BENEO Acquires Meatless B.V. to Further Expand its Portfolio of Plant-based Solutions

BENEO, one of the leading manufacturers of functional ingredients, has today announced the acquisition of Dutch company, Meatless B.V., ensuring it becomes a major player in the field of plant-based texturising solutions for meat and fish alternatives.

The move comes amid a huge rise in demand for plant-based products, with figures showing that the market for fish and meat alternatives is expected to grow by more than 10% CAGR over the next five years. The acquisition of Meatless B.V. allows BENEO to broaden its portfolio and offer customers a versatile selection of plant-based solutions that serve as texturisers for meat and fish alternatives. BENEO sees great prospects for the new range of solutions in Europe as a focus market in the first instance, with plans to further expand globally.

Commenting on the announcement, Andreas Herber, Member of the Executive Board at BENEO states: “Following the recently announced investment into our new faba bean processing plant, the acquisition of Meatless B.V. is the next logical step to reaffirm BENEO’s commitment to strengthening its business with solutions for plant-based alternatives.”

Meatless B.V, founded in 2005 and located in Goes, The Netherlands, is a supplier of textured plant-based ingredients with a unique portfolio of solutions derived from different raw materials (i.e., rice, faba beans, wheat, pea, lupin and quinoa). This range fully complements BENEO’s ingredients portfolio and allows for exciting new combinations. As a result, BENEO’s customers will benefit from a much broader variety and greater flexibility that supports the development of meat and fish alternatives.

Meatless’ products are sustainable by design, with the production processes achieving a very low carbon footprint, further supporting BENEO’s aim to use state-of-the-art production facilities to reduce total CO2 emissions.

Andreas Herber, continues: “BENEO and Meatless are a natural fit. BENEO’s raw material expertise and ingredient knowledge, in combination with Meatless’ technology and product portfolio, will provide our customers with a versatile plant-based toolbox for meat and fish alternatives. The acquisition will allow for exciting new developments within BENEO’s portfolio, while also supporting the business’ sustainability ambitions.”

The current management of Meatless will stay on board following the acquisition. Jos Hugense, CEO Meatless comments: “We are glad that Meatless can make the next step in its corporate development with BENEO. BENEO as a strong and experienced global player for functional ingredients will enable Meatless to meet the growing demand and further accelerate expansion of the business in new markets.”

SABIC to showcase innovative foam & lightweight solutions at Foam Expo North America

SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, will be exhibiting its broad portfolio of innovative foam & lightweight solutions for the first time at Foam Expo North America, from 28-30 June in Novi, Michigan.

SABIC offers more than 20 innovative foam and lightweight solutions (PP, EVA, PE, PS, PU and elastomers) that can potentially enable our customers and partners across the entire value chain to drive performance, by overcoming the challenges they face to meet consumer demand for smarter, more sustainable solutions.

At its booth # 2702, SABIC will be showcasing a variety of end applications made using its foam & lightweight solutions, for the mobility, packaging and construction market. Amongst others; trunk liners, PP planks and water shields made of SABIC® PP-UMS resin, a new generation of ultra melt strength, foamable polypropylene. SABIC PP-UMS is unique in the market, with a melt strength of more than 65 cN leading to outstanding foamability. It is a building block to develop new foaming solutions that can enable light weighting and potential cost optimization. Other applications to be showcased at the booth will highlight the value of the SABIC resins applied in particle foams, foam injection molding, foam blow molding and foam extrusion.

“SABIC is a leading foam and lightweight solution provider; our knowledge and expertise in foam technologies and markets, and in-depth understanding of the value chain and its needs, has been translated into one of the broadest resin portfolios in the industry,” said Abdullah Al-Otaibi, ETP & Market Solution General Manager at SABIC. Being present the first time at the Foam Expo North America will allow SABIC to interact to deliver and develop a resin portfolio for new and existing applications. We look forward to creating many new partnerships moving forward.”

The successful start-up of Gulf Coast Growth Ventures world-scale manufacturing facility in Texas will additionally confirm SABIC’s commitment to the US market.

SABIC’s business with leading global brand owners is growing from year to year, supported by dedicated, global Foam Innovation Centers equipped with in-house state-of-the-art foaming technologies. Unique in the industry, we invite customers and value chain partners to WORK WITH US and conduct material validation and processing tests together, to develop innovative solutions that address the future needs of the industry.

