Basell Moves HQ
The main office of Basell North America has moved from Wilmington, Del., to
a newly expanded complex in Elkton, Md., that is also the company’s North
American R&D center.
BASF Completes Buy Of Honeywell Resins
BASF AG in Germany last week completed its acquisition of the worldwide engineering
plastics business of Honeywell International, Morris Township, N.J. BASF also
transferred its worldwide nylon fibers business to Honeywell. BASF gains the
rights to Capron nylon 6 and 66, Nypel post-industrial nylon, and Petra post-consumer
recycled PET. It also picks up four nylon compounding sites in the U.S., Germany,
and South Korea.
Colortronic Teams Up With ACS Group
ACS Group, Wood Dale, Ill., is now distributing Colortronic’s entire line
of material-handling equipment in the United States and Canada. ACS Group will
also supply equipment to be sold under the Colortronic name in Europe. Swiss-based
Colortronic AG (U.S. operation in Runnemede, N.J.) offers a range of products
for automating materials handling, drying, and blending.
Micro-Foam Gains Traction in Detroit
The growing range of automotive applications of the MuCell microcellular foaming
process licensed by Trexel Inc., in Woburn, Mass., will be displayed at the
NPE show in Chicago this month. Trexel (booth 3038) plans to showcase dynamic
weatherseals of TPV for doors, trunks, and hoods (see photo). They are extruded
by Jyco Sealing Technologies in Dexter, Mich. MuCell foaming with CO2 creates
closed-cell structures, says Alex Schroder, Trexel’s extrusion sales director.
This contrasts with the water and chemical foaming that generate open-cell structures
vulnerable to moisture pickup—a source of seal failure. Also, existing
methods for making seals are said to be vulnerable to density variations, surface
irregularities, and high downtime, whereas the MuCell process improves manufacturability,
according to Schroder.
Meanwhile, Branson Ultrasonics in Danbury, Conn. (booth 2542), plans to show
vibration welding of a complex air-intake manifold from two halves injection
molded of glass-reinforced nylon 66. MuCell foaming provides improved flatness
and dimensional stability, claims Dan Szczurko, Trexel’s v.p. for injection
molding. This reportedly makes welding easier and potentially faster than before,
and cuts weight by 5%.
In booth 1085, JSW Plastics Machinery, Inc., Corona, Calif., will run a 200-ton
all-electric press molding automotive door-lock parts of glass-reinforced PBT.
MuCell foaming reportedly provides essential dimensional stability along with
10% density reduction and 14% cost savings.
Crompton Buys GE Specialty Chemicals
Crompton Corp. in Middlebury, Conn., recently agreed to two deals with General
Electric Co. Crompton is buying the Specialty Chemicals business of GE’s
Specialty Materials Div. and Crompton is also selling its OSi Specialties business
to GE Specialty Materials.
GE Specialty Chemicals, based in Morgantown, W.Va., supplies antioxidants and
impact modifiers. This acquisition will help make Crompton one of the largest
plastics additives producers. OSi Specialties is based in S. Charleston, W.Va.,
and supplies organosilanes and specialty silicones. It will become part of GE
Silicones, based in Waterford, N.Y
Huntsman Sells Off Gecet & Black EPS
Huntsman Corp. in Houston has sold its Gecet and black EPS resin businesses
to Fagerdala USA, Inc. of Marine City, Mich. Fagerdala, a producer of PE, PP,
PVC, and PUR foams, will operate the businesses from Huntsman’s Peru, Ill.,
facility until it completes construction of a new plant later this year. Huntsman
intends to focus on its core EPS products.
Gecet is an expandable bead of a PPO/PS blend. Fagerdala molds Gecet into automotive
energy-management parts. Fagerdala also produces EPP beads using both extrusion
and reactor production methods.
Injection Molders Get On-Line Needs Assessment
At the NPE show this month, Paulson Training Programs, Inc., Chester, Conn.,
will introduce a low-cost, easy-to-use test that lets managers know what each
current or prospective employee possesses in molding knowledge and processing
ability. These “needs assessment” tests are delivered via the web,
so they’re available anytime at any PC with an internet connection. All
test takers have their own secure password and test results are confidential.
Three levels of tests are now available—Operator, Technician, and Expert.
Each test takes about 45 min. With over 3000 test results in its database, Paulson
Training can gauge each test taker against a statistical profile of the overall
industry level of molding knowledge. Test reports are also broken down by subject
matter—such as machine controls, mold operation, etc.—so that managers
can assess where additional training is most needed.
Survey to Define How Plastics Designers Work
The Polymer Engineering Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is conducting
an on-line survey of plastics part designers to find out which property data
they use or don’t use in their work. Results of the survey could assist
an educational effort to improve designers’ skills and ensure that plastics
products are designed for greater safety and durability in use. To access the
survey, visit http://pec.engr.wisc.edu/survey.html.
New Factor in PET Bottle Equipment Coming to U.S.
The NPE show in Chicago this month will be an opportunity for PET bottle molders
to get acquainted with a British firm that plans to carve a niche in the North
American market. Anker PET Equipment Ltd. in Accrington, Lancashire, plans to
open a U.S. facility within the next year, either in the Atlanta area or in
North Carolina. It will offer used and rebuilt PET bottle and preform equipment,
new turnkey production systems, molds, and spare parts. Services will include
machine rebuilding, repair, and maintenance, as well as mold and product design
assistance. Anker also plans to establish PET mold production here within three
years. “There is no such one-stop source in North America yet,” says
Ian Wilks, v.p. of international business development.
