Modern Plastics Worldwide - October 2007 - dae uptlax

A Canon Communications LLC Publication 

October 2007 

THE GLOBAL PLASTICS MAGAZINE 

World Party 

Now K plays host 

Published Continuously Since 1925 

Exclusive publisher of the English-language K Show Daily!

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OCTOBER 2007, VOL. 84 No. 10 

144 World Tour 

144 Dubai’s Palm project tests 

pipe processors 

148 JER Envirotech is taking 

WPC to the next level 

150 Pregis shows how film 

quality assurance is done 

152 FPM has learned to 

reinvent itself constantly 

to stay in the game 

186 Spotlight 

Nova Industries is building a 

giant smelter to complement 

its film processing ambitions. 

modplas.com 

68 

FEATURES 

68 Cover Story: World party 

How time flies. Once again, it’s October, and the 

plastics industry converges on Düsseldorf. MPW 

brings you our final K Preview installment to 

give you a head start. 

140 

www.modplas.com 

CONTENTS 

44 Tech Trends: Compounding 

The trend is ‘modular’ in compounding machinery offerings. Plus, 

robotics ease large-parts processing. 

32 

In this issue 

Customer service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 

Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 

K 2007 Exhibiting Directory . . . . .155 

A Canon Communications LLC Publication 

October 2007 

THE GLOBAL PLASTICS MAGAZINE 

World Party 

Now K plays host 

40 Market Update: 

Flexible packaging 

Demand growth is strong as market 

drivers push flexible packaging to 

the forefront of consumer choice. 

DEPARTMENTS 

10 First Look 

22 Modern Executive 

52 Material Thoughts 

59 Product Watch 

136 Make Every Pellet 

Count 

140 Greening of an 

Industry 

177 Countdown to K 

Published Continuously Since 1925 

Exclusive publisher of the English-language K Show Daily! 

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179 

Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185 

Advertiser index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185 

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE • OCTOBER 2007 5

CLICKMPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com 

Group Publisher 

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patrick.lundy@cancom.com 

EDITORIAL 

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Associate Editor 

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Contributing Editors 

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China, Taiwan & Hong Kong 

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Thailand 

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6 OCTOBER 2007 • MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE modplas.com

The right support. 

It’s essential. 

Today’s molders and moldmakers are pressed to do more with less. That’s why 

the global plastics industry sees D-M-E as an essential resource. We 

complement the most complete set of market-leading products with 

unsurpassed knowledge and resources. Customers count on us for exceptional 

support and technical service. Fast turnarounds. And the confidence that 

comes from D-M-E quality. So no matter why you turn to D-M-E, rest assured 

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CLICK MPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com

CLICK MPW a INFOLINK @ 

www.modplas.com

EDITORIAL 

K, front and center 

This month from the 24th to the 31st, 

the K Show will draw more than 3000 

exhibitors to Düsseldorf, Germany. It is an 

enormous gathering of plastics knowledge, 

and has rightfully established the event in 

this industry as the leading launch pad for 

new technology. The show will occupy all 

the halls (1 to 17) of the Düsseldorf Trade 

Fair Center. For number crunchers, that 

adds up to about 168,000m2 (more than 

1.8 million ft2). Fully 13,000m2 are occupied 

by processors. 

With so much space to cover, you need 

not only good shoes, but also a plan of 

attack to help you maximize your time. 

Veteran K attendees recommend you plan 

about half of your time in definite meetings, 

but also budget as much time as possible 

for ambling, even (especially) to halls 

you’d not normally visit, to discover those 

tiny, brilliant, nuggets of innovation at the 

companies with which you are not as 

familiar. Needless to say, a peek at the 

processors’ stands, distributed through 

halls 5-8, should be compulsory. 

To help you plan your visit, we offer 

assistance in the form of our K Advisor 

e-newsletters (sign up at 

Very few trade shows have global 

significance. This one does. 

Expect at least a dozen tiny firms, 

some of which you may never have 

heard of, to grab your attention with 

leading-edge developments, to say 

nothing of the innovations revealed 

by the better-known suppliers. 

www.modplas.com); our Countdown to 

K articles; and prominently in the pre-K 

technology reports in this issue and in 

last month’s magazine. Also, use the 

show organizer’s website, www.konline.de, 

to determine which of those 

3000+ companies you want to see, and 

to know in advance where they are. 

During the show, we are, once again, 

the exclusive publisher of the K Show 

Daily, the only English-language daily 

newspaper at the K. It’s a privilege we 

enjoy (when we don’t forget our comfy 

shoes) as our editors comb those 

168,000m 2 in search of new technology. 

Newspapers will be available at the show 

entrances each day. For those of you who 

cannot attend, fear not: the K Show 

Daily stories will be posted at both 

www.kshowadvisor.com and the K Corner 

at www.modplas.com/kcorner. The 

stories will also be emailed during the 

show to the K Advisor subscribers. 

After the show, our reviews in the 

magazine’s subsequent issues, as well as 

in our K Showcase, will help you get to 

the bottom of the news generated by 

those 3000+ exhibitors. 

If you have the good fortune to attend 

the K Show this month, we would welcome 

the opportunity to meet and hear 

your thoughts. We’re hard to miss, occupying 

Stand 04 at the North Entrance of 

the fairgrounds. Have a good trip and 

the best of luck at the K. 

Matt Defosse, 

Editor-in-Chief 

modplas.com MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE • OCTOBER 2007 9

FIRST LOOK 

In Brief 

Brahe to Bayer 

Bayer MaterialScience (Leverkusen, 

Germany) will acquire PUR systems 

house Brahe A.S. (Cerekvice, Czech 

Republic, near the Polish border). It 

will be integrated into the BaySystems 

network under the name BaySystems 

CentralEurope. Brahe was previously 

owned by T.P. Holding. Financial 

details were not released. 

HT Troplast sold 

Investment banks Carlyle Group and 

Advent International sold window 

profile and siding processor HT Troplast 

(Troisdorf, Germany) to an 

investment group in the Middle East, 

Arcapita Bank BCS (Manama, 

Bahrain), for an undisclosed sum. 

Rohm and Haas JV 

Rohm and Haas (Philadelphia, PA) 

and Weihai Jinhong Polymer (Weihai, 

China) have formally opened their 

joint venture, Jinhong Rohm and 

Haas Chemical (JinHaas), to produce 

methacrylate butadiene styrene 

(MBS), acrylic impact modifiers, and 

acrylic processing aids for distribution 

in China and other emerging markets. 

Adding Unitemp service 

Taking advantage of the closure earlier 

this year of German hot runner 

manufacturer Unitemp, hot runner 

manufacturer HRSflow (San Polo di 

Piave, Italy) has hired former Unitemp 

employees for its technical and sales 

departments. The new employees 

enable HRSflow to service Unitemp 

hot runners in the field. 

Strong Turkish showing 

According to the latest figures from 

the Turkish plastics association, 

(PAGEV; Istanbul), the country’s processing 

capacity is growing annually at 

15% and is expected to convert 13 

million tonnes of resin by 2014. 

Is an offer in the offing 

for Quadrant? 

Quadrant’s products include composite panels 

that are used to replace plywood in building 

formwork systems. 

Swiss semifinished composite parts supplier 

Quadrant (Zurich), which also 

includes a large European injection 

molding business unit, reports it has 

declined a request from Cheyne Special 

Situations Fund LP and private equity 

firm BC Partners, both based in London, 

Hasco sold to 

Berndorf 

Berndorf, an Austrian firm manufacturing 

steel belts and chains, in late August 

acquired 74.9% of Hasco (Lüdenscheid, 

Germany), which is a manufacturer of 

mold components and hot runners, for 

an undisclosed sum. A 21.1% stake in 

Hasco remains in the hands of the 

Hasenclever family. Hasco employs 

about 1100 and is represented in 40 

countries. The firm’s 2007 sales will hit 

roughly €1.590 billion with positive 

profitability, says the firm. 

Franz Viehböck is the new managing 

director, coming to the firm from Berndorf 

Band, the largest plant at the Berndorf 

site in lower Austria. 

Industry News & Analysis 

to grant an exclusive pre-offer due diligence 

in advance of a possible public 

offer for all outstanding Quadrant 

shares. Subject to satisfactory due diligence, 

a possible price range of CHF 300 

to CHF 330 per share was mentioned, 

far above the then-quoted price of about 

CHF176.80. Due diligence was said to 

be a condition for a significant part of 

the financing of the transaction. 

On Wednesday, August 29, Quadrant’s 

board of directors declined the preoffer 

due diligence request of the two 

applicants. The board says a highly leveraged 

takeover and subsequent privatization 

of the publicly traded Quadrant 

would jeopardize the further pursuit of 

the board’s growth strategy. Further, the 

board is convinced that the publicly 

available information on Quadrant is 

sufficient for a possible public offer in 

the mentioned price range. Quadrant 

would not comment further. 

Quadrant is one of the world’s largest 

suppliers of semifinished composite 

parts, and currently has locations in 18 

countries, more than 2400 employees, 

and annual sales exceeding CHF 800 

million ($665 million). 

Hasco’s new managing director is 

Franz Viehböck. 


Visit us at the K 2007 

Oct. 24 to 31 in Düsseldorf 

Hall 5, Stand B21 

Clear outside – 

safe inside! 

Transparent UV protection 

by Uvinul ® S-Pack 

More efficient and more 

appealing. BASF’s new UV 

absorber Uvinul ® S-Pack 

protects sensitive ingredients 

such as vitamins and colorants 

against UV rays more efficiently 

than ever before. And the 

protection comes without a 

yellow discoloration of your 

PET packaging! UV protection 

never looked so good. 

Light stabilizers from BASF: 

Expect more! 

BASF Aktiengesellschaft 

Performance Chemicals for 

Coatings, Plastics and Specialties 

67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany 

www.basf.com/ lightstabilizers 


® = registered trademark of BASF Aktiengesellschaft

FIRST LOOK 

GE Plastics, now Sabic, 

buys Exatec… 

GE Plastics (Pittsfield, MA), now 

renamed Sabic Innovative Plastics, last 

month acquired Bayer’s 50% stake in the 

two polycarbonate suppliers’ Exatec 

(Wixom, MI) PC glazing joint venture. 

Transaction details were not disclosed. 

Exatec was formed by GEP and Bayer 

MaterialScience (Leverkusen, Germany) 

in 1998. Its PC coating system meets 

legal requirements for long-term (10 

years) window clarity and scratch resistance. 

Exatec’s technology includes a 

plasma coating applied as part of a continuous, 

online process to mold transparent 

PC window panels; the plasma 

coating delivers the scratch resistance. 

The transaction came just before Sabic 

completed its purchase of GE Plastics. 

Just days before acquiring Bayer’s Exatec 

stake, GEP announced it had acquired the 

equity interest of Mitsui Chemicals and 

Nagase in GE Plastics Japan Ltd. (GEPJ), 

giving GEP 100% control. GEPJ’s Chiba 

facility, located within Mitsui’s Ichihara 

plant, will be closed. Nagase remains a 

2007 marks three decades of Bayblend 

PC/ABS blends, now used in applications such 

as LCD television housings. 



sales representative and distributor for 

GE Plastics in China and Southeast Asia. 

GE Plastics was renamed Sabic Innovative 

Plastics last month. 

For its part, Bayer says it plans to 

pursue its own independent development 

of PC automotive glazing. Günter 

Hilken, head of the PC business unit at 

Bayer MaterialScience, said, “In the next 

few years, Bayer MaterialScience anticipates 

fast growth in the potential applications 

for polycarbonate, particularly in 

the market for large panorama roofs.” 

Mercedes already installs PC windows in 

the roof module of its GL class cars, and 

in the vehicles of its Smart subsidiary. 

…as Bayer expands PC 

compounding 

In related news, Bayer says it will expand 

its global PC compounding network with 

a new logistics center for Makrolonbrand 

PC and PC blends in Krefeld- 


Uerdingen, Germany. At that site a new 

logistics center is being constructed for 

storing, mixing, and packing Makrolon 

and the PC blends Bayblend and Makroblend. 

The new logistics facilities are being 

built in the immediate vicinity of the 

Makrolon compounding plant. 

Bayer MaterialScience also will build 

a compounding facility in southern 

China for Makrolon and PC blends. In 

addition, construction of a compounding 

center is planned at a new site in 

New Delhi for the end of 2008. Existing 

compounding facilities are in Krefeld- 

Uerdingen; Filago, Italy; Newark, OH; 

Shanghai; and Map Ta Phut, Thailand. 

Haitian takes over 

Zhafir operation 

Haitian Intl. Holdings Ltd. (Cayman 

Islands), the holding company behind 

the world’s most prolific injection molding 

machine manufacturer, Haitian 

modplas.com 

FIRST LOOK 

[ On the record ] 

“Paper packaging is likely to benefit from the environmental drive. Much of this 

material is not compostable (it is polymer-coated or laminated) but it looks traditional 

and rustic.” Simon Balderson, co-founder and director, packaging processor Siran 

Ltd., Telford, England. 

“With the exception of Germany and the UK, Western Europe will continue to lag 

behind the U.S. [in RFID use on flexible packaging] due to delays in establishing 

legal standards for commercial use of radio waves. The European Commission has 

recently postponed the decision whether to introduce regulations covering RFID 

into 2008.” John Thompson, marketing manager, business unit film and fiber, polymer 

producer Borealis, Vienna, Austria. 

“Is China’s price important to you? Absolutely, it impacts your price, but is it really 

important to you when you’re going to pick up the phone and make your next resin 

purchase?“ Bill Bowie, RTi on knowing your “minimarket” of local plastics suppliers and 

distributors, versus the macro market, which has tangential impact. 

“Executed correctly, offshore manufacturing works best if you have done your 

homework and have robust business controls in place.” Mark Holman, Sr. VP 

operations, at Arena Solutions, a product lifecycle management (PLM) system supplier. 





(Ningbo, China), acquired a 91% interest in Zhafir Plastics 

Machinery GmbH (Ebermannsdorf, Germany), a company it 

helped form in 2006 that is expected to soon start assembly of 

high-end, all-electric injection molding machinery. The firm 

will exhibit at the K Show in October (Stand 15A57). The purchase 

set Haitian back by €6,569,440. 

According to a mandatory stock exchange report filed by 

Haitian, Zhang Jianming and Zhang Jianfeng, both executive 

directors at Haitian as well as founders, sold their respective 

60% and 20% shares in Zhafir to Haitian. Helmar Franz, managing 

director of Zhafir, sold 11% of his stake and continues to 

hold 9%. Zhang Jianming is also Haitian’s CEO. 

Franz is the former CEO at Demag Plastics Group; he left 

DPG in March 2005, and in January 2006 joined the board of 

directors at Ningbo Haitian. Haitian is paying for the Zhafir 

purchase with the help of a €6.57 million loan from Zhang Jianming. 

The official buyer of Zhafir is Sunnew Investments Ltd., a 

100% subsidiary of Haitian based in the British Virgin Islands. 

According to Haitian, the acquisition will give it better access 

to German molding machinery technology. Zhafir has started 

construction of a facility in Germany to assemble its machines. 

Coating most everything, 

and uniformly, too 

A new pilot coating line at the Ludwigshafen plant of plastics supplier 

BASF is based on the Steron process developed by entrepreneur 

inventor Philipp Schaefer, co-founder of Helcor Leder-Tec 

(Helen, Germany), a leather design firm. The process coats a wide 

range of carriers including fleece fabrics, woven fabrics, and 

leather, as well as wood or plastics. The result: Different materials 

bear an optically uniform design. Finishes can be glossy or matte, 

smooth or rough, and are said to be economical even for small volumes, 

as matrix materials can be routinely changed. 

Steron coating starts with an aqueous formulation of pigmented 

polyurethanes sprayed upon a silicon matrix. Most of 

the water evaporates, leaving a thin membrane with microfine 

pores. While still on the matrix, the membrane is then adhered 

to the carrier and the finished product lifted from the matrix. 

Crown buys into Gienkee plastics 

center in Shanghai 

Underwater pelletizing system supplier Crown Machine Division 

Inc. (Addison, IL) has opened a new sales office in Shanghai—Crown 

China Ltd.—to exploit overall plastics growth in 

China using its patented technology to focus on hard-toprocess 

materials like thermoplastic elastomers, thermoplastic 

polyurethane, and rigid polyvinyl chloride. 

In addition, Crown foresees potential partners and joint 

ventures with Chinese extrusion companies interested in entering 

the North American market. The office will be part of the 

Gienkee Plas Center, which serves as a ‘mini-mall’ of sorts for 

plastics suppliers, with tenants including Demag Plastics 

Group, EAS, Haitian, Spirex, Matsui, Männer, Avalon, Frigel, 

Wittmann, and Star. 


We'll see you at K 2007 Get ahead! With a visit to the world's largest 

exhibition event in the world of plastics. A perfect touchdown on the ARBURG 

exhibition stand in Düsseldorf. All the latest from the sector awaits you there: 

World premieres of trend-setting ALLROUNDER machine technology and injection-moulding 

projects. Absolutely essential for innovative plastics processors. 

We look forward to your arrival: Hall 13, Stand A 13. 

ARBURG GmbH + Co KG 

Postfach 11 09 · 72286 Lossburg 

Tel.: +49 (0) 74 46 33-0 

Fax: +49 (0) 74 46 33 33 65 

e-mail: contact@arburg.com 

| (BR) Brasil: ARBURG Ltda. · Tel.: +55 (11) 5643 7007 · brasil@arburg.com | (CN) China: ARBURG (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. · Tel.: +86 (0)21 5488 8866 · shanghai@arburg.com 

| ARBURG Machine & Trading (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. · Tel.: +86 (0) 755 8343 3750 · shenzhen@arburg.com | (HK) Hong Kong: ARBURG 

(HK) Ltd. · Tel.: +852 (2) 886 3007 · hongkong@arburg.com | (MX) Mexico: Industrias Plásticas L y H · Tel.: +52 (55) 5373 6065 · iplyh@prodigy. 

net.mx | (SG) Singapore: ARBURG PTE LTD. · Tel.: +65 6778 8318 · singapore@arburg.com | (US) USA: ARBURG, Inc. · Tel.: +1 (860) 667 6500 · 

usa@arburg.com | 


www.arburg.com

FIRST LOOK 

Trashmaster at job site. 

Rotomolding replaces 

concrete 

Wastewater control systems manufacturer 

Fresh Creek Technologies (Cedar 

Grove, NJ) has introduced the rotationally 

molded Trashmaster plastic housing 

to replace concrete versions in stormwater 

management systems. Rotomolding 

processor Meese Orbitron Dunne Co. 

(MOD; Madison, IN) forms the housings. 

A single rotomolded HDPE housing 

replaces a concrete vault, concrete 

cover, and stainless steel doors. The new 

Hall 1, Stand 1F30 

dependability 

housing costs as much as 50% less to 

produce than a comparable unit in concrete, 

weighs 400% less, and can be 

installed in a day using onsite equipment 

versus up to a week using heavy lifting 

equipment. MOD preassembles the unit 

with pipe couplings, framing, and other 

internals and ships it directly to the job 

site ready to install. 

In related news, MOD has purchased 

a Leonardo automated rotomolding 

machine from Persico SpA (Nembro, 

Italy), becoming the first North American 

firm to do so. The machine will be 

installed and ready to run by January 

2008 at MOD’s Madison, IN plant. 

MOD President Bob Dunne said the company 

decided on the machine on the basis 

of anticipated growth and the competitive 

trends facing rotomolding, which is seeing 

increasing pressure in some applications 

and sectors from processes like blowmolding 

and twin-sheet thermoforming. 



Fancy your chances of coming home with a 

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Alpha extruder. A Düsseldorf notary will 

supervise the drawing. 

The Alpha range of standardized 

extruders was launched by the firm at K 

2001. Recently processors were given 

the option of ordering the machines 

online at www.my-alpha.com. 

To participate in the drawing, entry 

forms can be requested from Cincinnati 

Extrusion via e-mail (500.alpha@myalpha.com) 

or downloaded from the 

Internet at www.my-alpha.com. The 

entry deadline for email or postal entries 

is October 18, 2007. Forms can also be 

submitted at the firm’s K show stand 

(16D22-4) from October 24-28. The 

drawing will take place at 3 pm on October 

30, 2007 at the Cincinnati stand. 

SAP partners 

for PEEK film 

Solvay Advanced Polymers (SAP; 

Alpharetta, GA), which launched poly- 

modplas.com 

Solvay Advanced Polymers has teamed with processor 

Ajedium to offer PEEK films. 

etheretherketone (PEEK) grades in 2006 

as part of a reorganization of its 

advanced materials portfolio, will now 

supply the high-temperature thermoplas- 


FIRST LOOK 

tic in film form through an agreement 

with film extrusion processor 

Ajedium Film Group 

(Newark, DE). Initially, Ajedium 

will extrude SAP’s Ketaspire 

PEEK and Avaspire modified 

PEEK in films that are 2 to 20mm 

thick and up to 48 inches 

wide. Later in 2007, Ajedium 

will begin offering films as thin 

as 5 μm. The processor, which 

specializes in high-performance 

materials, already extrudes a 

variety of SAP sulfones, including 

Radel A polyether sulfone, Radel 

R polyphenylsulfone, and Udel 

polysulfone. 

Fellow PEEK supplier Victrex 

(Thornton Cleveleys, England) 

manufactures its own PEEK-film product, 

called Aptiv, from a dedicated facility at 

its headquarters, offering four grades in 

thicknesses from 6 to 750 μm, with a 


FIRST LOOK 

standard width of 610 mm and custom 

rolls to 1500 mm. Film-stock rolls can be 

slit down to 45 mm (see MPW July 2007 

First Look for initial report). 

SAP added PEEK to its portfolio via the 

May 2006 purchase of Gharda Chemical’s 

polymers business in India. That 60-acre 

location included a 500-tonnes/yr PEEK 

Hall 1 

Booth B 08 

production unit scheduled to come online 

in Q1 2008. That line could be doubled to 

1000 tonnes/yr, depending on demand. 

DuPont expands Asia 

PA compounding 

DuPont Engineering Polymers (Wilmington, 

DE) has completed an expansion of 

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compounding capacity for its range of 

Zytel nylon 6 and 66 resins in Ulsan, 

Korea. The expansion adds 20,000 

tonnes/yr of new capacity and comes in 

response to rapid regional demand 

growth for reinforced nylon resins, especially 

from the automotive industry. 

Glass- or mineral-reinforced nylon resins 

meet demanding needs in automotive 

underhood applications such as air-intake 

manifolds, cylinder head covers, and 

many diverse applications in the electronics 

and electrical equipment markets. 

In recent years, DuPont Engineering 

Polymers has made several investments 

in the region. These include plans to 

build a new polymer plant to produce 

DuPont Zytel HTN high-performance 

polyamide and DuPont Vespel parts and 

shapes in Singapore. The company has 

also invested in the DuPont Research 

and Development Center in Shanghai, 

China and the DuPont Automotive Center 

in Nagoya, Japan. 

Lite-On gobbles Perlos 

Taiwanese optoelectronics supplier Lite- 

On has made a €277 million bid to 

acquire all of publicly traded Perlos 

(Espoo, Finland), a leader in molding and 

assembly of cellphone components. The 

offer, almost a 41% jump over Perlos’ 

closing price before it was made, has the 

approval of Perlos’ leading shareholders. 

Perlos earlier this year closed its last 

two facilities in Finland and has laid off 

about 1100 workers in that time frame. 

A plant in Ft. Worth, TX also was 

closed, with work there shifted to a site 

in Mexico. 

Lite-On’s move almost mirrors that 

of one of its top competitors, Foxconn, 

which in 2003 acquired Eimo, another 

Finnish processor of cellphone housings. 

Crownbrook Debco 

adds Nicos to plasticsrecycling 

portfolio 

As part of its bid to become a national 

force in plastics recycling, Crownbrook 

Debco has acquired size-reduction and 

separation firm Nicos Polymers and 

Grinding Inc. (Nazareth, PA), including 

its 180,000-ft 2 facility, which employs 

88. Crownbrook Debco, which is 


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FIRST LOOK 

backed by Crownbrook Capital, made 

Debco Plastics Inc. (Freeport, NY) its 

first acquisition. Nicos works with postindustrial 

scrap, partnering with large 

and small manufacturers and retailers 

for full-stream recycling services, including 

logistics, grinding, pulverizing, 

blending, and substrate separation. 


Debco’s core competency is in compounding 

and pelletizing a variety of 

resins, and it has reclaimed several resins 

including thermoplastic polyolefin 

(TPO), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and 

polystyrene (PS). The company returns 

the resins to a reprocessible state. In 

addition, Debco provides fiber removal 


from garden hoses, roofing membranes, 

and other supported fabrics. 

Rohm and Haas creates 

Korean flat-panel film JV 

As part of its efforts to create a flat-panel 

display business, Rohm and Haas Co. 

(Philadelphia) has started a joint venture 

with Korean firm SKC Inc. (Seoul), 

wherein SKC will spin off its display technologies 

business into a separate unit 

owned 51% by Rohm and Haas. Rohm 

and Haas previously purchased the 

process chemicals and optical display 

films business of Eastman Kodak. 

Sales for the joint venture are forecast 

to be $300 million in its first year, with 

Rohm and Haas investing $190 million. 

Products will include specialty display 

films for LCD and plasma displays, as 

well as pigment dispersions, TFT photoresists, 

and color filter chrome patterning. 

According to the Freedonia Group 

(Cleveland, OH), global demand for electronic 

display materials will grow 12% 

annually through 2008, as cathode ray 

tube (CRT) monitors and televisions are 

increasingly replaced with flat panels. 

New PET 

supply for 

North America 

PET supplier M&G Group (Tortona, 

Italy) is expanding PET production in the 

U.S. with an 800,000-tonnes/yr plant to 

be built at a still-undisclosed location. 

The company claims that PTA feedstock 

supplies have already been secured, 

enabling startup of the facility in the first 

half of 2009 with an output of 650,000 

tonnes/yr. In other news from the company, 

it plans to debottleneck both its West 

Demand for PET bottles is increasing, leading 

M&G to expand U.S. output. 

modplas.com

Virginia and Mexico plants to expand 

cumulative capacity of both sites by about 

200,000 tonnes/yr. 

Big BOPP line bound 

for Nigeria 

The largest biaxially oriented polypropylene 

(BOPP) line in Africa is to be delivered 

by tenter frame builder Brückner (Siegsdorf, 

Germany) to Nigerian film producer 

Tempo Paper Pulp and Packaging 

(Abeokuta). The 8.2m-wide BOPP line has 

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For further information please contact: 

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an annual output of more than 30,000 

tonnes. Brückner already has smaller lines 

in operation in South Africa and Egypt. 

Pictured are Seun Obasanjo, board 

member Tempo Paper Pulp & Packaging 

(center); with Rainer Sahl, general manager 

Brückner Middle East (left), and 

Johann Kreilinger, Brückner’s senior 

sales manager (right). 

Indian film giant plans 

Mexican foray 

Noida, India-based Uflex Ltd. plans to 

invest $100 million in a polyester film 

facility in Mexico with capacity of over 

26,000 tonnes/yr. The facility will be 

completed by the end of 2008 and 

includes a metallizer for producing barrier 

films. An 8.7m-wide line will be capable 

of producing 9-50-μm film. Uflex’s 

facilities in India include three 7.2mwide 

polyester film lines capable of producing 

60,000 tonnes/year of film in 

www.gabriel-chemie.com Elegance 

FIRST LOOK 

thicknesses of 9-50 μm. It also operates 

two 7.2m-wide BOPP lines producing 

more than 36,000 tonnes/year of film, 

and one 2.5m-wide line manufactures 

6000 tonnes/year of CPP film. There are 

also three metallizers, each 2.5m wide, 

with a total capacity of 18,000 

tonnes/year suitable for high-barrier 

metallizing with plasma treatment. 

Uflex also manufactures in Dubai, 

where it currently operates a 7.2m-wide 

polyester film line and 2.5m-wide metallizer. 

Commissioning of a second polyester 

film line is underway and will boost 

total polyester film capacity there to 

more than 45,000 tonnes/year. 

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MODERN EXECUTIVE 

Long-term testing critical for material 

selection 

By Chris O’Connor 

More than 5000 plastic product failures 

have been the subject of study 

at Smithers Rapra Technology. These 

have been classified on the basis of primary 

failure mode as shown in Figure 1. 

A further breakdown of plastics product 

failure due to human causes is given in 

Figure 2, with 45% due to poor material 

selection and poor specification. 

Failures due to poor material selection 

appear related to a lack of awareness 

and understanding of plastics properties. 

When considering the design and 

development of a plastic component, it is 

imperative that designers and engineers 

fully understand the fundamental nature 

of plastics. They should know that plastics 

are non-linear, visco-elastic materials 

with temperature/time-dependant properties. 

Plastics physically and chemically 

age, and are susceptible to chemical 

attack, environmental stress cracking 

(ESC), and weathering. 

Plastics eventually fail under tensile 

stress, with the time to failure diminishing 

as the stress or temperature (or both) 

increases, in the presence of certain environments, 

or under cyclic loading. 

Designers need to know that weld lines 

result in planes of weakness, particularly 

in fiber-reinforced materials. In fact, the 

addition of any form of filler will always 

have some form of detrimental effect on 

a material. Plastics can show mechanical 

anisotropy due to the alignment of fiber 

reinforcement. 

Breaking it down 

To logically approach material selection, 

the basics of polymer structure and polymer 

properties must be considered. The 

three main polymer groups are thermoset 

plastics, thermoplastics, and elastomers. 

Correct material selection is a critical factor in eliminating warranty and recall 

risk in plastic products and components. Here is a primer for some, and a 

reminder for others, on some of the basic and not-so-basic points of plastics 

selection. 

There are also two 

basic types of thermoplastic:amorphous 

and semicrystalline. 

Amorphous plastics 

have no ordered 

structure, whereas 

semicrystalline plastics 

have areas of 

order, which form 

crystallites. In general, 

amorphous plastics 

exhibit better 

creep resistance (constant 

static load over 

time) whereas semicrystalline 

materials 

offer better fatigue, 

chemical, and environmental 

stress 

cracking (ESC) 

resistance. 

Amorphous plastics 

are best used 

where transparency 

is important and low 

levels of mechanical 

abuse and chemical 

contact are expected. 

Semi-crystalline materials are a good bet 

when resistance to chemicals/ESC, 

mechanical abuse and cyclic loading is 

required. 

Designers and engineers historically 

have worked with metals and other 

materials, which exhibit a predictable, 

linear elastic stress-strain relationship. 

But polymers’ visco-elasticity means they 

respond to stress as if they were a combination 

of elastic solids and viscous fluids, 

so that they exhibit a non-linear stressstrain 

relationship, and their properties 

Environmental stress cracking 

Notched static rupture 

Chemical attack 

Thermal degradation 

Dynamic fatigue 

Creep/relaxation 

UV attack 

Others 

Figure 1 

Material/phenomenological 

causes of failure 

depend on the time under load, temperature, 

environment and the stress or strain 

applied. 

When using Finite Element Analysis 

(FEA) for elastic materials such as metals, 

the software requests the modulus 

(stiffness) of the material. For metals the 

tensile modulus of the material is simply 

entered (depending on the loading scenario) 

and the FEA software calculates 

the result. When designing with elastic 

materials, designers and engineers can 

rely on instantaneous stress-strain prop- 


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erties, and for most applications can disregard 

the effect of temperature, environment, 

and long-term effect of load. 

However, most plastics products are 

designed to last more than 20 seconds 

(the average time it takes to generate a 

stress/strain curve with a tensile machine) 

and a product may have to serve for 20 

years under load at 40ºC in a chemical 

environment. Consequently for plastics, 

simply inputting tensile modulus in the 

FEA program at 20ºC will guarantee that 

the product will be under-designed, since 

the apparent modulus at 20 years may be 

significantly lower than the instantaneous 

modulus value. Furthermore, the 

stiffness at 40ºC may be significantly 

lower than that at 20ºC. Subsequently, 

the inappropriate use of short-term data 

can result in premature failure 

. 

Plan for the worst case 

In order to avoid under-designing, properties 

such as creep rupture strength and 

creep modulus must be determined 

experimentally under worst-case-scenario 

operational conditions. These conditions 

should include maximum service 

temperature, maximum stress, and 

effects of environment. 

Creep is the continued deformation of 

a material over time under a static load, 

and is a function of the viscous nature of 

the polymer. All unreinforced thermoplastics 

exhibit significant creep properties. 

Creep modulus is the value that 

should be used in FEA computations. 

The advantage with metals is that, to all 

intents and purposes, with the exception 

of high temperatures this value will 

not change over time. With polymers 

the value in time at specific temperature, 

in environment, under a specific 

load needs to be measured. 

A further problem posed by FEA is 

that the level of stress may appear low 

compared to the short-term tensile 

strength of the material. This can be 

misleading and give a false sense of 

security. The designer must be aware 

that dynamic fatigue (cyclic loading) of 

polymers can result in a ductile-to-brittle 

transition resulting in failure stresses 

significantly lower than the short-term 

tensile strength. 

With amorphous 

polymers this is even 

more important as 

shown by the S-N 

curve (stress versus 

cycles to failure) generated 

for polycarbonate 

(PC) and 

polypropylene (PP) 

below. 

The S-N curve 

clearly demonstrates 

that in fatigue, the 

strength of PC after 

1 million cycles is 

reduced massively 

from 60 MPa 

(reported from supplier 

short-term tensile 

strength data) to 

only about 10 MPa. 

With a design safety 

factor of two in a 

stress calculation, an 

operating stress of 5 

MPa for this material 

would be 

required, only 1 /12 of 

its short-term tensile strength. 

In contrast, a lower-strength material 

such as semicrystalline PP does not experience 

a dramatic ductile-to-brittle transition. 

It can be seen from the S-N curve 

that after 1 million cycles PP’s failure 

stress has fallen by some 50% to 12 

Human causes of plastic 

product failure 

Material misselection 

& poor specification 

Poor design 

Poor processing 

Abuse 

Figure 2 

MPa. Applying a design safety factor of 

two gives an operating stress of 6 MPa. 

Consequently, the lower-strength PP 

demonstrates better fatigue endurance in 

the long term compared with PC. 

In respect to strain, many polymers can 

endure levels of 200% or more. However, 


for long-term performance the window 

for design strain is massively smaller. 

Data sheets: a good start point, but… 

Designers and engineers must be aware 

that data sheets are not produced to provide 

information for engineering design 

and final or ultimate material selections. 

The sheets’ information is derived from 

short-term tests providing single-point 

measurements that do not take into consideration 

the effect of time, temperature, 

environment, and chemicals. Also, test 

pieces are simple in shape and are molded/tested 

under ideal conditions. This 

rarely applies to actual products. 

A designer also must be aware of 

environmental stress cracking (ESC). 

With ESC, the presence of both a stress 

and the chemical environment can lead 

to dramatic effects, mainly catastrophic 

brittle fracture of even highly ductile 

materials such as polyethylene (PE). Such 

modplas.com 

effects are not observed in standard 

chemical-resistance testing where 

unstressed specimens are immersed in a 

chemical for a time period with a measurement 

of properties before and after 

exposure (typically tensile and impact 

properties). For more information on 

ESC, there is a free website devoted to 

the subject, www.esc-plastics.com. 

Considering the cost of mold tooling or 

tool redesign, let alone product recall and 

litigation due to premature failure, we are 

Recommended design 

strains 

Static stress conditions 

Amorphous plastics ≤ 0.5% strain 

Semi-crystalline plastics ≤ 0.8% strain 

Cyclic stress conditions 

Amorphous plastics ≤ 0.3% strain 

Semi-crystalline plastics ≤ 0.5% strain 

Personal assistant included 


Hall 01 

Stand E37 


of the opinion that the cost of proper testing 

before products enter the market is a 

MPW 

small price to pay for peace of mind. 

About the author: 

Chris O’Connor is technical solutions manager 

(plastics, rubber & design) at Smithers Rapra 

Technology (Shrewsbury, England), a contract 

research organization. He can be reached at 

coconnor@rapra.net. 

Can’t make it to K? 

We’ll bring it to you. 

MPW’s K Advisor 

Subscribe free at 


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Know your process to choose the 

right runner 

By Terry Schwenk 

With the advancement of heater technology, 

for the most part all hot 

runner systems perform reasonably well 

under moderate molding conditions. The 

major differences between hot runner 

suppliers seem to be in the area of service 

and reliability. 

To start your search for a hot runner 

vendor, first make sure they are able to 

reliably service their products. Ultimately 

there will be issues, and what separates a 

good supplier from a bad one is how well 

and how quickly it responds to problems. 

Ask about its service network and spare 

part inventories. Make sure you understand 

what “guaranteed” actually means. 

This will give you a good indication about 

the company’s capabilities at the beginning 

of the process and reduce frustration 

when you are in full production. 

One of the biggest keys to successfully 

select and specify the right hot runner 

is to take ownership of your project. 

Don’t expect hot runner suppliers to do 

your job for you. Yes, you are paying 

them to supply equipment for your 

molding operation, but don’t expect 

Selecting the correct hot runner system for your application is only possible if 

you understand the complete manufacturing process. 

them to know more about your operation 

than you do. Be very open with 

information relating to the application 

and the production requirements. If you 

think you have a difficult application, 

make sure you relay that information. 

Invest in education. The more your 

employees know about processing with 

hot runners, the better success you will 

have. There are several sources for training 

on hot runner technology and in 

some cases they are free. The only cost to 

you is the investment of time for you and 

your staff. Take advantage of these educational 

services and your production 

will benefit. 

Understand the requirements 

What are the basic questions that need to 

be answered first? Each hot runner application 

can be addressed through an 

understanding of the requirements related 

to the project. So, here’s what you 

need to know: 

1. What is the resin being processed? 

2. What are your experiences with this resin? 

3. What are the part requirements? 

4. How is the part used? 

5. What molding equipment is being used? 

6. How well are your employees trained on 

the equipment? 

As you can see, most of the questions 

revolve around processing plastic. If your 

hot runner supplier isn’t asking these 

questions about your materials processing, 

then what is the likelihood it will be 

able to select the correct hot runner components 

for your application? 

Document the process 

In my travels throughout the industry I 

have observed on many occasions the 

lack of process documentation. Whether 

it was intentional because of trade secrets 

or because the processor just didn’t think 

it seemed important, to successfully 

process plastic there is no substitute for 

experience gained and lessons learned. 

Less cost is not always less cost 

Sometimes it seems the cheapest solution 

is the best solution. But what is the cost 

of not getting into production in a timely 

manner or, worse yet, to have something 

that’s not running at all? If you 

don’t have a materials expert on staff, 

there’s no shame in seeking out a professional 

to assist you with your application. 

I have always stated that I may not 

have all the answers for a particular situation, 

but I am the world’s foremost 

expert on what not to do. A little money 

spent up front to ensure smooth sailing 

through the project is well worth it. 

Selecting the right gating method 

Now that you have found a supplier that 


Terry Schwenk is founder of Process and Design Technologies (Kenosha, WI), 

providing plastics companies with complete optimized processing solutions 

through efficiencies gained in engineering, manufacturing and processing. He 

has more than 33 years of experience in the plastics industry, including more 

than 22 years of specialized experience in hot runner technology and tooling. 

Contact him at tschwenk@processdesigntech.com. 


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seems competent, you need to determine 

the manufacturing and quality requirement 

for the part you are producing. 

This is important for selecting the correct 

gating method for the part. You may ask, 

“Why is this important?” 

Assume you think a hot tip is the way 

to gate this part. Fine. But did you consider 

whether the part is going through 

an automated assembly operation? If it 

is, then gate vestige may be an issue, 

especially if the vestige causes the part to 

not track through the assembly equipment. 

Or maybe the material is a 

polypropylene homopolymer, which has 

a very high degree of stringing. The 

strings then cause issues with the assembly 

equipment. It’s not a well-known or 

documented fact that hot tip runnerless 

systems work well in low cavities, but are 

very challenging in high-cavity scenarios. 

It also is not well known or documented 

that most gate wear with hot tip systems 

does not occur during the injection phase 

of the resin, but rather at de-molding 

when the part moves away from the cavity 

and starts pulling at the gate before 

the material fractures. 

The material could be glass-filled 

polycarbonate requiring a large gate size. 

Initially the gate vestige isn’t an issue. 

However after a period of time, the gate 

wears, resulting in a very high gate vestige 

that won’t allow a part to track 

through the assembly equipment. 

So are these issues the fault of the hot 

runner supplier who didn’t understand 

the wear characteristics of glass-filled 

PC? Or is it the fault of the tool builder 

who didn’t select the correct cavity steel? 

Or is it the fault of the processor who ran 

the tips too cold, forcing a cold slug 

through the gate, damaging it? 

The answer is all the above. Without 

experience and training, you won’t know 

what to fix. Worse yet, you fix the wrong 

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thing and the problem keeps cropping 

up. The lost production time can never 

be recovered. The real cost of poor application 

integration never gets captured. 

The bottom line is reduced profit. 

As you can see, it is critical to understand 

the complete manufacturing 

process to select the proper manufacturing 

components. These real day-to-day 

processing issues take us back to the earlier 

advice on education, knowing what 

your end result must be, and making sure 

the right questions are asked up front. 

When selecting the right hot runner 

components for your application, make 

sure you’re asking the right questions 

and that the person who is answering the 

questions has a high degree of processing 

experience with hot runner technology. If 

that’s not the case, seek out those professionals 

in the industry that can assist you 

with selecting the right hot runner for 

MPW 

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R.I.P. $0.40/lb PE 

By Tony Deligio 

Bowie, currently COO of Resin 

Technology Inc. (RTi), a resin purchasing 

consulting firm in Fort Worth, 

TX, has been in the plastics industry 

overall for 25 years, starting out in processing 

at a film operation and then an 

injection molding business, before 

launching RTi with a partner in 1998, 

giving him the long view on resin prices. 

“[Resin prices] are extremely volatile,” 

Bowie says, “and it’s volatile at a step 

above where it was even two to three 

years ago, which was a step above what 

it was six or seven years ago.” 

As his company works to help processors 

negotiating an increasingly harrowing 

resin-buying minefield, it’s tracking 

four larger, meta issues that are truly 

making these interesting times in plastics. 

Globalization: In simplest terms, “The 

world is opening up and competing with 

North America,” Bowie says. 

Repercussions include downward pressure 

on labor and products, with possible 

lessons to be gleaned from industries like 

textiles and automotive, which have been 

exposed to worldwide competition longer 

and enjoyed varying levels of success. 

Supplier Consolidation: “When there were 

14 guys making polypropylene, you could 

always find someone who was a little tight 

on cash and just wanted to turn some 

inventory and cut you a deal,” Bowie 

says. Those days are gone, with larger 

companies wielding greater leverage and a 

weak dollar leaving an export valve to 

release inventory pressure for producers. 

Energy: Call it unlucky 7s, as in $7/mm 

BTU natural gas and $70 barrels of oil. 

“I don’t like the word never,” Bowie 

“You don’t see fours anymore,” says Bill Bowie. “Even a couple years ago, you 

still saw $0.48-$.049/lb for polyethylene. Ten years ago, when we started the 

business, there were threes all the time. It’s a new world.” 

Good-faith negotiations 

Basic rules to stay in the good graces 

of your resin supplier rep, offered by 

Bill Bowie, whose RTi has staffers 

with lengthy experience at the other 

side of the negotiation table with GE, 

Dow, Total, and others, that can offer 

a producer perspective. 

Pay on time “The person that’s calling 

on you has to listen to his credit 

department, and the next time you 

want a favor—you need an extra 

[rail]car, you need an extra penny 

off—you’ve tied his hands so he can’t 

go up the ladder.” 

Be honest, don’t bluff “Don’t tell someone 

you got $0.62 when you got 

$0.64, because the first time that 

blows up in your face, they’ll never 

trust you again.” 

Negotiate fairly and on level ground 

“Yelling doesn’t get you any further 

than sugar does. Use facts to state 

your case and negotiate—emotion 

doesn’t have to play into it.” 

says, “but I don’t see $2.50 natural gas 

[mm BTU basis), which is what we had 

through most of the 1970s through 

1990s.” 

Events: In these tumultuous times, 

“events” entail everything from terrorist 

attacks, to oil and gas infrastructure and 

natural catastrophes like hurricanes, 

which, as was seen after the twin 

Hurricanes of Katrina and Rita in 2005, 

can have a deleterious effect on resin 

pricing and supply. 

Number-one cost, 

number-one opportunity 

In spite of the daunting nature of such 

myriad challenges, Bowie says processors 

cannot ignore resin pricing. “You can 

take labor, utilities, I don’t care,” Bowie 

says, “nothing is as expensive or costs as 

much to a plastics processing business as 

buying resin.” From RTi’s experience, 

which includes roughly 80 North 

American-based processors working in 

PE (40-45%), PP (40-45%), and engineering 

resins (10-20%), the average 

amount that resin costs occupy in overall 

cost is 50%, with film businesses higher 

(80%), and value-added injection molders 

(25-30%) ranking lower. 

Whatever the process, Bowie stresses 

that smart material buying always has a 

net positive effect on the ledger. “The 

beauty of resin is, it doesn’t lose its value 

as it falls through your business,” Bowie 

says. “It really goes right to the bottom 

line—if you save a dollar, that dollar goes 

MPW 

to the bottom line.” 

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Resin Technology Inc. www.resinpros.com 


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The skinny: buying tools from China 

By Carlton Harris Unless you’ve been asleep for 20 years, you’re aware that tens of thousands of 

Let’s examine the economics of this 

shift, and then look at some suggestions 

for toolmakers and plastics processors 

buying tools in China. 

Dollars and Cents 

The economics of shipping products 

across oceans is driven by (a) the volume 

of a container, and (b) the labor content 

of a product. The more labor content 

you can pack into a container, the more 

powerful the economics of shipping 

across the sea. An injection mold has just 

three cost components: materials, labor, 

and machine cost (the investment in the 

machinery producing the mold). Every 

injection mold is different, and the proportions 

of cost contributed by these 

three components vary, but usually labor 

is the largest cost component. 

Now consider the size of an injection 

mold. Again, size can vary tremendously, 

from palm size to flatbed size, but molds 

are pretty small compared to their value. 

A $50,000 mold can rest on a workbench; 

you can’t say that about the plastic 

parts the mold produces. This combination 

of high labor content plus high 

value for size makes injection molds a 

near-perfect product to ship. The higher 

the labor cost and overall value of a 

mold, the better the economics of making 

that mold in China and shipping it to 

countries with higher wage rates. 

Dollars and sense 

Almost every processor or toolmaker has 

to consider the purchase of tools in 

China to satisfy his customer’s desire for 

low-cost tooling. It is easy to see this as 

negative, but there may be a positive side 

to it. Processors able to win more programs 

by using lower-cost, offshore 

plastic injection molds are imported into the U.S. from China every year. 

Virtually none were imported from China in 1986. Injection molds are the perfect 

product for export from low-labor-cost areas to high-labor-cost areas. 

sources can increase 

their molding business, 

where margins are generally 

better than tooling. 

Toolmakers able to 

offer customers both 

domestic and offshore 

tooling options may end 

up making more money 

overall and preserving 

the health of their 

domestic tooling businesses. 

So if purchasing 

molds from Chinese tool 

shops is necessary, here 

are a few suggestions on 

how to go about it: 

• Develop several 

acceptable tooling 

options; quote tools 

with three to four shops. 

Two is too few to get the best pricing. 

Any more than four is too much work 

for you. 

• Before awarding any tools to a 

shop in China, visit the shop and see for 

yourself the quality of the tools they produce 

and the equipment they use. Don’t 

trust the photos and materials you see on 

websites; reality can be much different. 

Ask your host to open up some tools 

similar to the ones you would have produced, 

and see the quality of the work 

for yourself. 

• Make a list of the criteria required 

by you for a tooling supplier. Assess tool 

shops objectively on these criteria. 

English communication skills are very 

important. There are many other possible 

criteria including equipment, quality 

procedures, cost, turnaround time, size, 

location, and more. 

• Protection of intellectual property 

Offshore mold sourcing requires trust and an 

experienced partner to ensure good parts get 

molded on time (see “Success Story” on p. 35). 

can be critical. In some cases, intellectual 

property is not a concern because there is 

not anything particularly unique in the 

part or in the tool construction. 

However, in other cases, intellectual 

property is a major concern. Among the 

ways you can deal with this concern are: 

1. Investigate if the Chinese toolmaker 

has a long record of working with foreign 

companies. Can it provide references 

of companies worked with for 

many years? Are you able to speak with 

these references? 

2. Sign a confidentiality agreement 

early in your discussions. 

3. Investigate the supplier’s internal 

document control systems and ask for 

specific examples. Make sure that they 

fully understand the information protection 

process and will integrate it into 

every step of the operation. 

4. Choose tool shops that only make 


See us at K 2007, Hall 06 Stand D24 CLICK MPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com


tooling—no molding or assembly. In that 

way, the chances that they compete 

against your parts would be slim. 

Further suggestions for success: 

• Use only shops that have significant 

experience in export tools. There often is 

a big difference between a tool made for 

use in China and one made for use in 

North America or Europe. 

• Ask what the tool shop provides 

with the tool when it is shipped. It should 

provide current 2D and 3D files that 

match the tool exactly, any paper prints 

that exist, EDM electrodes, and a molding 

setup sheet with all relevant parameters 

set during tool sampling. 

• Be very clear on the workmanship 

standards required for your tools. Take 

nothing for granted. List every workmanship 

detail required. 

• Once a tool is awarded, be relentless 

in following tooling progress 

throughout the tool build. Work it hard! 

Good program management on your end 

is critical. Leave nothing to chance. Get 

weekly written updates. 

• Keep things simple and crystal clear 

in communication of part data. Ideally, 

send one, consistent 3D file, with no revisions 

up to first article sampling. Then, if 

revisions are required, communicate them 

clearly and document them thoroughly. 

Distance and language multiply the 

opportunities for mistakes if a lot of data 

are flying back and forth. 

• If at all possible, be with the toolmaker 

in China for first shots and tool qualification 

work. For large programs (multiple 

tools, > $200,000 in cost), you should have 

three visits—one for tool design review, one 

intermediate visit, and one at sampling. 

Build the cost of these trips into the final 

tooling cost you charge your customer. A 

one-week trip including coach airfare, 

hotels, trains, food, and such may cost 

about $2500. It’s not cheap, but there is no 

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substitute for actually being there. 

If you do not have the time and 

resources to devote to procuring tools in 

China, there are program management 

and tool procurement services available 

that can help. Go to a company with a 

U.S. office that specializes in injection 

tools, not a general sourcing company or 

trading company. You won’t get proper 

technical support from a plain vanilla 

sourcing company. MPW 


Carlton Harris is president of Asia Tool Source LLC, 

or ATS. ATS (Drexel Hill, PA) provides injection mold 

tooling procurement and program management 

services in Asia, and also assists North American 

companies in establishing operations in China. He 

is the former president of ATP Engineered Rubber 

and Plastics Group, a $60 million custom tooling 

and injection molding company, and in that capacity 

established two U.S/China joint ventures. Harris 

can be reached at charris@asiatoolsource.com. 

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One offshore success story 

There are many stories making the rounds 

about processors who have been burned 

after buying a cheap (low-cost and lowperformance) 

tool from a low-labor-cost 

country. Often not shared are the success 

stories, because who wants to let competitors 

in on a competitive advantage? 

Here are the details—minus the 

processor’s name—of an offshore mold 

sourcing project gone well, shared with 

MPW by Jesse Wen, VP sales/marketing 

at moldmaker Taiwan Mold Tool (TMT; 

Taipei). TMT, with sales of more than 

$46 million, was established in 1978 to 

make molds for export to Europe and 

North America. It has grown to include 

four plants in Taiwan and three in China. 

The year: 2005 

The customer: An unidentified German 

modplas.com 

automotive parts processor 

and repeat customer of 

TMT. 

The introduction: TMT 

received a Catia 3D part 

model for an exterior automotive 

part requiring a 

good surface. 

The nitty-gritty: The part 

would be molded on a 350tonne 

KraussMaffei press. 

TMT asked for the shrinkage 

rate of the assigned 

material. TMT also studied 

the Catia 3D part file and 

discussed the processing 

cell’s automation/robotics. 

The price of steel from the 

customer’s suggested 

source was high, so the moldmaker proposed 

Germany’s Buderus as a substitute. 

Based on part requirements, the annual 

projected volume, and part surface 

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requirements, 1.2344 ESR was proposed. 

The customer accepted the alternate 

steel supplier and the project was 

able to commence. 

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Pictured, the TMT mold as it was delivered. 



Progress made: As the part’s design was 

not finalized when the mold order was 

placed, the moldmaker suggested that 

the customer approve its preliminary 

mold design so that it could order steel 

and get rough machining work completed; 

final mold design could be finished 

once the final 3D data were provided. 

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The moldmaker placed an order with 

MoldMasters to ensure suitable hot runners 

were available in time. The mold 

assembly was finished a bit earlier than 

scheduled. The customer later asked about 

the availability of Staubli water manifolds. 

After discussion, the customer agreed that 

it would supply these, with the moldmak- 

‚We are ready to assist 

you, no matter when 

and where in the world‘ 

With the innovative extrusion 

blow molding techniques of 

Kautex Maschinenbau, almost 

any shape can be produced 

repeatably and cost effectively. 

Kautex offers everything from 

expert consultations to complete 

turnkey production systems, always 

focusing on your bottom line. 

Your Future in Plastics 

er using the processor’s drawing to complete 

all water and manifold fittings. 

The customer required limit switches 

for moveable components, which TMT 

installed and tested. Also, for mold precision, 

the customer required a DME interlock 

system. 

Trials commence: After mold manufacturing, 

TMT conducted internal mold trials, 

then a formal mold trial, using the customer’s 

molding parameters divined 

from mold flow analysis. To cut costs it 

used locally sourced purging material. 

Then the customer’s material was 

processed for a formal molding trial with 

video taken of six complete cycles, 

including the movement of automatic 

parts’ drop-off and all moveable components, 

as well as close-up views of 

core/cavity, gating, the hot runner system, 

wiring, venting, engravings, nitrided 

areas, bed-off pads, and water connector 

fittings/manifold. 

Once good parts were processed in a 

suitable cycle time, TMT collected and 

packaged the molded parts and sent 

these to the processor via DHL door-todoor 

service, with an e-mail to the customer 

reporting the trial result, including 

the molding parameters used, the inspection 

report following 2D drawings, a forward 

action plan, and suggestions. 

The finish line: The customer sent its comments 

on the samples, plus a few engineering 

changes. A final internal trial 

was conducted, and the customer then 

was notified of the planned final trial 

date. The processor came to that trial, 

signed for the mold and asked for rapid 

delivery. Within seven days all final 

details, including shipping logistics, were 

complete. Also, TMT sent to the customer 

a package including: 

• A disc with 2D mold drawings and 3D 

mold files. 

• 2D drawings by print. 

• Certificates of steel, certificates of heat 

treatment. 

• Final molding parameters. 

• Customer’s mold delivery checklist. 

• Final electrodes (per customer’s 

request). 

Happy ending: The customer supplied 

quality parts (see photo, p.32) to its 

MPW 

client on time. 

36 OCTOBER 2007 • MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE modplas.com 

www.kautex-group.com • Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH • Kautexstraße 54 • 53229 Bonn, Germany • Phone +49 228 489-0 • Fax +49 228 489-414



The global operation, industrial style 

By Clare Goldsberry 

Some moldmakers claim to be ‘global,’ 

when what they mean is they can 

find a mold shop somewhere in the 

world that will build a mold for them if 

that’s what a customer wants. 

It’s obviously more difficult to set up 

physical operations globally, but that’s 

the path that Industrial Molds Inc. 

(Rockford, IL) and Axis Inc. (Peoria, IL) 

have taken with their Industrial World 

Sourcing (IWS) venture, established in 

February 2007. 

Axis Inc. offers integrated engineering 

solutions from concept through design, 

analysis, modeling, detailing, tooling and 

final product drawings. The company 

offers back-office services through its 

parent firm in Noida, India: these services 

include mechanical engineering, professional 

services contracting, software 

services, and architectural engineering 

services. Industrial Molds, which makes 

molds for injection molding of thermoplastics 

and thermoset plastics, plus 

metal die casting, and Axis have a common 

owner. 

Spanning the globe 

“We’re truly a global company, with 

molding and mold manufacturing facilities 

in the U.S., three facilities in Sweden, 

a molding plant in Mexico, mold manufacturing 

in China, and an engineering 

joint venture in India,” says Tim 

Peterson, sales manager for Industrial 

Molds. The Swedish connection is via its 

partner there, Ferbe Tools AB. 

