Polyolefin Innovations Power Customer Ambitions at Caps & Closures Europe 2012

SITTARD, The Netherlands, November 20, 2012 - Producers and end users of plastics caps and closures can find out more about SABIC’s latest developments in polyethylenes and polypropylenes for this dynamic sector at the 2012 Plastics Caps and Closures Europe Conference and Exhibition being held in Brussels on November 20 and 21. Customer demands in terms of organoleptics are very tough in the still water sector, and can be met by SABIC® HDPE CC860V, specifically developed for this application. Meanwhile, producers of custom closures for products such as sports drinks will be particularly interested in another recent SABIC development, SABIC® PP Qrystal QR674K random polypropylene, which is a step up in terms of processability from previous generations of PP.

Caps and closure designers and manufacturers are constantly on the look-out for new ways to improve the use of resources--materials and energy in particular--while delivering products that perform well, and which are easy and safe to use. At this year’s event, SABIC will demonstrate how it is continuing to work on developments that meet these needs.

“Good organoleptic properties, which manifest themselves in very low alteration of taste in the packaged water, and which are achieved by strict control of manufacturing conditions, help consumers feel reassured of the high purity of water,” says Philippe Rasquin, Technical Marketing Engineer HDPE Europe at SABIC. “Organoleptic requirements in the NF V09013 triangular test are met by SABIC® HDPE CC860V, and it also has a very low level of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) according to the relevant EPA protocols. In addition to that, it processes easily and has good thermal stability.”

“Consumers want packaging they don’t have to think about,” says Rasquin. “That translates into lightweight products that are easy to use and re-use, and which maintain the original properties of the contents as much as possible, for as long as possible.

“Our Caps & Closures portfolio is tailored to smart packaging, secure sealing and easy dispensing. It’s designed for optimized cap design and processing in term of energy consumption and faster cycle time, and it’s optimized for life-time as well as end-of-life.”

“By using our SABIC® PP Qrystal QR674K random polypropylene, processors – particularly producers of custom closures for products such as sports drinks – can lower their machine temperatures when they use this new grade without compromising part quality,” says Timo Latvakangas, Technical Marketing Engineer PP at SABIC. “We have customers already achieving processing cost savings of close to 15%. As the processing temperature is lower, there is also less heat that needs to be removed during the cooling stage, providing the possibility to reduce cycle times significantly.”

SABIC® PP QR674K is also suitable for more sensitive food contact applications, owing to its good organoleptic performance. The melt flow rate (MFR) of 40 g/10 minutes is directly achieved in polymerization, which means that no MFR modification agents are needed at the extrusion stage to adjust the molecular weight. Like the whole SABIC® PP Qrystal grade family, SABIC® PP QR674K offers very good transparency and gloss properties, enabling converters to produce aesthetically appealing products.

“We hope that processors and brand owners will come away from Plastics Caps & Closures 2012 convinced of SABIC’s commitment to the market and its thirst for innovations that will lead to more successful, cost-effective and sustainable packaging solutions,” says Rasquin.

Among all producers of polyolefins serving the sector, SABIC has one of the broadest offerings, spanning the major polymer types: high, low and linear low density polyethylenes, polypropylene homopolymers and copolymers. It covers all key applications in food and non-food, standard and custom caps, whether they will be used for containers holding still water, carbonated soft drinks, juices, dairy products, oils, or other products.

SABIC has a strong and long-standing commitment to the caps & closures sector. It continues to develop new materials that improve performance, enhance sustainability and reduce system costs in applications ranging from healthcare to specialty and high-volume packaging. The company is already preparing for the launch of its next product for the sector in the next few months.

For more information on Caps and Closures Europe 2012, please visit: www.plasticscapsandclosures.com/eu.

For additional information on SABIC’s portfolio for the Caps and Closures market, please click here.

Reader enquiries

SABIC

WTC Tower Ten Strawinskylaan 1475
1077 XX Amsterdam
Netherlands

+31 6 5540 3217

solange.schlosser@​sabic.com

www.sabic.com