S a plastics '014 12 for web

KARBOCHEM celebrates

50

years!

AMPA GROUP – THE REBIRTH

Vinyls SA 2014 a huge success

UK’s industry awards 42

Plastic packaging proves a boon in Middle East 64

78

BY THE WAY ...

Polyurethanes remains a growing business and, being one of the most versatile polymers (all polymers are versatile), are still finding new applications. Here we see a PU screen, an item likely to be used in the conveying or transport area.

This issue we look at Reac PU Technologies of Johannesburg, which has represented PU dosing systems manufacturer Cannon of Italy since 1972, one of the longest such ties in the local industry – see page 22

Publisher: Martin Wells (martin@summitpub.co.za) Editor: Tessa O’Hara (tessa@summitpub.co.za) Editorial assistant: Heather Peplow (heather@summitpub.co.za) Financial manager: Lisa Mulligan (lisa@summitpub.co.za) Designer: Jeanette Erasmus Graphic Design (jeanette.erasmus@lateraldynamics.co.za) Bronwen Moys Blinc Design (bronwen.clarke@gmail.com) Summit Publishing cc t: +27 (21) 712 1408 f: 086 519 6089 c: +27 (82) 822 8115 e: saplastics@iafrica.com Postnet Suite 42, Private Bag X16, Constantia 7848, Cape Town, South Africa 70 Newton Drive, Meadowridge, Cape Town

www.saplastics.co.za GAUTENG Lowrie Sharp t: (011) 793 4691 f: (011) 791 0544 c: 082 344 7870 e: lowrieplasticsmedia@absamail.co.za KZN Lynne Askew t: (031) 764 2494 f: (031) 764 0676 e: lynne@summitpub.co.za Printed by: Tandym Print, Maitland, Cape Town SA Plastics Composites + Rubber Technology is published six times a year and focuses on these industries in South and southern Africa. We welcome news, articles, technical reports, information in general and photographs about events and developments related to the plastics industry.

The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Plastics Converters Association, Institute of Materials or Association of Rotational Moulders either.

Copyright: All rights reserved.

ISSN number: 1684-2855 (ISDS Centre, Paris) Summit Publishing: CK 9863581/23 VAT reg: 4600187902

Plastics Institute of Southern Africa

Association of Rotational Moulders of South Africa

Plastics Converters Association

PET Plastic Recycling

Plastics Federation

South Africa

of SA

Institute of Materials

Strike it lucky at Inanda Club WE hear some of the trade union leaders now spend their leisure time sipping very exclusive whisky at the seriously exclusive Inanda Club. Maybe they’re looking for some of the industry’s big employers? But what’s wrong with the upper echelon guys surrounding themselves with their counterparts in industry: to get there you have to have the bucks, since a double of the silky stuff apparently goes for R750. Well, if the guys can afford that sort of thing the rest of us ground feeders can only look on in awe … and get on with what we’re doing.

Apologies for postal delays THE postal strike had at the time of going to print, incredibly, entered its fourth month. A number of other publishers have taken the Post Office to court (not out to lunch as the strike leaders above do), since readers were beginning to cancel subscriptions.

The problem is apparently worst in Gauteng, but who knows these days? We apologise unconditionally to all our readers who have not been receiving the mag. However, the publication is available on the internet via the link http://issuu.com/tohara/docs/s.a._ plastics__014_10_for_web__a_/0. You will also receive an email which will enable you to access the publication through the issuu. com programme. Some of the industry veterans have struggled with the electronic version, but it’s really very simple – just stay calm and prompt with the arrows.

The plus is the programme allows you to directly access websites or other links listed on the pages by simply clicking on screen … so perhaps the strike is prompting us to, well, truly enter the 21st century? The strikers may end up doing themselves out of their jobs? www.saplastics.co.za

DPI ‘Wavin’ to suitor?

THE bush telegraph advises that Wavin of Holland is to purchase a majority stake in DPI Plastics, one of South Africa ’s – if not Africa’s – top plastic pipe manufacturers. It appears that DAWN group, the owner of DPI, is in the process of selling off its manufacturing interests in order to focus on its core business of warehousing and logistics services.

We understand that Wavin, a global leader in plastic pipe systems, is to purchase a 51% share of DPI. Wavin is already well established in Europe, Eastern Europe, Russia and China. www.wavin.com

METHING HAVE SO … IF YOU TO SAY de: if you e bright si Look at th isdom to w of e gem us at have som to te ri w ease m impart, pl co a. ic s@iafr saplastic

VOLUME 12 NR 6

DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

Contents Find out more at www.saplastics.co.za

INDUSTRY NEWS Nampak Flexible’s new printing technology Dow returns to SA Sasol plans massive R88-bn investment in USA Technimac bag machine air freighted to Germany Karbochem celebrates 50 years Ampa Group – the dawn of a new era RNL Plastics to upgrade its offerings Reac’s long tie with PU dosing specialist Cannon Jones Industrial Mixers is back in the mix SAPY aunts its true colours

38

32 38 42 46

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53

66 68

80

74

WORLD NEWS Polymers and Plastics Innovation Awards Bayer spinning off plastics business

82 88

Type 150 Smart Temperature control units for oil up to 150°C

68 69 74

TRAINING The less obvious beneďŹ ts of training your workforce

Temperature control units for water up to 90°C

UĂŠ œœÂ?ˆ˜}ĂŠV>ÂŤ>VÂˆĂŒĂžĂŠĂ“{‡™äʎ7

52

MATERIALS Lanxess: Natural rubber replacement Clariant: Safer ame retardant for PU foam BASF: Against dust and ying sparks

‌ for large injection moulds, extruders, rollers, autoclaves and other processing equipment

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PROPAK CAPE Record attendance at Propak Cape

High-performance temperature control units

Type 90 Smart 6 8 10 12 14 18 20 22 26 30

DESIGN SPE honours pioneering thermoforming design Innovation, success, achievement in bioplastics UK’s industry awards PISA Student Design Competition

REGLOPLAS

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s 3IMULTANEOUS READOUT OF TEMPERATURE set-point and actual value s #LEAR ARRANGEMENT OF OPERATING AND indicating elements s 3OLID STATE RELAY 332 INSTEAD OF heating contactor

90

s !LL COMPONENTS EXPOSED TO WATER ARE made of non-rusting materials, hence long service-life s !CHIEVES ESTIMATED REDUCTION IN REJECTS AND INCREASE IN PRODUCTIVITY

ON THE COVER THE ‘birth’ of Ampa Group has its foundation in Ampaglas, established in 1976. This year, the company’s major shareholder, Investec Bank, concluded a deal which saw Trevor Zulberg becoming an equity partner and the present CEO of what is now known as Ampa Group. A 49% stake in Evonik Acrylic Africa, has positioned the group to offer one of the world’s most versatile, waterproof plastics that lends itself to applications ranging from aircraft construction to structural glazing, transportation, electronics, communication, packaging, furniture, as well as lighting and solar technologies. Read more on page 18. www.ampa.co.za

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THIS ISSUE

Time to celebrate !

Dow Sadara plant – The Sadara polymer plant being constructed in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, is reputed to be one of the largest chemical complexes ever built at one time. Up to 60,000 people have been working on the site at peak times. The plant is to produce an estimated 3 million tons of LD and LLD from 2016. Read about the return of Dow’s polymers business on page 8

It may have been a tough year, but our materials still have huge potential E ARE celebrating this issue! What’s there to celebrate, you ask, it’s hardly been a great year? Well, we looked back on the year and decided to focus on what’s good in our industry … and came to the conclusion that product design in the plastics and composites industries is truly worth celebrating.

COMMENT

W

The result is that we have reports about several yearend design competitions, including the SPE thermoforming design competition in the USA (pages 32-34); Bioplastics design awards in Europe (38-39); the British plastics industry awards, where over 800 people attended the presentation function (42-43); our own PISA Student Design Awards, which provided among the most interesting designs (46-50); and the SPE Benelux Plastics Innovations Awards (82-83).

A wide array of design solutions are presented, each of which is worth studying. Our hope is that readers will take something out of this process and look at the possibility of developing new products.

Plastic and composite materials offer major opportunities for new product solutions and better utilization options.

That’s why we need to get away from the constant downward price pressure that is becoming endemic. I, for one, cringe when I hear of people planning to make a product in plastic ‘because it’s cheaper’. It ISN’T CHEAPER: change because it’s a better solution!

Sasol’s huge investment in USA SASOL’S massive R88-billion investment in Louisiana in the United States, where it is putting up an ethane cracker that will produce as much as 1.5 million tons of ethylene a year, was alluded to earlier in the year by a number of the persons interviewed in our polymer pricing article. One of the interviewees suggested that it would not be a surprise if Sasol shifted its focus to foreign markets, particularly markets where it gets a positive response – as opposed to the frequently hostile attitude it has had to deal with from the Competition Commission in South Africa.

4 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

The prospect of lower cost feedstock from shale gas in the USA was obviously a factor too, but it looks like the Louisiana state government offered Sasol very favourable terms to invest.

Don’t see this as a departure: it’s a sign of a South African company that is becoming a global player. Maybe more of the converting companies can follow suit? See page 10.

Automation solutions on show at Propak Cape THE standout feature at Propak Cape in October was the excellent presentations by the automation systems suppliers, several of who are local. For some reason, Paarl in the Western Cape has become a regional centre for the packaging automation equipment manufacturers?

Automation does not necessarily mean staff redundancies: it’s meant to improve efficiencies and output, and it’s good to see South African companies becoming leaders in this area (see 52-60).

Let’s aim for success WE asked some of the industry’s leaders to look in the crystal ball and forecast what lies ahead for us in 2015 and beyond (see the last page, 96). I’m happy to say the gentlemen concerned are all positive. We are going to need it: challenges lie ahead.

I’m also happy to point out that many of the converting companies are getting it right, they have cooperative and strong company cultures, incentivised workers, reliable systems and are going places. Let’s aim for that success standard and look at lifting our game in 2015!

Best wishes for a peaceful festive season from the team at SA Plastics mag!

Martin Wells

, Publisher

INDUSTRY NEWS

Ten out of ten for Nampak Flexible’s new printing technology High quality printing of high quality graphics at high speeds NAMPAK Flexible has unveiled its new Heliostar SL ten-colour printer at its facility in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal, the first of its type in Sub-Saharan Africa, giving Nampak the marketing edge needed in a competitive market.

In line with an increasing requirement from customers for a 9 and 10 colour print capability, the new 10-colour gravure printer allows for high quality printing of high quality graphics at high speeds, and with a much faster turnaround time than international markets. The new technology is a cost effective, high speed, quick drying and intense colour printer.

Nampak acquired the new Heliostar SL 10 in July from German producers Windmőller & Hőlscher and it was running

by September in time and within budget.

“It is refreshing to have the new

technology and the capacity to remain globally competitive. This technology brings a huge benefit to the company and the industry in general,” said Gerald Chotu, operations and technical director at Nampak Flexible.

Nampak Flexible is South Africa’s leading flexible packaging company offering a wide variety of flexible packaging solutions, both locally and internationally. The company is the largest consumer of BOPP, PET and foil in South Africa, with printing capabilities in gravure and flexographic on film, paper or foil laminations.

Speed, colour intensity, drying system Speed is an important factor of the print process and the Heliostar SL 10 offers a maximum printing speed of 400 m/ minute with the ability to contribute to 80 million metres a year. Colour

intensity is maintained while printing with electrostatic print assist and automatic viscosity control at high speed. The unique ink roller positioning allows for better ink flow, enabling a better release of ink from the gravure cells. The machine is equipped with a BST camera system that allows for monitoring of print quality at high speed.

Another important part of the printing process is the drying system. This is especially crucial when high production speeds are demanded with various types of ink coverage. The Heliostar SL is equipped with perfectly matched Nampak Flexible recently unveiled its new Heliostar SL ten colour printer at their facility in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal

Simon Pollock (area sales manager, Windmoller & Holscher), Anand Padayachee (general manager, Nampak Flexible), Clinton Farndell (managing director, Nampak Flexible), Gerald Chotu (technical director, Nampak Flexible) and Sean Mainstone (sales director, Nampak Flexible) 6 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

JUST BRIEFLY

Metair performs well

In line with an increasing requirement from customers for a 9 and 10 colour print capability, the new 10-colour Heliostar SL 10 gravure printer from German producers Windmőller & Hőlscher, allows for high quality printing of high quality graphics at high speeds, and with a much faster turnaround time than international markets

drying hoods and air heating systems that have high quality air nozzles with precise manufactured geometry.

Frequency convertors control the drying air velocity and can adjust the most sensitive substrates. The drying system guarantees drying even at high speeds, eliminating streaking, while at the same time minimising solvent retention in the printed material. The Windmőller & Hőlscher printer offers a fully integrated solvent level control, which is designed to the latest standard.

Touch screen control The Heliostar SL has a central Procontrol panel, which controls speed, web tensions, drying air temperatures, impression roller and doctor blade settings through a touch screen from the control panel. These parameters are easily entered and stored in the job management system and are readily available for repeat orders.

Nampak Flexible’s ten-colour printer is capable of running at speeds of 400 m/ minute

Procontrol incorporates the Heliocontrol functions for the register controller, print assist, corona treater and viscosity controlled.

State of the art drives that do not need mechanical transmission ensure maximum register accuracy during production and machine idling.

Easysync provides fast and easy pre-register settings and re-register setting is quick and easy, resulting in less waste and shorter set up time.

Easysync uses laser scanning on the print cylinder for pre-positioning and the scanners at each print deck automatically track and check the print positioning through the Heliocontrol system ensuring accuracy of registration. A fully automatic turret unwind and rewind station allows for splicing at maximum running speeds. www.nampak.com

METAIR, the automotive components and battery systems manufacturer, surprised with its performance in the Sunday Times’ ‘Top 100 Companies’ competition: it was rated as South Africa’s third best performing business over the past year. Some panellists were puzzled how a manufacturer in the tough auto components sector could perform so well, the group’s shares have achieved a compounded annual return of over 49% over the past five years. Incredibly, an investment of R10,000 in 2009 would have yielded R75,780 now – which is a substantial increase.

Metair’s magic recipe was at least partly due to its purchases of majority stakes in battery manufacturing business in Romania (Rombat) and Turkey (Mutlu Akü), where it has implemented its ‘green’ battery technology – the system allows for a vehicle’s engine to turn off while stationary at a traffic light, for example.

Metair was originally owned by the Wessels family which was a major shareholder in Toyota SA, but fell back after the Wessels group sold its stake. The turnaround led by CEO Theo Loock and the Metair management team since has been significant. Its operations in South Africa include Automould, First National Battery, Hesto Harnesses, Lumotech, Smiths Plastics and Smiths Manufacturing. www.metair.co.za

Boxmore buys Concorde No, not the plane: Boxmore International has recently completed the purchase of Concorde Plastics of Industria, Johannesburg.

Established in 1983, Concorde is involved in injection and blow moulding and produced various products including ‘Securitainers,’ petri dishes, specimen containers and test tubes.

Boxmore has been an a major expansion trail and its purchases over the past two years include the closures division of MCG (in Samrand), Lapack/Crystal Power (in Tunney, Johannesburg) and Hilfort of Cape Town.

FPC sells portion Flexible Packaging Converters of Pretoria has sold 50% of its business to a Pakistani company in what is estimated to be one of the biggest investments in the local flexibles market to date.

Mpact Robertville shuts MPACT Plastics has closed its Robertville plant, one of the longest running blow moulding businesses on the Reef. Various factors have been mentioned in the process, including the fact that sink holes in the dolomitic land in the area are prone to collapse (a VERY REAL threat in fact), but Mpact group appears to be simultaneously consolidating on the East Rand: it has opened a state of the art blow moulding plant in Wadeville, not far from its PET preform plant in the same industrial area.

DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

7

INDUSTRY NEWS

Dow returns to SA as massive

Construction of the Sadara polymerization plant in Jubail on the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia is reputed to be one of the largest chemical complex’s ever built at one time. Over 114,000 tons of steel and a whopping 700,000m³ of concrete are being used. The plant is due to be in full production by 2016

Sadara plant nears completion New plant at Jubail will produce 3 million tons of material p/a

www.dow.com

www.plastomark.co.za

DOW is back in the plastics industry in South Africa, buoyed by the imminent commissioning of its massive Sadara joint venture in the Middle East – a project which is to generate over a million tons of polyethylene a year from 2016.

Dow originally owned HD/PP manufacturer Safripol, but sold its share in 2006 as its strategy towards emerging markets changed. The decision to again actively market its LD/LLDPE grades from its office in Johannesburg appears to be motivated by the major volumes of polyethylene – as well as several other polymers – that will be coming on stream through the Sadara petrochemical plant.

Sadara is a $19.3-billion joint venture between Dow Chemical Company and Saudi Aramco. Construction of the plant at Jubail on the Persian Gulf in eastern Saudi Arabia started in Q3 of 2011; full production is expected by 2016. The plant is said to be one of the biggest construction projects on the planet at the moment: close to 60,000 people have been working on the site at peak periods.

Dow is supplying the polymerization technology and will handle the marketing;

Saudi Aramco is supplying the feedstocks and mega project expertise.

A variety of polymers will be produced from the ethane and naptha feedstock, including isocyanate and polyols (for polyurethanes); ethylene and polyethylene; elastomers; ethylene oxide and propylene oxide (EO/PO); glycol ethers; amines and propylene glycol. An estimated three million tons of materials will be produced annually.

The project also makes provision for the establishment of a ‘Conversion Park’ alongside the petrochemicals plant in Jubail where a range of end products are to be produced, including films, household products, cables, furniture and insulation products, marking a major entry to the polymer beneficiation market by a Saudi group.

Johannesburg office Dow has since 2006 marketed its PE products via Plastomark, which is a subsidiary of Ravago group. Ravago has more recently entered into an agreement to supply material from Sadara.

Dow has increased its presence in the Southern African region in order to

support customers who supply to the packaging industry.

Dow has been manufacturing acrylic emulsions at its plant in New Germany, KZN, since 1964 (originally Röhm & Haas plant).

One of the reasons for Dow’s attraction to Africa (as well as a number of other global market markers) appears to be that the continent has a comparatively low plastics consumption of about 4.2kg per capita a year (India and South-east Asia have similar rates), whereas the figure for Europe and North America is far higher, estimated at over 33kg/per capita.

“We see an increasing demand in packaging in the fast growing regions around the world – Africa being one of them,” a Dow spokesman said.

The new Dow office in Bryanston will at first handle only a number of key accounts, basically the bigger convertors, whereas the bulk of the low-density and linear LD sales will be managed by Plastomark.

Ravago group, Plastomark’s holding company, has an agreement with Dow in terms of which it is to supply a range of the Sadara polymers internationally, via its various sales offices.

8 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

Big rPET line goes in at Extrupet THE installation of the giant Starlinger food-grade bottle-to-bottle PET line at Extrupet in Wadeville, which will process over 1000 tons of rPET a month, was completed in November.

In a major coordinated project, all the components of the Austria-built recoSTAR PET iV+ line were freighted up to the Reef after arriving at Durban harbour in early October. Technicians from Austria oversaw the assembly of the line, including the pre-drying,

degassing, filtration, SSP (solid state polycondensation) and energy recovery stations.

The new plant will enable Extrupet, South Africa’s leading recycler of PET, to virtually triple output of its food grade Phoenix PET materials. It will be producing about 1750 tons of the Phoenix rPET a month from December.

The material is being used by a number of the brand companies, dosed at various percentages with virgin PET, as

they continue to build environmentally friendly images in the consumer domain.

One of the main attractions of the Starlinger technology for Extrupet was the recoSTAR line’s ability to produce rPET material with varying intrinsic viscosity, which is necessary for water or CSD bottle applications.

It is envisaged that many ranges of PET food-grade bottle will be launched utilizing 100% PhoenixPET, which will be an African first. www.extrupet.co.za

Now suitable for all grades of PET bottles, including

carrbon nate ed soft drinkss and botttlled d waterr.

E-mail: info@phoenixpet.co.za

Website: www.phoenixpet.co.za

Contact: 011 865 8380

www.extrupet.com

INDUSTRY NEWS

Sasol plans massive R88-bn Ethane cracker will triple group’s ethylene capacity in States SASOL has given the green light to a massive investment in the USA – estimated at $8,1-billion (about R88billion) – where it is to construct an ethane cracker and six petrochemical plants in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

The project will produce ethylene — with annual capacity of 1.5 million tons — as well as related products.

It’s expected to create 500 direct jobs, almost 2,400 indirect jobs and about 5,000 construction jobs.

Sasol will also spend $800 million for infrastructure improvement, land acquisition and utility improvement costs at the site, bringing total costs to nearly $9-billion. Sasol has appointed Fluor Technip Integrated as the primary engineering procurement and construction management contractor.

Approximately 90% of the cracker’s

ethylene output will be converted into a diverse slate of commodity and high-margin specialty chemicals for markets in which Sasol has a strong position, underpinned by collaborative customer relationships.

“This world-scale petrochemicals complex will roughly triple our chemical production capacity in the US,” said Sasol chief executive David Constable.

Sasol is also considering building a new gas-to-liquids (GTL) complex in the area that would result in an additional investment of between $11-billion and $14-billion, the group said in a statement.

Huge support from local community, thousands of jobs created “The support we received from the local community and the State of Louisiana was a major factor in our decision to expand our operations here,” said Constable. “Louisiana’s positive business climate, skilled workforce and robust

energy infrastructure were also key in our ability to put down deep roots in Southwest Louisiana.”

Thousands of high-paying construction jobs will be created by this world-scale chemical project, and thousands more permanent jobs will result when this ethane cracker complex begins operating in just a few short years.

“The economic benefits of this project will extend to all of our shareholders, 67% of whom are located in South Africa, and will also enable us to pursue further growth opportunities in Southern Africa,” said Constable. “In addition, this project will deliver significant benefits to the State of Louisiana and the United States. More specifically, it will enhance local investment and job creation in the surrounding communities, while strengthening downstream manufacturing and increasing exports,” added Constable.

New system for card-reading devices uses Developer Sababa Connect sees advantages of switching to plastics forecourt convenient stores and, in fact, ALET Brits of Sababa Connect is busy with wherever PIN-entry devices are used, is the development of support infrastructure based on the observation that the metal for card-reading devices for the retail sector, structures used up until now can be using plastic components as opposed to the improved on. traditional metal systems used to date.

The card-reading devices (as anyone Plastic has been used as a substitute who’s ever had a problem with a card for devices made in metal as well as other payment being processed will know) are materials since the late 1800s, when very sensitive, and once the device goes commonplace items such as combs, into ‘tamper-mode’ it usually stalls and has telephones and transistor radios began to to be reloaded, an expensive process which be produced in Bakelite. The process of takes time and causes delays. material substitution has continued ever Brits has, together with design firm Denka since … to the point where, today, the entire Design Consultancy and injection moulding interior of most motor vehicles including its business ADV Plastics, developed the cradle bumpers, hubcaps, mirror holders and head and support post system. The components lights are manufactured from polymers. are moulded in ABS, polycarbonate and Plastics have also been used to replace Nylon, materials that offers high impact components in medical equipment, virtually resistance. The main advantage achieved by all domestic appliances, electronic and Alet Brits of Sababa Connect is injection moulding is that far greater detail electrical equipment, toys, sport equipment putting experience in the electronic card-reading sector to practise can be achieved in the components. With including shoes, and packaging materials. with the development of the new the Sababa design, the hollow post (also in But the process is not simply to substitute components ABS) is substantially wider, allowing for the other materials: it is rather to develop more cables to be accommodated and completely effective solutions. concealed – a further advantage to avoid failures at the In Brits’ case, the plan to produce the ‘cradles’ for holding checkout point. card-reading devices as well as the supports on which the The fact of the matter is that plastic and composite cradles are positioned at retail checkout points, restaurants, 10 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

investment in USA Louisiana State payroll incentives a big plus Sasol will receive a performance-based grant of $115-million from the state for land acquisition and infrastructure costs associated with the facility. The ďŹ rm will also qualify for Louisiana’s new Competitive Projects Payroll Incentive – which provides up to 15% payroll rebate for each GTL job – and the state’s Quality Jobs Programme, which offers up to 6% payroll rebate for each ethane cracker job. Those payroll incentives will be applied for up to 10 years.

Louisiana is simultaneously spending an estimated $20-million on a new training facility and associated equipment to support Sasol’s workforce needs during construction and operations. The new facility will be located at SOWELA Technical Community College in Lake Charles. A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the facility on 3 October.

Sasol also is expected to take part in Louisiana’s Industrial Tax Exemption Programme for both the ethylene and GTL facilities. Hiring for the ethane cracker complex will begin in 2015.

Sasol will begin construction of the complex in early 2015 and launch commercial production of ethylene in 2018.

Sasol already employs almost 600 workers at a specialty chemicals plant in Lake Charles. Earlier this year, Sasol announced it would build a high-density polyethylene plant in LaPorte, Texas, through a partnership with Swiss petrochemicals ďŹ rm Ineos Group.

Sasol joins a list of global petrochemical ďŹ rms taking advantage of low-priced natural gas feedstock in North America to build new ethylene and polyethylene assets. www.sasol.com

Venture uses rPP THE article in our last issue about the moulding of drip trays for hot water cylinders by Venture Plastics omitted to mention that the Wadeville company is using regenerated PP for the job, in the process saving up to to 500 tons per annum from landďŹ lls. www.venplas.co.za

Bag levy proposed in UK

ABS, PC and nylon materials are preeminent in the electrical and electronic sectors – for housings, cables and internal components – and the use of the ABS cradle and post is hence a logical step. A cable-carrying device is also under development.

According to Brits, use of the plastic device will improve the versatility and speed of conducting transactions, particularly in the ‘multi-lane’ (purchases of airtime, electricity, including cash withdraws, are also conducted here, for example) multi-checkout point environment.

In spite of the many proven advantages offered by plastic, resistance to the use of these materials continues and resolve on the behalf of the developer is hence necessary. Given that the same scenario has played out innumerable times over the past century-and-a-half, however, it is highly likely that the product trials being conducted by Sababa at present will see implementation of its new system.

