Top Technicians Steal the Spotlight at Automechanika Dubai 2024’s Pitstop Challenge Competition

Rohith Punathil, from Royal Swiss Auto took first place in the Know Your Tire competition, which was this year’s theme for the PitStop Challenge

Automechanika Dubai 2024 concluded today at the Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together 2,228 global exhibitors from more than 62 countries

Automechanika Dubai 2024 ended on a high note today with the grand finale of the PitStop Challenge. Designed to spotlight the best in automotive repair and maintenance, the competition brought together technicians from across the industry to showcase their expertise under intense pressure.

Automechanika Dubai 2024 is the largest event for the automotive aftermarket industry in the wider Middle East region, bringing together 2,228 global exhibitors from more than 62 countries to showcase innovation, foster connections, and drive the future of mobility.

The adrenaline-fueled PitStop Challenge saw auto refitters, body repair specialists, and collision repair technicians go head-to-head in the Know Your Tire competition, where they were tasked with demonstrating their knowledge, expertise, agility, and precision, highlighting their technical skills in a fast-paced environment.

Outperforming the competition, Rohith Punathil from Royal Swiss Auto claimed first place, showcasing unique technical expertise. The first and second runner up spots were secured by Randy Bilaos from Dubai Government Workshop and Christian San Jose from Al- Futtaim, respectively, who demonstrated exceptional focus and speed.

Mahmut Gazi Bilikozen, Portfolio Director at Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: “It is always a privilege to witness the energy and talent that these challenges bring to Automechanika Dubai. This year’s challenge epitomised the event’s spirit—celebrating expertise,

innovation, and passion within the automotive industry. Congratulations to all our winners. This marks the conclusion of yet another successfuledition of Automechanika Dubai, and we look forward to welcoming the industry back next year for more innovation, collaboration, and excitement.”

www.messefrankfurt.com

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SABIC Debuts LNP  ELCRES  CXL PC Copolymers To Address High Chemical Exposure In Mobility, Electronics, Industrial And Infrastructure

• SABIC is introducing advanced polycarbonate copolymer resins offering exceptional chemical resistance targeted at mobility, electronics, industrial and infrastructure applications.
• New LNP ELCRES  CXL copolymer resins can help extend the lifespan of components to support sustainability, protect OEM brand reputation and preserve product value.
• Also available are ISCC PLUS certified bio-renewable versions of these new materials, supplied under the LNP ELCRIN  CXL brand and part of SABIC’s TRUCIRCLE 

Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands, December 12, 2024 – SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, introduced today its new LNP  ELCRES  CXL polycarbonate (PC) copolymer resins featuring exceptional chemical resistance. These specialty materials are well suited to help customers in the mobility, electronics, industrial and infrastructure markets address increased exposure to harsh chemicals that can cause environmental stress cracking and premature failure. In addition to providing higher chemical resistance than incumbent materials, LNP ELCRES CXL copolymer resins can enhance part durability and reliability with excellent low-temperature impact resistance and weatherability.

“Several trends are contributing to greater chemical exposure for plastic parts,” said Maureen MacDonald-Stein, Director, Portfolio Strategy and Marketing, SABIC Polymers, Specialties business. “Heightened concerns about cleanliness have persisted after the pandemic, prompting consumers to frequently disinfect surfaces from smartphone displays to EV charger handles. The growing popularity of wearables and the constant use of smartphones bring electronics into ongoing contact with skin oils, lotions and other personal care products. Our new LNP ELCRES CXL materials help maintain part performance and aesthetics, even as chemicals become more aggressive and exposure intensifies.”

Chemically Resistant PC Copolymers for Multiple Industries

The new LNP ELCRES CXL copolymer resins can deliver remarkable chemical resistance, exceeding the performance of traditional amorphous materials like polycarbonate (PC) resins and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) blends. SABIC’s internal testing revealed that LNP ELCRES CXL copolymer resins are highly resistant to diverse chemicals found in the mobility, industrial, infrastructure and electronics sectors. Representative mobility and infrastructure chemicals were tested. They include gasoline, antifreeze, caustic soda (5% solution) and a number of related chemicals. For industrial applications, testing against typical chemical exposures included tar remover, brake fluid and many other substances. In cases where consumers interact with mobility, industrial and infrastructure devices, LNP ELCRES CXL copolymer resins can offer improved chemical resistance to the components found in hand creams, sunscreens, insect repellents, cleaning solutions and hand sanitizers.

