March 2021 issue

PRINT/DIGITAL www.plasticsandrubberasia.com

A S l A ’ S L E A D l N G m aga z l ne f o r t h e p las t l c s and r u b b e r l nd u s t r y

In this issue

Volume 36, No 259

publlshed slnce 1985

A S l A’ S L E A D l N G m aga z l ne f o r the plastlcs and rubber lndustry

Features 焦 點 內 容 10 Front Cover Story – Launched at the K2019 show in Düsseldorf, Germany, M-HUB is the industry’s first easy-to-use business tool for plastics industry professionals to advance into a digital future, facilitate in promoting their businesses, finding and connecting with all players within the industry, and more 14 Extrusion Machinery – At Chinaplas 2021, US-headquartered extrusion machinery specialist Davis-Standard presents total solutions and support services that offer efficiency, better processing capability and sustainability for Asian customers. The firm will also be highlighting the capabilities of its Suzhou, China, R&D facility

18 Country Focus – China’s new economic strategies are harnessing its

domestic capabilities and global markets to achieve growth targets, to benefit the manufacturing sector and the plastics industry

24 Country Focus – The Southeast Asia region expects to see a gradual

economic rebound in 2021 with growths in high value sectors like medical devices, automotive, and packaging. The recovery in China will also help the economy of the sub-region to gain further momentum

26 Compounding – New end-use applications are raising the ante of the

plastics industry, and leading to innovation in the plastics compounding sector

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Arthur Schavemaker Tel: +31 547 275005 Email: arthur@kenter.nl Associate Publisher/Executive Editor Tej Fernandez Tel: +60 3 4260 4575 Email: tej@plasticsandrubberasia.com Senior Editor Angelica Buan Email: gel@plasticsandrubberasia.com Chinese Editor Koh Bee Ling Circulation Stephanie Yuen Email: stephanie@taramedia.com.my

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The medical devices sector is taking up the challenge of stabilising the supply chain with new technologies to meet the growing global demand Even with the Covid-19 pandemic, the 3D printing/additive manufacturing sector has expanded, with new materials/ technologies coming to the fore Machinery firms like Arburg and Engel will present digitalisation solutions at Chinaplas 2021, while compounding/extruder machine maker Coperion will highlight its latest technologies The growing market for rubber gloves is witnessing fresh investments, novel designs and technologies, and new entrants that are joining the industry PRINT/DIGITAL www.plasticsandrubberasia.com

A S l A’ S L E A D l N G m A G A z l N E f o r thE pLAStlcS AND rubbEr lNDuStry

On the Cover M-HUB is the industry’s first mobile app that helps promote businesses in the plastics sector and allows professionals to find all the major players in the plastics industry with just a tap of the finger!

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is published 4 (four) times a year in English by Kenter & Co Publishers’ Representatives BV. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this publication is correct, the publisher makes no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the nature or accuracy of such material to the extent permitted by applicable law. © 2021 Kenter & Co Publishers’ Representatives BV No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or used in any form, or by any means, without specific prior permission from the publisher.

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MARCH 2021

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Industry News

M&As/Tie-ups/Financing • US materials firm DuPont is paying US$2.3 billion to acquire Shanghaibased specialty products maker Laird Performance Materials from private equity firm Advent International, which acquired Laird’s UK-based parent company in 2018 for US$1.3 billion.

DuPont has also completed the merger of IFF and Nutrition & Biosciences, receiving a cash payment of US$7.3 billion. DuPont is also selling its Clean Technologies business for US$510 million to an international private equity consortium.

• US auxiliary equipment firm Maguire Products has purchased a minority share of O.A. Newton, a provider of bulk material handling systems to the wood-plastic composite, flexible and rigid PVC, and carbon black markets.

• US Brown Machine Group, a thermoforming machinery, tooling, and automation systems maker backed by Industrial Growth Partners, has acquired Canadian thermoforming machinery maker GN Thermoforming Equipment.

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• US conglomerate Loews Corp. is selling its 47% stake in rigid plastic packaging and resin recycler Altium Packaging to Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC for US$2 billion.

• Axalta, a supplier of liquid and powder coatings, is to acquire Anhui Shengran Insulating Materials Co., a Chinese producer of wire enamels used in a wide range of consumer electronics, electric vehicle, and industrial applications.

• Polymer group Hexpol has acquired 100% of Vicom 2002 S.L., a Spanish polymer compounder active in the wire and cable market.

• UK-based specialised adhesive tape converter BDK Industrial Products has become part of water-based adhesive tapes manufacturer ATP Adhesive Systems Group based in Switzerland.

• US materials firm Milliken & Company has acquired Zebrachem, a German firm specialising in peroxide and blowing agent masterbatches.

• German materials maker Covestro is to sell its 51% share in the joint venture Pearl Covestro Polyurethane

Systems FZCO, which operates systems house business in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), to current co-shareholder Pearl Industries Overseas.

The sale will generate proceeds in the midsingle-digit million euro range.

• Japanese chemicals firm Mitsui Chemicals is to transfer its 100% ownership of Mitsui Chemicals Nonwovens (Tianjin), a Chinese subsidiary for the production and sales of nonwovens, to Foshan Nanhai Beautiful Nonwoven.

• German speciality chemicals company Lanxess is acquiring 100% shares in Emerald Kalama Chemical for US$1 billion from US private equity firm American Securities. The US-based company is a manufacturer of speciality chemicals for the consumer segment.

• Food giant Nestle is selling its bottledwater brands in North America for US$4.3 billion to two privateequity firms: One Rock Capital Partners and Metropoulos & Co. • Vertically integrated producer of extruded film, form, fill and seal (FFS) films and plastic valve bags, Nelmar Group, has been sold to Canadian film and flexible solutions provider Balcan.

• US-based paints/ coatings firm PPG has completed its acquisition of PU firm VersaFlex from DalFort Capital Partners.

• US firm Stepan Company has purchased Invista's aromatic polyester polyol business and associated assets.

• GPD Companies, an affiliate of One Rock Capital Partners, is to acquire UK-based Distrupol, a subsidiary of Univar Solutions and a European distributor of thermoplastics.

• South Korean chemical firm Lotte Chemical is to acquire the Elastomer Division of Japanese chemical firm JSR. • US-based Phoenix Systems Corp, a supplier of highvolume conveying systems for plastic pellets and powders, has been acquired

by IPEG Industrial Group, the parent company of auxiliary firm Conair.

• US materials firm Ascend Performance Materials has purchased Eurostar Engineering Plastics, a France-based compounder with a broad portfolio of flame-retardant engineered plastics and halogen-free formulations.

INDUSTRY NEWS • US private equity firm HIG Capital, with US$42 billion of equity capital under management, is acquiring Action Point and Signature Flexible Packaging and combining them to form a provider of flexible food and consumer packaging solutions.

• Azelis, a distributor of specialty chemicals and food ingredients, has acquired a majority shareholding of MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemicals Trading and Service through their parent company Bellekimia Singapore.

Both companies are active in personal care, industrial chemicals,

agro and food segments as well as supply chain solutions.

• Petrochemical firm Ineos has completed the purchase of the global Aromatics and Acetyls businesses from BP for a consideration of US$5 billion.

• Investment firm Pritzker Private Capital has acquired the Vertellus group of companies, a specialty chemicals manufacturer.

• German chemicals firm Evonik has closed its acquisition of the Lactel Absorbable Polymers product line from Durect Corporation.

• US silicones maker Momentive Performance Materials is to acquire KCC Corporation's Silicones business, located in Korea and the UK, as well as its sales operations in China.

• Flexible packaging maker Jindal Films Europe is to acquire the entire equity of Italy-based Domo Films Solutions.

• Germany’s Zeppelin Systems has taken over owner-managed MTI Mischtechnik, whose shares were up for sale in October 2020 following insolvency proceedings.

• US-based Integrated Polymer Solutions (IPS), a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management, has acquired IRP Group (IRP), which manufactures elastomeric sealing components from its facility in Southern California.

• Adler Pelzer Group (APG) is to acquire Faurecia Acoustics and Soft Trims.

• Swiss chemicals firm Clariant and India Glycols Limited, which manufactures green technologybased chemicals, are establishing a 51-49% joint venture in renewable ethylene oxide (EO) derivatives.

New Plants/Capacity Expansions • Japan’s Asahi Kasei will increase production capacity for Hipore Li-ion battery (LIB) separator at its plant in Hyuga, Japan. The 30 billion yen expansion project is scheduled to start up in 2023.

• South Korea’s SK Global Chemical and US firm Satellite Petrochemical, a subsidiary of Zhejiang Satellite Petrochemical Co, will construct a 40,000 tonne/year-ethylene acrylic acid (EAA) plant in Lianyungang, China.

SK Global Chemical has also tied up with US waste solutions

firm Brightmark to build a 100,000-tonne/ year plastics renewal plant in South Korea.

• Saudi Arabia’s Advanced Petrochemical Co’s subsidiary, Advanced Global Investment Co, is to set up a petrochemical complex project in Jubail Industrial City.

It will use cracking technology to produce 1.15 million tonnes/ year of ethylene, 850,000 tonnes/year of propylene and 400,000 tonnes/year of aromatics and fuels and their derivatives.

• State-run Odisha Industrial

Infrastructure Development Corporation and Indian Oil Corporation are to develop a plastic park in Paradip, India.

is building a new pilot facility for carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTPs) in Fukui Prefecture, Japan, scheduled to start operations by the end of 2021.

• BASF has started up its new acrylic dispersions production line in Pasir Gudang, Malaysia, doubling its capacity.

BASF has also opened its ASEAN Technical Development Centre, adjacent to its existing PU System House, at Bangpoo in Thailand.

• US chemicals firm Celanese Corporation is to build a world-scale, multi-phase Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) polymerisation plant in China, with a capacity of 20 kilotonnes/year in the first phase to come on-line in 2024.

• Japanese chemical firm Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation

• Materials firm Sabic and recycler Plastic Energy are to MARCH 2021

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Industry News

construct the first commercial unit to produce its flagship certified circular polymers, part of Sabic’s Trucircle portfolio, which are made from the upcycling of mixed and used plastic.

The unit will be based in Geleen, the Netherlands, and is expected to become operational in 2022.

• Styrenics maker Ineos Styrolution plans to build a demonstration plant at its Antwerp, Belgium, site to test production of ABS plastic from recycled feedstock.

• Packaging and recycling specialist Alpla Group is investing EUR5 million in an extrusion system for 15,000 tonnes/year of food-grade rPET at its site in Anagni, Italy. It will go into operation in the second half of 2021.

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• US materials firm Avient Corporation is expanding its facility for colour concentrates at its Binh Duong site in Vietnam.

• US firm Eastman Chemical is to invest US$250 million over the next two years in a facility to make specialty products using over 100,000 tonnes of plastic waste that cannot be recycled by current mechanical methods, by applying its polyester renewal technology.

• Shintech Louisiana will invest US$1.25 billion to increase PVC manufacturing capacity and expand chlor-alkali and vinyl chloride monomer capacity at its manufacturing facility in Plaquemine, US. •

• Thai chemicals firm SCG has startedup Thailand’s first demonstration plant in Rayong that will produce 4,000 tonnes/ year of renewable feedstock, with plans to expand later.

• Japanese chemical firm Teijin Limited has established an R&D facility, European Sustainable Technology Innovation Centre (ESTIC), in Arnhem, Netherlands.

• Clariant Pigments has expanded its pigments’ laboratory in Krugersdorp near Johannesburg.

• Japan’s Kureha Corporation has expanded its facility to produce PPS to 15,700 tonnes/year in Japan.

• Materials firm Trinseo has expanded its thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) R&D Centre in Mussolente, Italy.

MARCH 2021

• South Korean chemicals firm LG Chem is setting up a 30 billion won technology centre in Wuxi City, China.

• Lanxess has inaugurated its EUR10 million nitrous oxide reduction plant at its site in Antwerp, Belgium. The plant breaks down around 500 tonnes/year of nitrous oxide, which is equivalent to elimination of 150,000 tonnes of CO2. A second plant is scheduled to start up in 2023 and is expected to eliminate a further 300,000 tonnes of CO2.

• Sumitomo Chemical is licensing its highpressure production process for LDPE and EVA to Kazan Organichesky Sintez, in Tatarstan, Russia.

The facility will have a production capacity of 100 kilotonnes/year.

• Engineering firm Técnicas Reunidas is to build for Sasa Polyester a US$900 million petrochemical project for the production of PTA in Adana, Turkey. As the first PTA plant in Turkey, it will have a capacity of 1.5 million tonnes/year.

• Spanish firm Repsol has entered into a new technology licensing agreement in China to build facilities for 200,000 tonnes/year of

propylene oxide (PO) and 450,000 tonnes/year of styrene monomer (SM) and two plants with an aggregated production capacity of 125,000 tonnes/year of both flexible PPG and polymer (POP) polyether polyols.

• US firm Ingevity Corporation will add caprolactone polyol production capabilities at its facility in DeRidder, Louisiana.

• Lummus Technology will license its Indmax Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) technology to Numaligarh Refinery, a subsidiary of Bharat Petroleum Corporation, which will increase crude processing capacity from 3 million to 9 million tonnes/year at its facility in Assam, India.

• Shandong Yulong Petrochemical will use advanced reforming and aromatics technologies from Honeywell UOP at its integrated petrochemical complex in Shandong Province, China. The complex includes a UOP naphtha hydrotreating unit, CCR Platforming technology to convert naphtha into highoctane gasoline and aromatics, which is used for production of multiple synthetic materials.

