NEWSFLASH

TECHNOLOGY

REALIZATIONS

EVOLUTIONS

TESTIMONIAL

DEVELOPMENTAND PROCESS

summary

Number 11 - June 2004

The CLEXTRAL group is constantly evolving.Our frequent contact with clients worldwide provides the insight forour continuing innovations to meet each market’s changing require-ments.

In each new issue of Clextrusion, we share details of our technical andprocess developments, together with our successes in engineering forcomplete lines.In issue N°11 of Clextrusion, we also have the pleasure of presentinga new commercial aspect : CLEXTRAL, a valuable resource in the market for second handequipment.

To ensure the satisfaction of CLEXTRAL customers who are interestedin used extruders, peripheral units, or spare parts, we have dedicatedour resources to developing this area since the beginning of 2004.

If you are looking for an opportunity to enhance your productiontools, don't hesitate to contact us !Better yet, come to Firminy and look around the building that is dedicated to the presentation of second hand equipment.

Welcome to the second hand equipmentshowroom !

Extrusion : market forsecond hand equipment.

Reactive extrusion :real potentialfor twin-screw technology

Automated controlof production lines.

RUSSO MANGIMI : “premium” products

Record in ALGIERS :a couscous of 6,5 T !

- The LYMAC Combipack :... the winning combination

- From truck to truck...AFREM at your service.

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G. Hallaryghallary@clextral.com

WHAT IS REACTIVE EXTRUSION ?

By providing continuous control of widely differing reactive environ-ments in a single item of equipment, a twin-screw extruder enables usto give priority to macro- and/or micro-mixing, efficiently control a temperature profile and also form the product. Therefore, we definereactive extrusion as the time when the extruder is the site of chemicalreactions used to make or modify products. Its applications cover :

The mineral, organic, and macromolecular domains. Reactions suitable for High Temperature Short Time conditionsSystems limited by physical kinetics(viscous or solid-liquid environments, etc.)Industrial situations confronted with the passagefrom discontinuous to continuous states to :– develop new materials– increase product quality (batch homogeneity),

or process productivity– improve operator working conditions and reduce environmental

impact (confinement of the reactive volume)– improve the economic and competitive aspects of the system.

EXAMPLES: CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF POLYMERS

Considering that it takes about ten years to develop and produce a newpolymer, reactive extrusion enables new materials with controlled properties of use to be developed more quickly using existing, widelyknown polymers. We can mention :

Production of mixtures of polymers that were originally chemicallyincompatibleFunctionalization of polypropylene by grafting a monomerto improve its surface properties with a view to applicationsfor paintsProduction of a thermoplastic elastomer by reticulation in situPeroxide degradation of polypropyleneChemical recycling of polyesters into α-ω diols

REACTIVE EXTRUSION : REAL POTENTIAL FOR TWIN-SCREW TECHNOLOGYThis technical application, which was first used in the 1990s, is now showing increasingly rapid growth.It constitutes a major opportunity for twin-screw technology, as shown byCLEXTRAL’s success in supplying a dozen machines andcomplete lines for this application (from the BC 21 tothe EVOLUM 145) to customersover the past 10 years.These sales were realized thanksto close collaboration with customers, and also via our participation 3 years agoin a CNRS Research ProgrammeContract bringing togetherindustrial companies and scientific laboratories. This programme was coordinated by professor A. MICHEL of the UCB(Université Claude Bernard) ;and enabled us to widen ourexperience in the field.

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CLEXTRAL is dedicated to serving this market, with increased investments in R&D and partnerships with customers and universities,which will enable many of thetests which were carried out at laboratory scale to be implemented at an industriallevel. As the possibilities in thisfield increase, CLEXTRAL is particularly interested in sharingits knowledge with new partners.

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GillesSOUVETON

EXAMPLES: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY Production of industrial soaps to draw metals using a continuoussaponification processOligo-condensation process for phenolic resins :

3 "process" sections in series:the devolatilization and polycondensation sections are the most critical

as to adaptation of the equipment and the operating conditions.

