EPPM 14.3

April 2012

Volume 14 | Issue 03

www.eppm.com

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Thermocouple Connectors from Labfacility High temperature body mouldings, 220˚C continuous International colour code compliant Standard and miniature ranges Turn to page 5 to read more

Scan the QR code for more information about Labfacility plastics sensors

www.eppm.com

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head office

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Unit 2, Chowley Court, Chowley Oak Lane, Tattenhall, Cheshire, CH3 9GA. Tel: +44 (0)1829 770037 Fax: +44 (0)1829 770047 Web: www.eppm.com

editorial editor david gray david.g@rapidnews.com

in this issue

publisher mark blezard

production art samantha hamlyn production peter bartley production jonny jones

advertising

MACHINERY

pages 6–17

SHOWCASE: TESTING & INSPECTION

tel: +44 (0) 1829 770037, fax: +44 (0) 1829 770047,

REGULARS: Latest news roundup Industry news New installations

european sales manager caroline plant,

caroline@rapidnews.com

6–9 15–16 17

subscriptions subscriptions tracey nicholls

10–11

SPOTLIGHT: INJECTION MOULDING SPOTLIGHT: PACKAGING & CONVERTING

tracey@rapidnews.com

12 14

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MATERIALS

pages 18–22

REGULARS: Latest news roundup Industry news

UK - £80, ROW - £115 please subscribe online at

18–20 22

SHOWCASE: HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS

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EVENTS - CHINAPLAS

pages 23–27

A look ahead at what’s in store in Shanghai

THE GREEN ROOM

pages 28–33

REGULARS: Latest news roundup Industry news

28–29 33

SHOWCASE: SORTING & SEPARATION SPECIAL FEATURE: BIO & OXO-BIODEGRADABLES

32 30–31

CLASSIFIEDS

pages 34–35 EPPM 3

Address changes should be made on the original carrier sheet (address label) that came with this issue and then faxed to the publisher at +44 (0)1829 770047.

European Plastic Product Manufacturer is published by Plastics Multimedia Communications Ltd. European Plastic Product Manufacturer is distributed in electronic and print formats to a combined readership of over 12,400 manufacturing professionals.

Send address changes to European Plastic Product Manufacturer, Unit 2, Chowley Court, Chowley Oak Lane, Tattenhall, Cheshire, CH3 9GA, UK. © April 2012.

While every attempt has been made to ensure that the information contained within European Plastic Product Manufacturer is accurate, the publisher accepts no liability for information published in error, or for views expressed. All rights for European Plastic Product Manufacturer are reserved, and reproduction in part or whole without written permission is strictly prohibited.

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John Ellis, Segment Manager Polycarbonate, Bayer MaterialScience

Clive Maier, Owner and Director, Econology Ltd.

Aerospace Biopolymers

Alex Collins, Director, Vannplastics Ltd.

Sourcing & Manufacturing

Andrew McArthur, Engineering Manager, IKO

Nigel Brown, Founding MD, Frontier Aerospace

Dr Martin Kay, Chief Consultant, Pira International

Jan Herring, Strategic Sourcing Leader, Nokia

Charmaine Bowers, Operations Manager, Polymer Training & Innovation Centre

Pipe Extrusion Recycling Micro Manufacturing Automotives & Compounds Home Appliances

Graeme Diston, Senior Injection Moulding Engineer, Bausch + Lomb

Mark Bonifacio, President, Bonifacio Consulting Services

Andy Bone, Sales Director, Formaplex

Andrew Smith, Head of Manufacturing, Numatic International

Wire & Cable

Simon Chidgey, Director, M&H Plastics

Jonathon Short, MD, ECO Plastics Ltd.

Jon Herbert, Director, FS Cables

Biopolymers/Materials Science

Paul Maley, Senior Mechanical Engineer, Selex Elsag

General Industry Insight

Martin Marron, MD, Biffa Polymers

James Goddard, Honorary Lifetime Member, Plastics Pipe Institute

Dr Terence A. Cooper, CEO, ARGO Group International

Ken Braney, 2010-2011 President, Society of Plastics Engineers

Advisor for the German & Scandinavian Speaking Countries

Film & Sheet Extrusion Recycling Mould Making Packaging

Barry Assheton, Sales Director, CRDM

Graham Pickwell, Technical Adviser, Polymer Training & Innovation Centre

Medical

Injection Moulding Recycling Blow Moulding

John Bunker, Member, Worshipful Company of Horners

Medical

Rapid Prototyping

Omer Kutluoglu, CEO, 2K Manufacturing

Education in the UK & Ireland

David Gray, Editor

John Sturgess, Director, MG Stuma

Andrew Feilden, Principle Consultant, Smithers Rapra

Construction

I recently attended the UK National Manufacturing Conference in London — an event which aims to bring together manufacturers and suppliers from across the UK with those who create the policies that have such a huge impact on all aspects of manufacturing — politicians. I haven’t had many opportunities in this job to attend events with political presence, and this was my chance to hear what those at the top had to say on the state of manufacturing.

Business Secretary Vince Cable addressed what he felt to be the major issues preventing Britain from returning to a spot in the top five countries for manufacturing capability. Sitting with my ‘European hat’ on, I was particularly interested to hear Mr Cable suggest on several occasions that the UK could do more in terms of following the German strategy in order to bring the supply chain back to Britain.

“In order to base operations in the UK, leading manufacturers need to know they will have a range of firms able to supply quality parts and services with complete reliability, as the Mittelstand offers firms such as Siemens, Bosch and BMW in Germany,” Cable said.

The event carried a tone of disappointment at the UK Government’s recent decision to downgrade the value of the Engineering Diploma from five GCSEs to one.

Labour Party leader Ed Miliband, who also spoke at the conference criticised this decision, remarking that the qualification was “a diploma supported and respected by employers,” and going on to ask: “what signal does that give to young people thinking what they might do in the world? That people at the top do not regard this as a “proper subject” or as a “proper qualification”.”

Mr Miliband also bemoaned the current Government’s approach to industrial policy, which he claimed has been “too short-term”.

He too, I noticed, spoke enthusiastically of the German model: “If Germany can have industrial policy certainty for decades, we should be able to have it for more than a four or five year electoral cycle. Just the other day I heard from a manufacturer who pleaded with some policy consistency over decades. “You know what’s going to happen in Germany” he said. Our manufacturers need to know what’s going to happen here too.”

Whatever the outcome of the next election then, it seems possible that the future political approach to manufacturing may adopt a somewhat more continental angle to this important sector.

Wood Plastic Composites

UK Politicians to adopt a more Continental approach to manufacturing?

Plastics for the Environment

from the editor

General Industry Insight

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Our Editorial Advisory Board is compiled of a cross-section of the plastics industry, including processors, consultants, technicians and key industry figures.

Dr Gerd Schmaucks, Independent Consultant

cover story

Labfacility Meets All Temperature Sensing and Measurement Needs Buy online from the designer and manufacturer at www.labfacility.com

UK-based Labfacility, established in 1971, has manufacturing and sales divisions in Dinnington, near Sheffield and in Bognor Regis and is Europe’s leading producer of thermocouple connectors and temperature sensors.

In addition to stockholding standard ranges of thermocouple and resistance thermometer sensors, custom-made sensors are produced to order.

Labfacility designs and manufactures high accuracy digital thermometers and loggers and supplies thermal calibration equipment.

Temperature Sensors Twenty people in the group’s Dinnington (South Yorkshire) factory manufacture thermocouple and PRT sensors for virtually any application. Labfacility offers an extended range of thermocouple assemblies and installation fittings for plastics and rubber machinery.

Type J and K thermocouples are offered in a complete range of configurations to suit the various zones of injection and blow moulders and extruders. The range comprises hot runner and mould, adjustable bayonet, ring lug, leaf, nozzle and melt bolt thermocouple assemblies as well as pipe surface sensors. Special designs can be produced to order.

Extension cable options include PFA, PTFE, PVC and glassfibre insulated types with stainless steel overbraided and stainless steel armoured variants for rugged installations. All of the sensor designs allow for rapid replacement and adjustable insertion lengths as appropriate. A complete range of adaptors and installation fittings is available to meet the needs of any installation.

Instrumentation Labfacility has always been associated with high accuracy temperature measurement at realistic pricing and a new family of digital thermometer/loggers pushes the bar even higher. In order to achieve exceptional accuracy and stability, only the best components are utilised in the designs: this is especially important for thermocouple measurements incorporating automatic “cold-junction” compensation.

The group’s L200 - 8 channel temperature monitor for

thermocouple & Pt100 inputs is available from www.l200temperaturemonitor.com. The unit is supplied complete with full logging capability and PC software, including USB/PC interface.

Scan the QR code for more information about Labfacility plastics sensors

Thermocouple Connectors The Bognor Regis factory houses Europe’s largest manufacturing facility for thermocouple connectors and accessories. The full range is available from stock.

Installation Fittings and Component Parts for Sensors Following major investment in CNC machinery, Labfacility now offers an expanded range of components and installation fittings for sensor manufacture.

These include pot seals for mineral insulated thermocouples, bayonet caps and adaptors and closed end protection tubes. Additional components include compression glands, melt bolts, thermowells and a wide range of terminal heads.

The established range of “own-manufacture” thermocouple connectors, head and barrier terminal blocks are available for all of the popular thermocouple types. Large stocks of wirewound and thin film platinum resistance thermometer elements are held in Pt100 and Pt1000 versions.

Many Labfacility products are available from the group’s world–wide distributors, Farnell and RS.

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Labfacility Ltd Tel :+44(0)1243 871280 Email: info@labfacility.co.uk Web: www.labfacility.co.uk

MACHINERY

Low-Cost Gravimetric Feeder Gets Boost in Accuracy and Throughput The Maguire MGF gravimetric feeder for metering colourants and additives into plastics processing machines now provides substantially greater accuracy and up to double the throughput, it was announced recently by Maguire Products, Inc., of the US. Test data available from Maguire comparing the enhanced MGF unit with the leading competitive gravimetric feeder indicate that when each was equipped with a 12.7 mm auger, the Maguire device provided a far wider throughput range — 0.2 to 54 kg/h, as against 0.7 to 25 kg/h. Dosing accuracy was also greater. In tests involving 100 dispense cycles with a target of 11 grams per dose, the MGF average was exactly 11.1 grams, versus 11.3 — a 1.8 per cent variance — for the competing feeder.

Maguire achieved this boost in performance by replacing the continuous-rotation electric motor used for driving the feed auger with a stepper motor that completes each rotation in 200 increments and at a maximum speed of 100 rpm. In combination with digital control, the 200-step cycle achieves finer resolution in metering ingredients into the moulding or extrusion process.

The high motor speed makes possible a doubling of throughput to 54 kg per hour in extrusion and up to 18 kg per hour in cyclical processes like injection moulding. The throughput range for a given auger size has also increased, reducing or eliminating the need for auger changes.

“The finer resolution made possible by the stepper motor adds to the intrinsically greater accuracy of our gravimetric feeder in comparison with volumetric devices, increasing the ability of moulders and extrusion processors to reduce colour and additive consumption, better control product quality, and document colour usage,” said B. Patrick (Pat) Smith, Vice President of Marketing and Sales. “These improvements come at no added cost to customers, who can still purchase our MGF feeder at the same price as our volumetric system and for 35 per cent less than competing gravimetric devices.”

The MGF feeder uses dual load cells to accurately monitor the loss in weight of colourant in the hopper as the material is fed into the processing machine. This is one of the keys to the greater accuracy of the MGF feeder over volumetric systems, according to Smith.

“Volumetric feeders do not monitor the weight of colourant as it is fed to the processing machine and thus generate no data about how much of the material is actually consumed from moment to moment,” Smith said. “Because a gravimetric system generates a wealth of data on colour consumption, it adjusts colour metering far more accurately to account for process variations.”

