Biocomposites in Automotive Application Increased Indo-Pak trade ties can unleash rich economic dividends for both Subhash Kadakia CHINAPLAS 2015 Brings in New Topics to Shade Light on New Manufacturing Era Arabplast 2015: Flexpac celebrate high turnout at PakistanÂ’s first ever dedicated pavilion
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EditorÂ’s Note
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News
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New Records Set at Arabplast 2015
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Polymer & Packaging International at Arabplast 2015
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Arabplast 2015: Flexpac celebrate high 16 turnout at PakistanÂ’s first ever dedicated pavilion Increased Indo-Pak trade ties can unleash 17 rich economic dividends for both: Subhash Kadakia Clariant in Pakistan Inaugurates New MB Lab at Korangi Karachi
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Article: Biocomposites in Automotive Application
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CHINAPLAS 2015 Brings in New Topics to Shade Light on New Manufacturing Era
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Plast Eurasia 2014 Continues to Contribute 24 to the Growth of Turkish Plastic Industry FAV Plastico Sets another Milestone
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NEWS
Chinese Business Community Urged to Explore Pakistan s Market Potential Ambassador of Pakistan in China Masood Khalid has urged the Chinese business community to explore Pakistan s vast market potential as there are several products where joint ventures could be considered. He was addressing the China-Pakistan Trade and Investment Symposium which was held at the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing. The event aimed at enabling participants from Pakistani business and investment community to interact with their Chinese counterparts in a business to business format (B2B) so as to expand mutual cooperation, investment, explore opportunities, and promote trade contacts between Chinese and Pakistani enterprises. Ambassador Masood Khalid said that the Government of Pakistan attached great value to facilitating Chinese business community in Pakistan. He said both nations had evolved a viable framework and legal architecture to develop their economic cooperation. There are several mechanisms such as the Joint Economic Commission, Joint Investment Company and sectoral frameworks to allow for meaningful cooperation. The Free Trade Agreement, which was signed in 2007, was fully operational. He said a wide trade gap existed but work is in progress on allowing easier access of Pakistani imports into China, to provide a level playing field for Pakistani exporters and encourage investment and marketing missions from China for bulk purchases from Pakistan. On this occasion, Song Jianming, Deputy Director General of Beijing Municipal Commission of Commerce, said that the total import and export commodity trade volume between Beijing and Pakistan for the year 2014 was very encouraging.
and, at the same time, to interact stably with carbon-only based substances. In this simple molecule there are functional groups that can polymerize in a number of ways. Innovative polymers can be obtained in this manner, such as polyurethanes, which are ideal binders for carbon fillers in composite materials with advanced properties. The great advantage of the Politecnico's invention is that stable adducts with any of the forms of carbon mentioned above can be obtained by simply mixing. There is no need for the expensive (and sometimes dangerous) chemical reactions that are currently required and are performed with invasive chemical agents. In particular, it is easier in this way to use carbon nanofillers, nanotubes and graphene, the latest frontier of research in the field of high performing materials. There are many applications for this invention. In dispersions for the treatment of surfaces, inks especially, it provides electrical conductivity to transparent layers, which could be invisible because of the small quantity of carbon substances. In thermoplastic and elastomeric polymer composites, mechanical properties, electric conductivity, resistance to heat and flame are greatly enhanced, thanks to improved dispersion and the intimate interaction of the carbon fillers with the matrix. It is important to underline that the adhesion of the fillers to the polymeric matrix allows the use of the composite material for challenging mechanical and dynamic applications such as mixtures for tyres. The stable interaction of the nanofillers with the polymeric matrices is crucial for the prevention of dispersion into the environment, thus avoiding the related issues. This invention makes it possible to work not just on improving the performance of existing materials but on obtaining new generations of materials and levels of performance as well.
Clariant Releases A Two-faced Molecule for ColorForward Interiors 2016 Innovative Polymers Patented Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, The Politecnico di Milano patented a new molecule that can attach in a stable manner to various forms of carbon, such as carbon black, graphite, nanotubes and graphene, which provide increased mechanical strength and electrical and thermal conductivity. These types of carbon become soluble in polar solvents such as water, in addition to dissolving in low environmental impact solvents and in different kinds of polymers, without compromising traditional compatibility with non-polar matrices. It is extremely simple to prepare the molecule, as no solvents or catalyzers are required and the only by-product is water. The yield is very high (95% at least) and ensures atom efficiency above 80%. The starting compound is serinol, a naturally available derivative of glycerine. The molecule's key feature is its two-faced nature, which allows it to be soluble in water
06 | Polymer & Packaging
has released ColorForward® Interiors 2016, the third annual trend and color forecasting guide for the fiber and textile market. This year's edition was expanded to reach a wider range of textile yarn and filament producers, including those serving the carpeting, upholstery, automotive, and interior decoration sectors. This unique creative tool from ClariantColorWorks® defines four trends that can be expected to attract consumer attention in the next few years and creates a color palette that can help marketers tap into the emotions behind those cultural currents. For the first time, the ColorForward Interiors portfolio includes not only pompons made of polypropylene (PP) and polyamide (PA) fibers, but also wrap cards with polyester fiber samples.
Each year we have released ColorForward Interiors, we have received valuable feedback
about how we can enhance the value for our customers, explains Francis Baud, Global Head of Marketing Fibers for ClariantMasterbatches. By adding wrap cards with polyester yarn, we are now able to show our colors in a form that will be very familiar to a broad spectrum of fabric producers, designers and interior decorators. At the same time, we have retained the pompons, which are very popular in the carpet industry.
European Injection Molding Industry Reported to be Recovering In a new report recently published by Applied Marketing Information (AMI) Consulting, the recovery of Europe's injection molding sector since the global recession has gone on well in certain regions. AMI calculated that the value of the European plastics injection molding industry in 2014 was 11% higher than its pre-crisis value, although the volume of polymer processed was still about 7% lower than in 2007. Much of the value increase is associated with higher raw material costs but the industry has striven to maximize the potential of new and added value opportunities. The packaging sector remains by far the largest injection molding market in terms of polymer volume consumed, particularly because it includes demand for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) preforms, according to AMI's study. The packaging sector is almost equally important across every country because it typically serves local consumer demand. By comparison, the automotive market is the most valuable injection molding sector and its demand is increasingly being focused in countries retaining or attracting vehicle assembly. Within Europe, AMI said the shift of molded volume from Western to Central and Eastern Europe has largely been a result of following the investment by customers, particularly the automotive and electrical appliance manufacturers. However, the economic development of these regions has also created a larger consumer market to the benefit of the whole molding sector. The global recession accelerated the process of rationalization of the European injection molding industry that had been underway for several years, particularly in Western Europe, according to AMI. Western Europe has continued to experience most contraction with more than 2,000 molding sites closing since 2007. In Central and Eastern Europe closures have been more than offset by new entrants: the region continues to attract a high level of new investment. The overall rate of decline in molding sites is forecast to slow down but, through extrapolation from its database, AMI forecasts that Europe will lose a further 2% of its injection molding sites by 2018.
However, polymer demand and industry value for injection molded products is forecast to grow across almost every market sector. The higher demand will therefore be met by a smaller, yet more cost effective, strategically located supplier base, added AMI.
BASF Plans to Build New Methane-based Propylene Complex BASF has selected Freeport, Texas, the US as the potential site for its world-scale methaneto-propylene complex, and has contracted Air Liquide to provide basic engineering services, the German chemicals giant announced. The complex will be using Air Liquide's proprietary LurgiMegaMethanol and Methanolto-Propylene (MTP) technologies, providing an annual production capacity of approximately 475,000 metric tons of propylene. BASF said the move will allow it to take advantage of low gas prices resulting from U.S. shale gas production. This project would be BASF's largest singleplant investment to date and is subject to final approval in 2016 by the BASF Board of Executive Directors. The Freeport site was founded in 1958 as the first BASF manufacturing facility outside of Europe. It is one of two BASF Verbund sites in North America and uses propylene in its manufacturing processes. Propylene is one of the most important basic chemicals in the petrochemical industry and is used in the production of a wide range of higher-value chemicals for products such as coatings, detergents, and superabsorbent polymers for baby diapers.
