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Trelleborg plans Trowbridge closure November 27, 2006
The Trelleborg Anti-Vibration Systems plant in Trowbridge is likely to be the first casualty of a European restructuring of the company's automotive business to make it more competitive. And in a parallel move, Trelleborg is to transfer production of industrial tyres from the USA to Sri Lanka.
In total Trelleborg is expecting its strategic review of its automotive operations to 'affect about 700 employees' in Europe. The first stage is the proposal to close the Trowbridge plant and move production to other sites, primarily to the new plant in Romania, and to Burgos in Spain. Production is expected to continue at Trowbridge until mid-2007.
Further job losses in Western Europe could affect 200 - 250 employees. Trelleborg is saying 'could' rather than 'would'. In a statement to capital market investors the company said: 'These reductions could be made, for example, in Fluid & Acoustic in Mannheim, Germany. The transfer of resources from Western Europe to Eastern Europe is part of the programme. This involves existing units in the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania'.
A further possibility in the restructuring plan is the divestment or, as an alternative, 'extensive restructuring or closure' of two small plants in Europe. The various alternatives are under final analysis.
The industrial tyre rationalisation will see Trelleborg invest in increased production capacity at one of Trelleborg Wheel Systems' plants in Sri Lanka, and the closure of the plant in Hartville, Ohio, USA. The Hartville plant builds tyres for material-handling vehicles such as fork lift trucks. There are about 200 employees, of whom about 115 are involved in production. Production will be transferred successively to Sri Lanka in 2008 and manufacturing in Hartville is expected to continue until the first quarter of 2009. Trelleborg Wheel Systems currently has two plants in Sri Lanka, in Kelaniya and Biyagama outside Colombo, with approximately 900 employees.
The European restructure is expected to add around Eur 19 million annually to Trelleborg's pre-tax profit, and the industrial tyres move should yield approaching Eur 4 million annually.
Sandretto restructures UK management November 27, 2006
Sandretto UK has revamped its management to cover the resignation in September of its managing director Terry O'Reilly. Chris Whitlam, formerly responsible for sales of ancillary equipment, becomes national sales manager for injection moulding machines as well. Andy Roberts heads the technical, engineering and after-sales services across all products and Mike Daly continues as financial director. Jeff Taylor's role as business development manager now embraces marketing and communications within the Sandretto group.
British-built equipment to convert 300 tonnes of BOPET film a day in the UAE November 27, 2006
A £6 million contract has been won by the Flexible Materials business sector of Bobst Group, formerly the Atlas and General companies based in Bedford. The order from JBF-RAK, based in the United Arab Emirates, comprises three primary and four secondary Atlas slitter rewinders, together with roll handling systems and a General K5000/2,450 mm wide high performance vacuum metalliser for converting BOPET film.
JBF-RAK is a joint venture between JBF Industries of Mumbai, India and Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority of the UAE. JBF Industries is the third largest manufacturer of polyester chips in India, providing half of the country's solidified polymer used in the production of polyester filament partially oriented yarns. The $90 m joint venture investment with Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority is for a plant for polyester chips and BOPET film production, for packaging and industrial applications. It will comprise three polyester film lines with a production capacity of 300 tonnes of BOPET film per day, largely for export to the USA, European Union, China and other parts of Asia.
The equipment ordered from Bobst includes two 8·7 m wide and one 4·2 m wide Atlas centre type winders with rewind diameters up to 1,200 mm. The secondary slitter rewinders, including 2 Atlas CW800 machines, will be used for narrower width slitting of both the plain and metallised film.
The vacuum metalliser uses larger diameter reels at high coating speeds with a 595 mm diameter coating drum which Bobst says improves machine output by up to 50 per cent compared with more traditional metallisers.
Wheely bin manufacturer goes public November 27, 2006
Anglo-Hellenic wheely bin manufacturer Helesi has joined the Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market, AIM. Its flotation raised £11·6 million, valuing the Company at £38 million. Helesi plans to use the investment funds to expand its production capacity and distribution network and to further expand its activities into the waste management services business. It reckons to have around 6 per cent of the European Union plastic waste containers market, and 3 per cent of the market worldwide.
