MILLIKEN CHEMICAL TO SHOWCASE BREAKTHROUGH POLYMER ADDITIVES AT PLAST 03

Gent, Belgium – Milliken Chemical, the global leader in clarifying and colouring agents for polypropylene (PP), will use its presence at PLAST 03 exhibition (Hall 21, stand D16), 6-10 May in Milan, Italy, to profile its latest breakthrough advances in polymer additive technology.

Milliken Chemical is best known for MILLAD® 3988, the clarifying agent that sparked worldwide growth in the use of clear polypropylene (PP) for products and packaging. This development was subsequently enhanced with Milliken’s introduction of ClearTint® colourants, able to impart quality colour without impairing clarity. To support market demand, ClearTint® colour masterbatches are now being manufactured at a new, recently commissioned plant, which is also equipped with laboratory facilities to make custom shades, located in Gent. This production facility will enable Milliken to better supply European customers.

Although ClearTint® colour technology was first developed for clear polypropylene, at PLAST Milliken will be presenting its ‘next-step’ development for a wider application fit, ClearTint® liquid colourants for PET. These high clarity colourants are easy to mix and available in a broad spectrum of colours. They can also be used in a variety of PET packaging applications, including carbonated soft drinks, water, beer and other products.

Also featured at PLAST will be recently introduced HYPERFORMTM HPN-68, a breakthrough nucleating agent that promises to significantly increase PP production speeds. HYPERFORMTM represents a completely new class of nucleating agents. In addition to providing outstanding physical properties, the desired resin properties and cost can be ‘tuned’ through the appropriate use-level of the nucleating agent. It is compatible with most common co-additives, allowing formulators to meet their nucleating needs with a single product. Hyper-nucleated resins will enable fabricators to achieve the fastest production possible for polypropylene in injection, thermoforming and extrusion processes.

A further new complement to the company’s product line up is, CLEARSHIELDTM, a UV stabiliser that protects the contents of PET containers, such as food and beverages, against damage from ultraviolet light. CLEARSHIELDTM UV absorbers are transparent and colourless, providing the broadest possible protection against damage from ultraviolet light of the colour, taste and nutrients of food and beverages packaged in PET. This new PET additive is FDA-compliant, non-particulate and non-settling liquid that does not affect the properties of PET.

These new additives from Milliken Chemical are the latest in a continuing line of innovations designed to improve the performance and economic value of plastics in a wide range of applications. These will be demonstrated on the Milliken Chemical stand (Hall 21 stand D16) at Plast.

Millad® clarifying technology is core to Milliken’s business and key to its PLAST presentation. Clear PP is increasingly being substituted for other transparent materials, such as PET, PVC and styrenics, which are either less functional or more expensive in a given application. The primary growth applications for clarified polypropylene include food, liquid and cosmetics packaging.

Extending the value of that technology, ClearTint® colourants in conjunction with Millad® 3988 clarified polypropylene can be used in a wide range of manufacturing processes. ClearTint® is the leading brand for clear polypropylene colourants in the USA and is the colour of choice in a variety of applications including food and cosmetic packaging, closures, juvenile products, pharmaceutical packaging, and housewares. The result of this combination is a polymer able to compete against more expensive clear PET and glass, as it combines the transparency of dyes with the migration resistance of pigments.

Dyes maintain transparency but have issues with extraction and migration, whereas pigments are contaminants that inherently impart haze into the plastic and cause further problems like inconsistent shrinkage,