industry news
DIAB embarks on expansion TO MEET increased demand for rigid polyvinyl
chloride
foam core materials wich
composites,
Group
(formerly
Polimex
Group)
US$14 million ment
plan.
(PVC)
for sandthe
DIAB
Divinycell is starting
capital
a
invest-
This is aimed
The
investment
will
be
for
wider
applications.
spread across DIAB’s three man-
Ljundberg
ufacturing
intends
to
organic
growth
Sweden,
plants at Laholm in Longarone
in
Italy,
says the
company
concentrate rather
finishing
not rule out the possibility
operation
in Sydney,
Australia.
although
selected acquisitions,
DIAB president
Bo Ljund-
the core business,
he does
and if they
provide
duction capacity during the next
one of objectives of the compa-
accessing new technology.
12 months. The company claims
ny’s ambitious
to be world’s number one suppli-
is to double the size of the busi-
include
er of rigid PVC foams with its
ness in the next five years. This
produce
Divinycell and Klegecell product
he
Klegecell
ranges.
through expansion
says
expansion
will
be
plan
achieved in key mar-
kets such as transportation
and
recent buy-out by Swedish investment group Atle of the
wind energy, by strengthening
shares of the other owner of the
southern
company,
and the reintroduc-
the
company’s
in
regions, and by
its product
opportunities for the
range
for
future
increased
also
capacity
Divinycell kits with
to and
the
foam
already cut to shape and ready for use. The company option is becoming
Europe, Asia Pacific
and developing developing
presence
Plans
of
if they fit
berg told Reinforced Plastics that
tion of the DIAB name.
than
acquisitions,
at
follows the
on
DeSoto in Texas, USA, and its
achieving a 30% increase in pro-
This investment
ATP to sell
plan
says this
more popu-
lar with customers
because
it
offers them faster production, higher waste.
quality
and
reduced
SP Systems opens new HQ SP SYSTEMS has officially opened its new corporate headquarters
and
manufacturing
facility on the outskirts of Newport, Isle of Wight, UK. The new building is designed to accommodate the company’s continued growth; turnover for this year is expected to be around $40 million, double last year’s figure. According to SP’s head SF’ Systems’ new HQ houses production and logistics,research and development laboratories and a technical service centre.
of technology management, David Cripps, growth has come from the manufacturing
side as
the company keeps up with increased demand for its products. The new facility houses a multi-million new pound prepreg manufacturing line, which was designed and built to SP’s requirements. The line quadruples current capacity to over 8 million m2 per year. Measuring over 27 m long and 6 m high it is capable of pro-
14
RElNFDRCEDplastics
ducing heavyweight materials in widths up to 2 m. These products are required by wind turbine blade makers, which now account for around 75% of SP’s business, as well as the marine and transportation industries. Running parallel to the prepreg line is the company’s main formulated products
October
1999
manufacturing facility produces laminating
which resins,
adhesives and coating systems. The company says that its existing prepreg facility in Newport will continue to operate for the foreseeable future. The company is already planning to extend the new facility so that the existing production space will be doubled.
ADVANCED Technical Products Inc (ATP), Roswell, Georgia, USA, has entered into a merger agreement with a subsidiary of The Veritas Capital Fund LP to sell the company for $135 million, including debt. ATP develops and manufactures composite materials and products and is the parent company of five divisions that include Lincoln Composites, Lunn Marion Composites, Industries, Alcore Inc, and Intellitec. The company had 1998 sales of $165 million. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 1999.
Wood industry calls on FRP A NEW generation of composite materials that combine wood and fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) is the aim of a research agreement between four US organisations. FRP/wood technologies are expected to allow wood proemploy lower ducers to strength grades of wood by contributing increased tensile strength to their products. Researchers at the University of Maine have shown that adding only 1% by volume of FRP to selected areas of engineered wood structures can increase product strength by up to 46%. The agreement was signed by the University of Maine Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Centre (AEWC), the USDA Forest Products Laboratory, APA-The Engineered Wood Association, and Market the Development Alliance (MDA) of the FRP Composites Industry. Key objectives include coordinated R&D and evaluation of materials that meet the needs of the wood industry for new products.