INDUSTRY NEWS • Hengyi Industries has selected Univation Technologies’ Unipol PE Process for its world-scale 600,000tonne/year PE plant in Palau Muara Besar, Brunei. It will be integrated into a larger refinery and petrochemicals project centred on a 14 million-tonne/year crude oil refinery that will include 11.2 million tonnes/ year of downstream capacity producing ethylene, benzene, paraxylene, ethylene glycol, PTA, PE, PP and PET. • Germany-based Röhm, OQ (Oman) and OQ Chemicals are to evaluate the

construction of a 250,000-tonne/year production plant for MMA on OQ’s site in Texas, US. • Brazil’s Braskem will expand its production capacity of green ethylene in Triunfo, in Rio Grande do Sul, from 200,000 to 260,000 tonnes/ year. The US$61 million expansion project should be completed by 2022.

• Thailand’s PTT Global Chemical is to use Samsung Engineering for a project to expand use of propane as a feedstock at its existing

olefins operations in Thailand’s Rayong Province.

• US chemical firm Dow is to build a US$250 million specialty chemical plant in Zhanjiang, China.

It will have PU and alkoxylate facilities with combined production capacity of about 250,000 tonnes/year. Dow is also expanding a silicone facility in Zhangjiagang, China.

• Netherlands-based materials firm Corbion is launching a multifaceted initiative to increase its capacity for producing lactic acid and lactic-acid

derivatives ahead of its previously announced major expansion in Thailand scheduled for 2023.

• German additives maker Baerlocher is expanding its production site in Dewas, India, to a capacity of 30,000 tonnes/year, producing Ca-based PVC stabilisers.

• Mobility tech company Magna has broken ground on a US$70 million facility in Michigan, US, to build complex battery enclosures for General Motors’s all-new 2022 GMC Hummer electric vehicle.

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Materials News

Asia trying to make a clean break from plastic waste Southeast Asian and South Asian countries are preventing plastic waste leakage into the environment and oceans, with industry-led initiatives and solutions being stepped up, says Angelica Buan in this report.

Southeast Asia’s urbanisation creates more waste Asia’s rapid urbanisation has spurred industrialisation, infrastructure, technologies and more waste! In the ASEAN alone, more than half its estimated population of 650 million are settled in urban areas. Based on the United Nations’ ASEAN waste management report, the region’s daily per capita Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generation is 1.14 kg. Indonesia accounts for the highest bulk of municipal waste with 64 million tonnes/year, followed by Thailand, generating an estimated 26.8 million tonnes/year, and Vietnam, with around 22 million tonnes.

Meanwhile, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore churned out 14.7 million tonnes, 12.8 million tonnes, and 7.5 million tonnes of MSW respectively; while Myanmar and Laos generated below 1 million tonnes/year.

The waste streams comprise organic waste, plastic, paper, metals, healthcare waste, E-waste, industrial waste, and construction and demolition waste.

A 2020 World Wide Fund (WWF) report says that Southeast Asia and China are responsible for an average of 8 million tonnes of plastics entering the oceans, 80% of which are from land-based sources entering through the rivers. Marine waste that decomposes into microplastics can harm some 80 0 species of marine life. Five countries in Asia: China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, account for 60% of plastics entering the oceans.

Land-based plastic waste can contaminate the soil and water sources. Reports say that Southeast Asia and China account for about 8 million tonnes of plastics entering the oceans, 80% of which are from land-based sources

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MARCH 2021

Land-based plastic waste is as problematic as marine debris because it can contaminate the soil and water sources. When improperly disposed of or incinerated, it can cause air pollution.

The WWF briefing report mentioned that plastic production and incineration accounted for 860 million t o n n e s o f c a r b o n e m i s s i o n s i n 2 019 . M e a nw h i l e , packaging, which is the largest user of plastics, is found to represent nearly half of the global plastic waste.

Collective efforts against uncontrolled waste More than a few projects on plastic wastes and marine litter have been launched by private groups, businesses and non-governmental organisations to find solutions to curb the accumulation of plastic waste through technologies, policies, and advanced modalities of waste management. Among the most active ones are Plastic Pollution Coalition (2013), Clean Ocean Project (2000), 5 Gyres (2009), Ocean Conservancy (1972), Parley for the Oceans (2012) and Oceans Cleanup (2013).

U K - b a s e d ch a r i t y, E l l e n M c A rt h u r Fo u n d a t i o n , espouses a circular economy that does not produce waste since it is “regenerative and restorative” by design. As opposed to the “take-make-waste” linear model, a circular economy reutilises and remanufactures old, used materials, or they are recycled into sources of energy.

By all standards, Southeast Asia is being primed to spearhead the circular economy in the region, considering its rapid industrialisation and huge consumption of plastics.

A project launched by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the government of Japan, Closing the Loop, will support ASEAN cities to adopt a circular economy approach to manage their waste, increase the rate of recovery and reduce the leakage of plastics into the marine environment. The pilot cities for the project are Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Surabaya, Indonesia; Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand; and Danang, Vietnam. ` The project will assist national governments to utilise digital tools and smart technologies such as such as remote sensing, satellite, drones, geospatial mapping, and crowdsourced data applications to monitor, spot, and visualise the sources of plastic waste entering water streams and the oceans.

Materials News

AEPW's Project STOP in Jembrana, Northwest Bali, Indonesia, will create a system for collecting 20,000 tonnes/ year of waste

India finds relief from marine litter India, South Asia’s economic stalwart, is poised to transform into a US$7 trillion economy by 2030, and by adopting a circular economy strategy can, experts believe, steer the country to the right direction.

Meanwhile, as the country expands its industrial capabilities, its consumption of plastics to feed its middle-income country ambition is also increasing. And as anticipated, more plastic waste will be generated.

A 2019 report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) pegs India’s total plastic waste output at 3.3 million tonnes/year. Although waste management by recycling is a straightforward option, India’s recycling system is inadequate for managing the rapid pace of waste generation.

A significant volume of this waste finds its way into the water systems and oceans. In South Asia, seas bordering Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are destinations for marine litter. Three of the top ten plastic-polluted rivers in the world can be found in the region: Ganges (or Ganga) in India, Indus in Pakistan,

The more than 2,500-km long Ganges river, a major source of water for millions of people and the diverse wildlife inhabiting around it, is also a basin to an estimated 500,000 tonnes/year of waste plastics entering the river

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and Buriganga in Bangladesh. Resuscitating these rivers from pollution is vital to the environment, human health, and the survival of marine life and wildlife.

The more than 2,500-km long Ganges river is a major source for water to hundreds of millions of people and the diverse wildlife inhabiting around it. It is also a basin to an estimated 500,000 tonnes/year of waste plastics entering the river, according to Renew Oceans, an India-based foundation that ceased operating in October 2020.

The now defunct or ganisation had launched a dedicated project called Renew Ganga in 2019, to divert ocean bound plastics. It planned on building waste infrastructure around the river.

Singapore-headquartered Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), an organisation of 50 global companies across the entire plastic value-chain, including major oil and chemical firms, packaging producers, waste m a n a g e m e n t c o m p a n i e s , c o nv e rt e r s a n d b r a n d s , financed Renew Oceans’ programmes and provided materials and logistics support.

A promising project bows out due to Covid-19 Jessica Lee, Vice-President for Communications at AEPW, told PRA in an email interview that AEPW provided funding to Renew Oceans under a corporate sponsorship agreement to support its worldwide mission to reduce plastics in the oceans. “Renew Oceans, in turn, used a portion of that funding to undertake a proof-of-concept project at Banaras University in Varanasi, India,” Lee explained.

“Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, the uni ver sity and much of the work around the project were put on hold. Without any foreseeable timeframe for restarting, combined with other implementation challenges, AEPW and Renew Oceans jointly decided to a mutual termination agreement last year,” she clarified as to why Renew Oceans’ operation was shut down.

“Covid-19 has thrown a l o t o f ch a l l e n g e s f o r businesses and operations around the world. That said, AEPW has examples of projects that are already making considerable progress. While we have seen some delays due to the coronavirus situation, we continue to forge ahead despite the "Covid-19 has thrown a lot logistical hurdles in the of challenges for businesses cities where our projects and operations, globally.

Nonetheless, AEPW continues are located,” she added.

Thus, in other words, to forge ahead despite the logistical hurdles in the the fate of the shortcities where our projects l i v e d Re n e w O c e a n s i s are located," says Jessica n o t i n d i c a t i v e t h a t t h e Lee, Vice-President for project flopped but that Communications at AEPW

Materials News some things are beyond o n e’s c o n t r o l d e s p i t e t h e best of intentions for the environment and for the communities the project caters to.

Lee also stressed: “The impact of investments into infrastructure and innovation projects, like the Renew Oceans project, is not immediate; and not every investment will bear results as there will be challenges with respect to technology and other on the ground challenges.”

Meanwhile, AEPW has other projects in Asia, including the Project STOP (Stop Ocean Plastics) in Jembrana, Northwest Bali Alliance to End Plastic Waste's Project STOP in Jembrana, Northwest Bali, Indonesia will Indonesia, which will create create a system for collecting 20,000 tonnes of waste/year a system for collecting Lee said, when asked of AEPW’s plans for India after 20,0 0 0 tonnes of waste/year, and will improve the Renew Oceans, “We currently have a strong pipeline of lives of nearly 7 million people and make a substantial projects in India." Among these is the Aviral pilot project in i m p r ov e m e n t t o t h e p l a s t i c wa s t e ch a l l e n g e , Le e partnership with German development agency GIZ.Aviral added. is also focused on reducing plastic waste in Ganga.

Other projects include the Zero Waste Plastic Cities, “ I n d i a c o n t i n u e s t o b e o n e o f A E P W ’s p r i o r i t y a partnership with Grameen Creative Labs to develop countries and we will continue to evaluate the best sustainable social enterprises to improve livelihoods options and partners in advancing India’s efforts to for communities in Puducherry, India, and Tan An, address the plastic waste challenge,” Lee concluded.

Vietnam.

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Front Cover Story

The plastics industry at your fingertips M-HUB is the first mobile app that helps promote your business and find all players in the plastics industry with the tap of a finger.

"..Since October 2019, the App has reached more than 11,000 professionals and 1,800 companies from more than 100 countries.."

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aunched at the K2019 show in Düsseldorf, Germany, M-HUB was developed as an easy-to-use business tool to break barriers within the plastics industry and help plastics professionals to take a step towards a digital future.

Explore the world of plastics By creating a free personal account, you will join the first business network including all players in the industry, ranging from the early stage of the supply chain to the very end customers. You will be able to search for any company that fits your specific needs with just a few taps on your mobile.

There are two main ways to explore M-HUB’s network: the free text search on the top where you can simply type what you need and the dedicated advanced search for companies, products and machines.

Within the advanced search for companies and products you will be able to use a wide range of filters, from country and geolocation to core business, field of application and expertise. The advanced machine search also adds a few technical filters as well as the availability and price of the machinery you are looking for.

From the list of results, you will be able to review in detail the companies, products or machines which may fit your needs.

Once you find suitable matches, you can easily chat with them directly on M-HUB. A map view is also available to help you understand where your new potential partners or customers are located and focus on the ones more valuable for you.

You can also explore our “Featured Companies”, “Featured Products” and “Featured Machines”, which are showcased on the home page of M-HUB.

Front Cover Story

Make your company stand out The plastics supply chain is a highly complex, diversified sector that comprises hundreds of thousands of companies and employs millions of people worldwide. Thanks to the possibility of creating a company profile for free, M-HUB helps businesses stand out across the entire plastics world.

The app allows even smaller companies and entrepreneurs to gain visibility worldwide and maximise their business opportunities.

Creating a company profile in M-HUB is as easy as it gets: after specifying a few basic contact details, such as the address and contact email of your company, you will be able to specify your business information: • Core Business: pick up to three core businesses for your company. Embracing all sectors in the plastics industry, we make sure you can find yours.

• Field of Application: all plastics applications are covered on M-HUB. You will be able to select the most important markets for your company, ranging from automotive to domestic appliances, electronics, etc.

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Front Cover Story • Expertise: this is the last step of the company creation that will allow you to specify in detail your strengths and technologies.

You will be able to choose from a list of 500+ expertise services and even add on your own!

The list is constantly growing thanks to the contribution of our users.

Once you set up your company profile your business will be available for all the matching searches!

The company page can be further enhanced by adding your logo, a background picture, your products, and other documents and certificates: the more data you add, the higher the company will be displayed in search results.

Should you need assistance to fill in this data, you can even invite your colleagues from the “Members” tab of the company by simply adding their emails. If they do not have an account yet, they will have to register before accepting the invitation. If they already have an account, they can simply accept the invitation via email or in the notification centre.

M-HUB leverages mobile technologies to keep you up to date with the latest companies and products joining the network. Within the notification centre, you will receive weekly notifications on the latest additions to our global network.

If you want to push the visibility of your business and maximise your brand awareness, you can pay a small fee to be featured in the “Featured Companies” list on the homepage of M-HUB. Promote your products on the global stage Each company can add an unlimited number of products and services to showcase their capabilities to their potential customers on the global stage.

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With a few taps, it is possible to add up to three pictures for each product, specify the related expertise and field of application and add a dedicated description.

Your product will be searchable by all users in the community!

You can use this feature to also showcase your most important case studies.

Each product you add will be shown in the weekly product notification, so everyone will be aware of the updates to your portfolio. Keep adding them on a regular basis!

For a small fee you can add one of your products to the “Featured Products” on the homepage and boost its visibility across the world.

Make the most of your machinery M-HUB is also a marketplace for any kind of machinery in the plastics sector, allowing companies to add on their machines for sale, for rental or to fill their production capacity.

On the other hand, buyers can find new or used machines with the specific technical requirements they need from the palm of their hand – without any middlemen.