Bayer Acquires Thermoplast Composite GmbH Bayer MaterialScience has announced the decision to acquire Thermoplast Composite GmbH (TCG), thermoplastic fiber composites supplier in Germany. This acquisition gives Bayer access to the production of composites made from continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastics, the company stated. It plans to expand TCG's production capacity in the Nuremberg metropolitan region first and then subsequently other regions as well. "We are seeing significant demand and growth opportunities for composites made from thermoplastic materials such as polycarbonate," said Dr. Markus Steilemann, Member of Bayer's Executive Committee and Head of the Polycarbonates Business Unit. "We expect promising opportunities above all in the IT, automotive and transportation industries, as well as in consumer goods, which would further strengthen our position." Bayer believes that polycarbonate composites are highly suited to such things as fabricating premium housings for the IT industry, and has been working on it for some time. "By acquiring TCG, we have now filled the last gaps in our processing technology know-how,"
stated Dr Olaf Zรถllner, Head of Polycarbonate Applications Development for Europe.
between 25% and 30%, said BSW Machinery. With a production speed is 500m/min or more, the new tiraTex extruder E105P can also reduce energy consumption by up to 5% with an optional direct torque drives.
BPF Expresses Concerns at Impact of Reduced Oil Prices on Plastics Recyclers Croda Introduces New Range The British Plastics Federation (BPF) has of Anti-Scratch Additives for expressed its concern at the impact of reduced oil prices in the UK Plastics Recycling Industry. Automotive Plastics Areas of plastics recycling are becoming uncompetitive and this is threatening not only the viability of businesses but also, potentially, the recycling record of the whole supply chain, said BPF. It is calling on companies in the downstream supply chain, when considering their materials selection policies, to keep to the fore the fact that high recycling targets have to be met under the Packaging Waste (Producer Responsibility) Regulations and that many individual Corporate Social Responsibility programs support increased recycling levels. "That the carbon saving and resource efficiency benefits of plastic products have been enhanced by the increased levels of plastics recycling seen today. Plastics recycling is an essential component of the whole chain's sustainability message and we should not allow our record to regress," said BPF DirectorGeneral Philip Law.
BSW Machinery Unveils New Extrusion Technology A new extrusion technology has significantly increased the tape tenacity of its tiraTex line for highly oriented polypropylene (PP) tapes, according to BSW Machinery, a subsidiary of Windmรถller&Hรถlscher (W&H). Particularly for film thicknesses of up to 300 micron or more, the new E105P extruder offers an efficient plasticizing performance that is superior to other extrusion system, the company said. The combination of advanced extruder with integrated melt pump and intelligent cooling bath ensures a constant film thickness at homogeneous temperature for achieving the new tenacity values on the orientation downstream. Tape strength directly influences the weight of a woven PP bag to meet certain mechanical bag requirements like impact resistance at bag drop, explained BSW Machinery. In a wide range of bags an increase of strength can directly be transferred into a lighter bag. As the raw material dominates up to 80% of the cost of a bag every increase in strength essentially translates into cost reduction. While strength values of 3-4 g/den can be found in standard applications, high quality applications call for a minimum of 5-6 g/den. Elongation at break has to be maintained at or above 25%. This elasticity is needed for the quality bag to survive handling impact. Up to now higher strength values were compromising the elasticity or vice versa. The tiraTex processing technology is able to achieve tenacity values of 7g/den or higher with elongation at break values ranging
UK specialty chemicals company Croda has introduced a new range of stable anti-scratch additives for use in automotive plastics. The range includes Incroslip SL and IncroMold K for polypropylene (PP) impact copolymer and Incroslip G for PP homopolymer applications. These formulations help to enhance the surface properties of plastics and are able to withstand challenging processing conditions. "We have undertaken a significant project in the area of anti-scratch so that we are able to advise our customers which product and addition level will give optimum performance in their formulation. We are continuing with this work and would like to engage further with our customers to continue this process and meet future needs in the area of antiscratch for a wide range of plastics," said Croda's technical expert, Martin Read. Some of the currently available anti-scratch additives can cause visible blooming, haze, surface stickiness or odor issues. They can also affect the mechanical properties of the plastics, according to the company.
ExxonMobil Chemical Introduces New Performance Polymer for Cast Power Prestretch Films ExxonMobil Chemical has introduced Vistamaxx 6000 performance polymer for high performance cast power pre-stretch (PPS) films at NPE 2015, Orlando, USA. Using Vistamaxx 6000 in the functional layer of cast PPS films provides superior ultimate stretch, strong holding force and tear propagation resistance even at thin gauge, contributing to the secure and safe transportation of goods, while helping to reduce waste and cost from damaged products. "Although the functional layer of a stretch film comprises only about 10-15% of the total film composition, the intrinsic properties of the material used in that layer are key to performance," said Bill Ramsey, Vistamaxx Global Development Manager, ExxonMobil Chemical. "Vistamaxx 6000 has been designed to improve stretch film performance in response to market trends." One trend influencing developments in the stretch industry is more mechanized and automated logistics chains, and the growing use of pallets to transport goods, according to ExxonMobil Chemical. Films with puncture and tear resistance and very high holding forces are needed to keep pallets rigid and stable during transport. End-
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users also are moving to higher stretch or thinner gauge high-performance films, which can ultimately result in less film weight for the same pallet stability. Ergis S.A, a stretch film producer in Europe with market presence in the power pre-stretch segment, has been running Vistamaxx 6000 in the functional layer of a high performance power pre-stretch film. "We are impressed by the film's excellent processability," noted GrzegorzK?dzierski, Managing Director, Ergis S.A. "Vistamaxx 6000 demonstrates flow right to the edges of the die resulting in excellent web stability and film roll appearance. Also, the film's properties - ultimate stretch, stretch force and puncture - measured at 300% pre-stretch, were outstanding. The excellent tear propagation resistance provided by Vistamaxx 6000 clearly enables smooth, high-speed wrapping operations."
Overcoming Price Fluctuations: GCC Plastic Industry Advised to Follow Market, Demographic Trends Plastic manufacturers must develop strategies that can overcome global feedstock challenges and meet demand from high population growth regions in order to continue to grow and prosper, said speakers at the 6th annual GPCA Plasticon conference which was recently held in Dubai.
and this will need to change, said Al- Labban. Al- Labban highlighted that the region must leverage its core strength of being strategically located in close proximity to areas that will experience population growth spurts. 40% of the world s population is within 3,000 kilometers from our manufacturing units. Moving forward, companies in the GCC must also use technology to withstand market uncertainties. At Sadara, we have the world s largest mixed feed cracker. Two of the twelve furnaces in our facilities can swing from gas to liquid feedstock depending upon the market conditions, explained Al-Labban. I recommend creating value by using technology to go into specialty products because the future in commodities is limited. These sentiments were echoed by Abdullah bin Saleh Al Suwailem, Chief Executive Officer of Petro Rabigh. The GCC petrochemical industry is a gas based industry with limited liquid feedstock capabilities, said Al-Suwailem. Refocusing our commodities base towards a more specialty chemicals portfolio will open up growth and investment opportunities. These value creating products are also aligned with the national strategies of GCC governments as they offer significant opportunities for job creation. While challenges associated with the oil price decline may have an effect in the coming months, there are also other market fluctuations that have affected the region s p e t r o c h e m i c a l p r o d u c e r s r e c e n t l y.
