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VOLUME XVII, ISSUE 4 • 2021

VOLUME XVII, ISSUE 4 • AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

Rotate for the

Clouds

Ian Hansen, Rota Consult

TECHNOLOGY

Delivering proven performance so you can innovate with confidence.

Learn more about how we can work together to grow your business.

© 2016 Exxon Mobil Corporation. All rights reserved. ExxonMobil, the ExxonMobil logo, the interlocking “X” device and all product names herein are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

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Your rotational molding capabilities begin with the quality and dependability of your polyethylene resin supply. Start your day with PE products and process innovations that help leading rotomolders bring their most complex designs to reality. Accomplish more with our reliable supply network, responsive sales support and expert technology team.

Chemical Tanks: Knowledge is Power Ian Hansen, Rota Consult

Rotational Molding … has anything changed 2 years on?

Alvin Spence, Centro Incorporated

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CONTENTS

FEATURES FEATURE STORY

38

Rotate for the Clouds Ian Hansen, Rota Consult The cloud seat, designed for Starway in China, combines perfect European spirit of simplicity and elegance of the East, to produce a sense of luxury to outside spaces.

由中国的星威国际家居股份有限公司设计的云朵座椅，完美地结合了东方简约与欧式优雅， 由内而外得带来一种奢华感。

44

Rotational Molding … has anything changed 2 years on?

Alvin Spence, Centro Incorporated The new normal has happened in the rotational molding industry over the past two years. During this time, COVID-19 cased a stranglehold of virtually every country and economy around the world.

50

Chemical Tanks: Knowledge is Power Ian Hansen, RotoConsult Information and guidance, primarily on polymer properties, to be aware of when designing a chemical tank fit for purpose.

4 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

www.rotoworldmag.com 5

CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS 8 From the Publisher Susan Gibson, JSJ Productions, Inc.

Statistics Predict Growth for the Plastics Industry

12 Global Contributing Editors

Global Contributors, Department Contributors, and Issue Contributors

14 Upfront

Industry News, Trends, and Products

27 Travel Updates

International Travel During COVID-19

30 At Issue

Martin Coles, Matrix Polymers Reducing Gas Dependancy in Rotomoulding. What are our options?

34 ARM Report

Laws and Murdough to be Inducted in the Hall of Fame

49 Design Comment

Michael Paloian, Integrated Design Systems, Inc. Designing for the Long Term

54 Industry 4.0

Rob Miller, Wittmann Battenfeld Canada Inc. / ROTOLOADTM Mold Use Intelligence (Part 2)

56 ARMO News

ARMA | ARM-CE | ARMSA | BPF | IT-RO | NORDIC ARM | StAR ARMA Webinar on Use of Robotics for the Application of Mould in Graphics

60 Global Calendar 62 Advertisers’ Index 6 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

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In-Stock Machines

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FROM THE

PUBLISHER Susan Gibson, JSJ Productions, Inc.

Statistics Predict Growth for the Plastics Industry Statista is an online portal providing data on the global digital economy, industrial sectors, consumer markets, public opinion, media, demography, and macroeconomic trends. It uses quantitative data from 425 economic sectors in 50 countries with a range of infographic tools for analysis and visualization. In recent studies, statistics and facts, Statista reported, “The plastics industry as a whole has produced more than nine billion metric tons of plastic materials worldwide. Plastics have become a ubiquitous part of human life. The Global Plastics Market was valued at 580 billion U.S. dollars in 2020 and is expected to experience considerable growth over the next decade.”

The report indicated the annual global plastic production reached a high of 368 million metric tons in 2019, having experienced a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) roughly 3. 5 percent from 2010. However, the plastics industry was disrupted in 2020 due the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused outputs to decrease by an estimated .3 percent compared to 2019. It also cited China as the leading producer of plastics, accounting for roughly 31 percent of global production, with North America as the second largest producer with plastic production the United States amounting to more than 56 million metric tons in 2019.

While there are thousands of different plastics, there are approximately seven broader types of plastic produced and consumed in large quantities: polyethylene (PET); high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene/styrofoam (PS), and other miscellaneous plastics. Polyethylene (PE) is the most widely produced plastic worldwide and is used to produce many products including those that are rotomolded. The second-most produced plastic is polypropylene (PP), of which more than 70 million metric tons produced in 2020.

Despite the recent backlash against plastics due to pollution concerns, mostly due to PET bottles, plastic remains a hugely important commodity that is used in virtually all aspects of modern daily life. Thus, plastic demand is set to continue growing for the foreseeable future, with production set to reach 589 million metric tons in 2050. Recently, Plastics News reported in their important annual rotational molding ranking that average sales per company was up 10 percent over 2019, and combined sales of more than $2.6 billion for 2020. 107 firms made this year’s ranking, which was up 3.5 percent

over 2019. Proprietary molding takes the largest share with $1.5 billion (60%); custom molding comes in at $605 million; and captive at $128 million.

Plastics News reported consolidations within the industry accounted for fewer firms being ranked in this year’s report.

Tank Holding Corp has acquired Duracast Products, Inc., Rotational Molding Inc., Rotational Molding Utah, and Spin Products Inc. Myers Industries, Inc. has acquired Ameri-Kart Corp, Elkhart Plastics Inc., and Trilogy Plastics.

Sterling Rotomolding, and Vista Plastic Solutions Inc. each acquired some assets from Acrylon Plastics Inc. However, two new companies were added to the rotational molding ranking this year including: Agri-Plastics Custom Rotomolding of Nebraska and Vista Plastic Solutions of Manitoba.

The movers and shakers for the year included: Simplay3 Co.; Stern Assembly Inc., dba Stern Rotomoulding; Jer-Den Plastics Inc.; Entegris Inc.; Rotoplast Inc.; CPI Products; Faribo Manufacturing Co.; Ken Ross Inc.; Horsemen’s Pride Inc.; and California Rotational Plastics Inc. Be sure to check out the ranking in the August 23 print edition of Plastics News and see their website for the full listings. www. plasticsnews.com/rankings/rotomolders.

We are pleased to bring you some great reading in Issue 4 for 2021.

Ian Hansen, well-known industry consultant, writes about a new rotomolded Cloud Seat that combines the European spirit of simplicity with the elegance of the East in a new product for outside spaces. Alvin Spence writes a remarkable update on changes within the industry over the past two years as COVID-19 placed its hold of virtually every part of the world. Ian Hansen also provides an informative look at what to be aware of when designing a chemical tank fit for purpose.

I want to mention that Contributing Editor Martin Coles is providing a series of excellent information regarding the issue of reducing gas dependency (see page 30). Rob Miller is continuing to address industry members’ questions regarding Industry 4.0 (see page 54). Be sure to keep up with these important columns for up-to-date information valuable to your company’s future.

Looking forward to seeing you at Rotoplas!

Polyethylene (PE) is the most widely produced plastic worldwide and is used to produce many products including those that are rotomolded.

8 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

Susan Gibson Publisher & Editor

A Sustainable Future a history of innovation

This is what drives us in the pursuit of a future that is renewable.

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J-Sustain produces bright, vivid colors so it can be used in indoor and outdoor applications with plenty of aesthetic appeal. Its formulation offers a variety of ways to incorporate the material into your sustainable and green products.

J-Sustain The next revolution in recycled resin.

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www.rotoworldmag.com 9

Susan D. Gibson

Publisher & Editor President - JSJ Productions, Inc. susan@jsjproductionsinc.com

Technical Editor Alvin Spence PhD MEng aspence@centroinc.com Process Editor Paul Nugent PhD MEng paul@paulnugent.com Michael Paloian

Design Editor President - Integrated Design Systems, Inc. paloian@idsys.com

Celal Beysel

Global Contributing Editors

Martin Coles

Chairman - Floteks Plastik beysel@superonline.com Matrix Polymers martin.coles@matrixpolymers.com

Adam Covington Mark Kearns Ravi Mehra

Ferry Industries acovington@ferryindustries.com

Moulding Research Manager m.kearns@qub.ac.uk

Managing Director - Norstar International LLC maramehra@aol.com

Advertising and Art Production Marketing/Advertising Director Jennifer Gibson Hebert Vice President, JSJ Productions, Inc. Chief Art Director Anya Wilcox

jennifer@jsjproductionsinc.com

JSJ Productions, Inc. awilcox@designintersection.com

Circulation & Distribution Administration Sheryl Bjorn JSJ Productions, Inc. sheryl@jsjproductionsinc.com -

Editing & Translations Suzanne Ketron | Oliver Wandres | Sheryl Bjorn Website & Online Technology Jason Cooper JSJ Productions, Inc. jason@bound.by RotoWorld® is a JSJ Productions, Inc. Trade Publication JSJ Productions, Inc. 625 West Market Street, Salinas, CA 93901 Phone: (512) 894.4106; Fax (512) 858.0486 Email: rotoworldmag@rotoworldmag.com and Website: www.rotoworldmag.com Subscriptions One-year subscription (six issues), print or digital, $60 US, $90 Canada/Mexico, $135 All Other Countries.

To subscribe or to submit change of address information, call us at (512) 894.4106; fax us at (512) 858.0486; visit us online at www.rotoworldmag.com; or email us at sheryl@jsjproductionsinc.com.

You may also write to RotoWorld® Subscriptions, JSJ Productions, Inc., 625 West Market Street, Salinas, CA 93901 Advertising For information on advertising, please contact Advertising Director Jennifer Gibson Hebert, JSJ Productions, Inc. Email Jennifer Gibson at jennifer@jsjproductionsinc.com Letters We welcome letters about our contents. Write Letters to the Editor, JSJ Productions, Inc., 625 West Market Street, Salinas, CA 93901 512.894.4106 phone 512.858.0486 fax, or Email susan@jsjproductionsinc.com.

Editorial Queries We consider unsolicited contributions.

Send manuscript submissions as email attachment to Susan Gibson at susan@jsjproductionsinc.com.

JSJ Productions, Inc. bears no responsibility for claim or factual data represented in contributed articles.

Postmaster Send changes of address to RotoWorld®, JSJ Productions, Inc., 625 West Market Street, Salinas, CA 93901 RotoWorld® is a JSJ Productions, Inc. independently owned, bi-monthly trade magazine for the international rotational molding and plastics design industries. JSJ Productions, Inc. owns all copyrights on articles published herein unless ownership is otherwise stated.

Reproduction of this magazine, in whole or in part, without the express written p ­ ermission of the publisher is not permitted.

10 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

Experts In Rotomoulding Materials

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• Polyethylene Granules & Powders

• Dedicated Technical Services Support Team

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• Multi-lingual Customer Service • 5 Production Sites across 3 Continents

UK | Poland | Australia | New Zealand | Malaysia

To learn more about our products & material solutions get in touch at sales@matrixpolymers.com matrixpolymers.com

CONTRIBUTING

EDITORS ROTOWORLD ®

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625 West Market Street Salinas, CA 93901 USA VOLUME XVI, ISSUE 4 • 2020

VOLUME XVII, ISSUE 2 • 2021

VOLUME XVII, ISSUE 6 • 2020/2021

Brian Olesen, Centro Inc., President & CEO

Dr. Nick Henwood, Rotomotive Limited

Viscosity and Melt Index

Influence Material Selection

Alvin Spence, Centro, Incorporated

MARKETS

ogo, the interlocking “X” device and all product names herein are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Delivering proven performance so you can innovate with confidence.

ROTOPLAS 2021 is on!

WWW.ROTOWORLDMAG .COM

Susan Gibson, JSJ Productions, Inc.

DESIGN

Delivering proven performance so you can innovate with confidence.

Delivering proven performance so you can innovate with confidence.

Maintaining healthy reputations During a Pandemic

© 2016 Exxon Mobil Corporation. All rights reserved. ExxonMobil, the ExxonMobil logo, the interlocking “X” device and all product names herein are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Your rotational molding capabilities begin with the quality and dependability of your polyethylene resin supply. Start your day with PE products and process innovations that help leading rotomolders bring their most complex designs to reality. Accomplish more with our reliable supply network, responsive sales support and expert technology team.

Delivering proven performance so you can innovate with confidence.

Learn more about how we can work together to grow your business.

U.S. ROTATIONAL MOLDING: THE ROAD AHEAD Future trend of growth in the u.S. And global economies in a time of pandemic.

THE SEVEN SIMULTANEOUS STAGES OF ROTATIONAL MOULDING

© 2016 Exxon Mobil Corporation. All rights reserved. ExxonMobil, the ExxonMobil logo, the interlocking “X” device and all product names herein are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Your rotational molding capabilities begin with the quality and dependability of your polyethylene resin supply. Start your day with PE products and process innovations that help leading rotomolders bring their most complex designs to reality. Accomplish more with our reliable supply network, responsive sales support and expert technology team.

Learn more about how we can work together to grow your business.

WWW.ROTOWORLDMAG .COM

2020 ARM Annual Meeting Online

Karem Akoul, Peter Ross, Brian Allen and David Seall CP Cases, London; Mark Kearns and Dr. Peter Martin, Queen’s University, Belfast

Rotomoulding’s Fight Against COVID-19

WWW.ROTOWORLDMAG .COM

VOLUME XVII, ISSUE 6 • DECEMBER 2020-JANUARY 2021

LEADERSHIP

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Need to Know about Michelle Rose, ARMA Polymer Chemistry

The Use of Virtual Reality in the Development of a New Rotational Moulding Factory

VOLUME XVI, ISSUE 3 • 2020

From Zeros to Heroes

CONVERSION

ARMA Rotoconnect’s What Rotomolders

3 WAYS THE CORONAVIRUS VIRUS IS CHANGING WHO WE ARE

MARKETS

VOLUME XVI, ISSUE 3 • MAY-JUNE 2020

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Shift to Digital

Rob Miller, Wittmann Battenfeld Canada Inc. / ROTOLOADTM

Your rotational molding capabilities begin with the quality and dependability of your polyethylene resin supply. Start your day with PE products and process innovations that help leading rotomolders bring their most complex designs to reality. Accomplish more with our reliable supply network, responsive sales support and expert technology team.

VOLUME XVII, ISSUE 2 • JUNE-JULY 2021

ROTOWORLD ®

VOLUME XVI, ISSUE 5 • OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020

TECHNOLOGY

Put Your Money...

Where Your Delivering proven performance Money is! so you can innovate with confidence.

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in Indian 625 West Market Street Agriculture…

Salinas, CA 93901 USA Sunil Raithatha, Prashant Trivedi & Umakant Savadekar

gin with the quality and n supply. Start your day with hat help leading rotomolders ality. Accomplish more with e sales support and expert

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en performance ovate with confidence.

ow your

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The Power of Pigment

A Study of Dry Blending

Succeeding in Uncertain Times

Consider how humans perceive the future

© 2016 Exxon Mobil Corporation. All rights reserved. ExxonMobil, the ExxonMobil logo, the interlocking “X” device and all product names herein are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Andrea Lekushoff, Broad Reach Communications

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Learn more about how we can work together to grow your business.

our reliable supply network, responsive sales support and expert technology team.

Learn more about how we can work together to grow your business.

WWW.ROTOWORLDMAG .COM

rotomolding:

Your rotational molding capabilities begin with the quality and Your rotational molding capabilities begin with the quality and dependability of your polyethylene resin supply. Start your day with dependability of your polyethylene resin supply. Start your day with PE products and process innovations that help leading rotomolders bring their most complex designs to reality. Accomplish more PEwith products and process innovations that help leading rotomolders our reliable supply network, responsive sales support and expert bring their most complex designs to reality. Accomplish more with technology team.

The Next 10 Years Paul Nugent, MNOP

Small acts of kindness at work Part 1: MACcreeP benefit the giver, the receiver, and the whole organisation

of Rotomolded Polymer Structures

Eric Lainé, Eric Maziers, Jean-Claude Grandidier

© 2016 Exxon Mobil Corporation. All rights reserved. ExxonMobil, the ExxonMobil logo, the interlocking “X” device and all product names herein are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Alex Fradera

Case Study of a Long-Term Filled Industrial Storage Tank – Prediction at 20 years (Part 3) Eric Lainé, Jean-Claude Grandidier, Eric Maziers, Steve Lewis, Rua Woller, and Alistair Bell

© 2016 Exxon Mobil Corporation. All rights reserved. ExxonMobil, the ExxonMobil logo, the interlocking “X” device and all product names herein are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

TECHNICAL EDITOR

PROCESS EDITOR

Alvin Spence Alvin Spence is Vice President Engineering at Centro, Inc., North Liberty, Iowa. He provides leadership for Centro’s product development team and quality resources. Alvin received his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical & Industrial Engineering and PhD from Queen’s University Belfast. aspence@centroinc.com

DESIGN EDITOR

Paul Nugent Paul is a consultant who travels extensively across six continents assisting clients in many roles from training to expert witnessing.

He received his Eng. degree in Aeronautical Engineering and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University of Belfast.

