Material Insights: July 30, 2012

Sabic Innovative Plastics' plans to add capacity for Stamax material are featured in this week's Material Insights video. Sabic IP is adding a new line for Stamax -- a long glass fiber-filled polypropylene -- at a plant in Genk, Belgium. Officials said the new line is needed to handle increased demand from the automotive sector. The line is expected to be operational in the second half of 2013. New material initiatives from Styrolution, Plastic World China and Americas Styrenics also are featured in this week’s video. Styrolution and Plastic World will work together to make ABS, SAN and related materials at a plant in Shenzhen, China. Americas Styrenics will begin making Polyrenew a new polystyrene resin that includes 25 percent post-consumer recycled PS at a plant in Connecticut by the end of August. This week’s video wraps up with news that Underwriters Laboratories ahs bought plastic materials resource firm IDES for an undisclosed price. The two firms already have worked together on the latest version of Prospector an online service originated by IDES that provides plastic material data sheets in a searchable interface.