinery in the UK — further enhancing TH Plastics’ comprehensive product portfolio. Based in Japan, JSW is over 100 years old and first commercialised electric injection moulding machines 24 years ago.

Dean Francis, President of Windsor Technologies, JSW’s European Injection Moulding Machinery distributor said: “We are delighted that TH Plastics has agreed to be our UK distributor. Its knowledge and technical expertise in the UK plastics industry is well documented and combined with its customer service excellence and our expansive, quality product portfolio, it’s set to be a powerful relationship.”

With these additions to its portfolio, TH Plastics can provide turnkey solutions to help companies improve productivity through better quality, reduced cycle times and energy costs and in turn increase profit margins for its customers.

KraussMaffei Taking ‘Reorganisation Measures’

TH Plastics Tel: +44 1457 855514 Email: l.thomas@thplastics.co.uk Web: www.thplastics.co.uk

The KraussMaffei Group has appointed Dr. Hans Ulrich Golz as President of a common group-wide injection moulding machinery segment. Bernhard Merki, CEO of Netstal Maschinen AG, is leaving the company. Dr. Karlheinz Bourdon and Frank Peters, previously responsible for the injection moulding machinery and reaction process machinery business units at KraussMaffei, will take up new posts within the segment.

“We want to provide even more benefits for our customers along their entire value-adding chain. For this purpose, we will increase our injection moulding activities throughout the group. We will therefore maintain the independent market presence of the Netstal and KraussMaffei brands with a clearly defined product portfolio and separately operating sales organisations for both brands”, said Jan Olaf Siebert, Chairman of the Board of Management of KraussMaffei AG. The “President” of the group-wide injection moulding machinery segment will be Dr. Hans Ulrich Golz, a well-known expert in the field of mechanical engineering, who has served the company to date successfully as President of the Extrusion Technology Segment and Chairman of the Management Board of KraussMaffei Berstorff.

Bernhard Merki, CEO of Netstal Maschinen AG, decided to step down from his position and to leave the company.

Dr. Karlheinz Bourdon and Frank Peters, previously responsible for injection moulding machinery and reaction process machinery at KraussMaffei, will take up new posts as part of the reorganisation measures at the injection moulding machinery segment. Dr. Karlheinz Bourdon will take up the post of Vice President Technologies and will be amongst others responsible for the common segment activities in research and development, product management and process engineering development.

As Vice President Sales KraussMaffei, Frank Peters will have sole responsibility for sales of injection moulding machinery bearing the KraussMaffei brand.

KraussMaffei Tel: +49 89 8899 4712 Email: markus.betsche@kraussmaffei.com Web: www.kraussmaffei.com EPPM 12

MATERIALS

Dyna-Purge Distributor of the Year Award Goes to CJP Sales CJP Sales Ltd, one of the UK’s most established distributors of materials, has been awarded “Distributor of the Year” from Shuman Plastics for its success in selling Dyna-Purge in the UK. Having been in business for 27 years, CJP is predominantly known for its technical distribution of Doeflex PVC compounds. Today, the varied range of products supplied by CJP has offered a good platform and continued growth into new markets in packaging, thermoforming and hot melt adhesives, and CJP is always looking for additions to the product range to complement existing lines, such as the recent introduction of EBA, TPU and calcium carbonate masterbatch.

In rewarding CJP with this honour, Shuman Plastics has recognised both

the technical support and commitment the distributor has shown to all the grades of Dyna-Purge since adding the full range to the portfolio in 2008. Kelli Ropach, International Business Manager for Dyna-Purge said: “The first ever Dyna-Purge Distributor awards are designed to highlight the exceptional work of our team in five different key areas. CJP has been honoured with the distinguished Distributor of the Year Award for their hard work and efforts in all five of these areas. We appreciate their contributions and wish to express our gratitude by presenting them with this award.”

Dyna-Purge is a registered and trademarked product of Shuman Plastics Inc.

CJP Sales Ltd Tel: +44 1656 644907 Email: sales@cjpsales.co.uk Web: www.cjpsales.co.uk

Match Winning Foam Scoops Award for New Football Boot The ultra light Pelé Sports Trinity 3E soccer boot has won the prestigious ISPO BrandNew Award in the “footwear” category for being “the most innovative product of the year” with a little help from PebaxFoam, the new super lightweight TPE foam from Zotefoams.

The ultra

light Trinity 3E boot, at only 170 grams, is among the lightest ever to be produced, yet injury protection and propulsion performance were

uppermost in the design team’s objectives. Studies from the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany show that the Trinity 3E allows significantly faster movements when compared to other high performance speed boot products on the market.

The design team worked with Formula One engineers to strip away all unnecessary weight and every material was selected for its lightweight, functionality and durability. This includes PebaxFoam, thermoformed to produce the high performance sockliner.

PebaxFoam high performance TPE foam from Zotefoams is a closed-cell,

crosslinked foam based on Pebax, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) from Arkema. It combines the many exciting mechanical and chemical properties of Pebax with the benefits of the unique Zotefoams nitrogen saturation foaming process. PebaxFoam is characterised by its ultra light weight, good energy return and excellent flex fatigue performance; properties it retains over a wide temperature range and down to -40°C. Zotefoams Tel: +44 20 8664 1643 Email: mba@zotefoams.com Web: www.zotefoams.com

Composite Doors Made More Cost Effectively Using Crestabond Structural Adhesives New World Limited, based in Ballymena, Northern Ireland is a leading manufacturer of exterior and interior UPVC and GRP composite domestic doors. The group has an established customer base in the UK and Ireland, which is currently expanding with growing export sales in Europe and the USA. Recently, following successful shop floor production trials, Crestabond M1-05 from chemical company Scott Bader was chosen for the key inner sash frame and door skin structural bonding applications. Since mid-2011, Crestabond M1-05 has been phased in and is now used on 85 per cent of the New World range of doors. This includes

being used for the new all-GRP Apeer 70 and 44 doors, constructed with a bonded inner sash made from a pultruded GRP profile which replaced UPVC; the advantage of having the entire door designed with the same material is the elimination of any distortion once installed.

Switching to using Crestabond M1-05 to bond together the GRP or UPVC profiles has reportedly had a major impact on increasing New World’s overall production line productivity and build quality, as well as reducing scrap levels.

Asa McGillian, Managing Director of New World, explained: “With Crestabond M105, due to its significantly faster fixture

time we have made significant productivity gains in our door production. The overall cost benefit analysis is commercially very attractive for the business relative to the price of Crestabond.” For the pultruded GRP inner sash frames, New World now has a 25 per cent faster cycle time in the bond and assembly stage, down from 16 to only 12 minutes. Productivity gains were even better for the UPVC inner sash production line, where the cycle time reduced by 73 per cent since switching to Crestabond M1-05 with its 12 minute fixture time; it replaced a two part polyurethane (PU) adhesive which needed 45 minutes before the

EPPM 13

assembled frame could be moved to the next production stage. McGillian went on to say: “Product quality has definitely improved, particularly during colder periods, as Crestabond has proved to be a tougher, more reliable and consistent adhesive, which gives us fewer breakages and scrap loss compared with other MMA and polyurethane adhesives previously used.”

Scott Bader Tel: +44 1933 663100 Email: composites@scottbader.com Web: www.scottbader.com

MATERIALS ROUNDUP Clariant Launches Non-Halogenated Flame Retardants for Transport and Construction Applications Additives group Clariant has launched what it claims to be a novel, sustainable solution to achieving high fire safety levels for transport and construction applications, with its new Exolit EP nonhalogenated flame retardants for epoxy resins.

Exolit EP 150 and EP 200 are reactive phosphorus-based flame retardants that provide highly effective fire protection at low dosage levels for epoxy thermosets and laminates. Currently available as laboratory product samples, they create potential for parts manufacturers in these sectors to improve their efficiency and transition towards non-halogenated flame retardants.

Clariant states the Exolit EP grades have unmatched high phosphorus contents of 25 per cent and 29 per cent respectively, which enables only a low dosage of flame retardant to be used to reach the desired protection effect. Their performance is proven in electrical and

Electronic Parts Manufacturer Lowers Reject Rate by 76 Per Cent Using Purgex

electronics applications, where UL 94 V0 fire ratings can be achieved. “Clariant is committed to supporting the increasing need for safe fire protection based on environmentally-compatible and sustainable solutions. With our new Exolit products we make our best effort to capture these requirements in application-specific grades,� commented Adrian Beard, Head of Flame Retardants Marketing, Clariant.

Exolit EP 150 and EP 200 do not migrate out of the resin material. They bind with the polymer and are said to ensure minimal impact on material properties.

Processing and handling are also made easier because the flame retardant becomes part of the resin.

According to Clariant, Exolit EP 150 is a low viscosity liquid, which makes it suitable as a flame retardant for infiltration processes. The liquid format is of particular significance for large-size applications, such as structural parts for airplanes or ships, where the ability to flow evenly across a large distance without separating or filtering from the glass fibre or carbon fibre, is critical for effective, long-term performance. While Exolit EP 200 is available in solid form, it will melt at higher processing temperatures to give the same benefits.