Industrial World Sourcing (IWS) has 

been incorporated as a part of the companies’ 

expanding global footprint. With 

more customers demanding a single point 

of purchase for product and design engineering, 

mold manufacturing, molding, 

Creating a truly global company takes innovative entrepreneurialism, a 

willingness—eagerness, even—to cross borders, and the investment 

necessary to establish the support systems in order to be successful. 

Pyramid Plastics is the precision molding unit within the IWS venture. 

and contract manufacturing, it became 

obvious to officials at Axis and Industrial 

Molds that together they could create more 

waves on the world stage. “We can take a 

product from a sketch on paper to a finished 

product, and do that with our capabilities 

wherever in the world customers 

require it,” Peterson says. “Some customers 

want a global supplier, and need 

our expertise worldwide. To have these 

capabilities helps us get a foot in the door 

of companies that won’t even talk to you if 

you don’t have a global reach.” 

Other OEMs, particularly those that 

don’t manufacture globally but want to 

take advantage of lower-cost manufacturing, 

contract with IWS so they don’t 

have to deal with foreign contractors 

themselves, Peterson explains. “They 

don’t want to be up at 2 a.m. taking a 

phone call from a guy in China about a 

production problem,” he adds. 

IWS provides various levels of service 

depending on a customer’s requirements. 

For example, for a customer who wants 

high-production, precision tooling, this 

would be done at the company’s Rockford 

plant. Less-precise or lower part-volume 

tooling would be done in China. Assembly 

operations could take place at IWS’s molding 

operations, Pyramid Plastics in the 

U.S., or Pyramid de Mexico. Design, particularly 

detailing work for mold prints, 

will be done in India. The time difference 

allows the detailing work to be done while 

it’s night in the U.S., with prints ready to 

go the next morning. “It’s a support system 

for the U.S. engineering team,” 

Peterson notes. 

Having global capabilities is not just 

about price. “We can’t be just cheap. 

There are a million companies that will do 

‘cheap.’ We need to provide the value of a 

good solution and meet customer’s 

requirements at all levels,” Peterson stresses. 

“We want to be about solutions.” 

Those solutions include not just moldmaking 

and molding but also assembly 

and value-added operations, Moldflow 

analysis, part modeling, design of experiment 

and finite element analysis. IWS also 

provides consulting services, project management, 

and sourcing for customers who 

need those services. 

“We make sure we understand exactly 

what the customer needs,” says 

Peterson, “then leverage our global capa- 

MPW 

bilities to provide that solution.” 


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MARKET 

UPDATE 

Pliable wrapping 

flexes its muscles 

By Robert Colvin 

Why the increase? Bullock says the 

food sector wants to offer better 

convenience (peelability and re-closing 

technologies) and appearance, longer 

shelf life and freshness, and changes in 

sizes to satisfy smaller families and an 

aging population. 

Flexible packaging will continue to 

conquer new applications supported by 

barrier-property improvements and a 

favorable environmental balance, says 

John Thompson, marketing manager 

film and fiber, at polymer producer Borealis 

(Vienna, Austria). He cites retortable 

and nonretortable standup pouches for 

dried and chilled food, demand for 

which in Western Europe is growing at 

8%/yr, and flexible confectionary packaging 

growth in Southern, Central, and 

Eastern Europe where traditionally 

sweets were sold loose. Pouches and bags 

for bread and fresh food are also showing 

healthy increases in Russia and other 

Eastern European countries. 

Rolf Scherrenberg, manager technical 

marketing at polymer producer Sabic 

Europe (Geleen, Netherlands), says coex- 

Akulon XP nylon 6 provides a wider 

processing window for demanding 

food-packaging applications than 

previous grades. 

trusion is continuing to grow due to 

downgauging advantages compared to 

competitive materials. In some markets 

environmental initiatives of major retailers 

(Marks & Spencer, Wal-Mart) are 

pushing a “less-material, less-packaging” 

move that should benefit flexible packaging. 

Thompson says environmental pressures 

are still less evident in the U.S., 

which tends to be more price-sensitive 

than other markets. 

Although the environmental drive by 

some retailers is high profile, says Simon 

Balderson, director of packaging processor 

Sirane (Telford, England), “It is 

important not to overplay the environmental 

drivers. Most consumers are still 

looking for shelf appeal, shelf life, safety, 

branding—and convenience above all.” 

Although polyethylene (PE) remains 

the dominant flexible packaging resin, 

with more than 50% of the total, Kraft 

Foods (Glenview, IL) sees polypropylene 

(PP) as the flexible material offering the 

best future. “PP is the lightest of all known 

commodity thermoplastics—34% lighter 

than PET—and [therefore] offers the 

potential for lightweighting,” says Surendra 

Agarwal, senior technical consultant at 

the company. “It has lower cost/volume 

than HDPE, LLDPE, LDPE, high-impact 

polystyrene, and PET. It is retortable, 

microwaveable, and sterilizable.” 

Kraft says PP can successfully replace 

competitive resins. “PP offers the performance 

of engineering plastics at the 

cost of commodity plastics. [It] is the 

poor man’s engineering plastics,” Agarwal 

says. 

Analyst Horst Maack, president of 

Maack Business Services (Au, Switzerland), 

also sees more PP replacing PE, 

especially in flexible, modified-atmos- 

Flexible packaging demand is rising 

at up to 6%/yr with products 

becoming more sophisticated in 

structure to meet retailers’ and 

customers’ requirements, says Paul 

Bullock, sales manager cast film at 

Reifenhäuser (Troisdorf, Germany). 

Extended shelf life to protect bakery 

goods from dehydration and mold 

growth is are provided in this 

PE/nylon coextruded film from 

processor Wipak (Bomlitz, Germany). 

phere packaging (MAP) solutions. Also to 

be watched will be nylon 6 barrier material 

with up to 4% nanoclay. This, he says, 

allows the package to stay sealed for storage 

and microwave heating as the top barrier 

film separates from the self-venting 

film, regulating the excessive pressure 

buildup without rupturing the web. 

Reifenhäuser’s Bullock says at the 

moment that supply-side problems with 

bioplastics and their high price are holding 

up major developments in this sector. 

Despite these difficulties, film processor 

Alcan Packaging (Kreuzlingen, Switzerland) 

sees high potential in biodegradable 

films, at least in developed regions, 

and has introduced an SiOx-coated polylactic 

acid (PLA) film under the Ceramis 


Hall 17 

Stand A21 

SYMPHONYin 

TECHNOLOGY 

REIFENHÄUSER Maschinenfabrik 

REIFENHÄUSER EXTRUSION 

REIFENHÄUSER CHINA 

REIFENHÄUSER REICOFIL 

REILOY 

REIMOTEC 

POLYREMA 

www.reifenhauser-group.com 

info@reifenhauser-group.com 

OVERTURE FOR THE MARKET’S GLOBAL EVENT 

Reifenhäuser has been successful on the world stage for more than 60 years with 

classics and innovations. Our principle of excellent technology combined with 

dynamic versatility in extrusion machinery construction has gained acceptance 

wherever events and results are judged by the public. 

Reifenhäuser Group technologies will continue as role models in the future setting 

targets for others and impressing the experts. See us live in Düsseldorf at K 2007 

and also, of course, in our Technology Centres. 

Be impressed by the virtuosi of a successful group. 


The Extrusioneers

MARKET 

UPDATE 

brand with high vapor and gas barrier, 

see-through properties, and complete 

compostability of lidding films or pouch 

laminates. Treofan (Raunheim, Germany) 

just introduced a three-layer PLA 

lidding film that is transparent, breathable, 

and has good sealing and peel properties. 

From Amcor Flexibles (Barn- 


wood, England) in July came a 40-μm 

coextruded heat-seal film pack, PushPop, 

for UK retailer Tesco, for vertical formfill-seal 

(VFFS) applications, based on 

biodegradable resin NaturePLus from 

Mater-Bi/Novamont (Novara, Italy). 

But not all markets are experiencing 

the same growth in flexibles. Emerging 

Using low-power lasers, Videojet 

DataFlex Plus thermal transfer 

overprinter (TTO) can print at up 

to 40 in/sec (102 cm/sec) and code 

more than 425 packages/min. 

economies such as India and Pakistan are 

seeing demand for small, single-use flexible 

film pouches for toiletries where purchasers 

cannot afford larger solid packs. 

Michael DelFranco, thermal transfer 

overprinting product manager at printing 

equipment maker Videojet Technologies 

(Wood Dale, IL), says in developed 

markets VFFS manufacturers expect continued 

growth in pouches thanks to intelligent 

use of valves and gussets. 

“Flexible film allows the retailer to 

put more items in the same area,” Del- 

Franco says, noting the evolution of 

packing for foods like tuna, which is now 

also sold in pouches rather than just tins. 

Borealis’ Thompson says metal and 

aluminum foil are under threat due to 

skyrocketing prices for metalized films. 

“We see plastics film benefitting at the 

expense of aluminum and paper for the 

reason of price/performance, and limitations 

of aluminum in terms of film thickness 

reduction,” he says. “We expect 

downgauging trends to continue, driven 

by cost-cutting measures and environmental 

pressure.” 

DSM Engineering Plastics (Sittard, 

Netherlands) expects an up to 7% 

growth in demand for flexible food packaging 

with increased shelf life and 

improved barrier. The company just 

introduced Akulon XP-brand nylon 6 for 

meat, sausage, cheese, fish, and coffee 

packaging that is said to have a broader 

processing window, more uniform thickness 

distribution in cast film, and more 

melt strength, which can optimize the 

LDPE/LLDPE ratio in multilayer films 

without sacrificing the mechanical prop- 


www.eckart.net 

The ECKART effect – 

turns plastics into eye-catchers. 

Please visit us at K 2007 

Hall 5 · Stand G28 

The ECKART effect adds a touch of sophistication. Pearlescent and metallic pigments 

make plastics shimmer and gleam, or give them a polychrome finish. By simulating the 

aesthetics and character of high-quality materials, products become much more valuable 

and desirable. Effect pigments, which are also available as pellets, can be added to almost 

all plastics and are always a sound investment. That’s the ECKART effect. 

ECKART is the world’s leading manufacturer of effect pigments for the plastics industry. 

Innovation, research and ongoing development ensure that things will stay that way. 

ECKART – take the brilliant way. 

For further information, please contact: 

Eckart GmbH & Co KG · Kaiserstrasse 30 · D-90763 Fuerth · Germany 

Phone: +49 (0)9152-77-0 · Fax: +49 (0)9152-77-7008 · 

E-Mail: info.eckart@altana.com

LaserSafe 040 is a new heavy metal free, FDA approved laser marking additive for the marking of thermoplastic 

polymers with YAG lasers. It is a single pigment concentrate of very fine aluminium pigments based 

on a polyolefin carrier. Due to it‘s high efficiency very low dosage levels are required and therefore only 

detrimental discoloration effects are to be expected. LaserSafe 040 are pellets with easy processing 

properties. 

MICROPELLETS 

MASTERSAFE ® Micropellets represent a new range of improved aluminium pigment pellets. These 

products supplement the well-known MASTERSAFE® silver range and offer the following additional 

advantages: 

· Exceptional brilliance 

· No marking of dosing equipment 

· Free flowing properties 

MASTERSAFE ® Micropellets contain 75% aluminium pigment and 25% of a universally compatible 

polyolefin. 

EFFECT PIGMENT PELLETS 

In addition to the traditional products, STANDART ® pigment powder and STAPA ® pigment pastes, these 

metallic effect pigments are also available as effect pigment pellets in a wide range of products. They are 

sold under the brand names MASTERSAFE ® silver, MASTERSAFE ® gold and MASTERSAFE ® pearl. 

The advantages of MASTERSAFE ® effect pigment pellets: 

· dust-free · solvent-free 

· automatically proportionable · excellent storage stability 

· very easily dispersed 

· low odour 

· suitable for food packaging 

MASTERSAFE ® effect pigment pellets are mainly recommended for polyolefins. However, they can also 

be applied in other plastics that can tolerate small amounts of PE-wax. 

PEARLESCENT PIGMENTS 

The advantages of PHOENIX ® pearlescent pigments are: 

· Their primary components, mica and titanium dioxide are classified as inert and this makes PHOENIX ® 

suitable for use in food packaging and children’s toys. 

· PHOENIX ® pearlescent pigments deliver excellent thermal stability and can withstand processing 

temperatures up to 800 °C without degradation or loss of lustre. 

· PHOENIX ® pearlescent pigments are absolutely compatible with all polymers. 

· PHOENIX ® pearlescent pigments are dispersable with low shear mixing.

erties of the film. 

“As food becomes more expensive 

and at the same time quality becomes 

more key, longer shelf life in the whole 

supply chain is critical,” says Richard 

Pieters, Akulon business manager, DSM 

Engineering Plastics. Reifenhäuser’s Bullock 

says shelf life of three months or 

more is now a common requirement for 

many food products, notably partially 

baked bread packs or cheese encased in a 

gas-flushed barrier laminate with EVOH 

that is sandwich printed. 

On the horizon 

Besides longer shelf life, analyst Syed 

Rashid Husain, VP of Al-Azzaz Est (Al- 

Khobar, Saudi Arabia), says handling 

convenience and changing lifestyles in an 

ever-more affluent Middle East are pushing 

flexible film use in the Gulf area. 

“The changes in lifestyle are drastic, literally 

from ‘Camel-to-Cadillac’ [mentality],” 

Husain says. 

The presence of maids in homes and a 

virtual non-interest in running a family 

kitchen has created a situation where 

there is greater dependence on preparedpackaged 

foods packed in flexible films, 

he says. The climate conditions of the 

region also are spurring demand for 

higher-barrier packaging. In the West, 

Sirane’s Balderson says, “The market is 

still being driven by time-poor consumers 

with lower cooking skills looking 

for increased convenience. Smaller 

households mean smaller pack sizes and 

less drive to cook.” 

Videojet’s DelFranco notes growing 

requests to print larger-format graphics, 

such as nutritional statements, on flexible 

packaging. Other growth areas are 

convenience portions beyond the bitesize, 

snack-size markets. As weight management 

becomes more of an issue in 

various societies, he says, Videojet sees 

more non-snack food manufacturers 

making snack-sized versions of their traditional 

products. 

Film processor RPC Cobelplast (Lokeren, 

Belgium) worked together with 

food processor Douwe Egberts and 

recently introduced a flexible, high-barrier 

PP-based material to package a new 

brand of concentrated coffee drink, Café 

modplas.com 

Switch. This coextruded, 450-μm cast 

film allows consumers to “pump and 

froth” the contends with their thumbs in 

two flexible compartments. 

DSM’s Pieters points to a new development 

at his company, a so-called Emerging 

Business Area (EBA) for special packaging. 

This development sector is combin- 

Hall 9 

Stand A04 

MARKET 

UPDATE 

ing know-how in bacterial growth, food 

properties, and food processing and logistics 

to come up with intelligent food packaging. 

The goal is to produce flexible 

packaging that monitors food decay and 

bacterial growth. This would show the 

exact end-of-product freshness by chang- 

MPW 

ing the color in the packaging. 

Your systems supplier for all pellet shapes 

Spheres, cylinders, droplets - choose to maximize your profi ts 

With six decades of experience and an installed base of more than 

8,000 pelletizing systems, Rieter provides its customers with 

state-of-the-art pelletizer trains which yield the highest profi tability. 

If you want more than the usual, just contact us. 

www.pelletizing.com 

www.rieter-automatik.com 



PROCESSING 

TECHNOLOGY 

TECH TRENDS: p. 44 

The modular wave in 

compounding; robots 

welcome in large-parts 

processing. 

Headline MATERIAL THOUGHTS: p. 52 

Patients making strides with 

BASF’s ABS neuro-stimulator 

control; EOS nylon for 

laser-sintering premieres in 

aircraft components; 

pigments attracted to 

InChem’s purging 

compound; and more. 

PRODUCT WATCH: p. 59 

Multicavity molds more 

competitively priced with 

Hasco’s collapsible cores; 

Stäubli expands line of 

painting robots; processor 

boosts performance with 

Flexicon bulk handling 

systems, and more. 

Move to modular 


44 OCTOBER 2007 • MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE 

“ 

The competition race has become even 

faster and tougher,” explains Michael 

Thummert of compounding extruder 

supplier Leistritz (Nürnberg, Germany), 

“however, there is so much business out 

there that currently all machine suppliers 

are very booked and happy.” 

Thummert feels some of the machinery 

business increase can be attributed to 

overall higher resin prices, which force 

efficiency, and often, the replacement of 

older machinery. Thummert says 

Leistritz has seen the most growth in 

At K, Coperion will display 

newly developed 

rotary and diverter 

valves that self-clean 

automatically, without 

dismantling, and are 

certified as cleaning-inplace 

(CIP) components. 

TECH TRENDS 

According to leading suppliers within 

the compounding market, players on 

the machinery side are “booked and 

happy,” with the compounding market 

as a whole “strong and investing” as 

participants upgrade to increasingly 

modular equipment—and even plants. 

Europe, which he described as “very 

good,” specifically Germany, Turkey, 

and Spain. The former Soviet CIS states 

and Eastern Europe remain strong, with 

North America sluggish. Further east, 

“China’s the number-one booster in the 

world, but a tough marketplace in terms 

of prices and competition.” 

At kneader supplier Buss (Pratteln, 

Switzerland), which separated from the 

Coperion Group (Stuttgart, Germany) 

on Jan. 1, 2006, Technical Marketing 

Manager Colin Richardson sees strength 

in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and wire and 

cable, with Europe the strongest geographic 

market, 

modplas.com

IN OUR SEARCH FOR CLARITY 

WE’VE ALTERED OUR HEADS. 

PASSION FOR INNOVATION 

EXTRUSION 

It takes a lot of brainpower to develop innovative solutions. So we have improved the design of our 

die heads. The result is MAXICONE ® – a die featuring an extremely compact design with notably 

reduced melt volumes. It excels with very high transparency. In addition, MAXICONE ® results in 

even shorter changeover times and minimized scrap rates. For more information, please visit us at 

www.wuh-lengerich.de. 

Windmöller & Hölscher KG | Phone: +49 5481 14-0 | Fax: +49 5481 14-2649 | info@wuh-lengerich.de | www.wuh-lengerich.de 


COME AND SEE US 

AT K 2007 IN DÜSSELDORF 

OCTOBER 24 – 31, 2007 

HALL 17 · BOOTH A 59

Get More 

Shredder 

Production! 

Understand. 

Innovate. 

Design. 

Integrate. 

Sterling-Hempstead shredder’s unique 

ram feed design gets you maximum 

throughput for a higher production rate. 

What’s more, it can be easily stacked 

over new or existing granulators. 

You’ll also get: 

• Flexible Speed & Cutter Arrangements to Meet 

Changing Demands 

• Elimination of the need to pre-cut large parts prior 

to the granulation process 

• Improved, rugged drive design for the tough applications 

Sterling-Hempstead demo facility is equipped to handle multiple 

stage testing including Shredder, Shredder/Granulator, or 

Shredder/Granulator/Elutriation/Air conveying. Call us today 

to schedule testing of your material. 

* Shredder shown with optional feed ram. 

135 Vista Centre Dr. • Forest, VA 24551 

Tel: 434-316-5310 • Fax: 434-316-5910 

www.Hempstead.SterlingBlower.com 

Sterling-Hempstead Shredder Systems & Sterling Systems are divisions of The Sterling Blower Company 


TECH TRENDS 

From modular machines to modular 

plants, several compounding suppliers, 

including KraussMaffei Berstorff 

with the pictured system, are promoting 

full-stream compounding “plants” 

that fit in shipping containers and can 

be reassembled on site. 

followed by the Middle East, which has seen an explosion in 

resin production. “[Buss] would describe the compounding 

market as strong and investing,” Richardson says. “As such, 

resin prices would not seem to be posing a problem.” 

More additive, less resin 

Higher resin prices have pushed compounders, where possible, 

to lower the amount of resin in a compound while upping the 

amount of additives or active ingredient (see MPW July 2006, 

Tech Trends, for initial report). Carlos Caro, project manager 

at additive and color batch compounder Grafe Color Batch 

(Blankenhain, Germany) continues work on lower resin loading 

that goes back to 2002. “One of the main targets at Grafe 

is to improve dispersion of the active substance in the final 

product by decreasing at the same time the dosage of the masterbatch 

and the quantity of the masterbatch needed.” Grafe 

was founded in 1991, and currently has 220 employees running 

15 production lines that serve clients in Germany, Austria, and 

Eastern Europe from three business units—color masterbatch, 

additive masterbatch, and electrically conductive compounds. 

Caro said carrier resins like polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene 

(PP) account for 70-90% of material costs in compounds, 

and his company has had varying levels of success in lowering 

the impact of that figure. 

In a nucleating agent masterbatch, Grafe has achieved 50% 

active substance, with antiblocking agent masterbatches at 40- 

50% active substance (either silica or alumosilicate), and 30% 

active substance for antifog film-application masterbatches. Multilayer, 

polycarbonate sheet, UV-absorbing masterbatches have 

reached 50% active substance; UV stabilizer masterbatches are 

modplas.com

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY 

up to 60% active substance; and the company has been able to 

highly load dispersed carbon black for coloring and electrically 

conductive compounds. At compounding system supplier Coperion, 

Werner Wiedmann says he has also seen an emphasis in the 

reduction of resin in compounds. “It is true that plastics are getting 

more and more highly filled,” Weidmann says. “For that, 

[Coperion] developed technologies with an increasing number of 

side feeders in the first barrel and downstream, as well as the 

ZSK Mv Plus technology [see below for more].” 

In addition to pushing material efficiency, Caro says Grafe 

and other compounders of its size are winning business abandoned 

by bigger resin producing businesses. “Degussa, Röhm, 

BASF, Bayer, and GE are targeting the projection and selling of 

colored compounds, but in high amounts,” Caro explains, 

adding that quantities below 5 tonnes are left to shops like Grafe. 

Compounding plant in a box 

To help shops like Grafe, compounding extruder system suppliers 

are increasingly promoting modular products, and even 

plants, shipped ready-to-run after reassembly to compounders. 

Buss introduced its MKS (modular kneader system) roughly 10 

years ago, building the system from four primary components—vertical 

inlet, side feed, degassing, and closed mixing— 

with line sizes running from eight to 20 L/D. 

Buss’s Richardson says the company is planning a replacement 

to the MKS to be launched at K that will focus on polyolefins 

and heat- and shear-sensitive plastics. “We expect to 

bring into our wire and cable business what we have already 

done in PVC with the Quantec machine,” Richardson says. 

Coperion’s Wiedmann says his company’s modular offerings 

in screws and barrels go back “many decades” with the company 

also now promoting modular plants. The company has 

also upgraded its Mv compounding line, introducing the Mv 

Plus, which, depending on the size, reportedly has a 30% 

stronger motor; 30% more torque in the safety clutch; stronger 

gear boxes; new screw shaft/element connection geometry; better 

screw shaft alloy; and more efficient energy usage with higher 

fill at the same screw speed. 

At K, Coperion will present a ZSK 40 Modular plant, were 

a plant is prefabricated from standardized components, assembled, 

fine tuned, then broken down and delivered in shipping 

containers. The system is reassembled on site and optimized for 

production, with Coperion saying the total cost of the plant, 

including assembly and commissioning, are set prior to delivery 

to ease budgeting. 

Also at K, competitor KraussMaffei Berstorff (Münich) will 

exhibit what it’s calling a “costing-saving modular design” 

where the extruders and upstream and downstream equipment 

are assembled to finished modules that can process polyamide 

and glass fibers and fillers as well as PP and fillers. In this case 

as well, the modules are constructed in such a way to fit into a 

shipping container, easing delivery. The system comes with vacuum 

pump, cooling unit, and switch cabinets, with everything 

prewired and preplumbed. In addition, there is a pelletizing system, 

pellet-drying unit, classifiers, and sacking system. 

modplas.com 

GEARBOXES FOR 

SINGLE-SCREW EXTRUDERS 

GEARBOXES FOR 

COROTATING AND 

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GEARBOXES FOR 

ELECTRIC INJECTION 

MOULDING MACHINES 

Sede Centrale / Head Office & Factory 

Years 

of technology 

via Manzoni, 46 - 20020 MAGNAGO (MI) - ITALY 

Tel. +39 0331 307616 - Fax: +39 0331 309577 

e-mail: info@zambello.it - http://www.zambello.it 

SWITZERLAND Office: (for Switzerland, German, Austrian market) 

CH-8840 Einsiedeln - Phone: +41-55-4221340 

E-mail : roth-partner@bluewin.ch 




Robots prove 

a big deal for 

large parts 


The benefits of automation for 

handling large parts are numerous, 

as large-parts processors 

increasingly agree. Employee safety 

is the critical argument, but other 

reasons also figure. 

Mack Molding makes its living molding 

large parts. At the custom molder’s 

Inman, SC facility, either 3- or 6-axis 

robots from Kuka see use on all of its 

presses. Recent investments in Mack’s 

Southern Division included completion 

of a 25,000-ft 2 expansion at the Inman 

facility to accommodate four molding 

machines sized up to 4000 tons. Mack 

just added the fourth of these presses— 

a 3350-ton unit—rounding out what 

already included an offering of 33 large 

presses (1000-3350 tons). 

TECH TRENDS 

Joe Carinci, director of operations for 

Mack Molding’s Southern Division, says 

there were two things the company 

wanted to achieve with automation. 

“First, we wanted to minimize the physical 

handling of these parts, which can 

weigh 25-30 lb. Because these parts are 

so large, the weight is obtrusive and the 

parts can be unwieldy,” says Carinci. 

“Second, we’re trying to improve the 

logistics related to the movement of the 

part itself, utilizing conveyance from the 

press to the next process, the next operation, 

whether that be a secondary operation, 

assembly, packaging, etc.” 

To reach these goals, the firm added 

multiple 6-axis shelf-mount robots. 

Some are mounted on a molding 

machine’s platens, while others are freestanding, 

to handle simple parts removal 

as well as complex maneuvers such as 

relocating a piece of glass to an adhesive 

dispensing head, where it spins the glass 

while adhesive is applied around the 

edges. The robot then moves the glass to 

a plastic window frame for a truck sleeper 

cab window, and installs the glass. 

“The old process using a 3-axis table 

wasn’t capable of doing what we needed 

A 7-axis Kuka robot removes a top cap 

for a residential air conditioner from a 

Toshiba 3350-ton press at Mack Molding’s 

plant in Inman, S.C. An extra 

motion was added to a six-axis robot. 

modplas.com


to do with this operation, 

so we moved 

to the 6-axis robot,” 

says Carinci, who 

also directs operations 

at Mack’s plant 

in Statesville, NC, 

where this particular 

robot is installed. 

“This robot made us 

process-capable 

where we were not 

prior, and significantly 

reduced the 

handling required on 

this assembly.” 

Down market still 

up for automation 

Large machine sales 

in North America have dropped, but 

automation for larger injection molding 

machines remains a strong market sector, 

says John Nelson, sales manager for 

injection molding for Kuka Robotics 

USA. He says that while there’s greater 

capacity than is being utilized, the largemachine 

market is still strong. “Those 

products are harder to move offshore, 

and more of those types of products are 

being made, securing these processors 

new opportunities for new business,” he 

says. “Many of these large-part jobs lend 

themselves to automation because they 

are more complex, highly engineered 

products.” 

While some molding machine companies 

offer their own robots for smaller 

equipment, larger robots tend to be custom-made, 

Nelson explains. The robot 

becomes so large that it has to be customized 

to fit the press and the job. 

Another reason the big-machine market 

is strong and doing well, says Nelson, 

is that products that never used to be 

injection molded, such as polycarbonate 

windows, are now being injection molded. 

Additionally, there are a number of 

secondary processes that tie robots into 

the entire downstream production line. 

Nelson says, “Customers maybe have 

been using our robots for years, and now 

are making the move into 6-axis robots 

to do more work outside the press as well 

as more inside the press.” 

modplas.com 

Sepro’s 4050 extended-reach, 

Generation IV beam robot, 

on which the next platform, 

the 4060 was based, built for 

even greater flexibility. 

Kuka competitor Sepro Robotique 

and its new North American marketing 

arm, Sepro America LLC, will introduce 

the Model 4060 at K 2007 in Düsseldorf, 

Germany this month. It’s the newest and 

largest beam robot platform in the Generation 

IV family, and is aimed at production 

of large automotive parts and 

other applications requiring injection 

molding machines up to 3500 tons of 

clamp force. The Model 4060 comes in a 

heavy-load configuration to handle payloads 

of up to 80 kg (176 lb) and a longdemolding 

version with a strip stroke (Y 

axis) of up to 1800 mm (71 inches). The 

4060 will be available for the U.S. market 

in 2008. 

Customize your robot 

The flexible Generation IV platform concept 

allows users to easily customize the 

robots to fit special application requirements. 

The heavy-load option, for 

instance, is ideal for insert loading, textile 

overmolding, or stack-molds that 

require U-frame end-of-arm tooling. The 

long demolding stroke allows for handling 

deep-draw parts or accommodation 

of two robot arms. 

“Molders are putting larger molds in 

smaller presses to get everything out of that 

press they can get,” explains Jim Healy, VP 

sales and marketing for Sepro America. “In 

the past, prior to our modular design, for 

example, if a customer would come to us 




needing a robot 

with a specific payload 

for a 1500-ton 

press, then we’d 

just go up to the 

next higher robot. 

Now we can take 

the payload of the 

4060 and put it on 

a smaller robot. 

This keeps the initial 

investment 

costs a bit lower yet 

meets the molder’s 

specific needs.” 

While Sepro still 

identifies the application 

up front, the 

modularity of the 

CLICK MPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com See us at K 2007, Hall 13 Stand C47-7 

TECH TRENDS 

A Kuka robot de-burs plastic engine covers. 

4060 allows changes to the stroke length 

and end-of-arm tooling if requirements 

change. “If a heavier payload is needed 

with a standard stroke length, that can be 

ordered. The Generation IV 4060 modular 

design lets you order a heavier payload but 

keep a standard stroke length, or lengthen 

the stroke length if needed,” Healy says. 

“Where the flexibility comes in is with the 

end-of-arm tooling and programming. 

With older control systems, programming 

was complicated and time consuming, but 

now much of the complexity has been 

engineered out so that even semi-skilled 

employees can create simple pick-andplace 

routines. Also, with better, smarter 

end-of-arm tooling designs, including kit 

systems that make it easy for molders to 

build their own tooling, it’s easier to create 

the tooling necessary to run a large variety 

of different jobs with a single robot.” 

Bill Geddis, regional sales manager for 

Sepro America, adds, “We’re seeing companies 

that are even tying robots together 

in a continuous operation, integrating a 

secondary robot downstream. Almost 

across the board, with large-tonnage 

machines, the majority have to be automated 

as many can’t get an operator on 

the gate, the parts tend to be heavy and 

awkward to handle, and pose a greater 

injury risk.” Indeed, according to the 

Occupational Health & Safety Administration 

(OSHA), back injuries are the 

leading workplace safety problem in the 

U.S. While many companies train 

employees in lifting techniques, there are 

regulations that put weight limits for 

heavy objects, defined as those more than 

20 lb if they will be lifted repeatedly, and 

more than 50 lb if lifted once. 

Mack’s Carinci notes, “We don’t 

want employees continually performing 

repetitive motions related to the parts. 

With the 6-axis robot, the robot executes 

the function normally handled by the 

operator, such as gate removal. The 

robot can often eliminate the repetitive 

motion of using gate cutters due to the 6axis 

robots’ capability to locate at pre- 

MPW 

cise angles on the part.” 


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See us at K 2007, 

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MATERIAL THOUGHTS 

Material points a finger at unwanted 

leakage problems 

Said to be an effective way to increase 

performance of micro-irrigation systems 

while helping to reduce the amount of 

water lost to leakage, Fingerprint-brand 

polyethylene (PE) points the way to better 

use of valuable natural resources. It 

has been developed specifically for 

demanding micro-irrigation hose and 

tubing applications in agriculture and 

landscaping. Grade DFDA7510 is a linear 

low-density PE with good environmental 

stress crack resistance, burst 

strength, and easy processing. It was 

designed for micro-irrigation tubing of 

orchards, vineyards, and landscapes. 

Grade DFDE7525 is a medium-density 

PE with high tensile strength and elongation, 

plus toughness that also offers good 

puncture resistance. It can be used in 

thin-wall drip tapes. 

The newest addition to the family 

launched this year is a bimodal mediumdensity 

PE, 7520, said to provide good 

draw down characteristics, high tensile 

strength and elongation properties, as well 

as slow crack growth resistance. It targets 

drip tape irrigation. The initial development 

was launched by Union Carbide, which in 

1999 was taken over by the present manufacturer 

and included in its portfolio. 

“Fingerprint PE resins were developed 

to stand the test of time in both agricultural 

and landscaping applications,” says 

RESINS/COMPOUNDS 

Blue Bunny beats 

faltering dessert market 

Thanks to design advantages and innovative 

resin use for containers, Wells’ Dairy 

(Le Mars, IA) has been able to obtain new 

interest in its Blue Bunny-brand ice cream. 

The overall dessert market is showing stagnation, 

the company says. Wells has come 

up with an elliptical, inmold labeled (IML) 

injection molded polypropylene (PP) 56-oz 

(1600g) container. This application represents 

the first U.S. commercial application 

of this manufacturer’s Pro-fax EP390S 

high-impact PP copolymer. The opaque 

Fingerprint PE grades target drip pipe and tape applications in agriculture. 

Heather Turner, North American market 

manager for plastics pipe at the company. 

During compounding, invisible tracer elements 

are included in Fingerprint PE 

which act as markers, making it possible 

to verify the presence of this grade of PE 

in tube and drip tape applications years 

after installation should a failure occur. 

Manufacturers of micro-irrigation 

equipment can verify that their tubing 

resin can withstand drop impact at temperatures 

down to -40°F. Previous food 

packaging PP grades could only withstand 

refrigerated temperatures down to -38°F 

without cracking on impact. This PP grade 

also offers high (35 dg/min) melt flow and 

can withstand microwave and dishwasher 

temperatures. “While the ice cream category 

as a whole has remained flat, customers 

have been more willing to try our 

product because of the innovative packaging,” 

says Lesley Bartholomew, manager 

corporate communications at Wells’ Dairy. 

Basell Polyolefins, Hoofddorp, 

Netherlands; +31 204 468649; 

www.basell.com 

and drip tapes include Fingerprint PE by 

sending a sample to the producer’s laboratories 

where the verification process 

involves isolating the tracer elements. 

These help ensure that micro-irrigation 

customers receive the quality of polymer 

and performance they pay for, says 

Turner. Dow Chemical, Midland, 

MI, U.S.A.; +1 713-978-3245; 

www.dow.com 

The inmold label for Well’s Blue Bunny-brand 

ice cream container is offset printed in five colors 

and supplied by Belgium-based Verstraete. 


Soft touch applied 

without sticky feeling 

Lotryl 20MA08 is an ethylene-acrylic 

ester copolymer that adds a sensorial element 

of ‘soft touch’ to many packaging 

applications, previously in particular for 

the cosmetics industry. But applying this 

material to the food packaging sector is a 

tougher challenge, says the producer. 

This grade is said to provide that answer. 

GRL Research Analysis Laboratory conducted 

sensorial property lab studies and 

says that comparisons of touch between 

a polystyrene sheet coextruded with a 

film made of the material and a standard 

dessert dairy tub claims 20MA08 outperforms 

the existing varnish solution used 

by a packager. Tacky and blocking sensations 

were found in the study to be 

replaced by a more gliding and silky 

touch. The material has both FDA and 

EU food contact approvals. Arkema, 

Paris La Défense, France; +33 1 

49007957; www.arkema.com 

Rehab aid taps plastics 

A neuro-stimulator, ActiGait, manufactured 

by medical device producer Otto 

Bock Healthcare (Duderstadt, Germany), 

for patients suffering ambulatory difficulties 

such as those following a stroke, 

is injection molded of transparent ABS, 

Terlux 2802 HD (HD = health care and 

diagnostics grade). This methylmethacrylate 

acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene 

(MABS) makes up the housing and internal 

parts of the control unit. The device 

manufacturer selected this grade because 

it is sterilizable and resistant to chemicals. 

Following a stroke, an affected 

patient often finds his ability to raise a 

foot via the ankle joint is restricted so 

that the tip of the foot is dragged across 

the ground. ActiGait allows patients to 

raise the front of the foot and enables 

them to walk safely. The neuro-stimulator 

activates functioning nerve paths that 

the brain can no longer control and reactivates 

the paralyzed muscle by electrically 

encoded movement information. An 

electronic chip inserted under the skin of 

the upper thigh sends out a movement 

pulse. At the level of the hollow of the 

knee, a cable leads to the nerve controlling 

the muscle and is connected to it via 

modplas.com 

ActiGait medical device made of MABS helps 

rehabilitate stroke patients. 

an electrode. The external control unit 

made of Terlux 2802HD supplies the 

chip with energy and is worn on the belt. 

BASF, Ludwigshafen, Germany; +49 

621 600; www.terlux.de 

When it Comes to 

Molding Solutions, 

We’re in a 

Unique Position. 

See us at: IBEX, Miami, FL, Oct. 10-12, Booth #2651 

ACMA Composites, Tampa, FL, Oct. 17-19, Booth #900 

K-Show, Dusseldorf, Germany, Oct. 24-31, Hall 5, Stand 5/A14 

METS ’07, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Advanced Plastics, Nov. 13-15 

News & Developments 

Demanding applications 

need these TPUs’ help 

Low-durometer, unplasticized thermoplasitc 

polyurethane (TPU) grades, Estane 

X1007(70A) and X4977(75A), are an 

extension of this manufacturer’s breathable 

TPUs. They provide good moisture 

vapor transmission with low swelling 

for improved dimensional stability and 

can be used for soft-touch products, 

strapping, medical applications, and personal 

care products, as well as specialty 

garment items. 

Test results show volume swell is less 

than 5% in water, compared to typical 

volume swell of up to 30% in other 

breathable grades. They have good elasticity 

with tensile set of less than 8%. 

This allows them to be either extruded or 

injection molded. Lubrizol Advanced 

Materials Inc., Cleveland, OH; +1 216 

447-7392; www.estane.com 

[continued on p. 54] 

Whatever kind of molding you do, Axel has the 

knowledge and resources to help your productivity. 

We’ve been making only mold releases and 

process aid additives for 63 years—our experience 

is unequalled. Our expert customer-support staff 

is available for immediate response every day, and 

our field reps can help solve problems on site. 

Whatever your molding or compounding need, 

Axel’s on top of it. 

Contact us today. 

Mold Releases & Process Aid Additives 

Box 77 0855,Woodside, NY 11377 U.S.A. 800-332-AXEL(2935), 718-672-8300 Fax: 718-565-7447 www.axelplastics.com 



GLS TPEs 

will make your 

product feel better... 

...look better, 

grip better, 

and sell better! 

From a soft-touch to a non-slip grip. 

From colorability to new design options. 

GLS TPEs give your product the marketable 

advantage necessary to get noticed in today’s 

highly competitive environment. 

Count on GLS to transform your concept into 

a breakthrough product or enhance your existing 

product with the most advanced TPE technology out 

there. With over 25 years experience, we’re pioneering 

developments in providing the clearest and softest 

thermoplastic elastomers possible; as well as TPEs that 

can be over molded onto polycarbonate, PC/ABS, ABS, 

polypropylene, polyamides and more; with lasting results. 

And like our TPEs, GLS solutions are unique to your needs. 

Our engineers work with you to design a custom TPE with 

the specific physical properties and aesthetics essential to 

your application. 

For an appointment, or a CD-ROM describing GLS products 

and services, call us at 1-888-667-3240, or email us 

at info@glscorp.com. 

Realize the Potential. 

Feel the difference. ® 

833 Ridgeview Drive, McHenry, Illinois 60050 

1-815-385-8500 • www.glscorp.com 


This laser-sintered acoustic air plenum 

for aircraft, produced from PA2210FR flameretardant 

nylon 12 from EOS, is rapidly 

manufactured by Paramount Industries. 

FR nylon flies high 

Paramount PDS (Langhorne, PA), a 

product development and rapid manufacturing 

company, is using non-halogenated 

PA2210FR for rapid manufacturing 

of commercial aircraft components. 

It is said to be the first flame retardant 

nylon 12 for laser sintering that has 

passed independent testing for aircraft 

burn, smoke, and toxicity, as well as UL 

94 V-0 flammability. 

Paramount’s commercial aircraft customer 

performed its own testing to confirm 

flame-retardancy properties prior to 

using the rapidly manufactured parts in 

actual flying conditions. “An independent 

lab tested PA2201FR under Federal 

Aircraft Regulation (FAR) 22.853 specifications. 

It passed and outperformed five 

materials that were tested at the same 

time,” said Jim Williams, president of 

Paramount PDS. The company then proceeded 

with rapid manufacturing of more 

than a dozen flight hardware components 

for the commercial luxury aircraft. 

“Laser-sintering with PA2210FR has 

enabled this company to slash production 

lead times and eliminate tooling 

costs. Our customer has qualified and 

adopted laser-sintering for production of 

custom polymer flight hardware,” 

Williams said. “Each of the aircraft components 

was specifically designed and 

engineered for rapid manufacturing. This 

resulted in complex configurations, 

which could not be molded or machined, 

that addressed the form and functional 

needs of the aircraft hardware application.” 

EOS of North America, Inc.; 

Novi, MI, U.S.A.; +1 248-306-0143; 

www.eos.info 

modplas.com



THERMOSET PROCESSING 

Resin infusion works for 

boat hulls too 

As it moves away from hand lay-up, 

Hatteras Yachts (New Bern, NC) has 

expanded its resin infusion processing to 

motor yacht hulls up to 72 ft (21.9 m) 

long, using Hydropel resins supplied by 

AOC. Hatteras Yachts is a licensee of 

Scrimp (Seeman Composites Resin 

Infusion Molding Process) technology 

from TPI Technology. Hatteras first used 

the process for bulkheads, decks, and 

other parts. Before forming a hull, the 

largest infused part was a 265-ft 2 

(24.6m 2) deck. 

A newly designed 60-ft (18.3m) sport 

fishing convertible was selected for the 

first resin-infused Hatteras hull. A largeflanged 

female mold was built specifically 

for the infusion technique. PVC foam 

cores are incorporated in the hull sides 

modplas.com 

and superstructure to deliver 

high stiffness at a lower weight. 

A clear gel coat and a vinyl ester 

skin coat are infused into the 

female mold. Next, fiberglass 

roll-goods are laid down, along 

with PVC foam coring, in select 

sidewall areas. The reinforcement 

and core are covered with 

the Scrimp resin-flow medium. A 

layer of polymer film is applied 

over the dry fiber-core build-up 

and sealed over the large flanges 

on the edge of the mold. During 

resin infusion, one bar of vacuum 

is pulled to draw resin 

through the fiberglass reinforcement. 

When the entire part has 

been infused, the resin cures and 

then the Scrimp cloth and polymer 

film are removed. AOC, 

Collierville, TN, U.S.A.; +1 901- 

854-2800; www.aoc-resins.com 


TO PRODUCE THESE, 

WE’RE GOING 

TO FEED YOU A LINE 

The industry’s most complete line. No sales line. 

Conical and parallel twin screw extruders,with rates up to 5000 lbs/hr. 

Single screw extruders: 3/4” - 12”. And a choice to customize any extruder 

to meet your needs. PVC, HDPE, PP, ABS, PEX, smooth bore, corrugated, foam core... 

With aftermarket support 24/7. 

Helping your business grow. 

Because that’s your bottom line. 

IT HAS TO BE MILACRON TO BE CINCINNATI 

4165 Half Acre Rd l Batavia, OH 45103 l 513-536-3320 l www.milacron.com 

PIPE PROFILE WOOD & NATURAL FIBER PLASTIC COMPOSITES SHEET COMPOUNDING AFTERMARKET 


During resin infusion, one bar vacuum of mercury is 

pulled under a polymer film. 





TPEs, TPVs & TPUs 

Softer Santoprene for 

ETPs, plus a potable 

water grade 

This supplier has introduced a softer version 

of its Santoprene thermoplastic vulcanizates 

(TPV) that bonds well with 

polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile butadiene 

styrene (ABS), acrylonitrile styrene 

acrylate (ASA), acrylic (PMMA), polyethylene 

terephthalate (PET), and other 

engineering thermoplastics (ETPs) so 

that, in overmolding applications, the 

new grade eliminates the need for adhesives, 

bonding agents, and physical or 

mechanical interlocks. Santoprene TPV 

45 B100 is the latest addition to a portfolio 

which now includes 25 Santoprene 

TPV grades that bond with ETPs, 

polyamide, metals, and various polyolefins. 

This is the latest of 12 bonding 

grades introduced by the supplier in the 

past 12 months. “We have had specific 

requests from OEMs and product 

designers in the computer peripherals, 

cellphone, personal care, and stationery 

product sectors for an even softer, more 

tactile version of the Santoprene TPV 

grades that bond with ETPs,” said Bill 

Ramsey, global marketing segment manager, 

Santoprene TPVs. 

This new grade retains its long-term 

sealability and high bond strength in various 

environments including hot air, oil, 

and aqueous solutions. Even at thicknesses 

of less than 1 mm, the cohesive 

bond is stronger than the materials themselves, 

making these materials an alternative 

to soft-touch paints on some parts. 

The supplier also has introduced a 

new specialty elastomer for potable water 

contact. Designed for cold- and warm- 

(up to 60°C/140°F) water contact applications, 

Santoprene TPE XF241-80EU 

meets the potable water regulations of 

France, Germany, and the United 

Kingdom. Compliance with the NSF regulations 

in the United States is being pursued. 

According to the supplier, tests indicate 

that its tensile strength and compression 

set outperform those of SEBS-based 

TPE compounds with similar flexibility. It 

can be injection molded or extruded and 

is compatible with other polymers includ- 

ing polyethylene and polypropylene. It 

has a clean off-white color and is fully 

recyclable. ExxonMobil Chemical, 

Houston, TX, U.S.A.; +1 281-870-6000; 

www.santoprene.com; 

www.exxonmobilchemical.com 

Tungsten-filled compounds 

aimed at medical 

This compounder has introduced a new 

series of medical-grade materials with features 

and benefits that it says are, as yet, 

not found in other radio opaque polymers. 

Specifically, the new grades include 

thermoplastic urethanes (TPUs), 

polyamide, olefins, and other plastics. 

Medical-device applications include, but 

are not limited to, products that require 

smooth surfaces along with markers within 

the body such as diagnostic catheters. 

As compared to other materials currently 

being used, the new grades produce 

smooth surfaces, are said to process 

easier via injection molding or extrusion, 

offer solvent resistance, and soften at 

body temperature. The compounds are 

available in Shore hardness ranges from 

75A to 75D and can be ordered in quantities 

ranging from 25-500,000 lb. New 

England Urethane Inc., North Haven, 

CT, U.S.A.; +1 203-239-9639; 

www.neuinc.com. 

ADDITIVES/FILLERS 

Added role for TiO 2 

boosts overall usage 

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2) is known as a 

UV-light absorber but its functionality is 

being expanded into the visible-light spectrum. 

This manufacturer has introduced 

a series of Visible Light Photocatalyst 

compounds, vlp 7000, 7001, 7100, and 

7101. They are designed to achieve maximum 

degradation of atmospheric pollutants 

and direct-contact organic compounds 

in the presence of both visible 

light and UV radiation. The resulting 

innocuous materials, such as nitrogen 

oxide pollutants from vehicle exhaust 

that can cling to siding, traffic signs, or 

sound barriers, can be washed away by 

rain, absorbed by vegetation, or blown 

away. The light source can be either natural 

or artificial, both direct or indirect, 

Kronos vlp TiO 2 compounds are being used in 

public lavatories to help cut unpleasant odors 

lingering on the walls and floor. 

to achieve the desired effect. These compounds 

are also finding use in plastics 

sheeting, filters, and some textiles. Some 

of the fastest-growing areas include 

acoustic isolation barriers, tunnel linings, 

and both interior and exterior building 

surfaces. Kronos International Inc., 

Leverkusen, Germany; +49 214 3560; 

www.kronosww.com 

Hybrid nanocomposite 

offers new promises 

Claimed to be the first-ever nanostructured 

hybrid inorganic-organic chemical 

feedstock technology, POSS nanocomposite 

is considered to be one of the 

smallest forms of silica. Based on a 

silsesquioxane cage structure, this polyhedral 

oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) 

is considered a hybrid because it combines 

both inorganic (silicon) and organic 

(carbon) structures. Regarded as discrete, 

chemically modified particles of silica, 

POSS has dimensions on a nanometer 

scale. But unlike silica or modified 

clays, the structure can be functionalized 

with a wide variety of groups. For example, 

the R group can be a simple alkyl, or 

reactive/polymerizable groups such as 

acrylic, alpha-olefin, amine, alcohol, or 


silane. With such functionality, the POSS 

structures can be copolymerized with 

various monomers, or grafted onto polymer 

chains. Compatibility with the polymer 

matrix is determined by the nature 

of the functional group. Hybrid Plastics, 

Inc., Hattiesburg, MS, U.S.A.; +1 601- 

544-3466; www.hybridplastics.com 

ENGINEERING 

THERMOPLASTICS 

Hydrolysis-resistant PBT 

Connectors and interconnect systems 

developer FCI chose a hydrolysis-resistant 

grade of polybutylene terephthalate 

(PBT) from the supplier for its Apex 150 

1.5-mm connector line. The Apex 150 

range includes 10-, 14- and 16-way electrical 

connectors for 12-volt systems. 

The Celanex 3309HR grade of PBT used 

shows 100% tensile strength retention 

and 85% tensile elongation retention 

modplas.com 

These electrical connectors made from 

Celanex PBT show no reduction in tensile 

strength after cycling between a wide range 

of temperatures. 

after cycling 40 times between -40 and 

125ºC (under USCAR Class III exposure 

conditions). Ticona, Kelsterbach, 

Germany; +49-693-051-6299; 

www.ticona.com 


PURGING COMPOUNDS 

Pigments just love this 

purge compound 

Colorgon purging compound is based 

on hydroxyphenol (phenoxy). The supplier 

notes this chemical already sees 

widespread use in paints and coatings, 

and the purging compound makes use of 

its affinity for pigments due to hydrogen 

bonding with multiple pendant hydroxyl 

groups on the phenoxy molecule. 

Phenoxy has very high affinity for certain 

pigments and can be alloyed with 

other materials to increase the range of 

organic and inorganic pigments that are 

attracted to it via covalent, ionic, and 

hydrogen bonding. According to the 

supplier, processors using the purging 

compound can cut the amount of purge 

used by up to 75%. InChem Corp., 

Rock Hill, SC, U.S.A.; +1 803-329- 

8000; www.colorgon.com 

WITHOUT ITS VITAL PARTS, 

IT HAS NO POWER 

Without a superior screw design, 

no extruder for pipe can shine. 

So Cincinnati Milacron is here. The global leader in screw design 

technology. We’ll customize a screw that meets your specific needs. 

PVC, HDPE, PP, ABS, PEX... It doesn’t matter. 

And we’ll be with you as your business grows. Replacement 

screws. Specialty coatings. On-time delivery. 24/7 service. 

The bottom line. We put you in power. And keep you there. 

IT HAS TO BE MILACRON TO BE CINCINNATI 

4165 Half Acre Rd l Batavia, OH 45103 l 513-536-3320 l www.milacron.com 

PIPE PROFILE WOOD & NATURAL FIBER PLASTIC COMPOSITES SHEET COMPOUNDING AFTERMARKET 



Rohm and Haas Provides 

High-Performance Plastics Additives 

For Your Manufacturing Needs 

in 

imagine the possibilities 

OUR PRODUCT RANGE: 

• ACRYLIGARD . . . . . . . Acrylic Capstock Resins 

• ADVALUBE . . . . . . . . Specialty Lubricants 

• ADVAWAX. . . . . . . . . Specialty Waxes 

• ADVASTAB . . . . . . . . Thermal Stabilizers 

• ADVAPAK . . . . . . . . . Stabilizer / Lubricant One-Packs 

• PARALOID. . . . . . . . . Acrylic and MBS Impact Modifiers 

. . . . . 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . Processing Aids 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . Acrylic Multi-functionals and Specialties 

• PARALOID EXL. . . . . . Additives for Engineering Resins 

• VINYZENE . . . . . . . . Antimicrobials for Vinyl, Olefins 

and Elastomers 

For more information, please call: 1.800.356.3402 

www.rohmhaas.com 

CLICK MPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com See us at K 2007, Hall 06 Stand A57-4

Why The World is 

Quickly Turning to Water 

To Produce Highly Transparent Multilayer Barrier Films. 

AquaFrost ® 

Europe. America. Africa. Asia. With BE’s AquaFrost ® systems 

operating on virtually every continent, the world is quickly 

turning to Aquafrost’s unique 

water-quenched technology. 

Why the sea change? The BE 

AquaFrost ® process delivers 

water-cooled film with exceptional 

clarity when contrasted to cast 

films. This BE technology enables 

processors to use polymers efficiently 

and sparingly. The end 

The Clear Choice for Multilayer Barrier Film 

product is down-gauged film with high barrier properties. 

One BE AquaFrost ® customer says, “The signals we are 

receiving from the market are all very positive. Many of our 

customers have been able to cut their costs by around 10 

to 15 per cent.” 

Films made with BE’s AquaFrost ® process are most suitable 

for packaging fresh and processed meat, sausage products, 

cooked ham, deep-frozen food, nuts and medical products 

such as infusion liquids and dairy products. 

See BE at K2007 Booth 17A22, Düsseldorf, October 24-31 

If you’re looking to produce exceptionally clear barrier film at the lowest cost, call us today. 

Canada: 1-905-793-3000 • USA: 1-800-867-9997 • China: 86-512-6295-9188 • Email: hipro@be-ca.com • Web: www.be-ca.com

B r a m p t o n E n g i n e e r i n g 

The World Leader In 

Multilayer Barrier Film 

For over 30 years BE’s blown film solutions have improved plant productivity and delivered a rapid return on investment for many 

of the world’s leading packagers. Today, with more 7 to 10 layer installations worldwide than any other company, and air-cooled 

and water-quenched systems operating on every continent, BE is the established world leader in blown film technology. 

❏✓ ❏✓ 

UNMATCHED EXPERIENCE & KNOW-HOW 

• More 7 – 10 layer installations than any other company 

• Over 30 years partnering with the world’s leading packagers 

and resin suppliers 

• Air-cooled & water-quenched systems on every continent 

• We have solutions for every blown film application 

• BE pioneered multilayer blown film technology 

• Committed to breaking conventional technology limitations 

• Developed many industry firsts 

• The first to offer new technology advantages to our customers 

❏✓ 

PROVEN PERFORMANCE. PROVEN RESULTS. 

• Faster, simpler start-up 

• Easiest to use Operator Interface 

• The industry’s flattest film 

• Highest output rates 

• Lower maintenance costs 

• Longest running times 

• Fastest product changeovers 

• Reduced scrap 

TOTAL SOLUTIONS THAT KEEP YOU AHEAD 

• Competitive total systems approach delivers faster ROI/payback 

• Total turnkey systems integrate 

proven BE technologies: 

• SCD ® - 3 – stackable modular 

die for multiple layers 

• ITALYCS ® – GUI for control, 

monitoring, and reporting. 

• I-Flex ® – precision gauge 

control to reduce costs & 

gauge variation 

• Winders – single or double turret or 

surface winders for best rolls 

• ISO-therm Die – for coextruding heat sensitive 

material with super temperature isolation between layers 

❏✓ 

GLOBAL REACH & LOCAL SUPPORT 

• Worldwide HQ is ISO9001:2000 registered 

• Sales and service offices Canada, US, China 

• Joint Venture for manufacturing with Mamata BE in India 

• Ability to support your system wherever it’s put into operation 

Canada: 1-905-793-3000 • USA: 1-800-867-9997 • China: 86-512-6295-9188 • Email: hipro@be-ca.com • Web: www.be-ca.com


PM&A’s PRODUCT WATCH Technology & Innovation 

Foam extruder provides 

more than a lot of hot air 

Building ‘green’ today is becoming more accepted as heating fuel prices skyrocket 

and homeowners seek to corral their costs. One method is using extruded polystyrene 

foam (XPS) to provide thermal insulation with good compression strength. 

The Schaumtandex ZE/KE line may be the answer to processors wanting to enter 

or expand their presence in this market. The ZE is a twin-screw extruder. This primary 

extruder uses environmentally friendly blowing agents such as CO 2 in 

amounts up to 20% to expand the PS while the single-screw KE functions as the 

secondary extruder. The mixing effect of the twin-screw makes it possible to 

process compounds with up to eight different components. Even blowing agents 

with poor dissolving properties can be processed with a throughput rate of up to 

2000 kg/hr. The downstream cooling single-screw extruder ensures optimum cooling 

of the material. KraussMaffei Berstorff GmbH, Hanover, Germany; +49 511 

5702397; www.berstorff.de 

Cascade extrusion line Schaumtandex ZE/KE provides high throughputs for foam production. 