‌ well not quite, but the Seecor-SIKA team were happy to be able to launch their all-electric blow moulding machine at TaipeiPlas in September. Cape Town-based Seecor has been cooperating with SIKA, of Taiwan, for some years and the partnership has so far yielded several big project successes. Here we John Craw and Clive Corder of Seecor and Robert Chan of SIKA. The main advantages of the electric machine include 30-40% reduced power consumption, higher speed production and suitability for clean room environment production – that is NO hydraulic oil, pipes and pumps to contend with! www.seecor.co.za

The ‘cradle’ for card-reading devices and the support post developed by Sababa Connect is manufactured in ABS, polycarbonate and Nylon, reducing the risk of conductivity (which is a problem with metals). The plastic product is also much lighter and cost effective to manufacture. It reduces installation complexities, transport costs and overall carbon footprint. It is feature rich, durable and fully recyclable

www.sababaconnect.com

THE British government has proposed that a 5p tax be applied to ‘short-use’ plastic bags. The proposed legislation, tabled in June, requires large stores and supermarkets to charge 5p for every plastic carrier bag handed out from 2015. Smaller operators are exempt from the new rules.

Revenue from the controversial 5p plastic bag tax is expected to help fund a campaign to boost household recycling across the UK, a leading recycler said. Jonathan Short, founder and deputy chairman of Lincolnshirebased recycler Eco Plastics, said such a campaign would be “for the economic and environmental beneďŹ t of local communities. “Recycled waste is valuable and communities should be beneďŹ ting from it, yet the greatest barrier to effective recycling is still public confusion about what can and cannot be recycled,â€? he added.

Short said the rationale for an awareness campaign addressing household recycling was clear: “Research shows that people recycle more when they understand what can be recycled, where it goes, what it becomes and how it beneďŹ ts the local community.â€?

The British Plastics Federation said the levy “ignores the immense re-usability of plastic bags and is inconsistent with the government’s own life cycle assessment of bags which has been conveniently put in a drawer and forgotten about�.

DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

11

INDUSTRY NEWS The machine is powder coated in white to suit the pharmaceutical clean room environment where it will be used; both the mechanical assembly and the stacking table (right) were air freighted to Germany in November to meet an urgent order

Technimac bag machine air freighted to Germany Urgent order for Johannesburg machine manufacturer TECHNIMAC’S skills at building bag making machines – and particularly the mechanical assemblies for export – received a boost recently when it built a unit for their German associates GÜNTER Kunststoffmaschinen Gmbh. The machine has been designed for hygienic applications and due to urgent demand had to be air freighted to Europe.

Johannesburg-based Technimac is in a partnership with Günter Kunststoffmaschinen GmbH of Germany, also a manufacturer of bag-making machines, in which technology and various skills are shared. Technimac has been constructing the machine mechanical assemblies successfully for a number of years. The completed assemblies then are shipped to Germany where the Günter team fit the unwind unit, various accessories and most importantly the electronic controls and software.

Technimac handles the entire process of designing and building complete machines for customers in Southern Africa, but the recent order from Germany for this specialised design had the team in Kew, Johannesburg, working around the clock in order to meet the delivery date.

This particular machine model features four servo drives and is designed for the production of open ended rice or detergent bags with one bottom and one header seal and a punched four-finger hole cutout between the two seals.

Technimac’s design and engineering team have excelled in this area, building confidence with the company’s German partner.

Technimac MD Gerhart Mischinger said the recent project was in line with Technimac’s mission statement, “Time to go global”. www.technimac.co.za

Unilever uses foaming in new bottle

12 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

BY BILL BREGAR, PLASTICSNEWS FOAMING is a good alternative to thin-walling for reducing plastic use in consumer goods packaging, according to a Unilever plastics expert.

Packaging forges consumer perception of staples like shampoo and detergent, said Frederic Dreux, Unilever’s global packaging capability leader for rigid plastics.

If the package gets too thin — from traditional thin-walling to reduce weight — it can give the consumer a feeling the product is not high quality, he said, during a presentation at the SPE Blow Moulding Conference in Chicago in October.

“So we tried to decouple from thickness, not to impact the rigidity of the package,” Dreux said.

Unilever partnered with MuCell Extrusion, the foaming technology company, and Alpla, a major supplier of extrusion blow moulded bottles to the consumer products company, he said.

“Foaming offers weight reduction while maintaining the ‘consumer properties’ of the product,” he said.

Dreux described foaming in the extrusion blow moulding process. The parison, composed of three layers of HDPE, uses regrind. The key, he said, is that the foamed structure must be maintained after the parison is extruded — and when blowing multiple parisons on the same cycle.

The MuCell Extrusion process requires a special barrel and screw.

A dosing unit injects gas into the melt in the barrel.

Dreux said foaming bottles to reduce plastics use is part of Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan, to reduce its waste footprint by 50% by 2020. The company uses recycled plastics and bioresins.

Earlier this year, Unilever announced it was foaming its bottles for Dove Body Wash, cutting their use of plastics by at least 15%.

Unilever is using the Trexel MuCell foaming process to reduce the weight of some bottles

Rapid Granulators Our customers have always stressed how happy they are with the reliability, superior design and build quality of their Rapid granulators. Our service & support facilities are in place to help our customers get the best from their machinery.

Rapid’s Open-Hearted technology offers uniquely fast access to machine interior for cleaning and maintenance.

Further, we’re offering a complete range of auxillary equipments including dust separation systems, metal detection/separation and much more.

EDER DESIGN, based in South Africa, have been appointed Rapid’s exclusive distributor for South Africa and Sub-Sahara Africa.

EDER DESIGN / RAPID provides granulators in widths up to 1500 mm, with throughput capacities up to 4 tonnes/hour.

EDER Design cc Tel: +27 82 651 3315 E-mail: frank@ederdesign.co.za

Rapid Granulator AB Phone: +46 (0)370 86500 E-mail: sales@rapidgranulator.se

www.rapidgranulator.com

INDUSTRY NEWS

Karbochem celebrates

!

years in business Customers, suppliers, service providers, employees gather around the country KARBOCHEM recently hosted gala dinner evenings in Port Elizabeth, Durban and Johannesburg to celebrate 50 years of synthetic rubber production in South Africa.

The celebration dinners were attended

by Karbochem customers as well as major suppliers and service providers. Also on the guest list were Karbochem employees who had worked for the company for 40 years or more, some of whom had been around when the first bales of rubber came off the Sasolburg factory production line some 50 years ago!

1964 – synthetic rubber plant opened It was on 27 November 1964 when the Karbochem synthetic rubber plant at Sasolburg was officially opened by the then Minister of Industries, Nico Diederichs.

Since the first emulsion SBR (Stryrene Butadiene Rubber) was made at Sasolburg, Karbochem has expanded its rubber operations and now also makes low and high cis PBR (Polybutadiene Rubber) and solution SBR at its operations in Newcastle.

Karbochem originally started operations as ‘The Synthetic Rubber Company’ which was the name given to the original company formed as a result of the need for South Africa to be self-sufficient in synthetic

Stuart Browning (S&N Rubber) gave a toast to Karbochem on behalf of the Port Elizabeth rubber industry

Blast from the Past! – Previous managers George le Roux and Johan van der Walt

A jolly bunch after a delicious meal at the Boardwalk Hotel in PE! Consuelo Roland, Dieter Roland (Comar Chemicals), Duncan Blackburn (Karbochem), Linda Blackburn, Ronella Botha, Avril Botha (Veyance), Marilyn Gibbs, Keith Gibbs (Bridgestone)

14 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

At van den Berg (Sentrachem retiree) gave a toast to Karbochem at the Johannesburg event

At the Oyster Box hotel in Umhlanga – John Lithgow (Karbochem), Abraham Brink (Karbochem) & Carlo Baldocchi (Sumitomo Rubber SA)

The Bandag men at the Hyatt Regency in Rosebank – Willie Steyn, John Laskarides, Pieter Le Roux (Dina Le Roux’s husband) & Jonathan David

Enjoying welcome drinks at the Hyatt Regency in Rosebank – Leslie Bengover (National Rubber Matmin), Spike Taylor (Multotech), Lindsey Rule, Mike Stuart (National Rubber Matmin) & Leigh Stuart

when Sentrachem bought the shares of the rubber production.

Synthetic Rubber Company and changed The four local tyre companies of that the name to Karbochem. time, along with the IDC, together formed The Synthetic Rubber Company, obtainSecond synthetic rubber site ing initial technology from overseas for the established at Newcastle in the 1980’s manufacture of ESBR (Emulsion Styrene During the 1970’s, the Butadiene Rubber). The South African Govplant was built in 1963, The company looks ernment, foreseeing with the first production forward to the the need for a higher taking place in mid-1964. future and remains dependency on locally Operations were specommitted to produced products, recifically developed at innovation, quality and quested industry to look Sasolburg based on the at alternatives to natural assumption that nearby providing excellent rubber. Sentrachem, plants would supply the service for another through Karbochem, two major raw materials, 50 years. took on this challenge those being Butadiene and in the early 1980’s a second synthetic and Styrene.

In 1967 the first major change took place rubber site was established at Newcastle in

Kwa-Zulu Natal. Originally low cis BR was produced in 1982, and by 1983 the first polyisoprene was made.

However, the economics of the time, which saw natural rubber prices in the region of US$750/t, made it financially impossible for synthetic polyisoprene to continue and the IR plant was closed in 1991. One of the spin offs of this IR plant was the introduction of 3,4 polyisoprene which is a specialty polymer improving the wet grip of high performance tyres. Isogrip (3,4 IR) is still being made at the Karbochem Newcastle facility today.

Neodene developed, worldwide recognition Using its own technology, Karbochem developed a high cis BR (Neodymium DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015 15

Celebrating 50 years of rubber production in South Africa As we celebrate our golden anniversary, we remain committed to being a leading and innovative rubber company. We will continually strive to achieve customer service excellence and we thank you for sharing in our success.

SALES AND MARKETING

Eastgate Office Park, Ground Floor, Block A South Boulevard, Bruma 2026, South Africa

T +27 (0)11 601 1660 F +27 (0)11 616 6651 E kbcinfo@karbochem.co.za

INDUSTRY NEWS

Previous Sentrachem and Karbochem managers at the Johannesburg event

catalysed) known as Neodene. Neodene has become widely accepted in the rubber industry worldwide and enjoys global recognition as being one of the best performing NdBR’s.

Dow Chemicals then bought Sentrachem in 1998, and managed the company until 2003 at which time Dow made the decision to disinvest and Karbochem became a locally owned and managed company.

While there was a lot of reminiscing at Karbochem’s 50th celebration functions, it also allowed for both Karbochem and its partners to celebrate the relationships that have built up over time. The company looks forward to the future, fully aware of the challenges that face the global rubber industry, and remains committed to innovation, quality and providing excellent service for another 50 years.

Pierre Brink (Karbochem), Pieter Delport (Polar Retreading), Anita Delport & Rosa Brink at the Johannesburg event

Mike Kipe (Goodyear), Carrie Flockemann (Karbochem), Colleth Erasmus (Goodyear), John Lithgow (Karbochem) & Suzanne Tait (Goodyear)

www.karbochem.co.za

ISO 9001 certificate to impact Full Imput FULL Imput (1540) Pty Ltd can now proudly display its official ISO 9001 certificate, which was presented to the directors and key staff in October by a representative of the SABS, Charles Sibiya. The manufacturer of customised blow moulded containers underwent an extensive two-year programme to attain the internationally recognised accreditation, finalising the first phase in May, followed closely by phase two in June.

Founded by Irene Murgatroyd in 2004 – who brought in Australian technology and equipment to customise blow moulded containers for the cosmetics industry - Full Imput expanded its offering to the oil industry a few years later.

The oil industry is far more rigorous and demanded that the company be ISO-approved. This set the accreditation

process in motion and consultant Louis Onody was appointed to assist. His first suggestion was for the company to move to larger premises to accommodate inhouse storage facilities and, in September last year, Full Impact relocated to the 2 500m2 factory in Prospecton, Durban. “We also have first option on the adjoining premises, should we need to further expand,” explained Clinton Smith, who was brought on board as a director in 2005.

While quality manager, Purity Xaba, was put in charge of co-ordinating the entire process internally, according to Murgatroyd “everyone got involved – from stores, to despatch, to the laboratory and production. Attaining the certificate needed everyone’s buy-in; it wasn’t just one person’s responsibility.”

Equally, she believes in constantly reviewing procedures and won’t be sitting back on her laurels now that the certificate’s got pride of place on the boardroom wall. “There’s always room for improvement and every now and then it’s necessary to implement an additional procedure. As such, our staff will be continually put through more training regarding safety, health and the environment.”

“Certificated by SANAS, which is affiliated to IFA (an international accreditation forum), the SABS certificate instantly attests that that we are focused on producing world-class products in a world-class facility,” said Murgatroyd. “It will certainly assist us in opening doors for new business prospects and allow us to make an impact on a larger, more diverse market.”

• TEL: 031 461 1514/5, FAX: 031 461 2918 The proud Full Imput team – Clinton Smith (director), Deon Moodley (production manager), Purity Xaba (quality manager), Irene Murgatroyd (managing director), Charles Sibiya (SABS), Vino Moodley (PA) and Sam Pillay (stores manager)

16

Ampa Group - the dawn of a new era

Trevor Zulberg, CEO of Ampa Group

INDUSTRY NEWS

Vision to be a R1-billion company by 2019 with zero shareholder loans THE renaming of an organisation is mixes, but also customises mixes in acoften seen as a time of rebirth and a new cordance with specific customer requirebeginning, bringing fresh opportunities to ments. Modek® supplies translucent roof those with the vision to transform them sheeting, whilst Simona® manufactures an into bottom-line realities. The ‘birth’ of extensive range of thermoplastic products.

Ampa Group has its foundation in AmpaA 49% stake in Evonik Acrylic Africa glas, established in 1976. This year, the (EAA), Plexiglas®, has positioned the company’s major shareholder, Investec group to offer one of the world’s most Bank, concluded a deal which saw Trevor versatile, waterproof plastics that lends Zulberg becoming an equity partner and itself to applications ranging from aircraft the present CEO of what is now known as construction to structural glazing, transAmpa Group. portation, electronics, communication, Today the group is widely acknowlpackaging, furniture, as well as lighting edged as South Africa’s leading manuand solar technologies. facturer and importer The most recent of specialised plastics. acquisition AmpaFlex® ‘Zulberg’s leadership The recent acquisition specialises in the manuhas unquestionably ® of AmpaFlex , formerly facture of LDPE films rejuvenated every and products to the fastknown as Tetrathene paced, competitive plasIndustries, has increased division’ tic packaging industry. the number of divisions under the Group’s umbrella from four to The birth of a new vision five: Ampa Plastics®, Modek®, Simona®, Ampa Group CEO, Trevor Zulberg, is a Plexiglas® and AmpaFlex®. visionary with the skills and acumen to Individually and collectively they deliver spark new life into an already established a diverse portfolio of plastic products to business. The company’s original foundsectors that include the printing, packagers, the Piovesan family, were forward ing, automotive, fabrication and engineerthinkers who developed flexible facilities ing industries; as well as professional with wide ranging capabilities. The valupractices such as architectural firms and able foundation they laid has enabled quantity surveyors. the present day organisation to grow its Although the Group’s headquarters are business by producing a wider range of in Johannesburg, it has a strong presence products. nationally, with a distribution network that In addition, Ampa Group has been able encompasses Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, to capitalise on the versatility of plastic to Durban and East London. create a number of unfinished lines that Ampa Plastics® is an entrenched brand allow industrial customers to reshape and that not only delivers an array of polymer

repurpose items to suit their exact requirements.

Zulberg’s leadership has unquestionably rejuvenated every division. He is strongly committed to people, cutting-edge products and environmentally sound processes. From the outset he identified the group’s impressive track record for staff retention as a key strength, and placed a strong emphasis on exposing employees to continuous learning and training to ensure that their expertise keeps pace with ever changing products and technologies.

R&D is the key to innovation “R&D is the key to innovation,” says Zulberg.

“At Ampa Group, it has played a vital part in directing existing expertise towards previously unexplored areas. The results have opened untapped markets and paved the way for the creation of new products.”

By way of example, Zulberg cites the wooden and cardboard layer boards used by the packaging industry to transport fragile glassware.

“The fact that the boards are not durable means they have to be frequently replaced.”

Zulberg explains. “Ampa’s plastic layer board lasts four times longer and is lighter and cheaper to transport. Rather than this being a sales pitch,” expands Zulberg, “I believe our recognition from Nampak, packaging leader in Sub-Saharan Africa, speaks for itself.”

Economic growth + environmental conservation = good business practice From Ampaglas to Ampa Group of today, a journey of more than 40 years, the business has become steeped in the non-negotiable philosophy that economic growth is inescapably linked to environmental protection.

The results of this can be seen in more environmentally-friendly plastic products that stem from manufacturing processes that create minimal waste and recycle any scrap products that occur.

Ampa Group customers are furthermore afforded the opportunity to be part of this eco-consciousness by using the company’s buy-back initiative, whereby used items are purchased for recycling. While the group saves costs on new resources, customers receive a percentage of their initial outlay,

18 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

A wide range of thermoplastic materials and branded products are used in a variety of different industries

giving rise to an all-round win-win situation.

The concept of rebirth is fuelled by the adage, ‘Out with the old, in with the new.’ It is a premise that works well in the plastics industry where the group profits from businesses which upgrade by phasing out older products in favour of more effective modern ones. This is particularly evident in the roofing industry where obsolete asbestos roof sheets are being replaced by safer more efficient roofing from Modek®.

The road ahead Ongoing refinement is a key element of any revitalisation initiative. For now, the group has set its sights on a two-year plan to improve overall operations with new machinery, cheaper electricity and innovative processes.

Group expansion in Africa has been both rapid and highly successful. Ampa’s presence in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, Togo and Benin has provided the impetus to expand the Group’s footprint in the rest of Africa. On the home front, the group is looking to acquire increased office space in South Africa.

When one considers that Ampa Group leads the way in extruded plastics, with a product for almost every application and a whole range of products capable of being adapted for whatever purpose is required; the group’s vision to be a R1-billion company by 2019 with zero shareholder loans is certainly not an impossible dream.

PLEXIGLAS® can be manufactured with many different functional properties offering high transparency, heat reflections, heat shielding, heat insulation, sound reflection and resistance

Simona® is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of thermoplastics. Their product line of semi-finished products, pipes, fittings and fabricated parts display a superior resistance to aggressive chemicals

www.ampa.co.za

DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015 19

John Byett (front with white shirt) with the group of trainers who completed the course in Lusaka recently

‘Train the trainer’ course in Zambia

INDUSTRY NEWS

Byett conducts course to aid trainers, and their trainees JOHN Byett, who ‘retired’ last year, has result of poor packaging choices, SME continued virtually where he left off: he exporters from Africa and their national recently presented a packaging course in packaging suppliers are unsuccessful Zambia to ‘train the trainers’. Facilitated in penetrating export markets. Many by the UN-based International Trade businesses consider packaging as a Centre, the aim of the course is to train mere on-cost to the product, failing to trainers who in due course will be able understand the key role that packaging to train other trainers in the country – an plays in helping differentiate and sell the exponential result is thus expected to be product and making sure that the product achieved through the course. arrives in optimum condition at the final Byett was accompanied by Joseph destination.

Nyongesa, president of the African The project – to promote intra-regional Packaging Organization (APO), during trade in Eastern and Southern Africa his week-long trip to funded by Finland – Zambia during which aims at contributing to “Our objective was he spent five days in inclusive and sustainto give wide ranging Lusaka with a group of able export-led growth 14 local trainers. in Kenya, Tanzania and packaging related “Our objective was Zambia. information and skills to give wide ranging The three-year projto the trainers to pass packaging related inforect seeks to promote on their knowledge to mation and skills to the the participation of others in Zambia.” trainers so they could SMEs in selected agrithen pass on their packfood sectors in regional aging knowledge to others in Zambia, and global value chains. It will address particularly honey producers,” said Cape value chain inefficiencies combined with Town-based Byett, formerly a lecturer measures to strengthen trade support in Mechanical Engineering at the Cape institutions in all three countries.

Peninsula University of Technology and currently one of the course facilitators for Packaging for export the IPSA one-year Packaging TechnolA key factor is the local knowledge of ogy Diploma. the technical aspects of export packagThe International Trade Centre ing, supply chain management and (ITC) assists developing and transition quality. Training initiatives have taken economy countries to take advantage place in the past to overcome these of expanding trade opportunities in an difficulties, most not being sustainable increasingly complex global environment. because of the ongoing cost of provision.

Throughout the developing world, For example, often the overseas expert packaging plays a major role in providing is specially imported at great expense for business opportunities. But, as a a one-off session at a seminar organised 20 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

This course was aimed specifically in developing skills for the packaging of honey in Zambia, to enable SME honey processors to achieve international quality packaging standards

by the local government for their industry.

It was this sustainability issue that led to the ITC together with financial partner, the Finland Government, to employ the strategy of training the trainer.

In Zambia the project aims at building the capacity of SME honey processors to achieve international quality standards for packaging, food safety, organic certification and traceability of agri-products.

The programme presented a wide spectrum of packaging topics over the 5-day period, including: • JOHN BYETT, JOHNBYETT1@GMAIL.COM

RNL Plastics to upgrade its offerings

25

YEARS!

BY GILL HYSLOP

Company has experienced consistent 20% growth over past two years SINCE opening its doors in 1989, RNL Plastics of Durban has grown in leaps and bounds and now – 25 years on – is about to embark on an expansion plan that will take it to the next level.

A ‘Proudly South African’ company, RNL Plastics is in the process of significantly expanding its production output. The Pinetown-based company specialises in the extrusion and injection moulding of a range of niche market products, having recently diversified to incorporate the automation, security, electrical, medical, poultry and leisure (surfboard components) sectors. It builds most of its own tools.

According to Eugene and Neil Lightfoot, who are in the process of taking over the reins of the business from their father Richard, the recent focus placed on marketingand especially social media – has brought in a slew of new inquiries and clients.

Old -school, new-school “My father conducted business the old school way, through word of mouth and shaking of the hands formed a tight, unbreakable bond. Our business ethics remain the same but today’s generation operates on a very different level, and I’m placing a

lot more emphasis on marketing our services, particularly online,” said Eugene.

Formerly known as Light Enterprises, specialising in metal pressing and the production of latches, the company’s name was changed in 2006 when it evolved from a sole proprietorship to a closed corporation to include other members of the Lightfoot family.

Today, although Richard still keeps a sharp eye on the company; Eugene is taking over as general manager; his mother Marie is in charge of administration and his brother Neil handles design and logistics.

Upgrading processes “Although we’ve kept a low profile, we have experienced a consistent 20% growth in the past two years, and I definitely know that there’s a far bigger audience that we could appeal to,” said Eugene. He noted that, despite the fact that competition from China has been prevalent, the marked increase in minimum wages in that country is helping to bring attention back to locally-made, high quality products.

The company has three factories in Pinetown; its staff complement has grown by 30% in the last year. www.rnlplastics.co.za

Father and sons – RNL Plastics’ Eugene Lightfoot (left) and Neil Lightfoot (right) with their father and the company’s founder, Richard Lightfoot. RNL, which has been in business for 25 years, specialises in the extrusion and injection moulding of technical parts and builds most of its tools in its own toolroom

“Our expansion plans include upgrading our production processes and facilities with more CNC machines to increase lead times and turnover,” said Eugene.

RNL is also preparing for the new ISO 9000 revision in 2015.

RNL currently has a product portfolio of over 200 components, but this is consistently growing – mainly through the development and introduction of new products for clients.

“We believe in building lasting relationships by keeping in regular communication with our clients to solve their challenges promptly and professionally. With continuous product development, we add value by offering our selected customers design flexibility and quality engineered products that meet their most stringent application requirements.”

DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015 21

What we do

What makes us unique?

As a plastics product manufacturer we service our select clientele by taking them from initial concept through to mass production. Which entails designing of products, designing and making of injection moulds, press tools and extrusion dies to produce customer specific products.

s RNL Plastics is a Proudly South African manufacturer dedicated to ensuring locally made products and components outperform imported alternatives

Services

s The benefit of our more than 25 years’ experience in mould and product design s In-house design and manufacturing of moulds s We offer a quality product and excellent service levels s We are a well-knit team focused on customer satisfaction and continuous improvement

s Product design s Tool & Die Making s Injection Moulding s Extrusion – Profile and Piping s Metal Pressing

Contact us for a free 1-hour product consultation. (Offer ends February 2015.)

Tel: 031 7014110 | Email: Info@rnlplastics.co.za | www.rnlplastics.co.za

Reac PU Technologies managing director Michael Wainer with one of the Cannon dosing systems at the company’s plant in Sebenza, Johannesburg. The machines are used in the production of an increasingly vast range of products

Reac maintains long tie

with PU dosing specialist Cannon Relationship with machine supplier spans over 40 years

INDUSTRY NEWS

REAC PU Technologies, the Johannesburgbased supplier of polyurethane processing equipment, has one of the longest-standing agency agreements in the industry – ever: it has been representing Cannon of Italy since 1972.

Reac Chemicals, the holding company, was started that year and has continued with the uninterrupted representation of Cannon since.

Several other local equipment and material suppliers have begun and terminated agency arrangements during the ensuing four decades-plus, but the Reac team has been sailing on steadily and seems to have perfected the formula ... and now, with polyurethanes being used increasingly in the building and construction sector, it appears that consumption of polyurethane foam is, if anything, coming of age.

Cannon group in Italy has itself gone through major expansion and diversification over this period and become a global player across a range of plastics processing and other technologies, including thermoforming and composites fabrication; aluminum die casting; water treatment; wind energy and industrial electronic controls. In the PU dispensing technology area, it is now recognised as a world leader through its subsidiary, Afros Cannon of Milan.

22 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

The supply of the Cannon PU dosing systems is at the heart of Reac’s activities, with several hundred of the systems installed around the country.

Core markets include the refrigeration and automotive/domestic foam sectors.

Reac managing director Michael Wainer has been overseeing the steady progress of the business since the departure of the company’s founder, Deon Friedlander, who now resides in Australia.

Although polyurethane dosing is a relatively straightforward process, involving the dosing and blending of the diisocyanate and polyol components, the dispensing stations are available in a multitude of configurations. Plus convertors are now also looking at increased automation, so challenging the system designers to develop even smarter solutions.

