Modern Plastics & Polymers - May 2011 by Infomedia18

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EDITORIAL

Advantage automation

s India fast emerges as one of the leading polymer consumers in the world amid growing novel applications of plastics in several sunrise sectors, it is only natural to expect more demanding products and processes. Given this context, plastics processing has to raise the competitiveness bar and evolve to accommodate complex design requirements while controlling production costs. In this journey, the role of Information Technology (IT) and automation can be a crucial differentiator for both plastics processors as well as processing machinery manufacturers. In terms of benefits, automation can offer better product quality, improved equipment uptime, faster cycle times and more reliable production flow, among others. More significantly, flexible automation holds enormous potential in adding a globally competitive edge to the plastics processing capability of today and tomorrow. Online performance monitoring can be another advantage accruing from automated control systems for the plastics industry. This will ensure that both the product quality and process parameters are not only continuously monitored, but also, if necessary, controlled. Besides, fault diagnosis of sensors and other instrumentation can be facilitated by such systems to help reduce production downtime. Editor Manas R Bastia Senior Features Writer Beverley Lewis Features Writer Annabel Dsouza Correspondent Anwesh Koley (Delhi) Copy Editor Swati Sharma Edit Associate - Products Abha Mishra Chief Photographer Mexy Xavier Photographer Neha Mithbawkar, Joshua Navalkar Design Sharad Bharekar Production Pravin Koyande, Dnyaneshwar Goythale, Vikas Bobhate, Ravikumar Potdar, Ravi Salian, Sanjay Shelar, Lovey Fernandes, Pukha Dhawan, Varsha Nawathe, Abhay Borkar, Akshata Rane

That said there remain many challenges that risk the process of automation. While for automation providers, these range from upfront investment levels to resistance from operators, the processors may have to face the issues of economic viability, troubleshooting, availability of appropriate spares and manpower, etc. ‘Sector Watch’ offers some of the latest perspectives on IT & automation from the industry. On another note, rotomoulding seems to be standing at the crossroads as far as exploring its potential to the fullest is concerned. A highly versatile process with remarkable design flexibility and low production costs, an unlimited array of products ranging from micromoulding of PVC earpieces to large polyethylene tanks can be manufactured by rotomoulding. Turn to ‘Market Trends’ for an in-depth account as it forays into unexplored markets and new product lines. As the countdown begins for Chinaplas 2011 – one of the largest plastics industry related trade events on earth – we bring you a snapshot of what is in the offing. Take a look at the ‘Chinaplas Special’ section.

Editorial Advisory Board A E Ladhabhoy Plastics Technologist

Dr Sushil K Verma Former Director General, CIPET

Dr Swapan K Dhara Regional Technical Head, Basell Polyolefins India Pvt Ltd

Mohan K Jain MD, Indoplast & past president, AIPMA

P P Kharas Chairman, Ecoplast

Raman M Patel Chairman, Industrial Products Mfg Co

Vijay Merchant President, Polycraft

Manas R Bastia

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May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

CONTENTS

Leaders Speak

Ramesh Dumbre, Vice President - Marketing, Plastiblends India Ltd

Star Technocrates Pvt Ltd: Enterprise through innovation

IT and automation: The virtual success agent

Rotomoulding: Tapping growth prospects

PVDF and its copolymers: Offering a host of performance properties David Seiler and Mandar Amrute, Arkema Inc

Mould sweating: Greater control for increased production Y R Anand, Partner, Unimark

Facility Visit Sector Watch Market Trends Material Corner

Injection Zone

Technofocus 66

PVC compounding: Ingredients to enhance versatility of polymers Siddhartha Roy, Consultant, RoyPlasTech

Triple bottom line: The road ahead Sanjay Gawde, Senior Consultant, Savoir Faire Management Consultancy Pvt Ltd

Chinaplas 2011: Revving up the growth engine

Management Mantras

Curtain Raiser

In the News

Product Showcase

REGUL AR SECTIONS Editorial......................... 17

Events Calendar............. 88

National News............... 20

Technology Transfer ......... 90

Asia News ..................... 26

Book Shelf ...................... 92 Product Update............... 94

World News................... 30

Product Index............... 103

Tech Updates ................. 38

Advertisersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; List ............ 106

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

6t ary vers Anni ecial Sp

Details on page no.88, 102 Cover photo courtesy : ABB India

Highlights of Next Edition

Sector Watch : Blow Moulding Market Trends : Plastics in Building & Construction And much more...

Note: ` stands for Indian rupee, $ stands for US dollar and ÂŁ stands for UK pound, unless mentioned otherwise

NATIONAL NEWS ACQUISITION

Rhodia takes over PI Polymers

(L-R): Frank Laganier, Director, Asia Pacific, Rhodia Engineering Plastics; François Hincker, President, Rhodia Engineering Plastics; Thomas Leutner, Country Manager – India

Specialty chemical producer Rhodia has completed the acquisition of the engineering plastics business of Indian company PI Industries Ltd (PIL), after receiving approval of country’s authorities. Rhodia Polymers & Specialties India Pvt Ltd is the name of the legal entity created to host Rhodia’s newly integrated assets, including

one industrial facility based in Panoli (Gujarat), R&D capabilities as well as logistics network in India. This acquisition is a major step in Rhodia Engineering Plastics growth ambition in India, aiming at doubling its local production capacities to represent 15 per cent of Indian polyamide compound market by 2015. François Hincker, President, Rhodia Engineering Plastics, said, “We received enthusiastic feedbacks from both PIL and Rhodia’s customers and suppliers regarding this strategic move. All our international partners in the region as well as domestic Indian players are fully confident in our ability to accelerate their growth through a rapid expansion of our activity”.

OUTREACH

Plastindia initiative helps marginal farmers with effeciency

Plasticulture is a scheme launched by Plastindia Foundation whereby farmers are provided with drip irrigation facility and are also shown its benefits. Plastindia’s Plasticulture activity is being done in association with the Organisation of Plastic Processors of India. Plastindia Foundation, in association with NABARD and Dilasa, an NGO, has identified 16 villages covering 1400 farmers at Aurangabad. Farmers will be provided loans by NABARD through the NGO, with a subsidy from Plastindia, to undertake drip irrigation for an area of 1 hectare each. Work on distributing the funds and providing the drip irrigation has begun in full earnest. With a view to show the benefits of using drip irrigation, 8 villages have been identified in Jalna, where a demo plant of 1 acre in each village will be put up with drip irrigation facilities. Simultaneously, exhibitions will be held to showcase the use of plastics in agriculture. Both these models of Plasticulture are efforts to help marginal farmers save water through drip irrigation and not only increase yield per crop but also put them in a position to grow more than one crop per year.

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

CONSULTING

Mott MacDonald appointed consultant for manufacturing plant in India

Mott MacDonald has been appointed by ASB International Pvt Ltd to provide engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services for an ` 550 million ($12 million) PET bottles machinery and mould manufacturing plant expansion to be located at Ambernath in the Thane. This will pertain to the 10,800 sq m extension to ASB international’s existing operational facility, which is one of the most modern single stage PET processing machine manufacturers in the world. This will include a major machinery and quality assurance laboratory as well as utilities and office space. Mott MacDonald will provide its world class industrial design expertise - ranging from utilities, architecture, civil and structural, mechanical and electrical to instrumentation and fire protection systems - to the project. M C Jagtiani, Project Director, Mott MacDonald, said, “We look forward to delivering what will be a challenging project designing a vibration free structure building to ensure that the mold manufactured with CNC machines is within five microns of accuracy, which is a benchmark set by the client for the mould production.” Mott MacDonald is a global management, enineering and development consultancy with more than 14,000 staff, £1 billion revenue and established in 140 countries for the public and private sectors.

EXPANSION

Huntsman to build new polyurethane system house in India

Nick Webster

The polyurethanes division of Huntsman Corporation announced plans to expand its polyurethane production capabilities in India. Over the next year, Huntsman will invest $10 million in the construction of a world-class system house in Pune, India. The new facility is scheduled to be operational by the end of the first quarter of 2012. It will replace Huntsman’s existing system house in Thane,

which has served the company well but has limited scope for expansion and occupies land that is due to transfer. This new facility will enable Huntsman to capitalise on its leading position in the Indian polyurethanes market, enhance its range of services, and continue to supply local customers quickly and efficiently. Nick Webster, Vice President, Huntsman Polyurethanes, said, “India is the world’s second fastest growing economy. The new system house will be optimised to meet our specific production and blending requirements. It will give us room for future growth, reflecting our long-term commitment to the provision of high-quality polyurethane products and firstclass customer service across the entire Indian sub-continent.”

NATIONAL NEWS APPOINTMENT

IMPORTS

Ferromatik Milacron promotes leadership positions in India

Ferromatik Milacron India Ltd (FMIL) is among India’s leading injection moulding machine manufacturer. It has promoted two individuals to key leadership roles as the company continues its rapid growth. Shirish Divgi is now Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Vinod Bhalavat is Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of FMIL, a division of Milacron Plastics Machinery. The promotions correspond with the recent retirement of former FMIL President N K Balgi. Dave Lawrence, President, Milacron Plastics Machinery, said, “Divgi and Bhalavat have been instrumental in helping us meet the challenges of plastics manufacturing customers throughout the growing Indian COLLABORATION

DSM working with Indian agency on auto development Among the world’s leading engineering plastics group, DSM and the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) are working on a long-term alliance for automotive developments in India. ARAI is a co-operative industrial research association established by the automotive industry and Ministry of Industries, Government of India.The alliance will provide sustainable solutions for the automotive industry through the shared knowledge of both companies in understanding industry requirements and their interaction with applications and materials. Ojas Mehta, Marketing Manager, DSM SUSTAINABILITY

India working on recycling infrastructure India needs to work on improving waste management and recycling policies for plastics, say the country’s industry leaders. Speaking at the PlastAvenues Summit in Mumbai,

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

Growth in India’s PVC imports

Engineering Plastics India Pvt Ltd, said, “The alliance would develop plastic components for the engine and power transmission for the passenger car vehicles. Some of the key areas for automotive sector the alliance is working on are decreasing the weight of the vehicle, friction reduction and improving fuel economy.” ARAI will contribute expertise in automotive testing equipments, systems knowledge, and standards for four, three and two wheelers. For ARAI, vehicle weight reduction is a key area to address fuel consumption and emission concerns. DSM is also working with Tier 1 suppliers in the Indian automotive industry on interior, exterior and powertrain applications.

At the Vinyls-India 2011 conference in Mumbai, it was observed that the outlook for Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) in India is surging ahead. India’s per-capita consumption of PVC is only 1.7kg as against 13.4 kg in the US, 9.2kg in China, 6.5kg in Malaysia and 4.5kg in Brazil, pointed out S Gopal, Managing Director, Chemplast Sanmar. The key drivers will be agriculture, healthcare, housing and water management. The infrastructure sector is estimated to draw in nearly $100 billion in investment in 2011. Additionally, the government plans to spend $16 billion in the agricultural sector in 2011 while $15 billion has been allocated for rural and urban housing development. Pipes and fittings account for 71 per cent of India’s PVC consumption of 1.87 million tonne. This will continue to be a major end-user as the Indian pipe market is estimated at 4.7 million tonne of which plastics accounts for 1.7 million tonne with the rest being steel, cement and iron. Among the different plastic pipes, PVC has a dominant share of 86 per cent, followed by polyethylene (12 per cent). So it looks like India will continue to import large volumes of PVC for the next few years. Nearly 650,000 tonne of suspension grade was imported during 2010-11; about 35 per cent of total demand.

leaders said plastics have suffered from being identified with pollution and litter rather than on being useful products. Vijay Merchant, Vice President, Indian Plastics Institute, said, “Solid waste management rules were passed in 2000, therefore, there is a proper policy framework in place. But implementation and enforcement is not as good as it is in the West or in countries like Germany, Dubai or Singapore.” India’s plastics recycling sector accounts for about $2 billion in annual

revenue, employs more than 3 million people and handles between 2.5 million and 3 million metric tons of material annually. Small recyclers also tend to discharge effluent into drains and small rivers, pointing to a need for larger plants, or clusters of plants, with improved technology. The PlastIndia Foundation is working on a project that may help with those problems. It plans to set up model plastics recycling plants that can demonstrate the economic and technological viability of recycling.

(L-R): Shirish Divgi, Vinod Bhalavat

marketplace. Their promotions put both of them in a position to accelerate that success.” As COO, Divgi will be responsible for operations, engineering, sales & marketing. He will report directly to Jay Woerner, Vice President, India Operations, Milacron Plastics Machinery. As CFO, Bhalavat will assume responsibility for finance, human resources and information technology. He will report directly to John Francy, Milacron LLC Chief Financial Officer.

NATIONAL NEWS REGULATION

INDUSTRY BOOST

Centre tells Assam to promote plastic sector

Plastic makers oppose ‘discriminatory’ BMC green tax

The All India Plastics Manufacturers’ Association (AIPMA) has opposed the ‘green tax’ that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to impose on plastic manufacturers. The association has written a letter to Mumbai Mayor Shraddha Jadhav, in which it has termed the proposed

tax as ‘discriminatory’. The AIPMA also pointed out the the civic body’s solid waste management department and citizens’ littering habits, stemming from a lack of civic sense. The proposed plan by BMC states that the plastics manufacturer will have to recollect the plastic product and dispose it at its own expense. If the manufacturer presents a disposal plan, it may get a concession. The tax would be collected by the sales tax department and then deposited to the BMC. According to the AIPMA, plastic is a versatile material that is used extensively in almost each and every industry. It further argued that its members are small-scale entrepreneurs and are already burdened with a lot of other taxes. EXPANSION

Finolex to start PVC plant at Vadodara by March Pune-based PVC pipe maker, Finolex Industries will start production at its new facility near Vadodara, Gujarat. Finolex has an outlay of ` 100 crore for the plant, which will be able to produce 50,000 tonne per annum (tpa) of PVC pipes and fittings. In December 2010, the company had said it would start the unit in two years after construction begins. Finolex has two PVC pipe making units in Ratnagiri and Pune, with a combined production capacity of 140,000 tpa. It also has a PVC resin manufacturing facility at Ratnagiri with a capacity of 260,000 tpa. The company is now planning to start making chlorinated PVC (CPVC) pipes, which are used in hot water transportation. About 80 per cent of Finolex’s pipes goes to agriculture. P Subramaniam, Additional MD and Chief Financial Officer, Finolex Industries, said, “We should do over ` 2,000 crore (of revenue) in this year and should grow at about 20 per cent this fiscal. During the previous four years, sales of pipes and fittings increased 147 per cent, while all other segments (PVC resin and chemicals) at Finolex Industries grew only 62 per cent.”

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has asked Government of Assam to initiate steps to promote plastic processing industry in the North Eastern region to boost the prospect of downstream industries. This comes in the light of implementation delay of the Gas Cracker Project in the State. The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC) has asked the Assam Government to initiate necessary action for organising an exhibition for promotion of downstream plastic processing industries in the North East. The Monitoring Committee meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has decided that the next exhibition for promotion of plastic processing industries should be held in Dibrugarh. The North East International Plasto Fair held last year was organised at Guwahati by the Government of Assam in coordination with the DCPC and industry associations. The outcome of this was found to be encouraging with local entrepreneurs showing interest in setting up plastic process industries as a result of the exhibition. The feedback also formed part of the deliberations held in the monitoring committee meeting on the implementation of the Gas cracker Project held in the State. According to the latest revision, the Assam Gas Cracker Project is now likely to be completed by the end of 2013 and cost has escalated to over ` 9,000 crore from ` 5,460 crore.

CONFERENCE

Polymerupdate Conference highlights emerging trends The Polymerupdate Global Petrochemical Conference (PGPC) on engineering & high performance plastics was the perfect meeting place for decision makers of leading companies to showcase innovative technologies and market trends. The one day session had presentations on the latest industrial developments and the supply-demand scenario in key sectors like automotives and electricals. The conference was attended by over a hundred delegates from all across Asia. Industry speakers from Borouge, Arkema, Bayer Material Science, SABIC and others presented their papers at the event. A combination of strategic, technical, market and commercial presentations were provided

to the delegates with the latest developments on the global engineering plastics industry. The delegates had an opportunity to learn from key market players about recent product innovation & applications, ways to improve efficiency and productivity and future drivers. PGPC 2011 had a very broad representation of senior professionals and participants from all segments of the plastics industry, including upstream energy and petrochemical producers, resin distributors, downstream processors, OEMs and traders. This conference raised crucial debates on issues of sustainability versus commercial viability of various technologies in the pipeline.

ASIA NEWS PARTNERSHIP

Solvay names Link Upon as Far East Ultra polymers Distributor

Solvay Advanced Polymers, LLC, has named Link Upon Advanced Material Corp, Taipei, Taiwan, as an authorised distributor for KetaSpire® Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and AvaSpire® Polyaryletherketone (PAEK) resins in the Far East. Effective April 1, Link Upon will handle distribution INVESTMENT

IPIC seeks to bring Nova Chemicals to Abu Dhabi

International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) is in the quest to bring Nova Chemicals to Abu Dhabi, as it has shifted focus to the domestic petrochemical industry. Abu Dhabi will be investing $20 billion (Dh73.45 bn) in petrochemicals to build a chemical city in the Western Region, which would be named ChemaWEyaat. The aim is to add value to the oil & gas industries and diversify the structure of the economy. IPIC is a 40 per NEW FACILITY

Arkema brings its new Kynar PVDF production plant in Changshu Arkema now boasts of significant Vinylidene Fluoride (VF2) and Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) production resources in three continents – Europe, North America and Asia – and can thus provide superior service to its customers in each region. In accordance with the group’s growth strategy in emerging countries, the new plant dedicated to production of Kynar and VF2 monomer, 26

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

of these ultra-performance polymers in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China. A leading supplier of highperformance engineering thermoplastics, Link Upon has a broad range of processing expertise in injection moulding, extrusion, machining, assembly and product & mould design. The distribution agreement further expands Solvay’s existing business relationship as a direct supplier of KetaSpire® PEEK and AvaSpire® PAEK resins to Link Upon for demanding applications. “We are excited to announce this extension of our partnership with Link Upon, a company with strong technical depth and great market awareness in industries with extreme performance requirements,” said Chris Wilson, Vice President - Ultra Polymers Business, Solvay Advanced Polymers. cent shareholder in ChemaWEyaat, and also owns several other ventures including Nova Chemicals in Canada, which it bought in July 2009, and a 64 per cent stake in Borealis, a chemicals company based in Austria. IPIC plans to consolidate Nova and Borealis. “In the near term, we are looking to consolidate the two companies together and bring Nova to Abu Dhabi to work on some projects with Adnoc [the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company] and ChemaWEyaat,” said Al Qubaisi, Managing Director, IPIC. based in Changshu and fitted with the latest equipment, is boosting Arkema’s position in Asia. This plant helps in the growth of Asian customers, and responds better to global demand for PVDF in applications ranging from highperformance industrial coatings, offshore

DEMAND SURGE

PBT

market

revival

Demand for engineered plastics such as Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) is largely dependent on the growth trends in key end-use industries such as automotive, electrical & electronics and consumer appliances. One of the main factors affecting the engineered plastics market is the level and rate of replacement of traditional materials. In developed countries, significant conversion has been noted from metal to engineered plastics in almost all key industries. In developing countries, however, there is gross underutilisation of the material, with per capita consumption level of less than half kilogram in some Asia-Pacific countries, as per Global Industry Analysts Inc. PBT is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic performanceengineering polymer popularly known as Polytetramethylene Terephthalate (PTMT). The compound features exceptional dimensional precision, thermal stability, moulding stability and superior electrical characteristics and entails high heat-resistant & superior electrical insulation properties. Automotive engineering is an expanding application area for PBT. Usage of PBT enables reducing cost and weight of the car by finding application in carrier units, water pump impellers, sparkplug connectors, throttle valve housing, ignition distributors, mounting boxes for truck intercoolers and equipment boxes. and chemical engineering markets to emerging sectors like lithium-ion batteries & photovoltaic panels. Arkema has announced speeding up the extension of this new plant by additional 50 per cent capacity. This increase should come into effect by mid-2012. “The startup of a worldscale plant in the fast-growing sector of fluorinated polymers positions us in all regions of the world so we can assist our customers in their growth by providing local service and high-quality offerings,” said Erwoan Pezron, Global Director of Arkema’s fluorinated polymer business.

ASIA NEWS COLLABORATION

SIIG, Petrochem plan to merge, and build a Petrochem complex by 2012

Saudi Industrial Investment Group (SIIG) currently owns 50 per cent of National Petrochemical Co (Petrochem) and produces about 1.3 million tonne (MT) of petrochemical products. A potential merger, expected to complete in nine months, will create the third-largest petrochemical firm in Saudi Arabia after Saudi Basic NEW MARKET

Asia Polymer Corp to invest in EVA plant in Kaohsiung County Asia Polymer Corp. (member of USI Far East Group) plans to increase the output of the high-margin Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA). The company plans to invest NT$4-5 billion to build a new plant in Kaohsiung County, with annual capacity of 120,000 tonne, as per CENS report. Taiwan’s sixth naphtha cracker is scheduled for completion in CAPACITY REDUCTION

SBR, SBS turnaround, run cuts to pressurise Asian butadiene in H2 Asian butadiene prices face downward pressure over the second quarter, as several producers of downstream

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

Industries (Sabic) and Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co. SIIG has a market value of around $3 billion and Petrochem is valued at $2.9 billion, according to Reuters’ data. “It does not make sense for us to have too many companies, so we want to merge the two. We are in the process of soliciting offers from banks and then discuss and nominate consultants,” said Suleiman alMandeel, Managing Director, Saudi Industrial Investment Group. ‘This will require six to nine months, if everyone agrees – ie, the shareholders and capital market authority,” he said. SIIG expects production to rise to 6 MT after Petrochem’s $5.4 billion joint venture with Chevron Phillips – Saudi Polymers – starts production in the fourth quarter. the beginning of 2013 by the state-run CPC Corp. Asia Polymer can generate another NT$10 billion in annual sales based on the current average selling price of EVA. Institutional investors say foam-grade EVA sells at $2,900 with gross profit reaching $1,400 per metric tonne. Strong demand from China’s downstream industry has propped average selling price of EVA since H2-10 by 70 per cent to between $2850-2950 from the earlier $1700/ tonne.

products will shut their plants for planned maintenance or reduce run rates. The main feedstocks for SBR are butadiene (60 per cent) and styrene (30 per cent). In China, Lanzhou Petrochemical plans to shut its 100,000 tpa styrene butadiene rubber at Lanzhou, Gansu province, from April 15 to May 3, for scheduled maintenance. Shanghai Gaoqiao Petrochemical plans to shut its 100,000 tpa SBR plant at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park in Caojing in May for about a month.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Players brace for another month of major hikes in PVC, VCM in Asia Players in Asia’s PVC markets are preparing for another m o n t h of steep increases in PVC and VCM prices, with a South Korean producer quotes higher May import offers to China, as per Chemorbis. Persistently limited VCM availability with higher costs was cited as the major reasons for the ongoing increases in PVC prices. Spot VCM deals for April were concluded towards the end of March with increases of $60/tonne from March done deal levels. As availability of VCM from Japan – Asia’s largest VCM producer – remains limited and upstream energy costs have been gaining over the past two weeks, most players expect to see higher initial May offers for VCM, although no clear sell ideas have been reported yet. Upstream, crude oil futures on the NYMEX have gained nearly $5/barrel from the start of the month to surpass the $112/barrel threshold while spot naphtha prices on the basis of CFR Japan are up more than $50/tonne since the start of the month. Both crude oil and naphtha prices are currently trading at their highest levels since the summer of 2008.