In these two examples, the conditions of extrusion have to be adjustedempirically by testing, at a temperature enabling a short residence timeof about one minute. Furthermore, assessment of the heat transferredto the product meets with two difficulties: estimation of the transfercoefficient and estimation of the wetted surface, which is closely linkedto the speed and the flow rate.

EXAMPLES : MINERAL CHEMISTRY Production of catalyser supports based on alumina.

In this case, the objective is to obtain a porous structure in a thick alu-mina-water mixture through a reaction of the nitric acid under the effectof intense but controlled mixing (importance of the shear rate / resi-dence time combination), and then neutralization with ammonia. Theconditions of transformation have a direct influence on the mechanicalproperties of the extrudates obtained. Besides improved productivity,the twin-screw process also reduces the percentage of nitric acid neces-sary by a factor of 3 as compared with the batch process, and hencegreatly reduces the quantities of toxic waste compounds produced bysecondary reactions (NOx).

THE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL BOTTLENECKSThese are of three types :

A lack of knowledge as to the thermokinetic and thermo-rheologicaldata, and the reactions and surroundings involved. This complicated inthat the twin-screw operates here under conditions (concentration,time, temperature) that are considerably different from those usuallyfound.

Ensuring compatibility between the kinetics of the chemical processes and the residence times, and understanding the strong links between evolutions in the reactions and the phenomena of transfer andtransport in twin-screw extruders (especially control of the secondaryreactions).

Taking into account evolutions in rheology associated with chemicaltransformations, based on the notions of macro- and micro-mixing, heatexchange and viscous dissipation.

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Automation

A suitable responseto meet each need.

We listen to our customers tounderstand what they want toachieve, spending time duringthe initial planning stages to pro-vide the best response to ourcustomers’ requirements. Wework closely with customers toachieve cost optimization foreach project.We develop the best control system solution for each applica-tion, whether a single program-mable logic controller or an automation package that operates the entire factory.

Some basic technology …

Actuators (valves, motors, cylin-ders, electrical heater elements,etc.) are piloted by electromecha-nical systems such as digitalcontacts (e.g. On/Off buttons),analogue signals (variable signalsover a range of measurementsfrom 0 to 100%), or regulators tocontrol variable speed motors,for example.Sensors, such as thermo-couples, pressure sensors,level detectors, tachome-ters, flow meters, etc., deliver signals that aregenerally amplified andtransformed using conver-ters. For example, thoseconverting analogue data(microvolts, milliamperes)into digital data; thesedata are then processedby calculation in an auto-matic controller ; they are

AUTOMATED CONTROLOF PRODUCTION LINES Introduction

How can we control the transformation process from raw materials to a finished product that is packaged,approved and standardized?How can we evaluate production, respond to operating situations,and monitor quality at eachstage? One way is automation,an essential tool that providespowerful solutions to help usto answer these questions.

The CLEXTRAL Group providesautomation systems that areadapted for every application.Whether for activities linked toAFREM, CLEXTRAL, LYMAC, or for other, separate applications, our automated systems provide control andconsistency, reduce costs andensure traceability.

compared with the set values andthen sent on to the actuators.

The architecture

Thus a single unit is made up ofactuators, sensors, and safetyequipment (fuses, circuit brea-kers), all installed in an electricalcabinet.The programmable logic con-troller is made up of a CentralProcessing Unit (or “CPU” thatincludes a calculator) ; boards forcommunication between thevarious items of equipment onthe one hand, and the centralcommand and control system onthe other hand ; and digitalInput/Output boards.Rockwell/Allen-Bradley, Siemensand Schneider/Télémécaniqueare suppliers of programmablelogic controllers known worldwi-de ; they are partners ofCLEXTRAL.Programmable logic controllersmay be used to control severalitems of equipment, carry outautomatic operating sequences,detect anomalies and inform theoperator via alarms.

