Thermofil's strategy yields new highly filled TP compounds.

Utilizing home-grown and Japanese-imported technical expertise, Thermofil Inc. is pursuing a strategy of developing highly filled engineering thermoplastic compounds that target specific market niches.

This ongoing business philosophy, expected to steer the firm throughout the balance of this decade, is reflected in the company's slate of new product developments, which include an advanced glass-coupling chemistry for polypropylene and an expansion of its flagship Esbrid glass-filled nylon compounds.

In addition, the Brighton, Mich.-based custom compounder says it continues to make progress on its internal "Kaizen" process for reducing its order-to-shipment cycle for customers, a system inspired by Thermofil's Japanese parent, Nippon Steel & Chemical Corp.

NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Jeff Neupauer, v.p. of sales and marketing, says Thermofil is starting to use a new proprietary coupling agent in its commercial PP compounds. The first grade to utilize this technology is P6-43FG-0410, a 43% glass-reinforced PP copolymer. Neupauer says the new chemistry improves flow properties while providing an elevated balance of stiffness and toughness.

Thermofil recently launched two new injection molding grades in its Esbrid line of highly filled nylon 6 and 66 compounds. Esbrid, a compounding technology first imported by Thermofil from its Japanese parent in 1992, combines glass, carbon, and ceramic fibers in loadings that can exceed 60%.

The newly commercialized grades, ASG-440A and KSG-440A, are priced in the $2.50/lb range and will target applications currently using glass-filled PPS. Both grades have a ceramic/glass fiber loading of 60%. According to Neupauer, the new Esbrid grades offer processing advantages when compared with PPS, such as the ability to utilize water-heated molds (up to 200 F), rather than the oil- or electric-heated molds needed for PPS.

Neupauer indicates the roll-out of the ASG-440A and KSG-440A temporarily has postponed another new Esbrid development that will extend the high-filler compounding technology to PBT (see PT, Sept. '93, p. 13). The thrust of the PBT Esbrid program, now set to be unveiled early next year, will be to offer Esbrid compounds with lower moisture absorption, improved dimensional stability, and better conductive properties over a broad range of humidity conditions.

Also new from Thermofil are two grades in its CS family of flame-retardant PS, which feature a new lubricant additive package. Externally lubricated SH 65 and internally lubricated H65R reportedly offer improvements in mold release while boosting the resin's flow capabilities in complex shapes.

KAIZEN IN PLACE

Thermofil is about two years into its Kaizen ("good change") process, a system implemented to reduce Thermofil's order-to-ship cycle and improve overall customer service. Thermofil reportedly has reduced that cycle from 37 to 14 days at the South bay section of its facility, handling mainly filled and reinforced PPs, and processing over 60% of Thermofil's total customer orders.

Randolph E. Rudisill, Thermofil president, says the company was able to achieve those time savings by installing a Japanese-style "Kanban" card inventory system. Kanban operates as a "lean" inventory system (a 12-day material-supply cushion), "pulling" materials as needed to fill specific customer orders, then replenishing stocks on a Just-in-Time basis.

Rudisill and Neupauer say the next phase of implementing Kaizen will be to extend the program to Thermofil's North bay, which accounts for smaller, more custom orders from a wide variety of resins.

The company also has moved to streamline its raw material sources by reducing its supplier base and forging strategic partnerships. In the case of PP, Thermofil now purchases resin from a consolidated list of suppliers in large railcar quantities, compared with its former practice of buying by the gaylord (1200 lb containers) from numerous sources. Thermofil estimates these larger-volume resin purchases yield an overall savings of $500,000.