In South Korea, Kumho Petrochemical plans to cut production rates at its styrene-butadiene-styrene/thermoplastic elastomer plant at Yeosu, from 85-90 per cent in April to about 50 per cent in May, and its design capacity of 70,000 tpa on poor margins. As a result, about 3,000 million tonne/month of butadiene feedstock will free up. In Taiwan, Lee Chang Yung Chemical Corp. is operating its TPE plant at Kaohsiung at about 90 per cent of its design capacity of 140,000 tpa.

ASIA NEWS PRICE HIKE

Styrene prices surge in Asia Spot styrene prices in Asia and Europe mostly tracked a downward trend in March. But, this trend reversed with firmer prices seen at the beginning of April, in line with bullish developments in the upstream markets, pulling oil and, subsequently, benzene prices higher. In Asia, spot styrene prices lost ground by $105/tonne during March before they started to recover in April. Within a week’s time in April, spot styrene prices gained $60/tonne on FOB Korea basis causing players to adopt a more positive outlook on the styrene market’s direction. Bullish upstream developments and optimistic outlook regarding China’s EPS market contributed to this recovery. Oil prices reached two and a half year high in April, as they surpassed the $110/bbl threshold. The major driver of the strong oil prices are worries about crude oil supplies, as players are concerned that the ongoing political turmoil in Libya might spread to other oil-exporting countries amid declining output from Libya. Meanwhile, spot benzene prices, supported by higher oil prices and strong buying interest, recorded $35/tonne increases since the beginning of April and propped up the styrene market in Asia.

EXPORT REVERSAL

Trade reversal as Middle East ships 150,000 tonne naphtha to West In a rare reversal of usual arbitrage flows, the Middle East will export three naphtha cargoes of approximately 150,000 tonne to the West (Europe and the US), instead of sending to East (Asia). This is because European naphtha prices have flipped to a premium at Asian levels. Two vessels carrying about 60,000 tonne each were booked from the Arabian Gulf to travel to the West, while a third cargo was expected in Europe through the Suez Canal. BP Plc was reported to have booked one of the 55,000-60,000 tonne cargoes for US traders; while the destination of the second vessel was unclear, it was bound for the US market. This flow of cargo from the Middle East to the West instead of Asia could go on, if refinery maintenance and strong demand from the US and Brazil continue to support European markets. Demand in Asia is weakening, although JX Nippon Oil and Maruzen have restarted their crackers. Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp’s Kashima units are two still offline crackers – with a total nameplate capacity of 851,000 tpa –using around 52,000 tonne of naphtha demand per week.

May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

WORLD NEWS

ACTIVITY INTEGRATION

Solvay Specialty Polymers is now a global business unit Solvay Advanced Polymers, Solvay Padanaplast, Solvay Solexis and SolVin PVDC are integrating their activities under a single, global business enterprise – Solvay Specialty Polymers. The Global Business Unit, a specialty unit of Solvay Group, which represents about 15 per cent of the Group’s total sales (about EUR 1.1 billion) in 2010, will leverage the strengths from each business to secure its position as benchmark for discovering, developing and delivering high-performance specialty polymers that meet the challenges facing the society, today and in future. Headquartered in Bollate, Italy, it employs over 2,500 people across 26 locations in North & South America, Asia and Europe. “Looking at the future, we expect the global highperformance specialty polymers market to continue presenting complex challenges and opportunities,” said Augusto Di Donfrancesco, General Manager, Solvay Specialty Polymers. Solvay Specialty Polymers has a strong global manufacturing & supply chain capability, and leverages global Research, Development and Technology (RD&T) expertise to innovate and meet customer needs. EXPANSION

SPI expands NPE2012 to include all three halls at the Orlando venue With a year to go before the start of the NPE2012 international plastics exposition, exhibit sales are equivalent to 98 per cent of the total occupied space at the last NPE in 2009. The organisers are confident of exceeding this total further. This was announced by SPI – The Plastics Industry Trade Association, which produces the triennial event. NPE2012 SALES AGREEMENT

Polyshot to sell Plasel’s unique injection moulded mould cavities in North America Polyshot Corp, a leading manufacturer of hot-runner systems, entered into a distribution agreement with Plasel Mold of Lavon, Israel, to sell Plasel’s novel injection moulded mould cavities in North America. Plasel has developed 30

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

INNOVATION

SABIC Innovative Plastics flies high with breakthrough materials solutions

SABIC Innovative Plastics is highlighting high-performance thermoplastic resin, sheet, foam and composite solutions that help aviation customers meet critical challenges of weightout, regulatory compliance and sustainability, while enhancing the flying experience. These products, together with the company’s extended portfolio of advanced material technologies, are helping global aircraft Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) reduce weight by up to 50 per cent, which can conserve

fuel and lower emissions, meet tough Flame-Smoke-Toxicity (FST) regulations, reduce overall system costs and enhance safety and comfort of cabin environment. SABIC’s growing array of products reinforces the company’s leadership as a global supplier to the aviation sector and demonstrates the transformative power of high-performance plastics. “Global aerospace OEMs and tiers need compliant, safe and fuel-efficient solutions to costeffectively design and manufacture next-generation aircraft. Our expertise and commitment to work side-by-side with our aerospace customers enables us to help meet these challenges. Our continuous investment to expand capacity and develop newer, better advanced materials solutions will help drive longterm customer success,” said Jack Govers, General Manager, Specialty Film & Sheet, SABIC Innovative Plastics.

is scheduled for April 1-5, 2012, at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), Orlando, Florida. Thus far, 862 exhibiting companies have purchased 761,225 sq ft (70,720 sq m) of space. As a result of the surge in sales, SPI has expanded the show into the North Hall of the OCCC, in addition to West and South Halls. The three halls constitute

the entire available exhibit space at the OCCC. “Many exhibitors are taking bigger booths than they did at our 2009 show in Chicago and plan to operate more equipment on the show floor,” said Gene Sanders, Senior Vice President – SPI, and in charge of trade shows. “They feel that the lower cost of exhibiting in Orlando has enabled them to invest in more space, along with simpler logistics and work rules that encouraged them to bring more machinery, he added.”

a unique injection moulding process using Powered Metal Technology (PMT) to produce precision mould cavities for high-cavitation injection moulded applications. “This is a game-changing technology for the mould making industry and we are excited about our partnership with Plasel,” said Doug Hepler, President, Polyshot Corp. High-cavitation moulds (typically 32

cavities and larger) are being targeted for injection moulded medical and consumer products. It allows PMT duplication from a master mould, guaranteeing that all cavities are precisely the same, regardless of volume or date of manufacture. Due to the extremely precise cavity replication, tolerances of up to 15 microns are achievable, depending on cavity size and configuration.

WORLD NEWS PARTNERSHIP

Songwon appoints Bodo Möller Chimica Italia Srl as new distribution partner for Italy

NEW COLOURANTS

Songwon, a global leader in manufacture and delivery of additives for the plastics industry, and Bodo Möller Chimica Italia Srl have entered into a distribution agreement for market development and sales of the Songwon portfolio of products in Italy. The new partnership, effective from April 15, 2011, aims to strengthen the position of Songwon in the Italian market. Bodo Möller Chimica Italia Srl is part of Bodo Möller Chemie, one of the leading distributors of specialty chemical products and bonding solutions in Europe. It has over 35 years of experience in the chemicals and technical materials markets. Frank Haug, Managing Director, Bodo Möller Chemie, commented, “Songwon’s range of materials perfectly fits our offering and will enable us to bring sound solutions to the Italian market. Our extensive customer network and knowledge of the Italian market will simplify business and help Songwon to reach a larger customer base.” CAPACITY EXPANSION

AkzoNobel invests €30 million to meet demand for Expancel AkzoNobel is boosting capacity in Sweden for its Expancel expandable microspheres to meet growing global demand. Used as a blowing agent or lightweight filler, the Expancel product line continues to evolve and find new applications in markets such as thermoplastics, printing inks, coatings as well as paper and board.

SABIC Innovative Plastics launches Expression 2012 Palette SABIC Innovative Plastics has unveiled its new Expression 2012 palette, the company’s fifth annual portfolio of eyecatching resin colours and special effects to inspire designers and give customers new ways to differentiate their products from the competition. The colour palette is created based on the ColorXpress Europe’s research in the latest industry colour trends. It features brilliant new colours such as retro hues of fuchsia, teal & orange and versatile neutrals. The colourful new palette can be used in a range of SABIC Innovative Plastics resin technologies,

The extra capacity – scheduled to come on stream in early 2012 – will be added at the company’s site in Stockvik. Part of the investment will be used to further improve eco-efficiency at the facility and implement additional upgrades. “This is a significant investment in organic growth, which underlines our commitment to seize opportunities in established markets and contribute to the company’s accelerated growth agenda,” explained Rob Frohn, Member, AkzoNobel Executive

Committee, who is responsible for Specialty Chemicals. Ruud Joosten, Managing Director - Pulp & Paper Chemicals business, AkzoNobel, added, “As we continue to find new applications for Expancel, we are becoming more competitive in the market, and hence the need to increase capacity. Strong worldwide demand is also forecast to intensify in the years ahead, so we will be well positioned to establish ourselves in new markets when opportunities arise.”

product quality in the European market. This business decision allows Klöckner Pentaplast to optimise capacity and streamline production processes for the

shrink-label films, food, thermoforming, boxmaking, adhesive tape and decorative surfaces business segments. “Klöckner Pentaplast is committed to servicing the needs of the European market with high-quality film, service and support,” commented Hans-Joachim Kogelnik, President and COO, Klöckner Pentaplast, Europe. He added, “This strategy will help us remain competitive in today’s challenging business environment and position us well for the future.”

INVESTMENT

Klöckner Pentaplast Group launches new manufacturing equipment for Europe The Klöckner Pentaplast Group has announced the launch of the company’s new state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment and technology at its two facilities – Montabaur, Germany, and Santo Tirso, Portugal. The €40 million investment will further enhance the company’s production capabilities and 34

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

including Lexan* and Cycoloy* resins, answering customers’ calls for better, longer lasting and efficient materials. The new Expression 2012 colour palette features in-surface decoration – a sustainable, directdecoration colourising process that works by enabling watersoluble colourants to soak into a resin to eliminate the need for paint. The in-surface decoration in combination with SABIC Innovative Plastics’ materials makes the colour palette fully recyclable.

WORLD NEWS ACQUISITION

PRODUCTION ORDER

Britton Flexibles bought by private investment firm Private investment firm Sun European Partners has purchased Britton Flexibles,has adding to its packaging holdings. UK-based Britton is one of Europe’s largest polyethylene film producers. The company has been owned by HSBC Private Equity since a 2008 management buyout. Britton specialises in flexible packaging, with extrusion, printing, lamination and conversion capabilities. It has three plants in northern England producing cereal liner film, printed shrink wrap, banking coin bags and other products. Mike Clark, Chief Executive, Britton, informed that ownership by Sun European Partners will offer significant synergies to the firm. Philippe Neuschaefer, Vice President, Sun European Partners, said that in the past year alone, the affiliates of his firm have completed over half a dozen acquisitions in the packaging industry in Europe and the US. GOLDEN JUBILEE

Arburg celebrates 50 years of being an allrounder The Allrounder principle was invented by Karl Hehl 50 years ago. The solution devised by the Swabian entrepreneur and innovator was as clever as it was simple: A rotation point with a screw gear drive and equal-axis distances enabled both horizontal and vertical arrangement of clamping and injection units. By breaking off from the principle of a rigid construction, more flexible working suddenly became possible. In addition to injection moulding, the PRICE STABILITY

Italy’s spot PVC market stabilises

After three consecutive months of rising prices, local PVC prices in Italy have stabilised in April due to growing resistance from buyers. Complaining about continuously rising local prices, many converters had shown an interest in alternative supply sources for the 36

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

Wittmann Battenfeld supplies four injection moulding machines to Veggoplast Veggoplast, a Wittmann Battenfeld customer of long-standing, based in Volpiano, Turin, currently operates 28 Battenfeld injection moulding machines with clamping forces in the range of 35-350 t. In February, Wittmann Battenfeld received an order from Veggoplast for another four machines. The machines on order from Veggoplast are toggle machines of TM series with 110 t clamping force. The machines are equipped with W702 robots and MAS2 granulators from Wittmann. Another feature of the machines is the UNILOG B6 control system, which offers uniform control

and operation concept for easy handling of injection moulding machines, including all integrated peripheral equipment. The control system, running under Windows XP®, facilitates integration of machines in PDA systems, in Internet-based service support systems. Veggoplast – a popular partner of automotive suppliers Veggoplast specialises in just-in-time production of critical components for the automotive industry, especially fastening elements. “Its streamlined planning of machine capacity, efficient workflow and excellent customer orientation have made Veggoplast a fast-growing, reliable partner to the automotive industry,” said, Oscar Veggo, General Manager, Veggoplast.

hydraulic allrounder’s capabilities also extend to blow moulding and extrusion and was able to process thermoplastics, elastomers and thermosets. Due to the possibility of combining a horizontal and vertical injection unit, the innovative Arburg solution paved the way for multicomponent injection moulding as well. Over the years, the ‘do-it-all’ machines were transformed into customised products. Today, customers receive a solution tailored to their specific requirements for all injection moulding processes and sectors. The advantages of this Allrounder philosophy to customers were

demonstrated in the Technology Days. Over 40 hydraulic, hybrid & electric machines and a comprehensive range of applications provided impressive evidence that the modular Allrounder range always provides optimal customerspecific solutions.

past several months while keeping local purchases restricted. As the high season for PVC applications has just begun, buyers are reporting that demand for their end-products is only at a normal level for now. European PVC offers in Turkey’s import market for the past several weeks at prices close to the lower end of the Italian market, which confirm weak market conditions in Italy. A small

increase of €10/tonne posted in April, in ethylene contracts and comfortable regional supplies encouraged buyers to push for stable prices in the next month. Supply in Italy has also witnessed the return of Ineos, which is back in the Italian market after the end of an agreement not to sell in Italy for a certain period following the sale of local PVC plants to Vinyls Italia.

TECH UPDATES

Micropen applies conductive features to Solvay’s Radel® PPSU Micropen Technologies Corp has successfully used its unique Micropenning® direct printing process to apply patterned conductive and dielectric thick film coatings onto a disposable medical device component made from Radel® polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) resin from Solvay Advanced Polymers, LLC. It was critical that the disposable component, part of a unique spinal therapy system, form a conductive electrode that was highly reliable electrically as well as mechanically. The mix of Radel® PPSU and Micropenning® technology gives medical device Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) innovative option over traditional metal and plastic solutions to build electrically conductive features onto complex parts. “We subjected the Radel® PPSU component to considerable chemical abuse and high heat, and the material maintained its mechanical properties that were critical to the application,” said Dr William Grande, Vice President - Research and Business Development, Micropen Technologies. He noted that the project team had tested and rejected various materials before examining PPSU. “We had never worked with sulfone polymers before, but Radel® provided excellent film adhesion and biocompatibility,” added Dr Grande.

Welex Inc commercialises new extrusion system for multi-coloured sheets Welex Inc’s new custom nine-extruder, five-layer sheet extrusion system for the production of multi-coloured striped sheets for thermoformed yoghurt cups is one of the most innovative and sophisticated packaging sheet lines on the market. The novel system, built for a leading European custom sheet manufacturer, is expected to commence production the next month. Multi-coloured striped yoghurt containers are a big market in Europe, and Welex’s innovative system broadens the capabilities for thermoformers of these form, fill and seal containers. “This system is one of our most ambitious projects and sets a new mark for the number of extruders on one die,” said Wayne Lewis, President, Welex. He added, “It significantly elevates the capabilities of sheet makers and packaging companies.” These can be configured to provide virtually unlimited multiple stripe-and-layer combinations.

Conair develops insulated, high-heat blenders for PET processors Producers of PET sheet, strapping and other products that incorporate high levels of recycled polyester plastics can realise significant energy savings and productivity benefits by using a new fully insulated gravimetric blender from Conair. The new high-heat TrueBlend™ blender allows processors to keep recycled and virgin materials separate until just before they are fed to an extruder or moulding machine. This approach yields several distinct advantages:

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

A problem in one material stream (eg, contamination in recycled PET) need not shut down the entire production line. Blended virgin pellets and regrind fluff, which have significantly different bulk densities and flow characteristics, reach the machine feed throat faster and have less

New improved hot runner temperature controller for rapid returns A new modular controller for hot runner systems yields an early return on investment by helping moulders to increase productivity and reduce maintenance, scrap generation and peak energy demand. Designed to control up to 24 zones, the ion series system makes it possible to save a large fraction of its initial cost by virtue of its accuracy and operator-friendliness, according to Sean Rainsford, Director of Sales. Key features of this system include a user interface that is easy to navigate and PID software that takes temperature readings 30 times per second, using that data to maintain temperatures within narrow tolerances. “The Fast Heat software in the Ion Series controller removes many of the variables inherent with standard modular controllers. Also, the operator interface is designed such that one is never more than one click away from the main screen,” said Rainsford. He added, “This new system works largely behind the scenes, enabling users to set it and forget it.”

opportunity to re-separate during conveying. By not allowing the heat input during desiccant drying to dissipate while blending, less energy needs to be added during final processing. Responding to environmental concerns, companies are using ever greater volumes of postindustrial and post-consumer recycled PET, particularly in sheet that are commonly thermoformed into yoghurt cups and other disposable food containers. Makers of polyester strapping, used in packaging and material handling, are also heavy users of recycled PET.

TECH UPDATES

Stormwater and drainage pipes made from recycled plastic The Green Pipe is widely recognised as a cost-effective and environment-friendly alternative for stormwater and drainage systems. Approved and used by councils throughout Australia for stormwater and sewage re-use systems, the Green Pipe provides a real opportunity for Government and non-government organisations to promote their green credentials. Their willingness to use quality, recycled products as an alternative to conventional virgin products is widely recognised. Ease of handling solves many difficult access issues and, at the same time, reduces machinery requirements. Also, ease of installation will substantially reduce costs for all drainage projects. The fully installed and lifecycle cost is lower than that of comparable products for most applications. These are manufactured in 6-m lengths, creating fewer joints during installation, improving laying rates and minimising potential leakage points. The Green Pipe is tough and is not affected even by soil with very high acidity; hence, once installed, it will last indefinitely. This pipe can easily be cut using a chainsaw, circular saw or angle grinder.

Bioengineers produce plastics without using fossil fuels A team of pioneering South Korean scientists has succeeded in producing the polymers used for everyday plastics through bioengineering, rather than using fossil fuel-based chemicals. This groundbreaking research, which may now allow for the production of environment conscious plastics, is published in the journal Biotechnology and Bioengineering. Polymers are molecules found in everyday life in the form of plastics and rubbers. The team from KAIST University and Korean chemical company LG Chem, led by Professor Sang Yup Lee, focussed their research on Polylactic Acid (PLA), a bio-based polymer, which holds the key to producing plastics through natural and renewable resources. “Polyesters and other polymers that we use everyday are mostly derived from fossil fuels produced by the refinery or chemical process,” said Professor Sang Yup Lee, KAIST University. He added, “The idea of producing polymers from renewable biomass has attracted much attention due to the increasing concerns of environmental problems and the limited nature of fossil resources. PLA is considered a good alternative to petroleum-based plastics, as it is biodegradable and has a low toxicity to humans.”

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

ABB robot-based technology for plastics industry ABB, the global power and automation technologies group has offered robots and support products dedicated to increasing manufacturing efficiency in the plastics industry. Heading the line-up is ABB’s latest six-axis robot, the IRB 1600, which was launched in the UK at Interplas 2005. Specially designed for fast and accurate handling operations across a diverse range of industrial tasks, the IRB 1600 is a backwardbending, steam-washable robot, with optional IP 67 classification. It is available in four versions, with a reach of 1.2 m or 1.45 m, and payload of 5 or 7 kg. Its high payload makes IRB 1600 the strongest robot on the market in its class. Perfect for tending small- to medium-sized injection moulding machines, the IRB 1600’s combination of ABB motion control and powerful servo motors results in the shortest cycle times of any robot in its class. This gives a distinct advantage to producers wanting to improve cycle times in loading & unloading injection moulding machines with sizes 100-250 tonne.

Android smartphone with a solar panel by Umeox Here is good news for smartphone users who do not have access to continuous power supply. Umeox, a Chinese handset maker, has showcased its solar powered Android smartphone called Apollo at the recently concluded Mobile World Congress 2011. It has announced that it will ship the phone to India and other European, African and Asian countries by May 2011. The phone will cost less than $100 (`4,500). It requires 2 hours and 30 minutes of sun exposure to charge the phone’s battery if it is not entirely drained. A full recharge, however, will take 17 hours of sun exposure. The phone has a 3.2-inch touchscreen with 320 x 480 pixel resolution and 1 GB internal storage, which is expandable using a micro SD card. It has an FM Radio, a 3-mega pixel rear camera, 3.5-mm audio jack and Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP. Phones made by Umeox have been available in India for quite some time, but have not been very successful. However, it is expected that Apollo will change the company’s fortunes in this electricity-starved country.

MPP May 2011 Ad Name: Alok Pg No. 31

MPP May 2011 Ad Name: Aromac Pg No. 32

LEADERS SPEAK

“Indian processors are demanding better quality to match global standards” ….says Ramesh Dumbre, Vice President - Marketing, Plastiblends India Ltd. In this exclusive interview with Annabel Dsouza, he shares his experience and insights gained over 22 years in the pigment processing and formulations industry. Here, he highlights the growth potential in the masterbatch segment, while also revealing future strategies for the industry. Current market dynamics Commodity plastics mainly account for growth of the plastics industry in India. The demand is driven by the use of polymers for manufacturing white goods and furniture, packaging materials, water irrigation pipes, materials for road building, communication cables, power cables, railways and automotives. The per capita consumption of plastics in India is 5 kg as compared to the much higher use in advanced markets such as the US, where it is more than 100 kg. Even in developing markets such as China, the use of plastics is six times higher than that in India. These figures indicate the beginning of our ascent towards new heights. Polymer use in automotive and engineering machinery manufacturing segments is expected to grow substantially as a result of extreme volatility in metal prices and versatility in the use of polymer processing. Natural resources are becoming scarcer, thus triggering a need for replacement products. The use of engineering polymers as the only viable alternative is bound to rise substantially in the near future. Metal part replacement applications are some of the key areas for use of performance polymers. We are working on various aspects of these polymers in areas such as improvement in their properties, eg, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polypropylene (PP), Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), by offering additive masterbatches. Growth potential of India’s masterbatches industry The global market for engineering plastics is projected to grow at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.5 per cent over the next 10 years. Additive masterbatches are critical to the growth of performance polymers. For the past few years, volume growth of masterbatches has been above 25 per cent, with better topline growth numbers, as we are focussing mainly on innovative products. This growth will further accelerate with improved per capita income and increased spending by India’s rapidly growing middle class.