The key to adjusting for process variations is Maguire’s loss-in-weight software in the feeder control. This proprietary system scans data on colour consumption every half-second and automatically adjusts dispensing when a predetermined amount of accumulated

error is detected. “By responding exclusively to accumulated error over a given period of time, Maguire’s software focuses on real changes in throughput, not transitory or anomalous changes caused by vibration, clumping, or surges,” Smith said.

“Thus the system provides real-time control and absolutely smooth metering consistency.”

The only component of the MGF feeder actually mounted on the load cells is the hopper, and this is readily removable from the device, as are the auger, the auger tube, the motor, and the load cell bracket. As a result, it is easier and faster to access components for cleanout or servicing.

Standard features of the MGF feeder include a USB port for data collection and software updates, an Ethernet port for open communications, automatic priming and flowrate calibration, and loader control via the feeder controller. Also standard is an “extrusion following” system that automatically anticipates and adjusts for gross variations in extruder rate like those during changes of film rolls.

Maguire products are available

exclusively in the UK from Summit Systems Ltd. Summit Systems Tel: +44 1827 265800 Email: info@summitsystems.co.uk Web: www.summitsystems.co.uk

FHW-Moulds Offers Extrusion Blow Moulding with Special Air Management Extrusion mould specialist fhw-moulds of Germany has reportedly developed a solution for removing air from extrusion moulds. This brand new, optimised product is very well adapted to blow moulders’ requirements for improved cycle times.

As the mould closes around the parison and is inflated and pressed to the cavity wall by the air blown into it, the same air is trapped between the parison and the two mould halves. This trapped air must be

removed. In order to expedite this venting process, conventional moulds are often equipped with vents at the parting line for expelling any trapped air, sometimes with the help of vacuum. The downside of this method is the fact that air can only be removed locally and the introduction of a vacuum leaves small marks on the finished part.

Specialist fhw-moulds has developed a new solution for this problem: the extrusion mould for a 20 litre jerry can is now vented in all four corners of the mould and vacuum can be used to increase the ventilation effect. The vent is cut across the entire height of the mould corner so as to eliminate the occurrence of marks on the finished part. This way, entrapped air can be removed quickly and effectively.

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During extrusion blow moulding, cycle times are highly dependent on mould cooling times. The new mould design with corner venting allows significant cuts in cycle times. “Thanks to optimised cycle times, the additional costs for this special mould have a very short payback time,” Jean Ingenbrand, Managing Director of fhw-moulds pointed out. An additional benefit of this solution is that exchangeable corners can accommodate different designs of hollow plastic products, which translates into more versatility and cost-efficiency for blow moulders. fhw-moulds Tel: +49 2041 762680 Email: claudia.kluth@fhw-moulds.de Web:www.fhw-moulds.de

MACHINERY ROUNDUP Mobil SHC Gear Delivers Significant Energy Savings for Major Plastic Pipe Manufacturer Ostendorf, one of Germany’s largest producers of plastic pipes and shaped products, has reportedly achieved significant energy efficiency benefits following the introduction of Mobil SHC Gear 220. Mobil SHC Gear 220, part of ExxonMobil’s new line-up of high performance, fully-synthetic industrial gear oils, has delivered a 3.3 percent energy efficiency improvement in an extruder gearbox, while extending oil drain intervals.

Ostendorf, an existing user of Mobilgear SHC XMP Series lubricants in other applications, was keen to investigate whether potential energy efficiency benefits could be achieved by introducing ExxonMobil’s new range into its operation. As a result, a field trial was initiated which involved a rigorous test programme on the new Mobil SHC Gear 220 on a Weber extruder gearbox and comparing it to the existing lubricant being used, a competitors mineral ISO 220 gear oil.

The test programme was conducted in two phases. The first phase examined the existing lubricant Ostendorf was using in the gearbox across two different production cycles, using varied power consumption levels and material throughputs.

The second phase involved the gearbox being drained, flushed and refilled with Mobil SHC Gear 220. The machines were then operated at the same levels and throughputs as the first phase. During both phases, a testing tool measured energy efficiency in kW per kilogram of product.

Mobil SHC Gear 220 demonstrated an average energy saving of 3.3 per cent compared to the previous lubricant as well as an average 5°C reduction in gearbox temperatures.

This lower operating temperature will contribute to considerable savings over the gearbox and machine lifecycle, helping to reduce unscheduled downtime and component wear.

“Energy costs are one of the highest burdens on manufacturing companies and any reduction in consumption has an immediate and beneficial impact on the bottom line,” said Andrea Jacobsen, Industrial Marketing, Europe, Africa & Middle East, ExxonMobil Lubricants and Petroleum Specialties Company.

“Mobil SHC Gear and other products in the Mobil SHC range have been designed to help companies achieve a competitive edge in their operations. As well as delivering energy efficiency benefits, products such as Mobil SHC Gear have been designed to optimise protection and help increase productivity.”

Advances in Leaf Disc Capsule Filters for Melt Applications Porvair Filtration Group, a supplier of performance driven filtration equipment to the polymer melt industry for over 25 years, has made advances in leaf disc capsule filter design and filter media selection that provides controlled filtration of difficult polymers resulting in high specification end products.

The leaf disc capsule filter design uses an innovative hard hub that maximises the available filtration area, leading to lower pressure drop, shorter residence times and reduced risk of degradation.

The photo-etched separator has a nonperforated edge, which improves weld strength at a typical failure point. This, combined with bespoke media selection in stainless steel powder or fibre with a

ExxonMobil Lubricants Tel: +420 221 456 426 Email: techdeskeurope@exxonmobil.com Web: mobilindustrial.com

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wide range of filtration efficiencies gives, optimum performance with added strength and low-pressure drop.

Ideally suited to film manufacture, the leaf disc capsules produce a singular downstream flow path eliminating the need for mixers and preventing flow lines in finished film. The capsules are cleanable and available in industry standard designs and dimensions with diameters of 7”, 10” and 12” using optional loose or welded spiders.

Porvair Filtration Group Tel: +44 1489 864330 Email: info@porvairfiltration.com Web: www.porvairfiltration.com

MACHINERY ROUNDUP Heat Resistant Seals Cover Six Years Production in Key Thermoforming Process Dupont Kalrez Spectrum 6375 O-ring seals, which were fitted into thermoforming moulds producing components utilised in industrial process automation, have operated for six years at production steam temperatures up to 165°C without failure. This period of uninterrupted production has been calculated to represent a cost saving of nearly €140K over the manufacturing period 2005-2010.

These cost savings result from reductions in down-time, with increased production reliability of the 14 large thermoforming moulds which represent the manufacturers’ key compression moulding process.

Other contributory factors in the cost savings include the elimination of O-ring replacement costs or the two days of downtime associated with the previous sealing product replacements. Very high maintenance costs were also incurred during the necessary cooling down and reheating periods required for seal replacements, together with additional stress loadings on production and maintenance personnel in the event of unexpected leaks.

Prior to the fitting of the Dupont Kalrez Spectrum 6375 seals, the moulding manufacturer needed to replace the original FKM O-rings roughly every six months. The effect of hot steam on these products generated embrittlement, causing surface cracking, and a reduction in tensile strength leading to significant loss of sealing force and

eventual leakages. Since replacement, the Mean Time Between Repair (MTBR) period has been increased by a factor of five, leading to increased yields, time saving and reduced maintenance. Even after five years operation, the Dupont seals remained leak-free and in good condition, and were only replaced during routine inspection as a precautionary measure.

The official Dupont licensee company, Dichtomatik Ltd, can supply the range of high performance Kalrez Spectrum products as well as full technical advice and support for customers. Kalrez Spectrum 6375 perfluoroelastomer sealing products are designed to provide outstanding performance for operation over the widest range of chemicals and temperatures. This includes acids, bases, amines, steam, ethylene oxide and many other aggressive chemicals, as well as mixed streams. A continuous service temperature of 275°C can be accommodated. The high temperature stability translates to increased chemical resistance over all temperature ranges, especially where high temperature process excursions occur. High resistance to volume swell and compression set are also major benefits of the Kalrez 6375 product range.

Dichtomatik Ltd Tel: +44 1332 524401 Email: kalrez@dichtomatik.co.uk Web: www.dichtomatik-kalrez.co.uk

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MACHINERY ROUNDUP Dynisco Takes Safety to a New Level for European Extruders

Most pressure sensors from US group Dynisco and smart transmitters are now available with an internal relay switch that brings them into compliance with important machine safety standards.

Marketed under the Guardian Series brand name, the new sensors are reported to be a good choice for both extruder manufacturers and processors who need to comply with the European Machinery Directive standard EN ISO 13849-1, or who simply want a higher level of safety in their equipment.

The internal relay switch responds to input from the pressure sensor bridge, detecting an open bridge, a loss of power to the pressure sensor or userselected pressure levels. Upon detecting one of these faults, the relay contacts open, sending a signal to return the extruder to a safe operating condition. Guardian Series sensors serve as a safety backup, bringing the extruder into compliance without the expense and complication of redundant sensors and external relay modules.

Guardian also complies with the U.S. standard NFPA 79, clauses A.9.2, A.9.4.1, and A.9.4.3.2, which address safety-related aspects of control functions.

While some suppliers offer only a limited choice of safety-compliant sensors, usually at a premium price, Dynisco can deliver some two dozen of its sensor families — including mV and mA-HART sensors — in an affordable Guardian configuration.

“A pressure sensor, used in a safety function on an extruder, is one of the machine components that will be expected to comply with the latest European safety directive starting in 2012,” explained Bruce Temple, Dynisco Compliance Officer. “Compliance soon will be required for new extruders put into service in the european community and existing equipment being retrofitted by the manufacturer. In addition, extruder users who have a global presence and a desire to set uniform safety standards worldwide, or any company with a strong culture of safety, will want to protect their equipment and personnel by using Guardian sensors.”

Guardian Series sensors are selfcertified based on the evaluation reports of Exida, a respected third-party consulting, testing and assessment agency with offices around the world.

The new sensors have undergone extensive Failure Mode Effects and Diagnostic Analysis (FMEDA). Each sensor will meet Performance Level ‘c’ as defined in the newest, superseding Machinery Directive. The standard deems this performance level sufficient for extruders.

Is This the Most Advanced Internal Bubble Cooling System?

Addex, a global supplier of blown film equipment and components, has introduced what it claims is one of the industry’s most advanced internal bubble cooling (IBC) systems for blown film extrusion lines. The Digital Internal Bubble Cooling (DIBC) system delivers a fast reaction time in the industry to ensure precise bubble control, helping processors to speed product changeovers and reduce scrap.

“We have elevated the technology to a new level, offering one of the most sophisticated bubble cooling systems on the market,” said Rick von Kraus, President of Addex Inc. “At a time when

resin prices are high and scrap reduction is a major concern, the DIBC represents a major advancement that helps processors realise major raw material savings.”

The five-sensor system features a highspeed, servo-controlled air regulation valve that performs rapid corrections in bubble size (up to 20 adjustments per second). Processors have reportedly switched from a 40 inch layflat to a 60 inch layflat in seconds instead of the minutes it took with the previous system.

Von Kraus said the DIBC system went through several iterations in terms of software development and creation of

Dynisco Tel + 1 508 541 9541 Email: mike.davis@dynisco.com Web: www.dynisco.com EPPM 9

the unique air regulation valve.

A second set of two ultrasonic sensors are aimed at the bubble above the frost line where bubble size is stable to calibrate the lower sensors to ensure the size is kept constant. The DIBC system includes a fifth ultrasonic sensor that is aimed at a fixed target in order to calibrate the other four sensors whose readings can be altered due to changes in air temperature.

