Mar 25 2008
ExxonMobil Chemical Company has introduced a new metallocene polyethylene (mPE) platform, Enable™ mPE, to help converters enhance their extrusion operations while providing excellent film performance. Enable mPE can help converters: achieve more stable operations, extend film line output, simplify resin sourcing and generate downgauged films.
A single unique resin, Enable mPE offers an unprecedented combination of film processing and higher alpha olefin performance benefits for a range of flexible film solutions including collation shrink, pallet shrink, cast stretch handwrap, agricultural greenhouse films, heavy duty bags and lamination film applications.
“This new product generates films with exceptional performance, but the additional value to converters can be measured through formulation simplification, extrusion energy savings, film line output benefits, more sustainable flexible film solutions, and application versatility,” said David McConville, polyethylene global market development manager, ExxonMobil Chemical. “These benefits include the replacement of complex LLDPE blends and significant downgauging opportunities for LDPE-rich blends.”
Enable mPE has a broad, robust operating window on both LLDPE and LDPE equipment. The ability of Enable mPE to extrude at lower melt temperatures yields extrusion energy savings, promotes greater bubble stability, and leads to stable, worry-free operations for efficiency focused converters.
Enable mPE facilitates faster film processing which increases film line capacity. When replacing LLDPE-rich blends, Enable mPE can increase output by up to 20 percent, which may result in increased revenue and the postponement of future equipment investments.
As a single resin solution, Enable mPE is designed to replace blends. This simplifies sourcing and lowers inventory costs, as the number of resins needed is reduced. It also helps to eliminate costly errors associated with complex blends which reduce film waste.
While often surpassing the mechanical performance requirements of LLDPE-rich structures, Enable mPE can significantly improve the toughness of LDPE-rich structures, making downgauging by more than 20 percent a possibility. Enable mPE opens up new application opportunities on LDPE equipment.
“Enable mPE has been designed to complement Exceed™ mPE, with both brands offering exceptional downgauging potential, they can reduce film weight, lower inventory and working capital requirements thereby providing efficiency benefits and reduced environmental impact. Together, they provide a leadership metallocene portfolio to meet the needs of the value chain across a wide range of flexible film applications,” said McConville.
The versatility offered by Enable mPE makes it suitable for a wide range of flexible film applications including: (1) collation shrink for bottled water, beverages, canned goods, hand soaps, detergents, health products and beauty aids; (2) large load unitization – pallets; (3) multi-layer cast stretch handwrap film; (4) agricultural greenhouse film; (5) medium to heavy duty bags; and (6) lamination packaging film.