Paul developed the Rotolog system, the first complete computer simulation (RotoSim), and authored a book entitled Rotational Molding: A Practical Guide. paul@paulnugent.com CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Michael Paloian Michael is President of Integrated Design Systems, Inc., Great Neck, New York. Over the past 25 years, Mike has developed a broad range of plastic products utilizing various processing methods including rotational molding. Mike’s B.S. degree in Plastics Engineering and Masters in Industrial Design, combined with his extensive experience, has formed the basis for his branded and unique insights into the field of plastics part design. paloian@idsys.com

12 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

Celal Beysel Celal is Chairman of Floteks Plastik, the pioneer and innovative leader of the rotational molding industry in Turkey and a Global Contributing Editor for RotoWorld® magazine.

Being an ARM member for more than 20 years, he has made many presentations at ARM meetings in various countries. He is also active in business and political organizations in his country. Celal has authored numerous articles published in various newspapers and magazines about politics, plastics, rotomolding, and innovation. beysel@superonline.com

CONTRIBUTING

EDITORS

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Martin Coles Martin Coles, CEO of Matrix Polymers co-founded the business 30 years ago and is the company’s largest shareholder.

Shortly after graduating from London University, he began his career in the plastics industry working for a major Italian petrochemical and soon became passionate about the unique world of rotomoulding. Matrix Polymers are experts in rotomoulding materials and have become a global supplier with compounding and grinding plants in the UK, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia.

The company sells more than $150 million of rotomoulding materials each year and has 230 employees. martin.coles@matrixpolymers.com

Adam Covington Adam Covington is President of Ferry Industries, Inc. in Akron, Ohio U.S.A. Covington has been with Ferry Industries for over 11 years, advanced through the manufacturing, engineering, sales, and service positions within the company and was appointed President in 2019. Adam strives to find solutions for customer’s needs and advance machine technology for the rotomolding industry. He is a graduate of Ohio University’s Russ College of Engineering and Technology with a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technology. acovington@ferryindustries.com CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Mark Kearns

M.Kearns@qub.ac.uk

Mark Kearns is the Rotational Moulding Research Manager of the Polymer Processing Research Centre at Queen’s University of Belfast. He is a Chartered Chemical Engineer with a M. Phil Degree in Rotational Moulding. Mark manages rotational moulding research and development projects for companies across Europe, Australasia, and North America.

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Ravi Mehra Ravi Mehra has been associated with the rotational molding industry since the early 1970’s. He is a Past President of ARM – Association of Rotational Molders, and has been inducted into the ARM Hall of Fame. He is the Founding Chairman of StAR – the rotational moulding Trade Association of India. He was the Chairman of ARMO – Affiliation of Rotational Moulding Organizations from 2012 to 2014. Ravi consults internationally with companies in the rotational moulding arena to help their global strategy, facilitate technology tie-ups, and business alliances. maramehra@aol.com CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Rob Miller Rob Miller is Owner/President, Wittmann Battenfeld Canada Inc. Rotoload. Rob started in the plastics pneumatic conveying industry in 1986. He has spent his entire career developing, engineering, and designing all types of catalog, standard, and custom pneumatic conveying systems for the plastics industry. He started in the rotational molding industry in 2013, has enjoyed learning the idiosyncrasies of the industry and market, and most of all meeting the people and building relationships for the future.

Rob.Miller@wittmann-group.ca

Ian Hansen Ian Hansen has over 30 years of experience in the rotational moulding industry and has presented to conferences around the world on the subject of quality, safety, and tank design standards.

Rotomoulders around the globe have problems from time to time. Rota Consult delivers production solutions so rotomoulders can improve productivity and profitability, without wasting more of their valuable time. ianhansenconsult@gmail.com www.ianhansenconsult.com

www.rotoworldmag.com 13

UPFRONT Companies that Care® for 2nd Consecutive Year MIDLAND, MI, USA — Dow (NYSE: DOW) has been

named one of the “2021 PEOPLE Companies that Care®” by Great Place to Work® and PEOPLE, ranking 61 on the expanded list of 100 companies and marking the second consecutive year the Company has earned a spot on this prestigious list.

The “Companies that Care” award is based on analysis of survey responses from more than five million current employees across all sectors of the U.S. economy. PEOPLE partnered with Great Place to Work®, a global people analytics and consulting firm, to analyze employees’ survey feedback on how their workplaces make a difference in their lives and communities.

“Amidst another year of unprecedented change, Team Dow continued to focus its time and talents on being a force for positive action,” said Jim Fitterling, Dow’s chairman and CEO. “Our focus on the employee experience and creating an inclusive culture has enabled our colleagues to adapt, take action and demonstrate care for one another and for all our stakeholders alike.” Companies are assessed on how well they are creating a great employee

experience that cuts across race, gender, age, disability status, or any aspect of who employees are or what their role is.

“A caring environment is essential to creating a better place to work, especially in these uncertain times,” said Dow’s Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Inclusion Officer Karen S. Carter .

“When our people are supported, valued, and included, they can engage and contribute to the fullest. We are honored to receive this recognition for the second year, and we remain committed to cultivating a culture of care.”

In the last year, Dow provided critical support for its stakeholders.

The Company announced an investment in health resources for ongoing COVID-19 relief, quickly responded to needs after several extreme weather events, and continued to make progress on commitments through Dow ACTs , a strategic framework to address systemic racism and racial inequality and accelerate change. In 2021, Dow ranked #99 on the Great Place to Work® and Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list. The Company was also ranked #31 out of 50 in the PEOPLE Companies that Care® 2020.

OVER CNC Molds

Fabricated Molds

14 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

YEARS STRONG

Cast Aluminum Molds

UPFRONT MAAG Group at the Fakuma 2021 OBERGLATT, SWITZERLAND — MAAG

Group is a broadly diversified global solutions provider of Pump & Filtration Systems, Pelletizing & Pulverizing Systems, Recycling Systems, and digital solutions.

MAAG Group is represented at the Fakuma in Friedrichshafen, Germany, from October 12 - 16, 2021. You will have the chance to chat with our experts about our product portfolio for the polymer industry: • MAAG ETTLINGER has unveiled a new generation of tried-and-tested ECO high performance melt filters for use in PET recycling.

Their new features take into account the need for systems with a higher product throughput 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/h, replaces the former ECO 250 Twin.

The ECO 200 completes this range.

• Innovative high-performance pelletizing machines not only for the polymer industry including direct crystallization. Efficient systems for the production of biopolymers. Technologybased, optimized pellet shape up to micro pellets.

Recycling systems with added value. Tools with significantly longer service life until knife change and/ or die plate grinding!

• Innovation in strand pelletizing: From lab size to Compounding/Masterbatch and large-scale polymerization!

• All MAAG Group extrex® gear pump in x6 class design is completely re-engineered and have redesigned components, from the shafts through to the bearings and seals, and optimized the interaction of the components. Specially developed gear teeth with low compression allow very high pressures to be achieved with low shear rates. The result is a further increase in achievable product quality, volumetric efficiency, as well as production consistency and safety.

Strand Pelletizer PRIMO FC 200

For more information on our products, visit www.maag.com.

MAAG Group PEARLO(R) Underwater Pelletizer

www.rotoworldmag.com 15

UPFRONT Ian Hansen Announces Rota Consult SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA —

understand and implement improved Rotomoulding veteran Ian Hansen has practices and process control. In 2016, Ian announced the establishment of Rota received the ARMA ‘Icons of Rotomoulding Consult, an independent advisory service Award’. The award is the highest honor to the rotomoulding industry. Ian will ARMA bestows on an individual for be familiar to many rotomoulders in dedicated service to the Australasian Australasia, and around the world. industry.

After graduating with his Bachelor’s If you are having manufacturing degree from the University of Auckland problems, or you are not making fast Ian worked 15 years for the colour enough progress resolving them, you compounding and grinding company can contact Ian for unbiased help. He is Courtenay, who supplied powders to the happy to have an initial discussion at no rotational moulding industry in New cost to you, to determine if he can help Zealand and Australia. This is where you, or not. He has already provided his he got infected with the rotomoulding services to moulders operating in many bug. In 1997, he moved to Australia continents around the world. Distance is where he spent over 20 yrs. working no obstacle, in this day and age, to be able for both small and large rotational to help anyone with anything related to moulding companies. This lifetime of rotomoulding. experience has given Ian a unique and While troubleshooting rotomoulding I’m excited for insightful understanding of the whole problems is the most popular service he the challenge. rotomoulding industry. offers, Ian can provide any sort of training — Ian Hansen Ian has served as the President of to your manufacturing staff to give them the ARMA (Association of Rotational ability to understand the process better, so Moulders Australasia) and has they can better resolve problems themselves. previously shared his knowledge as a presenter to many He can also assist your product development process by verifying conferences worldwide. He has also been a supporter of designs using Finite Element Analysis in combination with over RotoWorld®, being a regular contributor of articles in the 30 years of experience. magazine for over 10 years. He has conducted training workshops For more information, contact ianhansenconsult@gmail.com and seminars, helping manufacturers around the world to better or see www.ianhansenconsult.com

Trilogy Plastics adds Rotational Molding Capacity ALLIANCE, OHIO, USA — Trilogy Plastics, Inc., a full-

service, ISO 9001 certified custom rotational molder and leader in the field of high quality rotationally molded parts and assemblies with processing facilities in Alliance, Ohio has added capacity to support increased business.

“We invest in technology and our people to continue our journey to be the best custom-only rotational molder in the US,” said Daren Balderson, President of Trilogy Plastics.

Trilogy Plastics has added their 12th rotational molding machine to meet continued growing demand. The custom rotational molder prides itself on producing hard to make rotational molded parts.

The new 220 rotational molding machine is in support of several new 16 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

programs in different markets.

“Our 2020 sales beat 2019 and now business has exploded in the first half of 2021,” said Bryon Osborne, Vice President Sales & Marketing of Trilogy Plastics. “We also plan to add more capacity by year end.”

For more information, visit www.trilogyplastics.com

REDUCTION is a brand of the MAAG Group and expert for integrated pulverizing solutions.

MAAG REDUCTION has marked the 1000th Pulverizer milestone High Performance Pulverizing Technology The REX duo series of plastic pulverizers serve demanding end users who expect high quality powder along with high throughput rates.

The benefits at a glance: ■ Maximum output with lean and efficient machine design ■ Low operating cost with patented Disposable Discs ■ Lab scale machines for trials and product sampling ■ Touch screen controls for safe and easy operation Visit our website and learn more about this powerful pulverizing system.

maag.com

UPFRONT A Premier Compounder for the Rotational Molding Industry WADSWORTH, OH, USA —

Plastic Industries is happy to announce the addition of nearly 30,000 square feet to their warehouse and manufacturing space in Minerva, Ohio. The additional space was needed in order to meet the growing demands of Jerico Plastics customers.

In addition, the company has added a central manufacturing site in Minerva for their J-Sustain sustainable polymer compounds product line that will include their traditional post-industrial formulated compounds and their newly-launched post-consumer engineered compounds.

“At Jerico Plastic Industries, we have put our time to good use on development during the early months of the Pandemic in 2020. In response to the growing call for post-consumer green compounds for both rotational and injection molding, Jerico Plastic has now introduced compounds that contain

18 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

feedstock streams outside of the normal PE products available for these markets,” stated Stephen Copeland, President.

With manufacturing facilities in Minerva, Ohio, and Greensboro, Georgia, Jerico Plastic Industries is committed to excellence in compounding for rotational molding.

As a custom manufacturer of color compounds, specialty resins, and recycled products, the company currently offers rotational molding PP, cross-linkable PE, flame retardant PE, and special effects PE compounds, PE adhesion compounds, and non-traditional engineered sustainable compounds for rotational and injection molding. Jerico Plastic Industries looks forward to serving the needs of a growing industry.

For more information, go to jericoplastic.com

UPFRONT Redline Plastics Announces Expansion MANITOWOC, WI, USA —

Redline Plastics announces a 103,000 sq. ft. expansion to their manufacturing facility in Manitowoc, WI. This expansion will more than double the production space of their current facility, completed in December 2019.

The company has broken ground on the expansion and anticipates the facility will be complete around August of this year.

The additional space is needed due to rapid growth in their rotational molding and vacuum forming businesses.

When Redline opened their 117,5000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in December 2019, the company employed 75 people. The company now employs 145 with about 25 current job openings and more to come as the expansion is completed. “Redline’s incremental growth over the past several years has been nothing

short amazing. This is due to the great team and culture we have been able to form here at Redline,” said Nick Murray, Vice-President of Operations. “We had this expansion planned since the first half of the building started construction in 2019, but we did not anticipate expanding for at least a couple of years.

We are lucky to be in the position we are in and continue our investment in the area, our employees, and our customers.

Without all of them, our success would be limited. Future employment levels are hard to estimate, but if our growth and ability to deliver quality products on time continues, we can more than double our workforce over the next several years.”

The expansion is an investment of over $6 million into the building and capital equipment.

For more information, visit redlineplastics.com

www.rotoworldmag.com 19

UPFRONT Sarah Marshall Named Vice President of Sustainability, NOVA Chemicals CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA

— NOVA Chemicals Corporation (“NOVA Chemicals”) recently announced Sarah Marshall has been promoted to Vice President, Sustainability. In this newly created role, Marshall will be responsible for leading NOVA Chemicals’ long-term Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy, and managing the areas of Climate Care, Corporate Environment, and ESG Reporting.

In her previous role as Director of Sustainability, Marshall collaborated with value chain partners, customers, government officials, industry associations, and others to find innovative solutions to advance a plastics circular economy resulting in new partnerships and development agreements in mechanical and advanced recycling. Moving forward, Greg DeKunder, Vice President Polyethylene Marketing, NOVA Chemicals, will lead this work to develop a plastics circular economy.

“Sarah is a widely recognized and well-respected leader in sustainability. Her passion, experience, and results-oriented nature will be indispensable as we work to decarbonize our industry, strive for a zero plastic waste future, and create value for all our stakeholders,” said John Thayer, Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing, NOVA Chemicals. “How we care for people and the environment is critical to our long-term success and is the essence of our purpose to shape a world that is better tomorrow than it is today.”

Marshall joined NOVA Chemicals in 1997, and since then has served the company in a variety of leadership roles, including Leader, Products & Catalysts R&D and Director, Technical Service & Application Development. She brings more than 20 years of

research and development experience within the petrochemicals industry, previously leading teams of scientists, engineers, and technologists at NOVA Chemicals’ Centre for Applied Research and Centre for Performance Applications – the largest private research facilities in western Canada.

“Accelerating toward a low-carbon future is critically important for the planet and offers new opportunities for the company,” said Marshall. “I am honored and delighted to lead a talented team of professionals as we develop and implement solutions at NOVA Chemicals that benefit our stakeholders, society, and our environment,” Marshall said.

Marshall earned her Bachelor of Engineering degree at McGill University, Montreal, in 1997. She is a member of the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada Plastics Division Leadership Council, and former Chair of the Canadian Plastics Industry Association. A leading expert on the plastics circular economy and broader sustainability issues, Marshall is a sought-after thought leader and speaker within the industry and beyond.

NOVA Chemicals develops and manufactures chemicals and plastic resins that make everyday life healthier, easier and safer. Our employees work to ensure health, safety, security, and environmental stewardship through our commitment to Sustainability and Responsible Care®. NOVA Chemicals, headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is wholly owned ultimately by Mubadala Investment Company of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Visit NOVA Chemicals on the Internet at www.novachem.com.

Big News at Fibertech ELBERFIED, IN USA — Have you heard? Fibertech has been

acquired by South Central Inc! What does that mean for our valued customers and employees?

In short, it means that we will remain committed to the same service-focused philosophy that our customers expect and appreciate while continuing to provide an environment where our dedicated and highly-skilled employees feel safe, encouraged, and rewarded for their performance.

In the long run, having South Central Inc, a 75-year-old, family-owned company based nearby in Evansville, Indiana, and its team at the ready to deliver support and guidance, will provide the solid foundation that Fibertech needs to grow into the next 20 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

generation and beyond. This acquisition will allow us invest in the latest production lines and technology in order to meet and exceed the needs and expectations of our current and future customers, while adding valuable jobs.

This is not only an investment in Fibertech, but an investment in the community. This acquisition will also mark a milestone for our beloved founder, Bill Scott. After 32 years at Fibertech’s helm – which he built from a small repair shop with one customer to the industry powerhouse it is today – Bill will be retiring.

Congratulations, Bill! Well-deserved.

Through it all, Fibertech will maintain its commitment to being valued and respected by industry leaders, customers, employees, and the community.

UPFRONT K 2022 from 19 to 26 October 2022 in Düsseldorf

Registration documents available with immediate effect The time is ripe: with immediate effect the registration documents for K 2022, the world’s most relevant trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry, will be available at www.k-online.com. The deadline for registration for all the companies wishing to participate in K 2022 is 31 May 2021.

