EPPM 16.8

November/December 2014

LANXESS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH I BU HIGH PERFORMANCE MATERIALS | 51369 LEVERKUSEN | GERMANY | LXS-HPM-057EN

Volume 16 | Issue 08

HEAT HERO ENERGIZED BY When things start heating up, you need to keep your cool. As modern engines get ever more compact and powerful, they get hotter too. With Durethan XTS you are justifiably putting your faith in high-performance materials that remain composed even in extreme situations thanks to their extraordinary heat stability. Find out more about the excellent performance of our new XTS grades by visiting www.durethan.com

Cover Story | Page 6

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years | tie-bar-less

See The Possibilities Only those who have a clear view can see new ways. That’s why we at ENGEL are always open to new ideas. We welcome inventive thinking in the plastics industry – in the shape of injection moulding technology that gives your imagination free rein. It’s been 25 years since the launch of the ENGEL victory, the injection moulding machine with the revolutionary tie-bar-less design that allows limitless innovation. Free yourself from the conventional, and do the impossible.

Visit our website for more information on tie-bar-less projects.

www.engelglobal.com

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Volume 16 Issue 8

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IN THIS ISSUE

head office Carlton House, Sandpiper Way, Chester Business Park, Chester, CH4 9QE. Tel. +44 (0) 1244 680222

Pg 5 INTERPLAS AND FAKUMA REVIEWS

Pg 22 MACHINERY NEWS: RECYCLING

EPPM looks back on the two biggest European plastics industry shows of the autumn, Interplas and Fakuma.

Boosting sustainability is key for manufacturers and we look into how recycling innovations are transforming plastics processing.

Pg 6 COVER STORY: LANXESS Our cover feature delves into LANXESS’ continuous-fibre-reinforced thermoplastic material and how it is being applied to the automotive supply chain.

Pg 8 INDUSTRY NEWS A smattering of some of the industry and events news to catch our eye, including what lies in store at NPE and PLAST 2015.

Pg 10 AUTOMOTIVE SPOTLIGHT Plastics is becoming increasingly important in the automotive supply chain. Our eightpage automotive special includes features investigating developments in this sphere from DuPont, Sytrolution, DSM and Styron.

Fax. +44 (0) 1244 671074 Web: www.eppm.com C.E.O/publisher mark blezard C.O.O duncan wood

editorial editor rose brooke rose.brooke@rapidnews.com

production

Pg 26 INDUSTRY FOCUS: BLOW MOUDLING

art robert wood production tracey roberts

advertising

This key plastics manufacturing process has the spotlight shone on it as we look at what some blow moulding specialists have been doing this autumn.

advertising manager lucinda nicholls tel: +44 (0) 1244 680222 lucinda.nicholls@rapidnews.com

subscriptions subscriptions@rapidnews.com

Pg 28 MATERIALS NEWS: BIODEGRADABLES

qualifying readers europe - free, ROW - £115

We investigate the brave new world of biodegradables and the companies pioneering these innovative materials.

outside qualifying criteria UK - £80, ROW - £115 please subscribe online at www.eppm.com

Want to find out the latest plastics industry news from the Middle East? Flip this magazine over to find out in your free copy of Middle Eastern Plastics magazine.

Address changes should be emailed to subscriptions@rapidnews.com.

European Plastic Product Manufacturer is published by Rapid Plastics Media Ltd. Each issue is distributed in print and digital format to 17,845 buyers and specifiers in the European plastic processing industry.

Pg 20 EUREKA SERIES

© June 2014.

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.

Is shrilk the next big bioplastic? Scientists use properties from shrimp shells and spider webs to produce a degradable material.

BPA Worldwide Membership

CLASSIFIEDS

page 31

ISSN No - 2052-3912

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 3

“

From The Editor

Driving changes Welcome to this, the final edition of EPPM for 2014 and our special back-to-back issue with sister magazine Middle Eastern Plastics magazine.

It’s been quite a year for EPPM. We’ve been all over the world - from Shanghai to Friedrichshafen reporting the latest and most exciting news to come out of the plastics industry with a European perspective. We’ve also said farewell to David Gray - although he’s not wandered terribly far with me taking his place in the Editor’s chair and working to focus EPPM’s printed content more on in-depth features, interviews and thought pieces.

I hope by this time next year, this will be the case for the entire magazine, giving EPPM subscribers an even richer reader experience and giving our advertisers a platform upon which they can be truly proud to showcase their brand.

But back to this issue. We’re proud to have Lanxess as our cover star, with their double page story featuring on page six, and we’ve been chasing up some of the hottest automotive case studies and developments in plastics in recent months, with interviews with DuPont, DSM, Styrolution and Styron featuring in our eight-page Automotive Special. Meanwhile, we put our ‘green’ hats on and home in on recycling developments with TH Plastics and EREMA’s work with Preston Plastics before looking into the complex issue of biodegradables and ox-degradable plastics.

Remember, Symphony Environmental’s response to OWS’s study on whether oxo-degradables really do biodegrade will be featured on the website.

Finally, we shine the spotlight on blow moulding developments in our Industry Focus.

If your plastics curiosities extend further afield than Europe, then flip this magazine over and enjoy our annual print edition of MEP, which features an extensive ArabPlast special where this magazine will be on-site at our first show of 2015.

As the industry in Europe winds down with the New Year just around the corner, EPPM would like to wish you a peaceful and happy holiday season and we look forward to meeting again next year.

Rose Brooke, Editor

4 • WWW.EPPM.COM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

”

Fakuma celebrates ‘history-making’ 2014 edition

INDUSTRY NEWS

Fakuma organisers have announced that 2014’s edition launched the company into the history books.

Schall, which manages the massive Friedrichshafen-headquartered event, announced there were precisely 45,689 expert visitors from no fewer than 117 countries and 1,772 exhibitors from 36 nations.

These record numbers are said to have been unexpectedly high, with one-third of this year’s delegates coming from overseas, topping 2012’s 31 per cent international contingent.

EPPM, together with fellow Rapid News Communications Group colleagues representing Interplas UK and British Plastics and Rubber, were proud to have been a part of this growing foreign cohort, with the team attending for the full stretch of the five-day event and visiting as many companies on their stands as humanly possible.

Spokesman for Fakuma’s Exhibitor Advisory Committee Ulrich Eberhardt reflected on the event’s success: “[Fakuma is] a marketplace for innovative solutions covering all aspects of injection moulding, thermoforming and extrusion, as a trend barometer for the industry and as a lastingly important trade fair for suppliers and users of retaining Fakuma’s distinctive character, charm and charisma, as well as its very personal and relaxed atmosphere, despite its outstanding, globally significant positioning.”

Amazing product launches from across the entire plastic processing industry, a fantastic pace and atmosphere and a terrific display from every exhibiting company makes Fakuma as enjoyable as it is memorable and EPPM is looking forward to doing it all again in 2015.

Interplas: A hive of activity Interplas may not be coming back around until 2017 but the success of this year’s outing will keep the event fresh in everybody’s minds until then.

Nearly 10,500 people came to the Birmingham NEC-staged event, which saw the likes of key European plastics industry players Engel, Arburg and Sumitomo pitch up for the three-day spectacular.

This impressive number of visitors is 10 per cent more than the number of delegates who attended 2011’s Interplas, while international attendance was also on the rise, with visitors from 56 countries travelling to Birmingham, underlining the important role Interplas plays as a British representative for plastics on the world stage.

industry sharing their thoughts, praise and ideas for their fellow females in plastics. The Interplas exhibitor party on the second day of the event also proved to be a roaring success and gave exhibitors the chance to mingle, network and relax after a hard day on the show floor.

COO and Event Director Duncan Wood described this year’s success as symptomatic of Interplas’s “resurgence”.

“We now have a truly solid platform on which to build a world class event and we look forward to working with our partners,” he said.

Interplas will return to the NEC in Birmingham in 2017.

There were numerous success stories from the three-day event. Romi Machines UK sold 14 machines on the first day of the show, while PSM UK sold its Borsche BS150 moulding system straight off the stand.

EPPM attended the full three days of Interplas, including the inaugural Women in Plastics show on the evening of September 30th, the first day of the event, which was hailed as a great success with dozens of women from every corner of the

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 5

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Saving weight with continuous-fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites Replacing sheet metal with Tepex dynalite continuous-fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites delivers significant additional weight savings in numerous areas of plastic-metal composite technology (hybrid technology).

As the latest series parts show, even thermoplastic compression moulding processes benefit from the composite’s potential in terms of lightweight materials and design.

Words | Tim Arping, Head of Marketing, LANXESS Deutschland GmbH

6 • WWW.EPPM.COM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

The most recent example for the weight saving potential of Tepex hybrid design is an infotainment carrier, being used for the first time in the Audi A6. This mass-produced component weighs just over half as much as its steel counterpart. The series component was preceded by a productionready prototype developed through close cooperation between Audi's Control Device Package Development and Fiber Reinforced Plastics Technology Development departments, LANXESS, KraussMaffei Technologies GmbH and Christian Karl Siebenwurst GmbH & Co. KG Modellbau und Formenbau. For the manufacture of the prototype, KraussMaffei developed a fully automated manufacturing cell with a specially adjusted handling system and a heating unit directly positioned above the mould platen.

Cost-efficient, one-shot process with short cycle times Based on this work, Reinert Kunststofftechnik GmbH und Co. KG built an optimised manufacturing cell for the fully automated and reproducible series production of the infotainment carrier. The process involves the use of two inserts made of Tepex dynalite 102-RG600(2)/47 per cent, a polyamide 6 composite from LANXESS subsidiary Bond-Laminates reinforced with continuous glass fibres. They are gradually heated by an infrared heating system from KRELUS AG, formed in the injection mould and then directly overmoulded with the easy-flow polyamide 6 Durethan BKV 30 EF H2.0 from LANXESS. Ribs on the side of the component far from the gate are filled by injecting Durethan through the Tepex inserts. The one-shot process enables production of the composite part in a cycle time of less than 50 seconds without requiring any re-working. Special grippers rapidly transfer the heated composite inserts to the mould, where they are set in place by special positioning pins. The holes for the screw connections are not stamped afterwards in a separate processing step, but rather formed by mandrels inside the injection mould when it is closed. This way, the fibres are pushed around the bore hole with virtually no damage at all, which ensures optimal load transfer when the component is exposed to stress.

This positive effect has been confirmed by corresponding testing.

The handling system and production mould were developed and manufactured by Maier Formenbau GmbH.

Tepex with multiaxial-oriented continuous fibre layers Recently, LANXESS has achieved a process innovation in the production of Tepex. The subsidiary company Bond-Laminates, which manufactures these composites, is now able to continuously series-produce large semi-finished composite products in which the continuous fibre layers can be oriented at almost any conceivable angle. Until now, the continuous fibres in Tepex could only be lined up in the direction of production or perpendicular to it (0 degrees or 90 degrees). The process innovation means the designer can use the differently oriented composite continuous fibres to help him react more specifically to the force transmission in the target component. Even quasi-isotropic constructions can now be fashioned using Tepex. This means Tepex can be used to design lighter-weight composite components more specifically to the load in question.

These multiaxial Tepex semi-finished products are fully impregnated and consolidated. Despite being formable to quite extreme angles, their impregnation means the fibres are unlikely to slip. As in the past, Bond-Laminates will consult closely with the customer regarding cutting the semi-finished products into pre-contoured profiles for forming and overmoulding or compressing. The processor receives a fully constructed, made-to-measure composite material that can be shaped into highly load-resistant, complex components in very short cycle times without generating wastage.

Their high-quality mechanical set of properties makes multiaxial Tepex semi-finished products the perfect material for manufacturing highstrength structural components and semi-structural components for automobiles in particular. For example, LANXESS is currently working on front-end carriers, pedal and seating components, engine compartment guard plates and airbag housings. LANXESS is also looking at components that require custom construction for meeting a combination of torsional and flexural load requirements.

The infotainment carrier holds a premium-brand amplifier and an optional TV tuner. It must not only display high stiffness, but also be resistant to fatigue at the points where it is connected to the body and add-on parts, because the weight of the installed devices leads to vibrations during driving, which causes high dynamic stresses. These areas therefore are reinforced with Tepex.

Excellent strength and high-level energy absorption Tepex can also be used in thermoplastic compression moulding processes to produce lightweight parts. One recent example is the use of a variant of Tepex dynalite to provide engine compartment protection in the MINI John Cooper Works GP. The extreme strength and toughness of Tepex work very much in its favour. These characteristics make the underbody protection, prone as it is to stone hits and even grounding on poor roads, more robust and extremely resistant to impact. In addition, the regular alignment of the composite’s continuous glass fibres lends the component an attractive carbon-like appearance.

The protector is manufactured using a compression moulding procedure that combines flow and forming processes. This involves compounding polypropylene with continuous glass fibre rovings and forming the component directly from the resulting DLFT mass (Direct Long Fiber Thermoplastic) in a compression mould. What is so special about the production process is the fact that two Tepex dynalite outer layers are also compressed at the same time so as to reinforce the specific area subjected to the greatest stress. This produces a sandwich component with a DLFT core and part of its surface made from the highperformance composite. Compared to a solely polypropylene-based DLFT component, the outer skins made from our material give the part three times the strength and energy absorption. The Tepex dynalite 104-RG 601 consists of a polypropylene matrix embedded with a fabric containing 47 per cent by volume continuous glass fibre rovings.

LANXESS expects immense scope for using Tepex dynalite as underbody protection in cars – especially in vehicles destined for countries with poor roads that therefore require extra protection.