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

LEADERS SPEAK

The key growth drivers are as follows: Packaging industry growth mainly triggered by development of organised retail marketing Drip irrigation, agricultural mulch films and greenhouse films Booming automotive industry in India Construction materials required for huge infrastructure building activities, sports stadiums, etc Increased demand for furniture and white goods Communication equipment and power cables Recent innovations and their impact on the industry In terms of product development, we are trying to bridge the gap between developed and developing markets by working closely with upstream suppliers who are market leaders in product development. Following are the recently introduced products: Antimicrobial masterbatches for healthcare products Oxo-biodegradable masterbatches for packaging segment Nucleating and clarifying agents to improve PP performance properties and reduce process cycle times Fire retardant masterbatches to make plastics safer for use Non-toxic material such as heavy metal & chemical-free, noncarcinogenic masterbatches to make plastics safe for food contact and pharma use Considering the current growth of the automotive industry and its long-term prospects of even higher growth, we are now focussing our efforts towards offering competent alternatives against established competitors. Most of the additive/masterbatch products for pharmaceutical or medical markets are currently imported from suppliers in developed countries. However, with technology development on home turf, this market is expected to rapidly grow in India in 3-4 years. Plastiblends supplies about 300

masterbatches of various types for food packaging purposes, which meet the stringent plastics-in-food-contact regulations. And we are comfortably placed in this segment. Indian processorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; response to highend polymer solutions vis-Ă -vis the cost factor Indian processors are now demanding better quality to match global standards. Masterbatch suppliers are now offering most products that are tailored to customer needs; thus, customers are now more open to trying out new products and solutions. This encourages us to continue our research and innovation activities. Plastiblends now has 700+ colour masterbatches and more than 100 grades under various additive masterbatch types as well as a range of white and black masterbatches. Our range of PET fibre and masterbatches for PET extrusion products has proved highly successful for one of the most demanding polymer segments in India as well as our overseas clients. The industry is currently witnessing several global innovations available from domestic suppliers at cost-effective prices. Initiatives towards sustainability and waste reduction Polymers are non-volatile substances and most polymers can be processed more than once. This avoids generation of solid as well as gaseous wastes. We make special efforts to control dust and air pollution. However, growing environmental concerns at the processing level are forcing us to build on more sustainable solutions available from peers in developed countries. Challenges faced and the countermeasures adopted Currently, this industry is fragmented & unorganised and most of the units have localised presence; hence, we are not well equipped to face manipulation from market forces. As a downstream

user, it depends on polymer and other raw material suppliers who have the ability to control prices, as they are the organised players. Masterbatch producers are thus sandwiched between powerful suppliers and demanding customers. Future plans of Plastiblends to tap the potential of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s evolving engineering polymers market Today, Plastiblends commands a leadership position in the additive, colour and black & white masterbatch segments. It is also among the top few in the anti-fibrillation masterbatch segment. As a downstream user, we are working closely with key global players who develop basic molecule chemistries for industry use. We have selected some important molecule compounds, which help modify various polymer properties and offer masterbatches based on these. On an average, annual consumption of engineering plastics is likely to reach 3 million tonne by 2013, which is about 18 per cent of the total demand. Plastiblends is now focussing on various growth segments to maintain the leadership position in the next 2-3 years. Export opportunities for Indian processors Looking at the current growth trend, we expect the export market to grow rapidly and double in the next three years. Plastiblends exports 35 per cent of the production volume to about 25 countries. For promoting this further, we need to emphasise on infrastructure growth like roads, ports, etc. This will ensure timely deliveries and establish the reliability and credibility of Indian suppliers. As China is very aggressive with exports and has superior infrastructure, we are facing hurdles to grow overseas. Our growth will accelerate if the government amends the market fundamentals. For manufacturers in India, meeting the manufacturing and export volumes of China is still an unfulfilled dream.

May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

FACILITY VISIT

Star Technocrates Pvt Ltd

Enterprise through innovation With the country’s commodity plastics industry on an accelerated growth drive, emerging players are gaining a foothold through adoption of distinct technology. Star Technocrates, based in Gujarat, is a shining example of this. Annabel Dsouza routes through the strategies of the company that is leveraging on rising demand in Gujarat’s plastics machinery sector.

n a commercially dynamic state like Gujarat, enterprise and innovation often collaborate to drive the wheel of a prosperous industry. And the plastics extrusion and packaging machinery segment is no exception to this rule. As Gujarat’s plastics industry surges at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of over 15 per cent, there is tremendous demand and subsequent growth potential in the machinery sector. Since processors in the State are seeking to widen their base in the export market, the quality of their machinery is making all the difference in terms of increased productivity and better delivery. In such a scenario, extrusion machinery suppliers are entrusted with the daunting task of providing worldclass solutions for the rapidly expanding domestic market. As the industry takes greater strides and machinery demand surges to new heights, Star Technocrates Pvt Ltd is creating a niche through a differentiated business model that combines export quality products for the

continuously evolving plastics industry in Gujarat. As flexible packaging is an important application of commodity plastics, Star Technocrates has built on its key strength of manufacturing and servicing bag making machines. This function allows the company an edge in the growing packaging segment as well. Star Technocrates is a relatively new player in the plastics machinery segment, having begun operations in April 2010. The company is a part of the Kody/Vishwa group of industries, which is dedicated to manufacturing and marketing of rubber roller technology. Although new in the equipment manufacturing domain, the founders of Star Technocrates have a combined experience spanning three decades in the State’s engineering industry. Uday Shah, Director, Star Technocrates Pvt Ltd, says, “With considerable exposure to the machinery export segment, we have tried to understand the strengths and challenges of delivering quality solutions to our customers in the State. We are currently focussing on the local market,

Photo: Joshua Navalkar

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

FACILITY VISIT

which is quite buoyant and promising. Being a new entrant in the business, Star Technocrates is aiming at building brand through manufacturing of cost-effective and reliable machinery.”

Cutting-edge infrastructure Star Technocrates operates from its 20,000 sq ft manufacturing and administrative facility base in Vatva industrial estate, Ahmedabad. The infrastructure has been designed and developed taking into consideration the requirements of customers. Although many functions are currently outsourced, the company ensures precision in manufacturing and timely delivery through state-of-the-art assembly and quality assurance processes. The company realises the importance of operator-friendly machines, and thus strives to develop such products. The facility is equipped with the industry’s leading energy-efficient drives and motors, thereby enhancing productivity and reducing power consumption. The company is on an extensive growth tangent, with infrastructure being is a critical part of this. By July 2011, the company expects to add another manufacturing base around its current co-ordinates in order to optimise its vendor and supplier base in the region. In terms of technical competence, Shah opines, “Gujarat has a strong manufacturing culture and our customers are constantly upgrading their existing machinery. Many of the current manufacturing practices in the company have been derived from Germany and modified to suit local demand. Although plastic processing in this region has evolved from the State’s textile industry, today we are witnessing greater strides in quality in terms of increased speed and higher accuracy.”

Offering a distinct product portfolio On an average, Star Technocrates manufactures two made-to-order machines a month. Its product profile encompasses the following:

Side sealing and cutting machine Centre seal pouch making machine Bottom sealing machine Three side seal pouch making machine Plastic blown film plant With an in-house design and production team, Star Technocrates ensures that all its equipment meet the given customer specifications, while outperforming existing industry standards. Cost competitiveness is an integral aspect to the success of any enterprise. This especially holds true for an industry novice like Star Technocrates. Without compromising on quality delivery, the company tries to add maximum value at the lowest price points possible. Shah highlights, “Price and service must compete with market norms. Since there are established players in the industry, why would a processor approach a new brand like Star? Hence, to stay competitive we try to differentiate our products and services through cost-effectiveness as well as superior performance.” In January 2011, Star Technocrates had displayed its products and services at Plastivision India, where it received tremendous response. Leveraging on opportunities such as this, the company is expecting to increase its capacity to produce about six machines a month. Star Technocrates and its indigenous solutions will also be present at Plastindia 2012.

With considerable exposure to the machinery segment, we have tried to understand the strengths and challenges of delivering quality solutions to our customers in the state. Uday Shah Director, Star Technocrates Pvt Ltd

Star Technocrates is aiming at long innings in the industry, we emphasise on maintaining and improving relations with new and existing customers.” He adds, “Although we have had many teething problems on account of being a new enterprise, our customers have been generous towards us. We are doing our best to ensure customer satisfaction so as to attract reference customers through business ethics and goodwill.”

Working towards long innings Emphasising on customer collaboration and service Customer feedback is a critical aspect of any business, and Star Technocrates invests conscious efforts to ensure that not only all specifications are met adequately, but also support services are offered on time. The company has delegated a team of five on-field engineers to troubleshoot machinery problems at the customers’ end. Even in terms of product development, the design team works in tandem with customers to improve existing equipment and add value to new machines. Reiterating the important role of its customers, Shah states, “Since

With accelerated growth plans, Star Technocrates is in the process of developing better machines, while upgrading its automation systems and interacting with professionals & veterans of the global extrusion and packaging machinery. On a futuristic note, Shah concludes, “Star Technocrates hopes to have long innings in the domestic market while also tapping export potential in the near future. We are not in any hurry to supply machines in the market, which may lead to quality compromise. Therefore, we will continue to build on our key strengths of cost-competitive and operator-friendly solutions.”

May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

SECTOR WATCH

PC-based automation, geared specifically for the plastics industry, continues to expand as processors recognise the benefits that robots can provide â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including cost and labour savings, reduced cycle times and improved part quality & safety. Also, productivity, support and efficiency offered by automation devices in the plastics industry are equivalent to large numbers of trained human hands at work. Beverley Lewis takes a closer look at the benefits of using automation in the plastics industry.

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

Courtesy: ABB India

SECTOR WATCH

C-based automation basically includes a PC platform and a Windows operating system. It ensures a host of benefits to the plastics industry, ranging from higher quality parts through improved equipment uptime, faster cycle times, more predictable production flow all the way to reduced employee turnover. In short, it will enable flexible automation, giving manufacturers the edge to thrive in today’s highly competitive climate. A PC-based solution offers a style of operation similar to desktop PC applications, which any individual can use today. This has a direct impact on the human operator performance considering the rules of behavioural science.

Adopting automation The excellent performance of microprocessors used in modern PC enables machine builders to build fast controllers for increasing productivity and quality. In particular, wall thickness control in blow moulding machines and injection control in injection moulding machines require the use of fast PC-based controllers. Nearly unlimited memory resources are used to monitor important process variables over a long time. “Machines with PC-based controllers could be easily adapted to production cells via a fast industrial fieldbus system (EtherCAT). Windows operation system provides several ways to use plant network or Internet-based computing. Incorporating PC-based control in mould making machines also improves the quality of dies & moulds produced,” informs Thomas Kosthorst, Plastics Industry Market Manager, Beckhoff Automation GmbH. Typically, touch screen panels instead of mouse operation enable easy navigation on the screen. Colourful Graphical User Interface (GUI) software can be installed on PCs. This not only makes machine operations interesting & motivating to operators, but also shortens the learning curve for them.

Machine operation becomes more enjoyable to the operator. The controls in use at present have very high response time due to microprocessor-controlled high-speed Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) systems and monitor various process parameters with close tolerance to output quality parts. Other benefits of PC-based controls include easy access to online manuals as well as data exchange with standard office programs such as Excel or database applications. In this way, moulders are able to analyse the process and also install a knowledge database. Common accessories such as cameras or Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) readers could be easily integrated. This is commercially motivating for the management of companies investing in the PC-based control technology. “Therefore, the tolerance of plastic components can be taken to the next higher level of precision & accuracy in terms of dimension and weight tolerance. The current generation of controls can be easily customised for integration of various external devices and the operator can define his own setup, all of which make it more user-friendly,” opines Jayesh Gandhi, General Manager - Application & Technical Service, Ferromatik Milacron India.

Controllers speak “In the ‘simple view’, the sequence of robot actions is displayed in the form of

Injection moulding machines use a time critical axis, eg, clamp unit or injection unit. In order to reduce cycle times and avoid damage to the mould, the control algorithm must be fast and highly sophisticated. Thomas Kosthorst

Plastics Industry Market Manager, Beckhoff Automation GmbH a circle. Individual actions are visualised graphically in their temporal sequence, creating a clear and simple view of the robot operations. Furthermore, the operator can see where the robot is currently operating,” asserts J Devlia, Managing Director, Engel Machinery India Pvt Ltd. At the press of a button, the set-up person can select a

Courtesy: @Youngester

May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

SECTOR WATCH

The current generation of controls can be easily customised for integration of various external devices and the operator can define his own setup, all of which make it more user-friendly. Jayesh Gandhi

General Manager - Application & Technical Service, Ferromatik Milacron India Pvt Ltd

In the ‘simple view’, the sequence of robot actions is displayed in a circle. Individual actions are visualised graphically in their temporal sequence, creating a clear and simple view. J Devlia

Managing Director, Engel Machinery India Pvt Ltd

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

completely different standard procedure or adapt its function to the required procedure. The ‘simple view’ wide selections of tried-and-tested standard procedures are available to the operator in the controller for different automation applications. The set-up person does not require any programming know-how; he/she can simply select a procedure and then adapt the process sequences to the requirements demanded by changing variants. All settings necessary for a sequence (position, speed and time) are displayed on a clearly arranged settings page. Commands to be inserted are simply selected from an extensive functions list and placed at the desired point in the sequence. Pressing the symbols in the sequence editor immediately calls up the respective screen page on which the parameters can be set. Even very complex sequences can be quickly configured. An operator able to create movement sequences for linear robots can thus learn to program articulated-arm robots within minimum time. Machine manufacturers and plastics processors are thus wellequipped to face the demands of the future, as the trend towards a higher degree of automation is inexorable. “It enables the processor to understand the process in depth since important parameters are monitored, recorded and controlled. Once the parameters for a product are determined, there is no need for conducting trials and removing errors (and wastage of material and energy) in repeating the process since all parameters are already stored and available at the flick of a button,” reveals Sunil Jain, President, Rajoo Engineers Ltd. It is a boon for the owner as he is no more dependent on the vagaries and whims of operators who run the machine by ‘touch and feel’. It makes the whole system more scientific and less operator-dependent.

Online performance monitoring Online performance monitoring can benefit the plastics industry by confirming

User-friendly Human machine Interface (HMI) Machines are equipped with HMI, which is operatorfriendly and easily accessible for process parameters. It provides excellent troubleshooting guideline, along with help and alarm menu pages. It has following features: Functionally oriented screen layouts Process parameter monitoring in real-time and feeding value on absolute basis Simple & pictorial diagrams to enable operator understanding ‘Auto temperature and temperature profile selection’ for homogeneous melt from the first shot ‘Extruder overrun’ for uninterrupted auto cycle ‘Auto heating start’, ‘shut down’ and ‘standby’ to save time and energy during operation Intrusion, insert moulding, gas-assisted interface, core pulling, etc for multitasking utilisation ‘Auto purging’ for smooth shutdown ‘Mould cooling’, ‘mould gate option’, ‘sprue break’, ‘nozzle shut off valve,’ ‘cold slug remove’, etc for various applications Smart input/output for uninterrupted production whether the equipment is performing as promised by the manufacturer. In online performance monitoring, both the product quality and process parameters are continuously monitored and, if necessary, controlled. Properties of the products (eg, thickness variation, blend ratios of different polymers, dosage of individual components and yield in case of films & sheets) and processing parameters such as melt temperatures, pressures, screw and line speeds are not only monitored but also controlled online. Fault diagnosis of sensors and other instrumentation is also facilitated by employing such automation techniques, as these help reduce plant downtime. PC-based control needs a fast, deterministic Ethernet-based bus system to transfer process information according to the high-speed requirements in plastics processing. “Beckhoff has established EtherCAT, a deterministic Ethernet, as a quasi-standard for the plastics industry. Usually, injection moulding machines use a time critical axis, eg, clamp unit

SECTOR WATCH

For processors, the major hindrances are economic viability and troubleshooting and, further, availability of appropriate spares and manpower.

or injection unit. In order to reduce cycle times and avoid damage to the mould, the control algorithm must be fast and highly sophisticated,” opines Kosthorst. Part quality of injection-moulded parts is directly influenced by a quick switchover from injection to holding pressure. Also, wall thickness control of blow moulding machines needs exact position control of the die.

Surviving the challenges

The basis of a retrofit is often the need to manufacture a new, more complex component, even more cost-effectively.

As companies move into the age of agile manufacturing, they are discovering what it takes to survive and compete in today’s manufacturing marketplace. Open systems architecture is viewed as the centrepoint technology for this era, forging PC-based technology applications to achieve shorter lead times to regain lost time to market, bolstering flexibility in product offerings and ultimately maximising competitiveness. But even as this ‘agility’ in industrial automation gains momentum, there are concerns with regard to the risks in this transition. The more that can be learned about transition and applications strategies the better. Inadequate knowledge & undervaluation of the PC control technology by end-users & further by machine builders discourage automation companies. Automation solutions are application focussed & not price oriented. Hence, the return on investment should be calculated based on total machine lifecycle cost and not on cash outflow. For automation companies, upfront investment levels coupled by resistance from operators are some of the obstacles. “For processors, the major hindrances are economic viability and troubleshooting and, further, the availability of appropriate spares and manpower. However, these are gradually being overcome by offering cost-effective solutions and training of operators,” reveals Jain.

Tobias Scheich

Automation and robotics

Sunil Jain

President, Rajoo Engineers Ltd

Key Technology Manager, KUKA Roboter GmbH

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

The tools and equipment used in the plastics industry today are different from those used a decade ago. Traditionally,

linear/beam robots have been used to extract parts from the injection moulding machine and to place the parts on the conveyor, ie, they have helped replace the human being with a robot. The modern six-axes robots have become more user-friendly and are also competitive in price. These features clearly show that more can be achieved with a six-axes robot around the plastics processing machine. Equipment such as controllers are also moving towards becoming automated. Retrofitting plays an important role in automation and robotics, as it leads to modernisation or expansion of existing production systems. “The basis of a retrofit is often the need to manufacture a new, more complex component, even more cost-effectively, and thus to implement an automated process solution, which will also have the flexibility to meet future requirements. In other words, it will be a solution that, in its entirety, meets more than the requirements of the part currently being manufactured,” says Tobias Scheich, Key Technology Manager, KUKA Roboter GmbH.

Future trends Fast and efficient machines with a high-tech appearance is the future trend. Continuous demand for more precision and higher productivity requires use of high-speed controllers and servo-electric axes instead of hydraulic axes. In the future, measurement of energy consumption as well as energy-optimised algorithm on a PC-based platform will help save resources. Kosthorst states, “Preventive maintenance, which reduces the downtime, needs processing power and intelligent algorithms, which can be run on PC-based architecture. This makes the machine more energy efficient.” The future trends focus on addressing these issues by offering automation solutions that are affordable. For example, in blown film extrusion, complete solutions will be offered for online monitoring and controlling.

MARKET TRENDS

Rotomoulding

Tapping growth prospects

Over the years, rotomoulding has evolved from being a largely empirical and niche process to a dynamic technology offering a wide spectrum of applications. Annabel Dsouza explores the promises and potential within the Indian plastics industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rotomoulding segment, as it reveals its manufacturing capabilities beyond conventional markets and products.

Courtesy: Society of Asian Rotomoulders; Sintex Industries Ltd

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

ndia is currently poised to emerge as an attractive destination for the global plastics industry in terms of per capita polymer consumption as well as novel applications in burgeoning sectors like automotives and infrastructure. In this scenario, manufacturing practices will play a crucial role in ensuring that complicated design requirements are met while controlling production costs in order to stay competitive. Rotomoulding is a highly versatile process used to manufacture an unlimited range of products in all shapes and sizes while allowing manufacturers to offer economically viable solutions to the industry. However, unlike injection and blow moulding processes, the manufacturing potential of rotomoulding has not been fully explored and, today, it stands as one of the most promising domains of plastics processing. Rotomoulding has unique advantages such as design flexibility and low production costs. The range of products that can be moulded is matched only by innovative methods in which

moulders develop new product lines and enter unexplored markets. The product portfolio of rotomoulding ranges from micromoulding of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) earpieces to large polyethylene tanks. However, in India, rotomoulded products constitute only about 1-1.5 per cent of the total plastics consumption. Even in more developed markets like North America and Europe, rotomoulding remains a niche process for specific applications only. North America is the largest market for rotomoulding, with an annual capacity of 600 Kilo Tonne (KT), followed by Europe with a capacity of 400 KT. In India, rotomoulding was introduced almost 35 years ago with simple products like toys, balls and general products. Today, the annual production of rotomoulded products across the country is in the range of 100-125 KT. Since its inception in the early 1970s, the Indian rotomoulding industry has become the hub for prduction of large voluminous water tanks and containers. This product became extremely popular due

MARKET TRENDS

to its light weight, durability, hygienic & easy installation & maintenance, easy availability and low cost. Since then, the industry has grown by leaps and bounds, in terms of number of industry players as well as total plastic consumption. L K Singh, Director, Fixopan Machines Pvt Ltd, says, “I have been associated with this industry since 1987, when the rotomoulding was in its infancy in India. The industry has grown steadily in the last quarter century. From perhaps one or two rotomoulders, today, we have around 300 rotomoulders in India. The mainstay of the product has always been water storage tanks, which cover about 85 per cent of all products rotomoulded. It started with these tanks and even today the industry delivers about 855 tanks annually.” He elaborates, “Today, there are rotomoulding factories scattered throughout the country. The organised sector is huge, with around 20 companies consuming almost 80 per cent volume of raw materials. Currently, very few companies produce non-tank range of products. This should hopefully change as the market now demands wider applications.”

