Recycling bins in London get LCD displays

Normally, the recycling bins that we see around us encourages us to separate the trash into plastics, paper, glass and “others” – and they are just one step above the trash bin “social ladder” simply because of a greener cause. Not so with London’s latest recycling bins, where these will sport dual-screen LCD displays. Meant to be bomb-proof, these high tech trash bins are expected to make their presence felt all over London – around 25 of these will be installed in due time before the 2012 London Olympics kick off, where each of them will cost the taxpayer approximately $1,880 a pop. What makes these bins so smart? First of all, they have integrated Wi-Fi connectivity, so it makes perfect sense if the authorities might actually have plans up their sleeves to turn it into a wireless hotspot for the masses.

Expect to see these smart trash bins debut in other metropolitan cities such as New York, Singapore and Tokyo in due time, especially in the financial districts. After all, there is nothing quite like catching up with the latest on the stock exchange while you are about to dispose of that piece of rubbish, right?

Source : www.ubergizmo.com

• Start-up of three new production plants

• EUR 70 million total investment in site

• 300 new jobs created

LANXESS expands Jhagadia site to serve booming Indian market

Leverkusen/Jhagadia - LANXESS is continuing to expand its Indian production site in Jhagadia, Gujarat state. The specialty chemicals group is underlining its commitment to the subcontinent by inaugurating three new plants this month to serve the growing India market. LANXESS has invested over EUR 70 million and created roughly 300 new jobs at the site.

Today, the company’s Semi-Crystalline Products business unit started production at the site’s new plant for high-tech plastics used by the automotive industry, including leading car manufacturers Tata Motors, Volkswagen and Ford.

Furthermore, the Material Protection Products business unit inaugurated a plant for biocides used in the construction industry. LANXESS subsidiary Rhein Chemie also started up a plant for release agents and additives used in the manufacturing of tires and rubber products. Both plants were relocated from a former site in Madurai, Tamil Nadu state, during the course of last year.

The site already includes a facility for ion exchange resins, used in water purification, and a rubber chemicals plant serving the tire and rubber processing industries. Both started up production in 2010.

“LANXESS is heavily investing in the Indian subcontinent and this commitment has already paid off: We surpassed our 2010 sales already in the first nine months of 2011,” said Werner Breuers, Member of the Board of Management of LANXESS, at the inauguration ceremony. “By concentrating many of our assets in Jhagadia, we are creating a specialty chemicals hub catering to the booming local market and the Asia region – and there is potentially further room at the site for expansion.”

The Indian economy is expected to grow by eight percent this year, driven by strong demand for premium products for the automotive, tire and construction industries. Global automakers, as well as their suppliers, are already active in India and are investing in new plants on the subcontinent. The growing middle-class in India is driving the trend towards greater mobility. The country’s automotive industry is expected to grow by 9.5 percent this year.

LANXESS is tapping into India’s growth with its flagship brands for high-tech plastics Durethan (polyamide) and Pocan (polybutylene terephthalate), which represent a lighter-weight plastic alternative to metals. In addition, they enable carmakers and car parts suppliers to realize considerable savings by providing less costly production methods and easier assembly. LANXESS will be showcasing its high-tech plastic products and innovative technologies at a 300-square-meter-booth at the Plastindia Exhibition from February 1 to 6. Axel C. Heitmann, Chairman of the Board of Management, and Board Member Werner Breuers will be attending.

Serving the construction and tire industries

The material protection products manufactured at the new plant include the Preventol range of antimicrobial compounds. These preserve paints, coatings and plasters and protect materials like wood from bacteria, fungi and yeasts. LANXESS is a leading producer of biocidal active ingredients and formulations. The annual capacity of the plant is 2,000 metric tons.

Rhein Chemie will produce the pre-dispersed rubber additive Rhenogran and the environmentally-friendly release agent Rhenodiv in Jhagadia. Rhenogran is used in the production of tires and other rubber products. Rhenodiv is used to prevent rubber vulcanizates from sticking to their molds, thus enabling smooth, automated processes. The annual combined production capacity of the plant is 2,500 metric tons.