Major regional developments in the areas of automotive, aviation, renewable energy and other industries provide opportunities and demand for the GCC plastics industry, said AbdulazizAlhajri, Chief Executive Officer, Borouge and Chairman of the GPCA s Plastics Committee, in his keynote speech. This, in turn, fosters demand for the education and training of young people by generating employment and career opportunities for Gulf nationals.
Legacy thinking of the GCC s competitive advantage includes the lowest polymer price globally, low utility and labor costs, strategic location among others, said Mosaed Al-Ohali, Executive Vice-President Polymers, Sabic. However, this is changing. If you look at polymer trade with the EU between 2013 and 2014, there is a US$200 per ton loss in competitiveness due to a rising import tariffs, increasing labour costs and a growth in inflation.
We are not here to forecast the prices of oil because we can t even predict what the price will be next week, said Ziad S. Al- Labban, Chief Executive Officer, Sadara, commenting on recent developments in the region s energy sector, which has seen a 50% decline in oil price over the last six months. What we can do is to chart trends in the polymer industry to figure out where the market is headed.
Despite these obstacles, there are also opportunities. We are living in an inverted world and the world continues to change. Today, the share of GDP growth shows that emerging economies outpace their advanced counterparts, continued Al-Ohali. This could lead to big opportunities for our business.
Historically, the middle class has been a major consumer of polymers, and with global population set to include over 60% of people within this demographic by 2030, demand for commodity plastics will grow, explained AlLabban.
In 2014, the GCC s polymer capacity reached 25.5 million tons, a 6% increase from the previous year, according to the GPCA. Saudi Arabia leads the region s plastics production market, manufacturing an estimated 18.3 million tons, or 72% of the region s polymer production capacity. United Arab Emirates follows the Kingdom, holding the region s second largest plastic production capacity, or 13% of the region s polymer capacity. Additionally, the GPCA predicts that industry will manufacture an estimated 33.3 million tons of polymer products by 2020, a 25% growth from present capacity.
However, as nations develop, the production side of the petrochemicals industry evolves towards manufacturing more specialty chemicals. Today, the GCC s products portfolio consists of only 0.2% of specialty chemicals
Plastics improve the lives of millions of people every day, said Dr. Abdulwahab Al- Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA. From lightweight automotive parts that reduce the overall fuel consumption of cars, to safe packing for food
In Asia and India, high demand for petrochemicals has far outstripped the level of supply. This region has added 150 million tons of capacity since 1990 but supply is not fulfilling demand. So this [region] has the potential to be a major market for GCC polymers.
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products, plastics make up the building blocks of several industries. While there is a necessity to fulfill present demand, what the region s plastic manufacturers also need to plan is the products that will change the lives of billions in the next ten, twenty or even thirty years.
How Will the Global HDPE Market Fare Till 2022? The global high density polyethylene (HDPE) market, with US$61.8 billion turnover in 2014, is poised for an average growth of 4.2% per annum (p.a.), reaching US$85.8 billion in 2022, according to market research company Ceresana. The Asia Pacific region is by far the largest consumer of this important kind of plastic. Within the last eight years, it has increased its world market share from 33% to 44%. The region will in the future grow the strongest, though not to the same extent as in the past, said the report. Eastern Europe and the Middle East experience a constant growing demand for HDPE. Within the last years, the markets in North America and Western Europe shrank but will now grow again. In the course of the next few years, North America is expected to manage a turnaround. HDPE is most frequently used for the production of films, most of all packaging films, bags and sacks. In 2014, around 26% of the total consumption fell within the field of rigid packaging, e.g. bottles, canisters and covers. Another significant application area is products for the construction industry, such as pipes and cables. In Asia Pacific countries, extrusion dominates as processing method, due to the high film production and the strong construction industry. However, in North America and Western Europe HDPE is mainly processed with blow molding and injection molding, Ceresana reported. Including swing plants, which can produce HDPE as well as linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), the global production capacity for HDPE accounted for around 57.5 million tons in 2014. For the coming years, numerous HDPE factories are planned. Although there are still a few smaller providers, already 57% of the global capacity account for the 15 largest companies (including joint ventures). Ceresana expected this market concentration will further increase over the next few years. HDPE output in Western Europe is likely to fall due to the closure of production sites and an absence of capacity increases. In all other world regions, production will presumably increase. The largest increases will be expected in Asia, the Middle East and North America. Africa and South America will have the highest growth rates, due to their low initial level. Western Europe will be increasingly dependent on imports, due to decreasing capacities. North America increases its net exports over the following eight years by presumably over one million tons. The most HDPE will be exported from the Middle East: net around 4.8 million tons a year.
Lanxess Presents New Simulation Approach of Tepex Thermoplastic Composites With its HiAnt simulation tool, Lanxess has developed a new modeling approach which can precisely simulate the thermal processes in heated Tepex thermoplastics composite sheets during and after draping in the injection mold.
The new method was presented at the VDI Plastics in Automotive Engineering 2015 conference that took place from March 18-19 in Mannheim, Germany.
material still exhibits substantial residual heat with this cooling method. The newly developed KraussMaffeiBerstorff paternoster solution is equipped with a circulating chain system including 126 transport trays. The precut foam tubes with minor excess length are automatically placed in the trays and discharged after having passed the paternoster system. A total of 104 trays are filled with tubes, which corresponds to a cooling section length of over 200m.
"This enables us, for example, to examine more precisely whether critical component geometries can still be shaped, or whether perhaps fibers would rip or wrinkles would form," explained Pablo Willms, CAE expert at Lanxess.
"Based on a typical production speed of 20m/min, the residence time in the paternoster is about 10 minutes," explained Matthias Reimker, Product Manager for foam tube lines at KraussMaffeiBerstorff. "As compared to standard production processes, the cooling time is thus extended by up to ten times."
A further advantage is that the sheet geometry for the target component can be determined more accurately beforehand. "This means that fewer trials are required. The processor benefits from savings in terms of both time and cost," he continued.
In addition, a cooling air system supplies cooling air in longitudinal direction in order to cool the tubes from the inside. After having passed the paternoster system, the PE foam tubes have almost completely cooled down before they reach the boxes.
The new modeling approach has so far been designed for Tepexdynalite 102-RG600, which can be used in structural components for automobiles and contains 47% volume of continuous glass fibers in the form of bidirectional layers.
The line delivered to ROLS ISOMARKET in Russia is designed for a maximum tube outer diameter of 210mm and can also be used in double strand production mode for outside diameters of up to 90mm.
One of the potential uses is for automobile seat shells. OvermoldedTepex inserts can be used as substitutes for metal reinforcements such as sheets and bars, enabling weight savings of well over 30%. Lanxess has tailored compound materials such as Durethan BKV 55 TPX for these kinds of applications. "The polyamide 6 reinforced with 55% short glass fibers is tailored to Tepex. It is extremely free-flowing, tough and stiff, and is therefore particularly suitable for thinwalled composite lightweight components with large flow path/wall thickness ratios," MrWillms noted. The new simulation approach will be expanded to include Tepex with unidirectional or multiaxial layers of continuous fibers, said Lanxess.
New Patemoster System Facilitates x10 Cooling Time for Big PE Insulation Foam Tubes The new KraussMaffeiBerstorff paternoster system, which offers a cost-effective alternative to conventional cooling systems, is now available for ISO-TUBE Schaumex and Schaumtandex polyethylene (PE) tube lines. With conventional foam tube extrusion processes based on physical foaming, the products are cut to a length of 2m at the end of the cooling section and directly discharged into boxes provided for this purpose. Depending on the tube diameter and wall thickness, the
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As an option, the tube ends can be cut again after the cooling process in order to improve the dimensional accuracy of the tube ends which are often necked down by the gas exchange. "Using the paternoster system, we are in a position to produce thick-walled foam tubes of big diameter and at the same time to improve the performance of the upstream ZE60/KE150 ISO-TUBE Schaumtandex line," said FedorShvedov, Technical Director of ROLS ISOMARKET.
