know how 04

www.plastribution.co.uk

0845 34 54 560

Issue 04 October 2013

the magazine

In this issue

Delivering excellence 06

Granic ® expansion 16

Carbon black magic 22

Metal replacement 26

Did you know...

Companies in the plastics industry

7,500

Plastic and plastics

products exported

Supporting UK Plastics

Material Processed

MIllIon tonnes

People employed

Value of exports

BIllIon

In this issue

Granic ® in film 04

Delivering excellence 06

Dear Dan 08

Carmel new grades 10

New Plexiglas ® brochure 11

Technical support for film 12

Briefing governments on plastics 14

Granic ® expansion 16

Nail Buddy 18

UK Plastics – The enabler of manufacturing and distribution 20

Carbon black magic 22

Iupital F20-EW 24

Enzymoplast new grade 25

Metal replacement 26

Product list 30

In Momentum

Knowledge is everything 02

Little Hearts Matter Charity 04

Sarah Minshaw 06

A sustainable plastics industry 08

Richard Cudd 12

Here come the girls 14

25 years at Plastribution 16

New IT platform 18

Your mission... 20

Our vision and values 20

Plastribution is on the move 22

Mike BoswellManaging Director

Plastribution Limited

PO Box 7743

5 Ashby Park

CEVA House

Ashby-de-la-Zouch

Leicestershire

LE65 1XY

Tel: +44 (0) 1530 560560

Fax: +44 (0) 1530 560303

Email: [email protected]

www.plastribution.co.uk

This magazine is printed using vegetable oil based inks on paper that contains fibre from sustainably managed forests. Design: voice www.realworldthinking.co

Issue 04 – October 2013

Welcome to know-howWelcome to the fourth edition

of know-how magazine and we

hope that you continue to enjoy

this publication as a valuable source

of information.

Understandably, many will question

the rationale behind producing a

magazine in this ‘always on’ age and

in particular the justification of printing

hard copy alongside publishing an

electronic edition. There is no doubt

that the internet has significantly

impacted on speed, quantity and

availability of information, but it

appears that readers are becoming

more discerning in their choice of

media platforms. In fact the expected

demise of printed text books has simply

not happened. Consumers continue

to display a preference for the printed

medium, and there has been a

marked increase in the sales of weekly

review magazines as consumers

struggle with ‘information overload’.

Finally we see that paperbacks

remain highly popular despite the

convenience offered by e-readers.

In response to these changes we

plan to take a more hybrid approach

by distributing topical articles more

quickly through the use of electronic

media and industry press. We also plan

to compile relevant information into

an annual edition of know-how magazine incorporating our annual

Product Portfolio. That way we hope

you will enjoy the ‘best of both worlds’

from the end of this year when we

launch our hybrid publication.

Back to this edition. You will read in

the following pages how we continue

to increase the range of products and

services available to our customers,

and make a further commitment to

providing technical resources that

have the capability to support

increasingly sophisticated products

which offer even greater scope in

terms off applications and efficiency.

You will also see that from June, I have

been elected as President of the British

Plastics Federation and expect to

serve a two-year term in this voluntary

position. This is the first time in its 80-year

history that the president has come

from the distribution sector, and is clear

recognition of how significant this part

of the industry has become in recent

years. Having started my career in the

plastics industry over 30 years ago, and

having spent 25 years at Plastribution

it is a great honour to be of service

and in this role represent the whole UK

plastics industry. You can gain a

greater insight into what I hope to

achieve during my term in office in a

more detailed article within this edition

of know-how magazine.

From a business perspective these are

interesting times. There is no doubt that

high polymer prices are a significant

challenge, but a more competitive

exchange rate coupled with a

pro-manufacturing agenda from

government appear to have put

many sectors of the industry on a

stronger footing, and we note the

bullish attitude of many of our

customers. Even the much

beleaguered construction sector,

which has benefited little from

exchange rates, looks to be facing

better prospects as in particular the

private housing sector starts to recover.

Here at Plastribution we continue to

enjoy strong growth. This is largely due

to the continuous development of our

expertise through training and

development. It is also due to the

encouragement of our employees to

innovate improved services, and the

investment in robust processes. In this

magazine you will see evidence of this

through activities such as our internal

training programmes, continuous

improvement projects and investment

in IT infrastructure.

We hope that you will enjoy this latest

edition of know-how and through its

pages learn more about how the

products and services that Plastribution

offer can benefit your business.

Please contact me or any member

of the Plastribution team to discuss

how we can support your business

success.

Regards,

Mike Boswell


3

technical fillers for cost reduction in film extrusion

Unfortunately, due to the complexities

in production of these master

batches, the industry has been

lacking the right quality of product

to enable these avenues to be fully

explored in extrusion processing.

Film producers have tried adding

large (+10%) addition rates of typical

anti-block type master batches,

and have found that rather than

obtaining a reinforcing benefit, film

properties are - disproportionately -

negatively affected, and processing

becomes incredibly difficult or

impossible. There are, however,

very specific reasons for this.

These are:

The very high melt flow of the

carrier resin starts to adversely

affect the processing and physical

properties at higher loadings.

The average particle size of the

filler used is too large to act in a

reinforcing manner.

The maximum particle size is never

published. Essentially these large

particles act as contaminants and

sites of weakness in the film. In thin

gauge films these can also cause

‘fish eyes’ or similar.

The surface of the particle has little

affinity for polymer.

The filler absorbs moisture – at

higher doses and this can cause

issues.

The filler used is often highly

contaminated by iron oxide

and dirt (causing discolouration).

Granic ® Calcium Carbonate master batchesDue to the bespoke processing

method employed by Gestora,

production of Granic ® is able to

utilise very low melt flow polymers,

the standard film grade being based

on a MFI 1.1 LLDPE. This means that

at higher loadings the carrier resin

will not adversely affect processing

or physicals properties. Moreover, a

very high quality C8 LLDPE is used. This

highly elastic resin compensates for the

lack of elasticity in calcium carbonate,

and further boosts properties.

Gestora also use a highly controlled,

ultra-fine grade of calcium carbonate,

limit the maximum particle size and

publish this data on their data sheets.

This ensures that all the particles

included are of the right size to act

in a reinforcing manner and that

there are no large particles to

reduce properties and cause

processing issues in thin film.

These particles are also treated with a

heat stable coating. This improves the

affinity between the particle and the

polymer and eliminates any moisture

absorption, further boosting properties.

The grade of calcium carbonate

used is also very pure, enabling a high

level of whiteness to be achieved

and allowing approval for food use.

It has long been recognised that adding fillers to plastic can act in a reinforcing manner, that is to say that physical properties can be improved leading to either a better quality product, or to cost reduction by down gauging to maintain existing property levels.


4

technical Fillers for cost reduction in film extrusion

Granic ® in useFor initial trialling of Granic ®, it is

recommended that the quantity of

master batch be gradually increased

so that the operator gets a better

understanding of how the new blend

behaves in processing. Typically as the

percentage Granic ® increases, the

stability of the bubble will improve

resulting in the possibility of faster

machine speeds. The film will also

become more uniform and the weight

will increase at the same gauge.

Therefore it is recommended to start

at a 10% addition rate, and increase

this in 10% stages, up to a maximum

of 60%. The material should ideally be

added by a gravimetric system directly

above the extruder.

For trial purposes material can be

remotely mixed but separation is a

possibility if a vacuum system is used

to convey the blend due to the

difference in densities.

To fully optimise potential material

savings using Granic ®, it is

recommended to reduce the film

gauge after increase in addition rate

to bring the weight per metre of the

film back to the original level. Further

testing of the film will show the physical

properties stay constant when keeping

the section weight constant.

Blow ratios should be kept above

1:1.8 to produce film with good

biaxial properties. Less than this and

the film will have very high strength in

transverse direction (TD) and very easy

tear in machine direction (MD).

When the desired filler loading is

chosen, further savings can usually be

achieved through the reduction in

barrel temperatures. This is normally

found to be approximately 10oC.

Carbon footprintA further benefit of using Granic ®

is that the carbon footprint of the

material has been independently

assessed and verified by TUV,

Germany. This enables carbon

footprint values to be accurately

assigned to Granic ®. With values

of approximately 25% of standard

polymers, the use of Granic ® can

significantly reduce the carbon

footprint of the end product whilst

achieving cost reduction.

Specific approved logos are

available for incorporation into the

product, along with the TUV stamp

of certification and the specific

carbon saving obtained.

For further information on the full

Granic ® range of products, please

contact Plastribution on 01530 560 560.


5

OTIF is an acronym for on-time and

in-full and measures a business’s

performance in getting customers

what they want when promised.

Getting it right first time drives down

costs and improves customer

satisfaction and as today’s margin

pressure forces business improvements

across the board, there is a renewed

emphasis on service.

At Plastribution, we understand that

whilst every penny matters and pricing

has to be competitive, service can

be an order winner. If we can get the

right product to the right place at the

right time in the right condition, the

reputation for reliability can give us a

competitive edge.

We hold the OTIF measurement

with such importance as it is not purely

a delivery scorecard. It measures our

entire organisation – sourcing, receiving,

storing, the sales order, picking, loading

and delivery.

Each aspect of this supply chain

has to be right to achieve the

commitment given to our customer

and on the occasions we do fail, we

can pinpoint which part of the process

caused the breakdown and address

the root causes.

The subsequent corrective and

preventative actions ensure that

the situation is put right and steps

are taken to ensure the same issues

do not repeat.

The introduction of the OTIF measure

and identifying the causes of failures

has enabled us to consistently achieve

excellent results, with our rolling 1-year

average currently standing at 99.0%.

So what does this mean to our customers? With fewer picking errors, accurate inventory and higher order fill rates we can meet expectations and give outstanding customer service.

Delivering excellence Improving on-time delivery performance


6


“We want to set the benchmark for where service levels in our industry should be. Our challenge is to ensure our resources and expertise are always on hand, exactly where they need to be to meet customers’ expectations.”– Craig share


7

Q1

I am trying to mould a component with PMMA but even though I think I am drying the material thoroughly, I am still getting visual defects. Can you offer any advice?

This is a common issue with PMMA.

