The TPE division of Teknor Apex Co., the Pawtucket, R.I.-based compounder, plans to announce a restructuring of its TPE brands at K 2013 in October.
All TPEs applicable to a particular end-use sector will now be grouped under a single brand, regardless of how widely the compounds differ in terms of polymer chemistry. Teknor Apex employs a broad range of TPE chemistries and can now produce compounds spanning the entire range of these chemistries at its plants in Belgium and the United Kingdom, including many TPEs developed in the US and previously unavailable in Europe.
The Sarlink brand, once exclusively thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) compounds, now includes styrenic and olefinic blends. Similarly, the company's Elexar, Medalist and Monprene brands now include all TPE types designed for use in electrical/electronic, medical and consumer product applications, respectively.