High output highlights window-profile extruder 

One unit of the Argos range of parallel twin-screw extruders, Argos 135, is able to 

break the 6-m/min output barrier for double strands of window profiles. How does 

it do it? The 135 is combined with two Konos 72 conical twin-screw extruders as 

co-extruders, achieving a maximum output 

of 1200 kg/hr thanks to the design of 

the die with internal profile cooling. Also, 

the higher speed, 30% beyond the standard 

line, can be safely managed in continuous 

operation. The three extruders are 

controlled from a triple operating panel 

via a centralized control system. The compact 

Konos extruders permit a special 

extruder configuration with a short melt 

channel between the extruders and the die. 

Processor aluplast Austria GmbH (Wartberg/Krems, 

Austria) has been commercially 

using this configuration with success, 

says the equipment maker. Cincinnati 

Extrusion GmbH, Vienna, Austria; +43 1 

Argos 135 extruder combined with an 8-die head is in production at processor aluplast Austria. 

modplas.com 

THERMOFORMING 

Heavy-duty unit 

promises long service 

life, economies 

The FC1000E thermoforming line is 

designed for big jobs and demanding 

applications. The form-cut-stack unit 

has a maximum tool size of 1060 by 

700 mm with a maximum positive/negative 

depth of 130 mm. Sheet 

for thermoforming can be up to 1100 

mm wide. The clamping force of the 

forming unit is 60,000 daN while the 

clamping force of the cutting unit is 

90,000 daN. Heating power for the 

total thermoformer is 176 kW. This 

line features Speedmaster controls that 

control servodrives on the chain transport, 

platen movements, and plugs. It 

has all-new PLC software and is said 

to make maintenance easier due to its 

easy accessibility for the operator. It 

also features a quick tool-change system 

for low downtime, good heat distribution, 

and higher output than previous 

units. MEICO/WM Wrapping 

Machinery, Stabio, Switzerland; +41 

91 6407050; www.meico.it 

INJECTION MOLDING 

Offering new strain gage 

signal conditioner 

The new 4015 strain gage signal conditioner 

provides users with a simple 

machine interface. The device converts 

the output signal from any industrystandard 

analog strain gage sensor 

into usable data that provide a way for 

the sensor to communicate with the 

molding machine. 

The unit provides amplification 

that converts the retrieved signal from 

the sensor to produce a 0-10-volt output 

signal that can be used for process 

monitoring and control. The mold 

pressure signal is auto-zeroed before 

the start of each injection cycle to help 

ensure process repeatability. Each unit 

ships with an interface cable. RJG 

Inc., Traverse City, MI, U.S.A.; +1 

231-947-3111; www.rjginc.com 



PM&A’s PRODUCT WATCH 

Bulk-solids handling upgrades calendering operation 

One of the largest plastics processors in 

Mexico City streamlined its materials 

handling, improved process quality, created 

a safer work environment, and 

made more efficient use of its workers 

by installing a bulk-bag unloading system 

with pneumatic and flexible-screw 

conveying. 

Oplex S.A. de C.V. calenders 

polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheet on two 

calendering lines for applications such 

as advertising banners, automotive seat 

covers, and door-panel liners. The lines 

are fed from a central batch-mixing system. 

Workers had manually loaded 25kg 

(55-lb) paper sacks of PVC and calcium 

carbonate (CaCO 3) into a mixer 

and used a conveyor system of the company’s 

own design to add the liquid 

components: plasticizers, stabilizers, 

and lubricants. 

Carlos Barra, director of operations 

at Oplex, says manual loading created 

problems, notably in quality control. 

Oplex mixes six batches per hour, each 

weighing 200 kg (440 lb), including liquid 

additives. Rushed employees sometimes 

forget how much product had 

been added to a batch. Plus, empty bags 

had to be collected and disposed of. 

Oplex decided to automate PVC 

mixing with a bulk-bag unloading system, 

both to improve batch quality and 

to permit use of bulk bags in place of 

hundreds of 25-kg sacks. An automated 

system would also reduce manual labor 

and create a safer work environment. 

Among the requirements was that 

the system had to be compatible with a 

programmable logic control (PLC) and 

software Oplex developed in-house. 

Although it’s not packed in bulk bags, 

Oplex also wanted to install a more-efficient 

hopper and additive mixing station 

for CaCO 3. 

The first part of the system is a BFC 

Series bulk-bag unloader made by Flexicon 

Corp. The unloader features an 

electric trolley hoist on a cantilevered 

beam that lifts bags weighing up to 

1450 kg (3200 lb) into place atop a carbon 

steel frame about 6m (20 ft) tall. 

Mexican processor Oplex reaped the rewards of automated 

PVC mixing. 

PVC flows from the bag through a 

telescoping tube that attaches to the bag 

spout with a clamp ring for a dust-tight 

connection. The tube pneumatically raises 

and lowers, applying continuous 

downward tension to elongate the bag 

and keep the spout taut, which prevents 

the spout from bulging outward (creating 

dead pockets) or falling inward (creating 

flow restrictions), for complete evacuation. 

An operator can close partially full 

bulk bags should the need arise. 

Oplex’s operations are spread over 

several floors. A vacuum pneumatic system 

conveys PVC from bulk bags to a 

filter receiver on the plant’s third floor. 

A hopper integral to the bulk-bag discharger 

directs PVC to a drop-through 

rotary valve, which meters the material 

into one of two 3-inch- (7.6-cm) diameter 

pneumatic conveying lines transporting 

it 200 ft (60m) to the filter-receiver 

above the mixer. The bulk bag discharg- 

er is equipped with load cells 

to allow the PLC to receive 

loss-of-weight data as material 

is conveyed from the discharger. 

This enables the PLC 

to control the feed of the 

pneumatic conveyor so that 

the required weight of PVC is 

delivered to the filter receiver, 

then dropped through a 

chute to the mixer. The two 

separate pneumatic conveying 

lines prevent cross-contamination 

when running different 

products. 

On the second floor, Flexicon 

installed a bag dump 

station with dust collector for 

loading CaCO 3. Material 

from the dump station is 

transported to a small weigh 

hopper on the third floor by 

Flexicon's Bev-Con flexible 

screw conveyor. From the 

hopper, the weighed batch 

passes through a slide-gate 

valve to the mixer. 

The accuracy of the automated 

system’s loading, 

weighing, and mixing operations has 

improved overall product quality and 

repeatability, Barra says. Moreover, using 

bulk bags has reduced the amount of 

floorspace needed for materials storage. 

From the third floor, the PVC and 

CaCO 3 are gravity-fed from the filter 

receiver and the weigh hopper, respectively, 

to the mixer on the main floor, 

where the liquids are added. After the 

batch is processed, it is metered into two 

compounding machines, which feed 

two, two-roll mills for aeration, and 

then into the calender sheet lines. 

To account for the thin air found at 

Mexico City’s high altitude, 2240m 

(7349 ft) above sea level, Flexicon 

adjusted the pneumatic conveying system 

and ensured the cooling fans for the 

motors generated enough air flow to be 

effective. Flexicon Corp., Bethlehem, 

PA, U.S.A.; +1 610-814-2400; 

www.flexicon.com 


INJECTION MOLDING 

Small system charges 

inmold labels 

This compact charging system weighs 

just over 2 lb but can deliver 20,000-volt 

output at 1.5 mA charging current. The 

charging bars measure 1.5 by 0.75 inches 

and come in various lengths starting at 

3 inches. This compact charging system 

provides consistent pinning power 

regardless of changes in ambient conditions 

or variations in label properties, 

and is small enough to mount directly on 

a robot arm. MKS Ion Industrial, Windsor 

Locks, CT, U.S.A.; +1 888-310- 

3334; www.mksinst.com/ion-industrial 

EXTRUSION 

Special die promotes 

high-quality multilayer 

pipes 

A side-fed die that processes melt at 

low-mass flow rates ensures accurate 

wall thickness distribution of multilayer 

pipes. Using CFD (computational fluid 

dynamics)-based flow simulation, this 

processing equipment producer has 

designed a die that allows, by non-centrical 

melt injection, an optimal melt 

distribution into a circular ring geometry 

for fast residence time of sensitive 

materials that could, in other lines, 

degrade due to thermal and mechanical 

stress. The unit’s twin center sleeves, 

preceded by a coat-hanger manifold, 

ensure symmetrical distribution of pressure 

within the die. The equipment 

maker says this causes the major 

mechanical forces that are generated to 

cancel each other out and automatically 

Twin center sleeves with breaker plate on pipe 

die help produce good thermal homogeneity. 

modplas.com 

centers the mandrel. Each pipe layer is 

thermally isolated from the other. To 

further optimize melt homogeneity, the 

side-fed distributor is followed by a 

breaker plate that, together with the 

twin center sleeve, is said to yield highmass 

flow rates with low shear stress. 

Battenfeld Extrusiontechnik GmbH, 

Bad Oeynhausen, Germany; +49 5731 

2420; www.bex.battenfeld.com 

Spa cladding in 

wood-look provides 

no-work alternative 

Processor CPI Plastics Group (Mississauga, 

ON, Canada) has expanded its 

thermoplastic composite Eon-brand 

wood-replacement decking and fencing 

with wood lookalike hot-tub cladding. 

The cladding material is water-, UVlight, 

and chemical resistant. To meet 

demand for these products, the 

processor has added 90-mm-diameter 

extruders from this processing equipment 

maker. The extruded cladding 

resists cracking, insects, warping, and 

will not splinter. Davis-Standard, Pawcatuck, 

CT, U.S.A.; +1 860-599-1010; 

www.davis-standard.com 

TOOLING 

Customizable collapsible 

cores 

A range of collapsible cores has been 

extended into a fully customizable product 

with sizes from 12-200 mm available 

with different stroke-dependent 

lengths. The Z3600 cores are sized to 

the application, making multicavity 

applications more competitively priced, 

according to the manufacturer. The supplier 

can consult with interested companies 

to tailor the core and the mold 

using initial data points, including number 

of cores; type, designation, and 

shrinkage of the plastic being processed; 

and component design and proposed 

mold concept. From this, 3D models 

can be submitted for approval, speeding 

delivery. The fully hardened core and 

segments can also have surface coatings 

in the prism guide and contour areas. 

Technology & Innovation 

Central core cooling in Hasco’s extended 

line of collapsible cores allows for shorter 

cycle times. 

The core can demold approximately 

12% of the article’s interior diameter 

radially, allowing segments to collapse 

parallel to the axis over the entire length 

and allow circumferential undercuts of 

90° to the demolding direction without 

any draft. The company reports shorter 

cycle times due to the design, which features 

central core cooling, with melt 

flow, gating, and multimaterial parts 

also augmented. Hasco America, 

Arden, NC, U.S.A.; +1 828-650- 2600; 

www.hasco.com 

Mold-filling optimization 

software updated 

A new iteration of mold-filling optimization 

software uses a “5-Step 

Process” to identify the root cause of 

filling variations. Seeking mold imbalances, 

Version 2.0 now has enhanced 

graphics for the user interface; layout 

selections for two-, four-, 32-, and 64cavity 

molds; an “averager” feature to 

save individual cavity data; and a print 

notes option. In addition, 2.0 has an 

integrated search function for the filestorage 

area and a machine number 

field for mold-sampling history. 

The software is available for purchase 

on a single license for one installation or a 

site license with unlimited installations per 

customer location. Companies can also 

test out the product with a 30-day free-trial 

version, which can be requested through 

the company’s website. Beaumont Technologies 

Inc., Erie, PA, U.S.A.; +1 814- 





New range of date inserts 

available 

The ‘Economy’ series of date inserts are 

interchangeable with other manufacturers’ 

inserts in the market. These date 

inserts are front-removable, allowing 

for easy changes from the parting line. 

“E” series date inserts are made from 

420 Stainless steel to withstand temperatures 

up to 300°F. Sizes range from 4- 

20 mm, in a variety of configurations. 

DMS, Windsor, ON; +1 800-265-4885; 

www.dmscomponents.com 

MOTORS/DRIVES 

Size does matter with 

these compact units 

The expanded ACS800-U4 drive modules’ 

line allows OEMs to buy exactly 

the parts they need to build motor-control 

units. The drive module line has 

been expanded to include R2–R6 frame 

sizes that include a range of 1-200 

horsepower (hp). The R7 and R8 frames 

sizes, already on the market, expand the 

total module range to 600 hp. This producer 

says the R6 drive has the smallest 

footprint of any 200-hp drive on the 

market. ABB, New Berlin, WI, U.S.A.; 

+1 262-785-3590; www.abb.us/drives 

AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT 

Easy-to-use controls 

make operator’s life 

more enjoyable 

An integrated suite of controls, completely 

Ethernet-based, offers plastics 

processors a high level of management 

capabilities in raw materials handling 

and processing. Part of the CONTROLnet 

family, METROnet is a tool for 

complex plant conveying systems. It 

supports an unlimited number of material 

loaders with one or two inlets. It 

handles integration of proportioning 

valves and suction boxes with line purging 

as well as dry air conveying. It 

supervises and controls silos and material 

storage bins and handles standby 

blowers with fully automatic switchover 

valves. The modular design allows 

expansion of an installation in any 

direction. Motan GmbH, Isny, Germany. 

+49 7562 760; www.motan.de 

Energy-saving drying 

process keeps money in 

processors’ pockets 

ÖKO-machine dry-air dryer controls prevent 

energy over-use. 

The patented ÖKO-machine control for 

the CKT and EKO dry-air dryers 

ensures no over-drying or thermal 

degradation of sensitive polymers such 

as nylon, polycarbonate, liquid crystal 

polymer, or acetal in reserve containers, 

says this manufacturer. If little or no 

material is removed from a reserve container 

because there is currently a 

reduced need, there is often a risk of 

material damage occurring due to continuous 

hot air. The ÖKO-machine control, 

so says the maker, ensures that this 

does not occur. When a certain temperature 

is reached in the top of the reserve 

container, the incoming and exhaust air 

are automatically locked and the corresponding 

heaters are switched off. The 

entire container goes into idle. The 

machine only begins to operate again if 

the material is removed or the holding 

time is too long. Processors are supposed 

to save up to 40% in energy costs 

with this system. They are also able to 

access pre-dried material at any time. 

Koch Technik, Ispringen/Pforzheim, 

Germany. +49 7231 800940; 

www.koch-technik.de 

Right temperature control 

helps improve processing 

The HB-Therm HB250F3 oil temperature 

control unit offers heating capacity 

of either 8 kW or 16 kW and a pump 

capacity ranging from 30-60 L/min. 

Despite this performance capacity, the 

unit’s dimensions have been kept as compact 

as possible, measuring 850 by 300 

by 860 mm. Cooling capacity is 30-60 

kW at 120ºK and the filling volume and 

expansion volume are both 5L. One feature 

included on this unit is fully automatic 

monitoring of ruptured hoses and 

leakages. It is equipped as standard with 

a closed heat-transfer circuit that carries 

the oil heat transfer medium through it 

and molds without coming into contact 

with oxygen. This ensures clean, rust-free 

temperature cooling channels and longer 

service life of the heat transfer medium. 

Grossenbacher Apparatebau AG, St. 

Gallen, Switzerland; +41 71 2436530; 

www.hb-therm.com 

HB-Therm HB250F3 closed circuit oil 

temperature control helps avoid sludge 

formation. 

Blending, feeding unit 

promises top benefits 

The Colormax Multi Weight gravimetric 

blender offers processors high-accuracy 

blending and synchronized screw- 


less feeding for up to four different materials 

using this manufacturer’s Colormax 

Posimax feeder. These are designed with 

vertical rotating discs that create a product 

lock-up zone, conveying material 

from the storage hopper to discharge 

outlet. Synchronized feeding of all components 

ensures a constant blend is 

achieved, avoiding layering and the need 

for additional mixing devices. The Multi 

Weight blender is designed with noiseresistant 

digital weighing and has a Perspex 

hopper, allowing visual flow inspection. 

The control system incorporates 

some standard control routines including 

calibration, starting an empty blender, 

and emptying a unit for a production 

change. The controller runs the loss-inweight 

feeders and sequences up to four 

vacuum loaders and a vacuum pump. K- 

Tron Process Group, Pitman, NJ, U.S.A.; 

+1 856-589-0500; www.ktron.com 

modplas.com 

Chillers’ range expanded 

to keep processing cool 

Adding to its existing family, this equipment 

producer’s Neslab ThermoFlex recirculating 

chiller models 900 and 1400 

now deliver 900W and 1400W respectively 

of continuous cooling capacity. The 

company says efficiencies provide up to 

20% more cooling capacity than units of 

similar size and power from competitors. 

These units can maintain temperatures 

from 5-40°C. While many chillers have to 

be taken off-line for up to an hour during 

scheduled maintenance, the manufacturer 

says air and fluid filters on these units can 

be changed during operation, therefore 

eliminating downtime. These chillers feature 

pumping capacities to 4.1 gpm and 

adjustable pressures range to 100 psi 

(0.69 MPa). Thermo Fisher Scientific, 

Newington, NH, U.S.A.; +1 603-430- 


2211; www.thermo.com/tc [continued on p. 64] 

YOU ALSO GET SEA-LAND’S WINNING TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND DEPENDABLE SERVICE. 

821 Westpoint Parkway • Westlake, OH 44145 

440-871-7887 

www.sealandchem.com E-mail: sealand@sealandchem.com 


Expanded chiller range delivers 1400W of 

cooling capacity. 

With the recent market rationalization of 

chlorinated paraffin manufacturers, you may feel that 

there is a lack of competition and future supply issues. 

Let Sea-Land Chemical put that to rest. As a marketer 

of chlorinated paraffins for over 35 years we have the 

technical expertise needed to win the race. Sea-Land 

Chemical markets, INEOS Chlor CERECLORTM* chlorinated 

paraffin products, supplying both bulk and drum 

quantities. Sea-Land Chemical is a 100% employee 

owned company, and has been in business for over 

40 years. We offer what you are looking for: 

stability, reliability, and competitiveness. 

*CERECLOR TM is a trade mark, the property of INEOS Chlor Limited. 




ROBOTS/AUTOMATION 

Robot moves PET bottles 

Summer 2007 saw the introduction by 

this robotics integrator of the Robotic 

SUBTA (Stand Up Bottle Take Away) 

system, complete with three-year warranty, 

for PET blowmolded bottle handling. 

The system enables inline automated 

PET bottle handling and unloading 

for coating, leak checking, case 

packing, and bulk palletizing. 

For larger processing machines, the 

system uses Fanuc’s M-61B or M-16iB 

robot. Smaller processing cells get the 

Fanuc LR Mate 200iC robot. The 

automation system grabs and sets bottles 

upright on a conveyor. 

The system is portable and rolls 

away to allow for mold changes. The 

simple tooling provided allows for 

angled and/or tapered bottles. It also 

includes an operator pendant for recipe 

adjustments and error reporting. 

Motion Controls Robotics, Fremont, 

OH, U.S.A.; +1 419-334-5639; 

www.motioncontrolsrobotics.com 

A Rembrandt under the 

robots 

Stäubli Robots has announced the addition 

of two new painting robot models, 

the RX160EX and the RX160EXL 

CS8C EX with cCSAus approval. The 

RX 160 ELX has been CSA- and 

CE-approved; this is the current certification 

system that covers Europe and 

Stäubli has expanded its range of robots for 

painting. 

North America. The main features of the 

RX paint robots include an enclosed rigid 

structure, multiple mounting configurations, 

large working envelope, and a small 

footprint. New VALPaint software provides 

a simplified user-programming and 

application-tuning interface for painting 

parameters. The firm’s painting robot line 

now includes 10 models ranging from 

665-2010 mm reach and 2.5-34 kg payload. 

Staubli Corp., Duncan, SC, U.S.A.; 

+1 864-433-1980; www.staubli.com 

PACKAGING 

Polyolefin nets offer 

goods packaging ease 

The IRS line processes extruded netting 

from polypropylene, polyethylene, or 

ethylene-vinyl acetate as an economical 

way of packaging food and industrial 

products with a maximum capacity of 

50 kg. The netting can also be used for 

water, air, and oil filtration purposes. 

The modular system, for either stretched 

or non-stretched netting, includes an 

extruder with a 45-mm-diameter screw 

having a 28:1 L/D. The screen changer 

is manually controlled for operation 

when required and the unit includes a 

motorized, water cooling tank for netting 

quenching. This is followed by a 

mechanical beating device to dry the 

net. Tubular diameter ranges from 65- 

160 mm of stretched netting and 20-65 

mm for non-stretched material. Production 

output ranges from 40-60 kg/hr. 

Fiborsin Srl, Dairago, Italy; +39 0331 

431730; www.fiborsin.it 

TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER 

Temperature controllers 

offer customizable display 

A complete line of 1/8 DIN and 1/16 

DIN temperature controllers has been 

released, promising to pair an economical 

price with user convenience. The 

control itself features a three-color display 

with configurable, scrolling text so 

that different parameters can be pulled 

up. The TCS and TCE also feature a 

self-tuning PID algorithm, universal 

Dynisco’s economical, convenient controllers 

can store up to five recipes. 

process and TC/RTD inputs, a soft-start 

output-power limiter, four control and 

alarm outputs, load current display and 

alarm outputs, and up to three logic 

inputs. In addition, there is a ModBus 

communication option, OPC-based 

graphical configuration, and IP 65 and 

NEMA 4X front protection. Up to five 

recipes can be stored, and the units feature 

up to three analog ouputs and 

transmitter power supply. User manuals 

are available in a variety of languages. 

Dynisco, Franklin, MA, U.S.A.; 

+1 508-541-3195; www.dynisco.com 

PRINTING/DECORATING 

Unique graphics elevate 

product brand, image 

Class of Glass inmold decorating technology 

gives plastics applications the 

look of glass and the ability to incorporate 

3D or soft-touch materials with neither 

seams nor parting lines. Part of this 

manufacturer’s IMD1 inmold labeling 

solutions, this technology allows products 

and packaging to provide a highervalue 

look to improve customer appeal. 

With the company’s High Definition 

IMD (inmold decoration), processors can 

combine high-quality, four-color graphics 

with close-tolerance registration. The 

Polypropylene IMD offers scratch and 

chemical resistance with outstanding surface 

graphics for low-surface-energy 

plastics. “Designers are constantly 

looking for ways in which to dif- 


ferentiate a product among competitors’ 

and enhance the customer’s brand experience,” 

says Mike Terlizzi, senior VP of 

new product development at the company. 

Serigraph, West Bend, WI, U.S.A.; +1 

262-335-7200; www.serigraph.com 

Unit makes quick work to 

ensure print quality 

N 2 gas atmosphere curing system sends 

alarms when the oxygen level exceeds a 

user-defined limit. 

For food packaging applications, UVcurable 

inks and varnishes are increasingly 

being used, but these can result in 

unacceptably high levels of odor caused 

by incomplete crosslinking at the surface 

of the ink film in the presence of 

oxygen. Uncured monomers and photoinitiators 

can also migrate through the 

plastics material causing content contamination. 

The GEW inert gas atmosphere 

curing system helps by reducing 

the level of oxygen to improve surface 

crosslinking with a reduction of odor. In 

this sealed curing chamber device, the 

oxygen is purged by injection of nitrogen, 

introduced in a controlled manner. 

This “nitrogen knife” at the web inlet 

and via an injector at the drying zone 

stabilizes the film. An oxygen sensor 

within the chamber continuously monitors 

the oxygen level and the result is 

digitally displayed in parts per million 

(ppm). The unit’s idle roller can be 

water cooled to provide good web temperature 

control. GEW (EC) Ltd., Redhill, 

England; +44 1737 824500; 

www.gewuv.com 

modplas.com 

Thermal transfer 

overprinter boasts fast 

speeds, throughput 

The DataFlex Plus thermal transfer overprinter 

(TTO) is now capable of printing 

speeds up to 40 inches/sec (1000 mm/sec) 

and code printing in excess of 425 packages/min, 

depending on ribbon width 

and application. Throughput is also 25% 

greater than previous models. These 

improvements extend the reach in labeling 

and horizontal packaging applications 

with texts written in 19 different 

languages including Arabic, Chinese, 

Japanese, and Korean. The patented 

direct-drive, bi-directional ribbon technology 

with no wearable parts helps minimize 

downtime and increase reliability. 

Videojet Technologies Inc., Wood Dale, 

IL, U.S.A.; +1 630-860-7394; 

www.videojet.com 

Videojet DataFlexPlus TTO allows change 

between intermittent and continuous modes in 

right- or left-hand operation. 

Bottles have new look 

thanks to this silkscreen 

printer 

The Axial automatic silkscreen printing 

machine is a modular unit that can decorate 

plastic bottles and containers in a 

variety of shapes and sizes in up to six 

colors. It has a cycle speed of 70 

units/min. The electronically controlled 

movements, which are processed after 

the profile of a sample format has been 

acquired, allow continuous printing on 

even irregular-shaped objects. Main 

functions are operated by servomotors. 

The Axial is computer-controlled. The 

drive unit consists of a self-braking 

motor located on the primary unit and 

other electric drives with either brushless 

motors or stepping motors to help 

achieve synchronized movement. The 

machine consists of different units each 


housing two print groups with relevant 

curing systems. The line can be upgraded 

up to a maximum of three units, thus 

making a total of six colors for objects 

having a maximum width of 120 mm 

and a height of 320 mm. OMSO North 

America Inc., Erlanger, KY, U.S.A.; 

+1 859-282-6676; www.omso.it 

WELD/BONDING 

Unit takes uncertainty out 

of production 

A new control 

module for 

continuous 

welding, cutting, 

and 

embossing of 

polymer-based 

nonwoven 

materials provides 

a wide 

variety of 

functions for 

the processor. 

The Microgap 

control 

automatically 

compensates 

for thermal 

expansions 

and maintains 

Microgap control includes 

a user-friendly, 15-inch 

(38-cm) monitor display. 

a constant gap between sonotrode and 

anvil drums. Up to now, actuators could 

only be moved individually. With the help 

of this unit, it is possible to actuate multiple 

actuators at the same time, for example 

regarding reference data or adjustment 

of force. It also allows improved error 

control. If needed, the controller can reset 

the generator. 

The CAN-bus-based hardware communicates 

four times faster to the stepper 

motors, increasing step resolution to 20 

times more than previous units. Software 

updates can be installed via USB stick. It 

also allows exporting parameter settings 

via laptop or USB stick to MS Excel. 

Herrmann Ultraschalltechnik GmbH, 

Karlsbad, Germany. +49 7248 790; 

www.hermannultraschall.com 





WELDING/BONDING 

Connecting parts is fast, 

easy with these beams 

ProWeld laser welder handles workpieces 

up to 700 by 700 mm (27.55 by 

27.55 inches). This modular laser welding 

machine is available as a standalone 

(for manual feeding from a standing or 

sitting position) or as an inline system. 

Rotary table is operationally available. 

The unit offers different process alternatives, 

laser motion systems, and laser 

power capabilities to fit individual 

assembly needs. It comes with either a 

diode laser from 30-1000W or a 

Nd:YAG laser with up to 1000W 

power. For fixing, the unit offers clamping 

devices either top-down or bottomup; 

matrix as negative form of the part; 

or sensors for part control and monitoring. 

An integrated part of the equipment 

is an online process control, WeldControl 

(closed loop) or ScanControl for 

scanner-based applications. ProLas 

GmbH, Würselen, Germany; +49 2405 

47170; www.prolas.de 

TESTING/MEASURING 

Unit leaves no marks to 

spoil surfaces 

To measure strain, the laserXtens noncontact 

extensometer provides readings 

of Young’s modulus and specimen 

strain failure using only a single device. 

A lack of specimen marking and operator 

involvement enables cost-effective, 

safe, and easy operation, says the manufacturer. 

It meets class 1 of ISO9513 

or class B2 of ASTM E83 procedures 

and is designed to test materials unsuitable 

for physical contact with the specimen 

or where the whiplash experienced 

can result in failure. It allows 

testing of complex component shapes 

that would not be possible with traditional 

contact extensometers. The 

laserXtens can measure strain with a 

gauge length as low as 1.5 mm and at 

temperatures up to 1600°C. Zwick 

GmbH, Ulm, Germany. +49 7305 

10376; www.zwick.de 

System helps weathering 

lamps keep their cool 

The CS-7 lamp cooling system, in two 

models, for Ci series weatherometers 

permits water savings. It replaces the 

double coil system used in the CS-6 

model with a more efficient heat 

exchanger that should reduce the 

amount of tap water used to cool by 

between 30-100%, depending on the 

test methods, model, and ambient conditions. 

This producer also has, in addition 

to the standard CS-7, a hybrid 

model combining air- and water cooling. 

The liquid-to-air heat exchanger is 

mounted onboard the instrument and 

the operator can control temperature 

setpoints to regulate the maximum 

amount of heat that is exhausted into 

the lab. Atlas Material Testing Technology 

LLC, Chicago, IL, U.S.A.; +1 773- 

327-4520; www.atlas-mts.com 

SECONDARY FINISHING 

Safety extension for 

parts’ machining 

GlideStop ChopStix enables safe and 

accurate machining of smaller parts. 

This new product is an accessory to the 

GlideStop stop system offered by this 

manufacturer. The ChopStix stop extension 

can be added without the need for 

tools to both new and existing 

GlideStop systems, temporarily or permanently. 

Key to the design of the 

ChopStix stop extension is a patentpending 

holding arm that requires the 

Don’t let the wood fool you; it’ll help with machining of 

plastic parts, too. 

placement of the operator’s hand, safely 

distanced from the path of the blade or cutter, 

during the machining operation. Constructed 

of plastic components, should the 

contact extension or holding arm make 

accidental contact with the blade or cutter, 

no tooling damage will occur. To better 

hold workpieces of varying length, the 

holding arm has an adjustable range. 

J.A. Dawley Mfg. Co., Waterloo, 

NY, U.S.A.; +1 315-568-2239; 

www.jadawley.com 

Takes good care of your 

processed parts 

The Super Air Knife can clean, dry, or cool 

parts, webs, and conveyors. 

The new 48-inch ‘Super Air Knife’ offers 

an efficient way to clean, dry, or cool parts, 

webs, and conveyors. Its noise level of 69 

dBA is 11 times quieter than ordinary 

blowoffs, according to the manufacturer. 

This air knife directs compressed airflow to 

a precise, slotted orifice, creating a uniform 

sheet of air across the entire length 

that immediately pulls in surrounding 

room air. Air amplification 

ratios (entrained air to compressed 

air) of 40:1 are produced. The air 

savings are 63% when compared to 

typical blowoffs. 

Compressed air inlets are provided 

on each end and the bottom 

of these for easy mounting. 

Multiple units can be mounted 

end to end without dead spots. 

Prices start at $710. Exair Corp., 

Cincinnati, OH, U.S.A.; +1 800- 

903-9247; www.exair.com 


PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE 

Onsite screw and barrel 

inspection offered 

This manufacturer and re-manufacturer 

of screws, barrels, valves, and components 

now offers a progressive onsite 

screw and barrel inspection service. This 

makes a detailed inspection of a cus- 

General Plastex now offers processors 

onsite screw and barrel inspections. 

modplas.com 

tomer’s processing equipment to help 

determine the cause of poor part quality 

or reduced output. By coming to the customer’s 

facility, downtime can be saved. 

This program also allows for bore gauging 

of barrels right on the premises. 

General Plastex, Barberton, OH, 

U.S.A.; +1 800-777-4719; 

www.generalplastex.com 

SUPPLIES 

Water-based, 

biodegradable rust 

remover introduced 

Amazing One has made available its new 

Rust Clean, a water-based and biodegradable 

rust remover that the company says is 

an environmentally friendly alternative for 

cleaning rust from molds and dies. 

“Rust Clean contains no acids, solvents, 

or other harmful chemicals. It is 

WWW.BUSSCORP.COM 

New BUSS Kneader MX revolutionizes 

cable compound processing 

The new BUSS MX Kneader family to be presented at the 

K2007 sets new benchmarks in the economical processing of 

temperature and shear sensitive plastics such as high grade 

cable compounds and speciality masterbatches. 

Hall 16, Stand A59 


Visit us: 

october 24–31, 2007 

hall 11, stand E41 

From the leading 

manufacturer 

tailored to your 

needs 

Bernex Bimetall AG 

Industriestrasse 211 

CH-4600 Olten 

Switzerland 

www.bernexgroup.com 


non-toxic, non-flammable, and non-corrosive. 

Because of this, Rust Clean is ideal 

for removing rust from industrial and 

injection molding dies, which tend to suffer 

from humidity in the production 

process and during storage,” says Paul 

Lalewicz, President of Amazing One. 

According to the company, Rust Clean 

uses a synthetic molecule that is “trained” 

to be attracted only to iron oxide (rust), 

which it removes and holds in a solution. 

“Even rust that has been accumulated in 

small orifices can be easily removed. The 

surface of the die remains intact since no 

harmful abrasives are needed, and the 

solution contains no acids which can etch 

and eat away the surface of the die,” 

Lalewicz explains. 

Rust Clean is currently sold in liquid 

form in a variety of sizes. Amazing One, 

Howell, MI, U.S.A.; +1 517-546-2022; 

www.rustclean.com 

Solutions 

for your success 

Screws 

Barrels 

Plastification units 



Back to the future 

Injection molding 

Evos: the next step in evolution 

at Netstal 

A new breed of hybrid electric/hydraulic 

machine: That’s the description offered 

by leadership at the Swiss injection molding 

machine maker for its Evos range of 

machines, to debut at the K. At the show 

Netstal will show two units of its new 

Evos range with clamping forces of 3500 

and 5000 kN. 

Evos presses are billed as universally 

applicable machines featuring servo-electric 

screw drives. According to Netstal, 

processors will profit from substantial 

time and energy savings resulting from 

the electrically driven screw. All axes of 

the machine are individually and digitally 

closed loop controlled, including secondary 

movements such as nozzle contact 

pressing. This individual control 

improves process control and reproducibility. 

Water and hydraulic oil feeds 

are integrated to free more space for larger 

molds and automation, and also can 

be individually configured. 

The 350-tonne press will run a 4+4cavity 

mold made by France’s Plastisud, 

with inmold labelling of 500g (volume) 

K 2007 Preview 

Three tumultuous years have passed since K 2004. The themes 

are familiar: worldwide competition, rising resin prices, added 

value, industry consolidation, and offshoring, to name just a few. 

At K, though, the focus is squarely on the future. And as you might 

have guessed, the future is now. MPW’s second K Preview will 

help you map your must-see stands; once you’re at the fairgrounds, 

MPW’s K Show Daily will keep you up to date. 

Stop by and say hello in Düsseldorf. 

With its Evos machines, Netstal has a new entry 

in the high-speed processing stakes. 

containers at cycles shy of 5 seconds. 

Trexel’s MuCell gas injection process is 

also used on these parts to enhance 

weight savings. 

The 500-tonne Evos at the K will 

mold spouts (the threaded part of a closure) 

on a 144-cavity mold from French 

moldmaker Curtil at a rate of more than 

138,000 spouts/hr, for cycle times of 

3.75 seconds. Netstal, Stand 15D24 


Application highlights include 

a 3K LED light strip 

One of the processing highlights at the 

Arburg stand will be the molding of threecomponent 

LED light strips on an Allrounder 

press. The process is possible 

through the use of a conductive plastic 

and the encapsulation of a highly sensitive 

LED component. This application is a 

joint project between Arburg, automation 

specialist Oechsler, and other partners. 

Application technology figures again 

on an Arburg press, this one at the University 

of Erlangen-Nürnberg stand 

(12B49), where molding of a self-lubricating, 

two-component gear wheel will 

be performed. 

An Allrounder 920 S with a vertical 

Multilift V A robot will also be present at 

Arburg’s stand, molding, then assembling, 

folding, and stacking a five-component, 

folding crate. 

Another production cell for coil shells 

on an Allrounder 370 A will run completed 

parts past a camera for visual 

monitoring and then set them down, separated 

by cavity, via a tubular system. 

Arburg, Stand 13A13 

Golden Edition enjoys extended run 

When a theater has a hit movie, it keeps 

running it as long as it can fill the seats. 

When a machine manufacturer develops 

a hit, you can expect a similar extended 

run. So it is with the Golden Edition 

introduced by Arburg during its golden 

(50th) anniversary year. 

The success of the machine has made 

it a staple for the firm, and during the K 

an Allrounder 720 S Golden Edition, 

producing a dual-hinge inhaler cap on a 

32-cavity mold, will be presented. 

Arburg, Stand 13A13 

Complex cell molds 

toilet seat hinges 

One of the highlights of the last K show 

in 2004 was a Ferromatik Milacron K- 

Tec 250 two-component press with two 

spinning cube molds (from Foboha; 

Haslach, Germany). The cubes formed, 

inmold labeled, and assembled two-component 

lids for chewing tobacco containers. 

The second injection unit of the press 

was placed at a 45º angle on top of the 

modplas.com 

moving platen and moved with the platen 

(without actually resting on it). 

For K 2007, Milacron again has 

teamed with Foboha, and will run a K- 

Tec 450 ETW (450-tonne clamp force) 

with a 6+6+6+6 cube stack-turning mold 

processing, of all things, hinges for toilet 

seats. The mold weighs about 12 tons 

(almost 11,000 kg). Typically toilet seats 

and their lids are connected via metal 

hinges, but this production cell—from 

Bemis, one of the world’s largest manufacturers 

of toilet seats—replaces metal 

hinges with two-material versions (a stiff 

grade of PP and a flexible thermoplastic 

elastomer); according to Bemis, the 

process replaces eight individual parts 

with just one. Ferromatik Milacron, 

Stand 15B05 

Maxima maxes out for large parts, 

thin-walled ones 

A Maxima 650 topline P with 650-tonne 

clamp force will mold returnable crates 

for beverage bottles; the crates weigh 1.6 

kg. The cell is designed to show the versatility 

of the Maxima machine range, 

which extends from 200-3000 tonnes. 

The one at the K has a 6610 injection unit 

with 110-mm diameter screw. Clamp 

force of these is applied centrally, directly 

on the moving platen via a short stroke 

cylinder. Focusing the clamp force helps 

reduce mold deflection, says Ferromatik, 

improving part quality and mold life. The 

topline package includes accumulatordriven 

hydraulics to speed even large 

molds at up to 1-m/sec; a baseline package, 

with regulated pump drive, is available 

for less demanding applications. Ferromatik 

Milacron, Stand 15B05 

Lucky seven at Demag: 

seven presses 

This injection molding machine manufacturer 

will focus its K Show presentation, 

with seven molding cells, on compact 

solutions for major industries. 

Among the highlights is the modular Systec 

machine line, now with five new 

options added. Other innovations are an 

optimized clamping unit and new, 

reduced dry-cycling times of the El-Exis S 

fast-cycling range. A third innovation is 

its upgraded all-electric IntElect with two 

further sizes added. 

On stand at Demag is a Systec 

350/720-1450 (3500 kN clamping force, 

720-mm tiebar distance, size 1450 injection 

unit) molding interior trim, with 

inmold decoration, for a VW Passat. 

Also to be seen running is an IntElect 

210/580-1000 (2100 kN clamping force, 

580-mm tiebar distance, size 1000 injection 

unit) processing syringe pistons in a 

48-cavity mold with a sub-12-sec cycle 

time. The production cell has a compact 

design, achieved by widening the protective 

enclosure of the machine and integrating 

a six-axes industrial robot from 

MAI GmbH. The robot is side-hung on 

the machine from an extra beam secured 

to the stationary platen. The molded 

parts are discharged into a bagging system, 

with the bagging system equipped 

with a label printer marking a bar code 

on the packaging. 

Two of the El-Exis S range, with electrical 

drives for plasticizing and mold 

movement and a hydraulic injection unit, 

will be in operation. An El-Exis S 

550/1020-3600 will mold lids in a 24cavity 

stack mold from StackTeck at sub- 

5-sec cycles, with lids free dropped onto 

an inclined conveyor. The second 

machine, an El-Exis S Multi 300/720- 

840h, will process two-component polyethylene 

oil bottle closures with tamperevident 

seals, on a 16+16-cavity cube 

mold from Austria’s KTW. Cycle times 

will be under 8-sec. The closures are 

assembled in-mold. Demag Plastics 

Group, Stand 15C05 

Small machines offer big potential 

Seven molding machines from Boy will be 

running at its stand to highlight the array 

of potential applications. Debuting on all 

of these is a new control with a 15-inch, 

full-touch display. All operations and settings 

are carried out via the touchscreen 

surface. Boy says more information on the 

controls will be available soon. 

Regarding the presses, Boy makes 

them to 100 tonnes clamp force. Some of 

the show highlights: A Boy 55 VV vertical 

press will demonstrate automatic 

overmolding of insert parts, with the 

automation system installed on the 

machine frame to save space (space need- 


ed only approx. 3.3m 3). A Boy 12 A running 

a two-cavity mold will process 

POM gear wheels weighing just 0.001g. 

The machine is the only one that comes 

standard with a 12-mm plasticizing unit. 

A Boy 35 M will process silicone on a 

six-cavity tool. Saving material by reducing 

waste to nearly zero is the reason to 

see the Boy 90 A, fitted with a 24-cavity 

mold and processing 30% glass-fiberreinforced 

polyamide cable binders. The 

24-cavity mold was designed in cooperation 

with Hasco and features an 18-fold 

hot runner control that is subdivided into 

a 12-drop nozzle system with a 2-drop 

cold runner manifold. Nothing remains 

but twelve small residual sprues. 

Visitors to Boy at other trade shows 

may recognize it, but still worth a look is 

a processing cell for a set of four Allen 

wrenches. An automatic conveying 

device, installed below the cantilevered 

clamping unit, allows the wrenches to 

A Boy 90 A will mold thin-walled cable binders 

with a 24-cavity hot runner mold. 

free drop into moveable storage containers 

largely situated below the cantilevered 

clamping unit. As soon as a 

container is filled, the machine control 

will release a signal for it to be shifted 

aside, and an empty container will be 

placed below the discharge chute. Five 

CO-EXTRUSION LINES 

FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CLEAR SHEET 

AND FOIL OF HIGH OPTICAL QUALITY 

IN PC, PMMA, PETG. 

COULD YOU THINK 

OF WORKING WITH 

MORE QUALITY 

AND PRODUCTIVITY? 

This is a market we know well. In the early Seventies, 

we supplied installations for optical quality PMMA, 

PC and PETG. Design and manufacturing of the complete 

line has always been made inside our company, 

and this has enabled us to develop and innovate 

even the smallest details, also in specific markets 

such as LCD sheet and optical foil. 

This is the reason why we can offer you total reliability. 

Choose know-how. 

Synonymous with quality of investment. 


other Boy machines 

will run at partner 

stands, including a 

Boy 90 A at hot runner 

manufacturer 

Incoe (Stand 1B9). 

This will be a magnet 

for the hunter/gather - 

er crowd, as it molds 

Frisbees. Dr. Boy 

GmbH & Co. KG, 

Stand 13A 43 

Beaumont brings novelties to Europe 

The K will be the first chance for European 

processors to see the firm’s Melt- 

Flipper and MAX (multi-axis) technologies, 

along with a preview of its upcoming 

inmold adjustable rheological control 

systems (iMarc). BTI claims global leadership 

in melt-management technology 

for injection molding, with more than 

370 customers. 

The dies designed by Omipa guarantee a 

perfect and optimised flow distribution across 

the die width. The absence of choke bar and 

the minimum adjustment requirements are the 

result of our experience and exclusive design 

technologies. Possibility of coextrusion for UV 

protection and other specific applications. 

 



MeltFlipper and MAX provide injection 

molders the ability to balance mold 

filling and alter filling patterns within 

specific cavities to eliminate waste and 

part quality issues, even within a single 

cavity mold. They have also solved other 

common molding issues such as core- 

modplas.com 

O 

mipa produces 

complete coextrusion lines 

for the production of high optical 

quality sheet and foil in PMMA, PC, 

PETG and PET 

in width up to 3 metres and 

thickness from 0.2 to 30 mm. 

BTI will introduce its iMarc 

systems to the European market. 

deflection, warp, weak 

weld-lines, color uniformity 

and cosmetic problems. 

The iMarc systems are 

based on MeltFlipper and 

MAX technologies, but add 

the ability to dynamically 

adjust the melt flow from 

the parting line of the tool, 

without the need to change 

gate locations, part geometry, 

or process conditions, 

nor to remove the mold 

from the press. Beaumont Technologies 

Inc., Stand 13B59-8 

New partnership in focus 

A new business relationship can be discovered 

at the stand of Windsor (Hanau, 

Germany), which is now a sales partner 

 

for The Japan Steel Works Ltd. (JSW; 

Tokyo). Windsor will sell and service 

that manufacturer’s electric injection 

molding machines in Germany and Eastern 

Europe. The machines range in size 

from 350-25,000 kN of clamp force. 

Windsor offers spare parts and service 

for injection molding machinery, and 

also makes and markets systems for 

multi-component molding and gas injection 

technique. JSW and Windsor will 

share a stand. Windsor Technologie, 

Stand 7aD32 

European welcome 

for new Fanuc presses 

Fanuc will, for the first time at a European 

trade show, exhibit its new B series’ 

machines decked out with new options 

and in new sizes. The B series is now 

available in seven models (15B, 30B, 

50B, 100B, 150B, 250B and 300B), with 

the 15B and 30B, both new this summer, 

We provide a wide range of calenders in different configurations, 

with 3 or 4 rolls and fixed or variable inclination. Their robust 

construction, combined with constructive concept of the roll, otorisation 

and ST no-play gear-boxes, results in extreme accuracy and 

high optical quality. All the line downstream equipment has been 

studied with the same philosophy, to guarantee total quality. 

STAND 

17 A 42 

Via Maddalena, 7 - 21040 Morazzone (VA) - ITALY - www.omipa.it 

Tel. +39 0332 461400 - Fax +39 0332 873026 - omipa@omipa.it 


The incessant development of the mechanical 

design of our machines, added to a customised 

software for fully automated line supervision, 

can guarantee a high automation level, 

combined with extreme simplicity of use. 

The entire line management is concentrated in 

a single work station, for a better overall control 

of production and consequent higher profitability 

of the line. 


at the show molding LCP connectors and 

an LCP circuit board, respectively. 

First introduced in June 2007, the 

new 15-tonne S-2000i will mold LCP 

connectors at a cycle time of 1.68 seconds. 

A second exhibit will be the S- 

2000i 30B, also first introduced in June 

2007, as part of a production cell making 

a computer circuit board connector in 

LCP in a four-cavity mold. 

The firm also will show its more 

established machines processing a bevy 

of different applications. On stand is a 

Roboshot S-2000i 50B molding a polycarbonate 

semiconductor relay housing 

in PC. A model 100B will mold thin wall 

business card holders in transparent PS, 

with a Fanuc M-710i C robot used for 

removal, assembly and placement of the 

parts on a conveyor belt. Production of 

fine structured fittings in PP with individual 

part weight of 0.167g is performed 

on a model 150B machine in a 

CYTEC Polymer Additives 

Fanuc has expanded its B series. Shown here, 

the new S-2000i. 

For the Life of Your Products 

What sets us apart? 

Focused approach to individual needs 

Specific products for precise applications that 

simplify dosing and maximize results 

50+ years of experience 

Global technical support 

Come see for yourself. 

Visit us at K-2007 – Hall 6/C28. 

96-cavity mold within a cycle time of 7.5 

seconds. The largest Roboshot, the 300B 

(300 tonnes clamping force), is part of a 

work cell with an M6iB robot, molding 

ABS trays (300 L x 200 W x 15 H). 

Fanuc, Stand 16A21 

Cytec’s CYASORB ® and CYASORB THT ® UV stabilizers 

and CYANOX ® antioxidants are designed to help 

plastics perform better and last longer. 

We offer a range of technically superior products that 

 

 

molded parts. 


Micromolding of 

multicomponent parts 

There are a number of research outfits 

and universities that use the K 

show as a platform to draw commercial 

interest, and financing, and 

the Leipzig Kunststoff-Zentrum 

(Plastics Center) is among them. At 

the Fakuma trade show last year, 

the Center made public its work 

with rubber molding machine manufacturer 

Desma on formicaPLAST 

micro-injection molding machines, 

thermoplastics presses developed by the 

Center for manufacture and marketing 

by Desma. According to Leipzig officials, 

these machines can process standard 

plastic granules as well as metal powders, 

ceramic, silicone and all engineering 

thermoplastics. 

At the K, the Center will show a new 

development for these machines, able to 

mold two-component microparts. The 

Cytec Industries Inc. l Phone: +1-973-357-3100 

Email: custinfo@cytec.com l www.cytec.com 

CLICK MPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com See us at K 2007, Hall 06 Stand C28 


● High uptime, throughput 

and raw material effi ciency 

● Fast product changes 

● Easy operation and low 

maintenance 

● Reduced manpower and 

energy consumption 

● Excellent fi lm quality 

group 

Brückner at 

k 2007 

Düsseldorf | 24 – 31 Oct. 

Booth 3 C 73 

High Quality Film Production: 

Effi ciency, Productivity, Flexibility 


www.brueckner.com 

tem for electrical and electronic applications 

on smaller molding machines, and 

also can see examples of long glass fiber 

products molded from Ticona’s Celstran 

long-fiber reinforced thermoplastics with 

Trexel’s new LGF screw design. There 

will be many more parts and applications 

shown, and the MuCell process will be 

running on molding machinery at the 

stands of Netstal, Engel and Chen 

Hsong. Trexel, Stand 13C22 

Big machine handles 

multicomponent molding 

Injection molding machine manufacturer 

Billion will be running a H780-6860 

600-tonne press from its GM machine 

range, using a mold from housewares 

OEM Thumbs-Up to form two-component, 

35-L storage box at a cycle time of 

about 20 seconds. Portuguese moldmaker 

Geco manufactured the tool, and Dow 

supplies the material for the circa 900g 

parts. Sepro robotics remove the parts. 

According to Billion, this machine is 

Thumbs-up’s first of this size for twoshot 

processing at short cycle times. The 

OEM earlier this year took delivery of 

seven other machines from Billion. Billion, 

Stand 15B58 

Inmold assembly on vertical press 

With a Vertical R 75/350 Unilog B6 

(with 75 tonnes clamping force), Battenfeld 

Injection Molding Technology is 

demonstrating the versatility of its rotary 

table machines in injection molding of 


Billion will mold 2K storage boxes at 

20-second cycles on a 600-tonne machine. 

composite parts (insert molding of many 

different types of parts), combined with 

various assembly steps carried out inside 

the injection molding machine. For the 

application at the show, the pieces for a 

game (Nine Men’s Morris), the rotary 

table is laid out as a two-station round 

table. This exhibit is also an example of 

a flexible automation cell, where linear 

and industrial robots work together. An 

SER robot picks up blanked plates with 

the grid structure for the game from a 

feeding magazine, and inserts them into 

the vacant mold station. The part is then 

moved on to the second station where it 

is insert-molded with polyamide (PA) to 

form the game board. The industrial 

robot then fits the plug-in pieces onto the 

board, according to a prearranged pattern. 

Finally, it covers each pocket game 

with a lid and then deposits it on a conveyor 

that removes it from the production 

cell. 

Also at the manufacturer’s stand is a 

TM 210/1350 Unilog B6 (with 210 

tonnes clamping force), equipped with a 

newly designed dynamic toggle clamping 

system, molding 2.2g PE closures in a 48cavity 

mold at 5-second cycles, with 

parts freedropping. The new generation 

of TM machines demonstrated for the 

first time at the K comes with a completely 

redesigned clamping side: free 

standing tie bars, a moving platen with 

modplas.com

- RCS Paris B 337 934 483 - Crédit photos : Christian Guyot - 78422 

 

 

 

 

Barrier, transparency, 

easy opening, design: 

the functional polymers 

of Arkema offer you 

innnovating solutions for 

packages increasingly 

more powerful. 

For further information, please contact us: 

Tel.: +33 1 49 00 71 24 

Email: info.resins@arkema.com 

 

 

 

66C57 


The Vertical R 75 Unilog B6 (with 75 tonnes 

clamping force) from Battenfeld: a versatile 

rotary table machine with a vertical clamping 

unit for insert molding of a variety of parts, 

with additional facilities for inmold assembly. 

precise linear guides for accurate parallel 

opening and closing strokes even with 

heavy molds attached, a five-point toggle 

system whose dynamic movements have 

been further optimized, and more. The 

fixed platen of this hydraulic toggle 

machine series can now be combined 

with the range of injection units available 

for the HM series. Battenfeld Injection 

Molding, Stand 16D22 

Battenfeld offers new spin 

on electric machine 

Battenfeld Injection Molding presented 

its first electric machine at K 1992. For 

this year’s show, the manufacturer 

intends to display an EM 110/300 Unilog 

B6 (110 tonnes’ clamping force) molding 

liquid silicone rubber baby bottle nipples 

in a six-cavity mold within a cycle time 

of 25 sec. This all-electric, completely 

servo-driven machine series has what the 

firm calls “a particularly sensitive tool 

locking device on the clamping side”. 

Thanks to the efficiency of the new 

servomotors and energy recovery during 

the deceleration phase, the already modest 

energy, energy consumption is 

extremely low. 

Battenfeld offers its EM electric 

machine range sized 30 to 180 tonnes. 

Battenfeld Injection Molding, Stand 

16D22 

Micromolding mastered 

A Microsystem 50 press with 

5 tonnes’ clamping force will 

mold acetal plugs weighing 

about 16 mg in a two-cavity 

mold within a cycle time of 5 

sec. These plugs are fitted with 

two guide pins. These pins, 

with a length of 5 mm and 0.6 

mm in diameter, are fed in 

unsorted, picked up individually 

by a Scara robot and then 

deposited at a transfer station. 

Here, a linear robot specially 

designed for this cell picks up 

four pins for each cycle and places them 

into the mold (two into each cavity). 

A camera system integrated in the production 

cell takes complete care of monitoring 

and locating the metal pins loosely 

fed in as well as monitoring their positioning 

in the mold and visual inspection of the 

finished parts. The shot weight per micro 

plug is no more than 16 mg. The mold 

comes from Microsystems UK Ltd, a tooling 

partner of Battenfeld specializing in the 

construction of molds for micro-precision 

parts. The production cell presented at the 

K operates with a newly redesigned drive 

for the injection unit, which is said to have 

a positive effect on filling of a mold’s cavities 

and thus improving reproducibility of 

the molded parts. Also, the user-friendliness 

and adjustability of this machine have 

been improved. Battenfeld Injection Molding 

Stand 16D22 

The completely servo-driven Battenfeld 

Microsystem 50 (with 50 kN clamping force) for 

microinjection molding: a redesigned drive for 

the injection unit has a positive effect on the 

reproducibility of molded microparts. 


Dolphin swims into 

commercial waters 

Engel intends to display what it terms as a 

‘near commercial’ version of its Dolphin 

unit, running a part for Johnson Controls. 

A prototype of the Dolphin was introduced 

at the firm’s open house in May 

2006. The Dolphin development initially 

is targeting molding of dashboards or 

interior trims consisting of solid structural 

parts and a soft skin. The structural part is 

molded from PBT, which is coated with 

special foamable polyester. Engel worked 

with material suppliers BASF (PBT), P- 

Group/Italy (foamable polyester) and 

Swiss moldmaker Kaufmann on the Dolphin 

technology. 

Georg Kaufmann Sr. stands with an 

automotive door panel molded using his 

firm’s molds in Engel’s Dolphin process. 

The machine used for the Dolphin 

process is a two-component Duo Combi 

M. It includes two horizontally opposed 

injection units and a double-daylight 

mold with a rotating block that carries 

the mold cores. With a 180-degree rotation 

the PP-base part is transferred into 

the overmolding station for application 

of the polyester layer. The polyester melt 

integrates nitrogen as a non-chemical 

blowing agent. The nitrogen is added in 

the plasticizing unit and homogenized by 

the screw. The nitrogen helps form a 

microcellular bubble structure resulting 

in a soft-touch skin. Firm officials said at 

a press event early this summer that they 

expect parts cost to be below that of 

those made via PVC or PU slush molding, 

but offer nearly the same design freedom. 

Those same officials say the manu- 


K CORPORATE PROFILE 

Priamus 

System 

Technologies 

3061 Nationwide Parkway 

Brunswick, OH 44212 / USA 

+1 (877) 774-2687 

www.priamus.com 

K show: Hall 10 / B04 

News at the K show 

Priamus System Technologies will introduce a 

new compact monitoring device for injection 

molding. The “Pass Controller“ which is 

extremely easy to handle shows at a glance if 

the parts are good or bad. The settings can be 

quickly done with the integrated touch 

screen display and a sophisticated color concept 

helps that the user can make the correct 

connections. A magnetic fixing allows a 

mounting of the device anywhere at the 

machine. Thus the Pass Controller guarantees 

that companies with different production 

sites can produce identically, even though the 

mold has been setup at a different place. 