Addex Tel: +1 781 344 5800 Email: addex@addexinc.com Web: www.addexinc.com

SHOWCASE TESTING & INSPECTION Case Study: Thermo Fisher Scientific Wins Over Vinyl Compounds Ltd The Company Vinyl Compounds Ltd is one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) polymer compounds. With 35 years in the PVC compound industry, the company is at the forefront of PVC technology and has developed literally thousands of grades of compound and dry blends to meet a wide variety of customer applications. Through its continual investment programme the company has established a modern manufacturing facility capable of producing in excess of 60,000 tonnes of PVC compound and dry blend per year.

The Challenge Rigid PVC is used in the construction industry for windows, piping, signs, roofing sheet material and other products. More flexible versions serve as an alternative to rubber and are widely used in the manufacturing of clothing, footwear/boot grades, upholstery, electrical cable compounds and many other everyday products. Vinyl Compounds Ltd formulations range from industry-standard mixes to highly

technical and customer-specific formulations such as high-performance weatherability, exact colour matching, softness, fire retardant or oil resistance.

To mimic the production process at its customers’ facilities, Vinyl Compounds had, for years, used a simple, single screw extruder. This device was used to melt PVC compound and extrude it through a die, and it did not contain a torque measuring system. This approach turned out to be insufficient, as modern PVC formulations are very sensitive to process conditions. Uncontrolled process conditions can ultimately compromise quality, consistency and repeatability of the end product at the customer’s site. In order to ensure the highest possible quality for its customers and to be able to process an everexpanding range of rigid and soft PVC materials, Vinyl Compounds needed to find a modern and versatile extrusion testing solution.

The managers at Vinyl Compounds Ltd knew that the outdated single screw extruder could no longer provide all the necessary information. If the company couldn’t deliver material that matched its customers’ exact specifications it would interrupt production processes and produce inferior end products. By

adopting the latest technology, Vinyl Compounds knew it would be able to ensure customer confidence in its PVC compounds and so turned to Thermo Fisher Scientific, and the equipment sold under the Thermo Scientific brand, to solve this challenge.

The Solution Vinyl Compounds Ltd replaced the old single screw extruder with the Thermo Scientific HAAKE Polylab QC torque rheometer system with a 19 mm 25:1 L/D single screw extruder. The new equipment solved two problems that the outdated single screw extruder could not address: testing for consistency and developing new compounds.

The HAAKE Polylab QC can relay information such as temperature, torque, viscosity, pressure and texture of the flexible material as it is produced. Using this data, Vinyl Compounds can identify, analyse and, if needed, change variables in the mixing process to eliminate inconsistency.

The HAAKE Polylab QC also assists with developing new formulations, starting with testing small-scale batches and moving up to full production batches, something the old single screw extruder couldn’t do.

The HAAKE PolyLab QC has also helped streamline the PVC compound manufacturing process from beginning to end. By providing customers with batches that meet their exact specifications, the production processes never have to be interrupted or slowed down and customers can consistently produce high-quality products.

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Why Thermo Fisher Scientific?

Vinyl Compounds Ltd ultimately selected Thermo Scientific instruments over competitive products because they had seen the quality of the equipment, the depth and quality of the training and the superior customer support firsthand.

Thermo Fisher Scientific provided initial product training to Vinyl Compounds personnel, allowing the company to start using the machines on its own. Thermo Fisher application specialists then returned to provide more in-depth training, allowing the Technicians and Managers to ask questions about the equipment in order to maximise its features and capabilities. The teams at Thermo Fisher Scientific say they are committed to supporting all product maintenance, including updates in software, to ensure machines stay current — another reason Vinyl Compounds selected its solution over competitive offerings.

The Results Using the Thermo Scientific HAAKE PolyLab QC torque rheometer system, Vinyl Compounds Ltd can produce a range of high-quality rigid and flexible PVC compounds that are consistent across the board. In short, Thermo Fisher helps ensure that each batch of PVC is made right the first time, every time, preserving Vinyl Compounds Ltd own brand integrity and, most importantly, enabling its customers to maintain consistently high-quality standards of their own.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Tel: +49 721 4094 Email: petra.roth@thermofisher.com Web: wwwthermoscientific.com/mc

E Extended Travel Materials Testing Machine Announced By Lloyd Instruments The new LS2.5 materials testing machine completes the family of single column instruments from Lloyd Instruments which also includes the LS1 and recently launched LS5 materials testing machines. The LS2.5 features 1400 mm crosshead travel and high speed range of 0.01 - 2032 mm/min, making it ideally suited for testing plastic, rubber and other high elongation materials.

From stand-alone operation via the convenient, integral control console to PC-control using Lloyd Instruments’ well-respected NEXYGENPlus materials testing software, the LS2.5 is an affordable, easy to use system.

With a force capacity of 2500 N and using high accuracy interchangeable YLC Series loadcells for tension, compression and cycling through zero force measurements, the LS2.5 load measuring system exceeds the requirements of all recognised international standards. Modern linear guide technology, pre-loaded ball screws and advanced software compensation means that there is no compromise on mechanical stiffness over the extended crosshead travel range.

A small tabletop footprint and large work area combine with a wide range of standard grips and fixtures, extensometers and software to establish the LS2.5 as a versatile materials testing system capable of making tensile, compression, flexural, friction, insertion/extraction, peeling, tearing and creep/relaxation tests on a vast range of material types and components.

An integral console with a membrane multifunction keypad and easy to read backlit LCD provides stand-alone control and display. The control console displays prompts and menus as well as load and extension information, to guide the user through machine operations. The system is capable of storing up to 600 test results from a choice of 10 programmable test set-ups.

Direct linking to a laptop or PC via a USB interface allows control of the LS2.5 by the powerful and flexible NEXYGENPlus material test and data analysis software. The NEXYGENPlus User Configurable Test functionality complements a comprehensive built in test standards library and test information can easily be exported to Microsoft products such as Word, Excel and Outlook.

AMETEK Denmark A/S Tel: +45 4816 8000, Email thomas.hansen@ametek.com Web: www.lloyd-instruments.com

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MACHINERY SPOTLIGHT eppm

INJECTION MOULDING

NEW INSTALLATION: MOLDWEL ON EXPANSION TRACK WITH WITTMANN BATTENFELD

UK-based injection moulding company, Moldwel Products Ltd, has recently taken delivery of a new Wittman Battenfeld HM150/750 B6s moulding machine. This follows on from strong trading figures for the second half of 2011.

The company, founded in 1973, has endured a difficult last few years.

MD Andrew Penn said: “We lost our main customer in 2009 when production was unexpectedly moved to

Poland at very short notice. This obviously had a massive impact on our investment and expansion plans and the new machinery we had scheduled to bring in had to be put on hold.

However, we experienced very strong growth in the second half of 2011 and took on a number of new customers which impacted on our production capacity and lead times.

In order for us to remain flexible and responsive to our customer needs we decided that investing in a new machine was our only real option.”

Penn continued: “Once we had made this decision, the choice of Wittman Battenfeld was the obvious one to make. We have been a Daniel Williams (left), Wittmann Battenfeld UK and Andy Penn, MD, Moldwel, Battenfeld customer for over 25 shake hands on the latter's latest new Battenfeld acquisition, pictured in the years and have always felt confident background in the level of service and expertise they offer. We were fortunate to be said: “We are delighted to be tasked with keeping invited to the Battenfeld Competence and Open pace with Moldwel; a much valued customer and House Event in Kottingbrunn, Austria in 2010 and we partner over the years. It's great to be able to share were really impressed with the developments and such positive news from the marketplace and we technological advancements the company had made. intend to do more of the same in the coming Despite the continuing doom and gloom messages months.” we see in the mainstream media about the economy, we’ve had a strong start to 2012 and are hopeful that Wittmann Battenfeld UK 2012 will see us continue to expand. We are in talks with Wittmann Battenfeld about another new machine, Tel: +44 1933 27 57 77 Email: info@wittmann.co.uk probably a 350 tonne, later in the year.”

Web: www.wittmann-group.co.uk Daniel Williams, Wittmann Battenfeld Sales Engineer,

Working with its system partner Bauer Kompressoren, Engel Austria has produced a new module to simplify the application of gas injection technology. From now on, leakage monitoring is available as standard.

Gas injection technology (GIT) frequently offers benefits when producing moulded parts with hollow channels by means of injection moulding, including a high level of design flexibility, outstanding component stability and finish quality, low material consumption and short cycle times. A high level of design flexibility, outstanding component stability and finish quality, low material consumption and short cycle times. With key patent protection rights having recently expired, this procedure is gaining fresh impetus. In partnership with Bauer Kompressoren, Engel is now offering

ENGEL MONITORS GAS INJECTION MOULDING

complete turnkey solutions for gas injection technology under the name Engel gasmelt — solutions that will be developed further.

Thanks to a leakage monitoring function that now comes as standard, the injection moulding machine alerts the system operator as soon as predefined limit values are exceeded. The GIT module is fully integrated in the CC 200 control unit of the Engel injection moulding machine, so the operator is able to monitor the entire process (including the gas supply) via the display on the machine control unit.

Based in Munich, Bauer Kompressoren has been an exclusive partner to Engel Austria in the field of gas injection technology for many years. The solutions developed as a result of this partnership guarantee energy efficient operation and maximum availability.

Engel Tel: +43 50 620 0 Email: sales@engel.at Web: www.engel.at EPPM 12

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ARBURG Ltd. Tachbrook Park Drive Warwick CV34 6RH Tel.: +44 (0) 1926 457 000 Fax: +44 (0) 1926 457 020 e-mail: uk@arburg.com

www.arburg.co.uk

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PACKAGING & CONVERTING

ATLAS TO Atlas Converting PRESENT Equipment of NEW CW the UK will present its SERIES new CW TECHNOLOGY Series AT technology platform for PACKAGING primary and FAIR secondary slitter rewinders for film and flexible materials at the Drupa 2012 packaging show in Düsseldorf, Germany from 3–16 May. The new CW technology platform has been designed to be a more compact range of film slitting solutions from Atlas in web widths from 2.5 to 10.4 metres and reportedly delivers higher efficiency, increased productivity and reliability, higher quality rewind reels, reduced noise levels and more effective, operator-friendly control systems.

This latest Atlas technology also features wireless rewind arm positioning, automatic knife positioning, direct drive web path rollers and running speeds of up to 1,500 m/minute with more precise web tension control. Electrical cabinets are now fully integrated in the machine to reduce the space required for

installation with ‘under floor’ service trenches also no longer required.

Following the company’s continued expansion, a new service platform for both the Atlas and Titan ranges of slitter rewinders is now in place, providing expanded global customer service and support operations, with engineers not only based in the UK, but also in India, China and North America.

Atlas can also provide fully automated and integrated roll handling systems to meet specific production requirements.

Atlas Converting Equipment Ltd Tel: +44 1234 852553 Email: sales.atlas@atlasconverting.com Web: www.atlasconverting.com

EPPM 14

Industry News

Molecor Opens New Plant for Technological Innovation and Development Spanish pipe technology specialist, Molecor, has announced the opening of a new plant for technological innovation and development. The opening of these new facilities comes as a consequence of Molecor’s continuous growth in the past few years, and will increase the production capacity both in technology and PVC-O pipe production.

The new plant, at 2000m2 is located in Fuenlabrada, on the outskirts of Madrid

and is equipped with the infrastructure required for manipulating heavy materials along with a system of tests and quality controls for the PVC-O tubes.

