In this article:
The production of plastic disposable tableware can be a profitable investment if two essential conditions are met: the presence of sufficiently significant initial capital and a thorough study of the market situation.
Disposable goods firmly entered into our everyday life. And the demand for plastic tableware has seen a steady increase over the past 15 years. What captivates the consumer?
Three pillars of the popularity of disposable tableware:
- lightness of the material,
- practicality in use (this cookware does not break),
- comfort for relaxation (no washing - collected and thrown away).
IN Lately the consumer began to highlight aesthetic factor– plastic tableware becomes not only a means of providing comfort, it creates an atmosphere of relaxation and celebration.
Who is who? Key players in the plastic tableware market
Despite the fact that the volumes Russian production disposable tableware is still far from European, products foreign production do not play a leading role in the plastic tableware market. They account for only 15% of production.
Back in 1998, to protect domestic production, duties were adopted on the import of this category of foreign goods - about 70% of the cost of the shipment minimizes the interests of foreign importers. Actually, 1998 can be considered the initial year in the development of the domestic plastic tableware market.
Major suppliers of imported plastic products– China (36% of imports), Portugal and Poland (7% each). Leaders- Tupperware company, Huhtamaki, IKEA. On the domestic market there are about 100 enterprises engaged in the production of plastic tableware. Largest participants:"Artplast", "Stirolplast", "Huhtamaki S.N.G.", "Rossi", "Centrpack".
In addition to domestic consumption, Russian products are also in demand among our closest neighbors. Ukraine and Kazakhstan account for about 71% of all exports.
Significant competition for plastic tableware comes from paper (laminated cardboard). In the European market, the latter already accounts for more than 41%, and this figure is growing steadily. Cause– ease of paper recycling, which compensates for the higher cost of raw materials. In the domestic market, tableware made from polymers is losing its position much more slowly - the share of paper products accounts for no more than 20%.
Features of the sales market
Main consumers of disposable tableware can be divided into three segments: catering, catering, retail sales to the public.
The easiest way is to cooperate with supermarkets - the buyer knows what plastic tableware is and what it is needed for, so no special advertising is required, just a competitive price and a good location of the products on product shelves. As practice shows, in online retail, priority places are given to manufacturers in the middle and high price segments, with bright designs, original packaging, offering not individual product items, but various complete sets of disposable tableware.
Most profitable– cooperation on an ongoing basis with catering companies. Field Service Segment various events- one of the most promising directions sales in major cities to date. According to analysts, it has been developed to only 30% of its possible capacity, with a growth rate of up to 15% per annum.
Catering services have a pronounced seasonality:
- mid-December – early February – holiday and New Year parties are popular;
- May-October – outdoor buffets, picnics, weddings;
- February-May – time for corporate banquets;
- September-November – team-building events to strengthen the team spirit of the team.
That's why manufacturing enterprise planning to develop through the catering market, it needs flexibility and a fairly large range of products in order to adjust supply to demand in a timely manner.
One more thing to pay attention to important nuance: today the consumer considers disposable tableware not only from a practical point of view, but also as an accessory to festive table. Skewers with knobs of unusual shapes (hearts, treble clefs, beads), figured tubes, plates, wine glasses and glasses with cartoon characters, plant motifs, flowers, balls and other festive surroundings - such dishes help to easily decorate any event in a style that matches the theme . New trends are the production of original tableware according to individual shapes and the application of various images to finished products.
Working with catering enterprises attracts with constant demand and volumes. This sales area is stable and has no pronounced seasonality. Demand may increase during the warmer period of the year due to outdoor and tray trading. Active buyers are airlines (the average annual growth rate of sales of tableware for in-flight catering is about 10%).
Top sellers by product range - glasses, cutlery, plates, food containers, cups for hot drinks. The sales dynamics by product line can be represented as follows:
- glasses (polystyrene, 200 ml) – April-September;
- glasses (polystyrene, 500 ml) – May-August;
- cups for hot drinks (including polypropylene glasses) – September-April;
- food containers and packaging are not subject to seasonal changes, the demand for them is equally stable;
- plates - relevant mainly in summer months, therefore, manufacturers of these products must definitely consider an alternative (for example, produce sets, cups or glasses for vending the remaining 9 months of the year).