Reifenhäuser Blown Film Showcases New Technologies Reifenhäuser Blown Film, a Reifenhäuser Group company, presented its latest blown film technologies at NPE 2015 in Orlando, USA. According to the company, there are three major market trends in the blown film sector: 1. Mono layer films are still demanded and still maintain their market share when it comes to high density polyethylene (HDPE) long neck production for fresh produce bags, refuse bags, masking films, etc, also low density or linear low density PE (LD/LLDPE) is still used for mono applications. 2. High output five-layer polyolefin blown film systems are substituting step by step the standard three-layer systems. A five-layer line enables the film processor to downgauge, achieving raw material savings and maintaining or even improving film properties. This technology is being used for Collation shrink
films, Stand-up pouches, Compression bags, Stretch Hoods and other general packaging products. 3. The meat and cheese packaging market as well as the convenience food market are demanding more and more layers. Nine or 11 layers are becoming a markets standard. Reifenhäuser Blown Film presented the following new technologies at NPE: ULTRA FUSION A combination of compounding and blown film extrusion in a single process. Advantages are cost reduction, increased output, energy savings and reduction of carbon footprint. A unique technology for the flexible packaging industry. ULTRA COOL The operator friendly high capacity cooling system which stands for the high output rates due to its unique design, the match of controlled melt temperature at optimized homogeneity, and low pressure die heads. ULTRA COOL FFS It was especially designed for 21,6" wide tubular Heavy duty shipping bags. The output rate of up to 1,000lbs/h from a 6.9" die with LL rich recipes represents a market leading rate for high output FFS lines. Now Reifenhäuser Blown Film has supplied a 6.3" die for the tubular production of 15,3" wide salt bags. ULTRA FLAT Reifenhäuser is not building any printing machines, but the German engineers have developed a unique inline flattening system which is installed after the primary nip roll but before the air turning bars to improve flatness and in return increase the speed of converting systems while reducing waste. It works not only for companies that print and convert internally; it also significantly improves roll quality and hence is increasing the sale of film rolls.
W&H Increases Shares of BSW, Appoints Walter Häder as New CEO for the Subsidiary Windmöller&Hölscher (W&H) has increased its stake in BSW Machinery by acquiring shares previously owned by company founders Thomas Breitenberger, Peter Schmalholz and Günter Wais, said a company s announcement. To strengthen the management team, Walter Häder, has been appointed CEO of BSW Machinery. He recently served as the CEO of Cincinnati Extrusion in Vienna, Austria, now battenfield-cincinnati. "With Walter Häder, we have won an internationally experienced industry veteran, who has led and developed successful companies. We are confident that Mr. Häder will drive the BSW team to further success," said Dr. Jürgen Vutz, Chairman of Windmöller&Hölscher KG. W&H is leading manufacturer of machinery and equipment for the flexible packaging industry. The product line encompasses blown and cast film equipment, flexographic and
gravure printing presses, machines for surface finishing and for the processing of paper, films and woven plastic fabrics, as well as FFS (FormFill-Seal) packaging systems. Since 2005, BSW Machinery (Bag Solutions Worldwide) has manufactured and developed machinery for the production of flexible packaging made of woven PP in Prostejov, Czech Republic and in Vienna, Austria. The company produces tape stretching lines, circular looms, extrusion coating and sack production lines along with the corresponding peripheral equipment. W&H has been the majority shareholder of BSW Machinery since 2005.
Trade Shows can Play Vital Role in Boosting Pak-India Trade Ties: Envoy High Commissioner of India T.C.A Raghavan has said that India and Pakistan have the potential to become a growth opportunity for each other therefore both countries should take collective measures for mutual benefit. He was addressing at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry which was attended by LCCI President Ijaz A. Mumtaz, Senior Vice President Mian Nauman Kabir, Vice President Syed Mahmood Ghaznavi, Executive Committee Members and other businessmen. The Indian High Commissioner said that we have to move forward and take wider view of the mutual trade. He said that in the recent years, the Indian economy has emerged as one of the fastest growing economies of the world. He said that trade fairs and exhibitions could play a vital role in enhancing the mutual trade ties. He said that it is a matter of gratification that private sector of India and Pakistan is holding fairs and exhibitions in each other s country. T.C.A Raghavan informed the house that trade volume between India and China is likely to reach $ 100 billion mark by the end of this year.
He agreed with the LCCI President point of view that hurdles coming in the way of mutual trade, should be removed on priority basis. Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Ijaz A. Mumtaz said that it is matter of concern that despite having many commonalities between the two countries, we have yet to benefit from each other s strong areas. He said that both countries could enhance cooperation in various sectors of economy. LCCI President said that both countries need to create an environment to let the healthy competition prevail. Pakistan and India are capable of supplementing each other to attain win-win situation. Ijaz A. Mumtaz said that both governments should draw a clear line between political and economic issues. It is high time that trade between both the countries should be given a fair chance to contribute towards peace and prosperity in the region. Referring to the trade related data of last three years, LCCI President said that we have succeeded to bring some improvement in total trade between Pakistan and India. From 2012 to 2013, a noticeable increase was witnessed in the bilateral trade figures. In 2012, the total trade was around USD 1.92 billion which swelled to USD 3.28 billion in 2013. In that period our exports to India increased from USD 348 million to USD 403 million. Similarly, the imports from india have shown increase by reaching to USD 1.87 billion from USD 1.57 billion.
Turkish CG Voices Concern at Low Trade Volume Consul General of Turkey in Karachi Murat M. Onart has expressed concern over low volume of bilateral trade between Turkey and Pakistan, calling for making efforts to enhance the twoway trade. Speaking at a meeting of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Onart said that existing trade volume between the two countries
did not depict the true trade potential. He said that Pakistan and Turkey had been enjoying strong political, economic and cultural relations. Both countries have been supporting each others in difficult times, he added. Agreeing with a suggestion regarding formation of a committee to improve trade, Murat Onart said that an informal committee can certainly be formed to seek ways and means how to enhance the existing trade volume between Pakistan and Turkey. Commercial Attaché of Turkey Murat Mustu said that a delegation from Turkish Jewelry Association was keen to participate in KCCI s My Karachi-Oasis of Harmony Exhibition to showcase and sell the finest Turkish jewelry. However, in order to make it more attractive for Turkish businessmen, he asked the Karachi Chamber to convince the concerned authorities in Pakistan to give special discounts on duties to Turkish exhibitors who are intending to participate in this event. Former President KCCI Siraj Kassam Teli pointed out that political, cultural and trade relations between Pakistan and Turkey had improved significantly during the past 5 to 7 years as the people of both countries have lots of respect and closeness for each other. We must identify potential sectors and create strong linkages between the right people, businessmen and registered trade associations, he added. Anjum Nisar suggested to form a committee comprising KCCI representatives and staff of Turkish Consulate in order to take existing trade between the two countries to the next level. President KCCI Iftikhar Ahmed Vohra underscored the need to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan, exchange more trade delegations, individual visits of businessmen and officials, holding of single country exhibitions in each other s country, and other measures, which would lead to rapid expansion in bilateral trade.
Global Industry Exhibitions Intelpack 2015 14-16 April Mumbai, India
Luxe Pack Shanghai 2015 15-16 May Shanghai, China
Eastpack 2015 9-11 June NewYork, USA
Gulf Print & Pack 2015 13-16 April Dubai, U.A.E.
