PIM polymers are ‘the shape of things to come’
Innovative applications for highly-specified engineering polymers derived from residual mixed plastic fractions will be demonstrated by Axion Polymers at the Plastics Recycling Expo 2015, Telford International Centre in June.
On Stand E022, the Manchester-based plastics recycler will showcase its full range of Axpoly 100 percent recycled polymers created from a fully-integrated recycling process for end-of-life vehicles (ELV) and WEEE materials, including its new PIM (Powder Impression Moulding) formulations suitable for use in PIM moulding and roto-moulding applications.
Axion will be sharing the stand with its collaborative partner Environmental Recycling Technologies (ERT) plc with whom it has co-developed a novel process to blend polymers derived from the difficult-to-recycle residual mixed plastic fractions.
Axion’s specific PIM formulations can be used to produce lightweight, yet strong curved and shaped structural finished products, such as shower trays, furniture and automotive components, using ERT’s PIM moulding technology.
“Our unique process goes straight from mixed plastic to finished product, cutting out the intermediate extrusion steps,” explained Axion Director, Keith Freegard. “While residual mixed plastic fractions yield some very good, highly-specified engineering polymers, it is a technically-challenging process.
“New developments, such as those we are working on, are needed to recover these valuable resources, thereby closing the loop and opening up new market opportunities in the Circular Economy and for UK-based manufacturers.”
Axion says it can support clients in the development of their manufacturing processes and has installed a moulding system at its Salford processing facility where prepared powder mixes to clients’ specifications can be supplied to licensees.
Alongside the exhibition on June 17, Keith will be exploring further technical recycling challenges and future market opportunities in his presentation on ‘Developments in the closed-loop flow of recycled materials for the UK automotive market’.
Axion Project Engineer Richard McKinlay’s will also be speaking on ‘How to design flexible packaging films which can be sorted for recycling’.