Sustainable - PLA - Trellis Bioplastics

Plastics Technology, 2008-09-08, Plastic Pallets Gain Ground In an Eco-Conscious World
... still king, but plastics" reusability is a growing attraction among manufacturers looking for sustainable material-handling options. The one major hurdle is today"s high resin prices.

Plastics Technology, 2010-12-07, How to Downgauge Film without Losing the 'Feel' of Quality
...end materials are between a rock and a hard place. Retailers and consumers alike are demanding more sustainable film products made from fewer resources. At the same time, they are not inclined to welc...

Kunststoffe international, Attention to Detail
Besides compounds modified for special applications and lightweight components, sustainable materials are also becoming an increasingly‧ ‧important focus. In the additives sector, too, recyclates, the circular economy, and reprocessing are now playing a key role. The trend towards additives and compounds with properties tailored to individual applications continues. Additives should as far as possible be multifunctional. Discussions around the circular economy have, however, led to a change. The...

Kunststoffe international, Easier to Reach the Destination
...raction to production, from period of actual use, to end-of-life recovery or recycling of materials. Focus must lie on the total CO2 footprint when assessing sustainable mobility. Borealis was one of the first virgin polyolefin suppliers to launch a range of dedicated PP compound solutions that include post-consumer recyclate (PCR) and which can be used in automotive applications. The Daplen compounds originally launched in 2014 have in the meantime been rebranded as Borcycle. The current portfo...

Kunststoffe international, Exhibitors See Green
... pollution as well as anthropogenic climate change and its consequences seem to be having an effect at this world-leading trade show for plastics processing in Düsseldorf, Germany. A number of companies are noting the growing customer interest in sustainable, carbon-neutral and resource-efficient modes of production, and offering products and services intended to satisfy this interest. In addition, the greatest innovation driver for many companies is still the urge to achieve complete networking...

Kunststoffe international, Foamed and Still Extruded in One Step
... foam detaches from the polytetra‧fluoroethylene (PTFE) coated heating ‧element completely, so that there is no additional cleaning work. How Sustainable Is the Process? Considerations of sustainable are mandatory, in particular for energy-saving products. In the running process, performance measurements were performed to determine the overall energy consumption and the energy consumption of the individual components. It was possible to differentiate the profile extrusion and the consumptions of...

Kunststoffe international, From Fishing Net to Particle Foam
... addressing the waste problem, for example, through political and organizational commitments aimed at greater climate protection and responsible consumption of raw materials. Both have been incorporated into the United Nations’ goals for sustainable development [3]. In the maritime industry, the aim is to extend the useful life of plastics through reuse and recycling and to establish a closed loop economy for the plastics used. Millions of tons of plastics are already in the world’s oceans. Acc...

Kunststoffe international, From the Sea to Electronics
...sea has been shaping the negative image of the industry for several years. Various ‧initiatives and mergers of companies have therefore launched projects to tackle this Ocean-bound Plastics (OBP). Components made of OBP could become a symbol for a sustainable use of plastics. For many demanding applications, however, such recyclates must also have the necessary flame retardant properties. A recycling project in Haiti shows how these properties can be achieved. According to current estimates, 86 ...

Kunststoffe international, Green Shape Changers
.... By suitable adjustment of the filament deposition paths during printing, the bending direction, precise angle, and reaction time of the components can be controlled. Are Bioplastics Suitable for Smart Structures? Awareness of the need for sustainable use of existing resources has increased dramatically in recent times. One possibility here could be biobased plastics. These consist of renewable raw materials such as corn and sugar cane or also agricultural waste and are becoming a growing foc...

Kunststoffe international, Killing Problem Microbes
...but very effective against the microbes when their toxic levels (dose) could be maintained and delivered. Although used with a "care of the day" approach, most biocidal products used in years past are unacceptable under the principles of Green and Sustainable that are demanded today [6]. Unfortunately, several of the chemicals once used became part of the "legacy poison" club. This demanded that new biocidal technical actives and methods of application had to be completely redesigned. As new app...

Kunststoffe international, Medical Applications of Additive ‧Manufacturing
...nt stages are now somewhat more moderate than ten or twenty years ago. We are certainly going to see new bionic products, new designs, new materials, more sustainable products, and a broadening of applications. Humans are now starting to join technology in the spotlight as a designing factor. While many companies are pioneers, the mainstream remains guarded: in 2019, 71 % of companies stated that a lack of expert knowledge was the greatest factor against 3D printing when it came to choosing alt...

Kunststoffe international, New Normals
...nufacturers so aptly put it, “no longer trends, but the new normal.” This fact is underscored by the extensive Special on advances in plastics and rubber in this edition. With virtually all polymers, the developers are working on more sustainable products, mechanical and chemical recycling and building up circular material flows. We can already see the results. The recently published “Material Flow Analysis Plastics in Germany” shows, for example, that, before the Covid 19 crisis, recyclates we...

Kunststoffe international, Polymer Materials
...e carefully weighed up by producers, trade and consumers to achieve an optimum environment-friendly, sustainable use.

Kunststoffe international, Polypropylene Beats Aluminum
...olding masterbatch. The regrind is blended with virgin PP on the injection molding machine to produce PP-GF30 or PP-GF40. This ensures a sustainable material loop, which has been validated by two studies carried out at Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences (TH Rosenheim), Germany [1].

Kunststoffe international, Present in a Multitude of Trends
...equently focus on business with the automotive industry. However, Japanese and above all Korean market players are also gaining ground in Europe and the USA. Besides the growing relevance of China and Asia, the focus on a sustainable circular economy will significantly influence the plastics industry and thus also the PC industry in the years to come. Among other things, the focus on durable and reusable plastic products, sustainable sources of raw materials and the avoidance of waste are the fu...

Kunststoffe international, Reactive Extrusion of TPU
...iblock polyols have been tested for their suitability in a range of PU end products such as foams, adhesives, elastomers and thermoplastics. Fraunhofer ICT established a production process – reactive extrusion (REX) – to use the new, sustainable components in the manufacture of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers (TPU). Advantages of Reactive Extrusion The REX process is superior to most polymerization methods due to its versatility and economic advantages. In REX, the raw components are conti...

Kunststoffe international, Starting up under the Shadow of Corona
...n. And it can be expected that sooner or later they will have to deal with reduced demand. That is a very difficult balancing act – such demand peaks are certainly very welcome in the short term, but are difficult to manage and usually not sustainable. Prof. Dr. Christian Hopmann (IKV): Even in the medical field, though some protective products, for example, are in very great demand, there is suddenly only very low demand for many other products, as the admission rate to hospitals has fallen dra...

Kunststoffe international, Sustainable Growth
...ere was no vendor who ignored this topic. Several vendors started projects to explore new solutions, others were already more advanced and brought sustainable solutions to market. An example is Ineos Styrolution that introduced an entire new family of sustainable styrenics solutions. Their new ECO products are the result of the company’s unmatched R&D expertise combined with extensive collaboration with leading-edge technology companies, with Ineos Group, and with the styrenics value chain. With...

Kunststoffe international, Sustainable Growth
The central issue in all polyurethane applications is the conversion from the past linear economy into a ‧circular economy, and the use of sustainable raw materials in manufacturing. To do so, manufacturers are ‧taking measures such as using bio-based raw materials, chemical recycling, and CO2 as a synthesis component. Digitalization, electromobility, autonomous driving and the construction industry are also driving PU development. In 2019, global demand for polyurethane (PU) saw a significant b...

Kunststoffe international, Technology Made Easy
...lso continue to feature very prominently. Due to progressive digitalization, there is a demand for smart materials that not only have high functionality but also meet increased customer requirements. In addition, energy and resource efficiency and sustainable concepts for the circular economy are very important for raw material producers.

Kunststoffe international, The Role of Chemistry in Plastics Recycling
...o recognize the need for high-quality recycling and manufacturers are discovering the opportunities afforded by these secondary raw materials and the need for closed-loop-recycling management systems, while consumers are increasingly calling for sustainable products. It is just not clear yet who should bear the costs. Plastics recycling serves primarily to maintain the value of polymer materials already in the value chain. This lowers the high costs incurred in processing crude oil into basic ch...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Commonsense Quota System
...000/53/EC into national legislation. This legislation makes it possible for the material flows of recycling to largely follow market demands. According to its provisions, lightweight engineering and the use of plastics, especially of composites and sustainable materials, are not being restricted. Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on End-of-Life Vehicles [1] has been in force since 21.10.2000. Its aim is to lay down uniform minimum standards for environmentally ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, All-round Talent: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
... plasticisers and heavy-metal-containing stabilisers. The European PVC industry – raw materials producers, additives producers and PVC processors – has meanwhile submitted its 5th progress report on its voluntary commitment to sustainable industry. In 2000, the sector’s 10-year Vinyl 2010 program committed it to quantitative targets, deadlines and an annual review aimed at further reducing the environmental impact during production, processing and disposal of PVC. Once again, substantial progre...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Back to Nature
...ts of the intended application. The underlying concept of the BM cycle and the use of micro-organisms suggest that renewable resources should be employed. This has not so much to do with recycling per se as it has with the aims of sustainable development, climate protection, conservation of resources and regional closed substance-loop waste management. BMs today can be made totally from renewable resources; examples include polyesters, such as polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Bonding of Plastics
...nes with thinner walls that are made of maximum strength steel or by modern lightweight materials. Aluminium and fibre-composite materials are now firmly entrenched in the automotive industry. Systematic lightweight construction also contributes to sustainable economies and offers advantages wherever energy has to be saved, forces reduced or speed increased in moving masses. New lightweight building materials, lightweight designs (Fig. 5) and processes for the production of lightweight component...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compostable Material: Thermoformed Packaging Made of PLA
...sources. PLA’s properties make it suitable for various thermoforming applications, particularly cups for cold beverages and trays for fruit and vegetables. To produce high-molecular PLA, CargillDow B.V., Naarden/Netherlands, uses a process that is sustainable, solvent-free, and environmentally friendly. PLA is obtained entirely from maize (Fig.2). PLA can equally be produced from other renewable resources, such as wheat, sugar beet or agricultural by-products containing natural plant sugars. Fir...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cost Explosion: Glass Fibre-reinforced Plastics (GRP)
...with an annual growth, in terms of value, of around 7%. Within this environment where margins are under pressure, market growth is stagnating and there is an imminent threat of further legislation (REACH), the GRP industry is seeking to remain sustainable. Kadri Vunder Fontana, Schaffhausen/Switzerland Table 1. GRP production in western Europe according to processing methods (August 2004) (Source: AVK-TV)

