Consumer goods

This supplier of polycarbonate has developed a new hardcoated film that, despite its scratchproof coating, can be shaped three-dimensionally. The film produces 3D component surfaces with a deep-gloss finish and supposedly outstanding abrasion resistance.

A product called UltraChrome from Ampacet (Tarrytown, NY) is said to create visual excitement with a luxurious mirror-like finish that teases the traditional boundaries between polished aluminum, chrome, and plastic materials.

Rapid prototyping with Somos NeXt resin enables part designers to reproduce designs with an "unprecedented combination of stiffness and toughness which typically characterizes thermoplastics, yet with all of the high-feature detail, dimensional accuracy, and aesthetics offered by stereolithography."

Albemarle is looking to extend the product range of its new Earthwise GreenArmor flame retardant, specifically looking at products that enable high-gloss plastics in the electronics sector. Ray Dawson, Albemarle global director, product advocacy, told MPW that the flame retardant line, which was announced last December, is currently going through a process of intensive evaluation, with developmental quantities available for customers.

Quarter-to-quarter investor expectations can dramatically shorten long-term strategic planning, forcing companies interested in the long view to rein in their horizon. In 1990, having hit a wall in its growth, Berry Plastics laid out a new plan that fundamentally rejected the business world’s shortsightedness, and set out to chart the packaging company’s course for the next century. That’s right, a 100-year plan.

In spite of transaction statistics that show deal activity increased in 2009 compared to 2008, last year was a challenging one for global plastics and packaging M&A. P&M Corporate Finance (PMCF; Southfield, MI), an affiliate of Plante & Moran, tracked 340 transactions globally in the plastics and packaging industry for 2009, up 13% from 2008's 301 deals. Looking closer, however, it found that a significant number of those deals in 2009 were "distressed."

3D movies are hot, 3D television is coming, and the third dimension is being added to film used in mobile telecommunication devices too. Teijin Chemicals already claims more than 60% of the market for polycarbonate retardation film for circular polarizer 3D glasses, and now reports it intends to increase sales even more.

FRX Polymers Inc. (Chelmsford, MA) has started up a 50-ton DPP (DiPhenyl methyl phosphonate) plant and an application lab in support of its new family of inherently flame-retardant transparent polymers and oligomers. The DPP line currently runs on a 24/6 production schedule to produce what is a key raw material in the polymerization process of FRX's polyphosphonate polymers and oligomers.

Sony will reduce its use of virgin oil-based plastics by 5% as part of its Road to Zero global environmental plan. The consumer electronics giant has already incorporated recycled plastics into products, including the VAIO W eco edition laptop, which launched in most major global markets this year. The plan's long-term goal is to achieve zero environmental footprint by 2050 and uses what Sony calls backcasting methods to set specific mid-term environmental targets for the next five years that are in line with that goal.

Clariant Masterbatches' annual color forecast attempts to predict which shades and hues will be in top demand in the upcoming year. In the forecast just released, the company says it expects colors for 2011 will be brighter and livelier, reflecting a renewed sense of optimism. The supplier, based in Muttenz, Switzerland, late last month released ColorForward, its plastics color forecasting service.