DOMO Chemicals launches NYLEO®, the new brand for its innovative Performance Fibers product line

• DOMO’s new NYLEO® brand combines a rich heritage in the nylon 66-based fiber market with a concerted focus on innovation with three newly pioneered products
• NYLEO® PROTECT offers improved flame retardancy, NYLEO® 4EARTH® provides enhanced biodegradability, and NYLEO® SAFE features bacteriostatic properties
• The NYLEO® value proposition represents a new milestone in DOMO’s enhanced offering of sustainable solutions

  NYLEO® is the new brand for DOMO’s Performance Fibers product line, bringing together a compelling combination of well-established performance fibers and groundbreaking new solutions. Based on nylon 66, NYLEO® is used in numerous applications in the textile, flooring, flock and abrasive markets. Thanks to its unique properties, it offers a wide range of actions to enhance product performance.

“In a fast-changing world, markets and consumers demand innovative solutions to meet the daily requisites for health, safety and sustainability,” says Nicolas Forien, Sales Director PA66 & Fibers at DOMO. “At DOMO, because we are a key polyamide player equipped with the world’s most recent polymerization line for staple fiber, we are committed to achieving cutting-edge breakthroughs in PA 66 fibers. This is demonstrated in our innovative NYLEO® line of nylon 66 value-added solutions. These include new products for flame retardancy, enhanced biodegradability, and inhibiting bacteria.”

NYLEO® merges a rich heritage in the nylon 66-based fiber market with a new focus on innovation with three pioneering products: NYLEO® PROTECT with improved flame retardancy, NYLEO® 4EARTH® with enhanced biodegradability, and NYLEO® SAFE with bacteriostatic properties.

DOMO’s legacy of innovation in nylon 66 fibers
Based at its Valence site in France, DOMO’s Performance Fibers teams work passionately to create unique fibers designed to meet key market needs. DOMO has been producing world-class PA66 fibers since 1955 for such industries as nonwovens for abrasives and aeronautics, flooring for carpets, high performance textiles, flock for upholstery, automotive interiors and flooring, and many other consumer products. The NYLEO® brand will now be applied to the full portfolio of polyamide 66 (PA 66) fiber products, including staple fibers, crimped tow and tow for flock. These are well known for their superior resilience, outstanding wear and abrasion resistance, higher tenacity, excellent dyeability and color fastness, consistent quality, and soft feel.

And now, NYLEO® also represents cutting-edge innovation with its new line of PA 66 fiber products:

• NYLEO® PROTECT – In order to contribute to higher levels of safety in the Personal Protective Equipment, clothing, furniture and transportation industries, DOMO has developed a new flame retardant PA 66 fiber. NYLEO® PROTECT combines all the advantages of PA 66, such as mechanical performance, comfort, low specific weight and outstanding abrasion resistance, with improved flame retardancy performance. Indeed, the limiting oxygen index (LOI) of NYLEO® PROTECT has been improved to 28%, which is the level of typical flame retardant fibers.
• NYLEO® 4EARTH® – More and more manufacturers are concerned about sustainability and the circular economy, with the aim to reduce their impact on the environment through better waste management. Based on the observation that the textile value chain is a major contributor to landfills, where most clothing ends its life, DOMO has developed this new fiber, which demonstrates enhanced biodegradation when landfilled. A traditional nylon 66 fiber decomposes in about 50-100 years. NYLEO® 4EARTH® with enhanced biodegradability decomposes in under five years.
• NYLEO® SAFE – Bacteria propagation has become a health concern of increasing urgency. Therefore, DOMO has developed a new bacteriostatic fiber to fight this problem. A bacteriostatic agent is introduced into the polymeric matrix, creating a long-lasting effect to protect the fibers and inhibit the growth of bacteria.
  “The NYLEO® brand represents an important step in our quest to strengthen DOMO’s nylon-based performance fibers business,” adds Nicolas Forien. “It’s also a key milestone in our sustainability journey, as we endeavor to support our customers through our enhanced offering of sustainable solutions.”

Solvay extends its sustainable polymer offering for smart devices and wearables

Solvay just launched the Kalix® 10000 series, an ideal structural material for precision electronics components used in smart devices, to complement its Kalix® product line. The newest HPPA-based material is set to take both performance and sustainability to the next level.