Even though on the face of it the

material seems dry it can often not

be at the required maximum residual

moisture content to produce visually

perfect parts. As a rule of thumb for

optical parts or thick walled mouldings,

the residual moisture content should

be no more than 0.04%. The best way

of ensuring the material is dry is to use

the highest possible temperature to

remove the moisture as quickly as

possible – typically the Vicat softening

point of the grade in question minus

20oC for 2 to 4 hours. If possible also

use a dry-air drying system.

Q2

I have been trawling the internet and have rung several suppliers in an attempt to get a definitive shrinkage value for polypropylene but keep getting various answers. Can you help at all?

Yes I can. I am not at all surprised that

you cannot find what you are looking

for as there is no definitive answer to

your question. Shrinkage rates are

influenced by many factors which is

why you are generally given a range

to work with. Processing temperature,

mould temperature, tool design, MFI

and injection speed and pressure all

play a significant role in the final

products shrinkage values. In fact

the end products shrinkage will vary

across the part and also when the

measurements are taken. There

is a small but not insubstantial post

mould shrinkage for polypropylene

which is a particularly significant for

close tolerance mouldings. I hope

this helps to answer your question.

Q3

I have just started to mould a new job and I am having problems with inconsistent shrinkage. the parts I am moulding are small HDPe cap like components which are masterbatched in several colours including white, black, red, yellow green and blue. the only two colours I seem to be having a problem with are the green and blue which are giving me different shrinkage values compared to the other colours. Is there anything that I can do to resolve this issue?

My advice is to give your masterbatch

supplier a call and ask if the green

and blue formulations contain

phthalocyanine pigments. If they do,

then ask if it is possible to reformulate

the green and blue without them.

Phthalocyanine pigments have

a nucleating effect on HDPE and

PP which will cause differential

shrinkage when compared to your

other colours (which do not contain

them). I am fairly confident that this

will be the case.

Dear Dan

Dan Jarvis technical Manager

“Plastics are amazing materials and can be used in many very demanding applications, often at a lower weight and manufacturing costs and should not be underestimated.”


8


Q4

I hope you can help – I am currently designing a bracket component that will be used in a blast furnace. It has to withstand peak temperatures of 1000 oC whilst holding a load of up to 25 kg. I would like the manufacturing and component costs to be as low as possible and so I would like to use that cheap plastic I hear so much about. Can you recommend a material for me?

I certainly can recommend a material

for you – Steel!

Plastics are amazing materials and

can be used in many very demanding

applications, often at a lower weight

and manufacturing costs and should

not be underestimated.

However, sometimes other more

traditional materials are still more

suitable and in your case I would

certainly use metal!


9

Exciting new grades from Carmel Olefins.

Carmel new grades

A batch of four new speciality polymer

products has been developed

and released by Carmel Olefins

and is now available to processors

in the UK through Plastribution.

TP50V is a very high flow heterophasic

copolymer with exceptional impact

properties. It has been designed for

injection moulding applications with

thin walls, complex design or long

flow lengths. This grade will also be

of interest to compounders or other

converters using reprocessed or

recycled materials to enhance the

mechanical performance of the

overall product or allow increased

incorporation of recyclate.

Carmel has also introduced a

unique range of transparent impact

copolymers which are intended to

solve the traditional Polypropylene

trade off between impact and

clarity, and also offer excellent

resistance to stress whitening.

CT80A – MFR (25) and CU80AV –

High MFR (35) are intended for the

injection moulding of thin walled

packaging, clear containers for

deep-freezer storage, caps and

closures, pails and crates or any

applications where both clarity and

impact properties are required.

The final addition to the range is

Capilene U12EV a polypropylene

hompolymer with a high MFR (37)

intended for Non-Woven applications.

Carmel Olefins Ltd. manufactures

and sells 165kTPA of Low Density

Polyethylene (LDPE) under the

name Ipethene®. A broad range

of Ipethene® products have been

produced since 1964 (formerly by

Israel Petrochemical Enterprises

Ltd.), and there are now four lines

consisting of high pressure autoclave

reactors. The technology was originally

licensed from ICI Ltd. – the inventors

of high pressure LDPE technology.

Carmel Olefins Ltd. also manufactures

and sells 450 kTPA Polypropylene

(PP) under the name Capilene®. The

range of Capilene® PP products are

manufactured in two production lines

based on Spheripol and Spherizone

technology under license from Basell.

Carmel Olefins is committed to

developing and extending its

product range by extending the

property window of available

polymers and providing solutions

to today’s plastics processor.

Plastribution’s technical resources,

in the form of Dan Jarvis (please

see inside back page spread) are

available to help processors select and

work with these new Carmel grades.

Please contact your Plastribution

sales representative for more details.


10

It is specifically aimed at helping with the processing of Plexiglas ® and contains detailed information on:

Product range

Physical properties

Technical requirements

including the moulded part,

the moulding process, the

mould and moulding machine

Processing

Injection moulding defects,

causes and remedies

Product handling

evonik Industries new PleXIGlAs® brochure

Evonik have produced a new brochure which details all aspects of injection moulding with PLEXIGLAS PMMA.

technical support for film

Whilst the first generation of

metallocene grades were difficult

to extrude, advances in catalyst

and process technology has given

rise to metallocenes which combine

the high mechanical strength of

LLDPE with near-LDPE extrudability.

Understanding how these high

performance materials can be

exploited whilst keeping blend costs

under control can be a challenge,

particularly for companies with limited

technical or marketing resources.

The key is to determine what the

main drivers are along each particular

value chain, i.e. what are the most

important performance criteria for

the end-user, how can metallocene

products be used to improve this

performance and how can the

value of this improvement be shared.

Reducing film thickness whilst

maintaining (or even improving

on) existing mechanical properties,

increasing seal strength to allow for

lower sealing temperatures and/or

higher line speeds, increasing clarity

and gloss to improve film aesthetics

are all benefits of using metallocene.

Downgauging can sometimes be

a difficult concept to promote,

particularly where extruders sell their

film by weight; reducing film thickness

will mean more metres of film per reel

if reel weight is kept constant and

therefore the end-user will re-order

less frequently. If, however, end-users

can be persuaded to buy film by the

metre, then downgauging becomes

attractive, offering the same or

better performance as thicker film

and the potential for promoting

more sustainable products based on

reduced packaging weight and film

consumption. Additional advantages

along the supply chain could be

lower costs of raw material inventory

holding, delivery and disposal.

My role within Plastribution is to

offer our customers the technical

support they need to develop

and improve their film products.

Plastribution supplies a wide

range of polyethylene grades

for film extrusion, including Exceed

and Enable metallocenes from

ExxonMobil, C4-LLDPE from Sumitomo

and autoclave LDPE from Carmel.

Also available for film extrusion

are Vistamaxx propylene-based

elastomers for polymer modification,

high quality Granic ® calcium

carbonate masterbatches for

blend cost reduction and a range

of functional additives from Kafrit.

Being able to offer our own,

dedicated technical support,

means Plastribution can provide

a faster response to technical

enquiries, help with day-to-day

problem solving, recommend the

most suitable product for a specific

application and have someone on

site to support trials of new products,

ensuring the optimum processing

conditions are used to maximise

the benefits of the product.

During the time I have spent in the polyethylene film industry, the emergence of metallocene-catalysed polyethylene has led to significant advances in film performance, particularly with regards to mechanical properties, sealing performance and optical properties.


12


Richard Cudd technical executive

“My role within Plastribution is to offer our customers the technical support they need to develop and improve their film products.”


13

Briefing governments on plastics

This was in Mike’s role as President

of the British Plastic Federation (BPF)

and the encounter took place on

July 22nd at the special exhibition

on the industry mounted by the

BPF in the foyer of the Department

of Business Innovation and Skills on

London’s Victoria Street, very close to

Westminister. Mike spent thirty minutes

giving Mr Fallon a tour of the exhibition

and was able to explain the role of

plastics in supporting the business and

profitability of a wide range of sectors

not just in manufacturing but also in

retail, distribution and healthcare.

The BPF exhibition made the point that

the industry is a significant employer

of some 180,000 workers and has a

sales turnover of approximately of

£19 billion. Most settlements in the

UK and certainly all Parliamentary

constituencies will have at least

one plastics operation within their

boundaries, a fact, which significantly

assists the BPF’s lobbying power.

Mike explained to Mr Fallon that it

was the UK which had launched

the commercial plastics industry

with the introduction of ‘Parkesine’

in 1862. The contribution of the UK

to the industry since that date was

documented on the BPF’s Time-Line

which was on prominent display

at the exhibition. Key landmarks

included the UK’s role in the discovery

of ‘Polyethylene’ by ICI in 1933, the

early exploitation of the PET bottle

in the late 70’s and the preparation

of PEEK, again by ICI, in 1977.

Plastribution’s Managing Director, Mike Boswell, recently met Michael Fallon MP, Minster of State for Business and Enterprise, and impressed upon him the importance of the UK plastics industry to the UK economy and society.


14

The Museum of Design and Plastics, a

part of the University of Bournemouth,

had curated display cabinets for

the BPF adorned with iconic plastics

products made in the UK and which

illustrated some of the key benefits of

using plastics such as their ability to

be recycled. The BPF also designed

a number of street- facing images,

focusing on the theme of ‘Fantastic

Plastic’, illustrating how the materials

can help ‘keep food fresher for

longer’ and how they reduce vehicle

weight and hence fuel consumption

when used as components in cars.

The exhibition was visible to the

many civil servants who were passing

through the foyer, many of them

policy-makers on issues affecting

the industry, and passers by on their

way to the tourist sites close by.

Mike said “The feedback was very

positive indeed and that there is

already evidence of civil servants

having digested the messages

and using them in their work.”

“The exhibition”, said Mike, “was the

combination of a whole series of

contacts made by the BPF and its

members over the previous year and

we had Vince Cable’s video message

of congratulations to the BPF on its

80th Anniversary playing continuously

alongside the display. Taken together

with David Cameron’s more recent

letter of congratulations, this is a

terrific governmental endorsement of

the UK plastics industry. As the Prime

Minister said, the plastics industry

‘is contributing enormously to our

transition to a green economy’ and

our exhibition at the Department of

Business Innovation and Skills showed

exactly how we are doing this.”

