NEWS Daikin invests in


SWNTs Japan’s Daikin Industries has invested in Luxem- bourg-based OCSiAl, which with a capacity of 80 tonnes/yr claims to be the world’s largest manufac- turer of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). The two firms have been


collaborating since 2018 to develop applications for lithium-ion battery materi- als manufactured by Daikin’s fluorochemical and composite materials business units. SWNTs promise to increase the battery capacity and power outputs. � www.daikin.com � www.ocsial.com


Chroma Color grows in wire and IR dyes


US colour and additive masterbatch maker Chroma Color Corporation is continu- ing its targeted acquisitions with the purchase of specialty wire and cable concentrates supplier Color Resource and IR and laser welding dye maker Adam Gates & Company. Based at Leominster in Massachusetts, Color Resource produces colour masterbatch products for PVC, PE, PP and EVA cables that frequently incorporate additional functions such as UV resistance, flame retardancy and anti-microbi- al protection. Its product line includes materials for


moisture-cure applications. “We are pleased to now


offer our current wire and cable customers with new moisture-cure options for emerging markets such as low voltage, automotive and appliance,” said Chroma Color President Howard DeMonte. The company has also,


through its Epolin IR dye and compounds division, acquired Hillsborough, New Jersey-based Adam Gates & Company, which manufac- tures near-IR and laser absorbing dyes. According to Epolin


President Michael Crosby, the move gives Adam Gates’


customers access to an expanded product portfolio while supporting Epolin’s application growth strategy and synthesis capabilities. n Chroma Color, which is owned by investment group Arsenal Capital Partners, has also announced the retire- ment of Tom Bolger, who has held the post of CEO for the past 16 years.


Bolger is succeeded by Shruti Singhal, who has held executive management roles in both North America and Europe, most recently as President of DSM’s Engineering Materials business. � www.chromacolors.com


Alpla buys into bioplastics


Rigid plastics packaging group Alpla has taken “a significant minority stake” in Panara, a Slovakian company that makes bio-based and biode- gradable packaging compounds based on PLA and other biopolymers. Panara has carried out research in this field since 2006, partnering with the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava and the Centre for Applied Research of Environmentally Friendly Polymeric Materials (CEPOMA) at Nitra. The company recently launched Nonoilen, a temperature-resistant and stable renewable bioplastic that it claims can be recycled or composted at the end of its application life. � www.alpla.com � www.panaraplast.com


First half sales up by 17% at Hexpol Group


Sweden-headquartered Hexpol posted a 17% increase in sales for the first half of 2021 to reach SEK7.8bn (€765m). It said the result reflects good underlying demand compared to H1 2020 but was negatively affected by global distur- bances in raw materials and logistics. Hexpol Compounding, which accounts for 93% of group sales, saw


6 COMPOUNDING WORLD | August 2021


H1 sales up 17% to SEK7.3bn (€716m). Adjusted operating profit of SEK1.3bn (€127m) corresponds to an adjusted operating margin of 18.4%. “The Covid-19 pandemic with


restrictions and shutdowns and with disruptions in the global supply chains mean that the uncertainty remains,” said Hexpol President and CEO Georg


Brunstam. “However, we believe that our strong customer focus in combina- tion with our geographical closeness to our customers give us opportunities to further build our market position. In addition, we have reduced our cost base and increased our internal efficiency.” � www.hexpol.com


www.compoundingworld.com


IMAGE: PANARA


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