The Kalix® 10000 series, a partially bio-based material made with renewable feedstock from non-food competing sources, is produced with 100% renewable electricity. Available with a wide range of recycled content alternatives for diverse customer needs, it also has a lower global warming potential (GWP) than traditional polyamides. Additionally, it offers higher heat resistance, stain resistance, and lowest moisture absorption in the Kalix® families, making it suitable for use in electronic applications with more demanding customer requirements.

“Our Kalix® portfolio has seen high demand, as it delivers the highest elongation and weld line strength of all HPPA, as well as great stiffness and chemical resistance. It also shows low moisture absorption, which makes it an ideal structural material for precision electronics components,” said Andrew Lau, Senior Executive Vice President of Solvay Materials. “The Kalix® 10000 series further strengthens the Kalix® family as it not only exceeds the performance demands of structural and cosmetic frames for smartphones, but it also is a more sustainable solution that meets evolving customer needs.”

The average lifespan of consumer devices, and the parts that go into them, have been rapidly decreasing. Vast amounts of waste will continue to be generated and cause sustainability challenges. Solvay has developed advanced technologies to help manufacturers close the loop between product design and production execution on the factory floor. With a multitude of sustainable materials solutions that address various market needs, the company is working to put our society on a fast track towards more circular solutions.

Kalix® is a registered trademark of Solvay.

Barnes™ and INEOS Styrolution collaborate on sustainable styrenics solutions

• Focus on mechanically-recycled ABS Terluran® ECO
• Material tests for optimal process and product quality repeatability and to enable customers to achieve their sustainable goals
• Events in Denmark and the USA

  Molding Solutions, a strategic business unit within Barnes and pioneer of new technologies in injection molding, and INEOS Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, today announced that they will collaborate on a sustainable ABS[1] solution that will make molding biomaterials and sustainable plastics easier.

Molding Solutions and INEOS Styrolution will bundle their extensive expertise and unique technologies to make mechanically-recycled ABS solutions easier to process and achieve repeatable molded product quality with INEOS Styrolution’s Terluran® ECO MR-50/70 materials, in particular.

Yohann Bach, Product Director ABS Standard EMEA, INEOS Styrolution, says: “We are convinced that our Terluran ECO is the best mechanically-recycled ABS in the world. It offers identical properties to the respective native material. We are excited to offer it with a 50% recycling content (MR50) or with a 70% recycled content (MR70).”

Dr. Stefan Kruppa, Vice President of R&D for Molding Solutions, adds: “With our unique technology, we are able to expand our molding capabilities of post-consumer recyclate to meet the required product quality. Our aim is to enable customers to achieve the best results in the injection molding process with recycled ABS.”

Experts from Molding Solutions’ connected brands Priamus®, männer™, and Gammaflux® will be available at the Molding Solutions Network Open House at Manner USA Inc. in Lawrenceville, Georgia, for a live demonstration of the process and to discuss details with engineers and molders who work on next-generation product designs.

Terluran® ECO GP-22 grades were the first contribution from INEOS Styrolution to meet the INEOS pledge to incorporate at least 325kt/year of recycled materials into its products. The two new grades, Terluran® ECO GP-22 MR50 and Terluran® ECO GP-22 MR70, contain 50 and 70 percent of recycled post-consumer waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), respectively. Both grades will be available in black. Product properties of the grades match the mechanical property profile of their non-recycled counterparts.

Milliken prepares to launch major clarifier plant

Milliken & Company will begin production at its new clarifier plant soon in Blacksburg, S.C. This significant additional capacity will address strong worldwide demand for clarified plastic products. The company, a global manufacturer with plastic additives and colorants expertise, says this new, world-class facility will increase production capacity of its market-leading Millad® NX® 8000 polypropylene clarifier by more than 50 percent.

“This represents the largest clarifier plant investment in Milliken history,” said Cindy Boiter, president of Milliken’s Chemicals Business. “Engineering is complete, and we are in the process of commissioning the plant. When we launch production in the fall, it will allow us to address both current market needs and increasing demand for these products well into the future.”

“Global demand for Millad NX 8000 clarifier has grown at an 11 percent compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) for each of the past nine years,” added Boiter. “Global clarifier demand grew by 16 percent in just the past two years,” outstripping the growth rates for global polypropylene (PP) resin. “All regions have contributed to the growth of clarified PP, with Asia leading the way.”

