EVONIK
New stretching, grinding and polishing plant for PMMA sheeting / Aviation applications
"Plexiglas GS 249 stretched" can be used in the cockpit glazing of planes (Photo: Evonik) |
Evonik (Essen / Germany: www.evonik.com) has announced it will build a stretching, grinding and polishing plant for PMMA sheeting at its Weiterstadt / Germany site near Darmstadt. The company said the investment, which was not quantified, further consolidates its market position through systematic forward integration while at the same time rounding out its portfolio. When the facility goes on stream – no start-up date was revealed – the chemicals and plastics producer will become a full-range supplier of cast and stretched PMMA sheets used to produce cabin windows for commercial airliners and in the cockpit glazing of planes and helicopters. With enhanced impact- and chemical resistance, the stretched sheets are said to be particularly suitable for the aviation industry’s extremely high requirements.
The new plant, which will directly adjoin an existing production facility for the cast PMMA blocks – the base materials for the stretching process – will be “the most advanced of its kind anywhere in the world,” Evonik claims. It will allow production of sheets more than twice as large as is customary at present, and the German company expects to be the world’s only supplier of these larger sheets needed for larger aircraft windows. For more traditional applications, the larger sheet is expected to result in increased yields per stretched sheet.
Roland Mickal, head of Evonik’s transportation market segment within its Acrylic Products business, said: “Demand is growing in the aviation industry for stretched PMMA sheeting that meets the highest requirements on quality and supply security. With the new production plant and the experience of our employees, we are in a position to work alongside our customers to support their growth and promote innovation within the aviation industry.”
The new plant, which will directly adjoin an existing production facility for the cast PMMA blocks – the base materials for the stretching process – will be “the most advanced of its kind anywhere in the world,” Evonik claims. It will allow production of sheets more than twice as large as is customary at present, and the German company expects to be the world’s only supplier of these larger sheets needed for larger aircraft windows. For more traditional applications, the larger sheet is expected to result in increased yields per stretched sheet.
Roland Mickal, head of Evonik’s transportation market segment within its Acrylic Products business, said: “Demand is growing in the aviation industry for stretched PMMA sheeting that meets the highest requirements on quality and supply security. With the new production plant and the experience of our employees, we are in a position to work alongside our customers to support their growth and promote innovation within the aviation industry.”
20.10.2016 Plasteurope.com [235338-0]
Published on 20.10.2016