RTP launches 2nd European production site

Engineered thermoplastics compounder RTP Co. has opened a new manufacturing plant in Ladenburg, Germany, the company’s second in Europe.



Operating as RTP Deutschland GmbH, the 61,500-square-foot operation will make products including very-long-fiber composites and conductive compounds.


“In addition to expanding manufacturing capacity, the Ladenburg plant also houses on-site product development engineers as well as a quality assurance laboratory,” John Van Wijk, European director of sales, said in a  news release.

Winona, Minn.-based RTP now has 11 manufacturing sites. Others include Beaune, France; Suzhou, China; Singapore; Monterrey, Mexico; and six plants in the U.S.

RTP bought the Beaune plant from French thermoplastics compounder Codiplast SNC in 1995. Since then, RTP has significantly expanded its global footprint. The company said a second plant in Europe was necessary because of growth in its market for engineered materials.

In an interview at K 2010, European sales and development manager Colin Rooney said RTP has seen strong demand for compounds based on nylon and polypropylene for the automotive sector.

“If you want to be in automotive [in Europe], Germany is the place,” he said, adding that a number of customers had asked RTP to locate a facility there.

RTP’s long-fiber products and other materials can be used in automotive battery trays, front-end parts and door panels. The first extrusion line at the Ladenburg plant was commissioned in late October, with the second line set to begin production in the first quarter of 2011.

Business in 2009 “wasn’t good for anybody,” Rooney said. “But it came back this year.”

Earlier in 2010. RTP entered the South American market with a sales office and warehouse in Alphaville, Brazil, near São Paulo. Officials said they are needed because of increased demand for domestically made products from the automotive, consumer-goods and energy markets.

RTP ranks as one of North America’s 30 largest compounders and concentrate makers.

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Starlinger combine FMS technology and woven fabric

Starlinger combine FMS technology and woven fabric .To combine these two successful concepts - on the one hand, the FFS-filling technology for bulk solids, the other packing materials from woven fabric - this challenge Dow, Starlinger and Haver & Boecker have taken on together.

Woven fabric is a packaging material stretched plastic tape. Woven fabric bags are insensitive to pressure, fracture and buckling. Even if they are moved by hook or damaged by nails, they break not occur and the valuable content is in the bag. In addition, woven fabric, in comparison to conventional films very thin, making it easy, but is still robust and durable - and with low raw material consumption. What is more, that it is completely recyclable.

The FMS technology (Form, Fill & Seal - Form, Fill & Seal) is a fully-automated, cost-effective packaging method for powder, granules, flakes and many other bulk goods. On the filling machine are made of plastic film tube endless bags that are immediately filled with the product and then sealed. The top of the filled bag and the bottom of the next bag to be welded simultaneously. The great advantage of the FFS method is that the bags are closed by welding. FFS machines do not need needles (which can easily break) or yarn (must be actual power again and again). As a result, no thread groups mingle with the medium, and the bags are hermetically sealed, because there are no stitch holes.

To date, it was not possible to use tissue from plastic strips on FFS-filling. Through joint Abstrengungen it is now the first woven fabric that was produced on machinery from Starlinger-Dow pellets to use for FFS-filling of Haver & Boecker. The so-called "woven * FFS" technology is specifically aimed at bottling plants in the chemical industry and building material and food industries.

The advantages of woven sacks * FFS include:
Robust but lightweight packaging material
Protection of the packaged goods from all around the sealed, waterproof packaging
Thanks to the fully automatic FFS machines from Haver & Boecker, the control activities are limited to roles and format changes.
Optimized bags: constant monitoring of the bulk density, and adjust the bag length.
Clean blind surfaces and greater safety during transport due to compact filled bags.
The lower consumption of raw materials helps to save resources and money.

In the development of "woven * FFS" Dow, Starlinger and Haver & Boecker claims to have paid particular attention to making the switch from PET to PE woven fabric for the bottlers as easy as possible. Customers who already have FFS systems of Haver & Boecker, should have to make any major conversions. To take advantage of woven fabric, a few minor changes to the FFS system was needed - and simply using a different material roll.

Even companies that have processed so far, due to customer and market requirements, tissue and could therefore not use FFS bottling plants, will now have the opportunity to take advantage of this fully automatic, cost-packaging concept. The high production capacity of the facilities and the time and cost savings in operation and maintenance would mean that the investment pay off in this new system in a short time.

