CHICAGO (July 28, 5:45 p.m. EDT) — Novatec Plastics Corp. has signed up as the exclusive distributor of Extru-Clean purging compound in the United States and Canada, the company announced at NPE 2000, held June 19-23 in Chicago.
Extru-Clean is a neat powder compatible with a range of polymers, including engineering types. It can handle temperatures as high as 725° F, and, according to Novatec sales representative John Grenda, it can reduce purging time by as much as two-thirds.
Vinyl compounder Novatec of Eatontown, N.J., has been testing Extru-Clean at affiliate PVC Container Corp. for a few months, and finalized the distribution agreement in early June. Novatec was pleased with the results and decided it initially will offer the product to its compounds customers. Eventually it plans to grow Extru-Clean sales by marketing it to a wider range of polymer processors.
Annecat Plastics CC of Johannesburg, South Africa, developed Extru-Clean several years ago, but only began distributing it in North America about a year ago through its Irvine, Calif.-based subsidiary Natron Inc. The Natron office will remain open and provide technical sales support for marketing the purging product, said Kevin Downey, export director for Annecat.
Natron claims Extru-Clean is nontoxic and nonabrasive, and has a long shelf life. It loosens and removes carbon deposits and does not stick to barrels, dies and screws, Natron product literature claims. Downey said its ingredients include surfactants and waxes but not abrasives.