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The operator terminal, alsoknown as the MMI - Man-MachineInterface - is associated with theprogrammable logic controller. Itincludes a display unit and aparameter display program usingtables, graphs and diagrams. Itforms a true link, and provides ameans of dialogue between theoperator and the machine.It enables the display of real timeoperating data. It can also beused to associate quality criteriafor the finished products (colour,texture, density, etc.) with certainmachine parameters.The data is easily recorded toconserve historical records ofthe parameters, display trendlines, or memorize recipes.Depending on the options selec-ted, it is possible to carry outmachine maintenance and dia-gnosis operations remotely (seethe article on “teleassistance” inClextrusion N° 10).

Several programmable logiccontrollers may be connectedtogether: they communicate viaspecific networks such asProfibus or Ethernet: this takesus on to centralized control.This is usually carried out in aseparate, protected room thatconstitutes a real control centrefor the production unit.One or more display units areused to enable the operator tocontrol and display all the para-meters for the line as a whole,from the raw materials to the fini-shed products.There are several levels of accessto supervision: display, control,maintenance, and administration.

The centralized control systemgives the operator access totrend lines, historical records ofall production parameters, andfaults found (alarms). He canmonitor the manufacturing pro-cess in real time, and review pastoperating conditions in days ormonths, depending on the system configuration. He canexport files, draw up statistics,and make overall calculations.The control room will be equip-ped with a printer for reports anda data recording system.

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AlainBRISSET

AlainBOURBON

ThierryJAROUSSE

Traceability and MES

Precise knowledge and monitoring of industrial processes, and controlof food safety, involve traceability: many companies are called on sooner or later to install equipment and use working methods to comply with standards. Thus the European community has imposeddirectives in agro-food activities that come into effect in January 2005,as part of its regulation N° 178/2002.

Amongst other things, the M.E.S or “Manufacturing Execution System”option proposed by the CLEXTRAL Group integrates this possibility.The main objectives of this system are :

traceability, e.g. from the finishedproducts to the raw materials,optimization of manufacturing,control of manufacturing costs,swift adaptation to the variousmanufacturing constraints.

The system operates around a maincore: a centralized database is suppliedby several modules, such as acceptan-ce management, manufacturing orders,production assessments, batch mana-gement, maintenance, etc.Detailed information is provided foreach module: for example, in “batchmanagement”, each manufacturingbatch is identified. We can find the setvalues for the machines that manufactured the products, any alarmsthat may have been triggered, the persons who operated the machines,the raw materials used for the batches with the results of the analyses(if the quality procedure provides for this), the use-by dates, the resultsof analysis of the finished products (samples) : overall, it provides agenealogy of the batches manufactured.A simple bar code reader can provide access to all this information.The system provides historical operating data including the interven-tions completed, periods of operation, and maintenance performed.These functions are valuable tools for the department heads, becausethey enable an analysis of the manufacturing processes, allowing managers to optimize their use, and control costs.

AUTOMATED CONTROLOF PRODUCTION LINES continuation

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A well-defined MES system will monitor quality, provide unit flexibility,and reduce manufacturing costs.

Finally, we reach the top of the pyramid, with the ERP or «EnterpriseResource Planning» system, which incorporates the MES tool in overallcompany management : it also takes into account the purchasing, finan-cial, human resources and customer management functions.

Conclusion

With automated control, it is possible to establish a downstream genea-logy – from the raw materials to the stored finished product – and anupstream genealogy : which raw materials were used to contribute tothe measured quality of the end product? CLEXTRAL provides the experience and means necessary to supply thistool and help our customers to set out their specifications. We canimplement each of the phases as defined up to the MES stage, whiletaking into account the requirements of the customer’s existing or futu-re ERP system.CLEXTRAL’s services include consultation, diagnosis, and recommen-dations within the framework of automatic controller engineering, together with supplies, installation, tests, and training for new or existing lines.

We can thus enable our custo-mers to make the most of thelatest developments and contri-bute to their growth by reducingmanufacturing costs, and also bysecuring and standardizing theirunits : enhancing the company’sproduct quality and brand image.

