Fourth German WPC Congress – Innovation Award: Top 6 nominated!

The over the years sustained global growth trend of wood-plastic composites (WPC) is to a considerable extent based on the innovation potential of small and medium-sized enterprises, not least in Germany. This development is well reflected in the competition for the Innovation Award of the “Fourth German WPC Congress” (December 13th-14th, Maritim Hotel Cologne, Germany, www.wpc-kongress.com).

Never before have so many companies stepped into the ring and it never was so hard for the jury to choose from the already outstanding field of applicants for the top 6 finalists. The election of the winners will be carried out by the participants of the WPC Congress on the evening of the first Congress day, the 13th of December 2011 in Maritim Hotel Cologne.

Nominated for the finals are:

• Curtania GmbH: curtain hanging system, “NaF.MIX ®”
• Werzalit GmbH + Co. KG: Process technology for in-mold coating of injection molded WPC parts
• Möller GmbH & Co. KG: noise barrier profile of WPC
• Evonik Industries AG: PMMA-wood composite PLEXIGLAS ® Wood
• Plastic Rotho AG: Compost Bucket “Green Line”
• PHK polymer engineering GmbH: “Nerolit ®”-Compounds for high-tech applications

The number of congress participants and exhibitors increases unabated. Dipl.-Phys. Michael Carus, Managing Director of the organizer nova-Institut GmbH, is delighted: “Already three months before the start of the Congress we have over 100 registrations. This is truly remarkable!”More than 350 participants are expected, from inland and abroad. Connected to the Congress is the largest European WPC-Exhibition with over 30 companies and research institutions targeted.

Sponsor of the Innovation Award: BASF Color Solutions Germany GmbH

Congress-Sponsors: Reifenhäuser Extrusion GmbH & Co. KG, Werzalit GmbH & Co. KG

Media Partner: FORDAQ, plasticker, bioplastics MAGAZINE, EUWID, GoforWood.info, Extrusion, GAK, Plastruction, Holz-Zentralblatt, MACPLAS, Forum nachhaltig wirtschaften, Timber Web, sowie International Business Directory for Innovative Bio-based Plastics and Composites (iBIB 2011), netcomposites, timber hunt, WoodBusinessPortal.com, Wood & Panel, Bio-based News

Congress-Partner: AVK, Dr. Hans Korte, kunststoffland NRW e.V., FNR e.V., HDH, Fraunhofer UMSICHT, Fraunhofer WKI, VDM, Stiftung Arbeit und Umwelt, TCKT, VHI

About the nominated companies:

Curtania GmbH
Curtain hanging system, “NaF.MIX ®”
The Curtania GmbH presents its newly developed curtain hanging system that goes far beyond the simple principle of a curtain rail. The individually extensible sliding system with running devices for rings and also grooves that are suitable as a curtain rail as well as for the insertion of e.g. LED light strips. Technically, the system is characterized by the various available forms of surface design, from brushed to high-gloss, in a very high color brilliance and also the high precision in the processing, which guarantees the sliding of the system parts during assembly to several meters in length.

Werzalit GmbH + Co. KG
Process technology for in-mould coating of injection moulded WPC parts
In a joint project the Werzalit GmbH & Co KG has developed a process technology for the single step in-mould decoration and backing of genuine wood veneer. With this method it is possible to apply genuine wood veneer surface to large, highly shaped three-dimensional contours in only one step, for the first time. The WPC material offers properties like low shrinking and warpage which could be fully exploited technologically. The pre-forming of the veneer parts is not necessary either. Currently, the market introduction of a product using the new processing method is being prepared, a backrest for an office chair.

Moeller GmbH & Co. KG
WPC Noise protection profile
The result of a joint project with the Cracow University of Mining and Metallurgy, University of Bydgoszcz and Moeller-Polska zoo is presented by Möller GmbH & Co. KG: a sound protection profile made of WPC. The WPC-profile parts are weather and salt resistant, and through their simple plug-on system with profile widths up to 6m save expensive and energy-intensive assembly work on site. The inner damping performance of the WPC material was taken advantage of as well as a specially developed surface design for sound scattering. The sound insulation system is suitable not only for the aligning of busy streets, but can be used for example, as a sound absorbing housing in industrial plants and sound-absorbing interior walls.

Evonik Industries AG
PMMA-wood composite PLEXIGLAS ® Wood
In cooperation with Reifenhäuser GmbH & Co. KG Evonik Industries AG developed a pure PMMA wood composite. Known for its durability and fiber wetting, PMMA’s properties are brought to best advantage in combination with wood. Thus the new material will bring WPCs to a whole new level in terms of weather resistance, color stability, dimensional stability and technical strength without any additional surface treatment. The first product group, with which the new material will be introduced is a decking with a specially developed surface structure in various, highly brilliant colors before it will also be available as a special WPC moulding compound.

Rotho Kunststoff AG
Compost bucket “Green Line”
The Swiss Rotho Kunststoff AG brings to the market a bucket specifically designed for organic waste: “Green Line”, pursuing a particularly sustainable concept. For the material PEFC certified wood and recycled polypropylene is used and even the bucket handle is made from recycled steel. The “natural” design reflects these ecologically friendly approaches through visible wood fibres and a surface that should resemble tree bark. With this bucket Rotho takes an injection moulded WPC product to the average household, visibly and self-confident, and provides a resource-friendly alternative to buckets manufactured from pure virgin plastic.

PHK Polymer GmbH
“Nerolit ®” for high-tech applications
With the new material Nerolit ® the PHK-polymer GmbH overcomes three main problems of lignocellulose-reinforced plastics: the swelling of the fibers, the durability against microbial degradation and the sensitivity to heat during processing. While with the first two an improvement of the durability in use achieved, the tackling of the latter allows the use of new matrix materials such as polyamides, which were previously mostly applicable for only inorganic fillers or reinforcements due to their high processing temperature required. With the introduction of these new matrix materials the application range of bio-based composites is extended towards high-performance areas. Nerolit ® is introduced in to the market as injection moulded parts such as a lamp housing, handles for office chairs, and pallet bases. It already has been certified as 100% bio-based by the USDA BioPreferred program.

• More information
  on the 4th German WPC Congress 2011 please see: www.wpc-kongress.com

  Press release (german/english) to download (DOC-Form)

  Press release-download (german/english): about the nominated companies (DOC-Format)

Contact:
Dominik Vogt: dominik.vogt@nova-institut.de
Phone: +49 (0) 2233-48 14 49

nova-Institut für Ökologie und Innovation,
Chemiepark Knapsack
Industriestraße 300,
50354 Hürth (Germany),
www.nova-institute.eu,
phone: +49 (0) 2233-48 14 40

Source

nova-Institut GmbH, press release, 2011-09-20.

Supplier

BASF SE
Evonik Industries AG
Möller GmbH & Co. KG
nova-Institut GmbH
PHK Polymertechnik GmbH
Reifenhäuser EXTRUSION Technology GmbH & Co. KG
Rotho-Gruppe
WERZALIT GmbH + Co. KG

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