At NPE, Anker (booth 7925) will show a modification it developed for new and
existing PET bottle machines. Anker can replace the hydraulic turntable that
transfers preforms from one station to another with an electric servo-driven
table, thus providing an oil-free environment that Wilks says is desired by
pharmaceutical bottle customers. The remaining hydraulic functions on the machine
can be safely isolated from the PET product, Wilks says. He adds that an electric
turntable rotates 25% to 30% faster and is 40% less costly to maintain than
a hydraulic version. The modification is applicable to most brands of one-stage
and two-stage stretch-blow molders.
ISO Issues First Safety Standard for Printing
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in Geneva, Switzerland,
has issued the first international safety standard for printing presses—ISO
12648:2003, “Graphic Technology—Safety Requirements for Printing Press
Systems.” The standard was developed by ISO Technical Committee 130, Working
Group 5 on Safety and Ergonomics. The committee is administered by the Association
for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies (NPES). Participating
in the project were experts from Brazil, Germany, Japan, U.K., and the U.S.
This international standard is a cooperative effort to define a single safety
standard that can be used by equipment designers to meet safety requirements
in the international market.
The existing ANSI B65.1-1995 safety standard for printing press systems is being
revised to incorporate much of the ISO work while maintaining U.S.-specific
requirements. Machines installed in the U.S. should continue to use the B65.1
standard, NPES advises.
ISO 12648 is available for purchase from the NPES Publications Dept. in electronic
or print format for $121.
Dow Automotive to Market Cyclic PBT Resins
Dow Automotive in Auburn Hills, Mich., has entered into a long-term agreement
with Cyclics Corp. of Schenectady, N.Y., to market a cyclic form of PBT (CBT)
resins to global automotive, bus, truck, and rail markets. This marketing agreement
builds on the CBT resin-development alliance announced last year by Cyclics
and Dow. Dow’s market-development activities will include a number of automotive
structural-composite applications, as well as crash-energy dissipation, occupant
protection, and other application areas. Among the initial targets are vertical
and horizontal body panels, truck boxes, and tailgates.
Cyclics Corp.’s CBT resins are based on an extremely low-viscosity oligomer
that processes like a liquid thermoset but cures in the mold to form high-molecular-weight
PBT engineering thermoplastic. Dow Automotive’s R&D team and Cyclics
have made strides in the past year to develop the benefits of CBT resin to meet
the needs of automotive and other ground-transportation markets. “We have
a great deal of confidence in the potential for this new technology, largely
due to the fact that the benefits are so wide-reaching,” says Jane Palmieri,
new-business development manager for Dow Automotive. Adds John Ciovacco, CEO
of Cyclics Corp., “This relationship moves us toward world-scale capacity
and allows Cyclics to focus on commercial-development with customers outside
the automotive industry.”
Bayer & PolyOne Form PUR Systems Venture
Bayer Polymers LLC and PolyOne Corp. have formed BayOne Urethane Systems, LLC,
a 50/50 joint venture to develop and market polyurethane systems in the United
States and Canada. The joint venture, headquartered in at a PolyOne facility
in St. Louis, will become operational this month.
Bayer Polymers’ U.S. PUR materials and systems business is based in Pittsburgh.
PolyOne in Cleveland supplies custom-formulated polyurethane systems.
Dow Corning to Add On-Line Sales Of Silicone Rubber
In 2003, Dow Corning Corp., Midland, Mich., plans to expand its year-old Xiameter
web-enabled business unit to include on-line ordering of silicone rubbers. Xiameter
is designed to offer customers the lowest possible price for mature silicone
products. Xiameter accomplishes this through a bare-bones approach that involves
no technical service and requires minimum purchase quantities. The result is
said to be double-digit percentage savings for purchasers. Customers that do
require technical service can purchase the same products through Dow Corning
at regular prices.
Up to now, Xiameter has handled mainly silicone fluids and sealants. But company
officials say this year Xiameter plans to expand its offerings to include extrudable,
high-consistency silicone rubber for automotive and appliance gasketing, wire,
and cable. Some LSR grades will be offered also.
100-Yr Design Life Cited For Corrugated HDPE Pipe
The Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) in Washington, D.C., has published a technical
report supporting the expectation of more than a 100-year life cycle for properly
installed corrugated HDPE pipe. The report, Design Service Life of Corrugated
HDPE Pipe, is intended to end speculation on the lifetime that can be expected
from such pipe. The PPI document determines the longevity of drainage pipes
by measuring the mechanical strength of pipe materials, the stress to the pipe,
loading time, and temperature. The PPI report suggests that the current industry
standards for the AASHTO M 294 specification should slightly increase the minimum
resin density from 0.945 g/cc to 0.948 g/cc. This information was found through
determining the relaxation curves in seven different diameters of pipe from
four manufacturers. The curves were then extrapolated to 100 years.
“Prior to this report, many of the previous studies included resins from
the 1980s that are not used by the industry today,” states PPI Marketing
Manager Michael Ball. “This report demonstrates that the latest studies
on the effects of pipe materials and their long-term properties produce different
results than in the 1980s.”
Design Service Life of Corrugated HDPE Pipe (TR-43) is available for download
at www.plasticpipe.org by clicking on the Publications link. Copies also can
be obtained by calling (202) 462-9607, ext. 11. More information on this topic
is available on a PPI CD in the Corrugated Polyethylene Pipe Design Manual and
Installation Guide.
Sumitomo to Produce Novel Metallocene PP
Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. intends to use a new, proprietary metallocene
catalyst system in its solution process plant in Chiba, Japan. The catalyst
reportedly produces a new type of olefin copolymer composed mainly of propylene
with other comonomers. These copolymers, which have a completely amorphous structure,
reportedly provide a unique combination of softness, adhesion, and high-temperature
resistance suitable for end uses such as plastic “leather,” protective
films, and replacement of soft PVC.
