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'Plastics Council' proposal to fight the malaise of the British plastics industry November 28, 2002
A proposal for an umbrella organisation to co-ordinate the various trade bodies representing the British plastics industry in an attempt to fight its current malaise is being made by Trendpam's managing director Don Cooper. His plan is to form a British Plastics Council incorporating representatives from the British Plastics Federation, the Institute of Materials Minerals and Mining, the Polymer Machinery Manufacturers and Distributors Association, the Worshipful Company of Horners, the Society of Plastics Engineers, the Gauge and Tool Makers Association, Polymer Training, Rapra Technology, Pira and academia.
According to Mr Cooper, organisations representing various interest groups within the plastics industry have little or no co-ordination between them to address the problems, which he identifies as:
low investment in plant and machinery;
processors and tool makers are going bankrupt;
work is going to Eastern Europe and Asia;
manufacture of machinery and materials is largely outside the UK.
This is because of:
the general loss of manufacturing capacity in the UK;
the low cost of labour in Eastern Europe and Asia;
a lack of investment in new equipment and technology;
insufficient skills at all levels;
high energy costs;
the availability of too much second hand equipment;
a low level of confidence.
Alongside biannual meetings of the new council he is proposing an annual conference covering a wide range of topics intended to spark action such as:
greater co-ordination between colleges and universities to improve the commercial focus of research and prevent duplication;
a documented approach to designing in plastics, including a manual similar to the toolmaking Pentamode;
persuading sellers of redundant equipment to only sell abroad;
set standards for measuring the energy efficiency of capital and ancillary equipment;
promote a buy British campaign for those materials still made in the UK;
start a public education programme backed with a 'plastics kitemark' type logo for British-made products, and another for products made with recycled materials; and
restrict pressure to spend time at conferences by imposing a once a year conference season with a conference council to approve the staging of conferences.
Mr Cooper devotes a whole separate agenda to Interplas, which he says should possibly be rebranded and as part of that process recognise its limitations, and ideally should be integrated with another exhibition.
Other proposals for the British Plastics Council are to set up a national database of processors which would be available to equipment suppliers; to set up a UK plastics website with a suppliers directory; start a postal and e-mail newsletter; and to carry out a survey of processors on all the issues being raised.
The plan is being put to imminent meetings of the Polymer Machinery Manufacturers and Distributors Association, the Worshipful Company of Horners and the Society of Plastics Engineers, and has already been discussed at a meeting of the Institute of Materials Minerals and Mining.
Solvay unites fluoropolymers as Solexis November 28, 2002
Solvay is to complete its takeover of Ausimont by pooling all its fluoropolymer activites into a single company called Solvay Solexis, which will begin operations on January 1. The company will have a turnover of approximately Eur 600 million with 1,800 employees and will operate production sites and commercial branches in five countries: Bollate, Bussi, Porto Marghera and Spinetta Marengo in Italy; Thorofare (NJ), Marshallton (DE), Belle Mead (NJ) and Orange (TX) in the United States; Tavaux in France; Tokyo in Japan and San Paulo in Brazil. The headquarters will be in Bollate, in Italy. Chief executive officers will be Bernard de Laguiche and Carlo Cogliati.
Optical gauging specialist Disc GB has changed its name to OGP UK. For 12 years the company has represented Optical Gaging Products of the USA.
Flame retardant and antioxidant prices to rise November 28, 2002
The price of Martinal aluminium trihydrate flame retardants sold by Albemarle Corporation of the USA and its affiliate Martinswerk of Germany is to be increased by 10 per cent on January 1. Other Martinal aliminium hydroxides will go up by at least 10 per cent, with larger increases for some smaller volume grades.
The price of Great Lakes Chemical Corporation's Lowinox hindered phenolic antioxidant will be increased by 12 per cent globally from December 15.
Bridgestone gives tyre building the BIRD November 28, 2002
A cost-saving tyre production system which automates every step of the process including final inspection has been unveiled by Bridgestone Corporation in Japan. It is currently at pilot stage and after further testing will be deployed at Bridgestone plants worldwide.
