news
❙ Carclo Technical Plastics reported sales of £57.1m for the year ending in March, slightly ahead of the 2012 result but down on expecta- tions after schedule reduc- tions by one of its key growth customers. Underlying profit was down to £4m (from £2.6m in 2012), impacted by a number of difficult project start-ups. The US market was its best performing during the period and the company is currently investing $5.8m in its main manufacturing plant at Latrobe in Pensylvania, extending its cleanroom capabilities to supply a number of new contracts.
www.carclo.co.uk
❙ Spain’s La Seda de Barcelona – the PET resin producer and parent of packaging producer Artenius PET Packaging Europe – filed for voluntary insolvency last month after failing to reach a new financing agreement with its creditors. Laseda operates 14 production plants and is Europe’s only integrated PET packaging supplier.
www.laseda.es
❙ US-based Vanguard Plastics has taken delivery of a Boy 55E injection machine equipped with energy-saving servo pump drive. The elastomer and silicone injection moulder says it was attracted by the energy saving features, easy-to-use control system and the large mould space provided by the two-platen clamp unit.
www.dr-boy.de
4 news in brief BASF targets composites
BASF aims to capture a major share of the lightweight automotive thermoplastics composites market with the establishment of its new Ultracom materials and technology offering. Ultracom is comprised of
three components: continuous fibre reinforced semi-finished thermoplastic products; specially formulated over- moulding polymers; and complementary engineering support. The first element in the package – the continuous fibre reinforced products – includes a range of woven fabrics and unidirectional tapes impreg- nated with BASF’s Ultramid PA or Ultradur PBT resins developed with Tencate and Owens Corning.
BASF will launch the first
two Ultracom packages at the K show in October. The first targets high stiffness parts and combines PA6 based Ultrala- minate or Ultratape continu- ous reinforcements with its Ultramid G12 COM overmould- ing resin. The second package is intended for crash loaded applications such as seat structures and replaces the overmoulding resin with
Clamcleats opens US operation
UK-based Clamcleats, a manufacturer of rope cleats for the marine and leisure industries, has opened an injection moulding facility in Costa Rica. Operating under the IMATS
name (Injection Moulding and Tooing Services), the new
INJECTION WORLD | July/August 2013 850m2 injection moulding
operation is located at Cartago and will employ around 25 staff by the end of the year. Clamcleats produces its
own range of products but also offers a custom injection moulding service. A spokesperson for the
company said the new plant will initially supply to a long standing local customer in Costa Rica. However, it is hoped the plant will enable it to expand its North American business by allowing it to reduce its lead times. ❙
www.clamcleat.com
www.injectionworld.com
Ultramid ZG7 COM for improved energy absorption. The third element in the package – engineering support – includes part design assistance as well as process development. BASF has configured a fully automated pilot production line in Germany around a KraussMaf- fei injection machine. This uses an interchangeable robotic frame system for handling the semi-finished laminates that is said to significantly raise productivity. An Ultramid overmoulded thermoplastic laminate part is
already in commercial production for GM – the seat pan for its Opel Astra OPC model. According to Andreas Wollny, BASF’s marketing manager for lightweight composites, it is already involved in another project with an undisclosed customer. The company says the
global market for thermoset and thermoplastic composites is expected to grow to around €2bn in the long term. “We see a growing interest in all parts of the world in this type of technology,” said Wollny. ❙
www.basf.com
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