State-of-the art site

Jhagadia is LANXESS’ second largest production site in India after its site in Nagda in Madhya Pradesh state. Jhagadia is a state-of-the-art, 18-hectare-site and the production facilities have been set up with the most recent technology. It also offers many geographical advantages for the products sold by LANXESS. It has excellent links to international ports, which ensures a reliable supply of raw materials for the production facilities as well as rapid delivery to customers outside India.

Jhagadia is the model of an environmentally friendly site. Strict standards are applied throughout, and wastewater is pre-cleaned in a separate wastewater treatment plant before being released into the chemical park’s final treatment system. Furthermore, LANXESS uses a highly efficient, natural-gas-powered cogeneration plant for the company’s own energy needs.

LANXESS not only expanded its Jhagadia site this month, but also opened its new head offices in Thane, Maharashtra state. It will be home to 225 employees and was designed in accordance with LANXESS’ commitment to sustainability. For example, energy-efficient glass was used in the windows, and the building includes a rain water harvesting system. LANXESS currently employs roughly 860 people in India and achieved sales of EUR 184 million in the first nine months of 2011.

LANXESS’ commitment to India complements the “Year of Germany in India 2011-2012”, which was officially opened by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in New Delhi in May 2011. During this series of events, Germany will stage presentations in seven major Indian cities to highlight its role as an innovative, creative and sustainable partner for India. LANXESS will be showcasing its high-tech products designed to meet the challenges posed by the ongoing urbanization of in India at the exhibitions in Mumbai and New Delhi.

LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 7.1 billion in 2010 and currently around 16,100 employees in 30 countries. The company is at present represented at 47 production sites worldwide. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals. LANXESS is a member of the leading sustainable indices Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) World and FTSE4Good.

Source : corporate.lanxess.com

Why America Shouldn't Focus on Manufacturing

Instead of watching President Obama’s the State of the Union speech last Tuesday, I elected to read the transcript the following morning. I find this approach favorable – it removes emotion (and annoying pauses for clapping) and allows me to focus on the main points. There was one reoccurring theme that drew my attention more than others: the focus on revitalizing American manufacturing. All politics aside, the focus on manufacturing is concerning.

The U.S. began as an agricultural economy. Through the Civil War, tobacco, cotton, corn and wheat were the primary outputs. But the growth of railroads in the 1800s, coupled with ongoing industrial innovation, urbanized America and facilitated a shift towards manufacturing and industry. By the late-1800s the U.S. had become the largest manufacturer of goods in the world. This was a period characterized by significant wealth creation and improving standards of living – electricity and telephones became commonplace. Manufacturing continued to play the dominant role until World War II, after which services gained in prominence. Global competition was on the rise and U.S. companies needed higher margin alternatives to manufacturing. Now, the service sector represents the lion’s share of economic output. Manufacturing and agriculture represent less than 20 percent and 2 percent, respectively.

A competitive advantage is a staple of Economics 101 and an easy concept to grasp. It’s simply an advantage one company has over another in a competitive industry. By exploiting it, a business is able to generate better growth and economic results than rivals. Maybe it’s superior technology, economies of scale, or greater access to raw materials. There are many forms, but without a competitive advantage a company cannot expect to generate excess earnings over the long-term. Competition will eventually increase and erode profitability. While a little more complex, this same concept can be applied to countries.

But what possible competitive advantage can the U.S. maintain in manufacturing? Do we somehow have a leg up with respect to workforce training? Better manufacturing technology? There’s nothing we have that another nation cannot easily obtain or replicate. And in all likelihood they can do it at lower costs. It seems irrational, then, to place such high focus on supporting such an industry. There may be areas where the U.S. holds distinct advantages over others, and if so, we should absolutely cultivate these advantages. Maybe a company has closer proximity to market, or niche expertise. The problem is, most are fleeting when it comes to manufacturing. In other words, it’s only a matter of time before someone else catches up and can do it for cheaper. That’s the price we pay for having a higher standard of living than most – it’s difficult to maintain this standard with a commoditized industry where cost is the only differentiating factor.

