CRW Plásticos - 30 anos

CRW Plásticos is a multinational Brazilian company founded in the city of Guarulhos, state of São Paulo in 1979. The company has been developing and constructing molds and transforming thermoplastics by injection for over 30 years. At the present time the company has business units in Brazil, Slovakia and in the United States.

Cronology

Currently, CRW Plastics rely on 2 development and mold manufacturing plants, 5 production plants, 1 warehouse and business offices strategically situated in foreign countries.

By mastering the production process technology CRW became a consolidated company well-known by its constant innovation, high quality of its technological park and by its excellence in serving large corporations involved in all types of industries such as Automotive, Refrigeration, Electro-electronic and the Mechanical industry. 

CRW performs the whole production cycle of plastic parts and components including the development and manufacture of molds, injection, finishes and assembly; up to its logistic process.

Philosophy -  4M's of CRW

With the philosophy of 4M's work, which means excellence in:

MOLD, MACHINE, RAW MATERIALS and LABOR -

CRW Plastics maintains a high level of technology and development in the means of production, uses the most suitable materials the required application, and enhances intensely the Team Intellectual of Organization.

 

 Global Vision

Through its Global Vision policy, CRW Plásticos excels in developing and manufacturing any part that may be produced in plastic by injection. The employees must be alert to potential new clients, competitors, new technologies and processes. CRW has strategic locations, enabling them to be geographically near costumers whenever possible. This ensures CRW provide the best service and help available, allowing costumers to become leaders in their industries.

CRW in Numbers

Mission

"Meet our internal and external clients' expectations, act upon social and environmental responsibility in order to grow in a sustainable manner".

Vision

To be recognized as a national and international reference in thermoplastic injection transformation processes.

Values

Passion - For the desire of playing our role with enthusiasm, pride, enjoyment, believing in what we do, contributing to CRW's success with dedication, professionalism, loyalty, taking on the commitment of achieving common goals to its philosophy with integrity.

Courage - For the moral force that drives us to confront the unknown and adverse situations with determination and confidence towards a successful outcome.

Confidence - For our desire to do it differently and better, using creativity and audacity. 

Excellence - For constantly striving for perfection in everything we do to exceed the satisfaction to our clients and employees, through inventive and transforming actions. 

By building a process certification partnership with BVQI, CRW aims at complying with the requisites demanded by all its different clients and markets.

Currently, CRW is certified according to ISO 9001:2008 and ISO TS 16949 standards.  It has also obtained the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) Certification for the electro-electronic market. 

CRW owns laboratories that are equipped with the latest technologies ensuring product conformity from mold manufacturing to customer delivery. Some of the performed testing and used equipment in these labs are:

PHYSICAL / CHEMICAL LAB

CRW believes and values its intellectual heritage and, for this reason, it constantly invests in its employees' training with the following actions:

• Training
• Team Work
• Leadership Development
• Internal Recognition
• Career Opportunities
• Education Incentives - English classes and Scholarships

With regard to the health and well-begin of it’s employees, CRW has developed programs to provide access to health and quality of life information. We encourage each employee, to acquires healthy habits and assume full responsibility for their health, thereby improving the working environment and the physical and mental well-being of all.

CRW believes and invests in initiatives that will ensure a sustainable future for the planet. For that reason, all product development procedures are constantly improved in order to minimize the impacts on the environment and also minimize the use of natural resources. 

Some examples of the environmental initiatives that are developed by CRW one: 

• Selective waste collection and disposal, in the all units;
• Investment in Electric Machines that reduce energy consumption by 40%;
• Constant search for raw materials that do not harm the environment;
• Closed-cycle of water for heat exchange system, preventing water waste in the injection process.
• Internal and external actions in order to promote environmental education for employees and community.

In search of environmentally friend solutions for the disposal of their electronic waste, CRW is a partner of EcoBrasil Plastics, which is specialized in collection, transportation, storage, dismantling, separation, classification and characterization of outdated electronics. CRW Plastics has also the Certificate of Responsible and Destination Report what warrants that its digital discharges will be environmentally friend.