“The BPF exhibition made the point that the industry is a significant employer of some 180,000 workers and has a sales turnover of approximately of £19 billion.”– Phillip law


15

GCR Group is the new company name for the producer of the Granic

® range of masterbatch.

GCR Group expansion

The company formerly known as

Gestora de Catalana de Residuos

started production in 2001 locally

recycling PE and PP. The company

had three distinct business areas

namely Granic ®, Ciclic and Irtion and

the name change brings them all

under the GCR Group.

Granic ® is the largest producer

of filler masterbatches in Europe.

With a compounding capacity

of 110 000mT the company will

have doubled this to 220 000mT

by the end of the year. By the end

of Q2 2013 Granic ® will start up their

3rd compounding line with its own

Irtion technology.

This will be further complemented

by a 4th line in early 2014 and this

is expected to be at full capacity

by the summer. The plant, which is

ideally situated locally to its polymer

feed stock supplier (20km) and the

largest source of high quality plastic

grade calcium carbonate (7km).

In addition the world’s largest talc

mine is less than 200km away.

“Granic’s aim is to fulfil the needs

of the plastics converters regarding

plastic reinforcement, oil based

polymer replacement, lowered

environmental impact, carbon

footprint reduction (through

certification), reduced energy

consumption and help converters

achieve a reduction in the cost

of their finished goods” comments

Victor Oliva the commercial

director at GCR.

The extremely pure, ultra-fine calcium

carbonate that is used in production

of Granic ® materials is surface treated

and carries certification to that effect.

This ensures that these products do not

absorb moisture and therefore require

no drying and provide trouble free


16

processing. This surface treatment

also significantly reduces abrasivity

and gives a product which is no

more abrasive than virgin HDPE.

This is an important consideration

when processing polymers with

high levels of mineral fillers.

Probably one of the most important

differences from Granic ® materials and

others on the market is the grading of

the calcium carbonate. Granic ® pay

close attention to the quality and

grade of calcium carbonate used in

the production of their masterbatch.

Average particle size (top cut)

distribution is absolutely paramount

when producing a filler that will not

compromise mechanical properties.

In fact in many cases it actively

improves certain mechanical

properties.

Due to the differences documented

above many producers who use

fillers as an antiblock are often

surprised to find that they can utilise

the Granic ® material in much higher

dosages than 5%. In fact addition

rates in film of up to 60% have been

achieved successfully.

Production is highly automated with

closed loop operation enabling the

Granic ® products to be produced to

the highest specification. Extensive

post blending is carried out to ensure

that each batch is completely

consistent and product is regularly

sampled to ensure that moisture, top

cut, average particle size, loading,

colour and specific gravity are all

within tolerance.

Ciclic is the recycling arm of GCR

business. Today Ciclic have a recycling

capacity of 35 000mT and it specialises

in PE and PP post industrial waste from

the petrochemical industry and

converters. Ciclic have a product

range that covers the film, pipe, sheet

and automotive industries. These

products have been produced to

exacting standards with the express

purpose of replacing virgin polymer

and has recently gained a lot of

interest from the automotive sector.

Irtion is the technological unit of the

GCR group where a patented new

way of mixing, drying and coating

materials is giving the company the

ability to improve the quality of the

environmentally friendly plastics

that Granic ® and Ciclic produce.

The company is currently looking

for strategic partners for this

technology.

“Environmentally friendly plastics solutions”


17


nail Buddy – a recipe for success

Take a young beauty therapist with a clever concept, combine some good old fashioned product development expertise with lashings of collaboration, add the effective use of complementary materials and you have the hallmarks of a Dragon’s Den success story.

Nail Buddy is, seemingly, every

girls’ best friend. The product is

a professional, handy and new

portable fashion accessory,

designed to hold nail polish bottles

securely, leaving both hands free

to apply nail polish and achieve

professional looking results whether

at home or on the move.

Developed on the back of requests

from professionals and customers alike,

Nail Buddy is designed to sit perfectly

between your knees or on any flat

surface. And by being able to hold

all shapes and sizes of bottle, Nail

Buddy is simple to use and effective.

Nail Buddy has recently entered

the fashion and beauty markets

and is currently enjoying a positive

reception. The product currently

retails at £9.99 and is available

in two fashionable shades –

Honeysuckle Rose or Silver Peony.

The initial concept for Nail Buddy

provides an excellent example of

product development synergy.

The three ‘players’ in this product’s

development included Ramsgate

based Dugdale Plastics, UK based

offshore manufacturing and

injection moulding tooling project

management specialists, Protek and

materials supplier, Plastribution.

Both Dugdale Plastics and Protek

created aesthetic and functional 3D

designs, from which prototype tooling

was manufactured and assessed

to check form, fit and function. With

support from Plastribution, varying

grades of materials were also trialled,

with the emphasis being on balancing

cost with performance.

The material selection for the main

body of Nail Buddy required a high

gloss, durable finish, capable of

looking fashionable whilst maintaining

functionality. With its high rigid,

medium impact strength, Plastribution

recommended ABS Polylac® PA-757

ABS, which provided an ideal balance

of properties combined with ease of

processing, and the ability to be

coloured using masterbatch.

And to keep nail varnish bottles of

all shapes and sizes secure, a rubber

cage was developed that sits inside

the main body of the product.

A variety of grades of thermoplastic

vulcanizates (TPVs) were trialled,

with Santoprene™ offering the

best performance, together with its

inherent manufacturing flexibility,

ease of processing and consistent

durability. A non slip rubber base

completed the design.

In production, the moulding, assembly

and pack-out of the product was

carried out by Dugdale Plastics.

Nail Buddy was launched exclusively

into Boots UK in December 2012

through High Street TV. The product is

currently on sale through other major

retailers, distributors, shopping

channels and airlines.

To further promote Nail Buddy, a

company known as Majique Ltd was

formed in November 2012 to market

and distribute the product, along with

a range of beauty products and gift

sets.


19

The plastics industry is an industry that employs more than 180,000 people.

This is more than the pharmaceutical

industry, oil and gas industry, nuclear

industry, video game industry and

the film industry combined.

Yet the size and importance of

the industry is difficult for many to

comprehend as the first image that

often springs to mind is the sector as

the producer of toys and bags. The

full range of applications and the

industry’s role in supporting almost

every branch of the economy

is frequently overlooked.

We all recognise modern life would

not be possible without plastics. It is

essential that both the government

and banking sector fully understand

the vital role our industry plays in the

ongoing recovery of our economy and

the need to rebalance our priorities

to reduce the current dependence

on retail and service sectors.

UK plastics the enabler of manufacturing and distribution

Medical & healthcare

Food & agriculture

transport

Infrastructure

sport & leisure

Manufacturing

electrical & electronics

In considering the full range of applications, plastics is an essential, enabling

industry for almost every sector of our economy, including:


20

UK plastics industry: Key facts

Value of exports

BILLION

Material processed

MIllIon tonnes

4.8People employed

Companies in the plastics industry

7,500

Plastic and plastics products exported

MILLION TONNES

Plastics materials produced

Number of primary processors

Plastics industry turnover

19

13.1Processor sales turnover


21

Carbon black magic turning electrically conductive plastics into products

Carbon black magic

Conductive carbon black is the most

reliable and cost-efficient choice for

producing electrically conductive

plastic compounds. The secret behind

the perfect carbon black compound

lies in three important factors:

Selecting the optimal carbon

black type for the purpose

Formulating the compound

Optimising the compounding

technique

Electrically conductive plastics are

used in countless processing methods

and final applications. The role of

the compounder is to ensure that

above factors are executed correctly

and to help the customer take full

advantage of the compound in the

manufacturing process. Together,

these measures guarantee that the

desired goals for the end products

are met successfully.

step 1: Picking the right carbon black

Carbon black comes in many

different varieties. The carbon black

that works perfectly in truck tyres is

not the right choice for conductive

compounds. Selecting the carbon

black with just the right features is

the first important step towards a

successful end product.

The most important factor affecting

the electrical performance of carbon

black is its structure. Particle size and

porosity also have an impact on the

electrical behaviour of the electrically

conductive compound.

Factors that improve electrical

conductivity:

High structure: high structure

means that the carbon black

agglomerates form long and

branched chains. Such a structure

is ideal for conductive compounds

– the required conductivity can be

reached with lower loading levels.

small particle size: smaller

size means higher electrical

conductivity. If the particles are

small and relatively uniform in

shape, their surface area is larger

than otherwise. Extra conductive

carbon blacks, with the smallest

particle size, provide the highest

electrical conductivity.

High porosity: higher particle

porosity enables better

electrical conductivity.

step 2: Formulating the right mix

After exceeding a certain loading

level, carbon black changes the

electrically insulating base polymer

into electrically conductive plastic.

The decrease in electrical volume

resistivity due to the increased

amount of carbon black can be

described using a percolation model.

The percolation behaviour of carbon

black depends on the qualities

mentioned in step 1: particle size,

structure and porosity.

This is the first instalment in a series of articles on the processing of Premix’s electrically conductive plastics.

The series kicks off with a look at the key element of conductive compounds – carbon black – and how it is used for creating the perfect compound mix.

High structurelow structure


22


Premix’s R&D specialists can select

just the optimum carbon black load

needed to achieve the required

electrical properties. Finding the

correct loading level is extremely

important: too high a carbon black

load has a negative impact on the

compound’s mechanical properties.

It also increases viscosity, causing

problems in the injection moulding

process, for example.

The percolation curve illustrates the

relationship between the quantity of

added carbon black (CB load) and

the achieved electrical resistivity.

Note the narrow threshold in which

the electrical resistivity dramatically

drops. After this threshold level,

increasing carbon black will no longer

improve the electrical properties.

Usually the steepest part of the

curve hits the static dissipative

resistance levels (106–109ohms).

This makes the development and

production of dissipative carbon

black compounds very challenging.

The carbon black content and the

production process require careful

control and monitoring.

Choosing the right carbon black also

depends on how the material will

be processed. For example, during

the injection moulding process, the

compound is subjected to different

processing conditions than during the

extrusion process. For each process,

roughly speaking, there is a matching

type of carbon black.