ADVERTISEMENT 

Priamus cooperates 

with Gammaflux 

Priamus Fill controls, monitors and balances 

the melt flow in hotrunner molds. By integrating 

the Priamus Fill system into the Gammaflux 

TTC hotrunner control family, for the 

first time a compact system is available that 

balances viscosity variations and minimizes 

part deviations. 

modplas.com MODERN PLASTICS • OCTOBER 2007 77


facturer already is considering ways to 

integrate a Dolphin system into a dualplaten 

machine, so that a processor could 

process four materials in a single cycle. 

According to Mark Völdel, technical 

marketing manager for Ultradur materials 

at BASF, the Dolphin process is in 

tests for making the upper parts of 

instrument panels at Swedish truck manufacturer 

Scania, as the Dolphinprocessed 

parts offer a cost advantage of 

at least 20% over comparable PP parts 

coated with PUR. For now and the next 

years (not defined), the process is exclusive 

to the four firms that helped develop 

it. Engel, Stand 15C58 

Extrusion 

Cost savings help processors 

This manufacturer of extrusion equipment 

components has come out with 

a monolayer blown-film line in 

usable width up to 3.3m. The Filmstar 

can also be offered as coextrusion 

lines in narrower widths than 

many other competitors offer. Featured 

at the show will be a film 

reversing unit for reverse winding 

that can be retrofitted on existing 

winders. Manfred Burscheid, sales 

director of the producer says this 

solution is less costly than investing 

in a special winder with central drive 

and right/left rotation that can do 

the same thing. This system permits 

winding of corona treated or printed film 

with the treated side outward. It allows 

reversing the film without scratches and 

wrinkles due to effective lubricated turning 

bars and additional spreader rolls. 

Polyrema, Stand 17A21 

Glass-clear optics promised 

Roll stacks play an important role in producing 

thermoplastic sheet with high 

transparency and low haze values. Calenders 

from this exhibitor are said to 

allow good motion transmission and 

control of vibrations that can cause distortion 

and detract from processing of 

the end-product. This is achieved by mixing 

solid construction with selected 

motors and transmission, says the manu- 


facturer. The company’s own design of 

its ST gearboxes with slack take-up is 

said to eliminate any risk of shutter 

marks. Micro-adjustment of the gap 

between the rolls is automated for accuracy 

and quick reaction. Position of the 

outlet roll can be varied. The temperature 

of each roll is controlled through a 

newly conceived thermoregulation unit 

using either water or oil depending on 

the application. OMIPA, Stand 17A42 

Single source for single-screw units 

This producer of single-screw extruders 

for sheet and siding, calenders, and 

accessories, promises a number of surprises 

at its stand. Extruders and coextruders 

are all equipped with linear 

motors, said to produce low noise, 

require low maintenance, generate energy 

savings, and permit easy assembly and 

disassembly on the shopfloor. 

Siemens linear motors permit the TD extruder 

range to operate efficiently. 

The company is presenting a new, 

patent-pending screw regulation system 

that permits the operator to extrude different 

materials by using the same screw without 

an output reduction compared to universal 

screw designs. This device also permits 

modifying the flow capacity of the first 

section of the screw compared to the final 

section. This is said to prevent unmelted 

material from exiting the feed section. The 

screw can be moved inside the barrel and 

adjusted by means of gears placed on the 

same axis as the motor support. These 

gears are connected to an adjustment 

device through the center hole of the torque 

motor. Soveplast, Stand 3G54 


DESIGNS THAT PERFORM 

Optimizing performance. 

Ask us to analyze the performance of 

your current screw design. Chances 

are good that we can improve on its 

output, melt quality and/or melt 

temperature profile with one of our 

proprietary high-performance designs 

or with a screw custom-tailored to 

your materials and process. 

Injection Molding 

• Faster screw recovery 

• Lower melt temperature 

• Superior color/additive dispersion 

Extrusion, Blow Molding 

• Higher throughput 

• Lower melt temperature 

• Improved color and homogeneity 

www.xaloy.com 

Increase Output and Improve Quality 

Molders and extruders worldwide reap the benefits of the Xaloy ® screws and 

barrels in their operations. Xaloy manufactures to your requirements using a 

range of base materials, hardsurfacing alloys and full-length treatments. 

Xaloy ® invented bimetallic cylinders more than 70 years ago and continues 

to lead the way in development of improved alloys and production processes. 

Xaloy barrels meet the needs for wear and corrosion resistance for more than 

90% of all injection molding and extrusion requirements. 

Xaloy puts it all together. 

Building on our leadership in high-performance screws, barrels and other 

key components, Xaloy helps machinery OEMs and plastics processors 

reduce costs and improve productivity. 

Our worldwide presence includes sales and service offices 

located in the United States, Europe, Thailand, Japan, China 

and India and a global network of agents geographically 

positioned to serve customers throughout the world. 

every pellet knows our name 

B E R I N G E R N O R M A G F L A M E T E C H E X T E K N E W C A S T L E D Y N I S C O E X T R U S I O N 

BARRELS SHUT OFF NOZZLES HEAT TRANSFER ROLLS HIGH PERFORMANCE SCREWS MANUAL & HYDRAULIC SCREEN CHANGERS PELLETIZERS CLEANING OVENS CONTINUOUS SCREEN CHANGERS GEAR PUMPS 

EXTRUSION 

1291 19th Street Lane NW 

Hickory, NC 28601 

Tel: 828-326-9888 

Toll-free: 800-457-7550 

Fax: 828-326-8882 

INJECTION 

102 Xaloy Way 

Pulaski, VA 24301 

Tel: 540-980-7560 

Toll-free: 800-816-7711 

Fax: 540-980-5670 

EUROPE 

Xaloy Europe GmbH 

Richard-Wagner-Str. 21 

D-74172 Neckarsulm 

Germany 

Tel: +49 (0) 7132-99935-0 

Fax: +49 (0) 7132-99935-99 

ASIA 

Xaloy (Asia) Thailand, Ltd. 

700/446 Moo7 Amatanakorn Ind. Estate 

T.Don Hua Roh, A.Muang, Chonburi 

Chonburi 20000 

Tel: +66 (38) 717 084 

Fax: +66 (38) 454 377 

JAPAN 

Xaloy Japan Ltd. 

74-1 Yamashita-cho, Naka-Ku 

Yokohama, 231-0023 

Tel: +81-45-661-3508 

Fax: +81-45-661-3507 

See us at K 2007, Hall 12 Stand C34 CLICK MPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com

Operator decides 

the pellet shape he wants 

A highlight of this equipment producer is 

a compact line that can produce micropellets 

in both spherical or cylindrical 

shapes. The unconventional production 

arrangement is in operation at the stand 

twice daily. The presentation also 

Case history www.piovan.com/bpt 

Pelletized polymer spheres, cylinders, or 

droplets from the same unit are featured 

at the Rieter Automatik stand. 

includes a demonstration of the OPTOcontrol 

integrated production control 

system. With this technology, all production 

components are installed on a single, 

Piovan inside, 

functionality outside. 

BPT, manufacturer of video entry, heating control and home automation 

systems, always follows the target of integrability and synergy of operation 

of its products. Ease of use and constancy in production and functioning are 

the main features of the Piovan system. 

Hall 9 C 59 



common platform. As the melt flow 

leaves the extruder, it is directed either 

into a PRIMO strand pelletizing line 

with cooling trough and air knife or into 

a SPHERO underwater pelletizing unit. 

This includes a start-up valve, cutting 

chamber, and dryer. The melt flow is 

switched over using a pneumatic 3/2-way 

valve. Rieter Automatik, Stand 9A04 

Fast, convenient method makes 

wiring an ease 

Inline pre-wiring corrugator extruders 

are helping the building industry become 

more efficient and cost-effective. Prewired 

systems are used in the electrical 

building industry to help eliminate 

assembly and lower costs. Rather than 

inserting the electrical wires after extruding 

the corrugated pipe, this exhibitor’s 

three lines, EC32LLV, EC32SLV, and 

EC50LLV, consist of extruding the corrugated 

pipe around the electrical wires, 

thereby producing a ready-to-use product. 

The process can also be used to produce 

corrugated pipe with antenna 

cables, computer coaxial cables, or 

phone wiring. Extruder output of 

polypropylene tubing is 120-180 kg/hr. 

Production diameter is from 16-50 mm. 

The number of mold block chain pairs is 

120-180. Corelco, Stand 15A61 

Tailor-made tenter frames stretch 

polymer possibilities 

This exhibitor says demand for biaxially 

oriented polypropylene (BOPP) and oriented 

PET film to replace conventional 

packaging material and serve in technical 

applications, too, is a high-growth 

proposition. Biaxially oriented polystyrene 

BOPS is also gaining market 

share at the expense of traditional PVC 

film. This Germany-based equipment 

producer manufactures units for both 

mono and biaxial orientation of film. 





BOPP processing lines are in high demand worldwide. 

Designs are tailored to customers’ specifications. Upon request, 

turnkey lines can be offered in cooperation with other machine 

suppliers for raw material handling systems and winders. Lindauer 

Dornier, Stand 3A19 

Innovations galore promise surprises for K show visitors 

This film extrusion equipment maker has a lot of new tricks up 

its corporate sleeve to increase output for processors, improve 

film quality, and make life easier for shopfloor operators. One 

new development to be debuted is a new high-performance barrier 

screw in diameter ranges from 600-120 mm. Although 

optimized for polyolefin extrusion, it can serve other technical 

resins extruded on blown-film lines. The screw promises a 20% 

or more increase in output while reducing melt temperatures by 

as much as 20°C. The design also promises good melt homogeneity. 

Another new development is the company’s 3-layer die 

heads that were redesigned to handle higher outputs. Available 

in die diameters from 150-250 mm, 180-400 mm, and 300-650 

mm, the units include a central port for effective internal bubble 

cooling. The builder will run its own open house in Troisdorf, 

Germany, about 30 minutes from the fair grounds, parallel 

to its booth exhibition in Düsseldorf. At its headquarters it 

plans to demonstrate a new 5-layer die head in action that permits 

processors the flexibility of extruding either 3- or 5-layer 

structures with a broad processing window for polyolefin and 

barrier materials. Reifenhäuser, Stand 17A21 

Lab-sized pelletizer has many advantages 

LPU is a low-cost underwater laboratory pelletizing system with 

pellet throughput from 2-70 kg/hr. It permits production of 

micro-pellets from 0.5-2 mm as well as standard pellets up to 12 

mm in diameter. The heart of the system is the company’s SLC 

type underwater pelletizer with a self-aligning, spring-loaded cutter 

hub. The centrifugal pellet dryer and tempered water system 

incorporate features such as fast cleaning, minimization of 

required spares, simple operator controls, and low capital expen- 


diture. The unit comes 

mounted on a common 

chassis with swivel casters 

for easy movement within 

the lab or the shopfloor. 

GALA Kunststoff- und Kautschukmaschinen, Stand 9D56 

Cable compounds benefit from high-output kneader 

A new generation of MX Kneaders shown at this processing 

equipment maker’s stand features 2.5 times more throughput 

without an increase in line size. Targeted for high grade polyolefin-based 

cable compounds and specialty masterbatch production, 

the unit has a specific power consumption for compounding 

about 15% lower than competitive lines. The manufacturer 

says the decisive technological advance of this unit is 

mainly due to a new four-flight screw and the redesigned 

kneading chamber that encompasses more volume. The screw 

oscillates axially each time it rotates, generating a combined 

motion that is said to intensively but gently mix the melt. 

Thanks to improvements, the mass temperature rise as a function 

of screw speed is less than on previous models. This 

enables screw speeds of up to 800 rpm without exceeding the 

maximum allowed temperature of 190°C for cable compounds. 

Buss, Stand 16A59 

modplas.com 

Gala’s low-cost LPU underwater 

lab pelletizing system 

provides wide uses. 

Buss’ MX Kneader, debuting at this year’s K fair, features 

a 15D long compounding section with two product feeds. 

110 % 

Every day we thrive on your challenges. 

Our customers benefit daily from our extraordinary 

services. Learn more about us, learn more about 110%. 

www.byk.com 

Visit us at the Composites, 

October 17 - 19, 2007, 

Tampa Convention Center, 

Tampa FL, USA, 

Booth no. 600 

See us at K 2007, Hall 05 Stand J42 


ZSK extruder marks half century 

This exhibitor’s latest version of its ZSK 

compounder, of which the first of the family 

came onto the market 50 years ago, 

will highlight its presentation at K. The 

ZSK MEGAvolume Plus is a co-rotating, 

intermeshing twin screw compounding 

extruder said to offer significantly 

increased throughput, a wider operating 

window, and more flexibility. Like its 

predecessor, this unit features a process 

section with a large free volume (1.8 

DoDi). Its specific torque has been 

increased from 8.7 to 11.3 Nm/cm 3, 

which is said to be equal to the performance 

of the ZSK MEGAcompounder. It is 

thus possible to compound feed-limited 

products at high throughput rates. Since 

the mean shear rate during compounding 

is reduced by the large flight depth and the 

high filling level, the screw speed can be 

increased without negative effects on 

product quality. This unit is typically finding 

application in both rigid and flexible 

PVC compounding as well as compounding 

halogen-free flame retardant polyolefin 

cable compounds. At the K, the 

ZSK MEGAvolume Plus machine exhibit 

has a 76-mm screw diameter. Coperion 

Werner & Pfleiderer, Stand 14C33 

Unit offers small footprint, but is big 

in performance 

The 25-mm HPE100A extruder is targeted 

for processors who want a compact 

unit, performance features, and a fast 

delivery for coextrusion and multi-layer 

applications. It is available in sizes ranging 

from 19-44 mm. It has a direct drive 

motor so belts and sheaves are a thing of 

the past. Its small footprint allows close 

proximity to the common die. It swivels 

on a column to permit positioning at any 

angle and vertical adjustment is accomplished 

by means of a lift screw. All sliding/swiveling 

components can be locked 

for rigid positioning. The HPE is also 

available in a horizontal configuration. 

Another featured processing unit from 

this exhibitor will be the latest version of 

its Euro Blue extruders, introduced at K 

2004. The 75-mm Euro Blue II is an offthe-shelf 

unit that has a delivery time of 

one week, based on location. Davis-Standard, 

Stand 16A43 

The movable, compact HPE100A extruder is 

available in vertical or horizontal configurations. 

Flexibility is key to processors’ 

profitability 

Just a few years ago, profile processors 

demanded more and more output of window 

profiles from impact-resistant, modified 

PVC recipes. This equipment maker 

says that today although high outputs still 

influence the market, increasing demands 

in terms of the flexible deployment of 

extrusion lines has influenced buying 

habits. Today extruders need to be 

deployed in a wide variety of performance 


The new ZSK MEGAvolume Plus delivers up 

to 40% more throughput than previous models. 

applications. This exhibitor’s DUO series 

extruders are equipped to help the processor 

produce a wide variety of products 

such as doorframes, window leafs, and socalled 

supplementary profiles such as support 

strips, connecting profiles, and glass 

strips. The DUO is constructed to insure 

the correct surface finish, color homogeneity, 

elimination of discoloration, 

dimensional accuracy, impact resistance, 

and to help reduce or eliminate distortion 

and shrinkage. Processing units come in 

various sizes and have L/D ratios ranging 

from 22-27D. Hans Weber Maschinenfabrik, 

Stand 16F06 

Advanced die design helps 

barrier packaging 

One Florida-based processor of high barrier 

packaging films has opted to retrofit 

its existing 5-layer blown film line from 

this manufacturer to become a complete 

7-layer line to increase capacity and 

product offering. The retrofitted line 

includes all new Contra-Cool extruders, 

dies, air ring, and an Autoprofile control 

package as well as a new Extrol 6032 

Microprocessor Control System. The line 

is said to represent a more efficient use of 

costly raw materials, has less downtime, 

and should help increase film processor’s 

profit. The 12 in. 7-layer Optiflow LP 

non-rotating radial fed IBC die offers a 

uniform die temperature, even flow rate, 

and gauge control with tight layer and 

film thickness control, says this exhibitor. 

Battenfeld Gloucester Engineering, Stand 

16D22-1 

Thickness control ups processors’ 

product quality 

The D10 PRO automatic dual lip air ring 

incorporates intelligent control software, 

a thickness sensor on an oscillating ring, 

and a touch screen interface. Based on 

the company’s D10 predecessor, the D10 

PRO is said to guarantee good gauge 

control without negatively affecting bubble 

stability and cooling performance. 

The exhibitor says the initial setup of the 

air ratio between the primary and sec- 



ondary lips is simple and done in the 

same way as a conventional air ring. No 

additional blower or compressed air is 

needed, no excess air is blown away, and 

no heating of previously cooled air is 

required. The air for the primary lip is 

taken directly from the mixing chamber 

and split into independent vanes that 

extend from the chamber directly to the 

exit of the primary lip. Thickness correction 

is achieved by adjusting the airflow 

on each of the vanes using a valve activated 

by a stepper motor. Air flow 

through the vanes is laminar, preventing 

any significant mixing of the air streams 

as they exit the primary lip. This feature 

assures precise localized thickness corrections. 

Also a hot topic at the booth is the 

company’s encapsulation technology, 

available on all its blown film lines. This 

allows cost effective production of 

EVOH, nylon, and PVdC barrier materials. 

Nylon is said to take an inconveniently 

long time to purge from the die 

when frequent order changes for a 

processor are necessary. By encapsulating 

nylon with a suitable tie resin, the nylon 

melt does not contact the die surfaces, 

leading to cost savings through faster 

changeovers and reduced consumption 

of purge agents. Macro Engineering & 

Technology, Stand 16C70 

Encapsulating barrier resins on this 7-layer, 

Macro blown-film line reduces costs and 

increases uptime. 

Component improvements enhance 

these film lines 

Multilayer blown-film lines up to nine 

layers rely on improvements that will be 

featured at this exhibitor’s booth during 

the show. Lines now offer both grooved 

feed extruders, best for polyolefin processing, 

metallocene-based materials, or 

inonomers, or smooth bore feed extruders 

that target nylon and copolymer 

nylon products, EVOH, polystyrene, 

PETG, or cyclic olefin copolymers. Screw 

diameters range from 30-120 mm 

depending on the application and output 

requirements, and lay flat widths of the 

downstream equipment are from 1000- 

3600 mm. Making its debut at the show 

is the company’s Perfect Cool inner cooling 

system that is intended to lead to 

higher outputs. The new HEM (High 

Efficiency Mixer) mixing section promises 

better homogenization of the melt 

than previous units. Processors are also 

promised marked energy savings through 

the new screw design. Kiefel Extrusion, 

Stand 17C42 

Device facilitates tooling changeovers 

The Compact Die Head, making its first 

appearance in Düsseldorf, is designed for 

corrugated pipe dimensions of 250-600 

mm and is claimed to guarantee 


The workhorse of many processing operations 

remains the 3-layer blown-film line like this 

Kirion unit. 

improved quality while at the same time 

reducing tooling changeover times from 

one dimension to another. Until now a 

change of pipe dimension had to be made 

by demounting and remounting the die 

head at the mouthpiece. The die head 

had to be subsequently re-centered 

before production could be restarted. 

With this new modular technology, 

changeovers can be reduced to a minimum 

because dismounting the die and 

re-centering can be omitted. Unicor, 

Stand 16D59 

Compounding unit takes on big jobs 

PSM 72A is a co-rotating twin screw 

compounding extruder with changeable 

dies and auxiliary equipment. It is controlled 

by a PC-based PSR510 controller 

that allows it to yield maximum flexibility 

for plastic compounding and multipurpose 

processing. It can be used to 

compound additives and filler, glass or 

carbon fiber reinforcement, or to produce 

masterbatches. The unit can also be 

used for reactive extruding and polymer 

alloying. The unit includes degassing and 

good dispersion. Mixing is said to be 


achieved through high shear of the material. 

Sino-Alloy Machinery, Stand 12C31 

Saving energy comes naturally 

Energy-efficiency is becoming a vital issue 

to many processors. This exhibitor, under 

the motto ‘all-round energy optimization’ 

plans to provide new features to processors 

that should save them money. These 

innovations are said not be options that 

are available at a surcharge but as part of 

this processing equipment maker’s standard 

package. With these features, energy 

consumption, says the exhibitor, can be cut 

by up to 25% compared to conventional 

models. The company is offering maintenance-free 

AC motors on its single and 

twin screw extruders. It also is applying 

barrel insulation as a standard to minimize 

the loss of heat through radiation. Such 

systems can cut heat loss by up to 35%. 

All-round energy optimization is available 

through the employment of a poly-thermal 

screw geometry. This is said to require up 

to 12% less drive capacity compared to 

conventional screw geometries. Cincinnati 

Extrusion, Stand 16D22-4 

Cross-section of an energy-efficient AC motor 

used on Cincinnati’s extruders. 

Exhibitor offers pipe dies galore 

Five dies exhibited at this company’s 

booth offer a wide variety for the production 

of vinyl and polyolefin (PO) pipes. 

The RDX series includes dies for pipe 

diameters ranging from 12-1000 mm. 

With its spider components arranged 

crosswise for optimized flow attributes, 

the dual spider mandrel provides a benefit 

modplas.com 




The 3-layer spiral mandrel for PP foam core 

pipes has an adapter for the coextruders. 

of high operational safety and easy handling. 

Using the PVC 250-3 die, a 3-layer 

pipe can be extruded with the core layer 

fed centrally through the die, and the two 

other layers being generated via a side-fed 

distributor with optimized flow. This die 

for pipes 60-250 mm in diameter is said to 

be easy to handle and can be quickly 

reconfigured for producing 2-layer pipes. 

For PO pipes, the WPO125-3 3-layer spiral 

mandrel die is designed to handle fiber 

content melt. Its surface is specially treated 

to maximize wear resistance. To realize 

particularly thin inner layers, the U40-2-P 

2-layer sheathing die is equipped with a 

dual side-fed distributor with good flow 

attributes. The compact, modular die consists 

of a dual center sleeve and a downstream 

lattice screen for the outer layer. 

The PO125-3VSI multi-purpose 3-layer 

die is for small pipe diameters from 6 mm 

to extra large sizes with a diameter of 2 m. 

A characteristic of this die is the combination 

of a spiral mandrel for preliminary 

distribution with a lattice basket for the 

middle layer. BEX, Stand 16D22-2 

Small batch tasks made easy 

The ZE25UTX Ultra-Glide twin-screw 

extruder is intended as a laboratory 

extruder for recipe development of both 

engineering thermoplastics and poly- 

olefins, masterbatch production, 

or reactive extrusion but it 

is also an economical alternative 

for small batch production 

with throughput rates of 20- 

150 kg/hr. By means of a separate 

electric motor, the extruder 

screws are fully or partially 

moved out of the barrel and just 

as easily re-inserted back. This 

operation is said to take less 

than one minute, with ancillary 

equipment such as dosing units 

or downstream groups remaining 

untouched. KraussMaffei 

Berstorff, Stand 15A23 

External segment reduces 

need to tighten seal 

A motorized dual deckle with a springloaded 

external segment enables extrusion 

coating processors to automate width 

changes, increase the precision of deckle 

settings, reduce or eliminate manual adjustment, 

and cut downtime between job 

changeovers. An AC motor drives the 

external deckle and the primary internal 

deckle as a single unit, while a smaller 

motor drives a secondary internal deckle 

that fine-tunes the flow at either end of the 

die. This minimizes the formation of the 

edge bead. Besides reducing the time needed 

to change width settings, motorization 

makes it possible to run the deckle as part 

of a computerized processing system. Using 

standard external deckles, operators needed 

to loosen and tighten fasteners for every 


ZE25UTX twin-screw extruder is delivered for 

plug-and-play lab operations. 

change in product width. This manufacturer 

has replaced this system with a springloaded 

device that provides constant pressure 

at the lips of the die while permitting 

width changes with little or no manual 

adjustment. Extrusion Dies Industries 

(EDI), Stand 2G06 

International success 

seen in line orders 

This exhibitor has booked three orders for 

its 5-tonne cast PET lines, two of which are 

being delivered by the end of the year. Such 

PET films can be used for further processing 

of thermoformed sheet for cups and 

trays or PET/polyethylene laminates for 

form-fill-seal packaging. The twin screw 

extrusion of the PET requires no pre-drying 

while the technology shows only a marginal 

drop of the intrinsic viscosity. It therefore 

EDI’s motorized dual deckle for extrusion coating automates width changes and reduces downtime. 


Thermoforming machines 

See us at K 2007 - Hall 3 - Stand A16 

MEICO - 20052 Monza (Mi) - Italy - Via della Giardina, 8 - Tel: +39 039 27061 - Fax: +39 039 2706235 

e-mail: sales@meico.it - www.meico.it 


More than just fast: Reliable 

✓ forming + cutting + stacking 

✓ forming with in mould punching 

✓ complete turn key in-line 

installations, from material 

handling through to boxing units 

PRODUCTION 

SWITZERLAND 

SALES ORGANIZATION 

ADV: www.arkobaleno.it

Cast PET line incorporates chill rolls with 

electrostatic film pinning. 

enables usage of up to 100% flake material 

in the core of the 3-layer cast film. Thickness 

ranges from 125-1000 μm in widths 

up to 1900 mm. Maximum speed is 150 

m/min. Extrusion output is 5000 kg/hr. The 

chill rolls, with a diameter up to 2.4 m, feature 

electrostatic pinning for film lay-on 

and a special declining pitch spiral design 

which is said to guarantee optimized cooling. 

Brückner Formtec, Stand 3C73 

Fastest color change in the Industry 

Loaders available for all components 

Completely modular system 

30 day risk free trial 

Configure an Auto-DiscTM to fit your needs, 

Contact us today ! 

Tel: 610-356-3000 Fax: 610-356-7022 

Email: Sales@Plastrac.com Website: Plastrac.com 

TM 

Materials 

High Speed in every way 

BASF has added a dozen new grades to 

its Ultradur High Speed range of materials 

for rapid filling of even complex 

molds. Three years ago the supplier 

introduced its polybutylene terephthalate 

High Speed grade, and this already sees 

use in 20 serial applications. According 

to BASF, depending on fiber content, the 

Ultradur High Speed grades flow at least 

twice as fast as standard grades, allowing 

for use of more complex molds and for 

reduced cycle times. 

Since then, the Ultradur High Speed 

portfolio has been expanded to include 15 

products available worldwide. Among the 

latest developments, the thermally conductive 

variant and the new flameretardant 

products are of particular significance. 

The thermally conductive Ultradur 

B4300 M12 High Speed stands out for its 

Auto-DiscTM 

Blender 

Injection, Blow molding or Extrusion 

Patented automatic gravimetric calibration 

Synchronized blending for optimal 

dispersion to reduce rejects 

Lower additive usage to reduce Costs 

On machine or press side blenders 



BASF has expanded its Ultradur High Speed 

range, used for these and other parts. 

thermal conductivity of 1 W/mK, along 

with good mechanical properties and 

good flowability. This grade is suitable for 

replacing metal in housing covers for control 

devices, as one example application, 

or for helping with temperature management 

in the sockets of light fixtures or in 

car door locks. 

Also, all of the flame-retardant Ultradur 

products made by BASF are now also 

available as High Speed variants. The 

flame-retardant grades containing halogen, 

types B4406 G2/G4/G6 High Speed, 

are classified at 0.75 mm according to UL 

94 V-0, while the halogen-free B4400 G5 

High Speed grade is classified at 1.5 mm 

according to UL 94 V-0. The group of 

flame-retardant products also includes the 

low-cost B4406 G6 Q798 High Speed, 

which is based on inexpensive raw materials. 

With its Ultradur B4300 G3 High 

Speed, BASF is offering for the first time a 

product reinforced with 15% glass fiber 

that exhibits outstanding flowability and 

is suitable for the manufacture of plugs, 

multipoint connectors or housing parts. 

Examples of applications are the prototype 

for a steering-angle sensor made by 

Bosch using B4300 G6 LS High Speed, 

which can be laser-printed, and nine-pole 

black connectors for vehicles made by 

Tyco with warpage-optimized S 4090 G6 

High Speed. 

BASF remains mum on what type of 

nanoadditives it uses in its Ultradur 

materials, but says that, thanks to these 


See us at K 2007, 

Hall 06 Stand A23 


nanoadditives, pigments in the compounds 

are dispersed more uniformly, 

resulting in better color distribution and 

more intense colors while using less pigment. 

Moreover, the nanoadditives 

improve the adhesion of PBT to metal 

layers by almost 50% and to TPU soft 

components to almost twice their value. 

BASF, Stand 5B21 

Shrink to perfect fit 

Plastics supplier BASF will introduce its 

Styrolux HS 70 for the high-end shrink 

film market, as used on these bottles (see 

photo). This material is an extrusion 

grade based on styrene-butadiene block 

copolymer (SBC). 

According to the supplier, this new 

material stands out especially for its optimized 

shrinkage behavior. Until now, 

SBC/PS blends could only be employed 

for films having an average final shrinkage 

of about 50% within the relevant 

processing window ranging from about 

80°C to 95°C (176°F to 203°F). BASF 

claims its has succeeded in markedly 

increasing the final shrinkage to allow 

shrinkage values of 70-80%. 

BASF supplies this plastic as a readyto-use 

product: it no longer needs to be 

mixed with standard polystyrene. 

Whereas conventional SBC/PS blends 

have about the same shrinkage level as 

PVC, Styrolux HS 70 now yields final 

shrinkage values that are close to those 

of today’s industry standard, PET-G. But 

thanks to the new material’s lower density, 

approximately 30% more film per 

kilogram can be produced in comparison 

to PVC or PET-G. The new Styrolux is 

well suited for transversal direction orientation 

(TDO) and for machine direction 

orientation (MDO) for films. BASF, 

Stand 5B21 

New PA grades optimized 

Polyamide supplier Rhodia is using the K 

as the launch platform for a number of 

new grades of polyamide, including 

Technyl SI (Super-Impact), a new range 

of high toughness polyamides that the 

firm says balance exceptional impact 

resistance with good stiffness. 

Characteristics such as high toughness, 

good surface appearance and easy 

Shrink sleeves for fast growing market: now 

also made with Styrolux HS 70 from BASF. 

processing are key value drivers. Potential 

applications include machine components, 

power tools, sports and others. 

Stiffness brings better structural characteristics 

to parts and improves screw 

retention, eliminating the need for inserts 

and resulting in ease of assembly, higher 

Rhodia’s XCell polyamide was developed for 

MuCell-processed parts such as this engine 

cover. 

productivity, and lower overall cost. 

The supplier also will present its Technyl 

XCell 6,6 and 6 polyamide grades 

optimized for use with Trexel’s MuCell 

process. These new grades are the first 

resulting from Rhodia’s recently signed 

global co-marketing and development 

agreement with Trexel. As partners to 

the agreement, Rhodia actively develops 

and commercializes new material tech- 


nology optimized for the MuCell 

process, and Trexel works exclusively 

with Rhodia for polyamide applications. 

Rhodia Polyamide, Stand 6E24 

DSM’s materials for extrusion, 

molding and more 

There will be plenty to see at the stand of 

plastics supplier DSM. Among other 

materials, it will highlight its Arnite XL 

polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which 

Frank Ragoutte, GM for Arnite PBT and 

PBT, calls “the PPA killer” in applications 

such as car’s adaptive forward 

lighting/dynamic bending light frames, 

owing to the PET’s lower moisture 

absorption and higher specific stiffness. 

Also new are a range of high flow and 

productivity polyamides, including Akulon 

XP HV PA6 for packaging applications; 

Akulon Ultraflow PA6 for injection 

molding applications; and Stanyl 

High Flow and Super Flow PA46 for 

injection molding applications. The supplier’s 

Akulon XP has a broad processing 

window to help processors realize uniform 

thickness distribution in cast film, 

and more melt strength and better parison 

stability, leading to an optimized 

LDPE/LLDPE ratio in multi-layer films 

without sacrificing mechanical properties. 

DSM officials told MPW that it 

helps overcome the rheology ‘mismatch’ 

between polyamide and LDPE in coextruded 

films, so that the polyamide is 

more evenly distributed across the web; 

its melt viscosity and elasticity are very 


DSM’s Ultraflow offers lower cycle times for 

parts such as this engine cover. 

close to that of LDPE. 

Applications are seen in meat and 

cheese packaging, among others. Its 

mechanical and barrier properties essentially 

mirror those of standard 

polyamide. Akulon XP is also suited for 

thermoforming. The Akulon Ultraflow 

PA6 grades yield around 25 % cycle time 

modplas.com 

reduction when compared to standard 

PA6, says the supplier. Akulon Ultraflow 

is available with differing levels and 

types of fiber reinforcement: 15-60% GF, 

30-40% GF/mineral, FR/mineral, FR/GF. 

According to the supplier, surface 

appearance remains excellent even at the 

highest loading levels. 

Stanyl Super Flow was co-developed 

with connector manufacturers to provide a 

suitable alternative to LCP, and is now being 

introduced globally. DSM, Stand 6B11 

High-temperature material captures 

visitors’ attention 

A third type of polyarylsulfone is being 

added to this exhibitor’s two existing 

materials. This new family member is 

Ultrason P, a polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), 

grade 3010, that combines high melting 

temperature and low water absorption. 

It also provides good chemical resistance 


and Charpy notched-impact strength. 

This producer says the Charpy notchedimpact 

strength is almost 10 times 

greater than that of other amorphous 

high-temperature resins. This feature 

means it can be sterilized with hot steam 

and disinfected without problems other 

materials might have. BASF, Stand 5B21 

PE offered for wide variety 

of applications 

Linear low density (LLDPE) and high 

density polyethylene (HDPE) grades 

from this Middle Eastern polymer producer 

will be the highlight at its stand 

during the show. EFDA7048 is an antiblock 

modified LLDPE for blown film 

extrusion offering good toughness, high 

tensile strength, and outstanding puncture 

resistance, says the manufacturer. 

Both processability and sealability are 

easy. This material can be manufactured 

into heavy-duty shipping sack films, bulk 


liners, and other heavy gauge films. 

Grade EPDA5040 is a high molecular 

weight HDPE copolymer for non-pressure 

gravity pipe applications. It is said 

to offer a good balance of flexibility, 

ductility, stiffness, and toughness needed 

in complex pipe designs. It also has 

good environmental stress cracking 

resistance. Next year will see the inauguration 

of a new site that will double 

the capacity output at this producer’s 

main facility. Equate, Stand 8bE61 

Plastics make 3D 

circuit carriers possible 

Molded interconnect devices (MID) or 

3D circuit carriers are a rising trend 

because the conductor tracts and electronic 

components can be applied directly 

to the component. One innovative 

method for manufacturing MIDs that 

this polymer producer is showing at its 

stand is Laser Direct Structuring (LDS) 

developed by LPKF Laser & Electronics 

(Stand 11E04), a cost-effective and flexible 

means of applying conductor tracts 

to polyester carriers without the need of 

etching chemicals. Pocan DP T7140LDS 

polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is 

specifically formulated to enable effective 

control of all processing steps, from 

material preparation and injection mold- 

Simple, cost-effective, flexible in terms of making 

layout changes, and no etching chemicals 

are required on 3D circuit carriers made of 

Pocan PBT thanks to Laser Direct Structuring. 

ing to laser beam application, metallization, 

and if necessary soldering. This 

high temperature material has a heat distortion 

temperature (Bf) of 250°C and is 

suitable for reflow and vapor phase soldering. 

Lanxess, Stand 6A49-1 

Wide range of products 

offered for processing 

This exhibitor plans to provide a bevy of 

innovative products and solutions to visitors 

during this year’s show. Flame-proof, 

impact and heat resistant polyphenylsulfone 

sheets made of Europlex PPSU have 

been tested by leading fire helmet proces- 


sors and the product is approved for production 

of visors. It is said to be virtually 

indestructible and can be used to replace 

polycarbonate which has been mainly used 

to date. Also being displayed is a one-stage 

process offering scratch resistance for 

shaped parts produced from Plexiglasbrand 

acrylic molding compounds. These 

applications produced by injection compression 

molding are coated while still in 

the mold by using an acrylate-based liquid 

reactive system. The coating is cured in 

two-steps, the new functional surface is 

cured in the mold to such a degree that the 

shaped part can be removed from the mold 

without damage. Curing is then completed 

by UV irradiation. The new system solution 

for scratch resistant coating of plastic 

parts was developed jointly with Krauss 

Maffei which is demonstrating live the 

technology at its stand (15A23). The heat 

insulating properties of this multi-skin 

sheeting significantly reduce energy consumption 

in greenhouses, thus automatically 

reducing CO 2 emissions from market 

gardens. The relatively high light transmission 

of the material allows many plant 

species to grow faster and improves their 

appearance. This represents an active contribution 

to climate protection that simultaneously 

provides better yields and lowers 

operating costs. Degussa, Stand 7aD19 

Unlimited design possibilities: 

Innovative hot runner solutions from HEITEC. 

Make the impossible possible by combining your know-how 

with HEITEC's development expertise in special applications. 

How can we help you? Tel. +49 (6451) 72830 

Find your nearest agent at www. heitec.com. HEISSKANALTECHNIK 

CLICK MPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com See us at K 2007, Hall 01 Stand C41 


Battenfeld Extrusion 

formingideas 

Battenfeld 

Extrusion Kempen GmbH American Maplan Battenfeld Extrusion Systems Ltd. Kabra Extrusiontechnik Ltd. 

Extrusionstechnik GmbH 

Corporation 

2 Jinxiang Road, Daliang, Shunde, 

Königstraße 53 

Hooghe Weg 4 

823 S. By-Pass, P.O. Box 832 Foshan, Guangdong, PRC 

“Kolsite House”, Veera Desai Road, 

D-32547 Bad Oeynhausen D-47906 Kempen 

USA - McPherson, KS 67460 P.C.: 528300 

Andheri (West), Mumbai - 53, India 

Phone +49 (0) 5731 242-0 Phone +49 (0) 2152 1495-0 Phone +1 620 241 6843 Phone +86 757 2238 0112 Phone +91 22 2673 4822 25/6695 2681 

Fax +49 (0) 5731 27124 Fax +49 (0) 2152 1495-50 Fax +1 620 241 2142 Fax +86 757 2238 0195 Fax +91 22 2673 5041/6695 2680 

welcome@bex.battenfeld.com welcome@extrusion-kempen.com welcome@maplan.com welcome@bce.battenfeld.com.cn sales@kolsitegroup.com 

www.bex.battenfeld.com www.bex.battenfeld.com www.maplan.com www.bce.battenfeld.com 

www.kolsitegroup.com 

See us at K 2007, Hall 16 Stand D22-2 CLICK MPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com 

Battenfeld Extrusion Group 

Global: 5 production sites on three continents 

and a worldwide sales network 

– Everywhere close by. 

Competent: Extruders and complete, modular 

extrusion lines, perfectly matching components 

– Everything from a single source. 

Solution driven: Flexible, customized solutions 

for pipe, profile, film and sheet extrusion 

– Our know-how for your success.

‘Smart’ idea saves weight, 

provides see-through roof 

Europe’s successful Smart fortwo twoseater 

intended for urban mobility offers 

low fuel consumption and reduced CO 2 

emission levels thanks to the car’s overall 

lightweighting measures. It’s roof module 

is produced of Makrolon AG2677 polycarbonate 

(PC) and covers an area of 

about 1.2m 2 which is, to date, the largest 

PC roof module fitted into a production 

line vehicle, says Sven Gestermann, key 

account manager automotive glazing for 

Europe at this exhibitor. The plastics 

module is processed by Webasto AG 

(Stockdorf, Germany) which uses twocomponent 

injection-compression molding 

on a swivel-platen injection molding 

machine to make the unit. In the first 

shot, the transparent outer skin is produce 

from the PC and the second, the 

large-area frame is made of Bayblend DP 

T95MF, a black-pigmented PC/ABS 

blend. One of this blend’s strengths is its 

shrinkage behavior, geared to that of the 

PC. “Despite its size, the roof module 

can be manufactured with very low internal 

stresses and low warpage,” says 

Gestermann. Bayer MaterialScience, 

Stand 6A75 

PC roof element on the Smart fortwo car 

weighs 40% less than a comparable glass 

roof module. 

Long-glass-fiber-reinforced PVC compounds 

add strength to many applications. 

Polymers win new strength 

with fillers 

Focal point of this booth’s presentation is 

newly developed glass fiber reinforced 

PVC compounds where the long glass 

fiber is bound within the polymer 

matrix. Glass strands are the length of 

the pellet. These materials can be used to 

produce window frame reinforcing sections 

that replace metal. Besides their 

weight-saving advantages, they improve 

thermal insulation and open up new 

design possibilities not available with 

metal. A further exhibition the company 

is presenting under the motto of ‘fillers 

with a function’ are new graphite-filled 

compounds for use in applications from 

packaging to electronics are on display. 

Polymer-Chemie, Stand 6B44 


PET, GF-reinforced materials 

make premiere 

New PET compounds and long-glassfiber-reinforced 

(LGFR) polymers with 

improved properties are the highlight of 

this company’s presentation. TechnoPet 

product family aims to break into the 

market for injection moldable PET compounds 

which according to this exhibitor 

is growing at a rate of 6%/yr. These compounds 

feature fast crystallization rates 

that permit short cycle times and economic 

production. TechnoFiber series of 

LGFR compounds offer high adhesion 

between the fibers and the polymer 

matrix. This can improve many product 

properties including shear strength. TechnoCompound, 

Stand 6B44 

TechnoPet family of injection moldable PET 

compounds and long-glass-fiber-reinforced 

polymers are the focal point of this exhibitor. 

Additives & fillers 

Impact modifier gives good bounce 

when needed 

Designed as a drop-in replacement for 

other methacrylate-butadiene-styrene 

(MBS) impact modifiers, Clearstrength 

859 can be used in injection molding and 

extrusion of opaque sheet or profiles. It 

imparts up to 20% more impact strength 

compared to traditional opaque impact 

modifiers, says the producer. It is said to 

process well and means reduced costs 

while improving performance. It is said 

to contribute to uniformity of both PVC 

and chlorinated PVC compounds. The 



company has applied for UL, FDA, NSF, 

and CSA approvals for the material. 

Arkema, Stand 6C57 

Polymer stabilizers add benefits to 

applications 

A number of new products are being presented 

by this exhibitor at its stand. 

Songnox 1290 is a new phenolic antioxidant 

while grade 6280 is a hydrolytically-stable 

phosphite antioxidant intended 

for applications requiring high performance. 

It is a hydrolytically-improved version 

of 6260. This new product uses 

hydrotalcite based on vegetable fats only 

rather than animal-based fats. Also new 

in the antioxidant sector are three Songnox 

thioester-based materials, DSTDP, 

DLTDP, and 4120. The exhibitor is also 

showing Songsorb 2908 and 7120, two 

benzoate UV absorbers. Songwon Industrial, 

Stand 6C79 

These materials give new properties 

to resin 

Processors can not only stretch their 

expensive resin costs but also provide 

needed property improvements to their 

applications with Kritilen filler masterbatches. 

Consisting of filler levels ranging 

from 50-80%, these masterbatches 

offer a convenient way of incorporating 

either calcium carbonate (CaCO 3) or talc 

into a polymer base without contamination 

by dust. 

Carrier resins are based on polyethylene, 

homopolymer polypropylene, or 

general-purpose polystyrene. Median 

particle size of the CaCO 3 is 3.2 μm 

while the talc is 5.4 μm. Kritilen filler 

masterbatches are approved for food 

contact applications. They can be used in 

injection- or blowmolding, film and 

sheet extrusion, and tape production. 

Plastika Kritis, Stand 7.1C27 



Reduced buildup, 

good release offered 

An internal mold release, INT-DCP220, 

is specifically designed to resolve poor 

release and to maintain molds in clean 

condition longer, even when molding 

dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin which 

can bring processing difficulties. According 

to this exhibitor, this product increases 

the ease with which parts can be 

demolded and customer production 

using the material has shown that it can 

help keep molds in service up to five 

times longer than with competitive products. 

This proprietary formulation, marketed 

under the MoldWiz brand, is a 

synergistic blend of complex organic 

materials without silicone or metallic 

stearates. It is designed for demanding 

resin transfer molding (RTM), especially 

for automotive vendors. It is most appropriate 

for use in resin systems that 

employ methyl ethyl ketone peroxide or

· Reliable Performance 

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Back-to-Back Valve Gate Unitized System: 

Designed for Stack Mold Applications 

GLOBAL SALES, 

SERVICE & SUPPORT 

1740 East Maple Road, Troy, MI 48083 

T: 248.616.0220 • F: 248.616.0225 

E: info@incoe.com • www.incoe.com 

See us at K 2007, Hall 01 Stand B09 CLICK MPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com

Experienced solutions 

for your expanding 

operations. 

Please visit us: 

hall 16/D59 

the corrugator experts 

www.unicor.com 


R 

Antiblocking additive from Sachtleben has 

narrow particle size distribution to benefit 

extruded films. 

AAP cures. Typical loading level for the 

additive ranges from 0.5-1.0%, while 

heavily filled polymers or poorer tooling 

surfaces may require higher loadings. 

This low viscosity additive remains stable 

in resin mixes during storage and 

handling. Axel Plastics Research Laboratories, 

Stand 5A14 

Material brings clarity to 

polypropylene goods 

Opportunities for polypropylene (PP) to 

achieve new levels of clarity to compete 

against highly amorphous polymers such 

as PET will be spotlighted at this 

exhibitor’s stand during the show. Millad 

NX8000 has been added to the company 

range of PP clarifiers and is said to offer 

breakthrough transparency and reduced 

haze levels compared to existing materials 

on the market. This benefit is combined 

with improved thermal properties, 

impact resistance, and cost effectiveness 

which Reed Walker, global marketing 

manager-plastic additives at the company, 

says should expand PP’s potential to 

substitute for competitive materials. Milliken, 

Stand 5F27 

New PP clarifier 

A new clarifier for polypropylene (PP) 

applications, RiKACLEAR PC1, imparts 

good transparency and also improves 

impact stiffness. Historically, acetal sorbitol 

has been used as clarifiers for PP 

which result in reasonable haze values but 

they have a tendency to hydrolyse, causing 

elution of aldehyde from the PP, which 

results in a negative organoleptic effect. It 

can also cause serious plate out problems 

during extrusion. These factors have 

restricted PP’s use in certain food applications. 

This new material avoids these 

problems by utilizing a different, proprietary 

chemistry. Usage levels are said to be 

less than 1500 ppm. Better transparency 

and impact stiffness balance also result. 

The material is awaiting food contact 

approvals in Europe, U.S., and Japan. 

RiKA International, Stand 8bG47 


Processing aid targets 

transparent films 

A new antiblocking concept for transparent 

plastics films is the highlight of this 

exhibitor’s presentation. The additive is 

said to enhance gloss and minimize turbidity 

of polyester films. With this material, 

processors can adjust the surface of 

biaxially oriented film with more control, 

greater homogeneity, and with even 

smaller-scale texturing than was possible 

with competitive materials based on silica. 

The product eliminates blocking during 

roll winding and prevents air inclusions. 

This material is said to produce 

significantly less dust than other 

antiblocking additives, therefore producing 

a cleaner, safer shopfloor. It has food 

contact approval, meets Jewish Kosher 

and Islamic Halal standards. Sachtleben 

Chemie, Stand 8bA64 

Stylings for plastics set for K launch 

Ten new XYMARA-brand color effects 

featuring novel bronze, gold, and copper 

shades will be the talk of this booth during 

the show. Making their appearance 

commercially first in 2008 and 2009, the 

new range also features a number of 

other attractive shades including deep 

chocolate brown, juicy berry tones, an 

iridescent blue-green, and an electric 

aqua green. These colorants are intended 

to give designers of plastics applications 

more options. They come in both transparent 

and opaque effects featuring 

sparkle, shimmer, or gloss. Targeted 




applications are housewares, cosmetics 

packaging, accessories, vehicle interior 

trim, as well as automotive exteriors. 

Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Stand 6A27 

Greener is better at Chemtura 

Chemtura, the leading global supplier of 

additives for the plastics industry, intends 

to boost its already broad portfolio and 

selectively enhance its geographic footprint, 

according to Anne Noonan, group 

president of the firm’s polymer additives 

division since April. In addition, Noonan 

says the firm is actively developing ‘sustainable’ 

additives to enhance its portfolio. 

Noonan says the company is keen to 

expand its presence in the plastics processing 

markets in Asia and Eastern Europe. 

“About 40% of our flame retardants’ 

business already is from Asia,” she notes; 

Noonan ran Great Lakes’ FR operations 

before that firm merged with Crompton to 

form Chemtura. She cites a Freedonia 

report that predicts demand for FRs will 

continue at 5%/yr through the end of the 

decade, with Chemtura in position to offer 

all of the leading types of FRs. 

Even as some chemicals used in additives 

are being more closely scrutinized 

as a result of Europe’s Reach (Registration, 

Evaluation, Authorization and 

Restriction of Chemicals) legislation, 

Noonan says her company welcomes the 

regulations as these will “level the playing 

field” by forcing all suppliers to meet 

the same high standards. “We think 

we’re well ahead of the curve” with 

regards to meeting all regulatory obligations, 

she says. 

As indicated in last month’s pre-K 

report, Chemtura will debut a number of 

new materials at that trade show, with 

almost all of them tied into the supplier’s 

‘greener is better’ strategy of introducing 

environmentally friendly additives that 

also get the job done. Among these will 

be a phenol-free one-pack antioxidant, 

marketed under the trade name Genox, 

suitable for polyolefins and especially 

applications requiring excellent color 

hold (phenol, commonly used in antioxidants, 

is a leading cause of color change), 

according to Chemtura technical manager 

Hayder Zahalka. Genox raw materials 

are derived from natural materials, and it 


Anne Noonan, group president of Chemtura’s 

polymer additives division. 

has U.S. Food & Drug Administration 

approval for use in polyolefins. 

Also new is Naugard 300-E, a polymerization 

inhibitor blend for styrenics 

that combines both free radical scavengers 

and a free radical inhibitor with a new 

pre-inhibitor. Like competing products, it 

uses DNPB (dinitro-type polymerization 

inhibitor) for scavenging of radicals, but 

due to the inclusion of the pre-inhibitor 

much lower levels of DNPB are required, 

according to Chemtura senior technical 

service scientist Jerry Abruscato. 

Chemtura’s experts continue to see a 

bright future for additives for use in 

wood/plastic composites (WPC). Recently 

commercialized was Polybond 3039, a 

powdered version of the firm’s established 

PB 3029 coupling agent, and targeted 

to WPC processors who want to 

pre-blend powdered ingredients to realize 

good distribution prior to introduction 

into the extruder. Soon to enter the 

market, and worth asking about at the K, 

is an improved version of Polybond 

3029, which Bill Sigworth, technical 

manager and research fellow at Chemtura, 

says in tests has provided an additional 

improvement in efficiency of 50- 

100%. Chemtura, Stand 6C07 

MPW is the exclusive publisher 

of the English-language 

K Show Daily. Don’t forget to 

pick up a copy. 

modplas.com

Makrolon ® 

Effect = interdisciplinary in our thinking, 

brand identity in the result 


What came first? The vision or the material? Together with 

our partner BMW and its headlight specialists, we produce 

real innovations such as the BMW 5 Series. Its headlights 

with Makrolon ® 

light rings really give this model its special 

look. But would they ever have come into being without the 

CD? Probably not, because the material used for the rings 

was originally used for compact discs. Its excellent flow and 

light transmission properties convinced developers to use 

Makrolon ® 

for the headlights too. That answers the opening 

question – the best solution is when the vision and the 

material become one. 

You can find out more about the Makrolon ® 

effect at 

www.makrolon-effekt.com. And to arrange a meeting to 

discover how it can be tailored to your specific requirements, 

call +49 214 30 40687 

Bayer MaterialScience AG, 51368 Leverkusen, Germany MS006762

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the latest news. Stay 

informed through Modern 

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Semifinished products 

New curve thrown 

at plastic shapes market 

Global EPP (Engineered Plastic Products) 

is the name of the former stock shapes 

business of Nylacast Ltd., spun off in a 

management buyout from Nylacast this 

year. Nylacast continues as a separate 

company and offers custom plastic components. 

Global EPP does no machining 

of plastics and instead will market a 

range of cast polyamide or extruded 

polyamide, acetal (POM) or polyethylene 

terephthalate products, and next 

year also offer extruded high-density 

polyethylene and polypropylene shapes. 

Max Fraser, director of Global EPP, 

says the K show will be the official launch 

of the new name as well as of “a supply 

chain managed route to market” that he 

says will benefit both his firm and, as 

much or more, his firm’s distributors. 

Distributors of stock shapes tend to be 

small companies with little in the way of 

assets but a lot of money locked up in 

stock, notes Fraser. Global EPP will unveil 

at the K a supply chain management program 

similar, maybe, to the sort run by a 

Wal-Mart or other globally active retailers, 

but which Fraser reckons is quite 

unique to the stock shapes market. 

The vendor-managed route to market 

is designed to help distributors minimize 

their problems of size and capital. “Even- 

Novacel films provide temporary 

surface protection for high-value 

extruded plastic sheets. 


tually our software helps dramatically 

improve the shape of that warehouse, so 

that it’s stacked with what’s selling,” 

Fraser says. The proposal is that Global 

EPP will install, for free, in its distributors’ 

facilities a GPRS scanning unit that 

keeps track of all stock on-hand from 

Global EPP. 

A second route to market the supplier 

is pursuing is essentially a spot sales 

strategy, sending distributors or other 

potential customers a weekly (or other 

time period) update of what is in stock, 

and let those customers order products 

via the internet. “It’s essentially a commodity 

market,” notes Fraser, “ so we’re 

putting our efforts into high-quality service.” 

The firm also will offer ‘swaps’ 

whereby customers can send stock that 

isn’t selling back to Global EPP, which 

will convert them to a size that is selling 

well at a cost advantageous to the customer, 

as Global EPP has new recycling 

capacity that enables it to profit from the 

scrap created. Global EPP, Stand 5A39 

Protective PO films guard against 

scratches 

Making sure the surface of vinyl, polycarbonate, 

acrylic, PET, and other extruded 

sheets for building and construction as 

well as for display purposes remain marfree 

is Novacel surface protection films 

extruded from a variety of polyolefins. 

Grades 9042, 9084, and 9092 come either 

pigmented or transparent, allow good vis- 



ibility of the product it is protecting, and 

offer good mechanical strength to take 

knocks or bumps during installation. 

Available in either 33 μm or 50 μm, the 

rolls come in widths up to 2.8m. So that 

users have less trouble with regular roll 

changes, the film comes in lengths of 

3000m. The material is reportedly easy to 

apply, adheres well, and can be readily 

removed once sheets have been installed. 

Novacel, Stand 7-2G07 

Sweets need to be paddled sometimes 

Mixing paddles are used by the sweets 

and candy industries to mix ingredients 

uniformly. Those parts of the machine 

that come into direct contact with the 

ingredients and cleaning agents used following 

production run have to comply 

with comprehensive health, hygiene, and 

purity standards. Chemical resistance is 

of key importance. TIVAR H.O.T. (high 

operating temperature) ultra high molec- 

ular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) 

forms from this exhibitor can be milled 

to exact specifications for use. The material 

can be used in food applications 

where the temperature ranges from 80- 

135°C. The producer says such mixing 

paddles have a service life 10 times 

longer than conventional UHMWPE. 

Quadrant, Stand 6E23 

Comprehensive range on display 

Sheet processor Brett Martin Ltd. will present 

its range of Marlon polycarbonate, 

Marvec rigid PVC sheet, Foamalux foam 

PVC and Marcryl acrylic sheet at the show. 

Brett Martin supplies sheet from its facility 

in Northern Ireland to local distributors in 

five continents and over 70 countries. Marlon 

polycarbonate and Foamalux foam 

PVC have already been used in projects 

associated with BP, Ray-Ban, Manchester 

United FC, Sheaffer, Ferrari, McDonalds, 

and Michelin. Brett Martin, Stand 8aD31 



Mold components 

& hot runners 

Jiffy-Lok connectors 

need no hose clamps 

D-M-E Co. introduces Jiffy-Lok hose 

stem connector sockets, which don’t 

require the use of hose clamps for hose 

retention, as standard systems do, so that 

these new connectors help facilitate 

quick connection of heating and cooling 

hose lines for molds, resulting in reduced 

setup times. Additionally, the Jiffy-Lok 

sockets feature the same replaceable seals 

and valves as the firm’s standard Jiffy- 

Tite connectors. Jiffy-Lok comes available 

for each connector series (N6, N9, 

and N16), and come in 0.25-, 0.5-, 

0.375-, and 0.75-inch sizes. In addition, 

the Jiffy-Lok connector sockets are available 

in straight, 90º, and 45º profiles. 

