Jushi to decide on US plant

Transcription

P O W E R E D B Y T H E O F F I C I A L I N T E R N AT I O N A L P R O V I D E R S O F FA K U M A S H O W DA I L I E S
© Entire contents copyright 2014 by Crain Communications Inc. All rights reserved.
14, OCTOBER, 2014
●
PLASTICSNEWS.COM
Plastics News photo by Caroline Seidel
Fakuma organizers optimistic Jushi to
about the future of the fair
decide on
By David Vink
EUROPEAN PLASTICS NEWS
As the Fakuma trade fair opens
its doors for 2014, reporter David
Vink spoke with Paul Schall about
where the Fakuma trade fair
stands today — and its future
prospects
Q: Will Fakuma remain a regional trade fair, or will it take
on more of an international profile?
Schall: If you mean Europe
when saying “regional,” then we
can live very well with that. However, participation of both producers and suppliers from 34
countries around the globe, as
well as the influx of visitors from
120 countries from around the
world shows that we had already
reached a high level of internationality quite a while ago. This is
simultaneously encourages and
obliges us to constantly work on
Paul Schall
making the worldwide supply of
plastic technology available to
the industry’s professional community.
Fakuma [has] more than 1,772
exhibitors from 36 nations and
45,000 trade visitors from 100
countries of the world today, the
second place in the world ranking. Since the K [show], however,
has been conceived as the largest
plastics fair in the world, with a
broader basis and more scientific
[emphasis], while Fakuma focusSee Fakuma, Page 14
Paul Schall, owner of P.E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG, which
puts on the Fakuma trade show.
Blue man
group
Sumitomo Demag
displays Playmobil
figures at its booth
on Oct. 13.
Plastics News photo
by Caroline Seidel
SUMITOMO
Hall: B1
Stand: 1105
Hall: B4
Stand: 4305
Hall: B5
Stand: 5410
US plant
By Rebecca Kanthor
PLASTICS NEWS CORRESPONDENT
After two years of deliberations, Chinese
fiberglass manufacturer Jushi Group Co.
Ltd. is one step closer to opening a new factory on foreign soil.
Jushi Group President Yang Guoming
spoke briefly on the topic at a press conference at Jushi’s 20th annual International
Conference on Fiberglass, a five-day event
which attracted 1,100 guests from all over
the world to visit the company’s headquarters in Tongxiang, Zhejiang province.
“The Jushi USA plant project has entered
into the decision-making stage. After two
years of investigation and evaluation, our
Chairman Zhang Yuqiang had a meeting
with the relevant departments from the
USA.”
The exact locations that the company is
considering are still a secret, and there was
no further official mention, but the presence
at the conference of representatives from
the South Carolina Department of Commerce had some speculating that South Carolina could be a
possible location for
JUSHI
the new plant.
Hall: B5
The plant is an imStand: 5511
portant part of the
company’s plans to expand their global footprint and be closer to
their customers in the coming years. It
would be an addition to the company’s already active plants in Tongxiang, Chengdu,
and Jiujiang, along with its facility in Egypt,
which opened earlier this year. Jushi already has sales subsidiaries in Canada,
France, Spain, Singapore, India, South
Africa, Japan and South Korea.
After the press conference, Deputy Manager of the Development Strategy Department Eason Shen told Plastics News, “This is
not a final decision [to open a factory in the
U.S.]. We are still in the decision making
process.”
He said that other options for the
company’s forthcoming overseas plant
See Jushi, Page 12
INSIDE
TUESDAY
Arburg at Fakuma
Styron, DSM aim for autos
Helmut Heinsen talks
importance of Fakuma,
industry trends PAGE 4
Both firms unveil new resin
products aimed at automotive
parts PAGE 5,7
VISIT THE
EUROPEAN PLASTICS NEWS /
PLASTICS NEWS STAND TO
WIN AN iPAD AIR!
Stand: FW24
2 ● PLASTICS NEWS, October 14, 2014
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Invista to unveil new high-temperature resin
By Frank Esposito
PLASTICS NEWS STAFF
For materials firm Invista, getting to Friedrichshafen for the
Fakuma show won’t be a sprint
— it’s going to be a marathon.
At the show, Wichita, Kan.based Invista will unveil new applications for Marathon-brand
high-temperature technology
used with the firm’s Torzen-
brand nylon 6/6 resins. The
patent-pending technology offers improved long term heat-resistance over conventional nylon 6/6, officials said, while also
delivering toughness, wear resistance and chemical resistance.
Torzen Marathon nylon 6/6
compounds can perform in applications with temperatures of
up to 230° Celsius. The materials
also retain 50 percent tensile
strength after 1,000 hours.
The firm will be spotlighting
several other grades of Torzen
also, as well as services it offers.
“Our purpose is providing solutions to our customers,” engineering polymer solutions Executive Vice President Kurt
Burmeister said in a news release. “We have qualified technical and application-development
teams across the globe, all of
whom can collaborate with our
customers to find integrated solutions.”
Invista additionally is focused
on expanding its portfolio and
conducting research and development on a range of polymers
and engineered compounds,
such as nylon 12 and nylon 6/12,
officials said. In recent years,
the firm has invested in product
and application development capabilities, as well as in manufacturing assets.
In early 2013, Invista won approval from Chinese officials for a
massive feedstock plant in Shanghai that could later include nylon
6/6 resin production. The plant
would have annual capacity of almost 475 million pounds of hexamethylene diamine, a nylon precursor. It also could include
between 220 million and 330 million pounds of annual capacity
for nylon 6/6 resin and 660 million pounds
of annual capacity
for
INVISTA
adiponitrile
feedstock.
Hall: A1
Invista
Stand:
1221
also invested in its nylon 6/6 business in late
2012 when it bought a compounding plant in Born, Netherlands. During 2012, the firm
spent more than $100 million in
Asia, including investing in an
expansion of its nylon air-bag
fiber plant in Shanghai.
In Wilton, England, Invista
now is conducting biotechnology research. The firm’s bio-scientists and engineers there are
working to evaluate opportunities and develop intellectual
property, officials said. The firm
also is exploring biological
routes to its products and feedstocks.
Invista ranks as one of the
world’s largest producers of nylon 6/6 and intermediates, as
well as specialty polyester. The
firm operates facilities in the
U.S., Canada, the Netherlands
and Argentina.
Specialty resins
on display
By Frank Esposito
PLASTICS NEWS STAFF
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ExxonMobil Chemical Co. will
be working with its distributors
at this year’s Fakuma event to
show the merits of its specialty
resins.
Ter Hell Plastic GmbH (Hall
B1/Stand 1206) will be displaying
a polypropylene freezer food container that’s using ExxonMobil’s
Vistamaxx-brand propylene plastomers to enhance the strength
of the PP resin. Vistamaxx also is
improving the container’s lid
hinge stability while reducing its
stress whitening, officials with
Houston-based ExxonMobil said.
Film samples using Vistamaxx
will be displayed by A. Schulman
Inc. (Hall B1/Stand 1112). Automotive applications for ExxonMobil’s Santoprene-brand TPV,
Vistalon-brand EPDM and Exxtralbrand performance polyolefins
will be displayed by Biesterfeld
AG (Hall B4/Stand 4201).
ExxonMobil is not exhibiting at
Fakuma.
PLASTICS NEWS, October 14, 2014 ● 3
SHOW
D A I LY
Ewikon debuts flex manifold system
A new flex manifold system from hot runner manufacturer
Ewikon GmbH will reduce the cost of building prototype and
small-series tools by allowing the same hot runner system to be
used in several molds, the company says.
The HPS III-FleX is designed to work over multiple pitch distances, with two lateral arms connected to the main manifold
with a special pivot joint. The system is available with flow channel diameters of 6 millimeters and 9 mm, with an estimated lead
time of one week or less, according to Ewikon.
Ewikon is also introducing the MWB 100 mini fluidized bed, a
portable cleaning device for hot runner tips and other small
parts. The 12-inch by 6.5-inch machine cleans parts in a heated
chamber with air-blown sand, requiring a single-phase 230-volt
power supply. The process takes between 1 and 2.5 hours, depending on the material, the company says.
Brückner’s Kiefel acquires SWA
German machinery company Kiefel GmbH, part of the Brückner group, has acquired Czech-based SWA sro, a company which
provides compression, foaming and vacuum form tooling along
with automation systems for the auto industry.
SWA, founded by two engineers from the automotive supply
industry over 20 years ago, and now has around 130 employees.
It is based in Stod, in the Pilsen region.
The Brückner group states that the acquisition is consistent
with its growth strategy and its objective to strengthen existing
parts of the group by expanding its product range. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Kiefel says that the acquisition is an important step to it becoming a complete provider in the automotive interior sector.
The purchase of SWA will see Kiefel add die cutting and pressing
technologies to its technology range and will enable it to develop competence in press laminating and pressing natural fibers,
as well as in the corresponding toolmaking areas.
The company will be able to provide systems for the production
of door panels, instrument panels, center consoles and sun visors
for the interior, in addition to trunk trim and acoustic components.
Epsan increases compounding capacity
Bursa, Turkey-based Epsan Plastik San. Tic. AS, a compounder
that specializes in high-performance nylon, is increasing its capacity with a new compounding line.
The company said its new Coperion ZSK 58 MC18 line will increase its nylon compounding capacity from 20,000 tonnes to
29,000 tonnes annually.
Arda Efe, global sales director of Epsan, said in a news release:
“The capacity increase will help Epsan to support its fast growing business in Germany through Epsan Deutschland as well as
strengthen our position in existing ones.”
The company opened its Epsan Deutschland office in Dortmund,
Germany, in January. The office is aimed at the automotive industry, and offers customer training, sales and technical support as
well as product demonstrations and hosting client events.
Epsan has two plants located in Turkey as well as distributors
throughout Europe and North America. The company has about
120 employees worldwide and sells its nylon 6 and 6/6 compounds to more than 35 countries.
Chem-Trend planning expansion
Chem-Trend LP has outlined several more expansion projects
for its mold release agents, process aids and specialty lubricants.
The Howell, Mich., company announced programs underway
in Brazil and India about a month after it launched a new research and development center in the Qingpu district about 30
miles west of downtown Shanghai, China.
In Valinhos, Brazil, Chem-Trend and sister company SurTec
are developing a new production, administration and laboratory
complex. Chem-Trend has been in Brazil for about 30 years and
claims to be the leading release agent supplier in South America.
