NEWS
Germany’s processors see 5.6% sales drop
Germany’s plastics proces- sors saw a 5.6% sales decline in 2020, according to the GVK trade association. Sector sales stood at €61.5bn, while the total volume of plastics processed by the sector was down 2.8% to 14.2m tonnes. “The ambivalence between confidence and uncertainty among compa- nies, which was already established for 2019, has intensified under the impact of the corona pandemic,”
the GVK said. Around half of the companies it surveyed forecasted sales to rise again in 2021, but said they expect profits to fall. Demand in the packaging
and transport sectors picked up in Q4 2020, the associa- tion said. However, restricted raw material availability and increased raw material prices in these areas “will ensure that the develop- ment will remain fragile in the coming months”. One clear positive has
been an increased public appreciation of the role of plastics in the COVID-19 crisis. GVK president Roland Roth said the industry intends to build on that by publicising its sustainability credentials more. “The GVK and thus the plastics processing industry are not only approaching the challenge of the circular economy as a necessity, but also as an opportunity for innovation,” he said. �
www.gvk.de
Röhm and OQ to invest in MMA
Röhm and OQ Chemicals, the former Oxea, have signed a memorandum of understand- ing to evaluate construction of a methyl methacrylate (MMA) plant on the US Gulf Coast.
Basic engineering is under way on the 250,000 tpa facility, which will be integrated into OQ’s existing site and could be opera-
tional by 2023. Röhm said it aims to make a final investment decision in the first half of this year. The new plant will use Röhm’s proprietary ethylene-based LiMA technology, which is claimed to be the most efficient MMA production technology yet developed. �
www.roehm.com
Polish
plant for Sumika
Sumitomo Chemical subsidiary Sumika Polymer Compounds (SPC) is to set up a new compounding plant in Poland. It will start production in Q1 of 2022 with two lines and will have a capacity of 30,000 tpa of PP compounds. The new 5,500m2 subsidiary is to be located in Poznan, which SPC said is well positioned to service its customers in Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic.
SPC has long-standing
production units in France and the UK. In 2019, it added further production capacity through the acquisition of Turkey’s Emaş Group. The new Polish plant
will lift the company’s European capacity to 170,000 tpa. �
www.sumikaeurope.com
Polykemi concept aims to smooth design
Swedish compounder Polykemi and sister company Rondo Plast — a specialist in recycled plastics — have launched the Complus Concept, which aims to present customers with a pre-selected portfolio of virgin and recycled grades suitable for all parts in an injection moulded assembly. The aim is to allow customers to be able to quickly select and to substitute materials for any individual element at any time during the development of a complex assembly, giving them confidence they will be able to meet performance requirements and will not need to modify or replace moulds. The company cites the example of a
10 COMPOUNDING WORLD | March 2021
Left: Developers of parts such as door panels may benefit from Complus Concept
bly issues if material choices are changed during development. “Our new concept gives the customers an incredible flexibility even far into a project, and the choice
car door panel as a component that could benefit from the Complus Concept. These are typically comprised of a number of individual parts, each with their own demand profile, that must fit together perfectly and may be susceptible to dimensional and assem-
of materials can be adapted during the development work without the costs increasing dramatically. This ensures that the customer can reach the project’s goals faster and in a safer way,” said Complus Project Manager Johan Svenmo. �
www.polykemi.se
www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: POLYKEMI/RONDO PLAST
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