D-M-E Co., Stand 1F08 



Progressive’s metric top lock group. 

New metric top locks at Progressive 

Progressive Components has expanded 

its mold alignment products by adding a 

new range of metric top locks. These, 

along with many other products that the 

firm will not announce until the show, 

will be on-stand. 

Like the company’s metric side and 

guide locks, the new metric top locks provide 

positive guidance between a mold’s 

cavities and cores. In addition, unequal 

thermal expansion of the mold halves will 

not cause these locks to bind up. The new 

top locks come in sizes that range between 

26mm by 35mm, and 45mm by 100mm. 

EAS’s magnetic clamping systems might not 

make mold changes a joy, but they will make 

them easier. 

“As tooling programs become more and 

more global, Progressive has stepped up its 

efforts to offer the most extensive line of 

global standards, now including this new 

range of metric top locks, to accommodate 

our customers,” said John Wakefield, 

managing director of Progressive Components 

Europe. Progressive Components, 

Stand 2G13 

Husky expands hot runner range 

At K 2007, Husky plans to introduce an 

expanded Ultra 350 nozzle product line. 

The Ultra 350 offers direct gating into 

difficult to reach areas with distance 

between nozzles of as little as 18mm and 

throughput of up to 30 grams per second. 

These are designed for multi-cavity 

production of small parts such as medical 

applications, 

The patented UltraFlow valve gate tip 

design provides melt homogeneity for a 

high-quality surface finish free of flow 

lines, as well as rapid color change. This 

product is for applications such as closures 

that require frequent color change. 

New back-to-back Ultra 500 and 750 

valve gate options will offer shut height 


of less than 195 mm for configurations 

up to 2x8 drops. They will be suited for 

high throughput molding requirements. 

New Altanium temperature controllers 

will feature increased functionality to 

improve ease of use. Husky Injection 

Molding Systems, Stand 13A59 

Quick changes of molds 

The Dutch company EAS is presenting 

an overview of possibilities for automatic 

mold clamping—mechanical, 

hydraulic as well as magnetic—and for a 

quick connection of all utility connections. 

New and standardized mold 

change cars and tables for an automatic 

horizontal mold change, as well as units 

for simple and easy mold maintenance, 

are on display as well. EAS offers a complete 

range of magnetic clamping systems 

for all sizes and types of injection molding 

machines and blowmolding 

machines, also for vertical machines and 

rotary table applications, for a normal 

temperature as well as high temperature 

applications up to 250°C. 

Important for a safe operation of the 

magnetic systems is the control of the 

clamping situation by means of sensors. 

For this reason different sensors are used. 

At the show EAS is introducing a “4 = 1 

sensor,” which integrates four sensor 

functions in one compact unit. The basic 

function is a mold detection sensor to 

determine if a mold is present; the second 

is the magnetic flux sensor to eliminate 

the possibility that the air gap between 

mold and clamping system gets too large 

(resulting in a holding force reduction); 

the third sensor is also a flux sensor with 

the capability to check if the clamped 

mold is made from steel and not from an 

high alloyed material; and the last function 

is a temperature switch. This sensor 

simplifies the exchange of signals 

between system and machine and therefore 

makes it safer. An optional patented 

mechanical safety device is offered. EAS, 

Stand 10D51 

Hot runners make tough shapes 

look easy 

D-M-E’s Polivalve Multi-Use Valve Gate 

Hot Runner System helps molders overcome 

the challenges associated with spe- 



cial shapes or multi-cavity parts where 

the volume of melt can differ significantly. 

The system enables easy injection flow 

in simultaneous or sequential filling to 

create parts with unusual, complex or 

hard-to-fill geometries or varying volumes. 

It also allows processors to mold 

multiple parts in different shapes and 

sizes, all in one cycle. Polivalve features a 

bodiless tip, good for cosmetic applications 

and those requiring zero gate vestige, 

eliminating the need for secondary 

trimming operations and reducing overall 

costs to manufacture. 

New Integrity temperature controls 

will also be introduced at K by D-M-E, 

that provide a practical, affordable solution 

to the most demanding mold 

requirements. New modules, mainframe, 

cabling and communications enable control 

of hundreds of zones and the most 

complex hot runners. Integrity’s patented 

slaving capabilities allow molders to off- 

NEW 

Now there is a system that effectively 

evacuates, conveys and cleans your 

material all in one step. 

The patented Airwash has been designed to 

provide sufficient vacuum and air volume to 

evacuate any size reduction equipment and 

simultaneously separate the undesirable fines, 

stringers and dust from your regrind. 

The result is a homogeneous clean regrind 

that can be introduced back into your product 

mix eliminating the cost of pelletization. 

For free sample evaluation please contact us. 

Airwash System 

Kongskilde Industries Inc. 

2439 S Main Unit 2, 

Bloomington IL 61704 

Tel. (309)-820-1090 

Fax (309)-820-1364 

E-mail: mail@kus.kongskilde.com 

set the slaved zone from the master zone 

accurately and quickly. When a thermocouple 

fails, the failed zones slave to 

other similar zones (such as another nozzle) 

and can be adjusted if needed to 

slightly hotter or cooler temperatures 

than the master zone. The Integrity is 

half the size of other temperature controls, 

and the module design simplifies 

control engineering and assembly time, 

while allowing easy expansion and fast 

reconfiguration later as needs change. 

Integrity measures both electrical current 

and line voltage, calculating the resistance 

of the heater and the output power, 

which means better problem recognition 

and correction on the plant floor. 

D-M-E, Stand 1F08 

Subscribe to the K Advisor at 

www.modplas.com. It’s free, 

and it’s easy. 


Auxiliary equipment 

New hoses for loading/unloading 

silo vehicles 

Norres Schlauchtechnik (Hose Technology), 

a processor of industrial hoses and 

hose systems, in a cooperative venture 

with RS Roman Seliger, has developed an 

alternative to the classic rubber hoses for 

loading and unloading wide range of 

free-flowing solids from silo vehicles. 

This special safety clamp system for 

loading and unloading silo vehicles fits 

spiral wire-reinforced polyurethane 

hoses. Polyurethane is more resistant to 

abrasion than rubber, which means the 

hoses are more durable. 

In addition, polyurethane hoses weigh 

only a fraction of their conventional rubber 

counterparts and at the same time are 

more flexible. Norres, Stand 7A23 

See us at K 2007, Hall 02 & 08b, Stand B02 & A11-8 

CLICK MPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com CLICK MPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com 


Quick tooling changes benefit from 

this rack 

The design of a storage rack for End-of- 

Arm Tooling, the EOAT Rack, was driven 

by injection molders requesting a device to 

easily store tooling, says this exhibitor. 

Having the racks in close proximity to the 

injection molding press allows for quick 

tool changes. The unit measures 2 by 2m 

and is equipped with casters for mobility. 

GHV wall mounts in three sizes attach to 

the J-40/40 profile. Depending on tool 

size, the rack can store a large number of 

tools. SAS Automation, Stand 10F19 

Press-side water chilling 

Taking aim at central chilling, the Microgel 

compact water-cooled integrated 

chiller/temperature control units (TCU) 

will be featured at the K. Using a patented 

process, the machine-side Microgel holds 

temperatures within ±2°F, and allows 

modplas.com 

processors to tailor process water temperatures 

for each individual machine, which 

the manufacturer says results in energy 

savings. The Microgel is suited for injection 

molding, blowmolding, thermoforming, 

and other processes where heat regulation 

between 23°F and 195°F is needed. 

Either a RCM single-zone or RCD twozone 

chiller/TCU configuration is avail- 


able. Frigel, Stand 11A60 

TCU series added 

A new series of Tempro mold-temperature 

controllers, the Plus C, will be 

launched at K, with an open version 

offering 90°C (195°F) water and a pressurized 

unit featuring 140°C (250 °F) 

and 160°C (290 °F) water in single- and 

dual-zone units. All units feature leak- 


stop mode, unlimited cooling channel 

purging prior to tool changes, and permanent 

return-temperature monitoring 

to assess process water returning to the 

unit from the mold. This TCU line is 

rounded out with the Tempro Primus 

and Basic models, with the manufacturer 

also supplying Tempro Direct 120 

machines with direct cooling, and a Tempro 

Plus 250 oil unit for high-heat applications. 

Wittmann, Stand 10A04 

Thermoforming 

Takes PP processing to 

next generation 

For the first time at a trade show, thermoforming 

machine manufacturer Illig 

will show a complete line based on the 

new RDM 70 K third-generation thermoformer 

for cup production. 

Transparent polypropylene cups sized 

200 cm 3 will be formed on a 24-up forming/punching 

tool at 40 cycles/min. The 

configuration includes the new PH 54 

stacking device and also a device for 

scrap reduction. 

This third generation of Illig thermoforming 

machinery for polypropylene 

processing features some new benefits 

Illig’s RDM 70 K. 

such as reduced conversion times for 

tools and format parts, easier operation 

and higher availability. According to 

Illig, there also have been significant 

increases in cycle speed. 

Heating rolls located in a closed cabinet 

heat PP sheet uniformly to a temperature 

of about 120ºC. The material positioned 

on the heating rolls can expand 

freely, so that sagging is reduced when 

the material is heated up to forming temperature 

in the machine. 

The firm now also equips its machines 

with a newly developed operator interface 

with TFT touch screen color display that 

provides selective 

operator guidance 

through the individual 

optimization phases. 

This means the 

parameters relevant 

for performance are 

determined automatically 

by the control, 

subject to forming 

program, and provided 

to the operator in a 

selective way for optimization 

of the 

process. Consequences 

of the measures 

taken are displayed 

on the screen. 

The newly developed 

automatic start 

for these is of interest 

especially for operators 

of inline systems. 

Forming only starts 


Kiefel’s KTR6 shown with the KIST stacking 

system. 

when all tool parts have been heated up to 

the required temperature so that, with the 

first punching and stacking stroke, good 

parts are produced and stacked. 

The manufacturer also intends to highlight 

its new RDK 90 automatic forming/punching 

machine, essentially a larger 

version of the RDK 70. It is designed especially 

for high-volume processing and can 

reach more than 55 cycles/min. Illig, Stand 

3A52 

Thermorunner runs through sheet 

For high-volume thermoforming, this 

manufacturer offers its Thermorunner 

KTR 6, a high-speed cup forming unit. 

This is the firm’s top-line machine from 

its Thermorunner range, which includes 

the KTR 3, KTR 4 and KTR 5 models. 

The KTR 6 offers a forming area of up to 

750 x 450 mm. During the K show, the 

line will process PP with a 50-up cupforming 

tool. The KTR 6 is designed 

modularly so that processors can add to 

it as requirements arise. For instance, an 

inline stacking system, KIST 75/54, also 

newly developed by Kiefel, is an option. 

Also during the K, the firm’s established 

KMD range will be on stand, in the form 

of a KMD 78 Speedformer with 760- x 

540-mm forming area, processing PET 

with a tray tool. Kiefel, Stand 3F92 

Automation helps processor 

Automation figures in two new thermo- 



Extreme precision is 

essential. 

Precise accuracy of output is essential for extrusion 

plants, which often have to achieve high differential 

pressures and large throughputs. Thanks to the streamlined 

component geometry of our gear pumps and leakage-free 

screen changers, high levels of precision are 

no longer an issue. The resulting quicker start-up procedures 

allow you to make crucial savings in material costs 

and time. You are always in the black with this increase 

in productivity! It is not surprising that we are the leading 

manufacturer of gear pumps, filtration systems and controls 

for the extrusion industry. Talk to our specialists 

and let them show you how we can reliable provide the 

highest accuracy of output. 

We would be pleased to advise you: 

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Switzerland, Tel. +41 44 278 82 00, www.maag.com, 

welcome@maag.textron.com 

Switzerland 

France 

Germany 

Italy 

Americas 

China 

Singapore 

Welcome to the K-Show stand B05, hall 9! 



forming lines acquired by Dutch processor VDL Wientjes 

Roden (Eindhoven) from Italy’s QS Group (Stand 3F72). The 

processor is investing about €900,000 ($1.21 million) in two 

new vacuum forming machines to be delivered in October and 

November. ‘Fully automatic’ is the name of the game for these 

lines, with each machine complete with fully automatic sheet 

supply, pre-heating station, automatic moving of the pre-heated 

sheet to the forming station and fully-automatic unloading 

and moving of the formed product. 

VDL Wientjes Roden says the machines will enable it to 

work with sheet to 2000 by 1200 by 800 mm (positive) and 

400 (negative) and 3200 by 2000 by 1000 mm (positive) and 

600 (negative). QS Group, Stand 3F72 

Tilting lower mold 

Amut will use K 2007 as the international stage to preview its 

new thermoforming machine model AMP 570-GP series - with 

a tilting lower mold. The line will be shown in operation at the 

K, with inline sheet extrusion, processing 200-ml polypropylene 

(PP) cups at 35 cycles/minute. 

The machine is designed to offer processors greater speed 

and flexibility, notes Amut. Features include servomotors controlling 

the drive for the forming platen; a direct-drive servomotor 

powering the electronically driven plugs; and a patented 

unloading system that the firm claims is especially light, and 

therefore easy on power requirements. New control software 

completes the package. 

Amut also intends to display a new line, called GLE 9000 

HS, for sheet extrusion and thermoforming of processing high 

impact polystyrene (HIPS) cups at a rate of 200,000 cups/hr. 

Amut, Stand 16D43 

Thermoforming, foam extrusion options available 

Sunwell Global Ltd., the subsidiary of U.S. thermoforming 

machine manufacturer TSL, will show an M1100L thermoforming 

system for processing EPS and other low-draw materials 

for trays, plates, bowls and hinge lid boxes. This vacuum 

former can run at 35 cycles/min with a maximum sheet width 

of 1200 mm and maximum forming area of 1100 mm by 1200 

mm. 

Also on display is a horizontal trim press for trimming shallow 

containers made of EPS, HIPS, OPS, PVC, PP or APET. Its 

maximum stroke is 180 mm, with maximum draw of 110 mm. 

Speeds of 150 cycles/min are possible, material and product 

dependant. 

The firm also will display a foam extrusion line for processing 

of EPS, EPP or EPE. Throughput is up to 550 kg/hr. The 

line is 40m by 4m by 5m. Also on stand at TSL is an expanded 

polystyrene steam chest molding system. Sunwell Global 

Ltd., Stand 3C91 


The classic among the best. 

The SynErgy from Netstal has established 

a position at the top of the world market. 

Especially when it comes to complex requirements 

for moulded parts and the injection 

moulding process, the high-performance 

machine makes full use of all its advantages. 

One of the best examples are packaging 

applications. The result is maximum economy 

with a fast return on investment. 

High-performance 

injection moulding 

Netstal-Maschinen AG | 8752 Näfels/Switzerland | Phone: + 41 55 618 61 11 | Fax: + 41 55 618 66 05 | E-mail: marketing@netstal.com 

www.netstal.com 


Blowmolding 

Blowmolding and filling in synch 

At K, stretch blowmolding machine supplier 

SIG Corpoplast will highlight Blowmax 

blowmolding machines that can be 

integrated with fillers from various manufacturers 

for full-stream preform stretching 

and bottle filling. 

The company says integrated systems 

allow processors to save space and eliminate 

preform conveyors that add cost, 

cycle time, and can introduce production 

hiccups. SIG says since the filler communicates 

directly with the Blowmax, if 

irregularities are detected, the control 

uncouples the two systems, empties the 

blowmolding machine, and any preforms 

that have already loaded are run through 

the heating system with these finished bottles 

ejected. 

For carbonated beverage filling, bottles 

that leave the stretch blowmolding 

machine at 75°C need to be cooled to 

roughly 55°C. Conveyors provide time 

for this to happen, but in an integrated 

system rinsers can be used to lower the 

internal temperature and avoid base roll 

out, stress cracking, or bottle bursting. 

Alternatively, cooling could be achieved 

with specially adapted base cooling in 

the bottle-transfer zone. 

Another challenge to overcome is synchronization 

between the Blowmax and 

filler. SIG tackled this with a multifunctional 

star wheel that has an asymmetric 

guide roller with adjustable transport 

arms to take bottles from the blowmolding 

machine to the filler’s transfer wheel 

at the necessary pitch. This avoids hot 

starts by initially leaving the transport 

arms in their resting position at startup. 

SIG will also offer information on its 

Bottles & Shapes design initiative, which 

considers lightweighting, base shape, 

material distribution, and stability to create 

bottles that reportedly offer stable 

transport, low cooling requirements, 

reduced energy consumption for heating 

and compressed air, precise filling, and 

lower manufacturing costs. 

In addition to Corpoplast, SIG’s Plasmax 

barrier coating and Asbofill aseptic 

filling units will be part of its stand. The 

group will feature a preferential heating, 

blowing station for optimized wall-thickness 

distribution in oval bottles. 

A second blowing station will display 

the Speed-Loc quick-change system for 

tooling. Finally, the Plasmax barrier-coating 

system will be explained at its own 

station and an aseptic zone for the 

Asbofill filler will be used to show the system’s 

benefits, including a small footprint. 

SIG Corpoplast GmbH & Co. KG, 

Stand 13A75 

Electric blowmolding, PET EBM 

The new electric generation of the Eblow 

Series will be featured by Bekum, reportedly 

offering energy savings, shorter cycles, 

high precision, and low maintenance. A 

live machine demonstration will feature an 

Eblow 206D creating a 200-ml food package 

in a four-cavity tool via Bekum’s tandem 

blow. In addition, the company will 

have a BM 406 D line blowmolding Eastman 

polyethylene terephthalate into 2-liter 

bottles with an integrated handle. That 

machine will run up to 1300 bottles/hr, in a 

2-by-2-fold production tool. Bekum 

Maschinenfabriken GmbH, Stand 14C04 

Small-bottle blowmolding, structural 

foam 

The Lumina Series Small Bottle (SB) highspeed 

rotary blowmolding system will 

make its European debut at K. Targeting 

applications with minimum throughputs 

of 250,000 bottles/day or 75 million/yr, 

the Lumina SB’s 24-station line has shown 

wheel speeds to 240 bottles/hr, where the 

parisons are blown 100%, and bottles 

and flash don’t stick together. 

The manufacturer will also bring its 

Lumina line of structural foam molding 

machines to Europe for the first time. 

The machines are capable of producing 

parts up to 300 lb in weight and 10 ft in 

length. The Lumina’s nozzle/manifold 

system has been simplified, with a 

streamlined independent sequence-nozzle 

control, and the machines also have larger 

platens and electric extruder drives. 

The Versa-FillT sequential injection system 

allows precise molding of completely 

different parts in the same cycle. The 

two-stage extrusion/injection design also 

allows coinjection. Wilmington Machin- 


ery, Stand 5G19-13 

For blowmolding, new polyamide 

to consider 

The number of materials available to 

blowmolders is growing each year. At 

this year’s edition of the K show, a number 

of suppliers will note the addition of 

blowmolding grades to their established 

injection molding materials’ portfolios. 

For instance, Rhodia now offers 

Technyl XT, what it describes as a new 

family of polyamide 6 for extrusion and 

blowmolding. According to the supplier, 

the material can be processed at temperatures 

about 20ºC below that of standard 

polyamide, allowing processors to 

realize shorter cycles and to save energy. 

Rhodia, Stand 6E24 

Uniloy mum on new 

injection blowmolder 

Due to patents pending approval, Guido 

Re, managing director of Milacron’s 

Uniloy blowmolding machinery business 

unit, was not eager before the K to offer 

too many details on a fully electric injection 

blowmolding machine his business 

unit will display. He did say the machine, 

dubbed UMIB100.EZ, offers a “foolproof” 

mold closing system to ensure better 

parts, as well as faster dry cycle times. 

During the K the machine will run a 

12-cavity mold processing 10-ml HDPE 

vials. It can hold molds for parts ranging 

from 2 ml to 1L in size. Uniloy Milacron, 

Stand 15B05 

Parison modification to correct 

wall-thickness inaccuracies 

The Thickness compensation System 

(TCS) officially will be launched just 

before the K at the SPE’s blowmolding 

conference in the U.S., but at the K Uniloy 

officials will want to tell processors about 

it. TCS lets users modify parison thickness 

in specific angular positions during extrusion. 

This can compensate for the different 

stretching ratio of the top and bottom 

of a parison—something standard axial 

parison control cannot do. 

According to Uniloy, which developed 

and patented TCS itself, early results 

have been achieved with material savings 

up to 10% with mechanical properties of 

packaging maintained, and cycle time 


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composites@teijinaramid.com 

www.teijinaramid.com

eductions exceeding 18%. TCS is available 

on new machines or as a retrofit, 

and different tooling sizes can be used on 

the same TCS unit. Uniloy Milacron, 

Stand 15B05 

Measuring & testing 

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor sun… 

…should affect your parts, if you’ve tested 

them properly before going into fullbore 

production. Atlas Material Testing 

Technology offers a broad range of light 

fastness and weathering testing instruments 

designed to help processors and 

brand owners ensure their parts can take 

the heat. 

Atlas will showcase the Ci4000 

Weather-Ometer, with an enhanced digital 

control system that gives operators 

more flexibility and control of their 

accelerated weathering testing. The 


Ci4000 meets basic plastic testing standards 

like ISO 4892-2, ASTM G151 and 

G155 as well as SAE J1885 and J1960. 

New is a full-color TFT touchscreen display 

with intuitive icons for easier interpretation 

of operating parameters and 

warnings. Memory capacity has been 

increased allowing additional features 

and functions previously managed by 

external controllers. Now with a single 

control system, operators can be more 

efficient analyzing instrument performance, 

monitoring test parameters and 

performing calibration procedures. 

Furthermore the Xenotest Beta+ light 

exposure and weathering testing instrument 

will be presented. It simulates and 

accelerates the natural weathering 

process to provide reliable results concerning 

the long-term behavior of materials. 

With its easy-to-use touchscreen 

display, reliable sensor technology, and 

multifunctional instrument features, the 

“We are trusted global partners driven 

by our passion to create value with 

innovative and customized thermoplastic 

solutions.” www.multibase.com 


Beta+ is a universal weathering testing 

instrument that performs light- and 

weather fastness tests in accordance with 

basic plastic testing standards like ISO 

4892-2 and RAL-GZ 716/1. 

Also presented at the show will be the 

Suntest XXL+ flatbed xenon exposure 

system to test the long-term effects that 

light, heat, and moisture will have on 

products in their end-use environment. 

The large specimen tray is ideal for highvolume 

testing, testing of components 

and three-dimensional parts. The XXL+ 

features specimen spray to test the longterm 

effect moisture will have on materials. 

Atlas, Stand 10C23 

Testing solutions aplenty from Gabo 

Gabo Qualimeter (Stand 10D20) has chosen 

K 2007 to unveil its Gabotack apparatus 

for the determination of the tackiness 

of a variety of materials including 

plastics and elastomers. The Gabotack 

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+91-260-2220627 (Daman) 

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Düsseldorf 

october 24-31, 

Hall8b - StandE41 



CLICKMPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com

allows a reliable and reproducible ascertainment 

of the required tackiness or 

adhesion energy that is necessary to separate 

two combined components/samples. 

Also from Gabo Qualimeter is the 

Eplexor product range for dynamic 

mechanic thermal analysis (DMA, 

DMTA, DMTS) with loads from 25 N up 

to 4,000 N. Measurements can be carried 

out conforming to various standards 

(DIN 53513, ISO 6721/1, ISO 6721/4, 

ISO 6721/5, ISO 6721/6, ISO 4664, 

ASTM D 4065, ASTM D 4473). Tests in 

bending, compression, shear and tension 

mode are practicable over a temperature 

range from –150°C up to 500°C. 

Furthermore, the Hygrometer enables 

simulation of environmental influences 

when in conjunction with Gabo dynamic 

testing machines. Moisture variations in 

the range of 5% rH to 95% rH are realizable 

over a temperature range of 

0–100°C. Constant humidity levels at 

constant temperatures as well as humidity 

ramps in combination with constant temperatures 

are practicable. With emphasis 

on prolonged measuring times, it is possi- 



ble to maintain testing profiles for 24 

hours or longer. Investigations under the 

influence of salted environmental conditions 

(sea climates) are also possible. 

Gabo Qualimeter has 

also answered to industry 

needs for automation with 

the Automatic Sample Supply 

System (ASSS) for its 

Eplexor product range, 

enabling fully automatic 

operation 24 hours a day at 

low cost. Magazines with 

10 to 150 compartments are 

available. 

Eplexor with ASSS option 

enables fully automated 

dynamic mechanic thermal 

analysis. 


RP/RM 

Laser sintered e-manufacturing 

on show 

EOS, a manufacturer of laser-sintering 

systems, will manufacture parts on a 

Formiga P100 and construct tooling 

inserts on an Eosint M270. The exhibit 

will also include new examples of e-manufacturing 

applications in the automotive 

and aerospace industries. EOS will be 

joined by three co-exhibitors – Materialise 

(Belgium), FIT (Germany) and LBC 

GmbH (Germany). 

The EOS exhibit will highlight direct 

manufacturing of small, complex plastic 

parts with the Eosint P process. The toolless 

and flexible laser-sintering process 

constructs components in polyamide and 

polystyrene. The company will also present 

new materials including a high- 

 

 

modplas.com 

impact-strength material, a flexible material, 

and two new colors. 

For high-volume applications, the 

company will show its Direct Metal 

Laser Sintering (DMLS) process. On the 

show floor, an Eosint M 270 will produce 

tooling inserts from EOS Maraging- 

Steel MS1. Co-exhibitor and DMLS user, 

FIT, will be on hand to share its experience 

with DMLS. Charly Fruth, FIT’s 

managing director said, “We have 

already manufactured more than 2000 

tools with DMLS technology. For us, the 

advantages are mainly the short lead 

times, and as a consequence, the ability 

to react fast and flexibly do product 

Visit MPW at the K: 

We’re just inside the 

North Entrance 

 

 

 

 


changes.” EOS, Stand 2E23 

Ancillary equipment 

There’s no stopping this 

downstream unit 

Automatic inline change of pipe diameter 

without stopping production or without 

the operator’s intervention is possible with 

the FullAuto non-stop pipe size changes. 

Synchronization between the extruder and 

haul-off allows control over the extrusion 

speed and the caterpillars’ position. For the 

FullAuto process, these parameters are crucial 

during the pipe diameter and/or thickness 

change. During this dimensional transition 

stage, the haul-off receives parameter 

variations based on the chosen pipe diameter. 

Due to upper tilting caterpillars and 

electric position transducers, the FullAuto 

haul-off automatically senses the in-process 

pipe diameter change and it repositions its 

lower caterpillars to keep the same extru- 


sion axis. SICA, Stand 16A22 

Inspection system keeps watchful 

eye on plastics 

The SmartView web inspection system 

for film, sheet, coatings, and laminates 

uses CCD cameras, image processing 

electronics, software and special lighting 

components to check for defects or 

insects that could harm production. It 

can help processors meet higher yields 

and increase efficiency under high-pressure 

conditions. Units generate inspection 

reports and allow accurate grading 

of processed materials. Cognex, Stand 

Molding Accessories 

New, fully-priced 2007/08 Edition Catalog 

includes the complete IMS line of 

molding supplies, equipment, and services, 

and features over 50 new/improved 

products. 

(800) 537-5375; 

www.imscompany.com 

IMS Company 

Chagrin Falls, OH 


Sterling-Hempstead Shredder 

Systems will automate your reclaim 

efforts by combining, high throughput, 

twin shaft shredders with Sterling System’s 

widely recognized material handling 

capabilities. Our size reduction 

systems will reduce whole parts to 

granulate at rates up to 10,000 lbs. 

per hour while removing contaminates. 

Sterling-Hempstead operates an extensive 

4,000 square-foot R&D and test facility 

where production scale testing can 

be done. Sterling Hempstead Shredder 

Systems 

135 Vista Centre Dr. 

Forest, VA 24551 

434-316-5310 – (fax) 434-316-5910 

jtaylor@sterlingblower.com 

www.hempstead.sterlingblower.com 


The World of Plastics 

Information is at the Click 

of a Button! 

• Current Issues • Editorial Archive 

• Calendar of International Events 

WE MEAN 

BUSINESS…GLOBALLY 


SmartView plastics inspection system checks 

expensive acrylic sheet for quality defects. 

12F05 

Watching for defects takes modern 

technology 

A number of innovations are being presented 

by this exhibitor in web inspection 

technology at its booth during the 

fair. The FSP600 system is for fast web 

inspection, up to 100 m/min., during 

rewinding. Defects are detected and classified 

so processors can either cut out the 

offending section or warn their customers 

to skip that because of some 

extrusion defect. The producer claims 

that because of the pixel frequency of 

160 MHz, it is the fastest such system in 

the world. Fair visitors interested in seeing 

the system in operation on a 2600 

mm wide 9-layer blown-film line can 

partake of a live demonstration at an in- 

Struktol Company of America 

General Additives Brochure & CD-ROM 

Struktol Company of America, a global 

leader in specialty plastic processing additives, 

introduced an eight-page brochure 

and CD-ROM on its plastic additives product 

line. The brochure outlines case studies 

where Struktol additives have improved 

physical properties, enhanced processing 

performance and reduced costs. The 

brochure also contains a General Recommendations 

chart, Technical Solutions and 

Product Quality sections. 

www.4struktol.com. 

See us at K 2007, Hall 14 Stand C34 


Modern Plastics & 

Modern Plastics International 

ON THE WEB 

http://www.modplas.com 


EXTRUDER-SERIES „ES-SUPER-EDITION“ FROM WEBER 

ES 60-SE 

Profile-/Pipe extrusion 

Low Cost – High Quality 

„ES-Super-Edition“ – A single screw extruder for the economical production of thermoplastic 

profile and pipe, specifically for the technical plastic market. 

This series of extruders, in combination with the various options available provide coordinated 

production without the need for unnecessary special equipment or an „over engineered“ design, 

thus achieving an optimal cost-performance ratio. Due to a consistent production programme, 

they are available on short notice delivery. Absolutely no compromise has been made 

in regard to the typical WEBER qualities of: Robustness, reliability, user-friendly operation 

and service and support; thus resulting in the highest quality of production in profile and pipe. 

Control and operation are achieved by the use of an industry standard touch-screen panel. 

Each machine is driven by a brushless maintenance-free, synchronous, three-phase AC geared 

motor. 

Hall 16, Stand F06

Profile-/Pipe extrusion 

ES 20-SE 

ES 30-SE 

ES 45-SE 

WEBER Super Edition Single-Screw-Extruder 

ES 20-SE, ES 30-SE, ES 45-SE, ES 60-SE 

Deployment within all applications throughout the range of thermoplastics, 

in particular technical products. 

Equipped with 4 off tool temperature zones (ES 20-SE) and 8 off (ES 30-SE, ES 45SE) 

Modern brushless three-phase AC motor with direct gearbox coupling for 

maintenance free drive 

High specification processor with touch screen control panel 

Optional melt pressure and temperature measurement 

Available at short noticee 

ES 20-SE ES 30-SE ES 45-SE ES 60-SE 

Ø (mm) 20 30 45 60 

L : D 20 25 25 25 

n ( -1 /min) 230 165 160 100 

Q (kg/h) PVC 6 25 60 80 

Q (kg/h) PE 5 15 40 60 

Hans Weber 

Maschinenfabrik GmbH 

Bamberger Straße 19 – 21 

D-96317 Kronach 

Postfach 18 62 

D-96308 Kronach 

Phone +49(0) 92 61 4 09-0 

Fax +49(0) 92 61 4 09-1 99 

email: info@hansweber.de 

Internet: www.hansweber.de

Mobile inspection C-frame for the FSP600 

web inspection system is easy to use. 

house fair running parallel to K 2007 at 

processing equipment maker Windmöller 

& Hölscher (Stand 17A59) in Lengerich, 

Germany. Also shown is a mobile inspection 

C-frame which processors can rent 

and test the FSP600 web inspection sys- 

modplas.com 

tem or use it as a mobile troubleshooter 

unit. The company’s PS200C high-speed 

pellet scanning system detects and analyzes 

contamination, discoloration, and 

foreign particles on transparent or 

opaque pellets via a color matrix camera. 

Throughput is up to 350 kg/hr including 

sorting. Other items shown by this company 

will be the OP5 rheometer and its 

lab cast- and blown-film lines including 

gel count, IR spectroscopy, haze, gloss, 

and viscosity measurement. Optical Control 

Systems (OCS), Stand 10E21 

Equipment promises 

to be a cut above 

This exhibitor has a wide variety of 

offerings at its stand including the RS 

Multicut that promises clean, accurate 

cutting of extruded materials. This cutting 

unit can handle extruded hoses, 

pipes, profiles, and strips made of plastics, 

rubber, laminates, and other materi- 

You Asked! 

For better training 

on how to purge. 

We Answered! 

With a step-by-step 

training program. 

als. Also on display is the RSC powder 

coating machine for a dust-free, even 

powdering of extruded cables, sheets, 

and rubber products. The unit can powder 

coat with talc, zinc stearate, or other 

powders. Rolf Schlicht, Stand 3A35 

Corona treatment system adds value 

to plastics 

The ITW surface treatment features large 

diameter, ceramic circular discharge electrodes 

for corona discharge across the 

entire web. This is said to optimize the 

cooling of the electrodes and enhances 

both overall operating efficiency and 

long-term reliability. This technology 

helps improve the air flow beneath the 

treatment head and over the discharge 

face of each electrode. This has the effect 

of increasing cooling and it makes it possible 

to run each electrode at a higher 

power output, enhancing treatment levels, 

and extending electrode service life. 

Request Your Free DVD Today! 

K-2007 Hall 8, Booth #8BE46 

Toll-Free 866-607-8743 • www.DynaPurge.com 



The system is said to eliminate the potential 

problem of bowing along the length 

of each electrode that can sometimes be 

found on competitive treaters. Pillar 

Technologies, Stand 10H45 

Electrode changeover and gap adjustment of 

this corona discharge treater can be carried 

out in only 15 min. 

Winding/slitting 

Half the battle of good film 

is in the winder 

The latest version of this exhibitor’s winding 

technology, the Filmatic TX dual turret 

winder is actually an evolution of the company’s 

original T turret winder. Like the 

Filmatic T, the TX features center, gap, and 

reverse winding capabilities, as well as 

adhesive-free web transfer. However, the 

TX model features extra-large roll diameter, 

1000 mm (40 inch) or 1200 mm (47 

inch) whereas the T unit is capable of 800 

mm (31.5 inch). Another distinction of the 

TX compared to its forerunner is the 

winder’s floor configuration. It is available 

in face-to-face or back-to-back configurations 

that place two winders alongside one 

another. The Filmatic T is available in a 

stacked format with one winder placed on 

top of the other. With the Filmatic TX 

The more one clicks... 

...the more one knows. 

More international 

stories, more industry 

supplier listings, more 

global events. 

Expertise is just 

a click away. 


winder it is still possible to deliver reels by 

hoist if the roll diameter is 1000 mm. For 

larger roles, a delivery arm is needed for 

removal. Both winders are equipped with 

a 17-inch MS-Windows-based touchscreen 

similar to the main operator panel. 

Windmöller & Hölscher, Stand 17A59 

Unit turns a web into a film roll 

Winding and unwinding a wide range of 

plastics materials in thickness ranges 

from 6-4000 μm and widths up to 6m is 

a demanding job that this winder promises 

to master. Perfect roll quality of even 

sensitive materials and use of film to the 

very last meter are requirements that 

today’s processors make on their vendors. 

This unit achieves flap-free splicing 

during roll changes. It also features either 

the Perfect Cut system or spiral cut when 

splicing webs. The unit promises ideal 

slitting, good web feed, the right web 

tension control, and even separation 

A world of 

information from 



etween the material web in order to 

produce good roll quality of all individual 

reels. Wintech, Stand 17C42 

Good web handling enhances 

end product 

This exhibitor’s Contractor Roll Winder is 

designed to produce finished rolls in-line 

that the processor can also decide to be 

used off-line from jumbo rolls. With it, the 

film processor can generate finished rolls 

on contractor size cores ranging from 1.0- 

6.0 inches and widths from 54-120 inch. 

The winder features a high degree of 

automation to reduce manual labor and 

increase productivity. Known as a single 

drum automatic winder, CR series, it is 

designed to produce 50-150 linear foot 

finished rolls of processed film, nonwoven 

material, and laminated webs for a 

variety of end products. It automatically 

loads new cores, starts a new roll, glues 

the tail, and ejects a finished roll with a 

modplas.com 

cycle time of less than 30 seconds. Parkinson 

Technologies, Stand 3E57 

Sharp idea cuts variety of web 

The FS range of film slitting machines 

offers the advantage to the processor of 

not having to unwind the web to slit the 

film. These heavy duty machines are 

designed to slit rolls of protective films, 

various grades of polyethylene, both coated 

and uncoated plastics films, silicone 

paper, and similar materials. Cutting rate 

and rotation speed of the material to be 

cut and the blade are set and controlled 

automatically via a PLC. The FS range is 

available for cutting diameters ranging 

from 400-700 mm and widths of 1600- 

2900 mm. ALS, Stand 3F29 

Plant, operator safety key 

with this device 

All combustible substances finely distributed 

in the air as a dust cloud are poten- 


tial danger for both operators and processing 

plants. Such dust clouds are capable 

of reacting explosively with an ignition 

source. 

With the continuing trend to supply 

polymers and additives in medium-sized 

packing units, systems for Big Bag discharge 

are becoming increasingly popular. 

This exhibitor offers a double-ring 

locking element, which involves fitting 

the outlet spigot of the Big Bag over a 

pipe, producing a dust-tight connection 

with a clamping lid. Only then will the 

Big Bag be opened by untying the cord at 

the outlet. Normally by empting such 

containers in this manner, dust will not 

escape. AZO, Stand 9C42 

MPW’s K Show Daily 

It’s what you read when you’re 

in Düsseldorf. 


Material handling 

Central material-handling system 

mock up 

A integrated, central material handling 

system with new M7.2-control will be 

highlighted by this firm, with the cell featuring 

the Drymax battery dryer and Silmax 

intelligent drying hopper. In addition, 

a coupling station with electrically 

coded manifolds and a series of Feedmax 

vacuum loaders will be part of the complete 

system. The new Drymax E Series 

dryers have 80 m 3/hr of dry-air supply, 

high-performance control, and two independent 

desiccant beds designed for high 

ambient humidity. SmartRegen allows 

for efficient regeneration of desiccant, 

and the units allow single-hopper operation 

that comes with our without integrated 

material conveying. There can 

also be dual-hopper operation with 

Smartflow air distribution. 

Advanced 

A completely redesigned Portable 

Drying Conveyor (PDC) will also be 

shown, featuring dry-air generation and 

integrated material handling via a threephase 

blower. The unit uses a just-in-time 

loader that conveys dry resin with dry air 

in vacuum mode. Lines are automatically 

purged after a conveying cycle to keep 

material moisture free. 

The Drymax E180 battery dryers use 

the least energy and have dew points 

down to -60°C (-75°F). The system 

comes with optional return-air cooler, 

process filter, and dew-point sensor. Also 

on hand, the Drymax ES40 dryer, which 

has 40 m 3/hr dry-air supply and a twosilo 

dryer. Wittmann, Stand 10A04 

Piovan looks back, forward 

Celebrating 40 years of a business which 

has grown to 14 branches and three production 

sites in Italy, Brazil, and China, 

auxiliaries supplier Piovan will highlight 

Extrusion Systems 

Macro Engineering & Technology Inc. is a global supplier of advanced 

multilayer blown film and cast film lines from 1 to 9 layers, extrusion 

coating/laminating lines, sheet lines, and web handling equipment. 

Since 1979, Macro has supplied machinery and technology 

accompanied by the know-how to process a wide range of materials 

such as PA, PP, EVOH, PVdC, PVC, PS, PVB, and PLA. With a 

strong commitment to R&D and a dedicated staff of over 100 highly 

skilled technicians, engineers and designers, Macro provides the 

latest technologies and packaging solutions with the highest level of 

quality and service. 

CXL 

7-LAYER CAST 

FILM LINE 

Visit us at K 

Hall 16, 

Booth C70 



history and new products at its K stand. 

In addition to a remote Ethernet-enabled 

connection to a Piovan machinery installation 

off site, the stand will feature five 

display areas, including R&D, material 

handling, chillers, mold temperature control, 

and full systems for material and 

part handling. Piovan, Stand 9C59 

Size reduction 

Bulky containers are no problem 

The WLK12 single-shaft shredder is able 

to handle size reduction of bulky parts, 

drums, barrels, tanks, and totes with thin 

gauge wall thickness with ease. The compact 

design includes a press-down device 

that enables the customer to shred even 

the largest sized totes without a need to 

pre-cut. It has a doghouse design hopper 

that is open over top of the rotor. Whole 

pieces are directly loaded into the front of 

the machine. After the container is loaded 

BXL 

5-LAYER BLOWN 

FILM LINE 

R 

MACRO 

MACRO ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY INC. 

R 

199 Traders Boulevard East 

Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L4Z 2E5 

Tel.: +1(905)507-9000 / Fax.: +1(905)507-3000 

sales@macroeng.com / www.macroeng.com 


into the cutting chamber the integrated 

press-down device ensures that the part is 

situated in the bottom of the shredder. 

The horizontal ram pushes the material 

into the rotor parallel to the down stroke 

of the press-down device. Both pressing 

actions are controlled electronically that 

‘read’ the amp-load on the main motor 

and optimize the pressure applied to the 

cutting rotor. This is said to improve constant 

contact with the rotor. Weima 

Maschinenbau, Stand 9A59 

From compact to Sumo 

The Sumo series of screenless granulators 

will introduce several advances at K, as 

will the MAS and MC series of conventional 

granulators. The MAS compact 

granulators will be completely new, and 

the low-speed screenless Sumo range will 

be shown in all sizes, from the Sumo 

Minor 1 with one breaker knife and two 

sections of trapezoidal-shaped roller cut- 

Artwork: MoltiMedia.it - Photo: Virgilio Fidanza 

modplas.com 

ters on the rotor up to the Sumo Junior 

Double 8, with eight breaker knives and 

10 cutting rollers. The low rotor speed of 

27 rpm is said to reduce noise and particle 

fines. Wittmann, Stand 10A04 

Energy-efficient pulverizing 

Focused on the pulverizing of heat-sensitive 

thermoplastics into powders suitable 

for masterbatching and rotomolding, 

this manufacturer supplies two highcapacity 

systems: the PKM and PM. The 

system’s PolyGrinder reportedly creates 

powders noted for flowability, with 

updated mill housings making the system 

easier to clean for color and material 

changes. The system earned the EcoAdvanced 

label for energy efficiency, and it 

features individually exchangeable grinding 

elements and an accessible exterior 

grinding gap setting to adjust the system 

to produce the desired particle size. The 

grinding disc diameters go up to 800 mm 

Some read the future. 

RadiciGroup writes it. 


with throughput capacities to 1500 

kg/hr. Pallman, Stand 9A22 

Reducing processed waste helps 

save processors money 

The new 150-42 TR granulator in the thermoforming 

version for sheets up to 1450 

mm includes an antiwear grinding chamber, 

opening without special tools, and 

traction rollers. The sheet intake capability 

is offered where web pieces need not be 

manually separated. Soundproofing has 

What do the automotive, electronics 

and industrial sectors have in common? 

Polyamide and polyester engineering 

plastics from RadiciGroup. 

Our manufacturing units in Europe, Asia, North 

America and South America offer products 

with ever improving mechanical and thermal 

performance, thanks to our continuous research 

and development.We are inventing 

the future for your industry today. 

PA6, PA66 and copolymers 

PBT and PET 

PA6, PA66 and PBT fl ame retardants 

TPE 

POM 

Hall 6 - Stand B10 

www.radicigroup.com/plastics 


een improved in order to reduce shopfloor 

noise levels. For injection molding applications, 

the new Mini and Maxi granulators 

work inline to grind runners. These lowprice 

units include disposable knives, low 

energy consumption, and an antiwear 

grinding chamber. Another highlight will 

be the recycling 70-60 machine with forged 

steel rotor designed for grinding post-consumer 

scrap. Tria, Stand 9E05 

Grinder 150-42TR to reduce thermoforming 

sheets handles sizes up to 1450 mm. 

Screws, barrels, 

& components 

Innovative mixing non-return nozzle 

as highlight 

From plasticizing screws and barrels in 

standard and special versions, through 

mixing nozzles, up to mixing non-return 

valves: Groche Technik GmbH presents 

its range of plasticizing technology for 

the first time at a K show this year. 

Special features in nozzles can include 

spring closures or hydraulically and 

pneumatically operated nozzles. The 

company is also presenting wear resistant, 

tempered metal screws and screws 

with PVD (plasma vapor deposition), 

titanium nitrite or chromium nitrite 

(CrN) anti-stick coatings. 

The highlight of the firm’s K show presentation 

is a non-return nozzle with a mixing 

section that has been newly designed to 


include a spiral shear mixing section integrated 

in the reverse flow unit and applied 

in front of the screw. According to Armin 

Groche, the firm’s president, “The advantage 

of this design is that not only is the 

mixing guaranteed, but also complete melting 

of the granulate particles, without 

exception. The granulate flows under the 

blocking ring into a channel that is closed. 

Only granulate particles that have been 

really melted can flow into the next stage 

that allows the melt into the nozzle area”. 

Color changes also are swifter, he says, and 

sees potential for these in high-speed injection 

molding applications or ones requiring 

frequent color changes. 

Not only is the firm keen to present its 

technology to potential buyers, but it also 

is eager to meet potential representatives 

from Greece and other European countries. 

Groche also wants to develop contacts 

in the Americas and in Asia. Groche 

Technik, Stand 12F35 

HIGH TECH PLASTIC RECYCLING 

New technologies for our customers 

When we talk about plastic recycling, it´s primarily a matter of know-how 

and experience. Only top state-of-the-art technology can satisfy highest requirements 

in quality, reliability and flexibility. 

Our machines guarantee this. 

EREMA-Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen Ges.m.b.H. 

Freindorf · Unterfeldstraße 3 · P.O.B. 38 · A-4052 Ansfelden/Linz 

Austria · Phone (43)732/3190-0 · Fax (43)732/3190-23 

erema@erema.at · www.erema.at 


EREMA NORTH AMERICA INC. · 23 Old Right Road - Unit#2 

Ipswich, MA 01938 / USA · Phone (1)978-356-3771 

Fax (1)978-356-9003 · erema@erema.net · www.erema.net 


Where do you want to grow? 

Excellent Sites for polymer production 

and polymer processing in the Ruhr region/Germany 

ChemSite offers the basis for your success: 

❚ Seven sites for production and R&D with a total of 240 ha available industrial property 

❚ Access to a huge European consumer market for polymer products 

❚ Comprehensive materials flow system for polymer production and processing 

❚ State of the art infrastructure and tailor-made services 

❚ Outsourcing opportunities – you can focus on your core competencies 

❚ Rapid and cost-efficient execution of investment projects 

❚ Synergy opportunities along the value chain (more than 2000 companies of the 

plastics processing industry and more than 4.000 potential customers of the 

logistic, automotive, packaging and construction industry are in close vicinity) 

❚ Scientific and innovative environment due to the close ties to universities and 

technology centers 

❚ Cooperation possibilities and networking 

❚ Highly trained and motivated employees 

Chemical parks and sites offered by ChemSite: 

❚ Marl Chemical Park 

❚ BP in Gelsenkirchen-Scholven and –Horst 

❚ RÜTGERS Chemicals in Castrop-Rauxel 

❚ Deutsche Gasrusswerke in Dortmund 

❚ Industriepark Dorsten/Marl 

❚ Marl Technology and Chemistry centre (TechnoMarl) 

We cordially welcome you! 

Dr. Jörg Marth: 

Investors support 

Telefon: +49-2365-495081 

joerg.marth@chemsite.de 

www.chemsite.de 


www.chemsite.de 

Meet us ! 

K 2007 Düsseldorf, 

October 24–31 2007 

Hall 6, Stand E70

Groche will display its line of plasticizing 

products, including a new non-return nozzle. 

Non-return nozzle and screw coatings 

Groche Technik plans to display its entire 

line of screws, barrels, and non-return 

nozzles, with technologies including 

spring closure, hydraulic, and pneumatic 

nozzles, as well as a new nonreturn nozzle 

with integrated mixing section. On 

the screw and barrel side, the company 

will display wear-resistant tempered 

screws treated with plasma vapor deposition 

of titanium nitrite and chromium 

nitrite antistick coatings. The screws vary 

in diameter from 12 to 150 mm, with 

lengths to 4200 mm. 

The new mixing non-return nozzle 

features a spiral shear mixing section 

integrated in the reverse flow unit and 

placed at the screw’s front. The manufacturer 

says this guarantees mixing and 

complete melting of the granulate particles, 

since granulate flows under the 

blocking ring into a channel that is 

closed and only melted granulate particles 

can continue to flow into the stage 

that allows melt into the nozzle area. 

In terms of screw coatings, the company 

will display a new flame treatment 

pistol that enables coating speeds of 750 

m/sec, up from 500 m/sec. In addition, 

the company offers cobalt or nickel 

based material containing tungsten carbide 

(up to 90%) that’s used for hardened 

metal coating with application in 

very thin layers, where the maximum 

coating thickness is 25 hundredths of a 

millimeter. The coating is applied in 60 

to 80 layers and provides a hardness of 

up to 68-71 HRC (Rockwell hardness). 

Groche Technik GmbH, Stand 12F35 

Screw-wear problems are no problem 

for these specialists 

This manufacturer of bimetallic barrels 

and wear-protected screws, said to be the 

European market leader, has expanded 

its offering with new equipment targeting 

bigger, more complex units. With the 

recent installation of a new PSM6000 

centrifugal casting line for large-scale 

barrels, the company can offer processors 

barrels that require either no or 

fewer welding construction. The maximum 

casting length is 6000 mm for outer 

diameters (OD) of 600 mm of barrels 

weighing up to 8 tonnes. Previously the 

exhibitor could only offer a casting 

length of 3150 mm with a maximum OD 

of 400 mm for barrels up to 1.5 tonnes. 

The company has relied on its own experience 

to design and build this unit. 

Reiloy Metall, Stand 11F60 

Screen changers 

Breakthrough in polymer evacuation 

technology 

Gneuss will highlight a new evacuation 

technology for polymer melts that effectively 

removes substances from the polymer 

melt during extrusion processes. The 

Multi Rotation System (MRS) can 

extract residual water, monomer and 

oligomers from PC and PA, increase 

molecular weight in a controlled manner 

through polycondensation of PET and 

PBT resins, extract monomers from ABS, 

and reduce fogging in final products such 

as vehicle interior components for made 

from POM and PP. It can also be 

employed for the introduction of chemical 

or physical blowing agents and/or 

other components in gas form for the 

manufacture of foamed products from 

PS, PE, and PP. In the case of PET, predrying 

is no longer required. 

This system represents a significant 

step with regard to vacuum degassing 

according to Gneuss. The special Multi 

Rotation System (MRS) allows an 

increase of the surface in contact with the 

polymer melt by a factor of approximately 

25 compared with conventional 

twin-screw processes. The polymer melt 

is delivered into a large single screw 


Extrusion drum lies at heart of Gneuss’ new 

evacuation technology. 

drum. The drum contains 8 or 10 

(depending on the model size) small 

extruder barrels (see photo above) parallel 

to the main screw axis. Installed in 

these small extruder barrels are “satellite” 

screws, which are driven by a ring 

gear in the main barrel. The satellite 

screws rotate in the opposite direction to 

the main screw whilst they are being 

rotated around the screw axis. 

This increases the surface exchange of 

the polymer melt, which is of significant 

importance when applying a vacuum. The 

extruder barrels, which are cut into the 

drum of the multi-rotation system, are 

approximately 30 % open to ensure the 

optimum melt transfer into the barrels 

and so that the evacuation can take place 

without restrictions. Further, precise control 

of the melt temperature is possible as 

the temperatures of all the surfaces in contact 

with the melt can be controlled accurately. 

Gneuss, Stand 9B37 

Pneumatic screen changer 

An air-assisted screen changer as well as 

an integrated screen changer and meltpump 

module will debut at K, replacing 

man power with pneumatic power. The 



slide plate is indexed by shop air, which 

eliminates hydraulics and electrical controls. 

The units fit extruders from 60 to 

120 mm. the melt pump and continuous 

screen changer benefits extrusion line 

integrated to downstream modules that 

require continuous operation. Xaloy 

Group, 12C34 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WORLD 

NOVELTY 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Automation 

Sepro, Conair join for robotics supply 

After 18 years of business collaboration, 

Sepro Robotique and Conair are forming 

Sepro America, a joint-venture company 

to market robots and automation in North 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



America. Each of the parents will own 

50% of Sepro America, which will be 

based from Conair headquarters in Pittsburgh, 

PA, with Jean Michel Renaudeau, 

managing director of Sepro, becoming 

CEO of the new company. The JV became 

official August 6, formalizing a distribution 

agreement that goes back 20 years. 

At K, a new, larger Sepro robot and 

Axess Twin unit will be introduced. The 

Model 4060 will be the largest beam 

robot platform in the Generation IV. 

Designed for automotive applications 

and the like working with injection 

molding machines up to 3500 tons, the 

4060 can manage payloads up to 80 kg 

(176 lb). The long demolding version has 

a strip stroke on the Y axis up to 1800 

mm (71 inches). The horizontal X axis is 

3500 mm (138 inches), with a vertical 

stroke of 3000 mm (118 inches). 

The Generation IV platform allows 

customization, whether the application 

requires insert loading, textile over molding, 

or stackmolds. The touch-screen 

control has simplified pick-and-place 

programs, as well as more complicated 

setups with up to eight axes of motion, 

including wrist rotations. 

The Axess Twin has two vertical-axis 

arms, making it ideal for three-plated 

molds, with primary arm grips handling 

the part and the secondary arm handling 

the sprue. Three models cover a range of 

molding machine sizes, with the Axess 10 

for presses up to 300 tons, the Axess 20 

for machines to 400 tons, and the Axess 

30 suitable for machines up to 600 tons. 

The brushless servomotors allow simultaneous 

movement in all three axes, and 


multiple vacuum and pressure circuits permit 

a variety of secondary operations, like 

degating and selective part placement. 

Options include a pneumatic secondary 

wrist rotation and an elastic gripper 

mount for Axess Twin sizes 20 and 30. 

The touch-screen control features icons 

for user interface and a 32-bit microprocessor. 

Sepro America, Stand 10D59 

Telescoping vertical axis for robots 

Wittmann will feature four new robotic 

technologies at K, including the 7 Series 

robots with new TeachBox R7.2 control, 

W7x5 horizontal robot, W733 ultrahigh 

speed, and the W723 with telescopic 

axis. The 7 Series TeachBox R7.2 touchscreen 

control comes with a SVGA 

graphics screen offering a 600-by-800pixel 

resolution and a USB port to store 

an unlimited amount of programs on 

external memory sticks. The new generation 

is completely compatible with the 

CNC6.2 and R7 models. 

The W7x5 horizontal robot has 

SCARA kinematics and a stroke of 1200 

mm for use on molding machines from 

200 to 250 tons. The robot is powered 

by three servodrives and designed for 

fastest removal times, applying the speed 

advantages of the rotational horizontal 

axis with a parallel gripper motion to the 

surface of the mold. 

The W733 UHS (ultrahigh speed) 

series has been extended with a new telescopic 

vertical that offers a stroke to 1200 

mm and takes payloads to 5 kg (11 lb). 

Although it varies by stroke length, time 

in and out of the clamp ranges from 0.3 to 

0.5 second thanks to highly dynamic 

servo modules and motors that minimize 

masses and directly transfer forces. 

Finally, the W723 is based on the 

widely applied W721 and offers a telescopic 

axis with a 10-kg (22-lb) payload. 

The robots are good for molding 

machines up to 300 tons. The new telescopic 

axis replaces the vertical single 

axis and makes the unit well suited for 

areas with low overhead. Wittmann 

widely applies Ethernet connectivity to 

its products, and the W711 and W753 

robots will also be shown with RFID 

recognition for end-of-arm-tooling. 

The company also has plans to show 

modplas.com 

off a new in-mold labeling (IML) system 

for a 2+2 stack mold forming round cups 

and lids. The total cycle is 4.7 seconds 

and the automation simultaneously 

removes finished parts while inserting 

labels for the lid and cup. The automation 

is paired with a Demag El-Exis 200 

molding machine running a stack mold 

 

created at Wittmann’s recently acquired 

moldmaking operation in France. 

Wittmann, Stand 10A04 

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at www.modplas.com 

for all the news from the show. 

