One of the most versatile Food Secure Products from the Wefapress global FSP engineering plastics range is being introduced to Australasia by national distributor Cut To Size Plastics.

Wefapress St 1000 – certified to EU Regulation 10/2011, which is among the strictest standards in the world – is used in applications including drive elements, seals, guide rails and pumps in food and beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, agricultural  and paper, ports and mechanical, process and chemical engineering.

“The low-friction sliding qualities of this versatile and wear-resistant ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) make it widely suitable for clean, reliable service in sensitive, hygiene-related production tasks,” says Cut To Size Managing Director Mr Laurie Green.

St 1000’s performance qualities – including high impact performance and zero moisture absorption – are enhanced by a molecular weight of approximately 4.4 – 9.2 million g/mol and a co-efficient of friction of µ0,2. Using specially selected additives it is possible to enhance the material to cater to specific individual performance demands.

Wefapress St 1000 is part of the broader Wefapress FSP range has been certified. EU Regulation 10/2011 covers areas such as starting substances, production aids, migration tests, declaration of conformity, traceability and good manufacturing practice.

“Compliance with such regulations is very important not only in the Australasian markets, but also in the strong export markets that producers and processers in both Australia and New Zealand enjoy,” says Mr Green, whose company has been distributing Wefapress products for decades.

“Wefapress is recognised as a standard-setter in the global FSP engineering plastics markets, which is a built-in advantage for food and beverage producers and machinery manufacturers alike when embarking on new product and export initiatives.”

“Companies need to ensure at the outset that they are designing compliance into their production and process lines, to avoid rejects and costly delays in introducing new product. Work in the food industry is subject to strict hygiene standards that also apply in interaction with plastics.

Plastics in this segment must be physiologically harmless in order to come in contact with food. This not only protects the health of the consumer, but also the composition of the food and its organoleptic properties,” says Mr Green.

Cut To Size uses only suitable raw materials when manufacturing semi-finished parts, components and other products intended for direct contact with food.

Wefapress and Cut To Size can also provide individual calculation of migration: “We are happy to provide advice on how to calculate migration. We can provide you with access to empirical data in the form of available test results to save you time and money,” says Mr Green.