Clariant Tel: +41 61 469 5362 Email: dominiks.schneider@clariant.com Web: www.clariant.com

A manufacturer of electronic parts processes 20 per cent glass-filled Nylon 6,6 engineering resin at 288°C on a 35tonne injection moulding press to produce a line of small components.

The running rate is 150 parts per hour.

When purging for colour changes, the manufacturer previously used 1.58kg of High-Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) to clean the machine. The process took 20 minutes and resulted in 50 rejected parts on average before resuming production.

The company tested Purgex 3056 Plus, a commercial purging compound designed for purging engineering resins

EPPM 14

at high processing temperatures from injection moulding equipment. Using 0.45 kg of Purgex, combined with 0.34 kg of HIPS, the purging process took only 8 minutes and produced only 12 rejected parts to resume full production.

In addition to a 60 per cent decrease in downtime for purging, and 71 per cent less virgin resin used for purging, the company lowered its reject rate by 76 per cent using Purgex.

Purgex division of Neutrex, Inc. Tel: +1 281 807 9449 Email: global@purgexonline.com Web: www.purgexonline.com

SHOWCASE AUTOMOTIVES

ARPRO: You’ll Probably Find it in Your Car, But What on Earth is it?

When an automotive feature runs in EPPM, I often include news of a product called ARPRO from JSP. This is a foamed core material used in panels created by Inrekor, as part of a strategic alliance. The news always appeals to me, because the story is very often about high-end, glamorous applications. Popular names have included Aston Martin, Atalanta Motors, the Subaru WRC team (my personal favourite), and BMW. But I wanted to find out more about ARPRO’s use in everyday, mass-produced vehicles – in particular its benefits to passenger safety. I met up with Bert Suffis, Development & Application Sales Manager at JSP, to find out more.

David Gray, Editor.

DG: First of all Bert, please could you give me a brief summary of the ARPRO product?

BS: JSP created the expanded polypropylene ARPRO material in the early 1980s. Because of its closed-cell nature, it’s ideally suited for absorbing energy — impact energy in this case. It’s not a crushable foam — instead it’s a resilient foam, making it an ideal product for automobile safety.

DG: So what’s the connection with Inrekor?

BS: Inrekor had been concentrating on making lightweight structures available and affordable for more generic applications. In order to do so they had been hunting for a specific core material which was light, isotropic, energy absorbing, acoustic, and something

which was not ‘tears of God’ material.

The partnership is not a joint venture — it’s a mutual partnership where we bring all of our expertise to the table.

JSP is the material manufacturer of the core, and the design expert on the core, whereas Inrekor is the manufacturer of the panels, and the expert on the overall panel design.

DG: And how does it compare to honeycomb sandwich structures?

BS: Honeycomb works perfectly well in terms of the cell direction, but it’s well known in engineering that as little as five degrees offset actually completely shakes up the performance characteristics of these cells, whereas ARPRO is an isotropic material, which means that we have a surface performance which is almost independent of the direction of solicitation, so that’s another big advantage. ARPRO is more tuned towards the real life levels of deviation in the standard crash scenario — essentially it’s a more forgiving material combination.

DG: What about carbon fibre?

Inrekor panels allow a complex shape to be achieved, which can be built in situ to fit in a confined space within the vehicle, increasing the safety performance without adding weight.

BS: That’s a very interesting question.

Carbon fibre is really high up on the strength-to-weight ratio — there’s no doubt about that. It is however, tears of God material. So in terms of the strength-to-weight-to-cost ratio, the picture changes completely. And that’s where Inrekor can bring tensility and structural integrity without exploding the cost-scale, without needing a tooling

The Inrekor/ARPRO partnership isn’t just for high-end vehicles — in fact ARPRO can be found in most modern cars. investment or an autoclave, and without needing 3D modelling. So it’s not just a cheaper material, but more manufacturable.

separate component. It means that we can mould a flat piece of ARPRO, to make a box, which wraps the battery.

This saves massively on the logistics of moulding individual parts.

DG: So finally, what’s the next mainstream application for ARPRO? BS: The next step for ARPRO is battery boxes. By shielding the battery from temperature variations, you can extend the lifetime of a battery. This is completely new. It has been proven that a temperature stabilisation of as little as a couple of degrees makes an enormous impact on the lifetime of a battery. It’s interesting to note that no OEMs have picked this up in serious production. But the interesting thing ARPRO can bring is that it actually can generate living hinges. This means that you can actually fold a flat sheet of ARPRO, and create a hinge, without any

Bert Suffis, Development & Application Sales Manager at JSP. JSP Tel: +44 1344 724670 Email: gary.carr@jsp.com Web: www.jsp.com

Rapidly Moulded Sandwich Components Use Lightweight Foam Weight saving options in automotive construction are far from exhausted: while metal still holds sway in automotive design, plastics are now offering costeffective solutions in small- or mediumscale production, even for large-area parts such as exterior panelling, interior trim, and concealed bases/supports. The use of sandwich design also allows substantial weight savings of up to 60

per cent. In this type of structure, face sheets of fibre-reinforced resins or thermoplastics are applied on a light but high-strength core.

High-performance Rohacell foam from Evonik is distinguished in this application by its high strength coupled with low weight and very high heat resistance. In cycle times of about two minutes, the foam core is thermally formed into the

geometry required for the component, and is then quickly and very economically processed with, for example, highperformance resins at temperatures well above 130°C and high pressure.

In combination with fibre-reinforced thermoplastic face sheets, Rohacell also offers another extremely cost-effective method for production of panels, with the finished part available in less than four

EPPM 15

minutes. The foam core is heated along with the thermoplastic face sheets and formed, and in the same operation the two are bonded together, cooled, and removed from the die.

Evonik Tel: +49 2365 49 9878 Email: ursula.keil@evonik.com Web: www.evonik.com

SHOWCASE AUTOMOTIVES Porsche Gets the Sound Right with BASF Foam Basotect, a melamine resin foam from BASF, reportedly ensures the right sound effects under the hood of the Porsche Panamera Diesel. The foam is used for both sound and thermal insulation in the four-door Gran Turismo’s engine compartment, transmission tunnel, and panelling near the engine. In addition to its good acoustic properties and high thermal resistance, the low weight of the foam is what especially attracted developers from the Stuttgart-based manufacturer.

Basotect is used to absorb sound in vehicles wherever

there are high operating temperatures over an extended period of time, such as in the separating walls between the engine compartment and the car interior, engine hood panelling, engine proximity shells, and transmission tunnels.

Basotect is especially well-known for its acoustic properties. Thanks to its open-cell, fine foam structure, it has very good sound absorption values in the medium and high frequency ranges. Drivers and passengers in the Panamera can therefore enjoy the typical Porsche engine sound — without accompanying noise.

Jürgen Ochs, Manager NVH Body (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) at Porsche, explained: “With its 184kW/250 HP six-cylinder diesel engine, the Panamera’s engine compartment is regularly subjected to temperatures of up to 180 degrees. And Basotect withstands these extreme conditions.”

BASF Tel: +49 621 60 42223 Email: evelyn.naudorf@basf.com Web: www.basf.com

Styron Launches Two New Solutions for Automotive Interiors Styron, a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex and rubber, has launched two new premium solutions for automotive interiors.

Pulse GX70 and Pulse GX90 are an expansion of the Pulse GX premium line of solutions for automotive interiors. The Pulse GX resins address the industry’s demand for lighter materials without compromising quality, performance or cost.

The Pulse GX line offers resins made of a PC and ABS blend that provide easy flow and are said to be more cost-efficient in comparison to conventional PC/ABS materials.

The Pulse GX series consists of tailor-made PC/ABS

products that are said to meet the practical heat requirements in automotive interiors and provide low temperature ductility for the most stringent safety requirements. Introduced in 2011, Pulse GX 50 launched the Pulse GX series, and Styron states it has obtained great success from the start. After only a year in the market, the company states the cost-efficient solution with optimised heat distortion resistance obtained its first commercial application in the Audi Q3.

Similar to Pulse GX50 in its cost-efficiency, the new Pulse GX70 is said to differentiate itself by targeting interior parts that require higher heat resistance. Pulse GX70 demonstrates desirable low temperature ductility in conjunction with superior UV and thermal stability.

Another advantage of Pulse GX70 are said to include its low carbon emissions (VOC), which is standard for all Pulse products. This engineering resin is said to be suitable for a wide range of applications, particularly surface areas with exposure to sunlight including central consoles, pillar trims, instrument housings, side protection mouldings and ventilation systems.

Pulse GX90 is designed for niche applications that require further heat resistance than Pulse GX50 and Pulse GX70. This new resin is said to offer superior low temperature ductility that is specifically targeted for direct airbag exposure of upper pillar trims.

The Pulse GX solutions are also said to be suitable for unpainted applications, providing the pleasant low gloss surface finish and good UV-stability today’s car manufacturers demand. Styron Automotive states it provides customers with options by delivering custom formulated masterbatches in combination with natural resins or tailored compound pre-coloured resins.

