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Dow plans to dedicate a new material solely to optical disc production to combat piracy October 29, 1998
Dow Plastics is proposing to combat optical disc piracy with a commitment that a material it has in development will only be used to mould optical discs, regardless of other potential, and a reciprocal input from disc player manufacturers to design systems only capable of reading discs moulded in the new material.
Piracy currently costs owners of intellectual property - film, music and software companies - huge amounts of money each year. One of the factors in disc piracy is the availabilty on the open market of polycarbonate, from which the counterfeit discs can be made.
Dow's new material is being developed to meet the needs of future high density optical discs, and the company is working now to interest content owners and the equipment manufacturers in its anti-piracy deal. It anticipates selling the material in monitored quantities to registered replicators, enabling a correlation between tonnage of material supplied and tonnage of discs produced to recognised order. By undertaking not to sell the material for anything other than optical disc manufacture Dow reckons to turn off the supply of material which could find its way back into counterfeit discs.
Tying global production of optical discs to materials from a single manufacturer shrieks against anti-trust legislation, so Dow's plans include the licensing of other companies to make the polymer.
The material concerned is polycyclohexylethylene (PCHE), a hydrogenated polystyrene with the characteristics of high light transmission, low stress optical coefficient and very low water absorption. Dow says the lasers that will be used to read the 30 GB DVD discs needed to store films for high resolution TV replay will make polycarbonate unusable. PCHE, on the other hand, shows high light transmission for the developing blue/green and ultraviolet laser light spectra. Low water absorption (10 times less than polycarbonate) brings dimensional stability, aided by the material's high flexural strength - brittleness is, however, a factor that must be addressed.
PCHE has been known for about 20 years but Dow says it is only its patented hydrogenisation polymerisation process that has brought it within reach of economic production. Only lab quantities are available at present, and Dow is not rushing into pilot production: its plans are to have a 20 tonnes pilot plant by 2001.
Potential pricing is clearly a consideration for another day. The fact that price has so far kept cycloolefin polymers and copolymers out of current CD/DVD production is partly significant, given the option of using polycarbonate, but future ultra high packing densities on optical discs requiring lasers not suitable for polycarbonate may apply a different perspective. If the choice is one of use PCHE or don't have high capacity DVDs, the relatively small part played by material cost in the overall price of the disc will become more recognisable.
DSM sells conductive compounds to LNP October 29, 1998
Only a week after announcing its intention to sell its ABS business to BASF, DSM is to sell its Faradex conductive compounds business to LNP Engineering Plastics Europe.
Faradex compounds, based on a range of polymers, provide ready-to-mould EMI and ESD protection with conductivity levels that can only be matched by blending conductive concentrates with unfilled polymers - a process that can lead to separation of polymer and additive causing variations in moulded properties, says LNP.
LNP is buying the whole business - plant, equipment, trademark and patent rights - with the deal expected to close on November 1.
Goff goes solo October 29, 1998
Training specialist John Goff is leaving Demag Hamilton to set up his own company. From November 5 he will be running G & A Moulding Technology in Huntingdon, carrying out tool trials, troubleshooting, training, design and consultancy.
Cooperation in automotive long fibre PPs October 28, 1998
DSM and Owens Corning are to cooperate in the field of long glass fibre reinforced polypropylene compounds for automotive applications. More specifically, the co-operation combines DSM Automotive Polymers' application and polymer experience with Owens Corning Composite System Business' know how in glass fibre. The result will be long fibre PP systems for applications such as integrated front end systems and splash shields.
Modular Industries buys Pressflow October 28, 1998
Pressflow has been bought by Modular Industries and will be added to Modular's conveyor and flexible handling division. In particular, Pressflow's gantry robot systems will be combined with Modular's Linkline conveyors.
Hirsch makes second buy in EPS block machinery October 28, 1998
Austrian EPS machinery manufacturer Hirsch has bought Moldex-Wieser, its second acquisition this year in the block moulding machinery sector - on January 1 it took over Berndorff Italia and integrated it into the group as Hirsch Italia.
Until the Berndorff purchase Hirsch concentrated on the shape moulding machinery sector. Addition of the ATS 140 million block moulding businesses will approximately double its turnover in EPS machinery in the next financial year.
