Industry Europe – Issue 29.3

Volume 29/3 – 2019

Towards eMobility & a new automotive ecosystem with Oetiker Filtech 2019 – The next generation of filtration Sonoco Alcore – Pioneers in the paper industry

Greener Steel Turning waste into fuel

OPINION

PETERMERCER

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Electric dreams The road to the EV future may not be smooth.

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ell, that’s a relief. Just when we were all glumly resigned to pottering about in our new electric Noddy cars – so as not to get on the wrong side of 16- year old Swedish schoolgirls – along comes Porsche with the Taycan Turbo.

Now this looks like a real EV for everyone who, even in these puritanical times, still feels the need for speed. With a 96kWh lithium ion battery (weighing 650 kg) that will spin two electric motors at 16,000 rpm to deliver more than 600 bhp, the Taycan will propel you from 0 to 62 mph in around 3 seconds. Which makes it at least as fast as a 911 Turbo and all with no emissions and hardly any noise (unless you specify the optional sound generator). What’s not to like?

Well, it will set you back about €150,000, although later two-wheel drive models might cost not much more than €80,000. And although Porsche is promising you will be able to go around 300 miles before you need to re-charge the battery it’s still not quite as simple as filling up your 911 at the pump. If you can find a 400 volt charge point you are looking at around 40 minutes to get an 80 per cent charge, so you have to hope there are not too many other EV drivers in the queue.

And if you charge it up at home you will have to wait some 30 hours before you can blast off again. Maybe best to get an electric bike as well.

Still, it is the future isn’t it? As of now only six countries in the world – China, Japan, the US, Canada, Norway and the UK – have electric vehicle sales of more than one per cent of the total vehicle market. But with Europe now set to ban the sale of new fossil fuel powered cars by 2040 it’s likely that by then at least half the vehicles on its roads will be EVs. And the rest of the world – except maybe the US – will surely follow.

Swings and roundabouts That will make for a dramatic reduction in the emission of pollutants from the world’s tailpipes. But even in the great cause of saving the planet nothing comes for free.

To start with, all those batteries have to be charged, again and again. That will mean a huge growth in demand for electricity for EVs, maybe as much as 300 times current consumption. And where is all that power to come from? Well, today around 40 percent of the world’s electricity comes from power plants that burn coal, the dirtiest of all fossil fuels. And plenty of them are in Europe. Some 40 per cent of Germany’s electricity still comes from coal and even in the Netherlands – with all those windmills, ancient and modern – it’s 29 per cent. In China, of course, it’s more than two thirds and increasing by the week. So to take out the pollutants from cars you will have to increase the pollution from power stations.

Of course we are going to need more clean power and happily around two thirds of new power capacity is coming from renewables – wind, solar and hydro. But it’s a slow process. Since all those promises were made at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, renewable energy has been expanded to meet only 14.2 per cent of the world’s energy needs, against 13.1 per cent then. Of course, total energy demand has increased enormously over that time but fossil fuels still meet most of it.

Anyone for nuclear?

So there’s a cost to producing the power for all those batteries. But what about the materials used in their manufacture – lithium, cobalt and rare earths? Fortunately there seems to be plenty of lithium yet to be dug up – in Chile, Bolivia, Brazil and Australia – although it’s not the easiest metal to extract.

Cobalt, however, is a different story. It’s not difficult to mine but most of it comes from

the Democratic Republic of Congo, which everyone agrees is not the easiest country in which to do business.

As for rare earths, used in electric motors, the problem is that 95 per cent of these come from China. So the search is on for viable alternatives.

All in all, it’s not going to be an easy ride.

The changes being forced on the auto industry will have a huge impact on just about every other industry, from energy production, metals and mining to global trade and transport. And much of Europe’s auto industry itself may not survive this massive transformation. It may not be able to sustain the huge costs of transition and much of the mass market for cars may be lost to East Asian producers.

And what is driving this seismic change? Previous massive shifts in consumer demand, from smartphones and e-commerce to automobiles themselves, have been essentially driven by technological innovation. But what is driving the EV revolution is politics. Democratic politicians seem powerless to resist the pressure from eco activists and doom mongers with their eschatological visions – and from Swedish schoolgirls – and fall over each other to prove their green credentials.

So we have the UK, for example, promising that it will now be the first in the world to achieve Net Zero Carbon by 2050. No one really has any idea of what this would cost or even if it is actually achievable. The Chancellor complains that it might be £70 billion a year; others think it might be anything up to £560 billion What we do know is that even if this improbable goal was reached it would have no impact at all on global warming. The UK is currently responsible for just one per cent of global emissions.

Virtue signalling can have a heavy price. n Industry Europe 1

CONTENTS Editorial Director Steve Gislam Managing Partner & Production Director Stephen Moore

Profile Writers Romana Moares Barbara Rossi Dariusz Balcerzyk Edina Beale Philip Yorke Emma-Jane Batey Eugenia Fiusco Piotr Sadowski

Sector Managers Milada Preslova Eniko Kovacs Michael Hudson Oliver Clements Szidonia Hajdu

Katarzyna Pozoga

Comment

1 Opinion Electric dreams

Metals, Metalworking & Mining Industry 4 Fuel from steel Greener Steel - Turning waste into fuel

6 Metals, Metalworking & Mining news The latest from the industry

Textiles, Home & Personal Care Industry 8

10

Art Director Leon Esterhuizen Designer Rob Czerwinski

Green Trend: From Personal Care to Home Care Ecovia Intelligence to highlight Eco-friendliness.

Textiles, Home & Personal Care news The latest from the industry

Home Electronics & HVAC Industry

12 Understanding The EU’s New Energy Efficiency Labels New energy efficiency labels to be applied by 2021.

14 Home Electronics & HVAC news The latest from the industry

Operations & Finance Director Tania Balderson

News

16 Winning business New orders and contracts 18 Linking up Combining strengths 20 Moving On Relocations and expansions across Europe 21 Technology spotlight Advances in technology

Events, Exhibitions & Show guides

Industry Europe Alkmaar House, Alkmaar Way, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 6BF, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1603 414444 Fax: +44 (0)1603 779850 Email: studio@industryeurope.net Web: https://industryeurope.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/IndustryEurope

© Industry Europe 2019 No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form for any purpose, other than short sections for the purpose of review, without prior consent of the publisher.

22 Digitalisation is an opportunity for everyone Aimtec 24 Focus on High Performance Filtration Haver & Boecker 26 Discover the Future of Filtration & Separation FILTECH 30 Multifaceted approach to sustainability Berry Global 32 40 Years of European Packaging at Its Best FachPack 36 7th International exhibition of

automotive suppliers AUTOMOTIVE HUNGARY 38 Staying at the Forefront Sonoco Alcore

Aerospace & Defence 41 46

Flying high FACC Aiming High Maini Precision Products

Agriculture

50 Masters of Precision RAUCH

Automation & Robotics

54 Machined to Perfection ZMM Bulgaria Holding 57 Top of the pile Blueprint Automation 60 Robotic poetry in motion Yaskawa

Automotive & Heavy Vehicles FOCUS MEDIA GROUP LTD.

2 Industry Europe

63 66 70

Perfecting the Art of Electronic Alpine Electronics A Passion for Sound ASK Industries Truck bodies for food transport IGLOOCAR

VOL 29/3

Above: Sonoco Alcore pxx

73 Meeting the Automotive Challenge Daimler 76 Unique, performance-plus systems Gedia 80 Ahead in the clouds MAN Truck & Bus 84 Embracing eMobility Oetiker 87 Taking fluid dynamics further Tristone Flowtech Group

Chemicals, Petrochemicals & Offshore 90

It’s full steam ahead for MOL MOL group

Construction & Engineering Above: Rauch p50 Below: Igloocar p70

94 Delivering unique hydraulic solutions Komatsu 98 Opening new windows Casa Noastra 102 Winds of change Crist 105 Fluid precision - optimised IMI Precision Engineering 108 Meeting the Plastics Challenge STF Maschinen 112 Innovation Driven VEKA

Above: Veka p112 Below: (GAP) Gruppo Piantoni p138

Food and Beverage

116 Cool sustainable success EPTA

Home Appliances, furniture & HVAC

120 Where passion meets technology DFM

Hygiene, Medical & Pharmaceutical 124 Optimising conversion rates Violeta

Logistics & Transport

128 Strengthening Trans-Pacific carrier services APL

Metals, Metalworking & Mining

132 Driving forward the future of fasteners GZPS 138 A single reference point for companies in

the steel industry GAP

Power Gen

142 Strength to strength in steel Metalcam

Above: Oetiker p84 Below: STF Maschinen p108

PAPER, PACKAGING & PRINTING

145 Smarter packaging solutions Eson Pac 148 Security papermill Diósgyőr Papermill (Dipa Inc.) 150 Expanding core competences Corex 154 Creating more versatile deposition modelling Haidlmair 158 Delivering barriers without frontiers Supravis Group 162 Combining new food processing technologies Pavan Group

165 Perfect partners for optimal printing J&S Druckfarben 168 Star performer Recard

Above: Diósgyőr Papermill p148 Below: Procter & Gamble (P&G) p172

Textiles, Home & Personal Care

172 Force for Growth Procter & Gamble (P&G) 179 Pioneering exceptional functionality TWE Group

Industry Europe 3

Fuel from steel Turning carbon emissions from blast furnace gas into bioethanol at ArcelorMittal Gent.

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Carl De Maré, ArcelorMittal Group CTO – Head of Technology Strategy

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onstruction has begun on the first commercial-scale bioethanol plant in Europe to use waste gases from steelmaking as a feedstock. The plant at ArcelorMittal Gent will provide up to 80 million litres of bioethanol annually and demonstrate that flue gases from the blast furnace can be turned into a valuable resource. As well as bioethanol, the plant will also generate heat and energy which will be reused within the plant.

The plant uses a naturally occurring bacteria which feeds on carbon monoxide (CO). “It’s a very energy efficient process as microbes do all the work,” says Wim Van der Stricht, coordinator of the project. “The challenge is to incorporate that natural process into a large-scale, well-established industry. And we’ve done that by innovating and working with partners such as LanzaTech and Primetals Technologies. We’ve also received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.”

Circular economy in action “This plant is a perfect example of the circular economy in action,” says Carl De Maré, vice president of Technology Strategy at ArcelorMittal. “A waste material from steelmaking is being converted into real-world products which are useful, valuable, and sustainable. This plant can produce enough fuel to power 100,000 vehicles using pure bioethanol for a year.”

In the ethanol conversion process, bacteria feed on carbon monoxide and produce ethanol as a by-product. Biomass waste, produced in the process, is digested to produce methane. This is burnt in a co-generation unit to create heat and energy which is reused within the bioethanol plant in processes such as distillation of the ethanol.

Arable land protected Many existing bioethanol plants use agricultural products as a feedstock. Typically, this comes from crops such as sugar cane, wheat, and

corn which take up land and resources which could be used for food production. “With our technology, we use recycled carbon, so there is no need to tie-up valuable arable land,” explains Wim Van der Stricht.

Although the plant will not be fully operational for at least two years, ArcelorMittal is already getting enquiries from potential buyers.

“We’ve had a lot of interest from fuel blenders who use bioethanol as a substitute for petrol

(gasoline),” says Wim Van der Stricht. “But we were surprised just how many of our own customers require bioethanol for their applications.

From paint to household cleaning products, there are hundreds of important uses.”

ArcelorMittal’s aim for this project is to show that it is possible to create a carbon-neutral steel industry, not just one that produces low levels of carbon dioxide notes Carl De Maré: “The circular economy is critical to achieve that

carbon-neutral status, but ArcelorMittal can’t do it alone. We need additional partners in this new value chain and to help close the loop, we want our customers to be a part of this innovative technology. I urge every customer that utilises bioethanol, or is active in recycling waste streams, to get in touch through the project’s website.”

Proven technology moves to industrial scale Ethanol plants like the one being installed at ArcelorMittal Gent have been trialled in China, proving that the technology works.

However, the ethanol conversion plant in Gent will be the first to produce bioethanol on an industrial scale and in a cost-effective way with a high level of energy efficiency.

Preparatory work for the conversion facility has already started. Engineering work for the plant has been finalised and equipment based on best available technologies (BAT) was ordered in mid-2018. That equipment is expected to be delivered by summer 2019.

The plant will start producing bioethanol around mid-2020 before ramping up to full production.

More than 500 temporary engineering jobs will be created during the construction phase.

Once commissioned, the plant will be run by a team of around 30 people including bio-engineers, operators, and technicians.

Visit: www.steelanol.eu Industry Europe 5

NEWS

New developments in the Metals, Metalworking & Mining industry

Salzgitter AG and Tenova to develop CO2-reduced steel production based on hydrogen

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concrete step towards future-oriented, climate-friendly technology for steel production: Tenova – a company of the Techint Group specialized in innovative solutions for the metals and mining industries – and Salzgitter AG – among the leaders in innovative and sustainable steel and technology products – have signed an agreement to cooperate in the realization of SALCOS® (SAlzgitter Low CO2 Steelmaking).

SALCOS® is a revolutionary concept for a significantly CO2-reduced steel production, commonly developed by the two companies. The aim is to undergo a stepwise transformation process of the integrated steel making route, moving from carbon-intensive steel production based on Blast-Furnaces towards a Direct Reduction and Electric Arc Furnace route, including the flexible incremental utilization of hydrogen. This concept is capable of reducing CO2 emissions up to 95% with respect to the entire steel production route.

“Over the last years, Tenova has been heavily investing to develop technologies able to significantly reduce energy consumption and the environmental footprint of steel production. Hydrogen plays a pivotal role in this revolution, and the SALCOS® concept could represent an important milestone in our industry”, said Paolo Argenta, Tenova Executive Vice-President Upstream.

Visit: www.tenova.com

ArcelorMittal completes sale of several European steelmaking assets

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rcelorMittal has completed the sale to Liberty House Group of several steelmaking

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Outokumpu is moving forward with end-to-end digital manufacturing.

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utokumpu is aiming to fully digitalize its biggest factory in Tornio, Finland, transforming it into the most digitalized and most cost-competitive stainless steel operation in the industry by 2020. After Tornio, digital manufacturing is planned to roll out to Outokumpu’s other production units internationally.

With digitalization of Tornio operations, Outokumpu aims to significantly reduce lead times to customers through step-change improvements in reliability, quality and supply chain management and to gain up to 100,000 tonnes of freed capacity from the existing production assets. The Tornio unit is already today the biggest, most efficient and most sustainable stainless steel factory in Europe, covering the entire production chain from mining and smelting to melting, hot and cold rolling and finishing of high demanding stainless steel products.

In a multi-year partnership with Microsoft, Outokumpu is building an industrial digital platform, Outokumpu Digital Platform (ODP), based on Microsoft Azure. During the first six months of 2019 the joint Outokumpu and Microsoft project team has created this platform, including first two concrete solutions, already expected to bring considerable improvements in quality performance for Tornio mill.

Visit: www.outokumpu.com

Up to 10 percent weight reduction for Fanalca’s new garbage trucks using SSAB’s Hardox® and Strenx® steels ustomer demand compelled Colombian garbage truck manufacturer Fanalca to start using Hardox® wear plate and Strenx® performance steel. And now, with the newly designed lightweight trucks, customers can collect more garbage on each round and thus increase their revenue.

“We began large-scale production last year when we got a tender for the city of Bogotá, where we delivered 100 garbage compactors,” says Diego Reyes, sales manager at the environmental and bodywork unit of Fanalca S.A. “We’ve also sold equipment to other clients this year, and they have been very satisfied thanks to the new wear plate and lightweight design.”

Fanalca, based in Cali, Colombia, makes solid waste collection equipment and containers using Hardox® wear plate and Strenx® performance steel. The company started using SSAB steel products a couple of years ago because of customer demand and competition, on both national and global scales.

“It gives the company a competitive edge,” Reyes says. “Globally, the trend has been moving toward high-quality, lightweight materials. Having the Hardox In My Body sign on our products shows that we are using high-quality steel and we stand out from the competition because we can offer very innovative products. The customers know about the program, and they appreciate and value it.”

“SSAB has helped us take our projects forward, and this makes us noticeable compared with our competitors,” Reyes says. “We have been able to reduce the overall weight of our garbage compactors. For the client, this new product represents savings as the compactor can take on much bigger loads, so it is more profitable.”

Visit: www.ssab.com

assets that form the divestment package the Company agreed with the European Commission during its merger control investigation into the Company’s acquisition of Ilva S.p.A. Assets included within the divestment package are: ArcelorMittal Ostrava (Czech Republic), ArcelorMittal Galati (Romania), ArcelorMittal Skopje (Macedonia), ArcelorMittal Piombino (Italy), ArcelorMittal Dude-

lange (Luxembourg) and several finishing lines at ArcelorMittal Liège (Belgium).

The total net consideration for the assets payable to ArcelorMittal is €740 million. €610 million was received on 28 June. The Company is required to deposit €110 million in escrow to be used by Liberty for certain capital expenditure projects as part of the EC approval process.

Visit: http://corporate.arcelormittal.com

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NEWS

INDUSTRYNEWS thyssenkrupp Materials Services invests

over 70 million euros in European sites

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hyssenkrupp Materials Services, the distribution and service provider of the thyssenkrupp Group, is investing around 70 million euros in the modernization and expansion of its European warehousing and logistics network.

A state-of-the-art logistics center with around 36,000 square meters of storage space is to be built in Rotenburg/Wümme (Lower Saxony). The company is investing around 60 million euros in the site, which will store up to 20,000 tons of

materials to guarantee maximum material availability. The groundbreaking is planned for the end of the year. Serving customers in the north of Germany, the new logistics and processing center is scheduled to go into operation in 2021. thyssenkrupp Materials Services is investing a total of 11 million euros in the expansion of its sites in Nowe Marzy, Poland and the Hungarian capital Budapest. Two new modern warehouses are to start operation at the end

of September. With around 13,500 square meters of storage space, the new warehouse in Nowe Marzy is an addition to the hub in north Poland, which was built in 2017. The new facility in Budapest will cover a space of around 6,500 square meters.

Visit: www.thyssenkrupp.com

Tata Steel unveils fully sustainable storage facility in IJmuiden

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ir-curtains to prevent heat loss, automated loading bays and energy-recovering cranes are just some of the innovations housed in Tata Steel’s new

steel coil storage facility in IJmuiden, the Netherlands, designed to be the most sustainable yet.

The LA Hall enables the steel company to optimise logistics processes and further improve deliveries to customers while at the same time being energy neutral. The new 10,000 metre² facility has a capacity of 50,000 tonnes of steel coils and is strategically located, close to the company’s galvanising lines, where the steel is coated with a layer of zinc as protection against corrosion.

“The new storage warehouse enables us to serve customers even better and to organise the processes on our site even more efficiently,” says Hans van den Berg, director of Tata Steel in IJmuiden. “It is also important that this new building, which is entirely constructed from steel and clad with our own steel panels, is a textbook example of how you can construct an extremely functional and fully sustainable building with steel,” says van den Berg.

Visit: www.tatasteeleurope.com

Voestalpine secures high-tech 10-year contract with engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce

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new contract with Rolls-Royce, the worldleading engine manufacturer, again draws on high-performance materials from voestalpine. As a new European producer, the Group’s High Performance Metals Division supplies highly sophisticated pre-materials for engine disks which are required to withstand huge forces during flight.

High-tech materials and special forgings from voestalpine are already used in structural, undercarriage, wing, and engine parts in all major models of aircraft, from Airbus and Boeing to Embraer and

EVRAZ starts stripping Kachkanar-proper ore deposit

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VRAZ has started implementing its investment project at the Kachkanarproper titanium magnetite vanadiumcontaining ore deposit.

Commercial ore production, to begin in 2021, is a strategically important investment project in Sverdlovsk Region. The total investment

Bombardier. The Group currently generates revenue of around EUR 400 million in the growing aerospace market, and this figure is expected to increase to EUR 500 million over the medium term.

For a number of years, voestalpine has supplied Rolls-Royce with high-quality steel alloys for engine components from its site in Kapfenberg, in the Austrian federal state of Styria. The current major contract has been secured by Group company voestalpine Böhler Edelstahl, marking its entry into the market for rotating engine disks. The disk mate-

rials must meet particularly stringent requirements, having to operate in conditions of up to 16,500 rotations per minute and temperatures of more than 2,000°C inside an engine.

Visit: www.voestalpine.com

into Stage One of the project is RUB 6.4 bln.

The deposit will be developed in a single open pit. By 2024, the annual ore production is expected to reach 13 mln tonnes.

Cutting-edge technologies; open-pit excavators with 20-cubic-metre shovels and heavyduty 240-tonne BelAZ dump trucks, will be utilised. At later stages, coarse crushing will be set up in the pit, with conveyors moving

crushed ore to the pit’s edge for finer crushing. Finely ground ore will be delivered to the enrichment plant via a trunk conveyor.

“Once completed, Stage One of the project will enable EVRAZ KGOK to maintain its annual ore production at 59 mln tonnes, with the Kachkanar-proper deposit securing 22 percent of the total output by 2024”.

Visit: www.evraz.com Industry Europe 7

Green Trend: From Personal Care to Home Care The trend towards eco-friendly green products is increasingly applying to the home care and cleaning products industry. Ecovia Intelligence, a specialist research, consulting and training company that focuses on global ethical product industries, has highlighted several initiatives brought in by home care brands and ingredients companies this year.

8 Industry Europe

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he majority of developments are in green packaging. Personal care and home care brands are seeming to respond to the growing consumer awareness of plastic waste, leading them to research new materials for packaging.

In June 2017, P&G became the first company to use ‘beach plastic’ in bottles for its Head & Shoulders shampoo. The recycled beach plastic then went on to be used in Fairy Liquid bottles. Since then, Unilever, Ecover, Henkel and SC Johnson have all begun using beach plastic in their packaging.

Environmentally-friendly ingredients are gaining traction in home care products and

detergents, as will be evidenced at the Sustainable Cleaning Products Summit. The personal care industry is already using an array of natural and sustainable materials in product formulations. Detergent and home care companies are looking at renewable feedstock to make green surfactants. Sustainable palm oil and coconut oil have been used for many years, however new sources are emerging.

Croda recently launched its ECO range of biobased surfactants. The surfactants are made from biomass and certified according to the USDA BioPreferred program.

The number of ethical labelling schemes for home care products is also rising.

Natural standards like Ecocert and NPA are highly established, as are environmentallyfriendly schemes like Green Seal and Nordic Swan. A new development is that new labels are being introduced to represent products not containing contentious ingredients. In 2018, the Environmental Working Group extended its EWG Certified label to

home care products. The Made Safe label has also recently been extended to home care products.

Large consumer good companies are responding by developing greener lines. Last month, SC Johnson expanded its line of concentrated cleaning products. P&G has been a pioneer with its laundry detergents for cold water washes. Unilever has gone further by launching a dedicated brand of green home care products. The Love, Home and Planet was introduced a few months ago; the range of laundry, dish and surface cleaning products are made using plant-based ingredients and packaged in recycled plastic.

Ecovia Intelligence believes the green trend will continue to permeate the home care industry, influencing raw materials, formulations, packaging, as well as marketing of finished products. The question is whether brands should ‘green’ existing home care product lines, or start again and develop dedicated n sustainable brands.

Industry Europe 9

NEWS

New developments in the Textiles, Home & Personal Care industry

Taking Ontex to the next level

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ntex, the world leading supplier of disposable personal hygiene products, has announced its plans to leverage its strong market positions, develop further growth opportunities and implement the Transform2Grow program to drive sustainable growth and create further value.

Charles Bouaziz, Chief Executive Officer, declared: “Since its IPO in June 2014, Ontex has emerged as a leading international personal hygiene company, delivering consistently on its strategy to grow outside of Western Europe, increase branded business and expand its presence in Adult Incontinence. Faced with unprecedented headwinds and challenges in the last two years, Ontex has demonstrated the resilience of our business model. Yet, further action is required to take Ontex to the next level.

“Our comprehensive transformation plan, Transform2Grow (T2G) will step-change our oper-

ational efficiency and commercial practices. With T2G-enhanced commercial focus and competitiveness, we will accelerate execution of our two strategic priorities: Strengthen our current leadership positions and expand into new businesses and geographies within our core categories. Our objectives remain to outperform markets in which we operate and improve our profitability and cash generation. Together with committed teams, we will make Ontex a stronger and more profitable company, delivering growth and creating value for all stakeholders.”

Visit: www.ontex.com

Tesla developing “loadbearing fabric architecture”

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-based flooring, transportation and industrial fibres company, Universal Fibers has celebrated the opening of its new European facility in Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland.

“In support of our honoured customers in Europe, we are thrilled to be opening our newest manufacturing facility here in Poland,” said Marc Ammen, CEO of Universal Fiber Systems. “This aligns with our strategy for global growth which began in 2009 with expansion into Asia and later

in the U.K. Since then, customer response has been tremendous, and we are winning in partnership with our industry leading products, quality and service.”

From extrusion to finished yarns in multiple chemistries like type 6 and 66 nylon, the plant is fully integrated. It also serves carpet manufacturers across the continent working in the residential, commercial and automotive sectors.

“This new facility marks another investment in our commitment to provide the highest level of quality and service to our customers,” said Phil Harmon, President of Universal Fibers. “As a global company, our leading technologies from the US and Asia are now deployed locally in the European market. We couldn’t be more pleased with this investment and the platform it provides Universal Fibers to expand in the region.”

esla is currently working on a brand new “soft and durable” type of fabric to be used in seating in its electric vehicles.

The patent was filed by Tesla last year but it only just coming to public attention. The name of the developmental fabric is “load-bearing fabric architecture” and the intent is to make in-car seating last longer.

Tesla outlined the problems with current “automotive textiles” in the patent application. It said that soft fabrics were unable to withstand the continual sliding in and out. This problem has led to car manufacturers being forced to use tougher fabrics, which are not always soft to the touch.

Tesla feels that the solution to this problem is a new fabric architecture, that both durable and soft to the touch. It is a multi-layer fabric. The top layer being the softer, and the bottom, load-bearing material, would be made of something tougher.

When sat upon, the softer layer will compress and flush with the strong bottom later, making a more durable fabric.

How well the technique works and whether or not the softer upper layer lasts longer is still unclear.

The price of the material is also an ongoing question and if the material will be more cost effective than the synthetic leather that Tesla is currently using for its seats.

Many companies file patents for technology that they ultimately never use, and it’s also unclear whether the new Tesla patent will join those ranks.

Visit: www.tesla.com

Fund opens to reduce waste from plastic packaging and textiles

as plastic trays, pots and tubs, plastic films and pouches, as well as funding for projects that boost the recycling of textiles.

For plastics this could include innovative sorting or segregation equipment, and smarter systems to enable sorting of different polymers. For textiles this could include machinery for recycling textiles, technology for disassembling or sorting

textiles, and automated processes for removing items from textiles such as zips.

The UK generates around 2.4 million tonnes of packaging waste annually.

Around 40% of all plastic produced in the UK is used in packaging.

In 2015, there were 300,000 tonnes of clothing in the UK going to landfill or incineration.

Visit: www.gov.uk

Universal Fibers opens new European plant in Poland

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he UK government is inviting organisations to apply for funding under a grant scheme to boost the recycling of plastic packaging and textiles.

Organisations in England can apply for government funding for solutions to improve recycling of hard-to-recycle plastic packaging such

10 Industry Europe

INDUSTRYNEWS

ARMOR attacks the textiles market A

RMOR, a major designer and manufacturer of thermal transfer ribbons for printing of barcode labels, is moving into the textiles market. Based in Nantes, France, the manufacturer has taken four years to develop an ink perfectly adapted to highly-demanding textile media.

A major new feature: in addition to the thermal transfer ribbon, for the first time ARMOR is also marketing a range of receptors composed of 10 care labels made of nylon, polyester and satin. With the new offering having required an equipment investment of EUR300,000, ARMOR estimates it can cover over 90% of its customers’ requirements.

ARMOR launched the AXR TX, a new grade of thermal transfer ribbon dedicated to the printing of textile labels and is supplementing the offering with a range of 10 print substrates: specially designed for the textiles market, made of nylon, polyester and satin. They offer a variety of properties: printable on one or two sides,

treated to avoid curling up during washing, stain resistant and widths of between 10mm and 120mm. Textile receptors are delicate products with a highly specific life cycle. To guarantee quality, ARMOR has conducted a battery of tests, both internally and at external laboratories operating under AATCC standards: washing, cold wash, ironing, sweat testing and skin test. The ribbon and labels of the AXR TX range are also Oeko-Tex certified and can therefore be used for baby articles.

With this new range, ARMOR is targeting the textile cutting field. It is an activity the manufacturer used to do several decades ago, when it used to slit typewriter ribbons made of polyester or nylon. ARMOR has invested in the new slitting machine dedicated to textile ribbons. The slitting principle is the same as for thermal transfer ribbons, but the technique is totally different. It was therefore necessary to train operators to use the new equipment.

With this combined ribbon-label offering, ARMOR is supplementing the demands of traditional customers who are yet to get to grips with the textiles market. But it also represents an opportunity to penetrate the existing market of the large textile label printing producers.

“Innovation is an integral part of ARMOR’s DNA. The AXR TX product range has mobilised multiple departments... This collective effort now enables us to attack the textiles market with confidence”, states Yohann Froment, Marketing & Communications Director of ARMOR Industrial Coding and Printing.

Visit: www.armor-group.com

BASF, Estée Lauder & RSPO partner for sustainable palm oil project

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partnership between BASF, Estée Lauder, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Solidaridad, a civil society organisation, will promote the use and production of sustainable palm oil and derivatives in Lampung, Indonesia.

The project supports independent smallholder farmers in the Indonesian region, offering continuous education and other resources on the implementation and maintenance of sustainable palm oil.

The target is to see one-third of the supported

smallholders becoming certified according to the Smallholder Standard of RSPO within three years.

The project aims to foster a sustainable palm oil production chain that is globally competitive and free from deforestation, as well as increasing social and economic benefits for farmers.

Heske Verburg, Managing Director, Solidaridad Europe said: “We are delighted that [companies] are… providing direct support for sustainable palm oil projects. When palm oil is produced sustainably, and in a future-proof manner, it can actually contribute to resolving grave issues for both farmers and the environment.”

Greg Polcer, Executive Vice President, Global Supply Chain, at Estée Lauder said: “Many livelihoods in this community are inextricably tied to the produc-

Sonoco Alcore introduces new EcoSPAN

Unlike current Spandex yarn cores, which creates friction-driven transfer problems and minimises customisation possibilities, EcoSPAN cores use a patented, customisable, aqueous coating, eliminating the need for additional film materials on the outer surface.

This makes EcoSPAN cores 100% recyclable and a more sustainable option than comparable cores.

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elgian paper tube maker Sonoco Alcore debuted its new, patented EcoSPAN engineered textile-based cores at the ITMA show in Barcelona in June. Sonoco’s EcoSPAN technology creates a tailored friction surface to drive optimal performance in Spandex yarn production.

tion and we support ensuring that it is produced sustainably - both for the long-term benefit to the environment and the community.”

“Approximately 40% of world palm production comes from smallholder farmers who rely on it for their livelihoods,” said Daniele Piergentili, Vice President, Home and Personal Care at BASF in North America. “The partnership… enables us to support these farmers and increase the availability of sustainably produced palm oil.”

“For sustainable production to become mainstream and fully inclusive, the RSPO believes it is imperative to support smallholders through a variety of different approaches,” said Ashwin Selvaraj, Head of Smallholder Unit in the RSPO Secretariat.

Visit: www.rspo.org “With EcoSPAN, we have the unique capability to customise the friction performance of the core surface to match each of our customers’ unique requirements,” said Ismael Hernandez, Sonoco Global Technology - Textiles. “And because our surface properties can be tailored so finely, we’re able to create a much more efficient transfer environment.”

Visit: www.sonocoalcore.com Industry Europe 11

Understanding The EU’s

New Energy Efficiency Labels Five household appliance product groups and one commercial group will be covered by the new energy efficiency labels.

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he European Commission has agreed on and adopted the final format and visual identity of new energy efficiency labels. The labels will be applied to five household product groups and one commercial product groups and will be visible for consumers as of 1 March 2021. An EUwide information campaign will precede the launch in early 2021.

The household groups with the rescaled labels are: • Dishwashers • Washing machines and washer-dryers • Refrigerators

12 Industry Europe

• Lamps • Electronic displays, including TV monitors and digital signs There will also be a new labelling group for commercial fridges used in shops and vending machines.

A new element to the labels is a QR code.

Consumers can use their smartphones to scan the codes and get additional information. To help consumers further understand the changes, the private sector and NGOs are currently developing apps to further assist in the buying experience, by helping to calculate appliance running costs, for example.

The labels, product depending, will display energy consumption as well as other energy and non-energy related information, using pictograms to aid product comparison and offer a better-informed purchase choice.

For example, washing machines labels will contain information about water consumption, noise emission and storage capacity.

The current model of energy labelling has been in place since 1995 and has become an integral part of the consumer experience when purchasing white and electrical goods.

It has also been credited with driving up industry standards. The 1995 labels awarded

a high-efficiency product with a grade A and a low-efficiency one with a grade G. Consumer groups have long complained, however, that the labelling was subject to high levels of influence from industry groups, resulting in inaccurate labelling and a distortion of the system as new A+, A++ and A+++ labels were added. For example, if a product was awarded a grade C, appliance makers tended to object as the grade had become synonymous with a failing grade.