The Bridgestone Innovative and Rational Development (BIRD) system combines the company's Automated Tyre Manufacturing Synchronised System (ATMSS) with the Automated Inspection Modular System (AIMS) under the oversight of the Flow Oriented Approach (FOA) information processing system. The result is an ability to make multiple sizes of tyre simultaneously - enabling tyres to be built in smaller lots and so reduce inventories - at a higher level of quality. BIRD is also more compact than before, cutting energy use by about 40 per cent and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. A single unit can make between 200,000 and 350,000 passenger car tyres annually in a space between a quarter and a third of that of a conventional plant.
An essential factor in BIRD is Bridgestone's involvement in all aspects of tyre component provision: the company has direct involvement in the production of all main materials - natural and synthetic rubber, carbon black and steel cord.
Distrupol has been appointed sole distributor for Elastogran's Elastollan thermoplastic polyurethane throughout the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Dow fulfills epoxy price rise promise November 28, 2002
Following its warning earlier this month that epoxy prices would have to rise, Dow Epoxy Products and Intermediates is to increase its prices for epichlorohydrin and epoxy resins from January 1. In Europe and Africa the target is a Eur 100/tonne increase for both epichlorohydrin and epoxy resins, in the Middle East Dow is aiming to increase both prices by $150/tonne, and in Asia Pacific the target is $80 - 150/tonne for epoxy resins.
DuPont Dow cuts the cost of processing EPDM November 26, 2002
EPDM grades with improved processing performance have been introduced by DuPont Dow through the use of gas phase/metallocene catalysis production methods. The new Nordel MG grades have a Mooney viscosity of more than 100 achieved without the need for oil extenders. They bring shorter mixing cycles due to their granular form, accept 20 per cent more fillers in applications such as hose and automotive weatherstrip, and are said to improve overall economics.
High Mooney grades are often used to extend compounds and lower cost without compromising performance requirements. DuPont Dow says that because its new technology offers a cost-effective solution to achieving high Mooney viscosity, it expects demand for these grades to grow 20 to 30 per cent per year, and it will create a range of high molecular weight polymers to cover most needs such as very high green strength or low temperature applications.
According to the company these grades cannot be made with the conventional EPDM manufacturing process - only with gas phase metallocene production. In the conventional solution or suspension process, oil must be added during manufacture to enable very high molecular weight and viscosity polymers to be processed. With Nordel MG, this is no longer necessary.
Supplying the MG grades in granular form is said to save compounders as much as 30 per cent in mixing cycle time compared with baled EPDM. This also eliminates an entire step in TPV compounding because no bale grinding is needed.
Speciality compounds being planned for rotomoulders November 26, 2002
Ciba Specialty Chemicals' plastics additives division has joined forces with ICO Polymers to make special effect compounds for rotational moulding. ICO will introduce new Icorene grades including materials with enhanced UV protection for durable outdoor applications, antimicrobial grades for odour control and antistatic grades to reduce static build up and improve moulding performance. Ciba will supply the key additives.
Krauss-Maffei buys automation company November 26, 2002
Krauss-Maffei has bought automation specialist Neureder. Neureder specializes in complex factory automation equipment, and has been involved in Krauss-Maffei projects before. The acquisition gives Krauss-Maffei greater ability to supply advanced manufacturing systems - although it doesn't rule out K-M working with other automation suppliers if appropriate. Neureder will also continue to operate independently under the control of its founder Josef Neureder.
For a while Neureder had a British office but shut it a year ago because it said British moulders were unable or unwilling to invest in automation.
Lloyd expands testing machine range through acquisition November 26, 2002
Lloyd Instruments has bought servo hydraulic testing machine manufacturer DN Testing Systems from Plint & Partners. The DN machines will now be sold under the Lloyd Instruments brand, alongside single and twin column universal testing machines, and Chatillon force measurement instruments. Lloyd Instruments is now offering new service and maintenance contracts, and instrument upgrades not only for existing DN Testing machines but also for dynamic machines from other
manufacturers.
