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Hahn Group buys cobot technology from shuttered Rethink Robotics

German automation supplier Hahn Group GmbH has acquired the technology of Rethink Robotics Inc., the Boston maker of Sawyer collaborative robots that shut down Oct. 3.The announcement did not specify who will manufacture the expressive-faced "cobots," but Hahn Group officials said the deal will focus on the single-armed Sawyer robots. There are no plans to continue producing Baxter, a two-armed robot that made it to the market first.Hahn Group announced Oct. 25 that it bought all of Rethink Robotics' patents and trademarks, and its INTERA5 software program. Hahn wants to develop the Rethink cobots "with the goal of combining this technology with German engineering and know-how of industrial applications," the company said in the announcement.Hahn Group spokeswoman Cordula Knüppel said Hahn officials are studying whether to manufacture Rethink cobots.For the plastics injection molding sector, Hahn owns robot makers Wemo and Waldorf Technik, and robot integrator GeKu.In its news release announcing the deal, Hahn said it intends to further develop Rethink Robotics' technology, "with the goal of combining it with German engineering and know-how of industrial applications." Hahn said it will provide its customers with robotic solutions and service."In addition, Hahn Group intends to make the software platform available to suitable partners through licensing or other agreements," the company said.The news means the robots, which turn their digital screen faces toward approaching human workers and can change expressions, will live on.Hahn Group CEO Thomas Hähn called the transaction "an important milestone" that will bring the company specialized knowledge in collaborative robots. "We are very pleased that we could convince the owners of Rethink Robotics to agree to the sale of robotic technology around the 'Cobot Sawyer' as well as the INTERA5 software," he said.Terms were not disclosed.Based in Rheinböllen, Germany, Hahn Group is a global automation company that makes robots, assembly and test and inspection equipment. The company employs about 1,100 people at 19 locations.Rethink's Baxter and Sawyer cobots were easy to program but moved slowly by traditional robot standards and handled limited payloads.Hahn Group already rents out Rethink's Baxter and Sawyer collaborative robots, as well as other cobot brands, through its Hahn RobShare business unit, which opened earlier this year. RobShare rents cobots to factories in plastics processing, metal fabrication, logistics and even, according to RobShare CEO Silvester Keijzer, for service positions like receptionists to buzz people into the plant.The collaborative robot field is getting more crowded. Rethink Robotics faced a growing competition from Danish cobot maker Universal Robots, Germany supplier pi4 robotics GmbH and automation powerhouses Kuka AG, ABB Ltd. and Fanuc Corp.At Fakuma 2018 earlier this month, Sepro Robotique debuted its Seprobot.

Aeyoung Park 2018-11-01

Arburg expects to finish year with 'good levels' of growth

Arburg GmbH + Co. KG is anticipating another increase in overall sales for 2018 despite any whispers or worries of uncertainty caused by economic disruptions in relation to tariffs and trade agreements, leadership said during an Oct. 16 news conference at Fakuma.The Lossburg, Germany-based injection molding machinery maker is continuing to see "high growth" companywide with 3,000 employees globally — 2,500 of whom are employed in Germany, with the other 500 spread across 33 other locations, the company said."In 2017, we reached 698 million euros ($807 million)," said Jürgen Boll, Arburg's managing director of finance, controlling and IT. "In the first half of 2018, and still now at the end of the third quarter, we are still well ahead of the previous year, and we expect good levels of revenue for the rest of the year."Arburg officials did not provide a specific target, but Boll said they are "very optimistic" that sales could potentially reach a 10 percent turnover for the year as whole.But despite predictions of a successful 2018 for Arburg, the machinery maker's confidence still rests in the hands of pending economic uncertainty."In this context, the question is often raised as to whether economic upheavals — for example, in relation to 'punitive tariffs' — are emerging that could have an impact and, if so, what measures we are taking to avert this potential problem," Arburg Sales Director Gerhard Böhm said. "As of today, I can say that uncertainties are beginning to emerge in certain markets."Böhm offered few details and said certain projects and decisions about production locations are experiencing slight delays. But none of which is time-critical, he added."Right now, we are observing market developments with increased care and attention, and we are well-prepared for any potential changes that may occur," Böhm said, adding that these are difficult situations and often require seeking advice.Until recently, he said, any ramifications have been minor and do not indicate any substantial changes to Arburg's business.Incoming orders for machines and peripherals for the first half of 2018 were up 10 percent over last year, Boll said.Orders for Arburg's electric injection presses, such as the Golden Electric, Edrive and Alldrive series, contributed "in large measure" to the growth, with orders for those types of machines increasing by 18 percent. Big Allrounders, starting from a clamping force of 250 metric tons, accounted for 25 percent of sales, he said.Regionally, Germany remains Arburg's largest market, and Europe overall has been positive for the company, citing incoming orders from the first three quarters in 2018.Both the United States and Brazil are showing sales above last year's level, resulting in good prospects for growth in the Americas, especially for large machines and turnkey systems. But because of the ambiguity around the North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations among the United States, Canada and Mexico over the past year, Böhm said the company anticipates "being unable to achieve the same levels as last year in Mexico."Arburg officials did not say whether the recently revised NAFTA — now called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement — would have any additional impact.And despite major new tariffs covering another $200 billion in Chinese imports, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump in September, Arburg officials said a good Chinese market and an upturn in fortunes for the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries could lead to a positive 2019 overall."Even in China, uncertainties are surfacing in the light of current disputes over customs tariffs," Böhm said. "In 2019, the ASEAN countries could be the ones who benefit most from the prevailing tariff dispute, enabling them to remain on a growth course."

