Technology centre - unique in the world for 25 years
The heart of our innovation and technology leadership
Important component of Mission 2030
Since our founding in 1960, we have been driven by our spirit of innovation and pioneering - to this day, cornerstones for our daily actions. In our Mission 2030 "High-end film for a better world", Michael Baumeister, Managing Director CTO, emphasises the importance of the PIONEER aspect and the Technology Centre as its heart.
By bundling development and synchronising the different divisions, we were able to identify technological trends as well as market opportunities at an early stage, and often also place our technologies as trendsetters in the global market.
25 years at the heart of many technological developments
In October 1998, the leading international plastics trade fair "K" took place in Düsseldorf, where the plastics industry presented its innovations to the world public. At the same time, the technology centre, which is still unique in the world, was opened at our Siegsdorf site. It was to house the laboratory equipment already in use as well as a completely new pilot plant on which films could be stretched simultaneously.
Very quickly, the technology centre developed into a focal point for research activities of our customers, various institutes and companies along the value chain.
Best opportunities for R&D
To date, the range of services offered by the Technology Centre is unique. The equipment, which has been constantly expanded and modernised over the years, with pilot plant, laboratory extruder and laboratory stretching frame as well as chemistry and film laboratory, enables almost all types of film stretching and the processing of a wide range of polymers and biopolymers. All known stretching methods can be used: monoaxial in machine direction (MD) or transverse direction (TD), biaxial sequential or biaxial simultaneous.
For some of the biggest challenges facing our industry, this expansion will be of paramount importance. I am thinking, for example, of the linking of new film types with the requirements of digitalisation in the service of the circular economy or CO2-neutral and waste-free film production.
