An Exclusive Interview with Mr. Mariano Suarez, beyond carnauba: bio-based waxes redefining stability and sustainability in coatings & Inks

Global trade conditions are changing rapidly. From seasonal crop risks to new tariffs and supply chain constraints, the reliability of traditional waxes such as carnauba is decreasing. This volatility comes at a cost for coatings and inks manufacturers.

“When trade conditions change, your wax supply shouldn’t,” says Mariano Suarez, Clariant’s Head of Marketing for Additives. “Our bio-based solutions, built on the innovation-driven LicocareTM RBW Vita platform and enhanced by new developments such as CeridustTM 1150, deliver stability, sustainability, and high performance. Together, they offer our customers a reliable choice in coatings and inks.”

What macro shifts are putting pressure on traditional wax supply chains?

Mariano Suarez: Traditional wax supply chains are under growing pressure due to concentrated sourcing, seasonal limitations, and evolving global trade dynamics. Carnauba wax, for example, is harvested almost exclusively in Brazil. Its availability can fluctuate due to climate conditions and regional factors. As tariff frameworks change in key markets such as the US, manufacturers face greater complexity in planning and costs. These changes are prompting many manufacturers to reevaluate their material strategies and seek more stable and scalable alternatives.

How is Clariant helping manufacturers within the coatings industry manage volatility while also advancing sustainability?

Mariano Suarez: We’ve invested in stable, high-performing alternatives that address supply chain challenges directly. Our Licocare RBW Vita waxes are sourced from non-edible rice bran, an abundant agricultural byproduct with a secure, diverse supply chain across Asia. They deliver the performance customers expect while offering a renewable carbon index of over 98%, zero PFAS content, and up to 80% lower carbon footprint than fossil-based waxes. Because they avoid the seasonal, location-specific risks of carnauba, manufacturers not only gain measurable sustainability benefits but also a more consistent and scalable supply base. In an environment where tariffs and market realities can shift overnight, that combination of stability and sustainability makes all the difference.

Ceridust 1150 is a new addition to your portfolio. What does it bring to the table?

Mariano Suarez: Ceridust 1150, our latest rice bran wax-based additive, combines reliable supply with high performance for coatings and ink applications. It supports the transition away from fossil and montan waxes while avoiding the volatility of other waxes without compromising on functionality. The product delivers excellent scratch resistance, gloss control, and anti-blocking properties, exactly what customers expect from a high-end wax additive. And for those who want more information, our technical experts are ready to share insights into the unique advantages of rice bran wax.

Are customers ready to move away from traditional waxes, and what’s driving that shift?

Mariano Suarez: Absolutely. There’s strong momentum behind this shift. Customers are looking for sustainable, reliable, long-lasting ingredients. They understand that supply chain uncertainties are becoming the norm and want to proactively reduce risks. Meanwhile, growing regulations surrounding PFAS and emissions are propelling the industry toward more transparent solutions, exactly where Clariant’s expertise and innovative wax alternatives come into play to support a smooth transition.

Any final thoughts on how Clariant sees the future of performance waxes?

Mariano Suarez: Performance alone is no longer enough. What matters is purposeful performance that is delivered reliably, sustainably, and at scale. That’s precisely what we offer with the established Licocare RBW Vita range and our new Ceridust 1150. We’re not waiting for the next disruption. We’re developing solutions that will outlast it.

www.clariant.com

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An Exclusive Interview on the road to K 2025 with Mr. Peter von Hoffmann, General Manager Business Unit Compounding Machines, and Mr. Frank Lechner, General Manager Process Technology and R&D at Coperion, the twin-screw extruder enables high recyclate qualities

How can resource conservation be improved through greater efficiency in compounding?

Peter von Hoffmann: Efficiency is the central goal at Coperion. All our technologies for compounding and recycling plastics are designed with this goal in mind. One example is our ZSK twin-screw extruder, which we currently offer in the ZSK Mc18 generation. It achieves extremely high throughputs, with relatively low energy consumption and a high degree of automation. Numerous additional units such as side feeding, degassing, and condition monitoring increase its performance, enabling our valuable resources to be used in a highly targeted manner, and maximum output to be achieved with high efficiency.

How do you achieve this increase in efficiency?

