A Canon Communications

A Canon Communications

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Publication

Published Continuously Since 1925

September/October 2009 THE GLOBAL PLASTICS MAGAZINE

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Powering down has staying power Energy-saving tips from the experts

Also: Pelican raises output 20% but keeps personnel, machinery stable Sustainability reaps rewards at CeDo Big money, big decision: Hire direct sales or go with reps? The ultimate accountability: Supplier and OEM for medical devices

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ARBURG GmbH + Co KG Postfach 11 09 · 72286 Lossburg / Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 74 46 33-0 Fax: +49 (0) 74 46 33 33 65 e-mail: [email protected] | (BR) Brasil: ARBURG Ltda. · Tel.: +55 (11) 5643 7007 · [email protected] | (CN) China: ARBURG (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. · Tel.: +86 (0) 21 5488 8866 · [email protected] | ARBURG Machine & Trading (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. · Tel.: +86 (0) 755 8343 3750 · [email protected] | (HK) Hong Kong: ARBURG (HK) Ltd. · Tel.: +852 (2) 886 3007 · [email protected] | (MX) Mexico: ARBURG S.A. de C.V. · Tel.: +52 55 5363 7520 · [email protected] | (MY) ARBURG Sdn Bhd · Tel.: +60 (0) 3 5636 6213 · [email protected] | (SG) Singapore: ARBURG PTE LTD. · Tel.: +65 6778 8318 · [email protected] | (US) USA: ARBURG, Inc. · Tel.: +1 (860) 667 6500 · [email protected] |

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2009 13-17, October # 3101 y , Booth 3 A l al H German shafen, Friedrich

VOL. 86

No. 8

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009

CONTENTS

plasticstoday.com/mpw COLUMNS

12 As I See It Q&A with CeDo’s David Brookes How do you balance sustainability with profitability? The technical/ processing manager for this flexible plastics processor reveals his company’s plan for standing out among its customers.

14 Modern Executive Hire reps or direct salespeople? The $64,000 (or much more) question A smart choice always involves keeping your sellers informed.

ON THE COVER

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES

38 Make Every Pellet Count: Save energy this winter and thereafter

16 Processing Trends Injection molding: Fakuma: Tiny town welcoming big machine developments Pipe & profile extrusion: Putnam pushes urethane tubing thinner, wider, softer Sheet extrusion: PS-alloy sheet marketed as PVC replacement Polyurethane: Cast urethane makes its case Fluoroelastomers: Proprietary process keeps fluoroelastomers’ friction down

Empower your processing by powering down.

22 Material Thoughts The latest materials developments in elastomers, acrylonitrile copolymer, HDPE, SMC, additives, tin stabilizers, PTFE, PS, and mold releases.

16

28 Product Watch New technology and business developments around the world.

WORLD TOUR 42 California thrivin’ Novel mold changing system for rapid tool switches at Pelican Products.

SPOTLIGHT 42

50 Helix Medical Two hats: Medical device supplier and OEM.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 6 6 9 10 plasticstoday.com/mpw

Contact MPW Web exclusives Letter from the editor First Look: News & Analysis

45 Classifieds 49 Calendar of Events 49 Advertiser index

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 5

M P W

web exclusive

Online now at

plasticstoday.com/mpw Farouk Systems Inc. brings manufacturing to U.S. Is the low-cost offshore myth dead? That may be wishful thinking for some, but others see a trickle of work, once offshored, now being brought back home. Costs still matter but other factors play a large role, too. For Farouk Systems, $500k/month in legal expenses did the trick.

Sr. Group Publisher Patrick Lundy; +1 973-808-0494 [email protected]

EDITORIAL 3300 E. 1st Ave., Ste. 370 Denver, CO 80206 USA +1 303-321-2322 +1 303-321-3552 fax Press releases [email protected] Editor-in-Chief Matthew Defosse; +49 69-90552-132 [email protected] Managing Editor Amie Chitwood; +1 303-399-0109 [email protected] Senior Editor/U.S. Clare Goldsberry; +1 602-996-6499 [email protected] Senior Editor/U.S. Tony Deligio; +1 303-833-9195 [email protected] Senior Editor/Asia Stephen Moore; +65 9687-0420 [email protected]

Rapid manufacturing powers ahead

Assistant Editor/Germany Yvonne Klöpping; +49 69-90552-140 [email protected]

We’ve written for some years that processors should learn as much as they can about rapid manufacturing. Be it a competitor or a tool to help you gain more work, it definitely will impact processors’ business. Recent gains and news out of the RM world only emphasize this fact.

Online Project Manager Jamie Quanbeck; +1 608-442-4467 [email protected] Online Editor John Clark; +1 310-740-9045 [email protected]

CIRCULATION/SUBSCRIBER SERVICE

Automotive rebound: Can suppliers hold out? At least one automotive analyst firm is projecting a big revival in 2011, but will the industry be ready? That’s the $64 million question. And if there’s light at the end of the tunnel, that tunnel is looking mighty long at this point. Can the suppliers hold out?

Inline transitions from OPS to PET Inline Plastics will have a new plant operational by the end of the year in McDonough, GA, creating rigid thermoformed packaging from polyethylene terephthalate, as it works to cease processing of oriented polystyrene products. Thanks to our plasticstoday.com sponsors:

Account Executive and Classified/ Recruitment Advertising Manager Cheryl Ackerman; +1 516-496-8891 [email protected] Directory/Buyer’s Guide Manager Iris Topel; +1 718-478-8104 [email protected]

Reprints Foster Printing Service +1 800-879-9144; [email protected] Director of Circulation Sandra Martin [email protected]

List Rental Statlistics Jennifer Felling, postal lists +1 203-778-8700 x138; [email protected] Turk Hassan, e-lists +1 203-778-8700 x144; [email protected] Audience Development Director Leonard Roberto [email protected] INTERNATIONAL SALES OFFICE Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, Benelux, Eastern Europe, UK Canon Communications Deutschland GmbH Goethestrasse 2 60313 Frankfurt, Germany +49 69-90552-108 +49 69-90552-104 fax Associate Publisher International Sales Petra Hütte [email protected] Italy, Spain & Portugal Ferruccio Silvera; +39 02-284-6716 [email protected]

PO Box 3568 Northbrook, IL 60065 USA +1 847-559-7590 +1 847-291-4816 fax [email protected]

Japan Katsuhiro Ishii; +81 3-5691-3335 [email protected]

MARKETING, ART & PRODUCTION

Korea Young Media; +82 2-2273-4818, 4819 [email protected]

Marketing Manager Patrice Aylward; +1 440-239-4986 [email protected] Art Director Marco Aguilera [email protected] Senior Associate Art Director Robin Bernstein [email protected] Publications Production Director Jeff Tade [email protected] Asst. Publications Production Manager Tanya Von Grumbkow [email protected] Ad Management Services Vanessa Marmon [email protected]

China, Taiwan & Hong Kong Rudy Teng; +886 2-2799-3110 [email protected]

India Ajit D. Nagpurkar; +91 22-25295725 [email protected]

CORPORATE OFFICE Canon Communications LLC 11444 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste. 900 Los Angeles, CA 90064-1549 USA +1 310-445-4200 +1 310-445-4299 fax Chairman & CEO Charles McCurdy [email protected] Chief Financial Officer Daniel Koskovich [email protected]

U.S. SALES OFFICE

Sr. VP, Publications Ron Wall [email protected]

7261 Engle Rd., Ste. 402 Middleburg Heights, OH 44130 USA +1 440-239-4594 +1 440-239-4595 fax

Sr. VP, Events Div. Kevin O’Keefe [email protected]

North American Sales Manager Deborah Plank; +1 480-699-7196 [email protected]

VP, E-Media Jason Brown [email protected]

Digital Sales Manager/ Account Executive John Guadagno; +1 203-601-3741 [email protected]

VP, Operations, Publishing Div. Roger Burg [email protected]

Account Executive Beth Berner; +1 440-239-4594 [email protected] Account Executive Tony Marsh; +1 310-445-3725 [email protected]

6

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

plasticstoday.com/mpw

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EDITORIAL It has taught us some valuable lessons If you believe the economists, the reports are in and the recession is over. Without a whole lot of new ft quoted these past months, but very true, is that a recession is a terrible thing to waste. When management is forced to leave its comfort zone, it starts to question everything, so that the downturn has been for many an extended, painful but insightful, lean manufacturing exercise. If you don’t document what you learned, you’ll have to learn it again. We asked readers of our NewsFeed daily newsletter to complete the sentence, “This recession is proving a very tough time but it’s also taught us some valuable lessons. Probably the most important takeaway at my company is . . . ” The rest of this space is devoted to sharing some of those responses from your peers.

O

• • • “Probably the most important takeaway at my company is to keep your overhead as low as possible to weather the economic storm. Today we have no debt and no borrowing, a strong balance sheet, and will grow the business 18% over the prior year even in this downturn due to staying the course with low or no debt.” “Probably the most important takeaway at my company is never say die. You need to fight for every last client by providing the best possible service experience. Your sole purpose is to help your client; if you cannot do that, then you are worthless because you do not add value.” “Probably the most important takeaway at my company is the importance of our human resources. Our company will face a very difficult challenge coming out of the recession, possibly being too lean to be able to effectively pursue new business avenues.” “Since some of the large companies plasticstoday.com/mpw

job creation, times won’t get better anytime soon, but maybe this time the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t a train rushing to mow you down. folded, this leaves the market to a large number of smaller suppliers. This also allows us, smaller suppliers of information, to have an open field.” “Probably the most important takeaway at my company is maintain high employee morale, (then) tough times will not seem that tough.” “There is an old saying about all boats rising and falling with the tide. No matter how sturdy or well built the boat, one cannot escape the effects of the larger ocean. As a company dedicated to providing polymer solutions to the medical device industry, we feel fortunate about our limited diversification. While our industry is among the healthiest in the broad market, the recession has impacted all people and all companies in some way, be it direct pressure or increased aversion to risk. Concerns about inventory, receivables, payables, and other cash-flow-related issues have increased even in the healthiest markets.” “Probably the most important takeaway at my company is to take advantage of globalization, but manage your deadlines.” “Probably the most important takeaway at my company is that the world has not stopped spinning, therefore we must work twice and three times as hard in order to keep the fresh prospects coming to fill orders.” “Probably the most important take-

away at my company is do not take today’s sales for granted. Keep developing the next ‘Big Thing.’” “Probably the most important takeaway at my company is (besides an annual raise) the selection of tasty little pastries that I so looked forward to every morning (the only thing that beat that sweet, tasty goodness was the fact that they were free).” “Probably the most important takeaway at my company is be prepared and don’t take anything for granted.” The winning entry, worth a $50 Amazon gift certificate, was sent by Rick Lappin, product design and compliance, at wood/plastics composites extruder Fiber Composites, HQ’d in New London, NC: “This recession is proving a very tough time but it’s also taught us some valuable lessons. Probably the most important takeaway at my company is not giving up, focusing on improvement, capturing the voice of the customer in this market, and looking forward, not back, in developing new products and processes that create their own worth.” Look forward, not back, to develop new processes and products that create their own worth: excellent advice for every operation. Congratulations to Rick, and thanks to all of you who responded.

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

Matt Defosse, Editor-in-Chief • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 9

FIRST LOOK

Daily news and features at plasticstoday.com/mpw

In Brief Possible packaging deal Amcor (Melbourne, Australia) offered Rio Tinto (London) $2.025 billion to acquire Alcan Packaging Global Pharmaceuticals, Alcan Packaging Food Europe, Alcan Packaging Food Asia, and Alcan Packaging Global Tobacco. Together these generate $4.1 billion in sales, with 14,000 employees spread among 80 plants in 28 countries.

Milacron exits Chapter 11 Plastics processing machinery and industrial fluids supplier Milacron (Batavia, OH) has been sold to two financial investment groups, ending its brief time in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company now is privately held by a group led by Avenue Capital Group and DDJ Capital Management LLC.

Recycled vinyl siding CertainTeed (Valley Forge, PA) introduced a range of vinyl siding with 60% recycled material—the highest recycled content of any vinyl siding product currently on the market, according to the company. Ultimately, CertainTeed plans to work with its customers to develop a Cradle-to-Cradle program. Get the global angle on industry developments via daily updates at plasticstoday.com/mpw: all these stories, the magazine, blogs, forums, and much more.

Battle of the bags: LCA says PE trumps bioplastics A Life Cycle Assessment completed by Germany’s Institute for Energy & Environmental Research (Heidelberg) compared trash bags made from polyethylene (PE), from PE containing some percentage of postconsumer recyclate (PCR), and from bioplastics, and concluded that bags from PCR-PE beat the others with regard to environmental friendliness and sustainability, with bioplastics also scoring below bags made from virgin PE. The LCA was completed early this summer but its results were first released in August by the German Assn. for Plastics Packaging & Films (Bad Homburg), which counts about 400 of the country’s packaging processors in its ranks. The LCA was commissioned by five association member companies, all involved in extrusion and conversion of plastic trash bags, and was done in the knowledge that legislation penalizing trash bags made from traditional plastics, and favoring bioplastics, is on the table in Germany and in other countries. The five companies are CeDo, Cofresco, Fipp, pely-plastic, and Quickpack.

