Continuous innovation to improve application performance is an important strategy for Victrex and the reason for its success. As a forward-looking investment in the development of next-generation thermoplastic solutions, Victrex's new ￡ 10 million world-class "Polymer Innovation Center" has now been completed. The center has been fully operational, confirming once again Victrex's pioneering research and development investment in polyetheretherketone (PEEK) polymers and other differentiated polyaryletherketone (PAEK) high-performance thermoplastics. Recent innovations including the launch of VICTREX AE250 composites in the aerospace sector are closely linked to Vigers' strategy from polymer to component.
The Polymer Innovation Center will further enhance Victrex's innovation capabilities and assist customers in developing advanced technology solutions using Victrex polyaryletherketone VICTREXPAEK. Located at the company's UK headquarters, the center will be a booster for rapid prototyping of new parts and components using new PAEK materials. The production of new and differentiated polyaryletherketones on a technological scale will help research and test high-performance polymer grades, and is expected to drive advancements in applications such as composites, 3D printing / additive manufacturing. Victrex currently leads a consortium supported by Innovate UK dedicated to 3D printing. The new polymer center will also support upgrading of existing polymer manufacturing processes.
The strategic importance of the new center is affirmed by Mr. Jakob Sigurdsson, Victrex's new CEO. He said: "Our PAEK products, services and technologies will continue to expand into new markets and applications. As a global leader in high-performance polymers And pioneers, investment in scientific research and production capacity is the key to achieving continuous innovation, shortening the innovation cycle and time to market. This new facility is an important step forward for us. In particular, we predict that the overall sales in the medium term will About 10-20% come from brand-new differentiated PAEK polymer grades and large-scale projects. This will further strengthen our research and development capabilities, and we will continue to work closely with our customers and partners to develop new and differentiated polymer solutions. Program."
The center is expected to create about 60 new jobs in this area in the next 10 years, which can carry out 30-70 kg mass production of innovative polyaryl ether ketones, and support the continuous improvement of existing product quality and performance . This 16-meter-high building is equipped with unique, state-of-the-art pilot production technology and equipment, opening a new direction for the development of high-performance polymers. After 3 years of planning and construction, the centre was recently completed and cost around ￡ 13 million. Funding was provided by the UK's Regional Development Foundation.
Industry megatrends drive PAEK polymer solutions
Megatrends have promoted the use of PAEK materials in various major industries and promoted Victrex's R & D strategy. The Polymer Innovation Center is one of them. It is expected that this center will become a booster to achieve the established growth opportunities. With advanced thermoplastics, manufacturing processes and integration solutions, Victrex's solutions can replace traditional metals and increase efficiency. Whether it is the design and development of materials and semi-finished products / finished products for the automotive, aerospace, electronics, energy, or medical industries, Victrex solutions are dedicated to improving production efficiency, performance and reliability, while reducing overall costs.
Polyetheretherketone resin (PEEK) is one of more than 300 high-performance polyaryletherketones (PAEK), located at the top of the polymer gold tower. Victrex VICTREXPEEK polymer is perfect for extreme and harsh environments. Where other materials can only meet specific individual requirements, PEEK can meet multiple requirements. It has unique inherent characteristics such as chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, excellent dimensional stability covering extreme temperatures, such as continuous use at temperatures up to 260 degrees Celsius. Other features include high strength, high hardness, resistance to hydrolysis, aggressive materials and excellent tribological properties.
* Polyaryl ether ketone (PAEK) is a high-performance thermoplastic. The most representative polyether ether ketone (PEEK) in PAEK material has a proportion of more than 80%.