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Ecoefficiency: Plastics in Politics and Practice
...-setting are crucial. Here the entire product lifetime must be considered, i.e. including production, in the use phase during products application as well as disposal. In this way the important influencing factors can be identified and sustainable as well as innovative developments be supported and adapted to responsible care. Current legal regulations in Germany concerning biologically degradable plastics are the Packaging Ordinance (regulation on avoidance and recovery of packaging waste) of A...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Editorial: Is Germany being Ousted from the Top League?
...production is relocated abroad, the associated know-how will leave the country and be lost for good. The cost benefits reaped from relocating production also wear thin within a fairly short time, which means that profits cannot be maximised on a sustainable basis in this way. What would be more effective in safeguarding the future would be technological advances that had a positive impact on production costs and a product's utility value, plus the uncompromising, forward-looking training of ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Efficiently Packaged Mineral Water
...type of packaging is a candidate for still mineral water. It fared relatively well in this scenario, but did not quite show the eco-efficiency of the two best PET containers (Fig. 7). Summary Eco-efficiency analysis may be viewed as a tool for the sustainable selection and positioning of products and processes. It allows a decision to be taken about whether a definite environmental advantage justifies higher costs or whether it makes more sense to forego a small environmental advantage in favo...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, European Political Institutions and Plastics
...The council presidency sees the main foci of EU politics as - enlargement of the union, - employment and - environment. The sixth environment action program of the EU (6. EAP) describes the environment goals and priorities of the common strategy for sustainable development. It defines ecological policy for the next 5 to 10 years and names necessary measures. Its main focuses are - climate protection, - natural and biological variety, - environment and health as well as - sustainable resource uti...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Extrusion Technology of the Future
...d on a symbiosis of service and supply, the extrusion line manufacturer will develop into a service provider with an understanding of all aspects of technical/economic production and the ability to evaluate them in partnership with customers. . . . Sustainable Development This evaluation must also take into account the current and future environmental requirements, and hence limited resources. With extrusion technology as an important part of innovative plastics technology, unique opportunitie...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Good is Not Enough: From Initial Idea to Successful Product
...ure faster and consumes up to 9% less fuel than non-encapsulated engines. In addition, the windows de-ice faster and the temperature in the car interior reaches a pleasant temperature more quickly. Society demand like the desire for sustainable development also triggers innovations. To stay with the automotive industry, there are two important chemical innovations that have come about through such a stimulus: Gasoline additives that form a protective film on the valve flaps of the carburettor a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Growth Through Innovations and E-Commerce
...r improved services to its customers through innovations in the form of a steady stream of new product developments, as well as marketing and consultancy via e-commerce. The company is rapidly pursuing this strategy and believes that it will produce sustainable growth. Sales are intended to grow 20 % via the online marketplace in Europe, and a figure of 50 % is being targeted for 2001. Product Innovations as the Basis for Business In line with its strategy of pursuing technical progress throug...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Guest Editorial: “Constant Innovation is a Key Requirement”
...s the Key to the Future The plastics sector in Germany and Europe keeps going from innovative strength to innovative strength. Plastics producers, processors and machine makers (Fig. 2) work in close collaboration, thereby ensuring sustainable growth for the whole sector, both now and in the future. Plastics are the materials of the 21st century – because of their favourable price-performance ratio, their highly variable technical properties and their potential to contribute to sustainable devel...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Healthy Sleep . . .
...erials for door cowls shows [1]. But nowadays in the market segment for natural fibre composite materials there is practically no acceptance of the clearly higher prices for especially environmentally friendly products. Additionally a criterion for sustainable development continues to increase in importance: low energy consumption in the production, processing and use of the matrix component. Therefore for instance the PP polymers that are economical in production are as valuable as polymers mad...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Interview: “Ensuring Sustainable Development”
...Dr. John Feldmann, member of the board of executive directors of BASF AG, talked to Gudrun Klein, responsible for materials and applications at Kunststoffe, about the tasks involved in implementing the company’s strategic guidelines. “Ensuring Sustainable Development” Dr. John Feldmann about BASF’s recipe for success in its collaborative ventures with customers. Kunststoffe: Dr. Feldmann, as a member of the board of executive directors of BASF AG, you are responsible for Plastics and Oil & G...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Life Cycle Costing: Making Sustainability of Plastics Measurable
Market and Management Making Sustainability of Plastics Measurable Life Cycle Costing. Analysing the production process for plastics in order to assess sustainable processes and products does not go far enough. The experience gained from over 220 eco-efficiency analyses shows that not only the ecological but also the economic effects over the entire life cycle must be examined. Markus Piepenbrink Andreas Kicherer The vision of a sustainable development, in harmony with the future, is most cer...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Liquid Crystal Polymers (LCP)
...loitation of leak-proof properties in, for example, tanks and fuel lines, as well as future applications of fuel cell technology offer very promising fields of activity to innovative plastics manufacturers [1]. A prerequisite for mutual, sustainable growth, however, is that processors recognise the changing fundamentals as an opportunity and that they meet the challenges in collaboration with the plastics manufacturers. The Author of this Article Dr. Achim Hofmann, born in 1961, manages the Bus...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Market study: Plastics Cycle Documented
... Claus-Jürgen Simon The plastics industry is one of the most important economic sectors in Germany, accounting for more than 6% of German domestic production. It provides nearly 400000 people with a secure job and future livelihood. Plastics are sustainable materials, which are making a valuable contribution to conservation of natural resources in almost all fields of application. In the context of the debate about the environment and sustainability, it is very important to determine the basi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Material Recycling of Thermoplastic FPC
Material Recycling of Thermoplastic FPC Technically Feasible - But Is It Economical? Viktor Mattus, Ludwigshafen/Germany, Guido Beresheim and Manfred Neitzel, Kaiserslautern/Germany Sustainable growth in the FPC industry presupposes successful recycling. Cost comparison analysis enables processors of thermoplastic fibre-plastic concepts to derive economic benefit from material recycling. Processes described in the literature [1-4] show that continuous-strand-reinforced thermoplastics can...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Materials of the 21st Century: Plastics Producers Remain on Path to Growth
...stics are the materials of the 21st century. A whole series of convincing arguments can be adduced in their favour: the advantageous price-performance ratio, the totally variable technical properties and the potential to make a contribution to sustainable development. Many an important innovation has only been made possible by plastics and hardly any innovative product that comes onto the market today can do without them. The plastics industry still offers substantial growth potential and this r...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, News
...t 700 employees in China, the Swiss technology group earns more than 80 million CHF per year. In PET preparation or die-casting, Bühler is the supplier of choice for many Chinese enterprises (according to its own statement) and oriented toward sustainable growth. Lanxess: Expansion in China In 2006, Lanxess will begin production of technical high-tech plastics in China. The business unit Semi Crystalline Products (SCP) is investing 20 million EUR in a new high-tech plastics production facility ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
...ronment agency, the debate has shifted to a European level. A communication by the EU Commission on future PVC strategy – as a result of the PVC horizontal initiative initiated in 1999 – is expected in 2002. To meet the future challenge of sustainable development, the European PVC industry, in March 2000, agreed a voluntary commitment to sustainable management, which was amended in October 2001 (“Vinyl 2010”). The voluntary commitment covers all the stages of a PVC product’s lifecycle, from resp...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Reinforced Plastics: Caught Up Again
...Again Reinforced Plastics. Reinforced plastics are managing to assert themselves to a much greater extent on the market once again. The sectors of winding technology and compression moulding technology are two of the application sectors experiencing sustainable positive development. A clear focus on thermoplastic systems was evident. After many years of relatively low growth rates, the reinforced plastics sector has done a good job of catching up with the development of the plastics industry a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Set for Growth: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
...de the PVC sector attractive for private equity investors. Examples include Ineos Capital's investment in EVC, Candover/D. George Harris's investment in Vestolit and Advent International's holding in Vinnolit. The investment required for sustainable restructuring, however, cannot be achieved with today's margins. This, together with the high barriers to withdrawal, means that uneconomic facilities continue to be operated, and the higher level of concentration required in a mature...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Shaping New Realities!
..., representing the most important event of its type. UTECH represents a combination of a conference and an exhibition, rounded off by workshops. This year it was held in cooperation with ISOPA, which was also responsible for running the workshop on sustainable development. The exhibition was staged by some 125 leading PU raw materials producers and suppliers, together with machinery manufacturers, and occupied a considerably enlarged exhibition surface. At the conference held in parallel to the ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, SLM Technology: Prototypes for Biomechanics
...opment of micro heat exchangers, ultralightweight components for the aircraft industry and medical implant technology. The research program is being supported by MCP-HEK, Stryker Howmedica Osteonics Inc., a leading manufacturer of implants, and Sustainable Energy Systems Ltd., a manufacturer of special motors. Enormous Density Reduction Lengthy series of trials were conducted with the MCP Realizer SLM. The benchmark chosen was a fine lattice structure. These ultralightweight parts made from sta...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Sustainable Marketing
Sustainable Marketing How a Biodegradable Polyester Meets The Criteria for Sustainable Business Dirk Stärke and Gabriel Skupin, Ludwigshafen/Germany A biodegradable copolyester has similar properties to PE-LD and can therefore be processed to form films for packaging applications. It meets the strict criteria and requirements made on biodegradable materials and guidelines for compost quality and phytotoxicity. Since 1998, BASF has been marketing a biodegradable aliphatic/aromatic copolyester (gr...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The Future Role of the Plastics Producers
