Thermoplastic polyurethane film producer Argotec Inc. has bought out its partner in the Omniflex LLC joint venture.
Omniflex makes waterproof, breathable films for apparel and footwear, thin film for automotive uses, and antibacterial and viral barrier films for medical applications.
Argotec's partner was Shawmut Corp., a West Bridgewater, Mass., firm specializing in engineered textiles.
“This will not only open up new opportunities within our core businesses, but will better serve existing Argotec customers by making the broadest range of polyurethane films available under a single corporate umbrella,” Argotec President and CEO Bruce Wilby said in a news release.
Argotec claims to be the world's leading producer of optical TPU film for security-glass lamination and paint-protection film for the automotive aftermarket. Other TPU film applications include medical textiles and wound-care products, textile lamination films, graphics films and specialty areas where vinyl's properties are insufficient.
Omniflex shared corporate resources at Argotec's head office in Greenfield, said Paul Darby, former Omniflex president and director of business development for Argotec.
The Argotech deal includes the Transport, Vacuflex and Natural Elements brands. The joint venture was formed in 1994, about six years after Argotec was established.
Argotec makes film from TPU and other difficult-to-extrude polymers in thicknesses ranging from 0.2-125 mils.
Its capabilities include blown film, flat-die film, cast-on-carrier film and extrusion coating and multilayer constructions.