The ranges on show at K 2022 include the segments machinery and equipment, raw materials, and auxiliaries as well as semifinished products, technical components, and reinforced plastic products. “K in Düsseldorf is not only the performance barometer for the industry and its global marketplace for innovations, but also provides orientation, sustainable economic impetus and forward-looking trends as well as concrete approaches to solutions,” says Erhard Wienkamp, Managing Director at Messe Düsseldorf. October 2022 will be the perfect timing for the No. 1 trade fair because the effects of the global pandemic have also hit many enterprises from the plastics and rubber sector as well as their customer industries. Therefore, there will be an enormous demand for personal exchange and re-orientation on a global scale in the international plastics and rubber industry.

K in Düsseldorf also always addresses the current challenges of our day and age and specifically of your industry. This is why such subjects as sustainability, resource savings, circular economy and digitalisation, which gathered momentum at K 2019, will also feature among the “hot tickets” of the trade fair at both the exhibitors’ stands and side events. Worth a special mention here is the Special Show entitled “Plastics shape the future” as well as the Science Campus as a forum for science and research.

The registration documents for K 2022 can be downloaded from: www.k-online.com/2330 Companies that already exhibited in 2019 can log in and register using their known log-in data. Exhibitors taking part for the first time will be walked through the registration procedure step by step. For personal advice the team in Düsseldorf and 77 foreign representations and subsidiaries are at your beck and call.

Accelerating Customer Success through better products and better service for rotational molders

Looking for a supplier who provides more than just resins? You found us. NOVA Chemicals has the SURPASS® and NOVAPOL® rotomolding grades you need, and a dedicated team of in-house experts and distribution partners to help you with your next application or troubleshooting needs.

novachem.com

Copyright NOVA Chemicals Corp. 2019, all rights reserved

www.rotoworldmag.com 21

UPFRONT Queen’s University Belfast Launches its New Advanced Rotational Moulding Automation Cell (ARMAC) The Polymer Processing Research Centre (PPRC) at Queen’s University Belfast has recently installed an Advanced Rotational Moulding Automation Cell (ARMAC) supported by its technology partner AMS Belgium BV. (www.ams-innovation. com/). The total investment in the cell and its cutting-edge technology is in the region of €500,000. ARMAC will help improve rotational moulding process efficiency, quality, and speed by utilising the latest state-of-the-art electrically heated autonomous RobomouldingTM machine. The system is up to 50% more efficient in terms of energy use compared with conventional machinery, and is the only one of its kind in the UK & Ireland.

The new cell is composed of two advanced industrial robots.

The larger Robomoulding machine has the capability to manufacture complex, multi-layer foam and fibre-reinforced parts, which is supporting the work of a team of 5 researchers at QUB under 2 EU funded research programmes: CITI-GENS and Renewable Engine (www.renewableengine.co.uk/). These are aimed at improving the efficiency of the rotational moulding process by targeting areas such as: (a) powder distribution simulation; (b) ultrasonic monitoring of material layup within the mould; (c) real-time sintering and densification behaviour of the polymer during moulding; and (d) automated internal mould cooling. A further PhD researcher, sponsored by ARMA (ARMCE & ARMA) is using a second smaller robot in the cell together with a vision system for part location and placement. This project

is also designing specialised end effectors to enable the robot arm to conduct pre and post moulding inspection / operations and provide crucial quality control feedback.

The technology behind the two robots is unique, representing the state-of-the-art for rotational moulding technology and ARMAC will be an invaluable resource for the industry worldwide.

Some of the latest research that has already begun to exploit ARMAC is in: (1) the development of multi-layer hydrogen gas liners for commercial transport / storage solutions; and (2) the testing of advanced digital manufacturing technologies for the rotational moulding process.

Find out more here: https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/ PolymerProcessingResearchCentre/

L-R: PPRC Director Dr. Peter Martin, PPRC Rotational Moulding Manager Mark Kearns, AMS Director Johan Potargent, AMS Principal Engineer Robin van de Put, and PPRC Process Engineer Dr. Mark McCourt

22 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

UPFRONT 2021 SPE Foundation Scholarships Awarded The SPE Foundation recently announced its 2021 Scholarship Recipients. The Foundation supports the development of plastics professionals by funding quality educational programs, grants, and scholarships.

Through its online application portal, the Foundation managed 77 scholarships awarded to 47 outstanding students totaling $190,350. Go here to view the 2021 Scholarship recipients: https://www.4spe.org/i4a/pages/index. cfm?pageid=6890 These scholarships, which are given to students who are pursuing degrees beneficial to the plastics industry, came from the generous donations of individuals renewing their SPE membership, Foundation scholarship funds, the Western Plastics Pioneers, the Plastics Pioneers Association, and 9 SPE Technical Chapters including Extrusion, Thermoforming, Blow Molding, Automotive, Composites, Flexible Packaging, Injection Molding, Polymer Modifier & Additives, and Thermoplastic Materials & Foams, as well as the Cleveland and Detroit Geographical Chapters.

The Bill Bregar Memorial Scholarship, created by Crain Communications, the Bregar Family, and SPE to commemorate

the 31 years Mr. Bregar worked as a Plastics News reporter, was awarded for the first time this year. This scholarship supports aspiring journalists and business communicators interested in plastics or manufacturing. You can still make a donation in his honor by visiting the Bill Bregar Scholarship page at https:// give.4spe.org/campaign/bill-bregar-memorial-scholarship-fund/ c284507 This year the Foundation was able to award seven more scholarships than last year due to the generosity of plastics professionals and companies on our June Giving Day, and the SPE Vinyl Plastics Technical Chapter. Visit our SPE scholarship donation page at https://give.4spe.org/campaign/support-spefoundation-scholarships/c331722 to make a difference. Every dollar received will go directly to a student who aspires to be a plastics professional. Your work and support matters.

2022 applications will be accepted between December 1, 2021, and April 1, 2022 at www.spescholarships.org.

If you or your organization would like to collaborate with the SPE Foundation to award scholarships, contact us directly at foundation@4spe.org.

ROTOLOAD™ powder weighing & dispensing systems

» ROTOLOAD™ is the ONLY solution to ALL of your powder resin handling needs. » ROTOLOAD™ is the ONLY comprehensive line of powder resin conveying and weighing equipment, specifically designed to meet the demands of the Rotational Molding Industry. » ROTOLOAD™ uses vacuum to load your material, hold it above your process machine, and dispense, quickly and accurately. In addition it is the ONLY solution to the question of how to reduce under and overweight parts, mess, downtime and resin loss.

Manufactured by Wittmann Battenfeld Canada Inc.: 35 Leek Crescent | Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4C2

www.rotoworldmag.com 23

UPFRONT Council Adopts European Climate Law A climate neutral EU - what does it mean? that choose to prepare indicative voluntary roadmaps towards The Council today adopted its position at first reading on the achieving the Union’s climate neutrality objective by 2050.

European climate law, ending the adoption procedure, and As well as monitoring the development of such roadmaps, the setting into legislation the objective of a climate-neutral EU Commission will facilitate dialogue at EU-level and sharing of by 2050. This follows a political agreement reached with the best practices among relevant stakeholders.

European Parliament on 21 April and the Parliament’s adoption of its position at first reading on 24 June.

Background and next steps “I warmly welcome this final step of the adoption of the EU’s The European Council, in its conclusions of 12 December 2019, very first climate law which enshrines into legislation the 2050 agreed on the objective of achieving a climate-neutral EU by climate neutrality objective. An agreement on the European 2050, in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement, while climate law has been a priority for the Portuguese Presidency and also recognising that it is necessary to put in place an enabling I am glad that we have successfully brought it over the finishing framework that benefits all member states and encompasses line,” said Joao Pedro Matos Fernandes, Minister of Environment adequate instruments, incentives, support, and investments to and Climate Action. ensure a cost-efficient, just, as well as socially balanced and fair In addition to the goal of climate neutrality and an aspirational transition, taking into account different national circumstances goal for the Union to strive to in terms of starting points. achieve negative emissions after On 4 March 2020, the European 2050, the European climate law Commission adopted its proposal sets a binding Union climate target for a European climate law as an of a reduction of net greenhouse important part of the European gas emissions (emissions after Green Deal. On 17 September The European Commission deduction of removals) by at least 2020, the Commission adopted adopted its proposal 55% by 2030 compared to 1990. a proposal amending its initial In order to ensure that sufficient proposal to include a revised EU for a European climate law, efforts to reduce and prevent emissions reduction target of at as an important part of the emissions are deployed until 2030, least 55% by 2030. The Commission EuropeanGreen Deal. the climate law introduces a limit also published a communication of 225 Mt of CO2 equivalent to the on the 2030 climate target plan, contribution of removals to that accompanied by a comprehensive target. The Union will also aim to impact assessment. achieve a higher volume of carbon On 10-11 December 2020, net sink by 2030. the European Council in its The Commission will also propose an intermediate climate conclusions, endorsed a binding EU target of a net domestic target for 2040, if appropriate, at the latest within six months reduction of at least 55% in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 after the first global stock take carried out under the Paris compared to 1990.

Agreement. At the same time, it will publish a projected The Council adopted a general approach on the proposal indicative Union’s greenhouse gas budget for the period 2030for a European climate law on 17 December 2020, after which 2050, together with its underlying methodology. The budget the Council and the Parliament launched a series of trilogue is defined as the indicative total volume of net greenhouse gas meetings with the aim of securing an agreement on the final text. emissions (expressed as CO2 equivalent and providing separate The Council and the European Parliament reached a information on emissions and removals) that are expected to provisional political agreement on the proposal on 21 April 2021. be emitted in that period without putting at risk the Union’s Now that the European climate law has been adopted by both commitments under the Paris Agreement. the European Parliament and the Council, it will be signed and The European climate law establishes a European Scientific published in the Official Journal, before entering into force.

Advisory Board on Climate Change. The board will provide For more information, go to https://www.consilium.europa. independent scientific advice and produce reports on EU eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/06/28/council-adopts-europeanmeasures, climate targets, and indicative greenhouse gas budgets climate-law/ and their coherence with the European climate law and the EU’s international commitments under the Paris Agreement.

The Commission will engage with sectors of the economy 24 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

UPFRONT Fibertech will be adding 10 additional full-time employees to the team.

ELBERFELD, IN, USA

even more custom small to — Fibertech industry-leading medium size parts. This machine We are committed to investing manufacturer of high-quality, is incremental to Fibertechs in the latest technological custom-engineered, rotationalcurrent capacity. advancements in order to molded plastic products Since its inception in 1999, including bulk containers, plastic Fibertech Inc. has been known as meet and exceed the needs pallets, plastic lockers, and one of the industry’s preeminent of our customers. more – is pleased to announce relationship-based, plastics solution — Brent Rasche, Fibertech’s Chief OperatingOfficer. the recent addition of a Rotoline companies. They are dedicated 260 press to its state-of-the-art to producing the most costfacility, located at 11744 Blue Bell effective and capable, 100% virgin Road in Elberfeld, Indiana. The addition of this new machine will polyethylene plastic material handling equipment. Their products necessitate additional staff, so “We are committed to investing in are used in the automotive, food, agriculture, and pharmaceutical the latest technological advancements in order to meet and exceed industries. They also provide plastic container repair and the needs of our customers,” said Brent Rasche, Fibertech’s Chief industrial plastic recycling services.

Operating Officer. “With the addition of this new, state-of-the-art Above all, Fibertech prides itself on meeting the needs of its machine and a recent expansion of our facility, we are now fully customers and providing an environment where its dedicated equipped to create and innovate with the latest in rotomolding employees feel safe, empowered, and rewarded for their technology for years to come.” performance.

The carousel Rotoline 260 machine will allow Fibertech to For more information about Fibertech Inc., its products, and expand its already thriving custom contracts division to produce current job openings, please visit www.Fibertechinc.net.

Powercore Plastic Welding System

www.rotoworldmag.com 25

UPFRONT Tesco, Jaguar Land Rover & NHS to address plastic and sustainability issues at Interplas The CPD certified conference programme at Interplas 2021 will present a wide range of industry topics from renowned speakers from within the industry, and also from some of the UK’s largest trade buyers of plastic products and materials. Whether it is the latest product innovations, regulatory updates, medical plastics, packaging, or addressing challenges when it comes to the sustainability of plastics, Interplas has curated topical sessions for everyone involved in plastics manufacturing.

This year’s programme, taking place 28-30 September at NEC, Birmingham, will be presented across two stages: The Advancing UK Plastics Conference sponsored by Bole Machinery will see experts offer insights, opportunities, and advice on how to work together as markets, trends, and regulations continue to change.

Speakers will discuss changes in the industry as a result of Brexit, COVID-19, and the net zero targets. There will also be topics presented from experts in areas such as medical, automotive, construction, extrusion, and digital technologies.

The Sustainability Stage, sponsored by Coral Products, is new for 2021, and will give visitors the opportunity to hear about some of the solutions for recycling and waste management issues, material innovations, and importantly a look at what is really deemed as ‘sustainable’ when it comes to plastics. This stage will also feature expert speakers from industry associations on the latest policy developments and funding available.

Charlotte Chambers, Conference Producer for Interplas, selected a few highlights: Plastics Industry and Jaguar Land Rover in a Post Brexit/COVID World Ian Ray, SME Plastics, Injection Moulding and Process, Jaguar Land Rover With automotive being one of the largest users of plastic, Ian Ray will explore the current trends and objectives in the industry.

This talk will highlight how the market has changed so rapidly since COVID-19 and Brexit, and how this will impact that plastics industry.

What are the Biggest Challenges of Switching to Sustainable Plastics?

Dan Jarvis, Business Development Manager, Plastribution Whether to make the switch to sustainable plastics will be a decision that many organisations have to face, but how easy is it, and what are the difficulties that may come with this? Dan Jarvis answers these questions and explains how these plastics compare to the traditional plastics that have been used by processors.

26 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

Regulatory Landscape for the Plastics Industry Post-Brexit Dr Anna Gergely, Director, EHS Regulatory, Steptoe and Johnson LLP With more than 20 years’ experience in law firms and cuttingedge industry knowledge in environmental legislation, Anna will provide insight into the recent regulations that affect the plastics industry. Hear about regulations relating to the strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy, the EU Green Deal, the revised regulatory framework for bioplastics, and the recent development related to Brexit.

Women in Plastics: Attracting, Training Retaining and Talent Women in Plastics, the initiative that recognises achievement, encourages development, and supports diversity and equality across the plastics industry, will host a keynote panel session to discuss the ways in which companies can boost careers and talent in the plastics industry. The session will focus on attracting, training, and retaining talent in the industry. With diversity also being an important factor for employers, the panelists will discuss how they are approaching building out their teams and skillsets.

Post-Industrial Waste and Your Next Business Opportunity Carlo Pattini, Product Sales Manager, Bandera In this talk, Carlo Pattini will discuss how you can process the waste coming from a first blown film extrusion phase on a co-rotating twin-extruder, back into a blown film line to develop a second product.

There will be 40 free-to attend sessions over three days. Other key seminars include: “Can Attention to the Design of Plastics in Medical Devices Support Patient Safety?” Sarah Jennings, National Patient Safety Lead, NHS England & NHS Improvement and Paul Earnshaw, Senior Packaging Manager, Tesco will discuss “Packaging, Plastics and Sustainability – A Retailers View”.

Duncan Wood, Chief Executive at Rapid News Group, organisers of Interplas concludes, “The team have built a fantastic programme is a real compliment to the technology exploration that will happen on the show floor. We look forward to welcoming visitors to the conference alongside our sponsors Bole Machinery and Coral Products.”

The full conference programme including detailed information on all talks and speakers is available to pre-registered visitors via the event. To register please visit www.interplasuk.com.

TRAVEL UPDATES Forbes Travel

E.U. Recommends Travel Ban for American Tourists

Iceland

Switzerland United States

Spain Greece Jordan

Mexico

Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

Seychelles

As expected, the European Union recommended, as of August 30, that its 27 member nations reinstate travel restrictions for American tourists because of rising coronavirus infections in the United States.

The European Council has decided to remove the U.S. from its ‘safe list’ of countries for nonessential travel. This is a reversal from its June decision to recommend lifting restrictions on American travelers just as the summer tourism season kicked off.

However, this guidance is non-binding, so individual countries in the E.U. bloc can decide to impose their own sets of restrictions.

Travelers should expect a messy patchwork of different rules and regulations across the continent, much like they encounter a mishmash of non-uniform rules and regulations across the U.S. Despite the E.U.’s recommendation, some countries in the bloc will likely continue to allow fully vaccinated Americans to visit as long as they show proof of their vaccination status. Unvaccinated U.S. travelers will likely be faced with rigorous restrictions including frequent testing and quarantines upon entry, if they are allowed to enter at all.

Five other countries were also removed from the E.U.’s safe travel list today: Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.

The United States never reopened its own borders to E.U. tourists during the pandemic, a point of contention among many Europeans. The new recommendation, they say, reflects a certain reciprocity. The threshold for being on the E.U. safe travel list is having fewer than 75 new Covid-19 cases daily per 100,000

The Maldives

inhabitants over the previous 14 days. Currently the United States has an infection rate roughly seven times above that threshold.