For more information please contact us at foam@sabic.com.

For an overview of our portfolio of global foam & lightweight solutions see here.

INEOS Olefins Belgium joins Fluxys project for hydrogen network with open access in Antwerp

• Project ONE is potentially one of the largest customers connecting to the hydrogen grid
• INEOS Olefins Belgium joins Fluxys market consultation in Antwerp to build open-access hydrogen network for decarbonisation of industry
• As a potential customer of 100 000 tonnes of hydrogen on a yearly basis, Project ONE could be decisive for the scope of the infrastructure
• Important catalyst for the development of the hydrogen market in Antwerp

Potential for up to 100 000 tonnes of hydrogen a year
Chemical company INEOS Olefins Belgium is the first industrial player to sign an agreement with Fluxys to participate in the feasibility study for the development of an open access hydrogen network in the port of Antwerp. The cooperation follows the market consultation initiated by Fluxys last year to match supply and demand for hydrogen in the Belgian industrial clusters.

The European Commission considers hydrogen essential for becoming carbon-neutral. When hydrogen is used as a fuel, it is carbon-free and essentially only water vapour is emitted. It is also an important raw material for the chemical industry.

Important catalyst
Project ONE, the investment project for the construction of an ethane cracker on the right bank in the port of Antwerp, could play a significant role in the dimensioning of the hydrogen network in Antwerp. Depending on the future transition to net zero emissions and the scenario chosen, the plant has the potential to take around 100 000 tonnes of hydrogen off the grid.

Ralf Gesthuisen, Technology Manager of Project ONE: “We have identified several technological paths for Project ONE that would allow us to further reduce our emissions and achieve the transition to climate neutrality. One of them is to use more hydrogen as a fuel for our cracker’s furnaces and steam boilers. From day 1 of the start-up of our plant, we have been able to meet 60% of the heat demand with the high volumes of hydrogen from the cracking process. If we gain access to more low-carbon hydrogen in the future, we can increase this to 100% and bring the emissions of Project ONE to net zero. Our participation in Fluxys’ feasibility study brings us one step closer to making this a reality.”

Raphaël De Winter, Director Business Development & Innovation at Fluxys:
“With Fluxys we are fully committed to helping develop a well-functioning market for hydrogen quickly. This requires an open access grid to which everyone can connect on an equal footing so that supply and demand can find each other smoothly. We are working on infrastructure proposals in the various industrial clusters in Belgium, providing connections between the clusters and to neighbouring countries, and working on import possibilities. In Antwerp, the interest shown by INEOS Olefins Belgium is an important step in the development of the infrastructure needed by industry. The train is leaving now: with the interest of all the companies combined, we will complete the studies for the grid in Antwerp early 2023 and conclude contracts in the first half of 2023 to be able to build.”

Active player in the hydrogen economy
As a group, INEOS is already involved in numerous projects where hydrogen plays an important role. One example is the collaboration with Fluxys and the other consortium partners of Power to Methanol to build a demo plant for the production of sustainable methanol from hydrogen and captured CO2 by electrolysis. (Power to Methanol Antwerp)

In November 2020, the INEOS group launched a new business to develop and build green hydrogen capacity across Europe to support the drive towards a carbon-free future. This was followed a year later by the announcement to invest EUR 2 billion in the production of carbon-free, green hydrogen across Europe.

Cosmo Speciality Chemical’s new generation cationic softener ‘Silky SF’ to offer unmatched finishing effect

Newly launched finishing textile auxiliary adds surface smoothness to all kinds of fabric without compromising with its quality

Cosmo Speciality Chemicals, a 100% subsidiary of Cosmo Films Ltd. announces the launch of Silky SF – a cationic softener that enables excellent softening effect on all kinds of textile. The newly launched product is cost effective and offers a silky touch to the fabric. The product will be available across Indian/global market.

Silky SF softener is recommended as a finishing product for all kinds of fabric, especially cotton as it imparts surface smoothness to the material. The application of this finishing agent provides a soft, fluffy, soapy, voluminous surface to the physical texture of the fabric. To increase lubricity of the fabric, this finishing agent can be applied with exhaust and pad process application. Silky SF is a cost effective product and ensures minimal effect on shade change of treated materials on post softening thermo-mechanical treatments.

