Web-exclusive: Processor Notes (Extrusion)

Novaplast (Istanbul, Turkey), a water pipe and fitting specialist, has been expanding rapidly. Its new plant in Izmit, Turkey is equipped with two new Krauss-Maffei extruders. One is a KME single-screw extruder for PP-R pipe, and the other is a KMD twin-screw extruder for PVC application. These machines will produce pipe from 16 to 250 mm for Novaplast. Novaplast is part of the international Vesbo Group, which markets pipe in 53 countries. The group?s main markets are in Europe and Asia. Novaplast has already invested in K-M production lines for PE, PEX, and PVC pipe and fittings. Annual production of PP-R pipe is around 6500 tons.

Nicholas Plastics (Allendale, MI) has added a profile extrusion company in Monterrey, Mexico. The Nicholas Plastics Group purchased the plant from Grupo IMSA, an international conglomerate with global operations. The new company, Nicholas Plastics de Mexico de R.L. de C.V., has 28 employees at its 25,000-sq-ft factory. The new facility integrates injection molding and extrusion capabilities. In addition to its extrusion operations, the company has secondary manufacturing and assembly capabilities to produce components for sub-assemblies for automotive, consumer, and construction products. The Nicholas Plastics Group plans to continue expanding the company?s position serving markets in Mexico and South America.

Oxford Polymers (New Britain, CT) has increased its twin-screw compounding capacity by 10 million lb/yr. A new 70-mm machine is located at the company?s 100,000-sq-ft facility in New Britain. Oxford thermoplastic compounds target automotive, electronic, industrial, medical, construction, and office furniture markets. Specialty and standard engineering resins compounded include ABS, acetal, nylons, PBT, PET, PEI, PES, PEEK, PPO, PPS, PC, and engineering alloys. Additives include glass, mineral fillers, lubricants, colorants, flame retardants, impact modifiers, carbon fiber, stainless steel, and nickel.

Malish Plastics (Willoughby, OH) reports that it specializes in extrusion of pipe and tubing from a wide variety of materials, including PVC, HIPS, ASA, ABS, TPR, TPU, HDPE, and PP. Malish has an in-house tool shop, and has the ability to match critical roundness, concentricity, straightness, and inside diameter requirements. Malish also produces multidiameter, close-tolerance tubing, as well as coextrusions with wall thickness as specified.

Singapore Polymer Corp. (SPC) has finished relocating its entire compounding operation to a new Singapore site that consists of three completely new manufacturing plants, according to managing director Cheah Sin Hua. From this complex, SPC is supplying processors throughout Asia with vinyl, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), and specialty compounds.

Kintz Plastics (Howes Cave, NY) has increased its twin-sheet thermoforming capabilities. For the uninitiated, twin-sheet thermoforming is the thermoforming of two panels at the same time. Before the panels cool, however, they are pressed together, forming one unified structure consisting of two matched panels. Twin-sheet thermoformed panels compete in appearance, strength, and durability with injection molded or rotational molded plastic parts. Twin-sheet thermoformed panels are used in all-terrain and off-road vehicles, swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, ATMs, vending machines, and a wide variety of other products. Usually only air separates the two sheets that create the finished structure, but the space between the sheets can be filled with insulation for thermal or acoustical insulation. A twin-sheet panel has considerably more strength than a single sheet of thermoformed plastic, and patterns can be built into the design of each side of the twin-sheet panel to create additional vertical, horizontal, or diagonal rigidity. Kintz? new jumbo thermoformer can produce panels up to 9 ft wide by 13 ft long, with a draw (or third depth) of up to 60 inches.

Avery Dennison Industrial & Automotive Products Div. (Troy, MI) is providing interior laminates for the 2004 Ford F150 and the Toyota Solara. Both vehicles feature the company?s Thermark laminate. The Ford F150?s center console uses the Pewter Wave, Brazilian Oak, Dark Mandarin Teak, and Harley Barn Shield laminates. The Thermark reportedly offers a broad processing window for thermoforming, trimming, and molding. The films are specifically designed for application to thermoformed or injection molded parts.

Briefs

Gneuss Kunststofftechnik (Bad Oeynhausen, Germany) a specialist in rotary melt filtration systems, has opened a branch office in Shanghai, China. Detlef Gneuss, managing director of the company, says this was done to serve a large number of Chinese customers. The branch office is located in Shanghai?s new Guangda Exhibition Center.

Wall Colmonoy Ltd. (Pontardawe, Swansea, U.K.) has been certified as conforming to the ISO 9001:2000 management system standards. The company manufactures nickel-based, hard-surfacing alloys and brazing filler metals.

G.R. Chapman and S.R. Oriani of DuPont Dow Elastomers (Wilmingon, DE) have received Patent No. 6,642,310 describing the use of process aids with extrudable, melt-processible polymers.