All make use of virgin and PCRPE but none as yet market trash bags made from bioplastics (more on CeDo in this issue’s As I See It article, p. 12). The LCA included data from France and Germany, with the bioplastic bags studied being those that already are commercially available in these countries. Bioplastics used in these bags are the Ingeo brand from NatureWorks and BASF’s Ecoflex; BASF recommends its material’s use for bags for bio-trash (food scraps, grass clippings, and such) but not for household refuse. One of the key findings of the LCA was that the production of the plastics is the most relevant link in the entire chain with regard to environmental sustainability; the differences were insignificant in the processing and transport of the bags to customers. The PCR-PE bags scored best under the assumption these were of a sufficient thickness and strength comparable to bags from virgin PE. The study also concluded that the ecoperformance of bags from bioplastics is bound to improve as their supply increases and as the body of knowledge of processing of these materials improves.

plasticstoday.com/mpw Polling news

What you had to say

“We need a plastic part to withstand lamination at 160°C. Any suggestion regarding choice of material?”

Do you think healthcare reform, including a so-called public option, would help lower the cost of insuring your employees? 100%

75%

50%

Yes No We need reform, but not in the way of changes currently being discussed. We don’t offer full-time employees health insurance. 38%

Source: From a reader question posed on our materials forum at plasticstoday.com/mpw. Join the debate: Got an answer, then share it; have a question for your peers, then post it. 10

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

25%

0%

27%

33%

2%

plasticstoday.com/mpw

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FIRST LOOK

Processors’ choice

Names in the news

MPW’s January issue will include a feature looking at maintenance as a hidden profit center. Would you like to learn more about maintenance of: a. Primary processing equipment? b. Auxiliary equipment? c. Molds and tooling? d. The costs of maintenance plans? You can even write in your own topic. Vote now at plasticstoday.com/mpw/survey.

Pricing summary: Steep declines don’t draw Brought to you by The Plastics Exchange and Poymerupdate.com Hope you enjoyed the recession while it lasted. The summer ended in the northern hemisphere with plastics prices steady, rising very slightly, and even falling for some resins, but the recovering economic outlook likely bodes for higher prices. We jest about enjoying the recession, of course; demand is the biggest problem processors have faced the past 12-18 months, not plastics’ prices. Hopefully, consumer demand will gather speed soon so that processors can return to grousing about resin prices. Polyethylene producers in North America proposed carrying forward an August increase of $0.04/lb to last month, with an additional $0.05/lb hike slated for this month, according to spot-trading platform The Plastics Exchange (TPE) and its reporting partner The PetroChem Wire. Polypropylene was on the move upwards, though a recent report from Townsend Solutions (Houston, TX) predicts global PP demand won’t hit 2007

demand again until sometime next year, and overcapacity could keep prices low. In Asia, meanwhile, resin prices were flat or dropping as this magazine went to print, according to the pricing experts at Polymerupdate.com, impacted by weakening demand. In the Chinese polypropylene market, producers accepted the reality and lowered prices, with materials like polystyrene under similar pressure. PVC prices trended upwards, though, with demand for Asian PVC good in export markets, including Turkey, where buyers scouted for Asian PVC cargoes. Polymerupdate.com also reported that, as summer holidays ended in Europe, the need to replenish inventories was boosting resin demand. Ahead of that return, most prices climbed in Europe last month, with rising ethylene prices also having an impact, and helping to lift polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.

plasticstoday.com/mpw Here are some of the stories you might have missed at plasticstoday.com/mpw: • Plagued by copycats, Farouk Systems Inc. brings work to U.S. • Viking Polymers acquires Hughes Processing • TPEs in Europe: Demand set to rise • Cleanroom molding grows at Infinity • Water footprint analysis: Another sustainability measure enters the fray Find these and many more, daily, at plasticstoday.com/mpw. Start your day right; check back often.

plasticstoday.com/mpw

Tom Duffey, president of Plastic Components Inc. (PCI), a Germantown, WIbased custom injection molder, has been elected for a three-year term to the board of directors of the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP). He also is on the board of directors for the Manufacturer’s Assn. for Plastics Processors Inc. (MAPP). New president and CEO at Milacron is Dennis Smith. Dave Lawrence, who had been CEO, now serves as president of the injection molding and extrusion machinery and D-M-E businesses globally. Pipe and profile auxiliary equipment manufacturer Custom Downstream Systems Inc. (CDS; Lachine, QC) announced that Todd Messick has been appointed its senior sales account manager–U.S. Messick, based in Bartlett, IL, brings more than 15 years of experience in the extrusion machinery business to his new role.

[ On the record ] “That will stimulate the economy. Charity starts at home.” Farouk Shami, the hair stylist whose company, Farouk Systems Inc., is a $1 billion firm specializing in hair care products, on his decision to stop outsourcing overseas and bring molding and moldmaking to Texas. “Survive and thrive; I think I’d settle for survive, leave thrive for another day.” Simon Holmes, global marketing manager, ExxonMobil Chemical, half joking about the travails in the petrochemical and related industries. Holmes believes that in retrospect June 2009 will be viewed as the nadir. “Projects are heating up again, but there was a period of time where everyone was a little freaked out.” Andrew Wheeler, VP of Windmöller & Hölscher in North America, commenting on the marketplace.

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 11

AS I SEE IT Sustainable, profitable, and comfortable with retailers’ demands Legion are the processors trying to earn a profit while also balancing their

By Matt Defosse

sustainability goals. MPW spoke with David Brookes, technical/processing manager at flexible plastics processor CeDo, about his company’s sustainability efforts, the challenges these create, and the rewards they have reaped.

MPW: When did CeDo really start using more recyclate in its recipes? Brookes: We’d traditionally used small amounts of it, but only for a limited number of products. Then in 2007 we started to develop the EcoMin concept. MPW: EcoMin? Brookes: Yes, to maximize the amount of postconsumer recyclate and chalk [calcium carbonate] we could include in our products. We thought it would really set us apart; we saw an advantage in the market that we could take. Plus, it helped us meet our cost reduction requirements. The EcoMin recipes now are about 60% PCR [postconsumer recyclate], about 30% chalk—really 26%-27% net as it’s a masterbatch—and then about 10% virgin material. MPW: Where do you source the PCR? Brookes: In 2002 we bought the recycling factory in Holland. Prior to that, we’d been buying on the open market. But buying the recycling plant was key; under our own control, we can control the quality and the pricing. Over the last

10 years, there has been lots of pricing pressure from [imported flexible plastic products] from the Far East. The Asian imports were doing a lot of damage and reducing the market value; those imports were being sold at unsustainable prices. At the moment we’ve extended trials running recyclate from the building and construction industry; we’re also doing work with PCR bottles. If these trials work, they could help us replace even that 10% of virgin material. MPW: What sort of output do you have in the Geleen, Netherlands plant? Brookes: We process in the order of 35,000 tonnes of material there each year, producing about 24,000 tonnes of PE pellets. Most of that [recyclate] is sourced from ag film. Our customers really like that as it’s closing the loop, since so many of our customers’ products come from these very same farms. Also, there’s a waste stream in Geleen, about 8 tonnes of material. A lot of that is water, which we use to help run the plant; it’s almost water positive, funny enough. Other waste is cleaned by us and sold—for instance, as filler in concrete. MPW: Recycling agricultural film must require a lot of washing. Brookes: Actually, most of it is very clean, as it’s wrapped six to eight times. But yes, recycling plastic film is more difficult than

recycling rigid plastics. About 12 months ago at the Geleen plant we invested €3 million-€4 million in a fourth line. It’s one of the few plants in the world able to handle this quantity of recyclate. It’s the only plant in Europe with EN 15143—traceability of feedstocks—approval. We earned that in 2008; it’s a relatively new norm. But again, our customers really appreciate that. We’re able to come in with the appropriate pricing the market expects, but with this added value. Apart from doing the right thing, we’re able to offer our customers something unique and gain an added-value position. The whole thing is a bit holistic. MPW: What about your plant in China? Brookes: We have a 25,000-tonne/year processing facility in China, near Shanghai, for applications that cannot be fully automated, such as zippered bags. MPW: Is CeDo interested yet in processing of bioplastics? Brookes: We’ve been following developments there for about 10 years. It’s an interesting market. For film, there aren’t many materials that are suitable. PLA, for example, is sort of stiff. In the UK, there also were problems initially with bioplastics as retailers were concerned about GMO [genetically modified] corn. So far, there’s very little penetration [of bioplastics]. Plus, consumers don’t

David Brookes inspects a line at CeDo, one of Europe’s largest processors of flexible consumer plastic products such as freezer and trash bags and cling foil. The company runs processing facilities in England, Poland, and China for brandname products as well as its own Paclan and Poly-Lina brands, and also runs a large plastics recycling facility in the Netherlands. 12

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MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

plasticstoday.com/mpw

Executive Q&A with David Brookes yet understand many of the terms . . . it comes down to whether local authorities are willing to pay for these [bioplastics]. What we’ve done is give ourselves the most sustainable product we can. Across the group, CeDo’s business is about 110,000 tonnes/year of polyethylene products, of which about 20,000 tonnes is chalk-filled and about 50,000 is PCR. We try our best to mitigate any affects on the environment of our products. MPW: Do CeDo’s sustainability efforts motivate its workforce? Brookes: That’s difficult to say. The workforce knows and is aware that—for instance, carrier bags have gotten a lot of bad press. MPW: Going forward, what’s on the planning board? Brookes: One thing we’re doing, and it takes a lot of time and effort, is working with, for example, Rapra [Smithers Rapra, a leading plastic consultancy] to help understand and develop plastics initiatives. Also, through this year we’re a participant in the Plastics 2020 initiative to help improve plastics’ reputation in the UK. We try to do the right things, and it makes it easier for everyone managing the accounts. MPW: What problems are posed when using so much recyclate and chalk? Brookes: Using different levels of recyclate does cause some problems. We produce different grades of recyclate and then we form a cocktail of these to mitigate this. The only drawback to running chalk is its density and managing this in the plastic. We’ve done that by ensuring the blender is right above the extruder’s hopper, or at least to keep the distance between the two as short as possible. There are more positives than negatives in processing chalkfilled compounds. Because we don’t need to melt the chalk—we only really need to melt the 70%-73% of the compound that is plastic—we see energy savings of 5%-10%. We’ve 43 extruders in Telford, mostly co-ex lines, and spend about £1 million on electricity there alone each year, so the savings are a big deal. MPW: Any new technology caught your eye? Brookes: We’ve invested in some water chillers. We’ve also bought some power refinement equipment; it helps optimize the electrical supply voltage, improves the power quality. We’re also looking at the next generation of gearbox-less extruders; that’s a big one. We’ve recently invested in some container de-stuffing equipment; it makes it easier for an operator to stack pallets. We also just invested in a device for auto-wrapping of pallets; this has been a big one for quality and streamlining things. MPW: And the business? Brookes: We’re still growing, not seeing any retraction in volume. We’ve won new business by matching on price; supplying effectively, locally; and offering these added values—low carbon footprint, PCR use, and more. It helps you win over the retailers. MPW

plasticstoday.com/mpw

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 13

MODERN EXECUTIVE Hire reps or direct salespeople? The $64,000 (or much more) question By Clare Goldsberry

To hire direct salespeople or not to hire direct salespeople, and instead to place your hopes in independent sales representatives? Eventually most small to midsized processors and moldmakers face this question. There are pros and cons to each approach.

im Holland didn’t like sales. “Getting myself out of sales was the best thing I ever did,” said the president of Metro Mold & Design Inc. during a panel discussion at the American Mold Builders Assn.’s annual meeting this year. “I’m not good in front of the customer, and tend to back down. But the sales guy doesn’t because his paycheck depends on it.” Today, Holland’s company, located in Rogers, MN, has a VP of sales and five salespeople who sell for Metro’s mold manufacturing and contract injection molding businesses. It’s a fairly deep sales team, but Holland believes that salespeople are key. The firm’s molding unit has 43 presses ranging from 35-650 tons. Holland says that he tried using manufacturers’ reps, but was disappointed. “I think we just weren’t set up to manage reps,” he opines. At Industrial Molds Group (Rockford, IL), Tim Peterson, VP, has struggled with the direct vs. sales rep conundrum. On his staff is one employee focused exclusively on sales, supported by the company’s engineering staff. Recently, Peterson tapped a sales rep to cover Michigan and so far likes that arrangement. One obvious but common mistake is to hire a rep, give him some brochures, and turn him loose. “It takes a lot of work on our part to manage the rep,” Peterson says. “I go to Michigan on a regular basis and work with the rep, make sales calls with him to companies that he’s tapped into, and generally keep up with the activity there.”

