tainability both inside and outside the company ; sustainability for the communities in which we operate ; sustainability in governance based on financial stability and accountability , so much so that we have drawn up an environmental report and a code of ethics , starting projects with important partners and increasing the visibility of the company to communicate our values to the world .” |
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PLASTICS FOR A CIRCULAR ECONOMY If in fact , until a few years ago it was unthinkable to imagine such a widespread mass awareness of environmental protection , today , according to all marketing , communication and image experts , this is a winning theme on the markets . And for the Sirmax Group , the entry into a totally green economy is nothing more than the implementation of what were already established values over the years , also in line with company operations given that already from 2020 one of the issues of comparison with partners on new projects largely concerned sustainability . This , for Sirmax , is equivalent to the use of plastic materials in a circular economy , therefore recycled or coming from eco-sustainable sources , which guarantee the traceability of the supply chain . With regard to the other aspect of the green economy , namely bio-compostable and biodegradable materials , it should be borne in mind that , for those who produce engineering plastic components for durable uses , intended for quality final products , the use of compostable and biodegradable products is not very convenient as it is used above all in packaging of a certain type and niche , especially for single-use or high-rotation products : for this reason , in 2019 the Group specifically acquired an Italian specialized company such as Microtec , in order to close the circle of eco-sustainable economy . The typical customer of Sirmax comes from the automotive and household appliance sectors , where the difficulties are numerous and good reputation is given by the use of household post-consumer materials : much more difficult to sort , treat , wash and upgrade with adequate reinforcements and additives - such as the various fibres ( glass , both long and short , carbon , cellulose ) and mineral fillers to enhance their properties where necessary - compared to the “ inflated ” post-industrial waste , increasingly difficult to find but at the same time less “ attractive ” in the eyes of customers and consumers . “ We have therefore carried out a vertical integration of quality ” Veronelli explains . “ We receive bales of waste compacted from separate collection , including bulky waste such as household appliances and end-of-life electronic instruments from RAE separate collection which is very well organized , equipped with material traceability certificates and subject to stringent quality controls , with which we have signed important agreements . The same partly happens with end-of-life product management in the automotive industry , albeit with greater difficulty .”
THE QUALITY OF RECYCLED MATERIALS Thanks to a constant technological and process progress , the final result is properly selected materials with
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Bio-compostable polymer pellets Granulate kompostierbarer Kunststoffe
a quality similar to virgin ones , marketed as they are or used as raw materials to make compounds that are then placed on the market as Green materials . According to Veronelli , this a reversal in the sector ’ s environmental approach to recycling compared to a recent past dominated by post-industrial waste , when the only driving factor considered was low cost . The process in household post-consumer recycling has a precursor in PET with the “ bottle-to-bottle ” system , which SER does not deal with as this material is not suited to produce thermoplastic compounds for engineering applications : the goal of a 100 % circular economy is identical but the difficulties obviously multiply compared to a raw material that is simple to regenerate and upgrade . In the engineering compound sector , the most interesting material flows are those of polypropylene and to a lesser extent of styrene such as polystyrene , ABS and especially polyamide , when improving them with enhanced properties ( mechanical strength , high-temperature and flame-retardant properties , etc .). Sirmax product ranges are adapting and expanding accordingly and great support will come
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The SER North America plant in Anderson , Indiana , USA Das Werk von SER North America in Anderson , Indiana |
from the research centres on recyclates and from the biopolymers currently under development . In 2020 , the acquisition of a 50 % stake through an increase in the registered capital of Smart Mold , a spinoff of the University of Padua , completed the group ’ s line-up of engineering compounds for the plastic components sector . It is an engineering company involved in a process development and optimization programme capable of assisting customers , also through technical support in injection moulding and the relative choice of the most suitable material , in order to improve the aesthetic qualities as well as the performance of the product . “ We have always financed research in the academic world and so we are also able to identify and insert the best talents from universities ”, Veronelli underlines .
GROWTH , EVEN IN 2021 Also in 2021 , the figures proved the Sirmax Group ’ s strategies right , despite the well-known difficulties related to the increase in energy costs and raw material prices ( from 30 to 120 %), in addition to the problems
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Italian technology plast / October 2022 |
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www . plastmagazine . it |
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