A number of factors are driving this demand. Milliken’s own customer research underscores the importance of being able to clearly see the products they are buying. Millad NX 8000 provides close to glass-like clarity in PP packaging, which improves customer confidence during their buying process, especially for food products. This clarity enables brand owners to replace PET, polystyrene, polycarbonate and more with PP — shown by studies to be a more sustainable option. The current soaring energy prices, meanwhile, have also spiked interest in any resins or additives like this one, which can help converters to save energy during processing and improve production efficiency. As a result of these certified savings, brand owners using PP clarified with Millad NX 8000 ECO can display a UL Environmental Claim Validation label on their injection molded parts.

Polypropylene is not only lightweight and durable; it also is one of the least energy-intensive polymers to make and recycle compared to other clear polymers.

“Brand owners and packaging producers are seeing how Millad NX 8000 can contribute to improved environmental and manufacturing results. It is one of the more important clarifier developments in recent memory,” said Global Vice President – Plastic Additives Wim Van de Velde.

Additionally, the pandemic has dramatically altered many consumer habits, perhaps permanently, in the case of booming e-commerce and the growing popularity of food-delivery services. Thin-wall injection molded containers made using clarified PP – with their lightweight, durable and transparent characteristics – have proven to be a popular solution to packaging challenges facing both the e-commerce and food-service industries. “We don’t see that changing,” said Van de Velde.

TotalEnergies and Vanheede Environment Group sign a commercial agreement to scale up the manufacturing of circular polymers from post-consumption plastic waste

TotalEnergies and Vanheede Environment Group announce today the signing of a long-term commercial agreement for the supply of post-consumer recycled (PCR) raw material, to be used as feedstock in the production of circular polymers for durable applications.

Under this agreement, Vanheede Polymers & Compounds will supply PCR raw material coming from its sites in France and Belgium, including Dottignies, where a new plastic waste treatment facility using innovative technology is currently under construction. The raw material will then be used as feedstock by TotalEnergies to produce circular polymers for durable applications, such as in the automotive and construction sectors.

This agreement will support TotalEnergies growing sales of mechanically recycled polymers in Europe, including its subsidiary Synova, French leader in manufacturing recycled polypropylene for the automotive sector, that announced late 2021 the doubling of its capacity to 45,000 tonnes per year.

This signing is the first step of a strategic partnership supporting both compagnies’ commitment to develop plastics recycling and contribute to addressing the challenge of the circular economy.

“This new agreement is an important step in securing high quality post-consumer raw materials. It will allow us to accelerate our growth in recycled polymers and develop new projects to reach our ambition of producing 30% circular polymers by 2030,” said Valérie Goff, Senior Vice President, Polymers at TotalEnergies.

“This agreement demonstrates the Vanheede philosophy to transform plastic waste into circular high-end polymers in the most sustainable way. This partnership shows the confidence of TotalEnergies in our innovative recycling technology,” said David Vanheede, CEO Vanheede Environment Group.

Mondi feeds pet market growth with sustainable packaging at Interzoo

• Mondi to display full packaging portfolio at leading pet food trade fair Interzoo in Germany to demonstrate how innovative flexible solutions can help the industry become more sustainable.
• Mondi’s expertise helps customers move forward with innovative paper and plastic packaging that supports them in achieving their sustainability goals.

  Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, is presenting its broad portfolio of sustainable packaging solutions at this month’s Interzoo and demonstrating how flexible packaging can drive sustainability in the pet food industry.

Packaging for pet food and pet care needs to be both protective and sustainable – the food contents need to remain fresh and intact but the top priority for eight of ten pet owners is packaging that is sustainable, according to a recent Mondi Dow Premium pet packaging survey. Shoppers worldwide are shifting towards mindful consumption and actively choosing brands that reduce their impact on the environment, particularly in light of the rise in eCommerce.

Mondi’s expertise helps pet food manufacturers all over the world respond to this, through its EcoSolutions approach. Working closely with customers means the best possible solution can be created. Those solutions use paper where possible and plastic when useful – and help consumers contribute to a better world once pets have been fed.

At this year’s Interzoo, Mondi will be exhibiting a wide range of packaging solutions for the pet food industry to meet the individual needs of customers:

RetortPouch Recyclable is perfect for wet pet food. A new high barrier pouch, it can replace complex multi-layer and unrecyclable packaging, offering a solution that can withstand high temperatures, protect the product, and provide excellent shelf life while reducing food waste.

