From the Sector

The ITA spin-off SA Dynamics has been nominated for the semi-finals of this year’s Rice Business Plan Competition (RBPC), one of the world’s most prestigious start-up competitions, held at Rice University in Houston, Texas.

Out of 550 applications from around the world, only 42 teams were accepted to take part in the competition. SA Dynamics impressed the judges with its technology and business model, reaching the semi-finals as one of the top 15 teams.

The RBPC also offered SA Dynamics the opportunity to engage closely with leading international coaches and investors. The insights gained and networks established will strengthen the company’s future development in the long term.

“Making it into the top 15 out of 550 applications and 42 teams at the RBPC is a testament to everything we work towards every day. We are incredibly proud of our team and grateful for every conversation, every challenge and every new connection we made in Houston.”— SA Dynamics Team

“We warmly congratulate SA Dynamics on its outstanding achievement,” emphasises Professor Dr Thomas Gries, Director of ITA. “This excellent result impressively underscores the high quality of our research and teaching at the ITA. We look forward to continuing to support SA Dynamics on its journey.”

Solid Air Dynamics develops bio-based and recyclable high-performance fibres for aerogel-based thermal insulation, thereby driving the transition towards more powerful and sustainable materials, and was the winner of the KUER business plan competition.NRW 2023, won the Techtextil Innovation Award 2024 and runner-up in the RWTH Innovation Award in 2026.

At the upcoming Plastics Recycling Show Europe in Amsterdam on May 5–6, BB Engineering will present its portfolio of PET recy-cling technologies. The German machinery manufacturer will once again focus on textile recycling and melt filtration.

Versatile Portfolio with a Focus on Textiles
The company’s product portfolio includes components and sys-tems for the production of films and synthetic fibers, as well as for PET recycling. With extruders, various filters, and complete spin-ning and recycling plants, the company possesses extensive ex-pertise in plastics processing and can offer comprehensive PET recycling solutions from a single source. Based on its experience in the synthetic fiber industry, BB Engineering places a special fo-cus on textile recycling (PET). BB Engineering will highlight its VacuFil® and COBRA® systems at PRSE.

VacuFil® Visco+ - PET LSP recycling 
The VacuFil® PET recycling plant combines gentle large-area fil-tration with precise IV adjustment, thereby ensuring consistently outstanding rPET melt quality. 

From bottle-to-bottle to 100% fiber-to-fiber: Thanks to its modular design, VacuFil® can be exactly tailored to individual requirements. A wide variety of PET feedstocks — such as flakes, textile waste, fiber waste, or start-up lumps — are processed reliably, while the IV is specifically adjusted to the desired end product.

At the heart of the system is the patented Visco+ component. Us-ing liquid-state polycondensation, it reliably removes volatile con-taminants and delivers an exceptionally homogeneous melt with a viscosity of ±0.01 dl/g — up to 50% faster than comparable LSP systems. Depending on the throughput, a viscosity increase of up to 30% can be achieved. 

Continuous process monitoring via an online viscometer ensures a stable and reproducible output. VacuFil® has a capacity of 150 to 4,000 kg/h.

COBRA® sets new standards in melt filtration
With the development of its latest melt filter COBRA® BB Engi-neering has created a clear solution to the growing demands of the recycling industry. The goal: to reliably handle even high levels of contamination, simplify filter changes and cleaning, and at the same time significantly reduce operating costs. 

The result is a high-performance system that combines continuous large-area filtration with automated, chemical-free intermediate cleaning. Two filter cartridges with automatic switching ensure stable, safe, and uninterrupted operation — even at high contami-nation levels where conventional candle filters or screen changers reach their limits.

A key advantage lies in the integrated cleaning system: it signifi-cantly extends the service life of the filter media while simultane-ously reducing operational effort, melt losses, and energy con-sumption — all without the use of chemicals. This not only en-hances process reliability but also sustainably lowers operating costs.

Thanks to its high flexibility, COBRA® is suitable for both coarse and fine filtration. In addition to its use in PET recycling, the sys-tem also offers great potential for increasing efficiency in other ap-plications, such as plastic spinning, and can be easily retrofitted there.

Qeeboo marks its tenth anniversary with a special project dedicated to its most iconic product: the Rabbit Chair, designed by Stefano Giovannoni.  
 
Launched in 2016 at the brand’s debut, the Rabbit Chair has become a defining symbol of Qeeboo, blending iconic design and emotion into a distinctive and recognizable language. 
  
To celebrate this milestone, the company invited designers who have contributed to its history to reinterpret this product through their own vision, exploring new expressive possibilities across the diverse languages of contemporary design.  
 
Among the participants are some of the most prominent figures on the international design scene: Estudio Campana, Furf Design Studio, Elisa Giovannoni, Richard Hutten, Studio Job, Marcantonio, Maum Studio, Studio Nucleo, Marco Oggian, Marcel Wanders, Nika Zupanc.  
 
The results are unique, handcrafted pieces that will be auctioned during the exhibition and sold through the Paris-based auction house Piasa, highlighting the exclusive and artistic value of the initiative. 
 
The exhibition will be open from Tuesday, April 21 to Sunday, April 26, from 10 AM to 7 PM, at the Qeeboo Loft in via Stendhal 35, Milan.  
 
With this project, Qeeboo renews its commitment to promoting emotional, positive, and unexpected design, looking toward the future with the same curiosity and innovative spirit that have defined its first ten years.