British Plastics & Rubber - Latest News

PET chosen by Asda for sustainability and convenience benefits

Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Asda is launching its ‘Chosen by You' salad dressings in a new 250ml PET bottle, designed and produced by APPE, which is said to offer significant consumer convenience and sustainability benefits.

The PET bottle has produced a 90% weight reduction over the glass bottle it is replacing, achieving a saving of around 200 tonnes of packaging per annum. The lighter bottle also delivers corresponding transport efficiencies leading to reduced costs and carbon impact in the logistics chain, while its high resistance to shattering eliminates breakages during filling and distribution.

For the consumer, the lightweight bottle is equally easy and safe to handle in the kitchen environment. In addition, PET has a very positive environmental profile in terms of its recyclability.

The bottle, which is the first of its kind for private label salad dressings in the UK, has been designed by APPE's dedicated design facility in Brecht, Belgium, and is manufactured by the two-stage process at the company's Gresford factory, near Wrexham. APPE's technical team worked closely with the closure supplier in the development, piloting and testing of the design to deliver a complete pack solution to the customer.

The dressings are being manufactured and packed by one of the UK's leading suppliers of fine table sauces, salad dressings and chutneys. APPE's experience of the food sector, its longstanding reputation in PET design and production, and its ability to provide a co-ordinated service from concept to delivery were critical factors in the company's selection for this project.

"We're really excited about the launch of our new and improved salad dressing range in the new PET bottle," commented Suzie Hardy, Senior Packaging Development Manager, Asda. "The high clarity of the material and premium shape promotes the quality of our Chosen by You brand. The new design features all of the convenience of the glass bottle and brings with it great environmental benefits."

New plastic keg makes the perfect pint for UK brewery

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Ironbridge Brewery in Shropshire, UK, has teamed up with Petainer, the specialist plastics packaging technology business, to help it win new business.

The Telford-based microbrewery is to supply a new high-quality English lager in lightweight, recyclable Petainer kegs. The brewery is targeting sales in the keg beer market through mail order deliveries.

Petainer Kegs manufactured in PET are said to have been chosen because they are more environmentally friendly, lighter and less expensive than conventional metal kegs. They are ideal for the mail order business because they do not need to be returned to the brewery when empty - they can simply be crushed and put into the normal plastics recycling system.

Owner David Goldingay said: "This is a first for a start-up keg beer operation in the UK. The Petainer keg provides us with a low-cost container to compete against national producers.

"Petainer is a reliable supplier which delivers a quality product. Tests have demonstrated that the PET keg will ensure the Ironbridge lager will reach consumers in the best possible condition. We are confident that the shelf life for this product will be even better than for our cask ales."

David Goldingay said the plastic keg was chosen because of its cost, quality and reliability. "The Petainer Keg is a more cost-effective and sustainable package for start-up production of draught products.,

"With lower energy and production costs, and no fleet of kegs or return logistics to worry about, these PET kegs are considerably less expensive than metal containers.

"No internal cleaning of the kegs is required so hygiene standards are always assured. Disposal of the empty kegs into the recycling stream also saves on administration and logistics."

Petainer Kegs are available in four sizes - 15, 20, 30 and 40 litres. They are designed for one-way use and have low-cost Micro Matic-compatible fittings, which allow the containers to be connected to existing standard tapping systems.

In comparison with metal containers, Petainer Kegs offer substantial benefits to breweries, fillers and other users. These include lower costs and lower environmental impacts.

New UK recycling venture has innovation bottled

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Continuum, the groundbreaking recycling joint venture between ECOPlastics and Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE), has been officially opened by Environment Minister, Lord Taylor.

The facility, which will bring recycling in the UK full circle, is a first for the British drinks manufacturing industry. At maximum capacity, Continuum will produce 25,000 tonnes of rPET a year, more than doubling the UK's previous rPET production capacity.

Taken together with ECO Plastics' existing capacity of 15,000 tonnes of rPET, this will mean that the Hemswell plant will be responsible for around ¾ of the UK total.

With this added capacity, the site becomes the world's largest and most sophisticated plastics sorting facility.

Stephen Moorhouse, General Manager and Vice President, CCE, said that the facility was "game changing", stating that the venture demonstrated a commitment by the company to both the green economy and UK manufacturing.

