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Lanxess Presents High-quality Colorants and Polymer Additives for the Plastics Industry

LANXESS is to appear at Asia's biggest international exhibition for the rubber and plastics industry, the Chinaplas 2005 held in Guangzhou, where it will present its comprehensive portfolio for the polymer processing sector. The focus will be on polymer additives such as flame retardants and plasticizers and on inorganic pigments and organic pigments in the form of microgranules for plastics coloration.

LANXESS offers a wide range of flame retardants based on phosphoric acid esters satisfying virtually all chemical and technical product requirements. Areas of use include materials for the construction, electrical and automotive industries. The Levagard® range of flame retardants is particularly suited for use in rigid polyurethane foams and thermoset materials. The halogen-free Levagard® DMPP was developed specifically for use in rigid polyurethane foams. This low-viscosity product with a phosphorus content of more than 20 percent can be used to replace either all or some of the halogen-containing flame retardant typically used in formulations. Applications include composite elements with a rigid polyurethane foam core for hangars, cold stores and cold storage cells and one component foam.

The halogen-free esters of phosphoric acid in the Disflamoll® line are used as flame retardants for all types of polymers. Used in PVC, for example, they can be used to produce various flame-retardant items such as films or coated textile tarpaulins. Conveyor belts, V-belts and cable sheathing made from synthetic rubber are further examples of applications in which Disflamoll® comes into its own as a flame retardant with a plasticizing effect. Plasticizers optimize the processing properties of polymer materials and give them improved quality or even new properties. The tried and tested plasticizer Mesamoll® is a saponification-resistant ester of alkane sulfonic acid which is particularly compatible with PVC. This makes Mesamoll® the ideal choice for bonding and sealing systems based on vinyl chloride. Thanks to its excellent resistance to alkaline media - which are often found in the construction industry - Mesamoll® ensures, in such situations, long-lasting elasticity and a reliable seal. The plasticizer also displays excellent gelling properties in PVC and is therefore particularly suitable for making vinyl gloves.

The new plasticizers Ultramoll® IV and Ultramoll® VP SP 51020 NV are approved for use in PVC films that come into contact with food. For such packaging it is very important that the plasticizer remains in the films and does not migrate into the food. The threshold values stipulated by the EU which must be complied with when exporting packaged foodstuffs to Europe can be adhered to when LANXESS plasticizers are used.