In Mysore, India, Chem-Trend is expanding a facility it established
in 1989. The project includes production, warehouse, administration
and technical center projects in conjunction with sister companies
in the Freudenberg Chemical Specialties group. Chem-Trend finished the first phase of the expansion in 2013 and by 2016 the facility
will be complete and have 163,000 square feet of space.
Bekum moving production
Company takes
production from
Berlin to Austria
By Bill Bregar
PLASTICS NEWS STAFF
Bekum
Maschinenfabriken
GmbH, the maker of blow molding machines founded in Berlin in
1959, is moving its Berlin production to its other plant, in Traismauer, Austria.
A news release posted on
Bekum’s website terms the move
a “realignment.”
“In order to realize an increase
in productivity, the relocation of
the production line from Berlin to
Traismauer along with a restructuring of the Berlin facility is necessary,” company officials said in
a news release dated Sept. 22 and
posted on Bekum’s website.
According to the news release,
the streamlining move will
strengthen the Berlin headquarters while centralizing production in Austria.
“We are confident that the intended restructuring and the realignment will form the basis for
an excellent market positioning,”
said Bekum founder Gottfried
Mehnert and Andreas Kandt, the
managing director, in a joint
statement.
They were not available for immediate comment for this story.
The restructuring move does
not affect Bekum America Corp.,
the company’s U.S. operation, or
the plant in Austria, the company
said.
Bekum said the restructuring
will be “realized in the framework
of a self-administration,” to be
completed by the spring of 2015.
The news release said: “This
framework allows the management to run the reorganization
and restructuring process on its
own, supervised by an advocate
and in conjunction with the firm
of hww Unternehmensberater
GmbH. Therefore, Dr. Christoph
Schulte-Kaubrügger (White &
Case LLP) from district court
Charlottenburg has been appointed as the preliminary advocate.”
Processing sector discuss
this year, forecasts future
By David Vink
by 34,356 employees was 0.3 per- peak of around slightly over 1
cent lower over 2012, described million tonnes in 2008. Building
“as stagnation, continuing the 2012 construction accounted for 38.6
Fakuma has its roots as a plas- decline,” but it was in line with the percent of material processed,
tics machinery trade fair. But as overall trend in the European packaging 36.6 percent, electrical and electronics applications
the profile of the show has Union, the association said.
The number of compa- 14.9 percent.
widened beyond the origiDespite more stable Swiss Franc
nies, nevertheless, innal concept of machinery
creased slightly. The asso- exchange rates in 2013, Swiss Plasfor injection molding,
ciation predicted “an tics President Doris Fiala talked
there is interest in the
improvement in the level about a “tense industry environprospects for the region’s
of business” in 2014. This ment,” featuring “many uncertainplastics processing secis based on a survey of ties.” These included turbulence in
tor, as well as its plastics
member companies, with the eurozone, which is Switzerand rubber machinery
53 percent expecting high- land’s largest trade partner.
companies.
Fiala said the association is higher sales, and 33 percent
In September, four naly concerned about exceptionally
unchanged.
tional plastics processing
Swiss
companies large increases in energy costs due
industry trade associaFiala
tions representing the prime three processed 791,000 tonnes of to Switzerland’s “energy U-turn,”
countries with close geographical plastics and rubber in 2013, which has been making Switzerproximity to Friedrichshafen that down 2.4 percent from the previ- land less attractive as a
See Processors, Page 12
form a three-country corner ous year, and compared with a
(Dreiländereck) for the industry —
Austria, Germany and Switzerland
— held a meeting in Acona,
Switzerland.
The joint statement issued afterwards did not reveal full details of
Top producers — plastics and rubber machinery
the meeting, but presented some
overall data. For example, the asso2013, in percents
ciation of German plastics proces35%
sors referred to a 56.2 billion euros
sales achieved by its 2,825 German
plastics processing member com30
30.4%
panies with 299,000 employees.
FYI...
Switzerland
For Switzerland, the Swiss Plastics trade association reported
that it has 830 member companies
with 36,000 employees. Plastics
processors accounted for 485
companies with 28,000 employees
and 10 billion euros in annual
sales.
In June, Swiss Plastics presented
detailed 2013 results for the entire
plastics industry, with 837 companies including polymer producers,
machinery makers and processors. The 15 billion Swiss francs
(12.4 billion euros) sales achieved
Plastics News graphic by Jessica Jordan
NEWSCLIPS
25
22.2%
20
15
10
8.1%
5
6.6%
4.4%
0
China
Germany
Italy
United States
Source: VDMA / Federal Statistical Office
Sponsored online by
Japan
SHOW
D A I LY
By Bill Bregar
PLASTICS NEWS STAFF
Friedrichshafen, Germany, the
city on Lake Constance where Fakuma is held, is only about 150 kilometers from Lossburg, Germany,
the picturesque Black Forest small
Helmut Heinson
town that is home to Arburg GmbH
+ Co. KG.
And the manufacturer of injec- Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Q: Most people — especially
tion molding machines has a close
Germans — have commented on
history with the trade show.
Arburg is a major economic force how different Fakuma is from the
in Lossburg, employing 1,900 peo- K show. It’s laid back. They seem
ple and generating about 470 mil- to love it. Can you give me some of
lion euros in 2013 sales. In 1923, your own thoughts?
Heinson: The leading internaArthur Hehl founded the company
to make surgical instruments, then tional K show is all about vision. In
got into camera flash devices after contrast, Fakuma is a place where
World War II. Corrosion of the met- “work gets done.” Here, we engage
al plug connectors caused prob- in numerous in-depth discussions
lems, so his son Karl got the idea to with existing and prospective customers from Germany, Europe and
encapsulate the plugs in plastic.
One problem: small injection overseas and succeed in getting
presses were hard to find in the many specific projects off the
1950s. So Arburg built its own, and ground. Fakuma also focuses more
in 1957, the firm shifted completely on specific areas of the industry,
such as injection molding, mold
into plastics machinery.
Brothers Karl and Eugen Hehl technology and peripherals. This
ran the company for many years. means that the contacts made here
Today, the third generation is run- are much more specific.
Q: OK, let’s move on to some
ning Arburg: Michael and Juliane
trends. It seems like the
Hehl, the son and daughter
long-term trend continof Eugen.
A man working on the Arburg booth on Oct. 13.
ues to be doing as much
Arburg typically has one
as possible, right at the substituting metal with plastic. parts will they be making?
of the largest exhibits at
press: inspections, auto- Compared to long fiber granulates,
Heinson: Based on the example
major trade shows, such as
mated assembly, decorat- the advantages of long fiber direct of office scissors with plastic hanK, Fakuma and NPE. At the
ing, even putting rein- injection molding lie in flexibly ad- dles, we will be presenting the in2013 K show in Düsseldorf,
forcing fibers into the justable fiber length, minimal fiber teraction of additive manufacturing
Arburg made news by inpart. How long has this damage and much lower material and injection molding in an Industroducing its Freeeformer
trend been going on — costs.
try 4.0 context for the first time.
3-D printer. Visitors to Arespecially in Germany —
burg’s exhibit at Fakuma
Q: LSR molding: Arburg has The Freeformer applies personaland do you think it will long been a leader in this field. ized lettering to the scissors.
will see two Freeformers,
Heinson
continue well into the fu- LSR is a small niche, but a growing
The second Freeformer will
and a lot of other machines.
Plastics News machinery reporter ture?
one, for medical and demonstrate for the first time how
Heinson: The trend
Bill Bregar posed a wide range of
some other areas. Dis- water-soluble supporting strucquestions to Helmut Heinson, Ar- toward integrating upcuss the future of LSR tures can be built up from special
stream and downburg’s managing director of sales:
— what are the trends materials, enabling highly complex
ARBURG
Q: Why is Fakuma important for stream steps into the inin Germany for LSR? component geometries to be
molding
Arburg, and the overall machin- jection
What markets is it in, achieved. Here a spare part for AllHall: A3
process, bringing inrounders will be produced from
ery sector?
besides medical?
Stand: 3101
component
Heinson: Owing to the key area creased
Heinson: We have ob- ABS — in this case a two-part slidat the border triangle between Ger- functionality or cusserved that the injection ing lock.
Q: Is the Freeformer commermany, Austria and Switzerland and tomization continues
molding solutions for
the geographical proximity to Ar- unabated. In the final
LSR processing are get- cially available in Germany now?
Heinson: We have achieved the
burg, the Fakuma trade fair feels al- analysis, it’s always all about in- ting better all the time. There is an
most like an in-house event for us. creasing efficiency. This trend is by increasing demand for fully electric planned development steps over
Friedrichshafen is easy to get no means restricted to Germany machines on the one hand, while the past 12 months. After Fakuma,
around and has an almost family- and other high-wage countries. automated turnkey systems are the Freeformer will go on general
Wages are rising in China too, also also needed on the other.
sale in Germany and will then be
like atmosphere.
Fakuma is the most important leading to a growing need for costMore and more customers from available in Europe from April 2015
trade fair in Europe for the entire in- efficient turnkey systems.
the technical sector are placing onward. In the USA and China we
The limit in terms of technical vi- their trust in LSR processing. The have earmarked NPE at the end of
dustry this year, as well as a barometer of trends for 2015; this is where ability when it comes to the integra- automotive industry is a driving March 2015 and then Chinaplas in
the international plastics world tion of production steps is reached force, making increasingly complex May for the sales launch.
Q: Arburg spent a decade develmeets to see innovative and effi- when the individual processes af- demands in terms of part quality. In
fect the availability of the system. the highly innovative “3C” sector oping the Freeformer — this
cient production solutions.
Q: I understand that Arburg was That’s when it makes more sense to [computers, communications, con- shows a long-term vision that a
a co-founder of Fakuma. Can you uncouple processes.
sumers] we also expect further de- family-owned machinery compaQ: What about long-fiber injec- velopments, e.g., in the production ny can have. Can you comment on
tell me more about that? What was
tion molding? Talk about the fu- of micro-components and, above this — Arburg is willing to invest
Arburg’s role?
Heinson: As one of the first ex- ture of this in-line composites all, with optical components, for ex- money over long years, in develhibitors and as a co-founder, so to molding technology.
ample involving highly-transparent oping new technologies?