Rohm and Haas steps up polymer lubricants business November 26, 2002
Rohm and Haas is moving the manufacture of some of its plastics additives from its Robechetto plant in Italy to Germany under a two-stage agreement with Peter Greven Fett Chemie. Initially Peter Greven will make Advalube lubricants, Advawax waxes and Advapak blends at a new facility built at its plant at Bad Münstereifel. From January next year Rohm and Haas will expand its lubricant product range and will begin worldwide distribution (except Germany) of some Ligalub lubricants currently made and sold by Peter Greven.
The Valmet Converting division of the Finnish Metso Corporation is to be sold to the Bobst Group of Switzerland. Among its brands Valmet includes British-built Atlas and Titan film slitters and rewinders and General Vacuum metallizing plant, and Italian Rotomec film printing and coating equipment.
At present the sale has gone no further than a memorandum of understanding, but it is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2003, with a price of around Eur 90 million. The sale is part of Metso's strategy to focus on its core businesses - pulp and paper, rock and mineral processing and process automation. The Bobst Group reckons to be the world's largest manufacturer of packaging machinery, particularly in the fields of folding carton, corrugated board and flexible packaging, and has 30 affiliate companies.
High flying Polish plastics industry starts to slow November 26, 2002
Growth in the plastics industry in Poland, which has been one of the most dynamic in Europe, seems to be slowing down according to a new report from AMI. The industry, which achieved growth of 11 per cent in 2000 and 8 per cent in 2001, is set to grow by no more than 5 per cent in 2002, according to AMI's directory of the Polish plastics processing industry.
The industry is highly fragmented with some 70 per cent of processors being small, family run businesses, despite the involvement of major Western-owned groups such as Amcor and Alpla in PET preforms and bottles; Huhtamäki, RPC and Autobar in sheet extrusion; CeDo, Nordenia and Bischof + Klein in polyethylene film; and Wavin, Pipelife and Veka in pipe and profile extrusion.
The biggest sector numerically is injection moulding, where AMI has identified some 670 sites among 1,300 companies. Film extrusion is the biggest volume sector.
The report costs Eur 315/£195.
Thermosets - a quarter of the world's plastics November 26, 2002
Surprising as it may seem in the light of the volumes of thermoplastics used in packaging and engineering, around a quarter of the world plastics output is in thermosets. Rapra Technology has researched the world thermosets market and concludes that annual consumption is 21·6 million tonnes, with an annual growth of more than 2·5 per cent.
The biggest single thermoset material sector is polyurethanes, which account for 34 per cent, with urea formaldehyde providing 32 per cent of consumption. Phenol formaldehyde represents 15 per cent, unsaturated polyesters 9 per cent, epoxies 5 per cent, melamine formaldehyde 4 per cent and the furanes and other unclassified materials the 1 per cent balance. These percentages are expected to remain basically the same for the next five years, with the exception of epoxy taking some market share from other thermosets. The Thermoset Resins Market Report costs Eur 408/£255/$395.
Two additives manufacturers are planning price increases from January 1. Eastman is to raise the price of some 20 plasticizer grades by Eur 0.067/kg worldwide and Rohm and Haas is to increase the price of Paraloid MBS impact modifier in Europe by 5 per cent - following a similar increase earlier this year.
Demag and Van Dorn back together again November 19, 2002
Demag Ergotech and Van Dorn Demag are to pool their resources to form a global injection moulding machine manufacturing group with machine production on three continents. The two companies, both part of Mannesmann Plastics Machinery have become Demag Plastics Group, although the separate companies' branding will still be used in their traditional markets.
By joining forces the two companies will share a common machine range, which by streamlining out any product overlaps will be smaller than the sum of its parts. The declared aim is to produce the same range of machines in Europe, the USA, India and China, although by production Demag more accurately means assembly. Parts will be built from common drawings in the most appropriate plants, and will be brought together for final manufacture at the plant closest to the customer.