Front Cover Story Companies can add their machines specifying basic details such as: • Machine category: select the category among all the types of machinery in the industry.

• Machine name • Availability: machines can either be available for sale (new, in stock or used), for rental, or for production or for trials.

• Price: the price can be explicit or “upon request” if you would like to disclose it at a later stage. You can add the machine price in your local currency: M-HUB will do the necessary to convert the price to the latest exchange rates so that everyone will see the price in its preferred currency.

Once the machine is created, you can specify further details such as the manufacturer of the machine, the manufacturing year, the model and a description. You can even attach pictures and other relevant documents to allow potential customers to find more information. The more data you add, the higher your machine will be displayed in search results.

If you have an urgent need to sell your machine or fill your production capacity, you can promote it on the homepage of M-HUB in the “Featured Machines” section, for a small fee.

A mobile App to connect the plastics supply chain M-HUB is now available in 13 different languages and can be downloaded for free on Google Play, Apple App Store and the main Chinese Android Stores. ‘’The story of m-hub started from four professionals working in the plastics industry,

just like you. Seeing customers and suppliers bothered by the lack of visibility, market knowledge and integration, we decided to take on the challenge of connecting all the plastics supply chain through an all-round platform tailor-made and based on the needs of the industry,” said Andrea Tellan, Co-founder of M-HUB. Since October 2019, the App has reached more than 11,000 professionals and 1,800 companies from more than 100 countries: it is indeed a global App to serve a global industry!

The year 2021 will bring new features: with a web version on the horizon, providing more and more value to our users.

“Stay tuned, the best is yet to come!,” adds Tellan.

Contacts: M-HUB srl Via Castelmenardo, 55 31100 - Treviso (TV), Italy Email: support@m-hub.com Web: https://app.m-hub.com Andrea Tellan m-hub Project Manager Phone: +39 3426002408 Email: andrea.tellan@m-hub.com

MARCH 2021

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Extrusion Machinery

Davis-Standard encompasses total solutions Davis-Standard, headquartered in Pawcatuck, Conn., is a global leader in the design, development and distribution of extrusion and converting technology. Davis-Standard systems encompass over 11 product lines to support manufacturing applications and customers within every major industry. At the upcoming Chinaplas 2021 show, to be held 13-16 April in Shenzhen, China, DavisStandard will market total solutions encompassing product capabilities and support services at Booth #R11, Hall 10.

A

fter so many Covid-19 show cancellations, Chinaplas 2021 will be held in April, with Davis-Standard being one of the many machinery firms that look forward to reconnecting with customers and the greater plastics community. Global aftermarket services and equipment technology for sheet, foam, blown film, thermoforming, pipe, profile and tubing, cast film, extrusion coating and liquid coating will be promoted by the US firm.

Davis-Standard (Suzhou) Machinery is central to the company’s customer focus and expansion in Jim Murphy, President/CEO at Asia. Developments in the Davis-Standard, expects stronger market activity in 2021 than 2020 areas of machine building “as customers look to invest in and assembly, inventory new technology and add capacity and aftermarket services, to serve re-opening markets” field service engineering, and installation at customer sites have been essential to supporting customers.

The Suzhou site sits on a workshop and office space of 7,500 sq m. This was increased in 2019 by 3,300 sq m, to house control panel assembly and provide additional warehousing.

PRA finds out more on the machinery and company activities in this interview with Jim Murphy, President/CEO of Davis-Standard.

High-performance, cost-competitive Super Blue extruder engineered for custom profile and tubing applications as well as fibre, sheet, and basic wire and cable processes

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MARCH 2021

Extrusion Machinery PRA: Please tell us more about the new technology being displayed at Chinaplas.

Jim: The newest item we are showing is our dsX flex-pack™ 300S line. This single station extrusion and lamination line is a collaboration between DavisStandard’s design teams in the US, Germany and China, and is built at the Suzhou facility to meet the requirements of the Asian flexible packaging market.

Jim: Suzhou has adapted well to serving customers throughout Asia using the safety protocols we have put in place worldwide to protect employees and customers, while ensuring efficient delivery of the spare parts, equipment and services they need.

The biggest challenge faced by DavisStandard was and is the safety of our employees, customers and business partners. The pandemic has influenced all aspects of our business. We’ve been primarily focused on creating processes to safely interact with customers and provide them with the products and services they need to meet their production demands.

“..Suzhou is central to Davis-Standard’s customer focus and expansion in Asia..”

The dsX flex-pack™ 300S extrusion coating and lamination line for the flexible packaging market will be displayed at Chinaplas

It is advantageous for converters as it accommodates the value, machine footprint, output, and key technical attributes demanded by Asian customers. The 300S can support web widths from 650 to 1,350 mm, and is engineered for processing rates up to 300 m/minute for paper, film and aluminum foils with direct gravure primer coating and coextrusion lamination stations. Hallmarks of the line include consistent endproduct quality, greater uptime and productivity, reduced waste and application versatility.

PRA: How has the Suzhou plant operated during the pandemic lockdown and what was the biggest challenge D-S had to contend with/overcome during the pandemic?

PRA: Smart factory solutions will also be presented at Chinaplas.

How do you think the Smart factory solutions can help manufacturers in their recovery journey towards the postpandemic years?

Jim: As plants worldwide move toward greater efficiency, Davis-Standard will present the Smart factory solutions at Chinaplas.

The single-station extrusion and lamination line is built at the Suzhou facility to meet the requirements of the Asian flexible packaging market

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Extrusion Machinery PRA: What can we look forward to from D-S in the new normal?

DS Activ-Check™ harnesses the interconnectivity and functionality of IIoT to analyse real-time KPIs

Any technology that delivers greater efficiency and supports profitability will help manufacturers in their recovery. An example of smart technology from Davis-Standard is our DS Activ-Check™ system, which builds on our knowledge of machinery and processes.

DS Activ-Check™ harnesses the interconnectivity and functionality of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to analyse real-time KPIs (key performance indicators) and enable alarms or action prompts using an integrated machine control system. This system monitors key parameters of an extrusion or converting line to provide early notifications of potential failures allowing operators to avoid unscheduled downtime and providing valuable data for process improvement using configurable dashboards.

“..DS Activ-Check™ monitors key parameters of an extrusion or converting line to provide early notifications..”

Jim: We have long supported customers in their pursuit of better processing, including sustainability and recycling all types and forms of plastic materials. These include in-line recycling of trim generated during the production process and specialised equipment to recycle postconsumer plastic materials of all shapes and sizes.

PRA: Has the pandemic affected D-S’s previous acquisitions (Deacro Industries, Brampton Engineering, Maillefer, TSL)?

Jim: All operations within Davis-Standard have been recognised as essential manufacturing businesses, so we have functioned nonstop throughout the pandemic. This includes our recent acquisitions, which continue to grow and serve customers across multiple industries.

In fact booth visitors at Chinaplas can expect to find information on every Davis-Standard product line, including equipment technology from recent acquisitions. Maillefer has delivered wire and cable and pipe and tubing equipment on a global level, complementing the FPVC medical tubing and coextrusion applications supported by the Suzhou location. This includes pipe and tube systems for automotive, heating and plumbing, irrigation, medical, micro-duct, off-shore and custom lines.

Adding Brampton Engineering has further supported regional infrastructure for blown film applications.

High-speed FPVC extrusion system with precision tubing accuracy in a single system

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Extrusion Machinery Thermoforming Systems (TSL) has enabled Davis-Standard to offer solutions in sheet extrusion, tooling, automation, and granulating to support thermoforming applications, such as cold drink cups/lids, fast food takeout containers, clamshells and noodle bowls, fruit punnets and coffee pods.

Most recently, the addition of Deacro Industries has increased equipment options with high-performance slitting, rewinding and roll handling equipment for the converting process of paper, film and foil materials.

PRA: Do you still view Asia as competitive as it was before the pandemic?

Jim: The Asian and Southeast Asian markets have been an important part of the strong order growth we saw in the Pictured is the Rani-Plast installation, seven-layer die making bubbles up to 23 second half of 2020. These markets are m in diameter and successfully running EVOH growing faster than other parts of the world. They continue to be a focus for Davis-Standard Jim: We have seen robust market demand in as many customers in the region look for leading automotive, medical and packaging markets. technology to serve these fast-growing markets.

Specific to Asia, our high-output systems We also anticipate that pent-up consumer demand for medical tubing, cast film, blown film and will drive a stronger market this year in Asia and extrusion coating have been essential to medical elsewhere. and packaging applications.

We expect to see stronger market activity in PRA: What projections/expectations do you have 2021 than 2020 as customers look to invest in new for the automotive, medical devices and packaging technology and add capacity to serve re-opening markets? Will you be introducing new technologies markets. The pandemic slowed consumer anytime soon and will there be new expansions and activity in many areas, and we expect this pentcapacities, as well as mergers/acquisitions for D-S? up consumer demand to drive a much stronger market this year.

“..Asian and Southeast Asian markets are growing faster..”

Our installed base continues to grow as do vertical opportunities in aftermarket upgrades and optimisation of lines to improve performance.

This includes opportunities for more efficient processing, reduced waste and long-term sustainability to support profitability and better products. As to the technology question, you can definitely count on us to introduce new technologies within the next two years. We will keep you posted!

For more information about Chinaplas, visit https://davis-standard.com/event/chinaplas/; and to learn more about Davis-Standard, visit www.davis-standard.com

MARCH 2021

17

Country Focus

China: restarting the economy with one strategy at a time On its way to full economic recovery, after the onslaught of the pandemic, China is forming new plans and policies to boost its economy and cater to the global market, says Angelica Buan in this report.

Brimming with confidence The Covid-19 virus has afflicted more than millions globally, with the world GDP sliding down by 0.5% in 2020, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Even China, as the world’s largest consumer market and manufacturing powerhouse, was not spared. Understandably, China’s policy moves to resuscitate its economy have never been as crucial as now for the starting up of world economies.

China is said to be the only major economy to score positive growth in 2020.

According to the country’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in January 2020, China’s economy grew by 2.3%, with gross national income crossing RMB101 trillion, up by 1.9% over the previous year.

In 2021, and even though the emergence of new virus variants and fresh cases of infections are prolonging recovery in most countries, China is strategically elbowing its way to recovery. In fact, economic activities have started picking up, businesses have reopened and people have started buying. From January-February 2021, total retail sales of social consumer goods reached over RMB6.97 trillion, an increase of 33.8% compared to last year, according to NBS. Drive for strong domestic market, global trade This year, China is also setting a conservative economic growth goal of 6%, slightly lower than the previous 6.5%-7% projections and much lower than the 8% projection by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the United Nation’s Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

In early March, during the annual National People’s Congress in Beijing, Chinese Premier Lu Keqiang said the growth will hinge on the success of the recently approved 14th five-year plan (2021-2025) and the long-range objectives through to 2035.

The 14th FYP focuses on sustainable economic growth, an innovation-driven industrial system and rural area development. It will also build upon the goals outlined in the previous 13th FYP that highlighted centrepiece programmes such as the large scale infrastructure projects within the Belt and Road Initiative; Made in China 2025, which aims to make China technologically competitive; Internet Plus, which taps its nearly 1 billion-strong domestic internet market; and a line-up of social, financial and green development strategies.

China is said to be the only major economy to score positive growth in 2020, according to NBS

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MARCH 2021

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Country Focus profitable growth at the onset of 2021, rising by 6.6% and accounting for 34% of all industrial enterprises, according to NBS.

The 14th five-year plan, which will push for a sustainable economic growth, is a key agenda tackled in the National People's Congress held in early March

During this period, China will gear up its dual circulation strategy, which means pivoting to its domestic market and at the same time boosting its export markets.

The pandemic has tested the vulnerabilities of the global supply chain and this strategy will allow China to harness its vast market asset to expand and grow. It is also going to invigorate its local demand and production, and its technological capabilities.

Rebooting the manufacturing sector: a bane to the plastics sector China’s manufacturing sector, investments and exports sustained the country’s consumer market, contributing to its recovery following the pandemic, according to a report

by KPMG China released in February.

As such, China has set its sights on modernising its manufacturing sector, which the World Bank says accounts for 27% of the economy, by transforming it into a more innovation and technology-driven one. It will harness the 5G network, industrial internet-of-things, big data analytics and other connectivity infrastructure in the main frame of this strategy.

China's modernised manufacturing sector will harness the 5G network, industrial IoT, big data analytics and other connectivity infrastructure

A thriving manufacturing sector augurs well for the plastics and rubber industries to oil the economy.

The China Machinery Industry Federation (CMIF) reported a strong performance of the machinery industry in 2020, with sales and profits surpassing targets.

Manufacture of machinery equipment demonstrated

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Plastics machinery takes a slide However, the plastics machinery industry witnessed a decline in 2020, according to the China Plastics Machinery Industry Association (CPMIA). The total production output of 488 plastics machinery companies was 333,689 units, a decline of 5% over the previous year.

On the other hand, profit was RMB8.57 billion, up by 49%.

The value of plastics machinery trade has fluctuated, but has generally shown positive outcomes. Total import/export of plastics machinery was valued at US$4.6 billion, up by 0.86%. China also incurred, for the first time, an over US$1 billion worth trade surplus of plastics machinery.

Meanwhile, imports of injection moulding machines dropped by 11%; while exports increased by 4% from January-December last year. Imports of extruders grew by 24%, whilst exports fell by 14%. The import value of plastic pelletisers rose by 24%, whereas the exports fell by 32%, while imports of blow moulding machines slipped by nearly half but export values increased by 11%.

Plastics sector back on track; less plastic waste sought China’s plastics industry continues to weather the impact of 2020. As a major global producer and market, demand in various applications from personal protective equipment (PPE), medical devices, consumer and household goods, and textiles to automotive and construction, favour the growth of the plastics industry.