Styron Automotive Tel: +31 11567 2601 Email: cig@styron.com Web: www.styronautomotive.com

EPPM 16

Industry News

EPPM Speaks to EuPC About the Inaugural Plastics and Composites Innovation Days From May 30-June 1 this year, EuPC — European Plastics Converters — a trading body for the European plastics marketplace will hold its inaugural Plastics and Composites Innovation Days in Vienna, Austria. The days will focus on a broad spectrum of topics pertaining to trends and markets in the European industry over the coming decade. EPPM editor David Gray interviewed Alexandre Dangis, EuPC Managing Director, to find out more about the event.

DG: First of all, I understand that one of the aims of the event is to determine some of the research into plastics and composites for the next ten years. Why is it important to look so far in advance?

AD: In difficult economic times it is hard to look ten years ahead. Nevertheless it is up to representative bodies to give a vision to their sectors. EuPC is keen in driving this innovation vision which should be based on the principles of sustainable development in a global economy, where plastics have more to contribute to the population than we can think of today. Without such a long-term vision changes never will happen, and industry will continue business as usual.

DG: And what do you feel will be some of the major areas of research for plastics and composites over this time span?

AD: We have developed a Vision 2020 paper together with the research bodies in Europe and this will be presented to our industry on 1st June 2012. Later we will discuss this paper with the EU Commission in order to be able to influence their agenda for the Horizon 2020 for which EU member states have reserved billions of Euros for innovation projects for the period 2014-2020.

It seems that our network of SMEs in Europe in the plastics converting industry, together with the European research partners, could turn these projects into real Euros for new business ventures. The major areas covered in our paper are in all markets for plastics and composites going from automotive, packaging, consumer goods, electrical and electronic equipment, medical, construction, agriculture and renewable energy. The aspects to be considered are new technologies, safety of products,

functionality, sustainability, productivity and reliability for these markets.

funding which of course is always interesting to stimulate innovation.

DG: We have an automotive special feature in this issue, and there’s considerable emphasis on composites for lightweighting in the automobiles of the future. In your opinion, how realistic is the vision of the ‘plastic everyday car’?

DG: Finally, can you sum up the ‘ethos’ behind the event?

AD: Very realistic, if you consider plastics and composites as one big family.

DG: And of course there will be plenty of opportunities for networking? It’s a key event for making contact with processors and suppliers across Europe isn’t it?

AD: Our industry needs to “dream” again and plan for the future. Let’s dream together at least for one day in Vienna in order to get away of our daily problems and see how we can create growth in the plastics markets.

EUPC Tel: +32 2 732 41 24 Email: info@eupc.org Web: www.plasticsconverters.eu/plasticsinn ovationdays2012

AD: Yes, and it’s also a great opportunity to build on partnerships with research bodies and apply for some EU

Poliya Signs Distribution Agreement with Azelis Italia Poliya Composite Resins and Polymers (Poliya), a leading composite resin manufacturer, recently announced that it has entered into a marketing and distribution agreement with Azelis, a leading pan-European speciality chemicals distributor.

Speaking about the new agreement, Serge Gradys, International Business Manager, Azelis Composites stated, “We are delighted to sign this distribution agreement with Poliya, representing their Polipol customised UPR polyester resins, Polijel high performance custom

coloured gelcoats brands, and complimentary composite products in Italy.”

Gianni Ostelli, Regional Business Manager, Azelis Composites, Iberia and Italy added, “Azelis will be supplying products manufactured by Poliya in Turkey as well as in their new Italian plant. This will enable us to provide more efficient logistics, faster response times, reduced lead times and better service. We are looking forward to working closely with the company’s local team to increase market share in

the region and are confident these brands will be well received by our clients.”

“Italy is a very important market for Poliya. After our recent, local production agreement with Novaresine, we foresee great opportunities to expand our overall presence. We are confident our partnership with Azelis will provide a boost to Poliya's growth in the region and their experienced team of professionals will help increase our sales greatly,” said Buelent Oeztuna, CEO of Poliya.

Azelis Tel: +44 (0)1992 825555 Email: gillian.berry@azelis.com Web: www.azelis.com

Huntsman Acquires Turkish Polyurethanes Systems House Huntsman Corporation announced recently that it has acquired EMA Kimya Sistemleri Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., an MDI-based polyurethanes systems house in Istanbul, Turkey. As a result of the deal, EMA will become part of Huntsman’s polyurethanes division and will be known as Huntsman-EMA. EMAs’ two major shareholders, Mrs Gulum Kabil and Mr Engin Tataro lu, will continue to manage the business operations of the new venture.

EMA’s plant was built in 2006 to produce polyurethane blends for Turkey's fastgrowing MDI systems market. Today, the facilities have capacity for system blending, polyester polyols manufacture and bulk MDI and base polyols storage.

Commenting, Nick Webster, Vice President of Huntsman Polyurethanes, said: "We are delighted to announce the acquisition of EMA. We have great

respect for what the company’s management team has achieved in the Turkish chemical industry and think the EMA business is a great fit with our own.

Integrating this business into our polyurethanes portfolio is part of a global strategy to strengthen our presence in markets where economic growth favours polyurethane consumption. In 2010 Turkey’s MDI systems market grew at a rate of 13-15 per cent per annum — one of the highest rates in the world. This development brings strong opportunities in the rigid systems market and we look forward to working with the existing team to boost sales capabilities in expanding regional insulation, automotive, adhesives, coatings, elastomers and furniture industries.”

Mrs Gulum Kabil and Mr Engin Tataro lu said: “EMA has been a successful and

well-managed company since it was established. We have built strong customer relationships based on mutual respect and understanding.

We warmly welcome the opportunities that will come as part of a global corporation. This is an exciting development for our business, our customers and for the Turkish polyurethanes industry as a whole.”

As an integral part of Huntsman, EMA is now a key component of a global company with 2010 revenues of $9.2 billion. Huntsman Polyurethanes (HPU) is a leading producer of MDI — a key ingredient in the production of polyurethanes. The business also manufactures flexible and rigid polyethers, polyesters, polyether amines, polyurea amines, propylene oxide,

EPPM 17

polyols, fully formulated polyurethane systems and thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) for the automotive, footwear, coatings and adhesives, construction, furniture, appliances and packaging industries. HPU has almost 2,500 employees worldwide serving over 3,500 customers in more than 90 countries. In 2010, the division’s revenues exceeded $3.6 billion.

Huntsman Tel: +90 216 327 9860 Email: info@huntsman.com Web: www.huntsman.com

PLAST 2012 FLOORPLAN

HALL 9

Hall 9, Stand C05

Hall 9, Stand D66

Hall 9, Stand B35/C42

HALL 11

Hall 11, Stand B113

Hall 11, Stand A93

HALL 15

Hall 11 Stand C111 Hall 11, Stand A79

HALL 13 Hall 15, Stand A45

Hall 13, Stand A01 Hall 13, Stand B39/C38

Hall 15, Stand B63

Hall 13, Stand A69 Hall 13, Stand B14

Hall 15, Stand B01

Hall 13, Stand C79

Hall 13, Stand A14

Hall 13, Stand C54 EPPM 18

Hall 15, Stand C33/D36

HALL 22

Hall 22, Stand C35/D40

Hall 22, Stand D63

Hall 22, Stand D25

Hall 22, Stand B05

Hall 22, Stand C26/D28

Hall 22, Stand B45/C46/D55

HALL 24

Hall 15, Stand A01/B02

Hall 24, Stand C18 Hall 24, Stand D34

Hall 15, Stand C12 Hall 24, Stand A33/B32

Hall 15, Stand D39

Hall 24, Stand C22

Hall 24, Stand A21/B18

Hall 24, Stand A17/B14 Hall 15, Stand C40

Hall 24, Stand C64/D62 EPPM 19

PLAST 2012 PREVIEW Plast 2012: The Key to the Italian and European Plastics Markets Plast 2012, one of the most important events this year for the European market, is nearly upon us, with well over 1000 exhibitors confirmed. The fair will showcase the entire value chain, from machines, equipment and moulds, through to raw materials, recycled materials, composites and semi-finished and finished products for the plastics and rubber processing industry.

With respect to previous editions of the

triennial exhibition, Plast 2012 has many new features, and will also provide a platform to present innovative applications against a backdrop of the massive Fiera Milano pavillions.

Returning this year will be Rubber 2012, which is held concurrently to the main event.

An extensive programme of conferences has been finalised, and will set a technical and informative tone for many

battenfeld-cincinnati to Present Two Extruders and Turnkey Solutions in Milan Extrusion specialist battenfeld-cincinnati will be presenting its latest technology for manufacturers of pipes and profiles.

At stand A 01 in hall 13, the GermanAustrian machine manufacturer will showcase a twin-screw extruder from its latest-generation twinEX series for profile production and the solEX single–screw extruder for pipe extrusion. Information will also be provided about greenpipe, the innovative energy–saving concept for pipe production, and about techBEX, the complete line for producing small technical profiles.

A twinEX 78 parallel twin-screw extruder will be on display, the smallest model of the series, which comprises a total of four models with screw diameters ranging from 78 to 135 mm. With its 34 D processing length and standard features — such as customised screw geometries, maintenance-free screw temperature control and effective barrel cooling — these extruders reach outputs between 120 and 1,000 kg/h in PVC profile production. TwinEX extruders can also be used to produce pipes with output performances ranging from 200 to 1,700 kg/h. The machines reportedly boast high flexibility with gentle, homogeneous melt processing, and also offer a favourable price/performance ratio.