Current market scenario As the construction and infrastructure spheres in India expand, water tanks and other large-capacity applications will continue to demand the same marketshare. However, with increased awareness and access to global markets, many Indian rotomoulders have started venturing into custom-made industrial products such as fuel tanks, chemical tanks, material handling products and solid waste management products. Although in the nascent stage, these goods are expected to register high growth rates in the years to come. Moreover, awareness is growing rapidly in the Indian design community about the process and its products, and this will further fuel growth in the industry, as new and innovative products are designed & developed. The rotomoulding segment is currently witnessing a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 20 per cent, which is in tandem with the overall growth in the plastics industry. Sanjib Roy, Senior President, Plastics Division, Sintex Industries Ltd, says, “Our country is currently growing at 9 per cent Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which indicates an all round growth across the industry, agriculture and services. Infrastructure will continue to grow at a rapid pace due to increasing urbanisation and housing needs. Several opportunities will arise from each of these areas in which rotomoulding will play a huge role. Future growth is definitely based on rapid industrialisation. Sectors such as automotives will continue to grow on the manufacturing side, which will encourage production of rotomoulded fuel tanks, bumpers, crash guards, air ducts, engine covers, etc.” He adds, “Various other applications are awaiting rotomoulded materials. Moulders have started May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

MARKET TRENDS

rotomoulding industry will definitely keep pace with the booming plastics industry. We anticipate it to grow further, as infrastructure development in India is witnessing rapid progress, and there will be an increased scope for rotomoulding in this sector.”

The organised sector is huge, with around 20 companies consuming almost 80 per cent volume of raw materials. Currently, very few companies produce non-tank range of products. This should hopefully change. L K Singh

Director, Fixopan Machines Pvt Ltd

working on industrial and sub-ground products (eg, septic tank, manhole, etc), construction and infrastructure projects. This will evolve over a period of time and the market size will continue to rise at a rapid pace. The 6%

Technology edge At present, rotomoulders in India use fabricated sheetmetal and stainless steel moulds. However, rotomoulders have extended their knowledge of sheetmetal fabrication to new products. The development of casting technology and use of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machined aluminium moulds is being explored through intensive investments. For complex designs and specific surface finishes/ textures, rotomoulders prefer cast aluminium moulds or CNC-machined aluminium moulds, which offer very high degree of design flexibility and consistency. Even though the costs of these moulds are comparatively higher than sheetmetal moulds, these offer a very high value-addition to end products in terms of quality and finish. Moreover, mould-in or mould-on graphics in rotomoulded products are the new norm. Indian rotomoulding industry is undergoing

N America 11%

Europe South Asia 46%

Australia Middle East

11%

Africa Others

21%

Figure 1: Estimated consumption of rotomoulded products worldwide Source: Fixopan Machines Pvt Ltd

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

structural changes in terms of material development, technological advancement in machines, processes, moulds and new market segments. Singh avers, “Indian players are keen on catching up with global technology. We are witnessing greater networking among consultants, mould makers, compounders and rotomoulders in order to draw attention to technical developments and innovations at the global stage. For example, Indian players are now familiar with the use of accurate temperature logger rotologger within the mould as against the oven temperature or estimated visual checks to control the moulding operation.” Recent technological developments in terms of materials, machines, moulds and process control, have opened up new application avenues. However, the versatility of the process is still largely unknown to potential end-users and the design community. Increased awareness in the mould design community will open up more areas for rotational moulding, which have not yet been considered or explored. Singh states, “However, in order to utilise all opportunities offered to the industry, we need superior design methodology, such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA). These will enable the industry to gradually achieve global benchmarks of quality and delivery.”

Sustainability index This is a crucial parameter whereby an industry measures its performance in order to stay ahead of the competition. As rotomoulders strive to achieve economies of scale while eluding escalating operating costs, efficient technology and green innovations will go a long way in deciding the industry’s future. Roy says, “There is conscious effort to conserve energy, as fuel is one of the major constituents of the rotomoulding industry. Use of good burners, ovens and machinery, along with overall handling of the

MARKET TRENDS

There is conscious effort to conserve energy, as fuel is one of the major constituents of the rotomoulding industry. Use of good burners, ovens and machinery is paving the way towards achieving energy efficiency and waste Sanjib Roy

Senior President, Plastics Division, Sintex Industries Ltd

Among the critical challenges before the industry today is availability of better testing facilities and mould makers who can deliver cost-competitive solutions on time. Blaise Costabir

MD, GMI Zarhak Moulders Pvt Ltd

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

production process is paving the way towards achieving energy efficiency and waste reduction. Efficient rotomoulders will be more successful in controlling production costs and delivering costeffective solutions.” Seconding the statement, Singh says, “High rates of power, fuel and labour have forced the industry to become very conscious of energy efficiency and work towards waste reduction. Machinery suppliers are advocating the use of better technology with increased production lines over controlled consumption. Initially, the trend was to employ old or second hand machines, but now processors have realised the inefficiency costs incurred as a result of this trend.”

Countering challenges As the rotomoulding sector gears up to welcome abounding opportunities offered by India’s surging economy, awareness about the advantages and importance of the process will be a key deciding factor. Also, part quality and consistency manufactured by rotomoulding will enable the industry to command greater application in a wide range of industries. Since the rotomoulded sector has a large concentration of unorganised and small manufacturers, investments in better moulds, equipment and quality control technology is essential. Research and innovation is integral to any successful manufacturing industry. This holds true for rotomoulding as well, especially for delivering competitive and customised products for new applications. According to Blaise Costabir, MD, GMI Zarhak Moulders Pvt Ltd, “Among the critical challenges before the industry today is availability of better testing facilities and mould makers who can deliver cost-competitive solutions on time. As a result, rotomoulders today have to import special grades of raw materials because local suppliers are not interested in low-volume delivery. Another challenging area here is educating customers about

Others 15% Water tanks 85%

Figure 2: Most selling rotomoulded products worldwide Source: Fixopan Machines Pvt Ltd

the benefits of this process and its versatility.” In support, Roy says, “The industry also needs better visibility in the plastics market. Rotomoulded applications can be projected to the government and an overall offer made to popularise these products vis-à-vis traditional products.”

Future scope The Indian rotomoulding industry is currently standing at exciting crossroads, with growth and expansion in every direction. Easy availability of raw materials, technical support from local material manufacturers and access to the global information system will give further impetus to this success saga. Along with the ever-evolving domestic demand, rotomoulders are keen to explore the export potential offered by the industry. Traditionally, rotomoulded water tanks have not been a very exportfriendly product due to their voluminous size. However, this limitation will be a thing of the past, as smaller products find increased market space. Roy asserts, “As the industry is moving away from tanks to value-added products, more and more applications are emerging, and therefore much of offshoring is possible where manufacturing cost in other countries would be higher.” As the Indian plastics industry continues to take greater strides towards capacity and consumption growth, the economy will witness increased participation from the rotomoulding sector in terms of innovations, quality and overall value-driven services.

MATERIAL CORNER

PVDF and its copolymers

Offering a host of performance properties Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) – a tough engineering thermoplastic – exhibits certain special properties that set it apart from other commercial plastics in use today. Considered a solutions provider, PVDF and its copolymers have a vast multitude of characteristics desired by various industrial sectors. An overview of various industries employing this thermoplastic… Tower packing Courtesy: Arkema Inc

PVDF pipes & fittings Courtesy: Arkema Inc

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

David Seiler and Mandar Amrute

ince the construction of the first Kynar® Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) commercial plant in 1965, in Calvert City, KY, USA, this product has been used in many types of chemical industries. The first applications of PVDF revolved around the excellent chemical resistance to chlorine & chlorinated solvents, bromine, hot acids and combinations of chemicals for waste handling.

Users in these chemical areas soon discovered that PVDF had other special properties not universally associated with all plastics. PVDF was found to offer high abrasion resistance similar to UltraHigh Molecular Weight (UHMW) and Nylon; high tensile strength at elevated temperatures, which set it apart from commodity plastics and other fluoropolymers; ability to withstand high doses of radiation in service, which make it superior to almost any known polymer; excellent

MATERIAL CORNER

Properties and characteristics of PVDF Resistance to most chemicals and solvents Resistance to ultraviolet and nuclear radiation Resistance to weathering Low permeability to most gases and liquids Low flame and smoke characteristics Mechanical strength and toughness High abrasion resistance High thermal stability High purity Readily melt processability flame resistance; superior sunlight (UV) resistance; and overall weathering durability. Although most equipment designers and engineers would prefer a thermoplastic material over metal components for chemical-related applications, no such material has been found yet that meets all their needs in an economical fashion. Simply put, PVDF is a high-end plastic and a problem solver. It is often not the first product looked at as a solution, but once it is chosen, most end-users are satisfied with its performance and continue to scan their facility to find more areas in which they desire long life and trouble-free performance.

Properties and characteristics PVDF is a tough engineering thermoplastic that offers a unique balance of performance properties. It is available in two versions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; rigid and flexible. For easy understanding of industrial use of PVDF and/or its copolymers, enumerated here

are some sectors where these materials are used, making it one of the most desirable thermoplastics used today. Pulp & paper bleaching: The pulp & paper industry commonly uses chlorine-based technology for bleaching operations. Chlorine reacts aggressively to metals and quickly rusts and corrodes equipment. Additionally, chlorine and chlorinated compounds are aggressive to many polymers, ultimately leading to corrosion-induced stress cracking. PVDF is not appreciably attacked by chlorine, and hence is often used for long-term handling of chlorinated chemicals. In bleach applications where the chlorinated compound is also blended with a caustic solution that increases pH level, PVDF copolymers are preferred because the softer and more flexible nature of these materials have greater overall resistance to any potential cracking over time. Metals preparation and mining: In the metals industry, various acids are used to clean, treat, prepare or separate the final product. Strong acids like hydrofluoric, hydrochloric, sulphuric, nitric and chromic acids are commonly used in this industry. The concentrations of these chemicals vary during the process; temperatures tend to be elevated and mixtures of acids are common. This combination of variables makes it difficult to find a single material to meet the requirements for handling the process and waste chemicals. PVDF and its copolymers extend the temperature limits of equipment and allow for protection from upset

Table 1: General physical properties of PVDF PVDF Property of the material Unit for property PVDF copolymer homopolymer Melt point oC 168 158 Specific gravity 1.77 1.78 Tensile strength @ yield* psig 7,500 5,000 Tensile strength @ break* psig 7,000 5,000 Elongation @ break* % 50 200 Flexural modulus* psig 280,000 170,000 Notched izod impact strength* Ft lb/in 3 6 Hardness Shore D 78 74 *Values indicated above are only for reference. One must consult material manufacturer while selecting the grade for specific application. Homopolymers and copolymers have ranges of performance; the table reflects data for only one grade of PVDF.

conditions encountered in case the blending of chemicals yields aggressive by-products that would cause problems for other potential material choices. Fuel: In recent years, formulation of fuels has become increasingly complicated. Gasoline formulation at one time was simple, but now there are other types of fuel like diesel, alcohol blends, ether additives for octane adjustment and, the latest, biodiesel. In underground transport and holding systems, the installations are usually expected to last for years without any need for replacement or repair. While these versions of fuel can usually be handled by relatively cheap materials, each fuel variation poses a potential disaster in case the line is required to switch fuel type at some point. PVDF gives the designer an unusual combination of resistance to alcohol, hydrocarbons (aromatic and aliphatic) as well as to oxidants commonly associated with the new biodiesel technology. In the related area of ethanol production process, generation of low levels of sulphuric acid is quite common. Several processing plants initially began construction using stainless steel, but have now turned towards using PVDFlined process equipment to avoid corrosion caused by low percentage acid concentrations. Pharmaceutical and biotech: The field of life sciences uses a multitude of chemical combinations, eg, bromine, iodine, chlorine, acids and alcohols, to name a few. Simply reading the ingredients on a medicine box gives one a feel of the process challenges that this industry faces. This is coupled with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Class 6 requirements and process water purification targets. PVDF meets all these requirements, with the added advantage over common plastics that it can be repeatedly steam cleaned at up to 30 psi steam. Plastics are gaining increased usage in the pharmaceutical industry for the reason that these do not rust when exposed to cleaning agents and do not rouge over time with water May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

MATERIAL CORNER

PVDF lined pipes Courtesy: Arkema Inc

exposure. PVDF and its copolymers are listed in the ASME Bioprocessing Equipment (ASME-BPE) standards as a common material selected by designers for biotech system design. Piping, flexible tubing, tanks, membranes and pumps are some of the common applications for PVDF in this industry. Semiconductor processing: Perhaps the biggest industrial use for PVDF is in the semiconductor industry. PVDF has numerous properties that this industry desires and that are not always required in general chemical applications. Flame and smoke-resistant compliance outlined by Factory Mutual (FM) 4910 plus Underwriters Laboratories (UL 2360) and SEMI F57 high-purity standards are special requirements in the manufacture of high-purity piping systems and acid etching equipment used for preparing silicon wafers. The combination of chemical resistance, high purity and superior strength of PVDF compared to other high-quality materials has made it a standard material for construction in a semiconductor facility. Nuclear industry: The nuclear reclamation industry faces some intriguing challenges. First, a series of harsh chemicals are used in the glove boxes manufactured to purify the radioactive ores. While many materials handle chemicals such as hydrochloric acid and nitric acid used to purify plutonium and uranium, the contact surfaces of the glove box must also be able to handle the radioactivity associated with this process. After several years of testing and field 60

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

experience, PVDF has been found to be a polymer that has the highest resistance to radiation as well as is capable of long life in nuclear glove box design and waste holding equipment. Potable water and wastewater: Certain grades of PVDF are listed by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) for use in potable water (NSF 61). While water is not commonly considered highly corrosive, there is an increasing desire for water systems to last nearly indefinitely. With concerns for bacterial infections, bioterrorism, chlorine content in water and UV exposure for many years of service life, a material like PVDF offers a greater opportunity for long system life even if system parameters change over time. In wastewater applications, a general concern is that chemical compatibility could be unpredictable. A product like PVDF offers an improved safety factor in the event of any unexpected or unplanned chemical combinations. It is unlikely that any combination of chemicals at 140?C or below over a short period of time would attack PVDF in a catastrophic manner like it could occur with metals or lower performing polymers. Food, dairy and beverage: In general, food materials are not corrosive, but consumable food products such as sauces and fruits can have pH in the range of 2.0-3.5. This can be a very aggressive environment over time. PVDF components are often machined and used in the processing of cranberry, hot sauces, alcoholic beverages, lime juices and few other relatively common foods. The abrasion resistance of PVDF and its ability to be sterilised with various chemicals and steam also add to the attractiveness of this material for food, dairy and beverage applications. Power industry: A multitude of chemicals find applications in power plants. PVDF and its copolymers are mainly used in areas where sodium hypochlorite and sulphuric acid are stored and used in various processes. Institutional construction (laboratories): Government research buildings, schools and universities require

that laboratory piping and components that pass through the return plenum space must be able to meet more stringent fire testing. Certain grades of PVDF have met the ASTM E-84 (25/ 50) requirement that allows materials exposed in plenums to be considered equivalent to noncombustible. PVDF is quite an attractive material in these applications for waste drainage and process piping due to its capability to reach high temperature of 150?C, excellent short-term chemical resistance to almost any chemical combination, lightweight and easy welding fabrication compared to metal or glass as well as low cost compared to other reasonable material options that have all the above characteristics, and it meets the 25/50 flame and smoke criteria as well.

A versatile polymer PVDF is undoubtedly one of the most popular thermoplastics that find application in a variety of industry sectors, due to the versatile properties that it displays.

References 1. High Performance Non-edible Vegetable Oil Polyamide 11 – By Simon TING, Automotive Manufacturer Autumn 2008 2. Comparison of Rilsan PA11 & PA12 against other Polyamides, Metal and Rubber – By Simon TING, Nicolas AMOUROUX and Thibaut MONTANARI 3. Rilsan Technical Guide – By Arkema David Seiler is Global Kynar Technical adviser for Arkema Inc. Email: David.Seiler@arkema.com Mandar Amrute works with Arkema India for Application & Business Development of Kynar® PVDF in chemical processing industry. He has an experience of more than four years in the field of polymers, masterbatches and additives. Email: mandar.amrute@arkema.com

INJECTION ZONE

Mould sweating

Greater control for increased production Most manufacturing companies face a common problem of ‘mould sweating’, which results from an imbalance between temperatures in the mould and its surroundings. Optimum cooling in moulds is crucial for enhancing productivity. This article explores some of the methods to resolve this problem and maintain adequate cooling temperature in moulds. Y R Anand

Schematic of system without refrigeration Courtesy: Eisbär, Austria

System without refrigeration Courtesy: Eisbär, Austria

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

s the industry moves to higher volumes, pressure on manufacturing companies is increasing to produce more using same moulds and machines. The cooling time is usually the largest contributor to the cycle time in the production process; therefore, most processors try to reduce it by lowering mould temperatures. In high-cavity moulds used for short cycle times, it is a common practice to use pure water at a temperature range of 6-10°C. Going below 6°C is not ideal, as it may require addition of anti-freeze compounds. Antifreeze agents generally have low thermal conductivity, which lowers heat dissipation from the product in the mould. Most such agents have high viscosity, which lowers water pump performance and reduces water flow rates. Chilled water flow rates are recommended to create turbulent water flow in the mould cooling channels. When the surrounding temperature is close to this, there is no problem. But when the ambient air in the mould shop is higher, it starts to sweat around and inside the mould. Further, a humid climate such as that in most tropical countries (eg, India) increases the problem of sweating. Such problems arise in even relatively dry and cool climates, due to rising demand for decreasing mould temperatures. Mould sweating creates multiple problems like those mentioned below: Sticking of parts to injection core

Hazy spots and streaks – worse in clear parts Dimensional instability Short shots due to gate blockage Rusting of mould and surrounding machine parts If mould temperature is increased to overcome this, then cycle times start increasing to allow the melt to solidify properly. But this may lead to a commercial disaster. Thus, various methods have been devised to overcome such issues. Some of these are mentioned below.

Air conditioning the plant Apparently, the easiest way to prevent sweating-related issues in a hot and humid climate is by air conditioning the whole moulding plant. Air conditioning reduces the temperature imbalance and relative humidity in the area. This allows moulders to keep the mould area clean by installing filters in air inlets and making the moulding area clean as in a clean room area. Also, machine operators can work in better conditions. However, all these measures do not cure the problem completely, as the room temperature tends to be 22-24°C, while the moulds will be substantially colder in most cases. Also, the energy cost of air conditioning large mould shops is considerable. Air conditioning of entire plant does not result in absolute control of humidity. Ambient air mixes with air in the plant whenever a gate or a door is opened. Exchanging of moulds in processing machines is also accompanied by water leakages. Cleaning and washing of floors also add moisture to the plant air.

INJECTION ZONE

Also, the air conditioning system must be able to handle the heat radiated in the plant and dehumidification of the air inside the manufacturing plant.

compressors, which leads to higher energy and maintenance costs.

Mould area drying with refrigeration

Mould dehumidification unit without refrigerants is another way to dry the mould area. This system uses the cold water used for mould cooling to bring dry air to the same temperature. Air is first dried using a desiccant system to completely remove the moisture. Subsequently, the heat exchanger is supplied with the same water entering the mould. This follows the temperature of the mould cooling water, ensuring balanced temperature at all time. Since this system does not use a refrigeration system, it requires fewer parts and considerably lower energy needs. It has following advantages: Dry moulds (no condensation) Clean products without water marks Protect moulds & machines from rust Increased productivity Payback could be within 12 months or less This system can be used on individual machines, each with a complete system or central cooling and drying station feeding multiple machines, depending on the size of operation.

A solution in most cases is to prepare a hood in the moulding area (injection or blow moulding or film making) and a pipe in cold dry air to this area. Mould Area Protection (MAP) system can be used to achieve this. This includes a simple air dehumidification unit with integrated chiller (condensation dryer). It filters the ambient air sucked into the unit through a washable and replaceable filter and chills the air to a temperature of 3°C in two steps, and then heats the air to 25°C. The first chilling step requires chilled water from the plant’s chiller at same temperature as that used in mould cooling. The second chilling step is carried out by the integrated chiller of the MAP unit. Large amount of moisture in the air is removed by condensation on cold surfaces of the heat exchangers (pre-cooler & evaporator). The heat extracted from air in the second chilling step is expelled into the air after the moisture is removed in the condenser of the chiller. MAP is a complete system wherein the clamp and mould area of all machines is enshrouded and separated from the ambient air. Trained technicians install custom-made covers on the machines and connect the dry air ductwork to all machines. This should be combined with a good ventilation system in the plant to expel excessive heat radiated from the machines in the plant. This system has a few disadvantages as well. One of these is control of air temperature. Since this is an independent system, the refrigeration temperature has to be readjusted to follow the temperature of water entering the mould. Another disadvantage is the running cost. Since the system is based on refrigeration of air, it uses

Mould area drying without refrigeration

Increased productivity Lift cooling system is an innovative offshoot of this system, which ensures increased productivity and product stability. It helps in cooling the moulded plastic parts after ejection and provides more form stability. When high-cavity moulds eject large numbers of caps in very short cycles into packaging containers, the caps at the bottom tend to distort. This happens because the caps do not get sufficient time to solidify completely due to short production cycles. If the distortion is beyond acceptable limits, it might create problems in assembly machines. This system is useful for stabilising the parts after moulding to prevent further

Lift cooler Courtesy: Eisbär, Austria

rejection of products. This is becoming increasingly popular in high-speed caps and closures production systems. It has following advantages: Higher dimension stability after ejection Low residual heat within the packaging Equal temperature profile of all parts Shorter cycle through after-cooling effect Low energy consumption An additional benefit of this system is slightly shorter cycle times. The parts may be ejected even before full curing, as automatic post curing occurs in the lift cooling systems. This will improve the utility of moulding systems, which are expensive when using large highspeed moulds.

Ensuring continuous improvements There are several areas of injection moulding, blow moulding and vacuum forming where continuous and incremental improvement is possible. The benefits with such systems are not direct, nevertheless these produce dramatic improvements. Y R Anand has a Master’s degree in Production Engineering from IIT, Kharagpur. He worked for over nine years in manufacturing industries in Mumbai. Since 1980, he has been a partner of UNIMARK. The company deals with selling and servicing machines in plastics processing, tooling industry, microelectronics and wire mesh welding industry. Email: anand@unimark.in

May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

TECHNOFOCUS

PVC compounding

Ingredients to enhance versatility of polymers The first of the two-part series explained the role of plasticisers and stabilisers in Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) formulation. Taking it further, this part explores the attributes of other additives besides these two that confer special properties to PVC. These include stabilisers, lubricants, fillers, pigments and other special additives.

Siddhartha Roy

he increasing dominance of plastics in the 21 st century and its continuously expanding usage have forced several plastics manufacturing companies to come up with an array of innovations, attractive designs and colours to differentiate their products from others. The second part of the twopart series highlights the roles of lubricants, fillers, pigments and other special additives in Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) formulation to make it suitable for various applications.

Lubricants Lubricants prevent hot PVC from sticking to metal surfaces during processing. These are a must with suspension resin compounds, but play a much lesser role in plastisols â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a suspension of PVC particles in a plasticiser. Some commonly used lubricants are stearic acid, waxes (including high-molecularweight waxes) and many complex esters. These are given at low dosages, ie, 0.1-0.3 Parts Per Hundred (PHR).