Heinson: Long fiber direct injec- silicone, LED technology and multiHeinson: One of the strengths of
speak, Arburg has always had a
our family-run business is that —
special place in its heart for Faku- tion molding is a recent, innovative component applications.
ma. Paul E. Schall first presented process that opens up completely
Q: And of course, last year at K, unlike companies quoted on the
his idea to Managing Partner Eugen new possibilities in lightweight con- Arburg made history by becoming stock market — we can think and
Hehl more than 30 years ago, construction. This year at Fakuma, we the first — and so far the only — act according to long-term goals.
vincing him from the outset of the will be demonstrating the produc- plastics machinery manufacturer Our managing partners back us
trade fair’s concept and of tion of a high-strength pedal for the to produce a 3-D printing machine. when it comes to new ideas. Our piFriedrichshafen as the perfect automotive industry. Rising fuel This was major news. And I see oneers and developers can take the
venue thanks to its strategic posi- prices and the limited range of elec- that Arburg will show two time they need to make new visions
tion at the border triangle between tric cars are arguments in favor of Freeformers at Fakuma — what and technologies a reality and to
Arburg’s Heinson discusses Fakuma, state of the industry
bring them to production-readiness. We don’t do things by halves
at Arburg.
Q: Energy efficiency is becoming more important all over the
world. In Germany, Arburg is a
member of VDMA’s Blue Competence effort. How important is energy efficiency when a company is
shopping for injection molding
machines?
Heinson: Energy efficiency has
been an important aspect of all our
developments for many years. Examples of this include our Edrive
electric entry-level machine series,
the productivity package for hydraulic Allrounders or, currently,
the extended range of servo-hydraulic systems — all solutions that
have continuously contributed to
an improvement in the energy consumption of our injection molding
machines in recent years.
Energy requirements are an important criterion when it comes to
the purchase of a new machine.
Moreover, it’s also necessary to
keep a close eye on the entire value
chain and to achieve maximum
part quality at minimum unit cost.
All of this is summarized under the
heading “production efficiency” at
Arburg, enabling further potential
for optimization to be identified
and exploited. This includes the reduction of downtimes and minimization of waste.
Also, the appropriate choice of
peripherals is just as important a
criterion as the professional servicing and maintenance of machines.
For example, a clogged cooling
valve can consume more energy
than can ever be saved with a new,
high-tech machine.
Q: We know that Germany has
high energy costs — and aren’t
they likely to go even higher with
the government’s aggressive plan,
the Energiewende?
Heinson: Regardless of the political decisions, we must expect energy costs to continue to rise. This
means that there is increasing pressure to produce as efficiently as
possible at minimal unit costs.
Q: Also we know that Arburg’s
factory complex in Lossburg is
highly energy efficient — can you
give some highlights of this building?
Heinson: When it comes to technology, we are also thinking outside
the box, taking the risk of entering
uncharted territory. One example
of this is energy harvesting using
geothermal technology. This involves extracting heat from the
earth as well as incorporating the
waste heat generated by machines
during production according to requirements.
In 2013, we generated 32 percent
of the electrical energy required
ourselves, 24 percent using blocktype thermal power plants, 5 percent using wind energy and 3 percent using photovoltaic technology.
Efficiency is also enhanced by the
use of rainwater and waste heat
during production and the natural
ventilation of the buildings.
Q: Arburg used to be known as
See Arburg, Page 13
SHOW
D A I LY
By Frank Esposito
PLASTICS NEWS STAFF
Royal DSM NV is turning up
the heat at Fakuma 2014 with
new grades of high-temperature
resistant Diablo-brand materials
based on nylon 6 and 4/6.
The new materials will be part
of DSM’s Akulon-brand nylon 6
and Stanyl-brand nylon 4/6 portfolios. The new Diablo grades
are aimed at applications in
auto engine compartments,
such as air intake manifolds,
ducts and charge air cooler
combinations. Temperatures in
these applications can reach
250° Celsius.
“Both metals and other plastics could be replaced by our
new offering,” DSM air fuel industry segment manager Kurt
Maschke said in a recent interview. “This is depending on one
hand on the application, and on
the other hand on the material
requirements,
specifically
DSM
related to
Hall: A3
the
high
Stand: 3217
temperaHall: B4
ture performance.”
Stand: 4408
DSM
—
based
in
Heerlen, the
Netherlands — is aiming the
new products at the auto market because it expects continued growth from that sector,
Maschke added.
“A key growth driver in the
automotive industry is stricter
CO2 emission regulations that
have placed an emphasis on vehicle light-weighting at automakers,” he said. “With our
portfolio of materials in applications such as air management
systems, where the new Diablo
grades are suitable, we still see
plenty of opportunities to support the development of smaller, lighter and more fuel-efficient engines.
“There’s an increased penetration of turbo engines expected all around the globe,”
Maschke added. “In some areas
like Brazil, China and North
America, the penetration will
grow even faster. As a global
player in this field, we work
closely with the global and local
players to answer their specific
needs to make this penetration
happen.
“And we should not forget Europe, which is already highly
turbo-penetrated, where we see
the need for higher performance where existing grades
are at the limit. Akulon Diablo
and Stanyl Dialbo are able to
cover what customer needs
globally.”
Beyond the auto market,
Maschke said that some of the
new grades could be used in
small off-road engines for outdoor power equipment. Other
potential applications include
low-voltage switches, packaging
film, furniture and connectors.
Additional materials could be
used in snowboard binders and
window profiles.
The new Diablo grades will be
made at DSM manufacturing
sites worldwide and will be
available to all global customers. Also at Fakuma, DSM
will be demonstrating usage of a
thermally conductive grade of
Stanyl nylon 4/6 in a heat sink
for new LED downlights.
The firm’s Fakuma exhibit
also will include thermoplastic
composite gas tanks for compressed natural gas. The tanks
weigh 70 percent less than comparable steel tanks and last
longer, officials said. DSM nylon
materials are used in tapes for
the tanks. DSM developed the
tanks in collaboration with industrial firm Covess of Belgium.
DSM officials additionally are
looking forward to the Nov. 17
opening of a new material sciences research building in Sittard-Geleen, the Netherlands.
The new facility will employ
about 420 and will be one of the
firm’s premiere research centers. Construction began in November 2012 as part of an investment of about 100 million
euros that DSM was making
there and in two other centers.
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Royal DSM NV photo
DSM introducing materials for engines
The high-temperature resistant Diablo-brand materials are debuting at
Fakuma 2014. The material is aimed
at applications in auto engine compartments.
SHOW
D A I LY
German machinery export market still strong
By Bill Bregar
PLASTICS NEWS STAFF
Germany is the engine that drives the European economy — and
when it comes to the plastics industry, German machinery is a potent
force, an export-driven dynamo
whose technology is admired the
world over.
VDMA, the German Engineering
Federation — through its German
Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association — represents the sector
that is on full display this week at
Fakuma 2014. Thorsten Kühmann,
managing director of the association, answered questions posed by
Plastics News senior reporter Bill
Bregar about the economies of Germany and Europe, export markets
and “green” issues.
Machinery demand is brisk in
Germany and Europe, Kühmann
said. That sets the backdrop for
Fakuma 2014.
In 2006, Kühmann was named
head of VDMA, as well as secretary
general of Euromap, the European
Committee of Machinery Manufacturers for the Plastics and Rubber
Industries. Both VMDA and Euromap are based in Frankfurt, Germany.
Before moving to plastics machinery, Kühmann had been
deputy managing director of the
mining equipment trade group at
VDMA. He was born in Brazil to
German parents, and grew up in
Kenya — giving him a global outlook. Before joining VDMA, Kühmann, a lawyer, worked for a small
American consulting firm.
Q: In June, VDMA reduced its
forecast, predicting a 3 percent
sales gain for 2014. VDMA also has
said it expected a 4 percent increase in 2015. Has your outlook
changed since that time?
Kühmann: For 2014, we are anticipating a drop of 1 percent, and for
2015 we still predict growth of 4
percent.
Q: At that June mid-year press
In a nutshell — German deliveries
to all destinations have dropped by
5.3 percent in the first half year 2014
compared to the previous year. At
the same time, local deliveries
climbed by about 9 percent and
compensate some export losses.
Q: Has the geopolitical turmoil
Thorsten Kühmann
over Russia and Ukraine hurt your
export business to Russia in 2014?
briefing, VDMA officials said ma- We read in the news, for example,
chinery sales were strong in Ger- how the conflict has negatively immany and in eurozone, while non- pacted the German automotive ineurozone European countries dustry.
Kühmann: No doubt, deliveries
were down 1 percent. Is that still
the case? How is German demand to Russia have dropped dramatically. Interesting enough, this process
for machinery going right now?
Kühmann: Orders from German began prior to the political conflict.
clients continue to grow on a high Overall exports to Russia in 2013
level. Their increase from January rose by 6.4 for the whole year, but
through July 2014 was 22 percent shrank by 33 percent in the last
quarter. So the Russian
compared to 2013. Euro
economy already was in a
countries have climbed by
rough shape before enterclose to 9 percent whereas
ing into the Ukraine conorders placed by overseas
flict.
customers have slowed
However, some export
down by 2 percent in the
losses in business with
same period.
Russia could be compenQ: Can you give a breaksated lately by rising shipdown of export market
ments to other Eastern Eucountries — from biggest
ropean states like the
to smallest? What is the
Czech Republic (52 permost up-to-date informaKühmann
cent), Poland (10.2 pertion?
Kühmann: China remains the top cent), Belarus (173 percent) and
destination for German exports of Ukraine (63 percent).
At the bottom line exports to Euplastics and rubber machines, although deliveries have dropped by rope (West and East together) have
close to 8 percent from January slightly climbed although the imthrough June 2014 compared to pact of Russia is significant. The relationship with Russian business
first half year 2013.
The United States (at plus 0.1 partners remains strong for the
percent) remains stable No. 2 on a German side and we sincerely hope
high level, followed by Poland (10. 2 the political issues can be solved in
percent) climbing from rank four to due time.
Q: Turning to currency issues —
three. Russia dropped back significantly (-36.5 percent) falling to rank the European Central Bank cut infour on the export list. Deliveries to terest rates at its September meetthe Czech Republic (52 percent), ing, and the euro has weakened
France (-6.6 percent) and Italy (18 quite a bit as a result. Has this
percent) reach roughly the same helped German machinery makvolume as Russia. Ranks eight to 10 ers to export out of the eurozone?
Kühmann: No, not significantly.
go to United Kingdom (-17.3 percent), Mexico (-11. 9 percent) and Although the euro has weakened
— the European currency still reSwitzerland (8.6 percent).
mains too strong in comparison
to other currencies, such as the
U.S. dollar. An exchange rate of
about one-to-one compared to
the dollar would be regarded as
appropriate.
