Plastics Engineering articles from September 2007

Plastics Engineering archives from September 2007

Rides.(innovations in plastic automotive parts)(Editorial)
September 1, 2007... Cars, SUVs, and trucks... we spend millions of dollars, euros, pounds, yen, yuan, etc., on them, and on products to clean, paint, polish, and restore the metal and rubber and myriad plastics parts on our "rides," from body panels and r trim to...

Europe's PA manufacturers strengthen: European polyamide producers show signs of supply leadership ahead of weakening growth in demand.(GLOBAL NEWS: EUROPE)
September 1, 2007... The polyamide market in Europe saw growth in the last three years averaging 3.7% per annum, compared with average GDP growth of 2.2% during the same period. AMI Consulting is forecasting that in the next four years, growth in PA consumption...

Owens Corning has announced plans to sell its composite manufacturing plants in Battice, Belgium and Birkeland, Norway.(ACQUISITIONS)
September 1, 2007... Owens Corning has announced plans to sell its composite manufacturing plants in Battice, Belgium and Birkeland, Norway. This was originally intended to address regulatory concerns over the proposed joint venture between the reinforcement and...

BASF.(ACQUISITIONS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... BASF is evaluating strategic options for parts of its styrenics business. The company says it has also received an initial offer for selected parts, and plans to start discussions with the interested party. Activities under consideration...

The UK plastics exhibition Interplas is to be co-located with Inspex.(EXHIBITIONS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... The UK plastics exhibition Interplas is to be co-located with Inspex, the show for the quality control and measurement industries, at the NEC, Birmingham next year. "As manufacturing business becomes ever more demanding, the plastics...

DuPont and LANXESS have expanded their PBT polymer production joint venture in Hamm-Uentrop, Germany.(EXPANSIONS)(E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.)(LANXESS Europe GmbH und Company KG)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... DuPont and LANXESS have expanded their PBT polymer production joint venture in Hamm-Uentrop, Germany. First commissioned in 2004, the plant is now one of the largest production facilities of its kind in the world. The expansion provides PBT...

Victrex.(EXPANSIONS)(new applied technology centre )(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Victrex has opened a 1.5m [pounds sterling] Applied Technology Centre at its primary production facility in Thornton Cleveleys, UK. The new 900sqm centre expands the company's product development facilities and provides customer support in...

Following a call for tenders, Total has been selected to build a petrochemical complex in Arzew, near Oran, Algeria, in partnership with Sonatrach.(EXPANSIONS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Following a call for tenders, Total has been selected to build a petrochemical complex in Arzew, near Oran, Algeria, in partnership with Sonatrach. The project encompasses the construction of an ethane cracker and three product lines. The...

Demag.(EXPANSIONS)(injection molding machines)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Demag has announced that from Autumn 2007, its modular Systec line of injection moulding machines will be available in 13 sizes with clamping forces from 250 to 4,200kN. Five new sizes with clamping forces of 250, 350, 2,800, 3,500 and 4,200kN...

German mould maker Erwes Reifenberg, which specialises in moulds for plastic closures and packaging, has installed a KraussMaffei C3-AP injection moulding machine at its Finnentrop laboratory.(INSTALLATIONS)(Krauss-Maffei AG)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... German mould maker Erwes Reifenberg, which specialises in moulds for plastic closures and packaging, has installed a KraussMaffei C3-AP injection moulding machine at its Finnentrop laboratory. The lab now includes five injection moulding...

Germany's SGL Group and Benteler Automobiltechnik are creating a 50-50 joint venture for the development, manufacturing, and marketing of carbon fibre reinforced plastic components for the automotive industry.(JOINT VENTURES)(SGL CARBON Group)(Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH und Company KG)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Germany's SGL Group and Benteler Automobiltechnik are creating a 5050 joint venture for the development, manufacturing, and marketing of carbon fibre reinforced plastic components for the automotive industry. Called Benteler-SGL-Automotive...

Ciba has entered an exclusive collaboration with biotechnology company BRAIN of Zwingenberg, Germany to develop novel functional surface effects from renewable raw materials.(JOINT VENTURES)(Ciba Specialty Chemicals Holding Inc.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Ciba has entered an exclusive collaboration with biotechnology company BRAIN of Zwingenberg, Germany to develop novel functional surface effects from renewable raw materials. This will begin with screening BRAIN's large library of...