On the introduction of the new softener, Mr. Anil Gaikwad, Business Head, Cosmo Specialty Chemicals said, “Our aim is to innovate and develop products that yield optimum results in terms of efficiency and costs for our consumers. Silky SF is a convenient alternative for softeners used at the finishing stage of textile processing for all kinds of fibers as it successfully lubricates the fabric and gives it a lasting luxurious feel without compromising the quality of the cloth.”

The softener is easy-to-use and its application retains quality while imparting surface smoothness and supple handle to the cloth. Silky SF is miscible in water in all proportions. For textile processing, its usage is suitable for exhaust and pad application technique. The recommended dose for Exhaust is 2.0 – 4.0 % while for continuous use is 20 – 40 g/l.

Backed up by technical know-how and long-term experience in textile processing, formulations of anionic, cationic, non-ionic, and amphoteric surfactants, Cosmo Speciality Chemicals have a unique and strong experience in Speciality textile chemicals. The R & D facility is equipped with sophisticated analytical instrumentations including SEM-EDS, TGA-MS, DMA, FTIR & imaging IR, DSC & optical microscope, etc. which helps the company develop products at a molecular level.

OE-A Competition 2023 – Call for Smart Ideas in Flexible and Printed Electronics

OE-A launches the OE-A Competition 2023. Innovative ideas from young engineers, designers, and scientists are wanted. Participation is possible now. All submissions will be showcased at LOPEC 2023 and beyond.

“Each run of the OE-A Competition shows us anew the great potential of flexible, organic, and printed electronics. From prototypes to close-to-market products, we are very excited to receive your ingenious projects for the OE-A Competition 2023”, says Dr. Klaus Hecker, Managing Director of OE-A (Organic and Printed Electronics Association), an international working group within VDMA.

Invited are all companies and institutes to participate in one or more of the three different categories. The submitted projects are judged by an international jury of representatives from well-known companies and institutes in three categories: “Prototypes & New Products”; “Freestyle Demonstrator”; and “Publicly Funded Project Demonstrator”. “We also encourage young researchers and companies to work on new concepts and seek for collaboration. By hosting this competition, OE-A nurtures the market development of printed electronics”, emphasizes Klaus Hecker.

Present your project at LOPEC
Taking part in the OE-A Competition creates visibility for the participants. All submitted products and demonstrators will be presented to the international community at LOPEC, the leading exhibition and conference for printed electronics. A special moment is when the winners receive their award during an official ceremony at LOPEC. LOPEC will take place from February 28 to March 02, 2023, in Munich.

Win the Public Choice Award
All LOPEC visitors are invited to cast their vote for their favorite project of the competition. Visitors are challenged to make their decision for the “Public Choice Award”. “We had a very active participation this year onsite in Munich, visitors showed a lot of interest in the competition projects displayed at the OE-A booth”, says Klaus Hecker. He adds: “It is a great pleasure to see the year by year growing number of products close to market. It’s evident that printed electronics has a lot to offer for the health and mobility industries.

Visibility at LOPEC and beyond
Next to a presentation at LOPEC, OE-A also presents all demonstrators with additional footage year around at oe-a.org. Additionally, OE-A organizes a web-seminar for all winners to present their products to the community. The “Winner web-seminars” are highly attended with more than 100 participants on average. Furthermore, OE-A flanks and supports the run of the Competition with press and social media work. “If you want to promote your work and seek international attention for your innovative project in printed electronics, hand in the application form until end of October”, emphasizes Klaus Hecker.

Detailed information on the OE-A Competition 2023 and application forms are available at the OE-A website https://oe-a.org/oe-a-launches-oe-a-competition-2023.