Peter Gangstead, Chairman of ECOPlastics, stated that the opening was an opportunity to celebrate an innovative model that could be expanded both in the UK and overseas.

"Not only are we celebrating the benefits for UK recycling, but also the fact that we created 120 new jobs in a recession due to the opening of Continuum recycling," Mr Gangstead said.

UK plastics company has building blocks for growth

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Iplas, the manufacturer of the Zyplex range of sustainable building products, is on target to become a £15m business in the next two years.

The Halifax-headquartered business has reported a sharp increase in sales in the last 12 months, up 50 percent on the previous year.

The company, which has achieved challenging targets in a tough economic climate, has also seen the rate of growth rise in the last six months with a 70 percent increase for the same period year on year.

Grahame Hall, Iplas Chief Executive, said the building blocks are in place for a further acceleration of the growth rate through the financial year 2012-13 and the group is on course to reach its objective, set in 2010, to quadruple turnover by 2014.

He attributes this to a strengthened sales team following three new appointments; and significant progress in new product development in three key market areas - Zypave, a SUDS-compliant, plastic grid system for car parking; Zyplex Fencing, a long-life, maintenance-free, fencing systems for social housing; and Ecocrib, a mass-gravity, retaining wall system; together with increases in manufacturing capacity, which have been realised throughout the year.

The company is also in production of the first railway sleepers made from Zyplex. Having completed an extensive two-year laboratory testing programme, the product is now in live tracks for the first time and there are a number of other large-scale projects in the pipeline.

These developments follow major investment into machinery and tooling as a result of a £2.5m cash injection 18 months ago from Foresight Group, the country's leading green venture capital investor.

Mr Hall said: "The last year has been very successful for the group and we are confident about the future. We see Zyplex as the new standard for building materials with thousands of possibilities for its use and we will continue to drive the brand forward.

Iplas manufactures a wide range of products from Zyplex, a range of blended polymers made from recycled plastics that are also recyclable themselves. Zyplex offers potentially significant cost and performance advantages over more traditional materials.

The company sells to sectors including the social housing, rail, industrial and marine industries. Its output includes fencing, crib walls, paving, outdoor and street furniture; and a range of products for the construction industry.

Look at graphene, says BPF

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Speaking from the Annual Meeting of the Materials Knowledge Transfer Network on 3rd May, BPF Director-General, Peter Davis, urged the plastics industry to examine the potential of graphene.

"Graphene is the strongest material ever measured, the thinnest material imaginable but with record thermal conductivity. It's obvious that plastics can be the carrier material but graphene can also add massive innovation to existing plastics applications," Mr Davis said.

The BPF welcomed the Government funding for graphene in October last year. Potential markets are: conductive inks; barrier cloaking; semiconductors; composites; energy storage and flexible electronics.

Mr Davis went on to say that in the BPF's recently published policy document, 'The UK Plastics Industry: A Strategic Manufacturing Sector' the strong point was made that innovation in plastics can be "stimulated by research and development projects between plastics companies and our world class polymer universities, proximity to raw material supply, and close links with the important UK design sector."

Mr Davis spoke about the latest innovations developed using plastic technology - including the award winning Trinity football boot, which at 170g is the lightest boot ever produced with plastics technology.

In the recently released policy document, the BPF called on the Government to increase R&D financial support for plastics through the materials KTN.

Image: Artistic impression of a corrugated graphene sheet. Credit: Jannik Meyer

IsoCool announces record sales for second year running

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Testament to the strength of the UK manufacturing industry, IsoCool has announced record sales figures for the second year in a row. Between January and March this year, the process cooling specialist stacked up sales more than double that of the same period in 2011 - making the first quarter of 2012 a best ever for IsoCool.

This significant milestone in the company's 10-year history is hot on the heels of last year's record-breaking victories, when IsoCool celebrated international success with its sales of Eurochiller products. Eurochiller are one of the world's leading process cooling manufacturers, with distributors and agents across the globe. Within just one year of becoming the sole UK distributor for the brand, IsoCool had smashed all previous UK sales figures for the company, and took the title of Eurochiller's second highestranking partner in the world.

