Comexi Will Expand Its Presence in the Middle East with a Showroom at Madayn Plastic Company

Comexi, a specialist in solutions for the flexible packaging printing and converting industry, will set up a showroom in the Middle East as a result of an agreement reached with Madayn Plastic Company. The Omani company has decided to venture into the flexible packaging sector with Reifenhäuser and Comexi, with the intention of investing a large percentage of the Sultanate’s market share.

 For this reason, Madayn Plastic has acquired a Comexi F2 ML flexographic press, a Comexi ML2 Evolution laminator, as well as a Reifenhäuser Blown Film. The three machines will be installed in the facility that the company is building in Sohar. Companies in the Middle East that are interested in Comexi’s technology will be able to view the flexographic press and the laminator.

“This is a very important operation for us”, explain Oriol Rabert, a Comexi Area Manager in this region, and Bharath Yalla, Managing Director of Reifenhäuser Middle East & Africa, who highlight that “the geographical location of Madayn Plastic Company allows us to reach potential clients from all over the Middle East and India. Having a showroom in Oman will help us to demonstrate the full potential of our flexographic printers and laminators”. This project, led by RMEA, reinforces the successful relationship between Reifenhäuser and Comexi, which has been a great success in India, for many years, and now extends to the Middle East.

Madayn Plastic Company began operating in the flexible packaging industry with very clear ideas. Unlike most companies in the sultanate, which work with low-cost machines, Madayn has made a clear commitment to quality through the acquisition of state-of-the-art technology such as the Comexi F2 ML and ML2 Evolution machines. “The investments of Madayn Plastic Company in Comexi and Reifenhäuser machinery will allow the Omani company to produce a substantial amount of flexible packaging within the country,” says Oriol Rabert.

The Comexi F2 ML printing machine is the ideal response to market demands, in reference to large format jobs, such as those of the polyethylene market for wrap-around, hygiene, as well as the majority of pet food sizes. The F2 ML is a mature machine, designed with every ergonomic and robust solution of the F2 family. It incorporates every GeniusTech solution that assists printers to conquer the main challenges they currently face, which include a lack of skilled operators, a job length reduction, and an increased number of job changes, among others.

 As a result of solutions, such as the fast, accurate, and automatic job setup with GeniusPrint, the high print quality provided by GeniusDrive, the absence of bouncing with GeniusRun, and the increased drying performance of GeniusDry, this machine is able to deliver the top-level performances that these markets require.

“This is the first Comexi F2 ML we have sold in the Middle East and India; it will undoubtedly be the most complete flexographic printer ever installed in Oman,” says Rabert, adding that with this machine, Madayn Plastic Company will be able to print more meters, as this machine is the first 1.5 meter F2 ML built by Comexi.

The Comexi ML2 Evolution laminator is a high and extremely versatile machine. It can be configured not only to laminate two or more materials with water-based, solvent-based, or solventless adhesives but as a coating machine, as gravure or flexo printing unit -at the register or full covering-, so a real all-in-one machine. The ergonomic design of the Comexi ML2 Evolution laminator allows for the simplistic and intuitive performance of daily operations at top speeds, thus subsequently maximizing production and minimizing downtime.

In order to meet the highest standards, the Comexi ML2 Evolution has incorporated new state-of-the-art options that will facilitate the conversion of flexible packaging. These include the ComexiClosed Loop, which automatically adjusts and maintains the adhesive grammage without solvents throughout production. Additionally, the automatic mark-to-mark registration adjustment system for cold seal will become a milestone in the industry, as avoids any operator intervention during the settings and considerably reduces material waste and the loss of adjustment time.

 In brief, the objective of the two systems is to facilitate the job set-up task and make machines more automatic, leading the industry towards full autonomous machinery. All of the aforementioned options, particularly in combination with an absolutely innovative new design, render a spectacular appearance that has never been seen on the market before, and which will become the new standard for Comexi.

#comexi #madyanplasticcompany #middleeast #autonomousmachinery #innovativedesign 

www.comexi.com

SONGWON delivers strong result for FY 2021

SONGWON Industrial Group today released its financial results for FY 2021. In Q4/2021, revenues continued to grow and totaled 283,475 Million KRW on December 31, 2021, marking a 39.1% increase when compared to the same quarter of 2020 (Q4/2020: 203,843 Million KRW). The net profit of 26,100 Million KRW for Q4/2021 amounted to a record 765.7% rise over the net profit achieved in the final quarter of 2020 (3,015 Million KRW). SONGWON ended 2021 strongly, achieving overall consolidated sales totaling 998,190 Million KRW, 23.6% higher than the previous year (FY 2020: 807,768 Million KRW).

