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PVC processing aid from Arkema Inc sets new standards
MATERIALS
MATERIALS EnerPlastics launches oxo-biodegradable additive in Dubai
D
ubai-based masterbatch manufacturer EnerPlastics LLC has launched the first indigenously designed additive package in the form of an oxo-biodegradable additive for polyolefin films and other single-use polyolefin products. EP OBD enables fragmentation and bio-assimilation and conforms to rigid French protocols for oxo-biodegradability. It has been certified by Centre National d’Evaluation de Photoprotection, Université Blaise Pascal, an independent laboratory accredited by the French Government, EnerPlastics reports. The patent-pending additive package will be manufactured locally in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at EnerPlastics’ plant in Jebel Ali, Dubai, using ingredients sourced from the Middle East and Europe. EP OBD is formulated from non-toxic chemical constituents and, when added at the recommended dosage to polyolefins, guarantees their fragmentation into non-polymeric compounds and eventual bio-assimilation in soil, the company says. The complex chemical reactions involve photodegradation of the film left exposed to the sunlight and thermo-oxidation under atmospheric conditions both on land and in water. The thermo-oxidative process continues even if the article is buried, such as in landfills, though at a slower rate. EP OBD promotes conversion of the plastic films into particles of a size invisible to the human eye and of a chemical nature that forms part of the food chain of soil microbes, fungi and bacteria. The additive package contains stabilizers that impart mechanical strength and durability to the film to ensure the highest mechanical integrity in service during an initial 12 month period, EnerPlastics says. After this initial phase of actual use, the oxidative fragmentation process commences leading to eventual bio-assimilation in a period of 3 to 5 years. The film also undergoes similar fragmentation and bio-assimilation when accidentally blown into a marine environment, according to the company. EnerPlastics CEO Aman Rahman says that the company has been investing in research and development for the past two years to find a solution to enable biodegradation of one-time use plastic products, such as shopping
2
Additives for Polymers
bags and other plastic items. ‘With a marginal increase of less than 5% in the manufacturing cost of plastic bags we can assure a safe environment. Our ambition is to start educating the consumers and manufacturers of one-time use plastic products about the benefits of EP OBD and its impact in conserving the environment’, he adds. EnerPlastics was founded in 1999 and specializes in the production of tailor-made colour and additive masterbatches. The ISO 9001:2000 company markets its products in 32 countries across Europe, Africa and Asia. Contact: EnerPlastics LLC, PO Box 37561, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Tel: +971 4 3471411, Web: www.enerplastics.com
PVC processing aid from Arkema Inc sets new standards
P
hiladelphia-based Arkema Inc, the US arm of global chemical company Arkema, has introduced Plastistrength® 576 processing aid for the polyvinyl chloride foam, profile, siding and compounding markets. According to the company, the product sets new standards for performance and productivity for rigid PVC processing. Plastistrength 576 has been developed to offer PVC producers a significantly wider processing window, especially at lower processing temperatures, than other competitive offerings, Arkema says. It provides the right processing latitude for the development of stable, high-output formulations based on either acrylic or CPE (chlorinated polyethylene) impact modifiers, the firm claims. According to Jim McAliney, general manager of Arkema’s PVC Additives business, Plastistrength 576 processing aid is a real ‘game changer’ for the PVC market, and will add significant value to customers’ manufacturing processes. ‘The ability of Plastistrength 576 to maintain optimal fusion and physical properties over a wider range of processing temperatures sets it apart from other competitive offerings in the marketplace’, he says. Product development efforts continued through the downturn in the economy and have resulted in several new patents pending for Arkema’s expanding line of Plastistrength products, McAliney reports.