AlainBRISSET

AlainBOURBON

ThierryJAROUSSE

JoëlMAISONNIAL

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The LYMAC Combipack is composed of two complementaryunits : it combines a baggingmachine and a vertical cartonerfor “bag in box” packaging : a bagis shaped, filled and welded, thenplaced directly in a carton, in afully automatic process.

Packaging is a fundamentalphase that comes at the end of a manufacturing line. Each manufactured articlemust be specifically packagedand prepared for transport, storage and sales.LYMAC can provide completelyautomatic units for the phasesranging from the bulk finishedproducts to the pallets ready for loading. The Combipack was designed to streamlinethese operations.

This system offers maximum flexibility to package a widerange of dry products withvarying particle sizes, from veryfine powders to pasta, via rice or pellets for pet foods.Compact, reliable, and economi-cal, the “Combi” also has otheradvantages :

to change the bag size, simplychange the former on the baggingmachine,

it is very easy to modify thecarton sizes in all three dimen-sions, without any extra equipment,

it accommodates a wide rangeof carton shapes : parallelepiped,conic, etc.,

THE LYMAC COMBIPACK :THE WINNINGCOMBINATION !

the two machines(bagging machine and cartoner)may be operated separately,

the bagging machine offersthe flexibility to utilize variousdosing systems to suit the products packaged : screw typemetering systems for powders,cup type systems for pellets, or associative scales for the fragi-le products such as extrudedsnacks or breakfast cereals.

The average filling rate is 45boxes per minute, depending onthe type of packaging materials(cartons and films), and type ofproducts to be dosed. These characteristics make the newLYMAC machine highly competi-tive.

The many features of theCombipack ensure flexibility tomeet market demands today andin the future. Today, installationsof this versatile machine includepackaging powdered milk (LABELLE group - Algeria) andpackaging pet food pellets (CECcompany - France).

Number 11 - June 2004

- Correct calibration of thevacuum pump to enable manu-facture of high-quality dough ;- Fitting the compressor with asuitable air treatment system toensure long service life for theequipment. This can mean dry airfor the instrumentation, forexample, and oiled air for thepneumatic cylinders ;- The refrigeration units to coolthe presses and the product.They enable recycling of thewater for closed circuit opera-tion, a solution that is apprecia-ted in countries where water isscarce.

Supervise installation of thevarious connections necessary,

Supervise line assembly andstart-up,

Train the customer’s staff andprovide process assistance, especially via the modem-based remote support service includedin our InFrem automation system.

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FROM TRUCK ... TO TRUCK :AFREM AT YOUR SERVICE Aïda

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AFREM International

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Between receiving semolinaat the factory and shippingthe packets of pasta or couscousthat go from delivery palletto the store shelves, a completeselection of equipmentis necessary. AFREM can supplyyou «from truck to truck» !

A truck delivers the semolina to thecustomer's factory, where it is stored in raw material silos.Then comes the core process : themanufacturing line to producepasta or couscous, designed byAFREM, which is composed of thefollowing elements, depending onthe end product : dosing the rawmaterials, followed by extrusion,rolling, VHT drying, cooking andcooling units, together with the linecontrol systems (electrical powersupplies, automatic controllers andM.E.S).

Once processing is completed, thebulk product is stored in finishedproduct silos. Next, the product ispackaged into individual 500g or 1 kg packets by a LYMAC machine,or bulk-packaged intopackets up to 25 kg by abulk machine. A carto-ner packs the productsinto cartons, or a wrap-ping machine stretch-wraps several packetstogether, and the fini-

shed products are placed on palletsfor transport to the retailer bytruck !

For several years, AFREM has supplied and installed all the peripheral equipment for its custo-mers: upstream and downstreamstorage silos, refrigeration units,boilers, air compressors, vacuumpumps, etc. AFREM engineers canalso advise customers who preferto purchase the peripheral equip-ment themselves.

