NatureWorks Commercializes New High-Performance Ingeo Grades for Durable Goods Manufacture

MINNETONKA, Minn., October 31, 2013 — NatureWorks now offers three new Ingeo high performance biopolymer grades designed for injection molding and extrusion applications. They will allow formulations comparable in performance to engineering thermoplastics at a cost lower than any previous high-biobased content polymers on the market.

These new Ingeo grades allow faster cycle times and production rates, a 15°C improvement in heat deformation temperature, and a three-to-four fold increase in bulk crystallization rate. NatureWorks expects to see these new high performance Ingeo grades in applications such as consumer durable and semi-durable products as well as food service ware such as cutlery and hot cup lids. Compounders can use their expertise to introduce durables with the highest bio content ever achieved on this cost-effective commercial scale.

“Commercializing these new grades follows the very positive market feedback NatureWorks received from customers during pilot sampling over the last year,” said Frank Diodato, NatureWorks durables industry global segment manager.

Key features and benefits of Ingeo 2500HP, 3100HP, and 3260HP

The three new grades extend the Ingeo property range and enable users to tune crystallization rate and stiffness (above the glass transition temperature) for custom formulations. The high-flow Ingeo 3260HP and the medium-flow Ingeo 3100HP provide broader molding temperature windows, leading to more robust process parameters for injection molding. Higher viscosity Ingeo 2500HP is designed to provide higher heat performance for extruded products.

“Our focus is to bring cost competitive, market-driven solutions to reality,” said NatureWorks President and CEO Marc Verbruggen. ”These new grades are the result of intensive research and development and significant long-term investments in our state-of-the-art production process.”

For technical information on the new high performance grades, click on 2500HP for extrusion and 3100HP for injection molding and email NatureWorks at inquiry@natureworksllc.com for additional information. Follow NatureWorks on Twitter (@natureworks) for the latest updates. The international Ingeo users’ forum Innovation Takes Root will be held February 17-19, 2014, in Orlando, Florida.

About NatureWorks
NatureWorks LLC is a company dedicated to meeting the world’s needs today without compromising the earth’s ability to meet the needs of tomorrow. NatureWorks LLC is the first company to offer a family of commercially available, low-carbon-footprint Ingeo™ lactides and biopolymers derived from 100-percent annually renewable resources with performance and economics that compete with oil-based intermediates, plastics, and fibers, and provide brand owners new cradle-to-cradle options after the use of their products. NatureWorks is jointly owned by Thailand’s largest chemical producer, PTT Global Chemical, and Cargill, which provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world.

Source

NatureWorks LLC, press release, 2013-10-31.

Supplier

NatureWorks LLC

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