... taken right now. Different models of future structures have been presented, describing the range of potential options that are open. There is not, however, just one single approach that can be adopted to - customer benefit - differentiability and - sustainable securing of income. The decisive factor for success will be the consistency and speed with which the strategic decisions selected are put into practice. Our industry has already been globalised to a very considerable extent today. The use...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The PVC Loop Closed
...ve set out ambitious targets in a voluntary undertaking. It may be assumed that Vinyloop will play an important role in this context. The position of PVC, unlike that of other materials, has thus been strengthened even further on its journey toward sustainable development. The Authors of this Article Jean-Marie Yernaux, born in 1941, works in the research centre of Solvay S.A. in Brussels, where he heads the polymers recycling activities. Dr. Reinhard Saffert, born in 1944, has been head of app...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Trends in Bio-materials: The Signs are Set for Growth
...% of the total foodstuffs market, this cannot be construed as a small sector for plastics packaging in Europe. The concept of “Organics come into organic packaging” is not only thriving, it is also proving to be sustainable. The British chain Sainsbury, which was the pioneer in organic packaging, has been steadily increasing its range since 2001. Nearly all British chains now offer such products. And England is not an isolated case here – the leading Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn also h...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Trends in Laminating Adhesives
...come from the development of solvent-free laminating adhesives show that converters have plenty of possibilities to seek out the most suitable system from both an economic and ecological point of view, and at the same time to harmonize growth with Sustainable Development. The main areas of application for laminating adhesives are in food packagings, high-gloss lamination and technical laminates. Even though there may be other processes competing for the production of such laminates, such as co...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Upward Trend Relative to 2002: Edging Towards K 2004 with Cautious Optimism
...eans of defending their competitive position – this should trigger investment after three years of restraint. Modified raw materials, innovative processes and new markets are providing some hope that the sector will return to sustainable growth in 2004. CD Data collection: Changes in the way the Federal Statistics Office compiles its figures have altered the relative share of overall production enjoyed by various types of machinery. Blow moulding, thermoforming and tyre machines, along with “mi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Waste Policy: Ways, Goals and Conflicts
...ition of recycling options and market parameters for recyclable products were important requirements in driving the development of recycling technologies that were both ecologically and economically sustainable in the future. It therefore needed to be possible to take into account the use of waste plastics as raw materials in the choice of recycling. The options for use should remain open as to whether, for example, feedstock recycling (CO/H2 gases) was used in the chemical industry or in blast ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Wood-Plastic Compounds: When Plastic Touches Wood
...rous unfilled plastics. While anorganic fillers such as glass fibres can deliver better mechanical properties, the material has the negative side effect of causing major abrasion on the plastification units. Last but not least, the use of natural, sustainable and therefore resource-conserving fillers is a strong argument in favour of wood-filled plastic compounds. Since the wood content can be varied quite freely, the mechanical and technical properties of the moulded component can be manipulate...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-01-30, Dosage Systems: Functional Packaging for the Medical Sector
...grades for medical applications and for patients. Kunststoffe: Mr. Vaahs, what long-term benefit is Ticona hoping to gain from its medical-technology POM grades? Vaahs: Health is a megatrend in our society, and that means growth and sustainable development. Medical products and drugs help us to regain, monitor and maintain our health. Long product cycles are the norm. Added to this comes the fact that new products for the health market have to be licensed by the authorities, since patient safet...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-03-23, Lanxess: Moving Boldly into the Future
...ne chemicals in the first instance. The Styrenic Resins Business Unit, in particular, had been making losses for many years. Around EUR 1 billion had been invested in this business worldwide since 1995, without it proving possible to achieve sustainable profitability. In 2004 again, the company reported that this segment was still very much in the red. The styrenics market, however, is growing by around 6% per annum, driven by demand in Asia. The European market, which is much smaller than the A...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-08, Commodity Plastics: Versatile and Specially Customised
Commodity Plastics Versatile and Specially Customised Polyolefin Blown Films. Flexible blown films are now being used in applications that were previously the exclusive preserve of cast or biaxially oriented films. At the same time, further developments in raw materials and processing methods are also making it possible to produce polyolefin blown films with specially customised properties for technical applications. Achim Grefenstein The market for flexible films – which usually means films m...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-08, Natural-fibre-reinforced Plastics: Considerable Potential for Improvement
...reinforcing materials offer eco-friendliness, low cost and light weight. There are problems to solve in terms of their characteristic odour and property and design limitations. Considerable Potential for Improvement Max Dominik All over the world, sustainable protection of the environment and natural resources is an important reason for using renewable raw materials to develop new products. At first, jute, hemp, flax, cellulose and wool were the main natural reinforcing materials used for plast...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-10-27, Lanxess: Ensuring Sustained Growth
...et requirements, which are continually changing and expanding. “The added value resulting from this R&D will secure our path to sustained growth,” emphasised Dr. Koemm. The projects are very closely linked to megatrends such as mobility, sustainable development and safety. Alongside the use of renewable raw materials, Lanxess sees conservation of resources as a key aspect of sustainable development. In automotive engineering, for example, vehicle weight savings result in lower fuel consumption. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-10-30, Development Project: A Concept that Fits
...ruction unit distortion were defined. In the next step the mould builders brought in their knowledge: The possibilities of release from form, the necessary mould release bevels and the dividing line process for view parts resulted in a sustainable mould concept. Peter Ottillinger: "For a fluid cost optimised project sequence it is crucial that the mould technology be considered as early as possible. Thus error development with high change costs can be avoided. Further, the required short dev...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-11-24, Filler Systems: How Conductive Compounds Work
Compounds. How Conductive Compounds Work. Stefan Apelt et al. Filler Systems. The fillers in a plastic compound give rise to different conductivities depending on their type and structure. In the case of polyamide, in particular, this conductivity is also affected by the moisture content. Special investigations consider the phenomena of electrical conductivity and look into the possibility of using the corresponding polyamide 66 compounds for bipolar plates in a fuel cell. Conductive plastics ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-12-06, Corporate Strategy: Global Thinking and Acting in Corporate Technical Operations
...ould not just be confined to the area of production; international cooperation must be integrated throughout the value chain. Both these factors are often regarded as soft in the technical sector but are necessary for sustainable production at the highest level. Can the Future Happen? Of course, companies that bring together their regional competencies in a global know-how pool will only continue to be successful in future if they take a play an integral part in developing new industry trends. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-01-22, Mould-Base Concept for Hot-Runner Moulds
...he automotive industry and so is constantly under cost pressure. With the takeover, the two ex-consultants had two possibilities: to either enter into a price war or concentrate on quality, know-how and innovation. “We opted for the more sustainable“ says Matthias Wendler self-confidently. Their success proved them right. One year after the takeover, they have already become A-suppliers for nearly all their customers due to high product quality and on-time deliveries. By introducing the concepts...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-03-15, A Billion in the Medium Term
... Kunststoffe: Continuity and also aggressiveness? Neumann: I’m not a fan of working markets aggressively if that means selling on the basis of price. That’s a way of gaining market shares in the short term, but not ones that are sustainable. I believe that continuity automatically leads to success over the long term, providing the points have been correctly set. Kunststoffe: How have you set the points in the past to ensure that the company has developed in such a positive manner? Neumann: One...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-03-15, Car Bodies from Natural Fibres and Vegetable Oils
..., born in 1961, Managing Director of Iglu GbR, Göttingen/Germany. Dipl.-Geoökol. Meike Schmehl, born in 1974, Research Assistant at the Institute for Geoecology/Brunswick University. Currently working in the Sustainable Energy and Materials Supply Management Group at the Science Centre for Environmental Systems Research at Kassel University. Table 1. Requirements for Type Group 3F components according to the MAN Plant Standard M.6400-50 (draft dated October 1999) Fig. 1. Materials used to pro...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-05-14, Everything in a Continuous Flow
...e employed utilises cathode vapourisation. Process with Maximal Yield Rate The most obvious benefit of inline processing is the centralised production and processing of plastic parts: the cost effectiveness of production is increased in a sustainable manner by avoiding non-productive time in the system concept, eliminating quality control between the steps and reducing transport to a minimum. Furthermore, cleaning the parts is unnecessary, since all process steps occur under cleanroom conditio...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-06-18, Production Technology for High-Wage Countries
...s on a permanent basis. Of relevance to the national economy here are products that are addressed not only to niche markets but also to high-volume markets. How can these companies, for instance, succeed in increasing the value that they create on a sustainable basis and in reducing to a minimum the associated planning and preparatory measures, which do not create any value? Or how can they succeed in mastering the balancing act between increasingly personalised customer wishes and low-cost mass...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, Conserving Resources through Plastics
...r source of greenhouse gas emissions. The manufacture of chemical products and especially of plastics, by contrast, is the sole key use to which fossil raw materials can be put which does not involve burning the raw materials but using them on a sustainable basis instead. Against the backdrop of all these conflicting demands, the essential reason for producing and using plastics lies in their high-level of energy efficiency. A study by the Corporation for Comprehensive Analyses (Gesellschaft fü...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, Creating New Growth Through Innovations