In NBS’s January-February, data, plastics and rubber manufacturing grew 51.6% year-on-year.

Market analyst Wood Mackenzie forecasts 2020 demand for Chinese PE and PP grew 3.1% and 2.8%, respectively, compared to 2019. Since mid-February last year, domestic demand for polyolefins also grew, against the back of higher demand for PPEs and medical devices in the country.

William Liu, Wood Mackenzie’s Senior Consultant, said the downstream operation rate stabilised in April due to deficient export orders. He added that nearly 60% of Chinese downstream converters had export orders cancelled in April. While the uptrend in polyolefins demand is expected to continue, its growth trajectory is also hinged on the health of the export markets.

Meanwhile, against the back of this growth, is the containment of rising plastic waste. One solution from the government’s new plastics regulations, announced in January 2020, aims to ease the use of plastics in different industry sectors to reduce waste. The regulations are set with specific targets by end of 2020, 2022 and 2025, respectively.

The new policy will be hawked on the sales and production of plastic bags with thickness of less than 25 microns and PE agricultural mulch film with thickness less than 10 microns. Restrictions have also been placed on the use of non-degradable plastic bags and packaging, single-use food service items and personal care items,

Country Focus

To stem the accumulation of plastic wastes in the environment, industry sectors are urged to reduce the use of plastics

and production and sales of products containing plastic beads.

China also rolled out its Green Fence campaign in 2013 and National Sword campaign in 2017, banning imports of scraps and mixed waste from other countries.

Joel Morales, Executive Director, Polyolefins Americas IHS Markit, weighed in on the impact of these campaigns on PE and PP waste imports. Citing data from the Global Trade Atlas (GTA), he wrote that the total waste imports for PE and PP plummeted by 99% to 3.2 million tonnes in 2018, only a year after the National Sword Campaign commenced. Local recycling facilities were compelled to enforce the policies and failure to comply resulted in the cancellation or suspension of operation permits.

Paving the green transport roadmap Along with improving its transportation network to become more efficient by 2035, China is progressively investing in high technology industries, including new energy vehicles (NEVs) such as hybrids, plug-ins, and hydrogen-powered vehicles.

In 2020, the investment in high technology industries rose by 10% and NEV output reached 1.5 million, up by 17% against that of the previous year, according to the January-February audit of NBS. This year, further growth is expected against the positive backdrop of a recovering automotive sector.

NBS stated that in January-February vehicle sales was at 3.8 million, an increase of almost 90%, with NEVs accounting for 317,000, an increase of a whopping 395%.

Ownership of electric vehicles (EVs) is projected to expand. Based on the UBS data, over 1 million EVs were sold in China in 2018, making China the largest market in the world, or three times greater than the US and 20 times greater than the UK. By 2030, Chinese companies could take half of the global share of EV sales.

Sustainable vehicle ownership Sustainability and the environment are among the main focus areas for China. It is because China has long been

combatting poor air quality, especially in cities and urban areas, largely contributed by vehicle emissions.

Moreover, China is bent on hitting its “energy intensity” target, or a 13.5% reduction in the nation’s energy consumption/unit of GDP within five years from 2021, or an 18% reduction in its CO2 emissions/unit of GDP. The environmental fluke has provided a leeway for EVs to gain traction since buyers are offered subsidies.

Investments are also being routed to EV manufacturing and infrastructure, such as EV battery plants and charging stations.

German automotive parts maker Continental, in its Continental Mobility Study 2020, echoes the growing demand for EVs in China. For starters, it noted that ownership for new cars grew amid the pandemic, with some 46% of respondents adding that they used their cars more often, since the use of public transportation was avoided during the pandemic.

The growing Chinese market for EVs lends an opportunity for environmentallyfriendly mobility solutions, according to Andreas Wolf, Vitesco Technologies's CEO and Continental's Executive Board member

The survey results showed that the trend toward owning a car in China is likely to continue, with almost 60% of respondents either considering to buying a car or having bought one, and 86% of respondents receptive to buying an EV. The study, which also surveyed representative groups of people in France, the US, Japan and Germany, noted that 63% of respondents said that the low availability of charging stations is a major hindrance to owning EVs. Another factor is the short range that can be covered with one battery charge. Forced charging breaks during longer journeys are an additional deterrent to 44% of the respondents, and high prices were cited as a determining factor to ownership of EVs by a fifth of the respondents.

On another note, Andreas Wolf, CEO of Vitesco Technologies and Continental Executive Board member, said that the growing Chinese market for EVs lends an opportunity for the company’s environmental-friendly mobility solutions, including its zero-tailpipe-emission vehicles (ZTEVs) that will be produced on a carbonneutral basis from the beginning of 2022.

The confidence of the market is a positive sign for the automotive industry and the EV segment, Wolf stressed, adding that China remains essential for the further development of e-mobility, in the region and globally.

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Advertorial

KRAIBURG TPE to showcase TPEs for innovative applications at CHINAPLAS 2021 KRAIBURG TPE will be highlighting the multi-faceted benefits of its TPE compounds for a variety of applications at the upcoming CHINAPLAS, to be held from 13-16 April 2021, at Hall 17 Booth 431, Shenzhen World Exhibition Centre, China.

Fresh, vibrant finish for automotive interiors KRAIBURG TPE’s THERMOLAST ® K TPE compounds offer good scratch and abrasion resistance for an array of interior applications, including floor mats, cup holders, door sill panels, cable sleeves, thumb wheels and more. They also satisfy the low emission and odour requirements defined in DIN75201-Fogging and VDA270-Odor standards.

With the ability to render precise material colour matching, the THERMOLAST ® K TPE compounds ensure vibrant hues for vehicle interiors, plus meet the colour-fast requirement to ensure colours will not fade easily. The TPE compounds provide a pleasant surface feel with their soft-touch elements. Also, the TPE compounds reduce disturbing ratting and creaking noises when used for damping elements.

The TPE compounds are on par with OEM requirements namely, 03-10-104 (Renault) | B62 0300 (PSA) | DBL 5562 (Daimler) |GMW 15702, GMW 17374, GMW 14722 (GM) | GS 93042 (BMW) | MS-DC-242 (FCA) | STJLR.51.5306 (JLR) | TM-1010 (Tesla) | VW 50123 (VW) |WSS-M2D507 (Ford).

As well, KRAIBURG TPE will be showcasing its latest automotive interior AD1/AP series.

This latest TPE series displays superior adhesion to polar-type thermoplastics, including PC and ABS, as well as showcasing smooth and soft surface quality. It meets the requirement of the low emission standard for automotive interiors.

Furthermore, the TPE series meets manufacturers’ demands for cost effectiveness.

All-weather, lightweight TPE for automotive exterior applications KRAIBURG TPE’s THERMOLAST ® K TPE compounds for automotive exterior applications, which include window encapsulation, water deflector, side mirror gasket and sealing for brake lights, feature high surface quality, and excellent flow properties.

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MARCH 2021

This lightweight TPE, possessing a density of <0.8g/cm³, also exhibits good weathering resistance, having passed weathering tests such as the Kalahari and Florida tests. As well, it displays multiple adhesions to polymers including PP, PP+30% glass fibre, SAN, ASA, PMMA, PC/ABS, PA6 and EPDM+PP.

Advertorial The THERMOLAST ® K TPE compound series meets OEM approval from global automotive majors including 03-10-104 (Renault)| B62 0300 (PSA) |DBL 5562, DBL 5422 (Daimler) |GMW 15702, GMW 16233 (GM) |GS 93042 (BMW) |MS-DC-242 (FCA) |STJLR.51.5306 (JLR) |TM-1010 (Tesla) |VW 50123, TL 52622 (VW) |WSS-M2D505 |WSS-M2D517 (Ford).

KRAIBURG TPE highlighting TPEs for cosmetics and skincare packaging applications KRAIBURG TPE offers TPE materials that are recyclable, resistant to various cosmetic products, and product-contact safe. They are free from heavy metals, animal ingredients and latex and other toxic substances such as PVC or phthalates or carcinogenic or mutagenic substances.

The TPE compounds comply with international food-grade safety standards, such as the China GuoBiao (GB) standards (GB4806:2016), the Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, the Code of Federation Regulation Title 21 (21CFR) of the US Food and Drug Administrator (FDA), as well as with ROHs and REACH standards.

Eye-catching shades with a soft-feel For KRAIBURG TPE no detail is too small to deliver the perfect touch for cosmetic packaging.

KRAIBURG TPE’s TPE compounds offer a dry and pleasant surface feel for packaging applications and components including flip-top caps, slit valves, serum spoids, packaging seals, pencil grip surfaces, eyelash brush grips, and more.

The TPE compounds offer worldwide consistent colourability, which encourages creative designs for skincare and cosmetics packaging and for brand owners to stay competitive in the market.

Furthermore, the TPEs can be easily moulded to offer a variety of textures and experiences and can be processed through injection moulding and the extrusion process, allowing for a multitude of options.

KRAIBURG TPE to highlight versatile, safe TPEs for consumer electronic and smart wearable applications KRAIBURG TPE’s TPE compounds feature a range of properties, including resistance to scratches, abrasions and chemicals, and allow for colourful and soft-touch designs. Thus, the TPEs are suitable for consumer electronics and smart wearable device applications, including mobile casings, seals, ear tips, virtual reality (VR) devices, game controller buttons or casings and more.

The TPE compounds ensure that the devices are safe from the risk of fire. They are certified as per the UL94HB flammability, which determines the material’s burn rate once ignited. The TPE compounds are also free from heavy metals and other substances like latex, PVCs or phthalates, to guarantee hazard-free use of the devices.

Manufacturers can also benefit from the compounds that display a wide processing window. Also, KRAIBURG TPE offers worldwide colour consistency quality, with various colourability options available.

For more information, please email us at info@kraiburg-tpe.com or visit our website at www.kraiburg-tpe.com.

For professional technical support and sales enquiries, do drop by the booth at Hall 17, Booth A31 at Chinaplas 2021 Shenzhen.

MARCH 2021

23

Country Focus

Banking on Southeast Asia for growth in the new normal A US$1-trillion loss from the pandemic, estimated by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), is an expensive lesson to learn for global economies while recovery is anticipated to remain lethargic in 2021.

The ASEAN region, seeing its economy fall for the first time in 22 years, has had to contend with the impacts of the pandemic since its prologue in March 2020. Despite the uncertain aftermath, the ASEAN5 grouping of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand are expecting a GDP growth of 5.2% in 2021.

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Recovery of China, a boon to ASEAN China, known as the world’s factory, is estimated to have garnered a 2.3% growth year-over-year in 2020; and projected to reach 8.1% in 2021, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s updated January 2021 economic outlook. The country rebounded more rapidly and re-opened gradually as early as April 2020.

ASEAN is anticipated to reap the benefits from its trade ties with China, its largest trading partner since 2009; and its fourth-largest external source of foreign investments (FDIs) in 2019, accounting for 5.7% of the region’s total FDIs. Restoring growth momentum in the medical devices sector While country lockdowns have caused several industries to push pause buttons, the medical technology sector has grown exponentially as demand for personal protective equipment (PPE), respirators, fans, test kits and other essential medical devices has increased and surpassed supply. Southeast Asia has benefited from its production capacity for PPE and medical devices.

Digital healthcare readiness is another advantage. The emerging upper-income economies of countries like Thailand and Malaysia, for example, are both aiming to become the medical hubs of Asia.

In Thailand, medical devices are considered a high value sector. For this reason, the country has laid down the groundwork with enabling policies like tax incentives allowed by the country’s Board of Industry (BOI) for investment projects and the machines that they require, and on raw materials used in making exported products, and other duty exemptions. As well, the tenyear strategic plan spanning from 2016 to 2025 will cover four major areas: wellness, medical, academics, and products. This roadmap paves the way for developing a medical industry that is innovative and focused on R&D. Thailand is a bastion of manufacturing for single-use, high-technology medical devices and appliances ranging from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-ray machines, surgical implants, and diagnostic tools to first aid kits, dental equipment, hospital beds, and others. The majority of its locally manufactured plastic and rubber medical devices are exported.

According to Krungsri Research, 70% of the sector’s total sales come from exports and 30% from domestic sales.

Malaysia, another hotbed for the medical devices sector, boasts a strong distribution network via its 13 free industrial zones and other logistics channels. It also offers diverse medical technology ranging from surgical gloves, wound care, and other single-use devices Almost 1,000 exhibitors are to cardiac pacemakers, stents, orthopedic expected to showcase medical and imaging equipment. related solutions at Chinaplas 2021

Country Focus To date, Malaysia has over 200 medical device manufacturers; and more than 30 multinational corporations (MNCs) producing high value-added medical devices. Over and above, Malaysia is the world’s largest nitrile and latex rubber gloves producer, accounting for more than 60% of global supply.

Domestic rubber glove makers and other emerging players have witnessed a growing demand for gloves during the Covid-19 pandemic and reaped the benefits from the growing global glove sector. Kenanga Research projects a 30% growth in Malaysia’s nitrile glove market share in 2020. In response to the growing demand, large glove manufacturers have expanded with additional production lines and land for new factories. Meanwhile, demand for medical gloves is projected to rise by 15-20% in 2021, according to the Malaysian Rubber Gloves Manufacturers Association (MARGMA).

Race to zero-emissions in the growing EV markets In the ASEAN, the growing momentum to reduce carbon emissions in the environment is setting the stage for the 650 million consumers in the region to switch to green technologies.

