Compounders add focus on more capacity, new products

Compounders will be at NPE2024 with a wide range of material solutions for applications that span the industry.

Modern Dispersions Inc. (S33027) of Leominster, Mass., is opening a second production site in Fitzgerald, Ga. The first phase of the project — with 100 million pounds of concentrate production capacity — came online in June 2023. The new location is across the street from MDI's current plant in Fitzgerald, which has annual production capacity of 400 million pounds.

The second phase of the new plant already has begun. That phase will add another 100 million pounds of capacity and is slated to begin production in 2026.

"The first phase of new capacity gives us more flexibility, reduced lead times and allows us to remain cost competitive as we strive to meet the supply needs of our customers," MDI President Marton Kozma said in a news release.

"We are constantly investing in our resources, including facilities and personnel, to service our customers more efficiently," he added.

Officials said the new capacity is targeted for the North American market and is in response to strong growth in injection molding and extrusion applications in markets including automotive, electronics packaging and construction. Key end-use applications for MDI materials include pipe and wire and cable.

The new facility includes state-of-the-art compounding equipment, ancillary equipment and related infrastructure. In addition to the manufacturing operation, the project features transportation improvements including a new rail storage and switch yard to accommodate 200 rail cars. The new plant will employ around 20 in production and support positions.

MDI's products include carbon black masterbatch concentrates, white concentrates and specialty additive compounds. The firm was founded in 1967 by Janos (John) Kozma, Marton's father.

Lehvoss Group (S23199) will be at NPE2024 with high-performance compounds and masterbatches. Officials said the materials demonstrate the firm's concept of "materializing ideas."

Lehvoss, based in Hamburg, Germany, with North American offices in Pawcatuck, Conn., will be displaying the Buddy X1, an injection molded e-bike frame made of a Luvocom-brand carbon-fiber compound. The material was specially developed for the frame and shows 60 percent higher rigidity than competitive materials.

Officials said the new compound can replace epoxy and carbon-fiber structures currently used in the higher-end bike market. The Buddy X1/Luvocom frame is fully recyclable and shows a carbon footprint reduction of up to 64 percent compared with a recyclable aluminum frame.

A propeller using Lehvoss materials for large agricultural drones is also on display. Officials said the part is "a perfect example how weight reduction and outstanding mechanical properties … have been combined with good economy, and significant improvement of customer value is generated."

Lehvoss recently developed blowing agent masterbatch concentrates for injection molding and extrusion. Officials said the addition of just 1 percent masterbatch allows production of automotive components that are 24 percent lighter while still meeting mechanical requirements.

In the semiconductor market, officials said Lehvoss materials create significant cost savings and boost productivity. The use of wafer carriers made from electrically conductive and highly durable Luvocom PEEK compounds allows for longer service life. Officials added the reject rate in production of those items has been reduced by up to 70 percent.

In transportation, strongly driven by e-mobility, and in building and construction, the need for cost-efficient and effective flame protection is strongly growing, officials said. In this area, Lehvoss offers standard halogen-based flame-retardant solutions, as well as halogen-free masterbatches based on nitrogen, phosphorus and mineral additives.

"Our customized solutions are crafted to unleash the potential of creative concepts, enabling manufacturers to turn their ideas into reality with exceptional performance and functionality," Lehvoss North America President Dan Salak said.

"In our more than 40-year legacy of permanent technical advancement and shifting the technically possible boundaries further, an extremely deep and broad portfolio has been developed," he added. "We remain determined to find and produce fast, economically sensible solutions for our customers."

Highland Plastics (S11039) of Shepherd, Mich., is introducing three new product lines: Adensa NVH barriers, Kelvinite flame-retardant polypropylenes and Komodo abrasion-resistant surfaces. Officials said each new line includes innovative formulations that provide improvements in performance, manufacturing consistency, supply chain availability and cost effectiveness.

Highland recently completed "substantial expansions" of its manufacturing plant, warehouse and loading docks. Officials said the firm also has made "substantial investments" in new shredders, grinders, compounding and other equipment and is in the process of building and equipping a new R&D lab.

Highland has developed new formulations that use domestic sources for raw materials and that use alternative raw materials in order to ensure availability even in times of supply chain disruptions, officials said. They added that the firm has developed proprietary technology to pre-process recovered scrap in order to transform it into raw material that has equivalent performance to virgin material.

PolyVisions Inc. (S37199) of Manchester, Pa., is bringing specialized compounds for sustainable materials to NPE2024. The firm will be introducing DuraPET, an engineering-grade material made from PET certified as coming from ocean-bound waste.

Officials said the material is a drop-in replacement for polycarbonate, ABS and other engineering-grade materials. They added that DuraPET offers a low-cost entry into green products.