Chroma Color Corp. continues to improve its material offerings with the ChromaTransparent carrier system and other patented technologies.
Chroma, a color and additive concentrates maker based in McHenry, Ill., recently was issued a patent for ChromaTransparent, a color concentrate carrier system designed to color clear resins such as PET, PETG, copolyester, polycarbonate and others without affecting their clarity.
In an interview with Plastics News, Jeff Smink, vice president of technology, said that ChromaTransparent can maintain clarity and handle high color loadings in cosmetic jars, lenses, signage and other applications.
Technical adviser Hari Rajaraman added that "it can be a challenge to color transparent parts."
"There's a lot of demand for color in applications like auto tail lights and displays," he said.
To support the technology, Chroma is installing a Sidel-brand PET stretch blow molder in its Salisbury, N.C., facility. The site's technical team will be able to color match for PET bottle customers using Chroma's UltraPET technology.
Officials said that both technologies process at a much lower temperature than conventional PET pellet concentrates. Those lower process temperatures allow molders to reduce the heat stress on the pigments and dyes significantly, they added.
Other benefits of ChromaTransparent include:
• No screw slippage in opaque PET applications.
• In most cases, low usage rates eliminate the need for drying and recrystallization of a colorant common to conventional PET pellet concentrates.
• Resistance to alcohol for applications that require that additional benefit.
• Compliance with FDA regulations.
Chroma also recently launched ChromaPCRPET, a material designed for use with recycled material. ChromaPCRPET can allow brand owners to meet sustainability objectives by using higher levels of post-consumer PET.
Officials said that Chroma continues to make inroads with customers using its G2, UltraPET and G3 technologies. G-Series usage rates continue to rise with customers wanting to reduce costs and meet sustainability goals at the same time.
Chroma's three technologies provide vibrant, long-lasting colors essential to meet end user demands within a convenient pellet format at a price point in line with liquid color, officials said.
Vice Chairman Matt Barr said that materials made with G2, G3 and UltraPET "are getting more traction as customers face cost challenges."
"With these technologies, we can help offset higher resin costs and create capacity within a plant network," he said.
Chroma makes concentrates based on a variety of resins for several markets. The firm employs about 400 and has annual sales of more than $160 million.
In 2020, Chroma made two acquisitions: dyemaker Epolin Chemicals LLC of Newark, N.J. and Plastics Color Corp. of Calumet City, Ill. Chroma is owned by private equity firm Arsenal Capital Partners of New York.