Cost of entry into the plastic tableware market
Current market participants estimate the initial capital required to enter the business at $500 thousand. The most economical capital investment option will cost $100 thousand - this is the purchase of Chinese used equipment (extruder + 2 thermoforming machines). With uninterrupted operation of the workshop, such production can generate a profit of $15-20 thousand (this is if you are engaged only in the production of cups, as the most popular product from the assortment range). Of course, you can only count on a quick payback if you have a wide distribution channel.
But, firstly, manufacturers advise looking for a “golden mean”, without skimping on equipment, since breakdowns, inevitable for used mechanisms, will most likely cause regular stoppages for repairs. When choosing a production line, it is recommended to pay attention not only to the country of origin, but also to the availability service centers in the region, the possibility of prevention, rapid response in case of breakdowns and availability of components.
Secondly, purchasing fixed assets is just the tip of the iceberg. The development of infrastructure requires an amount no less than for the purchase of equipment. This includes the purchase of raw materials, staff salaries, and purchase/rental production workshop, and also repairs will be required...
Reserve capital can “insure” an enterprise at the initial stage of development. That is why the threshold for successful entry into the plastic tableware market is at least $500 thousand.
Dynamics, prospects for market development
Since 2000, the domestic market for plastic tableware began to actively develop. The annual increase at the initial stage was up to 25% in value terms and maintained a high rate until 2007 (15-17%). The market successfully survived the crisis years, slowing down but maintaining growth, unlike other industries (up to 5%). The reason for the stability is said to be an increase in demand for catering products in the low price segment, which was actively purchasing large quantities of goods.
Briefly about the main thing:
- Russian market plastic utensils, despite a large number of of goods on supermarket shelves is only 35% mastered.
- The relatively low rate of development of the industry (10-15%) is compensated by the duration - the domestic market for plastic tableware compared to European countries and the US demonstrates a consumption level 10 times lower.
- Over the past 2-3 years, there has been an increase in the segment of paper products in the disposable tableware market due to environmental friendliness and ease of disposal.
- The demand for plastic tableware has a pronounced seasonality, therefore, in order to avoid equipment downtime in the autumn-winter period, various sales areas should be developed (wholesale and retail chains, public catering, catering enterprises).
- Consumers give preference not only to high-quality products - the design and originality of tableware design plays an increasingly important role (the ability to choose sets in the same color scheme, themed images for various holidays, etc.).
- The entry threshold is quite high. And attempts to reduce the cost capital costs in practice, purchasing used equipment does not live up to expectations - high wear and tear and regular breakdowns lead to losses that arise during equipment downtime and delays in delivery. In addition, there is a problem with modernization - for machines with a service life of more than 10 years, it is quite difficult to find suitable components.
For the manufacture of plastic products, ready-made technological lines or separate professional machines are used. To produce plastic at home, special technology and molds are used.
Professional plastic production: twin screw extruder
Professional equipment for the production of plastic products is a large range of machines used to produce large tubular films, plastic window profiles, plastic pipes, polymer sheets and slates.
The flat-slit device includes the following components:
- extruder with filtration system;
- pneumatic loaders;
- inflation head with cooling device;
- calibration-based mechanism;
- flat lay module;
- rods for turning horizontally;
- winder;
- pulling device.
The basis of the machine is an extruder. All additional components only complement the device. The operating principle of the device is based on automation controlled by a given program.
Devices for the production of plastic under pressure
Such equipment for the production of plastic products involves pouring the finished mass into special forms where it is cooled. The result is a finished piece product. Most plastic elements are produced on such machines. The technology makes it possible to create complex shapes that match the required dimensions, multi-color parts, hybrid parts, foam parts, and others. The injection molding machine is designed for the production of various
This device is also used as equipment for the production of heat-insulating plastic products.
The design of the machine includes:
- raw material preparation module;
- a module that regulates the closing and opening of forms;
- drive unit;
- automated control unit.
Such a device is highly expensive and contains many modern solutions.