Moreover, a solEX 75-40 from the company’s powerful single-screw extruder series will be presented. The five models from the solEX series have been designed for performance in terms of throughput and melt homogeneity in the production of HDPE and PP pipes.

They reach an extremely high throughput level, which allows manufacturers to use the smaller machine model compared to conventional 30 D extruders. Depending on the application and the material, outputs between 240 and 2,200 kg/h can be reached with screw diameters ranging from 45 to 120 mm. This high performance is achieved by an optimised screw geometry and high torque in addition to a screw length of 40 D. Like all extruders from battenfeldcincinnati, these extruder models also

processors wishing to learn more about their sector.

Finally, the Plastic Technology Award, an international ideas competition, has been launched by the Plast 2012 organisers in conjunction with the Consortium of the Milan Polytechnic, POLI.DESign. On Tuesday, 17 January the jury examined the proposals submitted by professionals and Italian and foreign students of design for

innovative technologies and original applications relating to the principal plastics manufacturing processes. The winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held during Plast 2012.

The next few pages are dedicated to bringing you some of the highlights of the event — and on the previous page you’ll find a double-page map of the grounds, with some of the key names to go and visit.

Power, Power and More Power for Wittmann Battenfeld

come with maintenance-free, energyefficient AC motors and an extremely compact design, so that their space requirements are modest.

Another feature at the stand will be the modular greenpipe concept, which enables a drastic reduction in the lengths and energy costs of pipe extrusion lines compared to conventional lines, with simultaneous optimisation of pipe quality. Processors have three different options at their disposal: pipe dies with an efficient air cooling (EAC) system, the KryoS pipe die series based on spiral mandrel distributors, which allows reductions in energy consumption by 30 to 45 per cent, and the greenpipe downstream concept. The latter enables the length of the cooling section to be cut almost by half. In the greenpipe downstream aggregate, fresh cooling water is pumped only into the hindmost tank instead of every tank, then passed on from one tank to the next from back to front in the opposite direction to the extrusion process.

Finally, battenfeld-cincinnati will present detailed information in Milan about the techBEX turnkey line concept for small technical profiles, which has already been presented in Italy during an Open House event at Fainplast s.r.l. in Ascoli Piceno. TechBEX is a range of standardised, complete extrusion lines, which are able to cover a wide range of applications. The total package consists of an extruder, which can be selected individually from a choice of six different models, and a completely wired and preassembled downstream section including everything from the calibration table to the tilting table, which is ready for immediate start-up on site. battenfeld-cincinnati Tel: +43 1 61006 128 Email: info@battenfeld-cincinnati.com Web: www.battenfeld-cincinnati.com

From 8 to 12 May, Wittmann Battenfeld will be presenting its latest injection moulding technology, automation and peripheral equipment in hall 22, stands B45 and C46.

Italy has been an important market for the Wittmann group for many years, not only for injection moulding machinery, but also where the demand for modern automation systems and peripheral equipment is concerned.

In the area of injection moulding technology, the focus at this year’s show is on machines from the Power Series.

The highlight of the fair is the new MacroPower 500. It represents an extension of the company’s large machine series down to a lower clamping force range. The compact machine series is now available with clamping forces ranging from 500 to 1,100 tonnes.

On the new MacroPower 500/3400, stoplights for a Lancia car model will be manufactured from PMMA in a twocavity mould supplied by OLsa Spa of Italy. A Wittmann W823 robot will be used to remove the parts and deposit them on a conveyor belt.

In addition, two machines from the EcoPower series will be on display at the Plast. On an EcoPower 55/130, the allelectric EcoPower’s special suitability for medical technology will be demonstrated by the production of a protector in a 20-cavity mould from Schöttli, Switzerland. To enable production under cleanroom conditions, the machine is equipped with a laminar flow module, which will be supplied by Petek, Germany, above the moving mould half.

On a second machine from the EcoPower series, an EcoPower 180/750, production of a surface panel will be shown, using a variothermic process together with BFMold technology. In this technology, the entire space below the cavity is used for heating and cooling.

This enables extremely even and, above all, quick cooling of the mould area.

Therefore this technology is of interest not only in order to reduce cycle times, but also to prevent warpage and to reduce tension. Moreover, sink marks and joint lines can be prevented with the help of BFMold technology, above all on components with a visible surface or parts with a high-gloss surface.

The finished parts will be removed and deposited by a robot from the W821 series with a single vertical axis and 10 kg load capacity.

Besides the machines from the PowerSeries, a hydraulic three-colour machine will be on display at the Wittmann Battenfeld booth. It is an HM

EPPM 20

65/210H/210V/210S, which will produce parts for play figures. The machines from the HM series stand out primarily by their modular diversity, ultimate precision and extensive range of options for virtually any application. These machines also feature a very small footprint thanks to their extremely short, very rigid three-platen design.

As a complementary exhibit, the MicroPower will be shown at the booth of the University of Padua, hall 22, booth D55. This machine from the PowerSeries is specially designed for high-precision injection moulding of nano and micro parts. The functionality of the machine will be demonstrated by the production of a medical clamp from POM with a part weight of 0.003 g within a cycle time of four seconds with a four-cavity mould from Microsystems UK. The parts are removed by a W8VS2 Wittmann robot, which has been specially designed for the highly dynamic and precise removal of micro parts, and are passed on to a camera integrated in the production cell and in the machine’s control system for quality inspection. The parts are subsequently separated according to cavities and stacked in a stacking module. In this application, the parts are injected, quality-inspected and stacked in a cleanroom environment.

In addition to the robots and peripheral equipment integrated in the injection moulding machines, Wittmann Battenfeld is presenting a broad range of robots and peripheral equipment as stand-alone solutions.

In the area of automation, an extensive cross-section of the company’s product portfolio will be shown, including the robot models W808, W818, W821 and W821 UHS, as well as the large model W873.

The W808 robot is a trade fair novelty, which will be presented to the public for the first time. It is the smallest robot model in Wittmann’s range of servo robots. In all of its axes, the appliance features highly dynamic and extremely powerful servo motors, which are specially laid out for the short cycle times typical of small machines. The W808 is available with vertical strokes of 600, 800 and 1,000 mm and provides a reach of 600 mm in the direction of the demoulding process as standard. The horizontal axis can be extended to a maximum of 2,000 mm.

At the Plast 2012 in Milan, W818 robot will be demonstrated with the innovative SoftTorque functionality of the R8.2 robot control system. The SoftTorque function basically allows parts demoulding by means of ejector-driven pressing of plastic parts into the gripper. For this

PLAST 2012 PREVIEW purpose, the operator only needs to place the removal gripper somewhere fairly close to the part. The rest of the process is taken care of by the ejector in conjunction with the robot’s control system. At the trade fair booth, this model will be shown together with a conveyor belt to demonstrate the synchronisation of the conveyor belt as well as the SoftTorque function.

Another novelty at the Plast 2012 is the multi-purpose W821 robot. The load capacity of this model has been increased to 12 kg with a standard vertical stroke of 1,000 mm. In this latest version, the vertical stroke can also be extended to a maximum length of 1,400 mm. The load capacity will be visualised by transporting wine bottles and crates.

The W821 UHS (Ultra-High Speed) model also on display features a reinforced vertical aluminum tube with two linear bearings and a highperformance drive for maximum acceleration and movement speed.

It is specially designed for thin-walled moulded parts with cycle times below six seconds.

At the booth of Wittmann Battenfeld Italia, the W818 robot will be attached to the gripper of the W873, which lifts up the complete appliance. Even though the larger robot actually carries the smaller one, both appliances can still carry out any possible movements — both independently and in sync.

Moreover, the W873 robot comes with a servo A axis, which is able to turn the smaller W818 robot round in any required direction, thus demonstrating its load capacity.

The peripheral equipment shown at Plast in Milan includes the temperature controller models Tempro Basic C, Tempro plus D, Tempro plus D Micro, Tempro Direct C and Tempro plus 250, as well as MAS and Junior granulators, Drymax E and Drymax Aton dryers, Gravimax 14V metering devices and Feedmax material loaders.

The IPC and eMax control systems will also be on display.

Among the temperature controllers, the new Tempro plus D temperature controller series deserves special attention. Tempro temperature controllers offer the highest standard in temperature stability together with optimised process management, and also provide clear and complete visualisation of the entire process, thus enabling unrestricted process control.

With the introduction of the new Tempro plus D series of appliances, a generously dimensioned 5.7� LCD colour screen provides the visualisation.

Various buttons on the display can be configured with unlimited freedom in order to retrieve the required data exactly as desired in each

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individual case. The Tempro plus D Micro, which will also be exhibited, is a two-circuit temperature controller specially developed for micro injection moulding.

Among the dryers, the completely new drying wheel dryer, Drymax Aton, should receive special attention. What makes the Drymax Aton so attractive is its combination of a constant dew point with high energy efficiency and extremely low maintenance costs. These benefits have become possible by using an innovative drying wheel, consisting of numerous chambers which are loosely filled with ball desiccants. This filling concept favours high energy utilisation and allows for low-cost maintenance of the wheel.