And what would happen if we all simultaneously decided to buy only American manufacturing? Well, you can kiss your iPhone goodbye – and probably your computer as well. Most of these products are manufactured in Asia, and by the same company: Hon Hai Precision Industry. But when you look at Hon Hai’s margins, they are laughable in comparison to Apple’s. Why? Manufacturing is a low-margin industry. Hon Hai fails to generate large profits even though it enjoys much lower labor costs. According the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, compensation costs for manufacturing in Taiwan (where Hon Hai is based) were $8.36 per hour in 2010. They were $34.74 in the United States. So if production was shifted back home, that $500 laptop may all of sudden be out of reach for many Americans. It could become cost prohibitive for schools to upgrade technology and improve education. Point being, there are benefits to globalization many of us take for granted.

So if not manufacturing, what competitive advantage does the U.S. hold relative to the world? Innovation. America maintains its status not just through the size of its economy or military might, but through the very fabric of its citizens and the spirit of entrepreneurialism that exists nowhere else in the world. The U.S. fosters an environment that rewards risk taking and new ideas. It is out of this innovation we transitioned from agriculture to manufacturing, and from manufacturing to services. We continue to move up the value chain, and this is where we should place focus. So if we’re offering tax breaks and incentives for commoditized manufacturing companies, we better make darn sure we do the same for service and technology firms. The last thing we want is to choke off America’s ability to attract the brightest and most ambitious minds – innovation is what makes this country great.

Where it makes sense, America should be a leading manufacturer. Let’s make absolutely sure we give our manufacturers a level playing field. Let’s make sure we don’t provide tax incentives to take manufacturing abroad if it shouldn’t be. But let’s also be careful not to let our government dictate where we grow as an economy. There is a reason a great company like Apple stays focused on innovation and leaves the manufacturing to someone else – it is the path to greater wealth.
Brendan Erne serves as a Research Analyst with Personal Capital Advisors. He has over 8 years of industry experience, spanning almost all levels of the investment process, including several years at Fisher Investments as an equity analyst covering the Technology and Telecommunications sectors. He also helped manage a large cap growth portfolio and co-authored Fisher Investments on Technology, published by John Wiley & Sons. Additionally, he has extensive experience in portfolio construction and was responsible for overseeing the implementation of many tax sensitive and customized portfolios. Brendan is currently a 2012 Level III CFA Candidate.

Source : www.thefiscaltimes.com

Coca-Cola to invest $1bn in Mexico in 2012

Coca-Cola intends to pump in around $1bn in Mexico in 2012, as part of the company’s $5bn investment plan.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos CEO Muhtar Kent said the company will soon directly employ more than 1,00,000 people in Mexico.

The cola major currently employs 93,000 people directly and another 800,000 indirectly in Mexico, which makes it one of the largest employers in the country, reported Latin American Herald Tribune.

The Atlanta-based company has doubled the size of its product range in the country over the past six years and now offers 60 brands and 400 products.

Mexico president Felipe Calderon Hinojosa said the US beverage giant’s decision to expand its investments in Mexico ‘will give a strong boost to the economy’ and provide ‘more and better jobs for Mexicans.’

The Coca-Cola offers nearly 500 sparkling and still brands. The company’s portfolio includes 12 other billion dollar brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply and Georgia Coffee.

The company, which produces sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees, has operations in more than 200 countries at a rate of nearly 1.6 billion servings a day.

Source : softdrinks.drinks-business-review.com

'Performance' Car Seat Eliminates Steel

Plastics and chemical giant BASF and automotive supplier Faurecia have co-developed a car seat backrest that integrates the seat frame and back panel into a single structure. The composite backrest reduces the need for foam, eliminates metal almost entirely, and simplifies — read shortens — the trimming process. It also saves weight.