Aeyoung Park 2018-10-29

Evonik sees growth for nylon 12 materials

Evonik Industries AG is progressing well with its 400 million euro ($460 million) plans to expand production of nylon 12 at its manufacturing site in Marl, Germany, with production scheduled in just over two years."We have asked engineering companies for bids now, and the plan is to start up the plant at the beginning of 2021," Ralf Duessel, general manager high-performance polymers, said in an interview at Fakuma.The 50 percent increase in capacity will include increases in monomer production as well as polymerization and compounding capabilities at the site.In February, Evonik already expanded production of its Vistamid-branded powder materials in Marl. But the recent investment, according to Duessel, will cover a larger scope that will include its Vistamid range of nylon 12 polymers.According to Duessel, who took over the role eight months ago, the high-performance material has a steady, solid growth prospect, with increasing applications in additive manufacturing."We have been involved in 3D printing for a long time, and we have a good knowledge of how polymers behave. Over the years, we have seen volumes increasing," the Evonik official said.The Essen, Germany-based specialty chemical company sees its products particularly suited for laser sintering and multijet fusion technologies. In this process, Evonik has established long-term partners including HP and Munich-based additive manufacturing pioneer EOS GmbH.According to Duessel, the clear material has significant advantages in 3D printing over other polymers.The material, particularly in laser sintering, has certain features including crystallinity that can give a broad operation window."It doesn't melt, and you can create sharp contours. It also has a wide range of features that can be optimized for different applications," Duessel said.Despite the increasing demand, 3D printing has remained fairly limited to prototyping and small-scale manufacturing."We are trying to get there, to make the process fast and more efficient with lower costs," Duessel added.Evonik is supporting so-called 3D printing "ecosystems," where a range of players, including material suppliers, hardware, software and designing experts, collaborate to advance the technology."Engineers need to design differently and think differently. [Unlike injection molding], they are not putting parts together. They need to design differently, and we are working with universities and startups in that area," he said.Apart from the increasing demand in additive manufacturing, nylon 12 continues to grow in its traditional markets, too.With resistance to chemicals and a good temperature range between -40 to 80° C, the material is well-suited for fluid transfer applications, particularly in the automotive industry.The polymer is also finding increasing levels of use in the oil and gas industry, replacing metal pipe."For pipes, nylon 12 is simply better. It's lighter, and it can be welded when you're installing it. We have a nice long gas pipeline that has just been installed using the material," he said.In cars, the high impact resistance makes it a key material for fuel lines. And as the car industry transitions from combustion engines to electric motors, Evonik sees new application opportunities. For example, cooling lines used for the thermal management of batteries can be made with nylon 12, according Duessel."We already sell a significant amount to that [EV] market," he added.At Fakuma, Evonik also displays its well-established Plexiglass-branded polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) materials, despite being in the process of carving out the business.According to Duessel, the sale of the methyl methacrylates (MMA)and PMMA business, originally announced in March, is going well, and a long-list has been created.The methacrylates business, in spite of its sales of roughly 1.5 billion euros ($1.7 billion), has been defined as outside the company's growth area.This, according to Duessel, is because of the cyclical nature of the business, its cash-intensiveness as well as the fact that MMAs are standard chemicals, as opposed to specialty chemicals that Evonik pursues.Evonik's overall MMA and PMMA production capacities are roughly 600 and 400 kilotonnes per annum, respectively.With plants in Germany, the United States and China, covering three large continents, Duessel believes the operation is a "very attractive business."On top of that, Evonik has, over the past 10 years, developed a propriety new production process that it is currently employing at its pilot plant in Germany."To scale up, a significant capex amount is needed, and Evonik is not prepared to make the investment at this point. Finding a new investor can help with the scaling up of the technology, too," he said.