Profile extrusion without a die October 27, 1998
Krauss Maffei has linked with Accuform of the USA to market a postforming technology package. Postforming is a way of making extruded profiles without using a profile die. The melt is extruded as a narrow sheet, and formed into the required shape by a
series of rollers. This enables a single extruder and die to make different profiles with a changeover time of around 10 minutes between profiles.
Typical products made by postforming are siding, guttering, cable conduits and other building industry profiles. Line speed can be up to three times that of conventional profile extrusion.
Boy has joined the ranks of injection moulding machine manufacturers making machines for moulding microscopic components. The company has produced a concept machine, the Boy 12A micro, based on its its 12M (12 tonnes lock) machine.
The most obvious difference is the screw modification made to inject the very small shot weight needed to mould parts weighing only 0·001 g. A more or less conventional screw geometry is used in order to plasticise standard pellets - a screw sized for such small shot weights would have a flight depth too small to carry a standard pellet - but it has been extensively modified for injection. Injection is carried out by a needle in the nose of the screw, which injects on a first-in first-out basis.
Because the parts produced are so small, the machine has a CCD camera to monitor cavity filling and part ejection.
A major market for micro components is in automotive sensors, and Boy estimates that the micromoulding business will be worth DM 45 billion by 2000.
Branched polypropylene increases melt strength of standard materials October 27, 1998
A new family of high melt strength polypropylenes has been introduced by Borealis for applications as varied as food packaging, hygienic films and automotive components. It is intended primarily for use in blends with other polypropylenes to enhance resistance to elongational stresses, such as in film blowing, extrusion coating and thermoforming.
Daploy HMS is made by introducing long-chain branches into propylene polymers in a post-reactor modification process. It is its branched structure that gives the material its combination of melt strength and melt extensibility.
Used at high loadings it can be foamed to produce non-crosslinked and thermoformable sheets with densities down to 300 kg/m3 or even lower for the manufacture of foamed trays, beakers, protective packaging, automotive headliners and acoustic panels.
In blown film a 10 - 20 per cent addition to standard polypropylenes increases bubble stability and draw down so that PP can run on standard PE equipment with similar outputs to PE.
Adding it to a standard PP for extrusion coating enables high speed coating of PP on to substrates for special applications such as microwaveable packaging or hot filling, giving higher heat and grease resistance than can be achieved with polyethylene, together with a good moisture barrier and high stiffness.
In blow moulding Daploy HMS can be added at 10 - 30 per cent to improve melt strength for moulding large containers.
Boy back in two-component while Arburg extends its options October 26, 1998
The growth in interest in two-component injection moulding has brought two new small capacity machines to the market. Boy has introduced its first two component machine for many years, while Arburg has extended two component options to its S series Allrounder 320, with 35 or 50 tonnes clamp.
The new Boy 30 A-2C is based on the established Boy 30 tonne machine, with the company's latest touch-screen Windows-based 32-bit controller Procan CT. In standard form it has a size 75 injection unit with three screw diameter options for horizontal injection, with a size 52 injection unit with four screw options mounted vertically on the stationary platen. A double pump has been installed to enable both injection units to move at the same time. Boy says that at less than DM 110,000 it is 'the most cost-effective two component machine on the market'.
Arburg has fulfilled the promise of its S-machine design - that of substantial modularity - to compile a two-component machine for its model 320 (320 mm tiebar spacing and 35 or 50 tonnes clamp). This can combine injection units of sizes 60, 150 or 350 for horizontal injection with size 60 or 150 vertical injection units. Modifications to the basic design to accommodate two component operation include lengthening the clamping unit to provide space for the whole hydraulic system, which now has two servo-regulated main pumps and an additional servo-regulated pressure-holding pump.
On a larger scale, Arburg has added a second injection unit to its C Jubilee machines up to 200 tonnes, with the option of vertical or horizontal (L format) installation.
Billion to supply 17 machines for new automotive moulding plant in the UK October 23, 1998
Billion is to supply 12 more injection moulding machines for a new automotive components plant in the UK. The £2·3 million order is from Tennex Europe which is building a factory in Salisbury. The plant already has five Billion machines on order for November delivery - four 320 tonnes and one of 200 tonnes.
The new order is for two more 320 tonne standard machines, a 320 tonne bi-material machine, five 430 tonners, two standard 550 tonne machines and two bimaterial 550 tonnes. They will be delivered at the rate of two a month starting in February and will all be equipped with Sepro robots.
