- Email: [email protected]
Hanna acquires Theodor Bergmann
Additivesfor Polymers
November I994
Rotoform line. Monsanto’s Flectol is said to be a very effective rubber antioxidant and is used by manufacturers of tyres and industrial rubber goods to inhibit oxidation of the product. Contact: Monsanto plc, Edison Road, Dorcan, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN3 SHN, UK. +44-793+44-793-531315. Fax: Tel: 615214, or Sandvik Process Systems, PO Box 3506, Manor Way, Halesowen, West Midlands, B62 SQX, UK. Tel: +44-21-5507671. Fax: + 44-21-550-7523.
Development of a continuous spinning method is near completion which will enable the company to produce thin fabrics and nonBASF’s position in wovens, enhancing flameproof fibres used as asbestos substitutes. Contact: BASF Polymers Division, 100 Cherry Hill Road, Parsippany, NJ 07054, USA. Tel: + I-201 -316-3402. Fax: + I-201 335-3430.
COMPANY Improved
grades of carbon black
The Special Blacks Division of Cabot Corp in the USA is close to commercializing several of its developmental carbon blacks for improved conductivity, colourability and UV stability. Included are grades for wire and cable applications - specifically, the insulation seal in underground cable, which is typically highly carbon-filled (30-40% use levels). Also near commercialization by Cabot is a new family of super-conductive blacks for automotive exterior applications. These are said to provide higher efficiency at only 10% use levels to ensure retention of polymer properties. Contact: The Special Blacks Division, Cabot Corp, 1.57 Concord Road, Billerica, MA 01821, USA. Tel: +l-508-663-3455. Fax: + I-508-663-5471.
Asbestos
replacement
fibre
A new flameproof fibre is scheduled to go into production at BASF’s Enka site in South Carolina, USA, at the end of next year (1995). Basofil is spun from a condensation resin made of melamine and formaldehyde. In spite of its thermoset basic structure, BASF says the fibre exhibits favourable elastic properties and very good textile characteristics, and is superior to competitive products in terms of its fire behaviour and processability.
8
NEWS
Huber to sell its carbon division JM Huber Corp is seeking to sell its Engineered Carbons Division. The company plans to operate the carbon black unit, with plants in Borger, Baytown, and Orange, Texas, until a buyer is found. The division is said to be viable and profitable but Huber decided to sell the division because it does not fit with the company’s philosophy of continuous growth. While its carbon black business has not been gaining market share, Huber has maintained its share of the carbon black market for the last seven to ten years. Contact: JM Huber Carp, Engineered Carbons Division, Box 2831, Borger, TX 79008-2831, USA. Tel: + I-800-631 -6331. Fax: + I-806-2 73-l 477.
Hanna acquires Theodor Bergmann The US-based MA Hanna group has acquired Theodor Bergmann, one of Germany’s largest producers of speciality materials and reinforced thermoplastics compounds. Based in Gaggenau, Germany, Bergmann has two processing facilities: one at its headquarters and the second at Barbastro, Spain. The Spanish business, Poliamidas Barbastro, operates as Polibasa. Bergmann, which reported 1993 sales of $40 million (DM 56 million), and has a total of 138 employees.
O1994 Elsevier Science Ltd
November I994
Additives for Polvmers
The company has a broad portfolio of fire retardant compounds, and the plan is for Bergmann to serve as a nucleus of a MA Hanna European compounding business. Contact: MA Hanna Co, 1301 E. Ninth Street, Suite 3600, Cleveland, OH 441141860, USA. Tel: + I-21 6-589-4018.
Ronmar Plastics coloured engineering plastics Since its takeover by KD Thermoplastics in January, Ronmar Plastics has undergone a change in role. Its distributorship for DuPont materials has been absorbed into KD, and Ronmar has been realigned as KD’s engineering plastics compounding arm. The Ronmar is on colour emphasis at compounding of engineering plastics, the company has no plans to start commodity compounding, and as well as supplying KD with compound, it is working directly for some of KD’s principals, specifically ICI, DuPont and AtoHaas. Contact: Ronmar PlusticsLtd, Marston Road, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV3 4NN, UK. Tel: +44-902-26839. Fax: +44-Fo226852.