Premix has accumulated 30 years

of expertise in formulating and

manufacturing electrically conductive

compounds. Based on our research,

experience and years of product

development, we have found the

perfect mix for any requirement.

step 3: optimised compounding process

The final piece of the puzzle for

creating a perfect electrically

conductive compound is finding the

optimal technique for dispersing the

carbon black to the base polymer.

The Premix compounding lines have

been optimised for the production

of electrically conductive plastics.

For each formulation and base

polymer, our processing engineers

select the right machinery with

optimal screw geometry and

granulation technology.

Carefully defined processing

parameters ensure that the shear

forces and process temperatures

are at the ideal level. In optimal

conditions, the carbon black

agglomerates are separated into

aggregates which are then dispersed

and distributed evenly within the

compound. This is done without

breaking the carbon black’s structure.

Continuous quality control

throughout the process and seamless

cooperation between the production

and quality assurance departments

are the final checkpoints on the way

to the perfect outcome.

Primary ParticlesVolume Resistivity(ohm.cm)

size - 0.01 microns

Aggregate

size: 0.1 -0.5 microns

strong bonds between primary particles

Agglomerate

size: >0.1mm

Weak bonds between aggregates

1014 -1018 ohm.cm

108 ohm.cm

<102 ohm.cmCB loading (W%)


23

MEP have announced a new grade

of acetal, Iupital F20-EW, which is a

modified version of F20-03 and meets

all the requirements for potable water

uses in various European countries.

Iupital F20-EW is a general purpose

POM copolymer suitable for all

water fitting applications and

meets the approval requirements

in various countries as follows:

UK – WRAS (BS 6920, for use

with water up to 85°C)

USA / Canada – NSF 14 (NSF 61)

Germany – KTW (23°C and 60°C)

France – ACS (XP P 41 250)

Iupital POM has good mechanical

properties as well as:

High fatigue resistance

Excellent anti-creep properties

Excellent low friction and

anti-wear properties

Wide range of operating

temperatures

High oil and organic

chemical resistance

Excellent thermal stability

in moulding

Natural, black, coloured and

glass filled grades available

Mitsubishi engineering Plastics Corporation

Mitsubishi Engineering Plastics Corporation launches new grade of POM for water fitting applications.


24

enzymoplast™

new grade

Advanced Enzyme Science Ltd is

proud to announce an addition to

their range of additive master batches

which biodegrade polyethylene.

Enzymoplast ENZO0900

Biodegradable uses similar

enzyme based bio-technology to

that which is used in the original

ENZO0001 Compostable grade,

albeit with modifications to better

suit environments where industrial

composting facilities are not available

or applicable, or in developing

markets or where there is no end

of life solution other than landfill.

Products incorporating ENZO0900

exhibit excellent mechanical

properties, and have been found

to increase film tensile strength in the

final product by approximately 2-3%.

ENZO0900 technology has also been

targeted to reduce cost compared

to other degradation systems, such

as those containing metal ions,

therefore making it a more affordable

proposition with nominal cost. A further

benefit when compared to these other

systems is, just like ENZO0001, ENZO0900

leaves no contaminants in the soil

after degradation.

The product applications are many

and varied, and the master-batch

may be added into the production

of all types of polyethylene flexible film

where single use of the end product

is normal such as disposable bags,

flexible and industrial packaging and

agricultural films including mulch and

silage. All products will also retain US

FDA approval.

AESL’s master-batches can be easily

incorporated into standard PE film

production lines with only minor

changes to settings. ENZO0900 has

been independently tested by a

reputable European Laboratory in

accordance with ISO 14855-1:2005.

The product is certified aerobically

biodegradable within a defined period

1-3 years at end of its life, depending

on prevailing environmental

conditions.

Of course, like all polyethylene film

treated with AESL master batches, the

finished product is 100% recyclable

and will not adversely affect the

recycling stream.

The active ingredients in ENZO0900

come from renewable sources and do

not adversely affect or rely on the food

supply chain.

For further information please visit:

www.enzymoplast.com

AESL- Enzymoplast announces the launch of its new technological innovation in biodegradable PE formulation ENZO0900.


25

Plastribution are proud to announce the introduction of a brochure detailing their metal replacement range of thermoplastics, along with the creation of a website designed to help to guide designers and engineers through the complex choices to select the best material for their desired applications.

The manufacturing benefits of using

plastics instead of metals have long

been recognised, however the

technical capabilities of products

have not been able to match

environmental demands. With

weight reduction, performance

enhancement and cost reduction

all major drivers in today’s markets,

particularly in the automotive sector,

metal replacement has never been so

high a priority. Engine downsizing and

fuel efficiency, reduced under bonnet

space and longer vehicle life time

requirements are providing increasing

demands on existing and historically

acceptable solutions to part designs.

Plastribution’s portfolio has been

built with not only straight metal

replacement in mind though. With

very high modulus, high temperature

resistance and ultra-low fogging

properties as examples, another

key target area is performance

enhancement of products

already produced in polymers.

Peter Tillin, Engineering Product

Manager at Plastribution said

“We have worked tirelessly to

ensure we are able to offer a

comprehensive range of materials

to cover most applications.

We feel that, with our current product

range of high end engineering

polymers from the industry’s leading

producers, we are able to offer

realistic and workable solutions to

most metal replacement issues.”

XAReC sPs: syndiotactic Polystyrene from Idemitsu

Developed by Idemitsu, XAREC,

with a melting point of 270oC,

demonstrates an exceptional level of

high heat resistance and is therefore

suitable for many lead free soldering

applications. Also, thanks to its low

density, it can represent a part

weight saving against other high

temperature plastics such as PPS.

Parts made in XAREC offer

excellent resistance to a wide

range of chemicals and oils

including automotive under bonnet

fluids, and show a very high hydrolytic

stability, low water absorption (0.01%)

coupled with excellent electrical

properties. It is easy flowing and shows

high weld stability even at elevated

temperatures in water and glycol.

This blend of properties makes

XAREC an ideal choice for today’s

modern high temperature and

pressure engine environments

including, amongst others, control

units, housings, fuse links, lamp

sockets, connectors (including PCB’s),

antennas and high voltage parts.

Metal replacement


26


Radilon: specialist nylon grades from Radici

Based in Italy, Radici Group are one

of the world’s largest producers of

nylon, and they are the only fully

backwards integrated producer

of both PA 6 and PA 6,6. This

integration allows them the scope

and diversity to be the world’s

most dynamic and inventive

producer of nylon resins. Several

new developments are targeted

at high end engineering plastic

applications for metal replacement

and automotive environments.

Radilon A RV500RW and Radilon s URV: High glass fibre and high flow nylon

Radici Group’s highly filled range

of nylons offer higher stiffness,

deformation at break, weld line

strength and impact resistance

when compared with standard

grades of PA 6,6 50% GF. These

enhanced product families also

have comparable tensile strength

at break compared with light metal

alloys and demonstrate much better

fatigue behaviour. These product

benefits come at a lower density

than light metal alloys, allowing for

performance increases at a reduced

part weight, so aiding fuel efficiencies.

The ease of processing these resins

means that higher productivities can

be achieved, along with improving

properties of weld line resistance.

This unique balance of properties

makes it the ideal choice for metal

replacement where impact strength

and vibration resistance are key

factors. Such areas include engine

mountings, oil pans and seat frames.

Radilon HHR PA 6,6 for high temperature applications

Radilon HHR has been developed

for blow moulding and injection

moulding applications to produce,

at a continuous operation of 210oC

in air, the best performing material

in its class. Due to the original heat

protection technology employed

by Radici group in their HHR resins,

a high retention of tensile strength

and impact properties after heat

ageing at 210oC means these

grades are aimed at areas of

metal replacement and property

improvement. They can also

often replace special polymers

such as PPA, PPS and PA 4,6.

Typical applications include charge air

coolers, resonators and turbo air ducts.

Radilon D: eco sustainable PA6.10

Underlining their commitment to

environmental concerns, Radici

Group are proud to have developed

Radilon D, a new family of PA610

engineering plastics for injection and

extrusion moulding, produced in

part using polymer from renewable

sources. Compared to petroleum-

based products, these materials

can not only reduce dependency

on fossil resources but also lower

greenhouse gas emissions and energy

consumption in production processes.

Radilon® D materials show reduced

moisture uptake and a smaller

loss of tensile strength and tensile

modulus under wet conditions.

Furthermore, PA610 products have

better chemical resistance in contact

with zinc chloride and calcium

chloride solutions and better glycol

resistance. Compared to PA11 and

PA12, the new Radilon® D products

have improved thermal resistance and

reduced hydrocarbon permeability

Typical applications include injection

moulded components, vapour, fuel

and brake lines, pneumatic pipes,

connectors, high stiffness parts,

pipe fittings and monofilaments.


27

Metal replacement

Pre-elec and PReseAl: Conductive polymer solutions from Premix oY

Vaporised fuel and air mix together

to form an explosive atmosphere and

then in order to make environments

safe, all ignition sources must be

removed, including static electricity.

The best way to control electrostatic

build-up in fuel systems is to use

conductive plastic materials in

direct contact with the fuels.

Premix are the industry leaders on

providing solutions to the automotive

industry in fuel lines. They offer a

unique range of products for both

extrusion blow moulding and injection

moulding applications, providing

significant cost savings in the overall

fuel system. And as the materials have

a constant electrical conductivity

over time, safety is assured.

Typical properties include excellent

processability and weldability

providing lower production costs.

Also since the products are high gloss

with very smooth surfaces, less fuel

turbulence is encountered through

the systems. The products are suitable

for mono-layer and multi-layer systems

and are also bio-fuel compatible.

Iupital lF series: low formaldehyde emission acetal for excellent antifogging properties

Mitsubishi Engineering Plastics have

further enhanced their acetal (POM)

range with the development of a

low formaldehyde emission grade

to combat anti-fogging issues and

chemical irritation that can be

encountered with standard grades.

This is achieved with no reduction

in properties from standard acetal.

In routine automotive emission

tests, standard acetal emitted

approximately 14 times the amount

of formaldehyde compared

to the Iupital LF series.