 

See us at K 2007, Hall 16 & 01 Stand F42 & B23 CLICK MPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com 


Welding 

Infrared welding for clean surfaces 

Contact-free infrared heaters will be used to weld various highdensity 

polyethylene (HDPE) panels into a box at the K. Transmitting 

heat without touching the product, the infrared welding 

protects materials from marring, while reportedly improving 

end-product quality and lowering final costs. The supplier 

says that the infrared welds of HDPE proved stronger than the 

parent material itself and no surface-burning occurred. The system 

uses an array of short-wave emitters fired in a programmed 

sequence tailored specifically to material geometry and color. 

The manufacturer also supplies carbon infrared emitters at a 

spectrum suitable to plastics’ absorption properties. Heraeus, 

Stand 12D24 

Laser welding for medical 

On the welding front, Gentex will demonstrate laser welding of 

plastic fittings to medical tubing using its Clearweld technology. 

Replacing adhesives that can contaminate components and 

degrade over time; solvents that have aesthetic and environmental 

concerns; or ultrasonic welding, which can create par- 



ticulates that are verboten in medical, the laser welding localizes 

heating at the two pieces’ interface for a hermetical seal 

with little thermal or mechanical stress, no particulates, and 

very little flash. 

Gentex provides the specialty coatings and plastics, including 

liquid-dispensing equipment, which allow opaque plastics 

to be laser welded. At the K, Branson Ultrasonics Corp. will 

provide an exclusive laser system to join the Natvar Corp. Sure 

Bond medical tubing. Gentex, Stand 11D23 

Bagging machine proves to be quick change artist 

The four units in the SU94E automatic welding machine series 

has been designed to meet the varied market needs of producers 

of sacks and bags starting from tubular or sheet film. The unit is 

able to handle frequent product changes in a matter of minutes 

for continued, smooth operation. It has a double roll unwind 

with electromagnetic braking of the roll and manual edge guide. 

The electronic welding unit on the line includes a double conveyor 

belt. The unit provides automatic collecting of sacks. 

Options include welding bars with different profiles for heavy 

duty bags, side welding, side reinforced welding, or special profiles. 

Punching blades come in a variety of designs for round 

holes, banana grip handles, triangular, or a so-called European 

punch. Useful welding width ranges from 700-1300 mm on bags 

with a length of 100-1200 mm. Elba SpA, Stand 3E79 

Programmed weld timing on the SU94E series allows production of 

high thickness bags. 

MPW’s got K covered 

Everything you need to know about K, 

however you want it: 

K Show Daily & and K Advisor. 

Go to www.modplas.com to sign up for the free 

K Advisor digital newsletter. 


HM 350/400/500/650 – 

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The extremely compact design ensures modest 

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in the market. With an impressive diagonal distance 

between tie bars – the largest in its clamping force 

class – it also offers ample mold space. 

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... in a space-saving 

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The generously dimensioned linear guides supporting 

the moving platen ensure precise platen parallelism. 

Thanks to external fast-stroke cylinders with differential 

gears, the fully hydraulic two-platen machine 

reaches high opening and closing speeds. The new 

HM is available with clamping forces ranging from 

350 to 650 t. 

Rely on Battenfeld! With the new HM. 

Hall 16 

Booth D22

The daily grind takes on added 

importance 

By Stephen Moore 

The era of high resin prices appears entrenched and hence, more than ever, 

processors have much to gain from effectively recycling runners and rejects. 

R 

eturn on investment calculations 

from Rapid (Bredaryd, Sweden), 

for example, indicate payback 

periods of 202 days for recycling PP 

bumpers (100% annual ROI) and as little 

as 49 days for ABS sprues (500% annual 

ROI). Important to note, however, is that 

these savings are based on generating highquality 

regrind. “A granulator free of 

charge can be a bad investment if it 

adversely affects production,” notes Rapid. 

Rapid’s calculations also indicate that 

investment in the granulator is often not 

the major cost component over the life of 

the machine, taken as 15 years, at least for 

high labor cost environments like Europe. 

Cleaning costs between material changes 

can account for upwards of half of operating 

costs. 

The cost breakdown is different in a 

country like China, where cleaning costs 

might only account for 3% of overall lifetime 

cost versus 46% for machine invest- 

ment but the end 

result is the same 

according to Bengt 

Rimark, head of 

marketing at Rapid. 

“High-quality 

regrind will see a 

payback in 93 days 

in China, even based 

on $1 per hour labor 

costs and $1.50 per 

kg resin.” 

So granulation 

pays, but how do 

you go about selecting 

the best granulator 

for the task or 

Open Hearted concept 

accelerates cleaning time. 


more often than not tasks at hand? Often 

the two major decisions are whether to opt 

for central or beside-the-press granulation in 

injection molding operations and a choice 

between screenless granulators or more conventional 

granulators that use screens. 

Most granulator suppliers these days 

recommend the beside-the-press route for 

runner recovery as it reduces the labor 

requirement of transferring runners to a 

central location, reduces the risk of crosscontamination, 

and if hygroscopic materials 

are being processed, they won’t have to 

be redried if they are fed straight back into 

the process. “These days, with just-in-time 

manufacturing the order of the day and 

injection machines typically running different 

parts and materials, we most often see 

one granulator used for every one or two 

presses,” notes John Farney, national sales 

manager at Cumberland Engineering 

(South Attleboro, MA). 

Taiwan’s Shini Plastics Technologies 

(Taipei) recommends one 

granulator for every two 

Make every pellet count 

Beside-the-press granulation eliminates 

cross-contamination. 

presses when the same materials are being 

molded for sprue and runner recycling to 

save on energy and investment. “Sprue 

pickers will also be required,” notes Norris 

Wu, general manager of Shini’s Corporate 

Product & Marketing Center. 

“Beside-the-press granulators tend to 

have much slower rotor speeds, which 

leads to better quality regrind that is easier 

to process,” adds Michael Petzmann, 

export sales manager for granulators at 

Wittmann (Vienna, Austria). “If heat generation 

is a factor, it is also much easier to 

control with a closed loop beside-the-press 

scrap recovery system.” 

Important to note, however, is whether 

the application allows use of regrind. “If not, 

we might recommend centrally grinding the 

material,” says Conair (Pittsburgh, PA). 

In recycling as well as extrusion, blow 

molding and thermoforming, where large 

purgings and scrap volumes need to be 

reprocessed, two-stage shredding-granulation 

is gaining momentum as an effective 

alternative to single-stage granulation. 

modplas.com


Make every pellet count 

According to Weima America (Fort Mill, 

SC), incorporating a pre-shredder in-line 

with a granulator reduces wear on the 

granulator and makes for a more flexible 

system that can handle a variety of materials, 

shapes, sizes and volumes. If sprues and 

runners are being centrally recycled, the 

two-stage approach still makes sense. 

“Sprues and runners commingled in a gaylord 

box have a tendency to mesh together 

like coat hangers. The shredder can handle 

the entire gaylord box at one time,” says 

Vikki Van Dam, inside sales and marketing 

manager at Weima. 

Screening your selection 

The second issue of selecting the type of 

granulator is often not a cut-and-dried one. 

In general, screenless granulators offer 

good quality regrind when grinding very 

brittle materials such as glass fiber reinforced 

polyamides, generate less noise, can 

withstand abrasive material better, and in 

some cases can handle thick walled rejects 

in addition to runners thanks to high 

torque. According to Tina Dafoe, Sales 

Manager at Size Reduction Specialists (East 

Lansing, MI), low-speed, screenless granulation 

improves the bottom line by providing 

uniform, clean regrind free from longs, 

dust, and powder, with fines also reduced. 

“Over the past two to three years, screenless 

granulators have generally been preferred 

due to the low noise, reduced wear 

in the cutting chamber, and less dust,” 

notes Wittmann’s Petzmann. 

Conventional screen granulators, meanwhile, 

also bring a lot of benefits to the 

shop floor. “They have the flexibility to 

handle more kind of materials; it’s much 

easier to change particle size by just changing 

the screen versus the whole rotor for 

screenless; cleaning and service are quicker 

and easier; and you get better-quality 

regrind in 95% of the cases,” according to 

Rapid’s Rimark, who adds that modern 

screen granulators are also getting quieter 

—less than 70 dBA when beside the press. 

Soft materials such as PP and ABS generally 

granulate better in a screen granulator, 

while thick runners where the interior 

may still be soft are also handled better. 

Screen granulators are also suited for high- 


throughput applications. Screen granulators 

can also be fitted with wear plates and 

specially treated screens and knives to handle 

more challenging materials. 

Shini often recommends water-cooled 

cutting chambers for soft materials such as 

elastomers as well as high-heat plastics. It 

also recently introduced a screen granulator 

configured to handle both thin- and 

thick-wall rejects. “A swivel mechanism 

provides a third set of fixed blades for 

thick-wall rejects that swivel out for thinwall 

rejects,” explains Wu. 

Keeping it clean 

With more and more processors confronted 

with shorter production runs and frequent 

material changeovers, the onus is on granulator 

vendors to make their offerings easy to 

clean. Cumberland’s granulators, for example, 

feature hydraulic and electrical assistance 

for quick opening and increased 

accessibility for cleaning. “No tools are 

required to open the machinery, but it still 

complies with all safety regulations,” says 

Farney. Wittmann employs electronic screw 

jacks and gas cylinders for easy access to its 

granulators. Rapid’s “Open Hearted”designed 

granulators, meanwhile, enable 

the operator to get instant and total access 

to the heart of the machine, thereby reducing 

cleaning time by up to 50% compared 

to its previous offerings. 

Cumberland’s granulator design also 

features sidewalls that rotate together 

with the knives. “This means there are no 

stationary surfaces prone to wear and 

we’ve also removed resin smearing 

points,” says Farney. 

Maintaining performance 

Auxiliary equipment in general does not 

enjoy the same attention to maintenance as 

primary machinery. “Typically, the view is 

‘It’s just a granulator and it will run forever,’” 

says Cumberland’s Farney, but this is 

not the case. Regular knife sharpening, gap 

maintenance, and lubrication are paramount 

to successful granulation. 

Conair notes that the ease with which 

its granulator can be opened up and 

accessed ensures processors will check the 

quality of knives and screens more often 

and maintain as required. Conair manuals 

provide a recommended preventive maintenance 

program for every unit. 

To help encourage knife change-outs, 

Wittmann provides a knife gap pre-adjustment 

fixture as standard with screen granulators. 

“A pre-gapped set of knives can be 

changed in 20-30 minutes—a fraction of 

the time it takes to change knives on older 

models,” says Bob Harrison, granulator 

product sales manager at Wittmann Inc. 

(Torrington, CT). Screens should also be 

reversed during knife changes to maximize 

their life as they tend to wear more on the 

downstroke side of the screen, while belts 

should be maintained at the right tension to 

prevent slipping and rotor stalling. MPW 

modplas.com

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THE GREENING OF AN INDUSTRY 

Suppliers pouring into ‘Green’ plastics 

Using ethane derived 

from 100% renewable 

resources, Brazilian 

petrochemical firm 

Braskem has 

announced the creation 

of a biobased high- 

density polyethylene 

(HDPE), applying 

sugar-cane ethanol as 

a feedstock. Braskem 

is just one of many 

suppliers to have 

recently announced 

Green projects. 


& Matt Defosse 

Left: BASF is developing 

Ecovio L Foam, a foamable, 

biodegradable 

plastic based on renewable 

raw materials. 

Right: Spartech’s 

Rejuven8 sheet already 

has seen commercial 

use in gift cards. 

Targeting commercial production by 2009, 

Braskem reports investing $5 million on the 

project, including the creation of a pilot unit at 

Braskem’s Technology and Innovation Center 

that’s already producing unspecified amounts of 

the material. Braskem’s goal is industrial-scale 

production with a potential annual capacity of 

200,000 tonnes. The company has not decided 

on the site’s final design or location. According to 

the Earth Policy institute, sugar-cane derived 

ethanol accounts for 40% of the fuel sold in 

Brazil. The country led the world in ethanol production 

in 2004, distilling 4 billion gallons, followed 

by the U.S. with 3.5 billion gallons of corn 

ethanol distilled. That number will likely increase 

thanks to an emphasis placed on the fuel by U.S. 

President Bush. 

As reported in the First Look section of our 

September issue, Dow Chemical (Midland, MI) 

signed an agreement with Crystalsev, one of 

Brazil’s largest ethanol producers, to produce PE 

from sugar cane. Under terms of that agreement, 

the companies will design and build a 350,000tonnes/yr-capacity 

solution PE plant set to open 

in 2011 using ethanol derived from sugar cane 

rather than naphtha or natural gas liquids to 

manufacture Dowlex-brand grades. 

NatureWorks (Minnetonka, MN), which is 

fully owned by Cargill, has used corn sugars to 

create a biobased polylactic acid (PLA) material 

from a site in Blair, NE, with that material mirroring 

styrenics in mechanical properties. 

Biobased competitor Telles, the joint-venture 

business of Metabolix (Cambridge, MA) and 

Archers Daniels Midland, launched a line of 

bioresins a few months ago based on polyhydroxyalkoanate 

(PHA), with those materials 

behaving more like polyolefins. The same week 

Braskem announced its ethanol-based HDPE, 

Telles introduced three new grades of its PHA 

Mirel resin, with two for injection molding and 

one for paper coating. 

Biodegradable foam on the way 

Almost 10 years ago, Germany’s BASF (Ludwigshafen) 

launched a biodegradable line of 

aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters, targeting film 

products, called Ecoflex. Its Ecovio sister product 

is based on fully renewable raw materials and is 

composed of 45% PLA by weight. This month at 

the K show in Düsseldorf, Germany, BASF officials 

will be able to discuss one of the supplier’s 

new projects, Ecovio L Foam, a compound of 

Ecoflex and PLA with a PLA content of more 

than 75% by weight. Ecovio L Foam was still in 

the experimental stage this summer but BASF’s 



Florian Krückl, marketing and sales manager for 

biopolymers, said first laboratory samples should 

be available at the K, with a planned market 

introduction for the material in mid/late 2008. 

Ecovio L is for production of biodegradable 

foams, making it a potential heir apparent to the 

polystyrene foam containers formerly so commonplace 

in fast-food restaurants. It will be marketed 

as granulate that, with no further additives 

or mixing, can be directly expanded using 

extruded polystyrene foam (XPS) processing 

equipment, and then thermoformed into 

clamshells or other shapes. XPS processors won’t 

need to invest in new equipment to process the 

material, says BASF. 

The number of suppliers of PLA is on the rise, 

with lactic-acid producer Purac saying it now 

offers compounded PLA that withstands temperatures 

above 175°C, a key threshold the company 

says will allow applications in hot-fill bottles, 

microwaveable trays, and even electronics or 

automotive components. A division of CSM 

(Diemen, Netherlands), Purac’s D- and L+ PLA 

use lactides as a monomer in resin production, 

which the company says will lower costs and 

promote PLA growth. 

Purac Biomaterials already produces and markets 

18 grades of Purasorb PLA materials for 

bioabsorbable medical devices, and 12 grades for 

drug-delivery systems. The company began work 

with lactic acid in 1935, producing the chemical 

via sugarbeet fermentation. Today, it manufactures 

most of its basic products by fermenting 

carbohydrates from sugar cane, sugarbeets, corn, 

and wheat. 

The company says production costs have doubled 

over the last two years, with the carbohydrate 

prices up 40-60% on the basis of increasing 

demand of crops like corn for bio-ethanol. The 

company is also reportedly investigating investments 

to meet future demand. The biomaterials 

unit, which has a dedicated manufacturing site at 

Gorinchem, Netherlands, opened in 2000, and in 

2002, polymer production capacity was doubled. 

Also, researchers at the Pacific Northwest 

National Laboratory (PNNL; Richland, WA) 

reported in the journal Science a breakthrough in 

converting common sugars, fructose and glucose, 

directly into fuel and polyester building blocks. 

The simplified conversion process, which could 

apply readily available biomass, generated prod- 

ucts with very little residual impurities. Working 

with the PNNL’s Institute for Interfacial Catalysis, 

lead researcher Z. Conrad Zhang created 

hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in high yields 

directly from glucose, which the researcher says 

is nature’s most abundant sugar, present in plant 

starch and cellulose. 

Past efforts had resulted in a low yield of 

material, and byproducts like levulinic acid that 

required expensive purification processes. Working 

with Haibo Zhao, John Holladay, and 

Heather Brown, Zhang and his team generated 

HMF yields of around 70% from glucose and 

almost 90% from fructose, accompanied by what 

they described as only trace amounts of acid 

impurities. 

Instead of acidic catalysts, metal-chloride catalysts 

in a solvent were used, creating an ionic 

liquid where the metal chlorides converted the 

sugars to HMF. In an additional benefit, the ionic 

liquid can be reused. Chromium chloride was the 

most effective metal, converting sugars at a temperature 

of 100°C. 

Spartech sheet based on renewable 

resources 

Spartech Corp., headquartered in St. Louis, 

extrudes this family of sheet, dubbed Rejuven8, 

from NatureWorks-brand polylactic acid. 

Spartech’s first two materials in this new product 

family are Rejuven8 and Rejuven8 Plus. The former 

was specifically developed for thermoforming 

applications, and offers strength comparable 

to that of general-purpose acrylic. 

Rejuven8 Plus sheet is a strength-modified 

grade with impact properties similar to polyethylene 

terephthalate (PET). Typical applications 

for the white, opaque Rejuven8 Plus include consumer 

packaging, gift and phone cards, and plant 

tags. Cards using these materials were commercialized 

last year in the U.S. 

According to Spartech, it has developed a secondary 

processing step that can raise heat resistance 

to well over 200ºF, almost double the 

maximum temperature resistance of standard 

PLA grades. 

Both sheet grades are primarily (99% and 

95%, respectively) based on annually renewable 

materials such as corn, and meet the 

ASTM D6400 standard for biodegradability of 

MPW 

plastics. 

The Greening of an Industry 

Ecovio L is for 

production of 

biodegradable 

foams, making 

it a potential 

heir apparent 

to the 

polystyrene 

foam containers 

formerly so 

commonplace 

in fast-food 

restaurants. 


“ 

”

K’Show 

Booth 

No. 5E27 

No Compromises 

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WORLD TOUR 

Gigantic construction project 

tests pipe processors’ know-how 


These include 17 fronds surrounded 

by a 11.5-km-long crescent jutting 

into the Arabian Gulf at Dubai, United 

Arab Emirates. At present it is a beehive 

of activity in a race to the finish line. 

When completed, the islands will include 

more than 2000 villas and apartments, 

berthing for 1500 yachts, a monorail to 

transport visitors and residents the 

length of the community, and 30 hotels. 

The Palm lengthens Dubai’s existing 120km 

shoreline by a further 40 km. 

One hotel at the apex of The Palm’s 

Crescent, a 120-acre (54-hectare) breakwater 

situated 7 km out to sea, aims to 

surpass anything seen so far. The 1539room 

Atlantis The Palm, designed by 

property developer and hotelier Kerzner 

International and Dubai-based Istithmar, 

will include aquariums for 65,000 

marine creatures—one of the fish tanks, 

said to be the world’s largest, holds up to 

MIDDLE EAST 

Business, Strategies & Markets 

Calling The Palm Jumerah project ‘big’ doesn’t do justice to the 5-km-wide, 

man-made islands of stone and compacted sand in the shape of a palm tree. 

14 million gal. (53 million 

liters) of salt 

water—and 1.2 miles 

(nearly 2 km) of freshwater 

attractions at a 42acre 

(19-hectare) water 

theme park when the 

complex opens in 

December 2008. 

For this single project, 

the pipe needs for both 

fresh and sea water took a year’s worth 

of production of large diameter pipe, 

says Alan Mckeown, deputy general 

manager of processor Hepworth PME 

(Dubai, U.A.E.). The hotel and aqua 

park alone required 2-km worth of highdensity 

polyethylene (HDPE) pipe. 

Working together with partners 

Georg Fischer Piping Systems and 

Uponor, the processors have been challenged 

to process and install pipe ranging 

Dubai’s The Palm land development project 

lengthens the emirate’s coastline by 40 km. 

Crowning The Palm’s 54-hectare crescent 

is the 1539-room Atlantis hotel 

and water theme park that is set to 

open at the end of the year. 

from 20-1000 mm, mainly extruded 

from grade 3490LS PE100 sourced from 

Middle Eastern resin producer Borouge 

(Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.). Hepworth extruded 

the pipe in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and 

Qatar, but for competitive reasons Hepworth 

does not divulge information 

about its extrusion park. 

“PE100 was our first choice,” says 

Wolfgang Ronfeldt, branch manager of 

Georg Fischer Piping Systems (GF, 

Dubai) because of the extremes of heat, 

demands in construction and welding in 

a very short period (work began in May 

2005 and finished in May 2007), and the 

requirement for a material with high 

resistance to corrosion, salt, and abrasion. 

PE80 could not fulfill the job due to 

pressure and temperature requirements, 

he says. Pipe wall downsizing was not an 

issue on this project, says André van 

Uffelt, business manager pipe at Borouge. 

The real issues were flowability 

during processing, guaranteed long service 

life, and quality, he says. 

During a visit to the site by MPW, 

Tim Perkins, regional manager of 


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Uponor (Dubai), said 

many of the challenges 

of the project 

Top: The Atlantis’ aqua park and hotel 

rely on welded PE100 pipes to bring in 

fresh and salt water for rides, fish tanks, 

and other attractions. 

Bottom: Hepworth PME has teams of 

PE100 pipe fitters and welders working 

around the clock to meet the demanding 

completion schedule at the Atlantis hotel 

and water park project. 

BEFORE 

AFTER 

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revolved around pipe 

installation, which 

required, in some 

cases, directional 

drilling 16m below the 

seabed. Mckeown says 

directional drilling 

WORLD TOUR 

through compacted sand and then 

pulling 1000-mm PE100 pipe through 

this tunneling (a world’s first) in 350-mm 

sections was the most efficient and ecological 

method of pipe installation, yet 

one of the most challenging of the project. 

More than 6500 workers are on the 

site, working around the clock in temperatures 

that can rise to 47°C (117°F). 

The project uses 1000-mm-diameter 

PE100 pipes to pull in seawater for the 

fish tanks. Twelve separate 630-mm 

PE100 intake pipes are also needed. 

Where space limitations in the pump 

rooms and some aquarium sectors made 

installing large-sized PE100 pipes difficult, 

PVC pipes and fittings offered an 

alternative. Hepworth’s Mckeown says 

another challenge the companies faced 

was butt welding the enormous pipe sizes. 

“A single joint weld of a 1000-mm-diameter 

PE100 pipe takes from start to finish 

4 hours, so we can only do six butt welds 

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WORLD TOUR 

a day on such large sizes,” he says. 

The welding job is also demanding for 

the workers, who are using a speciallybuilt-for-the-project 

McElroy butt 

welder. Temperatures in the welding area 

often got up to 60°C (140°F). The company 

had nine foremen supervising five 

welding crews. All parts of the operations 

from pipe extrusion, to welding 

and installation are documented for 

quality control. In some cases, pipes up 

to 630 mm are electro-fusion welded 

with couplers, a faster but more expensive 

operation. 

Mckeown says even the logistics of 

getting the pipe to the construction site 

were a trial. “We were afraid we would 

have to barge them out to the crescent, 

which would have been time consuming, 

and the area offers limited storage 

space,” he says. Instead, before a tunnel 

was constructed from the top frond to 

the crescent, metal girders were pile-driv- 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MIDDLE EAST 


en into the seabed forming walls to 

hold back the water, not unlike 

Moses crossing the Red Sea, he 

quips, to allow material transport to 

the crescent projects. 

“The combination of limited storage, 

a tight schedule, and difficult 

movements on the crescent required 

exactly planned just-in-time delivery 

of pipe and fittings for immediate 

installation,” Mckeown says. 

GF’s Ronfeldt says his company also 

faced dilemmas when installing wastewater 

systems. Since the island complex 

includes no inclines, standard sewage 

systems could not be used. Instead, vacuum 

technology to suck wastewater 

through PVC pipes along the trunk of 

The Palm solved the problem. 

Facilities and buildings on the trunk 

of The Palm are being air conditioned via 

a remote cooling plant that includes 

compressed air piping systems while 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

foam-insulated PE pipes are used for 

remote cooling distribution. GF is also 

supplying most of the island’s 2500 

swimming pools with fittings and 

mountings. “The development work here 

in the Gulf represents a unique opportunity 

to grow with [such] ambitious proj- 

MPW 

ects,” says Ronfeldt. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLICK MPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com See us at K 2007, Hall 02 Stand F12 


 

Pipe processor Hepworth PME uses 

some of the largest butt fusing 

machines to weld HDPE pipes for the 

salt-water intake and outlet.


WORLD TOUR 

Beyond B&C 


Founded in 1997, JER Envirotech 

Ltd. (Delta, BC) partnered with the 

National Research Council of Canada 

and the Industrial Materials Institute for 

research, which 10 years on, is being 

commercialized. According to CEO and 

President Ed Trueman, the payoff has 

come, with growth that’s explosive, 

albeit from a small base, as JER is on 

pace for its 2007 fiscal fourth quarter to 

generate more revenue than the company 

earned in all of 2006. The company went 

public in 2004 and over the last three 

years has invested some $10 million in 

production to support such sales. 

“For the transition from an R&D, startup 

kind of a company,” Trueman explains, 

“we had to bolt on the kind of talent in relatively 

short order.” That talent came in 

August, when JER announced the four 

executive-level appointments en masse: 

chief financial officer, chief technology officer, 

VP of manufacturing, and VP global 

sales and marketing, pulling talent from 

companies like Taiga Building Products, 

Using a proprietary chemical process 

to eliminate the need for predrying, 

JER Envirotech is coming to market 

with highly filled pellets and panel 

boards, aiming to promote WPCs into 

new markets. 


NORTH AMERICA 


Eliminating the need for predrying and coming to market with 42 products 

under patent, JER Envirotech is transitioning from research and development 

to sales and marketing of wood-plastic composite (WPC) panel boards and 

compounded pellets that it hopes will move WPC beyond decking. 

DuPont, and specialty compounder Alpha- 

Gary, which Trueman himself left in 

December 2006. 

Panels and pellets 

Trueman says the company applies rice 

hulls and wood fiber as fillers, initially 

using virgin polypropylene as the carrier, 

but recently expanding into virgin and 

recycled polyethylene and polystyrene. 

At its plant in British Columbia, JER has 

three lines running panel boards and two 

dedicated to compounding WPC pellets. 

The company has partnered with Entek 

Extruders (Lebanon, OR) to build custom 

lines from the ground up, leaning on 

that company’s experience in handling 

harsh materials to process the rice hulls, 

which can contain up to 20% silica (for 

more on Entek, see July 2006 Spotlight). 

The panel-board, which can be color 

matched, comes in thicknesses from 3 to 10 

mm, widths of 4 ft, and customizable 

lengths, with one customer receiving 4-by- 

17-ft panels. At thicker levels, the panel 

board can actually be used in structural 

applications, including subfloors, providing 

a natural moisture barrier, or it can be laminated 

for decorative flooring and moistureresistant 

signage. “With WPC, you’re 

encapsulating the fiber with polymer,” 

Trueman explains, “the polymer is your 

barrier.” Trueman adds that it’s also possible 

to engineer in other functions including 

mold and UV resistance via additives. 

MPW asked Trueman if the company 

avoids predrying of its fiber via outgassing 

vents on the extruder, and while 

he declined to offer specifics, according 

to JER’s investor newsletter, the end 

product is dried via a patented chemical 

reaction that occurs in the production 

process. Compared to mechanical dry- 

ing, JER believes a chemical route offers 

several benefits, including lower costs, 

simplicity, and less equipment, in addition 

to fire-safety benefits of not drying 

fine, flammable particulates. 

Injection molding opportunity 

Beyond pushing the technology that’s 

behind the boards and pellets, JER plans to 

promote it in markets and applications 

that currently use highly-filled thermoplastics, 

but not WPC. “The team I’ve constructed 

is used to developing materials 

that are a non-traditional penetration,” 

Trueman says. Currently the company has 

applications in appearance and nonappearance 

components for automotive, 

consumer goods, leisure products, and furniture 

markets. Most of these products are 

injection molded, applying JER’s precompounded 

WPC pellets and tapping huge 

growth potential beyond the relatively saturated 

extruded-profile sector. 

According to market watcher Principia 

Consulting (Exton, PA), projected 

demand for injection molded wood-plastic 

composites will experience 70% average 

annual growth, reaching a market 

size of more than $350 million in 2008. 

Potential business comes in building 

products as well as packaging, lawn and 

garden, and housewares. 

As part of its introduction to the market, 

and a further indication that it’s now in 

full marketing mode, JER has highlighted 

the sustainability aspect of its material, 

which combines waste wood and fiber 

products with waste plastic for durable 

goods. “[The materials] give our customers 

an option,” Trueman says. “The message 

to their customer base, is the advent of a 

new generation of materials that are concerned 

about the environment.” MPW 

modplas.com

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WORLD TOUR 

Complex inspection system 

helps overcome printing errors 


the product liability issues that 

could occur on a pharmaceutical product 

if the instruction printed on the plastics 

film were imperfect. The number ‘3’ 

might appear as the number ‘8’ because of 

gels, black specs, bubbles, holes, or other 

film impurities when the ink is applied. 

That is something film processor 

Kobusch-Sengewald (Warburg, Germany), 

a subsidiary of U.S.-based Pregis, 

cannot afford and has taken steps to see it 

isn’t confronted with such problems. “We 

don’t sell quality ‘A’ at one price and quality 

‘B’ at another. The entire product range 

[of processed films] has to be a single top 

quality throughout,” says Detlef Kaase, 

manufacturing manager at the company’s 

plant in Halle/Westphalia, Germany. 

Kaase says the company first decided 

in 2003 to trial a web inspection system 

on a six-layer blown-film line and 

installed a multi-camera unit with self- 

Watchful eye of electronics aids German film processor in assuring customers 

of quality. 

Checking the optical scanning data on 

MS-Windows PC-based operator interface are 

Rudolf Krampe (l), managing director, Isra Surface 

Vision, and Christian Schaefer, project engineer, 

Kobusch-Sengewald. 


EUROPE 


teaching classification from Isra Surface 

Vision (Herten, Germany). This was 

done because customer quality demands 

increased and higher output of its processing 

equipment made human inspection 

impossible. Christian Schaefer, project 

engineer at the plant, says by adding 

optical inspection, the company had a 

better control of its own process. 

The good experience it developed 

with this system on the extrusion line led 

to the decision to install an inspection 

system on its eight-color rotogravure 

printing equipment running at 200 

m/min. The prerequisite was that the 

printing inspect has to be 100% of the 

repeating image patterns printed on the 

web surface with no gaps at any 

film width or speed. Defects had 

to be automatically reported 

without operator intervention. 

In March a Print Inspection System 

was delivered. 

Schaefer says this system 

is a considerably more 

complex analysis system 

than that on the film 

line. Gels and black 

spots in an extruded 

film can cause ink to 

dissipate around it making 

the error appear even 

larger than it really is. Between 

March and July Kobusch-Sengewald 

gained the necessary 

expertise in handling the system 

as well as building up a databank 

of possible errors. 

The company has more than 

1000 print designs as well as 

barcodes requiring checking. 

Each label with print and illustrations 

is fed into an electronic 

High-resolution, digital color, line-scan 

cameras used on the Print Inspection 

System at Kobusch-Sengewald’s operations 

in Halle, Germany provide 100% 

inspection of the web as it passes at 

more than 200 m/min. 

The four water-cooled cameras on the 

inspection system are enclosed to prevent 

dust ingress. 

library and the cameras compare each on 

any production width for checking color, 

print quality, and positioning. It can also 

determine if the printing on a film has 

been stretched out of shape. The system’s 

four high-resolution, digital color, linescan 

cameras are water-cooled and provide 

a picture overlap, but software in the 

modplas.com

Fast moving printed plastics film and 

laminates are subject to the watchful 

eye of the Print Inspection System. 

modplas.com 

print inspection 

system compensates 

for this. The 

entire unit is 

enclosed, to prevent 

dust ingress, 

and located just 

after the final 

printing station 

and before the winder. 

Schaefer says inspecting metallized, 

laminated film can be tricky since it acts 

like a mirror and reflects the light back, 

which, on a different system or location, 

could mask errors. Here, the vendor’s 

experience in dealing with inspection systems 

for various kinds of substrates 

helped to provide a solution with an 

optimized illumination system particularly 

suitable for dealing with glossy surfaces. 

Rudolf Krampe, managing director 

at Isra Surface Vision says there is no 

downtime for maintenance on the unit 


WORLD TOUR 

since it is pre-calibrated before installation 

and only requires an occasional 

wipe of the glass protecting the camera 

sets to clean off dust. 

Schaefer says the system, which after 

the trial period is in full operation, has 

helped operators determine when printing 

equipment needs checking to prevent 

unnecessary cleaning downtime. During 

the trial phase both Isra and Kobusch- 

Sengewald exchanged usage information, 

updated software, or checked operations 

using the system’s remote diagnostics 

via the Internet. 

Following error messages the inaccuracy 

is automatically flagged by a device controlled 

by the inspection system and the 

processor can decide whether to provide a 

defect label on the film for his customer, 

who can simply skip over the errors during 

conversion. Kobusch-Sengewald can also 

opt to cut out the mistakes and re-splice 

MPW 

the film before distribution. 


WORLD TOUR 

Reinventing the company 


When it comes to thinking outside the 

box, few mold manufacturing companies 

do it better than FPM Tooling & 

Automation (Fremont, OH). Known many 

years ago as Fremont Plastic Mold, FPM’s 

president, Martin Cass, has spent the past 

decade reinventing the company’s business 

model in order to stay competitive in new 

ways. As one of the largest industrial blow 

mold manufacturers in the world, Cass 

understands that operating in mature markets, 

as FPM does, isn’t easy. “There are 

not many growth markets left in industrial 

blowmolding,” Cass says. “And with productivity 

improvements and ongoing competitive 

pressures, we seem to be trying to 

reinvent the company every six months in a 

number of ways.” 

FPM is part of a group that consists of 

four companies, and is focused in the industrial 

blowmolding market, as well as some 

twin-sheet thermoforming because of similarity 

in the process, specifically in the fuel 

Moldmaking wasn’t enough for FPM, so 

it made itself expert in all downstream 

systems as well. Pictured, a recently 

completed vision system from FPM. 

Often, it is not enough just to make good molds. Thinking outside the box, 

finding new avenues for growth, and implementing strategic planning are key 

to competitiveness. 


tank industry. About four years ago, Cass 

saw that customers were hitting tough times 

too, and consolidations were happening 

rapid fire. Many of these processors literally 

“pulled their tooling engineers out of their 

cubicles and canned them,” he recalls. Now, 

the tooling engineers remaining at industrial 

blowmolding processors have more to do, 

and less personnel to do it with, which 

means FPM is being asked to do more. 

FPM’s latest acquisition is Toledo, 

Ohio-based RTS Industrial Solutions (Trident), 

a supplier of automated PLC-controlled 

robotics systems. The acquisition 

makes FPM the first industrial blow mold 

manufacturer to integrate engineering, 

manufacturing and distribution for finished 

plastic products in a single entity, says Cass. 

Cass has been involved in downstream 

automation equipment throughout his 

career, and when he moved into moldmaking 

saw that such automation was a perfect 

fit. With customers asking more of FPM, 

the company’s project managers began 

looking at gauging and automation as part 

of the total tooling package. “Customers 

often try to drive the mold as a commodity 

rather than the complex piece of equipment 

that it is, and mold makers tend to be very 

technical people,” Cass explained. “(Our 

NORTH AMERICA 

FPM President Martin Cass (r), greets 

Rich Rahm, robotics systems specialist 

and former owner of RTS. 

company) is combining our knowledge of 

industrial blow molding and automation 

manufacturing knowledge, to provide plastic 

part manufacturers a true value added 

engineering-based solution provider that 

can help them get products to market faster, 

more efficiently and more cost effectively.” 

Giving customers a single point of contact 

for the mold, as well as the gauging, fixturing 

and downstream automation, also 

means that FPM now has the responsibility 

for not only the mold but all the equipment 

beyond the mold, including setting up the 

manufacturing cells and responding when 

there’s a problem. “That’s the downside,” 

says Cass. “It used to be that we could just 

talk to the guy who provided the downstream 

equipment. Now customers will 

dump all the responsibility on us, but that’s 

what I wanted. It’s raised the bar on our 

engineering and management guys to 

understand the total manufacturing picture. 

We have to look at the program from a bigger 

standpoint. What can be done in the 

mold versus down line? It all has to work 

together so that the program becomes more 

cost effective and efficient.” 


Moldmakers’ future: more service, 

more options 

Cass believes if mold manufacturing is to 

survive, company owners have to develop a 

new attitude and a broad-based business 

model that encompasses more than just 

moldmaking. “I’ve tried various avenues 

over the years to open some doors, and 

[downline automation] seemed to allow 

that more than some other things. I started 

by putting some time, money and technical 

guys into the idea. We sat down and drew 

up a plan to bring in more technical people 

with PLC and robotic backgrounds, ” Cass 

says. “Over the years I’ve looked at acquiring 

companies in this geographic area. One 

of these was RTS Industrial Systems. The 

owner was enthusiastic and optimistic, 

which is rather rare in this business.” 

FPM has also moved beyond most 

moldmaking companies by offering mold 

components for sale to others. “We’ve 

standardized 30-40 components for blow 

molds, and Progressive [Progressive Components] 

sells some of our products in their 

catalog,” says Cass. 

Cass believes that moving beyond an 

old business model of mold manufacturing 

and expanding opportunities for growth 

requires a cultural change. “The whole 

1960s technology came out of Owens-Illinois, 

and cast bottle molds. People who 

worked for these larger companies set up 

small companies here and out toward Toledo, 

making models, patterns, and castings,” 

Cass explains. 

“When the whole CNC thing happened, 

we had no CNC or CAD/CAM systems, 

but we made the decision and reinvented 

ourselves at that point. We thought 

we were ahead of the pack then and grew 

the company from $6 million in annual 

sales to $8 million or so. That whole 

growth period in the 1990s—some of those 

cultural threads are what makes the difference 

between a team that gets there and 

one that doesn’t.” 

Customers’ management is tough 

One reason Cass continues to reinvent 

FPM is to keep from losing programs to 

moldmakers overseas. But, in that regard, 

things are turning his way. “The story from 

overseas is starting to change as people 

realize how difficult it can really be to 

modplas.com 

launch programs from there,” he says. 

The other barrier to business growth is 

the customers FPM is dealing with, specifically 

their management hierarchies. “They 

have these select tooling or automation 

groups, and we are only approved from one 

specific group. They let us work on industrial 

blow molds, but not automation. We 

Sprimag Spritzmaschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG, Henriettenstraße 90, 73230 Kirchheim/Teck, Germany, Tel. +49(0)7021/579-0, Fax +49(0)7021/579-108, E-Mail: coating@sprimag.de, http://www.sprimag.de 

Intelligent spraying solutions 

individual - automated - modular. 

Do your customers expect the 

highest quality coating on the 

plastic parts you supply? 

Make it your advantage. Meet or exceed their 

expectations using Sprimag coating equipment! 

Your coating solutions from one supplier! 


WORLD TOUR 

have to get approvals to do different things. 

One buyer may be completely focused on 

one tool or one tooling package, and may 

not be looking at the entire scope of the 

downline automation. What has to happen 

with the tooling to accommodate that— 

that’s the other guy,” says Cass. “The land- 

MPW 

scape is still pretty challenging. 

Find out more about Sprimag`s 

– Spray Painting Machines 

– Spray Painting Equipment 

– Application Technology 

at K 2007 

24.–31. October 

Stand A 35, Hall 04 Düsseldorf 


6945_AS_ATE08 

For information about attending or exhibiting, please visit 

January 29–31, 2008 

Anaheim Convention Center 

Anaheim, CA 

March 19–20, 2008 


Charlotte, NC 

March 19–20, 2008 


Charlotte, NC 

April 30–May 1, 2008 

Boston Convention & Exhibition Center 

Boston, MA 

June 3–5, 2008 

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center 

New York, NY 

September 23–25, 2008 

Donald E. Stephens Convention Center 

Rosemont, IL 

Produced and managed by CANON COMMUNICATIONS LLC 

11444 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles 90064-1549 • Phone: 310/445-4200 • Fax: 310/996-9499

K 2007 Exhibiting Directory 

Companies in the directory are arranged alphabetically within the 

following categories: 

Additives.........................................................................................................155 

Antimicrobials.................................................................................................157 

Auxiliary machinery.........................................................................................157 

Auxiliary machinery, size reduction..................................................................160 

Blowmolding systems......................................................................................161 

Colorants ........................................................................................................162 

Compounding systems.....................................................................................162 

Consulting services .........................................................................................162 

Dedusting .......................................................................................................163 

Extrusion systems ...........................................................................................163 

Film stretching lines........................................................................................165 

Foaming technology ........................................................................................166 

Injection molding machines .............................................................................166 

Injection stretch blowmolding machine (ISBM) .................................................167 

Machine components.......................................................................................167 

Masterbatches ................................................................................................167 

Materials handling equipment..........................................................................167 

Molds, die & components.................................................................................168 

Pelletizing systems..........................................................................................169 

Polymers, chemicals & petrochemicals.............................................................169 

Primary processing machinery.........................................................................169 

Process measurement & control.......................................................................170 

PUR processing systems..................................................................................171 

Purging compounds.........................................................................................171 

Resins & compounds .......................................................................................171 

Rheometry, viscometry, extrusion, compounding ...............................................173 

Screen changers .............................................................................................173 

Semifinished materials ....................................................................................173 

Slitter rewinders .............................................................................................174 

Thermal analysis, analyzing & testing ..............................................................174 

Thermal treatment plants.................................................................................174 

Thermoforming machinery ...............................................................................174 

Welding/sealing/bonding equipment.................................................................175 

Requests for information on listing in future issues should be sent to Iris N. Topel, 

Modern Plastics, P.O. Box 690577, East Elmhurst, New York 11369 

Tel: 718-478-8104 • Fax: 718-478-8105 • itopel@modplas.com 

Stay on top of the world’s 

biggest plastics event. 

MPW’s K Show Daily 

The exclusive 

English-language daily for K. 

ADDITIVES 

Chemson—Polymer Additive AG 

Industriestrasse 19 

Arnoldstein 9601 Austria 

43-4255-2226; 43-4255-2435 (fax) 

sales@chemson.com 

www.chemson.com 

The Chemson-Group is one of the leading 

manufacturers of polymer additives, with a 

global focus and operations in Austria, Australia, 

Brazil, China, Germany, Great Britain and 

the USA. The Group's headquarters are in 

Arnoldstein, Chemson AG (Austria). Chemson 

offers a wide range of additives for use in 

PVC applications as, for example, heat stabilizers, 

lubricants, impact modifiers, processing 

aids and blowing agents. To enhance and 

increase our Naftosafe range of non-lead One 

Packs the company has launched a new generation 

of Naftosafe organic-based stabilizers. 

HALL 6 STAND E43 

Chemtura 

(formerly Crompton and Great Lakes) 

199 Benson Rd. 

Middlebury, CT 06749 United States 

877-948-2660; 203-573-3393 (fax) 

jon.amdursky@chemtura.com 

www.chemtura.com 

Chemtura manufactures and markets the broadest 

line of plastics additives and flame retardants 

in the industry. Chemtura is the world's largest 

producer of heat stabilizers and auxiliaries for 

PVC, offering a broad line of organotin, mixed 

metal and metal-free heat stabilizers and flame 

retardants. Our technology also includes Marklube® 

lubricants, Drapex® epoxy plasticizers, 

Markstat® antistatic agents, Celogen® blowing 

agents, amides, antioxidants, Marklear® antifog 

agents, bisamides, organic peroxides, optical 

brighteners, phosphites, stearates, stearic acid, 

thiochemicals and UV absorbers. 

HALL 6 STAND C7 



Ciba Specialty Chemicals Inc. 

Klybeckstr. 141 

Basel CH-4002 Switzerland 

4161-636-6100; 4161-636-9007 (fax) 

plastics@cibasc.com 

www.cibasc.com/plastics 

Ciba Specialty Chemicals creates effects to 

improve the quality of life. Novel effects that 

enhance plastics appearance, functionality, 

performance and processing efficiency. 

• New launches, including antioxidants, stabilizers, 

colorants and effect pigments. 

• Extended services, which include advice 

on REACH and food compliance. 

See our recently launched products for the plastics 

industry: 

• Products that boost functionality and performance, 

such as Ciba® IRGACLEAR® XT 

386 clarifier and Ciba® IRGASURF® SR 100 antiscratch 

additive. 

• Ciba® XYMARA effect pigments designed 

to add color and appeal to plastics. 

• Pigments that improve processing efficiency, 

including dust-free Ciba® MICROLEN® 

MP. 

HALL 6 STAND A27 

Clariant International Ltd., 

Pigments & Additives Div. 

Rothausstr. 61 

Muttenz 4132 Switzerland 

49-6196-757-8163; 49-6196-757-8862 (fax) 

pa.communications@clariant.com 

www.pa.clariant.com 

Clariant—Exactly your chemistry. Clariant is 

a global leader in the field of specialty chemicals. 

Strong business relationships, commitment 

to outstanding service and wide-ranging 

application know-how make Clariant a preferred 

partner for its customers. Clariant, 

which is represented on five continents with 

over 100 group companies, employs about 

21,500 people and is headquartered in Muttenz 

near Basel. Within the Pigments & Additives 

Division we offer a complete range of colorants—pigments, 

pigment preparations and 

dyes—as well as waxes, polymer additives 

and flame retardants for the plastics industry. 

Our products are tailor-made for masterbatch 

producers, compounders, polymer- and 

polyvinylchloride processors, as well as polymer- 

and fiber manufacturers. Serving the 

market with a broad and innovative palette of 

vivid components enhances our leading position 

for our customers' benefit. 

HALL 8A STAND J11 

Cognis Oleochemicals GmbH 

Plastics Technology 

Henkelstr. 67 

Düsseldorf 40589 Germany 

49-211-7940-7414; 49-211-2006-2826 (fax) 

germany.plastics@cognis-oleochemicals.com 

www.cognis-oleochemicals.com 

A company of the Cognis group 

Cognis Oleochemicals Plastics Technology 

offers tailored solutions for processing all 

kinds of plastics, including PVC, polycarbonates, 

polyolefins, polyurethanes, and ABS plastics. 

We provide lubricants and plasticizers 

for better processibility, increasingly sophisticated 

additives as performance enhancers for 

today`s plastics. With a sound reputation Plastics 

Technology offers products and consulting 

services for manufacturers of PVC dry 

blends and granules, for formulators of additive 

compounds, and for processors of rigid 

and flexible PVC. We enjoy excellent longstanding 

business relationships with producers 

of films, bottles, profiles and sheet 

material, tubes and fittings. 

HALL 8B STAND C46 

Elastogran GmbH 

Elastogranstr. 60 

Lemforde 49448 Germany 

49-5443-12-0; 49-5443-12-2201 (fax) 

elastogran@elastogran.de 

www.elastrogran.de 

Elastogran—Slogan: Elastogran Is Polyurethanes— 

market as part of the BASF Group polyurethane raw 

materials from BASF's production in Europe as base 

products with their know-how regarding specialties, 

produce and sell polyurethane systems, thermoplastic 

(Elastollan®) and cellular special elastomers 

(Cellasto®) as highly processed specialties. The 

headquarters in Lemforde, Lower Saxony, is the 

international technology center for polyurethane 

systems and special elastomers within the BASF 

Group. Eleven affiliates with 12 sites in Europe 

belong to the Elastogran Group. In 2006 Elastogran 

generated a net sales of €2,08 billion (consolidated) 

together with a staff of approximately 1,700. 

HALL 5 STAND B21 

Fine Organics 

Fine House, Anandji St. 

Off M.G. Road, Ghatkopar (East) 

Mumbai 400077 India 

91-22-2509-3400 Ext. 106/100 

91-22-2515-3215; 91-22-2516-2276 (fax) 

exports@fineorganics.com 

www.fineorganics.com 

Fine Organics produce a wide range of plastics 

additives : 

• Slip additives (Erucamide and Oleamide) 

for polypropylene/polyethylene 

• Lubricants for PVC calendering/extrusion/molding 

• Multifunctional processing aids for filled 

PP/PE compounds/masterbatches, TPE and 

rubbers 

• Antistatic agents 

• Pigment dispersing agents 

• Viscosity controllers 

• Secondary amides and bis-amides for engineering 

plastics 

• Antifogging agents 

• Synthetic waxes 

• Mold release agents 

Fine Organics also produce a wide range of 

fatty acid esters, fatty alcohol esters, esterwaxes, 

complex esters, fatty amides and 

thioesters, and so forth. Plants are located in 

Mumbai (India), Malaysia and Thailand. 


MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE 

COMPOUNDING 

DIRECTORY 

February 2008 


Honeywell 

Haasrode Research Park 

Grauwmeer 1 

Heverlee VB 3001 Belgium 

32-1639-1215; 32-1639-1371 (fax) 

marc.walon@honeywell.com 

www.honeywell.com/sm 

Honeywell 

101 Columbia Rd. 

Morristown, NJ 07962 United States 

973-455-4296; 973-455-5413 (fax) 

jose.carrazza@honeywell.com 

www.honeywell.com 

At K 2007, Honeywell will be exhibiting PVC 

lubricants as well as Aegis® nylon 6 resins. 

Honeywell´s PVC lubricants significantly 

increase extrusion production rates by reducing 

plate-out and Amp loads. These new highperformance 

lubricants do not alter process 

characteristics, sacrifice high quality or risk 

burning and discoloration. They offer tremendous 

advantages by reducing problems and 

increasing production, creating more PVC 

per hour. Honeywell’s Aegis resin products 

include nylon and specialty nylon resins for 

both industrial and consumer product applications. 

Currently Honeywell serves three 

primary market segments with the resins that 

they need to thrive in their competitive industries: 

(1) Compounding, (2) Packaging, and (3) 

and Nylon Fiber. 


Reedy International Corporation 

25 E. Front St. 

Keyport, NJ 07735 United States 

732-264-1777; 732-264-1189 (fax) 

info@reedyintl.com 

www.reedyintl.com 

Reedy International Corporation creates and 

produces advanced thermoplastic additives 

for the injection and extrusion industries. 

Reedy’s products represent a full line of foaming 

and nucleating agents, for commodity as 

well as engineering thermoplastic resins. With 

our environmentally safe powder and con- 

centrated pellet additives, you will produce a 

superior product. 

HALL 5 STAND J17-1 

Rohm and Haas Plastics Additives 

100 Independence Mall W. 

Philadelphia, PA 19106-2399 United States 

800-356-3402; 877-696-9675 (fax) 

plastad_nar@rohmhaas.com 

www.rohmhaas.com/PlasticsAd 

Rohm and Haas Europe Sarl 

Route de la Longeraie 7 

Morges/VD 1110 Switzerland 

41-21-805-9000; 41-21-805-9002 (fax) 

www.rohmhaas.com/PlasticsAd 

New product introductions are the dominant 

theme at the Rohm and Haas Plastics Additives 

stand at the K Show. With its new Lead-Free Stabilizer 

(LFS) and several new performance 

boosting impact modifiers and processing 

aids, look to Rohm and Haas to deliver performance, 

cost, appearance, processibility, 

and regulatory solutions for vinyl, nylon, PET, 

PC and blends. The Rohm and Haas "Solutions 

Provider" portfolio includes: PARALOID 

acrylic and MBS impact modifiers, processing 

aids, and multifunctional blends; ADVASTAB 

and ADVAPAK thermal stabilizer systems; 

ADVALUBE and ADVAWAX lubricants; and 

VINYZENE antimicrobials. 

ANTIMICROBIALS 

Troy Corp., Micropel Div. 

8 Vreeland Rd. 

Florham Park, 07932 NJ United States 

978-462-1236; 973-443-0843 (fax) 

hickmanj@troycorp.com 

www.micropel.com 

Troy/Micropel is a global leader in the manufacture 

and marketing of antimicrobials for 

the flexible PVC, polyurethane, polyolefin, 

and wood-plastic composites industries. The 

Auxiliary Machinery 

company offers polymer converters a variety 

of performance antimicrobial products based 

on the active ingredients OBPA, IPBC, 

isothiazolinones, triclosan, and others. 

Troy/Micropel is fully equipped to provide 

advanced products and solutions, with strategically 

located ISO 9000 manufacturing facilities 

and state-of-the-art microbiological, analytical, 

and development laboratories to satisfy 

today’s biological challenges. Our knowledgeable 

technical and sales personnel are 

ready to assist in meeting customer’s antimicrobial 

specifications. For more information 

visit www.micropel.com. 

HALL 5 STAND G19-5 

AUXILIARY MACHINERY 

Agr*TopWave, LLC 

615 Whitestown Rd. 

Butler, PA 16001 United States 

724-482-2163; 724-482-2767 (fax) 

sales@agrintl.com 

www.agrintl.com 

Agr*TopWave, LLC offers a variety of equipment and 

services designed to meet the quality assurance 

needs of the plastic container industry. Products 

include in-line process monitoring systems for PET 

containers, vision-based inspection systems for containers 

and preforms, automated laboratory products, 

and various manual gauges for use in the laboratory 

or on the production floor. Agr*TopWave, a division 

of Agr International, is committed to being 

the industry leader in container testing and process 

monitoring. Through continued research and development 

at our Butler, PA, USA headquarters, our engineers 

are providing the technological developments 

to meet the current and future quality assurance needs 

of the plastic container industry. 



PRIMARY PROCESSING 

MACHINERY DIRECTORY 

December 2007 


CHINA DIRECTORY 

March 2008 



Conair 

One Conair Dr. 

Pittsburgh, PA 15202 United States 

412-312-6000; 412-312-2301 (fax) 

sales@conairgroup.com 

www.conairgroup.com 

Conair Europe Ltd. 

350 Edinburgh Ave., Slough 

Berkshire SL1 4TU, EN, United Kingdom 

44-1753-215100; 44-1753-215115 (fax) 

sales@conaireurope.co.uk 

www.conaireurope.co.uk 

Recognizing that your success in today's competitive 

global plastics marketplace is the only 

true measure of our own performance, Conair 

is committed to finding and delivering process 

solutions that make a real difference to our customers. 

To that end, we listen carefully to 

learn what matters most to you. We seek to 

understand the driving issues that affect how 

you do business today. Then we work to help 

you transform your business with gamechanging 

products and services that reduce 

your costs, increase your productive up-time 

and boost your efficiency. 


Dukane—Intelligent Assembly Solutions 

2900 Dukane Dr. 

St. Charles, IL 60174 United States 

630-797-4900; 630-797-4949 (fax) 

usintl@dukcorp.com 

www.dukcorp.com/us 

Dukane is a global provider of plastic assembly 

systems for the welding of thermoplastic materials. 

A standard line of ultrasonic, vibration, hot 

plate, spin welders, laser welders and thermal 

presses are used to provide solutions that meet 

the unique requirements of each customers 

application. The line also includes film and 

fabric sewing and slitting machines and custom 

automated assembly systems. Dukane provides 

knowledgeable application engineers, no charge 

consultations, regional technical centers and a 

network of international offices. Dukane offers 

a technical training program and unparalleled 

Service and Support. Visit us at our website at 

www.dukcorp.com/us to find your local sales 

representative. 


Dynisco Europe GmbH 

Wannenackerstr. 24 

Heilbronn 74078 Germany 

49-7131-297-0; 49-7131-232-60 (fax) 

dyniscoeurope@dynisco.com 

www.dynisco.com 

Delivery of melt pressure and temperature sensors 

and controllers, improving the quality and production 

output. Dynisco offers the know-how of 

more than 50 years of experience in pressure and 

temperature measurement for solutions of the 

most difficult applications in the plastics producing 

and processing industries. 

HALL 10 STAND G20 

Frigel 

21020 Rand Rd. Suite A 

Lake Zurich, IL 60047 United States 

847-540-01690; 847-540-0161 (fax) 

s.petrakis@frigel.com 

www.frigel.com 

Frigel 

Via Barontini, 17b - Loc. Granatieri 

Scandicci (FI) 50018 Italy 

39-055-72209.1; 39-055-7311271 (fax) 

sales@frigel.it 

www.frigel.com 

Frigel offers an alternative to traditional cooling 

towers and central chillers worldwide. The Frigel 

Ecodry System® Approach offers savings of up 

to 95% for energy, water and eliminates ongoing 

chemical water treatment and maintenance, 

especially important in regions with energy, 

water, and disposal issues. The Ecodry® is a 

closed loop ambient air cooled fluid cooler that 

supplies clean water to process in any climate. 

Microgel® Integrated Chiller/TCU’s and Turbogel® 

high performance TCU’s offer potential for dramatic 

increases in productivity by providing 

precise temperature and correct flow at the 

point of use. Frigel engineers and manufactures 

advanced process cooling systems for the plastics 

industry in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. 