UK distributor products
for Sachtleben
Sachtleben Chemie GmbH, a manufacturer of white pigments and extenders, has recently announced the appointment of a new distributor in the UK. Hubron Sales Ltd, based in Manchester, UK, will handle Sachtleben’s small lot customers throughout the country. Hubron will supply a portfolio of Sachtleben products including Hombitan, Lithopone, Blanc Fixe, Sachtolith and barytes into a range of market sectors including plastics. paints, paper and textiles. Contuct: Hubron Ltd, Albion Works, Albion Street, Failsworth, Manchester, M3.5 OFP, UK. Tel: + 44-61-681-2691. Fax: + 44-61683-4658.
O1994 Elsevier Science Ltd
TECHNICAL
BRIEFS
UV resistance in fire retarded HIPS Although flame-retarded acrylonitrilebutadiene-styrene (ABS) has long been the material of choice for computer and businessequipment housings, flame retarded highimpact polystyrene (HIPS) has begun making major inroads into that market because it costs less, processes more easily, and provides acceptable physical performance. UV stability is very important, especially in light-coloured housings. Different types of flame retardants have distinct effects on polymer discoloration. This article describes two flame retardants that have a limited contribution to polymer discolorization when properly stabilized and compares them with other commercially available flame retardants used in HIPS and ABS. (6 refs). Plustics Compounding, 1994, (Sept/Oct), 4850
Carbon dioxide blowing agent for polystyrene sheet Experimental results have shown that it is possible to produce polystyrene sheets 2mm thick with densities well below lOOg/l using CO, as the blowing agent. Tandem units have the advantage over single strand machines in that they allow the extrusion of sheets without wrinkles and stripes with larger amounts of CO,. In the end it is possible to produce foamed sheets with densities below lOOg/l. This can be explained by the better cooling in the tandem unit. As a result the viscosity is higher and the vapour pressure lower. This leads to slower foaming and consequently to a reduced tendency to form wrinkles. Single strand machines are satisfactory for foamed sheets with densities higher than lOOg/l. Attention must be paid to properly matching the cooling zones for foaming with CO, in both types of units. The cooling section must be optimized with regard to cooling the melt containing CO,. Generally, no specific grade
9
November I994
Rotoform line. Monsanto’s Flectol is said to be a very effective rubber antioxidant and is used by manufacturers of tyres and industrial rubber goods to inhibit oxidation of the product. Contact: Monsanto plc, Edison Road, Dorcan, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN3 SHN, UK. +44-793+44-793-531315. Fax: Tel: 615214, or Sandvik Process Systems, PO Box 3506, Manor Way, Halesowen, West Midlands, B62 SQX, UK. Tel: +44-21-5507671. Fax: + 44-21-550-7523.
Development of a continuous spinning method is near completion which will enable the company to produce thin fabrics and nonBASF’s position in wovens, enhancing flameproof fibres used as asbestos substitutes. Contact: BASF Polymers Division, 100 Cherry Hill Road, Parsippany, NJ 07054, USA. Tel: + I-201 -316-3402. Fax: + I-201 335-3430.
COMPANY Improved
grades of carbon black
The Special Blacks Division of Cabot Corp in the USA is close to commercializing several of its developmental carbon blacks for improved conductivity, colourability and UV stability. Included are grades for wire and cable applications - specifically, the insulation seal in underground cable, which is typically highly carbon-filled (30-40% use levels). Also near commercialization by Cabot is a new family of super-conductive blacks for automotive exterior applications. These are said to provide higher efficiency at only 10% use levels to ensure retention of polymer properties. Contact: The Special Blacks Division, Cabot Corp, 1.57 Concord Road, Billerica, MA 01821, USA. Tel: +l-508-663-3455. Fax: + I-508-663-5471.
Asbestos
replacement
fibre
A new flameproof fibre is scheduled to go into production at BASF’s Enka site in South Carolina, USA, at the end of next year (1995). Basofil is spun from a condensation resin made of melamine and formaldehyde. In spite of its thermoset basic structure, BASF says the fibre exhibits favourable elastic properties and very good textile characteristics, and is superior to competitive products in terms of its fire behaviour and processability.
