The move of leading brand owners to raise the bio-based plastic content in their products has created increasing demand for sustainable additives. In this area, Clariant has launched sustainable material solutions aimed at supporting the transition towards a circular economy. In the December issue of the International Plastics News for Asia, Mr. Darren Soo, Head of Sales Asia of BU Additives, shares how Clariant has been introducing bio-based additives and their benefits to the Asian market.
Bioplastics have come a long way since their widespread introduction in the 1970’s but it is true that in many applications they still fall behind petroleum-based plastics when it comes to physical properties. As Mr. Soo puts it: "This is something that we are working on at Clariant with business partners, such as Floreon. By integrating the benefits of Clariant’s additives with Floreon’s proprietary PLA material solutions, our exciting new collaboration aims to open up additional possibilities for plastic manufacturers and brand owners to consider biopolymers as a viable, low carbon footprint alternative to fossil-based plastics for both single-use and durable applications. Markets set to benefit from the new enhanced grades include rigid and flexible packaging, electrical & electronic equipment, hygiene products, consumer goods and automotive."
As stressed by Mr. Soo, Clariant additives really differentiate biopolymers while still preserving the environmental benefits. They can protect mechanical properties and ensure better heat aging performance and UV stability throughout the biopolymer lifetime. They provide properties such as enhanced processing through a larger window of processability and better thermal stability and promote higher productivity via shorter cycle times.
Read the complete interview with Mr. Soo online at: http://www.industrysourcing.com/article/Bio-additives-for-sustainable-future