People get used to an overvalued euro and thus believe European exports must boost as soon
as the exchange rate drops under
$1.30 per euro. Besides, the slight
weakening of the euro has started
only a couple of weeks ago and
the impact on machine business
cannot be measured in such a
short time.
Green Issues
Q: VDMA members launched
the Blue Competence effort in
2012, and promoted it at K 2013.
Can you give some updates? How
is it going? How many companies
are involved now?
Kühmann: A total of nearly 400
firms have signed up to this initiative, 55 of which are members of the
Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association. That makes our industry a
trailblazer among German plant and
machinery manufacturers when it
comes to environmental protection,
conservation of resources and management efficiency.
Q: How much energy can still
be saved by introduction of new
technology? How can companies
market the energy efficiency of
their products?
Kühmann: A study by Euromap
concludes that further efficiency
gains — in some cases as much
as 50 percent — by 2020 are a realistic proposition, especially by
improving drives.
Most of the technology is available today already; the reduction
of energy consumption can be
achieved by replacement of old
machines. However, converting
companies are challenged by too
much and inconsistent information about energy consumption.
In many cases apples and oranges are compared. Therefore
Euromap has installed energy
measurement standards which
bring more transparency and
competence
to
the
issue
(www.euromap.org).
As a supplement Euromap is
about to introduce an energy label for plastics and rubber machinery. The development of a
common and neutral label will enable manufactures to present the
efficiency classes of their machines transparently and comparably for customers. In contrast
to the energy label of the EU
(such as, for refrigerators), the
Euromap label is voluntary.
The detailed specification of the
Euromap energy efficiency label is
available as a free download for
public advance information.
Q: Energy costs, of course, are
very important in Germany’s
manufacturing economy. Has
VDMA taken a position on Germany’s aggressive push into renewable energy?
Kühmann: The German “Energiewende” is unique worldwide. It
started with the ecological movement in the early 80s. The process
was fueled by the disasters of Chernobyl and Fukushima.
The impact of Fukushima on the
German society and politics may be
compared with Lakehurst, N.J., and
the 1937 explosion and crash of the
Hindenburg, and the consequence
for airships in the United States.
Given this, there is no alternative
for the German industry as to support this process. Therefore VDMA
is a partner for the success of “Energiewende.”
However, the process needs to
be organized in a predictable way.
The industry depends on a reliable
cost structures and safe supply of
energy at any time. As technology
suppliers we do the utmost to design our machines as energy efficient as possible and to behave as
transparently as possible in this regard.
We trust “Energiewende” is challenging but makeable for the German industry. The technological
boost for enabling this process may
lead to an interesting export opportunity.
Datacolor introduces spectrophotometers
workflow requires other than 60-degrees gloss, or no gloss control,
Datacolor AG Europe has intro- since the instrument does not induced the Datacolor 45 family of clude a glossmeter.
In other news, the company anhand-held spectrophotometers.
nounced the launch of
The unit provides uniDatacolor Match Pigform, circumferential ilment 3.0, an upgrade of
lumination that guaranits software for control
tees repeatability, even
DATACOLOR
professionals in the
on textured surfaces.
plastic, paint and pigEase of use features inHall: B5
ment industries. It feaclude a low-profile meaStand: 5202
tures an enhanced
suring head, dual mea“smart calibrator” that
surement buttons and
auto-selects the best
live-navigation-based
optical model while the
color user interface.
The series includes: Datacolor new algorithms automatically de45G CT, which offers close-toler- tect and remove bad data from the
ance control for both color and calculation.
The software upgrade also ingloss. Datacolor 45G, which hancludes a new offset matching feadles textured surfaces.
Datacolor 45S, best suited for ap- ture to optimize color appearance,
plications where color appearance to enable matching samples with
needs to be controlled but the various gloss and textures.
PLASTICS NEWS REPORT
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think different to develop true innovations – for clear competitive
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SHOW
D A I LY
Styron aims at the automotive market
By Frank Esposito
PLASTICS NEWS STAFF
The Styron business unit of
Trinseo SA has arrived at the
Fakuma 2014 trade show with
new products aimed at the automotive market and beyond.
Seven new material grades being introduced by Styron at the
firm are automotive-focused,
while the remaining three are targeted for consumer-oriented markets. Berwyn, Pa.-based Trinseo
went public earlier this year on
the New York Stock Exchange.
The business was created in 2011
when private equity firm Bain
Capital purchased several businesses from Dow Chemical Co. In
2013, Trinseo posted sales of
more than $5.3 billion.
“Styron is investing significantly in establishing new market positions, using the same methods
we used to establish a presence
and develop a large market share
in the automotive segment,” Styron performance plastics vice
president Dagmar Van Heur said
in a recent email. “So, with new
products, a clear segment focus
and dedicated organization, we
are now targeting the global markets for consumer electronics,
electrical and lighting, and medical products.”
In addition to polycarbonate
and ABS, Styron’s products include polystyrene, specialty
styrenic resins, PC/ABS and
PC/PET
blends,
specialty
polypropylene compounds, synthetic rubber and latex. The
firm’s assets include a 50 percent
stake in Americas Styrenics, a
joint venture it operates with
Chevron Phillips Chemical Co.
The new products that Styron
is showcasing at Fakuma “are reinforcing that effort and show initial success in this field,” he
added. Van Heur cited the new
Emerge 8330 — a tint-advanced
polycarbonate resin — as a step
forward in lens material development, which is allowing the firm’s
customers to make their lighting
systems thinner. Doing so will
help them to meet their targets
for cost, miniaturization and environmental improvement by using
less material.
The new medical product introduced by Styron shows very
good environmental stress-cracking resistance, and is therefore
suited for medical applications
that require cleaning with aggressive products as part of their clinical use, officials said.
In automotive, Styron is showing new exterior applications.
Van Heur said that automotive is
where Styron believes most new
applications for plastics will develop over the next 5 to 10 years.
“New emission legislation will
force car manufacturers to rethink their production asset
base,” he said “To meet the target
of 95 grams of [carbon dioxide
per kilometer], it will no longer
be enough to reduce engine size.
Manufacturers will have to also
lower vehicle weight. An obvious Their development will come later, as the current
place to do this is on the
production process
outside of the vehicle,
is not yet capable of
where the paneling has
STYRON
cost-effective, largea mainly aesthetic,
Hall: A3
scale runs.”
rather than structural,
Stands: 3207, 3217
Taking a closer
purpose.
Hall: B5
look at automotive,
“Chassis
developStand: 5206
Van Heur said that,
ments will be next, but
contrary to industry
as these are likely to remarketing, auto proquire significant carbon/glass fiber reinforcements. duction “is very traditional, and
changes in vehicle construction
methods are generally slow in
coming.”
“It’s worth remembering that
car platforms run for a minimum
of six years and do not change a
great deal during that time,” he
explained. “Car makers have numerous assets that are very expensive to build up and they will
tend to fill these assets even for
new vehicle platform develop-
ments.
“However, cars are increasingly seen as a ‘problem’ in society
because of noise, emissions and
space, and car makers are confronted with changes in legislation and customer preference,
which currently translate into a
rise in demand for smaller vehicles. This is not, therefore, an
area with high margins for car
See Styron, Page 13
cx.kraussmaffei.com
We have made our smallest
one top of the class.
The new CX.
Come and meet us at our
booth 7303/7304 in hall A7.
Engineering Passion
SHOW
D A I LY
VIEWPOINT
BILL BREGAR
‘Work gets done’ at Fakuma
he Fakuma show always
feels like a breath of
fresh air, regardless of
what’s going on in the
world.
So this week, relax and enjoy
the beautiful show grounds. The
halls of Messe Friedrichshafen are
stunning, with their exposed
wood ceilings and beams. And October is a fine time of year on the
shores of Lake Constance. The Bodensee! Where Germany, Austria
and Switzerland come together.
You can see the Alps across the
lake.
At what other show can you
take a lovely ferry boat ride from
the downtown to your hotel —
and be served a beer as you view
the stunning fall views? Where majestic Zeppelin airships float overhead? (And you can even pay for a
ride, for several hundred euros.
And don’t miss the excellent Zeppelin Museum in downtown
Friedrichshafen.)
And yes, Fakuma has all the
hallmarks of a Germany industrial
trade show: Packed beer stands,
the sausages, the tasty curry- leave the building right now.”
Now, Arburg’s top sales execuwurst. OK, German trade shows
tive is a man full of fun and
all have that distinctive
deadpan humor, so you
smell that makes your
never know when he’s jokmouth water … but what
ing. But no, he was seriother plastics show is surous. Soon, the announcerounded by apple orment came over the
chards?
loudspeaker: Please leave
I’ve been to many Fakuthe Messe. Authorities dismas. But it’s always amazcovered an unexploded
ing when you drive
World War II bomb in a
through the woods, past
field next to the show!
orchards,
greenhouses
Bregar
Evacuate the trade fair!
and Halloween pumpkin
I got a ride from veteran plastics
displays, and suddenly Messe
Friedrichshafen emerges into journalist David Vink, who
stopped and snapped some picview. It never gets old.
And Fakuma can bring adven- tures of the bomb, bathed in spotlights. Arburg had to scramble beture!
The most unusual one was in cause the company had planned
2008. I was sitting at the Arburg to announce its first-ever award
booth drinking a beer, as the day for energy efficiency — an event
wound down. Helmut Heinson scheduled at the Fakuma faircame over and said: “We have to grounds. Amazingly, Arburg offi-
T
Clean caps
Cleaning capsules
displayed on the booth of Kunststoff
Schwanden AG on Oct. 13. The
primary topics that the Fakuma show
will cover are injection molding
machinery, thermoforming, extrusion,
tooling, materials and components
Plastics News photo
by Caroline Seidel
SCHWANDEN
Hall: A4
Stand: 4118
Crain Communications
1155 Gratiot Ave., Detroit, Mich. 48207
Tel. 313-446-6000 www.plasticsnews.com
Executive Vice President/Director of Corporate
Operations/Group publisher K.C. Crain
Chairman Keith E. Crain
Treasurer Mary K. Crain
President Rance E. Crain
Merrilee P. Crain (1942-2012)
Fakuma on-site staff
Plastics News publisher Brennan Lafferty
Plastics News editor Don Loepp
Plastics News senior reporter Bill Bregar
Plastics News senior reporter Frank Esposito
Asia bureau chief Steve Toloken
European Plastics News editor David Eldridge
European Plastics News contributing editor
James Snodgrass
PRW features editor Keren Sall
Correspondent David Vink
Photographer Caroline Seidel
Show daily production staff
Plastics News news editor Rhoda Miel
Plastics News assistant managing editor
Jeremy Carroll
Plastics News art director Jessica Jordan
Staff reporters Catherine Kavanaugh,
Kerri Jansen
Editorial cartoonist Rich Williams
cials quickly pulled the ceremony
together at a nearby hotel.
