The Dugdale Blog

PVC compounder Dugdale PLC is one of four companies to take part of a new government initiative to promote UK Best Practice Manufacturing. The Executive Television program was filmed at the Yorkshire Manufacturing facility in October 2011, allowing cameras to film inside the companies manufacturing facility for the first time in Dugdale PLC`s 100 year history.

Managing Director David Outen, Technical Director Dr. Jeff Ryan and Sales & Marketing Executive Andy Tombs all feature in this thirty minute program showing how and why Dugdale PLC is a leading supplier in the European Compounding Industry.

The broadcast date for the Executive Television programme ‘Best Practice in Manufacturing’ will be:

Wednesday 01st February 2012 @ 20:00 on SKY digital channel 231 and the BBC/ITV freesat 402.

Sunday 04th March 2012 @ 11:30 on SKY digital channel 231 and the BBC/ITV freesat 402.

For an exclusive insight into Dugdale PLC and the manufacturing processes undertaken in PVC Compounding, make sure you tune in to see this industry first

Prices of flexible PVC compounds are expected to rise during the change to REACH-friendly plasticisers – but they should stabilise by 2013 when the industry has completed the transition away from DEHP listed by the European Chemicals Agency as a ‘substance of very high concern’ (SVHC).

This is the view of Dugdale plc Technical Director Dr Jeff Ryan, who says prices will be driven up because plasticiser manufacturers are phasing out bulk deliveries of traditional products so they can switch production to the alternative plasticisers.

An unplasticised PVC article is rigid and used to produce products such as window profiles, gutters, electrical conduit and pipes. Incorporating plasticisers softens the material so it can be used for more flexible applications such as sealing gaskets, electrical cable insulation, medical blood bags and tubing, footwear, flooring, clothing and toys.

Dr Ryan states that “Manufacturers of plasticisers are keen to switch their output to REACH-friendly formulations as soon as possible, but while demand for targeted products such as DEHP remains high, parallel manufacture and delivery will inevitably affect prices. We are encouraging our customers to adopt alternative plasticisers such as DINP and DPHP, which are not on the SVHC list, or to orthophthalate-free types such DEHTP.

“Customers are, however, understandably reluctant to change because the alternative plasticisers are less efficient and up to 10% more expensive than DEHP. Furthermore, alternatives may inflate prices of end products as physical properties and performance may differ, necessitating additional development and testing costs.”

Dr Ryan says that the relationship between phthalates and health has been under media, legislative and scientific scrutiny for 30 years. However despite these regulatory pressures in Europe and the United States, there is widespread scepticism throughout the industry concerning the possible health risks to humans which has never been backed by factual evidence.

In a further boost to its product development and customer service strategy, PVC compounder Dugdale plc has expanded its in-house expertise with the appointment of Tony Pollitt as Technical Manager.

“Tony joins us at a significant moment in Dudgale’s history,” says Dr Jeff Ryan, Technical Director. “Tony’s appointment follows our recent investment in laboratory and production equipment, enabling Dugdale to augment its customer service by offering a growing range of specialist rigid and flexible PVC compounds with short lead times, high quality and consistent, reliable manufacturing capabilities. He brings a vast amount of experience in the development and manufacture of technical PVC compounds, and this will help us to address the increasingly specialised needs of today’s customers.”

In his 25 years in the PVC industry, Tony Pollitt has worked in three key areas: compound manufacturing, sales, and raw material development. He has moved to Dugdale after seven years working with additives at Baerlocher, where he specialised in new market product development.

Tony says: “I began my career on the technical side of PVC compounding and am again looking forward to the unique challenges this sector brings. My new role involves strengthening our customer support capability, as an additional link between customers, laboratory and production. This will further enable Dugdale to meet customer expectations in a competitive market by providing a fresh approach to product innovation due to my additive technology background.”

Specialist PVC compounder Dugdale plc has just completed a 12 month programme of investment and business development which has increased its capacity for small lots and put fresh focus on factory efficiency, product quality and customer service. It has also expanded its range of technical flexible PVC compounds through acquisition of the Berwin Group’s flexible PVC compounding business.

Dugdale Managing Director Dave Outen says the recent investment will enable the company to meet customers’ evolving needs even more efficiently, with faster turn-round of orders and products which comply with the current REACH directives.

In the past year, Dugdale has invested more than £750,000 in new machinery at its Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, factory. Included in this is another high-speed mixer-cooler system and a new twin-screw specialist laboratory extruder. This follows the commissioning of a Battenfeld-Cincinnati twin-screw compounding line earlier in 2010.

Outen says: “Given the current market conditions, where inventory and unit costs are under increasing pressure, our customers need a responsive supplier who can consistently meet their requirements for smaller, more frequent PVC compound deliveries.

“The laboratory extruder has a dual role, enabling us to test PVC compounds more rigorously, and also to develop new materials to customers’ specifications. The extruder will play an important part in servicing the former Berwin customers whose requirements have already added considerably to our flexible PVC range, and are likely to provide many further product development opportunities for us.”

He says the acquisition of the Berwin PVC compound business – which followed Berwin’s decision to concentrate on its rubber and silicone compounding activities – is now complete, with Berwin’s PVC technology and customer base fully integrated into Dugdale’s operations.

The portfolio acquired from Berwin includes flexible PVC compounds, ranging in hardness from 35 to 99 Shore A, and PVC alloys – typically PVC/NBR and PVC/PU – for processors serving customers in industries such as automotive, oil, medical, construction and engineering.

“We continue to look for opportunities to invest in order to improve further our quality and service to meet the rising needs and expectations of our customers. As a specialist compounder, Dugdale strives to maintain the highest possible standards in all aspects of the business and our future investment programme will reflect this commitment,” says Outen.