BASF Neopolen E to provide greater safety

(BASF) -- Thanks to crash mats with a core of Neopolen E providing greater safety on ski slopes and downhill runs, skiers and snowboarders will be sure of a soft landing both on and off the snow this winter season. These mats, which are made by the Austrian sporting goods manufacturer Berger, can be used for example to cushion ski lift uprights, rock walls, and barriers. Berger's crash mats contain a specially-designed Neopolen E hollow chamber system. On impact, the BASF foam provides optimum shock cushioning, thus helping to protect skiers from injury.


Neopolen E is a closed-cell, physically crosslinked polyethylene particle foam (EPE). As a core material for mats, Neopolen E is not only stable but flexible and durable, and it also has an excellent shock-absorbing effect. This means that the material provides outstanding absorption of the energy striking the mat in case of impact. Moreover, it returns to its original shape after the load is released. This allows even repeated loads to be reliably cushioned. Because of the light weight of Neopolen E, these crash mats can be easily transported and set up on ski slopes.


MRC

China to import strong volumes of major petrochemical products in September

(ICIS) -- China continued to import strong volumes of major petrochemical products in September as prices of most commodities declined in the international markets amid softer demand coming from industrialized countries in the West, industry sources said on Wednesday.


The country, the world's second biggest economy, is a major importer of petrochemicals in Asia.
In September, China imported 6% more ethylene on a year-on-year basis to 79,760 tonnes, while it took in 8,774 tonnes of butadiene, representing a 16% increase, official data from China Customs showed. Its propylene imports totaled 143,332 tonnes last month, up 76% year on year, according to the data.


Spot ethylene prices on 30 September averaged $1,090/tonne (┬785/tonne) CFR (cost and freight) China, down by more than 4% from the start of the month. Butadiene prices in Asia slumped nearly 21%, while propylene values tumbled 8% over the course of the month, according to ICIS data.
The decline in prices is largely caused by sluggish demand and a general bearishness in sentiment in the market amid fears of another round of global recession.


MRC

Sumitomo enhances all-electric credentials

(Plastics Today) -- Sumitomo Heavy Industries (Tokyo) has unveiled its latest all-electric series comprising 50, 75, 100, 130, and 180-tonne presses under the Sumitomo Demag EV Series banner at the IPF Show in Tokyo. Taking over from where the DUV series left off, Sumitomo says it has further upped the ante in terms of energy savings, environmental credentials and ease-of-operations with its latest offerings.


All-electric solution for thin-wall packaging beats hybrid performance (top), while 900-tonne all-electric press breaks new ground for injection-molded light guide panels (bottom). The performance enhancements on the servomotor side have also led to greater machine precision according to Sumitomo. At IPF, a 100-tonne SE100EV machine was molding coil bobbins from PBT in an eight-cavity tool. Comparisons with the previous DUV series of machines have shown that part weight standard deviation can be improved by up to 30%.


Mold opening and closing is also reportedly smoother than before. Another area that Sumitomo has focused on is energy consumed in heating the barrel, which has been reduced by half through using an insulating cover.


MRC

Bayer MaterialScience broke ground on its new PC solid sheet plant

(Plasteurope) -- Bayer MaterialScience on 20 October 2011 officially broke ground on its new PC solid sheet plant in Yonghe economic area, in Guangzhou's economic and technologic development district. The 12,000 t/y facility is due to start up by the end of 2012. Output will be equally split between optical panels and solid sheets, BMS said, adding that by 2015, the facility's nameplate capacity is to double to 24,000 t/y.


Once on stream, the facility will join BMS' existing PC sheet network in East Asia, including its multiwall sheet plant in Beijing / China and its solid sheet facility in Gimhae / South Korea. Typical applications for the solid PC sheet include optical application plates, machine covers, protection gear, architecture glazing, lighting applications and mass transportation.


Output of the new plant is geared towards meeting rising Asian demand for polycarbonate sheets, which BMS says is expected to grow at 10% a year. In China alone, the German group says, PC sheet demand currently stands at 110,000 t/y, equally split between multiwall and slid sheets. According to Michael Schmidt, head of Global Technology and Production at BMS PCS Semi-Finished Products, ⌠we forecast that by 2015 the annual growth rate for the market of polycarbonate sheets in China is around 10%. Therefore, our prediction is that in 2015 China will need 155,000 t of polycarbonate sheets - 65,000 t for multiwall sheets and 90,000 t for solid sheets.


MRC

Lanxess is presenting high-performance ion exchange resins

(Lanxess) -- Specialty chemicals company Lanxess is presenting high-performance ion exchange resins from its successful Lewatit range together with a complete line of services at Aquatech 2011, taking place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from November 1 to 4. Another focus of the event is on Lewabrane-brand membrane elements, produced at the new manufacturing facility in Bitterfeld, Germany. The first reverse osmosis membrane elements from Lanxess, they are scheduled for launch on the market in early 2012.


Lewatit is one of the leading brands in the field of ion exchange resins. Reflecting the relevant customer applications, the range of exchange resins, adsorbers and functional polymers is divided into three main segments: water, foodstuffs and catalysis/biotechnology/chemical processes. Lanxess offers new and established products from the Lewatit range for all these sectors. In combination with Lewabrane membrane elements, they meet the highest demands in the industry.


Ion exchange resins or membranes can be used to desalinate water for chemical processes or power generation. The decision to combine the two methods depends on the respective conditions. While membrane technology is very cost-efficient for water with a high salt content, only ion exchangers can purify water with low salt concentrations to the point where purely trace amounts remain. With both methods connected in series, water of the highest purity can be produced even from very poor-quality water.


MRC