Data Source: Sharon Yang, 2009.03.06, “DESIGN in TAIWANâ€
Conform to the Trend of Globally Energy Saving and Environmental Protection - Taiwan's "Power In†responds with Vegetables Stationery
Since the EU launched RoHs and WEEE, the awareness of globally energy saving and environmental protection are getting stronger than in the past few years, a number of traditional plastics manufacturers are looking for other kinds of substitute materials like magnesium alloy to replace iron, steel with its advantages of light features, so as to create the replacement of traditional plastic application, that is PLA (Poly Lactic Acid), a kind of plant starch extracted from corn, pumpkin or other plants. It is a kind of safe, non-toxic, eco-environmental protection and sustainable newly developed materials with multiple advantages, it is produced by 100% biodegradable, recyclable, repeated using, non wasted materials and alternative resources.
After PLA decomposed as water and carbon dioxide, the plants carried out photosynthesis, the absorption within the biological cycle can reduce the ecological impact. Taiwan Power In Industrial Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Power Inâ€) and "Chitec Technology Corp. (hereinafter referred to as "Chitecâ€) both companies have dedicated to research for PLA Stationery manufacturing and materials producing over the past years, Its hygiene security in addition to satisfying the domestic "food container packaging apparatus hygiene standards" and the United States FDA food hygiene safety certification, but also have obtained the Mark Patch for achieving the environmental protection purpose, started to take the first step for making the earth green and implement the sustainable environmental protection.
The principals for extracting the PLA from corn, corn cob, rice husk, straw, maize, groundnut vines and rattan of candida, soybean, sweet potato, bagasse or natural uranium produced as glucose which is the same as beer brewed through fermentation process to get produced into “Lactic Acidâ€, it’s natural non-toxic and broken-resistance characteristics, are the best selection to replace the PET, PS and other traditional plastic material supplies. In addition to PLA extracted by technology, science contained with the bio-compatibility with the animals, so that it can be used up in the medical surgical sutures, bone screws and other aspects of the human body, its made fiber, can also make neckties, shirts, knitted fabric. Of course, they can also be applied in motorcycle parts, 3C electronic and electrical spare parts, mobile phone material, shell of flash disc and notebook, construction material, food packaging materials, student/office stationery, ceremonial gifts, toys and other plastic products.
Wal-Mart Stores named Taiwan's PLA in procurement
Through many years of researching, Taiwan's traditional plastics processing industry have finally developed out the PLA, based on traditional technologies coupled with scientific research strength, all kinds of producing technology is in leading of the trend, has also aroused the international attention to Taiwan PLA industry. Up to current, most of international PLA products procurement will directly named Taiwanese manufactured products s as their best choice, including the well-known enterprises Wal-Mart, McDonald's, Marks & Spencer, Belu of mineral water and Del Monte.
Aimed to PLA stationery manufacturer, we firstly interview the biodegradable stationery manufacturer “Power In†whose process yields rate reached up to 99% by using Taiwan's self-developed PLA with the decomposition rate in more than 93.8%/180 days.
Our stationery are made from plants – Corn Starch
"Power In†founded in 1989, originally focused on stainless steel stamping and plastic injection of school and office stationery manufacturing. In view of the plastic made tremendous impact to environment, “Power In†has successfully researched and introduced the stationery producing technology of corn extracted materials of PLA (Biodegradable Materials) and thus transformed as the First PLA stationery manufacturer in Taiwan. Up to Today, the started mass-production products of PLA stationeries are Magic Clip (Non-Stapler), Scissors, Ruler, Ball Pens, Pencil Sharpeners, Pencil Cases, Hole Folder, File Folders, Paper Clips, Pen Holders, Reading Shelves, Book Shelves, and other PLA office stationeries, those are totally “Made in Taiwanâ€, and patented with a number of domestic and foreign certifications, products mainly exported to USA and Japan, and within domestic market they have also shared in more than 80%.
Cross-Industry Cooperation - Creating a Win-Win Niche
Early in 2007, “Power In†and “Chitec†started the cross-industry cooperation, “Power In†provided the technology of Stainless Steel Pressing and PLA Injection Molding, combined with the kind of new and exciting in environmental protection materials of PLA-Chilla provided by the science technology of “Chitec†which project was started in a series of molding development and modification, were strongly sponsored by the capital injection from Chairman Mr. King-Cheng HSU and innovative designs supported by Sheng Cheng Design Co., Ltd .
Based on the deep love to natural environment, experienced many times of failures and frustrations, invested on several ten million dollars of capitals, time consumed experiment, and finally the defects of PLA have been overcome step by step. In February 2008, we definitely developed out the shock-resistance reached up to 400 J / m (excess to the shock-resistance of ABS materials), which has also passed the biodegradation test of ISO14855 and toxicity testing of ASTM D6400 seed germination on biological plastic materials, the technology has than firstly applied on Pencil Boxes, Magic Clips, Scissors, Rulers, and Pencil Sharpeners, etc. which will be introduced onto over the producing line to replace the application of traditional plastic as the goal. In order to couple with the philosophy of global sustainable business development so that the public in the use of stationery can also make some contributions to protect the environment. In 2007, the self-owned brand “Power In†has been launched into International Market.
