Strictly-Extrusion

Underlining its expertise in mixing systems for the compounding of polymers with natural raw materials, the Kassel-based Reimelt Henschel MischSysteme GmbH recently scored dual success. The Valentin Holzwerkstoffe GmbH & Co. KG of Mittenaar-Bicken/Germany entrusted the company with a supply contract for the entire material handling and mixing equipment for its production of WPC (Wood Plastics Composites) profiles. In early June 2004, following thorough testing of all system functions over several weeks of operating trials, the customer started commercial production. The choice of Reimelt Henschel mixing technology had been prompted by
• its reliable and repeatable process technology optimized to individual user needs at Reimelt Henschel’s technology center, e.g., with regard to raw material types and final product characteristics;
• the system’s all-round suitability for diverse formulations (polymer type, moisture content of the wood fibers, raw material mixing ratios); and
• a clearly structured equipment configuration yielding maximum flexibility even with difficult-to-handle fibers.
Valentin relies on plastic/wood fiber composites in its manufacture of an all-new range of eco-friendly and technically sophisticated semi-finished products for interior design and construction applications.
Adding to this achievement, a presentation of Reimelt Henschel’s development in mixing technology for polymers with natural raw materials met with intense interest among the more than 300 international attendees of the 5th Symposium “Global Wood and Natural Fibre Composites” organized by the University of Kassel in late April 2004. As in previous years, the symposium proved a major experience-sharing forum, bringing together industry and researchers for a professional exchange that addressed key aspects of the production, characteristics and uses of plastic/natural fibre composites. In addition, participants were able to witness ‘live’ demonstrations under near-field conditions at Reimelt Henschel’s Mixing Technology Center, gaining new insights into cost-efficient mixing methods for this innovative materials group. In the course of the various presentations detailing fiber drying and polymer agglomeration techniques, participants paid close attention to the process technologies and parameters described and benefited from in-depth discussions with the experts available on site.

Jari Tooling Technology Co. Ltd, a leader of plastic extrusion in China’s domestic tooling market, has been successfully incorporated by Shanghai Jari Extrusion System Co. Ltd with Lianyungang Jari Tooling Technology Co Ltd. Jari Tooling is a subsidiary of the Jiangsu Automation Research Institute.

The company considers customer satisfaction as first priority, which has put efforts to improve product quality, technology content, processing level, management and after-sale service. Currently, Jari’s products are exported to the United States, Japan, the Korea, Russia, Germany, Italy and many other countries. Also, it has established branches in Germany to provide more accurate and timely information and services to its customers.

In 1996, Jari was the first Chinese extrusion tooling manufacturer to acquire the ISO9001 quality control certificate. Its main services including various plastic extrusions like high precision extrusion tooling, co-extrusion tooling, sheet and board tooling, and other window and door products.

Cortec Advanced Films Div., USA, whose products include anti-corrosion and biodegradable lines, has expanded its blown film plant in Cambridge, Minn. The company added 17,000 sq ft to accommodate a new extrusion line, and installed two silos that can hold 240,000 lb of resin. Cortec’s products include Eco Works bags, Eco Film for industrial, agricultural, and retail use, Eco Wrap stretch film, Eco-Corr anti-corrosion and compostible film, and Eco-Corr ESD with static-dissipation properties.

Supreme Plastics Group has merged two of its divisions, Malpack and Brayford Plastics, to create Supreme Flexibles, selling an enhanced range of packaging products including film on the reel, specialist lidding films, a range of resealable bag products and Joker bag-filling equipment.
Supreme Plastics acquired Brayford Plastics, a manufacturer of custom-made bags and envelopes, in 1997 and Malpack joined the group in 2000, providing printed film and bags for the meat and poultry industries together with lidding and anti-mist films for fresh produce.
The new division handles quick response, short to medium-run work, flexo-printed in up to 10 colours on a newly installed Bielloni gearless press. Products are made from polypropylene, polyethylene, metallised and holographic films for the food industry, textiles, healthcare, publishing and promotion and include resealable packaging.
The division is headed by director David Harrison, who has spent four of his ten years in the packaging industry with the Supreme Plastics group.

The Packaging and Industrial Films Association (PIFA) has warned of ’significant’ price increases for film likely to occur this month as producers and converters become no longer able to absorb polymer price increases. Competition has until now forced producers to absorb the increases in the hope that prices will start to move back down, but according to PIFA it is now obvious that this is not going to happen and raw material prices will undoubtedly escalate further over the coming months.
PIFA says that most producers are ‘working on non-existent or wafer-thin margins’ and with the price of some polymers rising 27 per cent this year, non-recovery of these costs will result in rapid business failures.
Higher plastic prices are not the only problem, and converters of complex packaging products are also having to pay more for paper, solvents, inks and other materials.
Beyond price difficulties are supply difficulties. Production problems have put some plastics materials on allocation, says PIFA, and some grades may already be sold out for September. The association adds that the level of naphtha supply is causing some operations to shut down petrochemical plants completely.

