MATERIALS
on year to E249 million. The company’s Resource Efficiency 2018, pp. 1–2] and has been certified as fully detectable and
segment, which includes the silica business, generated sales of
E1.40 billion in 1Q 2019, up 3% compared to the same peri-
od in 2018. The increase was principally due to higher selling
prices, while volumes were slightly lower. Among other posi-
tive factors, Evonik noted that a ‘pleasing trend’ in rubber and
tyre applications resulted in higher silica sales. The segment’s
adjusted EBITDA rose 2% to E324 million.
More information: www.evonik.com
Ampacet masterbatch boosts
look and performance of PE
recyclate for flexible packaging
I nternational additive and colour masterbatch
producer Ampacet has introduced Blue Edge
226, which has been formulated specifically to
augment both the aesthetics and the perfor-
mance of post-consumer recycled polyethylene
(rPE) in packaging applications. According to
the company, the new masterbatch can help to
enhance the appeal of flexible packaging made
from rPE and thereby boost the circular economy.
The new Blue Edge 226 product is reported to increase
the brightness of rPE films by imparting a lighter, blue-
ish tone, which results in a ‘a clearer, fresher look’ with
increased consumer appeal. The masterbatch also reduces
the risk of additional gel formation during processing of
rPE and minimizes visible defects, Ampacet claims. Blue
Edge 226 therefore enables commercially available rPE to
be utilized without a detrimental impact on the aesthetics
of end-use applications, encouraging the ‘circular’ reuse of
such material and thus demonstrating a ‘positive impact
on sustainability’, according to the company. Ampacet
also recently launched Blue Edge 78, which provides
similar enhancements in transparent, recycled polyethyl-
ene terephthalate (PET) [ADPO, July 2019, p. 2]. These
product introductions are in line with recent European
Union proposals that aim to boost polymer recycling rates
in Europe to advance the region’s circular economy.
In related company news, Ampacet and its customer
Henkel have recently announced a successful collaboration
resulting in the development of fully recyclable black plastic
packaging. The packaging incorporates Ampacet’s carbon
black-free masterbatch REC-NIR-BLACK [ibid., November
4
Additives for Polymers August 2019
sortable by Cyclos-HTP, an institute that specializes in the
classification, assessment and certification of recyclability of
packaging and goods. The new packaging was introduced for
black bottles of Henkel’s Bref-branded toilet cleaning prod-
ucts in May 2019, with further Henkel products to follow
in the course of 2019. Ampacet’s REC-NIR-BLACK mas-
terbatch was named Product Technology Innovation of the
Year at the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2019 in April.
To further expand its efforts in the area of sustainability,
Ampacet has also recently created the position of sustainability
director and appointed Doreen Becker to the role. Becker
will represent the company’s sustainability initiatives globally,
driving the development and execution of its sustainability
strategy and product innovation. She will work closely with
the plastics industry and major organizations involved in the
circular economy, recycling and sustainability, Ampacet says.
More information: www.ampacet.com
Milliken reveals its colour
trends for 2020
C olorants and additives producer Milliken has
launched its ColorDirection 2020 report, which
identifies six colour tones as future trends for the
coloration of plastic-based consumer products and
packaging. Linked by the theme of ‘Connected
Comfort’, the palette of new colours aims to pro-
vide ‘differentiation potential in product design’,
the company says.
According to Milliken, capturing the mood of consumers
through effective branding and personalization, as well as
understanding how they interact with and experience colour,
is an essential marketing exercise for brands and product
designers. The company’s new Connected Comfort selection
sets out to ‘understand and encapsulate’ the modern con-
sumer’s journey through such colour associations, it says.
The six selected colours are Terra Mundo, FirstLove,
Purple Dreaming, Planet Green, Relaxing Blue and Green
Dawn. Terra Mundo is a warm, sandy brown reminiscent
of spices and teas, FirstLove a soft orangey pink colour and
Purple Dreaming a rich and deep tone that is described as
‘unmistakably individual’. Planet Green is an emerald hue
associated with forests, and Relaxing Blue a light and calm-
ing tone, while Green Dawn is a fresh colour evoking ‘the
promise of a bright new day’, Milliken says.