The eighth edition of printpack alger is in the starting blocks

Together with plast alger, printpack alger is the industry meeting place for plastics, printing and packaging technologies in Algeria and the Maghreb region. In May, the industry will once again meet here in an exciting market.

Demand is promising, as the market has been on the upswing for years. Algeria offers participating companies at this year’s printpack and plast alger an environment with a lot of potential. Because the economy of Africa’s largest country and the most populous in the Maghreb states is growing, the Algerian plastics, printing and packaging industry is taking off.

After a break of two years due to Corona, plast und printpack alger will be the re-start for the plastics, printing and packaging industry in the region. Around 3,000 visitors from more than 20 countries are expected at the modern CIC Abdelatif Rahal International Conference Centre in Algiers from 16 to 18 May. As renowned companies in the print industry, Bobst and Konica Minolta, will be present.

DIEFFENBACHER focuses on digitalization and sustainability

Complete composites plants manufacturer presents solutions focused on two megatrends at JEC World 2022

The JEC World 2022 will be held in Paris May 3 to 5. Composites manufacturers committed to plant digitalization and sustainable operations will want to learn about advanced solutions from German machine and plant manufacturer DIEFFENBACHER in hall 5 at booth R42.

DIEFFENABCHER will showcase its new digitalization platform EVORIS. Based on standardized interfaces that collect and process machine data, EVORIS gives composites manufacturers more insight into their production and processes. AI-supported analysis of live data is just one way that EVORIS helps plant operators better understand and control their plants and make important decisions faster.

EVORIS is an open and browser-based system. With its modular app structure, EVORIS is easily extendable and updateable. “EVORIS apps use a modern, intuitive interface and can be securely operated from any mobile or desktop device within a plant’s network,” says Marco Hahn, Director Sales of the Forming Business Unit at DIEFFENBACHER.

EVORIS collects and processes all plant data at a central point. The EVORIS apps are fed relevant data to provide manufacturers with deep insights into their production processes via powerful trending tools and various reporting possibilities. “For example, manufacturers can use the Curve Analysis app to see complex relationships in the production process,” explains Hahn. “Customers also appreciate the Anomaly Detection app, which uses artificial intelligence to immediately detect deviations from automatically defined target values for important plant parameters. This enables plant operators to react quickly to anomalies and prevent potential errors, thereby maximizing plant availability.”

In addition to EVORIS, DIEFFENBACHER’s solutions for increased sustainability will be on display at JEC World 2022. DIEFFENBACHER short-stroke presses, for example, are designed for minimum energy consumption. “They close with small cylinders until just before the position where forming takes place. Thereafter, large cylinders act with the corresponding press force. This makes it possible to reduce the oil volume by 88% compared with conventional concepts,” explains Hahn. DIEFFENBACHER’s adaptive accumulator management also optimizes energy consumption by automatically determining during the first press strokes the exact energy required for forming. For subsequent production cycles, the hydraulic drive accumulator is charged only to the corresponding required pressure level.

With its Fiberforge tape laying system and fully automatic sheet molding compound (SMC) cutting and packaging system, DIEFFENBACHER offers two solutions that significantly reduce material consumption in the production of carbon and SMC components. “Our customers achieve high material savings using Fiberforge instead of organo sheets. In one sample application, we achieved just 6.7% waste with the Fiberforge, while with the organo sheet there was more than 50% waste,” says Hahn. Additionally, the intelligent nesting control of the DIEFFENBACHER SMC cutting and packaging system determines the cutting pattern in accordance with the desired lay pattern and optimizes material use.

Together with the Fibercon consolidation system, Fiberforge forms the Tailored Blank Line, which rounds off DIEFFENBACHER’s JEC World 2022 presence. “Our customers from the sports and leisure industries rely on the Tailored Blank Line to produce, for example, carbon-fiber-reinforced lightweight bicycle components such as frames and rims as well as safety equipment like helmets and protectors of the highest quality,” Hahn concludes.

Price increase announcement for ThermoFlexX products

During the past weeks and months, extraordinary effects on a global scale have increased inflationary pressure, which has had a significant upward impact on production costs for XSYS’s equipment.

The core priority for XSYS is to deal with significant shortages across materials used in the production of components and housing for ThermoFlexX imagers and Catena processing equipment. Material cost has increased by 10–20% already in 2021 with no indication for recovery throughout 2022. In particular, XSYS is experiencing significant cost increases across the following inputs and materials:

 Steel and plastics: Global shortages have caused price increases of at least 15% in 2021
 Electronics: Global shortages and supply chain issues resulted in double-digit price increases in 2021, and price increases have already been announced for 2022
 Energy: Soaring gas and electricity prices are increasing production costs for XSYS and its suppliers
 Logistics: Sea and land freight costs have increased not only for direct shipments to the customers of XSYS but also indirectly, further contributing to inflation of all input materials.

