Plastics News

VICTREX® PEEK™ Polymer Selected for Robot Speed Reducers

December 18, 2009 - West Conshocken, PA, USA – When SBB Co., Ltd., a Korea-based ball bearing manufacturer, wanted to reduce production costs and weight in their robot speed reducer, they selected VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer.

“A typical reducer includes an internal gear, external gear and the output unit. The external gear is required to be especially strong and elastic to prevent damage from long hours of rotation. When the reducer was made of stainless steel, we got an even tooth profile, but the elasticity degraded with use,” said Lee Bu-Rak, President of SBB Co. Ltd.  “The speed reducer made of VICTREX PEEK polymer provides an excellent interface between the internal and the external gear thanks to its superior performance and a higher level of elasticity. We found the lightweight cost-effective speed reducers made of VICTREX PEEK polymer were an excellent fit for speed reducers.” 

 SBB has been working closely with Victrex to continue to refine the design, processing and performance of the components. “It is not easy to create a delicate tooth profile since a thin and narrow tooth profile can be crushed or make it hard for tooth profiles to mate correctly,” said Brian Kim, Technology Support Manager, Victrex Korea. “It is critical to make a tooth profile very dense while maintaining the strength and dimensional stability.” 

As the robot industry has grown, interest in motors and speed reducers has increased. In the past, speed reducers were used in traditional industries such as automotive, construction and heavy equipment. Boosted by the development of plastic speed reducer, SBB has plans to promote the speed reducers into toy robots. “We see an opportunity for high-end toys with high precision control reduction technology,” Lee said. “We will continue to expand the range of plastic speed reducers, applying VICTREX PEEK polymer speed reducers for toys as well as household robots.” 

For more information, please call (800) VICTREX or visit the Victrex website at www.victrex.com.

DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers Announces Price Increase for Various Resin Products

December 15, 2009 - Wilmington, Del. – DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers announced a price increase of 6 to 10 cents per pound for DuPont™ Appeel®, Bexloy®, Biomax®, Bynel®, Elvaloy®, Entira™, Fusabond®, Selar®, Surlyn® product lines depending on the grade.  This increase is effective immediately.  

DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.

RadiciGroup Plastics Explores New Business Opportunities In The NAFTA Market

December 15, 2009 - As part of its strategy to strengthen its manufacturing and marketing presence in the NAFTA market, RadiciGroup Plastics has confirmed that it has entered into a “stalking horse” Asset Purchase Agreement to acquire the American compounder MDE, subject to a Section 363 bankruptcy auction. The Group is also evaluating other potential acquisitions in that market, in addition to MDE.

The RadiciGroup Plastics Area — engaged in the production and sale of PA 6 and PA66 engineering polymers and copolymers (Radilon® - Radiflam®), PBTs (Raditer®) and TPEs (Heraflex®) in the United States — has confirmed its $5.7 million Section 363 Asset Purchase Agreement to acquire Wadsworth, Ohio-based compounder Michael Day Enterprises, Inc. (MDE), which has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Additionally, RadiciGroup has affirmed that this is just one of the business opportunities it is evaluating as part of its strategy to acquire market share and strengthen its position in the American market.

The MDE Asset Purchase Agreement, pursuant to Section 363(b) of the United States Bankruptcy Code, is subject to an auction to be held early next month, in which RadiciGroup will be the “stalking horse” bidder, i.e., the preferred buyer. However, this position does not guarantee that the transaction will be carried out.

The Agreement provides for the acquisition of MDE with all its tangible and intangible assets, together with a series of continuity guarantees — business operations continuity, location continuity and job retention — for a significant time period.

Official confirmation of the Section 363 sale outcome will be given shortly after the public auction scheduled on 8 January 2010.