The main operations of the company are based in Greece, but it has a wholly-owned wheely bin moulding plant in Bradford, set up in June 2004 in association with weighing equipment specialist PM Onboard, and is planning to build a production facility in Italy. As well as wheely bins Helesei makes storage boxes and stadium seating.
PET stretch-blow machine companies combine November 27, 2006
Two specialised PET stretch blow machine manufacturers have pooled their resources. Mag-Plastic Machinery of Switzerland has absorbed the large-scale machines built by Sistec of Italy - the former Alkam series which came from a spin-off from Isopack in 1999. This enables Mag-Plastic - a sister company of coating equipment supplier Sprimag - to supply machines for containers up to 20 litres and increase the cavity density of its own machines up to ten cavities. Mag builds three models in its SSB series with a maximum bottle capacity of 5 litres, and smaller bottles in up to four cavities.
Joint operation BASF/Solvay PVC producer Solvin has introduced a 'smart material' PVC paste. NanoVin combines PVC and clay nanoparticles to modify the behaviour of the material under stress, making it shear-thinning. This means that as shear is applied its viscosity reduces, rather like non-drip paint. The company sees potential in the production of thick coatings, which can be thinned for application and then revert to their high viscosity state.
NanoVin was developed at Solvay Research & Technology, the Group's R & D campus in Neder-over-Heembeek, Belgium, and is now entering into a pre-commercial phase, with a pilot production unit located in Jemeppe in Belgium.
Polyester from plants comes closer at DuPont November 27, 2006
The first shipments of plant-based 1,3-propanediol (Bio-PDO) have left the Loudon, Tennessee, USA plant of DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products and gone to DuPont for the manufacture of Sorona PTT (thermoplastic polyester) which is currently sold into the fibres markets. Actual production of Sorona using Bio-PDO is not expected to start until early next year. Some BDO has also gone to an undisclosed customer evaluating a new industrial product.
Bio-PDO is made from corn sugar and compared with petroleum feedstocks for PDO is said to consume 40 per cent less energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent. Earlier this year DuPont revealed plans to extend its bio-sourced polyester materials into the Hytrel thermoplastic elastomer family.
Deceuninck to consolidate US extrusion plants November 27, 2006
Belgian PVC window and building profile group Deceuninck is to shut the extrusion plant at Oakland in New Jersey, USA, that it acquired when it bought the Thyssen Polymer extrusion business in 2003. The production from the Oakland plant will be transferred to other Deceuninck plants at Monroe in Ohio and Little Rock, Arkansas.
PolyOne opens in India November 27, 2006
PolyOne has opened a sales office in India supporting the company's full range of engineered materials, thermoplastic elastomer compounds, LSFOH materials and colour and additive masterbatch products. The office in Mumbai is initially operating as a liaison office for PolyOne Singapore, but the company says it is 'currently evaluating plans' to expand its presence in India.
Chinese office is Arburg's 20th subsidiary November 27, 2006
Arburg has opened its 20th subsidiary company, in Shenzhen in South China which is a sales office with customer testing facilities and a spares store. Around 90 per cent of China's plastics industry is reckoned to be in South China. Arburg also has a subsidiary in Hong Kong.
Management change follows Battenfeld takeover November 27, 2006
Sales director Dietmar Morwitzer has left Battenfeld Injection Molding and been replaced by Dr Michael Judis, who joined Battenfeld when it was bought by German capital investment company Adcuram in October.
Top changes at Battenfeld Gloucester November 27, 2006
Newly appointed plastics machinery business director at the SMS group, the former Mannesmann Plastics Machinery chairman Pepyn Dinandt has now taken on the role of chairman and president of the group's US-based film and sheet equipment subsidiary Battenfeld Gloucester Engineering. Alongside him John Kaplan becomes chief executive. Former CEO and president Brian Marvelley has left the company and Harold Wrede has retired from his position as chairman.
