WELCOME TO POZNAŃ

• The Circular Economy for Plastics — Key Facts on Plastics Production, Demand, Conversion and End of Life Management in Europe and in Poland — Anna KozeraSzalkowska, Plastics Europe Polska

• Hybrid Machines — Opportunities and Threats — Przemysław Orlik, Orex

• The Development of Polystyrene-based Rotomoulding Materials — Dr. Nick Henwood

• Postcards from the North American Rotomoulding Market — David Smith, ARM

• Update on the Latest from ARMO and the New ARMO Problem-solving App — Wayne Wiid, Pioneer Plastics and ARMO Chairperson

• Research on Rotomolding Materials for the Type IV Hydrogen Cylinder — RPC-CPPIA Speaker

Gold sponsors of the event are LyondellBasell and Matrix Polymers; Silver sponsors are Corcoran Chemicals, Dram srl, Ingenia Polymers, Maus, Modelmakerij Hengelo, Orex Rotomoulding, Persico, Polymer Link, and Rotovia; Bronze sponsors are Alloyplast/JL Goor, Boca, Gerbaldo Polimeri, MPLAST (India), Poliplast, Polivinil Rotomachinery, Rotospace, SAT Thermique, and Ultra Polymers.

LyondellBasell Marketing Manager Angélique

Brocatus states: “As a leading supplier of rotational moulding powders, LyondellBasell has a very broad port-folio of decorative and performance powders available, and these can meet virtually any product processing and performance needs.

We have a full range of natural, compounded colors, special effects, and high-performance grades such as crosslink, polypropylene, polyamide, semiconductive, and more. At ARMO 2023, LyondellBasell will specifically highlight its well-established Icorene brand.”

Matrix Polymers Group CEO Martin Coles states: “Sustainability is the theme for the ARMO Poznań conference and Matrix Polymers will be giving two presentations highlighting where the industry needs to focus and what the company is doing to help contribute towards a sustainable future for the rotational moulding industry.” relative energy intensive nature of the rotational moulding process will have most processors looking for technology that optimises efficiency so that businesses remain resilient to future potential shocks while also minimising their environmental impact.

As mentioned, some sponsorship opportunities are still available. Gold and Silver sponsorship includes the opportunity to give a presentation at the conference.

The global rotational moulding market was valued at over $4.4 billion dollars in 2020. Expansion in Asia Pacific territories — mainly for the infrastructure and housing markets — now represent the largest markets for rotationally moulded products, closely followed by the United States, owing to its large and developed cohort of plastics processors.

The prospects for the rotational moulding industry as a whole are therefore perceived to be strong, with annual growth figures of around 6% expected for the rest of the decade.

The Global Rotational Moulding Market

The triennial ARMO event cycle is now back on track after disruption due to COVID-19. Ordinarily, the Hamburg 2018 edition would have been followed by a conference in 2021. ARMO 2023 organisers are therefore anticipating a keen appetite for networking at the event and for lots of core news and technology to be unveiled in September 2023.

The five years since ARMO 2018 have seen much change. There has been progress in international commitments to progressing sustainability issues and the circular economy, working practises have evolved due to the pandemic and businesses have had to operate with unprecedented supply chain and material supply issues, as well as sharp spikes in energy prices.

The theme of ‘sustainability’ will encompass many of these challenges faced by the industry. And given recent global events, the

Technology wise, the issues of long moulding cycle times continue to apply, as do issues of mould temperature control and mould cooling. The rotational moulding industry’s fortunes also remain closely linked to those of polyethylene, the polymer that accounts for at least 85% of all rotational product applications according to multiple online sources.

Rotational Moulding in Poland

As mentioned, ARMO (the organisation, not the conference) is a global alliance of rotational moulding organisations located in different regions of the world. These are: AFR (France), ARM (North America), ARMA (Australasia), ARMSA (Southern Africa), ARM-CE (Central Europe), ANIPAC (Mexico), IT-RO (Italy), BPF (UK), CPPIA (China), Nordic ARM (Scandinavia), StAR (India & Asia), and Rotopol (Poland).

Rotopol was established in 2007 in Poznań to support and undertake activities for the development of rotational moulding technology in Poland. It is affiliated with the Poznań University of Technology and has been a member of ARMO since 2012.

The aim of Rotopol is to assist the development of rotational moulding methods and polymer processing technologies in Poland by supporting research at rotational moulding factories, Poznań University of Technology, and other universities. It also aims to support its members in the social movement for the development of rotational-moulding-focused science and technology.

It promotes scientific and technical solutions resulting from research inspired by its members and conducts courses and training in the field of rotational moulding technology, making use of the premises and infrastructure of the Poznań University of Technology.