Plast 2015 5-9 May Milan, Italy
India Converting Show 2015 10-13 June New dehli, India
SinoCorrugated 2015 14-17 April Shanghai, China
Plast Print Pack Paper 2015 14-16 May Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
Rosupack 2015 16-19 June Moscow, Russia
European Coatings Show 2015 21-23 April Nuremberg, Germany
IPack IMA 2015 19-23 May Milan, Italy
InterPlas Thailand 2015 9-12 July Bangkok, Thailand
Afro Pack 2015 14-17 May Cairo, Egypt
Chinaplas 2015 20-23 May Guangzhou, China
Srilanka PPP 2015 17-20 July Colombo, Srilanka
Polymer & Packaging | 11
New Records Set at
Arabplast 2015 The 12th edition of Arabplast opened surrounded by an air of grace and sense of achievement on part of the organizers. The grand show was opened by UAE minister, Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammad Bethaif Al Nuaimi flanked by many government officials in a graceful ceremony, also attended by representatives of the exhibiting companies and the media personnel. Arabplast 2015 broke all previous records in terms of number of exhibitors. A record number of companies are taking part in Arabplast 2015 from 45 countries, a reflection of the growing importance attached by GCC countries to strengthening their manufacturing industries, said Satish Khanna, General Manager of Al-Fajer Information and Services, co-organizer of the show along with Messe Dusseldorf. GCC petrochemicals production has risen by about 11% over the past 10 years, noted the organizers. Gabriel Schreiber, Director, Messe Dusseldorf, while quoting Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) said that GCC petrochemicals production capacity hit 142.7m tpa in 2013, up 10.5% year-on-year. GPCA expects GCC producers to raise their capacity by 40% to reach 199.5m tpa by 2018. Though regional demand for finished polymers remains low, Chinese and Asian demand continues to present huge opportunities. Over the last decade, the GCC has doubled its 11% share of the world s petrochemicals capacity, according to a study by Frost & Sullivan, USA, the knowledge partner of Arabplast 2015. With urbanization and lifestyle changes in the developing economies, the demand for plastics has witnessed an aggressive growth, said Aparajit Balan, Frost & Sullivan. Aparajit also pointed to a shift
12 | Polymer & Packaging
from the export of base chemicals to the export of higher-value derivatives . Borouge were the Principal Sponsor of Arabplast 2015 while the event was also sponsored by Tasnee, the Diamond Sponsor and Natpet, the Gold Sponsor. The event received overwhelming response from the trade visitors, making the exhibitors feel happy about their decision to exhibit. We are very happy with the response we are getting here every day, commented Umar Hakeem, Senior Project Manager, Paxxal, USA, while talking to Polymer & Packaging International at his stand in Saudi Pavilion. We are satisfied with our decision to be here and we have achieved most of our targets, Hakeem observed. Phillip Hardy, Sales Director, ExxonMobil said: The show is a success. It is the right place in
the region to meet the right people . The show attracted trade visitors from almost every part of the globe. Mr. Atba Farooqui, CEO, Clariant Chemical Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd also flew from Pakistan along with his team to visit Arabplast 2015. We never miss Arabplast as it is a fine place to meet new customers and renew the relationship with the existing ones, Atba told Polymer & Packaging International. His team also included Nadeem Mufti, Senior Manager, Burhan Farooqui, Export Manager and Asim. NOTE: This page will be designed in light of the discussions held with you. Picture of opening ceremony, graphical representation of facts like the number of exhibitors, visitors, growth percentage etc.
POLYMER & PACKAGING INTERN
A beautiful view of Tasnee stand
Dott. Mauro Coscie at Brofind S.p.a. stand
Astra Polymer staff attending the visitors
Customers and visitors at Bourge stand
Clariant Pakistan delegation: BurhanFarooqui, AtbaFarooqui, Nadeem Mufti &AsimAslam
GunduzTansel, Director Sales, BASF showing new product
14 | Polymer & Packaging
NATIONAL AT ARABPLAST 2015
A busy view of Bobst stand
Visitors crowd at a stand in Chinese pavilion
Reda stand remained busy throughout the show
Customers taking keen interest in Yizumi products
A view of Linde stand at Saudi pavilion
Philippe Hardy, Business Manager, ExxonMobil showing keen interest in Polymer & Packaging International Polymer & Packaging | 15
Arabplast 2015: Flexpac celebrate high turnout at Pakistan s first ever dedicated pavilion The Flexible Packaging Association of Converters of Pakistan etched history to become Pakistan s first association to organize a dedicated Pakistan pavilion at Arabplast 2015, the largest trade plastics, petrochemicals and rubber industry trade show in MENA region. Represented by leading companies from Pakistan including Continental Print & Pack, Fazlee Sons, Gatron Industries, Global Inks and Roshan Packages, the pavilion received high visitation by companies interested in interacting business with Pakistan. According to Ali Morani, the Chairman of Flexpac and the CEO of Continental Print & Pack, the Pakistani consumer market in line with the global trend has been demanding an obvious preference for convenience and economy offered by the flexible packaging options. Therefore, it has become important for companies not only equip themselves with leading technology and the capability to produce top quality packaging materials at competitive prices to cater to the growing demand in Pakistan but also aspire to compete at the international level. According to him, this was one of the leading reasons to organize Pakistan s first ever Pakistani pavilion at Arabplast 2015 so companies from Pakistan could not only display their strength and capability but also explore export potential. Despite many challenges faced by that Pakistan s industry including the energy crisis which is said to be the most detrimental to increased manufacturing, the converters industry in the country have not only seen witnessed phenomenal capacity expansion by companies triggered due to increased local
16 | Polymer & Packaging
demand. In the opinion of Saad Habib, another delegate from Pakistan who is also member of the Flexpac executive committee and CEO of Jilani Industrial Corp, he suggested that the very formation of Flexpac was mainly due to cognizance of the overall potential. Furthermore, he believes that recent costly technology up gradation by companies now puts them at par with European markets which in a sense is proof of shared overall vision. Saadat Ejaz, Senior Vice Chairman, Flexpac and the CEO of Roshan Packages also present at the Pakistan Pavilion too had a similar opinion. He believes that although some converters opted for economy and sourced the required machinery from China, several big names invested heavily in procuring the top class German technology to produce the high quality packaging materials. In his admission, the trend of growth can be measured from the fact that in just one year, many converters finalized deals to procure the most modern and expensive European extrusion lines while industry sources are also confirming more of such deals in the pipeline.
Commenting on the aspirations of members of the Pakistan pavilion and the response of visitors at Arabplast, member executive committee and CEO of Fazlee Sons Tarique Rehman confirmed that although the response received from the trade visitors at Arabplast was very encouraging, they were not expecting miracles at the maiden appearance. However, companies exhibiting at the Pakistan Pavilion had received a large number of export enquiries. As for the future strategy to be adopted by Flexpac, Jawed Butt, member executive committee and CEO of Printer Port reaffirmed that the first Pakistan Pavilion at Arabplast 2015 was just an initial step and the association was extremely pleased with its outcome. However, he prophesized that the first Pakistan Pavilion at Arabplast 2015 was merely the tip of the iceberg as in line with the philosophy of Flexpac, there would be many more events in time to come that will provide impetus to one of Pakistan s growing sectors of industry.
Increased Indo-Pak trade ties can unleash rich economic dividends for both: Subhash Kadakia Subhash Kadakia, president of PlastIndia Foundation is a seasoned businessman who has a vision for the mutual growth of South East AsiaÂ’s plastic world. With extensive knowledge and understanding about the plastic industry of India in particular, and of the world in general, he believes in direct interaction of companies for enhancing trade volume between India and rest of the world. Mr. Kadakia is also in favour of exploiting the mutual trade opportunities that exist for plastic industries of Pakistan and India and suggests the business communities of the neighbouring countries explore the business potential by attending trade exhibitions held in both of the countries. Polymer & Packaging International interviewed Mr. Kadakia at an exhibition in Dubai. Below are some of his responses.
