Building on its position as the only manufacturer of every type of resin drying system used in the plastics industry, NOVATEC, Inc. recently began scientifically rigorous comparative testing of its drying technologies.

      “While dual-bed or twin-tower desiccant dryers like our NDB series have set the industry standard for drying efficiency for many years, our initial data lead us to expect that self-regenerating wheel systems like our NovaWheel dryer will dominate future sales of new desiccant systems, particularly in the mid- to high-throughput range,” said sales manager Mark Haynie. “The tests also reveal economic and productivity advantages over desiccant dryers that promise strong growth for membrane and vacuum systems, neither of which was available to U.S. plastics processors before the year 2000.”

      The data cited by Haynie were compiled in the recently completed Drying Technology Center at NOVATEC headquarters in Baltimore, where lab manager Jim Brown operates actual production units of NOVATEC drying systems. The tests were the first systematic development of hard data for comparing drying systems of different types, according to Brown.

      “This is just the beginning of a long-range program to test every one of our dryer models, examining all resins subject to drying and all performance criteria relevant to the productivity and profitability of our customers,” said Conrad M. Bessemer, NOVATEC president and CEO. “Because we offer every dryer type, we can recommend systems strictly according to what the customer needs, not what we happen to have on hand to sell. By putting our recommendations on a firm scientific basis, the Drying Technology Center will help our customers select the best possible system for the job.”

            Even as new types of dryers have entered the marketplace, NOVATEC remains committed to supplying its dual-bed desiccant dryer and other established product, according to Haynie. “Dual-beds have been the industry workhorse and are an integral part of the operations of a very large number of customers,” he noted. “These are rugged, reliable systems with a long track record, and we expect that a significant number of processors will continue ordering dual-bed systems as their operations expand. Nevertheless, a shift toward alternative systems is already under way in the industry, and, based on our initial test data, that shift will accelerate.”

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