Bookmark 12-18-2013

Bioplastics Award for Innovative Spacer Profiles

Wolfgang Bauer (left), Head of Quality Management at Helmut Lingemann, recieves the Award from Michael Thielen, publisher of bioplastics Magazine and member of the jury (figure: bioplastics Magazine)

This year's Bioplastics Award was given to Helmut Lingemann GmbH & Co. KG, Wuppertal, Germany, for their innovative spacer profiles Nirotec Evo for insulating window glazing.

The Annual Global Bioplastics Award, presented by the trade publication bioplastics Magazine for the 8th time now, recognizes innovation, success and achievements by manufacturers, processors, brand owners or users of bioplastic materials. It was given to Wolfgang Bauer, Head of Quality Management at Helmut Lingemann on December 10th during the 8th European Bioplastics Conference in Berlin. From a list of almost 20 proposals five judges from the academic world, the press and industry associations from America, Europa and Asia have selected five finalists and now announced the winner.

Helmut Lingemann GmbH & Co.KG have been involved for more than 30 years as an innovative market leader in the sector insulation glass spacers. The new spacer system Nirotec Evo is applied in windows and facades with a high level of insulation to reduce the energy losses by using double and triple glazing.

The technological requirements are high strength and structural reinforcement (e.g. tensile modulus), low thermal conductivity, no fogging when used in insulating glass, no incompatibility with other components in the insulation of windows and facades. In combination with the target of reducing the use of fossil fuels this can only be achieved by using stainless steel in combination with a biopolymer. Together with a partner, a tailor-made blend of different biopolymers based on PLA, biopolyester and further additives were developed, which met the requirements 100%.

According to the jury, the material selection of stainless steel foil and this bioplastic material for the manufacture of such spacers is unique. The applicability and thermal characteristics of the material combination for the spacer represents a milestone in innovation for the insulating glass industry. Until now about 2 million metres of Nirotec Evo have been processed into insulating glass units. The biopolymer ratio is approximately 40 tonnes.