News

Polyscope's XIRAN® fills industry gap left by Nova Chemicals' DYLARK® exit

Polyscope offers THE alternative with XIRAN®

Economic turbulence has made a more visible impact on the automotive industry than any other. One of the most recent effects is the decision by Nova Chemicals to discontinue production of its Dylark® styrene maleic anhydride (SMA) engineering resins, important materials for dashboard carriers and other car components.

Polyscope decided just over two years ago to enter this strategic market, and has committed itself to the development of an improved range of SMA products called XIRAN®. “Without this alternative source, major car producers would have been in trouble due to non-availability of such a crucial raw material”, says Uwe Wascher, chairman of the board at Polyscope. “The car interior is designed around the dashboard,” he says.

Polyscope will continue to support all of its automotive customers, providing a sound solution in a tough economic climate. Wascher says; “Our customers can be assured that Polyscope is determined to be their partner of choice for Dylark® substitution and that there is a quality outperforming alternative to long glass reinforced polypropylene available with XIRAN®.”

“’Fresh Thinking, Great Products!’ is not just a slogan, it’s a mindset at Polyscope,” Wascher says. In the next few months, Polyscope will expand its product range covering all known SMA copolymer products for engineering plastics applications, while boosting production capacity ahead of demand. “We are making sure that we will be backing-up the automotive industry now and when economic growth is back in the news headlines,” concludes Wascher.

About Polyscope
Polyscope Polymers BV is a Netherlands-based producer of styrene maleic anhydride copolymers, founded in 2006 by a group of international private investors backed by Limburg Development and Investment Company LIOF and Limburg Ventures. Polyscope offers a range of products with molecular weights from 10,000 up to 180,000 g/mol and a maleic anhydride content between 22% and 42%, for engineering plastics applications and also for water-based applications in paper, ink, pigment, leather treatment and other industries.

If you would like to receive more information on this topic or schedule an interview with Uwe Wascher then please call 0031-46 47 63989 or e-mail info@polyscope.eu.

XIRAN® is a trademark of Polyscope.

Contact: Patrick Muezers
Tel: 0031(0)46 4763989
Fax: 0031(0)46 4763990
E-mail: info@polyscope.eu

This press release can be downloaded from www.PressReleaseFinder.com.
 

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Polyscope XIRAN® SMA Completes SMA Portfolio (June 2009)

Fresh Thinking, Great Products! Is not just a slogan, it’s a mindset at Polyscope.
Polyscope decided just over two years ago that SMA was a strategic product, and from that moment on has successfully committed to develop an improved market alternative with XIRAN® SMA.
Polyscope Polymers BV is a Dutch based producer of styrene maleic anhydride copolymers, founded in 2006 by international private investors, LIOF and Limburg Ventures.

Polyscope keeps expanding its product range to cover all known Styrene Maleic Anhydride copolymer products for the engineering plastics and industry applications, while boosting production capacity beyond demand, making sure to be backing-up the (automotive) industry when economic growth is back in tomorrow’s headlines.

Uwe Wascher explains that thanks to these developments Polyscope will accomplish the vision to become the first SMA copolymer producer worldwide, who can cover the full known SMA application need.

Polyscope is currently commercially offering a range of products with molecular weights of 10.000 up to 180.000 g/mol and a Maleic Anhydride content ranging from 22% to 42% for engineering plastic applications, paper, ink, pigment, leather treatment and other industries.

CURRENT AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY GAP
 
Polyscope continues to support all its automotive customers, securing a sound solution during this though economic climate. “Our customers should be assured that Polyscope is determined to be their first partner of choice, and that there still is, a quality outperforming alternative to Long Glass Polypropylene with XIRAN®”, says Uwe Wascher. This due to the SMA superior performance in terms of heat resistance, dimensional stability, stiffness, flow and good adhesive properties.

The glass reinforced SMA-compound range of Polyscope is increasingly used in instrument panels, consoles, etc. in the automotive industry. Ford, Audi, among other OEM’s have released XIRAN® SMA as their key material for the critical structural parts.

