NEWS
Biosol adds bio-based plastics
CJ HDC Biosol, a joint venture established last year between CJ CheilJe- dang and HDC Hyundai EP established, has complet- ed construction of a new bioplastic compounding plant at Jincheon in South Korea. The facility, which has a capacity of 11,000 tonnes/ yr, will focus on develop- ment of sustainable materials using a variety of biopolymers, such as amorphous PHA from CJ Biomaterials, as well as cellulose and polylactic acid (PLA). The new plant will help CJ CheilJedang to expand its business area beyond its PHA technology while also enabling HDC Hyundai EP to further consolidate its compound- ing business. CJ Biomaterials, a subsidiary of CJ CheilJe- dang, is the leading producer of amorphous PHA. Softer and more rubbery than crystalline or semi-crystalline forms, it is said to be a good modifier for other bioplastics. �
www.cjbio.net
Entek expands battery separator film capacity
US-based Entek is to expand production capacity of its lithium-ion battery separator materials at its plant in Lebanon, Oregon. The expansion will include the installation of 18 separator film production lines from Brückner. The expansion comes in addition to an earlier plan to expand capacity by 1.4 billion square meters per year – a project that attract- ed a grant from the US Department of Energy. By 2025, Entek says it will have completed its first major expansion of separa- tor production for lithium batteries in the US – with expansion continuing to 2027. When complete, this initial expansion will produce enough separator material for the batteries to power around 1.4 million electric vehicles, it says.
Entek makes battery separator film at its plant in Oregon, USA “We will produce lithium
battery components, using the most advanced tech- nologies, and meeting the cleanest environmental standards in the world,” said Rick Pekala, CTO of Entek. “Brückner’s biaxial stretch- ing film equipment – togeth- er with our material science, coating, recycling, and sepa- rator production expertise – fulfils this.”
Entek’s investment covers the construction of two separate lithium-ion battery separator operations. Karl Zimmerman, director
of sales and marketing at Brückner, added: “We aim to create innovative, sustainable, and reliable plants for battery separator films in America.” �
www.entek.com �
www.brueckner.com
Uflex sales flat in third quarter
Indian packaging giant Uflex reported flat sales in the third quarter of the year. Revenue rose 0.6% to reach around INR3.5bn
(US$425m) for the period. Year-to-date sales were
more positive – up 23% to INR11.4bn (US$1.4bn). Sales volumes rose by
more than one-third for the first three quarters of the year despite a “challenging quarter”. �
www.uflexltd.com
US-based thermoformer doubles plant size
US-based thermoformer CMI Plastics has expanded its Ayden facility in North Carolina by 60,000 sq ft. This will increase the size of the facility to a total of 130,000 sq ft, with space for future expansion, said the company. The company says that the addition
4 FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | March 2023
furthers its goal for complete vertical integration – while creating “a more robust recycling programme”. The expansion strengthens logistics, tooling, and manufacturing while maintainting high-quality, it added. The existing facility uses 14 high- speed inline thermoforming machines
with robotic automation. “This expansion is the culmination of
our teams’ efforts and innovation,” said Stephen Hasselbach, CEO of CMI Plastics.
CMI was founded in 1939 and
relocated operations to Ayden in 2007. �
www.cmiplastics.com
www.filmandsheet.com
IMAGE: ENTEK
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