FEDDEM pilot plant station now officially open

Opening ceremonies featuring technical presentations

For the past several weeks, FEDDEM GmbH & Co. KG customers have had already the opportunity to perform complex, stringent tests in the pilot plant station, under realistic production conditions over a space of about 300 m². On 21 September 2011, the pilot plant station was now officially opened.

The extrusion and compounding line manufacturer has leased a separate workshop with an adjacent office and meeting room from fellow Feddersen Group company AKRO-PLASTIC GmbH based in Niederzissen in Germany’s Rheinland-Pfalz. On 21 September 2011, customers and suppliers were able to see for themselves just how impressive the state-of-the-art equipment is.

With technical presentations on the theme of “compounding line design – worldwide”, visitors received detailed information about the peripheral equipment required for compounding, along with a comprehensive look at the FEDDEM range of products and services. In his presentation, for example, Rolf Schatz, from the field sales office for Germany West at AZO GmbH & Co. KG, Osterburken, talked about system concepts in compounding, from raw materials supply through to the handling of finished goods. He gave a vivid description of various mechanical and pneumatic systems used for product feed and removal, and explained the advantages compared with classic handling methods.

Uwe Stellmann, Sales Manager Light Industry at Schenk Process GmbH, Darmstadt, discussed the requirements for metering

manufacturers in turnkey projects and presented a number of high-tech solutions for all bulk metering jobs.

Harald Zang, Managing Director of Automatik Plastics Machinery GmbH, Großostheim, presented requirements, trends and solutions for the cost-effective, energy-efficient selection of pelletising systems. His talk centred primarily on a comparison of two techniques, strand palletising an underwater pelletising, with an explanation of the criteria that are crucial when choosing a suitable pelletising method. Using examples, he demonstrated how each system works, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of each one.

Rainer Merissen, Managing Director of Bruckmann Steuerungstechnik GmbH, Uedem, presented his company’s product range and systems for controlling compounding lines, including a complete, documented set of production-related data.

Benjamin Groos, a student at the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, gave a brief presentation of his experience setting up a FEDDEM compounding line in China, which he did during a work placement programme he completed as part of his degree course. He was happy to report that the cooperation among German and Chinese colleagues was excellent, despite differences in mentality and a climate that differs greatly from that of central Europe.

Before moving on to the official ceremony inside the pilot plant station, Dieter Groß, Managing Director FEDDEM GmbH & Co. KG, took attendees on a virtual tour in the form of a presentation, with a detailed explanation of each unit on the line. He thanked the sponsors of the pilot plant station in particular, who contributed to the station installation with their components and equipment.

Together with Volker Scheel, Managing Director of K.D. Feddersen Holding GmbH, Dieter Groß then symbolically cut the ribbon, marking the official opening of the pilot plant station.“Our opening event was a complete success”, declared Groß. “Not only were we able to show our customers and business partners a state-of-the-art pilot plant station that responds to the demands of the marketplace, we were also able to provide insight into our international Group of companies, and in this way present ourselves as a strong, forward-looking partner for anything having to do with plastics”.

Volker Scheel, Managing Director of K.D. Feddersen Holding GmbH and Dieter Groß, Managing Director of FEDDEM GmbH & Co. KG, at the ceremonial opening of the FEDDEM pilot plant station.