The Arburg executives acted
cool and collected. The bomb did
not explode. Just another day at
Fakuma.
Another adventure came on a
wild trip to the show. One time, a
machinery executive offered me a
ride. His GPS told him to take a
right, but it was a dirt road
through a farm. We both laughed.
“Got to follow the GPS!” We drove
through an orchard, half expecting
a farmer to chase us with a pitchfork … and finally came upon the
Messe!
Now, an adventure at Fakuma is
not like the adventure of a K show
in Düsseldorf, the world’s biggest
plastics show. K shows have lots
of glitz, adrenaline-fueled bravado,
and often, pressure — to get a
flight, find a hotel, get to the show
on time, to figure out the massive,
endless halls. The K show is a testament to German organization
and hard work. And you leave exhausted, exhilarated.
“The leading international K
show is all about vision,” Heinson
said. “In contrast, Fakuma is a
place where ‘work gets done.’”
That’s true. Business is being
conducted this week. But the work
is at a humane pace.
The K show is about nose to the
grindstone. Fakuma represents
something gentler — the natural
beauty of Germany. Fun. Being
“laid back.” A cycling trip around
Lake Constance. Chatting about
the latest industry rumor.
Fakuma is the anti-K show.
That’s a very good thing.
Bregar is a Plastics News senior
reporter.
PLASTICS NEWS DIGITAL & MARKETING
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and digital strategy Pam Gillies
Brand strategy manager Kim Winkler
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Founder, (1885-1973) G.D. Crain Jr.
Chairman (1911-1996) Gertrude R. Crain
SHOW
D A I LY
By Keren Sall
PRW
Hexpol TPE group’s Swedish operation Elasto Sweden, which has
been producing thermoplastic
elastomers since the 1970s, plans
to target the medical sector at
Fakuma with new additions to its
Mediprene portfolio.
The new Mediprene compounds
offer crystal clear transparency
with the added benefit of color.
Elasto says the ability to see clearly through a product to monitor
the patient is an important feature
for many medical devices such as
face masks. Transparent TPEs can
also be used in tubing and dental
applications.
In medical devices and pharmaceutical packaging, color is also often used functionally for product
identification to differentiate products with different uses or sizes.
Elasto says the vibrant colors
achievable with colored Mediprene
TPE allow brand-owners to add value to their products and create visual appeal. A blue or green color is
often used in medical transparent
products to disguise the yellowing
phenomena that be caused by gamma sterilization.
The colored transparent compounds are made from medical
grade raw materials with the color
masterbatch supplier carefully selected to ensure both colorants and
carriers are compliant with USP
Class VI or corresponding parts of
ISO 10993 and masterbatches are
manufactured under rigorous controls with regard to traceability,
consistency and change control as
stipulated by the Mediprene concept of Elasto Sweden’s ISO 12485
accredited facilities.
Mediprene colored transparent
compounds have been developed
to ensure color reproducibility and
deliver a compound ready for use,
with no additional steps for the
molder or extrusion company. The
range is available in hardnesses
ranging from 30 to 90 Shore A in 5
Shore A increments.
Niklas Ottsson, medical technical manager for the Hexpol, TPE
group, says: “With the Mediprene
TPE compounds the benefits of color and crystal clear transparency
are united, opening up further design and brand identification possibilities for the medical device market. Our customers also have the
security of a fully compounded
TPE, manufactured from medical
grade raw materials only matched
to their requirements and ready to
use.”
Kjell Fagerstrom, managing director of Elasto Sweden, added:
“The development of colored,
transparent medical TPEs is part of
our on-going commitment to supply leading quality TPE products
and the highest level of support.
These compounds are possible
due to the rigorous standards and
controls of our compounding
processes. This year we have further strengthened our local support abilities with a creation of a
new office in Belgium to serve our
medical customers in Germany,
Austria, Switzerland and Benelux. Flam range of flame retardant TPE
compounds which are
We have also recently
free from halogens and
announced our investantimony oxide.
ment in a new twinHEXPOL
Lifoflex Flam grades
screw TPE production
have been developed
at our facility in Amal,
Hall: B1
for adhesion to techniSweden.”
Stand: 1217
cal polymers such as
Meanwhile, Hexpol
ABS, polycarbonate,
TPE’s German operapolybutylene terephtion Muller Kunststoffe
thalate and nylon.
business will exhibit
The Lifoflex Flam 700 series has
the latest advances in its Lifoflex
been designed for applications inside railway vehicles including profiles, cable grommets, connectors
and electrical insulation.
Elasto UK, which has developed specialist knowledge for the
building and construction industry, will present Dryflex TPE compounds optimized for extrusion
profiles for glazing. They offer
fast and efficient processing, giving high outputs.
Hexpol TPE Group photo
Hexpol unveils TPEs for medical sector
Hexpol TPE Group is introducing
colored transparent medical TPEs.
WELCOME TO
THE HOT ZONE
VISIT US AT BOOTH 4408, HALL B4
Now there is a plastic that can take the heat. Up to 260o C. Diablo technology
is giving engine designers a lighter, more flexible way to create components
for efficient cars. Let’s talk about creating tomorrow’s engines today.
www.dsm.com/hotzone
SHOW
D A I LY
By David Vink
The IWK institute of materials
technology and plastics processing
at the HSR University in Rapperswil, Switzerland, is a traditional exhibitor at Fakuma fairs, which it
uses as a venue to present its recent running and concluded projects.
At Fakuma 2011 for example, it
showed back-illuminated touch displays made by backmolding
translucent metal foil. In 2008,
molder Schuster Kunststofftechnik
GmbH said it had been working
with IWK on metal foil-based inmold labeled (IML) metallic decoration.
More recently, a project for FluidSolids AG in Zurich, Switzerland, involved IWK in developing the FluidSolids
bio-based
composite
material made from wood fibers,
fillers such as marble-based calcium carbonate, and an animal bone
meal-based binder.
Products made from the materials included a stool produced by inmold molding of the core bioplastic
seat element onto the stool’s wood
legs. Other applications, which
were developed with FluidSolids
HSR
UNIVERSITY
Hall: A3
Stand: 3111
IWK worked with FluidSolids AG to
develop bio-based composite hangers.
founder designer Beat Karrer, include plates, clothes hangers and a
torso.
The clothes hangers have gone
into large-scale production of thousands of pieces and the chair is expected to soon go into smaller series production. The torso example
has led to discussions with a potential Chinese partner with the aim of
producing shop clothes dummies,
substituting conventional glass
fiber reinforced thermosetting
polyester.
FluidSolids material received a
Materialica Design and Technology
CO2 efficiency category award in
2011 on account of its “strength of
added value by making products
and applications more flexible, stable, ecological and cost efficient.”
The material was praised for using
renewable raw materials obtained
from industrial by-products, free of
odor and emissions, as well for
their biodegradability, high manufacturing technology adaptability,
durability and surface finish.
Automotive products
With automotive applications in
mind, a trend to individual interior
styling solutions through painting,
cladding or polyurethane foaming
to polypropylene substrates has
been limited by need for laborious
and cost-intensive pretreatment of
IWK photo
IWK shows molding expertise
PP due to its non-polar nature.
But by working with Swiss adhesive solutions start-up initiating
company Nolax AG in SempachStation, IWK has been working on
an in-mold integrated priming
process. Here, multilayer film
made from nylon and PP is placed
into a mold, where it is formed and
backmolded with PP. The resulting
film-clad molded part emerges
from the mold in a form ready to
be directly decorated without pretreatment. The Swiss headquartered molder Weidmann Plastics
Technology AG also is involved in
this project.
Magnet project
Despite complaining that knowhow for magnets bound in plastic
has been hardly documented and
is retained in inaccessible form
by a handful of specialist producers, IWK has embarked on a project in this area. The basis for the
magnet project has been prepared through literature research
and knowledge at Fribourg University. This was followed by construction of a molding tool in
which plastics injected into it are
magnetized by permanent magnets installed in the tool.
The tool is being used to evaluate processing parameters with
different magnetic compounds.
The molded magnets produced
can be overmolded to produce
functional plastic parts with magnetic properties.
Separately from IWK’s magnet
project, German molder Oechsler
has worked with the LKT chair of
plastics at Erlangen-Nuremberg
University to develop a threecomponent rotary signal transmitter.
IWK also has assisted German
publisher, toy and puzzle producer Ravensburger Spieleverlag AG
in developing 3-D digitally printed
two-component parts for 3-D puzzles. The 540-part Puzzleball
globe had been produced in China and distributed by Ravensburger, until it decided to produce the parts in Germany in a
fully automated process using Arburg molding machinery and
Kuka multiaxial robots.
Despite great efforts by Leonhard Kurz Stiftung & Co. KG, the
required cost level could not be
reached with Kurz’s in-mold labeling films. Florian Knell,
Ravensburger’s director for material flow and the procurement to
production and distribution
chain has praised involvement in
the project by both Leonhard
Kurz and hot runner system producer Günther Heisskanaltechnik
GmbH, based on “just with a
handshake, with no contracts.”
SHOW
D A I LY
By David Vink
CD and one-way camera producer Fuji Film Records started R&D
and production of optical components in the 1990s in Kleve, Germany. But when it decided to close
this plastics activity in 2008, the operation was acquired through a
management buyout, creating today’s optical component molding
company Polyoptics GmbH.
Now located in a small part in the
back of the former 80,000-squaremeter Fuji site in Kleve, Polyoptics
is at Fakuma this year, exhibiting in
a stand arranged for local companies by the Ministry of Business,
Energy & Industry of the Federal
German State of North Rhine Westphalia.
This is not the company’s first
Fakuma. Polyoptics, then known as
Polymeroptix GmbH, presented a
lens array with 2,000 facets as a
light condenser in the 2009 show,
showing off its competence in aspherical and free-form lenses with
anti-reflection, mirror and hard
coatings.
Since then, it bought the former
St. Austell, England, clean room injection molder West Pharmaceutical Services Cornwall Ltd. from
U.S.-based West Pharmaceutical
Services Inc., now called Polymermedics
Together with a “cost efficient”
Promplast polymer products injection molding, sales and assembly
subsidiary in Kiev, Ukraine, these
three companies are grouped together as the M-Industries group.