	Lanxess Presents High-quality Colorants and Polymer Additives for the Plastics Industry LANXESS is to appear at Asia's biggest international exhibition for the rubber and plastics industry, the Chinaplas 2005 held in Guangzhou, where it will present its comprehensive portfolio for the polymer processing sector. The focus will be on polymer additives such as flame retardants and plasticizers and on inorganic pigments and organic pigments in the form of microgranules for plastics coloration. LANXESS offers a wide range of flame retardants based on phosphoric acid esters satisfying virtually all chemical and technical product requirements. Areas of use include materials for the construction, electrical and automotive industries. The Levagard® range of flame retardants is particularly suited for use in rigid polyurethane foams and thermoset materials. The halogen-free Levagard® DMPP was developed specifically for use in rigid polyurethane foams. This low-viscosity product with a phosphorus content of more than 20 percent can be used to replace either all or some of the halogen-containing flame retardant typically used in formulations. Applications include composite elements with a rigid polyurethane foam core for hangars, cold stores and cold storage cells and one component foam. The halogen-free esters of phosphoric acid in the Disflamoll® line are used as flame retardants for all types of polymers. Used in PVC, for example, they can be used to produce various flame-retardant items such as films or coated textile tarpaulins. Conveyor belts, V-belts and cable sheathing made from synthetic rubber are further examples of applications in which Disflamoll® comes into its own as a flame retardant with a plasticizing effect. Plasticizers optimize the processing properties of polymer materials and give them improved quality or even new properties. The tried and tested plasticizer Mesamoll® is a saponification-resistant ester of alkane sulfonic acid which is particularly compatible with PVC. This makes Mesamoll® the ideal choice for bonding and sealing systems based on vinyl chloride. Thanks to its excellent resistance to alkaline media - which are often found in the construction industry - Mesamoll® ensures, in such situations, long-lasting elasticity and a reliable seal. The plasticizer also displays excellent gelling properties in PVC and is therefore particularly suitable for making vinyl gloves. The new plasticizers Ultramoll® IV and Ultramoll® VP SP 51020 NV are approved for use in PVC films that come into contact with food. For such packaging it is very important that the plasticizer remains in the films and does not migrate into the food. The threshold values stipulated by the EU which must be complied with when exporting packaged foodstuffs to Europe can be adhered to when LANXESS plasticizers are used.
	Report: Demand for Coupling Agents, Chemically-Modified Fillers and Reinforcements for Plastics Expected to Exceed $200 Million in 2005 PVC is a major polymer that incorporates modified fillers/reinforcements. PVC is a polar polymer and the use of chemical modifiers has focused on dispersion or wetting additives. However, the changing requirements of compounders for performance enhancements, higher through-put rates, and better economics has encouraged the investigation of new and improved chemical additives. Chemically modified fillers and reinforcements are one of the most specialized segments of the plastic additives market. As more performance fillers and reinforcements find use in thermoplastics, the demand for products treated with coupling agents and other surface treatments has experienced growth of over 9% per year in plastics applications over the past decade. Total North American demand for modified fillers and reinforcements (excluding fiberglass) in 2005 is expected to exceed $200 million, according to Principia Partners. Chemically modified minerals account for about three-quarters of this amount, but a very rapidly growing segment is treated natural fibers. Leading mineral fillers that are frequently chemically modified include calcium carbonate (both ground and precipitated), kaolin, alumina hydrate, mica, talc, organoclays, silica, and wollastonite. These products represent the highest value-added segment of the mineral fillers market with average prices for some products exceeding $0.50 a lb. Leading specialty fibers that require some coupling agent additives include wood fiber, other natural fibers, and milled glass. Wood and other natural fibers are used in natural fiber composites where loading levels of fiber can exceed 60% of the formulation weight. Coupling agents help to improve the bonding of the fiber to the polymer. Coupling agents and other surface treatments can be added directly to the filler or fiber, or incorporated during the compounding process. In recent years the trend has been to pre-treated fillers and reinforcements in order to optimize economics and control VOC emissions. Generally these treatments are incorporated at levels of 1% to 5% by weight of the filler/fiber. Silanes are the most commonly used coupling surface treatments, but stearates, aluminates, maleated polypropylene, maleic anhydride, zirconates, and a variety of other products also find use. The benefits of using these additives in the filled or reinforced compound are many and include: * Higher flexural strength * Improved impact strength * Better moisture resistance * Better surface finish/gloss * Reduced shrinkage * Improved weatherability * Better dispersion of the filler/fiber Source: Principia Partners National Retailer Plans To Pioneer PVC Free Baby Products i play.(R) babywear, a leading retailer of colorful, convenient, and safe baby wear, today announced that in an continuing effort to extend its offering of safer baby products, the company is now in full compliance with the State of California's recently introduced Anti-PVC in Children's Products legislation. As an early adopter of PVC-free products, i play. focuses not only on style and quality, but safety for its customers. Already available throughout Japan, the EU, and 11 other countries, PVC-free baby products, such as bibs and teethers, prevent potential exposure to lead and cadmium and ultimately protect children from potential disruption in physical and mental development. The California PVC-free bill (AB 319), introduced April 2005, would prohibit the use of Phthalate and Bisphenol A in products for children age 3 and under. The bill has been tabled until January 1, 2006 due to pressure from manufacturers of baby products that use PVC in their production processes. PVC is a rigid plastic that is made with Bisphenol A and Phthalates as softeners to