More than 20 professionals work on this new plant. Among them are technicians and engineers devoted to the R&D of new lines of products, such as innovative solutions for water transportation, or the improvement of the actual range of products, new technological prototypes,

and an inrease in the efficiency and productivity of the whole process. The focus of this new plant in Fuenlabrada will be on the improvement of the technology for manufacturing pipes of ever bigger diameters and ever higher pressures, with more efficient solutions every day.

This R&D plant in Fuenlabrada joins itself to the one in Mejorada del Campo (also on the outskirts of Madrid) where the

New Sales and Marketing Director at Unicor Since January 2012 the international sales and marketing operations of Unicor of Hassfurt, Germany, has been headed by a new Manager. Fabian Spitzner now holds the title of Marketing Director at Unicor, succeeding Volker Sprenger.

Unicor’s new Marketing Director Fabian Spitzner by a UC 1200 corrugator.

Until 2010 he was in the marketing team at Fränkische in the machinery division.

When the corrugator operations of Fränkische were taken over by Unicor he moved to Hassfurt where he became a Regional Sales Manager.

Since January 2012 he has heading the global marketing of corrugators of Unicor. He is particularly experienced in the marketing of FDC corrugators which Unicor produces and sells.

Unicor Tel. +49 9521 956 116 Email: fspitzner@unicor.com Web: www.unicor.com

Husky Announces Sale of Injectoplast to Alpla Husky Injection Moulding Systems recently announced that it has signed an agreement to sell Injectoplast, the former closure injection moulding operation of KTW, to Alpla Holding GmbH. Injectoplast was a division of KTW, a closure mould maker that Husky acquired in early 2011. At the time of the KTW acquisition Husky announced that it would be divesting Injectoplast due to potential conflicts with its existing injection moulding customers. After completing a thorough process, a deal has been signed with Alpla Holding GmbH. Husky Tel: +1 905 951 5050 Email: sales@husky.ca Web: www.husky.ca EPPM 15

highest range of diameters and pressures in PVC-O pipes is produced, reaching the biggest so far in the world: DN630mm which has enabled Molecor to conquer markets so far closed for plastic pipes.

Molecor Tel: +34 902 566 577 Email: info@molecor.com Web: www.molecor.com

Industry News

LPKF Laser Plastic Welding Division Teams up with Regensburg University 32 students from the Mechanical Engineering Faculty of Regensburg University were given an opportunity for some hands-on work in a recent “Design Application” lecture, to see if their designs could satisfy the high demands of the real engineering world.

The students were given the task of designing innovative clamping devices for laser plastic welding applications.

This joining technology exerts very low mechanical stress on the components, but does require a moderate amount of joining pressure which should ideally be applied orthogonal to the welding seam to guarantee the creation of a reliable join between the two welding partners. The design of the clamping tools also has to ensure that nothing stands in the way of the laser beam and the welding seam.

The groups of students, supervised by their lecturers Professor Dr. Stefan Hierl and Professor Dr. Thomas Schaeffer, first toured the LPKF production facilities in Erlangen, where they also clarified any technical questions about the task in hand.

At the end of the project, Frank Brunnecker, Vice President LPKF Laser Welding Division, reported that there was unanimous agreement about the

win-win outcome for all sides. All of the results used innovative methods and ultra-modern design and engineering techniques to solve the complex task.

In addition to reinterpreting conventional clamping concepts, a number of solutions stand out by way of their creative approaches — some of which will be developed further. All of the participants agreed that this was a very valuable form of cooperation which was well worth repeating in future.

The awards ceremony was conducted by LPKF Innovation Manager Manuel Sieben, who said in praise of the work that was presented: “The high technical standards of the designs completely satisfied our ambitions, and amply demonstrate the high quality of the teaching.”

This was also reflected in the awards won by the groups of students: in addition to the first and second prizes, there were also two third place prizes — and a big get together to exchange ideas and experience with the University President Professor Dr. Josef Eckstein, Vice Dean Professor Dr.

Awards ceremony: science meets industry — with encouraging results.

Werner Britten, lecturers, LPKF engineers, and the up-and-coming mechanical engineering students.

EPPM 16

LPKF Tel: +49 9131 61657 7417 Email: marika.nitscher@lpkf.com Web: www.lpkf.com

New Installations

Davis-Standard Chosen for Delivery of World’s Largest Seven-Layer Blown Film System Raven Industries, a major US supplier of engineered films recently announced the commissioning of the world’s largest seven-layer blown film system. The new system is reportedly capable of processing the widest and thickest (EVOH, Nylon) seven-layer blown film barrier structures available in the industry today. This includes films up to 9.7 m in circumference and sheeting up to 2 mm thick with optional surface texturing. The installation positions Raven to further expand its multi-layer manufacturing capabilities for barrier membrane, vapour/gas barrier, barrier agricultural films and large covering markets where barrier properties and wider widths offer extra value and added features.

“Our investment in this cutting-edge technology aligns with our commitment in product research and development. It inspires barrier membrane advancements by providing exceptional performance and value to the industries we serve,” said Jim Groninger, Vice President and General Manager for the Raven Engineered Films Division. “This is the fourth time we have collaborated with DavisStandard to create innovative

film technology for our processes. We continue to be pleased with their expertise, technical guidance, professionalism and ability to deliver.”

Davis-Standard’s technology incorporates a 1,500 mm seven-layer Centrex die, which is the largest sevenlayer die in the industry. The Centrex design features an insulated IBC (internal bubble cooling) system with unique internal and external heating arrangement to help reduce melt fracture and increase rates. The die also enables production of high quality structures using a variety of polymers and blends, essential to Raven’s operation. Seven MAC extruders feed the die to enable processing of a variety of materials. In addition, the line is equipped with nitrogen injection skin extruders to facilitate the creation of textured surfaces.

The new addition to Raven’s Engineered Films Division, supports applications in energy, industrial, environmental, construction and agricultural markets.

Raven’s unique seven-layer blown sheet capabilities enable lamination of reinforced materials and large factory welded panels up to 8,361 m. Other innovations include scrim-reinforced textured plastic sheeting for applications in mining, agricultural ponds and geomembrane markets. Raven’s high performance Absolute Barrier and VaporBlock Plus are multi-layer products that provide protection from radon, methane and other dangerous VOCs in underslab moisture and gas barrier applications, as well as supporting green initiatives through new construction over revitalised Brownfield sites.

Davis-Standard Tel: +44 1384 471930 Email: info@davis-standard.com Web: www.davis-standard.com

Large CNC Machining Centre Installed for PS and Foam Products Manufacture PACS is a company specialised in the design and manufacture of polystyrene and foam products, based in the UK. With experience gained on a small, 12-year old CNC machine, PACS Managing Director, Malcolm Robotham, wanted to invest in a much larger CNC machining centre and approached SCM's local distributor, Blyth Machinery, based near Leicester.

Blyth's Mark Noon discussed PACS’ exact requirements and soon afterwards demonstrations were organised, quickly followed by an order being placed.

The SCM Pratix Z2-A CNC machining centre was supplied with a 2750 mm x 1300 mm table size to accept 8 ft x 4 ft sheets of various materials, and can easily be loaded and unloaded with tandem machining as and when required. A generous 'Z'-axis of 180 mm allows tall components to be accepted and machined.

A powerful 7.5 KW Electrospindle running up to 24,000

RPM is fed with tools from a 10-station rack-type tool changer, with an F12 Drilling Unit with independent vertical and horizontal spindles located adjacent to the routing head.

SCM’s multi-functional work table enables the location of jigs or vacuum modules for machining components or, using an MDF base board, the nesting of component parts from a full-size sheet of any material.

Malcolm Robotham said of the installation: “We are very pleased with the SCM Pratix Z2. Having to install a machine in a limited floor space area, we did not want mats or light beams, so with the provision of bumpers on the sides of the moving beam, we saved valuable space and therefore loading and unloading is very easy without worrying about stopping the machine accidentally, and the feed speed is perfect for our applications. We also like the remote control unit for monitoring machining and altering the spindle and feed speeds if necessary during machining. We have been very pleased with both SCM and Blyth during the installation and commissioning of the Pratix machine. We use standard TCT tooling, the quality of the finish obtained is excellent and we are hoping to increase the level of business obtained as we can offer new and existing customers a fast and efficient service, whether machining a one-off or much larger quantities.”

Blyth Machinery Tel: +44 116 286 1617 Email: sales@blythmachinery.co.uk Web: www.blythmachinery.co.uk SCM Group (UK) Ltd Tel: +44 115 9770044 Email: scmgroupuk@scmgroup.com Web: www.scmgroup-uk.com EPPM 17

MATERIALS

Breakthrough in High Temperature Purging Through Hot Runners with Dyna-Purge E2 On the heels of launching a new purge for high clarity resins, CJP Sales of the UK has now introduced a new grade of Dyna-Purge for purging high temperature resins. The New DynaPurge E2 is the most advanced and effective purging compound for purging at high temperatures. This new and unique integrated polymer system was specifically developed to safely and effectively purge all areas of the machine, including the hot runner system, at the highest temperatures.

New Dyna-Purge E2 is effective through temperatures of 302°C to 379°C. As with all other grades of Dyna-Purge, new Dyna-Purge E2 is mechanical and non-abrasive. In November 2011, Shuman Plastics, the manufacturer of Dyna-Purge, commissioned an extensive independent study at the University of Akron. This study was to compare commercial high temperature purging products. The study compared New Dyna-Purge E2 with a mechanical purge

and a chemical purge at 343°C. New Dyna-Purge E2 was the only purge that passed every test, while the others all failed.

New Dyna-Purge E2 is ideal for purging high temperature engineering resins such as PEEK, PEI, PPS, PPA, and PSU. With the ability to purge through the hot runner system, it is ideal for quick colour

changes as well as preventative maintenance.

CJP Sales has added this new grade to its leading purging programme. This programme includes assisted trials to help solve purging issues as well as providing a comprehensive purging procedure for the user to follow. CJP Sales Ltd also provides samples for

New ‘Wet-Grip’ TPEs Impart Non-Slip Surfaces to Wet Soft-Touch Products A new series of “wet-grip” thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compounds for injection moulding promises to add to the enormous popularity of soft-touch features in consumer products by retaining a non-slip surface and secure grip even when wet, it was announced recently by Teknor Apex Company, which introduced the TPEs at NPE2012.

Monprene Wet Grip Series styrenic block copolymer compounds minimise or eliminate a problem encountered with many standard TPEs in soft-touch applications like grips, handles, knobs, and cushions. These products often become slippery and hard to handle when wet from rain, humidity, sweat, dishwater, or other commonly encountered substances. Unlike the standard TPEs, the new Monprene products retain their rubber-like traction when wet, while providing the same elasticity and other key mechanical properties. They are available in hardnesses from 10 to 45 Shore A and can be applied onto a variety of substrates by means of two-shot, coinjection, or insert moulding.

“Teknor Apex has spent more than a year perfecting Monprene Wet Grip Series TPEs so that manufacturers of housewares, appliances, personal care items, tools, and sporting goods are able to make their products easier and safer to handle,” said Brian Mulvany,

Senior Consumer Market Manager. “The proprietary wet-grip chemistry that we have developed addresses everyday situations in the real world, where workers must handle tools, cooks use utensils, and golfers grip clubs regardless of surface conditions.”

In tests measuring the coefficient of friction of a standard styrenic TPE with a Monprene wet-grip grade, the new compound exhibited a coefficient that was 25 per cent greater when surfaces were wet with plain water and 175 per cent greater in the case of soapy water (see bar graph).

Soft-touch components that are potential applications for the new Monprene compounds include those in shaving razors, toothbrushes, writing instruments, paint brushes, hair brushes, hair dryers, hand tools, kitchen appliances, cooking utensils, vacuum cleaners, mops, rakes, shovels, scissors, and sporting equipment.