Shell develops new process chemistry to make PTT a practical polymer October 23, 1998
Shell Chemicals has developed a new polyester manufacturing process which it plans to apply to its Corterra polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT). The continuous polycondensation process has been developed in association with Lurgi Zimmer of Germany, and Lurgi Zimmer - which is a specialist in building polyester plants with more than 160 worldwide - will supply Shell with the process technology, starting with a 115,000 tonnes plant due on stream in Altamira, Mexico, by the end of 2000.
Corterra is a thermoplastic polyester derived from 1,3 propanediol (PDO) which has only been brought down from the laboratory shelf in recent years since Shell discovered ways round the otherwise uneconomic PDO manufacturing process. Its primary application so far has been in carpet fibres, but it does have a future as an engineering thermoplastic, delivering a combination of PET properties and PBT processability, while the barrier properties of copolymers that Shell has tried give it potential in packaging film.
As yet there are no commercial engineering applications for Corterra, but Shell is confident they will come as production volumes increase. The start up of the Altamira plant will release commercial quantities for worldwide sale, and bring the material to Europe. In the longer term Shell is predicting worldwide demand for 1 million tonnes a year by 2010, although 80 per cent of that is likely to be in fibres, and of the rest, quite a lot will be in film.
A twist to the emergence of PTT as a commercial polymer rather than a laboratory curiosity comes from DuPont which has plans to make PDO using biotechnology, which would cut the cost even further, but Shell does not see this as a threat in foreseeable terms and feels 'comfortable' with its new PTT process against any bio-sourced competitor.
Krupp takes optimistic view over the future of its blow moulding machine business October 23, 1998
Krupp is expanding its blow moulding division with the takeover of the former Battenfeld subsidiary in Brazil. At the same it is signalling a secure future as its parent company plans to merge with Thyssen to become the fifth largest company in Germany.
The Brazilian deal is with Battenfeld Pugliese Equipamentos, a company left behind in private hands after Krupp Kunststofftechnik bought Battenfeld-Fischer of Germany on January 1 1977 and combined it with the Willy Müller business to form Fischer-W Müller Blasformtechnik. Under the agreement Krupp Maquinas para Plásticos e Borracha (Brasil) will buy Battenfeld Pugliese Equipamentos on November 1. Soon after, Krupp Maquinas, which assembles Krupp Corpoplast PET stretch blow moulders in Brazil, and Battenfeld Pugliese will be combined at a new location near Sao Paulo.
This takover is somewhat overshadowed by plans for Krupp to merge with Thyssen to form Thyssen-Krupp. Krupp has confirmed that the merger plans are going ahead, and that plastics machinery will be considered a core business in the new grouping - rather than becoming a candidate for disposal.
Krupp Kunststofftechnik stakes a claim as one of the world leaders in blow moulding machinery, with steadily increasing sales (DM 400 million in 1996, DM 514 million in 1997 and a projected DM 560 million in 1998) in a world market estimated at DM 3·6 billion. The company's sales are presently vulnerable to the current world financial disturbances, with some 20 per cent of its business coming from eastern markets where, together with South America, sales are likely to decline over the next two years. These falls will be countered by stable or slightly improving sales in Europe and North America.
In product sector terms machines for making PET bottles are now outselling packaging extrusion blow and engineering blow moulding machines at a little more than half the total market. Krupp says the gap is likely to increase next year, with around 10 per cent growth in PET stretch blow machines while extrusion blow moulding machine sales stagnate or even drop slightly.
In the PET stretch blow business Krupp has extended its capabilities by introducing a new single stage machine (it has toyed with single station machines before, but only in a development context). The new Ecomax combines a Krupp Kautex-derived preform station with Krupp Corpoplast stretch blowing. While Krupp is still firmly involved in two-stage stretch blow machines, for which it has just produced a higher output Blomax model giving 1,400 bottles per hour per station, it says that for smaller outputs the integrated single stage machine is more economical. The company sees further demand coming from inroads into traditional extrusion blow moulding markets, making products requiring non-standard preforms which are more logically moulded and blown in the same machine. It is also exploring new markets with its high output two-stage machines by installing them directly in bottling plants - a business it expects to see grow.
Ube/Niigata take all-electric injection moulding technology up to 850 tonnes October 23, 1998
What is billed as 'the world's largest all-electric injection moulding machine' is nearing completion in Japan.