This makes it ideal for products used

in vehicle interiors and confined

spaces, or general acetal mouldings

where residual smell from, for example,

storage in sealed bags, is an issue.

Typical products include clips, seat

belt guides and trim parts.

PPs: Polyphenylene sulphide for high temperature and stiffness appications

PPS is a unique material which

offers excellent resistance to high

temperatures, coupled with flame

retardancy and excellent electrical

properties. This blend of properties

makes PPS suitable as both a metal

replacement and a thermoset material

replacement.

PPS is available in Linear and Branched

or Cross Linked and Elastomer Modified,

with each material offering a distinct

set of advantages. Grades are also

available unfilled and in variety of filler

loadings, and Plastribution are able to

offer all.

PPS is used extensively in the

automotive sector and is currently

found in alternator parts, power

modules, sensors, electric coils,

capacitors, connectors, housings, hot

water systems, pump parts and many

other applications.

Vestakeep: High performance PeeK from evonik

Polyether ether ketone, or PEEK,

is being produced by Evonik for

applications where, historically,

the use of plastics struggled due to

extremes in environment. VESTAKEEP

grades demonstrate particularly

high rigidity and strength, and with

Vicat softening temperatures of over

300oC, this is coupled with exceptional

resistance to high temperatures.

Also of note is VESTAKEEP’s very low

water absorption, giving the benefit

of a very high dimensional stability.

Other properties include excellent

chemical resistance, electrical

properties and hydrolytic stability.

This balance in properties makes

VESTAKEEP and ideal metal

replacement material.

VETAKEEP offers, with both unfilled

and filled grades for processing by


28


injection and extrusion, one of the

most diverse ranges on the market,

enabling its use in a number of

high performance environments.

Typical applications for VESTAKEEP

include gears, high rigidity machinery

parts, housings, bearings and

self-lubricating parts. These can

generally be found in the medical,

film, sheet, cable, automotive

and aerospace industries.

thermofil HP: High performance glass filled Polypropylene

Thanks to Sumika’s unique processing

technology, Thermofil HP grades

are able to offer performances not

previously achievable in glass filled

polypropylene (GF PP). This, along

with their improved glass coupling

methods, results in significantly higher

tensile strength, tensile modulus,

elongation at break, creep resistance,

impact resistance and heat distortion

temperature when compared

with equivalent standard GF PP.

The properties are such improved that

the products are finding their way

to replace glass filled nylon (GF PA)

applications, where their use offers

higher tensile strength and tensile

modulus. When also considering

the much lower density of Thermofil

compared to GF PA, significant

cost savings can be achieved.

This unique blend of excellent stiffness,

creep resistance and impact resistance

has enabled Thermofil to replace both

metals and higher end engineering

plastics in a variety of applications,

including engine cooling fans, shrouds,

manifolds, internal automotive door

parts, pedals and housings.

evonik: Plexiglas replaces metal for enhanced surface finish

Evonik Industries are the global leader

in Acrylic (PMMA) materials, offering a

diverse range of speciality PMMA

materials for use in the Automotive

and Electronics industries.

Plexiglas Hi-Gloss NTA-1 offers an

excellent surface finish and a very

high level of black gloss (class A)

surface finish. It also benefits from its

ability to resist scratching, and, where

damage occurs, its ability to be

polished back to its original condition.

This coupled with good impact

resistance, good heat deflection

temperature and its excellent

mouldability has lead to it being

successfully used in a variety of

internal and external automotive

components. These include external

trim parts for Lotus and Jaguar Land

Rover.

Chi Mei ABs: enhanced finish electroplating Grade

Taiwanese plastics producer Chi

Mei has introduced a new grade of

ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)

resin that is tailored to achieving high

quality results with electroplating.

The new material - Polylac® PA-726M

- is intended for use in automotive

parts and components, particularly

front grilles, and is already approved

for use by some automotive OEMs.

Meeting the high demands of the automotive sector

Mitsubishi Engineering Plastics’

comprehensive portfolio of

XANTAR polycarbonate and

blends offer new opportunities

for the automotive industry. The

materials are predominantly used

in automotive interior applications

such as instrument panels. Specially-

developed grades offer solutions for

demanding applications such as air

conditioning and venting nozzles,

steering column claddings, dashboard

components and interior lighting.


29

44 45

Issue 02 – February 2012 Issue 02 – February 2012

The Plastribution team is always available to provide advice on all aspects of grade selection including design, processing and properties. So please do not hesitate in contacting us to discuss your specific requirements.

Please remember that, despite our best efforts to do so, it is almost impossible to cover every request for information on the website or through the new portfolios, particularly as new developments are happening all the time.

If you should be unable to find what you require, just get in touch on the phone, email or through the website and, if we really can’t help, we will do our utmost to point you in the right direction.

Plastribution Limited PO Box 7743, CEVA House, 5 Ashby Park, Ashby-de-la-Zouch Leicestershire LE65 1XY

Tel: +44 (0) 1530 560560 Fax: +44 (0) 1530 560303

Email: [email protected] www.plastribution.co.uk

Product listSupplier Material Brand Name

Engineering polymersBioplastic Apinat

TPE Megol

TPO Apigo

TPV Tivilon

TPE Raplan

TPU Apilon 52

Polycarbonate Wonderlite

PMMA Plexiglas

Cyro XT Clear Polymer

Cyro Cyrolite

PEEK Vestakeep

SPS Xarec

Polycarbonate Tarflon

PC/ABS Xantar C

PC/PET Xantar E

POM (Acetal Copolymer) Iupital

Polycarbonate Iupilon

PBT Ramster

PA6.6 Plustek

PA6 Prime Plustek

PA12 Plustek

TPE – Highly Conductive Preseal TPE

Thermally Conductive Compounds

Pretherm

Static Dissipative Compounds Pre-Elec ESD

Conductive Pre-Elec

TPEE/TPE/TPV Heraflex

PETG Raditer E

PBT Raditer

PBT Radiflam B

PA6.6 Prime (Italy) Radilon A

PA6.6 Prime (Germany) Radilon A

PA6.6 Industrial (Italy) Heramid A

PA6.6 FR (Italy) Radiflam A

PA6.6 (Industrial) Germany Heramid I/A

PA6.10 Radilon D

PA6 Prime FR (Italy) Radiflam S

PA6 Prime (Italy) Radilon S

PA6 Prime (Germany) Radilon B

PA6 Industrial (Italy) Heramid S

PA6 Industrial (Germany) Heramid I/B

PA6 Radilon S

PA6 Heramid B

PPS Susteel

Supplier Material Brand Name

PolyolefinsPPRCP Capilene

PPHP Capilene

PPCP Capilene

LDPE Ipethene

PPHP Ducor

PPCP Ducor

PPHP ExxonMobil PP

PPCP ExxonMobil PP

PP Plastomer Vistamaxx

mPE Exceed

mPE Enable

LLDPE ExxonMobil LLD

LLD Plastomer Exact

LDPE ExxonMobil LD

HDPE ExxonMobil HD

EVA Escorene

EAA Escor

PP Compounds Exxtral

PP Compounds Thermofil

PPCP Sumitomo

LLDPE Sumitomo

HDPE Sumitomo

PPRCP Total PP

PPHP Total PP

PPCP Total PP

mPPRCP Lumicene

MDPE Total MD

LLDPE Total LLD

LDPE Total LD

HDPE Total HD

EVA Total EVA

PP Compounds RamOfin


Specialities

PP Recycled Aurapene

Purging Agent Barrel Blitz Universal

Biohybrid Cardia Biohybrid

Biodegradeable

Masterbatch – UV Stabilisers Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Universal Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – PVC Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – POM Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Polycarbonate Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – PBT Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Nylon Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Blowing Agents Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Anti-static Colourtone Masterbatch

Biodegradeable Enzo

Functional Polymers Exxelor

Calcium Carbonate Compounds Granic

Masterbatch Slip/Anti-block Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Masterbatch Colour Universal Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Masterbatch Anti-block Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Masterbatch – UV Stabilisers Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Slip Agent Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Process Aids Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Flame Retardant Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Blowing Agents Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Functional Polymers Modic

Functional Polymers BondyRam

StyrenicsSAN Kibisan

PC/ABS Wonderloy

BDS Kibiton

ASA Kibilac

ABS Polyac

SMMA Acrystex

SMMA Styrilic

HIPS FR Total HIPS FR

HIPS Alloys Total HIPS Alloys

HIPS Total HIPS

GPPS Total GPPS

DELTECHCORPORATION


30

44 45

Issue 02 – February 2012 Issue 02 – February 2012

The Plastribution team is always available to provide advice on all aspects of grade selection including design, processing and properties. So please do not hesitate in contacting us to discuss your specific requirements.

Please remember that, despite our best efforts to do so, it is almost impossible to cover every request for information on the website or through the new portfolios, particularly as new developments are happening all the time.

If you should be unable to find what you require, just get in touch on the phone, email or through the website and, if we really can’t help, we will do our utmost to point you in the right direction.