Aeyoung Park 2018-10-29

KraussMaffei sees slight growth as it navigates digital direction

Munich's KraussMaffei Group GmbH expects a strong finish to 2018 despite slower growth in recent months, CEO Frank Stieler said Oct. 17 at the German machinery maker's Fakuma news conference.As of September, sales for 2018 are 973 million euros ($1.12 billion), marking an increase of 15 million euros ($17.3 million) or 1.6 percent over last year during the same period. Incoming orders in the first three quarters of the year are at roughly 1.05 billion euros ($1.2 billion)."We expect growth to continue, but to be less pronounced than previous years," Stieler said, adding that the company is still seeing steady growth in China, while other markets are "more sluggish."Stieler also provided an update on KraussMaffei's planned listing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, which is currently under review by Chinese authorities."The approval process in China is much more intense," he said, adding the group is confident it can get approval by the end of the year.China National Chemical Corp. (ChemChina), which owns the machinery maker, announced plans to list KraussMaffei in December. ChemChina will remain a majority shareholder after the listing, Stieler said.Dedication to digitalKraussMaffei is also defining its digital footprint with the launch of a two-pillar strategy it's calling "Compass," which includes the recently established digital service solutions unit."We define our own path forward," Stieler said. "'Compass' means the strength we have in our company [that] we want to leverage."The new business unit, which will have its own digital hub for up to 50 employees in Munich's Neuaubing district in February 2019, is led by Nadine Despineux, previously vice president of sales for injection molding machines.Despineux, now president of digital service solutions, provided an update on the machinery leasing program, first announced at Fakuma 2017. The broad leasing plan is now available for all KraussMaffei and Netstal injection molding machines in the group, she said. The company launched the program in Germany at the beginning of 2018.Earlier this year, KraussMaffei announced it was investing in secondhand machinery startup Gindumac GmbH — a move Despineux called a "key to affordable leasing fees."Gindumac operates a global internet platform for used machinery and connects all quotations and interested parties with one another globally. This can lead to better leasing rates for customers, the company said."We have gained our first customers for this [leasing] model, launched in Germany last year," she said.Due to high demand and positive feedback, Despineux said, as of the news conference, KraussMaffei is expanding the program to France, Italy and Austria.In combination with the "rent it" business model, KraussMaffei is also launching Speed-to-Market, a stock machine program starting with standard versions of its CX, GX and PX injection molding machines with clamping forces up to 650 metric tons as well as standard LRX linear robots."We want to introduce machines we have in our warehouses that we can deliver quickly to our customers," said Hans Ulrich Golz, president of KraussMaffei's injection molding segment.With the new program, the standard machines can be delivered to customers in six to eight weeks, he said."If the model the customer wants is not in stock, our production is designed to build on in a short period of time," Golz explained.In addition, the machinery maker is expanding its e-service platform — a service for customers that offers them 24/7 access to detailed information and documentation of machines, including a ticketing system and 3D spare parts finder — to all products in the KraussMaffei Group.The platform debuted as a test version at K 2016 and was rolled out on KraussMaffei's Netstal products first."We believe we have the potential of combining our mechanical competence with our digital competence," Stieler said. "We are realizing that the development of the digital world is moving much faster than the mechanical world."Smaller, smarter, easierIn product news, KraussMaffei also unveiled new LRX EasyControl linear robots, which feature simple, intuitive operation and fast programming. This shortens setup times — even for beginners, the company said.Two new models of its all-electric presses were also introduced: a 25-metric-ton PX SilcoSet used for micromolding liquid silicone rubber and the "big one," a 320-tonne PX for in-mold decoration and in-mold labeling. Both are running live applications at Fakuma.With the Netstal brand, KraussMaffei is showing the Elios 4500 at the trade fair. It's the smallest clamping force in the press series at 450 tonnes.The machine is molding thin-wall polypropylene flower pots in a six-cavity Glaroform mold in various colors. The cycle time is 3 seconds.The Netstal brand is also rolling out the Smart Operation control option for its aXos injection molding press controller, also on the Elios 4500 press.Smart Operation has four buttons and a preconfigurable dashboard to illustrate relevant process information, interaction notifications and application-specific instructions. The so-called Smart Buttons trigger transitions in status during production.With the push of just three buttons, the press can be turned on, prepared for molding and begin production. The press can be turned off just as quickly.