Technical service is a strong point “Our customer technical service is one of our strong points,” said Wainer, adding that Reac’s field service engineers receive training at Cannon in Italy.

“We maintain a very comprehensive spares department, including critical spares ex-stock. So, even though the Cannon machines seldom break down, we are always ready to resolve problems quickly,” added Wainer, hinting at the factors which have enabled Reac to maintain solid ties with its Italian principal.

Upgrades to existing Cannon dosing systems are relatively standard, and the Reac team also specialises in machine refurbishment. The obvious result of this is that Reac also deals in refurbed ‘second hand’ machines. The confidence it has displayed in buying back machines from customers appears to have consolidated its relationship with PU converting companies around the country – and likewise been good for its reputation as a top PU systems supplier.

Besides a number of other agencies, Reac also supplies another vital component of the PU processing cycle: mould release agents. It represents Acmos Chemie of Bremen, Germany, also an international leader in this specific area. Polyurethane moulded products achieve UV stabilization mainly through their coated surfaces, which act virtually as a coat of paint would (encapsulating the foam within), and highly uniform mould release is hence necessary.

The Reac team recently moved to a far larger site in Sebenza, Johannesburg, where – besides its spares and machine refurbishing departments – it has installed an 80,000-litre fire-protected tank for the storage of mould release agents, which is necessary for these potentially hazardous materials. www.reac.co.za

www.cannon.com

INDUSTRY NEWS

Mixing it for 50 years – Andrew Kellock and John Broli of Jones Industrial Mixers in Founders’ View, Edenvale. The company has been manufacturing industrial scale mixers since 1964, with about 7000 units in operation around Southern Africa in a wide range of industries. Broli and Kellock have wholly restructured the business over the past seven years

Jones FS50 C 1500-litre highspeed disperser for the mixing and manufacture of paint

26 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

Jones Industrial Mixers is back in the mix and continued the business as an WITH about 7000 units sold over the independent company. Broli had in fact years, Jones mixers must be one of the been eyeing the mixing business for best known local names in the area of some time prior to that and saw a great industrial mixing, certainly in Southern opportunity to continue the Jones brand Africa. Jones mixers, dating back 50 of mixers due to the good long-standing years to 1964 when the units were reputation, robust design and tremendous first introduced, have in recent years depth in the field that had been created. achieved renewed popularity following “Whatever can be measured can be investment by entrepreneurs John Broli controlled” is one of Broli’s favourite and Andrew Kellock. sayings, and one he and his team The original developer, Mr Hugh Jones have been able to apply of the not surprisingly effectively to accurate named Jones Engineering, Johannesburg mixing. had produced mixers machine However, Broli was for a wide range of manufacturer under no illusions about the applications, from food continues Jones challenges to grow Jones in and confectionary to a competitive market. the pigments, paint and marque, builds Building mixers is not masterbatch sectors. on tradition with a simple task: up to 24 Jones (after whom Jones solutions for variables can be applied Road at Emperors Palace any and every in the mixing process, so at OR Tambo is named) mixing challenge developing a solution for any had from 1955 dealt in particular application can be used and refurbished a complicated matter, with tailored solutions foundry equipment in Johannesburg. often required. Factors that come into play Trading as Jones International, the in the mixing process include dispersing, company later continued to operate as agitating, blending, viscosities, specific a subsidiary of a number of businesses gravities, thixotropic and rheopectic … and that are well-known in industry, including quite a lot more actually.

Chemtra, Protea Chemicals and But that’s only the start of the Chemplast Marc Etter … without ever dilemma: even if you can conceptualise functioning as a standalone operation. the perfect mixer for any given But the potential certainly was there application, how to build the units on a and it took John Broli, former MD of sustainable and profitable basis? This Chemplast, to realize that: on his official was the task ahead for Broli and Kellock. ‘retirement’ from Quadrant Chemplast in Their solutions have been simple: 2007, Broli and his son-in-law Andrew they changed the company’s name Kellock purchased the Jones division from Jones International to the more out of the group (it had been part of identifiable Jones Industrial Mixers Chemplast Marc Etter for 20 years)

and in 2010 moved to new premises at Founders’ View in Edenvale, where the business could operate independently.

The ‘new’ Jones Industrial Mixers now operates with an efficient team of highly experienced engineers that can take on most mixing challenges.

The company continues to produce mixers that are renowned for their quality, good engineering and robust design for a wide range of applications in the process industry. The Jones team has also been innovative by designing new products to add to their already diverse range, and with some clever engineering have been able to drive some of the costs down in order to be able to offer machines that are very competitively priced.

Other services offered include a full range of parts and accessories such as blades, propellers, shafts and related items; a repair and maintenance service to cater for mixers in the field as well as refurbishing and selling of good used mixers, tanks and other mixer related items.

The new Jones has a philosophy to keep their standard range of products immediately available to their customers by keeping them in stock as much as possible. “You ain’t selling nothing from an empty wagon,” is a phrase coined by Broli’s father, who coincidentally was in the paint business.

A fairly substantial number of mixers and other products are being manufactured at present, confirming that the Jones mixers are most certainly growing from strength to strength – just rewards after the foundation of the business almost exactly 50 years ago. www.jonesmixers.co.za

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Tel: 011 762-5231 • Fax: 011 762 5228 • Mobile: 082 465 9491 • steve@edmshop.co.za • www.edmshop.co.za

INDUSTRY NEWS

Huge potential for growth Setting up effective supply chains remains big challenge

28 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

POSSIBLY the most salient point to come out of the ICIS African Polymers conference in Johannesburg in October, if you didn’t already know it, was the simple fact that Africa is massive, and massively undeveloped too – a combination which presents major obstacles to trade.

So although it’s common cause that there is a major opportunity for development across most of Africa, the scale of the challenge is matched by the difficulties. Let’s be honest, supply chain into Africa remains difficult. Turn the clock back to the late 1800s when Cecil John Rhodes and Co were planning a ‘Cape to Cairo’ rail network: they got as far as Lubumbashi (then called Elisabethville) … and the rail line’s never got any further.

Now days there are alternatives, but the odds are still largely not in the favour of South African manufacturers: if you truck goods up into Africa, and it’s realistic to trade as far as the southern provinces of the DRC or Zambia, your trucks will almost certainly face major delays at border posts, some times lasting for several days.

So then try shipping goods, materials or equipment up either coastline and, once again, many experience frustrating delays at port control, in this case sometimes lasting for weeks. By comparison, South Africa’s ports appear to be functioning smoothly, so imported goods ENTER the local market rapidly.

The conclusion to be drawn from this is that it’s easier to import than export.

Besides logistics issues, operating conditions can change unexpectedly too.

But the ICIS event certainly included some serious content for manufacturers

Keynote – Fabrizio Galiè of ICIS, who is based in Italy, the keynote speaker at the conference, reviewed data on both polymer production and consumption across the continent; here we see him with Pravesh Jethwani of Versons Group of Dubai; and Isaac David-Solomon of Engen

and suppliers who want to expand business in Africa, ranging from stats about raw material supply trends; the supply of finished goods; local manufacture by South African convertors and much more.

ICIS – global forecaster With a global network including probably every chemical company around and generating 9200 price assessments for about 180 commodities, ICIS is a truly international provider of petrochemical data. The company is owned by Reed Elsevier group.

In his keynote opening address, Fabrizio Galiè of ICIS gave an overview of the African polymers market: the continent consumes just 3% of global demand, in the region of 6.3 million tons p/a, with South Africa accounting for 21% of that, followed by Egypt on 18%, Nigeria 14%, Algeria 11%, Morocco 8% and Kenya 5% and Tunisia 4%.

PP and HDPE account for the highest quantities converted, using about 1.5 and 1.4 million tons consumed in 2013 respectively.

There is a high potential for growth, said Galiè, with the main potential markets being water storage and transportation, food preservation (packaging) and infrastructure development.

West Africa: Challenges and opportunities Texas-based Bhuwan Sinha of Vinmar, a global polymer supply operation, has been trading in Africa for several years … and made some astute observations regarding what works, and what doesn’t.

Vinmar has been in operation for 36 years and since 1999 has had long-term

‘off take’ agreements with a number of polymer manufacturers, including Riopol of Brazil and Advanced Petrochemical of Saudi Arabia. In 2009 if formed Goradia Capital through which it has acquired a number of strategic assets, particularly in the EPDM and nylon areas.

Sinha looked at the West African market particularly Nigeria, which is by far the biggest economy in the region with a GDP of $523-billion (the next closest is Angola at $122-bn and Ghana with $48-bn). Nigeria has a population of over 166 million and is growing at about 6.5%. But although that sounds attractive, there are significant hazards to trading in this market, including port congestion followed by expensive and risky goods movement; unexpected import levies; foreign exchange depreciation and, now, more recently, the new phenomenon of terrorism.

The outcome as far as polymer business goes: surprisingly good. Polymer consumption in West Africa has been growing by 11%. A further surprise is that the most popular polymers are PET (20% growth) and PVC (14%). PET is used in Nigeria for the packaging of drinking water, and sales have gone through the roof.

With per capita consumption of plastics estimated to be below 5kg/year, material manufacturers are seeing the West African region as a major market for growth.

According to Sinha, the development of the polymer converting business in West Africa is following a similar trend to that of markets globally, with the following products emerging, almost successively: printed packaging films; bottled water;

In agreement – Anton Hanekom of Plastics|SA and Hilton Lazarus of the IDC agreed about one thing: the fact that packaging amounts to over half of the industry’s output is actually because the technical moulding sector is not as large as it should be (for instance, packaging amounts to just 34% of tonnage turnover in Europe). The rigids sector has shrunk in recent years, suggesting that there is room for growth – quite considerable room actually

Business in Africa – Shereen Tuff of Euromonitor, a stats and market indicator agency with offices around South Africa, and Dick Coates of material supplier MBT were speakers at the ICIS event

in Africa, but major hazards too paint buckets, beverage crates and finer household articles; fast food packaging; household insulation; valve bags for commodity packaging; pipes for water supply and telecom; additives/secondary polymers to optimize production cost.

Emeraude & guests – Kalpesh Jani, technology manager for Emeraude group based in Dubai, with Trevor Moroney of Emeraude South Africa; and Jaco Smith of Carst & Walker, who was one of the session chairmen; and Kgopotso Chaba of Dow Southern Africa

service providers. Boxmore’s observation is that African governments first want to see investors creating opportunities for the local population, and that it could be possible to expand cooperatively from such a base, with the need to increase local content continuously.

It appears also that the retail landscape is changing in Zambia, with the entry to the market of South African and international retailers who are following global packaging trends.

Shopping centres across Southern Africa now frequently appear like centres in South Africa, with SA retailers being prominent.

Where partnerships are achieved, said Drew, the next step is to build supply chains around the challenges.

“Find suppliers who are willing to cooperate, but have a back-up plan!”

Megatrends – Brian Sole of Sasol and Avril Harvey of Frost & Sullivan, who spoke about megatrends shaping the plastics industry in Africa

www.icis.com

Bhuwan Sinha, vice-president for Africa-Middle East for Vinmar International, who is based in Texas, gave an interesting presentation about trends in the supply area in Africa

Boxing smart – David Drew of Boxmore gave a captivating presentation about his group’s expanding activity in Africa, especially in Zambia

29

Africa, the Next Frontier Boxmore’s David Drew gave the only convertor presentation of the conference, looking at the Boxmore group’s entry to manufacturing in Zambia. A number of South African manufacturers have burned their fingers while setting up plants in the neighbouring states, and

Boxmore appears to have observed these experiences.

Boxmore set up its plant in Lusaka in 2013; its only previous experience outside of the country has been in Port Louis, Mauritius, where it has been operating successfully since 2002.

There appears to be significant scope for development in Zambia, and by extension across the continent. Coca Cola assesses markets by the number of ‘eight ounce’ servings consumed and found telling differences: the average Mexican consumes 665 of the 8oz servings annually, the rate in South Africa is down at 282 and in Kenya it’s only 39/yr – a huge differential.

But Drew cautioned: although ‘where Coke goes, PET goes’ is true, it’s hazardous for manufacturers to enter foreign markets on their own. He proposed rather that businesses should enter African markets in partnership with other entrant manufacturers, retailers or

DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

Role of the polymer importer in Southern Africa Dick Coates of MBT outlined his many years of experience of trading in Africa in a very humorous presentation, “To offer credit where no man has gone before,” as he put it.

Polymer suppliers in the region (Southern Africa refers to the region up to the southern DRC and Zambia which can be supplied by road haulers) need to have resilience to volatility and also need to be aware that payment dates can be stretched, said Dick.

The six countries in question – Namibia, Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique – consume about 200,000 tons a year, in other words considerably less than the South African market, which stands at about 1,523,000 tons p/a.

Coates and MBT have however developed skills at operating in Africa and gained market share across the region through astute operation.

Africa is usually at the centre of maps of the world, or is it only because that’s what we ever see? According to Drew, the widely used ‘Winkel Tripel Projection’ effect creates a distorted image, whereas the Gall-Peters Projection seen here gives a more accurate representation of the size of the continent. And it’s BIG: the United States, China and India would all fit easily into Africa, with quite a bit of change

Colour extrusion – Use of high standard pigments and additives have enabled SAPY to achieve a high level of consistency with its colours that offer exceptional dispersion, colour concentration and accurate batch-to-batch processability

Filament and yarn – The use of its colours for the production of its own fine denier yarn has made it incumbent on SAPY to manufacture truly high standard colours with exceptional dispersion performance

The MRP (material requirements planning) system, which is based on real-time information, has enabled SAPY Colours to further improve customer service and turnaround times

SAPY flaunts its true colours

INDUSTRY NEWS

Hardly a yarn, colours have to match up DESPITE more than 15 years’ experience in masterbatch manufacturing, SAPY is still considered a relative ‘newbie’ in the highly competitive world of colour masterbatch development. However, as recently appointed marketing manager, Tracy Sinclair attests, SAPY’s colour materials are known for their superiority and are gaining market share.

SAPY is a joint venture between Ninian & Lester (N&L) and PFE International, to capture the multifilament polypropylene (PP) yarn market in South Africa and neighbouring countries. The N&L Group of companies is one of South Africa’s oldest, vertically integrated textile and clothing manufacturing operations that manufactures and distributes the well-known Jockey brand. PFE International has significant global interests in carpeting and flooring. Today, SAPY – which celebrates its 20th anniversary next year – comprises three divisions, including Masterbatch & Additives, PP Yarn and Corehfil™ Fibre.

The SAPY Management Team runs a tight ship, following a customer-centric sales and marketing model, and takes pride in the ISO 9001 accredited-company’s ability to produce extremely high quality masterbatch at competitive prices.

“SAPY has recently invested millions in sophisticated equipment and technology to maintain the quality and consistency that is synonymous with our brand,” said Tracy.

In-house need A few years after commencing the production of coloured yarn, SAPY detected an increasing need for shorter lead times as well as a demand for multiple custom colours, which lead to its decision to manufacture its own masterbatches.

Now, as the only South African masterbatch manufacturer that is also its own a consumer, SAPY imports the fibre-grade 30 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

BY GILL HYSLOP

pigments and additives from renowned international suppliers. Its colour materials have built a reputation for consistent quality in dispersion, colour concentration and accurate batch-to-batch processability.

The colours department, under the eagle eye of Colour Manager Dayalan Moodley, is the building block for the Masterbatches & Additives division and boasts a digital library of tens of thousands of colours.

However, if a client still cannot find the desired colour within this range, SAPY will assist with the development of a new shade in its state-of-the art lab. Highly specialised software and equipment, such as their range of X-rite spectrophotometers and Atlas Xenotest, allows it to match any colour and technical specifications.

Additionally, a complete lab facility has been installed to test run samples, including bottle blow moulding, card injection moulding, blown film and multifilament spinning machines.

The SAPY colours have become popular in the flexibles market, in sheet and film extrusion applications. Besides that, the colours are used in blow moulding, injection moulding, tape extrusion (raffia), coating, multifilament yarn spinning, staple fibre, spun bond and other non-woven uses.

SAPY also produces a range of food-grade (EU and FDA-approved) masterbatches. Its white masterbatches use food-approved titanium dioxide and are manufactured in a separate factory that conforms to strict food regulations.

Significant future investment is planned to expand this department as demand grows for highly specialised masterbatches.

Tailor-made yarn With its foundation based on producing various types of industrial yarn including Partially Oriented Yarn, Fully Drawn Yarn,

20

YEARS!

SAPY has consolidated its various businesses – including the production of colour masterbatch as well as the manufacture of coloured yarns – at its premises in Eaton Road, Hammarsdale; it moved to the far larger 70 000m² site in 2010. The new masterbatch colours factory, laboratory and visitor’s centre are due to be completed by the end of next year

Flat Filaments, False Twist Texturised, Air Textured, Twisted and Intermingled, the company has the expertise to tailor its yarn in various denier, and with the number of filaments according to a client requirements.

SAPY also produces its branded Corehfil™ Speciality Fibres (a PP microfibre) which are used for secondary reinforcement in concrete (the fibres limit plastic shrinkage and control micro-cracking in cementatious products). The company is the official supplier of micro-fibres to Lafarge and supplied the speciality fibres for the recent construction of the Dubai International Airport terminal.

To streamline processes and improve traceability along every step of production, the company has recently implemented a web-based MRP (material requirements planning) system.

So, where to from here?

In 2015 our focus will be on growing our food-grade Masterbatch & Additives division. The colours division has grown considerably, so now we are turning our attention to put in the expertise and technical abilities to back up the food grade supply.

www.sapy.com

DESIGN

SPE honours pioneering THE American Society of Plastics Engineers’ (SPE) annual Thermoforming Division annual parts competition this year saw some remarkable achievements and innovative design. Twenty-five parts were entered in the competition, including a number of submissions from first-time participants and one from India.

Bowling pin elevator

By Associated Thermoforming, Inc., Berthoud, CO

This twin sheet formed enclosure is a bowling pin elevator used in collecting, transporting and re-setting bowling pins.

Two multi-cavity temperature controlled production moulds produce seven different parts. The material used is Poly One TPO Extreme LG .187-inch starting gage. Strict process control and two infrared thermal imaging line scanners were used in developing the product.

Part detail and cooling is aided by 10

‘blow pins’ per mould. The blow pins are programmed using five different core pull valves. Along with the given challenges of forming a large TPO part, controlling shrink to ensure accurate CNC trimming was also very difficult. Post cooling fixtures are used to maintain the proper shape and dimension of the chain track area that rides between the two main parts.

The cosmetic surface of the rear panel is achieved with a textured mould surface.

Gold award & Peoples’ Choice Award in the heavy gauge twin sheet category

Simply secure ‘tamper obvious’ 2-piece package

Gillette Venus snap trap blister pack

By Lindar Corporation, Baxter, MN

By think4D, Altona, MB Canada

This ‘tamper obvious’ closure can be applied to two-piece package designs and applications. Packages can be reclosed after the ‘tamper obvious’ closure is removed to allow consumers to keep products packaged and fresh during use. The 8-inch pie package (shallow and tall dome) has two specific performance related design innovations to enhance the product quality of pre-packaged ‘thaw and sell’ frozen pies: 1) perimeter ventilation to allow the package to breathe, and 2) a slightly domed top area to disperse condensation to the perimeter area of the dome.

Each package is designed to allow retail displays to be stacked high to build stable mass displays when needed.

Items are made from .015-.035 starting thickness rPET on a 6-cavity aluminium production tool.

This dome shaped ‘trapped blister’ is a strong, lightweight and completely recyclable package. The pre-printed .015inch PET is thermoformed in precise registration to the sculptured 3D razor. This package uses 73% less plastic than previous Venus packaging, with a 27% overall weight reduction and a 53% reduction in packaging materials resulting in more densely packed pallets for distribution.

Key design objectives focus on reducing overall complexity, using less material and simplifying manufacturing. To keep the packaging compact the razor was placed inside a reusable travel pod. Since the semi-transparent pod reduces visibility to the razor, the innovative use of a preprinted and thermoformed image provides a true to life 3D representation of the razor.

The pre-printed thermoforming eliminates inserts, reduces packaging components and helps minimize size, weight and complexity.

Gold award in the roll fed food category

Gold award in the roll fed industrial category

32 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

thermoforming design Medical smoke evacuator enclosure

Grocery refrigerator tray

By Associated Thermoforming, Inc., Berthoud, CO

By Innovative Plastech, Inc., Batavia, IL

This pressure formed enclosure is a smoke evacuator used in the medical field. The enclosure is used to house a smoke evacuation system for electrosurgical procedures. The material used is .312-inch starting gauge fireretardant Kydex-T. The part demands a very severe draw ratio to get plastic all the way down to the bottom. This is done in a female mould with many undercuts, the one in the rear of the part being very deep.

Gold award in the heavy gauge pressure form category

The key to making this part successfully is a highly sophisticated mould which employs ‘automated lifter corepulls’ around the perimeter. Additionally the entire back section of the mould has a core-pull to create the undercut at the rear.

Robot enclosure

By Saint-Gobain PPL, Puyallup, WA

This entry is a group of nine parts that make up a complete enclosure for a robot being developed by Adept Technology. These units will be used in laboratories and SC wafer fabrication facilities were clean room requirements make entry and re-entry of personal problematic.

Parts must fit together as a complete system with very tight and even parting lines. This required all but two parts having deep draws and undercut geometry. Tooling is CNC machine

Silver award in the heavy gauge pressure form category

out of aluminium billet that is gun drilled with water cooling lines for temperature control. These parts also have a moderate bead blasted texture. www.adept.com/products/mobilerobots/ mobile-platforms/lynx/general

Durabin

Silver award in the roll fed industrial category

By Associated Thermoforming, Inc., Berthoud, CO

This vacuum formed part is used in arranging and re-setting bowling pins. It is formed on a temperature controlled production mould. The challenges of this severe deep draw part were overcome with ten individual custom designed plug assists.

Each plug assist has its own unique geometry CNC machined to optimise part wall thickness and material distribution. Varying plug assist heights and materials are used as well. Two infrared thermal imaging line scanners

This design is for a set of interlocking trays to hold and display grocery products in retail refrigerators. All three trays in the set are made from .025-inch black rPET. Undercut snaps are designed into the pockets of the bowl tray to hold the bowls in the tray tight enough to keep from being knocked over, but loose enough for customers to easily pick one up.

A single rail snap was used for ease of closure for the end-user, instead of what other trays have used, which is several smaller snaps that can nest between pockets, but are inconvenient to use and unattractive on the edge of a tray.

Water needs to drain from the trays, yet they need to stay stiff enough for use on wire shelves. This design uses an extended S-curve shape, creating a staggered appearance that keeps the trays from bending across their entire span. More stabilisation is added to the trays by creating lips around the product pockets, diamondshaped bumps in between pockets, and disc-shaped bumps in the bottom of the tube tray pockets.

In production, the moulds for these trays can share components, as all three moulds are the same size. The large bowl tray is only one cavity, while the smaller bowl tray is four cavities and the tube tray is 3 cavities.

By using the same size material for all three, savings were able to be passed on to the customer

Gold award for the heavy gauge vacuum form category

are used in oven profile development and monitoring material behaviour.

Extreme draw ratios like these and the surface area being covered so close together make for a unique part. The material used is Primex 1000 HMWPE .312-inch starting gage.

DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015 33

DESIGN

Geospring end cap protective packaging Universal Protective Packaging, Inc., Mechanicsburg, PA

The part is a patented Geospring® thermoformed recycled HDPE fragility end cap packaging solution for the hard disk drive industry. The end cap was produced from a 20up aluminium production tool on a Sencorp 2500 thermoforming machine using roll-fed .025 gauge black HDPE material.

Due to the size of the mould, maintaining optimal mould temperature and ensuring adequate material distribution over the mould presented a couple of challenges. The mould’s temperature was controlled by using bubbler baffles, and material distribution was overcome by using a properly constructed plug assist.

The Geospring® end cap provides maximum protection during transportation with its spring system which uses harmonic bellows that form a flexible ridge for shock and vibration absorption. When dropped from a height, the rapid deceleration caused by the impact engages the spring system and efficiently dissipates the shock and vibration.

Gold award in the combined recycled category

34 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

Large medical device assembly

By Specialty Manufacturing Inc., San Diego, CA

This assembly is a large medical device. The parts for this assembly are pressure formed and some of them include a twin sheet design.

Material is custom colour acrylic/ PVC pressure formed off textured tools.

The innovative design utilizes formed in inserts to allow quick and easy assembly, and has no bonded bosses used for attachment.

Industrial design group wanted to maintain the design line around the side panels and this was achieved with a formed in design feature on a single part to reduce cost to the OEM as opposed to breaking the part into two distinct parts.

Assembly of the glass to the upper housing is performed onsite by the thermoformer to reduce assembly time at OEM. The tooling

is temperature controlled production tooling that is machined from block aluminium.

Gold award in the combined value added assembly category

Rescue backboard

By Profile Plastics, Lake Bluff, IL

This twin sheet, pressure formed part improves on existing spineboard products by incorporating thermoforming-based advantages such as moulded-in strap pins. The material used is two sheets of 0.150-inch GP ABS. Moulds create a single hollowshape. A complex cavity with 22 pinch regions allows close tolerance trimming.

Some of the challenges overcome with twin sheet thermoforming include detail crispness of textured areas and multiple, formed-in strap attachment ‘rods’; wide variety of material available to meet high performance product specifications; lightweight with minimum starting gauge; consistent mould/part alignment for close tolerance trimming resistance to foaming pressures; advantages versus wood: non-porous, light weight, x-ray transparency, in-mould texture; advantages versus rotational moulding: wider range of materials to work with, tighter tolerances.

Silver award in the heavy gauge twin sheet category

TEL: +27 (0) 11 462 2990

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Airline seat pocket assembly

DESIGN

By CW Thomas, LLC, Philadelphia, PA

This airline seat pocket assembly uses three thermoformed plastic components and employs value added fabrication.

Two of the assembly parts contain pressure formed plastics (0.125, 0.093 Start Gauge), one component is vacuum formed (0.047 Start Gauge). There is an aluminium brace in this unit as well. These parts were thermoformed using custom coloured aircraft grade acrylicPVC. The innovative design and value added assembly allows for the OEM to take this right from the box to installation in the final seat configuration.

