A collaboration between Audi, compaund specialist Mocom and plastics processing company Winning Plastics has resulted in the mass production of painted grilles made from a blend of recycled polycarbonate and polyethylene terephthalate for the new A3 Sportback and A3 Sedan. Audi aims to increase the use of recycled materials in its vehicles.
Sidel, a supplier of stretch-blow moulding machines and moulds, has once again expanded its range of StarLITE-R bottle moulds made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate in 100%. The shiny and energy-efficient StarLITE-R Premium Bottle Mat is designed for premium-quality bottles for liquid dairy products, flavored water, fruit juices, soft drinks, isotonics and teas.
The aerospace company FACC AG (Ried im Innkreis, Austria) has reported significant advances in thermoplastic composite materials research in recent years. FACC has recently joined the COMPASS project, where it will work with 13 European partners to find a way to efficiently recycle these materials for use in other applications.
French biotech company Carbios and the UK recycling and waste management company FCC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to set up a plant in the UK using Carbios' licensed technology for the biological recycling of PET. The enzyme-based depolymerisation process will facilitate the recycling of all types of PET waste, including polyester-based textiles, which are considered to be problematic.
The Finnish research centre VTT and its partners have opened a pilot plant to convert carbon dioxide into plastics and chemicals - without using oil.
A.P. Moller Holding has launched Vioneo, a new business aimed at transforming the plastics industry. Vioneo will produce fossil-free resins, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of plastic production. Commercial activities are expected to start in 2028.
A critical step in the recycling of post-consumer plastic waste is the sorting of the waste to prepare it for recycling. Recently demonstrated equipment combines high-performance shape, colour and transparency sorting cameras, various sensors, NIR (near infrared) and Raman spectrophotometers and artificial intelligence
After several years of intensive research, a number of chemical recycling technologies have been developed and are now in the large-scale implementation phase. This article describes technologies for the recovery of polyolefins, PLA, PET, car tyres and carbon black. In addition to their own developments, leading companies in the plastics industry are implementing chemical recycling on a large scale through collaborations and acquisitions.
North American company Currier Plastics, a manufacturer of small bottles used in hotel cosmetics, faced serious challenges when government regulations began phasing out single-use plastic packaging. The medium sized injection moulding and blow moulding company was a major player in this sector in North America, 5-6 years ago 35% of its business was in the production of single-use hotel bottles.
Domo Chemicals will be showcasing a range of sustainable innovations at Fakuma, including weight-saving solutions for the automotive industry, watches and eye protection made from discarded fishing nets, and polyamide that is safe to use in contact with food and water.
The market research company Stratview Research (Detroit, Michigan, USA) has published a study on carbon fibre recycling. They show that there is a growing need to integrate carbon fibre into the circular economy. Figure 1 shows the evolution of demand for carbon fibre, production waste and post-consumer waste from 2019 to 2024.
At this year's Fakuma exhibition, Hexpol TPE presented its new base materials in the Dryflex Circular TPE family. These contain Post-Consumer Recyclates (PCR) and/or Post-Industrial Recyclates (PIR).
Butler MacDonald was founded in 1983 as a scrap metal recovery company, and then switched to plastic recovery in the 1980s and '90s, following the emergence of a plethora of plastic products. More recently, the COVID epidemic caused a sudden change in the industry, with a surge in demand for plastics for personal protective equipment, food and drink containers, which inevitably brought change to Butler MacDonald.
Polymers recycled from waste are reprocessed either on their own or mixed with freshly produced polymer. To achieve the desired quality, additives are required for both the recycling and the processing of recycled materials. Their role is primarily to counteract the adverse effects of high temperatures, but additives to aid pre-sorting are also important. As the demand for recycled polymers continues to grow, additive manufacturers are regularly expanding their portfolio.
TOPPAN Inc., RM Tohcello Co., Ltd. and Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. of Japan have entered into a joint collaboration to develop a mass-producible recycled biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film. As one of the milestones of the Japanese government's 2030 strategy is to reuse or recycle 60% of plastic containers and packaging, more and more companies are focusing intensively on recycling.
Until recently, recycling of PVC from consumers has been carried out on a small scale. However, the industry is increasingly addressing this issue, as durable PVC products will eventually reach the end of their useful life and the recycling of single-use PVC products, such as those used in healthcare, is also important.
The European plastics recycling sector is under increasing pressure. In 2023, many recycling companies have been forced to close down and further closures are expected. The downward trend in the European plastics recycling market is a cause for concern. The decline in demand for recycled materials produced in Europe, the fall in investment in recycling and the increase in imports of recycled materials from non-EU countries have virtually strangled the European plastics recycling industry in recent years.
The Biofast project, a collaboration between the Aimplas Plastics Technology Centre, a research group at the University of Valencia and Prime Biopolymers, to accelerate biodegradability studies, has recently been completed.