The new structure means that Van Dorn's IntElect all-electric machines, the Praxis vertical insert machines and the two-platen Caliber range will be widely available in Europe, while US moulders will be able to buy the Demag Ergotech El-Exis hydraulic clamping electric machines and the Multi multi-component series. The Caliber range, already built in Europeanised form by Demag Ergotech and Billion but in future to be 'harmonised', will be extended to 4,000 tonnes; the IntElect will become a series from 50 to 350 tonnes; and the vertical machine range will span 35 to 1,000 tonnes. The El-Exis series is to be extended to 1,000 tonnes. A general purpose 'basic' machine starting at 25 tonnes is also to be developed.
Demag Ergotech currently reckons to rank sixth in the world in terms of injection machine sales revenue, with Van Dorn Demag fourteenth. Bringing the two together is anticipated to make them the world's number two. Demag Plastics Group has set out a 'Vision 3,000' strategy under which it aims to build an annual 3,000 machines worldwide by 2005. In the current depressed market it is producing around 2,000.
The two companies were under one management once before, when from 1993 to 1997 Van Dorn Demag was part of Demag Ergotech's predecessor, Mannesmann Demag Kunststofftechnik. This situation was dissolved by the formation in 1998 of Mannesmann Plastics Machinery Group, under which they operated as separate companies. Earlier this year they recombined their US sales forces.
Management of the new company will be shared by Demag Ergotech's chairman Prof Helmar Franz and chief executive officer of Van Dorn Demag, William R Carteaux.
Dow warns of impending epoxy price hike November 18, 2002
Dow Chemical is warning of a likely significant price increase in epoxy resins in the first quarter of next year. It says that the overall global consumption for epoxy resins has improved steadily since the beginning of 2001, to the extent that the gap between demand and supply has closed considerably.
Although the market has seen improving demand, epoxy producers are still struggling to restore profit margins to reasonable levels, says Dow. This has been aggravated by the long term contracts agreed with some major consumers in the late '90s which have tied down producers' ability to increase prices. As feedstock prices have risen considerably this year, the company anticipates a significant worldwide increase in epoxy pricing in the first quarter of 2003.
Retrofit cuts cost of MuCell product development November 18, 2002
Trexel has developed a retrofittable injection unit enabling its Mucell microcellular foam moulding process to be used on an existing moulding machine without major surgery.
Until now the process has needed a 28 D screw, and so has called for the machine to have an extended base. Trexel's new injection unit can be supplied with a 22 - 24 D screw and can be installed on an electric or hydraulic machine at the customer's plant within a week.
The retrofit costs upwards of $30,000, and the user then has to fit a Trexel SCF system and MuCell interface kit.
Trexel anticipates that by providing this upgrade, processors can begin developing MuCell products with a minimum initial investment.
Zeon to use AES technology to make tougher TPVs November 15, 2002
Zeon Chemicals and Advanced Elastomer Systems are to co-operate in thermoplastic elastomers, with Zeon licensing AES technology involving heat and oil-resistant thermoplastic vulcanizates. It intends to use AES technology with its own specialty elastomers to produce TPVs capable of withstanding the harsh fluids and the higher temperatures experienced in under-bonnet applications.
Prototype TPVs based on Zeon's polyacrylate elastomers have shown excellent retention of physical properties at 150 degC after 1,500 hours continuous exposure to automotive oils, transmission fluids, and greases, including synthetics, while maintaining a low hardness range of 70 - 90 Shore A.
Foreseen applications for the new Zeotherm TPVs include automotive shaft and bearing seals, transmission sealing components, inboard CVJ boots, air ducts, as well as industrial and consumer goods.
Initial grades will be based on Zeon's vulcanized HyTemp brand polyacrylate elastomer dispersed in nylon and/or polyester thermoplastic matrices. Zeon plans to develop future Zeotherm grades based on Zetpol HNBR and Hydrin ECO elastomers. The materials can be processed by extrusion, injection moulding and blow moulding.
