Customers Can Now Satisfy Nearly All Cellular PVC Needs with Dow's Expanded Line of SURECEL™ Foam Cell Promoters
Philadelphia, PA - February 08, 2011
Dow Plastics Additives, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW), today announced that it has broadened its line of award-winning SURECEL™ Foam Cell Promoters. Customers may now choose among three SURECEL Foam Cell Promoters: SURECEL T-55 for free foam sheet, decking and profiles; SURECEL C for complicated celuka dies; and SURECEL T-50 for the lowest density free foam sheet. “Our tests demonstrate the complete package of benefits that can be achieved with SURECEL Foam Cell Promoters,” says Rob Martin, Dow Plastics Additives North America marketing manager. “They deliver excellent cell structure and resist cell coalescence across all extrusion configurations and processes, so that manufacturers can now fill virtually any foam processing need through the expanded SURECEL product line.”
Cellular PVC has surged in popularity for exterior building products such as trim and decking. Such growth challenges manufacturers to continue developing cellular PVC products with improved processes and formulations to yield maximum efficiency, cost effectiveness and consistent quality. “SURECEL T-55 allows manufacturers to achieve lower density and reduce raw material costs with a wider processing window,” explains Eric Lundquist, PhD, global research director for Dow Plastics Additives. “SURECEL C flows exceptionally well through complicated celuka dies, solving a common process problem manufacturers had experienced. SURECEL C also accommodates exceptionally wide celuka slit dies, ensuring that flow remains flat and reaches the edges of the die while still delivering excellent, consistent densities,” adds Lundquist.
SURECEL™ T-50 Foam Cell Promoter can deliver densities as low as 0.50 g/cc to reduce raw material costs as much as seven to eight percent per board foot. “This cost profile allows customers to compete against wood, while the process maintains the same uniform, fine cell structure you'd expect at higher densities,” reports Martin, adding that paint adhesion performance is improved by using SURECEL T-50. Many experts are confident that cellular PVC densities will drop even further as demand increases.
SURECEL™ Foam Cell Promoter received a silver award from the SolVin Innovations in PVC competition at the K Show in October 2010. The technology was chosen out of over 140 submissions and 11 finalists and is the only additive technology to have ever received this prestigious recognition.
To learn more about the full range of SURECEL Foam Cell Promoters and other innovations from Dow Plastics Additives, visit www.dow.com/additives.
Conventional Process Aid
SURECEL™ T-55 Foam Cell Promoter
SURECEL™ T-55 Foam Cell Promoter from Dow Plastics Additives provides excellent cell structure with small and consistent cells throughout the width of foam sheet or board when compared to conventional process aids, providing manufacturing flexibility, lower density and better melt flow.
About Dow Plastics Additives
As a global supplier of plastics additives serving packaging, building and construction and engineering materials worldwide, Dow Plastics Additives provides the market with a broad line of high quality additives for vinyl, polyester, polycarbonate and other engineering plastics, their alloys and poly-lactic acid resins. With manufacturing facilities globally and a worldwide team the business offers speed to market, technical expertise and market-driven solutions to customers. More information about Dow Plastics Additives can be found at www.dow.com/additives.
About Dow
Dow (NYSE: Dow) combines the power of science and technology with the “Human Element” to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world’s most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow’s diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses deliver a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2010, Dow had annual sales of $53.7 billion and employed approximately 50,000 people worldwide. The Company’s more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 188 sites in 35 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.
For Editorial Information:
Sarah Durante
The Dow Chemical Company
+1 347 371 3393