Show-Review NPE 2012
Show-Review NPE 2012 Compared to the last NPE in 2009, which was adversely affected by the global recession, this years ‘International Plastics Showcase’ showed significant improvement in all possible aspects. After four decades in Chicago, this North American trade fair welcomed the plastics industry to Orlando, Florida. On a total exhibition space of 87,326 m 2 some 1,933 exhibitors presented their products or services. About 55,300 plastics professionals participated in NPE2012, more than 25% from outside the United States. Even if just a small percentage of the total exhibits, bioplastics were certainly a highlight at this show, as almost 50 companies were listed in the show catalogue with ‘bioplastics-related‘ products and services. During NPE from April 1 to 5, the bioplastics MAGAZINE booth was a central starting point for many visitors interested in bioplastics. Our special showguide with floorplan helped them to find what they were looking for. After a comprehensive preview of this big plastics show in issue 01/2012, we just add a few more small notes here (Photo: NPE / SPI) Polyvel from Hammington, New Jersey presented functional concentrates for PLA resins, such as slip, nucleation, antiblock, melt strength and impact modifiers, plasticizers, clarifiers or additives for a matt appearance for blow and cast film as well as extruded foam. In addition to a total of 10 typical concentrate products, Polyvel also offer custom formulations upon request, mainly for NatureWorks Ingeo PLA. www.polyvel.com Nexeo say that they are committed to bringing clarity to ‘Green‘. The distributor from Columbus, Ohio, offers a broad portfolio of green products from renewable to biodegradable/compostable through to recycled, BPAfree or phalate free. This includes renewable and/or biodegradable resins from NatureWorks, Cereplast and Eastman Tenite. The service portfolio is completed by design assistance and technical assistance in terms of part weight reduction, material selection, process optimization, energy efficiency and much more. www.nexeosolutions.com 10 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/12] Vol. 7
Show-Review NatureWorks, Minnetonka, Minnesota, for the first time at a major show exhibited compounded Ingeo grades based on both lactic acid and succinic-acid ‘green‘ building blocks. This new family of developmental compounded PLA resins is designed for food service ware applications, expanding the property range in terms of flexibility, toughness, heat resistance and dropin processability on existing manufacturing equipment. This new family is a result of the recently announced joint venture between NatureWorks and BioAmber. Other exhibitors (not explicitly mentioned in the review) that showcased products made from or with Ingeo PLA include Cereplast, ExTech Plastics, Jamplast, PolyOne, RTP and A. Schulman. www.natureworksllc.com www.polyone.com www.cereplast.com www.rtpcompany.com www.jamplast.com www.aschulman.com DaniMer Scientific, Bainbridge, Georgia, announced fresh water biodegradability certification from SSCCP for their ReNew 12291 film resins. Unlike DaniMer’s PLA based products, these resins are based on a proprietary polyester composition. Because of its confirmed environmentally safe degradation properties and the fact that this film resin will degrade both aerobically and anaerobically, DaniMer expects successful use of the product in a variety of blown film applications from disposable shopping bags, compostable bags, odour barrier packaging products to agricultural mulch film, among others. In addition to the Fresh Water Biodegradability certification, DaniMer has also recently obtained an Anaerobic Digestion (degradation in the absence of oxygen) certification from SSCCP. DaniMer received an OK Compost certification from Vinçotte, and is finalizing a backyard composting certification from Vinçotte (OK Compost HOME) as well as marine degradation, all meeting the widely accepted ASTM and EN standards. Finally, food contact OK status has been confirmed by Keller & Heckman as meeting both FDA and European standards. Together with Myriant (Quincy, Massachussetts) DaniMer Scientific also announced that the companies have formed a strategic alliance focused on delivering innovative, cost-effective bio-based materials to the marketplace. DaniMer will utilize Myriant’s bio-succinic acid for the production of high-performance, bio-based polymers used to make a broad range of sustainable, ecofriendly products. www.danimer.com www.myriant.com Altuglas International from Bristol, Pennsylvania, a subsidiary of Arkema, presented their new Plexiglas ® bio-based resins. These compounded alloys of Altuglas International‘s PMMA and NatureWorks‘ Ingeo PLA are perfectly miscible and offer exceptional performance characteristics. They are designed for lower carbon footprint solutions that combine impact properties comparable to polycarbonate and copolyesters with outstanding chemical resistance and processability. The alloys offer for example lower processing temperatures and greater melt flow properties. The Plexiglas Rnew alloys do so without compromising the optics, scratch resistance, colour acceptance and surface aesthetics for which the Plexiglas and Altuglas brands are known. The (certainly not biodegradable) compounds will be utilized in such durable applications as signage, lighting, consumer products, transportation, and large and small appliances, to name just a few. (See separate article on p. 32) www.altuglasint.com www.plexiglas.com/Rnew www.natureworksllc.com Extrusa-Pack from Saõ Paulo, Brazil, is an expert in manufacturing flexible plastic packaging. At NPE they presented basically 2 different product lines: their thin gauge single use t-shirt bags are made from BASF‘s Ecoflex or Ecovio resins and are 100% biodegradable and compostable. Reusable bags made from renewable resources are based on Braskem‘s bio-polyethylene, derived from sugar cane. www.extrusa-pack.com.br bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/12] Vol. 7 11