Blow molding machines
This equipment for the production of products from is used for the production of hollow containers with thin walls. For example, they produce canisters, barrels, bottles up to 5 thousand liters.
The blow molding device heats the material and gives it shape through blowing. Often this technique is combined with injection molding in a machine with a combined configuration. PET containers are made in this way.
Extruded blow molding fixtures
This equipment for the production of plastic and rubber products carries out the synthesis of blowing and extrusion. It can produce a wider range of products than blow molding devices: fuel tanks, bumpers, pallets, seats, barrels, buckets, toys, tomato and milk bottles, cosmetics bottles. All processes are carefully controlled by a microprocessor.
Equipment for the production of plastic and rubber products is divided depending on:
- on the head configuration;
- on the number of posts.
Device contents
Equipment for the production of plastic products includes:
Thermoforming units
Such equipment for the production of plastic products is designed to produce film-based products, the supply of which is carried out in a continuous mode. The thickness and consistency of the material may vary. Using this machine, products such as disposable containers, cups made from paper or plastic are produced.
Operating principle of the device
The material is heated to 140 Cº, and the product is blown from the roll. Typically, a film with a thickness of 100 micrometers is used in production.
By type, such machines are divided into belt, rotary, revolving, single-position and multi-position. Revolving and rotary type units are used for molding. The process takes place automatically, manually or semi-automatically.
Additional devices
In addition to the main units, in the process of manufacturing plastic products, devices are used that greatly facilitate the work:
- drying devices;
- loaders;
- faucets;
- crushing devices;
- conveyors;
- devices for collecting waste.
Mini devices for plastic production
Mini equipment for the production of plastic products is used to produce the product in small batches. As a rule, single or multi-place forms are used. The weight of such a device is 15 kg. It fits easily on a sturdy desk. That is why such a device was called a tabletop one. Some units come with their own small table.
Models with an electric drive and an automated clamping module are more compact. Such small machines are used to produce experimental parts for new equipment.
Do-it-yourself semi-finished plastic products
Scrap plastic can be found everywhere. At home, old unnecessary things made of plastic are constantly collected. There are a lot of bottles and packaging on the street. Those people who like to create something with their own hands may have the idea of using all this to produce plastic products at home, subjecting the remains to crushing and melting.
But it is not recommended for a novice master to resort to such actions, since each has its own characteristics, and they require different melting temperatures. In addition, parts are usually cast in factories and factories using specialized installations in which powerful pressure is maintained.
Even if you collect pieces of plastic and crush and melt them, bubbles will appear. Best advice will purchase plastic in liquid form at a building materials store, which will be used for the manufacture of parts that are in no way inferior in quality to factory ones. Rubber can also serve as a substitute for plastic.
You will also have to purchase:
- silicone;
- large capacity;
- lithol.
If you decide to produce something from plastic, then carry out the work in a closed room. Fumes from plastic are toxic.
Making a mold
Equipment for the production of plastic products at home includes a master model, the basis of which can be anything.
Suitable for you:
- plasticine;
- gypsum;
- tree;
- paper and other materials.
The model of the part to be cast must be coated with lithol or another lubricant. After that, make the shape. Silicone ones are very popular. Everything is clear here, since working with such material is very simple and convenient.
Important nuances
- There are two types of silicone: for pouring and coating.
- Each type has its own elongation coefficient and degree of viscosity. As for the first indicator, silicone with an indicator of up to 200% is applicable for the manufacture of plastic.
Pay attention to the viscosity of the material
You should pay attention to the viscosity indicator of the material. The lower it is, the more accurate the shape is.
This point is especially important if you are working with a material such as potable silicone. Also take into account the duration of polymerization. If you use pouring silicone, then the master model should be placed in a flask (its base can be steel or bronze), and then filled with silicone.
The coating material is applied with care with a brush. In this case, all irregularities are taken into account. The silicone must be allowed to cool, after which the master model is removed.
A flask is a metal container. It should be slightly larger than the master model.
Casting parts
This process is directly dependent on the basis for the production of the part. Polyester-based resins and liquid plastics are attractive because they do not melt. Their difference lies in the indicator and lifetime.
