Extrusion Asia Edition 1-2022

➠ Milliken & Company milliken.com South Plastic Industry southplastic.com Partnership n South Plastic Industry (or SPI), a leading Asian manufacturer of thermoformed plastic food packaging, has been striving for years to develop a clear, anti-fogging polypropylene (PP) lid for its microwave- able food packaging. The aim has been to replace oriented polystyrene (OPS) in this key application, but it wasn’t easy to find a way to get the highly recyclable PP to meet all the necessary performance re- quirements while also retaining the clarity and non-yellowing aesthetics that are vital to appealing to consumers on the grocery store shelves. Based in New Taipei City, Taiwan, SPI has leveraged its close, five-year working re- lationship with additives supplier Milliken & Company to finally achieve its goals. Using Milliken’s Millad ® NX ® 8000 clari- fier, the two parties have produced an UltraClear™ PP resin that delivers on all the performance promises for ready-meal packaging, while also offering additional processing benefits. SPI also recently began using Milliken’s Hyperform ® HPN ® performance additives in its PP formula- tions, as well. “By using Milliken’s additives, we are able to thermoform our products at a lower processing temperature, which allows us to reduce our energy use,” said Tosho Wang, President of SPI. “At the same time these additives allow SPI to produce n 南方塑料工业（South Plastic Indu- stry 或 SPI) 是亚洲领先的热成型塑料食 品包装制造商，多年来一直致力于为其 微波食品包装开发透明防雾的聚丙烯 (PP) 盖。目标是在这一关键应用中取代 拉伸聚苯乙烯 (OPS)材料，但要找到一 种方法来让高度可回收的 PP 满足所有 必要的性能要求，同时保持透明度和不 泛黄的美观度，这并非易事。对于吸引 从零售店货架上购物的消费者来说，这 一点却至关重要。 SPI 总部位于台湾新北市，利用与 添加剂供应商美利肯公司（Milliken & Company）长达五年的密切合作关系， 最终实现了其目标。 使用美利肯的 Millad® NX® 8000 透明剂，双方生产出 了一种 UltraClear™ PP 树脂，它满足 了快餐食包装的所有性能要求，同时还 提供了额外的加工优势。 SPI 最近也开 始在其 PP 配方中使用 Milliken 的 Hyperform® HPN® 高性能添加剂。 “通 过使用美利肯的添加剂，我们的产品能 够在较低的加工温度下热成型，从而减 少了我们的能源消耗，”SPI 总裁 Tosho Wang 说。 “同时，这些添加剂使 SPI 能 够生产更薄的 PP 盖子而不影响其刚 性，这反过来有助于减少塑料使用量， 同时增加产量。”他补充道。 加工过程中的节能是 SPI 的一大优 势，该公司在其台湾工厂运行着数十台 热成型机。 “采用美利肯的添加剂生产 的 UltraClear PP 可防止变黄、减少氧 化反应并延长包装产品的保质期。”美利 肯台湾销售经理 Kua Cheng Huat 补充 道。其水晶般的清晰度是最重要的特征 之一。 许多供应商使用拉伸 PS 树脂作为 其快餐食品包装盖，但这些树脂只能耐 受 85°C 的温度，不适用于可微波产 品。使用 UltraClear PP，此类包装食品 可以直接从冰箱进入微波炉，同时保持 必要的清晰度和美观性。现在， SPI 已 经在其所有 UltraClear PP 包装产品中 使用美利肯透明剂，该公司表示，它计 划在未来探索使用这种材料来扩大 PP 在更多食品包装中的用途，包括目前使 用 PET 的一些用途。 成功的合作 a thinner PP lid without affecting rigidity, which in turn helps to reduce plastic usage while increasing output,” he added. Saving energy during processing is a major plus for SPI, which runs dozens of thermoforming machines in its Taiwan plant. “Milliken’s additives produce an Ultra- Clear PP that prevents yellowing, reduces oxidation reaction, and extends the shelf life of packaged product,” added Kua Cheng Huat, Milliken Sales Manager for Taiwan. But its crystal clarity is one of the most important features. Many suppliers use oriented PS resin for their ready-meal packaging lids, but those can only withstand 85°C temperatures and are not suitable for microwaveable products. With UltraClear PP, such pack- aged foods can go straight from the re- frigerator to the microwave while retaining the necessary clarity and aes- thetics. SPI, which now uses Milliken clarifiers in all its UltraClear PP packaging products, says it plans in the future to also explore using the material to expand the use of PP in more food applications, including some that currently use PET. 台湾PP食品包装热成型产品生产商与美利肯合作探索明确的前进方向 （照片©2021 南方塑料） Taiwanese thermoformer of PP food packaging partners with Milliken to find a clear way forward (Photos © 2021 South Plastic) 20 信息縱覽 Extrusion Asia Edition 1/2022