How do you describe the Indian plastic industry and what potential does it offer to the world? India is on a fast growing path and its plastic industry is growing rapidly. A huge expansion in the consumption of plastics in India is anticipated in the years to come and we expect the production of plastic products to double. At present, India is producing 10 million tons of plastics annually and it is expected that in next five years this figure will double to reach 20 million tons. Per capita consumption of plastic is currently 09 kgs but it is anticipated that it will also grow to nearly double in next five years. It clearly means there is a lot of potential for not only the Indian companies but also for the businessmen from all over the world, particularly for the neighbouring countries including Pakistan. That is why we are inviting the companies to explore this huge potential being offered by Indian plastic market as, our requirement is their opportunity. What opportunities are there in India for Pakistani plastic companies? We welcome the Pakistani companies to do business with Indian counterparts as we think being two neighbouring countries it will be comparatively more convenient for the companies from both sides to engage in mutually beneficial commercial transactions. India is a huge market and it offers great opportunities for international companies including the ones from Pakistan for business. How can Pakistani companies exploit the potential offered by Indian market?
Plast India is the third biggest exhibition in the world of plastics. It provides an excellent opportunity for international companies and suppliers to interact with Indian companies. Exhibitors and visitors from as many as 40 countries attend the exhibition in order to achieve their objectives and to evaluate what they can export to India and what they can import from here. We would like to extend an invitation to Pakistani companies to attend Plast India and use it as an effective and convenient platform to their business interests. How do you rate the trade potential for the industries of Pakistan and India in future? I see a lot of potential for trade between Indian and Pakistani companies. This is especially important and practicable in view of less distance involved in transportation of goods. Indian companies are already doing a good amount of business with their Pakistani counterparts but it is obvious that the existing trade volume can be enhanced to a greater extent and the businessmen of both the countries do have a relaisation to this effect. Even at this exhibition in Dubai, many Pakistani companies have visited our stand and have exchanged views how they can take a share of Indian plastic market. We welcome such level of interest expressed by the Pakistani plastic community and urge them to take part not only in Plast India but also in other exhibitions that are held throughout India so that they can establish contacts with prospective buyers and promote their business in Indian market.
Polymer & Packaging | 17
Clariant in Pakistan Inaugurates New MB Lab At Korangi Karachi Clariant has fulfilled its promise of bringing the cutting edge technology in Pakistan: Atba Farooqui The Industry welcomes inauguration of State of the Art Laboratory of Business Unit Masterbatches by Clariant which is equipped with the most modern technologythat will offer unmatchable standard of customer services, analytical and quality assurance to the industry. On March 25, 2015 Clariant in Pakistan officially inaugurated its state of the art lab consolidation project at Korangi Industrial Area in a graceful ceremony held at its premises. This ceremony was attended by Mr. Dietmar Mueller, Head of Global Operations,BU Masterbatches, Clariant International Ltd, Mr. HansUlrich Kurtz, Regional Head, IMEA, BU Masterbatches, Regional Management Team, IMEAfrom Turkey, Saudi Arabia, India and South Africa and colleagues from Archroma Pakistan.The event began in the morning with the ribbon cutting ceremony by Mr. HansUlrich Kurtz followed by a customer gathering in the
evening. The evening event was graced by leaders and members of the Pakistan Plastic Manufacturers Association (PPMA), distinguished customers, leading industrialists and businessmen. Mr.& Mrs. Emil Wyss, Consul General Switzerland, Karachi and Mr. Werner S. Zerr, the Ex-CEO of Sandoz who kicked off the first MB operations in Pakistan in 1993 were special guests in the evening event. In his welcome address atthe inauguration ceremony, Mr. Atba Farooqui, Country President and CEO, Clariant Pakistan said: We are deeply proud to have fulfilled our commitment with the local plastic industry of bringing the cutting edge technology in Pakistan to provide them the best quality service in Pakistan. Through Lab Consolidation Project, Clariant took the leading edge against it peers in bringing major technology equipment under one roof thereby facilitating the local industry in an unprecedented manner .
He emphasized the fact that by investing in improving the existing service structure will ultimately benefit the plastic processing industry both locally as well as in IMEA regionspecially for Liquid PET and PVC industries . Mr. HansUlrich Kurtz applaudedthe Pakistan MB team at this auspicious moment. We consider Pakistan as a very good base for Clariant MB Operation; this is why we are enhancing our lab capabilities in Pakistan for our valued customers . He also emphasized operational sustainability as a key factor of any successful project. Mr. Zafar Saeed, Chairman, Pakistan Plastic Manufacturers Association while congratulating Clariant termed the inauguration of the Lab Consolidation Project as a welcome initiative. Bringing the technology of the day in Pakistan is a significant initiative taken by Clariant. I am glad to note that it has improved the analytical standards and customer services to the industry which will greatly benefit from it . In his closing remarks, Mr. Emil Wyss, Consul General, Switzerland praised Clariant management and the staff on the successful and swift completion of the Lab Consolidation Project. I performed the ground breaking ceremony some months ago, therefore, I feel extremely glad to be witnessing the inauguration of the completed project today . The ceremony concluded with the distribution of appreciation certificates / awards to Clariant staff for their outstanding performance in accomplishing this project. Later, the distinguished visitors inspected the new masterbatches laboratory and expressed their overwhelming satisfaction on the analytical and customer services available there.
18 | Polymer & Packaging
Biocomposites in Automotive Applications Muthuramalingam Krishnan
The forecasts indicate that the Crude oil price will reach $100 per barrel in 2015, $120 in 2020, $130 in 2025, and $150 per barrel in 2035. Now we are all in a situation of lack of crude oil and not sure of its availability for long term. Research sources say that we have crude oil only for maximum 45 to 60 years. The shortage of crude oil will hit entire world and the businesses. Latest discoveries of bioplastics, natural fibers, natural gas and hydrogen give hope to the sustainability. Companies in many industries have started research and development projects to produce chemicals, monomers and polymers commercially by using renewable feed stocks which consume less energy and produce fewer green house gas emissions. This progress in Green Chemistry is affecting the supply chains of many manufacturers in the recent years. 2010 is considered as golden year for bioplastics market where lots of developments have taken place and few succeeded bio based materials are introduced in the market. This drives the industry to focus on agricultural waste and its related projects. The rapid growth of bioplastics is accounted as 1% of total fossil based plastics in the world market today. The newly introduced bioplastics not only helps the industry but also makes us not dependent on crude oil anymore. In addition to bioplastics market, the use of natural fibres in various applications is going to increase in the coming years. All giants are taking part in Green Chemistry now and there are lots of bio based materials which will replace conventional materials in the next 3-5 years period. Countries like Thailand and Brazil are becoming leaders in production of monomers and biopolymers. There is some scope for the countries like India, China and South Korea to expand their production capacity of bio based monomer and bio polymer facilities in the next 3 years. Europe and USA are leaders in consumption of bio plastics at the moment. The natural fibre s use is very limited so far but the automotive sector is adopting natural fibre in various parts in recent years. The Japanese government has set a goal that 20% of all plastics consumed in Japan will be renewably sourced by 2020. History of Natural Fiber Composite in Japan 1955-; Sound insulator and seat material of 20 | Polymer & Packaging