The plastic parts were produced on a CNC machined aluminium, temperature controlled production tool. All three of the moulds were

Gold award in the combined innovative category

a single cavity. Two of the three thermoformed parts were pressure formed and required special undercuts that were achieved using loose mould pieces held with a slide. Additionally, the two pressure formed parts were produced using

mould cavities that had an acid etched selective texture. The one piece was formed using traditional vacuum forming methods. All parts were trimmed and hole positions routed using the new technology on a state-of-the-art 5-axis CNC machine.

www.thermoformingdivision.com

PET bottles take top honours in blow moulding THE Society of Plastics Engineers’ blow moulding division presented awards for blow moulded parts in October at its Blow Moulding Conference held in Chicago. Two of the winners are pictured here. In the packaging category, W. Amsler Equipment Inc. won for a set of four triangular-shaped PET bottles that nest together for efficient packaging. Retailers also save space. The bottles use recycled food-grade PET to replace PVC. Taking first place in the industrial category was the Esky 135-quart cooler, a big blow moulded HDPE cooler.

It holds ice for up to two weeks.

Judges commended the special slides on the mould needed to make the drain at the bottom of the deep-draw part.

36 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

First blow-moulded TPE constant velocity joint wins Hall of Fame award THE first North American implementation of a blow-moulded, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) constant velocity joint (CVJ) half-shaft drive-axle boot seal used on 1984 vehicles produced by then General Motors Corp was selected as the 2014 Hall of Fame winner by the Automotive Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) for the group’s 44th-annual Automotive Innovation Awards Competition. To be considered for a Hall of Fame award, an automotive plastic or composite component must have been in continuous service in some form for at least 15 years and preferably have been widely adopted within the automotive or ground-transportation industries. This application certainly meets the criteria: it has been in continuous use on GM cars and trucks for 30 years, and 85% of front-axle CVJ boot seals on light-duty vehicles worldwide now use TPE in this application to replace polychloroprene rubber. CVJ boots protect bearings in the constant-velocity joint by keeping road debris out and by keeping lubricating grease inside the joint as the drive axle rotates and propels the vehicle. At the time the application was developed, rubber boot failures accounted for the majority of driveaxle repairs. The switch to blowmoulded TPE resulted in a much more robust CVJ sealing solution that also was lighter, more durable, and less costly than the injectionmoulded rubber boots it replaced.

Since durability was extended by 3-4 times, the boots are now considered ‘service for life’ parts, eliminating the need for replacement under normal conditions.

DESIGN

Innovation, success, achievement

in bioplastics Finalists of 9th Bioplastics Awards FIVE finalists for the 9th Bioplastics Award have been chosen by judges from the academic world, the press and industry associations from America, Europa and Asia, from a comprehensive list of proposals. The 9th Bioplastics Award recognises innovation, success and achievements

by manufacturers, processors, brand owners, or users of bioplastic materials. To be eligible for consideration in the awards scheme the proposed company, product, or service must have been developed or have been on the market during 2013 or 2014.

Rodenburg (The Netherlands)

Biodegradable structure for habitat improvement

38 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

During the past year, Bureau Waardenburg together with Rodenburg Biopolymers and GEA 2H Water Technologies have developed a starchbased three dimensional biodegradable structure specifically for use in the improvement of dwellings. In a quest for artificial structures for use in the recovery of mussel beds, they have developed a biodegradable structure that can be used in restoration and

improvement of their habitats. In contrast to many other bio-plastics, it undergoes complete breakdown without the need for composting agents.

Already there appears to be a wide range of potential applications for this product. Several other applications in the area of water purification, sewerage treatment, aquaculture, soil aeration, reclamation and the protection of coasts and sandbanks have become apparent.

www.biopolymers.nl

Supla (SuQian) New Materials Co. (China)

UHU (Germany)

Durable bioplastics for mobile consumer electronics

Glue stick with a plant-based container

After coming second in the 8th Bioplastics Awards last year, Supla continued its development of a new grade of modified PLA that not only fits the requirements of durability, ease of manufacture and assembly and shock resistance, but also has anti-bacterial properties.

With the lactide from Corbion, Supla polymerized PLLA and PDLA on a Sulzer PLA unit. Supla developed SUPLA™ 158 in 2014 in response to a new market for mobile consumer electronics. Kuender,

who is expert in injection moulding for electronics housings, has applied SUPLA 158 to chidren’s cell phones for Dikon Information Technology (Shanghai) Co, Ltd., as well as a number of other innovative products.

Supla (SuQian) New Materials Co Ltd will have a production capacity of 10,000 tons per annum of PLA polymerization and additional compounding lines by the end of 2014 at Suqian, China. www.supla-bioplastics.cn

UHU’s glue stick, ReNATURE, offers consumers a new and more environmentally friendly alternative to existing products – in an attractive design. A total of 58% of the glue stick container consists of renewable sugar cane based bio-PE. As well as being fully recyclable, the new glue stick is solvent-free and 70% of the glue formula is natural-based. www.uhu.de

Zandonella (Germany)

BioFoam ice cream container Zandonella GmbH has launched a new trade mark, Sandro’s Bio, in a 500ml ice cream container made of BioFoam®, an expanded fine particle PLA foam from Synbra. It looks similar in structure and has more or less the same properties as EPS. Even in a hot car this container keeps ice cream frozen for over an hour.

In addition, all other packaging components are made of renewable raw materials, and all are appropriate for industrial composting. Further parts of the packaging concept are: paper wrap, shrink film (also for tamper evidence) made of PLA, label made of cellulose or PLA, PLA inlay, as well as coating film made of PLA. BioFoam is the first biological foam packaging in the world to be Cradle to CradleCM certified, certified compostable (EN 13432), and has the German ‘Ohne Gentechnik’ seal, confirming that the material has not been genetically modified and is renewable.

www.sandros-bio.de

Swiss Coffee Company (Switzerland)

Beanarella: compostable coffee capsules Working together with BASF, the Swiss Coffee Company has succeeded in introducing a system that consists of a coffee capsule and an aroma-tight outer packaging. It fulfils the demanding requirements for protecting the product and brewing coffee in high-pressure coffee machines, yet may still be composted.

The system solution is predominantly based on renewable resources.

The coffee capsules are made from Ecovio IS1335 and are certified compostable (EN 13432). The barrier packaging (three functional layers) consists of biodegradable components. The outer paper-based carrier layer is followed by a thin barrier film as a middle layer and an inner sealing layer based on Ecovio. All three single layers are certified according to EN 13432. The layers are bonded together by means of the compostable laminating adhesive Epotal® Eco from BASF. www.beanarella.ch

DEC 2014 / JAN 2015 39

At BASF, we create chemistry.

Enquiries: BASF South Africa Delyce Ririe delyce.ririe@basf.com Tel 011 203 2537 www.basf.co.za

INDUSTRY NEWS

Ferrostaal navigating new territory New distributorship agreements

BY GILL HYSLOP SINCE taking over the reins at the end of last year, Floors Coetzee is leading Ferrostaal Equipment Solutions SA into new directions with a number of recently acquired distributorship agreements.

Formerly known as Printing Products and founded in 1967 in Cape Town, Ferrostaal supplies printing and packaging equipment and consumables to the converting market in Southern African. The company is probably best known as the local distributor for Kiefel, the German blown film systems manufacturer which it has represented since 1977. Kiefel has for the past five years been part of Reifenhäuser group of Germany, and Ferrostaal hence also supplies a range of the technologies and components from the group companies.

Last year, Ferrostaal signed a sole agency agreement with Limax, a Malaysian manufacturer of extrusion, printing and bag-making machinery.

Although the Limax technology is not new to South Africa, Ferrostaal has recently supplied two of its bag-makers and Coetzee sees more opportunities “as the equipment comes in at the right price”.

Another recently signed distributorship agreement – at the beginning of 2014 – was with Soma Engineering, a Czech manufacturer of printing and labelling machines to the

packaging market.

What sets Ferrostaal apart is that it assembles much of the imported equipment at its site in Durban. In fact, it warehouses over R2-million worth of stock and spares at the Pinetown factory.

“We import and install the equipment, but configure it to a client’s individual requirements, as well as the particular application,” says Coetzee. Another key USP (unique selling point) is the company’s ability to tailor a financial deal to suit each client.

Kiefel blown film equipment Ferrostaal now sees opportunities for the 7 and 9-layer ‘Evolution’ blown film systems from Kiefel. The Kiefel machines have long been popular in South Africa. To date, the company has supplied around 90 of the Kiefel 3 and 5-layer lines, and about 11 of the newer technology systems, making it arguably the biggest supplier of blown film equipment in the country.

Besides Kiefel and Limax, Ferrostaal

The Kiefel ‘Evolution’ blown film systems have proved popular in Southern Africa, with about 100 lines in operation in the region

also supplies a variety of other plastic processing equipment, including Edale (flexographic and digital printing presses and converting equipment), Ryobi, Flexotecnica, Cerutti (rotogravure, die cutting machines, flexographic and packaging presses), Tampoprint, Temac Daco (high-speed slitting machines), Corona Supplies, Frigo Systems (air cooling systems) and Shenweida (cutting, plastic and packing machinery).

It also supplies ancillary equipment from Plastcontrol of Germany (extrusion automation systems such as bubble and thickness control).

Ferrostaal has a broad mix of clients is various sectors, both locally and beyond South Africa’s borders. www.ferrostaal.co.za Rex Parsons is handing over responsibility for management of the Ferrostaal KZN branch to Floors Coetzee DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

41

DESIGN

UK’s plastics industry

honours top designs

42 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

Achievements of a wide array of industry talent and initiatives SEVENTEEN awards recognised the achievements of a wide array of plastics industry talent and initiatives and this year’s British Plastics Industry Awards (PIAs) in London on 25 October.

RIGID packaging specialist RPC Group (www.rpc-group.com) won the coveted Processor of the Year award. Judges said RPC “had shown considerable ambition in the past 12 months and backed up its strategic goals… with acquisitions and a clear focus on what was needed to take the business forward, including the establishment of its training academy”.

This year’s ceremony featured a brand new category, Best Recycled Plastic Product of the Year, won by Logoplaste UK and Ecover (www.uk.ecover.com/en) for The Ocean Bottle, made with plastic waste fished out of the sea.

The bottle represents an exciting joint initiative between Ecover and some leading innovators in the marine conservation and packaging worlds. Using existing fishing boats kitted out with clever new technology, Waste Free Oceans’ ‘catch of the day’ project enables European fishermen to earn money by collecting between two and eight tons of waste plastic per catch for cleaning and recycling.

As part of a trial project, this waste has been sent to Closed Loop Recycling’s plant where it was processed and turned into plastic, which was used by Logoplaste (www.logoplaste.com) to make the new Ecover bottles. The bottles are made using a standard extruded blow moulding (EBM) process.

Another important and relevant fact is

related with the bottle design. Logoplaste used biomimicry thinking as the base for its development. Logoplaste Innovation Lab was the first and, for the time being, is the only rigid plastic packaging company in the world that uses biomimicry methodology to fully support the innovation process of packaging development. The exclusive and distinct design of the new Ecover Ocean bottle is inspired by the skeletons of unicellular aquatic organisms whose design principles helped optimise the mechanical performance of the container.

The Industrial Product Design of the Year award went to Boddingtons Plastics (www.boddingtons.co.uk) for its Fernox TF1 Compact. Surrey-based water treatment company Fernox–Alent required a new compact in-line filter, which would allow hyrdocyclonic action to deliver contaminants to the unit’s specially designed magnet assembly, removing and containing them from the central heating system water. The Fernox TF1 Compact was to be developed to fit into domestic heating systems where installation access may be restricted. In situations where headroom is limited, the TF1 Compact would need to be installed at an angle of 45 degrees without compromising performance, and to allow magnet removal when cleaning the unit. Fernox selected Boddingtons Plastics which specialises in developing technical mouldings for volume manufacture.

The product was designed and manufactured for high volume production. The challenge was to create a simple, compact device, specifically for properties where

space or access is restricted. Installation needed to be quick and robust and the product required a better mechanism to allow for multiple orientations, at a competitive cost. Existing materials were already in use on other product lines but proved unsuitable for the new generation. Boddingtons selected and tested a number of materials to achieve a stable product that would have to withstand high pressure and temperature.

The reduction in unit size, while retaining all the products key features was important as this new TF1 Compact had to complement the existing TF1 Standard product while allowing the client to enter market sectors that were previously not obtainable to them, for example small properties and flats. However the innovative concept with this new compact version was to replace the existing threaded inlet/outlet port with a ‘push on and clip’ feature which allowed the staller to orientate the filter at exactly the required angle without having to switch off and drain the system. The removal of various O-rings and spacers (used in the threaded version) proved so popular with the industry that the decision was made to also convert the inlet/outlet of the TF1 Standard filter as well.

The Consumer Product the Year was HJC Design’s (www.hjcdesign.co.uk) Powerhoop. The brief was to develop a new unique hoop with adjustable weights that combine all variants into a single model, enhances the user experience and minimises production costs. After 18 months of research, detailed design, de-

HJC design won the ‘Consumer Product Design of the Year’ title at the prestigious 2014 Plastic Industry Awards with their Powerhoop

BRIEFS Best Recycled Plastic Product of the Year: LogoplasteUK/ Ecover’s Ocean Bottle. The Ecover Ocean Bottle is made entirely from recycled plastic, with 10% of that plastic coming from the sea

velopment and testing, Innertrak delivered Powerhoop Deluxe, ‘the world’s most advanced fitness hoop’ (www.powerhoop.eu).

The Powerhoop Deluxe is the first fitness hoop in the world to replace cheap, extruded foam sleeves with TPE overmoulding to provide comfort and protection for the user, while greatly improving product performance and durability. The chosen design direction was a hollow semi rigid polymer hoop encased by a soft and durable over-moulded rubber coating to absorb impact, increasing user comfort.

Each of the hoop segments uses a concealed spring locking system that contains a removable weight and locks onto the adjoining segment.

A carefully considered channel located at one end guides the rubber over-moulded material internally, to create a hidden shock absorbing bumper, preventing movement of the ballast and eliminating undesirable vibration and noise. The impact resistant copolymer PP substrate protects the outer perimeter against damage from intense training routines and misuse. Shock absorbing Dryflex-TPE creates the inner compression zones maximising performance. Individual weights can be inserted into each segment allowing the weight of the unit to be adjusted from 1.6kg to 2.2kg.

New 500ml ambient-filled bottle elevates brand Wonderbag – a recipe for change

SCORCREATIVE, an award-winning structural design studio run by Amcor Rigid Plastics in the USA, has been recognized by the A’ Design Award & Competition, an international design contest based in Como, Italy. ScorCreative captured the award for its redesign of the Hoist rehydration sports drink bottle from Hoist LLC, Cincinnati, Ohio. ScorCreative created a new ambient-filled 500ml PET package that effectively competes with existing 600ml rehydration sports drink offerings.

The brand’s original package was a short, stout 350ml container. Most importantly, ScorCreative incorporated panels that currently serve no performance function since the product is cold-filled. But if the brand gains traction and increases volume, Moyal believes the panels can absorb vacuum if the product ever moves to a hot-fill process (when vacuum becomes a concern). The injection-stretch blow moulded container features a 38mm finish and partial shrink wrap label. www.amcor.com

CHRISTMAS is a time to give something back to those who make a difference in your life. The ocal manufacturer of popular South African export Wonderbag, has come up with the perfect solution - a limited edition festive hamper.

When you cook with a Wonderbag you simply need to bring your food to the boil for a few minutes before transferring it into the bag and leaving it to cook to completion. Heat-retention cooking is an age-old technique and Wonderbag’s unique design has brought it back into the 21st century! The Wonderbag is filled with recycled polystyrene which acts an excellent insulator. The hamper contains a plastic washbasin, a Wonderbag, as well an assortment of essential grocery items to get started with this ingenious new non-electric slow cooker! To find out more or to order, phone 031 536 8220, email sales@nb-wonderbag.com www.nb-wonderbag.co.za

www.drinkhoist.com

Award-winning water filter made from bioplastic

Industrial Product Design of the Year: Boddingtons Plastics’ Fernox TF1 Compact

SOMA is the first designer water filter in the world made from natural resources. The bioplastic used for this filter is Bio-Flex®, a material developed by Fraunhofer UMSICHT in cooperation with FKuR. The material needed to be functional, but also made from renewable resources and biodegradable when disposed of. Soma finally obtained what they were looking for from www.fkur.com

www.plasticsawards.com

bioplastics specialist FKuR. The bioplastic Bio-Flex S 9533 used in the manufacture of the water filter has been developed in cooperation with Fraunhofer UMSICHT and FKuR and is based on the bioplastic PLA (polylactic acid). The filter unit is composed of a casing made from biodegradable Bio-Flex S 9533 and contains absorbent carbon derived from coconut shells. www.drinksoma.com

DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015 43

DESIGN

Composite innovation rewarded Thermoplastic muffins protect life A NEW design and manufacturing concept enables the production of cost-effective crash absorbers made of fibre reinforced thermoplastic (FRP).

In cooperation with the Institute for Composite Materials GmbH (IVW) and Stadco Saarlouis Ltd & Co KG, glassfibre reinforced thermoplastic crash absorbers have been developed and a patent application has been filed.

The thermoplastic crash absorbers, also referred to as a Crash Muffin, were awarded first place in the ‘Innovative products and applications’ category of the prestigious 2014 AVK (Federation of Reinforced Plastics in Germany) Innovation Awards.

In comparison to existing solutions and products, these newly developed crash absorbers distinguish themselves

by the following: economical production effective offaxis stability optimal adjustment to the suspension load simple connection to the crash structure This is achieved by the construction shown in Figure 1, referring to the folding of paper, the muffin form is able to provide a nearly draping-free deformation. A Prerequisite for high material-specific energy absorption is the use of continuous fibre reinforced plastic composites (e.g. organic sheets) in a 3-dimensional shaped geometry.

“The Crash Muffin can be manufactured easily and quickly. It does not require connection technologies to form a 3D component out of the 2D

semi-finished product. The continuous fibre reinforcement offers excellent specific energy absorption and the opportunity to use various other fibres, such as carbon or organic fibres.

Its special geometry leads to a selfstabilization of the crash front and provides significant advantages in terms of buckling stability and offaxisload in case of a crash’, explained Dr Sebastian Schmeer, manager of the competence field Crash and Energy Absorption at IVW GmbH. The FRP Crash Muffin is also extremely sustainable because it reduces component weight by about 30% compared to the use of metallic structures.

F Figure 1: On the left, crash muffins made from natural fibres (light brown) and GF/PA6 (black). On the right, characteristics of the crash muffins A 3D crash muffin is formed starting with a 2D endless-fibre reinforced thermoplastic sheet (organo sheet) by using a simple, single step forming process

The stability of the crash body is a very important criterion for use in vehicles. It cannot always be guaranteed that a crash proceeds in the axial direction. Even with off axis load the body must withstand and not buckle. On the one hand, this is ensured by the conical basic shape, and on the other, by the high local buckling stability of the wave geometry 44 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

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DESIGN

Ingenious design tackles social issues TUT and UJ students excel DESIGNS for a brick mould, wheel and door stopper and manhole cover were the top contenders at this year’s Plastics Institute of Southern Africa’s (PISA) Student Design Competition which took place during SA Automotive Week at Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 14-16 October.

The competition is aimed at second year industrial design students and the main focus is to promote the use of plastics at university level and to encourage students to pursue careers in

1

the plastics industry.

Industrial design students from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) had to design a product made from 100% recycled plastic. The top 25 projects were exhibited at the expo, which included perspective drawings and scale models from the students.

The competition also attracted the attention of the popular SABC career guidance show, iSpani, which filmed the entire competition and awards ceremony.

After a long day of deliberation, representatives from PETCO, SAPRO, CSIR and TUT confirmed the final results.

This year’s competition would have not been possible without the generous support of sponsors PISA, PlasticsǀSA, PETCO, POLYCO and SA Automotive Week, who saw the importance of encouraging students to create new end use markets for recycled plastic products.

st Rotenda Gene Nevhutalu (TUT)

Brick mould (BriGado)

RoNe Design Studios decided to design a low cost brick making kit from recycled PE-LD. The product is aimed at the unemployment and housing sector. The brick making kit makes 36 bricks per stack, with an ergonomic design to allow the user to easily carry six bricks at a time. Six layers get stacked on top of each other with a clamping system on either side of the moulds to maintain the size of the bricks during the setting phase. Product name: BriGado.

Judges’ comments: The student won the competition as he focused on key issues facing the majority of the South African population. He provided two solutions with his product: reducing unemployment and increasing housing.

Bob Bond (PISA Northern vice-chair), with winner Rotenda Nevhutalu (TUT) and Jacques Lightfoot (PISA Northern chairman)

46 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

at PISA Student Design Competition

2

nd Armand du Plessis (TUT) Wheel and door stopper (Protect)

The wheel and door stopper are made from HDPE and are designed to assist drivers when parking in their garage. The wheel stopper is ďŹ xed to the garage oor with specially designed tape in the desired location, to prevent the vehicle from travelling beyond a given point. The door stopper’s purpose is to prevent any damage to the car door once opened. These products work well together to prevent damage to the vehicle.

Judges’ comments: The judges thought the student had a great product, especially as most people have experienced the frustration of parking in the conďŹ ned spaces of a garage and damaging their car! The product is well designed, looks fantastic and also assists the homeowner.

3

rd Judd Lombard (UJ) Manhole cover

The product focuses on the re-designing of manhole/ storm water drain covers, using 100% recycled PE. This product makes way for small business creation, increasing employment in virtually every town in the country. The product is designed to be injection moulded to ensure a structurally dense unit. The unit is either solid or contains internal ribbing features to support additional weight placed on the cover. A thread is moulded onto the tapered circumference of the cover which enables the unit to be turned into the base foundation unit containing the opposite thread. This enables the cover to be locked into position. A hand tool is required to loosen the cover in order to remove it.

PISA Student Design Competition Merit

Brendan Menges (UJ)

Infant crawler The infant crawler is a device design to help infants who have learning problems or disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, to learn how to crawl. The crawler can also be used as a toy for infants. The device has bi-axle directional wheels for ease of movement, as well as a body strap to keep the infant safe and in place. The infant crawler is made from recycled PP using gas assisted injection moulding.

DESIGN

Merit Stefanie Krynauw (UJ)

Solar light The solar powered Tri-light is a sustainable product intended for areas with no electricity. The Tri-light is designed with the solar panel at its optimal degree point for receiving

48 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

the best light from morning until late afternoon . The Tri-light consists of a plastic body, three LED light bulbs, battery pack, inverter and a solar panel.

It is a robust and durable light with a

life expectancy of about ďŹ ve years, after which the battery needs to be replaced. Recycled PP can be used to manufacture the light. The Tri-light is small and weighs just 168.75g.

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PISA Student Design Competition SLO-MO SPEED BUMP

Merit Design Explanation

The Slo-Mo speed bump was designed to replace the wasteful and grotesque existing speed bumps seen in South Africa, the shape of red-blood cells found in the human body influences the aesthetic of the design, The an Slo-Mo bump was designed to replace creating organicspeed shape that embraces speedThe bumps used anyexisting environment. design is in South Africa. meant join easily the groundcells found in the Thetoshape of to red-blood with bolts that for the the aesthetic of human bodyallow influenced part to be recycled again.

Matthew Edwards (UJ)

Speed Bumps

the design. The design is meant to join easily to theused ground The material is re- with bolts that cycledfor polypropylene; allow the part toit be recycled again. is material used is recycled PP and The structurally strong and the mass of one product is 784,87g. abundant in terms of a Manufacturing recycled material.considerations: Ribbing will aid in strength. Ribs are tapered masseasy of one product is toThe allow mould ejection.

Bolting 784,87 grams. will involve concrete anchors, an external process. The product will be injection moulded.

Manufacturing Considerations

DESIGN

Ribbing will aid in strength.

Ribs are tapered to allow easy mould ejection.

Bolting will involve concrete anchors, an external process.

www.pisa.org.za

Sunshine and braai time at Idwala MTB challenge Bad experience of 2013 a distant memory

50 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

THIS year’s edition of the Idwala PISA Western Cape Mountain Bike Challenge was a lot better than the 2013 event: simply because it didn’t rain!

It was in fact a glorious spring day at Jonkershoek in Stellenbosch, where we

Alplas was in the winnings again, with Neil Collier taking the prize for the dirtiest bike on the day

had a good turnout by MTB enthusiasts from the industry, with several accompanied by their families – and particularly kids, who seemed to fly by the older riders on anything that even looked like an ascent.

The racing was more of a scenic nature, however, with the peloton split up into three streams: for experienced, casual and beginner riders. The lone three ‘experienced’ riders abandoned their quest midway through the course and blended seamlessly into the casual category.

An additional plus this year was the excellent state of the single tracks in Jonkershoek: well maintained and

Top spill – Brent Malan of Alplas was adjudged to have taken the biggest spill of the day. The big man received his prize from Nina Dimitriu of Idwala, with head honcho Billy MacMillan presiding. It fortunately wasn’t a major spill, though, and Brent was in fact pumped to get the prize

challenging without being terrifying.

Fortunately the braai was ready at the finish. Thanks to Nina of Idwala for the outstanding organization.

Bike preparation was standard at the outset, with some of the fathers making adjustments … only for their kids to fly by them shortly afterwards

PROPAK CAPE

Record attendance at Over 6000 visitors, 240 exhibitors THE biggest ever Propak Cape at the Cape Town International Conference Centre (CTICC) in October drew over 6000 visitors and 240 plus exhibitors.

One of the outstanding features of the show was the impressive showcasing by the local packaging automation manufacturers, including Acepak, Fair Plastic Packaging, Filmatic, Ishida, Pakmatic and Progetto. These companies have really stepped up to the challenge of providing cost-effective automation solutions; several of them are also now competitive internationally.

Of South Africa’s major plastic packaging manufacturers, only Polyoak and Golden Era group exhibited (although the latter is more involved in paper packaging), both with impressive stands, engaging teams and, well, full-service presentations to visiting goods manufacturers.

The absent other major packaging groups appeared to be holding off and focusing instead on the next Propak Africa show, in Johannesburg in 2016, which is certainly South Africa’s major packaging event.

