SKZ aims to promote sustainable and innovative technologies
Andreas Büttner is the new head of the extrusion and compounding technology center at the SKZ Plastics Center. Since the beginning of the year, Andreas Büttner has been responsible for the activities in the Processing Technology Center, where a wide range of machinery for compounding, extrusion, blow molding, thermoforming and recycling is available on more than 1,000 square meters.
Handover of the symbolic extruder screw from Kersten Kurda (left) to Andreas Büttner. (Photo: Luca Hoffmannbeck, SKZ)
Andreas Büttner is the new head of the Materials, Compounding and Extrusion Processing Technology Center
On January 1, 2024, Kersten Kurda handed over the "symbolic key" - in the form of an extruder screw - to the extrusion and compounding pilot plant at the SKZ Plastics Center in Würzburg, Germany, to Andreas Büttner. As head of the technical center, Kurda set up the processing pilot plant more than 20 years ago and built it up over two decades to what it is today. During this time, new plastic formulations have been developed and new processing methods have been researched, tested and brought to market in thousands of tests together with industry partners. From the very beginning, formulations, preparation and processing methods for sustainable plastic compounds have been developed. A topic that is still highly topical today.
Kurda now Technical Director for Materials, Compounding and Extrusion
Kurda will continue to bring his wealth of experience to his new position as Technical Director of Materials, Compounding and Extrusion. "If you compare the current state of our available plant technology and capabilities with the early years, it shows our successful development. Andreas Büttner will continue this work and drive continuous improvement with sustainable and innovative technologies. I will give him all the support I can," says Kersten Kurda.
Education successfully established in the department
Andreas Büttner, who has been with SKZ for more than ten years, has successfully built up and established the training department in recent years. "I am now looking forward to the upcoming tasks in the area of training and the technical center. In our very broadly based, modern processing technical center, we train career changers and specialists from the plastics industry, and we also research, test and develop innovative and advanced process technologies and plastic material systems together with and for our customers. I consider myself fortunate to be able to offer these services with my competent team of experts in the field of plastics processing," explains Andreas Büttner.
SKZ "well positioned for the future"
Division Manager Dr. Johannes Rudloff is also pleased with the successful handover of the baton: "We have found a solution that ensures continuity for our partners and at the same time positions us well for the future."
Read more about compounding and extrusion at SKZ
Read more about the manufacturing processes
