Extrusion International 2-2025

28 Extrusion International 2/2025 EXTRUSION TOOLING New Leadership in Western Europe and Asia Packaging and recycling specialist ALPLA is restructuring its leadership in its two Western Europe (WEEU) and Asia-Paci c (APAC) regions. Roland Wallner (Managing Direc- tor APAC since 2021) took over as Managing Director Western Europe (WEEU) on 1 April 2025. Ronald Tichelaar, General Manager China until then, succeed him as Manag- ing Director APAC at that time. With over 27 years of interna- tional management experience in Europe, the US, Middle East and Asia, and 14 years at the company, Roland Wallner was most recently Managing Director Asia-Paci c (APAC). During his successful time in Asia, driving signi cant top- and bottom-line growth, Wallner built up and expanded the company’s presence in several Asian countries and oversaw multiple major green- eld projects. He established the new technical centre for product development in Shanghai and intro- duced services such as the STUDIOa design centre and mould manu- facturing. In recent years, Wallner successfully merged the former North-East Asia and South-East Asia regions into the new APAC region, based in Singapore. Ronald Richelaar, the new Man- aging Director APAC, has 14 years of international management expe- rience at ALPLA, including as Head of Operations in North Asia and Plant Manager in Spain. As General Manager China, he led six plants, the technical centre and STUDIOa in Shanghai as well as the mould shop and Future Corner training centre. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Tichelaar revitalised busi- ness growth, achieved rst-class op - erational excellence and set bench- marks in quality and ef ciency. ALPLA Group www.alpla.com Roland Wallner, Managing Director Western Europe (WEEU) at ALPLA Ronald Tichelaar, Managing Director Asia-Paci c (APAC) at ALPLA (Photos: ALPLA) Aim at Brazilian Market Gaia Biomaterials has appointed MFI Polymers as their commercial representative in Brazil. The company ís headed by Dr. Mercia Fernandes who holds a PhD in Polymer Science and specializes in sustainable polymer solutions. Gaia Biomaterials from Sweden produce Biodolomer – a limestone based alternative to plastic that is fully compostable and leaves no microplastics. “The Brazilian market for sustainable alternatives to fossil plastic is huge”, says Dr. Fernandes. “The size of the country makes it dif cult to create an infrastruc - ture for recycling, and therefore, there is a big interest in compostable solutions – such as Biodolomer.” Dr. Fernandes has a lengthy academic background in polymers and has focused her research on sustainabil- ity and degradable materials for several years. “When I found Gaia Biomaterials, it was what I had always looked for – a genuine compostable alternative with very high quality and, more importantly, that leaves no microplastics. I see the most signi cant potential in rigid materials for straws and cups and exible lm materi - als for packaging in the food industry, agriculture, and plastic bags.” According to Dr Fernandes, the market is currently ooded with products that are marketed as sustainable. Yet, these are often accompanied by inaccurate infor- mation or a lack of a clear understanding of key envi- ronmental concepts. “For a researcher, explaining the difference between Gaia’s materials and others is easy. And once you explain it to people and they see and feel for themselves, you tend to have a “follower”. I am con- dent that many Brazilian businesses will transfer to Biodolomer in the coming years.“ GAIA Biomaterials AB Dr. rer.nat. Mércia Fernandes www.gaiabiomaterials.com