Asia represented 16% of the world's total transportation emissions in 2006. By 2030, its share of vehicle-related carbon emissions is expected to rise to 31%. For this reason, the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), including hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), touted to generate zero emissions, is being promoted to reduce the carbon impact of the transport sector.

In Southeast Asia, the manufacture of EVs is gaining traction. Indonesia, the second largest car producer in the region after Thailand, plans to begin producing EVs in 2022. By 2025, EVs and HEVs will make up 20% of total vehicle production in Indonesia, with the country having good prospects of becoming a regional EV manufacturing centre by 2030.

Thailand, the biggest car manufacturer in Southeast Asia, is also expanding its EV industry. The Thailand government has established the National Electric Vehicle Policy Committee (NEVPC) that oversees the national EV roadmap targeting to produce 1.2 million EVs by 2035.

The country’s BOI has also offered tax incentives for EV/ HEV projects such as tax holidays for manufacturers and businesses in the EV supply chain, including producers of battery modules and cells.

Vietnam is also making inroads in its EV production with the launch of three locally produced smart batteryelectric SUVs in January 2021, which are expected to debut in the US market in 2022. The country, which posted a 7% drop in total vehicle sales in 2020 against the previous year's sales, is charging ahead in its EV production plan, in its bid to mitigate its rising pollution levels.

Packaging demands for sustainability: a constant feature The rising opportunity in the food delivery sector and home delivery of consumer goods has presented growth opportunities for the packaging sector. A Transparency Market Research report on the ASEAN packaging industry noted a high demand in the flexible packaging market in

Indonesia, particularly in the bags, pouches and films segments. Meanwhile, the current increase in online shopping and home delivery activities has not only led to a demand for packaging but has also changed consumer preferences for packaging.

A Euromonitor report examined the impact of Covid19 on the Malaysian packaging industries and concluded that revenues were hit by the decline in consumer spending. In Malaysia, containment measures limited economic activities leading to below-normal purchases of packaged retail goods.

On another note, consumer preferences may change in post-pandemic years. For instance, labelling and convenient packaging formats, or packaging with closures or an easy-to-open design for consumption on the go, were some of the important features favored by consumers, according to Euromonitor.

In the Philippines, the packaging market is projected to grow 3.3% to 69 billion units/year by 2024, according to GlobalData. The growth is mainly driven by the rigid packaging segment, estimated to present a CAGR of 6.4% between 2019 and 2024. Boosting demand for rigid packaging is the popularity of packaged and processed foods and portable soft drink containers.

In Vietnam, online shopping and home delivery during the Covid-19 lockdown have promoted the preference for larger packs and multipacks to prioritise safety. GlobalData forecasted Vietnam’s e-commerce activity had surged by 30.3% to US$13.1 billion during 2020. Relatedly, Vietnam is due to ban single-use plastics from convenience stores and supermarkets by 2021. This move, along with the ban on imported scraps by 2025, is aimed at increasing recycling rates of municipal waste to 90%.

As a result, the industry is seeking continued development of recyclable materials and sustainable technologies that can enable manufacturers to use fewer plastics without compromising the quality of the packaged product.

Recovery strategies: scouting for new markets in postpandemic era The pandemic has been a crucial test of Southeast Asia's advantage as a sustainable market and regional supply chain. ASEAN’s diverse markets and industry specialisation offer growth opportunities for companies seeking to regain momentum in a disrupted global economy. With all its infrastructure advantages and lower cost structures, ASEAN is expected to emerge stronger post-pandemic, to become a more secure place for investment and manufacturing.

To grasp the opportunities generated during this recovery period, ASEAN visitors from manufacturing sectors prospecting new avenues for business growth and market expansion are invited to attend the upcoming Chinaplas 2021, to be held during April 13-16 at Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Centre (Bao'an New Venue), where they can explore new materials and automated technology presented by 3,600+ exhibitors.

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Compounding

Plastics compounding: analysing major trends and opportunities The world of plastics is rapidly changing and evolving, and so are trends in the global plastics compounding industry. As plastics replace conventionally used materials in key applications such as automotive, construction, consumer goods, and electronics, the industry is constantly witnessing new technological advances and developments.

Purdue University expects its new technology to provide an option to utilise sustainable cellulose nanomaterials for use in vehicles, food packaging and other manufactured goods

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P

lastics compounding, alternatively known as polymer compounding, is an effective method for altering the fundamental properties of engineered thermoplastics and enhancing their thermal, electrical, physical, or aesthetic characteristics. The final end-product is usually a blend of plastics and various additives.

It is estimated that the global plastic compounding market size will be worth over US$169 billion by the year 2026, with new applications constantly emerging across numerous industry verticals.

Aurora Plastics, BASF SE, Solvay, Lanxess AG, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, LyondellBasell Industries, The Dow Chemical Company, Foster Corporation, PolyOne Corporation, and A. Schulman are some of the prominent names in the industry.

Let’s dive into some of the technology trends and developments, key challenges caused by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and opportunities that these companies will witness over the next few years.

Ongoing developments and innovations Both plastics compounding companies and research institutes have been at the forefront of leading innovation in the plastic processing space as they aim to develop more advanced and versatile materials.

In October 2020, German engineered plastics producer Romira had developed the Romiloy EXP3008, a high performance PC/PBT blend with superior impact strength, UV stability, and reduced warping tendency. The product is suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications in areas such as electronics, healthcare, and consumer goods.

During the same year in June, a team of innovators from UK’s Purdue University had developed a new compounding technology for nanocellulose composites that could enhance their sustainability in applications including automotive, food packaging, and consumer goods. Normally for processing nanocellulose, solvents or dispersants are added to improve its dispersion in polymers. However, these techniques can be expensive for manufacturers who also need to implement additional machinery and processes in order to comply with the latest emission standards.

The team created a new technique that involves the blending of nanocellulose in additives for polymers, and then compounding the mixture into the finished product instead of mixing them directly. It allows the nanocellulose to be easily injection molded or extruded into final products that are more sustainable and possess better properties.

This technology could be applicable to a wide range of polymers, including polyamides (PAs) used in automotive applications and polylactic acid (PLA) used in food packaging.

Compounding Need for capacity expansion to meet the growing demand Plastics are dominating virtually every industry vertical and constantly finding their way into new applications as they evolve. In order to keep up with the demand for highperformance materials across different industries, plastic manufacturers worldwide are looking to ramp up the production of compounded plastics.

In February 2019, for instance, Aurora Plastics had finished the upgrading and expansion of its Texas-based plastic production and compounding facility. The new 60,000 sq ft facility includes upgrades in automation and control systems, compound blending, and a new research centre with improved product testing capabilities.

Last year in June, Mitsui Chemicals Inc. along with its subsidiary Prime Polymers began operations at the Mitsui Prime Advanced Composites Europe B.V. (ACE) located within Netherland’s Chemelot Industrial Park. Mitsui’s first PP compounding facility in the European region, the new plant has a capacity of nearly 30,000 tonnes/year.

business. Another major company based in Houston, Texas, Ascent Performance Materials has been picking up compounding companies based in the European region. In January, the company acquired France-based compounder Eurostar Engineering Plastics, followed by the acquisition of Italian compounding and masterbatch firms Poliblend and Esseti Plast GD from the D’Ottavio Group in February.

Meanwhile, many companies are collaborating with other manufacturers to develop high-performance materials for various applications.

In May last year, German materials firm Covestro had announced that it is collaborating with plastics compounder Teknor Apex for developing compounded thermoplastic polyurethane, a highly versatile plastic material that finds application in a wide range of industries.

Plastic Compounding Market, by Product 2019 & 2026 (USD Milion)

Others Thermoplastic elastomers Thermosetting polymers Thermoplastic polymers

2016

2019 Source: www.gminsights.com

Thermoplastic polymers will dominate the overall industry size Mitsui and its subsidiary Prime Polymer set up a new PP compounding plant in the Netherlands

Over the years, the Mitsui Chemicals Group has managed to boost its global PP compounding capacity to more than 1.12 million tonnes/year. Currently, the company operates production units in eight key markets around the world including the US, Europe, Brazil, Mexico, India, China, Japan, and Thailand.

Emerging markets in the Asia Pacific region with rapid population and economic growth are constantly attracting the attention of major automotive and electronics manufacturers in America and Europe. These factors are likely to stimulate the regional demand for high-quality polymers and advanced materials, encouraging local players to boost their production capacity. In February 2018, Japan’s Teijin had invested over US$13 million to set up a new polymer compounding facility in Thailand with a capacity of approximately 10,000 tonnes/year.

Recent notable acquisitions and collaborations The plastics compounding market has witnessed several major acquisitions and collaborations over the past few years as manufacturers look to expand their market position. Back in August 2018, LyondellBasell had acquired A. Schulman for US$2.25 billion, allowing the company to nearly double the size of its Houston-based compounding

Citing another instance, in November, US-based Eastman Chemical Company had collaborated with Italy’s Gruppo Maip to develop new sustainable polymer solutions for automotive interior applications. The companies aim to use Eastman’s Advanced Circular Recycling technology to formulate a range of molecular recycled and biobased solutions.

Impacts and challenges caused by the pandemic throughout 2020 The outbreak and rapid spread of the novel coronavirus has caused significant disruptions in the entire plastics compounding industry value chain. Small and mediumsize players were among the most adversely affected during 2020.

According to a Harbour Results Inc. survey, nearly two-thirds of small and medium-size businesses had been forced to operate at a reduced capacity.

Automotive and electronics companies experienced the largest impact among all businesses with lowest operating levels of just 28% and 67% respectively, undoubtedly leading to a weakened demand for plastics.

In addition to supply chain disruptions and production concerns, increased use of single-use plastics and the subsequent rise in plastic waste generation has also emerged as a major challenge for the industry.

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Compounding Plastic Compounding Market, by Industry (USD Million)

Consumer goods

Electrical & Construction Automotive Aerospace electronics 2016

2019

Others

2026 Source: www.gminsights.com

Automotive will drive the industry growth

EV charging infrastructure demands high-performance plastic solutions Besides applications in the powertrain of electric cars, engineered thermoplastics have immense potential in modern EV charging infrastructure. Polymers such as polyamide and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) are commonly used in charging plugs and sockets, components in inductive wireless systems, wall boxes, and charging stations for high-voltage batteries. Unreinforced materials are experiencing high demand in charging plugs as they offer a higher level of dimensional stability, impact resistance, mechanical robustness, and flame retardance.

The flat floor and vehicle pads required for inductive and wireless charging need to be made of materials that are not only mechanically strong and fire resistant, but also possess high dielectric strength and have a lower tendency to warp. These materials also need to be weather resistant with stability across a wide temperature of range of -45°C to 125°C. Although the level of standardisation in the electric mobility space is still under progress, these materials open up a wide range of possibilities in DC or AC battering charging. As plastics compounding firms gear up for the electric mobility challenge, they could focus on development of custom materials that are suitable for use in charging infrastructure and meet the international standards and specifications of the automotive and electronics industries.

The need for disposable medical gear and contactless delivery of food and packaged online orders has pushed back plastic regulations and efforts to reduce plastic waste.

The amount of plastics waste generated in Thailand alone increased by nearly 15% during the pandemic despite the plastics ban the country had introduced in January 2020.

These concerns will likely lead to the limited use or ban of plastics as a packaging material in pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, and other application.

Meanwhile, the resurgence of the coronavirus outbreak and its newer variant will mean that government and regulatory restrictions remain in effect for quite some time.

However, despite all these challenges, automotive, construction, and electronics sectors have shown positive signs of recovery in various countries, It is estimated that the global market size will be worth over US$169 billion by the year 2026 These factors and trends suggest that the global plastic which should provide the plastic compounding compounding market will continue to garner momentum market with a much needed boost. In addition, in the foreseeable future. With constant technological ongoing technological advances in these sectors, advances and developments in the polymers and especially in the automotive industry, will provide advanced materials science space, plastic compounding companies with lucrative opportunities in the near will to be a key to sustained innovations in the plastic future. industry.

One of the key trends in the automotive sector is electric mobility. Let’s take a look at the challenges Read more @ https://www.gminsights.com/ and opportunities it brings for plastic compounding industry-analysis/plastic-compounding-market companies.

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Injection Moulding Asia Medical Industry

Medtech market given the all clear for expansions The recent global health crisis provided a

is expected to take place in 2021, pushing the market to reach an estimated US$426 billion by 2025, growing 3% to 5% from 2020 to 2025.

silver lining to the medical devices market to expand and innovate, says Angelica

Stabilising the supply chain with technologies, investments The Covid-19 virus continues to batter industries, and the medical industry, although benefitting from the unprecedented demand for medical devices, is under pressure to ramp-up production of medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE).

The increase in demand has also led companies to expand their production capacities, develop new solutions and work collaboratively with industry peers.

US producer of custom moulded silicone rubber products KDL Precision Moulding has joined IRP Group, a California-headquartered manufacturer of elastomeric sealing components. The partnership builds upon KDL’s capability in moulded parts and IRP’s liquid silicone rubber (LSR) moulding capabilities to produce elastomeric sealing components. IRP has been recently acquired by Integrated Polymer Solutions, a US manufacturer of engineered elastomeric components and tools for aerospace and defence OEM and MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) applications.

On a related note, rebuilding and securing the supply chain for medical devices is also high on the agenda for recovery from 2021 onwards.

Responding to the requirement for resilient supply of safe and secure medical products, Vonco Products, a US company specialising in custom flexible packaging and flexible component solutions and which recently acquired contract manufacturer of medical devices McFarlane Medical, has increased its production of 95kPa biohazard transport bags. Vonco’s own invention, the bag is used to safely contain, transport and dispose of diagnostic and

Buan in this report.