The Italian injection moulding machinery manufacturers, BMB and Bodini Presse, have come together to form a new company, BMB Tecnologie Speciali.(JOINT VENTURES)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... The Italian injection moulding machinery manufacturers, BMB and Bodini Presse, have come together to form a new company, BMB Tecnologie Speciali. BMB takes a major share in the company which is dedicated to all-electric equipment. New eMC...

Sainsbury.(PACKAGING)(Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... The first plastic wine bottles have hit supermarket shelves in the UK. Supported by the government funded Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), Sainsbury's will offer two own-label wines in the new PET bottle--if successful, they will be...

Sidel.(PACKAGING)(molding machines)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Sidel has developed an alternative to traditional stainless steel moulds used in heat-resistant (HR) blow moulding. The new F300 is made of lightweight aluminium and can withstand temperatures as high as 180oC enabling it to produce PET bottles...

Bayer MaterialScience.(PROCESS)(new technology to manufacture polyether polyols )(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Bayer MaterialScience has developed a new technology for manufacturing polymer-filled polyether polyols (PMPO). Tested on a multi-ton scale in a technical service laboratory, Bayer claims it delivers significantly better products than the...

Pipe Coil Technology.(PRODUCT INNOVATIONS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... UK company Pipe Coil Technology (PCT) has unveiled a new concept that a]lows large diameter HDPE pipe to be coiled with zero or minimal ovality. Already ordered by two major European piping companies, it will enable pipe manufacturers and end...

Gneuss.(PRODUCT INNOVATIONS)(multi rotation system)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Gneuss has introduced what it claims as a "radical breakthrough in polymer evacuation technology". The patented Multi Rotation System (MRS) is said to increase the surface in contact with the polymer melt by a factor of 25 compared with...

Mould & Matic.(RELOCATIONS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Austrian mould and machinery builder Mould & Matic has relocated production of thin wall injection moulds to Slusovice in the Czech Republic. The company's Micheldorf headquarters will now focus on medical moulds. According to CEO Erwin...

Ticona.(RELOCATIONS)(Frankfurt)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Ticona has selected Frankfurt-Hoechst Industrial Park as the new site for its Kelsterbach production operations in Germany. Last November it was agreed that the Kelsterbach plant would relocate by mid 2011 to make way for airport expansion....

Hydro Polymers.(SUSTAINABILITY)(course to promote sustainability)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... PVC manufacturer Hydro Polymers is set to launch a unique distance learning course to promote sustainability. Entitled 'Leading Change For a Sustainable Chemical Industry' it starts in the autumn and runs until May 2008, hosted by Blekinge...

Multibillion-dollar resin complex planned in Venezuela.(GLOBAL NEWS: LATIN AMERICA)(Petroquimica de Venezuela S.A.)(Braskem S.A.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Venezuela's state-owned chemical company Pequiven, along with Petroquimica de Venezuela and Braskem of Brazil, will develop an integrated petrochemical facility in the Jose Petrochemical Complex 320 km east of Caracas. Production will include...

Brazilian suppliers to produce PE from sugarcane.(GLOBAL NEWS: LATIN AMERICA)
September 1, 2007... Two Brazilian companies, Crystalsev and Braskem, will produce polyethylene (PE) from a renewable and entirely local resource: sugarcane. Crystalsev, whose products include ethanol, and Dow Chemical are forming a joint venture to design and...

Venezuela taps PVC for homebuilding effort.(GLOBAL NEWS: LATIN AMERICA)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Venezuela plans to reduce the housing shortage among its indigenous people through mass production of PVC houses. The government wants to build 100,000 units per year in 27 communities. The shortage is estimated to be 1.6 million units. Each...

Ampacet readies first plant in Chile.(GLOBAL NEWS: LATIN AMERICA)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Ampacet Chile is building its first plant in the country for production of white masterbatches and additives. The 2500-square-meter (26,900-square-foot) facility in Santiago de Chile will meet local demand and improve supply to customers...