The show was about 30% bigger than the previous Propak Cape event in 2011, but the major increase in exhibitor numbers may have been exaggerated by the large turnout of exhibitors from China. It appeared that government incentives, or other incentives, may have induced many of the Chinese manufacturers and suppliers to attend. Also there were groups of exhibitors from Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The Turkish and Arabian manufacturers appeared to show a good grasp of the challenges of operating in Africa.

The increased number of international exhibitors possibly masked the decrease in the number of local exhibitors, which is half the reason why so many of the delegates from the other packaging majors were keen to visit the very well appointed Polyoak stand!

But at the end of the day, the real test for a show is visitor numbers and in this regard Propak Cape succeeded. There was a buzz in the halls most of the time and most of the delegates appeared to be there with intent.

“This year’s show was the biggest 52 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

Polyoak’s game changers New retortable barrier plastic tubs, decoration capability, POLYOAK Packaging, one of only two convertors at this year’s show, was once again a showstopper with an exhibition stand showcasing packaging solutions from each of its specialist divisions. Dairypack Tubs presented a real game-changer with the first ever retortable barrier plastic tub in South Africa.

Polyoak also revealed their impressive new decoration capability – another first in South Africa – and Contan showed

off the attractive new welded handle on their 5 litre PolyCan. Dairypack Tubs latest innovation is South Africa’s first retortable barrier tub in plastic, in licensed partnership with SuperLock, RPC Superfos.

According to Michelle Penlington, Polyoak Packaging’s national marketing executive, the show stopping feature of this advanced technology is that the barrier protection is possible on all surfaces of the tub which,

Polyoak’s latest innovation is SA’s first retortable barrier tub in plastic, by Dairypack Tubs. Swedish brand Felix, successfully re-launched its range of stew-bases, soups and pasta sauces in the new retortable barrier tubs www.dairypacktubs.co.za

e ite literally! Jo Fair deal – Qu Packaging tic as Pl ir Fa Ryklief of and made steady (Fairpak) has his th wi ss re og impressive pr wrapping maof e ng ra ’s company appers ding shrink wr chines, inclu shrink Its s. er gg ba and garment faster , er gg bi t go wrappers have on This system . nt cie fi ef e and mor ned for the sig de is ak show at Prop bottles; packaging of in-line shrink bottle us rio va r fo adjustments n be ca s at form sizes and pick has been in ak irp Fa . ily made read provece 1987 and im operation sin e have ng ra ne hi ac ments to its m on of iti ed y er at ev been visible er the years. ov ts en ev the Propak the ns all work at Joe’s four so has ch ea ly, ul kf than company and, different skills .za www.fairpak.co ands – yes, the Filmatic st The chaps at – very busy d pt an st ke re lar – we Popu parate stands se e d existing re th an re ial tent there we interested po of ux fl in th dy d e agency with a stea cently acquire lmatic have re or Riaan van ct re di les customers. Fi sa here, Filmatic d an elt labelling lia tm ta ho Zi r d fo ll-fe d the Zitalia ro te ra st 000 bottles on 40 m g Zyl, de processin is capable of being used by ly nt rre machine which cu e eppes e machines ar over and Schw per hour. Thes Energade, Cl

Contan Buckets & Pails’ 5-litre PolyCan with an ultrasonically welded handle

Propak Cape together with the membrane seal on top, achieves an extremely low oxygen transmission rate. The tubs can also be hot-filled and are easily recyclable.

Because of the material used and proprietary label technology, this innovative injection moulded solution is fully retortable in an autoclave.

Also noticeable is the eye-catching in-mould label decoration with sharp print quality possible on all surfaces. The tub also comes with practical click-on screw lids.

Another game changer from Polyoak was the recently launched 28 mm 1881 PCO closure making it easier to open bottles.

Michelle explained that the new 28 mm closure has been designed especially for beverage bottles after valuable feedback from consumers. It features an improved

!

grip, can accommodate 3-colour printing on the outside as well as digital printing inside which is completely food safe.

Also look out for the new 28 mm child resistant closure now available hot on the heels of their award-winning 38 mm child resistant closure which won the gold medal at Gold Pack Awards 2013. The SABS tested ISO approved closure has a coloured base cap and transparent overcap with knurl detail to improve grip. The internal ratchet provides audible confirmation if the cap is slipping making it a safe, easy to use solution.

Polyoak’s latest division, Contan Buckets & Pails, also introduced their new 5-litre PolyCan with an ultrasonically welded handle which eliminates the risk of leaking. The new handle also makes the PolyCan easier carry and to pour.

Michelle Penlington, Polyoak Packaging’s national marketing executive, with Gail Swanepoel, Polyoak Packaging’s key accounts manager, show off ‘gamechangers’ at this year’s Propak Cape African Closures’ new 28 mm 1881 PCO closure with improved grip and the 2013 Gold Pack Award 2013 award-winning child-resistant closure www.africanclosures.co.za

stand & Machinery re Packaging autobagging nd at the Futu em ha st On sy – 0 18 rs te bag AB Bagging Mat re Future s of the Auto in the UK, we te the wonder ing Systems to demonstra ag ck neer with gi Pa en ed at rvice Autom n Williams, se Jo d machine from an pack up to , n an ca ent Russell Snym ece of equipm in SA Packaging’s stems. This pi its 20th year s Sy te g in ra ag leb ck ce Automated Pa ckaging, which d agencies te Pa re lec tu se d Fu an e! inut reements 80 bags per m inctive ars secured ag to Africa’s dist s over the ye hinery suited ckaging ac next year, ha m Pa ly ed pp at m su to profiles to niversary of Au an th developwith the right 30 w e ne th citing is year marks ll as some ex conditions. Th ding some facility, as we g clu in rin , tu ts ac en uf m man System’s UK s into the breakthrough g market, in ag ck food pa d-up an st through its pouch. ck.co.za www.futurepa co.uk g. ba to au www.

www.polyoakpackaging.co.za

– Akura Compacting number of its showed off a d baling sysan compacting co du Toit of Ja re he s; m te pany shows the Paarl com Bramidan e th off one of 0 unit, one of balers. The X1 in the series, t es all sm e th e baling of is used for th rticularly and pa lm plastic fi from 70les produces ba ger systems lar r Fa g.

0k 11 able are also avail o.za www.akura.c

cky Stone of solutions – Ro l Automation tant, Petrone sis as s hi d an Progetto Int’l joint stand ’s ny pa m co their van Rhyn, on and Seagle. g & Labelling with IJP Fillin y automation an on virtually Stone thrives n apply up to e line here ca challenge: th astic bottles. pl to on e inut 120 labels a m also showed to et og ased Pr Cape Town-b e show. th cking line at now a new tray pa challenge is e th e, on St According to s that are em st sy g in mat to supply auto ter-changes adapted for in versatile and size prodg ns of differin for shorter ru ul design and illf sk s ire qu ucts, which re .co.za www.progetto development

Automation The top performance at Propak Cape by the automation equipment suppliers – several of who, for some reason, operate out of Paarl in the Western Cape – is a result of the high level of competition in this sector. Labelling, filling, capping, packing and other packaging functions are obviously suited to at least a degree of automation. But to what extent do you want to automate?

Most food, beverage and component manufacturers – and, in the Propak case, packaging manufacturers – now realize the benefits achieved by automation, but the challenge for the local system manufacturers is most likely to be the need for automation systems to be versatile. Big systems for single product lines are comparatively rare in South Africa, so the automation developers have had to lift their game. And this, impressively, appears to be what is happening.

Line from Schmalz TECTRA Automation, a member of the Hytec Group, showed a number of its conveying and automation systems at Propak Cape.

Established in 1978, Tectra is the sole distributor of Bosch Rexroth automation and pneumatic products in southern Africa and also represents Staubli Robotics, Easy Conveyors and Datasensor in sub-Saharan Africa. Tectra is involved in the food and beverage

ss, the Kruger – Trio Plastic ‘Trio Blocks’ and PVC film T PE of r re tu dorp manufac promoting ting, has been rolls and shee d ‘fixed film lle ca lters (also the trickling fi ’) it prolls fi oling tower reactors’ or ‘co scrap. The n tio uc od pr C duces from PV into patterned ermoformed d offcuts are th d together an ue gl are then tion ca rifi sheets which pu r te g towers, wa e used in coolin – a most viabl ion systems at ltr fi s ga d an erial. Here at m p’ ra ‘sc r the application fo ke Wright les director Mi we see Trio sa ks oc bl e th by surrounded tics.co.za www.trioplas

as well as heavy engineering sectors.

The Schmalz vacuum conveyors created quite a lot of interest at the show, with their ability to move heavy or light and even fragile products with ease.

Schmalz supplies an extensive range of pneumatics systems, linear motion, assembly technology, electric drives and controls and vacuum technology. www.hytecgroup.co.za Getting a grip on things – The Schmalz vacuum gripping systems on show on the Tectra Automation stand achieved a serious grip on even bulky and heavy products. The Schmalz range extends from layer and large-area gripping systems to complete vacuum ‘spiders’

rns of ! – Brendan Bu It’s in the bag ents es pr re w no ery Burns Machin ufacan m a , ey a of Turk Gur-is-Makin aking m gba r and pape turer of plastic Brendan with e se we re machines. He lsius of and Ahmet Do Ahmet Gursu Brendan, to g in rd a. Acco Gur-is-Makin edly built gg ru e achines ar the Turkish m sold to s wa This machine and reliable. gur-is.eu w. ww ow e sh Lanpack at th

ll se bag on a ro rforated refu to Propak High speed pe t gh ou br s Plastic system – Adex D 864 perfoonstrated a CM 2014 and dem e machine Th .

-a-roll machine rated bag-on operations ld fo e re th up to is capable of roll width of neat finished to achieve a eeds of up to sp 200mm at approximately ique feature of minute. The un 138 metres a seal strength le ib ed cr in e is th the CMD 864 res as low tu ra pe m te eved at which is achi per roll is gs ba of l number required as 140°C. Fina e th in ply by keying achieved sim the keypad g in us ll ro ch ed quantity for ea matically eject rolls are auto Paul Clark control. The e se we re er too. He of from the wind of Plasforce ul McLuckie of Adex and Pa ed the system in am ex o wh , Johannesburg .za www.adex.co

54 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

PHOTOS BY MARTIN WELLS & TESSA O’HARA

PROPAK CAPE

ever with over 5000m² of net space, which is about a 30% growth over the previous show.

The general feedback has been incredibly positive,” said Gary Corin, MD of Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery, organisers of the show.

“Trade has been happening, equipment and machinery has been sold, deals have been brokered and good partnerships have been forged.”

Vacuum conveyor from Tectra provides very serious grip

Borchê IML solution High speed production for medium sized orders of thin-wall containers IN MOULD labelling is now more affordable, if the systems from Borchê of China are anything to go by.

This high-tech process – which offers major efficiencies advantages for the production of thin-wall packaging containers (by eliminating a subsequent labelling stage) – was previously the domain of a number of leading European manufacturers.

But Borchê, of Guangzhou, China, has taken IML technology a step further by making it accessible for medium-sized manufacturers, where fast cycling and the use of pick-andplace robots on multi-cavity moulds allows for cycle times in the region of 6 seconds.

According to Pierre Jurgens of Cabletech, the Borchê agent, the Chinese-built machines are very costeffective and can compete for medium sized production runs.

Jurgens observes that the Western

Cape is becoming a leading ‘hub’ in the IML area in South Africa, which prompted him to present the Borchê machine at Propak Cape. The machine ran small yoghurt tubs on a two-cavity mould with the IML feature being and robot being the main attractions.

Setting the machine up at the show proved challenging, but the service engineers from both Borche and Shini in China prevailed and the system was churning out product by day 2.

The set-up for an IML injection system usually proves demanding, with at least a number of days required before the system stabilises.

Jurgens says a number of the Borchê BH machines are running successfully around the country, in both thin-wall and IML applications.

IML solution – Pierre Jurgens of Cabletech hosted Martin Gassner of Classical Closures of Cape Town on his stand for an in loco demonstration of a 320-ton Borchê injection machine running IML containers. The Borchê ‘BH’ series machine is specially designed for packaging applications. All the ancillaries on the machine, including the robot, are from Shini

www.cabletech.co.za

DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015 55

Using old equipment?

Cabletech has the solution

Contact us 3 Koevoet Street, Kya Sand, Randburg | P.O. Box 1456, Northriding, 2162 Tel: 011 704 0824 | Fax: 011 462 3108 | info@cabletech.co.za | www.cabletech.co.za | facebook.com/cabletechmarketing

PROPAK CAPE

Drying ‘revolution’ at Moretto OTX technology from Italian ancillaries company MORETTO, the Italian ancillaries manufacturer, has introduced a wholly new technology for hopper drying that reduces average drying times by as much as a third – and hence also saves costs.

According to Mark Daynes of Plastix Engineering, the Moretto agent, this is a significant step and one that is of interest to the entire industry.

Removing moisture from polymers – particularly hygroscopic polymers – is a vital step as excess moisture effects both mechanical resistance and surface finish in the final moulded item.

The Moretto R+D team, at the company’s premises in Massanzago, Italy, has been assessing its drying technology continuously and recently made a breakthrough with a fundamental design change, which it referred to as ‘an intuition’.

Its research suggested that the residence time of a substantial amount of the polymer material in the ‘conventional’ hopper was unexpectedly delayed. Some of the polymer, as the material descends in the hopper-drier, was in fact so delayed that pellets remained in virtual ‘dead’ zones, particularly in the vicinity of the cone-shaped neck of the heating spindle.

The Moretto solution has been to fully redesign the hopper’s central heating spindle with a substantially larger unit shaped like a rocket . The result: the redesigned hopper can accommodate slightly less material … but the material flows far more freely and evenly, and the drying process is more homogenous and uniform.

With the former design, the stagnant polymer tended to retard the drying process and prevented smooth flow of material – both of which resulted in increased costs. The delayed material in the hopper tended to absorb heat but, since it remained stationary, resulted in uneconomical application of the heated air.

So the new Moretto OTX system in fact achieves far more comprehensive utilization of the heat applied, and saves unnecessary costs.

Saving hot air – The conventional hopper drier (left) shows stagnant material (black) near the base of the vessel and surrounding the heating spindle. This material can continue to absorb heat from the hot air flowing up the hopper, and remain there for extended periods – which is quite literally a waste of hot air.

Moretto’s new design, in the simplified diagram here, achieves far more expeditious flow of the polymer pellets by comparison – and hence more efficient and economical material drying

The OTX hopper dries PET in 4hrs or less, which is a big advance on systems used to date. www.moretto.com

PHOTOS BY MARTIN WELLS & TESSA O’HARA

Mark Daynes of Plastix Engineering is now the agent for material handling and ancillaries supplier Moretto, whose Marco Sellati was on hand for the Propak Cape show. Moretto, of Italy, has introduced the new patented OTX technology hoppers for their driers that achieve far more efficient drying than traditional systems

56

Gary Kieswette r was the man in the middle aging Techno on the Advanc logy stand. Pl ed Packatinum blonde (left) and Mich hostess Janin elle Theron ha e Stanley nd ed out goodies in which were pr inted on the lat boutique bags est flexograph of Spain, one ic presses fro of APT’s princ m Comexi ipals. The quali standing; the ty of the good quality of the ies: outAPT reception : outstanding too

The intra-Africa n traders, Safri que, put on a display at Prop stylish and va ak Cape. Here ried we see Safriqu Moodley (cent e CEO Mervyn re, flanked by the ladies in wh each of who ha ite) with the tea s particular sk m, ills, the most im ability to spea portant being k either French the or Portuguese. the Safrique sta The main fare nd included a on cross-section (LD, HD, PP, PV of recycled po C). Customers lymers were especially ‘Speciality’ fille interested in th r for extrusion, eir blow and injec well as woven tion moulding bags applicatio as n www.safri que.com

PROPAK CAPE

Zero plastics to landfill: Lessons learned in Europe SA needs to secure reliable source of feedstock for recycling PLASTICS│SA, in partnership with the Propak Cape organisers and with the support of PETCO and POLYCO, hosted a workshop during the exhibition, during which local and international experts shared their ideas and expertise on plastics recycling.

Among these experts was Dr Martin Engelmann, Advocacy Director with PlasticsEurope, who addressed a packed room about ‘Zero Plastics to Landfill - lessons learned in Europe’.

According to Engelmann, South Africa is not that different to Europe when it comes to recycling and landfill issues.

He said the plastics recycling figures achieved in South Africa compare to the rest of Europe, even though South Africa uses different methods.

“I’ve learned that there isn’t only one solution that ‘fits all’ – South Africa has taught me this,” he said.

South Africa is also the first country outside of Europe to launch the ‘Zero plastics to landfill’ initiative.

Lessons learned Engelmann said a couple of important lessons that have emerged: ü Landfilling remains the most used waste treatment option for plastics as long it is the cheapest option ü Countries which have banned the landfilling of plastics achieve generally the highest recycling and energy recovery rates ü Eliminating landfilling has the potential to increase the reputation of plastics since it is seen as a valuable resource after usephase ü Significant investments in recycling and energy recovery plants are necessary, therefore legal certainty is needed ü Landfill bans (e.g. no material with a calorific value of more than 6 MJ/kg allowed in landfills) or accelerating landfill taxes are able to provide this certainty “Visiting South Africa and other countries, I’m trying to promote best practice when it comes to recycling and also to promote knowledge exchange with countries who

Plastics│SA chief executive Anton Hanekom with Dr Martin Engelmann, advocacy director at PlasticsEurope

want to treat waste as a resource, and not a problem,” he said.

“There is no blueprint for successful recycling, however, there are certain technologies and development pathways which work better for different countries,” he added.

According to Engelmann, South Africa is definitely headed down a successful recycling road. He added that it could be even more successful if government and private business invested more in the recycling industry.

“South Africa also needs to secure a reliable source of feedstock for recycling – this will probably impact the most on the future success of recycling here,” he added. www.plasticseurope.org

and, on the MCG st positive vibe and Lenie There was a or ct Vi Ian , Munyembate hing where Patrick all calls, anyt ready to field that r fo ns tio Coetzee were isi company acqu t MCG: it is from crates to ou ab gy er en is a new in comatter. There g a new crate, s of introducin basis. al tri a on in the proces ly, Ita Castel Srl of a it operation with n last in Afric , “if a crate ca Ian to here’ g in rd Acco will last anyw stries.com www.mcgindu t s looking mos kes Wallage wa is good – ich wh d, Polyplank – Ja an st lank week. on the Polyp k most of the comfortable d with Polyplan lve al vo ob in Gl ’s n he ee since ti is of of Evergr d – Andrea Prot s Craig Paine velopment an Bubbly time selling his Also there wa les product de s own! After nd hi ha on ich ck wh ba , d profiles es d de ur an tru ct , ficially ts ru ex k St uc lan od lyp ny, RAP Pr g with the Po s sucoriginal compa manufacturin vironment in . Evergreen ha corporate en cled material cy ications re ’t pl m dn ap fro ul w e moving into a mad of ne d he co ng a number d (right) realize was develope ed in developi 2008, Andrea to Cape ht ed ed ce rig e ov th m he on t e result: forming e curved palle um Th to cu e. g be caged. Th va lat in of tic ag as an l pl and, after m lyplank’s loca store Town in 2013 for one of Po now operatto carry and int issues, is pallet is used e Th . pallet is e es ni Th e . pa sort out restra Th reels com aging.

1.7m diameter Andrea Pack dimensions ete sheeting, on ing again as pl el eir m re th co eir e th th it in su ialises ifically to company spec designed spec d perfumery lank.co.za of cosmetic an . www.polyp ht ig p to we development a d o an als is d an ns tio container solu yers, as well mps and spra supplier of pu vices. ‘AP’ de e th ng r inserti as the jigs fo is due to d an k as we spea is setting up 2015. So time rly ea in n tio go into produc g the modeed! Enjoyin to celebrate in dea Seal Ar of a ol lix Frag ment were Fe ts, and en es pr Andrea re the of Italy, which ministrator at ad ce fi of el, Elzaan Deyz ny pa m co d Maitland-base ck.co.za www.andreapa 58 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

chines of ANI Plast Ma Angela Soardi ardi on Le o rc sted Ma of Pretoria ho her stand. at ly Ita of l Sr of Tecnova d by ANI is represente Tecnova, which flight pto of r re tu ufac Plast, is a man of s pe ty all r ems fo recycling syst en doing so be s ha d an polymers, is is the the result of th since 1982 – owhow kn le ab er nsid build-up of co outputgh hi ild ies to bu and the abilit ts an pl ng nce recycli low maintena l.it sr www.tecnova-

Toshiba speeds on with electric injection solution Electric solution is faster as it doesn’t need to wait for pressure to build TOSHIBA has been making fully electric machines since Windows 98 came out!

The Japanese injection machine manufacturer’s fully electric machines are potentially around 52% more economical to run versus the old servo-hydraulic systems and quite a lot more (±70% better) than fully hydraulic systems, according to Steve Coetzee of Toyota Tsusho, the Toshiba agent in Southern Africa.

“The advanced platen and toggle systems with linear guides keep tooling parallel and prevent ‘flexing’ of moulds: in other words, protecting customers’ biggest investment – their moulds,” said Coetzee.

“With outstanding reliability, stable and accurate repeatability (very low to no scrap) and ease of operation, the Toshiba machines are set to change the face of moulding in South Africa. We have noted that once a customer purchases one these machines, they happily return for more,” he added.

“The fully electric Toshiba machine is inherently faster than hydraulic (and servo-hydrau-

lic) machines because it doesn’t need to wait for pressure to build up to achieve movement.

And then to use the oil to help stop that inertia again, with unavoidable over-positioning and ‘banging’ of moulds.

“An electric machine is like a CNC machine … it’s that accurate, and so doesn’t over-run a cam or bang a mould!

“And because they use absolutely no oil, they are great for medical, domestic and personal products – so clean rooms become really clean rooms!

“They are robust: we have over 350 such machines running in the harshest Egyptian climate, and many operating uninterrupted in the coldness of Russia. Machines that were running at 2,6 seconds at the turn of the millennium (14 years ago) are still maintaining the same cycle. This reliability is largely due to the fact that there are no pumps, valves and so on that wear out.

www.ttaf.co.za

Toshiba technology – Steve Coetzee and Manesh Ramjugath of Toyota Tsusho showed off some of the latest injection moulding technology from Toshiba. The Japanese machine builder seems to reinterpret systems that are accepted as standard in the West, and come up with new concepts! Its new machines feature linear guides that achieve enhanced parallelism for the moving platen.

This allows for high-speed mould opening-closing with very low friction.

The system also translates directly into faster cycle times too

, Robyn, of d his daughter ian Fetting an Br g drums at – bi at of be e rang Drum arketed their m g in ag picked up e, ck Forma Pa Brian’s surpris . and, much to rg and Durban bu es nn ha Propak Cape Jo d it, tre se -li es 25 gu as u ll yo we orders from ... to 250 litres as .za ing drums up .co uc ng od gi pr ka is ac a Form w.formap Wadeville ww cannisters in

and Ashir, hers, Shainal The Patel brot ogress in pr dy ea st aking have been m Dispak at t ke ar sheet m sion the extruded the PVC extru d se ha rc pu p or sd since they er ug Kr o Plastics in plant of TerB extrusion t ee sh C PV try to in 2011. Its en llowed by since been fo an that year has T sheet, from PE of n io ct the introdu ctive range tra at e Th . ce imported sour ing sucfered is prov of colours of (not many am te e Dispak cessful for th enter the to ave enough have been br sides sheet Be t). ke ar m t coloured shee volved in spak is also in extrusion, Di this service rs fe of g, and thermoformin basis. on a contract .za www.dispak.co

hulte e – Desiree Sc Classical tim sic as Cl of r ne ss and Martin Ga Cape eir stand. The th on es ur Clos ich operwh , ny pa m Town co ent, om environm ates a clean ro tubs L IM r fo s re su produces clo rew th jars, ‘C3’ sc and wide-mou es and irrigattl bo ne wi r caps fo was nts (the latter tion compone of the ity tiv ac re originally a co known en it was still company wh assic Cl of e nik). On as EMO Tech rcel’s Ma is ts en cli Closures’ a twirlyurt and, with Frozen Yogh was is th , nd ha on whirly supply pular stands po t os m e th one of losures.co.za www.classicc

ssa s reunite – Te East Londoner mag, CS TI AS PL O’Hara of SA lmy Earle of Co met up with Jim ak op Pr at London lectall of East from is recovering Cape. Jimmy s in ise em pr s hi a major fire at ns e some 60 to Wilsonia wher erial went up at m ed ct lle of co the t undeterred, in smoke. Bu is due d an ck ba g man is blazin tly to restart shor

a is in South Afric pa! What show nce is Ga re e ffe th di g ly kin Ta e on the Gapa? Th t ou now th wi ne e hi et ac compl making m eveloped bagted as it was en that the SA-d es pr , sia max of Malay presents comes via Li which now re of Ferrostaal, d though: an e st e nc th re ffe on di a significant ct fa in in South is d It . pe Limax pa, develo ture of the Ga erates from op w the rugged na no ho (w ie Butschi w Africa by Robb Malaysia) is no t in Selangor, an uced pl od ax pr m s Li nt e ne th compo Lee finesse with Here we see blended with s er rk wo n d Malaysia Ferrostaal an of by the skilled on Am r Limax, Roge oking for a lo s wa Chee Lang of o wh e, ie of Plasforc y Paul McLuck limax.com.m then. www. st ju er ak m bag-

PROPAK CAPE

Bowler on new course, big capex projects underway Experience in manufacturing own colours buoys Bowler team BESIDES its innovative move into digital printing on tubes earlier in 2014, Bowler Plastics is expanding into other new technologies.

The group is expanding its plant in Aeroport, Johannesburg, where some of the machinery in its R50-million capex project over the next year will be positioned. With that sort of spend, several new projects are evidently underway – including, we understand, a venture into a new market.

In spite of challenging current market conditions, Bowler CEO Friedel Sass and sales director Mike Olds are seeing many opportunities. Bowler‘s experience in manufacturing its own colour masterbatch and additives, a project which it commenced in 2012, reinforces it’s continued focus in adding value. Several detractors at the time cautioned against entering this sector, but the Bowler team persisted.

Today it is proving its worth.

