BIW Compact 1-2013 English

02 INNOVATION AT A GLANCE Compact When it comes to competence When it comes to competence When BIW began producing silicone extrusions in 1971, it also started compounding at the Limperg Tape Weav- ing Mill’s premises in Schwelm. This means that BIW was mixing the required components on its own author- ity right from day one – and doing it at a laboratory rolling mill. This laboratory rolling mill is still in use today and plays an important role, as it is where mixes are devel- oped. Of course the compounding capacity has grown as BIW has developed, and over 3,000 tons of material are now mixed every year for extrusion, coating, and injec- tion moulding, using flexible, effective, and high-quality techniques. The philosophy of in-house compounding has been lived out from the very beginning and is still being confirmed every day. This is the only way BIW is able to develop and verify product qualities on its own authority, reproduce products using reliable processes, and manufacture economically enough to sell products at market-driven prices. The expertise hidden in BIW’s formulations (there are about 5,000) can hardly be described. BIW’s developers have always had the task of combining the right raw ma- terials with the right concentrations in a way that guar- antees the product qualities required for the application in question. This principle still applies today and, thanks to BIW’s decades of experience in mixing technology, enables the company to offer its customers constructive advice. BIW has developed into a trustworthy problem solver over the years, because in-house compounding means a foundation for the required product quality is always provided straight away. Regardless of whether a product has to be heat-resistant, flexible at low tem- peratures, tear-proof, mouldable, chemical-resistant, non-flammable, transparent, or coloured, BIW always has a solution or is able to develop one. This is evident from the company’s vast array of compounds, many of which have been developed for specific customer items. As a proven service provider, BIW draws on its extensive wealth of expertise to develop an individualised solution for each and every problem it is confronted with, and each solution is optimised to meet the special require- ments of the customer’s intended use for the product as completely as possible. Of course there are also standard compounds which cover the basic qualities, but ultimately the right mix is needed to fulfil the vast majority of de- manding specifications. Mixes which meet certain general standards have been created according to these principles. Some examples of what these standards include are responses to fire according to rail and aviation guidelines, abrasion resis- tance and dielectric strength levels laid down in some THE MIX DOES IT! Recognised BIW product quality based on in-house compounding Compounding

BIW Compact 1-2013 English

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