Milacron appoints global machinery head November 27, 2006
Milacron has strengthened its focus on its plastics machinery business by appointing a president of global plastics machinery. Robert Simpson joins the company from Siegel Robert Automotive, one of the largest moulders of plastics parts for the automotive industry in North America. Before that he was at Textron, then the largest plastics moulding company in the world.
Basell North American promotions November 27, 2006
Michael Mulrooney has been appointed president of Basell Polyolefins North America and Hans-Robert Schmidt has been named senior vice president, sales, marketing and monomer for North America. Both men move from other positions within Basell.
Polimoon takeover all over bar the shouting November 27, 2006
The new ownership of Polimoon should be confirmed by mid-December, although it is now a foregone conclusion. Promens of Iceland outbid Plast Holding of Norway, which failed to meet its obligation of a 90 per cent acceptance of its bid by Polimoon shareholders, so withdrew.
Promens, now negotiating through subsidiary Star Acquisitionco, has until December 15 at the latest to secure 90 per cent of the shareholding. The board of Polimoon is fully supporting the Star bid.
BASF and Dow join forces again in polyurethanes November 27, 2006
Plans to build the biggest-ever toluene diisocyanate plant are being studied by BASF and Dow Chemical. The joint feasibility study is into a 300,000 tonnes plant to be built at one of the companies' European sites, for 2011 start-up. This is the second time the companies have collaborated in the polyurethanes market. In September this year they started construction of a joint venture hydrogen peroxide-to-propylene oxide plant at BASF's site in Antwerp, Belgium, and are considering the development of additional HPPO projects in other regions.
Chemtura names EPDM buyer November 12, 2006
Chemtura has now named the buyer of its EPDM and rubber chemicals businesses - and it is not Lanxess as we speculated on November 3. The businesses are being sold to private equity company Lion Chemical Capital which plans to merge the two businesses into its existing SBR manufacturing operation Lion Copolymer, located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Lion Chemical bought PolyOne's elastomer business in 2004. Lion Copolymer was formerly DSM Copolymer and was bought from DSM in November 2005.
Thermoplastic polyimide from GE November 12, 2006
GE Plastics is to commercialise a thermoplastic polyimide under the name Extem. It describes the new TPI as 'the first truly new polymer in almost two decades', providing 'superior performance, while eliminating the drawbacks of semi-crystalline materials, imidized thermosets, and competitive amorphous thermoplastics'.
The material combines melt processability with very high thermal, chemical and mechanical properties. It is also inherently flame-retardant without the use of halogenated additives.
The only other supplier of TPI is Mitsui Chemicals, with its Aurum product.
Hornby buys Airfix November 12, 2006
Plastic model kit manufacturer Airfix has been bought out of administration by Hornby, the first of several companies to express an interest after the iconic British toy maker went into administration at the end of August.
Hornby is paying £2·6 million for Airfix, Humbrol Paints and Young Scientist. It is planning to move the distribution, sales and marketing side of Airfix to its own site in Margate and outsource manufacturing and assembly.
GCS to raise closures prices in January November 12, 2006
Plastics closures across Europe are going up in price in January as one of the world's largest closures producers, GCS Beverage Europe - formerly the Crown Cork Global Plastic Closures business - seeks to recoup costs.
GCS says its customers should expect 'up to double digit percentages' on some products. 'Resin prices have increased dramatically. Additionally we have seen a significant rise in the cost of power, transport, cartons and various other items.'
Single voice to represent European films business November 12, 2006
A European group representing companies with interests in plastics film has been set up as part of EuPC - European Plastics Converters.
The new EuPF (European Plastic Films) is composed of national plastics films associations, film extruders, machinery suppliers and material suppliers. Three product-specific working groups have been set up to focus on regulatory issues in agricultural film, bags and sacks and industrial and construction films. The Bags and Sacks Working Group will monitor EU imports from China and Thailand and will report its findings to the EU Commission DG Trade on a regular basis. The Agricultural film group will be preparing recommendations for the EU on how to increase the collection of agricultural plastic waste in Europe, particularly in the south. And the Industrial & Construction film group will work to ensure that this sector complies with the six essential requirements of the EU Construction Products Directive so that a CE mark can be applied to appropriate film products.