Among the loaders, the new Feedmax B material separators for central conveying are of special interest. They are particularly easy to handle and ideally suited for all fields of application.

Wittmann Battenfeld Tel: +39 02 9698 101 Email: info@wittmann-group.it Web: www.wittmann-group.it

PLAST 2012 PREVIEW Automotive, Packaging and Medical: Key Applications with Engel Injection Moulding and Automation Engel, the Austrian injection moulding group, will bring a range of manufacturing cells for various applications and markets.

“Right now, plastics processors in Italy are mainly investing in new technologies, automation, process integration and energy-saving options,” said Maurizio Ferrari, Sales Manager with Engel Italia. “Our exhibits at Plast 2012 precisely reflect these trends.”

Engel’s packaging division is concentrating on speed in Milan. With a cycle time in the range of four seconds, an all-electric Engel emotion 740/200 tonne injection moulding machine will be producing round caps for food packaging in polypropylene thin-walled technology using a four-cavity mould. Thanks to integrated in-mould labelling (IML), the integrated production cell turns out ready-for-use caps. Engel’s system partner for IML automation is Star Automation from Caselle di Santa Maria di Sala of Italy. The mould was built by Schöttli of Switzerland and the labels are supplied by Viappiani Printing of Italy.

When it comes to manufacturing technical parts, the Engel victory machines will utilise their tie-bar-less capabilities. An Engel victory 330H/200V/120 combi will be demonstrating this during the five days of the fair. The machine will be producing bottle openers in twocomponent injection moulding and insert technology with in-mould labelling. An Engel viper 12 type linear robot — the fastest robot in its load-bearing class in international comparisons — inserts both the metal part and the decorative foil into the mould. The first shot initially injects the body of the bottle opener in polycarbonate, while the second applies a covering of TPE to the edges to provide a better grip.

The highlight from Engel’s medical division will be the production of syringe barrels, including needles, in a single production step. An allelectric Engel e-motion 200/100 tonne injection moulding machine featuring a cleanroom design is used for this.

To allow this to happen, the needles are separated and inserted into the four-cavity pilot mould by Zahoransky of Germany, by a linear robot driven by a servomotor. After overmoulding with COC/COP, the syringe barrels are taken off the mould by an Engel easix multiple-axis industrial robot. Because the take-off step occurs in parallel to insert-placing of a new set of needles, the plant achieves extremely short cycle times. The integrated process is an innovation compared with legacy multiple step processes, which first manufacture the needle holder in an injection moulding step and then glue in the hollow needles.

Engel Tel: +43 50 620 0 Email: sales@engel.at Web: www.engel.at EPPM 22

PLAST 2012 PREVIEW Laboratory Kneader Featuring Four-Flight Technology

Colines Talks Film and Sheet at Plast 2012 Italian extrusion machinery specialist, Colines, will have one of the most exciting stands at Plast 2012 (hall 15, stand A01/B02). EPPM editor, David Gray, caught up with Marketing and Communication Manager, Francesco Peccetti, to find out more about the group’s Italian success.

DG: First of all, Plast 2012 is the top event for Italian companies. What has been your experience in your home market recently?

After making its debut at “Wire” in Düsseldorf, BUSS’ new four-flight laboratory kneader, MX 30, will be displayed at Plast 2012, in Hall 13, stand C79. Featuring a flanged-on discharge screw, the BUSS laboratory kneader is designed for output rates of five to 25 kg/hour respectively for batch quantities upwards of 300 g.

Designed specifically for research and development as well as process and formulation optimisation, the MX 30 is the first laboratory kneader to feature four-flight technology. Like the larger machines of the MX series, the MX 30 is particularly suitable for the compounding of heat- and shearsensitive polymers and for the production of highly filled compounds. Typical areas of application in the highly diversified cable compound industry are: • Halogen-free, flame-retardant (HFFR) cable compounds.

• Peroxide-crosslinking polyethylene (XLPE) for cable insulation.

• Silane-crosslinkable cable.

• Semiconductive polyolefin compounds for power cables.

A comprehensive range of accessories, for example metering systems for raw materials and different pelletisers, make this BUSS laboratory kneader a versatile and fully equipped small-scale compounding line that can be used not only for product development trials, but also for the production of sample quantities for customers’ own trials or for the small-batch production of a wide diversity of cable compounds.

Buss AG Tel: +41 61 825 65 51 Email: marco.senoner@busscorp.com Web: www.busscorp.com

FP: Only over the last 12 months Colines has sold several extrusion lines in Italy for the manufacturing of products with high performances, namely: barrier film, hygienic film, the new generation of stretch film and Bubble Guard Board.

Colines is in fact engaged in all the above markets, achieving in all cases more than encouraging results.

DG: And what makes Colines so strong in the fields of extrusion and packaging?

FP: Colines’ main strength is its ability to cooperate strictly with the sister companies belonging to B-Pack Holding, producing high quality barrier cast, blown film and alveolar sheets.

This hands-on involvement in the field allows Colines to engineer, manufacture and test its lines directly and to gain the necessary insight needed to be ahead of qualitative standards, optimise technical timing and control production costs.

Colines has also chosen to work closely with the best suppliers of mechanical and electronic parts, as well as of raw materials, and this once more guarantees the quality and reliability of the final product.

Last but not least, thanks to the collaboration with researchers in the main University Technology Centres, Colines is always in the lead in highly efficient production line solutions, with a special care for energy saving aimed at a lower environmental impact.

DG: So what will the main focus be for Colines at Plast 2012?

FP: Colines will focus particularly on the continuous developments and improvements on stretch film.

In the last months Colines has developed some high-performance ‘power stretch’ and ‘superpower stretch’ products with the cooperation of wellknown European producers. This brings a considerable ‘downgauging’ process: films with thickness of 10-12 µm can be used instead of films from 17 to 23 microns for the same applications, with a consequent saving in terms of packaging weight of up to 40 per cent.

Our unique Bigmouth cold trims refeeding system is rated 9 kW but draws normally 4-5 kW, while our competitors use a side extruder or a regranulator rated 50 kW and over. This exclusive recovery system allows the use of extruders with a size proportioned to real production (Ø 120 mm, 60 and 60 mm).

A side extruder structurally implies the

use of a bigger main extruder, whose size must be larger than the side extruder. This leads to high energetic inefficiency and to a degradation of the plastic material because of the additional extrusion process, defects that can be avoided using our technology.

The stretch ‘cling’ film market (i.e. for applications in the food industry), characterised by specific features of spring back in transversal and longitudinal direction, has been so far dominated by PVC or linear PE produced on barrier lines that, thanks to biorientation, are indeed able to give the product the required properties.

Colines has developed a particular formulation able to reach the same performances in terms of mechanical characteristics on cast lines, with obvious advantages from the point of view of productivity, as well as of the spaces employed.

In particular, recent tests on Handrollex-1000 lines have allowed us to reach an excellent quality with film ranging from 10 ÷ 14 µm at speeds up to 600 m/min, with outputs over 400 kg/h.

The ‘secret’ of such film, of course, lies not only in the raw materials, which are indispensable for the characterisation of the product, but also in the utilisation of the latest Colines technologies in the field of stretch film: the Bigmouth trim recovery system which operates with very high energy efficiency and without material degradation, allowing the user to process any raw material without any problem; the HandSpeedy winder for the production of hand and machine reels; the extruders with our latest generation “barrier profile” screws as well as the cooling system with chill-roll and vacuum box optimised for high speeds.

Great attention will also be paid to our multipurpose alveolar sheets; do not forget that we are the only one, thanks to the patent, to offer the lines for Bubble Guard Board from granule: an alveolar 100 per cent PP sheet, also charged, which combines great versatility and high performances, due to it being 100 per cent recyclable, non-toxic, resistant to mechanical stress and chemical agents, thermoformable, printable, with a weight range from 250 g/m2 to 3500 g/m2 and a thickness range from two to 13 mm and above.

DG: Will you be launching any new products?

FP: PLAST will be the occasion to introduce our new generation HANDspeedy-Plus winder; at our stand we will also showcase the innovations in the field of completely automatic management of the extrusion lines presented by our associated company, ELAV. Visitors will then be able to see the advantages of the new light core, MyCore, based on PP resins. When compared to a cardboard core, MyCore has a cost which is more than 50 per cent lower and weighs up to four times less. It is also resistant to humidity, fungi

and mildew, is fully recyclable and can be used to generate new cores, thus leaving the user free from storage problems when produced in-house.

DG: Finally, I assume you will be demonstrating some live machinery – what will you be producing for visitors to see?

FP: The best-selling Handrollex-1000 line will be in operation at our stand A01/B02, Hall 15. The line produces manual and automatic reels with two and three inch cores in a format ranging from the classical 500 mm to the smaller mini rolls, for example the 100 mm one.

At each change cycle, reels are discharged and managed by an automatic system for palletising.

But this is only one of the lines that Colines will be able to show to customers: just a few minutes drive from the Milan Fair, customers will have a unique chance to see several Colines lines in operation, including: - Jumborollex 2000 with 50-layer EDI die. The extrusion line will produce stretch film at extremely high throughputs (production peak 1750 kg/h), running in our Colines factory of Azzate (Varese).

