From the Sector

Paper Converting Machine Company (PCMC) has announced that its Fusion C is now capable of running Gelflex-EB® CI flexo printing inks at 400 meters per minute.

The marketplace for high-speed CI flexo printing continues to grow, with flexible packaging printers requesting higher-speed presses with greater efficiency. Gelflex-EB® CI flexo inks and Energy Sciences Inc.’s (ESI) EZCure® Electron Beam (EB) are now able to meet customers’ demands on PCMC’s Fusion C, which is part of a series of flexographic printers that significantly reduce energy requirements by utilizing low-power consumption components, designs and operations.

Gelflex-EB® ink technology offers printers a cost-effective path to gain high-resolution print quality that removes more than 90 percent of solvents. It is safe for food packaging and can be used in both traditional reverse-print laminations or as a surface-print ink on multi-layer monomaterial recyclable structures.

International technology Group ANDRITZ has received an order from Pratrivero s.p.a. to supply a new eXcelle batt forming line for their production facilities in Valdilana, Italy. The line will be dedicated to the production of Maliwatt products, used in furnishing, automotive, naval, medical, geotextiles, advertising, clothing, and packaging applications. Installation and start-up are scheduled for the third quarter of 2021.

The ANDRITZ batt forming line includes an eXcelle card and eXcelle crosslapper, a ProDyn™ web profiling correction system as well as a scanning gauge with a closed loop. The ProDyn system combines actions from the card doffers with dynamic speed variation at the crosslapper. This will result in substantial fiber savings and reduction in CV%, providing improved weight evenness in the final product. The ProDyn closed loop will ensure the best possible self-regulation for the equipment and thus enable Pratrivero to produce one of the best product qualities on the market. Pratrivero will be the world’s first company to use the ProDyn technology in the Maliwatt stitchbonding process.

Stitchbond is a nonwoven process made by mechanically interlocking fiber webs with continuous filaments, thus imitating textiles. Stitchbonded products are used in many applications due to their lower production costs compared to woven textiles. Among all the different nonwoven processes in which it operates, ANDRITZ is also a market-leading supplier of batt forming equipment for the stitchbonding processes producing Maliwatt, Malivlies and quilting.

Pratrivero is an important player in the production of nonwoven fabrics using stitchbonding technology.

Oerlikon signs agreement to acquire INglass, a global leader in high precision polymer flow control equipment, to accelerate expansion strategy in polymer processing market

• INglass and its HRSflow Division is a market leader spezialized in hot runner sytems
• Technology is highly complementary to Oerlikon’s existing capabilities in polymer flow control and will expand Oerlikon’s market access
• Acquisition accelerates Oerlikon’s strategy in diversifying its manmade fibers business to expand into the high-growth polymer processing solution market
• Oerlikon renames ‘Manmade Fibers’ Division to ‘Polymer Processing Solutions’
• Acquisition is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2021

Oerlikon, a leading provider of surface engineering, polymer processing and additive manufacturing, announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire Italy-headquartered INglass S.p.A. and its innovative hot runner systems technology operating under its market-leading HRSflow business.

The strategic acquisition is a significant step in expanding Oerlikon’s current manmade fibers business into the larger polymer processing market. The acquisition accelerates and enhances existing organic initiatives to diversify and strengthen the company’s core high-precision polymer flow control capabilities, products and services. The completion of the transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected by the second quarter of 2021.

To reflect Oerlikon’s expansion into a larger high-growth market, the Manmade Fibers Division will be renamed as Polymer Processing Solutions Division. This division will have two business units: Flow Control Solutions and Manmade Fibers Solutions. The busines unit Flow Control Solutions will combine the expertise of Oerlikon Barmag’s existing gear metering pumps business line and INglass’ HRSflow operations. The business unit Manmade Fibers Solutions will continue to focus on growing the existing chemical fiber machinery and plant engineering business, offering plant solutions for the production of polyester, polypropylene and polyamide.

“Our new Polymer Processing Solutions Division and the acquisition of INglass S.p.A. and its HRSflow business are critical components of Oerlikon Group’s growth strategy. We are accelerating our efforts to drive sustainable organic and inorganic growth in all of our businesses. The acquisition enables new synergy opportunities between both Oerlikon divisions in specific end markets such as automotive. With INglass and its HRSflow operations, we acquire leading suppliers in their markets with proven success of their technologies and services,” said Dr. Roland Fischer, CEO Oerlikon Group.

