US compounder and distributor PolyOne (Avon Lake, Ohio; www.polyone.com) is planning to set up an innovation centre in China to facilitate collaboration, accelerate application development and increase speed to market for customers in the Asia-Pacific region. The facility, located in a new hi-tech industrial park in the JinQiao Development Zone in Shanghai, will focus on research and development projects generated from PolyOne’s specialty engineered materials division. It is expected to open in the fourth quarter of this year.

Craig Nikrant, president of PolyOne’s global specialty engineered materials business, commented: “Our customers in Asia will benefit from the expanded infrastructure, technical resources and unparalleled expertise that will be offered at our new Innovation Centre.”

The company has showcased several new products at the “Chinaplas” exhibition (www.chinaplasonline.com) that opened in Shanghai on 23 April for four days – see Plasteurope.com of 23.04.2014. The latest innovations that were unveiled include “Percept”, an authentication and anti-counterfeiting product; “LubriOne” PEEK solutions; “OnCap” Light Shield additives for clear packaging and a liquid colour platform from ColorMatrix.

Launched in North America and Europe late last year, “Percept” is now available in Asia-Pacific. The highly customisable set of technologies was developed to help customers authenticate their products and reduce the risks associated with fraudulent goods. “Percept” can be tailored to various polymers, processing conditions and end-use applications and offers a range of authentication techniques based on overt, covert or forensic-based identification.

“LubriOne” PEEK Solutions are designed to replace metal in electrical power tool applications. They are lighter, self-lubricating and offer excellent mechanical properties, according to PolyOne. They can be injection moulded and extruded.

A dual-protection light barrier for clear packaging, “OnCap” Light Shield additives absorb ultraviolet (UV) and visible light, protecting the potency of pharmaceuticals and extending the shelf life of food and beverages. They are available as a granular masterbatch for injection moulding, thermoforming or extrusion of most clear polymers, including PE, PP, PC, PET and PS.

PolyOne ColorMatrix has launched its newest liquid colour system using cloud-based software to help customers create and order custom colourants quickly, reducing the development and supply time from weeks to days – or even hours. Each custom colourant formulated in the system relies on globally standardised base-sets that are compatible with PET and polyolefin end-use applications – base-sets for other polymers are currently being developed.

Additional highlights at "Chinaplas" from PolyOne included its thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) “Versaflex”, which replaces a thermoplastic vulcanisate (TPV) silicone material, and “Geon” vinyl solutions, said to be a cost-effective replacement for various engineered polymers and metal.