Zeotherm will be introduced commercially in February 2003.
Distrupol gets sole Polimeri Europa elastomer agency November 15, 2002
Distrupol has been appointed sole distributor of Polimeri Europa's synthetic elastomers throughout the UK. These include the commodity range of SBR, carbon black masterbatch and polybutadiene, the thermoplastic rubber range based on SBS and SIS, and the speciality elastomers range comprising Dutral ethylene propylene co- and terpolymer, Butaclor polychloroprene, Europrene N NBR and NBR-PVC.
Cost-cutting brings back profits for Bayer and BASF November 15, 2002
Germany's big two plastics manufacturers, Bayer and BASF, are both claiming success for the cost-cutting measures they began last year in the face of an apparent worldwide industrial decline. Bayer has sold off businesses worth Eur 3 billion and this year is cutting 3,000 of a planned 15,000 jobs to go by 2005. BASF has reduced its staffing worldwide by 1,423.
The interim figures released by both companies this week showed a year-on-year third quarter improvement in sales by Bayer of 8 per cent and by BASF of 5·3 per cent. Profits were up substantially, with Bayer turning a third quarter loss last year into Eur 656 million of net income, and BASF's pre-tax earnings climbing 80 per cent to reach Eur 591 million.
These are group results. Specifically in their polymers businesses, Bayer recorded third quarter sales of around the same level as last year at Eur 2·7 billion, but with profits more than doubled at Eur 152 million (75 million). BASF's Plastics and Fibers division saw an 11·1 per cent increase in sales (the 20 per cent higher volume being diluted by higher raw materials prices and currency effects) while income rose by Eur 167 million to Eur 182 million. Both companies credited a part of this improvement to the cost-cutting measures. Bayer has a target of saving a total of Eur 600 million in this sector between 2002 and 2005, which includes cutting 5,000 jobs.
BASF to take freephone access Europe-wide November 15, 2002
By the end of next year BASF's customers will be able to contact the company, free of charge, from anywhere in Europe using a new telephone dialling system using toll-free 00800 service numbers. Regardless from which European country the call is made, special software will recognize callers and transfer them automatically to the right representatives at one of BASF's five European customer centers.
Each of the 27 regional business units at BASF will receive a new telephone and fax number, and to make them easier to remember, the new numbers will be based on the business unit's name or products. So if chemicals customers want to speak to their personal representatives, they simply type in 00800 followed by the word BASFCHEM as if they were sending a text message. They will then be greeted in their own language by their service representative and can obtain product information, place an order or ask about order status.
Welsh/Latvian JV moves forward November 15, 2002
The joint venture between Welsh-based MMT Group and Nordic Industries of Latvia, set up last year has been formalised as MMT Industrial Plastic. The injection moulding brought by MMT has been augmented with blow moulding and thermoforming.
The MMT Group was founded in 1984 and established Media Moulding Technology in Bridgend in 1991 as custom plastic injection moulders to a rapidly developing local industrial customer base. Changes in the international manufacturing economy caused MMT to seek ways of preventing local developments being lost to lower labour cost economies, so it began its relationship in Latvia.
Slip agent prices slip upwards November 15, 2002
Croda Universal has increased the price of its Crodamide erucamide slip agents by 7 per cent because of poor rapeseed harvests which have pushed up the price of HERO - high erucic rape oil - from which they are made.
Great Lakes Chemical Corporation is increasing the price of Anox PP18 hindered phenolic antioxidant in Europe by 10 per cent on December 1.
Basell sells non-core PP businesses November 15, 2002
Basell has disposed of a couple of non-core product ranges in a deal with Crompton Corporation. It has sold its Interloy polymer modifiers business and has licensed Crompton to make Hivalloy alloys on a non-exclusive basis worldwide.
