Producing WPC Profiles Cost-Efficiently
For the 8th time, battenfeld-cincinnati, Bad Oeynhausen/Vienna, takes part in the international WPC Conference in Vienna, which will be held from 8-10 November this year. The event's headline sponsor will present two innovative WPC applications at his facilities that take into account today's requirements for cost reduction in the industry: a high performance co-extrusion line and the unit construction system "simply housing".
The main topics in the WPC field today are cutting down production costs, particularly those associated with materials, which are considered as the main cost driver, accounting for approximately two thirds of total manufacturing cost.
As a result, manufacturers are increasingly looking for solutions, such as the processing of recycled materials, the use of more accurate dosing systems, widening the process window, as well as carefully monitoring and evaluating ways to minimize scrap rates.
Due to these developments, a strong trend towards WPC co-extrusion is visible. Costs can be cut by 20-25 %, by saving formulation costs for the invisible core material (e.g. by using recycled grades). Co-ex formulations used for the outer layer typically have higher stabilizer and pigment content and are designed and customized according to local market needs, while the invisible core material is realized in a cost-effective formulation.
The WPC market reports annual growth rates from 10-40 %. Decking is still the main product, with a total market share of 75 %. To ensure comparable market growth rates in the future, the industry constantly searches for new high volume applications that will help it to expand its dynamically developing market.
battenfeld-cincinnati has taken on board all these developments and will, at its demonstration in November, showcase a high-efficiency co-extrusion line for WPC decking with its partner Beologic, as well as a housing system made of composites pioneered by Delta-Wood.
The line will include a fiberEX 92 as the main extruder and a "space saver" execution fiberEX 38 as co-extruder which offers an extremely small footprint. Tooling and material for the 160 x 30 mm seven chamber decking will be provided by Beologic, while the downstream equipment is from the established battenfeld-cincinnati baseBEX series.
In addition, battenfeld-cincinnati will exhibit the Delta-Wood "simply housing" system entirely made out of Wood Fiber Composites (WFC). The housing system is a prime application for shelter homes as well as low budget accommodations, for example in Central and South America. It is based on a DIY assembling kit that ensures quick and easy assembling on site. According to Delta-Wood, thermally insulated as well as earthquake and hurricane resistant executions are available. Potential customers range from aid organizations to governments and the military.
battenfeld-cincinnati and Delta-Wood started their co-operation more than ten years ago. They engineered a method of processing long fiber-based WFC together and share patents that cover equipment especially designed for processing wood-fiber composites.
battenfeld-cincinnati has been serving the WPC industry for more than 15 years and so far placed more than 250 extrusion lines worldwide. It offers its customers flexibility and enhanced product quality (e.g. by providing tailor-made metallurgical executions), combined with high output by using ultra-modern technology, innovative process engineering and extensive know-how in providing complete production lines. In addition, battenfeld-cincinnati offers, together with its network of partners, unique expertise along the whole supply chain, from formulation development to the finished product.
www.battenfeld-cincinnati.com
www2.amiplastics.com/Events/Event.aspx?code=C387&sec=1575