The concept Performance Seat, along with a concept 100-percent plastic wheel made of BASF’s impact-resistant polyamide Ultramid Structure material, were displayed at the recent North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Paris-based Faurecia already demonstrated the Performance Seat at the LA Auto show in November.

Aimed at smaller and midmarket vehicles, the Performance Seat weighs 20 percent less than conventional seats made with steel frames and is 30 percent thinner. It is also designed with esthetics in mind: Its materials were inspired by sportswear and fashion design.

The outer frame’s composite material consists of nylon, continuous glass-fiber reinforcement, and a metal recliner adapter combined via an injection molding process. It provides the necessary support to pass crash tests and contains a thin, flexible seat area within the industry’s first “compliant shell,” consisting of the back panel. This shell conforms to differing body sizes, shapes, and postures of driver and passengers by changing as people move in the seat. The shell was inspired by office furniture with flexible thermoplastic support. Instead of being covered and hidden by foam and fabric, the structure is exposed to view like an architectural element. The eliminated material further reduces space and weight.

The compliant shell eliminates 75 percent of the foam used in today’s cushioning in car seats. In addition to the backrest, the Performance Seat includes a plastic cushion module, which Faurecia co-developed with Rhodia SA.

A thin pad of foam and fabric covers both the backrest and the plastic cushion module. Faurecia bonds the fabric to the foam using a technology called “cover carving,” which enables the creation of complex and unique shapes that are difficult to produce with more conventional trimming methods. Along with its bonded fabric cover, the foam pad in the backrest measures 15mm. The cover and foam are installed directly on the compliant shell, snapped on with retainers. The combination of bonded fabric and foam is used only in areas where the driver or passenger’s body actually touches the seat, so no foam or trim is wasted.

Faurecia reportedly expects to begin mainstream production of its all-composite Performance Seat backrest as soon as 2014.

Source : www.designnews.com

RFID helps crack LA pallet-theft ring; plastic thieves beware – you’re being tracked

Plastic is fantastic – and it’s also big business for thieves who steal the pallets and sell them to recyclers for cash. A pre-Christmas raid by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Industrial Plastics Theft Task Force – yes, there really are five officers dedicated to tracking down and arresting those who steal industrial plastics of all types – at a South LA plastics recycling facility netted the task force over $250,000 worth of illegally obtained pallets.

Also confiscated, in addition to the plastic pallets, were a number of large boxes containing hundreds of pounds of ground plastic.

The plastic pallets were recovered thanks to the RFID tags on the pallets owned by Intelligent Global Pooling Systems (iGPS Company LLC). iGPS has been a supporter of the task force and  has worked with it in its efforts to stop plastic pallet theft.

Al Farrell, VP of Asset Management at iGPS, told PlasticsToday in a telephone interview that plastic pallet theft is a “significant problem resulting in a multi-million dollar line item loss” for companies. This is the second major pallet theft bust that iGPS has participated in in less than six months. RFID tags on iGPS pallets helped Virginia State Police trace a large cache of misappropriated plastic pallets and containers at a pallet manufacturing and recycling firm operating in New Kent County, VA

Thieves don’t just steal pallets, but also plastic milk crates, baking trays, and other industrial plastic containers which they then sell to plastic recycling facilities for cash. “The value of resin has gone up so much that this has become a lucrative business for these thieves,” says Farrell.

Over $5 million in stolen trademarked plastic of various types has been recovered in the last four months of 2011, according to Capt. Mike Claus of the City of Industry sheriff’s station, where the task force is based.