Mondi’s FlexiBag Recyclable prove popular for dry pet food, meanwhile – a reclosable high barrier packaging solution that confines smells, protects the product and is recyclable, it is already being used by several leading pet food brands.

“We are really looking forward to meeting our partners, customers and suppliers face to face once more,” says Alexander Korolchuk, Business Development Manager Pet Food for Consumer Flexibles, Mondi. “This is an important event on the pet food calendar and will allow us to show how Mondi’s technical skills, capabilities and global presence mean we can help drive an even stronger pet food sector, by reducing food waste while improving product protection and end user trust.”

The world´s leading trade fair for the pet industry is welcoming manufacturers, retailers and suppliers back to Nuremberg, Germany, from 24 to 27 May 2022. Mondi is present in hall 7A-216 and displaying further paper and plastic solutions, as e.g. paper-based FlexiBags that are made from renewable materials and enhanced with a functional barrier to reduce the amount of plastic used while ensuring premium product protection and convenient handling for consumers. High quality Block or Pinch bottom paper bags are available with a variety of barrier options to bring the required protection to the pet food through coated material, laminated or free film between the paper plies, or greaseproof paper.

Here we go – Beaulieu International Group (B.I.G.) is ready for a sustainable future

With an annual report entitled ‘Here.We.Go’ and a sustainability report ‘Shaping sustainable living, together’, B.I.G. is also publishing a strong ambition for a sustainable future.

Offering sustainable flooring and material solutions will be the number one priority for the coming years.

The Group’s first sustainability report is built around a self-designed sustainability model – “Route 2030” – which is based on achievable commitments, covers the main priorities and reflects B.I.G.’s vision in a sincere way.

“We fully realize that the road ahead is still long and bumpy, but if there is one thing we have learned in recent years, it is this: the greatest threat to our planet is thinking that someone else will save it. Today, we feel ready and equipped to take on our responsibility” says Pol Deturck, CEO.

Our vision for the B.I.G. change is to actively build a better future by reducing our carbon footprint to zero, taking care of our people and those around us, and doing business in a transparent, integer way. In this sense, it is the perfect translation of the Group’s purpose defined in 2021: shaping sustainable living, together.

Pol Deturck adds “By 2030, together with a broad group of suppliers, stakeholders and partners, we want to be the leader in sustainable flooring and material solutions. Specifically, our future value proposition is based on products and services that are environmentally & climate friendly, circular and offered by talented, innovative people with an emphasis on integrity and respect for values. This results more in a recurring value proposition for the future.”

Clear growth ambitions
As a 100% family-owned international Group with a clear long-term vision, we stayed true to our plans and kept on investing in all areas of our business. Just as our past investments allowed us to thrive in 2021, today’s investments will make us even stronger in the years to come.

“The ambition for 2021 was to invest over 100 mio euro. But we were held back by external, unforeseen factors: from delays on quotes and execution to the lack of availability and resources due to the pandemic. If all goes as planned, we’ll make up for it in 2022 with an investment budget well over 100 million euro. The main areas of interest will be sustainability, innovation and Industry 4.0.” says Pieter-Jan Sonck, CFO of B.I.G.

Our global transformation strategy ONE B.I.G. is gaining momentum across all business units and regions. Some of the more concrete initiatives that saw the light of day in 2021 were our new platform for customer relationship management, the acceleration of digital solutions into our operations and the launch of the B.I.G. University offering learning trajectories for our people.

A significant milestone in turnover
Adding to the gradual top-line growth of recent years, the Group can look back on an unprecedented financial boom. The driving forces: favorable market conditions, a revitalized growth strategy and a team of nearly 5.000 first-class employees.

B.I.G. reported a turnover of EUR 2,5 billion, an increase of 45 % compared to 2020. The Group ebitda amounted to EUR 451 million, an increase of 120 % compared to 2020 and a net result of EUR 274 million, a growth of 215% compared to 2020.

Since the pandemic shook various macro- and micro-economic systems to their foundations, our integrated business model has proven to be a great recipe for resilience. B.I.G. was able to mitigate major supply chain risks thanks to its strong vertical integration, while we also balanced out local market dynamics with our vast geographical presence.