...n. Altogether, about USD 200 million had been invested around the world. He added that DuPont was planning to invest a further USD 200 million, primarily to increase global plant capacity, over the next three years. Further Growth through Sustainable Solutions According to the Vice President Sales & Marketing, more than half of all Americans are willing to buy "green" products, although how much they are willing to pay for them is a moot point. An increasing number of trading companies...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, Focus on the Environment
...the Environment Pre-K Event In early June, a number of material manufacturers held a press event in Belgium to show their latest achievements and present the results they have achieved and future goals. Common to all companies was a striving for sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions and materials. The plastics industry is currently surpassing itself with good reports and new record results. Financial year 2006, in particular, exceeded all expectations. However, a dark shadow h...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, Goal: Quicker Return on Investment
...xpectations", reported Kogelnik. Business has not successfully offset the high costs of energy and raw materials. Nevertheless, the unit is on the right path strategically and working on becoming more competitive. Ideas for Sustainable Projects Lanxess views itself as one of the world’s largest manufacturers of synthetic rubber. According to information from Dr. Günther Weymans, Head of the Technical Rubber Products business unit of Lanxess Deutschland GmbH, the unit contributed about one-...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, On the Road to the Market
...ear, the international organization the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change announced that global warming can be definitively attributed to human activity. That puts the question of sustainability back on the public agenda. The concept of "sustainable development" was defined by the United Nations’ World Commission for Environment And Development in 1987 as follows: "Sustainable development means a way to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, Positive Response from Customers
...ng materials and applications at Kunststoffe magazine, spoke to Nandan Rao, Technology Director at DuPont Performance Materials, about current developments in bioplastics and their implementation in the market. Kunststoffe: Which plastics based on sustainable raw materials does DuPont have in the research pipeline? Rao: DuPont has many products in the pipeline including Sorona, Cerenol, Hytrel RS, based on renewably sourced raw materials. Some of these are new products and some are modificatio...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, Vision Works – Today and Tomorrow
...ount importance to us. That applies particularly to climate protection," said Ian Paterson. "There are various products from Bayer MaterialScience that make a major contribution to energy saving, and offer impressive potential for sustainable reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. Relevant examples are reduced-weight vehicles, such as the eXasis concept car and the thermal insulation of buildings or refrigerators with rigid polyurethane foam." A considerable weight reduction, togethe...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Create Progress. Together!
... themes of "Power", "Safety" and "Life" for its open, communicative stand at K2007. These are complemented by what the company regards as the equally central theme of "People". "The first area highlights sustainable technologies," explains Carsten W. Wörner, European Sales Manager at Ticona, in describing the concept of the stand. "This involves achieving higher efficiency in modern passenger vehicles, for example, or handling resources more efficientl...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Automation Package out of One Hand
...nststoffmaschinenbau GbR in Maulbronn, Germany, is not going to follow this unwritten „law" until competitors come overtaking them from all directions. The company is constantly searching for solutions that are technically and economically sustainable. This is why, at the Fakuma 2006 trade fair, Ankele introduced to the public a new automation technology developed by Siemens AG in Erlangen, Germany. It is specially customized to extrusion needs and can be made to fit a variety of application...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Bioplastics
...essurized the EU commission in Brussels to examine whether it was permissible on grounds of competition. We are still waiting for the decision. But the drastic nature of the measures already demonstrates that politicians are looking for new, more sustainable products and industries. They are prepared to support their market introduction. Belgium passed an ecological packaging tax in July. It adds EUR 3/kg to the cost of carrier bags, for example. However, it does not apply to bio carrier bags ce...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Process-Induced Degradation of Polylactic Acid
...6 rose by approximately 100% in comparison with the previous year and in Germany by more than 30% [1]. The sharply increased interest in such materials is attributable to the ongoing climate debate, rising oil prices and legal incentives in favor of sustainable industries [1–3]. One of the currently most important members of the class of biodegradable plastics obtained from natural raw materials is polylactic acid (PLA). PLA exhibits properties similar to those of polystyrene and is, accordingly...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-11-21, Lighter, More Sustainable, More Economical
Lighter, More Sustainable, More Economical Individual Mobility In the world of tomorrow, automobiles must have lower emissions and consume fewer resources, not to mention being safer and more comfortable. In addition, they should be more economical. This means: without major innovations regarding materials, processes and functions, the concept of individual mobility is at risk. Jan Dannenberg Jan Burgard Even today, innovations are a major factor for success in the automotive industry. In...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-11-21, Lightweight Structures Made of Metal and Fiber-Reinforced Polymers
...at as a result of resistance effects and magnetic hysteresis and thus cause the matrix of the FRP to melt [2]. The application of joining pressure serves to press the two parts against each other, giving a bond that is capable of bearing loads on a sustainable basis once the FRP has undergone reconsolidation. For adhesive bonding, use is made of chemically reacting adhesive bonding agents. In the case of single-component systems, the curing reaction of the adhesive can be triggered via elevated ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-11-21, Surface Finishing in the Cockpit
...er more complex developments in the past which were further accelerated by legal requirements. With increasing globalization of industry it is also being recognized that we must manage the natural resources of our planet more sparingly. Accordingly, sustainable concepts and closed recycling loops are just as much in demand as comfort and safety. This confronts the developers of materials with an additional challenge. Surface Materials and Technologies The dressing (finishing) of natural leathe...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-11-21, Weight-Saving Plastics for Reduced Fuel Consumption
...vehicles. Economic success will determine the compatibility of ecology and economy. This opens up new opportunities for German manufacturers and suppliers such as Mann+Hummel to strengthen their competitiveness by means of innovative and sustainable solutions. Dr. Dieter Seipler Günther Oettinger, Prime Minister of Baden- Württemberg (left), and Dr. Dieter Seipler, Executive Board Chairman of Mann+Hummel GmbH and Mann+Hummel Holding GmbH, Ludwigsburg (right), on the Mann+Hummel exhibition s...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-12-17, Unlimited Versatility and Design
...th conventional PU insulating foams, without reducing the stringent requirements placed on this brand. Production Processes for Greater Energy Efficiency Continually improved production processes are opening up key potential for a sustainable reduction in energy requirements and hence also in the emission of greenhouse gases – especially carbon dioxide (CO2). This applies particularly to the production of polymeric materials, of which many millions of tons are required each year. The new gas p...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-01-15, Complete Solutions Sought
...ng product lines and new developments to complement product ranges. Marcel Grossmann Upon questioning exhibitors about current trends and customer requirements, similar estimates about the future of the industry were obtained: The emphasis is on sustainable use of energy and an associated reduction of production costs, especially when material drying is involved. In addition to the trend toward increased throughput, European processors expect to maintain and possibly improve their current po...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-02-17, Acquisition Poker and Dramatic Upswings
...5% to EUR 950 million, and earnings before interest, tax and depreciation (Ebitda) had improved by more than 40% to stand at EUR 71 million. KraussMaffei is also adopting new approaches to the development of sustainable production solutions. In the context of its "Primus Network for Innovation" strategy, the company has opened its center for "Functionally Integrated Lightweight Structures" in Munich. Here, KraussMaffei is working together with the German Universities of Chemnitz ...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-02-29, Conserving Resources with Plastics
...lf Stauber on lightweight engineering, sustainability and future developments with plastics in automotive engineering The automotive industry is currently facing huge challenges: In future, attractive car models will also have to be environmentally sustainable. Gudrun Klein, editor with responsibility for Kunststoffe AUTOMOTIVE, interviewed Prof. Dr. Rudolf Stauber, Director of the Department of Operating Strength and Materials with the BMW Group, Munich, about these questions. Kunststoffe: P...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-05-10, More Return, More Climate Protection
...nce After a new record year 2007 BASF SE has set itself further ambitious goals. It wants annual growth stronger than the chemistry market. At the same time the enterprise provided the world’s first comprehensive CO2 balance in the context of its sustainable development strategy. The goal is to develop innovative solutions that help customers save energy with energy-efficient manufacturing technologies. Gudrun Klein Through organic growth and the positive development of acquired activities ...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-06-16, The Versatility of Films
...een the raw materials supplier, the additives producer, the plant engineer, and the film manufacturer, says Dr. Brandt. In particular, he considers a high degree of vertical integration by the processor as the key to increased value creation and sustainable competitiveness. In the discussions that followed, the use of polymers made of renewable raw materials was a particularly controversial subject. On the one hand, processors are faced with the necessity of responding to customer demands in ter...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-07-15, Natural Reinforcement
...ket, natural-fiber-reinforced plastics are used mainly when the sustainability aspect of the product is an important requirement (assuming adequate technical properties). The available materials offer many highly interesting properties, which permit sustainable and increasing use in a variety of applications. For example, through the use of natural fibers it is possible to obtain high rigidity and strength coupled with low density. The materials have good acoustic properties and very low splitti...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-09-23, Injection Molding Machines Become “Green”
...expensive or complex are suddenly becoming attractive and also being put into practice. Against this backdrop, the plastics industry may ultimately come to recognize that the current resin prices represent more of an opportunity than a threat, since sustainable efficiency can only be achieved through use of technically advanced solutions. After taking in the exhibits at the Fakuma, it should at least be possible to guess who has the best answers to offer processors.