Sandwich DLFT solutions can be up to 50 per cent lighter than steel and 20 per cent lighter than aluminum protection.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 7

INDUSTRY NEWS

A Schulman and INITZ form alliance to commercialise PPS compounds overseas International supplier of high-performance plastic compounds, powders and resin A Schulman has signed an agreement with South Korean polymer producer INITZ for the compounding and marketing of INITZ’s ECOTRAN Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS) compounds.

A Schulman will be producing, selling and distributing the ECOTRAN compounds in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas.

INITZ is a joint venture of SK Chemicals, Korea (66 per cent of shares) and Teijin Limited, Japan, (remaining 34 per cent).

“The combination of INITZ’s knowhow and A Schulman’s state-of-the-art global manufacturing capabilities and application development will support our customers in markets such as automotive, electronics, industrial, filtration and coatings to meet and exceed their halogen-free industry standards,” said Bernard Rzepka, COO and Executive Vice-President of A Schulman.

“Unlike other conventional PPS, ECOTRAN will enable them to differentiate their product offering and further strengthen their market position,” he added.

“According to our partnership, INITZ will focus on customers in the rapidly growing Asian markets. In the Americas and in Europe, we are counting on A Schulman’s extensive compounding know-how and excellent market coverage,” said Hyokyung Kim, President of INITZ. PPS is a semi-crystalline high-performance polymer and is typically used as 40-60 per cent filled compound and is well known for its excellent thermal and chemical resistance, its mechanical strength and dimensional stability.

Through this strategic partnership, INITZ and A Schulman are committed to becoming a global leader in PPS with the ECOTRAN brand, serving customers’ needs across a diverse range of markets.

Bandera previews new 2015 revised and automated Light Duty Line The new Light Duty Line series extrusion line will be shown at Bandera’s new R&D facility in historic Busto Arsizio, Italy.

This extrusion line - sized for an output of 700 Kg/h PET rigid film, with a net width of 1100 mm - was recently acquired by an important thermoforming company operating in the Middle East.

The main components of this rigid film extrusion line are: its lightweight gravimetric dosing system; co-rotating twin screw extruder; a superfiltration screen changer with filtering plates automatic cleaning system; a single screw co-extruder; a single channel flat die with external deckles; rigid film thickness control system; in-line silicone unit complete with drying system; a 4-position manual winding system complete with accumulator; and a centrilised control system.

The Light Duty Line can be seen in December at the Bandera facility, where visitors will witness the system’s benefits including: maximum flexibility in processing various types of raw materials; quick delivery timing thanks to its modular design; extremely compact line ensuring a quick installation process; and possibility of easy in-line placement with thermoforming machines.

8 • WWW.EPPM.COM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

PLAST 2015 to debut 3D printing section

3D PLAST, a dedicated 3D printing showground, will be debuted at PLAST 2015 off the back of increased interest and investment in additive manufacturing technology.

PLAST 2015 is the latest international industry event to debut a dedicated space for 3D printing.

Event organisers have announced that thanks to the confirmed participation of some of the biggest companies operating in additive manufacturing on a global scale - in addition to growing interest in the technology - PLAST 2015 will present the inaugural 3D PLAST. 3D PLAST will showcase additive manufacturing, rapid prototyping, desktop 3D printing and related softwares and other technologies in a large exhibition space.

Fabrizio Vanzan of Promaplast, PLAST 2015 organiser, said: "3D printing is a technology of great current interest. This technology is fascinating in many ways. We are very happy to host a section dedicated to additive manufacturing for the first time at PLAST." Given the increasing speed of development not only of technological processes but also of the materials themselves and all the innovative applications made possible, many are asking what new frontiers can be opened by 3D printing. 3D PLAST responds by featuring conferences and other events to explore this highly interesting area in greater depth and present the latest developments in the field.

According to recent studies, the global 3D printing market is expected to exceed a value of $8.5 billion (€6.7 billion, £5.3 billion) in 2020, with average annual growth over 20 per cent. These are, to PLAST organisers, "absolutely compelling figures".

The largest exhibition for plastics and rubber in Europe in 2015, in Milan, in coincidence with EXPO

plastonline.org

Organizer: Promaplast srl

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 9

AUTOMOTIVE SPOTLIGHT

Trust the experts, numbers count The writing was on the wall at Styron's stand at Fakuma, with a marketing campaign showcasing the key figures that would truly resonate with customers from various sectors. Dagmar van Heur, VP of Performance Plastics explained why these numbers count.

Words | Rose Brooke At Fakuma 2014, it was hard to miss Styron's eye-catching arithmetical marketing campaign, 'Numbers that Count'. Across the black screens walling off the company's extensive stand, passers-by could absorb fast facts: a gigantic '-60' representing the lowest temperatures Styron materials can maintain their performance in electrical applications, '0.2 dl' indicating scratch resistance for automotive applications and many more.

The message is clear, that Styron understands individual markets.

"These markets really have to trust you," said Vice-President of Automotive at Styron Dagmar van Heur. "If a customer goes with you, the car runs for eight years or so.

Plus two years of development.

So they have to trust you for 10 years and you have to work with the same people as well for a long time.

"We realised we weren't doing this on the electronics, medical or lighting side, which are also part of the new performance plastics business unit in addition to automotive. We recognised we were good at this in automotive and we think we can do this elsewhere, so we now have dedicated teams for these target markets."

Are you successful?

Automotive renaissance

Styron is playing the long game but its automotive arm serves as something of a flagship for the business's on-going strategy for market penetration.

In automotive, Styron is on a constant mission to keep up with the trend for lightweighting, with ambient lighting and design trends playing a crucial role in how the company's materials could be used.

"If you were to say, 'are you already successful', I would say probably not because we are still developing," van Heur said.

"We're picking up the needs of the customers, starting product development and we're seeing our first successes, but I think we have to be realistic. In medical, getting a larger position in the market and launching something completely new takes a long time. In consumer electronics it takes less time."

One of the items on show at the Styron stand at Fakuma was the airbump for the new Citroën Cactus.

"When replacing metal you have to be very careful with the materials you choose, but we already have a good reputation in automotive, celebrating 25 years in the industry last year.

But we know our limitations. This is what is needed for new markets to have people trust you," said van Heur.

10 • WWW.EPPM.COM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

"If you look at the outside of the car, it doesn't have to be metal. It's hangon, it's aesthetics. Sustainability and cost are also trends but cost is always a trend," said van Heur.

Automotive is undergoing a renaissance with the rise and rise of electric and hybrid vehicles and the genesis of the self-driving car. This, according to van Heur signals a great opportunity for Styron but he explained that on the whole, automotive is a "very conservative" market that will need to come around to this new vehicle concept that may not even need a dashboard or steering wheel.

Van Heur revelled in how different the car of the future could look and how it will blur the boundaries between automotive, consumer electronics lighting and other sectors.

"It will have great seats because you'll need to be able to sleep in it. It will have a coffee machine.

Entertainment will be a big part of it. The roof may be transparent so people can take in the view because they won't be driving. And then we can start talking about different materials and it's very exciting.

"We’re trying to be at the edge.

It’s going to be good fun and we're trying to bring quantitative value to the customer. We don't want to say 'our material is high flow'.

Everybody's material can be 'high flow', so what? What does that do for me? The numbers [in our campaign] are meaningful to the customer.

This is how we want to communicate so they remember us."

"This is important to us," he said.

"Numbers count."

“

If you were to say, ‘are you already successful’ in the new target markets, I would say probably not because we are still developing in areas where we can be more successful.

”

A E C kee p s you r p l an t r u n n in g a t t h e t o p o f i t s g am e .

With a full line of proven auxiliary equipment that is simple to install, operate and maintain, AEC helps you maximize profit and efficiency on your production line. Case in point: our new Trident Chiller - a modular unit designed to reduce the overall footprint, it has advanced controls that allow five units to operate in parallel while providing superior operating performance and diagnostics. Backed by ACS Group’s worldwide service and support, we’re dedicated to helping our customers get more from their production floor.

Hall 6 Booth 6401

INTAREMA® The new system generation from EREMA.

Self-service. Redefined.

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

CHOOSE THE NUMBER ONE.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 11

AUTOMOTIVE SPOTLIGHT

Deeper into the hot zone ‘Welcome to the hot zone’, DSM’s slogan for its big Diablo grade launch at Fakuma says exactly what these materials can do - withstand wicked temperatures. EPPM wanted to delve a little deeper, however, to find out more about these super-endurance plastics.

Words | Rose Brooke

At Fakuma 2014, DSM launched the next generation of high temperature-resistant polyamides for automotive applications where temperatures can soar to as high as 260 degrees centigrade.

EPPM caught up with European Sales Manager, Automotive, Joost D’Hooghe and Global Segment Manager, Air/Fuel, Kurt Maschke at the major European plastics event to learn more about the Diablo grades and how DSM is positioning itself in the automotive supply chain as OEMs increasingly turn to plastics to reduce weight and cost.

The new Diablo grades are part of both DSM’s Stanyl polyamide 46 and Akulon 6.66 portfolios.

The latest version of Stanyl Diablo polyamide 46 is able to withstand a continuous use temperature of up to 230 degrees centigrade, while the Akulon Diablo can hold up to temperatures of 220 degrees centigrade, with short-term high temperature peaks of 267 degrees and 245 degrees respectively.

12 • WWW.EPPM.COM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

Endurance testing D’Hooghe revealed that in recent years there was a trend to go for lower-end plastics like polypropylene as OEMs strove for cost reduction.

This was not to last, however, as efficiencies in engine performance and a drive towards more powerful turbo charge - which presses more air into the system to raise horse power per litre thus raising pressure and temperature under the bonnet - requires more robust materials.

“We’ve seen traditional polyamide PA6 is unable to withstand temperatures of over 200 degrees and as a result we developed Diablo technology,” he said. “The material has a thin protective skin and under that you can see the material of its original quality after testing. Tensile strength is maintained with Diablo and it is able to withstand higher temperatures over 3,000 hours of aging.

Traditional materials are no longer good enough.”

Maschke added: “It’s easy to see when you look at the automotive market that it’s changed over the last few years. Temperature was moving into a higher dimension, which is why companies began exploring higher grades. We launched the first Diablo grade eight years ago. We were the first to launch such a material and Diablo grades are still among the best.

But surely the undertaking to produce a lightweight, low-emission, efficient vehicle cannot continue with the same fervour forever? Progress as to the chemistry, physics and design of a vehicle must have to plateau at some point? Not according to Maschke and D’Hooghe.

“The industry is changing completely. China and the US are the next big markets and they differ from Europe, which is a high-diesel market, whereas China and the US are gasoline markets.

In those areas the temperatures in the car can reach roughly 200 degrees and they cannot fulfil these requirements with existing material grades, which means they’ll need the Diablo grades for long-term heat grade performance in the gasoline markets. We know that China and the US are already developing future engines - and these engines have heat requirements.”

Maschke added: “In general, weight reduction is an interesting topic because in the end we need to make cars that are more efficient and even though components are lighter, we are adding more things to the car all the time - more airbags, more components, ABS systems etc. I would say it will never stop. For sure, there will be different solutions in the future, but weight reduction will always be a topic.”

“We think it’s still beginning,” D’Hooghe said.

“

Tensile strength is maintained with Diablo and it is able to withstand higher temperatures over 3,000 hours of aging. Traditional materials are no longer good enough.

We want accelerated growth. We’ve invested in a new R&D building and we have R&D headquarters in all regions, and our financial reports indicate a future in automotive so we will continue to focus heavily on that,” D’Hooghe said.

Automotive is firmly on the table for DSM’s research and development laboratories in the long term, but what about other industries? If high temperature-resistant polymers are being employed within the automotive supply chain, surely somewhere down the line there is a future for these compounds in defence or aerospace?

“We’ve developed Diablo for the automotive industry,” said D’Hooghe. “We’ve set out specific profiles that are typical for automotive - it’s an automotive grade.”

“There are possibilities to use the grade in other areas, but at the moment, there is a clear focus on automotive,” added Maschke.

“Automotive is our key industry and this is where we can really add value. It’s difficult to predict the future so it’s good to have a dialogue with

”

More power, less weight

Breaking down silos

D’Hooghe explained that it is not good enough just to tell an OEM what a new material grade can do. They have to see it in action and DSM has a solid reputation for thorough testing for specific fields, with automotive testing focusing on the requirements for a material under the bonnet and the entire spectrum of environments it will have to withstand.

DSM is equipped for the future. The company has established its new research and development centre in Geleen, the Netherlands, and the organisation has moved operations from two of its Dutch locations to one single facility.

DSM is facing an onslaught of challenges as the car market undergoes this rapid evolution, moving towards efficiency, lightweighting and lower emissions. Many new cars are being produced with four cylinders instead of six, meaning those components face increased pressure as the car still needs to be as powerful as a six-cylinder vehicle.

“Consumers still buy a car with a certain amount of horse power,” said D’Hooghe, “but they want better fuel efficiency and this leads to challenges.”

“By increasing the temperature on the cylinders,” added Maschke, “that raises the temperature.”

“You see this really modern workplace where people sit together. There’s fewer emails and more real exchange,” D’Hooghe said. “There’s real synergies. For example, electronics is more and more involved in automotive, electric motors for seat adjustments or for electric mirrors. More and more we see the synergies bringing together expertise for control modules and connectors.

We’re breaking down barriers. It’s modern.”