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

Correct selection of lubricants plays a vital role in PVC processing. Very less amount makes the melt sticky, which hangs up inside the processing surface and starts degrading. Excessive amounts of lubricants cause the melt to slip on the extruder screw, resulting in reduced production rate. Over-lubrication inhibits gelation and prevents development of full physical properties of the additive. Lubricants are of two types: Internal: Lubricates movement of melt molecules and improving processability External: Lubricates melt flow over metal processing surfaces It is important for the lubrication system to have a balance of both types of lubricants. Metallic soaps like lead stearate & calcium stearate have both stabilising and lubricating action. Nearly all mixed metal and tin stabilisers have non-lubricating properties.

Fillers Fillers are inert inorganic powders, which are significant with regard to cost reduction in polymer formulation.

TECHNOFOCUS

Addition of fillers, especially at high dosages, adversely affects most of the desirable properties of PVC. Hence, these are rightly viewed as costreducing agents. But some properties like electrical strength and stiffness still have much scope for improvement. Reinforcing fillers such as glass fibre & carbon fibre are more costly than PVC resin and not widely used in PVC formulations. In contrast, nonreinforcing fillers group includes a wide variety of fillers. Calcium carbonate is the most important filler for PVC. Two types of calcium carbonate are used widely â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ground Calcium Carbonate (GCC) and Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC). Ground calcium carbonate: Good quality limestone (whiting) mined from quarries is pulverised into a powder with a particle size suitable for adding to plastics. This is by far the cheapest type of filler, with transportation costs sometimes exceeding the product price. Purity of GCC depends solely on the quality of the limestone source. This is because there is no chemical refining process to remove impurities from limestone, especially abrasive silicate and other rocky materials. GCC is extensively used for leather cloth manufacturing, where a PVC paste is coated on to substrates like textiles, paper, etc, which is subsequently cured continuously in an oven. The abrasive contaminants can be removed by a process called knife coating. The abrasive nature of GCC prevents its widespread use with suspension resin, as abrasion on extruders and injection moulding machines would be prohibitive. Coated fabrics made with the costlier paste grade resin are able to compete with laminated products made from suspension resin because of the cheap filler used. However, not all GCC are of low quality. Premium champagne whiting obtained from special limestone quarries can be more expensive

than PCC and is used in high-end electrical and pipe applications. Hence, these carbonates are generally imported. GCC adversely affects the surface quality, but in the leather cloth industry, a thin high-quality top coat is used to conceal such defects. Precipitated calcium carbonate: Preparation of PCC involves dissolving limestone and filtering out impurities. After further chemical purification to remove elements such as iron and magnesium, the solution is carbonated by adding CO 2. Very pure calcium carbonate is precipitated, filtered and dried. Several grades of calcium carbonate are available, based on their purity and particle size, and accordingly, their prices vary. PCC is the most widely used filler in PVC, and is the main ingredient in toothpaste, accounting for more tonnage than that of PVC fillers. Thus, a large number of manufacturers in India produce PCC. Both GCC and PCC absorb expensive plasticisers, and in the process, expel some portions meant for adding flexibility to PVC. This necessitates addition of more Dioctyl Phthalate (DOP) to compensate this loss, thus partly offsetting the cost advantage. This can be significant, especially with an increase in dosages. This also results in increased viscosity. For reducing oil (DOP) absorption, PCC is coated with stearic acid/ calcium stearate. This reduces DOP absorption considerably and improves processing & gloss. These are premium fillers and termed as activated PCC. Recently, several manufacturers have started offering better quality GCC, which is replacing the costlier PCC in lower-end PVC applications, eg, agri pipes, SWR, etc. Other mineral fillers include talc, dolomite, wollastonite and asbestos. Earlier, asbestos was widely used in vinyl floor tiling, but is not used any more due to its carcinogenic nature. While calcium

carbonate seems to be the most attractive cost-reducing agent, care must be taken to optimise its addition level and grade selection to achieve the best results.

Pigments A number of colouring agents such as dyes and pigments are added to polymers to make them attractive, which enables customers to identify and differentiate products. Pigments are broadly classified as inorganic pigments, organic pigments and carbon black. Inorganic pigments: These are oxides and salts of metals as well as complex minerals. The most important ones include titanium dioxide, which is the chief whitening pigment used in plastics. Following are some of the important inorganic pigment groups: Ultramarine: Blue, violet Chrome: Yellow, orange, brown Cadmium: Red, orange, yellow Iron oxide: Brown, black. Iron oxide catalyses decomposition of PVC, so it must be used with care. Inorganic pigments are heat stable and cheaper, but do not have the colour strength and brightness as compared to organic pigments. Organic pigments: Important organic pigment groups include the following: Phthalocyanine: Blue, green Chromophthal: Red, orange Azo pigments: These include a wide range of colours, but are carcinogenic Lakes and toners: Oil-soluble dyes leach out with the plasticiser in PVC. But, when deposited and reacted with inorganic carriers, these form lakes, which are widely used in plastics. Carbon black: It is a material produced by incomplete combustion of heavy petroleum products like coal tar, ethylene cracking tar, etc. An important industrial raw material, carbon black finds the most common application as a black May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

TECHNOFOCUS

pigment and a reinforcing phase in automobile tyres.

Masterbatches A masterbatch is a colour-matched pigment mixture encapsulated in a polymer carrier, which is compatible with the polymer being processed. Most processors today depend on masterbatch suppliers for providing the technology of obtaining the right shade for the product. Developing colours in-house, starting with pigments, is a complex job. Maintaining shades requires accurate weighing of multiple pigments. The conveniences and lowcost factor offered by masterbatch make it the preferred colouring route.

Special additives A variety of special additives are added to polymers to improve the performance of the moulding. The most interesting ones are as follows: Flow promoters: These are special acrylic polymers that aid in PVC processing by reducing the melt viscosity. These are mainly used in rigid PVC applications that are difficult to process, eg, pipe fittings, calendered & extruded sheets, thick wall pipes, etc. Although flow promoters have limited efficacy in plasticised PVC, these are used in applications where the plasticiser level is low. Impact modifiers: These are a family of acrylic and Methyl Methacrylate-Butadiene-Styrene (MBS) copolymers, which function like rubber and can improve resistance to shock loads in rigid PVC products. Chlorinated Polyethylene (CPE) is widely used as an impact modifier in PVC pipes. Fire retardants and smoke suppressants: The classic route of imparting fire and flame retardance to plastics is well established. Most polymers can be burnt quite easily. By introducing a halogenated compound and then adding Antimony Trioxide (Sb2O3), the polymer can be protected from burning. The halogen reacts with 66

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

the Sb2O3, emitting a thick cloud of non-burning gas, which envelopes the burning part like a blanket. Oxygen supply is cut off and the flame extinguishes. PVC contains 56 per cent chlorine, a halogen; hence, costly (and toxic) brominated compounds need not be added, as is the case with other polymers. Amount of Sb 2O 3 added need not be as high as in other polymers. Aluminium Trihydrate (ATH) is a chemical that contains water of crystallisation, which is also used as a filler. When a flame strikes the product, ATH releases steam that acts as a fire extinguisher and counteracts the flame. Several other proprietary flame retardants and smoke suppressing additives are also available, most of which are imported. Foaming agents: These are chemicals that decompose at gelling temperatures, releasing inert gases such as nitrogen or CO2. The gases are trapped in the thick melt, thus generating a foamed structure. This is a useful method to increase the volume of the moulding and lower the density to a great extent. These are extensively used in the leather cloth industry. Another popular application of these agents is in microcellular shoe soles. Several novel embossed and raised effects are obtained in spread-coated vinyl rolled flooring by printing patterns with PVC plastisols containing blowing agents. Upon curing, the printed portions foam up, creating novel patterns. Fungicides and biocides: These protect the non-plastic components, eg, plasticisers, from fungal growth. These are important in wet and humid environments like bathrooms, especially for PVC shower curtains.

Plastic finished goods are rarely sold by weight. These are priced either per piece (mouldings) or per unit length (pipes, cables, tape). Thus, the costing and pricing are done for fixed volumes. As plastic raw materials are usually purchased per unit weight, the tendency is to calculate cost on per kilo basis, and the finished product is priced accordingly. For instance, if cost calculations are done on per kilo basis, often reduction in cost by adding fillers is calculated as a percentage of original formulation cost. The savings may be translated into a price reduction, especially in competitive situations to maintain marketshare. After some time, the entrepreneur would realise that he is sustaining losses, as the reduction in volume cost was nowhere near the per kilo reduction in cost. Volume cost (Rs/litre) = Purchase cost (Rs/kg) x Density (kg/litre or g/cm3) An example to understand this can be floor tile formulation, where filler loading is very high. Reducing filler loading can help resolve several problems. But, this may be the last resort, as it would increase costs. From a volume cost angle, the increase in actual cost is not significant. If rejections and scrap generation are drastically cut down, reducing filler amount may prove cost effective.

Calculating volume cost

Siddhartha Roy is well-versed in the processing of polyolefins, styrenics, polyamides and PC. A Chemical Engineer from IIT Kharagpur, he is a consultant at RoyPlasTech. Email: royplastech@rediffmail.com

Most entrepreneurs do not have a clear idea of the volume cost and its implications, which is vital before embarking on cost-reduction exercises.

Strengthening the polymer In a nutshell, polymer additives include materials that have the ability to modify polymers. These enhance the performance and quality of plastic products, by increasing flexibility & strength and reducing degradation of polymers. The resulting polymers are ready for a range of applications in various industries.

MANAGEMENT MANTRAS

Triple bottom line

The road ahead Several recent incidences have prompted companies to take note of the changing times, in terms of both the economy and environment. This necessitates achieving sustainability, which means meeting the needs of the present without compromising on those of future generations. One such approach towards sustainability is Triple Bottom Line (TBL), which aims to bring together environmental responsibility, social equity and economic performance. Sanjay Gawde

wo waves of economic depression in the last decade have made us think about new challenges of the 21 st century. Environmental concerns such as climate change, natural resource depletion and energy crisis are hitting organisations head on and demanding attention towards aspects of the business beyond just achieving quarterly financial results. It is no longer acceptable to simply maximise short-term shareholder value. Instead, firms must focus on the economic, social and environmental effects of their operations – another word for which is sustainability. Triple Bottom Line (TBL) is one such step towards attaining sustainability. Dimensions of TBL The importance of humanity’s need without harming future generations has climbed to the top of corporate

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

agendas. Sustainability is defined as ‘development that meets the needs of the present world without compromising on the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’. It addresses all stakeholders of an organisation – shareholders, lenders, employees, customers, suppliers, society and government. A framework that helps in operating within this sustainability lens is TBL, which focusses on organisations in terms of not just the monetary value they add, but also the environmental value and social value they add – and destroy. The three-dimensional bottomline represents the society (People), the economy (Profit) and the environment (Planet). TBL works by mapping a range of issues that stakeholders are concerned with. All analysed issues of stakeholders come under environmental, social and economic dimensions. For example, for a large multinational, it is very likely that the issues of concern to stakeholders will include global warming, human rights violations and dividend payments. Thus, TBL emphasises on the accountability of these three dimensions. Profit or economic value: This dimension of TBL cannot be treated as economic profit, which means financial returns enjoyed by a company by adjusting monetary revenues with monetary cost. Financial return is just one dimension of economic value. Therefore, the most helpful

MANAGEMENT MANTRAS

interpretation of the economic dimension is one that not only acknowledges and gives due weight to dividend payments, but also sets such payments in the context of economic impacts. These impacts can be effects on the viability of local economies or the net, rather than the gross, number of jobs created by some project. People or society: This dimension of TBL seeks to benefit everyone in the society who is impacted by its activities. It encompasses a range of policies, from accounting transparency to treatment towards female and child labour. Tata Chemicals Ltd, through its Desh Ko Arpan programme, contributes 10 paise for every kilogram of Tata salt sold during a specific period for the education of underprivileged children. Planet or environment: It emphasises on policies to be followed to address the challenges faced by the environment, eg, global warming, plastic wastes, etc. It includes Research and Development (R&D) of new products that are non-toxic, innovative and creative, as well as where organisations seek ways of using or minimising waste. As part of a global launch of products made of 100 per cent organic cotton, Levi’s introduced its new Eco jeans for customers who want to minimise their impact on environment. Hilex Poly Company has designed HED Bag, a plastic grocery bag that degrades into harmless material in as little as 8 weeks when littered and can be recycled into new bags.

Additional accounting The financial value-added statement captures only the financial flows that accrue to the individual organisation. It takes no account of external impacts (positive or negative) that accrue to third-party stakeholders. These external impacts, or ‘externalities’, may be economic, environmental or social in nature. For example, an economic externality may be the effect of an organisation’s operations on the employment of the local economy. A social externality may be adverse health impacts of consuming the company’s products (eg, tobacco or alcohol). An environmental externality might include impacts on the local community from water pollution or air emissions. In reality, the three bottomlines are closely interlinked and the concept of TBL is a convenient reflection of the different types of capital that an organisation uses for providing goods and services to the society (Figure 1). The challenge for business and societies worldwide is to operate in ways that maximise all the scarce forms of capital involved in producing goods and services, recognising that capital is of three main types, rather than just one – environmental (natural), social (human) and human-made (economic). May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

MANAGEMENT MANTRAS

Economic capital

Social capital

Enviromental capital

Finance

Employees

Goods & services

Stakeholders & society

Raw materials

Biodiversity

Figure 1: Types of capital an organisation uses to provide goods & services to society

TBL in practice: A case in point In 1999, Novo Nordisk, a Danish Healthcare firm, began to explore more systematically the wider socio-economic aspects of its business, with case studies at the local level. In its first attempt to map out issues at the local level, the company undertook a pilot study at its largest production site at Kalundborg in Denmark. Major stakeholder representatives were asked to define issues and dilemmas that they thought were most important. In addition, an analysis of the economic impact of the operations on the local community was performed.

The presence of a big employer such as Novo Nordisk is of great importance to a small community like Kalundborg. For example, it influences the employment structure, as 60 per cent of the factory’s 1,657 employees reside here. In fact, Novo Nordisk employs 1 in 10 of the working population from the municipality of Kalundborg and is, therefore, the community’s largest private employer. Obviously, this dominant position implies a strong contribution to the local economy. The total gross salaries paid to the households by Novo Nordisk amount to 10 per cent of the total income in the community. The municipality’s budget also benefits from the tax revenues generated by the activities at Novo Nordisk. In 1999, the company tax paid by Novo Nordisk to the municipality amounted to 26 million Danish Krone (DKK). In addition, the contribution of income tax from Novo Nordisk employees to the municipality was valued at DKK 58 million, which amounted to

Examples of external costs and benefits Environmental Customers

Suppliers

Employees

Community

Public Sector/ Government

Investors

Social

Environmental costs or Ethical, social and health benefits in the use and costs or benefits associated disposal of products with the product Ethical, social and Environmental impacts health costs or benefits associated with production associated with production of purchased goods and of purchased goods and services services Workplace social costs Environmental benefits or (eg, unpaid overtime) and risks associated with the benefits (eg, training and workplace development) Community health Emissions, effluents and impacts, wider social waste to land, air and impacts of redundancy water (local, regional, and plant closure, national and international) nuisance and disturbance Environmental benefits Social benefits from public from public sector sector investment of investment of corporate corporate taxes in health, taxes in environmental education and social protection programmes Risks to investors from poor Risks to investors from corporate environmental poor corporate social and reputation ethical reputation

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

Economic Consumer surplus over and above the market price Stimulation of economic growth through supply chain

Employment creation by economic multiplier effect Urban and rural regeneration, infrastructure (eg, transport links, congestion)

Public sector economic multiplier effects Risks to investors from poor corporate economic reputation

6 per cent of the municipality’s total tax revenues. On the other hand, Novo Nordisk received about DKK 3.5 million in 1999 as reimbursements for wage costs to employees on maternity leave and during periods of sickness.

Adopting a 3D formulation Sustainability, therefore, is not a goal in itself. Rather, there is a need to look at how the benefits are achieved, who benefits and how one can offset any harm done. Companies today are primarily rewarded for their financial performance even if what they are delivering to the society may be socially or environmentally damaging. To counter this, TBL brings together three critical dimensions – environmental responsibility, social equity and economic performance. By adopting this formulation, companies hope to be able to take a more systematic and sustainable approach to managing business risks, staying attuned to concerns of the society and spotting opportunities, as well as potential problems.

References 1. Adrian Henriques and Julie Richardson, Triple Bottom Line: Does it all add up 2. John Elinkton, Cannibals with forks 3. Laura Quinn and Jessica Baltes, Leadership and Triple Bottom Line Sanjay Gawde pracitises consultancy at Savoir Faire Management Services, Mumbai. He is a Production Engineer with an MBA in Finance and has executed projects in designing & developing cost information systems and process improvement. Savoir Faire develops cost information systems to support pricing, outsourcing and control decisions using the cost excellence (CE©) model. Email: sfgroup@vsnl.com

An invite that rewards as well...

Dear Reader, ‘Modern Plastics & Polymers’ solicits original, well-written, application-oriented, unpublished articles that reflect your valuable experience and expertise in the plastics & polymers industry. You can send us Technical Articles, Case Studies and Product Write-ups. The length of the article should not exceed 3000 words, while that of a product write-up should not exceed 200 words. The articles should preferably reach us in soft copy (either E-mail or a CD). The text should be in MS Word format and images in 300 DPI resolution & JPG format. The final decision regarding the selection and publication of the articles shall rest solely with ‘Modern Plastics & Polymers’. Authors whose articles are published will receive a complimentary copy of that particular issue and an honorarium cheque. Published by Infomedia 18 Ltd, ‘Modern Plastics & Polymers’ is the leading monthly magazine exclusively meant for producers and user fraternities of the plastics industry. Well supported by a national readership of over 80,000 and our strong network of 26 branch offices across India, this magazine reaches out to key decision makers among the Indian manufacturers of plastics products, machinery and allied sectors. Brought out in association with Hong Kong-based Ringier Trade Media Ltd (one of the world’s largest trade publishing houses with more than 200 special interest titles and offices in every major country), it ensures that advertisers are able to promote their products and services across the globe at no extra cost. So get going and rush your articles, write-ups, etc… Thanking you, Yours sincerely,

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‘CHINAPLAS‘ SPECIAL

Curtain Raiser .......................................................... 74 In the News ............................................................. 76 Product Showcase .................................................... 78

Chinaplas 2011, the 25th international exhibition on plastics and rubber industries, will be held from May 17–20, 2011, in the largest exhibition hall in Asia, the China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex in Guangzhou, China. The event is the largest plastics and rubber exhibition in Asia and one of the most influential exhibitions of its kind.

May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

CURTAIN RAISER

Chinaplas 2011

Revving up the growth engine With the theme of ‘The Growth Engine for Your Industries’, Chinaplas 2011 – the 25th International Exhibition on Plastics and Rubber Industries – is expected to offer a multitude of solutions for enterprises and display some of the most innovative & advanced plastics and rubber machinery as well as raw materials. About 2,200 renowned exhibitors from over 35 countries across Asia, Europe, the US and South Africa are expected to participate at the event and about 80,000 visitors will be welcomed. A preview…

SHOW INFORMATION Event title: Chinaplas 2011 The 25th international exhibition on plastics and rubber industries Venue: China Import & Export Fair Pazhou Complex, Guangzhou, PR China Date: May 17-20, 2011 Registration: www.ChinaplasOnline.com

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

he accelerated growth in China’s industry and market has been successful in attracting a lot of overseas businesses. Today, a number of foreign companies are vying for expanding their business to the Chinese market. Thus, to serve as a platform for business expansion and networking, the 25th – silver edition – of Chinaplas is being organised from May 17-20, 2011, at China Import & Export Fair Pazhou Complex, Guangzhou, PR China. Spread across an area of over 160,000 sq m, the exhibition will represent 11 countries and regions including Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US, China, Taiwan as well as India. The event will display over 1,900 sets of machines and chemicals & raw materials. Special events will be held concurrently to celebrate the silver edition of Chinaplas. “The first edition of Chinaplas covered some thousand square metres of area. As most exhibitors in this edition were overseas companies, products and technology made in China were not displayed. But, thanks to growth of plastics and rubber industries, Chinaplas has become one of the top three international plastics & rubber fairs in the world and, today,

ranks first in Asia,” says Stanley Chu, Chairman, Adsale, Organiser of Chinaplas 2011.

Concurrent events To celebrate the silver edition, the organiser will launch a ‘We Build and We Share – Chinaplas 25th Edition Celebration eMagazine’. The content will present the milestones of Chinaplas in the past years, with photographs capturing precious moments at each edition of the show and congratulation messages from major exhibitors and associations, among other things. Another important concept to be launched at the show is environmental protection and recycling with ‘Beating Record by Recycling Bottles’. Here, a large number of used plastic bottles will be used to make an environmental sculpture. More than 80,000 exhibitors, as well as local and overseas visitors can witness this meaningful sculpture. Another feature – Green Forum – with conferences on eco-friendly plastics will also be held, where experts will discuss topics like production technology, market supply chain, practical application of low-carbon plastics, successful case studies, breakthroughs in research, etc.

The Green Forum Ecological environmental protection is a common topic that the world is

CURTAIN RAISER

currently concerned with. In recent years, plastics & rubber industries and many other sectors have been adopting production methods that enable energysaving, low-carbon and recycling to promote sustainable development of the economy. All these steps are being taken to achieve the goal of minimising resource utilisation and establishing an eco-friendly society. Inheriting the vision, ‘Green Plastics. Our Goal. Our Future’ from Chinaplas 2010, a green event will be held at the exhibition ground. A plastic sculpture will be made using over 3,000 used plastic bottles, which will be designed by Wing Lee, a popular product designer from Hong Kong. This sculpture will be set in the fairground during the show, allowing visitors to experience the power of recycling. With an attempt to break the Guinness World Record, this plastic sculpture will demonstrate the importance of recycling in promoting sustainable development of plastics & rubber industries.

Eco-friendly Plastics Conference Worldwide, more than 10 billion plastic bottles are disposed in landfills, seas, rivers or incinerated every year. Plastic bottles need more than a hundred years to decompose completely in the natural environment. It is important to change the current ways of plastic bottle disposal, which if not done, can damage the environment irreversibly. Two concurrent events at the exhibition, ‘Beating Record by Recycling Bottles’ and ‘Eco-friendly Plastics Conference’, will focus on three major global market concerns of green manufacturing, namely, ‘bio-plastics and degradable plastics’, ‘recycling and carbon emission reduction’ and ‘energy saving’. The ‘Eco-friendly Plastics Conference’ will be held on May 18 and 19. Speakers have been invited from associations such as Degradable Plastics Committee of China Plastics

Processing Industry Association, British Plastics Federation and the Society of the Plastics Industry; universities like Beijing University of Chemical Technology; and key manufacturers such as NatureWorks, Fukutomi, Zhong Yu Energy Technology, Closed Loop Recycling, EREMA and Sacmi. These experts will share at the conference their latest technologies, research findings, experiences and the green market development initiatives. Some manufacturers, such as P&G, have also been invited to share the challenges in application from the user’s perspective. The two-day conference will be held in three sessions. The topics include the following: The Challenge of Sustainability and the Applications of Bio-plastics and Degradable Plastics, Reduce Carbon Emission with Plastics Recycling Technology and Achieve Energy Efficiency with Energy Saving Plastics Technology. Besides the macro view of these topics, which focusses on their environment, market trends and standards in various countries, the conference will facilitate sharing of experience on research and technology development by manufacturers, as well as application by users.

