A publication of the European Plastics Distributors Association
Issue 20 | December 2006 | www.epda.com
In this issue
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MESSAGE
FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE Since the EPDA conference in The Midlands, UK, in May 2006, we are constantly seeking to improve our services to members; for example, we launched a new style of the E-Newsletter and improved services of our homepage. Before the next conference in Torino, Italy, in May 2007 we also will have a newly designed web site, which will feature additional and useful services for our members. As we constantly want to enlarge the numbers of members we are asking you today to please send us e-mail addresses of friends and companies you would like to receive the monthly EPDA E-Newsletter, please. The idea behind this is to increase the knowledge of plastics usage in general and also to invite new members to join our association. Please be assured that the EPDA staff Sabine Reinhold, sreinhold@epda.com and Wendy Schantz, wschantz@epda.com, (to whom we ask you to send the e-mail addresses) will handle the addresses with care and confidentiality. We also request for your help in the redesign of the EPDA web site. We would like to update the photos on the site, and we ask that you send photos of materials to Wendy Schantz at wschantz@epda.com. If your photo is used, your company will be mentioned in the acknowledgements of the site. We thank you for your assistance and do wish you a happy holiday and a joyous new year in 2007. Best regards, Yours sincerely,
Hans Winterleitner
Paolo Cattaneo PLASTICS EXHIBITION UPDATE
563 Italian and foreign exhibitors showed their huge range of products, from digital printing to P-O-P Displays and the lighting industry. The exhibition also offered different workshops on serigraphy and digital engraving to deliver an insight into new technologies and applied marketing strategies. Visual Communication is an exhibition that supplies the requirements of each expert who wants to be up-to-date on new ideas, solutions and new market fields into the visual communication branch. Report written by Gevacril Acrylics. To share information on exhibitions your company has attended, please send reports to epda@epda.com. |
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EPDA members are invited to submit news on their company and products for publication in EPDA’s E-Update newsletter. News may be submitted in any language, to be translated by EPDA staff, and may include photographs. Please e-mail news (in a Microsoft Word document or as text in an e-mail) to epda@epda.com. Please note that submissions may be edited for length and clarity. ANGST+PFISTER PRESENTED ITS ONLINE CATALOG
AT SWISSTECH 2006 The company’s entire assortment of products of more than 100,000 items is available on its web site at www.angst-pfister.com in five languages. With the catalog’s intelligent search options and interactive navigation for product search, it offers very easy access to the extensive Angst+Pfister range. Visit www.angst-pfister.com for more information. |
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Articles reporting on plastic
products are prepared from information furnished by INNOVATIONS FOR THE FUTURE — NEW
MATERIALS FOR NEW CHALLENGES The company proudly presents its new family member: Original Material “S”®plus+ AB Sterile and safe
With material “S”®plus+ AB microbial growth on surfaces can be reduced by at least 99.96 percent in comparison to materials without additives, thus preventing the formation of unpleasant odours and the build-up of biofilm. “S”®plus+ AB combines an antimicrobial effect with the other outstanding properties of the “S”®plus+ family and is therefore an ideal material for the food and beverage industry. For more information, please visit www.murtfeldt.de/en. ITALIAN DESIGN FOR TRANSLUCENT COMPOSITE
PANELS The special structure of the Lightben works well as light diffusion element that, combined with the different colours of the panel or eventually of the light itself, gives multiple colour choices for the final result. Thanks to its translucency and the decorative effect coming from its core pattern, Lightben is very appreciated by architects and companies designing fittings and furniture for shops, exhibition stands, offices, houses, bars and restaurants, as well as stages for TV and theatre. The wide range of colours and finishings make a very interesting feature in the design of partition walls, doors, false ceilings and raised floors, as well as tables tops and desks and back-lit/illuminated panels. The range of possible applications of Lightben is widened by the possibility of inserting handles, hinges, frames to realize fittings and furniture. Edging the panels is also possible, for instance when used as shelves or sliding doors. For more information, please visit www.bencore.it.