Before long, less and less products were being awarded B or C grades and critics began to claim that the system was no longer representative.

The European Commission’s official explanation of this phenomenon was that new product standards were progressively higher and higher until no new products in the lowest classes were commercially available. In other words, the labelling system had become a victim of its own success.

As a consequence, the Commission has now decided to revert back to the A to G labelling scale, and to incorporate into that a process for rescaling existing labels.

Another aspect of the new labelling system is the introduction of an online database, allowing for greater transparency and easier market surveillance. An estimated 10-25 per cent of commercially available products do not comply with energy efficiency regulations leading to a 10 per cent loss of energy savings.

All manufacturers will have to register their products on the database along with technical specifications and documentation. Labelling and key product information will also be available online to consumers

and vendors, allowing for digitalisation of the energy labels.

Consumer groups and environmentalist are generally welcoming the new labels though some have said that it does not go far enough.

“We’re pleased that the EU is finally fixing the flaws of the current energy label, starting with five products that most consumers own at home,” said director general of European Consumer Association BEUC, Monique Goyens. “It was high time we went back to the unambiguous A-G label to drive consumers to buy less energy-guzzling washing machines or fridges and save money.”

“It’s a good step forward to reinforce Europe’s pioneering labelling scheme, which steers consumers towards the best products, cuts energy bills and boosts innovation,” said Chloé Fayole of the environmental campaign group ECOS. “However, until durability and reparability information is also included, the label will remain incomplete.”

The European Commission has said that some of this information will be covered in a separate regulation covering ecodesign that will come into force in July 2019. The legislation will cover spare parts, and replaceability as well as giving access to repair and maintenance information.

The appliance industry also welcomed the changes but said that it wanted to be sure that consumers fully understood the new labels. Director General of European home industry appliance association APPLiA, Paolo Falcioni said: “For nearly 30 years, the energy label has been helping Europeans to take the right decision when choosing their appliance. We need

impactful communication on the upcoming change, in particular to avoid that a project made to better inform consumers results in confusing them.”

A number of non-EU countries have created their own labelling system in alignment with that of the EU including Argentina, Brazil, China, Egypt, Iceland, Iran, Norway, n South Africa and Russia.

Industry Europe 13

NEWS

New developments in the Home Electronics & HVAC industry

Gorenje plans new factories in Serbia & Slovenia P lans for the construction of two new production plants have been announced by Slovenian household appliance manufacturer Gorenje.

The company, owned by China’s Hisense Group, intends to construct two plants; one is Velenje, Slovenia, the other in Valjevo, Serbia.

The factory in Velenje is scheduled to be opened by the end of 2020 and will make approximately one million TV appliances each year.

A statement from the company said: “We are planning to increase the output capacity to 4 million TV sets annually (by 2023). Thus, between 300 and 400 new jobs will be created in the first stage; in the second stage, the factory is expected to employ one thousand people.

The investment is valued at several dozen million euros. TV appliances from our factory will be mostly intended for the European market.”

Expansion is also planned at Gorenje Valjevo.

The existing refrigeration appliance factory currently employs 1,500 people and had an output in 2018 of 672,000 units. Following the relocation of the remaining refrigeration production line from Velenje to Valjevo, which is scheduled for completion in April, the output capacity will be increased by 150,000 appliances each year.

The Gorenje press release added: “In the future, we intend to build an additional cold appliance factory that will employ up to 1,000 more employees

and increase the output capacity by extra 750,000 units per year already in the first stage. This will include combined fridge freezers and side-by-side appliances. With the expansion, Gorenje Valjevo will become Hisense Group’s centre for refrigeration technology in Europe.”

Chairman of the Committee of Directors Franjo Bobinac added: “Hisense Group is the leading electronics and home appliance manufacturer in the Asian market, and their last year’s entry as the new strategic owner laid the foundations for even stronger development. This will grant us access to new markets and allow the production of a new set of products, while keeping and boosting the presence of Gorenje Group’s strategically important products and brands both in its current markets and in the future, new markets.”

Visit: www.gorenjegroup.com

Corkbrick completes second round of crowdfunding

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ortuguese sustainable dynamic structures and furniture startup Corkbrick Europe has announced that it has completed its latest investment round by raising €271,394 on investment platform Seedrs, attracting 252 investors - taking its total number of Seedrs investors to 500.

The target for Corkbrick’s second Seedrs funding round was set at €250,033 but following a surge of interest it raised a total of €271,394 bringing onboard 252 investors, taking its total number of retail investors across its two Seedrs rounds to 500. Funds raised will go towards increasing production 10 times to 4,000 pieces a day. Corkbrick is on its way to building the first “Fan Owned Company” to create “Sustainable Dynamic Structures and Furniture”.

In a statement online, Corkbrick said: “It is thanks to our fans that we will be able to dream bigger and bring Corkbrick to every household in the world!”

Inspired by Lego and Nature, Corkbrick Europe has developed a modular construction system of blocks made of cork, which can create any type of structure or furniture without the use of tools, screws or glue. The business founded by a father and daughter team is on a mission to improve people’s lives by simplifying the way people create and recreate the spaces they live and work in, with clever, natural and sustainable solutions. It offers a solution to a universal problem – configuration of houses, offices or any space without compromising other future uses.

The company also recently announced that despite ongoing Brexit uncertainty it will open up a UK branch in 2020. Whilst the location is still to be decided, the objective of the branch will be to source and produce their materials and product locally and be closer to the UK market.

Founder and CEO Miguel Reynolds Brandão said: “We are delighted yet again by the support and interest we’ve experienced throughout both of our investment rounds, and believe it demonstrates the clear demand for a sustainable product that can bring smart solutions for smart living. We look forward to welcoming both new and old investors on our journey into our next exciting phase of growth.”

Visit: www.corkbrick.com

Bitzer Wins Best Application Compressor Award For CSVH Series

The award was presented in Hyderabad in southern India’s Telangana state on 18 January 2019.

Harvider Bhatia, Bitzer India’s Managing Director said: “Our CSVH series of compact screw compressors truly is an innovation – and we’re very happy that an independent jury agrees with this view. But it comes as no surprise: the

intelligent, speed-controlled CSVH series has an integrated frequency inverter and is the most efficient compressor in its class today.”

The CSVH is already in use in a range of data centres and chiller manufacturers across India.

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he Indian division of German refrigeration and air conditioning technology manufacturer Bitzer has won the Best Application Compressor Award at the Global Logistics Excellence Awards for its CSVH compact screw compressor series.

14 Industry Europe

Visit: www.bitzer.de

INDUSTRYNEWS UK government unveils postTrox acquires Czech air filter manufacturer KS Klima-Service TBrexit CE mark Equivalent C zech air filter manufacturer KS Klima-Service has been acquired in a share purchase agreement by UK-based air conditioning and ventilation manufacturer, Trox Group. The official acquisition date is 31 May 2019.

Founded in 1993 with a manufacturing facility near Prague, KS Klima-Service’s main activities surround the development, manufacture and sale of air filters for the HVAC industry and special filter equipment for industrial filtration.

The name of the company is set to change to Trox KS Filter though the current board will remain in place with the addition of Thomas Klamp, who is at present head of the filter business of Trox.

Thomas Mosbacher, Member of the Board of Management of TROX GmbH and responsi-

ble for Finance, HR and IT, said: “We are very happy that Thomas Klamp, who is in charge of the filter business of Trox, will join the Board of Management of our Czech subsidiary and also oversee its integration into the Trox.”

Visit: www.troxuk.co.uk

The VTT mini cupcake factory

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onsumers demand more personalised and healthy foods. This trend combined with hectic lifestyle and snacking requires new on-site technologies to satisfy consumers’ needs. VTT created a prototype of a mini cupcake factory, which enables on-site production of personalised, healthy snacks in order to show that instant food production with tailored recipes is possible today.

VTT’s cupcake machine produces on-demand single serving fresh, warm cakes starting from scratch in a matter of minutes. The user can choose a sweet or savoury cake and personalise its flavour or boost the nutritional content by choosing various protein and/or dietary fibre options. The outcome is a healthy, moist, evenly baked, soft and fluffy cupcake hyper-personalised to your taste and nutrition.

It contains less sugar and fats than normally, as well as extra amounts of fibres and protein.

The results of a use-ability test indicate that consumers associate added value with the machine.

“We all need little indulgence to keep us going throughout the day. Cakes and cupcakes are one of the most popular indulgent foods but usually with poor nutritional profile. We don’t need to end our love affair with indulgent foods, we just need to reshape and at the same time include also healthier notes”, says Research Professor Nesli Sözer from VTT. The cupcake machine is an outcome of VTT’s own funded project. Ingredient and recipe modification to enable instant baking together with machine hardware design and prototyping resulted in a machine with several custom-built components, capable of producing high quality cakes in a very short time.

Visit: www.vttresearch.com

AO Recycling to open plastics recycling facility

processes around 20% of all appliances thrown away in the UK every year.

The 7,500 square metre unit on a four hectare site boasts Bertha, an 80-tonne shredder built and installed by Austrian company Andritz which smashes up around 100 fridges an hour. Until now, the plastic and metal has been separated off in the main facility.

AO

Recycling has announced it has plans to open a plastics recycling facility near its fridge recycling plant in Telford, UK. Part of the AO World group, an online-only electrical goods retailer which operates in the UK, Netherlands and Germany, AO Recycling

he UK government has unveiled a post-Brexit UK equivalent to the CE mark, known as the UKCA, to be used, subject to parliamentary approval, in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

The CE (Conformité Européenne) mark was introduced in 1993 and is applied to all goods placed on market or in service within the EU single market and is a declaration that they meet the essential requirements of all EU directives.

Household products that require the CE marking include kettles, smartphones and children’s toys.

The UK has already implemented all of the EU Directives that require CE marking into law. These laws will continue to apply and therefore continue to require CE marking for applicable goods on sale or in service in the UK. Any goods intended for sale within the EU will also still need the CE marking.

It could become the case, however, that a postBrexit government amends product safety legislation and that goods destined for the UK market would then require the UKCA marking instead.

In the event of a no-deal Brexit, manufacturers will not have to immediately adopt the new UKCA marking. This means that CE marked products already on shop shelves and stored in warehouses can still be legally sold in the UK. In a very short period of time, thousands of companies are going to have to spend millions of pounds collectively on changing all their markings to comply with the new mark.”

Visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prepare-to-use-the-ukca-mark-after-brexit

Neighbouring land owned by AO will be developed in order to offer greater refinement in the process of sorting plastics shredded by Bertha. AO Recycling believes the investment will increase the quality and secure an important route to new markets, as well as creating some 100 jobs.

Visit: www.ao-recycling.com Industry Europe 15

NEWS

New contracts and orders in industry

AMCO GROUP SECURE SERTEC GROUP LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORT CONTRACT

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K, Midlands based Amco Group have secured a new contract with Sertec Group for the management and implementation of the Sertec Group logistics network and transport requirements.

Sertec are a specialist manufacturer of automotive components in aluminium and steel. They are now one of the automotive largest independent

stamping and assembly suppliers in Europe; The majority of Sertec production is integrated into vehicle bodies.

Sertec operate from 10 key locations and employ over 2200 people with a turnover in excess of £256m. The company has six manufacturing sites, and a Logistics Hub in the U.K., plus a manufacturing site based in Germany and another in Hungary and a tooling operation in China The transport and logistics contract will see Amco placing a dedicated transport planning team in the 145,000 ft2. Sertec Logistics Centre at Hams Hall, to manage transport flow between Sertec five manufacturing facilities in the midlands.

The Amcos Logistics Centre in Worcester, will manage the transport and logistics requirement using Amco’s own fleet of vehicles, to distribute across the UK and Europe for Sertec manufacturing. visit: www.amcoservices.co.uk.

Atlas Copco supplies on-site nitrogen generation system

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eading metal fabrication firm Advance Engineering has invested in an Atlas Copco on-site nitrogen generation system to ensure the quality of its laser-cutting operation, increase output and make substantial cost savings when set against delivered bottled gas supplies. The system was supplied by Atlas Copco’s premier distributor, Anglian Compressors & Equipment Ltd. Laser-cutting metal, particularly stainless steel, relies on a supply of nitrogen gas as a blanket to prevent burning during the process. Purity of the gas is an important factor in overcoming the tendency for discolouration of laser-cut edges and to provide a high-quality finish. After investigating all the available options, managing director Rob High and Sam Canfor decided that installing on-site nitrogen generation was the answer. It would deliver significant cost savings, maintain supply independence and ensure a continuous, reliable source of high purity nitrogen. visit: www.atlascopco.co.uk/compressors

Eiffage & DEME win €500m Saint Nazaire offshore wind contract

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DF Renewables and Enbridge have awarded a contract to build the foundations of the Saint Nazaire offshore wind project to a consortium that includes French construction firm Eiffage and Belgian marine specialist DEME. The contract, valued at over €500-million, calls for the design, construction and installation of 80 steel foundations for the 480 MW offshore wind farm. Design work is already underway on the foundations, with production scheduled to begin next spring.

Upon completion of the foundations, they will be transported to the site, between 12 and 20 km off the Guerande peninsula in western France.

Jan Vandenbroeck, general manager of French subsidiaries at DEME, said, “The contract highlights our technical expertise in providing innovative solutions for the offshore wind industry. The Saint-Nazaire project will deliver drilled monopiles, a new step forward in the offshore wind industry.” visit: www.eiffage.com

Rhodes interform wins helicopter machinery refurbishment contract

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hodes Interform, a specialist in bespoke composite and metal forming machinery and part of Group Rhodes, based in the UK, has been awarded a contract to refurbish equipment used in the manufacture of composite helicopter rotor blades. This includes six hot platen presses, up to 10m long, which were

16 Industry Europe

originally built by John Shaw, now part of Group Rhodes. The machines are used to manufacture tail rotor and main rotor blades for emergency air/sea rescue and civil helicopters.

The contract will see Rhodes Interform supply and re-fit all the main hydraulic seals for 30 cylinder assemblies, along with carrying out a complete overhaul of the six OilgearTowler hydraulic power units.

Peter Anderton, Technical Director at Rhodes Interform, said: “The fact that these presses have performed well for 35 years is testament to the quality of their manufacture. We will utilise the skills of our production and technical teams to ensure all equipment replaced is to the highest standard and expect the customer to benefit from major production efficiencies.” www.grouprhodes.co.uk .

WINNINGBUSINESS

Interface Polymers wins AkzoNobel Award I

nterface Polymers Ltd. has won one of the AkzoNobel “Paint the Future” Awards given to innovative startups, winning an Award in the ‘Enhanced Functionality’ category. Interface Polymers faced stiff competition from all over the world, being shortlisted from a total of 160 submissions received by AkzoNobel in response to its innovation collaboration initiative, launched at the beginning of this year to find solutions to five real-world paint and coating challenges.

Following the announcement of the award winners in mid-May, AkzoNobel signed a ‘Letter of Intent’ business agreement with Interface Polymers as part of the Paint the Future Accelerator Program. The next stage is to carry out collaborative research and development project work using Interface Polymers’ innovative di-block polymer Polarfin® additive technology to develop new polymer-based paints and coatings with enhanced performance and functionality. The project aims to create new, commercially viable coatings which solve problems faced by industrial, construction and domestic end use market applications.

Chairman and CEO for Interface Polymers, Dominique Fournier commented: “This award is a major achievement for us as an emerging startup. It will help Interface Polymers secure further market interest and additional funding. The whole team is looking forward to collaborating with AkzoNobel.“ visit: www.interfacepolymers.com

Airbus and OCCAR sign A400M Contract Amendment

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irbus SE*has signed the A400M contract amendment with OCCAR, the Bonn, Germany-based organisation for joint armament cooperation, which manages the multinational programme on behalf of the Launch Customer Nations Germany, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Turkey, Belgium and Luxembourg. This contract signature concludes the discussions between both sides on the Global Rebaselining of the A400M programme, which had been initiated in March 2017.

“The overall aim of the Global Rebaselining – both for Airbus as well as for OCCAR and the Launch Customer Nations – was to recover a sustainable contractual basis for and to ensure

Siemens receives upgrade contract for Munich Airport, Terminal 2

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iemens Logistics has received an order to upgrade the baggage handling system in Terminal 2 and its satellite building at the Franz Josef Strauss Airport in Munich. By integrating innovative screening units, Siemens supports the customer to ensure that international specifications

a proper execution of the A400M programme,” said Dirk Hoke, Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Defence and Space.“The discussions with our customers towards the Global Rebaselining of the A400M programme had already provided first tangible results in 2018. On the basis of this contract amendment signature, Airbus is fully committed to continue on this positive path and to providing its A400M current and future customers with the most powerful and technologically advanced military transport aircraft available on the market,” said Dirk Hoke. visit: www.airbus.com

for baggage checking are met to the highest degree, and to continue to successfully manage the ever-increasing number of passengers. The customer is the Terminal 2 Gesellschaft, a joint subsidiary of Munich Airport and Lufthansa.

This upgrade to the current safety and security regulations for baggage handling, which require explosives detection sys-

Bombardier selected FACC to manufacture aircraft radomes

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ustria-based FACC, a leading technology partner of the aerospace industry, has been awarded a contract from Bombardier Aviation to provide the radomes for certain Bombardier business aircraft programs. FACC will manufacture the radomes for the Challenger and Global business jet families.

“This contract is the next step in our longstanding relationship with Bombardier”, said Robert Machtlinger, FACC CEO. “This contract represents our continued support of Bombardier, who has chosen FACC’s comprehensive expertise for the manufacture of the radomes.

We see ourselves as a technological leader in the field of high-strength, lightweight components for civil aircraft.”

The contract positions FACC as an important supplier on some of the industry’s leading aircraft, and offering FACC additional opportunities in the aerostructures business segment.

FACC will manufacture the radomes for the Challenger and Global programs under a life of program contract, to Bombardier’s exact specifications. Project start is scheduled for Q3 2019 with production deliveries planned to begin in 2020. visit: www.facc.com tems based on Standard 3 of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), calls for replacement of the X-ray equipment in the baggage handling system. Siemens is also implementing screening units of the latest generation that provide high-resolution 3D imaging and enhanced scanning quality. visit: www.siemens-logistics.com Industry Europe 17

NEWS

Combining strengths

AMB ACQUIRES UK FOOD PACKAGING BUSINESS

From left to right: Mark Prinn, MD of TDX, Bruno Marin, CEO of AMB & Giles Peacock, COO of AMB

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MB Spa, San Daniele del Friuli, Italy, a leader in rigid and flexible packaging solutions has acquired TDX (Europe) Limited, Newcastle (UK). TDX is a market leader in PET, RPET and laminated rigid films for the food and packaging industry.

The acquisition will create a pan-European leader in the rigid and flexible plastic film and packaging solutions market enabling local manufacturing to serve local markets. The business partnership is complementary, creating a one-stop-shop offering of products and services, from tooling and concept design, product specification, print design and application, allowing the group to deliver new products and services to customer needs so that they can create onesupplier relationships with them.

Giles Peacock, COO of AMB, said, “This is a highly complementary acquisition that will help AMB widen our European footprint to be more local to our clients in Northern Europe. We have always had a clear vision, and part of the vision is to create a group that can offer a complete end to end process for food packaging customers. A very exciting time for the market”.

Visit:www.tdx-tss.com

Orange has completed the acquisition of 100% of SecureLink, the leading independent cybersecurity player in Europe.

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ith more than 660 employees, SecureLink reported revenues of 248 million euros in 2018. Today, the company serves more than 2,100 customers from a wide range of industries. SecureLink offers its customers

18 Industry Europe

E.ON invests in start-up company HoloBuilder T

aking a look at a construction site in Berlin from the Ruhr area together with a Bavarian colleague to see whether the civil engineering work has already been completed and when the new pipes were delivered: E.ON and its business customers are now able to do all this with ease – using 360° images and artificial intelligence to visualize construction sites. The company has invested in German-American start-up HoloBuilder, an, in doing so, is contributing to the further digitization of the energy industry, optimizing construction processes and simplifying customer communication during the construction phase.

E.ON will use the HoloBuilder-solution in the future to build network projects such as substations and switchgears, as well as large city energy projects. Thomas Birr, Head of Strategy and

Innovation at E.ON, says: “As a future-oriented, innovative company, we have to reinvent ourselves continuously, constantly optimize our processes and digitize our business. The digitization of construction projects offers a high, yet unexploited potential. By investing in HoloBuilder, we are ideally positioned to implement projects for the energy transition in a more digital way – and thus more efficiently, faster, and more customer-oriented.”

Visit: holobuilder/com

WINGAS sells its biomethane business

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part of its reorientation and further integration into the GAZPROM Group, WINGAS GmbH has decided to optimize and focus on its core business, the sale of

specialist services in cybersecurity consulting, security maintenance and around-the-clock support from its “CyberSOCs” (Cyber Security Operations Centers), as well as advanced incident detection and response capabilities.

Thanks to SecureLink’s strong presence in Europe, Orange is significantly strengthening its ability to support customers across their regional footprints, while developing a unique

conventional natural gas, and has consequently initiated the sale of its biomethane business to E.ON Bioerdgas GmbH. WINGAS has been supplying its customers with biomethane since 2010. Last year, the company delivered around 300 GWh of biomethane to its customers.

In Essen-based E.ON Bioerdgas GmbH, WINGAS has found a company that will continue its existing biomethane contracts and reliably and competently supply its customers with biomethane in the quality they require. E.ON is thus expanding its customer base in this area with tailor-made solutions and a versatile and highly flexible product range.

Visit: www.wingas.com scale in the industry. SecureLink’s teams based in Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark and Norway, along with their four CyberSOCs, represent a key asset for Orange Cyberdefense in its ambition to become the European leader in this market, where ensuring a local presence is now essential for customers. visit: www.orange.com

LINKINGUP

PIVOT ACQUIRES A2E Cargotec acquires

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ivot International has announced the acquisition of Livingston-based A2E. A2E is an innovative design and engineering solutions firm in the oil and gas, defence and security, smart energy, medical and life science industries. The move follows the acquisition of Glasgow-based product design company WideBlue in April 2018 and is believed to form Scotland’s largest independent product design and engineering group.

Established in 2002, A2E delivers innovative hardware and software design services across a range of industries. The company specializes in single-source solutions, from concept development and design, prototype testing to design for manufacturing (DFM).

Mark Dohnalek, president and CEO of Kansas-based Pivot International said: “We are delighted to announce our second UK acquisition to bolster our presence in Europe.

A2E and WideBlue will complement each other as they each have different skill sets and are working with clients in non-competing sectors.

I have been very impressed by the technical and engineering talent in both companies which I believe will position us as one of the leading product design, development and manufacturing solutions groups in Europe.”

Visit: www.a2etech.com

Continental Acquires Thermoplastic Specialist Merlett Group

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he technology company Continental has reached an agreement with Merlett Group, based in Daverio, Italy, on the purchase of its flexible hose business. With this acquisition, Continental is expanding its material expertise beyond rubber, particularly with regard to high-performance thermoplastics technologies

TTS’s marine and offshore businesses

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MacGregor are pioneers in their fields. Through their unique position in ports, at sea and on roads, they optimise global cargo flows and create sustainable customer value. Cargotec’s sales in 2018 totalled approximately EUR 3.3 billion and it employs around 12,000 people.

Visit: www.cargotec.com

acGregor, part of Cargotec, has received a clearance decision from the Chinese competition regulator, SAMR, for the company’s acquisition of the marine and offshore businesses of TTS Group ASA. Based on revised estimates, potential cost synergies are estimated to be around EUR 25-30 million on annual level.

Cargotec (Nasdaq Helsinki: CGCBV) enables smarter cargo flow for a better everyday with its leading cargo handling solutions and services.

Cargotec’s business areas Kalmar, Hiab and

CANADIAN GENERAL-TOWER ACQUIRES FRANCE’S ALKOR DRAKA INDUSTRIES AND ALKOR MEDICAL TUBING

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anadian General-Tower Ltd. (CGT), a leading global provider of coated fabric and film products and solutions, has announced the acquisition of France-based companies AlkorDraka Industries and Alkor Medical Tubing, specialists in the formulation of plastic films. CGT has successfully acquired the assets and retained the employees of both companies, serving as a further milestone in the company’s global growth strategy. Effective immediately, the new trade names for the European businesses will be CGT Alkor and CGT Medical Products.

As a previous supplier of high-quality pool liners to CGT Europe, AlkorDraka Industries now covers eight business sectors — specializing in ceiling and wall decoration, coatings for window marketing, dance floor films, consumer product packaging, pool liners, containment film, movie screens and various technical applications.

and solutions. At the same time Continental is diversifying its product portfolio and broadening its regional presence, especially in Europe.

The agreement includes the purchase all of Merlett Group’s activities, including three manufacturing plants in Italy and Switzerland as well as a comprehensive network of sales offices in twelve European countries with nearly 500 employees.

The acquisition of the Alkor Medical Tubing division will bring new potential to CGT with the production of tubing and film products for the highly-regulated medical industry.

Visit: www.cgtower.com

“Smart hose solutions will help Continental’s customers and industrial operators improve their production efficiency and economic effectiveness. Thermoplastic know-how is key to doing so. That is why we are expanding our technological portfolio by acquiring Merlett Group,” explains Andreas Gerstenberger, head of Continental’s Industrial Fluid Solutions business unit. visit: www.continental-industry.com Industry Europe 19

NEWS

MOVINGON

Relocations and expansions across Europe

BHS-Sonthofen opens Renishaw invests in Mexico’s manufacturing future new, modern test center innovative products in metrology, healthcare

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HS-Sonthofen has unveiled a new state-ofthe-art test center in Sonthofen, Germany. The investment of €3.8 million underlines the group’s leading position as a process consultant and solution provider for mechanical process technology with a focus on mixing, crushing, recycling, and filtration technologies. BHS will perform production-scale tests at the center on all machines and processes offered by the company.

“BHS-Sonthofen considers itself first and foremost a specialist that develops optimal process engineering solutions in collaboration with its customers,” notes Dennis Kemmann, Managing Director at BHS-Sonthofen. “This is where we set new industry standards with the test center. The center allows us to map various processes and chain individual machines into systems on a much larger scale than before, as well as enabling us to set up more units overall.”

The test center is housed on an area of 1,720 square meters, and the entire lot – including the exterior – is over 3,000 square meters. In comparison, the old technical center was only 935 square meters. The new hall is also completely closed off on all sides, which means that tests can be carried out regardless of the prevalent weather conditions. The test center will be up and running at the end of September.

Visit: www.bhs-sonthofen.com

AE Aerospace Opens New Factory

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anufacturer AE Aerospace has officially opened its new 16,500 sq ft factory at Network Park, Birmingham. UK. The state-of-the-art facility was opened by the Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street at an event to celebrate a major milestone in the company’s 23-year history. AE Aerospace supplies precision

20 Industry Europe

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o support its rapidly growing customer base, global engineering technologies company, Renishaw, has opened a new facility in Nuevo León, Mexico. The building provides customers with technical support, demonstration and training facilities for the company’s

and additive manufacturing.

Renishaw invested nearly 100 million pesos (5 million US Dollars) in the 3200 m² facility to help manufacturers in Mexico become more efficient and profitable. The new facility has a variety of conference rooms, training rooms, and development labs to allow companies to work with Renishaw engineers to improve efficiency in areas such as metrology, additive manufacturing and motion control. It also has demonstration areas to showcase the latest metrology equipment and process control applications, such as advanced scanning, calibration and gauging systems.

“Renishaw has provided advanced manufacturing equipment to global partners in the automotive and aerospace industries for over 45 years. This facility in Mexico is one of many Renishaw subsidiaries that are located across 36 countries.

Visit: www.renishaw.com

K+S commissions new facility W

ith the commissioning of a new facility at the Wintershall site of the Werra plant, K+S is now capable of producing significantly larger quantities of the magnesium sulphate anhydrous specialty product, which is in high demand.

Over the past three years, K+S has invested about € 34 million in the new facility. Production capacity will therefore increase by considerably more than half which enables K+S to further expand its important market position for this product in Europe.

Magnesium sulphate anhydrous is a product for numerous applications: In the Industry customer segment, for example, the pulp industry requires this product for stabilizing fibers and for bleaching. Customers in Agriculture use it in fertigation (= use of fertilizers in irrigation systems) and as a granulation aid for compound fertilizers amongst others.

“With the significantly higher product availability, we will now be in a much better position to meet the customer needs in Industry and Agriculture and win new customers,” says Alexa Hergenröther, CEO of K+S’s Operating Unit Europe+. The new facility will not only produce magnesium sulfate anhydrous but also the animal feed product KaSa Mag 98.

Visit: www.k-plus-s.com machined components to the aerospace, marine, defence and advanced engineering markets and has had to increase capacity to meet growing global demand.

Over the last five years, the business has more than doubled productivity and seen a seven-fold increase in sales. The manufacturer had outgrown its original Dymoke Street premises and needed a facility four times the

size to fulfil its order book and meet its next goal of doubling turnover by the end of 2020.

AE Aerospace Managing Director, Peter Bruch, says: “It has been a momentous year for AE Aerospace as we start another chapter of our growth journey. We will continue investing in business improvement to stay ahead of the game.”

Viisit: www.aeaerospace.com

NEWS

TECHNOLOGYSPOTLIGHT

AI learns the language of chemistry

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esearchers have designed a machine learning algorithm that predicts the outcome of chemical reactions with much higher accuracy than trained chemists and suggests ways to make complex molecules, removing a significant hurdle in drug discovery.

University of Cambridge researchers have shown that an algorithm can predict the outcomes of complex chemical reactions with over 90% accuracy, outperforming trained chemists. The algorithm also shows chemists how to make target compounds, providing the chemical ‘map’ to the desired destination..

A central challenge in drug discovery and materials science is finding ways to make complicated organic molecules by chemically joining together simpler building blocks. The problem is that those building blocks often react in unexpected ways.

“Making molecules is often described as an art realised with trial-and-error experimentation because our understanding of chemical reactivity is far from complete,” said Dr Alpha Lee from Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory, who led the studies. “Machine learning algorithms can have a better understanding of chemistry because they distil patterns of reactivity from millions of published chemical reactions, something that a chemist cannot do.”

The algorithm developed by Lee and his group uses tools in pattern recognition to recognise how chemical groups in molecules react, by training the model on millions of reactions published in patents.

Visit: www.alphagalileo.org

Kyocera’s Green Curtains

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s temperatures rise across the globe, Kyocera Document Solutions Europe is one of the divisions benefitting from Kyocera Corporation’s innovative Green Curtains strategy, aimed at reducing the energy used for air conditioning in offices and manufacturing facilities whilst also helping to absorb CO2 emissions.

The idea behind the Green Curtains technique is to keep buildings cool by reducing their exposure to direct sunlight. Plants are grown on the outer surface of site windows and external walls, and on nets put up in surrounding areas.

This serves to block out the natural sunlight and provide more shade. This approach can bring down the temperature inside by as much as two degrees Celsius, reducing the need for air conditioning and subsequent energy consumption.

Just one square metre of Green Curtain is enough to neutralise 3.4 kilograms of CO2 each year, meaning that with almost 2,900m2 of Green Curtain, Kyocera absorbs almost 10,000kg of CO2 every year. When considering the total impact of the scheme, which has been running since 2007, the total amount of CO2 neutralised exceeds 100,000kg.

Going beyond the obvious environmental and aesthetic value, this green initiative has also given the company’s installations a new purpose. Among the plants and trees, fruit and vegetables can be grown and are then used in the company’s cafeterias or shared with employees to take home. These include typical Japanese ingredients such as gourd.

Now active across 27 different sites, ranging from factories to office buildings, Kyocera also provides seedlings to their employees so that they can grow their own Green Curtains at home.

Visit: www.kyocera.com

Advances in technology across industry

ABB awarded unique aquaculture project

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rctic Offshore Farming is developing a new concept for salmon farming using remote controlled and submersible fish pens based on offshore technology. ABB will have a comprehensive system responsibility for electrical, automation, instrumentation and telecom solutions.

The offshore farm consists of two large fish cages that are placed in the Norwegian Sea outside Troms, in an area where weather and wave conditions are far more demanding than inside the fjords, where traditional farms are located.

Placing the farm offshore reduces its environmental footprint, while providing an opportunity to study if this can provide a healthier environment for the fish. But the harsh climate also means stricter safety requirements are required.

ABB will be responsible for designing the monitoring and control systems that will make it possible to operate the plant safely. This means, among other things, that there are back-up solutions, or redundancy, in critical systems such as energy supply and communication.

Among the most critical systems are the pontoon ballast water systems, designed to ensure that the pens are stable. ABB will deliver the control system with sensors, monitoring, automation and interfaces for the remote control of the pumps. The harsh climate in the Norwegian Sea presents challenges with fouling and icing, which will cause time-varying weight changes challenging the constructions ballast system supplied by ABB. The system also collects environmental data including as meteorological conditions, ocean currents, oxygen level and sea temperature. It also monitors the pH at different depths and the amount of biomass in the cages, amongst others.

Visit: www.abb.com Industry Europe 21

Jaroslav Follprecht, CEO and Roman Zak, Chairman of the Board

Aimtec: Digitalisation is an opportunity for everyone This Czech company from Pilsen has been helping production and logistics companies along in their digital journeys since 1996. Its main expertise is in the integration of multiple systems, technologies and people into one efficiently working ecosystem. Aimtec’s Chairman of the Board, Roman Žák, says: “Digitalisation is not something to be afraid of; it is an opportunity for new business models and higher efficiency.”

