Extrusion International 1-2016

Extrusion International 1/2016

lot has happened in the field of bio-

composites since the first WPC & NFC

Conference took place ten years ago (then

“First German WPC-Conference”). Good

reason for Dr. Hans Korte from Dr. Hans

Korte Innovationsberatung Holz & Fasern,

Wismar, to summarize the technical de-

velopments in the field of WPC and bio-

composites since the end of the 1990ies.

For the last two decades, the German

WPC market has been growing continu-

ously, as was reported by Dr. Peter Sauer-

wein from the “Association of the German

Wood-Based Panel Industry (VHI)”. An

analysis of commercially available Euro-

pean decking samples was presented by

Dr. Andreas Haider from Wood K plus,

Austria. Some products in the market

show an overall better performance com-

pared to 2008 – in particular regarding water absorbance and

colour fading but also regarding the mechanical properties. Dr.

Wayne Song, WPCC (Wood-Plastic Composite Council of

China) presented the latest market news and trends in the Chi-

nese market. He focused especially on interior walls, whose

market shares have not been growing as strongly as had been

predicted by Chinese representatives at previous conferences.

Dr. Asta Partanen, project leader of the conference, presented

the outline of “Status and Future Markets for Bio-based Com-

posites in Europe until 2020“. The talk provided insights into

the new market and trend report, published in June 2015:

“Wood-Plastic Composites (WPC) and Natural Fibre Compos-

ites (NFC): European and Global Markets 2012 and Future

Trends in Automotive and Construction“. According to the

study, the share of WPC and NFC in the total composite mar-

ket – including glass, carbon,

wood and Natural Fibre Com-

posites – is already an impres-

sive 15%. The production

volume of WPC was 260,000

t in the EU in 2012, for NFC

92,000 t. The full study can be

downloaded at http://bio-

based.eu/markets.

Another highlight was the

trend in WPC and NFC granu-

lates. So far, mainly small pro-

ducers and traders offered

WPC and NFC granulates with

limited technical support and

often missing data for simula-

tions. But this has been chang-

ing since big global players

introduced their new devel-

oped materials, such as “Sus-

tainable Lightweighting Thermoplastic Solutions for

Automotives” presented by Marc Mézailles from PolyOne

Global Engineered Materials (FR/USA).

Developments in the use of bio-based polymers in the auto-

motive industry were shown by Global Marketing Director Bio-

plastics at Corbion Purac B.V. (NL), François de Bie, together

with Francesca Brunori from Röchling Automotive SE &

Co.KG

(IT). They presented their latest cooperation results on high

heat PLA 100% bio-based natural fibre filled compounds.

“Sustainable Lightweight Material in Automotive Industry: Si-

multaneous Back Injection Moulding of Natural Fibre Com-

posites”, was presented by Tayfun Buzkan and Motoki

Maekawa from Toyota Boshoku Europe N.V. (DE / JP). The ma-

terial performance fully meets automotive requirements and

reduces production time.