Montreal university opens R&D coextrusion line

Polynov Laboratory is a first in the field of university research for North America: a full commercial-scale coextrusion line available for both academic and industrial research. Polynov’s Davis-Standard sheet line will be housed within the compounding facility of Lavergne Group in Anjou, just east of Montreal.

The new laboratory is part of the Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal. “These facilities will be used by graduate students as well as by industry and other institutions as part of contractual research projects,” explains Professor Pierre J. Carreau, director of the school’s plastics research branch, Centre de recherche en plasturgie et composites (CREPEC).

“A number of companies have already signalled their intentions, and discussions are currently underway. The Cascades Group, a specialty products manufacturer, recently installed a 114 in. coextrusion line, which means that they are now committed to developing numerous products. Laboratory tests at the Polynov will take on a preliminary role in the production process. Klockner, Flexia and Winpak have also expressed interest in the lab’s facilities and in the research carried out at CREPEC.”

Because the laboratory has the flexibility to cover a range of forming processes, the target markets are numerous: construction materials such as vapor barriers; paper products such as decorative packaging; panels for the automotive industry; sanitary products; synthetic papers such as bank notes; and food packaging.