“Additionally, there’s a large recycling community out there creating greater demand for recyclable plastics, and the problem is growing. For us, it’s very important to manage the pool of our asset base,” Farrell adds. “It’s critical to what we do and we use a variety of procedures and processes to do the best we can to minimize loss and track down assets that stray from our supply chain.”

iGPS uses both active and passive tracking technologies. Each pallet manufactured by iGPS has its own unique serial number. If products stray outside the supply chain, iGPS can track down the pallets, identify them discretely and prove that they are the property of iGPS.

The LA County Sheriff’s Industrial Plastics Task Force had its beginning in the City of Industry, CA, a suburb of Los Angeles and a big industrial center with a large number of plastics processing companies. The City of Industry has funded this dedicated task force pursue plastic theft.

“All the wrong conditions lead to the formation of this task force,” Farrell explains.  “Los Angeles is a port city with a high population, and a lot of available plastic and grinding capacity. Often the theft and grinding of the pallets is associated with other criminal activity, so finding the plastic thieves often leads to drug busts and other illegal activities. The City of Industry is trying to create a better bus climate. The Task Force has been up and running since October and they have done a great job in helping us deter theft.”

Arizona implements legislation to discourage plastic pallet theft

Taking a lesson from previous legislation keyed on metal recyclers who would pay cash-on-the-barrel-head for steel, aluminum and copper – often stolen by thieves who need the cash – Arizona state legislators hope to discourage the theft of pallets used in wholesale deliveries by requiring recycling firms to keep a record of the people who turn in company-branded pallets for cash.

Supporters of the law said Arizona businesses are losing up to $3 million a year from the theft of plastic and wooden pallets, used by wholesale suppliers to deliver a variety of goods to grocery stores. Penalties could lead to fines of up to $30,000 for convicted pallet thieves.

While they were in the minority, opponents criticized the measure as “nanny” legislation and said the punishment was unjustifiably severe because it’s already illegal in Arizona to possess stolen pallets.

This past summer, new restrictions were placed on recycling companies that shred, resell or destroy pallets. If they buy five or more plastic pallets at a time from any individual the recycling firms must collect identifying information from the sellers, including name, phone number, driver’s license or other ID number, and license-plate number. Recycling firms must keep the records on hand for at least a year and be open during regular business hours so police can examine the paperwork, according to the legislation, which is similar to the legislation passed a few years ago on recyclers of scrap metal.

Source : www.plasticstoday.com

Metal replacement highlights new Evonik application

Plastic replaces metal in a device that applies dental fillings, making it lighter and easier to handle.

The working parts of the DinoPress applicator, which are subject to heavy mechanical stress, are now made from polyetheretherketone (PEEK) from Evonik Industries. The device can be steam sterilized up to 134°C.

The new DinoPress has been developed jointly by Gossau, Switzerland-based Alfred Schmid AG, producers of plastic parts for the dental industry for more than 40 years, and Basel, Switzerland-based Dolder AG.

“Thanks to its favorable properties, Vestakeep PEEK can be used in many medical technology fields. It’s as a metal substitute in particular that PEEK realizes its full potential,” says Beat Imhof, senior sales manager at Dolder AG.

According to Evonk, Vestakeep PEEK is more durable than titanium alloys and lends itself better to sterilization. It also has favorable mechanical, chemical, and electrical properties.

Evonik will be showing its latest applications for PEEK and other materials in two booths in the South Hall at NPE 2012 (numbers 24023 and 55020).

Another interesting new application from Evonik is a photovoltaic barrier film called Flexoskin that blocks harmful UV radiation and also prevents penetration of moisture. It replaces glass, making solar modules lighter.

The lighter barrier allows the use of flexible photovoltaics in locations where heavy, rigid modules cannot be used. These include  flat roofs of large industrial buildings and residential structures that may be loaded only to a limited extent. Other potential applications are car roofs and backpacks, where the flexible photovoltaic modules can serve as mobile power sources.

Flexoskin was launched in the United States at the Solar Power International trade show in Dallas, Texas.

