What we have achieved

An Asian customer in the automotive glass encapsulation industry was in the process of switching from solvent to water-based products. The trend in this market towards this type of product is due to factors such as respect for the environment and people’s health.

Concentrol is tasked to offer the customer a release agent with a specific formula that can be adapted to their needs and that provides them with optimal results with the highest possible efficiency during the production process. Because of the positive results, the customer is very satisfied as he sees an improvement in the product results and in the production process and consolidates the step from solvent to water based.

 

How we did it

In this success story the confidence that Concentrol has offered from its technical support staff has been very important. The technical laboratory in China worked with great speed and agility and in just one week they were able to respond to the client’s needs in terms of a release agent.

Listening well to the requirements that the company, which works with large car manufacturers, was key in the commercial process and customer acquisition.

One aspect that worried them a lot was the finish of the piece. In glass encapsulation it is very important that the piece finish is homogeneous without defects. The water-based release agent did not have to impair the quality of the product, in this case a matt black polyurethane piece that could not have water marks or uneven texture.

The other aspect to consider for the customer is the possible soiling of the glass. The encapsulation procedure involves a side injection of polyurethane, then the encapsulation is formed around the glass and the part is removed manually. In the event of dirtying of the hands of the operators, the next unit to be worked will dirty and the production process would have to be stopped. The release agent developed by Concentrol had to be good enough to avoid build-up, which would cause the glass to become stained, as well as leaving the piece with an uneven relief. A good alternative solution would also allow cleaning cycles to be spaced further apart, resulting in more efficient production.

 

Our solution

Thanks to the solution offered by Concentrol, the customer finally achieves an improvement in its production, both in terms of product and production process. Concentrol’s product has given very good results in the dirtying aspect which avoids excessive build-up and the cleaning cycles have been lengthened. On the other hand, the new tailor-made formula for the customer has offered very homogeneous results. The encapsulation pieces come out without water marks, with a regular relief and with a matt finish without gloss as required by the company. Furthermore, we have ready-to-use release agents or concentrates for the customers who want to make controlled dilutions.

Currently, thanks to the good work of the technical and commercial team, the customer is satisfied with Concentrol’s product and orders a large volume of product to meet their production requirements.