clothe waste s cotton fiber. 2000; Door inner of kenaf / PP composite by Lexus. 2003; Roof lining of carbon / sisal composite by Toyota. 2003; Spare tire cover of Kenaf / PLA (Polylactic Acid) by Toyota. 2006; Tailgate trim of bamboo/PBS (Polybutylenesuccinate) composite by Mitsubishi. 2007; Car speaker cone using bamboo fiber by Panasonic. 2009; Seat cushion using polyol from castor oil by Toyota Boshoku. 2011; Seat fabric of cotton and PET combination by Mitsubishi Motors. 2012; Kenaf fiber composite of injection molding by Toyota Boshoku. 2012; Steering wheel & interior parts of bamboo composite by Lexus. Future: Personal mobility device using natural materials by Toyota. POEMA System by Mercedes Benz from 1992: Mercedes Benz started the production of headrests of the car using coconut fiber and natural rubber as POEMA system in Amazon area in Brazil from 1991. This activity became the first start to use natural fiber, and many NFRP parts are used for German car now. Slow and Steady Growth in Automotive Sector Arkoma is the first company which produced bio based Polyamide (PA) decades ago. Now DSM and few more started offering PA with improved properties, which can be suited for automotive applications as well. Toyota Motor Corp has plans to add bio-PET in their new car series. Bio based PP also will find its place when offered to the market commercially. Toyota s new electric hybrid also has bioplastics in their interiors. Toyota, Ford and few others use soy based seat cushion and they have started adding various bioplastics in all their passenger cars. Fiat also used castor oil derived polyamide and soy derived poly urethanes lately. This shows that all car manufacturers are not dependent on fossil based plastics anymore. Fiat Automobiles has reduced its average emissions by 14%, from 137.3 to 118.2 g/km of CO2, significantly lower than the target set out by the European Union for 2015,
which has been fixed at 130 g/km. To mention an example of renewable resources benefits to human life, a car can be driven for about one kilometer with biogas produced from 10 banana skins. The agricultural chemistries are the ones going to help out the world demands in all sectors in the coming decades. Other leading car manufacturers, focused on bioplastics use in interiors are also working on to make lighter exterior parts. Lexus also uses KENAF-the Natural in their cars. The main factors which are focused by the car manufacturers are load bearing structures, light weight, cost and flexibility to all moulding processes and resistance to UV, chemical and fire. University of Nottingham has made 3.5 meter blade by using Flax with polyester which is suitable for an 11kw wind turbine. Flax, Hemp and Nano Cellulose Flax has got anti fungus property and hemp fabric was tested against two bacteria strains, Staphylococcus Aureus (staph) and Klebsiella Pneumoniae (pneumonia). The fabric tested was a hemp blend, 60% hemp and 40% rayon. The staph test sample was already 98.5% bacteria free during the first measurement of the testing. This shows that the hemp has got great potential in the usage of many applications. When 100% PLA resin is compared with PLA+Kenaf, the biocomposites of PLA/Kenaf results in higher heat deflection temperature, flexural strength, flexural modulus and impact strength which is almost as equal as PC/Glass fiber composite properties. This PLA/Kenaf biocomposites is being used by NEC and Unitika Ltd for producing mobile phone housings. Recently, nano cellulose fiber has got great scope of use in many applications. Now biocomposites industry has started focus on nano cellulose fiber for its outstanding properties. In recent years, the new discovery shows that intensive processing of wood releases ultra small, or "nano" cellulose fibres, so tiny that 50,000 could fit inside across the width of a single strand of human hair. Nano cellulose fibres can be added to raw material where it can replace glass/aramid carbon in ome applications. Biocomposites are stronger and more durable. These fibres are from
banana and pineapple which are super strong fibres (as stiff as Kevlar), sustainable, lighter and more eco-friendly which lead them to find their use in automotive applications in future. In the next 3 years, there will be more usage of this fiber in armour and bullet proof vests.
The BioMobile project was launched in Freiburg using a technology developed by Bcomp. It challenges the traditional concept of the car.
It is a good sign in the automotive industry to add more bioplastics in their parts. It can reduce vehicleÂ’s weight and also has less GHG emission which makes them named as Green.
Panasonic developed speaker cone using paper from bamboo fiber on 2007. The company utilizes bamboo fiber because it grows faster than soft wood. And it is lighter and harder than wood. In this cone, short fiber and long fiber of bamboo are mixed. The surface of short fiber is opened rag to make rigid cone. Hence, bamboo cone speaker has a wider sound than conventional wooden paper cone.
Use of NFRP in German Car: Mercedes Benz S class is offering 27 parts which are used by Natural Fiber Reinforced Plastics with the weight 42.7 kg. There are possibilities of introducing Natural Fiber in many of the parts by German car makers at the moment. Some parts, carbon and glass fibers have been used to have better strength on certain parts in the vehicle segment. The NFRP is low damage to environment because natural fiber is carbon neutral and renewable resource. The NFRP waste can be recycled with thermal recovery. The applications of NFRP are increasing gradually in automotive industry. In the next 4 years, there will be many parts which can be used with Biocomposites. Europe is 10 years ahead of USA and other countries in biocomposites market. The countries such as Japan, Germany, Italy, France and Canada are becoming more active in biocomposites market.
Car Speaker Cone Using Bamboo Fiber by Panasonic
The Growth of Biocomposites The role of bioplastics such as PLA, bio-PET, bio based PE and BioPA is going to find its major share in automotive sector in the coming years. Bio based PP will be launched commercially soon thus leading to many uses in the automotive sector with Long Glass Fiber, Carbon Fiber and Natural Fibers or even Hybrid of these fibers which will offer economic cost effective way. At present the natural fibers such as flax, hemp, kenaf, etc are being used with fossil based plastics and this trend will change by adding bio based PE, PET, PA and PP in the forthcoming years. Though the price of bioplastics seems to be higher at the present,
there are possibilities the price goes down when the production of bio based monomers and polymers will be able to produce from agricultural waste. In this way, it will result in reduction of protest over food vs bioplastics in the near future. In the end the deforestation will be reduced and more agricultural activities will take place in almost all countries. The Government support and incentives highly promote this Green image in the regions. The resulting “green’ combination has a significantly lower carbon foot print than fossil based plastics. There are some misunderstandings on labeling and biodegradability among consumers. Bioplastics industry is in the need of addressing various issues and creating awareness of the benefits of using bioplastics among the users. The growth of biocomposites would achieve approx 5% growth in the next 3 years and 7% by 2018. What we, the experts, found is that the higher loading of natural fibres increases load capacity, stiffness and durability but it does decrease ductility when loading is higher than 30% w/w. The writer is a freelance contributor and is associated with Gruntech Polymer Consultants, India.
The Door Inner Board Using NFRP of Kenaf/PP In Toyota Lexus, Camry and Mark X, the composite material of Kenaf fiber and polypropylene (PP) is used for the inner board of door panel from 2000. It reduces approx 20% weight of door panel board. Toyota produces Kenaf board in Indonesia at its own plantation and plans to mold Kenaf products in Japan, Thailand, China and the USA. Concept of EV Using Banana Fiber by Suzuki Suzuki exhibited concept EV using banana fiber. In this EV, composite of banana fiber mat colored for green and epoxy resin is used for body outer. We can see the green fiber through transparent epoxy resin and yarn mixed with colored banana fiber and cotton was used for seat fabric. Furthermore, mat of colored banana fiber molded by binder was set on the floor. Natural fibres absorb vibrations better than an artificial fibre and are easier to handle during production. Natural fibre properties are lower than glass fibre and the density is also lower. Natural fibres need to be processed to obtain a fibre length range, generally 15mm with low particulate level. Surface treatments such as plasma, corona, surface fibrillation, Acetylation, Silane, Isocyanate reactions, Alkaline swelling need to improve bonding to matrix.