Interloy products are methyl methacrylate grafted polypropylene and styrene grafted polypropylene, which are used to compatibilize polypropylene with other polymers for applications requiring long-term weatherability, gloss and color retention on UV exposure, low-temperature impact and scratch/mar resistance. Hivalloy is an in-reactor compounding technology used to make polypropylene compounds, which Basell had already taken off the market.
Third-in-a-year rubber compounding contract November 15, 2002
A million pound plus order for rubber compounding equipment is the third to be placed with BMH Chronos Richardson in less than 12 months by Chinese tyre builder Cheng Shin Company. The equipment is destined for a new factory in Xiamen Province being built as part of a joint venture with Petrel Tires to make a diverse range of motor vehicle tyres. It includes three mixer feed systems comprising weighing and feeding for carbon black, white fillers, polymers and oils, controlled by a CR 3000 process control system and a fully automatic small chemical weighing and filling system.
A new polypropylene plant to be built by Slovnaft in Bratislava, Slovakia, will use Dow's Unipol process. Start up of the 255,000 tonnes plant is scheduled for early in 2005.
The new plant will produce homopolymers and random and impact copolymers
Milacron consolidates to cut costs November 15, 2002
Milacron is consolidating its machinery manufacturing operations in the USA by moving the Uniloy blow moulding machine line and also its structural foam machine plant from Manchester in Michigan to the Batavia, Ohio factory where it builds all its other machinery. It is also ceasing manufacture of D-M-E mould bases at Monterey Park in California and will make them at its other locations around the USA. Both the Manchester and Monterey facilities will remain open for design and support work.
By doing this Milacron hopes to save around $4 million a year.
Extrusion equipment manufacturer Boston Matthews has bought the assets of Munchy, which makes reclaim extruders. Munchy is moving from its Wallingford, Oxfordshire factory to Boston Matthews' Worcester factory and production will start there immediately, retaining the Munchy name.
The takeover follows six weeks of discussions and was completed just as Munchy called in the receiver after a fall in sales in the USA.
Although they operate in different markets there are many synergies between the two companies: the equipment they build is similar in nature, and Boston Matthews can see cost savings in building in-house many parts previously bought-in by Munchy; Boston Matthews has recently updated its 3D modelling system which should bring manufacturing economies to the Munchy machines; and both companies are active in export markets, notably the USA, where the interests of their agents do not overlap, so giving both machine ranges a greater presence.
Several Munchy personnel are moving to Boston Matthews, including managing director Bob Hawkins and export sales manager Mark Richardson. Boston Matthews has begun recruiting additional staff to handle the extra manufacturing load, but expects to be be able to physically fit the Munchy production line into its factory.
Rohm and Haas to buy Kureha additives business November 6, 2002
Rohm and Haas Company is to buy Kureha Chemical's worldwide plastics additives business for $65·5 million - around 6 - 7 times EBITDA. Rohm and Haas will acquire Kureha's commercial operations throughout the Asia-Pacific region and other areas along with manufacturing facilities and laboratories in Singapore. Kureha will also continue to manufacture plastics additives at its plant in Nishiki, Japan, for supply to Rohm and Haas.
The two companies have had a business relationship for nearly 20 years starting when Rohm and Haas began to license Kureha technology for MBS additives. Rohm and Haas sold a 25 per cent interest in its Grangemouth, Scotland, operations to Kureha in the late 1980s, then bought a 25 per cent interest in Kureha's operations in Singapore shortly afterwards. These joint ventures are discontinued with the takeover of the whole Kureha additives business.
The deal should be complete by the end of the year and will increase the revenue of Rohm and Haas's Plastics Additives business by approximately $70 million. The company says it plans no acquisitions next year, preferring to use avaialble resources to reduce debt.
Tax-saving boost for Demag moulding machines November 5, 2002
Demag has long claimed that its El-Exis range of injection moulding machines is energy efficient, but it has now capped that claim by getting the machines' drive motors on the government's list of approved equipment for accelerated capital allowances against the Climate Change Levy.