“We firmly believe that within the Oerlikon Group we can further exploit the potential of our hot runner systems technology and, when combined with the capabilities of Oerlikon Barmag gear metering pumps and their melt distribution engineering competence, will position our business as one of the leading precision flow control specialists for multiple applications in a global growth market”, said Antonio Bortuzzo, CEO of INglass S.p.A.

New business unit offers great growth potential

The Oerlikon Barmag competence brand already offers high precision flow control related components, including a large selection of gear metering pumps for textile and non-textile markets. These highly efficient pumps are used in silicone casting, dynamic mixing and oil spraying for the chemical, paint, polymer processing and automotive industries. This double-digit million CHF business, which has grown in recent years, will be merged with INglass’ HRSflow hot runner technologies under the new business unit Flow Control Solutions. HRSflow’s excellent market access to many OEMs in and outside the automotive industry brings significant growth opportunities.

INglass is a leader in automotive and expanding in other sectors

INglass S.p.A. is an internationally operating successful company established in 1987. Its product portfolio includes hot runners as well as engineering and consultancy services for the advanced development of polymer processing products. INglass’ HRSflow hot runner systems are applied in multiple industries from automotive, consumer goods and household appliances to packaging, waste management, construction and transportation.

INglass is headquartered in San Polo di Piave, Italy, near Venice. 2020 revenues of INglass were approximately CHF 135 million and the acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive to Oerlikon’s margins and cash flows. INglass has more than 1 000 employees and 55 sites worldwide, including production plants in Italy, China and the US. Among these sites are INglass’ newly renovated headquarters and production at its primary location in San Polo di Piave near Venice, Italy. The investment modernized the facilities with automated production, underlining the company’s commitment to sustainability and the environment. The other two modern production sites are in Zhejiang (Hangzhou Province) in China and Michigan (Grand Rapids) in the USA.

Following the integration with Oerlikon Barmag’s gear metering pumps business of about 200 employees in Remscheid, Germany, the new Flow Control Solutions business unit will have round about 1 200 employees.

"We see great potential for growth in our new Flow Control Solutions business unit,” said Georg Stausberg, Polymer Processing Solutions Division CEO and Member of the Executive Committee of the Oerlikon Group. “The businesses form the two core growth pillars and benefit from each other in global market development, in modern and digitized production, and in customer services. We also see potential synergies in R&D by combining existing know-how in the field of polymer processing. New technological solutions between hot runner systems and gear metering pumps are conceivable. We also anticipate collaborating more closely with the Oerlikon Surface Solutions Division, particularly in future mobility applications and functional polymer component solutions for the automotive industry. All in all, we will offer our customers innovative and attractive solutions in the field of polymer processing and high precision flow control components.”

Next steps for further diversification of the division product portfolio are already ongoing

Combining the divisions plant engineering and process know how with expertise on high precision flow control components technologies has a significant impact on product quality in nearly all applications, which opens up a platform for further organic and inorganic growth. "We are closely observing the megatrends in the markets and developing new business models to match. In the area of sustainability, covering topics such as circular economy, the recycling of materials using mechanical and chemical recycling solutions, as well as the handling of new, more environmentally friendly and biodegradable materials, we are on the verge of a breakthrough. We are ready to actively participate in these growth areas,” added Georg Stausberg.

“In realigning the Polymer Processing Solutions Division, Oerlikon will continue to apply our successful recipe of a lean organizational structure to efficiently manage the business. This means clear processes, short decision-making paths and competent teams in a diverse and multicultural organization in which everyone can contribute innovatively to create customer value,” said Georg Stausberg.

Baldwin Technology Company Inc. has launched Unlocking Potential, a new podcast series that covers the latest trends, innovations and technologies in key industries—from packaging and converting, to security printing, textile production, film extrusion and more.

The first episode debuted February 1, and it shares the history and evolution of Baldwin, which recently marked 100 years of innovation. Episode 2 features a conversation with Baldwin experts about security printing advancements.

“We are excited to introduce this opportunity to share ideas, insights and educational content with customers, partners and associates around the world,” said Baldwin’s Chief Marketing and IoT Officer Steve Metcalf, who joined Chief Commercial Officer and longtime Baldwin team member Peter Hultberg on the inaugural episode. “In a time when traditional trade shows and conferences are being reimagined, podcasting provides a familiar platform for us to be conversational again.”