Two further groups have been set up, Printing and Converting managed by PIFA from the UK and Quality & Measurement managed by IK in Germany.
Have your say in blow moulding machine safety standard November 12, 2006
The European Committee for Standardisation (CEN), is currently reviewing Standard EN422 - Rubber and Plastics Machine Safety - for blow moulding machines with the intention of streamlining it in line with other standards. This, says the Polymer Machinery Manufacturers and Distributors' Association, 'could potentially mean that specific details and explanations in the current version will be replaced with reference to other standards on more general lines. This could make the standard much more open to interpretation and possibly result in disputes with the HSE over differing local interpretation and opinions, as was the case before the standard was introduced in 1995.'
The Health and Safety Executive has previously represented British interests in the formulation of this standard through the British Standards Institute, but for this revision says that 'given its current funding situation' it will not be able to participate.
To ensure that British blow moulders' interests are taken into account the PMMDA has taken on the role. It has invited blow moulders to register their interest in being a part of this revision process. Companies with a turnover of less than £1 million are being urged to do this by joining the Small Processor Group recently set up in association with the British Plastics Federation. Larger companies can register their interest with the PMMDA at info@pmmda.org.uk or with the PMMDA's representative Graham Porcas of Proma Machinery grahamporcas@btconnect.com.
M & G seeks aid to grow in PET packaging November 12, 2006
Italian-based PET group M & G is looking for investors in its preform and bottle businesses operating from Italy.
M & G is the world's second largest producer of PET with an output of 1·3 million tonnes annually. Its polymer production generates about 80 per cent of its group sales. Packaging businesses Cobarr and Italpet, however, generate only around 9 per cent of M & G's revenues. M & G is now looking for financial partners to develop and grow these businesses.
Former Perlos medical business starts a new life November 12, 2006
The new structure for Perlos Corporation's health care business has started operations as Medifiq Healthcare. Perlos sold the majority of the business to Swedish private equity group Ratos in August.
Medifiq operates from Sunderland - the former Perlos telecommunications moulding plant which was switched to medical moulding as the mobile phone market became more difficult - and from a plant in Finland.
Currently Medifiq makes medical devices, drug delivery systems and personal care products. It aims to grow its activities faster than the health care industry average by broadening its customer and product portfolio in drug delivery devices, moving into the production of other hand-held medical devices, and through expanding its business in the medical and laboratory device sectors.
Polimoon sells roto boat builder and awaits final offer from Promens November 12, 2006
Polimoon has sold its rotational moulding business at Bjørkelangen in Norway to Cipax, a newly formed subsidiary of the Swedish company Xano Industri. Polimoon Bjørkelangen is principally a boat builder, but also makes components for the automotive industry and buoyancy products. As such it is outside Polimoon's core interests in packaging, which is the reason for the sale.
The Polimoon Group's own sale, being contested by Plast Holding of Norway and Promens of Iceland is not yet over. But Promens appears to be in the lead after further increasing its offer and securing finance, thereby removing one of the conditions in its bid. A definitive bid is expected on Tuesday.
Exxon invests yet more in halobutyl rubber November 12, 2006
ExxonMobil Chemical is to expand halobutyl production at its plant in Baytown, Texas, USA with a consequent 60 per cent increase in capacity for bromobutyl rubber. Construction completion is anticipated during the second quarter of 2008.
The company has invested more than $400 million in halobutyl manufacturing at Baytown since 2000 and has expanded its capacity to produce halobutyl rubber by 80 per cent in the past decade.
Also at Baytown the company is doubling its capability to produce Exxpro specialty elastomer, which is used for new high air barrier technologies for tyre inner liners.
Macchi's US bridgehead November 12, 2006
Macchi of Italy has opened a US office in Gainesville, north of Atlanta, Georgia, to sell and support its blown and cast film extrusion systems in North America. It will also eventually distribute parts for the company. Macchi builds more than 80 blown and cast film systems in a year.