Rhodia to boost production of intermediates.(GLOBAL NEWS: LATIN AMERICA)(Rhodia Polyamide)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Rhodia Polyamide is spending 30 million [euro] ($41.3 million) to increase phenol, acetone, and cyclohexanol capacity in Paulinia, Brazil, by the end of 2008. The company says the investment will let it meet 5%-6% yearly growth in demand for...

Technique yields heat data for molding and design.(GLOBAL NEWS: LATIN AMERICA)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Efforts to measure heat transfer in parts and during injection molding may benefit from a U.S. patent awarded to Alberto Naranjo of the Colombian Plastic and Rubber Institute for Training and Research. Naranjo developed a method and a device to...

Andean Packaging Expo is scheduled for November.(GLOBAL NEWS: LATIN AMERICA)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Andinapack, a biennial show for the packaging and converting industries, takes place November 6-9 in Bogota, Colombia. The expo is organized by Pafyc Ltd. and several industry groups. Andinapack will feature 500 exhibitors and 12,000 square...

Chilean group wants import tax on Argentinean products.(GLOBAL NEWS: LATIN AMERICA)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Chile's Plastics Association (Asipla) wants the government to adopt antidumping measures to reduce imports of manufactured plastics from Argentina. Asipla is asking for a 31.5% increase in import duties. Imports have increased 68% in the last...

Chemical suppliers expand in Mexico.(GLOBAL NEWS: LATIN AMERICA)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Two chemical companies whose products include plastics precursors are investing a total of US$100 million in facilities in Coatzacoalcos, a major industrial city in east-central Mexico. Beta Petroquimica makes ethylene oxide for sale in Mexico...

Huntsman accepts Hexion proposal, breaks off Basell deal.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)
September 1, 2007... Incurring a $200 million "breakup fee," Huntsman Corp. (The Woodlands, Texas, USA) has terminated its merger agreement with Basell AF (Hoofddorp, The Netherlands) and signed on instead with Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio,...

Basell to buy Lyondell.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)(Lyondell Chemical Co.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Basell (Hoofddorp, The Netherlands) has signed a definitive agreement to purchase the outstanding common shares of Lyondell Chemical Co. (Houston, Texas, USA) for $48 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $19 billion...

Huntsman acquires, divests.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)
September 1, 2007... Huntsman Corp. reports that its Textiles Effects business has agreed to acquire DuPont's global fluorochemical business for the nonwovens industry. The transaction includes a long-term supply agreement for finished products and intermediates,...

Plastics News acquires Emap, expanding European coverage.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)
September 1, 2007... Crain Communications, Inc., and its Akron, Ohio, USA-based weekly news publication Plastics News (PN) have acquired Emap Communications Ltd. of London, along with its businesses in Croydon, England. These include two publications--Plastics &...

DuPont, NASA to develop foam insulation for spacecraft.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)(E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.)(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... DuPont (Wilmington, Delaware, USA) has signed a Space Act Agreement with the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to jointly develop urethane foam insulation reinforced with DuPont Kevlar fiber for use in a variety of...

Dow pursues joint ventures in Thailand with Solvay, BASF.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)
September 1, 2007... The Dow Chemical Co. (Midland, Michigan, USA) and Solvay S.A. (Brussels, Belgium) have agreed to create a joint venture for the construction of a hydrogen peroxide (HP) plant in Thailand. Scheduled to begin operations in 2010, delivering over...

Dow establishes cellulosics business.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)(Dow and Company Inc.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... In other news from Dow, the company has unveiled a new specialty-business unit combining the activities of recent acquisition Wolff Walsrode AG (from the Bayer Group of Leverkusen, Germany) and Dow's Water Soluble Plastics business....

Maguire subsidiary starts up in Canada.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)
September 1, 2007... U.S. firm Maguire Products, Inc. (Aston, Pennsylvania), has established a new company, Maguire Canada, to supply the entire range of Maguire and Novatec plastics auxiliary equipment and provide engineering service for complete system...

Higher-efficiency organic solar cell is created.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Nobel laureate Alan Heeger, professor of physics at the University of California at Santa Barbara in the United States, and a team of scientists led by Kwanghee Lee of Korea have created a new "tandem" organic solar cell with increased...