The HolyGrail 2.0 process, which combines digital watermarking with near infrared (NIR) radiation, has been approved and has demonstrated in industrial trials the successful separation of flexible packaging from waste. Mainly hygiene PE films and food industry PP films were tested.
More than four years after COVID-19, the aftermath of the pandemic is still lurking, as reflected in the annual reports of Plastics Technology Top Shop. By digging deep into these, as well as through visits to plastics processing companies and correspondence with people in the industry, hard data can be obtained, according to the author of the article, which gives a direct insight into the real state of the plastics industry and the mindset of leading plastics processors.
According to the president of the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), which brings together German machinery and equipment manufacturers, the number of orders for German plastics and rubber processing machinery will continue to fall until the end of the year. The sluggish demand is affecting all markets, but especially the European market. The two main markets, China and the US, are also weakening, with faint glimmers of hope for a lower level of decline in Mexico and India.
The German Association for Plastic Packaging (IK) conducted a survey among packaging industry players in the fourth quarter, which produced some sobering results. Industry players also expect more political support for ongoing issues in the future. Nevertheless, the members of the association are optimistic for 2025.
After lengthy negotiations, an agreement has been reached: the United Arab Emirates state-owned oil and gas group ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) will acquire Covestro. The agreement was announced in a press release by the German chemical group. According to the signed investment agreement, ADNOC will make a takeover bid for Covestro at a price of EUR 63 per share, with an expected purchase price of almost EUR 12 billion. Covestro is positive about the agreement reached: it is in the interest of Covestro, its employees, shareholders and all other parties involved. The Executive Board and the Supervisory Board also support the agreement.
The production of some basic products, including specific models and sizes of injection moulding machines, as well as automation and accessories, will move from Austria to Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey. Citing inflation and wage pressures, Austrian injection moulding machinery, accessories and robotics equipment supplier Wittmann announced at NPE2024 that production of several products will be relocated to new sites in Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey.
Experiments have been going on for a long time to make wine bottles from PET. Now Alpla has come out with a new version: in elegant Bordeaux - Optik style. The PET bottle meets consumer expectations, the wine stored in it is enjoyable to drink, and it is in tune with the spirit of the times in terms of climate balance. It is a tenth of the weight of a bottle of the same volume, practical to handle, transport and store. A PET bottle weighs the same as half a bar of chocolate.
Why is there no such thing as a universal extruder pulley?" might be the question asked by those who think that all "plastics" are the same. But different types of plastic can have very different processing properties. The screw performs three basic functions: transporting, melting and feeding or pumping solids. Each of these functions is determined by the specific characteristics of the polymer, namely its thermal, viscoelastic and frictional properties, and its density in solid and slurry states
Additive manufacturing is a promising solution for the production of injection moulding tools, as 3D printing can reduce mould production time and create geometries that would be difficult or almost impossible to create using machining. Examples include conformal cooling channels, which allow for shorter cycle times and better heat treatment to reduce warpage.
Many single-screw extrusion processes benefit from lowering the exit temperature. Examples of such processes are the extrusion of sheets, tubes and profiles, and film blowing. Reducing the extrudate temperature, for example, generally results in better quality sheets.
The article gives a brief description of some common types of foam core materials, moulding methods and tooling requirements. Rigid foam sheets, also known as foam-core sheets, are difficult to thermoform because they usually have an extremely low heat transfer coefficient and a high thermal insulation value.
High temperatures and voltages, electrical shielding and flame retardancy are some of the operational requirements that the new high-performance materials can cope with. Automotive, electronics, aerospace and Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity components are becoming thinner, lighter and smaller, increasing the demands on high temperature resistant polymers and compounds. Recent developments in these applications preserve material stability and mechanical integrity while offering additional performance properties.
The latest developments in recycling extrusion lines address the challenges of plastic waste through technological innovation, regulatory support and industry collaboration. The bottle-to-bottle extruder lines designed by Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim allow all recycled materials to be processed together, even if they have different intrinsic viscosities or bulk densities.
Today's plastics processors can take advantage of 3D printing not just on the factory floor, but throughout the supply chain. They can save time, serve new markets and even fill gaps in the supply chain. Here are eight examples of 3D printing applications:
During the injection moulding process, each parameter affects all the other parameters. In the case of injection moulding failure, identifying the real problem is therefore not so easy. For example, if you see a line forming, you automatically think of excess resin, insufficient clamping force or a defect in the clamping unit, but it could also be that the mould is not filling properly. A delay in identifying the fault can also lead to a delay in delivery.
In the future, bio-plastics will play an important role in the development of the circular plastic economy. As these materials are processed at lower temperatures, the cleaning of injection moulding tools, extrusion equipment or blow moulding tools in bioplastics requires a different process and agents than for conventional resins.
