Backdraft extruder improves blown film processing

(PlasticsEngineering) -- American Kuhne has announced an exciting new extruder technology. The Backdraft extruder is designed with a reverse air cooling system, which is ideal for blown film processing as well as benefitting other plastic processing applications.

The Backdraft extruder design removes heat and air currents from the extrusion area for optimum bubble stability, while simultaneously improving energy efficiency. Individual dampers for each zone provide superior process control and operational simplicity. When the dampers are closed, they prevent the "chimney effect" present in most air-cooled machines that allows energy losses through convection cooling. The dampers are connected to a common air plenum integrated into the machine base, which is in turn connected to a single exhaust fan, either connected to the base or remote mounted.

The single central exhaust blower removes the need for more traditional individual blowers on each zone. When a damper opens, air is drawn down through the heater's cooling fins and through the exhaust system. This reverse cooling arrangement eliminates the need for exhaust hoods, and eliminates any potentially damaging air currents near the bubble area.

American Kuhne, Inc. is a leading worldwide supplier of standard and customized single screw extruders, feed screws, extrusion systems and specialized turnkey systems for medical applications. They are designed and built in Ashaway, RI. Turnkey pipe, tubing and profile systems are also developed, tested and manufactured within their plant. In addition, the company maintains two medical tubing lab lines capable of multi-lumen and taper tube extrusions available for customer trials in their facility in Ashaway RI and their European facility at Kuhne GmbH in St. Augustin Germany.
MRC

(yarnsandfibers) -- Ivanovo region Governor Mikhail Men delivered a report on the support of textiles under Russia's accession to the WTO. The governor presented his report on July 16th, at the meeting of the Federation Council Committee on Economic Policy in Moscow.

Mikhail Men stressed out that the industries working for domestic demand may find themsevles in the least favorable situation during Russia's accession to the WTO. The regions, where these industries are concentrated, may therefore face serious problems. As for the Ivanovo region, it goes about the textile industry. "Textile companies will come across aggressive price competition with imported goods. If we do not take measures to support domestic producers, the Russian market of light industry goods may fall sharply," said the Governor.

The head of the region emphasized the importance to support the basic, large textile corporations. "In the region, there are, in fact, holding companies, which forms the textile industrial cluster around themselves. These companies may become the points of growth, which will make our textile industry develop into a highly competitive innovative industry," said Mikhail Men. He also spoke about the project to build a synthetic fiber factory in the region.

As for additional measures of support, the Governor proposed the provision of state guarantees for the implementation of complex innovative projects in textiles, as well as a moratorium on cutting the budgets for the companies of the light industry. The budgets are used to compensate a part of the companies' spending on raw materials and equipment. Mikhail Men supported the maximum participation of Russian companies in the implementation of the state order, especially in the defense sector. The head of the region mentioned the provision of subsidies from the federal budget to the organizations of textile and light industry for 2013-2017 to reimburse the costs on heat and energy resources.

At the end of his speech Mikhail Men said that the key players of the textile market do not see any considerable minuses in Russia's WTO membership. "Russia has never had a tangible competitive advantage for the development of the textile industry. Raw materials, equipment and yarn - we buy all that for the same price as our foreign competitors do. If support measures are determined, if this issue is solved, then we have every reason to hope that the Russian textiles will exist," said the Governor.
MRC

(yarnsandfibers) -- The textile industry should recover from the demand slump witnessed last financial year to post a 6% growth in yarn production and 5.7% growth in fabric production in 2012-13, says the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). The steep rise in prices hit production of both yarn and cloth in 2011-12 and yarn production fell 5.1%. The expectation this time round is that better domestic demand and addition of fresh capacity will boost growth.

Cotton yarn, which saw an 8% fall last fiscal, should revive and post 8.5% growth in output this year. Synthetic yarn will grow by a more modest 3% says CMIE. In April, synthetic yarn production fell sharply by 7.6% pulling down overall yarn production with it. As a result, April 2012 saw yarn production down 3.2% although cotton yarn output remained flat at 0.4% growth.

As for fabrics, it showed fabulous growth in April. Fabric production was up 18.5% though some of that growth is attributable to the low base effect - last April saw fabric production down 13.5%. Synthetic fabric production grew fastest in April at a 24% clip while cotton fabric production grew at 12%. According to CMIE, a likely 12% drop in cotton prices should revive the fortunes of the fabric industry and fabric production should grow by 5.7% thanks to a pick-up in domestic demand and addition of new capacity. Synthetic fabric and cotton fabric will clock 5.4 and 4% growth respectively, says CMIE.
MRC

(upstreamonline) -- Austria’s OMV has said its production in Libya is close to returning to pre-crisis levels, but warned its quarterly bottom line would be hit with a USD171.59 million charge.

The explorer said the loss to be booked in its results for the second quarter due on 8 August was mostly over an impairment on the domestic Strashoff gas field.

The company also lost some USD39.21 million on hedging in the past three months.

OMV incurred the loss after making oil price swaps that locked in 50,000 barrels per day at USD101.50 on a euro to dollar exchange rate of USD1.36.

Quarterly production rose to 305,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day from 299,000 boe in the first quarter and 275,000 boe a year earlier, an increase which the explorer credited to its resurgent Libyan operations as well as higher output in New Zealand.

The rise was offset by lower production at two Romanian fields and a planned shutdown at Austria’s Aderklaa.
MRC

(plastemart) -- Solvay’s specialty polymers compounding plant located in Changshu, province of Jiangsu in China, has started to serve the local growing demand for specialty polymers compounds. The plant is mainly serving China's customers in the electronics, automotive, consumer and industrial applications markets with compounds of AmodelR polyphthalamide (PPA), IxefR polyarylamide (PARA) and KalixR (modified PARA).

This plant required an investment of EUR 21 million and is fully adaptable for future expansion of overall capacity as well as production of compounds made out of other high performance polymers. It is adjacent to another specialty polymers plant which is currently under construction for the production of SOLEFR Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF), TECNOFLONR Fluoroelastomers (FKM) and their essential monomer VF2.

"The start-up of our compounding plant in Changshu is an important step in the development plan of Solvay's growing industrial base in China where the Group is committed to increase its customer base. Sales of Specialty Polymers in Asia have already increased to over 30% of total sales and we see this trend continuing," comments Augusto di Donfrancesco, General Manager of the Global Business Unit Specialty Polymers.
MRC