One of the reasons for this determination was that, with its wide client base, Bowler was running a large range of products and often needed many different masterbatches, and frequently at short notice. It perceived that supply delays were causing it to lose valuable machine production time, effecting efficiencies and material wastages in excess of 20%.

So, partnering with a smaller international colour/additive manufacturer, Bowler steadily built up its colour matching skills and the result is that it has just installed its second additive extruder system, meaning that it is now virtually independent in terms of additives and masterbatch.

Now, exploiting its position as a middle-sized manufacturer with a high level of internal skills, Bowler sees itself increasingly being able to readily service both large and medium sized packaging container orders. www.bowler.co.za 60 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

ol was a of Darsim To Dario Simoes d, where Marc an st e Maritim guest on the t excelled with ut d Jeff Cawc Gerasimo an skills o production their cappuccin

National The Emirates esentation – pr d by re te st en Ea es e dl pr Mid s was re Future astic Industrie subsidiaries, t Factory for Pl as Pl re tu Fu s’ te e ira ar re Em he ed United Arab re PET. Pictur wal, and Flex and Futu ar Ag t hi Ro , Film, Future ager am. marketing man Future Film’s Mohammad Az ral manager, ne ty films, ge ial ’s ec ex sp Fl of e Future res a full rang tu ac ture uf Fu an . m lm fi Future Film lacier’ shrink brand name ‘G tilayer lamiul m of re including the tu ac s in the manuf and-up, Flex specialize s including st rmed pouche fo r foil, regepr tte , bu lls s, ro uche nated seal co-ex po lap labels d nd an ou le ar re-closeab es and wrap al film/laminat anufacture m e th les istered cold se nd T ha rs. Future PE e facility in amongst othe P closures. Th s and HDPE/P m ent from or ef pm ui pr T of PE 2, houses eq r vers 16,000m laboratory fo ed pp Abu Dhabi co ui eq lls CMI and a we The facility ha s. od go Husky and SA ed sh aterial and fini d times m lea w e ra th g g in cin st te us redu ace capacity th Future PET is a large storag rt customers. po n ex tio d ca fi an rti tic ce n for domes – 2010 versio FSCC 22000 credited with p.com www.enpigrou

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PEOPLE

OBITUARIES We regret to report of the passing away of the following individuals: 1938 -2014

Reg Sutton, injection moulding specialist Helped start plastics training courses at Tukkies REG Sutton of CR Plastics, who was widely respected for his prowess at injection moulding and especially the ability to explain this in such a way that trainees got to grips with the technology, passed away in Johannesburg in October.

Reg was born in Pretoria in 1938 and started CR Plastics in 1989, 25 years ago.

After completing his studies he was bitten by the wanderlust and joined up with the merchant navy in the United Kingdom.

Displaying some versatility early on, Reg managed to qualify as a cordon bleu chef during this time too and, after exploring the wide world for a number of years, got

married and settled in London.

He was then invited by an acquaintance to join Plastic & Metal Industries (now MCG Industries) and returned to South Africa.

Plastics was about to became his passion.

He remained with MCG for over 40 years, during which time he taught many setters and operators the ins and outs of the plastic trade.

Many of the machinery suppliers, and even material suppliers, used to seek Reg out for his knowledge.

In 1987 he planned to start CR, but he was approached by Megapak and asked to act as a consultant, advising and training

staff in injection moulding, and he worked for the Nampak company for two further years. After that, at age 41, he started CR Plastics, based in Edenvale. The ‘C’ in CR was his wife’s Colleen’s initial, and his was the ‘R’. Colleen still works at CR. Reg was instrumental while at Megapak in instituting plastic training courses at the University of Pretoria. A number of the students from that era now hold senior management positions in the industry, which is true testimony to his ability to train people. Reg leaves behind a legacy which will not be replaced easily.

(Article by Lowrie Sharp)

Walter Ortler: one of the best toolmakers in SA THE Conver-Tek toolmaker Walter Ortler, who designed and built several moulds which performed continuously for 20-plus years – and one which has produced over 120 million parts and continues to run today, passed away in October.

After completing a toolmaking apprenticeship toolmaking with Alpha Laval in Austria and gaining advanced tooling skills, Walter emigrated to South Africa in 1971 and first worked at the Koeberg nuclear power station on the Cape west coast for some years.

He then embarked on the Cape-to-Rio yacht race with good friend Herbert Bauer, but the two had a fallout and Walter was rowed ashore and deserted on a remote island

… only for the two to bump into each at a street party a few days later in Rio, and return to South Africa as good friends again.

Walter then worked for Ferrule Tools in Johannesburg, Hammerle Plastics as a master toolmaker and, since 1979, at Conver-Tek in Germiston. He could build a complex tool out of his head with only a few sketches and soon became toolroom manager, said Conver-Tek MD Bevan Davis. He built and serviced most of Davis & Deale’s ‘Micro Mist’ tools as well as the early tools for Kreepy Krauly, the pool cleaner which was a big success.

“Walter had an amazing knowledge of toolmaking. He could simply look at a

Martin Nel: a gentleman in the roto industry Martin Nel of Nel Tanks of Blackheath in Cape Town was an absolute gentleman of the roto moulding fraternity.

Born in the Strand on 17 December Martin 1945, Martin started concentrated on his career at Agrico his business and Machinery at the age his market, and the results came of 18. A year later he was posted to the old Transvaal to open an Agrico branch in Witrivier. In June 1985 he started up Martin Nel Handelaars, trading in fluid fertiliser hardware, including glass fibre tanks.

He handled sales of tanks from AECI’s 62 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

1945 -2014

Polycon business in Somerset West. When that agreement ceased, Martin started roto moulding tanks at Nel Tanks and set about building the company into what it is today, one of the top manufacturers of roto moulded water tanks in the whole Cape region.

He was a family man and was fortunate to have his daughter Lynette and sons Leon and Etienne with him in the business. Martin was never one to bad mouth his opposition or anyone in the industry: he concentrated on his business and his market. He ‘played fair’ and projected this in his every day activities.

Martin Nel’s legacy will continue in the form of the many thousands of Nel Tanks, helping to facilitate life as your water conservation partner.

1950 -2014

tool to tell you ‘das is good’ or ‘das is sheizer’. This honesty sometimes compromised us with Walter built tools clients, but people that have been respected his ability in continuous and honesty,” added operation for 20 years and more Davis.

The man apparently was off work for just three days in the 25 years he spent at Conver-Tek in Germiston, but, sadly, years of heavy smoking caught up with him and he passed away prematurely at age 64 recently.

Paul Masimola

1955 -2014

PAUL Masimola, a rubber technologist at Multotec group in Johannesburg, passed away on 25 October after a long illness. A long standing member of the Institute of Materials in Johannesburg, Paul had worked at Multotec Rubber since 2007. He started off as a rubber technologist, then moved to manufacturing and worked as a QC inspector of rubber products.

Paul was a familiar face at many of the IOM³ branch events in Johannesburg as well as at the biPaul always had a annual conferences. smile and a laugh and was a good influence at work and IOM³ events

The PTA utilises temperatures hotter than the

!

"

! ! # $ %&' ( ) ' &

This unit delivers the latest technology in microplasma welding.

Relloy have been aligning themselves with the latest developments in the European market in order to provide European quality in the South African market.

RELLOY S.A.

(Pty) Ltd

27 Mopedi Road, Sebenza, Edenvale, Johannesburg, South Africa P O Box 8190, Edenglen, 1613, Johannesburg, South Africa Tel: +27 (011) 452-3724

Fax: +27 (011) 452-4722

KwaZulu Natal : Louis McHugh 082 442 1046 Cape : Enrico Anelli 082 465 7639

email: dean@relloy.co.za Web: www.relloy.co.za

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Vinyls SA 2014 a huge success SAVA part of international network of experts that encourage knowledge transfer and international cooperation THE Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) hosted the bi-annual meeting of the Global Vinyls Council (GVC) and the hugely successful Vinyls SA 2014 Conference in October.

Eleven international experts shared the stage and their expertise on various matters relating to PVC manufacturing, use and recycling with the South African community through the Vinyls SA 2014 conference, organized and hosted by SAVA. More than 100 delegates attended the

Vinyls SA 2014 conference and were treated to a full and varied programme of original papers. Topics covered all aspects of PVC - ranging from formulation through to recovery and recycling.

Delivering the opening address, Peter Willis, Senior Associate of the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership, reminded delegates of the reasons why global society is placing increasingly stringent demands on a widening range of products, including PVC, and

Delivering the opening address, Peter Willis, senior associate of the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Rishi Madho of Sasol highlighted the growth, challenges and opportunities facing the local vinyls sector

will continue to do so far into the future.

“All industries have to adapt to powerful new environmental, social and economic constraints. This conference highlights the interesting fact that PVC is by nature a potentially troublesome substance, if poorly managed. Thankfully, however, the global PVC industry has taken up the challenge of making sure it is managed safely. In doing so, it has solved problems many other industries have yet to face,” Willis said.

The rest of the day’s presentations were

Ole Grøndahl Hansen of Denmark spoke about the latest developments and successes of the PVC Medical Alliance

64 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

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#/.4!#4 53 #HINA -OBILE 0086 151 685 69018 -OBILE +27 (0)82 821 4775 %MAIL brian.miraclemould@gmail.com

Nigel Sarginson of ExxonMobil Europe, Dr Martin Simpson of Eastman Company in the United Kingdom and Carlos Casas and Luis F. Shilton (Varteco Quimica Puntana) presented their views on global regulatory developments, PVC plasticisers, and non-ortho-phthalates

The conference was a huge success and an important step in establishing SA as one of the leaders on the international stage. divided into three sessions, during which local and international experts shared the stage and their expertise around central and pertinent topics. “The conference was a huge success and an important step in establishing South Africa as one of the leaders on the international stage. Although we might be geographically far removed from the rest of the global PVC role-players, it has become abundantly clear that we facing the same issues and challenges,� said Delanie.

• THE VINYLS SA 2014 CONFERENCE WAS MADE POSSIBLE THANKS TO THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS: SASOL, SUN ACE, ISEGEN, FLOORWORX, ALPHA PLAST, CONTINENTAL COMPOUNDERS, CHEMIPOL, DPI PLASTICS, CBI ELECTRIC, CJP CHEMICALS, EASTMAN, BASF, IDWALA MEDIA, CAPITAL POLYMER ADDITIVES. www.savinyls.co.za

Global PVC stabiliser trends for pipes were discussed by Stuart Hope and Ian Sewell of Baerlocher

Dr Arjen Sevenster of the European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers discussed global trends, developments and innovations in the use of PVC in pipes and construction

Members of the Global Vinyls Council, Dr Brigitte Dero (VinylsPlus - Europe) and Sophi MacMillan (Vinyl Council of Australia - Australia), along with Shigetaka Seki of the Vinyl Environmental Council, Japan, took part in a panel discussion focusing on the role of the GVC and regional trends and challenges

DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015 65

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Global PVC stabiliser trends Critical driver is cost THE global PVC pipe market is growing significantly, particularly in developing markets, and the critical driver is cost, but more particularly, solutions to reduce cost.

This was the very clear message delivered by Baerlocher’s Stuart Hope and Ian Sewell who presented at the recent SAVA SA Vinyls Conference as guests of additives supply company, Scinergy Chemicals.

Hope and Sewell presented a fascinating paper on global PVC stabilizer trends for pipes and the challenges they had encountered, as well as practical experience they had gained.

Worldwide trends for PVC pipes Lead-stabilization still dominates PVC pipe systems globally. In Africa and the Middle East, at least 84% of PVC pipes are lead-stabilized, with just 5% tin-stabilized and 11% Calcium Zincstabilized. Currently it is only in NorthAmerica that 99% of PVC pipes are tin-stabilised.

Calcium based systems are currently

Stuart Hope and Ian Sewell of Baerlocher with Kumar Naidu of Scinergy Chemicals at the SAVA SA Vinyls conference

the standard in Europe. The majority of PVC pipe manufacturers have committed to reduce the amount of lead used in an initiative launched by PlasticsEurope’s Vinyl Plus initiative to eliminate all lead in PVC pipes by the end of 2015. So far approximately 82% have complied. The South African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA) and Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) are also working together to ensure that all PVC pipes manufactured in South Africa have to be free of heavy metals by July 2015.

Lead-based systems still dominate in South America, Asia and India, the Middle East and Africa. However, certain regions are trending more and more toward Calcium based stabilisers.

Safety

Cost is driving development in PVC pipes There is a worldwide trend to more cost-efficient production of PVC pipes.

Possibilities for cost reduction include: High filler level Multi-layer pipe More effective use of onepacks Increased filler content can reduce cost. Currently pipe markets with high filler level applications include Europe (e.g. Italy uses up to 60 phr filler), Middle East (uses up to 50 phr) and Africa (uses up to 30 phr).

However, increased filler content effects preparation and performance.

Aspects of high filler levels in PVC-U applications which need to be considered include:

for rally drivers www.basf.com

PVC pipes, stabilisers and markets Growth has increased in the developing markets with approximately 9 million tons of the global PVC consumption in 2013 of 13 million tons, attributed to developing markets. After India, which experienced a growth of 7% in PVC consumption, Africa and the Middle East showed the second highest growth rate of 6%.

There is also an increasing demand for stabilizers for PVC pipes. The global stabiliser consumption in 2013 was over 361 000 tons.

Neopolen® P (EPP) from BASF is now also demonstrating its capabilities in the world’s biggest and toughest rally series: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH utilizes BASF’s polypropylene foam as side impact protection in its i20 WRC race cars for the World Rally Championship (WRC). Neopolen P combines low weight with high energy absorption, which remains largely unchanged even after multiple impact loads. This is why the material has already been used previously for safety-critical components in standard cars, for example for steering column padding, fenders, headrests, and knee pads. The picture shows the i20 WRC at the WRC race in Mexico; the ‘pilot’ was Thierry Neuville

66 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

for pipes SCINERGY preparation of the dryblend (homogeneity, free-flowing properties, deposits, segregation) processibility (bridging, gelation behaviour, abrasion) products (mechanical properties, colour, cost) Stabiliser systems can be modified to allow for increased filler loadings.

Baerlocher can adapt a stabilizer system to a high filler level by including internal and external lubricants (e.g. waxes, paraffins, ester waxes) and adapt the dosage for pigmentation for improved processing.

The type of filler used can also affect performance. Fine grades promote gelation behaviour, provide a higher quantity of CaCO3 particles and a higher regularity of foam structure. Coated fillers improve free flowing properties and lower the friction of the polymer melt. The higher the CaCO3 content, the more rigid the pipe (e.g. e-modulus, ring stiffness) Cost reductions by use of multi-layer extrusion Multi-layer extrusion can also reduce costs. Using recycled material in the intermediate layer can reduce weight significantly (density: ~ 1,4 to ~ 1,0 g/ccm).

In this process the first extruder produces the inner and outer skins, while the second extruder produces the foam layer.

Pipes manufactured using these processes are mainly used in nonpressure sewage applications.

Higher filler level in foam core pipes can improve the performance of processing and the end product. High

filler levels in foam (16-30 phr) and skin layer (16-20 phr) show a stable foaming process, a well-balanced ratio of skin and foam layer thickness, the disappearance of slight waves in the inner layer and good foam density (0,75 g/cm3).

More and the more the trend is to use higher filler levels in multi-layer pipes. A basic stabiliser for compact pipe can be used as starting base for foam core pipe with adjustments to internal and external lubricants as necessary. The direct addition of increased filler for foam core pipes not only reduces the costs of raw materials, but this has a positive effect on the processing and properties of the pipe produced.

Increased use of stabiliser onepacks Basic stabiliser onepacks can also reduce cost and improve flexibility in production. Current trends reveal that pipe and fitting manufacturer are making more use of colourless Baeropan onepacks for more flexibility with regards colouration and Ca-based core stabilisers for dark colours with a booster for light coloured applications.

A basic stabiliser for compact pipe can be used as starting base for other pipe applications.

Scinergy Chemicals’ Kumar Naidu is pleased to advise that the company was recently recognised as a Level 1 B-BBEE contributor

www.baerlocher.com

Our principals are world-class, reputable and consistent in quality and innovation and include Baerlocher, Indofil, KLJ Organics and Sundow Polymer Co Limited Working with our principals we bring together a wealth of international expertise and local industry experience and credibility. We offer the market bespoke logistics, proficient technical support and unmatched service levels.

Products supplied: ● PVC stabilisers ● metal stearates ● ESO ● plasticisers ● CPE ● process aids and impact modifiers ● calcium carbonate filler Proud member of SAVA BEE Level 1 We have sales offices in Durban and Johannesburg and cover SA and Southern Africa.

www.scinergy.co.za

GCS takes lead in pharma industry www.gcs.com

Scinergy Chemicals SA (Pty) Ltd supplies the Southern African polymer converting and processing industries with additives and stabilisers.

GLOBAL Closure Systems has unveiled its new €1 million cleanroom ISO 7 at its Astra Plastique factory in France. Thanks to the construction of this new cleanroom, the third for the Group, GCS surpasses the pharmaceutical industry standards and takes the lead by anticipating future increasing demands and market requirements. In addition GCS has developed new innovative concepts such as Flip-Loc, a single piece CRC for pills, powders or liquids, Lite-Loc, a light weight CRC and Cyrano, a bi-injected perfusion bottle closure

DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

67

Contact us: 13 Trafford Road, Westmead, Durban Tel: +27 31 700 1886 Mobile: Kumar at 082 602 8411 Mobile: Roelof at 082 850 9483 Email us at: kumar.naidu@scinergy.co.za belinda.goosen@scinergy.co.za www.scinergy.co.za

Keltan 9565Q is an ultra-high molecular weight EPDM grade, which could successfully replace natural rubber in dynamic applications.

PHOTO: LANXESS AG

Natural rubber replacement by ultra-high molecular weight EPDM High temperature resistance enables processing at elevated temperatures LANXESS has introduced the newly commercialized, ultra-high molecular weight EPDM grade Keltan 9565Q, which Lanxess believes will successfully replace natural rubber in dynamic applications.

Increasingly sophisticated automotive and industrial applications require improved high temperature performance which natural rubber, known to degrade quickly at elevated temperatures, cannot provide.

“Keltan 9565Q with its tailored molecular structure matches the strength and resilience of natural rubber, while also maintaining these superior properties after high temperature exposure,” explained

The polyether-based TPU materials are designed for jacketing the cables of heavy duty pieces of equipment, which have to function in harsh outdoor environments

Niels van der Aar, head of technical service & application development for Lanxess Keltan Elastomers business.

“That high temperature resistance also enables Keltan 9565Q to be processed at elevated temperatures, thus improving moulding productivity and reducing costs,” said van der Aar. “The saturated polymer backbone gives EPDM its superior ozone, UV, and heat resistance properties. Taking advantage of these benefits has long been of interest for dynamic applications, but only now with Keltan 9565Q does EPDM also offer the strength, fatigue resistance, and resilience achieved by natural rubber at lower tem-

peratures,” van der Aar added.

EPDM, which Lanxess offers under the brand name Keltan, is used for the manufacture of door sealants, hoses, belts or anti-vibration parts. The product is also used in plastic modification, wire and cable, construction and oil additives.

• LANXESS IS REPRESENTED BY PLASTICHEM IN SOUTH AFRICA.

www.lanxess.com www.plastichem.co.za

UV protected TPU grades for offshore Easily processed and offering a wide temperature window HUNTSMAN has developed two UV protected grades of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) for use in offshore, oil and gas, and mining wire and cable applications.

The polyether-based TPU materials – part of Huntsman’s established Irogran® product range – are designed for jacketing the cables of heavy duty pieces of equipment, which have to function in harsh, abrasive and outdoor environ-

68 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

ments, and are exposed to the elements.

Easily processed and offering a wide temperature window, Huntsman’s new Irogran materials contain a UV package that is not listed as a substance of very high concern under REACH regulations.

Designed to increase cable longevity, the inclusion of this additive is beneficial for wire and cable manufacturers who are looking to improve performance and comply with stringent environmental standards.

www.huntsman.com

MATERIALS

Safer flame retardant

for PU foam Reactive flame retardant that eliminates unwanted emissions IN ITS draft Alternatives Assessment report1 on flame retardants in flexible foam released in June, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified Clariant’s oligomeric phosphonate polyol (OPP) flame retardant - marketed under the trade name Exolit® OP 560 – as a safer alternative to pentabromo diphenylether (pentaBDE), traditionally used for giving fire protection to foam.

Exolit OP 560 is a reactive flame retardant that eliminates unwanted emissions since it becomes chemically bonded within the polymeric polyurethane foam structure.

As a result, the Exolit OP 560 cannot leave the foam during use.

Exolit OP is also halogen-free and has a more favourable toxicological and environmental profile. Further benefits for PU applications include excellent ageing stability, as well as low smoke density and

Exolit OP 560 is not only halogen-free but becomes an integral part of the PU foam, creating possibilities to produce flexible foams with locked-in fire protection without the environmental and health concerns of traditional flame retardants

smoke gas corrosivity in case of a fire. The phosphonate’s high effectiveness and good compatibility with natural polymers allow it to be used at low dosages in the foam matrix, which also adds to the foam’s excellent sustainability profile.

With high bio-renewable content, the foams have become the first to be accepted into the USDA’s BioPreferred programme, a US federal programme to encourage industry to switch to more sustainable materials.

“Exolit OP 560 is not only halogen-free but becomes an integral part of the PU foam, creating possibilities to produce flexible foams with locked-in fire protection without the environmental and health concerns of traditional flame retardants,” commented Adrian Beard, head of marketing flame retardants, Clariant. www.clariant.com DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015 69

Look out for an exciting announcement in the next issue of SA Plastics!

Piovan represented in SA

by Eder Design cc, PO Box 2056, Hartbeespoort, 0216, Tel / Fax: 012 253 1025

MATERIALS

Fastest system in world produces tamper proof caps using Total HDPE resin

Produces 1.3g HDPE screw caps with production cycle of 1.9 seconds

WITH 190,000 caps per hour and 1.5 billion per year, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag together with its partners, Total and Plastisud, has set a new world record in the production of HDPE caps with tamper-evident band without postmoulding operations.

Displayed at Chinaplas 2014, the ElExis SP 420-3000 packaging machine produces 1.3g HDPE screw caps on a 96-cavity hot-runner mould (29/25 design) with a production cycle of only 1.9 seconds. This machine is equipped with a 25:1 L/D ratio barrier screw and has been designed with a special backflow barrier aiming to improve reproducibility.

The fast cycle time results, on one hand, from the combination of optimised mould dynamics by Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s unique independent hybrid clamp system and optimised injection and plasticising performances.

On the other hand, this achievement has been made possible thanks to the close co-operation between packaging partners, including Total, who has contributed with their expertise in polyolefin resins for the caps and closures industry.

Total HDPE HD6081 (d = 0.960 g/ cm³, MI2 = 8 g/10min), dedicated to

still water application, has proved at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag to be the best HDPE resin capable of achieving fastest crystallisation, thus reducing demoulding time between shots while giving optimised mechanical parts.

“Total’s know-how in the field of materials for caps production has greatly contributed to this success. The material provides a vital contribution in terms of production efficiency. The common goal of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, Total and partners was to achieve highest product quality with significantly reduced cycle times. The technical breakthrough was made possible thanks to the excellent flow characteristics of the HD6081 material.

A cycle time of 1.9s and perfect injection point quality are the result of optimum combined material, machine and mould performance,” said Arnaud Nomblot, business development manager for packaging at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag.

Represented in SA by Gerber Goldschmidt Group (SA) Fastest system in the world producing caps with tamper-evident band achieved at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag using Total HDPE resin

www.total.com

SO.F.TER. TPE for drinking water ITALIAN TPE producer, SO.F.TER. has launched a new TPE for extrusion suitable for contact with drinking water according to the WRAS (BS 6920) norms. The new Laprene 830.556 is a plasticizerfree compound characterised by high transparency and excellent flexibility. Its smooth, slippery surface favours the flow of dirt and impurities that may be present in the pipes. Thanks to its special formulation, it provides an excellent antibacterial protection which inhibits the growth of biofilms and bacteria. Laprene 830.556, also available in the injection-moulding version, has passed the stringent tests of the WRAS (BS 6920) norm and can be used for the production of flexible tubes for dishwasher or water dispensers, or in the faucet and plumbing sector. Laprene 830.556 is also suitable for adhesion on polypropylene (PP)

www.softergroup.com 70 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

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Rail industry secondary air suspension system protector made of Quadrant’s Nylatron® RIM 3000

Engineering plastics to meet rail industry needs Quadrant introduces flame retardant PA66 for large plastic parts production QUADRANT Engineering Plastic Products (EPP), introduced its range of railway industry specific high performance plastics materials at InnoTrans 2014 in Berlin in September.

With this launch, Quadrant offers the first and largest portfolio of EN 45545-2 tested plastics for the railway industry, suitable for exterior and interior applications of rolling stock. Thanks to enhanced properties like optimised gliding (selflubrication), light weight or impact strength, the materials can not only be used for

the improvement of rolling stock, but also in infrastructure applications such as rail tracks.

Nylatron 66 SA FR – a newly developed flame retardant PA66 - meets the requirements of EN 45545-2 and UL94 V0, yet it does not contain any hazardous materials.

Parts made with it comply with the existing REACH, RoHS and WEEE standards. Its flame retardant properties fulfil the requirements of electrical applications in rail and for general functional components below 2000 grams weight.

In addition to its superior flame retardant properties, new Nylatron 66 SA FR provides all the advantages of a PA66 vs. standard nylon, making it possible for the first time to extrude even large diameter shapes of flame retardant Nylon, and replacing existing Nylon applications with step-changing flame retardant technology material. This material will be available in rods and plates all coloured black.

www.quadrantplastics.com

Stylish rail interiors with Bayer polycarbonates

MATERIALS

Efficient manufacturing using thermoforming THE interiors of railroad, subway and trolley cars have changed significantly in recent years. Increasingly, rail operators are also discovering interiors for their own purposes, using special colours and surface structures to ensure their vehicles convey a distinctive image to their customers.

Bayer MaterialScience supports its rail industry partners in producing cutting-edge interior designs with its range of customized polycarbonates, polycarbonate blends and

the sheets made from them.

