Strictly-Extrusion

One of the many new improvements to the new ZE-UTX twinscrew extruder range from Berstorff is the rectangular barrel housings. The new ZE generation is more operator-friendly, easier to service, and more
compact. The range incorporates a new barrel connection system, larger side-feed openings and degassing vents, and a new temperature control system. In addition, Berstorff has largely integrated the auxiliary units into the newly-designed baseframe. “Our main purpose was to afford the customer better machine utilisation,” says Dr Dieter Rath, Berstorff’s Plastics Machinery Sales Manager. “So we involved our customers closely in the development.”

Sustatec LLC, USA, a custom extruder of plastic rod, sheet, and tube, has opened its first U.S. plant for high-performance engineering stock shapes for machining. The company was created in late 2001 by Sustaplast AG, itself part of Rochling Plastics Group, in Mannheim, Germany. Sustatec is separate from Sustaplast, a sister company that supplies standard stock shapes from inventory. Sustatec’s new 25,000-sq- ft facility extrudes shapes from specialty compounds of performance polymers like PEEK, PPS, PBT, PC/PBT, and ABS. These are modified with carbon fibers and other reinforcements, as well as flame retardants, lubricants, conductive fillers, and other additives.

Performance Pipe, USA, is closing its Abbeville facility as it seeks to streamline production and reduce costs. Production will cease immediately at the plant, where Performance Pipe produced high density polyethylene pipe for many markets. Performance Pipe is owned by Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. LP.

Akcros Chemicals, the lead stabilisers business unit of Akzo Nobel, is to be acquired by its management. In April 2002, the MBO team will form a new company, to be called Allstab, which will continue operations at Düren, Dahlem and Greiz in Germany along with Roermond in The Netherlands. The stabilisers are used in PVC window profiles, cables and pipes.

Matik North America, the exclusive North American distributor of products from Goebel Schneid-und Wickelsysteme products, introduced Goebel’s rapid automatic brand of advanced center/surface turret slitter rewinder. The equipment has fully automated roll change. The slicing system cuts the web and applies tape to both web ends. The tail is then taped to the finished rolls, and the leading edge is attached to the new rewind cores. The slitter rewinder comes in widths of up to 63 inches, rewind diameters of up to 27.5 inches and a speed of 1,640 feet per minute.

Apart from an extended programme of strand granulators for the plastics industry, with which Rieter-Automatik, Germany, has counted for decades as among the worldwide leading suppliers, there are plants to be seen for all stages in granulate production.
The following are being presented among the exhibits at k-fair:
* New PRIMO Plus 400 strand granulator
* M-USG 1200 H cutting head
* SG 450 C die head
* SOLVO 154 T vacuum pyrolysis cleaning plant
* DROPPO 300 drop granulation plant
* ColorControl quality control system

Uponor, which is renowned for its plastic pipe systems, will offer complete housing, building and environmental infrastructure solutions in the future and aims to become an industry leading brand in international markets. For achieving these goals, the company’s organisation will be reshaped as of the beginning of next year. The modernised corporate identity and brand strategy will show the Uponor corporate brand across the company’s various businesses in all markets. The management introduced the company’s future plans at an analyst and media briefing in Helsinki, Finland on Wednesday.
One of the greatest challenges in Uponor’s new strategy includes building up new business while strongly increasing the company’s operational efficiency. Achieving the targets of this new vision requires value management, which is also necessary in integrating the company -which has grown through acquisitions and represents different cultures-into a seamless organisation.

Sollx decorative film of GE Plastics, USA, has found its first commercial application in the fender of the new Segway HT (Human Transporter) device. This self-balancing, two- wheeled unit, introduced last month by Segway LLC provides pedestrians with an ability to move more easily and quickly than before on sidewalks and in large workplaces. The surfacing film for this in-mold decorated part is extruded by GE Structured Products from a novel resin that GE now reveals is a polyestercarbonate, a type of polycarbonate copolymer.Sollx film is still described as pre- commercial, though GE expects to make generally available by mid-2002. Development programs using Sollx film are under way in automotive and other areas.

Amcor Plastube, the plastic- tube business of Amcor Twinpak-North America Inc., has obtained exclusive North American rights to use the proprietary Polyfoil high-barrier plastic tube-making technology of Hoffmann Neopac AG of Switzerland. This technology, which imparts a unique feel to the tubes, has enjoyed wide success in the European marketplace. As a result of this licensing agreement, Amcor Plastube will build a new flexible tube plant in the northeastern U.S. by October 2002. It will supply the fast-growing, high-end personal-care market.

Starting in December, market-research firm Principia Partners in Exton, Pa., is launching a monthly newsletter called “Natural/Wood Fiber- Based Polymer Composites.” It will provide business and technical information
on uses of these materials in building products, automotive, and industrial/consumer uses. The firm has conducted research on these materials and markets for more than 10 years and has published several
landmark reports on various aspects of the business. The newsletter will provide news and analysis on raw materials, product formulations, equipment, processing, industry capacity, channels of distribution, pricing,
and market and application trends. For more information about the newsletter or any of the Firm’s activities in polymer/wood composites, visit the company’s website at http://www.principiaconsulting.com.