CHILL OUT
WITH LUCITE ICE The “Transparento” range includes the new design Favola bath, made from cool, translucent Lucite® Ice White to create a bath that is perfect both for relaxation and bathing, with a smooth surface finish that has soft curved lines and is warm to the touch. Favola uses a combination of Lucite® Ice to create the bath itself, together with sophisticated colour therapy lights and a hydromassage facility to create the ultimate bathing experience! Lucite® Ice has a subtle, frosted translucency which allowed the designers of the Favola bath to use sophisticated colour therapy lights positioned in the base of the bath to create a soothing glow which adds a new dimension to the bathing experience. Because Lucite® is strong and durable, powerful hydrotherapy jets could be fitted to the base the bath, allowing the user to enjoy a healthy, relaxing, hydromassage to take away the stresses and strains of modern day living. Visit www.lucite.com for more information. COLOUR-LIGHTED
USES FOR GEVACRIL® ACRYLIC TUBES These custom-made contemporary lamps were designed from Borolo srl to combine light, function and form — giving an abundance of diffused light and suiting individual preferences. GEVACRIL® ACRYLICS XT acrylic tubes with a outside diameter of 250 mm and a 5 mm thickness have been used to create this design article which constantly changes its colour and reflects the light from thousands of floating glitters, giving a slight feeling of colour therapy. This innovative concept required the high-quality of PMMA XT tubes that are easily workable and have a high break resistance. But this is only one reason why the producer chose GEVACRIL®’s tubes. The transparent tubes used have a perfect smooth and brilliant surface, and they diffuse light extremely well. A wide range of transparent, translucent, opaque and fluorescent colours makes acrylic tubes from GEVACRIL® the ideal material for colour-lit applications. Acrylic tubes are available in a wide range of diameters, thicknesses and colours. For more information, visit www.gevacril.com. ZELL-METALL
GmbH PRESENTS ANTISTATIC POM C The permanent antistatic property is not influenced by humidity and there is no migration taking place. The product does not contain carbon and is therefore prepared for clean room applications. The excellent POM C (acetal copolymer) properties as high impact strength, low wear and dimensional stability are unchanged. More information can be found at www.zellamid.com. |
| NEWS from the Industry |
| GROWTH
OF PLASTICS MARKET TO PROPEL GREATER DEMAND FOR PLASTIC COLORANTS Frost & Sullivan finds that the European markets for plastic colorants earned revenues of €292.6 million in 2005 and estimates this to reach €339.3 million in 2012. “The plastics market is growing in the European Union (EU) in virtually every sector of the industry and chemical class,” remarks Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Robert Outram. “Growth in the high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sector has been particularly good, with growth rates since 2001 ranging between 3.4 to 4.4 percent per year. This is an important sector of the plastic colorants markets as HDPE and PET are used in the making of plastic bottles and containers, often requiring some colorant.” To a large extent, expansion of the European plastic industry is driving the plastic colorants markets. The industry is witnessing growth, particularly in high-price and technical applications such as films and automotive parts. As Asian companies enter the market, compelling prices to decline, these high-performance applications are providing opportunities to European pigment producers and allowing them to distinguish themselves as technology leaders. However, European pigment producers are facing growing price pressure. The cost of producing a kilogram of organic pigment is lower in India and China, than in Europe. Typically, Asian pigment producers charge €2 to €3 less per kilo for organic pigments, in comparison to their European counterparts. This is attributed to low costs of construction, workforce wages and environmental controls in the regions. While tightening of environmental legislations in these countries is expected, it is unlikely to make a significant impact on bridging cost disparities. “Competition for sales has largely been on a price basis as the degree of innovation in the market is limited and the market itself has noticeable resistance to evolving technologically,” explains Outram. “Consequently, the main tool competitors can leverage in the market is price.” This report is available at www.chemicals.frost.com.
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| Industry Events |
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For a list of all events, please visit www.epda.com/industry.cfm THE GLOBAL POLYESTER AND
PET CHAIN 2006 POLYMERS IN ELECTRONICS INTERPLASTICA 2007 EPDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE |
The
Visual Communications exhibition 2006 in Milan, Italy confirmed
its success with 20,424 visitors at the exhibition, which means
an increase of 6.3 percent in total and an increase of 13.3 percent
of foreign visitors representing 77 nations.
Microorganisms
such as bacteria and fungi can harm the human body. In food manufacturing
and processing, they are therefore undesirable. Material “S”®plus+
AB is specially formulated to impede the growth of bacteria and
other microbes, while being friendly to people and the environment
at the same time. 
Bencore
is continuously looking for new materials to widen its product range.
The latest addition is Lightben, a composite panel featuring a core
of polycarbonate cylinders and lined with external layers in various
materials finishing and colours, while always maintaining its transparency.
The core can be either clear or coloured.
Russian
bath producer Doctor Jet has created a new range of products for
the growing Russian and Eastern European market.
The
home, the area enclosed by the four walls of a dwelling, is an expression
of the identity of its owner. It can be illuminated with original
and imaginative solutions. In fact, we all tend to make our home
unique, to make it fit our individual requirements and preferences.
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Copyright 2006 |
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