Von Hoffmann: Let’s stick with the example of the ZSK extruder: in order to achieve this high-power density, all process parameters of the extruder must be correctly determined. The mechanical variables that transfer the high torque to the twin screw need to be specified. In addition, there are process engineering factors that ensure consistently high product quality during compounding. This is the basis: an interplay of “old technology”, process engineering and automation. This is where our wealth of experience in the construction of twin-screw extruders really works in our favour.

What role does digitalisation play?

Von Hoffmann: Once the foundation is in place, digitalisation comes into play. With our C-BEYOND digital platform, operators can view the operating data of their plant at any time. This data is available in the form of informative analyses in real time. Important information on key performance indicators (KPIs) for a production line, such as availability, production volume and product quality, is clearly visible at a glance. With C-BEYOND, the production process can be documented in detail, and the scheduling of maintenance work optimised. C-BEYOND also identifies the energy consumption and CO2 emissions per kilogram of compound produced. With the Overall Equipment Effectiveness Tool, or OEE Tool for short, customers can view the efficiency of their plant and react quickly to any deviations.

How are digital products of that nature regarded by customers?

Von Hoffmann: We initially introduced C-BEYOND to a number of trial customers. Now, increasing numbers of customers want to retrofit their systems with it, in order to benefit from its numerous features. We offer digital life cycle management for example, which provides customers with a proactive maintenance plan that shows when maintenance measures are due for a unit, such as changing the gear oil. We use a condition monitoring system to record the actual load on an extruder. The customer is notified as soon as irregularities occur during an extruder operation and can plan service measures with sufficient lead time. The power consumption of the plant and each unit is also displayed digitally via C-BEYOND. Therefore, anomalies can be identified immediately and countermeasures taken. C-BEYOND can also be viewed on a smartphone via an app. This means that even the company boss can view all the live data from the machines from anywhere.

Is there a trend among your customers towards purchasing complete systems?

Von Hoffmann: Yes, there is a trend in that direction. At Coperion, we offer everything from individual equipment, such as a feeding unit, a rotary valve, or an extruder, to complete systems. It very much depends on the specific application of the system, and where it is to be installed. We have customers who buy individual units from us. If the systems are intended for other countries, they often want to play it safe and will place an order with us for a complete system. They then benefit from the added value of having a partner who can supply them with everything they need. We have the specialist knowledge for the individual machines, as well as the expertise for complete systems.

What role does the twin-screw extruder play in recycling?

Lechner: It is key to producing high-quality recycled materials. In the early days of recycling, single-screw extruders were widely used. However, these have limited capabilities and reach those limits when quality requirements increase. This is where the twin-screw extruder is unbeatable, as it melts the waste plastic very energy-efficiently, and produces a very homogeneous, well-degassed melt that is extremely gentle on the product. The result is a very high-quality compound. A second argument in favour of the twin screw is the throughput. A single screw is expedient for lower throughputs, but with material flows becoming larger, and applications more diverse, the twin screw is unbeatable.

Has the trend towards recycling slowed down?

Lechner: Germany produces around 5.7 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, of which around 35 percent is recycled. There is definitely room for improvement here. However, the demand for recycled materials is currently higher than the availability of raw materials. This is slowing down recycling somewhat. In addition, less plastic is being produced in this country overall because companies have relocated part of their production abroad due to high energy prices. The fact that the oil price is currently quite low is not helpful either. This makes recycled goods significantly more expensive than new goods. Nevertheless, we see a strong drive towards recycling, not only in Germany, but all over the world; that is why we believe that the trend towards recycling is continuing unabatedly.

Many plastics are considered non-recyclable. Will that change?

Lechner: It’s true that we can’t recycle everything yet, but there is a lot of research and development taking place. In the future, it will be possible to recycle plastics that are currently considered non-recyclable in an economically viable way. A lot of things are already possible today that weren’t possible a few years ago. We are now very good at recycling technical plastics, but also a range of mixed plastics. For example, multi-layer film can already be recycled mechanically in such a way that the result can be reused as a layer in a multi-layer film. With our new ZSK FilCo filtration compounder, we can produce recycled plastic with significantly higher product quality than was previously possible using the common two-stage recycling process. This makes many recompounds attractive for a much wider range of applications.

Many companies in Germany are struggling with the problem of a shortage of skilled workers. Is this also your experience at Coperion?