Future episodes will delve into the latest in curing technology for specialized manufacturing applications, the transformation of cleaning processes and consumables for printing, and other topics, as markets and industries continue to evolve.

Baldwin Technology’s Ahlbrandt, a leader in providing corona, rotor spray and drying technology for industries including food packaging, textiles and more, has launched the highly efficient Ozone Converter Catalytic Air Purifier (CAP), which cleans exhaust air from corona surface treatment systems. With a catalyst bed of metal oxides, the CAP ensures an ozone-free, environmentally friendly production facility.

Featuring a compact, durable design, the CAP also is modular for easy maintenance and expansion, if needed. As requirements and production conditions change, the catalyst volume is adapted to the exhaust volume of the installed corona surface treatment system. Additionally, the catalyst filter is designed without active carbon, making it nonflammable and very safe, especially when running in high temperatures.

“The new Ozone Converter CAP for corona surface treatment systems is designed to be both very efficient and environmentally conscious, supporting human health and safety,” said Holger Bätz, Production Manager for Ahlbrandt. “These are important values, reflected in all of Ahlbrandt’s technologies and throughout our organization.”

Polyester and its applications are omnipresent in our everyday lives. Whether as beverage bottles, film packaging, high-tech sports shirts or safety belts, polyester excels with its excellent mechanical properties and inexpensive production. However, the constantly rising demand requires responsible handling of global resources. For this reason, it is not only ‘virgin polyester’ generated from crude oil that is exclusively the raw material for manufacturing, so too is polyester recycled from post-production and post-consumer waste. Processing production waste also helps cut raw material, disposal and transport costs, hence increasing efficiency.

BB Engineering has developed an innovative solution for the recycling of post-production polyester fibre waste, called VacuFil. Decades of experience in the areas of extrusion, filtration and spinning systems have been bundled into a new, innovative core component – the vacuum filter. It unites gentle large-scale filtration and controlled intrinsic-viscosity build-up for consistently outstanding melt quality. The attached vacuum swiftly and reliably removes volatile contamination and ensures a controlled IV-increase. Comprising an inline viscosity measuring unit connected with the vacuum unit the IV can be controlled continuously and reliably. Hence, producers are able to generate that specific kind of recycled polyester they need for their application.

New blade edge and integrity sensors save operators time and money

Paper Converting Machine Company (PCMC), part of Barry-Wehmiller, has announced that the Xcut saw, its newest tissue saw, now includes innovative sensors that monitor saw blade condition. This new technology tracks the edge of the blade and monitors it for the earliest indications of a blade crash.

The blade edge sensor monitors the current diameter of the blade, and automatically adjusts functions like grinder depth and other blade wear compensations. This sensor also gathers data that can be used to study the blade wear rate. Using a blade diameter measurement, which is performed in real time, along with the number of cuts and grind parameters, the PLC can fit a regression function to this data to inform the operator of the estimated number of cuts remaining on the blade for a given product diameter. Understanding blade wear allows operators to more easily optimize the process and preplan for blade changes.

In addition, the Xcut saw features a fiber optic blade integrity sensor. A blade with a chip or portion of the edge missing will produce cuts with streaks or shreds that are unacceptable to most producers. The defect is usually detected only after a significant amount of product is cut and potentially passed on to the packaging operations. The material expense, lost production and time it takes to purge the product from the system are costly. During normal operation, the sensor is covered by the blade. If at any point the sensor becomes uncovered, it puts the saw into emergency stop mode. The sensor would only become uncovered if the blade crashes or breaks. The emergency stop prevents further damage to the saw caused by slinging blade fragments.

“The blade edge technologies, along with the many other innovations on the Xcut, make the saw easier to maintain and safer to operate,” said Jonathon Zahn, PCMC’s Lead Mechanical Engineer for the Xcut. “Ease of use and operator safety are always goals when developing new products at PCMC.”

• Launched by SCOTT Sports Racing Team with Sitip, Rosti and ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei

The collection was designed starting from the needs of the athletes with the aim to offer them the best solution in terms of style and ergonomics, high performance, easy maintenance and perfect fit being also sustainable.

Ispo 2020 saw the celebration of the partnership started last year between Scott Racing Team, Rosti, Sitip and ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei for the supply of the team riders’ uniforms. Rosti worked on style and packaging, Sitip on technical fabrics ‘BE-HOT - Heat Generating fabrics’, while ROICA™ provided its premium stretch ingredient. The collaboration carries an interesting news: uniforms are not just highly performing but also, and above all, sustainable.