March 2011
MATERIALS
Plastistrength processing aids help the processing of PVC by promoting fusion, improving melt strength, eliminating surface defects and decreasing plate out, Arkema claims. In addition, they are said to enhance formulation metal release properties in extrusion and calendering applications while offering improved cost performance versus traditional lubricant packages. Contact: Arkema Inc, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Tel: +1 215 419 7000, Web: www.additives-arkema.com or www.arkema-inc.com
Holland Colours develops low gloss frost effect for PET bottles; achieves sharp profit growth
C
olorant specialist Holland Colours reports that it has created an additive product that will allow bottle producers to emulate the appearance of frosted glass in PET. The patentpending Holcosperse B Matte Frost series uses a ‘unique additive chemistry’ to create the translucent effect similar to frosted glass with significant gloss reductions in PET, the company explains. The product line was launched on the North American market at January’s NOVA-PACK 2011 event in Florida. The new additive has been formulated to achieve a frosted look in PET without costly and time-consuming secondary operations such as spraying or painting, Holland Colours says. As a result of its light diffusion properties, gloss reductions of up to 85% have reportedly been achieved. Unlike other such additives, Holcosperse B Matte Frost does not depend on orientation to achieve the desired frost effect, instead providing a uniform frost effect consistent throughout the bottle, the company claims. It also complies with FDA and EU regulations for PET packaging applications. According to Holland Colours, the new product’s ‘unique chemistry’ offers additional advantages including a softer texture, increased scuff and mar resistance, and potentially increased slip properties. Holcosperse B Matte Frost is a dust-free, microbead product, which enables very low dosing levels. It can be easily dosed directly on-line, reducing production costs and turn-around time. It may be used on its own or incor-
March 2011
porated into any custom colours. It may also potentially be used with additives such as UV absorbers and oxygen barriers. Packaging application areas include cosmetics, alcohol, high-end beverages and other high-end products. For the first six months of its 2010/2011 financial year, ended 30 September 2010, Holland Colours posted a net profit of E2.3 million compared with E0.6 million in the first half of 2009/2010. Turnover increased 22% to E31.9 million partly due to inventory replenishment on the part of customers aided by positive foreign exchange effects. Turnover rebounded to approximately pre-crisis levels, the company comments. All focus markets and all geographic divisions realized a higher turnover in the first six months versus the same period in the previous year, with the building and construction market showing the strongest recovery. In US dollar terms, turnover in the America’s division was comparable to pre-crisis levels; in Europe turnover increased 14% to E17.9 million but this was still E2 million below the figure for 1H 2008/2009. Asia also showed good growth. While expecting higher turnover for the second half of its current financial year compared to the same period in the previous year, Holland Colours anticipates that its 2H net result will be lower because of rising raw material costs. Contact: Holland Colours Americas Inc, 1501 Progress Drive, Richmond, IN 47374, USA. Tel: +1 765 935 0329 Or contact: Holland Colours NV, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 55 366 3143, Web: www.hollandcolours.com
AkzoNobel reduces cobalt in thermoset accelerators; reveals growth ambitions
A
kzoNobel has launched a new range of low-cobalt and cobalt-free accelerators for the thermoset market. Marketed under the Nouryact name, these products offer more sustainable alternatives to traditional cobalt octoate and cobalt acetate, the Netherlandsbased company says. The Nouryact accelerators are based on copper, manganese and iron and can be used in most ambient cure systems, AkzoNobel says. They allow for low-cobalt and
Additives for Polymers
3
MATERIALS EnerPlastics launches oxo-biodegradable additive in Dubai
D
ubai-based masterbatch manufacturer EnerPlastics LLC has launched the first indigenously designed additive package in the form of an oxo-biodegradable additive for polyolefin films and other single-use polyolefin products. EP OBD enables fragmentation and bio-assimilation and conforms to rigid French protocols for oxo-biodegradability. It has been certified by Centre National d’Evaluation de Photoprotection, Université Blaise Pascal, an independent laboratory accredited by the French Government, EnerPlastics reports. The patent-pending additive package will be manufactured locally in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at EnerPlastics’ plant in Jebel Ali, Dubai, using ingredients sourced from the Middle East and Europe. EP OBD is formulated from non-toxic chemical constituents and, when added at the recommended dosage to polyolefins, guarantees their fragmentation into non-polymeric compounds and eventual bio-assimilation in soil, the company says. The complex chemical reactions involve photodegradation of the film left exposed to the sunlight and thermo-oxidation under atmospheric conditions both on land and in water. The thermo-oxidative process continues even if the article is buried, such as in landfills, though at a slower rate. EP OBD promotes conversion of the plastic films into particles of a size invisible to the human eye and of a chemical nature that forms part of the food chain of soil microbes, fungi and bacteria. The additive package contains stabilizers that impart mechanical strength and durability to the film to ensure the highest mechanical integrity in service during an initial 12 month period, EnerPlastics says. After this initial phase of actual use, the oxidative fragmentation process commences leading to eventual bio-assimilation in a period of 3 to 5 years. The film also undergoes similar fragmentation and bio-assimilation when accidentally blown into a marine environment, according to the company. EnerPlastics CEO Aman Rahman says that the company has been investing in research and development for the past two years to find a solution to enable biodegradation of one-time use plastic products, such as shopping
2
Additives for Polymers
bags and other plastic items. ‘With a marginal increase of less than 5% in the manufacturing cost of plastic bags we can assure a safe environment. Our ambition is to start educating the consumers and manufacturers of one-time use plastic products about the benefits of EP OBD and its impact in conserving the environment’, he adds. EnerPlastics was founded in 1999 and specializes in the production of tailor-made colour and additive masterbatches. The ISO 9001:2000 company markets its products in 32 countries across Europe, Africa and Asia. Contact: EnerPlastics LLC, PO Box 37561, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Tel: +971 4 3471411, Web: www.enerplastics.com
PVC processing aid from Arkema Inc sets new standards
P
hiladelphia-based Arkema Inc, the US arm of global chemical company Arkema, has introduced Plastistrength® 576 processing aid for the polyvinyl chloride foam, profile, siding and compounding markets. According to the company, the product sets new standards for performance and productivity for rigid PVC processing. Plastistrength 576 has been developed to offer PVC producers a significantly wider processing window, especially at lower processing temperatures, than other competitive offerings, Arkema says. It provides the right processing latitude for the development of stable, high-output formulations based on either acrylic or CPE (chlorinated polyethylene) impact modifiers, the firm claims. According to Jim McAliney, general manager of Arkema’s PVC Additives business, Plastistrength 576 processing aid is a real ‘game changer’ for the PVC market, and will add significant value to customers’ manufacturing processes. ‘The ability of Plastistrength 576 to maintain optimal fusion and physical properties over a wider range of processing temperatures sets it apart from other competitive offerings in the marketplace’, he says. Product development efforts continued through the downturn in the economy and have resulted in several new patents pending for Arkema’s expanding line of Plastistrength products, McAliney reports.