The new SABIC CXL portfolio offers a wide range of products, including opaque and transparent non-flame retardant (FR) grades, opaque, thin-wall FR grades and glass-reinforced options. These materials also deliver value-added features such as non-brominated/non-chlorinated FR at thin gauges, low-temperature ductility (down to -60oC), high flow for easy processing and good colorability to meet aesthetic requirements. They can meet both ultraviolet (UV) and water immersion requirements (f1 rating) for outdoor suitability under UL 746°C.

To help provide a path toward carbon neutrality, SABIC offers ISCC PLUS certified bio-renewable versions of the new materials, supplied under the LNP ELCRIN  CXL brand. They use bio-based alternative feedstocks with a lower carbon footprint compared to traditional feedstocks. These bio-based grades can reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions compared to traditional counterparts, while delivering the same performance. These grades are new additions to the company’s TRUCIRCLE™ program, which are products and services that aim to help companies around the world meet their sustainability goals.

“Our LNP ELCRES CXL copolymer resins can help manufacturers and brands keep pace with the increasing risks of performance and aesthetic degradation posed by more-widespread use of chemicals,” said Scott Fisher, General Manager, Technology, SABIC Polymers, Specialties business. “Our proprietary copolymer technology rises to the challenge of protecting applications from damage and loss of value caused by these substances. By helping to extend the useful life of components, LNP ELCRES CXL materials contribute to sustainability, brand reputation and customer satisfaction.”

www.sabic.com

Covestro To Invest In Pilot Plant For Recycling Of Elastomers

• Pilot plant will be built in Leverkusen, Germany
• Novel chemical recycling process for elastomers made of Vulkollan
• Technology offers recycling solution and additional carbon footprint reduction for high performance elastomers

Covestro, a world-leading supplier of high-tech polymer materials, is announcing plans to build a pilot plant for recycling of elastomers. The investment in the double-digit million euro range is used to fund the development and construction project of the state-of-the-art pilot plant at Covestro’s site in Leverkusen, Germany. The construction is estimated to take about one year until technical completion.

This technological development to recycle Vulkollan marks an important step towards more sustainability in the elastomers industry. The technology enables to not only recycle a mass fraction of more than 90% of the end-of-life material like forklift tires, but also to reduce the carbon footprint by up to two thirds compared to virgin material.

“The pilot plant and with it our commitment to proving the feasibility of recycling for elastomers demonstrates our clear commitment for circular solutions and marks an important milestone for our elastomer products”, states Dr. Thomas Braig, Head of the Elastomers business entity. “With the successful scale-up of this new recycling process we address the demand of our customers for end-of-life solutions and carbon footprint reduction while assuring the high quality of our elastomer products. At the same time, this pilot plant is an invitation for players along the value chain to cooperate on developing a circular setup and the reverse value chain for end-of-life materials.”

Pioneering Chemical Recycling for Elastomers

Covestro customers use Vulkollan systems to mold parts for many applications with a high demand for durability and performance. Typical applications for parts made of Vulkollan are wheels for forklifts, bumper elements in railways and vibration control elements and jounce bumpers in cars. The excellent quality of Vulkollan allows more sustainable and cost-efficient operation of the target application through longer lifetime, longer maintenance intervals and less unplanned shutdowns. Due to the high yield of the recycling process, end-of-life Vulkollan materials can be re-introduced into new automotive jounce bumpers and forklift tires via a mass balancing approach.

The new chemical recycling process is a game-changer for the elastomers industry. Unlike mechanical recycling methods, this approach breaks down elastomeric end-of-life material into its chemical building blocks, to obtain purified monomers that can be re-used for these materials with known and proven quality.

