Canadian TPE compounding venture launched

DuPont Canada has announced a new venture to produce ethylene elastomer compounds in Canada. According to Cindy Grundy, DuPont Canada’s market development manager for elastomer compounds, the compounds will be lower-end Shore A in hardness and will be targeted for "soft-touch" applications such as automotive interior and exterior, appliances, sporting goods and consumer goods. The compounds will be offered primarily as replacements for vinyls, TPVs and other TPEs.
A separate, dedicated business unit within DuPont Canada will be responsible for manufacturing, marketing and sales of the product line throughout North and South America. According to Grundy, the business will be operated completely separately from DuPont Dow Elastomers, which markets the polyolefin elastomer Engage made with Dow’s single-site catalyst technology.
"The thinking behind this venture is to work closely with customers to help them get exactly the material that matches their needs," Grundy says.
The compounds will initially be manufactured on existing equipment at DuPont’s Sarnia, ON facility. Research and development work will be carried out at the company’s Research and Business Development Centre in Kingston, ON.