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, COsub>2/sub>– Climate Killer or Plastics Feedstock?
... so dramatic that we can expect these ideas to resurface, and hopefully to be reconsidered without prejudice. Storage of carbon dioxide in the bowels of the Earth appears, even should it prove to be sufficiently safe, to be neither an economic nor a sustainable solution, as the German Environmental Protection Agency (Bundesumweltamt) has confirmed [16]. It would seem to be no better or more sensible than the “storage” of carbon dioxide in plastics, i.e. recyclable durable g...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
... for low migration applications. PVC and the Environment The European PVC industry – raw materials manufacturers, additive suppliers and PVC processors – have meanwhile presented the 8th progress report on their voluntary commitment to sustainable development. Gradually they are getting on target. In 2000, the branch committed itself to a 10 year program – Vinyl 2010 – with quantitative goals, a timecard and independent annual monitoring to minimize the environmental ...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-11-20, Material for Efficiency Boost
... million metric tons of CO2 are saved by weight reductions (Fig. 1). Presently, a very high percentage of gas and petroleum is simply burned. In view of dwindling resources, this inefficient and simultaneously final use is prohibitive. A sustainable approach is the versatile use of the raw material based on its initial conversion into plastics. The expertise of raw materials suppliers comes into play during processing: For example, energy is saved by using injection molded materials with...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-11-20, Water Combined with Air
... air flow between the bubble and the surface of the cooling body, which provides good heat transfer between the air and cooling body. This keeps the air at a low temperature up to the frost line and improves internal cooling of the bubble in a sustainable manner. The system further ensures that the bubble never comes in contact with water as the cooling agent or the surface of the cooling body (Fig. 2). External cooling still employs the timetested concept of laminar air flow with a duel...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-01-26, Preventing Theft of Ideas
...l or only slightly. The requirements of engineering and marketing do not make life for “anti-piracy” managers any easier. Effective protection against plagiarism is thus difficult to achieve. As the beginning of a sustainable effective security chain the following can be postulated: Without entrepreneurial will and the willingness to invest product protection is not possible! If efficient action against illegal attempts to imitate the original products is wanted, then manufacturers cannot get ar...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-04-16, Eco-friendly – for Safety’s Sake
...tative survey published in December 2008 by the Ministry for the Environment, Conservation and Reactor Safety (BMU). The majority of those surveyed gave environmental protection and climate change a high priority, and displayed a clear readiness for sustainable consumer behavior. For instance, 52 % of survey participants stated that they pay attention to power consumption when purchasing household appliances; in addition, 22 % specifically look for devices and products that have minimal impact o...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-04-16, Energy from the Environment
...organic solar cells offer unique selling propositions which render them particularly attractive to the consumer market. Enabling factors are the strong development of the mobile electronics market and heightened societal interest in sustainable energy production (Fig. 7). Energy-autarkic systems are electronic systems which draw their energy from the environment and whose functionality is not limited by maintenance-intensive charging processes or swapping of batteries. Examples here are sensor n...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-06-16, Plastics in the Fast Lane
...ions. Cost-efficient Innovations Specialized materials combined with new processes are helping vehicles achieve their ideal weight. This slimming program must not, however, be at the expense of function, comfort or safety, and, ultimately, sustainable mobility must also still be affordable. Auto makers and their suppliers have also set their sights on easy processing and efficient production. Anyone studying raw material prices will see the opportunity offered by metal replacement. Metal prices ...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-07-16, Accustomed to Change
...PlasticsEurope Deutschland e.V, optimistically. “I hope that politicians will respond to our criticism and our proposals: less red tape, priority for research and science, effective credit relief for companies, properly understood, sustainable policies, a climate in which innovations are seen as opportunities, not as threats – that would put us back on the road to success. Germany is an industrial country and also the number one plastics location in Europe. We research, develop and produce for t...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-10-14, Endless Energy Savings
Technical developments in extrusion have so far focused mainly on increasing specific throughput and improving melt quality. Increasing awareness of the finite nature of fossil fuels, the goal of sustainable production and not least last year’s sharp rise in electricity prices have increasingly placed ecological and economic issues, such as energy efficiency, to the fore. Measures to increase energy efficiency are becoming increasingly attractive due to shorter payback periods and long-term high...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-10-14, Engineering Plastics from Renewably Sourced Materials
...resources as a source of raw materials and renewable energies as energy suppliers. Engineering plastics from renewably sourced materials also secure a future raw materials base, when the foreseeable shortage of fossil raw materials sources tightens. Sustainable materials and processes thus ensure the future economic success of the plastics industry as well as that of their customers. DuPont is also involved in compostible materials (Biomax TPS) as well as in sustainable packaging (Biomax PTT) an...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-10-14, Formed by Air
... improvement in the economy – albeit at a rather low level – might occur in the second half of the year. Many companies are attempting to emerge from the crisis stronger by establishing innovative products and services. In this regard, achieving sustainable and efficient commerce over the long term is a major focus of activity. Extrusion Blow Molding An increasing variety of products and the shorter production runs that result require greater flexibility at production facilities in the blow mold...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-10-14, Race of Products
...arates automatically upon mold opening is used. This requires a gate with a very small cross-sectional area for entry of the melt, which in turn means the cavity can be filled only at very high pressures. High Quality, Cost-effective and Sustainable Production of the high-quality radiator grille with lozenge-shaped openings for the current Mercedes CLS provides one example of how to reduce manufacturing steps in product development (Fig. 9). A. Schulman, Inc., Akron, Ohio, USA, together with Mon...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-10-14, Reducing Weight in a Sustainable Manner
At this year’s Fakuma, Akro-Plastic GmbH, Niederzissen, Germany, focused on attention on the areas of metal replacement, flame retardance and sustainable resources. In this context, reducing moisture uptake by polyamides assumed an important position. Replacement of Die- Metal Because of ever-increasing demands to reduce costs and weight, metal replacement is a topic that has been discussed in industry for years. Replacement of die- metal by engineering plastics has already become commonplace in...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-11-19, From the Virtual World to Directly Under the Hood
Sustainable solutions for lightweight vehicles that also fulfill aesthetic requirements: this is what today’s automakers are looking for. ContiTech Vibration Control, manufacturer of engine mounts for the automotive industry and BASF have joined forces to create such solutions. The result is an innovative stabilizer for the new Porsche Panamera. The high-performance integrated component is made of a high-strength polyamide from the Ultramid CR family and a functionally optimized NR+ natural rubb...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-03-17, Are You Sitting Comfortably?
...equire different seats and even more systematic implementation of lightweight construction. For such developments, tailormade structural materials from widely diverse material classes and comprehensive system know-how will be needed. Sustainable Comfort Seat from Faurecia: thin-walled seat design contributes to lightweight vehicle construction and a greater sense of space Fig. 1. Driver’s seat for the Opel Insignia OPC: plastics and foams complement each other here to provide optimum crash resis...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-04-20, For the Sake of the Environment
...tovoltaics, and make a decisive contribution towards reducing the carbon footprint. Also the market fores are positive. Further support for research in the field of energy efficiency comes from the European Technology Platform SusChem (sustainable chemistry). Universities, research institutes, and chemical companies have joined forces to identify and promote important societal challenges and the corresponding fields of research. For this, a regularly updated Implementation Action Plan (IAP) is p...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Becoming a “Future Player”
...anxess has turned itself into an innovation-driven specialty chemical company. “For companies operating in the chemical industry today, it is no longer sufficient just to be ‘global players'. Rather, companies must stake everything on being sustainable in the future through innovations. Only in this way will they become ‘future players'”, said Dr. Werner Breuers, board member responsible for research & development, describing Lanxess' path to success. He showed how innovations...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Biopolymers as a Source of Energy
...al and decisive advantage that due to their predominantly renewable raw materials they provide a nearly CO2 neutral source of energy, which means that the incineration of biopolymers represents an intelligent and sustainable disposal route with an additional energetic cascade use. Fig 1. Biopolymers and various biopolymer groups [1] Fig 2. Total ion flux chromatogram from the GC/MS analysis of the XAD-2 eluate from the combustion of polybutylene adipate terephthalate (bio-polyester) at 400°C Fig...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, End of the Ice Age
... without distraction; the other is used for programming the process with freely selectable parameters. Blessing drew an analogy with a mixer in an audio studio: “It permits extreme tuning of your processes.” Sustainable Growth? Who knows The other extreme appears to have been overcome in the meantime. The trough of the economic crisis that started in mid-2008 reached Netstal in the summer of 2009, says Merki. Since then the order situation has improved significantly, thanks to a number of major ...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, From Megatrends to Business
...pportunities to successfully expand its own business with energy-efficient innovations. The company's plans for its exhibition display at K2010 are based on this vision. Under the slogan “From Megatrends to Business”, it will focus there on sustainable solutions and developments in the areas of climate protection, technology, mobility, living and health. Facts and Figures “Bayer MaterialScience has made a successful start to 2010 and we are confident of future development,” said Patrick Tho...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Grow Strategically
