FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, GERMANY — Teknor Apex Co. will add a second thermoplastic elastomer production line at its United Kingdom plant by the end of 2015 to meet growing demand.
Europe managing director Simon Hubbard said Oct. 15 at Fakuma in Friedrichshafen that the firm likely would modify an existing twin-screw extrusion line at its plant in Oldbury, England, in order to increase production of TPEs sold under the Monprene and Medalist trade names.
At Fakuma, Pawtucket, R.I.-based Teknor also was focused on its Recyclon-brand compounds based on recycled nylon 6 and 6/6. Those products now are available in Europe for the first time. They're being sold into automotive applications such as engine covers and cowls, as well as into office chair bases and other industrial uses, Hubbard said.
Both Recyclon grades now available in Europe have filler content of 15-30 percent and have shown property retention of 80 percent after 1,000 hours of heat aging at 140° C.
Price and sustainability are leading to increased demand for recycled nylon compounds, he added. Hubbard also said that he believes Teknor has an edge in the market because it can source its own recycled nylon from its carpet recycling operations in the U.S.
“Being backward-integrated into recycling feed streams gives us continuous supply,” he added.
In its 2014 fiscal year, Teknor saw good growth rates in Europe, according to Hubbard, surpassing overall economic growth rates for the region.
Elsewhere in auto — Teknor's largest European sales sector — Teknor has introduced new TPE compounds for auto window encapsulation and interior parts belong to Teknor's Sarlink-brand thermoplastic vulcanizate product line. The three new series of Sarlink being launched at Fakuma offer excellent processability and UV stability, officials said, while providing weight savings vs. PVC and EPDM.
Teknor Apex was founded in 1924 and ranks as one of North America's 30 largest compounders and concentrate makers. The firm operates 13 plants worldwide and has annual sales of more than $600 million.