The Delta variant of the coronavirus has ravaged the United States all summer, leading to spikes in hospitalizations and deaths rivaling where the country was in December and January.

According to the Brown School of Public Health’s risk assessment tracker, the level of infections in the U.S. is currently twice that of France, three times that of Spain, and more than five times that of Italy. Information from Forbes.com

Quarantine-free countries

As of August 15, 2021, with the implementation of the vaccine passport, many countries are easing their quarantine requirements and making allowances to accommodate international arrivals.

While the following countries do provide a quarantine-free travel experience, please note that in most cases waiving the quarantine period is contingent on the testing and/or vaccination status of the traveler. The following is our selection of the top countries that do not require visitors to quarantine.

Jordan Jordan’s generosity and hospitality are simply boundless—since ancient times, the land has always been welcoming to countless strangers and visitors. As such, not even the pandemic can stop you from paying your respect to Jordan’s ancient rock city of Petra. No one can claim to have ever visited Jordan without spending a full day www.rotoworldmag.com 27

TRAVEL UPDATES in this amazing World Heritage Site. Passengers entering Jordan must have a negative COVID19 PCR test taken at most 72 hours before arrival. The test result for passengers arriving from Egypt, Turkey, and Iraq must be issued by an approved laboratory, details can be found on https://www.visitjordan.gov. jo/Labs-List.html Any non-Jordanian travelers departing from India will not be granted entry unless they have stayed for 45 days outside India prior to travelling to Jordan. Additionally, travelers who have been in Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka will not be granted entry.

The Maldives If your vision of paradise involves an untouched tropical island with waving palm trees, white, dreamy beaches, and shimmering turquoise lagoons, the Maldives will definitely not disappoint. It’s also a haven for scuba divers with its beautiful coral reefs and teeming undersea marine environment.

Unless you’re arriving from the UK, fully vaccinated travelers will not be subjected to quarantine. As for visitors from other parts of the world, no quarantine requirement is necessary, as long as they are in possession of a medical certificate with a negative Coronavirus (COVID-19) PCR test result. The test must have been taken at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point.

Travelers must complete a Traveller Health Declaration at most 24 hours before departure.

Dubai (United Arab Emirates) Dubai is the place for you if excellent restaurants, fine spas, international shopping, luxury hotels, and alluring nightlife constitute your idea of the perfect getaway. In other words, Dubai appeals to foodies, shoppers, lovers of art, and those simply looking to have some fun. Dubai also boasts some local flavors with its laid-back ambience of the traditional souks, its art galleries, as well as local gastronomy. With its incredible array of offerings, you will find Dubai catering to both simple living and luxurious lifestyles alike.

28 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

In the case of Dubai, foreign tourists from certain countries are allowed entry with no on-arrival quarantine imposed should they should able to meet the necessary requirements. However, tourists departing from the UAE’s list of banned countries will not be granted entry. All passengers travelling to Dubai from any other point of origin must hold a negative COVID 19 RT PCR test certificate for a test issued within 72 hours prior to departure. Depending on your country of origin, you may need to take another test upon arrival. Children under the age of 12 and passengers who have a moderate or severe disability are exempt from taking a COVID 19 RT PCR test.

Seychelles This jewel in the Indian Ocean is one of the most sought-after destinations in the world. No traveler worth their salt can truly resist the temptation of sparkling beaches scattered perfectly across the country’s 115 islands. But in the off chance that the beaches fail to enchant travelers, the Seychelles lush jungle featuring scores of fascinating wildlife will surely do the trick.

Seychelles is open to travelers from all over the world.

However, for the time being, visitors from South Africa, Brazil, India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh will not be granted entry.

Fully vaccinated status is not mandatory, although travelers are strongly encouraged to have been fully immunized prior to travel. A Health Travel Authorization (HTA) is required for every passenger entering Seychelles along with a negative PCR test taken maximum 72 hrs before departure Mexico Mexico boasts lush tropical forests, cacti-infected deserts, as well as sandy beaches and lagoons. As such, visiting the country means availing yourself of its various activities of the great outdoors. You can choose to lounge lazily on the beach, enjoy a leisurely stroll in the open air, and even snorkel your way around a Caribbean reef. Whichever activities you deem most appropriate, Mexico remains open for anyone looking to immerse their senses in an intoxicating setting.

Mexico is currently open for international tourism, meaning that travelers can fly to Mexico with no mandatory quarantine period upon arrival. The Mexican government strongly advises

TRAVEL UPDATES locals and visitors to continue practicing COVID-19 preventive measures, which include social distancing and proper hand hygiene practices among others.

Greece Greece, the cradle of Western civilization, is a destination unlike any other. In a land where the line between mythology and history is blurred, Greece boasts scores of ancient ruins, museums, temples, along with alluring islands and beaches.

Greece is allowing international arrivals to travel without the need to quarantine providing they are arriving from a quite extensive list of countries. The list extends to all EU and Schengen Area countries, USA, UK, Albania, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Canada, China, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Moldova, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, UAE, and Ukraine.

Travelers from the aforementioned countries are eligible for a quarantine-free journey so long as they have been fully vaccinated with approved vaccines and 14 days have elapsed from the date of their final jab. Travelers must also be able to provide a negative PCR test issued within 72 hours before travel or proof of infection within the past two to nine months.

Accepted vaccines are Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Novovax, Johnson + Johnson, Sinovac, Sputnik, Cansino, and Sinopharm.

Iceland If the thought of travelling to a crowded place overwhelms you, then Iceland is the perfect destination for your next European escapade. Imagine immersing yourself in absolute tranquility as you explore Iceland’s numerous fjords, observe the northern lights, and drive the golden circle.

Iceland has allowed all vaccinated travelers to visit the country, even those from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Schengen Area. This providing that said travelers are able to produce a valid vaccination certificate detailing which vaccine was administered, who the issuer was, and the batch number of the vaccine. However, both vaccinated and non-vaccinated arrivals must now present a negative PCR or antigen (rapid) test issued within 72 hours before departure to Iceland as per the

latest rules. Children born in 2005 or later will continue to be exempted from all border measures.

Spain There are simply numerous incredible places worthy of your visit scattered throughout the country. Whether visiting the heart of the Barcelona metropolitan area or spending some downtime on the remote stretches of El Camino de Santiago, there is always something magical and profound about the Spanish way of life. Oh, and did we mention the tantalizing beaches and the accompanying resorts?

Spain is opening to fully vaccinated travelers from around the world without needing to quarantine or to provide a negative COVID test. Note that this does not apply to visitors from the following countries deemed as high risk: Brazil, South Africa, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, and Namibia. International tourists from said countries must undergo a 10-day quarantine upon arrival.

Those who are yet to be vaccinated may also enter the country but must undergo a diagnostic test to enter Spain. The test must be taken within 48 hours before arrival. Tests accepted are PCR, RT-LAMP, RT-PCR and TMA. Switzerland Whether embarking on a road trip or going on a panoramic train tour, you’ll come across pristine lakes, grand forests, charming cities and villages, all conspiring to conjure up romantic images of Switzerland. Under the watchful eye of the Alps and Jura mountain range, and with the accompaniment of its exquisite cheese, wine, and chocolate, life is all but good here in Switzerland.

Fully vaccinated travelers or those who have recovered from the infection in the last six months will be able to enter Switzerland without any quarantine and pre-testing measures unless they are traveling from areas with variants of concern.

However, as per the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health website, there are no longer any countries on the list of countries with a variant of concern.

Please note the date for this advisory announced on August 15, 2021. Always check the current travel requirements on government websites as advisories change and update regularly.

For more information you can go to https://company.wego.com www.rotoworldmag.com 29

AT ISSUE Martin Coles, Matrix Polymers

Reducing Gas Dependency in Rotomoulding – What Are Our Options?

Image courtesy of AMS Belgium

In the previous edition of RotoWorld® I raised the alarm that rotomoulding as we know it is under long-term threat, due to our industry’s reliance on cheap, efficient, and readily available natural gas.

The world is rapidly turning away from fossil fuels and country after country is announcing new measures to reduce carbon emissions and promote greener forms of energy. A good example is New Zealand’s proposed total ban on all new installations using natural gas.

What is our industry going to do?

In my last article, I talked about the possibility of converting conventional rotomoulding machines from gas to electrically heated ovens. This is happening on a limited scale, but the ovens are more expensive to buy and to run and there can be practical difficulties relating to the very high electrical load requirements at start-up.

There are some novel solutions being created to overcome 30 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

some of these issues. Dhanu Patell at Reinhardt Teknik in India is developing a hybrid machine, which uses diesel or gas for the ramp-up, to avoid the connected load problem with electricity, and then the machine switches to run on electricity which is sometimes generated ‘in-house’ from solar.

Another option to consider is bio-gas. This is a growing renewable source of fuel that is produced from the breaking down of organic matter, such as food scraps and animal waste. There is much talk in places like New Zealand about replacing natural gas with biogas, but clearly the infrastructure to produce this is considerable and not within the control of the rotomoulder. Biogas is also just a stepping stone to a zero-carbon world as burning this energy source still produces CO2.

Are there other creative solutions?

Oven-less rotomoulding?

If you take away the need for the oven and you directly heat the mould then you are going to need to use less energy. Is this the solution?

AT ISSUE Heating moulds using jacketed hot oil has been done for many years and more recently electrically heated moulds have become increasingly popular. Pioneers of this technology have been Persico in Italy with their SMART machine and AMS in Belgium with their Robomould concept and other companies are working on similar concepts.

These non-conventional machines are becoming more commonly used across Europe and I’m starting to see them in other parts of the world too, particularly for the production of really top-end, high value, and smaller-sized rotomoulded parts. There are many advantages, as you can have much more accurate control of temperatures which opens up the use of many more materials, and have various temperature zones across a mould which allows you to have variable wall-thicknesses in different sections.

These technologies help moulders make parts with tighter tolerances and can deliver sizeable reductions in cycle times. And of course, they use much less energy.

Could electrically heated mould technology be the solution to our industry’s potential energy crisis?

As things stand my view is that electrically heated mould technology will continue to grow rapidly, however, the relatively high capital expenditure of the machinery, and perhaps even more importantly, the higher cost of moulds will mean that this type of process will remain niche.

Currently, there are also limitations on the size of products that are being produced and there isn’t the degree of flexibility to produce short runs of products that you get with conventional equipment. For it to become more mainstream the costs would have to come down considerably and the process is simplified.

Perhaps this is an opportunity for someone to develop?

exhaust; use air movers or transvectors to concentrate heat on certain parts of the mould to increase wall-thickness and use less material overall; have better air circulation within the oven; use faster sintering powder; and heat the powder before moulding.

In the past, I think people were not particularly motivated to look at these kinds of things as the cost of gas has been cheap and minimising its use has not been a priority. Certainly, I’ve seen profligate wastage including witnessing a Production Manager firing up an idle rotomoulding oven so that he could heat up his pie!

Perhaps attitudes will now start to change as we all become much more aware of our CO2 footprint and our responsibility

Image courtesy of Persico

Improve efficiency and use less gas?

Now, we don’t have a “silver bullet”, one solution that solves all our future problems. Whilst electrically heated moulds might be of growing importance moving forwards, what about now? I think most rotomoulders would accept that the conventional gas oven machine is energy inefficient and most open flame machines are even more wasteful. It’s been estimated that the overall efficiency of our industry (amount of energy used to process vs. kilograms of the finished product) is in the 3-8% range. So, there must be plenty of scope to improve the efficiency and waste less gas.

There are many things rotomoulders can do to improve energy efficiency, such as reduce heat loss in ovens by having better seals; use more efficient burners; reuse the energy from the oven

to not squander precious finite resources and to minimise our harming of the environment. As an industry, we need to face up to the fact that we have a long way to go as far as energy efficiency is concerned – and this is going to become a much bigger issue very soon.

Whilst energy efficiency is currently a “D minus” and “must do better”, rotomoulding is making many positive contributions to the environment and improving people’s lives.

In the next edition of RotoWorld®, I will be examining some of these and discussing how important it is for us to promote the benefits of our industry to our customers, colleagues, and the wider world. www.rotoworldmag.com 31

SERVING

THE ROTOMOLDING

INDUSTRY

32 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

Suppliers of high-quality resins exclusively for Rotational Molding Strategically located warehouses with large inventories Colored Compounds in stock, available from 1000 lb.

Experts in Circular Economy and Sustainable Materials

w w w. ro t o p o l y m e r s . c o m www.rotoworldmag.com 33

ARM

REPORT

Serving the Rotational Molding Industry Worldwide for Over 40 Years

The mission of the Association of Rotational Molders is to promote, educate, and inspire the rotomolding industry. For more information, visit ARM’s website at www.rotomolding.org or contact the Association at 630-942-6589 or info@rotomolding.org.

Laws and Murdough to be Inducted in the Rotational Hall of Fame ARM is excited to announce that Dru Laws (Tango Manufacturing) and Tom Murdough (Simplay3) have been elected to the Rotational Molding Hall of Fame. They will be inducted on September 23 at the ARM Annual Meeting/Rotoplas in Rosemont.

Dru Laws has shared his experience and expertise with other rotomolders endlessly through his involvement with ARM. He has frequently organized and spoken at rotomolding conferences large and small. He has presented at multiple international conferences. For many years he has presented ARM’s Introduction to Rotomolding seminar which is an entry into rotomolding for many members. When the Association needs a volunteer, he is often the first to say yes.

Laws is ARM’s immediate Past President. He has chaired Committees and written ARM’s Rotational Molding Foam Process Guide. He graduated with distinction from the Queens University of Belfast in Northern Ireland with an MSc in Polymer Engineering, emphasizing in Rotational Foam Molding. He began his experience in rotational molding at Mity-Lite and is now an executive at Tango Manufacturing.

Tom Murdough is the innovative founder of Little Tikes, Step 2 Corporation, and most recently Simplay3 Corporation. Tom and his design team changed the face of the small household toy and the outdoor home playground markets and ultimately convinced many other molders that there was a business beyond tanks and simple moldings.

Murdough and his companies provided significant technical contributions to the global rotational molding industry, including pioneering the use of Teflon coating of molds and designing products that can be assembled with few or no fasteners. Through smart design techniques, Murdough inspired complicated mold

Dru Laws

Tom Murdough

designs that previously had been thought to be impossible. Little Tikes’ needs drove innovations in UV protection and color matrix developments for its outdoor products that all molders enjoy the benefits of today.

The Nomination & Election Process • Nominations for the Hall of Fame were collected from the industry throughout the Spring.

• All nominations received from 2016 – 2021 comprised the longlist.

• The ARM Executive Committee elected a Hall of Fame Selection Committee comprised of six members of the Hall of Fame.

• The Selection Committee narrowed the longlist to a shortlist of five nominees.

• All Hall of Fame members voted on a ballot to elect two inductees from the shortlist.

2022 Meetings ARM is happy to announce our 2022 meeting schedule. Mark your calendar to join us for: Executive Forum: March 14-16 at the Omni Amelia Island Resort in Amelia Island, Florida Annual Meeting: November 7-10 at the Westin Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta, Georgia 34 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

More information, schedules, hotel reservation links, and more will be available in Rotolink, our email newsletter, and on www.rotomolding.org as we finalize our meeting schedule.

ARM

REPORT Safety Webinar Series this Fall ARM Technical Director Nick Henwood and the Education Committee have developed a series of webinars on rotomolding safety that we will begin presenting in Fall of 2021. We expect to present eight seminars. We hope our members will use this new series as well as our existing webinars as part of their training program for new employees.

The series will include these topics and more: • Mechanical: Machinery Within the Workplace • Mold Servicing: De-molding & Material Loading • Mounting Systems: Putting Tools on Frames • Thermal, Including Burns • Fire & Explosion • Slips, Trips & Falls • Entanglement, Entrapment & Confined Spaces • Static Electrical Discharges • Control & Automation • Electrical • Gas

• Compressed Air • Nitrogen • Portable Power Tools & Machinery • Hand Tools • Raw Material Hazards, MSDS sheets All webinars are free to members and available for on demand viewing.

Our Education Library includes more than 100 videos and webinars ARM now offers more than 100 videos on-demand for members.

Members can access all the titles listed below immediately.

