Electricity and Control February 2020

DIARY DATES

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Africa Agri Tech (AAT) 18-20 February 2020 The Maslow Conference Centre, Menlyn Maine, Pretoria

Recycling plastic energy chains – a world first W hat happens when a plastic energy chain reaches the end of its useful service life? Usually, it is disposed of and incinerated with other plastic waste. Motion plastics specialist, igus, has now introduced the igus green chainge recycling programme, starting in Germany and soon to be rolled out worldwide. Users can send their plastic chains – irrespective of the manufacturer – to igus for recycling. This means they can eliminate disposal costs – and they receive a voucher to buy products from igus. Customers and the environment both benefit. Around the world the proportion of plastic waste that is recycled for new use is low – ranging between 10% and 20% in different countries and regions. Although a long-lasting plastic energy chain is not comparable with daily 'throwaway' products such as plastic packaging, the question of how to dispose of it still arises at the end of its service life. Recycling rarely occurs as the cost of separating the different materials in an energy chain and recycling them to make usable granulate is too high. In most factories, the typical procedure is to remove the energy chains from the machines and dispose of them with other plastic waste in industrial waste skips. In most cases, the plastics are then incinerated. igus is now offering an environmentally friendly alternative in its green chainge recycling programme. The aim of the programme is to recycle the plastic from energy chains and reuse it for new products. Old and out-of-use plastic energy chains received by igus will be sorted, cleaned, shredded and packed. They can then be reused by igus or other companies for the production of high-quality technical products. In return, the customer receives a voucher to the value calculated on a given rate per kilogram of plastic. Frank Blase, CEO of igus GmbH, says, "In taking on this responsibility with its igus chainge recycling programme, the company is aiming to make a contribution towards reducing plastic waste and improving the recycling process. This is not something new for us. As the world's biggest manufacturer of plastic energy chains, we already recycle 99 per cent of the plastic waste occurring in production to reuse it as re-granulate. The chainge programme is the next important step towards sustainable business operations."

The conference, workshops and expo will look at how the latest innovations and advances in agri tech can deliver greater efficiencies for farmers in 2020 and beyond and how best to harness technology to benefit agriculture in Africa. Visit: www.africaagritech.co.za Africa Energy Indaba 3-4 March 2020 Cape Town International Convention Centre Catalysing investment and business opportunities – Africa Energy Indaba brings together the continent’s energy leaders around an agenda that influences energy policy for Africa, backed by strategic partnerships with the World Energy Council, the South African National Energy Association and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency. Visit: www.africaenergyindaba.com The world’s leading industrial technology show will focus on key trends in industrial transformation: Industrie 4.0, industrial security, artificial intelligence, lightweight construction, logistics 4.0, platform economics, carbon-free production. Visit: https://www.hannovermesse.de/home PowerGen Africa 2020 Co-located with African Utility week 12-14 May Cape Town International Convention Centre African Utility Week is Africa’s meeting place for the power, energy and water value chain. PowerGen Africa adds the focus on generation technologies, alongside transmission, distribution and metering, as well as new technologies including energy storage, mini and micro grids, IoT and ICT systems. Visit: https://www.powergenafrica.com Hannover Messe 2020 20-24 April 2020 Hannover, Germany

For more information visit: www.igus.eu/recycling, or contact Ian Hewat at Igus SA. Tel: +27 (0)11 312 1848, email: ihewat@igus.co.za

Machine Tools Africa 2020 12-15 May 2020 Expo Centre, Nasrec, Johannesburg

High performance machine tools. Endorsed by Machine Tools Merchants' Association of South Africa (MTMA). Visit: https://www.machinetoolsafrica.co.za

Electra Mining Africa 7-11 September 2020 Expo Centre, Nasrec, Johannesburg

A shared exhibition platform for the African mining, industrial, construction and electrical sectors. Visit: https://www.electramining.co.za

Schematic of the new igus chainge recycling programme which makes it easy for users of plastic energy chains to recycle used chains. Igus handles the separation, sorting and reprocessing of the component materials for reuse.

36 Electricity + Control

FEBRUARY 2020