|
|
Latest news * * * 2008 * * * 2007 * * * Archives
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * Forthcoming Events, Exhibitions, Conferences * * *
New WPC profile producer Following substantial investment Extruwood, based in Austria, has started production of wood plastic composite (WPC) profiles. The initial capacity of the new WPC profile plant amounts to 650 tonnes/year and the company is aiming to produce 300-400 tonnes of profiles by 2010. Extruwood will focus on exterior applications such as fencing, mooring poles, play pen frames and park benches. |
Belfast university to develop rotationally-moulded banana-polyethylene composites Banana plantation waste from the Canary Islands is to be used to develop the manufacture of rotationally moulded plastics products. An estimated 25,000 tonnes of banana waste is dumped in ravines around the Canary islands each year. The Polymer Processing Research Centre (PPRC) at Belfast’s Queen’s University,/b> will work with companies in Spain, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Eastern Europe. For more information please read Plastics & Rubber Weekly, 1 Oct 2009 |
Deceuninck's Rights Issue Deceuninck, manufacturers of window frames and of the WPC material Twinson, plans to pay off its debts after a rights issue of €85m. The firm will use any surplus capital to pay the costs of restructuring. |
Corporate Relaunch Plastics machinery company Milacron, whose products include twin screw extrusion technology, has now emerged from the Chapter 11 bankruptcy, under which it had filed in March. The sale of substantially all of Milacron’s assets was approved, by bankruptcy court, to an investor group led by Avenue Capital Group and DDJ Capital Management LLC. Customers of the new company Milacron LLC were informed by letter in August. |
A Greener Composite Recipe Sabic has announced they have developed a range of LNP Thermocomp composites in which traditional glass fibre and mineral fillers are replaced by natural materials such as curau fibre and wood flour. In addition to using these renewable and biodegradable materials, the company claims that the new products require less energy for production and are lighter, which in turn reduces the amount of energy required for transport. |
Wood-plastic Extrusion in Latvia Riga-based N.V. Vega SIA is moving into the manufacture of extruded WPC hollow profile window sills. The company, originally a packaging producer, will be using machinery from German builder Reifenhauser Extrusion. |
How will Chinese WPC Companies be affected by the Economic Slowdown? Although Chinese WPC producers have been immune from economic problems, firms heavily involved in exporting are now seeing slowdowns. The housing industry problems in the US and Europe, as well as increasing strength of the yuan and also domestic isssues, such as new labour laws, are all having a negative impact. However,some industry officials and observers do not see the impact as being so great, and do not expect to see much slowing down, with Chinese demand for WPC still forecast to grow by 60% in the next two years. Stimuli to the domestic industry include use of WPC in high profile events including the Beijing Olympics, 2010 Asian Games and the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. Also the Chinese building industry's growth has seen no slowdown as yet, but Wayne Song CEO of QC, one of China's largest WPC producers, believes that China's construction industry "will see a delayed impact from the worsening global economic picture". The Chinese WPC industry continues to attract investment both for expansion and upgrading but again Song proffers a cautionary note against overinvestment. High oil prices should help drive demand but a number of participants are encouraging Chinese WPC players to be innovative in their applications for the material to continue to generate long-term growth. This is extracted from comments posted by Steve Toloken on October 22nd, 2008. He is a journalist with Plastics News, a sister title of PRW and EPN. |
WPCs used in Venice Bizeta, an Italian profile extruder, is reported to be manufacturing WPC components for use in Venice as "vaporetto" pontoons and decking. This "Greenwood" range of WPC components is produced on extrusion tooling supplied by Austrian manufacturer Technoplast. According to Technoplast: “Previously, the poles have had to be exchanged every five years as the wood is attacked by marine creatures.” Now "with the new WPC material the life increases to more than two decades.” The canal poles, which are produced from WPCs supplied by Belgian compounder Beologic, have been in use in the Venice lagoon since early 2007. These wood/PP profiles, which can be up to 70% wood fibre, are also finding use in some Venetian house refurbishments. |
New additives for WPC Chemtura is exhibiting "green" additives (coupling agents and lubricants) for WPC at Chinaplas 2008. Polybond® 1103 is designed for processes and applications requiring very low melt viscosity, while newly reformulated Polybond 3029 is said to be 50% more efficient than before. It will allow WPC manufacturers to use more recycled wood in the composite. Chinaplas 2008, which will take place next April in Shanghai (April 17-20, 2008 ), is expected to attract 1600 exhibitors. |
Recycled MDF and WPC products The UK government agency WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) is funding a project to see whether a new use can be found for recycled medium density fibreboard (MDF). A great deal of MDF is currently landfilled and some is incinerated. Significant quantities of production waste MDF is also available. The aim of the project is to explore whether waste MDF could be used in place of virgin wood flour to make WPC. Special attention will be devoted to comparing the quality of the final products with that of the ones made from ordinary wood flour. The economics will also be examined. The project is actually being carried out by Impact Laboratories of Scotland. |
Two worries to be addressed at Seattle wood conference Speakers at the 42nd International Wood Composite Symposium in Seattle this year (March 31 to April 2) will address themes that have forced their way to the front pages of the world’s newspapers. |
|
2007
WPC gets further recognition as a new European industry Additives for WPC CTBA - AFOCEL Merger (France) Mounting evidence that WPC weathering resistance is not perfect Hackwell Group at WPC Symposium in Bordeaux WPC Made from Nylon 2006 Beologic Doubles WPC Production Predictions for the US Fencing Market Commercial Applications and Technical Properties of Wood Plastics at Telford Polymer Association Musical Instruments in Mouldable "Wood" Sale of Woodtruder Manufacturer Additives: Animal Repellents from C-Tech Additives:Preventing Biofilm Formation Competition for WPC Global WPC Producer Making Large-Area WPC Boards Gamma Radiation of WPC Components Wood as a Filler for Rubbers Wood Treatments Not to be Banned Another Big Player Enters European WPC Business Freeze-Thaw Can Degrade WPC Mechanical Properties Cheaper WPC Raw Material Available in Germany Ikea's Rocking Chairs Made from WPC Entek Extruders: European Sales Re-Organisation WPC Architectural Panels in 'Rainbow' Colours 2005 Polyolefin Business Re-Organisation Resin Prices Rise Steeply in 2005 and US Hurricane Damage Piles on the Pressure Lack of Antioxidant Caused Warranty Claims Wood Plastic Composites Continue to Generate Interest First WPC Conference in Germany New Product Development Centre for WPC New Market Report on Plastics Additives Strandex licensees produce well over 100,000 tonnes /year Freeze thaw not a problem after all Any colour so long as it’s brown Hackwell sees need for big application, big players and a close check on quality WPC Conference in Bordeaux (March 2005) WPC and mineral fillers 2004 Life Cycle Assessment of Wood Plastics Composites UK Government gives a lift to environmental technologies UK construction industry explores WPC Lubricant manufacturers attracted to WPC Entek claims nearly 4 tonnes an hour New compatibiliser for wood-polyethylene composites More producers looking at WPC Progress with rotational moulding |