PRA magazine digital September2021

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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 261

publlshed slnce 1985

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

Features 10 Recycling

To reduce global carbon emissions, new technologies are being introduced to expand recycling programmes and enhance the quality of recyclates for use in products

14 Recycling

Greenback Recycling’s Greenback Circularity Platform improves current audit-based methods to certify proof of material provenance and value in recycling, through AI and IoT-gathered evidence and backing of Blockchain for additional security

16 Blow Moulding

Single-stage injection stretch blow-moulding (ISBM) systems supplier Cypet Technologies’s machinery offers a single clamping unit for the injection and blow moulds, for more convenience and savings

20 Engineering Plastics

Engineering plastics growth is driven by adoption in automotive, aerospace, building and construction, and medical sectors, due to requirements of light weight and high performance, making them better alternatives to commodity plastics

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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Industry 5.0: In the next industrial revolution, robots and humans will collaborate for improved manufacturing PET Recycling: PET is on course to take over a key function in the plastics industry’s path toward a circular economy due to its ability to be recycled Automotive: Latest technologies include integrating smart functions with coated parts technology; and the development of a lower-cost and lighter battery for e-mobility To address the need for vital improvements in medical devices, new silicone technologies are being developed 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

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

On the Cover The plastics sector has never been under more scrutiny than now, with waste piling up in landfills and in the oceans. Manufacturers, brand owners and recyclers are coming together to push for greater recycled content of plastics in packaging and other applications

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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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SEPTEMBER 2021

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Industry News

M&As/Investments/Tie-ups • French automotive supplier Faurecia SE is to take over German family-owned lighting/ electronics specialist Hella for EUR6.8 billion, out bidding rivals like France-based Plastic Omnium and Germany’s Mahle Group. Faurecia will purchase a 60% stake from Hella’s founding Hueck family through cash/stock, to become the seventh largest global automotive supplier. The Hueck family will own 9% of the combined company. The closing is expected in early 2022 and the deal, one of the biggest in the European automotive parts industry in recent years, would create a company with annual sales of about EUR23 billion. In February, Hella completed the sale of its front camera software business to Volkswagen AG. • US additives/ ingredients firm Ashland Global Holdings is selling its performance adhesives business to French chemical firm Arkema for US$1.65 billion.

The transaction will close by the end of 2021.

Arkema has also become a shareholder and technological partner of Verkor, a French start-up specialising in the production of high performance batteries.

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• German specialty chemicals company Lanxess has completed the acquisition of US speciality chemical firm Emerald Kalama Chemical for US$1.04 billion.

• Thailand chemical firm Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL) is to acquire Brazilian Oxiteno, a subsidiary of Ultrapar Participações, for US$1.3 billion. This will allow IVL to extend its existing Integrated Oxides and Derivatives (IOD) business.

• Liquid and powder coatings supplier Axalta Coating Systems is acquiring U-POL Holdings from Graphite Capital Management for US$590 million.

Founded in 1948 and based in the UK, U-POL manufactures repair and refinish products for the automotive and aftermarket protective applications.

• US materials firm Trinseo is buying Aristech Surfaces, a North American manufacturer of PMMA continuous cast and solid surface sheets for US$445 million, from SK AA Holdings, an affiliate of Falcon Private Holdings.

• Dutch chemical firm DSM’s partner CVC Capital Partners is selling their joint venture, AOC, to Lone Star Funds. DSM owns

a minority share in AOC through its composite resins business and will receive EUR300 million from the sale.

• Private investment firm SK Capital Partners has acquired a majority interest in the Monomers, Polymers and European businesses of US-based Deltech Holdings.

• German chemicals firm BASF and Shanshan have formed BASF Shanshan Battery Materials (BASF 51% and Shanshan 49%) that has four sites in Hunan and Ningxia, China and a strong position in the battery materials value chain.

• South Korean chemical firm SK Global Chemical has rebranded as SK Geo Centric to focus more on ecofriendly products. It plans to invest US$4.3 billion by 2025 to expand technology and facilities for recycling plastics, as well as its eco-friendly material business.

• Malaysia’s Sime Darby Plantation and Thailand’s PTTGC International are divesting their collective 100% equity interest in the Asia Pacific business of Emery Oleochemicals to Edenor Technology for US$9 million.

• Paint/coatings company Sherwin-Williams Company is to acquire the European industrial coatings business of

Switzerland-based Sika AG. The transaction will close next year.

• US materials firm Eastman is collaborating with United States Automotive Materials Partnership and familyowned automotive recycler PADNOS to study a closed-loop project to recycle automotive-industry mixed plastic waste.

• Luxembourg-based recycling firm Ravago has acquired an interest in US polymer recycling firm Alterra Energy, which has the capacity to liquefy up to 60 tonnes/day of waste plastic for use as feedstock.

• Chemical firm LyondellBasell has acquired 100% of PolyPacific Polymers (PPM) in Port Klang, Malaysia, a 25 kilotonne facility producing reinforced and modified polyolefin compounds.

• Germany’s Pulcra Chemicals has made its first acquisition of Belgian player Devan, which was founded in 1977 and is known for its antimicrobial range BI-OME. Devan has offices in the UK, Portugal, the US, and China.

• US packaging processor Tekni-Plex is acquiring compatriot packaging firm Grupo Phoenix to bolster its ability for packaging

INDUSTRY NEWS solutions in food and beverage markets.

• Flexible packaging supplier ProAmpac, which is owned

by Pritzker Private Capital along with management and other co-investors, has acquired Ultimate Packaging, a UK pioneer in flexographic and digitally-printed flexible packaging.

• Additives company SI Group is selling its global Industrial Resins business to Germany’s ASK Chemicals, part of private equity firm Rhône Group. It includes sites in Brazil, India and South Africa, as well as licensed technology and multiple tolling agreements globally.

• Speciality chemicals firm Nouryon has spun out its base chemicals business, Nobian, while still being owned

by Nouryon’s equity owners, The Carlyle Group and GIC. • UV infrared spectra dye maker Epolin, which is part of masterbatch supplier Chroma Color Corporation, has acquired Adam Gates & Company, a manufacturer of nearinfrared (NIR) and laser absorbing dyes.

• Finland-based pipe firm Uponor is selling its shares in Phyn, a water sensing and conservation technology company, to its partner Belkin International. Phyn

was founded in 2016 as a 50:50 joint venture between Uponor and Belkin.

• US-based compounder Teknor Apex has acquired Ohiolocated Dorum Color Company’s dry colour business.

• US private equity firm Wind Point Partners and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, Canada’s largest single-profession pension plan, have sold PVC compounder Aurora Plastics to Nautic Partners, a private equity firm with US$3.3 billion in assets since its founding in 1986.

• US packaging/ medical products firm Tekni-Plex has acquired M-Industries, specialising in container vented lining technology.

M-Industries will operate as part of Tri-Seal, Tekni-Plex’s division for closure liners and seals.

• French compounding company Benvic Group has made its first acquisition in the US of Chemres, which operates a plant in Virginia producing compounds for medical, packaging and wire/cable sectors.

• Austrian packaging/ recycling specialist Alpla Group is purchasing Wolf Plastics Group to expand its product

portfolio, with growth potential in Central and South-Eastern Europe.

• New Mountain Capital’s ILC Dover subsidiary is to acquire Flexan, a medical device firm that specialises in silicone, thermoplastic, and specialty rubber components and devices.

• Westfall Technik, a processor of medical, packaging, and consumer goods parts, has acquired Carolina Precision Plastics and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

• In reversing its 2019 decision, machinery firm KraussMaffei Group will transfer all activities of the previous KraussMaffei High Performance into an independent unit with effect from 1 October, to Switzerlandheadquartered Netstal.

• German extrusion machinery firm Reifenhäuser Group is merging its independent blownfilm business units, Reifenhäuser Blown Film and Reifenhäuser Blown Film Polyrema, to form a joint brand known as Reifenhäuser Blown Film.

New Plants/Capacity Expansions • Group14 Technologies, a provider of siliconcarbon composite materials for lithiumion markets, has tied up with South Korea’s SK Materials to build a lithium-silicon battery materials facility in South Korea. SK Materials will invest US$52 million in the facility, which is expected to launch in 2022.

• US chemical giant Dow is investing in a 50-kilotonne methyl acrylate production unit in the US Gulf Coast, which is set to be online in 2022.

Dow is also expanding its silicones, propylene glycol (PG) and specialty materials units. In PG,

it is expanding its Thai facility to up capacity to 250 kiltonnes/year; plus a new Freeport MDI facility will replace Dow’s current North America capacity in La Porte, Texas, and will also be capable of supplying an additional 30% of product. In Dow’s Consumer Solutions business, several key growth projects are planned to come online in 2021 and will increase capacity of silicone elastomers.

• Polyolefin/PP catalyst technology provider W. R. Grace & Co. has licensed its Unipol PP process technology to Gail (India), for a 60 kilotonnes/year PP plant in Pata, India.

SEPTEMBER 2021

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Industry News

• German machinery firm Kiefel GmbH has opened a new Technology and Material Centre at its headquarters in Freilassing.

• Italian auxiliary equipment group Piovan, which has been in the Chinese market for over 20 years, is building a 10,000 sq m facility in Suzhou, China, to produce automation systems for the plastics, food powders and refrigeration markets.

• Spanish materials firm Repsol will build two EUR657 million polymer materials plants at its Sines Industrial Complex (Portugal). The project includes a linear polyethylene (PEL) plant and a PP plant, each with a capacity of 300,000 tonnes/year.

• Japanese materials firm Denka Company has completed the construction of a Singaporean facility to boost MS resin (methyl methacrylatestyrene copolymer) at its Seraya plant and will double its capacity of MS resin from 70,000140,000 tonnes/year.

• German methacrylate maker Röhm has started construction of a new plant for MMA in Bay City (Texas/US), on OQ Chemicals’s site.

It will be the first of its kind to implement the newly developed LiMA technology on an

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SEPTEMBER 2021

industrial scale, with a volume of 250,000 tonnes and completion in 2023.

• Japanese chemical firm Kureha Corporation is building a new 5,000-tonne/year polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) plant in Jiangsu Province, China.

Kureha currently has a 6,000-tonne/year PVDF plant in Japan.

• Chemical firms ExxonMobil and Sabic’s Texas joint venture, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures, has reached mechanical completion of a monoethylene glycol (MEG) unit and two PE units, with start-up end 2021.

The project, which includes a 1.8 milliontonne ethane steam cracker, is expected to be delivered under budget and 25% less than the average cost of similar projects along the US Gulf Coast.

When completed, it will produce 1,100 kilotonnes/year of MEG and 1,300 kilotonnes/ year of PE.

production locations.

The debottlenecking investments are slated for completion this year.

the development of operational procedures and optimisation of technology to deliver returns of lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese from end-of-life lithiumion batteries as well as off spec material from cell producers and battery material producers.

BASF is also building a new pilot plant for catalysts at its Ludwigshafen site. It will serve as a global hub for pilot-scale production and process innovations of chemical catalysts.

• Thailand-based integrated PET supplier IVL is building a facility in Karawang, West Java, to recycle almost 2 billion/year plastic bottles. It is planned to launch in 2023.

• German chemical firm Evonik has reached a milestone in its history with the construction work on its new EUR500 million PA12 complex at Marl Chemical Park completed and to start up this year.

It increases Evonik’s capacity by more than 50%, making it the world’s largest PA12 production complex.

Evonik is also tying up with Chinese company UnionTech to build a R&D laboratory for 3D printing technology in Shanghai, China.

• US vehicle maker Ford Motor Co. has selected Romulus for a new global battery centre called Ford Ion Park.

Ford will refurbish an existing 270,000-sq-ft facility to house up to 200 engineers and include pilot-scale equipment for electrode, cell and array design, and manufacturing engineering and innovation.

• German packaging firm Sanner is building a second production site in Kunshan, China, with 80% more output expected.

It will start up before the end of next year.

• Japanese materials firm Teijin Carbon has started operating commercially a carbon fibre products plant in Vietnam, including prepreg, a fibre sheet pre-impregnated with matrix resin as an intermediate material for composites.

• SI Group is increasing its resole resin production at its facilities in US and India by more than 25% to propel the sites to become two of the world’s leading resole

• BASF will build a battery recycling prototype plant in Schwarzheide, Germany, at the site of its cathode active materials (CAM) plant.

The prototype recycling plant will allow for

• Packaging giant Amcor is building two new innovation centres in Ghent, Belgium, and Jiangyin, China, by mid-2022, with full buildout over the next two years, and investment of US$35 million.

• Japanese engineering firm Toyo Engineering Corporation has been awarded an EPC contract for a 200,000tonne/year PP plant for Prime Polymer Co in Chiba, Japan. It is scheduled for start-up in 2024.

INDUSTRY NEWS • Technology firm KBR has been awarded a licensing contract by Hyundai Engineering and Técnicas Reunidas for PKN Orlen’s petrochemical plant in Plock, Poland. KBR will provide technology, basic engineering design, and proprietary equipment for its ethylene technology, Selective Cracking Optimum Recovery (SCORE), for PKN’s complex III project.

This is Europe’s largest petrochemical project in 20 years.

• Forward AM has opened a new Additive Manufacturing Technical Centre (AMTC) in Shanghai, China, in cooperation

with Xuberance, a Chinese 3D printing design and service company that German chemical firm BASF Venture Capital invested in.

• US PLA maker NatureWorks has obtained approval from parent companies, GC International Corporation Company, a subsidiary of PTT Global Chemical Public Company, and Cargill Incorporated, to build a new US$600 million Ingeo PLA manufacturing complex at Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex in Nakhon Sawan Province, Thailand. It will include production sites for lactic acid, lactide, and

polymer, making it the world’s first integrated PLA facility. With an expected opening in 2024, the facility will have a capacity of 75,000 tonnes/year of Ingeo biopolymer.

• Japanese resin maker Toray Industries has boosted the capacity of its ABS transparent grade by 75,000 tonnes to 425,000 tonnes/ year, at its latest facility in Penang, Malaysia.

Taking into account the ABS production output at the Chiba Plant in Japan, Toray is now capable of churning out 497,000 tonnes/ year of ABS globally.