Step-by-step instruction
- The casting mold is taken and thoroughly cleaned. It should not be wet or dirty. All residual materials remaining after preliminary work are removed.
- If necessary, you can change the color of the composition. For this purpose, a drop of paint is added, but it should not be water-based (paint is incompatible with liquid plastic).
- There is no need for degassing. Molding plastic at home from the very beginning provides for the short life of the substance. Bubbles of small-sized products are removed manually after pouring.
- All components are thoroughly mixed and poured into the template slowly in a thin stream. Filling must be continued until the entire volume and some portion of the casting channel is filled with the mixture. After undergoing the degassing procedure, the volume of material will decrease and become required.
- To obtain a high quality plastic model, allow the template to cool gradually. Follow all instructions carefully.
The demand, for example, for expanded polystyrene boards in Russia will only increase in the coming years, which leads to the conclusion that organizing such production is a very promising business. But not only can you make good money from slabs; you can also produce a lot of things from foamed polymers.
The profitability of producing goods from foamed polymers will range from 3 to 30%, its degree depends, first of all, on what kind of product will be produced. A huge role belongs starting capital. To organize a highly profitable production you will need about 100-150 thousand USD. This amount will be sufficient to organize the production of thermal insulation products. But you can get by with less significant means.
What's the best thing to do?
It is best to start manufacturing all kinds of pipes, sheets and panels, cups, containers, and various types of packaging. The market is especially in demand for plastic trays, which serve as containers for packaging chicken carcasses and various products made from it. You should think about marketing the proposed products not after, but before the creation of such production.
Premises and permissions
To accommodate production capacity Any room will do, as long as the ceilings don’t leak. There are no strict requirements. An exception would be production, where the foaming process will be carried out using explosive pentane. Therefore, in this case, one must be guided by the general requirements for this type of activity and rules fire safety. It is advisable to find premises for such production far from the “dormitory” areas, and focus on searching somewhere in an industrial zone or on the outskirts of the city. Area under technological lines you will need from 40 to 200 sq.m. Additionally, a warehouse is required, finished products It will weigh little and take up a fair amount of space. Polymers in granules should be stored in a dry and, if possible, heated room, because quality is paramount. Naturally, many issues will need to be resolved with various authorities “giving the go-ahead for opening”, from local authorities executive power and to the sanitary and epidemiological station, fire inspection, etc. The speed of “decision making” will largely depend on the dexterity of the businessman.
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Equipment
Equipment can be found in different qualities. Nowadays, in many domestic enterprises, entire workshops are equipped with “silent” equipment, which can be bought for “good” money and, after proper modernization, be brought into working condition. Although, if you are ready to invest, it is better to buy something newer.
Staff
The work will require from 2 to 10 people. You can hire them for relatively little money, it could be $200-250 a month in the city, maybe even less. It’s better for a technologist not to skimp, such a specialist costs $400-500 and this is not the limit for a good professional.
Raw materials
Prices for polymers in granules are not stable. On average, granulated polyethylene costs about $1 thousand per 1 ton, polypropylene in granules is about 15 percent cheaper. Do not forget about modifying additives, which are introduced into the original composition in an amount of 0.5-2% of the total volume. The cost of a kilogram of any such mixture is about $5-6.
If you have the appropriate technology, the right personnel policy and successful production development, your production of plastic products will soon become profitable.
Modern plastic buckets are used everywhere. Thanks to their sealed nature, they can be stored and transported different kinds food and chemical industry. They are comfortable, light, durable, and retain their quality for a long time.
A plastic bucket is an environmentally friendly container that does not in any way affect the taste and smell of food. IN modern industry They produce buckets with a volume from 0.4 to 32 liters. They are round, oval, and rectangular in shape.
Raw materials for making buckets are selected in accordance with their purpose. The most commonly used are nylon, food grade polyethylene (for storing chemicals), low polypropylene and high pressure(for food products). All these types of raw materials have high tensile strength with increasing and decreasing temperatures and low thermal conductivity. And if you add stabilizing additives, they will also have frost resistance.