Environmental policy

CRW Plásticos, a company dedicated to engineering thermoplastics processing, is committed to respecting the environment, acting preventively about its processes, products and services to ensure that environmental impacts can be minimized through the following principles:

1 - Comply with environmental laws, respecting the land, air and water;

2 - Provide suitable facilities for all locations in order to protect the environment, connecting employees and working environment;

3 - Continually improve environmental performance, reducing waste, energy and water consumption, and pollution prevention deriving from its activities;

4 - Adapt our production techniques and raw material usage, in order to avoid harmful waste generation to the environment;

5 - Disseminate these principles to the employees through education and training, encouraging them to conduct their activities in a responsible manner towards the environment;

6 - Encourage suppliers, and partners to adopt these principles;

7 - Promote waste reduction, reuse and recycling;

8 - Disclose to the community our environmental efforts and advancements in implementing this policy.

Social Responsibility

Nowadays the company supports the Institution "Paixão pela Vida" (Passion for Life institute) and Home institution Lar Emanuel, both situated in the city of Joinville - Santa Catarina (SC) state in Brazil. 

CRW also encourages its employees to participate in social activities such as community outreach and social volunteering.

What is plastic?

The origin of the plastic word comes from the Greek “plastikós”, it means adequate to the molding.

Technically, plastics are substances formed by great macro-molecule chains that contain in its structures, mainly, carbon and hydrogen.

Material calls are formed by the union of great molecular chains called polymers, that, in turn, are formed by lesser molecules, called monomers.

The plastics are produced through a chemical process called polymerization, that provides the chemical monomer union to form polymers.

Capable for molding, polymers can be natural or synthetic. The natural ones, such as cotton, wood, hair, horn of ox, latex, among others, are common in animal and plants. The synthetic ones, such as plastics, are obtained by man through chemical reactions.

The size and structure of the polymer molecule determine the properties of the plastic material.

Advantage of Use

Have you ever imagined what the world would be like without plastics?

Plastics are not toxic, they are inert.  For this specific property, they are widely used to pack foods, drinks and medicines. Plastic protects the health in applications as syringes, bags for blood transfusion and bottles for physiological serum.

There are instances where plastics are the only suitable material for a particular purpose. This is because they possess a number of properties rarely found in other materials: 

• Excellent thermal-acoustic insulators;
• Poor conductors of electricity;
• Heat resistant;
• Chemically inert;
• Light, resilient and flexible;
• Represent excellent cost/benefit relationship.

Plastic packaging protects the products, guarantees the alimentary security (NOT SURE WHAT IS MEANT HERE), prevents contamination, transmission of illnesses, proliferation of insects and rodents. While reducing product loss, plastic prevents the wastefulness of everything the society and the environment had invested to produce it (energy, natural resources, work, etc.).

Although used abundantly, only 4% of the world’s oil production is destined for use in the production of plastic.

Another advantage of plastics is its lightness, providing great economy in the transport of the products. When discarded, they reduce the weight of the residues, diminish the cost of collection and lessen the risk in handling at its final destination.

Finally, the main advantage of plastics is that they are 100% recyclable. To benefit from this advantage, society must promote the proper disposal of the packaging and extend the utilization of selective collection.

Importance for life 

Plastic is responsible for great advances. It brings series of unquestionable benefits for the modern society and are being used in large-scale in many areas of the industry. 

It is being common to observe that parts initially produced with other materials, particularly metal, glass or wood, have been substituted for others made of plastics.

With the raw materials uses coming from the recycling of plastic materials it is possible to manufacture an infinite number of products, such as: clothing, automotive components, conduits, carpets, bags, articles of visual communication, soles, pallets and furniture, among many others. 

The productive plastics chain contributes decisively for its sustainable development, helping conserve the natural resources, improving quality of life for people and contributing to the economic growth.

Competitive costs, ease of installation and low maintenance have made plastics perfectly suitable for the meeting the basic necessities: water habitation, sanitation, supplement and health. 

This expansion happens mostly due to its main characteristics, which are: low cost, reduced weight, raised resistance, forms and colors variation, besides presenting many times, a superior performance to one of the materials used before previously.