• South Korean PP producer Hyosung has

started up its second 300,000-tonne/year PP unit in Vietnam’s Ba Ria-Vung Tau province.

The new plant is in addition to Hyosung’s other 300,000-tonne/ year PP unit in the same complex, which started up last year. A new 600,000-tonne/year PDH unit is expected to start, with Hyosung to raise operating rates at its new PP unit after the start-up of the PDH unit.

• Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical is building a pilot facility for chemical recycling of PMMA at its Ehime Works facility in Niihama City, Japan.

It will begin pilot tests in 2022 and start providing samples in 2023.

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14.07.2021 15:05:52

Materials News

Decoupling from plastics for the sake of the environment

The packaging industry can help in mitigating the worsening climate change with responsible sourcing of raw materials and eco-friendly material substitution, says Angelica Buan in this article.

Material substitution and recycling in packaging Plastics are an unrivalled packaging material due to their diverse properties and low production costs. However, fuelled by expectations of emissions of 85 million tonnes/ year of CO2 by 2050 and the drive for a low-carbon economy, plastics have come under the heat of late.

The use of renewable materials is seen as a viable option. Finnish packaging materials producer Stora Enso is looking at shifting from fossil to renewable materials like wood fibre as a complementing strategy for packaging. In a study conducted by Swedish management consulting business Material Economics for Stora Enso, wood fibre is pointed out as CO2-neutral and able to offset 65% of fibre production emissions. It also stated that while recycling is necessary to address the plastics problem, this solution will only tackle 30-40% of the problem.

Stora Enso also stated that eliminating CO2 emissions from packaging plastics in the EU alone would require 80% of all electricity currently produced from renewable energy sources in the EU. At 2°C of global warming, weather patterns and extreme climate events are likely to occur

Meanwhile, Belgium-based industry association PlasticsEurope recently said that revisions made to the European Commission’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) are key to the transition to a circular economy for plastics. It adds that European plastics producers support the European Commission’s proposal for a mandatory EU recycled content target for plastics packaging, and it is now calling for a mandatory target of 30% recycled content in plastics packaging by 2030.

It adds that members are already working towards this target “by investing billions of Euros in increased high-quality supply of recycled plastics and leading-edge technology solutions.” Ramping up chemical recycling

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is essential to achieve such a mandatory target, it said, citing that its members' planned investments in this vital technology and infrastructure range from EUR2.6 billion by 2025 to EUR7.2 billion by 2030 in Europe.

Waste, non-food feedstock for bioplastics Without plastics, packaging may not be the same. Even the most environmentally-friendly packaging alternatives, excluding paper, metal, and glass, will contain plastic elements, but in smaller proportions.

Bioplastics are biomass-derived polymers that attempt to mimic the mechanical properties of petroleum-based plastics while posing no environmental risks.

Since the invention of the first cellulose-based plastic and casein milk plastic in the 19th century, the development of bioplastics has gained traction. Following this, companies developed and patented bioplastics made from wood, hemp, and cotton, such as Cellophane (which was a registered trademark by Futamura Chemical UK in some countries), as well as plastics produced by organism fermentation. As a result of these breakthroughs, it became possible to use a material derived from renewable resources.

However, the cost and viability of commercialscale production have been a disadvantage, Cellophane was with questions among the early been raised about bioplastics the sustainability developed from of bioplastics’ plant-based feedstock sourcing. material With the availability of new materials processing technologies and studies, the production of bioplastics is expected to become less expensive. Current R&D efforts have also demonstrated the viability of a variety of renewable sources that address carbon footprint and feedstock sustainability.

For example, The Circe (Circular industries with cellular factories) project of Harvard University’s Wyss Institute is using engineered microbes to produce biodegradable plastics from carbon dioxide and hydrogen gases.

Bioplastics, their study claims, will have smaller carbon footprint than petroleum-based plastics and minimal environmental impact than plant-based plastics. Circe’s proprietary microorganisms consume CO2 and H2 gases to

Materials News The Harvard University Wyss Institute developed Shrilk bioplastic made up of chitosan from shrimps and fibroin from silk

produce a class of biodegradable fatty acid polymers that can be used in applications ranging from packaging to cosmetics and apparel. These polymers are said to be non-toxic and biodegrade quickly in both the ocean and on land.

The Institute also developed a degradable bioplastic called Shrilk, a portmanteau of its two key ingredients – shrimp shells (chitosan) and silk protein. According to Wyss scientists, Shrilk biodegrades quickly in compost, producing a nitrogen-rich fertiliser. It can be utilised to make implantable foams, films, and scaffolds for surgical closures, wound healing, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine applications, since chitosan and fibroin are both employed in FDA-approved devices.

Meanwhile, an EU research project in collaboration with the University of Hohenheim showcases seaweeds

University of Hohenheim experts are showcasing seaweed or algae as sustainable carbohydrate source for bioplastic development

or algae as sustainable carbohydrate source for bioplastic development. According to the University scientists, these are not only biodegradable, but their properties can also help to extend the shelf life of food products packaged in them.

Dr Amparo Lopez-Rubio from the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC) in Valencia, Spain, who is the coordinator of the EU-funded BIOCARB4-FOOD project attests to algae’s potentiality as a source of vital compounds, not to mention that it is abundant.

The algae industry is currently generating a turnover of approximately US$7.4 billion worldwide, with interest for applications in pharmaceutical and packaging driving its growth. The specific properties of these algae carbohydrates, also known as phycocolloids, make them suited for use as smart packaging materials, the scientists

SEPTEMBER 2021

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Materials News said. BIOCARB-4-FOOD, which runs from September 2018 to September 2021, is researching on more efficient methods, such as ultrasound, microwaves, and enzymes, for extracting carbohydrates from algae, to optimise the process.

Meanwhile, algae and sea grasses reproduce quickly, grow in a range of conditions, and as an alternative biomass source for bioplastics do not interfere with food production, according to López-Rubio.

Equally important, industrial extraction byproducts can be used because the remaining biomass still contains enough bioactive compounds to produce novel carbohydrate-based extracts and fibres, such as cellulose and nano-cellulose, which can be used to develop biodegradable packaging materials, as demonstrated in the IATA-CSIC laboratory.

Pitching PVA for a real green solution Another viable alternative raw material is polyvinyl alcohol (PVA or PVOH), which is in high demand. The global PVOH market will reach US$ 1.2 billion by 2025, based on Grand View Research’s estimate, and cross US$1.3 billion by 2027 based on Global Industry Analysts’ projection.

PVA or PVOH use for packaging is increasing, according to Bioplastics International, an Arizona-based producer of PVOH and bioresins from plant starches. Even so, the market must be constantly informed about the advantages of PVA from the standpoints of the environment and customers, it adds.

In an interview with PRA (www.plasticandrubberasia. com), Garrett Valentino, CEO of Bioplastics International, said that conveying knowledge about PVA is not PVOH is difficult deemed amid a climate of to be a bioplastic greenwashing by industry marketers.

“Right now, we’re involved in the huge effort of informing the rest of the world about our water-soluble, compostable PVOH bags. This is not a simple task, especially when the majority of people believe we’re just using a catchphrase to promote bioplastic bags. People are unable to grasp the existence of a bag that is both safe and dissolves in water in minutes. They also expect PVOH bags to cost the same as petroleum-based bags. Because the majority of people have never heard of PVOH, we have our job cut out for us! We’re getting a lot of positive feedback, and every plastic bag we can replace with PVOH is a winwin situation,” Valentino said.

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Describing PVOH, he added that the hydrophilic synthetic polymer is manufactured by the hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate, which is formed by the polymerisation of vinyl acetate.

“It is made from renewable natural gas and minerals, contains no plastic, no toxins, no heavy metals, and no bioplastic. It dissolves in water in minutes, leaving behind carbon dioxide and water. It does not leave behind any microplastics or any residues,” he affirmed.

He stressed that PVOH is safe for human consumption, having been approved by the US FDA, and is currently used as a food additive and in the medical industry, in “advanced biomedical applications such as wound dressing, wound management, drug delivery systems, artificial organs, and contact lenses.” All this is due to its ability to retain water almost as well as natural cells, as well as its biocompatible, biodegradable, and non-toxic behaviour, elaborated Valentino.

Furthermore, PVOH is non-toxic to animals, claims Valentino, adding that it can be eaten by fish, birds, marine animals, and land animals, and it will safely pass through their digestive systems.

The water-soluble polymer can be mass-produced in vast quantities and can be used for blown films, extrusion, or injection moulding processes, he said.

PVOH: neither a fad nor a bioplastic Bioplastics have become a movement, according to Valentino, due to increased public awareness over marine waste, consumer interest, and legislative regulations against polluting plastics. Nonetheless, studies have shown that bioplastics do not biodegrade in landfills, despite the fact that they may be crucial in efforts to defossilise the sector. They are also expensive to manufacture, and if not properly disposed of can pollute recycling processes.

Valentino stated that his company, which also produces polylactic acid (PLA)-based products, has focused on manufacturing PVOH/PVA items in order to help mitigate the problem of marine litter.

“We continue to make PLA items, but our new focus is on saving our oceans from the plague of plastic waste,” he said.

Almost 1.5 million tonnes of plastic waste will end up in oceans/landfills annually

Materials News He said that the current plastic waste issue is a serious one and must be immediately addressed.

“Only about 10% of the world’s plastics are recycled. The majority of them will wind up in landfills or in the oceans. If left for hundreds of years in landfills, plastics will leak methane gas into our environment. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas with a warming potential 20 times greater than carbon dioxide.”

He said that in view of the above, the company decided to develop PVOH bags, which are “stronger, more durable, and will hold more weight than plastic or PLA bags”. Furthermore, PVOH bags and products do not need to be recycled. They can be washed down the sink drain. If they enter the petroleum-based recycling stream, they will not contaminate it. PVOH waste in landfills will completely disintegrate into carbon dioxide and water as soon as rain or moisture penetrates the soil, he said.

At this point, Valentino also stressed that PVOH is not a bioplastic although there is the tendency to “misidentify” it as such, and this, he observed, is hindering the patronage of the product.

“Potential buyers or supermarkets may mistakenly believe that our PVOH bags are merely a new name for bioplastic bags, causing them to show little interest. Our PVOH bags have nothing in common with bioplastic bags - they contain no plant starch, lactic acid or any other bioplastic component. A bioplastic bag will be present in the environment for years.”

Valentino says the company is “opposed to the use of bioplastic bags, which can last for years once they enter the environment”.

“People cannot comprehend that there is a bag available that will only last minutes in the ocean and even less time in a landfill,” he explained.

Light at the end of the tunnel with PVOH With all the benefits it has going for it, a downside is that it costs more to develop PVOH goods, compared to petroleum-based plastics. “In terms of bags, PVOH bags are currently more expensive than paper bags,” commented Valentino. He counters that a way forward to reducing the costs would be bigger volumes. “The costs will be significantly reduced as more potential purchasers realise that PVOH bags and products are in a class of their own, and can help to eliminate the horrible plastic pollution crisis.”

“In my opinion, are we allowed to attach a cost to preservation of our seas and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions?” he ponders.

In view of this, Bioplastics International intends to continue advocating the reduction of plastic waste and one way is through mandatory use of PVOH bags. “We would like to see the usage of PVOH bags made compulsory in supermarkets, restaurants, and other businesses. Our goal is to never see another plastic bag on a beach, to never have a sea turtle or other wildlife die as a result of eating plastic bags, and to never have humans infested with microplastics,” Valentino emphasised.

Furthermore, the US company also intends to push PVOH in the medical, pharmaceutical, and cruise line industry sectors.

“That’s a good start,” he noted, concluding that PVOH bags are not the full solution to saving the planet and that the company intends to continue soldiering on for future solutions.

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Recycling

Scaling up the recyclables New technologies and programmes are the linchpin of the global plastic value chain to expanding recycling and enhancing the quality of recyclates for product applications in order to reduce global carbon emissions, says Angelica Buan in this report.

A

dversity creates opportunities, and for the plastics industry, the pressure to increase plastic recyclability or contribute to plastic waste reduction has opened up opportunities to use recycled plastic content in their products. As a result, there is a growing preference for recycled plastics over virgin plastics in a variety of new applications in the packaging, automotive, and electrical & electronics industries, as well as a slew of favourable initiatives promoting the use of recycled plastics around the world.

Even so, odour and colour issues with recycled resins persist, sometimes making it difficult to find a comparable substitute for virgin resins. As a result of these limitations, the quality of recyclates needs assurance, with the use of recycled resins overcoming technical challenges.

Majority of plastics are made from chemicals and nonrenewable resources, and by 2050 will account for 20% of total global oil consumption

Europe’s timeline for recycling stepped up Globally, the volume of plastic waste is estimated to be 300 million tonnes/year and growing, but only 9% of all plastic waste produced is recycled. The majority of waste plastic is either incinerated (12%) or disposed of in landfills (79%). The majority of plastics are made from chemicals and non-renewable resources, and by 2050 will account for 20% of total global oil consumption.

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The industry is now taking a different perspective on the situation: why not use the massive amount of waste and turn it into a resource?

Recycling of plastics is an important factor in the transition to a green, circular European market, according to Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE), a Belgium-based organisation of European plastics recyclers. Technology advancements, product design, and an enhanced system of collection and sorting, as well as optimised recycling procedures, are key to transformation, PRE said.

It’s unsurprising then that Europe, as a driving force behind the circular economy agenda, is taking more aggressive steps with trade associations backing the statute for increasing to 30% the recycled content target for plastics packaging by 2030.

Members of the Brussels-based organisation are already working toward this goal, investing billions of euros on expanded high-quality recycled plastic supplies and technology solutions, it adds.

Meanwhile, PlasticEurope said that by 2030, it plans to invest EUR7.2 billion into chemical recycling, which it says will keep plastic waste out of landfills and incinerators. Significant amounts of recycled material with virgin plastic characteristics will be produced using this process. The technology complements mechanical recycling and can help Europe achieve a climate-neutral and competitive circular economy, it adds.