Herzog AG, Degersheim 

Huswiesstrasse 6 

Wolfertswil CH-9116 Switzerland 

41-71-394-19-69; 41-71-394-19-60 (fax) 

info@herzog-ag.com 

www.herzog-ag.com 

Herzog has been engineering and manufacturing 

shut-off nozzles for the injection molding 

industry for 30 years. The products are used 

for thermoplastic applications as well as for 

elastomers, especially liquid silicon rubber 

(LSR). Herzog also offers special nozzles for 

very high injection rates, including a wellestablished 

version for the MuCell® process 

and pins for gas. 


K-Tron (Switzerland) Ltd. 

Industrie Lenzhard 

Niederlenz 5702 Switzerland 

41-62-885-7171; 41-62-885-7180 (fax) 

ks@ktron.ch 

www.ktron.com 

K-Tron Process Group 

Routes 55 & 553 

Pitman, NJ 08071-0888 United States 

856-589-0500; 856-582-7968 (fax) 

ka@ktron.com 

www.ktron.com 

The K-Tron Process Group designs, produces, 

sells and supports its equipment for all process 

industries under the brand names K-Tron 

Feeders and K-Tron Premier Pneumatics conveying 

systems. See K-Tron’s new extrusion 

control package and micro cone feeder at the 

K Show. K-Tron Feeders and K-Tron Premier 

Pneumatics conveying equipment are in the 

Flow of Plastics. From resin manufacturing, 

precision compounding, high-speed compounding, 

wood-plastics compounding to 

end-product extrusion applications demanding 

high accuracy, K-Tron offers the latest 

material handling solutions for today’s plastics 

processors. 



KREYENBORG GmbH 

Coermühle 1-5 

Postfach 151165 

Münster 150165 Germany 

49-251-21405-0; 49-251-21405-665 (fax) 

info@kreyenborg.com 

www.kreyenborg.com 

KREYENBORG GmbH is an established supplier 

of machines and systems in the field of extruder 

ancillaries. As one of the market leaders for 

melt filters, KREYENBORG offers a complete 

scope of screen changers up to completely 

process-, pressure- and volume-constant systems. 

Complementary KREYENBORG offers different 

types of melts pumps as well as silos, 

mixers and extruder feeding systems. The 

KREYENBORG infrared technology permits 

a fast and economic heating, drying and crystallization 

of bulk material. With this product 

spectrum KREYENBORG optimally supports 

the plastics processing industry. Furthermore 

a multiplicity of patents stands for the innovative 

strength of this company. 


Maag Pump Systems Textron AG 

Aspstr. 12 

Oberglatt 8154 Switzerland 

41-44-278-82-00; 41-44-278-82-01 (fax) 

welcome@maag.textron.com 

www.maag.com 

Maag Pump Systems, engaged worldwide, will 

be exhibiting the whole range of products for 

the Extrusion market. In addition to our highquality 

extrusion gear pumps, screen changers 

and systems, we will also show products for the 

rubber market. It’s a pleasure for us to welcome 

you at our booth to discuss your requests 

and also our other products for the industrial and 

polymer market. Maag will have experienced factory-trained 

service, engineering, and multilingual 

sales personnel on-hand for discussions. 

For further information, contact Maag 

Pump Systems Textron by e-mail or visit our website 

at www.maag.com. 


Mecanor-Engineering Ab 

PO Box 33, Varikontie 9 

Nastola 15551 Finland 

358-3-88766; 358-3-8876-300 (fax) 

mecanor@mecanor.com 

www.mecanor.com 

Mecanor-Engineering Ab is a reliable supplier 

of post-processing machinery for plastic 

pipe, pipe fitting and profile production. With 

30 years experience Mecanor has produced 

high-quality down streams: pipe belling 

machines, pipe and profile packaging 

machines and seal ring inserting machines. 

Partnership with Austrian company HMG 

Extrusions and Malaysian company Refec 

Extrusions enhance Mecanor’s resources to 

offer complete extrusion lines and services for 

customers worldwide. At K 2007 we will exhibit 

the new MECANOR-REFEC pipe belling 

machine. Mecanor’s goal is always to fulfill all 

customers’ individual needs and requirements. 

Customer service, dependable deliveries, high 

quality and operation safety products are 

what our reputation stands on. For more 

information, contacts and feedback, please 

visit our website www.mecanor.com. 


NGR Next Generation 

Recyclingmaschinen GmbH 

Gewerbepark 22 

Feldkirchen 4101 Austria 

43-7223-70107-0; 43-7223-70107-2 (fax) 

sales@ngr.at 

www.ngr.at 

NGR has changed the way of recycling plastic 

waste. The idea is to replace the multi-step technology 

with a cost-effective, compact and 

easy-to-maintain ONE-STEP technology. The 

revolutionary NGR cutter-feeder-extruder combination 

makes the entire recycling process 

more economical by combining a powerful single-shaft 

cutter with an extruder into one 

unit. That eliminates the need for pre-cutting 

and densification of the material. Such advantages 

mean a short period for your return of 

investment. NGR is a manufacturer of turnkey 

Auxiliary Machinery 

and custom-tailored plants for recycling of 

thermoplastics with an output from 10 kg up 

to 2.000 kg. 

HALL 9 STAND 5 

Pelletron Corp. 

499 Running Pump Rd. 

Lancaster, PA 17601 United States 

717-293-4008; 717-293-4011 (fax) 

info@pelletroncorp.com 

www.pelletroncorp.com 

Pelletron's experienced Bulkmatology team 

provides Pneumatic Conveying and DeDusting 

solutions for the plastics industry. Whether it's 

de-bottlenecking existing systems or designing 

complete turnkey plants from the ground 

up, Pelletron's extensive know-how and experience 

ensures that solutions are efficient, 

cost-effective and meet the industries highest 

standards of quality. Pelletron offers dilute,strand,- 

and dense phase conveying systems, 

and a complete component program of medium 

and high pressure rotary and diverter 

valves. Pelletron offers unique DeDusting 

technologies for removal of dust and streamers. 

Pellbows are especially designed to 

minimize damage to elbows and conveyed 

product. Pellbows avoid creation of streamers 

and reduce dust, also available in wear 

resistant versions. 


Schenck AccuRate 

746 E. Milwaukee St. 

Whitewater, WI 53190 United States 

262-473-2441; 262-473-4384 (fax) 

mktg@accuratefeeders.com 

www.accuratefeeders.com 

For over 40 years Schenck AccuRate has provided 

bulk solids metering equipment and solutions 

to the plastics industry through a series of 

product offerings. For hard to feed materials like 

TiO2, carbon black, wood flour, iron oxides, and 



a variety of other additives, Schenck AccuRate's 

MECHATRON® feeder line provides plastics 

processors a wide range of sizes and features to 

choose from. Each feeder can be completely disassembled 

from the non-process side, which 

allows for easy cleaning or auger diameter 

changes. You have your choice of either flexible 

or stainless conical hoppers. In addition to its line 

of volumetric and gravimetric feeders, Schenck 

AccuRate also supplies weighfeeders, solids 

flow meters, bulk bag discharging systems, and 

control systems. 


WINDMÖLLER & HÖLSCHER KG 

Münsterstr. 50 

Lengerich 49525 Germany 

49-5481-14-0; 49-5481-14-2649 (fax) 

info@wuh-lengerich.de 

www.wuh-lengerich.de 

Windmoeller & Hoelscher Corp. 

23 New England Way 

Lincoln, RI 02865 United States 

401-333-2770; 401-333-6491 (fax) 

info@whcorp.com 

www.whcorp.com 

Since the foundation of our company in 1869, 

the development and manufacture of machinery 

and equipment for flexible packaging has 

been our business. With a staff of about 2000 

employees at 16 locations within the W&H 

group worldwide, the sales achieved in 2006 

amounts to approximately €450 million. We 

offer an extensive range of machines for the 

production of flexible packaging that is unique 

in both its breadth and depth: blown and cast 

film extrusion systems, flexo and gravure 

printing presses, machines for the laminating 

and conversion of paper, films and plastic 

fabrics as well as packaging machines based on 

the FFS principle. 


Subscribe to MPW’s 

e-Weekly. 

It’s free, and it’s easy. 

Go to www.modplas.com 

and click on 

“Subscribe.” 

Wittmann Kunststoffgerate GmbH 

Lichtblaustrasse 10 

Vienna 1220 Austria 

43-1-25039-0; 43-1-259-71-70 (fax) 

info@wittmann-robot.at 

www.wittmann-robot.com 

A complete line of peripheral equipment for 

the plastics industry: 

• Robots and automation 

• Materials handling: blenders, loaders, dryers, 

central conveying systems 

• Mold temperature controllers 

• Water flow regulators 

• Granulators and material recycling 


AUXILIARY MACHINERY, 

SIZE REDUCTION 

Herbold Meckesheim GmbH 

Industriestr. 33 

Meckesheim 74909 Germany 

49-6226-932-0; 49-6226-932-495 (fax) 

herbold@herbold.com 

www.herbold.com 

Herbold Meckesheim GmbH is one of the 

leading manufacturers of size reduction, pulverizing, 

and compacting equipment for the 

plastic industry, as well as of complete washing 

lines for contaminated plastic waste. Our 

state-of-the-art systems consist of shredders, 

guillotines for pre-cutting, granulators from 5.5 

- 300 kW for the inline recycling and heavyduty 

applications, and especially designed 

granulators for the horizontal feeding of long 

parts. For pulverizing we offer units from 5.5 

to 132 kW. Our washing lines are designed to 

process all kinds of contaminated plastics 

like PET bottles, agricultural film, or postconsumer 

waste. Our success is based on customers' 

satisfaction. 


HOSOKAWA ALPINE Aktiengesellschaft 

(Granulators Div.) 

Peter-Dorfler-Str. 13-25 

Augsburg 86199 Germany 

49-821-5906-0; 49-821-5906-630 (fax) 

recycling@alpine.hosokawa.com 

www.alpinehosokawa.com 

HOSOKAWA ALPINE—Recycling and Granulators 

Division. For the in-house recycling of 

plastics, Hosokawa Alpine has solutions for every 

scale of application—from auxiliary granulators to 

high-efficiency granulators with throughput rates 

of up to 8 tonnes for the comminution of film. 

Hosokawa Alpine designs, manufactures and supplies 

complete granulator systems with all the 

requisite system components, suitable for example, 

for the comminution of thermoplastic scrap such 

as sprues and runners, rejects, film webs or film 

edge trims. ALPINE granulators are also designed 

to master ultra-complex comminution tasks. Over 

and above this, the range also includes customdesigned 

solutions for the comminution of rubber, 

cable scrap or wood chips. 


PALLMANN Maschinenfabrik GmbH 

& Co. KG 

Wolfslocherstr. 51 

Zweibrücken 66482 Germany 

49-6332-802-0; 49-6332-802-401 (fax) 

plast-chem@pallmann-online.de 

www.pallmann.de 

ORIGINAL PALLMANN–Your competent partner 

for size reduction and processing technology. 

The PALLMANN company of Zweibrücken 

specializes in size reduction and offers the 

widest range of machines and complete systems 

for successful preparation of soft to medium 

hard, brittle, tough, elastic or fibrous materials. 

More than 900 machine types guarantee best 

solutions for a wide variety of applications. 

The specific experience and more than 50,000 

size reduction tests performed with various 

test materials are therefore a safe basis for 

investment decisions. Our program: Pulverizing 

Installations, Knife Mills of various types for size 

reduction of profiles, pipes, extrusion rejects and 

waste, film, fiber, caoutchouc, rubber, packing 

materials, and so forth. Also, agglomerating 

installations for preparation of free-flowing 

granules and wood plastic composites. 



Size Reduction Specialists Corp. 

3510 West Rd. 

East Lansing, MI 48823 United States 

517-333-2605; 517-333-8870 (fax) 

sales@srscorp.com 

www.srscorp. com 

Size Reduction Specialists is a leading manufacturer 

and supplier of press-side Bi-Cutter 

screenless granulators for the injection molding 

industry. With over 60 years combined 

experience, SRS is committed to providing 

the customer with personal and knowledgeable 

solutions to their granulation needs. Our 

patented, two-stage cutting system provides 

premium, uniform particles. Powder and long 

free particles enhance the molding process. 

Hinged doors swing upright for total accessibility 

for clean-out and maintenance. The Bi- 

Cutter increases efficiency and reduces costs 

by providing a low RPM and low maintenance 

granulator that produces quality regrind. 

Sorema, Div. of Previero N. Srl 

Via dei Platani 11 

Alzate Brianza (CO) 22040 Italy 

39-031-6355-700; 39-031-619041 (fax) 

sales@sorema.it 

www.sorema.it 

Sorema offers a complete range of plants and 

machinery to recycle and to pack plastics 

and industrial, farming or post-market wastes. 

Sorema modular lines may be combined in different 

ways, in order to guarantee the most 

rational suitability for different utilization 

issues and the best quality level of finished 

products. This allows the recycling of plastics 

deriving from different disposal modes featuring 

various types of contaminating agents, 

packaging characteristics or polymers. We 

can offer a wide product range, including 

plants for films and bottles, automatic separation 

systems, prewashing and extrusion 

lines for films and bottles, treatment plants for 

the recycling of mixed packaging such as 

HDPE, PS, PP, PVC, AL, plants for PET bottles, 

stretch films and farming films recycling. For 

further information please visit our website at 

www.sorema.it. 

HALL 9 STAND D41 

VISIT US AT 

MODPLAS.COM 

Vecoplan Maschinenfabrik GmbH 

& Co. KG 

Vor der Bitz 10 

Bad Marienberg 56470 Germany 

49-2661-6267-0; 49-2661-6267-70 (fax) 

vecoplan@vecoplan.de 

www.vecoplan.de 

Vecoplan is the world’s largest manufacturer 

of industrial scrap size reduction equipment. 

As the world leader in the industry, Vecoplan’s 

single shaft rotary grinders, plastic shedders, 

conveying systems and full turnkey engineering 

services are second to none. Vecoplan 

has a substantial presence on all of the five continents 

and has evolved into the undisputed 

leader of state-of-the-art size reduction and 

recycling systems. Vecoplan’s full plastic equipment 

line includes: 

• Shredders 

• Chippers 

• Conveyors 

• Separation technologies 

• Loading and unloading equipment 

• Turnkey systems 

For more information please visit our web site 

www.vecoplan.de. 


BLOWMOLDING SYSTEMS 

Graham Engineering Corporation 

1203 Eden Rd. 

York, PA 17402-0673 United States 

717-848-3755; 800-966-3702 

717-846-1931 (fax) 

sales@grahamengineering.com 

www.grahamengineering.com 

Graham Engineering Corporation offers a 

complete line of extrusion blow molding 

equipment, including linear shuttle machinery; 

rotary wheel equipment capable of single or 

dual parison, one bottle per parison or neckto-neck, 

with capability ranging from 9 to 30 

liter industrial containers to 24 stations (up to 

96 cavities) for high capacity production of single 

serve bottles, over one million per day; sin- 

Blowmolding Systems 

gle and dual head accumulator machinery 

from 1 kg to 34 kg shot capacity; reciprocating 

screw machine systems for polycarbonate 

water bottles; reciprocating screw and shot pot 

machinery for production of lightweight HDPE 

dairy and water containers. GEC offers a full 

range of capabilities, including multi-layer 

co-extrusion, in-mold labeling, view-stripes 

and trimming. 


Techne Technipack Engineering 

Italia SpA 

Via Della Tecnica, 75 

San Lazzaro di Savena (BO) 40068 Italy 

39-051-622-7511; 39-051-625-6709 (fax) 

info@techne-it.com 

www.techne-it.com 

Techne Technipack Engineering Italia SpA is 

an extrusion blow-molding machines manufacturer 

with 22 years experience, a highly 

skilled technical staff, 3 branches and a consolidated 

network of agents and collaborators. 

• 850 machines sold in 60 countries, a constant 

attention to innovation and technological 

development according to customers’ 

expectations. 

• Techne is a “Global Solution Provider” supplying 

both standalone machines and complete 

engineering lines, providing with highadded 

value in terms of quality, durability of 

investment, productivity and high efficiency. 

• During K 2007 a new revolutionary EBM 

mecatronic machine will be presented: 

ADVANCE® model ADV4-510, totally electric, 

modular, flexible, with low maintenance and 

consumption. 



AUXILIARIES 

& SUPPLIES DIRECTORY 

July 2008 



COLORANTS 

Clariant International Ltd., 

Pigments & Additives Div. 

Rothausstr. 61 

Muttenz 4132 Switzerland 

49-6196-757-8163; 49-6196-757-8862 (fax) 

pa.communications@clariant.com 

www.pa.clariant.com 

Clariant—Exactly your chemistry. Clariant is 

a global leader in the field of specialty chemicals. 

Strong business relationships, commitment 

to outstanding service and wide-ranging 

application know-how make Clariant a preferred 

partner for its customers. Clariant, 

which is represented on five continents with 

over 100 group companies, employs about 

21,500 people and is headquartered in Muttenz 

near Basel. Within the Pigments & Additives 

Division we offer a complete range of colorants—pigments, 

pigment preparations and 

dyes—as well as waxes, polymer additives 

and flame retardants for the plastics industry. 

Our products are tailor-made for masterbatch 

producers, compounders, polymer- and 

polyvinylchloride processors, as well as polymer- 

and fiber manufacturers. Serving the 

market with a broad and innovative palette of 

vivid components enhances our leading position 

for our customers' benefit. 

HALL 8A STAND J11 

COMPOUNDING SYSTEMS 

Buss AG 

Hohenrainstrasse 10 

Pratteln 4133 Switzerland 

41-61-825-6600; 41-61-825-6858 (fax) 

info.busscorp.com 

www.busscorp.com 

Buss AG is an independent company again, 

backed by a strong partner. BUSS is the global 

leader in mixing and kneading systems for 

demanding compounding solutions. The core 

strength of BUSS is high-valued process technology, 

sustainable innovation and a comprehensive 

service portfolio. With the MKS, 

quantec® and LR series, based on the oscillating 

screw Kneader principle, BUSS provides three 

customer-oriented solutions for a wide range 

of processing tasks. These include the preparation 

and degassing of PVC for calender feeding 

as well as compounding and pelletizing of: 

• Rigid and soft PVC 

• Masterbatch 

• Cable compounds (PVC, LSFOH, semiconductive, 

XLPE low-to-high voltage, specialty 

cable grades) 

• Thermoplastic specialty compounds 

• Thermosets 


Coperion Werner & Pfleiderer GmbH 

& Co. KG 

Theodorstr. 10 

Stuttgart 70469 Germany 

49-711-897-0; 49-711-897-3999 (fax) 

info.wp@coperion.com 

www.coperion.com 

Together with the companies Coperion 

Waeschle, Coperion Keya, and Coperion Hartmann, 

Coperion Werner & Pfleiderer is part of 

the Coperion group, which is the global market 

and technology leader for compounding 

systems, bulk materials plants and components 

and the worldwide leading provider 

with full service competence. The twin-screw 

compounder ZSK, the UK and LUK mixers 

and the KOMBIPLAST are used from raw materials 

production through to direct extrusion of 

the end product. Typical products of our customers 

are: 

• Standard plastics as engineering, temperature-sensitive 

and shear-sensitive plastics, 

long fiber thermoplastics 

• Masterbatch 

• Powder coatings, toners 

• Food 

• Hot-melt type and pressure-sensitive adhesives, 

sound insulating and sealant compounds, 

starches. 


VISIT US AT 

MODPLAS.COM 

CONSULTING SERVICES 

CMAI 

11757 Katy Freeway, Suite 750 

Houston, TX 77079 United States 

281-531-4660; 281-531-9966 (fax) 

cmai@cmaiglobal.com 

www.cmaiglobal.com 

CMAI—Europe 

1st Fl., 14 Waterloo Place 

London SW1Y 4AR, EN, United Kingdom 

44-20-7930-9818; 44-20-7930-9819 (fax) 

cmai@uk.cmaiglobal.com 


CMAI—Europe GmbH 

Königsallee 94 

Düsseldorf 40212, Germany 

9-211-71008110; 49-211-71008120 (fax) 

europe@cmaiglobal.com 


With over 27 years of experience in chemicals, 

plastics and fibers, CMAI provides global business 

solutions for the plastics industry. Our 

experts can provide valuable insights into 

the polyolefins, styrenics, PET and PVC markets. 

The Global Plastics & Polymers Market 

Report updates clients on the plastics industry 

on a monthly basis. The report contains current 

and forecast prices, trade data, supply/demand 

balances and updates on market 

conditions. All of our services and data are 

also available to our clients via the web. 

HALL 5 STAND G19-17 


ADDITIVES DIRECTORY 

August 2008 


MOLDMAKING 

& TOOLING DIRECTORY 

October 2008 


DEDUSTING 

Pelletron Corp. 

499 Running Pump Rd. 

Lancaster, PA 17601 United States 

717-293-4008; 717-293-4011 (fax) 

info@pelletroncorp.com 

www.pelletroncorp.com 

Pelletron's experienced Bulkmatology team 

provides Pneumatic Conveying and DeDusting 

solutions for the plastics industry. Whether it's 

de-bottlenecking existing systems or designing 

complete turnkey plants from the ground 

up, Pelletron's extensive know-how and experience 

ensures that solutions are efficient, 

cost-effective and meet the industries highest 

standards of quality. Pelletron offers dilute,strand,- 

and dense phase conveying systems, 

and a complete component program of medium 

and high pressure rotary and diverter 

valves. Pelletron offers unique DeDusting 

technologies for removal of dust and streamers. 

Pellbows are especially designed to 

minimize damage to elbows and conveyed 

product. Pellbows avoid creation of streamers 

and reduce dust, also available in wear 

resistant versions. 


EXTRUSION SYSTEMS 

American Maplan Corp. 

823 S. By-Pass 

McPherson, KS 67460 United States 

620-241-6843; 620-241-0207 (fax) 

welcome@maplan.com 

www.maplan.com 

EXTRUSION SYSTEMS: Twin screw extrusion 

systems for rigid PVC pipe, siding, and profiles 

including three conical and six parallel twinscrew 

extruders: Con 40, AMC/BEX 54, and 

DSK 62 conicals; and TS 92, AMC/BEX 92, TS 

100/2, TS 110, TS 135 and BEX 168 parallels. 

Grooved feed single screw extrusion systems 

for polyolefins with extruders from 45-220 mm 

with 30:1 L/D. Extrusion output rates from 100 

to 5000 lb/hr. Smooth feed single screw extrusion 

systems for sheet from 45mm to 150mm. 

Natural fiber composite extrusion systems 

available with all extruder types. Tooling for 

PVC and polyolefin pipe from 1/2 in to 63 in. 

Complete tooling for siding, profile, fence, 

deck and natural fiber composites. Complete 

downstream systems available for all product 

lines. Complete new or rebuilt barrel and 

screw program. 

HALL 16 STAND D22-2 

AMUT SpA 

Via Cameri, 16 

Novara 28100 Italy 

39-0321-6641; 39-0321-474200 (fax) 

amut@amut.it 

www.amut.it 

Since over 40 years, AMUT is one of the most 

important Italian manufacturers of complete 

extrusion plants for thermoplastic materials 

processing. AMUT develops and manufactures 

extrusion lines for pipes, profiles, sheets and 

special applications; in-line and off-line thermoforming 

machines; PET bottles and thermoplastic 

scraps washing plants. The major 

world markets are covered by an excellent 

sales and customer service network. 


Battenfeld Gloucester Engineering 

Co., Inc. 

Blackburn Industrial Park 

PO Box 900 

Gloucester, MA 01931-0900 United States 

978-281-1800; 978-282-9111 (fax) 

welcome@bge.battenfeld.com 

www.bge.battenfeld.com 

Battenfeld Gloucester Engineering's technology 

places our company in a leadership position as 

a worldwide supplier of integrated plastics processing 

equipment for blown film, sheet, cast 

film, foam-sheet, converting, printing and control 

systems. Our years of plastics industry 

knowledge, combined with a state-of the-art 

technical center and the finest team of planning, 

engineering, installation and training specialists 

are why our "Tradition of Excellence" stands out. 

We meet our customers' unique needs globally, 

providing immediate production advantages 

in the most challenging applications. Battenfeld 

Gloucester Engineering is a division of the SMS 

group and headquartered in Gloucester, MA, 

in the United States. 

BE (Brampton Engineering) 

8031 Dixie Rd. 

Brampton, ON, L6T 3V1 Canada 

905-793-3000; 905-793-1753 (fax) 

hipro@be-ca.com 

www.be-ca.com 

Extrusion Systems 

HALL 16 STAND D22-1 

It takes sophisticated, robust, operator-friendly equipment 

to produce multilayer (7-11 layer) blown film. 

One button start-ups, the most efficient production 

and the fastest return on investment are just a few 

of the reasons why BE has repeat customers. The 

proof is in the film. BE has more multilayer blown 

film installations than any equipment maker in the 

world. At BE's booth at K2007 see samples of multilayer 

films, produced on conventional and on 

AquaFrost lines. The AquaFrost process uses all BE 

components in a downward blown water-quenched 

configuration to produce exceptionally clear, thermoformable 

film at cast output rates. 


BREYER GmbH 

Bohlinger Str. 27 

Singen 78224 Germany 

49-7731-920-0; 49-7731-920-190 (fax) 

info@breyer-extr.com 

www.breyer-extr.com 

Production Program. Extrusion lines for the 

production of: 

• Transparent Sheet 

• Multiwall Sheet 

• Technical Sheet 

• Film for optical and technical applications 

• Tubes for cosmetic and food applications 

Breyer lines are offered in many different 

variations with an output capacity of up to 

2.000 kg/h as well as a sheet and film width up 



to 3.000 mm. Tube extrusion lines are manufactured 

for a tube diameter of 13 mm to 60 

mm. As far as process engineering is concerned, 

the lines can be designed for the processing 

of all common thermoplastics. 

The higher your demands— 

the more BREYER has to offer you. 


Corma Inc. 

10 McCleary Ct. 

Concord, ON, L4K 2Z3 Canada 

905-669-9397; 905-738-4744 (fax) 

info@corma.com 

www.corma.com 

Corma Inc. is an industry leader in the design 

and manufacturing of corrugated plastic pipe 

machinery. Corma offers systems to produce 

corrugated pipes from 1 mm to 3,000 mm in 

diameter. Pipes can be made of PVC, PE, PP, PA, 

etc. Corma holds hundreds of patents worldwide 

on corrugator machinery, processes, 

and related technology and has fully integrated 

manufacturing capabilities. Please visit 

our stand at K 2007, Hall 15, Stand D21, and 

allow us to show you our latest technology 

such as Pressure Forming Double Layer Coupling 

for Double Wall Pipe, Cooling Enclosure 

of New 30 series corrugators and the 

Pulsating Corrugator. 



(Film Extrusion Div.) 

Peter-Dorfler-Str. 13-25 

Augsburg 86199 Germany 

49-821-5906-0; 49-821-5906-600 (fax) 

plastics@alpine.hosokawa.com 


HOSOKAWA ALPINE is one of the world's most 

important suppliers of blown film lines for the manufacture 

of plastic films. The company supplies 

everything required for the manufacture of blown 

film from granule feeding systems through to film 

winders, nine-layer lines and from speed regulating 

equipment through to the most modern integrated 

process control systems. With the ALPINE 

monoaxial orientation lines the first steps toward 

innovative film enhancement have been made. 

Optimally equipped test laboratories in Augsburg/Germany, 

Natick/USA, and Hirakata/Japan are 

available to customers from e.g., packaging industry, 

food industry for practice-oriented testing. 


Kiefel Extrusion GmbH 

Cornelius-Heyl-Str. 49 

Worms 67547 Germany 

49-6241-902-0; 49-6241-902-100 (fax) 

info@kiefel-extrusion.com 

www.kiefel-extrusion.com 

Kiefel Extrusion GmbH is an internationally 

orientated company. Its product range covers 

blown film extrusion lines for the production 

of mono- as well as multi-layer films in 

most plastics (such as PE, PP, PA, EVOH, PET, 

PS and EVA, etc.). Extruders (smooth or 

grooved fed) are offered, depending on the 

required output, with screw diameters from 30 

to 120 millimeters. Lines for the production of 

barrier films with up to nine layers is a specialty 

of the company. There are more than 

4,000 lines from this blown film specialist in 

operation throughout the world today. 


Macro Engineering & Technology Inc. 

199 Traders Blvd. East 

Mississauga, ON, L4Z 2E5 Canada 

905-507-9000; 905-507-3000 (fax) 

sales@macroeng.com 

www.macroeng.com 

Macro Engineering & Technology Inc. is a 

leading designer and manufacturer of blown, 

cast and bi-oriented film and sheet extrusion 

systems, including custom coating and web 

handling machinery. Complete line highlights 

include our BXL Series of blown film lines 

for laminating and barrier films, our CXL 

Series of cast film lines for CPP and barrier 

films, and our DXL Series of double-bubble 

lines for barrier shrink bag applications. Component 

highlights include the D10 Air Ring, the 

ACCUPRO automatic gauge control system 

for blown film dies and the D10 PRO Automatic 

Air Ring. In addition to our standard equipment, 

we also work with our customers to 

develop custom-built solutions, such as specialty 

cast and coating lines, custom winders 

and unwind-rewind systems. 


Maillefer SA 

Route du Bois 37 

Ecublens 1024 Switzerland 

41-21-694-41-11; 41-21-691-21-43 (fax) 

info@maillefer.net 

www.mailleferextrusion.com 

As worldwide leader of extrusion and winding 

solutions to the pipe and wire and cable industries, 

Maillefer provides maximum productivity 

to its customers through superior technology, 

know-how and service. Complete 

extrusion packages are available for the manufacture 

of automotive fuel tube, plumbing and 

heating pipe, medical tube, irrigation pipe, 

water and gas distribution pipe, and specialty 

pipe as well as for a wide variety of wire and 

cable constructions. Maillefer is present in 

over 80 countries worldwide. It benefits from 

a large installed base and from experience 

gained throughout the decades. For more 

information visit our website. 


Understand 

the World. 

Keep on top of strategic issues, 

management trends, and 

key technologies. 

Subscribe to 

Modern Plastics Worldwide 

www.modplas.com/subscribe.php 


Reifenhäuser EXTRUSION GmbH & Co. KG 

Spicher Str. 46-48 

Troisdorf 53839 Germany 

49-2241-481-0; 49-2241-408778 (fax) 

info@reifenhauser.com 

www.reifenhauser.com 

Reifenhäuser offers a wide range of highquality 

extrusion lines and components tailormade 

to customer's requirements. Reifenhäuser 

products cover the entire range of: 

• single-screw and twin-screw extruders 

• extrusion lines for the production of blown 

films, cast films and thermoforming sheets for 

all types of packaging 

• extrusion coating systems for the production 

of various composite materials 

• dies and individual components 

• lines for wood polymer composites 

The worldwide RQS quality service organization 

provides direct customer contact and 

efficient after-sales service. Reifenhäuser is 

today more active than ever as one of the 

leading companies in the field of extrusion 

equipment manufacture. 


Sino-Alloy Machinery Inc. 

45 Gin-Chien 2nd Rd., Kuan-Yin Estate 

Tao-Yuan Hsien 328 Taiwan 

886-3-483-8475; 886-3-483-9052 (fax) 

mikechen@sinoalloy.com 

www.sinoalloy.com 

Sino-Alloy Machinery Inc., is committed to the 

exclusive production of co-rotating twin screw 

extruders. Long experience has clearly shown 

that there are deficiencies of other compounding 

machine designs including single screw 

extruder, FCM, BUSS, KCK, and counter screw 

extruder. However, the extensive productions 

experience of Polyalloy and our many customers 

has proven that the engineering design 

of the co-rotating twin screw extruder is demonstrably 

superior to other machine designs. 

Therefore, we insist that Sino-Alloy will produce 

only the co-rotating twin screw extruder. 


SML Maschinengesellschaft mbH 

Pichlwanger Strasse 27 

Lenzing 4860 Austria 

43-7672-912-0; 43-7672-912-9 (fax) 

sml@sml.at 

www.sml.at 

SML WINDING TECHNOLOGY. SML will show 

its revolutionary new winding machine, the 

Winder 3000, which may be referred to as 

turret-type shaftless inline slitter. This type of 

winder is especially suitable for LLDPE stretch 

film. Production speed is up to 600 m/min. It 

permits a maximum roll diameter of 420 mm 

for the production of jumbo rolls on 3-inch 

cores, but alternatively it is capable of producing 

hand stretch rolls on 2-inch cores. As 

the Winder 3000 eliminates the need for 

rewinding small rolls from a mother roll, it is 

a real boost of production efficiency. 


SOVEPLAST 

Via Spagna, 13 

Villafranca (VR) 37069 Italy 

39-045-6335-711; 39-045-6303-911 (fax) 

soveplast@soveplast.it 

www.soveplast.it 

SOVEPLAST Plastic Machinery produces single 

screw sheet and plate extrusion lines for in-line 

or off-line processes. The main feature of SOVE- 

PLAST extruders is the use of innovative permanent 

magnet torque motors. The main advantages 

of these motors are easy assembly and 

disassembly, low maintenance, low noise, and 

energy savings; motors are mounted on a special 

SOVEPLAST support (patent pending). 

Another SOVEPLAST strong point are calenders; 

each roll is equipped with independent 

motors and thermo-regulated with independent 

closed circuit system. All calenders are fitted with 

a "cross-axing" device. K 2007 news: SOVE- 

PLAST will present a new screw regulation system 

(patent pending). 


Film Stretching Lines 

UNICOR GmbH 

Industriestr. 56 

Hassfurt 97437 Germany 

49-9521-956-0; 49-9521-956-195 (fax) 

sales@unicor.de 

www.unicor.com 

UNICOR GmbH is one of the world's leading 

manufacturer of corrugators and downstream 

equipment for the manufacture of single, double 

and triple wall pipes, with patents in the 

field of corrugator and die head technology. 

The pipe range produced on UNICOR corrugators 

goes from pipes with an I.D. of 3 mm 

up to pipes with an o.d. of 2.400 mm and 

covers a variety of plastic materials. The pipes 

produced on UNICOR corrugators are used for 

a variety of applications: from medical use to 

sewer and stormwater application. 


FILM STRETCHING LINES 

Brückner Technology Holding GmbH 

Koenigsberger Str. 5-7 

Siegsdorf, Bavaria 83313 Germany 

49-8662-63-0; 49-8662-63-101 (fax) 

sales@brueckner.com 

www.brueckner.com 

The Brückner Group opens new expanding 

markets with innovative products. Brückner 

Maschinenbau is the world’s leading supplier 

of film stretching lines, providing various 

innovative line concepts for a wide range of 

applications: first-grade commodity film as 

well as high-value specialty film. Brückner 

Formtec successfully supplies film and sheet 

lines and modular cast film lines for castpolypropylene 

and multi-layer barrier film 

production. Brückner Servtec focuses on the 

service needs of film producers. At K 2007 

Brückner presents innovations maximizing 

film producer's performance and profitablity. 




FOAMING TECHNOLOGY 

Trexel, Inc. 

45 Sixth Rd. 

Woburn, MA 01801 United States 

781-932-0202; 781-932-3324 (fax) 

info@trexel.com 

www.trexel.com 

Trexel, Inc., offers The MuCell® Microcellular 

Foam injection molding and extrusion technology. 

This is a complete process and equipment technology 

that facilitates extremely high quality and 

greatly reduces production costs. The MuCell 

Process involves the controlled use of gas in its 

supercritical state to create a foamed product. 

With MuCell Molding, the technology is targeted at 

precision and engineered plastic components with 

maximum wall thicknesses of less than 3mm. The 

MuCell Extrusion Process offers the greatest advantage 

to extrusion processors who MUST HAVE 

the added performance of very small closed cells 

or MUST HAVE an environmentally clean solution. 

The small closed cells improve many properties 

compared to standard foaming techniques such as 

impact, ductility, insulation, sealabilty, and appearance. 

Trexel also supplies high performance Nitrogen 

and Carbon Dioxide Supercritical Fluid Delivery 

Systems in all size ranges for other industrial 

applications beyond microcellular foaming. 


INJECTION MOLDING MACHINES 

ARBURG GmbH + Co KG 

Arthur-Hehl-Strasse 

Lossburg 72290 Germany 

49-7446-33-0; 49-7446-33-3365 (fax) 

contact@arburg.com 

www.arburg.com 

ARBURG is one of the leading global manufacturers 

of injection molding machines for plastics 

processing with clamping forces between 125 

kN and 5,000 kN. The product range is completed 

by robotic systems, complex projects and other 

peripherals. ARBURG's operations are coordinated 

by an integrated management system, 

and are DIN EN ISO 9001 and 14001 certified. 

With locations in more than 20 countries worldwide 

and more than 30 international trading 

partners, ARBURG has a worldwide sales and 

service network. Production is carried out exclusively 

at the parent factory in Lossburg (Ger- 

many). ARBURG engages approximately 2,000 

employees worldwide. 


Dr. Boy GmbH & Co. KG 

Neschener Str. 6 

Neustadt-Fernthal 53577 Germany 

49-2683-3070; 49-2683-32771 (fax) 

info@dr-boy.de 

www.dr-boy.de 

BOY offers horizontal and insert molding 

machines from 14.2 to 100 U.S. tons. Shot 

sizes range from 0.2 to 8.90 oz. Well-proven 

control systems are available including the 

most advanced color touch screen versions. 

BOY capabilities include thermoplastic, thermoset, 

elastomer, LSR, PIM, ceramic, insert, 

micro molding, clean room and PET preforms. 

Widely known for the smallest footprint 

in the industry, the full range of BOY machines 

are supported by a global sales and service network, 

demonstration and testing centers, and 

comprehensive spare part inventories. 


Chen Hsong Group 

13-15 Dai Wang St., Tai Po Industrial Estate 

Tai Po, N.T. 

Hong Kong, China 

852-2665-3888; 852-2664-8202 (fax) 

comm@chenhsong.com.hk 

www.chenhsong.com.hk 

Established in 1958, the Chen Hsong Group is 

the largest manufacturer of plastic injection 

molding machines in the world. The Group 

produces approximately 15,000 injection 

molding machines annually with a customer 

base covering more than 65 countries worldwide. 

Chen Hsong offers injection molding 

machines from 20 to 4,500 tons. We design and 

manufacture a broad range of injection molding 

machines including Jetmaster Large series, 

Jetmaster C 2 series, Jetmaster Ai series, Supermaster 

TP series Two-Platen Machines, Supermaster 

series, Easymaster series, CHEN-PET Preform 

Moulding Turnkey System, and iChen 

Shop-Floor Networked Management System. 

The Group has set up its main manufacturing 

and R&D centers both in our 560,000 sqm 

Chen Hsong Industrial Park in Shenzhen, 

China. The Group will continue to invest and 

develop in new technologies and cooperate 

with strategic technology partners in order to 

further achieve a world-class technical capabilities 

platform. 


LWB Steinl GmbH & Co. KG 

Sonnenring 35 

Altdorf 84032 Germany 

49-871-308-0; 49-871-308-180 (fax) 

info@lwb-steinl.de 

www.lwb-steinl.de 

Since over 40 years LWB Steinl is a worldwide 

leader of rubber injection presses in 

vertical and horizontal construction. With 

more than 200 employees at a manufacturing 

area of over 120,000 square foot LWB offers 

rubber injection presses for every application–in 

tiebarless C-frame, welded frame or 4column 

construction. The presses are equipped 

with either the patented "E" (first in–all out) or 

"EF" (first in–first out) injection system that 

offers highest dosing precision. The latest 

development, the EFE-type injection unit with 

special processing features, allows the reduction 

of cure time up to 50 percent without 

changes of the compound. Machines ranging 

from 20 to 1200 tons clamping force with 

injection volume of 50 to 12000 ccm in either 

standard or fully automatic version. 

HALL 14 STAND A68 & A70 


COMPOUNDING 

DIRECTORY 

February 2008 


Netstal-Maschinen AG 

PO Box 

Naefels 8752 Switzerland 

41-55-618-6111; 41-55-618-6605 (fax) 

marketing@netstal.com 

www.netstal.com 

Netstal-Maschinen AG is a leading manufacturer 

of highly precise and fast cycling plastic injection 

molding machines with clamping forces 

from 500 to 8000 kN. Attributes such as speed, 

precision, reliability and user-friendliness are 

combined to provide economically efficient 

solutions that guarantee maximum benefits for 

the customer. Netstal's equipment is particularly 

suitable for the production of highly 

precise plastic articles such as Optical Discs and 

medical moldings, as well as technical components 

for the building and electronics industries. 

Other typical Netstal applications are, e.g., 

thin-walled food packaging products or preforms 

for PET bottles. A tight global network 

of distribution and service points worldwide, 

guarantees an outstanding closeness to the 

customer on all five continents. 


INJECTION STRETCH 

BLOWMOLDING MACHINE (ISBM) 

Aoki Technical Laboratory, Inc. 

4963-3 Minamijo, Sakaki-Machi 

Hanishina-Gun 

Nagano-Ken 389-0603 Japan 

81-268-82-0111; 81-268-82-3699 (fax) 

koho@aokitech.co.jp 

www.aokitech.co.jp 

New generation plastic containers from Aoki. 

More than 30 years ago, Aoki Technical Laboratory, 

Inc., Japan, succeeded in expanding 

the potential of plastic container molding 

through its unique Direct Heatcon® injection 

stretch-blow molding technologies. The history 

of plastic containers is now our history. Aoki 

has always maintained its position at the forefront 

of the industry by providing innovative 

container molding technologies for a 

range of products including beverages, foods, 

pharmaceuticals and daily necessities. Aoki 

focuses today on “Molding containers just for 

the cost of cold preform.” 


MACHINE COMPONENTS 

Xaloy Inc. 

1399 Countyline Rd. 

New Castle, PA 16107 United States 

724-656-5600; 724-656-5620 (fax) 

info@us.xaloy.com 

www.xaloy.com 

Xaloy Europe GmbH 

Richard-Wagner-Str. 21 

Neckarsulm 74172 Germany 

49-7132-99935-0; 49-7132-99935-99 (fax) 

info@eu.xaloy.com 

www.xaloy.com 

As the global leader in high-performance 

machinery components and melt-processing systems 

for the plastics industry, Xaloy has powerful 

resources to help you reduce costs and increase 

productivity. Our main products include highperformance 

feed screws, bimetallic barrels, 

shutoff nozzles, melt-processing kits, and heat 

transfer rolls. We also offer a number of process 

improvement products: a wide range of gear 

pump models and sizes; the most advanced 

manual, hydraulic and continuous screen changers; 

Cleaning Ovens in a range of sizes; and 

Water Ring Pelletizers. We offer advanced process 

testing and training services. Our technical 

leadership and personal service is backed by 

decades of engineering, materials, process and 

application experience. 




March 2008 

Materials Handling Equipment 

MASTERBATCHES 

RTP Company 


Winona, MN 55987 United States 

507-454-6900; 800-433-4787 

507-454-2041 (fax) 

rtp@rtpcompany.com 

www.rtpcompany.com 

RTP Company, headquartered in Winona, 

Minnesota, is a global leader in specialty compounding. 

Our company is privately owned 

and has eight manufacturing plants on three 

continents, plus sales representatives throughout 

North America, Europe, and Asia/Pacific. 

RTP Company's engineers regularly develop 

thermoplastic compounds and masterbatches 

based on individual customer application 

requirements in over 60 different engineering 

resin systems. Typical modifications obtained 

via specialty compounding include: color, 

special effects, conductive, ESD control, flame 

retardant, high temperature, structural, elastomeric 

and wear-resistant enhancements. 

HALL 7.2 STAND G49 

MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT 

Pipe Coil Technology Ltd. 

Carville Works, Hadrian Rd. 

Wallsend, Tyne & Wear NE28 6HF, EN 

United Kingdom 

44-191-295-9910; 44-191-295-9911 (fax) 

sales@pipecoil.co.uk 

www.pipecoil.co.uk 

World leaders in providing complete coiling 

and packaging solutions for plastics pipe, 

hose, tube and conduit. At the forefront of coiling 

expertise, Pipe Coil Technology offers an 

extensive range of innovative, tested solutions 

as well as purpose built machinery to 

cater for any coiling requirement. The outcome 

for the pipe producer is a substantial increase 

in coil production speed, efficiency and output, 

leading to greater profit margins and 



sustainable company growth. Pipe Coil Technology 

specializes in listening to and serving 

the needs of its customers, emphasized by 

the introduction of Offline Coiling and Low 

Ovality Technology; debuting at K2007. 


MOLDS, DIE & COMPONENTS 

D-M-E Company 

D-M-E Europe C.V.B.A. 

Industriepark Noord G1 

Mechelen BE 2800 Belgium 

32-15-21-50-11; 32-15-40-51-11 (fax) 

dme_europe@dmeeu.com 

www.dme.net 

D-M-E, an essential resource to the moldmakers 

and processors it serves worldwide, 

offers the industry's broadest range of marketleading 

products, unsurpassed knowledge 

and expertise, a global logistics infrastructure 

that ensures speed and accuracy, and a 

support organization unrivaled for its ability 

to assist customers when and where they 

need it. A complete line of standard and special 

mold bases, quick-change mold systems, 

mold components, mold making and molding 

equipment supplies, hot runner systems, control 

systems, and technical services helps customers 

achieve success every step of the way. 

HALL 1 STAND F8 

Extrusion Dies Industries, LLC (EDI) 

911 Kurth Rd. 

Chippewa Falls, WI 54729 United States 

715-726-1201; 715-726-2205 (fax) 

sales@extrusiondies.com 

www.extrusiondies.com 

EDI is an international supplier of flat dies for 

film, sheet, extrusion coating, and proximity 

coating. Products include single- and multimanifold 

dies, coextrusion feedblocks, and 

accessories like vacuum boxes and die carts. 

Dies range from less than 15 cm to over 10 m. 

Extensive die remanufacturing facilities operate 

in the U.S., Germany, China, and Japan. 

Rapid-response support is available for customers 

everywhere. In China, EDI is represented 

by Wuxi Planer Plastic, Ltd. 


INCOE® Corporation 

World Headquarters 

1740 E. Maple Rd. 

Troy, MI 48083 United States 

248-616-0220; 248-616-0225 (fax) 

info@incoe.com 

www.incoe.com 

Founded in 1958 INCOE® Corporation produced 

the first commercial hot runner system 

and has established the experience and long 

term commitment to quality, technology, and 

customer support. Our goal is to provide the 

very best price/performance hot runner system 

technology available. Products include: 

Complete injection halves, “Unitized” manifold 

systems, “Integrated” hot runner systems, 

Opti-Flo hot runner manifold systems with 

MeltFlipper® Technology, Screen Pac Material 

Filters, temperature and valve gate controls. 

INCOE® serves customers in over 50 

countries around the globe from its world 

headquarters in Troy, Michigan; our European 

headquarters in Rodermark, Germany; 

our South American office in Sao Paulo, Brazil; 

and Asia Pacific in Singapore, Shanghai, Hong 

Kong, Dongguan, China and other regions 

via our distributor network. 


Precision Dies & Tools Mnfg. Co. LLC 

PO Box 8597 

Dubai, United Arab Emirates 

971-4-3472989; 971-4-3105777 

971-4-3472128; 971-4-3105888 (fax) 

info@pdtmc.com 

www.pdtmc.com 

Precision Dies & Tools Mnfg. Co. LLC–a total solution 

provider from concept to component for 

plastic users/industries. We are leading designers 

and manufacturers of injection, blow, thermoforming 

and compression molds. We are 

equipped with high-tech manufacturing infrastructure 

with integrated CAD/CAM facilities 

that provide product design, prototyping, mold 

design and mold manufacture. Our in-house 

mold testing facilities ensure trouble-free operation 

and provide shorter lead times. Our other 

product range includes press tools, extrusion dies 

and die casting dies. 


StackTeck 

1 Paget Rd. 

Brampton, ON, L6T 5S2 Canada 

416-749-1698; 416-749-2795 (fax) 

stackteck@stackteck.com 

www.stackteck.com 

StackTeck is a leading provider of productivity 

enhanced tooling solutions for the injection molding 

industry. StackTeck produces a wide range of 

injection molds used to produce plastics parts in 

applications such as caps, closures, medical, thinwall 

packaging, as well as complete systems integration, 

In Mold Labeling systems and mold bases. 


Taiwan Mold Tool Co. 

43-2, Pei-Tao Li, Danshui Town 

Taipei Hsien 25146 Taiwan 

886-2-2620-6202 #11; 886-2-2622-8244 (fax) 

mold@twnmold.com.tw Att.: Sophie 

www.twnmold.com.tw 

Taiwan Mold-Tool Co., Ltd. was established 

in 1978 with advantages of short lead-time, 

competitive pricing, precision machining 

work, excellent technical communication in 

English, and high-quality mold structure. 

Our facilities include advanced 

CAD/CAM/CNC/CMM systems. CAD: 

Pro/Engineer, Catia, Cadkey, and AutoCad; 

CAM: Cam-tool, Cimatron, PowerMill & PowerShape. 

We have more than 40 sets of CNC 

machine centers and 4 proficient engineering 

teams who make sure your molds are at highquality 

level. We build plastic injection molds, 

such as 3-plate, with hot runner, stack-mold, 

insert-mold, over-mold, and die casting dies for 

alum., zinc, and magn. Our molds range from 

big automotive parts, consumer products, 

electronic/electric parts, to household appli- 


ance, unscrewing parts, lawn/garden, 

pipes/fittings, and many more. 

HALL 2 STAND F15-2 

PELLETIZING SYSTEMS 

BKG Bruckmann & Kreyenborg 

Granuliertechnik GmbH 

Hessenweg 3 

Münster 48157 Germany 

49-251-26501-0; 49-251-26501-98 (fax) 

info@bkg.de 

www.bkg.de 

Underwater pelletizing systems of BKG Bruckmann 

und Kreyenborg Granuliertechnik GmbH are a 

fully developed and efficient solution for the 

plastics processing industry. It is possible to 

process all thermoplastic materials with these 

systems. The product spectrum includes turnkey 

lines with centrifugal dryers and complete control 

systems with a throughput of 2 to 20.000 

kg/h. For PET processing BKG offers the possibility 

of economic pelletizing and crystallizing the 

material in only one procedural step with the socalled 

inline crystallization process CrystallCut®. 

Customers may run tests at BKG’s in-house lab line, 

in order to optimize their production parameters. 


Gala Industries, Inc. 

181 Pauley St. 

Eagle Rock, VA 24085 United States 

540-884-2589; 540-884-2310 (fax) 

gala@gala-industries.com 

www.gala-industries.com 

Gala GmbH 

Bruchweg 28-30 

Xanten 46509 Germany 

49-(0)2801-980-0; 49-(0)2801-980-10 (fax) 

info@gala-europe.de 

www.gala-europe.de 

Gala offers pellet processing technologies to the 

plastics industry worldwide. Known for top 

quality centrifugal dryers and underwater pel- 

letizing systems, Gala offers turn-key systems 

or individual components for applications in 

compounding, food grade or medical grade polymers, 

engineered resins, thermoplastic elastomers, 

hot melt adhesives, or recycle. Gala 

offers lab testing, customer training, spare parts, 

and on-site technical assistance. For over 40 

years, Gala has been your reliable source for 

polymer processing technology. 


Rieter Automatik GmbH 

Ostring 19 

Grossostheim 63762 Germany 

49-6026-503-0; 49-6026-503-109 (fax) 

contact.aram@rieter.com 

www.rieter-automatik.com 

www.pelletizing.com 

Rieter-Automatik– 

The world leader in pelletizing technology. 

Rieter-Automatik has made a name for itself as 

the world’s leader in pelletizing technology. 

With six decades of experience and with an 

installed base of more than 8,000 pelletizing 

systems, the company provides its customers 

with state-of-the-art pelletizer trains that yield 

the highest profitability. Rieter’s worldwide 

sales and service network ensures that the 

company always stays close to its customers. 

For basic testing and product development, 

Rieter offers its customers the use of a uniquely 

well-equipped laboratory. 


POLYMERS, CHEMICALS 

& PETROCHEMICALS 

Continental Industries Group, Inc. 

733 Third Ave., 20th Fl. 

New York, NY 10017 United States 

212-752-2020; 212-821-0020 (fax) 

cig-ny@cigusa.com 

www.cigusa.com 

Primary Processing Machinery 

Continental Industries Group is a global sales 

and distribution company of polymers and 

chemicals based in New York with over 25 

years of experience. The company has expanded 

worldwide and established sales offices 

strategically located in the United States, 

Europe, Middle East, Russia and Far East. We 

add measurable value to both our suppliers and 

customers by providing services, such as 

sourcing, marketing and sales, transportation, 

stock distribution, and financing. 

HALL 5 STAND H19-6 


MACHINERY 

Milacron Inc. 

4165 Halfacre Rd. 

Batavia, OH 45103 United States 

513-536-2000; 513-536-2441 (fax) 

info@milacron.com 

www.milacron.com 

Every Advantage Possible 

Milacron is your global source for plastics 

processing equipment and advanced processing 

technology. 

• Milacron offers superior aftermarket products 

and services through ServTek Services. 

• Milacron offers all electric and hydraulic 

injection molding machines that include 

hybrid, multi-component and "cube technology" 

engineered equipment. 

• All machinery is complemented with 

Milacron auxiliary equipment and manufacturing 

systems. 

• Uniloy Milacron offers blow molding 

machinery for containers and industrial blow 

molding. 

• Cincinnati Milacron twin screw extruders 

are used extensively in the building industry 

to make such products as PVC pipe, window 

profiles, and solid and hollow profiles of 

wood and natural fiber plastic composites. 

• Akron Milacron single screw extruders are 

designed specifically to meet the requirements 

of many market segments, such as 

sheet, profile, and pipe. 

For more information please visit us at 

www.milacron.com. 




Matila Industrial Co., Ltd. 

186, Chung Hsiao Rd., Pali 

Taipei Hsien 249 Taiwan 

886-2-26192222; 886-2-26101100 (fax) 

matila@matila.com.tw 

www.matila.com.tw 

Matila is the professional manufacturer for blown 

film machine and plastic waste recycling equipment. 

The products include HDPE/LDPE/LLDPE 

mono/double/multi-layer single and co-extrusion 

line, shrinkable film making and stretch film making 

machine; as well as the whole plant plastic waste 

film/sheet/bottle washing line and recycling line 

from 40 to 500 kg/hr. We also provide various types 

of bag making machines and flexographic printing 

machines by customer's demand. 


NGR Next Generation 

Recyclingmaschinen GmbH 

Gewerbepark 22 

Feldkirchen 4101 Austria 

43-7223-70107-0; 43-7223-70107-2 (fax) 

sales@ngr.at 

www.ngr.at 

NGR has changed the way of recycling plastic 

waste. The idea is to replace the multi-step technology 

with a cost-effective, compact and 

easy-to-maintain ONE-STEP technology. The 

revolutionary NGR cutter-feeder-extruder combination 

makes the entire recycling process 

more economical by combining a powerful single-shaft 

cutter with an extruder into one 

unit. That eliminates the need for pre-cutting 

and densification of the material. Such advantages 

mean a short period for your return of 

investment. NGR is a manufacturer of turnkey 

and custom-tailored plants for recycling of 

thermoplastics with an output from 10 kg up 

to 2.000 kg. 

HALL 9 STAND 5 

Stay on top 

of the world 

MPW’S E-WEEKLY 

Free at 

MODPLAS.COM 

WINDMÖLLER & HÖLSCHER KG 

Münsterstr. 50 

Lengerich 49525 Germany 

49-5481-14-0; 49-5481-14-2649 (fax) 

info@wuh-lengerich.de 

www.wuh-lengerich.de 

Windmoeller & Hoelscher Corp. 

23 New England Way 

Lincoln, RI 02865 United States 

401-333-2770; 401-333-6491 (fax) 

info@whcorp.com 

www.whcorp.com 

Since the foundation of our company in 1869, 

the development and manufacture of machinery 

and equipment for flexible packaging has 

been our business. With a staff of about 2000 

employees at 16 locations within the W&H 

group worldwide, the sales achieved in 2006 

amounts to approximately €450 million. We 

offer an extensive range of machines for the 

production of flexible packaging that is unique 

in both its breadth and depth: blown and cast 

film extrusion systems, flexo and gravure 

printing presses, machines for the laminating 

and conversion of paper, films and plastic 

fabrics as well as packaging machines based on 

the FFS principle. 


Windsor Machines Ltd. 

102 A/B, 1st Fl., Dev Milan Co-operative 

Housing Society 

LBS Marg, Near TipTop Plaza, Thane (W) 

Mumbai, Maharashtra 400 604 India 

91-22-25836592; 91-22-25836285 (fax) 

marketing@wml.co.in 

www.wml.co.in 

Injection Molding Machinery Div. 

