PIGMENTS | SPECIAL EFFECTS


reduction, improved recyclability, and increasing regulatory pressure. The company sees sustainabil- ity concerns affecting decisions, and it offers product-specific carbon footprint data for many of its special effect pigments. Eckart uses renewable energy in its production processes and increasingly selects sustainably sourced raw materials, includ- ing recycled aluminium. Eckart says that it continues to expand its


Above: Metallic effects are increasingly being used in consumer- facing applica- tions, including car interiors


Right:


Mastersafe Silvershine is an aluminium pigment concentrate from Eckart


plastics; 41126 Sumica Bright Fine Silver (5–25 µm) for balanced hiding power with enhanced sparkle for decorative coatings and semi-translucent plastics; and 41137 Sumica Bright Silver (10–60 µm) with hiding power and standard lustre for robust, cost-effective performance in thicker coatings, masterbatches, and industrial plastic applications. The lastest gold effect pigment from Sudarshan is 41634 Sumica Luminous Gold (10–60 µm), a natural mica-based gold that the company said has “an intense, rich shade with excellent brilliance from its optimised mica core and a strong metallic effect, ideal for premium plastics, coatings, and decorative applications.” “Along with new product development, our focus is also on sustainability driven innovation: improving manufacturing yield, maxim- ising utilisation of natural mica resources, and reducing waste without compromising performance,” said Baumgart. “Sudarshan’s recent process innovation in grinding boosts mica conversion yields which minimises environ- mental impact at mining sites. By converting initially waste mica fractions into eco-friendly solutions such as 43018 Sumicair Soft Feel Mica filler (1–15 µm), we deliver sustainable innovation across a wide range of applications.”


Metallic and pearlescent Metallic and pearlescent effects are increasingly being incorporated into plastic compounds as an alternative to secondary processes, such as galvanic plating or painting, said Eckart. The company suggested the shift is driven by cost


22 COMPOUNDING WORLD | March 2026


portfolio of highperformance aluminium effect pigments specifically optimised for engineering thermoplastics, offering improved resistance to shear forces and aggressive polymer environ- ments. “These products are designed to deliver a cleaner sparkle, higher brightness, more stable orientation, and an excellent flop effect in both injection moulding and extrusion applications,” said the company. Eckart also reported growing interest in synthet-


ic mica-based and glass-based pearl pigments, which can offer reduced impurities and more


consistency compared to natural mica, for effects such as satin finishes to pearlescent highlights. A new silver special effect pigment from Eckart’s is designed to allow detectability by near-infrared (NIR) sorting technology during recycling. The company said that it can provide guidelines on which alumini- um pigments can be used, in combination with the Symic NIR silver pigments, to achieve the desired metallic effect and opacity. Eckart’s new Mastersafe Silvershine can be used in combination with its NIR Silver to ensure NIR detectability, for example. Mastersafe Silvershine is an aluminium pigment concen-


trate provided as a dust-free pellet that is easy to handle and


is easily dispersible, with a pigment content of 80%. Eckart says that, in addition, the


company is working on pigment solutions for


recyclate that will help compounders achieve a stable and consistent visual appearance, even when the incoming recyclate shows natural


batch-to-batch variation. Broadway Colours launched NIR-detectable silver masterbatches for PET, PP and PE that negate the scattered signal issues that can be an issue for silver plastics and allow the plastics to be detected by NIR in recycling facilities. The company noted that NIR-detectable colours can help companies mitigate potential EPR (extended producer responsibility) fees.


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IMAGE: TOSAF


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