Looking to the future, DSM sees its market share in the automotive supply chain as a grower, despite slowing growth in China and the ongoing effects of the European financial crisis.

“We see higher penetration per vehicle for each generation - higher penetration for polyamides will increase and it’s not going to stop. Where it’s going exactly, I don’t want to say but DSM has extensive market plans.

“

More and more we see the synergies bringing together expertise for control modules and connectors.

We’re breaking down barriers.

It’s modern.

”

the OEM community. We know our Tier Ones are growing and they are successful. We cover key Tier Ones and OEMs and that is our main goal, so it’s a good question, but not one we can answer yet,” said D’Hooghe.

“But for sure there could be more,” Maschke remarked.

Whether Diablo grade polyamides end up at 50,000 ft or not remains to be seen, but the materials’ future in automotive appears to be a certainty and one can only presume the future generations of Diablo will be capable of withstanding more extreme environments and higher temperatures.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 13

AUTOMOTIVE SPOTLIGHT

Re-writing the rulebook DuPont is re-writing the rulebook for designing and manufacturing system components for automotive, as plastic increasingly replaces metal as a choice material both outside and under the bonnet. But developing these performance plastics is only half the battle - convincing OEMs presents its own challenges.

Words | Rose Brooke

“

But like we always say, the easy stuff has already been done.

”

DuPont is enabling OEMS to produce more lightweight, more sustainable vehicles by replacing metal car components with plastic.

EPPM sat down with Hans-Hermann Kirner, DuPont's Key Account Manager for performance plastics in the automotive industry, at Fakuma 2014 in Friedrichshafen. The meeting followed the company's news that two leading automotive fluid specialists chose DuPont Zytel nylon resins for rigid and flexible coolant pipes. EPPM wanted to explore the shift from metal to plastic in automotive production.

Material, process, design Kirner explained that using PA66 for rigid coolant pipes is a simple switch from traditional materials thanks to its rigidity, resistance to pressure and temperatures of up to 150 degrees centigrade. In addition, PA612 - a Long Chain Polyamide that is suitable for its flexibility - has helped enable an extruded coolant pipe with in-built ridges for flexibility of movement into areas where there is space in some directions. Although the concept is simple, it is representative of the shift the automotive industry is making to stay competitive.

"This part was created not only using the extrusion process," said Kirner, "but it's also about material choice and design. Replacing metal is interesting in terms of weight, yes, but the full benefits are a combination of material selection, process knowledge and the design of the part."

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The flexible coolant pipe application was nominated by the Society of Plastics Engineers for the 'Most Innovative Use of Plastics Award' in the 'Chassis and Hardware' category, with winners to be announced on November 12th 2014.

But it is competitions like these that help raise the profile of new innovations, turning the heads - and preconceptions - of OEMs. "In 2008, we submitted a Daimler oil pan that was made in DuPont Zytel nylon, which reduced overall weight by a significant 1.1 kg contributing to fuel savings and lower CO2 emissions. We submitted and won. Whenever there is something different, we believe in making people aware so others can appreciate the technology," Kirner stated.

"20-30 years ago nobody thought it could be done. But like we always say, the easy stuff has already been done, so there's more challenging things to do, and replacing metal parts which had never been replaced by plastic before takes 10-15 years. We ask, what are the materials and how can we modify them to make them more temperature- or impact-resistant, what are the requirements, what are the obstacles?"

>> Continued on page 16

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 15

AUTOMOTIVE SPOTLIGHT

Taking on the challenge

Evolution

The science behind replacing metal components with plastic alternatives is not just a case of developing the right material, attitude is equally as important and Kirner described this side of evolving how we produce vehicles as a real challenge for the supply chain.

The evolution of the car - with driverless cars and electric cars anticipated to roll into the mainstream - fascinates Kirner, as the opportunities for future projects and challenges stretches out before him.

"Sometimes we have people saying they are confident with what they have, 'I don’t want anything new', so you have to work holistically with the OEM and Tier 1 to take on the challenge and believe in the application and make it work.

"OEMs who are used to metal ... [may] not know much about plastics. So why should they come up with a plastics solution when all their investment has gone into metal? OEMs have to be open to new technology from a new supplier. If the OEM won't take the risk, there's no project."

Because of this, change in automotive can be gradual even though the benefits of cost and weight reduction are plain to see, while there are other benefits the OEM can discover once they take the plunge. Raising the oil pan case study again, Kirner explained that the new component reduces noise thanks to its flexible, absorbing qualities.

Noise reduction is an interesting new challenge the industry is facing, according to Kirner, as electric cars become increasingly prominent.

"You start it by pushing a button - you don't know if the engine is on or not - then you drive. The noise level in the car is so low that noise from other sources are suddenly noticeable, so we have to think of ways to reduce the noise levels of those components without compromising other properties."

“

If the OEM won’t take the risk, there’s no project.

”

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"With driverless cars, they communicate with each other, so do you need a seat belt or air bag? How does this change the industry for those suppliers?

We might not need a steering wheel, maybe just an iPad. Also, do I need my own car? You could look on your smartphone and reserve a car, arrange it to come to your house, drop you off and come back and take you home.

Kind of like a taxi. So do the interiors change? The materials might need to be more resistant to stretch and wear, while it has to be a nice environment."

The synergies between automotive and plastic material development have so many benefits. Kirner explained that DuPont has materials experts and a long history of collaboration in automotive, as well as in other fields such as electricals, which will play an increasingly important role in automotive production.

"Electrical will become a part of the automotive industry," Kirner said.

"Plastics help OEMs to reduce carbon dioxide and therefore benefit the industry - it's a great field to work in especially if you look to a combination of real experts. Sometimes we don't want to reinvent the wheel, we want to look at what already exists and how we can use existing products in automotive providing more value to the customer."

For Kirner, the realistic future of electric drive is as part of a hybrid vehicle.

He sees a future of zero-emission city centres, where short journeys and speed restrictions are better suited for electric drive, while combustion engines will come into play for longer journeys outside of the towns where speed is important and plastic will gradually play a larger and larger role in the inner workings of these vehicles as performance materials that can withstand the tough environment under the bonnet are adopted by OEMs. The expert used packaging as a good example of how automotive needs to evolve. He said: "Packaging has moved away from glass towards plastics.

Some businesses made the change, some didn't and it's interesting to see that today many of those who kept the glass have disappeared.

It's the same for automotive. We need to have flexibility.

Those who do that who take the risk will survive. You need the mindset to say 'we will try this - sometimes we fail, sometimes we win, but we need to change' rather than saying 'OK, but I've always done it like this'. Sooner or later you'll disappear."

Lightweighting and Asia-Pacific growth to drive demand for plastics in automotive The trend for lightweighting in automotive, both in developed and emerging economic regions of the world, is expected to remain a driving force behind demand for plastics in automotive over the coming five years.

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This is according to a fresh study from Grand View Research, which puts the global market for automotive plastic materials at $41.49 billion (£25.94 billion, €33.16 billion) by 2020.

Demand for plastics for automotive applications was 7,962 tonnes in 2013 and this figure is expected to balloon to 14,851 tonnes in the next five years, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4 per cent over this timeframe.

Electrical components are expected to be the most dominant application for plastics in automotive, with this segment accounting for 37 per cent of total market volume last year.

This segment was followed by interior and exterior furnishings, which took up one-third of total market volume. Powertrains are anticipated to be the fastest growing application market for automotive plastics at an estimated CAGR of 10.4 per cent from 2014-2020.

The burgeoning Asia-Pacific region’s demand for automobiles remains strong, accounting for 53.2 per cent of total market volume in 2013, while it is expected to continue leading the market over the forecast period.

Plastics in automotive will benefit from an estimated CAGR of 10 per cent in demand from this region.

Polypropylene emerged as the leading product segment and accounted for 37.6 per cent of total market volume in 2013, followed by polyurethane at 16 per cent.

Polyurethane is also expected to be the fastest growing product segment, at an estimated CAGR of 9.9 per cent from 2014 to 2020.

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AUTOMOTIVE SPOTLIGHT

Styrolution’s Luran S ‘changing the face of automotive’ Listening to trends and offering an efficient, robust solution for automotive aesthetics is Styrolution’s strength. EPPM spoke to the company about how its Luran S product is changing the face of automotive.

Words | Rose Brooke

Leading Styrenics supplier Styrolution’s Luran S SPF30 is changing the face of automotive, having been employed for various pre-coloured applications for automotive exteriors.

In addition to helping produce exterior components for suppliers including Skoda, Nissan and Ford, the team has been working alongside Volkswagen for the Golf VII front grill.

Good relationships Luran S SPF30 belongs to the Luran S product line and is part of the company’s Specialties portfolio of materials and benefits from retaining its gloss and colour for considerably longer than rival products. Luran S grades are based on acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) copolymers, which offer such desirable properties as good chemical resistance to weathering, aging and yellowing, in addition to excellent thermal stability, making it ideal for parts that have to withstand extreme conditions.

Speaking to EPPM about the project with Volkswagen, Elena Ferradás-Garcia of Styrolution’s commercial team explained that Styrolution has an excellent relationship with OEMs and Tier I customers.

“Luran S has a long experience with Volkswagen.

The OEM in question had a good relationship with us. The SPF30 is a new product with the best UV performance and VW is known for being a customer that wants to use only the best products on the market.”

Pierre Juan, Styrolution Sales Director, added: “Luran S is real innovation from Styrolution.

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Replacing painted exterior applications for both VW and other OEMs around the world. We were under threat around three years ago because our competition started making improved UV versions of ADA and we had to react, so we basically put our efforts into researching how to improve UV resistance.”

“We said, imagine if we succeeded in producing the Best in Class UV resistance for VW?” he added. “We established our relationship with VW as a major international supplier. This is one of Styrolution’s strengths and VW needs to find suppliers who can supply their market around the world. VW is a global platform and we need to deliver the quality and materials wherever they are producing.”

Efficiency gains Ingratiating a product into the automotive supply chain is no easy task but Luran S is already being applied elsewhere thanks to its cost effectiveness, having removed the painting stage of the process.

“The main cost saving is the fact you can use it without paint, while it’s Best in Class while also being globally available,” said Juan. “Once if you wanted it to be high gloss black - which you cannot get for impact resistant materials - you had to make do with H71 and paint it. H71 is good at adhering to paint, but painted exterior parts are difficult. If anything happens to the surface aesthetic, that can affect reject rate as it can be identified by the customer.”

“We also have electroplatable products that offer cost savings and reduce reject rate thanks to their surface quality. You can have variations of a two-50 per cent reject rate because of insufficient surface quality, but our NOVODUR P2MC has a low rejection rate because the technology allows us the best possible surface quality,” he explained.

Juan noted that Styrolution’s mission is to add value while ensuring quality. The product is a lightweight solution that offers reduced energy consumption, while retaining the appearance of a metallic product for as long as 20 years.

“In automotive design trends,” he added, “customers at the moment like shiny, glossy, metal-looking surfaces. It’s really a question of design trends. We’re here to supply what the customer would like to see on their car.

“It’s an exciting time - and there’s more excitement to come”

Reaction process machinery from KraussMaffei takes gold KraussMaffei has scooped the coveted Gold Award of the Materialica Design + Technology Awards 2014 in the Surface & Technology category.

The award was presented for the roof module of the Roding Roadster R1 sportscar in recognition of the carbon fibre-reinforced component, which is based on a polyurethane matrix and is immediately paintable.

Erich Fries, Head of the Composites/Surfaces BU at KraussMaffei, commented: “Series-ready lightweight construction solutions, visually and haptically appealing surfaces, as well as function and process integration are increasingly in demand above all in the automotive and transportation sectors. We have demonstrated the efficient series production of premium quality components for the automotive industry. It gives us all the more joy that it has now won us the Materialica Award.”

The component is produced using KraussMaffei’s Surface-RTM process.

Paintable components are created by flowcoating the Surface-RTM component surface with a polyurethane layer directly in the cavity.

This eliminates the need for any additional intermediate steps such as adding a primer or pre-finish, saving on reworking time, which can amount to up to 60 per cent of costs per component. The metering systems and the mixing heads operate in the high-pressure range during the surface resin transfer moulding process, making it possible to use fast-reacting matrix resins and shortening the cycle times to under six minutes allowing large quantities to be produced with the surface resin transfer moulding process. The high fibre content of 50 per cent by volume in the substrate ensures excellent mechanical properties with low component weight.

The award-winning roof module consists of a CFRP continuous fibre in a quasi-isotropic configuration and has a surface area of approximately 0.45 m sq. The part is 2 mm thick and its surface material is around 0.2 mm thick, while it has a fibre content of around 50 per cent.

The C-RTM process also allows for optimum fibre wetting and low fibre displacement. In addition to the two partners who supplied PU systems, Henkel and Rühl Puromer, there are several other companies in KraussMaffei’s network of expertise. Dieffenbacher, Zoltek, Chomarat, Alpex, Mühlmeier and Roding Automotive were part of the joint trade-show project and involved in its implementation.

Breakthrough Citroën exterior features PolyOne technology Innovative technologies from PolyOne Corporation have enabled Citroën to launch groundbreaking Airbump exterior protective panels on the new C4 Cactus passenger car.

Working closely with the Citroën design team, PolyOne developed a specialty OnColor Smartbatch colour and additive system that allows the distinctive panels to meet stringent UV stability, appearance and durability requirements.

Christoph Palm, General Manager, Color and Additives EMEA and India for PolyOne, said: “We are thrilled at the opportunity to be part of this effort by bringing enabling technologies to the Citroën team as they pioneer new directions in automotive design.”