Bayblend® polycarbonate blend sheets were a key focus at InnoTrans 2014. Bayblend MTR sheets meet the fire protection requirements of the North American and Chinese markets, while Bayblend MTX sheets are aimed at the requirements of the European EN45545 standard. Both grades are available in countless colours and can also be used to produce textured surfaces. The two product ranges boast

eco-friendly flame retardance and can be processed highly efficiently using thermoforming.

The semi-finished products are heated until they soften and shaped into the desired form in the mould by bending or drawing. This makes it possible to manufacture wall and ceiling coverings, window frames and backrests for seating in small to medium quantities.

Flame-retardant Makrolon FR DX polycarbonate sheets that meet the requirements of the EN 45545-2 R4/HL3 fire safety standard are new to the range. Their outstanding light diffusion makes them particularly well suited for LED lamp covers, where they ensure bright, consistent illumination. They are thus also the material of choice for slimline design solutions. www.bayer.com

72 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

Polycarbonate sheets of the Makrolon and Bayblend ranges from Bayer MaterialScience are lightweight and ensure a greater energy efficiency of rail vehicles, while at the same time maximizing passenger safety through their flame retardance.

MATERIALS

Against dust and flying sparks First carbon fibre-reinforced Ultradur® (PBT) BASF has added the first carbon fibrereinforced Ultradur to its PBT portfolio (polybutylene terephthalate).

The specialty Ultradur® B4300 C3 LS features low electrostatic charge along with good conductivity. This makes it particularly suitable for components in sensitive areas of measurement and control technology for machines and automotive electronics. Due to the anti-static PBT, less dust or dirt adheres to the component: this allows it to work reliably in the long run – even in unfavourable usage conditions – and without damages because of electrostatic discharge. In areas with explosion hazards, the use of the conductive Ultradur grade also reduces the risk of electrostatic loading and sparks.

BASF thus meets the increasing requirements on material and parts especially in automotive electronics. With Ultradur B4300 C3, miniaturization, precision, and safety can be combined even better in the future: parts made of the carbon fibrereinforced engineering plastic retain their antistatic property in the long run and even after contact with media (e.g. fuels) and at high temperatures.

Effective immediately, Ultradur B4300 C3 LS bk 15126 is available in commercial quantities. The material, which is reinforced with 15% carbon fibre, has a low volume and surface resistance. It absorbs hardly any water, is laser-markable, and its good mechanical properties are similar to those of a standard PBT with 30% glass

fibres. Furthermore, Ultradur B4300 C3 can be easily combined with other PBT grades, e.g. by welding or bonding, and is also suitable for complex, thin-walled components.

Possible applications of the carbon fibre-reinforced PBT are parts in cars or machines with gases or fluids flowing through, fast-moving components in textile machines or conveyor belt elements that are subject to static charge due to friction.

Other fields of usage include machines in paper processing, printers, and transportation packaging for sensitive electronic goods that require ESD (=electrostatic discharge) protection. www.basf.com

UV protection for PET bottles LEADING polyolefins additives supplier, Milliken & Company, will showcase a novel technology at Arabplast in January that allows a new UV protection performance standard for packaged contents. ClearShield™ Colourless UV Absorbers create a new UV protection (390 nm) performance standard for PET that extends the shelf life of packaged materials and protects brand image for food, beverages and consumer products. Approved for food contact applications by the European Food Safety Authority, ClearShield UV absorbers also overcome the deficiencies of traditional technologies, including unwanted colour, migration, bloom and plate-out. www.milliken.com 74 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

New dimensions in plastics processing

with

INTAREMA

Based on new Counter Current technology EREMA focused on the new plant generation INTAREMA® at this year’s Fakuma show. The system is based on the newly developed and globally patented Counter Current technology and brings together top productivity, flexibility and extremely easy operation with considerably lower energy consumption.

“The new INTAREMA system has been extremely well received in the marketplace and initial sales have been highly encouraging,” reports CEO Manfred Hackl. Erema’s Laserfilter technology for the processing of highly contaminated materials was also presented at the show.

The combination of INTAREMA and Laserfilter technology is particularly suitable for the processing of regrind for injection moulding applications. Tools optimised for this application type are used to optimally prepare the thick-walled regrind materials for the extrusion process in www.relloy.co.za

the cutter/compactor of the INTAREMA systems.

In the next step Counter Current technology ensures that the single screw is filled virtually pressure-free with perfectly dried and homogeneously preheated material. This is why the melting process takes place with minimum shear strain and thus increases filtration efficiency.

In the enhanced EREMA Laserfilter with new scraper geometry and directly connected discharge system, the plastic melt is then cleaned efficiently with a thickening of 45%. Further benefits of the new scraper geometry include the prolonged screen service life and reduced labour requirements, thanks to long screen change intervals.

Fig. 1: The new plant generation INTAREMA® in combination with the Laserfilter ensures optimum processing of regrind for injection moulding applications

Fig. 2: The new scraper geometry of the EREMA Laserfilter: considerably longer screen service life through increased cleaning efficiency and reduced labour requirements thanks to long screen change intervals Fig. 3: Highly efficient car battery recycling with INTAREMA® and Counter Current technology

• EREMA IS REPRESENTED BY RELLOY IN SOUTH AFRICA www.erema.at DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015 75

INTAREM MA The new w syst sy tem e gen neration from EEREMA.

Self-service. Redefined.

Reaching perfect pellet quality at the press of a button: the new INTAREMA® features the intelligent Smart Start operating concept, bringing together production efficiency and remarkably straight-forward operation. This is all about usability. Including an ergonomic touchscreen, practical recipe management and automated standby mode.

CHOOSE THE NUMBER ONE.

Relloy S.A. (Pty) Ltd / 27 Mopedi Road Sebenza / Evendale, 1609 / Gauteng Tel: +27 11 452 3724 / dean@relloy.co.za www.relloy.co.za

EQUIPMENT

New switch cabinet seal from Sonderhoff Achieved highest fire protection class for polyurethane foams

76 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

THE latest development from Sonderhoff Chemicals, the flameproof polyurethane foam seal Fermapor® K31-A-45C4-2-UL-FR, complies with US fire protection standard UL 94 HF-1.

The seal also has a UL listing for US testing standard UL 50E for switch cabinets and electronic housings in non-explosion-proof areas, in addition to UL 508, the US specification for electric switchgear safety.

As the independent organisation “Underwriter Laboratories” recently confirmed to Sonderhoff, the new polyurethane foam seal Fermapor K31A-45C4-2-UL-FR passed the testing criteria for UL 94 HF-1 for fire protection

polyurethane foams. The polyurethane and has been registered as ‘ULfoam seal from Sonderhoff is therefore recognised’. This listing can be viewed classified as self-extinguishing without on www.ul.com/database. burning drips, which could otherwise During single part tests for the UL cause their own fire, in accordance with 94 HF-1, the property profile for the UL94 HF-1. new polyurethane foam seal was The UL 94, a test specification for the investigated under the application assessment of fire properties in polymer conditions specified by the UL. materials is one of the most important The flameproof Fermapor K31 foam requirements for the sales of electrical seal can be used for the sealing of appliances and other electronic switch cabinets and electronic housings applications in the USA, Canada and made of metal or plastic in application Mexico. locations where the stringent US fire protection regulations apply.

Resin Processing Solutions is the Fermapor® K31-A-45C4-2-UL-FR, agent for Sonderhoff in South Africa with its ‘HF-1’ UL class, achieved www.sonderhoff.com www.robatech.co.za the highest fire protection class for

BMG invests in a second seal maker machine BEARING Man Group (BMG) has invested in its second Seal Maker SML 500e machine, each of which has the capability to produce over 180 standardised hydraulic and pneumatic seals, o-rings, back up seals and oil seals, to exact specifications.

“The company, which installed its first seal maker machine at BMG’s Johannesburg Sealco facility three years ago, has identified the need in KwaZulu-Natal for the same service,”

says Ken Steel, general manager of BMG’s seals division.

“This new machine, which has been installed at BMG’s Durban Sydney Road branch, produces a wide range of machined seals and various engineered plastic products, according to precise requirements, in quantities as small as a single unit, in a few minutes.

The Seal Maker unit’s PC comes with pre-installed with user-friendly SML system software. The machine has an 8-station

disc turret for rapid tool change and quick set up time, which enables the operator to manufacture sealing and engineered plastic profiles, with a maximum diameter of 560mm, within minutes.

BMG’s extensive range of seals is available in billet lengths of 140mm, in different materials, including Viton, EPDM, Silicon and a range of polyurethanes.

The company, which celebrates 40 years of business this year, now has 10 specialist divisions, with advanced technical skills to honour the company’s commitment to applying technical knowledge and depth of experience to maximise the efficiency and profitability for every customer.

BMG has invested in its second Seal Maker SML 500e machine, each of which has the capability to produce over 180 standardised hydraulic and pneumatic seals, o-rings, back up seals and oil seals, to exact specifications.

www.bmgworld.net

BOOKS

Pressure pipes for water and gas – the European market

BY THE end of 2014, almost 300,000 kilometres of drinking water and natural gas pipe will be installed in Europe, according to the new edition of the study ‘Pressure Pipes for Water and Gas – the European Market’ completed by Applied Market Information Ltd. (AMI Consulting).

Pipes for water supply and distribution represented more than 70% of that volume, with the balance being gas transmission and distribution pipes.

Between 2007 and 2013, the European demand for pressure pipes has lost roughly a fifth of the volume. Demand is expected to grow between 2014 and 2018, as the European construction industry recovers. However, 2018 volumes will remain below those registered in 2007, when demand peaked.

The study covers 31 European countries (the 28 European Union members, plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland).

In terms of pipe systems, it recognises polyethylene pipes (PE80, PE100, PE100RC), PVC (including modified and oriented PVC) and ductile iron pipes. In addition to demand in each country, it looks at the supply side, as well as at the market for raw materials. www.amiplastics.com

Competition among European resin manufacturers is growing in intensity.

Strong regulation and standardisation Figure 1: Trend in installed volume of pressure pipes prevent such competition from negatively affecting the quality and performance of products; on the flip side, however, this drives a level of commoditisation – product differentiation becomes considerably more difficult to achieve.

This does not mean, however, that differentiation cannot be generated. The key factor remains new product development. Progress in technology continues, in terms of manufacturing processes, component and system design, installation techniques, etc. New, improved raw material grades have also been developed, providing solutions to evolving market needs. Although reputed to be conservative, this market actually has a good track record of embracing and rewarding valuable innovation.

SMITHERS Rapra Publishing has released ‘Innovation Trends in Plastics Decoration and Surface Treatment’.

The plastics industry is a major player for consumer items, notably for the automotive, consumer electronics and packaging industries, and is necessarily very active in innovation. As a result, moulded thermoplastics are achieving new heights in decorative appearance and quality.

Many striking aesthetic effects are possible by employing new polymer blends coupled with a diverse range of decoration and surface treatment technologies. These can produce three-dimensional and tactile finishes, high definition images, flawless high gloss and metallic surfaces, as well as effects ranging from imitation materials, interferential colours, colour gradients, colour change and travel, gloss and matte combinations, and even acoustic or olfactory effects.

Manufacturing processes to achieve these include several types of in-mould film, coating or decorating technique, relatively recent technologies to improve surface quality, as well as traditional separate decorating or coating processes such as dry offset; flexographic; inkjet; pad and screen printing; foil transfer; labelling; laser marking; plating; spray coating; and vacuum deposition.

This unique book analyses and compares recent trends in each of over 20 types of mainstream manufacturing process and 10 classes of sensory effect they can produce. Supported by over 100 tables, a 3-year sampling of over 1,000 mentioned patent documents and hundreds of commercial developments help to identify the main trends and their innovators, key innovative clusters and the most sought-after effects, as well as provide indications for the future.

www.ceresana.com/en/market-studies/packaging/caps-and-closures-europe/

PLASTIC, metal or rather cork? Caps and closures are an integral part of the packaging. Ceresana has analysed the European market for closures in regard to the most diverse applications, for example the segments lemonades, water, fruit juices, beer, wine & spirits, but also foodstuffs or cosmetics and pharma. In the recently published study the market researchers forecast European demand for these everyday products to rise to about 460 billion units by 2021.

Thanks to low weight and high versatility, plastics for packaging often offer cost advantages, facilitate handling and processing and open up new design options. Plastic containers are usually combined with a plastic closure. The quality improves continuously, so it is no surprise they are gaining access to more and more packaging segments.

The market for plastic closures can profit from the rise of one-way PET bottles in particular; rising demand for bottled water and smaller packaging sizes as well as dispensing systems will provide further important stimuli to growth in the future.

Correspondingly, materials traditionally used for closures, e.g. aluminium, tinplate or cork, are losing market shares. In the segment cosmetics and pharma, the strong increase of demand for plastic packaging comes at the expense of glass containers. One advantage for manufacturers is the fact that plastic, as a universal material, can be used for virtually all types of packaging. As a result, the market for plastic closures is not linked as closely to specific packaging means as are, for example, crown corks to the sale of beer bottles.

www.polymer-books.com

77

Trends in plastics decoration

DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

European market for closures

Spinneys at Mercato mall in Jumeirah, one of Dubai’s most prestigious residential areas, spans 370m2.

Spinneys is one of the leading supermarket chains in the UAE

Plastic packaging proves a boon in Middle East

supermarket chains did the same with British brands.

Recent improvements in infrastructure A WALK THROUGH a supermarket can have allowed for more efďŹ cient distribution tell you a lot about the plastics converting of goods within the region and this has industry. With about 55% of all plastics resulted in a growth of ‘modern retailing’ being used in packaging, every trip to buy with the establishment of supermarket groceries can provide a wealth of insight branches in smaller towns and the into the state of the industry: are relative polymer prices resulting in the substitution opening of convenient neighbourhood branches in the larger of one polymer by cities. This has introduced another? Are the Plastics the growing population to beneďŹ ts of sophisticated industry in the convenience of singlemultilayer ďŹ lms that serve pre-packaged foods Arabian region provide improved barrier with longer shelf-lives and properties and longer growing at this growing market is shelf lives valued over the more than 7% encouraging multinational lower cost alternative of brand owners to see simple product wrapping? the potential of local packaged-food Is the convenience of single-serve production in the Middle East. Combine packaging preferred to buying the same this demand for plastic packaging with the products in bulk? Are the weight-saving increased demand by the industrial and properties of plastics winning the battle against glass, metal, paper and cardboard petrochemical industries and you get a regional plastics packaging industry that packaging and, if not, why not? is growing at more than 7% per annum.

Supermarkets in the Middle East are Plastic packaging can be considered to very cosmopolitan. Their shelves are ďŹ lled be ‘rigid’ or â€˜ďŹ‚exible’. Flexible packaging with fresh fruit and vegetables from India, includes various ďŹ lms, usually based on Canada, Thailand and the Netherlands; PE or PP, and they can be used to give fresh meat from Australia, New Zealand, immediate protection to the packaged Brazil and Pakistan. Sauces come from product, or as secondary packaging such the USA, UK, France and South Africa – as overwrap, labels or pallet wrap. Rigid Nandos is everywhere! plastic packaging includes bottles, pails, An informal survey shows that a lot of cups, tubs, and closures usually produced the packaging used in the Middle East is by injection moulding, thermoforming or either simple wrapping or, in the case of blow moulding. Most rigid packaging, imported pre-packaged food, not made in especially bottles, is manufactured close the Middle East. to where it is used. In the Middle East, Supermarkets, and especially most rigid packaging is produced from hypermarkets, are relatively new to PE, PP, polystyrene or PET. most of the Middle East. In the cities, The exible packaging industry is stand-alone supermarkets, many part of slightly more complicated as it is made international chains, offered a broader up of ďŹ lm producers and packaging range of products: French supermarket manufacturers that are not necessarily chains importing French house-brands integrated companies. Most of the to complement air-freighted fresh fruit, ďŹ lm produced in the Middle East is vegetables and meats while the British

FEATURE

BY DR NIALL MARSHALL

78 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

manufactured by around 30 companies in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with a few hundred more small producers mostly making various types of packets and trash bags.

The largest exible packaging market in the Middle East is Saudi Arabia, but it is a net importer of ďŹ lm. This requirement is partly covered by ďŹ lm imports from the UAE, but the balance is imported from Europe or Asia. This is especially true for sophisticated multilayer barrier ďŹ lms where historically there has not been the market to justify producing these ďŹ lms in the Middle East. However, growing investment in food production and processing in the Middle East together with an increased availability of competitively priced specialty polymers (such as metallocene polyethylene as well as barrier resins) is resulting in increased investment in modern multilayer ďŹ lm lines and exible packaging converting capacity. Undoubtedly, in future increased quantities of packaging ďŹ lm and packaging will be exported.

The advantages that plastic packaging provides in terms of product protection and shelf life-extension are often taken for granted, as is the convenience of pre-packaged food. A mindful visit to the supermarket can remind us of the real value that plastics bring to modern life. It can also prompt us to identify new opportunities: whether for minimizing the amount of packaging without sacriďŹ cing performance, even longer shelf lives for food or for supermarkets trolleys with wheels that don’t wobble!

NIALL CAN BE REACHED AT: NIALL.MARSHALL@EVERSPRINGME.COM Notes: # It’s interesting and surprising that the percentage of polymer going into packaging in the Middle East-North Africa region – at 55% – is almost exactly the same as that in South Africa. By comparison, the percentage going into packaging in Europe is considerably lower at 34%. In the Middle East, other main applicationsare construction (25-30%) and textiles (mostly carpets, at 12-15%). Technical moulding including appliances, housewares and other mouldings are all much less.

The less obvious benefits of training your workforce Long-term positive impact positively affects the bottom line

BY PRODUCTIVE SERVICES IT IS commonly known that workplace training tends to be side-lined when companies go through rough financial patches – it can be an intimidating road to go down even when top management is fully behind the initiative. Often, the decision of whether to go ahead with training or not is based solely on examining the direct outcomes of the training, and, if those outcomes are not convincing enough, or not deemed as necessary, the idea may be canned altogether.

As this happens, the other, more alternative benefits of training are forgotten. In essence, the company not only loses out on the direct outcomes of training, but also on the gains and opportunities that would have made long-term positive impacts which would positively affect the bottom line.

With this in mind we have put together a few good points about how beneficial training your staff can be, not only for upskilling on a particular, chosen topic, but for a few more subtle, but no less important, benefits.

Training teaches more than its immediate goals No matter what the particular course may be, training will not only allow your staff to achieve the goals of that specific training, but also encourage them to embrace other work-life realities with ease, such as changing industry environments, or direct changes, such as company restructures.

Training staff means that they are kept up to date with new ideas and ways of thinking about a job that might no longer be a novelty to them. Sharing common issues and obstacles with someone who can offer a slightly different perspective is also invaluable.

Staff will soon see the advantages of building themselves as individuals. This in turn creates a more confident employee and encourages them to provide a higher quality of work.

Training is profitable Having more well-trained staff means that your employees can get on with what they were taught to do and can perform it quicker with more experience. Experienced staff are also able to suggest improvements to make processes more efficient, as opposed to simply executing a supervisor’s orders.

80 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

If staff are well trained, supervisors and managers don’t then need to spend as much time watching and guiding them.

They now have more time to think about the ‘bigger picture’ of the business as opposed to the everyday running of it.

Having a fully skilled workforce is one of the most profitable long-term plans your company can make as it goes hand in hand with the correct allocation of resources to projects, ensuring everyday profitability.

You provide a self-esteem boost Like a little bit of shoe polish on a once-new shoe, training can breathe new life into your workforce, add a bit more value to their lives, and equip them to perform better at their jobs. The fact is, when you take the time to invest in your staff through training, they feel good about it. They know that training costs money that, as an employer, you have chosen to spend on them. This gives them a boost, in turn affecting their self-esteem, which has a vast impact on not only their professional life, but their personal life as well. Studies have found that when employees feel invested in, they produce higher quality outputs and make better employees – simple as that1.

TRAINING

Your employees want to stay.

One of the best ways to increase your employee retention levels is by making your staff feel like they mean something to the company, and that they are more valuable now to the organisation, as well as to any other organisation they move on to. Obviously as an employer, the motivation for this is not to make the employee more valuable to another company, but to ensure that the employee feels valued enough to not seek employment elsewhere. Recruiting staff not only has hard costs attached to it, but requires time, effort and valuable resources, and ends up being a hassle that would much rather be avoided. In many situations you can often maintain your staff complement and double your productivity levels, just by upskilling key staff members.

Training provides an opportunity to learn about your staff’s goals One of the more subtle beneďŹ ts of training staff is that it helps to identify which staff members want to progress their careers in line with the business, and which staff members are comfortable hanging back and remaining in their current positions.

This enables you to focus on and motivate those who want to progress, getting the most out of your employees, ensuring the company optimises its productivity levels and gains the greatest return on investment from the training.

This allows the structure of the company to be centred on the people of the company: those who want the challenge of more responsibility or management can be placed in those positions, thereby aligning individual staff goals more closely with the goals of the business.

The reality of training is that there aren’t many downsides to making this investment in your staff and company.

However, it is important to have a solid plan which includes management involvement and a high quality training provider to ensure more success and less stress.

Turning Skills Into ProďŹ t: Economic BeneďŹ ts of Workplace Education Programs

www.productiveservices.co.za DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015 81

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WORLD NEWS

Plastics Innovation Winner in the category of Best Plastic Design was Procter & Gamble, with its newly developed detergent bottle dosing cap, incorporating four different high-precision PP parts, which, inside the cap create a pump-mechanism to allow accurate dosing.

No extra dosing cap is needed and the mechanism ensures that precisely the right amount of detergent is dispensed per squeeze.

The cap parts are produced in high precision tools and assembled.

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THE SPE (Society of Plastics Engineers, Benelux section) have awarded eight different categories in the inaugural Polymers and Plastics Innovations Awards 2014.

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Winner in the category of Material Innovation was DSM, whose new PET XL-T thermo conductive PET is suitable for the production of housings of LED lamps, which typically produce a lot of heat. The low outgassing and high dimensional stability of this material ultimately leads to lighter parts, adding to the sustainability of the end product.

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Winner in the category of Hybrid Product was Deceuninck with its innovative Zendow#neo window proďŹ le. This window proďŹ le combines different materials and technologies in a complex production process, which includes Deceuninck’s proprietary Linktrusion technology. Classic PVC window frames have steel inner frames to reinforce the strength of the window. Deceunink’s process eliminates the use of steel frames by using continuous glass ďŹ bres to reinforce the part and a PVC foam, for enhanced insulation properties and easy recycling.

82 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

Winner in the category of Best Lightweight Innovation was PolyOne, who submitted a heavy duty LED light that was previously produced from metal. A special PolyOne compound made it possible to injection mould the housing, which formerly required extensive assembly and finishing work. Using the new compound, not only were considerable costs saved, a weight reduction of over 30% was also achieved.

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Winner in the category of Plastics & Electronics was design engineering firm Pezy, who developed a 3K micro connector representing a “fantastic example of micro-injection moulding and assembly”, according to the jury.

The part is produced by insert overmoulding of microscopic small connectors, a highly complex process. The part is an engineering feat.

S

Polymers and Awards

Winner in the category of Best Substitute Product was VanBerlo design agency, who redesigned a traditional steel extractor hood in plastic material for its client, Gutmann.

The new product has a sleeker design and, importantly, can be mass produced at a lower cost. Its extraction performance, too, increased: internally, the design freedom provided by the use of plastic has led to an improved filtration construction, which reduces kitchen odours and grease deposit.

Best Lightweight In no v

ati o

AROUND THE WORLD Oxo-degradable plastics: do they actually biodegrade Multi-client study planned to find definite answer ORGANIC Waste Systems NV) of Belgium and IKT (Institute of Polymer Technology, University Stuttgart) of Germany are planning a multiclient study on oxo-degradable plastics. Building on research by OWS for PlasticsEurope (2013), a comprehensive laboratory testing programme is planned, with the aim to ultimately prove or disprove if these materials biodegradable or not.

There is currently an on-going discussion worldwide about oxodegradable plastics, including materials made from renewable resources such as PLA, PHA, TPS or others as well as materials made from petroleum such as PBAT and PBS. Often the materials are traditional (non-degradable) plastics such as PE, PP and PET mixed with a small percentage of an additive. Companies bringing such products to market claim biodegradability, but experts complain about missing scientifically based evidence from neutral, independent laboratories or certification bodies. As long as such evidence is missing, critics doubt whether complete biodegradation occurs, which has resulted in these materials being referred to as oxofragmentable. www.ows.be www.ikt.uni-stuttgart.de

Coca-Cola to close its recycling division

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COCA-Cola will shut its recycling division after seven years in operation.

The company said it wants to work with outside suppliers for recyclables, including PET, to put back into new packaging.

Coca-Cola will restructure how it procures recyclable materials and will focus on developing its sources of supply. The Atlanta-based soft-drink giant established Coca-Cola Recycling in 2007.

“In the US we will continue to work more directly with our value chain to increase the use of recycled materials.

As the industry is evolving, we no longer need to directly engage in the buying and selling of recyclable materials,” the company said. “Coca-Cola will continue to work with our suppliers, customers and industry to increase recycled content in our packaging.”

DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

83

AROUND THE WORLD

WORLD NEWS

Borealis invests in Brazil BOREALIS, a leading provider of innovative solutions in the ďŹ elds of polyoleďŹ ns, base chemicals and fertilizers, has strengthened its market position in Brazil by way of a â‚Ź45-million (about R600-million) investment in its Itatiba production facilities located near Sao Paulo. Borealis will be able to better capitalise on long-term growth opportunities in Brazil and the South American market by transferring production from its second plant in Triunfo to the newly upgraded and expanded Itatiba, a move scheduled for early 2015.

Corbion Purac to construct 75kTpa PLA plant CORBION Purac will accelerate its thrust into the biotechnology arena, making the next step in the bioplastics value chain by becoming a PLA producer. With entry into PLA, Corbion Purac intends to bring new biodegradable solutions to the plastics industry, and increase global PLA production capacity by investing in a 75 kTpa PLA plant (estimated â‚Ź60 million capex) in Thailand.