Have a look at the OE-A Competition winners of 2022 and be amazed: https://oe-a.org/oe-a-competition-2022-2

The Winners of the OE-A Competition 2022

OE-A Competition Winner 2022 “Prototypes & New Products”:
Sensing Leg Prosthesis © IEE, Luxembourg

OE-A Competition Winner 2022 “Freestyle Demonstrator”
and “Public Choice Award:
Smart Sensor Mat © TNO Holst Centre, The Netherlands

OE-A Competition Winner 2022 “Best Publicly Funded Project”:
ECOtronics, Energy Autonomous Temperature Logger,
VTT and Tampere University, Finland

“We help to avoid waste”

Interview with Dr. Simon Bard, Product Manager Extrusion at Hans Weber Maschinenfabrik GmbH

Dr. Bard, how does digitalisation in extrusion contribute to sustainability?
Companies are increasingly concerned about sustainability, with many measuring their carbon footprint. When we extrude window profiles, today’s customers want to know the exact emissions involved in the process, how much energy has been utilised, and so on. In the past, hardly anyone showed an interest in that aspect. We have developed a digitalisation solution, resulting in us being able to provide these precise answers, such as how much electricity was consumed per metre of window profile on day X. However, this is not limited to telling them the current status quo, but also how to improve something in the production process. For example, how to save energy and avoid emissions. With our digitalisation solution, we can turn the screws to avoid wastage.

How do you achieve that?
We record key figures; that is the prerequisite. Based on these key figures, you could, for example, replace the screw in the extruder and see if you use less energy. During extrusion, you first put a lot of energy into melting the plastic. In the final process, you have to cool the plastic again so it can regain its shape, however, you can synchronise the parameters to reduce the power consumption to a minimum. Previously, the desired temperatures were entered by employees, mostly by instinct. One employee from one shift would set the temperature in the cooling zone to 190 degrees Centigrade, the employee of the next shift then set it to 200 degrees because they felt that was best. With our digitalisation solution, we can determine and set the optimal temperatures.

What does this solution draw on?
Interconnecting the different machines is the first step. We have many different manufacturers in the extrusion line. So far, they have communicated little with each other, plus there was no higher-level control system in place either. Now we have the possibility of collecting data on the entire line, evaluating it, finding the optimum levels, and then controlling it accordingly. We have defined our extruder software as the starting point for the entire control system. To do this, everything must first be linked up, and the data must be issued accordingly.

To make this work you’ll need the various machine manufacturers to cooperate.
Yes, and technically they should all speak the same language. That’s why we are working on further developing the OPC UA standard, as many machines can’t do that yet. That’s why we need a translation box that translates from the proprietary language to OPC UA. But we are working towards ensuring that our suppliers and all machine providers in this production line also master this language. In injection moulding, we had the adaptation to this standard first. In extrusion, less than half of the manufacturers of saw, haul-off, water bath and so on currently speak OPC UA. It will be a while before everyone speaks this language within extrusion.

But the benefits would be considerable?
The benefits would be enormous. Today, the cost of installing our software is much higher than the software itself. This is because without a plug-and-play solution, we have to integrate each machine individually. So, it will take a major effort before all the aggregates communicate with each other.

There is already a circular economy for window profiles. Why is this field already so far advanced?
This is mainly because you always have the same material, namely PVC. Moreover, you know that the additives you have to extract for recycling are always the same, too. For example, titanium dioxide to protect the profile from solar radiation. Of course, all this makes recycling easier. In addition, we already have a well-functioning waste system for the profiles. More than 50 percent of all window profiles already contain recycled material. However, it has to be said that these do not primarily come from old window profiles, but are largely obtained from leftover pieces resulting when window profiles are cut to size by the window manufacturers. However, recycling of old windows has been pushed forward recently because prices for virgin plastic have risen sharply. If prices stay this high, it will become increasingly important to recycle every gram of plastic.

Where does digitalisation at Hans Weber go from here?
After collecting data and then optimising certain parameters, we are now thinking about how we can make the extrusion process run completely automatically. The goal is for the user to just press a button, and for the entire process to then run optimally. In case of an error, the system should be able to recognise the reason and correct it. But it will still take some time before we’re at that stage.

What is happening at PRINT & DIGITAL CONVENTION 2022

PRINT & DIGITAL CONVENTION will present innovative solutions for multichannel and dialogue marketing from 22 to 23 June 2022. The conference and workshop programme of the congress and trade fair will convey practice-oriented knowledge in the form of inspiring specialist presentations.

Lars Schlimbach, Head of Partner Management & -Development Dialogue Marketing at Deutsche Post, Olaf Wolff, 1st Chairman of the Content Marketing Forum (CMF) and Ulrich Gursky, Head of Communication, SSI Schäfer Shop GmbH are among the 50 top speakers travelling to Düsseldorf, Germany for the PRINT & DIGITAL CONVENTION in June. Visitors can expect a highly relevant and practical transfer of knowledge on the key topics of Value Added Printing, Marketing Automation and Programmatic Printing as well as Sustainable Media Production.