Nigel Hallett, Managing Director of IsoCool, is delighted with the company's continuing success, which he attributes to IsoCool's objective approach to meeting customer needs:

"In this difficult economic climate, companies need to offer much more than just great performing systems and good customer service - for manufacturers, energy, cost and environmental concerns are just as important. We look at our clients' short and long term business objectives, and provide solutions which meet all of these needs," he explained.

He continued: "For example, we repair, refurbish and upgrade existing systems wherever possible, before replacing with new equipment. This minimises the initial investment required and can help our clients to meet their environmental targets. Plus, as our solutions often achieve energy savings of up to 80 percent, the payback periods are usually short. Taking a thorough approach like this wins the confidence of our clients and results in a lot of recommendations - it's win-win for everyone".

IsoCool plan to continue their success in 2012 with the release of several new ground-breaking products and the expansion of their maintenance division. Having recently secured a major contract in Saudi Arabia, the company are also set to make a big impact in the Middle East region throughout the coming years.

Objet states art and design is next frontier in 3D printing

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

At a media event held in Paris last week celebrating the work of artist Neri Oxman, 3D printing specialists Objet announced that using the technology creatively was a key focus.

It is the first time that Objet has shown its capabilities to print a full colour spectrum-displayed in a vivid and striking collection. Objet GM for Europe, Andy Middleton, stated in an interview with BP&R that the event was a "premier for the next stage in 3D printing."

"Using our Connex inkjet technology we control every pixel that is printed-this includes material type and also colour. Practically and theoretically Connex technology can print any colour in the visible spectrum," Mr Middleton stated.

Objet did not reveal at the event whether it would be commercialising the colour technology - but Mr Middleton stated that it would be a fundamental part of future art and design projects.

When asked whether Stratasys, the company with whom Objet announced a merger last month, shared this vision for the creative use of the technology, Mr Middleton stated that they did. "They do share the vision - we see the new, combined company to be able to cater for such a wide variation of applications and customer sections."

Image: A model from the collection 3D printed on the Objet Connex500

MICRO.NANO.MEMS 2013 gets off to a great start

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Rapid News Communications Group is delighted to announce the return of the USA's leading high precision manufacturing event, MICRO.NANO.MEMS 2013.

Rebranded to better reflect the breadth of high precision manufacturing processes featured within the event, MICRO.NANO.MEMS 2013 will take place on 13-14 March 2013, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL, USA.

Buoyed by the positive feedback received onsite from exhibitors, 2013 will see a significant rise in exhibitor capacity, with a 35 percent increase in booth space available.

Bookings for MICRO.NANO.MEMS 2013 have already got off to a flying start with exhibitors including 3D-Micromac, Accumold, Alicona, Kern Precision, Lurie Nano, Microlution, Jesse Garant and SmalTec already confirming their participation again in 2013.

The 2013 show will see MICRO.NANO.MEMS 2013 build on its successful formula of industry leading exhibitors and two full days of seminar programmes, all of which will be completely free to all attendees. A call for papers will be issued in the coming weeks soliciting papers for these sessions. Once again, leading industry title Commercial Micro Manufacturing will be throwing its full support behind the event.

Chris Lawson, Event Sales Manager for MICRO.NANO.MEMS 2013, said: "With an industry leading publication and trade show in both the USA and Europe, our commitment to the field of high precision manufacturing is clear. What is greatly encouraging is the support we have received from the industry, who have acknowledged the hard work we have put into this sector, and really want to see this event grow and succeed. As the demand for high precision parts grows, MICRO.NANO.MEMS 2013 offers a shop window for our exhibitors to promote their expertise."

To celebrate the return of a bigger, better MICRO.NANO.MEMS in 2013, Rapid News Communications Group is offering an early bird 15 percent discount on the next 20 booth bookings. Contact Chris Lawson for additional information on +44 (0) 1829 770037 or chris.lawson@rapidnews.com.

Electric vehicle using inrekor lightweight technology wins award

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The QBEAK electric vehicle concept, incorporating UK-developed specialist inrekor lightweight structure technology, has won the ‘2012 European Electric Vehicles Early Stage Investment Opportunity Award'.

The award, received from research and consulting firm, Frost & Sullivan, at its annual Best Practice Awards, was presented to ECOmove, the Danish manufacturer behind the QBEAK concept.

ECOmove received the award after rating highly in the five measured criteria: experience and expertise of management team, sustainable competitive advantage, service and maintenance, market growth and positioning and product differentiation capabilities.