- No.2 Barriercast (five and seven layers) and No. 3 Barrierblown (five layers) for the production of barrier film, in operation at B-PACK, a company of the Colines group.

- Aircast, with double MDO monoorientation unit for the production of breathable film for hygienic and roofing applications.

- Polycast fully customised five-layer 2800 mm wide for the net production up to 1300 kg/h of CPP film.

Colines Tel: +39 0 321 48 63 11 Email: info@colines.it Web: www.colines.it

OLINES®, BUBBLE GUARD® BOARD, B-PACK® HOLDING, BIGMOUTH®, HANDROLLEX®, HANDSPEEDY®, ELAV®, MYCORE®, BARREIRCAST®, BARRIERBLOWN®, JUMBOROLLEX®, AIRCAST® and POLYCAST® are registered trademarks of COLINES. EPPM 23

PLAST 2012 PREVIEW Starlinger to Bring Flexible Woven Plastic Packaging to Italy German group Starlinger & Co GmbH and the Starlinger recycling technology and Starlinger viscotec divisions will present their range of technology solutions for the production of flexible woven plastic packaging and plastics recycling and refining in Milan.

This year, a deCON 50 decontamination dryer for post-consumer recycled PET flakes will be on display at the Starlinger stand. Developed by Starlinger viscotec, technology provider for decontamination of PET PCR flakes and pellets, the deCON 50 can be used as a stand-alone or inline unit that both dries and decontaminates crystallised PCR flakes or skeleton waste according to EFSA and FDA standards prior to the extrusion process. The first-in-first-out principle guarantees the same treatment time at the same temperature for each single flake, resulting in excellent decontamination without peak levels.

Starlinger viscotec also supplies solid stating and decontamination equipment for the production of food grade HDPE flakes. The newest machine development is the turnkey PET sheet line viscoSHEET, for the production of 100 per cent food grade rPET sheet. It can process up to 100 per cent of undried material with a minimal IV decrease.

Starlinger recycling technology is one of the leading providers for food grade PET recycling systems. The recycling process on Starlinger equipment has

been approved for food applications by many brand owners as well as various national and international authorities.

The machine range further comprises solutions for the recycling and refining of a wide scope of plastics such as PE, PP, PA, PS, and BOPP. Recycling lines for special applications such as film, fibre and nonwovens complete the machine portfolio; they are developed in close cooperation with customers to achieve tailor-made solutions for individual requirements.

As an A to Z turnkey supplier, Starlinger provides all machines needed for the production of packaging products made

of woven tape fabric: tape extrusion lines, tape winders, circular looms, coating, printing and conversion lines as well as laboratory and testing equipment. The special characteristics of woven tape fabric also make it a valuable base material for new packaging products. Starlinger has pioneered the flexible woven packaging market with innovative product developments such as the worldwide patented AD*STAR block bottom valve sack for cement and bulk goods, as well as the PP*STAR pinch bottom sack and

EPPM 24

the CB*STAR carrier bag for end consumer applications. Together with its partners Starlinger has developed its newest product, the woven*FFS sack: It combines the efficient FFS (Form, Fill and Seal) filling method with the high strength and resistance of woven tape fabric.

Starlinger will be in hall 24, stand C22.

Starlinger & Co. Tel: +43 1 599 550 Email: office@starlinger.com Web: www.starlinger.com

PLAST 2012 PREVIEW All-Electric Machines to be Main Focus for KraussMaffei The injection moulding division of KraussMaffei will exhibit powerful allelectric machines from the AX and EX Series for a range of production requirements at Plast 2012.

An all-electric EX 80-380 SilcoSet containing CleanForm cleanroom modules for a clean mould area will produce teats made of liquid silicone rubber (LSR) during a live demonstration. “The all-electric EX is totally predestined for the production of complex mouldings and offers maximum dynamics and precision,” said Dr. Karlheinz Bourdon, formally Managing Director of the Injection Moulding Machinery Business Unit of KraussMaffei. Since the liquid silicone rubber has a very low viscosity, processing of these materials calls for the smallest venting and separating gap in the mould.

Geared towards cleanliness, efficiency and precision, the machines can be used up to cleanroom Class A. “We offer customers excellent value added through our CleanForm GMP solution.

Production costs can therefore be reduced by up to 25 per cent by, for example, transferring the produced parts to sterile packaging directly after demoulding. This means that subsequent sterilisation is no longer required,” explained Bourdon. A closed oil lubrication system supplies the pivot points of the Z-toggle and prevents lubricants from leaking.

The production of technical components

in the electrical/electronics and automotive industries requires resourceefficient manufacturing with high repeatability. The injection moulding machines in the AX Series have been tailored to these requirements, according to KraussMaffei. One of the representative examples of the AX module comprising 21 models is the allelectric AX 280-750, which produces complex technical parts with maximum energy efficiency. The optimised double toggle, efficient servomotors and smooth-running mechanics ensure the machine’s exemplary efficiency. By using an AX machine, the energy consumption can be reduced by up to 60 per cent.

Groundbreaking control technology and absolute positioning accuracy ensure precise shaping with high dynamics. The AX Series lets the processor produce flexibly, reliably and, above all, at low unit costs — even for slow-running applications. KraussMaffei states that the AX machines can be ideally adapted to the varied production requirements of different industries using a comprehensive catalogue of options.

There is reportedlygreat demand for KraussMaffei brand machines, systems and tooling systems for polyurethane foam applications — from design and prototyping through to the serial mould and complete foaming systems, for example for seat cushions, insulation applications or lightweight components.

The focus is also on large-format, contoured parts as well as the

production of high-strength CFK composites for structural components using the HP-RTM process (high pressure resin transfer moulding) with all work steps over the entire process chain.

KraussMaffei will exhibit in hall 24, stand A/B 21/18.

EPPM 26

KraussMaffei Tel: +49 89 8899 4712 Email: markus.betsche@kraussmaffei.com Web: www.kraussmaffei.com

THE GREEN ROOM

Roquette and Rhodia Acetow Sign Joint Development Agreement for New PlantBased Polymers Roquette and Rhodia Acetow have signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to develop new plantbased polymers. The JDA will enable both companies to bring together respective competencies in the field of plant-based polymer chemistry.

Jean Bernard Leleu, Deputy CEO and Research Innovation Development Director of Roquette, commented: “Our goal is to continuously search for new solutions in growth markets and to boost our competitiveness with new technologies. This agreement is an excellent opportunity to speed up the development of a new range of starch derivatives, offering a cost competitive and sustainable alternative to fossil based polymers.”

“This JDA will accelerate the launch of new polymers based on renewable raw material, for which the demand is drastically increasing. The plant-based polymer cellulose acetate and cellulose acetate fibre will remain the key products for Rhodia Acetow. This agreement is one first step towards the diversification of our product portfolio,” stated Gérard Collette, President of Rhodia Acetow.

Thanks to Roquette’s expertise in starch derivatives and Rhodia’s industrial technologies, some trials of starch acetate production will be carried out from early 2012, providing several tonnes that will be available for testing in diverse industrial applications.

Rhodia Tel: +33 4 72 89 27 53 Email: jerome.pisani@eu.rhodia.com Web: www.rhodia.com

Polyol Production Using CO2 Could Spell the Future of Flexible Foams Until now, polyether polyols have been predominantly produced from oil derivatives.

Cooperating with partners from industry and academia, Bayer MaterialScience has developed a process for utilising carbon dioxide for the synthesis process, and incorporating it into the polymer backbone. This results in polyether polycarbonate polyols, which the company has now further developed for use in flexible foam products such as mattresses. In this way, carbon dioxide — a greenhouse gas that is abundantly available — can be put to use as a raw material.

This opens up new possibilities for conserving valuable crude oil resources.

“The results that have been obtained so far on the use of CO2 in slabstock foam are very promising indeed,” said Dr. Hans-Georg Pirkl, an expert for flexible polyurethane foam at Bayer MaterialScience. “The properties of the foams we have been studying are equivalent to those of conventional grades.” The viscosity of the polyols is a little higher than that of standard products, but processing on existing foaming machines is reported to be no problem.

The polyols with the carbon from CO2 as a synthesis building block are produced in a Bayer MaterialScience pilot plant that has been in operation at the Chempark Leverkusen site since the beginning of 2011. The CO2 comes from a power plant operated by project partner RWE. Other partners are RWTH Aachen University and the CAT Catalytic Center, which is run jointly by the

University and Bayer. “This collaboration has significantly helped us to optimise the catalyst originally developed by Bayer. As a result, we can now get the chemically inert carbon dioxide molecule to react,” explained Dr. Christoph Gürtler, who heads up several projects on the sustainable use of carbon dioxide. “On successful completion of the pilot phase, we plan to bring the first CO2based grades to market in 2015. We are also working on developments for further polyurethane products.”

Apart from their suitability for high-quality plastics, CO2-based raw materials also make other contributions to sustainability. The process saves the oil and energy that are needed in the conventional production of plastics, also naturally cutting the carbon dioxide emissions that would otherwise result. In addition, the power plant CO2 is used expediently and not simply emitted into the atmosphere.

