The German production plant operated by technology group 3M (St. Paul, Minnesota / USA; www.3m.com) in Hilden, which is the company's largest site in Europe, is to be expanded yet again. By the end of 2017, the entire production of the re-sealable "Dual Lock" fastening system for the EMEA region will be concentrated there.

Until now, the actual Dual Lock mats were supplied from the United States and then the double-sided adhesive tape was laminated on in Hilden. In the next step, the tape is cut to size and prepared for sale (see Plasteurope.com of 28.01.2016). Now, 3M has also installed two machines for polyolefin processing that will in future replace the supply from the US.

Although the plant in Hilden, which was previously specialised in graphic film, adhesive tape and reflective film, was actually only intended to supply the EMEA region with Dual Lock products, large quantities are currently also being exported to Asia. The 3M plant there is unable to meet the demand on its own.

Dual Lock is used in the automotive industry among other things to fix interior cladding to the car body. The product consists of two identical straps with hemispherical crowns that, in a similar way to a Velcro tape, are pressed together and can then be pulled apart again. The strength of the connection is dependent on the density of hemispherical crowns, which varies between 170 and 400 per square inch.