If you would like to receive more information on this topic or schedule an meeting  then please call; 0031-46 47 63 989 or e-mail;  info@polyscope.eu
 

Positief nieuws uit de locale automotive-branche (May 2009)

-Persbericht-

Positief nieuws uit de locale automotive-branche

De Limburgse bedrijven Polyscope Polymers b.v. en IAC (International Automotive Components) zijn een unieke samenwerking aangegaan die het productieproces goedkoper, sneller en groener maakt.
Door samen te werken in het testen van nieuwe materialen hebben ze een snelle omstelling in de lopende projecten weten te bereiken.
IAC in Born, dat sinds 1992 de dashboards produceert voor o.a. Ford, werkt nu nauw samen met kunststof-fabrikant Polyscope in Geleen.
De samenwerking was er al jaren maar nu IAC voor een groot deel van hun productie de overstap heeft gemaakt naar het product Xiran® SMA van Polyscope, wordt het productieproces van de dashboards in de Ford S-Max, Ford Galaxy, Ford Mondeo en de Ford Fusion een Limburgs onderonsje.

Positivisme
“Wij zijn in staat geweest het positieve te halen uit de crisis en niet alleen te overleven, maar om creatief te worden zodat ‘oude’ betrekkingen nieuw leven wordt ingeblazen en alles in een stroomversnelling komt.” Aldus Roel von den Hoff, materials manager bij IAC. Algemeen directeur van Polyscope Patrick Muezers is in zijn nopjes met deze hernieuwde samenwerking. “Wij waren in staat om zo snel in te springen op de veranderende markt doordat we keihard gewerkt hebben de laatste 2 jaar aan nieuwe productontwikkelingen waardoor  we nu de supplier-chain van wereldwijd naar locaal niveau hebben teruggebracht.”
De situatie voorheen was dat er in Amerika een halffabricaat werd gemaakt, dat werd afgewerkt in Frankrijk, vervolgens werd het product opgeslagen in Antwerpen en kwam het later naar Born waar het naar klanten werd uitgestuurd. Een tijdrovend, duur en milieu-onvriendelijk productieproces.
Dat is nu teruggebracht naar de driehoek Geleen – Kerkrade – Born. Allemaal in een straal van 15 kilometer.
 
Groene chemie
Hoewel volgens de heer Muezers chemische bedrijven een slechte reputatie hebben op het gebied van milieu, produceren zij op een bijna 100% schone manier. 99.9% van de aangeleverde grondstoffen worden verwerkt in het eindproduct dus de afvalstroom is minder dan 1%. En ook dit wordt op een milieuvriendelijke wjze verwerkt.
Hier wordt een speciale techniek voor gebruikt door IAC. Nadat het product klaar is, zijn zij in staat om eventueel restafval volledig van elkaar te scheiden en het zo te recyleren om weer opnieuw te gebruiken in nieuwe producten. IAC heeft een uniek concept ontwikkeld en is tevens de enige automobiel leverancier die deze verwerking in huis uitvoert.

Toekomst
De partnership met Polyscope houdt niet op met het veranderen van leverancier voor grondstoffen volgens de heer Von den Hoff. “Samen werken wij aan nieuwe productdevelopment en application development om onze toekomstige business te laten groeien.”
De Heer Muezers voegt eraan toe dat  Polyscope als startende chemische organisatie zich op een markt begeeft met grote spelers.  “Gerichte innovatieve samenwerking en een grote mate van ouderwetse service doet en zal de organisatie doen groeien.” 
Dat ziet er veelbelovend uit. De grondstoffen van het Geleense bedrijf worden inmiddels in bijna alle grote automerken gebruikt. Zij hebben nauwe betrekkingen met Audi, BMW, Volkswagen en nu dus ook Ford. Niet alleen in Europa maar ook in De Verenigde Staten en Azië.

IAC in het kort
IAC in Born is onderdeel van IAC group dat wereldwijd onderdelen produceert voor het interieur en exterieur van auto’s. Met 21 fabrieken in europa is het een van de grootste op het gebied van autocomponenten. IAC staat bekend om zijn vooruitstrevende technologische ontwikkelingen en grote inhouse kennis die resulteren in specifiek maatwerk voor elke klant.

