If there is one theme that captures 2021 for our industry, it is making a strong comeback after an unexpected year in 2020. Across the board, we have seen our industry rebound in equipment sales, application development, improved machinery technology, advances in environmental sustainability, and more. We learned much from the challenges presented by the pandemic, moving forward with renewed purpose in how we do business and creating opportunities for performance-driven innovation. It has been inspiring working alongside you, our customers, as we have forged ahead during a year of significant progress. Thank you for your trust in our ability to provide timely service and equipment technology that supports your processing goals and profitability. As we enter 2022, we have a positive outlook bolstered by industry-wide gains made over the past year. We anticipate food and protective packaging and agricultural films to remain strong, along with the medical, pipe, telecom, and building/construction markets. We’ll also see an uptick in industrial markets linked to infrastructure and alternative fuel transportation, as well as power markets that support off-shore wind and solar. This is an exciting time to be in our industry! We also recognize that global supply chain delays are affecting all of us and not just our industry. We are doing our best to manage this relative to our needs to support our commitments to you. Our goal is to mitigate delays the best we can by working diligently with our suppliers and being proactive in our approach. Regarding adjustments post-pandemic, we’ll continue to hire employees to address growth and use virtual tools to support you with troubleshooting and other needs when we cannot address them in person. We also look forward to more in-person tradeshows, events, and conferences. Some shows we’re planning to attend in the first and second quarters of 2022 include Interplastica, Plastindia, Plastimagen, ICE Europe, PT Expo 2022, MD&M West, Chinaplas, and Wire Dusseldorf. We have exciting news on the technology front, with some of you already taking advantage. Our equipment strategy evolves around industry trends and customer demands. For example, we have seen an increased need for automation to better utilize existing personnel, facilitate operational readiness, and increase production outputs. We’ve also seen more demand for processing bio-materials and mono-material structures to address environmental concerns while also reducing the overall amounts of processed material. We continue to address these trends with highly efficient equipment and feedscrew designs, including equipment with a more compact footprint and the use of the IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) to provide continuous process monitoring and better performance analytics. We’ve also done our best to keep you informed of trends and best practices through a series of informative virtual seminars and webinars. We hope you’ve been able to take advantage of some of these as they covered a range of relevant topics. Examples of new technologies introduced in 2021 that address the above are our DS Activ-Check^™, XP Express® AGT next generation roll stand, and SHO and CHP extruder series for high outputs. The DS Activ-Check^™ is a custom-designed, cloud-based platform that leverages systems and strategies offered by the IIoT. This tool harnesses digital transformation to simplify complex process data to increase operator effectiveness, leading to reduced downtime, better product quality, and reinforced operator safety. The configurable platform engine uses analytical tools based on long-term cloud data storage along with process and equipment technology algorithms to help management and production teams identify and improve product quality and line efficiency. We anticipate the implementation of this technology to grow in 2022 as the industry fully takes advantage of the benefits of Industry 4.0. The XP Express^®- AGT (Active Gravity Touch) roll stand can be used for both sheet and cast extrusion for the full range of sheet and cast applications. The roll stand is available in three options depending on requirements. Each has a fully automated multi-roll gap nip, individual roll speed and temperature control, enhanced heat transfer, and an adaptable pull-roll design. This is augmented by a four-point Y-axis and traverse X-axis control to support operator functionality further. In addition, uniform cooling on both sides, double polishing capabilities, reduced web stress, and consistent web orientation and thickness control promote high-quality, flat sheet with desired clarity. In terms of extruders, we launched our new SHO and CHP series. Both extruders offer a more compact footprint with higher outputs to address profitability factors. With all components enclosed, these sleek designs extrude at rates up to 100 percent higher than traditional machines and provide faster purges between resins/colors. As a result, customers can benefit from reduced raw material loss, improved transition times, greater flexibility for upgrades, and better production outputs. The SHO is engineered for large-scale applications. The CHP offers coextrusion benefits for extrusion coating applications due to its compact footprint, lighter weight, and higher output. And these are just a few examples. We are in a strong position to continue investing in machine tool upgrades that support manufacturing of key process components, as well as ongoing R&D investments, strong aftermarket services, and employee development. This is bolstered by the recent news that Davis-Standard was acquired by New York-based private equity firm Gamut Capital Management, L.P. We are excited to partner with Gamut during this next phase of our long history of providing highly engineered solutions to you, our industry-leading customers. Gamut resources will enable us to accelerate growth within various markets while ensuring you have the value-added resources and machinery technology needed to support your production and bottom-line objectives. In closing, we are grateful for you, our customers, and the positive impact you make each day as you bring essential and influential products to market. Thank you for being on this journey with us. We wish you good health and all the best in the coming year!