• New in 2021: Economic Forecast • New in 2021: Finding and Keeping Great Employees • New in 2021: Graphic Application Hacks • New in 2021: How HR Leaders Adapt in Trying Times • New in 2021: Managing Risk for Rotomolders • New in 2021: Post Mold Label-Free Graphics • New in 2021: Resin Industry Forecast • Operator Training Program (25 Videos) by Nick Henwood, Dru Laws, and more Click for the detailed contents • Finishing Series (5 videos): Secondary Finishing Operations, Graphics, EPS Molding, PU Foaming, In-Mold Label Free Graphics and Coatings by Konstantia Asteriadou, Jason Brownell, Rick Carlsen, Corey Eystad, Nick Henwood, and Scott Saxman • Rotational Molding Design (6 videos) by Michael Paloian • Case Study: Body Board by Mario Poma

• Challenges and Approaches in using Post-Consumer Recycled in Rotomolding by Henry Hay • Fade Resistance of Pigments by Mike Haubert • Foam Technology by Alex Pritchard • Fracture Mechanics for Rotational Molding by Sachin Waigaonkar • Introduction to Long-Term Material Properties by Nick Henwood • Leveraging New Resins – Collaborating with your Material Supplier to Elevate your Business by Carmine D’Agostino and Hassan Riaz • Polyethylene Market Update 2020 by Chris Gick • The Progression of Industry 4.0 principles for Rotational Molding by Rob Miller • Roto+10 by Paul Nugent • SWOT Analysis of Rotomomolding Process by Rick Carlsen • UV Stability & Heat Aging by Thomas Steele www.rotoworldmag.com 35

ARM

REPORT Rotoplas Education Sessions • Virtual Plant Tours by Matt Bushman and Mick Webber • Virtual Reality to Optimise the Design and Build a New Rotomoulding Factory by Karem Akoul • Welding 101 by Kevin McTavish • Burner Maintenance presented by Adam Covington • Considerations When LightWeighting Rotomolded Parts presented by Henry Hay • Cooling Fixtures presented by Ron Joannou Jr. and Joey Morsi • Determining Your True Cost presented by Steve Osborn • The Effect of Pigments and Warpage on HDPE Rotomolded Parts by Mike Haubert • EPCRA Reporting & Combustible Dust (with Roto 101 Intro) presented by EPA & OSHA • Finishing Parts with Robots (Case Study) presented by Dru Laws • Finite Element Analysis: The Basics presented by Michael Paloian • Improving Rotational Molded Insert Performance presented by Glenn Larkin and Jon Ratzlaff • In-Process Rotational Foam Molding presented by Dru Laws • Infrared Thermography presented by Bill Spenceley • Lengthening the Life of Your Mold presented by Tony Short • Making the Most of Trade Shows by Melissa Shearer • Making the Most of Your Marketing Budget presented by Melissa Shearer • Mold Clamping Methods – Pros and Cons presented by Erik Adams and Bob Mueller • Mold Release presented by Even Silo & Scott Waterman • Mold Trends: Europe v. North America presented by Sergio Zilioli • Part Cure As it Relates to Industry 4.0 by Rob Miller • Part Cure: How to Use Part Density to Check for Correct Cure

by Nick Henwood • Part Cure: Troubleshooting by Ron Cooke • Process Control: Modelling the Rotomolding Process by Hassan Riaz • Process Tuning 101 by Nick Henwood • Prop 65 for Rotomolders presented by Mike Haubert • Proper Sampling Techniques presented by Josh Hunsberger and Dave Loeffler • Rebranding Your Business (Case Study) presented by Tom Innis • Resin Rotomation by Rob Miller • Rotational Molding & the Evolving Structural Part Processing Business presented by Dr. Peter Mooney 36 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

• Roto 101 presented by Rick Carlsen & Ron Joannou Jr. • Safety in Rotomolding & OSHA Compliance presented by Dave Schwoerer • Save Energy & Save Money presented by Bill Spenceley • Selecting the Right PE Grade for Your Part presented by Nick Henwood • Selling in Tough Times and Uncertain Market by Paul Reilly • The Seven Stages of Rotomolding by Gareth McDowell • Solve Cosmetic Part Problems presented by Jon Ratzlaff • Stiffness Models and Options for Multi-Layered Parts presented

by Dr. Nick Henwood • Test Method for Flowability (Dry Flow Rate) of Polyethylene Powders Using a Specified Funnel presented by Ron Cooke & Jon Ratzlaff • Ten Actionable Business Topics by Tom Kammerait • Troubleshooting Your Rotomolding Operation from a Shop Floor Perspective presented by Ron Cooke • Turning a 4% Bottom Line into a 10% Bottom Line presented

by Al Bates • Understanding the Molding Cycle presented by Gareth MacDowell • Unwanted Holes in Rotomolded Parts by Nick Henwood • Vent Plug Materials, Techniques, and Installations by Sandy Scaccia • What Does Internal Air Mold Temperature Have to do with Quality presented by Gareth McDowell • What’s New presented by 18 ARM Suppliers • What’s Your Problem (2 videos) presented by Ron Cooke & Sandy Scaccia.

ARM

REPORT The Benefits of Membership

Train your employees, reduce scrap, connect with customers, learn from experts and peers. This is what comes with membership and the return on your investment is tremendous.

Complimentary Registration for the 2022 Annual Meeting Provided for one employee for each new member company. This is your free entry to the world’s preeminent rotomolding meeting, held once every three years.

Sales Inquiry Notifications We review sales leads typically from companies seeking molders – and email them to our member companies. We actively advertise for leads on behalf of our members.

Sample Operator Instructions An 80+ page document calling out the highlights of nine company’s operator instructions. Also more than 700 documents and presentations from past Annual Meetings.

Immediate Free Access to more than 100+ on-demand webinars Topics range from Determining Your True Cost to Proper Sampling Techniques. Twenty new titles were added in 2022.

Immediate Free Access to ARM’s classic training video library Includes programs on curing, venting, and good manufacturing practices. All videos include Spanish subtitles.

Free Access to Troubleshooting Calls These moderated teleconferences are conducted every six weeks (eight

per year) and allow you to troubleshoot your process and discuss HR issues with other molders, suppliers, and rotomolding experts.

Networking with Industry Peers The greatest ARM benefit: Informal learning at a coffee break could revolutionize your process or reduce your expenses by tens of thousands of dollars. We hear it from members again and again.

Awards and Awareness Showcase your company in our online member directory and through awards including Safety Award, Product Competition, and more.

Discounted Registration to all ARM Meetings Includes regional meetings, the in-depth Hands-On Rotomolding Workshop at Penn College, and our Executive Forum which will be held in Italy.

Rotolink Our twice weekly e-newsletter shares important industry news.

Annual Meeting The premier event for rotomolders, their suppliers, designers and educators. Programming includes professional and industry speakers, valuable networking, group workshops, and exhibition.

To apply for membership, please visit www.rotomolding.org

www.rotoworldmag.com 37

Rotate for the

Clouds

Ian Hansen, Rota Consult

38 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

Two clouds chairs, one white and one blue, located in the central White Cloud Court. 两张云朵座椅位于中央的白云庭院，一白一蓝。

The cloud seat, designed for Starway in China, combines perfectly European spirit of simplicity and elegance of the East, to produce a sense of luxury to outside spaces.

20 yrs ago the China rotomoulding industry was basic containers and tanks, mainly using simple equipment and moulds. In 2005 representatives from SPE Rotomolding Division, ARM, ARMA and what is known today as StAR, attended the first China rotomoulding forum in Shanghai.

This is when China founded their own national rotomoulding committee, (RPC-CPPIA) as a separate association within their national plastics association. One of their primary goals was to catch up with the rest of the rotomoulding world. I would like to give you a glimpse of their progress.

The China rotational moulding industry has been changing rapidly since 2005. I have attended multiple rotomoulding conferences and ‘Rototours’ within China to improve my understanding of the local industry. ARMA began holding annual conferences in the Asian region in 1997, beginning with Indonesia. In 2005 the ARMA annual conference was in Hong Kong, which coincided with one of the first ARMA organised tours of China rotomoulding factories. Regular readers of Rotoworld® may recall that Bill Spencley of Flexahopper Plastics wrote an article in the July-August 2015 issue highlighting the

由中国的星威国际家居股份有限公司设计的云朵座椅，完美地 结合了东方简约与欧式优雅，由内而外得带来一种奢华感。 20年前，中国的滚塑行业主要使用简单的设备和模具来制作 比较基础的容器和水箱。2005年，来自SPE滚塑部门、ARM（美 国滚塑协会）、ARMA（大洋洲滚塑协会）和StAR（印度滚塑协 会）的代表参加了在上海举办的首届中国滚塑论坛。正是在这 个时候，中国成立了自己的滚塑协会，即中国塑料加工协会滚塑 专委会(RPC-CPPIA)。该协会是中国塑料加工协会下属的一个 独立协会，主要目标之一就是要追赶世界范围内的其他滚塑公 司。我来为你们简单介绍一下他们的进展。 自2005年以来，中国滚塑行业一直在快速变化。我数次拜访中 国，并参加了多次滚塑会议和实地企业考察，以提高我对当地行 业的理解。ARMA从1997年开始在亚洲地区举行年会，最早在 印度尼西亚举行。2005年，ARMA年会在香港举行，这是ARMA 第一次组织参观中国的滚塑工厂。Rotoworld的老读者可能还记 得Flexahopper Plastics的Bill Spencley在2015年7 - 8月的一期上写 过一篇文章，强调了中国滚塑行业的成长和发展。2017年ARM/ ARMA在夏威夷联合举行论坛之前，ARMA再一次组织全球滚 塑精英及专家到中国参观工厂。2021年，中国显然已经有越来越 多的企业宣称自己正在赶上世界其他地区的滚塑发展。 星威国际家居股份有限公司（以下简称星威家居）是一家集 研发、设计、制造、销售为一体的现代化企业。产品涵盖塑料家 具、木制家具和软垫家具三大领域。公司总部位于中国浙江省。 www.rotoworldmag.com 39

The Duoyun bookstore façade is wrapped in white aluminium panels, with blue and white cloud seats on the riverside terrace. 朵云书店外墙被白色铝板包裹，河畔露台上有蓝色和白色的云朵座椅。

growth and development of the rotomoulding industry in China.

ARMA returned to tour China factories in 2017, prior to the ARM/ARMA Joint Forum in Hawaii. In 2021 it is clear that there are more and more businesses in China who can claim they catching up with the rest of the world.

Xingwei International Home Furnishing Co., Ltd. (Starway) is a modern business integrating R&D, design, manufacturing and sales. Its products cover three major areas: plastic furniture, wooden furniture and upholstered furniture. The company is headquartered in Zhejiang Province, China. It has more than 1,000 employees and an annual turnover of more than USD75 Million.

Starway’s innovation legacy began in 1988 with a plastic chair, and for the past 3 decades they have employed a design led philosophy, using new technology and new material to stay on the forefront of product design for the furniture industry.

Bringing European inspired outdoor furniture to China, and the world, was the heart of Starway’s beginnings in 1988.

Since then, they have worked alongside some of the worlds’s

40 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

公司现有员工1000多人，年营业额超过7500万美元。 星威家居的创新传统始于1988年的塑料椅子。在过去的30年 里，他们坚守以设计为主导的理念，依靠新技术和新材料在家居 行业产品设计领域保持前沿优势。 将欧洲风格的户外家具带到中国和世界，是星威家居于1988 年创立的核心。从那时起，他们与Stefano Giovannoni, Derby Xu, Enrique Marti等世界领先的设计师合作，建立了一家提供现代和 卓越的室内及室外家具的公司。 大约15年前，上海的建筑师们开始摆脱上世纪90年代建筑热 潮期间盛行的西式风格，开始寻找适合21世纪中国自己的建筑代 名词和特色。 与大多数伟大的设计一样，云朵座椅设计乍一看可能很简 单，但在项目开发中投入了大量的时间和精力。 俞挺，2013年Wutopia Lab的联合创始人，为朵云系列书店提 供了建筑设计，包括朵云在上海的旗舰店。该旗舰店位于上海最 高建筑上海中心大厦52层，面积达2230平方米，是一家真正在云 端的书店。 “建筑是我们的思想理念与设计完美糅合碰撞的好机会。 通过新材料，我们试图给人们带来美丽的空间。这份工作最有价

leading designers such as Stefano Giovannoni, Derby Xu, Enrique Marti, to build a company that delivers contemporary and exceptional indoor and outdoor furniture.

About 15 years ago architects in Shanghai began to break away from western imitation, which had been prevalent during the 1990’s building boom, and began to search for their own architectural vocabulary and characteristics for 21st century China.

Like most great designs the cloud seat design may appear simple at first glance, but there was a lot of time and effort invested in project development.

Yu Ting, co-founder of Wutopia Lab in 2013, has designed stores for Duoyun Books, (Cloud Books) including their 24,000 sq ft flagship store which is located literally above the clouds on the 52nd floor of Shanghai’s tallest building, Shanghai Tower.

“Hospitality is a good opportunity for us to link our thoughts and designs. Through new materials, we are trying to bring people beautiful spaces. The most rewarding part of the job is that you can make your imagination come true.” Yu Ting explains.

Wutopia recently designed a 2 level 18,500sq ft Duoyun Bookstore in Huangyan, which opened for business in June 2021. Yu Ting had a vision of a cloud slowly rising over and above the Yongning River, where the bookstore is located. The building is wrapped in white aluminium panels to give the feeling of looking at a drifting cloud from a distance. The cloud shaped seats used inside the central courtyard and outside on the riverside terrace are designed to immerse the customer in a dream, where the busy outside world ceases to exist.

Two coloured cloud seats were a part of the vision, one white and one blue.

Fabricated small steel mould painted with high temperature resistant black paint to make small cloud seat. 小号云朵座椅模具，外部喷了黑色防锈高温漆。

Fabricated steel mould used to produce one of the 3 parts which combine to make the large cloud chair. 钢模用于生产大号云朵座椅，图为其中一个模具模块。

Plastic moulded white speckled seat. 滚塑成型的座椅，带有白色的斑点。

值的地方在于，你可以让你的想象变成现实。”俞挺解 释道。 Wutopia Lab最近在浙江黄岩设计了一个2层的共计 17200平方米的朵云书店，该书店已经于2021年6月开 业。站在永宁江畔，俞挺仿佛看到了缓缓升起的云朵。 于是，他改造了外立面，白色帷幕仿佛纯净的面纱，将三 栋建筑包裹起来，给人一种从远处看到飘浮的云的感 觉。放置于中央庭院内和外面河边露台上的云朵座椅， 旨在让顾客沉浸在一个梦想中。在那里，繁忙的外部世 界不再存在。两个彩色的云朵座椅是画面的一部分，一 个白色，一个蓝色。 星威家居确认了云朵座椅的滚塑成型可能性后，联系 了中国浙江省温岭市旭日滚塑科技有限公司(以下简称 旭日滚塑)。星威家居已经有滚塑成型加工经验，并拥 有由旭日滚塑生产的塔转式3臂滚塑设备3A-2500，所以 很熟悉滚塑成型的优势。两家公司共同完成了云朵座椅 的设计，其中包含两种不同的尺寸，也完美结合了独特的 白色和蓝色斑点。 星威家居提供了云朵座椅的设计概念给旭日滚塑， 旭日滚塑的团队据此设计出最终的模具结构细节，以适 www.rotoworldmag.com 41

Starway was able to imagine the possibilities of rotational moulding for the design, and contacted Wenling Rising Sun Rotomolding Technology Co., Ltd (Rising Sun) in Zhejiang Province, China. Starway already had a 3 arm 2.5m (98”) Rising Sun carousel oven, so were familiar with the advantages of rotomoulding. Working together they finalised the cloud seat design, in two different sizes incorporating a unique speckled white and speckled blue colour.

The design brief revolved around the customer requirement for only a very few seats, as the seat compliments the new Duoyun bookstore designs.

Starway provided the cloud seat design concept to Rising Sun engineers who helped work out the final mould construction

应成型需求。因为书店需要的云朵座椅数据非常有限，所以滚 塑成型以及滚塑钣金模具是最理想的加工方式。模具上旭日滚 塑采用低碳钢制作，容易成型，而且交期相对较短。 为了满足客户不同规格的座椅要求，旭日滚塑共制作了两套 模具。一套模具用于制作小型的云朵座椅，而另一套模具是由三 个独立的不同形状的模具组成，其相应的成型塑料件连接在一 起，会变成一个更大尺寸的朵云座椅。 旭日滚塑不仅制造滚塑设备和模具，他们也为客户提供代工 服务，以帮助企业把他们的设计变成现实。 对于星威家居目前拥有的设备来说，云朵模具尺寸较大，所以 无法在他们自己的设备的生产。因此他们委托旭日滚塑来帮忙生 产，旭日也在他们的穿梭4m滚塑设备上完成了产品的加工。穿梭 式滚塑设备是生产小批量产品最理想的设备，适用于多层产品

Two cloud seats being installed in the central White Cloud courtyard of the very trendy, avent-garde Duoyun bookstore. One eggshell white and one powder blue. Duoyun means a piece of cloud. The blue and white colors symbolize the blue sky and white clouds. 新潮前卫的朵云书店的中央白云庭院里安装了两个云朵 座椅。一个是白色，一个是蓝色。朵云的意思是一片云，蓝色和白色象征着蓝天和白云。

details to suit the moulding process. The limited production number was ideally suited to rotomoulding and favored a fabricated sheet metal mould. Using mild steel, the shape was easy to form and enabled a quick mould lead time.

