NEWS


KraussMaffei to focus extrusion systems production in Hanover


KraussMaffei is to merge all of its extrusion operations into a single location at Laatzen on the outskirts of Hanover in Germany. Currently, its extrusion activities are spread across sites in Hanover and Munich. The division will begin relocation to the new site – where it is currently building a new R&D centre – in the first half of 2022. By Q3 of that year, around 700 employees will be based at the 67,000 sq m facility. The site will bring pipe


and profile, film and sheet, and rubber and foam extrusion technologies together at a single location. The company will also adopt a new sales structure. “Against the background


AMI study maps out PE market


A new report from AMI maps the world polyethyl- ene film market. Resin supply is migrating to faster growing markets such as India. Asia and Australasia are now the largest production hub for PE film – with China remaining the single largest manufacturing nation. Industrial films account for 38% of production, consumer films around 31%, and other films 31%, said the report. � www.ami.international


6 The new KraussMaffei extrusion location at Laatzen, near Hanover in Germany


of our growth plans, bundling the extrusion activities at one location is the right strategic response to current and future challenges in our industry,” said Volker Nilles, executive vice president for new machinery at KraussMaffei. The move is part of the


largest investment pro- gramme in KraussMaffei’s


180-year history, which includes a new 250,000 sq m facility for its injection moulding, automation and PU systems activities at Parsdorf near Munich. The extrusion R&D centre will occupy a floor area of 10,000 sq m and have 26 extrusion lines available for trials. The lines will be installed in production scale and include


all downstream equipment. The company, which was


acquired by ChemChina in 2016, said that bundling its extrusion activities will result in “substantial product benefits for customers, valuable synergy effects for the company and new opportunities and fields of research for the future”. � www.kraussmaffei.com


North American PVC recycling rose 7% from 2016 to 2019


PVC recycling in the USA and Canada increased by nearly 7% in the three years to 2019. The Vinyl Institute, which


represents the PVC industry in the USA and Canada, says the amount of PVC recycled between 2016 and 2019 rose by 70 million lbs (32,000 tonnes), to reach 1.1 billion pounds (500,000 tonnes). The survey, conducted by


Tarnell Company, found that 958m lbs (435,000 tonnes) of this material was pre-con- sumer and 142m lbs (64,000 tonnes) was post-consumer.


FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | July/August 2021


“The majority of PVC goes into durable products, like PVC pipe, which is in service for decades,” said Ned Monroe, president and CEO of the Vinyl Institute. “For this reason, there’s often less material readily avail- able to be recycled, and less that goes to landfill.” The Vinyl Sustainability


Council (VSC) has set a goal of a 10% increase in post-consumer recycling by 2025 (compared to 2016). This would mean recycling around 160m lbs (73,000 tonnes) of post-consumer


PVC – requiring US$20m- 30m in capital investments, said VSC. Jay Thomas, executive


director of VSC, said: “While challenging, we’re confident this is achievable through industry collaboration.” He said VSC is working


with the Vinyl Siding Institute and the Chemical Fabrics and Film Association on pilot recycling projects in their respective markets. “Initiatives like these will put us on the right track to achieve our goal,” he said. � www.vinylinfo.org


www.filmandsheet.com


IMAGE: KRAUSSMAFFEI


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