Plaskolite acquires Lucite division.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)
September 1, 2007... Based in Columbus, Ohio, USA, Plaskolite, Inc., announces the signing of a definitive agreement for its acquisition of the continuously processed acrylic-sheet division of Lucite International. The transaction, which includes manufacturing...

BASF begins facility in Michigan.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... BASF Corp., the North American affiliate of BASF AG (Ludwigshafen, Germany) has broken ground for its new resins plant in Wyandotte, Michigan, USA. To be fully operational in the second half of 2009, the plant will produce the Joncryl products...

Chevron Phillips breaks ground for PPS plant.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)(Chevron Phillips Chemical Company L.P.)(polyphenylene sulfide)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, USA, has begun construction of a 22-million-lb/yr Ryton polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) manufacturing facility, which is expected to boost PPS production at the Borger, Texas,...

Rohm and Haas builds near Moscow.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... U.S. specialty-materials producer Rohm and Haas (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) has announced plans to build a polymer-emulsions manufacturing plant in Russia, where the company has been active for 30 years. To be located in the Moscow region, the...

Husky acquires Moldflow division.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)
September 1, 2007... Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. of Bolton, Ontario, Canada, has agreed to acquire substantially all the assets of Massachusetts, U.S.-based Moldflow Corp.'s Manufacturing Solutions Division for $7 million. The acquisition expands Husky's...

ExxonMobil facility to produce compounds for tires.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)(ExxonMobil Chemical Co.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... ExxonMobil Chemical Co. (Houston, Texas, USA) is constructing a facility to manufacture new specialty elastomer compounds that improve the durability of tires and reduce their weight through the use of less raw material, thus reducing fuel...

Adding flexibility to an expanding market: the continuing rapid development of thermoplastic elastomers has brought users more choice than ever before. Whether for new applications or replacing existing ones, TPEs offer a wealth of possibilities.(EUROPE)(Cover story)
September 1, 2007... The world of thermoplastic elastomers continues to evolve at a brisk pace, making choices for processors and end-users harder than ever. New styrenic block copolymers (SBC) for example can take on jobs previously the sole province of...

Industry promotes sustainability to maintain growth in plastics.(LATIN AMERICA)(Cover story)
September 1, 2007... A key requirement for the continued growth of Latin America's plastics industry is the perception among consumers, product designers and policy-makers that plastics are sustainable materials. Organizations throughout the region are addressing...

Automotive plastics: innovative applications continue.(NORTH AMERICA)(Cover story)
September 1, 2007... The global automotive industry is in a down cycle, and the slide is causing reverberations throughout the supplier base, including the segment of the plastics industry that serves this giant consumer of plastics and plastics-based composites....

Failure analysis & prevention.(EUROPE)(plastic products engineering)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Strange at it may sound--failed products are very valuable. For the designer they provide a wealth of information and prevent the mistakes of others being repeated. In today's mass-produced world, Failure Analysis...

Visual aids for automotive: materials & processes enhance aesthetics & durability.(NORTH AMERICA)
September 1, 2007... In addition to their well-known weight-saving and cost-cutting characteristics, plastics allow automakers to create new kinds of part surfaces that differentiate products and draw the attention of car-buyers. And yet, automakers are concerned...

Ken Braney's monthly look at SPE's European activities.(SPE NEWS ROUNDUP: EUROPE)(Society of Plastics Engineers)
September 1, 2007... There will be many events before and at the upcoming K 2007 fair in Dusseldorf either hosted by SPE or in conjunction with SPE. The Central Europe Section will be holding its 11th Automotive Award Night in Neuss Germany on 22 October; full...

SPE in Europe.(EUROPE)
September 1, 2007... SPE Europe Yetty Pauwels +32 3 541 77 55 spe.europe@skynet.be www.speeurope.org SPE Europe Board Chairman Bernhard Peters +49 2392 960966 peters.neuenrade@t-online.de SPE Executive Committee...