Aeyoung Park 2018-10-29

New CEO and World Event Director for JEC Group

- Eric Pierrejean and Adeline Larroque Join the CompanyEric Piereejean(Left picture), who joined the company in January, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, succeeding to Mrs. Frédérique Mutel. He will be in charge of the further development of the company after two decades of growth under Mrs. Mutel leadership, dedicated to the development and the promotion of the composite materials industry.Before joining JEC Group, Eric Pierrejean was Division General Manager at Comexposium from 2011 to 2017. Prior to this, he spent much of his career in sales and marketing positions, spending more than 15 years in the automotive sector (BMW Group, Land Rover) as well as in the sports goods industry (Nike).Adeline Larroque(Right picture) joins JEC Group as Show Director JEC World and EMEA Events with more than 15 years of Global work experience as she has worked in several countries such as USA, UK, China, India, Qatar and UAE where she has developed a strong skill set in exhibitions and events management.After a experience at Reed Exhibitions France and China managing numerous exhibitions in the Aerospace, Material, Security, Maritime, Logistics, Construction and Medical industries, she then worked for Qatar Tourism Authority as Head of Exhibitions driving growth for the Doha Jewellery Show, Qatar Motor Show and Women Fashion exhibitions. Lately, she worked for the Events division of the Daily Mail Group supervising the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference as Event Director.Source: Kunststoffe international.com

Aeyoung Park 2018-10-16

DuPont Reveals New Brand Identity & Logo

- DuPont Sets the Stage for a Future That is Wide Open- Reveals New Brand Identity in its Journey to Transform into a Premier Innovation CompanyFor over 200 years, DuPont has been synonymous with life-changing discoveries and scientific know-how, reinventing ourselves along the way. As we take the next step toward becoming the new DuPont, we are unveiling a fresh global brand identity and logo that recognizes our heritage while conveying our focus on a customer-led innovation strategy and purpose-driven culture.DowDuPont announced in February 2018 that its Specialty Products Division would carry the DuPont name when it becomes an independent company, which is expected about June 1, 2019 subject to approval of the DowDuPont Board of Directors and other customary closing conditions. “Our new branding is one of many steps we are taking in DuPont’s transformation and amplifies what we do; help our customers solve complex problems, and turn their best ideas into real-world products and solutions,” said Barbara Pandos, chief communications officer, Specialty Products Division of DowDuPont. “It preserves the legacy shape of the iconic DuPont Oval, which for more than a century has provided a seal of quality, performance and trust, but it will no longer be constrained by an elliptical border – signaling a collaborative and open flow of ideas and innovation.”As a premier innovation company, DuPont discovers and delivers value-added specialized solutions that foster sustainable progress and enrich people’s everyday lives. DuPont’s new brand purpose – “To empower the world with the essential innovations to thrive” – builds upon a rich history of discovery and progress. Some examples of DuPont’s best-known product brands include Kevlar® fiber, Tyvek® high-performance materials, Sorona® renewably sourced fiber and Danisco® food ingredients; and the new DuPont portfolio includes Great Stuff™ insulating foam sealant.Beginning today, the new logo will appear and be featured on our digital channels. Packaging and signage will be changed over gradually following the launch of the new company.For more information and images on our brand journey and history, please visit us at new.dupont.com and follow us on Twitter @DuPont_news with the #makersofnew.

