Röhm GmbH Molding Compounds

• First milestone: 5,000 metric tons of CO₂ equivalents compensated at Worms production site
• Compensation through climate-friendly energy generation through mine gas
• PLEXIGLAS® is helping conserve resources

CO₂ emissions are unavoidable during the production of packaging materials. Therefore, the Molding Compounds business unit of Röhm GmbH has now initiated a project that aims to compensate these greenhouse gases by making compensation payments to climate protection projects. “We have a responsibility toward future generations,” explains Siamak Djafarian, Head of the Molding Compounds business unit. “And that’s why we are working on continuously reducing our CO₂ emissions. The packaging of our molding compounds is an important part of this.” As such, Molding Compounds gives customers an incentive to choose the packaging options with the smallest CO₂ footprint through the pricing system. “We are now starting the compensation scheme at one of our largest production sites, in Worms (Germany), and will also spread this principle to the other locations worldwide,” adds Sven Schröbel, the project manager responsible for sustainability in the Molding Compounds business unit.

Gold Standard-certified climate protection project
The material used for the packaging of PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds at the Worms site will generate estimated greenhouse gas emissions of 5,000 metric tons of CO₂ equivalents (a standard unit for comparing the impact of different greenhouse gases on the climate). These emissions will now be compensated through a Gold Standard-certified climate protection project by the firstclimate organization, a leading player in mandatory and voluntary emissions trading. In the chosen project, gas from former coal mines is used to generate electricity in a climate-friendly manner.

“The compensation of CO₂ emissions is the next milestone on the way to producing our PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds more sustainably,” comments Djafarian. To achieve this objective, Molding Compounds already buys emission certificates for the production of the molding compounds and is involved in Operation Clean Sweep, which aims to prevent microplastics entering waste water during production. “We are also making sure that our products are environmentally friendly and do not contain any harmful substances,” says Djafarian. For example, PLEXIGLAS® is free from hormone-like substances such as bisphenol A and heavy metals. It contains neither asbestos nor formaldehyde, CFCs, PCBs, PCT or plasticizers.

Saving resources
PLEXIGLAS® itself also contributes to the sparing use of resources: Thanks to its durability, components can be used for a long time and do not need to be replaced as often. Furthermore, PLEXIGLAS® impresses with its excellent recyclability. It can be broken down into its original chemical constituents or directly and completely recycled.

•  Further information

• Electric drivetrains are opening up a whole new range of options when it comes to bodywork design.
• PLEXIGLAS® Hi-Gloss products can be used to produce high-gloss (Class A) and robust components.
• Applications ranging from the radiator grille to air intakes and decorative panels, to mirror housings and pillar panels.

Electric drivetrains will significantly change the appearance of vehicles. Radiator grilles could be completely omitted in electric vehicles as these drives do not require the same cooling as combustion engines. This gives designers an entirely new playing field to design the front of a vehicle with decorative elements: High-gloss components can be used to create a particularly clean and sophisticated look. However, the materials used in applications on the lower car body of the vehicle must be particularly robust. The benefits of the PLEXIGLAS® Hi-Gloss NTA-5 special molding compound – for example in the color black 9V022, piano black – will be presented by the Molding Compounds business unit from Röhm GmbH at K 2019, Hall 6, Booth No. B30.

Different applications
PLEXIGLAS® Hi-Gloss NTA-5 is the molding compound with the highest impact resistance in the PLEXIGLAS® Hi-Gloss product range. The heat deflection temperature is on a high level, particularly for a impact-resistant PMMA molding compound. The material also impresses with its weather resistance, scratch resistance and depth of color. Due to this balanced portfolio of properties, PLEXIGLAS® Hi-Gloss NTA-5 is perfectly suited to manufacture components, such as the radiator grille, air intakes and decorative panels, as well as mirror housings and pillar panels. Visitors to K 2019 can get an impression of some of these components first hand.

PLEXIGLAS® Hi-Gloss molding compounds which have a long history in automotive construction, for example for high-gloss pillar panels, which optically increase the size of the windows. Thanks to the specific product characteristics, the product can be used to manufacture injection-molded components with molded-in color and high-gloss surface in Class A quality. The advantage is that subsequent coating is not required, so the production cost of these components is significantly lower than for traditional coated systems.