SONGWON had a strong start to FY 2021, despite the global challenges and economic crises caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the year, increasing demand across the Divisions led to sound growth with a notable rise in revenues overall in comparison to FY 2020. Particularly in the final quarter of the year, SONGWON’s Divisions delivered solid Q4/2021 results with higher profitability and returns.

For Division Industrial Chemicals, when compared to Q4/2020, revenues increased by 32.3% in Q4/2021, amounting to 202,611 Million KRW, and sales rose by 19.9% in FY 2021 (735,654 Million KRW) over the previous year (FY 2020: 613,593 Million KRW). For Division Performance Chemicals, Q4/2021 was also a strong quarter. The Division achieved a 59.5% increase in sales (80,864 Million KRW) compared to Q4/2020 (50,690 Million KRW) and a significant increase in sales of 35.2% for the year, amounting to 262,536 Million KRW over the same reporting period in 2020 (FY 2020: 194,175 Million KRW).

Division Industrial Chemicals’ solid sales performance in Q4/2021 was the result of strong global demand and the limited availability of certain chemical products. The previously implemented price increases across the product portfolio to offset the steep rises in raw materials and shipping costs also positively impacted the result. For SONGWON’s key business Polymer Stabilizers, sales volumes doubled in Q4/2021 due to the market’s short to balanced supply, high demand in all regions, and positive foreign exchange impacts. In Q4/2021, Fuel and Lubricant Additives also performed strongly.

The business recorded higher volumes on the back of the overall rise in demand across the industry. The positive performance was further enhanced by force majeure events and the formula-driven price increases implemented in the previous quarter which successfully counterbalanced the higher raw material and logistics costs. Q4/2021 was a record quarter for SONGWON’s Coatings business. Despite performing strongly above budget, and customers continuing to order in December instead of traditionally de-stocking, price increases were necessary to offset the skyrocketing raw materials prices and vigorous increases in logistics costs.

With increases in revenues and profit well above Q4/2020, SONGWON’s Division Performance Chemicals recorded results much higher than initially anticipated in the final quarter of 2021. Tin Intermediates saw signs of higher demand from Asia, particularly in China, and also performed strongly during Q4/2021, delivering a solid increase in turnover and margins despite necessary plant maintenance in November impacting sales. SONGWON’s PVC business recorded strong growth in Q4/2021 and delivered a robust performance with sales significantly above FY 2020 as a result of the improved market, particularly in Korea.

Despite facing unprecedented supply bottlenecks, logistics challenges, soaring raw material prices, and the emergence of new COVID-19 variants in 2021, executing our strategy has delivered positive financial results and is driving strong momentum moving towards 2022. Looking ahead, SONGWON expects the supply and logistics situation as well as raw material costs and pricing to remain volatile and demand to stay high.

Focusing on ensuring its supply reliability to customers, SONGWON will be expanding capacities to match the high demand, minimizing negative impacts to its supply chain and counterbalancing the escalating costs of materials and logistics. Amid the prevailing uncertainty, it is difficult to predict what FY 2022 will bring, and therefore, SONGWON remains cautious with its outlook.

However, with strong demand forecasted to continue, SONGWON anticipates that by strengthening its supply chain, driving additional operating efficiencies, and continuing to execute its strategy, the Group’s positive business performance will continue into FY 2022.

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Airnov develops sustainable upgrade to DRICARD moisture absorbers

Airnov Healthcare Packaging, a global leader in controlled atmosphere packaging, is now offering a new and more sustainable version of its DRICARD products to its customers.

DRICARD is a flat moisture absorber comprised of calcium chloride desiccant laminated between film layers. As with desiccant packets, DRICARD is designed to maintain a dry package environment to keep nutraceuticals, foods, and diagnostics safe from the damaging effects of moisture.

The new, more sustainable version provides twice the capacity in the same size card, uses less plastic, and is printed with high-contrast blue ink on a white background, meaning it requires 80% less ink to produce than the current orange DRICARD 

“Airnov continues to improve its products in a more sustainable way, decreasing the consumption of ink and plastics used in our DRICARDS being just the latest example of our sustainability commitments,” commented Nicolas Martinez, Global Product Manager at Airnov.