The business of producing and selling plastic buckets does not require complicated technological process. Another positive point is the high demand for this product.
Production technology
At the first stage of production, raw materials in granules are poured into a hopper, in which melting and plasticization of the mass occurs under high temperature. Dye is added to the molten raw material.
The production of the bucket is based on injection molding. Special molds set the parameters of the bucket: its height, wall width, diameter. For a certain type of bucket, a separate mold is used. It is also called a sprue mold. Among the forms there are cold runner, hot runner and combined. The cold runner form is most often used: it is easy to use and has a low price.
The molten mass enters the mold through the sprue hole, where a bucket is formed under pressure. Then it cools, comes out of the mold and goes along a conveyor to attach the handle. Handles are made of molded plastic and metal. The former are produced by stamping, the latter on special bending machines. Handles are made taking into account the function of the bucket and its parameters. The bucket can also be equipped with a lid and covered with a design using offset printing.
The production speed is about 400 buckets with lids per hour.
Prices for equipment and raw materials
For the production line you will need to purchase:
- Injection molding machine - cost from 150 thousand rubles for a used one, from 1 to 2 million rubles for a new one.
- Molds - the cost depends on the parameters of the bucket: 1 liter - about 200 thousand rubles, 10 liters - about 300 thousand rubles, 30 liters - about 600 thousand rubles. A mold for the handle of a ten-liter bucket costs about 40 thousand rubles, a lid – about 80 thousand.
- Vacuum loader of raw materials. The price ranges from 8 to 40 thousand rubles.
- Refrigeration unit. Price – from 50 to 250 thousand rubles.
- Manual bending machine – from 7500 thousand rubles.
- Offset printing machine – about 300 thousand rubles.
Polyethylene price low pressure(PND) is about 32 rubles per kilogram and above. Polypropylene - 30-75 rubles per kilogram.
Premises and personnel (requirements)
For production you will need a room with an area of about 20 square meters. Electricity consumption by the complex will be 48 kW/hour. The number of service personnel is 2-4 people per shift.
Investments
The initial investment with costs for equipment, raw materials, rent of premises, staff salaries and other expenses will be about 5-6 million rubles. The payback period is about 3 years.
Sale
Finding sales routes will not be difficult, because now almost all mixtures, products and bulk materials are stored in plastic buckets. A large segment of consumers is the fishing industry, where buckets are used for storing and transporting caviar and fish to factories. They are often used for transporting liquid substances (honey, sauces), paints and varnishes, fertilizers, and glue. There are also consumers in the confectionery and meat industries. The most popular are buckets with volumes of 10, 15 and 20 liters. The production of buckets with custom printing can also bring some income.
Kristina Cherukhina
- portal of business plans and manuals
If in the early seventies of the last century the world production of gas-filled plastic products was 6-7% general production polymer products, now this figure, as evidenced by knowledgeable people, exceeds 20-25%.
This is understandable; filling with gas reduces the consumption of polymer for the manufacture of a particular item. The state of the Ukrainian “expanded polystyrene” industry was discussed relatively recently (see BUSINESS No. 18 of 05/06/02, pp. 19-22), since then little has changed on the market. The experts interviewed agree that the demand, for example, for polystyrene foam boards in Ukraine will grow in the coming years, which means that organizing their production is a promising business. But the world is not a wedge on polystyrene foam boards; you can produce a lot of things from foamed polymers and make good money from it.
Profitability
According to surveyed existing manufacturers, the profitability of producing products from foamed polymers can be 2-30%. The degree of profitability largely depends on what product is being produced. The size of the start-up investment also plays a significant role. To organize a truly highly profitable production, a lot of money is needed. For example, 100-150 thousand “conventional units” is an amount sufficient to organize the production of thermal insulation products.
For comparison
A disposable polystyrene cup weighs 3 g. The same cup made of polypropylene foam weighs 2.5 g. The cost of granulated polystyrene is approximately $1400 per 1 ton, the cost of granulated polypropylene, suitable for producing gas-filled products, is approximately $900 per 1 ton. The cost of producing disposable cups made of polystyrene and polypropylene foam are approximately the same.