Industry patents.(BAE SYSTEMS Information and Electronic Warfare Integration Inc.'s polymer antenna)(Chevron Phillips Chemical Company L.P.'s resin process)(Tetra Laval B.V.'s container process)
September 1, 2007... The patent is a legal document giving the holder a license to capitalize on the invention without competition for a few years. In exchange, the holder teaches the basis of the invention. The patent is forward-looking, representing a technical...

Hybrid injection-molding machine.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Nissei America Inc.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Nissei Plastic Industrial Co. recently debuted its compact ST20-2V, a hybrid, vertical injection-molding machine that the company says combines the advantages of electric and hydraulic machines. Based on Nissei's ST Series of compact hydraulic...

Coextrusion technology for profiles.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(American Maplan Corp.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... American Maplan Corp. (AMC) has introduced a coextrusion tooling system for hollow, solid, symmetrical, and asymmetrical profile cross sections for interior and exterior applications. The tooling system--intended for use with PVC, polyolefin,...

Motorized dual deckle for extrusion coating.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Extrusion Dies Industries L.L.C.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... A deckle is a mechanism that varies product width by blocking off portions of the flow at either end of a flat die. A motorized dual deckle with a spring-loaded external segment enables automated width changes, increased precision of deckle...

Shaft seals for polyolefin extrusion.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Woodex Bearing Company Inc.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Meco reports that its Ex-Pac shaft seals reliably contain resin and additive powders and hydrocarbon vapors in single-shaft and twin-shaft polyolefin extruder-compounders. The nitrogen-purged seals are self-adjusting and designed to accommodate...

Walk-in batch oven.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Grieve Corp.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... No. 942 is a gas-fired 350[degrees]F (177[degrees]C) walk-in batch oven for curing epoxy. A 400,000-Btu/hr modulating natural gas burner heats the unit, while a total of 12,000 cfm from two 5-hp recirculating blowers provides combination...

Quick-access screener.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Kason Corp.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... The Air-Lift System for circular vibratory screeners allows rapid interior cleaning, inspection, and screen changes while reducing manual effort, according to the manufacturer, Kason Corp. Consisting of two vertically mounted air cylinders that...

Microscope inspection system.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(J micro Technology, Inc.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... J micro Technology, Inc., specialists in electrical and mechanical test products for advanced semiconductor and packaged devices, has introduced the NAT-31 42X-540X Microscope Inspection System with Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 digital...

Industrial process filters.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Miller-Leaman Inc.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Helix industrial process filters from Miller-Leaman are designed to remove particles and other contaminants from process cooling water used in injection-molding and extrusion operations. The filters are available with polypropylene disc media...

Rotating wheel dryer.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Novatec Inc.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Novatec's Nova Wheel rotating wheel dryer continuously puts dry desiccant into service while regenerating saturated desiccant in the same rotational cycle to provide a simpler, more compact, lower-cost alternative to conventional twin-tower...

Mold components in metric measurements.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... D-M-E Co. has announced the availability in North America of its Euro-Series Metric Mold Components line of more the 4000 products. U.S. molders and mold builders are doing more work with international firms, and differences between the U.S....

Solid-state light-emitting plastic.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Light Beam Industries LLC)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Light Beam Industries, LLC, of Eugene, Oregon (USA), reports that it has developed a novel light-generating plastic using its patented technology. The solid-state, light-emitting material, designated LEC (light-emitting converter), is described...

New grades of bioplastics.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Metabolix (Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA) announces the release of three new grades of its renewably resourced, semicrystalline plastic, Mirel. Manufactured by the Metabolix/Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) joint venture Telles, the grades include...

Impact modifiers for clearly sustainable packaging.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Paraloid BPM-500 is an impact modifier designed by Rohm and Haas (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA) to strengthen PLA (polylactic acid) polymers without sacrificing clarity. Using dispersible nanoparticles that do not scatter light, the new...

PE resins facilitate micro-irrigation.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Polyethylene)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Fingerprint polyethylene (PE) resins from Dow reduce leakage and cracking in micro-irrigation hose and tubing applications in, for example, landscaping and agriculture. Dow has added an invisible trace element to the resin, enabling...