As well as numerous enhanced sustainability credentials, the new DRICARD also offers performance benefits – its double thickness provides twice the moisture absorption capacity as its predecessor, all the while maintaining the same overall size and surface.

Nicolas Martinez continued “This new ability to double absorption capacity in the same size DRICARD improves Airnov’s product performance which, crucially, allows our customers to better optimize their packaging.”

Other key features of DRICARD include dust prevention, made possible by binding the calcium chloride desiccant within the laminate structure.

Furthermore, the rigid structure of the card allows high-speed automatic insertion by card dispensers or pick-and-place systems, while its flat profile is designed for use in applications that require desiccation in small and narrow packaging spaces. The blue-on-white printing is high-contrast and high-visibility where it is essential to minimize confusion with the end-product.

The new product is available in a variety of standard sizes and can be tailored to custom sizes if required. It is also US FDA compliant for use in nutraceutical and food applications.

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 INEOS Styrolution America LLC to be featured in television series EARTH with John Holden

INEOS Styrolution America will be featured in episode 19 of the television series EARTH. EARTH is hosted by six-time Emmy award winner and former NBC News correspondent, John Holden. It takes its audience around the globe providing an in-depth look at innovative solutions, ideas, and technologies designed to promote the health of our planet and its inhabitants.

INEOS Styrolution is a leading global styrenics supplier, dedicated to sustainable styrenics solutions and advancements in plastics recycling technologies. John Holden conducts in-depth, onsite interviews in Channahon, Illinois at an INEOS Styrolution polystyrene site. The company discusses many valuable benefits and essential roles that plastics, such as polystyrene, service within modern society.

From production to re-use, the company is closing the loop to keep plastics in a circular economy and out of landfills and Mr. Holden soon discovers that not all plastic is created equal.

Ricardo Cuetos, INEOS Styrolution vice president Americas, standard products says, “We were very pleased to have this opportunity to meet with John Holden.” Mr. Cuetos continues, “INEOS Styrolution focuses on bringing long-term, truly viable solutions to the market that will ensure our materials can be recycled and reused again and again. Recent innovation and progress in advanced recycling technologies have allowed polystyrene to be even more sustainable than ever before.”

Cassie Bradley, INEOS Styrolution America, sustainability commercial manager, states, “Polystyrene and plastics in general, are a highly valuable material to our society in terms of durability, cost, and carbon footprint. Over time, to some, plastics have become viewed as disposable products; however, these materials are used in many durable, high-value applications and should be recognized as valuable based on their benefits to our society and our planet. They should be recovered for recycling and re-use.”

In the United States, the segment will air on the Fox Business Network on Sunday, March 6, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. EST and on Bloomberg TV on Sunday, March 13, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. EDT and Sunday, March 20, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. EDT. In Canada, the segment will air on BNN Bloomberg Canada on Sunday, March 20, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. EDT.

This segment of EARTH with John Holden will also be available worldwide on the streaming platforms Google TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and Vimeo.

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Milacron to Display eQ-Series 280 Machine at Plastasia 2022

Milacron, a leading industrial technology company serving the plastics processing industry and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hillenbrand (NYSE: HI), announced its upcoming presence at Plastasia 2022 in Apr. 20-23 in New Delhi, India.

With the event’s reputation as an ideal place to discover the latest innovations in plastics, witness live demonstrations, share ideas, and secure orders, Milacron will exhibit its indigenously created eQ Series 280 All-Electric Injection Molding Machine. More than 50,000 visitors and 650 exhibitors from more than 15 countries are expected as Plastasia returns after a more than two-year hiatus.

Milacron holds a strong presence in India as the country’s largest injection molding machine builder, having supplied more than 21,000 injection molding machines in 25 years and a current capacity to develop 3,000 machines per year. The Indian plastics processing market continues to be a key geographical area of focus for Milacron’s brands both for sales and manufacturing capabilities. Milacron’s manufacturing plant in Ahmedabad has experienced significant growth and continues to expand to meet both local and international demand.

“Participating at Plastasia is a great opportunity for the Indian market to see the capabilities of our eQ Series 280, an all-electric injection molding machine that is entirely made in India,” said Milacron President Michael (Mac) Jones. “We have many loyal customers in India, and a show like this allows us to further demonstrate the Milacron advantage as we continue our focus on the growing Indian market and manufacturing leading industry technology.”

