SABIC is all set to add new Bimodal high density polyethylene (HDPE) grades to its portfolio, targeted primarily for the producers of blow molded bottles for household and industrial chemicals and for personal care.
The Saudi Arabian petrochemical company is reading facilities at its German plant in Gelsenkirchen, due to commencement of commercial production in the second quarter of 2013, with grades suitable for containers up to 5l.
Initially, the plant will supply two grades, both with a density of 0.958 g/cm3, with melt flow rates of 22 and 28 g/10 min respectively.
SABIC will also produce the same grades, as well as grades intended for jerry cans, drums and other large containers at one of its Saudi Arabian plants, with production expected to start in the third quarter of 2013.
SABIC Bimodal HDPE business manager Mario Scholle said as some processors are concerned about future supply of the grades from Europe, the company aims to support the market by including them in its product portfolio.
"We already have a strong line-up of unimodal HDPE grades, and we have now decided to take advantage of our strong position in process technology and catalysts to introduce bimodal HDPE grades that we expect to stand out in the market," Scholle said.
Bimodal HDPE has an environmental stress crack resistance, low die swell, and can also provide customers productivity advantage such as a better cycle time or weight-out in some cases.