912764234266 

91-2764-233643 (fax) 

marketing@wml.co.in 

Extrusion Machinery Div. 

919898042145 

91-79-25842145 / 2059 (fax) 

mkt.vatva@wml.co.in 

One of India's largest Plastics Processing 

Machinery manufacturer and exporter since 

1964, offering: 

• Injection molding machinery for 80 to 850 

tonnes 

• Mono- and multi-layer blown film extrusion 

lines 

• Pipe extrusion lines for PVC, PE and PP 

• Blow molding machinery up to 100 liter 

capacity 

Strategical Technology Alliances: 

• Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd., Japan, for 

injection molding machinery. 

• Kuhne GmbH, Germany, for blown film 

extrusion lines. 

PROCESS MEASUREMENT 

& CONTROL 

NDC Infrared Engineering 

Bates Rd. 

Maldon, Essex CM9 5FA, EN, United Kingdom 

44-162-852244; 44-1621-856180 (fax) 

sales@ndcinfrared.co.uk 

www.ndcextrusion.com 

About NDC Infrared Engineering. NDC designs 

and manufactures industrial gauging systems 

for continuous measurement and control of the 

thickness or basis weight of sheets and barrier 

layers in plastic extrusions and co-extrusions. 

At K 2007, we will present our complete range 

of measurement technologies including: 

Infrared, Beta, Gamma, X-ray and Laser, as 

well as the AccuTrak and MiniTrak scanners 

and Pro.Net TDi and System 8000 TDi profile 

display and control systems. NDC Infrared 

Engineering is based in Europe and the USA, 

with operations in Germany, France, India, 

Japan and China, and distributors worldwide 

to support local markets. 



AUXILIARIES 

& SUPPLIES DIRECTORY 

July 2008 


PUR PROCESSING SYSTEMS 

Bayer MaterialScience 

100 Bayer Rd. 


412-777-2000; 800-662-2927 

www.BayerMaterialScienceNAFTA.com 

Bayer MaterialScience produces a wide range 

of proven and innovative materials including 

polycarbonates, polyurethanes, thermoplastic 

polyurethanes, coatings, adhesives and 

sealants. Bayer’s Hennecke Machinery group 

is a world leader in polyurethane processing 

equipment. Our materials, equipment, and 

solutions are used to develop the next generation 

products in the automotive, construction, 

information technology, appliance, furniture 

as well as sports and leisure industries. For 

more information about Bayer MaterialScience, 

visit www.BayerMaterialScienceNAFTA.com 

or call 1-800-662-2927. 


PURGING COMPOUNDS 

Chem-Trend 

1445 W. McPherson Park Dr. 

Howell, MI 517-546-4520 United States 

517-546-4520; 517-546-8910 (fax) 

psales@chemtrend.com 

www.chemtrend.com 

Chem-Trend, a leader in the development 

and manufacture of premium specialty chemical 

products will be presenting its full line of 

chemically based, abrasive-free purging compounds, 

cleaners, mold protectors, release 

agents, and lubricants. Chem-Trend's superior 

technology products are lead by the Lusin® 

brand purging compounds that offer faster 

purging of injection, blowmolding and extrusion 

machines with a significant reduction 

in color or material change downtime. Chem- 

Trend thermoplastic product development is 

centered near Munich, Germany, and part of 

a laboratory, technical service and sales net- 

work that spans the globe. For more information, 

visit Chem-Trend at the K Exhibition 

or go to our website at www.chemtrend.com. 

HALL 7A STAND C5 

RESINS & COMPOUNDS 

Bayer MaterialScience 

100 Bayer Rd. 


412-777-2000; 800-662-2927 

www.BayerMaterialScienceNAFTA.com 

Bayer MaterialScience produces a wide range 

of proven and innovative materials including 

polycarbonates, polyurethanes, thermoplastic 

polyurethanes, coatings, adhesives and 

sealants. Bayer’s Hennecke Machinery group 

is a world leader in polyurethane processing 

equipment. Our materials, equipment, and 

solutions are used to develop the next generation 

products in the automotive, construction, 

information technology, appliance, furniture 

as well as sports and leisure industries. For 

more information about Bayer MaterialScience, 

visit www.BayerMaterialScienceNAFTA.com 

or call 1-800-662-2927. 


Dow Plastics c/o Dow Europe GmbH 

Bachtobelstrasse 3 

Horgen 8810 Switzerland 

41-44-728-2481; 41-44-728-2440 (fax) 

tcook2@dow.com 

www.dow.com 

Dow Plastics, a business group of The Dow Chemical 

Company and its subsidiaries, offers one of the 

broadest ranges of plastics of any manufacturer 

worldwide. Products include polyethylene, polystyrene, 

engineering thermoplastics, polypropylene, 

PET/PTA, rubber, wire and cables, and fiber solutions. 

Performance plastics and plastic materials from 

Dow are used in a wide range of market segments, 

including food and specialty packaging, industrial 

and consumer packaging, agriculture, hygiene 

and medical, appliances and durables, furniture and 

furnishing, electronics and telecommunications, 

textiles and fibers, and building and construction. 

HALL 8A STAND K47-50 

Resins & Compounds 

Honeywell 

Haasrode Research Park 

Grauwmeer 1 

Heverlee VB 3001 Belgium 

32-1639-1215; 32-1639-1371 (fax) 

marc.walon@honeywell.com 

www.honeywell.com/sm 

Honeywell 

101 Columbia Rd. 

Morristown, NJ 07962 United States 

973-455-4296; 973-455-5413 (fax) 

jose.carrazza@honeywell.com 

www.honeywell.com 

At K 2007, Honeywell will be exhibiting PVC 

lubricants as well as Aegis® nylon 6 resins. 

Honeywell´s PVC lubricants significantly 

increase extrusion production rates by reducing 

plate-out and Amp loads. These new highperformance 

lubricants do not alter process 

characteristics, sacrifice high quality or risk 

burning and discoloration. They offer tremendous 

advantages by reducing problems and 

increasing production, creating more PVC 

per hour. Honeywell’s Aegis resin products 

include nylon and specialty nylon resins for 

both industrial and consumer product applications. 

Currently Honeywell serves three 

primary market segments with the resins that 

they need to thrive in their competitive industries: 

(1) Compounding, (2) Packaging, and (3) 

and Nylon Fiber. 




MACHINERY DIRECTORY 

December 2007 



March 2008 



KRAIBURG TPE GmbH & Co. KG 

Friedrich-Schmidt-Str. 2 

Waldkraiburg 84478 Germany 

49-8638-9810-278; 49-8638-9810-472 (fax) 

info@kraiburg-tpe.com 

www.kraiburg-tpe.com 

KRAIBURG TPE Corp. 

2625 N. Berkeley Lake Rd., Suite 100 

Duluth, GA 30096 United States 

678-584-5020; 678-584-0500 (fax) 

info-america@kraiburg-tpe.com 

KRAIBURG TPE (M) Sdn. Bhd. 

No. 15, Jalan TPP 5/13 

Taman Perindustrian Puchong 

Puchong, Selangor 47100 Malaysia 

60-380-68-5968; 60-380-61-5969 (fax) 

info-asia@kraiburg-tpe.com 

KRAIBURG TPE is the worldwide market leader 

in customer-specific thermoplastic elastomers 

(TPE) based on hydrogenated styrene block 

copolymers (HSBC). In our headquarters in 

Germany, we have been developing and producing 

TPE since 1984. With our worldwide 

sales network, we ensure local operations 

and global services. Our THERMOLAST K® 

compounds are easily processible in both 

(Co-) Injection Molding and (Co-) Extrusion, 

used in a wide range of applications including 

automotive, consumer, care, medical, toys, 

sports, appliances, electronics and construction. 

KRAIBURG TPE is certified in accordance 

with DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 and the automotive 

standard TS16949. 

HALL 6 STAND A49-1 

RTP Company 


Winona, MN 55987 United States 

507-454-6900; 800-433-4787 

507-454-2041 (fax) 

rtp@rtpcompany.com 

www.rtpcompany.com 

RTP Company, headquartered in Winona, 

Minnesota, is a global leader in specialty com- 

pounding. Our company is privately owned 

and has eight manufacturing plants on three 

continents, plus sales representatives throughout 

North America, Europe, and Asia/Pacific. 

RTP Company's engineers regularly develop 

thermoplastic compounds and masterbatches 

based on individual customer application 

requirements in over 60 different engineering 

resin systems. Typical modifications obtained 

via specialty compounding include: color, 

special effects, conductive, ESD control, flame 

retardant, high temperature, structural, elastomeric 

and wear-resistant enhancements. 

HALL 7.2 STAND G49 

Solvay Engineered Polymers, Inc. 

100 S. Mitchell Rd. 

Mansfield, TX 76063 United States 

817-972-1400; 817-792-2850 (fax) 

www.solvayengineeredpolymers.com 

Solvay Engineered Polymers GmbH 

Maassstr. 28 

Heidelberg 69123 Germany 

49-6221-82816-0; 49-6221-82816-10 (fax) 

www.solvayengineeredpolymers.com 

Solvay Engineered Polymers, Inc., is a leading 

supplier of engineered polyolefin materials, 

providing quality products worldwide, along 

with engineering and processing support. 

Versatile, recyclable DEXFLEX® thermoplastic 

polyolefins (TPOs) are used for a variety of 

injection-molded general-purpose and automotive 

applications. Grades are also available 

for extrusion and blow molding. Families 

of high-performance SEQUEL® engineered 

polyolefins exemplify the latest advances in 

polymer technology for stiffness, impact resistance, 

dimensional stability, or controlled 

gloss. INDURE® polyolefin alloys are being 

developed for surface durability. NexPrene® 

thermoplastic elastomers are designed to 

combine the performance properties of thermoset 

rubber and the simplicity of thermoplastic 

processing. 


VISIT US AT 

MODPLAS.COM 

Solvin S.A. 

Rue de Ransbeek, 310 

Brussels 1120 Belgium 

32-2-264-32-61; 32-2-264-35-85 (fax) 

richard.thommeret@solvay.com 

www.solvinpvc.com 

SolVin, The Partner in Vinyls. 

SolVin is a leader on the PVC and PVDC markets, 

owned by Solvay (75%) and BASF (25%), 

with a turnover above €1billion, and 2000 

employees. SolVin has operations in Benelux, 

France, Germany, Italy and Spain and offers 

a wide range of vinyl homopolymers, copolymers 

and regenerated PVC, with a global 

capacity of 1.3 million tonnes of PVC, and 

30kt of PVDC. SolVin is continuously improving 

its products owing to two research centers 

based in Belgium, and is strongly committed 

to the sustainable development through Vinyl 

2010. Everyday, SolVin finds, develops, and 

improves all along the vinyl chain long-term 

partnerships with processors, raw material 

suppliers, machines manufacturers, recyclers, 

etc. For more details let's surf on the web at 

www.solvinpvc.com. 


Ticona GmbH 

Professor-Staudinger-Str. 

Keisterbach 65451 Germany 

49-69-305-16299; 49-180-202-1202 (fax) 

infoservice@ticona.de 

www.ticona.com 

As a leading supplier of engineering polymers, 

Ticona leverages its competitive advantage 

with high-quality products and its depth 

of know-how in application technologies and 

development. One of Ticona's special strengths 

is its global presence. Together with its affiliates 

abroad and alliance partners, Ticona 

operates production, compounding and 

research facilities in Europe, America and 

the Asia-Pacific region. The great advantage of 

this for international customers is direct proximity 

and local contacts. Ticona is well positioned 

in the most important key markets. It 

is always creative innovations that drive development 

forward. Ticona products, with their 


excellent material properties, frequently satisfy 

crucial performance criteria that make new 

approaches to technical problems possible. 

HALL 6 STAND A7/B7 

Uniqema Nederland BV 

Buurtje 1 

Gouda 2802 BE Netherlands 

31-182-54-29-11; 31-182-54-22-50 (fax) 

polymers.eu@uniqema.com 

www.uniqema.com 

PRIPOL & PRIPLAST—The high-performance, 

natural polymer building blocks. Uniqema’s 

biobased building blocks are designed to deliver 

performance characteristics in plastics, 

elastomers and sealants, like polyurethanes, 

COPE, COPA, acrylates, PET and epoxies. The 

range offers: 

• Hydrolytic stability 

• Thermo-oxidative stability 

• Chemical resistance 

• Water repellency 

• Flexibility and/or toughness 

• Flow and wetting properties 

Uniqema’s oleochemical fatty acids and derivatives 

are fully derived from renewable 

resources such as vegetable oils, offering sustainable 

and high-performance alternatives to 

petrochemical derived products. Please see 

us at K 2007 at CRODA Hall 7, Level 2/B27 or 

visit www.uniqema.com. 

HALL 7.2 STAND B27 

RHEOMETRY, VISCOMETRY, 

EXTRUSION, COMPOUNDING 

Thermo Scientific 

Dieselstr. 4 

Karlsruhe 76227 Germany 

49-721-4094-444; 49-721-4094-300 (fax) 

info.mc.de@thermofisher.com 

www.thermo.com/mc 

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) is 

the world leader in serving science. Serving customers 

through two premier brands, Thermo 

Scientific and Fisher Scientific, we help solve 

analytical challenges from routine testing to 

complex research and discovery. Within the 

Thermo Scientific brand, a wide range of 

industries is served by the material characterization 

solutions. Instruments like viscometers 

and rheometers help to characterize 

polymers, foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals 

or coatings. Laboratory extruders and mixers 

support you in process modeling activities. 

Twin-screw extruders can even compound 

small plastics quantities. From research and 

development to quality control our customers 

are provided sound results on their products. 

Please visit www.thermo.com/mc . 


SCREEN CHANGERS 

Gneuss Kunststofftechnik GmbH 

Mönichhusen 42 

Bad Oeynhausen 32549 Germany 

49-5731-5307-0; 49-5731-5307-77 (fax) 

gneuss@gneuss.com 

www.gneuss.com 

Gneuss, Inc. 

921-A Matthews Mint Hill Rd. 

Matthews, NC 28105 United States 

704-841-7251; 704-841-7254 (fax) 

gneuss.usa@gneuss.com 

www.gneuss.com 

Gneuss is known worldwide as the specialist for 

Polymer Melt Filtration Systems and Melt Pressure 

and Temperature Instrumentation. The 

fully automatic, process and pressure constant 

Rotary Filtration Systems meet highest customer 

requirements. At K 2007, Gneuss will 

show a number of new developments, including 

new generations of both the SFXmagnus and 

RSFgenius filter models as well as the new 

model SFXmagnus-D, a large area melt filtration 

system for polymerization applications. 


VISIT US AT 

MODPLAS.COM 

Semifinished Materials 

Trendelkamp Technologie GmbH 

Bahnhofstr. 43 

Nordwalde 48356 Germany 

49-2573-925-0; 49-2573-925-25 (fax) 

trendelkamp@trendelkamp.com 

www.trendelkamp.com 

Designs and manufactures continuous operating 

screen changers for filtering thermoplastics. 

Special screen changers are available 

for recycling applications. Trendelkamp 

has numerous years of experience in design 

and manufacturing of primary machinery for 

the plastics industries. Trendelkamp offers 

the highest standard of processing machinery 

for the plastics industries including various 

screen changers for continuous and discontinuous 

applications of processing thermoplastics 

and engineered resins. Applications 

range from masterbatches, compounding, 

polymerization, recycling to extrusion of 

sheet, film and blown film. Trendelkamp also 

provides a full line of diverter valves, vacuum 

units, mixing silos, pellet classifiers and other 

periphery equipment. 


SEMIFINISHED MATERIALS 

PALRAM Industries Ltd. 

Kibbutz Ramat Yohanan 

Ramat Yohanan 30035 Israel 

972-4-845-9900; 972-4-844-4012 (fax) 

palram@palram.com 

www.palram.com 

PALRAM Industries Ltd., a multi-national company, 

produces and markets rigid thermoplastic 

sheets from polycarbonate, PVC, acryl 

and other materials using extrusion. PALRAM 

is certified ISO 9001:2000. The company's 

products are divided into three main groups: 

• Corrugated sheets that are used for skylights, 

covering roofs, roofing structures and 

covering agricultural greenhouses. 

• Flat sheets that are used for safety glazing, 

advertising signposts, printing, sport venues, 



protection for vehicles, and other industrial 

uses. 

• Multi-wall sheets from polycarbonate, which 

are used for covering roofs, skylights and 

insulation. 

PALRAM distributes its products globally via a 

worldwide network of distributors and by 

subsidiaries and production plants in the USA, 

Europe and China. 

HALL 8A STAND C29 

PLAZIT 2001 

Kibbutz Gazit 

D.N. Yizreel 19340 Israel 

972-4-662-8888; 972-4-6765784 (fax) 

plazit@plazit.com 

www.plazit.com 

Plazit 2001, Israel, and Panchim, Bulgaria, are 

amongst the leading manufacturers of extruded 

plastic sheets in Europe today. Our product 

line includes: PMMA, PC, GPPS, HIPS and SAN 

sheets for use in construction, glazing, display, 

signage, acoustic walls, etc. All sheets can be 

supplied in a wide range of thicknesses (PMMA 

sheets from 0.50 mm to 30 mm and PC solid 

sheets from 0.5 mm to 12 mm), in a huge 

variety of colors and patterns. Plazit 2001 and 

Panchim, Bulgaria, have representatives in 

Western and Eastern Europe, South and Central 

America and the USA. 


Taconic International Ltd. 

Forest Park 

Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, Ireland 

353-44-9338300; 353-44-9338390 (fax) 

alexh@4taconic.com 

www.4taconic.com 

Founded in 1961, Taconic is a manufacturer of 

high-quality PTFE and silicone elastomer-coated 

fabrics. We have developed a wide range of 

flexible abrasion-resistant composite materials 

and unique high-temperature specialty tapes 

with unlimited applications in industrial prod- 

ucts and processes. Our specialty conveyor 

belting range includes food processing, fuse 

pressing, laminating, PVC carpet lines, textile drying 

and screen-printing. Other product application 

areas embrace the aerospace, automotive, 

packaging, ceramic/glass, woodworking, chemical 

and rubber industries. Taconic is strategically 

located worldwide (Ireland, UK, Germany, 

France, Korea, New York, California and Brazil) 

to serve our global customer network both 

directly and via distribution. 

HALL 7.1 STAND B1 

SLITTER REWINDERS 

Atlas Converting Equipment Ltd. 

Wolseley Rd., Kempston 

Bedford MK42 7XT, EN, United Kingdom 

44-1234-852553; 44-1234-851151 (fax) 

sales.atlas@bobstgroup.com 

www.bobstgroup.com/atlas 

SLITTER REWINDERS FOR FILM. Atlas is the 

world’s leading manufacturer of primary slitter 

rewinders for plastic film, providing solutions 

for customers on all 5 continents. Atlas has 

designed the world’s largest and fastest slitting 

machines for plastic film and has installed 

more than 170 primary film slitters worldwide 

exceeding 6m in width, including several at 10 

meters wide. For some types of film, running 

speeds can be as high as 1500 m/min. The 

company also has a range of secondary slitter 

rewinders, processing both plain and metallized 

film in narrower widths up to approximately 3 

meters. Fully automated and integrated roll 

handling systems can also be supplied to meet 

specific production requirements. 


THERMAL ANALYSIS, ANALYZING 

& TESTING 

NETZSCH-Gerätebau GmbH 

Wittelsbacherstr. 42 

Selb 95100 Germany 

49-9287-881-0; 49-9287-881-144 (fax) 

at@netzsch.com 

www.netzsch-thermal-analysis.com 

NETZSCH–Your Professional Polymer Profile! 

The “Analyzing & Testing” business unit of the 

NETZSCH Group is an international enterprise with 

worldwide presence. Our 45 years of experience 

have secured us global technological and market 

leadership. We are the manufacturer of a wide range 

of thermoanalytical instruments such as DSC (Differential 

Scanning Calorimeter), TGA (Thermobalance), 

DMA (Dynamic-mechanical Analyzer), DEA (Dielectric 

Analyzer for cure monitoring) and LFA (Laser/Light 

Flash Analyzer for thermal conductivity). During K 2007 

we will be presenting our complete thermal characterization 

spectrum within the scope of research and 

development and quality assurance. Our new F3 

Series is ideal for quality control and failure analysis 

on your polymer resins or plastic parts. 


THERMAL TREATMENT PLANTS 

Bühler AG 

Uzwil CH-9240 Switzerland 

41-71-955-3466; 41-71-955-3440 (fax) 

thermal.processes@buhlergroup.com 

www.buhlergroup.com 

Bühler is the worldwide successful partner for 

engineering and building complete plants, systems, 

and machines for thermal treatment of polymers. 

Bühler supplies customer-oriented continuous-operation 

systems for heating, cooling, 

crystallization, drying, and solid-state polycondensation 

(SSP). These systems are used for both 

mass-type and special polymers, as well as for 

recycled polymers. All systems can be operated 

with either flakes, pellets or powder. Besides 

the engineering of new plants and systems, Bühler 

also offers services such as debottlenecking of 

existing systems, lab and pilot plant testing, 

plant design and joint process. 

THERMOFORMING MACHINERY 

GABLER Thermoform GmbH & Co. KG 

Niels-Bohr-Ring 5A 

Lubeck 23568 Germany 

49-451-3109-0; 49-451-3109-100 (fax) 

info@gabler-luebeck.de 

www.gabler-maschinenbau.de 


GABLER Thermoform GmbH & Co. KG is one of 

the leading global manufacturers of thermoforming 

machines for the packaging industry 

with its focus on food packaging. The range of 

products reaches from compact stand-alone 

machines to large manufacturing plants including 

extrusion and integration of any kind of downstream 

processes. For over 30 years, GABLER 

employees use modern equipment and technology 

for developing and manufacturing machinery 

whose quality, performance and reliability is 

setting world standards. By means of permanent 

contact with customers and sub-suppliers new 

developments are constantly geared to the customer’s 

benefit. 


WELDING/SEALING/ 

BONDING EQUIPMENT 

Branson Ultraschall 

Waldstr. 53-55 

Dietzenbach 63128 Germany 

49-6074-497-0; 49-6074-497-199 (fax) 

info@branson.de 

www.branson.de 

Branson Ultrasonics Corp. 

41 Eagle Rd. 

Danbury, CT 06813 United States 

203-796-0400; 203-796-9838 (fax) 

info@bransonultrasonics.com 

www.bransonultrasonics.com 

Branson—leading worldwide manufacturer 

of plastics joining equipment used in all phases 

of manufacturing—has the most complete 

range of solutions for assembling thermoplastics, 

including ultrasonic, vibration, hot 

plate, spin, thermal, and laser IRAM. All are 

safe, clean, economical techniques for joining 

plastics and facilitating compliance with current 

OSHA and FDA regulations. Benefits 

include: energy efficiency and high productivity 

with lower cost than alternatives, elimination 

of costly, contaminating consumables, 

and no need for elaborate ventilation to 

remove fumes or heat. Branson's ultrasonic 

equipment also seals, laminates, and slits nonwoven 

textiles and thermoplastics films. 

Global reach—local solutions. 


Dukane—Intelligent Assembly Solutions 

2900 Dukane Dr. 

St. Charles, IL 60174 United States 

630-797-4900; 630-797-4949 (fax) 

usintl@dukcorp.com 

www.dukcorp.com/us 

Dukane is a global provider of plastic assembly systems 

for the welding of thermoplastic materials. 

A standard line of ultrasonic, vibration, hot 

plate, spin welders, laser welders and thermal 

presses are used to provide solutions that meet the 

unique requirements of each customers application. 

The line also includes film and fabric 

sewing and slitting machines and custom automated 

assembly systems. Dukane provides knowledgeable 

application engineers, no charge consultations, 

regional technical centers and a network 

of international offices. Dukane offers a technical 

training program and unparalleled Service and 

Support. Visit us at www.dukcorp.com/us to find 

your local sales representative. 


Herrmann Ultraschalltechnik GmbH 

& Co. KG 

Descostr. 3-9 

Karlsbad 76307 Germany 

49-7248-790; 49-7248-7939 (fax) 

info@herrmannultraschall.com 

www.herrmannultraschall.com 

Herrmann Ultraschalltechnik, the recognized 

technology leader in ultrasonic plastic welding will 

display 11 different systems for welding of thermoplastic 

parts, fabrics, and packaging materials 

at K 2007. A brand new series of ultrasonic 

welders designed for the medical market—called 

the MEDIALOG series—and other cleanroom 

applications will be introduced. These include features 

of the field proven, maximum weld quality 

Herrmann DIALOG welders. Additional MEDI- 

ALOG features are stainless steel panels, advanced 

air management to reduce particles, enhanced calibration 

mode and an operator interface compliant 

to FDA 21 CFR Part 11. Also first time 

shown will be the Herrmann NON-CON- 

TACT/NON-WEAR actuator VE-R 30 CS including 

a rotating sonotrode combined with 

Herrmann’s patented MICROGAP control. 


Welding/Sealing/Bonding Equipment 

Sonics & Materials, Inc. 

53 Church Hill Rd. 

Newtown, CT 06470 United States 

800-745-1105; 203-270-4610 (fax) 

info@sonics.com 

www.sonics.com 

Sonics & Materials, Inc., is a world-class manufacturer 

of a full line of plastics assembly equipment, 

tooling and systems for: 

• 40, 20 and 15 kHz ultrasonic welding, staking 

and inserting with NEW GX-Series generators 

providing power outputs from 700 to 6000 watts 

• Linear vibration welding for large parts 

• Ultrasonic OEM kits and stack components for 

systems integrators 

• Spin welding for circular parts 

• NEW! X-Press Integrated Welding System 

Sonics is ISO 9001 certified, providing assembly 

solutions to an international customer base for 

35+ years. Automotive, industrial, medical, packaging, 

toy, appliance, and synthetic textile manufacturers 

around the world use Sonics’ standard 

or customized equipment to weld the full spectrum 

of commodity and engineering polymers. 


Sonitek 

84 Research Dr. 

Milford, CT 06460 United States 

203-878-9321; 800-875-4676 

203-878-6786 (fax) 

info@sonitek.com 

www.sonitek.com 

Sonitek offers sales and service on new and 

100% refurbished ultrasonic welders, and our proprietary 

line of Heatstaking & Insertion equipment 

manufactured in our state-of-the-art manufacturing 

facility in Milford, CT. Our Heatstaking & 

Insertion systems can perform staking, insertion, 

de-gating, swaging, embossing, date coding, film 

sealing, tamper-evident packaging and Clamshell 

or Blister Packs. Sonitek also manufactures ultrasonic 

tooling, horns, fixtures, boosters, in addition 

to repair services on all makes and models 

of ultrasonic welders as well as new and rebuilt 

converters. We encourage sending in samples or 

prints of your plastic joining requirements for evaluation, 

testing and joint design recommendations. 


COUNTDOWN TO K 

Curtain’s up on world’s largest plastics show 

It will be a jam-packed festival of plastics technology as the 

17th iteration of the K Show opens its doors on October 24 at 

10:00 am. But while there is plenty of fun to be had, don’t let the 

carnival atmosphere fool you. This trade show is your finest 

opportunity to learn what the best minds in the business are 

working on, from A.B. Isolanti (Stand 15D41) to Zwick GmbH 

(11B25) and at every stop in between. An eight-day show seems 

like a long time until you try to track down every person who you 

want to see: the materials suppliers, auxiliary equipment manufacturers, 

maybe a consultant or two, primary processing 

machinery manufacturers, tool/moldmaking shops, and all of the 

rest who add their expertise to make a processor’s business hum. 

Attendee appetizer: 

injection molding at the K 

Here are small tidbits of just a handful of the many, many 

injection molding innovations expected at this show: 

• Fanuc (Stand 16A21) will, for the first time at a European 

trade show, show its new B series machines decked out with new 

options and in new sizes. The B series is now available in seven 

models (15B, 30B, 50B, 100B, 150B, 250B and 300B), with the 

15B and 30B, both new this summer, at the show molding LCP 

connectors and LCP circuit boards, respectively. 

• When Netstal, a company known for high-output, highly 

dependable machines, announces it will replace its workhorse 

Synergy hydraulic range, then processors can reasonably 

expect the heir to be something special. See for yourself: two of 

the new Evos range of hybrid machines will be running at Netstal 

(Stand 15C58). 

• Last October the Kunststoff-Zentrum (Plastics Center; 

Stand 13D79), based in Leipzig, Germany, made public its 

work with rubber molding machine manufacturer Desma on 

formicaPLAST micro-injection molding machines, thermoplastics 

presses developed by the Center for manufacture and marketing 

by Desma. (See Jan. 2007 MPW, pg. 21 for more) At the 

K, the Center will show a machine for processing of two-component 

microparts. 

• Another center of German plastics engineering expertise, the 

University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (Stand 12B49), will have an 

Arburg (Stand 13A13) press at its stand, molding a self-lubricating, 

two-component gear wheel. 


The time will fly, so come to enjoy but also with a plan to 

ensure you leave with a few great ideas to pull your firm forward. 

Feel free to peruse our articles at www.kshowadvisor.com 

to help narrow your search for new technology, and to ensure 

you know where to have a good time once the show shuts for 

the day. Our pre-show articles in this issue and the previous one 

also may help. 

If you enter through the North entrance, we’re probably the 

first people you’ll see. Feel free to stop by our booth with your 

comments or suggestions, or just to say “Hello” and grab a copy 

of our K Show Daily, the official English-language paper for the 

K Show. 

“We want to help decision makers discover the variety 

of applications that we can make through extrusion 

blowmolding…We would like also to show that in 

spite of the competition from [processors in] Eastern 

European countries we remain competitive, thanks to 

our know-how, innovation, automation, and a constant 

modernization of our workshop.” Claudine Poncet, 

export assistant at four-time K Show exhibitor M.T.S. 

(Moulage Technique Soufflage), a French blowmolding 

processor (Stand 5B13-1). 

“Our aim is to increase our international contacts. K is 

the leading exhibition for plastics technology. A presence 

is crucial to open up new and interesting markets.” 

Wolfgang Czizegg, CEO at first-time exhibitor Waldorf 

Technik (Stand 7aB02), a manufacturer of automation 

for labeling. 

“We’ll spend more than a few million dollars on this 

show…And we’ll show not just what we’ve done but 

also where we’re headed.” Bob Simpson, president of 

the plastics machinery group at Milacron (Stand 

15B05). 

Basic K 2007 Facts 

WHAT: World’s largest plastics industry exhibition 

WHERE: Düsseldorf, Germany 

WHEN: October 24 - 31, 2007 

HOURS: 10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. 

EXHIBIT SPACE: 265,000m 2 in 19 buildings 

ATTENDANCE: About 3000 exhibitors; 200,000+ visitors 

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.k-online.de 

modplas.com

“ 

In recent years, economists have spent 

a great deal of time studying Mavens, 

for the obvious reason that if marketplaces 

depend on information, the 

people with the most information 

must be the most important. ” 

–Malcolm Gladwell 

The Tipping Point* 

Are you an information maven? 

Are you the person your organization 

turns to for the latest developments 

and technology that might affect your 

business? Then the Modern Plastics 

Worldwide E-Weekly is a 

must-read for you – and it’s free! 

Week in and week out, the 

senior editors of MPW pick up 

more news and stories than can be 

printed in monthly issues of the 

magazine. The MPW E-Weekly is 

where that surplus information finds a 

home. Read it weekly to become your 

company’s information maven. 

Visit www.modplas.com and locate 

the “Subscribe to E-Weekly” icon. 

Are you an 

information 

maven? 

Then subscribe 

today!

CLICK MPW a INFOLINK @ www.modplas.com See us at K 2007, Hall 11 Stand E21

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 

For information Contact: Cheryl Ackerman (516) 496-8891 • Fax (516) 496-8762 • cheryl.ackerman@cancom.com 

Used machinery for the industry 

www.plasticsone.com 

12 Capital Dr., Wallingford, CT 06492 

Ph: 203-265-1193 

Fax: 203-284-8243 

MACHINERY NETWORK, INC. 

Tel:(310) 826-4440 Fax:(310) 826-2320 

1000-Ton, 165-oz. VAN DORN, “wide platen” P2500 cntrl 1995 

600-Ton, 80-oz. HPM, Command 9000 control 1997 

550-Ton, 63-oz. ENGEL, CC-90 control 1989 

500 Ton, 89-oz. VAN DORN, "WP" P5000 control 1999 

440-Ton, 54-oz. CINNICINNATI, Camac VEL control 1994 

400 Ton, 24.6-oz. NISSEI, “Electric” NC9300T control 1999 

300-Ton, 32-oz. TOYO, PLCS-9 control 2000 

300 Ton, 24-oz. ENGEL, CC-100 control 1996 

250-Ton, 10-oz. HUSKY, Fanuc control 1998 

220 Ton 16.5-oz KRAUSS MAFFEI 1996 

220-Ton, 12-oz. ARBURG, Selogica control 1998 

220-Ton, 10-oz. CINCINNATI, Camac VEL 1995 

200-Ton, 13.1-oz. TOYO, PLCS-9 control 1994 

200-Ton, 9-oz. NEWBURY, vertical, shuttle tbl. 1995 

177-Ton, 9.6-oz. NISSEI, NC9000 control 1995 

160-Ton, 8.4-oz. HUSKY, Fanuc control 1997 

120-Ton, 5-oz. VAN DORN, Pathfinder 2500 control 1994 

120-Ton, 2.9-oz. TOSHIBA, Injectvisor V10 control 1999 

55-Ton, 1-oz. ARBURG, Dialogic control 1991 

55-Ton, 2.7-oz. TOYO, PLCS-9 control 1996 

55 Ton, 1.3-oz. NIIGATA, “Electric” 1999 

28-Ton, 1.6-oz. ENGEL, “tiebarless” 1999 

BEKUM BLOW MOLDER H-111 1996 

FREESIA MACROSS EXTRUDER TWIN SCREW 2000 

website: machinerynetwork.com 

email: seth@machinerynetwork.com 

Machinery For Sale/Wanted 

WWW.TIMBERLINEMACHINERY.COM 

$2,000,000 Inventory 

Injection Molders 

Blow Molders 

Extruders 

Call Ed Makepeace 

Ph: 603-889-7233 (USA) tmi@timberlinemachinery.com 

Fax: 603-889-7300 (USA) 100 MACHINES IN STOCK 

BRANSON & DUKANE 

We buy and sell all makes and 

models of Sonic Welders! 

We design and build 

Ultrasonic Horns and Fixtures 

We also make Heatstaking Systems 

Sonitek Corp. 

800-875-4676 

classifieds@sonitek.com 

www.sonitek.com 

www.usedultrasonicwelders.com 

TCC/Chillers 

By BuhlerPrince 

Process Temperature 

Control Solutions! 

Water & Oil Circulating TCU's 

Chillers, Cooling Towers, Pump Decks 

Quality, Dependability, Accuracy, 

Customer Service 

QPC Systems 

phone: 616-394-6979 

e-mail: info@qpcsystems.com 

www.qpcsystems.com 




Custom Shaft Seals 

for Mixers, Blenders, 

Dryers, Extruders and 

other process machinery 

Original 

Machinery For Sale/Wanted 

BUYING, SELLING & BROKERING 

QUALITY USED 

PLASTIC PROCESSING EQUIPMENT & AUXILIARY 

Appraisals, Liquidations, Auction Services & Financing 

Injection Molding Machines • 

Thermoformers • 

Extruders • 

Blowmolders • 

Rotomolders • 

Packaging Machinery • 

Auxiliary Equipment • 

Downstream Equipment • 

Wepaycashforyour 

surplus machinery! 

See our complete inventory at: 

www.hunterplastics.com 

1075 Southbridge Street, Worcester, MA 01610 

Phone: 508-799-6600/fax: 508-799-6690 

EMAIL: ron.perkins@hunterplastics.com 

Your SATISFACTION and TRUST is our TOP PRIORITY! 

CUSTOM ENGINEERED 

SHAFT SEALS 

Shaft Seals 

Manufactured in Maine by 

WOODEX Bearing Company, Inc. 

Georgetown Maine, USA 800 526-8800 +1 207 371 2210 

www.woodex-meco.com 


Auxiliary Equipment 

America’s Largest 

Stocking Dealer 

Ph: 954-255-6900 

Fax: 954-255-5611 

sales@machinerycenter.com 

Injection Molding/ Blow Molding/Extruders/Auxiliary 

If we don’t have it, we’ll find it!! 

www.machinerycenter.com 

In-Mold Graphics 

Hand Tools 

Purging Compounds 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

modplas.com



“Your full service plastics recycler” 

VIRGIN*REPRO*REGRIND*SCRAP 

TOLL GRINDING SERVICES AVAILABLE 

ph 253-537-2010 fax 253-537-2009 

www.pugetsoundplastics.net 

pugetsoundplastics@msn.com 

C O N T A M I N A T E D 

DON’T DUMP, WE CAN USE 

Also need clean cellulosics, Acrylics, 

Polycarbonates or wide range of plastic scrap 

ENTIS ASSOCIATES 

1600 Beacon St. Suite 506, Brookline, MA 02246 

Tel: 617 267 2322 Fax: 617 277 9493 

Materials for Sale/Wanted 

Cost Effective 

High-Quality Reprocessed 

PS/ABS/PC/PVC/PP/PE/PETG/PET 

Pellets and Regrind 

ADEBCO PLASTICS GROUP 

REPROCESSED PELLET IS AS 

CLOSE TO VIRGIN AS A 

REPROCESSED SOLUTION CAN BE! 

Debco Plastics Group 

877-963-6893 

info@debcoplastics.com 

We Buy & Sell All Resin Types 

Moldmaking 




Extrusion Equipment 

Custom Services 

Allgrind Plastics 

CUSTOM GRINDING 

• PULVERIZING 

• GRANULATION 

• CRYOGENIC PULVERIZING 

• SIFTING/BLENDING 

N.J.: 908/479-4400 

www.allgrind.com info@allgrind.com 


Moldmaking Dust/Material Separation 

Ultrasonic Tooling 

Blowmolding Equipment 

Blowmoulding Parts & Systems Inc. 

1260 Creditstone Road Unit 1 

Concord, Ontario L4K 5T7 Canada 

Tel: (905) 738-5540 Fax: (905) 738-2098 

bmpscanada@idirect.com www.bmps.ca 

We sell new, used & rebuilt 

blowmoulding machinery 

Please visit us at Plast-Ex 2007 May 1 - 3, 2007 

Toronto International Centre, Booth # 1204 

Fines/Label Separation 

Color Separation 

Material Type Separation 

Up to 99% Yield-Efficiency 

Also: 

* Grinder Evacuation 

* Noise Control 

* Dust/Collection Systems 

IMF CONVEYING SYSTEMS 

1-866-462-4270 www.indmetalfab.com 

Tool Cleaning Services 

The 

TRACKER 

from Bear Technologies, Inc. 

See your plant at a glance 

Improve Production Efficiency 

30 day money back guarantee 

1 to 14 machines for only 

$7,250 USd 

1 to 48 machines for only 

$11,500 USd 

(units can be combined) 

Free demonstration Windows 

software or Connect two of 

your machines to our 

demonstration unit for a week! 

New 

Windows 

Format 

now 

available! 

The Best Production Monitoring Value on the Market 

Try 

before 

you BUY 

For more information call 

1-800-290-0060 

or visit our website at 

modplas.com



Recruitment 

www.adescor.com contact: jbengough@adescor.com 

Established Sales Agents needed for outside North America. 

We are a well established Canadian company manufacturing downstream equipment 

for continuous manufacturing process. Machine ranges are from 50 to 1800mm. 

cutoffs, conveyors, friction or spin welders, packaging, automatic coilers, etc. 

Our machine offerings are from the corrugator to the plant door. 

PLASTIC PLACEMENT NATIONWIDE 

Specializing in the Compounding and 

Colorants Industries Since 1978 

plasticsjobsearch.com 

All inquiries handled in confidence 

Fees paid by employer 

JOHN ANDERSON & ASSOCIATES 

ph: 817-514-1920 fx: 817-514-1922 

email: johnanderson-assoc@airmail.net 

Used Machinery 

PLASTICO TRADING 

www.plasticotrading.de 

USED PLASTICS MACHINERY 

20 minutes from K-SHOW 2007 

Vohwinkeler Str. 173. D-42329 Wuppertal 

Phone +49 202 - 273 275 Fax +49 202 - 273 2770 

service@plasticotrading.de 

Granulator Knives 

Professional Services 

TIME-CRITICAL CONFIDENTIAL 

PROBLEM SOLVING SINCE 1973 

• CHEMICAL ANALYSES 

AND CHARACTERIZATION 

• THERMAL ANALYSIS AND RHEOLOGY 

• MECHANICAL TESTING 

• ORGANIC SYNTHESIS 

• LAB COMPOUNDING, PELLETIZING 

AND INJECTION MOLDING 

• FAILURE ANALYSIS 

• QUALITY ASSURANCE 

• CHEMICAL RESISTANCE 

• ACCELERATED WEATHERING 

• FDA EXTRACTIONS 

• R & D 

LABORATORIES, INC. 

http://www.polyhedronlab.com 

modplas.com MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE • OCTOBER 2007 183 

® 

• PLASTICS 

• POLYMERS 

• RUBBER 

• ASTM 

281-879-8600 

FAX281-879-8666 

10626 KINGHURST 

HOUSTON, TX 77099 

Granulating - Shredding 

Knives & Screens 

Nelmor - Cumberland, etc. 

Buy direct from the OEM supplier 

Guaranteed Quality - Large Inventory 

Made in USA 

888-993-9911 

dsmanufacturing@aol.com 

www.granulating-knives.com 

Tool Cleaning Services 

60 John Dietsch Blvd. 

North Attleboro, MA 02763-1026 

We clean: 

Hot Manifolds 

Breaker Plates 

Screws 

Dies 

All Plastic Tooling 

Call today: 508 399 5955 

www.plasclean.com

CLASSIFIED 

Recruitment 

Senior Position for 

Thermoplastic Compounding 

Plant in India 

Machino Polymers Ltd. of India 

is a leading Thermoplastic 

Compounding Plant, located near 

New Delhi (India) specializing in 

compounds for the automotive and 

allied sectors, is embarking on a 

high growth and ambitious 

expansion plans. 

The company invites applications 

from professionals fro the following 

Senior Executive level positions to 

contribute towards the company’s 

growth plans: 

1) CEO/COO 

2) Works Manager 

3) R & D Manager 

(with QA & R&D exposure) 

The company is looking to receive 

response for Full Time employment 

from qualified professionals with 

minimum 10 – 15 years of relevant 

experience. 

Retired professionals are also 

invited to join as Consultant on 

contract assignments. 

Salary & Perks will not be a 

constraints for the right candidates. 

Qualified candidates with proven 

track record and accomplishment 

may send their CV / resume 

preferably with a photo at the 

following: 

Machino Polymers Ltd., 

plot no – 2, 

Sector-33, Gurgaon India 

122001 

Fax: 91-124-4031841 (India) 

or through Email: 

mjindal@machinopolymers.com, 

machino@cal.vsnl.net.in 


modplas.com

ADVERTISER INDEX 

COMPANY PAGE 

AEC Inc. 6 

AIPMA 14 

AISA Automation Industrielle SA 20, 119 

American Maplan Corp. 95 

Arburg GmbH + Co KG 15 

Arkema 75 

Aseanplas Singapore (Messe Düsseldorf) 146 

Avalon Vision Solutions LLC 102 

Axel Plastics Research Laboratories Inc. 53 

Bandera SpA, Luigi 97 

BASF 11,23 

Battenfeld Gloucester Engineering Co. Inc. 2 

Battenfeld Injection Molding 135 

Bayer MaterialScience LLC 103 

Bernex Bimetall AG 67 

Borealis 31 

Braskem S/A 109 

Brampton Engineering 58A, 58B 

BraunForm Inc. 16 

Bruckner Maschinenbau GmbH + Co. KG 74 

Budzar Industries Inc. 187 

Buss 67 

BYK-Chemie 83 

Canon Trade Events 3, 154 

Chemsite 129 

Chemtura (formerly Crompton and Great Lakes) 4 

Chen Hsong Machinery Co. Ltd 101 

Cincinnati Milacron Extrusion Systems 55, 57 

Clariant Pigments + Additives 28 

Compuplast International 12 

Continental Disc Corp. 35 

Coperion Werner & Pfleiderer 132 

Crown/CDL Technology Inc. 48 

Cumberland Engineering LLC 188A 

Cytec 72 

Degussa Rohm GmbH + Co. KG 33 

D-M-E Company 7 

Dow Chemical Company 51 

Dyna-Purge Division, Shuman Plastics 123 

Eckart 42A, 42B 

EDI 107 

Elba SpA 37 

Equate 81 

Erema Plastic Recycling Systems 128 

ExxonMobil Chemical 39 

Fong Kee Iron Works Co. Ltd. 120 

Gabriel-Chemie Group 21 

Gentex Corp. 85 

GLS Corp. 54 

Hans Weber Maschinenfabrik GmbH 122A, 122B 

Harden Industries 82 

Heitec Heisskanaltechnik GmbH 94 

Hosokawa Alpine 188B 

HRSFlow 25 

IMS Company 122 

Incoe Corp. 99 

Jenn Chong Plastics Machinery Works Co. Ltd. 123 

Kang Chyau Industry Co. Ltd. 125 

Kautex Maschinenbau 36 

Keppel Seghers 145 

Kongskilde Industries Inc. 110 

K-Tron Corp. 145 

Leistritz Extrusionstechnik GmbH 137 

Maag Pump Systems Textron AG 114 

Macro Engineering + Technology Inc. 126 

Mag-Plastic Machinery SA 42 

Manner International LP/Otto Manner Vertriebs GmbH 18 

Mony Industrial Co. Ltd. 134 

Multibase S.A. 118 

Netstal-Maschinen AG 115 

Ningbo Fangli Group Marketing Co. Ltd. 106 

Nissei Plastics Industrial Co. Ltd. 8 

NYCO Minerals Inc. 143 

Nylacast Materials Ltd. 27 

Om Mani Padme Hum Co. Ltd. 131 

OMIPA Extrusion Machinery 70 

Parkinson Technologies 34 

Piovan SpA 80 

Plastika Kritis SA 93 

Plastrac 90 

Priamus System Technologies LLC 77 

Race Mold Industrial Co. Ltd. 87 

Radicinovacips SpA/Radici Group Plastics 127 

Reifenhäuser Extrusion GmbH & Co. KG 41 

Reliance Polymers 105 

Resin Technology Inc. (RTi) 118 

Rieter Automatik GmbH 43 

Rodolfo Comerio 17 

modplas.com 

COMPANY PAGE 

Rohm and Haas 58 

Salina Vortex Corp. 110 

Sea-Land Chemical Co. 63 

Shini Plastics Technologies Inc. 98 

Shin-Kuen Plastics Co. Ltd. 87 

Sino Mould Co. Ltd. 111 

Sino-Alloy Machinery Inc. 151 

Society of Plastics Engineers, Automotive Division 178 

Society of the Plastics Industry Inc. 147 

Songwon 141 

Soveplast Plastic Machinery 121 

Sprimag Spritzmaschinenbau GmbH + Co. KG 153 

Sterling-Hempstead Shredder Systems 46, 122 

Struktol Company of America 91, 122 

Suzuko Corp. 13 

Technovel Corp. 73 

Teijin Twaron BV 117 

Thermoplay SpA 78 

Thixomat Inc. 50 

Ticona GmbH 19 

Unicor GmbH 100 

VDMA 133 

Virginia Economic Development Partnership 29 

WEIMA America Inc. 49 

Windmöller + Hölscher 45 

WM-Meico 89 

Xaloy 79 

Zambello Riduttori s.r.l. 47 

Zeppelin Silo + Systems GmbH 113 

Zimmer AG 139 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 

OCTOBER 

23-31 K 2007, world’s largest plastics and plastics processing exhibition, 

Düsseldorf, Germany. Contact: Messe Düsseldorf, 

tel: +49 211 4560240; fax: +49 211 45608548. 

e-mail: info@messe-duesseldorf.de; www.k-online.de 

25 Improving Quality and Tool Efficiency in Injection Molding, 

conference, Düsseldorf, Germany. Contact: SPE, Ms Yetty 

Pauwels, tel: +32 3 5417755; fax: +32 3 5418425. 

e-mail: spe.europe@skynet.be; www.speeurope.org 

25-26 European Coatings, conference, Berlin, Germany. Contact: 

Mareike Baeumlein, Vincentz Network, 

tel: +49 511 9910273; fax: +49 511 9910279. 

e-mail: mareike.baeumlein@coatings.de; www.european-coatings.de 

25-26 Training Courses for Processors, seminars, Düsseldorf, 

Germany. Contact: SPE, Ms Yetty Pauwels, 

tel: +32 3 5417755; fax: +32 3 5418425. 


29 Advances in Extrusion Technology, conference, Düsseldorf, 

Germany. Contact: SPE, Ms Yetty Pauwels, 

tel: +32 3 5417755; fax: +32 3 5418425. 


NOVEMBER 

12-13 4th Asia ETP*Markets & Tech, conference, Shanghai, China. 

Contact: Centre for Managment Technology, 

tel: +65 6345 7322; fax: +65 6345 5928. 

e-mail: cynthia@cmtsp.com.sg; www.cmtevents.com 

15-16 5th LA*PET 2007, polyester conference. Mexico City, Mexico. 

Contact: Centre for Management Technology, tel: +65 6345 7322. 

e-mail: cynthia@cmtsp.com.sg; www.cmtevents.com 

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MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE OCTOBER 2007 185

SPOTLIGHT 

WITH HASSAN DARVESH AND KAMAL SHARMA 

Darvesh (l) and Sharma 

see a metallic glimmer in 

Nova’s future. 

This film processor, part of the familyowned 

Darvesh Group, announced in 

January that it plans to launch the 

world’s largest aluminum smelting 

plant under one roof, to be located on 

a 1-million-ft 2 plot in Dubai Industrial 

City, not far from its cast- and blownfilm 

operations. 

“Specialization is the key and seeking 

niches that sell are how we are driving this 

company,” says Hassan Darvesh, CEO, 

and the fourth-generation Darvesh to be 

involved in the family business. Nova 

Industries, which only started operations 

10 years ago, now is one of the Middle 

East’s prime producers of cast polypropylene 

(CPP; 1500 tonnes/mo), multilayer 

blown film (500 tonnes/mo), and tapes 

(250 tonnes/mo). Cast stretch and cast 

cling films are also growing. 

“The packaging market in the Middle 

East grew 6% from 1996-2002,” says 

Darvesh, “and I believe that by 2015 half 

of all packaging needs in this area will be 

made of plastics.” Biggest demand is 

coming from metalized and laminated 

flexible packaging for snack food, antifog 

film for meat packaging, retort films 

and bags for quick food preparation, and 

barrier structures made of metallocene 

polyethylene with 

EVOH or nylon 

cores for packaging 

such products as 

edible oil. His confidence 

has been 

reflected by action, 

with new investments at the 450-man 

processing operations. 

A mix of European-brand processing 

equipment is important, says Kamal Sharma, 

general manager production at the 

company, to meet customer demands for 

consistent quality. In April, Nova installed 

a new cast/stretch line from Macchi 

(Venegono Inf., Italy) and the company 

has ordered a cast CPP line from SML 

Maschinengesellschaft (Lenzing, Austria) 

with an vapor deposition metalizer from 

Allied Materials (Alzenau, Germany). It 

also has slitter/rewinders from Kampf 

(Wiehl, Germany). 

Nova Industries sees itself as being a big 

customer for foils of the new 

€591,000,000 aluminum smelter once it is 

completed in 2010. Output will include 

aluminum composite panels for the building 

and construction sector, semi-rigid containers, 

pharmaceutical packaging, and 

lamination foils. Hassan Darvesh’s father 

and group director, Ahsan Hassan 

Darvesh, has taken over the planning of 

this giant project, Noval, that upon completion 

is to have a 135,000-tonnes/yr 

capacity. Initial construction began in July 

and the first phase production should start 

by the end of next year. 

Dubai, U.A.E. 

Persian Gulf 

Ghuwayfat 

Tarif 

Abu Dhabi 

United Arab 

Emirates 

Aradah Hamim 

Thinking too small has never been a 

problem at Dubai-based processor Nova 

Industries. 

Sharjah Al Fujayrah 


Dubai 

Al Ayn 

Hassan Darvesh warns, however, that 

many Middle Eastern processors have 

not followed the same strategy as his 

processing operations and are not looking 

to produce value-added applications. 

Their complacency in producing lowvalue, 

commodity products could lead to 

more consolidation within the Middle 

Eastern processing sector in the future, 

Sharma says. “Niche markets are where 

you get your return on investment,” he 

says. And he points out that Nova Industries 

believes it has a cushion in its specialties 

that in tough times, which he sees 

coming as early as 2008 with falling 

prices and a sector awash with commodity 

polymer, could see a number of local 

processing casualties. 

Today 65% of the company’s output 

is sold within the U.A.E. and because the 

local demand for blown film has expanded 

so much, Nova has had to cut back its 

export efforts just to serve local markets. 

Darvesh says what the region really 

needs is a kind of packaging films institute 

to help train people and develop new 

packaging solutions. He points to the 

recently instituted Gulf Plastics Pipe 

Academy (e-Weekly, MPW, April 26) as 

a model and says the same idea could be 

initiated for his sector. 

“You need to look for an opportunity 

where others have not already taken the 

market and concentrate on that niche,” says 

Darvesh. “That’s how success is built.” 

Robert Colvin • bcolvin@modplas.com

All Prices Held 

thru 2007! 

Temperature Control 

Modules 

460 or 230 volt 

9kw/1HP - $1,077 

12kw/2HP - $1,657 

18kw/3HP - $2,154 

BWA 

World Alliance 

In Stock - Immediate Delivery 

Portable Chillers 

460 or 230 volt 

Features Include: 

Copeland 

Scroll 

Compressors 

Insulated 

Stainless Steel 

Pump & Reservoir 

Phase 

Monitor 

Complete 

Refrigeration 

Control & Diagnostics 

Copper 

Tubing 


Copper 

Pipe 

Phase 

Monitor 

Heater 

Overtemperature Switch 

Omron 

1/8 Din Non-Proprietary 

Controller 

Extremely 

Rugged Design 

Liquid-Filled 

Pump Suction and 

Discharge Pressure Gauges 

Silicon 

Carbide/Silicon Carbide 

Mechanical Seal 

Inlet Strainer 


Maximum 

operating temperature of 

550°F 

Omron 

PID, Dual Digital Readout 

Controller 

Equipped 

with a SPECK Magnetic 

Drive “Seal-Less Pump 

Y-Strainer 

Discharge 

Pressure Gauge 

Cooling 

via Shelf & Tube Exchanger 

“Closed Loop 

Automatic Solenoid Cooling Control 

Valve 

Air Water 

3-Ton $ 4,779 $ 3,997 

5-Ton $ 5,398 $ 4,950 

8-Ton $ 6,618 $ 5,850 

10-Ton $ 7,498 $ 6,748 

15-Ton $12,598 $ 9,554 

20-Ton $15,200 $11,998 

30-Ton $22,000 $18,825 

40-Ton $28.067 $24,457 

High Temperature 

Hot Oil Unit 

460 or 230 volt 

9kw - $4,695 

12kw- $4,995 

24kw- $6,200 

For more information on the entire line of BWA products, visit www.budzar.com or 

call 440-918-0505 BWA, 38241 Willoughby Parkway, Willoughby, Ohio 44094 



Alpine three-layer 

co-extrusion line 

Type HS 65-75-65 S 

K 2007 

Oct. 24 - 31 

Hall 16, Stand D06 

IF PACKAGING IS YOUR GAME - 

WE ARE YOUR MAJOR PLAYER 

When it comes to packaging valuable 

goods such as food or pharmaceuticals 

the packaging can only be as good as the 

film it is made from. Hosokawa Alpine 

Blown Film Lines are designed to meet 

the demanding requirements of your 

market. Our continuous investment in 

technological development pays off - both 

for you and for your customers. From 

mono- up to seven layer co-extrusion 

our lines are designed to achieve optimal 

film properties with minimal use of raw 

materials. 

Let Hosokawa Alpine‘s know-how work 

to your advantage and profit from the 

experience and quality commitment of 

the market leader. 

Wherever you are and whatever problem 

you may face, Hosokawa Alpine is there, 

around the globe, with the best solutions 

and support. There is no better way to 

say it: 

PROCESS 

TECHNOLOGIES 

FOR TOMORROW SM 


Peter-Doerfler-Straße 13 - 25, 86199 Augsburg, Germany 

Phone: +49 821 59 06-124, Fax: +49 821 59 06-600 

E-mail: plastics@alpine.hosokawa.com

Modern Plastics Worldwide - October 2007 - dae uptlax

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