Aksa begins carbon fibre production near Istanbul

(PlastEurope) -- Aksa Akrilik Kimya, which claims to be the world's largest producer of acrylic fibres, is persistently pursuing its plan to also become one of the world's largest carbon fibre manufacturers, with a world market share of 10%. A 42 t/y pilot plant built in 2007/2008 by the subsidiary of the Akkok group was recently replaced by an industrial scale plant with a capacity of 1,500 t/y.

The company's plant at Yalova, south of Istanbul on the eastern side of the Sea of Marmara, is seen as a flagship project. It was developed and built in cooperation with the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey TUBITAK. The goal is to drive the use of composites in Turkey.

MRC

(PlastEurope) -- Packaging manufacturer Alpla has informed the Austrian federal competition authority of its intention to take over 75% of PET Recycling Team. The remaining 25% will remain in the possession of the managing shareholder and previous sole owner, Erich Happenhofer.

The company founded in 2005 is specialised in the recycling of PET plastic bottles and employs around 40 people. Its portfolio includes r-PET as well as PET and PO flakes.

MRC

(PlastEurope) -- The new in-plant run by plastics packaging manufacturer Nampak Plastics at Dale Farm's dairy in Ballymena, Northern Ireland has begun full operations. The company reports that the ⌠hole in the wall facility's three blow moulding machines have begun supplying the dairy with 1 pint, 1 litre and 2 litre bottles, adding that it expects to bring on stream its fourth 2 litre machine at the end of this month. The plant will then have a weekly capacity of more than 2.5m bottles.

The new plant supports its regional development plans, Nampak said, adding that it believes that ongoing growth in distribution sales will increase the facility's current staff of 16 to up to 25 by the end of the year.

MRC

(PlastEurope) -- Evonik Degussa, part of Evonik Industries, and APT Advanced Polymer Technologies Europe plan to cooperate on the manufacture and distribution of products made from Evonik's ⌠Vestakeep. Under the agreement, APT Europe, a subsidiary of the Essen group's Evonik Rohm subsidiary, will use ⌠Vestakeep exclusively as a source material for its semi-finished PEEK products.

APT Europe can draw on the expertise of US-based Advanced Polymer Technologies for production of high-performance semi-finished products based on PEEK, while Evonik can provide a long-established sales and technical service network. The focus of the European cooperation will be on medical technology. The deal will allow Evonik to expand its US partnership to Europe, said Dirk Heinrich, director of marketing and sales for Vestakeep. The shared portfolio will include the ⌠latest generation of semi-finished PEEK products made with Vestakeep 5000 G.

MRC

(PlastEurope) -- After serving as European sales manager since first joining Extrusion Dies Industries in 2007, Andrei Stapinoiu has been appointed the flat dies supplier's new sales director for Europe. In this capacity he will oversee EDI's network throughout Europe, the Middle East and South Africa. Stapinoiu also will supervise sales activities at EDI's German subsidiary.

MRC