The air-filled Airbump panels, manufactured from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), can compress up to 20 mm and bounce back to shape in an instant.

Citroën says this will reduce the cost of vehicle ownership by reducing damage due to everyday bumps and scratches, such as those from shopping carts or the doors of other vehicles.

Palm added: “By working with Citroën and its Tier I suppliers, we were able to develop an advanced solution that provides the panels with uniform, attractive, and durable colour despite exposure to sunlight, heat and detergents. TPU materials are rarely selected for a vehicle’s exterior, but by working together, we were able to overcome several materialrelated challenges. This type of collaboration exemplifies the way we help our customers innovate.”

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EUREKA SERIES

itation: Image accred s Institute Harvard's W ys

Harvard scientists develop spider and shrimp bioplastics Scientists at Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically-Inspired Engineering have developed a biodegradable material utilising properties from shrimp shells and spiders’ webs.

Words | Rose Brooke

Scientists at one of the most prestigious schools in the Western World have unlocked a process for creating bioplastics using the natural properties found in spiders’ webs and shellfish.

To put it simply, the material utilises the toughness of shrimp shells and the silk protein in spiders’ webs to create a durable replacement plastic product that is biodegradable.

Reported in the Harvard Gazette in May 2014 and then picked up by New Scientist the following October, researchers at Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically-Inspired Engineering have been working on degradable plastics that break down completely in the environment, unlike many existing bioplastic materials that only partially degrade, blighting the natural world.

So the scientists turned to chitosan - a type of chitin, which is the secondmost abundant organic material on the planet - isolated from crustacean shells, while it is also found in butterfly wings and in insect exoskeletons.

Additionally, the team worked silk protein fibroin into the mix.

‘Shrilk’, as it is known, is easily produced using a process that preserves chitosan’s durable mechanical properties. It is strong, clear in colour and can be used to produce large 3D objects using injection moulding techniques and casting and it is hoped it will be used to manufacture everyday items such as mobile phones and toys.

“You can make virtually any 3D form with impressive precision from this type of chitosan,” said Postdoctoral Fellow Javier Fernandez PhD, who co-led the team at the Wyss Institute.

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Once discarded, shrilk degrades in just a few weeks, releasing nutrients in the process thus supporting plant growth. Indeed, the Harvard Gazette reports that in one experiment, the Wyss Institute grew Californian blackeyed pea plants in soil enriched by the by-products left behind by the degraded material.

Plastics buried in landfills throughout the world are anticipated to take 1,000 years to degrade, while an estimated 100 million tonnes of plastic is circulating in enormous oceanic gyres out to sea, posing a real threat to marine life.

Finding viable bioplastic materials and production processes is, therefore, an essential mission for the world’s leading scientific institutions. Columbia University, the Harvard Gazette reveals, claims some 34 million tonnes of plastic waste is generated annually in the US alone, with less than seven per cent of that reaching a recycling facility.

Wyss Director and project co-leader Donald Ingber said: “There is an urgent need in many industries for sustainable materials that can be mass produced.”

Ingber, who is also the Judah Folkman Professor of Vascular Biology at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and Professor of Bioengineering at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, added: “Our scalable manufacturing method shows that chitosan, which is readily available and inexpensive, can serve as a viable bioplastic that could potentially be used instead of conventional plastics for numerous industrial applications.”

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 21

MACHINERY NEWS: RECYCLING CASE STUDY

Recycling case study: TH Plastics brings recycling home to Naylor Drainage Naylor Drainage’s search for an in-house recycling system led it to trusted partner TH Plastics, assisting the construction product manufacturer in reducing costs and raising its green credentials.

In summer 2014 Naylor Drainage - a leading British manufacturer of construction products, including plastic drainage and ducting - was on the lookout to secure an in-house recycling solution.

Historically, the company had outsourced the recycling of its scrap plastic, but the business felt the time was right for its first ever on-site pelletising system at its Barnsley plant to pelletise its scrap polymer flake for re-use.

Naylor knew that an in-house recycling solution would enable it to improve its green credentials, precluding the need for the extensive transport – and associated costs - involved in outsourcing. The main challenge was to find a solution that could work within Naylor’s existing system, as the flake produced had to be of the right format to facilitate re-use.

Trusted partner TH Plastics develops, supplies, installs and supports ancillary solutions for the plastics industry and the company has a five-year working relationship with Naylor, standing TH in good stead when it bid for the project earlier this year.

Naylor’s Production Manager Kevin Naden said: “Very few of the projects TH Plastics had previously worked on for us involved solutions that could be sourced off-the-shelf, but on each occasion, the team used its knowledge and flexibility to develop the perfect result. And we’d always been impressed with the firm’s technical knowledge and service. It was a given that it would be invited to pitch for the recycling project.”

Finding a solution TH Plastics was the only short-listed supplier to be able to prove the efficacy of its solution prior to the contract being awarded. At no extra cost, the supplier took the customer to Italy and trialled its proposed tailor-made system using Naylor’s product. It then returned to the UK and successfully ran the flake back into the customer’s system, effectively proving the concept of its pelletising line.

TH Plastics’ bespoke winning solution featured a new regrind pelletising system, water-cooling and material handling systems, as well as some of Naylor’s existing equipment. Post installation, TH Plastics fine-tuned the solution to ensure that it met Naylor’s changing requirements.

All the work was undertaken within the stipulated timescale, and there was no downtime in production. The company also ran in-house customer training sessions and continues to be available to provide support on request.

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Mission accomplished The project was completed on time this spring and the system has been in operation since May 2014. TH Plastics’ work was recognised in the 2014 Plastics Industry Awards ancillary partnership category.

As well as improving Naylor’s green credentials and removing the transport costs associated with outsourced recycling, TH Plastics’ solution also enabled the company to improve and control the quality of its recycled product via the elimination of any risk of cross-contamination.

Naden added: “This was a brand new system for us and we were on a massive learning curve.

We relied heavily on TH Plastics’ knowledge and support, but knew we were in safe hands.

“They provided a complete turnkey solution, including solution design, prototype testing, equipment supply, installation, training and on-going maintenance and support.”

TH Plastics’ Managing Director Lee Thomas noted: “Our goal is always to work in partnership with customers to create bespoke solutions offering optimum production efficiency, minimal waste and cost and enhanced product quality, integrating seamlessly into existing customer systems.

“We are delighted to have been able to deliver to Naylor a recycling solution that meets all these criteria.”

Packaging Thermoforming Solutions

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 23

MACHINERY NEWS

Recycler doubles production thanks to INTAREMA Lancashire-based recycler Preston Plastics has more than doubled its production capacity thanks to its investment in an INTAREMA recycling and extrusion machine.

A recycling business in Lancashire, UK, is now able to double its production thanks to the installation of a state-of-the-art system.

Preston Plastics has unveiled its new INTAREMA plastic recycling and extrusion machine at its facility near Garstang - making it the first company in the UK to have this technology developed by Austrian firm EREMA. The recycler invested £1.3 million (€1.64 million) in the machine - which is also the largest of its kind in the world - as part of a £2 million drive to upgrade the machinery at its premises. The INTAREMA will allow Preston Plastics to recycle previously hard-to-process materials such as printed packaging waste, in addition to improving quality, efficiency and overall consistency.

Enval joins finalists for Sustainability Leaders Awards 2014

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Edgar Wallace, Managing Director of Preston Plastics, said: “This new machine gives us nearly three times the capacity we had previously.

It means we can continue to meet the increased demand we are seeing from the plastics industry, both in terms of volume and the types of plastic being recycled, diverting thousands of tonnes of waste from landfill and incineration.

“Constantly investing in new technology ensures we remain at the cutting edge of the plastics recycling industry. These are exciting times for the business as we plan for the future.”

Preston Plastics employs 27 full time staff and exports 60 per cent of its products into European markets. The company handles all forms of plastic waste including head waste, redundant material and purgings, collecting it from across the country.

Utilising the latest technology developed by EREMA, the waste is then converted into quality, reprocessed plastic compound which is sold back to the plastics industry to be used in the manufacture of products such as plastic storage boxes, paint trays, car bumpers and pallets.

The new INTAREMA recycling plant operates 24-hours a day, collecting and processing a wide variety of waste plastics from across the UK from sectors including packaging, medical, building and construction, and automotive.

Recycling technology developer Enval has been shortlisted for the Sustainability Leaders Awards 2014 in the waste treatment category.

Enval unlocks the potential of high performance materials using a novel recycling technology based on microwave-induced pyrolysis. The company has taken this process and applied it to creating the world’s first solution for recycling plastic aluminium laminate, an increasingly popular packaging material that currently has no responsible end of life solution.

Laminate is used extensively by Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies to improve the ratio of product-to-pack weight and reduce transport costs, but they are not currently recyclable and are generally sent to landfill.

There are now more than 160,000 tonnes of this kind of packaging entering the UK marketplace each year, with volumes forecast to increase considerably in the coming years.

Enval has already received support from major multinational brands and is in the final stages of commissioning the first commercial demonstration plant for their recycling process.

Enval Managing Director and CTO Carlos Ludlow-Palafox said: “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for these prestigious awards as we enter into an exciting time in our company’s development. Our process closes the loop in the life cycle of this valuable material, allowing more brands and more products to convert to this sustainable packaging format.”

The Sustainability Leaders Awards celebrate the very best in sustainable business; recognising true leadership and innovation among companies and organisations that are making genuine progress in embedding sustainability throughout their operations. Winners will be unveiled at a glittering Awards ceremony in London on 19 November.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 25

INDUSTRY FOCUS: BLOW MOULDING

Saving money and increasing efficiency are primary goals for many businesses, not to mention corporate responsibility and promoting green solutions.

For Midwest Coca-Cola, an operating unit of Coca-Cola Refreshments, the world's third‑largest independent Coca-Cola bottler, Sidel Services has demonstrated just how simple it can be to achieve these goals.

By implementing its ECO Booster service on four of Midwest CocaCola’s SBO14/14 blow moulding machines, encompassing various bottle formats, Sidel has helped the bottler to make significant reductions in both the blowing pressure and the blowing ovens' use of electricity. Across 10 different bottle formats, the average reduction in blowing pressure was 45.9 per cent (the lowest being 19.4 per cent and the highest 50.7 per cent). The average reduction in the ovens’ energy consumption was 22.3 per cent (with the lowest saving being 15.7 per cent and the highest being 38.1 per cent).

Improved efficiency and reduced footprint The Midwest Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Eagan, Minnesota, manufactures bottles and distributes Coca-Cola products throughout much of the Midwestern region of the United States. The company naturally wanted to maximise its profitability by increasing its production efficiency and minimising its operational costs. Yet, at the same time, the company was also looking to reduce the environmental impact of its processes and that of its resource use. Midwest called in Sidel, the leading provider of PET solutions for liquid packaging, in the

Sidel helps US Cola bottler reduce blowing pressure by 50% Sidel Services has come to a major US Coca-Cola bottler’s aid, helping the company slash its blowing pressure and electricity consumption. hope of achieving tangible cost and energy savings through a detailed overview of existing line conditions during full production.

Jim Tierney, Maintenance Manager of The Midwest Coca-Cola Bottling Company, explained: "Reduced resource use means reduced costs, which is a sustainability win-win for us. For this reason we are always looking to speak with our partners about new innovations that can help us achieve this goal. The Sidel ECO Booster is a great example of this, resulting in a significant reduction of our blowing air pressure and oven electricity use across four of our lines."

Complete range of ECO Services To maximise energy savings for customers, Sidel has developed a complete range of line improvement options and upgrades with a focus on quantifiable savings and quick return on investment (ROI), calling heavily upon its vast experience in PET

26 • WWW.EPPM.COM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

packaging production technology.

Its ECO Booster service analyses a line to identify potential opportunities for savings using these technologies.

Efficiency measurement tools can be installed that automatically record the consumption of all utilities (air, water, electricity and carbon dioxide) by individual machines, lines, production zones or even an entire plant.

As well as measuring consumption and calculating energy costs per bottle produced, the service and tools provide the ability to facilitate correlation between consumption levels and different production procedures (start-up, shut-down, changeover and cleaning). This information can then be used by beverage producers to effectively support initiatives for reducing waste.

Comprehensive service of measurement, advice and improvement At the outset of the ECO Booster service, on-site production conditions are fully measured and analysed by

a Sidel Services specialist carefully gauging the use of electricity and air pressure. For Midwest Coca-Cola the next step was a mechanical testing of the blow moulders’ subassemblies. Because when it comes to the use of energy within busy production lines, the blow moulder is usually the main cause, often accounting for as much as 70 per cent of overall energy consumption.

Furthermore, a sizable portion of that consumption can be attributed to the provision of compressed air during the blowing process.

The process and technical qualities of the package, the quality of the air and cooling water, and the overall production environment of the machine were then carefully checked. Based on the findings of the tests, an action plan and servicing schedule specific to the customer was then proposed. These were accompanied by an estimate for energy and cost savings and anticipated the ROI forecast.

With the proposals agreed by Midwest Coca-Cola, a plan of action was implemented. In addition to the servicing itself, Sidel can also put in place consumption monitoring and process control tools as well as additional laboratory or productioncontrol equipment.

Maintenance Manager Jim Tierney commented: "Having the Sidel experts work with our own guys to adapt our equipment brought peace of mind that the intervention would be quick and easy, and ultimately led to a short return to production and faster ROI."

