Kärcher is strongly committed to increasing the use of recycled materials in its well-known products. “Sustainability and environmental protection are firmly rooted in our company philosophy and actions,”said Daniel Carmine Manocchio,Manager of the group Material Technology at Kärcher’s Central Research and Development. The company is one of the first major international OEMs to evaluate and embrace DOMO’s Technyl® 4earth® technology. “After adopting Technyl® 4earth® as a component of our resource-conserving solutions, we have already manufactured more than one million high-pressure spray lances molded using this remarkable recycled polyamide.”
The spray lances must meet a range of demanding requirements including high pressure resistance, hydrolytic stability, very high impact strength, printability and compatibility with cleaning agents.
“After comprehensive testing, we selected a 30 percent glass fiber reinforced Technyl® 4earth® compound. It behaves exactly as comparable virgin PA6.6 both in terms of physical in-use properties and processability, without compromising the superior quality and safety of our equipment,”Manocchio added. “After switching the first production plant completely from virgin Technyl® to Technyl® 4earth®we are now evaluating its further use throughout our extensive portfolio.”
Technyl® 4earth® is a range of PA6.6 engineering plastics born out of the Move4earth® project supported by the European Commission (LIFE+ program). Apatented process transforms stable sources of technical fabrics, such as automotive airbag cushions, into prime quality polyamide.Technyl® 4earth® offers properties comparable to those of equivalent virgin PA6.6 and can significantly reduce such environmental impacts as CO2 emissions, water consumption, and use of non-renewable energy.
“We are proud to have such a globally renowned brand manufacturer as Kärcher recognizing the value of Technyl® 4earth®,”said Richard Bourdon, Move4earth® Project Director for DOMO Chemicals. “The spray lance is a perfect example of the demanding applications we are targeting while exploring new opportunities and partnerships with customers seeking to foster sustainable design and increase the recycled plastic content in their products.”
Technyl® 4earth® is commercially available in various grades with a glass content up to 50 percent. DOMO’s proprietary recycling technology ensures both consistent material quality and security of supply to meet fast-growing demand for more sustainable high-performance applications in a wide range of markets, from automotive components to electrical appliances, and consumer and industrial goods.
®Technyl, 4earth and Move4earth are registered trademarks of DOMO Chemicals
