HEXIS to promote global awareness

According to Caroline Mateu, Chair of the Hexis Board, Hexis is committed to a continual investment of 2.5% of its turnover into research and development

HEXIS, the French vinyl manufacturer, is looking forward to next year. Indeed 2019 will be the company's 30th year in business churning out some 25 million m2 of film, with an expected turnover well in excess of €100 million and a workforce of more than 400 people worldwide.

With its innovative technology, diversified product range and progressive marketing and distribution, Hexis has captured a respectable market share in the self-adhesive vinyl and large format digital printing business.

Hexis has expanded considerably over the years, beyond its core business of vinyl film for signage applications. Since the launch of its in-house production of cast vinyl films in 2007, the range of both marking and print media for wrapping and decorating applications has brought a steady increase in volume and provided access to completely new markets. This trend is set to continue over the next few years, in line with the increasing demand for environmentally friendly and energy saving products, production and installation methods. Hexis has recently developed several PVC free products that use a water based emulsion, thus reducing the amount of solvents used in production by 85%, whilst simultaneously achieving better durability than their PVC equivalent.

Growth in different market segments
Hexis is targeting substantial growth in market segments such as interior design, retail fittings and furnishings and decoration. Other promising areas include protective laminates, textile marking and industrial applications such as paint replacements, anti-graffiti and anti-microbial surface protection on unusual substrates, for example, on solar panels and touch screens.

New exciting products
In October 2018 Hexis surprised industry insiders with the launch of a new cast vinyl and patterned adhesive compound for wide format digital printers. The new product, referred to as THE190EVO in which THE stands for Take Heat Easy, consists of a multi-layered cast vinyl with a newly formulated micro structured adhesive. Needless to say, the adhesive is solvent based with its acknowledged benefits. It also uses a new formula which, combined with the flattened pyramid pattern of the adhesive, makes the film extremely easy to apply. Hexis claims that the film will slide on the target surface and remain repositionable throughout the application.

Exceptional specifications
The vinyl is a 50µm/2mil cast PVC made of several layers to achieve improved opacity, conformability and superior gloss. It is supplied on an embossed silicone liner, which gives the adhesive its pattern. Ideally the printed vinyl should be combined with the matching gloss, matt or patterned laminate for extended durability and long term UV protection.
The product is the first in a series to be produced on a new CAST4 – a 75 m long casting line at the company’s manufacturing site in Hagetmau in southwest France. This site now operates two 1.6 m wide casting lines in a dust free, air conditioned building hooked up to a thermal oxidiser for environmental compliance. Using multi-purpose coating heads, the machine can be used for casting and adhesive coating purposes.
The original manufacturing site in Frontignan in the south of France benefited from the expansion of the two existing casting lines with the installation of a dedicated second thermal oxidiser to accommodate increased production rates.

Future development potential
Caroline Mateu, Chair of the Hexis Board, outlined the company’s future development potential: "Our research and development laboratory is the basis for our previous success and mainstay to secure future progress. Hexis is committed to a continual investment of 2.5% of its turnover into research and development." The laboratory is led by Christophe Baudrion, who manages a team of 24 chemists and specialist technical staff. Over the years his department has delivered innovations such as multi-layered cast film and patented anti-microbial film. The team has also developed a series of specialist adhesive variants to suit a wide range of application conditions and substrates, including flat, structured, tinted and reinforced adhesives, which are required, for example, in colder climates. Caroline Mateu added: "We are proud to have received international recognition and multiple awards for our product research and development efforts."

From our French correspondent Martin Kugler

Picture: Adhesive coating line at Hexis Frontignan.