Break through the Technology of Manufacturing Process
The consumption energy for producing PLA, in comparison with the conventional manufacturing, is 10% ~ 50%, CO2 60%, water 35%. At volume production, the prices will be gradually reduced, the stable providing quantities are expecting to be very competitive. This is why “Power In†has injected all resources into R&D. Although the development has met some frustration, due to the instable PLA size, the insufficient impact-resistance can only be used on simple structured molding at the beginning, however, because of the unique vision and immeasurable success-wanted determination of Chairman Mr. King-Cheng HSU, which coupled with more than 200 patented implementation of mature molding experiences in stainless steel and plastic materials accumulated by General Manager Liang-Chuan TSENG, in addition with the restless test spirit of employee within the department of R&D, at last, the series of PLA products has been successfully developed. If you assessed why the PLA stationery can be successfully developed within Taiwan, the reasons are those of accumulated conventional plastic technology, constantly innovative reformation and quality insist, the Sales Manager Jackson HSU said.
At the beginning, Mr. TSENG, had spent lots of time on the process of automatic production line, he started with setting 4 technicians in 4 of Presser on single strike machine of each within 8 hours a working day, the capacity of each machine are 10,000 – 12,000 pieces/day, semi-automatic machine can process 25,000 – 30,000 pieces/day. After changing into automatic system, the capacity of one machine were upgrading to 72,000 – 75,000 pieces/day with 5 machines managed by only one technician.
You have to re-arrange and turn off the producing line before the defected rate caused or the length of materials transferring belt got staffed, these all are taken care by only one person, which has saved lots of cost for company, the amount sold to market are in 30 million pieces per year.
The daily capacity of stainless steel pushing clip are 150,000 pieces, yielding rate are 99.99% broken the records which even get praised and admired by Japanese buyers and also attracted many famous manufacturers to discuss the cooperative project with “Power Inâ€.
The Philosophy of Living and Working – “Love, Take and Possessâ€
The long term buried in the project of R&D on stationery, applied more than 200 patents, General Manager Mr. TSENG with whole white-hair face always smile with warm heart, he looks very much like one of American Indian Chief. I asked him what is the most happy thing in his daily life, he said that he has been met with one lady worked at the Household Office in his township who praised one piece of in very good use clip at her hand was made by very special materials of “Cornâ€, I told her that was made by myself, she was so surprising for knowing it, because she thought that was imported product, as I saw her amazing facial expression and her quality confirmation, which made me feel happy and satisfy, I use to think living is a kind of world fulfilled with “Love, Take and Possessâ€, whatever you possess, you will hand out, if you have love, you will give out your love, take something from someone, you will hand out something to others, right hand taking, left hand giving, I love to explore the reasons and principles of concept design and implemented into a realistic object. There is input and output in the between, that is the resources of my happy philosophy.
Corn made with Stainless Steel Scissors – Safe to Protect the Environment
Safety Scissors made with corn PLA will not only protect environment but also not hurt the fingers in using, the outfit Corn PLA shell Coated on Stainless Steel blade, the blade part is using 301 stainless steel materials punched, never get rust, blade-edge are specially processed, although it is very sharp, but will not get finger injury, these are useful to children. The made materials are approved with the biodegradable test through ISO 14855 and passed the test of non-toxic seed germination by ASTM D6400 standard, each of angle are carefully designed to match the ergonomics engineering requirement, especially the manufacturing process combined with the improved technology of stamping presser and plastic injection molding for fast assembling. The 1st successfully developed PLA scissors and Magic Clips (non-stapler) are meaningful to General Manager TSENG, they are like his conceived babies, that is a kind of very complicate feelings, hart to describe, look their market growing, I feel very comfortable, all technology problems are solved, in order to widen more marketing channels and shares, we still need to improve the pattern and outfit design, we may have chance to work with “Design SO Coo!†and academic resources.
The Mission of Carbon-Reducing and Energy-Saving
“Power In†currently only attend the Exhibition of Gift and Stationery in Taiwan, and have obtained many orders placed in each exhibition, it has been in very high percentage of hits, stationery buyers are attracted by the unique materials and its quality, after visiting the exhibition, there are always some foreign buyers taking MRT directly to our factory to place their orders, this year we will take part the Fair in Japan during July 8 ~ July 10, in the future, we will be more actively attending the exhibition in Frankfurt/Germany, Not Tak in USA, and Hong Kong for gradually promoting and introducing such kind of energy saving and environmental protection products to all over the world. |
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