Reifenhäuser: Significant increase in performance and still higher efficiency of blown film lines

A better utilisation of synergy effects existing within the group of companies was a primary goal of the restructuring process at Reifenhäuser. As a logical consequence, central service functions are performed today by the Reifenhäuser Holding Company (www.reifenhauser.com) allowing the operative units to fully concentrate on their core business.

R&D competences centrally pooled
For example, in the Troisdorf technology centre, R&D competences have been centrally pooled to be able to react much quicker to customer demands and thus to develop and implement extrusion solutions conforming to market requirements world-wide. The investment pays off: In the current business year the Reifenhäuser group could achieve double-digit order volume growth rates. A main focus is on further developments in the area of industrial packaging, especially 3-layer lines for FFS heavy-duty sacks and stretch wrapping film on the one hand and a new 5-layer technology on the other hand.

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New line concepts for extrusion of FFS heavy-duty sacks and stretch hoods
Large raw material capacities in the Golf region and South East Asia and the request for better film quality and high economic efficiency required new line concepts for extrusion of FFS heavy-duty sacks and stretch hoods. For this purpose, line components, different processes and various raw material formulations have been tested and further developed under real production conditions.

3-layer blown film lines for the production of heavy-duty sacks and stretch wrapping film could achieve increases in performance of 20 to 35 % by using the newly developed highly efficient REI2cool cooling system in combination with an optimized blown film die and low-temperature screws. The specially developed low-temperature screws are matched to the extrusion system with regard to process technology and allow to achieve increased outputs with consistently excellent homogeneity.

Substitution of 3-layer film by 5-layer film
A further approach to improve the efficiency of blown film lines is the substitution of 3-layer film commonly found on the market by 5-layer film. For this purpose, Reifenhäuser has developed a special die with spiral mandrels particularly suitable for very thin layers. This die offers high flexibility both in the production of Polyolefin composites and in the processing of barrier raw materials such as EVOH, PA and CoPET.

Customers are offered unimagined possibilities with this 5-layer technology newly developed by Reifenhäuser since it creates the prerequisite for reducing raw material costs, improves the mechanical properties of the film and closes the gap between high-quality 3-layer film and 5-layer barrier film.
Intensive tests conducted together with raw material producers have shown that Reifenhäuser is able to provide already today the technology of the future.

Synergies, increased performance, higher efficiency - Reifenhäuser is looking optimistically into the future:
The positive trend in the blown film area will be continued on the basis of customer-oriented development targets. Double-digits growth rates achieved in the current business year are the best proof for this.

Photo: Newly developed highly efficient REI2cool cooling system with REItorque extruders

Reifenhäuser GmbH & Co. KG Maschinenfabrik, Troisdorf

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