  Davis-Standard is pleased to introduce the latest in the company’s groove feed innovation with the launch of its SHO extruder. Equipped to save space while offering outputs up to 20 percent higher than existing groove feed models, the SHO is engineered with an optimized feed section and high-performance, energy-efficient DSB^® barrier screw. This is especially beneficial for high-viscosity HDPE applications such as pipe extrusion, where lower melt temperatures, reduced power consumption and improved energy efficiency are paramount. “Improving energy efficiency equates to tangible savings for your operation while reducing your carbon footprint,” said John Christiano, VP Technology. Groove feed extrusion technology contributes to improving your bottom line while providing uncompromising melt quality. “The SHO builds upon our existing groove feed technology with a more streamlined, compact footprint and even greater performance in terms of output and energy savings.”   The SHO features Davis-Standard’s next-generation gearcase to optimize valuable production space along with a streamlined hopper, low-profile power panel, rugged base, and all components fully enclosed. Advantages include improvements in output, output consistency, melt quality, reduced purging/changeover time, and energy efficiency. It is available in sizes ranging from 2 to 6 inches (50 to 150mm) with an L/D of 42:1. For more information about the SHO or Davis-Standard’s groove feed extrusion capabilities, contact us today.

Read the article in Flexpack Voice Magazine here  

Read the full PFFC September issue here.                

Read full article in the Pipe & Profile Magazine here.   Contact Us to inquire on products and services.

[caption id="attachment_6208" align="alignnone" width="799"] Ti Team at the start-up of the new coating line in Terre Haute[/caption] Global industry leader, Taghleef Industries, installed a custom Davis-Standard liquid coating line at its facility in Terre Haute, Indiana, to support new markets in coated OPP films. Taghleef is one of the world’s largest suppliers of specialty and high-performance films for packaging, labels, industrial, and graphic arts applications. The Davis-Standard line, installed in the first quarter of 2021, is enabling Taghleef to bring added value and enhanced performance to OPP films to support customers throughout North America and beyond. “Davis-Standard collaborated with us to build a highly customized liquid coating line, making it possible to achieve unique film attributes and proprietary coating methods for new applications,” said Craig Ligda, Taghleef’s Director of Operations, North America. “We have improved film printability while validating differential coating methods that are essential to our customers.” Critical to the success of the line’s engineering and design was the collaborative efforts that took place at Davis-Standard’s Technical Center in Fulton, New York. Taghleef ran trials on Davis-Standard’s pilot line to prove and test equipment technology prior to purchase. According to Larry Mauer, Taghleef’s Senior Director of Operations for North America, Davis-Standard worked with their team to quickly address issues while guiding them through all project phases, from R&D and design to installation and qualification. “We definitely had obstacles to overcome, but our teams did an excellent job of working through problems quickly and anticipating what was needed. This line not only allows us to support our current coating methods but is equipped to support future needs. The tandem coater is exemplary in terms of precision coating on both sides and enabling us to handle new OPP applications from our Terre Haute facility,” said Mauer. Davis-Standard is an industry leader in liquid coating systems used for tapes and labels, silicone-coating products, and in specialty coating markets. One of the primary advantages for customers such as Taghleef is Davis-Standard’s ability to custom engineer a solution from a product portfolio of more than 50 liquid coating processes. This Davis-Standard advantage is bolstered by R&D capabilities that enable customers to evaluate and validate structures and processes or new markets and applications for film and paper substrates. “We were able to innovate throughout the full scope of the project to address our liquid coating needs today and in the future. This is a new technology for us, and it will be a game-changer in terms of our ability to serve OPP film customers. We are already realizing the benefits of bringing these films to market,” added Ligda. For more information about Taghleef Industries, visit www.ti-films.com. For more information about Davis-Standard’s liquid coating capabilities, contact us today!