Lightweight structures technology specialist inrekor has played a major role in the development and manufacture of the chassis of the QBEAK design, which reduces the weight of the core structure by 30 percent. The innovative inrekor chassis is built from a core of ARPRO; a lightweight material widely used in automotive applications, sandwiched between layers of aluminium.

inrekor has a high strength-to-weight ratio which provides the perfect combination of high safety levels and weight reduction, resulting in longer battery life - the QBEAK has a battery range of 300km, almost double that of other electric vehicles. Weighing around 400kg without the battery pack, the QBEAK is about half the weight of comparable cars in the same category, which is partly due to the lightweight inrekor chassis and its impressive technical properties.

inrekor also has insulating properties, which is key for electric vehicles as it minimises energy usage for heating and air conditioning; further prolonging battery life. In addition, the ARPRO core is said to reduce noise, vibration and harshness (NVH); making the driving experience more comfortable.

Freddy Page-Roberts of inrekor commented: "It is rare but highly rewarding to be in a partnership with a company such as ECOmove that shares our passion for improved environmental performance while at the same time delivering impressive performance levels. We are delighted that the QBEAK has been recognised through these prestigious awards - this is testament to all of the hard work and state-of-the art resources that have gone into the concept."

Axion offers complete ELV solution

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

As the UK's leading reprocessor of plastics from end-of-life vehicles, Axion Polymers, a division of the Axion Group, states it can offer the complete end-of-life vehicle (ELV) solution to meet new targets and producer responsibility.

Its newest product - Axpoly PP51 - is made from automotive shredder residue recovered from scrapped vehicles (ELV) at its Shredder Waste Advanced Processing Plant (SWAPP) purpose-built and designed at Trafford Park, Manchester.

Axpoly PP51 undergoes a sophisticated cleaning process prior to final compounding and pellet production, offering great potential for closed loop applications in new automotive-related products. Axion is widely respected as one of the UK's most innovative converters of waste engineering plastics into polymer materials.

Director Keith Freegard said: "From January 2015, new targets will stipulate a 95 percent recycling and recovery rate for ELV. As manufacturers become more focussed on the environmental credentials of new vehicles, they are keen to see their end-of-life products processed at sites where ‘target achievement' can be demonstrated."

Traditional metal recovery technologies combined with some de-pollution and dismantling of ELVs can only just deliver the current 85 percent targets; new recovery technologies have to be developed to satisfy the higher 95 percent target levels.

To meet this new market need, Axion has designed, built and now operates, this pioneering multi-million pound SWAPP facility for ELV materials recovery.

Three years of intensive research, testing and trials led Axion to devise the most efficient processing techniques and plant layout for this challenging waste stream. Their use of in-house expertise - distilled from many years of development and trials of different sorting/separation techniques - has achieved the most cost-effective recycling and landfill diversion solutions.

The plant is one of only a few in Europe capable of recovering up to 95 percent of automotive residues. The advanced process recovers a range of materials, including aggregates, construction products, plastics and a high-calorific value solid recovered fuel (SRF).

Keith added: "By refining the plastics for final recycling into Axpoly PP51 and other grades, there is tremendous potential for sale back into new automotive applications. This helps to achieve the 2015 target and satisfies those all-important producer responsibilities for end-of-life vehicles."

The SWAPP facility's processing capacity is expected to rise as the 2015 deadline for 95 percent recycling target draws closer and spare input capacity is offered to other ELV take-back firms. Axion is confident of achieving this target - a key driver behind the plant's design and incorporation of cutting-edge technologies.

Axion works in partnership with car take-back firms and has hosted site visits from senior personnel from major European car manufacturers; clearly demonstrating how this SWAPP facility is fulfilling a critical element of producer responsibility while contributing to automotive closed loop recycling.

Last call for businesses to take part in programme to find the UK's top manufacturer

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Businesses have just over three weeks left to apply to take part in Manufacturing Excellence 2012, the UK-wide business improvement programme which not only identifies and celebrates outstanding UK manufacturing businesses but can also help companies improve.

Applications to take part in the programme, which offers up to £20,000 of free consultancy, must be submitted by 1 June 2012.

Philippa Oldham, Head of Manufacturing at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said: "Manufacturing Excellence is a fantastic opportunity for businesses to show off their expertise and improve their practices in order to succeed.