Teknor Apex Tel: 44-121-665-2100 Email: eutpe@teknorapex.com Web: www.teknorapex.com

EPPM 18

users to evaluate and see it in action before purchasing.

Dyna-Purge is a registered trademark of Shuman Plastics, Inc. CJP Sales Tel: +44 1656 644907 Email: sales@cjpsales.co.uk Web: www.cjpsales.co.uk

Polyamide Ideal for Carbon Fibre Sizing Where Thermal Stability is Required Hydrosize PA845 from surfacespecialist Michelman is a polyamide based fibre sizing formulated for high temperature resin applications where a greater degree of thermal stability is required. It is particularly effective in high performance carbon fibre sizing applications.

Formulated with a small particle size, Hydrosize PA845 is reported to display excellent film forming properties. It is solvent, VOC and alkylphenol ethoxylate (APE) free, and is also fully compliant with the EC Directives on plastics for food applications. This allows its use in far reaching carbon fibre-based applications.

With this combination of properties, Hydrosize PA845 is being targeted at applications where continuous use temperatures are high. Suggested applications for carbon fibre treated with Hydrosize PA845 fibre sizing include military, transportation, aerospace and automotive components.

Michelman Tel: +352 26 39 44 36 Email: valeriemarx@michelman.com Web: www.michelman.com

MATERIALS ROUNDUP Anti-Static Additive Developed for Medical Devices Additives specialist Clariant has recently announced additions to its line of additives for use in medical products. Clariant’s launch of a permanent antistatic performance additive extends its recentlyintroduced additive range featuring ISO10993/USP23 part 87, 88 Class VI biologically evaluated raw materials. The range provides stepchange functionality in antimicrobial additives and surface lubrication, which may make extra surface coatings unnecessary.

Permanent and immediate lowering of friction between parts reduces force to rotate, slide and actuate, and may help to improve the functionality of metered dose devices, such as insulin pens. Further benefits include reduction of insertion resistance for catheters or elimination of oils in syringe components. The additive offers an effective

alternative to fluorine chemistries. The lower melt viscosity of the additive masterbatch improves mould release and helps avoid mould deposits in the final product.

Additives focused on improving processing and costs are also included within the range, such as nucleants and process aids for faster cycle times and thinner walled products, laser marking for inkfree identification without solvent residues, and stabilisers to protect plastic materials from yellowing and loss of physical properties during gamma sterilisation.

Clariant Tel: +41 61 469 67 42 Email: stefanie.nehlsen@clariant.com Web: www.clariant.com

Injection Moulded Specialty Nylon Offers Safety For Wheelchair Users

Transfer Solutions LLC, a US manufacturer for the healthcare industry, has developed what it claims is 'the first latching device that maintains balance and stability and helps prevent falls for wheelchair users'. With its patent pending locking device made of Ixef 1022 polyarylamide (PARA) from Solvay Specialty Polymers, the Translock safely secures the wheelchair to a fixed object like a bed, toilet, or shower during transfer.

For many wheelchair users, moving from a wheelchair to a bed can pose an injury risk and can bring liability to caregivers in managed healthcare settings. It is projected that by 2020, $54 billion in direct and indirect expenses will be incurred globally for fall-related injuries, according to industry reports.

“Until now, no product has specifically addressed the danger of falls related to wheelchair tips during transfers,” said Paul Johnson, Managing Partner with Transfer Solutions. The Translock features an engineered “lock and dock” design with a pivotal arm clamp which is engaged through the use of a lever button.

Nearly 80 per cent of the components for the Translock latching device and the accompanying wheelchair, toilet, bed, and wall attachments are injection moulded of Ixef PARA. The highperformance thermoplastic specialty nylon offers strength and rigidity and can be moulded.

Ixef 1022 is a 50 per cent glass-filled PARA-based compound that features high stiffness and a smooth finish, designed to remove any dangerous sharp points or edges. The tensile and flexural strength of Ixef compounds are comparable to many cast metals and alloys at ambient temperature.

Solvay Tel: +1 770 772 8200 Email: specialtypolymers.emea@solvay.com Web: www.solvayplastics.com EPPM 19

MATERIALS ROUNDUP New Purgex 602 Plus Commercial Purging Compound for Clear PC and PS Purgex 602 Plus, a new Commercial Purging Compound (CPC) developed specifically for rapid changeovers from coloured to clear or clear to coloured polycarbonate and polystyrene is now available from Neutrex, Inc., Houston, Texas, USA, manufacturer of Purgex. Introduced by the company at NPE 2012, the new CPC will process PC and PS and their copolymers at temperatures ranging from 182°C to 288°C while removing any residual contamination in injection moulding machines and providing efficient cleaning of hot runner systems.

According to the company, the new Purgex 602 Plus is a ready-to-use blend consisting of non-toxic, nonabrasive active ingredients with a polystyrene carrier.

It provides dual-cleaning action, with mechanical cleaning properties plus a unique expanding/foaming turbulence to clean plastics

processing machinery thoroughly and safely. All active ingredients consist of USA Food & Drug Administration (FDA)-approved materials used in food and pharmaceutical applications. New Purgex 602 Plus can be processed safely through hot runner gates as small as 0.75 mm and is easy to remove from the machine upon completion of the purge.

Purgex 602 Plus is the latest addition to the Purgex line of CPCs for cleaning thermoplastic injection moulding, extrusion, and blow moulding processing machinery.

Neutrex Tel: +1 281-807-9449 Email: jason@neutrex.com Web: www.neutrex.com

New Purgex 602 Plus enables rapid changeovers from coloured to clear or clear to coloured polycarbonate and polystyrene when purging injection moulding equipment.

Evonik Launches All New ‘Care’ Line of High Performance Medical Plastics

The new Care Product Line from chemicals group Evonik Industries includes a wide range of high performance polymers utilised in a variety of medical applications. The biocompatibility of the Vestamid Care and Trogamid Care product lines has been proven in comprehensive tests by independent testing institutes, and the materials meet USP Class VI requirements.

The Care line includes a range of customised product solutions depending on the technical requirements for the medical device, whether flexible or rigid, transparent or translucent. For example, Care products are used in a variety of medical applications, such as in catheters for vascular treatment, in surgical instruments, or as selector valves for infusion equipment.

“When designing our Care products, we work closely with our customers to offer custom solutions as well as to pick up on and play out trends in the medical industry as they occur,” said Christiane Röhnke, Medical Devices Business Manager.

Evonik Tel: +49 2365 49 9227 Email: thomas.lange2@evonik.com Web: www.evonik.com

EPPM 20

HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS

SHOWCASE

Pantone Extends Plastic Standard Chips with New On-Trend Collection Pantone LLC, an X-Rite company and the global authority on colour and provider of professional colour standards for the design industries, recently announced a new plastic standard chips collection: Pantone Plastic Standard Chips Colour Collection Volume 1.

Developed using on-trend colours for product design and manufacturing, the Pantone Plastic Standard Chips Colour Collection Volume 1 contains 154 of Pantone’s most sought-after colours. These include important selections from all major colour families, keytrending neutrals, lustrous metallic and vibrant neons selected from the Pantone Plus Series and the Pantone Fashion + Home Colour Systems.

“Colour consistency is essential to the product development process,” said Giovanni Marra, Director of Corporate Marketing at Pantone. “The new Pantone Plastic Standard Chips Collections are matched to internationally recognised Pantone Colour Libraries, making the coordination across all materials simple and reliable. For example, Pantone 17-1463 Tangerine Tango is the same for textiles or plastics.”

The Pantone Plastic Standard Chips Colour Collection Volume 1 features 154 of the most desirable product design colours that are popular in various markets including toys, consumer electronics, home furnishings, appliances and accessories.

Perfect for inspiration and quick production, this cost-effective set will save users more than 60 per cent compared to the cost of individually purchased chips, according to the company.

Attractively housed in a Pantone Universe storage tin, the largeformat polypropylene chips enable precise colour communication and colour control in plastics throughout the development process.

With the ability to match all 3,400 standard Pantone Colours in the Pantone Plus Series and Pantone Fashion + Home Colour System Libraries, as well as custom colours, Pantone Plastic Standard Chips provide designers across industries — from industrial and product design to fashion accessories and toys — with an internationally recognised colour language for plastics. Pantone Plastic Standard Chips are sold individually, and now as collections, making it possible for designers to send complete colour specifications, along with their designs, to clients and manufacturers – increasing efficiencies, reducing costs and accelerating speed to market.

Created using polypropylene, a

plastic that closely aligns with materials commonly used in production, Pantone Plastic Standard Chips include both gloss and matte finishes in a large 3” x 1 7/8” format. These larger chips are tiered, ranging in thickness from 1mm to 2mm, making it easier to visualise, measure and match Pantone Colours in plastic. A small hole in the upper left corner of the chip lets designers

conveniently group palettes on rings.

Individual chips include Pantone Colour names and/or numbers along with the corresponding pigment formulations and spectral data information.

Pantone Tel: +00 800 1001 1010 Email: infoeuro@pantone.com Web: www.pantone.com

EPPM 21

Industry News

Ceresana Research Reports Optimistic Start for 2012 Plastics Industry

Plastics Converters Under Raw Materials Cost Pressure Says EuPC

The study suggests a positive 2012 outlook for plastics.

The chemical and plastic industries continue to be optimistic, according to research group Ceresana. 43 per cent of the participants in the Ceresana Industry Monitor (CIM) expect their business situation to improve within the next six to 12 months. On all continents, there are more respondents that expect their business situation to improve than to worsen.

Expectations are above the average, especially in North America and AsiaPacific.

Many companies responded that they did not plan on changing their number of employees at home and abroad.

However, about 29 per cent expect their number of employees to increase at home. 16 per cent anticipate a decline in the number of staff abroad.

This results from the increasing production volumes seen during past months. Most companies are satisfied with their capacity utilisation. More than one company in four has a utilisation of 70 per cent to 80 per cent at home.

The survey results also revealed that 46 per cent of the companies consider the amount of taxes and fees in their country as too high. In Eastern Europe, 61 per cent of the respondents evaluate the level of taxes and fees as poor, followed by North America (52 per cent), Asia-Pacific (45 per cent), and Western Europe (40 per cent).

The volatility of exchange rates and regulation/stabilisation of financial markets have been rated similarly. 17 per cent of the respondents evaluate the access to financing and lending policies of banks in their home country as good.

More than half of the surveyed companies assess the stability and level of raw material, transportation, and energy prices in their country as poor, while only about one company in ten evaluates these aspects as good (see upper adjacent article). An interesting finding was that over 70 per cent of the respondents from Eastern Europe and North America each evaluate the stability and level of raw material, transportation, and energy prices in their respective country as good.

A different picture emerges when looking at the supply and availability of

raw materials and energy. About 29 per cent assess supply and availability in their country as good. About half of respondents evaluate them as satisfying.

45 per cent of the respondents evaluate their liquidity position as good. Especially in Western Europe, more than one company in two is satisfied with its liquidity position.

More than 47 per cent of the survey participants from Western Europe and 47 per cent from North America evaluate their financing possibilities as good. Companies rate their profitability as well as efficient use of resources and energy management less positively.

More than one company in two believes it has a good customer relationship management. 61 per cent of the respondents from Western Europe evaluate their customer relationship management as good, followed by North America (52 per cent). Furthermore, more than one third is satisfied with the share of new products in their portfolio. Most companies see need for action in expanding their range of bio-based and biodegradable products.

The industry is mostly optimistic about the second quarter 2012. The current situation of the companies is at 13.9 points. The expectations, at 15.2 points, are even slightly better. These two figures result in the business climate, which achieves 14.5 points.

This is even above the positive value seen in the previous winter survey.