Types of Plastics

Plastics are in seven groups or categories:

1. PET 
2. HDPE 
3. PVC 
4. LDPE / LLDPE, 
5. PP, 
6. PS, 
7. Other (ABS / SAN, EVA, PA, PC). 

PET - polyethylene terephthalate 

Products 
Jars and bottles for use in food / hospital, cosmetics, microwave trays, films, audio and video, textiles, etc.

Benefits
Transparent, unbreakable, waterproof, lightweight.

HDPE - high density polyethylene

Products 
Packaging for detergents and automotive oils, grocery bags, liquor stores, closures, drums for paints, pots, housewares, etc.

Benefits
Unbreakable, low temperature resistant, lightweight, waterproof, tough and chemical resistant.

PVC - polyvinyl chloride

Products 
Packaging for mineral water, edible oils, mayonnaise, juices. Profiles for windows, water pipes and sewers, pipes, containers for medicine, toys, blood bags, hospital supplies, etc.

Benefits
Rigid, transparent, waterproof, heat resistant and unbreakable.

LDPE / LLDPE - low density polyethylene / linear low density polyethylene

Products 
Bags for supermarkets and boutiques, films for packaging milk and other foods, industrial bags, films for disposable diapers, medical scholarship for serum, garbage bags, etc.

Benefits
Flexible, lightweight transparent and waterproof.

PP - Polypropylene

Products 
And food packaging films, industrial packaging, ropes, pipes for hot water, wires and cables, bottles, drink boxes, automobile parts, carpet fibers housewares, pots, diapers and disposable syringes, etc.

Benefits 
Retains the aroma, unbreakable, transparent, glossy, tough and resistant to temperature changes.

PS - polystyrene 

Products 
Containers for yogurt, ice cream, candy, bottles, trays for supermarkets, refrigerators (inside door), plates, disposable razors, toys, etc.

Benefits
Waterproof, unbreakable, rigid, transparent, light and bright.

Others - This group includes, among others, the following plastics: ABS / SAN, EVA, PA, and PC.

Products 
Soles, auto, slippers, tires, accessories and nautical sports, and special engineering plastics, CDs, appliances, computers bodies, etc.

Benefits 
Flexibility, light weight, abrasion resistance, possibility of different design.

Transformation Process 

In a  mixture preparing of moldable plastic and plastic resins, may be used additives such as plasticizers, fillers, dyes and pigments, stabilizers, impact modifiers and lubricants. 

After the production process, the plastics that are generated in the form of grain are shipped to manufacturing industries, which will turn the resin into products through the following processes:

Extrusion 

An extruder consists essentially of a cylinder which rotates inside an Archimedes screw (screw worm), that promotes the transport of the plastic material. This is gradually heated, plasticized, compressed and forced through a hole in the head array mounted on the end of the cylinder. The heating is promoted throughout the cylinder and head, usually by electric heaters, steam or oil. The material thus softened and conformed undergoes a cooling. Thus, the extrusion process can be used to obtain films of LDPE, for use as plastic bags or tubes of PVC or PE.

Blow 

The blow molding allows  the manufacture of hollow parts such as bags, jars or bottles. 

The process consists in the expansion of a pre-shaped tube on the effect of heating and air inside a mold split. In contact with the mold, the material cools and hardens, allowing the opening and removal of the artifact. It can be observed in the plastic bottle a continuous line that runs through all the packaging, resulting from this type of molding.  

Injection

Injection molding is the process that allows the manufacture of plastic utensils in general - bowls, lids, boxes, bumpers, hubcaps, etc.. It is the introduction of plastic into a closed mold, cold or slightly warmed, by pressure supplied by a plunger. The material fills the mold cavities and the artifact is subsequently extracted. In general, it can be observed at the base of the plastic part a "scar" that is the point of injection of plastic into the mold. 

How to recognize?

The difficulty in recycling plastic residues after use is that these are found mixed, creating the need for separating the different types, because some are incompatible with others.

There is another simple way to identify some plastics found in the garbage. This methodology is based on physical characteristics and the thermal degradation of plastics. It can also be very useful when there are doubts about type of resin. Some of these characteristics will be shown.