State of the Industry
In Ukraine, as in other countries - former republics of the USSR, the production of products from gas-filled polymers has long been “in the paddock”. The share of such in the total volume of plastic items produced is very small. A significant part of foam products is imported from abroad (see BUSINESS No. 18 dated 05/06/02, pp. 19-22).
According to information available to BUSINESS, there are now about 30 manufacturers of products made from gas-filled polymers throughout Ukraine.
In particular, “UkrThermoBud” (Nikolaev), “Termoplast” (Kiev), “Ros-Plast” (Belaya Tserkov, Kiev region).
Moreover, the majority of enterprises that produce products from gas-filled plastics use equipment that is “aged” - or worn out soviet cars, or refurbished imported equipment purchased recently.
What to do
According to the surveyed “polymer workers,” now it is best to start producing various types of insulating gaskets, sheets and panels, pipes, cups, containers and packaging.
As you know, the assembly of televisions from imported components has begun in Ukraine. To protect the finished TV from impacts, they use imported foam packaging, which costs about $7. Why, one might ask, bring polystyrene foam from Japan? To then throw it in a landfill? However, organizing packaging production will cost more than one million dollars. The fact is that the mold of this packaging has to be constantly changed due to changes in the shape of televisions. It may happen that the purchased mold will be used for a year, then the packaging manufacturer will have to buy a second, third, etc.
The market is also in demand for trays in which supermarket “raw cuts” are packaged - all sorts of schnitzels, chops, chicken legs.
Naturally, it is worth thinking about the sale of such products not after, but before the creation of production.
Premises and permissions
Any room whose ceilings do not leak is suitable for locating production. Special requirements As a rule, it is not presented to him. The exception is production in which the foaming process is carried out using pentane. Its explosiveness will provide the potential “foamer” with the opportunity to get acquainted with representatives of the State Supervision Service (in particular, the boiler inspection) and the fire inspectorate. IN general case it is necessary to comply with the requirements of SN 245-71 “Sanitary design standards industrial enterprises”, SNiP 2.04.0591U* “Heating, ventilation and air conditioning”, GOST 12.1.005-88 “Air working area”, GOST 12.4.011-89 SSBT “Means for protecting workers. General requirements and classification”, “Fire safety rules in Ukraine”. Needless to say, it is best to look for premises for locating production away from the “dormitory” areas of large cities; it is more advisable to locate somewhere in an industrial zone or on the outskirts of a populated area.
To place a line of areas you will need nothing at all - from 40 sq.m to 200 sq.m. But a considerable warehouse may be required (after all, in a certain sense, you will have to store air - the products weigh little and take up a lot of space). Almost any room can be used in this capacity, providing protection of products from wind, moisture, dust, thieves, homeless people and other unfavorable factors. Granular polymers should be stored in a dry and, if possible, heated room: in this case, their surface absorbs less moisture, and the quality of any product will only benefit from this.
The “permitting” authorities include local authorities executive power, sanitary and epidemiological station, fire inspection, local units of the State Supervision Authority for Labor, thermal workers, electricians, gas service, etc. The expenditure of time and money on “resolution” depends on the skill of the businessman. In favorable cases, 2-3 months and several thousand “killed raccoons” are enough.
Equipment
“Iron” can be found in different ways. In particular, some domestic enterprises have idle equipment that, with proper skill, can be purchased not too expensively and, using the services of specialists, modernized and brought into working condition.
If you have the money, it's better to buy something newer. There are many machine-building enterprises in the country that produce equipment for creating machines for polymer processing.
You can also purchase imported equipment. One of the specialists interviewed by BUSINESS expressed the opinion that, for example, refurbished German equipment for the production of products from foamed polymers is approximately equal in quality to the new equipment that can now be purchased in Ukraine. Nobody, of course, prohibits buying new imported equipment, but... Firstly, it can cost millions of dollars, and secondly, it is usually made to order very far in advance.
Unfortunately, almost none of the Ukrainian manufacturers and suppliers of “hardware” make “ready-made” offers for the sale of equipment for the production of products from gas-filled plastics; the majority prefer to talk about each specific issue with a specific customer...