Source : www.plasticstoday.com

MACHINERY COMPANIES WILL BE EXHIBITING—AND OPERATING—LOTS MORE EQUIPMENT AT NPE2012 THAN IN 2009

No trade show comes close to NPE for sheer dynamism, with aisle after aisle of working plastics equipment filling the exhibit halls with clamor and action. While some of this was lost at NPE2009 as the Great Recession took its toll, the excitement will come back in full force this year. In the words of SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association, NPE2012 will mark “The Return of the Machines.”

Produced by SPI, the triennial NPE international plastics exposition will next take place on April 1-5 in Orlando, Florida, after 40 years in which the show was held in Chicago. “The improved economies and logistics of the new venue have encouraged many NPE2012 exhibitors to purchase more exhibit space and bring more machinery to the show, much of it to be operated on-site,” said Gene Sanders, SPI senior vice president of trade shows and conferences. “Contributing to this enhanced commitment by exhibitors is the steadily improving manufacturing sector of the U.S. economy.”

Sanders cited reports from three exhibitors of injection molding systems and a fourth company specializing in auxiliary systems as representative of the positive response to NPE2012 from machinery companies, showing how the greater scale of exhibits can increase the return on trade show investment for attendees.

“We know molders want to see equipment making parts, touch the controls, witness tangible differences from what they already have, and experience for themselves what they otherwise might only see in a brochure,” said David Preusse, president of Wittmann Battenfeld, Inc. (Booth 2843). “At the same time, since our company handles large projects such as new molding plant launches, NPE2012 will give us an opportunity to show that we can produce a state of the art molding shop in only eight setup days.”

Preusse reported that, in comparison with NPE2009, the Wittmann Battenfeld booth will be larger and have more machines in operation, among them six integrated turnkey molding cells up to 1,000 tons, complete with robots, temperature controllers, dryers, loaders, and downstream automation, along with web-based support service.

The improved economy has prompted Engel Machinery, Inc. (Booth 943) to increase its display of equipment to its pre-NPE2009 size. The company will  have 33% more equipment at its booth than in 2009, noted Engel North America president Mark Sankovitch. “All of our equipment at NPE2012 will be in operation, including part molding, downstream processing, and automated part handling,” he said. “A machine in operation allows visitors to see for themselves that the specifications quoted—cycle times, energy usage, and so forth—are achievable in operation, not just on paper.”

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag (Booth 2103) brought only three machines to NPE2009 but will be exhibiting twelve at NPE2012, all of them running. “We’re making a major investment in NPE2012 because of the improved economy, everything Orlando has to offer, and the need for our industry to come together and strengthen its capabilities,” said Jim Mitchell, executive vice president. “NPE2012 represents tremendous opportunities for exhibitors and attendees alike—it will be all about moving forward.”

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag will exhibit machines ranging in clamp force from 55 to 496 tons. “We’ll be demonstrating productivity solutions for everything from general purpose molding to ultra high-speed packaging, LSR molding, and in-mold labeling,” Mitchell said.

The exhibit of auxiliary equipment systems manufacturer Conair Group (Booth 3643) will be “the biggest we’ve ever had since we started exhibiting at NPE in 1963,” said Larry Doyle, vice president of global sales and marketing, “and we’ll take about 30% more equipment to NPE2012 than we did in 2009.”

Conair will have several systems in operation at NPE2012. “One of the most exciting displays at our booth will be a new material selection station with a machine-vision proofing system,” Doyle reported. “Every time a loader calls for material, the camera actually moves through the material manifold, using its vision and the system intelligence to verify that the right material is being sent to the right machine, blender, dryer, or other destination. Visitors will be able to work with the system and see the camera moving to validate their instructions—or invalidate them if they make a mistake.”

NPE2012 will take place Sunday through Thursday, April 1-5, 2012, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The exposition halls will be open April 2-5. A complete schedule of events can be found online at www.npe.org.  NPE is solely owned and produced by the SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association.