The CIM analyses the business climate of the global chemical and plastic industries. Individuals selected from a pool of more than 110,000 companies are asked to participate in the surveys every three months. The survey was answered by decision-makers from 52 countries.

In order to provide a representative overall picture, companies of all sizes were asked about their current business situation, expectations, and evaluations.

Ceresana Tel: +49 7531 94293 12 Email: s.schulze@ceresana.com Web: www.ceresana.com/en/cim

Plastics converting companies have come under renewed pressure through increasing raw materials prices, according to EuPC, the industry’s Brussels-based body. “There has been a sharp upswing in prices across the board for most polymers, commodity and engineering, and this is both seriously compromising processors with their customers as well as threatening profitability”, said Managing Director, Alexandre Dangis.

EuPC’s member national associations are reporting increases of up to 20 per cent since December and Dangis is particularly concerned by the increasing incidence of firms who are reporting difficulties. As much as 70 per cent of their selling price is accounted for by raw material costs and their international competitiveness is extremely vulnerable when, as at the moment, we don't appear to have a level playing field with Asian converters.

Dangis cites oil as the key factor. “Whilst we are some way off the peak prices of early 2008 when oil reached $150 dollars a barrel, over most of last year they rose again, hovering above and below $100 dollars per barrel and now we are about $125 dollars (Brent Crude at mid-day on 13th March)”.

Much of this is driven by political uncertainty he says. “Iran's diplomatic dispute with the west over its nuclear programme, international sanctions against Syria reducing output and lower

production in South Sudan and Yemen, are all having their impact”.

“On top of this”, added Dangis, “we have also had the additional factor of refinery and steam cracker failures which have significantly affected the availability of naphtha and its derivatives especially ethylene and propylene and the recent bad weather has caused some plants to freeze over. We have also seen several force majeure declarations in Europe and a danger for us is that the investments required to keep these older plants running in order to supply plastics converters in Europe could be questioned. We need to ensure also the flow of raw material supplies from outside the EU (free of import duties) if we want to develop further our promising plastics markets with innovative products. It is crucial for plastics processors to pass on these sudden increases in order to recover their costs; otherwise the viability of a large swathe of firms will be in doubt. All partners in the supply chain down to the consumer will have to absorb their fair share of these increases if they want to benefit from the advantages which plastics bring, particularly in helping to reduce energy usage, transport costs and household fuel bills.”

EuPC Tel: +32 2732 4124 Email: info@eupc.org Web: www.plasticsconverters.eu

MuCell Extrusion Obtains License for Dow Chemical’s Flat Sheet Extruded Resin Patent Portfolio

EDV Packaging Solutions of Spain will utilise MuCell Extrusion’s expanded technology offering to produce foamed polypropylene barrier sheets for food packaging applications throughout Europe.

Officials from MuCell Extrusion LLC and Dow Chemical Co. recently concluded an agreement for MuCell Extrusion LLC to acquire Dow Chemical’s patent portfolio for flat sheet extrusion of polyolefin resins, and gives MuCell Extrusion and its customers exclusive rights to the Dow patents related to flat sheet technology for a wide variety of applications. In a related announcement, MuCell Extrusion signed a license agreement with EDV Packaging Solutions, S.A., of Barcelona, Spain, who will utilise MuCell Extrusion’s expanded technology offering to produce foamed polypropylene barrier sheets for food packaging applications throughout Europe.

“We provide expertise in process development and co-development programmes, and Dow offers formulation expertise in resins. We believe this combination will bring significant benefits to our customers,” said Mark Lindenfelzer, President of MuCell Extrusion LLC. “All of the relevant intellectual property has now been

EPPM 22

bundled into one source, which should bring some much needed clarity to the marketplace. The combination of our own patents and intellectual property and Dow’s patents now allow customers the opportunity to apply the most advanced foaming technology to develop, produce and sell products.

“We’re very exited to be working with EDV Packaging Solutions,” said Lindenfelzer, “and we look forward to helping them to advance their food packaging applications to commercial production this spring.”

“This agreement,” said Jordi Pursals, President of EDV Packaging Solutions, S.A., “combined with EDV Packaging’s coextrusion expertise, will allow us to make a giant step in offering a new range of foamed polypropylene sheets with EVOH to EDV’s customers, both food producers and brand owners.”

MuCell Extrusion Tel: +1 859 647 8861 Email: m.lindenfelzer@mucell.com Web: www.mucellextrusion.net

Preview Chinaplas 2012 Looks to Plastics in the Future Organisers placing more emphasis on product design and innovation Chinaplas 2012 is expected to have over 100,000 visitors, with 20 per cent expected to be overseas buyers from 140 countries and regions. According to the organisers, it will also be larger than ever, at 210,000m2 of floorspace. Over 2,700 exhibitors from 35 countries and regions, together with 13 region pavilions from Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, PR China, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UK and USA, will gather under the same roof to showcase their diversified chemicals and raw materials and over 2,500 sets of machines in 11 theme zones.

The overall theme for Chinaplas 2012 this year, however, has been defined as “The Future is in Plastics and Rubber”.

This optimistic strapline is intended to allude to the fact that “plastics will play a vital role in improving our future life and promoting the continuous development of other industries, through contributing enormously on energy conservation and environmental protection,” according to organisers.

In parallel with this theme, the show will feature a “Future Zone” to showcase the unlimited creativity on plastics

application. The “Future Zone” consists of two programmes. The first one is called “Nurturing Our Future”, which aims at combining plastics and rubber applications, technology, creativity and innovations from experts among industrial, commercial and academic fields into the implementation of a “Future Car”. The whole design, selection and production of the “Future Car” will last for five months. This programme has already attracted a total of 15 groups of students of the East China University of Science and Technology to take part.

The second part of “Future Zone” is called “Premium Design Gallery” which will showcase a series of new, unique designs of various plastic-made end products. Kingfa Sci. & Tech. Co Ltd, Dupont Titanium Tech (Shanghai) Co. Bayer Material Science, BASF (China) Co., Ltd will showcase products in automotive, furniture, new energy and packaging categories.

Over the next five pages, we have tried to bring you a guide to just a handful of the innovative, forward-thinking technologies on display at the show.

Kraiburg TPE to Give Asian Debut of Drinking Water Products Visitors to Hall N1, stand S01, will be invited to take a closer look at new products such as the drinking water series and a wide range of adhesion compounds from Kraiburg TPE. the company’s thermoplastic elastomers

reportedly offer optimal adhesion properties on materials such as PA (nylon), ABS or ABS/PC and ensure excellent elastic recovery. Additionally, through the application of TPE, manufacturers benefit not only from improved production conditions for injection moulding, but also from an extended complex functionality — even at extreme heat or low temperatures.

Furthermore, the application of a time- and money-saving multi-component process ensures simplified logistics as well as safe and more hygienic products compared to assembly processes. The new DW compounds (drinking water series) are to be exhibited in Asia for the first time. Their special formulation means that they satisfy several drinking water standards. Due to their smooth, dirt- and limescalerepellent surface, TPEs are suitable for use particularly in the sanitary and drinking water sector.

Kraiburg TPE Tel: +49 8638 9810 278 Email: lars.goldmann@kraiburgtpe.com Web: www.kraiburg-tpe.com

EPPM 23

Preview Koch-Technik Peripheral Equipment Specialist Presents Machines and Systems for Polymer Processing Koch-Technik, the European materials handling group will be exhibiting its machines and systems for conveying, volumetric and gravimetric dosing, dyeing and also drying plastic materials at the exhibition in, Hall E1, stand E1F15. Koch-Technik has founded a new joint venture last year with the Namen Koch Technik Asia Ltd for these products

in the Chinese market. The new subsidiary, under the umbrella of Koch-Technik, will market the machines and logistic constructions of the periphery specialists for the plastic manufacturing industry.

The CKT dryers from Koch-Technik dry plastic granulates to leave them with the optimum level of moisture. This is an

energy-saving, standalone closed cycle that works completely independently of the ambient climate. Dehumidified air flows through the plastic granulate, absorbing moisture and taking it to a desiccant. When the desiccant is saturated, the air is redirected to a container of unsaturated desiccant that is standing by. In the meantime, the

saturated desiccant in the first container is regenerated with a heating system.

Koch-Technik Tel: +49 7231 80090 Email: info@koch-technik.com Web: www.koch-technik.com

Songwon to Boast Recent Growth St

Songwon Baifu Chemical Co. Ltd., a joint venture with T Chemical Co. Ltd. to manufacture and sell Thioester an fully backward integrated capacity of 6000 tonnes.

Songwon, a global supplier of additives and polymers will be participating at Chinaplas in Hall N2 Booth K31. The group is marketing its appearance with the slogan: “The Growth Engine for Your Industry”. Growth has been no stranger to Songwon in recent months.

Capacity at its Maeam plant was increased, making it one of the largest antioxidant additive facilities in the world and bringing Songwon’s total global manufacturing capacity of antioxidants to 80,000 tonnes.

In China, Songwon Shanghai Trading Ltd. is the main operational company where sales and sourcing activities on behalf of the global Songwon group are conducted.

Chemservice Asia Co. Ltd. complements these activities by providing a service in regulatory advice and is an authority on REACH compliance in China.

In 2011, Songwon Baifu Chemical Co. Ltd. was announced, a joint venture with Tangshan Baifu Chemical Co. Ltd. to manufacture and sell Thioester antioxidants with a fully backward integrated capacity of 6000 tonnes.

Jongho Park, Chairman and CEO of Songwon Industrial Group, sees a bright future ahead as he stated: “With the key polymers such as polyolefins set to double over the next 10 years, and with other polymers set to follow in similar trends, the industry will rely on additive suppliers such as Songwon to allow them to meet their EPPM 24

European Thermoforming Set to Impress in China Thermoforming specialist Kiefel will present its “Thermorunner KTR 5 Speed” at Chinaplas 2012 with a highspeed demonstration producing drinking cups from PET material, along with the integration of a new inline stacking system.

With the integration of the new Inline stacking system, named Best 78/40, Kiefel claims it sets new trends when it comes to automation. In the field of tilting machines, reliable and future oriented down-stream concepts enable the automatic processing both of cups and other moulded components.

This cost-efficient and wear-free stacking system is food qualified and constitutes an important and successful advance for use in high-speed production processes.

In addition, the video control system,

Simotion, supplied by Siemens, will be demonstrated. An integrated system for positioning control and SPS directly at the drive system, Simotion reportedly ensures minimum cycle times and best functional results.

The Speedformer KMD Series will be on display to represent Kiefel’s line of automatic pressure forming machines.

Typical applications of the KMD Speedformer include trays and containers, hinged packaging, blister packs, tub lids and sorting elements.

Kiefel Tel: +49 8654 78-182 Email: kiefel@kiefel.de Web: www.kiefel.de

rategy and Developments

Tangshan Baifu ntioxidants with a

growth targets. Additives are a must, they are the key to success in end use applications and we are committed to meeting the needs of our partners in the polymer world.”

Park continued: “Technology is helping us to offer products to our customers that avoid the need for investment in process equipment and help reduce their manufacturing costs, as well as adding security to their quality targets. We can now offer One Pack System (OPS) products that are fully compounded in pellet form, on an industrial scale, from our recently acquired facility in Greiz, Germany, and we are on our way to manufacture Songnox OPS in a series of JV’s in the Middle East.”

Representatives from Songwon’s global organisation, as well those who are located in the China region, will be presenting their latest product developments and be available for discussion at Chinaplas 2012.

Min Tian, President of Songwon China Ltd., added: “We warmly welcome visitors to our stand and will be proud to demonstrate to them our commitment to meeting their needs now and in the future. Growth is jointly our challenge and our opportunity.”