Regulations
Apparently, the “underdevelopment” of domestic production of products made from gas-filled plastics determines the almost complete absence of appropriate regulatory framework. According to the data available to BUSINESS, currently only the standard for thermal insulation materials made of gas-filled plastics used in construction is in force - DSTU B V 2.7-8-94 “Polystyrene foam boards”. Therefore, each manufacturer has to “create” technical specifications for each manufactured product (group of products).
It is best to entrust the development and coordination of technical conditions, again, to the technologist who selected the equipment and will subsequently be involved in setting up production. This procedure will “lighten” your wallet by about $1 thousand.
In the technical specifications for products that may come into contact with food products, and some products used in construction must have hygienic requirements. Upon release of the first batch of such products, the compliance of the products with the stated requirements will be checked. The sanitary and epidemiological station must do this. Based on the results obtained, it can be argued that the equipment used is suitable for the production of, say, food products.
In order not to have problems on this basis throughout the year, a certificate of compliance with sanitary standards used in the production of granular polymers and additives (ready-made mixtures) is sufficient. Then it will be necessary to carry out further testing of products based on toxicity indicators. This “pleasure” costs about 800 UAH.
Of course, the technical specifications reflect the requirements for manufactured products, as well as their testing methods. Usually such quality indicators as overall dimensions, weight, density of the product are regulated; in some cases, strength indicators, thermal and electrical conductivity, etc. are checked. Each batch of products is subjected to acceptance tests.
It is hardly advisable to create your own laboratory capable of testing all indicators: these are the costs of premises, equipment, laboratory assistant’s salary, accreditation of the laboratory itself, and much more. Experts believe that it is better to conclude long-term contracts to carry out the necessary tests with organizations that have laboratories accredited to conduct such tests. An example of such an organization is the Kievgorstroy Institute. Acceptance testing of product samples selected from one batch of foam insulation will cost approximately 400 UAH.
Staff
To operate the line you will need from 2 to 10 people. Workers will most likely have to be trained “from scratch” (the equipment supplier can train them for very modest money). But you can hire them for relatively little money - in Kyiv it can be $60-70 per month (in the provinces - even less). But it’s better not to skimp on a technologist’s salary, keeping in mind the large shortage of such. In any case, as explained to BUSINESS on operating enterprises, and $300-400 for a good technologist is not the limit.
Raw materials
Primary polymers
Things are not going well in Ukraine with regard to raw materials for the production of products from gas-filled plastics. Currently the country produces:
polyethylene (Oriana concern, Kalush, Ivano-Frankivsk region);
polypropylene (JSC LiNOS, Lisichansk, Lugansk region);
polystyrene (JSC Concern Stirol, Gorlovka, Donetsk region).
Many polymers are imported into the country from abroad (from Russia, Belarus, France, Germany, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic). According to the experts interviewed, today it is most advisable to establish the production of all kinds of things made of polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene. These polymers are almost harmless, chemically neutral, and their cost is low. Foams obtained from them have a wide range of applications. Finally, these polymers are produced by powerful and stable enterprises.
You need to be very careful when purchasing polymers. No matter how good the equipment is, its use most likely will not allow obtaining products of the same quality from the same polymers from different manufacturers. To carry out “transitions” from one raw material to another, serious readjustment of equipment and development of technology using a new polymer are required. The best option is to constantly buy granular polymer from the same manufacturer. And one more thing: if the shelf life of granulated polyethylene and polypropylene intended for foaming is almost unlimited (if stored under proper conditions), then the shelf life of granulated polystyrene for a similar purpose is only six months. For this reason, you should not be particularly susceptible to a cheaper polymer that accidentally turns up.
Prices for granular polymers are unstable - jumps of 10-20% are common. On average, one of the most commonly used polymers for producing foam plastics - granulated polyethylene - costs at least $1 thousand per 1 ton. Granulated polypropylene is about 20 percent cheaper.
Secondary polymers
If the product does not have particularly stringent requirements (for example, it should not withstand high loads), then a secondary (that is, already used) polymer can be added to the initial mixture along with the primary one, but the share of “recyclables” should not exceed 20 %.
