Sabic (Riyadh / Saudi Arabia; www.sabic.com) has introduced a range of PP copolymer resins that it says can help packaging companies to reduce the thickness of their products, leading to savings in weight and system costs and minimising waste. Sabic noted that all the resins are available for packaging customers worldwide.

"Our services, material and technology solutions for both flexible and rigid packaging industries provide stronger, cleaner and more sustainable packaging options than before," said Lada Kurelec, global business director for PP.

Both Sabic’s PP "Qrystal QR681K" and "PP 620P" have been specifically developed for rigid packaging. PP Qrystal QR681K is a highly transparent random copolymer that is said to offer well-balanced properties of impact and stiffness as well as the possibility of improved aesthetics at process temperatures as low as 200 °C, providing potential energy savings. This said Sabic, along with a 10% downgauging, allows packaging manufacturers to reduce system costs through lower weight and cooling time in blow moulding applications. This resin has a variety of applications ranging from personal care products to food packaging, and can be used in various blow moulding processes, including extrusion and injection. QR681K is an addition to the "PP Qrystal" range launched in 2010.

Sabic’s PP 620P is a general-purpose random PP grade primarily aimed at extrusion applications because of its robust design and well-balanced mechanical properties. It is expected to be useful in a wide range of extrusion blow moulding, thin sheet extrusion and other extrusion applications.

Random copolymer PP resins "621P" and "622L" form part of Sabic’s portfolio of cast films for packaging food, textiles, flowers, personal hygiene products as well as lamination and stationary films. The resins are said to provide good puncture and tear resistance, excellent optical properties and temperature resistance for hot-fill applications. PP 621P may also be combined with LLDPE for power stretch film where high holding force is required in order to assure good pallet stability.