Owens Corning, a leading global producer of glass fibre reinforcements for composite systems, announced at the JEC Composites Show that it has pioneered a new solution to help kitchen appliance and food processing equipment manufacturers comply with impending European regulations on glass fiber used in materials for food and drinking water contact. Owens Corning's FoodContact glass fibre solution for reinforced plastic is designed for use in consumer appliance and food manufacturing products such as kitchen utensils and kitchenware; coffee machines; food preparation equipment; ingredient holding tanks; and drinking water systems. "Developing an understanding of the markets and regulations early has positioned us to help our customers reduce risk of disruption as they work to comply," said Owens Corning Composite Solutions Business Director of Global Thermoplastics, Steve Zirkel. The reinforcements were developed to perform optimally in high-temperature resins such as PPS and LCP as well as PPO, PA and polyester-based resins PBT and PET. It is available as glass fibre reinforcement in the form of a chopped strand for use in thermoplastic resins. It is the first product to market that meets the upcoming 2016 European Commission regulations for glass fibre sizing, chemical make-up and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
