Borouge, a leading provider of innovative, value creating plastics solutions, has launched RG468MO a polypropylene (PP) random copolymer offering up to a 20% productivity gain for the rigid packaging converting industry. Introduced to the market at Chinaplas 2011, Asia's premier plastics trade fair in Guangzhou, RG468MO represents a step-change in packaging materials.
Borouge's new RG468MO PP is a high-flow resin that directly addresses the industry's need to achieve shorter cycle times together with improved mechanical performance, while maintaining the clear transparency and pleasing visual aesthetics required in the packaging value chain. Not least importantly, RG468MO makes a positive contribution to the market's sustainability objectives.
Developed using proprietary Borealis Nucleation Technology (BNT), RG468MO high flow (MFR 30) provides for the fast moulding of thin wall packaging with very long flow lengths and complex geometries. Unlike conventional nucleating systems, BNT enables the consistent dispersion of the nucleating agent and a stronger effect, resulting in the faster and better crystallisation of PP. The benefits of this technology include increased material stiffness, with good balance of impact resistance, and the possibility to down gauge wall thicknesses to achieve both material and weight savings. Moreover, faster crystallisation allows for a reduction in cycle time of between 10-20%,
The potential productivity gains offered by RG468MO have been demonstrated through in-house tests using a commercial 2-cavity mould for transparent disposable cups. Key results showed a more than 10% reduction in cycle time, with the possibility to produce more than one million more cups per year compared to a commonly used alternative material, as well as production energy savings of up to 10% and a consequent lowering of CO2 emissions by approximately 4 tonnes per year.
Therefore, in addition to the advantages to be obtained from its high flow rate, faster processing and increased productivity yield, RG468MO PP aids sustainability across the packaging value chain through reduced material usage and energy consumption, and reduced CO2 footprint.
"RG468MO delivers a real innovation for the food packaging value chain," says James Ong, Borouge Application Marketing Manager. "It broadens design freedom, gives improved processing and enhanced economics, and it does so without any compromises in performance or aesthetics. It delivers benefits to the converter, the brand owner and the consumer. And, most importantly, it offers a more environmentally friendly packaging solution."
RG468MO PP imparts no taste or odour and complies with all food contact regulations. Combined with its optimum stiffness/impact property balance and excellent transparency, it is ideally suited for the packaging of salads, sauces, dairy products and convenience meals, as well as transparent packaging for house wares, food storage containers, caps and closures.