Strictly-Extrusion

Omnexus, the global plastics e-marketplace (www.omnexus.com) that went on-line in North America last Fall, has now made its official launch in the European market. At the same time, it has supplemented its English- language materials search and transaction capability with availability in German, French and Spanish. As part of its phased roll-out, customers in Europe and other parts of the world will have full access to the catalogs of leading resin suppliers, view regionally available materials and carry out product searches and polymer comparisons. The latter are based on a full range of standardized performance data for engineering plastics.

Polytech Spa,Italy, world leaders in the production of biaxially oriented film extrusion equipment and well known for their quality converting equipment, announce the first result of their aggressive R&D and marketing strategy aimed to furtherly consolidate and expand the Company position within the quality suppliers of the flex-pack industry.
Cornerstone of the project was a purposely built web converting unit to complement the two already existing film extrusion systems at Polytech’ Research Center.
Common goal and key decision was the insertion of an Electron Beam unit, supplied by the world’s largest manufacturer of these units, Energy Sciences Inc. (ESI) of Boston, MA, USA, strategic partner of Polytech for this new technology venture aimed to expand the electron beam applications in the flexible packaging.
Irradiated biax-shrink films ,gaining widespread popularity as display overwraps represent an highly lucrative segment of the film business, with a volume today estimated in 300.000 tons of growing consumption.
Today’s high performance, thin, shrink films, whilst remaining highly sophisticated subjects, are no longer black magic and market requirements are calling for an even broader selection of customised products.
These requirements were the driving forces convincing and motivating Polytech to enter, first machinery manufacturer in the world to do so, in the development and marketing phase of a completely integrated system to produce crosslinked films, offering it as a full-package supply.
The successful accomplishment of such an huge task required human resources, skills, knowledge, heavy investments in the necessary hardware and a deep understanding of the multiple aspects of involved technologies, associated with the undisputed and unparalleled experience of Polytech in this specific area of film extrusion.
Painstaking efforts are paying back. The free availability of one of the finest and interesting film production technology is now a solid reality, offered by Polytech as absolute market first for the industry.

Maag Pump Systems Textron, Switzerland has launched Rubbexâ , the new combination of gear pump and feeding device. In connection with a general purpose extruder head and integrated filter unit (screen changer is also possible) the process stages of “straining” and “extrusion” can be combined and semi-finished products can be produced. Maag offers its Rubbexâ system in four sizes to cover an output range from 200-3.600 kg/h.

Hubron, UK, has introduced two new black fibre-grade masterbatches. Loaded at 30% and 40% respectively, the new PP-based grades, PPFB 6175 and PPFB 6180, possess excellent dispersion qualities, high opacity and optimum UV properties. These masterbatches are ideal for customers in fibre extrusion for carpets, geotextiles and other markets, according to Regional Sales Manager John Case. Other features include an anti-oxidant package and flexibility of use for other extrusion processes. Hubron Manufacturing is one of Europe’s leading producers of plastic masterbatch and has over 65 years experience in carbon black, with an annual capacity of 25,000 tonnes. It has held ISO 9002 accreditation since 1986. The Hubron Group has an annual turnover of more than £25 million and over 90 employees.

The result of extensive research and development in the laboratories of Shuman Plastics, Dyna-Purge compounds are ready for use, require no mixing and have unlimited shelf life. The compounds do not melt completely and actually scrub and push their way through the injection cylinder or extrusion barrel, purging thouroughly on the first run. The highly effective cleaning reduces waste of usable expensive resin during chageovers, according to the company. The purging compounds are available for all thermoplastics, including engineering materials, optical media resins, clarity resins and engineering resins.

Integrated Packaging Films Inc., Canada, recently completed a 5,000 square-foot facility in Tempe. The facility now serves as a warehouse, but eventually will be equipped with an extrusion line to produce thermoformable films for electronics packaging customers on the West Coast, according to President Bill Mechar.

Danafilms Inc., USA, plans to add a third blown film extrusion line by the end of the year at its relatively new facility in Franklin. The firm began producing film at the plant in September after investing about US$9 million in construction and machinery, said Robert Simoncini, vice president of sales.

A new software module for an enterprise- management program is believed to be the first that calculates how to minimize leftover waste when cutting sheets, tubes and rods out of a sheet blank or stock profile. Version 5.0 of Impact Encore software from Syspro Impact Software Inc. USA contains the new Piece-Cut Calculator feature, which was created originally for Tristar Plastics in Shrewsbury, USA, a maker of sheeting and rods. The software shows not just how to cut an original shape into final product with minimal waste, but how to match orders most efficiently to the inventory of blanks at each plant location.

The Plastics Technology division of SMS, which incorporates the Battenfeld, American Maplan and Cincinnati Extrusion brands, saw a substantial increase in business during last year, with most of the growth coming from the extrusion sector. Overall, sales totalled Euro 622 million in 2000 compared with Euro 414 million in 1999. Sales of pipe and profile equipment doubled. Battenfeld Extrusion Technology, American Maplan, Cincinnati Extrusion and Battenfeld Chen Extrusion Systems increased sales from Euro 98 million to Euro 196 million, although this upswing could only be expected as the substantial Cincinnati operation did not join the group until the beginning of 2000. Cincinnati itself achieved ‘record growth rates’. In film and sheet Battenfeld Gloucester Engineering US and SMS Folientechnik, Austria (formerly the British Battenfeld Gloucester operation) increased turnover 69 per cent to Eur 213 million. The injection moulding division did not achieve such dramatic results, but still increased sales 12 per cent to Eur 213 million.SMS Plastic Technology turnover is now split 34 per cent in injection moulding and 66 per cent extrusion.

Wavin has increased its position in the European hot and cold water systems market by purchasing 51 per cent of Multilayer Pipe Company in Poland and joining an underfloor heating sales consortium in the UK. MPC specialises in the manufacture of PEX pipe and composite plastic pipe for hot and cold water applications. Wavin will enlarge the company’s production by adding ist own PEX and composite pipe equipment. The pipes will be marketed across Europe in combination with Wavin’s own-designed Tigris fittings.The UK sales consortium consists of underfloor heating specialist ThermoBoard and insulation manufacturer Owens Corning Alcopor UK. With Wavin’s addition it will offer heating systems under the Osma Underfloor heating brand.