Milacron Technologies Featured in Hall 11
The eQ-Series is Milacron’s latest globally available all-electric injection molding machine. With a tonnage range of 50 to 650 tons (500-5.500 KN), the eQ-Series is built to perform in a wide array of applications and configurations. Based on Milacron’s highly reliable Injection Molding Machines, the eQ-Series is a true culmination of high efficiency, consistency, and globally engineered technology.

In 2021, at the 10th National Awards for Technology Innovation in Petrochemicals &  Downstream Plastics Processing Industry, Milacron’s eQ Series 280 All-Electric Injection Molding Machine was named runner-up from among 273 entries under the category of “Innovation in Polymer Processing Machinery, Equipment, Robotics & Automation.”

Recipients were chosen based on meritorious innovations and inventions in the field of polymeric materials, products, process areas of national and social importance. The ultimate objective is to develop and maintain the petrochemical industry as a globally competitive industry using eco-friendly processes &  technologies.

Hubergroup Print Solutions announces price increase

As the costs of raw materials, transport, labor, and energy continue to rise, Huber group Print Solutions now reacts with a price increase for all global regions. The price increase applies to all segments, i.e., to sheet-fed/UV and web offset as well as flexo and gravure products, and will vary by product. Local contacts will inform customers about the concrete effects and be available for questions at any time. The ink manufacturer emphasizes that it is working hard to minimize price increases for customers by using its global supply network, examining other sourcing methods, and utilizing alternative raw materials. Nevertheless, a price increase is unavoidable.

Heiner Klokkers, CEO of Huber group, states: “The situation on the raw material market is not easing, but instead continues to worsen. The printing ink industry is severely affected by the increased costs for transport and raw materials such as pigments, resins, or solvents. To ensure that we can continue to supply our customers with high-quality products in the future, it is unfortunately unavoidable that we reflect the increased procurement costs in the prices of our products.”

http://www.hubergroup.com/

Drupa invites participation in international Global Trends survey

How has the global printing industry changed? What impact has the pandemic, supply and resource shortages and shifts in demand had on the industry? These and many more questions are illuminated by the 8th Global Trends Report. For this purpose, the world’s leading trade fair for printing technologies is activating its renowned international drupa expert panel and at the same time inviting other interested print service providers and manufacturers along the entire value chain to participate in this worldwide industry panel. The results are expected to be published in autumn as the 8th edition of the drupa Global Trends Report.

The survey is aimed specifically at executives and experts from print service providers and the machinery/supplier industry. Registration as a panelist is possible until 31 March the survey will take place in April. All participants will receive the full version of the drupa Global Trends Report as well as benefits in the run-up to and during drupa 2024.

“In view of the continuous change and further developments in the print and packaging industry, current, representative market data and assessments of global industry participants are more relevant than ever,” explains Sabine Geldermann, Director Print Technologies Messe Düsseldorf. “The drupa Global Trends Report is a valuable tool for highlighting market dynamics and the corresponding impact on investment plans and growth potential. With this in mind, we cordially invite manufacturers and print service providers to register in order to provide an overall picture of the industry.”

Drupa has been surveying international print service providers and suppliers since 2013 in order to shed light on the industry and global megatrends, market potential, and innovations in all key areas of the print industry. Messe Düsseldorf has commissioned the independent market research companies Print future/UK and Wissler & Partner/Switzerland to conduct the trend surveys.

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Perstorp and Project Air renew EU application for major green chemistry investment

Sweden’s leading chemistry group Perstorp, and partner companies Fortum and Uniper, today submitted a EUR 97 million application to the EU Innovation Fund for Project Air. This unique project aims to build a production facility for sustainable methanol in Stenungssund, Sweden, which could reduce global CO2 emissions by 400,000 tonnes, equivalent to approximately 1% of Sweden’s territorial emissions.

The ambition is to already 2026 achieve large-scale production of sustainable methanol, which in turn can be used in making chemical products with thousands of applications, enabling an improved climate footprint in several value chains. The project is possible thanks to an innovative usage of biogas, hydrogen from electrolysis and residue streams, as well as carbon dioxide recovered from Perstorp’s own facilities, to produce the methanol. This means the project will utilize carbon atoms that would otherwise become CO2 emissions.

“The chemicals industry is a key player in the sustainable transformation of society. Making Project Air a reality is an urgent priority for Perstorp, our customers, and partners as it creates increased availability of sustainable chemical products throughout our value chains,” said Jan Secher, President and CEO of Perstorp. “This project is a unique opportunity, but also a challenge for Swedish industry and energy policy. It is one of several industrial transformation projects seeking to use biogas as raw material, and Sweden should take steps to stimulate a sufficient supply for these purposes.”