Two different mould designs were manufactured to meet the customers specifications. One mould was fabricated in one piece to make the small seat while another set of moulds were fabricated in two separate pieces. 3 moulded segments are joined together to make one larger cloud seat.

Rising Sun not only manufacture moulds, and rotational moulding machines, they also offer a contract moulding service to assist businesses turn their designs into reality.

42 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

生产，复杂的脱模或重新装料。 该产品选用的树脂为常规的LLDPE聚乙烯。然而，为了达到 设计师所要求的色彩深度，产品由多次投料加工而成，即产品为 多层。蓝色座椅由蓝色树脂和可回收材料组合而成，而白色座椅 也由白色树脂和可回收材料组合而成。将回收材料与滚塑成型 工艺完美结合，反映了设计师在其创作中可持续设计意识的日 益增长。 星威家居与旭日滚塑有着非常牢固的合作关系，他们专注于 质量，开发和改进工艺，也对滚塑成型有着非常深刻的了解。 虽然这篇文章是关于星威家居和他们使用滚塑成型制作的 户外家具，但是我们滚塑行业应该记住，随着新技术的持续问 世，我们也必须投资产品的质量研究，从而利用新技术保持竞

The cloud mould was too big for the Starway carousel oven so Rising Sun moulded the parts in their own 4.0m (157”) shuttle oven, specifically available for contract moulding situations like this. Shuttle machines are ideal for short production runs multilayer materials or complex demoulding or reloading processes.

The resin selected for the part was a general purpose LLDPE polyethylene. However, it was a multiple layer system to achieve the colour depth required by the designer. The blue seat has a combination of blue resin and recycled material while the white seat also has a combination of white resin and recycled material. The requirement for recycled material to be included in the rotomoulding process reflects the growing awareness of designers to express sustainable designs in their creations.

Starway are an example of a business which builds strong relationships with manufacturing partners, focusing on quality, developing and improving processes, while embracing the advantages of new technologies - such as rotational moulding.

While this article is about Starway and their use of the rotational moulding process for outdoor furniture, our rotomoulding industry should remember that as new technology continues to emerge we must also invest in quality research so we can utilise new technology to remain competitive.

In Rotoworld® Issue 6 2020 Paul Nugent reminded us of the late Prof Roy Crawford’s “Vision 2020” published in 2000.

Nugent highlighted innovations like wireless mould temperature control, (introduced in 1990 by Crawford and Nugent with the Rotolog system), has had low industry adoption and utilisation. In China, rotomoulding companies like Rising Sun have also recognised the value of this technology and from 2015 they started to offer their own wireless internal air temperature measurement system to their customers. Some Chinese companies are indeed catching up with the rest of the rotomoulding world.

Rising Sun was established almost two decades ago, in 2003.

They now manufacture and export a wide variety of machines from basic Rock & Roll open flame to high performance shuttle and carousel biaxial ovens up to 6.5m diameter. Rising Sun attend or exhibit at rotomoulding conferences around the world, and are members of industry associations such as ARM, ARMA, and their own national RPC-CPPIA. Sharon Zhu from Rising Sun holds the position of Secretary of RPC-CPPIA. They are the Deputy Director unit of RPC-CPPIA. Sharon Zhu from Rising Sun holds the position of Secretary of RPC-CPPIA. They are the Deputy Director unit of RPC-CPPIA. www.risingsunroto.com Ian Hansen has over 30 years experience in the rotational moulding industry. He is a past President of ARMA and a recognized industry ICON. He has presented to rotational moulding conferences around the world, often on the subject of tank design standards, quality and safety.

Ian currently provides advisory services to the global rotomoulding community through his consulting business, Rota Consult. For more information go to www.ianhansenconsult.com

Speckled molten resin layer visible in an opened mould. 图示为生产过程中熔融树脂斑点层。

Plastic moulded blue speckled seat 滚塑成型的座椅，带有蓝色的斑点。

争力。 在《Rotoworld》2020年第6期中，保罗·纽金特(Paul Nugent)让 我们想起已故罗伊·克劳福德教授(Prof . Roy Crawford) 2000年 发表的《愿景2020》。纽金特强调了一些创新，如无线模具温度 控制(由克劳福德和纽金特于1990年通过Rotolog系统引入)，但 其工业采用率和利用率很低。在中国，像旭日滚塑这样的滚塑公 司也认识到了这项技术的价值，并于2015年开始向客户提供了自 己的无线内部测温系统。我们可以说一些中国企业确实在追赶 世界范围内的其他滚塑企业。 旭日滚塑成立于2003年，距今已近20年。他们生产和出口各种 各样的机器，从基本的摇滚明火到高性能的穿梭和塔转式滚塑 设备，最大的烘箱直径达6.5米。旭日滚塑在世界范围内都非常活 跃，他们积极参与世界各地的滚塑会议，并且也是ARM, ARMA 的成员，也是他们自己的国家RPC-CPPIA的副主任单位。来自他 们公司的Sharon Zhu也是RPC-CPPIA秘书处的秘书之一。 伊恩·汉森在滚塑成型行业有超过30年的经验。他是ARMA 的前任主席和公认的行业偶像。他曾在世界各地的滚塑成型会 议上发表演讲，经常以罐体设计标准、质量和安全为主题。 他目前通过他的咨询公司Rota consulting为全球滚塑应用提 供咨询服务 www.rotoworldmag.com 43

ROTATIONAL MOLDING …

has anything changed 2 years on?

Alvin Spence, Centro Incorporated

A lot has happened in the rotational molding industry over the past 2 years. During this time COVID-19 caused a stranglehold of virtually every country and economy around the world.

44 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

“It would take a brave person to predict the future of our industry, or any industry for that matter, during these volatile times. What we do know is that demand remains strong and what sets us apart has not changed.”

Prior to COVID, the rotational molding industry was in a strong position, with many sectors enjoying healthy growth. Material prices were reasonably stable, helping molders to be competitive with other processes. The industry was surging and the future looked good, with one major exception being the tight labor markets in the established regions of the world making it exceptionally difficult to fill open positions. Also, the manufactured product value per labor hour ($/hr.) was in decline in the US and there was much discussion about the need to automate to reduce labor content and improve efficiencies.

In early 2020, the world as we knew it changed as the coronavirus spread and death tolls started to rise. It was a moment in time that we will never forget as the tragic stories of the victims emerged, many of whom were elderly and/or had pre-existing medical conditions. Sadly, some well-known figures within our industry lost loved ones. At that time manufacturing in general was greatly impacted, as the spread of the virus resulted in the need to protect employees. World economies started to rapidly slow down and many molders quickly went from normal business levels to a significant reduction in orders. Having enough labor was no longer an issue and the situation remarkably switched to having too much labor. Molders had to realign staffing levels to new reduced demand levels. This helped to sustain profitability for many companies during 2020, but the economic environment was about to change again and molders had to react quickly to meet the challenges.

The Challenges of COVID-19 and the Bounce Back!

The remarks to follow will focus mainly on what has happened in the US but could well apply to many other regions of the world.

I suspect most molders have found the last 12-18 months to be some of the most challenging times in their company’s history. It’s been a remarkable period of time, as we all have had to react to a dynamically changing environment, much of which has been out of our control and not predicable. Looking back, it really has been an incredible journey filled with lots of unknowns that we have had to navigate our way through. Here are some that come to mind: How COVID was initially managed in the workplace Between February and April of 2020 everyone had to come to terms

with the new world we now lived in, dominated by the news of the spreading “Coronavirus” or “COVID-19” and rising death tolls.

Italy was one of the first countries hit hard by the virus and the newscasts from the northern region of Italy being shared across the world were horrifying. One of our industry’s leading mold makers (Persico) was right in the middle of the epicenter and many of their associates tragically lost loved ones. Every business in the world quickly began to focus on trying to understand what COVID-19 is, how contagious is it and how should businesses continue to operate while providing a safe and healthy work environment for employees? This was something new that no one had dealt with www.rotoworldmag.com 45

before. There was no playbook for a pandemic, we had to create our own and learn from others around us. In many ways it became a “common cause” that team members rallied behind. We were all in this together, everyone’s health became the priority and we needed to establish guidelines for our associates to protect them and protect our businesses. Every business understands the need to continue to manufacture in order to remain solvent. Over the next few months everyone’s business changed in some way to meet regional government guidelines and to protect their workforce.

A period of moderate stability!

During the fall/winter of 2020 we all began to embrace “the new

looking to the outdoors as a source of relaxation and enjoyment. It resulted in many people being attracted to “safe” outdoors sports and activities such as boating, canoeing, kayaking, camping, use of RVs and many other pursuits. Molders, mold builders and material suppliers who supported these industries realized an unexpected market surge which they gratefully responded to. There was also a great consumer transition to online shopping, and molders who supported these markets also boomed during this time, while other sectors such as agriculture and construction saw a decline. It was a mixed bag, and no one really knew what the future held. For those who were busy, labor was reasonably available (at least in the US).

However, as the year came to an end, there were growing concerns globally for rotational molders that material pricing was on the rise, and no one knew when this might change.

The turbulence of the last 9 months It’s hard to put into words the turbulence of the last 18 months and especially the last 9 months. For many, the last 9 months have

norm”! Life had changed, manufacturing had changed, masks were commonplace, in-person interaction was difficult, virtual meetings were common and working from home was available to many who were not directly involved in manufacturing. We all adapted and moved forward, doing the best we could to manufacture to reduced order levels – at least for some molders. At this time there were certain market sectors that boomed. These included lawn & garden, as well as the outdoor and consumer product groups. With many people either not allowed to travel or not willing to risk traveling, this led to many focusing on home and yard improvements and 46 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

thankfully seen a surge in business, but this increase in demand has not been without its challenges. Normally business growth is something to embrace and enjoy, as it is healthy and important for any business to grow. However, growth during the current economic climate is probably more challenging than at any time in the past.

There are several reasons for this: • The speed of change – part of the problem is the speed at which economies and business demand have changed. Initially many businesses had a very quick slowdown in trade. Now, many product sectors are back to full volumes and several with increased annual volumes. With rotational molding being labor intensive, it is very challenging to staff up quickly, add capacity and develop the necessary workforce skills to be operationally successful.

• Government incentives – during the pandemic, many people lost Complex products require complex molds. Mold makers are their jobs and were dependent on welfare from the states. This becoming more and more creative as they find ways to provide clearly has been a difficult time for many people in many ways. the industry with the complexity of tooling required. CNC molds The government stimulus package resulted in unemployment continue to grow in popularity, typically providing the highest benefits being boosted. While well intentioned, these increased quality of mold. Electrically heated molds offer more precise heating, benefits quickly became counter-productive, as employers providing molders with options to minimize the amount of raw desperately needed more workers, only to find that typical pay material required to produce the part, reducing part price. For very rates could barely match the unemployment benefits. As a result, complex geometries the mold may need to be manufactured from many potential workers opted to receive unemployment benefits several pieces to allow demolding of the part. These loose pieces can rather than return to the workforce. be mounted on sliding guides to minimize parting line wear.

• Resin pricing – the primary cost driver of any rotomolded part Polyethylene (PE) continues to dominate the type of raw material is typically the polymer used to produce it. For the past 9 months most used by the industry. As we all know PE has its limitations, or more, the cost of resin has increased monthly. This has been but there are a wide variety of grades available which have helped driven by material shortages and some unexpected capacity to establish the industry in several market sectors. These sectors issues in the supply chain due to inclement winter weather and include water and chemical storage tanks, toys, playgrounds and manufacturing plant mechanical issues. Molders literally have never experienced anything like the current price escalation. The knock-on effect is how to pass this on to customers quickly enough to sustain profitability. With no relaxation of resin pricing this continues to be one of the greatest challenges that molders must work through to remain solvent.

• The uncertain supply chain – as if escalating resin pricing is not enough, many molders have been battling supply chain issues. Just like rotomolders, the supply base has struggled to react quickly enough to the increases in demand that many are experiencing, combined with the shortage of labor. Many of us who have been involved in manufacturing for a long time are familiar with the term “force majeure”, but I suspect we have not heard it used with such frequency as we have during the past 9 months. Not having the materials we need when we need them, drives tremendous chaos into the workplace, forcing mold changes, downtime, and “Yes, there are no doubt great challenges ahead undesirable line-down situations. This is becoming for the industry, but there are also great rewards more accepted, and it remains uncertain as to when this situation is likely to change. for those who can find solutions to the problems

What does our future hold?

that we face and make rotational molding jobs more appealing to the younger generations, while minimizing the need to work overtime to meet production schedules.”

It would take a brave person to predict the future of our industry, or any industry for that matter, during these volatile times. What we do know is that demand remains strong and what sets us apart has not changed.

We are blessed with a process that has a special niche in the plastics world, with certain capabilities that are not easily matched.

Many rotationally molded products are either too complex or too large for other processes to competitively manufacture. Rotomolded products can be highly complex, 3D geometries, as a result of product designers combining several components into one roto part, creating a high value product. When complexity of product is combined with larger part size, there are very few cost-effective alternatives to rotational molding, provided the molder is located within a reasonable shipping distance from their customers.

fitness equipment, fuel tanks, floatation, and insulated products, material handling, waste disposal, and floor cleaning products [1].

The real challenge!

While rotational molding needs to continue to utilize more process control and expand its material offerings, it also needs to become more efficient and less labor intensive. Remarkably, having gone through what we have experienced in the last 18 months, the industry now finds itself back at the exact same position as 2 years ago, not www.rotoworldmag.com 47

having enough labor to manufacture the parts. As labor costs rise and as labor becomes less available in some regions, it is imperative that molders find suitable technologies to either reduce the amount of labor required or reduce the skills needed to yield the finished product. Another efficiency opportunity is to minimize machine downtime due to mold changes. This is something that all molders are faced with, that results in lost productivity from the machine and of the labor assigned to finishing parts off the machine. If molds can be changed and arms balanced inside the load/unload cycle time, then great gains can be made in overall equipment efficiency and the revenue produced per labor hour.

While rotational molding will always be a labor-intensive process, the industry must find ways to manage the effect of escalating labor costs and labor shortages by employing automation where it makes viable economic sense. In some regions of the world, the future of the industry’s competitiveness will depend on its ability to apply technologies that improve labor efficiency. While automation is not always easy or straight forward, the justification to make these investments will become easier as labor costs rise, production demand increases, and as labor becomes less and less available for these types of manufacturing positions. Hopefully the coming months will see a reduction of resin pricing to help the industry stay competitive, as many fear the increases in product costs that have been passed on to customers in recent months will result in a loss of business long-term.

Yes, there are no doubt great challenges ahead for the industry, but there are also great rewards for those who can find solutions to the problems that we face and make rotational molding jobs more appealing to the younger generations, while minimizing the need to work overtime to meet production schedules. Molders who want to survive and even grow during these challenging times are simply going to have to pay more to attract the right talent for these types of manufacturing positions. Staffing, managing the impact of rising labor cost, resin costs and other inflationary costs are the real challenges that the industry faces, as automation will never be a complete solution for many molders/applications due to part size, complexity, variation, low volume etc. Therefore, focusing on the work environment, production methods, training, equipment/tools, ergonomics, engagement, teamwork, career growth and compensation needs to be a greater priority to attract good employees and make them feel that manufacturing is a career worth pursuing. Rotomolding truly is one of the few industries where someone can leave high school and build a career to become a successful manufacturing operations leader with great reward potential!

References: 1. Rotational Molding Continues to Surge, ARMO Magazine 2019, Alvin Spence, Centro, Inc.

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DESIGN

COMMENT

Michael Paloian, Integrated Design Systems, Inc.

Designing for the Long Term Product design is very fulfilling as well as challenging. It feels great to be able to think of something, sketch it out on a piece of paper, maybe make a model, then translate your idea into an actual product! One of the most challenging responsibilities for a designer or engineer is designing a product for the long term.

This process requires in-depth knowledge in materials science, manufacturing, physics, mechanics, aesthetics, human factors, and application. It would help if you had a crystal ball when designing a product to last for 5, 10, or 20 years. Unfortunately, none of us have a reliable means of looking into the future unless you subscribe to a fortuneteller. So how do you design a product to last for a specified minimum timeframe?

There are a few basic requirements for designing long-lasting products as listed below: • Know your material • Understand the product application • Manage stresses and loads • Always account for the environment • Never assume anything Understanding Material Properties Knowledge of material properties cannot be over-emphasized.

Long-term performance is highly dependent on material properties, and how well matched they are to the applied loads, chemicals, radiation, and thermal conditions to which they are subjected. Engineers need to evaluate the extremes of these parameters based on the specified material and anticipated operating conditions. Although this may appear to be straightforward, it is quite the opposite. An engineer must carefully expect every possible use condition for a given product and evaluate its performance based on a combination of conditions. Unfortunately, most published material data is limited to immediate loads. This limitation requires product designers to conduct accelerated testing based on sound engineering principles.