Utilising data for effective recycling outcome Meanwhile, data collection is required to track the progress of the uptake of high-quality secondary raw materials. Thus, PolyREC, a non-profit organisation formed by PlasticsEurope, PRE, Petcore Europe, a European PET value chain association; and VinylPlus, an initiative by the European PVC industry, will monitor, verify, and report the plastics recycling and uptake data in Europe, using a common data collection platform (RecoTrace).

PolyREC will ensure traceability, transparency, and trust in recycled materials along the entire plastics value chain. The partners add that PolyREC’s establishment has been critical, particularly in the context of the Circular Plastics Alliance (CPA);

Recycling

Recotrace is a common data collection platform that is utilised to track and report Europe's plastics recycling and uptake

of meeting CPA objectives, legislative traceability mandates, and industry-wide recycling targets.

PolyREC has recently been joined by value chain initiatives like the Polyolefin Circular Economy Platform (PCEP), Styrenics Circular Solutions (SCS), and European Manufacturers of Expanded Polystyrene (EUMEPS) to leverage the benefits of data systems in the polyolefins, styrenics, and EPS segments.

Project focuses on recyclate quality for packaging use Meanwhile, a new project funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and coordinated by Spain-domiciled research centre ITENE has been launched. Known as Merlin, which stands for increasing the quality and rate of multi-layer packaging recycling, it is made up of a consortium of 14 European partners and is expected to recover and recycle over 3 million tonnes/year of multilayer packaging waste in Europe.

Sorting technology providers, recyclers, research centres, social innovation experts, and end-users will collaborate on recycling solutions for rigid and flexible multi-layer plastic packaging waste from post-consumer/industrial sources, with the goal of designing cradle to cradle packaging solutions for the food packaging industry.

The EUR4.92-million project, which runs from 2021-2024, will implement solutions for sorting that will involve combining optical sensors, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics; delamination by optimising depolymerisation and using solventbased processes; recycling, which will include repolymerisation and upcycling of polymers; and validation by developing rigid and flexible packaging solutions and demonstrating the circularity of the processes.

US accelerates recycling and recycled content uptake In the US, increased recycled content in products is also being advocated to alleviate the load of discarded plastics and encourage recycling rates.

Led by the American Chemistry Council (ACC), the initiatives will cover such targets as participation of all US manufacturing sites operated by ACC’s Plastics Division members in Operation Clean Sweep-blue.

The latter is a programme launched with the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) to assist plastic resin handling operations in achieving zero resin loss by 2020; 100% of recyclable plastics packaging by 2030; and 100% of reuse/recovery of plastics packaging by 2040.

Plastic resin producers plan to focus on six key areas to achieve these objectives, namely, designing new products for greater efficiency, recycling, and reuse; developing new technologies and systems for collecting, sorting, recycling, and recovering materials.

Other initiatives include facilitating participation of consumers in recycling and recovery programmes; expanding the types of plastics collected and repurposed; as well as matching the plastic collection and repurposing efforts with goals.

Similarly, the ACC unveiled a five-point plan in July to accelerate the growth of recycling to reduce plastic waste and achieve a 30% recycled plastic content in packaging by 2030. It seeks a comprehensive national policy that will involve the participation of the entire plastics value chain. Furthermore, it states that chemical and mechanical recycling will be expanded, and an “American-designed” producer responsibility system for plastic packaging will be established.

That being said, a number of firms have reportedly made voluntary commitments to utilise at least 25% post-consumer resin (PCR) in their packaging by 2025.

Paper-based composites not the answer to less waste Meanwhile, the ongoing criticism of plastic packaging has now led to quite a few companies replacing pure plastic packaging with packaging that contains paper.

Paper-based composites cause more packaging waste, a GVM study finds

SEPTEMBER 2021

11

Recycling But that is exactly what is already happening and is expected to increase further in the future: according to the study, it is forecast that around 60,900 tonnes of plastic packaging will be substituted by 85,500 tonnes of paper composites between 2020 and 2025.

All in all, they therefore conclude that substituting plastic packaging with paper-based composites does not represent progress and ZSVR criticises this trend towards composite packaging saying it is clearly at the expense of recycling. From an ecological point of view, ZSVR recommends that recyclable packaging alternatives made of mono-materials are clearly preferable to composite packaging.

Composite packaging with paper and plastic is not deemed to be greener

This is apparently intended to make the packaging ‘greener’. As a result, composite packaging made of paper and plastic is increasingly replacing pure plastic packaging in shops. However, this is creating an increasing problem when it comes to recycling the packaging, as the German Central Agency Packaging Register (ZSVR) is now warning. This is because such fibre-based packaging with a plastic content can only be partially recycled at best.

Meanwhile, a study carried out for the German Association for Plastics Packaging and Films by packaging market research institute Gesellschaft für Verpackungsmarktforschung (GVM) reveals that paper-based composites tend to be detrimental to the circular economy.

For one thing, paper-based composites cause more packaging waste, as the GVM study shows. To package the same amount of product, the study found that paper-based composites require on average 40% more material than pure plastic packaging, thus generating a total of 25,000 tonnes more waste by 2025. At the same time, however, the amount of non-recyclable packaging is expected to fall by 19,000 tonnes because of the substitution of plastic packaging by paper-based composites.

The GVM study also finds fault with the fact that paper-based composites create problems when it comes to recycling, since only the fibre content of composite packaging is recyclable. This is usually over 70%. GVM says that the only option for the remaining plastic coating is energy recovery. It also points out that the recycling of the fibre content currently falls considerably short of the level that is theoretically recyclable, while the growing proportion of composites is increasingly causing problems for the recycling of waste paper. The authors of the study therefore consider it to be particularly regrettable if plastic packaging that is readily recyclable is replaced by composites.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

Tie-ups on recycling technology, circularity route Meanwhile, US chemical company Eastman and multinational consumer goods company Procter & Gamble have teamed up, with P&G using Eastman’s Renew materials, which are produced with waste plastic and molecular recycling technologies, in select products and packaging.

Eastman is building one of the world’s largest plastic-to-plastic recycling facility

In addition, at its Kingsport, Tennessee site, Eastman is building one of the world’s largest plasticto-plastic recycling facility, which is slated to be completed in 2022. In order to create Eastman Renew materials, the molecular recycling facility will consume approximately 90,000 tonnes/year of landfill-bound waste plastic.

Elsewhere, RAMPF Eco Solutions and Spain’s Repsol have reached a mutual agreement that provides Repsol with exclusivity throughout Europe to develop and construct new recycled flexible polyol plants, produced from different sources and qualities of postconsumer PU waste.

This agreement follows Repsol’s announcement last March regarding the construction of the first PU recycling plant in Spain to produce circular polyols from end-of-life mattresses that will be operational by the end of 2022. The plant will be capable of processing over 2,000 tonnes/year of post-consumer waste.

Recycling Recycled-content resins making their debut Many resin makers are launching sustainable materials, such as certified renewable products with biobased content or with recycled material content, towards the path to a circular economy.

Chemicals firm Sabic has launched three automotive grades containing mechanically recycled content within the company’s Trucircle circular solutions. The new resins include T2E-3320EH PP compound, a high-flow, low-emission, talc-filled PP. An internal life cycle assessment (LCA) showed that the compound offers a reduced product carbon footprint of up to 24% compared to the corresponding virgin PP compound because it incorporates 25% recycled PP. Sabic's three automotive grades from its Trucircle circular solutions contain mechanically recycled content

Ineos Styrolution’s first Novodur Eco ABS solution contains up to 70% recycled material. Boasting a balanced property profile, the resin is a sustainable option for automotive applications including centre consoles, radiator grills or mirror housings

It is estimated that 75 million broken windshields need replacing each year. This abundant supply includes thousands of tonnes of PVB, found in the inner layer of the glass, potentially bound for landfills. Instead, the outer glass is recycled and the PVB is reclaimed and reprocessed for various uses, including an alternative raw material source for polymers.

Avient says its formulation expertise allows the supply of reprocessed, high-quality, non-toxic PVB to be upcycled into more sustainable TPEs with comparable properties.

Another resin, Xenoy T2NX250 0UV resin, is an unfilled, UV-stabilised blend of PC and 21% recycled PET. While Xenoy T2NX5230 resin, a mineral-filled PC/PET blend, contains 16% mineral reinforcement and 29% recycled PET. Meanwhile, US materials firm Avient’s latest additions to its reSound R recycledcontent thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) portfolio has been developed in collaboration with sustainable polyvinyl butyral (PVB) products maker Shark Solutions. Both new TPEs contain 25% PCR content from PVB reclaimed from broken automotive windshields and laminated architectural glass.

Avient’s new TPEs contain 25% PCR content from PVB reclaimed from broken automotive windshields and laminated architectural glass

SEPTEMBER 2021

13

Recycling

Solution to plastic waste recycling at the end of the road

O

ver 2 billion tonnes/year of municipal solid waste is generated in the world, according to the World Bank¹, with this figure expected to rise to 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050.

In terms of waste products, the plastics segment is anticipated to exhibit the fastest compound annual growth rate of 7.1% from 2020 to 2027². Global plastic waste volumes are expected to reach 460 million tonnes by 2030 as a result.

Packaging – main culprit Plastic packaging, remains the largest application, representing 26% of the total volume of plastics used³.

Furthermore, an overwhelming 72% of plastic packaging is not recovered at all: 40% is landfilled and 32% leaks out of the collection system — that is, either it is not collected at all, or it is collected but then illegally dumped or mismanaged.

Not only is packaging the largest application of plastics with 26% of volumes, its small size and low residual value also makes it especially prone to leakage. One indicative data point is that plastic packaging comprises more than 62% of all items (including non-plastics) collected in international coastal clean-up operations.

Waste collection is a critical step in managing waste McKinsey’s Sustainability in Packaging: Consumer Views in Emerging Asia4 report states the region remains packaging’s top growth market.

As the use of packaging in Asia increases, so too does the ecological burden, as packaging materials leak into the environment. Usually, this is often due to a lack of waste collection and adequate recycling systems at a scale needed to manage the increased production of waste.

Interestingly, consumers in China, India, and Indonesia, according to McKinsey, are currently more concerned about water and air pollution than physical waste production.

Within these three regions Generation X consumers demonstrate the highest level of environmental concern across different sustainability issues, followed by Gen Z’s, millennials, and baby boomers, respectively.

When looking at how they can assist the recycling sector in Asia, consumer packaged goods companies (CPGs) and their packaging supply partners need to understand how local consumers use products and dispose of them.

Especially as those surveyed by McKinsey would like to see more recyclable or compostable plastic films and paperbased packaging in the future.

A way forward In dealing with the plastic waste crisis there is an urgent need to transform today’s broken systems for recycling plastic.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 95% of plastic packaging material valued at US$100 billion per annum, is being lost globally because it is not recycled but ends up incinerated or landfilled.

Holistic solutions are required that integrate technologies with the local waste systems that are already in place.

Embracing this concept is the Greenback Circularity Platform, developed by Greenback Recycling Technologies, a UK-based company that is implementing distributed advanced recycling solutions.

Greenback’s Circularity Platform improves on current audit-based methods to certify proof of material provenance and value. It manages this by using a combination of artificial intelligence and IoT gathered evidence, all backed up on Blockchain to provide additional security. This evidence includes camera images, weigh scale data, smart contracts, and advanced analysis of waste types, including AI recognition.

One of the solutions Greenback is implementing in the recycling of post consumer plastic waste, involves waste pickers sifting through hard-to-recycle flexible plastic items and then moving these items onto the recycling technology installed at landfill sites where the core elements are extracted and reused by the plastics recycling industry.

Enval microwave-induced pyrolysis The recycling technology planned for use by Greenback at landfill sites is Cambridge spin-out Enval’s microwave induced pyrolysis, developed via Enval’s proprietary pyrolysis solution for low-density packaging waste.

This pyrolysis recycling technology works by enabling a thermochemical decomposition of organic material at elevated temperatures in the absence of oxygen. It is viewed as one of the solutions for hard-to-recycle flexible plastics headed to landfill, as it allows the treatment of mixed, unwashed plastic wastes. The system has fantastic potential for recycling heterogeneous plastic waste that cannot be economically physically separated and classed.

When installed at landfill sites, the technology gives the CPG companies total assurance that the pyrolysis oil has come from post-consumer plastic waste. It also enables waste pickers to be reimbursed at source for separating plastic waste materials into the different waste streams, adding fair trade benefits into the model.

These pyrolysis plants are scalable and quick to commission, which are important factors to consider when faced with growing recycling quotas and as governments around the world implement more environmental regulations to address plastic waste.

Recycling A single module can process 2.5 kilotonnes/year of hardto-recycle plastic waste and can neatly scale in 2.5 kilotonneincrements to fit the size of the waste stream available.

By placing recycling plants close to the waste sources, they can assist local economies extract maximum value from their waste. A combination of local collection, sorting and recycling helps to reduce plastic pollution, water usage, resource depletion and CO2 emissions into the bargain. On top of this, fair distribution of value along the supply chain is a key driver of the business.

It is critical for the marketplace to ensure that the provenance is certified. When the pyrolysis oil is utilised for manufacturing new food-grade packaging, everyone knows it has been produced from post consumer plastic waste.

The Circularity Platform is invaluable as it enables Greenback to enhance the value of its Py-Oil by certifying its provenance. Organisations within the value chain have to be certain that the environmental claims can be substantiated, while CPG companies need assurance that the voluntary per tonne fees paid results in the collection and recycling of post-consumer waste.

Reformation needed urgently Since there is an urgent need to reform today’s systems for recycling, Greenback is working with several prominent CPGs to address these challenges head-on.

The company is excited about the potential of the technology and awaits the outcome of its first project, which is imminent in Latin America.

“Shifting to a circular economy creates new markets and opportunities, especially when the right technology is utilised in recycling the vast number of plastics that cannot be economically recovered through conventional recycling,” says Philippe von Stauffenberg, Greenback CEO. There are some significant challenges ahead, and one critical challenge for CPG companies attempting to solve their plastics issues is securing legitimate sources of clean, recycled plastics, and being able to verify the provenance of materials - from the point of collection to use.”

Philippe von Stauffenberg, CEO of Greenback, says that solutions are available to increase the viability of plastic recycling, if the will is there from all parties – whether they are consumers, businesses or governments

A sustainable and fair recycling process for waste pickers Waste pickers contribute to local economies, public health and safety, and environmental sustainability.