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$120k worth of reasons for a rep Companies use independent sales reps primarily to expand their national or international coverage quickly, and of course to limit pay to results, notes Pat Bartley, president of OuterSales LLC, a Los Angeles-based consulting firm that helps companies connect with sales reps. “The average cost for one direct employee [including expenses, benefits, salary, bonus, and inside support] is $120,000 per year,” she says. “The average company needs 24 reps for nationwide coverage.” While that number is excessive for

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

most small to midsized companies, many have given up on reps, preferring to go direct in spite of the higher costs. Commercial Tool & Die Inc. (Comstock Park, MI) employs direct salespeople “because the company hasn’t had any luck with reps,” says Todd Finley, VP. “[Reps] don’t know the company culture because they’re never inside,” he adds. “We have one full-time salesperson for prospecting. Engineering people work with current customers to get more work from them, so we have an incentive program set up for them. It’s motivated them to do a good job with current cusplasticstoday.com/mpw

MODERN EXECUTIVE Some eat well, some just eat, and some starve but have hope This processor has plenty of good experience with his independent reps. If you want to understand how to work with reps, just ask Floyd Coats, president of American Plastic Molding Corp. (Scottsburg, IN). This custom molder has 36 presses, mold design and build capabilities, and a variety of secondary operations including hot stamping, ultrasonic and vibration welding, and pad printing. Selling his company’s capacity are 27 reps working in various territories. So, just how has Coats managed to find so many reps? “I’ve used rep headhunters, a magazine from MANA [Manufacturers’ Agents National Assn.], lots of word of mouth, and trade show recruiting,” says Coats. “I also use references from established customers. I ask them what sales reps call on them that supply them with other goods, which they’ve come to rely upon because of their tenacity and integrity. We use all of those avenues and have acquired good reps in each category.” Coats has used Proact 2000 and

tomers and develop relationships.” The perception among many small/ midsized processors is that reps just can’t do the job as effectively as a direct salesperson can. OuterSales’ Bartley understands, but adds, “The number one reason why companies fail using sales reps is because they do not select those representatives that have the customer base, product knowledge, or sales experience.” As a consultant working to connect the right reps with the right companies, Hency Bunner, president of Proact 2000 LLC (Louisville, KY), also has heard all of the reasons why reps don’t work. Like OuterSales, his company also handles the preliminary work of identifying reps of complementary product lines for a manufacturer seeking a rep, contacting, screening, and interviewing them per the manufacturers’ instructions, and then recommending those reps qualified to sell for the firm. plasticstoday.com/mpw

found good reps through that agency. While admitting it can be difficult to find good sales reps, he has had more success with them than with direct salespeople. Of his current reps, Coats says the company has “three who are eating very well, four more who are eating, and another 20 who are starving to death but have hope.” Coats seeks representatives who understand there may be a long time between an initial sales call and a commission check. “This is due to the length of time in product development and mold design and construction, and is dependent upon marketplace activity,” he says. “The salesperson who’s been selling life insurance is accustomed to receiving commissions within days after his sales activity. Salesmen who sell cars also get paid quickly. But the industrial manufacturing side is unique. A sales rep who can wait through the development cycle to get his commission understands this process. I have

In spite of all that preliminary work, the relationship will fail without guidance and training. “The number one key to having a successful sales rep is training. You’ve got to train them, bring them in your plant, teach them about your business, make sales calls with them,” Bunner emphasizes. He also says that manufacturers need to visit with the reps personally in their territory at least four times a year, and bring them into the plant at least once or twice a year to update them on products, services, and potential customers. Additionally, set goals and make expectations clear. “You should get 80% of your business with 20% of your reps,” says

a small number of highly successful salespeople who understand that cycle and it works well for us and them.” In addition, American Plastic Molding has an engineering department and product development group that is “quite sales oriented” and works with reps on potential customers. “If the sales rep generates a serious lead, then we do serious followup with our engineering and product development group,” Coats says. “Our sales reps are reinforced very strongly with a mobile engineering department that can go out and support them.” Experience is often a rep’s best tool. “They know who buys from corporate headquarters in Timbuktu or who buys locally,” says Coats. “And who’s a price buyer and who’s a quality buyer. A salesperson who knows his territory really well, and who sells three to five complementary lines and has been doing it for 20 years, has a high probability of success.”

Bunner. “If the reps don’t sell, you need to replace them quickly.” He adds that a key to success is to ensure the reps you hire also sell complementary products. “This cuts down on the frustration of explaining the details of your products or services. If they’re not selling a complementary product, they won’t be calling on the people you need and their efficiency goes way down.” MPW

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MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 15

PROCESSING TRENDS

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY PROCESSING TRENDS: p. 16

INJECTION MOLDING

• Putnam pushes urethane tubing thinner, wider, and softer • Cast urethane makes its case; and more.

Tiny town welcoming big machine developments By Matt Defosse

With NPE only recently ended, you might not expect much new equipment or processing technology to be

aybe the manufacturers needed those few post-NPE months to get these processing cells tuned, or maybe it’s simply a cost-saving move: Many of the leading machine OEMs are within a few hours’ drive of Friedrichshafen, which hosts Fakuma from Oct. 13-17. Plus, the European molding machine market is about three to four times the size of that of North America. Regardless of the reasoning, the show once again will be a feast for injection molders. The evidence? Exhibit A comes from Arburg (Lossburg, Germany), which early this year rolled out its new take on hybrid machines with its Hidrive range (search for “new take on hybrids” at plasticstoday.com/mpw). The Hidriveequipped press running at Fakuma, an Allrounder 520 H with a clamping force of 1500 kN and a size 800 injection unit, will run a 32-cavity mold with a full hot

M

MATERIAL THOUGHTS: p. 22 • TPE overmolds onto copper without degradation • Elastomer combines ultrasoft touch with robust physical properties • Improved Barex makes for crystal-clear cosmetics packaging • Two HDPE rotomolding grades launched • Nanoparticle additive enters commercial market • Nanotechnology lightens, strengthens SMC trunk; and more.

PRODUCT WATCH: p. 28 • Reifenhäuser’s acquisition of Kiefel Extrusion changes landscape • Turkish pipe, profile processor adds a dozen to its machine park • New concept touted for 4K parts • Recycler trades up to stay on the cutting edge • MOD carts away second Leonardo; and more.

16

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

Herbert Kraibühler, Arburg’s technical director, is plenty pleased with the company’s new Hidrive line.

runner system, processing polypropylene (PP) syringe barrels in 6-second cycles. Of the manufacturer’s nine presses at the show, five will belong to the Allrounder Alldrive (fully electric) or the Hidrive ranges. Meanwhile, Engel plans to make a splash with multiple new developments, among them two new models: a fully

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

revealed at Fakuma, the big injection molding show in Germany’s small town of Friedrichshafen. You’d err. electric e-motion 310/100 T press for cleanroom molding and an Engel victory 160 ecodrive. The former will process PP pipette tips on 6-second cycles; this will include injection plus camera-monitored QC and their placement on racks sorted by cavity. The latter machine replaces the 150-tonne size and, reports Engel, offers more space and flexibility. Engel says the victory 160 is the first fully hydraulic injection molding machine with the company’s servo-hydraulic ecodrive. Also new at Engel will be the first of its viper robots’ range. KraussMaffei (Munich, Germany) will be hyping its thin-walled packaging strength on an all-electric molding machine, an EX 160-1000 fitted with the company’s Ultra injection unit, processing inmold-labeled PP (IML-PP) food containers in a two-cavity mold. An SR80 side-entry robot inserts the label bands in the mold, removes the finished containers from the non-operator side, and stacks them on a conveyor belt. At the stand of Wittmann Battenfeld (Vienna and Kottingbrun, Austria), visitors will be able to catch a first glimpse of the company’s new entry into the all-electric machine competition, dubbed the EcoPower Series. Battenfeld had many years of all-electric manufacturing experience but halted production of these; in early 2008 auxiliary and robot equipment manufacturer Wittmann acquired the company. Netstal (Näfels, Switzerland) will bring three presses to the event, including a thinwalled IML-PP packaging application on an Evos 3500-2000. Netstal introduced its plasticstoday.com/mpw

Battenfeld Extrusion Global: 5 production sites on three continents and a worldwide sales network – Everywhere close by. Competent: Extruders and complete, modular extrusion lines, perfectly matching components – Everything from a single source. Solution driven: Flexible, customized solutions for pipe, profile, film and sheet extrusion – Our know-how for your success.

ideas

Battenfeld Extrusion Battenfeld Extrusionstechnik GmbH Königstraße 53 D-32547 Bad Oeynhausen Phone +49 (0) 5731 242-0 Fax +49 (0) 5731 27124 [email protected] www.bex.battenfeld.com

Extrusion Kempen GmbH

American Maplan Corporation Hooghe Weg 4 823 S. By-Pass, P.O. Box 832 D-47906 Kempen USA - McPherson, KS 67460 Phone +49 (0) 2152 1495-0 Phone +1 620 241 6843 Fax +49 (0) 2152 1495-50 Fax +1 620 241 2142 [email protected] [email protected] www.bex.battenfeld.com www.maplan.com

B+C Extrusion Systems (Foshan) Ltd. 2 Jinxiang Road, Daliang, Shunde, Foshan, Guangdong, PRC P.C.: 528300 Phone +86 757 2238 0112 Fax +86 757 2238 0195 [email protected] www.bcc-extrusion.com

Kabra Extrusiontechnik Ltd. “Kolsite House”, Veera Desai Road, Andheri (West), Mumbai - 53, India Phone +91 22 2673 4822 25/6695 2681 Fax +91 22 2673 5041/6695 2680 [email protected] www.kolsitegroup.com

PROCESSING TRENDS

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY Evos concept at K 2007 but has tinkered with it since; the Evos now is available with clamping forces from 3000-5500 kN. Based on a hybrid drive technology, all axes on the Evos machines are individually and digitally closed loop controlled; this includes even secondary movements such as nozzle contact pressing. According to Netstal, all of this control makes for better process control and more precise and repeatable molding. Driving in from Malterdingen, Germany is the team from Ferromatik Milacron, who promise to be running one of the company’s new Vitesse 300 presses, called “the fastest injection molding machines available” by the company’s Robert Trube, director sales and marketing. What more can one say? Well, the machines, first shown at an open house earlier this year and reported in a May NewsFeed newsletter (search for “Ferromatik in fast lane with Vitesse” at plasticstoday.com/mpw), are equipped with an electric screw drive for parallel functions, which Ferromatik says is the driving force behind those short cycle

Netstal’s Evos machine promises to pump out plenty of IML-PP containers.

times. Stability is provided via a reinforced machine base with linear guides. We’ll report later with more detail on these as well as other innovations from Fakuma. The show, like most, has suffered somewhat in the current economic climate. From the exhibitor list in mid-September, it appeared only one Italian molding machine maker, BMB, would exhibit, and Husky and Haitian (and its Zhafir subsidiary in Germany) are no-shows. But with more than 1000 exhibitors, including many of Europe’s best moldmakers, MPW’s staff there won’t lack for things to see. 18

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

PIPE AND PROFILE EXTRUSION

Putnam pushes urethane tubing thinner, wider, and softer By Tony Deligio Minimally invasive devices continue to test the limits of medical polymer tubing, and Putnam Plastics Co. (Dayville, CT) says it has responded with a technology to create thin-walled, large-diameter, low-durometer urethane extrusions. The minimally invasive movement in surgery is forcing device engineers to fit a greater amount of technology through a smaller working channel. Byron Flagg, product manager extrusion and finishing at Putnam, says while the operational requirements of the tubing are a natural fit for thermoplastic urethane, the material poses some extrusion challenges. Flagg notes that as diameters increase and wall thickness and durometer decrease, the extrusion process can become unstable. That instability can result in a wider tolerance range and lower yield rates, leading device developers to compromise their designs. In addition to challenges during manufacture, in post-fabrication such extrusions can be difficult to handle without contamination or damage. While he can’t offer specific details on the proprietary process Putnam has employed to overcome these challenges, Flagg did tell MPW that the trade secrets involved begin with the custom extrusion tooling and continue with downstream equipment and processes that “enhance and preserve the dimensional integrity of the extrusions.” Flagg says the process is compatible with standard medical-grade thermoplastic resins such as Lubrizol’s TecoFlex or Dow’s Pellethane, and that it utilizes a single-screw extruder. The company says greater process stability results in a larger design envelope, while improved material handling reduces costs by increasing yields and product quality. Putnam offers the example of an 80 Shore A durometer urethane extrusion with a diameter greater than 0.5 inch (12.7 mm). The company says that if the minimum, feasible wall thickness

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

Tooling and downstream handling advances have allowed Putnam Plastics to create TPU-based tubing that has thinner walls, larger diameters, and a lower durometer.

had previously been 0.015 inch (0.38 mm), it can now be reduced to 0.003 inch (0.08 mm). Likewise, if the outerdimension (OD) tolerance had previously been ±0.010 inch (0.25 mm), it can now be trimmed to ±0.002 inch (0.05 mm). The company says that while the new capability is applicable across a range of custom extrusion designs, the greatest impact can be seen in tubes with ODs greater than 0.500 inch and wall thicknesses of less than 0.015 inch, with urethane durometers lower than 90 Shore A. Earlier this year, MPW highlighted a Putnam technology dubbed Total Intermittent Extrusion (TIE; search for “The complexity of medical tubing” at plasticstoday.com/mpw). The company says this proprietary technology differs from this latest advance, and instead allows tubing to be extruded with variable durometers along the length. When they spoke with MPW, Putman officials did say they were currently working on a next-generation TIE technology. plasticstoday.com/mpw

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY SHEET EXTRUSION

PS-alloy sheet marketed as PVC replacement Sheet extruder Goex Corp. (Janesville, WI) says it has developed polystyrene-based alloys that are designed to serve as cost-effective, performance-driven alternatives to polyvinyl chloride. Like high-impact polystyrene, the alloys are less dense than PVC, but they also offer performance advantages that HIPS often lacks. Sheet made of the alloys is marketed under the company’s Styrex brand and is available in different grades, including 490 Clear and 690 White generalBob Waddell, VP of purpose sheet designed for graphic arts sales and marketing and thermoform applications. The Sty- for Goex. rex 690 grade is marketed for surfaceprinted plastic sheet applications. For plastic cards, cards that require embossing, or other demanding applications, the Styrex 720 (white) grade is available. Bob Waddell, VP of sales and marketing for Goex, was quite open about the processor’s marketing angle. “Although we believe that much of the negativity about PVC is exaggerated, the bottom line is that customer perception is what we

GEARBOXES FOR SINGLE-SCREW EXTRUDERS

GEARBOXES FOR COROTATING AND COUNTER-ROTATING TWIN SCREW EXTRUDERS

GEARBOXES FOR ELECTRIC INJECTION MOULDING MACHINES

Goex says its new PS-based sheet beats HIPS for toughness and is easier to cut.

accept as market reality,” he said. “We’re not in business to determine the merits of PVC, or any other resin for that matter. Our goal is simply to offer our customers that want a PVC alternative another aisle to shop.” PVC is in fact among the materials that Goex processes. High-impact polystyrene (HIPS) and other styrenics offer density savings vs. PVC and thus more yield per pound (or kg), but HIPS’s mechanical performance is not on par with PVC’s. According to Goex, sheet extruded from the new alloys changes the performance comparison, because it offers better toughness and is easier to cut than standard HIPS, while also maintaining PS’s yield benefit. MD plasticstoday.com/mpw

Sede Centrale / Head Of fice & Factor y via Te l .