Extremely weather-resistant
In addition, the components also impress with the highest possible color depth and weather resistance throughout the entirety of the vehicle life cycle. What’s more: Smaller scratches can easily be polished out of the high-gloss Class A surface. There are therefore many reasons why all renowned OEMs have been using PLEXIGLAS® Hi-Gloss molding compounds for many years for bodywork components.

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For the first time in the history of Red Dot, the Red Dot Edition publishing house is dedicating an entire publication to the topic of plastics and is aiming the spotlight on a material which everybody knows, but of which the majority are unaware when it comes to the diversity of forms, colors and functions available. The product in question is of course PLEXIGLAS®, a plastic which is not just part of a extremely successful brand and company history, but also an expression of our cutting-edge design and lifestyle culture.

The image book was created in close collaboration with the Molding Compounds business unit at Röhm GmbH, the manufacturer of PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds. Due to its diverse, and in part unique, properties, the material is of considerable significance for different applications in the fields of design and architecture. The pictorial shows successful examples of design objects and buildings which result from designers, architects and material developers working together closely.

The title “The Book of Possibilities – Inspiring Design with PLEXIGLAS®” already hints at the diverse design ideas which the material can help realize, thanks to its ability to be transformed in almost unlimited ways and its strengths when it comes to design, color and function. Luminaires inspired by plants or sea animals, rear lights which strikingly reproduce a brand identity, or roofs which become the trademark of a soccer stadium – like the tent roof construction on the Olympic Stadium in Munich, designed by Günter Behnisch and viewed as a milestone in architecture.

Significant importance of plastics in design
At the same time, the book also takes a look at the influence of plastics in design and architecture. New design ideas require new materials to be developed – and new materials inspire manufacturers and designers to come up with new ideas. “The decision for a material is seldom left to chance, but is rather a conscious decision,” explained Prof. Peter Zec, Founder and CEO of Red Dot. The importance of plastics, particularly high-quality plastics, is continuously increasing. The materials are becoming more resistant and durable and can be shaped in almost any way imaginable. “Plastic materials have been part of our lives since the era of industrialization; they are an expression of modernity.  And PLEXIGLAS® has also been there for decades,” said Zec. “Whether it can be assigned to the history of design or architecture depends on the respective use or application.”

Cooperation project between Red Dot and Molding Compounds
Despite the vast portfolio of publications by Red Dot Edition, with “THE BOOK OF POSSIBILITIES – Inspiring Design with PLEXIGLAS®”, the publisher is dedicating an image book to a material which is simultaneously a brand, as well as a material, for the first time. For over 85 years, the innovative material has inspired generations of designers and engineers to develop impressive and emotional objects. The idea for the book came about during the special exhibition “PLEXIGLAS® – From the inspiring material to innovative design” at the world-renowned Red Dot Design Museum in Essen and an accompanying workshop, in which designers could discover the properties of PLEXIGLAS® for themselves.

“PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds have been a proven and innovative plastic in many sectors, such as the automotive or lighting industries, for decades now. It provides the designers with great freedom to design functional, and simultaneously emotive and emotional solutions,” said Siamak Djafarian, Head of the Molding Compounds business unit. “We are extremely proud that PLEXIGLAS® is at the heart of this new publication by Red Dot Edition. It depicts the diverse options provided by our brand PMMA in a very attractive and clear way.”

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• PLEXIGLAS® molded parts are proven in a multitude of lighting applications
• New sample box showcases the range of special molding compounds for backlighting
• PLEXIGLAS® Satinice and PLEXIGLAS® LED molding compounds can be used to create covers that spread light evenly

Thanks to the advances in LED technology, many new fields of application for polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) have opened up over recent years. Modern LED lights emit strong point lighting and are therefore dependent on a surrounding material that guides the light to where it is needed. With its high level of transmission and low inherent color, PMMA is ideally suited for the interplay of light. Whether as a luminaire cover or as a light guide in displays and projection screens, molded parts made of PLEXIGLAS® special molding compounds are a proven solution for lighting applications. At K 2019, the Molding Compounds business unit of Röhm GmbH will present a new sample box with light-scattering PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds for lighting applications to an expert audience in Hall 6, Booth no. B30.