March 2011
MATERIALS
Plastistrength processing aids help the processing of PVC by promoting fusion, improving melt strength, eliminating surface defects and decreasing plate out, Arkema claims. In addition, they are said to enhance formulation metal release properties in extrusion and calendering applications while offering improved cost performance versus traditional lubricant packages. Contact: Arkema Inc, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Tel: +1 215 419 7000, Web: www.additives-arkema.com or www.arkema-inc.com
Holland Colours develops low gloss frost effect for PET bottles; achieves sharp profit growth
C
olorant specialist Holland Colours reports that it has created an additive product that will allow bottle producers to emulate the appearance of frosted glass in PET. The patentpending Holcosperse B Matte Frost series uses a ‘unique additive chemistry’ to create the translucent effect similar to frosted glass with significant gloss reductions in PET, the company explains. The product line was launched on the North American market at January’s NOVA-PACK 2011 event in Florida. The new additive has been formulated to achieve a frosted look in PET without costly and time-consuming secondary operations such as spraying or painting, Holland Colours says. As a result of its light diffusion properties, gloss reductions of up to 85% have reportedly been achieved. Unlike other such additives, Holcosperse B Matte Frost does not depend on orientation to achieve the desired frost effect, instead providing a uniform frost effect consistent throughout the bottle, the company claims. It also complies with FDA and EU regulations for PET packaging applications. According to Holland Colours, the new product’s ‘unique chemistry’ offers additional advantages including a softer texture, increased scuff and mar resistance, and potentially increased slip properties. Holcosperse B Matte Frost is a dust-free, microbead product, which enables very low dosing levels. It can be easily dosed directly on-line, reducing production costs and turn-around time. It may be used on its own or incor-
March 2011
porated into any custom colours. It may also potentially be used with additives such as UV absorbers and oxygen barriers. Packaging application areas include cosmetics, alcohol, high-end beverages and other high-end products. For the first six months of its 2010/2011 financial year, ended 30 September 2010, Holland Colours posted a net profit of E2.3 million compared with E0.6 million in the first half of 2009/2010. Turnover increased 22% to E31.9 million partly due to inventory replenishment on the part of customers aided by positive foreign exchange effects. Turnover rebounded to approximately pre-crisis levels, the company comments. All focus markets and all geographic divisions realized a higher turnover in the first six months versus the same period in the previous year, with the building and construction market showing the strongest recovery. In US dollar terms, turnover in the America’s division was comparable to pre-crisis levels; in Europe turnover increased 14% to E17.9 million but this was still E2 million below the figure for 1H 2008/2009. Asia also showed good growth. While expecting higher turnover for the second half of its current financial year compared to the same period in the previous year, Holland Colours anticipates that its 2H net result will be lower because of rising raw material costs. Contact: Holland Colours Americas Inc, 1501 Progress Drive, Richmond, IN 47374, USA. Tel: +1 765 935 0329 Or contact: Holland Colours NV, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 55 366 3143, Web: www.hollandcolours.com
AkzoNobel reduces cobalt in thermoset accelerators; reveals growth ambitions
A
kzoNobel has launched a new range of low-cobalt and cobalt-free accelerators for the thermoset market. Marketed under the Nouryact name, these products offer more sustainable alternatives to traditional cobalt octoate and cobalt acetate, the Netherlandsbased company says. The Nouryact accelerators are based on copper, manganese and iron and can be used in most ambient cure systems, AkzoNobel says. They allow for low-cobalt and
Additives for Polymers
3