More than just a fridge freezer: Clariant opens door to a new world of creativity

Muttenz, October 19, 2011 - Clariant is opening the door to a world of creativity in design and functionality for household appliances; and what better way to demonstrate it than with a state-of-the-art fridge freezer at its Fakuma 2011 booth (Booth B2-2217).

Clariant’s masterbatches and combibatches are being used increasingly in “fresh boxes”, doors, the external appliance body, insides and shelving because of their efficiency focused and cost-effective response to manufacturers’ challenges.

At Fakuma, visitors can explore cutting-edge possibilities in color and aesthetics, technical performance and protection features – all this alongside cost and material savings.

UV-protected brilliant whites & colors

Achieving a consistent color despite the combination of several different plastics such as PP, ABS and PS, on a fridge exterior and in the internal lining is a major challenge in color development. Clariant’s expertise provides customers with a colored masterbatch that allows them to meet current styles for smooth lines and a high-gloss or matt finish. Clariant’s broad palette of colors includes high-trend brilliant whites and grays for strong visual impact. Its pigments ensure easy, uniform dispersion within a masterbatch.

Clariant can integrate additives offering UV protection into its color masterbatches to create a combi-batch. This gives customers the added assurance of long-term light stability for visible areas where discoloration over time is not desired.

For transparent fresh boxes, where salad foodstuffs, or meat and cheese produce are stored, Clariant goes a step further than its standard range of solid transparent and translucent color masterbatches in blue, green or gray. The company’s liquid masterbatches for use, for example, in polystyrene offer a major cost advantage. The desired uniform color intensity can be consistently reached with 0.5% colored liquid masterbatch as compared to 2% with a solid masterbatch.

Anti-microbial protection

Clariant’s anti-microbial masterbatches can help to reduce the risk of bacterial or fungal growth fridge linings and fresh boxes against bacterial and fungal growth within the fridge.

Weight-saving for energy efficiency

HYDROCEROL® blowing agent from Clariant creates consistent, fine-particle foam with good insulation properties at a low quantities and at low injection pressure levels. This generates material cost savings for manufacturers without compromising on energy efficiency.

“Fridge freezers are far more complex than the average consumer realizes. And with new function requirements and design desires leading the way for new performance levels, manufacturers have many challenges to overcome in using plastics to cost-effectively achieve their goals. Clariant’s masterbatches and combibatches are supporting customers in making consumer demands a reality. And what better way to convey this than through an interactive model for Fakuma visitors,” comments Michael G. Thiessenhusen, Head of Marketing Europe, Clariant.