8
NEWS
Huber to sell its carbon division JM Huber Corp is seeking to sell its Engineered Carbons Division. The company plans to operate the carbon black unit, with plants in Borger, Baytown, and Orange, Texas, until a buyer is found. The division is said to be viable and profitable but Huber decided to sell the division because it does not fit with the company’s philosophy of continuous growth. While its carbon black business has not been gaining market share, Huber has maintained its share of the carbon black market for the last seven to ten years. Contact: JM Huber Carp, Engineered Carbons Division, Box 2831, Borger, TX 79008-2831, USA. Tel: + I-800-631 -6331. Fax: + I-806-2 73-l 477.
Hanna acquires Theodor Bergmann The US-based MA Hanna group has acquired Theodor Bergmann, one of Germany’s largest producers of speciality materials and reinforced thermoplastics compounds. Based in Gaggenau, Germany, Bergmann has two processing facilities: one at its headquarters and the second at Barbastro, Spain. The Spanish business, Poliamidas Barbastro, operates as Polibasa. Bergmann, which reported 1993 sales of $40 million (DM 56 million), and has a total of 138 employees.
O1994 Elsevier Science Ltd
November I994
Additives for Polvmers
The company has a broad portfolio of fire retardant compounds, and the plan is for Bergmann to serve as a nucleus of a MA Hanna European compounding business. Contact: MA Hanna Co, 1301 E. Ninth Street, Suite 3600, Cleveland, OH 441141860, USA. Tel: + I-21 6-589-4018.
Ronmar Plastics coloured engineering plastics Since its takeover by KD Thermoplastics in January, Ronmar Plastics has undergone a change in role. Its distributorship for DuPont materials has been absorbed into KD, and Ronmar has been realigned as KD’s engineering plastics compounding arm. The Ronmar is on colour emphasis at compounding of engineering plastics, the company has no plans to start commodity compounding, and as well as supplying KD with compound, it is working directly for some of KD’s principals, specifically ICI, DuPont and AtoHaas. Contact: Ronmar PlusticsLtd, Marston Road, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV3 4NN, UK. Tel: +44-902-26839. Fax: +44-Fo226852.
UK distributor products
for Sachtleben
Sachtleben Chemie GmbH, a manufacturer of white pigments and extenders, has recently announced the appointment of a new distributor in the UK. Hubron Sales Ltd, based in Manchester, UK, will handle Sachtleben’s small lot customers throughout the country. Hubron will supply a portfolio of Sachtleben products including Hombitan, Lithopone, Blanc Fixe, Sachtolith and barytes into a range of market sectors including plastics. paints, paper and textiles. Contuct: Hubron Ltd, Albion Works, Albion Street, Failsworth, Manchester, M3.5 OFP, UK. Tel: + 44-61-681-2691. Fax: + 44-61683-4658.
O1994 Elsevier Science Ltd
TECHNICAL
BRIEFS
UV resistance in fire retarded HIPS Although flame-retarded acrylonitrilebutadiene-styrene (ABS) has long been the material of choice for computer and businessequipment housings, flame retarded highimpact polystyrene (HIPS) has begun making major inroads into that market because it costs less, processes more easily, and provides acceptable physical performance. UV stability is very important, especially in light-coloured housings. Different types of flame retardants have distinct effects on polymer discoloration. This article describes two flame retardants that have a limited contribution to polymer discolorization when properly stabilized and compares them with other commercially available flame retardants used in HIPS and ABS. (6 refs). Plustics Compounding, 1994, (Sept/Oct), 4850
Carbon dioxide blowing agent for polystyrene sheet Experimental results have shown that it is possible to produce polystyrene sheets 2mm thick with densities well below lOOg/l using CO, as the blowing agent. Tandem units have the advantage over single strand machines in that they allow the extrusion of sheets without wrinkles and stripes with larger amounts of CO,. In the end it is possible to produce foamed sheets with densities below lOOg/l. This can be explained by the better cooling in the tandem unit. As a result the viscosity is higher and the vapour pressure lower. This leads to slower foaming and consequently to a reduced tendency to form wrinkles. Single strand machines are satisfactory for foamed sheets with densities higher than lOOg/l. Attention must be paid to properly matching the cooling zones for foaming with CO, in both types of units. The cooling section must be optimized with regard to cooling the melt containing CO,. Generally, no specific grade
9