Manzoni, +39

0331

46

-

20020

307616

-

MAGNAGO Fax:

+39

(MI) 0331

-

I TA LY

309577

e-mail: [email protected] - http://www.zambello.it

U.S.A Office: 55 Haul Road Wayne,New Jersey 0740 Phone: +-1-973-696-4330 or Toll Free: 1866-696-4330 Fax: +1-973-694-0551 E-mail : [email protected] or [email protected]

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 19

PROCESSING TRENDS

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY POLYURETHANE

Cast urethane makes its case Low-cost tooling and extreme wear and abrasion resistance are some of the benefits cast urethanes can offer—properties that could serve a wide variety of end markets—but that doesn’t mean they do. “I went to engineering school; I’ve got seven other engineers here; and not one of us had a class in urethanes when we were going to school,” explains Mike Katz, president of custom urethane and rubber processor Molded Dimensions (Port Washington, WI). “We all learned about metal and fractured metal problems, and the younger people learned about plastic, but nobody learned about a single thermoset, and that would be similar with all our customers.” That general ignorance concerning the material and process, generally known as hot cast pouring or performance polyurethane, means that for Katz and other cast-urethane companies, the first step is to educate people about the benefits of the technology, which sees use in a wide range of end markets. “We like to say [markets range] from marine to medical and everything in between,” Katz explains. Mining represents a larger market, thanks to the material’s aforementioned wear and abrasion resistance, as well as its load-bearing capabilities. Parts themselves can vary from 6-ftdiameter sealing surface rings to rollers on roller coasters or pitching machines, to the small gasket in airplane seats that engages when you depress the armrest button to recline. Cast urethane often replaces metals, with its slight give providing it an advantage over steel, which, in a wear situation, will continually shed small amounts of material. There are barriers to urethanes claiming new turf, but material advances are starting to address these. Chief among the obstacles to greater urethane usage, particularly in automotive, is its lack of high temperature performance. “The holy grail in urethane is to get it to last at high temperatures so you 20

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

Buying the business in 2001, Mike Katz and his wife now run cast urethane and rubber parts supplier Molded Dimensions. Initially founded in 1951, the company branched into thermosets, and specifically urethanes, in 1973.

could go under the hood of a car,” Katz explains. “We’re not there yet, but certainly there have been advances to increase the ability of urethane to go in warmer applications than it used to be.” In a fan belt or tires, urethane would dramatically increase service life compared to the rubber applied today. In addition to higher-heat grades, Katz says there have been applications that satisfy Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, opening new markets, particularly as a replacement for stainless steel. On the machinery side, Katz says today’s metering and mixing equipment represents a vast improvement over past technology. Specifically, the systems offer greater precision, with mass flow technology replacing gear pumps. “That, in the end, is getting more consistent, higher-quality product for the customer,” Katz says. Steady prospects During the current downturn, Katz says the drop in Molded Dimension’s business mirrors the cast urethane industry as a whole, with orders off around 20%—a

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

sizable contraction, but not the freefall experienced in other segments. “It makes sense that polyurethane might go down less than others,” Katz says, explaining that many of the parts the industry makes are wear items that will, eventually, break down. “So [business continues] even if you’re not building new machines or new systems—our customers aren’t building new pitching machines, as an example, but the rollers that are on that pitching machine are still going to wear out over time.” The end result is cast urethane residing in a more narrow peak-totrough band. “It may be that our peaks are not as high as others’,” Katz says, “but our valleys probably aren’t as low as others’, either.” Cast urethane’s steady strength also lies in its ability to replace other materials. From a design standpoint, Katz says that for low- to medium-volume products it’s a good alternative for thermoplastics, especially when tooling costs are considered. Unlike plastics, Katz notes that with urethane it’s not as important to maintain constant wall thickness, giving designers more freedom in a part’s shape. TD plasticstoday.com/mpw

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY FLUOROELASTOMERS

Proprietary process keeps fluoroelastomers’ friction down, forever

PROCESSING TRENDS ent. The most dramatic improvement is seen with low-hardness, polymer-rich elastomers such as a 55 Shore A compound, reports MR&P. In answer to questions from MPW, the processor replied that the F-Treatment (F for fluoroelastomer) process is not patented but is proprietary and “would be very difficult to duplicate.” The processor says application of parts processed from the treated mate-

rial also is likely in nasal and liposuction canula (tubes inserted into the body). Typically for these applications and other applications requiring a lowfriction surface, fluoroelastomers would be coated with molybdenum disulfide, graphite, silicone oil, or PTFE powder. Some are not medically acceptable, others wash off, and none lends itself to repeated autoclaving. MD

A process developed by plastics processor Minnesota Rubber & Plastics (Minneapolis, MN) should help expand the use of fluoroelastomers in applications such as endoscopic surgical instruments. During a postcuring process, the process is able to reduce parts’ friction, permanently, so that there is no need for coating of the parts nor must users be concerned about coatings being stripped away during repeated autoclaving or sterilization. Surgeons handling medical devices such as those endoscopic surgical instruments

The chart shows how F-Treatment reduces fluoroelastomers’ CoF and keeps it low.

require insertion and retraction of these through a seal to feel smooth and easy. The more the material adheres to the shaft of the instrument, the more force it will take to manipulate the instrument. According to MR&P, its F-treat process provides a permanent low coefficient of friction surface that will not dissipate with wear. F-treat modifies the CoF (coefficient of friction) of the entire fluoroelastomer compound, not just the surface, so that if abrasion or wear occurs, a modified low-friction surface will always be presplasticstoday.com/mpw

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 21

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

MATERIAL THOUGHTS RESINS & COMPOUNDS

TPE overmolds onto copper without degradation A Rochester, IL-based compounder of thermoplastic elastomers, Elastocon TPE Technologies Inc., now offers a new TPE grade it says can be overmolded directly onto copper without concerns of degradation. The Shore 50 hardness material also is available for blowmolding and extrusion. Called Elastocon 8150B TPE and based on SEBS (styreneethylene/butylene styrene), the company predicts it will see use in automotive and industrial applications. It can be directly overmolded onto copper or used in applications where the material might come into direct contact with residual copper dust created from friction or abrasion—an example would be an environment with electric motor brushes where the residue can cause plastics to degrade or sustain damage. The material is available as a concentrate for a processor’s own custom recipe, or can be supplied in ready-to-process black pellets. All Elastocon grades are free from latex, and are RoHS and California Proposition 65 compliant. Elastocon TPE Technologies Inc., Rochester, IL, USA; +1 888-644-8732; www.elastocontpe.com

Elastomer combines ultrasoft touch with robust physical properties A new ultrasoft elastomer reportedly offers the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries a feel similar to a firm gel but with greater physical properties, providing a product ideal for potting, encapsulating, or molding devices. MED-4286 is a pliable silicone elastomer designed for applications requiring low 000 durometer, as well as low modulus and high elongation. The material has a low, pourable viscosity and 12-hour work time. Designated

Get a jump on applications requiring overmolding of copper with a new TPE grade.

as Unrestricted, MED-4286 can also be considered for use in long-term implants (those implanted 29 days or longer). Brian Nash, VP of marketing and sales at Nusil, said the material serves applications that require “a soft, yet moldable material that can keep its form.” MED4286 has a one-to-one mix ratio and is packaged in a side-by-side kit for easier use. For implants of fewer than 29 days or applications that come in contact with body fluid and/or skin, NuSil offers a restricted version of MED-4286. NuSil Technology LLC, Carpinteria, CA, USA; +1 805-684-8780; www.nusil.com

Barex acrylonitrile copolymer offers high barrier properties to gases such as oxygen and nitrogen, as well as chemical resistance and inertness. It also brings to packaging a barrier to aromas, fragrances, and volatile components. It is used in a wide variety of applications and processes, including in extruded and calendered sheet, blown film, injection and extrusion blown bottles, and injection molded and engineered components. Barex resins comply with EEC Directives for direct food contact and meet requirements for a USP Class VI Medical Plastic and EU pharmacopoeias. Ineos Barex, Delaware City, DE, USA; +1 302-838-3278; www.ineosbarex.com

Improved Barex makes for crystal-clear cosmetics packaging

MED-4286 is for applications requiring a soft, flexible, moldable elastomer. 22

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

Introduced by Ineos Barex, the new grade of Barex, dubbed Cosmetic Clear Barex, is targeted specially at processors of applications where improved transparency is required. The new grade offers higher clarity than past ones (Barex by nature has a straw-colored tint).

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

Two HDPE rotomolding grades launched By using low-pressure gas-phase catalysis technology, two new high-density polyethylene (HDPE) grades reportedly provide improved cold-temperature impact and environmental stress cracking resistance for custom rotational molders. plasticstoday.com/mpw

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

New developments Lupolen GX 5002 and Lupolen GX 5003 from LyondellBasell Industries utilize that company’s Lupotech G technology to produce HDPE grades suitable for industrial storage tanks, containers, intermediate bulk containers, furniture, and playground and sporting equipment. The company says the materials offer a good balance of impact resistance and stiffness, with low-temperature impact performance down to –30°C, allowing its use in applications that must withstand harsh transport conditions in cold weather. In terms of environmental stress cracking resistance, LyondellBasell reports that full notch creep test (FNCT) results showed that Lupolen GX 5002 resins outperformed competitive ones and maintained mechanical properties, with a relatively high melt flow rate (MFR) of 7.5 g/10 min. The MFR gives the materials design flexibility for more complex applications like containers, crates, marine equipment, outdoor furniture, and leisure and playground equipment. In a release, Cees Besems, technical manager of industrial packaging for LyondellBasell, said it is important to balance the MFR against mechanical properties, pointing out that, typically, high melt flow and cold temperature impact can be mutually exclusive. By optimizing each without detriment to the other, LyondellBasell says higher MFR

plasticstoday.com/mpw

and improved stiffness could enable converters to tackle thin-wall design and lightweight part requirements. In addition, the increased density combined with a high environmental stress cracking

storage. The company also states that Lupolen grades have a wide processing window, with cooking time—one of the determining factors of cycle time in rotomolding technology—being shorter, and thereby reducing the overall cycle. LyondellBasell’s existing rotomolding offerings include the range of Microthene HDPE, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) powders, as well as Petrothene HDPE and LLDPE resin pellets. The Microthene HDPE comes in three grades ranging in density from 0.942-0.945 with melt indexes from 1.7-5.0. LyondellBasell Industries, Rotterdam, Netherlands; +31 10-275-5500; www.lyondellbasell.com

ADDITIVES & FILLERS

Nanoparticle additive enters commercial market Rotomolder Promens applied LyondellBasell’s new Lupolen HDPE grades, with high melt flow rates and good impact resistance, for this storage container.

resistance can boost the creep resistance, which is important for large rotomolded containers and tank applications that are exposed to internal pressure during

Plastics and chemicals supplier Lanxess says it has developed a polymer additive for plastics and rubber that is now available for industrial use. Made of nanoscale organic particles, this additive can be used to improve the material properties of elastomers and thermoplastic materials. Patents associated with the additives cover the processing method, the use of

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 23

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

MATERIAL THOUGHTS nanoparticles in rubber mixtures, and the impact on thermoplastics and thermoset plastics. The Technical Rubber Products business unit markets these nanoscale particles under the trademark Nanoprene, while Lanxess subsidiary Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbH sells the additive under the brand name Micromorph. Nanoprene consists of pre-crosslinked rubber manufactured in an emulsion process that helps the supplier control the degree of crosslinking (glass transition temperature) or polarity of the particles, so that these can be tailored depending on the application. Particle sizes range between 40 and 200 nm. The additive, available as a granulate, powder, paste, and masterbatch, processes like other elastomers. Lanxess, Leverkusen, Germany; +49 214-30-33333; www.lanxess.com

Nanotechnology lightens, strengthens SMC trunk Nanoparticle-layered magnesium aluminum silicate platelets and FRP (fiber-reinforced plastic) have created a structural low-density sheet molding compound (SMC) that replaces a previous-generation SMC in a one-piece molded trunk compartment. Earlier this year, Molded Fiber Glass Cos. (MFG; Ashtabula, OH) was awarded The Process Innovation Award at the American Composites Manufacturers Assn.’s Composites+Polycon 2009 show for the nanocomposite SMC one-piece molded automotive rear trunk assembly or tub. The proprietary SMC was initially created for the 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe and has since seen use in the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe and Corvette Z06. All materials on this assembly were tested and approved to General Motors’ GMP-UP-032 specification. MFG says the composite material yields an SMC with a specific gravity of 1.5, reducing mass, increasing strength, and lowering cost by increasing production rate and volume. In addition to cutting weight, the one-piece composite tub design lowered tooling costs by replacing multiple metal stampings. From a 24

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

functionality standpoint, it also allows the integration of storage, attachment points for outer body panels, hardware attachments for electrical components, and air ducts. To reinforce the SMC, MFG replaced low-density bubble fillers with Southern Clay Products’ Cloisite silicate platelets, which measure 1 nm thick and 70-150 nm across. The nanoparticles have been surface modified with an organic chemistry to foster complete dispersion and miscibility with the resin. In terms of properties, Nano-fill SMC has a lower density of 1.5 than conventional SMC, with a 10% improvement in mechanical strength. Bond adhesion with a two-component adhesive was also boosted by 25%-30% compared to the bubble-filled SMC. Properly dispersed, the additives have been proven to enhance flexural and tensile modulus, says MFG, while also lowering the coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE), which can impact fit for automotive components. Southern Clay Products, Gonzales, TX, USA; +1 800-324-2891; www.scprod.com