While some inflationary developments can be absorbed by implementing efficiency improvements as well as qualifying alternative suppliers, extraordinary and persistent inflation levels now leave XSYS no other option than to implement a price increase of 10–15% across the ThermoFlexX imagers and ThermoFlexX Catena equipment, as well as on spare parts and service agreements.

Friedrich von Rechteren, Global Commercial VP at XSYS, concludes: “We understand that this price increase is adding pressure to the business of our customers during these difficult circumstances, and it has not been an easy choice for us to make. However, to ensure consistent and reliable supply to our customers, we see no other way than passing on some of these costs.”

Sustainability is the key theme in PP but impact more limited than many fear

AMI, Bristol, 07/04/22 – A new report and database from AMI Consulting published in March 2022 quantify and analyse the European PP market and examine the most recent industry dynamics.

Rhian O’Connor, Senior Consultant and Katrina Purser, Senior Research Analyst are the authors of the 2022 editions of AMI’s Polypropylene Markets Europe report and Polypropylene Processors Europe database which are the result of an extensive research programme, providing a detailed independent assessment of this industry. The report revises and updates the size and growth of demand for different applications and countries with Europe as well as looking at the key themes and supply picture. The database gives a detailed list of buyers and divides demand by application and country.

The key theme for the last two years has been Covid-19 with some positive impacts on sectors like hygiene and packaging and some negative impacts on sectors including automotive. In 2021, the total volume of PP (including compounds but excluding recyclate) in the European market was 10 million.

AMI believe the key theme of the next five years to be sustainability. Single use plastics legislation could impact the rigid and flexible packaging markets, with consumers looking to turn away from plastic packaging. However, there are limited alternatives, and we believe legislation will instead look to simplification/redesign of packaging – using monomaterials and increasing recyclability.

Recyclate should continue to take share, but we believe the impact will be relatively limited on PP over the next five years – effectively depressing demand only 0.7%pa. The main reason for this low impact – much less than industry anticipate is availability of recyclate. Most consumers interviewed were working to have the technical knowledge to put recyclate in their product. Everything from fibres, compounds to food-grade packaging. The database gives a detailed overview of buyers of PP recyclate.

The market is more uncertain now, than at any other edition of this report. Challenges include the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, new standards on single use plastics and sustainability, polymer shortages, logistics challenges and changes to retail channels. Finally, the war in Ukraine is adding further complications to logistics and cost pressure.

As a result, we believe it is even more crucial to look at individual markets – whether geographical, by application, technology, or grade – to monitor the growth of the European polypropylene market. The report and its expert analysis, as well as the database.

KRAIBURG TPE teams up with Pune Polymers in upgrading mask protection

KRAIBURG TPE, a global TPE manufacturer of a diverse range of thermoplastic elastomer products and custom solutions for a variety of industries, collaborated with Indian OEM manufacturer Pune Polymers Pvt Ltd to improve mask design through the use of its THERMOLAST® TPE compound.

Reusable face masks are a critical component of global health protocols, and depending on the quality, they can limit virus transmissions effectively. Since these barrier devices must be worn for long durations to prevent and contain the spread of disease, they should be comfortable for the wearer. Furthermore, fitments is a necessary aspect in reducing user discomfort. Due to their flexibility, excellent design freedom, and efficient processability, thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) fulfil the reusable mask industry’s criteria for mask applications.

KRAIBURG TPE, a recognized global manufacturer in superior TPE compounds supplied its THERMOLAST® TPE compound to Pune Polymers Pvt Ltd, an Indian-based OEM manufacturer, to produce the Jivanakk FFP3 (Filtering Face Piece 3) mask.

Keeping users safe from virus infections
FFP3 masks have been recommended for healthcare workers’ use who are at high risk of hospital-acquired infections, since they can provide thorough protection against Covid-19, especially when performing aerosol generating procedures.

The Jivanakk FFP3 mask design technology was developed by India’s leading nuclear research facility, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. Jivanakk’s innovative structure enables the mask to provide a comfortable yet snug fit on various facial shapes, while eliminating the fogging problem experienced by eyeglass wearers.

The mask’s HEPA filter is able to filter bacteria, viruses, and pollen with a size of 0.3 micron or larger at up to 99.97%. The filter, which can be used for 90 days or more, has a long-life cycle and can be easily adjusted by the user.

Furthermore, the mask can also be disassembled and washed with soap and water after extended use or when it becomes contaminated.