Fruitful year for all Business Units
It was a fruitful year for all 3 business units, but our business unit Polymers stood out. Exceptionally strong demand in Europe and North America, combined with raw material shortages and unplanned shutdowns of competitors, pushed prices and margins up to historical highs. Well aware that this combination of market conditions puts our overall figures into perspective, B.I.G. has proven to be capable of going the extra mile. The Polymers facilities ran at full capacity to meet the customers’ needs and hit all-time profit records during several months.

Our business unit Flooring Solutions also fared well. Most divisions and regions outperformed amid surging energy prices, disrupted supply chains, cost volatility in transport and raw materials, and other challenges. Our sustained focus on innovation, design and product differentiation led to an improved operating result at the end of 2021, and we continue on the same track.

The achievements by Engineered Solutions echo those of the other two business units, from volume increases to budget increases. B.I.G. took big leaps forward in all its key markets, including the automotive sector, geotextiles and filtration.

Download the annual report and sustainability report at this link.

Röhm Digitalizes Processes with Shiftconnector® from eschbach

With the help of Shiftconnector®, a software solution from the global software provider eschbach, chemical company Röhm has digitalized its processes and, in so doing, achieved lasting improvements in the areas of safety, quality and productivity.

Röhm GmbH, a company steeped in tradition, is a globally leading provider of methacrylate products, including the world-famous PLEXIGLAS® brand. With 15 production sites on four continents, Röhm supplies future markets such as automotive, the electronics industry, and medical devices – and recently started using Shiftconnector® to support its business.

Digitally supported shift handover for greater safety and productivity
Shiftconnector is a software solution for Plant Process Management (PPM) and was developed specifically for the chemical industry. It connects production plant personnel working in a 24/7 shift system with one another, and ensures smooth communication, as well as transparency and traceability, especially during the critical shift handovers. Dr. Hans-Peter Hauck, COO of Röhm GmbH, says: “Since the spin-off from the Evonik Group in 2019, we have driven forward digitalization in our company.” For the digitalization projects within production, the individual plant teams were interviewed in order to determine the actual needs. In addition, a market analysis was carried out with the help of a consultant, and eschbach’s Shiftconnector was implemented at Röhm worldwide.

The PPM software from eschbach offers companies a central platform that brings together all the information related to production and processes. With interfaces both to the plants and the production workers, Shiftconnector merges process data, and information statuses and know-how from workers centrally, so that all levels – from top management to plant and shift management, and the plant operator – have relevant information at all times.

Decentralized implementation successfully completed worldwide
Shiftconnector’s implementation at Röhm was not managed centrally from its headquarters but instead looked after by local project management, which proved to be an especially efficient approach. In addition, it was possible to carry out the entire rollout online, which contributed to the rapid and lasting success. Where individual production workers used to have a pen, paper and camera with them on their rounds, all it takes now is a few clicks on a tablet to transfer, for example, entries from the shift rounds into the PPM system.

Feedback from the end users is overwhelmingly positive: “Shiftconnector is also very helpful in analyzing anomalies and problems in ongoing production,” says plant manager Dr. Sibylle Strandt. “The ordered merging of the process data from the plant with the data from the workers makes root cause analysis and troubleshooting a whole lot easier.” And Hauck adds: “Shiftconnector has helped significantly to improve the quality, safety, and productivity of our processes.”

Trinohex® Ultra LIB electrolyte additive now available in EU

HOUSTON – Ascend Performance Materials’ Trinohex® Ultra is now REACH-registered and available across the European Union.

“The demand for safe, reliable and longer-lasting batteries will only increase as we continue to shift toward e-mobility and renewable energy,” said Dave McNeece, sustainable specialties senior business manager at Ascend. “In many ways, Europe is at the forefront of adopting these technologies and we can now support lithium-ion battery innovation and production with Trinohex Ultra.”

In third-party testing, Trinohex Ultra has demonstrated superior cathode protection across cathode and electrolyte chemistries. This protection leads to a 30% reduction in harmful gas generation and longer-lasting performance, especially in extreme conditions.

“Trinohex Ultra solves many of the challenges with lithium-ion batteries,” said Mr. McNeece. “Improved safety accelerates adoption and longer-lasting performance reduces harmful waste as the industry explores effective recycling options. Also, its effectiveness across chemistries potentially reduces the reliance on constrained resources.”

Trinohex Ultra is manufactured on world-scale assets and readily available globally.