The new packaging concept is presented for the first time at K 2010.

Source : plasticker.de

LDPE manufacturer is expanding production to 2013

The Russian petrochemical group Salavatnefteorgsintez will increase the production of LDPE. The company is therefore currently working on a new plant to be completed by the end of 2013. This is the current annual production capacity increased by 66 percent to 200,000 tons, reports the international plastics portal eplastics.

"We have the necessary financial resources and credit for this investment," said the Director-General Damir Szawalejew. The total cost for this investment, which extends over five years amount, reported to 100 billion rubles (2.4 billion euros).

To the Group's products include styrene, which is used in the manufacture of packaging plastics. Similarly, the Russians produce ethylene, which is a basis in the production of PVC. Corporate gifts, according Salavatnefteorgsintez is one of the largest petrochemical companies in Russia.

Source : plasticker.de

InterTrade Industries Acquires Plastic Concept Inc.

InterTrade Industries, a full-service ISO-certified thermoforming company, has acquired the assets of Plastic Concept Inc., expanding InterTrade’s thin-gauge thermoforming capabilities and doubling its manufacturing square footage.

Financial terms of the transaction between both Huntington Beach-based companies were not disclosed.

InterTrade Industries has specialized in vacuum and pressure forming of heavy-gauge plastics as well as polyurethane foam products for a variety of industries, including aerospace, military, automotive, electronics, medical and consumer products. With the acquisition of Plastic Concept Inc., InterTrade Industries has quadrupled its tooling capabilities. In addition, it will be adding nine thermoforming lines that specialize in thin-gauge plastics, benefiting the retail packaging market, among others. This adds to the current blister and clamshell thermoforming capabilities of InterTrade Industries.

“For more than 35 years, the team at InterTrade Industries has been offering engineering insight and experience to help clients bring new ideas to life; now, we have even more technology to do so,” said Niki Kopenhaver, president and chief operating officer of American Innotek, parent company of InterTrade Industries. “This acquisition fits our strategic growth plan, and will allow us to help even more clients by providing high-quality products and unparalleled customer service.”

In order to ensure a successful transition, all current Plastic Concept Inc. employees will join the InterTrade team.

“We pride ourselves in understanding today’s competitive marketplace and our clients’ need to produce products quickly, cost efficiently and without sacrificing quality. We’re thrilled that the Plastic Concept Inc. employees who are joining our team share these ideals,” said Kopenhaver.

InterTrade Industries Ltd

The London Metal Exchange (LME) Announces Delist Plastics Contracts

The London Metal Exchange (LME) announces that it will delist its plastics contracts and that the last prompt date for all existing contracts will be Friday 29th April 2011. The formal decision to delist was taken by the Board of the London Metal Exchange following a recommendation by the Executive Committee. This announcement follows the establishment of delisting procedures.

The Exchange has decided that the costs of withdrawing outstanding warrants from the LMEsword depository will be waived. Current open interest for all plastics contracts is 228 lots, out to March 2011.

Plastics futures trading was introduced on the LME on 27th May 2005. Despite a number of changes to the contracts and the subsequent launch of regional contracts no significant volume or open interest has been established and the exchange believes that this position is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. It has therefore decided to focus its efforts and resources on other opportunities.

LME Chief Executive Martin Abbott commented, “The Exchange and its committee members have put considerable effort into this endeavour to bring transparency and hedging facilities to the plastic business. But we must now recognise that these efforts have not attracted sufficient volume business and the time has come to bring this activity to a close.”

London Metal Exchange

Dr. Reinold Hagen Stiftung: Smallest blow mould machine in the world

The Dr. Reinold Hagen Foundation and the Hagen Engineering GmbH will be showing their extensive know-how in the entire development process for plastic products and their production, with the help of a chain of blow mould articles at Stand D76 in Hall 6: beginning with brainstorming, computer-aided feasibility studies, CAD and layout as well as material and tool sampling in their own technical centre.

A highlight of the fair is the smallest blow mould machine in the world, being presented to the public for the first time, simulated by the manufacturing procedure for plastic hollowware.

The Hagen Foundation has been committed for many years, also in matters of occupational orientation. PAI (German KAI), is the Plastics-Apprenticeship-Initiative co-founded by the foundation, with the goal to get young people excited about a career in plastics. PAI (KAI) will offer pupils and students at the K2010 interesting insight into an occupational field with best future prospects.

plasticker.de