By Steve Toloken, Plastics News Staff
Munich, Germany - KraussMaffei Group GmbH and Chinese plastics processor Guangzhou Echom Technology Co. Ltd have formed a partnership to try to promote the German company's Skinform polyurethane coating technology in China's automotive and electronics industries.
Echom, based in Guangzhou, has invested in a Skinform system for its headquarters facility for trials and small-scale production, and the two plan a joint push, according to 1 Aug news release from Munich-based KraussMaffei.
"Echom is a customer of ours, but with this strategic partnership we are working together with them to position the technology in the Chinese market," company spokeswoman Simone Werner said in an email to Plastics News. "Echom and its Chairman Xian Ran have the connections to the uprising automotive suppliers and OEMs that will have to be convinced of this new technology."
KraussMaffei said Skinform covers a thermoplastic part in a layer of polyurethane to improve the appearance, feel or functionality, such as better scratch resistance or giving the plastic a leather-like feel.
Werner said the companies plan to jointly present Skinform technologies to Echom customers in the the automotive, electronics and other industries.
KraussMaffei claims that the Skinform process reduces the cost of manufacturing high-quality components by 30 percent compared with traditional processes.
