October 2014 Additives for Polymers7

STRATEGIES

Lanxess continues to expect the global economy to show a slight recovery during the remainder of the year. The company continues to foresee a ‘challenging competi-tive environment’ for the businesses with synthetic rub-ber, which are closely linked with the automotive and tyre industries, but forecast growth in the construction indus-try will provide further positive impetus for the pigments business in the Performance Chemicals segment, it says. Lanxess also expects demand in the agrochemicals busi-ness to continue developing well for the rest of the year. The company continues to anticipate higher earnings in 2014 compared to the previous year, and has narrowed its full-year EBITDA pre-exceptionals guidance to between €780 and €820 million from its original earnings guidance of between €770 million and €830 million.

Contact: Lanxess AG, Cologne, Germany. Tel: +49 221 8885 0,

Web: www.lanxess.com

AmTopp to increase masterbatch production capacity

US masterbatch manufacturer AmTopp, a divi-sion of Inteplast Group, is planning to increase

production to meet the shorter lead times being demanded by the market. The company is install-ing a seventh compounding line at its 11 150 m2 concentrates plant in Lolita, TX, USA, taking its capacity to 31 000 tonnes/year (68 million lbs/year). The new capacity is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2015.

The new line incorporates a Farrel CP 1000 continu-ous mixer and extruder system, which AmTopp says is ‘perfect’ for white concentrates and high-quality perfor-mance additives for film, thermoforming, injection and blow moulding, and more. The company already has a Farrel CP 1000 continuous mixer in operation and com-ments that they offer ‘versatility and excellent control and dispersion for superior product quality’, especially when working with high-performance additives. AmTopp manufactures and sells a variety of additive concentrates, including UV stabilizers, process aids, slip agents, anti-block and highly loaded filled materials, as well as a full range of white and colour concentrates. ‘We provide cost-effective additive, concentrate and compound solutions used in the manufacturing of polypropylene or polyethyl-

ene films and a full range of injection moulded and blow moulded products for most industries, be it packaging, automotive, building products and more’, says Kevin Hicks, sales manager, AmTopp Concentrates.

Based in Livingston, NJ, USA, AmTopp has more than 20 years of experience in additive, concentrates and com-pound manufacturing, with a regional sales team, state-of-the-art laboratory and ‘highly knowledgeable’ support staff. The ISO 9001:2008-certified company uses both twin-screw extruders and continuous mixers to manufacture custom and commodity products.

Contact: AmTopp, 9 Peach Tree Hill Rd, Livingston, NJ 07039, USA.

Tel: + 1 973 994 8000, Web: www.amtopp.com

TenasiTech secures funding to commercialize its plastics additives portfolio

Australian materials company TenasiTech Pty Ltd reports that it has secured almost a mil-

lion dollars in investment to drive the commer-cialization of its range of nanotechnology-based plastics additives products. A consortium of ‘angel’ investors from Brisbane and Melbourne have committed A$485 000 in equity capital, and original investor Uniseed is providing another $450 000. TenasiTech has developed perfor-mance-enhancing additives for thermoplastics and elastomers.

According to chairman Dr David Evans, TenasiTech has products in multiple polymer families including acrylic glass and polyurethane elastomers. The company works with global market leaders in each application area: ‘our strategy is to work with companies who are top five in their respec-tive markets, regardless of their geographic location’, Evans says. The additive technology employed by TenasiTech originates from the research of Prof. Darren Martin at The University of Queensland, who continues to be active with the company as its chief scientist. The patented technol-ogy was licensed to TenasiTech in 2007 by UniQuest, The University of Queensland’s main technology transfer company. TenasiTech subsequently received seed funding from Uniseed, a commercialization fund operating at the Universities of Queensland, New South Wales and Melbourne, and COMET