Perstorp believes that Project Air with a modified application is well-positioned to receive support from the EU Innovation Fund, but the company is also investigating alternate modes of future funding. The total investment in Project Air is expected to be 236,3 million euros.

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Up to 99% carbon footprint reduction from new INEOS Styrolution bio-attributed styrenics

INEOS Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, has introduced today new NAS ECO and Luran ECO sustainable drop-in solutions based on a mass balance process certified by ISCC PLUS.

The products are based on styrene being produced using renewable feedstock that is not in competition with food production, such as kitchen waste and wood waste.

The carbon footprint reduction for the new products varies between 77% and 99% when compared to the respective fossil-based products, depending on the amount of renewable feedstock used to produce a material.

The new materials, Luran ECO and NAS ECO have identical physical and mechanical properties as their fossil-based counterparts Luran and NAS, enabling a direct replacement for customers seeking to step up their sustainability efforts.

Eike Jahnke, Vice President of Specialties EMEA, comments: “These new solutions expand our portfolio of mass balance-based specialty styrenics products. Together with our previously introduced Styrolux ECO and Styroflex ECO families, we can now offer our customers sustainable drop-in solutions for four of our specialty product families.”

Production of the new materials will be in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

Luran and NAS are transparent styrenics specialty materials offered by INEOS Styrolution.

Luran is a styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) featuring a well-balanced property profile ranging from good transparency and excellent chemical resistance to high stiffness, extraordinary heat resistance as well as very good dimensional stability. These make them a material of choice for a variety of household and cosmetics packaging applications.

NAS is a stiff, amorphous styrene methyl methacrylate (SMMA) copolymer for demanding applications requiring excellent transparency such as water tanks, displays, food containers, or boxes. NAS features an outstanding water-clear appearance, an extremely low haze as well as a good thermal and chemical resistance. The optical properties of NAS are on a similar level as PMMA, while NAS has a density and processing advantage compared to acrylic solutions.

http://www.ineos-styrolution.com/

RedSnow Beauty in season

On South Korea’s Jeju Island, January and February are blooming times for a much-revered flower. Clariant harnesses its secret for healthy-looking and resilient skin.

“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold.” The quote by the Greek philosopher Aristotle is close to two and a half millennia old. But countless modern-day visitors to Mount Hallasan seem to agree. Each year, they flock to the volcanic island of Jeju, some 80 kilometers off the coast of mainland South Korea to explore and extensively photograph the winter wonderland surrounding South Korea’s highest mountain.

The island of Jeju draws visitors year-round and usually sees its first snow of the season in late November. However, the last crisp winter days of late January and early February offer a particularly charming spectacle. That is when bright spots of red and dark pink dot the snowy landscape in and around Hallasan National Park. The sight comes courtesy of Camellia japonica, a hardy shrub that wears its fleshy green leaves all year but only puts on its floral dress for a few weeks at the end of winter.

Moreover, Clariant has shown in extensive in-vitro and ex-vivo tests how RedSnow can block aryl hydrocarbon receptors in skin cells. These are usually triggered by certain airborne pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals with particles smaller than ten or even 2.5 microns. This way, RedSnow can help prevent the production of free radicals that cause oxidative stress to the skin. In addition, it helps reduce the activation of MMP-1 genes and increases collagen production. All of this means that RedSnow can help protect the skin not just from irritation, but also premature aging caused by pollution in urban and outdoor environments.

What speaks to customers

Anti-pollution skincare is a hot topic, especially for affluent consumers in megacities across the region. Environmental factors such as airborne pollutants are a great concern since they are harmful to health and skin and can cause skin irritation as well as premature aging. RedSnow is Clariant’s answer to this growing issue.

Since 2016, Clariant’s Active Ingredients business unit has partnered with BioSpectrum, a Korean manufacturer renowned for its active ingredients derived from plants on Jeju. Camellia japonica is one of several plant species BioSpectrum and Clariant harvest there. All are sourced in accordance with the island’s special status as a world heritage site and national park. Some products are even made from by-products of pruning.

As a result, RedSnow combines much of what today’s consumers look for in an active ingredient: more sustainable, traditional, and scientifically proven effectiveness. A delicate flower conquering a harsh environment may also be the perfect metaphor for the resilience of beauty.

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