Recycled polymers cannot be used in cases where the product will come into contact with food. Secondary polymers are usually 20-30% cheaper than primary ones; if desired, you can make them yourself if you have a special crusher (it will cost $200-5000 depending on the origin, type and performance). Beyond the “hill,” secondary polymers, for example, are widely used in the production of insulating materials.
Supplements
In addition to polymers, fillers such as wood flour, silicon oxides, titanium, carbon black, and graphite are sometimes added to mixtures subjected to foaming. This allows you to reduce the cost of products and/or give them the desired properties. For example, reduce the weight of sheets used as cladding or insulating materials.
As already noted, the production of products from gas-filled polymers cannot be done without the use of various modifying additives. Nowadays, the use of ready-made mixtures, which are introduced into the original composition in an amount of 0.5-3% of the total volume of raw materials, is in fashion. “Ready mixtures” are exclusively of foreign origin and are managed by Ukrainian distributors. The cost of 1 kg of any of these mixtures is close to $6. It is not necessary to look for mixtures of modifying additives for every polymer: polystyrene intended for foaming already contains all the necessary additives.
Technology
The most common gas-filled plastics include polyethylene foam, polypropylene foam, polyethylene terephthalate foam, polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, polyvinyl chloride foam, and phenotypic plastic foam. Each of these materials has properties that determine its areas of application.
The technology for producing gas-filled plastics consists of preparing a composition, introducing a gas phase into the polymer medium (most often by foaming), giving the foam mass the required shape, and then fixing it.
Sometimes this very composition is poured into a mold and then foamed. In the process of preparing the composition, the ingredients of the plastic mass or rubber mixture are combined (oligomers, polymers, hardeners, catalysts, plasticizers, dyes, stabilizers, fillers, blowing agents, etc.).
To introduce a gas phase into a polymer medium, various tricks are used: mechanical foaming, introducing gas under pressure into the composition, saturating the compositions with low-boiling liquids, which turn into steam when heated...
This or that method of introducing the gas phase is used depending on what kind of polymer is being processed and what they want to get from it. For the production of gas-filled plastics with each of the listed methods usually “our own” equipment is used. But now there are machines that are more universal, suitable for carrying out various processes.
By processing different polymers and using different techniques, gas-filled plastics with different properties can be obtained. For example, elastic polyurethane foam (the most famous type is foam rubber) is used in the production of upholstered furniture, clothing, shoe soles, brushes, carpets, sponges, for packaging breakable products, as a heat and sound insulating material. Rigid polyurethane foam can be used as thermal and electrical insulation, packaging material, for filling hollow structures in automobile, aircraft and shipbuilding, to protect structures and equipment from vibration, moisture, mold, and corrosion.
Made from polyethylene with a density of about 920 kg/cubic meter. m, you can obtain a gas-filled polymer with a density from 10-60 kg/cub.m (high-foam) to 400-500 kg/cub.m or more (low-foam). For other polymers, all the “digits” have the same order. Highly foamed materials can be used to make heat- and sound-insulating, as well as packaging materials(of course, if high strength is not needed). Low foam polyethylene and polypropylene - good materials for the manufacture of sheets, panels, pipes, insulating gaskets, etc. Products made of polypropylene (including foam) have higher strength and thermal stability compared to products made of polyethylene.
Gas-filled plastics are divided into foam plastics (with closed pores) and foam plastics (with open interconnected pores). Polystyrene foams are more common than foam plastics.
Depending on their elastic characteristics, gas-filled plastics (or foamed polymers) are conventionally divided into rigid, semi-rigid and elastic. They can be obtained from almost any polymer. Gas-filled plastics have a low apparent density (20-280 kg/cub.m) and high heat, sound, water and electrical insulation characteristics.
The scope of application of foamed polymers is endless. They can be used to make packaging, thermal insulation for building structures or refrigerators, filters for gases and liquids, cushions and cushions for furniture, protective pads for helmets and hard hats, buoys, and lifebuoys.
Vladimir Alexandrov.
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