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imtec helps SMEs as well as corporations travel their digital roads and makes it clear that Industry 4.0 is already with us today. “In our digitalisation work, we are no mere academicians; we’re a practical partner to our customers. We always try to find the best practical benefits of new technologies,” says Aimtec CEO Jaroslav Follprecht. The firm also provides its very own concept for the Digital Factory – a gradual way to achieve self-optimising production and logistics. Even though it specialises in software, Aimtec believes that people are still the core of the digital transformation. For industry’s coming changes, open-minded and innovative people on the customer side will be needed. New technologies are likewise handled by people, and at the end of the day, people are the ones who use products, services and data.

22 Industry Europe

AIMTEC

Digital Factory - Industry 4.0 stages by Aimtec

Digitalisation: starting with the basics When discussing Industry 4.0 and digitalisation, many people may find themselves overwhelmed by all the new technologies appearing every day. Aimtec teaches its customers to start with what matters: data. “Data is a very important part of the digital transformation. No matter how good the systems and technologies are, if they’re working with the wrong data set, they will produce the wrong products.

The priority for our customers is thus always data – the data they want to collect; the data they put into their systems and all their processes,” says Roman Žák. And where are new trends implemented first? According to Aimtec, it’s in automotive.

“Automotive is the most demanding segment; companies in this field are the keenest for technologies and are often early adopters of the latest trends. But they also have strict rules, and their

production itself is very complicated. Along with their demands on quality, traceability and processes, it all means that this field requires the highest standards from not just their suppliers, but systems as well,” adds Žák. But the automotive industry is not the only one where Aimtec is active. Its customers come from all over the spectrum of industry – from logistics companies to manufacturers of sporting equipment, food and plastics. Over the years, Aimtec has become a partner in the automation and optimisation of manufacturing and intralogistics processes for everyone who needs to stay competitive in a changing world. Its product portfolio includes solutions for warehouse management, production planning, traceability, B2B communication and much more, both on-premise and in the cloud. However, its key know-how is in n production and intralogistics integration and processes.

Key industry field for Aimtec is automotive.

Industry Europe 23

MINIMESH® RPD HIFLO-S – The three-dimensional high performance metal wire filter cloth opens up new dimensions for filtration.

Focus on High Performance Filtration

Haver & Boecker is a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance wire mesh filtration solutions. Whether it’s aerospace and aviation, automotive, electrical engineering, medicine, chemicals, water filtration, machine building or plastics processing – customised solutions from Haver & Boecker offer the basis for efficient production processes, reliable function, optimum quality & distinctive design.

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onstant investment in new technology and R&D has resulted in the development of new weave types as well as innovative automation solutions. In addition to filters and shaped parts made of metal wire mesh these latest high-tech products will be showcased in October at the International Filtech Trade Fair in Cologne, Germany.

Compared to other filter media, the specific properties of a woven wire mesh may be precisely described geometrically and defined through the type of weave, wire diameter and mesh count. For the user and manufacturer of woven wire filters, this is a considerable advantage, because geometric pore size and permeability can be 24 Industry Europe

precisely calculated beforehand. With these “precision pores” it is possible to attain a higher separation effect and shape stability.

Where conventional filter cloths have reached their limits, the new developed MINIMESH® RPD HIFLO-S opens up new dimensions for filtration. Using new weaving technology developed by Haver & Boecker, a three-dimensional pore geometry is created that makes industrial filtration processes more efficient, quicker and more economical than ever previously possible.

The open surface over an area is significantly increased due to the weaving structure. The medium‘s flow-through rate can be doubled when compared to conventional filter cloth having the same

Filtech exhibition

Haver & Boecker conceptualises, designs and produces metal woven wire and processes and fabricates the woven structure into engineered products. These are used in screening and filtration applications for a wide range of industrial as well as for architectural and design applications.

pore size, for example the MINIMESH® DTW-S. In addition, the flow conditions are optimized and turbulence around the filter cloth is effectively avoided.

The pore size within a batch can be calibrated as desired from 5 µm to 40 µm.

The new filter cloth can be manufactured from standard diameter wires. This has a positive effect on cost. Moreover it is now possible to weave special materials such as Avesta, Hastelloy, Inconel or Titanium in the small pore size range, which previously had not been possible. Thus for the first time RPD HIFLO-S offers a corrosion and temperature resistant filter cloth with pore sizes below 40 µm.

The depth structure of RPD HIFLO-S offers a high separation effect without rapid blinding. Dirt holding capacity and cleaning capability have proven to be excellent.

Characteristics: • • • • •

For a given pores size, twice the flow of comparable filter cloths Excellent cut-point and stability Corrosion and temperature resistant special alloys Optimum dirt holding and purging properties Different pore sizes in one batch from 5 µm to 40 µm

About Haver & Boecker Haver & Boecker is an independent, family owned company with its headquarters in Oelde, Westphalia, Germany. Founded in 1887 it operates today two diverse and distinct product divisions: The Wire Weaving and Machinery Division. Together with more than 50 subsidiaries and 150 representatives on all five continents, Haver & Boecker operates worldwide with about 2,950 employees. Its work is based upon experience, continuous research and development of its products and manufacturing processes, along with the knowledge and ability of its staff.

The Wire Weaving Division manufactures woven wire cloth and processes it into engineered woven wire products. These are used for the screening and filtration in the chemical, plastics and automobile industries, in aviation and aerospace, electronics, industrial and analysis screening, in the food industry as well as for architectural applications.

The Machinery Division and its technology brands is specialized in industrial processing, transport, storage, mixing, filling, packing, palletizing and loading of bulk materials. The product range includes the development, production and distribution of machines for agglomeration, pelletizing and washing for building materials and mineral goods, plant engineering and services.

Geometric pore size and permeability of a woven wire mesh can be precisely calculated beforehand. The corresponding MINIMESH® specification is validated using established evaluation methods. The glass bead test has become an established and authoritative cross-industry test method.

Flow conditions are optimised and turbulence around the filter cloth is effectively avoided.

Industry Europe 25

FILTECH 2019, the world’s leading filtration event, will be held in Cologne from 22th to 24th October. During the three days of this global communication and information event, almost 400 exhibitors will present solutions for filtration tasks of diverse industries.

Filtech 2019 - Discover the Future of Filtration & Separation F

ILTECH, the international platform and solution provider for all industries covering every market segment, is a must for all those concerned with purchasing, selling, designing, improving or researching filtration and separation equipment and services.

The show is the world’s largest filtration exhibition and a globally acknowledged platform for the booming filtration industry, with an established track record in bringing together the technical and commercial sectors to develop global business relationships.

The trade fair offers the exhibiting companies the opportunity to present their achievements to an audience of experts. The trade visitors can get detailed and comprehensive information on the latest developments, trends, products and services in this field. Latest innovations and up-to-date filtration and separation technology, particle measurement and analysis systems and the latest equipment related industries will be presented here.

Last year, FILTECH welcomed 14.000 participants from all over the world, with more than 34,5% of all international guests coming from non-European countries. In total, 73 nations were represented 26 Industry Europe

offering exhibitors a unique possibility to generate new business.

Companies reported an overwhelming number of contacts, a marked willingness amongst trade visitors to invest, promising new business contacts from all over the world, as well as specific contract negotiations and business deals. This year, similar or even greater numbers are expected.

Short courses This year, in addition to the exhibition and the wide variety of products and services, the fair will offer other information platforms to share the industry knowledge. Two short one-day courses will be offered to participants, emphasising some practical aspects and presenting the latest theoretical information in the given fields.

• Solid/Liquid Separation The Solid/Liquid Separation course will be of interest to engneers, scientists, managers and other technical personnel involved in solid-liquid separation in the process and other industries. They

Filtech exhibition

will find the course informative, regardless of whether they design, purchase, research or use filtration and separation equipment.

Plant engineers, technicians and operators should find the course materials directly applicable, and graduate research students will value the expert introduction to the technologies. The course will include a comprehensive review of the processes involved in the separation of solids from liquids, which will emphasise practical aspects and present appropriate theoretical information as necessary.

• Fine Dust Separation The second one-day course, Fine Dust Separation, has been designed for engineers, technicians, scientists, managers, and other personnel involved in gas- solid separation in the process and other industries. The course will present interesting information regardless of whether they work in design, purchasing or research, or use dust separation equipment for product recovery, emission control, air cleaning or process gas cleaning. Similar as the first course, this ‘Fine Dust Separation’ course will include a compre hensive review of the processes involved in the separation of solid or liquid particles from gases, with focus on practical aspects and introducing theoretical findings.

Expert knowledge An important part of the knowledge transfer is the FILTECH 2019 Conference, an ideal platform to present the latest findings to an international audience that attracts presenters and visitors from all over the world. The main target is to promote technology and knowhow transfer.

This year, FILTECH 2019 Conference will feature nearly 200 technical papers, 6 keynote lectures and plenary lectures. The conference will present the latest advances and techniques in liquid/ solid and gas/particle separation (dust, gas & air filtration). Topics will include solid-liquid separation, filter media, membrane processes and product related processes.

The exciting programme will give a representative cross-section of the different procedures and appliances of separation technology, and inform about cross-industry applications, from the preparation of mineral raw materials, the chemistry, environmental technology and water purification down to the pharmacy and biotechnology. The latest results of basic research, innovative equipment-based solutions and procedures will also be presented.

Conference topics Solid-Liquid-Separation

By Vacuum and Pressure, Press and Centrifugal Filtration, Cartridge and Bulk Layer Depth Filtration, Gravity and Centrifugal Sedimentation, Hydrocyclones, Flotation & Adsorption

• • • • • • • • • • •

Fundamentals New Equipment and Processes Combined Mechanical-Thermal-Separation Steam Pressure Filtration Solid-Liquid- and Liquid-Liquid-Extraction Solid and Liquid Purification Separation Enhancement by Electrical & Magnetic Means Surfactants and Filter Aids Slurry Pretreatment by Coagulation and Flocculation Separation of Nanoparticles Liquid Quality Regulations

Filter Media • • • • • •

Filter Media Woven & Nonwoven Filter Media Granular and Fibrous Filter Media Membranes Characterization of Filter Media Media Production Technologies

Special Topics • • • • •

Selective Separation Micro Process Technology Nanofluidics Mist and Droplet Separation Biological Waste Gas Purification – Biofilters

Solid-Gas-Separation

By Surface Filters, Fibrous and Granular Bed Depth Filters, Bag Filters, Electrostatic Precipitators, Wet Scrubbers, Cyclones • • • • • • • •

Fundamentals New Equipment and Processes Particle Separation at High Temperatures Simultaneous Removal of Gaseous Components Separation of Nanoparticles Air Quality Regulations Emission Control Product Recovery

Testing; Instrumentation; Control • • • • • • •

Characterization Instruments for Particles, Pores, Interfacial Phenomena Filter Media Testing Methods and Instruments Separation Test Methods and Instruments Standardized Test Particles Operation and Control of Filtration & Separation Equipment Industry Europe 27

Simulation and Modelling • Computational Fluid and Particle Dynamics • Computer-Aided Design, Selection and Operation of Separation Equipment • Process Simulation • Flowsheeting Expert Systems

Membrane Processes

By Crossflow, Dead End, Shear Stress Filtration, Micro-, Ultra-, Nanofiltration, Reverse Osmosis and Dialysis, Pervaporation, Gas Permeation, Membrane Reactors • • • • •

Fundamentals New Equipment and Processes Separation Enhancement by Electrical Means, Vibration Combined Processes Membrane Design

Product Related Processes • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Bio-Materials and Fermentation Separations Food and Beverage Production Pharmaceuticals Ultraclean Liquids for the Electronic Industry Pigment Separation Production of Nanoparticulate Systems Municipal and Industrial Waste Water Treatment Potable Water Treatment Automotive & Aeronautical Separation Systems Clean Room Technology Mineral and Ore Separation Separations in the Chemical Industry Drilling Mud Processing&Separations in the Oil Industry Recovery of Fluids in the Metal Industry Produced Water Treatment Oil Cleaning Processes

FILTECH 2019 will be held again at the venue Koelnmesse in Cologne. The central location of Koelnmesse, conveniently situated for all transport links, will enable visitors to easily and quickly reach the exhibition centre by car, train and plane. High-speed ICE trains connect the airports in Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Cologne-Bonn directly n to the exhibition centre via Köln Messe/Deutz station.

Register online at www.filtech.de 28 Industry Europe

Filtech exhibition

Textiles, Home & Personal Care

Multifaceted approach to sustainability As

a leading producer of nonwovens, films, and packaging supplied to more than 19,000 customers across the globe, Berry Global, headquartered in Evansville, Indiana in the United States, is committed to building a more sustainable future.

“We are taking advantage of the benefits of plastics to lightweight products and decrease greenhouse gas emissions while also emphasising recyclability in packaging as well as geosynthetics and the use of recycled and raw material content,” said Nadine Khoury, Marketing Communication Manager EMEIA. As a producer of nonwovens, we are also committed to innovating in downgauging and the use of more natural sources of raw materials whenever applicable. We are also engaging with our suppliers, customers, industry partners, and the communities in which we operate to ultimately improve the positive sustainability impact of our company and our industry.

RPC Group acquisition On July 1st of this year, the Company announced the acquisition of RPC, a global manufacturer of plastic packaging and a leader in recycling. The combination of Berry and RPC creates a leading sustainable supplier of engineered products and one of the world’s largest plastic packaging companies, able to support global customers through an expanded wealth of knowledge, product portfolio, innovative technologies, and geographic footprint.

Innovation in Hygiene applications Innovation is one of the Company’s pillars and growth drivers. For the Hygiene industry, where demand for more natural and biobased materials is high, the Company has launched a portfolio of films and nonwovens that incorporate natural or bio-based materials and reflect innovations in material science and technology.

Airten™ Enviro PLA & Airten™ Enviro Cotton/Tricot, are a line of nonwoven solutions that contain materials made from bio-based resources. The company’s line of backsheet films for baby and adult care as well as wrapper films for femcare applications are produced from plant-based sources.

30 Industry Europe

Berry Global is committed to its mission of ‘Always Advancing to Protect What’s Important,’ and proudly partners with its customers to provide them with valueadded customised protection solutions.

Cost-saving solutions with the environment and end-consumer in mind include Sof-Flex® Ultra, a disruptive downgauging technology with up to 25% total material reduction at a lower costin-use, suitable for backsheet films and laminates, representing a new generation of lighter basis-weight films and laminates for hygiene applications.

Still, Berry’s efforts to minimise its environmental footprint have a wider reach - the Company is a founding member of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste. “This Alliance is different from other organisations in that it spans the value chain. Brand owners, plastic resin producers, chemical companies, converters like ourselves, as well as waste management companies and recyclers, all aligned towards a common goal of how we ultimately end plastic waste,” said Tom Salmon, Chairman and CEO of Berry Global.

Impact 2025 In April, Berry announced its sustainability strategy through a Company initiative named Impact 2025. The new strategy approaches sustainability through three key areas: products, performance and partners.

“Sustainability is multifaceted and such is our strategy. Ultimately, we’re focused on making a positive impact through our products, performance and partners, and in order to succeed, we must consider all three prongs of the strategy,” said Salmon.

In terms of product, the Company will focus on optimising design to achieve lightweight as well as using bio-sourced raw materials.

Berry has also committed to making all its plastic packaging reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025.

On the sourcing side, Berry wants to increase recycled content of packaging and encourage the development of renewable materials, working with partners to end plastic waste and limit global warming. For performance, the Company seeks to minimise negative operational impact, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2025.

“We see a tremendous demand for sustainability, especially in the plastics and packaging industries,” added Salmon. “We wanted to launch this strategy to provide a concise message to the market as well as to our people about our priorities and the steps we are taking n to drive sustainability.”

FachPack 2019 40 Years of European Packaging at Its Best FachPack, the European trade fair for packaging, processes and technology, will open its doors on 24 September 2019. About 1,600 exhibitors will be on hand in 12 exhibition halls to show their innovations to an expected 45,000 trade visitors. The anniversary event “40 years of FachPack” will also offer an attractive supporting programme.

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ith a unique trade fair portfolio from all packaging segments, FachPack is the No. 1 industry gathering for the European packaging market that attracts trade visitors from all packaging-intensive sectors.

Over a compact three-day schedule in Nuremberg from 24 to 26 September 2019, it will present its extensive range of solutions for the packaging process chain for industrial and consumer goods.

Its new brand image “Tomorrow begins when you create it” makes FachPack more up-to-date and more dynamic and gives it a more distinctive look.

“Adding the TechBox Forum to the popular PackBox Forum last year met with strong interest, and was enthusiastically welcomed by a total of 7,500 participants,” observes Cornelia Fehlner, Director Exhibition FachPack. “That’s why prominent industry experts will be sharing their knowledge on all kinds of subjects at both forums again this year.”

The PackBox Forum in Hall 7 will be the venue for lectures, workshops and discussions on all aspects of packaging materials, packaging printing, finishing and design. The TechBox Forum will focus on packaging technology and logistics.

Two forums

Separately from the two trade forums, special shows covering special packaging topics will also be held in the exhibition halls. Hall 9 will once again be home to the popular theme park “Packaging in medical technology, pharmacy and chemistry”. There will also be a guided tour for the first time, to give interested visitors a special

FachPack 2019 will have an extensive supporting programme: a double dose of accumulated expert knowledge - PackBox and TechBox forums, many special shows and theme parks in the halls and presentations of the German Packaging Award & Sustainability Award.

32 Industry Europe

Special shows

fachpack

presentation of solutions for all aspects of packaging and technology relating to pharmaceutical, chemical and medical/medical technology products. The meeting place will be at Stand 4-138 in Hall 4, at 13:30 on 26 September.

In Hall 8, bayern design will present the special show “Environmentally friendly premium packaging” on behalf of Nürnberg Messe. The exhibition will illustrate how sustainable packaging design is enabled through conception, realisation and other different approaches. The topics of the “Smart packaging – printed electronics and more” marketplace in Hall 9 are exciting and topical: Printed Electronics – on the way to digital packaging, Smart Packaging solutions as a marketing and sales tool, and New materials for more functionality and sustainability, to name just three examples.

The “Pavilion of Associations” will once again be held in Hall 5, following its successful launch last year. This is an area for networking, where participants can find information and advice from about a dozen trade and professional associations about their services and national differences in the packaging industry around Europe.

Award presentations at FachPack There is always something to be had from visiting the award ceremony honouring the winners of the highly regarded German Packaging Award, which has been a part of FachPack for decades.

This year’s presentation will take place at 16:00 on 24 September.

The winning packaging solutions can be viewed at the stand of the German Packaging Institute (dvi) in Hall 5.

New to FachPack this year are the Sustainability Awards, offered

by Packaging Europe. These will be presented at 17:30 on 25 September. The prize-winning products in the Sustainability Awards category can also be viewed in Hall 7.

Other highlights: • Corrugated Cardboard Forum (25.9.2019, NCC Ost, Room St. Petersburg) • Special Show “German Packaging Award” (Hall 5) • World of Experience of Solid Board (Hall 7A) • “Labels & More” pavilion (Hall 9) • Pavilions for young innovative companies (Halls 3A and 9) • Second Packaging Day organised by the German E-Commerce and Distance Selling Trade Association (Bundesverband E-Commerce und Versandhandel Deutschland e.V., bevh) (NCC Ost, Hall Shanghai) • Robotic-Pack-Line (Hall 3) • Packaging Business Lounge (Packaging Business Club) (Service 8/9, between Halls 8 and 9, Level 1) • XING PACKAGING lounge (Service 1/2, between Halls 1 and 2, Level 1) It goes without saying that registration and attendance for all items on the supporting programme are free. Detailed information is availn able from: www.fachpack.de/programme

Industry Europe 33

7th International exhibition

of automotive suppliers The comprehensive forum of the Hungarian and Central Eastern European automotive industry will soon open its gates to showcase the entire spectrum of automobile production from design to manufacturing, allowing participants to maintain their existing relations and establish new business contacts.

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even years ago, we organized the first AUTOMOTIVE HUNGARY exhibition to provide a networking opportunity for the professional players of the automotive industry, from suppliers to small and medium enterprises. Meetings and cooperation efforts have perhaps never been as important in this industry as today, in the course of the ongoing digital revolution. IoT has been reshaping customer habits, manufacturing processes and the information flow between manufacturers and suppliers to such an extent where you can no longer manage them on your own. The players of the automotive industry need an even closer cooperation with education and research institutions in order not to fall behind in development.

36 Industry Europe

The exhibition showcases the typical automotive industry matrix, including certain elements of such areas as electronics, information technology, software, machine, plastic, chemical and composite industries. In addition to automobile factories, the exhibition also presents part manufacturers, the representatives of manufacturing processes and supply services, the manufacturers and distributors of automotive industry units, systems and factory equipment, system integrators as well as service providers related to the industry.

Last year’s event showcased 225 exhibitors of 15 countries and was attended by 10,000 automotive professionals from 30 countries. Beside the 4 car manufacturers in Hungary (Audi, Mercedes, Opel and Suzuki), several other key companies displayed their port-

Automotive hungary exhibition

folios, including TIER1, TIER2 and TIER3 suppliers, service providers related to the industry, state organizations and visitors were also welcomed by the joint stands of trade associations. As far as overall composition and satisfaction is concerned, 63% of visitors were decision makers or participated in the decision making process, and 80 per cent of last year’s visitors are planning to attend the event this year, too.

The forum enjoys a wide support from professional and state organizations, which allows us to implement high-profile professional programmes. The exhibition’s professional partners are the Association of the Hungarian Automotive Industry (MAGE), the Association of Hungarian Automotive Component Manufacturers (MAJOSZ) and the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA). The main sponsor of the event is Dr. László Palkovics, Minister for Innovation and Technology This year’s draft agenda includes further engineering training, MAGE – HIPA B2B supplier forum as well as the TechTogether competition for engineering students. During the exhibition, Portfolio and MAGE are going to organize the Industry 4.0 conference on such issues as digitalization; planning and implementation of development projects; smart factories; horizontal and vertical integration. The event will also feature the conference of the Hungarian and foreign missions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry of Economy of Baden-Württemberg and am-LAB Digitan Innovation Hub, where participants will discuss several matters including the

German automotive industry, Volvo as an outstanding global car manufacturer and robot-assisted work processes.

Visit the AUTOMOTIVE HUNGARY exhibition, which allows you to keep contact with your existing customers, meet new potential clients, recruit labour force, assess your competition, identify new sales channels and market opportunities as well as get an insight n into the current and future trends.

General information: • • •

Visitor entry: Gate III Opening hours: 16-18 October 2019 – 9.00 – 17.00 Visitor parking: P5 internal parking lot

For free entry, register here: http://automotivexpo.hu/en/industryeurope

Industry Europe 37

Staying at the Forefront Sonoco Alcore, a recognised leader in high-quality, value-creating tube and core solutions for a variety of industries, stays at the innovative forefront. The company has recently introduced two ground-breaking products and secured further market expansion.

38 Industry Europe

Textiles, Home & Personal Care

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onoco Alcore is a world-class manufacturer and technological leader of the paper tube and core industry, supplying industryspecific cores to a variety of markets from 27 manufacturing locations. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sonoco, a global provider of consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging and supply chain services As a recognised leader in its sector, Sonoco Alcore serves customers in various markets, including paper, man-made fibre, transport packaging, construction and more.

The company strives to progress in line with the sustainability and environmental protection focus - its cores are 100 per cent recyclable and environmentally-sound product development is one of the factors that drives the business forward.

Fully recyclable “We have recently introduced two new products, which have raised considerable interest with our customers,” affirms Mr Anastasiadis, Global Sales & Segment Director Textiles. “At ITMA Show held in June in Barcelona, we presented our new, patented EcoSPAN™ engineered textile cores to global manufacturers.”

He explained that unlike current Spandex yarn cores that use a film-based material on the outer surface, which creates frictiondriven transfer problems and minimizes the ability for customization, EcoSPAN cores use a patented, customizable, aqueous coating,

eliminating the need for additional film materials on the outer surface.

This makes EcoSPAN cores 100 percent recyclable.

EcoSPAN eliminates the need for additional film materials on the outer surface, which makes the core repulpable, making it better for the environment. The ultimate result is reduced costs by eliminating missed transfers and reduced downtime, which results in increased speed, throughput, productivity and profitability.

Smart supply chain solution Also at ITMA, the company presented a system developed in partnership with SAHM - IntelliTexCore™. This ground-breaking technology provides an Industry 4.0 solution for the supply chain.

IntelliTexCore™ Textile tube identification technology is a breakthrough, embedded core technology that enables automatic textile tube inventory. The accuracy of this tube identification technology enables manufacturers to save significant money by reducing lost inventory and ghost waste, reducing the need for working capital, eliminating costly manual tracking and simplify data tracing in the complete process.

“The efficiencies of IntelliTexCore™ identification technology can reduce mistakes in the process with a100 per cent identification of the product and can simplify the complete supply chain,” says Mr Anastasiadis. “We have presented this technology to major companies and the benefits were immediately recognised and appreciated.

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IntelliTexCore meets the process digitalisation requirements - there is no need any more for humans to be involved in the process because of this RFID technology.”

Growing presence Sonoco Alcore has been expanding not just the product offering but also its global footing. Responding to rapid growth in the Middle East, the company has just opened a new manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia. “The new plant will consolidate Sonoco Alcore’s leading position in the paper, film, man-made fibre yarn, metal and construction market, and represents an important milestone in the company’s mission to support their customers’ manufacturing needs across the region,” says Mr Anastasiadis.

Another milestone that was achieved earlier this year was the completion of the acquisition of the remaining 70-percent interest in the joint venture of Conitex Sonoco, a vertically integrated global leader in the manufacture of paper-based cones and tubes used in the textile industry.

The acquisition will further boost Sonoco’s existing global paper-based tube and core business especially in faster-growing emerging markets in Asia where the company is increasing its manufacturing presence.

In August, Sonoco also completed the acquisition of Corenso North America and its assets including the most modern and advanced paper mill on the continent, as well as two tube and core manufacturing sites.

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The global expansion is supported by investment in asset modernisation and continuous product research and development, to meet existing and future market requirements, says Ms Anastasiadis “Developing sustainable solutions will remain the focus of the future,” he affirms. “As a manufacturer of highly engineered tubes that need advanced technology behind, the R&D expertise and innovative product development is one of our drivers, the factor that makes us a market leader across Europe, Americas and Asia. That n will remain so in the future.”

Aerospace & Defence

Flying high B

eing the technology partner of all major manufacturers, FACC works together with its customers on developing solutions for the mobility of the future. Every second, there is an aircraft taking off with FACC technology on board. FACC technologies are also environmental winners. They help save weight and therefore fuel while optimizing flight characteristics, thus expanding the total range of aircraft.

FACC, a worldwide leading aerospace company in the design, development and production of innovative components and systems for aircraft interiors, is on course for growth, benefitting from the favourable aerospace market environment and full support from its supplier chain. Romana Moares reports.

FACC employs 3,500 people from 38 nations working in 13 countries worldwide. With a customer base that includes all major manufacturers and tier1 suppliers, the company is listed in the ATX of the Vienna Stock Exchange and part of the Fortune-500 Group AVIC, providing access to the largest growth markets within the industry.

Industry Europe 41

Last year, the company was again able to benefit from positive market development and achieved record revenues of over €782 million. “On its 30th anniversary, our company successfully continued its evolution, achieving the highest turnover in its history,” confirmed Robert Machtlinger, FACC CEO. “The good business result of the Group is based on our enormous innovative strength and the associated competitive advantage. Positive long-term market forecasts, growth through innovation and efficiency coupled with the high motivation of our employees ensure our success.”

Supplier Excellence Awards FACC management makes it clear that the company’s supplier chain plays a paramount role in the positive business development. On May 9th 2019, FACC hosted its Supplier Conference at “Messezentrum Ried”. More than 190 key suppliers took part in the event and the FACC Supplier Excellence Awards were presented for exemplary performance to the Group’s strategic partners.

To distinguish excellent supplier performance, the FACC Supplier Excellence Awards were presented in Gold, Silver, and

Jobs, aerospace full solution provider Jobs is a worldwide leader universally recognized for providing high performance and high productivity milling/ drilling/trimming machines to the aerospace industry. Starting from the end of the 80’s, JOBS has successfully installed many standard and complex systems to the primary worldwide OEM and their tier1 & 2.

It has conceived innovative products for the machining of structural parts and skins in aluminium alloy, skins and structures in composite, structural parts and engines in titanium and other tough materials.

Thanks to the experience gained over the years, Jobs is able to supply customized turnkey systems which include, in addition to the machine, equipment, tools, programming systems, part programs, system integrations, etc ensuring the overall production capacity.

Jobs products for the aerospace industry are designed according to the specific needs of the field and the highest requirements of end users including maximum levels of dynamics, high structural and dimensional configurability, high volumetric accuracy and technologies specifically developed for aerospace applications.

JOBS machine family is able to provide a full range of products starting from a dimension of 500x500mm up to 8x30 mt.

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Bronze categories along with the coveted “Special Performance Award”. Executive Vice President - Procurement, Rudolf Leitner highlighted the contribution of suppliers to the Group’s outstanding financial results. “It is always a pleasure for us to honour our suppliers for their excellent performances in the past year. Our suppliers’ continued commitment ensures that we can offer innovative solutions that meet the requirements of our customers.”

Recognised as the best supplier, Isovolta AG won the “Supplier Excellence Award” in gold. The Austrian enterprise is an internationally leading manufacturer of composites and has been reliably supplying FACC with pre-pregs, especially for the Cabin Interiors Division, for more than 20 years. The cooperative partnership is determined by material and technology know-how, as well as efficiency throughout the order management process.

44 Industry Europe

The “Supplier Excellence Award” in silver was received by Germany-headquartered FlammAerotec GmbH, the producer of sheet metal formed parts and machined parts of the highest precision according to premium standards, while the “Supplier Excellence Award“ in bronze was presented to the Upper Austrian enterprise Kellner & Kunz AG as a competent C-parts Management Partner.

Kellner & Kunz AG is a leading commercial enterprise and service provider in the field of tools, chemical-technical products, as well as fastening technology and work safety.

Finally, the FACC “Special Performance Award” was bestowed to Scholz Maschinenbau GmbH & Co.KG who manufactured and installed two autoclaves - one of them featuring a length of 19.9 meters and a diameter of 6.1 meters, making it the biggest ever applied by FACC.

Aerospace & Defence

Together we stand During the FACC Supplier Conference, Mr Machtlinger presented the business strategy of the company and emphasised the importance of quality, operative excellence, social responsibility, as well as positive partnership in Supplier Management. He reiterated: “The conference was an excellent forum to strengthen our supplier relationships and to communicate the most important strategic priorities ensuring a powerful partnership. A strong supply chain is key to our business activities as a recognised technology partner for the global aerospace industry. Together we can shape the mobility of the future together.”

With its balanced and comprehensive customer and product portfolio, FACC is set to continue on its growth course in the 2019/20 financial year and, based on its current market assess-

ment, expects sales growth to be in line with market growth.

Changes in the product mix, in particular the discontinuation of the A380 aircraft program, will be compensated by new orders acquired in the last two financial years.

“We are doing everything in our power to achieve fixed cost degression through targeted operational measures and to further increase profitability - with the aim of compensating for natural cost increases,” said Mr Machtlinger. “Over the past 30 years, we have consistently worked on the technological development of the company and have risen from a start-up to a world-class group. We are proud of the past 30 years, but we will not pause for a moment. On the contrary, we are n going into the next 30 years with full vigour”.

Visit: www.facc.com

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Aiming High

Bangalore-based Maini Group has always been recognised for its vision, creativity and initiative. With a diverse business focus - from being India’s first manufacturer of environmentally friendly electric vehicles to a premium manufacturer of precision engineering components - the company is now seeking to reinforce its footing in the aerospace sector. Romana Moares reports.

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Aerospace & Defence

T

he Maini Group consists of six independent companies, each covering a specific core business including high-precision engineering components, materials handling, warehousing and logistics solutions, aerospace and the Future of e-mobility . Commitment to comprehensive customer care, sustained research, design and development, and achieving global quality benchmarks and certifications are some of the attributes on which Maini’s growth has been based.

Maini Group’s flagship company is Maini Precision Products Limited (MPP), a progressive manufacturer and supplier of high-precision machined parts and assemblies supplied to a global clientele in the automotive, industrial and aerospace sectors. “MPP’s key strength lies in its ability as an integrator to leverage skills available in-house or in one of our partner suppliers within our extensive ecosystem,” said Mr Gautam Maini, the company’s Managing Director.

Enhanced capability With India on its way to becoming an international aviation and space hub, and a destination of choice for optimum-cost manufacturing solutions supported by highly talented human resources, the company is ready to seize new opportunities in this up-and-coming sector.

Mr Maini pointed out that today, Maini Precision Products Limited is proud to have acquired major sector leading customers in both the Indian and global markets. “We would like to be recognised as an aerospace-focused business,” he affirmed. “In aerospace manufacturing we are catering to OEMs as well as Tier1s and Tier-2s in the three verticals of engines, aircraft structures and aircraft systems, and see exponential growth in all three of these business lines in the years to come.”