FR resins comply with environmental regs.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... A new family of flame-retardant Valox thermoplastic polyester resins from GE Plastics (Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands) promises excellent flame retardance for electrical/electronic (E/E) applications without the use of brominated or...

Thermoformable sheet for UV-resistant skylights.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... A new high-impact-resistant, thermoformable sheet for outdoor skylights combines toughness and UV protection with environmental conservation. Extruded by Spartech Corp. (Clayton, Missouri, USA) using Eastman Chemical's new TiGlazeSUV resin...

Static-dissipative alloy.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Techmer Lehvoss Compounds)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Electrafil ABS-1200/SD/FR static-dissipative polymer alloy from Techmer Lehvoss Compounds, LLC (TLC) (Clinton, Tennessee, USA) is an ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) compound that combines static dissipation with a V-0 flammability rating,...

Multifunctional dispersion aid.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Dow Corning Corp.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Z-6173 Filler Dispersion Aid from Dow Corning Corp. (Midland, Michigan, USA) improves material compatibility and offers application-specific benefits in addition to improving filler dispersion, the company says. The new multifunctional siloxane...

High-impact polyamides.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Rhodia Polyamide)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Rhodia Polyamide (Lyon, France) has introduced Technyl SI (super-impact) polyamides, said to balance exceptional impact resistance with good stiffness. They are designed to provide better mechanical properties in high-abuse environments....

HDPE fiber for nonwovens.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(high-density polyethylene)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Borealis (Vienna, Austria) has launched VL9500, a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fiber grade for biocomponent applications that allows converters to use less material to produce stronger nonwovens. The material can be used to produce...

Additive technology for laser marking synthetic corks.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... DSM has announced that its Micabs additive technology meets U.S. safety regulations for laser marking of synthetic wine corks. The patented Micabs additive "facilitates fast and high-contrast razor-sharp permanent laser markings... surpassing...

LCP-bonding epoxy.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(liquid crystal polymer)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... RJR Polymers (Oakland, California, USA) has developed a series of proprietary epoxies said to be the first to work across a wide variety of liquid crystal polymer (LCP) grades for use in fabricating air-cavity packaging for sensors and other...

Industry events.(EUROPE)(Calendar)
September 1, 2007... SEPTEMBER 19-21, MEDTEC Ireland Site: Galway, Ireland Website: www.devicelink.com/expo/medtire07 19-21, MATCOMP 07 Site: Valladolid, Spain Website: www.aemac.org/html/ congresos.htm# 23-26, Baekeland 2007 Site: Ghent, Belgium...

SPE conferences.(NORTH AMERICA: industry EVENTS)(Calendar)
September 1, 2007... Sept. 30-Oct. 2. SPE's CAD RETEC[TM]. Site: Hyatt Regency Riverwalk, San Antonio, Texas, USA. Sponsored by the Color & Appearance Division. Contact: Jim Figaniak, Conference Chair, LTL Color Compounding; +1 215-736-1126; Email:...

SPE seminars.(NORTH AMERICA: industry EVENTS)(Society of Plastics Engineers)(Brief article)(Calendar)
September 1, 2007... Oct. 15-17. Extrusion of Engineering Plastics Seminar & Workshop. Site: Mystic, Connecticut, USA. Contact: SPE's Customer Relations Department, at +1 203-740-5403, or Email: seminars@4spe.org. For further information on seminars...

SPE meetings.(NORTH AMERICA: industry EVENTS)(Society of Plastics Engineers)(Calendar)
September 1, 2007... Oct. 4. Pittsburgh Section. Joint MiniTec With Marketing & Management Division. Site: Four Points by Sheraton, 910 Sheraton Drive, Mars, PA 16046. Phone: +1 724-776-6900. Contact: Bernie Henn, Email: berniehenn@aol.com. Oct....

Other upcoming events.(NORTH AMERICA: industry EVENTS)(Brief article)(Calendar)
September 1, 2007... Oct. 12-14. ASTM International Committee E56 on Nanotechnology. Site: Tampa, Florida, USA. Contact: www.astm.org/COMMIT/ E56.htm. Oct. 15-17. Paulson Training Programs' ProMolder 1 Course. Site: Cleveland, Ohio, USA. ...