Teijin Techno to produce mass-producible aramid nanofiber

(polyestertime) -- Teijin Techno Products Limited, a Teijin group company producing advanced aramid fibers, announced today its development of the world's first mass-producible aramid nanofiber to offer reliable heat and
oxidation resistance together with high quality.

Until now, aramid nanofibers have been produced only in laboratories, so this first commercially viable product represents a significant step forward in the evolution of this promising new material. Teijin Techno Products' nanofiber, which is uniformly sized with a diameter of just several hundred nanometers is based on Teijin's proprietary Teijinconex heat-resistant meta-aramid.

It will be marketed in the form of nonwoven sheet for separators in lithium ion batteries (LIBs). Commercial production is targeted at 2014.

MRC

Husky completes Injectoplast sale

(canplastics) -- Bolton, Ont.-based Husky Injection Molding Systems announced that it has completed the sale of Injectoplast, the former closure injection molding operation of KTW, to Austria's Alpla.

The sale agreement was announced 24 January; the terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Injectoplast was a division of KTW, a closure mold maker Husky acquired in early 2011.

At the time of the KTW acquisition Husky announced it would be divesting of Injectoplast due to potential conflicts with its existing injection molding customers.
MRC

BASF's Freeport site to install new ammonium sulfate crystallizer system

(process-worldwide) -- Officials at BASF's Freeport, Texas, site announced that the site will soon begin construction of a new, 160,000 ton per year ammonium sulfate crystallizer system at its caprolactam plant. This is a joint project with American Plant Food Corporation, Galena, Texas, a customer of BASF.

Once completed, the crystallizer will refine high-quality ammonium sulfate, a by-product of the caprolactam manufacturing process and a key component in plant fertilizer sold by American Plant Food. Construction of the crystallizer system is expected to take six months to complete and will cost about USD 8 million. The project will employ 20 construction personnel and will create 30 jobs off-site for local companies.

"This provides BASF and American Plant Food with a unique opportunity to gain significant benefits for both parties," said Chris Witte, Senior Vice President and General Manager of BASF's Freeport site. "It is an excellent example of finding innovative uses for by-products and reducing waste in our manufacturing processes - as well as helping our customers succeed."

MRC

Alpla wins Arla Foods bottle contract

(packagingnews) -- Arla Foods has appointed plastic packaging company Alpla to manufacture bottles on site at its new one billion-litre dairy in Aylesbury

Arla said that Alpa will also support its aim for the dairy to be the most environmentally advanced in the world. Alpla, which is targeting an industry first recycled HDPE material content of 50% in all bottles for Arla, will support the dairy company's aim of delivering a zero carbon facility with zero waste to landfill in Aylesbury.

Alpla has already designed a new range of lightweight HDPE bottles, which will deliver a weight saving in excess of 20% compared to Arla's current milk bottles.
MRC

Kyrgyzstan exports 95 percent of cotton

(yarnsandfibers) -- "Kyrgyzstan exports 95 percent of cotton," the head of Light Industry Department under the Ministry of Energy and Industry, Ms. Fatima Sadamkulova, said at the panel discussion on development of textile and garment industry.

According her, the republic gathers annually 101.3 thousand tons of raw cotton and 11.1 thousand tons of wool in grease. ⌠Textile industry is not developed in the country. We cannot process own raw materials because of shortage of premises, specialists and finances. In 2011, only 22.5 thousand tons were processed out of gathered cotton. The main problem is absence of productive capacities, Fatima Sadamkulova explained.

She noted that the Ministry of Agriculture intends to increase area under cotton crops up to 40, 000 hectares. "This year entrepreneurs intend to produce 120 thousand tons of raw cotton and 16.6 thousand tons of wool. Therefore it is needed to establish industrial areas in Osh province to attract investors to pour money into fiber processing and restoration of silk industry," Fatima Sadamkulova said.
MRC