Luxury Packaging
Zotefoams to open new Polish manufacturing site for Azote in 2021
Z
otefoams manufactures a wide range of lightweight, crosslinked block foams using variations of its unique nitrogen expansion manufacturing process. This affords a combination of beneficial characteristics – uniformity, purity, low toxicity and durability – that differentiates Zotefoams’ materials from all other foams. Azote is the group brand name for well- known product lines including Plastazote, Evazote, Supazote and Azote Adapt. The new plant will add 50,000cu m – an increase of some 15% – to Zotefoams’ annual global foam production capacity and the site is large enough to accommodate significant future expansion. Poland is a manufacturing powerhouse, with the sixth largest demand for plastics in Europe. The key industrial consumers of plastic within Poland are product protection/packaging, construction, automotive and electronics, which are all major markets for the Azote polyolefin foams range.
Group CEO David Stirling says: “Following the completion of investment projects in the UK and USA, I am delighted to report that we are also on budget and on track in Poland. The location of the new plant is key in terms of increasing flexibility and
responsiveness through integrated global capacity. With significant foam production capability in the USA, UK and soon in central Europe, Zotefoams will be better placed than ever to serve our customers globally.” Brzeg, in the south west of Poland, is close to major national and trans-European routes, putting it within a few hours’ journey time of many customers and manufacturing hubs in western and central Europe. Poland was identified as a preferred location for expansion ahead of the Brexit vote and last year Zotefoams’ UK site achieved Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status, allowing the company to fast track through certain customs procedures. Azote foams have long been used in a wide variety of applications and industries thanks to their ease of fabrication and purity, with a volatile organic compound (VOC) content minimal compared to that of foams produced by other manufacturers. Azote foams can be routed cleanly to produce the most complex of shapes, are equally suitable for waterjet cutting or even thermoforming, either by compression or vacuum moulding, and continue to be the lightest closed cell foams available. Azote’s consistency and isotropic characteristics enable relatively
higher performance than other foams, such that a 15, 18 or 24kg/cu m Azote foam can outperform a competitor’s 30kg/cu m material, with attendant benefits in terms of weight and material reduction. Plastazote, a low-density polyethylene foam range in the Azote family, has set the standard for packaging, product protection, long-term storage and conservation applications for decades. The regular cell size of Azote foams makes them highly energy absorbent and the ideal material for all types of packaging. They are inert, lightweight, UV stable, flexible, tough, resilient, exhibit outstanding resistance to chemicals and water and are highly pure, not causing any corrosion, staining or tarnishing. The company has recently introduced new grades that are ideal for the luxury market. LD30LX is ideal for product display and optimum presentation. Offering a soft touch and fine cell size of just 0.4mm LD30LX guarantees the aesthetic appeal and ultimate product protection required for luxury goods. High quality Zotefoams foams are produced in a range of densities and a wide choice of colours.
Zotefoams, has also added to its Azote Adapt range with the introduction of LZ40 Matt Black, manufactured by the combination of autoclaves with the latest blowing agent technology in a proprietary process. It promises improved efficiency and appearance combined with better protection of luxury items. LZ40 Matt Black has low VOC content and odour compared with foams manufactured by traditional chemical processes, combined with a smooth matt black finish. These qualities make it the ideal choice to protect and showcase luxury goods.
CEO, David Stirling concludes: “Product protection and packaging is a key market for Zotefoams and we are delighted that – thanks to capacity investments in the UK and USA, as well as the forthcoming opening of a new site in Poland – we are able to offer grades that meet the performance, efficiency and aesthetic requirements of our customers.”
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zotafoams.com
24
November 2020
convertermag.com
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