Medical devices on the uptrend Human life is priceless and the calibre of the health system has important implications for people’s quality of life. Around the world, quality as well as cost and access to medical care lay the foundation for effective health care delivery. Poor health care results in human and economic costs and low productivity and waste, reaching US$1.4 to US$1.6 trillion per year, according to the Asian Development Bank.

The medtech market is projected to rebound in 2021 from the pandemic downturn, and reach an estimated US$426 billion by 2025

Medical technology helps to deliver on those priorities.

Particularly, in this era of emerging diseases like Covid-19 and rising prevalence of lifestyle diseases, growing geriatric population and the number of people at risk for developing chronic illnesses, demand for surgical procedures and medical devices must meet a variety of diagnostic and management requirements to achieve effective patient outcomes.

Demand for medical devices has been strong and steady. Within five years from 2020, the medical devices market is expected to veer close to US$88 billion, achieving a growth rate of 4% during this period, according to a Technavio forecast.

However, this growth trajectory has been slightly derailed due to the pandemic. Citing a Lucintel report, the global economic downturn caused by Covid-19 decimated the medical devices market in 2020. Nevertheless, recovery

Vonco has increased capacity of its biohazard bags

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Injection Moulding Asia Medical Industry

Canadian injection moulding machine supplier Husky Injection Molding Systems has launched the UltraShot Injection System, a next generation melt delivery and control system that eliminates the deficiencies of traditional injection moulding processes and enables manufacturers to mould a quality part at scale.

The UltraShot Injection System’s advanced injection control technology enables riskfree scalability with flawless part capability.

Additionally, identical system behaviour for each injection circuit provides process Husky’s UltraShot Injection System features an advanced injection control condition consistency technology for risk-free scalability with cavitation scaling.

A predictable process from pilot to high cavitation – scalable to 128 cavities, enables producers to maximise cavitation without negative performance on balance or shot-to-shot variation. Brand owners can accelerate from prototype to high cavitation production qualification, thus greatly increasing speed-to-market.

As explained by Husky, the Altanium mould controller-powered UltraShot enables brand owners to produce functional and validated parts, economically, where conventional moulding processes cannot. This cavity filling control and process optimisation overcomes traditional constraints of pressure, L/T and difficult-tomould resins. This enables part lightweighting for resin and process time savings and provides resin selection flexibility. Ultimately, this means greater part design freedom, opening up endless possibilities for brand owners looking to take plastic part designs to the next level.

The technology is ideal for medical, technical packaging and consumer electronic part producers looking to scale up, implement more efficient process control, address competitive marketplaces, and reduce risk, scrap, waste and cost, Husky said.

infectious materials and meets the IATA (International Air Transport Association) requirements for shipping hazardous liquids on air transport. Each bag is made with a custom film structure that features a strong adhesive closure and continuous seal, which makes it ideal for critical liquid and substance containment.

Along the same vein, Toronto-based plastic products manufacturer Viva Healthcare Packaging is also augmenting production of its three-ply medical grade face masks to over 22.5 million/month by early 2021.

Viva has received an Ontario Together Fund investment of US$450,000, intended to increase Ontario’s stockpile of locally made PPE. It is using the fund to retool operations and expand production of PPEs. Viva also plans to add two high output face mask-making lines that will run 24/7 with inventory sufficient to support quick deliveries, it said. Viva has three locations worldwide, including Canada (Toronto), its flagship factory Viva is utilising a grant to retool its operations and expand production of equipped with 200 its locally-made PPEs injection moulding machines; Poland and Hong Kong.

Confirmed case of swabs market growth The growing cases of Covid-19 are stepping up early detection efforts, auguring demand for testing swabs.

Fortune Business Insights forecasts the value of medical swabs market to reach US$4 billion by end of 2027, growing at a rate of 6.9% from 2020.

iMFLUX, a subsidiary of Procter &Gamble (P&G), that is focused on mould design and process technology for the injection moulding market, has teamed up with Rhinostics, a company that aims to “revolutionise lab workflows”, for its novel fully injection-moulded PP nasal swab.

P&G is licensing its new nasal swab to Rhinostics to launch and bring to the clinical laboratory market. These swabs reduce handling and lab processing cycle time and increase lab capacity as new home collection kits expand rapidly into the virus detection market, according to P&G.

Rhinostics, with a plan to registering the P&G PP nasal swab as a Class I Exempt medical device, is said to pursue Emergency Use Authorisation for home collection with rPT-PCR testing.

Materials cater to medical devices The pharmaceutical industry, meanwhile, can benefit from Belgian chemical company’s Solvay’s Udel PSU resins, as can TBL Performance Plastics, which manufactures non-metallic single-use systems and components for the bio-pharmaceutical industry.

TBL is utilising Solvay’s resin to achieve the properties like strength, transparency, heat resistance, hydrolytic stability and retention of mechanical properties under steam sterilisation. The FDA 21 CFR 177.1655-compliant PSU resin is a tough, rigid, high-

P&G and Rhinostics collaborated to launch and market an injection-moulded PP nasal swab

Boosting capacities with new technologies Adequate PPE supply relies on efficient machine and materials technology to enable large-scale production.

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Injection Moulding Asia Medical Industry

Two series with different strength levels are available.

The high-performance series includes Makrolon M810 GF, Makrolon M820 GF, and Makrolon M830 GF. The high-flow series includes Makrolon M410 GF, Makrolon M420 GF, and Makrolon M430 GF and are used for filling larger or thinner parts with improved productivity.

Compared with glass-fibre-reinforced polyamide (PA), glass-fibre filled PCs exhibit a better combination of different properties when used for drug-delivery devices and surgical instruments, according to Covestro. This improves their resistance to humidity and temperature fluctuations as well as their mechanical properties. Aided by a special process called Rapid Heat Cycle Moulding, parts that require particularly glossy or smooth surfaces can be produced from the Makrolon GF types.

TBL is using Solvay’s Udel PSU resins for its biopharma products

strength thermoplastics suitable for continuous use up to 149°C.

In addition to the PSU resin, which is extruded into the single-use tubular sight gauges, TBL chose an opaque, whitegrade Udel PSU resin to create the connection between the sight gauge and the tubing. This product is over-moulded onto the sight gauge to form a secure and hygienic gasket that is affixed with a mechanical clamp.

Meanwhile, German firm Covestro’s new low-friction and glass-filled polycarbonates (PCs) are suited for medical applications where plastic parts slide against one another.

They are said to enable smooth, reliable, and durable movement without lubricants in drug-delivery devices.

Makrolon M204 LF, Makrolon M402 LF, and Makrolon M404 LF ensure that injections proceed smoothly and reliably. The low-friction plastics also feature high dimensional stability and are said to be superior in this respect to the competing material POM. The materials comply with the ISO 10993-1 biocompatibility standard and withstand most sterilization methods.

Covestro has also introduced glass-filled PCs that deliver maximum strength and durability in surgical instruments and drug-delivery devices. They are suited for the loadbearing interior parts of self-medication devices, particularly those with viscous or high-volume medicines. Single-use sterile instruments are a current trend in surgery for reducing the risk of infection. In addition, a solid thermoplastic polymer can be more efficient than a metal material, said Covestro.

Printable batteries for wearable healthcare sensors Elsewhere, German chemical company Evonik has developed a new material technology for printable batteries, in collaboration with printed electronics developer InnovationLab. It has demonstrated that the integration of TAeTTOOz technology in printed batteries opens up new applications, notably in healthcare. TAeTTOOz technology is based on the use of redox polymers from Creavis, the strategic innovation unit within Evonik.

Evonik has made possible printable batteries for medical sensors

Redox polymers can undergo reversible oxidation (loss of electrons) and reduction (gain of electrons) processes.

Depending on the polymer’s oxidation state, the material exhibits different chemical, optical, electronic, or mechanical properties.

With TAeTTOOz, Evonik says it presents an innovative technology for the efficient production of rechargeable battery cells. The new materials can be processed via screen printing into very thin and flexible batteries, giving engineers a high degree of design freedom and making it possible to store electrical energy without using metals.

The printable batteries manufactured with TAeTTOOz technology do not require liquid electrolytes and, therefore, are leak-proof.

In healthcare, wearable sensors that monitor vital functions can be designed with enhanced user comfort when printed batteries are used.

Covestro’s low friction resins help reduce dosage administration force in drug delivery devices to make delivery easier for patients that expect selfmedication autoinjectors to work reliably

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Injection Moulding Asia 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing

Market uptake; research abounds on new materials Pandemic no deterrent to growth $5,000 Even with the Covid-19 pandemic, the 3D printing/additive manufacturing sector expanded by 7.5% to nearly US$12.8 billion in $4,000 2020. However, growth was down considerably, compared to average growth of 27.4% over the $3,000 previous ten years, said consulting firm Wohlers Associates in its latest report on the industry sector. $2,000 Most established manufacturers of AM systems saw a decline in equipment sales, but $1,000 many less-established companies grew in 2020.

An increase in business by AM service providers supported industrywide growth. The chart shows $0 7.1% growth from independent service providers worldwide, resulting in nearly US$5.3 billion of revenue from this group.

The Wohlers Report 2021 also includes commentary on 74 early-stage investments and 35 acquisitions and public offerings. AM start-ups and established companies have received substantial funding in the recent past. One example is Desktop Metal, which received US$575 million as part of a merger with a special acquisitions company. After going public in December 2020, Desktop Metal’s market capitalisation exceeded US$7.5 billion in February 2021.

94

96 98 00 02 04

06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20

Production of AM parts from independent service providers (in milions of dollars). Source: Wohlers Report 2021

The automated production line built in the project will be tested and validated with electrical insulation components and parts used in car and cruise ship interiors.

The applications are of interest to Hitachi ABB Power Grids, manufacturer of electrical insulation components for its own transformers in Poland; Meyer Turku, a shipbuilding company and CRF, the research company of Fiat in Italy.

The Novum project also involves Brinter, developer of 3D printing technology in Finland, AGH University of Science and Technology in Poland, ABIS, an engineering company from Poland, JRS, supplier of renewable materials from Germany and Vertech Group, a sustainability expert from France.

VTT’s main focus in the project lies in material development since in order for cellulose to be 3D printable, it must be made thermoplastic, that is, pliable at an elevated temperature. Thermoplastic cellulose-based materials similar to oil-based plastics have previously been developed at VTT. However, for the Novum project, it is important that the cellulose-based material also contains pure cellulose as much as possible as this is essential for insulation materials.

In addition to modifying the material to ensure compatibility with the manufacturing process, the material’s properties, such as its strength and heat resistance, are also adjusted in accordance with the application requirements.

Irrespective of the exact composition of the material, VTT says it is already clear that the pieces produced can be ground and re-used as raw material on the same production line as many as eight times.

Cellulose-based materials for 3D printing of components Cellulose is an ideal raw material for electrical insulation components, because it is clean and capable of resisting high temperatures, and it remains firm in oil used in transformers for both insulation and cooling purposes. However, the raw material must be packaged into the moulds manually, and a variety of different moulds are required. The process also consumes energy and produces plenty of waste. With the current methods, the value of production is approximately EUR 1 billion a year.

In the EU-funded Novum project coordinated by Finnish research company VTT, the focus is on developing automated methods for the production of cellulose-based electrical insulation components and for other applications such as the automotive industry and cruise ships.

The project, which started in October 2017, has been limited to the most promising manufacturing methods: 3D printing and foam forming since the former offers efficiency as well as new freedom in design while the latter saves energy in the manufacturing process.

As the research group works on developing cellulosebased materials and the manufacturing methods, it also investigates which other applications could be potential for the combination, in addition to transformers. A good starting point for the applications is the need to produce individual products or small series easily or to replace plastic parts with renewable material.

Composites material for 3D printers US firm Stratasys has introduced an ABS-based carbonfibre material for its line of F123 Series 3D printers, said to be the first composite material for the printers. Carbon-fibre materials have been used on Stratasys’s industrial-scale FDM 3D printers for a variety of applications such as jigs, 4

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Injection Moulding Asia 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing Evonik’s new PEEK filament for industrial 3D applications Germany’s Evonik has developed a new 3D printable filament based on PEEK (polyether ether ketone). The high-temperature and chemical-resistant ready-touse material is particularly suitable for the additive manufacturing of demanding industrial plastic parts.

The high-performance polymer can be processed in common extrusion-based 3D printing technologies such as fused filament fabrication (FFF) or fused deposition modelling (FDM).

Evonik’s Infinam PEEK 9359 F is a natural-coloured PEEK filament, which has a diameter of 1.75 mm and is wound on 500 g spools suitable for direct use in standard FFF/FDM 3D printers for PEEK materials. Thanks to its unique properties, such as high mechanical strength, hydrolysis resistance, or inherent flame retardancy, it is particularly suitable for the production of lightweight and Evonik has launched a new PEEK high-performance filament for industrial 3D applications 3D parts for the aerospace, automotive, and oil & gas industries.

Compared to stainless steel, 3D parts made of the new PEEK 9359 F are said to be 80% lighter and 30% tougher with fatigue resistance. It also boasts wear resistance and low sliding friction, making it ideal for manufacturing lightweight structural parts.

fixtures, and tooling. With FDM ABS-CF10, Stratasys says it is now making carbon fibre much more accessible to the engineering and manufacturing community with highperformance F170, F270, and F370 3D printers.

Featuring 10% carbon fibre, FDM ABS-CF10 is a welcomed alternative to metal parts, since it is also 15% stronger and more than 50% stiffer than standard ABS, without the weight of metal, and can be printed with a high degree of accuracy. QSR Support water-soluble material makes it possible to 3D print intricate and complex parts without time-consuming manual support removal.