While recognition for their contributions is growing in some countries, they often face low social status, poor living and working conditions, and get little support from local governments. Increasingly, they also face challenges due to competition for lucrative waste from corporate entities. When the demand for recycled materials climbs, as countries seek to drive circular economy principles, the picker plays a key role in enabling worldwide supply chains.

With approximately US$50 billion/year being spent today by CPG companies on post-consumer recycled materials, and targets set for around 30% of plastic packaging to come from certified PCR in the next five years, the pressure is on to drive fairness and value into the collection process.

Von Stauffenberg explains: “By gathering waste from public spaces and landfills, waste pickers divert a significant quantity of materials from the waste stream. A 2007 study5 found waste pickers recovered approximately 20% of all waste material in three of six cities studies. It also discerned that just 80,000 people were responsible for recycling about 3 million tonnes/year of waste across those cities.

"These are astounding numbers and prove why waste pickers are so important to a world intending to deliver a circular economy. If the recycling industry is to innovate and move forward in solving the plastics waste challenge, recognising the critical role these people play in the collection through fair pay and conditions has to be the way forward.”

He adds, “Solutions are available to increase the viability of plastic recycling. If the will is there from all parties – consumers, business, and government – then there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

For more information on Greenback Recycling Technologies, please visit www.greenback.earth ¹ https://datatopics.worldbank.org/what-a-waste/ trends_in_solid_waste_management.html ² https://www.statista.com/topics/4983/wastegeneration-worldwide/ ³ https://www.newplasticseconomy.org/ assets/doc/EllenMacArthurFoundation_ TheNewPlasticsEconomy_Pages.pdf 4 https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/paper-forestproducts-and-packaging/our-insights/sustainabilityin-packaging-consumer-views-in-emerging-asia 5 The Economics of the Informal Sector in Solid Waste Management - https://www.giz.de/en/downloads/ giz2011-cwg-booklet-economicaspects.pdf

SEPTEMBER 2021

15

Blow Moulding

Cypet on a good run with PET ISBM

C

yprus-based manufacturer of single-stage injection stretch blow-moulding (ISBM) systems Cypet Technologies pushed ahead with expansion plans, even against the challenging Covid-19 situation.

"Although we faced a slowdown in order intake in 2020 due to the negative investment climate caused by the pandemic, we had a strong order book entering the pandemic period, which sustained the operations until orders picked up again,” said Polykarpos (Pol) Panayiotides, Head of Business Development, Far East & ASEAN. He explained that even during “the difficult Covid period, the company had been hard at work to grow its sales and support team, with dedicated people for Europe, Asia, The Americas, Middle East and Africa.”

He added, “Our global network of agents has also grown and we have plans to expand it further.”

Currently, the company has a global customer base on all five continents, with additional offices and a manufacturing facility in Ahmedabad, India.

“Our aim in the next few years is to increase the sales of Cypet machinery and moulds globally,” he says.

Making strides in ISBM with Cypet machines ISBM is a technology that transforms PET resin directly into finished containers such as bottles, jars, jerrycans, drums and pressurised containers.

The flexibility offered by Cypet’s production machines plus the “very low energy consumption (up to 50%, depending on the bottle that is being produced)” are factors for its popularity.

“Packaging producers can now incorporate handles as one piece with the blown container; can produce containers from tiny 20 ml bottles up to huge 120 l industrial drums and can use their Cypet machine both as a blow moulding system as well as a standard injection moulding machine,” said Pol. The Cypet process is set apart from conventional singlestage technologies in that it utilises a single clamping unit for opening and closing both the injection and the blow moulds.

As a result, instead of using a specially designed machine, the process utilises the clamping unit (and injection unit) of an injection moulding machine base, converting it into a single-stage machine by integrating it with a stretch-blowing unit, a set of moulds and a control system.

The stretch-blowing unit carries out the functions of transferring the preforms from the injection to the blow moulds, blowing them into containers and removing the finished containers.

Furthermore, Cypet offers some machine models that are all-electric, making them especially suitable for medical, pharmaceutical or food contact applications.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

PET – recyclability an attraction The company focuses on PET processing because PET has very good mechanical properties and excellent recyclability.

It can be easily separated from other plastics in mixed waste, can be re-used as re-grind or recycled into granules with equal properties as the virgin material, including suitability for food contact. Therefore, it can be recycled repeatedly, making it ideal for use in a circular economy.

When asked if Cypet machines are able to cater to rPET, Pol explains, “Yes, they are able to produce containers with both virgin and rPET. As an example, we had a customer produce a 5 l PET jerrycan with a handle. It is being used to package Ad Blue by Shell in Europe. This is made from 100% rPET, on a Cypet machine.”

Making a difference with a Cypet machine When asked what sets its machines apart from the competition, Pol explained, “A Cypet ISBM machine works in a different way to competitor ISBM machines. Firstly, the layout of the machine is different: it has a single, horizontal clamping unit. The injection mould is situated vertically below the blow mould and the moulds are laid out at 90 degrees to each other, meaning that the preforms are rotated by 90 degrees when transferred from injection to blow mould.”

The layout of a Cypet machine is different as it has a single, horizontal clamping unit, with the injection mould situated vertically below the blow mould and the moulds laid out at 90 degrees to each other

He also adds that the Cypet machine requires only one set of neck rings rather than three needed on other machines. Thirdly, a Cypet machine uses injection moulds that are similar to two stage preform production - this allows the Cypet machine to be used also as a standard injection moulding machine, if needed.

Blow Moulding “Imagine being able to blow your bottle in PET and then switching moulds to produce the HDPE cap for that bottle, all on the same machine. Being able to use your ISBM machine also as an injection moulding machine, de-risks the initial investment and offers a flexibility that does not exist in other ISBM machines on the market.”

Due to the uniqueness of the technology, in that it uses only one clamping unit to open/close both the injection mould and blow mould, while conventional single-stage ISBMs need two separate clamping units (and associated hydraulic pumps, servo motors etc), the investment cost for a Cypet machine is typically 10-30% less than for a conventional single stage ISBM machine, for equivalent output.

“Lower investment cost and lower electricity cost add together to allow our customers to reduce their direct production cost per bottle and hence their ROI,” adds Pol. New area of productions/new models Cypet is now moving into the production of large PET containers for bulk storage and transport, which is a new area for PET. “There is large value to be had by entering such markets with PET containers and we plan to expand the presence of our machinery in the large PET container market,” according to Pol.

In 2020, Cypet also introduced its Generation 2.0 machine technology, which is applied to all of its machine models.

“The upgraded technology brings numerous benefits, such as increased reliability, increased speed, higher bottle quality repeatability and faster mould change.”

Market accreditation With all that it has to offer, Cypet’s innovations have been recognised internationally – it won the Cyprus Innovation Award in 2017 and its world-first 120 l PET Drum was a finalist in the global Sustainability Awards in 2019.

Throughout its history, Cypet has also been awarded both local and European grants relating to business innovation, helping the company to accelerate the development of its technologies and products.

“We are customer focused and committed to maximising the value we provide, not only via the products we sell but also with additional bottle development services, 24/7 technical support and commercial support,” furthers Pol. “Whether you are new in PET container production or an established company looking to lower costs, make new products and enter new markets, or an end user looking to vertically integrate, Cypet can offer solutions that maximise return on investment and keep you ahead of the game in an ever more volatile and competitive world,” he concludes.

SEPTEMBER 2021

17

Advertorial

Low/middle molecular weight hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer

by Bear Wang (Marketing supervisor, LCY GRIT Corp.)

Introduction Hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer s (HSBCs) provide excellent weather resistance and lower odour risks compared with un-saturated SBS or SIS. Since HSBCs have good resistance to degradation under UV light exposure, they have good colour stability and can withstand exposure to harsh outdoor environments.

HSBCs are suitable for plastics modification for consumer and industrial applications. Not only can they be used in plastics modification, but they are also widely used in adhesives, such as hot melt adhesives (HMAs) and solvent-based adhesives (SBAs). These block copolymers have good physical properties and are compatible with additives such as tackifiers and processing oils.

Taiwanese materials company LCY GRIT’s speciality HSBC grades have good compatibility with additives.

They are easily combined with other materials and can be used in many applications.

• GP-9552 is a low molecular weight linear triblock polymer with an intermediate level of styrene c o n t e n t . T h i s p r o v i d e s b a l a n c e d m e ch a n i c a l properties, good compatibility with PO, PP, PE, EVA and is often used in hygiene applications. It is also widely used in coating and sealant applications due to its high strength.

•

GP-9557D has a lower styrene percentage at 13%, and with 30% diblock content, making it softer and more elastic than conventional HSBC grades. GP-9557D is a high-flow polymer for adhesives, coatings, sealants, film and polymer impact modification.

• GP-9526D has a much higher diblock content (70%) and provides excellent flow in adhesive, sealant and coating applications. It also has better adhesive performance, especially excellent wetting property. It can be used for hygiene diaper applications that require high speed production at lower processing temperatures.

• GP-8501U is a 10 0% pure diblock SEP structure designed to provide cohesion performance, special thixotropic characteristics to increase sag resistance and enhance shear-thinning function to many products such as fiber optical cable filling compounds, cosmetic thickeners, sealants, coatings and energy damping.

• GP-9901 is a maleic anhydride grafted SEBS with increased polarity for overmoulding compounds and impact modifiers. The effective 1.5% MA grafting ratio results in excellent adhesion to metal or polar substrates, excellent compatibility with engineering plastics to improve low temperature impact strength.

SEBS-g-MAH as compatibiliser could enhance the tensile mechanical properties as well as dynamic mechanical properties.

Polymer

9552

9557D

9526D

8501U

9901

HSBC type

SEBS

SEBS

SEBS

SEP

SEBS-g-MAH

PSC (%)

30

13

30

37

30

Diblock content (%)

<1

30

70

100

<1

MFI in g/10min at 230℃, 5kg

5

20

>100

<2

>10

20% TSV at 25℃

440

1500

<100

2500

2000

15% TSV at 25℃

–

–

–

950

--

Tensile Strength (MPa)* Elongation (%)* Hardness (Shore A) Product form

28

17

4

2

14.5

500

700

300

<100

600

77

50

70

64

75

Powder

Dense pellet

Dense pellet

Powder

Dense pellet

*Mechanical properties marked * are measured by hot-pressed plastic sheet

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SEPTEMBER 2021

Advertorial Styrenic block copolymers (SBCs) have a two-phase structure of hard end-blocks and softer rubber midblocks. The rubber blocks of HSBCs are very compatible with mineral oils. When a triblock HSBC is added to oils at sufficient quantities, the triblock structure causes oils to solidify, which results in flexible, strong, solid oil gels with adhesive properties and tackiness. The midblock segments provide elasticity. The diblock SEB copolymer results in balanced cohesive and adhesive properties.

HSBCs with ethylene/propylene (EP) structures, such as GP-8501U, are used at low concentration levels as thickeners for paraffinic oils to impart shear-thinning behaviour. It can also be added at higher level to lead to thixotropic greases. In this case, the polystyrene end-block segments with extended rubber arms to form micelle-like domains to create the thixotropic properties.

Micelle

GP-9552, 9557D and 9526D meet the FDA requirements contained in the Code of USA Federal Regulations in 21 CFR 177.1810 (a)(3) and (b)3.

All other ingredients used in the products meet the requirements of their respective FDA regulations of 21 CFR part 174 to 189.

Two-Phase

Products in dense form

HSBC has high thermal stability and can be used over a wide range of temperature starting from -50 to 250°C. HSBC has several advantageous properties like strong shatter resistance, toughness and high transparency.

Further, it can be sterilised by gamma irradiation and ethylene oxide. Therefore, SEBS can be used in medical applications.

A blend of HSBC/PP has excellent UV, ozone and chemical resistance and exhibits several advantages over flexible PVC used in medical applications. The greater advantage is that HSBC/PP blends are lighter than most other thermoplastic materials. Those low/middle Mw design SEBS have good compatibility with PP without additional plasticisers, and have lower contamination issues since the plasticisers can be avoided in drug applications.

They have greater temperature stability, which is up to 250°C, where PVC starts degrading at 130°C. They pose no known risk to health and environment while processing and can be easily recycled. PVC, on the other hand, releases hazardous chemicals like dioxins at process temperatures and can be difficult to recycle when blended with other polymers.

Product Stewardship We confirm that all substances of those products are compliant with the pre-registration or registration required or exempted under REACH (EC 1907/2006), and that we have the actions to proceed with the registration of these substances.

Products in powder form

Conclusion LCY GRIT has developed advanced manufacturing technologies to produce high performance SBC polymers with high precision.

Currently, we offer a broad selection of low/middle molecular weight HSBC product lines for special adhesive, sealant, coating, oil-gel formulations and plastics modification. These products are highly compatible with PO, PP, PE, EVA plastics, and also offer product and process optimisation.

We plan to further develop polymers that provide new solutions in sustainability and efficiency for our customers.

SEPTEMBER 2021

19

Engineering Plastics

Growth and sustainability with a new breed of plastics Engineering plastics suit the design and structural innovation in a variety of industries since they are high-performance materials with greater features than traditional materials and commodity plastics, says Angelica Buan in this report.

Toray Plastics has expanded its ABS resin facility in Malaysia

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SEPTEMBER 2021

Bullish market for engineering plastics The engineering plastics market is massive, and it has remained unaffected despite the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Indeed, market forecasts for engineering plastics remain bullish.

According to a Mordor Intelligence report, adoption of these high-performance polymers is expected to rise in major industries such as automotive, aerospace, building and construction, mechanical, and medical. The applications will be driving a market that is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 6% from this year to 2026. As well, as the light weight trend spreads across major industries, engineering plastics will effectively replace traditional materials.

In today’s era, comparing engineering plastics with commodity plastics is like comparing oranges to apples.

Engineering plastics outperform common plastics such as polystyrene (PS), PVC, polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE) in terms of mechanical and thermal properties, and have largely replaced wood and metals in a variety of applications due to their excellent weight-to-strength ratio, ease of manufacture, design versatility, and other characteristics.