Founded in 1937, SPI is the plastics industry trade association representing the third largest manufacturing industry in the United States. SPI’s member companies represent the entire plastics industry supply chain, including processors, machinery and equipment manufacturers and raw materials suppliers. The U.S. plastics industry employs nearly1-million workers and provides more than $341 billion in annual shipments. www.plasticsindustry.org

DSM Engineering Plastics signs distribution agreement with Resinet to strengthen its presence in Brazil

, to join forces in the market development and sales of DSM Engineering Plastics resins in Brazil.

In order to tap fully into the Brazilian potential, DSM sees a solid partnership with distributors as key for sustainable growth. Resinet has been selected to represent and help accelerate the growth of the DSM Engineering Plastics product portfolio in Brazil throughout the Automotive, Electrical and Electronics, and General Industries. Resinet is a 40 years experienced company that focusses on the Raw Materials distribution market in the Brazilian regions. The agreement with Resinet, a major distributor for the local market, is a strategic action that will give customers access to more DSM products. Antonio Celso Ferraz, Commercial Director of Resinet says that the Brazilian market for engineering applications continues to open up opportunities for promoting the growth of DSM´s polyamides and to deliver added value to local industry. “This agreement will help expand the DSM product line in the Brazilian market using Resinet’s technical expertise and sales force.” he said.

With the ongoing trend towards the replacement of PA66 with PA6, DSM will support this agreement in Brazil by offering global grades of products including Akulon® PA6, Stanyl® PA46 and Arnitel® TPC. Stanyl® PA46, new to the Brazilian market, offers outstanding resistance to wear and high temperatures for both automotive and electrical/electronic applications. Koen Devits, President DSM EP Americas, said: “These products will now be easily available to Brazilian customers through Resinet”.

DSM is commercializing innovative, more sustainable polymers that create greater value with less environmental impact, including EcoPaXX™ PA410, a bio-based, high performance resin that is carbon neutral from ‘cradle to gate’, and Arnitel® Eco, a high performance thermoplastic copolyester (TPC) made from 20 to 50 percent renewable resources, both of which will be available to the Brazilian market in the short term.

The partnership with Resinet seals the possibility and makes real the strength of DSM Engineering Plastics in the Brazilian marketplace which is in line with DSM´s strategy to deliver value for existing and new customers world-wide.

Source : www.pressreleasefinder.com

Gurit clocks on in Saudi for world’s tallest hotel

The recently inaugurated clock tower, the central tower of the Abraj-Al Arab development in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, features fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials and structural engineering composites specialist Gurit.

At 607m tall the building is the second tallest in the world. The top 200m of the tower is clad with over 40,000m² of FRP composite panels, including the largest clocks in the world – 43m in diameter, with 23m long minute hands.

The cladding of the tower top includes intricate calligraphy and ornamental patterning, finished in glass and ceramic tiles. Illumination of the clock hands, clock faces and media wall, called for over two million LEDs to be integrated into the cladding panels.

Gurit worked closely with the tower top designers, SL-Rasch (Stuttgart, Germany), to carry out the structural engineering of the composite tower top cladding, clock hands, and the 23m diameter crescent, a self-supportive FRP composite structure which is located at the top of the building.

Gurit supplied a range of composite materials to Premier Composites Technologies (Dubai, UAE), the company that carried out fabrication and installation of the cladding, clock face, clock hands and crescent. This included a new fire retardant wet laminating system from Gurit, Ampreg 21FR, which was developed for lamination of the façade.

The clock hands presented a particular challenge due to their long, slender geometry and the potential for high wind loading. The clock hands were therefore manufactured using Gurit’s WE91-2 carbon fibre prepreg material and Corecell T Foam structural core, originally developed for use in modern large wind turbine blades.

Dr Mark Hobbs, senior engineer, engineered structures at Gurit, said: “This has been a fascinating project to work on. It has presented numerous challenges, from the sheer scale and complexity of the project, to the integration of finishes and lighting into the cladding panels.”

Source : www.prw.com