Rubber industry zone At the 2011 edition, Chinaplas will set up for the first time the ‘Rubber Machinery and Equipment Zone’. The new theme zone is intended to attract not only rubber machinery manufacturers, rubber product manufacturers and other supporting equipment suppliers around the world, but also buyers from different application sectors to visit, source and network. Currently, over 20 leading players in the rubber industry have confirmed or reserved exhibition booths. Also, Chinaplas will commence its VIP buyers programme, tailor-made for key enterprises in the rubber industry. The statistics show that the accumulated sales volume of

Due to growth of plastics and rubber industries, Chinaplas has become one of the top three international plastics & rubber fairs in the world and, today, ranks first in Asia. Stanley Chu Chairman, Adsale, Organiser of Chinaplas 2011 rubber products in China has reached RMB 220.5 billion (EUR 25.3 billion) between January and May, 2010, with a growth of 35.38 per cent on a yearon-year basis, whereas the growth rate witnessed an increase of 31.57 per cent compared with that in the same period last year. Stimulated by promising prospects for conveyor belts and rubber tubes, rubber seals, rubber snubber for buildings and rubber products for automotive applications, the country has overcome the adversity that arose from the recent global financial crisis and is now showing rapid growth.

Making its mark The influence and importance of the trade fair are highly reflected by the overwhelming response from the plastics and rubber industry across the globe. More than 50 groups covering sectors including plastic products, automobiles, building & construction, packaging, medical moulding, etc, are expected to make their presence felt at Chinaplas 2011.

May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

IN THE NEWS

Holliday Pigments focusses on pigments for food contact plastics

Borouge showcases innovative, value creating solutions

In-line with increasing demand for its specially formulated food contact grades across the Asia Pacific region, Holliday Pigments is focussing on its Ultramarine Premier BC plastics range at Chinaplas 2011. The company has recently introduced improvements in its manufacturing process that specifically enable production of pigments for taste & taint-free plastics packaging. The resulting Premier BC for still water and BC-R for carbonated soft drinks have since been widely specified across the European food & beverage sector and Holliday Pigments is now seeing an upsurge in demand for specialist food contact grades from China, Japan and South East Asia. “Synthetic Ultramarine is non-toxic and inherently safe for sensitive applications including cosmetics, children’s toys and plastics that come into contact with food stuffs, but we recognised that we could add value to the caps & closures market by developing a grade that was proven to impart no taste or odour during the production process,” said Matthew Nicholson, Asia Pacific Sales and Marketing Manager, Holliday Pigments.

Borouge, a leading provider of innovative, valuecreating plastics solutions will showcase its commitment to Value Creation through Innovation at Chinaplas, 2011. Three key pillars will form Borouge’s presence at the exhibition, namely, innovative plastics solutions, investments and water for the world. Visitors will experience how the unique Borstar® technology provides differentiated solutions for the infrastructure, automotive and advanced packaging markets. The plastics industry in China has continuously maintained high-speed growth for the past 30 years, and the Chinese market has become the single largest market for Polyethylene (PE) and Polypropylene (PP), with 30 million tonne consumed in 2010. Borouge has a broad portfolio of innovative products and sustainable solutions, which help deliver better performance and value to its customers. A prime example of this is the Polyolefins (PO) solution for large diameter pipes that Borouge supplies in the Middle East to develop efficient and robust pipes solutions for new industrial plants in the region in an effort to support its customers.

KEBA displays technology innovations for optimised control solutions KEBA AG is an internationally successful high-tech company based in Austria, with branches in Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Romania, Turkey, China, Taiwan, Japan and the US, in line with its credo, ‘Automation by innovation’. KEBA develops and manufactures inventive, top-quality automation solutions for industrial, banking and service branches. At this year’s Chinaplas, KEBA AG

BEKUM offers new clamping system BEKUM is known worldwide for innovation in the area of blow moulding technology. As the technology leader, B E K U M ’ s expertise lies not only in the packaging sector, but also in industrial containers as 76

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

will present innovations from its KePlast product series, which are known for optimised control solutions for injection moulding machines. Also, KEBA’s robot control solution KeMotion IMM Handling will display its capabilities in IMM processes. The following novelties will be exhibited: KePlast ServiceNet allows quick worldwide remote control

of injection moulding machines, without changes or intervention of a company’s IT network. KePlast i1000 V-IMM is a cost-optimised control solution for vertical IMMs with a customisable control panel. KePlast EasyNet 2.0 is an enhanced software control centre for monitoring processes, machine productivity and long-term statistics. KeMotion IMM Handling, which allows faster and efficient material handling in IMM processes and offers fast start-up and easy operation.

well as high-quality technical parts for the automotive industry. At the K Show 2010 in Düsseldorf, BEKUM has presented new-generation electric series – EBLOW-X07 – the proven and long-established worldwide line of BEKUM blow moulding machines. It features a completely new clamping system design and moldular construction. Two versions of the X07 machines are available, with the traditional hydraulic system and in a new,

fully electric EBLOW version with persuasive advantages. Non-impact machine movements extend working life and afford positioning accuracy within 0.01 mm with quick build up of clamping force. At a maximum of 72 dB, the EBLOW System has low noise. The new clamping system is prepared for additional installation of bottom calibration and, therefore permits top and bottom calibration.

IN THE NEWS

New-generation trudex series by Maag for modern extrusion processes Demand is increasing for gear pumps designed for high-pressure applications. This trend is driven by the increased applications involving highly complex processes. This includes the modern foam processing used for material-efficient foam pipes as well as blow film processes. The use of modern filter equipment for ultraclean plastics also requires increasingly highpressure levels during extrusion.

AQUAREX blown film line in focus With the AQUAREX blown film line, the machine manufacturer Windmöller & Hölscher (W&H) expands its blown film product range to include a line that blows film downwards and uses water instead of air to quench the bubble. W&H takes technology, known

Optimised control solution for plastics machinery KEBA offers an optimised c o n t r o l platform – KePlast – especially designed for all types of plastic injection moulding machines. It provides basic solutions for standard equipment as well as sophisticated versions for high-end machines. KePlast systems yield ideal product irrespective of the machine type or application. Their scalability is not only limited to the control hardware

The hallmark of this trend is extrusion equipment working with operating pressures of >120 bar. The pressure at the tool itself is as high as >400 bar. The trudex series provides a consistent solution to processors working with modern extrusion processes. Various tempering options, including the choice of electric or fluid media, cover all process-related requirements of extrusion applications. Maag also offers special configuration of the pump to match specific customer requirement profiles as an optional service. The combination of pump construction and processing experience puts Maag in a unique position worldwide, according to the company.

for its use with smaller, special lines, and tailors it to meet the needs of the flexible packaging industry. The AQUAREX opens up opportunities for blown film manufacturers to create a new spectrum of packaging products that reach beyond medical applications. Quenching the bubble with water rather than air decreases the cooling time by a factor of 30. The sudden freezing of the melt minimises build up of crystallites in the plastic, thereby creating an amorphous structure with excellent optical properties.

with regard to CPU performance, I/ O capacity, modularity and extension possibilities, but also applies to the size of panel, number of keys and individual features. The comprehensive nature of KePlast control solutions allows any system to be operated by only a single application. This means that should a system performance demands increase, only the hardware needs to be exchanged, and the existing software can remain the same. One application can be employed for all machines of one manufacturer, which greatly reduces customer expenditure. May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

SHOWCASE

Nylon product

1.2, Hall 1 41 Stall P

Zig Sheng Industrial Co manufactures and offers nylon products, including nylon chips, filaments, DTY and engineering compounds. ZISLLOY brand is offered for a full range of engineering compounds, including PA6, PA66, PP, PA6/12 and PPS products. ZISLLOY products are widely used in automotive, electrical & electronics, sports, power tools, blowing tube, blowing film and fishing line industries. Total solutions for compound products are also provided to satisfy customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; requirements. Zig Sheng Industrial Co Ltd Taipei - Taiwan Tel: +886-2-92189 4055, Fax: +886-2-2559 1357 Email: venson_lee@zigsheng.com

Rotogravure printing machine

0.1, Hall 1 51 D ll ta S

Wordly Industrial Co offers Rotogravure printing machine (WAP series). The company has designed the six-colour printing station in printing structure, and combined a coating machine in the terminal. This coating machine has an outstanding capacity to lacquer over aluminium foil after printing to improve printing effect. It is also equipped with spine glue function for many different printing requirements. It adopts special reverse structure for aluminium foil between each colour printing station, and sets up doctor blade units on both sides to enable reverse printing in any colour. This meets various requirements in printing. Besides, it adopts 'Sumimoto' sectional motor system in every printing station. The machine has a four-sectional drying tunnel system, which enables more efficient drying. All machines are link-controlled by high-efficiency PLC and HMI touch interface, making the controlling effect precise and highly efficient. It is also equipped with automatic colour register function, which makes printing quality beyond perfection. As for Quality Check (QC), Worldly selects video monitoring system to achieve real-time QC inspection. It effectively assists printing work and improves quality even in high-speed printing operation. Worldly Industrial Co Ltd Taichung - Taiwan Tel: +886-4-359 9850 Fax: +886-4-359 6625 Email: welead@ms17.hinet.net

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

Gearbox

.1, Hall 4 41 Stall C

Zambello riduttori Group offers gearboxes for electric injection moulding machines. Its MNP3 is upgraded series from MHP3, which is mainly shorter than the bell connected with motor, and becomes more compact overall. In addition, the new MNP3 series gearboxes are equipped with new cooling plate system up to size MNP3-280. The innovative cooling plate solution is entirely made of aluminium and provided with internal channels used for water circulation. The plate is fitted directly to the cast-iron housing of the gearbox, which offers excellent efficiency and long life. In order to provide a complete solution for customers, the company also supplies the high-performance motor made by Oemer, SpA. Zambello riduttori Group Milano - Italy Tel: +39-0331-307 616 Fax: +39-0331-309 577 Email: info@zambello.it

Compression moulding machine

0.1, Hall 1 11 Stall A

Tung Yu (Ning Bo) Hydraulic Industries offers compression moulding machine. This is designed for processes involved with temperature & pressure. Rubber & silicon-based applications are the majority including some metal processes additionally. The company offers to various sectors such as automotive parts, 3C, aerospace, military, medical equipment, transportation, tire-retread, slid tire, rubber block, conveyor belt and dock fencing manufacturing. The production capacity ranges from 5 tonne to 10,000 tonne. Tung Yu Hydraulic Machinery Co Ltd Nantou - Taiwan Tel: +86-574-8659 8056/ 8058 Fax: +86-574 8659 9050 Email: ningbo@tungyu.com

SHOWCASE

Injection moulding machine

0.1, Hall 1 L21 ll Sta

Jon Wai Machinery Work offers Centre Force extra large-size toggle-type injection moulding machine. This CF-series fits a centre force and externalacting five-point double toggle clamping to give long efficiency and reliable movement. These machines with large inner tierod distance and thickened platen can minimise toggle pressure, lower deformation, and increase structure rigidity and reliability. In order to optimise the production need, the CF-series is used for different types of material and different design of screws. The CF-series are used in automotives, housewares, electronics, appliances and furniture, for any specific demand on production machinery. Jon Wai Machinery Work Co Ltd Kunshan - Taiwan Tel: +86-512 5766 6123-7 Fax: +86-512 5793 2889 Email: jw_kun@163.com

May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

SHOWCASE

Thermoplastic elastomers

3.2, Hall 1 51 Stall M

Ever Polymer E V E R L O N compounds are highperformance thermoplastic elastomers. These are designed specifically for the production of moulded and extruded products on conventional thermoplastic processing equipment and do not require vulcanisation. These are used for injection moulding, blow moulding, compression moulding and extrusion. EVERLON scrap can be recycled without losing its physical properties. Ever Polymer Co Ltd Taoyuan - Taiwan Tel: +886-3-312 5717, Fax: +886-3-312 5718 Email: everlon@everlon.com.tw

TPE foaming materials

2.2, Hall 1 01 P ll ta S

M i c r o c e l l C o m p o s i t e Company (MCC) offers TPE foaming materials. These are comfortable to touch with conforming p h y s i c a l characteristic and have no vilcanisation process involving, resulting in excellent flexibility and anti-spreading. These have excellent electro-insulation compounds and durability for better acid & alkali resistance. These foaming materials are non-toxic, odourless and are harmless to the environment and human body. These meet international environmental standards as well. Its waste materials are completely recyclable and reusable. These can meet individual demands for customers with their adjustable materials. These materials find usage in shoes, sports equipment, semiconductors, building construction, toys, medical treatment, stereos and products of anti-percussion in the information industry. Microcell Composite Company Tel: +886-6-264 1352 Fax: +886-6-249 1692 Email: karen@microcell.com.tw 80

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

SHOWCASE

High-torque gearbox

.1, Hall 4 41 Stall C

Zambello riduttori Group offers Super High-Torque gearboxes for twin-screw extruders. The design and manufacturing of the gearboxes are all carried out according to standards of American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA). The gears use the finest quality steel from Europe. Twin Super Torque (TST) series is suitable for screw rotating speed at 600-1200 rpm/min. It has a top-bottom dissect structure, which enables easy service and maintenance. The company manufactures gearboxes for twin-screw extruders, starting from a centre distance between screws of 21.5 mm up to a centre distance between output shafts over 200 mm. The gearboxes of this series have been developed by featuring excellent compactness. Also for this series, the axial thrust is supported by an axial roller-type swivel thrust-bearing of the 294.e series, coupled with thrust bearings assembled in tandem. All these bearings are purchased from the best of European manufacturers. Zambello riduttori Group Milano - Italy Tel: +39-0331-307 616, Fax: +39-0331-309 577 Email: info@zambello.it

May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

SHOWCASE

Blow moulding machine

0.1, Hall 1 79 Stall T

Chen Way Machinery Co offers the ABL series blow moulding machines. These are particularly used for producing Jerry can/drum tank/ large articles. These machines can be combined with some accessory equipment to increase the efficiency and expand functions, such as after cooling unit/auto deflashing unit. The die head can stock the melting resin and purge the material for blowing, and its design includes two heart flow channels. This can make welding line-free to increase the strength of production. The tie bar-less clamping unit consists of stiff structure frame and guiding devices that ensure deflection-free advantage. Also, the device with precision rack gear of both sides enables synchronised movement of plates. The blow pin unit is designed for production calibrating that will be suited for different demand of customers. Chen Way Machinery Co Ltd Tainan Hsien - Taiwรกn Tel: +886-6-243-4077 Fax: +886-6-243-4071 Email: chenwaym@ms35.hinet.net

Precision programmable control system

.1, Hall 8 01 Stall C

Arico Taiwan Co offers new design 'Galaxy AR series' for efficient industrial processing controller. The integrated innovative technology with reliable distributed control system contains higher performance. Software combined with stateof-the-art window screen (Van Gogh) provides smart and instinct object-oriented editing style hybrid switching with a simple and popular PLC ladder program editor. This high-speed Ethernet communication network links up the humanity interface and remote devices to display the future one-stop control advantages. It can be broadly applied to automated machinery control such as rubber, plastic processing machinery and equipment. Arico Technology Co Ltd Taipei - Taiwan Tel: +886-2 2910 1266 Fax: +886-2 2915 9434 Email: info@arico.com.tw

Production solution

0.1, Hall 1 55 F ll ta S

Cosmo Machinery Co offers highspeed 6 tracks T-shirt bag and bottom sealing bag making machine. It is computer controlled over the entire process and makes film roll to finished bag in one process. The machine automatically stops when a bag gets jammed or a film is broken. It has high production & manpower capacity and is time-saving. It is equipped with cold and hot pins. It has automatic film feeding, coordination free from the need for adjustment. It is servo motor driven, involves easy adjustment for bag length and has high production speed.

Leader Extrusion Machinery Corp offers solutions for production of mono, multiple, micro-layer optical film/sheet applications knowledge of MS/PS, PMMA, PC, PEN, PBT, PET and PCT for processing. The combination technology includes stack layers feed block, laminar flow, multiextrusion screw, film orientation (MDO & TDO), creating the future of leader extrusion machinery. Professional plastics knowledge builds the foundation of Leader Extrusion Machinery. Every CNC utilises the knowhow of 3D adapt, rheology flow behaviour. The result is change in the metal surface and smoothness of the process. Machine process for customers is also developed.

Cosmo Machinery Co Ltd Taipei Hsien - Taiwan Tel: +886-2 2680 6116 Fax: +886-2 2680 6118 Email: cosmo886@ms64.hinet.net

Leader Extrusion Machinery Ind Co Ltd Taichung - Taiwan Tel: +886-4 2638 0888 Fax: +886-4 2638 0333 Email: leader.ex@msa.hinet.net

Bag making machine

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

0.1, Hall 1 L41 Stall

SHOWCASE

Robots for plastic injection

.2, Hall 3 31 Stall Q

Hi-More Robot Co offers robots and automation for plastic injection moulding machines. For durability robotic arm, the company uses in its major parts high-quality products from Japan and Europe. Quick assembly onsite is cost-effective and maintains good quality. The main arm & sub arm of the robots are interchangeable, in order to minimise store and servicing. Hi-More Robot Co Ltd Taoyuan - Taiwan Tel: +886-3-452 5235 Fax: +886-3-452 2982 Email: harmo@ms25@hinet.net

May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

SHOWCASE

Injection moulding machine

0.1, Hall 1 41 Stall Q

Chuan Lih Fa Machinery Works Co offers injection moulding machine (model) for use in the field of constant pursuit of high precision, high stability, high speed, keeping in mind the obligation and responsibilities on energy saving & carbon reduction. The company has successfully developed integral systems for mass production, and fast cycle IML production systems to provide customers new machines that are cleaner, faster, quieter, more precise, more energy-efficient and more environment friendly. Chuan Lih Fa Machinery Works Co Ltd Tainan Hsien - Taiwan Tel: +886-6 2532 111 Fax: +886-6 2533 311 Email: clf@clf.com.tw

Servo driven robot

Gearbox

0.1, Hall 1 M4 ll Sta

Sun Lung Gear Works offers green purified gearbox. Based on American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) standard, it has best transmission efficiency, low noise & high-torque gear box structure by using computer virtual simulation and stress analysis calculation of safety coefficient. The output direction at the vertical & horizontal side can be selected based on customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; request. Top-quality SKF or FAG bearings are selected and input/output shafts incorporated with Japanese NOK oil seals, with seats being hard chrome-plated, which ensure excellent quality. The operation noise, temperature and vibration meet green product design. Sun Lung Gear Works Co Ltd Tainan - Taiwan Tel: +886-6-2639969, Fax: +886-6-2639626 Email: david@slgear.com.tw

.1, Hall 8 21 Stall A

Vertical injection moulding machine

0.1, Hall 1 J41 Stall

Shini Plastics Technologiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ST3 series are specially designed robots for small manufacturing plants. These can quickly and accurately remove finished products from the mould and place in desired location, and can be equipped with special jig for plug-in module assignments. It is suitable for large hot runner mould users. Based on the stoke of the arms, there are three models (STM1-900-1600DT, STM1-1100-1800DT, STM1-1300-2000DT) available for use with plastic injection moulding machine 200T, 300T, 450T and under 650T. The series has European style streamline, beam, crosswise and vertical arms. It uses servo motor, and with high-precision steel wire belts, cooperates with linear guides to achieve maximum stretching and faster running. Sucker and gripper work with gear rack and gear wheel, which are cylinder driven. External oleo-strut and proximity switch are present in the limit position of the arms that remove products, which has accuracy limit & sucker with a protection device. Customers can adjust the parameters according to their needs. Electrical support uses the enable move design, and is easy to install and maintain. The machine has an intelligent controller and is man-machine interface friendly, easy to operate, has self-diagnostic function as well as triggers alarm for trouble and its cause.

Multiplas offers high-speed vertical injection moulding machines (model V60M70ASR-EPC). The company is devoted to development of moulding technology for the lead frame for Light-Emitting Diode (LED) by using its fully automatic high-speed vertical injection moulding machines. It offers moulding technology and equipment to LED manufacturers. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting purposes. Modern versions are available across the visible, ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths, with very high brightness. An LED is often small in area (less than 1 mm2), and integrated optical components may be used to shape its radiation pattern. LEDs present many advantages over incandescent light sources including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved robustness, smaller size, faster switching and greater durability and reliability. These are used as replacements for aviation lighting, automotive lighting (particularly brake lamps, turn signals and indicators) as well as in traffic signals. Infrared LEDs are also used in the remote control units of many commercial products including televisions, panel display, monitors, DVD players and other domestic appliances.

Shini Plastics Technologies (Dongguan) Inc Taipei - Taiwan Tel: +86-769-8111 6600, Fax: +86-769-8111 6611 Email: shini@shini.com

Multiplas Enginery Co Ltd Gueishan - Taiwan Tel: 886-3-3180090, Fax: 886-3-3974598 Email: sales@multiplas.com.tw

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

SHOWCASE

Vacuum dehumidifying dryer

0.1, Hall 1 J11 ll ta S

Yann Bang Electrical Machinery offers Vacuum Dehumidifying Dryer (DHV) series. With the patented drying technology, it can dry four times faster than traditional machines, with good quality. It saves 75 per cent of drying time and 60 per cent of energy, reduces 75 per cent of space, decreases 70 per cent of carbon emission, increases 15 per cent of production and spends zero dollars on spare parts.

Forwell Precision Machinery Co Ltd Zhenjing - China Tel: +86-574-8659 9196, Fax: +86-574-8659 9197 Email: forwell@forwellnb.com

The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/distributor. In any case, it does not represent the views of Business Insights â&#x20AC;˘Technologiesâ&#x20AC;˘Opportunities

Yann Bang Electrical Machinery Co Ltd Taichung - Taiwan Tel: +886-4-2271 0000 Fax: +886-4-2271 1988 Email: yb@yannbang.com

Quick die change system 0.1, Hall 1 01 Stall B

Forwell precision Machinery offers quick die change system for mechanical press. This can be adopted along with various kinds of mould clamping systems for automatic machines such as punch presses, injection moulding and die casting machines, PCB fine piercing system and various series die clamp system. Forwell is mainly engaged in automatic production, manpower saving to serve quick die change system. May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

EVENTS CALENDAR

National Rudrapur

Uttarakhand Sep 23-26, 2011 Gandhi Park

Ahmedabad Gujarat Oct 14-17, 2011 Gujarat University Exhibition Hall

Pune

Maharashtra Nov 18-21, 2011 Auto Cluster Exhibition Centre, Pimpri-Chinchwad

Chennai

Tamil Nadu Dec 16-19, 2011 Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam

Indore

Madhya Pradesh Jan 6-9, 2012 Poddar Plaza, Nr Gandhi Hall

Aurangabad Maharashtra Feb 17-20, 2012 Garware Stadium, Chikkalthana

India’s premier industrial trade fair on products and technologies related to Machine Tools, Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Process Machinery & Equipment, Automation Instrumentation, Packaging & Auxiliaries, IT Products, Electrical & Electronics, Material Handling and Safety Equipment.

