NEWS


Lati and Star Plastics align for US growth


US-based custom com- pounder Star Plastics has established an alliance with Italian technical compounder Lati allowing it to market the latter’s full product line in the North American market. Star Plastics Director of Sales Chuck Hoop said the relationship “is a great fit with complementary product lines in parallel markets.” He said the combination of Lati’s PA and specialty compounds with Star’s own PC, ABS, and PC alloy flame retardant materials will create new opportunities for both. Star said the partnership


aligns strategically with its current North American and Asian customer base in the


Sysplast grows with Leistritz


German recycling special- ist Sysplast has invested in a new compounding line for its plant at Nuremburg in Germany, where it produces recycled compounds based predominantly on ABS and styrenic blends. The line, which is assembled around a ZSE 60 Maxx twin-screw compounding extruder from Leistritz Extrusion- stechnik, will increase the company’s production capacity for ABS regranu- late by 4,800 tonnes/year. � www.leistritz.com


www.compoundingworld.com


electrical, electronics, and appliance markets, as well as other engineering applications. Lati material grades that will be available through Star Plastics include flame retardant, lubricated, anti- static, conductive, and other high-performance products. Initially, Star will be supplying product manufac- tured in Italy and will put in place a US stocking pro- gramme to provide fast delivery to local customers. Looking ahead, Hoop said the companies are develop- ing plans to compound Lati products in the US. He also sees Lati representing and potentially producing Star


products in Europe. Lati generates annual


sales of around €130m; Star Plastics sales amount to around $70m, according to independent data. Lati Sales Director Vittorio


Gerola said the company has previously operated local distribution agree- ments in the US but that they were much more limited in scope than its alliance with Star. “We hope to generate significant growth in the US market through this collaboration by leveraging on the local presence of Star in the same market sectors,” he said. � www.starplastics.com � www.lati.com


Nexam tackles odours


Nexam Chemical’s Performance Masterbatch business unit has devel- oped a series of multi- functional odour scaven- gers that can neutralise odours and revive the original properties, such as viscosity and stability, of recycled plastics. The scavengers can be used in a range of polymer materials and application areas, including PE from food packaging or plastic bags where unwanted odours remain through the regular recycling process, as well as PP, PP-PE combinations, PA and other polymers. � www.nexamchemical.com


Akro-Plastic set for direct sales


KD Feddersen’s compound- ing subsidiary Akro-Plastic is taking on sales and distribu- tion of its full product line, including its Akromid, Akrolen, Akrotek and Precite brands, from the beginning of this year. Akro-Plastics products have formerly been handled via KD Feddersen’s channels. Customers in Germany and China will be serviced directly immediately; conversion of other European customers to direct supply will take place during this year. “The strategic reposition-


ing of the business areas plastics production and plastics distribution in the market is intended to secure the potential for success


Above: Automotive ventilation blades moulded in Akro-Plastic’s Akromid PA


and create the best possible conditions for the further development of the group as a whole,” said Volker Scheel, Managing Director of KD Feddersen Holding. Akro-Plastic provides a


full range of technical compounds, although it is


perhaps best known for its polyamides. KD Feddersen said it will continue to offer PA products and is working to extend its portfolio with offerings from other manufacturers. � www.akro-plastic.com � www.kdfeddersen.com


January 2021 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 5


IMAGE: AKRO-PLASTIC


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