New products for a new year

Materials firms Ampacet Corp. and Avient Corp. have opened 2023 with new product launches.

Ampacet of Tarrytown, N.Y., has introduced a simplified color solution for short runs with RediBatch, a highly-loaded masterbatch concentrate with a universal carrier that provides processors with more flexibility and faster speed to market.

The palette of RediBatch colors, blacks and whites is compatible with frequently used popular polymers, officials said in a news release. FDA-approved RediBatch is available directly from Ampacet in small lot color orders from 50 to 2,500 pounds. Officials said the materials are ideal for injection molding, blow molding, tubes and profile and sheet extrusion applications.

"With RediBatch, there's no need to stock dedicated colors for each polymer, which enables processors to fulfill short-run orders without tying up valuable working capital with excessive color inventories," North American Business Development Manager Loren Flaharty said. "Simplifying short run color provides processors with important flexibility and productivity benefits."

Ampacet is one of North America's 30 largest compounders and concentrate makers. It employs more than 2,000 at 25 manufacturing sites worldwide and has annual sales of more than $1 billion.

Avient of Avon Lake, Ohio, has launched sustainability-enabling cross-linkable formulations for photovoltaic cables in solar energy uses.

"Avient has an ongoing commitment to sustainability, whether through biopolymers, recycled solutions or supporting the growth of sustainable infrastructure," said Matt Mitchell, director of global marketing, specialty engineered materials.

The new ECCOH XL-brand cross-linkable solutions for photovoltaic cables are REACH compliant and rated for permanent outdoor use with good UV and weather resistance, officials said. They also have good electrical performance, are compatible with either DC or AC power supply, and pass flame retardant performance standards.

Beyond performance benefits, officials said the new formulations can provide manufacturing efficiencies for cable producers by reducing the need to use multiple materials, since ECCOH XL can be used for both cable insulation and jacket coating. ECCOH XL materials are currently manufactured in Europe and are available globally.

Avient is one of the world's largest concentrate makers and one of North America's largest compounders. The firm employs more than 8,000 worldwide and posted total sales of $4.8 billion in full-year 2021.