Expansions on ABS growth A recent report by Global Industry Analysts cited that the global engineering plastic market will reach 24.6 million tonnes by 2026, up from 19 million tonnes in 2020.

One of the segments examined in the report, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), is expected to grow at a 4.4% CAGR and reach 10.4 million tonnes by the end of the forecast period. Meanwhile, Brandessence Market Research’s report says the ABS market will be valued at nearly US$47 billion by 2027.

ABS is frequently utilised in electronic housings, automobile parts, consumer goods, pipe fittings, and toys, among other applications.

Chemically and impact resistant, the opaque and amorphous thermoplastic has a low melting point.

The material is relatively safe and has appropriate mechanical properties like toughness and rigidity.

Citing the Brandessence Market Research report, the increasing adoption of ABS in the automotive sector, as well as in construction, electronics, and other industries, is a major factor driving the market forward.

Having said the above, resin makers’ capacity expansion throughout this time has been both risky and strategic.

Taking advantage of this market growth, Toray Plastics (Malaysia) Sdn Berhad (TPM) has commenced expanding its global production and distribution capacity of its Toyolac ABS resin transparent grade at its new facility in Penang, Malaysia.

The new factory will increase production and distribution capacity by 75,000 tonnes/year to 425,000 tonnes/year. Toray Group currently produces 497,000 tonnes/year of ABS at its Chiba Plant in Japan. The company says it is expanding its global manufacturing, including its TPM plants, to increase sales in important Chinese and Southeast Asian markets, as well as meet increased demand in Europe, the US, and India.

Engineering Plastics Toyolac ABS grades include clear ABS grades with improved anti-static, scratch, and chemical resistance.

According to TPM, they are lightweight, durable, and easily processable, with mechanical, chemical, electrical, and colouring properties.

Invista envisages nylon growth in China The need for nylon (PA) 6,6 polymer has risen drastically in recent years. The estimated CAGR for nylon 6,6 through 2029 is approximately 2% globally and 4% for China*.

In view of this, Invista Nylon Chemicals (China) Co. plans to double its current nylon 6,6 polymer production at Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (SCIP) and signed a memorandum of cooperation with SCIP recently.

Following a 40,000-tonne/year capacity increase in 2020, this new increased production, with an investment of US$230 million, will double the plant capacity to 400,000 tonnes/year and strengthen its integrated nylon 6,6 value chain in China. The new capacity will also enable Invista to more quickly respond to the growing demand for engineering plastics in automotive, electrical and electronics, and other application fields.

Lightweight and emission reduction roof frames have been made with BASF’s PBT

To say the least, industry leaders are tackling the challenge of developing lighter car parts. As an example, roof frames built using Germany-based BASF’s Ultradur High Speed polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) material were developed in collaboration with Grupo Antolin, a Spain-based supplier of vehicle components. According to the firms, using Ultradur High Speed in the roof structure resulted in weight savings of up to 60%, compared to traditional solutions, and reduced carbon emissions.

The easy-flowing PBT is BASF’s first engineering plastic to be TÜV-certified for eco-efficiency. This new material’s good flowability also reduces the cost of producing injection-moulded components.

The partners’ newly created panorama roof is integrated into the car’s ceiling trim (called the headliner), which is composed of BASF’s Elastoflex E 3943/134, a light PU material. A structural bracket supports the actual sunroof opening in the headliner. This was previously made of heavy steel, but it has since been replaced with Ultradur PBT. The engineering plastic demonstrates mechanical qualities in addition to its high dimensional stability.

Meanwhile, compatriot materials firm Lanxess has developed a hollow-profile hybrid technology to help advance vehicle interiors with lightweight solutions.

Metallic hollow profiles can be functionalised on ordinary injection moulding machines with plastic compounds using this new lightweight design technology.

Invista plans to double its nylon capacity in Shanghai

The company expects China’s demand for nylon products will account for more than half of the total production and consumption of nylon in the Asia-Pacific region and is expected to become the world’s largest nylon consumer.

The additional capacity will support the development of engineering polymer, industrial and apparel segments, and satisfy the downstream application requirements for nylon 6,6 products and solutions, including stronger mechanical properties, higher temperature resistance, and higher heat resistance.

Automotive applications for fuel efficiency The automotive and transportation industries employ engineering plastics to meet their needs for reducing vehicle weight to improve fuel efficiency, recyclability, and ease of processing. Thus, these industries are projected to be the largest end-use industries for engineering plastics.

Lanxess has launched a new hollow-profile hybrid technology

Cross car beams, coupling rods, stabilisers, and seat elements are some of the potential applications in the automotive industry.

The hollow-profile hybrid technology is a step forward from the conventional plastic-metal composite technology (hybrid technology) that uses sheet metal. The new technology’s main advantage is that it allows processors to produce with short cycle times, which is typical of injection moulding in high-volume efficient production.

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Engineering Plastics Lanxess offers highly reinforced PA6 types for hollowprofile hybrid technology, such as the easy-flowing Durethan BKV60H2.0EF DUS060, which has a short glass fibre content of 60% by weight.

Lanxess evaluated how employing the compounds pay off in the construction of an automotive cross car beam, made 30% lighter than an all-steel construction. Typical load situations and component attributes, such as vibration behaviour and steering wheel stiffness in the direction of gravity forces, were calculated. Additionally, the component also demonstrates the technology’s potential for implementing cost-saving functional integration.

New PA6 grades for E&E sector Meanwhile, in the E&E industry tests are performed on materials to compare their tendency to resist ignition, selfextinguish flames and to not propagate fire via dripping.

Glow wire testing is one of the most relevant indirect flame methods where a non-flaming heat source is applied to the material sample. Specifically, the glow wire test is used to simulate heating effects that may arise in malfunctioning electrical equipment caused by an overloaded connection or component that is overheating.

PA6 and PA66 supplier Domo Chemicals, which acquired the Technyl brand this year, says it is driving materials development to meet evolving market needs and is working with customers to select the best base materials for specific applications.

Domo Chemicals’s nylon material was selected by German company Wieland Electric for its installation connectors

Recently, German company Wieland Electric selected Domamid 6LVGT85 for its installation connectors GST18i3 (3-pole) & GST18i5. These make up part of the gesis pluggable electrical installation system for buildings, a flexible, future-oriented, and economic product range that meets all the requirements of modern energy distribution.

Certified to comply with the product specifications for these installation connectors Domo’s material is a low viscosity grade for injection moulding, certified V2 at 0.75mm with a UL Yellow card, matching the PA66 previously used for the housing shells, and top and bottom parts of the product. The property profile with good flow and demoulding characteristics, as well as good particles crystallisation, enables an optimised production process.

The PA66 has a glow wire resistance of 850°C on both test specimens and moulded parts, which were the specific values requested on the material characterisation.

In this case, the PA66 substitution has provided multiple benefits as good flow and fast crystallisation have also resulted in better processability and cycle time reduction,

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not an easy achievement for a flame retardant solution with a glow wire resistance of 850°C down to 0.8 mm, according to Andrea Rizzo, Sales Manager at Domo.

Sustainable solutions line-up for engineering plastics A key player in the engineering plastics sector, Ineos Styrolution has introduced the first post-consumer recycled Novodur ECO specialty ABS solutions and Novodur ECO High Heat grades being the result of mechanically recycled post-consumer waste.

The new grades, the Novodur ECO and the Novodur ECO HH will contain up to 70% and 40% recycled material; respectively. The new materials, which are available in standard colours, offer identical mechanical properties as their virgin equivalents making them drop-in solutions for application developers. The new Novodur ECO HH solutions offer a balanced property profile making them sustainable options for automotive applications including centre consoles, radiator grills or mirror housings.

LG Chem has tied up with Veolia R&E to produce ABS from recycled methyl methacrylate (MMA)

Meanwhile, South Korean chemical manufacturer LG Chem has teamed up with Veolia R&E, the country’s largest recycler of methyl methacrylate (MMA), to produce ABS from recycled material. MMA is an unsaturated ester with a variety of applications in polymer manufacture, including adhesives, coatings, composites, and industries such as aerospace, automotive, marine, and transportation.

LG Chem has gained the opportunity to commercialise low-carbon transparent ABS based on chemically recovered MMA, after the two firms signed an MOU. The two companies will collaborate to optimise processing and conduct cooperative R&D development to improve the recycled MMA quality.

Veolia R&E, a division of the Veolia Group in France, developed the world’s first pyrolysis-based process for recycling discarded artificial marbles into MMA. LG Chem is considering using the recycled MMAcontent transparent ABS in its eco-friendly LETZero product line for distribution to global home appliance and IT firms.

Moreover, LG Chem has also collaborated with another South Korean company, TK Chemical, to work together to produce environmentally friendly biodegradable materials, with plans to build a PBAT (poly butylene adipate-coterephthalate) production line that will begin operations in the second half of 2022. TK Chemical, a subsidiary of the Samla Midas (SM) Group specialises in synthetic fibres.

Injection Moulding Asia Automation

The era of human/robotic collaborations With human workers and robots beginning to work together in tandem, automation for output-intensive industries has come of age, says Angelica Buan in this report on Industry 5.0.

Moreover, the cyborgification of industries, in response to the skilled labour shortage, has sparked an uncanny valley fear that a robot will outperform a human worker. Newer generation technologies, such as collaborative robots or cobots, are, nevertheless, reducing human hostility towards them. It’s only a matter of time before a peaceful coexistence between humans and robots becomes a reality.

Modern twist to industrial revolution Industrialisation has increased overall economic output, creating more jobs and raising living standards. Obviously, the industrial revolution aims to advance technology, socioeconomics, and culture – but at what cost? Workers were displaced by migration throughout the early stages of industrialisation, and they endured low wages, long hours of toil, and exploitation.

The term “industrial revolution,” which was once used to describe economic and industrial developments in Europe and the US between the 18th and 19th centuries, has been given a modern twist. As demand for goods begins to exceed output from conventional machines, the second wave of the industrial revolution aims to boost productivity and efficiency with technologies.

Remedy to close the gap in skilled labour shortages The generational skilled labour shortage has been a barrier to achieving full industrial ambitions. For years, unemployment has been at an all-time high, yet thousands of skilled jobs have gone unfilled, owing to a lack of training and experience, to name a few factors.

The use of robots, artificial intelligence (AI), and smart machines became increasingly important in the latter stages of the technologicallydriven industrial revolution Lack of recruits with proper training and technical experience creates a chasm in the skilled labour market

The recent pandemic has been a disruptive factor to the labour climate. Although deemed to be only a temporary situation, the pandemic has caused an employment crisis with many businesses ceasing operations, or reducing capacity. Indeed, the pandemic has put to the test not only the manufacturing sector ’s resiliency, but also its ability to recover.

In the US, the manufacturing industry lost more than 500,000 jobs in 2020 during the pandemic, according to findings by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, which polled an online research of more than 800 US manufacturers across all sectors, between December 2020 and February 2021.

The Deloitte study revealed that the pandemic cost the US manufacturing industry 1.4 million jobs, but 820,000 of those jobs were rehired by the end of 2020.

The use of robots, artificial intelligence (AI), and smart machines became increasingly important in the latter stages of the industrial revolution. This, however, led to the perception that such technologies will eventually infiltrate manufacturing floors, render human labour obsolete, and disenfranchise humans – much like in sci-fi movies.

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Injection Moulding Asia Automation The irony, according to this report, is that there were roughly 500,000 positions available, mostly for qualified people that could not be filled. By 2030, the US manufacturing industry is expected to have 2.1 million skilled labour vacancies.

This opinion is also echoed by US advocacy group National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)’s recent Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey, which had 453 responses in August. Recruiting and maintaining qualified employees, as well as supply chain and logistical difficulties, and healthcare expenses, were cited as top challenges by respondents.

Meanwhile, the expanding skilled labour gap is being exacerbated by digitalisation, automation, and an ageing population.

In a recent article titled “Creating pathways for tomorrow’s workforce today”, Deloitte stated that the rapid digitalisation of the manufacturing industry will almost certainly continue to reshape human labour, adding that it will be a challenging factor over the next ten years.

The reason for this is that the skills required to perform jobs in a smart factory will most likely differ from those required today. Unfortunately, many of these talents are lacking in today’s manufacturing workforce and if this issue is not addressed, vacancies will increase, affecting productivity, innovation, competitiveness, and the GDP.

Cobots in the plastics industry The plastics industry, which every year has new technologies being launched, has also borne the brunt of a gap in skilled workers. While robots are generally used to augment this shortage, especially in areas that require precision and consistency, they do not necessarily disregard human interaction.

Cobots are robotic assistants to human workers that help them be more productive. They are less expensive than traditional industrial robots used for automation, costing less than a quarter of the price. They are safe to use and are equipped with sensors and other devices to ensure that they behave appropriately, particularly when working in close proximity to humans. In many industrial settings, cobots work alongside humans, but they accomplish tasks independently or sequentially.

Industrial robots are mostly used in injection moulding applications in the plastics sector, automating processes without requiring human interaction. They are required in environments where human error is to be avoided.

Cobots, on the other hand, are designed with human safety in mind (unlike traditional industrial robots) and to function in close proximity to employees, preventing workplace risks by being disabled with just a light touch. For industries, cobots can increase productivity in the manufacturing line and the ability for businesses to expand.

It can be recalled that German multinational chemical company BASF, in 2017, showcased its prototype cobot for industrial use, made by Siasun, one of China’s largest robotics manufacturer. The cobot, showcased at a Guangzhou-held plastics event, is built with BASF’s Elastollan thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU), Ultramid glass fibre-reinforced PA and 3D-printed PA6.

The partnership is part of BASF’s Trio project, which brings together prominent designers and brand owners.

Automation as a disruptive force Worker safety and efficiency remain central to technologically-driven industrial shifts. Worker safety has improved as a result of automation. Furthermore, the introduction of AI-connected technologies and robotics has improved manufacturing efficiency and productivity, particularly in major industries such as the plastics industry, where manufacturers are focused on lowering costs while increasing capacity and output.

The application of software-integrated machines that either stop or alert the operator when it detects a defect or self-adjusts to ensure that processes are not disrupted is on the rise. These machines allow for greater precision and less wastage on the factory floors.

While machines and robots will never completely replace humans in the supply chain, they help relieve employees of redundant, highly technical, and physically demanding tasks while assisting organisations in improving their bottom lines.