Aeyoung Park 2018-10-15

Seven sales regions for higher impact and shorter decision-making processes

Engel's 30 subsidiaries and more than 60 representations worldwide have been consolidated into seven regions, with a Regional Sales President appointed to each. Effective immediately, they will have the full responsibility for sales within their respective region. ENGEL is thereby shortening the decision-making processes and intensifying the ongoing development of local expert know-how. Local expert know-how strengthened furtherThe newly appointed Regional Sales Presidents are the contact persons for the subsidiaries and representations. They decide any sales-related matters locally and independently. This prevents any delays based on time-zone differences. The geographic and cultural proximity simplifies and speeds up the sales processes.The Regional Sales Presidents are also tasked with the continued advancement of the global Business Unit strategy and with bolstering the local expert know-how. In addition to industry and automation experts, specialists are being developed for the areas of Industry 4.0 and process technologies. Resources in the region are being combined, with the continuous exchange of experience accelerating the decentralisation of expert know-how. "With the new structure and the reinforced teams, we are able to anticipate future requirements even earlier", says Steger. "This will continue to strengthen our competitiveness and, more importantly, that of our customers." Decades of combined experienceAll of the newly appointed Regional Sales Presidents have held leading positions within the ENGEL Group for many years, and have a wealth of experience in their respective region. They report to Christoph Steger, who, in addition to his role as CSO, is assuming the management of the Central European region.The other regions and their Sales Presidents are:Western Europe: Graeme Herlihy, previously Managing Director of ENGEL U.K. Ltd.Eastern Europe: Petr Stibor, Managing Director of ENGEL CZ s.r.o.America: Wolfgang Degwerth, previously Head of Sales and Service at ENGEL Machinery Inc. in North AmericaMETAI (Middle East, Turkey, Africa, India): Walter Jungwirth, previously Managing Director of ENGEL de Mexico SA de CVEast Asia, Australia, Oceania: Gero Willmeroth, Managing Director of Sales and Service at ENGEL Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.Southeast Asia: Romain Reyre, responsible for the region as President Southeast Asia since 2016

Aeyoung Park 2018-10-15

PepsiCo signs on to use Loop recycled PET

Loop Industries Inc. continues to gain traction with major partners as the company works to commercialize its PET depolymerization technology.PepsiCo Inc. now says it will use 100 percent recycled PET created by Loop.Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo expects to incorporate the recycled plastic into new packaging by early 2020.Montreal-based Loop said it has technology that "allows no- and low-value plastics to be diverted, recovered and recycled endlessly into new, virgin-quality Loop PET plastics.""Loop's technology enables PepsiCo to be a leading force in ensuring plastic packaging need never become waste," said. Mehmood Khan, chief scientific officer at PepsiCo, in a news release. "This partnership represents a step-change that will empower PepsiCo in our drive towards creating a circular economy for plastics."News of PepsiCo's upcoming use of Loop's recycled plastic was revealed as single-use plastics continue to come under assault.While PET bottle recycling enjoys one of the higher plastic recycling rates in the United States, it's still less than 30 percent.The agreement between Loop and PepsiCo includes communications "to raise awareness of the importance of recycling sustainability and the circular economy," the companies said in a statement."Working with a global food and beverage giant like PepsiCo will further establish the value proposition of the Loop brand and mission — to accelerate the world's shift toward sustainable plastic and away from the traditional, take, make and dispose economy," Loop CEO Daniel Solomita said in a statement.Loop is promising to greatly expand the range of recycled PET that will be used to create food-grade packaging.The company's technology allows bottles, cans, carpet, clothing and textiles — including those that contain colors, dyes and additives — to be recycled. This includes ocean plastics that have been subjected to the elements, including sun and salt.PepsiCo's agreement with Loop comes less than a month after Loop announced a joint venture with Indorama Ventures Public Co. Ltd. to deploy its technology.The chemical company seeks to commercialize recycled PET using Loop's depolymerization technology. Indorama plans to install the process at one of its existing East Coast plants, the company told Plastics News Europe, a sister publication to Plastics News.Loop's process creates both dimethyl terephthalate and monoethylene glycol without heat or pressure in a process the company calls "revolutionary." Those monomers are then purified and repolymerized to create Loop brand PET, the company said.

Aeyoung Park 2018-10-15