International Plastics News for Asia

The recent shortage of PA11 and PA12 has prompted manufacturers of high-end performance materials to come up with several alternatives. In this issue’s Material Focus, we had the chance to look at how Evonik has developed its new group of bio-based polyamides to meet the growing demand for such materials by various industries.
Another industry that has taken a full turn towards the use of biodegradable materials is packaging. A recent partnership aims to bring companies and communities closer to zero-waste through the use of biopolymer technology that will make compostable snack packaging.
Advances in the design and technology to produce gearboxes have provided ample opportunities to cut energy consumption. Understanding the role played by a gearbox in the extruder as an important component has yielded new models that have contributed to cost-efficient and stable production.
This issue also carries some of the interesting products that will be launched this month at one of Europe’s important shows for the plastics and rubber industry. These machines are the outcome of painstaking R&D by leading companies as they strive to meet the present and future needs of plastics manufacturers.