For maximum mileage in related industrial circles,
book your advertisement now & avail special discounts on annual bookings. Please Contact: info@thesis.com.pk Polymer & Packaging | 21
CHINAPLAS Brings in New Topics to Shade Light on New Manufacturing Era The pace of change in global manufacturing is faster now than any time in history. With increasing customer expectation and stiffer competition, the past era of production emphasizing on heavy capitalization and economies of scale is over. Automation, innovative manufacturing technologies such as robots, vision and sensing systems, software technology, and good product design are now the hot topics of all industries. New era manufacturing will be about how to produce effectively with the least resources, and to manufacture unique products that can bring sustainable business. As Asia s No. 1 and the world s No. 2 plastics and rubber trade fair, CHINAPLAS 2015, being held on 20-23 May, 2015 atChina Import & Export Fair Complex, Pazhou, Guangzhou, China, will bring in an array of concurrent events at the fairground to help industry professionals to stay close with the market trends. This year, CHINAPLAS will spotlight
three events namely Design X Innovation , Industrial Automation Robot Parade & Smart Production and Medical Plastics Conference .
Highlights of the Concurrent Events: Design x Innovation Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd, CHINAPLAS organizer, joins hands with BASF, the world's leading chemical company and player in Performance Materials, to demonstrate how plastics combine with creative design can provide sustainable and innovative solutions and help solve real customer problems. The event will showcase well-designed industrial products made of BASF advanced materials including auto parts, building materials, consumer goods, apparels and housewares. Open Forum on the topic of Design & Innovation will also be held and chaired by internationally revered engineering and product designers to share their award-
Concept Bike by BASF will be on display at Design x Innovation (Source: Image provided by BASF)
22 | Polymer & Packaging
winning works and experiences. Design x Innovation will be at two spots of the fairground respectively, at booth A21 in Hall 13.2 and at Viewing Deck outside Hall 9.3 in Zone B. Industrial Automation Robot Parade & Smart Production Industrial Automation Zone will be set up at Hall 4.2 at CHINAPLAS 2015 to feature a legion of tools and technologies such as robotics, automation systems and peripherals, remote control systems, drives, sensors, arm tooling and software, etc. that help turning the production lines to be more automated, smarter and efficient ones. The Zone rallies market leaders from all over the world such as top robot makers, ABB and WittmannBattenfeld, automation technology leaders Honeywell and Rockwell from the US, Siemens from Germany, Mitsubishi Electrics and Shini from Japan and Taiwan respectively. Robots Parade and Smart Production , a fascinating live demonstration of robotics and fully automated production lines, will be held at the fairground to illustrate the functions, preciseness and flexibility of robotics, as well as the manufacturing advantages brought by clever automation technologies Medical Plastics Conference - a two-day conference held during CHINAPLAS on 21-22 May, 2015. The conference will present hot topics in the medical plastics field such as the latest developments in the global and regional markets,the special requirements for polymer production, additives use, molding technologies, post-processing and medicine packaging, with a view to unlocking future business potential for market players. Leading materials and technologies providers, influential associations and research units will unveil their breakthroughs, analyze the market trends and share their experience on product designs. Healthcare brands will also share their success stories over product development. The Conference is free to admit and will provide a very focused platform for suppliers
and engineers from medical devices manufacturers, OEMs, end-users to share their latest technologies and to network with professionals. Ada Leung, General Manager at Adsale comments, “CHINAPLAS is not simply a procurement and networking platform, but a place to enrich professional knowledge. We are always sensitive to the market movements and bring in new elements each year to keep visitorsstaying on the top of the market. No matter what sectors they are from and which positions they are in, our visitors can find the practical solutions and inspirations from our show”. In addition to the concurrent events highlighted above, there will also be over 50sessions of technical seminars being held during the exhibition period. CHINAPLAS 2015 will feature more than 3,100 exhibitors from 40 countries and regions, unveiling the latest plastics and rubber technologies and services across 15 product
theme zones that will occupy 26 exhibition hallsat China Import & Export Fair Complex, Pazhou, Guangzhou, PR China. 13 countries and regions including Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Korea, Switzerland, the UK, USA, PR China and Taiwan will participate in international pavilions. The entry tickets have two types, namely oneday pass (RMB 30) and all days pass (RMB 50). Admission is free of charge on the last day of the fair on 23 May, 2015, Saturday. Visitors who successfully pre-registered at www.ChinaplasOnline.com/prereg on or before 11 March, 2015 will enjoy free admission and receive visitor badge in advance. You can also become registered through smartphone apps and mobile website conveniently. Delegation (15 persons or above) organized by companies can enjoy VIP privileges. For details, please visit the official show website at www.ChinaplasOnline.com
ABB will display IRB 460 High Speed Robotic Palletizer at CHINAPLAS 2015. Polymer & Packaging | 23
Plast Eurasia 2014 Continues to Contribute to the Growth of Turkish Plastic Industry
Plast Eurasia Ýstanbul 2014 Fair, the international marketing platform of Turkish plastics industry continued to contribute to the growth of Turkish Plastic industry, which is the second biggest plastic producer of Europe.The great interest of visitors to the show proved it to be the biggest meeting platform of the sector in Eurasia. PLAST EURASIA ÝSTANBUL 2014, 24th International Ýstanbul Plastics Industry Fair was organized by Tüyap, in cooperation with PAGEV -
Plast Eurasia Ýstanbul 2014 Fair December 4-7 1154 Companies Company Representatives from 41 Countries
Turkish Plastics Industry Foundation.
98,000sqm Exhibition Area
The highlight of Plast Eurasia Ýstanbul 2014 was the diversity of its
43,756 Professional Visitors
huge scope which provided a trading platform for exhibitors to showcase latest technologies and products. They included plastic machinery, machineryauxiliary, chemicals and raw materials, heat and control equipment, mould, recycling and hydraulic and pneumatic which got great attention by the visitors. The Fair hosted a great number of international visitors from all over the world. It achieved to bring buyers delegations from a lot of countries including Azerbaijan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Egypt, Greece, Georgia, India, Iran, Italy, Macedonia, Moldavia, Philistine, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Ukraine. This year the Fair also hosted national pavilions from China, Korea, Taiwan and Saudi Arabia.
24 | Polymer & Packaging
FAV Plastico Sets another Milestone
It has been observed and learned in the era of globalization that every metal can be replaced by Plastics. From toy cars to the Automobile industries, from Pharmaceutical containers to the surgical equipments, from Pet bottles to Giant water containers, from plastic bags to Bio-degradable bags.There is no denial to the fact that Plastic is Everywhere! Keeping in view the growing needs of Pakistani Plastic Market, we, at FAV Plastico, always strive to stay ahead and provide the best to our customers. As emphasis of FAV Plasticois on Right from the first time , it is obligatory for us to provide the best and virgin product. By the grace of Almighty Allah our Masterbatches are of top quality hence we are consistently paving our way to diversified markets. Now, FAV PlasticoMasterbatchesare used in the manufacturing of packaging materials of National and Multinational FMCGs,
26 | Polymer & Packaging
Oil Marketing companies containers, automotive, multi branded top quality woven bags of Fertilizers and Rice industry and so on so forth. As the market size is increasing every year and if we talk about Karachi only it has a gigantic market.It has an immense potential to grow and flourish. Keeping our eye on the horizon and the long term future, we need to increase the capacity as well. It is inevitable to cater the growing needs of progressive nation of Pakistan and in future for exports. For this purpose again, our CEO Farid Ahmed Vawda set an example of proactive approach and leadership and FAVPlasticoPvt Ltd has imported and installed Fourth Generation Twin Screw Extruder ZSE MAXX Series of renowned German brand. Currently, it is one of a kind in Pakistan. It will certainly help us to increase our production
capacity three times from existing volumes being producedby us.We are optimisticabout transformingMasterbatchesinto a high profile export product of Pakistan. Equipped with advanced technology, a vigorous team of technical and marketing experts, FAV Plastico is ready not only to meet but also exceed the expectation of our customers by providing them quality products, solutions of their technical or operational issues and value added cost effective products. With the promise of providing quality products, we believe in and work meticulously for continuous improvement of the supply chain of the company. This practice also benefits and helps our suppliers and customers, hence proves to be supportive as well coordinated effort for improvement of our organizations and its customers.