make it more pliable. Because PVC is a volatile plastic, elements such as lead, cadmium, and organotins are used as plastic stabilizers. Some of these additives have been linked to serious endocrine (hormone) system disruption as well as many types of cancer. In the US, they are commonly used in the production of baby products such as bibs, teething devices, rain gear, diapers, toys, and other items. These chemicals leach from the plastic when it is sucked or chewed for any length of time and can be ingested. Because babies and children are at delicate points of development, exposure to and ingesting these products can cause potential serious and permanent damage. "Awareness of the dangers of PVC to children is relatively new in the US, but it made sense for us to make all of our products PVC free and continue our effort to provide our customers with the safest baby products available," said Becky Cannon, president and CEO of i play. "Already in compliance with California's PVC-free legislation only confirms our conviction to set an example for the industry." "I have increasingly read about how harmful PVC is for children and the environment, and it is so hard to find baby products that are PVC free," said Cathy Edwards, PVC-Free advocate and mother of two. "The quality of i play babywear far exceeds the quality of most, and the assurance that my child is safe from the risk of PVC with these products is a priceless asset."
	AEA buys compression, Vycom - thick-guage PVC sheet extruder New York-based AEA Investors Inc. has purchased sheet extruders Compression Polymers Corp. and Vycom Corp. from two other investment firms. Compression Polymers and Vycom are sister companies based in Moosic, PA. Vycom makes PVC sheet, while Compression Polymers makes HDPE and PP sheet. Their products are primarily used as replacements for wood and metal applications. The deal includes Vycom's Azek Trimboards unit, which extrudes cellular PVC building products, and Comtech Industries, a fabricator of bathroom partitions and lockers. Earlier this year, Azek Trimboards announced it is adding a second factory, with 250,000 square feet of space. The company did not disclose the number of extruders being added in the multimillion-dollar expansion, which should begin by the end of this year. AEA is a private equity firm founded in 1968, originally as a means for prominent industrial families - including the Rockefellers, Mellons, and Harrimans - to invest in midsize companies. EPA criticized on hiking "safe" level of exposure to VC A new study suggests the Environmental Protection Agency gave too much wieght to questionable industry scientific interpretations when it set new "safe" levels for exposure to VCM, a precursor to PVC. The study, authored by environmental scientists and published in a government scientific journal, accused EPA of following industry's lead in downplaying risks of brain, lung, and other cancers when it decided in 2000 to reduce estimated risks from VC exposure tenfold. An EPA spokeswoman said April 21 that agency officials had not seen the report until a reporter brought it to their attention, and that agency scientists still were studying it. In setting the new standard, EPA officials had argued that they focused on cancer of the liver because it is the most sensitive organ , and protecting it would protect people from other cancers. Industry groups have acknowledged a link between VC exposure and liver cancer among workers, but argued that studies have not found conclusive links between VC and other types of cancer, a point supported by EPA. The study was published March 24 in the National Institutes of Health journal Environmental Health Perspectives and was written by scientists from the Natural Resources Defense Council and other groups. IT said EPA should have given more weight to several studies that found an "excess risk of brain cancer" among industry workers, even if the specific relationship with VC exposure is unclear. The study said EPA's outside peer reviewers of its VC rules did not include any union or public interest groups, but at least seven of the 19 were industry employees or consultants. Jennifer Beth Sass, an NRDC senior scientist and lead author of the study, said that in response to criticism about other studies, EPA has broadened membership on review boards. The new rules are working well, Sass said. The Vinyl Institute did not comment, but an industry website called aboutbluevinyl.org said that since the link between VC and a rare form of liver cancer, angiosarcoma, first was identified in the 1970s, the government has boosted safety standards, industry has introduced new technology, and exposure has fallen dramatically. The study criticized EPA for first proposing - and then abandoning - a threefold protective factor to account for nonliver tumors. Industry had apposed the higher standard, and it also complained about the EPA statement that there is "suggestive epidemilogocial evidence that cancer of the brain, lung and lymphopoietic system are associated with exposure." Industry urged EPA to delete the statement from the final report, which EPA did, according to the EHP study Limburgse Vinyl Maatschappij (LVM) investing ¤20 million in EDC facility, PVC LVM, a subsidiary of Tessenderlo Group, is investing ¤20 million in a new facility to produce 250,000 tons per year of EDC, the precursor to VCM. Based at its Tessenderlo (B) site, the new facility is expected to reduce energy consumption by implementing a new reactor principle and process integration. In addition, LVM says the new unit will offer greater flexibility in the use of chlorine and hydrochloric acid in the production of VCM, the basic raw material to PVC. The German company Uhde is in charge of the plant construction which is scheduled to come on-line by early 2006. LVM currently manufactures 550,000 tons of VCM per year, making it the largest manufacturing unit in Europe Wavin acquires Hepworth, largest pipe maker in UK Pipe producer Wavin BV boosted its annual sales about 20% by acquiring British plumbing and drainage pipe manufacturer Hepworth Building Products Ltd. The deal gives Zwolle-based Wavin the top spot as the UK's largest plastic pipe producer. The company purchased the Sheffield, England-based Hepworth from private heating technology company Vaillant GmbH of Remscheid, Germany. Wavin makes PVC piping for potable water, hot-water floor heating, drainage and irrigation. Hepworth posted 2004 sales of ¤236 million ($311 million). It employs more than 1,400 and has manufacturing and distribution facilities in the UK, China and the Netherlands. Wavin reported 2004 profit of ¤47 million ($62 million) on sales of $1.3 billion.