New tin stabilizer helps trim pipe, profile extrusion costs Plastics and additives supplier Arkema says Thermolite 140 tin stabilizer, its newest addition to the established Thermolite family of heat stabilizers, can help processors take a healthy 10%20% off the cost of overengineered pipe, siding, and other rigid PVC products. That figure comes courtesy of the supplier’s Kimberly Litz, functional additives’ sales and market manager, in an answer to e-mailed questions from MPW. “The cost savings come from the fact that T-140 can be used at similar loading levels to these higher-cost products with similar performance. The cost savings have ranged from 10%-20% where T-140 is employed,” she replied. The new material already is listed in the Plastic Pipe Institute (PPI) range formula and, says the supplier, offers heat resistance in pipes produced for use in warmer climates and has shown plasticstoday.com/mpw

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PASSION FOR INNOVATION

Windmöller & Hölscher KG | Phone: +49 5481 14-0 | Fax: +49 5481 14-2649 | [email protected] | www.wuh-group.com

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

MATERIAL THOUGHTS no discoloration during storage in high temperatures. Thermolite 140 tin stabilizer can be used in nearly all pipe/ conduit applications at similar use levels as higher-tin, higher-priced stabilizers, reports Arkema. Arkema, Functional Additives business unit, Philadelphia, PA, USA; +1 215-331-7654; www.additives-arkema.com

SEMI-FINISHED PRODUCTS

New PTFE grades plan to stick around for a long time Semi-finished plastic products supplier Quadrant EPP says it has expanded its range of available polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) products to include ones offering wear resistance even beyond that of normal longwearing PTFE. The additions to the company’s Fluorosint product family are the “super” wear-resistant grade of Fluorosint HPV, now available in full production size ranges, and the “extreme” grade of Fluorosint MT-01, new to the market. Fluorosint HPV was first mentioned by the company in 2007 but had been available only in developmental sizes and shapes. This full launch brings with it data collected that Quadrant says found the bearing performance or “PV” of Fluorosint HPV to be more than 40% higher than other FDA-compliant PTFE-based materials, meaning parts made of the new material can withstand higher load and higher velocity. Wear resistance of the new material also is said to be higher than other existing FDA-compliant PTFE-based materials. This testing was generated in one of Quadrant’s laboratories using documented test procedures. Fluorosint HPV can replace bronze, steel, and powdered metal parts. Fluorosint MT-01 reportedly combines higher temperature resistance with low deformation and low CLTE (coefficient of linear thermal expansion). It was developed for high-temperature applications such as bearings, seals, and wear surfaces where higher loads are present. Quadrant offers these materials in a 26

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

range of rods, sheets, and tubular shapes for machining. Formed parts are also available. Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products, Reading, PA, USA; +1 800-729-0101; www.quadrantepp.com

PS sheet derived 100% from PCR Axion Polymers, the plastics processing division of recycling specialist Axion Group, has launched a range of polystyrene (PS) sheet derived 100% from recyclate as the start of a new range of products it predicts will find many takers, with initial demand expected most readily in horticulture and cosmetics packaging applications.

New developments fact says it already can supply the sheet extruded from polypropylene. In answer to questions from MPW, officials at the firm would not reveal how small the recyclate is being ground, only saying it has worked out the optimum particle size to make a blemishfree sheet from 100% recycled material. They also said that no gas addition (for rigidity or light weight) was necessary; the density of the sheet (1.05) is the same as the density of polymer used to make it. Axion Polymers, Manchester, England; +44 161-737-6124; www.axionpolymers.com

MOLD RELEASES

PEEK-based coating helps shoes exit mold

Thermoformed plant pots are one target application for 100% PCR-PS sheet.

PS remains a popular material for a wide variety of applications due to its balance of properties, processability, and price, but the material does not carry the sort of environmentally friendly reputation that has become increasingly important. Axion hopes to help change that perception. Available in varying widths and thicknesses and marketed under the Axfoil brand name, the sheet meets ISO 9000 quality-control standards. When extruded from PS recovered from waste electrical/electronic devices, the processor says it generates 93% less carbon dioxide in its manufacture compared to virgin PS. The sheet can be thermoformed or converted and is supplied in reels up to 950 mm wide and up to 2 mm thick. The product is being launched as a black PS sheet, but Axion expects to expand the range to include other materials and colors over the coming months, and in

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

Taiwanese injection mold manufacturer Du Wei Enterprise Co. has switched from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and other traditional mold release agents to Vicote, a polyetheretherketone (PEEK)based coating made and marketed by PEEK supplier Victrex. For one of Du Wei’s two-color shoe sole molds processing ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), the Vicote product has proven to have

Du Wei’s injection molds now are coated with Vicote PEEK-based coating.

a lifetime of up to 1.5 months (about 5000 cycles), some 30 times greater than PTFE coatings. The PEEK-based coating has a continuous use temperature of 260ºC (500ºF) and can maintain its mechanical properties in high-temperature operating environments. Victrex, Lancashire, England; +44 1253-897700; www.vicote.com plasticstoday.com/mpw

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

PRODUCT WATCH

Innovation & Optimization

EXTRUSION

Reifenhäuser’s acquisition of Kiefel Extrusion changes landscape Although ownership of two leading blown film extruder manufacturers (Gloucester and Kiefel Extrusion) has changed in the past years, the blown film machinery market has seen little in the way of mergers and acquisitions for many years. The company Reifenhäuser changed that in late August when it announced its acquisition of the blown film extrusion line business of Kiefel, combining this with its own blown film extruder business to create Reifenhäuser Kiefel Extrusion GmbH, a company it claims brings global market leadership with a 25%-30% market share. Kiefel’s former owner, film tenter equipment manufacturer Brückner, kept the thermoforming and welding machinery businesses, which also bear the Kiefel name. Edgar Gandelheidt, past MD of Kiefel Extrusion, stays on as managing director of the new firm. Ulrich Reifenhäuser, chairman of the board at his family’s company, said overlap of the two firms’ customer base was only about 10%-15%. The two firms competed directly for some blown film line orders, but “on our lost order reports we rarely saw each other’s names,” added Gandelheidt. The two firms also match well geographically, said Gandelheidt, with Kiefel having had a stronger presence in, for instance, Latin America, whereas Reifenhäuser has been stronger in the Middle East. Reifenhäuser has a manufacturing facility in China, which is included in the merger, as is some manufacturing and engineering capacity in Troisdorf. Headquarters for the new firm will be Worms, Germany, Kiefel Extrusion’s longtime base. The newly formed Reifenhäuser Kiefel Extrusion will employ about 300. Asked whether the merger will lead to employee terminations, Ulrich Reifenhäuser said the intent

Modular monitoring concept keeps watch on entire extruder To simplify monitoring of all extrusion line parameters, extruder manufacturer Battenfeld Extrusionstechnik GmbH has developed a modular concept consisting of three components: energy monitoring, production monitoring, and maintenance monitoring. The system is integrated in its BMCtouch client-server operating system so that all relevant data can be shown at any place and time. 28

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

Ulrich (left) and Klaus Reifenhäuser with Edgar Gandelheidt (center), managing director of the newly formed company. was to keep all current employees. The engineering teams of both will be combined and co-led by the former leaders at both firms: Jens Spigots from Reifenhäuser and Jochen Hennes from Kiefel. A similar arrangement will handle sales and marketing, with Kiefel’s Kurt Freye and Reifenhäuser’s Bernd Schroater teaming for Reifenhäuser Kiefel Extrusion. By the K show in Düsseldorf, Germany in October 2010, the newly formed company intends to have a new machine to display that executives there say will combine the best of both brands. Neither Reifenhäuser nor Brückner officials would reveal the price of the acquisition. Peter Wellenhofer, chairman of the board for Brückner Technology Holding GmbH, in reply to a question from MPW asking if his company had concrete plans for the revenue from its sale of Kiefel Extrusion, said Brückner Technology Holding plans to continue strategic moves to add to its portfolio—including companies from other branches—to help it weather the very volatile nature of the market for film orientation equipment, such as that made and sold by its flagship company. Reifenhäuser Kiefel Extrusion GmbH, Worms, Germany; +49 6241-902-0; www.reifenhauser-kiefel.com

The first of these new modular systems is operating as a pilot project at one of the manufacturer’s PVC window profile customers. The energy monitoring module mea-

The new system helps profile processors to better optimize and benchmark their extrusion lines.

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

sures the energy flows in the machine and visualizes the distribution of energy. From these, it calculates the specific energy consumption per kilogram of the extruded product. Processors can use the information to determine which measures they take have the greatest effect on energy efficiency. Maintenance monitoring, the second component of the new system, supports a processor’s desire to do maintenance on a predetermined schedule by means of maintenance alarm signals, akin to the “change oil” light in a car. Service plasticstoday.com/mpw

4

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PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

PRODUCT WATCH intervals are included in the calculation, and model calculations are carried out for machine components with a loaddependent service life, such as drive systems. Production monitoring, the third component, automatically collects data about the production status of a line, such as setup times, uptime, and down-

Place

time, and calculates key production figures from these data. This helps a processor to make direct comparisons between different extrusion lines and transfer best practices from one line across an entire plant. Battenfeld Extrusionstechnik GmbH, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany; +49 5731-2420; www.bex.battenfeld.com

Turkish pipe, profile processor adds a dozen to its machine park A vote of confidence in its growth opportunities has been made at IBG Pakplastik (Istanbul), one of Turkey’s largest plastics processors, which this year has taken delivery of 10 new profile extruders and two new polypropylene (PP) pipe lines.

Plan ahead for your visit to EUROMAP recognized fairs One of Turkey’s largest processors, IBG, greatly extended its pipe and profile capacity.

The overall events schedule of the plastics and rubber industry is wide-ranging and does not always meet the requirements of both exhibitors and visitors. As a result EUROMAP, the European Association of Machinery Manufacturers for the Plastics and Rubber Industries, supports a number of major national and international exhibitions with an excellent track record in the European machinery industry:

INTERPLASTICA

Moscow

January 26-29, 2010

Messe Düsseldorf, Fax +49 21145607740 www.interplastica.de

CHINAPLAS

Shanghai

April 19-22, 2010

Adsale Exhibition Services, Fax +852 25165024 www.chinaplasonline.com

K

Düsseldorf

October 27-November 3, 2010

Messe Düsseldorf, Fax +49 211 4560668 www.k-online.de

ARABPLAST

Dubai

January 9-11, 2011

Al Fajer Inform. & Services, Fax +97 14 3403608 www.arabplast.info

NPE

to be defined

2012, to be defined

Smith Bucklin Corp., Fax +1 312 6440575 www.npe.org

PLASTINDIA

New Delhi

February 1-6, 2012

Plastindia Foundation, Fax +91 11 26845861 www.plastindia.org

PLAST

Milan

Spring 2012

Promaplast, Fax +39 02 57512490 www.plast12.org

EUROMAP acts on behalf of Europe's plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers´ Associations: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom. Useful link to detailed technical information included in the European Machinery Directory:

www.euromap.org EUROMAP General Secretariat c/o VDMA • Lyoner Str. 18 • DE 60528 Frankfurt Main Tel. +49 69 66031832 • Fax +49 69 66032832

30

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

All of the new machines were made by KraussMaffei Berstorff, which counts IBG as a customer since the early 1990s. IBG’s primary business remains window profile extrusion and extrusion of vinyl siding or other building products, but in 2005 it decided to expand into plastic pipe extrusion at its plant in Konya. The company now produces pipe sized from 16-1000 mm in diameter, processing PP, polyethylene, corrugated pipe, and aluminum composite pipe. One of the new pipe lines is being used to extrude a relatively new pipe system for hot water transport in which the pipe is coextruded (three layer) with the middle layer filled with glass fiber. KraussMaffei Berstorff, Hannover, Germany; +49 511-57020; www.berstorff.com

Thermo Fisher launches new web-gauging platform Thermo Fisher has launched a new gauging platform designed to measure weight or thickness in cast film extrusion, sheet extrusion, nonwovens, vinyl calendering, and extrusion-coating applications. The IPlus! is billed as an economic entry-level sensing product intended to meet the demands of film processors who want high performance at the right price, but whose application doesn’t plasticstoday.com/mpw

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

Innovation & Optimization Place require Thermo Scientific’s 21Plus! platform. The 21Plus!, which is suitable for coating, vinyl/rubber calendering, nonwovens, building products, and split bubble film, can be scaled from a singlesensor measure-only unit to an enterprise-wide integrated setup, covering several line-wide systems with up to 15 sensors and six scanning frames apiece. The IPlus! reportedly provides reliable, real-time assessments of material weight or thickness by using up to 2000 measurement-profile points and a high-resolution sensor. The optional AutoDie Profile Control’s advanced nonlinear mapping capabilities are said to help reduce scrap or nonconforming product, and thereby cut material costs. In terms of other features, the system has basis weight, direct thickness, or moisture-weight measurement; two- or three-zone calendering control; data management/archiving; and remote support capabilities.

up to four materials. Not only is the concept new, but the firm claims it also is considerably less costly than the more established options. Zahoransky has patents already on what it has named SCPS (Servo Cavity Positioning Systems) mold technology. One major advantage of the SCPS system over other 3K or 4K molds is

that injection molders can run the SCPS mold in a conventional injection molding machine without any additional equipment, according to Zahoransky. The moldmaker says the four-component mold is only slightly larger than a standard mold and requires no platen enlargement or guide pillar extensions. Molding with a 4K SCPS mold can be