Research scientists at RWTH Aachen University are currently investigating the new process in an ‘ecoefficiency analysis’ to determine whether CO2 is indeed ultimately reduced. The first results are reported by Bayer to be highly promising and look likely to back this hypothesis up.

Bayer MaterialScience Tel: +49 214 3025363 Email: frank.rothbarth@bayer.com Web: www.bayer.com

Bioplastic Product Range Expanded to Include Impact-Modified PLA Compounds Global custom engineered thermoplastics compounder, RTP Company, has expanded its line of polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic compounds to include impact-modified grades suitable for select semidurable and durable applications.

These new compounds are said to deliver enhanced impact strength and higher heat deflection temperatures than are possible with unmodified PLA resin, providing performance that is equivalent to traditional thermoplastics.

“RTP Company has developed bioplastic compounds with mechanical properties that are comparable to existing petroleum-based thermoplastics in terms of both function and processability,” said Will Taber, RTP Company's Business Manager of Emerging Technologies.

“Using our formulation and compounding expertise, RTP Company now has a full line of PLA-based compounds that allow bioplastics to be considered for broader use, giving product designers the ability to create eco-conscious products and meet end-use sustainability goals.”

These new materials, available in both injection and extrusion grades, expand RTP Company's PLA-based product line — which includes PLA alloyed with traditional thermoplastic resins and glass fibre reinforced PLA compounds — to also include impact

modified, nucleated, and mineral reinforced compounds.

With impact modification, PLA compounds can achieve notched Izod impact performance as high as 30 times that of neat PLA, making it comparable to PC/ABS. High performance nucleators raise the heat deflection temperature up to 1.5 times, in degrees fahrenheit, giving PLA bioplastic compounds performance similar to ABS, HIPS (high-impact polystyrene), and acrylic. “A unique feature of these compounds is their excellent balance of strength and stiffness,” continued Taber.

RTP states the PLA compounds are fully colourable and have biocontent as high as 95 per cent depending on additive loading levels.

Key applications include injection moulded covers, housings, and structural components for appliance, consumer electronics, furniture, medical devices, office equipment, sporting goods, tools, and toys.

The bio–based component of RTP Company's bioplastic compounds, PLA resin, is derived from renewable and sustainable resources. Additionally, its production is said to consume less energy and produces less CO2 than petroleum-based thermoplastics. Bioplastics are part of RTP Company's EPPM 29

‘Eco Solutions’ product portfolio that includes compounds using bio–based or recycled-content resins, natural fibres, or halogen-free flame retardant and wear resistant additives.

RTP Company Tel: +1 507 454 6900 Email: rtp@rtpcompany.com Web: www.rtpcompany.com

GREEN ROOM ROUNDUP Commercial Biovinyl Flexible Compounds Made with Bio-Based Plasticizers Global materials group Teknor Apex has developed flexible vinyl compounds with plasticisers based on renewable resources for applications as diverse as automotive window encapsulation, medical tubing and footwear, and it is prepared to supply the compounds to manufacturers seeking to reduce the carbon footprint of their products, the company announced at NPE recently.

BioVinyl compounds incorporate phthalate-free Dow Ecolibrium bio-based plasticisers, which are manufactured using plant byproducts by Dow Electrical and Telecommunications, a unit of The

Dow Chemical Company. Life cycle analysis tests conducted by Dow and reviewed by a third party indicate that every tonne of vinyl compound made flexible with Dow Ecolibrium bio-based plasticiser helps the industry reduce carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by 41 per cent.

“BioVinyl compounds possess a lower global-warming potential than conventional flexible vinyl, and their carbon footprint reduction is even greater in comparison with non-vinyl plastics,” said Louis R. Cappucci, Vice President in charge of the Vinyl Division

of Teknor Apex. “Our tests of diverse BioVinyl grades indicate that customers can gain these environmental advantages without sacrificing product performance, and at a cost that is competitive with flexible vinyl containing non-phthalate plasticisers.”

Applications for which Teknor Apex is prepared to supply commercial quantities of BioVinyl compounds include: • Automotive window seals, interior and exterior trim, and instrument panel skins. ● Medical tubing, masks, and collection bags.

● Consumer products such as footwear and toys.

Development work continues on compounds for other applications, such as blood bags and wire and cable jacketing, according to Business Development Manager, Michael Roberts.

“Because half of the PVC polymer is derived from seawater and typical plasticiser loadings are 33 per cent, the substitution of the new plasticisers for conventional phthalates makes the carbon footprint of BioVinyl compounds dramatically smaller than that of many plastics,” said Roberts. “Teknor Apex has compiled comparative data indicating that the global warming potential of BioVinyl compounds, in terms of CO2 emission equivalents, is half that of polyolefin resins and is even lower than that of PLA bioplastic. The cumulative energy demand of BioVinyl compounds, including feedstock and processing, is the lowest in comparison with a wide range of plastics.”

Another advantage of BioVinyl compounds cited by Roberts stems from the fact that Dow Ecolibrium Bio-Based Plasticisers are derived from naturally occurring vegetable substances that are not used for food and so are unaffected by supply/demand forces impacting other bio-derived plastics feedstocks such as corn starch.

In work on formulations incorporating Dow Ecolibrium, Teknor Apex researchers developed and tested BioVinyl grades for a number of standard flexible vinyl applications, such as building and construction seals and gaskets and irrigation tubing.

“The most pronounced property change that we discovered in comparison with conventional phthalate-plasticised compounds was an improvement in heat stability, enabling extrusion processors to carry out longer product runs without prohibitive levels of polymer degradation,” said Senior Development Chemist, Nicole Marshall. “In addition, compounds that we developed for weatherstripping and gasketing showed significantly less colour change than standard vinyl after accelerated weathering.”

Teknor Apex researchers also found that the Dow bio-based plasticiser exhibited greater plasticising efficiency than most common phthalates. “In preparing developmental BioVinyl grades, we were able to use less plasticiser to obtain the same level of flexibility as in corresponding phthalate-based compounds,” Marshall said.

Teknor Apex Tel: +1 401 725 8000 Email: vinyl@teknorapex.com Web: www.teknorapex.com

EPPM 30

GREEN ROOM ROUNDUP Avantium and Danone Announce Partnership for Bio-Based Plastic Bottles Netherlands-based R&D company, Avantium, has announced its second major partnership for its YXY technology to produce 100 per cent bio-sourced PEF bottles.

Danone Research and Avantium have entered into an agreement for the development of PEF bottles for Danone, the second largest producer of bottled water worldwide. The agreement is said to form another cornerstone of Avantium’s commercialisation strategy to further co-develop the YXY technology for producing PEF bottles.

“The agreement with Danone Research is a fantastic step forward on our path to commercialise PEF bottles,” said Avantium's CEO, Tom van Aken.

“Today, Danone Research is at the forefront in contributing to the development of next generation biobased plastic bottles. Our YXY solution for the packaging industry creates a new bio-sourced material delivering superior functional properties versus conventional PET technology (for example light weighting potential, barrier and thermal properties). We believe that the process economics and carbon footprint of PEF make it a suitable PET alternative. A recent study done by the Copernic Institute, showed that PEF has a 50-60 per cent lower carbon footprint than oilbased PET. Finalising the LCA study is part of the Joint Development Agreement. Avantium is currently validating the use of existing supply and

recycling chains, enabling a full transition to bio-based PEF bottles in three to five years from now.”

Based on the YXY technology, the Avantium and Danone Research joint objective is to contribute to the emergence of a new renewable material generation that will not be in direct competition with food. YXY is used as a fast and efficient chemical-catalytic technology to convert carbohydrates produced from plants, grains, energy crops, lignocellulosic matter, waste streams, waste paper or agricultural residues, into a wide variety of bio-based polymers.

Based on ongoing R&D programs, Avantium states it will also continue to develop PEF from renewable feedstock not competing with food.

Avantium has recently opened its pilot plant in Geleen, the Netherlands, with the capacity of producing 40 tonnes of PEF for application development. The collaborations with Danone and also the Coca-Cola Company are key to secure a smooth transition into the mass

production phase of PEF bottles.

Avantium states it is in active discussion with other leading brand owners to develop PEF bottles, fibres and film. In the longer term, Avantium will license its YXY technology to enable large scale, worldwide production and use of its bio-sourced plastic materials.

We close the loop.

The specialists in plastic recycling systems.

Choose the Number One.

EPPM 31

Avantium Tel: +31 20 586 8080 Email: info@avantium.com Web: www.avantium.com

GREEN ROOM ROUNDUP Axion Polymers Launches Black PP Made from End-of-Life Vehicles Axion Polymers has added Axpoly PP51, derived from end-of-life vehicles (ELV), to its range of 100 per cent recycled polymer materials after months of detailed research and significant investment.

The Salford-based recycling specialist claims its new high performance grade of black polypropylene (PP) has great potential for closed-loop applications in new automotive-related products and is inviting enquiries from customers interested in pursuing further market testing.

Axpoly PP51 is made from automotive shredder residue recovered from ELV at Axion’s multi-million pound Shredder Waste Advanced Processing Plant (SWAPP). Axion is one of the European leaders in this sector, having designed and purpose-built the Trafford Park facility, which opened in January 2011.