The conference programme deals with all the essential topics that are currently affecting the industry. For example, the presentations will address the strategic future viability of print or show solutions on how to transfer digital marketing mechanisms into print strategies. What additional benefits does value-added printing offer for e-commerce and the customer experience? How can print finishing and sustainability be joined in the process? Participants will learn all this and much more in the daily nineteen half-hour presentations divided in three parallel “slots” and the Forum Stadthalle with key panel discussions. The open format invites the professional audience to actively contribute with questions.

VALUE ADDED PRINTING
The first congress session, organised by the Creatura industry initiative, is dedicated to the focal topic of Value Added Printing in its entire spectrum. The speakers will show how visual, haptic, olfactory and interactive finishing options create value-added potential and increase the perception of brands, products and communication. For example, best practices will be used to explain how efficient and relevant print works in the field of e-commerce. In addition, convincing print-based solutions will be presented which have proven to reduce enormous return rates in online commerce.

MARKETING AUTOMATION & PROGRAMMATIC PRINTING
Programmatic print means moving away from broad distribution and towards more targeted, individual information. The speakers at the session “Marketing Automation & Programmatic Printing”, presented and conducted by the Programmatic Print Alliance (PPA), will show how this can be achieved. In presentations and workshops, the PPA will show the development potential of Programmatic Printing. Participants will learn how advertisers can best use digitised print mailings, which online marketing solutions are promising for print products and how print can be optimally integrated into marketing automation processes.

SUSTAINABLE MEDIA PRODUCTION
The future of print is sustainable. Against the backdrop of disruptive supply chains, rising energy and raw material prices and resource bottlenecks, the topic of sustainable media production is more relevant than ever. In this thematic component – organised by the Umdex Initiative – experts will show how a commitment to sustainability also offers significant added value in the production of media. Because sustainability strategies not only bring production and cost advantages, but are also an indispensable and decisive argument for communication with brand owners and customers.

FORUM STADTHALLE
For the upcoming event, participants will also be offered panel presentations at the “Forum Stadthalle” for the first time. This newly created forum offers inspiring content, interaction and exciting discussion rounds in an open format in the exhibition area and visitors can participate free of charge. This platform will feature new ideas and successful concepts on future technologies and will address trend topics such as IT security, customised workflow automation and augmented reality in addition to specialist presentations.

Further information and tickets

Further information on the conference programme and an overview of the speakers:

https://www.printdigitalconvention.de/en/programm-2022.

Online tickets for the PRINT & DIGITAL CONVENTION are available at https://shop.messe-duesseldorf.de/pdc_e.

Further information on the PRINT & DIGITAL CONVENTION: https://www.printdigitalconvention.de/en or www.drupa.com/en/drupa_global

TaipeiPLAS launches pre-show monthly campaigns featuring Smart Manufacturing, Innovation, and Sustainability

The physical edition of TaipeiPLAS is scheduled to return from September 27 to October 1 this year at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 1 (TaiNEX 1) in conjunction with ShoeTech Taipei. A month-long online exhibition will continue till October 27. This year’s TaipeiPLAS focuses on three major themes – “Smart Machinery,” “Next-gen Materials” and “Circular Economy – Net Zero Carbon Emissions.” Starting from June, the organizer, TAITRA, launches monthly theme-based campaigns to unveil the highlights of the coming TaipeiPLAS with social media news, exhibitor & production introductions, e-newsletters and videos. E-newsletter subscription and visitor registration are both now available on the official website.

The pre-show monthly campaigns for the show kick off with the first theme “Smart Manufacturing” in June. The plastics and rubber manufacturing has become greatly different from what it was, says TAITRA. In the past, the manufacturing processes of plastics and rubber such as the parameters setting, the material selection, and the processing of complex components relied on the operation and judgment of experienced labor. The smart manufacturing technologies today have turned the production line to be fully automated, more efficient, meanwhile, led the industry to create new business models.