Plastribution Limited PO Box 7743, CEVA House, 5 Ashby Park, Ashby-de-la-Zouch Leicestershire LE65 1XY

Tel: +44 (0) 1530 560560 Fax: +44 (0) 1530 560303

Email: [email protected] www.plastribution.co.uk

Product listSupplier Material Brand Name

Engineering polymersBioplastic Apinat

TPE Megol

TPO Apigo

TPV Tivilon

TPE Raplan

TPU Apilon 52

Polycarbonate Wonderlite

PMMA Plexiglas

Cyro XT Clear Polymer

Cyro Cyrolite

PEEK Vestakeep

SPS Xarec

Polycarbonate Tarflon

PC/ABS Xantar C

PC/PET Xantar E

POM (Acetal Copolymer) Iupital

Polycarbonate Iupilon

PBT Ramster

PA6.6 Plustek

PA6 Prime Plustek

PA12 Plustek

TPE – Highly Conductive Preseal TPE

Thermally Conductive Compounds

Pretherm

Static Dissipative Compounds Pre-Elec ESD

Conductive Pre-Elec

TPEE/TPE/TPV Heraflex

PETG Raditer E

PBT Raditer

PBT Radiflam B

PA6.6 Prime (Italy) Radilon A

PA6.6 Prime (Germany) Radilon A

PA6.6 Industrial (Italy) Heramid A

PA6.6 FR (Italy) Radiflam A

PA6.6 (Industrial) Germany Heramid I/A

PA6.10 Radilon D

PA6 Prime FR (Italy) Radiflam S

PA6 Prime (Italy) Radilon S

PA6 Prime (Germany) Radilon B

PA6 Industrial (Italy) Heramid S

PA6 Industrial (Germany) Heramid I/B

PA6 Radilon S

PA6 Heramid B

PPS Susteel


PolyolefinsPPRCP Capilene

PPHP Capilene

PPCP Capilene

LDPE Ipethene

PPHP Ducor

PPCP Ducor

PPHP ExxonMobil PP

PPCP ExxonMobil PP

PP Plastomer Vistamaxx

mPE Exceed

mPE Enable

LLDPE ExxonMobil LLD

LLD Plastomer Exact

LDPE ExxonMobil LD

HDPE ExxonMobil HD

EVA Escorene

EAA Escor

PP Compounds Exxtral

PP Compounds Thermofil

PPCP Sumitomo

LLDPE Sumitomo

HDPE Sumitomo

PPRCP Total PP

PPHP Total PP

PPCP Total PP

mPPRCP Lumicene

MDPE Total MD

LLDPE Total LLD

LDPE Total LD

HDPE Total HD

EVA Total EVA

PP Compounds RamOfin


Specialities

PP Recycled Aurapene

Purging Agent Barrel Blitz Universal

Biohybrid Cardia Biohybrid

Biodegradeable

Masterbatch – UV Stabilisers Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Universal Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – PVC Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – POM Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Polycarbonate Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – PBT Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Nylon Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Blowing Agents Colourtone Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Anti-static Colourtone Masterbatch

Biodegradeable Enzo

Functional Polymers Exxelor

Calcium Carbonate Compounds Granic

Masterbatch Slip/Anti-block Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Masterbatch Colour Universal Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Masterbatch Anti-block Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Masterbatch – UV Stabilisers Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Slip Agent Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Process Aids Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Flame Retardant Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Masterbatch – Blowing Agents Kafrit/Constab Masterbatch

Functional Polymers Modic

Functional Polymers BondyRam

StyrenicsSAN Kibisan

PC/ABS Wonderloy

BDS Kibiton

ASA Kibilac

ABS Polyac

SMMA Acrystex

SMMA Styrilic

HIPS FR Total HIPS FR

HIPS Alloys Total HIPS Alloys

HIPS Total HIPS

GPPS Total GPPS

DELTECHCORPORATION

Polylac

0845 34 54 560www.plastribution.co.uk

Plastribution is working hard to evolve

the distribution model to be supportive,

sustainable and secure. Our expertise is

one of the things allowing us to do so.

Expertise is something that all of our

suppliers and customers know they

can rely on. Differentiating us as truly

consultative business partners,

making us the best at sourcing

materials, the best at identifying new

markets and the best at managing and

advising on raw materials and pricing.

By delivering reliability, know-how and

true business partnership to the world’s

best polymer suppliers and our UK

customers; our expertise is helping the

industry get better, smarter and faster.

Our expertise

PLA0018_A4 Advert.indd 1 03/10/2013 09:26

Knowledge is everything

At Plastribution we are always looking for new ways to improve the service we offer to our customers and make their experience of dealing with us a positive one.

One of the areas that we identified

as an area for improvement was

the general polymer knowledge

of our staff. Although the general

level was fairly good, we thought

we could make it better. This would

not only help us to deal with our

customers more effectively but

also help stimulate and motivate

our staff.

Understandably, there is a mix of

backgrounds within Plastribution.

Some staff have been educated

to degree level and beyond in

polymer science and engineering,

whilst others have not had any

formal polymer science training at

all, particularly the newer members

of staff and support staff. To redress

that balance and bring everyone’s

polymer knowledge up to a similar

standard, Dan Jarvis (Technical

Manager) and Martin White

(Product Manager for Styrenic’s

and Specialities) decided to

construct a suitable training

course.

The course was made available to

everyone in the company whether

or not they were directly involved

in the sale of polymers or providing

a supporting role.

To gain an insight into the

overall levels of knowledge, all

prospective students completed

a test comprising of 30 questions.

The results of the test highlighted

areas that needed attention, whilst

also giving a base line from which

to measure future progress.

The course content was designed

to be delivered in short 30 minute

segments, which could be

delivered during a lunch hour

(lunch provided of course!) to

avoid any disruption to normal

office cover. The modules were set

out as clearly and concisely as

possible with eight modules in total

covering such topics as ‘what is

a thermoplastic’, Amorphous and

Crystalline, Compounds and

Masterbatch and structure

property relationships.

To date four modules have been

delivered to 25 members of staff.

Successive modules will be

delivered monthly until the full

course of eight modules is

complete. It is early days yet, but

if the first Plastribution Polymer

Course is a success then further

instalments will follow.

Given the positive comments

to date, we should be able to

produce some very knowledgeable

employees for the future. Watch

this space!

“Personally I thought it was fab!”

“I found it simple to follow, informative

and easy to understand. Which I think was the plan.”

“It was light-hearted, engaging and very

useful – whilst not covering too much at any one time.”

“I look forward to learning

more!”

3

Momentum – October 2013


4

Plastribution raise over £350 for the Little Hearts Matter charity

Plastribution’s social committee ran their second charity food day in aid of the Little Hearts Matter charity.

The event produced a mouth watering display of cakes and savouries, which were purchased (and consumed!) by Plastribution staff and other employees from the office complex.

All manner of delicacies were

on offer, including: Multi-layer

cakes, chocolate cakes, lemon

meringue pie, chocolate chip

cookies, Bakewell Tart, Chilli Con

Carne, Lasagne and Chicken

Tikka Masala - all produced by

the talented Plastribution chefs.

Andrew Diamond explains the

story behind the charity food

day and the Little Hearts Charity

is centered on my son, one of

a pair of twins, who suffers with

a complex heart condition.

On the 29th July 2008, my wife

and I became parents for the first

time. We knew we were having

twins and the excitement of their

impending arrival was, quite

literally, the best moment of our

lives. Two weeks later I rushed one

of the twins, William, to Wigan A&E

knowing something terrible was

wrong with him.

It turned out that William was

suffering from tricuspids atresia,

transposition of the great arteries

and ventricular septal defect.

In layman’s terms, this means that

the plumbing of his heart is back

to front and that oxygenated

blood is not pumped around

his body as it should be.

That evening, William had the first

of three open heart surgeries with

the sole aim of continuing his life.

A year later William had his

second open heart surgery to

boost his growth and appetite.

The latest surgery will see William

continue through to adulthood

and develop as best he can. The

surgeries are palliative meaning

that these are non-curable

corrections and William will need

a heart transplant in later life.

We were introduced to Little Hearts

Matter who helped and guided

us before, during and after surgery.

They provided us with a cardiac

liaison nurse who made sense of all

the surgical team’s jargon and talk.

At each step Little Hearts Matter

were there for us. Without them

we would have been very lost.

The charity, which is based

in Birmingham, West Midlands,

supports parents of children who

have been diagnosed with a

complex heart condition and is

funded entirely by donations.

It requires a minimum of £250,000

each year to continue to provide

an essential support service.

Williams’s recovery has been

nothing short of fantastic. Having

been discharged within two

weeks of his last operation, five

weeks later he is out and about

on his ‘early rider’ and keeping up

with his twin brother Oliver! Andrew Diamond

Little Hearts Matter offers a

telephone support line 24/7,

support literature for families

and schools. They also help with

DLA, dental visits, medications,

lifestyle choices as well as running

workshops and trips out from time

to time. More can be found on

their website www.lhm.org.uk

“We were introduced to Little Hearts Matter who helped and guided us before, during and after surgery. They provided us with a cardiac liaison nurse who made sense of all the surgical teams jargon and talk. At each step Little Hearts Matter were there for us. Without them we would have been very lost.” – Andrew Diamond


5

6

I decided to return to full time work after my 3rd child turned six, and after spending the last 5 and a half years running my own fitness business.

Prior to this I was a technical author for a shop fitting firm, writing operating and maintenance manuals.

Family constraints were the catalyst

for the career change and my

involvement with fitness training.

I studied the theory whilst on

maternity leave and then went on

to pass various courses including

fitness pilates, kickboxing, hula

hooping, burlesque, zumba and

the latest being kettlercise in 2011.

I have even appeared in the Mail

on Sunday twice with write ups

from a drastic change in career!

I still run classes alongside my

full time position at Plastribution

and enjoy the variety that this

brings to my working life.

I was offered two positions of

employment during the same week

and I chose to go with Plastribution

as I felt it would be a great place

to work. Everybody came across

as really friendly when I came for

my interviews and it also helped

that I already knew a couple

of people that worked here.

Plastribution look after their staff

really well and people seem

genuinely happy in their work

and work environment which

reflects in how we engage with

customers. I have settled in

really quickly and have been

made to feel very welcome.

I find the variety of my role at

Plastribution very satisfying. Being

able to build a rapport and a solid

relationship with my customers

is very rewarding and with the

experience of running a business

myself I can understand their

needs and know how important it

is having a reliable, dependable,

friendly supplier at hand.

“I find the variety of my role at Plastribution very satisfying. Being able to build a rapport and a solid relationship with my customers is very rewarding.”– Sarah Minshaw

Sarah MinshawCustomer Service Representative


6

7


“I want to focus on realising our industry’s growth and innovation potential; and securing investment in UK plastics manufacturing....”

BPF President, Plastribution’s Mike Boswell, believes these aims are achievable by working to meet the industry’s needs in: finance; energy; skilled staff; and a stimulus for construction

As his theme for his two year Presidency, he explains all.

Finance – Why is this important?

The Governor at the Bank of

England, Mark Carney, signalled

a change of strategy at the

Monetary Policy Committee

(MPC) meeting on 4 July 2013,

by providing ‘forward guidance’

on policy including interest

rates. Whilst this creates a stable

environment in terms of base

rates, the margin and terms for

borrowing are limiting investment.

