Press release submitted on behalf of Farrel Pomini.
Farrel Pomini has announced that its Compact Processor equipment can produce composite outdoor decking at significantly lower capital and operational costs by eliminating the initial pellet milling step. This information will be available at K 2025 in Dusseldorf Oct. 8-15.
The Farrel Pomini Compact Processor – an FCM™ Farrel Continuous Mixer and single-screw extruder combined on a unitized frame – eliminates pellet milling by directly receiving fluffy wood flour, along with virgin or recycled polymer, through its large feed port at high throughput rates.
“Traditionally, wood flour is first pelletized in a milling process that requires large, costly equipment that is difficult to maintain,” said Farrel Pomini President Paul Lloyd. “Direct extrusion of decking boards, without pelletizing, is the most efficient production method. When bypassing pelletizing, the process not only eliminates the need to remelt pellets – resulting in significant energy savings and reduced material degradation by avoiding an additional heat cycle – but also gets rid of unnecessary downstream pelletizing equipment.”
Central to this capability is Farrel’s grooved extruder equipped with vacuum venting. The grooved barrel design ensures efficient conveying and stable pressure for consistent, high-quality board extrusion, while the vacuum venting effectively removes residual moisture from the compound.
WPCs are blends of wood flour and thermoplastic polymers (PE, PP, PVC) that are turned into planks for outdoor living spaces. Recycled plastics from post-consumer packaging film are often used instead of virgin plastics.
Making WPC is challenging because wood flour is a fluffy powder with a relatively high moisture level – about 5% to 6%. High-quality decking requires high wood flour loading and effective distributive mixing, while minimizing shear-induced heating and limiting temperature increases.
Farrel’s proprietary Continuous Vent Stuffer enables efficient atmospheric venting of moisture while keeping fine wood particles in the machine. In the mixing chamber, the combination of large free volume and low shear ensures excellent distributive mixing and high output without overheating or scorching the material. A stock cutter at the mixer discharge cuts the extrudate ribbon, facilitating smooth feeding into the downstream hot-feed single screw extruder.
The Compact Processor can be equipped with Farrel’s Dry Face Pelletizer, which produces pellets without water contact, for processors who prefer to feed pellets into existing downstream equipment.
To learn more, visit Farrel at K 2025 in Hall 9, Booth A 16.
About FARREL POMINI®
In 2010, Harburg-Freudenberger Maschinebau GmbH, Farrel Corporation and Pomini Rubber & Plastics Srl integrated to form HF MIXING GROUP. A year later, FARREL POMINI® was established to focus expertise in the continuous mixing equipment sector. As separate companies, Farrel Corporation and Pomini Rubber & Plastics Srl possess over 100 years of collective experience in the polymer processing industry. Today, FARREL POMINI® is a global leader in the research, design and manufacture of continuous mixing systems.
In 2024, HF MIXING GROUP and HF TireTech Group merged to form HF GROUP.
For more information on FARREL POMINI visit the company’s website at www.farrel-pomini.com.