Von Hoffmann: The shortage of skilled workers is a major problem for all of us. Due to demographic developments, it is not likely to ease significantly in the foreseeable future. This is one of the reasons why our industry develops machines that are highly automated and therefore require fewer operators. Nevertheless, we will always need qualified personnel. We are working very hard to ensure that we recruit them, and are proud that we are currently training 76 apprentices and dual students at our German sites. We want to attract people to our company at an early stage and retain them.

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An Exclusive Interview on the road to K 2025 with Mr. Dietmar Dieing, Vice President Sales Plast at Sesotec GmbH, AI delivers great benefits for plastics recycling

Mr. Dieing, how can planning certainty be provided in terms of the circular economy?

Planning certainty is extremely important for the success of the circular economy. It can only be achieved if reliable material flows are produced, standardised recyclate quality is obtained, and stable legal framework conditions are in place; these are three prerequisites that currently do not exist; many things are lackinging. We do not yet have transparent data on products along the entire value chain; a kind of material passport so to speak. We also do not yet have the necessary partnerships between producers, recyclers and machine manufacturers, or political incentives and detailed standards. We will only be able to sort waste through our sorting machines in such a way that a waste product can later correspond to its original product once all of this is in place.

Which of the above requirements is the most difficult to implement?

The most difficult are probably the political standards and incentive systems for Europe. These must ensure that everyone works under the same conditions. So far, this has only been fragmentary. For example: there is a requirement from the EU Commission that at least 30 percent of recycled materials from post-consumer waste must be used in new products as of 2030. These quotas cannot be met at present, because it is not yet clear exactly in what quality grades the recycled material is available on the market, and in which quantities. It would therefore be important to introduce a regulation stipulating that all products must be manufactured in such a way that they can be recycled.

That means a Design for Recycling?

Exactly. Today, many applications still use composite materials that cannot be reasonably converted into recycled materials. Take multi-layer films in the packaging sector for instance: these consist of several different plastics and cannot be recycled in such a way to produce high- quality films. Mono-layer films on the other hand are very easy to recycle because they consist of a single polymer. The material flow that is then created begins to be recyclable. The goal must be to achieve the best possible material flow, whereby we can state that everything made from this material is truly 100% recyclable. Designing for recycling purposes must be mandatory. If no specific regulation is set, the whole thing will not work.

When do you expect these specifications to be in place?

I am very sure that we still have a long way to go. Nothing is likely to change in the short term. This is due to the economic situation we are facing today, and foreign competition, including in mechanical engineering. The technological possibilities are there, but they are expensive. Many customers are simply not prepared to pay the additional costs. In the end, price always wins.

What are the benefits of artificial intelligence in plastics recycling?

I see a huge benefit in this area: in plastics recycling, we have to process large amounts of data extremely quickly in order to optimise processes. AI is exactly the right tool to do this. In the future, there will be more and more specialised applications for AI. Today, we can use cameras and sensors on our conveyor belts in a post-consumer waste stream to identify the manufacturer of a piece of packaging and the material it is made of. With AI, in the future, we will be able to more or less sort in whatever way we wish. For example, we can retrieve data from the internet about a laptop running on the conveyor belt: what processor it has, what components, or how many rare earths have been used. This will offer considerable advantages in the future, because we will be able to sort for value directly from the first material stream. AI also makes material flows safer. Today, we see many recycling plants catching fire because lithium-ion batteries are passing through the shredder. This will no longer happen with the use of AI.

What is already possible at Sesotec today?

We already use AI on our machines to teach them to recognise images, i.e. products. These products are then automatically recognised by every one of our sorters around the world. We also use AI in our sensor technology, which means we can determine with almost 100% certainty whether a product is polyethylene, polypropylene or polystyrene.

How will plastics engineering fare in the future?

Mechanical engineering companies will hold their own. Innovation in Europe remains very strong. Just think how well the new machines are already able to process recycled materials. If we consistently consider recyclability, we will be able to stay ahead of the competition in the future, especially of our competitors in China. However, the Chinese have now learned to build good machines too. We must therefore prepare ourselves for new competitive behaviour from Asia. Basically, though, I am very optimistic about our future.

