Page 24 - Plastics News April 2020

Exolon Group expands polyester and Solvay partners with Boeing for COVID-19 face
polycarbonate sheet production
he Exolon Group, based in North Rhine-Westphalia
Tand with production sites in Belgium and Italy, is
currently optimising its production of transparent
polycarbonate and Vivak polyester sheets. MD Jens
Becker said: "There has been an increase in demand for
transparent sheet material that is used for medical
protective barriers such as face shields and partitions
for the reception area in hospitals or at supermarket
checkouts. This has prompted us to adapt our
production accordingly … We are proud that our
products make a contribution to better protecting
employees in systemically relevant professions in this
difficult time.”Transparent, translucent and opaque
solid sheets are produced in Belgium and transparent
multiwall sheets in Italy, which can also be used as
protective partitions and privacy screens in hospital
wards. Becker added: “The situation is a big challenge
for everyone involved. The company has a special
thanks to all those employees who come to work even
in these difficult times to ensure the production of the
sheets.” The company has significantly increased the
hygiene measures across its factories, with machine
controls disinfected several times a day and
disinfectant provided strategically throughout the
buildings. All employees are having their temperatures
taken on a daily basis. In the current situation, it helps
that important issues such as occupational health and
safety have been a very high priority in the company
for many years. The Exolon Group specialises in the
production of solid and multiwall sheets from high-
performance thermoplastic materials and has been
operating under this new name since 2020.
APRIL 2020 21
shields
olvay is supplying high-performance, medical-grade
Stransparent film in response to urgent needs by
medical professionals for protective equipment to
combat COVID-19, to Boeing for its production of face
shields. Boeing approached Solvay due to its
experience in the use of advanced composite and
adhesive materials on multiple commercial and
defence programmes. Manufactured by Solvay's
Ajedium Films business, the thermoplastic film will be
used by Boeing in the production of thousands of face
shields critically needed by hospitals and medical
workers in the U.S. to protect them from COVID-19. The
film will be manufactured using Solvay's medical-grade
Radelpoly phenylsulfone (PPSU) or Udel polysulfone
(PSU), two transparent specialty polymers widely used
for medical devices because of their ability to be
sterilised and withstand aggressive disinfectants.
Solvay's medical-grade resins, polymers, films and AM
filaments are available for the emergency production of
medical equipment and PPE for Ventilator Components,
Face Shields, Nonwovens for Surgical and N95 Masks,
Intubation Boxes, CAPR & PAPR Solutions, 3D Printing
Filaments, Advanced Fluids for Oxygen
Applications."We are honoured to bring our product
expertise to our customers in this time of crisis,"
explains Jeff Hrivnak, healthcare global business
development manager for Solvay Specialty Polymers.
The Group's innovative solutions contribute to safer,
cleaner, and more sustainable products found in homes,
food and consumer goods, planes, cars, batteries,
smart devices, health care applications, water and air
purification systems.. "Boeing is rising to the occasion
by providing more durable, face shields now in critical
demand for our heroic healthcare workers, and we are
proud to help make that possible."
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