Songwon Tel: +41 52 635 0000 Email: dmorath@songwonind.com Web: www.songwonind.com EPPM 25

Preview Arburg Concentrates on Optical and Packaging Applications At Chinaplas, German injection moulding group Arburg will present three exhibits to demonstrate the range and performance of its machine technology. Electric, hybrid and hydraulic Allrounders, will produce highquality moulded parts for the optical and packaging sectors, on stand E1G01 in Hall E1.

“Our exhibits reflect the requirement profile of the Chinese high-tech segment precisely. Our customers value precision, quality, machine availability, productivity and energy-efficiency. All of these factors are combined under the topic of production efficiency, which is Arburg’s focus for 2012,” explained Toni Tong, Managing Director of the Arburg

subsidiary in Shanghai. “The electric, hybrid and hydraulic Allrounders at Chinaplas feature energy-optimised operation and also prove that our modular range, our expertise in applications technology and our experience allow us to offer the optimal injection moulding solution for every requirement.”

In-mould labelling and packaging will be a key focus for Arburg.

Arburg will present an Allrounder 570 H with a clamping force of 2000 kN and a size 1300 clamping unit as a representative of the Hidrive hybrid high-performance series. The machine is equipped with a special packaging unit tailored to the requirements of the high-speed thinwalled application on show. An injection unit, which Arburg claims has been optimised for the highperformance segment, is used in order to ensure short cycle times. The 55 mm screw with an L/D ratio of 22:1 ensures a sufficient degree of plasticising. In addition, there are specially optimised mounting platens for the clamping unit for the thinwalled sector, as well as the relevant interface for operating an IML system, which has been provided by Beck Automation in this exhibition application.

Arburg Tel: +49 7446 330 Email: contact@arburg.com Web: www.arburg.com

Twice the capacity: in future, ENGEL will be producing o factory in Shanghai.

EPPM 26

Reliable Machine Technology and Innovative Processes for the Chinese Market German group KraussMaffei, Hall E1, stand J31 will display solutions for injection moulding and reaction process machinery for plastic processors.

Furthermore, customers and visitors have the opportunity on April 19 and 20, 2012 to tour the production plant of the KraussMaffei Group in Haiyan and view an injection moulding machine from the MX series.

“Our special solutions in injection moulding machinery and high efficiency with innovative strength were the main factors in the last few years that allowed us to successfully establish ourselves on the Chinese market”, explained Dr. Karlheinz Bourdon, Managing Director of Injection Molding Machinery at KraussMaffei. “KraussMaffei stands for top machine quality, technical and user-

oriented innovation and reliable service”.

Multiple component machines and large machines with compression moulding functions for the production of complex components are used, in particular, in the automotive and electronics industry.

With its MX swivel plate and compression moulding machine for multicolour television screen frames and windshields, KraussMaffei has

Engel Looks at Cutting Edge Markets Austrian group Engel will present its new exhibition concept in Hall E2, Booth D 01. Three production cells at the Engel trade fair booth add a hands-on touch.

They cover a wide range of the major growth drivers in China, from automobile manufacturing, through the teletronics industry, to medical technology.

Engel will be producing automotive components on an Engel duo 5550/700 pico injection moulding machine from the machine manufacturer’s production facility in Shanghai during the four days of the fair. The Engel flomo — flow monitoring system — is one of the smallest manually adjustable cooling water distribution systems with electronic monitoring on the market. This will be Engel flomo’s first appearance at a trade fair in Asia.

For the teletronics industry, Engel will be exhibiting a tie-bar-less Engel victory 330/120 machine with a viper 12 robot that will be producing covers for mobile phones on a mould by Nolato of China.

To be better prepared to meet increasing demand in Asia, Engel has doubled the capacity of its large-scale machine production facility in Shanghai. In future, more than 200 Engel duo machines per year will leave the works. The building work at the Engel Shanghai site at Xinzhuang Industrial Park will be complete in time for Chinaplas. On the third day of the fair, Engel will inaugurate the substantially extended production shop together with customers and partners.

Engel Tel: +43 50 620 0 Email: sales@engel.at Web: www.engel.at

ver 200 injection moulding machines per year at its

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positioned itself very successfuly in the Chinese market.

KraussMaffei Tel: +49 89 8899 4712 Email: markus.betsche@kraussmaffei.com Web: www.kraussmaffei.com

THE GREEN ROOM

Vinnolit Promotes Climate Protection with ‘Green’ Logistics

PVC manufacturer, Vinnolit, has said it is now focused on environmentally friendly logistics by maximising transport by rail. Vinnolit purchases most of its raw materials by the environmentally friendly methods of pipeline, barge and rail. The group uses the climate-friendly solution Eco Plus offered by logistics partner DB Schenker Rail, which exclusively uses renewable energy for the transportation of rock salt by train.

Vinnolit ships nearly half of its products, caustic soda and PVC, by rail or by barge and therefore achieving CO2 savings. 93 per cent of the raw materials are delivered by pipeline, barge and rail; the main PVC raw material salt is exclusively delivered by barge and rail. Compared to truck transportation, transportation by rail requires much less energy and generates less than 20 per cent CO2.

“To significantly reduce emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide even further, we have agreed a CO2free rail transport, that exclusively uses renewable energy sources, with our EPPM 28

logistics partner DB Schenker Rail in 2012 for salt deliveries to our production site Gendorf,” said Francesco Talarico, Procurement Director at Vinnolit. “In addition this means we will save around 930 tonnes of CO2 per year.”

“DB Schenker Rail calculates the power consumption for the transport in advance and supplies the required amount of green electricity to the traction power network. Ten per cent of the revenues from Eco Plus also flow into the construction of new facilities for producing and storing electricity from renewable energies,” said Dr Oliver Mieden, Head of Environmental Affairs and Corporate Communications at Vinnolit. “Eco Plus from DB Schenker Rail is a trend-setting solution and we do very much appreciate this cooperation for the protection of the climate.”

Vinnolit Tel: +49 89 961030 Email: info@vinnolit.com Web: www.vinnolit.com

GREEN ROOM ROUNDUP PVC Recycling Better For The Environment?

Recycler Now More Efficient with Energy-Saving Shredder

Study Benchmarks Environmental Footprint of Recycling with Conventional Material A study commissioned by VinyLoop (part of Solvay plastics) compares recycled material with conventional PVC compound. The energy demand is 46 per cent lower and the global warming potential is decreased by 39 per cent.

The recent Life Cycle Assessment Study benchmarks the environmental footprint of recycling against conventional production. The VinyLoop Eco-Footprint Study evaluates the environmental impacts of material recycled in the VinyLoop process, compared with virgin PVC compound, which is used in various plastics articles. VinyLoop reduces the global warming potential by 39 per cent and primary energy demand by 46 per cent.

Recycling not only saves primary resources, but also avoids the incineration of plastic waste.

The experts of DEKRA (a German inspection organisation) confirmed in a critical review the methods and the alignment with quality criteria of ISO standards. “LCA has developed into a reliable planning tool in industry, helping optimise innovative products and processes, such as VinyLoop,” commented Ivo Mersiowsky, Business Line Manager Sustainable Leadership and Strategy. “Beyond formal compliance with ISO 14040–44, our

review confirms that methods and results can support business decisions.”

Paolo Groppi, General Manager of VinyLoop, confirmed the sustainable direction of VinyLoop: “Our goal is to inform our stakeholders with a benchmark based on performance, total cost of ownership and environmental impacts.” VinyLoop offers their clients to prepare full LCAs on products made with VinyLoop. “In order to provide data we look at the whole lifecycle, to obtain an LCA of the whole value chain, from cradle to grave” added Groppi. To give an example, garden hoses with an internal layer made from VinyLoop material on average save 20 per cent of Global Warming Potential.

VinyLoop offers recycled PVC compound produced in its plant in Ferrara, Italy. It is used in different applications such as the internal layer of a garden hose, membranes for roofing or tunnels and many more. Due to its high quality it is used to replace virgin material and thus offers an environmental advantage.

VinyLoop Tel: +32 22 64 30 49 Email: christian.thamm@solvay.com Web: www.solvayplastics.com

With the installation of two new Vega L 1100 single-shaft shredders from Austrian group Lindner reSource, Lohner Kunststoffrecycling of Germany has vastly improved its energy efficiency in recycling engineering polymers. JanHendrik Wilming, LKR’s Managing Director, said: “By opting for the Vega L 1100, we have been able to reduce the connected loads of our singleshaft shredders by 50 per cent, at unchanged throughput. This is in addition to significant cost savings achieved in pre-shredding production waste, not least through a significant cut in wear costs.”

Based on previous experience with Lindner’s recycling technology, LKR is now installing an additional Micromat Plus 2000 single-shaft shredder as part of its current capacity expansion drive. Machines from this series are capable of handling particularly large and heavy plastic waste at high volume rates. This investment too was reportedly made with low energy consumption and high productivity in mind.

Vega single-shaft shredders deliver throughputs of between 300 and 1500 kg per hour, depending on configuration and equipment level.

Users can choose between two rotor diameters (282 mm and 434 mm),

EPPM 29

three rotor lengths (540 mm, 1,080 mm and 1,620 mm), and two blade types (“point blade” or “square blade” rotor). The two machines in use at LKR have been developed for shredding hard plastics at low rotational speeds. Due to the special blade arrangement on the rotor, only one blade is engaged at any given time. This design ensures a controlled draw-in action, reduced noise emissions, and a lower rate of fines in the pellet output. The machine also features easy access for screen changes and maintenance work or repairs.

Lindner reSource GmbH Tel: +49 7148 1605380 Email: info@lindner-resource.com Web: www.lindner-resource.com

GREEN MATERIALS SPECIAL

BIO & OXO-BIODEGRADABLES

Symphony Defends Plastic Packaging with

Oxo-Biodegradables Due to environmental concerns, bans or charges on plastic bags and other packaging are now either established or expected in countries around the world. There are, of course, a number of technologies being promoted to try to keep plastics in the consumer market.

Michael Laurier, CEO, Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc, a specialist in oxo-biodegradable additives offers us his view on the technology which he feels ought to be the top choice for processors wishing to protect and maintain the massive plastic packaging market.

Over the last few years, plastic has rapidly become the scapegoat of the environmental lobbies and politicians as far as packaging materials are concerned. In fact, ‘Plastophobia’, has been dominating the environmental agenda to the degree where it has become unfair to one of the most useful, versatile and essential of all packaging materials.

Without plastic it would be impossible to protect vulnerable contents such as medical products or put food safely and cost-effectively on the nation’s tables.

Most fair-minded people would admit that it is not plastic itself which is ‘evil’, but plastic which gets accidentally or deliberately abandoned into the environment both on land in in the oceans. It is this consumer behaviour which is frequently to blame and regrettably, this will take a long time to change, if ever. Therefore, rather than banning plastic bags, why not find a form of plastic which is more intelligent than the ordinary plastic we are so used to — and use that instead?

THE ADVANTAGES OF OXO-BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC Ideally, you need a plastic that will degrade quickly and completely at the end of its useful life, rather than lying around in the environment for decades.

You also need one that can be recycled and one that can be made without impacting on the world’s fast-diminishing

“

Without plastic it would be impossible to protect vulnerable contents such as medical products or put food safely and costeffectively on the nation’s tables.

supply of food crops, and will not emit methane, as is the case with some compostable plastics. It is also important that it is simple and economical to manufacture with existing machinery and processes.

The good news is that we already have such a plastic. It is known as oxobiodegradable plastic (because its degradation is caused by oxidation in the presence of air.

The crucial environmental advantage of ‘oxo-bio’ is that it is a controlled-life plastic, so that it can be manufactured to a pre-set timespan. Indeed, it is the only

”

plastic you can “tell” when to degrade.