Characteristics

Polyethylenes of low and high density

• Low density (it floats in the water); 
• Melts in low temperature (PEBD = 85ºC; PEAD = 120ºC);
• They burn as candle liberating a paraffin smell;
• Smooth and "serous" surface.

Polypropylene 

• Low density (it floats sin the water); 
• Melts in low temperature (150ºC); 
• Burns as candle liberating I smell of paraffin;
• Films when pressed in the hands they make sounds similar to the cellophane paper.

Poly (chloride of vinila)

• High density (it sinks in the water);
• Melts in low temperature (80ºC);
• Burns with great difficulty and liberate an acrid smell; 
• It is weldable by solvent (ketones).

Polystyrene 

• High density (it sinks in the water); 
• Fragile; 
• Melts in low temperatures (80 100ºC);
• Relatively easy burning liberating a styrene smell;
• Affected by many solvents.

Poly (terephthalate of ethylene)

• High density (it sinks in the water); 
• Very resistant; 
• Melts in low temperature (80ºC); 
• Used in Brazil in packing of soft drinks and it is starting to be used in packing of vegetal oils, mineral water and others.

What is recycling? 

Recycling is one of the alternatives for the treatment of the urban garbage and it contributes directly to the conservation of the environment. It deals with the garbage as raw material that is reused to make new products and brings benefits for all, as the reduction the amount of garbage sent to a sanitary landfill, reduction in use of natural resources, the improvement in cleanliness of cities and the increase in citizens’ awareness regarding the destination of the garbage.

The main factors for recycling stimulation and reduction of garbage volume to transport (treatment and disposal), increasing with this the useful life of the landfill areas. 

The Brazilian garbage contains 5 to10% of plastics, depending on location. There are materials, such as glass, that occupy considerable space in the environment. 

The recycling of plastic demands about 10% of energy used in the primary process and in total of all the plastic produced in Brazil, we only recycle 15%. One of the problems is the large variety of plastic types. One of the alternatives would be to define a specific type of plastic to be collected. 

The use of recycled plastic in manufacturing saves 70% of energy, considering all process from the exploration of the primary raw material to the end product. Moreover, if the discarded product remains in the environment, could cause more pollution.

It can be understood as an alternative for the supplying market oscillations and also as preservation of the natural resources, which can also reduce the costs of the raw material. The recycled plastic has infinite applications, both in the traditional markets of virgin resins and in new markets. 

Chemical recycling

Chemical recycling reprocesses plastics, transforming them into basic petrochemicals that serve as raw material in refineries or petrochemical plants. 

Its objective is the recovery of individual chemical components for reuse as chemical products or for the production of new plastics.

Newly developed processes in chemical recycling allow the reuse of various plastic mixtures, with the acceptance of a specified grade of contaminants as, for example, inks, papers, as it can be observed in figure 2.

Figure 2: Flowchart of chemical recycling. Summary of process steps

Among the existing chemical recycling processes, distinguished:

• Hydrogenation:: The chains are broken by hydrogen  treatment and heat, having generated products that can be processed in refineries. 
• Gasification: The plastics are heated with air or oxygen, generating synthesis containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen. 
• Quimolysis: It consists on the partial or total breaking of plastics in monomers in the presence of Glycol/Methanol and water. 
• Pyrolysis: It is the braking of molecules by the action of heat in oxygen absence. This process generates hydro-carbons fractions able to be processed in refineries.

Mechanical recycling

Mechanical recycling is the conversion of discarded post-industrial plastic or post-consumer granules that can be reused in the production of other products such as trash bags, shoe soles, flooring, conduits, pipes, automobile components, fibers, non-packaging Food and others.

This recycling allows the production of products composed of a single type of plastic, or plastic products of different blends in certain proportions. It is estimated that in Brazil 15% of post consumer plastic waste is mechanically recycled.

