Bayer MaterialScience will launch a family of PC-ABS resins produced from Makrolon production waste next month, which it will market exclusively online through its Viverso internet sales subsidiary. Levblend PC-ABS-R (the “R” stands for recycled) polymers will be produced from Makrolon production waste from Bayer MaterialScience facilities at Uerdingen and Antwerp.

Frank Gerling - vice president for product management Europe, Middle East and Africa within the company’s polycarbonates business unit - sees the materials playing a key part in automotive sector cost-cutting programs.  He added that this was one of the reasons the company decided to supply the products exclusively via its Viverso online sales platform.

Initially, the PC+ABS-R products will be made available only to automobile manufacturers and their suppliers based in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Huntsman Corp raise price of TPU grades from October 1st.

The price of IROGRAN, KRYSTALGRAN and KRYSTALFLEX thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) is expected to rise by between 5 and 15% from 1st October or as early as contracts allow. 

These increases reflect the relentless rise in raw material and feedstock costs, which originate mainly from record-high crude oil prices, which in turn continue to impact the cost of raw materials such as benzene, adipic acid and intermediate polyesters.

This increase will help to ensure that Huntsman can continue to provide its customers with an unbroken supply of quality TPU products in a competitive and fast growing environment.

Huntsman Corporation, Everberg, Belgium

BASF offer new PA66 and PBT grades for contact with food products

Siince the beginning of August, BASF have introduced several new grades specifically for food contact.  PA66 grades Ultramid A3K FC (un-reinforced) and Ultramid A3EG6 FC and compounded PBT grades Ultradur B4520 FC and Ultradur B4300 G6 FC.  The designation FC stands for food contact.  Three Ultradur FC base polymers can also be obtained.

The above grades are in compliance with the European Union's GMP regulations for materials that come into contact with food products which came into effect at the beginning of August. Source: BASF/Plasticker

Price increase for PLEXGLAS and DEGLAS PMMA molding compounds.

Evonik Industries has announced a price increase for PMMA moulding compounds and sheet products marketed under the PLEXGLAS® and DEGLAS® brand names.  The increase is effective from 1st September where permissable under existing agreements and amounts to €0.20/Kg for all products.

Evonik makes every effort to keep improving its production processes by making them more efficient. However, steep increases in the costs of raw materials, energy, transportation, and, in particular, natural gas leave the company with no other choice but to pass on to customers some of the resulting increases in its production costs. The price increase is also necessary to ensure that the high quality standard of its products is maintained.  Source: Evonik / Plasticker

BASF raises price for Styrolux in Europe.

With immediate effect, BASF has announced it will be raising its prices for Styrolux® (SBC polymer) by 150 Euro per metric tonne. 

This is in addition to the price increase announced in June 2008 and follows further increases in raw materials, energy and transportation.

Applications for Styrolux include transparent food packaging, blister packaging and moulded products used in cosmetics, household and office equipment.  Source: BASF SE / Plasticker

DuPont to introduce Biomax® PTT Renewably Sourced ™ Injection Molding Resin

The new, propietary injection mouldable, non-reinforced polyester type resin contains up to 35% renewable sourced content.  Biomax® PTT 1100 is especially suitable for use in injection molded containers, cosmetic packaging and other parts where polyesters are used.

Biomax® PTT 1100 attributes include good gloss, stiffness and colorability. It is not affected by exposure to common liquid formulas, has high tensile and yield strength, and is opaque to translucent in its natural state. Performance is similar to polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Biomax® PTT is a high-performance copolymer of 1,3 bio-propanediol and terephthalic acid. One of the primary monomers in Biomax® PTT is Bio-PDO™, which consumes 40 percent less energy than petroleum-based 1,3 propanediol (PDO).  (www.dupont.com )  source: Plasticker.de

Zotefoams takes stake in MuCell arm - John Whitehead PRW

Recent prime material price rises increase demand for Recycled products - Comment.

The demand for good quality Recycled Engineering Polymers has increased dramatically over the last few months as the price of virgin feedstocks continues to soar.