Fuji roots
Not to be confused with Polyoptics, plastic optical component
molding company Polymeroptix
GmbH in Goch, Germany, also
arose from the former Fuji Film
Recording Media GmbH optical
components plant in Kleve.
Polymeroptix was established by
managing partner Gerhard Fehrer
via a management buyout.
Fuji closed the activity in Kleve in
2008, moving some operations to
Japan and the United States, were
production costs were said to be
lower, and leaving just 50 staffers in
Germany.
The clear distinction between today’s Polymeroptix and Polyoptics
companies is illustrated by both
companies presenting separate papers at the June Photonics Event in
Veldhoven, Netherlands.
In his paper “Precision polymer
optics — a challenge for the future,” Polyoptics marketing manager Stephan Kopka referred to staff
of 31 at Polyoptics, 64 at Polymermedics and 60 at Promplast. The
U.K. and Ukraine plants had a total
of 29 injection presses, ranging
from 25-200 metric tons, plus 10
thermoset presses, ranging from
30-90 tonnes.
The company’s Kleve plant has
at least 21 machines.
Clean room molding is performed at both Polyoptics and
Polymermedics. Kopka talked of
Polyoptics molding to ±2µm accuracy, with surface roughness below
5 nanometers. The Polyoptics plant
involves an entire value chain at
highest quality, from concept realization to serial production, including optical coating, supported by
ultra precise tactile and non-tactile
tooling metrology facilities, he said.
Kopka stressed “stable low error
ratio” molding at Polymermedics.
While Polyoptics covers LED lighting, medical, sensor and consumer
electronics applications, Promplast
specializes in automotive and consumer electronics, and Polymermedics handles medical applications.
The company is a member of the
OptecNet cluster of 482 companies
and research institutes in Germany
involved in optical technology, and
of the Rhein-Waal science alliance
stretching over into nearby Netherlands between the Rhine and Waal
rivers.
Kopka said micro optics is a particular specialization at Polyoptics,
“driven by miniaturization of final
products” and involving, for example, molding of 10 millimeter by 18
millimeter
minimal
invasive
surgery endoscope lenses, one of
which shown by Kopka weighs below 1 gram, with wall thickness 0.2
mm and length 8.2 mm.
Following the Photonics Event
presentation, Polyoptics advisory
council
member
Matthias
Poschmann meanwhile presented a
paper on micro injection molding
optical components on Oct. 7 at the
2014 VDI association of German engineers micro optics conference in
Baden Baden, with Polyoptics project manager Tobias Kammans as
co-author.
Kopka said Polyoptics increasingly develops and molds with efficient serial production of smaller
volumes customized plastics parts
with integrated lenses, with many
more variations possible for specific applications than with standard
solutions.
Exhibitor has roots
from Fuji Film Records
Polyoptics GmbH photo
Optical opportunities
POLYOPTICS
Hall: B4
Stand: 4404
Polyoptics GmbH made 35 millimeter diameter LED collimator lenses with
molder Gerhardi Kunstofftechnik GmbH.
nate film-clad parts completely homogenously over a large area with
length of over 500 mm, width 40
mm and several millimeter thickness for ambient lighting. Electroluminescent film was too cost intensive and problematic — due to
poor half-time value and electromagnetic compatibility issues. Conventional light boxes were simply
too thick.”
Kieslich described the two-year
joint project with Polyoptics, supported by the Federal German Industry Ministry, as a “history of
success” with an entire production
chain developed for the new transverse decoupled light guide, enabling production of custom tailored backlights for “different
applications.” Polyoptics managing
partner Mateo Klemmayer refers to
the flat design, high design freedom, breakthrough capability and
simple electric connection of the
backlight, as well as to “isotropy
and homogenous brightness, irrespective of the angle of view.”
LithoStrukt project
Polyoptics has partnered with
Fraunhofer KIT Karlsruhe technology and IPT production technology
institutes, as well as optical modeling company LightTrans VirtualLab
UG in Jena, Germany, and Micro Resist Technology GmbH in Berlin in a
LithoStrukt project.
LithoStrukt started in 2012, ending at the end of October 2014. It
aims at applications with complex
miniaturized optical lenses, which
are reaching production feasibility
limits with present day technology.
The project partners worked on development of a complete process
chain for “individually structured
mold inserts produced with 3-D
laser lithography,” as a simple
means of reproduction of hybrid
optics with “almost unrestrictive
geometry.”
This has been achieved by using two-photon polymerization.
This enables extremely fine sub
micron region 3-D injection component molding with particular
behavior at given wavelengths,
for example, computer generated
holograms (CGHs).
The project involved a 300µm x
300µm mold insert with appropriate test structures (2µm high, 5
20µm diameter cylinders, grids, 520µm diameter hemispheres, 520µm high pyramids and prisms in
different aspect ratios), used to
produce 30µm diameter sample
parts with around 1µm thick surface microstructures.
Applications foreseen include
measurement & testing and spectrometer lenses, but also lenses in
systems for monitoring “second
sleep” when car or truck drivers
temporarily doze off at the wheel.
The project has been coordinated
by PTKA in Karlsruhe, with funding from the BMBF Federal German Education and Research
Ministry.
BLUecoMPETENCE
adds value…
Automotive
backlighting
Kopka referred briefly to light
guides. Here, Polyoptics worked
with molder Gerhardi Kunststofftechnik GmbH in Lüdenscheid,
Germany, in development of a homogenously background LED-illuminated light guide with an extraction (diffractive) structure.
The solution found allows lettering breakthroughs and is an alternative to conventional backlighting,
whether with conventional transversal decoupled light guides, organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs)
or electroluminescent films. Alternatives are limited, Polyoptics
maintains, with standard shapes
not allowing breakthroughs, short
life or difficult electrical connection.
Gerhardi’s product and process
manger Dirk Kieslich says of the
light guide “we were already working on our own development in
which we tried to through-illumi-
At Fakuma 2014 the Blue Rider will
introduce you to the world of functional integration.
Want to know more?
http://plastics.vdma.org
an initiative of
SHOW
D A I LY
Growing up
EREMA
Plastic bottles hang on the booth of EREMA Plastic
Recycling Systems on Oct. 13. EREMA is located
in Austria. Sixty-three other Austrian companies
have booths at Fakuma this year.
Hall: A6
Stand: 6314
Processors
Continued from Page 3
competitive production location.
German machinery
Jushi
could be in Mexico, South America, or
Southeast Asia. “Our view is [to] look
at all the suitable countries in the
world and if there is a suitable place
to produce fiberglass then we will do
that.”
He added that the new plant would
probably produce in the range of
80,000 to 100,000 tons of fiberglass
per year.
The company also reported that
China Fiberglass, a subsidiary of
Jushi, had relocated its headquarters
from Beijing to Tongxiang.
“[This] will help Jushi’s further investment and growth,” said Yang,
speaking alongside CNBM General
Manager Cao Jianglin.
At the press conference, the company also signed exclusive distribution agreements with a host of domestic companies, along with United
Kingdom-based Cathay Composites
and German Helm AG.
Jushi manufactures 1 million metric tons of fiberglass a year. The company reported estimated sales are up
22 percent this year from last year
but there was no change in output.
The company attributed its rise in
sales to the increased interest in its
relatively new E7 direct roving line,
which is in high demand in the wind
energy market. They also reported
that domestic price increases of 6
percent were implemented in June of
this year and employee salaries also
rose 10.5 percent this year.
‘Our view is [to] look at all the suitable countries
in the world and if there is a suitable place to produce
fiberglass then we will do that.’
Eason Shen
Jushi Group
The VDMA KuG plastics and rubber machinery association forecast 1 percent lower 2014
sales and a rise of 4 percent in 2015.
While presenting the June data, Chairman Ulrich Reifenhäuser referred to a “mixed picture”
in the incoming order level reported in JanuaryApril compared with the same period in 2013.
Orders grew 6 percent overall in those four
months. But while orders from Germany and
the eurozone were up 19 percent, orders from
outside Germany were up just 3 percent, and
non-eurozone European orders were actually
down 1 percent.
Reifenhäuser commented: “The very strong
growth in Germany has surprised me personally, and the eurozone growth represents recovery from a very low level — but there is still
steam in it.”
He continued by the sales and order trend
from 2005-2014 shows much less volatility since
2011. He said this phenomenon showed “a really stable and successful phase” for the industry.
In an international context, VDMA stated
that worldwide production value of core plastics and rubber machinery rose 2.6 percent to
a new record of 30.6 billion euros in 2013. China accounted for the largest 30.4 percent
share, compared with Germany at 22.2 percent. Italy slipped for the fourth consecutive
time since 2009 from an 8.3 percent share to
8.1 percent.
Reifenhäuser attributed the Italian woes to
the continuing euro crisis in the country.
Although the fall in Japan’s share from 6 percent to 4.4 percent in 2013 seems dramatic,
Reifenhäuser said Japanese machinery producers are in fact doing well — the 4.4 percent
share is expressed in euro terms, which is affected by the recent enormous 25 percent fall in
the yen/euro exchange rate.
Germany held its position as the top plastics
machinery exporting country in 2013, with a
24.5 percent share of 18.9 billion euros total
world exports — down 2.5 percent from 19.4 billion euros in 2012. China was second with 12.3
percent, followed by Japan 9.9 percent, Italy 9.1
percent and the United States at 5.7 percent,
having lost some share compared with 6.1 percent in 2012.
German polymers
Production of plastics materials in Germany
rose 1.7 percent to 19.8 million tonnes in 2013,
after a 3.6 percent decline in 2012. Sales rose by
5.8 percent to 26.7 billion euros, according to
the PlasticsEurope Deutschland trade association.
Exports from Germany rose 1.9 percent to
12.2 million tonnes, while imports increased 1.8
percent to 8.5 million tonnes, resulting in an 8
billion euro export surplus. As in 2012, EU
states accounted for 72 percent of exports and
87 percent of imports.
Josef Ertl, chairman of PlasticsEurope
Deutschland, said there were “clouds on the
horizon,” but also opportunities for German
polymer producers. Risks include rising energy
costs, EU policies perceiving plastic as causing
problems rather than a solution-provider, and
the Ukrainian crisis.
Along with South American instability and
cooling of the Chinese economy, Ertl said there
are too many uncertainties to forecast 2014 results, beyond expecting an increase in production.
