Issue 04/2016

Editorial
dear
readers
Summer has finally arrived – and about time, as well! Most of us in Northern
Europe waited long enough for it to come this year. And now, to top it off, the August
issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE has now also arrived.
We seem to have hit the jackpot when we chose Toys as the first highlight
of this issue. I must admit that I was overwhelmed, when I saw the number
of articles contributed on this topic. Next to packaging, toys are apparently
becoming the second biggest area of application for bioplastics, as parents
increasingly recognize the benefits of natural based products, free of
phthalates, BPA and the like. What is more, they also seem willing to pay a
little extra for toys that are better for their offspring and that are produced
more sustainably.
ISSN 1862-5258
Highlights
Blow Moulding | 12
Toys | 22
Basics
Additives | 38
July/August
04 | 2016
The second highlight topic is Blow Moulding or Bottle Applications, where
we report on a new development that I saw at Chinaplas this spring for
the first time. The application is one that you would normally not expect: a
bottle made from WPC.
The topic of the Basics section in this issue is Additives. Most plastics,
whether biobased or made from oil, need to be compounded with additives
before being processed into final parts. Additives for bioplastics are an
important area of development, especially in view of such sensitive and
important applications as toys and packaging.
It’s also time to look ahead to October of this year. The K-Show, the
world’s biggest trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry, is being held
in Düsseldorf, Germany from 19 to 26 October. In our next issue, we will provide a
comprehensive preview, including a show guide complete with a floor plan.
Come and visit us in hall 7a, booth B10, where we will also celebrate a small
Birthday Party for our 10 th anniversary this year. Once again, we will also be organizing
our Bioplastics Business Breakfasts at K’2016 from October 20 to 22. For more
information and the complete programme, see pp 10 – 11.
Finally, I’d like to encourage all of you to submit proposals for the next Global
Bioplastics Award (for details, see page 51). This year marks the 11 th anniversary of
the Bioplastics Oskar, which will be presented to the winner of the Award during the
11 th European Bioplastics Conference on November 29 th in Berlin, Germany.
We hope to see you at the K-Show… until then, enjoy the summer – and of course,
have a great time reading bioplastics MAGAZINE.
bioplastics MAGAZINE Vol. 11
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Michael Thielen
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11 3