FRX Polymers announced availability of non-halogenated flame retardants for low-VOC PU flexible foam

MOSCOW (MRC) -- FRX Polymers Inc. has announced the availability of its Nofia phosphonates for use in the production of low volatile organic compound (VOC) polyurethane foam for automotive interior applications, reported GV.

According to the company, these low-VOC PU flexible foam products can deliver significant improvements in vehicle interior air quality. VOCs are inherently present in newly produced components for automotive interiors. PU foam with small molecule flame retardants (FRs) or other volatile additives can increase VOC level, said FRX Polymers. These volatile components vaporise into the interior, creating odour and fogging.

The growth of the automotive industry in Asia is driving the effort to improve interior air quality. The Chinese government is placing strict regulations on the level of VOCs, according to FRX Polymers. Effective January 2019, the most stringent mandatory Chinese national standard, "Air quality assessment of passenger car" (GB/T 27630-201X), will reduce the maximum VOC limits for eight harmful substances by 10-45 %, and returning to its 2011 version.

Nofia phosphonate polymeric halogen-free FRs are a replacement for the small molecule volatile FR additives in PU flexible foam products for automotive interiors and exteriors, eliminating odours in vehicles while meeting other critical structural requirements. They can be added into the manufacturing process in either powder form or as a liquid polyol solution. Due to its polymeric structure and reactivity with isocyanates, which results in incorporation into the backbone of polyurethane products, Nofia FRs enable these foam products to meet various automotive fire safety standards as well as new total VOC and fogging standards from global car producers and regional in-vehicle air quality regulations, said FRX Polymers. These include the new Chinese mandatory standard GB/T 27630-201X.

"Nofia flame retardants are a unique FR solution for auto interior parts made of polyurethane foams," said Ken Wei, sales manager for FRX Polymers China. "Our team is working with various foam producers in Asia to meet new VOC regulations and our flame retardant products stand out from the competition, becoming the ‘go to’ FR solution for this market."

As MRC wrote earlier, FRX Polymers, Inc., a producer of polymeric halogen-free flame retardants, earned ISO 9001:2015 certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), effective from 6 February 2017. ISO 9001:2015 is the international standard that specifies requirements for a company-wide quality management system (QMS).

Nofia products are a family of halogen-free, phosphorus-containing oligomers and polymers that are inherently flame retardant and display unique physical properties. FRX’s products have applications in consumer electronic, building and construction, and transportation markets.

FRX Polymers, Inc. was founded in 2007 following over five years of intensive research and development in the field of inherently flame retardant plastics. The company operates two pilot plants in Chelmsford MA, a polymer pilot plant in Switzerland and a full scale plant in Antwerp Belgium.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Expanding the capacity of Alberta's refining and upgrading sector has long been a focus of the Resource Diversification Council (RDC), as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Alberta's bitumen has been netting record low prices due to oversupply. The opportunity to refine this low value feedstock into much higher value end products like gasoline and diesel could mean millions of dollars in revenue for the province and thousands of high paying jobs.

The Resource Diversification Council (RDC) commends the Alberta government for its continued focus on ensuring that Albertans get the full value for their resources. Since the inception of the RDC, the association has advocated for expanding the capabilities of Alberta's resource sector through diversification and refining and upgrading Alberta resources in the province.

RDC members have over 20 billion dollars in proposed projects, which would refine or upgrade Alberta's abundant resources such as natural gas, natural gas liquids and bitumen. If these projects were built in Alberta, they would generate billions of dollars for our municipalities, province and country, as well as create thousands of jobs. It is estimated that over their operating lifetimes, these projects would add 56 billion dollars to Alberta and Canada's GDP. During construction, these projects are expected to add approximately 42,000 direct full-time positions, followed by thousands of long-term high-quality direct and indirect jobs to operate these facilities. The economic activity generated by a new facility – no matter where in Alberta it is located – provides significant benefits across our province and country.

"Large industrial value-add energy investments help provide economic resilience and diversification, and create highly skilled, well-paying jobs for decades," said David Chappell, Chair of RDC. "There is significant international competition for projects and for Alberta to compete, government and industry must work together. It is encouraging to see the Government of Alberta continue to provide signals that should help attract investors."
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Operations at Lyondell Basell Industries 263,776 barrel-per-day (bpd) Houston refinery were unaffected by a nearby industrial accident on Saturday, a company spokeswoman said, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The refinery was informed about the accident at about 3 p.m. local time (2100 GMT) on Saturday, said Lyondell spokeswoman Chevalier Gray.

Two people working on a pipeline near the refinery were injured, according to local media. One worker was injured after a piece of pipe went through his back and abdomen and another was burned, according to KPRC-TV and KHOU-TV.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Dear readers of MRC!

We congratulate you on Christmas and New Year!

Please accept our sincere good wishes and many happy returns for the year to come!

On this special day, we wish you happiness, prosperity and success, hoping that we continue our association through many more wonderful years ahead! HappyNewYear!

Best wishes,

MRC staff.

mrcplast.com

MOSCOW (MRC) -- A new partnership that spans three continents will manufacture new fully electric, hybrid, and hydraulic blow molding machines for the North American market, as per Canplastics.

The partnership involves extrusion blow molding machine maker R&B Plastics Machinery LLC, headquartered in Saline, Mich.; Sika, a custom blow molding machine maker in Taiwan; and Seecor, a technology company based in South Africa.

The new shuttle and accumulator head machines, which will be sold and engineered under the R&B Plastics Machinery brand, will expand the company’s portfolio of blow molding machinery for the consumer packaging, automotive and industrial markets. The launch of the new machinery also marks R&B’s entry into the all-electric blow molding machine segment.

“This partnership will result in the development of a new series of machine platforms that will incorporate R&B technology, engineering and know-how,” R&B Plastics president Fred Piercy said in a statement. “This business arrangement will significantly expand our machine portfolio and enable us to compete with larger rivals, particularly in the all-electric market.”

R&B will combine modern and efficient blow molding technology and marketing approaches to offer the R&B Sika Shuttle line (RBS series) and accumulator machines (RBA series) throughout the North American market. The all-electric machines will consist of shuttle platforms ranging from 350- to 1250-mm long stroke in single- and double-sided machine configurations.

As a partner, Sika will manufacture systems and components that will be shipped to R&B Plastics’s manufacturing facility in Michigan for final assembly and customer trials. Seecor, meanwhile, will provide technology support, including manufacturing guidance and design, primarily at Sika in Taiwan.

Under the new partnership, Piercy said, R&B Plastics has already sold multiple new shuttle machines in the U.S.
MRC