Thus, does automation create more jobs?

According to an article published by Forbes and World Economic Forum (WEForum), automation will result in a 58 million increase in employment.

Automation is anticipated to turn two-thirds of occupations into higher-skilled jobs, while the remaining one-third will become lower-skilled jobs.

BASF and Siasun cooperated on an industrial cobot prototype made of Elastollan TPU and Ultramid PA

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Injection Moulding Asia Automation According to BASF, its Elastollan TPU and Ultramid PA are easier to process than standard materials and allow for more colour and decorating options, while allowing for flexible manufacturing. Because cobots are only employed when they are needed, a lightloading cobot will be easier and faster to move about the manufacturing site.

Meanwhile, Swedish industrial robot supplier and manufacturer ABB offers its range of cobots, which feature the speed, robustness, and precision of an industrial robot while also having the safety features and ease of use of a cobot.

Early this year, ABB introduced its CRB (Collaborative Robot) 1100 SWIFTI, which combines a payload of 4 kg and reach of up to 580 mm; and GoFa CRB 15000. The latter features intelligent sensors in each joint to support close human and robot collaboration, enabling reach and speed for payloads up to 5 kg.

These new cobot versions of ABB’s IRB 1100 industrial robot joined the YuMi and Single Arm YuMi (introduced in 2015) in the company’s cobot portfolio for applications ranging from less than 0.5 kg to 5 kg.

According to ABB, SWIFTI has a maximum Tool Centre Point (TCP) speed of more than 5m/second, which is more than five times faster than other cobots in its class and comparable to industrial robots. Easy to use and install, safe working zones for the robot can be configured using SafeMove’s simple fast setup tools, such as the SafeMove Configurator App on the ABB FlexPendant. Users can programme the cobot either via a clip-on lead through programming device, or ABB’s new Wizard easy programming software.

Both SWIFTI and GoFA have capabilities that allow them to function alongside humans without the need for physical barriers or fences, saving both space and money.

Thereby, allowing a robot and a human to work together in the same space and on the same tasks, without sacrificing speed or safety, results in maximum flexibility and efficiency; and above all, harnesses the combined power of a human mind and machine.

Sepro’s Visual Control System will be integrated with Universal Robots’ cobots as part of a collaboration

BASF adds that cobots made with its elastic material solutions allow for good insulation and elastic properties, providing greater shock absorption and thus making flexible manufacturing safer as well as more user-friendly for humans.

Similarly, cobot innovation is the focus of a tie-up between French manufacturer of robots Sepro Group and Universal Robots (UR), a Danish manufacturer of smaller industrial collaborative robot arms.

Sepro’s Visual Control System will be integrated with UR’s cobots as part of the agreement. Sepro created the Visual Control Platform specifically for robots used in injection moulding equipment and is featured in all its products, including co-branded lines, with the same user interface of any robot types.

Sepro adds that it will be able to offer a comprehensive range of automation solutions to injection moulders as a result of the new cooperation.

Cartesian robots, six-axis articulatedarm robots, and now cobots are all part of this portfolio, according to Sepro. It added that cobots, like the sic-axis robots, are well-suited to peripheral operations that are in high demand in the plastics industry.

The integration also allows processors to build safe, open configurations for a variety of processes, such as peripheral operations or advanced automation cells, Sepro furthered. Both the partners’ solutions enable faster process creation and installation, resulting in easy to deploy and testing of post-processing operations and ABB”s GoFa CRB 15000 features intelligent sensors in each joint and turn-key automation systems. enabling reach and speed for payloads up to 5 kg 3 SEPTEMBER 2021

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Injection Moulding Asia Advertorial

LSR Technology Conference 2021: a conference jointly organised

by SIGMASOFT ®, Arburg, Momentive & Ewikon

W

ith the focus being set on trends, technology

The case study he showcased in the conference advancements and challenges in many aspects was about an initiative to help fight the spread of the of liquid silicone rubber (LSR) part production, coronavirus – it focused on a face mask production SIGMASOFT ® and its partners held a LSR Technology project whereby 15 companies partnered together and Conference on the present & future of LSR injection managed to get a the product ready from scratch to series moulding, material innovations, virtual moulding and production in only 41 days. efficient production solutions. The presentations were aimed at presenting invaluable insight to the industry players, ranging from product and mould designers, polymer end users, moulding and tooling experts, to QA/QC, CAD/ CAE specialists or R&D personnel.

Although the focus of the conference was on the Asian market, it attracted a global crowd. There were attendees from a total of 29 countries and more than 300 participants in this virtual conference that was held on 25 August 2021. The invited keynote speakers were subject-matter experts from the LSR production chain with years of experience and they shared the latest advancements and trends in the Sequence of events of the face mask production project - from scratch to series production in LSR arena. only 41 days

Uwe Haupt from German machine

“With a complete set of the mould details, we maker Arburg had the honour of starting completed the project within a day and obtained results as the first presenter and conveyed how Arburg, as one of for thermal balance, filling, cooling behaviour. This the world’s leading manufacturers of high-end machine is one of the advantages of using the SIGMASOFT ® technology for plastic processing, has significantly Virtual Molding Approach, apart from influenced the development of plastic injection moulding the accuracy. Predicting the real worldwide since the 1980s. “One of the reasons is that thermal behaviour is the first step Arburg was the first company to actively work together to optimise the cycle time, which with material development companies and mould is the strength of SIGMASOFT ® producers to develop the equipment for the process that Virtual Molding,” said Devadass has shaped our reputation as a pioneer in the injection Vimalanand. moulding technology arena,” said Uwe Haupt.

As the first presenter of the conference, he covered the basics of LSR materials, present and future, as well as the trends in LSR injection moulding. In his presentation, he shared how to achieve better control and monitoring of the process, new trends using micro screws for reproducible dosage for extremely small shot weights and how electric drives for LSR processing from Arburg can help to lower overall energy consumption, generate lesser noise while achieving higher precision and better stroke and pressure resolution.

Meanwhile, SIGMASOFT ® has established itself as one of the technology leaders in polymer injection moulding simulation. Devadass Vimalanand from SIGMASOFT ® presented on how the software was specifically developed to overcome today’s challenges for development, mould design, production and optimisation of the injection moulding process.

Golden triangle of project management

Level of simulation in different stages of product development

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The third presenter, Vivian Tian from Momentive, a global leader in silicones and advanced materials, delivered her presentation on “Innovation LSR”. Her presentation gave insights on how Momentive has created solutions for a sustainable world in the last 80 years as the industry leader for silicone innovation. At the same time, she also shared about the processing benefits of the soft-hard materials such as self-lubricating LSR and self-bonding LSR, and how these innovative materials enable flexibility in the designs that have become valuable in supporting and improving our everyday lives.

The last presentation was about the scientific investigation of the cold runner technology for LSR from Ewikon, a well-known supplier in hot and cold runner technology, founded about 40 years ago in Germany. Stefan Bernhard, who has trained and worked as a toolmaker since young, showcased the innovative COOLSHOT cold runner technology that utilises technologies and know-how from the hot runner sector to improve the LSR injection moulding process.

Rounding up the conference, General Manager of MAGMA Engineering Asia-Pacific, Jan Eilers, said: “Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, face-to-face meetings are delayed to an unknown date. We know there will be a day when most will be back in the office and it will be possible again to have in-person meet-ups and seminars with bigger crowds, but until then, businesses must make the most out of the current situation.

To share the ever evolving technology with the industry even during these times is the motivation behind us organising this virtual conference.”

He added, “Thanks to all our partners for bringing their expertise and experiences into this conference and to the attendees for engaging in the fruitful and interesting presentations and Q&A sessions in the live-broadcasted LSR Technology Conference 2021.”

For the full conference programme, please scan here to find out more or follow our LinkedIn to join our upcoming events.

SEPTEMBER 2021

Injection Moulding Asia PET Recycling

PET recycling developments PET recycling in India on the growth Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a high-value material that is on course to take over a key function in the plastics industry’s path toward a circular economy. PET plays an ever more important role in recycling, due to the large volume of packaging materials in use today. PET is a very highvalue material, possessing extremely good properties for reprocessing. It is continuously expanding use in single and reusable bottles, as well as its recovery via deposit systems, add to its value. Correspondingly, it can be lucrative for companies to focus on PET recycling.

Meanwhile, according to the United Nations Development Programme, India generates approximately 15 million tonnes/year of plastic waste but only one fourth is recycled. While more than 10% of this plastic waste is PET and up to 90% is recycled, the recycled material is generally not high quality, resulting in low levels of circularity.

Leading the way, Indian plastic recycling and waste management company Srichakra Polyplast (Srichakra) has officially commissioned its upgraded facility, the first of its kind in India to produce food-grade quality rPET pellets.

The company has also commissioned its new polyolefins recycling facility that can produce deodorised bottle-tobottle grade quality polyolefin pellets. The company has invested more than US$10 million to strengthen its recycling capabilities, which allow it to offer recycled plastic to customers in India and global markets such as Europe and the US.

Srichakra says its world-class facility features US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved technology provided by Austria’s Starlinger, which expands the company’s capacity to become the largest solid state polymerised (SSP) PET processor in India. Srichakra adds that it can produce food-grade quality PET pellets, which can be used to produce food and beverage packaging such as water, carbonated soft drink and juice bottles as well as takeaway containers; and high quality deodorised polyolefin pellets, which can be used in home and personal care product packaging such as lotion, shampoo and detergent bottles.

Circulate Capital invested in Srichakra in December 2020 and this has allowed Srichakra to grow its team two-fold to employ 200 workers from local communities. It has also provided upskilling opportunities for employees through training with the Starlinger technology and team.

Coperion offers an economical and FDA-compliant system for recycling of PET flakes

ZSK extruder, Coperion systems for this bottle-to-bottle recycling process achieve throughput rates between 2 and 8 tonnes/hour, therefore recycling companies profit from very high product quality, reduced operating and logistic expenses as well as from energy cost savings up to 30% in comparison to conventional PET recycling methods.

Before PET can be reprocessed, it must first be shredded to flakes and then cleaned. Ordinary technologies require pre-drying, crystallisation or agglomeration of the PET flakes following washing. However, using the specialised technology from Coperion, the shredded PET can be fed directly into the ZSK twin-screw extruder and compounded.

The shredded flakes are reliably fed into the ZSK extruder using high-accuracy SWB (Smart Weigh Belt) feeders or gravimetric feeders from Coperion K-Tron. In addition, other regrind materials, new materials, or mixtures can be added. Melting, intensive devolatilisation, and complete homogenisation take place in the ZSK process section before the melt is transferred via a gear pump and filter with an automatic screen pack changer to a strand or underwater pelletizer for pellet production.

Pellets are then condensed in an SSP reactor. The pellets’ quality meets the requirements of virgin material. They have received FDA Letter of Non Objection which certifies that they meet the standards for food-safe plastics and thus, can be processed into bottles once again.

With this direct processing of PET into bottles, recyclers profit particularly from the very high end product quality.

Product handling in the bottle-to-bottle process is very gentle. The residence time in the ZSK extruder is very short and dispersion is very good. The ZSK extruders’ high torque enables processing at low temperatures and with almost no viscosity loss. ZSK extruders’ self-cleaning enables rapid recipe and color changes. Thanks to the ZSK twin screw extruder’s very good devolatilisation options, volatile components such as monomers, oligomers, and water are reliably removed and channeled away from the exhaust flow in suitable separators before discharging the process section.

Alongside the high product quality, direct processing of PET flakes offers further advantages including reduced operating costs and energy consumption as well as lower logistic expense.

Bottle-to-bottle recycling with Coperion systems PET flakes can now be processed without pre-drying into pellets using German machine maker Coperion’s ZSK twinscrew extruders. Next they are condensed in the SSP (Solid State Polycondensation) reactor, and reprocessed back into bottles again with the quality of virgin material.

PET recyclate manufactured using this innovative process has received approval from the FDA for food-contact uses. Thanks to the highly efficient plastification within the 6 SEPTEMBER 2021

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Injection Moulding Asia PET Recycling New melt filters cater to higher outputs Elsewhere, Ettlinger, a member of the Maag Group and a manufacturer of continuously operating melt filters, has unveiled a new generation of ECO products for use in PET recycling. The new features take into account the need for systems with a higher product output and are initially available in sizes suitable for medium-sized recycling lines.

The new performance enhanced ECO 350 replaces the former ECO 250, while the new ECO 500, capable of achieving capacities of up to 4,000 kg/hour, replaces the former ECO 250 Twin. The ECO 200 completes this range.

Ettlinger’s melt filter technology is based on the principle of selfcleaning with a continuous flow of melt from the outside to the inside of a rotating, perforated drum.

A scraper removes the contaminants that are held back on the surface and feeds them to the discharge Ettlinger’s new ECO 500 melt filter system. Just like the achieves outputs of up to 4,000 kg/hour ERF filters, which are designed for higher contamination, the new ECO filters also have a modular structure, thereby providing a wide range of options for adjusting the filter properties to the respective task.

A new innovative system facilitates an even higher concentration of contaminated discharge, which, in turn, further decreases the already low loss of PET melt, says Ettlinger. Better access to the scraper system reduces the amount of time needed by the operator for maintenance and replacement tasks. The discharge now exits via the front side of the ECO filters, which is generally easier for the user to access.

The new designs combine screen sizes up to 60 microns with a minimum loss of PET through the discharge.

The ECO melt filters are designed to process very low viscosity polymer feedstock (mainly PET and PA) and to facilitate the efficient filtration of contaminants such as paper, wood, aluminium, silicone, etc.

Moreover, the closed discharge system prevents the occurrence of black specks. For this reason, the classic application for ECO melt filters is extrusion systems where PET bottle flake is converted into food packaging films, packaging tape and fibres, as well as PET repelletising and compounding processes.

ECO melt filters are suitable

for single-screw or twin-screw extrusion lines, irrespective of the pelletising system or other downstream units, and can achieve outputs from 150-4,000 kg/hour.

Krones/Alpla work on returnable PET bottle In the beverage packaging market, returnable PET containers currently play a rather small role. Now, German beverage and food industry equipment supplier Krones and packaging firm Alpla are working to develop a returnable PET container that will provide an optimal environment for sensitive ESL (Extended Shelf Life) products such as juices and milk in the cold chain.