He noted that the company has dedicated significant resources to scaling up operations in this segment. “In 2017 we moved our aerospace manufacturing activity from 25,000 sq. ft .floor area to a dedicated new factory which today has a floor area of 135,000 sq. ft., housing over 100 CNC machines, including a battery of 3-Axis, 4-Axis and 5-Axis machines ranging from half a metre up to 3 metre bed lengths. This investment has enabled us to focus on more complex, larger parts so that we can offer a wider product portfolio.”

“We see growth in the engine segment, where we already have intense engagement with most of the engine manufacturers and their Tier-1 suppliers. Our next growth vertical is aircraft structures,

Industry Europe 47

for which we have already invested in large bed CNC profilers from 2 metres to 3 metres in size. We also intend to move up the value chain in this vertical by moving on to sub-assembly and assembly of aircraft structures for which we have built a new hangar of 35,000 sq. ft. with a head height of 18ft., equipped with an overhead crane.”

Similar attention has been paid to the most valuable of assets - the people. “We have been similarly investing in human resources, building up our technical capabilities and continuously improving skill levels,” said Mr Maini, adding that the company has a strong domain team whose tasks include training future leaders and skill specialists within the organisation. “Having a formal training structure helps us keep a track of our progress in terms of skill development and succession planning.

We use our own in-house training set-up but also use the opportunity to train our personnel at the facilities of our customers for on-site exposure.”

Comprehensive growth The human aspect is just as important in the external environment, and in this context, Mr Maini mentioned the Safran Group, a trusted partner in the aerospace sector. “We started working with Safran in 2005 and have continued growing with them by expanding our relationships through different Safran business units. Just recently, at Aero India 2019, we signed an MoU with Safran Helicopter Engines.

On the other side of the equation, it is important to say that our business growth would not be possible without trusted suppliers - especially companies like Thyssenkrupp, VMF, Sheen, ATPL, Therelek, API and others with whom we have reached a stage of mutually beneficial relationship.”

Supported by its partners, MPP is set to further enhance its footing in global markets. Mr Maini explained that the company is in the 48 Industry Europe

Aerospace & Defence

process of consolidating a few more projects in Europe, its biggest market, while business on the other side of the globe - in America - has recently skyrocketed. But it is not just about profits - while increasing its international business, environmental focus, sustainability and social aspects remain an integral part of Maini’s operations.

“We plan to keep having the same aggressive growth targets, while keeping a balance on maintaining the required quality and schedule requirements. Building sustainable and eco-friendly solutions have been in the Maini group’s DNA from the very beginning, with pioneering the first electric vehicles in India, to the development of electric people- and material-movement solutions. We try to evaluate the impact of every decision we make, with a special focus on the environment,” acknowledged Mr Maini.

Being Systems Driven Besides having SAP to manage all the Transactions, Maini has invested in a PLM “Aerolean” that allows Maini to concurrently develop New Products on time at an exponential rate . Maini has also recently invested in Plan Visage which is a comprehensive software to enable dynamic Scheduling of all its Machines in Order to enable achieving a 100 per cent OTIF for the Customers. Maini has also finalised its Plans for an effective Implementation of IOT across its factories over the next three Months .

“We believe in comprehensive growth, capturing not only economic development in terms of numbers, but also taking into account the growth of each of our employees, suppliers and the community as a whole. MPP believes that growth is not just about numbers, figures and charts, but is also about the thousands of faces which are an integral part of the Maini Group’s success story,” n he concluded.

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Masters of Precision RAUCH, the German manufacturer of innovative, high-quality fertiliser spreader machines, has recently opened Europe’s most modern fertiliser spreader test hall to meet agricultural requirements of the future, thus further increasing the innovative focus that has made the company a leader in its sector.

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Agriculture

O

ver the last few years, the family-owned company, now in the hands of the third and forth generation, has gone from strength to strength. Global business expansion and introduction of innovative, cutting-edge products has further cemented RAUCH’s position as a pioneer in its sector.

“We are top specialists in fertiliser spreaders and the wide-ranging expertise accumulated in this segment makes us unique on a global scale,” says Managing Director Wilfried Mueller. RAUCH’s innovative and customer-centric focus combined with the latest development technologies and modern production equipment guarantee first class product quality, reliability and long product lifespan, appreciated by farmers and agricultural contractors around the globe.

New level of testing RAUCH is headquartered in Sinzheim, Baden-Baden, Germany, where the company has been developing and building machines since 1921, with the first fertiliser spreader developed in 1932.

In early 2019 the company achieved another important milestone, when it commissioned a new test hall worth €2.5 million. The most modern, digital testing and analysing technologies area allows for

fully automated evaluation of spreading trials. In the new test hall, 250 tonnes of fertiliser will be spread and tested every year. Alongside classic, mineral fertilisers, RAUCH will also test and optimise the distribution of biofertilisers, says Mr Mueller.

“With the new hall, our company has got a scientific flair - we will be able to even better meet the demanding requirements of the professional agricultural industry for a higher level of efficiency and ecology in needs-based plants nutrition in an ideal way. With the modern equipment, it will be possible to determine the exact amount of fertiliser the plants need - no more, no less, thus reducing costs for the farmers while protecting the environment at the same time.

Precision is key, and this is one of the areas that our R&D team has focused for a long time.”

Big and efficient Mr Mueller explains that another focus is on improved performance - with a growing world population and limited arable land, agriculture demands more efficient, bigger machines that can be operated easily, smoothly and - due to their seasonal employment - with the highest level of reliability.

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With the rising demand for bigger machines, RAUCH launched AXENT 100.1, a precision large area spreader for granulated fertilizer and lime, with a quick-change system enabling application of two spreading modules, introduced to all of the company’s important markets. In 2017, RAUCH AXENT 100.1 won the ‘Australian Machine of the year 2017’ award. The company reaped success on the other side of the globe as well - the AXIS-H 50.1 EMC+W fertiliser spreader received the coveted AE 50 award of the renowned American Society of Agriculture and Biological Engineers.

“The market asks for more intelligence brought into the machines.

This has been one of the biggest changes we have seen in recent years and one that will present numerous challenges. Connectivity is a big topic at the moment - our engineers have been very busy research-

52 Industry Europe

ing this area in recent years, to come up with a platform to connect to, not only to our machines, but also to other farming machinery within a combined system, a single platform that a farmer may use.”

At the cutting edge Each year RAUCH invests around 8 per cent of net sales in R&D. “We have a highly motivated and capable team of some 70 engineers, of whom most come from the farming background. They understand the farmers’ needs and know that it is not just about building a machine the whole systems including the soil and plants need to be considered,” Mr Mueller points out, adding that to sustain the technical expertise, the company works with universities and secondary schools and offers a number of internships as well as apprentice training.

Agriculture

“Right now, we are investing in an internal project to increase the number of machines that will be even more customer-oriented. But it is not just the machine itself that we provide - we have an excellent level of services, probably the best in the world. The machines have a very short window of operation and must perform faultlessly. This is what we can guarantee.”

“We want to be the benchmark in the sector. For some years we have been working on a project to bring the fertilizer direct into the soil and therefore reducing the use of fertilizer even more and be prepared for areas with less water. Furthermore, just recently we started researching the possibility of using drones for spreading. This is a brand-new project that we will start testing soon and I’m sure it will bring further enhanced benefits for the farmers and further strengthen RAUCH’s position as a trend setter in this sector.”

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Lathe model - C10T.14

Machined to Perfection Building on decades of experience, ZMM Bulgaria Holding has cemented its position as a leading machine tool manufacturers with a track record covering the globe. The company’s CEO Emilian Abadjiev spoke to Romana Moares about the business development, the latest achievements and plans for the future.

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Automation & Robotics

Z

MM Bulgaria Holding is Bulgaria’s leading designer and manufacturer of machine tools including the whole range of conventional, variable spindle speed control, machines for the oil nd CNC lathes and accessories. It also supplies various welded parts and mechanical machining products, gears, spare parts and iron castings for metal-cutting and metal-working machines, as requested by the company’s clients.

The company was established in 2001 to consolidate, manage and promote several production centres with experience in machine production going back many decades, including ZMM Nova Zagora specialised in gear production and IHB Metal Castings, a foundry producing high quality castings from grey and nodular cast iron.

The holding also includes ZMM Sliven and Mashstroy Troyan, the lathe producers that were merged in 2009, an important milestone for the business development, creating a solid, large lathe production facility with a 6,000 square meter production area, as Mr Abadjiev explained.

“The company has gone through tremendous development in the last three years, steadily increasing production volumes,” he says.

“Every year, we build around 600-700 lathes, with a record hit last year when 750 lathes were made and shipped to customers.”

BI-MU 2018 - in Milano with partner SIBIMEX

Wide range ZMM Bulgaria’s comprehensive range of machine tools is divided into three main groups – the universal lathes, the CNC lathes and the oil industry lathes. The machines range in size of up to 1410mm in diameter and 10 meters in length, and are offered with an attractive price/performance ratio. The product portfolio covers a large spectrum of customer needs and requirements – from machines made for training purposes through machines used for the maintenance of different equipment and those used in heavy industry.

“The largest product group includes the universal types, which may be either completely manual or machines with variable speed, followed by the country oil lathes and the CNC machines. Current focus in on increasing the number of CNC lathes and also the number of heavy machines, i.e. over 700 mm in diameter,” Mr Abadjiev says, noting that for some time the management was contemplating to discontinue the production of the small machines but then reconsidered the decision.

“The small lathes, used mainly for training purposes, are still required in the market. So we decided to keep them in the portfolio - they may not be so lucrative as the other machines but they help bring future workers to the industry, training future operators, which is a pivotal task for the industry on a global scale.”

AMB 2018 - in Stuttgart with partner Blumenbecker

Industry Europe 55

MAKTEK Eurasia 2018 in Istanbul with partner Aran Makina

Getting stronger ZMM’s machines work around the globe. The company currently exports to around 80 countries on all continents. “I am proud to stay that our strongest territory at the moment is the United States, a country of high tech and advanced development competence, which illustrates the quality of our machines very well. Second comes Russia, followed by Italy, Turkey, Germany and Poland. The company has also a strong footing in North Africa, the Middle East and of course Europe, where we have customers in every single country. In the near future we would like to improve our position in South America, and penetrate the markets of Argentina and Brazil.

Asia is a weaker territory for us as a result of the proximity of China, but we do very well in India, Malaysia and several other countries.”

“It is important to note that we do not do serial production anymore. Every single machine we produce is tailor-made to individual customer’s requirements, following their exact specifications. There are no two identical machines coming from ZMM in the market. This is one of the reasons for company’s continuing success, as reflected by the increasing number of orders.”

The company regularly showcases its products at all major trade shows and will be exhibiting at EMO in Hannover in September although some decisions are yet to be made. “Our stand will demonstrate three machines, the classical universal lathe, the lathe

with variable speed and a CNC machines but the decision regarding the types has not been finalised, maybe we will include one of the smaller lathes as well,” admits Mr Abadjiev.

Facing the future ZMM produces most of the lathe components in-house but procures key, more sophisticated parts from renowned manufacturers, such as SKF, NSK and Fuchs (bearings) and a prominent Spanish company supplying the digital read-outs. “Some of the components, such as controls, are chosen upon discussions with customers, who may prefer Siemens or other reputable suppliers to suit their individual need,” the CEO explains.

Although production volumes continue to increase, the company has no plans to increase capacity as such - focus has been, and will continue to be, on technology modernisation. “One of our tasks for the future is to shorten the lead time without decreasing the number of machine made,” Mr Abadjiev points out.

He also reinforces the message that ZMM is not just a growing industrial player but a company aware of its social role. “Just recently, we donated a L580 CNC machine equipped with Siemens controls to the training facility in Sliven, a rather unique project in Bulgaria. Our experts will now be involved in educating the next generation of operators, supn porting the industry. A project one can be justifiable proud of.”

MECSPE 2018 in Parma with partner RIMEX

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Automation & Robotics

Top of the pile Blueprint Automation is a global leader in the design and manufacture of packaging automation solutions.

Innovation driven, the company continues to set new benchmarks in vision-guided robotics and ‘pick-frompile technology, as Philip Yorke reports.

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B

lueprint Technology (BPA) was founded by Bob Prakken in the Netherlands in 1980. As an engineering innovator, he set out to bridge the gap in the automatic packaging of non-rigid packages.

The success of the company was instantaneous and within ten years there was a major manufacturing plant operating in the Netherlands, and a 40,000 sq ft. US subsidiary manufacturing visionguided robots in Virginia, and this was in addition to a substantial sales office presence in the UK. Rapid growth continued into the 1990s with the establishment of new offices in China and Brazil set up to further develop the Asian and South American markets. Sadly, Bob Prakken passed away in 2012, after which, his son Martin who had grown up with the company, took over the reins and is now the CEO of Blueprint Automation.

Today BPA designs, develops and manufactures case and tray packaging solutions for flexible and other tough-to-handle packages such as ‘doy-packs’, pillow bags and four-sided sealed bags. These unique products have gained a global reputation for their quick change-over, flexibility and functional design. BPA’s fully integrated state-of-the-art technologies include gravity, pick-and- place, wrap-around and visionguided robotics.

3D vision In keeping with the entrepreneurial talents of its founder, BPA continues to innovate with a number of exciting new technologies in the pipeline. Its broad product portfolio and turnkey capabilities cover

58 Industry Europe

such sectors as vision-guided robotics for stacking and loading, wrapper and carton loading, case packing, tray packing, and end load cartoning, as well as semi-automatic collating and dedicated packaging automation.

One of the most innovative products to be launched recently by BPA was its new “Pick-from-Pile” robotic technology and unique modular frames. These were showcased at Pack Expo recently where the company demonstrated its new 3D vision system that had been integrated into their successful Spider V series, which allows cameras to distinguish items that are in a shallow pile on a conveyer belt. This cutting edge “Pick-from-Pile” breakthrough eliminates the need for a product to be singled out by robots, thus significantly reducing costs for systems where packages come from bulk in-feed sources.

In addition, by combining all controls within a single system, BPA’s standard modular design reduces costs still further by minimising wiring content. Its environmental footprint has also been significantly reduced by eliminating the need for bulky external electrical cabinets.

Healthy assets A little earlier this year, BPA announced the launch of a major “Asset Health and Reliability Programme” (AHRP). This customisable, valueadded addition to its long-term repair and maintenance service delivers significant cost-saving benefits to customers. AHRP allows customers to increase asset health, optimise performance of existing machinery and validate new equipment performance. Clients who

Automation & Robotics

take advantage of this innovative programme can expect to receive a complete asset health inspection to identify any parts failures, a report identifying issues relating to repairs, upgrades and programming and training, as well as a long-term repair and preventative maintenance service.

These value-added benefits will result in optimised system performance, increased machine life and improved knowledge on the care and maintenance of BPA systems. Gary Marker, Asset health and Reliability Specialist at BPA said, “Our goal is to bring added-value to our customers through a proactive approach to identifying repairs needed to eliminate unexpected downtime and increase uptime, as well as ensuring optimisation of machine performance and an increase in equipment lifespan”

who had been manually loading cartons. “The BPA robots are able to load at a consistent, uniform rate in tandem with the on-going rate of production. There is no accumulation anywhere, it is loading in real time as product frames come down the belt, and that is far better for the product. It’s fast getting to the point where delta robots and robotic guided-vision systems, offer rapidly advancing capabilities and where it’s guaranteed that it will result in a cost-effective and operable system – especially if you are working with a reputable n vendor.” Rife concluded.

For further details of Blueprint Automation’s innovative packaging systems and services visit: www.blueprint automation.com

Recipe for success Following the publication of an important research report from PMMI Business Intelligence, a packaging company called White Castle, decided that it needed to increase efficiency further and although it had used robotics for ‘Pick-and-Place’ in the past it had not used Vision Guided Robots. The patented BPA system includes two ABB IRB 360 Flex-Pickers, three-axis delta-style pick-and-place robots that together operate at speeds of 160 two-packs/min. All three carton sizes, 4,16 and 18, are all handled by the one system. In addition, each carton size has its own dedicated carton erector and sealer.“The only change-over we needed is for the robot itself and it’s pretty simple” explained White Castle Project Manager, Brad Rife.“It’s just a menu selection recipe for each different product.”

With the installation of the BPA cartoner, White Castle was able to re-deploy three operators per shift to other operations at the plant, Industry Europe 59

Robotic poetry in motion Yaskawa is a global technology group that is the world’s largest provider of robotics and motion control systems. In Europe the company continues to see strong growth with additional capacity for its ‘Motoman’ robotics created by the opening of its new high-tech production facilities in Slovenia.

Philip Yorke reports.

F

ounded in Japan in 1915, Yaskawa has provided industrial automation processes for the mining, mechanical engineering and toolmaking sectors for over 100 years. This is in addition to offering high-tech processes for the automotive, packaging, textile and semi-conductor industries. With more than 18,000 employees and over 60 subsidiaries worldwide, the group achieves annual sales volumes of over 4 billion Yen. The broad range of Yaskawa’s business activities covers drives, motion controls, robotics systems and engineering, as well as information technology. This makes it one of the few global players able to supply advanced components and solutions for virtually all the world’s industries from a single source.

New centre of excellence Following two years of design and construction, Japanese technology group Yaskawa has now opened its state-of-the-art European robotics centre of excellence at Kočevje, in Slovenia. Yaskawa started European production of its Motoman robots in Japan at the end of 2018 and has since seen expediential demand.

The latest European investment is around 25 million euros. The new plant supplements the company’s existing production facilities in Japan and China and will satisfy about 80 per cent of the European demand for Motoman robots.

At the official opening ceremony earlier this year, a total of 13 representatives of the Yaskawa management and politicians cut the ribbon met to inaugurate the company’s first European robot manufacturing facility. The 300 invited guests included Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Sarec, EU Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc and other celebrities from Slovenia and all over Europe. “Slovenia and Japan are bound by a long tradition of economic cooperation. I am convinced that this factory 60 Industry Europe

will further strengthen our cooperation in future,” said Prime Minister Sarec in Kočevje and promised: “We will do our best to ensure that Slovenia remains an attractive investment location.”

Responding to high demand With the third global production facility for Motoman industrial robots, Yaskawa is responding to the significant rise in demand in Europe and the EMEA region. In his opening address Masahiro Ogawa, Executive Officer of YASKAWA Electric Corp. and General Manager Robotics Division, explained: “Our goal is to shorten supply chains and delivery times, to enable us to react faster to regional market requirements and to our customers’ wishes – not only with the new plant, but also with a major European robotics development centre.”

Bruno Schnekenburger, CEO & President of YASKAWA Europe, added: “With this investment we want to further strengthen direct contacts with our customers in Europe and work even more closely on the path to Industry 4.0, not least through first-class customer service.”

The advanced robots to be manufactured in Kočevje will be the current Motoman GP series with a payload of 7 to 225 kg. The GP series includes compact and extremely efficient handling robots for high-speed joining, packaging and general handling applications.

“GP” stands for “General Purpose“, also for diverse applications.

The new 6-axis robots are true productivity drivers.

The new facility has a total gross area of over 12,000 m², of which 10,000 m² are dedicated to production. The new factory building offers capacity for the manufacture of up to 10,000 Motoman robots per year. The new building was designed by the Slovenian

Automation & Robotics

Industry Europe 61

architects’ office Andrej Kalamar, and fulfils stringent requirements regarding sustainability and efficiency.

The prerequisites for this were created in the planning phase with a software-supported simulation of the building in the form of a ‘digital twin’. The “Building Information Modelling” method – abbreviated to BIM – was used for the coordinated planning of the whole building with all parallel works, and simulated in the virtual digital model prior to the start of construction, then tested and corrected as needed.

Ambitious European strategy Yaskawa is pursuing an ambitious expansion strategy in Europe.

“Current investments in Slovenia, similar to those recently made in Germany, France and Sweden, constitute a strategic element of the Europe initiative of the Yaskawa Group, as anchored in our global corporate goals ‘Vision 2025’ ” said Manfred Stern, Regional Head, Yaskawa Europe. In relocating its technological know-how and production competence from Asia to Europe, the company, is consciously acting against the international trend.

Employing a workforce of over 2,000 people at its various European locations, Yaskawa Europe GmbH with its head office in Eschborn, Germany, recently generated annual sales exceeding 600 million euros. Approx. 300 people are currently employed at Yaskawa’s European Robotics Division, whose headquarters are located at Allershausen near Munich. Yaskawa has maintained its own subsidiary in Slovenia since 1990.

New Single-Phase solutions Yaskawa’s latest Single-Phase-Converter (SPC) converts singlephase power to DC power for use by its variable frequency drives.

The SPC is the ideal solution for solving the biggest problems facing business owners that power medium-sized motors in rural areas.

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They can be faced with high costs to run three-phase power, limited single-phase motor options, and a wide range of quality issues.

Enabling rural applications such as agriculture, lumber mills, and oil & gas, and pumping to utilise three-phase variable speed control offers a host of new possibilities to their businesses. Three-phase motors are typically more efficient than their single-phase counterparts and more readily available. Adding variable speed control of three-phase motors offers a host of advantages, including improved process control and quality, minimised energy consumption, and reduced maintenance.

Jason Wellnitz, product manager for Yaskawa’s Single Phase Converter and pump drives, said, “We are proud to continue with Yaskawa’s history of introducing innovative products to motor control applications. We listened to our customers and hope we have delivered on their needs.” The SPC is available in 230 VAC models n from 20 to 60 HP and 460 VAC models from 30 to 125 HP. For further details of Yaskawa’s latest high-tech robotic products and services visit: www.yaskawa.com

Automotive & Heavy Vehicles

Perfecting the Art of Electronic Alpine Electronics Ltd in Hungary was established in 1998 and since then it has remained their only production site in Europe. Due to the company’s latest technologies and their commitment to high quality, the Biatorbágy factory today is a key player in the firm’s global operations. Edina Beale reports.

In

Hungary there are at present 149 Japanese companies in operation, 46 of which are manufacturers. In recent decades, Japanese companies have invested over 4.5 billion USD in Hungary and they employ more than 25,000 people. The Japanese Alpine group formed Alpine Electronics Ltd in 1998 and began construction of a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Biatorbágy with a capital investment of 23 million EUR. The plant was to become the European base for the production of Alpine ‘mobile media solutions.’

The Alpine group has a worldwide reputation for quality mobile solutions. The company’s products range from audio solutions to integrated systems that bring together mobile communications, video, audio and navigation. Alpine have a presence in Japan, North and South America and Asia. The group’s European headquarters are based in Munich, with sales and development centres in Stuttgart and the UK.

Steady development Alpine Electronics Ltd began production of quality auto audio systems for the European in October 1999. In 2000, the first full year of production, the product range consisted of two CD Changer modules produced for the aftersales market. The company moved swiftly to meet the criteria for the ISO/TS 16949, the harmonised standard for the automotive supply chain, successfully meeting the certification audit in 2001.

Following this award, the company switched its operations to OEM production. In 2002 the company achieved the ISO 14001 environmental certificate and marked another milestone by producing one million units per year in production volume.

Continuous investments In 2004 the factory increased its plastic moulding and painting capacity and enlarged its production facility to 14,000 m2. This increased capacity enabled the internal production of key cosmetic Industry Europe 63

parts and resulted in the production of 1.5 million units being produced annually.

The success of their integrated production system and the commitment to quality has enabled the company to be listed among the top 30 exportation companies in 2005.

The economic recession in 2008 and the terrible Fukushima earthquake in 2011 caused serious damages for the parent company in within a few years the factory managed to overcome the difficulties and brought production back up to previous levels, enabling the firm to make new investments.

In 2017 Alpine invested 39 million USD in the Biatorbágy factory. As a result of this new development, the production capacity has doubled and the number of employees has grown to nearly 1,200. The company has not only implemented a new production

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line but also introduced new technology in the Hungarian factory and increased the use of domestic suppliers.

Direct impact on R&D When Alpine Electronics Ltd had become an OEM it began producing components for the prestige car manufacturers of Europe including BMW, Chrysler, Daimler and PAG. The range of products increased and in addition to the car audio systems, the company also began to manufacture dashboard information displays. The CD head units, however, continued to be the main contribution to sales. The company trades primarily in Europe, however its products are used worldwide.

In order to meet the demands of their partners, Alpine have a wellestablished research and development centre based in Stuttgart, Germany. The R&D centre explores five main areas: Human interface tech-

Automotive & Heavy Vehicles

nology, evaluation technology, acoustic technology, digital mechatronics technology and system integration technology. Collectively these areas of research are known as HEADS. With the site in Hungary being Alpine Electronic’s sole European manufacturing company, any new products or developments of existing products have a direct impact on business. The ability of the company to adapt to and meet the new challenges and demands of their partners is essential to the continued success of the plant.

Secure future In January 2019 Alpine Electronics, Inc became a wholly owned subsidiary of Alps Electric Co., Ltd. The total value of this transaction was approximately 538.5 million USD. Alps Alpine is now a leading global manufacturer of high-quality electronic components for mobile devices, home electronics, vehicles and industrial equipment. With the philosophy of ‘Perfecting the Art of Electronics’, Alps Alpine supplies over 40,000 different components to about 2,000 companies all over the world.

The Hungarian government now has many Japanese strategic partners and as a result, Hungary has become the target destination for companies in the Far East and Asia. Japanese investors mainly look for opportunities in the car manufacturing sector. After Germany, Japan is the second largest investor in this sector, and therefore has a big role in the increased development of this sector. With the support of the Hungarian government and due to this recent merger, Alpine Electronics in Hungary will have an even stronger backup which will enable the firm n to face future challenges head on.

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A Passion for Sound In just over 50 years, Italy’s ASK Industries has grown to be a leading global supplier of acoustic technology to OEM customers throughout the automotive industry.

On

June 27th, 2018 the Tunisian facility of ASK, the Italian specialists in high quality car audio systems, was awarded the prize for the ‘Best Plant 2018’ at the PSA factory in Kenitra, Morocco. The distinction had a special resonance since Peugeot, now part of the PSA group, was ASK’s first OEM customer. Now, as with its previous award in 2014, PSA has recognised the commitment and outstanding services of the employees in the ASK Tunisia plant.

Mr. Mohamed Karra, General Manager of ASK Tunisia, and Mr. Oussema Ben Hadj Ali, Quality Manager of ASK Tunisia attended the ceremony and received the important award.

The 2018 Award is just the latest of many awards that ASK has won over the last 50 years, including the Daimler Special Award for Innovation in 2012, the BBAC Excellent Supplier award, to ASK Ningbo, in 2014 and 2015, and the Geely R&D excellence supplier award in 2017.

54 years of growth ASK is an electronics manufacturer that designs, produces and distributes high quality and innovative car audio systems (loudspeakers, subwoofer boxes and audio-amplifiers) for in-vehicle infotainment, and antenna systems (antennas and cables) for car connectivity.

The company was founded in 1965 in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

Today the ASK Group is a multinational operation with facilities in 66 Industry Europe

Europe (Italy, Germany, Poland), Asia (China), USA, South America (Brazil) and North Africa (Tunisia), thus covering most areas of the world pertaining to the automotive industry.

ASK’s technology development centres and its customer support offices are also located in all its main global markets: Reggio Emilia, Ancona as well as Niederwinkling for Europe, Ningbo for Asia, Detroit for the USA and Sete Lagoas for South America.

A total of some 3,000 employees work for the ASK Group worldwide and a significant percentage of them are dedicated to Research and Development functions.

ASK’s current annual turnover is approximately 230 million euros and a further high growth rate is expected in the years to come.

98 per cent of ASK’s total turnover results from its automotive business. Its customers include Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Iveco, Jeep, PSA, Renault, Dacia, Nissan, BMW, Daimler, Porsche, Audi, Scania, Seat, Skoda, VW, Mitsubishi and Geely as well as supercar brands such as Ferrari and Maserati.

Completing the global footprint In 2017 the ASK Group extended its global corporate footprint with the incorporation of ASK USA Inc. of Detroit, Michigan, USA. The new company, added to the other subsidiaries already

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present in Brazil, China, Germany, Poland and Tunisia, intended to better serve the US market – which the group sees as vital to its growth ambitions – by providing a valuable technical and commercial support to the customers of this area. In fact, ASK sees this move as a vital part of the consolidation of its identity as a truly global business.

The move was strongly supported by ASK’s parent company, the JVC Kenwood Group, which acquired the Italian company in 2015. JVC

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Kenwood Corporation is a Japanese multinational electronics company headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. The company was itself formed from the merger of Victor Company of Japan, best known for its JVC brand, and Kenwood Corporation in October 2008.

JVC Kenwood’s Automotive Sector mostly develops car navigation systems, car audio systems, dashcams, and in-vehicle devices.

It is divided into the Aftermarket Business, providing products to consumers through volume-sales retailers and distributors, and the OEM Business, of which ASK is a major part, which provides products through automobile manufacturers and dealers.

Automotive & Heavy Vehicles

Covering the market ASK’s audio systems are designed to generate a specific sound for every kind of customer and vehicle: from base systems for volumecars to branded high-end systems for premium-cars. The quality of its sound system depends not only on its technical features and on the choice of tools, but on the experience and knowledge acquired in the last two decades with learning and practice.

The company’s strength is rooted in teamwork involving sound engineers, loudspeaker designers and audio amplifier experts who work not only on the individual components, but also on the entire system landscape. And, from early stages of planning, ASK engages with automakers to improve its system architecture and performance.

Its antennae and cable systems cover all the frequencies and functions of many product-types: external antennas with mast, external shark-fin antennas, invisible car-integrated antennas etc.

At the end of last year the company announced the successful completion of an Industrial Research and Experimental Development process for the design and construction of a new type of antenna for cars that brings together in a single module more features related to infotainment, geolocation and remote control of the car by mobile devices. This project was co-financed by the Emilia-Romagna region in the framework of the business innovation support programs scheduled by the 2014-2020 POR-FESR.

car and enables the control of phase of signals, so as to refine the sound staging and speech intelligibility.

The ASK range of loudspeakers meets all the requirements of a pleasing in-car audio experience, from the simplest systems, composed of just a Woofer and Tweeter, up to the most complex 4-way systems with Subwoofer and Midrange. They therefore cover the entire market of car sound reproduction including Standard, HiFi and Premium systems up to the more sophisticated Top Sound with the most exclusive audio brands.

All the car-integrated loudspeakers are designed to optimise the acoustic performance through the closest collaboration with the most prominent automakers and the most expert sector technicians.

In 2019 ASK is confident that the combinations of its passion for sound and the many years of experience of its sound designers and engineers will continue to offer innovative solutions to its worldwide n automotive customers for many years to come.

Extending loudspeaker technology Another of the technical innovations employed by ASK is X-AQT – Extended Acoustic Quality Test. This is a technique introduced by Italo Adami and Fabio Liberatore in the 90s based on the original Matt method, developed by Art Noxon a few years earlier.

The X-AQT tool measures and visualises the dynamic frequency response of vehicle acoustics as perceived by human ears. It measures the dynamic interference of various loudspeakers in different places, reflecting the most diverse environmental conditions in a Industry Europe 69

Truck bodies for

food transport

IGLOOCAR, a company from Debica in Poland, is a domestic market leader in the manufacture and sale of truck bodies for food transport. Its tradition, experience and reliability make the company a dependable partner in the assembly of special purpose bodywork for the transport of foodstuffs and other goods requiring stable or regulated temperatures during transportation.

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I

GLOOCAR delivers various types of bodies, including cooling, isothermal, refrigerated, wagon and distribution. These can be mounted on trucks of all makes, all chassis types, all trailers and semi-trailers.

They have all required quality certificates and meet national and foreign regulations, including the international ATP standards.

(more than €15 million), and this year the company’s management expects further sales growth.

IGLOOCAR employs 234 people, of which 200 are production workers. To meet the order growth in 2016, it increased its employee numbers by about 10 per cent.

Growing company

Bodies tailored to requirements

The company’s history goes back as far as the 1970s when a mechanical plant was established within the IGLOOPOL Agricultural and Industrial Complex located in Debica, in south-east Poland.

From the very beginning it specialised in the production of refrigerator bodyworks. As a separate state-owned company IGLOOCAR was founded in 1992, then in 1999 it was transformed into a sole shareholder company of the State Treasury. In August 2003 the company was finally bought by a private investor with Polish capital.

IGLOOCAR’s annual production is now estimated at 1500 bodyworks, semi-trailers and trailers, of which 74 per cent are bodies for vans, 24 per cent for euro trucks and 2 per cent for semi-trailers. It is a profitable company, with an annual net profit margin of 4–6 per cent. In 2016, its total value of annual sales exceeded PLN 63 million

“Our bodyworks have a reputation for excellence in quality and reliability. It often happens that the user replaces the chassis for the new one but keeps our ‘old’ body,” points out Krystyna Jaskowska, IGLOOCAR’s operational director and member of the board. “There are two seemingly opposing forces that work in oru favour among customers: the use of innovative technology and new materials together with a conservative approach to proven solutions and experiences. Our main areas of modernisation have been the same for years and are as follows: reducing the weight of the body, improving functionality, aesthetic finishing and, finally, customising our technical solutions to meet the customers’ specific needs.”

The company is proud of its ability to tailor its products to meet the specific requirements of the carrier. It also makes sets of body-

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works, e.g. 100 units, with unique features. On request, it can install additional equipment, such as cameras, reversing sensors, GPS and additional lighting. In temperature-controlled bodyworks, the required temperature can vary, both sub-zero and above zero, depending on the type of transported products, seasons and climate zones.

