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Performance Additives unveils product range based on palm oil for WPC applications
MATERIALS
In other fibreglass-related news, PPG Industries has started manufacturing HYBON 2026 fibreglass roving at its PPG Sinoma Jinjing Fiber Glass joint venture in Zibo, Shandong Province, China, to serve the Chinese and Asian wind energy market. The new high-performance product is claimed to achieve maximum adhesion with epoxy, vinyl ester and polyester resins and provide 20% higher tensile strength and double the fatigue performance compared to current wind energy products. Contact: 3B, Battice, Belgium. Tel: + 32 2 402 20 21, Web: www.3b-fibreglass.com Or contact: PPG Industries, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Tel: +1 412 434 3131, Web: www.ppg.com
SABIC promotes sustainability with new bio-based composites, additive for PCR carpeting
S
ABIC Innovative Plastics has developed a new line of LNP Thermocomp speciality compounds use curauá fibre and wood flour natural reinforcements to address the increasing call for sustainable products. Elsewhere, the company is also boosting the use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) nylon fibre in carpets with the development of an additive that provides ‘colour pop’ and permanent stain resistance. The new bio-based product line comprises LNP Thermocomp PX07444 and LNP Thermocomp MX07442 speciality compounds. The first is a polyamide (PA)-6 nylon reinforced with up to 20% curauá fibre. These high mechanical strength fibres are extracted from the leaves of the curauá plant, a member of the bromeliad family cultivated in South America. According to the company, the new grade – while not identical in properties to glass-reinforced PA-6 – can potentially be substituted for glass-filled nylon in specific applications such as automotive interior components. It provides a strength-to-weight advantage with good surface aesthetics. Also, natural fibres such as curauá are not as abrasive as glass or mineral reinforcement, thus reducing wear and tear on moulding equipment, SABIC says. The second new grade is polypropylene (PP) reinforced with 30% wood flour. It is aimed at replacing wood because, in addition to having a similar appearance, it is more resist-
September 2009
ant to fungi and has better dimensional stability than natural wood, SABIC says. Compared to unfilled PP or 30% mineral-reinforced PP, this lower specific gravity compound has higher flexural strength with retained impact strength, providing a strength-to-weight advantage, according to the company. It can be extruded and injection moulded, and provides a colourable surface with the natural grain of wood. Compared to traditional reinforcements such as glass fibre, natural fibres offer several environmental benefits. They are renewable, biodegradable and require less energy to produce. Further, they are lighter in weight than glass and other traditional fibres, helping to reduce energy consumption in shipping. Working closely with modular carpet manufacturer Interface Americas, Inc and its converter, Universal Fibers, Inc, a leading supplier of high-end melt-pigmented fibres, SABIC has developed Valox iQ 2205HV. The resin is used as a critical additive to provide permanent stain resistance and strong, consistent colour, and to maximize PCR content in Interface’s new Convert™ carpet line. According to SABIC, Valox iQ 2205HV’s ionic polarity makes it highly effective in dispersing pigment throughout the polymer melt to produce uniform, vivid colours (known as ‘colour pop’) with lower loadings of expensive colorants. As an additive to Universal Fibers’ melt-pigmented PCR ReFresh yarns, Valox iQ 2205HV resin also provides permanent resistance to staining from acidic substances such as coffee, fruit juice and red wine, which prolongs carpet life, maintains an attractive appearance, and makes cleaning much easier, the companies say. Valox iQ resin is comprised of up to 65% discarded PET bottles upcycled to produce polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), resulting in a reduction of CO2 emissions by up to 55–75% compared to the production of regular PBT resin. Contact: SABIC Innovative Plastics, One Plastics Ave, Pittsfield, MA 01201, USA. Tel: +1 413 4487110, Web: www.sabic-ip.com
Performance Additives unveils product range based on palm oil for WPC applications
M
alaysian speciality chemicals supplier Performance Additives Sdn, Bhd, has expanded its portfolio for the plastics industry with the launch of its Ultraplast WF additive
