Solegear and Columbia Plastics team up for bioplastic office products
Canadian Plastics
Canadian Plastics Materials SustainabilityStrategic partnership poised to make plant-based office products available to Canadian consumers.
Two British Columbia-based plastics firms are partnering to bring plant-based desk organization and accessory office products to the Canadian marketplace.
Working together with office supplier TOPS Canada, material supplier Solegear Bioplastic Technologies Inc. and injection molder Columbia Plastics are reporting that initial orders will reach an estimated 30 tons of material. The first office products developed through the strategic partnership are expected to be launched in late 2015.
“We’re very excited to be collaborating with Columbia Plastics and TOPS Products Canada to meet consumer expectations for more sustainable products and responsible production,” said Paul Antoniadis, CEO of Vancouver-based Solegear. “TOPS Products Canada deserves a lot of credit for their commitment to modernizing this category to meet this rapidly growing demand by proactively seeking out new materials and working with forward-thinking producers, like Columbia Plastics.”
Solegear’s Polysole(R) LV bioplastic injection molding grade includes a suite of bioplastic resins that can be processed on conventional injection molding equipment. With plant-based content ranging from 65% to 100%, Polysole(R) LV is designed to replace petroleum-based polypropylene, high impact polystyrene and ABS plastics.
“There is strong consumer appetite for high quality office supplies that are more sustainable,” said Brian Holmes, vice president and general manager of Columbia Plastics, which is headquartered in Surrey, B.C. “Solegear’s materials are designed as drop in solutions that we can process efficiently in our existing manufacturing equipment. This has made it easier and more cost effective for product manufacturers like Tops Products Canada to make the switch to Solegear’s bioplastics.”
TOPS Products Canada office supplies and products are currently available at Canadian office retailers such as Staples, Staples Advantage, Basic Office Products, BuroPlus, Office Pro and Office Plus.
