The FINANIAL — Bayer MaterialScience will step onto the stage of a major international trade show under the name Covestro for the first time at the Fakuma trade fair in Friedrichshafen, Germany, from October 13 to 17, 2015. The name is a portmanteau of terms embodying the identity of the new company. Whereas the first syllable stands for “collaboration” with a variety of partners, “vest” refers to investments in modern, large-scale production facilities, which are a key prerequisite of the company’s competitiveness. Finally, “stro” is derived from the English word “strong,” and stands for strength – in innovation, in the markets and with a strong team.
Closely associated with the new name Covestro are the values “curious,” “courageous” and “colorful”, which represent the company’s curiosity, courage and diversity. “Curiosity will drive us to listen to customers and respond with creative and also unexpected solutions,” explains Rainer Rettig, Head of Commercial Operations for Polycarbonates at Bayer MaterialScience in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America. “Curiosity and openness are the prerequisites for being able to recognize early on the direction in which the markets are developing. This enables us to jump on the right trends and offer tailored developments that enhance the competitiveness of our customers.”
The path isn’t always linear. Courage is often required for seizing an opportunity, openly addressing issues or going against the tide. The results achieved are an expression of the colorfulness and diversity of Covestro, as well as the company’s ability to think on grand scales, according to Bayer AG.
From radiant to functional colors
Colorfulness and diversity are important values for Covestro. Coloration also plays a central role in polycarbonates, one of the company’s key product groups, if they are to be used for the production of competitive, functional articles. Not just a wide range of shades, but fluorescence effects and even transparently and translucently colored products are possible today. Rounding out the portfolio are UV-resistant, lightfast and tailored infrared-absorbing grades. The comprehensive expertise required here – including interactions with UV- and near-infrared radiation as well as visible light – is pooled at the Covestro Color Competence & Design Centers.
Another factor for the outward appearance is the surface. The latest developments at Covestro enable increasingly precise surface formation. One way to achieve this is with sophisticated, dynamic tempering during the injection molding process. The wall of the mold is heated prior to injection; cooling does not begin until after the cavity has been filled. This enables the targeted production of smooth and structured surfaces as desired — from Class A to grained.
First steps into the production of polycarbonate composites
Another topic is composite materials for lightweight, yet robust structures. Covestro is already active in the development and marketing of a series of such solutions based on polyurethane systems. The company is now planning to enter into the production of composites with the high-performance plastic polycarbonate, primarily for the automotive, transport and IT industries. However, there is also strong demand in the consumer goods sector for thermoplastic materials reinforced with continuous fibers.
“The new materials are particularly thin and lightweight, and the solutions produced so far offer properties superior to those of existing solutions based on aluminum, for example,” says Olaf Zöllner, technical manager of the composite business. “Furthermore, they are robust, freely formable, easy to process and can be recycled multiple times.” Just recently, while still operating as Bayer MaterialScience, Covestro strengthened its position in this key future market with the acquisition of Thermoplast Composite GmbH (TCG) in Langenfeld, a town outside Nuremberg, Germany.
Rounding out the Covestro portfolio at Fakuma are further new developments for applications in the automotive and transport field, including electric mobility. Besides polycarbonates, other focal points of the Covestro stand (No. 4206 in Hall B4) are polyurethane systems, thermoplastic polyurethanes and the use of polycarbonate films.
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