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Wilmington, MA, USA; +1 781-622-1000; www.thermo.com

MOLDMAKING

New concept touted for 4K parts German moldmaker Zahoransky says it has developed a new concept—substantially different from rotary table, indexing platen, or stack-turning molds—for the processing of multicomponent parts

Zahoransky says its four-component mold concept betters currently used ones. plasticstoday.com/mpw

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 31

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

PRODUCT WATCH done on a press half the platen size and clamp force of one needed for an existing 16-fold three-component mold with an indexing platen, reports Zahoransky. The entire control sequence of the mold, including the drives for all other injection units and the hot runner control equipment, is handled by the mold’s own newly developed control system. This system also controls any core pullers. All the movements in the mold are servodriven and independent from the machine hydraulics. How does it work? Here is how the moldmaker describes the processing sequence. The mold opens after the pre-injection molded parts are injected in Station 1. They are then taken to the second injection station via a spindle drive, where the parts are finished and carried by spindle drive to the removal station after the mold has opened. A handling unit takes

Place

over the finished parts during the next injection phase. The removal requires no extra cycle time. The empty mold halves are handed over to the nozzle side and carried via a second spindle drive during the mold-opening phase from the removal station to the primary injection station (Station 1). The mold closes, the cycle is completed, and a new process begins. At each cycle, the pre-injection molded and finished parts are injected simultaneously, and the finished parts are taken off the removal station. About 3 seconds are needed for opening, carrying the mold inserts to the next station, and mold closure. The new SCPS mold technology (in a dry run demonstration) will be shown for the first time at the Fakuma exhibition in Friedrichshafen, Germany this month. The company will show a fourcomponent mold with removal station. Zahoransky Formenbau GmbH, Freiburg, Germany; +49 761-7675-0; www.zahoransky-group.com

PUR PROCESSING

High-pressure PUR metering in a lowfootprint package Hennecke has developed a new generation of compact metering machines, the QFoam series, which it says are the first

Hennecke’s new QFoam high-pressure metering machine. CROWN “Super Pellet Dryer” dewatering-fluidizing-classifying-dryer offers easy “Auto-Clean” cycle for quick clean out and changeover. It is beneficial for soft materials or compounds that are difficult to dry. Utilizes Patent Pending high velocity water stripping technology, vacuum dewatering and air fluidized temperature control and drying as well as classifying. Contact CROWN at sales@crown-cdl. com or request information via our web site at www.crown-cdl.com/ request.html

Start Here plasticstoday.com 32

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

plasticstoday.com/mpw

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

Innovation & Optimization Place metering machines designed and constructed for the mass market. The twocomponent machine is said to combine the advantages of PUR high-pressure technology at a lower cost than processors are accustomed. Hennecke predicts the new series of machines also could substitute for lowpressure technology in some applications. The QFoam machine comprises a newly developed air-cleaned mixing head and the company’s established metering technology from its BaseLine and TopLine series. Output can range from 100-1500 g/ sec depending on the size of the machine. The hand-operated mixing head is used for cold-curing flexible foam, compact systems, filling foam, integral skin foam, energy-absorbing foam, and rigid insulating foam. According to the manufacturer, the series’ modular build enables it to fill orders quickly.

PLANT LOGISTICS

Palletize loads right on the forklift For processors tasked with handling palletizing of their customers’ or their own products, the Yellow Jacket 110 series of orbital stretch wrap machines is designed to help increase efficiency and lower pallet wrapping costs by facilitating the securing of any standard, oversized, or odd-shaped palletized loads right on the forks of the forklift. A new film carriage is said to allow for fast and easy film loading. The new machines also can be upgraded from a manual machine to a semi-automatic machine. GaleWrap, Douglasville, GA, USA; +1 866-425-3727; www.yellowjacket110.com

The Yellow Jacket 110 stretch wrapper.

Hennecke GmbH, Sankt Augustin, Germany; +49 22-41-3390; www.hennecke.com

HIGH TECH PLASTIC RECYCLING

www.erema.at

Our technology is built on the valuable experience of over 3,300 systems delivered worldwide, ensuring you have an edge over global competition.

We know how. EREMA NORTH AMERICA INC. · 23 Old Right Road - Unit#2 · Ipswich, MA 01938 / USA · [email protected] · www.erema.net EREMA Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen Ges.m.b.H. · A-4052 Ansfelden/Linz · Austria · [email protected] plasticstoday.com/mpw

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 33

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

PRODUCT WATCH ROTOMOLDING

MOD carts away second Leonardo; Ferry, Persico work together Rotomolding processor Meese Orbitron Dunne Co. (MOD; Ashtabula, OH) was the first to install a Leonardo fully automated rotomolding cell in a North American facility, and now the firm says its second of these is up and running too. The machines are designed and manufactured by Persico SpA (Nembro, Italy). Installed in the processor’s La Mirada, CA facility one year after the first rotomolding system was installed in the company’s Madison, IN plant, the new unit enables MOD to offer its customers automated processing from facilities near both coasts. (Search for “Rotomolders learning

Innovation & Optimization Place

the language of automation” at plasticstoday. com/mpw for an intial report in May 2003). According to MOD, the automated system operates faster than traditional rotomolding machines and yields more consistent product quality yet it requires less energy and reduces material waste, offering faster lead times with substantial reductions in overhead. The first product to be manufactured on the system was MOD’s 72S bulk laundry truck, a new design with rounded corners, internal ribs, and strength, but one that enables customers to save on fuel by trans-

Lightweight laundry carts are the first products from the second Leonardo. porting their standard volume of goods at less weight, according to MOD. The leading U.S. manufacturer of rotomolding machinery, Ferry Industries Inc., last November signed a marketing agreement with Persico whereby Persico will act as Ferry’s European sales and service force for Ferry’s Rotospeed line of rotational molding machines, and Ferry serves as Persico’s North American agent for its Leonardo machines. Persico SpA, Nembro, Italy; +39 035-4531611; Ferry Industries Inc., Stow, OH, USA; +1 330-920-9200; www.ferryindustries.com

SIZE REDUCTION

MEASUREMENT & TESTING

Recycler trades up to stay on the cutting edge

Mocon labs take packaging processors for a test drive

When your motto is “Scrap everything you think you know about unusable plastic,” you had better be able to tackle the hard recycling jobs. Plastics recycler ButlerMacDonald Inc. (Indianapolis, IN) says recent machinery investments are helping it do just that. Its customers include plastics compounders, telecommunications companies, and producers of CDs and DVDs, aeronautical and automotive parts, vinyl siding and windows, PET bottles, and pharmaceuticals. “If something plasticbased is hard to recycle, that’s where we come in,” says J. Butler-Macdonald’s new granulator helped it increase capacScott Johnson, Butler-Macity and drop labor costs. Donald’s president, CEO, and chief system designer. Recently the company installed an SMS 80/120 granulator from Herbold Meckesheim. The German manufacturer is represented in the U.S. Midwest by Jeda Equipment Services in Indianapolis. Herbold designed the new granulator to Johnson’s specifications, which included adding a metal-detecting feed conveyor. Installation was completed in mid-2008. The new unit’s fast evacuation of granulated plastic helps output reach 8500-9000 lb/hr. Johnson says, “We base our pricing on hours, so [with the new unit] our labor cost has dropped to about 60% of what it used to be, across the board. And now we have time to take on more business.” The rotor and bed knives of the SMS 80/120 reportedly can be exchanged and adjusted quickly in a fixture outside the granulator. Interchangeable screens are available to help control the size of particles exiting the granulator. Herbold Meckesheim, Meckesheim, Germany; +49 6226-9320; www.herbold.com 34

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

New laboratories in the U.S., China, and Germany will allow packaging processors to try out Mocon Inc. testing instrumentation prior to purchase. Saying the labs provide its clients with a “prepurchase testing environment,” the sites will support a range of tests—headspace, water vapor, leak rate/hole size determination, burst, creep, seal strength, heat sealing, hot-tack, coefficient of friction, vacuum decay, and shelf-life analysis— for a variety of package types, substrates, and components, including flexible structures, rigid bottles, foil seals, pouches, aseptic boxes, trays, and lidstock. The tests are conducted by a Mocon technician, who will send the customer a report detailing the number of packages tested, how many samples were taken of each, the package size, the type of instrument used to conduct the test(s), and the results from each sample. The report also includes photographs of the customer’s package attached to the instrument while the testing was being conducted. Technician notes on the report describe how best to conduct the testing as well as conclusions on the quality and repeatability of the process. Mocon says that more than 50 plasticstoday.com/mpw

Faster. Better. Cheaper. North America’s Automation & Assembly Events for Advanced Manufacturing

February 9–11, 2010

April 28–29, 2010

Anaheim Convention Center Anaheim, CA

Charlotte Convention Center Charlotte, NC

ATXwest.com

AM-Expo.com

June 8–10, 2010

September 28–30, 2010

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York, NY

Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Rosemont (Adjacent to O’Hare Airport), IL

ATXeast.com

ATExpo.com

For information on attending or exhibiting, please call 310/445-4200 or visit the show Web sites above.

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

PRODUCT WATCH companies from multiple countries have taken advantage of this option during the few months the labs have been open. Mocon Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA; +1 763-493-6370; www.mocon.com

Ensure even the thinnest of walls hold their seal The thinner the walls on molded plastic closures become, the greater the chance that leakers can enter the distribution channels. Too much torque on thin-walled closures can lead to distortion, while too little torque won’t ensure a good seal. Processors of caps and closures, and their customers, may therefore be interested in a new torque tester said to simplify torque testing of these while also improving accuracy and minimizing downtime. Called the TorqTraQ, it can be handheld, unlike heavier traditional torque metering units that are mounted on tabletops. It works by positioning a closure-spe-

TorqTraQ poses competition to bench-top equipment. cific chuck, located on its underside, over the cap that is to be tested. According to the manufacturer, chucks can be changed out in less than a minute to measure torque on different closures. The closure-specific approach enables the device to accurately meter a broad range of metal and plastic closures—including those with irregular shapes and features, such as dispensing. “The TorqTraQ device works much differently from traditional bench-top models. Those units actually grip the base; that can distort the bottle. Further, torque is measured by applying manual force to the closure. As a result, the operator can end up squeezing the cap, which could potentially distort the torque reading. Because those traditional units are designed to hold bottles with round bases, using them with 36

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

Innovation & Optimization Place

other base geometries can be more challenging,” explains Ron Puvak, new business development at PTI, the manufacturer. The device includes a USB port for downloading up to 250 readings, which can then be imported into a spreadsheet. It can measure in pounds (of force) per inch or newtons per meter.

the reduction of air conveyors, its hygiene and improved efficiency, and a lower cost both in the initial investment and the running costs. The entire system can be controlled with one operator. Sipa SpA, Vittorio Veneto, Italy; +39 438-911511; www.sipa.it

Plastic Technologies Inc., Holland, OH, USA; +1 419-867-5400; www.plastictechnologies.com

King of beers takes home 5000th stretch blowmolding unit

BLOWMOLDING

Anheuser-Busch InBev is the owner of the 5000th stretch blowmolding machine made by France’s Sidel. The beer giant is using the new unit to blow 2- and 3-liter PET bottles in Romania, one of the world’s top 10 countries for beer consumption. Sidel only reported the sale recently but the machine has been in operation since April 2009. With 5000 stretch blowmolding machines installed since the 1980s, Sidel is able to claim market share of about one-half of total machines worldwide. Leading competitors include Corpoplast, Sipa, and Krones. The 5000th blowmolder is an SBO 14/20 Universal and joins a stable of about 40 Sidel blowmolding machines in operation at Anheuser-Busch InBev. ABInBev’s market share is nearly 20% in Romania, where almost 48% of beer bottles are made from PET.

Italian trio team for blowing/ labeling/filling unit Last month’s Drinktec expo in Munich was the launch pad for a number of new beverage packaging developments, among them the new Sincro Tribloc unit for PET bottle stretch blowmolding, labeling, and filling/ capping. Banding together to develop the production cell are three Italian companies: Sipa (stretch blowmolding machinery), PE Labellers (labeling machines), and Berchi (filling and the end-of-line systems). Sipa earlier this year acquired Berchi to help it better compete with Sidel and Krones, both of which manufacture stretch blowmolding machinery and beverage filling lines. On the Sipa stand at the Drinktec 2009 exhibition, a 9.9g bottle already in production in the United States was blowmolded, filled, and labeled. According to Sipa, the main advantages of the system are its space savings,

Sidel, Le Havre, France; +33 232-858687; www.sidel.com

LOGISTICS & SERVICES

ChemSite helps processors get to the source BASF, Bayer, Ticona, Sabic Innovative Plastics, Arkema . . . long is the list of leading plastics suppliers with their headquarters or European HQ within a 3-hour drive of ChemSite, an industrial park appealing to processors considering relocation. Evonik Degussa, Sabic Polyolefins, DuPont, Ineos Nova, Vestolit, and Lanxess, in fact, already have operations in the park, which opened in 1997. Based in Germany’s North RheinWestphalia, it’s also within a few minutes’ drive of many processing machinery manufacturers. Within the park, processors can purchase from their neighbors PVC, PE, PP, PS, PA, high-end polymers, additives, pigments, and more. All that would mean little without customers, but according to ChemSite officials, about 50% of the circa 500 million residents of the European Union can be reached from the site within 24 hours by truck. Europe’s largest interior harbor and multiple airports also are nearby. As expected, the site’s management helps processors come into a plug-and-play environment by assisting in negotiations with local authorities, as well as with suppliers of sewage, logistics, and other services. Energy is provided through a sitecoordinated network. ChemSite, Marl, Germany; +49 2365-49-2530; www.chemsite.de

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

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Make every pellet count

Save energy this winter and thereafter By Tony Deligio Plastics processors, through their own volition or with a gentle push from government or customers, are increasingly concerned with measuring the amount of energy they use and finding ways to cut that consumption. The good news is there are a growing number of resources to help them do just that.

