Interview to Ignacio Muñoz, general director of Molecor
In what consists the technology of PVC oriented?
This technology applies the molecular orientation in conventional tubes of PVC, a polymer that knows from 50 years ago.
The same material but with distinct properties…
Himself. The technology that develop orients the molecules of the structure of the plastic. The external appearance of the tube does not vary, but in the interior the properties of the PVC have changed completely. The improvement.
What contributes?
The pipes manufactured with PVC-Or are more resistant to the impact, to the fatigue, to the cracks, to the scratches. Besides, they are more elastic, lighter and install better. The PVC-Or is upper in all his mechanical provision.
And it says that the material employed for the development of his PVC oriented is the conventional?
Totally. It serves any PVC that can supply any manufacturer of plastic materials. I always put the example of the carbon and the diamond. They are exactly the same material, but the atomic structure determines the properties of one and another… and his price, clear. In the case of the PVC oriented, the prime matter is exactly the same that in the PVC conventional. Neither we add him any type of additive.
And how they do of the carbon a diamond?
First heat the material to a determinate temperature and, to continuation, pull this PVC. This causes a change in his structure, a new structure laminada that, once cools , confers him the resistance and the properties that commented. And here I put another example: the one of the espaguetis.
Espaguetis?
In the dish, the espaguetis rest without any type of order, but when you approach them to the mouth with the fork produces an alineación of these in the steering of the trip. We do the same.
I understand. But this process already existed, no?
Yes, there are other methods and for many years. In fact, the first patent dates of 1979.
Then?
Was a technology very ineficiente and costly. Why we do not see Rolls-Royce usually by the street? It is not because they are bad or because they do not like; it is because they are very expensive. The PVC oriented existed like concept and had a technology for his development, but was very costly. We are the first and only in employing air —simply air— to pull the material. They were years of investigation, that have protected with six world-wide patents.
His technology attains the same result but cheaper...
Himself. Our process is even more economic that the necessary to manufacture a pipe of PVC conventional. The saving in material estimates in 50%. The external diameter of the pipes is the same but the thickness of these reduces to the half, in the case of the PVC. If we compare it with the polietileno, material cheaper that the PVC, and thanks to the considerable difference in the thickness of the pipe, the cost reduces to a third part.
Which type of applications can have a pipe of PVC-Or?
Could drive gas or another type of fluids, but his main application is the canalisation of water in all his facets: drinkable water for the human consumption, irrigations, movement of dirty waters, saneamientos promoted, in definite, all what have to see with the water.
They develop also fitting adaptable to his pipes?
No, but what manufacture is compatible with all type of fitting. The unions embrace the tube by out and here the diameter is the same.
In addition to pipes, you sell the idea, the know how, by like this say it.
Like this is. Have two lines of business very differentiated. In the Spanish market supply pipes of PVC-Or so much for constructors, as for installers or companies of water. On the other hand, we sell the technology to manufacturers of tubes of all the world —Australia, Italy, Ecuador, India, Colombia…
In this last case, what is what sell?
The transformer, that can employ his own extruder, purchases a team that will attach to his machine, Beside her, supply him the knowledges, the control of quality and the necessary guarantees for the production of pipes. Besides, we offer an advice in marketing for the launching of the products.
It can apply his technology to another type of plastics or applications?
The structure of some polymers, like the polietileno, that belongs to the poliolefinas, is crystalline, that is to say, already is ordered and can not recomponer or reordenar of another way.
Like this, our technology is useful with polymers of amorphous structure like the PVC or the ABS, and could employ in the manufacture of products like cases, helmets of motorbike or bumpers of trucks.
Molecor And the crisis of the public work and the construction
Molecor exports more than 85% of his production. So, as it explains Ignacio Muñoz, does not find so limited like other companies of the sector. “We are very optimistic because we have done already the most difficult: we have achieved that the seed germinated in the worst of the stages”.
It says that his technology saves material. What other qualities would stand out?
Compared with other systems inbacht have achieved to manufacture to a rhythm nueve times faster and have reduced the consumption of power in 92%, that is to say, consume 8% of the power that consumed before. Besides, the process is 100% automatic, by what no precise hand-held of work.
And how a technology like this has been in lethargy from does more than 30 years?
From the first patent, in 1979, have tried it already 5 or 6 companies, but all they employed water to cool the tube. In a swimming pool with water to 100 °C, everything is to 100°C. It is very easy to control but costly. We use air. Control the temperature of the air is complicadísimo; achieve conditions homogéneas in an oven with currents is very difficult. Control the air is what has done us so efficient and only.
What thinks that will occur with his technology?
In the actuality, there are 20 lines for the manufacture of pipes of PVC-Or in the world, in front of the more than 6.000 of PVC conventional. We want to give him the turn to the situation and extend our product by each city, each country. We want to cause a change, that the market have 10%, that is to say, 600 lines of PVC-Or. This technology deserves it, but costs to convince, between other things because it weighs a lot the mark Spain to sell.
Little valued in the outside?
Are leaders in infrastructures, railway industrys and renewable energies, but no in this type of technology.
And if Molecor went a company, for example, German?
Of Improved of the Field to Düsseldorf; of Düsseldorf to Loeches
The company created in 2006 with the aim to investigate in the area of the molecular orientation. “We saw that there was a gap, technologies very obsolete and little developed. Here we had an opportunity. We work in the prototype and in 2007 already had positive results, just in time to participate in the K of Düsseldorf. There we achieve ours first sales, that allowed us industrialise the process. We did not have very clear how work. At the end we decide to explode in Spain the technology to manufacture pipes and, at the same time, sell the know how abroad”.
In the actuality, the headquarters of Molecor finds in the population of Improved of the Field (Madrid), but soon will move to Loeches, to few kilometres. “There we are building a factory with a surface of 45.000 square metres that will allow us expand us and follow our ambitious plans of growth”.
For the development of his technology of PVC-Or, Molecor has had the collaboration of institutes, centres of investigation, universities and technological partners like Solvay or Battenfeld-Cincinnati.