Material advantages of THERMOLAST® compound
KRAIBURG TPE’s THERMOLAST® compound was selected due to its excellent bonding with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), allowing for design flexibility, as requested by Pune Polymers for the Jivanakk FFP3 mask. The soft touch texture of the TPE compound adds cushioned comfort to the mask wearer, and it also does not cause allergies or irritations on the skin. In addition, the halogen-free compound conforms to food regulations such as EU Directive 10/2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 21, and the EN71/3 European safety standard, as well as the RoHS and REACH standards.

THERMOLAST® H for the healthcare sector in Asia-Pacific KRAIBURG TPE recently introduced its new THERMOLAST® H product line exclusively for the Asia Pacific healthcare and medical devices market.

Available in the THERMOLAST® H series of compounds is the high-quality HC/AP series material solution.

It satisfies the global criteria for food contact and medical grade materials, such as cytotoxicity ISO 10993-5 and GB/T 16886.5.

Furthermore, the HC/AP series’ exhibit exceptional properties, like adherence to polymers such as PP, haptics, and compression set, making it ideal for masks and medical device component applications.

With its easy processability advantage, the HC/AP series is also targeted at closures, flexible connections, medical tubing, syringe gaskets, catheter connectors, mouthpieces, and other medical device applications.

Xeikon launches groundbreaking TITON technology in response to sustainability trends in packaging

To meet industry needs for sustainable printing methods and environmentally friendly packaging production, Xeikon announces TITON technology, a new toner formulation offering all the benefits of UV inks without the disadvantages.

“The flexible packaging market is moving towards more sustainable paper-based solutions in response to strong consumer demand for plastic-free alternatives,” says Frank Jacobs, Market Intel & Senior Product Manager. “With the new TITON technology, Xeikon is offering a sustainable solution for an unexplored and wider variety of applications to fully support brand owners, designers and printers wishing to increase their use of paper-based packaging for food products.”

Food-safe and odorless
TITON builds on the core value of Xeikon dry toner technology which, due to the absence of any liquid (mobile) components, is the most food-safe technology in the digital landscape, even with only paper as the main functional barrier. As it is also completely odor- and tasteless, it will not affect the customer experience when the product is consumed. These key characteristics make TITON toner suitable for a broad range of applications with indirect and direct food contact.

TITON toner also impresses by the excellent resistance to scuffing and scratching, water, sunlight, high temperatures and a large set of liquid chemicals, without any type of protective layers such as varnishing or lamination. A substantial feature is the ability to withstand heat sealing temperatures of up to 220-260°C (428-500°F), which is crucial to maintaining the pack’s integrity and protecting the product.

As brand owners continue to convert film-based packaging to paper, TITON can be employed to print many types of flexible packaging for food products. It can be used for papers that are coated on one side for bags, pouches and sachets, or on both sides for wrappers such as baked goods, confectionery, sugar, flour, herbs and spices, and coffee and tea.

Allowing brand owners to move to recyclable paper-based packaging puts TITON technology in a groundbreaking position in the digital printing landscape, and it gives printers the opportunity to expand their capabilities into applications that could not previously be addressed with digital, complementing their conventional flexo presses.

“With the migration towards paper-based packaging printing, the demand on the print technology has become more stringent in terms of being food safe without a plastic functional barrier or plastic lamination to protect the print itself,” states Jacobs.

Improving OEE
Being able to print directly on paper substrates without varnishing or lamination, either inline or offline, has a significant impact on the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) of the digital printing operation. Varnishing and lamination require additional setup time and create more waste in the process. Furthermore, water-based varnishes used to achieve food safety require a significant amount of maintenance, which eatsinto productive uptime. Lamination can also negatively affect the recyclability of the packaging. TITON toner is the only digital solution that can address this market without the time and cost implications of further surface processes, thereby improving speed to market, profitability, and productivity.

The first digital press model to run TITON technology will be the Xeikon CX500t, a new member of the CHEETAH series. Adding extra capabilities to the successful 508mm (20 inches) wide machine, with the new toner technology, allows converters to broaden their reach and enter new market segments.

“Once again, Xeikon is paving the way for converters to future-proof their business by developing solutions that help them stay ahead of the curve and respond to market needs for high quality, sustainable and cost-effective solutions. It reaffirms our dedication to the labels and packaging market and is the perfect illustration that application-tuned products are key to driving growth.”

“The ground-breaking TITON toner brings new market opportunities for digital print that no other digital technology can offer, and it will set a new standard in flexible packaging production,” concludes Jacobs. Visitors to the Xeikon Café in Lier, Belgium, on April 26–28 can experience TITON technology in action during the live press demos. To register, please visit Xeikon Café 2022 – Label & packaging innovation | Xeikon.