Key industry players from home and abroad such as ANN TONG, ARBURG, BASF, DIING KUEN, ENGEL, FKI, FSC, MULTIPLAS, WITTMANN BATTENFELD, YEI all gear up to make a splash at TaipeiPLAS 2022 by presenting their smart machines and smart manufacturing solutions. FCS and FKI for example, the two leading plastic injection molding machine manufacturers in Taiwan have integrated Manufacturing Execution System (MES) into every section of their machine production and assembly lines. Multiple benefits are achieved, including more accurate production control, improved quality management and production cost reduction. Taiwan plastic and rubber machinery manufacturers are transforming to become smarter, and at the same time, providing a full line of services in building smart production lines overseas.

Besides onsite and online exhibition, TaipeiPLAS 2022 will come with a lineup of seminars, forums and featured events, On-site Guide for Online Visitors, PLASpotlight Live, themed guided tours, and procurement meetings, all together to explore the innovative trends in plastic and rubber industry and also to create a refreshing exhibition experience.

The online visitor registration for TaipeiPLAS and ShoeTech Taipei 2022 is available on the official websites: www.taipeiplas.com.tw / www.shoetech.com.tw. For more updates and full events information, please visit the official websites, or follow the shows on social media.

New Sacmi plant in the in-house technical center

With the goal of driving product-specific material developments, designing the service package for customers to be even more attractive, and optimizing the compounding process, a new Sacmi plant – the Sacmi PMA24L – with tools for Twist Off® and Press-On Twist Off® seals has been installed in the Actega plant technical center in Bremen. This optimizes work in development and technical service.

The technical center and application laboratory already features a Sacmi system for crown corks, the tie-bar-less Engel Victory 120 tech for injection molding, a semi-automatic filling system, an industrial capping system, an autoclave for sterilization, and a system for tunnel pasteurization. With the new Sacmi and the existing machines, the compounds can be introduced directly into the closures and then tested in the application laboratory. This means that modifications or optimizations can be implemented quickly and customers can be offered tailored products. This saves time and plant capacity at Actega and at the customers.

The market for PVC-free seals has developed rapidly in recent years and demand continues to increase –particularly in the area of baby food. This is also reflected in the investments by seal manufacturers in new machine technology. In contrast to past PVC technology in which liquid PVC plastisols had to be injected into the caps and cured at high temperatures, TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) technology entails melting the granulate by extrusion and applying it to the cap. Now the granulate only needs to be formed but no longer hardened. On the one hand, this makes it possible to do away with gas-fired drying ovens, which saves energy and production costs and reduces the CO 2 footprint. On the other hand, new equipment is needed to process the PROVALIN® and ACTGreen® PROVALIN® compounds. These machines are currently offered by the companies Alfons Haar and Sacmi and are available to all customers who have opted for PVC-free closures. Extensive capacities have meanwhile been developed and major investments are still being made by the closure manufacturers.

The majority of these machines has been supplied by Sacmi, which is why Actega has opted to invest in one. One of the features of the Sacmi PMA24L is that it is available in two different configurations. One has a maximum output of 1000 cpm (caps per minute) and the other supplies 500 cpm. A special kit makes it possible for manufacturers to upgrade from 500 cpm to 1000 cpm. The machine can process closures of 38 to 82 mm. By processing PVC-free compounds, the highest sealing performance and full protection of the organoleptic properties of the filling material can be achieved.

The engineers from the Technical Service can test, adjust and optimize processing of the compounds. In addition, optimized processing instructions – with regard to temperature or induction performance, for example – can be determined and passed on to the customers, so that smooth processing is also guaranteed there. If necessary, the compounds can be modified – to optimize opening values, adhesion to the adhesive varnish, or the sealing process. No customer capacities need to be used for this.

Thanks to the machinery available, all steps from compound and closure production to filling, capping and post-treatment sterilization, pasteurization) can be mapped, controlled and optimally adapted. This is why Actega knows exactly how the closures perform at the closure manufacturer and the filler.

New products can be developed and examined directly in the seal. The new machine offers increased flexibility and speed. For example, several samples can be tested in parallel and the best variant selected. This means that the time from development – in line with customer requirements – to commercialization can be shortened by several months.

For customers, this results in fewer tests and modifications of their own, as they have already been tested and checked at Acetga. As a result, the use of plant capacities can be reduced. And the product qualification period is significantly shorter.