Avient brings sustainable innovation to NPE 2024

Avient Corporation invites attendees at NPE 2024 to learn how the company is helping customers solve some of the most pressing challenges facing our industry today, including solutions that enable circularity in addition to solutions that reduce carbon footprint to support sustainability goals, through a dynamic showcase of product launches, sustainability initiatives, and technical seminars. Major highlights include:

- Nymax™ REC Recycled Nylon Formulations: two new super tough PA6 and PA66 grades added to Avient’s recycled content portfolio, each containing post-industrial recycled content, resulting in up to 81% lower cradle-to-gate product carbon footprint than traditional alternatives made without recycled content, and will be presented during Avient’s technical seminar at NPE, “Exploring Sustainable Alternatives to Traditional Polyamides,” by Jeremy Gray, Application Development and Technical Service Engineer, Specialty Engineered Materials at Avient, on May 9 at 11 a.m. 

- Cesa™ Non-PFAS Process Aid for Extrusion: for use in polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) applications, it reduces friction between the polymer and the metal during extrusion comparable to a traditional processing aid but is formulated without fluoropolymers which may be classifiable as per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) and will be presented during Avient’s technical seminar at NPE, “PFAS Alternatives: 2024 and Beyond,” by Sean Bernhardt, Senior Research and Development Manager, Color, Additives, & Inks, Americas at Avient, on May 7 at 3 p.m. and May 8 at 1 p.m. 

Avient is also pleased to announce its most recent award-nominated innovations to be highlighted at the show, including:

- Versaflex™ HC BIO BT218 TPEs: a finalist for the Plastics Industry Association’s People’s Choice for Plastics Sustainability Innovation Award to be announced at NPE, this grade of bio-derived thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) is developed specifically to handle the complexities of biopharmaceutical tubing and deliver excellent weldability, kink resistance, and low levels of extractables while offering the same performance as its prime counterpart but with a lower carbon footprint. It will be on display in Avient’s customer center at NPE 2024

- ColorMatrix™ Capture™ Oxygen Scavenger: a finalist for the U.S. Plastics Pact's 2024 Sustainable Packaging Innovation Award for Recyclability, which will be announced at GreenBiz Group's Circularity24 (May 22-24, Chicago, IL), Capture is a groundbreaking oxygen-scavenging technology embedded in the closure for PET packaging that can enhance product preservation sustainably and has already received Critical Guidance Recognition from the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR). Available for trials with plans for commercial availability in late 2024 at Avient’s new manufacturing facility under construction in Norwalk, Ohio, this technology will be included in Avient’s NPE technical seminar, “Multiple Pathways to Enhance Recyclability in Packaging” by Dr. Elvis Cudjoe, Senior R&D Engineer at Avient, on Monday, May 7, at 2 p.m. and Wednesday, May 8, at 3 p.m.

- ColorMatrix™ AAnchor™ Acetaldehyde Control Technology: a finalist for Product Technology Innovation of the Year for sustainable packaging at the Plastics Recycling Show Europe (PRSE) 2024, this specially formulated acetaldehyde scavenger for PET packaging developed to improve recyclability, enhance bottle quality, and meet compliance with regulatory limits – winner will be announced during PRSE 2024 in Amsterdam, June 19-20, 2024

- Cesa™ Unify™ A4R Polyolefin Compatibilizer: also a finalist for Product Technology Innovation of the Year for sustainable packaging at the Plastics Recycling Show Europe (PRSE) 2024, this innovative additive enables the use of recycled polyolefins by creating a homogenous polymer mixture, bridging the gap between virgin and recycled polymers, promoting circularity and sustainability – winner will be announced during PRSE 2024 in Amsterdam, June 19-20, 2024

Avient will also host a series of technical seminars at its customer center for NPE attendees to explore sustainability strategies and the pressing issues of carbon footprint reduction. This includes offering invaluable insights on steering through environmental standards, meeting consumer demands for more sustainable products, and developing innovative approaches to brand differentiation, such as:  

- Understanding Carbon Footprint: Strategies for designers, processors, and OEMs to help their customers be more eco-conscious during an entire product life cycle, from material selection to end-of-life considerations

- Regulatory Navigation: Insights on navigating environmental standards, including PFAS and other chemicals, will be shared to help manufacturers stay compliant and competitive

- Enhancing Recyclability: Increasing recycled content in polymers and enhancing recyclability through intelligent design to develop innovative approaches to brand differentiation and meet consumer demands for eco-conscious products

- Lightweighting Applications: Exploring the potential of foaming techniques and polymer substitutions to reduce weight and enhance efficiency, thus replacing traditional metal components

- Circular Composites: Pioneering innovative approaches to making composites more circular, thereby reducing environmental impact and promoting resource efficiency throughout the product life cycle