The 850 tonne machine has been developed jointly by Niigata Engineering and Ube and is scheduled for completion in November. A 650 tonne machine will be completed in February. They are already on sale in Japan, and will be offered for sale in Europe from next April. Prices are expected to be less than DM 950,000 for the 850 and less than DM 880,000 for the 650. Both Ube and Niigata will sell the new machines, badged accordingly, and between them they expect to sell 50 worldwide next year. Ford, a notable Ube customer, has 'expressed interest'.
The machines combine Niigata's experience in building small vertical and horizontal clamping all-electric machines, with Ube's large toggle clamp technology. Drive is from AC servo motors, which Ube says are more reliable and require less maintenance than DC drives. Until now AC servo motors have restricted the application of all-electric technology to machines of up to around 350 tonnes. Ube/Niigata have been able to surpass this limit by coupling motors together. The machines have two motors each on the clamp and injection units. Eventually the two companies expect to built machines up to 1,300 tonnes using AC drives.
Targor to switch gas-phase plant to permanent mPP production October 22, 1998
Targor is making a manufacturing commitment to Metocene metallocene catalysed polypropylene by switching one of its gas-phase production lines at Wesseling in Germany to permanent 60,000 tpa production of Metocene in the middle of next year. Metocene is currently made in batches as required.
A production plant for the manufacture of the metallocene catalysts has already been commissioned in France, and next year Targor will start work on a factory to make the support catalyst.
At present Targor is promoting Metocene into injection moulding applications and into films and fibres. The two injection moulding grades on offer give a better combination of stiffness and optical properties than conventional polypropylenes, while the fibre grades give finer fibres and lighter non-wovens and the film grades give improved transparency.
Grades for blow moulding and biaxially oriented film are currently hampered by the material's narrow molecular weight distribution and, though in development, are realistically some five years away.
ICI and Shell to co-operate in rigid PU foams October 22, 1998
ICI Polyurethanes and Shell Chemicals are getting closer together in rigid polyurethane foams. The two companies are forming a 'strategic alliance' under which Shell will focus on supplying rigid polyether polyols based on its propylene oxide and polyols, and ICI will focus on the technical development and marketing of rigid PU foam chemicals, enhancing its position in MDI.
Under the arrangement - which is still at letter of intent stage - Shell would acquire rights to ICI's rigid polyol manufacturing technology and would supply ICI Polyurethanes with rigid polyether polyols from ICI's Rozenburg and Shell Nederland Chemie's Pernis plant, the combined capacity of which is 75,000 tonnes/year. At Rozenburg rigid polyether polyols would be produced under a toll manufacturing agreement between Shell Nederland Chemie and ICI Holland. In the USA polyols would be made at ICI's Geismar facility.
ICI would acquire rights to Shell application technology in rigid PU foam and would add Shell's customers to its worldwide rigid PU foam customer base. It would also take on Shell's share of the MDI made at the Bayer Shell isocyanate joint venture plant in Belgium.
BASF to buy DSM's ABS business October 22, 1998
BASF is planning to buy DSM's ABS business. The two companies have signed a letter of intent and if all goes well the sale will take place in the new year. BASF has only a small market share in ABS in Europe, so no objection is expected from the EC. DSM is selling the business because it cannot meet the 15 per cent return on investment targets in its current financial strategy.
DSM's ABS business (Ronfalin and Stapron N) encompasses polymerisation and compounding facilities of 60,000 tonnes at Geleen in the Netherlands. BASF has capacity for 200,000 tonnes of styrene copolymers in Europe, 200,000 tonnes in Korea, and will open a 130,000 tonnes plant in Mexico next year.
Extrusion system makes standard test samples October 18, 1998
An extrusion moulding system which makes standard test mouldings has been introduced by Wayne Machine & Die Co of the USA. It works with quarter to one inch extruders and can be fitted to an existing machine, or supplied with a new extruder.
In operation the mould is filled by the extruder, and when material exits the weep hole at the end of the mould, water cooling is applied and the mould can be opened. The mould is reassembled for the next specimen.
A variety of specimens can be made one at a time or in multi-cavity mode. A quick change insert system allows different test samples to be moulded in succession.