Additives for Polymers
5
STRATEGIES
range for wood–plastic composites (WPCs). Produced largely (90%) from renewable raw materials, primarily palm oil derivatives, the new additives offer a range of processing and property enhancements. According to the company, the Ultraplast WF range offers the following benefits to the WPC manufacturer: improved wood/fibre dispersion; increased production output; balanced dimensional stability; prevention of edge tearing; reduction of processing temperatures through reduced torque/friction; shorter fusion time; and better impact resistance. The range currently comprises seven products. Ultraplast WF101 acts as lubricant and dispersant and can also be used as a coupling agent as it has functional groups. Ultraplast WF102 is another lubricant and dispersant, suitable for use in PE-, PP- and PVC-based WPCs. Metal-free fatty acid derivative Ultraplast WF103 is designed for use in PS and ABS systems. Ultraplast WF104 contains a special amide that works as a coupling agent. Ultraplast WF105 is a general-purpose lubricant for highly filled polyolefin compounds, while Ultraplast WF106 is suitable as lubricant for PVC systems. WF104, 105 and 106 should not be used in combination with other coupling agents, Performance Additives warns. Finally, fatty acid ester mixture Ultraplast WF107 is a multifunctional additive for WPCs based on the entire range of relevant resins and can be used in combination with coupling agents. Performance Additives recently celebrated the tenth anniversary of its founding in 1999. Employing more than 50 staff, the company operates a 12 000 tonne/y manufacturing facility and exports 95% of its production to more than 40 countries worldwide. Its products primarily serve the rubber and plastics industries. Contact: Performance Additives Sdn Bhd, 5 Jalan TP2, Taman Perindustrian Sime UEP, 47600 Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Tel: +60 3 80263481, Fax: +60 3 80263444, Web: www.performance-additives.com
COMPANY STRATEGIES BASF finalizes restructuring plans for Ciba
B
ASF has finalized its plans for the integration of Ciba Holding AG, which it acquired in
6
Additives for Polymers
April this year [ADPO, June 2009]. Former Ciba businesses are to be integrated into the operating divisions in BASF’s Performance Products segment where their potential can best be realized and developed. Ciba’s plastic additives business will be integrated into the Performance Chemicals division. This will extend BASF’s portfolio to cover product segments such as UV stabilizers and antioxidants, and make the company the world leader in plastic additives, it says. The integration will involve extensive restructuring measures. 3700 jobs (33% of Ciba’s workforce before the acquisition) will be lost between 2009 and 2013, most of which will go before 2010, the company says. BASF has also announced that 23 of Ciba’s 55 production sites will be restructured, sold or closed by 2010. The remaining 32 sites will be upgraded. Finally, BASF is aiming to consolidate 36 of the former Ciba’s 70 sales and administrative offices and research sites with existing BASF activities by the end of 2010. In total these measures will result in costs of E550 million but should generate synergies of at least E400 million per year from 2012. By the end of 2010, savings of approximately E300 million are to be achieved. As previously reported, the expanded company will retain a strong presence in the Basel region, with Ciba’s headquarters there being strengthened as a result of the integration [ibid, August 2009]. BASF says that it aims to implement restructuring measures in a ‘socially responsible’ manner and has begun talks with local employee representatives. Acknowledging that this is ‘not good news’ for some of employees, BASF chairman Dr Jürgen Hambrecht promises that the company will keep the period of uncertainty ‘as short as possible’ and will make decisions ‘in a fair and transparent way’. The combined businesses can only be successful in the long term ‘if we optimize them and exploit the full potential for synergies’, he explains. Contact: BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. Tel: +49 621 600, Web: www.basf.com
Songwon start ups isobutylene facility, returns to profitability
K
orea-based plastics additives producer Songwon Industrial Co Ltd reports that its new US$20 million isobutylene (IBL) production facility, located at its Maeam site, has been successfully
