Extrusion International 3-2025

38 Extrusion International 3/2025 PROCESSING – CASE STUDY Efficient Plastics Production – Sustainability and Digitalization go Hand-in-Hand In order to position themselves for the future, plastics manufacturers have to increase volume, quality and efficiency while operating sustainably, promoting the circular economy and offering attractive jobs all at the same time. How can they do that? The best way is through exchanges with other experts – something currently being demonstrated by the cooperation between Hexpol TPE and the process technology provider, MAAG. F rom the yellow bag into a dash- board: thanks to high-quality plastics recycling, this circular econ- omy is no longer a pipe dream. But creating compounds with proper- ties that meet the high expectations of companies in the automotive sec- tor and other demanding industries calls for high level of process engi- neering expertise. Anybody looking for this expertise will find it at Hex - pol TPE in Lichtenfels. The company manufactures thermoplastic elas- tomers, soft PVCs, TPE compounds with TPS, TPO, TPV, and TPU, addi - tives and masterbatches. Across the entire portfolio, great importance is attached to high-performance compounds with top quality and, increasingly, with a growing pro- portion of PIR and PCR plastics. Particularly challenging in this context is the processing of contam- inated and heterogeneous post- consumer recycled materials (PCR) – i.e. the materials collected by the dual systems. Higher quality as a challenge The rising demand proves that Hexpol TPE is on the right track. In order to keep pace with the grow- ing quality expectations, the com- pany has purchased several new machines in recent years. When it comes to pelletizing sys - tems, the manufacturer has increas- ingly relied on the Pearlo machine series from MAAG. The underwater pelletizing system is designed to pro - cess a wide range of polymers and thermoplastics, promising profitable production with throughputs of up to 42,000 kilograms per hour. Hex - pol TPE decided to buy its first pel - letizing system from the Pearlo series in 2017. In the following years, sev - eral further pelletizing systems were added to the machine park. The latest investment, a Pearlo 160, was added in 2023 and is im- pressing in production just as ex- pected: The machine is suspended above the production line. In this top-mounted configuration, the floor under all the components re - mains free and accessible because the machine is suspended from an overhead rail system. Quick-discon - nect-adapters involve just one bolt, whereas previously twelve had to be loosened and then fitted again. “This offers immense time savings during assembly and cleaning of the system that can now be done much faster,” reports Dominik Fehn, Pro - cess EngineeringManager at Hexpol TPE in Lichtenfels. Much less effort is required when a machine weighing 400 kilograms is suspended from the ceiling and can be moved with one hand rather than being pushed on wheels. As Hexpol TPE attaches great im- portance to reducing the workload on its employees, this system is a perfect addition to make life even easier for the workforce. MAAG of - fers two-axis machines that can be moved in two directions. This means production staff can clean and set up faster, and components do not have to be readjusted. “This is a huge and important reduction in workload, allows quick and stress- free retooling and saves unneces- sary energy,” emphasizes Fehn. The new Pearlo has been proving its worth in Lichtenfels ever since. “We decided to take this step in or- der to increase production efficien - cy while reducing the workload,” explains Fehn. Automation for greater efficiency All the same, high quality alone is not enough to stay competitive on the international stage – the ef- Hexpol TPE Plant in Lichtenfels, Germany