New high-temperature engineering polymer masterbatches at Chinaplas 2018
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Colloids, a leading manufacturer of standard and speciality black, colour & white masterbatches, compounds, and performance enhancing additives, has once again exhibited at Chinaplas. Colloids was using Chinaplas 2018 to launch two new product ranges aimed at key industrial markets with high performance applications, used in automotive, electrical & electronics (E & E) and ESD packaging, storage and distribution applications.
The Colloids stand was showcasing for the first time during Chinaplas 2018 a new high- temperature engineering polymer masterbatch and compounds T-TEC ® range, and 11 newly developed permanent electrically conductive and electrostatically dissipative (ESD) compound grades, which have been added to the existing E-TEC ® product range.
New T-TEC High Performance Engineering Polymer Masterbatches and Compounds
The new T-TEC range of Colloids high-temperature masterbatches and compounds having been launched at Chinaplas 2018 are for high performance amorphous and semi-crystalline engineering polymers that can withstand continuous operating temperatures above 150° C, complimenting Colloids range of PACE ® engineering polymer masterbatches. The new high temperature masterbatch grades have been developed to meet the demands from manufacturers for masterbatches with pigments that can withstand multiple heat histories at temperatures exceeding 350° C.
The T-TEC range is formulated using specially selected and formulated pigments and carrier systems based on PPS, PPSU, PPA and PEEK. Depending on the polymer grade, Colloids will supply a high-temperature masterbatch or compound in standard blue, red, green, brown, grey or black, as well as in customer bespoke colours. The types of high temperature masterbatch carriers used in the T-TEC range are suitable for use in the most demanding compounding applications without affecting the mechanical performance or chemical resistance of the base polymers. A bespoke T-TEC masterbatch and compound product development service for a wide range of other high performance engineering polymers is also provided.
New E-TEC Electrically Conductive and ESD Compounds
The new E-TEC range offers surface resistivities from 1 x 109 to less than 103 Ohms square (according to ASTM D257 and IEC61340-2-3), providing solutions to key market sectors, in particular for electrical and electronics, automotive, consumer and industrial products and ESD packaging, storage and distribution applications. These new Colloids E-TEC grades offer customers enhanced electrical performance for film and sheet, profile extrusion, injection moulding, vacuum forming and closed cell foams. Colloids E-TEC grades have been formulated to offer superior mechanical properties, along with the added benefits of enhanced process capability, excellent weldability and good aesthetics. In addition to the standard range Colloids also provides bespoke, customer specific E-TEC products.
China and the Asian market has become an increasingly important region for Colloids, which in 2016 established Colloids Plastic (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., a new masterbatch manufacturing plant located in Changshu, about two hours north west of Shanghai. The new General Manager for Colloids China operations, Dr Craig MacDougall, who recently joined the company after 22 years with Americhem, commented : "This is a very exciting time to be joining Colloids which is clearly committed to developing its business in China and Asia. Chinaplas 2018 is the ideal event to introduce the two new product ranges to the Asian market and the Colloids team is looking forward to meeting both existing and potential new customers during the show."
Colloids provides a combination of locally manufactured products alongside a variety of speciality products which are supplied from Colloids' main UK production operations at Knowsley in the North of England. The successful business growth in Asia by Colloids has been recently recognised by the DIT North West region which named Colloids as the winner of the Greater China 2018 Business Award, presented at the end of February.
About the company
Since 1967 Colloids has established an outstanding reputation for supplying high quality masterbatches/concentrates for use in the thermoplastics industry. The company has grown both organically and through acquisitions to become a major name in the masterbatch/concentrates market. It now has more than 160 employees, factories in the UK and China, and an annual turnover of more than £45 million. In 2001 Colloids UK moved to a new purpose built facility to meet the continued international expansion of the business. In 2004 Colloids became part of the Tosaf Group of companies, one of the plastic industry's leading multinational suppliers of masterbatch/concentrates. In 2016 Colloids opened Colloids Plastic (Suzhou) Co, Ltd., a new masterbatch manufacturing plant located in Changshu, China. Colloids, accredited to IATF 16949:2016 and ISO 14001 , continually delivers improved performance with regard to both service and products.