UK cast nylon manufacturer Nylacast is launching itself into the market for extruded engineering plastics with a large-scale investment in machinery at its Leicester plant. The company is currently installing 60 extrusion lines with the aim of starting sales in its new engineering plastics extrusion division in November. The project, involving an investment of EURO 10m, will lead to Nylacast branching out from its traditional cast nylon business to produce a range of extruded PA, POM and PET products.
The new plant is capable of producing 4,000tpa of extruded plate and 4,000tpa of extruded rod and/or tube profiles. The company currently produces 4,000tpa of cast nylon; to this will be added 21 new grades of extruded nylons, polyacetals and PET. The extrusion expansion will be replicated at Nylacast’s wholly owned cast nylon operations in Mexico, South Africa and the Phillippines.

UK-based Scapa Polymerics has officially opened its new production facility in Greater Manchester. The manufacturer of cable industry compounds and tapes will make Megolon halogen-free, fire retardant, low smoke and fume compounds (LSFOH), the Megotape cable wrapping range and its self-amalgamating tapes at the site. It will also house a research and development facility for cable and wire innovations.
The company said Megolon compound manufacture at the new plant, as well at existing Manchester premises, would facilitate a significant increase in production. Scapa said the new plant was a result of its decision to invest EURO 32m over six years.

Rapid Granulator AB introduces its GranuMATIC™ granulating shredder and EnergyPro, a new energy saving device, on Stand E19, Hall 9 at K, Europe’s largest plastics industry fair that is held from 20 to 27 October 2004 in Duesseldorf, Germany.

The GranuMATIC™ is a completely new design and has been developed specifically with the plastics industry in mind. The new shredder has a unique combination of knife cutting technology, cutting speed and sequence cutting supported by a FlexiPUSH feeder. This results in a superior shredding solution for plastic materials with a clear and smooth cut with low stress and enables low motor power.

The new EnergyPro is Rapid’s answer to requests from the industry to save energy and costs by only using a granulator’s full power when it is really needed. The EnergyPro is a compact, soft starting motor controller that provides energy savings by managing the magnetic field of AC induction motors. The soft start reduces inrush currents up to 70% and extends the motor life time. The EnergyPro is specifically developed for the constant speed, variable load applications of Rapids granulators.

Apart from the new introductions the Rapid stand at K 2004 features the company’s whole range of granulators, from the small 15 and 20 series, the medium sized 26 and 30 series, the large 45 and 60 series of large granulators up to the heavy duty 80 series. Also Rapid’s range of optional accessories can be found on the stand, such as the TRACS clean air system that separates minute dust particles from regrind, the DS-400 dust separating system for less demanding applications, the Rapid Guillotine System for the recycling of edge trimmings from sheet extrusion lines, as well as units that detect and separate small metallic objects from the plastics regrind.

As of 1 July 2004 Kero AG, Dieburg, joint stockholder, has merged the business activities of the Mixing Technology Division of Henschel Industrietechnik, Kassel, and the Chemical Technology Division of Reimelt GmbH, Rödermark, to form Reimelt Henschel MischSysteme GmbH. The newly-created company, headed by Ralf Neubeck and Jörg Rasbieler and based in Kassel and Rödermark, focuses the outstanding competence of two technological leaders who have had a formative influence on mechanical process technology with more than 20,000 supplied systems and a large number of patented innovations. Customers in the plastics processing and chemical industries now have an extended portfolio of integrated solutions for material handling and mixing technology at their disposal for turnkey systems, starting with raw materials supply and storage through to semi-finished and intermediate products. The familiar teams at both sites will be backed up by a network of specialists for process technology, sales and service. The global presence of Reimelt Henschel MischSysteme is ensured by its worldwide network of subsidiaries, marketing companies and service partners.
The continuing strategic basis of all activities of Reimelt Henschel MischSysteme is emphatic customer orientation with the key elements of competent consultation and comprehensive technical application support as well as professional all-round service. A constant improvement process for these tasks founded on a quality management system to EN DIN ISO 9001 has a long-term reinforcing impact on the performance of all corporate divisions. Customers profit from on-going product enhancement and economical production methods with the aid of the systems and processes optimised by Reimelt Henschel MischSysteme. They can therefore expect tailored materials processing systems designed and constructed in accordance with their specifications from one source – without additional interfaces, with perfect engineering and ideal software.

Having recently become the latest member of the MonoSol group of organizations, UK-company Aquafilm Ltd. announces their new company name is MonoSol AF.

Aquafilm Ltd. is the world leader in extruded water soluble films. Product lines include innovative packaging films, embroidery toppings and backings, and their premium range of water soluble laundry bags for infection control purposes in the healthcare industries. The soluble laundry bag technology has also been adopted in the hospitality, nuclear and general manufacturing industries for containing bed linens and uniforms, respectively.