(mud/JBÖ-DHO) – The WTH trade show experts have carefully packed their bags for “Fakuma”: from October 15 to 19, they will be in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance to surprise their conversation partners in Hall B4 (booth 4505) with a comprehensive portfolio of additives and fillers for the plastics and rubber industries. No questions should be left unanswered.
“The goal is to expand direct relationships with business partners, exchange ideas about ongoing projects, market developments, and generate new business contacts,” says WTH Managing Director Gero Thieme. His company has been participating in this trade show since 2009. In his opinion, “Fakuma” has developed splendidly over the years, gaining increasing prominence and significance far beyond the Alpine region.
The team from the Stader foreign trade company has set ambitious goals again this year, as the market offers a wide range of fillers, and it takes time and effort to evaluate all the products from various suppliers. This is where discussions with WTH experts become fruitful. Thieme: “Our technical sales team is very happy to engage with visitors about fillers and additives.”
Topics that will be discussed during the trade show include
Aluminum Hydroxide (ATH)
This is a mineral filler. Aluminum hydroxide is commonly used as a flame-retardant in coating materials. It is one of the most environmentally friendly flame retardants. Products based on aluminum hydroxide are chemically inert and non-toxic. Aluminum hydroxide is used in UV-curable coating systems because it absorbs very little UV radiation. Besides UV systems, it is also used in powder coatings, dispersion paints, or paste-like plasters.
Magnesium Hydroxide (MDH)
This is a non-corrosive and non-toxic flame retardant. It has a wide range of applications due to its high temperature resistance. Pure magnesium hydroxide is used in various polymers, rubber/elastomers, plastics, printing inks, paper, and ceramics.
Barium Sulfate (Barite)
This is natural barite, mined in Turkey. Both the mining operator and WTH GmbH are ISO 9001 certified. The highly pure, white barium sulfate types are ground to various particle sizes, and constant product control in state-of-the-art laboratories along with applied quality management in all areas guarantees standardized, high product quality.
The application range of our barite types is versatile: WTH-BBxx Double EX types have high whiteness and a low yellowish hue, making them suitable for use in paints & coatings, floor coatings, pigment preparations, primers, adhesives, and fillers.
Our non-micronized barite types have a lower degree of whiteness and are used where color requirements are less critical, and focus is placed on specific density or grain distribution. Additionally, WTH-BB types are used in sound insulation, brake linings, brake pads, flooring, joint and sealant compounds, as well as in plastics, elastomers, and rubber.
Lightweight Filler “FilloCell”
(Closed-cell expanded perlite) is a chemically inert lightweight filler of volcanic and thus natural origin. This cost-effective lightweight filler is used to reduce density in adhesives, sealants, and duroplastics. The large-volume relatives of FilloCell have been used for many years in the construction sector, for example, for thermal and sound insulation purposes. FilloCell is available in different qualities. Even the non-coated types absorb only small amounts of water. The hydrophobic coated types do not absorb water and are easier to incorporate into organic matrices. For incorporation with high-shear tools, we recommend the “UltraStrong” qualities with increased wall thickness.
Microspherical Glass Bubbles (GlassBubbles)
These are ultra-light, non-metallic, inorganic lightweight fillers. Thanks to their microspherical glass structure, these products are ideal for weight reduction and provide an optimal surface finish. WTH-GlassBubbles are based on borosilicates, which results in good water and chemical resistance.
WTH-GlassBubbles also improve rigidity due to their structure, and facilitate casting and molding. The free-flowing hollow glass microspheres are used in corrosion protection, such as in the automotive industry. Thanks to their hollow structure, WTH-GlassBubbles are highly versatile and powerful, and due to their excellent temperature stability, they are widely used in automotive and aerospace, transport and construction, adhesives and sealants, coatings and paints, and fillers. The different series of WTH-GlassBubbles have densities ranging from 0.18 to 0.66 g/cm³ and a compressive strength of 3.5/500 to 103/15000 MPa/Psi.
WTH Managing Director Gero Thieme is confident that his team in Friedrichshafen will quickly become a popular destination for visitors: “Nowhere else can a company’s products or services be better showcased than at trade fairs. And hardly anywhere else can you engage in more direct and fruitful conversations. Trade show participation like at Fakuma is not only obligatory for WTH GmbH but also always highly welcome.”