...the first quarter of 2010, they have already earned an Ebitda of EUR 221 million. The company places emphasis on protecting natural resources, optimizing processes and creating the chemistry of tomorrow, making daily life better and developing sustainable products. To this end, Rhodia is introducing a new composite material based on PA6 and PA66 developed over a period of four years (Fig. 4). The company has patented this matrix composition. The material will be available as a semi-finished prod...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Polycarbonate – How a High-tech Material Conquered the World and Continues to Do So
...re varied than ever. Besides the established applications for PC, Bayer MaterialScience is constantly researching new ways to make products more (energy-) efficient, safe or economic with PC. So polycarbonate is helping to support the sustainable philosophy of the company and actively address the many different trends and drivers in its customer industries. Optical Data Carriers (ODS): So far, these are the most important application for PC with a share of around 25 % of the total market. The cu...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Profitable and Faster than the Market
...27;s largest supplier to the automotive sector within the chemical industry. Specifically, the concept automobile “i-flow”(Fig. 2), which BASF developed together with Hyundai, shows how plastics can contribute to the car of the future and sustainable mobility. One example is the energy concept used in the i-flow: the engine is encapsulated in a rigid polyurethane foam insulation system that protects the engine and the environment. During short trips and in city traffic in particular, engines ach...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, A Material Unlimited
...e of Leverkusen, Germany, has developed materials and processes in the field of renewable energy sources and environmentally friendly materials. In this way, the company is making innovative contributions to climate control. With sustainable solutions for regenerative energies and in building construction, the company is helping to achieve the goals of climate control. Among these are PU insulation panels for roof, wall and floor, PU systems for floor coatings, frames and rear wall insulation in...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, Color Takes on a Functional Role
...r the colorists at BASF it is part of daily business to develop customized solutions based on the application of technical know-how. The Future Begins Now Concerning the question what trends in the pigment production business will be the most sustainable in the coming years, we think first of new plastics, new processing technologies or the needs of developing economies. At first glance all this is certainly true, but there is still much more to it. Also a business division, which with refined c...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, Coming Out of the Crisis on Many Layers
...egassing. With these special extruders, it is possible to process both virgin material and purified postconsumer flake with an entry moisture content of up to 1,000 ppm. Hall 16, booth B19 Brückner Maschinenbau Sustainable, Future-oriented Processing Brückner Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG, Siegsdorf, Germany, is exhibiting its wide range of products. By employing new system components and improved process technology, ever thinner films are becoming possible. In view of diminishing resources and...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, Elastic Diversity
...ll 5, booth D21 DuPont Innovative Applications and Renewable Resources DuPont de Nemours (Deutschland) GmbH, Neu-Isenburg, Germany, is systematically pursuing the path it started down at K2007. The company wants to satisfy customer demand for more sustainable products. DuPont addresses the challenges of increased packing density in the engine compartment and electromobility with its latest high-temperature ethylene-acrylic rubber Vamac ultra HT (Fig. 2). This offers processors performance and co...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, Sustainable and Efficient
Thanks to consistent improvement and innovation, engineering plastics can be employed for applications today, that used to be the domains of metals or high-performance polymers. Especially in the automotive sector, where strict emission standards and CO2 emissions play a major part, there is a bunch of options for engineering plastics now. The improved materials are better suited to resist impact in terms of temperature and media, which is why new approaches are being made in order to replace me...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, Two Centuries of Polyolefins
...nol won from sugar cane. This concept can certainly not be applied globally, but in the long term biomass would appear to be the most sustainable raw material for the polymer industry. And whether biologically degradable materials can challenge polyolefins for major market shares remains to be seen [14]. Ultimately it is always a question of efficiency, i.e. of the relationship between costs and energy or raw material consumption on the one hand and the performance and user-friendliness on the o...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-01-25, Appealing to (almost) all the Senses
...tandard Hytrel grades previously used it also offers constant physical properties over a wide range of temperatures. It is based on a minimum of 35 wt.-% of a nonfood biomass and therefore satisfies the demands of the automobile sector in respect of sustainable solutions. The 1,3-propylene glycol that replaces petrochemical 1,4-butandiol is produced biochemically from maize starch. The maize concerned has been genetically modified to optimize starch production and is not a type suitable for the ...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-01-25, Old Hat or Modern Materials?
...ctor is declining it is steadily increasing for biopolymers. Currently the major drivers in biopolymer development are the desire to replace petrochemical components and increase the proportion of renewable raw materials as well as efficient and sustainable manufacturing. However, even today polymer processors already have numerous processable biopolymers available to them. Why Biopolymers – What Added Value do they Deliver? Bio-based polymers in particular can make a contribution to efficient u...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-04-25, Sustainability in the Children’s Room
...mentally friendly, respectively. In order to impede greenwashing, the organizer of the toy trade show, Spielwarenmesse eG, Nuremberg, launched its “Toys go green” Toy Fair Special providing comprehensive information for visitors on sustainable play ideas. Apart from lectures given at the 2nd International Toy Congress and at the Toy Business Forum, this also included the “Toys go green” forum situated in the newly built central entrance area. Attendants could obtain information there, about diff...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-05-12, Biopolymers as a Sustainable Alternative?
...ies. With these novel third generation biopolymers the focus is no longer on biodegradability as a disposal option, but rather on the preferred use of bio-based raw materials as a feedstock for the synthesis of durable polymeric materials. Sustainable Disposal of Biopolymer Packaging If a decision is taken to use packaging made from renewable raw materials for sustainability reasons, it is not sufficient in terms of an objective assessment of the sustainability of biopolymers only to consider th...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-05-12, More Flexural Strength for Thin Films
...available. They offer in particular additional functions to include cost factors, greenhouse gas emissions and the use of non-renewable energy sources in the optimization of multi-layer packaging. In designing more sustainable multilayer packaging film the use of materials has to be reduced without compromising the processing and service properties. Optimal positioning of individual layers with different stiffnesses within the structure can make a significant contribution to this (all photos and...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-06-20, Sustainable Reduction of Energy Consumption
The worldwide energy demand is growing steadily (Fig. 1). Experts estimate that it will double between now and 2030 [1]. The main reason for this increase is the fact that the standard of living in the emerging countries such as India and China will adapt to the standard of living in the western industrialized countries. We therefore have to assume that the prices for primary energy will continue to increase. This will affect not only today’s industrialized nations, but all the regions of the wo...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-08-24, Back to Nature
...ps [2] (Fig. 1), a computer mouse [3] (Fig. 2) or containers and tableware [4] (Fig. 3). The retro-style radio is made of pine and sonokeling wood [5] (Fig. 4). And the “Jelloware” cups are based on the algal material agar agar [6] (Fig. 5). A Sustainable Solution to Increasing Oil Consumption Besides energy consumption, unrestrained oil consumption is a growing problem worldwide – not only because it is a finite resource and there are ever increasing environmental risks associated with its expl...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-08-24, Bio above All?
...g. 7). Established: Biodegradable Plastics Since BASF introduced Ecoflex, a biodegradable polyester based on fossil fuel resources, in 1998, the material has been developed further. Facilitated by the growing interest in and availability of sustainable raw materials, numerous blends of Ecoflex with PLA (polylactic acid) have been created under the brand name Ecovio that in contrast to Ecoflex are based on renewable raw materials to varying degrees. Ecovio FS Film has been developed for productio...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-08-24, Focus on Sustainability
...ilions. The “Eco-friendly Plastics Conference” focused on energy efficiency and resource saving. This industrial forum was part of the main program, along with other events on the topic “Green Plastics. Our Goal. Our Future”. Sustainable Development Prescribed Environmental compatibility, sustainability, reduced emissions and energy saving – these issues have, however, not been selected at random or put up by the industry itself in events or workshops at the trade show. The twelfth five-year-pla...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-08-24, Good for the Environment
...reen PE). Starting with sugar cane, via bio-ethanol and ethylene, they generate a new Green PE that is subsequently processed further on conventional equipment to, e.g., films, bottles and containers. The sustainable production of renewable resources and long-term planning for the use of food waste as a raw materials source are important to the company. The company markets its Green PE products under the slogan “I’m green”. One customer for Green PE is the consumer products manufacturer Proctor ...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-08-24, High Transparency for Challenging Applications
...ssors: it is compatible with Grilon TS or Grivory GV. This permits designers to produce economical multicomponent solutions by injection molding or various post-treatment processes, such as welding of different components. Reinforced and Sustainable Higher functionality and thin-wall technology for housings and structural parts gain in importance for different application areas. That places extreme demands on the processability and quality of the materials used. Besides a good balance of stiffne...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-08-24, Making Use of Natural Resources
... (guaranteeing consistent mechanical properties throughout the component), and heat resistance at elevated temperatures have made this mineral fiber first choice among processors.” Fibers traditionally regarded as sustainable (such as flax and hemp) often fail to meet these criteria. This fact has resulted in natural fibers playing only a minor role. Lenzing has made great efforts to develop a sustainable fiber that would solve this problem. The mechanical properties of natural fibers often depe...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Bioplastics
...r fossil versions are recycled is technologically irrelevant, since they are 100 % compatible. Ecology and, more recently, resource politics regard recycling as an important tool for achieving greater resource efficiency and sustainable development. After all, the need to conserve applies just as much to renewable raw materials as it does to fossil materials: Unless they are used efficiently, there will not be enough of them. Reuse and recycling of products are the prerequisites for cascade use....