IGLOOCAR makes bodies for all vehicle makes and types of chassis. It has European approvals from Volvo, Renault, Mercedes, DAF, Iveco and MAN, and meets the requirements of the ATP standard.

The company’s exports make up about 20 per cent of total sales.

The Scandinavian countries are its main export but there has also been growing interest in IGLOOCAR’s products from other foreign markets, including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia and the Netherlands. Furthermore, after a few years of stagnation, now there are positive signs of increased interest from Ukrainian customers.

“Our sales are spread evenly between refrigerators and isotherms mounted on a variety of chassis sizes and makes,” says Ms Jaskowska.

“Owing to the large share of bodies tailored to the individual needs of the customers, it is not possible to indicate clearly which ones are the most attractive. We just make what a client expects from us. However, our multi-door bodies for side loading and bodies with different internal temperature zones are especially popular in the Scandinavian markets.

It must be emphasised that customers from these countries are very demanding, both in terms of production quality and innovative solutions.

The fulfillment of these demands translates into technological progress for our company.”

Reliable partner IGLOOCAR’s key partners are automotive companies, since they deliver chassis for bodyworks. “In this kind of cooperation, the most important thing is to keep up with technical standards. Each year we are 72 Industry Europe

thoroughly audited by car companies, and so far we have never been denied the authorisation. The same procedure is used in collaboration with the manufacturers of lifts and cooling units,” adds Ms Jaskowska.

“On the other hand, in collaboration with our material suppliers we have simple rules: we choose those who guarantee high quality, who have the required certification, who meet delivery deadlines, who can find a solution in emergency situations and of course those who offer favourable price conditions.”

Automotive & Heavy Vehicles

Meeting the Automotive

Daimler, one the biggest producers of premium cars and the world’s biggest manufacturer of commercial vehicles, continues to strengthen its global position. With the invaluable support of its supplier network, the company is ready to meet the challenges of future automotive market developments. Romana Moares reports.

Challenge D

aimler AG, one of the world’s most successful automotive companies, continues to focus on innovative and green technologies as well as on safe and superior vehicles that both captivate and inspire. The company’s efforts are also focused on the intelligent connectivity of its vehicles, autonomous driving and new mobility concepts.

The business development is supported by increased investment - in the first quarter of 2019, €1.7 billion was invested worldwide in new products and technologies, capacity expansion and modernization, primarily at the production and assembly plants (Q1 2018: €1.3 billion). The plants in Germany accounted for €1.2 billion of the investment in property, plant and equipment (Q1 2018: €1.1 billion).

Research and development spending increased to €2.4 billion (Q1 2018: €2.3 billion).

Daimler’s progress is supported by a global supplier network that is selected and maintained on the basis of the following criteria -

quality, partnership, innovation, economy, delivery reliability and sustainability. These key criteria are awarded each year in the Daimler Supplier Award to honour above-average performance as well as partnership with ten suppliers over the past fiscal year.

Vision. Venture. Value In February 2019, the eleventh Daimler Supplier Award event was held in Stuttgart, with 450 strategic partners and key suppliers from 30 nations coming to the prize-giving ceremony, this year bearing the motto VISION. VENTURE. VALUE. The motto is a blueprint for successful business and future collaboration between Daimler and its business partners.

Andreas Burkhart, Head of International Procurement Services, emphasised the importance of suppliers: “With the Daimler Supplier Award, we honor suppliers with outstanding achievements in the Industry Europe 73

past year. Furthermore, the event serves as an excellent platform for mutual exchange, fostering our supplier network and strengthening our partnership.”

The evening saw ten winners within three categories (Quality, Partnership and Innovation) and one special award: for Mercedes-Benz Cars Procurement & Supplier Quality, three companies received the trophy - IAC, an interior specialist from the USA, supplying door panels (Quality); Corning, an innovator in materials science (Partnerships)

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and owner-operated Mubea from Germany supplies Mercedes-AMG with coil springs and stabilisers (Innovation).

For International Procurement Services the winners were: Siemens AG, awarded as an outstanding partner with a broad variety of highest-quality solutions in production worldwide (Quality); thyssenkrupp System Engineering, a long term partner, setting benchmark with the assembly line for the new battery for Daimler’s first electric vehicle EQC (Partnership) and APPSfactory GmbH, awarded as a

Automotive & Heavy Vehicles

Project Future

This should help strengthen the future viability of the individual businesses in its various markets, and to better position the business to meet the challenges of the future - greater vehicle connectivity, advances in automated and autonomous driving, the development of digital mobility and transport services, and electric mobility.

Three legally independent entities are to be created under the umbrella of Daimler AG. Mercedes-Benz AG will consolidate cars and vans, while the truck, bus and coach divisions will be combined in Daimler Truck AG. The already legally autonomous Daimler Financial Services AG will be renamed to Daimler Mobility AG. “After more than 130 years, Daimler is more successful today than ever before. But further far-reaching changes will be necessary to remain successful in a mobility sector that is also being transformed.

With a new structure for the Group, we intend to put the company in the best possible position to meet these challenges, “ said Dr. Manfred Bischoff, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Daimler AG. It goes without saying that this development will be possible only with committed employees and partners - Daimlers suppliers will thus n play an indispensable role in this development.

With a view to further support business growth, Daimler has recently defined its Project Future, aimed at creating a divisional structure.

Visit: www.daimler.com

true enabler in the field of connectivity apps, providing services in the new A-Class (Innovation).

For Daimler Trucks & Buses, the winner in the Quality category was Hitchiner Manufacturing Co., Inc. awarded for delivering highly complex castings for turbochargers; Fritz Winter Eisengießerei won the Partnership award and MEKRA Lang the Innovation award. The winner of the Special Award 2019 was RAPA Rausch & Pausch that developed a unique electrohydraulic control unit which can be experienced in the new Mercedes-Benz GLE technology E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL. Dr. Marcus Schoenenberg, Head of Global Procurement Daimler Trucks & Buses, noted: “Whether digital Mercedes-Benz Actros outside mirrors, crankshaft housings for our commercial vehicle engines or turbocharger castings: Our Daimler Supplier Award winners have shown that it is worth the effort. The trusting cooperation over the years has created a real value contribution – for our suppliers, for Daimler and our customers.”

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Unique, performanceplus systems

Gedia Poland is a part of the international Gedia Automotive Group, an established TIER 1 supplier to the global automotive industry. Philip Yorke reports on the company’s latest developments, its innovative new technologies and revolutionary quality control systems.

T

he Gedia Group was founded in Germany more than a hundred years ago and has been manufacturing products for the automotive industry since 1955. The company produces structural parts and assemblies for the construction of automotive lightweight body panels and chassis components.

The Gedia Group is a truly global player with a total of eight production sites located in Germany, Poland, Spain, Hungary, China, India and Mexico. In addition, the company has joint ventures and strategic alliances with specialist US companies. Gedia Poland is one of the group’s most important production facilities. The extensive site operates state-of-the-art equipment for the machining of complex steel and aluminium automotive components.

Gedia Poland is constantly following its clients’ latest developments and market expectations. Its production processes also involve the latest technologies for hot and cold stamping, welding and laser cutting as well as for specialised adhesive processes.

Today the company’s list of blue-chip clients number many of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers including: Audi, BMW, Daimler, Chevrolet, Ford, Fiat, Porsche, Skoda, Vauxhall, Volvo and VW among many others.

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Automotive & Heavy Vehicles

Performance by design Technical innovation and an ongoing quest for perfection are at the heart of the culture at Gedia Poland. A spokesman for the company told Industry Europe, “Each automotive part produced in Gedia Poland has its beginnings in trust, with which we are endowed as a result of a client entrusting us with a given project. Our Technical Production Preparation Department is involved from day one. Our DTPP design engineers and automotive specialists participate in design meetings for the development of new devices and the manufacture of lightweight production parts”.

“Then based upon our client’s guidelines, in collaboration with our design engineers in Attendorn, Germany, we plan further processes and operations. These can include stamping, laser cutting or welding processes, followed by initial testing of the prototype and the monitoring of the progress of the project until it is transferred to final serial production”.

To underscore the success of the Gedia Technical Preparation Department, BMW recently honoured Gedia Poland with a visit to its modern manufacturing facilities for its futuristic sports car, the BMW 18 Roadster, for which Gedia Poland makes the lightweight aluminium trunk, which is the largest aluminium component in the

car. This exceptional automobile is powered by a hybrid drive system consisting of a 231 bhp petrol engine and a 143 bhp electric motor.

The total power output is a massive 374 bhp and the torque is an astonishing 570 Nm. Gedia Poland is proud to have contributed to such an innovative world class automobile.

Revolutionary quality-control Until recently Gedia has focused on standard tactile measurement techniques for its quality control measurement systems. These utilise coordinated measuring machines and gauges for the quality control of assemblies, as well as for tool making processes.

However, today this approach to quality measurement has reached its limits as the company continues to expand its output and number of manufacturing locations. The inspection of sheet metal parts has also become time and labour intensive as parts must be transported several hundred metres from the press or fabrication production areas to the central measuring room.

In order to streamline the quality control processes, a new optical 3D measurement coordinate system has been developed by Gedia and installed with the implementation of new optical metrology

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Automotive & Heavy Vehicles

systems. This makes the measuring process more flexible, as well as cutting costs and dramatically reducing the time involved.

This innovative quality control approach is an important step in realising the Gedia Group’s goal of leading the industry in production technology. As a result of these technical advances, the new, revolutionary, full-surface optical 3D coordinate measurement systems are now being implemented worldwide at all Gedia production sites.

Unique single-technology system Today, with its fast supply of precise measurement data, the high resolution optical ATOS 3D digitiser has fulfilled all the company’s criteria for its vast range of diverse component sizes and the surface characteristics of its complex automotive components.

From prototype development to serial-production measurement, part analysis, digitalising and up to virtual joining of assemblies,

all of these processes can be performed by a single-technology, as opposed to the much less versatile, more traditional tactile measurement methods.

In order to streamline the quality control measuring process still further, the decision was made by Gedia to have the new optical measuring system transported to the component instead of transporting the component to the measuring system. As a result, new measuring transportation equipment was specially designed in order for the system to be fully mobile for its use in a busy production environment.

Gedia’s suppliers are carefully chosen and assessed. Amongst their key partners are VIA Technika Obróbki powierzchniowej Sp. z oo, n EXACT SYSTEMS Sp. z o.o., and Electropoli Group.

For further details of the latest innovative products and services developed by the Gedia Group visit: www.gedia.com

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Ahead in the clouds

MAN Truck & Bus is a global leader in the development and manufacture of a wide range of commercial vehicles. Today the company is addressing the challenges posed by the digital transformation, by initiating the RIO Digital brand, an open, cloud-based platform for the entire transportation industry, as Philip Yorke reports.

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Automotive & Heavy Vehicles

M

unich-based MAN Truck & Bus is one of the world’s best known commercial vehicle brands. It has an extensive global sales network and manufacturing facilities in Poland, Turkey, Russia and South Africa as well as in Germany and Austria. The company’s broad product portfolio comprises trucks, vans and buses, as well as dedicated services that include passenger and freight transportation operations.

In 2017 MAN Truck & Bus expanded its product range to include large vans, thus making it a truly full-range supplier of commercial vehicles of between 4 tons and 44 tons. These vehicles cover all areas of application and a special purpose vehicles with a grosstrain-weight of up to 250 tons. The all new MAN van has been given the model name, MAN TGE and compliments its entire expanded commercial vehicles portfolio. Currently the company is pursuing a targeted, future-orientated strategy by offering its customers an extensive range of services from a single source.

Driving up bus sales MAN Truck & Bus is celebrating an extremely successful year in 2018 for its city bus and coach business. Last year the company achieved its highest ever amount of orders that totalled 8,301 units.

Sales have also been notably high at 7,204 vehicles and is the second highest number of sales in the company’s history, and the highest since the financial crisis of 2008.

Goran Nyberg, Member of the Executive board for Sales and Marketing said, “In the last few years we have successfully developed

the bus business from a former problem child into an extremely successful business sector. In 2018, we increased our market share in Europe to 14.5 per cent. Our customers appreciate our high levels of reliability and safety, as well as our outstanding design and in particular our innovative, cutting-edge technology. In addition we are offering unrivalled comfort and a comprehensive customer-orientated approach to sales and service” Rudi Kutchta, Head of Bus Product & Sales at MAN added, “” With our new Neoplan Tourliner and MAN Lion’s Coach range, we have two top models in the commercial coach segment. We are also in the process of successfully bringing our new city bus generation of the MAN Lion’s City model onto the market. It is number one in terms of economy and unlike many of our competitors, it is pre-equipped for the new fullyelectric drive, which will be launched in 2020”

Advanced assistance systems Slovakia’s largest transport company, BRING Trucking, has just taken delivery of 25 new TGX 18,500 4X2 BLS trucks from MAN. These offer the world’s most sophisticated driver assistance systems. Over the past five years BRING Trucking has purchased over 250 MAN vehicles. These advanced, high tech units are from the TGX Euro 6c model range. This model provides a power output of 500hp and comes with XLX cabs and a 3,900mm wheelbase.

This customer has also ordered MAN’s Adaptive Cruise Control facility, which offers a new Stop-and-Go feature, as well as a GPSenabled Efficient Cruise function. The BRING Trucking company Industry Europe 81

is based in Ziar-nad-Hronom in Slovakia, and began the year by refreshing its extensive fleet of vehicles. The latest 25 MAN vehicles were painted in its well-known bright green company livery.

Focus on individuality In the spring of 2019, MAN Truck & Bus pooled its modification activities for trucks, buses and vans under the banner: MAN Individual. This title covers models ranging from diverse and industry– specific truck modifications to the cab, chassis and drive-line to tailored preparations for body manufacturers, right through to customised, special equipment and complete solutions for both bus and van applications. For customers who prefer to be owners of a vehicle with a unique appearance, MAN Individual holds a broad palette of vehicle refining options for interior and exterior design.

The requirements placed on freight transport and vehicles involved in it are extremely varied and the demand for special custom products which differ from the standard vehicles is increasing. An enhanced driver’s workplace with an exclusive design of the interior

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help operators to acquire employees and tie them to the company for the long term in times of increasing driver shortages. Owner drivers and smaller companies in particular are interested in customisation and refinement of the interior and exterior of their trucks. MAN Individual, addresses all these technical requirements and emotional motivations and offer customised solutions for the special wishes of each individual customer.

For operators, the added value is in the one-stop-shop option with a single invoice. In addition, the customer also benefits from the unrivalled quality of service from MAN as well as a comprehensive warranty.

Demand is growing steadily from over 2,000 modified trucks per year previously to over 4,000 trucks in 2017 and to more than 6,000 units in 2018. Further increases in orders for the foreseeable future is n projected by the company.

For further details of MAN Truck & Bus’s innovative products and services visit: www.mantruckandbus.com

Embracing eMobility

Oetiker, the leading manufacturer of clamps and connecting solutions for the automotive sector with production facilities around the globe, is ready to step into the future. Within its growth strategy, the company is focusing on eMobility and the move towards a new automotive ecosystem.

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O

etiker, the family-owned business founded in Horgen, Switzerland, has grown into a multinational group with 14 manufacturing facilities and local presence in 31 countries on three continents.

Proven on more than 90 million vehicles annually and featured on virtually every vehicle manufactured, the reliability of Oetiker products has driven the company to the “go to” position for connecting solutions which help to ensure the reliability of mission-critical components in vehicles and industrial applications.

Reflecting the trend The development of electric-powered drivetrains is shifting vehicle design away from fossil fuels and carbon gas emissions. As a trusted leader in connecting solutions for the automotive industry, the Oetiker Group provides the same high-quality connections for mission-critical Electric Vehicle applications.

“CO2 emission regulations and the reduction of fossil fuel consumption are key drivers of the strong trend towards powertrain electrification (eMobility). With over 75 years of experience in connecting solutions, we are well positioned to provide and develop solutions to the challenges faced with alternative propulsion systems e.g. weight and space constraints and cost-efficiency,” said Andreas Ring, Global Product Marketing Manager.

“The upcoming requirements are not totally new to us,” he acknowledged. “We understand the complexities involved in seamlessly integrating connecting solutions into multi-material lines (desired for Battery Electric Vehicles). We have the relationships to

work alongside our customers, to co-develop with them. We provide connecting and assembly solutions for both Hybrid and Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) that meet all of their complex requirements.”

Digital development The shift towards autonomous vehicles, digitalisation and electrification requires modifications to existing production capacity as well as the introduction of new production technologies.

“We observe various new connection needs and requirements within existing connections. We are investing and developing new technologies including alternative materials, concepts and assembly solutions to serve our customers’ unique needs,” noted Mr Ring.

“When it comes to digitalization, cooling and heating in 5G data centres and supercomputers are an interesting challenge for which we are developing solutions. These are the ‘engines’ driving the next wave of digitalization, especially when it comes to the use of Internet of Things (IoT) in production centres.”

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He affirmed that the company already has assembly solutions which allow them to connect into their customers’ IoT. “These specialised tools ensure reliable connections by monitoring the closing parameters and giving feedback if the closure was within the tolerance range or not. There is a high level of reproducibility and traceability, very important to our customers. But we expect to develop even more sophisticated solutions as the technologies continue to advance.”

New solutions In the area of eMobility, five or six alternative propulsion systems such as 48V, Full-hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid, BEV and Fuel-cells are moving in parallel, and Oetiker provides connecting solutions for all of them.

“We are able to customise our products to fulfil the unique customer needs of eMobility. You already see our products with new features used in applications in EV. At the same time new developments of clamps, rings and quick connectors are ongoing to serve applications not only in the vehicle but also in the world of EV infrastructure. Of course, we strive to offer simple and safe assembly with process monitoring to provide peace of mind that missioncritical components are reliably connected.”

Mr Ring explained that on-board motor and e-Axle are the main technology streams in the drivetrain for BEV and PHEV. “Immediate torques put higher performance and space requirements to shafts, boots and clamps. The available space around the rotating boots remains restricted. Ultra-flat designs such as Oetiker’s Low Profile Clamps or Multi-Crimp Rings (MCRs) are the most suitable solutions,” he acknowledged.

Moving forward in partnerships In view of expected growing demand, the company commissioned a new plant in Poland last year which now produces MCRs used

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in various applications within eMobility. “We strongly believe that there will be more and more parts for EV produced in Poland in the near future. Today, we see the trend growing quickly in China, North America and Western Europe, particularly in Germany, with Eastern Europe and the emerging markets soon to follow without a doubt,” said Mr Ring.

“We will continue to focus on eMobility and the move towards a new automotive ecosystem by providing reliable connecting solutions for our customers. New developments in clamps, rings, and quick connectors to address the applications in eMobility are underway, and new products will be launched in the coming years.”

Oetiker’s strategic approach to dealing with the current disruption is supporting its customers to build the tailored solutions that they need.

“We work in close cooperation with our customers to co-develop and have had much success with this approach. We will only further intenn sify such activities in the future,” affirmed Mr Ring in concluding.

Automotive & Heavy Vehicles

Taking fluid dynamics further The Tristone Flowtech Group is a fluid components supplier that specialises in providing tailor-made, flow-technology solutions for passenger vehicles. With the seismic shift in the automotive industry towards electric cars, the company is now ideally placed to take full advantage of the current market situation thanks to its advanced battery cooling and turbocharging technologies. Philip Yorke reports.

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he Tristone Flowtech Group is headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany and in 2018 recorded revenues of almost 300 million euros.

It currently employs around 3,500 people. The Group is one of the world’s leading automotive suppliers of fluid applications in the area of engine cooling and battery cooling, as well as providing high-technology products for the cooling of turbochargers. It operates modern manufacturing and research locations in Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Spain, France, Italy, Mexico, USA, India and China.

The Tristone Group was established in 2010, based on a spin-off from the former Fluid Automotive Business Unit of Trelleborg AB and today is a leading Tier 1 supplier to global automotive customers, such as Renault Dacia, Nissan, Peugeot, Citroen, Opel and Vauxhall.

In addition, the group also supplies Fiat, Chrysler, Ford, Volvo, General Motors, the VW Group with Audi, Seat, Skoda, Porsche, Bentley and Bugatti, the BMW Group with Mini, Rolls-Royce, and Daimler with Mercedes, Smart, Jaguar-Landrover, Suzuki, Mahindra-Mahindra, Hyundai Kia, and Bosch, as well as many other Tier I suppliers.

In February 2017, the Tristone Group was purchased by the Chinese Zhongding Group, Ningguo and is continuing to be managed under the same name and corporate structure.

Major investment in Poland Recently the Tristone Flowtech Group held its opening ceremony for the expansion of the company’s plastic production plant and engineering lab in Walbrzych, in the District of Lower Silecia, in Poland and also celebrated the groundbreaking of a further plant expansion to double production capabilities.

Present at the opening ceremony were representatives of the District of Lower Silesia, the city of Walbrzych, the Walbrzych special economic zone and many representatives of Tristone’s global automotive customers.

In April 2018, Tristone Poland started construction work to expand its plastic production (Hall B) as well as its central engi-

neering laboratory which is expected to be completed during the third quarter of 2019.

‘The Group spent a further 3 million euros on investments in an expanded plastic production facility as well as in additional state-of the-art machinery and equipment. “We could soon reach a significant breakthrough in the market, especially for engine and battery cooling applications” said Guenter Froelich, President & CEO, Tristone Group.

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“In addition, we are very pleased to have today the groundbreaking of a further plant expansion of 6,200 m2 of manufacturing and logistics space, which will double the company’s hose production capacity over the next two years” added Froelich.

The Tristone Flowtech Group has said it will also invest 7.4 million euros in Tristone Poland’s new expanded hose production (Hall D) as well as in advanced machinery and equipment. Tristone Flowtech Poland currently employs close to 700 employees and will add a further 200 employees to this in the next two years. The production plant in Poland is delivering components to a broad range of global automotive passenger car customers that include Ford, Volvo, RSA, Nissan, FCA, PSA, Daimler, BMW, Suzuki, JLR, and Ferrari.

At its extensive Polish plant the group will be manufacturing engine and battery cooling hoses, as well as automated engine cooling hoses with the latest Creatube technology. It will produce wrapped hoses as well as single layer and multilayer plastic pipes.

The total manufacturing and logistic space is currently over 11,000 m2 and the central engineering lab covers 1,600 m2.

The Group is expecting to grow by 11 per cent in 2019 to 321 million euros and a further 24 per cent in 2020 to reach close to 400 million euros in revenues. This is based on booked business with the global OEMs in Europe, NAFTA, China and India despite the weaker automotive business in some markets Today the Tristone Flowtech Group is highly focused on fluid applications for motor and battery cooling as well as for air-charge systems. Currently the Group is benefiting from the trend towards a reduction of space and fuel consumption with the introduction of polyamide materials as well as the introduction of new powertrain concepts with hybrid and electrical cars, and the integration of fluid motor and battery cooling systems.

Surge in Asian demand The Tristone Flowtech Group entered the Indian market in September 2015 by opening a Sales & Engineering Company in Pune and later, in September 2016 inaugurated its first manufacturing plant to supply Fluid Engine and Battery Cooling Products as well as aircharge systems for the Indian passenger car market.

Now the Group is investing 2.3 million euros until year-end 2019 into its full-scale plastic surge tank & hose production facility and is targeting a market share of above 10 per cent in the next few years in the Groups business fields for the Indian automotive market.

“We are dedicated to two automotive business fields: engine and battery cooling, and air charge applications“, said Froelich, emphasising the potential of the Indian automotive market and its strong growth due to the upgrading of BS-VI emission norms as well as the ambitious plans of the Indian Government for electric vehicles. n For further details of the Tristone Group’s latest fluid technology products and services visit: www.tristone.com Industry Europe 89

It’s full steam ahead for MOL Global oil and gas company, MOL group is proceeding full steam ahead in investing in several large-scale projects so to strengthen their competitive advantages and stand out from competitors by bringing about changes in their industry with environmentally friendly solutions.

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chemicals, petrochemicals & offshore

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eadquartered in Budapest, Hungary, MOL has an international and dynamic workforce of 25,000 people in more than 30 countries and over 100 years of industry experience. MOL’s research and production activities are supported by over 80 years of experience in the hydrocarbon industry. The MOL Group operates four refineries and two petrochemical plants in integrated supply chain management in Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia, and has a retail network of more than 2,000 filling stations in 10 countries in Central and Southeast Europe.

In 2018 the largest organic investment in the history of the MOL group began when MOL and the German thyssenkrupp signed a contract to build a new polyol plant. The 1.2 billion euro investment will be the only integrated polyol manufacturing facility in Centre and Eastern Europe. The annual capacity of the new plant will reach 200 kilo tonnes and this will provide jobs for at least 200 people on the long term in Tiszaújváros. The new facility is expected to start operation in the second half of 2021.

Polyol factory – MOL’s largest organic investment

In the Zala region MOL has been producing hydrocarbons for over 80 years and has been refining for more than 65 years. In 2012 a 5,000 tonne capacity rubber bitumen plant was opened in the Zala Refinery, and this year the construction of an additional plant began to meet the increased demand. The new rubber bitumen factory will enhance the efficiency in the Refinery and will secure jobs for at least 100 employees. The 3 billion forint (9 million euro) investment will start its operation in 2020 with an annual capacity of 20,000 tonnes.

Rubber bitumen is produced by environmentally friendly patented technology that was developed by MOL and Pannon University.

In line with MOL’s 2030 business strategy, the company is aiming to extend their petrochemical value chain towards semi-finished goods and special chemical products in order to become the leading chemical player in the Central and Eastern European region. Due to its extensive range of applications, polyether polyol is the main focus of MOL’s petrochemical development. Polyol is the basic material for polyurethane products, which are used in many different segments including the construction industry, the furniture industry, car manufacturing and the textile industry.

New rubber bitumen plant

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chemicals, petrochemicals & offshore

This innovation enables road construction companies to build more durable asphalt roads with higher load capacity and less maintenance costs. Rubber bitumen roads are extremely durable; none of the roads built with rubber bitumen have any potholes on them yet, even though the oldest experimental roadway being built in Hungary is now 15 years old. MOL primarily targets the domestic market for road construction. The new plant will use 3,000 tonnes of crumb rubber annually to produce rubber bitumen and this contributes to the recycling of about half a million used tyres. This amount is 8-10 per cent of the annual domestic tyre waste in Hungary. The annual production of 20,000 tonnes of rubber bitumen will enable the construction of a 200 km 2x1 lane road, or the renovation of the upper layer of a 600 km 2x1 lane road.

“In our 2030 strategy we emphasise the production of environmentally friendly, small volume, innovative goods. We are ready to bring about change: we are the only company in the CEE region that has a proprietary patent to the rubber bitumen technology.

According to the calculations the cost of the road made with rubber bitumen can be lowered by 30 per cent during its 30-year lifecycle and this cost saving will stimulate the widespread use of rubber bitumen in the national economy. On top of that, we reduce our carbon footprint and create quieter and pothole-free roads in Hungary,” says Zsolt Hernádi, Chairman and CEO of the MOL Group.

New acquisition of a recycled plastic compounder, the Aurora group Whilst focusing on core activities MOL has also turned their focus to recycled plastics. In April this year, MOL signed a sales-purchase agreement to acquire the Aurora group, a recycled plastic com-

pounder with production plants located in nearby automotive manufacturing and plastics conversion clusters in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. Aurora mainly supplies the automotive industry with a uniquely collected compound made of post-industrial plastic waste.

The company’s portfolio primarily consists of recycled technical plastics and polypropylene based compounds.

Thanks to this investment, MOL will be able to offer a wide range of high-quality polyamide, polypropylene and other recycled compounds, complementing its existing product portfolio that is currently made of nature polypropylene and polyethylene. Using Aurora’s know how and their unique closed loop collection system MOL will enable their partners to efficiently increase the ratio of recycled plastic parts in their products.

MOL Campus – the relocation of Budapest headquarters Parallel to these new investments MOL is planning to relocate its corporate headquarters to MOL Campus by 2021. Prominent firms were hired to carry out this exciting project: Fosters + Partners is a pioneer in sustainable building solutions and the German KINZO studio will design the interior of the 28-storey office block with 86,000 square metres of floor space.

Mr Zsolt Hernádi said: “At present, we are building the MOL Campus, the most modern office block in the whole region. This extraordinary building represents the culmination of the development of MOL’s market position and its culture over the past twenty years whilst providing a new basis for our future. It underlines that MOL lives in symbiosis with its environment, invests in the future and provides an inspiring workplace and surroundings for the employees who will take the lion’s share in completing MOL’s 2030 strategy.”

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Delivering unique hydraulic solutions Komatsu is a Japanese multinational corporation that is a global market leader in the manufacturer of construction and mining equipment. The company continues to deliver a wide range of unique solutions to achieve a greener, more sustainable world. Philip Yorke reports on the latest European product developments.

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he word “Ko-matsu in Japanese means ‘small pine tree’ and is named after ‘Komatsu City’ in Japan. Rather appropriate therefore that one of the key business sectors for the company is forestry.

Other main areas of activity include a number of key industries such as construction, mining and military equipment. The company was founded in Japan in 1921 and today the Group consists of over 250 companies and employs more than 60,000 people worldwide.

Creating cleaner, more efficient engines In April this year, Komatsu Europe announced the commercial production of its new Komatsu diesel engines with EU Stage V technology for cleaner more efficient operation. Built on Komatsu’s progress in engineering improvements to reduce emissions, EU Stage V technology will be integrated into Komatsu engines to limit the levels of harmful substances contained in exhaust gases and to promote a more sustainable future.

Komatsu consistently engages in the research, development, and improvement of diesel engines. In-house development and manufacturing capabilities are leveraged for key components, such as hydraulic devices and control systems, in order to reduce environmental impact and to improve fuel economy.

The EU Stage V emissions legislation, applicable throughout all 28 EU member states, is the most stringent to date. In effect for engines below 56 kW and above 130 kW since January 1 2019, it will be applied to 56-130 kW engines starting from January 1, 2020.

Komatsu has already begun supplying machinery in conformity with EU Stage V emission regulations to customers, and new EU Stage V models will be announced as and when they are launched.

EU Stage V regulations apply to an even wider range of engines. It places a limit both on the mass of emitted particle pollution (PM) and on the number of particles (PN) emitted by the engine. For machines in the 19kW – 560kW power level range to comply with these new PN requirements, a Komatsu Diesel Particulate Filter (KDPF) must be included in the engine’s after-treatment system. With over 98 percent of KDPF regeneration performed passively, no action is required by the operator, with no interference to machine operation.

Performance remains efficient and costs of ownership low.

Products currently eligible for the ‘Komatsu Care Maintenance Programme’ will continue to qualify under EU Stage V regulations. As with all Komatsu products and solutions, reliability is assured through robust design, innovative development, and strict testing processes. EU Stage V systems follow this process and, as a result, retain Komatsu’s position as the clear industry leader in engine after-treatment systems.

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Pioneering intelligent control technologies Many Komatsu customers have seen first-hand the valuable benefits of using its intelligent Machine Control technology on jobs that require higher volume excavation. “Since we introduced the PC210LCi-11, customers have seen the unrivalled opportunities of using of our intelligent Machine Control technology on jobs that require higher volume excavation, and many have been asking for a larger machine to deliver those benefits,” says Rob Macintyre, Product Manager at Komatsu Europe.

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“In launching the new PC360LCi-11 we are responding to that customer demand, and we see huge potential for it with major productivity gains, efficiency and cost saving in these types of applications.”

Operating weights of the PC360LCi-11 range from 35.600 - 36.200 kg, depending on the configuration, and it has a maximum recommended bucket capacity of 2.66m³. The fuel efficient, EU Stage IV Komatsu SAA6D114E-6 engine puts out a net 192 kW / 257 HP @ 1.950 rpm.

The latest KOMTRAX telematics, and the Komatsu Care maintenance program for customers, offer top fleet management and

Construction & ENGINEERING

support, as well as protecting the machine against misuse and guarantee maximum efficiency and uptime.

Automated real-time digging controls With Komatsu’s unique intelligent Machine Control, the bucket is automatically limited from digging beyond the target surface. The control function maintains grade automatically, with real-time bucket edge positioning in relation to the machine and the job surface.

Status is instantly displayed on the full colour, multi-function 12.1” control box monitor, eliminating the wait time associated with conventional sensors.

Fully factory-installed, Komatsu’s integrated intelligent Machine Control system includes stroke sensing hydraulic cylinders for the boom, arm and bucket, developed over two machine generations

by Komatsu for precise real time bucket edge positioning. The IMU (Inertial Measuring Unit) provides greater machine orienta-

tion and determines machine angle from gyro and accelerometer data. High performance antennae send satellite signals to a GNSS receiver that processes them and provides the real time position of the machine.

Unique benefits The unique benefits of the new Komatsu PC360LCi-11 combine the high productivity of a bulk earthmoving excavator with the renowned accuracy of Komatsu intelligent Machine Control. This is achieved by the use of powerful hydraulics and breakout forces when excavating, fast cycle times when truck loading, and by completing grading automatically in just one pass. Fewer machine cycles are required and operator performance is constantly improved, with vastly reduced risk of re-work, lower fuel costs and increased machine utilisation. For further details of Komatsu’s latest unique, innovative n products and services visit: www.komatsu.com

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Opening new windows

Romania’s premier PVC window and door manufacturer Casa Noastra is reaching new markets and new customers for its QFORT brand though a completely new online platform.

