Strictly-Extrusion

Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., USA has developed a new olefinic oxygen-scavenging polymer (OSP) system for flexible or rigid packaging. In multilayer structures, the OSP can be used as an active barrier layer between a passive oxygen barrier such as nylon, EVOH or PET and an inside layer such as PE or ionomer. The OSP system is a blend containing about 90% ethylene methyl acrylate cyclohexene methyl acrylate (EMCM) copolymer. Start-up of a commercial production unit is scheduled for July 2000.

The European consortium Brite-Euram III has developed complementary materials, additive and equipment technologies for laser-decorating plastics without harming the surface quality. The project was started in 1997 to
develop a new, highly flexible decoration technology for colored plastics, painted plastics and plastics finished with decorative foils. The consortium consists of DSM, the Netherlands (developing of various laser-markable thermoplastic formulations), Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Switzerland (pigments that change color under laser illumination), Kurz GmbH & Co., Germany (laser-markable hot-stamp foils), Lambda Physik, Germany (multi-wavelength generation laser), Orga Kartensystems GmbH, Germany (laser marking system) and the Universities of Cardiff in the U.K., Amsterdam in the Netherlands and the Limburg University Centre in Diepenbeek, Belgium.

Film and bag maker Advance Polybag Inc., USA has invested approx. US$10 million to build and equip a new 75,000-square-foot plant in Las Vegas to serve West Coast markets. According to the company Las Vegas was chosen due to favorable shipping rates and air-emission regulations.

Macfarlane Group, Scotland has purchased two small British film extruders and has also launched its first packaging plant in Eastern Europe. The company paid US$3,87 million for polyethylene film extruder and packaging converter Marpak Ltd. of Leeds, England and film extruder and printer Monospec Ltd., Wales.

The only 4-year old company ECM Plastics Inc., USA has expanded the space for its compounding operations by acquiring a plant for US$ 2,8 million in Worcester, Mass. in which it had been leasing space.

BASF, Germany intends to expand the capacity of its Ecoflex brand, a polyester based material. A location for the new 22 million-lb/yr commercial plant has not selected yet.

Pipelife International is expanding its activities in China and has formed a new joint venture with local partner Changzhou Reinforced Plastics Factory. The venture, Changzhou Pipelife Reinforced Plastic Pipe Co. Ltd., will consist of one of Pipelife´s existing Chinese pipe plants in Shanghai, plus a plant of CRPF in Changzhou.

According to Battenfeld Gloucester Engineering Co.,USA there is a strong demand for seven-layer blown-film dies for high-barrier packaging. A total of 30 such dies has been sold since 1992, seven in just the last six months. Many processors improve their existing five-layer systems by adding two thin layers of nylon and using less EVOH barrier layer in a structure of PE/tie/nylon/EVOH/nylon/tie/PE. The nylon adds stiffness and oxygen barrier and is less expensive than EVOH.

Ensinger GmbH, Germany is reportedly the only manufacturer who can offer Victrex-PEEK boards with a width of 1000mm. Available are “Tecapeek natur” and “Tecapeek PVX” (modified version) with a thickness of 16mm and 50 mm. According to the company the new dimensions contribute to avoid waste and are therefore an important cost factor. Samples with a thickness of 20mm are available.

Dimex Kunststofftechnik, Germany has purchased the Austrian competitor Accord-Profil. Dimex, a subsidiary of Munich-based MD Bau Holding AG, is a manufacturer of window and door profiles with a turnover of Euro 25 million.