Driving Sustainability and Industry Collaboration

“The new chemical recycling process addresses the unique challenges of elastomer materials, which are trusted to be very resistant and long lasting. Downcycling is not an option for this high-performance application,” explains Markus Dugal, Head of Process Technology at Covestro. “This technology allows us to recycle a high mass fraction of the end-of-life material and, in this way, to reduce the environmental impact of our elastomer production. It is a testament to Covestro’s innovative spirit.”

The pilot plant will play a crucial role in refining the recycling process beyond lab scale, testing the process with various waste streams and with various end-of-life materials. It will also serve as a platform for Covestro to engage with potential project partners and customers, paving the way for the development of a larger commercial recycling plant in the future.

Covestro’s investment in elastomers recycling aligns with its broader strategic goals of reducing environmental impact, promoting circular economy principles, and maintaining its position as an innovation leader in the polymer industry. The company invites potential partners and customers interested in circular elastomer solutions to engage in discussions about future collaborations and applications and prove the environmental benefit of the solution along the value chain.

www.covestro.com.

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New Training Cohort Immerses Itself In Arburg Company History

• 75 years of Arburg training: Interactive campaign on the company’s history

• “Group experience trip”: New trainees and students learn more about the company’s history in workshops
• Company archive: Exciting tasks in multimedia format

Those who know more about the history of their company are also more emotionally connected to it, and this year Arburg is celebrating 75 years of training. Two good reasons for the machine manufacturer’s first “History Week” in Lossburg. From 5 to 11 December 2024, the new trainees and students delved deep into the company archive during workshops and experienced Arburg’s history in an active and multimedia way.

Katharina Depner, company archivist at Arburg, has designed a one-hour “group adventure trip” for the 2024 training year. The participants were actively introduced to the company’s historical highlights in four exciting workshops.

“Group adventure trip” to the archive

In groups of ten to 20 people each, the new trainees and students familiarised themselves with the company archive and its “treasures” in detail. The prospective cutting machine operators and mechatronics technicians started on 5 December, followed by the industrial and construction mechanics, IT specialists and electronics technicians and finally, on 11 December, the warehouse logistics specialists, industrial clerks and students from the dual universities. Katharina Depner describes the aims of the four workshops as follows: “Trainees and students should be able to engage directly with our company history together and experience it using striking examples.”

Topics on company history developed

Each group began their workshop with an introduction to the company archive. The young visitors then split into three teams to work on three set topics. Firstly, the participants had to put the entire Arburg company complex together correctly using a “building puzzle”. They then focussed on the differences in training between the past and present and the development of the professions. The trainees and students were given the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the training chronicle and work with it. The third part of the workshop focussed on the world of work. Questions that arose here included how people worked in the office at Arburg back then.

In a feedback round, the trainees described the workshops as very informative and interesting. They particularly liked the many “tangible” historical exhibits, such as an old time clock, as well as a video from 1982, which showed the company’s state-of-the-art production technologies at the time. Between all the insights and the newly acquired knowledge, this excursion into the past was a complete success and an appealing format for providing information about the exciting history of Arburg.

Broad knowledge transfer in 75 years of training

In the anniversary year of the Arburg apprenticeship programme, the “History Week” is one of many activities to draw attention to the company’s training expertise and broad knowledge transfer. Trainer Marius Singer sees the benefits of the campaign in the company archive primarily in integrating the young employees into the Arburg family right from the start: “We wanted to familiarise our 75 trainees and students with ’75 years of training at Arburg’ in a special setting. The young people should be able to understand the development of ‘their’ company. This has a positive influence on the identification between the company, trainees and students right from the start.” If the analysis of the workshops produces a positive result, they will be continued in the coming years. More about “75 years of Arburg training” can also be found on the Instagram channel of the Arburg rookies: https://www.instagram.com/arburg_rookies/?hl=de

www.arburg.com

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 MicroFight -Anti-microbial Solution for the Modern World

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically heightened global awareness of the pervasive threat of microbial contamination. As industries grappled with the challenges posed by harmful microbes, the demand for innovative anti-microbial solutions surged. Microbes are tiny organisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and algae, that are present virtually everywhere. While some microbes play beneficial roles (e.g., in digestion or nutrient cycling), others are harmful. Understanding and controlling the detrimental ones is essential for safeguarding public health and ensuring product safety across various sectors. From healthcare facilities to food processing plants, the presence of unfriendly bacteria and other microorganisms can lead to serious consequences.

