TPEs For Functional Applications

The global demand for thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) is on the rise that major manufacturers are fast catching up with the pace.

- Mr. Roland Ritter

This in turn pushes companies offering material solutions to develop innovative TPEs meeting stringent standards. At Chinaplas 2018, Roland Ritter, Director for Asia Pacific of KRAIBURG TPE shares with International Plastic News for Asia (IRNA) the target applications of the company’s latest innovative TPEs.

IRNA: What are the strengths of KRAIBURG TPE’s latest portfolio?

Mr. Ritter: Market demand for TPEs for automotive application is gaining traction not only in China but the rest of the world. Increasing consumer spending on cars with aesthetic features and high quality and innovative automotive parts is likely to stimulate future TPE product demand, especially for Electromobility (E-mobility) and Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

At Chinaplas 2018, innovative TPE products were presented, such as the EPDM adhesion series for exterior provide optimal adhesion to EPDM which guarantees short cooling times, low coefficient of attributes, and typical applications for this compound include: Automotive Exterior, Corner Moulding, Door sills, glass Run Channel, Window encapsulations etc. We also promoted the higher end lifestyle TPE compound that features anti-skin irritation, excellent abrasion and scratch resistance; smooth and silky surface, excellent adhesion performance on technical thermoplastic; excellent chemical resistance against sebum and sun screens, just to name a few; and with typical applications for this compound include high-tech industry applications such as smart phone cases, headphones, remote controls or VR headsets. They are also ideal for the manufacture of high-end lifestyle products such as exclusive cosmetic packaging.