T

im Stojka’s energy epiphany came at his desk as he cut a sizable check for his company’s monthly utility invoice. “I was looking at the bill and I said, ‘I don’t even know where this went,’” Stojka explains. “It was kind of like signing a credit card bill with no detail.” CEO at hot runner temperature control manufacturer Fast Heat Inc. (Elmhurst, IL), Stojka decided his business, and others, could greatly benefit from knowing where and when energy was used. “You’ve heard the old mantra: If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it,” Stojka says. “That’s what’s happening with electricity. People just get this bill at the end of the month and there’s no way to really A) understand and B) measure it, so they can manage it.” Seeking to provide what he calls “energy visibility,” Stojka officially launched Agentis Energy in June at NPE2009. Using wireless sensors to track energy usage, and then sending the data to a Webbased application, Agentis is aiming to help processors better manage what is often their second-highest cost, trailing only material. “Processors manage resin very closely but energy’s kind of been one of those things that they have, as I did, treated as a fixed cost,” Stojka says, “and the only way to take it from a fixed cost to a variable cost is to measure it. If you can measure it, then you can start to set budgets for it, hold people accountable, figure out where your high energy users are, and focus on energy efficiency and improvement.” Stojka says the company has fully functioning systems at a range of processing facilities, including injection molding, 38

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

extrusion, and blown-film plants, with the initial installations dating to spring of this year. The technology itself has two different models. The first involves inline sensors, where a microchip is connected inline with the power source.

Power Efficiency’s motor efficiency control acts as a soft starter and energy regulator, taking the place of an existing starter or being installed in series. The second applies a current transformer, or essentially a ring that encircles the main line and measures current and voltage. From managing energy to cutting it Using technology originally developed at NASA, Power Efficiency Corp. (Las Vegas, NV) is hoping to help processors cut energy usage by matching the voltage intake of electric motors to the current load. The

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company’s patented E-Save technology promises energy savings up to 40% on constant-speed/variable-load equipment like granulators, crushers, escalators, and conveyors. Customers in the plastics realm include Berry Plastics, Graham Packaging, and Ball, with Berry installing 28 motor efficiency controls on 24 granulators at its Anaheim, CA facility. In that instance, the local electric utility determined Berry’s annual energy consumption would be cut by more than 195,000 kWh. The unit works by monitoring the current’s phase lag and voltage relationship (where kW = volts times amps) in a motor operating at less than full mechanical load. The control cuts back the voltage to precisely what the motor requires to maintain the rated speed and torque under the present load. In addition to reducing the electricity consumed, Power Efficiency says motor life is increased. The original idea for a three-phase power factor control with induced electric and magnetic fields sensing was developed by Frank Nola, who at the time was an engineer at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. NASA patented the technology in 1984, with Power Efficiency later licensing it. In January 1997, Power Efficiency filed a patent application for a new phasedetector technology, which has since been accepted, with three more applications pending. That patent deals with modifications the company made to address engineering changes in the manufacture of AC induction motors. Jay Mistry, director of business development at Power Efficiency, says good candidate applications are ones that have plasticstoday.com/mpw

Make every pellet count

constant speed and load variability, so that at certain times they’re idling or at low load value. The company hints at its potential market by citing U.S. Dept. of Energy data saying U.S. industrial customers spend more than $60 billion annually on electricity, with motors consuming better than 60% of that total. Many motors are operating at light or variable loads, meaning they are wasting energy and are potential candidates for savings. To date in plastics that’s meant size-reduction equipment, although the company is conducting tests on some primary processing equipment. Charged up According to Mistry, and others contacted for this article, energy efficiency is a cause whose time has come. At different times, most notably during the 1970s oil embargo, countries and industry have claimed to have found religion in regard to conservation, only to lapse back into energy apathy, but the current focus is driven by a factor that carries greater currency than eco-consciousness. “I’m going to cite you two time periods,” Mistry says. “One is now and the other is the late ’70s, early ’80s. Back then, when this technology was out, there was interest in it, but the cost per kilowatt was like $0.03 or $0.04, so the actual amount of cost savings that you got was minimal, and as a result of that, it wasn’t much of a focus. Today, those energy costs continue to rise—look at Southern California— you’ve got areas that are paying $0.20$0.24/kWh. That’s crazy. So right now, there’s no question there’s a focus by

Pairing wireless sensors with routers to feed data to the Internet, Agentis hopes to give customers “energy visibility,” using Web-based software to show in real time how much energy their equipment is using and at what cost, among other variables.

companies, and the overall environment is more geared towards energy savings.” Steve Petrakis, president of cooling system supplier Frigel North America (East Dundee, IL), has seen a similar sense of urgency. “Corporations, especially larger ones, actually have edicts out that say, ‘All right, this year, as a corporation, we have to lower our energy costs by 20%,’” Petrakis says. “So the first thing they do is run around and change all the light bulbs in the building, and that helps a little bit, but once you get through your first year, the next year, you say, ‘OK, now we need another 20%.’ Now you’ve got to start looking seriously, and you’ve got to start looking at your equipment.” Frigel markets what it calls Intelligent Process Cooling, where ambient air is used to cool clean process water. Its Ecodry uses a closed-circuit fluid cooler instead of a traditional cooling tower, with water returning from the process pumped into heat exchangers and cooled with ambient air flow. Ecodry can be used in conjunction with a Microgel chiller/temperature

control unit (TCU) combo or Turbogel TCU to obviate the need for central chilling systems. At NPE2009, the company introduced and upgraded Ecodry, which used changes to software and design to boost energy efficiency by an additional 10%. It also introduced the Ecoflex central chiller, which uses Turbocore technology where electromagnets propel the drive shaft, which essentially floats, cutting system friction and energy needs. “Whether they’re prepared to do it or not, I think everybody is starting to understand that this is the technology of the future,” Petrakis says. “Cooling towers will eventually go away. We’ve been fortunate that in the U.S. we’ve always had plentiful water, relatively inexpensive water, and relatively inexpensive energy, but now that’s changed.” The fixation on energy extends to all power consumers on a plant floor, including dryers, a fact that hasn’t escaped Jamie Jamison, dryer product manager at auxiliary supplier Conair (Cranberry Township, PA). “Typically, [energy efficiency’s] the first thing we seem to get asked about by customers—how our equipment is energy efficient, things we can do with our designs for energy efficiency,” Jamison says. “Most of the customers have specific task forces or groups assigned to determine

The cost of electricity In addition to concerns about emissions, energy efficiency is being driven by financial concerns as the cost of electricity continues to rise. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average retail price of electricity has risen 46% since 1995 from $0.0689/kWh to $0.1006/kWh. Over that same time period in the commercial market, electricity costs are up 26% from $0.0769/kWh to $0.1043/kWh, while in the industrial sector, they’ve risen 35% from $0.0466 in 1995 to $0.0717/kWh. According to the EIA, the average retail price of electricity per kWh in 2007 was $0.0913. Taking out the outliers (Hawaiians pay an average of $0.2129/kWh while in Idaho the going rate is $0.0507/kWh), the Northeast is a region where you wouldn’t look forward to your utility bill—cost per kWh in Connecticut plasticstoday.com/mpw

is $0.1645—while plastics-heavy states like Ohio ($0.0791), Michigan ($0.0853), and Illinois ($0.0846) fall below the national average. The price of energy inefficiency is much stiffer in Europe. According to the European Union Energy Portal (Brussels; www. energy.eu), the February 2009 average cost per kWh for electricity usage of 2000 MWh/year is €0.1267 (about $0.18), with the cheapest electricity in Bulgaria (€0.0798) and the most expensive in Italy (€0.2032). For consumers that use 24,000 MWh/year, the average cost is €0.1067 ($0.15), with the lowest rates in Estonia (€0.0581) and the most expensive once again in Italy (€0.1668). Plastics stalwart Germany ranks in the top five most expensive countries, hitting €0.1654 ($0.24) for commercial consumption and €0.1515 ($0.22) for retail.

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• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 39

Make every pellet count

Shown here installed, Agentis’ energy monitoring systems relay consumption information wirelessly to a router, which then posts it to a Web-based interface in real time.

how they can cut costs,” explains Gene Flockerzi, general manager PET and packaging at Conair, “and with that, energy’s the first thing that comes to mind.” For Conair, that customer interest has driven several advances, including its EnergySmart drying line, which features a temperature monitor inside the hopper to gauge the amount of heating and blowing needed, as well as a dewpoint control, which accounts for changes in the ambient atmosphere and adjusts drying parameters accordingly. Flockerzi explains that a typical drying system would be sized to accommodate the maximum throughput of machine it’s supplying resin to—a standard that’s often overkill. “I’m going to say 95% of the time the customers aren’t even running near maximum throughput,” Flockerzi says. “So with our system, we’re able to dial the dryer down so it meets the actual extruder or injection molding machine’s output. That way, no matter what throughput you’re running at, you’re utilizing the least amount of energy possible for that application.” Maguire Products Inc., which supplies three varieties of drying systems from its plant in Aston, PA as well as from its subsidiary, Novatec, in Maryland, promotes energy efficiency as a priority in all its systems, including Maguire’s LPD low-pressure vacuum dryer and hotair, desiccant, infrared, and membrane dryers from Novatec. The company believes three systems in particular—the NovaDrier compressed air unit, Nova40

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

Wheel regenerative desiccant, and LPD vacuum— offer high efficiency, especially when compared to twin-bed desiccant systems. Plastics equipment supplier Wittmann Battenfeld has experienced the same spike in inquiries regarding energy efficiency, with UK managing director Barry Hill saying the company is now regularly deploying its own bespoke energy-measuring service for customers and potential clients. The system shows processors their consumption pattern for existing machines, as well as projected consumption. These data are used to show potential savings that can be made by switching to current models, factoring in financial incentives such as the UK’s Carbon Trust. Wittmann Battenfeld UK has also initiated an old-for-new machinery trade-in package for injection molding machines. In

a release, Hill said reducing energy usage starts with measuring it—a task that will become compulsory, in his opinion. “There is no question that all of industry—plastics included—will be required to demonstrate carbon footprint activity sooner rather than later. It’s an extra factor for most businesses to incorporate, but it will pay to start making those calculations now.” Staying power For their part, Power Efficiency’s Mistry and Frigel’s Petrakis think the new priorities are here to stay. “I think that we’re at the start of this thing, and I think we’ve got five to 10 more years of this type of feeling where we need to do something about energy savings,” Mistry says. “I would say in the next 10 years, there are going to be many government mandates that are going to force total energy efficiency, total water conservation, and less chemical usage within processes,” adds Petrakis. Whether or not the changes are mandated, they will allow processors to gain more control over their process and, ultimately, their costs. “If a company is molding a part that’s costing them $0.10 to make,” Agentis’ Stojka explains, “they know what the raw material accounts for, but what portion of that is energy? They want to know on that particular line, what’s the energy cost in dollars.” MPW

Rebates prompt energy efficiency In addition to the stick of higher prices and, in some cases, penalties, energy utilities and state and local governments in the U.S. are offering energy consumers carrots in the form of rebates, loans, and tax incentives to improve energy efficiency. There are limited offerings from the federal government at this time, and the standards and incentives vary not just from state to state but from city to city and utility to utility, making figuring out what your company might qualify for a challenge. Aiming to ease that challenge is DSIRE (Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency), a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives and policies that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency. Established in 1995 and funded by the U.S. Dept. of Energy, DSIRE (www.dsireusa.org) is an ongoing project of the N.C. Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. According to DSIRE, the Golden State is the most generous in terms of incentives, with California offering 68 rebates through utilities, six grants (one state, five utility), 15 loans (two state, 10 utility, and three local), and five green building incentives through local government. In total, the U.S. and its territories offer 785 rebates, 56 grants, and 201 loans through utilities and state and local government. At this time, the federal government offers personal (two) and corporate (four) tax incentives, as well as grants (two) and loans (four).