Pathogenic microbes, especially bacteria and fungi, feed on materials like plastics and polymers, leading to structural degradation, odour generation, and staining. It is hazardous to the durability and functionality of products.

By developing effective anti-microbial technologies, it is possible to mitigate these risks and create a safer, healthier world. NICHEM Solutions, one of the leaders in innovative anti-microbial technologies, has pioneered the Microsoft technology, including its key product, Micro Fight 014.

Harmful microbes can lead to serious health risks, especially in environments where hygiene is critical. Areas such as hospitals, food processing plants, water purification systems, and pharmaceutical industries need microbe-free air and surfaces to avoid infection and contamination.

MicroFight is versatile and finds applications across numerous sectors:

• Bottles, films, and containers
• Water purification units
• Water storage tanks
• Kitchen and bathroom appliances
• Shower curtains, bathmats, and toilet seats
• Packaging plastics

Anti-microbial technology uses agents or substances that inhibit the growth of or kill harmful microbes. By adding antimicrobial actives during manufacturing integration anti-microbial additives into materials, products are protected from microbial growth on surfaces. It leads to prolonging their lifespan and improving hygiene. Common anti-microbial agents include Silver, Copper, Triclosan, Mercury, Lead, etc and organic compounds, each with distinct properties. Among these agents, Silvers the most ancient and potent antimicrobial in use.

MicroFight by NICHEM

NICHEM Solutions is a leader in antimicrobial technology, specialising in Silver and Copper-based solutions. Their MicroFight range (MF 002, MF 003, MF 006, MF 012, MF 014, MF 017) offers innovative antimicrobial protection. These additives, combining organic and inorganic actives, including Silver and Copper, provide protection for desired periods.

MicroFight is designed for high efficacy, easy integration into polymers, and safety. These qualities make it ideal for various applications, such as food packaging, healthcare, consumer goods, and water purification. MicroFight’s exceptional antimicrobial properties are based on supported Silver and operate through Redox Potential Action.

Unlike traditional anti-microbial agents, MicroFight is non-toxic, eco-friendly, and free of heavy metals, making it a sustainable option for industries focused on safety and environmental protection. It is under US-EPA Registration which positions it as a strong contender in the international market, especially in the U.S., where stringent environmental standards apply.

How MicroFight is different from others

• Effective microbial restriction: Controls the growth of bacteria and fungi on surfaces.
• Pathogen-targeted protection: Primarily effective against gram-negative bacteria, which are common pathogens.
• Residual Protection: Ensures long-lasting efficacy after application.
• Material compatibility: Does not alter the properties of polymers, ensuring the product’s durability.
• Low-concentration efficacy: Functions effectively at minimal concentrations, making it cost-efficient.
• Non-toxic and eco-friendly: Free of harmful heavy metals, making it safe for consumers and the environment.

Anti-microbials are essential for industries seeking to improve product hygiene and lifespan. NICHEM’s MicroFight is an innovative technology offering long-term protection against harmful microbes. In this recognition, NICHEM received the Atmanirbhar Bharat Award in 2021. Developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, it provides industries with a reliable and sustainable solution to prevent microbial contamination. With EPA approval pending, MicroFight is set to impact the global market.

NICHEM is working on various anti-microbials at its Innovation Centre. The centre focuses on encouraging a culture of innovation, supporting internal R&D, and offering R&D services to other organisations in the industry. This facility made it possible to create the product even during the pandemic, ensuring timely solutions for industrial needs.

https://nichem.solutions

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