Davis-Standard buys lab film equipment maker October 18, 1998
Acquisitive US extruder manufacturer Davis-Standard has bought another company. It has taken over Film Master of New Jersey, USA, which makes laboratory scale blown film dies, air rings, towers and winders. The product line is being transferred to Davis-Standard's Laboratory and Specialty Systems Group which handles the Killion and Versa product lines.
Sprite moulders to feature in US lights out plant October 18, 1998
Five bench-top injection moulding machines from MCP Equipment are to be used in a 'lights out' production line in the USA running 24 hours/day seven days/week.
The microprocessor-controlled Sprite 7/50 machines will be part of a robotic system moulding 3 gramme automotive components in glass-filled nylon from two-cavity tooling for use in fuel injectors.
The initial production requirement is for 5 million components, but this is likely to be increased once the operation has become established.
NPL puts more meaning into pvT measurement October 18, 1998
A procedure for measuring more meaningful pvT data has been developed by the National Physical Laboratory, which is now seeking commercial partners. Pressure/volume/temperature data is important in predicting the shrinkage of a plastics component as it cools from melt to room temperature.
Until now, says the NPL, companies have only been able to obtain this information near equilibrium conditions where cooling rates are less than 5 degC/min, even though cooling rates in injection moulding are typically 200 degC/min.
NPL's technique can measure data at cooling rates up to 260 degC/min.
GenCel Group has appointed Ian Fraser group manufacturing director responsible for manufacturing at the group's three subsidiaries, GenCel Cyroma, GenCel Aldersgate and GenCel Manta. He was previously manufacturing director at Otto (UK).
Film recovery specialist moves October 18, 1998
Agricultural film recovery specialist Wrap-core Plastics Recycling has moved to Pen-y-Glol Park, Dyserth Road, Lloc near Holywell, CH8 8RQ. The telephone number is 01352 721164.
Improved conductive polymer goes commercial October 18, 1998
Work at Kingston University on conductive polymers is being commercialised through Baxenden Chemicals, which is soon to start pilot production of a polythiophene. Laboratory samples are available at present.
Current conductive polymer technology uses materials such as polyaniline, which typically has a conductivity of 10 Siemens/cm. Polythiophenes, however, have a conductivity of up to 20 Siemens/cm, and doping can further increase conductivity up to 100 Siemens/cm.
Applications are envisaged in conductive coatings for textiles and floor coverings and electromagnetic induction shielding among others.
A primer coat which will enable a wider range of plastics materials to be EMI/RFI shielded coatings by vacuum deposition has been developed by Integrated Vacuum Coatings.
The company has two vacuum deposition processes, Elamet 250 which lays down a 2·5 micron layer of aluminium, and EMS360, which produces a 1·6 micron triple layer of stainless steel, copper and stainless steel. These give an attenuation of 70 dB with a smooth surface finish. The adhesion of the coating to the substrate is good, but is mainly limited to ABS.
The new primer extends these deposition processes to PC/ABS and pure polycarbonate.
Shell adds isoprene to Kraton range October 18, 1998
Following its decision to sell its General Rubber business to Dow Europe, Shell Chemicals is to move its isoprene rubber business into its Kraton product range to become Kraton IR. Other Kraton products are Kraton D SBS and SIS and Kraton G SEBS and SEP.
Yushin robots get new European support October 16, 1998
Japanese robot manufacturer Yushin Precision Equipment Co has set up a joint company with Polymac of Holland, which makes automation equipment for plastics processing. The new company, Polymac-Yushin (it is 85 per cent financed by Polymac) is at Ede, south east of Amsterdam. It will provide service support for the 100 or so Yushin robots in Europe, and expects to sell 80 - 100 robots a year.
Extrusion control agency for Sullivan October 16, 1998
Sullivan Plastics Machinery is now representing Octagon Process Technology of Germany in the UK and Ireland. Octagon makes linear weight control hoppers, gravimetric blenders, and width and thickness control equipment.
GMT/SMC plant replaces imports with home production October 16, 1998
A new glass mat thermoplastic and sheet moulding compound pressing plant opened on Merseyside has brought to Britain from Holland production of components for UK companies including Jaguar Cars and Rover Group.
Polynorm Plastics (UK), a subsidiary of the Dutch-based Polynorm group, has opened a factory on a 26,000 sq m site at St Helens, where it will make parts including bumper beams, undertrays, seat backs, fascias and engine covers. It is Polynorm's first factory outside mainland Europe.
