Extrusion International USA 4-2021

24 Extrusion International 4/2021 INDUSTRY NEWS Reifenhäuser Gruppe www.reifenhauser.com Managingdirectors of Reifenhäuser BlownFilm: Marcel Perrevort, Dr. AndreasNeuss (FLTR) „ With effect from July 1, the Reifenhäuser Group merged its blown- fi lm business units Reifenhäuser Blown Film and Reif- enhäuser Blown Film Polyrema, which have so far operated independently, in order to cope with ongoing growth in this sector. This move consolidates the Group’s competencies even more than before to form a joint brand, Reifenhäuser Blown Film. Initially the change is purely organizational and will give the new business unit more leverage in developing new technolo- gies for standard and special machine tool manufacturing. The change will be incorporated in the company’s statutes as of next year on July 1, 2022. Bernd Reifenhäuser, CEO of the Reifenhäuser Group: “We have exciting tasks to solve, especially when it comes to the digitalization of blown- fi lm production and the resource-con- serving use of plastics in keeping with the concept of a circular economy. Jointly, we can then speed up developments in this direction without the delay of internal barriers – and this will also bring our customers enormous bene fi ts.” The joint managing directors of the merged business unit Reifenhäuser Blown Film are Dr. Andreas Neuss and Marcel Construction Competencies in Blown Film Lines Consolidated Perrevort. Both have several years of experience in executive positions in the blown- fi lm business segment of the Reifen- häuser Group. Investing in Research on Sustainable Packaging Technologies „ KIEFEL opened a new Technology and Material Center at its headquarters in Freilassing. Thereby the mechanical en- gineering company’s is increasingly investing in its own re- search activities into sustainable packaging solutions with a focus on natural fi bers. The market-leading company for plastic thermoforming and joining technology opened up the additional business area of “Fiber Thermoforming” in- ternationally last year. In future, the center will be used for material research and tests, as well as for sample production and machine demonstrations. “The Packaging Technology Center and the connected Ma- terial R&D Center, deepen our materials expertise and allow us to support our customers even more closely in the devel- opment process for everything related with fi ber materials, products andmachines.”, explainsMatthias Hausmann, Head of Central Development. “We are thus consolidating our role as a holistic solutions provider.” With this investment, Kiefel intends to develop and use even more sustainable technolo- gies, processes and materials. The Material R&D Center is the starting point for product de- velopments for customers. Here, Kiefel researches, analyzes, and categorizes various natural fi bers and designs coating concepts for packaging made from natural fi bers. In the Packaging Technology Center in Freilassing, Kiefel demonstrates its extensive machine portfolio for the produc- tion of fi ber packaging to its customers. A sustainability exhibition is also integrated into the Pack- aging Technology Center. Cornelia Frank, Head of Sustain- ability at Kiefel emphasizes: “We have been involved in vari- ous initiatives for a number of years, for example helping improve plastics recyclability. As a mechanical engineering company, we want to actively take responsibility in order to become the leading solution provider for the development and implementation of the most sustainable technology.” The “Rethinking Concept” has long anchored this claim in the company’s DNA. KIEFEL GmbH www.kiefel.com Kiefel is pushingaheadwith thermoforming withnatural fi bers in thenewTechnology andMaterial Center at its Freilassingheadquarters (©KIEFELGmbH)