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Creating Opportunities for the Future with Plastic
... This includes the removal of bureaucratic hurdles at the national and European levels, proactive programs to prevent the looming shortage of skilled workers in Germany and in connection with the energy change a decision to ensure reliable and sustainable energy supplies at competitive prices. We in the plastics industry are prepared to create new opportunities for the future and sustainable development for our society. For that we need an industrial policy that supports our industry and reduces...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT)
...sponse in the market. They make an important contribution to conservation of resources and give processors’ customers the opportunity to demonstrate that they are environmentally aware by advertising their products as sustainable. For example, PBT grades are available, whose basic monomer unit (terephthalic acid) is derived from recycled PET (Valox IQ, Sabic Innovative Plastics, Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands). Another approach is based on high-quality postconsumer recyclates (from PET beverage bot...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Polycarbonate (PC)
...ny by 100,000 t/a by 2015. According to media reports, the companies Sabic and Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Company of Jubail, Saudi Arabia, have recently started commissioning a plant with a capacity of 260,000 t/a in Al-Jubail, Saudi- Arabia. Sustainable Mobility The fast-growing global mobility trend, with future-oriented developments such as the electric car, is opening up numerous, often very innovative applications for polycarbonate and its blends as well as films produced from them. The incr...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Polypropylene (PP)
...ity) and a finely dispersed ethylene/propylene rubber phase (high impact strength). Due to the excellent resistance of BorECO BA2000 to corrosion, abrasion and chemical attack, these pipes have a very long service life and thus contribute to sustainable development of wastewater infrastructure projects [5]. A new material aimed specifically at corrugated pipes and injection-molded parts (fittings) is BorECO BA415E, which owes its special molecular structure to the multimodal Borstar process. Bor...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Polyurethanes (PU)
... in the global EcoCommercial Building Program (Fig. 7) initiated by Bayer MaterialScience which offers decision makers in the construction industry a unique portfolio of services and material solutions for energy-efficient, sustainable and cost-effective building construction, ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe, Duisburg, Germany, and Bayer MaterialScience, for example, are reinforcing their cooperation in the field of highly functional metal-composite elements for the heat insulation of industrial build...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
...ce. PVC and Sustainability This year, the European PVC industry – raw materials manufacturers, manufacturers of stabilizers and plasticizers, as well as PVC processors – presented the concluding report of their self-regulation on sustainable management, and reached or even exceeded all their goals. In 2000, the industry committed itself to Vinyl 2010, a 10-year program with quantitative goals, deadlines and an independent annual audit to further minimize the environmental impact of the manufactu...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-11-18, Focus on Energy Efficiency
...r we have succeeded in developing a holistic approach to the urban mobility of the future. We are very proud of that. Our research activities play an important role in making electric cars affordable, environmentally friendly and sustainable,” said Dr. Andreas Kreimeyer, member of the Board of utive Directors and Research utive Director of BASF SE at a press conference during the IAA. The researchers and developers of the two companies have succeeded in combining no less than five automotive wor...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-01-30, Sustainable Production Pays Off
As a member of the Husqvarna Group, Sweden, Gardena takes environmental protection at all its production sites very seriously. We are aware that the future of the various sites can no longer be secured simply through profit and growth in the long term; we also need to show social responsibility. That is why the environmental safety of our product lines is important to us”, so reads the official statement on environmental policy. Thus, Husqvarna’s internal guidelines provide for the certification...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-01-30, Sustainable Way of Walking
...g run, a corporate policy will be successful only if efficiency, ecology and social responsibility are in the right balance. Bayer MaterialScience AG in Leverkusen, Germany, thus undertakes great effort to develop products and solutions to support a sustainable development. This is done by considering the entire value creation chain of a product, starting from its production, via processing, up to its application in the final product. Energy, water and raw materials are to be employed efficientl...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-04-20, Plug-In Connectors for Household Appliances
...erica by the existing equipment base that still covers many crimp termination machines and by the high initial investments on the Rast IDC systems. While lagging behind Europe, the American Appliance industry has now started to catch up. Sustainable, Eco-friendly Soldering Reflow soldering is also becoming gradually more important in the appliance industry with its advantages motivating more and more manufactures to make the transition from the current dominant wave soldering. For certain design...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-06-25, Closed Event
China is the world’s largest consumer and producer of plastic products. Not only that, but the Chinese government’s twelfth five-year plan is seeking to promote sustainable development and energy conservation within industry. As a result, energy-efficient systems are particularly popular with Chinese customers. So it was fitting that Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. chose the opportunity afforded by Chinaplas, held in Shanghai in mid-April, to unveil its turnkey HyCAP HPP (High Performance P...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-06-25, Potentials in Drying
...nation of the pellet moisture content by sorption/desorption THE AUTHORS DIPL.-WIRTSCH.-ING. DIPL. OEC. CHRISTOPH POHL, born in 1979, works as a research assistant and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Kassel, Germany, Department of Sustainable Products and Processes, and is project manager for the Low-Compressed-Air Production sub-project; pohl@upp-kassel.de M. SC. SIMON GOY, born in 1982, is also a scientific assistant and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Kassel, Department of Sustainab...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-07-23, Planning a Second Home
.... Current calculations for example show a CO2 equivalent of 3.8 kilograms of CO2 per kilogram of Plexiglas molding compound. Factors that are in line with the Chinese government’s 12th five year plan that, amongst other things, envisages promoting sustainable development and energy saving in industry. Energy efficiency and sustainability in China are thus very much being led from the top. For this reason environmentally acceptable and sustainable products with reduced emissions and energy saving...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-07-23, System Options for Wafer-Thin Protection
According to UN estimates, the earth will hold up to ten billion people by 2050 [1]. Sustainable management of natural resources and providing for the strongly growing world population will be the central global challenges for the coming decades. In this context, the current study by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) gives cause for concern [2], stating that a third of all the food produced in the world is wasted. In the industrialized countries, the problem is seen in ...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-08-22, Steady Rise
...eactivity, good mechanical properties and wide chemical spectrum. Polyurethane resins like those supplied by Bayer and BASF, for example, offer a good alternative to the previously used epoxy resins in many applications. Long-term Success through Sustainable Materials Sustainability and environmental compatibility are factors of continually growing importance in all areas of life. This is shown by the various efforts of material producers and users to employ materials that have improved environm...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-09-17, Customized Development
...garding flammability, the main criteria for using bioplastics in consumer electronic applications is the percentage of renewable resource material used. Several market players are currently increasing their efforts in the area of sustainable and ecofriendly products and processes, by the targeted application of bioplastics. One example of this is the Green Products series recently introduced by OBO Bettermann GmbH & Co. KG in Menden, Germany. This series uses bioplastics such as bio-polyamid...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-10-15, Converting Waste into Useable Material
... limited fossil resources and the long degradation time of plastics, which generally amounts to several hundred years, the opponents of the “plastics age”, however, are increasingly making themselves heard, calling for plastic to be handled in a sustainable manner. Recycling plastics constitutes a meaningful solution here. The different types of recycling (thermal, energy, mechanical and feedstock recycling) are aimed at permitting the meaningful use of plastics products or the material on which...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-10-15, Replacing Metal and Paint
...toffe: Mr. Kronimus, metal is a tried-and-trusted material. Why should a manufacturer consider replacing it with a polymer solution? Kronimus: Metal replacement is closely aligned with some of the mega-trends influencing all of us. The need for more sustainable manufacturing to make the most of our limited resources is an example of a mega-trend that supports companies’metal replacement goals. Replacing metal with thermoplastics can reduce a products’ weight, and so reduce the cost and fuel requ...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-11-26, Both Ecological and Economical
...reasingly demanding ethically and ecologically impeccable products, also with respect to the packaging. In order to meet this trend towards holistic product consideration, the industry is trying to produce more environmentally friendly – and hence sustainable – packaging through material reduction and/or material substitution. All these activities only contribute to sustainability, however, if it can be ensured that the protection of the packed goods is assured, as the value of the resources inp...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-11-26, Complex Production Plants from the Construction Kit
...news so far. This was the intention. Rather than on theoretical presentation of products, we put our focus on satisfying our customers. A satisfied customer will be the best advertiser a manufacturer can wish for, and we consider this the most sustainable way towards success in the market. Most of all, with dosing units and mixing heads, we followed the strategy of convincing in practical application each individual customer of our machinery: by a competitive price, good results with utmost avai...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-11-26, Inliner for Automotive High-Pressure Natural Gas Tank
... less CO2 than gasoline or diesel vehicles. When it comes to the extremely climate-damaging nitrogen oxides, their emissions are as much as 53 to 95 % lower. The automotive industry is also relying on natural gas-powered vehicles in its concepts for sustainable mobility etc. The background to this is legislation by the European Union specifying that the average emission of the greenhouse gas CO2 from manufacturers’ new car fleets must be reduced by 40 % to 95 g/km until 2020 as compared with 200...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-11-26, Sustainable E-Mobility Concepts
...s harms the quality of life for both people and animals. Even though for the foreseeable future the significance of the internal combustion engine in the construction of vehicles is set to continue, it is necessary to look for and find potential for sustainable efficiency gains. The activities of the German federal government with regard to electromobility are a significant contribution on the path to a more climate friendly environment [1, 2]. There are more than 1 billion motor vehicles worldw...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-11-26, Unimagined Possibilities
... excellent. Both unreinforced grades are based on polyphthalamide. They are made of 50 % renewable raw materials and are part of the Green Line assortment of Ems-Grivory. With its Green Line products, Ems-Grivory makes an important contribution to sustainable management of fossil fuel resources. The basic Grivory HT3Z version is characterized by high strength and toughness. In addition, both Grivory HT3Z and Grivory HT3Z LF feature very low water uptake, high dimensional stability and excellent ...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-01-28, Is the Future of Plastics Green?
...eopoldina, in its 2012 report on the limitations and possibilities of using bioenergy, comes to a similar conclusion that bioenergy cannot make a quantitatively important contribution to the energy revolution as a sustainable energy source for Germany either now (Fig. 5) or in the future [7]. According to an EU study, some biofuels even very significantly exceed the carbon dioxide emissions of oil- based fuels (87.5 g CO2/MJ). For example, the value for biofuel based on palm oil is 105 g/MJ, on ...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-01-28, When the Project Portfolio Overflows
...zation as a whole: in clarity, decision making and consistency. The Think Tank Project Management focuses on an approach that starts with the human being, reinforces the ability of the organization to change, while having an eye on its sustainable business success. Methodology in competition Fig. 1. Efficiency of the organization Fig. 2. It depends on the point of view Fig. 3. Reaching the goal through consistent action (graphics: Integrated Consulting Group) THE AUTHORS BIRGITTA GREGOR, born in...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-02-22, Is the Future of Plastics “Green”?
... (PEF) is to be produced from biotechnically derived furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid and ethylene glycol and used for bottle manufacture. As pure hydrocarbons, polyolefins are particularly attractive candidates for renewable and sustainable products. As shown in Figure 4, polyolefin waste can be used as a raw material source for renewable oil. When heated above 300°C, poly-olefins chains are cleaved to quantitatively recover oil and gas and can then be returned to the oil loop to produce new olefin ...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-02-22, Reliable and Sustainable Melt-Pressure Measurement
...-pressure sensors ensure high measure quality and permit good machine control without the expense of elaborate additional functions. They are specifically tailored to the needs of global customers in the extrusion industry. → www.dynisco.com Sustainable and robust: for faster pressure control during extrusion Precise and reproducible measurement: pressure sensors for a broad range of applications (photos: Dynisco)