Stratasys’ internal analysis suggests the additive manufacturing market for polymer jigs and fixtures is expected to grow at a 14.2% annual rate between 2019 and 2023, to nearly US$600 million, double the growth rate of the prior four years. With its FDM ABS-CF10 material, Stratasys says it is particularly focused on addressing applications in the aerospace, automotive, industrial, and recreational manufacturing industries. Parts applications include end effectors used with industrial robots, ergonomic aids such as lift assists and hand tools, and alignment fixtures on assembly lines.

Stratasys’ carbon fibre material offers stiffness for alignment tools like this welding fixture

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Injection Moulding Asia Machinery at Chinaplas 2021 Arburg to focus on digitalisation, lightweight construction and efficiency The Chinese market is of great importance to German machinery firm Arburg, even though visitors to Chinaplas 2021 are likely to be limited to locals this year, due to the pandemic.

“China is the world’s largest market for injection moulding machines and the demand for high-end machines and turnkey systems is growing,” says Zhao Tong, Managing Director of the Arburg organisations in China. “With our product range, as well as our arburgXworld and arburgGREENworld programmes for digitalisation and resource conservation, we are in a pole position.”

Thus, the firm will be presenting at Chinaplas, which takes place from 13-16 April 2021 in Shenzhen, not only exhibits used for LSR processing, lightweight construction and additive manufacturing, but also a turnkey solution for medical technology and its arburgXworld customer portal.

In LSR processing, it will present a version of an Allrounder from the Golden Electric series. The economic electric machine is targeted at the Asian market and will be shown manufacturing demanding lenses for the automotive industry. These are used in the matrix headlights for passenger cars, for example.

The turnkey system built around an Allrounder 470 E Golden Electric with a clamping force of 1,000 kN is equipped

consists of three modules for removal, camera inspection and order picking. The picking module is able to automatically fill gaps resulting from rejected parts with good parts.

Meanwhile, Arburg will show a cost-effective process with its fibre-direct compounding (FDC). A lateral feeder cuts glass fibre rovings into lengths before adding them directly into the liquid melt. The advantages of this process include high material availability, a cost reduction of up to 40% and the option of actively tailoring component properties. In Shenzhen, a hydraulic Allrounder 820 S with 4,000 kN clamping force produces test plates made of 30% PP reinforced with long glass fibres. A linear Multilift Select robotic system is responsible for performing the handling tasks.

The plastic granules processed in injection moulding can also be used in Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF). At the trade fair, a Freeformer 300-3X combines two components and support material to create a functional component, using a hard/soft combination. The open system is also suitable for very soft and certified original materials, and is perfect for demanding applications, for example in medical technology and the automotive industry.

In digitalisation, Arburg is one of the industry’s pioneers, with its “arburgXworld” programme that contains the entire range of digital products and services. With its numerous apps and configuration levels, the customer portal with the same name provides extensive digital support. At Chinaplas, all injection moulding exhibits are equipped with an IIoT gateway and networked via the Arburg host computer system (ALS).

In the “Factory of the Future” (Hall 11, stand J41), Arburg additionally showcases real-life application examples that illustrate the advantages offered by digitalisation and automation in injection moulding. There an Allrounder 470 E Golden Electric with networked IT equipment manufactures plugs for the automotive industry – completely automatically and with full traceability.

Engel to showcase new digital products for its machine How can consistently high product quality be maintained in the face of fluctuations in raw material? How can high machine availability and productivity be ensured even in the face of travel restrictions? Austrian machine firm Engel says it will be providing answers to these burning questions during Chinaplas. “Covid-19 has accelerated digitalisation in the plastics industry,” says Gero Willmeroth, President East Asia and Oceania at Engel. “Smart service and intelligent assistance have become even more prominent in the last 12 months.”

Thus, Engel’s exhibit of an all-electric and tie-bar-less e-motion 80 TL machine will be equipped with many digital products from its inject 4.0 programme.

During the four days of the show, fluctuating process conditions can be simulated on the CC300 control unit of the e-motion 80 TL machine in order to track automatic readjustment by the smart assistance systems on the machine display. For example, iQ weight control keeps the injected melt volume consistent throughout the process, while iQ clamp control determines the optimum clamping force based on mould breathing.

Arburg’s fair stand at Chinaplas 2019 proved to be a crowd puller

with a Multilift Select of Arburg and a six-axis robot from the Chinese company AID, as well as a two-cavity mould from local partner Concraft. With a laser, each component is marked with a DM code, which can be used to view the manufacturing data in the arburgXworld customer portal. This ensures 100% traceability of each individual component.

The coronavirus pandemic caused the market for in-vitro diagnostics to skyrocket. At Chinaplas, Arburg is demonstrating the fully automated manufacturing of pipette tips. An Allrounder 470 H with 1,000 kN clamping force and a hot runner mould from Chinese company Jestar can produce 48 tips per 6-second cycle. Arburg developed the turnkey system in cooperation with local automation partners, and it has been designed to produce several product variants. The automation 6 MARCH 2021

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Injection Moulding Asia Machinery at Chinaplas 2021 thus improving compound quality. Maximum screw speed has been increased from 800 to 900 rpm.

Meanwhile, last year, at the height of the pandemic Coperion says it modernised a customer’s ZSK 250 highcapacity extruder completely utilising remote processes and support via Coperion ServiceBox, an integrated system for online monitoring and failure recording in extruders and compounders as well as communication methods like video and telecommunication to complete customer requests.

The ZSK 250 extruder modernisation package encompassed both a control software update as well as mechanical overhauls on the system. A significant throughput increase was achieved on the extruder by modernising the gearbox, mounting a new coupling, installing a ZS-EG side devolatilisation and updating the EpcNT control, including a rebuild of the control cabinet and monitor.

Coperion’s three member team, based in Stuttgart, Germany, worked directly with the customer to ensure proper software and mechanical updates, especially given the pandemic’s restricted travelling.

Although Coperion has been utilising the Coperion ServiceBox for many years to perform remote software updates on its extrusion systems, more complex mechanical remote tasks have been limited so far. Thus, it adds, the modernisation has set a milestone for complex maintenance and modernisation projects utilising remote service.

Stefan Lachenmayer, Head of Coperion’s Extruder Modernisation team, is confident in the future potential.

“Through partnership and planning with our customers we can successfully execute complex remote projects. This recent success proves as another milestone in Coperion’s ability to evolve to meet current market requirements and successfully coordinate both mechanical and software modernization tasks utilising the latest communication technology. We, as Coperion, are committed to supporting our customers via remote commissioning and modernisation for both for large-scale extruders as well as refurbishing projects of any size.”

Engel is demonstrating at Chinaplas how digitalisation can be optimally leveraged. It will show the manufacture of inject 4.0 logos on an e-motion 80 TL machine

The latest products to be presented in Shenzhen include iQ process observer and iQ melt control. Where smart assistance systems have so far been able to optimise individual steps in the moulding process, the new iQ process observer continually analyses several hundred process parameters across all four phases of the process – plasticising, injection, cooling and part removal – in order to automatically detect drifts. In the form of plain text messages, the system points out unfavourable process settings and conditions as well as the possible causes of them.

The goal of iQ melt control is to conserve both the material to be processed and the mechanical components of the plasticising unit. In practice, plasticising often occurs faster than the cycle requires, which can have an impact on product quality, but also on the service life of the screw. iQ melt control therefore determines the optimum plasticising time. Instead of plasticising at the maximum possible speed, the system makes full use of the part’s in-mould cooling time for plasticising, ensuring very good melt homogeneity.

Another new feature is sim link, a joint development by Engel and Autodesk, the provider of the Moldflow simulation software. With the support of the software, both the parameters optimised by Moldflow can now be converted into a process settings data set and used directly on the machine, and conversely, process parameters and measurement results from the machine can also be imported into Autodesk’s simulation programme.

Coperion works remotely to update extruder German compounding/extrusion and materials handling machine supplier Coperion will be showcasing its STS Mc11 compounder at Booth number: 10J29. With its specific torque of 11.3 Nm/cm3 it sets new standards as it features up to 27% higher throughput rates than the preceding model, while the higher degree of screw fill results in a decrease of melt temperature,

Coperion successfully achieved the complex modernisation of a ZSK 250 extruder completely utilising remote processes and support

7 MARCH 2021

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Rubber Journal Asia Industry News • US-headquartered silicones company Momentive Performance Materials is acquiring KCC Corporation (KCC)’s silicones business in South Korea and the UK as well as its sales operations in China. The acquisition will move the capabilities of KCC’s silicones business from KCC Corporation, Momentive’s majority shareholder, to Momentive, consolidating the companies’ combined capabilities.

• Switzerlandheadquartered building materials specialist LafargeHolcim is acquiring US-based commercial roofing and building envelope solutions company Firestone Building Products (FSBP) for US$ 3.4 billion. Founded in 1980, FSBP is a business unit of Bridgestone Americas and part of Tokyo-based tyre maker Bridgestone Corporation.

The acquisition is expected to strengthen LafargeHolcim’s biggest market, the US, establishing a new growth profile, reaching US$6 billion in annual net sales. LafargeHolcim also aims to swiftly globalise the business, leveraging its European and Latin American footprint.

• Singapore Exchange (SGX) has taken a minority stake in HaveaConnect (HC), a Singapore-founded digital marketplace for sustainable natural rubber. SGX, which is investing US$1.5

million via its whollyowned subsidiary Asian Gateway Investments, joins Halcyon Agri Corporation, Itochu Corporation and DBS Bank as shareholders in HC. Since its inception in April 2019, HC has matched over 250,000 tonnes of physical natural rubber for global tyre majors including Michelin and Bridgestone, with gross sales value exceeding US$325 million.

• US-headquartered Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is acquiring Cooper Tire, the fifth largest tyre manufacturer in North America, in a transaction estimated at US$2.5 billion. It will strengthen Goodyear’s position in the US, while in China, the combination nearly doubles Goodyear’s presence. It will also create broader distribution for Cooper replacement tyres through Goodyear’s network of 2,500 branded retail stores. Cooper products are manufactured in ten facilities around the globe, including wholly-owned and joint venture plants. The company’s portfolio of brands includes Cooper, Mastercraft, Roadmaster and Mickey Thompson.

• Malaysian glove maker Hartalega Holdings is ramping up its gloves production capacity to 143 billion/year by investing RM7 billion to build 16 new manufacturing facilities in Kedah over 20 years. Once completed, production from these facilities is expected to

contribute more than 5% of the state’s GDP. The project will be done in two phases, with eight plants each. The first production line under Phase 1 is expected to be operational in 2024.

• Malaysian firm Fintec Global Bhd’s rubber glove unit is to build a rubber glove factory in the state of Perak in Malaysia for RM58.87 million. The 10,000 sq m factory will house up to 14 glove dipping lines, which will be used to manufacture medical-grade nitrile gloves. Its manufacturing capacity would be 32,000 pieces/hour with a capacity of 3.3 billion pieces/year.

• US specialty chemicals firm Cabot Corporation is expanding its manufacturing and R&D capabilities at its plant in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The company launched its Engineered Elastomer Composites (E2C&trade) solutions in 2020. As it is also expanding the manufacturing of its E2C solutions, Cabot has installed enhanced digital controls and automation systems. The company is reportedly signing a long-term extension and expansion of its land lease in Port Dickson.

With the expansion, Cabot aims to lead in new tools for modelling and optimisation of liquid mixing, novel methods for characterising elastomer composites as well as automation of continuous rubber processing.

1 MARCH 2021

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Rubber Journal Asia Industry News • US-headquartered agricultural biotech company Edison Agrosciences is tapping on the production of natural rubber in sunflower plants, through a US$1 million Phase II research contract sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Edison is collaborating with the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis. Developing a sunflower rubber crop can diversify global rubber production and provide the US, which obtains its rubber mostly from Southeast Asia, with an alternative source for this important commodity, it says.

• Rubber plantation services company Corrie MacColl says its new Sudcam plant at its plantations in Cameroon has begun operations. Initially producing concentrated latex and steadily expanding into CV and L grades, the factory will be supplying the European and North American dipping industry (gloves, condoms, balloons), as well as specialty product makers (automotive, household and industrial applications). The factory’s production capacity is 37,500 tonnes/ year of concentrated latex a n d T S R C V / L G r a d e s .

• Russian petrochemical company Sibur’ s construction of a halo butyl production facility, through its joint venture with Indian multinational conglomerate company Reliance Industries, has

been completed, and the first batch of product is expected soon. The facility reached 100% capacity utilisation and produced over 60,000 tonnes in 2020. The market share of butyl rubber produced at the new facility accounts for 70% of the Indian market and is exported to China, South Korea, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Europe, the US, Brazil, and other countries.

• Sumitomo Rubber Industries is increasing production capacity for passenger car tyres and light truck tyres at its US factory located in Tonawanda, New York, to meet rising demand and strong sales of its high-performance tyres for SUVs and light trucks in the North American market.

With a planned investment of US$96 million, the factory’s daily maximum output in these tyre categories will increase from the current 6,500 tyres/day to 12,000 tyres/day by the end of 2023. At the same time, in response to increasing sales of truck and bus tyres in North America, an investment of US$26 million will be allotted to increase production capacity in these categories at the US plant, from the current 1,750 tyres/day to 2,300 tyres/day by end of 2024.

• West Bengalheadquartered Phillips Carbon Black Limited (PCBL) is meeting the growing demand for specialty black products

with the commissioning of two specialty black lines in Palej, Gujarat, totalling 32,000 tonnes/ year. PCBL, a part of RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, has a current production capacity of 5 million tonnes/year and generating 76 MW/hour of green power.