Polyscope Polymers in het kort
Polyscope Polymers produceert XIRAN® Styrene Maleic Anhydride (SMA) in hun fabriek op het Chemelot-terrein in Geleen. Het SMA wordt toegepast in de automotive- en papierindustrie. Door het lichtere gewicht dan concurerende plasticsoorten en de makkelijke verwerking is het voor de producent een relatief goedkoop product. Het materiaal heeft bovenal als groot voordeel dat het door zijn goede hechting aan andere materialen en hittebestendigheid in grote mate toepasbaar is voor verschillende eindproducten.

Polyscope XIRAN® success in high end Automotive Instrument panel application (April 2009)

-NEWS-

Polyscope XIRAN® success in high end Automotive Instrument panel application

Polyscope has recently successfully launched XIRAN® SMA at IAC Born for the Instrument Panels and Center Consoles for all Ford programs (eg. Mondeo, S-Max).

XIRAN® SMA SG-grades is a unique product range which combines structural toughness, rigidity, excellent heat performance, chemical adhesion with ductility and impact behaviour needed for critical dynamic applications, like instrument panels with integrated airbag functionality.

I would like to thank the IAC project team personally.

As a team we made it possible to change within the very limited time frame given by current market conditions.

Our commitment as Polyscope is to bring all partners the benefits of these new products to develop and manufacture cost effective and easy-to-recycle components.

The current XIRAN® SMA range allows Polyscope and it’s partners to create turn-key solutions.

To fulfil our projected growth we are conscientiously expanding our worldwide organisation through partnerships, local customer support and services.

If you are interested in a new personal challenge do not hesitate to contact.

We will continue to invest together with our partners in opportunities to outperform the highest level of quality demands and reducing total system costs.

That is our pledge!

Patrick Muezers
Managing Director
 

Cost cutting versus product innovation (March 2009)

Geleen - The Netherlands, 31 March 2009

Current market situation puts high pressure on prices of commodity products. Standardised plastic compounds and products mainly discriminate on price, creating the awareness and the need of customised, less price sensitive compound solutions. Cost cutting is the first logical step trying to keep the business profitable.

However, the strategic decision to invest in product innovations and/or tailor made modifications will offer new business opportunities. Take for example polystyrene: its applicability is limited for microwave and hot fill food applications because of its limited thermal performance. Nowadays mainly PP is used for this application, despite the superior processing, thermoforming and application performance of PS over PP. A recent development enables the applicability of PS in microwave applications, keeping the benefits of polystyrene.

Despite the extreme price competitive and low margin market conditions in the food packaging market, several companies are investing in this new PS solution, because the total cost of ownership will bring benefits for the improved PS for both supplier and end-user. Even for (low margin) commodity products, investing in customised solutions or opportunities to expand the functionality of existing commodity polymers offers new profitable sales potential on the longer term.

Ofcourse the short term cost cutting need is understandable and for some companies a must. However, being prepared for the future with new product will also be an important asset. And like for the above mentioned example, the investments and time-to-market can be defined within reasonable limits.

Companies like Polyscope offer products which enable various opportunities to extend the functionality and applicability of (commodity) plastics.

SMA improves thermal and polarity properties (April 2008)

Using proprietary technology Polyscope Polymers has developed the XIRAN® range of SMA co-polymers for increasing the thermal and polarity properties of compounds
Read more ...

Introducing XIRAN® SMA co-polymers (May 2007)

Polyscope Polymers produces superior new products with proven weight saving and reduced cycle times for producers of automotive and industrial parts. The Europe’s newest and foremost manufacturer and supplier of Styrene Maleic Anhydride (SMA) co-polymers has introduced its XIRAN® SMA product range.
Read more ...

Introducing Polyscope Polymers B.V. (May 2006)

Polyscope Polymers B.V. has announced that it will start manufacturing SMA polymers for the automotive and paper industry.
The company which was founded in 2006 is set to revitalise an existing polymer plant at the Chemelot site in Geleen, the Netherlands, to again produce SMA copolymers.
Read more ...