Mayhew Basque Plastics, a division of Mayhew Steel Products, is a manufacturer of punches, chisels and other hand tools. In addition to injection moulding tool necks, it produces cable clamps and other products using custom moulded components, using PA66, fibreglass reinforced PA6 and fibreglass reinforced PP.
The global market for foil capacitors is seeing increased activity and significant growth, driven by the emergence of new energy sources and growing demand for electric vehicles and devices.
Founded in 2022, the Swiss start-up has 9 employees. They have developed a new hybrid fibre with beneficial properties that is thinner than a human hair. As a result, one of its main advantages is that it is significantly lighter than hybrids containing other structural materials such as metals. Antefil has a wide range of applications in the automotive, aerospace, sports equipment and other consumer goods industries. These applications benefit from a lightweight structure.
In agriculture, polyethylene (PE) films are used for a variety of purposes, including increasing crop yields by protecting crops from adverse conditions and reducing the amount of water and chemicals needed in the production process.
In the automotive, aviation, electronics and IoT sectors, the demands on plastics are increasing. While engine compartment components in conventional cars are required to have a lifetime of 3000-5000 hours at 130-150 °C, the lifetime required for electric cars is 10000 hours. Electronics require thinner, lighter and smaller components, often used in high voltage environments.
SABIC has expanded its LNP Lubriloy technology to include new base resins to help plastics processors navigate the changing regulation of PFAS use. SABIC's LNP Lubriloy portfolio of internally lubricated specialty compounds has been significantly expanded with the addition of new base resins.
Polymers reinforced and functionalised with bio-based materials are becoming increasingly popular. Examples of performance additives include lignin, hemp and cellulose. Fibres and particles derived from wood, plant by-products or waste, agricultural crops have long been used as fillers and reinforcing materials in thermoplastics.
The use of mineral fillers reduces costs and carbon emissions, while providing functional benefits. Compared to metals or polymers, their environmental footprint is relatively small. Calcium carbonate, with its long history as a cheaper filler for thermoplastics, is now coming to the fore again as part of the drive for sustainability, as it can reduce carbon emissions from fossil-based polymers.
Nano-scale reinforcing materials - graphene and carbon nanotubes - are already used in very small quantities to a large extent increase the performance of plastics. Intense developments in recent years have also led to significant progress in the dispersion of nano reinforcing materials and cost reduction, allowing for an expansion of industrial applications. Manufacturers of graphene and nanotubes are basing their growth strategy on plastic applications. Under Horizon, the three-year GIANCE project was launched in October 2023 with 23 partners to support the objectives of the EU Graphene Flagship initiative.
French-based vegetable-based food supplier Bonduelle, in collaboration with ExxonMobil and Constantia Drukpol film extrusion company, has developed a recyclable, non-laminated, freeze-tolerant film that fits the company's sustainability goals and meets the strict requirements for frozen food packaging. The project aims to move away from traditional metal laminated multi-component films towards co-extruded polyethylene solutions to improve recyclability and reduce complexity.
For the time being, bioplastics account for 0.5% of the 400 million tonnes of plastics produced. It is forecast to increase from 2.18 million tonnes in 2023 to 7.43 million tonnes in 2028. Significant investments in biofuels production have been made recently, mainly in Asia, but also in other regions.
Agr International is a US company that offers a range of tools for bottle manufacturers. Here are some new products: Process Pilot+ An improved version of the Process Pilot automated control system designed for two-stage stretch blow moulding systems. As in the original model, it uses wall thickness measurements from the Agr Pilot Profiler instrument installed in the machine to continuously monitor the material distribution for each bottle, ensuring its optimum value by adjusting the machine settings to take account of changes in the operating environment (temperature, humidity), preform quality or material, in particular due to the presence of recycled PET (rPET).
The following case study concerns a relatively large injection moulded part produced in different colours from HDPE with a melt flow index of 7.0 g/10 min and a density of 0.952 g/cm3. The supplier of the parts has regularly received complaints about cracking. The assumption was that the cracks could be due to the relatively high mechanical stresses during application. However, when they started to investigate the cause of the problem, a review of the products in stock revealed that cracks had developed spontaneously on parts that had never been used. The defect was not observed on recently manufactured products, but it was observed on 'older' parts, and the longer the workpiece had been manufactured, the more extensive the cracks became.
The long-term success of any business lies in its ability to become better and more efficient again and again. This is no different for injection moulding companies. For them, the key to increasing productivity is to produce as many high-quality, saleable workpieces as possible using the equipment, materials and people available.
Kraiburg TPE has launched hybrid TPE-EPDM compounds for use in automotive gaskets and exterior coatings such as window guide tires and sealing profiles. The compounds offer the adhesion, durability and processability essential for demanding applications, as well as sustainability benefits. According to Kraiburg TPE, the compounds meet the needs of OEMs, Tier 1 and Tier 2 companies and toolmakers interested in the sector.
