Material development announcements sprouting through the summer

The past few months have seen MPW’s editors attending a slew of pre-K press events organized by exhibitors from around the globe and throughout the industry’s value chain. It’s been a great ride.

Business is up. Innovation is trump. China most definitely has the attention of most of the industry’s leading suppliers, though they make sure you know they’re not neglecting other areas—but boy, is China growing quickly.

Here’s a brief description of just a few of the new material developments that attendees will find during the K. Much more detailed descriptions of these and other materials, plus news on new machinery to be shown at the K, will follow in the next issues of MPW.

• Processors of long-glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide soon have another supplier, a big one, to consider as BASF announced it would enter that market. Official launch of the new business: K 2010. Number of other materials BASF will introduce at the show? About 20.

• Ticona will introduce the first liquid crystal polymer (LCP) suitable for extrusion and thermoforming. Driving this development is demand from the commercial baking industry, which likes the ease with which plastic pans can be cleaned.

• LyondellBasell is able to offer what it says may be the lowest-density LDPE commercially available, plus a PP grade it says can beat PET on many fronts in rigid thin-walled packaging.

• Silicon elastomers supplier Wacker plans to launch 10 new materials at the K. The supplier’s products are in hot demand: Even in 2009, the company hit 16% EBITDA—and typically scores in the high 20% range, said Axel Schmidt, director of silicone rubber solutions there.

• Lanxess’s introductions will include two new polyamide grades (PA6 and PA 6/6), both suitable for physical or chemical foaming. Parts’ surface appearance is said to be superior to ones processed from grades now available.

• Officials at Bayer MaterialScience, like those at other leading plastics suppliers, say they have focused their portfolio on helping processors gain leading positions for mega-trends such as sustainability.

Stay tuned. Our official pre-K reports begin next month. But why wait? Subscribe today to our K Advisor e-newsletters at k.plasticstoday.com and let us keep you updated on the technology and events that will fill the industry’s top trade show. —[email protected]