Press release
Corporate Press
November 19, 2009

CoverForm® Competence Center Opens for Hands-On Innovation

  • New competence center for injection-molded plastic parts with a functional surface in Darmstadt
  • Cooperation between KraussMaffei and Evonik Industries

Darmstadt, Germany.- In cooperation with machine builders KraussMaffei, Evonik Industries has achieved a milestone in plastics processing ‒ the CoverForm® system solution that enables the manufacture of injection-molded plastic components with a functional surface in just one step. The CoverForm® Competence Center was opened in Darmstadt on Novermber 18, 2009, and offers a hands-on experience of this highly innovative process. “With CoverForm® we are introducing a future technology together with KraussMaffei that is the result of a successful development cooperation arrangement,” said Gregor Hetzke, President of the Performance Polymers Business Unit of Evonik Industries at the inauguration of the CoverForm® Competence Center. KraussMaffei developed the machine technology for the process, based on the company’s extensive expertise in injection-molding and reaction technology. Evonik developed the required product combination of a specialty PLEXIGLAS® molding compound (PLEXIGLAS® cf molding compound) and a precisely adjusted multi-component solvent-free reactive system on an acrylate base for the functional coating. Dr. Karlheinz Bourdon, Managing Director of KraussMaffei, emphasized at the opening ceremony: “Together, we two partners have developed an entirely new, integrated process named CoverForm®, which enables us to offer a very convincing solution to our customers that significantly reduces the production costs of transparent components with a scratch-resistant coating.”


The new CoverForm® system solution substantially cuts the fabrication costs for scratch-resistant and chemical-resistant plastic components since they require no subsequent time-consuming and costly coating. CoverForm® produces plastics parts that are ready for installation when they leave the injection machine. At the trade show MATERIALICA, CoverForm® therefore received this year’s MATERIALICA Design & Technology Award and the “Best of Award” in the category Surface & Technology. CoverForm® is of interest wherever the aim is to achieve particularly high surface functionality, like scratch resistance. This may involve applications in the automotive and lighting industries, in optics or in communications and display applications.

Plastics fabricators can now experience the process for themselves at the new CoverForm® Competence Center in Darmstadt. But the center has even more to offer. “We will also use the competence center to further develop reactive systems,” explained Sven Schröbel, CoverForm® Project Manager at Evonik. “New antireflective or electrically conductive coatings are also conceivable, for instance. And we intend to train our global technical service staff at the CoverForm® Competence Center too.”

As a first step, CoverForm® will be launched on the European market. The USA and Asia will follow from 2010.

For more information: www.coverform.com or Mail to info@coverform.com

Image caption: Dr. Karlheinz Bourdon Managing Director of KraussMaffei (left) and Gregor Hetzke, President of the Performance Polymers Business Unit of Evonik Industries at the inauguration of the CoverForm® Competence Center in Darmstadt, Germany.

About Evonik

Evonik Industries is the creative industrial group from Germany which operates in three business areas: Chemicals, Energy and Real Estate. Evonik is a global leader in specialty chemicals, an expert in power generation from hard coal and renewable energies, and one of the largest private residential real estate companies in Germany. Our strengths are creativity, specialization, continuous self-renewal, and reliability. Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world. In its fiscal year 2008 about 41,000 employees generated sales of about €15.9 billion and an operating profit (EBITDA) of about €2.2 billion.

Disclaimer

In so far as forecasts or expectations are expressed in this press release or where our statements concern the future, these forecasts, expectations or statements may involve known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may vary, depending on changes in the operating environment. Neither Evonik Industries AG nor its group companies assume an obligation to update the forecasts, expectations or statements contained in this release.

KraussMaffei company profile

In terms of sales, KraussMaffei is world market leader in machines and systems for plastics and rubber processing. With its three divisions – Injection Moulding Technology, Extrusion Technology and Reaction Process Machinery – KraussMaffei is a premium partner for the plastics and rubber processing industries worldwide.
The group markets its products under the KraussMaffei, KraussMaffei Berstorff and Netstal brands. The KraussMaffei brand covers the whole spectrum of injection and reaction moulding technology, while the KraussMaffei Berstorff brand stands for successful extrusion solutions. The injection moulding machines of Netstal, our Swiss subsidiary, meet the highest of requirements imposed on process implementation, parts quality and production performance and a