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asa Noastra is Romania’s leading manufacturer of PVC windows and doors. Founded in 1995 as a distributor of windows and doors produced by another Romanian company, it opened its own production line in 2004. Three years later its success enabled the company to relocate to a new 17 hectare site near Craiova and to construct a new facility for the production of thermos-insulating glass.

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Today, Casa Noastra has grown to be one of the most modern production operations in the industry in Europe. Its four production plants for PVC windows and doors and for insulating glass units cover a total area of 21,000 sqm. In recent years the company has invested more than €40 million in developing modern production, logistics and distribution capacities, including 10,000 sqm of logistic space and a vehicle fleet of over 300 vehicles.

Construction & ENGINEERING

Now with 19 years of experience, the company employs more than 1,000 people and reaches its domestic customers through a network of over 58 stores in 44 cities in Romania and its export markets through some 1,000 dealers throughout Europe.

In fact, Casa Noastra is today one of the most important PVC joinery manufacturers in Central and Eastern Europe, producing an extensive range of windows, doors, window doors, sliding doors and entrance doors, rolls and accessories.

New Brand In 2008, the company rebranded its products under a new name – QFORT – (suggesting a combination of quality and strength) – and shortly afterwards began exporting its products under the new brand name, initially to Austria and Italy. It also concluded a partnership agreement with VEKA AG, the European leader in the production of PVC profiles.

The quality of QFORT windows is commended by customers from Italy, France, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Romania and is certified by the Ift Rosenheim Institute of Germany.

QFORT products are designated under a star system, as used in the hotel industry, offering 4-star, 5-star, 6-star and, most recently, 7-star ranges of windows. The 4-star ranges are composed of PVC with depths of 70mm, while higher stars have different depths and are certified for either more severe weather conditions or optimum energy-saving. QFORT also produces an innovative range of doors with a new security system, as well as sliding doors with automatic opening.

There are also ranges of different colours for both windows and doors.

Most QFORT products are optimised for use in residential rather than commercial buildings and are produced using LowE (low emissivity) insulating glass units with an excellent thermal and sound insulation as well as solar protection.

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New online platform

Slide 7 The latest developments from Casa Noastra include the QFORT Slide 7Stars solution. This is a system for lift and slide doors that facilitates large constructions, of up to 6,500mm wide and 2,500mm tall and has the highest thermal insulation coefficient on the market.

The standard offer includes thermal insulating glass units with three sheets of glass, with the window having a Ug index of 0.5 W/mpK. The QFORT Slide 7Stars system is available in a wide range of colours, including white, wraps in 27 saturated shades, as well as wood imitations. Furthermore, the profile can be plated on the outside with aluminium clips painted in any colour in the RAL palette.

Optionally, the QFORT Slide 7Stars system can be equipped with a remote controlled motorised opening. QFORT Slide 7Stars has a 197mm construction depth for the sill profile. This element is reinforced with aluminium profiles with thermal barrier, and an additional insulation with polyurethane foam is provided. The frame is also reinforced with steel profiles and includes the same type of additional polyurethane foam insulation.

In February 2019, QFORT introduced a completely new online platform designed specifically to meet customers’ information needs and to improve their overall experience with the company’s brand, products and services.

The new QFORT site comes in response to the most important questions and requests from customers regarding product presentation, page layout, menu and quality of the content presented. The entire QFORT team has worked to provide the most useful information and to help customers make the best decision on choosing PVC or aluminium thermo-insulating carpentry for their homes.

The improvements to the new QFORT site include a new userfriendly interface, the elements presented being well structured and organised, and the information being exposed with transparency and clarity, being accessible on any devices (desktop, tablet, mobile). The new QFORT site also allows customers to get detailed information about all the company’s products, services, partners and locations in the country, all of which are easy to access from the main menu.

Customers can now identify the benefits of each product category, n make comparisons and quickly find the closest showroom.

For more info, visit: www.qfort.ro

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Winds of change Crist S.A. is a European market leader in the design, production and servicing of offshore maritime constructions. The company’s pro-active and innovative approach is driving the winds of change in offshore technologies. Philip Yorke reports on the latest developments of a remarkable Polish company.

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rist S.A. was founded in Poland in 1990, and began as a partnership between two very talented and driven individuals.

They were both inspired by the promise of the availability of renewable energy across the world. The success of the company led to Crist being listed as a joint stock company in 2010. Since

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that time it has continued to see rapid growth across all its specialised maritime disciplines.

Today the company specialises in shipbuilding, offshore constructions and steel constructions, as well as sea and civil engineering structures.

The company operates its own fully-equipped shipyard in Poland, the

Construction & ENGINEERING

only shipyard in Europe to have constructed three units for the installation and servicing of offshore wind farms. Crist S.A. serves major shipping and wind farm operators in Poland, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Optimising deep-sea technologies In 2018 Crist S.A. delivered its second vessel, the Live Fish Carrier, ‘Acqua Tromoy’, to Dess Aquaculture Shipping of Norway. This contract for the fully outfitted, multi-purpose live fish carrier of the SC75 design, was announced just over a year ago. Following the successful delivery of two sister vessels, they were transferred to the fleet of the newly established DESS Acquaculture Shipping company.

DESS is a joint venture between Marine Harvest and Deep Sea Supply. With a 3000 square metre fish tank capacity and a minimal ten person crew, the new ship is acknowledged as a major technological leap forward for its Norwegian owners and operators. The state-of-the-art and highly automated, multipurpose vessel, with diesel-electric propulsion, will be operating in the North Sea and in the northern Atlantic waters.

The vessel’s futuristic design comes from the designers of Seacon A.S., a Norwegian consulting and naval architecture company that specialises in fishing and fish-farming industry vessels.

Unique floating-dock expertise A prestige international floating-dock project, code named “Marco Polo” has been designed to increase the usable land area of the Monaco Principality by more than 6 hectares. It has recently received its final caisson from the Crist shipyard. The new floating

dock is part of a major contract for the Bouygues Travaux Publics Company of France that together with its partners is finalising the creation of an entirely new district in Monaco. This huge project has been made possible by converting part of the Bay of Monaco to dry land. Luxury apartments, promenades and parks are planned to be constructed on the new land area extending to over 60,000 square metres.

This enormous unit has been built entirely by the Crist Shipyard, which was also contracted to build multifunctional caissons, made from reinforced concrete. These act as foundations for the new reclaimed land project. The new floating dock is equipped with unique ballast and measurement systems that allow continuous levelling of the unit, thus ensuring safety during working hours and protection against wind and waves as well as from dangerous currents.

Lukasz Topa, Poject manager at Crist S.A. in Poland said, “We are pleased that the unit was specially designed and built by the Crist Shipyard, and that we have been involved in such a prestigious international project. “Marco Polo” performed its task perfectly, which underscores the professionalism and high quality of work carried out by our shipyard”.

Cable-laying optimisation Earlier this year, Crist began the production of a specialised cablelaying vessel, the Nexans Aurora, that features a DP3 dynamic positioning system. The new ship will be adapted to work in difficult working conditions, whilst maintaining high manoeuvrability with consistent positioning. The futuristic vessel is 149 metres long and 31 metres wide and has a 17,000t load capacity and will accommoIndustry Europe 103

date a crew of almost 100 people. It has been adapted for the laying of power cables, including cables in bundles, as well as connecting, repairing and protecting them. Additional equipment includes a special basket for fibre optic cables with a capacity of 450 tons.

The new unit is being built at the Crist shipyard in Poland and the final finishing works will be carried out at the Norwegian shipyard, Ulstein with the final recipient being Nexans of France. Nexans currently employs more than 26,000 people worldwide and offers customers more than 120 years of cabling experience.

One of AN-ELEC key partners on the Polish market is CRIST SA Shipyard. Through our long-term and multifaceted cooperation, we jointly implemented difficult and innovative projects (from the execution of works, assembly of locksmith / electrical installation equipment to service) as: Heavy Lift Jack Up vessel (Innovation and Vidar),

Heavy Lift Jack Up Barge (Zourite), one of the first hybrid ferries (Elektra) or the Floating Dock used to expand the land territory of the Principality of Monaco.

For further details of the Crist S.A. shipyard and its specialised offshore and onshore products and services visit: www.crist.com

AN-ELEC We are specialized with full system integration, new constructions, repairs, modifications and rebuilding of existing objects.

In our offer you will find: • Fully operational workshop to engineer, build and test high quality distribution boards, switchboards, pulpits and more.

• Installation of various electrical equipment from lighting fixtures, power sockets and alarm panels to switchboards and consoles including EX equipment.

• Power and signal cables, laying fiber optic cables, connecting, testing and repairing, assembly of electrical heat tracing.

• Design, assembly and start-up of switchboards, control boards and consoles.

• Engineering and installation of automation systems.

• Installation of main and secondary steel work, including piping works, erection and welding.

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Construction & ENGINEERING

IMI Precision Engineering is a long-established British company headquartered in Birmingham. It specialises in the design and manufacture of highly engineered products that control the precise movement of fluids. Today it is focused on high growth sectors that include energy, transportation and infrastructure, as Philip Yorke reports.

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MI Precision engineering was founded in 1862 by Scottish entrepreneur, George Kynoch. Initially it made percussion caps, parts for bicycles and components made from non-ferrous metals. Today it is a global leader in three key industrial sectors: critical engineering, precision engineering and hydronic engineering. IMI stands for Imperial Metal Industries – the name was adopted on the 100th anniversary of the company in 1962. IMI Precision Engineering is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a component of the Financial Times top 100 UK companies. In 2018 IMI employed over 11,000 people and recorded sales of around €2 billion.

Critical engineering advances IMI’s Critical Engineering division’s ‘Value engineering’ is a core component of its New Product Development activities and over the last two years has enhanced its skills and capability, which in turn has significantly improved its competitiveness. Despite challenging market conditions, this largest IMI division has won around half a billion pounds of new contracts since 2016, through its application of the company’s ‘Value Engineering’ tools and processes. On average, a cost reduction of more than 15 per cent has been delivered across all divisions.

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Among this division’s recent 2018 contract wins, was an order for IMI Remosa to provide a package of products for installation in a Spanish Oil Refinery that was undergoing a major refurbishment programme. The product package included control systems, actuators and slide valves, which operate together in extreme temperatures of up to 980 degrees centigrade. These high precision products control and shut down the flow of liquids and gases during the critical “Crude oil to liquid fuels” conversion process. By utilising ‘Value Engineering’ IMI Remosa was able to significantly reduce welding and other manufacturing costs and deliver a solution for the customer at a cost-effective price.

Utilising the New Product Development processes that are now embedded across all its business sectors, IMI Critical Engineering developed and launched a new choke valve product line.

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The 100DMT (Drag Multi-Trim) was created specifically for the growing Middle Eastern oil and gas market. This new product range offers a unique multi-trim solution for high flow environments and advanced noise abatement requirements.

As the energy industry faces the potential of “lower-for-longer” oil prices and rising costs, the 100DMT provides customers with an innovative and low-cost solution. The special valve range allows customers to use one valve for the entire lifetime of the oil well.

This is far more cost-effective than the current situation where customers are obliged to undertake expensive maintenance and change-out valves, as well as additional problems relating to pressure drop. However, with the 100DMT, the total life costs of operation are dramatically reduced.

Construction & ENGINEERING

New actuator solution Recently IMI’s Precision Engineering division launched a new electric actuator solution that offers greater flexibility, enhanced control and significantly lower costs for industrial automation systems. Designed to reduce energy consumption and the total cost of ownership, IMI Precision Engineering’s unique electric actuator range was unveiled at the Hannover Messe Trade Fair in April this year. Ideally suited for a broad range of industrial applications, including automotive, packaging, labelling, machine tools and the food and beverage sectors, the innovative IMI Norgren ‘Elion’, increases the levels of precise, repeatable control and accurate positioning for industrial users.

The new product offers a range of flexible benefits including variable acceleration and deceleration and allows the cylinders to glide into position without stopping abruptly. This makes the IMI Norgren ’Elion’ ideal for applications where vibration and disruptive movement are not acceptable. This high-tech actuator allows multiple actuators to move in sync and change speed without the need to stop or overrun a position.

Based on ISO 15552, the new electric actuator offers the in-built flexibility of multiple intermediate positions, ensuring acceleration and constant speeds are controllable and predictable at all times.

Perfect balancing act Hydronic balancing is the key to achieving peak performance in global HVAC systems. IMI’s Hydronic division products provide high-precision valves that provide energy-efficient indoor climates at minimum operating costs. The division’s extensive range of innovative, balancing, control and actuating products have been refined and improved over many years of research and develop-

ment. They deliver industry-leading solutions that help manufacturers effectively manage individual system elements to achieve hi-performing HVAC installations.

IMI Hydronics’ also offer a comprehensive range of balancing valves that deliver precise control and exceptional hydronic performance that are particularly suited for use on the secondary side in heating and cooling systems or tap water applications.

Manufactured from long-lasting corrosion and leak resistant ‘Ametal’® or stainless steel, the digital hand-wheel makes them easy to set and provides a positive shut-off function. It also simplifies essential maintenance and self-sealing measuring points. This help installers to quickly and efficiently achieve optimal balance control throughout the system.

Instant data access Recently IMI Precision Engineering joined other leading component manufacturers to showcase comprehensive data for their products on the Eplan Data Portal. This is a web-based platform that can be freely used without charge. This new Data Portal gives specifiers and engineers instant access to high-quality, standardised information and CAD drawings for electrical, mechanical, fluidic and pneumatic products.

The Eplan Data Portal includes technical specifications, ordering information, installation manuals, graphical images, logical symbols and 3D macros for designing with the Eplan platform. The portal currently contains data for more than a million components sourced n from over 220 manufacturers.

For further details of IMI’s latest innovative products and services visit: www.imiplc.com Industry Europe 107

Meeting the Plastics Challenge

Plastics recycling has been a hot topic for some time and is becoming more prominent with every passing day. German company STF Maschinen- und Anlagenbau GmbH is an expert in this field - with a proven track record of recycling plant installed around the globe and decades of plastics recycling development.

Romana Moares spoke to CEO Maximilian Söllner to find out more.

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TF Maschinen- und Anlagenbau GmbH is part of the STF Group and, together with its sister companies STF Recycling GmbH and STF Thermoform-Folien GmbH, offers a holistic solution to plastics recycling. The STF Group is a specialist in PET recycling and production of recycling machinery and plants.

“The STF Group consists of three businesses – STF ThermoformFolien, today the smallest, is the founding company of the Group that my father established in 1980. The other two are STF Recycling focused on plastic waste processing, and STF Maschinen- und Anlagenbau, designing and producing plant and equipment for the sector,” Mr Söllner explained. “STF is a fully family-owned business, run by the second generation now but my father is still leading the R&D department.”

The company is headquartered in Aicha in southern Germany, where its operational capability is also located, including the polypropylene film extrusion facility, the recycling machinery construc-

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tion, the Group’s engineering capability as well as the PET bottles recycling and granulation facility. “We have also three other sites for PET bottles recycling - in southern Germany towards Regensburg, in Eastern Germany and the newest one, commissioned just a few months ago, in Pilsen, Czech Republic,” Mr Söllner noted.

PET processed Today, STF Recycling GmbH is one of Europe’s largest recyclers and annually processes 130,000 tonnes of recyclable PET bottles.

“In summary, recycling machinery is our main product. We focus on the PET bottle market as this is where we have the most experience and expertise,” Mr Söllner affirmed.

PET packaging is accumulating in increasing quantities not only in the form of beverage bottles but also as containers for cosmetics and detergents, pharmaceuticals or technical products, which hints at a

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growing recycling market. “We have delivered and installed over 75 plants all over the world, and our recycling lines are running in North and South America as well as in Asia, particularly in Japan and India, which is a highly promising market,” the CEO pointed out. “At the same time, around 70-80 per cent of PET bottles in Germany are recycled on our equipment. Germany is the strongest market for PET recycling at the moment, with a very good collection and infrastructure system. I predict that the next few years, half of our machines will be installed in Europe, with the other half sold to global markets.”

The undeniable fact is that despite current negative media coverage, plastics are here to stay. They still represent the best material for food packaging for example, significantly reducing food wastage and increasing hygiene standards. Therefore, rather than reduce their use, focus will increasingly be on their recycling.

“Even though plastics recycling - unlike metal recycling - may not be that interesting from the economic point of view as the margins are small, the market will inevitably grow,” affirmed Mr. Söllner.

Quality and performance The company’s R&D efforts are now focused on achieving high quality in PET Tray recycling. As some packaging materials consist of multilayer plastics, such as meat packaging, the recyclability is limited. “High quality has always been our creed so this is an area we are focusing on

now - we have the technology, we are almost there. The plan is to have another facility recycling 30 thousand tons of this type of plastics into high quality materials,” Mr Söllner remarked.

“The second direction of our R&D is to further improve the bottle recycling. The quality is already very high, we are now focusing on increasing the yield. Also, we want to achieve good quality of other waste streams - it is not just PET bottles but also PET caps, labels and other such plastics,” he noted, explaining that the recycled material is mostly used for industrial use, mostly injection moulding.

As mentioned earlier, the potential is huge. ‘Made in Germany’ is a sought-after brand guaranteeing top quality and performance, well justifying the higher acquisition cost. “Of course there are cheaper manufacturers in Asia but what has been changing in the last few years is that global brand owners, such as Coca Cola, Pepsi or Procter & Gamble, put increased emphasis on waste sorting and recycling in the same, consistent top quality all over the world. A quality that European manufacturers can still provide better that their Chinese counterparts.”

As for STF’s plans for the future, Mr. Söllner summarised them in one word - expansion. “My idea is not so much to expand geographically but to focus on different types of plastic packaging and grow this business.

At the moment, we recycle 130,000 tons of plastics every year. We want to get to 200,000 in the next five years. With our solid experience, we n are ready to meet the challenge.”

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VEKA is the UK’s leading PVC-U windows supplier and a member of the worldwide VEKA Group - the world’s number one PVC-U window profile company employing 5,000 people in 30 locations worldwide. Focus on innovation, excellent customer service as well as its pioneering positing in product recycling are only a few factors that make the company stand out in the competitive market. Romana Moares reports.

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he VEKA Group embarked on its business journey in Germany in 1969 and is still owned by the same family to this day - offering some of the most energy-efficient frames on the market today. The company manufactures window, residential door, sliding door, roller shutter, and sheet systems. It offers solutions for architects and planners, window manufacturers, and building owners worldwide.

VEKA enjoys the leading position in the UK market. Headquartered in Burnley, Lancashire, on a site of approximately 400,000sq ft., the company holds all the major accreditations for the window industry in the UK. It is the UK’s largest PVC-U window systems supplier and has introduced many innovative products into the UK market over the years, such as the Infinity recycled system and the ‘TwinSash’ window, which achieves an impressive industry record U-Value of just 0.38.

Pushing the boundaries “Not only has VEKA always been at the forefront of product development, we were also the pioneers of product recycling and VEKA was the first PVC-U systems company to establish a recycling plant in Behringen, Germany in 1993. This was followed up in the UK with a recycling plant in Kent in 2007,” says Simon James, Head of the Marketing Department.

“Our commitment to the environment doesn’t end here - we were the first PVC-U systems company to install a recycled window into both the commercial and retail markets and the first systems company to establish a closed-loop recycling system.

Our Infinity system was the first recycled window system to be fitted into a domestic property and the first recycled system to be chosen for a large scale social housing project. VEKA Group has become one of the first major systems companies to be granted the new BRFC ‘A+’ licenses.”

As Europe’s largest recycler of PVC-U windows, VEKA Recycling is committed to creating a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to landfill across the UK. With its primary processing facility in Kent, VEKA Recycling accepts offcuts of any brand of window. Over a recent three year period, VEKA reduced its carbon emissions by 2,208 tonnes.

Strong in partnerships VEKA Group uses only the highest quality raw materials and components and the company is proud to celebrate the suppliers that go above and beyond in both product and service. Each year, VEKA Group recognises outstanding supplier performance in four categories: Raw Materials, Technical / In House Design, Ancillary and Consumables.

This year Vynova won for Raw Materials and came out top overall, EWS (Manufacturing) Ltd was named in the Technical/In House Design and Chick Plastics in the Ancillary categories respectively, and POLI-FILM was the winner for Consumables.

“Our reputation for quality and reliability could not be maintained without the support of our suppliers,” said VEKA Group’s Purchasing Manager Nicola Woods. “The selection process to become a VEKA Group supplier is rigorous, and then these carefully chosen

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partners undergo continuous, stringent monitoring to ensure our standards are upheld. Key suppliers are provided with a monthly ‘vendor rating report’ which outlines how we have judged their performance. They are graded on quantitative data such as number of non-conformances and ‘on time in full’ deliveries, but also on qualitative data such as customer service, flexibility and timely responses to queries.”

“This means we can closely monitor our supply chain, and continue to provide the best possible customer experience. Suppliers must meet or exceed our expectations each month in order to remain on our approved list. This data also enables us to recognise and celebrate the hard work of our top suppliers.”

Best manufacturing company Since commissioning its 30,000 square foot factory in Burnley in 1986, VEKA has become a major contributor to the local economy and one of the area’s main employers. Ongoing investment in its people, plant and technology has seen the site grow to around

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400,000 square foot. The site features the industry’s most advanced state-of-the-art warehousing and distribution facility, and 2013 saw the opening of a new mixing plant as part of a two year investment programme. This ongoing investment highlights the VEKA Group’s long-term commitment to the UK market, its customers, partners, suppliers and end-users.

The company’s achievements and contribution to the community have been acknowledged - VEKA Group has been crowned the best Manufacturing Company in the region, with the team collecting a custom-made trophy at the prestigious Red Rose Awards 2019, honouring the best, most inspirational and most innovative businesses operating in Lancashire. VEKA Group is no stranger to the awards, having been named both ‘Best Large Business’ and ‘Employer of the Year’ in the last two years.

The recent awards clearly demonstrate VEKA Group’s commitment to continuous improvement, supported by investment in the manufacturing processes, staff development and additional n infrastructure – all helping to drive further growth.

Construction & ENGINEERING

Vynova, a leading European PVC producer Vynova is a leading European manufacturer of PVC resins and chlor-alkali products. We operate production sites in five countries and have over 1,200 employees, realising an annual turnover of more than 1 billion euros. Our products play a key role in manufacturing numerous industrial products and consumer goods that improve our quality of life.

PVC is a versatile polymer valued for its distinctive properties, making it an excellent choice for industrial and consumer products.

Our PVC resins can be blended with additives such as plasticisers, thermal and UV stabilisers, pigments, fillers, impact modifiers and others. The resulting range of finished products extends from soft articles such as films, roofing membranes and flooring to rigid films, pipes and window profiles.

As a result of industry-wide innovations in recovery and recycling, PVC is the polymer that truly fulfils the requirements of a circular economy by ensuring the recyclability of essential products used in our daily lives. PVC provides maximum value during its life cycle and has a low carbon footprint through the sustainable use of resources and energy during production.

As a reliable, sustainable and resourceful PVC supplier, we are proud to play our part in contributing towards a sustainable future.

For more details about Vynova, please • visit www.vynova-group.com, • follow us on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/vynova-group) • or follow us on Twitter (@Vynova_Group)

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Cool sustainable success EPTA is a global leader in the design and manufacture of energy efficient commercial refrigeration products with a strong presence in the food and beverage markets. The company continues to expand and innovate thus adding to its already enviable reputation in the marketplace, as Philip Yorke reports.

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he origins of the EPTA Group are based upon the remarkable entrepreneurial skills of its founder; Luigi Nocivelli, who imagined his future and then set about making it come true.

With his drive and enthusiasm EPTA soon became a multinational success specialising in commercial refrigeration and thanks to its strategy of global growth through synergistic acquisitions, is now the global leader in its field.

Today the group offers the widest and most comprehensive range of solutions for commercial refrigeration, ensuring the supply, installation and maintenance of complex systems, both directly and indirectly through its extensive network of distributors worldwide. The EPTA Group works in close partnership with major players in the food and beverage market and strives to promote sustainable products and progress and to constantly pursue its goal for a greater global presence.

Adding value via acquisition The EPTA Group recently enhanced its presence in Europe with the strategic acquisition of DAAS in Romania. This leading Romanian commercial refrigeration company is focused on the HoReCa (Hotel, Restaurant & Catering) sector and is headquartered in Ploiesti. It also operates three other sites, these are located in Bucharest, Iasi and Cluj. Daas has accrued over 25 years of experience in the refrigeration market working with its team of over 200 professionals whose skills include engineering, project management, installation and aftersales service.

This key acquisition is part of EPTA’s internationalisation strategy.

Its aim is to consolidate its position in Central Europe, its core market,

by establishing direct involvement in areas where there is the greatest potential. This includes Romania, which is Europe’s seventh largest nation in terms of population with a solid economy and a forecasted growth of GDP in real terms set to exceed +4 per cent in the mid-term.

Romania’s retail sector is particularly favourable owing to the high number of large-scale retail brands and EPTA’s consolidated business ties with the main international retail chains there. In broader terms, this operation will give EPTA a chance to reinforce its presence in Central and Eastern Europe. The group already works in this area with EPTA International, a technical and commercial coordination centre based in Budapest, Hungary and EPTA Polska, which was established last year following the acquisition of Libre of Poland.

Marco Nocivelli, Chairman and CEO of EPTA said, “We are proud to welcome DAAS in to the EPTA family, which has been our long standing business partner for more than 15 years now.

This agreement will allow us to grow together and become even more competitive whilst offering greater added value and benefitting from each other’s competences. We aim to deliver turnkey projects in Romania thanks to our wide range of technologically advanced and sustainable products and processes.”

Promoting refrigeration for wellbeing The 25th International Congress of Refrigeration IIR took place in Montreal recently, a city where the historical protocol was originally inaugurated. This event is organised every four years and brings together industrial realities, scientific communities and international researchers, to discuss and exchange ideas on the more

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recent technological developments and product innovations in refrigeration, air conditioning and sustainable construction.

The guiding thread of the latest ICR congress was: “Refrigeration for wellness and future prosperity” and it focused on the hottest topics of recent years, namely energy saving and efficiency, food supply and wellbeing, as well as achieving a reduction in global warming and providing greater protection of the planet. As silver sponsors of the event, the group promoted an initiative to define a new standard for natural refrigeration in retail. Thanks to

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the full transitional efficiency technology available today, it is able to demonstrate that it is possible to completely replace HCFC and HFC refrigerants with CO2 trans-critical alternatives that can be used in any climate or in any market.

Focus on sustainability In May this year, EPTA and Sirap, one of the most qualified producers of containers for fresh food in Europe, renewed their collaboration by participating in the 5th Italian edition of the

Food and Beverage

industry’s ‘Global Food Innovation Summit’ in Milan. Together they presented a project aimed at promoting healthy, balanced and sustainable diets. The event offered a privileged stage for international encounters on themes such as food security, food safety and the struggle to minimise food waste, as well as to reflect on the whole agri-food system of today.

The keynote speakers included the actor Alec Baldwin, who is actively involved in campaigns in favour of the environment, Kerry Kennedy, President of the Robert J.F. Kennedy Centre for Justice and human rights, and Jose Graziano da Silva, Director General of the FAO. The combination of reducing the carbon footprint and moving towards more conscious nutrition was featured within the group’s exhibition section, which saw spotlights trained on the latest London

Meal Vending machine from Sirap. The strong point delivered at the event by EPTA and Sirap was the maximum attention that needed to be paid to the protection of the environment. Now thanks to the choice of propane, a natural low-impact refrigerant – and Sirap’s Meal18 packaging, which can optimise expiry dates, a significant n reduction in food waste and energy can be achieved.

For further details of EPTA’s latest sustainable and innovative refrigeration products and services visit: www.eptarefrigeration.com

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DFM is a market leading manufacturer of high quality upholstered furniture. The company is passionate about its products and continues to invest heavily in new technology and advanced production processes in order to better serve its key European markets. Philip Yorke reports.

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FM was founded in 2001 in Poland and has its headquarters in Dobre Miasto near Otsztyn. The company closely follows trends and market forces in its key European markets which include Scandinavia, the Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the United States. The business is privately owned by the chairman of the company, Roman Dariusz Kolakowski.

Production is carried out at the company’s three state-of-the-art facilities in Poland, the largest of which is located at Dobro Miasto with a productive area of more than 60,000 square metres. Other manufacturing plants are located at Olsztyn and Reszel, both of which extend to over 6,000 square metres. The strategic position and individual capabilities of these plants make it possible for DFM to optimise its production processes and to optimise the differentiation of skills available at each plant.

The company’s product portfolio includes a broad range of styles to meet the demands of its diverse customer base to produce furniture for modern living rooms with practical upholstered sofas, chairs and comfortable lounge furniture.

Optimising production In keeping with its strong and consistent growth the company has undergone many significant organisational changes. With today’s lean production processes and the optimisation of its production processes the company has managed to stay one step ahead of its competitors.

In addition, it has focused on investing in the latest technology including special state-of-the-art cutters for its textiles and leather raw materials.

The company has also invested in an extensive, purpose-built wood working plant in order to maintain the highest possible production efficiency and control the quality of its products.

DFM’s hard work and dedication has been rewarded many times with trade awards for innovation, quality and unrivalled customer service. For four years in a row DFM has also been recognised by ‘The Forbes Diamond’ rankings as first in its category of companies with a turnover of between €50 – 250 million.

Focus on sustainability DFM constantly invests in the latest technologies in order to achieve greater sustainability in both its products and manufacturing processes. The key focus is to save energy and to protect the natural environment. Its rational use of raw materials and processes to reduce the amount of waste has been a major success. In its biggest facility the company has invested in its own boiler room which not only heats the buildings but reduces the post-production residues to almost zero.

DFM also takes great care when obtaining its raw materials which are sourced only from proven and reliable suppliers that meet the highest standards and which are backed-up by the appropriate certificates. This ensures continuity of quality and meets the highest ecological standards.

All of DFM’s departments are aware of the impact of the company’s operations in relation to the environment.

In the daily work cycle the DFM teams minimise the use of paper for printing as well as reusing packaging, reducing the use

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of energy and segregating waste. Furthermore DFM creates a workplace where special attention to comfort, safety and occupational health is paramount.

Integrated communications DFM believes that good communications is the key to the effective functioning of the company and utilises a dedicated and fully integrated IT system. This means that the entire production processes can be controlled from a single central command centre.

Such a solution makes communication between individual departments instantly clear and comprehensible, which in turn results in greater efficiency and allows scope for further sustained growth.

DFM is committed to a programme of continuous improvement across all its many disciplines.

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People power DFM places a particularly high priority on the well-being of its workforce and values their dedication and commitment. These are people who understand consumer needs and work hard to meet the changing demands of the industry.

The company’s philosophy is that if the workforce is happy then its customers will also be happy. DFM also prides itself on the passion and care with which it devotes to every stage of its production processes in order to create furniture of the highest standard and durability. This approach results in the company using materials only of the highest quality that are sourced exclusively from reputable suppliers.

For further details of DFM’s latest products and services visit: www.dfm.pl

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Optimising conversion rates

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ike most entrepreneurial start-up companies, the first few years for Violeta in this competitive marketplace were extremely challenging. However, the vision of being able to offer consumers quality premium products at affordable prices led to the company seeing strong growth and the development of three state-of-the-art factories.

During that time Violeta has also managed to build excellent business relations with its suppliers and partners. This in turn has resulted in faster times to market for new products and more efficient warehousing and distribution logistics.

Today in addition to manufacturing nonwoven products, the company’s activities are also focused on areas such as retail, distribution – it is the exclusive representative in the region for some of the world’s best known brands including Ferrero, Barilla, Evian and Trenton among many others.

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The Bosnian tissue converter Violeta is a market leader in the production of premium hygiene products. The company was founded in Bosnia in 2002 and has grown in fifteen years to become a major market player. Philip Yorke looks at what makes this dynamic company so successful and reports on some of the company’s latest products and award-winning achievements.

Violeta has also been awarded many quality management certificates and commendations, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001.

It is through these high operational standards that the company is able to excel in its diverse business activities.

Expanding markets Today Violeta’s main markets are the former Yugoslavian countries including Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia and Hungary. “This part of Europe with its transitional economy has a lot to offer, especially to foreign investors” said Petar Corluka, the company’s owner.

In 2015, Violeta launched its redesigned baby diapers with completely new air-dry technology. “It was the advent of Japanese technology in Europe and heralded the introduction of a unique tissue

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softness. In addition to creating softer, more absorbent products, we also have plans to extend our product portfolio further and to expand into new geographical markets” added Corluka.

At the end of 2018 Violeta installed a new wet-wipe machine, which the company says was the next logical step since market demands in this sector are increasing and Violeta is the regional market leader in this category. The new machine is capable of producing more than 200 complete and packaged wet wipes per minute.

Violeta isn’t only investing in new technology. It is also investing heavily in new warehousing facilities and in the training of its employees. “It is important for us to strengthen our personnel’s skills in every possible way. We believe that the two basic things that will shape our future is sustainable production and our investment in people. With these two factors you can make a difference to the market and respond more efficiently to future challenges” Corluka commented.

Employer of the year Violeta’s focus on its workforce and providing training and support for its employees has led to the company being voted the ‘Employer of the year’ in the manufacturing business sector. It also managed fourth place for the title of most desirable employer in all categories.