This type of process involves the following steps:

• Separation: separation on a conveyor belt  of different types of plastics, according to the identification or the visual aspect. At this stage also labels are separated in different materials, bottle caps and composite products consisting of more than one type of plastic, metallic containers, staples, etc. Since this is generally a manual step; the efficiency depends directly on the people who perform this task. Another determinant is the material quality that will be separated, If it comes from the selective collection, it is cleaner than the material from dumps or landfills.
• Milling: After being separated into the different types of plastics, these are crushed and fragmented into small pieces.
• Dry: After being crushed, this plastic goes through a washing step with water to remove contaminants. It is necessary that the wash water is treated for reuse or issue as effluent.
• Bonding: In addition to complete drying, the material is compressed, thus reducing the volume that will be sent to the extruder. The friction of the fragments against the wall of rotating equipment causes high temperature, leading to the formation of a plastic mass. The binder is also used to incorporate additives such as fillers, pigments and lubricants.
• Extrusion: The extruder melts and produces a homogeneous plastic mass. In the extruder output, is the head, creating a "spaghetti" continuum, which is cooled with water. Then, the "spaghetti" is perforated in a granulator and turned into pellet (granulate plastics).

Um exemplo de processo e suas etapas de produção podem ser observados na figura 3.

Figura 3: Fluxograma das principais etapas para a produção do plastico granulado.

Energy Recycling

Energy recycling is now a reality and an important alternative in the management of urban waste. It is a technology that turns municipal waste into electricity and heat, a process widely used abroad, and leverages the high calorific value contained in plastics for being used as fuel.

Countries that adopt this process and create new sources of energy, can substantially reduce the volume of its waste, an incalculable benefit to cities with space problems  for disposal of urban waste.

The presence of plastics is of a vital importance because it increases the efficiency of incineration due to the high calorific value, reducing the municipal wastes.

The heat can be recovered in a boiler, using the steam to generate electricity and / or heating.

Full-scale tests in Europe confirmed the good results of co-combustion of waste plastics with coal, peat and wood. These test results brought both technical, economic, and environmental benefits.

The burning of plastics in the recycling processes reduces the energy use of fossil fuels, consequently the economy of natural resources.

Energy Recycling is used in various European countries, the USA and Japan. It uses the highest technology equipment, with secure emission controls, avoiding risks to health or the environment.

Indices of mechanical recycling (IRMP)

Index of Recycling - Recycling Index is considered the ratio between the total amount of recycled products and solid waste generated.

Midfielders Scores Recycling in Brazil (%)

Aluminum ..................................... 70%

Glass ........................................... 35%

Role ............................................ 32%

Steel ............................................ 18%

Plastic .......................................... 12%

Fontes:

1. (AMBIENTE BRASIL) Disponível cm
http://ambientes.ambientebrasil.com.br/residuos/reciclagem/reciclagem_de_plastico.html e pesquisado no dia 9 de Setembro de 2010. 

2. (ABIPLAST) Disponível em 
http://www.abiplast.org.br/index.php?page=conteudo&id=00050&cat=men⊂=00050 e pesquisado no dia 9 de Setembro de 2010.

3.(INTITUTO) Disponível em 
http://www.institutoaqualung.com.br/info_reciclagem31.html e pesquisado no dia 10 de Setembro de 2010.

4. (PLAS6) Disponível em
http://www.pennagov.net/plasticos/plas6.htm e pesquisado no dia 10 de Setembro de 2010.

5. (RECLICLAVEIS) Disponível em
http://www.reciclaveis.com.br/mercado/plas.html e pesquisado no dia 9 de Setembro de 2010.

6. (TETRAPAK) Disponível em 
http://www.tetrapak.com/br/meio_ambiente/ciclo_de_vida_da_embalagem/pages/reciclagem.aspx e pesquisado no dia 10 de Setembro de2010.