German processors
The German plastics processing industry set
a new record in 2013, as sales grew by 3 percent
to 57.6 billion euros, exceeding modest 0.5 percent growth in 2012, according to the GKV trade
association.
Exports accounted for 35.6 percent of sales,
rising 4.6 percent to 20.5 billion euros, while domestic sales grew 2 percent to 37.1 billion euros. The number of companies increased 0.9
percent to 2,849, and the number of employees
by 1.3 percent to 303,000.
The volume of plastics processed rose by 1.5
percent to 13.2 million tonnes. Most of the increase was in plastics packaging — other sectors were stagnant.
The industry expects 4 to 5 percent sales
growth in 2014, thanks to a relatively mild winter that boosted the construction sector, plus
stabilization in the southern eurozone, especially in Spain.
A survey of GKV member companies showed
68 percent expecting increased sales in 2014, 28
percent unchanged and 4 percent lower.
Italian machinery
The Italian Assocomaplast plastics and rubber machinery trade association said both imports and exports of plastics and rubber machinery rose from June 2013 to June 2014, with
8 percent higher imports and 6.4 percent higher
exports.
A total of 1.9 billion euros of state loans were
taken out under a law to encourage investment
by small and medium sized companies. The total loan funds available could rise to 5 billion euros by the end of 2016.
Turnover in the European export markets for
Italy grew 4.6 percent, accounting for a 60 percent share of exports, compared with 18 percent for the Americas. There was stronger
growth in Asia, which grew 24.7 percent to account for a 17 percent share, mainly due to China, but with India and Indonesia also doing well.
In March, Assocomaplast put production value for 2013 at 4 billion euros, down 2.5 percent
over 2012. That included a 1 percent decline in
exports to 2.55 billion euros, with imports down
5.6 percent 59 million euros.
Among top country destinations for Italian
plastics and rubber machinery, ancillary equipment and molds exports, Germany led with 365
million euros, followed by France at 145 million
euros, U.S. at 143 million euros, Poland at 125
million euros and China at 121 million euros.
Italian materials
In July, the Federchimica chemical industry
association said 14.9 billion euros of materials
in 2013 were sold to the Italian processing industry with its 103,000 employees in 4,900 companies. The industry processed 5.2 million
tonnes of virgin plastic materials (down 5 percent over 2012), along with 500 million tonnes
of recycled plastics. HDPE did worse of all in
2013 with a 7.8 percent decline in consumption,
while LDPE and LLDPE both declined 5.1 percent.
Plastic material exports from Italy amounted
to a record 21.2 billion euros in 2013, a surplus
of 3.1 billion euros over imports.
Daniele Ferrari, president of Federchimica,
said ethylene costs Italian processers approximately “five times more than a competitor in
the Middle East and about two-to-three times
more than an American producer.” But there
was an optimistic note too, with Ferrari praising
the “intellectual vitality and innovation of Italian companies, with capital of gray matter that
is unrivaled in the world.”
Austria
The WKO Austrian chamber of commerce
said 751 plastics processing companies had 1.3
billion euros in sales. And the FCIO Austrian
chemical industry federation said the plastics
processing industry in Austria represents sales
of 3.3 billion euros, achieved by 155 companies
with 13,000 employees.
SHOW
D A I LY
Arburg
a maker of only small-tonnage injection molding machines. But you
have steadily moved into larger
machines. This past April, Arburg
broke ground on a major expansion in Lossburg, which will build
presses up to 500 metric tons, and
add more space to supply turnkey
system. Why has Arburg expanded its machine size, to these now
“mid-sized” machines?
Heinson: Starting with smaller injection molding machines, we already expanded the clamping force
range many years ago, adding larger machines and tapping new market potential. The first 500-tonne
machine, a hydraulic Allrounder
920 S, was displayed at Fakuma as
early as 2006. Large hybrid and
electric machines followed.
This year we are presenting a
high-speed application built around
an electric Allrounder 820 A with a
clamping force of 440 [metric] tons
and a size 45.4 ounce injection unit.
By closing this gap, we now cover
the entire drive spectrum. For example, our “big machines” are predestined for use with complex, multi-cavity molds. Owing to increased
demand, we are in the process of
enlarging the assembly area in
Lossburg.
Q: Talk about the demand for
turnkey systems. Is this a growing
market? Why?
Heinson: The market has been
growing continuously for years. We
are aware of two trends: On the one
hand, the complexity of turnkey
systems is increasing. On the other,
because of smaller batch sizes and
increasing product changeovers,
customers are looking for flexible
automation solutions. In fact, it’s always worth considering the question of automation. After all, in addition to function integration, this
generally also offers ways to significantly increase process stability,
availability and part quality. Incidentally, the ever-increasing importance of this business segment is
another reason why we are significantly extending our production
area, as I mentioned earlier.
Q: Mr. Heinson, our readers
would appreciate your views on
regions around the world. First,
the United States. Arburg is building a new U.S. headquarters in
Rocky Hill, Conn. When will Arburg move in?
Heinson: Our subsidiary in the
U.S. will move to Rocky Hill over
the course of the next year. You will
of course receive an invitation to
the grand opening as soon as we
have a precise date for the move.
Q: The USA is still Arburg’s
biggest export market, right? Talk
about some of the dynamics of the
U.S. plastics industry and economy, right now.
Heinson: Yes, the U.S. remains
our strongest foreign market and
we continue to see significant potential for the future there. Business has been going very well for
our industry in particular in recent
years, thanks not least to the increased return of production capacities [reshoring] to the USA and
Mexico. At present, Arburg is bene-
fiting a lot from this development
and is very well placed for the future in this country with its three
locations and strengthened organization.
In addition, demand for customer-specific production cells and
automation solutions is growing
significantly in the U.S., so that we
have already installed the appropriate infrastructure in our new buildings.
Q: Arburg is building a new,
larger technology center in Warsaw, Poland. How is the Polish
plastics economy doing?
Heinson: Overall, we are highly
satisfied with the market in Europe
and business is very good in Central and Eastern Europe. In 1992, by
the way, Poland was our first European subsidiary to the east of Germany. This underlines the importance of the Polish market for
Arburg. We still see a great deal of
potential for the future there.
In order to offer customers even
better support there in the future,
the floorspace will be more than
doubled when the new building
opens. This will enable us to meet
customer demand for highly qualified application consulting, professional after-sales and top-quality
automation technology even more
effectively.
Q: In the Czech Republic, Arburg is expanding its building in
Brno.
Heinson: The reason for our construction activities in the Czech Republic is the continuously growing
turnkey business and the associated complex automation. That’s
why we need more space.
Q: Some more questions about
Arburg’s history. The historical exhibit in Lossburg is very impressive. This is a major effort, and an
investment. Why does Arburg feel
the need to show the company’s
history in so detailed a manner?
Heinson: We want the “Evolution” exhibit to show how Arburg
grew into the company we know today: a family-run business now in
the hands of the third generation,
combining tradition and innovation, an intense concern for the
needs of its customer and an
awareness of the importance of reliability. Our major achievements include, for example, the first vertical
manually operated injection molding machine, the invention of the
Allrounder principle with its pivoting clamping unit and interchangeable injection units and the first machine featuring microprocessor
control. In the applications segment, we have driven developments such as multi-component injection molding, which became
possible at the beginning of the
1960s thanks to the Allrounder
principle.
We are also pioneers in powder
and LSR processing. We are immensely proud of our pioneering
achievements. In short: our “Evolution” exhibit illustrates how Arburg
thinks and operates in the long
term, mastering every crisis and
ready for what the market has in
store in the decades to come. The
feedback from our many visitors
from all over the world is evidence
that our investment has been
worthwhile.
Styron
manufacturers.”
To comply with new legislation
for medium to large sized vehicles,
significant changes to car architecture will be necessary, according
to Van Heur. To produce lighter —
and possibly electric — vehicles,
the use of different metals and
plastics will fuel new asset developments, which will be very costly, he said.
“In addition to the inertia in existing capabilities in car production, car platform developers will
have to learn to work with the new
materials of choice,” Van Heur
added. “Most engineers are still
comfortable designing parts using
metals, but significant education is
needed to make these same engineers comfortable in designing
with plastics, especially fiber-reinforced plastics. This represents a
significant task for universities,
schools and plastic suppliers
alike.”
He predicted that in the next few
years, lightweighting and connectivity will be the prime developments in global car manufacturing.
As a result, Styron is reinforcing its
product and technology development for semi-structural and exterior applications, since this is
where the firm believes that plastics growth will come from.
As a global polycarbonate supplier, Styron officials believe that
the PC industry will recover, probably from 2015 onwards.
“There’s been a lack of balance
between supply and demand since
capacity expansions in 2012-2013,
Van Heur said. “This has led to extremely low and unsustainable levels of profitability in the global
polycarbonate industry. However,
several industry players therefore
took the decision to cancel or postpone capacity expansion plans,
with some capacities being
closed entirely.
“With that in mind,” he added.
“We expect global capacity to remain as it is in the near future,
with any potential change expected in 2016 at the earliest.”
On the demand side, Styron officials believe that the PC industry has seen recovery in both
Asia and Europe, where demand
is expected to continue to grow
at around 5 percent per year for
the near future, including 2014.
Key markets such as electronics,
construction and automotive are
either recovering or growing and,
as PC continues to penetrate
these markets, this should restore balance to the industry’s
supply and demand fairly quickly.
Where the broader global
economy is concerned, Styron is
cautiously optimistic about the
global economy, but Van Heur
added that “it’s clear that we
can’t speak about a globally uniform growth situation.
“The near future seems reasonably bright for North America, but Latin America is struggling with low consumer
confidence, high interest and
loan rates and, in certain larger
countries, an uncertain political
situation,” he said. “Although the
region definitely has the potential for growth — and Styron has
even invested in Brazil recently
— it will take quite some time for
the situation to unfold.”
The worldwide competitiveness of Latin America will need
to increase, Van Heur added, either by a correction in exchange
rate lowering costs, or by a further opening of trade regulations.
Europe, on the other hand, is
definitely in the slow growth environment, with ups and downs.
But Van Heur said that the region
“is an area with over 400 million
people that are generally fairly
prosperous, and we are expecting pent-up demand that will begin to have a positive influence
on economy over the next 5
years, assuming individual countries will be able to bring their
house under control.”
The Asia-Pacific region will
continue to grow, albeit at a slower pace than before, he added.
More and more people are entering middle-class status in China,
as will also be the case in India,
with wages generally rising at a
higher rate than in the developing world.