The AFREM team is an integrator,supplying the required equipmentfor all phases, from processing ofraw materials to shipping the packaged product, providing aturnkey pasta or couscous factory,from start to finish.

Customer service is the highestpriority of the AFREM team mem-bers, who work to manufacture theproduction line to meet the custo-mer’s requirements and deadlines,also including :

Engineer the overall plan of a newfactory or lay out a new line in anexisting building,

Define the peripheral equipment,attaching special importance tocertain crucial points such as :- Checking the heating capacityinstalled in the boiler room, avital sector of the factory ;

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Clx : How do you see the evolution of these « premium »products ?

A.R : This market is growing inItaly and we expect to doubleour production level in the next 3years. Another goal is to increa-se our export rate which today isaround 30%. We are currentlyworking on many export projects.We feel our growth is dependenton our quality and flexibility. Wemust create and develop newproducts as well as react to specific market demands.

Clx : It is rather impressive !but, how you are doing ?

A.R : We manage our businessvery efficiently ; all steps of themanufacturing process from theanalysis of raw materials,through production, to packa-ging and distribution are strictlycontrolled and maintained.

We listen carefully to our customers and work to anticipa-te future requirements in thechanging marketplace : such asthe increase in urban living andthe need to address the health of animals at every step of theirlife… etc. Our R&D departmentis very active in these areas.The acquisition of CLEXTRALtechnology has helped us gain asignificant market share.

Clx : Can you explain how ?

Mr Nicolas Russo, factorymanager :We purchased two turn key production lines fromCLEXTRAL. The first line, purchased in 1998, gave us theopportunity to become familiarwith twin screw extrusion processing and the relateddrying and coating technologies.We have improved the nutritio-nal value of our feeds : bettergelatinisation of the starches andtherefore a higher digestibility,use of a larger range of raw mate-rials and ingredients to increasethe levels and the value of ourrecipes such as protein sources,minerals, lipids and vitamins.Our customers reacted verypositively and our sales increa-sed. Today we offer more than 20different food formulas.

Located closed to Naples, at the foot of the volcanoVesuvio, the family-owned company RUSSO Mangimi is one of the main italian actors in the field of pet food.The young owners, MM Nicolas and Angelo RUSSOdescribe their company’s activities.

Angelo RUSSO , Sales and Marketing manager :

« Our company manufacturescat and dog food under themain trade mark FARMINA withvarious labels: CIBAU for dogs,MATISSE for cats, ..

We are among the leaders inthe italian pet food market andrecognized as a manufacturerof high quality food for domestic animals.»

RUSSO MANGIMI :« PREMIUM » PRODUCTS

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This technology allowsus to switch rapidlyfrom one manufacturingprogram to anotherbecause of the flexibilityof the equipment : shutdown and start up pro-cedures, cleaning, andmaintenance are quickand simple operations.In 2001, we decided toinvest in a second production line whichincluded the most

advanced developments andtechnologies including theEvolum extruders, the counter-flow drying system, and highlyaccurate coating technology.This line, which produces from10 to 20 tons of finished products/hour has been the keyto fulfilling our strategy. We havetaken advantage of CLEXTRAL’sexperience, adding to our ownknowledge in the fields ofrecipes, line optimization, traceability and marketing.

Clx : This cooperation withCLEXTRAL is beneficial foryour company ?

N.R : Yes it is! ; as we stated, we have increa-sed our market share.We maintain a close working relationshipwith CLEXTRAL and feelour success is due tothis continuous exchan-ge during the past several years.It is important to have asingle source supplierwho takes the responsi-bility for engineering,

supply of the equipment, commissioning and after salesservice.This is a win-win relationship. Asa result of this cooperation, weanticipate new initiatives for alarger range of pet foods, bettercontrol of our costs and increa-sed investment capacities.

Clx : Nicolas and Angelo Russo,we thank you for your timeand wish you continued success.