Operating in the United States since 1998 through its subsidiary Radici Plastics USA — a production and sales unit whose 2009 sales are expected to climb 20% compared to 2008 —, RadiciGroup is now examining new growth and investment opportunities in the NAFTA area. Of primary interest is increasing market share in the US automotive sector, where, thanks to the concept of low-environmental-impact cars, new prospects are arising for design and manufacturing processes more and more like those in Europe. On account of the green politics promoted by the new American administration, there is a good probability that the automotive market will see a series of important changes, among which the trend towards lighter vehicles and electric cars, with more emphasis on plastic components. And the RadiciGroup Plastics Area has the products for these automotive uses, as well as for electric/electronic and industrial applications: a complete range of PA6 and PA66 engineering polymers and copolymers, PBTs and thermoplastic elastomers. RadiciGroup plans to continue backing these market segments by offering quality, efficiency and full-service customer care.

Solvay Launches Wear-Resistant Grades of KetaSpire® PEEK and AvaSpire® Modified PEEK

December 14, 2009 - Alpharetta, Ga. - Solvay Advanced Polymers’ broad portfolio of  KetaSpire® polyetherketone (PEEK) and AvaSpire® modified PEEK resins now includes five wear-resistant grades. These formulations provide an effective all-plastic alternative to more complex metal-based designs with rolling components for high-temperature friction and wear applications in lubricated and non-lubricated environments. The offering includes two KetaSpire PEEK products and three AvaSpire modified PEEK materials designed for high-performance injection molded applications, including seal rings, thrust washers, brake components, gears, and needle bearing replacements for the automotive, industrial, and heavy-duty equipment industries.

KetaSpire PEEK is one of the industry’s most chemically resistant plastics, offering excellent strength, superior fatigue resistance, and a heat deflection temperature up to 315°C (599°F). In this product family, KT-820 SL30 is a graphite/carbon fiber/PTFE-filled grade for non-lubricated and lubricated applications. In non-lubricated environments, it features a limiting PV value (contact pressure times velocity) of 75,000 psi x fpm and exceptional ease of processing, according to Brian Stern, senior global automotive market manager for Solvay Advanced Polymers. The line also includes KT-820 SL45, a carbon fiber/PTFE grade for lubricated environments.

The AvaSpire line of proprietary PEEK-based compounds includes AV-755 SL45, a carbon fiber/graphite-filled grade for high load-bearing applications in lubricated environments. Two carbon fiber/graphite/PTFE-filled grades include AV-742 SL30 (high melt flow) and AV-722 SL30 (low melt flow) for both non-lubricated and lubricated environments. An important advantage of all AvaSpire grades is their comparable strength and modulus, and equivalent or better chemical resistance versus comparable PEEK grades at up to a 30% cost reduction.
 
About Solvay Advanced Polymers
Solvay Advanced Polymers, LLC, produces more plastics with more performance than any other company in the world. This gives design engineers worldwide more ways to solve top design challenges in automotive, healthcare, electronics, aerospace and other demanding industries. Learn more at www.solvayadvancedpolymers.com.

Solvay is an international chemical and pharmaceutical Group with headquarters in Brussels. Its companies employ more than 28,000 people in 50 countries. In 2008, its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 9.5 billion, generated by its three sectors of activity: Plastics, Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals. Solvay (NYSE Euronext: SOLB.BE - Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLB.BR) is listed on the NYSE Euronext stock exchange in Brussels. Details are available at www.solvay.com

Additional Major Investment at Borealis Innovation Headquarters in Linz

December 14, 2009

• After opening the Innovation Headquarters, Borealis invests additional EUR 75 million in Linz
• Investment in a semi-commercial catalyst plant and development capability to scale up new catalysts for value creating, innovative products
• Johannes Kepler University establishes centre for catalyst and process technology

After investing EUR 50 million in the expansion of the international Innovation Headquarters in Linz, Borealis, a leading provider of chemical and innovative plastics solutions, plans an additional investment of EUR 75 million in Upper Austria, setting the next milestone in the development of the plastics region. The actual implementation is subject to authority permissions and proceedings.

