Plastics News Show Daily - April 5, 2012 - (Page 26)
26 PLASTICS NEWS, April 5, 2012
Austrian plastics group makes mark at NPE
By Charlotte Eyre
EUROPEAN PLASTICS NEWS
ORLANDO, FLA. — While visitors
to NPE2012 are sure to have seen
Austrian giants such as Engel and
Greiner, one trade group is highlighting
the smaller plastics companies
the country has to offer.
The Plastics Cluster of Upper
Austria, part of Clusterland Upper
Austria, says it is taking part
in NPE to help promote the Austrian
plastics industry, as well as
encourage dialogue between Austrian
and foreign businesses.
“We’re hoping to promote Aus-
tria’s industry here in the United
States because it’s hard for our
companies to internationalize
themselves,” said spokesperson
Anke Merkl-Rachbauer. “They
work well in Europe but it becomes
a lot harder once they
cross over to the United States or
go the other way towards Asia.”
Merkl-Rachbauer says it is hard
to know exactly how much cooperation
there is between Austrian
and American plastics firms but
estimates that most companies
will conduct around 5-20 percent
of their business in the United
States.
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Several Austrian companies are
exhibiting at an Advantage Austria
stand at NPE2012, including
mold makers such as Elmet and
ifw Group, which makes high-tech
molds for plastic pipe fittings; extrusion
specialists like SBI of Hollabrunn
and Pucking-based Kuag
Kunststoff-Maschinen-und Anlagenbau
GmbH, which makes
downstream equipment; and
companies with recycling expertise,
such as Lindner-Recyclingtech.
According to the cluster, Austria
is a very attractive market for
plastics companies because of its
central position within Europe as
well as governmental tax breaks.
“Austria is an R&D center,
which our government recognizes,”
said Merkl-Rachbauer.
“Some 10 percent of R&D expenses
are refunded in cash.”
During an SPI conference, the
Austria cluster highlighted several
overall trends in the European
plastics industry, with bioplastics
and recycling being a particular
strength.
According to speaker Sandra
Koerner, the European Union recovers
twice as much plastics
waste than the United States. And
the EU accounts for 24.9 percent
of world’s bottle collection rates,
compared to America’s 15.2 percent.
Bioplastics and carbon reduction
are also very important in
Europe, she added, highlighting
sustainable Austrian innovations
such as the Trodat Printy 4.0,
which the company said is the
world’s first carbon-neutral
stamp, made with up to 65 per-
cent post-consumer recycled
plastics. Austria is also a leader
in bioplastics, with 125 companies
in the country involved in
this area.
In addition, the European region
is a hotspot for medical materials,
said Koerner. Plastics
comprise 50 percent of materials
used in this market and the industry’s
research and development
quota in this area is more than 8
percent.
Cluster Upper Austria was established
in 2005 with the aim of
improving the competitiveness of
businesses in the Upper Austria
region. Other clusters in the
group include automotive, environmental
technology, and design
and media.
Mold In Graphic Systems rolls out iMIG
By Frank Antosiewicz
PLASTICS NEWS CORRESPONDENT
ORLANDO, FLA. — Carrying a slogan
of “tattoo your plastics,” Mold
In Graphic Systems (Booth 30022)
rolled out its new iMIG graphic for
use on polyolefin products using
current hot-stamping equipment.
“It‘s completely fused to plastics
and 100 percent recyclable
combined with the plastic,” said
Matt Stevenson, executive vice
president of marketing for Mold
in Graphic Systems, at NPE.
The product was displayed using
a Hastings Manufacturing Inc.
model P5-HT hot-stamping machine
and provided a design that
was imbedded in the plastic.
Stevenson said that the new
product is not normal heat transfer,
chemically applied, an adhesive
system or inked. He said that
it works similar to heat transfer
and has the same cycle time, but
instead it melts into the plastic.
“It can be used on any type of
warning label for safety,” said
Stevenson, noting that it will survive
as long as the plastic.
Mold In Graphic Systems has
been doing graphics for 30 years
and has been used by rotational
molders for point-of-purchase
signs, traffic signs and kayaks. It
has been supplying graphics for
polyethylene products since
1983. MIGS has 87 employees
working at its 55,000-square-foot
facility in Clarksdale, Ariz.
The iMig was originally developed
for injection molded products,
but can be used with blow
molded, thermoformed, structural
foam, sheet and profile extrusions,
and rotational molded
products. It comes in sheet and
roll form.
The company also said that its
new product has passed a variety
of chemical tests, including tests
with gasoline, engine oil, kerosene
and even salt water.
Hastings said that his company,
based in Millstadt, Ill., has
worked with Mold In Graphic for
many years.
Mold in Graphic’s Jason Brownell, left, and Matt Stevenson
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