For details contact: Infomedia 18 Ltd, Infomedia 18 Ltd, Ruby House, 1st Floor, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai 400 028. Tel: 022 3003 4651 • Fax: 022 3003 4499 • Email: engexpo@infomedia18.in

Plastex Caspian

industry. This is among the Indian packaging industry’s leading exhibitions that will bring together highly competitive and new-age solutions from major suppliers and buyers under one roof; July 1-4, 2011; at HITEX Exhibition Centre, Hyderabad

For details contact: Mathias Lauk GiMA International Exhibition Group GmbH Lübeck Str 128, D-22087 Hamburg Tel: +49 (0)40 2 35 24-0 Fax: +49 (0)40 2 35 24-400 E-mail: info@gima.de Website: www.gima.de

For details contact: Neetu Arora Print-Packaging.com Pvt Ltd F 101, Tower No 7 1st Floor, International Infotech Park, Vashi Navi Mumbai-400 705 Tel: 022 2781 2093, 2619 Fax: 022 2781 2578 Email: info@packplus.in Website: www.packplussouth.in

This is an international trade exhibition for raw materials, equipment, plastics & rubber production and processing technologies. This is the first edition of the show; May 25-27, 2011; at the International Exhibition Centre, Pune

Eastern Plastic & Rubber Expo

This exhibition is expected to be a platform for modern machinery, materials and accessories segments, and to understand their need and demands. The four-day international exhibition will showcase the entire spectrum of products, latest trends, technology, equipment and services in its chosen sector; June 16-19, 2011; at TBA, Kolkata

PET+Drink TECH ASIA 2011

The fifth edition of this international exhibition and seminar will showcase the entire spectrum of products, latest trends, technology, equipment and services in PET, drinks and liquid processing, filling & packaging related sector; August 27-29, 2011; at Milan Mela Exhibition Centre, Kolkata

For details contact: Nayan Dhayani D-43 Clover Centre, 7- Moledina Road Camp, Pune Tel: 020 40068318/32911450 Mob: 09371025233 Fax: 020 26054870 E-mail: info@vnbindia.com Website: www.vnbindia.com

For details contact: SK Bhardwaj Scf 172-A, First Floor Grain Market Sector-26, Chandigarh Tel: 0172 2795067 Mob: 09216129027 E-mail: kesarimedia@yahoo.co.in/ kesarimedia@gmail.com Website: www.kesarimedia.com

PackPlus South 2011

CONVEXPO

Packaging is among the leading enduser segments of the commodity plastics

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

This exhibition is dedicated to the converting and printing industry, with applications of

paper and plastics in packaging. Leading exhibits at this event will be plastic films, packaging & printing machinery, tapes/ plastic pallets, warehousing equipment, bag making machinery, material handling equipment; November 23-27, 2011; at University Grounds, Ahmedabad For details contact: B Swaminathan Smart Expos T-6, Agarwal Court - K G Plaza 41-44, General Patters Road, Chennai Tel: 044-28603086 Fax: 044-28604261 Mob: 09789095247 Email: info@smartexpos.in Website: www.smartexpos.in

Plastindia 2012

This is the premier exhibition of the Indian plastics industry. It will once again prove to be a strategic meeting point for all large and small players from the global arena. It will showcase cutting-edge technology and applications of high-end polymer solutions; February 1-6, 2012; at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi For details contact: Plastindia Foundation 401, Landmark B, Suren Road Off Andheri Kurla Road, Andheri (East), Mumbai -400093 Tel: 022-26832911 Fax: 022- 26845861 Email: info@plastindia.org Website: www.plastindia.org

EVENTS CALENDAR

International MOLDPLAS 2011 This is among Europe’s most niche trade fair dedicated entirely to the tooling requirements of the region’s highly developed plastics industry. A wide range of machinery and raw materials and sheetmetal work equipment will be on display. It will be an opportunity to network with the leading brands and policy & decision makers in Europe; May 5-8, 2011; at Batalha Exhibition Centre, Batalha, Portugal For details contact: ExpoSalao PO Box 39 2441-951 Batalha, Portugal Tel: +351 244 769 480, Fax: +351 244 767 489 Email: info@exposalao.pt Website: www.exposalao.pt

CHINAPLAS 2011

For details contact: Nadya Kaminskaya Business Forum LLC 49094, Dnepropetrovsk Naberezhnaya Pobedy, 48-B, Ukraine Tel: +38 0562 313 919/ +38 056 794 33 94 Fax: +380 (056)2 313919 Email: marketing@metalcourier.com Website: www.b-forum.ru

PLASTPOL 2011 Dedicated to the plastics industry in Poland, this exhibition features almost all products used in and related to the plastics processing industry – from production to disposal and recycling. Among the exhibits will be plastics processing machines, moulds and tools, components, recycling technologies and IT systems applied in plastics processing; May 24-27, 2011; at Kielce fairground, Kielce, Poland

The largest plastics and rubber trade fair in Asia, CHINAPLAS has evolved as an ideal business partner of the region’s surging specialty polymers industry. CHINAPLAS will serve as a platform to network with all the application sectors like automotives, construction, electrical & electronics, etc; May 17-20, 2011; at the China Import & Export Fair Pazhou Complex, Guangzhou, PR China

For details contact: Kamil Perz Targi Kielce, Zakladowa 1 25-672 Kielce, Poland Tel: +48 41 365 12 30 Fax: +48 41 345 62 61 E-mail: perz.k@targikielce.pl/ plastpol@targikielce.pl Website: www.targikielce.pl

For details contact: Lillian Tse Adsale Exhibition Services Limited 6th Floor, 321 Java Road North Point, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2516 3374, Fax: (852) 2516 5024 Email: publicity@adsale.com.hk Website: www.chinaplasonline.com

PLASTEC East

POLYMER MARKETS 2011

This conference will witness the latest developments, technologies, products and services affecting the industry, including primary processing machinery, computer-aided design and manufacturing, production machinery, materials, moulds & mould components, automation technology, materials handling and logistics; June 6-9, 2011; at Jacob Javits Convention Centre, New York

Among the world’s leading polymer destinations, today, Russia is the fifth largest importer of processing machinery and specialty grade polymers. This exhibition will be a unique opportunity to network with the regions processors, OEMs, raw material & equipment suppliers; May 22-27, 2011; at More Hotel, Alushta, Crimea, Ukraine

For details contact: UBM Canon 11444 W Olympic Boulevard Los Angeles, California 90064-1549 Tel: 310/445-4200, Fax: 310/996-9499 Email: pleinfo@ubm.com Website: www.plastecheast.com

InterPlas Thailand 2011 This will be the 20th edition of Thailand’s leading plastics & rubber manufacturing machinery and technologies conference. Apart from showcasing the ASEAN region’s key plastics processing technologies, the show will feature business activities and industrial conferences focussed on latest trends and know-how. This will help all visitors to further expand their horizons and synergise with industrial networks; June 23-26, 2011; at Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC), Bangkok, Thailand For details contact: Reed Tradex Company 32nd floor, Sathorn Nakorn Tower 100/68-69 North Sathon Road, Silom Bangkok-10500 Thailand Tel: +66 2686-7299 Fax: +66 2686-7288 E-mail: rtdx@reedtradex.co.th Website: www.reedtradex.com

Interplas 2011 This international event is aimed at showcasing the European polymer industry. It will feature the latest machinery & equipment for processing and converting polymers; September 27-29, 2011; at NEC, Birmingham, United Kingdom For details contact: Jenna Reid Plastics Multimedia Communications Ltd Unit 2, Chowley Oak Lane Tattenhall, Cheshire United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 1829 770037 Fax: +44 (0) 1829 770047 Email: jenna@rapidnews.com Website: www.britishplasticsshow.com The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective organiser. In any case, it does not represent the views of Business Insights •Technologies•Opportunities

May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

Technology Offered As part of our endeavour to spread the technology culture, this section provides a means to promote and facilitate exchange of select technologies. We strive to bring together suppliers of such technologies with suitable users for negotiations and industrial collaboration. Conversion of batch-poly plant to C P plant A company from China is interested in providing consultancy for the modification of batch-poly plant to C P plant like polyester plant, polyester chip or direct spinning. Areas of application Chemical fibre and plastics Forms of transfer Turnkey

Plastic recycling technologies using organic and inorganic compounds An Iranian company offers plastic recycling technologies using organic and inorganic compounds. This idea is based on the principle of water electrolysis in which sodium chloride is kept in proximity of turpentine/pine oil and plastics. Areas of application Plastic recycling Forms of transfer Others

Plastic recycling technologies An Iranian company is willing to provide plastic recycling technologies using urea and ammonium carbonate and synthetic ammonia. Areas of application Plastic recycling

Forms of transfer Technology licensing

Polyester chip plant A company from China offers polyester production plant, polycondensation plant, polymerisation line, hot-melt adhesive plant (500-5,000 tpa), polyester chip plant (2,000-1,50,000 tpa) and film grade polyester plant (2,000-1,50,000 tpa). Areas of application Polymerisation and fibre lines Forms of transfer Technology licensing and turnkey

Pilot plants for small-scale production An Indian company offers pilot plants for laboratory or small-scale production purpose. The plant consists of a spinneret, metering pump, spinning beam, candle filter, extruder unit, godet unit, PP multifilament plant manufacturer, singlescrew extruder machine or melt flow index tester machine for masterbatch industries. Areas of application Plastics, textiles, etc Forms of transfer Sub-contracting, turnkey, etc

Rotational moulding of plastics A manufacturer of rotational moulding

machines from India offers plant and machinery for constructing water storage tanks and other hollow plastic parts. Areas of application Chemical storage tanks, water storage tanks, material handling trolleys, pallets, containers, etc Forms of transfer Others

Recycling of PET wastes into polyester polyols A Czech Republican company is offering the technology for recycling of PET wastes (plastic PET bottles, X-ray films, etc) to produce polyester polyols. The process consists of the following steps: Collection of PET wastes, sorting out & shredding of collected PET wastes, simple chemical process of glycolysis & esterification and production of polyester polyols. Areas of application Chemicals industry: Polyester polyol is a base material for the chemistry of polyurethanes, especially production of polyurethane foams, which are primarily transferred into energy saving and insulating materials Forms of transfer Technology licensing, others

Share Your Technology Propositions The mission of Modern Plastics and Polymers is to spread the technology culture. We offer you an opportunity to participate in this endeavour by publishing the best technology ideas. Technology developers/sellers are invited to furnish the techno-commercial details (with environmental benefits, if any) for publication in the Technology Transfer column of Modern Plastics and Polymers. R&D organisations, technical consultancy organisations and individuals assisting small and medium enterprises send the relevant literature, indicating the scope & services and the areas of specification. Contact: Modern Plastics and Polymers Infomedia 18 Ltd, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Wing, Ruby House, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai 400 028. Tel: 022-3024 5000 Fax: 022-3003 4499 Email: spedit@infomedia18.in

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

Technology Requested Disposal and recycling of plastics waste A Polish firm seeks the technology for dry processing of all kinds of plastic waste or a magnetic processing method in the electrostatic field. The technology should allow sorting of all kinds of plastic materials, hay-silage foils, PET, HDPE, PVC, etc, by excluding dangerous waste. Specific technical requirements include initial cleaning without the use of water, sorting of all kinds of plastic materials after cleaning in a closed system, and a maximum processing capacity of 10,000 tonne of waste per annum. Areas of application Plastics industry, waste recycling, waste management Forms of transfer Others

Lab-scale non-woven and monofilament plant An Indian company is looking for a labscale, non-woven and monofilament plant in a single station. Areas of application Plastics Forms of transfer Others

Plastics recycling technologies A Sri Lankan company is seeking the latest plastics recycling technologies, especially for automatic sorting, washing, metal detection, granulation process system, washing plants, crushers, extruders, etc. Areas of application Plastics recycling Forms of transfer Others

Polyacetal resins A Gulf-based organisation wants to promote projects in the chemicals and petrochemicals sectors in GCC countries. It is looking for technology suppliers for the manufacture of polyacetal resins. Areas of application Chemicals/petrochemicals industry Forms of transfer Feasibility study, know-how, equipment, turnkey plant, joint venture

PP/PET strap processing An Indian company is seeking the technology for PP and PET strap processing. Areas of application Packaging industry Forms of transfer Others

Recycled PET polyester polyols plant A Poland-based company specialising in recycled PET polyester polyols manufacturing, is looking for an alternative proposal of design and engineering of bigger (approximately 25 ktpa) production plant. It plans to start with proper quality recycled PET flakes being delivered in big bags. Hence, the company needs a complete package offer for this service. Areas of application Plastics and polymers industry Forms of transfer Others

Recycled plastic-making technology A company based in Vietnam is seeking the technology to recycle plastics.

The diameters of recycled plastic granules should range from 120 to 200 mm, while the capacity of the production should range from 150 to 300 kg/hr. Areas of application Raw materials for making plastic products Forms of transfer Others

Road filling materials for road maintenance An Indian company requires the technology to make materials by transforming waste plastics that gels uniformly with road materials. This is for filling potholes in roads. It also needs the know-how regarding products that are made from waste plastics like jumble strips, speed breakers, etc. Areas of application Road transport Forms of transfer Others

Utilisation of natural rubber in asphalt A Pakistan-based company needs knowhow regarding utilisation of natural rubber in modified asphalt covering. It needs the following information: Standards and specifications guiding the use of natural rubber in modified asphalt; appropriate proportion of natural rubber in mixture & handling of the operation; additives needed; and details of improvement in the asphalt properties by using natural rubber. Areas of application Rubber industry Forms of transfer Others

Information courtesy: Information courtesy: Dr Krishnan S Raghavan, In-Charge, Technology Transfer Services Group, United Nations Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT), APCTT Building , C-2, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi 110 016 Tel: 011 - 2696 6509, Fax: 011 - 2685 6274, Email: krishnan@apctt.org, Website: www.apctt.org

For more information on technology offers and requests, please log on to www.technology4sme.net and register with your contact details. This is a free of cost platform provided by APCTT for facilitating interaction between buyers and seekers of technologies across the globe. After submitting technology offer or request to this website, you are requested to wait for at least two weeks for receiving a response from a prospective buyer / seeker through this website, before contacting APCTT for further assistance.

May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

BOOK SHELF

Injection Molding Technology and Fundamentals Editors: Musa R Kamal, Avraam I Isayev & Shih-Jung Liu Series Editor: James L White Price : `16,600

Additives for Plastics Author Price

: John Murphy : `14,000

The plastics industry has experienced phenomenal growth since the middle of the last century. The growth of plastics production in most of the industrialised countries has experienced a wide range of markets, replacing other materials and providing growth rates that exceeded twice those of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. The use of plastics has penetrated a wide range of markets, replacing other materials and providing new concepts of material use and novel applications. This book attempts to survey the state of the science and technology of the injection moulding process. It represents a comprehensive, balanced mix of practical and theoretical aspects for a wide range of injection moulding applications. The authors of the 21 chapters in the book are experts and leaders in their respective areas of specialisation in the injection moulding field. While it is not possible to cover all aspects of such a dynamic growth field, we hope that the reader will find sufficient information and background to become acquainted, at various levels, with key components of the science and technology of injection moulding.

Additives, both technically and economically, form a large and increasingly significant part of the polymer industry, including plastics as well as elastomers. In the five years since the first edition of this handbook was introduced, there have been wide-ranging developments, encompassing the chemistry and formulation of new and more efficient additive systems and safer use of additives, both by processors in the factory and, in the wider field, as they affect the general public. The Additives for Plastics Handbook is arranged in a user-friendly fashion, starting from the information requirement of the user, and hence classifying additives by the properties these offer as well as applications in which they are used. The handbook covers all substances that can be added to a polymer to improve its application, and thus includes information on reinforcing materials (eg, glass fibre), carbon black and titanium dioxide, in addition to more frequently occurring additives. A comprehensive view of all types of additives, concentrating mainly on their technical aspects, is enhanced with notes on the commercial background of each. The result is an essential handbook for manufacturers, compounders, specifiers and users of additives for plastics, which is expected to prove its worth time and again.

Avaliable at: Wisdom Book Distributors, Hornby Building, 1st floor, 174, D N Road, Mumbai 400 001 Tel: 022-2207 4484/6631 8958 â&#x20AC;˘ Telefax: 022-2203 4058 â&#x20AC;˘ Email: thadam@vsnl.com

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

PRODUCT UPDATE

Electric injection moulding machine

High-pressure compressor

Neejtech India offers electrical horizontal injection moulding machines from Niigata, Japan. The machine ranges from 301,000 tonne & vertical IMM ranges from 30-150 tonne. All electric machines are generally known as green machines because these save more than 60 per cent power consumption than hydraulic/toggle machines of similar size. The machine is absolutely free from oil and is nonpolluting. Due to no oil use, it reduces maintenance & repair cost of hydraulic system. It ensures enhanced accuracy and reliability, and provides great cost savings and contributes to environmental preservation. This machine is ideal for medical, automotive, pharmaceuticalâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;healthcare and packaging moulding segment of industry. This machine runs silent & without vibrations and is very precise due to no deviation through oil viscosity, compressibility, through drifting hydraulic valve action time. By switching over from hydraulic to electric injection moulding machines, greater cost on power consumption, cooling water consumption, hydraulic oil elimination as well as housekeeping and maintenance cost can be saved. The electric injection moulding machine increases up time and decreases material wastage.

Comp-tech Equipment offers high-pressure compressor for PET blowing. Its features include valve piston & rider rings designed for annual one time maintenance, low Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) & rugged cast iron design ideal for heavy duty continues 24x7, operating year after year, forged crank shaft & connecting rod, precision main & crank pin bearings with force feed lubrication have very high load-bearing capacity & hardly need replacements. Two throw balance-opposed frames are designed to minimise unbalanced forces. Cylinders are constructed with large cast-in-water jackets and have specially designed intercoolers for dimensional stability & better cooling under continuous operation. Distance pieces feature two compartments ensuring the lubricant isolated from the cylinders. All components are constructed in accordance with international standards. The standard package includes a compact skid-mounted compressor, belt guard, electric motor, starter and control panel, after cooler, non-return valve with optional air dryer, compressed air filter and air receiver.

Neejtech India Ahmedabad - Gujarat Tel: 079-2656 1312, Mob: 098250 40231 Email: sales@neejtech.com

Comp-Tech Equipment Ltd Ahmedabad - Gujarat Tel: 079-2220 1296, Fax: 079-2220 3009 Mob: 098250 39768 Email: comtecheqpltd@yahoo.co.in

Plastic brightner/shiner Plast Fine Polymers offers plastic brightners/shiners/ whitener for natural transparent, coloured and milky white end-products. This is used for adding clarity and gloss finish to natural transparent polymers. It gives shining and bright finish colours to end-products. This brightner/ whitener removes yellowness and dullness from the end-products and makes it super milky white. This product is used in virgin, second, dull natural or milky white sutli, ropes, twine, reprocess granules, High-density Polyethylene, Low-density Polyethylene, Polyvinyl Chloride (HDPE-LDPE-PVC) pipes & profiles, box strap, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) jars, spoons, containers, carry bags, liners, sheet, yarns and other end-products. One of the main advantages of this product is that it also saves excess usage of white pigments and titanium dioxide for opaque end-products. Plast Fine Polymers Ahmedabad - Gujarat Tel: 079-6524 2332, Mob: 098255 87152 Email: plastfine@indiatimes.com

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

Digital colour mark sensor Lubi Electronics offers â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sunxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; LX-100 series digital colour mark sensor. This can detect any marking because the sensor is equipped with red, green and blue LED element. Furthermore, to expand the functionality, the sensor comes with dual mode, ie, mark mode (ultra high-speed response) & colour mode (high-precision mark colour discrimination) to suit any application. This sensor comes with Mode Navi technology for enhancing the features and is easy to use. This is provided with a 4-digit digital display, 12-bit A/D converter, D-code, key lock, timer, NPN or PNP outputs, IP67 protection, etc. The sensor is used in many applications/industries, especially in packaging, food, pharmaceuticals, textile, plastics, among others. Lubi Electronics Ahmedabad - Gujarat Tel: 079-2220 5471, Fax: 079-2220 0660 Mob: 093274 97006 Email: info@lubielectronics.com

PRODUCT UPDATE

Blown film line Kabra Extrusiontechnik offers a blown film line. The threelayer blown film line has 2 x 55 mm grooved feed extruders and a 65-mm extruder for the outer layer. The outer extruder is connected with European PIB liquid injection pump. The plant is equipped with a 300-mm Kabraflex die head and cooling ring. The film is wound on a back-to-back dual station load-cell controlled duplex winder with latest design, which ensures uniform film tension during the entire operation. The monolayer film plant with liquid PIB technology is being used for producing stretch cling film. The advanced PIB technology imparts stickiness to the cling film and helps it to effectively cling to the product to be wrapped. Kabra Extrusiontechnik Ltd Mumbai - Maharashtra Tel: 022-2673 4822-25, Fax: 022-2673 5041 Email: nivedita@kolsitegroup.com

Lab model screw extruder

Mr L. R. Katrat Managing Director - CEO Katlax Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have been a regular advertiser of our products in leading publications such as SEARCH, Modern Machine Tools and Modern Plastics & Polymers of Infomedia 18 Ltd. We are associated with the publication house for more than 12 years and are utilising these magazines to promote our products aggressively and receiving good response.â&#x20AC;?

info@katlax.com

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

Malik Engineers offers mega series single-screw and twin-screw extruder. This is suitable for laboratory trials and small-scale production of polymeric and food cereals. This extruder is driven through helical gear box & AC induction motor with frequency control panel for stepless control of screw speed. The barrel is of modular construction, is made up of segments and electrically heated. It is also provided with water jackets for removing extra heat. Hopper is provided with auger feeder for controlled feeding over the screws. A devolatising port is provided, which can be used to remove moisture and volatiles from the material. Both screw and barrel are made up of separate segments, which can be assembled as per process demand. Different segments of barrel and screw are supplied for thermoplastics and food cereals extrusion. The machine can be used to test properties of thermoplastic product, testing of polymer blend and alloys, etc. It can be used for processing all polymers including Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), nylon, Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT), Polycarbonate (PC), etc. The machine is provided with accurate digital controllers and indicators for keeping a record of all important parameters of extrusion, ie, drive torque, current, extrusion pressure, temperature, rotational speeds, etc. Malik Engineers Thane - Maharashtra Tel: 0250-239 0839, Fax: 022-2883 0751 Email: info@malikengg.com