The special award ceremony was held in Sarajevo earlier in the year and the company is justly proud of its achievements. Not least because it was facing strong competition from hundreds of other companies throughout the Balkan region.

A Violeta spokesman told Industry Europe, “We are proud of these award winning titles which confirms the high quality of our products and our enviable working standards. For years we were striving to acquire the latest qualitative and digital technologies and we now have these at our disposal. However, our dedicated employees make the difference and success without them would not be possible.

These valued business awards confirm our mission, which is inspired by our customers. In partnership with them we are able to create high quality, innovative products that make everyday life safer and more fulfilling”.

Increasing capabilities In addition to its three state-of-the-art factories located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which between them produce over 240 different products, Violeta has also invested in a new tissue converting plant in Zagreb, Croatia. This extensive facility has a converting capacity of more than 15,000 tons per year.

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Today this plant supplies toilet paper, napkins and tissues to the fast growing markets of Serbia, Croatia, Austria and Hungary. The total cost of the project was around 15 million US dollars and the renowned Italian company Fabio Perini supplied the highly specialised production machinery and equipment.

Independently driven What makes this company so special is its culture and caring attitude towards its employees and partners. Violeta is owned 100 per cent by one man, Petar Corluka, which means that decisions can be made quickly and responses to changing market forces implemented as they occur. Corluka also subscribes to the belief that a happy workforce translates into happy customers.

Another key aspect of the company is that it does not imitate products already present on market shelves, but instead prefers to innovate and to create product benefits that allow it to stay one step ahead of its competitors.

The recent launch of its anti-acne wet wipes are an example of how this young and attentive company is reacting quickly to new market demands. It also anticipates market trends and constantly conducts consumer research. What’s more, all this activity is conducted with a proper respect for the environment through its use of recycled raw materials and a strict environmental protection policy n that is at the heart of the company’s business operations.

For further details of Violeta’s latest innovative products and services visit: www.violeta.com

Strengthening Trans-Pacific carrier services

APL is one of the world’s leading ocean carriers and possibly the most environmentally aware and active.

Philip Yorke reports on a company that continues to see strong growth whilst leading the field in the reduction of fleet carbon emissions at sea.

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PL is a key part of the CMA CGM Group founded in 1978 by the late Jacques R. Saade. It offers more than 120 weekly services and call-ports in over 70 countries. Supporting APL’s huge container shipping business is the group’s Shared Service Centre (SSC) which provides support in critical shipping processes of customer service, operations, finance and accounting. SSC operates through four major global hubs including Heredia, Costa Rica, Tallinn, Estonia, Chongqing, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

With over 170 years of combined experience APL has the knowledge and expertise to help its customers grow their businesses and to negotiate in an increasingly complex and ever-changing marketplace – whether this means venturing into new territories or growing already developed markets.

New central China service Earlier this year APL announced the introduction of its new Central China Loop-3 service and the enhancement of its South China Loop-3 service, both serving the Asia-North America trade lane.

Adding to its portfolio of Trans-Pacific services, the new CC3 service will be providing direct connectivity from the Chinese ports of Lianyungang, Ningbo and Shanghai to the US West Coast Ports of Long Beach and Seattle.

Unique to this offering is that this service will be the only one in the market that provides a direct Lianyungang to Long Beach and Seattle connection designed to diversify and expand APL’s coverage across China. The weekly service promises a competitive transit time of 13 days from Ningbo to Long Beach.

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The company’s weekly South China Loop-3 service will also be calling at the additional ports of Haiphong and Oakland as part of its service rotation. When the refined SC3 service commenced it was the first and only service that directly connected Haiphong in Northern Vietnam to the US West Coast ports of Long Beach and Oakland.

Whilst the enhanced SC3 service offers extended market coverage across Vietnam to the West Coast, the company’s Trans-Pacific offering remains synonymous with its best-in-class 13-day transit time from Yantian to Long Beach.

Focus on sustainable shipping Following the Group’s recent announcement on reinforcing its environmental objectives, APL announced a 47.4 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions per container transported per kilometre in 2018, compared to its base level in 2009. APL global head for Safety, Security and the Environment, Dennis Yee said, “As part of the CMA CGM Group, APL is firmly committed towards the protection of the environment and the reduction of its own carbon footprint. Building upon the successful results achieved in this area, we are determined to persevere in our pursuit for excellence in sustainable shipping.

Behind APL’s responsible shipping strategy is a holistic approach that drives operational efficiencies, and fleet-voyage optimisation, as well as the deployment of a fuel-efficient fleet of vessels. Complementing a rigorous maintenance regime, the carrier also identifies solutions that improve its vessel fleet performance.

Gearing up for the 2020 Global Sulphur Cap, APL will be using low-sulphur compliant fuel-oil across its fleet of vessels and employing advanced air quality systems on some vessels that clean the emissions before they are released into the atmosphere. In addition, it will be deploying Liquefied Natural Gas-fuelled vessels according to the latest plans of the group.

APL will make further inroads in environmental protection and ocean conservation as the group takes delivery of nine, new 22,000 TEU, LNG-powered ships in 2020. In order to reduce air

pollutants still further, APL vessels that are fitted with cold ironing capabilities use shore power whist at berth in US West Coast ports, as well as in Yantian following a successful pilot with the port authorities.

Fastest transit time to the Caribbean In July this year, APL announced the launch of its new weekly America, Central Caribbean service that connects the US East Coast to the Dominican Republic with the world’s fastest shipping transit time.

The all new service is characterised by its three-day and five-day transit time from the port of Miami to the Rio Haina and Caucedo ports in the Dominican Republic respectively.

The new service will also make a weekly port stop at Kingston in Jamaica to relay shipments that arrive aboard APL’s ACE service to the Latin America services operating from there. APL’s latest Latin America service will commence sailing from the port of Miami on 23rd August this year.

Maritime award winner On 1st July this year APL clinched the coveted “Fuel-efficiency Award” at the Seatrade Maritime Awards Asia 2019. This accolade celebrates APL’s achievements in optimising the fuel efficiency of its vessel fleet.

APL’s Chief Executive Officer, Lars Kastrup said, “We are proud to be the winner of this category that signifies operational excellence.

This mark of distinction is an affirmation of our fleet operation management that has continually delivered fuel efficiency and lowered our global carbon footprint in line with the Group’s overall efforts”.

In order to drive its operational efficiencies, APL practices slowsteaming, optimises fleet and voyage, and deploys a fuel-efficient fleet of vessels. APL also adopts a rigorous maintenance regime as it identifies solutions to continually improve vessel fleet performance.

For further details of APL’s latest fuel-efficient fleet of vessels and international routes visit: www.apl.com

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Driving forward the future of fasteners GZPS is a market leader in the manufacture of high-tech screw fasteners for wood, metals and plastics.

The company’s ongoing commitment to innovation and investment in the latest manufacturing processes has resulted in many important advances. These include its patented ‘Alfatech’ thread for use with plastics, as Philip Yorke reports.

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ZPS was founded in 1983 in Poland by Weislaw Gawel and remains a highly successful and independent family business.

The company’s headquarters are located in Palikowa, Poland and today its key areas of expertise involve the design and manufacture of screw fasteners for wood, metals and plastics.

Constant product development from the outset saw the company move from processing metals for the construction industry to the production of high-tech fixing elements. In order to extend its manufacturing capabilities and expand its product portfolio, a special line of galvanic coatings was installed in 1993. In addition, a heat and galvanic treatment division was also created around the same time. Since then the company has seen exponential growth making it the market leader in the manufacture of self-drilling screws for the assembly of window fittings etc. with PVC profiles.

In 1997, stainless steel screws were added to the company’s portfolio, with wire coated screws being added in 2003. In 2004 GZPS became one of the first European companies to produce screws covered with specialised paint for UV protection. Following on from this success the GZPS constructed a new, state-of-the-

art warehouse with a storage capacity of more than 2,500 pallet bays. This was in addition to an air-conditioned fully equipped modern office complex.

Today the company employs over 250 people and each month produces over 300 tonnes of fastener products, equal to over 140 million items a month. In 2018 GZPS recorded sales of more than PLN 85 million, (around 21 million euros), of which over 50 percent went to global export markets.

Pioneering high-tech fasteners Over the years GZPS has evolved to become a pioneer in the development of high-tech fasteners for specific applications. Mr Gawel, the company’s founder and CEO said, “In the early days we focused solely on producing threaded screws for wood applications. However, today our products are far more complex in terms of shape and function as well as in the many types of threads developed by our R&D department. Our total production is either custom manufactured to meet the specific needs of our customers, or individually designed to achieve specific solutions.

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Carlo Salvi S.p.A. was founded in 1939 and has developed over its 80 years of operation from a mechanical engineering company with a technical focus into a modern forming company with a focus on customers and solutions. Nowadays with more than 100 employees worldwide, the company is able to support its customers with machines, services and solutions.

When Mr. Carlo Salvi founded his company in Italy in 1939 he probably had no idea that it would one day become one of the market leaders in the field of headers for the production of fastening elements and complex special parts. The company founder started by developing systems for mechanical descaling. Only a few years later, he started to develop and build a machine for the thread rolling and manufacturing screw heads and bolts.

After the Second World War, Carlo Salvi developed its first forming machine, a one-die two-blow header to manufacture screw blanks that offered users a high level of productivity for the time.

At the start of 1970s he started developing and manufacturing forming machines to produce screws, bolts and rivets not only solid, but also semi tubular and tubular.

Another milestone in the history of the company includes the development of machines for processing materials such as stainless steel and titanium. The requirements of the aerospace sector in particular involve processing the particular materials.

Today, 90 per cent of the machines manufactured by the company are delivered to customers outside Italy and approximately 40 per cent of them to customers outside Europe. For this reason, Carlo Salvi has over the years established branches in China, in the USA and in the United Kingdom.

While technical solutions may have been at the forefront of business in the previous century, additional services are now equally important in determining the success of a company. With this aim, the production area was expanded and modernised from 2002 to 2005. In 2014 Carlo Salvi acquired a partner company to handle the electrical and electronic systems and in 2015 development was concluded with the addition of 1300 m2 building.

In 2016 the company came to an agreement with Hatebur and in April the Swiss company took over Carlo Salvi. This union enabled the two companies to further build upon their strong position and their markets complement each other perfectly.

Today Carlo Salvi has supplied thousands of machines worldwide and offers a wide selection of cold and semi hot headers for wire diameters from 0.6 to 22mm.

2019 marks the 80th anniversary of Carlo Salvi company: we have come a long way, but there still so much to do. With the consciousness of our past, we can only look at the future.

Carlo Salvi S.p.A. Sales & Marketing staff

and the development of new production techniques for threaded fasteners. It is worth noting that GZPS was one of the first companies in Europe to hold the coveted ‘DORKEN’ licence. This allows us to use lamellar zinc, which is a great alternative to galvanic corrosion protection and does not interfere with the natural environment, whist at the same time offering optimal corrosion resistance”.

Unmatched quality control

“Our unique and patented AlfaTech threaded fasteners have been a big success thanks to our company’s own diligent research and development work on metal processing techniques, the changing of metal structures and improvements in our various manufacturing processes.

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Consistent quality is the hallmark of all GZPW products and the company works tirelessly to maintain its reputation as the leader in its field. Thus in order to maintain full control of its quality assured products’ reputation it has another attribute that is unmatched by any of its competitors. Most companies in the business of producing modern fasteners rely on many outside sources for their diverse production processes. However, GZPS keeps all the key production processes in-house.

This enables the company to fully control the entire production process, right from the checking of raw materials coming in, to product development, production and distribution. However the company does work in partnership with other leaders, for example on long-term contracts with its raw material suppliers.

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One of GZPS’s long-term partners is Valbruna Polska, which is part of the Valpruna Stainless Steel Group of Poland. This industrial conglomerate is a leader in the steel industry and produces a broad variety of stainless steel grades and special metal alloys.

New solutions for growing niche markets GZPS’s plans for future growth include the development of more complex products, in order to provide special solutions for the fast changing construction industry. This goal has been made achievable by its recent certification to ISO 17025 international quality standard. The company’s new research and development centre also continues to work on the use of new, innovative materials and the search for new global niche markets.

In addition to its growing list of high-tech fastener products, GZPS is also offering an entirely new service for its customers throughout Europe. For the very first time the company is offering specialist heat-treatment services for customers running with continuous furnaces. These services are tailor-made and include hardening, carburising, carbon-nitriding, annealing and tempering.

GZPS owns hardening furnaces with protective atmospheres in

which the mean temperature reaches over 900°C, and here the coolant used is hardening oil. The company is also able to perform advanced furnace services on products with a diameter to M16 and 160mm max length. Computer process controls guarantee the highest quality and repeatability of furnace parameters. In addition, the use of endothermic atmosphere and special cooling baths allows for easy cleaning, access and maintenance. Thanks to the fully automated process involved and the high performance it guarantees, the company can offer very competitive prices for n these latest specialised services.

For further details of GZPS’s innovative products and services visit: www.gzps.pl

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A single reference point for

companies in the steel industry

The Group’s corporate mission is to offer an all-round service to companies in the steel industry.

GAP was established over 60 years ago in Northern Italy and it has now grown to employ more than 400 employees and serve businesses worldwide.

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teel companies require supporting services in a wide range of operations, starting from receiving raw materials to managing finished goods in the warehouse. A vital component of GAP technological know-how involves detecting and collecting such needs and find high-performance solutions.

Its long-standing clients include well-known companies, such as Arvedi Group, Cogne Acciai Speciali and Tenaris Group.

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Valuing Research & Development GAP puts a lot of emphasis on developing the business to meet changing technologies. A team of internal researchers has been actively working on several projects aimed to put into practice Industry 4.0 to carry forward the core company’s commitment to automation, efficiency and safety. Electrical and hydrogen fuelled mobility is another focus of great interest not only for the significant positive impact on the

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environment but also for the valuable exchange of knowledge brought by close co-operation with Milan Polytechnic, the University of Perugia and the University of Pisa. The knowledge exchange with important research institutes is a source of constant enrichment and motivation for GAP’s engineers in their daily operations.

The design and manufacture of the Mobile Suction System (IMA) is a perfect example of this forward looking approach. The system is designed to control the emission of fumes and dust in the atmosphere and it is available for hire to third parties. “We are proud to share the result of our research with other companies,” explains the CEO, Eligio Piantoni. “We believe that important discoveries should not be kept

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secret by those who made them. We have always been ambitious in this regard, which is to revolutionise services system to the steel industry. “gApp”, a smart application designed for steel plant operations, was also designed with this aim in mind. “gApp” is a unique application that aims to integrate the work of men and machines through digitizing operations and integrating them with existing operating systems. The goal is to facilitate the overall control and supervision of the operations so that technicians can have more of an active role. We like to think that being able to access that amount of information in real time can prevent problems and impact positively on the planning and organization of working processes.”

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The importance of team work Despite the complex structure of the Group, the basic approach to their projects remains flexible and detailed. “We are still a company able to meet the specific needs of our clients,” said Mr Piantoni. “It is one of our vital goals to be able to give competent and precise solutions readily and quickly.”

This is primarily achieved through excellent communication and cooperation among different departments. Mr Eligio Piantoni explained: “We believe it is very important to have a direct line of communication with our employees. That is why the business is organised in such a way that the communication and connection among directors, managers and employees is constant. This alignment is one of the most precious resources of the company”

Company values People are not numbers. The human capital of a company is vital to its success. And this is the underlying philosophy of GAP. Its company culture is based on a very low staff turnover, meritocracy, opportunities for continuous training and effective internal communication. The Group is constantly working on improving its goals and standards which often exceed all legal requirements.

In fact the GAP includes an internal division solely dedicated to Health and Safety in the workplace, where every single operation is monitored to allow preventive measures to be put in place and swift corrective actions to take place if needed. This is demonstrated in the award of ISO 45001 certification to GAP SPA. “We believe in the continuous training of both managers and workers,” added Mr Piantoni “The safety of our employees comes first, and so does their awareness and sense of belonging to the company.”

Apart from being ISO 9001 certified, the Group has also created their own code of conduct, the Company Policy on Quality and Safety in the Workplace. This code is summed up by these words: “Providing quality services and staying healthy and safe in the workplace are commitments we all need to abide to. This is achieved not only by complying with health and safety regulations in your daily work, but also in creating the ideal conditions that can make this happen.”

Being proactive and willing to always exceed expectations are the keys that allow the Group to look at the future with optimism: “We are aware that several challenges lie ahead,” concluded Mr Piantoni, “but we are confident because we can rely on two unique and infallible advantages: the strength of our men and the strength of our ideas.”

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When we last spoke to Metalcam in 2017, the company was experiencing a global market contraction as a result of the drop in oil and gas prices which began in the final quarter of 2014. However, despite this less-than-favourable scenario, the company has been able to get through this difficult period and, from a commercial and production perspective, achieve a series of positive results.

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etalcam has secured a multitude of sales and commercial achievements that have strengthened the company portfolio.

The results in 2018 were unarguably impressive, turning over close to 120-million euros, a major increase after few years staying below the 100 million euros.

As Massimo Cocchi explains, the challenges it has faced over the past few years as a result of the international oil price crisis have obliged it to seek alternative markets, such as Shipbuilding and Energy, in order to mitigate the losses the crisis caused in its Oil and Gas business. Fortunately for Metalcam, its years of experience and set of unique strengths have allowed it to remain positive during the difficult times and a lot has been invested in developing the company’s market segment from both an industrial and geographical point of view.

As Mr Cocchi explains: “Metalcam has always been a fully vertically integrated company with a steel mill and forging shop under the same ownership and managed by a single team. Other competitors have tried to replicate this organisation in recent years but none of them is as fully integrated as we are. This aspect of our business is still highly regarded by many of our key customers.”

And it is this integrated structure that has enabled the company to grow far beyond the Italian market in the years since its establishment in the 1920s.

Today Metalcam’s main production facility is still located in Breno, but over the past 20 years it has integrated two other production companies that have enabled it to significantly increase the range of

solutions it can offer its customers. These companies, both based in Italy, are: Valforge – a producer of small/medium forging components; and Adamello Steel – a producer of hot rolled steel plates.

The company has also continued a careful but strong investment programme to increase production capacity, which includes upgrading facilities to develop new materials and production lines as well as incorporate new techniques.

Metalcam continues to develop itself as a company. Not only to do more business, but to do better business, with an eye on consolidating its position as a leading supplier in the steel and forging industry.

The company’s presence in the Oil & Gas market is still very strong, and Metalcam continues to be considered a preferred supplier by a many major global players in the industry.

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Product development As mentioned above, in light of the international oil crisis Metalcam has been looking to diversify its activities in recent years. Today it supplies medium- to large-size steel forged products for clients in the Mechanical, Oil & Gas, Power Gen and Shipbuilding industries, as well as supplying hotwork tools and raw material for forges and rolling mills. According to Mr Cocchi, “Metalcam Group differentiates itself from other companies by being able to provide its customers with the most effective technical and metallurgic solutions by choosing the right materials and creating the optimal production cycle.

Normally in our business R&D means mainly identifying new ways to produce standard parts and optimise costs because the real R&D is carried out by our customers while developing and engineering their own equipment. However, over the past few years some key customers, appreciating our technical and metallurgical skills, are involving Metalcam during their product design phases. They consider us to be not only a supplier but a reliable partner able to establish deep collaborations with them.”

Global supply partner When it comes to sales, today Metalcam looks well beyond the Italian market. According to Mr Cocchi, the European market has always been the most important for the company as it is, together with the domestic market, the most developed. Over the past 10 years Metalcam has also strongly developed its US market activities in parallel with the South American and Far Eastern Markets. Indeed, the company has now grown its presence in the US market the point where it is Metalcam’s most important market, accounting for around 35 per cent of annual turnover.

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He tells us: “Metalcam Group is the everyday choice of hundreds of clients all around the world who value its huge production capacity as well as the highest expertise in the technical and metallurgic fields, its worldwide sales network, commitment, quality and care in looking after its customers.” Of course, he acknowledges that none of this would be possible without maintaining relationships with the most reliable suppliers.

“Considering how critical is our production cycle and considering we do not start from ‘free issue material’ (our main raw materials are metal scrap and ferroalloys), it’s fundamental to deal with suppliers who are highly qualified and conscious of being part of a strategic supply chain. Through collaboration with a few selected machining shops, we have been able to approach our clients to offer more and more advanced products.”

Future development goals Moving forward, Mr Cocchi acknowledges that the continuing volatility of the market means Metalcam will have to find even more strategic ways to stand out from its competitors. “The global market, despite showing better trends compared to last year, is still pretty unstable and driven by several uncontrolled factors including speculation on raw material and end products.” For this reason, he says, Metalcam has always focused its investments on quality rather than quantity. “Such investments – concerned with doing better than doing more – are of course more complicated to identify but can strongly support the company to perform better and better from a technical, quality and service perspective.” And it is this long-term thinking that will help the company to stay strong during these challenging times and continue to diversify in the years to come.

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Smarter packaging solutions

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son Pac is a leading pharmaceutical packaging specialist that offers expert competences in all aspects of producing and delivering pharmaceutical packaging solutions. Pharmaceuticals is the company’s exclusive focus. With the increase in the world’s populations and a growing resistance to existing drugs, Eson Pac must be ready to improvise and innovate, in order to create the most cost-effective and functional packaging possible.

New regulatory demands and legislation are also adding challenges to the pharma supply chain through increasing complexity and the shrinking of batch-sizes, both of which continue to drive innovation at Eson Pac. This also applies to its production processes as well as to a need to develop ever smarter solutions. The company’s commitment to investing in new technology and its core competences ensure that it remains at the cutting-edge of the pharmaceutical packaging industry.

Eson Pac is a market leader in the manufacture of pharmaceutical packaging products and supply chain solutions. Philip Yorke reports on a Swedish company that continues to lead the field through innovation and a clear customer focus.

Unique competences Eson Pac’s success is due in part to its unique and diverse competences. In addition, the company’s European production network relies on the latest state-of-the-art machinery designed specifically to meet the challenges facing the pharma industry today. The company’s latest digital production techniques guarantee the most efficient production processes, each of which is tailored to suit the individual needs of the customer and the precise manufacturing process. This process also takes into account order size and individual lead-time requirements.

Eson Pac’s unique core competences are optimised in the production of its cartons, labels and leaflets. Each of these operations are supported by supply-chain efficiency solutions and customer services that provide a total one-stop-shop facility. For example, Eson Pac’s labels and multipage labels are diverse in their format and applications. The company’s

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product portfolio includes standard labels, wrap-around labels, tamper evident and security solutions, as well as complex multi-page labels that must fulfil regulatory and end-user criteria. These products are produced in all types of material combinations, all of which are designed to optimise end-use functions.

Serialisation and back-side numbering, together with anti-counterfeiting solutions are also special features that can be integrated into any aspect of the company’s extensive standard and customised range of pharmaceutical labels.

ated a dedicated and tailor-made ‘On-Demand’ concept that significantly reduces lead times, thus making sure that inventory levels and waste is reduced to a minimum.

The latest production techniques employed are supported by digitalised and automated order-handling processes that enable a supply setup that is designed for the future and to achieve all-round improved efficiencies. Throughout its structured processes the company prioritises, secures resources, and plans actions designed not only to meet, but to exceed agreed goals achieved in collaboration with its customers.

Faster to market

Unrivalled clinical trial expertise

Just-in-time deliveries and on-demand ordering along with increased regulatory complexity results in a greater number of packaging devices being required. These in turn lead to reduced batch sizes. The increasing number of new product launches also requires shorter lead times and faster-to-market time-lines. All in all, this creates further challenges for supply chain management systems. However, Eson Pac’s integrated systems combine to ensure that it can bring new pharma products to market faster and more efficiently than ever before.

In order to simplify and optimise supply chain systems Eson Pac is offering a unique service to its customers. The company has cre-

The on-going development of new pharmaceutical compounds requires strictly controlled clinical trials to verify the product’s efficaciousness. The clinical studies and documentation of anticipated effects are conducted over several phases before a drug is allowed to be placed on the market.

Eson Pac supports its customers in this process with unique expertise in this area and by supplying a combination of its core products. These are optimised and designed specifically for each individual test procedure.

The company’s specialist packaging designers develop individual packaging solutions for each clinical trial and are able to produce them in limited batches in its own pharma production units. From

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the very first design drafts, to full scale test procedures and trial run batches, the company’s designers support the process to secure optimal results in close cooperation with its clients, Regulatory demands such as tamper verification and anti-counterfeiting solutions form an integral part of the solutions developed in order to meet the specific demands of each customer.

There is also an increasing demand for patient information which requires larger and more complex information leaflets. These can be provided in a broad range of configurations from simple flat leaflets to parallel and cross-folded versions, in addition to stitched or glued booklets.

Optimised digitalisation Staying one step ahead of its competitors requires a constant investment in the digitalisation of all the company’s administrative processes.

In order to achieve supply chain optimisation, a complete assessment of potential ERP system integration must take place and the company’s IT specialists are ready to support this process with its customers at all times.

Other areas that can be addressed for further optimisation include EDI interfaces, VMI solutions, artwork flows, forecasting and order pattern standardisation. The relevant competences are all available n in-depth at Eson Pac. For further details of Eson Pac’s innovative pharmaceutical packaging products and services visit: www.esonpac.com

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Security papermill With over 200 years of history, Diósgyőr Papermill (Dipa Inc.) is the only security paper manufacturer in Hungary. The firm’s slogan of ‘Tradition, security, value!’ perfectly describes a company that is continually looking for new opportunities abroad whilst maintaining stable market positions in Hungary.

Tailor-made products

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stablished in 1782, Dipa is the oldest company in Hungary dealing with the same activity at the same place in Miskolc with an environmentally friendly production in the focus. The paper mill began to produce base paper for banknotes in 1920 and has been operating as a shareholding company since 1993. The shares of the company are 100 percent owned by the Hungarian Banknote Printing Company owned by the Hungarian National Bank. In 2018 the turnover of DIPA reached €10-million and almost the half of this turnover came from export orders.

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The core products of Dipa Inc. are banknote and passport base papers and other official and authenticated documents such as diplomas and different certificates. Customers are mainly security printers. All products are made to meet specific needs and respond to the strict customer requirements. As a service the company offers full security product designing, holographic stripe application and preparation of watermarks. Base papers for the Hungarian forint banknotes and for Hungarian passports are being manufactured at Dipa Inc. The factory operates with an annual capacity of 1,000 tonnes, which may sound relatively small compared to their competitors in

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terms of volume, but allows Dipa to serve their customers flexibly starting from orders of even one tonne.

Focus on security In order to meet the increasing requirements of the market and to provide the highest security for their production, Dipa Inc. lays great emphasis on the security of production and products. Due to their long traditions, production experience and modern technology Dipa Inc. has become a specialist producer of high-quality papers with different security features. In addition, one of the most important and most challenging security elements, the design of watermarks and the production of the watermark tool is being undertaken in the factory.

The armed security guards of the company monitor all stages of the production process thereby preventing any possible misuse. The entire factory area, production equipment, raw materials, protection elements and the finished products are protected by a multiple line system. The Security Department of the company coordinates and continuously develops the implemented protection system that covers all aspects of the factory operations.

It is essential to apply the highest level of safety measures while manufacturing and transporting products. The Hungarian export licensing system has an outstanding role in product safety as each and every shipment has to undergo strict control that prevents unauthorised access and counterfeiting.

Increasing foreign market presence The main customers of the company are domestic and foreign security printing houses. Most export partners are based in Europe, but it is fair to say that Dipa Inc. products have been marketed directly or indirectly to almost one-fifth of the world. At present, export activities are carried out mainly to printing houses in EU countries, but many of the end-users of the products are located outside Europe including

Africa and South East Asia. The security regulations of the company guarantee that products are manufactured in a closed system and that confidentiality and strict accounting are maintained in this trust-based industry.

Finest product design In the factory more than half of the total 160 employees are from the Y and Z generations – innovative young enthusiasts who complement the traditional thinking of the more experienced staff.

The professional knowledge and experience of the research and development team of the company enables the firm to meet the requirements of the customers at the highest level when planning the finest product design and development processes. Dipa has regular success with product development ideas and as a result receives invites to many serious international projects.

In 2017 a new sorting and cutting machine was installed, which in addition to accelerating the production process also allows sheet-tosheet selection compared to the previous roll-to-sheet selection only.

In May 2019 Dipa has made investments to implement the most modern driving system for their production line and enhance the quality and speed of production processes.

Future targets Dipa Inc. has a highly reliable and stable ownership background and maintains a strong market position. The company has built a steady customer base which they are continuously aiming to expand.

The strategic goal of the company is to increase export sales and strengthen the existing partner relations whilst building its presence in new export markets in Europe and beyond. Dipa Inc. aims to acquire a special position in the security paper industry and intends to increase the efficiency of their operations.

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Expanding core competences Corex is a market leader in the design and manufacture of tubular packaging and edge-protection products. Its latest major acquisition enhances the company’s presence in both Asia and North America, whilst at the same time increasing its product portfolio and significantly extending its global footprint, as Philip Yorke reports.

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orex is the cores, tubes and edge-protectors division of the international VPK Packaging Group, a rapidly growing integrated industrial group based in Denmark. The VPK group operates in the cardboard packaging sector and has over 5,000 staff spread across 47 plants in 16 European countries. Corex is an integral part of the VPK Group and has around 500 employees in 12 different European countries.

Corex manufactures over 150,000 tonnes of cardboard tubes, cores and edge-protectors every year. These are produced in spiral and parallel configurations for winding tables that in turn create a whole host of products involving film and paper, as well as a wide variety of modern packaging materials.

The company explained to Industry Europe, “Thanks to our vertical integration with the VPK Packaging Group and our market orientation, we have grown to become the market leader in our sector. We attribute our success to our customer-orientated products, combined with outstanding service and competitive pricing”.

Composite growth VPK’s core and tube division, marketed under its Corex brand, has 14 sites for the production of industrial cores ad tubes for winding paper, foil, textiles and metal. In addition, Corex also produces composite cans used for packaging food snacks, spices, cosmetics and spirits. The acquisition by VPK of Corenso’s European and Chinese activities have brought its two modern cardboard mills and 13 core converting plants.

The European and Chinese businesses of Corenso include two core-board mills located in Finland and France together with a network of 10 core and tube winding plants in Europe and 3 in China.

Their combined turnover is more than 170 million euros. Today Corenso has 850 employees in Europe and China.

The acquisition of Corenso broadens both VPK’s and Corex Group’s geographical spread to regions where the company has not been active to date. The important new markets for Corex are Finland, Spain and China. CEO Pierre Macharis said, “Corex and

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Corenso have both made an impressive journey over the last decade. We are delighted to join forces with them to provide a wider geographical spread, whilst making optimum use of the network and unrivalled expertise of VPK. Customers can rely on our unique quality of service offered by Corex and Corenso. By integrating two additional paper mills, we also provide a strategic, geographical axis for raw material supply from Finland via Belgium to the south of France”.

Romania’s cutting-edge Following their recent move to new premises, Corex Romania S.R.L. has moved forward with the installation of cutting-edge equipment for the manufacture of its latest ‘edge-protectors’.

Edge-protectors provide vital, optimal protection for packaged goods that virtually eliminates any damage that may be caused during handling and transportation. The Corex Group now has a second state-of-the-art facility in tandem with Corex France.

With its new plant, Corex Romania is now capable of producing sophisticated edge-protectors with wings ranging from 35mm to 100mm, and thicknesses from 2mm to 7mm. The latest Corex Romania production lines can now manufacture edge-protectors to a maximum length of 4000 mm. This makes the new facilities the most flexible and extensive available on the market today.

strategies forward. The company clearly sees the benefits and the opportunities provided by embracing its growth from ‘green’ innovations and the interest from an investment community that increasingly considers sustainability factors, such as sound environmental stewardship, social responsibility and good governance in calculating a company’s long-term value.

The Corex Group’s cores and edge-protectors are made from recycled paper and fit into a deep belief of a managed circular economy. Regular energy audits within the various Corex plants and the installation of solar panels that offer a capacity of over 700mw in Corex Belgium, are only a few examples of the culture of sustainability within the Corex Group.

Today the company delivers long-term value in financial, environmental and ethical programmes and in doing so complies with all the VPK business ethics and codes of conduct.

For further details of the innovative packaging products and services offered by the Corex Group visit: www.corexgroup.com

Prioritising sustainability Today corporate sustainability is firmly on the radars and agendas of companies around the world. The Corex Group recognises the growing importance and relevance of global environmental, social and economic challenges. It is now possible to see how sustainability issues affect a company’s bottom line and Corex is therefore looking beyond traditional business and financial parameters to map out the group’s strategies and priorities.

Being a key part of the VPK Packaging Group, Corex gets the full support of a dedicated team in order to drive its sustainability

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Creating more versatile deposition modelling Haidlmair is a global market leader in the field of injection moulding. It specialises in the production of packaging, thin-wall containers and stackable crates and pallets. The company is renowned for its high-tech, innovative processes. Philip Yorke reports on Haidlmair’s latest ground-breaking technologies.

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New Hot Runner System

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ounded in 1978 in Austria, the company has seen consistent growth over the years and has become a global market leader in its chosen disciplines. Today these include the production of advanced, high-tech injection moulds, thermoform moulds, automation tooling and component manufacturing. Haidlmair is a worldwide Plastics Technology company with 9 locations in North America and Europe.