Understand the Product Application Although this may appear to be elementary, it is a critical and often overlooked step in product design. Understanding the application requires understanding the interrelationships between product use, misuse, use environments, maintenance, and safety. For example, a product exposed to sunlight for up to ten years requires excellent UV resistance. Specifying a UV 10 grade of polyethylene means that it will retain a minimum of 50% of its tensile strength and impact after this exposure period. Therefore your device should be designed to withstand a minimum of two times the loads from time zero.

Manage stresses and loads Stresses and loads should also account for creep, which is time and temperature-dependent. For example, a water tank can be filled and perform well at room temperature and time zero. However, it could fail after two or five years under constant load and higher temperatures. This phenomenon is attributed to creep. Creep is a change in modulus over time under constant load.

Always account for the environment The environments of use are critical to assess when designing for the long term. Product environments could include harsh chemicals, which could rapidly degrade plastics. Environmental conditions also influence radiation such as UV, or X-rays, gamma rays, etc. Thermal conditions are another common environmental consideration.

Electrical energy is also crucial since it will affect designs requiring insulation which is dependent upon dielectric strength.

Never assume anything The last important consideration for designing for the long term is never to assume anything. Assumptions often lead to a false sense of security based on omissions of critical design considerations.

Omissions lead to errors and premature product failures, which is why the US courts are backlogged with thousands of lawsuits every year based on “Errors and Omissions.” Critical due diligence is essential in any design methodology where long-term product performance is required.

I hope this brief editorial was informative and somewhat enlightening. It is intended to alert you to the challenges associated with designing products to last long periods. This topic would be an excellent subject for a book. If you have any comments or would like to reach me, please feel free to contact me at paloian@idsys.com. www.rotoworldmag.com 49

Chemical Tanks: Knowledge is Power Ian Hansen, Rota Consult

When it comes to chemical or industrial storage tanks, many rotomoulders use their existing water tank moulds to make tanks to store a variety of chemicals, usually with minor design changes. This article attempts to provide information and guidance primarily on the polymer properties which moulders should be aware of when designing a chemical tank fit for purpose.

In the beginning When tank capacities are small, the risks are relatively small.

When the tank size increases in capacity, then any small deficiencies in design can become magnified. A tank designed to hold 3,000L (800USG) of water (or chemicals) will almost by accident rather than design, have a greater design factor of safety than a 30,000L (8,000USG) tank.

Polyethylene tanks are used around the world for the bulk storage of industrial chemicals, including dangerous and corrosive chemicals like hypochlorite solution (liquid ‘pool chlorine’) and hydrochloric acid. Bulk storage tanks for diesel, liquid fertilisers and molasses are commonly used by the agriculture industry. When storing chemicals, the damage (real cost) caused by failure (leak) can be significantly greater than for a leaking water tank. In countries that have robust rotomoulding tank standards for material, design, manufacture and postproduction testing of tanks, the suitability of the tank structure would be assessed using finite element analysis (FEA) to ensure

the tank is fit for purpose (see Figure 1). AS/NZS4766 is an example of such a comprehensive tank standard.

Some standards provide general guidance about chemical tanks. Typically, the suitability of the polymer for chemical storage should be based on relevant chemical resistance data from polymer manufacturers. Moulders relatively new to chemical storage tanks need to be aware that ESCR (stress-cracking test) is not recommended to be used as an indicator of general chemical resistance of a polymer. The moulder should maintain relevant chemical resistance/performance data demonstrating the tank’s suitability for the intended application.

Responsibility Generally speaking, the manufacturer of the storage tank is normally responsible for the evaluation of both the tank design and chemical resistance of the polymer material to ensure the tank can withstand chemical attack, with minimal change in appearance, dimensions, mechanical properties, and weight over a period of time. The degree of responsibility in the event of product failure will depend on the regulations and legal precedents of the region the tank is produced or sold into. To put this into perspective, there have been a couple of major court cases where moulders have unsuccessfully claimed the polyethylene supplied had: • inadequate environmental stress cracking resistance. 2008 judgement, US$70M claim [1] • inadequate ultra-violet light (UV) resistance. 2012, US$50M [2] These expensive disputes, involving combined claims of about US$120M, highlighted the primary importance of design, processing and quality control which the moulders were found responsible for, not the quality of material used. This article provides an introduction to the design changes to consider in managing the effects of storing bulk chemicals rather than water.

Chemical Effects Chemical resistance encompasses the total effect a product would have on a storage tank. The 3 key factors that make up the overall compatibility of a chemical to a polyethylene tank are: i. Chemical Attack - Oxidation ii. Stress Cracking - ESCR iii. Permeation – Plasticisation

Figure 1: FEA highlighting acceptable stress around tank and unacceptable peak stress at the outlet

50 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

(i) Chemical Attack Oxidising agents undertake a chemical attack by chemically degrading the polyethylene. This can be a breaking of molecular chains and/or an addition of chemical groups to the molecule.

Oxidisation causes the eventual loss of properties with the plastic becoming brittle and the tank not fit for use. This would be similar to steel rusting/failing or wine turning into vinegar.

Chemical effects may be gradual and may not be measurable over the short term. Examples of strong oxidizers which potentially may be unsuitable for long term exposure to polyethylene include nitric acid & sulphuric acid.

grades approved for storage of diesel (ECE-R34) still require the moulder to consider design and wall thickness changes to manage the softening of the polyethylene. Figure 3 illustrates a diesel approved grade of polyethylene after more than 5 years of service.

Examples of plasticising chemicals which may be unsuitable for long term exposure to PE include petroleum, gasoline, benzene or other aromatic hydrocarbons.

(ii) Stress Cracking Environmental stress cracking is the cracking of a polyethylene part under stress when in contact with a medium, e.g. kerosene, in the absence of which surface initiated micro cracks or fractures do not occur under the same conditions of stress. The polymer’s resistance to such failures is called environmental stress crack resistance (ESCR). A diluted chemical (10%) will normally have a greater effect than a full strength (100%) chemical. Consider diluted detergents such as dish washing liquid.

This stress cracking can often be accelerated when combined with elevated operating temperatures. Figure 2 illustrates an example of a stress crack failure. Examples of known stress cracking agents which may be unsuitable for long term exposure to polyethylene include detergents, surfactants and vegetable oils.

Figure 3: Diesel fuel permeation (brown) in a 10,000L (2,640 USG) tank

Environmental Effects Extreme temperatures can also have a negative effect on tank performance, especially hot ambient temperatures. This can be a result of external heat from the sun, or it can be internal from hot liquids entering the tank. Polyethylene, which is a flexible material, becomes even more flexible when heated. Figure 4 illustrates the bulging effect that can occur when a tank is subjected to elevated temperatures, instead of room temperature (23°C or 73°F).

Figure 2: Stress crack failure [3]

Remember, these stress cracking agents do not chemically attack the polymer. Stress on the polyethylene comes from applied forces (hydrostatic stress), part design (tight radii) and residue stress (warpage or deformation). (iii) Permeation Permeation involves the physical absorption of the chemical into the polyethylene, causing the plastic part to lose stiffness or rigidity. Additional effects include swelling, weight gain, reduction in tensile strength and loss of long-term creep resistance. Normally, absorption does not prohibit the storage of the chemical. The property losses due to permeation can usually be offset by increasing the design wall thickness of the tank or changing the type of polymer for the application.

Hydrocarbon fuels such as diesel are well known to permeate into, and pass through, polyethylene over time. Even polyethylene

Figure 4: Bulging 8,000USG tank wall at elevated temperatures

www.rotoworldmag.com 51

The rigidity or stiffness of polyethylene is measured at a standardised temperature of 23°C. Figure 5 shows that the rigidity of polyethylene will decrease by 35% when the temperature of the material is increased from 23°C to 40°C. If a storage tank is to operate in elevated ambient temperatures, or with a liquid operating at elevated temperature, then consideration should be given to increasing the wall thickness of the product to compensate for the reduction in rigidity.

Material selection The basic parameters for material selection are: i. Density (crystallinity) ii. Melt index (molecular weight) iii. Comonomer type (octene, hexene, butene)

(ii) Melt Index The influence of viscosity and melt index on material selection has been outlined in a RotoWorld® article by Alvin Spence [5]. Lower melt index materials will typically have improved stress crack resistance and chemical resistance. (iii) Comonomer The influence of comonomer type on material performance has also been previously outlined in another RotoWorld article

by Nick Henwood [6]. When using low melt index material (<3.5MI) increasing from butene to hexene or butene to octene will make a significant improvement in long-term performance like stress crack resistance. When selecting a material consider the best combination of stiffness (hydrostatic load), melt index (processibility) as well as commoner (chemical resistance) to meet the functional needs of the application.

Questions to ask the customer When designing any product, it is critical to have a fundamental understanding of the product’s functional requirements for the chemical tank and the customer’s intended use.

• • • • • •

Figure 5: Effect of temperature on rigidity [4]

Large capacity tanks using higher density and lower melt flow polyethylene will normally have enhanced chemical resistance, while IBC’s using lower density and higher melt flow PE will have enhanced stress crack resistance. Figure 6 illustrates the two different tank applications. It is important to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of different grades of material.

Figure 6: Different tanks usually require different performance characteristics

(i) Density Higher density materials tend to have lower stress crack resistance but are more notch sensitive than medium density materials. That is, they are typically less able to deform or yield upon impact and cannot resist crack propagation once it is initiated.

52 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

What is the chemical being stored in the tank?

What is the % concentration of the chemical?

What is the Specific Gravity of the liquid?

What is the service temperature range?

What regulatory standards apply?

What capacity is required?

While these appear to be basic questions, overlooking any one of them may result in a catastrophic failure. Therefore, it is critical to have a complete understanding of the end use application and functional requirements in order to determine the best design and optimal material/wall thickness for the application. Be aware that the moulder will normally be deemed the chemical tank manufacturing expert, not the customer.

Chemical Concentration It is important to have access to chemical resistance tables which list chemicals and concentrations. Identification of multiple sources of information is also important as there may well be conflicting data and/or various concentration levels of chemicals listed. Liquid fertilizers are commonly made with nitric acid (HNO3) and are stored in bulk for agricultural use. Chemical resistance tables usually indicate nitric acid is satisfactory to be stored at lower concentrations, but not satisfactory at higher concentrations. The concentration of liquid nitrogen fertilizer, in the form of nitrate, ammonium and urea will be written on the SDS/MSDS (Safety Data Sheet/Material Safety Data Sheet).

Chemical resistance tables provide general advice for polyethylene. However, not all grades of polyethylene perform the same. TOTAL compared elongation after 3 weeks of exposure to HN03, at 55% concentration, at 40°C (104°F). The polyethylene grades compared were M3421UV = mPE, XLPE = crosslinked PE, ZN-LLDPE = conventional PE. Figure 7 illustrates the performance

difference between polyethylene grades. The metallocene polyethylene (MPE) outperformed the crosslinked and standard polyethylene grades by a significant amount. This is an example of why it is important to get your polymer supplier to provide their advice on the suitability and performance of their material for your customers application. If you have a written record of this, you also have supporting evidence about the suitability of the material for a specific application. Always ensure the material supplier has all of the pertinent information relating to the application.

Specific Gravity (SG) Another critical factor is the weight of the liquid chemical to be stored in the tank. Many chemicals increase in weight as the concentration of chemical increases. Some, like diesel, decrease in weight. The specific gravity of chemical concentrations should be

Figure 7: TOTAL Petrochemicals, ARMA Rotomould Conference 2008 [7]

written on the SDS/MSDS. Sodium hypochlorite (NaCIO), known as chlorine or bleach, is a chemical commonly stored around the world in many different concentrations.

• 8% has SG of about 1.12 • 10% has SG of about 1.16 • 15% has SG of about 1.25 In simple terms, if your tank design required a wall thickness of 6.5mm (0.26 inch) to store water, you would need to increase it to 8mm (0.32 inch), a 25% increase, to store sodium hypochlorite at 15% concentration. This design change is just to manage the increase in weight. Note that NaCIO is also an oxidizing agent.

Service Temperature A simple method most moulders use to manage the elevated temperature is to make a small increase in the wall thickness to offset the negative effect of elevated temperatures. Increasing wall thickness 25%, say from 8mm to 10mm, (0.32 inch to 0.39 inch) will yield approximately a 100% increase in rigidity (as rigidity is proportional to wall thickness cubed). Having access to performance data at elevated temperatures for the polyethylene being used, will help to correctly determine the increase in wall thickness. The material properties published by polymer suppliers are normally generated at 23°C (73°F). The good news is that most polymer suppliers will have short term tensile properties at 23°C

(73°F) and 40C (104°F). Some polymer suppliers also have longterm tensile creep properties at 23°C and 40°C. Moulders need to request this information to better predict performance at elevated temperatures.

Summary Chemical effects on polyethylene that you need to understand can be divided into three categories: i. Oxidation ii. Stress cracking iii. Plasticisation Tank design and processing (optimal moulding) are interacting factors which influence chemical resistance & stress cracking resistance. Experienced moulders should already understand that some of the many factors which must be controlled for successful production of chemical storage tanks include chemical compatibility, chemical concentration, stress crack resistance, regulatory standards, operating temperature, impact resistance, vacuum or pressure conditions, duration and type (intermittent versus continuous) of operation, weatherability, design features of tank, customer installation, recyclability, overall cost, etc.

This article provides a guide to some of the complex and technical issues which moulders need to consider when undertaking the risk/benefit equation presented by the storage of chemicals in tanks. For information on material selection, I would recommend you contact your material supplier for their advice on each new chemical storage application. When designing high performance chemical tanks versus water storage tanks, always design in adequate safety margins to ensure the product is fit for the application.

References 1. Balmoral Group Ltd V Borealis (UK) Ltd & ORS, England and Wales High Court, 2006, 1900 (Comm) (25 July 2006) 2. Kingspan Environmental Ltd & Ors V Borealis A/S & Ors, England and Wales High Court, 2012, 1147 (Comm) (01 May 2012) 3. Mercieca, Tony, QENOS, The importance of Slow Crack Growth in the Failure of Rotomoulded Products, ARMA Rotomoulding conference 2004 4. Whitehand, Garry QENOS, Polyethylene - Essential Knowledge for Rotational Moulding, ARMA Rotomoulding Conference 2012 5. Spence, Alvin, How Viscosity and Melt Index Influence Material Selection, RotoWorld®, Volume XVI, Issue 4 (2020) 6. Henwood, Nick, What Rotomolders Need to Know about Polymer Chemistry – Part 1, RotoWorld®, Volume XVI, Issue 5 (2020) 7. Maziers, Eric, TOTAL Petrochemicals, Rotomoulded Products for Biodiesel Applications, ARMA Rotomoulding conference 2008. www.rotoworldmag.com 53

INDUSTRY 4.0

EPISODE 8

Part 2

Rob Miller, Wittmann Battenfeld Canada Inc. / ROTOLOADTM

Mold Use Intelligence

Hopefully, answering the question…at least partially.

When this issue is in your hands, we will all be meeting, sharing in our stories, our struggles, our successes, and the pleasure of all being together once again.

For refresher, here again is the original question…

Q: Can Industry 4.0 be used to provide the intelligence to define which molds should be run with which other molds, or combination thereof, on which arm/cart, through which oven, at what molding parameters, to achieve the best possible outcome, efficiency, part quality, and overall production results.

A: I have had several discussions related to the questions that arose in the last incomplete episode 8 part 1.

To come full circle, this term “Mold Compatibility” seems to be at the root of this discussion. There can be a lot of varied opinions on the factors that make molds compatible, but in the end, if a grouping of similar or dissimilar molds, seem to be compatible, then this is THE key piece of information.

Evidently, it seems that in some cases, very different molds 54 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

could indeed have similar processing windows, and therefore can be considered compatible.

So…to get back to the answer for the original question. I do believe that this is an application for Industry 4.0 principles, and programming / communication from machine to machine.

While this automated MOLD COMPATIBILITY platform is not yet developed and therefore not yet available, it is possible to use automation to ultimately define compatibility of a range of different molds and primary machinery.

Firstly, in its eventual intended form, I believe that it could be classed as AUTOMATION as it can do what is currently achieved by a human. (automatically controlled operation of an apparatus, process, or system by mechanical or electronic devices that take the place of human labor. (An automatically controlled process or system” could be used to define this application.” While I may personally want to dispute this and argue this point, in the end it can be considered automation).

While this application is not replacing physical human labor, it is replacing human thought, gut feel, and ingenuity, which is largely how this process works currently. HOWEVER, at least

INDUSTRY 4.0

EPISODE 8 Part 2

from my perspective, there still seems to be a lot of questions for exactly how to make this process and application function well.

As I said in the last episode, I am not a molder. I look at the range of different molds, and the laundry list of details about each mold, and frankly speaking, walk myself quite far into the weeds, trying to find the simple solution. I could easily define a list of 10-12 mold characteristics that may contribute to some formulation of compatibility. But, indeed, this may be going too far. Some items in that list may be of great importance, and some may be less critical to the success of this platform. The primary machinery and its related capabilities also have a significant role to play in the equation.