Frosted acrylic process is patented November 12, 2006
Patents have been granted to Altuglas International for its frosted acrylic sheet. US patent 7,067,188 is entitled 'Polymeric Articles Having a Textured Surface and Frosted Appearance'. In Europe the technology is protected as EP 1022115.
The frosted effect covered by the patents is inherent in the material so surface scratches and secondary processing steps have no noticeable effect on optical properties. When used for lighting applications, tiny beads used to produce the frosted effect scatter the incoming light, primarily in the forward direction, maximising optical efficiency. Altuglas says designers get substantially more light with less power, improving energy efficiency compared with typical lighting white products.
Extruder patent opposed and revoked November 12, 2006
A European patent filed by Milacron on a design of contra-rotating twin screw extruder has been revoked following opposition from Cincinnati Extrusion, which says that not only its own Argos series already has the technology, but also extruders built by sister company Battenfeld Extrusionstechnik.
Dow Europe PP plant shut down November 12, 2006
A mechanical failure which shut down its Wesseling, Germany, polypropylene plant has led to Dow Europe declaring force majeure.
Azelis gets Europe-wide speciality compound distributorship November 12, 2006
The Italian-based European division of US compounder Matrixx Group has appointed Azelis to sell its compounds across Europe except in Germany, Spain and France. Matrixx makes specialised flame retardant and other compounds in polyamide, PBT and polypropylene. Matrixx Europe compounds are produced in a 20,000 tonnes plant at Marcaria in Italy where capacity is set to double at the beginning of next year.
Azelis has a number of chemicals and plastics distribution companies across Europe and in the UK owns Chance & Hunt, Pan Polymers and most recently acquired, Polymers Direct.
Distrupol adds European MD November 12, 2006
Distrupol has created the position of European managing director at its Chertsey office, and has appointed Paul Henderson to fill it. He joins from Lucite International where he was vice-president Europe, Africa and Middle-East.
SABIC and Exxon look to expansion in specialities November 5, 2006
SABIC and ExxonMobil Chemical are to investigate an expansion of their two joint petrochemical ventures at Yanbu and Jubail in Saudi Arabia to add a domestic supply of carbon black and rubber and thermoplastic specialty polymers (EPDM, TPO, Butyl, SBR/PBR) to serve emerging local and international markets. Expected project start-up is 2011.
K-Tron buys into China November 5, 2006
Materials handling equipment group K-Tron International is moving into China with the takeover of Wuxi Chenghao Machinery Co. Privately-owned Wuxi Chenghao is one of the major feeder and ancillary equipment manufacturers for the plastics compounding and injection industries in China. The acquisition cost is expected to amount to $3·5 million over the next five years.
Wuxi Chenghao makes volumetric and gravimetric single and twin screw feeders and controls, vibratory trays, pelletisers and pneumatic screen changers. It was set up in 2002 and has around 60 employees.
K-Tron has previously sold its equipment into China through resellers from outside the country. It says that this acquisition, due to be complete early in 2007, will enable it to supply the domestic customer base with products designed and manufactured in China and sold in local currency.
Chemtura to sell EPDM and some rubber chemicals businesses November 3, 2006
Following on from the sale of its Davis-Standard extrusion equipment subsidiary Chemtura has now revealed that it has signed a letter of intent to sell its EPDM business and the rubber chemicals businesses based at Geismar in Louisiana, USA. It is also selling its Flexzone antiozonants business.
The buyer has not been named, but a sale to Lanxess would fit neatly with the German company's declaration earlier this year that it is preparing to expand through acquisition. EPDM and more rubber chemicals would dovetail with the existing Lanxess portfolio, and the Lanxess track record of turning round ailing businesses would match with Chemtura's comments that it has 'continued to struggle' with its rubber additives and elastomers businesses in its third quarter results published yesterday. Between them the businesses being sold had revenues of $300 million in the year to the end of September. UPDATE But it's not Lanxess. See our later news story.
Polimoon board backs Promens takeover, but only at its face value November 2, 2006
The board of Polimoon has told the company's shareholders that, following the bid from Promens, 'it is difficult to recommend' that they should accept the earlier, lower, bid from Plast Holding.