September 2009
In other fibreglass-related news, PPG Industries has started manufacturing HYBON 2026 fibreglass roving at its PPG Sinoma Jinjing Fiber Glass joint venture in Zibo, Shandong Province, China, to serve the Chinese and Asian wind energy market. The new high-performance product is claimed to achieve maximum adhesion with epoxy, vinyl ester and polyester resins and provide 20% higher tensile strength and double the fatigue performance compared to current wind energy products. Contact: 3B, Battice, Belgium. Tel: + 32 2 402 20 21, Web: www.3b-fibreglass.com Or contact: PPG Industries, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Tel: +1 412 434 3131, Web: www.ppg.com
SABIC promotes sustainability with new bio-based composites, additive for PCR carpeting
S
ABIC Innovative Plastics has developed a new line of LNP Thermocomp speciality compounds use curauá fibre and wood flour natural reinforcements to address the increasing call for sustainable products. Elsewhere, the company is also boosting the use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) nylon fibre in carpets with the development of an additive that provides ‘colour pop’ and permanent stain resistance. The new bio-based product line comprises LNP Thermocomp PX07444 and LNP Thermocomp MX07442 speciality compounds. The first is a polyamide (PA)-6 nylon reinforced with up to 20% curauá fibre. These high mechanical strength fibres are extracted from the leaves of the curauá plant, a member of the bromeliad family cultivated in South America. According to the company, the new grade – while not identical in properties to glass-reinforced PA-6 – can potentially be substituted for glass-filled nylon in specific applications such as automotive interior components. It provides a strength-to-weight advantage with good surface aesthetics. Also, natural fibres such as curauá are not as abrasive as glass or mineral reinforcement, thus reducing wear and tear on moulding equipment, SABIC says. The second new grade is polypropylene (PP) reinforced with 30% wood flour. It is aimed at replacing wood because, in addition to having a similar appearance, it is more resist-
September 2009
ant to fungi and has better dimensional stability than natural wood, SABIC says. Compared to unfilled PP or 30% mineral-reinforced PP, this lower specific gravity compound has higher flexural strength with retained impact strength, providing a strength-to-weight advantage, according to the company. It can be extruded and injection moulded, and provides a colourable surface with the natural grain of wood. Compared to traditional reinforcements such as glass fibre, natural fibres offer several environmental benefits. They are renewable, biodegradable and require less energy to produce. Further, they are lighter in weight than glass and other traditional fibres, helping to reduce energy consumption in shipping. Working closely with modular carpet manufacturer Interface Americas, Inc and its converter, Universal Fibers, Inc, a leading supplier of high-end melt-pigmented fibres, SABIC has developed Valox iQ 2205HV. The resin is used as a critical additive to provide permanent stain resistance and strong, consistent colour, and to maximize PCR content in Interface’s new Convert™ carpet line. According to SABIC, Valox iQ 2205HV’s ionic polarity makes it highly effective in dispersing pigment throughout the polymer melt to produce uniform, vivid colours (known as ‘colour pop’) with lower loadings of expensive colorants. As an additive to Universal Fibers’ melt-pigmented PCR ReFresh yarns, Valox iQ 2205HV resin also provides permanent resistance to staining from acidic substances such as coffee, fruit juice and red wine, which prolongs carpet life, maintains an attractive appearance, and makes cleaning much easier, the companies say. Valox iQ resin is comprised of up to 65% discarded PET bottles upcycled to produce polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), resulting in a reduction of CO2 emissions by up to 55–75% compared to the production of regular PBT resin. Contact: SABIC Innovative Plastics, One Plastics Ave, Pittsfield, MA 01201, USA. Tel: +1 413 4487110, Web: www.sabic-ip.com
Performance Additives unveils product range based on palm oil for WPC applications
M
alaysian speciality chemicals supplier Performance Additives Sdn, Bhd, has expanded its portfolio for the plastics industry with the launch of its Ultraplast WF additive