Sitip created the Native fabric entirely made with recycled yarns and featuring the premium high performing  ROICA™ EF elastomer. The yarn is certified GRS - Global Recycled Standard certification (and also provides special dyeability) with Rosti’s design and high care garment manufacturing.

The main rider of Scott Racing Team Italy, the young and award-winning champion Juri Ragnoli, the “end user” of the uniforms, explaines the requirements that garments should possess in order to meet the sporting challenges that await athletes: breathability, comfort on the skin, performance, durability of the shape and maintenance of the characteristics throughout the course of use of the garment. When asked about the arrival of a new sustainable uniform, the champion said that “it’s right and important to take this direction, which perfectly meets the team’s values, as love for nature and respect for the environment. It will be nice to wear something that follows exactly what you believe in”.

This September’s Cinte Techtextil China will once again provide a strong barometer of the state of the global technical textiles industry, and in particular which sectors in Asia as a whole, and China specifically, are performing well. Two of these for certain are Buildtech and Mobiltech, with a number of leading global and Chinese brands exhibiting to eager buyers from these sectors.

Cinte Techtextil China is Asia’s leading biennial fair for the technical textiles and nonwovens sector, and will feature an expected 500-plus total exhibitors from around 20 countries & regions from 4 – 6 September. The fair offers products and technologies for 12 application areas* which cover the entire industry.

Buildtech benefits from Belt & Road and other infrastructure investment

With a huge boom in national and regional infrastructure projects, the market for Buildtech products, especially geotextiles and construction textiles, is rapidly expanding. In particular, the government’s global Belt & Road project, as well as continued investment at home in highways, high-speed rail and more, is fuelling this expansion. According to CNITA, in 2017 China started 35 new railway projects, with additional private capital investment in this sector totalling some USD 53 billion that year. The same investment in highway construction increased 17.7%, while water conservation project investment by private firms reached a new record of USD 105 billion.

With this potential in the Asian market, it’s no surprise a number of new exhibitors will feature in the Buildtech sector at the fair, including FPC Technical Textile from Saudi Arabia, Kobe-cz from the Czech Republic, as well as Lenzing Plastics, while Johns Manville are one of the returning exhibitors this year.

• FPC Technical Textile (Saudi Arabia) produce high-end specialty fabrics including PVC coated fabrics and fibre glass PTFE fabrics, and will focus on the latter at the fair.
• Kobe-cz (Czech Republic) will showcase their nonwoven fabrics, mainly from glass fibre with temperature resistance up to 800°C.
• Exhibiting for the first time at the fair with their Plastics division, Lenzing (Austria) will feature their technical laminates for building industries, roofing membranes, vapour barriers, isolation facings and barrier packaging, as well as PROFILEN® PTFE yarns, films and fibres at Cinte Techtextil.
• Johns Manville’s (US) products on offer include polyester spunbond, PP & PBT meltblown, glass fibre nonwovens, micro glass fibre nonwovens, hybrid nonwovens, glass fibre needle mat and glass microfibers.

Mobiltech benefits from huge increases in automobile production in China

With new textile innovations and application possibilities spreading throughout the automobile industry, coupled with the fact China is the world’s largest auto producer, Cinte Techtextil is the place to see the latest products and technologies for this sector this September. Automobile production in China reached 29 million units in 2017, an increase of 3% year-on-year. Staggeringly, new-energy vehicle production grew by 53% last year, while SUVs and commercial vehicles increased 13.81% and 13.95% respectively.

With such strong growth in China, a number of leading international Mobiltech producers, as well as top domestic suppliers, will be at Cinte Techtextil this year, including:

