Back

(Photo credit: Brückner)

Growth

25 years technology centre at Brückner – expansion in sight

1:50 min Management
Siegsdorf

25 years ago in autumn, on the occasion of the leading international plastics trade fair "K 1998", Brückner Maschinenbau inaugurated a technology centre at the Siegsdorf site. It was to house the laboratory equipment already in use as well as a completely new type of pilot line on which films could be stretched simultaneously for the first time with the aid of linear motors. 

The aim of the technology centre was and is to research and further develop film stretching technologies as a prerequisite for innovative film applications, e.g. in food packaging as well as in solar modules, capacitors, flexible screens or membranes for lithium-ion batteries. The globally unique facility soon developed into a meeting place for raw material manufacturers, converters, film producers and even brand manufacturers, who can rent the technology centre for their test projects.

For Brückner, this was an important milestone on the way to becoming the world market leader. Michael Baumeister, Managing Director CTO: "By bundling development and synchronising the various company divisions, we were able to identify technological trends as well as market opportunities at an early stage and often place our technologies as trendsetters in the global market." 

The equipment of the technology centre, which has been constantly expanded and modernised over the years, with a pilot plant, laboratory extrusion, laboratory stretching frames as well as a chemistry and film laboratory, enables almost all types of film stretching and the processing of a variety of polymers and biopolymers. All known stretching methods can be used: monoaxial in machine direction (MD) or transverse direction (TD), biaxial sequential or biaxial simultaneous.

In this way, raw materials can be tested for their stretchability, new film concepts developed, small series produced for sampling and entire production models run through. The films produced can be immediately tested in the film and chemistry laboratory – for prompt feedback on sample production. 

Advertisement
OHAG_Sept2024

Expansion of the technology centre at the site planned

Changing framework conditions and ever new areas of application place high demands on the entire film industry. The legally required use of recycled materials and bio plastics, films for energy production and storage, or membrane technologies for water treatment are just a few examples. Brückner Maschinenbau intends to meet these challenges with a significant expansion of its technology centre.

The most important innovation besides the modern infrastructure is an additional pilot plant to increase the availability of testing capacities and to reduce waiting times for customers quite significantly.

Senior Manager New Business Development Markus Wolfertstetter: "For some of the biggest challenges facing our industry, this expansion of the pilot plant will be of utmost importance. I am thinking, for example, of the linking of new film types with the requirements of digitalisation in the service of the circular economy or CO2-neutral and waste-free film production. Research and development will also become even more important for technical film applications – we are ideally equipped for the future with this expansion."

All the necessary steps for the expansion are to be completed by mid-2026.

www.brueckner-maschinenbau.com

PETnology's Resource Guide
comPETence center

The comPETence center provides your organisation with a dynamic, cost effective way to promote your products and services.

Find out more

Cover
Our premium articles
comPETence
magazine

Find our premium articles, interviews, reports and more
in 3 issues in 2024.

Find out more
Current issue