• Bridgestone Corporation is developing a new technology for improving guayulederived natural rubber productivity through a joint development project with Tokyo-based Kirin Holdings. Bridgestone will field test the new technology on guayule seedlings grown at its 287-acre Agro Operations Research Farm in Eloy, Arizona.

• South Asia’s largest tyre and radial tyre plant in Horana, in Sri Lanka’s Western Province, was recently opened. Ferentino Tire Corporation’s factory is sited on a 155-acre land that is owned by the Board of Investments’ Industrial Zone in Wagawatta. The US$250 million factory is expected to produce 2.4 million tyres/year.

Manufacturing will be carried out using European technology and special tyres will be manufactured for SUVs. The Horana plant, which will also roll out tyres for cars, bicycles and threewheelers for the global market, will allocate 80% of the production for export and the remaining 20% for the domestic market.

2 MARCH 2021

www.rubberjournalasia.com

Rubber Journal Asia Gloves Industry

Innovative gloves pack a punch against Covid-19 A secure supply of gloves and new designs

of antimicrobial gloves go hand-in-hand to stave off the health crisis facing countries around the globe, says Angelica Buan in this report.

A

ll it takes is a pair of gloves, a critical factor to preventing transmission of infections and saving lives, as seen during the recent global coronavirus crisis. Gloves are effective devices to reduce the risk of contamination from blood and other body fluids for healthcare workers and frontliners. They also aid in reducing the risk of microbial spread, acquiring infections, or passing on pathogenic agents from one person to another.

Thus, it is not surprising that the market for medical rubber gloves has expanded and is forecast to fetch US$70 billion by 2027, according to a report by Global Industry Analyst.

During the initial months into the pandemic last year, demand for medical gloves soared and outpaced supply, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) urging for a secure supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves. It approximated that 76 million units/month of gloves were required for response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the pandemic, amid factory shutdowns, halved workforces, reduced production capacities and stalled deliveries, demand for gloves continued to surge.

Fortunately, new glove producers have sprouted to fill the supply gap.

In December last year, Australia-headquartered Ansell formed a long-term supply partnership with Indian gloves maker Primus Gloves, acquiring its life sciences business. Ansell, which has operations in North America, Latin America/Caribbean, EMEA and Asia Pacific and customers in more than 100 countries worldwide, expects the acquisition to increase its presence in India, which it describes as a fast growing pharmaceutical hub.

As the world’s biggest producer of rubber gloves, Malaysia contributes more than 60% of global supply. Thus, it is not surprising that more glove makers are entering the market in Malaysia. The most recent is Salcon Berhad’s subsidiary, Nusantara Jasakita (NJSB) that acquired a 51% stake in glove producer JR Engineering and Medical Technologies (JR) for RM28 million.

As with many glove makers in Malaysia, JR Engineering and Medical Technologies had to increase production capacity to augment the demand for gloves during the pandemic

In 2020, WHO estimated that 76 million units/month of gloves were required for response to the Covid-19 pandemic

New glove players heed the call In March 2020, WHO alerted the global PPE industry and governments to make sure that the provision for PPEs would be met and then recommended increasing production of PPEs by 40% to meet the rising global demand.

JR, admitting that it was operating beyond its capacity at the time, has a production of over 336 million gloves/ year from four single-former production lines in its factory located in Zurah Industrial, Hulu Selangor.

To meet the high demand in specific export markets, JR had to increase production capacity by an additional 12 lines to a total of 16 production lines within one year at an estimated capital expenditure of RM150 million, to be funded via internally generated funds and bank borrowings. Once completed, total production capacity will become 3 billion gloves/year. JR is targeting to export to the US, European markets and other countries.

The acquisition will allow Salcon immediate access to a trained labour force, existing customers and an immediate source of revenue whilst cutting down on lengthy product approvals and registration processes, Salcon intoned in a

3 MARCH 2021

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Rubber Journal Asia Gloves Industry While basic, although effective safeguards are recommended such as hand hygiene by washing, new advances in gloves can assure the needed extra protection.

US-based company GHS, which develops and produces technical hand wear, launched what it said is a sustainable glove solution offering protection against bacteria and microbes. According to GHS, the BlocAid gloves with antimicrobial and antibacterial barrier are specially designed and engineered with the patented EcoZinc, which is directly embedded into the fibre through an extruded yarn manufacturing process that gives BlocAid gloves self-cleaning properties, inhibit growth of harmful microbes, and that enable the gloves to be re-used and washed multiple times without losing efficacy.

GHS said that EcoZinc is generally safe (according to the FDA) and can be ingested, and safely applied topically. The gloves are protective on all levels and are rated UPF 50+ (with an actual rating of 99.996% UVA/UVB 100% protection) daily usage, it added. The US-manufactured BlocAid seamless knit gloves are also touch screen compatible.

Another US-based firm, Goldshield Technologies, developed its Goldshield 5, which when applied to medical masks and gloves can reduce Covid-19 exposure for up to three days.

Goldshield Technologies first introduced the antimicrobial technology in 2009 to protect users against hospital-acquired-infections (HAI’s). With the Covid-19, Goldshield Technologies is again offering this solution to fight off virus spread.

The patented Goldshield 5 underwent independent testing in a study sponsored by Chinese medical mask and glove manufacturer Guilin HBM Health Protections.

The study found that Goldshield 5 when applied to PPEs created a residual protective bio-barrier on treated medical masks and rubber medical gloves against the Covid-19 virus. It was found to be effective in killing the Covid-19 virus, and to provide protection for a maximum of 72 hours.

On the surgical masks treated with Goldshield 5, the Covid-19 inactivation rate was 99.88% kill rate compared to the control group, with a residual kill rate observed by the researchers for a period of three days. The Goldshield 5 treatment on the medical gloves resulted in the inactivation of the Covid-19 virus at a kill rate of 94.87% compared to the control group, Goldshield Technologies said.

It informs that more than 50 independent studies, including three, peer-reviewed, studies published in the American Journal of Infection Control, were conducted to ensure the efficacy of Goldshield 5.

Finnish glove maker Hofler Oy has developed a glove with a natural-based treatment that eliminates viruses and bacteria by 99%. The company said that the Hofler Biotech UT gloves with protective function are just as timely now that countries are dealing with the Covid-19 virus.

Malaysian tyre retreading company GIIB is a new entrant in gloves manufacturing through its subsidiary GIIB Healthcare Products

statement. It added that while other manufacturers are working double-time to ramp up production capacity, and new companies are venturing into gloves production, “a structural change in usage of gloves will ensure there is continued and strong demand in the market in the near to midterm”.

Similarly, Malaysian tyre retreading company GIIB is reportedly going into gloves manufacturing through its subsidiary GIIB Healthcare Products. In this venture, GIIB is planning to install five double-formers gloves production lines with an estimated production capacity of over 1 billion pieces of gloves/year. The production lines are expected to start up in December 2021.

Virus be gone with antibacterial gloves An effective barrier against highly contagious pathogens, healthcare workers and frontliners cannot do without medical gloves. WHO, however, cautioned against complacency in using gloves because they do not provide complete protection against contamination. WHO has explained that pathogens can contaminate the caregivers’ hands via small defects in gloves, or during removal of the gloves.

As WHO warns that gloves do not provide complete protection against contamination, new antimicrobial technologies aim to provide gloves with extra protective barrier

4 MARCH 2021

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Rubber Journal Asia Gloves Industry The water-based microbial combines a non-toxic, durable, broad-spectrum, antimicrobial glove protection without the release of traditional toxic antimicrobials into the environment, ViaClean said.

The thin and shape-fitted knitted glove is treated with a non-toxic antimicrobial that is derived from sidestreams of the forest industry. It is applied on the inside and outside of the glove.

Designed for everyday use, the gloves are reusable, and can be worn indoors and outdoors. The gloves can be machine washed up to 30 times without losing their antimicrobial properties, Holfer said.

Synergies to develop innovative gloves New emerging cases of the virus infection suggest that eradicating the coronavirus will take time, requiring vast resources and pooling of expertise. Along the same vein, combining technology and manufacturing expertise in the PPE manufacturing industry may be required to develop and produce effective protective devices.

Hong Kong-headquartered gloves producer Julius Group and Noble Biomaterials, a US-based company specialising in antimicrobial and conductivity solutions for soft-surface applications, have joined forces to produce reusable antiviral gloves and masks utilising Noble Biomaterials’s Ionic+ antimicrobial technology.

BioSafe Gloves and ViaClean Technologies developed a new nitrile glove treated with microbial protectant that prevents growth of bacteria on the glove, and providing protection for up to 90 days

Malaysia to lead in gloves production The Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (MARGMA) has forecast demand to remain strong until the second quarter of 2022.

Global supply of rubber gloves is expected to reach 420 billion gloves this year and Malaysia will account for 67% of the total to 280 billion gloves production, Thailand (18%), China (10%) and Indonesia (3%) will be filling in the bulk of the demand.

Meanwhile, Malaysia’s gloves export revenue is expected to grow at 8% to RM38 billion in 2021, lower than the 103% growth a year ago, MARGMA said.

Last year, export revenue was at RM35.3 billion, more than double than the previous year’s RM17.35 billion owing to the “abnormally strong demand” for rubber gloves due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Julius Group and Noble Biomaterials have produced reusable antiviral gloves and masks utilising the Ionic+ antimicrobial technology

The antimicrobial gloves and masks will be made with fabric that incorporates 99.9% pure silver that can provide a reduction in virus infectivity on soft surfaces, the partners stated.

Meanwhile, two US firms: BioSafe Gloves and biotech company ViaClean Technologies have partnered to offer a new nitrile glove treated with microbial protectant that prevents growth of bacteria on the glove. The product has been treated with ViaClean Technologies’s patented microbial technology, Bioprotect 500, that prevents the growth of bacteria, fungi, algae, mould and mildew on treated articles, and provides long-term antimicrobial protection (up to 90 days).

MARGMA expects Malaysia’s gloves export revenue to grow at 8% to RM38 billion in 2021, lower than last year’s 103% growth

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Events 2021

13 - 16 APRIL Chinaplas Venue: Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Centre, PR China Tel: +852 2516 3554 Fax: +852 2516 5024 Email: chinaplas@adsale.com.hk Internet: www.chinaplasonline.com 15 - 17 JUNE Rosmould | Roplast Venue: IEC "Crocus Expo", Moscow Tel: +7 495 649 8775 ext.109 Email: dmitry.shelamov@russia.messefrankfurt.com Internet: www.rosmould.ru.messefrankfurt.com 16 - 19 JUNE ProPak Asia Venue: BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand Tel: +65 6233 6688 Fax: +65 6233 6633 Email: jeffrey.au@informa.com Internet: www.propakasia.com 23 - 25 JUNE Plastics Expo Osaka Venue: INTEX Osaka, Japan Tel: +81-3-3349-8568 Email: materialweek-e@reedexpo.co.jp Internet: www.plas.jp/en-gb.html 23 - 25 JUNE ProPak China Venue: NECC, Shanghai Tel: +81 3 3349 8568 Email: vivien.miao@imsinoexpo.com Internet: www.propakchina.com 23 - 26 JUNE InterPlas Thailand Venue: BITEC, Bangkok Tel: +66 2686 7222 Fax: +66 2 686 7266 Email: interplas@reedtradex.co.th Internet: www.interplasthailand.com 2 - 5 JULY Plastasia Venue: Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, Bangalore, India Tel: +91 80 43307474 Email: info@triuneexhibitors.com Internet: www.plastasia.in 2 - 5 JULY 2nd PHA platform World Congress Venue: Cologne, Germany Tel: +49 2161 6884469 Email: mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com Internet: bit.ly/3jRggRI

7 - 10 JULY MTA Vietnam Venue: District 7, HCMC, Vietnam Tel: +84 3622 2588/103 Email: dung.nguyen@informa.com Internet: www. mtavietnam.com 14 - 17 JULY Packaging Plastics, Mould & Die Machinery Venue: Grand City Convention & Exhibition Ctr, Surabaya, Indonesia Tel: +62 21 2525 320 Email: faradiba@pamerindo.com Internet: www.manufacturingsurabaya.com 15 - 18 JULY MIMF Venue: MITEC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: +603 9132 1922 Email: info@mimf.com.my Internet: www. mimf.com.my 28 - 30 JULY PU China | UTECH Asia Venue: Shanghai, China Tel: +1 330 869 0375 Email: erich@crain.com Internet: www.puchina.eu 28 - 30 JULY ProPak Vietnam Venue: Saigon Exhibition and Conference Center (SECC) Tel: +84 28 3622 2588 Fax: +84 28 3622 2527 Email: propakvietnam@informa.com Internet: www.propakvietnam.com 11 - 14 AUGUST INDOPLAS Venue: Jakarta International Expo, Indonesia Tel: +65 6332 9624 Email: zarina@mda.com.sg Internet: www.indoprintpackplas.com 26 - 28 AUGUST PLASTECH Vietnam Venue: (SECC) Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Tel: +84 28 3848 8561 Fax: +84 28 3848 8564 Email: info@veas.com.vn Internet: www.plastech-expo.com 13 - 16 SEPTEMBER KOPLAS Venue: Kintex, Korea Tel: +82 (2) 551-0102 Fax: +82 (2) 551-0103 Email: koplas@koplas.com Internet: www.koplas.com

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Davis-Standard Welcomes You to CHINAPLAS!

Davis-Standard, LLC will market total solutions encompassing product capabilities and support services during CHINAPLAS 2021. After so many COVID-19 show cancellations, the team looks forward to reconnecting with customers and the greater plastics community. Global aftermarket services and equipment technology for sheet, foam, blown film, thermoforming, pipe, profile and tubing, cast film, extrusion coating and liquid coating will be promoted.

Visit booth #R11, Hall 10 for more!

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