Rotopol President Professor Marek Szostak states: “We are very excited to be welcoming the ARMO community to our world-leading facilities at Poznań University of Technology in September.

Rotopol is a very active player in this particular part of plastics processing. We have 29 active members, including 24 moulders from some 70 rotational moulding plants that currently operate in Poland.

We will have much to show in September 2023 – and much to share!”

The City of Poznań

Poznań is one of the oldest cities in Poland and one of four historical medieval Polish capitals. With a population of over half a million, Poznań is one of the largest cities in Poland today.

Poznań is set on the River Warta in west central Poland and is an important cultural and business centre. It is considered one of the most business-friendly locations in Poland. The city hosts the Poznań International Fair, the largest in Poland and one of the largest fairs in Europe. Among Poznań’s most important historical sites are the Renaissance-period old quarter, the Town Hall and the city’s Gothic Cathedral.

Founded in 1955, Poznań University of Technology (PUT) is now known as one of the best technical universities in Poland. The University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP) system places PUT in the top 6% of universities worldwide. It has a total of ten faculties and also has an Institute of Management Engineering and an Institute of Environmental Engineering. The university also runs a number of exchange programmes throughout Europe – promoting advanced engineering.

Partner Activities at ARMO 2023

If the person accompanying you on your trip does not want to spend all their time at the conference — don’t worry! Activities are being arranged so that they can enjoy the sites of Poznań as part of a social group. These activities include:

• Visiting two palaces in the vicinity of Poznań (Rogalin and Kórnik) — a half-day trip.

• Half a day of sightseeing in Poznań, with a guide.

• A three-hour boat trip on the river Warta.

The BPF and ARMO 2023

ARMO 2023 co-organiser, the British Plastics Federation (BPF), is the world’s longest running plastics trade association and has a thriving rotational moulding group. In fact, the former BPF President, Karen Drinkwater, is a long-standing part of the rotational moulding community and a founding director of JSC Rotational Ltd. Between 2011 and 2015, Karen was chairperson of the BPF’s Rotational Moulders Group and during this time, she emphasised the need for the rotational moulding industry to engage with young designers. Karen was at the heart of the highly successful BPF-run ARMO conference in Nottingham in 2015. Since then, she has played an active role within the BPF’s council, championing the needs of Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) within plastics manufacturing.

Former BPF President Karen Drinkwater states: “With news of the latest rotational moulding research, materials and processes, and an opportunity to meet new and existing rotational moulding friends from across the globe, ARMO 23 will definitely be a highlight event for 2023.”

Chair of the BPF Rotational Moulders Group Phil Maddox states: “We are delighted to partner with Rotopol in what will be another ground-breaking ARMO event. A host of recent developments coupled with many shared challenges faced by manufacturers means the rotational moulding industry’s appetite for networking and understanding the latest innovations is keener than ever.”

The BPF was established in 1933 and has represented and promoted the UK plastics industry ever since. It has more than 500 member companies that span the entire plastics supply chain, including plastics recyclers, polymer suppliers and distributors, additive suppliers, service providers, plastics processors, packaging manufacturers, equipment suppliers, and more. These groups within the BPF represent over 80% of the UK plastics industry by turnover.

Attending ARMO 2023

ARMO 2023 has been priced to encourage as large an audience as possible. Members of ARMO associations (see above for full list) that are moulders can book their first ticket at the discounted rate of €491 + tax, compared to €1,106 + tax for nonmembers; additional tickets can be booked for as little as €368 + tax. Suppliers that are ARMO members can book their place for €983 + tax, with additional tickets at €614 + tax. A list of nearby hotels is also available on the ARMO 2023 website.

Rotational Moulding Exhibition

An important part of the ARMO 2023 conference will be the exhibition, located immediately outside the main conference room. This will provide attendees with the opportunity to network with their peers and will provide exhibitors with the chance to promote their companies and their products at the world’s largest rotational moulding event.

A limited number of exhibition stands are still available to companies who wish to exhibit. All exhibitors receive a table, conference chairs, and a lockable cupboard. There are three sizes of exhibition stands available. Eight-square-metre stands are available at €4,919 + tax, six-square-metre stands can be bought for €3,875 + tax, whilst the smaller four-square-metre stands are available at €2,706 + tax.

Unmissable Networking

ARMO 2023 is not just about seminars and exhibitions. On Monday 11 September, ARMO 2023 will host its conference dinner, which will include entertainment, networking opportunities and the chance to catch up with friends from the world of rotomoulding. The dinner will take place in a historic section of the Poznań Congress centre in Hall 11, the original section of the congress centre, designed by the Eiffel company.

With presentations, exhibitions, dinner, and networking in the beautiful city of Poznań, can you afford to miss out on the opportunity to take part in this important event? To find out more and to book your place visit: www.armo2023.com