The partners’ dedicated particular attention to the container cleaning process because “PET is less heat-resistant than glass,” explains developer Ines Bradshaw. “So we had to find a way to ensure both a high level of microbiological safety and a high number of use cycles while cleaning at lower temperatures.”

To obtain an objective and meaningful base of data, Krones’ development plant for washing technology in Flensburg carried out an elaborate series of tests, analysing the interaction of different bottle designs and cleaning processes.

“The tests provided us with a very clear picture of the respective thermal, chemical, and mechanical factors,” says Bradshaw. “Among the findings: With the right combination of parameters – especially lye concentration, temperature, additive, and mechanical impact – temperatures around 60°C are sufficient to reliably remove even dried protein, fat, and starch contamination from the containers.”

A direct comparison of returnable PET and returnable glass brought to light another interesting discovery that over various cleaning cycles, the alkaline cleaning medium visibly roughened the surface of the glass bottle, whereas nothing comparable could be observed with the PET containers.

“For the filling of sensitive beverages in particular, consistent container quality can be an advantage that should not be underestimated,” notes Bradshaw.

Microbiological tests are currently being conducted to definitively establish whether the technology is safe.

Initial results confirm the observations made thus far: “Microbiologically, PET bottles that had gone through 25 cycles could not be distinguished from new ones,” says a very pleased Bradshaw. With this proof of concept, the project has reached an important milestone and is now ready for the next major step, with preparations underway for the technical field test.

Krones/Alpla have jointly developed a returnable PET container that provides an optimal environment for sensitive ESL (Extended Shelf Life) products such as juice and milk in the cold chain

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Injection Moulding Asia Automotive Smart functions integrated with DirectCoating coated parts technology Car manufacturers and their suppliers face the challenge of integrating smart functions such as display and ambient lighting and touch control, in addition to a wide range of visual and haptic surface properties.

Above all, the aim is to manufacture durable products cost-effectively to achieve broad acceptance in the industry.

The goal is car interiors that can easily serve as a lounge, workspace and driver cockpit. In this way, an environment can be created in the car that combines comfort and infotainment with a feeling of safety.

Thus, to allow more design freedom and functionality in car interiors in a cost effective manner, German materials company Covestro worked with a team of three industry partners: coatings specialist Votteler Lackfabrik GmbH & Co. KG, laser texture specialist Reichle Technology Center and pearl effect pigments manufacturer Merck KGaA. It developed what it says is an effective concept for the production of interior parts with seamless, intelligent surfaces using Covestro’s DirectCoating technology.

The coated component is produced in two steps using a polyurethane reaction injection moulding (PU-RIM) process.

Puriflow paint systems from Votteler Lackfabrik enable surface properties such as good scratch resistance and a selfhealing effect, but also a feel that ranges from soft leather to hard metal. In implementing the solution, Votteler drew on the manufacturing expertise of Reichle, which operates Europe’s largest laser texturing site. The company provided laser-textured PU-RIM moulds for the project.

Covestro, meanwhile, supplied process technology know-how, coating raw materials from its Desmodur and Desmophen ranges without solvent additives, and Makrolon and Bayblend polycarbonate plastics. Effect pigments from Merck can be used to achieve various colour and transparency effects.

With the help of Covestro’s DirectCoating technology, automotive interior parts with seamless, smart surfaces can be produced quickly and effectively

In Covestro’s DirectCoating process, the plastic substrate is first produced in an initial cavity by injection moulding. The resulting part is then transferred to a second, minimally larger mould.

The cavity between the substrate and the laser-engraved RIM mould corresponds exactly to the desired volume of the coating that is injected there. This creates a coated precision part in just two steps. It requires little rework and is highly resistant to chemicals and daylight, adds Covestro.

DirectCoating also offers advantages over conventional coating methods, including a shorter and faster process, no overspray and no need for a separate drying step.

Consortium develops lower-cost and lighter battery for e-mobility Although millions of electric cars and plug-in hybrids from many manufacturers are already on the road, there are still no generally recognised standards for the individual components in terms of service life or materials used. Moreover, the vehicles themselves are under rapid development.

One way of increasing the range of electric cars is by improving battery storage capacity and through efficient energy recovery. A second approach is to reduce the weight of the individual components, in order to reduce the energy needed to overcome driving resistance (tyre rolling, inclination, and acceleration).

The effect of weight reduction on the efficiency of the drive depends on the propulsion strategy of the electric vehicle.

Thus, a consortium consisting of Lorenz Kunststofftechnik, Forward Engineering, Evonik, LION Smart, Vestaro, and Minth (the European headquarters of Chinese automotive supplier Minth Group) has developed a solution to help improve efficiency through lightweight construction.

In late 2019, work started on a brand-independent, lowcost battery housing solution in different sizes for electric vehicles. The result of the cooperation was a significant weight reduction of the battery by about 10% over other commonly

A cooperation between Covestro, Votteler, Reichle and Merck has resulted in the development of dashboards for car interiors being designed with comfort and the addition of infotainment

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Injection Moulding Asia Automotive Two aluminium deformation elements provide the necessary side impact protection through absorption. The module alignment of the battery cells enables separation of the electric poles, which provides higher safety in the event of a crash and enables easy cooling.

Another partner LION Smart’s supercell concept was used for the batteries. “The design of the battery cells with a low number of components is intended for fully automated, cost-efficient production,” explains Taschner. “In addition, the battery design is particularly safe, as the individual cells are enclosed in a non-flammable dielectric coolant.” This not only provides higher safety, it also ensures a constantly low average temperature within the battery, which reduces cell aging. The modular series connection design of the battery also allows flexibility in the number of modules, with a very low overall height of 90 mm.

Furthermore, to verify the safety of the concept and its viability under conditions of actual use, the Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) department at Forward Engineering performed structural and safety simulations, according to Taschner.

The tests included a simulation of overall torsion and bending rigidity, lateral pole impact of up to 350 kN and short pressure resistance in thermal runaway, all of which were passed without problems. The limited mechanical performance of the base structure resulting from its intentionally simple geometry was effectively compensated by the optimised GF SMC, thanks to the design freedoms provided by the material.

The insulating properties of the epoxy SMC housing came to the fore in the thermal 2D simulation of the battery pack, noted Lorenz, adding that the material can withstand 10 minutes at 800°C without burning through, and its insulating properties protect surrounding components and materials from temperatures over 300°C. In the past, glass fibre-reinforced SMC materials have been difficult to work with, so this point was likewise thoroughly tested.

Lorenz made multiple complex hardware demonstrators to verify the series suitability of the material and the production process, by using Evonik’s diamine-based epoxy hardener to create a simple and fast-curing SMC material with the required mechanical properties.

The company also adds that it was able to have curing times of three minutes in tests, without workpieces adhering to the mould. Moreover, the SMC with Vestalite S has no styrene emissions and only low VOC emissions.

The cooperation partners have made several configurations of their battery concept.

“Currently, we offer three energy configurations, which are competitive with or superior to current battery models on the market in terms of energy density, safety, and costs,” says Taschner.

“With all-in weights of 412.1 kg at 65 kWh, 527.3 kg at 85 kWh and 789.2 kg for the configuration with 800 V at 120 kWh, and the modularity and flexibility of the overall concept, we consider ourselves in a very good position to compete with other suppliers,” he concludes.

A consortium has developed a lower-cost and lighter battery concept for e-vehicles

used material combinations, without sacrificing any mechanical properties. In addition, the glass fibre-reinforced epoxy SMC – purpose-developed for the battery housing – meets all fire resistance requirements and is easy to work, even with complex geometries. The entire concept has been tested and shown to be suitable for series production and is said to be safe even under extreme conditions.

Components used in lightweight construction for hybrid and electric vehicles, such as battery housings, must not only be low in weight, but also exhibit high rigidity and strength. Carbon fibre-reinforced SMC materials can be used for this purpose, but they are very expensive and typically non-recyclable. Beyond that, there were few available materials with the necessary attributes, as they were either too heavy or had insufficient mechanical strength.

For the battery housing, Evonik’s Vestalite S epoxy hardener was used to develop a new SMC with a density between 1.5 and 1.7 g/cm³. It also features a bending strength of > 350 MPa, a flexural modulus of elasticity of > 18,500 MPa, and an impact resistance of > 150 kJ/m2.

By using an epoxy resin instead of the usual polyester resin, it was possible to eliminate other problems that normally arise in working with glass fibre-reinforced SMC materials. The moulding material can be worked into complex geometries without adhering to the mould, the formulation has better mechanical properties than conventional SMC materials and features good fibre course in the moulding process, say the firms.

Moreover, Lorenz has an established process for recycling glass fibre-reinforced SMC materials, which is an important consideration given the sustainability requirements in the automotive industry.

For the supporting structure of the battery housing, the cooperation partners chose aluminium as a proven lightweight material. The general goal for the supporting structure was simple geometries and thus lower production costs.

“The bottom plate is the basis of the entire battery construction and has cross-members that the battery module is mounted on. The carrier plate for the battery management system is also attached to the aluminIum base,” reports Philipp Taschner, Project Engineer of Vestaro.

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Rubber Journal Asia Industry News • US-based Minnesota Rubber and Plastics (MRP) has acquired Pawling Engineered Products, a New York-based custom rubber products manufacturer. MRP, which has facilities across North America, Europe, and Asia, said that the addition of Pawling’s capabilities will complement its existing offerings.

MRP is also building a 9,000-sq ft innovation Centre adjacent to the company’s corporate headquarters in Plymouth. The new facility aims to provide customers with direct access to immersive designprototype-build-test process.

• US-headquartered ExxonMobil Chemical is to sell its global Santoprene business for US$1.15 billion to Celanese. The sale includes two world-scale manufacturing sites in the US and UK. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2021, subject to regulatory approvals.

• Malaysia-headquartered agrochemical company Hextar Global Bhd is acquiring Nobel Synthetic Polymer Sdn Bhd and Nobel Scientific Sdn Bhd, collectively known as Nobel Group, for RM105 million. The group provides anti-tack rubber lubricants and coatings for the rubber industry.

Its acquisition will be funded through internally-generated funds and bank borrowings, according to Hextar, which is expanding its footprint in the specialty chemicals segment.

• Bridgestone Americas is securing Azuga Holdings and the Azuga fleet management platform for US$391 million. The acquisition is anticipated to accelerate Bridgestone’s efforts in sustainable mobility solutions as a key aspect of the company’s advanced mobility strategy. The transaction is expected to close by the third quarter of this year.

• Investment firm Altaris Capital Partners has completed the acquisition of a 51% stake in US biomaterials company Solesis from French tyre maker Michelin,

who retains 49% of its stake in Solesis, which now operates as an independent company. It develops critical components for implantable medical devices and single-use technologies for the biopharmaceutical market, including cell and gene therapies.

Meanwhile, Michelin has secured a 20% share in Gothenburgheadquartered tyre recycling company Enviro Systems following the dilution of its holding in May as a result of the completed new issue.

The increase in its holding was via its subsidiary acquiring 2 million of the shares that were issued in May to Unwrap Finance AB. Michelin has also acquired 100% ownership of Allopneus SAS, a French firm involved in online sales and tyre fitting. Since 2015, Michelin had held 40% of the capital of the company, founded in 2004 by the Blaise family. With this acquisition, Michelin consolidates its e-commerce presence in France. Based in Aix-enProvence, Allopneus has had strong growth since 2004, accounting for 40% of the French online tyre sales market to private individuals.

• Swedish engineered polymer solutions company Trelleborg Group is divesting its Czech technical rubber products business to Czech investment group Kaprain. The transaction is expected to be finalised by the fourth quarter 2021.

• US-based polymer firm Trinseo is to acquire Aristech Surfaces, a North American manufacturer of PMMA continuous cast and solid surface sheets, from SK AA Holdings, an affiliate of Falcon Private Holdings.

• US engineered products maker ILC Dover, a portfolio company of New York-based investment firm New Mountain Capital, has acquired Flexan, an Illinoisheadquartered medical device contract design and manufacturing company that specialises in silicone, thermoplastic, and specialty rubber components and devices.

• Tokyo-headquartered Shin-Etsu Chemical’s Silicone Division will be ploughing an investment totalling JPY20 billion to curb greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). The Silicone Division’s main manufacturing plant, the Gunma Complex, will reduce the volume of GHGs by 14%, by further increasing self-sufficiency in its usage of electric power.

• India-based carbon black manufacturer Birla Carbon is targeting to achieve a zero net carbon emissions by 2050. The company is collaborating with its sister companies within the Indian multinational conglomerate, Aditya Birla Group, to develop decarbonisation initiatives through the Aditya Birla Science and Technology Centre. Recently, Birla Carbon also announced the availability of Sustainable Carbonaceous Materials (SCM) through the launch of its Continua brand.

• Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical is to end production at its 40,000-tonne/ year EPDM plant at its Chiba Works and to stop selling EPDM by the end of March 2023 since the expenses of maintaining and repairing EPDM production plants, which have been in operation for more than 50 years, are rising.

• US recycling firm Agilyx Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Agilyx AS, and South Korean Kumho Petrochemical, a manufacturer of synthetic rubber, are collaborating in a chemical recycling project in South Korea. It will use Agilyx’s chemical recycling technology to produce pure styrene from post-use PS. This would be used as a virgin equivalent raw material to produce solution SSBR for the large volume, high-performance tyre segment.

• Carbon black maker Orion Engineered Carbons is constructing its second plant in Huaibei, Anhui’s eastern region, China. The factory will be able to produce a variety of carbon

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Rubber Journal Asia Industry News black with an initial production capacity of 65-70 kilotonnes/ year. The new facility, which joins Orion’s first Chinese factory in Qingdao and Orion’s production facility in Yeosu, South Korea, will convert waste heat into steam to be supplied to the local industrial park.

Meanwhile, Orion has tied up with state-owned RISE Research Institute of Sweden to produce renewable carbon black.