In response to customer demand, Polymerhouse will shortly be introducing a new range of recycled polymers which can show a considerable cost saving over prime grades.  The range includes ABS, Nylon 6, PC/ABS, PC and PC/PBT.  There will also be a colour match service for V0 rated PC.

Sourced from selected quality assured producers across Europe, the materials have been formulated to address the quality and performance concerns of processors moving away from prime grades for the first time.  Minimum order quantity is 1 tonne and 5 Tonnes is expected to be a popular quantity offering further savings.

Bayer MaterialScience has won a deal to supply security card manufacturer Trüb with material to complete a UK order for 40m counterfeit-proof driving licences.

The credit card sized licences are being made out of Makrofol ID, a film based on Bayer’s polycarbonate Makrolon. A number of features should make the new British driving licences impossible to copy or manipulate.

Bayer said the individual layers making up the Makrofol ID are fused so firmly together during the lamination process it practically turns the licence into a single piece of polycarbonate.  A transparent kinegram is laminated into the film structure, producing a two-dimensional sequence of movements with special new effects which can only be seen from certain angles.  A counterfeiter cannot tamper with the kinegram from the outside as this would damage the card and make it unusable.

Head of sales at MaterialScience, Cengiz Yesildag, said: “Unlike other card materials our film enables very high-contrast personalisation using laser engraving and includes a photo and signature of the licence holder.  The print image is created inside the card and cannot be modified without damaging the film structure.”

Bayer also had to ensure that the licences were strong, durable and suitable for every day use. Makrofol ID was chosen because of the mechanical properties of the polycarbonate film - even after regular bending - the licences will return to their original shape. And the polycarbonate ensures that they can withstand temperatures of up to 145 °C.

Managing Director Georg Tinschert has announced ambitious plans to double the size of its injection moulding business within the next three years. Tinschert was speaking yesterday at the first competence day at the merged company's Austrian headquarters in Kottingbrunn

According to the plan, turnover should double from €110m to €220m, as a result of nearly doubling the number of machines sold from today's 800 to 1,500 machines within the three year period.

Wittmann’s experience in In-Mould Labelling (IML), which it had previously strengthened by the acquisition of Paul Regad in France (PRW.com 1 September 2006), will be a core element in the planned growth and will be supported by a new TM Xpress Battenfeld toggle machine designed for high-speed applications.

Dow Chemical has said that it will raise the prices of “all its products by up to 20%” from the first of June.

Dow ceo Andrew Liveris said: “Our first quarter feedstock and energy bill leapt a staggering 42% year on year and that trajectory has continued with the cost of oil and natural gas climbing ever higher.”

Dow had already told the market that its polyethylene price would rise by €150 a tonne in June, PRW.com understands.

The company also plans to raise the price of its polystyrene – both GP and HIPS – by €120 a tonne following the failure of earlier increases to cover cost increases, according to commercial vice president Isidro Quiroga.

He said: “Not only have margins suffered from one month to the next, but the cumulative effect over the past months has been very large – hugely compressing the business returns which are now at very low levels.”

Ineos Targets medical packaging - by John Whitehead PRW.com

Blow Mould Styrolux

BASF said its Styrolux 3G46 highly transparent styrene butadiene block copolymer (SBC) plastic grade can now be used for extrusion and injection blow moulding. BASF added that in comparison to established transparent materials used in blow moulding - such as PVC, PET G or PC - Styrolux is 30% lighter in weight and easier to process.  It said that this means Styrolux 3G46 can be used to create a wide array od transparent hollow objects suct as storage containers, decorative vessels, sports drink bottles and dispensers.  (first published PRW 18 April)

03 Mar 08

New Mould Safety Switch fitted in minutes.

Invotec Solutions Ltd have introduced The Global Thinswitch® which is only 4mm thick and can be fitted in minutes without the need for milling. Along with a range of ejector and core protection switches this device can help prevent thousands of pounds worth of damage to injection tools.

PolymerHouse adds more new products to lineup

New grades of Bayblend, Cycoloy, Delrin, Hostaform and Lexan have been added to the PolymerHouse website in recent weeks.

Scottish firm to be UK’s first online distribution business