Silvergate Plastics has launched Optiblo, a revolutionary range of colour masterbatch designed to significantly reduce cycle times and improve the surface finish of blow-moulded parts.

This advanced technology brings extensive benefits to polymer processors working within blow moulding. It works to eradicate many common processing problems by eliminating die buildup, enhancing pigment dispersion, and improving both wall thickness uniformity and dimensional stability.

What is most attractive to many processors is that Optiblo can increase output and lower energy requirements, saving substantial operating costs.

Optiblo works by reducing friction against metal surfaces, which enables melt to smoothly flow at a faster rate. By improving pigment dispersion and eliminating

Petainer, the leading supplier of plastic packaging, has launched the petainerJar, a PET jar that offers significant cost and sustainability benefits over jars made from other materials.

The new petainerJar can be supplied with short lead times either as a fully blown jar or as a PET wide mouth preform, ready to be blown by food manufacturers on their own premises as and when needed.

The petainerJar is more cost effective and sustainable than jars made from other materials, not least because the two-stage process offers inbound freight savings of up to 90 per cent. It weighs much less, which means more can be carried on a truck without breaching weight restrictions while making maximum use of the load space. This saves dramatically on freight costs and

Silvergate Optiblo colour range ‘revolutionises’ blow moulding Silvergate Plastics has launched a new range of colour masterbatches that could drastically improve blow moulding. die build up, this new colour masterbatch offers many benefits to manufacturers producing bottles, drums, oil containers and so on.

It also reduces warp on large parts, and reduces energy consumption by allowing the processor to operate at lower temperatures.

Optiblo not only facilitates the manufacture of a better product in less time, it does so by reducing

energy and processing costs, this new range also enables faster colour changes, which is another benefit for processors to relish.

The launch of this product comes at a time when Silvergate is seeing an increasing demand from processors wanting raw materials that enhance operating efficiencies. This trend is rising not only in the UK but across the Continent.

Petainer's on-site blown petainerJar promises major cost-efficiency fuel consumption. Transporting jars in preform format improves environmental performance since many more can be transported in fewer shipments, further cutting down on road miles.

The petainerJar is created using a highly engineered preform made from a PET blend that offers significant benefits over standard PET, including superior barrier technology for extended shelf life and maximised weight reduction

in design saving materials.

The petainerJar is also made from material that is fully recyclable and is available in a range of sizes, while Petainer offers a portfolio of jars and is able to work with individual customers to create a range that meets exact requirements.

The addition of the petainerJar to Petainer's packaging portfolio means the multiple advantages of PET can now also be enjoyed by companies in the food industry.

Giuseppe Chiacchio, Silvergate’s Export Sales Manager, explained: “Our customers want quality products quickly, that hasn’t changed. What has changed is a need to improve their own operating practices by introducing high performing raw materials to their manufacturing processes.”

Silvergate’s new Optiblo range is available in any colour. Its many outstanding features result in greater productivity, significant cost advantages and better finished products.

“We believe Optiblo will become the preferred choice in colour masterbatch for many blow moulding producers,” added Chiacchio.

Annemieke Hartman-Jemmett, Group Commercial Strategy Director at Petainer, said: "The launch of the petainerJar is an exciting move for us and means we can bring our wealth of expertise into this part of the packaging market for the first time.

"We know that food companies are concerned that their cash flow is severely impacted due to the long period taken up by production and logistics, which outside of Europe can take as much as 12-16 weeks.

With petainerJar, whether supplied ready-blown or as a preform, we offer customers far shorter lead times, as well as a highly engineered quality product at a lower cost offering with improved sustainability."

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 27

MATERIALS NEWS: BIODEGRADABLES

Bioplastics used in awardwinning Soma water filter Fraunhofer UMSICHT's Bio-Flex bioplastic was used in the making of Soma's award-winning water filter.

Soma is the first designer water filter in the world made from natural resources. The bioplastic used for this filter is Bio-Flex, a material developed

by Fraunhofer UMSICHT in cooperation with FKuR. It all started with an accident. When Mike Del Ponte, founder of Soma, was hosting a dinner party, he was unwilling to upset his well-presented tabletop with a cheap plastic water filter and so he poured his filtered water into a glass wine decanter.

But as he poured, the lid of the water pitcher fell off, causing a spillage. This was the Soma eureka moment, when Del Ponte decided to combine a pure, modern design with a sustainable and holistic approach.

Soma’s designers spent a long time searching for a suitable material for the filter unit. This material needed to be functional, but also made from sustainable resources and had to be biodegradable when disposed of.

Soma finally obtained what it was looking for from bioplastics specialist FKuR. The bioplastic Bio-Flex S 9533 used in the manufacture of the water filter has been developed in cooperation with Fraunhofer UMSICHT and FKuR and is based on the bioplastic PLA.

Corbion Purac enters biodegradable plastics chain Tjerk de Ruiter, CEO of Corbion.

Hendrik Roch, Fraunhofer UMSICHT, explained: "For us it was important to develop a material running on conventional injection moulding equipment."

"By means of an intelligent additive package and our special compounding technology we have been able to develop a PLA compound meeting all requirements,” said Carmen Michels, Managing Director of FKuR. The filter unit is composed of a casing made from biodegradable BioFlex S 9533 and contains absorbent carbon derived from coconut shells.

Customers receive a fresh filter from Soma every 60 days. For each filter sold, Soma donates to the nonprofit organisation Charity: Water, which provides access to clean drinking water to people in need. Thus, the Soma water filter meets all of founder Mike Del Ponte's requirements as a beautiful and sustainable water filter that gives back.

The filter is proven to reduce chlorine, taste and smell through its special filter system and fulfills all requirements of the NSF/ANSI standard 42 of the Water Quality Association.

Corbion Purac is investing in its position in the biotechnology arena and ensuring its place in the bioplastics value chain by becoming a producer of PLA. With entry into PLA the company intends to bring new biodegradable solutions to the plastics industry, and increase global PLA production capacity by a further 75 kTpa. This announcement forms a part of Corbion’s revised business strategy for 2015–2018.

Tjerk de Ruiter, CEO of Corbion, said: "As part of our strategic review, we confirmed there is an attractive demand outlook for PLA, albeit at a lower growth pace than previously assumed. Given our strong position in lactic acid, our unique high heat technology and the market need for a second PLA producer, we plan to forward integrate in the bioplastics value chain from being a lactide provider to a PLA producer.”

Corbion intends to invest in a 75 kTpa PLA plant in Thailand. "We will only commence with this investment if we can secure at least one-third of plant capacity in committed PLA volumes from customers," de Ruiter added.

Corbion will continue exploring strategic alliances as part of its PLA growth strategy in order to enhance business opportunities while mitigating any associated risks, and the company will continue selling lactides to both existing and new PLA polymerisation customers. Lactide sales for the coatings and adhesives markets will also continue.

Many of Corbion’s existing polymerisation customers have already successfully built a strong local presence and distribution channel, with great market coverage.

28 • WWW.EPPM.COM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

AKRO-PLASTIC expands bio-plastic prowess with Metabolix acquisition AKRO-PLASTIC has broadened its reach by acquiring Metabolix's biodegradable range in a canny business deal that will benefit both companies.

Niederzissen-headquartered AKRO-PLASTIC is expanding its prowess in the increasingly interesting field of bioplastics by making a shrewd investment decision.

The German manufacturer of engineering plastics compounds is set to acquire a product range of biodegradable, compostable compounds from Metabolix, a Massachusetts-based manufacturer of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA).

The product range - which has been developed and successfully launched

by Metabolix under the brand name Mvera - will henceforth be marketed

MATERIALS NEWS: BIODEGRADABLES

Image credit: Metabolix and further developed by AKRO-PLASTIC through its BIO-FED branch located on BioCampus in Cologne, Germany. Security of supply for customers and the transfer of all required technologies and IP to AKROPLASTIC have been mutually assured through contract negotiations.

Moreover, the two companies intend to continue working together in future in the area of PHA products and blends. All European employees of Metabolix will continue their work with AKRO-PLASTIC at the BIO-FED branch.

Do oxo-degradable plastics really biodegrade?

The claims made by oxo-degradable plastic processing organisations that the material is indeed biodegradable are being challenged as OWS is setting out a neutral study to put the matter to bed once and for all.

Oxo-degradable plastics are becoming increasingly prominent in the plastics processing sphere but many have questions as to their efficacy.

These materials are said to be biodegradable, although some contest this claim - a matter that Organic Waste Systems (OWS) takes seriously.

The European Commission is considering a possible ban on oxodegradable carrier bags, while in France a group of MPs in the French National Assembly have called for a similar ban to be introduced, resulting in the oxo-degradable plastics community to react with zeal.

In 2013, OWS performed a major research study for Plastics Europe on the benefits and challenges of bio- and oxo-degradable plastics. Among the main points highlighted in the study was the claim that oxo-degradable plastics are indeed biodegradable, however independent proof that this is or is not the case has not yet been fully ascertained.

The Institute of Polymer Technology at the University of Stuttgart (IKT) together with OWS is establishing a multi-client project aimed at finding a "once and for all" conclusion to this on-going issue. To make this study as objective and impartial as possible, the organisation is looking for broad participation, including government agencies, consumer goods producers, NGOs, oxo-degradable producers and players within the bioplastics industry.

More information on the study and how organisations can get involved can be found online: http://www.ows.be/news/oxo-degradable-plasticsdo-they-biodegrade-in-search-of-a-definite-answer.

Editor's note: As EPPM went to press, Symphony Environmental was writing a response piece on the subject of the biodegradability of oxo-degradable plastics. The finished reply will be published at EPPM.com.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 29

MATERIALS NEWS: BIODEGRADABLES Teknor Apex PLA wins first Bioproduct Innovation of the Year award Teknor Apex has scooped the first ever Bioproduct Innovation of the Year award for its Terraloy HDT high-impact, heat-resistant and compostable PLA. Teknor Apex is proud to announce it has taken home the first ever Bioproduct Innovation of the Year prize awarded by Ohio State University's OBIC Bioproducts Innovation Center.

The company was handed the accolade in recognition of the development of its Terraloy HDT high-impact, heat-resistant and compostable polylactic acid (PLA) compounds.

Terraloy HDT PLA compounds are available in extrusion grades for thermoforming products such as cups, bowls, trays and lids, as well as injection moulding grades for cutlery, cups and bowls. In addition to being FDA-compliant, the compounds have been designated as compostable in accordance with the ASTM D-6400 standard and Teknor Apex as received USDA BioPreferred certification for the product. Biobased content for the moulding and extrusion grades is 84 per cent and 96 per cent respectively.

In a life-cycle analysis, Terraloy HDT PLA compound exhibits slightly more greenhouse gas generation than uncompounded PLA resin and less than half that of high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), which is commonly used in many target applications.

Teknor Apex was announces as the winner of the awards on October 6th 2014 in Columbus at the Bioproducts World Showcase & Conference, a new event hosted by OBIC and supported by the US Department of Agriculture and other co-sponsors. Teknor Apex was one of 13 finalists in the Commercial category. The award winner in the Consumer category was Cenergy.

Over 40 Years of Service

1300mm wide Kuhne sheet extrusion line with K701E - 30D vented extruder, melt pump, 1200mm die head, 1300mm x 300mm chrome rolls, pump group, winder.

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Teknor Apex's Edwin Tam (left) accepts the Bioproducts Innovation of the Year Award from Max Maksimoski, President of Maximum C/Q, a consultant to the OBIC Bioproducts Innovation Center at Ohio State University.

Dennis Hall, Director of OBIC at The Ohio State University, said: "It is exciting to see how sophisticated biobased materials such as Terraloy HDT PLA are becoming. Congratulations to Teknor Apex on creating this valuable material and for winning OBIC's first ever Bioproducts Innovation of the Year."

To be a candidate for the Bioproducts Innovation of the Year Award, a biobased product must have been introduced into the market in the previous 18 months. Judging criteria include the percentage of biobased content compared to the total product composition, the innovativeness of the development, the uniqueness of the supply chain for the production of the biobased content from feedstock to production and the importance of the role of the biobased content in the function of the total product.

Earlier this year, the new Terraloy products also received the Innovation in Bioplastics Award from the Bioplastics Council of SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association.

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63mm Welex Coextruder, Model 25V, 30D vented and plugged, approx 50HP DC motor, Modernised control panel.

100mm Union single screw extruder. 35D vented with fan cooled barrel. Vacuum vent.

110kw dc motor and drive. Temperature panel 1987.

660mm x 660mm Formech model F660 1998 vacuum former. Top heater only 7kw. 2 sets of reducing plates.

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125mm diameter Speedex pipe downstream comprising 1 x 6m vacuum tank and 2 x 6m spray tank with 3 belt haul off and upstroking travelling saw. 1995.

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30 • WWW.EPPM.COM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

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APRIL / MAY 2014 •• WWW.EPPM.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER WWW.EPPM.COM •• 35 31

To l

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and faste com

January 2015

Packaged for performance www.engelglobal.com

ENGEL at the ARABPLAST 2015 - Hall 4, Booth G 110 (Austrian Pavilion)

Cover Story | Page 6

JANUARY 2015 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 3

“

From The Editor

January 2015

Welcome to MEP’s annual print edition A very warm welcome to the annual print edition of Middle Eastern Plastics magazine. I am delighted you have taken an interest in our growing publication, which is enjoying something of a renaissance.

MEP exists for the rest of the year as a digital magazine and newsletter, but we have high hopes for MEP as our readership continues to grow in tandem with the activity, interest and investment in plastics in the Middle East.