As a key enabling industry,

plastics, so far, has mainly been

able to accommodate increased

demand by increased capacity

utilisation. However, there is a

very real risk that if companies

do not have the confidence

and ability to invest, there will be

strong implications for the wider

economy as the availability of key

components becomes restricted.

With exchange rates, sterling is

25% cheaper today on a trade-

weighted average basis than it was

in 2008. There is little doubt that the

devaluation of sterling following

the banking crisis has been a key

factor in enabling the current

resurgence in British manufacturing.

Prior to 2008, the UK plastics sector

was ravaged by the move to Asia

of the manufacture of products

containing a high plastic content,

and thereafter by the manufacture

of components and sub-assembles

emigrating to Eastern Europe. The

economics of decisions to move

manufacture to Eastern Europe

now look questionable as a result of

more realistic exchange rates and

rapid inflation in these countries.

It is vital that the correct economic

conditions persist on a long-term

basis, thereby ensuring both

the increased availability of

competitively priced finance and a

stable situation on exchange rates.

Along with the BPF, I will continue

to push for the best financial

position for UK plastic processors.

Energy – Why is this important?

BPF CCA Agreement As you are already aware, the BPF

has successfully negotiated a new

agreement for the plastics sector

with targets that are realistic and

achievable. We should remember

that the CCA not only provides a

tax discount for members of the BPF

Energy CCA, but is also a tangible

demonstration of our sector’s

commitment to reducing energy

consumption and to supporting

wider sustainability themes.

Reliable, secure and affordable energy supply

The BPF has long been pressing

government on the issue of

energy supply and, in particular,

raising concern with regard to

electricity generating capacity.

Despite previous denials by

Government, on 28th June, a

statement by Michael Fallon MP

(Minister of State for Energy),

A sustainable plastics industry A strategic asset in our manufacturing economy


10

confirmed that the government

was fully behind a National Grid

consultation that could see big

businesses being paid to cut

energy consumption on weekdays,

between the hours of 4-8pm.

This followed a warning by Ofgem

that the risk of power cuts has

increased in the UK and that spare

electricity production capacity

could fall to 2% by 2015. This is a

matter of grave concern to the

UK plastics industry, particularly as

many processes cannot easily be

interrupted for 4-hour periods.

The BPF welcomes the possibility

of the UK developing shale gas as

both an energy resource and also

a feedstock for polymer production.

However, it is unlikely that

commercial production of shale

gas will occur before the end of this

decade and should not be used

as an excuse for not addressing

the critical issues of today.

Energy from Waste

In performance terms, the UK

virtually sits at the bottom of the

European league table in terms

of how much energy it generates

from waste.

This situation needs to change,

not only because the UK is running

out of landfill capacity, but for the

simple reason that we are

squandering a valuable resource.

Our first priority is to recycle used

plastics products but as we are all

aware, some elements of plastics

waste cannot be beneficially

recycled on account of difficulty

(for example small or thin films),

or availability of secondary market

(mixed plastics). On this basis,

Energy from Waste (EfW) clearly

represents the most efficient use

of resources. Resource efficiency is

a winning argument and one that

the BPF will continue to promote.

EfW also has the capability to be

brought on-stream quickly, thus

helping to reduce pressure on

existing generating capacity.

By using unrecyclables it saves fossil

fuel consumption. Going forward,

the government needs to tackle

the issue of ‘nimbyism’ to enable

EfW to increase momentum.

Skilled Staff – Why is this important?

The availability of skilled staff for the

plastics industry is a matter of grave

concern. Almost without exception,

all parts of our industry are focussed

on securing the resources necessary

to meet the needs of their business

today and for the future. As far

as I am aware, Edinburgh Napier

is the only UK University to still

run an undergraduate course in

polymer technology, albeit mainly

studied by overseas students.

Many of us look to our own

induction to the plastics industry,

which typically involved

apprenticeships and part-time

study - the so-called ‘earn-while-

you-learn approach’. However,

we should not necessarily take

a romantic view of what worked

in the past should work in the future.

But we do need to find a solution

for the future before a concern

becomes a crisis and the skilled

and experienced element of our

industry workforce retires and

cannot be replaced.

Whilst plastics is a diverse subject,

I do believe that through the BPF

we have the capability, the power

and the influence to persuade the

educational system to deliver what

this key industry requires. I especially

welcome the initiative put forward

by Phillip Watkins, my predecessor,

in becoming an active member of

the Cogent Board of Directors and

would encourage every member

company to support him in this bold

move.

We need more people to consider

a career in plastics and also

encourage more women to come

into the sector. As an 18 year-old,

I was introduced to the plastics

industry through a holiday job and

have gone on to enjoy a career

that has lasted 3 decades so far;

I can personally testify that it is

a great industry to be part of.

Alongside Energy and Finance,

HR is a vital pillar for our sector’s

success. It is vital that we tackle

this issue now, so that our sector

can continue to realise the

outstanding opportunities ahead.

Construction – Why is this important?

I have chosen to single-out the

construction sector as a theme for

my presidency. There is no doubt

that this area of membership

feeding into a largely self-

contained market with limited


10

export potential has suffered

the effects of the recession most

severely. Although there are now

promising signs of a recent upturn

of activity. The consumption of PVC

resin, used directly in construction

for windows, pipes and soffits and

indirectly for cables, fell. However

the overall image of PVC is

benefiting from the excellent

VinylPlus initiative.

The level of house building is a

matter for real concern given the

increasing population and need for

more housing for single and elderly

people. Traditionally, it has been a

driver for the economy as a whole,

pulling through not just building

products but also domestic

appliances and furnishings. More

affordable housing needs to be

built, whilst the government should

ensure that buyers are able to

move onto the property ladder.

We plan to push the government to:

Stimulate property buying

and building.

Introduce a 5% VAT rate

on Green Deal Products.

Invest in new infrastructure -

The National Infrastructure

Plan announced as part of

the recent budget offers some

cause for celebration, but more

needs to done.

Summary

Our goal: To contribute towards building a sustainable plastics industry by being a strategic asset in our manufacturing economy.

How:

By realising our growth

and innovation potential

and investing in UK plastics

manufacturing.

By working to meet our needs:

finance, energy, skilled staff,

construction stimulus.

By continuing to promote the

factual benefits of our industry

to all the key stakeholders and

influences.

I look forward to supporting you and the UK plastics sector through my presidency.

“We plan to push the government to invest in new infrastructure - The National Infrastructure Plan announced as part of the recent budget offers some cause for celebration, but more needs to done.” – Mike Boswell

11


12

“My role will be to work with customers to ensure the best product is selected for their application in order to exploit these benefits fully.”– Richard Cudd


12

I joined Plastribution in March this year as Technical Executive in the Direct Sales team.

This is a new role created to

provide technical support to

customers and direct sales staff,

particularly in the area of blown

and cast film extrusion. Many of

the polymer grades we supply offer

specific technical benefits and my

role will be to work with customers

to ensure the best product is

selected for their application in

order to exploit these benefits fully.

I have spent the last 15 years

working in the polyethylene film

industry, the first 11 for global

petrochemical producers BP &

Ineos, providing technical service

to key film customers across Europe

and working on the development

of a range of high performance,

metallocene-based polymers.

More recently I held technical

management positions at two

of the largest UK blown film

extrusion companies, gaining

valuable experience in utilising

a range of polymers to develop

new film products.

If you are looking to promote new

products for your current customer

base or are looking to develop the

latest materials to enable you to

enter new markets, then please

get in touch with us and we will

do our best to assist wherever

possible. I can also advise on

general process optimisation and

offer advice on cost/performance

ratios to enable you to get the

very best from your raw materials

and in turn produce the very

best products that you can in the

most economical manner.

Richard CuddTechnical Executive


Plastribution’s product director, Katherine White, was promoted to commercial director in March this year.

The appointment includes

the additional focus of the

thermoplastics side of the

business, together with providing

a supportive role to the company’s

senior management team.

With her ‘product management’

hat on, Katherine continues her

polyolefin materials responsibilities,

as well as supervising the

company’s Knowledge Transfer

Partnership (KTP) supply chain

management project. The project

was officially completed in August

2012, although there is a strong

legacy factor.

Katherine was promoted to

product director in 2011, a board

level position that made her one

of a small number of senior women

directors within the plastics industry.

Commenting on her appointment

Katherine said: “I am delighted

to be taking up the role of

commercial director for the

company. We have an exciting

future ahead of us and I am very

much looking forward to being a

part of it.”

In June 2013, the Leicestershire

Mercury spotlighted Plastribution’s

significant jump from 74th position

in 2012 to 46th position in 2013 in

their ‘Leicestershire’s Top 200

Businesses’ feature.

Here come the girls...


“I am delighted to be taking up the role of commercial director for the company. We have an exciting future ahead of us and I am very much looking forward to being part of it.”– Katherine White

15


25 Years at Plastribution (and counting)!

In the previous year I was studying

full-time towards my Polymer

Technology qualifications and had

completed my HNC and the first

year of my Grad. PRI (Graduate

of the Plastics & Rubber Institute).

Prior to that I had worked in

various technical, quality and

manufacturing roles in the injection

moulding and extrusion sectors.

When I started my first role at

Plastribution as a Technical Sales

Representative I remember that

the very commercial role came

as quite a shock, and it was not

until I attended a TACK sales

course early the following year

that I started to settle into the

role. I also have fond memories of

my first company car - a nordic

blue Vauxhall Cavalier 1.6LX!

In terms of the market it was

an interesting challenge as the

concept of distribution in the

polymer sector was relatively

new, and the activities of

Plastribution and other players

around at that time were very

much in their infancy. It was

often difficult to convince

customers why they would want

to buy from what was sometimes

described as a ‘middleman’.

The economic situation was also

pretty tough. Following the big

1980 recession UK manufacturing

was undergoing massive reform,

and the penetration of lower

cost goods from Asia was rapidly

gaining momentum. Also with

the government’s attempts

to stay within the ERM, interest

rates increased rapidly and

borrowing costs soared to 15%!

Business for Plastribution was

tough and changes in ownership

and management were also a

challenge. However acquisition

of Plastribution by Itochu (then

know as C.Ito & Co) at the end

of 1991 was a clear turning point,

and we are grateful to retain the

same shareholders 22 years later!

