ADDITIVES | NATURAL FILLERS
FiberX, based in Indiana, US, has developed a
proprietary process to transform corn stover, which is a local agricultural waste stream, into microfibres and powders for use as a functional filler in thermoplastics. “Corn stover is a strong fibre that is relatively
Lignetics has tested its NaturFil wood-based fillers in PP with Moxietec’s foaming additive to achieve weight reduction without reducing properties such as stiffness, structural integrity, and impact resistance Source: Lignetics
its biorefinery in Germany. Use of the filler is focused in PP and PE compounds and masterbatches, but engineering plastics and bioplastics are also being explored, said Klemens Unteutsch, Business Segment Director for Plastics, Adhesives, Sealants and Rubber at Krahn Chemie Deutschland, a regional distributor for UPM BioMotion. He explained that benefits include high bio-based content that helps reduce carbon footprint and a lower density than conventional mineral fillers that provides the ability to lightweight. It is black in colour but detectable with NIR, which allows sorting in recycling facilities. “We expect bio-based functional fillers to become an increasingly important part of future compound formulations, particularly in applications where sustainability targets are driven by consumer brands, automotive OEMs and evolving regulatory requirements,” said Unteutsch.
Hemp and corn US-headquartered Heartland Industries produces its Imperium engineered hemp-fibre additive as a masterbatch for use in a range of polymers, including PP, HDPE, rigid PVC, PA6, and ABS. The masterbatch successfully addresses challenges such as thermal stabilization, dispersion and moisture, and it is being used in applications such as pallets. Testing in automotive PA6 applications is proceeding towards commercial use, said Tim Almond, Chairman and Founder of Heartland. He also sees opportunities for growth in adding the filler to PC/ABS for electronics applications.
28 COMPOUNDING WORLD | September 2026
inert, without the oils or acids that other biomass might contain. In many use cases, corn stover adds strength and is cost-competitive versus other materials,” said David Skibinski, President and CEO of FiberX. The start-up is growing and plans to scale capacity up to an industrial level to meet customer orders. The anticipated expanded capacity will range from 7,000 to 50,000 lbs/hr of microfibre/ powder, the company reported. The company sells both fibres/powders and custom compounds. The fibre/powder can be used as a functional filler in PE and PP or in bio-based plastics, including PLA and PHA. The filler is being tested in a variety of plastics applications including sports- related products, consumer goods, and construction materials. One of the challenges for sourcing corn stover is
weather, as there is a single harvest season. “We must find a suitable time to harvest so we can manage the moisture content of the bales we harvest,” said Skibinski. He said that two years of data collected and analyzed by Purdue University demonstrate a responsible approach to harvesting appropriate amounts of stover. “The data from Purdue suggests that removing up to half of the stover on a cornfield can, in fact, improve soil health for future crops. And with current market corn prices, we provide some margin back to the farmers from their fields,” he said.
Local supply Thailand-based Unique Polymer uses local sources of natural fillers to produce compounds and masterbatches with bio-based content in a wide range of polymers including polyolefins, PLA, PBAT and recycled plastics. The company has been using agricultural waste including rice husk, starch and bagasse as fillers. Its latest product line uses a marine filler produced from scallop or oyster shells, which are waste-streams from the local seafood industry. This functional filler, which can be made into a masterbatch with a loading up to 70%, reduces carbon footprint and cost, and it increases bio-content and rigidity. The company has a wide range of certified bio-compostable compounds for blown film, straw extrusion and injection moulding. However, in single-use plastics, such as bags, straws and cutlery,
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