EUR 75 million investment in semi-commercial catalyst plant
With an investment of EUR 75 million Borealis builds a semi-commercial catalyst plant to develop and scale up new catalysts for the production of innovative new polymers. Catalysts are substances which impact the rate of a chemical reaction, making them the most important element in the development of innovative polymer types. Borealis developed a revolutionary, new production technology for catalysts which is protected by 47 international patents. Based on this production technology, the new catalyst plant will support research in the areas of catalyst development and to further improve processes for catalyst production.

The investment in a semi-commercial plant for catalysts in Linz allows Borealis to undertake the necessary development work as well as producing semi-commercial batches for the first phase in the development process. This requires a close alignment with the new, recently started-up Borstar® pilot plant in Schwechat (investment EUR 30 million). The catalysts will be used world-wide.

“In Linz we will do the implementation and development of new catalyst types and develop the required techniques and processes,” says Alfred Stern, Borealis Senior Vice President for Innovation & Technology. “Research for catalyst technology is done in our innovation center in Porvoo, Finland. Catalysts are needed to build molecular chains during the production of polyethylene and polypropylene and have a significant impact on the features of the final product.”

(Pictured: Borealis Senior Vice President Innovation & Technology Alfred Stern)

“This decision was made between competing European locations,” says Gerhard Roiss, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of OMV and Chairman of the Borealis Supervisory Board. “Once again, the government
of Upper Austria has shown that it anticipates forward-looking trends and made fast decisions to support the investment. This sets another important milestone for the Austrian plastics industry.”

(Pictured: Governor of Upper Austria, Josef Pühringer; OMV Deputy Chairman and Chairman of the Borealis Supervisory Board, Gerhard Roiss)

About 350 international Borealis employees from over 30 countries, working in research and product development as well as in marketing and sales, are developing plastic materials of the future for Borealis’ global customers and are housed in the Innovation Headquarters. One hundred new employees in research and development complement the existing approx. 1,100 employees who are currently working for Borealis in Linz.

Johannes Kepler University establishes centre for catalyst and process technology
While Borealis invests in the expansion of its activities in Linz, Johannes Kepler University (JKU) is founding a centre for catalyst and process research.

“Linz is a solid building ground for future looking investments. This is also shown in the professional and close co-operation with JKU which is quickly responding to the requirements and the developments of the plastics industry,” says Gerhard Roiss.

“The foundation of the center for catalyst and process technology significantly strengthens the area of polymer chemistry at JKU. Thus, the university once again not only confirms its role as a leading research centre in Austria but also world-wide,” states Richard Hagelauer, Head of JKU.

BASF Announces Price Increase for Styropor® Expandable Polystyrene in North America

December 14, 2009 - Florham Park NJ - BASF today announced it will increase the price for all grades of Styropor® Expandable polystyrene in North America by $0.04 per pound effective Jan. 1, 2010, or as contracts permit.  This increase is necessary due to raw material cost increases, particularly benzene, a principal precursor in the production of EPS.

For more information contact:

Kathy Dennis
BASF Corporation
Tel: (973) 245-6288
E-mail: kathy.dennis@basf.com

BASF - The Chemical Company. We don't make a lot of the products you buy. We make a lot of the products you buy better.®

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 15,000 employees in North America, and had sales of approximately $17.5 billion in 2008. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, or to sign up to receive news releases by e-mail, visit www.basf.com/usa.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals and oil and gas. As a reliable partner, BASF helps its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than €62 billion in 2008 and had approximately 97,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

New Borpact BC918CF Polypropylene Brings Higher Level of Toughness to Transparent Packaging Film and Sheet – Now Also With US Food Compliance

December 11, 2009 - A new polypropylene heterophasic copolymer for packaging film and sheet offers outstanding deep temperature resistance / toughness together with excellent transparency. Borpact™ BC918CF from Borealis, a leading provider of chemical and innovative plastics solutions, has unrivalled
stiffness, heat- and impact resistance, combined with high gloss and low haze. It provides the high clarity typical of PP homopolymers together with the tough, non-brittle performance of heterophasic copolymers. And thanks to a new additive package, the material complies with all European and U.S. regulations relating to food contact applications.