I have a very clear recollection of joining Plastribution on 19th September 1988 at the age of 24.


In the 1990’s I moved from external

sales into product management

and in 1988 was appointed to

the board in the capacity of

business development director.

In 2000 I was fortunate to become

managing director, and at the end

of 2001 instigated the full merger

with Anglo Polymers, which had

been acquired in 1994 and, until

then, run as a separate entity.

With this combined resource we

pursued a strategy to become one

of the UK’s leading distributors and

we were incredibly proud to learn

from the 2009 AMI European

Polymer Distribution study, that

Plastribution had grown to become

the largest distributor in the UK.

This is far from being the end of the

story and we maintain very strong

business growth as we continue to

serve the needs of polymer

producers and our UK customers.

As for 25 years at Plastribution,

I am often asked if it has felt like

a long time, and honestly speaking

I can say that the time has passed

incredibly quickly, and whilst by

European standards this would

be viewed as a very long time

to stay in the employment of

one company, my Japanese

colleagues from our parent

company who routinely spend

their whole working life in the

company, hardly bat an eyelid.

It is also worth mentioning that

Veronica Mee ‘Vee’ now has

over 26 years service and we

have a significant number of

employees who have already

celebrated 20, 15 and 10 years

with the business. We think that

continuity has a great deal to do

with the success of our business.

With regard to the future there

is still more we want to achieve

in terms of Plastics and Distribution,

and I am very much planning to

be part of the continuing evolution

of this exciting and dynamic

business. In particular as the

location of polymer production

continues to move away from

Western Europe we see increasing

opportunities as a distributor to

support UK plastic processors.

“As for 25 years at Plastribution, I am often asked if it has felt like a long time, and honestly speaking I can say that the time has passed incredibly quickly.” – Mike Boswell



18

New IT platform Ensuring the highest levels of service - Investment in IT infrastructure and disaster recovery protection.

Over the last 20 years our IT

infrastructure has evolved to

become an essential part of our

business operations. Not only

is modern computing essential

for ever increasing volumes

of electronic communication

including email, but within

Plastribution it enables us to process,

analyse and account for a massive

volume of complex transactions.

Along with this reliance on PCs,

servers, routers, switches and other

items of technical wizardry comes

the responsibility to plan for the

unexpected – a systems failure.

And whilst disaster recovery plans

must be considered in the wider

context of other essential elements

of our business such as buildings

and inventory, the fact is that we

are, to a large extent, computer

dependent. Much of the data

contained within our IT system is

unique to us and our operation.

This makes us quite vulnerable;

it is a fragility that has long

been recognised and risks

have been mitigated by using

‘back-up’ solutions of varying

degrees of sophistication.

However today it is not just a

case of having back-up data,

the question for more and more

companies operating at our level,

is in the case of a serious IT system

failure - how long would it take to

rebuild the system and become

operational again? Following a

recent review with our IT support

providers, we determined that

a serious systems failure would

take days rather than hours to

recover; servers would need to

be acquired, operating systems

built and data reloaded. From

this evaluation it became obvious

that a more robust solution was

required to ensure that in the event

of a system failure the business can

continue to function normally.

Through recent developments

in server virtualisation and high

capacity data storage we have,

in conjunction with our IT support

provider, developed a platform

that takes advantage of our two

office locations to create a robust

failover solution. This effectively

means that should a disaster

occur, we would have instant

access to a duplicate system

and, if necessary, work from a

temporary office accommodation.

Whilst this project involves a

significant capital cost the

calculated operating costs of

the solution will result in an overall

cost saving to the business. In

summary a better solution at

a lower cost, providing peace

of mind to our customers and

suppliers that in the unlikely event

of a disaster it will be business as

usual here at Plastribution.

Not being one to shy away from a challenge, Plastribution’s Managing Director, Mike Boswell, embarked on a Top Gear styled driving adventure back in April - all in the name of charity.

Mike was participating in the

Fairview Farm Charity Drive

Challenge, the gist of which

involved driving from Nottingham

to John O’Groats and back in a

car that was over 15 years old

and cost no more than £300.00.

Simple enough, but not entirely that

straightforward as the organisers

had added some ‘challenges’ to

make the task a little more tricky!

Points were awarded for each

challenge with the eventual winner

being the car that accrued the

most points over the whole event.

Prior to the event, Mike’s first job

was to purchase a car. Now, it’s a

known fact that when faced with a

journey of 1,200 miles and only £300

to buy a car to travel in, most of us

would be placing ‘reliability’ on top

of the list. Mike did exactly that and

ploughed his money into German

engineering and bought a 1997 E36

BMW 323i Auto Touring with 167k

miles on the clock. He found it in a

garage in the Scottish border town

of ’Boswells’ (the name association

wasn’t one of the challenges -

shame though, full marks for trying!).

Under the event rules and

regulations, decorating the car

was ‘encouraged’, so Mike wasted

no time in transforming his white

‘beemer’ into a Plastribution

promotional vehicle, complete

with logo decals covering all

body panels, including the roof.

With the scene set, Mike and

ten other ‘competitors’ in their

£300 budget cars set off on Day

1 from the village of Blidworth,

Nottinghamshire on their journey

to John O’Groats. The various

challenges along the way were

the main focus for the ‘Days 2

and 3’ and included: the shortest

distance covered during the 3

days (Mike won this!); the closest

to a Scottish castle (photographic

evidence required); the egg in a

bucket challenge (full points for the

egg being intact at the end); the

closest to the optimum time set by

route planner and lastly the Photo

Challenge - each car was asked

to put forward a suggestion of an

object that can be photographed

inside the car - these were then

entered into a draw with two

being chosen at random. And in

true Top Gear fashion, a separate

secret challenge contained in

a sealed envelope was given

to every car at the start.

On completion of the event

and with all competitors safely

returned back to the starting

point at Blidworth, Mike’s trusty

beemer apparently never missed

a beat throughout the journey.

And due to some highly proactive

sponsorship efforts, Mike managed

to raise a very impressive £3373.27

in support of the Lincolnshire &

Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance -

the event raised over £5000 in total!

Having thoroughly enjoyed the

challenge, Mike commented:

“The event was great fun and the

scenery was epic. I am very grateful

to all those who sponsored me

on the event - their generosity is

much appreciated. We are already

thinking about a 2014 event, which

possibly will have the theme of

plastic cars!” – Mike Boswell

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is....

19



20

Our vision and values

As Plastribution has grown and developed from its humble beginnings over 30 years ago, our staff have been working towards a common goal and demonstrating values and methods of behaviour along the way.

This has, by and large, been

an organic process and many

of our staff have been working

to unwritten rules and codes

of behaviour. These have been

instrumental to our success in

becoming the UK’s largest polymer

distributor and in turn made the

company what it is today.

The management team decided

that it was time for this important

aspect of our business to be

formalised and visible to all of our

stake holders whether they are

shareholders, suppliers, industry

partners or staff.

Two teams were tasked with the

project of articulating our company

values and clearly defining our

company strategy. A period of

consultation was set up with various

parties within the company to try

and “bottle” the Plastribution feel

and way of working. The difficult

process of trying to verbalise and

condense the large amounts of

data collected then commenced.

With a lot of hard work, heated

debate and soul searching, a vision

and set of values eventually

emerged kicking and screaming

into the daylight.

So what did we come up with?

Vision – what we seek to become

Our vision is “to be the UK’s

preferred supplier of plastic raw

materials”. In short we want to be

the distributor that customers want

to use time and time again.

We aim to deliver exceptional

customer service through our

unique combination of industry

expertise, innovative approach to

problem solving and processes that

are in place to ensure these are

delivered on time and in full. This for

Plastribution will always be a work

in progress as we believe that no

matter how good our service is we

will always strive to make it better.

Values – who we are

Our values are our Reputation,

Value, Competition and Nurture.

We strive to protect the name

and reputation of Plastribution at

all times through our behaviours,

demonstrating professionalism,

openness and integrity.

By being easy to do business with,

we bring value to our customers,

suppliers and stakeholders, making

every contact with us a positive

one. These are all key factors in

ensuring we are better than our

competition and an integral part of

our stakeholders’ success. To deliver

this it is vital that we have a strong

team, so we work to maintain an

environment that respects and

nurtures the individual, with a focus

on well-being, engagement and

the opportunity to develop through

company growth.

We understand that our success will

depend on implementing our plans,

recognising existing strengths and

reinforcing them, as well as

identifying areas where we need to

develop and meet challenges. All

employees are aware of how their

individual contribution fits within

their department and the wider

company goals and as a team we

are committed and determined to

deliver success.

Achieving this aim is no easy task

but we now have a clear strategy

and vision that we want to share.

There is nothing secret to what

we’re doing, but just in case, this

article will self-destruct in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

……


21


22

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

0882 drg v1 low res.pdf 1 01/10/2013 14:56 Since Plastribution moved to its current Ashby-de-la-Zouch headquarters over 9 years ago, the business has expanded rapidly; our current premises on Ashby Park is now completely full.

To accommodate our ambitious

plans for future growth, new offices

have been secured on the opposite

side of the road, on the first floor

of Clinitron House, Excelsior Road.

With double the floor area to that of

our existing offices, there will be

sufficient space to make further

business expansion possible.

Following refurbishment work to the

new offices, Plastribution will move

in Q1 2104. A date for the move is

yet to be confirmed, but rest assured,

business will be unaffected during

this transition.

We very much look forward to

providing you with an excellent

service from our new home in 2014.

Contact details will remain

unchanged apart from any

customers not currently using

the P.O. Box 7743 LE65 1XY postal

address.

We will advise of an exact move

date nearer the time.

Plastribution is on the move!

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

0882 drg v1 low res.pdf 1 01/10/2013 14:56

A511

A511

A511

A42

A42

Co

alfi

eld

Wa

y

Smithy Ro

ad

Co

alfi

eld

Wa

y

Excelsior Road

Nottingham Road Way

Nottingham Road Way

Premier Inn

McDonalds

McDonalds Lountside

Current building

N

W E

S

know how 04

Documents

plastics industry7

sustainable plastics

electronic edition

british plastics f

availability of information

information overload

relevant information

carmel new grades