Our annual print edition is the issue we bring with us to ArabPlast 2015 - the single largest plastics industry trade event to take place in the Middle East - and where I imagine many of our first-time readers will have picked up a copy of MEP in passing. If so, thank you and please continue reading. I would like to hear your thoughts on MEP’s incarnation in print, its editorial content and what we can do to improve.

This issue includes a dedicated five-page feature on ArabPlast, including previews from some of the companies who are exhibiting in Dubai this January. Moreover, we look to Plast Eurasia, which is held in December in Istanbul, and shine the spotlight on some of the companies visitors can find on the show floor there.

Finally, I am proud to say that plastics industry behemoth Engel is our cover star and readers can find their double page feature towards the beginning of the magazine, along with a roundup of some of the biggest announcements the Middle Eastern plastics industry has been shouting about in Q4 of 2014.

”

I hope to meet as many of you as possible at ArabPlast 2015 and I am eager to hear your news and thoughts on MEP. Rose Brooke, Editor

IN THIS ISSUE Pg 6 COVER STORY: ENGEL

Pg 14 ARABPLAST PREVIEW

Engel Austria’s Andreas Leitner takes MEP readers on a tour of plastics processing in the Middle East, touching on trends, strengths and demands in this in-depth insight.

Our ArabPlast preview gives a glimpse of what we can expect in Dubai in January, showcasing a sampling of what lies in store for visitors.

Pg 8 INDUSTRY NEWS

Pg 18 PLAST EURASIA PREVIEW

We touch on some of the big plastics news to come out of the Middle East and partner regions, such as Plast India’s new home and how cooling technology is adapting for hot climates.

What can we expect at Istanbul’s Plast Eurasia 2014? Our snapshot preview of the Turkish plastics event reveals what five exhibitors have planned.

Pg 12 ARABPLAST: ENERPLASTICS EnerPlastics gives us an exhibitor’s eye view of ArabPlast, touching on the importance of the Middle East’s role in the international plastics industry.

4 • WWW.EPPM.COM • JANUARY 2015

head office Carlton House, Sandpiper Way, Chester Business Park, Chester, CH4 9QE. Tel. +44 (0) 1244 680222 Fax. +44 (0) 1244 671074 Web: www.eppm.com C.E.O/publisher mark blezard C.O.O duncan wood

editorial editor rose brooke rose.brooke@rapidnews.com

production art robert wood production tracey roberts

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European Plastic Product Manufacturer is published by Rapid Plastics Media Ltd. Each issue is distributed in print and digital format to 17,845 buyers and specifiers in the European plastic processing industry. © June 2014.

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.

BPA Worldwide Membership ISSN No - 2052-3912

EXTRUSION – PACKAGING – THERMOFORMING

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JANUARY 2015 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 5

January 2015

ENGEL COVER STORY Packag ed

www.en

gelglob

Injection moulding trends in the Middle East ENGEL at

MEP_in

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the ARA

BPLAST

2015 - Hall

4, Booth

“

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Cover

Story |

Page 6

06.11.1

4 07:36

Approximately 50 per cent of the revenue generated

by ENGEL AUSTRIA in the Middle East comes from packaging

”

ENGEL AUSTRIA’s Andreas Leitner gives EPPM an exclusive insight into the injection moulding trends the plastics giant has observed in the Middle East and what we can expect from the company at ArabPlast 2015.

Words | Andreas Leitner, Sales Director Middle East, ENGEL AUSTRIA

P

lastic products and components are produced to highest technological level in the Middle East. The market is dominated by the packaging and construction industries, while growth in the medical industry is also strong. Together with its partners and customers ENGEL is developing ecological and sustainable solutions to meet demand for the highest quality technology in order to boost customers' cost efficiency and competitive advantage.

The rapid growth of the Middle Eastern economy has been a boon for the packaging market.

Approximately 50 per cent of the revenue generated by ENGEL AUSTRIA in the Middle East comes from packaging: injection moulding machines and system solutions for producing caps, thin-walled containers including in-mouldlabelling, pails, buckets, round-containers and pallets are all in demand.

6 • WWW.EPPM.COM • JANUARY 2015

The sustainability factor In the Gulf market, sustainability plays a significant role in business decisions. In line with this is increasing awareness of the importance of environmentally-friendly technologies, particularly in the caps and closures segment. Over the past two years, the majority of mineral water bottlers in the UAE switched from 30/25 to 29/25 caps, and Saudi Arabia is following suit. 29/25 caps are lighter and less raw material is required in production, which matches trends towards economic efficiency and sustainability.

1881 caps for carbonated soft drinks have gained popularity in most regions of the world. With the development of state-of-the-art processing technologies, producers are now able to fabricate one-piece caps for use in regions with an ambient temperature above 50 degrees centigrade, so now bottlers in Egypt and Iran can successfully change to 1881 caps and companies in Jordan and in the Gulf states will follow suit.

At ArabPlast, ENGEL will demonstrate the production of 1881 caps with partners Corvaglia and Uni-Cap. An all-electric ENGEL e-cap injection moulding machine will produce the caps on-site, demonstrating the system's high performance levels and shortest cycle times.

Thin-walled products with inmould-labelling In recent years, thin-walled food packaging was imported predominantly from Turkey.

Socio-political factors along with transportation difficulties have led to the rise and rise of locallyproduced packaging.

able to offer an optimal solution for handling big pallets. The ENGEL viper 120 robot reaches a nominal loadbearing capacity of 120 kg.

Executed as a twin tower, the viper 120 can also handle complex tasks outside of the injection moulding machine.

The potential in this industry segment is very high. Most of the time, thin-walled packaging decorated with in-mould-labelling is fabricated.

In order to ensure optimal production conditions, processors invest regularly in turnkey solutions from Europe. Utilising its strong network of partners, ENGEL is a preferred supplier in this market segment.

Together with other injection moulding machine suppliers, ENGEL offers highly integrated and automated system solutions, including moulds, enabling processing companies production at the highest level of efficiency. ENGEL aims to visualise and demonstrate this at ArabPlast 2015 by exhibiting premium quality injection moulding solutions together with its partners.

So far, labels are not produced in the Middle East. This presents a challenge to processors in the packaging industry, as local suppliers would vastly increase processor flexibility. Furthermore, long delivery times from Europe delay the introduction of new packaging designs.

Minimal unit costs/maximum safety Although for ENGEL AUSTRIA the share of turnover in the medical segment makes up a smaller part of its Middle Eastern endeavours, this market is extremely interesting for ENGEL. The potential for growth in disposables and laboratory equipment in particular can be identified as very high.

The advantage for processing companies who opt for this ENGEL system is the ENGEL viper robot, which is fully integrated in the CC300 control of the ENGEL duo injection moulding machine. This eases the operation and manipulation of the machines significantly, simplifying programming and improving process safety and reliability. Furthermore, ENGEL offers a broad range of training and service support to its customers. This is in line with its system supplier approach philosophy.

Much training takes place on-site at the customers’ production plant. The ENGEL hotline together with the service package ENGEL e-service.24 - which establishes a cross-link of the customer’s injection moulding machine to ENGEL - guarantees customers around-theclock support.

Small machines for big moulds From Gulf to world Another market segment that is strongly increasing is pallets. In the long term, the majority of the world's pallets are expected to be produced in the Gulf region. This is partly due to the fact major raw material producers are present in the Middle East. These producers are further strengthening their position to increase the range of plastics they offer.

Another aspect in favour of the production of pallets in the Gulf is the high amount of gas and oil resources, which keep energy prices comparatively low. Pallet production requires quite a high investment of raw materials and energy, consequently - comparing the total production profitability - pallet production in the Middle East is more cost-efficient than in Europe.

With no tie-bars to interfere with the mould in the ENGEL victory, mould mounting platens can be used up to their edges and very large moulds can be mounted on relatively small injection moulding machines. Based on this, the size of the injection moulding machine depends on the required clamping force and not mould size. In addition, tie-bar-less injection moulding machines enable processors to realise complex automated solutions at the highest level of efficiency.

After packaging, construction is the secondmost important business segment in the Middle East with a revenue share of 30 per cent. In this market, there is particularly high demand for tie-bar-less ENGEL victory injection moulding systems for fabricating PVC fittings.

As a result of cost pressure, usage of multi-cavity moulds is increasing in the Middle East. These multi-cavity moulds require larger machines for optimal operation.

Due to ENGEL's ongoing development of the allelectric e-motion range, ENGEL is able to supply its customers with cleanroom solutions with production cells and services at highest level of profitability and energy efficiency. This facilitates unit cost reduction, without compromising on hygiene and safety.

“

Pallet production requires quite a high investment of raw materials and energy ... pallet production in the Middle East is more cost-efficient than in Europe

”

An application typical for this industry was shown

by ENGEL at Fakuma 2014. There, an ENGEL victory 80 tech machine was producing fittings for drainage systems; demonstrating the benefits of tie-bar-less-technology. Although the mould provided by Ifw-Kunststofftechnik (Micheldorf, Austria) - who will be on ENGEL's booth at ArabPlast - was of substantial size with its large core-pulls, it could still be attached to the 80 tonne machine quickly and conveniently.

Worldwide, the usage of plastic pallets is increasing. On the one hand, the rising price of wood is driving this upturn; on the other, sustainability is playing a part, as wooden pallets require intense treatment with partly environmental hazardous chemicals in order to comply with global export standards required for exporting globally.

For plastic processors, the production of pallets in the Middle East represents a major challenge, as injection moulding machines with a clamping force of 2,300 – 3,200 tonnes, are uncommon here. Also the trend towards turnkey solution can be identified in this process. ENGEL enhanced the range of its linear robot viper, in order to be

JANUARY 2015 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 7

INDUSTRY NEWS

UK cooling expertise underpins growing MENA plastics industry Nigel Hallett, Managing Director of UK and Saudi-based process cooling specialist IsoCool, explains how MENA plastics manufacturers can seek out the right cooling expertise to help them best secure their long-term position in the plastics industry.

Words | Nigel Hallett

T

he plastics industry is growing at an exceptional rate in the Middle East, providing rich rewards for those fast enough to capitalise on the opportunities. However, in order to generate success in the long term, businesses must be built upon basic fundamentals such as delivering high quality products, fulfilling orders in a timely and reliable manner, and investing in research and development. In short, manufacturers must today exceed client expectations in order to maintain market share in the future.

Essential to any successful plastics manufacturing plant is its supporting cooling system – not only because cooling is vital to the process, but also because it is usually one of the largest overheads a company will face. As a result, a clear focus on cooling efficiency and performance must be top of the agenda for any forward-thinking plastics manufacturer. Potential strategies should include investing

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in industry-leading energy efficient cooling equipment, optimising plant performance, maximising uptime, reducing maintenance, and planning for future expansion.

The alternative – failure to pay due diligence to ancillary cooling systems – will inevitably lead to a host of costly problems, from poor performance and energy inefficiency, through to unnecessary breakdowns and repairs, and a lack of business continuity. Of course, some plastics manufacturers might get away with poor cooling practice in the short term – while the MENA plastics industry is growing enthusiastically and market opportunities remain relatively wide open – but such an approach is not conducive to business longevity, especially as competition increases.

Due dilligence Unfortunately, as any plastics manufacturer in the MENA region will know, finding the right process

cooling expertise and skills to deliver outstanding cooling systems can be very difficult. The drawback of any emerging market is that there’s often a lack of the high level technical skills, experience and expertise required to maintain a long-term presence after the boom time, ‘free-for-all’ economic trading conditions have passed. As a result, MENA’s plastics industry is plagued with service providers that have limited proven skills in providing expert process cooling solutions.

To avoid engaging opportunistic, unqualified cooling experts, due diligence should be taken. For example, manufacturers should ask to see case studies of the company’s previous work and look for strong evidence of an intelligent, forward-thinking approach. It is also worth asking the company to demonstrate improvements in energy efficiency and plant performance, flexibility throughout the installation process, and due consideration to the needs of

clientele, such as budget and goals.

Ties with industry leading cooling equipment manufacturers can indicate worthiness, since OEMs are selective in their partnerships.

Testimonials (especially those from MENA-based manufacturers) can also be followed up, providing an opportunity to gain first-hand recommendations.

Until the MENA plastics industry matures, it is wise to draw upon the expertise of cooling specialists with proven backgrounds in established, world-leading plastics manufacturing markets such as the UK. However, if doing so, it is essential that the cooling specialist has experience working in the Middle East, is mindful of the specific technical needs of plastics manufacturers located here, and is able to offer business continuity, ideally in the form of locally based maintenance and installation engineers and consultants.

INDUSTRY NEWS

PLASTINDIA 2015 to take place at new Gandhinagar exhibition centre The plastics industry can look forward to another successful PLASTINDIA 2015, which will be held at a new exhibition centre in Gujarat this February.

PLASTINDIA 2015 will be welcoming visitors at a brand new location when it opens for five days from February 5th.

movement. Ample parking space is another plus.

Locational convenience will also act as a strong motivator for an impressive visitor footfall, especially when Gujarat and its near surroundings itself constitute a significant 60 per cent of the Indian plastics industry. This fact will singularly ensure both, quality and quantity of visitors resulting in sheer exhibitor delight.

The major industry event is all set to hit new benchmarks on the international stage, and scale new heights, building on the successes of previous PLASTINDIA events.

The strong growth the plastics industry has witnessed in the recent past - and continues to do so today - will only help in making the upcoming PLASTINDIA, a resounding success yet again.