With capacity to process and extract non-metal fractions from tens of thousands of end-of-life vehicles annually, this pioneering plant is at the forefront of this type of recycling and is capable of recovering up to 95 per cent of automotive residues.

Extracted from bits of bumpers, air vents and various underbody components, the material undergoes a sophisticated cleaning process prior to final compounding and injection mouldinggrade pellet production. Bespoke grades tailored to customers’ specifications can also be supplied.

Axion Polymers Director, Keith Freegard, commented: “We believe Axpoly PP 51 offers manufacturers tremendous opportunities for more sustainable vehicle components in successfully replacing virgin resin. PP is an ideal compound for car parts manufacture as it has a good balance of strength and impact resistance as well as high and low temperature resistance.

“This polymer will appeal to ‘greener’ customers as it offers at least 80 per cent savings in CO2 impact, while helping to reduce manufacturers’ carbon footprints,” he said.

As well as automotive applications, early interest in Axpoly PP51 includes possible use in the utility, construction and wider manufacturing industries.

Keith added: “The European End of Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive aims to reduce the amount of waste produced from vehicles when they are scrapped. Since 2006, the UK and all other EU member states have been expected to reach a

national recycling, reuse and recovery target of 85 per cent, rising to 95 per cent in 2015.

“Through working in partnership with car take-back firms, our SWAPP facility and new Axpoly PP51 polymer shows how we can help to fulfill a critical element of producer responsibility while contributing to automotive closed-loop recycling.”

Axion Polymers is part of the Axion Group that develops and operates

innovative resource recovery and processing solutions for recycling waste materials. The group works with a wide range of clients within the recycling and process industries on the practical development of new processing and collection methods.

Axion Polymers Tel: +44 161 737 6124 Email: sales@axionpolymers.com Web: www.axionpolymers.com

www.eppm.com

eppm EPPM is taking entries for the Supplier of the Year Awards!

The categories are: • Blow Moulding • Film & Sheet Extrusion • Injection Moulding • Masterbatch, Additives & Compounds • Materials Distributors • Materials Handling • Pipe & Profile Extrusion • Process Control & Monitoring • Recycling Equipment • Robotics & Automation • Testing & Inspection

To nominate your company, email david.g@rapidnews.com The winners of the EPPM 2012 Supplier of the Year Awards will be announced in the final issue of the year.

EPPM 32

GREEN ROOM SPOTLIGHT eppm

PLASTICS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS

Specialist chemicals group Evonik is launching a complete acrylic lens package, Plexiglas Solar Pre-Fab lens panels, designed to provide access to Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) optics while also saving customers costs in advance and several months manufacturing time. These new lens panels are part of the well-known Plexiglas Solar product portfolio, which consists of specialty PMMA moulding compounds and sheet products for solar applications.

Plexiglas Solar Pre-Fab acrylic lens panels are combined with a Secondary Optical Element (SOE) to create a complete optical train package for assembly directly into Concentrated Photovoltaics (CPV) modules. This allows customers to bypass buying the tooling device needed to create the product, which is very expensive and requires a timeconsuming installation process of several months.

“This is a great example of how we continuously enhance our products to deliver our best value and performance to our customers,” said Peter Marks, New Business Development Manager of Evonik’s Performance Polymers — Acrylic

OFF-THESHELF SOLAR LENS PANELS ARE A FIRST FOR CPV MODULES

POLYONE INTRODUCES “SYNCURE SOLAR” FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC WIRE & CABLE

At NPE in Orlando, additives group PolyOne introduced a new technology for photovoltaic (PV) wire and cable called Syncure Solar. Available globally, this UV-resistant, cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) system provides high-performance, UL 4703 and VW 1compliance in one material, eliminating the need to use two separate insulation and jacketing formulations. It also provides customers a new option for improving efficiency, complying with RoHS requirements and meeting sustainability goals.

Syncure Solar reportedly provides multiple environmental benefits. First, it promotes the use of alternative energy by simplifying the wiring of PV systems. Because Syncure Solar complies with the stringent UL 4703 standard for PV wire as well as the UL 44 standard for interior wiring, it can be used seamlessly from the outside to the inside of a building in USE-2 (Underground Service Entrance) applications, thereby streamlining installation. This eliminates the need to

Polymers business line. “The package’s complete offering allows us to deliver world-class performance to our customers while bypassing the tooling process to save both time and money.

We are also offering the product in small quantities of as little as 10 panels to be used in prototypes.”

The optical lens package utilises Light Prescriptions Innovators’ (LPI) patented Fresnel-Köhler optical design.

The Plexiglas Solar Pre-Fab lens panels serve as the Primary Optical Element

(POE), which collects light over its entire area. This POE is coupled with Evonik’s Savosil, the Secondary Optical Element (SOE) that focuses light over a smaller area homogenising the light in order to maximise its usefulness to a solar cell.

The Plexiglas Solar Pre-Fab lens panels are produced through Evonik’s proprietary processes for manufacturing acrylic CPV lens panels. These lens panels also take advantage of the precision tooling and prescription replication capability of 10x Technology

LLC, a developer of micro-structured polymer products. Furthermore, Plexiglas Solar Pre-Fab lens panels reportedly provide excellent light transmission, high mechanical strength and low weight as well as outstanding resistance to weathering and UV light.

create a junction between interior and exterior wiring or cabling.

Second, Syncure Solar, as a onematerial solution, requires only one pass through the extruder (versus the industry norm of two) for simplified logistics, reduced cycle time, and overall systems cost reduction. Combining insulation and jacketing also allows for a thinner coating.

According to Rick Noller, Marketing Director, Engineered Materials North America: “Syncure Solar demonstrates PolyOne’s strong commitment to helping our customers succeed in the growing alternative energy sector. It also supports demand growth for sustainable solutions by helping to reduce resource requirements and energy usage providing wire and cable manufacturers with efficiency and system cost benefits.

We believe Syncure Solar will play an important part in fostering adoption of solar technologies.”

An added benefit is the availability of Syncure Solar in two colours, natural and black, with comparable performance. Colour concentrates from PolyOne can also provide a range of colour options, allowing for easy, visual differentiation of wire and cable.

Syncure Solar supplements PolyOne’s growing portfolio of solutions to the solar industry. Existing wire and cable

offerings include Geon PVC formulations and ECCOH low smoke and fume, nonhalogen materials. PolyOne also helps increase the efficiency of solar panels through application of Smartbatch colour and additive concentrates in backsheet films, and improves the reliability of

connectors with non-halogenated Edgetek solutions.

EPPM 33

Evonik Tel: +49 201 17 70 1 Email: info@evonik.com Web: www.evonik.com

PolyOne Tel: +49 7225 68020 Email: info@polyone.com Web: www.polyone.com

EPPM CLASSIFIEDS Granulators Shredders Pulverisers Blowers-cyclones All spares Contact: Dick Monkhouse Tel: 01928 734724 Email: sales@zerma.co.uk

RAWMEC (EEC) Ltd International suppliers of machines to the Plastics, Packaging & Printing Industry, Consultants and Valuers.

41 years of Service • Vacuum Forming • Blowmoulding

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All sizes of Granulators, Shredders and Recycling Lines Condux Pulveriser – Model CH2M8-N, 75HP Drive Hyma GMP 50 EPS Foam Recycling line Cumberland 5/84, 500x350mm, 15kw Cumberland 4/84, 400x350mm, 11kw Farrel Extrusion Line - As New FTX80 Twin screw extrusion line - complete with Maguire material mixing unit with brabender screw feed Anfu extrusion line to produce plastic Inter locking boards

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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX LOOKING FOR PARTNERSHIP IN TUNISIA

Company

Page

Ayed Nabil

34

Abbey Masterbatch Albis

A company in Tunisia is looking for a partnership in the Automotive wiring field. Production designed for export.

For this purpose we have a local facility of 10 000 Sqm designed in European norms and can feature an extension up to 40 000 Sqm. The area is 10 Kms far from Monastir airport and 15 Kms from Sousse (Tourist area).

Minimum worker’s salary is 200$ per month. The Tunisian government offers 10 years free taxes.

Languages spoken in Tunisia: French/ English/ Italian.

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EPPM 34

To advertise here please contact Caroline Plant: Tel: +44 (0)1829 770037 Email: caroline@rapidnews.com

Over 35 Years of Service

2400mm wide Reifenhauser/Kuhne sheet extrusion line with 150mm, 80mm and 45mm extruders. 2300mm die, 3 roll stack, haul off, guillotine.

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STOCK LIST Many machines 1/2-1-2-3-ltr from £4000 Blow moulds 10ml-220ltr over 300 toy moulds Spares, Heads, Screws, Barrels FOR SERVICE - REBUILDS - BREAKDOWNS BD REPAIRS LTD TEL: +44 (0)1767 318910 • FAX: +44 (0)1767 600097 www.blowmachine.com CHILLERS - GRANULATORS - COMPRESSORS MANY INJECTION MACHINES

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Unused machinery – all offers considered View in storage in Frodsham, Cheshire Tel: 01928 734724 Email: sales@herbold.co.uk

EPPM 35

To Advertise Here...

Contact Caroline Plant Tel: +44 (0) 1829 770037 Email: caroline@rapidnews.com

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