Extrusion International 1-2019

14 Extrusion International 1/2019 INDUSTRY NEWS ISO Certification achieved In an ongoing effort to strengthen efficiencies and customer satisfaction, Davis-Standard’s Pawcatuck facility recently be- came ISO 9001:2015 certified. The certification validates Davis- Standard’s processes across the board, internally and externally, and serves as a benchmark for the company’s commitment to operational quality and process improvement. “ISO requires the implementation of a demonstrated quality management system, promoting a holistic approach to evaluat- ing your operation,” said Mike Newhall, Davis-Standard’s Vice President of Operations. “It has driven corrective action where we’ve needed it, and hasmade every aspect of our business bet- ter. This encompasses everything from how we on-board em- ployees and review customer specifications to our engineering and manufacturing practices. There is no stone left unturned, which results in an improved capacity to achieve customer ex- pectations each and every time.” At the core of ISO certification is the ability to consistently pro- vide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements while also enhancing customer fulfillment through an effective quality management system (www.iso.org ). Because of this, Newhall noted that all is- sues are addressed at the source. “The ISO process is invaluable in making every department bet- ter,” saidNewhall. “It’s also just the beginning. It is a continuous improvement process to improve our performance in all areas of the business. Being ISO certified gives our employees and cus- tomers the assurance the system is accessed and approved on a regular basis. It is a sustainable approach that holds us account- able to what we promise with the Davis-Standard brand.” The Positive Trend for the Bioplastics Industry remains stable The results of the European Bioplastics’ annual market data update, presented at the 13th European Bioplastics Conference in Berlin, confirm a stable growth of the global bioplastics in- dustry. “The global market for bioplastics is predicted to grow by roughly 25 percent over the next five years“, says Hasso von Pogrell, Managing Director of European Bioplastics. “This trend is possible thanks to the increasing demand for sustainable pro- ducts by both consumers and brands alike, stronger policy sup- port for the bioeconomy, and the continuous efforts of the bio- plastics industry to develop innovative materials with improved properties and new functionalities.” The global bioplastics production capacity is set to increase from around 2.1 million tonnes in 2018 to 2.6 million tonnes in 2023. Innovative biopolymers such as PLA (polylactic acid) and PHAs (polyhydroxyalkanoates) are driving this growth. PHAs are an important polymer family that has been in development for a while and that is entering the market at a larger commercial scale, with production capacities set to quadruple in the next five years. These polyesters are bio-based, biodegradable, and feature a wide array of physical and mechanical properties. Production capacities of PLA are set to double by 2023. PLA is a very versatile material that features excellent barrier properties. High-performance PLA grades are an ideal replacement for sev- eral conventional fossil-based plastics such as PS (polystyrene) and PP (polypropylene). Bio-based, non-biodegradable plastics, including the drop-in solutions bio-based PE (polyethylene) and bio-based PET (poly- ethylene terephthalate), as well as bio-based PA (polyamides), currently make up for around 50 percent (1 million tonnes) of the global bioplastics production capacities. The production of bio-based PE is predicted to continue to grow as new capaci- ties are planned to come on line in Europe in the coming years. Intentions to increase production capacities for bio-based PET, however, have not been realised at the rate predicted in previ- ous years. Instead, the focus has shifted to the development of PEF (polyethylene furanoate), a newpolymer that is expected to enter the market in 2023. PEF is comparable to PET, but is fully bio-based and furthermore features superior barrier and ther- mal properties, making it an ideal material for beverage bottles. In 2023, bio-based polypropylene is expected to enter the mar- ket at commercial scale with a strong growth potential. Packaging remains the largest field of application for bioplastics with almost 65 percent (1.2 million tonnes) of the total bioplas- ticsmarket in 2018. The data also confirms that bioplasticsmate- rials are already being used inmany other sectors. Themarket data update 2018 has been compiled in cooperation with the research institute nova-Institute (Hürth, Germany). The data for the global production capacities of bioplastics is based on the market study “Bio-based Building Blocks and Polymers” by nova-Institute (2019). For more information on the study and full market data report, please go to: European Bioplastics www.bio-based.eu/markets Davis-Standard, LLC www.davis-standard.com ISO 9001 2018 Certification Logo