It does this with some apparent reluctance, pointing out in its statement that apart from the higher price, there seems little to recommend the Promens bid over that from Plast Holding: 'there is in the opinion of the board higher uncertainty relating to completion of the intended voluntary offer from Promens than the voluntary offer from Plast Holding. Promens has announced that it will only put forward the offer if Promens secures the required financing, and the board is not in a position to give any assurance that Promens will be successful in this respect. Furthermore, Promens' voluntary offer, if submitted, will be subject to a satisfactory due diligence reviews ... while Plast Holding has lifted this condition for completion of its voluntary offer.' There has also been insufficient time for Polimoon to assess whether Promens would be able to obtain regulatory approvals for the take-over.
But Promens is offering a much higher price than Plast Holding, and notwithstanding a Handelsbanken Capital Markets opinion that the offer from Plast Holding is a fair price, or that the Promens deal may not even go through, the board is not backing the Plast Holding offer. The Polimoon board has pointed out that shareholders who have already agreed to sell to Plast Holding are entitled to a higher price - the pre-acceptances of the Plast Holding offer are 'conditional upon Plast Holding matching a publicly announced higher offer within 48 hours following the public announcement of the higher offer.'
Demand for sPS triggers early re-start of production November 2, 2006
Full scale production of syndiotatic polystyrene has re-started in Japan six months earlier than planned and Idemitsu is looking towards expansion. The plant at Chiba was shut down by Idemitsu in 2000 when the company joined in a joint venture with Dow.
Syndiotatic polystyrene is a high heat resistant polymer with potential in products exposed to heat, as well as electronic products made using lead-free soldering techniques. It is made by using metallocene as a catalyst in the polymerisation of polystyrene. sPS was invented by Idemitsu in 1985 and the company brought its 5,000 tonnes Chiba plant into commercial production in 1997. During the development of sPS Idemitsu liaised with Dow Chemical under a basic licensing agreement. In 1999, Dow built a plant to manufacture Questra sPS at Schkopau in Germany and the two companies started joint production. Idemitsu shut its Xarec plant the following year. Towards the end of 2004 Dow decided that Questra wasn't making the grade as an engineering plastic and made plans to switch off production. Early this year Idemitsu began small scale production of sPS compounds in the USA and in Europe - at Perrite in Warrington - and now, with demand increasing, has turned on the Chiba plant again and will sell the neat polymer as well as compounds. Idemitsu says it plans to focus on developing new applications throughout the world, including automotive parts, and electrical and electronic component applications, and to develop sPS into a globally viable product.
BASF to shut Spanish HIPS plant November 2, 2006
BASF is planning to close its high impact polystyrene plant at Tarragona in Spain, switching production to Antwerp in Belgium, and Ludwigshafen in Germany. The company says that while its styrenics business was especially strong in Europe in the first nine months of this year, margins are still unsatisfactory, so it is shutting the Tarragona plant to increase its overall capacity utilisation rates.
Invista to buy Honeywell nylon fibres business in China November 2, 2006
The nylon 6 filament plant in Shanghai, China, part of the nylon business retained by Honeywell when it sold its nylon carpet fibres business in 2005 is being bought by Invista, the former textiles and fibres businesses of DuPont.
Invista plans to integrate the production and marketing of nylon 6 bulked continuous filament into its Asia Pacific business to expand the range of branded, differentiated and unbranded nylon BCF it sells in the region for the commercial, residential, transportation and rug sectors.
Solutia to expand PVB interlayer production in Belgium November 2, 2006
Solutia is to build a new line for its Saflex polyvinyl butyral safety glass interlayers at Ghent in Belgium. Solutia says it is world leader in PVB interlayers. The new line at Ghent, due for start-up in the second half of 2008, will be the third at the plant. Solutia also recently acquired a plant for PVB in Mexico, and is building one in China.
The new Ghent line will produce 3·2 m wide rolls of Saflex for use in laminated glass for the European architectural market.
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