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California thrivin’ How could you grow your business by roughly 20% per year over the

By Tony Deligio

last four years without adding machines or people? Increase efficiency at the same time.

elican Products (Torrance, CA), a manufacturer of protective cases and lighting equipment, has done just that— increase the number of parts it injection molds at its California headquarters without enlarging its machinery or personnel footprint—with the productivity gains most evident in its bottom line. “I think the overall strategy has been grow and keep your overhead,” explains Shailesh Bambardekar, director of operations at Pelican. “Don’t allow your overhead to grow at the same ratio your revenue is growing. Then your profit continues to grow. We’re just getting more out of what we have every year, and that’s the key.” At this point, what the company has in Torrance is a total of 200,000 ft2, with 120,000 ft2 of that dedicated to manufacturing, housing 22 injection molding machines, which range in size from 50-1800 tons, with all but one from Milacron. To ensure it maximizes its output, the company adopted its own version of Toyota Production System (TPS), including kanban inventory control and regular kaizen events. The kaizen events typically take one week, including a presentation of findings. Spearheading improvement of the various cells are the workers that staff them. “The ideas for the continuous improvement come from the people who work in the particular area,” Bambardekar says. “So obviously, whatever they’re doing, they want to do it better, and they think they can do it better and then they work on it.” To increase the likelihood of improvement, Pelican provides the workers necessary resources, including time, freeing them from their work for the event. After presenting findings to the executive team, a continuous improvement protocol

P

42

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

Pelican’s watertight cases, which are used by the defense industry among others, feature a lifetime warranty.

kicks in, including one-week, 30-day, and 90-day followups. Since all the ideas likely can’t be implemented in the same week, a to-do list is created and posted in the work area, mapping out the changes. After 30 days, Bambardekar has his own review, seeing if the list is being implemented or if resources are needed. Better, faster mold changes Pelican’s business is split roughly 70:30 between protective cases, which are used by the defense industry (among others), and flashlights, including specially designed lights for law enforcement. Both product lines have a variety of models, and within those a range of colors, so that Pelican estimates it has more than 1000 SKUs with around 120 product families. In spite of the complexity of its workload, Pelican has streamlined production and staging through a variety of measures. The chief reason it has grown its business without having to add machines

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has been the development of a novel mold-changing technique. Four years ago, Bambardekar estimates tool changes took 8 hours—when MPW visited recently that number had been cut to 15-20 minutes. It’s quite a feat, especially considering the size of the tools. “They used to keep a day’s worth of inventory here,” Bambardekar says. “When you can change a mold in 15 minutes, you don’t need to keep inventory.” Pelican’s systems center on heavyduty carts with rollers. The carts, when attached to a press, automatically center on the machine, with the tool rolling off the cart into the machine thanks to rollers that have been added between the platens. Instead of a central area, most molds are stored on a rack next to the machine they run on. Bambardekar estimates that the company has close to 200 active molds, 20% of which are run every day. To maximize production, the company stages lights and cases that are the same color so there isn’t machine plasticstoday.com/mpw

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downtime during purging. “If a machine has eight different SKUs, and two of them are yellow in color, and the rest are black,” Bambardekar says, “I want to make sure all the black are done in sequence.” Feeling the flow As part of the modified TPS system, Pelican has arranged production for workflow. Raw material is brought into the back of the plant, molding is in the center, and secondary operations, including decoration, assembly, and packaging, are in the front. This last area includes a 15,000-ft2 assembly section dedicated to the flashlight products. The front flashlight area is where the light and all its components—including the body, shroud, and lens, which are molded onsite—come together. When MPW visited, Pelican was assembling a new light developed in conjunction with the Los Angeles Police Dept. Its specifications included rechargeability, high impact strength, and fire resistance. The end result is a Xenoy PBT body with nylon lens for a finished product that weighs 10 oz with its lithium-ion battery. Nearby a bright green light was being hot stamped with “NYC Transit.” As lights are completed (which happens often—a flashlight is finished every 13-20 seconds) and part stock diminished, a pickup order goes out to replenish a cell, utilizing a barcode-based inventory system. In between molding and assembly, the company maintains a buffer storage area, stocking parts for the three flagship flashlights and the LAPD product. The lights have four primary colors, with cus-

Business, Strategies & Markets tom hues available, while the cases have five primary colors and some custom colors as well. Where the company can automate it has, bearing in mind one principle. “Our automation philosophy is a little different,” Bambardekar says. “We automate for repeatability and consistency, not to reduce headcount.” As an example, he cites the o-ring that all the lights have. Pelican attempted to automate that, but found that “human beings can make adjustments that robots can’t” and opted to stay with more-consistent human o-ring insertion. The final cogs in Pelican’s efficiency machine involve production planning, with two key investments: one human and one software. In July 2008, Pelican invested $7.5 million on an SAP ERP system. This program has allowed all of Pelican’s companies to go “live” (the company has a presence in Australia, Canada, Spain, New Zealand, Japan, and China). It has also contracted the capacity of a German firm, which it now figures into its global output. “Our planning horizon is 32 hours,” Bambardekar says. ‘So today we freeze the plan for the next 32 hours, and every morning the requirements are generated by the ERP system, the planners look at them, and then they sequence them to make sure they’re done in the most efficient manner without a lot of waste. You can’t plan for one week because you’re taking orders in every day and requirements change every day.” As part of the human-planning element, Pelican added a sales and operation planner to “take the element of surprise out of planning,” according to Bam-

Pelican Products’ global headquarters in Torrance, CA covers 200,000 ft2, including 120,000 ft2 of manufacturing. plasticstoday.com/mpw

Only using automation where it can free workers for more value-added work, Pelican added this six-axis Fanuc robot to remove runners from a case.

bardekar. The hire was actually an internal one, with Bambardekar “stealing” the person from Pelican’s IT department. Maximizing output Given the company’s success, some might think they’re in the market for some equipment, but if you’re looking to sell Pelican some machinery, wait until they call you. “We basically want to run every machine 24/7 before we’d actually purchase more capacity,” Bambardekar says. “We want to utilize our available capacity to 100%.” It’s on its way, transitioning from 24/5 work three years ago to 24/7 production over the last year-anda-half on cases. It’s no secret that the cost of manufacturing in the U.S. is higher than in many parts of the world, and that fact is particularly true in the Golden State. If manufacturing is to remain viable in places like Torrance, processors might be wise to follow Pelican’s example. “People often wonder how we can prosper in Southern California,” Bambardekar says. Motioning toward the well-oiled flow of the assembly area, he answers the question himself. “This is one way we can compete with China.”

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MPW

• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 43


   



      

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4-7

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21-22

29

NRC Annual Congress & Expo 2009, Portland, OR National Recycling Coalition Inc. Tel: +1 202-789-1430; Fax: +1 202-789-1431 [email protected]; www.nrc-recycle.org API Polyurethanes Technical Conference 2009 Ft. Washington, MD Alliance for the Polyurethanes Industry Tel: +1 703-741-5103; Fax: +1 703-741-5655 www.polyurethane.org Pack Expo/Process/Converting & Package Printing Expo 2009 Las Vegas, NV Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute Tel: +1 703-243-8555; Fax: +1 703-243-3038 [email protected]; www.packexpo.com SPI Film & Bag Federation Fall Conference 2009 Las Vegas, NV Society of the Plastics Industry, Film & Bag Federation Tel: +1 202-974-5218; Fax: +1 202-296-7675 [email protected]; www.plasticbag.com PEPP 2009 Polyethylene Polypropylene Chain Zurich, Switzerland Maack Business Services Tel: +41 44-781-3040; Fax +41 44-781-1569 [email protected]; www.mbspolymer.com Fakuma 2010, Friedrichshafen, Germany P.E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG Tel: +49 7025-920-60; +49 7025-920-6620 [email protected]; www.fakuma-messe.de/en/fakuma Medical Design & Manufacturing Minneapolis/MidPak Minneapolis, MN Canon Communications LLC Tel: +1 310-445-4200; Fax: +1 310-996-9499 www.canontradeshows.com MassPlastics ‘09, Fitchburg, MA North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce Tel: +1 978-353-7600, ext. 242 [email protected]; www.massplastics.com Plastics Industry Strategy Seminar 2009 Houston, TX Applied Market Information LLC Tel: +1 610-478-0800; Fax: +1 610-478-0900 [email protected]; www.amiplastics-na.com

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Plastics Caps & Closures 2009, Brussels, Belgium Crain Communications Ltd. Tel: +44 20-8253-9621 [email protected]; www.plasticscapsandclosures.com Latin America PET Packaging Markets & Technology 2009 Mexico City, Mexico Centre for Management Technology Tel: +65 6346-9145; Fax: +65 6345-5928 www.cmtevents.com SPE Extrusion of Engineering Plastics, Houston, TX Society of Plastics Engineers Tel: +1 203-740-5403 www.4spe.org Thermoplastic Elastomers Conference 2009 Frankfurt, Germany Smithers Rapra Technology Ltd. Tel: +44 193-925-0383 [email protected]; www.ismithers.net.com Plastics: Specifying and Evaluating Materials for Electrical, Electronic, and Mechanical Applications, Dallas, TX Underwriters Laboratories Tel: +1 888-503-5536 www.uluniversity.us Automotive Plastic Part Design, Dearborn, MI Engineering Training Services Inc. Tel: +1 248-539-0473; Fax: +1 248-539-4808 [email protected]; www.ets-corp.com/automotive.htm Central Asia Plast, Machinery, and Tube & Pipe 2009 Atakent, Kazakhstan Expo Central Asia Tel: +7 727-279-2584; Fax: +7 727-279-3475 [email protected]; www.expocentralasia.com Expo Artiplast 2009, Mexico City Instituto Mexicano del Plastico Industrial Tel: +525 5669-3325; Fax: +525 5687-4960 [email protected]; www.artiplast.com.mx

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MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE (ISSN 0026-8275) is published monthly, except July/August and September/October, with an additional issue in fall, by Canon Communications LLC, 11444 W Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-1549. Periodicals postage paid at Los Angeles, CA, and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post International Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40612608. Canada Post return address: BleuChip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Modern Plastics Worldwide has no connection with any company of similar name. The name ‘Modern Plastics’ is Registered ® U.S. Patent Office. Copyright © 2004 Canon Communications LLC. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A. Copying for other than personal or internal reference use without the express permission of Canon Communications LLC is prohibited. Requests for special permission, or bulk orders should be addressed to the publisher. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Please send all circulation correspondence, subscription orders, and change of address notices to Modern Plastics Worldwide, P.O. Box 3568, Northbrook, IL 60065 USA. For subscriber service call +1 847-559-7590, or fax +1 847-291-4816, or email to [email protected]. Basic subscription price in U.S.A. and possessions is 1yr. $59.00, 2 yrs. $99.00, 3 yrs. $139.00. Canada is 1 yr. $110.00, 2 yrs. $199.00, 3 yrs. $295.00. All other countries are 1 yr. $150.00, 2 yrs. $250.00, 3 yrs. $300.00. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for shipment. Back issues (except for Encyclopedia issue) $25 each, plus S/H. POSTMASTER: Send all address changes to Modern Plastics Worldwide, P.O. Box 3568, Northbrook, IL 60065 USA.

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 49

SPOTLIGHT

Carpinteria, CA San rancisco

ON HELIX MEDICAL

Oakland San Jose Union City Fresno

California Arroyo Grande

Bakersfield

Carpinteria

Los Angeles

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A contract manufacturer serving the medical market, Helix Medical also produces a proprietary line of finished medical devices, giving the company a unique perspective on the no-compromise demands of the healthcare industry.

Helix’s two hats: Medical device supplier and OEM California’s Silicon Valley is famous, but lesser known is the state’s Silicone Beach, located in and around Santa Barbara, where high technology is applied to a different sector— medical devices. Starting life in Santa Barbara but since moving 13 miles to Carpinteria, contract manufacturer Helix Medical is an important part of the region’s burgeoning healthcare sector and can be considered a charter member of its Silicone Beach. Rob Wilkinson, director of quality, has been with Helix for 15 years, seeing its start in Santa Barbara, as well as its move to Carpinteria at the end of 1993. Today the company has expanded to three contiguous buildings with 65,000 ft2 of manufacturing space, including LIM, compression/transfer, insert, micro, and two-shot molding, plus extrusion, assembly, packaging, and sterilization. In April, it converted a warehouse distribution center into a Class 8 cleanroom, adding eight injection molding machines sized from 40-60 tons and an overhead crane. In addition to supplying molded and extruded components and assemblies to the medical market, Helix is ISO certified 13485:2003 as a finished medical device manufacturer thanks to its InHealth line of Blom-Singer Voice Prostheses and Trache50

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 •

oesophageal Puncture (TEP) products for laryngectomy patients, and a proprietary brand of platinum-cured silicone tubing and fluidhandling components. With that certification comes a requirement to track everything that enters and leaves the building, from raw materials to packaged devices. Nowhere is that more evident than in the company’s document room, where Helix maintains a history for everything it ships, from seven years to the life of the product. Give the company a lot number, and it can give you a product’s complete history from cradle to grave. The fact that it must meet such rigorous record-keeping and manufacturing requirements lends the company credibility when it seeks business with medical device OEMs, according to Chris Woodruff, director of marketing at Helix. “[The device certification] is a very nice asset or confidence point for customers considering contract manufacturing services with us,” he explains, “because they know all the products coming out of Helix Medical, whether proprietary tubing or products made to their drawings, are going to be manufactured under an ISO medical device quality system—it’s a nice differentiator.” Building No. 1 on Helix’s campus houses extrusion of single and multilumen tubing, as well as profiles. At the heart of the Class 7 cleanroom are seven custom-configured extruders, which run

MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE

high-consistency silicone rubber. Material is brought through a positive-pressure room, and for some products, barium sulphate is compounded in to impart radio opaqueness. The tubing, which must be crosslinked, is sent through an infrared light, with surface temperatures measured to assess curing. A tensioning wheel draws tubing in, measures a length, and then cuts, with a twin-access laser micrometer determining the outer diameter. Wilkinson says tubing is extruded as small as 0.06 inch with up to nine lumens. In addition to a Class 8 assembly area with sterile packaging, the extrusion building has a quality control room with a full range of ASTM testing. Building No. 2 houses injection molding, with LSR and thermoplastics running on horizontal, vertical, and even a micromolding unit. In addition to compression transfer molding machines, the company runs vertical and horizontal machines, with three more verticals recently added. Helix, which is owned by elastomeric seal joint venture Freudenberg-NOK, has seen the ranks of medical suppliers swell as manufacturing firms flee struggling markets like automotive, but it still feels the sector is expanding enough to support itself and many additional players. “I think there’s enough general market growth that everyone can pursue his own specialty, or a certain area of medicine,” Woodruff says, adding that Helix alone touches 12 segments within the broader medical sector. Tony Deligio • [email protected] plasticstoday.com/mpw


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