Wide range of applications
PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds can be used to produce both completely transparent covers with light-conducting structures and those that scatter light for a broad range of purposes. The material is also easy to process and retains its good optical properties for many years.

The new sample box focuses on light-scattering variants: These are various formulations from three product families of PLEXIGLAS® special molding compounds which cover the entire spectrum of scattering properties, from light to strong. The different grades allow the distance between the light and the light-scattering cover to be varied. With the strongly light-scattering variants it is possible to realize homogenous lighting without any visible differences in brightness, known as light hot spots, even at low installation depths.

Moreover, all PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds can be processed using both the injection molding and extrusion processes. The material can be delivered worldwide.

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• Dark gray colored PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds are ideally suited to create the black panel effect
• Neutral Gray Box helps during product selection

The effect is amazing: When turned off, a display appears to seamlessly be a part of a high-gloss panel, however, when turned on, it clearly depicts the information presented in true colors. This effect, known as the black panel effect, is being used in many applications in the automotive industry and can only be implemented using materials in special, neutral gray colors. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is particularly well suited to be exactly colored thanks to being completely colorless. At K 2019, Hall 6, Booth No. B30, the Molding Compounds business unit from Röhm GmbH will present its portfolio of neutral gray special colorings of PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds to an expert audience. The dark coloring of this series is especially well suited for manufacturing multi-functional panels with the black panel effect.

Trend towards multi-functional panels
“Quite a while ago, we recognized the trend that large decorative panels and displays in vehicles are being melted to multi-functional panels or integrated displays. The border between the panel and the display is becoming less and less apparent thanks to specially colored materials,” said Sven Schröbel, Head of Product Management for Automotive in the Molding Compounds Business Unit at Röhm GmbH. “We already have the right products for applications like this with our special, neutral gray PLEXIGLAS® colorings.”

Visitors to K 2019 can see the benefits of the neutral gray special colorings for themselves on the “PLEXIGLAS® Neutral Gray Box” This example box contains all available neutral gray special colorings and aids in selecting the right product for a specific component by using graphical illustrations to show the interaction between transmission and wall thickness of a component.

•  Further information

• Special molding compounds for a variety of applications
• Material development follows trends in application areas
• On display at K 2019: PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds for displays with black panel effect, lighting applications with homogeneous light distribution and for high-gloss decorative panels in car bodies

LED technology has transformed the lighting sector, just as electric drives are currently changing the automotive industry. Material manufacturers need to adapt to new framework conditions and offer tailor-made materials for the respective applications – and PLEXIGLAS® special molding compounds from Röhm GmbH are a perfect example of this. The Molding Compounds business unit will demonstrate how design elements can be combined with a range of functions in Hall 6, Booth no. B30 at K 2019 in Düsseldorf, which will be held between October 16 to 23.

Evonik Industries’ former Methacrylate Verbund, to which the Molding Compounds business unit belongs, has been transferred to its new owner, Advent International on August 1. The business unit producing special molding compounds under the PLEXIGLAS® brand is now presenting itself as part of the independent company Röhm GmbH for the first time.

“PLEXIGLAS® is an extremely versatile plastic that offers great design freedom, is highly weather-resistant, and is easy to mold and process, among other properties. The material also impresses with its low weight and excellent light-guiding properties,” explains Siamak Djafarian, Head of the Molding Compounds business unit. As a result, the material has long since established itself in many applications, such as the lighting and automotive industries and the electronics and household appliances sectors, where it helps create the latest innovations. “This wide range of applications is also reflected at our trade fair booth,” adds Djafarian.

Examples of innovative materials at K 2019

PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds for homogeneous lighting in vehicles:
One trend from the automotive industry is visible to trade fair visitors even from afar: Enormous lighting elements on the sides of the booth are reminiscent of modern taillights, which have long since evolved from merely functional signal lights to become large, brand-specific design elements. These homogeneous light features are realized thanks to transparent and light-diffusing PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds. They offer good light-scattering properties as well as minimal light transmission losses, and are available in a range of formulations depending on the specific application.

With the new sample box at the trade fair booth, visitors to K 2019 can see the properties of the various light-scattering PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds for themselves.

PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds for displays with black panel effect:
A display measuring 3 x 1.5 meters at the middle of the PLEXIGLAS® trade fair booth displays a number of surprising effects: When switched off, the display is invisible and appears to be part of the booth wall – but when it is switched on, it comes to life and shows multimedia content in its true colors. This is known as the “black panel effect” and is enjoying growing popularity in the automotive industry among others. Infotainment systems in the central console only come to the fore when they are needed, while at other times they do not distract from the elegant and uniform appearance of the interior. However, this effect can only be realized with a material in special, neutral gray colors – such as the various special colorings of PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds, which the Molding Compounds business unit will be showcasing at the booth.

PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds for high-gloss decorative panels in car bodies:
High-gloss car body components, such as pillar panels or covers for ventilation inlets, are another real eye-catcher at the trade fair booth. These can contribute to the elegant overall impression of the car bodywork. Electric drives are opening up new design possibilities for such parts: The electric motors free up space in the lower car body part, as less ventilation is needed and the radiator grille is no longer necessary. PLEXIGLAS® Hi-Gloss NTA-5 is a particularly impact-resistant molding compound for components in the lower vehicle section, combining optimum mechanical properties with high weather resistance, scratch resistance and depth of color.

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• Acquisition by Advent International successfully completed
• Carve-out creates basis for growth and further development
• Investments in technologies and sites planned to build a global market and technology leader in methacrylate chemicals
• “The new name, Röhm, stands for quality and a pioneering spirit,” says Michael Pack, CEO

Today, Röhm GmbH successfully completed the carve-out from Evonik Industries. Evonik Industries’ Methacrylate Verbund is thus transferred to its new owner, Advent International, as an independent company. With revenues of EUR 1.9 billion (2018 figures) and innovative products, the company is one of the global market leaders in methacrylate chemicals. With the implementation of an innovative production technology for methyl methacrylate, Röhm GmbH is also targeting global technology leadership. The company has around 3,900 employees worldwide across 15 production sites in Germany (Worms, Darmstadt, Weiterstadt, Wesseling, Hanau), China, the USA, Russia, and South Africa.

Continuing the success story
“The name, Röhm, stands for quality and a pioneering spirit,” says CEO Michael Pack. Otto Röhm, chemist and company founder, is regarded as the founder of methacrylate chemistry. With the development of the highly transparent multifunctional plastic PLEXIGLAS® some 85 years ago, he achieved his international breakthrough. Thanks to the chemical foundation Röhm laid, a comprehensive product portfolio for a wide range of applications could be developed. Today, the company supplies its products to numerous growth sectors, such as the automotive, electronics, and construction industries. “That’s why we deliberately chose Röhm as our company name,” says Pack. While the company is maintaining a deep connection with its roots, the CEO has a firm eye on the future of the new Röhm.

Further strengthening the leading market positions
“It is our goal to keep driving the growth of our business and to further strengthen leading market positions through investments and targeted expansion. We have efficient structures, leading technologies, smart ideas for innovation, and – just as importantly – highly qualified employees and strong brands,” Pack emphasizes. “This self-confidence and a sense of optimism about beginning our new future are also reflected in the new logo and design of the Röhm brand.”

Investing in technologies and sites
The strong starting position of the Methacrylate Verbund also convinced Advent International. The new owner is one of the world’s largest private equity firms. With more than 30 successfully completed transactions over the course of three decades, Advent International has extensive experience in the chemicals industry.

“We see great potential to establish Röhm as a global market and technology leader in methacrylate chemicals,” says Ronald Ayles, Managing Partner and Global Head of Chemicals at Advent International. “In partnership with the management and employees, we will continue to develop Röhm through investments and expansion.” “With the support of Advent International we are now able to initiate important investments in our technologies and the expansion of our production facilities to further strengthen our leading market position,” says Pack.

A wide product range for diverse applications
With PLEXIGLAS®, Röhm GmbH’s product portfolio includes the world-famous brand for acrylic glass. PLEXIGLAS® is used in cars, airplane windows, screens or displays, as building glazing, noise protection, and in the advertising industry. The indispensable precursor for PLEXIGLAS® is methyl methacrylate. It is also used for the production of varnishes and paints, floor coatings, adhesives, and other materials, including dental products. Other examples of Röhm’s product range are methacrylate resins for the manufacture of industry floors and road markings, as well as cyanide for the leaching of precious metals in the mining industry.

•  Röhm excited to continue as an independent company