NEWS
Eastman invests in polyesters
Eastman Chemical has announced multiple projects to support global expansion of its copolyes- ter production capacity. The company is to
increase cyclohexane dimethanol (CHDM) capacity at its headquar- ters site at Kingsport, in Tennessee in the US. The combination of debottle- necking and expansion projects will increase CHDM capacity by 15,000 tonnes/year when com- plete in early 2019. CHDM is an essential feedstock for its polyester and copolyesters, including the Tritan range. The company is also
expanding PETG capacity at its Kuantan site in Malaysia, which produces several copolyesters includ- ing its Spectar and Eastar grades. The project will be complete in Q1 2018 and will increase PETG capacity by around 20%. �
www.eastman.com
Akro-Plastic ups capacity
Akro-Plastic will add two more compounding lines at its main main production plant in Niederzissen, in Germany’s Rheinland-Pfalz region, before the end of the year. One of the lines will be dedicated to production of its ICF carbon fibre reinforced compounds. Both will be supplied by sister company Feddem. The ICF range of com-
pounds, which contain fibres from waste carbon fibre fabrics, are said to combine high strength with minimal thickness for a significant weight reduction. They are claimed to be particularly suitable for load- bearing components. Up to 45% carbon fibre content can be included in com- pounds. The ICF compounds will
be produced on a 52mm FED MTS compounder that incorporates a number of special features. For example, the ICF production requires precise tempera- ture control for optimal fibre dosing, which is achieved using a newly-developed
Investment includes a 52mm line dedicated to carbon fibre compounds
side feeder. The compound- ing line also features electrical protection so the high conductivity of the carbon fibres does not damage the electrical components. Akro-Plastic originally set up the second production hall at Niederzissen in 2012 to house 14 compounding lines, 11 of which were installed in the first four years. The two new lines – the 52mm FED 52 MTS unit for the ICF products and a larger 72mm FED MTS model – will
take capacity to more than 100,000 tonnes/year. n In a separate move, Akro-Plastic’s Bio-Fed subsidiary, which makes biodegradable and bio- based compounds, is expanding its laboratory capacity with the addition of a second blown film line at its site at Cologne in Germany. It said the investment will allow it to offer customers an en- hanced service and faster response. �
www.akro-plastic.com
Toray to compound PPS resins in Europe
Japan’s Toray Industries has decided to build its first European polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) compound production facility at Nyergesújfalu, the Hungarian location of its US subsidiary, Zoltek. Expected to open in March 2018, the new plant will have a capacity of 3,000 tonnes/year. PPS resins are mainly
12
used in automotive electri- cal and powertrain compo- nents, where their high heat and chemical resistance, mechanical strength and inherent flame retardancy are most valued. Demand is growing rapidly in Europe, the company said, in part due to stricter regulations on fuel usage, emissions and vehicle safety.
COMPOUNDING WORLD | September 2017 Toray is the world’s
largest integrated PPS supplier, with global capacity of 27,600 tonnes/ year. It has manufacturing facilities in Japan and Korea (the latter opened in 2016), plus eight compounding sites across Japan, China, Korea, Thailand and the US. The PPS compounds
produced in Hungary will be
marketed by Toray Resins Europe, which is based in Frankfurt, Germany. Zoltek, which claims to be the world’s largest supplier of large tow carbon fibres, will continue to produce its carbon and oxidised fibre products at the Hungarian facility, which was originally established in the mid-1990s. �
www.toray.com
www.compoundingworld.com
PHOTO: FEDDEM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86