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An Exclusive Interview on the road to K 2025 with Mr. Timo Horn, Head of Operational Services in Extrusion Technology at Hans Weber Maschinenfabrik GmbH, the use of AI is meant to improve user-friendliness

Mr. Horn, to what extent is Hans Weber already relying on artificial intelligence?

Some time ago, we launched a digital customer portal that allows our customers to view operating instructions and create enquiries, among other things. Our next step is to integrate artificial intelligence into this portal, which will make it available to our customers in the near future. This will enable users to address their questions directly to the AI instead of having to search for answers themselves; for example, they can request information on machine maintenance. The aim of this project is to significantly improve user-friendliness. Our customers will be able to access the knowledge provided there and find solutions of their own accord.

Where is AI being implemented?

We opted for a browser-based cloud system that can be accessed from any workstation, as not all customers are willing to integrate machines into their internal network. In addition, operators are often not allowed to access other systems via the HMI while the machine is in operation. Our AI- supported customer portal therefore operates on a browser-based system that can be accessed from any workstation. Maintenance managers, operators and shift supervisors can access the web portal from any location and retrieve information about the machines. The AI we have implemented has been specially trained and optimised for the requirements and characteristics of our machines.

Are you already thinking about incorporating AI within your machines?

No extruder currently exists that has the ability to control itself and make adjustments independently in the event of deviations. Nevertheless, I am convinced that we will be able toeffectively integrate technologies in the field of machine learning in the near future. However, this requires us to gain access to a wide range of comprehensive information and diverse data sources. I am confident that there will soon be a time when machines will be able to take appropriate measures and respond accordingly when an error occurs.

The development of AI has gained significant momentum in recent years. What does the future hold?

It is difficult to make a clear prediction – however, significant progress within a very short period of time is certainly conceivable, especially given the latest developments. At the beginning, we were only able to ask our artificial intelligence basic questions. Now, just six months later, it is able to search through extensive documents and analyse transcribed texts effectively. It is reasonable to assume that completely different capabilities will be achievable in another six months.

To what extent can AI alleviate the shortage of skilled workers?

The current shortage of skilled labour is a significant challenge for many of our customers. Small-scale companies that have implemented fewer automated processes are often affected to a greater extent compared to larger companies. In this context, artificial intelligence (AI) can be of great benefit: it enables specific questions to be asked, for example regarding maintenance requirements, the optimal time for filter changes, and many other aspects. Of course, this information is also contained in the operating instructions. However, it is more time-saving to consult AI to obtain the desired information. In view of the demographic change, we are all confronted with the fundamental problem of the loss of expertise, which can only be mitigated to a limited extent at corporate level. I am convinced that many companies will strive to further digitise, automate and optimise their processes in order to proactively counteract the shortage of skilled workers. Skilled workers will continue to be needed, but with the help of AI, it will also be possible to entrust people with the operation of complex machines, without extensive machine knowledge.

What is Hans Weber doing in terms of sustainability?

One outstanding feature of our company is our very high vertical range of manufacture. This enables us to supply our machines with high-quality spare parts for decades. In addition, we develop our control systems in-house, enabling us to update them comprehensively. If a customer owns a 20-year-old machine and wants to collect data as part of digitalisation measures, we can offer them a tailor-made retrofit package for our modern WEBER OS5 control system. This package can be installed by the customer themselves or by our qualified technicians, allowing us to offer our customers the opportunity to reach a new level of technology. In addition to modernising control systems, we also support the retrofitting of innovative and efficient drive systems in three-phase technology. This provides our customers with the opportunity to even enhance older machines to be state of the art, thereby increasing their competitive edge in the long run.

Where does mechanical engineering currently stand in terms of digitalisation?

Digitalisation plays a central role in mechanical engineering. In future, it will be essential to have a digital presence. The implementation of digital solutions will increase efficiency in production and throughout the entire process, enabling production processes to be precisely controlled. The data collected can be used to track how long machines are in operation, and whether they are running smoothly. This data can be used to make well-founded decisions. For example, if a shift supervisor is responsible for several machines and notices that processes are not running optimally, they have to rely on information from the operators. However, if they have additional data, they can immediately see whether there are pressure fluctuations, profile breaks, or other irregularities. This enables them to make more reliable decisions to optimise processes. In addition, this digital transformation phase opens up new perspectives for us as a machine manufacturer for the development of innovative business models. Based on the data obtained, we are able to offer new services to our customers.

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