Inclusion on the Enhanced Capital Allowance List enables companies to claim back 100 per cent tax relief in the first year for their investment in energy-saving machinery. UPDATE A mistake in the information on which we based this story originally suggested that the cost of the whole machine could be offset for 100 per cent tax relief. The ECA is only applicable to the energy-saving drives.
Euromap publishes warning signs for injection moulding machines November 5, 2002
New warning signs on injection moulding machines have been agreed by EUROMAP and the SPI. EUROMAP 68 Injection Moulding Machines - Prohibition Signs and EUROMAP 69 Injection Moulding Machines - Mandatory Action Signs can be downloaded from the EUROMAP web site.
The scope of these recommendations is expected to be extended to other plastics and rubber machinery next year.
Research into carbon nanofibre compounds November 5, 2002
A joint development agreement to research the use of carbon nanofibres in plastics compounds has been set up by Gabriel Chemie and Austrian carbon fibre producer Electrovac Group. Electrovac owns licences in the field of catalytic CVD fabrication of carbon nanofibres and is currently the only Austrian producer.
Both companies anticipate the development of plastics with dramatically enhanced mechanical and electrical properties.
BASF increases MDI capacity November 5, 2002
The capacity of BASF's MDI plant in Antwerp, Belgium, is to be lifted from 230,000 tonnes to 320,000 tonnes from next year. The additional capacity is intended primarily to supply the Asian market which BASF sees growing 8 per cent per year for the next 10 years, compared with an annual global growth of 5 - 6 per cent. In three years time BASF expects a third of world demand to come from Asia.
The expansion in Antwerp will give BASF a stop-gap capacity until a plant for MDI, to be built as part of an integrated production facility for PUR intermediates at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park in Caojing, China is completed in 2005.
Battenfeld transfers dies business to Greiner November 5, 2002
Battenfeld Extrusionstechnik is pulling out of die manufacture and is transferring its 49 per cent interest in Schwarz Extrusionswerkzeuge to its partner Greiner Extrusionstechnik. The Schwarz plant at Wolfratshausen will close on December 31 and the production facilities will move to Greiner's plant at Kremstal in Austria where dies will be made still under the Schwarz name.
Battenfeld and Schwarz merged their die making interests last year.
Klöckner Pentaplast expands with Iberian buy November 5, 2002
Klöckner Pentaplast is to buy Iberian film producer Neoplástica. Neoplástica has production sites in Portugal and Spain making coextruded multi-layer food packaging films using polyester and polystyrene. The company employs around 300 people and sales this year are forecast to exceed Eur 80 million.
Klöckner Pentaplast is part of the private equity group Cinven, which acquired it last year. It employs approximately 3,400 people worldwide and generates turnover in excess of Eur 1 billion.
DuPont to expand Chinese specialized resins November 5, 2002
DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers plans to install new extrusion capacity at its Shenzhen, China, site in 2003 to make its Fusabond, Bynel and Appeel specialized resins used in packaging, pipe coating, polymer modification and in the construction markets. The new capacity will serve the Asian markets and help 'better serve our key markets globally'.
Go-ahead for massive Chinese petrochemicals joint venture November 5, 2002
CNOOC and Shell Petrochemicals are to go ahead with a $4·3 billion petrochemicals complex in Guangdong Province in Southern China. The joint venture contract was signed in October 2000 and the companies have now completed the basic assessment of the project. Construction is expected to start early next year and start-up is expected in late 2005.
The site will include an 800,000 tonnes ethylene cracker; 560,000 tonnes styrene monomer and 250,000 tonnes propylene oxide plants; a 320,000 tonnes ethylene glycol plant; a 240,000 tonnes polypropylene plant; a high density polyethylene plant of 200,000 tonnes able to produce linear low density polyethylene; and a low density polyethylene plant of 250,000 tonnes.
The joint venture company will produce about 2·3 million tonnes per year of products, generating up to $1·7 billion in sales, primarily to customers in Guangdong and the high consumption areas of China's coastal economic zones.
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