additives
POLYMERS
ISSN 0306-3747 January 2016
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PolyOne launches ‘breakthrough’ fibre coloration technology; reports 3Q 2015 results
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S polymer materials and solutions firm PolyOne has developed a novel technology for colouring polyester fibre that eliminates aqueous dyeing and its associated wastewater treatment, giving textile manufacturers ‘increased production and greater flexibility’, it claims. ColorMatrix™ Fiber Colorant Solutions introduces late-stage colour injection for the spin colouring process, and can help to transform the way safety straps, upholstery fabrics, footwear, apparel, industrial fabrics and more are manufactured, according to the company. The technology received its launch at the Milan ITMA 2015 tradeshow in November. The new fibre colorant technology combines ColorMatrix liquid concentrates and proprietary high-pressure metering equipment to enable late-stage colour injection during melt extrusion spin colouring. While traditional aqueous dyeing can use up to 10 litres of water to colour a single kilogramme of fibre, spin colouring uses no water, less energy and fewer chemicals, PolyOne explains. It also eliminates the secondary treatment operations needed to discharge water safely into the environment, the company comments. Adding liquid colour downstream minimizes colour contamination, reducing clean out and colour change time, according to PolyOne. As a result, ColorMatrix Fiber Colorant Solutions will enable
manufacturers to produce smaller volumes and bespoke colours efficiently to meet the demand for mass customization and seasonal colours in markets such as apparel and footwear, it says. Further, several injection points can be added to run multiple colours or additives at the same time on a single extruder to enhance flexibility, the company reports. In addition, these new solutions allow standard white polyester fibre producers with reactor spinning lines to produce coloured products in-line, eliminating the need for a secondary aqueous dyeing process, PolyOne says. There is significant momentum in the textile manufacturing industry towards developing sustainable solutions across the entire supply chain, explains John Van Hulle, president, Global Color, Additives & Inks, PolyOne. The new ColorMatrix solution offers ‘the environmental benefits and operational efficiencies of spin colouring, but with greater production flexibility and development speed to help brands and fibre producers react faster to market trends’, he says. Strong performance by the company’s Global Color, Additives & Inks and Specialty Engineered Materials segments helped PolyOne to achieve a 10% increase in adjusted earnings per share (EPS) in 3Q 2015 to a third-quarter record of US$0.54. This was the 24th consecutive quarter of year-over-year adjusted EPS growth, ‘overcoming challenging macroeconomic conditions including a weaker Continued on page 2...
Contents MATERIALS PolyOne launches ‘breakthrough’ fibre coloration technology; reports 3Q 2015 results
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Holland Colours introduces new-generation slip agent; posts 12% rise in half-year sales 2 Americhem targets European synthetic fibres sector with new products and UK technical centre
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Merck extends Miraval Cosmic effect pigment range
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Vanetti’s masterbatches receive Vinçotte OK Compost certification 5 Parx Plastics, Erze team up to reduce pathogens on food packaging
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COMPANY STRATEGIES BASF to produce DOTP plasticizer in North America
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Cabot to restructure after posting loss in fiscal 2015; closes Indonesian carbon black plant
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GCR to increase masterbatch and PP compound capacity
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Chemours building first full-scale plant for production of low GWP foaming agent 8 Carolina Color to expand headquarters site
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Oxea reorganizes German business operations to secure future competitiveness
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FINANCIALS Songwon’s net profit quadruples in the third quarter of 2015
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Chemtura reports earnings gain on lower sales in 3Q 2015 10 Nubiola acquisition boosts Ferro’s third quarter 2015 sales 11
EVENTS CALENDAR
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ISSN 0306-3747/16 © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.
MATERIALS
...Continued from front page euro’, comments PolyOne’s president and CEO Robert M. Patterson. ‘Our Color, Additives & Inks and Specialty Engineered Materials segments continued to lead the way with record-breaking operating income and profitability for the third quarter’, he says. The company’s revenue for 3Q 2015 was $842 million, compared to $958 million the previous year. The decline resulted from unfavourable foreign exchange, lower selling prices in Distribution and Performance Products & Solutions due to lower raw material costs, and the ongoing integration of the Spartech business. Operating income was $69.2 million, up from $63.6 million a year earlier, while the company’s net income rose 38% year on year from $32.7 million to $44.5 million in 3Q 2015. Sales for Global Color, Additives & Inks were $199.9 million in the third quarter of 2015, down 6% from the previous year, but the segment’s operating income rose 14.6% to $34.5 million. In other company news, PolyOne recently unveiled its new corporate website. Consolidating 12 legacy websites into one, the new site offers ‘enhanced, customer-centric content and intuitive navigation’, the company says. The site is ‘responsively designed’ and can be viewed just as well on a desktop as on a mobile phone or tablet, ‘which translates into a consistent web experience that makes finding safety data sheets, product literature and in-depth content easy and instinctive’, according to PolyOne. Contact: PolyOne Corp, Avon Lake, OH, USA. Tel: +1 440 930 1000, Web: www.polyone.com
MATERIALS Holland Colours introduces new-generation slip agent; posts 12% rise in half-year sales
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utch colorants and additives manufacturer Holland Colours NV has extended its range of products tailored for the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging market with the addition of the HolcoSlip 271-Series of slip agents. According to the company, this latest additive
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Additives for Polymers
expands its portfolio ‘to provide customers with more-efficient and cost-effective solutions’. Scuff marks and scratches are no longer acceptable on PET surfaces, comments Holland Colours, explaining the motivation behind the development of HolcoSlip. The new slip agent focuses on reducing the coefficient of friction (COF) during PET preform production, it says. Lowering the COF results in easier release of the preforms from the cavities, and the reduced friction also results in preforms that are free from scratches and drop marks from falling into the collecting octabin, the company claims. With the use of HolcoSlip 271-Series, more-efficient filling of octabins can also be achieved – 10% more preforms can typically be stored per bin, reducing storage and transportation costs, Holland Colours reports. In addition, the new-generation slip additive reportedly provides optimum slip performance at dosing levels that are ‘considerably lower’ (up to 50% lower) than those of the competitive solutions currently available in the market. Further advantages claimed for the new product include its negligible influence on the PET-conversion process, with no discoloration, its cost-efficiency and its compatibility with most liquid additive or colorant dosing systems. Holland Colours reports that HolcoSlip 271-Series is bio-based, environment-friendly and safe for food contact. The slip agent is initially available only in Europe; however, the process to attain FDA compliance is in progress, the company says. In other news, Holland Colours posted revenue of E37.1 million for the first six months of its 2015/2016 financial year, ended 30 September 2015. This is a 12% improvement compared to revenue of E33.1 million in the same period of the 2014/2015 financial year. Favourable currency effects, mainly as a result of the stronger US dollar versus the euro, accounted for E3.2 million (10%) of the increase. Of the company’s three regional divisions, revenue increased year on year in the Americas and Europe but fell back in Asia. 1H 2015/2016 closed with a net profit of E1.9 million, identical to the previous year. The gross margin increased by E2.3 million to E18.1 million, of which E1.6 million is attributable to the positive currency effects and E0.7 million to positive price, volume and mix effects, the company reports. Total operating expenses compared to the first half of 2014/2015 increased by E2.1 million (16%), of which E1.3 million relates to the stronger US dollar while higher operating costs, mainly personnel costs in the Americas division, account for most of the remaining cost increase. Holland Colours concentrates on three so-called focus markets worldwide – Building & Construction (especially
January 2016