Weight Reduction In PP Packaging Thanks To Additives From ADEKA-PALMAROLE

Many FMCG producers are calling for more packaging to be made from polypropylene since PP is known to offer the lightest and lowest cost/volume ratio of all the commodity plastics. PP also has an excellent balance of stiffness and impact strength, is retortable, microwaveable and sterilisable.

ADEKA-PALMAROLE offers additive products to help further capitalise on these features of PP. Although not a well-known name to packaging producers, ADEKA-PALMAROLE has been working for almost 15 years in PP on:

• Weight reduction
• Improved transparency

The name may not be well-known since the products are not meant to be seen, but also as they are generally introduced into PP before delivery to the packaging producer. This could all change however, as now these products in masterbatch form are being actively promoted for packaging producers.

ADEKA-PALMAROLE's experience and ability to innovate so as to offer the best solution for the application can be illustrated by the specific example of the food-approved blowing agent masterbatches for extrusion process and in particular to produce sheets for packaging products by thermoforming such as meat trays, salade trays and yoghurt pots.

At present, many customers are using PALMAROLE BA.K3.EF to achieve up to 15-30% weight reduction while maintaining properties such as stiffness and impact resistance that meet customer's demands. The photos show products that have been produced with this 30% active component in a PP compatible polymer blend carrier which gives an excellent fine cell structured foam. The active component is an endothermic system that is food approved and has a recommended processing temperature of 180°-230°C. PALMAROLE BA.K3.EF is not the only grade that is used for extrusion of PP and other products have been designed for other polymers including LDPE, PS and PET.