"Entry is free and there is up to £20,000 free consultancy advice up for grabs as well as the chance to win at the prestigious Manufacturing Excellence Awards in November."

Manufacturing Excellence works with all manufacturing businesses, whatever their size, age, sector or area of expertise to help improve their processes and showcase their successes and innovations.

Manufacturing Excellence 2012 is run in partnership with The ERA Foundation, Lombard and WMG; sponsored by Arup and supported by the CBI.

As well as Awards for Best Manufacturer and Best SME, categories for this year are: Business Development and Change Management; Customer Focus; Financial Management; Innovation in Products and Processes; Logistics and Operational Efficiency; Partnership with Education; People Effectiveness; Sustainable Manufacturing; and Most Improved Company.

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers has over 100,000 members working in over 19,000 different companies.

Mediplas announces partnership with Medilink UK

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Rapid News Communications Group, the organiser of the newly-launched Mediplas 2012, is delighted to announce that Medilink UK has become a supporting partner for this year's show.

Held at the NEC, Birmingham, 25-26th September 2012, Mediplas is a unique event for the highly specialised area of manufacturing plastic parts for the medical industry. The exhibition, which will cover all areas of the medical plastics supply chain, differentiates itself from general plastics shows, as it brings to the forefront aspects and considerations of medical device manufacturing that do not feature in production for other industries. It is also different from existing medical device events because it specialises in plastics — the new material of choice as biocompatible plastics and polymer compounds continue to replace metal and ceramics in the medical industry.

Medilink UK is a leader in developing business networks for medical and healthcare companies. It works with members to increase their viability in the market and grow their medical business through technology and knowledge transfer from Universities and the NHS and achieves this by bridging the gap between those who innovate and those who manufacture.

Medilink West Midlands' Connectivity Director, Chris Dyke, who will be presenting at the Mediplas conference, said: "The medical plastics supply chain is a dynamic, growing market, and there are plenty of innovative firms that are paving the way for new processes, materials and products for patient treatment. It's great to see a new show this year, which recognises the unique challenges, and opportunities this sector faces, and Medilink is delighted to work with Mediplas to raise awareness of the show. I'm also looking forward to bringing our expertise to the show, both as an exhibitor and as a speaker."

Delighted to be welcoming Medlink on board, Duncan Wood, COO at Rapid News Communications, commented: "It is great to have the support of Medilink on our launch event. We value their contribution and support and look forward to delivering a successful event in partnership with the medical plastics community."

Further support for Mediplas 2012 comes from Med-Tech Innovation, the magazine and website for the UK and Irish medical device research, design and manufacturing community. Both Medilink UK and Med-Tech Innovation will be co-exhibiting on the show floor. Another key media partner is Medical Plastics News, the essential source of technology breakthroughs and industry intelligence for manufacturers of plastic medical devices and components.

PVC industry reports sustainability plan is on track

Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

At the close of the European PVC value chain's annual meeting, on 27 April, the first year results of its new ten year sustainability initiative - VinylPlus - were presented. Despite significant challenges caused by the economic crisis, results indicate that the industry is on track to achieve the VinylPlus sustainability goals for 2020 set last year following the successful completion of its predecessor Vinyl2010.

Under VinylPlus, the industry has set ambitious targets of recycling 800,000 tonnes per year of PVC in Europe by 2020. Thanks to the consolidation of collection and recycling schemes for PVC, 257,084 tonnes were recycled in 2011. This is despite continuing adverse market conditions and the decrease in volumes of PVC waste in construction.

Progress has also been made towards ensuring the sustainable use of additives. By 2011, the consumption of lead stabilisers decreased by 71.4 percent in the EU-27 compared to 2007 and remains on track for complete substitution by 2015. This trend has been supported by the corresponding growth in the use of calcium as an alternative organic stabiliser.

However, industry leaders warned that meeting VinylPlus' ambitious objectives will continue to depend on different stakeholders working together to stimulate the market for PVC recycling in Europe.

"The industry remains fully committed to the targets we have set and we are encouraged by progress made in the first year of the new programme in a very difficult economic climate. However, the need for cooperation is more important than ever in these times of austerity. Reaching our goals requires active support down the PVC value chain and a policy environment across Europe which continues to incentivise the diversion of waste from landfill and demand for recycled goods," said Stefan Eingaertner, General Manager of VinylPlus.

