Color and additives supplier Americhem Inc. attended NPE2012 with new products and a new president.
President Dorian Alexandrescu joined the Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio-based firm in January. Previously, Alexandrescu had run the Latin American electrical business of Eaton Corp., a Cleveland-based industrial conglomerate.
In an NPE interview in Orlando, Alexandrescu said he already likes what he sees at Americhem, which ranks among North America's 30 largest manufacturers of compounds and concentrates.
“Our goal is to go 50 percent higher than the average growth in each segment that we work in,” he added. “The economy is recovering, but even now, it's not unusual for a customer to come to us late in the cycle with an order. Our goal is to be able to respond to those requests.”
Americhem's new products include sustainable color and additive masterbatches for the plastics and synthetic-fiber markets. The materials include defined palettes and technologies for polylactic acid and other bioplastics. The materials also can use natural fibers, like flax, as fillers and for unique aesthetic effects.
“We have the capacity to work with customers on all of their sustainable goals,” said senior corporate marketing specialist Scott Blanchard.
Also new is Americhem's list of consumer colors for 2013-14, which draws on new developments in culture, technology and demographics to forecast trends.
The 2013-14 lineup consists of four color families, including Emergence, with colors that are “fluid, metallic, transpired and evanescent.”
“The macro theme here is constant customization,” Alexandrescu said. “In areas like beauty color trends, the color cycle can be only three to nine months, and you have to be ready to respond when customers want change.”
On the production side, Americhem recently opened a new plant in Liberty, N.C., and earlier this year installed a new production line in Mansfield, Texas. The line was needed for rebounding demand from building and construction, officials said.