Luxembourg-headquartered Orion said that it plans to convert the biomass oil into carbon black using its small-scale furnace reactor in Kalscheuren, Germany. Additionally, using a pilot-scale reactor at its site in Piteå, Sweden, RISE will evaluate the use of electrofuels, such as plasma or hydrogen from electrolysis, as sustainable heat sources for the carbon black process.

• US materials science company Dow has launched MobilityScience Studios, which are aimed towards providing faster and more effective solutions for acoustics, sealing, powertrain, and fluid system components.

The first two studios, located in Midland, Michigan and Lake Jackson, Texas, will be used to support the development of transportation technologies, Dow said.

• Vizient, a US healthcare company, and Sri Trang Gloves, a Thailandbased glove manufacturer, are to improve supply of chemo-rated nitrile exam gloves as part of the Vizient Novaplus Enhanced Supply programme. Vizient members will be able to commit to a monthly purchasing volume for nitrile gloves at any level as part of the arrangement with Sri Trang, and Sri Trang will keep a 90-day onshore supply particularly for that provider organisation.

• Texas-headquartered McDermott International has been awarded a Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) contract from the Michelin Group for a waste tyre technology enabling large-scale production

of recycled carbon black. This award follows a similar FEED announcement in April, which is focusing on the production of regenerated styrene to make synthetic rubber for tyres. In the implementation of this, Michelin will use Scandinavian Enviro Systems’ licensed pyrolysis process.

• German technology firm Continental is to use reprocessed polyester derived from recycled PET bottles in its tyre production by 2022. The new sustainable polyester yarn will be obtained from PET bottles by a mechanical process and will be used in the construction of the tyre carcass, to completely replace conventional polyester.

Together with its cooperation partner/supplier OTIZ, a fibre specialist and textile manufacturer, Continental has developed a special technology to recycle PET bottles without previous intermediate chemical steps and to make the polyester yarn functional for tyres.

• South Korean chemicals maker Kumho Petrochemical has developed a sustainable rubber compound, by producing silica from rice bran extracts. The ecofriendly silica is used for improving the fuel efficiency, braking power and wear resistance of synthetic rubber for tyres. In view of this development, Kumho Petrochemical is planning to double its synthetic rubber production capacity from the current 63,000 tonnes to 123,000 tonnes by the end of next year.

• US-headquartered carbon-based products producer Rain Carbon has opened a rubber lab at its distillation and advanced materials facility in Duisburg, Germany.

The US$1.3 million lab comprises a complete processing line, starting with a rubber bale cutter, continuing with a lab station for internal mixing, and concluding with complete analysis employing cutting-edge rubber-process and dynamic-mechanical analysers.

• Moscow-headquartered energy corporation PJSC Lukoil has launched its polymer-bitumen binder production unit at its Nizhny Novgorod refinery, with an output of over 150,000 tonnes/year.

• Wuxi-headquartered tyre maker Jiangsu General Science Technology (JGST) is building a EUR166 million tyre factory in Sihanoukville special economic zone, Cambodia. The plant will have a capacity to produce 6 million passenger car tyres/ year. The tyre processing plant, to be completed in 15 months, is expected to start up in September 2022.

• MOL and Tatneft, one of the largest oil and gas companies in Russia, have launched a joint project for a rubber bitumen plant in the Republic of Tatarstan.

The companies are also forming a joint venture that, besides manufacturing and selling rubber bitumen, will also market MOL’s technology license in the Commonwealth of Independent States. The investment is partly financed by the Hungarian Export Development Agency’s (HEPA) tender funding.

• Indian coal tar derivatives company Epsilon Carbon Private Limited (ECPL) has set up India’s first integrated carbon black complex located in Karnataka, South India.

With a capacity of 115,000 tonnes/ year, the carbon black unit is already running close to its full capacity, producing both tread and carcass grades of ASTM carbon blacks for tyre, non-tyre rubber and plastic masterbatch partners globally. As part of Phase 2, ECPL will further expand its capacity by another 65,000 tonnes/year, with an investment of US$800 million, which will bring the total investment to US$2 billion.

ECPL plans to further expand capacity to total 300,000 tonnes/ year, making it India’s largest single location carbon black plant.

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Rubber Journal Asia Silicones

Breakthroughs in medical-grade silicones at full speed As a result, this elastomer is being used extensively by leading industry players in the development of cutting-edge medical equipment such as dental instruments, prosthetics, pacemakers, and other drug delivery devices. With the increasing preference for medical-grade silicones, the market is set to grow exponentially. According to Global Industry Analyst audit, the market is expected to reach US$1.8 billion by 2027, up from an estimated US$1.3 billion in 2020.

Furthermore, silicones are widely used in the personal care, consumer products, construction, and electronics industries, fuelling the growth of the global silicone market.

Liquid silicone rubber (LSR), a popular material for single-use device parts, is ideal for sealing membranes, electric connectors, seals, and other medical applications due to its high microbiological and chemical resistance, good transparency, gas permeability, clarity, elongation feature, superior dielectric strength, and other material properties.

Concurrently, materials with additional qualities are increasing appeal in application development, in tandem with the rising use of silicone in these major industries.

New techniques and technologies are also being developed to improve silicone functionality while also providing productivity and energy efficiency benefits to producers.

To address the need for important medical

devices, new silicone technologies are being developed and made available, according to Angelica Buan.

Growth expected for silicone elastomers As with all global elastomer markets, the silicone elastomers market also suffered a serious setback since the beginning of 2020. However, unlike other elastomer markets, the silicone elastomer market is rebounding rapidly, despite (or more importantly because of) the Covid-19 pandemic, says research firm Smithers in its latest report titled “The Future of Silicone Elastomers to 2026”.

The silicone elastomers global market was 415,000 tonnes in 2016, and increased at a CAGR of 6.15% to 496,000 tonnes in 2019. Due to Covid-19, the global market is estimated to have fallen to 421,000 tonnes in 2020, but expected to grow to 556,000 tonnes in 2026, at a CAGR of 5.1%.

While transportation is the largest end-use sector, with 27.7% of the market in 2020; and forecast to increase to 28.1% in 2026, the medical sector is expected to buoy demand. This is because the advent of Covid-19 has seriously challenged the market for silicone elastomers, presenting positive opportunities in medical and automotive applications, but a reduction in other markets, adds Smithers.

Besides being used as replacements for some thermoplastic elastomers, silicones are also expected to see heightened demand for use in medical applications; automotive under-the-bonnet applications and as a support medium for flexible solar panels, the report adds.

Antifungal silicones to curb infections Antiviral agents, in addition to disinfecting surfaces, play an important role in preventing disease transmission.

Taiwanese silicones specialist General Silicones (GS) offers its antifungal silicone sheets for protective coatings, which can be used in applications where surfaces are frequently handled and thus become a source of germ transmission.

Silicones make the medical grade Single-use medical devices are in the spotlight as the quest for herd immunity from the coronavirus/Covid-19 continues. While the global situation remains challenging, patient care is focused on the most fundamental needs: hygienic, lightweight, low-cost, and easy-to-use devices.

Without doubt, advancements in medical-grade materials such as silicones fit these criteria, making medical treatments more accessible and efficient.

Medical grade silicone has a high market demand for a variety of applications, from single-use disposable devices to more complex, implantable devices, due to its biocompatibility, sterilisability, durability, excellent conductivity, tensile strength, thermal stability, and other desirable properties.

Silicone rubber sheets allow for ultra-strong and lasting adhesion to base materials and surfaces using standard PUR and hot melt adhesives

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Rubber Journal Asia Silicones Recently, GS’s antifungal silicone rubber sheet for protective coating Compo-SiL obtained ASTM G21 certification from the SGS Hardline Laboratory in Taiwan.

Using standard PU (polyurethane reactive adhesives) and hot melt adhesives, the patented Compo-SiL technology enables ultra-strong and long-lasting adhesion to base materials and surfaces. According to GS, Compo-SiL is the only solution that uses pre-fabricated and cured silicone rubber sheets during mass production and installation work. Furthermore, the colour, texture, and feel can be customised as per customer requirement, and antifungal and antibacterial agents can be added on demand.

Customers receive finished sheets in rolls for integration into standard manufacturing processes.

Because of its exceptional resistance to heat, extreme cold, and UV radiation, as well as the anti-slip properties added during manufacturing, the silicone product is suitable for outdoor use in humid environments.

Being chemically inert to detergents and alcohol-based disinfectants, Compo-SiL sheets are suitable for giving antibacterial and antifungal protection to surfaces of tables, chairs, handrails, and door handles in public places.

Medical devices and facilities, public transportation, and elderly care facilities are some examples of applications.

The electrically conductive qualities of the cured product are considerably improved by effectively distributing Zeon’s SG101 carbon nanotubes with NovationSi’s PURmix HCR compounds. Medical gadgets that perform neuromodulation therapies on the human body are one practical application of this silicone technology.

According to NovationSi, the US FDA has already approved the first clinical application of these silicone compounds in the treatment of essential tremors, a neurological disease marked by uncontrollable and rhythmic shaking that can affect nearly any area of the body. Moreover, the compounds have been introduced to the medical device market for patients’ use under physicians’ care.

Many patients had a reduction in tremors as a result of the therapeutic breakthroughs made possible by this new technology, according to clinical studies related with this study.

NovationSi added that the technology is still in its early stages of development, but it is being improved by integrating with technologies of other companies. The likelihood that its application in medical devices would spur commercial development for wider industrial use is starting to emerge; and strong growth is expected in 2022.

Lightweight solution for enhanced productivity and energy savings In a variety of industries, including automobiles and transportation vehicles such as airplanes, as well as other fields such as wearable devices, demand for lighter rubber-moulded products is on the rise. Silicone rubber applications are expected to become more common with the development of lighter products.

In this arena, Japanese silicone specialist ShinEtsu Chemical Co has developed a new low-density type of moulding silicone rubber that is lightweight.

The company says it is the first in the industry to have developed this type of moulding silicone rubber using LIMS (liquid injection moulding system) materials.

NovationSi’s HCR uses a patent-pending technology that incorporates a revolutionary single-wall carbon nanotube (SG101) developed by Zeon Corporation

Electrically conductive silicone compounds Elsewhere, high consistency rubber (HCR) healthcare compounds have been developed by Novation Solutions (NovationSi), a materials science company that specialises in silicone dispersions. It uses a patent-pending technology that incorporates a revolutionary single-wall carbon nanotube (SG101) developed by Japanese synthetic rubber company Zeon Corporation.

Shin-Etsu developed a new low-density type of moulding silicone rubber using LIMS materials

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Rubber Journal Asia Silicones A foaming agent was usually applied to millable-type silicone rubber and moulded into a sponge-like form to make lighter-weight silicone rubber. Shin-Etsu adds that its product eliminates the need for a foaming agent.

Additionally, it can be moulded utilising its advanced LIMS, thus, it can a meet the demand for improved quality and productivity from moulding producers.

The silicone product comes in two varieties: a lowdensity/high-strength type that saves 20-30% of the weight of regular silicone rubber moulding goods, and a very low-density type that saves 50-60% of the weight of typical silicone rubber moulding products.

Both types can employ an injection moulding machine to perform continuous automatic moulding and, as a result, efficiently make high-quality rubber moulded items, increasing productivity and reducing energy consumption, says the firm.

It also stated that combining LSR with plastics is one of its well-known capabilities. Multicomponent injection moulding, often known as 2C or two-shot multicomponent injection moulding, allows its LSR experts to use extremely advanced tool and process engineering to build innovative products.

Trelleborg, which displayed its specialty extruded tubing and hose products in a variety of sizes at the MD&M West show recently, engineers novel extrusion solutions for its customers’ specific tube and hosing applications, which include for example, multilumen silicone foam extrusions and kink-resistant tubing for critical applications such as pacemaker and neuromodulation leads and urological implants.

Furthermore, Trelleborg’s GeoTransTM technology enables the production of extrusion profiles that can change throughout the length of the extrusion, allowing for unique, customer-specific designs.

It also showed off its moulded components, which are used in medical implants. Trelleborg claims that these unique silicone and thermoplastic moulded parts are created with precise tolerances utilising in-house precision tools and know-how, and that short turnaround prototypes match the need for rapid product development.

The company stated that it is motivated to assist customers with manufacturing challenges such as developing devices that incorporate an active pharmaceutical ingredient for targeted therapy delivery, wound-care applications that require waferthin silicone gel films combined with a drug element, or an innovative cancer treatment approach.

Also at the medical technology exhibition, US silicone specialist SIMTEC-Silicone offered its range of critical components used in ophthalmology, endoscopy, respiratory, drug delivery, fluid management, wearable diagnostics, as well as LSR and LSR multi-shot components.

SIMTEC touts its advanced moulding technology, including class 8 cleanroom and automated LSR/LSR two-shot/multishot manufacturing, which it claims provides high precision silicone components with higher clarity, purity, and value.

The technologies can be applied in medical devices such as respirator masks, dialysis filters and infusion pump parts, syringe parts, and more – all of which are critical to the medical and pharmaceutical industries.

Faster and higher output with LSR technology Trelleborg, a Swiss engineering firm, has created and provided silicone tubing, film, and custom-moulded components, as well as elastomer and polymer seals, to biotech and pharmaceutical equipment and medical device makers. To broaden its customer offerings, the company has made significant investments in advanced technology.

Trelleborg Healthcare & Medical, the group’s USbased unit, acquired Switzerland-based SilcoTech in 2011, bolstering its silicone clout by honing Silcotech’s expertise in LSR technology and, in particular, automation of the process to enable high-volume production of precision LSR components.

Recently, Trelleborg demonstrated its advanced polymer solutions, as well as multicomponent and micromoulding capabilities, at a medical device expo in the US. Trelleborg claims that its latest capability will help customers speed up the creation of new products while also lowering production costs, shortening development time, and ensuring high-quality products.

Trelleborg engineers novel extrusion solutions for its customers’ specific tube and hosing applications

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Do you know what actually has a lasting impact? The power density of your drive! The planetary roller screw drive of our hybrid and electric ALLROUNDERs is the best you will find on the entire market, and not just in this respect. Make sure you get the best results! In terms of noise emission, cooling, power transmission, load capacity, compactness, and spare parts supply – we deliver, right across the board. And on top of that there’s a five-year warranty. Our planetary roller screw drive: one of a kind! www.arburg.com