During the annual meeting, industry leaders discussed developments in the PVC market including the growth of innovative and practical solutions, which will improve the sustainability of PVC in the coming years. In this respect, collaboration with end users and designers will be instrumental. In the framework of VinylPlus, the industry also confirmed its commitment to offer products of very high quality and value for our society while at the same time saving resources and minimising the industry's impact.

The conviction that innovation is fundamental to the industry's progress towards sustainability was also underlined at the annual meeting.

"Innovation, creativity and forward thinking are crucial to the implementation of our Voluntary Commitment" said Brigitte Dero, General Manager of ECVM and VinylPlus Deputy General Manager. She continued by explaining that "VinylPlus aims at adopting a value-chain approach based on life-cycle thinking and resource efficiency. Tools to achieve this aim include the use of renewables but also effective waste management and recycling; in line with the principle of doing more from less, which is also at the basis of the EU roadmap toward a green economy."

Several trends were identified concerning the use of PVC in certain key sectors such as sustainable building, food packaging and innovative recycled applications. The dissemination of knowledge acquired through VinylPlus and its predecessor Vinyl2010 beyond Europe, was one of the most encouraging trends.

Successful UK rotational moulding company adds wealth of expertise to its board

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

UK Rotational moulding company, Orchid Plastics, is celebrating a number of significant developments with the arrival of three new company directors and securing a new investment of £200,000 to support continued growth.

Joining Orchid Plastics' Managing Director, Paul Fairhurst, to the board is Geoff Stockley as Sales Director, Mark Stanley as Financial Director and Chris Sellars as Commercial Director.

The company, based in Cornwall, has appointed the three experienced board members to handle the increasing customer demand, to develop the business, and to add expertise in the areas of sales and finance.

Chris says, "We started working with Paul towards the end of last year, helping him look at ways to reorganise and restructure the finance of the business. Orchid Plastics is already a very successful business, with a great range of products that means it can easily trade internationally. We are excited about the potential global growth of its products and in addition we will be looking at business acquisitions in the sector over the next couple of years to broaden the service offering to the company's customers."

Paul Fairhurst, who has been in the rotational moulding business for 21 years, adds, "We are delighted with the new team on the board. This is a very exciting time for the business, we have a lot of great new developments planned and several large projects are underway. The long term goal is to secure our relationship with our key customers and to optimise production to build security for growth. Working with customers old and new, our aim is to provide excellent service and high quality products delivered on time at realistic prices."

Geoff Stockley, Orchid Plastics' new Sales Director, is no stranger to the rotational mouldings industry, having worked at two leading manufacturers in the past. He explains, "The opportunity to get back into an industry that I know so well is one that I could not turn down, particularly with potential that Orchid Plastics' has. It's hugely beneficial that I already understand the process, which means I can really hit the ground running. I am delighted to be part of such a strong team, and I am relishing the opportunity to play my part in ensuring Orchid Plastics' potential is fulfilled."

One of the leading companies in the production and design of high quality plastic rotational moulding and polyurethane foam filling, Orchid Plastics took on the manufacture of the Fairhurst Marine Navigation Buoy Range, which has previously been supplied to Trinity House, the MOD and many other large international organisations.

Orchid Plastics offers custom designed plastic rotational moulding products using the latest CAD technology and prototype modelling and has the ISO 9001 quality standard.

Plastic recycling industry needs its own resource security action plan says Dow

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Government's (BIS/Defra) recently announced Resource Security Action Plan should be extended to include other scarce and valuable materials such as plastics. That is the message from Closed Loop Recycling CEO, Chris Dow, ahead of this week's Recoup Conference (3rd May 2012).

According to Dow, there is a multi-million pound opportunity in the massive amount of valuable raw materials lost each year in the UK because of how we deal now with the products people no longer want. He believes the recent decision to increase recycling targets to 57 percent goes some way to help generate resource security and industry growth, but that more can be done to ensure the industry continues to develop, and with it, bring thousands of green jobs and thus increased UK prosperity.