Kunststoffe international, 2013-04-19, Colors Reflect Our Times
...n addition to the choice of color, from the start other requirements on the product, e.g. flame or sun protection, can be taken into account. In addition, the design centers can inform the customers about sustainable plastic materials. The same goes for coloring with sustainable masterbatches or stabilizing recycled materials. The subject of foaming plastics and the associated reduction of material and weight is also a key issue th...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-04-19, Esthetics and Design Meet Function
... in combination with very matt surfaces. Kunststoffe: How is the industry dealing with cost efficiency and sustainability? Felzer: Extremely high efficiency demands are being made today with regard to the sustainable use of raw materials in the industrial process. This means that the entire process chain from raw material selection to final production must be a closed materials loop. This raises the question of how raw materials ca...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-04-19, Plastics Cycle
...ently being discussed, concerning clear guidelines to rule this issue”, says Gneuss. The participants of the meeting however agree that independent development of the recycling sector is more sustainable, economically, than implementing political control instruments. Werner Herbold, managing director of Herbold Meckesheim GmbH in Meckesheim, Germany, talks about a risk involved: “The value of the recyclate might eventually fail to ...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-04-19, Refining Recyclate
... as the carrier material). This means that the use of recycling materials can be made more attractive, as higher recycled pellet amounts can be admixed to the end product and compounders can do business in a more sustainable way as a result. Washed Silage Film and CaCO3 With, according to the British market research institute Applied Market Information (AMI), plastic consumption amounting to around 545,000 t in 2011 (EU 27 plus ...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-04-19, Trump Cards up the Sleeve
...and half a dozen partner companies presented their exhibits oriented to practical application. These exhibits were examples of how efficiency in injection molding production can be improved in a sustainable way. Eventually, it is all about linking high product quality, low energy consumption, short cycle times and low costs per unit. Experts’suggestions were concerned with the major sectors of the value creation chain – starting fr...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-05-16, Is the Future of Plastics “Green”?
...2 in the atmosphere, the combustion of all the plastics produced in one year would release only about 0.5 Gt per year. Human respiration alone emits some 5 Gt CO2 per annum. As low-cost, low-maintenance materials that are recyclable and sustainable, plastics have become indispensable to our everyday life and all future technologies from aerospace engineering to information technology and medicine. Plastic innovations (Fig. 2) are contributing significantly to increased resource and energy effici...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-06-19, Innovative, Cost-Efficient, Eco-Friendly
...ltruded rods are being added to recycled plastics materials (Fig. 5) to enhance the mechanical properties of the recyclates and so open up new fields of application. In the area of fiber materials, too, there is a continuing trend towards using sustainable yet efficient materials, such as flax fibers. For example, twisted flax fiber rovings have been used in a 3.5 m-long wind turbine blade by Safilin, Sailly sur la Lis, France. The operational capability of the blade has been successfully tested...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-06-19, Technical Products and Sustainable Production
Products that demand a high level of technical expertise and quality dominate processing and development among machine manufacturers in Germany. The objective is to refine existing concepts continuously and develop new technologies with even greater performance. The Potential of Engineering Plastics This year’s event focused on the use of plastics in new fields of application. Processing of engineering plastics such as polyamide 12 (PA12) and its combination with additives and fillers is being u...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-07-22, A Gram of Plastic for a Dozen Promises
...losure Systems. The group which has operations worldwide (Obrist, Bender, UCP, Zeller Plastik amongst others) is implementing this project at all of its facilities. It concentrates on lowering the use of resources as well as more sustainable products and processes. Individual areas included within this can be summarized as less energy consumption (Fig. 4), materials from renewable raw materials, biodegradability as well as recycling and reduced CO2 footprint. The group expresses these in clear n...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-08-19, Focus on “Green” Mobility
Worldwide there are more than one billion cars on our roads, and by 2050 this figure is expected to rise to 2.5 billion. Sustainable mobility is therefore becoming a global megatrend. With numerous products and technologies, Lanxess AG, Cologne, Germany, is already leading the way in green mobility,” said Dr. Werner Breuers, a member of the Lanxess Board of Management, addressing journalists at a press conference in Düsseldorf, Germany, ahead of K2013. Application-oriented Culture of Innovation ...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-08-19, More Global Collaboration
...r 7 billion people living on our planet, and, according to United Nation fores, there will be more than 9 billion by the year 2050. This leads to challenges such as feeding the world’s population, more efficient use of energy, search for new and sustainable energy resources, and preserving man and the environment. Hedlund pointed out that it is impossible for one single enterprise to solve all these complex problems, though. Groundbreaking innovations required global collaboration at entirely ne...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-08-19, Pooled Expertise Creates More Value
...bal “Automotive” center in Basle, Switzerland. Another example is the “Building and Construction” center of expertise in Tarrytown, USA, which develops innovative solutions for sustainable plastics applications in the construction sector. BASF is continuing to adapt the solutions it offers to market needs. This applies not just to the global production network but also to services, development priorities, and the product portfolio. “It’s always a matter of striking a balance between what is the ...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-08-19, Technological Leader from the Alpine Foothills
...un enterprise. This includes long-term policy, absolute focus on the customer and strong employee-orientation. Based on the current strength of the core business, with strategic acquisitions boosting business, and due to sustainable management, Brückner group’s target is to have five to six main pillars, in the medium term. Years of Success Total turnover in 2010 was just above EUR 300 million, showing the recovery after the financial crisis; in the years to follow, i.e. 2011 and 2012, Brückner ...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-08-19, The Customer Shall be King
...nced service capabilities, too. For this purpose a so-called Supply Chain Organization will be established, to facilitate and make planning and transactions more reliable, starting from raw material purchase, up to the client. Milliken: Sustainable Substitution Supplier of additives for polyolefines Milliken&Company in Spartanburg, SC, USA, has recently worked on the fine tuning of its innovations, together with processors. The main emphasis was on processing, optical properties and on the c...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-01-23, Trend Report: Complex Recipes Handled Flexibly and Precisely
Machine and plant manufacturers used the trade fair to demonstrate the flexibility, efficiency, and simple handling of their systems. Particularly worthwhile methods for increasing the efficiency of molding processes are found in the sustainable and economic use of expensive raw materials, as well as the increased addition of regranulates. Energy efficiency plays a significant role mainly in material drying. For machine and equipment manufacturers as well as processors, the growing need for more...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-02-20, Bio-Polybutylene Terephthalate: Opportunities for “Green” Plastics
...l material properties, which is actually the reason they are used. At the current level of understanding, this high level of properties is not achieved by novel “green” plastics. Long-Term Reliability of Supply, Sustainable Products Lanxess AG, Cologne, Germany, has a strong interest in drop-in monomers based on renewable rescources, and is examining the entire chain of synthesis steps for manufacturing its plastics. The motivation for this is the growing market interest in bio-based polymers, t...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-03-21, Door Panels with Natural Fiber Content: Every Ounce Counts
The use of natural fibers for interior components in the automotive industry is becoming increasingly important. In addition to sustainable cost and weight reductions, the independence of raw material supply is also an important argument for using natural fibers. The weight of automotive components plays an increasingly important role in the debate on CO2 emissions. This is why a key focus of development at Johnson Controls over the past few years has been on reducing the weight of automotive pa...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-03-21, Energy Costs: Highly Efficient Plasticizing
...ciency is an issue constantly gaining importance for plastic processors, not only in Germany. Politicians, as well as the media, are increasingly focused on the energy subject, thus drawing public attention on the issue and increasing awareness of sustainable production. What is more, the cost of electric energy seems to be on an inexorable rise at present, directly affecting the cost of plastics production. As a result, more and more processors are interested in efficient machines, if only for ...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-03-21, Quality Assurance: Scratch-Resistant
...er of cars worldwide increased by 862 % [1] between 1960 and 1996. By 2005 it had increased by a further 13 %, thereby contributing continuously to environmental problems [2].To counteract this development, automotive technology must become more sustainable, eco-friendly, and resource-conserving. Customized Properties When using plastics for high-grade components (Title figure, Fig. 1), it is essential to modify the material with suitable additives and fillers in order to obtain improved or even...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-04-14, Trend Report: Everything Under Control
...ectrophotometers. Accurate, maximum color precision then plays an important role, including for the aforementioned product aesthetics, and therefore for the user. Such measurement instruments also contribute to ensuring uniform quality for sustainable products with a high recyclate content. Faster, More Precise, More Convenient The innovations in the field of measurement and testing technology are to be found in the balancing act between market demands, legal requirements and technical feasibili...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-05-07, Extrusion: New Packaging Solutions Thanks to Rapid Cooling
...ency to curl is a clear advantage when asymmetric multilayer film structures are processed further. Strong pressure from competition in the packaging sector continues to push demands on the manufacturers of raw materials and machines to develop more sustainable packaging solutions. In the flexible packaging sector, pouches are showing the strongest growth. Their advantages of reduced packaging weight together with the resulting lower production and logistic costs are behind its expansion into ne...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-05-07, Strategic Repositioning: We Want to Be Top Five
...turnover, commodities and engineering plastics are level. “At medium term, we see a large potential of growth in engineering plastics.�? According to Dr. Wolf J. Köhler, this is because of mega trends such as sustainable mobility calling for low weights, and thus lightweight structures, which can be achieved very easily with plastics. Therefore, Ter Plastics Polymer Group focuses on, e.g., application developments in the automotive, electrics and electronics sectors with products from their dist...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-06-17, From Fuel Line to Gas Pipe
...or "Backward integration as far as the monomer" are slogans often heard in this connection. But sometimes these advantages are not enough. For, expert knowledge that extends no further than the extrusion stage falls far short of the end application. Sustainable product development requires a number of additional steps.Back in 2001, the automotive industry had already been widely using PA12 for many years. Many auto makers around the globe were installing mono-layer and multi-layer PA12 pipes in ...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-07-22, "We Want to Remain One of the Top 5"
...J. Seres Jr., and also representative of the company’s owners, and President Robert Hoff – had also traveled over for the inauguration. After his opening words in which he said the headquarters in the USA was convinced of the company’s sustainable success and of the positive market development in Europe, Seres symbolically handed over an oversized key to the Rödermark General Manager and declared the works open.In his remarks that followed, Gramatzki explained the reasons behind the investment: ...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-08-19, Environmentally Friendly or Consumer Deception?
Gudrun Klein (© Schlüter)Gudrun Klein (© Schlüter)Gudrun Klein (© Schlüter)Many consumers regard purported attributes such as "sustainable" or "green" as vague and unclear. And anyone wishing to shed light on this matter will find themselves confronted with a whole host of different interpretations.On the one hand, companies frequently use the catch phrase "sustainable management". The search for an explanation of this term takes us to the German agency for market-oriented concepts. This agency ...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-08-19, New Ideas and Political Markets
...an find application in polyesters, such as PBS, PBT or PBAT (cf. Table 1 on page 32), in elastomers (EPDM) or as formula components. Due to the great significance of materials costs in fully automated processes, sustainable and economical access to suitable biomass is considered the most important factor for location. Nowadays, making the presumably correct investment decisions is anything but a trivial matter. Developmental cycles in biotechnology take a long time; it takes eight to ten years t...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-08-19, Sustainable Solution for Coloration of Bioplastics
Plastics packaging is one of the main contributors to the global waste mountain. To avoid potential environmental problems, biodegradable bioplastics are increasingly being used for this application. But what about the additives and colorants? A masterbatch producer provides the answer. In our everyday lives, we all encounter plastics applications produced from biobased plastics without really noticing them. Disposable carrier bags, bin liners, and refuse bags are currently the most common appli...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, For Great Big Boulders
...fter this, which includes drying, ultimately converts old PE plastic residue into recycled regranulate, which in turn can be supplied into the raw material cycle. It is stored in giant silos on the company grounds. Nothing should go to waste in this sustainable solution.To keep the effort required as low as possible, the feed hopper was dimensioned so that even pipeline sections of 2.50 meters in diameter could be loaded into the shredder in one piece with a forklift truck (Figs. 1 and 2). The r...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, Polyamides (PA)
...vely small, making bio-based polyamides more expensive, in most cases, than their competitors based on crude oil. Often, the question is ambiguous, or hard to answer, whether polyamides based on renewable raw materials are in fact more sustainable than other types – in particular, if considering factors such as landscape consumption, use of fertilizers and water, transport, working conditions or the competition with food production. Variations in the qualities of the natural raw materials can ca...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA)
...ver, are only in the planning phase.Sustainability Megatrend The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a comprehensive investigation that analyzes and assesses the effects of a product on the environment. Among other things, it can be used to optimize a sustainable production process. All stages in the life cycle of a product, from extracting raw materials to disposal, are taken into account.The Methacrylic Sector Group (MSG) is an interest group consisting of European MMA and PMMA producers. It is org...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, Polypropylene (PP)
...nding. In case of the latter, especially, there is increasing cooperation with academic and industry partners along the value chain. This is the most efficient way to address megatrends such as lightweight construction and challenges such as the sustainable use of resources and minimization of energy consumption. In areas of continuing relevance such as weight reduction – a hot topic from the packaging industry to the automotive sector – advances can still be achieved, for example by combining d...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
...ket share of 16 %. DEHP is subject to authorization under REACH and may not be used after February 21, 2015, without special approval.PVC and SustainabilityVinylPlus, the now second 10-year program of the European PVC industry for sustainable development, was successfully continued by the companies and associations of the supply chain involved (www.vinylplus.eu). The aims are to further increase the PVC recycling rate, help to avoid the buildup of persistent chemicals in the environment and furt...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, Twofold Success under a Single Roof
...ope. This would not, however, have been possible without the agreement of the committees and partners who are supporting this growth strategy. This is also reflected by the shared understanding that prevails and the commitment to healthy and sustainable company development.Kunststoffe: In which countries is the group active with its own companies?Schottek: Krahn Chemie has the subsidiaries ICH Benelux in the Netherlands, as well as Krahn Chemie Polska and ICH Poland. The youngest member of the c...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-11-26, Keeping a Clear View
...arious environmental impacts of the new PMMA molding compound. And when the car is scrapped some day, the Plexiglas can be recycled in its entirety and can theoretically be used again for transparent applications. Outlook: A Sustainable FutureThese properties of the new Plexiglas molding compound, which is tailored to the needs of the automotive industry, could prove instrumental in getting PMMA glazing to production readiness. Future applications for the new molding compound will lie in automot...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-11-26, Low Weight and Sustainability for Vehicles
...trends in automotive development range from traveling comfort and entertainment up to process integration and standardization of components. There are apparently at least two tendencies that are directly linked to the wish for more lightweight and sustainable material solutions: weight reduction (to reduce fuel consumption) as well as sustainable production. Additionally, as the former improves, the latter grows in importance, because the usual energy consumption comprised of 10 % for production...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-11-26, Non-Destructive Testing of Fiber Composites
...reinforced plastics (CFRP). The chassis is still made of aluminum and the electric motor has 125 kW (170 bhp).Wind Power. Besides electromobility, the use of fiber plastic composites in wind farms (Fig. 3) supports another megatrend in Germany. In sustainable energy production, fiber composites with glass fibers (GFRP) are used. The up to 60 m long rotor blades are manufactured from "endless" glass fiber-reinforced plastics. The fibers and thermosets used are very inexpensive, but the processing...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-02-28, A New Start into the Future
Facing increasing challenges due to the global competitive environment, Lanxess AG in Cologne, Germany, decided to take rigorous cost-cutting action. By the end of 2016, the company wants to create the basis for long-term and sustainable growth. Most of all, the measures are due to improve the stability of the rubber business, which is in a critical situation at present. "All in all, Lanxess is in a good position to continue to grow in the future."On its Media Day held in the beginning of Novem...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-02-28, Vision 2030
...lightweight engineering.Feichtinger: The goal has to be as far as possible autonomous supply through closed recycling loops and renewable energy generation. Reliable, inexpensive and environmentally sound energy supply is a crucial factor in the sustainable development of modern societies. Material-driven innovations are of vital importance in further growth and the penetration of the market of energy technologies. As polymer materials offer special potential here, they will become a driving for...