PLASTINDIA is a microcosm of the exponential growth the plastics industry in India and further afield has witnessed. The numbers are described by organisers as ‘overwhelming’.

Between 2013 and 2020 in India, plastics consumption is set to increase from 12 MMTA (million metric tonnes per annum) to 20 MMTA; exports are rising from $6

billion (£3.7 billion) to $8 billion, and employment is soaring from 1.2 million in the region to 2 million. In February, 150,000 visitors will come to Plastindia 2015 to visit the world’s finest 2,000 exhibitors spread over a sprawling 125,000 m sq space at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Gandhinagar as a destination will further catalyse this growth.

Gandhinagar is home to one of

the most elaborate exhibiting infrastructures, the internationallyacclaimed Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre. Plastindia exhibitors will witness this expansive infrastructure and the convenience it brings to them and to their visiting customers. The ultra-modern venue has air-conditioned halls that are roomy and come with a convenient layout, created for ease of crowd

Gandhinagar, located just 16 km from Ahmedabad, is one of the most modern and well planned cities in India with wide avenues, ample greenery and European architectural influence. It comes with convenient road, rail and air connections for ease of access.

With one of the best port facilities in the country, it will ensure smooth movement of cargo as well.

Pleasant weather and a tourist destination will only enhance the pleasure of visitors to Gujarat, a truly vibrant state.

JANUARY 2015 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 9

INDUSTRY NEWS

Borouge and Abu Dhabi Environment Agency launch youth awareness scheme

Plastics solutions provider Borouge and the Environment Agency for Abu Dhabi have launched a scheme to promote environmental awareness among students.

The Environment Agency for Abu Dhabi (EAD) in partnership with Borouge, a global leader in providing plastic solutions, have launched the Sustainable Campus Initiative (SCI) in the UAE capital.

The SCI scheme is part of ongoing efforts to educate university students across the UAE about important environmental issues and to encourage them to make efforts to reduce their carbon footprints.

Among the delegates present at the official launch at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr Hotel in Abu Dhabi were; H.E. Dr Saeed Al Hassani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of

Higher Education and Scientific Research; H.E. Dr Abdullah Zamzam, Assistant Secretary General of Operations at EAD; and Obaid Saeed Al Dhaheri, Senior Vice President- Corporate Affiars at Borouge.

H.E Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary General of EAD, commented: "The Sustainable Campus Initiative reflects EAD’s continuous efforts motivating the youth and encourages them to play a vital role in environmental practices and supports the prospect of a sustainable future. The initiative falls in line with Abu Dhabi’s Environmental Vision 2030, which recognises the importance of the youth’s contribution in building sustainable communities and protecting the country’s environment and natural heritage."

Ampacet expands PET horizons Ampacet remains committed to exceeding customer expectations by expanding and diversifying its PET materials portfolio.

PET is the only material that can match glass in its barrier properties for containing beverages, while it is lightweight, durable and recyclable, making it increasingly popular in the drinks market.

Ampacet's new 713669-E (65 per cent) and 712072-EPT (65 per cent) in white PET masterbatch are specifically formulated for the ISBM, IM and Sheet Extrusion markets.

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The Sustainable Campus Initiative is an expansion of the Sustainable Schools Initiative launched by EAD in 2009, which successfully established environmental concepts and increased environmental awareness among both students and teachers. The initiative aims to encourage the UAE's youth in identifying and addressing society's environmental sustainability issues.

"Borouge is fully committed to the preservation of the environment and the wellbeing of the communities where we operate," explained Abdulaziz Alhajri CEO Abu Dhabi Polymers Company Borouge.

"Our commitment to Environmental Stewardship and Social Responsibility is embedded within our Company and is reflected in the way we manage our operations and innovate plastics solutions that

These new products deliver a quality white masterbatch producing excellent opacity and a premium white colour.

Ampacet’s new product 7900007-E (black PET masterbatch) is a masterbatch specially formulated for sheet extrusion, injection stretch blow moulding and injection moulding applications. This new product delivers a quality black masterbatch producing excellent opacity and a premium black colour with the benefits of a PET carrier.

Ampacet's new ultraviolet barrier polyester masterbatch 7000004-E is designed for moulding applications and can be used in many products. An important feature of this UV barrier PET masterbatch is its excellent compatibility

enhance people's lives. As such, we are pleased to actively engage the leaders of the future in sustainability practices and management system of the Sustainable Campus Initiative so that they too can contribute to a better environment today within their campuses and tomorrow in their chosen fields."

Earlier this year, EAD launched the initiative's pilot phase with the participation of 100 students from four universities in Abu Dhabi.

The Sustainable Campus Initiative, along with other initiatives and programmes adopted by EAD, are supported by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Abu Dhabi Distribution Company, Al Ain Distribution Company and Tadweer (The Centre for Waste Management - Abu Dhabi).

with most of the standard PET grades present in the market without having any impact on either the transparency or the colour in the end product.

Molecor extends pipeline technology worldwide

A E C kee p s you r p l an t r u n n in g a t t h e t o p o f i t s g am e .

Molecor is extending its pipeline technology worldwide thanks to innovative developments and the creation of national standards. The company manufactures PVC-O pipes class 500, achieving the best mechanical properties possible. PVC-O pipes present the greatest mechanical performance for reliable water nets thanks to their inherent energyand cost-efficiency.

These pipes are employed in both water mains and in secondary feeders.

PVC-O pipe water conveyance applications include water supply, irrigation, pressurised waste water collection, recycled water, and some other specific purposes, such as urban supply, industrial or fire protection.

With a full line of proven auxiliary equipment that is simple to install, operate and maintain, AEC helps you maximize profit and efficiency on your production line. Case in point: our new Trident Chiller - a modular unit designed to reduce the overall footprint, it has advanced controls that allow five units to operate in parallel while providing superior operating performance and diagnostics. Backed by ACS Group’s worldwide service and support, we’re dedicated to helping our customers get more from their production floor.

Molecor was the first company to develop PVC-O fittings and its research and development team has worked on elbows, couplings, reducers and extensions with which the Spanish business offers a complete plastic solution for water pipelines made from 100 per cent PVC-O.

JANUARY 2015 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 11

ENERPLASTICS

An exhibitor’s eye view: EnerPlastics at ArabPlast 2015 MEP looks at ArabPlast from an exhibitor’s eye view, as EnerPlastics reveals a little about why companies return to this Middle Eastern hub of industry time and time again, and what the team expects to get from this regiondefining event.

Words | Rose Brooke

EnerPlastics is an ArabPlast veteran and the company will be pitching up yet again at the next outing. Acting CEO of the company Mohsin Aman has big plans and expectations to match for ArabPlast 2015.

Established in 1999 in the port town of Jebel Ali, EnerPlastics manufactures additive and colour masterbatch for the plastic converting industry. EnerPlastics markets its product to 48 countries in the Middle East, Africa and Europe and pioneered Oxo-biodegradable (OBD) masterbatch in the UAE. Its success as a home-grown UAE plastics business makes it exactly the kind of business ArabPlast is providing an international platform for.

"There are many plastic exhibitions conducted in the GCC region and ArabPlast stands apart by the presence of active participation of the plastic converters in both regional and international markets," said Aman.

"EnerPlastics work towards seizing the opportunity to identify new potentials and developing their client base globally."

EnerPlastics recognises the importance of shrewd investment, be it in ensuring it is given a prominent position at ArabPlast, or in establishing a dedicated polymer and application development laboratory - the only ISO/ IEC 17025:2005-certified laboratory for testing plastics in the MENA region.

Indeed, EnerPlastics' research and development prowess will be central to its ArabPlast 2015 campaign. As Aman noted, the company's mission for the Dubai-based show will be to showcase its new products and developments, in addition to identifying new clients and suppliers.

"Arabpalst is fast-paced [and] where we are able to meet our prospective clients and existing customers as well as suppliers. They expect prompt responses and a quick service, which is how Enerplastics likes to do business," the acting CEO explained.

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"As a manufacturer, the venue is perfect for us to showcase our products, develop new international contacts and develop new partnerships. Our participation in the exhibition - which has a strong regional market presence - will definitely go a long way in increasing brand value. The exhibition is also a platform to get exposure to new industries and products as the major players would be here to unveil their cutting-edge technology and innovations," he added.

EnerPlastics is playing the long game when it comes to capitalising on the comparatively fledgling Middle Eastern plastics market. The company's facility is located near one of the largest industrial ports in the world and EnerPlastics has been a part of ArabPlast "since its inception". "[Our] participation in past events was helpful in giving us new openings, exposure to new products and major leads," said Aman. "Both our sales and development teams eagerly sees [ArabPlast] as an opportunity to learn and explore the new possibilities in the market. Our team has started working on the displays and designs; whereas our technical team is in discussions on the various new additive presentations we will be showcasing in the event."

SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ENERPLASTICS • In 2009, EnerPlastics received the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry Award as the largest 'Small and Medium Enterprise' Exporter.

• In 2013 and 2011 EnerPlastics was ranked in the top 100 (out of 76,000) 'Small and Medium Enterprises' operating in Dubai.

• EnerPlastics has a colour library of 18,500 general colour masterbatch, and this number is always growing.

© Estelle Perdu

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Stäubli Faverges - Tel.: +33 (0) 4 50 65 67 97 - mail: connectors.sales@staubli.com JANUARY 2015 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 13

ARABPLAST PREVIEW

Biggest-ever ArabPlast 2015: 1,100 companies over 9 halls ArabPlast 2015 is set to be the biggest ever, with 1,100 exhibiting companies across nine halls and 18 national pavilions.

A

rabPlast 2015, the largest trade show for plastics, rubber and petrochemicals in the GCC region, has confirmed the participation of 1,100 exhibitors from 45 countries ahead of the biennial event that will span nine halls of the Dubai World Trade Centre from January 10th-13th 2015.

The event will feature 18 country pavilions, the largest of which is Saudi Arabia.

For the first time in ArabPlast history, UAE company Borouge is taking a lead by supporting the event as Principal Sponsor. Other Sponsors include TASNEE and NATPET, while MEP is an official media partner for the event.

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Gearing up

Leading the way

The 2015 outing has been billed as one of the fastest growing trade shows of any sector in the Middle East, with projections of attracting 34,000 trade visitors from 111 countries.

Rising demand from Asia and an increasing European appetite for Middle Eastern products are helping absorb the surge in production of plastics and petrochemicals by fast-expanding GCC manufacturers.

Jeen Joshua, Group Project Manager at Al Fajer Information and Services - co-organisers of the show along with German exhibition organiser Messe Dusseldorf - commented: "Among the highlights will be the presence of the biggest Indian pavilion since the launch of the show. The scale of participations demonstrates the rising status of ArabPlast on the global plastics and petrochemicals scene.

Joshua noted: "The Gulf is the leading export hub of plastics raw material to the world, thanks to companies from the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and KSA. Leading petrochemical companies in the Gulf do not depend on the Middle East market because they export to more than 150 countries worldwide. No wonder Saudi Pavilion is the biggest Pavilion.

"The GCC is truly the centre of gravity for the Gulf petrochemical industry, with huge local and external investments and major players partnering with local companies projecting to increase the share of GCC region in the production of petrochemicals."

"The growth of this show reflects the high global demand for plastics and its raw materials and of course the machines. ArabPlast 2015 is registering a dramatic increase in the number of exhibitors, sponsors and display space."

A record number of companies are participating in ArabPlast 2015, which reflects the growing importance attached by GCC countries to strengthening their manufacturing industries, including the plastics and rubber sector.

Davis-Standard Maag The Maag brands ‘maag pump systems’, ‘automatik pelletizing systems’ and ‘maag filtration systems’ will be presenting an extrex 90 extrusion pump in addition to the CSC 116-RS arched screen changer on its booth C105 in hall 5 at this year’s Arabplast.

The PRIMO 200E dry-cut strand pelletiser with its cantilever bearings and an extra-large cutting width of 200 mm will be exhibited.

A complete system for the polymer production in the mid-tier throughput range consists of the extrex 90 extrusion pump, the CSC 116-RS arched screen changer and the brand-new SPHERO S underwater pelletiser system. The pellets produced with SPHERO S are of high quality. The whole system benefits from improved energy efficiency, greater reliability and higher productivity. Each of the individual system components are designed with compactness, space-saving and ease of operation in mind.

With the extrex GPD twin outlet gear pump, maag pump systems created an ‘absolute innovation’: Two different nozzle blocks can be supplied with an individual and constant melt stream by one extruder.

The specific output and die pressure is guaranteed by the design and variable. The operators of extrusion lines can bundle their production capacities and optimise the efficiency of their lines by feeding two separate nozzles with different throughput and pressure demands from a single extruder.

Also part of the system is the CSC 116-RS screen changer with arched cavities. The use of arched screens allows the screen surface area to be enlarged up to 4 times compared with conventional designs.

The use of a CSC 116-RS enables operators to keep their production rates at a consistently high level, while at the same time significantly reducing energy consumption and operating costs.

The PRIMO 200E from automatik pelletizing systems is particularly suited to the compounding of thermoplastics and the production of masterbatches up to a line throughput of 1.5 t/h. PRIMO 200E is a single-side mounted dry-cut strand pelletiser with an extra-large cutting width of 200 mm. Its unique cutting geometry - with the shortest, unguided length between the feed rollers and cut - permits optimal straight cutting of both hard, abrasive and very soft, flexible plastic strands. The pellet dimensions can be changed very quickly thanks to an optional, automatic pellet length adjustment system.