Chris Dow explained: "The Resource Security Action Plan is designed to make sure UK businesses are more resilient to any changes in the supply and price of scarce, valuable materials such as metals, and can make the most of new opportunities. This is exactly the case in the plastics recycling industry and we want to play our part. We support the objective of seeing British businesses taking advantage of this golden opportunity to boost growth and jobs through how we design products, while re-using, recycling or substituting valuable materials."

"I believe the Plan should be extended to include post consumer plastics as a resource, in order that our industry can maximise their extraction and reuse here in the UK, rather than exporting them abroad for lower grade use.

"This, combined with the MRF Code of Practice and a review of the PRN/PERN system, would create the ideal backdrop to enable us to deliver the 57 percent recycling targets in a timely and efficient way."

Closed Loop Recycling was the first plastic recycler in the world to recycle both PET and HDPE bottles back into food grade material for new food and drink packaging. Over the past five years, this pioneering company has developed strong relationships with all aspects of the supply ‘loop', including waste companies, local authorities, packaging companies, retailers and big brand product manufacturers, helping to build a strong understanding of the benefits of the closed loop recycling of plastics.

Three appointments for UK plastics recycler

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Regain Polymers, one of the UK's leading plastics recycling compound and extrusion companies, has appointed three new members of staff to bolster its commercial team at a time of significant growth for the company.

Adrian Frain and Graham Cook will be working alongside Technical Sales Director, Mark Roberts, and his team developing and growing the commercial arm of Regain Polymers, providing additional customer support whilst actively strengthening the company's client base.

With more than 50 years of combined experience working within the polymer industry, Adrian and Graham bring a wealth of experience, both technical and commercial and join Regain Polymers as Business Development Managers.

Katey Curtis has over 14 years experience working within the private and public sectors and will play a key role as Management Accountant. With responsibility for profitability improvement, costings and sales ledger, Katey will also be instrumental in the production of the management accounts and forecasts.

Commenting on the new roles, Mark Roberts said: "We are delighted to welcome Adrian, Graham and Katey to the team at such an exciting time for Regain Polymers. Since increasing both our capabilities and capacity to supply the market, earlier this year, we have experienced a strong level of demand. The new roles are fundamental to support our 2012 growth plans, so now couldn't be a better time to strengthen our team with more experience."

Image shows from left to right - Adrian Frain, Graham Cook and Katey Curtis

PlasticsEurope supports European Parliament's call for a ban on waste landfill

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

PlasticsEurope has praised the decision by the European Parliament to aim for a general ban on waste landfill by adopting a proposal by MEP Gerben-Jan Gerbandy on the Resource Efficiency Roadmap.

"This proposal is really encouraging," said Jan-Erik Johansson, Programme Director for Resource Efficiency and Regional Director North at PlasticsEurope. "We believe that a landfill ban is key to manage waste as a resource. Every year 10 million tonnes of plastics are still buried in landfills in Europe. These plastics could provide a resource for recycling and energy recovery and stimulate the creation of thousands of new jobs."

In the UK, the association representing European plastic manufacturers has been instrumental in launching the "Plastics 2020 Challenge" campaign to improve waste management practices. Since 2009, the plastics industry challenges itself, consumers and government to step up resource efficiency and stop sending plastic materials to landfill. The website www.plastics2020challenge.com hosts an open debate on a range of plastics issues.

About the restriction on the use of Energy for Waste (EfW) facilities, Johansson added: "We support the phasing out of EfW for plastics that are economically and environmentally beneficial to recycle. However, this waste management option should still be favoured for items whose treatment in energy recovery plants is more sustainable."

Bioplastics offer more sustainable solution for tree planting

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Netherlands-based Natural Plastics has developed a new tree support system that is set to eradicate the practice of felling existing trees for use as wooden support stakes in order to plant new ones.

Natural Plastics' Keeper System uses Cradonyl, a renewable material based on a bio-resin produced by UK-based Biome Bioplastics. This corn-based resin offers a natural alternative to conventional polymers such as PP, HDPE and ABS and produces naturally opaque, strong and rigid plastics.

"The range and capability of bioplastic products is continually expanding, they are already in more places than you might imagine," explained Paul Mines, CEO Biome Bioplastics. "In the next decade we will see bioplastics become part of our everyday lives."

Natural Plastics' Keeper System uses an underground set of bioplastic anchors and ropes, replacing the need for a wooden support stake. The components are fully biodegradable and have been engineered to break down after five years when the maturing trees no longer need support. In addition, when the biopolymers break down they release nutrients into the soil.