The first phase is a 5,000 sq m unit housing three presses of 630, 1,000 and 1,500 tonnes with oven systems and a five-axis CNC trimming machine. A fourth press will be installed next year.
Solvay decides two heads are better than one October 16, 1998
Solvay is extending its production of PVC and polyethylene through co-operation with two of its competitors, BASF in PVC and PetroFina in polyethylene.
The deal with BASF involves pooling the PVC resources of both companies into a joint venture company to be owned 75:25 per cent in favour of Solvay. BASF is a small player in the PVC business, with about 300,000 tonnes capacity, but the production of PVC is an important link in the integrated manufacturing at its Ludwigshafen and Antwerp sites. Tieing in with Solvay - which has some 1·5 million tonnes of capacity - gives BASF an involvement in a major business, while safeguarding its preference to continue with PVC production.
The joint venture would have access to hydrochloric acid from BASF's isocyanate production unit at Antwerp, and to ethylene from both companies. It would also incorporate both companies' interests in polyvinylidene chloride, dichloroethane, vinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride, as well as the chloralkali electrolysis plants operated by both companies in Belgium.
The agreement with PetroFina is for industrial and technological co-operation in HDPE. The two companies will share the production of two 250,000 tonnes HDPE plants to be built in Belgium. Solvay will build and operate the first plant, due to become operational in 2002, while PetroFina will build and operate the second, which is scheduled for 2005. Each company will own its plant. The advantage to both companies is that they will be able to draw off increasing amounts of material as their markets require greater capacity, while producing that material with the economics of large plant production.
The technological co-operation involves an exchange of licensing, Fina granting Solvay a licence to use its metallocene catalyst technology, while Solvay will reciprocate by licensing Fina to use its chromium catalysts. The two companies will share research, again bringing economies of scale.
Elf Atochem plans to buy into Asian acrylic market October 16, 1998
Elf Atochem is planning to buy a South Korean acrylics operation. It has signed an agreement with Hanwha Chemical Corporation to buy - subject to ratification by the relevant authorities - a 15,000 tpa plant for the production of acrylic resins, sold as Goldrex, and a 12,000 tpa plant for acrylic and polycarbonate sheets sold as Goldglas-ASCA and Goldlite.
This acquisition would give Elf Atochem's Atoglas acrylics subsidiary a foothold in Asia.
Plastics division boosts McKechnie October 16, 1998
A 20 per cent increase in turnover by its Engineered Plastics division helped McKechnie achieve record profits up 12 per cent at £62·2 million in its 1997/98 financial year.
The division increased its turnover from £241·3 million to £249·3 million while profits rose from £20·9 million to £25·1 million, largely from growth in its Vehicle Components, US Plastics Components and Paxton logistics businesses.
Showpla bought out of receivership October 15, 1998
Showpla (UK), which went into receivership when its Japanese parent company hit financial problems, has been bought by Webgrove Holdings. Showpla is an injection moulder supplying TV cabinets to European-based Japanese electronics companies. It is also a first-tier automotive supplier. The company went into receivership in August after Showa Plastics - partly owned by Sumitomo and Asahi Chem ical - filed for protection from its creditors after falling victim to the economic downturn in the Far East.
Webgrove Holdings is a company set up three years ago by Paul Webb and David Grove to buy Link Plastics, and which subsequently bought Silkjet and Digitool. The addition of Showpla brings the company's annual sales up to around £30 million, with more than 450 employees. Webgrove is looking for further acquisitions in plastics processing.
PVOH as a biodegradable moulding material October 15, 1998
Polyvinyl alcohol has been given a new lease of life as a plastics material by PVAX Polymers which has been working over the past five years at the Irish Government Research and Development Unit at the Polymer Development Centre in Athlone to improve its processability. Previous degradation problems are said to have been overcome, and PVOH is now being offered as a biodegradable moulding material.
PVOH is water-soluble and its break down in the waste stream has been documented over years of use in paper coating, adhesives and textile size. Applications seen for it in the short term are nappies, garbage bags and packaging, but PVOH is also a good gas barrier, and is being considered as a barrier layer in PE and PP multi-layer constructions. Its oil and chemical resistance is also very good and PVOH-based PVAX has potential in grease-resistant packaging and bag-in-box oil containers. UK distribution is being handled by British Traders and Shippers.
