The Formulated Polymers Blog

Potential users are often put off using water-based sprayable contact adhesives in their manufacturing and fabrication work because solvent-based solutions have a reputation for drying/bonding more rapidly. Although this is true in some cases, high-quality, 2 part sprayable water-based adhesives are certainly not slow to dry/bond. In addition, solvent-based adhesives contain high levels of VOCs, or volatile organic compounds. These VOC’s are released during the manufacturing process and present a hazard to process workers. Water based systems contain very low levels of VOC’s.

Flame-retardant additives are used in a wide variety of plastic products these days. You will find them in anything from consumer products to oil pipelines. Flame-retardant additives are important in the use and manufacturing of plastics because they help prevent the material from becoming a fuel which could worsen any possible outbreak of fire.

In the closing weeks of 2018, few people can comfortably predict how – in exact terms – Brexit will impact on the normal working regulations of any industry in years to come. The first thing to say is that should the UK secure the implementation period that has been much-vaunted by the government from March 2019, nothing will immediately change. So, this means that anyone who purchases textiles that meet the current EU regulations will be able to do so with full confidence until 2021 at minimum.

Bromine based flame retardants (FR’s) are very efficient and are widely used in coatings for textiles for upholstery manufacture. Combined with other materials (e.g. antimony trioxide) brominated compounds are used on a vast range of textiles to meet the stringent requirements of the UK Fire and Furnishing Regulations. Brominated FR’s make up a significant proportion of textile coating compounds and as a result any fluctuation in the price or availability has a major effect on compound prices.

On the 16th of October 2018, Synthomer announced the closure of Revertex Malaysia. Manufacturing at the Kluang plant will cease at the end of December 2018.

Non-slip pallet liners were developed to improve the safety and stability of pallets by reducing the slippage risk of cargo during transportation. Pallet liners are coated by a water-based acrylic adhesive to provide the non-slip properties required by the product.

We have recently invested in a new automation system from Spiroflow, one of a series of infrastructure improvements aimed at reducing costs, increasing order flexibility and improving turnaround time. The new system allows us to automate the formulation process, thus reducing the need for manual handling and giving us greater flexibility over our shift pattern.

We are happy to introduce customers to our latest investment in our manufacturing process. A new high-quality mixer with impressive performance options has helped us increase our manufacturing capacity by over 30%. The high-speed variable mixer – which was commissioned to our specifications – offers increased flexibility, a smoother formulating process, and faster results for our customers.

Among all the (current!) European Union member states, the UK has the highest and strictest fire safety standards for furniture and furnishings. This saves thousands of people every year from being injured or even dying by fire in their homes.