Kelheim explores new applications of viscose fibres
21/02/2017
It was built around the subject “100% cellulose fibres – rethought” and formed part of a larger start-up contest supported by the regional government of Bavaria in Germany.
“In R&D we don’t just rely on receiving ideas for new products or new applications in our dreams, but we proceed in a focussed and methodical way”, said Walter Roggenstein, R&D manager at Kelheim. “This competition was an attempt to boost our innovation process and to open it to beyond the boundaries of our company.”
Kelheim revealed that it was extremely pleased with the results of the competition and with the broad spectrum of ideas that it had generated. It received more than 20 different proposals, which ranged from simply application ideas to “visionary future products”. The entrants included school pupils, experienced industry figures and academics.
Matthew North, commercial director of Kelheim, explained: “The competition was not only about specific ideas — we have seen completely new conceptual approaches and we have gained contacts in industry sectors and application areas formerly unknown to us.”
Kelheim chose Dr Jürgen Pettrak of Straubinger Entwässerung und Reinigung (a local wastewater authority) as its winner. His ideas focused on the use of filters made of functional viscose fibres during wastewater treatment to filter out endocrine substances. These substances have increasingly made their way into wastewater due to the growing use of drugs in human medicine, as well as in large-scale farming. He received a prize of €2,500.
Kelheim also highlighted proposals related to the use of viscose fibres in tailor-made wound care, in semi-finished products with printed electrical circuits, in eco-friendly felt pens, and in panels of pressed straw for construction applications. These ideas were awarded further prizes.
“We will not put these great suggestions away in a drawer”, insisted Mr Roggenstein. “I am convinced that some of these ideas will lead to projects and finally to new products. For us, the success of this competition will lead to a further opening-up of our innovation process – on the inside as well as on the outside.”
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