British Traders and Shippers: +44 (0)20 8596 7500
Anyone want polyphenylene sulphone? October 4, 1998
Ticona is looking for someone to take on its Ceramer polyphenylene sulphone material which can be used as a fluoropolymer additive to improve the wear resistance of products without reducing the chemical resistance of the PTFE.
Ceramer is a research project that Ticona has brought to maturity, but which does not fit in Ticona's core businesses, so the company is seeking 'a long term partner'. Other uses for the material are nearing commercialisation, and include its use as an additive in PAEK and PI, as a material for flame spray coating, or as a stand-alone material for hot press moulding or sintering.
Explosion risk from EPS October 4, 1998
The fire and explosion risks from the pentane contained in expanded polystyrene are outlined in a new information sheet from the Health and Safety Executive. Pentane is extremely flammable with a flashpoint of -50 degC and will ignite if it comes into contact with any surface with a temperature exceeding 285 degC - for example, a light bulb.
The HSE leaflet Fire and explosion risks from pentane in expandable polystyrene (EPS) details the seven essential points which everyone who handles pentane in EPS bead should be aware of. It is available free of charge from HSE Books.
HSE Books tel: 01787 88165, fax 01787 313995
Plastic TV screen wins Horners Award October 2, 1998
This year's Horners Award for Plastics has gone to Cambridge Display Technology for its work on plastics display screens. The Horners Award is given annually by the Worshipful Company of Horners and the British Plastics Federation to recognise and encourage good design in plastics.
Cambridge Display Technology is a company founded by Cambridge University which is researching and exploiting light emitting polymers. It holds a number of patents covering the coating of plastics substrates with polymers which respond optically to electric charge and is working with international electronics and chemical companies to develop display screens initially for small, simple devices, but ultimately for televisions, computer monitors, and even a 'folding electronic newspaper'.
The technology involves ink jet printing pixels of light emitting polymers directly on to the switching matrix. The structure is simpler than that used for liquid crystal displays, and can be flexible. LEPs react more quickly than liquid crystals, so there is no blurring, and they have a 180 degree viewing angle. Because they are self-emissive they do not need polarisers, colour filters and backlights. The production technology involves processes already in place for LCD manufacture.
The Horners Award was given for a prototype television with a 50 mm monochrome display. Cambridge Display Technology anticipates early use of LEP displays in devices such as portable telephones, clocks and video recorders, but its potential lies in ultrathin alternatives to cathode ray displays, and large area displays such as advertising signs for which the company says there is no practical alternative.
Improvement in syndiotactic polystyrene production October 1, 1998
Metallocene catalysts with the potential of improving the production of syndiotactic polystyrene have been developed in Korea by the Chemical Sector of Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology.
Polymerisation activity 1·5 - 2 times higher than existing catalysts has been observed, and the catalysts have greater stability in air than those currently used. The higher activity can reduce the consumption of polymerisation catalyst in sPS production, and the higher air stability will make the storage and handling of these catalysts easier than for existing metallocene catalysts.
More space at Merit October 1, 1998
Merit Plastic Mouldings has added 6,000 sq ft of storage and injection moulding capacity to its Diss, Norfolk, site, bringing the total area to 14,000 sq ft. The company plans to extend its storage to provide just-in-time delivery, and increase its sub assembly operations.
Merit has recently promoted Tom Palmer to managing director.
Dow adds nylon 66 October 1, 1998
Dow Plastics has added nylon 66 to its engineering materials portfolio through an alliance with Solutia of the USA, which makes nylon 66 under the Vydyne brand name.
Under the agreement Solutia continues to develop and manufacture the material, while Dow takes over the compounding and marketing. Solutia's existing sales force becomes part of Dow. No transfer of assets has taken place, and Solutia will continue to service some key markets such as film, monofilament, carpet and textiles.
Solutia says that its Pensacola, Florida, plant is the biggest integrated nylon manufacturing facility in the world. Last year it brought on stream an additional 30,000 tonnes of polymerisation capacity, and has plans for further expansion over the next two years.
Sheet producers join forces October 1, 1998
Three major European plastics sheet producers are combining their resources. IRG (Belgium), Resart (Germany) and Critesa (Spain) are to become part of The Irish Barlo Group plc, with headquarters in Geel, Belgium, and will operate as Barlo Plastics. The new company will be launched officially at K'98.
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