Glossary

• Additive
  • Product used in small quantities to change during its production and use, characteristics and properties of materials such as plastics, paints, inks and lubricants, resulting in better durability and appearance.
• Agent polymerization
  • The hardening of all systems under-curable, traditionally achieved by heating, it is now possible with the use of beams of light, usually ultraviolet light.
• Antimicrobial
  • A substance that prevents the growth of microbes and medical properties adds to consumer products such as soap and toothpaste.
• Antioxidant
  • Additive that prevents the degradation of plastics, lubricants and surface coatings.
• Biodegradable
  • Matters that can be composted into soil or water by microorganisms that normally live there.
• Burden
  • Block material compressed and bound to occupy less space.
• Cellulose
  • Main component of plant cells.
• Chemical process
  • Obtaining or processing of any material with the use of chemicals.
• Coating
  • Broad term for paints, printing inks and varnishes. Although associated with the decoration, the coatings also protect the areas of damage and corrosion.
• Composting
  • Decomposition of organic waste by microbes.
• Disintegrate
  • Separate into smaller pieces.
• Dispersion
  • Suspension of fine particles such as pigments, in a fluid. The pigments are sometimes sold in this way, particularly for common inks, printing inks and plastics applications.
• Elastomer
  • Plastic with properties similar to rubber.
• Energy
  • Capacity of a substance to perform work. In the manufacturing and transportation energy is obtained mainly by the use of fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal.
• Environment
  • The group formed by the elements of air, water and soil.
• Hardener
  • Component systems in thermo-curable polymers which accelerates the healing to occur.
• HDPE
  • Appointment of a synthetic polymer of high density polyethylene.
• Heat stabilizer
  • Additive that prevents the degradation of plastics and surface coatings, when exposed to heat and oxygen.
• Incineration
  • Burns held at high temperatures in special ovens.
• Landfill
  • Big dig in the soil to receive the collected garbage, where it will be treated to not pollute the air, soil and water.
• LDPE
  • Appointment of a synthetic polymer of low density polyethylene.
• Light stabilizer
  • Additive that prevents the degradation by light plastics and surface coatings.
• LLDPE
  • Name of synthetic polymer Polyethylene linear low density.
• Microorganism
  • Microbe or germ that can cause diseases or deteriorate food.
• Monomer
  • Composed of molecules that are combined together or with others to form polymers.
• Natural resources
  • The set of materials available in nature.
• PET
  • Designation of the synthetic polymer polyethylene terephthalate.
• Photoinitiator
  • Additive which, when exposed to light, catalyzes the hardening of inks, coatings and adhesives, and chemically fixed images used in electronic materials and graphics.
• Photoresist
  • Light-sensitive material used in manufacturing printed circuit boards to ensure that drivers are applied in the copper plates with maximum accuracy.
• Pigment
  • Insoluble coloring material before, during and after implementation; intended to give color to plastics, paints, printing inks and synthetic fibers.
• Plastic
  • Material formed by the union of large molecular chains called polymers, which in turn are made up of smaller molecules called monomers.
• Polyethylene
  • Polymer of ethylene, used for insulating electrical materials, packaging etc.
• Polymer
  • Material drawn from extensive molecular chains of simple molecules called monomers, such as epoxy and polyurethane. The polymers can be natural or synthetic. The natural, like cotton, wood, hair, ox horn and latex, are common in plants and animals. Synthetics such as plastics, are obtained through chemical reactions.
• Polypropylene
  • Propylene polymer, used as feedstock for chemical synthesis.
• Polystyrene
  • Polymer of styrene, used as insulation in electrical and plastic objects, etc.
• Polyurethane
  • Urethane polymer, used as chemical intermediate and solvent.
• PP
  • Name of synthetic polymer polypropylene.
• PS
  • Name of synthetic polymer polystyrene.
• PVC
  • Designation of the synthetic polymer polyvinyl chloride.
• Pyrolysis
  • Decomposition by heat.
• Raw material
  • A substance used to manufacture anything.
• Recycling
  • Processing of materials used in new materials.
• Renewable source
  • Anything that can be reproduced.
• Residue
  • What remains of anything after use.
• Resin
  • Natural or synthetic polymeric material such as epoxy resins and rubber.
• Selective collection
  • Garbage collection with the separation of waste according to quality.
• Slurry
  • Net black, smelly and high pollution potential, produced by the decomposition of organic matter contained in the trash.
• Thermo-curable
  • Plastic material that can blow up or shape under the action of heat but, once hardened, no more changes upon temperature increase.
• Thermoplastic
  • Plastic that melts when heated and can be cast again.
• UV hardening
  • Hardening coating of adhesives by the action of ultraviolet light.