“This will spur different spending patterns on traveling, tourism
and entertainment needs as people look to upgrade their current
lifestyle, which will help specialty
businesses,” Van Heur said.
Styron also is adjusting to life
as a stand-alone public company,
after its initial public offering on
June 12.
“The IPO in itself does not
change the strategy of the company,” Van Heur said. “The vision
and mission remain the same.
Our specialty plastics businesses
play a central role in the company’s growth plans, particularly related to automotive, electrical
and lighting, consumer electronics and medical.
“To become a more significant
player in any of these markets,
we are increasing our focused effort here and adding to our dedicated organization,” he added.
“The company is continuing to invest in our specialty plastics capabilities and capacities worldwide.”
In the first half of 2014, Trinseo’s sales fell almost 2 percent
to $2.7 billion. The firm also posted a loss of $27.5 million, which
was less than the almost $38 million loss it posted in the first half
of 2013. Styron employs 2,100
worldwide.
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Please visit us at the Fakuma Hall A1/Stand 1435
SHOW
D A I LY
Fakuma
es on plastics processing, a more
specialized area, where we see
ourselves as a world-leading exhibition with a corresponding international offer and a global audience.
Q: Although regional plastics
fairs in other parts of Germany
have either been less successful
or sometimes even failed, Fakuma has shown exemplary
growth since 1981. What is it
that has made Fakuma better up
to now than other regional trade
fairs?
Schall: The south of Germany
and the bordering regions in the
neighboring countries of Switzerland and Austria have always
stood for high technology in metal and plastics, from tools to
products. As such, it was only
logical and correct to locate Fakuma in the three-country ‘DACH’
triangle of Germany [D], Austria
[A] and Switzerland triangle [CH]
and to focus on injection molding
and extrusion. In fact we are the
No. 2 [trade show] in Europe
when it comes to injection molding and extrusion. The bulk of the
market is here, which brings both
strong demand and corresponding supply. The increasing acceptance and higher demands placed
on plastic products is accompanied by development of new technologies and processes that can
succeed worldwide if they can
survive in the most demanding
market, which is why exhibitors
perceive Fakuma as a platform
for presentation and business.
Q: It is understandable that
Fakuma fairs take place in those
years when there is no K fair in
Düsseldorf. Can you imagine
however running Fakuma as an
annual fair, like the Kunststoffen
fair in The Netherlands?
Schall: Fakuma has been deliberately organized on a yearly basis, because only this rhythm
takes into account the industry’s
real innovation cycles and enormous innovation capacity into account. Fakuma makes a pause
however in K years, which the entire industry deserves, so that
splitting between events does not
occur as with other trade fairs,
which finally doesn’t help anyone. The arrangement between
the K and Fakuma proved itself
over the years and has been
agreed with members of the industry, so there is no reason to
veer away from it.
Q: Friedrichshafen is the traditional location for the Fakuma
fairs. How much longer will the
present contract with Messe
Friedrichshafen still run? As you
also run some fairs in other locations, would there be any reason
at all to maybe move Fakuma to
another location at sometime?
Schall: Friedrichshafen will remain the location as long as there
is a Fakuma fair. As already indicated, by being located at
Friedrichshafen in southern Germany, Fakuma is well positioned
with direct access to the markets
in ‘DACH’ countries and Italy, as
Fakuma has been deliberately organized on a
yearly basis, because only this rhythm takes into
account the industry’s real innovation cycles and
enormous innovation capacity into account.
Paul Schall
P.E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG
Materials makers
introducing products
at Fakuma trade show
By Frank Esposito
PLASTICS NEWS STAFF
well as Eastern Europe — Czech
Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia. We also have
Messe Friedrichshafen as a
strong partner that always has an
open ear for the needs of our exhibitors and their exhibitors’ advisory council. Construction of
the new exhibition center created
the conditions under which
growth of Fakuma could be accommodated and managed in the
long term. Aside from the fact
that there is no reason for a
change of location, this wouldn’t
be readily achieved anyway, as
the market has to come to the
customer, not vice versa. Even if
another location would otherwise
be interesting in terms of openness and infrastructure.
Q: The additive processing areas such as 3-D printing, laser
sintering, etc. belong today to
the plastics processing chain, in
product development and increasingly even in production,
also in injection mold making —
and these areas are also already
represented at Fakuma. Do you
believe this area will play en
even more important role in
Fakuma fairs than today? And if
so, can Fakuma cover this area
better than other fairs in Germany and abroad?
Schall: In fact, Fakuma can be
counted as among the pioneers in
the field of additive or generative
production, as both the predecessor stereolithography and its successors, laser sintering, etc., have
been an essential part of our exhibition portfolio for many years —
already in the 1980s. So we try to
bring the subject up to an industrially relevant level and firmly believe, once the hype about 3-D
printing has calmed down in a couple of years from now, that these
processes have a great future
ahead of them. You have to consider that the first generation of
patents in this area have started
expiring and a wider base is being
created as private people are now
increasing using additive technology. In addition, many exhibitors at
Fakuma 2014 are showing what the
have to offer in terms of 3-D printing and additive or generative production, whereby our exhibitors
and we are keeping up well with
the times.
Q: When you look at Fakuma
2014, which do you think are
the most interesting themes and
innovations?
Schall: There are always important themes to be considered in
the short and long term. Recycling, lightweighting, material efficiency on one hand, high performance production with minimum
energy and materials use on the
other hand. In addition, new or
optimized technologies such as
micro-injection molding, precision thermoforming and reproducibly precise extrusion or functional integration in smaller and
lighter plastic components. In addition, there are debates of new
applications, such as the use of
plastics in medical applications
and finally there are exhibitors
showing their services in the area
of industrial and professional 3-D
printing with both proven and
new materials.
Q: How do you see the present
and future development of the
number of exhibitors and visitors from abroad? And development beyond the so-called 3country corner (Dreiländereck)
of Southern Germany, Austria
and Switzerland?
Schall: To put it quite frankly,
as
we
fully
utilize
the
Friedrichshafen fair center with
Fakuma, even including the foyers in the main entrance areas,
we currently have no growth possibilities in terms of the number
of exhibitors. In fact the opposite
is the case, as much to our chagrin, we have to keep a waiting
list, which is very disappointing
for our potential exhibitors. On
the other hand, we place great
value on quality growth and
don’t want to get bigger and bigger at any price. The same is
valid regarding the number of
trade visitors from near and far,
as quality prevails over quantity
here too. It is much more important to ensure the quality of the
visitors in terms of their decision-making ability, as our exhibitors should not only be able
to maintain existing business,
but also to establish new contacts.
Q: In the past Fakuma has had
to suffer from, for example road
building. Are you happy with today’s infrastructure and transport connections, as well as hotel capacity in the region? Or do
you have some wishes here?
Schall: Here both Messe
Friedrichshafen and the city administration deserve high praise
for their dedication, because
much has been already done in
recent years and particularly
with the construction of the new
exhibition center. The hotel and
restaurant situation has also
done magnificently, so that can
be considered as eliminated. In
addition, a political decision was
made recently to build the ring
road so that the main B31 national road will avoid the center of
town. Work on the new B31 ring
road will start next year, which
fills all those involved with great
joy and brings further significant
traffic relief.
DuPont Co. is leading a parade of materials firms with
new products at Fakuma 2014.
At the show, DuPont will be
emphasizing new products
that offer lightweighting, performance and sustainability.
The Wilmington, Del.-based
plastics and chemicals giant
is highlighting Zytel-brand renewably sourced long-chain
nylon in a rigid pneumatic
tubing part made by Swedish
manufacturer Munkplast. Other DuPont products and parts
will include flexible and rigid
auto coolant pipes made from
Zytel 6/12 nylon and glass-reinforced Zytel nylon 6/6.
Halogen-free Zytel grades
provide enhanced long-term
heat aging in the electrical
and electronic sector, while
recently introduced halogenfree grades of Rynite-brand
PET for that same sector offer
similar heat aging while
adding flame resistance.
Other materials firms making the scene at Fakuma will
include:
● Nynas AB — a Swedish
specialty oil supplier that has
increased its ability to supply
oil-based naphthenic plasticizers.
Stockholm-based
Nynas
took over operation of the
Harburg oil refinery in Hamburg, Germany, in January.
The site will have total specialty oil capacity of almost
350,000 metric tons — an increase of 40 percent for Nynas. Materials made at the
plant will continue to be marketed and sold by Shell Oil.
In PVC, naphthenic plasticizers are used as performance additives, improving
tensile strength and thermal
stability while lowering total
formulation costs.
● Hexpol AB of Malmo, Sweden, which through its Muller
Kunststoffe unit will feature
new Lifoflex FLAM-brand
flame-retardant thermoplastic
olefins (TPOs).
These compounds contain
no halogens or antimony ox-
ide, and as a result won’t produce corrosive or toxic gases
in case of fire. The 700 series
of the materials has been designed for railway vehicle applications such as profiles,
connectors and electrical insulation.
The Elasto unit of Hexpol
will be focusing on medical
TPE compounds sold as part
of its Mediprene line. The
compounds can be sterilized
and are latex-free. The materials are seeing growing demand in catheters, tubing and
syringe plunger seals.
Elasto’s Dryflex TPE compounds are being used in extrusion profiles for the building and construction market.
The unit’s Dryflex WS hydrophilic TPEs are finding a
home in water stop applications in many construction
projects.
● Huntsman Corp. will be
there with a wide range of
TPU materials sold under its
Irogran trade name.
The lineup from Huntsman,
based in The Woodlands,
Texas, also will include Avalon AHT-brand transparent
TPU, with excellent UV resistance and high mechanical
properties. The material is being used in wristbands, watch
straps and protective covers
for phones and tablet computers.
Irogran grades at the show
will cover uses ranging from
overmolded parts to automotive seals to car seat laminating applications.
● So.f.ter SpA of Forli, Italy,
which is commercializing a
new TPE suitable for contact
with drinking water. The material will be sold under the
firm’s Laprene trade name
and is plasticizer-free, as well
as having high transparency
and flexibility. The new product also provides antibacterial protection.
This new Laprene TPE can
be used to make flexible tubing for dishwashers or water
dispensers in the faucet and
plumbing market. It’s also
suitable for adhesion on
polypropylene.
Halogen-free Zytel grades provide
enhanced long-term heat aging in the
electrical and electronic sector, while
recently introduced halogen-free grades of
Rynite-brand PET for that same sector offer
similar heat aging while adding flame
resistance.
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Jushi to decide on US plant

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