Borpact BC918CF will create even greater opportunities for converters and end-product manufacturers of thermoforming sheets, cast and blown film. Main application areas are modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) trays for food packaging as well as film for stand up pouches (SUP) and labels. The performance benefits of Borpact BC918CF translate into processing benefits for packaging processors. It allows significant downgauging compared to alternative material solutions, resulting in material and cost savings of up to 20%. High toughness converts into minimal lowtemperature brittleness in finished products.

The combined mechanical and aesthetic advantages ensure attractive packaging with reduced potential for handling or storage-related damage. This is particularly important for items stored at low temperatures such as MAP trays for various chilled foods, including fruits and meats. An optimal balance of easy tear, stiffness and good aesthetics make the new grade ideal for retortable stand-up pouches, label films and carrier layers for peelable lidding films.

“Borealis’ advanced Borpact innovation enables production of film and sheet with unique combinations of high quality aesthetics and mechanical properties that will provide new solutions to the challenges facing the packaging industry,” says Albin Mariacher, Product Manager Film and Fibre. “We are sure Borpact BC918CF complying to European- and now also US food regulations will take polypropylene into new application areas.”

Borpact BC918CF is based on Borealis’ proprietary Borstar® technology, a multi-modal process that enables the molecular tailoring of polyethylene and polypropylene to provide solutions that meet the exact needs of the customer.

Borealis has more than 50 years experience in providing advanced polyolefin solutions for industries using film, coating and thermoforming products. With foresight throughout the value chain and a focus on
customer needs, Borealis continues to provide innovative, value creating PP and PE solutions for the film industry.

LyondellBasell Launches New High-performance Lupolen Resin for Use in Injection Molding

December 11, 2009 - Rotterdam, Netherlands - LyondellBasell Industries has launched a new low density polyethylene (LDPE) resin for potential use in a wide range of injection molding and masterbatch applications. The new Lupolen 1800U grade features an excellent balance of mechanical properties and a unique combination of easy processability, toughness, softness and dimensional stability. The resin complements the company’s existing LDPE product range used in injection molding and addresses market requirements for applications such as flexible, thin-walled container lids.

Highest melt flow rate among company’s LDPE grades
Produced using LyondellBasell’s Lupotech T high pressure tubular process technology, the Lupolen 1800U grade provides better processing characteristics than LLDPE (linear low density polyethylene), which is widely used in packaging and thin-wall injection molding applications such as housewares and caps and closures. “At 60 grams per 10 minutes, the grade achieves the highest melt flow rate that has ever been produced within our European portfolio of LDPE grades,” said Christof Justus, polyethylene marketing manager at LyondellBasell.

Due to its outstanding flowability, the resin can be considered for use in injection molding, color and additive masterbatches, and as a viscosity modifier for compounds. The grade also contributes to very good dispersion and homogenization of pigments and additives. “Lupolen 1800U grade is additive-free, and achieves thermal stability without the use of additives, unlike LLDPE which requires additives to achieve the same level of performance,” added Justus. “This will enable our customers to manufacture finished products and compounds free of materials that can interfere with successful production.”

Lupolen 1800U resins are now available for market introduction and will be produced on a commercial scale in LyondellBasell’s European Lupotech T plants, which offer the flexibility required for the production of high-performance low-density polyethylene resins for use in injection molding.. According to Tassilo Bader, LyondellBasell’s Senior Vice President for Olefins and Polyethylene, “Based on the world’s leading Lupotech T LDPE process technology, the new grade is positioned to become an industry benchmark.”