The company states the new system is commercially sustainable, as it doesn't need adjusting or removing as the tree matures and this lack of aftercare significantly reduces maintenance costs. Thousands of stake-less trees have already been planted across Holland, Denmark, Germany, France and Norway using Natural Plastics' innovative system.

The increasing popularity of bioplastic products is partly due to fluctuating oil prices and the crackdown from government legislation on the use of conventional plastics.

High-speed robots are just what the doctor ordered

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

DB Automation has been awarded orders for three new machines from a well-established UK based medical products manufacturer.

These machines will integrate with injection moulding machines to form complete production cells for the manufacture of a multi-cavity product.

Traditionally this client has manufactured their own machinery to complete this style of production cell, so the team at DB Automation has expressed its pride at being selected for the supply of this next generation of equipment.

DB Automation will use its common philosophies for multi cavitation de-moulding robots to integrate with this vertical style of injection moulding machine. Part of the remit for this new generation of production cell is the ability to improve the cycle times from those already in production.

The experience gained by this client through many years producing their own equipment is already said to have added greatly to the design process, enabling the design team at DB Automation to accommodate a "wish list" of improvements to significantly aid in the operation and maintenance of the new systems.

DB Automation has vast experience in the manufacture of high-speed take-out robots. From its base in Leicestershire, the company designs and builds high performance injection moulding take-out automation. It has a range of standard concepts, which are said to be easily adaptable for endless products types, ranging from buckets to cosmetic packaging.

These new systems will demonstrate further the ability for DB Automation to offer robust solutions to every sector of the plastic injection moulding market.

The company states it is pleased to be flying high the flag for "Great British" manufacturing, and competing head-to-head with global competitors to supply machinery for businesses in the UK.

Deadline approaching for UK companies to reserve a stand at K2013

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

UK companies are being encouraged to reserve space for participation at K2013 to avoid missing out on a place at one of the world's largest international plastics and rubber exhibitions.

Organisers say demand for space at the show is unprecedented, with major foreign companies applying for bigger stands and a long list of would-be exhibitors from other countries queuing up to be in the show.

The deadline for applying for space at K 2013 (16 - 23 October 2013) is less than six weeks away and UK companies are urged to submit their applications by 31 May to guarantee a place at the event.

Held every three years in Düsseldorf you can get further information on K 2013 by visiting www.k-online.de or by contacting Brigitte Shepherd on brigitte@itsluk.com or telephoning 01442 230033.

UK polymer training centre reaches milestone

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Polymer Training and Innovation Centre (PTIC) in Telford has welcomed its 1000th customer after opening two years ago.

Trainee setter Alan Marrison, from Norwich-based UCP Zeller, became the 1000th in-house course delegate when he arrived for a two day Injection Moulding Appreciation course at the Telford-based training centre.

He said: "The course has been very informative and has added to my knowledge."

The PTIC opened its doors in April 2010 after City of Wolverhampton acquired the assets and IP of Telford provider Polymer Training Limited (PTL) in December, when it went into administration. Since then it has grown into an international centre of learning, being accredited as the first National Skills Academy for the Polymer Industry and attracting big name clients including Unilever, Honda, BPI, RPC and Calsonic.

Jonathan Edwards, the Health, Safety and Training Manager at UCP Zeller, has been sending staff to the PTIC since June 2011 and says it forms an integral part of their training. As well as the Injection Moulding Appreciation course, employees have attended courses in Injection Moulding Technology, and completed their Approved Setters and Approved Technicians End Test Double Award, and had their training needs assessed by the centre. There are also plans to embark on an Apprenticeship programme in the future.

Jonathon said: "Coming to the PTIC has been a massive step forward for us in terms of training and we now have a great partnership.

"We rigorously assess our injection moulding setters through the centre to ascertain skill levels, and send them on the course that's right for them.

"By upskilling staff, we are improving morale and sending out a very clear message that we are working towards the very highest standards."

Centre Manager, Charmaine Bowers, said: "It hardly seems any time at all since the PTIC was officially opened - and we are thrilled to have helped so many people working in the plastics industry gain new skills or build on existing ones.

"We look forward to another successful year and welcoming our 2000th delegate."