Corbion Purac will continue selling lactides to both existing and new PLA polymerization customers. Lactide sales for the coatings and adhesives markets will also continue. Worldwide PLA capacity is almost sold out and with the PLA market expected to grow to 600 kTpa by 2025, the market is seeking additional PLA suppliers. www.corbion.com 84 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

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Winner in the category of New Surfaces for Plastics was Conwed, whose anti slip carpet underlay is produced via a highly innovative process combining special netting technology with co-extrusion. Highly complex, newly developed extrusion tools are used for this process. Because the anti-slip layer is coextruded, perfect adhesion and no peel off are assured.

Re cy

SHALE gas developments in the USA will signiďŹ cantly impact growth in PE ďŹ lm usage as well as global trade in ďŹ nished ďŹ lm, according to AMI Consulting.

This will lead to major reduction in the cost of PE resin in addition to reducing the energy cost of subsequent ďŹ lm production. It is highly probable that North America will have a polymer cost base on a par with that in the Middle East, leading to PE ďŹ lm exports from North America overtaking those of the Middle East.

Looking beyond 2018, this projected cost advantage, when combined with the technological expertise of US polyethylene ďŹ lm producers, will ensure that they become truly global players.

This represents a shake-up of the worldwide PE ďŹ lm market.

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Shale gas developments

r Plastics o f es

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Winner in the category of Recycling is the company Protective Packaging Systems, whose innovative electronic device packaging is designed to avoid the use of secondary packaging for different electronic device accessories such as cables, power cords, chargers and the like. The pack features tailored cavities into which the accessories and device neatly ďŹ t, and is made out of 50 to 100% recycled HDPE/LDPE material. Moreover, the pack can be re-used (if desired), or at least completely recycled for the production of the same or similar packs.

JOHANNESBURG GLENN ROPPA: 082 416 8352 LURIKA VAN STADEN: 083 555 2001 PETER LOWRIE: 082 377 6133 JACQUES PRINSLOO: 083 339 3234

DURBAN GREG WIBLIN: 082 264 3635 COLIN GOUNDER: 071 363 1829

CAPE TOWN JARED KHOURY: 071 775 5747 BARRY SHAW: 083 408 9226 BRETT POLLARD: 082 691 3758

EAST LONDON DAVID BOATWRIGHT 083 893 4131

WORLD NEWS

Amcor to run on-site bottle operation at Method plant a longstanding relationship with Method as a supplier of a range of containers for hand wash, dish soap, laundry detergent, and household cleaning products. A group of 20-30 Amcor employees will work at the new Method facility which will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Method plant – located on Chicago’s south side – will have several unique features including a wind turbine, solar panel installations, large amounts of natural light throughout the factory, and native land renewal across 22 acres. “Building our ďŹ rst U.S. manufacturing plant is an important milestone in our company’s growth,â€? said Drew Fraser, CEO of Method. “We’re excited to continue our close partnership with Amcor and bring our vision for an advanced, exible, cost-effective facility to life.â€?

Method is selecting materials certiďŹ ed

by the Cradle-to-Cradle CertiďŹ ed Program and sustainably advanced features for both outside and inside the plant.

A refurbished 230-ft wind turbine will generate a signiďŹ cant portion of the plant’s energy. The turbine, combined with the solar energy from solar panels in the parking lot and on the building, will provide approximately half of the facility’s annual electrical needs. Method also plans to have a functional roof with urban agriculture to beneďŹ t the local community.

By using 100% PCR resin, the cradleto-gate energy consumption of the resin compared to virgin is reduced by 52% and the package’s carbon footprint is lowered by 57%. On-site production of PCR bottles keeps over 600 truckloads of bottles off the road each year and eliminates over 200 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, according to Amcor.

Epsan expands PA compounding business BAYER AG will spin off its MaterialScience plastics group into a separate, publicly-traded company within the next 12 to 18 months.

The German chemical giant conďŹ rmed reports that the split would allow the main company to operate as a life sciences business. “The board of management of Bayer AG plans to focus the Bayer Group entirely on the Life Science businesses — HealthCare and CropScience — and oat MaterialScience on the stock market as a separate company,â€? it stated. “In this way Bayer would position itself as a world-leading company in the ďŹ eld of human, animal and plant health.â€?

An independent MaterialScience business will have better access to capital and greater exibility, said Bayer, based in Leverkusen, Germany.

Bayer said in a statement that its supervisory board “unanimously approved� the management board’s decision. It has not stated where the 86 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

stock in the new company will be traded.

As a separate company, MaterialScience can align its organizational and process structures and corporate culture toward its own industrial environment and business model, said Bayer.

Bayer invested more than 3.8 billion euros ($4.8 billion) in property, plant and equipment and research and development for the MaterialScience business between 2009 and 2013.

Following the intended spinoff, MaterialScience will be Europe’s fourth-largest chemical company; it had pro forma global sales in 2013 of more than 11 billion euros ($14.1 billion). The new company is planned to have a global workforce of roughly 16,800, including about 6,500 in Germany. It will have a new name and a separate identity and be headquartered in Leverkusen. www.bayer.com

capacity

EPSAN Plastic in Turkey is making a strategic investment into a new polyamide compounding line to increase its capacity to meet customer demand around the globe.

Epsan said that its investment into new CoperionÂŽ ZSK 58 MC18 line will increase its polyamide compounding capacity from 22,000 tons to 32,000 tons annually. The company which is located in Bursa, Turkey, has already invested in ďŹ ve compounding lines with Coperion.

According to Arda Efe, global sales Director, Epsan is well established in distributing its polyamide 6 and 6.6 compounds to Europe and North America currently under the brand names of EplamidŽ and EplonŽ. “The capacity increase will help Epsan to support its fast growing business in Germany through Epsan Deutschland GmbH as well as strengthen our position in existing ones,� said Efe. Epsan is an independent compounder which has specialised in the production of high performance polyamide compounds since 1998.

At present, Epsan has two plants located in Turkey as well as distributors throughout Europe and North America. The company employs about 120 employees worldwide and sells its polyamide 6 and 6.6 compounds to over 35 countries. www.epsan.com.tr

www.amcor.com

AMCOR Rigid Plastics plans to operate an on-site bottle production facility within Method’s new advanced manufacturing facility in Chicago. Method, the leading innovator in premium, eco-friendly household, fabric, and personal care products, recently announced plans to build its ďŹ rst US manufacturing plant with the goal of being the ďŹ rst LEED Platinum certiďŹ ed facility in the consumer packaged goods industry.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a green building certiďŹ cation programme managed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices.

Amcor will play a key role at Method’s new facility as a manufacturer of 100% PET bottles for household cleaners and hand wash. The company already has

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COMING UP PIPELINE COATING 2015 THE market for pipelines is growing worldwide to secure energy, chemical and water supply and for carbon capture and storage from North America to the Far East. The advent of shale gas has led to new lines being planned to transport this cheap natural gas. In many geographic areas the growing population is placing high demands on water supplies and this is leading to more pipelines being built from desalination plants and other sources.

These topics will be the core of the Pipeline Coating show which takes place from 17-19 February at the Trend Hotel Savoyen in Vienna, Austria. www.amiplastics.com

ADDITIVES & COLOURS THE Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE), ‘home’ to nearly 16,000 plastics professionals in more than 84 countries, is to host the 9th European Additives & Colours conference from 23-25 February in Barcelona, Spain. The title of the event is ‘Shaping Aesthetics & Performance’. This is said to be ‘the place to be’ to learn about the latest in additives, pigments & dyes and masterbatches for plastics as well as to get connected to the industry value chain, from raw material and equipment suppliers to OEM’s such as Volkswagen, Tupperware, Faurecia, Clariant, A.Schulman, BASF, Sabic, Bayer Material Science, DuPont, Milliken, 3M, Evonik, Nubiola, Leistritz, Q-Lab, Akzo Nobel, BYK Chemie, Dow Corning, Eckart, Ferro, Lubrizol, Omya, Sabo, Shepherd Color, Shimadzu, Sibelco, Songwon, Wacker Chemie and others. www.4spe.org/ace15

JEC COMPOSITES IN MARCH THE JEC Composites show in Paris from 12-15 March will be the 50th edition of the event, considered to be the world’s leading composites trade show. Two full halls at the Pavilion 7 at Paris Porte de Versailles have been reserved. The show covers the main composites markets, namely automotive, aeronautics & space, marine, energy, mass transportation, building & construction and sport & leisure.

Nearly 65% of 2013 visitors came from end-users companies oriented towards user requirements on 35 industrial segments.

About 27,700 delegates from 94 countries attended the 2013 show, and the 2015 edition is expected to attract a similar or higher figure. www.jeccomposites.com

UTECH IN APRIL THE top polyurethanes show, UTECH Europe, takes place in Maastricht, Holland, from 14-16 April. The 2012 event attracted over 3550 visitors from across 86 countries. Some 90% of the floorplan for the 2015 event has already been filled up, with confirmed exhibitors including BASF, Huntsman, Evonik, Wanhua Chemicals, Shell Intentional, H & S Anlagentechnik and Hennecke. www.utecheurope.eu 88 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

Members of the PlastIndia Foundation board have been actively promoting the 2015 edition of the show. The Foundation is the apex body of major associations and Institutions connected with plastics in India, including government and semi-government organisations

Sumitomo Demag expertise at Emballage 4.5s with IML on multi-cavity mould SUMITOMO Demag Plastics showed an efficient and economical injection moulding solution for the production of plastic lids at Emballage in Paris in November.

An all-electric 160-ton IntElect machine with IML capability from the GermanJapanese machine manufacturer was running a 4-cavity hot runner mould from Rouxel SA of France, producing lids for food containers. The lids were decorated with IML technology, in this case a label with an aroma-protecting peel-off function. The approximately

6g lightweight PP components were produced in a cycle time of approximately 4.5 seconds.

Other partners in the project included the French companies Sepro Robotique and Machines Pagès, for the handling device and the IML technology.

Safety, process consistency and precision in demanding tasks with tight tolerances are characteristic features of the all-electric IntElect range. Compared with belt-driven electrical drives, these direct drives offer more energy efficiency and faster responsiveness for higher

3D PLAST: new printing event THANKS to the confirmed participation of some of the most important international companies operating in the sector and to the many expressions of interest, PLAST 2015 will feature the debut of 3D PLAST, a broad exhibition area dedicated to additive manufacturing, fast prototyping, design software, 3D printing and related technology.

PLAST 2015 take place on 5-9 May 2015 at the Fiera Milano fairgrounds in Milan, Italy.

“3D printing is a technology of great current interest. We find articles every day, not only in technical magazines but also in newspapers and the general media, regarding innovations and applications that were unthinkable until recently but are now possible thanks to this technology,” states Fabrizio Vanzan of Promaplast.

“This technology is fascinating in many ways. All you have to do is input the file with the specifications of the product you want to make, start the print process and it’s done: one or more nozzles add material, layer by layer, to create the final form. It is an innovative production method that has already begun to supplement current plastic conversion technologies. We are very happy to host a section dedicated to additive manufacturing for the first time at Plast,” added Vanzan.

According to a number of recent studies, the global 3D printing market is expected to exceed a value of $8.5-billion in 2020, with average annual growth over 20%.

These are absolutely compelling figures.

More than 1500 exhibitors, over 50,000 visitors expected The plastics and rubber business is

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PlastIndia at new centre in Gujarat New venue offers top-notch facilities, place state is centre of industry in India PLASTINDIA 2015 is set to create new milestones, as has been the tradition of every PlastIndia exhibition to date. The industry in India has continued to show strong growth and this is expected to help make the next edition of PlastIndia – from 5-10 February – a resounding success.

PlastIndia exhibitions have always been the cornerstone of the exponential growth that this sunrise industry has witnessed.

The sheer numbers are overwhelming: between 2013 and 2020, in India, plastics consumption is set to increase from 12 to 20 MMTA; exports from $6billion to $8-billion as well as direct and indirect

employment from 1.2 million to 2 million.

An estimated 150,000 visitors are expected to congregate at the event, which will host approximately 2000 exhibitors spread over a sprawling 125,000m² at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Gandhinagar is home to one of the most elaborate exhibiting infrastructure and the internationally acclaimed Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre. This ultra-modern venue has air-conditioned halls that are roomy and come with a convenient layout, created for ease of crowd movement.

Ample parking space will be another plus.

Gujarat and its near surroundings itself

constitute a significant 60% of the Indian plastics industry. Located just 16kms from Ahmedabad, Gujarat is one of the most modern and well planned cities in India with wide avenues and ample greenery; it was designed by a wellknown French architect. The city offers convenient road, rail and air connections for ease of access.

With one of the best port facilities in the country, it will ensure smooth movement of cargo as well. Pleasant weather and a tourist destination will only enhance the pleasure of visitors to Gujarat, a truly vibrant state.

www.PlastIndia.org

www.sumitomo-shi-demag.eu

www.PlastIndiafoundation.org

DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

The complicated lids, with snap-off fork, feature an IML applied label with aroma protective peel-off function in a 4-cavity hot runner mould that ran at cycle times of just 4.5 seconds

accuracy, higher repeatability and, in addition to this, a cycle time benefit. The IntElect is available with eight clamping forces ranging from 500 to 4500kN.

for Plast 2015

Mario Maggiani of Promaplast, the organiser of the Plast show in Milan in May

a sector of excellence in Italy which has made innovation its strong suit,” said Promaplast managing director Mario Maggiani.

“The 2012 edition of PLAST had a total of 1,500 exhibitors and 50,000 visitors. In 2015, thanks to the concomitance with the opening week of EXPO, we expect an even stronger response from exhibitors and visitors alike.”

The largest exhibition for plastics and rubber in Europe in 2015, in Milan, in coincidence with EXPO

plastonline.org

www.plastonline.org Organizer: Promaplast srl

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COMING UP PPP SHOWS IN KENYA, TANZANIA THE Plastics, Printing & Packaging Expo events take place in Nairobi from 7-9 May and in Dar-es-Salaam from 23-25 May. PPP Expo Kenya and PPP Expo Tanzania will feature a very diverse range of exhibitors (that is to say from suppliers other than China and India) from Bangladesh, Canada, Dubai, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Thailand, Turkey and other countries.

The shows are organized by Expo Group of Dubai. www.plastonline.org

AFRIPLAST EXPO IN MAY THE second international Afriplast Expo takes place at Gallagher Estate in Midrand from 20-22 May. Afriplast Expo is Sub-Saharan Africa’s dedicated event for the plastics industry and features every step of the production cycle – from raw materials to machinery, technologies and recycling strategies, according to the organisers, Exhibition Management Services.

The show gives exhibitors unprecedented access to the African plastics market and its buyers, said Saki Magoxo of EMS. Afriplast Expo 2015, a component expo of the South African Industry and Technology Fair (INDUTEC), is designed to showcase the vast opportunities in Africa by bringing together industry customers and suppliers from around the globe. The event has the backing of Plastics|SA. www.exhibitionsafrica.com

DuPont’s Zytel brings innovation Replacing metal, saving weight DUPONT showed off technology advances it has achieved with its Zytel® polyamide resins at the Fakuma show in Germany in October.

Two leading automotive fluid circulation specialists have chosen the Zytel® resins for rigid and flexible coolant pipes to achieve long-term resistance to aggressive water/ glycol and road salts as well as to temperatures from -40°C to +125°C, while delivering processing efficiencies and weight saving.

Plastic printing perfection from Mimaki More creative and personalised end products

HIGH BOOKING RATE FOR CHINAPLAS OVER 3100 companies from over 39 countries and regions are expected to participate in Chinaplas 2015. Asia’s largest and the world’s second largest plastics and rubber trade fair takes place at the China Import & Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou, PR China, from 20-23 May. Occupying 25 exhibition halls, the event’s gross exhibition area will exceed 230,000m² – the biggest of its history.

Thirteen international pavilions from Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Korea, Switzerland, the UK, USA and Taiwan, as well as China, and on-site demonstration of their latest technologies, are expected. www.chinaplas.com

Tristone Flowtech group selected Zytel PA612 long chain polyamide (LCPA) for a flexible pipe, while Teklas Kauçuk AS chose glass reinforced Zytel PA66 to ensure rigidity and durability.

The quest for Tristone was to find a material/technology solution for an unusually long 2 to 3 metre variable flexibility coolant pipe designed to transport water and glycol fluid from the radiator end tank to the engine at the back, while saving weight. The challenge

Using its UJF-3042 UV LED flatbed printer, which is suited for short runs and on-demand printing directly onto materials up to 50mm thick, Mimaki showed the production of technical parts as well as items as varied as coloured pencils and USB sticks

www.mimakieurope.com

MIMAKI, a leading global manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers and cutting plotters for the sign/graphics, textile/apparel and industrial markets, showcased its capabilities on a host of materials including plastic bottles and ID cards at Fakuma in Germany in October.

“The plastic market is one of the fastest moving sectors in the industry,” said Mike Horsten, GM for marketing for EMEA at Mimaki Europe.

“Ease of production is converging with the increasing demand for more eyecatching and creative materials including black, white, silver and transparent solutions. This is driving market suppliers to push developmental and creative boundaries with their solutions.”

PBT for coffee capsules that seal in the aroma – first prototypes

New food contact Ultradur grade

Coffee capsules and chairs – BASF plastics at the trade fair stand

BASF is one of the first plastics manufacturers to expand its PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) product line by a new special grade optimized for the production of air-tight coffee capsules that retain the aroma. The Ultradur® B1520 FC (food contact) grade combines excellent barrier properties against moisture and oxygen, while above all containing the aromas without a need for any additional complex coatings.

This distinguishes these Ultradur capsules from other injection-moulded capsules, which are usually packaged individually, as well as from multilayered thermoset capsules. Injection moulding is

90 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

the adequate processing technique for the production of upscale coffee capsules with their exacting design.

With its food-contact certification, this new grade is suitable not only for coffee capsules, but also for thin-walled injection-moulded packaging for cosmetics and food products.

The first coffee capsule prototypes made of the new material by CCS GmbH, an independent Munich-based supplier (www.cc-s.eu), were showcased at Fakuma in October.

The new Ultradur B1520 FC is now available in commercial quantities. It can be coloured using suitable masterbatches created by BASF Color Solutions. www.basf.com

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to auto coolant pipes was not so much the length of the part, since it was extruded, but to produce large pipes of up to 27mm diameter, structured in two layers with convoluted sections, that would resist 3 bar pressures, aggressive fluids, and road salt.

DuPont provided the solution via a combination of the Zytel resin and its patented Variable Stiffness Bellows (VSB) technology, enabling thermoplastic parts to be flexible, yet high pressure-resistant. At the same time, the new pipe can withstand engine compartment temperatures of

150°C, aggressive fluid temperatures up to 120°C combined with continuous working temperatures of 95°C. In this application, Zytel PA612 in a corrugated extrusion offers a lightweight alternative to metal, enabling up to 60% weight reduction over the former aluminum component.

DuPont’s Variable Stiffness Bellows (VSB) technology makes it possible for hoses produced with Zytel PA to be flexible yet high pressure-resistant

www.dupont.com

Bio-based PLA solutions from Corbion Purac

3D moves beyond trendy to viable and efficient NORTH America’s major plastics show, NPE 2015 (the National Plastics Exposition), takes place from 23-27 March at the Orange County Convention Centre in Florida, USA. Over 2000 exhibitors are expected at the show, spread over the 92,000m² site.

Moving the show from Chicago to Florida was a big decision for the organisers, with the warmer southern climate expected to again prove popular with visitors from across the Americas as well as the wider world.

The show will feature dedicated zones for 3D printing, Zero Waste and New Education.

3D printing has moved beyond new and trendy to a viable, efficient and cost-effective manufacturing

tool. A new ‘show-within-a-show’ will highlight emerging 3D technologies for prototypes, mould components and finished parts.

The NPE organization is committed to leading the efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastics materials. In the Zero Waste Zone, visit will be able to learn more on how the industry is processing post-consumer materials and turning these into new products. NPE has developed a ‘One Mission’ commitment to achieve a zero waste future.

Students from the Savannah College of Art and Design are hard at work transforming used plastics into new and (hopefully) glamourous clothing for a fashion show at the premiere plastics exposition for 2015

www.npe.org

www.corbion.com/bioplastics

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‘Zero Waste’ mission at NPE

Corbion Purac also displayed its PLA resin and compound partnerships, which include Hisun and SUPLA for PLA resin and Biotec and FKuR for high heat food serviceware compounds.

Combining high bio-content with a low carbon footprint, PLA is a great replacement for PS, PP and ABS. PLA is an adaptable material that can be processed on existing equipment, with commercially acceptable cycle times. This offers convertors and brand owners an opportunity to be a sustainability frontrunner in their fields.

DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

Air filter produced use bio-based polylactic acid from Corbion Purac

CORBION Purac showed how its bio-based PLA (polylactic acid) is suited for the production of injection moulding automotive air filter box and interior trim parts at Fakuma in October. Working with Röchling Automotive, it showed parts that boast heat resistance up to 140°C, impact resistance, UV resistance, high gloss, excellent colorability and dimensional stability which withstand the demanding conditions in today’s engine compartment.

The Corbion PLA can thus be considered an alternative to most polyesters (PC, PET, PBT) as well as polystyrenes (ABS), polyolefines (such as PP) and polyamides (PA6).

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Engel at Arabplast Electric machine to be used for 1881 cap introduction to Gulf states AN ALL-ELECTRIC ENGEL e-cap injection moulding machine will produce 1881-type caps live at the Arabplast show in Dubai from 10-13 January. As a pioneer in the field, Uni-Cap is bringing this innovative lightweight cap to the Gulf states using Engel injection technology.

All-electric injection moulding machines are becoming increasingly popular for the production of beverage caps.

Uni-Cap, the largest cap manufacturer in the Gulf States, has been using Engel e-cap machines since 2009. In addition to the high energy efficiency of the machines, Bassam Hajjar, the CEO of Uni-Cap, is particularly interested in cleanliness. “The bottlers expect to receive absolutely hygienic products from us. With all-electric machines, we can definitely rule out any contamination with hydraulic oil. Thus, the usage of hydraulic oil is superfluous and cooling capacity is saved at the same time, the carbon footprint can be decreased significantly.”

While the one-piece 1881 cap for carbonated soft drinks has already become established in most parts of the world, the GCC countries have remained the exception. Only the newest, state-of-the-art processing technology has allowed one-piece caps to also be used in regions with extreme temperatures of more than 50°C. Uni-Cap will be the first manufacturer in the region to produce this type of cap. It

The high process stability of the all-electric Engel e-cap machine guarantees maximum output for the production of caps and closures

plans to achieve an annual capacity of 300 million caps with the ENGEL e-cap machine presented at Arabplast.

Currently Uni-Cap produces altogether 4.5 billion caps per year.

It is above all the melt flow rate of as low as 1.5 g/10 min of the poor-flow types of HDPE required to achieve the specified cap characteristics that define the high demands put on the injection moulding machine. www.arabplast.info

www.engelglobal.com

EVENTS 2014 Euromold

25-28 November

Frankfurt, Germany

www.euromold.com

Fire Resistance 2014

9-11 December

Cologne, Germany

www.amiplastics.com

Arabplast 2015

10-13 January

Dubai Int’l Convention Centre, UAE

www.arabplast.info

PlastIndia 2015

5-10 February

Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India

www.plastindia.org

Polymers in Photovoltaics 2015

10-11 February

Hotel Nikko, Dusseldorf, Germany

www.amiplastics.com/events

Pipeline Coating 2015

17-19 February

Trend Hotel Savoyen, Vienna, Austria

www.amiplastics.com/events

SPE 9th European Additives & Colors

23-25 February

Barcelona, Spain

www.4spe.org/ace15

Green Polymer Chemistry

18-19 March

Maritim Hotel Cologne, Germany

www.amiplastics.com

NPE 2015

23-27 March

Orlando, Florida, USA

www.npe.org

World Rubber Summit

24-25 March

Singapore

www.singex.com

Plast 2015

5-9 May

Fiera Milano, Italy

www.plastonline.org

PPP Expo Kenya

7-9 May

Nairobi, Kenya

www.expogr.com

Afriplast Expo 2015

20-22 May

Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg

www.exhibitionsafrica.com

Indutec 2015

20-22 May

Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg

www.exhibitionsafrica.com

ChinaPlas 2015

20-23 May

Guangzhou, PR China

www.ChinaplasOnline.com

PPP Expo Tanzania

23-25 May

Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania

www.expogr.com

KZN Industrial Technology Show

9-12 June

Durban Exhibition Centre

www.kznindustrial.co.za

2015

IOM³ National Rubber Conference

18-21 June

Cathedral Peak Hotel, Drakensberg

www.iom3.co.za

ExtruAfrica 2015

3-7 August

Potchefstroom, North West

www.extruafrica.org.za

19-26 October

Düsseldorf, Germany

www.k-online.de

2016 K2016 92 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

SPORTS

The outsole and detail on the New Balance running shoe

Trexel’s MuCell technology

gives running shoes a boost Benefits include greater durability, increased cushioning, less material usage RUNNING shoe manufacturing is a science – blending the right form, function and materials to achieve the highest performance and fit. Trexel has helped New Balance achieve greater performance by incorporating Mucell technology in the development of their running shoe components.

The current moulding programme for mid sole and heel components is incorporated into the production of over 1+ million pairs of running shoes a year. The running shoe designs use three different forefront parts – in 23 sizes along with two heel parts in six different sizes, all moulded with MuCell.

“We have incorporated the MuCell processing technology into our manufacturing process for over four years now and that has allowed us to customise our designs to offer premium cushioning with a reduced amount of material.

We have found the durability of these components exceeds standard foam running shoe applications – offering a longer 94 DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015

wearing shoe with more rebound and energy return to our customers,” said Katherine Petrecca, strategic business unit manager for New Balance.

“This technology is currently incorporated into New Balance running shoes – including our offering for ultra (long distance) runners and we are also looking at other lines that can take advantage of the technology.”

“If automotive components can benefit from the shock absorbency features of MuCell, why not the human body?

For years we have worked with the automotive industry leaders to develop numerous shock absorbing and material lightweighting applications. We realised that our technology is a perfect fit for athletic shoes that require the same benefits of cushioning, weight and material reduction,” added Steve Braig, president and CEO of Trexel. “Working closely with the New Balance team we are so pleased to see tremendous results they are achieving by using our technology.” www.trexel.com

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THE LAST WORD

More emphasis on people and

planet to make profits sustainable

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PIPE

COMMODITIES (HD/LL/LD)

ADDITIVES

ELASTOMERS

ENGINEERING

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