The PRIMO 200E is an absolutely reliable, very robust and sturdy dry-cut strand pelletiser.

Davis-Standard will be promoting technology in blown film, cast film, extrusion coating, foam, profile and sheet applications at ArabPlast 2015. The company has made significant advances in each area, including the dsX product line for film applications.

dsX s-tretch cast film line The first cast film line of its kind, providing an alternative to prestretching techniques traditionally done on blown film lines. Processors can take advantage of thinner films, higher line speeds and improved film strength. From a cost and environmental standpoint, benefits include consistently high quality pre-stretch film produced with greater efficiency and reduced waste via coreless winding. The line is equipped to support a range of resins and applications at web widths from 775 to 1550 mm.

dsX flex-film blown film line The is the latest in Davis-Standard’s line of dsX technology. This pre-engineered blown film line is designed to serve the core of the blown film industry for applications in printing and laminating, flexible packaging, collation shrink film, bag making, hood shrink and surface printing. Available in 1900 mm and 2500 mm sizes, processors can take advantage of Davis-Standard’s high performance technology at an affordable price. This includes industry-leading air rings, die and feedscrew designs for film uniformity, high output rates and long-lasting equipment performance.

dsX flex-pack extrusion coating line This line supports cost-sensitive flexible packaging applications. It is pre-configured to merge customer demand with the best components in the industry for better end-product quality, greater uptime and productivity, reduced waste and production costs, and application versatility. It is also engineered with proven components and an adaptable machine configuration, making it ideal for converters, printing companies, multinational companies and start-ups.

Super Blue extruder Designed for performance, cost-efficiency and a fast delivery, and available in sizes ranging from 50 mm to 90 mm with a 24:1 L/D ratio. Design advantages include a rigid base with structural steel construction; a wear-resistant bimetallic barrel; a modular inverted-L style control panel; and gear reducer with a heavy-wall, two-piece iron housing and single helical gearing. It is available with a range of DSB barrier screw designs and Davis-Standard control systems.

JANUARY 2015 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 15

ARABPLAST PREVIEW

MATILA Matila is proud to be participating in Arabplast 2015 on booth 3B131. Now is an opportune time for this Taiwan-headquartered business to promote its products.

The business wants to communicate to prospective users and investors that it has some 28 years’ experience in plastics, and its machinery is exported to more than 60 countries to happy customers.

Matila’s main products include the Mono/Multi Layer Blown Film Machine, Plastic Recycle Line and Twin Screw compounding extrusion line.

Matila’s Blown Film Machine provides 1, 2, 3 and 5-layer systems and a machine for max layflat with 5 m tubes is also available. Other custom-made machines for stretch film, shrinkable film and laminating film are available. Matila is the only Taiwanese company in this field to use German-made high-torque and direct-driven gear box technology, with inverter-control AC motors on all blown film systems, saving users 13-15 per cent in power consumption.

The company’s twin screw extruder EKA-RC series is another innovative concept combining recycling and compounding in one machine. Thanks to the excellent mixing and compounding effect of the twin screw extruder, the user could use 100 per cent of these pellets in the next process, simplifying the traditional manufacturing process. Therefore, the machine brings customers cost and energy consumption savings, in addition to lower labour costs and other benefits.

In order to respond to its corporate social and environmental responsibilities, Matila has developed its new CKR Series - a 3-in-1 single station plastic recycling system. The innovative design of this two-stage filtering system is found on Matila’s CKR, which made its debut at Taipei PLAS2014 and received a lot of interest there.

Stäubli Stäubli Connectors provides innovative and cost effective solutions that help injection moulders minimise downtime on mould changeover and maximise productivity. The company manufactures systems covering the complete range of technologies used for mould clamping; manual, hydraulic and magnetic solutions.

Stäubli supplies products ranging from simple, full flow quick release couplings to spill free flat-face dry-break solutions for applications such as temperature control, core pulling and valve gate control. The company also provides a comprehensive range of multi-coupling systems ranging from off the shelf solutions for water or hydraulic connections to bespoke products where all connections to the mould can be achieved in a single action.

A trusted supplier, backed by technical advice and expertise right from the initial design stage onwards, installed systems are effective, easy to use and only require minimum maintenance are what Stäubli will present to the plastics industry at Arabplast 2015.

motan-colortronic Motan-colortronic will present its new METRO G range of material loaders at ArabPlast.

METRO G’s modular building block system allows users to configure and create the optimal material loader for any application. A dust removal module provides for fine dust removal at the material loader, essential for some critical engineering plastics where absolutely no dust is allowed to enter the process. The system can also be fitted with modules with a tangential material inlet to provide a cyclone effect for processing those materials where a more coarse dust separation is required. METRO G allows users to configure the right material loader for their specific application.

METRO G loaders can work in conjunction with the compact METROLINK material selection system that produces the correct material/ machine connection – quickly, reliably and without risk of confusion or contamination.

Fixed material pipe connections provide for the highest level of operational reliability, right up to the next material change. The system is automatically purged before every material change, guaranteeing the material loader on the machine conveys contamination-free. The system also automatically takes care of setting up and monitoring the material path, making error impossible.

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Krah Leading plastic pipe technology supplier Krah will be bringing its forerunning plastic pipe production systems to Arabplast in January. The international supplier of plastic pipe production plants’ technology operates on the helicallywound process. Krah specialises in the manufacture of PE, PP and glass fibre-reinforced pipe systems for large diameter pipes (<4000 mm). Krah AG focuses to strategic markets such as sewage systems, pressure, drainage and drinking water systems around the world.

The 40-year-old family-run company has sales offices in Kuwait, Buenos Aires and Singapore, while its heart is in its German homeland. Krah’s roots are in engineering and over the years the, company has grown from a small workshop to a worldwide successful machine manufacturer specialising in plastic pipe production plants Even now the company remains family-managed, with Karl-Heinz Krah’s son Alexander Krah running the business.

Gneuss New developments among the Gneuss rotary filtration technology portfolio will be shown at Arabplast.

With its fully-automatic, process constant operation and its unique and patented segmental back flushing system, the RSFgenius offers unmatched performance with regard to product quality and efficiency. The RSFgenius M is a variant that is available for the processing of highly contaminated materials. The innovative synchronisation of the drive and back flushing systems of the RSFgenius rotary filtration system enables a major increase of the screen area exchange rate and represents a further optimisation of this unique back flushing system.

The successful SFXmagnus range has been extended by the addition of the SFXmagnus R version. This system for the first time enables the SFXmagnus to be offered with the option of an integrated self-cleaning (back flushing) system.

Gneuss will also be showcasing the efficient MRS extruder at Arabplast. MRS has convinced more and more processors in recent years thanks to its patented combination of single screw extruder with a multiple screw section.

JANUARY 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ WWW.EPPM.COM â&#x20AC;˘ 17

PLAST EURASIA PREVIEW

Plast Eurasia 2014 The last show in the European plastics calendar is Plast Eurasia.

Organised by TÜYAP Fairs and Exhibitions in cooperation with PAGEV (Turkish Plastics Industry Foundation), the event runs from December 4th-7th 2014 at Tüyap Fair, Convention and Congress Center, Büyükçekmece, Istanbul.

Plast Eurasia prides itself on being an international platform for the plastics industry and has been growing annually, as the number of exhibiting companies and well-qualified visitors increases year upon year.

Now is a good time for Turkey's plastics industry, which witnessed its exports soar to $1.34 billion (£0.84 billion, €1 billion) in the first quarter of 2014, making Turkey a key player in the Eurasian plastics market.

The number of registered and certified participants for Plast Eurasia, Istanbul, 2013 2013 was 1,088 exhibitors from 40 countries. The event was visited by 40.483 specialists from 93 different nationalities and 2014 is set to be even bigger.

Inan Plastik/ Birmingham Granulators Inan Plastik will be exhibiting on home turf at Plast Eurasia with an impressive stand featuring amongst other items a thermoforming granulator, pulveriser and caustic soda wash machine. There will be a wide variety of equipment to view from their range of granulators, shredders, pulverisers, extruders and complete wash/recycling lines.

Inan has been manufacturing granulators in Istanbul for over 25 years and has steadily expanded its range and scope of machinery to meet today’s diverse recycling requirements.

They are now well-known globally and have recently moved into new state of the art purpose built premises covering 10,000 m sq ensuring continued growth with competitive prices, quality and attractive lead times.

Inan Plastik is represented in the UK and Ireland by Birmingham Granulators Ltd, a long established company supplying new and used machinery to the plastics manufacturing and recycling industry.

With fully trained electro/mechanical engineers and workshops in Birmingham and Bolton, Birmingham Granulators offers overhaul and refurbishment programmes as well as on-site breakdown and routine service visits. The company also supplies a full range of spares, including blades, screens, blowers, cyclones and pipework, together with a blade sharpening service.

Listgrove During the past year Listgrove has participated in some of the world’s key trade shows including Kunststoffen (Netherlands), Interplas (UK) and Fakuma (Germany). Listgrove is now exhibiting at PlastEurasia where representatives from the company’s international team will be available to discuss its 40-year history of recruitment across all functions and the range of recruitment and HR services, and provide support and guidance to those actively seeking new opportunities.

At PlastEurasia both Linda Samuelsson and Hanan Kondratjew welcome those seeking support from the industry’s longest-serving recruitment consultancy and will be available to offer guidance across a range of recruitment and HR related topics.

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PLAST EURASIA FAST FACTS: • The show is 24 years old • Held at the Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress Center, which welcomes nearly two million visitors from 70 counties every year • 40,000 visitors are expected in December 2014 to Plast Eurasia • Nearly 1,100 companies representing the whole gamut of the international plastics industry exhibited in 2013 • Nearly 40,500 visitors from 93 different countries attended last year.

JANUARY 2015 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 19

PLAST EURASIA PREVIEW

A. Schulman

Image caption: By Bertil Videt. Licensed under Creative Commons.

A. Schulman, a leading international supplier of high-performance plastic compounds and resins, will present its broad range of products and those of several of the company’s recent acquisitions including the Perrite Group and Ferro Corporation at Plast Eurasia under the booth theme of 'Passion for Plastics'.

A. Schulman’s materials on display at Plast Eurasia address a wide variety of markets and applications including mobility, electronics and electrical, sports and leisure, building and construction, flame retardant solutions, distribution services, technologies and packaging, which will feature the company's new biodegradable compounds for flexible plastic tubes in cosmetics packaging.

Among the material solutions on display will be A. Schulman's lightweight Schulamid TC, which offers a 10 per cent density reduction as a drop-in replacement for standard glass-fibre-reinforced nylon 6 materials; the versatile Schulaketon (PK) engineering material for technical applications; and Perrite’s Ronfalin C PC/ABS - a pioneering thermoplastic material - among many others.

Arburg presents high-end exhibits at Plast Eurasia 2014 Plast Eurasia in Istanbul, Turkey, this December is the platform Arburg has chosen to showcase its energy-efficient and high-performance Alldrive and Hidrive machine series, where the technology will be working hard in a live demonstration.

The performance capacity of the electric and hybrid Alldrive and Hidrive machine series for the demanding packaging and optics industries will be presented, as well as expertise in processing special materials such as liquid silicone (LSR).

“We will be exhibiting innovative applications at Plast Eurasia 2014 to demonstrate the potential of our machines,” explained Engin Malcan, Managing Director of Arburg’s Turkish subsidiary.

“For the booming packaging industry, we will be presenting a high-performance hybrid machine in a ‘Packaging’ version that produces thin-walled IML products. The entire system will be delivered to a customer directly after the fair. We will be presenting a new application area for LSR with the production of an optical part on an electric Allrounder A. As an indication of their particularly energy-optimised operation, both exhibits bear the Arburg e² energy efficiency label.”

The ‘Packaging’ version (P) of the hybrid Allrounder 720 H is specially tailored to the needs of the packaging industry and is configured for the manufacture of thin-walled articles using the in-mould labelling process (IML).

With a clamping force of 2,900 kN and size 1300 injection unit, the exhibit operates with a 2-cavity mould from Erkoc, producing labelled 1-litre buckets with handles. The IML system from Roboplas picks up the labels, places them in the mould, removes the moulded parts from the movable side of the mould, attaches the handles and sets the finished buckets down on a conveyor belt. The entire cycle from the point where the labels are picked up to setting down of the finished buckets on the conveyor belt takes around six seconds.

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Meusburger Meusburger, the manufacturer of standard parts, is launching a new range of hydraulic cylinders and accessories and will be bringing them to Plast Eurasia this December.

One defining characteristic of the double-acting hydraulic cylinders are the standard axial and transverse holes. These allow the compact cylinder to be axially fixed on the front as well as on the back, or from the sides through a transverse screw. The range of products also includes threaded-body cylinders that allow a space-saving assembly directly on the mould plate. The FKM (Viton) seals used on all of Meusburger’s hydraulic cylinders make them suitable for temperatures up to 180 degrees centigrade. The hardened and ground piston rods offer optimal protection against damage and leaks. The piston rod has a double seal and an additional guide band to ensure clean operation. Meusburger also offers a wide range of accessories such as: a coupling for connecting the cylinder to the tool, magnetic field sensors for position sensing and threaded fittings matching the hydraulic connectors.

In addition to the technical documents, Meusburger provides CAD data that can be downloaded. The new range of hydraulic cylinders and accessories will be immediately available from stock.

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millikenchemical.com For more information call: +961 70 623 811 e-mail: Samir.ElKhoury@milliken.com JANUARY 2015 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 21