Technological watch
Synthos buys XPS insulation panel line from Italian supplier
Chemicals and plastics group Synthos has turned to Italian technology for the new machinery it wants to manufacture extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation panels at a plant in Oświęcim, Poland.
Group offshoot Synthos Dwory signed a contract with Milan-based Union Officine Meccaniche s.p.a for the supply of a tandem-type panel extrusion line with primary twin screw and single-screw secondary extruder.
Union is also scheduled to provide the Polish styrene and derivatives producer with a range of ancillary equipment including a waste recycling and granulation line.
This offers technology to maintain quality melt flow index (MFI) to allow the use of post consumer scrap in XPS foam to comply with the UNI EN 13164 European standard for finished foam insulation products.
In addition, the Italian extruder line supplier is also delivering a line for the suction and treatment of dust resulting from milling and smoothing the XPS panels.
Union Officine Meccaniche said this latest order is “particularly important” to the company as Synthos Dwory is a leading producer styrene and its polymers as well as the top XPS panel extruder in both Poland and the Czech Republic.
The supplier pointed out that the deal has come just a year after it won another significant order for equipment from what Union described as Europe’s “second most important XPS panel manufacturer”. It did not name that customer.
Last year, Synthos group announced major plans to expand its XPS production capacity at sites in both Poland and Czech Republic. It aims to double its current 400,000m3 overall capacity by constructing a new 220,000m3 XPS plant at the Synthos Dwory site in Oświęcim, Poland and build a new Czech unit longer term.
Today, it has already drawn up a detailed project and taken initial steps on investment for the Polish expansion and construction is believed to be underway. A suitable site for the Czech expansion has been under active consideration. The two plans should eventually take Synthos XPS output to over 800,000m3.
Meanwhile, Italian machinery manufacturer Union Officine Meccaniche recently announced it too is expanding. Its president, Ferdinando Passoni revealed it acquired a majority stake in the Italian film blown extrusion line manufacturer Construzioni Meccaniche Tecom srl.
A deal to take control of the firm, based in Olgiate Olona in Lombardy, which was completed in July, allows Union to extend its expertise from rigid sheet and foam extrusion to film for flexible packaging, it said.
Construzioni Meccaniche Tecom, formed in 1963, specialises in building blown extrusion lines for polyolefin and compostable biopolymer film from one to 3 layers. It serves the packaging sector for shopping, freezer and garbage bags; agricultural films and for palletising.
Group offshoot Synthos Dwory signed a contract with Milan-based Union Officine Meccaniche s.p.a for the supply of a tandem-type panel extrusion line with primary twin screw and single-screw secondary extruder.
Union is also scheduled to provide the Polish styrene and derivatives producer with a range of ancillary equipment including a waste recycling and granulation line.
This offers technology to maintain quality melt flow index (MFI) to allow the use of post consumer scrap in XPS foam to comply with the UNI EN 13164 European standard for finished foam insulation products.
In addition, the Italian extruder line supplier is also delivering a line for the suction and treatment of dust resulting from milling and smoothing the XPS panels.
Union Officine Meccaniche said this latest order is “particularly important” to the company as Synthos Dwory is a leading producer styrene and its polymers as well as the top XPS panel extruder in both Poland and the Czech Republic.
The supplier pointed out that the deal has come just a year after it won another significant order for equipment from what Union described as Europe’s “second most important XPS panel manufacturer”. It did not name that customer.
Last year, Synthos group announced major plans to expand its XPS production capacity at sites in both Poland and Czech Republic. It aims to double its current 400,000m3 overall capacity by constructing a new 220,000m3 XPS plant at the Synthos Dwory site in Oświęcim, Poland and build a new Czech unit longer term.
Today, it has already drawn up a detailed project and taken initial steps on investment for the Polish expansion and construction is believed to be underway. A suitable site for the Czech expansion has been under active consideration. The two plans should eventually take Synthos XPS output to over 800,000m3.
Meanwhile, Italian machinery manufacturer Union Officine Meccaniche recently announced it too is expanding. Its president, Ferdinando Passoni revealed it acquired a majority stake in the Italian film blown extrusion line manufacturer Construzioni Meccaniche Tecom srl.
A deal to take control of the firm, based in Olgiate Olona in Lombardy, which was completed in July, allows Union to extend its expertise from rigid sheet and foam extrusion to film for flexible packaging, it said.
Construzioni Meccaniche Tecom, formed in 1963, specialises in building blown extrusion lines for polyolefin and compostable biopolymer film from one to 3 layers. It serves the packaging sector for shopping, freezer and garbage bags; agricultural films and for palletising.
This project has received funding from the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 837761.