Since 2017 Haidlmair has been committed to a long-term investment programme. However, it has not only invested in additional machining capacities, but has also built up injection moulding digitalisation know-how through the acquisition of the leading software developers Dataformers, based in Linz, Austria. Together they developed the Mould Monitoring 4.0 sensor system.

Beyond this, the most important innovation has been the investment in the industry’s largest computer tomography scanner for measuring sample parts. This has helped to close the last gap in the company’s full service portfolio, from the customer’s product idea through to the moulded part. Another recent Haidlmair innovation, which has now achieved production maturity, is the FDU (Flat Die Unit) hot runner system. A representative overview of the benefits resulting from this breakthrough is reviewed here and more details can be found on the company’s website: www.haidlmair.at.

The future today Haidlmair’s adoption of Industry 4.0 management also necessitates Mould Making 4.0, which in turn is an important prerequisite for

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Injection Moulding 4.0. This is the central message the company is promoting at its forthcoming Fakuma trade fair presentation. Mould Making 4.0 stands for the productivity potential opened up by digitalisation in mould making, and for digital services centred on the injection mould process, where it brings the future of mould-making into the digital technology of today.

At the Fakuma trade show, Haidlmair is presenting itself as a highperformance system partner for manufacturers of plastic containers, from simple stackable boxes, through beverage crates, or boxes for warehouse and logistics applications, to dustbins or pallets and pallet boxes. The company, which has production facilities in Upper Austria, Hungary and Canada, has been able to consolidate its leading role in this market segment in recent years.

The company has also received multiple awards for the best central European mould maker. In 2006 and 2017 it won in the category

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for companies with more than 50 employees, and now has a place in the finals this year, confirming that its strategy of leveraging new opportunities and making these opportunities usable for customers and partners is a winning strategy.

Single source service At Haidlmair everything can now be obtained at a single source, from the initial concept to the final product. In addition, the company has also extended its customer service portfolio, on the one hand through its investments in FDM (=Fused Deposition Modelling) systems for coating plastic parts with fused materials, and selective laser coating of metals, and on the other through additional digitalisation offerings centred on the injection mould process itself.

In particular, this includes Haidlmair Mould Monitoring for identifying potential faults before they impact on production or on the

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mould. It consists of a system of in-mould sensors and evaluation electronics directly on the mould. This ensures that status data can be retrieved with mobile devices or PCs, from an online platform and using a personalised login, independently of the type and location of the injection moulding machine deployed.

The long-term objective is to be able to use mould-monitoring as an alternative for autonomously controlling the production process by exchanging data with the machine control system.

Putting the large industrial computer tomography scanner into operation in June of this year was a further investment to improve the service portfolio in the framework of mould making projects.

The scanner supports versatile applications, from measuring and analysing sample parts and feeding the 3-D data back into prototyping and design, and comparing the original data with the measurement data of the mould parts, through to density or inclusion analysis in the scope of part development.

Advancing computer tomography

technology is now ready for series production. The main advantage over hot runner systems with round-section nozzles is the die’s comparatively higher throughput via the slit gate. This means that fewer dies are required per part. The slit sprues and runners can be cut off safely and largely without residue.

Shut-off nozzle designs are currently in trial operation and will also be available at short notice. Despite the slit gate design, all dies have round outer dimensions and can therefore be integrated into injection moulds without additional overhead. The market launch began with Midi medium size dies, which are designed for a shot weight of 250 to 1500 g/die.

During the second quarter of 2019 a new company will be launched by Haidlmair called the ‘FDU-Hotrunner Limited’ This will offer higher productivity across the board, and will become the latest independent subsidiary of the Haidlmair Group. It will be headquartered in the Palatinate region of Germany and it is Andreas Kibler, the well-respected current FDU manager at Haidlmair, who will be the n new company’s CEO.

The recent introduction of computer tomography has helped Haidlmair forge the missing link in the service chain for its mould making customers. It covers all sub-processes of a mould order, starting with the customer’s product idea and including any prototype part production and subsequent part optimisation, the actual mould design, mechanical production, assembly, sampling and quality control by tomography measurement, which can now be offered completely from the company acting as a one-stop-shop.

New sheet die system After 5 years of development and extensive practical tests, the sheet die (FDU) system developed as a combination of elements from sheet extrusion technology and conventional hot runner nozzle

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Delivering barriers without frontiers The Supravis Group is a remarkable company that specialises in the development of unique, barrier packaging solutions.

Founded in Poland in 1985 it has since seen dramatic yearon-year growth. Philip Yorke takes a closer look at some of the company’s many outstanding achievements and its aspirations for the future.

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fter almost 35 years of dynamic growth, the Supravis Group remains 100 per cent owned by the entrepreneurial family that founded it. Today Supravis is the only European company that has developed and produced such a comprehensive range of high-tech barrier packaging products from flexible films used in the processing of fresh food. Its high-tech solutions are also working worldwide to protect vital medical and healthcare products. In addition, the company manufactures highly specialised packaging products developed exclusively for the electronics and automotive sectors.

Innovation as standard From the outset, the company has been clearly focused on providing added value to customers through product innovation and the development of uniquely targeted solutions. It was the first to

venture into polyamide casings and today is the largest producer of this type of packaging in Poland.

Since 1998 the company has specialised in the development of a broad portfolio of barrier packaging films, which now includes thermoforming foils, laminates, heat-shrink sleeves and the latest printing and lamination technologies. Coinciding with the company’s 20th anniversary of its first move into film extrusion, Supravis has launched a new 11 layer, high-barrier cast line for film production. This is the most technologically advanced installation of its type in the world.

“We previously had two cast lines for the production of special barrier films, so the investment in a third line was a natural step for us to increase our capacity and meet the on-going demand for this product. We not only have a lot of experience in the process

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itself, but our unique know-how has enabled us to work with the line manufacturer in order to refine the smallest detail of the new line, so that it is perfectly suits our needs” said Tomasz Konczal, Production Director at Supravis. The new high-tech installation adds a further 10,000 tonnes of value-added performance for thermoforming film, thus doubling the company’s current capacity.

It will also allow the development of completely new film structures that are not yet available on the market. A strategically important move for Supravis, this latest 11 layer line is only a small part of an ambitious investment programme that includes a 10 colour flexo printer, a high-performance laminator and most importantly, a 9 layer blown-foil production line that enables the company to manufacture all its barrier foils on site. Recently the company added an 11 layer heat-shrink tubing line, thus bringing the total value of this recent investment programme to more than €25 million.

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Innovative structures & visual effects The Supravis Group operates one of the most advanced and sophisticated packaging production plants in the world. As a result, it is in a privileged position to meet the latest market challenges and provide solutions that not only satisfy its customers, but also dramatically reduce the impact of its businesses on the environment.

The on-going investment programme has also enabled the company to design packaging that offers better functionality with reduced use of natural resources and to focus on energy-saving production processes.

Recently Supravis reached a new milestone in its history with the completion of its development work on specialised, high-performance flow-pack machines branded as – Supralam™. The advanced technical capabilities of the machine for the production of film, also enables the production of multi-layer laminates in which its raw material components are dispensed with precision to individual layers.

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This solution delivers excellent strength parameters, gloss haze and most uniquely, excellent heating parameters, which in turn provide optimal ‘hot-tack’. This is responsible for the quality and speed of welding on flow-pack machines. All these benefits are achieved with a significant reduction in the thickness of the laminate, even up to 42 um.

Trending laser technology New trends and standards in the production of soft packaging have forced manufacturers to invest in new technologies in order to improve their product’s functionality and appearance. The use of laser technology is therefore ideal for the implementation of modern packaging that meet any new requirements set by the market.

The most popular is the “easy-open” cut that enables consumers to easily open packages. In the case of the barrier laminate sector, it is important to maintain the barrier of the packaging, which is why only the outer layer is cut in order for the packaging to 100 per cent retain its protective properties. The laser device also has the ability to perform: microperforation, macroperforation and perforation in any shape. Thanks to this laser application, the company can improve the gas exchange of the packaging. In addition, it is also possible to engrave simple shapes that have a decorative function that can n furthermore protect against counterfeiting.

For more details of the Supravis Group’s latest innovative packaging products and services visit: www.supravis-goup.pl

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The Pavan Group leads the world in the design and engineering of sophisticated technologies for cereal-based food processing applications. The Group’s recent acquisition by the Dusseldorf engineering group GEA, has accelerated its growth and global reach, as Philip Yorke reports.

Combining new food processing technologies

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he Pavan Group is a pioneering world leader in the design and manufacture of sophisticated and integrated product lines for cereal-based food processing applications. Based in Northern Italy, the group has its head office in Galliera Veneta near Padua and employs over 750 people at its primary production sites located in Italy and China.

Today the Pavan Group offers the widest possible range of solutions for the production of all types of dry and fresh pasta, as well as for snack pellets and breakfast cereals. The company can also provide dies, cutting systems, die washing equipment, and packaging lines for pasta, baked food goods and snacks.

Furthermore, with the company’s Golfetto Sangati equipment range, they can provide complete, turnkey cereal milling plants. Today the group generates around 40 per cent of its sales in Europe, which is followed by the USA with 27 per cent, and Asia with 17 per cent and the Middle East 14 per cent. In 2018 the Pavan Group generated revenues of more than €180 million.

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Pioneering “Free-from” products

The global demand for gluten-free products has increased dramatically in recent years. This trend is linked to the increase in the number of people suffering from gluten intolerance allergies, as well as an upswing in people reducing their gluten intake because of real or perceived health risks. Today following a diet without gluten is getting much easier thanks to the pioneering work of companies like Pavan who are developing new products that are both healthier and tastier for its global customers.

Producing a gluten-free pasta that meets the latest consumer demands in terms of taste, texture and nutrition is no simple feat.

However, today Pavan is using its long pioneering experience and premier league technology to meet this revolutionary dietary shift.

Integrated innovative solutions GEA’s recent acquisition of the Pavan Group has fulfilled market expectations, with Pavan benefitting from the merger of structures with the

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large corporation, as well as from its extensive global sales and service network, thus opening up new markets for the Pavan group worldwide.

CEO of the Pavan Group, Andrea Cavagnis, said, “Thanks to GEA’s extensive sales and service network we have been able to open up new markets for our integrated food processing solutions across the world. As a globally established supplier of sophisticated systems for the food processing industry, GEA now provides us with ideal growth opportunities”.

A recent example of Pavan’s integrated innovative solutions at work can be found in the launch of its new Semolina HP55 purifier, which is receiving approvals by all the millers that have installed it. Working in the new high-performance mills in Europe and elsewhere, it is demonstrating that the architecture and distinctive features of this latest version allows for far greater productivity and performance.

By configuring the purifier to have four rows of superimposed sieves, each composed of three sieves, the separation efficiency of

the semolina is much more precise. In addition, the purification surface of the HP55 has been increased by 10 per cent due to utilising its 550mm square sieves.

In order to maximise the purification efficiency of the semolina, there are four air-flow adjustment points per sieve length on the new HP55 model. This enables the miller to control precisely the air flow and optimise his performance based on the current mill operating conditions. This in turn allows for an exceptionally high degree of accuracy when purifying the semolina. With the new HP55, Pavan’s Golfetto Sangati equipment marks another important landmark in the evolution of advanced milling technologies.

Optimising soft wheat milling One of Italy’s best known and renowned institutions, the Rosetto family, the owners of the Crich Group, the leading manufacturer of biscuits and wafers, have commissioned Golfetto Sangati, a major subsidiary if

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the Pavan Group, to produce a state-of-the-art high-tech mill for the production of flours for its many state-of-the-art factories. This investment will increase the production of soft wheat from 70 to 200 tons every 24 hours. The all new mill complex employs the latest pioneering technological innovations of the Pavan Group.

It is also worth noting that the Group’s TPA horizontal huller for intensive grain cleaning was installed both in the initial process with dry grain, and before the B1 phase with wet grain, thus ensuring a very high quality of the finished product, certified by a DON index close to zero.

As well as fully complying with current legislation and international regulations, the fully automated purifier system is fully compliant with the rigorous technical specifications dictated by leading premier groups such as Quality Foods. Thanks to its advanced systems the management, analysis and maintenance of the food process systems are the safest and most efficient on the market today.

The winning of this major contract from the Rosetto family confirms that the Pavan Group is the food process systems producer of choice in n the European market place.

For further details of the Pavan Group’s latest innovative products and services visit: www.pavan.com

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Perfect partners for optimal printing J&S Druckfarben, is an independent, German family business that recently celebrated 175 years of trading.

Over that time it has gained a reputation for producing the world’s finest printing inks. Today the company offers specialised, tailor-made inks for every conceivable application. These range from sheet fed and continuous roll-fed printing, to LED-UV, Gravure and Flexo printing, as Philip Yorke reports.

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&S Druckfarben was founded in Germany in 1843 by Friedrich and Christian Janecke, who were at that time the proprietors of the Court Printing office in Hanover. Friedrich Schneemann, the company’s landlord, joined with them to form JS Druckfarben Printing Inks. Today JS Druckfarben ranks among the world’s oldest printing inks manufacturers and is an acknowledged leader in printing-ink technology.

The recent completion of a new state-of-the-art plant for the manufacture of offset UV printing inks in Hover, near Hanover, has marked a new milestone in the company’s history and development.

This advanced and highly specialised facility has added to the company’s already considerable overall capabilities.

One-stop-shop Printing is a complex business and J&S is dedicated to every aspect its customers’ needs and diverse range of printing requirements. The company is fully compliant with international C1 guidelines, the prevention of health risks in relation to food packaging, and economical and all environmental protection protocols. Janecke + Schneemann is a one-stop-shop provider of printing ink solutions for standard and specialised applications, which can range from printing labels and packaging to tin printing.

Diverse disciplines at J&S include the manufacture of inks for sheet-fed offset printing and inks for continuous-roll-fed printing.

This is in addition to specialised LED-UV offset inks and UV inks and coatings. Furthermore, J&S also produce high quality inks for both gravure and flexo printing applications.

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Quality at JS Druckfarben is an important issue on many levels.

The company knows that any errors will be immediately visible.

Therefore full compliance with CI requirements are essential whether it is for colour correctness or meeting benchmarks in food packaging printing.

In order to maintain the highest quality standards, J&S has partnered with Argus Analyzes Service GmbH, to benefit from the latest ink technologies and current knowledge in the field of ink quality analysis. The key technologies employed include chromatography and mass spectrometry. With the involvement of Argus Analyitical, J&S printing patterns are instantly and comprehensively analysed. As a result, the substance and mixtures of inks can be divided into their individual components and the respective fractions of their total mass.

Unmatched colour matching As part of its broad range of customer services, Janecke + Schneemann offers its customers individual colour matching services that range from all shades of the pantone guide to individual shades of the customer’s own printing substrate. Due to the wide range of different printing substrates, an adaptation of the special colour to the particular substrate is usually necessary.

The same recipe can be printed on different customers’ substrates. For example, this can be on either coated or uncoated paper, which can show considerable differences in the end result.

It may also occur that the final printed product may require a particularly light-fastness of the ink involved. In these circumstances,

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Focus on quality & training

the company offers dedicated solutions for all its customer’s existing print processes, in addition to solutions for standard basic colours, and a wide range of light-resistant colours. For the perfect matching of a customised colour, J&S only requires a valid printed example and an original unprinted substrate, and if possible a wet ink sample.

Following the detailed analytical process, the individual article code will then be given to the customer.

As Jenecke + Schneemann know well, quality plays a major role in the entire global graphics industry and in all cases the lack of quality can lead to significant consequences for the printing shop involved. It therefore makes good sense to ensure that the company has clear and reliable information about the quality standards required well in advance of the manufacturing process.

At J&S it is also important to pass on its in-depth expertise and knowledge to future generations. This way apprentices can take advantage of the company’s unique manufacturing experience gained over decades of dedicated practice. Janecke + Schneemann’s individual training programmes are also unique in that they are able to tailor their training regimens to suit the abilities of each individual. A trainee can therefore determine the subjects that he wishes to study himself or can rely on being inspired by the topics on offer.

Quality and training programmes are considered to be some of the most important aspects of company culture in order to ensure that the its reputation and world-beating technologies are safen guarded for the future.

For further details of Janeck + Schneemann’s latest products and specialised printing ink services visit: www.js-druckfarben.de

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Star performer Recard designs and builds the world’s most advanced tissue paper machines. The latest customer to benefit from its unrivalled technology is the Star Paper Mill Company of Abu Dhabi. This unique turnkey installation has a capacity of more than 38,000 tons per annum, and has been completed on time and within budget, as Philip Yorke reports.

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R

ecard SpA of Italy is the global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced tissue paper manufacturing equipment.

Founded in 1962 as a maintenance workshop in an Italian valley where over 60 paper producing machines were operating, it has grown to become the Rolls Royce brand of tissue manufacturing.

Today, in addition to producing cutting-edge machinery, the company also provides maintenance services to paper mills worldwide, including the world’s largest paper production companies.

For more than 55 years Recard has dominated the high-ground in the tissue-paper industry thanks to its engineering craftsmanship and unrivalled practical experience in mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, and heat transfer technologies.

Focus on innovation Recard SpA, is the clear global leader in the design and development of innovative and technologically advanced tissue manufacturing machinery. Recard’s unique systems offer the shortest possible fabrication times and the performance of its tailor-made equipment consistently exceeds specifications. For Recard, cutting-edge technology means simplicity and it remains unmatched in the ease of use of its products and systems. The company’s propriety technology is superior due to the fact that it significantly shortens production cycles and simplifies the installation of its equipment.

Today Recard provides a range of customised solutions that are ready-to-use for the high-speed production of tissue paper products. It

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offers complete turnkey plants that range from stock preparation to reel handling with built-in 3D detailed engineering designs. Recard can also provide any package requested by the customer with full technical support, even for parts not directly supplied by the company.

It is this dedicated, one-stop-shop service that helps to optimise production efficiency and consequently its customers’ profits. The latest example is a contract to supply turnkey tissue production lines to the Star Paper Mill Co Ltd. which is located in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

Recard’s scope of supply for this major contract includes two stock preparation lines for long and short virgin fibre, two re-winders with variable-crown calendar to enhance the paper softness, and a Crescent Former with the latest generation of the company’s shoe-press. This state-of-the-art configuration has the capacity to produce more than 38,000 tons of high quality tissue per year.

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Unique rebuild programme Along with many other innovative products and services, Recard also provides a special ‘Rebuild Programme’ service for the reconditioning and updating of older machines. This utilises the advanced technology of the company’s latest Crescent Former. The Recard Rebuild Programme optimises the production capacity of an entire plant as well as improving the quality of the end product.

This comprehensive upgrade service is based upon simplicity. The parts and technology of the company’s Crescent Former are easily adapted in order to work with older Twin Wire, Sloped Wire and Plain Wire machinery. In addition, thanks to its extensive experience in the reconditioning of machines, even from competing manufacturers, Recard can find an appropriate solution to suit almost any situation.

Armed with the comprehensive information concerning the design of an existing production unit, its current performance expecta-

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tions, and following the reconditioning process, Ricard will provide a thorough and complete assessment of its individual operation and cost projection.

Perfect form Recard’s latest Crescent Former represents the culmination of many technological advances and improvements all of which are derived from its experience in manufacturing tissue machines since the 1960s. During that time the company was producing Twin Wire C-Formers and Twin Wire S-Formers. The very first Crescent Former was invented in the 1970’s by the multinational conglomerate, the Kimberly Clark Company of the US, which held the patent until the 1990’s. With its on-going technical innovations and more than 55 years of experience in the field of tissue production, Recard guarantees the highest possible levels of performance from its equipment.

Each Recard machine is designed to optimise the real operating speed of any production line and this has been consistently achieved with production-line speeds exceeding 2,000 meters per minute.

Simplicity is the key to the high performance of Recard tissue machinery. Keeping its design and operation simple benefits all concerned and is manifested in every product designed by the company.

For example, Recard’s Rewinders are simplicity itself to use.

They allow the operator to cut and pair quickly anywhere from one to four piles, according to each customer’s needs. Furthermore, they complete the production cycle without the need to outsource n maintenance services.

For more details about the Recard’s innovative tissue machines and specialised customer services visit: www.recard.it

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Force for Growth

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Procter & Gamble (P&G), the manufacturer of consumer goods and a household name on all continents, posted its biggest growth in five years in key sales measures last quarter.

This growth was undoubtedly helped by the company’s highly performing supplier network, as was duly recognised at the annual External Business Partner Summit. Romana Moares reports.

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he Procter & Gamble Company (P&G), the American multi-national consumer goods corporation founded in 1837 with headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, specialises in a wide range of personal health, and personal care and hygiene products organized into several segments including Beauty; Grooming; Health Care; Fabric & Home Care; and Baby, Feminine & Family Care.

The company’s products are an almost indispensable part of everyday life. One of the most revolutionary products to come out on to the market was the company’s disposable Pampers diaper, first test-marketed in 1961. The same year Procter & Gamble came out with Head & Shoulders.

P&G, employing some 92,000 people around the world, is a global leader in the fast-moving consumer goods industry, focused on providing branded consumer packaged goods of superior quality and value.

Its products are sold in more than 180 countries and territories. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide.

The company is very much aware of its social role. In line with the increasing focus on environmental protection and sustainability, P&G launched its Ambition 2030 programme, aiming to make a positive impact on the environment and society while creating value for the company and consumers. The Ambition 2030 goals span the brands, the supply chain, society and the employees.

Specific targets have been set, intended to be achieved by 2030, that include for example 100 per cent renewable electricity and cutting GHG emissions in half at P&G sites, 35 per cent increase in water efficiency and sourcing at least five billion litres of water from circular sources at P&G sites, and advance at least 10 significant supply chain partnerships to drive circularity on climate, water or waste. Reducing its footprint and moving towards circular solutions will not only have a positive impact on the environment, but will also help make the operations more efficient and resilient.

Supplier network transformation In 2014, P&G announced it would streamline the company, dropping and selling off around 100 brands from its product portfolio in order to focus on the remaining 65 brands, which produced 95 per cent of the company’s profits. The restructuring brought remarkable results - last year, the company posted its biggest growth in five years in a key sales measure. Organic sales, which exclude items like acquisitions and currency effects, rose 4 per cent, topping analysts’ projections for 1.9 per cent growth. The growth was greatly supported by a highly performing supplier network.

At its External Business Partner Summit in February 2019, The Procter & Gamble Company recognized its top-performing external business partners for their outstanding contributions to P&G’s global supply network transformation. As part of efforts to lead constructive disruption during a time of rapid change in the consumer goods industry, P&G has been revolutionizing how it goes to market, redesigning its supply chain to respond seamlessly to real-time consumer and retail customer demand.

“Together with our valued partners, we are creating an end-to-end, synchronized supply network where P&G, retail customers, physical Industry Europe 173

RKW. When Excellence Matters The RKW Group is an independent, family-owned company headquartered in Frankenthal, Germany and one of the world’s leading manufacturers of excellent films and nonwovens, with 20 sites across 4 continents.

Respect and Reliability are the core values of RKW; Partnership and Trust are the foundation of its successful and lasting business relationships.

As a key global partner of P&G, RKW’s continuing expansion of its international footprint and investments in best-in-class technology not only support the growth of the business but also allow the company to offer the quality, service and innovation expected of a world-class supplier.

RKW has been awarded the P&G External Business Partner of the Year Award for 2018 in the Baby Care category.

Press Contact Patricia Featherstone Director Marketing & Communications, Division Hygiene & Industrial Patricia.featherstone@rkw-group.com

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distribution partners, and suppliers efficiently interact in a seamless ecosystem to best serve consumers,” said Yannis Skoufalos, Global Product Supply Officer, P&G. “We are delivering tangible value to P&G shareholders -- optimising inventory, increasing on-shelf availability of our products, and driving the productivity which fuels the innovation and superiority of P&G’s brands. This wouldn’t be possible without our external business partners who are with us on this journey.”

Seamless collaboration P&G’s supply network includes more than 50,000 diverse suppliers from around the world and across a wide range of industries and services – from creative agencies to technology partners to materials suppliers.

For their contributions during 2018, P&G recognized 10 “Partners of the Year” as well as six other companies who made significant contributions to P&G’s global supply chain transformation or as diverse, upcoming business partners. P&G also awarded more than 30 other companies with the Supplier Excellence Award for sustained business contributions.

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All4Labels All4Labels - Global Packaging Group is one of the world’s leading label companies and a market leader in digital printing solutions with a global network of 29 production sites and more than 3000 employees.

What makes All4Labels different?

All4Labels offers most innovative solutions of the sector in a one-stop-shop concept to create added value for their customers.

Because of their drive to transform the field of printed packaging All4Labels has been awarded as External Business Partner of the Year for “End2End Synchronization” by Procter & Gamble. This in particular includes investments in Near-Site-Warehouses which have led to a substantially closer interlocking, shorter delivery times as well as significant increases in supply chain agility. Their outstanding performance in the market environment is the combination of supply chain concepts with technical innovation – especially leading in digital printing capabilities.

Its portfolio is completed by the company’s packaging solutions in the Flexible Packaging, Shrink Sleeves, Folding Boxes, Tubes, Smart Labels and Security Technologies areas.

This large product range of All4Labels as well as the continuous development of their expertise helps to meet the growing market demands of all industries – today and tomorrow.

A strong trustful partnership with local and multinational customers ensures new competitive advantages which will help to grow together successfully.

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n

The ten companies awarded “Partner of the Year” were Catalent Pharma Solutions, ChaseDesign, DOW Chemical, Hayco Manufacturing, Ltd., Rialto Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., RKW, Shanghai Morimatsu, Superpac, Inc., Yamada Electric Ind. Co. Ltd. and YanJan. Speaking at the awards ceremony, David Taylor, P&G’s Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, asked P&G’s partners to continue to bring their best ideas and innovations to P&G. “We want strong, lasting relationships with our supplier partners,” he said. “The stronger our relationships are, the greater the opportunity we have to serve consumers better than anyone else.

It’s clear that winning today, and in the future, requires seamless collaboration and continually raising the bar together.”

As part of this year’s External Business Partner event, P&G is dedicating a full day to Supplier Citizenship – helping suppliers understand P&G’s approach to diversity and inclusion, as well as the other elements of P&G’s citizenship agenda: ethics and corporate responsibility, community impact, gender equality and environmental sustainability. P&G has spent more than $2 billion with diverse suppliers for eleven consecutive years, and P&G recognizes it will not achieve its citizenship goals without the partnership and capabilities of its suppliers.

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Critical partners P&G has leveraged large-scale application of advanced analytics and digital technology to excel in its ability to manage complicated global supply chain with more than 130 manufacturing sites serving over 180 countries. One of the key drivers is an “end-to-end model” that connected the siloed steps from suppliers to retailers to provide the most value to the end consumers with a fast response time. The concept of integrating the whole value chain allows every stakeholder of its eco chain to minimize the unnecessary inventory as well as to speed up the system.

P&G’s supply network transformation began in 2012 and is a critical component of the Company’s growth strategy – underpinning its ability to deliver superior products, packaging, communication, retail execution and consumer value. Since 2012, P&G Product Supply has delivered a cumulative cost of goods sold savings of $10 billion, including nearly $3 billion in the past two years – while leveraging the global supply network as a sustainable competitive advantage.

“We’re dramatically transforming our supply chain. Over the past few years, we have made major investments into the supply chain to ensure it remains a competitive advantage for P&G. We’re driving down cost and inventory with our Supply Network Transformation. We’re making progress toward our vision of synchronizing the supply chain with realtime point-of-sales data, with consumer purchases triggering updates to our manufacturing schedules in plants and orders of materials to suppliers,” said Stew Atkinson, Chief Purchasing Officer, P&G. “Our suppliers are critical partners in accomplishing our purpose.

P&G’s supplier eco-systems are creating value for consumers, customers, P&G and our suppliers. I am proud of what we have accomplished, and we will continue to raise the bar on superiority, productivity n and citizenship together.”

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Pioneering exceptional functionality The TWE Group was founded in 1961 and today is one of the world’s foremost developers of highly functional non-woven products. From negative pressure wound therapy dressings to advanced applications in acoustics, automotive and household products, TWE sets the standards …and the pace of change in industry, as Philip Yorke reports

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hen the non wovens division of the TWE Group was established in 1961, in Emsdetten, Belgium, it was the first in the world to produce a synthetic non-woven material and heralded a culture of innovation that prevails to this day.

Currently the company employs more than 1,400 people worldwide from over 40 different nations. Its strict demands in terms of efficiency, durability, comfort and the safety of its products are widely acknowledged as the best in the world. TWE works closely

with its global partners to develop innovative, highly flexible nonwovens to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

Delivering optimal wound management In the medical sector TWE’s nonwovens are used in two vital medical applications. Firstly in adhesive plasters for the treatment of minor and acute wounds, and secondly to treat more serious chronic wounds. The latest generation of wound dressings use Industry Europe 179

“negative pressure” therapy to support and accelerate the healing process of hard-to-manage wounds.

TWE has developed a very special nonwoven for this innovative new therapy which can replace most of the foam dressings currently used in this type of application, as well as offering many other significant benefits. These dressings are always used in the treatment of particularly large, chronic wounds, which will not heal solely or without the aid of medications, gels and bandages.

Hospitals are now moving towards this new process of wound treatment known as Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT). It has been clinically proven that a wound heals six times faster with the use of this negative pressure wound therapy than with a traditional dressing.

“Our Aerofil product is exceptionally elastic yet soft, and in these dressings it serves to pack and absorb liquid from the wound.

Because Aerofil can be sterilised with no physical or chemical side effects, it is perfectly suited for this area. Our product really shows its strength when sterilised, because it dries very quickly following sterilisation in hot steam and does not discolour when exposed to gamma radiation or when ethylene oxide is present. The result is a bright white nonwoven that is perfect for use in all wound management products” said a TWE spokesman.

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Unrivalled functionality In the field of cleaning and household products, TWE’s stay-fresh, and ‘odour-stop’ wipes offer exceptional functionality and are capable of far more than simply absorbing water and removing dust and dirt. When using a dishcloth at home to wash your dishes or clean your house, consumers rarely give the cloth itself a thought. However there are products in the field of cleaning today that offer exceptional functionality. These include TWE’s latest “Odour-Stop-Stay Fresh” wipes.

The problem with traditional dishcloths is that they soon start o smell unpleasant. It is not just dirt that is responsible for these odours, so are the bacteria that breed in them. TWE treats its Odour-Stop cleaning cloths to significantly inhibit or prevent entirely the build-up of dishcloth odour. Thanks to a special bacteriostatic treatment based on pyrothione zinc, the formation of bacteria is stopped in its tracks. TWE avoids the use of silver or any other nanomaterials and complies fully with international Okotex standards that guarantees that there are no health concerns to consider.

Not only does the bacteriostatic treatment have the advantages already described, but it also increases the absorption of the dishcloths by up to 15 per cent thanks to a hydrophilic binder.

Textiles, Home & Personal Care

Furthermore, wipes form the company’s Odour-Stop range can be washed at up to 60 degrees centigrade with no loss of their positive bacteriostatic action.

Sound absorbing solutions The world’s most important trade fair for noise control and sound design ‘Acoutex’ celebrated its world premiere in Dortmund, Germany in October last year. For the first time experts from the acoustics sector of industries such as construction, traffic and interior design businesses came together and a total of around 1500 experts were counted in the main Westfalenhalle in Dortmund.

Now TWE can look back on two very successful trade fairs during which it was able to bring its sound-absorbing nonwoven

solutions for the construction and automotive sectors closer to this growing specialist audience.

One particularly outstanding product on display was an acoustic quaver chamber made from TWE’s sound absorbing nonwovens.

Both TWE sound absorbing products, “Safe-T-Sound” from the business unit building as well as products from its “Quiet Web Series”, (which are otherwise used in automobiles), were used to great effect in the main hall. As a result, plans are already advanced for TWE’s attendance at the next Acoutex Trade Fair that will take place again n on 2nd October 2019 in Dortmund.

For further details of TWE’s latest innovative nonwoven products and services visit: www.twe-group.com

Industry Europe 181

ADVERTISERSINDEX

Ad Hulst All4Labels An-Elec Assa Abloy Axens

123 175 104 62 92, Outside back

Bakers Bridgestone Europe

106 83

Carlo Salvi Castel Conceria Leonica Continental

134 118 122 100

D. Cloostermans Dow Silicones Belgium

176 89

FOR Frana Polifibre

96 181

Green Group

181

Haver & Boecker Heinlehmann Herzog + Heymann

28 110 147

Julius Schulte Sohne

152

Kleibert

100

Mannhardt MEKRA Lang Motion Italia

64 74 123

RAHN RKW Rozzi

SABA Semperit Profiles Sonoco Alcore SVS Schweisstechnik

The European Van Company Transdanubia

161 78 152

FachPack 2019 35 FACO 164 FFG 43 FiberVisions Indorama Ventures Company 177 Filtech 29 Folplast 93

Oerlikon Metco OMC Collareda OPTIMA Packaging

Pilz Nederlands Polska Technika Górnicza Polystal Composites Pompe Cucchi

53 170 127

59 31,Inside back 68 178

122 101 Inside front 78

72 156

Valmet Engg 48 VIA Technika Obrobki Powierzchniowej 78 Vynova Belgium 115

X-Press Feeders ELBA Electropoli Poland EOC Group

167 174 141

130