Additives for Polymers
5
STRATEGIES
range for wood–plastic composites (WPCs). Produced largely (90%) from renewable raw materials, primarily palm oil derivatives, the new additives offer a range of processing and property enhancements. According to the company, the Ultraplast WF range offers the following benefits to the WPC manufacturer: improved wood/fibre dispersion; increased production output; balanced dimensional stability; prevention of edge tearing; reduction of processing temperatures through reduced torque/friction; shorter fusion time; and better impact resistance. The range currently comprises seven products. Ultraplast WF101 acts as lubricant and dispersant and can also be used as a coupling agent as it has functional groups. Ultraplast WF102 is another lubricant and dispersant, suitable for use in PE-, PP- and PVC-based WPCs. Metal-free fatty acid derivative Ultraplast WF103 is designed for use in PS and ABS systems. Ultraplast WF104 contains a special amide that works as a coupling agent. Ultraplast WF105 is a general-purpose lubricant for highly filled polyolefin compounds, while Ultraplast WF106 is suitable as lubricant for PVC systems. WF104, 105 and 106 should not be used in combination with other coupling agents, Performance Additives warns. Finally, fatty acid ester mixture Ultraplast WF107 is a multifunctional additive for WPCs based on the entire range of relevant resins and can be used in combination with coupling agents. Performance Additives recently celebrated the tenth anniversary of its founding in 1999. Employing more than 50 staff, the company operates a 12 000 tonne/y manufacturing facility and exports 95% of its production to more than 40 countries worldwide. Its products primarily serve the rubber and plastics industries. Contact: Performance Additives Sdn Bhd, 5 Jalan TP2, Taman Perindustrian Sime UEP, 47600 Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Tel: +60 3 80263481, Fax: +60 3 80263444, Web: www.performance-additives.com
COMPANY STRATEGIES BASF finalizes restructuring plans for Ciba
B
ASF has finalized its plans for the integration of Ciba Holding AG, which it acquired in
6
Additives for Polymers
April this year [ADPO, June 2009]. Former Ciba businesses are to be integrated into the operating divisions in BASF’s Performance Products segment where their potential can best be realized and developed. Ciba’s plastic additives business will be integrated into the Performance Chemicals division. This will extend BASF’s portfolio to cover product segments such as UV stabilizers and antioxidants, and make the company the world leader in plastic additives, it says. The integration will involve extensive restructuring measures. 3700 jobs (33% of Ciba’s workforce before the acquisition) will be lost between 2009 and 2013, most of which will go before 2010, the company says. BASF has also announced that 23 of Ciba’s 55 production sites will be restructured, sold or closed by 2010. The remaining 32 sites will be upgraded. Finally, BASF is aiming to consolidate 36 of the former Ciba’s 70 sales and administrative offices and research sites with existing BASF activities by the end of 2010. In total these measures will result in costs of E550 million but should generate synergies of at least E400 million per year from 2012. By the end of 2010, savings of approximately E300 million are to be achieved. As previously reported, the expanded company will retain a strong presence in the Basel region, with Ciba’s headquarters there being strengthened as a result of the integration [ibid, August 2009]. BASF says that it aims to implement restructuring measures in a ‘socially responsible’ manner and has begun talks with local employee representatives. Acknowledging that this is ‘not good news’ for some of employees, BASF chairman Dr Jürgen Hambrecht promises that the company will keep the period of uncertainty ‘as short as possible’ and will make decisions ‘in a fair and transparent way’. The combined businesses can only be successful in the long term ‘if we optimize them and exploit the full potential for synergies’, he explains. Contact: BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. Tel: +49 621 600, Web: www.basf.com
Songwon start ups isobutylene facility, returns to profitability
K
orea-based plastics additives producer Songwon Industrial Co Ltd reports that its new US$20 million isobutylene (IBL) production facility, located at its Maeam site, has been successfully
September 2009