PRODUCT UPDATE

On-line digital printing technology M&M Technologies offers online digital printing technology. It provides the printers with high-resolution Piezo ink-jet technology, thereby offering the packaging industry the most efficient and state-of-the-art technology in terms of hardware, software, accessories and consumables. In terms of application, it is the most cost-effective modern technology, used for marking, printing and traceability. It is a user-friendly, robust and compact technology. The simplified operation at each level of production process is versatility in application software to design the logos, text, barcodes, variable and fixed data field, option for multi-colour printing, standalone or network printing. Low maintenance and easy operability makes the system more user-friendly. The printing can be done on coated or uncoated corrugated boxes, aluminium foil, glass, metal for address printing, pharmaceutical primary, secondary package printing as well as on pallets. This system can also be linked into multi-plant and multi-location with Wi-Fi and Internet connection. M&M Technologies Pvt Ltd Navi Mumbai - Maharashtra Tel: 022-2778 1580 Email: mp@mmtechnologiesindia.com

May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

PRODUCT UPDATE

Temperature controllers Adinath Controls offers controllers of the new Platinum series that are suitable for a wide range of applications including heat/ cool control capability. Easy configuration and simple operating methods are merged with standard characteristics of more complex devices like auto tune, auto/man, three standard outputs and IP65 front panel protection option include; serial communications, analog control or retransmission output, transmitter power supply, start-up and timer special function, auxiliary current transformer input, two front bezel colours and DIN rail mounting. Adinath Controls Pvt Ltd Gandhinagar - Gujarat Tel: 02764-286 573 Fax: 02764-286 574 Email: info@adinathcontrols.com

Laser distance measurement sensor SBS Precision Systems offers 'AR200' laser measurement sensor. It is an acuityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s value distance measuring sensor. Using laser triangulation measurement principles with high-speed CMOS detection arrays, the 'AR200' sensor delivers high accuracy in a very compact model. This model includes both serial and analog outputs for simple integration. Measuring 54 x 20 x 70 mm, the 'AR200' sensor head fits anywhere. With integrated digital, analog and discrete output signals, this sensor requires no external controller or signal conditioner. It may be simply plugged into a PC or PLC and has a sharp resolution. Its specifications begin at 1.8 microns. This sensor is equipped with RS232, 0-10 V analog, 4-20 mA current loop and NPN & PNP discrete outputs for alarm triggers. The 'AR200' can be used for measuring steel strip thickness, measuring defects on sheets, positioning silicon wafers, etc. SBS Precision Systems (India) Pvt Ltd Kolkata - West Bengal Tel: 033-3292 0078, Fax: 033-2400 3097 Email: rajesh@sbsindia.in

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

PRODUCT UPDATE

DC motors

Biodegradable additives

NBE Motors offers DC motors that are used in applications where variable speed control drives are used. The speed control of DC motors by armature control or field control at constants torque helps in constant continuous operation. The V-weld imparts heavy strength to the yoke. Armature laminations are of high-quality electrical grade steel. The commutator is made from silver-copper-alloy. Electrolytic copper segments are insulated from one another with mica. Riser connections are TIG welded. The armature windings are impregnated with synthetic resin and are baked at a designated temperature to give complete protection against damage from moisture, acids and alkalis. The main poles are made from thick laminations (GI sheet). For ventilation, the motor is equipped with Screen Protected Drip Proof (SPDP) and is completely enclosed. External force cooling is provided with the blower-mounted motor.

AVI Additives offers Bio Add range of biodegradable additives. Heat, oxygen and sunlight are used to cause degradation benefits. Its flame-retardant masterbatches are used for engineering and commodity plastics. AVI Additives also offers colour masterbatches & special effect masterbatches; filler masterbatches for raffia, blown film & moulding; performance additives leading to biodegradation. This adheres to new legal requirements, reduces waste, has ecological and economical, biodegradable additives & flame retardants; polymer blends, colours for enineering polymers & recycled plastics. With a palette of 10,000 colours and more being added, it can provide with a complete spectrum of colours for the entire industry.

NBE Motors Pvt Ltd Ahmedabad - Gujarat Tel: 079-2274 0467, Fax: 079-2274 1196 Email: info@newbharat.com

AVI Additives Pvt Ltd Hyderabad - Andhra Pradesh Tel: 40-2355 0551-2-3 Email: info@aviadditives.com The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/distributor. In any case, it does not represent the views of Business Insights â&#x20AC;˘Technologiesâ&#x20AC;˘Opportunities

May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

101

PRODUCT INDEX

To know more about the products in this magazine, refer to our â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Product Indexâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; or write to us at spedit@infomedia18.in or call us at +91-22-3003 4685 or fax us at +91-22-3003 4499 and we will send your enquiries to the advertisers directly to help you source better. Sl No Product

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46

Pg No

Additive.......................................... 95 Additive masterbatch ................. COC,16 Air bubble sheet plant ........................ 57 Ammonia liquid chiller ....................... 23 Analytical instrument .......................... 51 Automation controller......................... 21 Automation system ............................. 41 Auxiliary equipment ............................ 79 Bag making machine ..................... 84 Banking services ................................ 83 Barrel ............................................... BIC Bi-axial plant ................................... 107 Biodegradable masterbatch ....... COC,16 Biodegradable additive..................... 101 Black masterbatch.............. 16,95,COC Blender ...................................... 15, FIC Blow moulding machine ..................... 84 Blower series ..................................... 41 Blown film extrusion system................. BC Blown film line................................... 98 Bulk milk cooler................................. 23 Butterfly valve .................................... 23 Cast film line ............................ 57,98 Chiller ............................................... 53 Clamp............................................... 83 Clean room application ..................... 35 Cleaning oven .................................. BIC CNC vertical machining centre ........... 55 Colour additive.................................. 95 Colour masterbatch ........ 16,31,95 COC Colouring extrusion plant ................. 107 Compact chiller ................................. 14 Complex multi-part assembly ................ 8 Compounding extrusion plant ........... 107 Compounding extrusion system......... 107 Compounding mixer ........................ 107 Compressed air dryer......................... 61 Compression moulding machine......... 78 Compressor air chiller ........................ 12 Conductive compound ................... COC Continuous screen changer ............... BIC Counters & power supplies ................... 5 CPVC pipe ........................................ 33 Crystalliser......................................... 61 Dairy machinery............................. 23 DC motor........................................ 101

Sl No Product

47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91

Pg No

Dehumidified dryers .......................... FIC Dehumidifying air dryer ...................... 14 Digital colour mark sensor.................. 96 Digital panel meter ............................ 10 Digital temperature controller ............. 39 Dosing & mixing ................................ 41 Drives........................................... 21,39 Drying & dehumidifying system ........... 41 Drymax dryer .................................... FIC Drymax pet-dehumidified dryer .......... FIC Dual channel with modbus ................. 39 Dyestuff ............................................... 6 Dynamic controller ............................. 39 Electric injection moulding machine 96 Electric injection moulding machine gearbox ................................. 7 Electric solution.................................. 27 Email marketing................................. 85 Encoder............................................... 5 Euro gearbox................................... 102 Exhibition - engineering expo............ 102 Extruder and extrusion production line. 79 Extruder machine ...................13, 37, 79 Extrusion coating lamination plant....... 57 Extrusion machinery....................... 19,79 Extrusion pipe .................................... 79 Extrusion plant ................................. 107 Extrusion system ................................. BC Fabrication system.......................... 83 Feeding & conveying.................... 41, 61 Filler compound................................. 95 Financial services ............................... 83 Flame retardant ................................. 95 Flame retardant masterbatch .............. 16 Fluorescent .......................................... 6 Fully automatic strapping plant ........... 57 Gear motor .................................. 105 Gear pump ...................................... BIC Gearbox................................ 78,86,105 Geared motor ................................. 105 Granulating & recycling...................... 41 Granulator ...........................14, 61, FIC Gravimetric blender ........................... 14 Grip plier .......................................... 83 HDPE pipe plant............................. 33 Heat transfer roll............................... BIC

Sl No Product

92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134

Pg No

Heating & cooling.............................. 41 Helical inline geared motor/reducer ..... 105 High cavitation .................................. 35 High-performance screw.................... BIC High-pressure compressor .................. 96 High-speed mixer......................... 13, 37 High-torque gearbox .......................... 83 HM/HDPE/IDPE/IIDPE plant................ 57 HMI .................................................. 21 Hopper loader ................................... 14 Horizontal handle clamp .................... 83 Hot air dryer............................... FIC, 14 Hot runner system .............................. 41 IML technique ................................ 35 Induction motor ................................. 21 Industrial chilling equipment ............... 85 Industrial control & sensing device ........ 5 Injection and blow moulding .............. 12 Injection mould.................................. 29 Injection moulding machine.................... ................................ 9, 29,49,69,79,86 Injection moulding-multi-component system ............................................... 29 Inline drip irrigation pipe plant............ 33 Inline shaft mounted helical geared motor/reducer.................................. 105 Invertor/variable frequency drive ........... 5 ITA nomination .................................. 93 Jigs & fixture .................................. 83 Lab model screw extruder .............. 97 Largeflow water heater ....................... 41 Laser distance measurement sensor... 100 Level controller .................................... 5 Loader.............................................. FIC Manual & hydraulic screen changer...BIC Masterbatch................................. 16, 95 Material dryer .................................... 15 Material storage................................. 14 Measuring & monitoring relay............... 5 Medical mould .................................. 35 Micro fine pulverising system ............ 107 Milky polymer .................................... 97 Monolayer blown film line .................. BC Motion control ..................................... 5 Mould ......................................... 13, 37 Mould changing system...................... 87

COC - Cover On Cover, FGF - Front Gate Fold, FIC - Front Inside Cover, BIC - Back Inside Cover, BGF - Back Gate Fold, BC - Back Cover

May 2011 | Modern Plastics & Polymers

103

PRODUCT INDEX Sl No Product

135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184

Pg No

Mould sweat protector........................ 12 Mould temperature controller.............. 14 Moulding........................................... 35 Moulding automation........................... 8 Moulding automation system ............ 102 MTC ................................................ FIC Multi component mould ..................... 35 Multilayer blown film line.................... BC Multilayer blown film plant ................. 57 Multilayer co-extrusion sheet line .. 25, 71 Multi-station ...................................... 29 Natural polymer............................. 97 Neat resin ........................................... 6 Nylon product.................................... 78 Oil cooler....................................... 53 Online B2B marketplace ............ 11, 103 On-line digital printing technology ...... 97 Optic sheet extrusion line ............. 25, 71 Optical brightner ........................... COC Panel cooler ................................... 53 Paper chemical .................................... 6 Paperless recorder.............................. 10 Parallel & right angle axes gearbox....... 7 Pelletiser ........................................... BIC PET box strapping plant...................... 57 PET masterbatch ................................ 16 PET sheet extrusion ...................... 25, 71 Photoelectric sensor.............................. 5 Pipe extrusion line ............................. 79 Pipe making ...................................... 29 Plastic brightner ................................. 97 Plastic brightner/shiner ....................... 96 Plastic compound............................... 95 Plastic conveyor belt........................... 13 Plastic tinopol .................................... 97 Plastic whitener .................................. 97 Plate heat exchanger.......................... 23 Plug valve.......................................... 23 Pneumatic valve ................................. 23 Portable chiller................................... 99 PP glass filled compound.................... 16 PP mineral filled compound................ 16 PP TQ plant ...................................... 57 PP/HDPE semi-automatic strapping plant ..... 57 PP/HDPE tape line ............................. 57 PPR pipe plant ................................... 33 PPRP powder ..................................... 97 Precision programmable control system ... 84 Process chiller .................................... 99 Process controller ............................... 10

Sl No Product

185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230

Pg No

Process tank ...................................... 23 Production solution............................. 84 Profile controller................................. 39 Programmable logic controller ......... 5,39 Programmable terminal ........................ 5 Proximity sensor ................................... 5 Pull action clamp ............................... 83 Pulveriser ..................................... 13, 37 Pulverising system............................. 107 PVC pipe plant .................................. 33 Quick connector............................. 67 Quick die change system ................... 87 Quick mould change system......... 67, 87 Rail milk tanker barrel.................... 23 Recycle/reclaim machine system.......... 79 Refrigerant pump ............................... 23 Refrigeration ...................................... 23 Resin dehumidifier.............................. 61 RFID.................................................... 5 Right angled helical bevel geared motor/reducer.................................. 105 Right angled helical worm geared motor/reducer.................................. 105 Robot ............................................... FIC Robotic.............................................. 97 Robots for plastic injection.................. 85 Rock n roll machine ..................... 13, 37 Rotary automatic hot colour marking machine ............................................ 32 Rotational mould ............................. 107 Rotational moulding machine ........... 107 Rotogravure printing machine ............. 78 Rotomoulding machine..................... 107 Round cable nail clip ......................... 99 Round table carrousel ........................ 13 Safety light curtain ........................... 5 Screw compressor .............................. 23 Screw extruder ................................... 79 Secon & dull polymer......................... 97 Servo driven robot ............................. 86 Servo motor....................................... 21 Shut off nozzel .................................. BIC Shuttle rotomoulding machine .......... 107 Shuttle series plant ........................... 107 Silicon compound .............................. 95 Single mill pulveriser .................... 13, 37 Single-screw extruder gearbox............... 7 SME finance ...................................... 83 Software for central monitoring ........... 61

Sl No Product

231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276

Pg No

Solid granulator ............................... 107 Stack mould ...................................... 35 Straight line action ............................. 83 Switching relay..................................... 5 System solution .................................. 41 Tanks & silos .................................. 23 Technical mould................................. 35 Temperature controller.......5, 10, 39,100 Thermoplastic elastomer ..................... 80 Thermoformer .................................... BC Thermoforming & PS foam ................. BC Thermoplastic alloy .............................. 6 Thermoplastic compound ..................... 6 Thermoplastic elastomer ..................... 77 Thermoplastic rubber.......................... 77 Thick & wide plastic sheet extrusion line ............................... 25, 71 Three-arm bi-axial rotomoulding machine ...................................... 13, 37 Timer .................................................. 5 Toggle action clamp........................... 83 Toggle press ...................................... 83 TPE ................................................... 77 TPE/TPU compound ........................... 16 TPE foaming material ......................... 80 TPR ................................................... 77 TPU masterbatch................................ 31 Twin mill pulveriser....................... 13, 37 Twin-screw extruder gearbox ................. 7 Ultrasonic flowmeter ...................... 10 Universal controller ............................ 39 Universal masterbatch ........................ 16 UV stabiliser .................................. COC UV& PU masterbatch.......................... 16 Vaccum dehumidifying dryer .......... 87 Vacuum forming machine................... BC Ventilator ........................................... 79 Vertical handle clamp......................... 83 Vertical injection moulding machine ...................................... 29, 86 Vibratory screening system ................ 107 Vibro screen ................................ 13, 37 Virgin polymer ................................... 97 Vision sensor ....................................... 5 Volumetric dosing unit ........................ 61 Water chiller................................... 61 WFR................................................. FIC White masterbatch .............16, 95, COC Wire-EDM ......................................... 55

COC - Cover On Cover, FGF - Front Gate Fold, FIC - Front Inside Cover, BIC - Back Inside Cover, BGF - Back Gate Fold, BC - Back Cover

SOURCE PROCESS PLANT MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT @ www.engg-expo.com

104

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

ADVERTISERS’ LIST Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Aeromec Marketing Co Pvt Ltd

Pg No

Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details

Pg No

Electronica Plastic Machiners Ltd

T : +91-250-2454915 E : hvt@aeromec.in

T : +886-2-2595-4867

E : vkt@electronicapmd.com

E : jonwai.mc@msa.hinet.net

Kabra Extrusion Technik Ltd

T : +91-11-41612244

E : nishant@kolsitegroup.com

W : www.engg-expo.com

W : www.alokmasterbatches.com 107

W : www.kolsite.com

Forwell Precision Machinery Co., Ltd.

Konark Plastomech Pvt Ltd

T : +91-79-22811879

T : +886-4-834-5196

T : +91-79-22891670

E : info@ashwinengineersindia.com

E : forwell@forwell.com;

E : sales@konarkplastomech.com

forwell@forwellnb.com

W : www.konarkplastomech.com

W : www.forwell.com

Livewire18

W : www,ashwinengineersindia.com 95

T : +91-40-23550551/2/3/4 Freeze Tech Equipments Pvt Ltd

E : info@aviadditives.com

T : +91-22-30245000

Loxim Industries Limited

E : info@freezetechequip.com 21

T : +91-2717-308000

W : www.freezetechequip.com

T : +91-22-24306237

E : b2b@infomedia18.in

T : +91-44-42152387

W : www.aviadditives.com

E : info@loxim.com

E : vishwajyoti.vengurlekar@bharatbijlee.com

Hindustan Plastic And Machine Corporation 33

W : www.bharatbijlee.com

T : +91-11-25471114

W : www.loxim.com Madhu Machines & Systems Pvt Ltd

Blend Colours Pvt Ltd

T : +91-22-26734822 E : engexpo@infomedia18.in

E : sales@alokindustries.com

Bharat Bijlee Ltd

102

T : +91-09920401226

Avi Additives Pvt Ltd

Pg No

W : www.jonwai.com.tw Engineering Expo

Ash Win Engineers

Jon Wai Machinery Works Co., Ltd.

T : +91-22-32531959

W : www.aeromec.in Alok Masterbatches Ltd

Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details

T : +91-40-2436 1499 / 2436 0887

E : info@hindustanplastics.com

T : +91-265-2353886

W : www.hindustanplastics.com

E : info@madhu-group.com

E : info@blendcolours.com IC Ice Make Refrigeration Pvt Ltd

W : www.blendcolours.com Chamunda Equipments

T : +91-2764-291022

Mifa Systems

E : icemake1@gmail.com

T : +91-79-26870825

W : www.icemakeindia.com

E : info@mifasystems.com

E : clamp@chamundaequip.com

W : www.mifasystems.com

W : www.chamundaequip.com

IDMC Limited

Dongguan Alfa Automation Machinery Ltd 97

T : +91-2692-225399

T : +86-769-8318-0326

E : idmc@idmc.coop

23 Mold - Masters Technologies Pvt Ltd T : +91-422-4502171

W : www.idmc.coop

W : www.moldmasters.com

W : www.alfarobot.com IndiaMART InterMESH Ltd

E : nancy@guanyu-dg.com W : www.dg-guanyu.com

E : mmiplinfo@moldmasters.com

E : info@alfarobot.com

T : +86-769-2225-8668

T : +91-79-27522437

Dongguan Guan Yu Industrial Co., Ltd

W : www.madhu-group.com

11, 103

N.A. Corporation

T : +1800-200-4444 / 91-120-3911000

T : +91-79-25840374

E : pr@indiamart.com

E : info@naroto.com

W : www.indiamart.com

W : www.naroto.com Our consistent advertisers

106

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

ADVERTISERS’ LIST Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Neejtech India (Braunform)

Pg No 35

Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Plastiblends India Ltd

T : +91-79-26561312

T : +91-22-67205200

E : info@neejtech.com

E : rsd@kolsitegroup.com

COC

Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Sreelakshmi Traders

Pg No 79

T : +91-44-24343343 E : sreelakshmitraders@gmail.com

W : www.plastiblendsindia.com

W : www.neejtech.com Neejtech India (Hekuma)

Pg No

W : www.sreelakshmitraders.com 8

Power Build Ltd

105 Standard Chartered Bank

T : +91-2692-231070

T : +91-79-26561312 E : info@neejtech.com

E : infopbl@elecon.com

T : +91-22-39401616

W : www.pbl.co.in

E : sme.customercare@sc.com

W : www.neejtech.com Prasad Gwk Cooltech Pvt Ltd Neejtech India (Niigata)

T : +91-79-25830112

T : +91-9909974224

E : plastics@prasadgroup.com

E : contact@niigataindia.com

W : www.prasadgroup.com

W : www.standardchartered.co.in Toshiba Machine (India) Pvt. Ltd.

T : +91-11-43291111 E : dineshelija@toshiba-machine.co.in

Network 18

Procon Technologies Pvt Ltd

10 W : www.toshiba-machine.co.jp

T : +1800-103-5311

T : +91-79-27492566

W : ita.moneycontrol.com

E : info@procon.co.in

Unimark (Maguire)

W : www.procon.co.in

T : +91-22-25506712

Qingdao Friend Plastic Extrusion

E : infomum@unimark.in

Nu-Vu Conair Pvt. Ltd

T : +91-79-25841181

Technology Co.,Ltd

E : nuvu@conairgroup.com

W : www.unimark.in

T : +86-532-8662-2399 W : www.conairgroup.com

Unimark (Staubli Faverges Sca)

E : info@fet66.com Omron Automation Pvt. Ltd.

T : +91-80-40726400 E : in_enquiry@ap.omron.com

T : +91-22-42461500

W : www.omron-ap.com

E : info@rrplast.com

Perkinelmer India Ltd

T : +91-22-25506712

W : www.fet66.com R R Plast Extrusions Pvt Ltd

25, 71

W : www.unimark.in Wittmann Battenfeld India Pvt Ltd

FIC

T : +91-44-42077009 Rajoo Engineers Ltd

E : jayant.dharma@perkinelmer.in

T : +91-2827-252701

W : www.perkinelmer.in

E : kcdoshi@rajoo.com

E : info@wittman-group.in W : www.wittmann-group.com

W : www.rajoo.com

Xaloy Asia (Thailand)Ltd.

BIC

61 S&T Engineers

T : +91-22-28560450

T : +91-422-2590810

E : amit.bajaj@piovnindia.com W : www.piovan.com

T : +91-79-27541971 E : m.sanghvi@th.xaloy.com

E : stycm@stengineers.com

Plast Fine Polymers

E : infomum@unimark.in

W : www.rrplast.com

T : +91-22-67601786

Piovan India Pvt Ltd

W : www.xaloy.com

W : www.stengineers.com 97

Zambello Riduttori Group Shini Plastics Technologies I Pvt Ltd

41 T : +39-0331-307-616

T : +91-79-65242332

T : +91-250-3021166

E : plastfine@gmail.com

E : jnbhat@shiniindia.com

E : info@zambello.it

W : www.plastfine.com

W : www.shini.com

W : www.zambello.it Our consistent advertisers

108

Modern Plastics & Polymers | May 2011

May 2011

110

Modern Plastics & Polymers

Reg No: MH / MR / WEST / 234 // 2009 – 2011 RNI No: MAHENG / 2008 / 25265 WPP Licence No: MR / Tech / WPP – 357 / West / 2009- 2011 Licence to Post Without Pre-Payment at Mumbai Patrika Channel Sorting Office, Mumbai GPO., Mumbai 400 001. Date Of Posting 1st & 2nd Of Every Month / English & Monthly. Date Of Publication: 28th Of Every Month.