Number 11 - June 2004

Gilles MALLERjoins CLEXTRAL SAS in July 2004

Gilles Maller holds an engineering diploma from Ecole Nationale Supérieuredes Techniques Avancées,and he represented CLEXTRAL’s interestsin 1993 and 1994 in FRAMATOME’sMoscow office, before joining the CLEXTRAL company in January 1995.After working for 3 years as a sales engineer responsible forCentral and Eastern European countries,the Middle East and the United Kingdom, Gilles was appointed sales manager for North America with the CLEXTRAL Inc. subsidiary in Tampa, Florida. He was promoted to Sales Managementfor North and Latin America, with responsibility for the test centre andthe services activities. He was awardedan MBA during his stay in the USA.Beginning in July 2004, Gilles will havedual responsibilities with CLEXTRAL SAS :- Developing sales of turnkey lines worldwide, - Accelerating the dynamics for creationof new products in partnership with our customers.

CLEXTRAL S.A.SB.P 10, 42702 Firminy cedexFRANCETel. 33 4 77 40 31 31Fax. 33 4 77 40 31 23clxsales@clextral.com

CLEXTRAL INC.14450 Carlson CircleTampa, FL 33626USATel. 1 813 8544434Fax. 1 813 8552269clextralusa@clextralusa.com

CLEXTRAL ASIA PACIFIC4th floor, 74 C. Duxton roadSINGAPORE 089533Tel. 65 6 225 27 26Fax. 65 6 225 29 39eperroton@clextral.com

CLEXTRAL LATIN AMERICAC/O CFCCIMarchant Pereira 201, OF.701PROVIDENCIASANTIAGOCHILETel. 56 2 225 55 47Fax. 56 2 225 55 45jcoelho@clextralusa.comllacau@clextralusa.com

CLEXTRAL CHINARoom 9001Novel Building887 Huai Hai Road (M)SHANGHAï 200020CHINATel. 86 21 64 74 78 06Fax. 86 21 64 74 68 08jchen@uninet.com.cn

Laurent GARCIAjoinedCLEXTRAL Inc.on 1 May 2004.

Laurent Garcia, who holds an engineering diploma from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure Hydraulique in Toulouse, began his career as a salesengineer in a company specializing in equipment for centrifugal pumps,before joining CLEXTRAL SAS in 2000. Building on his technical and commercialexperience of complex systems,he accepted a position as head of sales and marketing at a worldwide level in the DKM division : the wide variety of applications brought him into contactwith the Agro-food, Energy andPetrochemicals markets.His taste for challenges has motivatedLaurent Garcia to accept the position of sales manager for the CLEXTRAL group in North America.He will bring his skills to the team based in Tampa and enable our customersto benefit from the Group's new knowledgein the field of complete lines and creation of new products, with the help of the two R&D platforms in Tampa and Firminy.

EVOLUTIONS

IN BRIEF

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Contacts :DKM : Didier THEVENET – LYMAC : Joël MAISONNIAL – AFREM : Benoît DELAVAL – CLEXTRAL : Alain BRISSETContributors for this issue : Joël MAISONNIAL, Laurent GARCIA, Alain BRISSET, Mariel BADEL, Gilles MALLER, Alain BOURBON, Thierry JAROUSSE, Georges HALLARY, Aïda ROCHAS, Gilles SOUVETON.

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Record in ALGIERS : a couscous of 6,5 T !

The largest couscous ever prepared in the world was confirmed Thursday, June 3, 2004 in Algiers. It required 2,6 T of dry couscous, furnished by SIM (Industrial Semoulerie of theMitidja) customer of AFREM Group CLEXTRAL, also the meat of 100 sheep and 1,5 T of vegetables. This amazing dish, 6,5 T of couscous, served 22,000 guests. This gigantic preparation required a couscoussier 8 m high and 4,30 m in diameter, which was initially conceived by Thierry Viel, an AFREM engineer. A 3 T boiler was crafted by a boilerworks business to support the couscoussier. The preparation and service were provided by the students and professors of the hotel schoolof Tizi Ouzou.