• Abifor (Switzerland): their focus at the fair is on products designed for automotive, construction and other technical applications, in particular their specialty hot-melt powders. The company has its own production unit in Shanghai, and reports that an increasing number of domestic customers are starting to focus on more sophisticated products.
• SKS Group (Sweden): will showcase high performance single end yarn for automotive and industrial hoses, and single end cord for automotive and industrial belts.
• Swisstulle (Switzerland): will have a range of products on offer for automotive, rail and aviation uses, including sunshade materials, nets, tube reinforcements and new possibilities for luggage compartment covers.
• Windel Textile Far East (Germany): with production undertaken in China, this German firm offers textile greige, half-done and finished materials. They offer nonwoven, knitted and woven fabrics (substrates), and glass fibre solutions. At the fair, they will showcase substrates for adhesive tapes / wire harnessing tapes, and Maliwatt- and coagulated microfibre fleece for covering vehicle interiors.
• Protechnic (France): they will feature hot melt thermoadhesive nets, webs and films, as well as laminating process in automotive and other industrial applications at Cinte 2018.
• Kuangda Technology Group (China): having supplied products for global brands such as Volkswagen and Audi, this Chinese supplier will offer automotive interiors, including interior fabrics, seat covers and cushions at the fair.
• Shanghai Shenda (ShanghaiTex Group) (China): specialising in automotive interior textiles, they manufacture a full range of products including grey car carpet, moulding car carpet, head liners (warp-knitting and nonwoven), seat belt, seat fabrics and more, and have supplied the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen and GM.

Cinte Techtextil China is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Nonwovens & Industrial Textiles Association (CNITA). To find out more about the fair, please visit: www.techtextilchina.com.

Packaging solution made of 100% plastic recyclate delivers circular economy proof point
Borealis, a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers, announces the successful launch of a new packaging solution produced entirely with post-consumer recycled (PCR) material. Developed in close collaboration with the German consumer and industrial goods company Henkel and two additional value chain partners, this truly sustainable packaging solution is further evidence of how mtm plastics GmbH, a member of the Borealis Group, is helping increase the circularity of plastics. The launch has significance for the consumer goods industry because the robustness of this new packaging solution provides further evidence that plastic recyclate is indeed suitable for a variety of demanding packaging applications, in this case a popular adhesive brand marketed by Henkel.

Value chain collaboration yields plastic bottle and nozzle composed of 100% PCR material
In 2016, Borealis acquired leading German recycler mtm plastics GmbH, which is now a member of the Borealis Group. By leveraging their respective areas of expertise and decades of experience as a virgin polyolefins producer and “upcycler”, respectively, Borealis and mtm plastics are exploring new growth opportunities with joint forces.

A success story originating from this exploration is a recently completed pilot project with Henkel, the global leader for adhesives, sealants and functional coatings. The companies have worked to develop a new packaging solution based on recycled material for the Made-at-Home all-purpose glue bottle and cap, which Henkel is marketing under its well-known Pattex brand.  The aim was to replace the virgin plastic material traditionally used for this packaging with a recyclate-based resin. The resin, however, had to fulfil the diverse material demands for packaging of an adhesive product.

After extensive and joint application development, a new bottle was developed with the proprietary mtm product Purpolen® PE, a high-quality polyethylene regranulate produced by mtm at its facilities in Niedergebra, Germany. Value chain partner KKT Kaller Kunststoff Technik GmbH, a plastics processor also based in Germany, manufactured the bottles. For the three separate components of the adjustable applicator nozzle, which is used for both filigree and wide-area gluing, high-quality Purpolen® PP polypropylene regranulate produced by mtm was identified as the ideal solution. German plastic components manufacturer bomo trendline Technik GmbH produced the applicator nozzles.

The new Pattex Made-at-Home packaging solution successfully passed extensive application tests, including a three-month storage test and other tests of mechanical properties. It was launched on the European market in 2018.

“Our commitment to leadership in sustainability is deeply embedded in our companies´ values,” explained Matthias Schaefer, Project Manager for Global Packaging Engineering at Henkel Adhesive Technologies. “We are at the forefront of the industry when it comes to new sustainability strategies in packaging.  Thus, we identified Pattex Made-at-Home as a candidate for exploring the use of recyclate instead of virgin plastics. This constructive collaboration with our partners proves the viability of 100% PCR material for an adhesive product like Made-at Home. It also underscores our efforts at Henkel to drive leadership in sustainability in the consumer goods sector.”

“As a virgin polyolefins producer, Borealis is thrilled to be among the pioneers in using plastic recyclate in new applications,” says Günter Stephan, Head of Borealis Circular Economy Solutions. “Even though momentum is gaining in the drive to increase the circularity of plastics, we still need to prove without a doubt within the industry that using recyclates – and even 100% PCR – is a suitable and effective option, even for demanding applications. Thanks to this successful value chain cooperation with our partners Henkel, KKT and bomo, we are giving plastics a second life and are thus one step closer to the goal of a more circular economy of plastics.”