When it degrades, it will do so without leaving any fragments, residues or heavy metals. It will also do so both on land or in water, which is extremely useful in areas with streams, water courses or storm drains which have been clogged with plastic. Indeed, oxo-bio is earning a growing reputation overseas, especially in developing countries with a big plastic waste problem, but insufficient means of collection or disposal. It is already compulsory to use it in the Middle East (UAE).

To make most ordinary forms of plastic

EPPM 30

oxo-biodegradable, you add a formulation such as Symphony’s d2w at the point of manufacture. The additive turns ordinary plastic at the end of its useful life in the presence of oxygen into a material with a different molecular structure. At that stage it is no longer a plastic and has become a material which is inherently biodegradable in the open environment in the same way as a leaf.

It does not need a highly microbial environment such as compost, and there are more than enough suitable microorganisms in the normal land or sea environment.

Approximate timescale for degradation can be set as required - see http://www.biodeg.org/files/uploaded/bio deg/Timescale_for_Degradation.pdf There have been many misunderstandings about ‘oxo-bio’ plastic, some accidental, but some deliberately circulated, and I welcome the opportunity to clear some of them up.

Oxo-biodegradable plastic is designed to deal with plastic which gets out into the open environment (as some of it always will) and which cannot realistically be collected for recycling or other forms of disposal. It is not designed to degrade deep in landfill, and this is not in any event desirable, because you do not know whether the product will go to a landfill which is designed to collect the resulting harmful gases.

Oxobio can be recycled with ordinary

GREEN MATERIALS SPECIAL plastics, but bio-based plastics cannot.

See http://www.biodeg.org/positionpapers/recycling/?domain=biodeg.org.

OXO-BIO PLASTIC HAS A GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT Oxo-bio bags, such as those made with d2w, can be re-used many times during their predetermined lifespan. In February 2011 the UK Environment Agency published a Lifecycle Assessment which showed that ordinary and oxobio plastic bags had a better LCA than paper or compostable (bio-based plastic) bags.

The report also highlighted the fact that HDPE plastic bags are, for each use, almost 200 times less damaging to the climate than paper, cotton, or jute bags.

Oxo-bio plastics have to pass the tests in British Standard 8472 and American Standard D6954, which include tests to confirm that they do not contain heavy metals and do not release toxic residues which could harm the environment.

Ordinary and recycled plastics do not have to pass these tests.

In April 2011 the British Plastics Federation submitted to the UK Government a scientific dossier which proves the biodegradability, non ecotoxicity, and recyclability of oxobiodegradable plastics.

Symphony’s d2w products are not

BIO & OXO-BIODEGRADABLES

intended to biodegrade in the short timescales required for composting.

BETTER DEGRADABILITY THAN BIOPLASTICS AND MORE ECONOMICAL As mentioned, oxo-biodegradable plastic can be tested according to American Standard D6954, or British Standard BS 8472 (or UAE Standard 5009:2009).

However, it should not be tested according to EN 13432 nor ASTM D6400 nor Australian 4736 nor the corresponding ISO standards, because these are not standards for biodegradability. They are designed for compostable plastic which degrades by a completely different mechanism, under different conditions, and according to a different timescale.

Compostable plastics are designed to be collected and taken for industrial composting and do not readily degrade in the open air, so they cannot address the plastic litter problem. In fact, composting according to standards such as ASTM D6400 and EN 13432 is a wasteful process because it requires the material to convert to CO2 gas within 180 days. This contributes to climate change but does nothing to improve the soil.

The European Commission recently pointed out that it would actually be deceptive to describe most types of compostable plastics as “biodegradable” because they will not necessarily biodegrade in the open environment.

They are too expensive for everyday use, costing up to 400 per cent more than ordinary plastic and they cannot be

Michael Laurier, CEO, Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc recycled with ordinary plastics, or with oxo-bio plastics, without contaminating the recycling stream.

AVOIDING THE DANGERS OF METHANE If disposed of in landfill, compostable plastics can create methane in anaerobic conditions, while oxo-bio plastics will not. If buried in landfill near the top of the pile in aerobic conditions, oxo-bio will continue to degrade, but if buried further down, in anaerobic conditions, any undegraded material will simply lie inert and will not emit methane. As environmentalists well know, methane is a potent greenhouse gas, which contributes to global warming. It is also a dangerous gas in another sense. It causes fire and explosions. This is fine if the landfill is designed to collect and use the gas, but you do not know whether your plastic will end up in one of these landfills.

Given the benefits of a plastic which will

EPPM 31

degrade completely and to a pre-set timescale in the open environment, which can be readily recycled, and which is both easy and cost-effective to make, we wonder why people are not given the opportunity to choose the oxobiodegradable option in the frequent opinion polls which seek to ban or restrict the use of plastic, such as plastic bags. Yet this option is routinely left out of such opinion polls, which do not even consider the issue of degradable plastics at all. This is not good for future generations.

Michael Laurier, CEO, Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc

SHOWCASE SORTING & SEPARATION

Summit Systems Tells the Story of a ‘Dairy’ Special Project For some time now, Summit Systems, the UK-based supplier of materials handling and recycling solutions has been operating a side-project, ‘Boomerang Plastics’, around the corner from Summit HQ in Staffordshire. My introduction to the project was at RWM 2010. I learned that Boomerang was a recycling facility specifically for waste dairy packaging — a unique concept for the UK. But who was the supplier of the packaging? In early 2012 I was invited to the plant to see the process, and find out about this innovative collaboration between Summit and one of Europe’s largest producers of dairy products and packaging — Müller Dairy.

— David Gray, Editor The relationship between Müller Dairy and Summit Systems began following a chance meeting at a trade exhibition.

Müller Dairy had set itself a target to reduce the amount of waste it was sending to landfill to zero by 2015.

Following a lot of discussions and work by the design team, Summit Systems finally proposed the ground breaking idea that it would take on the task of recycling Müller Dairy’s waste itself. A great leap of faith for an SME to invest in this type of operation, but Summit says it “has never been a company to shirk away from challenges”.

Two years on from that first meeting and Boomerang Plastics went operational processing plastic waste generated during Müller Dairy’s production process of yoghurts which consists of: • Production waste (off cuts and punchouts) of polystyrene with a heat-sealed metallised paper layer.

• Yoghurt contaminated plastic pots made of polystyrene, high density polyethylene and polypropylene and their respective foil and metallised film lids.

Not only does Boomerang provide a consistent solution for Müller Dairy’s production waste, but it creates a unique showcase recycling plant displaying the technologies of the material handling and recycling machinery that Summit offers — one that is not currently undertaken anywhere else in the UK. Sam Hill, MD of Summit Systems explained to me that the plant serves as a fantastic demonstration tool for his customers. Rather than sitting with them in a meeting room, looking through catalogues, they can visit the Boomerang site and see a complete

line, fully operational in realistic manufacturing conditions.

Summit Systems’ Technical Engineers have worked diligently with Müller Dairy to design, adapt and manufacture the line of machinery that makes this project a reality — to take food contaminated plastic waste and convert to a clean flake plastic that can be reused in injection moulding and extrusion processes producing everything from coat hangers to stationery products and seed trays.

Boomerang Plastics is based on a separate site to the main Summit Systems and has created eight new jobs in the area. In its first few operating months the recycling line has processed over 400 tonnes of waste, which would otherwise have been destined for landfill, and has been able to accommodate all of Müller Dairy’s yoghurt pot production waste stream. As each month passes, the amount of recycled plastic material increases.

An additional benefit, as Mr Hill pointed out, is that local pig farmers have taken the residue yoghurt after the initial washing stages have taken place, and are able to use it as feed for their animals. Through local connections, Summit has been able to help Müller Dairy reduce its waste even further.

In summary, the recycling line consists of: • Custom built storage bays for accepting the various plastic waste streams from Müller Dairy; • In-feed conveyors and augers for transporting the waste to a depackaging and granulation system; • Washing plant — initially, a cold wash system makes the first cleanse of the

inbound granulated plastic waste. Later in the process, a complete hot washing system further cleans the flake removing any impurities; • Sorting plant — both air separation and flotation technologies are used to sort good plastic from dust and to further sort different types of polymers; • Drying plant — both centrifugal and heat drying technologies are employed to thoroughly dry the finished flake material; • Automatic bagging machinery for the resultant recycled plastic flake specifically designed and manufactured

by Summit Systems.

The finished ‘tonne bags’ are then sold to plastic processors around the UK looking to use recycled polystyrene in their process.

And so, the loop is complete: to take

EPPM 32

food contaminated plastic waste and convert to a clean flake plastic that can be reused in plastics production whilst demonstrating and showcasing Summit Systems’ equipment.

PLASTICS AUTOMATION

Summit Systems Tel: +44 1827 265800 Email: info@summitsystems.co.uk Web: www.summitsystems.co.uk

Industry News

Lanxess Invests in Bio-Plasticiser Business German group Lanxess is strengthening its commitment to renewable raw materials by investing USD 10 million in U.S. company BioAmber, Inc., based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., as part of a private placement.

BioAmber is a global leader in succinic acid produced from renewable resources such as corn. Together, the two companies have developed plasticisers, whose cost-effectiveness and safety profile make them sustainable alternatives to phthalatecontaining formulations. Market entry is expected later this year. In addition, both companies are in talks to extend their partnership into further product areas in the future.

As part of the investment, Lanxess has received a minority shareholding in BioAmber and a seat on the Board of Directors, which will be filled by Jorge Nogueira, Head of Lanxess' Functional Chemicals business unit that manufactures phthalate-free plasticisers. BioAmber was founded in October 2008 and has 40 full-time employees.

BioAmber produces succinic acid through the fermentation of renewable raw materials. The process developed

by BioAmber consumes considerably less energy than the production of succinic acid using fossil fuels, is significantly more cost-effective and has a better carbon footprint. In the future, the company plans to use waste from the agriculture industry and sugarcane processing as starting materials.

“Our investment in BioAmber shows our commitment to launching a new generation of plasticisers that meet regulatory requirements and can also score in terms of sustainability,” said Lanxess’ Nogueira.

“We are pleased to have Lanxess as a strategic investor alongside Naxos, Sofinnova, Mitsui & Co. Ltd. and Cliffton,” said Jean-Francois Huc, BioAmber’s CEO. “BioAmber is fortunate to have a strong, committed group of investors and we welcome Jorge Nogueira, a dynamic and experienced chemical industry executive, to our board”.

As a global leader in the field of phthalate-free plasticisers, Lanxess has large production capacities, expertise in production and a global distribution network. Its key products include Mesamoll, Adimoll, Ultramoll, Unimoll and Uniplex. Through the acquisition of the UNITEX Chemical Corporation based in Greensboro, North Carolina, Lanxess also now has access to an additional capacity of 50,000 metric tonnes per year, plus an extensive portfolio of phthalate-free plasticisers such as benzoates, citrates and sulfonamides.

BioAmber manufactures bio-based succinic acid in Pomacle, France, at a plant with 3,000 metric tonnes of capacity per year. BioAmber plans to add a further 17,000 metric tonnes of capacity from 2013 with a new worldscale manufacturing facility to be built in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, at Lanxess'

site there. Both companies are preparing agreements for Lanxess to provide BioAmber with the land as well as the utilities and services needed to operate the facility.

The global market for phthalate-free plasticisers is currently estimated at EUR 1.3 billion — with annual growth rates of around seven per cent. As a result of regulatory developments,

demand for phthalate-free plasticisers is growing in markets such as North America, Western Europe and Japan.

An increase in demand is also being observed in global growth markets such as Latin America. Authorities are increasingly restricting the use of phthalate-containing plasticisers for consumer goods such as toys, food packaging and cables.

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Lanxess Tel: +49 214 30 33333 Email: lanxess-info@lanxess.com Web: www.lanxess.com

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