The polymer industry shapes the world we live in, as it is used for industrial, technological or everyday purposes. That is why the revolution of this industry will continue to accelerate with constant technological advances.
And it is precisely the emerging technologies that will have an impact on the innovation landscape, since they are reflected in the industrial transformation, the life of the population and the environment.
Therefore, the following trends regarding polymer indrustry for 2019 can be highlighted as below:
1.- Resins and additives
The resins and plastic additives remain ahead in the progress of the transition metals to polymer. The automotive industry has adopted this trend for years and will continue to influence the way these products are manufactured.
However, lightweight materials are beginning to be used in other products that require durability from impacts, such as sports equipment (helmets), work (boots) or construction materials. These new polymers are displacing old materials and are increasingly used.
2.- Internet of Things (IoT)
It is the concept that refers to the digital interconnection between devices and everyday objects with the Internet. Industries cannot be abstracted and the commitment and investment in solutions that involve IoT will be increasingly frequent.
Polymer manufacturing companies that integrate such solutions will add value to their operations, as they can improve the collection of information, deepen the analysis of it and achieve the monitoring of remote activities . This will be reflected in greater efficiency, better management and a clearer picture of how your operations work as a whole.
3.- Bioplastics
As we had previously mentioned , the chemical industry generally faces major environmental challenges , so polymer manufacturers are aware that their great challenge is to develop renewable materials, such as so-called biopolymer, that do not depend on fossil fuels .
Among its potential benefits we find that they are biodegradable ; they can come from renewable energy sources ; They are easily recyclable and reutiliz ables . That is why the R&D efforts of companies are to create new polymers that allow to reduce pollution and generate materials that can serve as compost to enrich the earth.
To keep up with industry trends , polymer manufacturers need tools such as ERP to optimize their processes and exploit all the benefits of their production, while their innovative efforts allow them to develop new products and materials that allow them to position themselves favorably. in the market.
BatchMaster as a leader in the process manufacturing market and with more than 30 years of experience, has specific solutions for these types of manufacturers.
One of them is the automotive optics industry, by means of anti-scratch coatings, which has revolutionized this field, and it can be even more important that of glasses for glasses, in which the lightening on those of glass, if the forecasts materialize, can provide An important service to many millions of consumers.
The forecasts for the future of this plastic are among the most optimistic in the entire industry; In the medium term an annual growth of the order of 8% is calculated, which can also be extended to world consumption.
The plastic industry, like all industrial sectors, is going through what has been called the fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0. Several companies in the region are already using 4.0 technologies to optimize their production, reduce failures and improve the quality of their products. Some examples can be seen in the coverage of Plastimagen , the main regional fair of the plastic industry. Several of the proposed new solutions, mainly in the area of packaging, have to do with lightening products. PET bottles continue to reduce their weight and therefore their environmental footprint; Packaging and molding technology suppliers.