Since 2003 FKuR Kunststoff GmbH located in Willich, Germany, is concentrating its business activities on the development and sales of biobased and/or bio-degradable plastics. FKuR cooperates closely with the Fraunhofer UMSICHT Institute located in Oberhausen, Germany. FKuR supplies tailor-made compounds for nearly all plastics processing processes including film extrusion, injection molding and blow molding. Generally, raw bioplastics (starch, PLA, PHA, PBS and others) are not ready-to-use, but need to be blended and compounded to tailor-made functional materials for particular applications. This processing of raw bioplastics requires special knowledge in the field of additives and a smooth compounding process. FKuR’s compounds are being used successfully within the consumer, packaging and even the automotive sector to produce goods on an industrial scale. The compounds are being sold under the well-known and established brands Biograde®, Bio-Flex® und Fibrolon®. FKuR belongs to the biggest players worldwide within the niche of bioplastics having international subsidiaries and sales representatives. Today FKuR’s staff counts more than 40 highly educated specialists both in technical support and R&D as well as sales & operations that are mainly employed within the German headquarters. FKuR is always keen to further improve their own products or to develop completely new compounds for technically challenging applications. This is one strategic measure to maintain and strengthen the leading position as producer of first class bioplastic compounds for challenging applications.
Role in the project
FKuR’s task in KaRMA2020 project is the compounding of treated modified feathers into bioplastics. FKuR will focus on the properties of the new materials and will provide the knowledge about filler-matrix-interaction. Furthermore, FKuR will analyse the high dispersion of feathers and additives in combination with a high volume throughput, and will investigate thr feeding to the compounding process.