Putnam Plastics Introduces Pad Printed PEEK and Polyimide Extrusions for Catheter Applications

December 10, 2009 - Dayville, CT — Putnam Plastics, a pioneer in the medical polymer tubing, introduces pad printed PEEK and thermoset polyimide extrusions for high performance catheter applications.  These pad printed components utilize the company’s internally developed pre-treatment technologies including the application of plasma.

Pad printing is frequently used to print graphics on the exterior surfaces of minimally invasive medical devices. These graphics serve critical functions including product identification, location and orientation during surgical procedures.  “Strong adhesion of the ink to the device component is critical,” explained Byron Flagg, Product Manager – Extrusion and Component Finishing, “Non-invasive vascular devices require integrity of the pad printed graphics for the proper identification and use of the device by clinicians.  Invasive devices require that particles of ink are not released from the device into the bloodstream which can lead to serious side effects or even death.”

PEEK and thermoset polyimide polymers are increasingly being used for minimally invasive applications due to inherent strength and chemical resistance properties.   These same material properties create greater challenges for pad printing.  “Putnam Plastics’ plasma pre-treatment makes the outer surface temporarily receptive to chemical adhesion of the pad printing ink, explained Flagg.  While plasma pre-treatment increases ink adhesion on all plastics, it is of greatest value when used on polymers inherently resistant to thermal and chemical degradation such as PEEK and thermoset polyimide.

When compared to other methods of improving bonding, Putnam’s plasma pre-treatment involves little to no heat transfer into the polymer component, preserving its mechanical dimensions and properties.  It involves no toxic chemicals, generates no toxic by-products, and reduces the need for toxic chemicals such as solvents in the ink, making it medically and environmentally friendly.

“Putnam Plastics’ ability to manufacture PEEK and thermoset polyimide tubing, plasma pre-treat the surface and pad print the required graphics, results in shorter lead times and cost savings from a simplified supply chain,” explained Flagg.  “And, because all of the processes are managed by the same team of experienced manufacturing engineers, they can be optimized and matched for maximum performance.”

Putnam Plastics is a fully integrated, full-service solution provider of advanced polymer technologies to the medical device industry.  For more information, please call (860) 774-1559 or visit www.putnamplastics.com.

RTP Company High Gravity Compound Improves Performance of Golf Discs

December 10, 2009 - Winona, Minnesota - Gateway Disc Sports, supplier of high performance golf discs and accessories, has partnered with global custom thermoplastic compounder RTP Company to upgrade their Shur-Grip product line of discs. Gateway's aim was to improve grip performance while still maintaining flexibility, making the discs more thrower-friendly for both novice and professional golfers.

"Our main goal was to find a material that would accept mineral additives to reach a density of 2.0," explained David McCormack, owner of Gateway.  "RTP Company engineers were able to formulate a material that reached 2.0 easily, allowing us to maintain the flexibility of our discs to adapt well to a variety of playing conditions. "

Gateway designers selected an RTP 2800B Series high gravity thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) compound for their discs.  The material has excellent surface abrasion and impact resistance properties, which prolongs the durability of discs during use while its thermoplastic elastomer nature provides necessary flexibility.

"When using mineral additives to modify density, we've discovered the softer thermoplastic elastomer components tend to migrate to the part surface during molding," said McCormack.  "As a result, every disc we make has a tacky, easy-to-grip surface.  This is a significant benefit for golfers, especially when playing in less-than-ideal conditions."

RTP Company's TPV-based thermoplastic elastomer material is also fully colorable over a wide spectrum -- allowing for a variety of colors to cater to the preference of the golfer. "We really found a perfect match with RTP Company," McCormack added. "With their material, batches were consistently accurate during every stage of production, which made it easy to create a quality product."

For more information on RTP Company density modified or custom engineered thermoplastics compounds, call (800) 433-4787 or (507) 454-6900, or visit their website at www.rtpcompany.com.