As does your customer demands on your production capabilities, schedules, and requirements. I do not believe that it is any molders goal to have machines not being used to their maximum capabilities. Let me rephrase that with a more positive spin…every molder wants every machine to be used at its maximum production capabilities, and compatibilities. As I try to narrow this down, and work towards some level of simplification, I see the potential to use three more generalized terms: • Mold Compatibility – how molds in your facility have similar characteristics and compatible process windows so that they can run successfully with a specific list of other molds.

• Machine Compatibility – which molds can run on which machines, and with which list of specific molds as listed above.

• Production Compatibility – what is in your production schedule and how can you ensure maximum production efficiency.

this type of application.

If equations and molding parameters can be automatically communicated, and automatically updated to the primary machinery in the event of a process or mold change, and the primary machinery makes the necessary adjustments to maximize efficiency…this is Machinery communicating with Machinery, the real intention of Industry 4.0.

This could continue to be expanded with other support equipment, such as environmental monitoring, process monitoring, resin management, labor control, and potential direct communication with ERP or MRP systems for maximum long-term control and cost management.

I hope that this has affirmed that there is potential for this

Image courtesy of Ferry Industries

If the expectation is for an application to take these three categories of information and apply that to a simple A+B+C = D, then we have achieved the end game. The potential of this Industry 4.0 application comes with the next step when “D” gets communicated directly to the Primary Machinery, without human intervention, to make the necessary adjustments to maximize performance of all the moving parts. This for me is the exciting and most beneficial purpose and eventual intention of

type of platform to exist, and to be developed. I am anxious to know your thoughts, and to discuss this in detail with whoever is willing. The more knowledge that we can gain together, the better our collective minds can solve the problems, and accomplish great things!

Please send your questions. I am looking forward to the next challenge. Come and see me at our booth, grab me in the hall, lets grab a beverage of choice. Thanks for reading and your continued support and thoughts. www.rotoworldmag.com 55

ARMO

NEWS

ARMA | ARM-CE | ARMSA | BPF | IT-RO | NORDIC ARM | StAR

ASSOCIATION OF ROTATIONAL MOULDERS AUSTRALASIA LTD • ARMA

ARMA Webinar on Use of Robotics for the Application of Mould in Graphics This webinar is an industry update on the project that ARMA has funded along with ARMCE and in conjunction with the Queens University Belfast. It forms part of a PhD project at Queen’s University on the development, simulation, and optimisation of an Advanced Robotic Manufacturing Cell for the rotational moulding process. This project aims to develop

the level of automation and technology use in the rotational moulding process and the webinar provided insight into the development of the project around using automation for the application of graphics and was presented by the QUB PhD student, Conor Moore.

ARMA Networking Events a Success With the postponement of our annual conference and the limited travel allowed within Australia and New Zealand, the decision was made to host a series of networking events in Australia and New Zealand in conjunction with the launch of the online Masterclass at the Machine video series. Starting with a breakfast in Brisbane, then a brunch in Melbourne, and a luncheon in Auckland, over 85 attendees took the time to get together, for the first time in 2 years.

Based around the opportunity to network in a casual environment, there were presentations from Masterclass Sponsors, PSI Brand, Qenos, Matrix Polymers & Micropellets Australia as well as insight into where ARMA is heading over the next 2 years.

The first of the Masterclass at the Machine technical video series was then played as everyone enjoyed their meal and took the time to catch up.

The feedback was extremely positive and smaller, localised events will be organised over the next 12 months, as we strive to open up and hopefully be able to conference again in 2022

Safety Takes Priority for ARMA The Safety Working Group started coming together at the beginning of this year, kicking off with a review of the Large Product Delivery Guide. This guide outlines the responsibilities that relate to the loading and unloading of large products and is designed to help support the respective safety journey of our members and supporters. They are now reviewing the ARMA

56 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

Machine Guarding Guide, which will be released in the coming month.

The group has also initiated a unique concept for the PPE safety posters that have been printed and posted out to all members, focussing on eye protection, ear protection, safety glasses and vests.

ARMO

NEWS 100% of ARMA Members & Supporters to be Pledge Zero Pellet Loss by 2023 The Environment Group have set some big goals this year and one of them is that all our members and supporters have been through the Operation Clean Sweep audit process and have pledged their commitment. It’s one way that our industry can do their part in ensuring the best environment and water ways for the future. It an easy process within our partnership with Operation Clean Sweep.

The Plastics Industry Association introduced the Operation Clean Sweep® program to the USA in 1992. Since then, it has also been successfully implemented in over 22 jurisdictions including Europe, New Zealand, and Canada. The message is simple: Resin pellets should be contained, reclaimed, and/or disposed of properly. The program has now been introduced to Australia and is funded through the Victorian Government’s Litter Hotspots Program.

Operation Clean Sweep® aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action by all countries – poor, rich, and middle-income – to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognise that ending poverty must go together with strategies that build economic growth and address a range

of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection.

Specifically, Operation Clean Sweep® links to the following Sustainable Development Goals: • • • • •

Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure Sustainable Cities & Communities Responsible Consumption & Production Life Below Water Partnerships For The Goals

The program with its self-audit process is being promoted through the membership and assisted audits are currently offered in New Zealand and will soon be available in Australia too.

ARMA Working With RHA Around Changes To Water Tank Legislation ARMA believes that working partnerships with other associations support our industry in a beneficial way and our relationship with Rainwater Harvesting Australia and its industry groups is one way we are developing this.

Currently the NSW Government is considering recommendations to remove the rainwater harvesting requirement from BASIX (Building Sustainability Index), which has a major impact on the industry in NSW, but also lays a foundation that could spread throughout Australia. BASIX was introduced in 2004 to ensure new homes and major renovations were sustainable and we were protecting our water and energy resources.

“One of the key findings of the original BASIX research was that builders don’t receive any benefit from installing water efficient equipment, which would result in lower water bills as well as reducing the need for expensive infrastructure for water efficiency.

As a result, builders are generally opposed to BASIX as it adds to their time and costs. The water industry would also much prefer customers to use utility water rather than rainwater as they are in the business of building and maintaining water infrastructure.

This situation is a clear demonstration of ‘market failure’ and explains why the economically efficient BASIX was a critical

intervention by government.

Another serious problem is the combination of more buildings and road coverings. This combined with the heavier predicted rainfall in our cities will increase localised ‘flash’ flooding damaging our precious natural waterways. It should be noted that since BASIX was introduced, rainwater harvesting has been recognised as an important engineering solution for stormwater management and will be increasingly important in the future as stormwater runoff increases with further urban and regional development. In the next drought we will find that the water infrastructure we invested in so heavily is now insufficient to meet demand as the water from our rooves goes down the gutter to cause flooding and increase insurance premiums.

Today’s politicians have largely forgotten the lessons of the Millennium drought.” (published on the RHA website, https://rainwaterharvesting.org.au/ from article “Basix must be retained to secure or water future, August 5th.)

ARMA is working alongside RHA and other organisations to collate a response from the rainwater industry to local government as well as the decision makers around this legislative change. www.rotoworldmag.com 57

ARMO

NEWS BRITISH PLASTICS FEDERATION ROTATIONAL MOULDING GROUP • BPF

BPF Launches PolymerJobs.co.uk to Promote Plastics Industry Jobs

The British Plastics Federation (BPF) has recently launched PolymerJobs.co.uk, a new website that lists available positions within the industry.

The website specialises in plastics jobs, such as toolmakers, shift engineers, sales managers, project engineers, technicians, and many other roles critical to the industry. Companies are invited to submit their jobs to be posted on the site by filling out a form which asks important details about the role, a service that is initially free to BPF member firms.

The plastics industry has in previous years reported that finding skilled staff is a key area of focus for many companies, with a recent BPF survey finding that 42% of plastics companies report difficulty recruiting new staff. The new website is an initiative by the BPF to help recruit skilled individuals into the industry by helping to promote the excellent range of roles and opportunities to jobseekers.

Alongside the opportunity to post jobs, companies will also have the option to have their job featured and highlighted at the top of the search results page. Director General of the British Plastics Federation, Philip Law, states: 58 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

“Led by the BPF Education and Skills Committee, this initiative is an important effort to help promote the great range of roles the plastics industry offers skilled individuals. For the industry’s continued and heathy growth, it is of course vital that individuals with key skills are matched up to the important roles that exist today. We hope that polymerjobs.co.uk can help contribute in this area, and the BPF will continue its work to help promote recruitment in the industry.”

The BPF continues to work closely with its members to promote the plastics industry and more information on these efforts, such as a spotlight on different plastic careers, as well as a new polymer careers video, can be found at www.polymerzone.co.uk.

For further information on education and skills issues and the BPF’s activities, please contact Mo Elkhalifa at melkhalifa@bpf. co.uk or on +44(0) 207 457 5046

ARMO

NEWS The BPF Launches Online Recycling Resource with Plastics Europe & RECOUP The British Plastics Federation (BPF), in conjunction with PlasticsEurope and RECOUP, has launched a new online recycling resource kit aimed at educating students about recycling plastics and the science of polymers.

Tied to the national curriculum and featuring a simple but informative ‘sink-float’ experiment, the new resource aims to turn students into ‘recycling champions’. The resource can be found on the Times Educational Supplement (TES) website as well as on the BPF’s PolymerZone.co.uk.

Teachers can use the free online kit to help students learn how the recycling system works, as well as to explore the scientific properties of different polymers. The sink-float experiment is a hands-on way of learning how recyclers correctly sort distinct types of plastic.

The kit is designed for Key Stage 2 students aged between 7 and 11 years old and the materials needed for the experiments are simple to source. These can be found from milk cartons, empty bottles, and plastic bags.

British Plastics Federation Director General Philip Law states: “Working closely with PlasticsEurope and RECOUP, we are very proud to launch this special plastic recycling resource for schools.

Understanding recycling plastic has never been more vital. We hope educating young students about the interesting science behind collecting, sorting and reprocessing plastic waste will help

encourage positive participation in recycling and allow young people to see how their actions at home benefit the environment and make a real difference.” PlasticsEurope Resource Efficiency Senior Manager Adrian Whyle added: “We have welcomed the opportunity to be part of creating this unique plastic recycling resource for schools. Our aim is that by using this valuable resource young citizens will understand the importance of their contribution in driving up recycling rates and the associated reductions in littering. Equipped with this knowledge they too can become agents for change in helping society reach its Circular Economy objectives whilst at the same time mitigating against climate change”.

Anne Hitch, Head of Citizen and Stakeholder Strategy, at RECOUP added: “These experiments are an engaging way to educating young people about plastics and challenge students to think about the material in a scientific way. This type of education is crucial if we are to recruit the innovative plastics scientists of tomorrow. I hope that the students will thoroughly enjoy taking part in this free online resource.”

In addition to this free online kit, other free resources for teachers, parents, and students are available at www. polymerzone.co.uk. For further information on education and skills and the BPF’s activities in this area, please contact Mo Elkhalifa at: melkhalifa@bpf.co.uk.

Association of Rotational Moulders Australasia Inc. Tel: +61 (0) 7 3812 1450 www.rotationalmoulding.com CEO: Michelle Rose Cheif Executive Officer: Michelle Rose michellerose@rotationalmoulding.com

Association of Rotational Moulders Southern Africa PO Box 6966 Birchleigh 1621 Gauteng, South Africa Tel: +27 82 772 3769 Fax +27 12 541 1738 Chairman: Grant Heroldt info@armsa.co.za www.armsa.co.za

IT-RO Italia Rotazionale Katia Zoppetti Via E. Brigatti 12 20152 Milano (MI) Italy Tel: +039 348 7652560 www.it-ro.it

Association of Rotational Moulding (Central Europe) e.V. (ARM-CE) MAUS GmbH - Rotationsgießformen Am Viehweg 9 - D-76229 Karlsruhe Amtsgericht Mannheim, HRB 103433 Tel.: +49 (0) 7 21 / 9 48 74 12 Fax: +49 (0) 7 21 / 9 48 74 44 Mr. Oliver Wandres, ARM-CE Chairman info@rotational-moulding.de www.rotational-moulding.de

British Plastics Federation Rotational Moulding Group 6 Bath Place Rivington Street London EC2A 3JE United Kingdom Tel: 020 7457 5000 Fax: 020 7457 5045 Chairman: Mr. Philip Maddox PhilipM@LeafieldEnv.com

The Nordic Association of Rotational Moulders Executive Board Chairman: Mr. Ronny Ervik ul. Zielona 8, 61-851 Poznan, Poland Tel: +48 607-126-004 Fax: +48 61-858-8611 info@rotomoulding-europe.org www.nordicrotomoulding.org www.rotomoulding-europe.org

Society of Asian Rotomoulders (StAR) 40/145, Ground Floor, Chittaranjan Park New Delhi 110019 Tel: + 91-11-41630157 Fax: +91-11-41634952 Mob: + 91- 9810305356 sb.zaman@staraisa.org arnacz@satyam.net.in www.starasia.org

www.rotoworldmag.com 59

GLOBAL

CALENDAR SEPTEMBER 28-30, 2021

OCTOBER 12-16, 2021

JANUARY 25-28, 2022

Birmingham, England

P.E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG Freidrichshafen, Germany

FAKUMA

INTERPLASTICA 2022

FEBRUARY 17-21, 2022

MARCH 8-11, 2022

MARCH 14-16, 2022

PLASTINDIA

PLASTIMAGEN

ARM EXECUTIVE FORUM

INTERPLAS

Plastindia Foundation New Delhi, India

60 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

Banamex Mexico Mexico City, Mexico

Expocentre Moscow Moscow, Russia

Omni Amelia Island Resort Amelia Island, Florida rotomolding.org

GLOBAL

CALENDAR

OCTOBER 19-26, 2022

NOVEMBER 7-10, 2022

K – SHOW

ARM ANNUAL MEETING

Fairgrounds Düsseldorf, Germany www.k-online.com

Westin Peachtree Plaza Atlanta, Georgia rotomolding.org

www.rotoworldmag.com 61

ADVERTISERS’

INDEX

14 Diversified Mold & Castings 19800 Miles Rd. Warrensville Hts., OH 44128-4118 USA 216.663.1814 | 888.642.1222 info@diversifiedmolds.com www.diversifiedmolds.com 25 DRAM S.r.l.

Via Privata Eligio Brigatti 12 20152 Milan Italy info@dramsrl.com dramsrl.com 64 ExxonMobil Chemical Co. PO Box 96126 West Springs Calgary, Alberta Canada, T3H 0L3 800.668.0177 kevin.c.jamieson@exxonmobil.com https://www.exxonmobilchemical.com /en/products-and-services/ polyethylene 7 Ferry Industries, Inc. 4445 Allen Road Stow, OH 44224-1093 USA 330.920.9200 sales@ferryindustries.com www.ferryindustries.com 2 JSJ Productions, Inc. 625 West Market St. Salinas, CA 93901 USA 512.894.4106 susan@jsjproductionsinc.com www.jsjproductionsinc.com 9, 48 Jerico Plastic Industries, Inc. 7970 Boneta Road Wadsworth, OH 44281 USA 330.334.5244 Minerva Plant: 330.868.4600 steve@jericoplastic.com www.jericoplastic.com

17 Maag / Reduction Engineering Scheer USA Headquarters 235 Progress Blvd.

Kent, OH 44240 USA 1.800.844.2927 /330.677.2225 Maag.KEN.Info@maag.com www.maag.com Europe Headquarters Ostring 19 63762 Grossostheim, Germany +49.6026.503.354 info@maag.com www.maag.com 11 Matrix Polymers The Priory Orchard Hill Little Billing Northhampton, NN9 9AG United Kingdom +44.1604.789100 sales@matrixpolymers.com www.matrixpolymers.com 21 NOVA Chemicals 1555 Coraopolis Heights Road Moon Township, PA 15108 412.490.4311 Doug.Biela@novachem.com www.novachem.com 5 OREX Rotomoulding SP. Z O.O. Cieszyriska 6, 43-520 CHYBIE Poland +48 32 440 83 15 magda.wantola@orex.pl www.orex-rotomoulding.com 18 Polnac Lázaro Cárdenas, No. 49, Col. San Jerónimo Tepetlacalco, Tlalnepantla, Estado de México, Mexico C.P. 54090 +52.55.5362.5360 ext. 275 glenn@polnac.com www.polnac.com

62 ROTOWORLD® AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

19 Poliplast S.p.A. Via Carrali, 8 24020 Casnigo (BG) Italy +39.035.724145 info@poliplastspa.com www.poliplastspa.com

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VOLUME XVII, ISSUE 4 • 2021

VOLUME XVII, ISSUE 4 • AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021

Rotate for the

Clouds

Ian Hansen, Rota Consult

TECHNOLOGY

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Chemical Tanks: Knowledge is Power Ian Hansen, Rota Consult

Rotational Molding … has anything changed 2 years on?

Alvin Spence, Centro Incorporated