Covestro and Teknor Apex partnering to compound TPU

Materials manufacturer Covestro and plastics compounder Teknor Apex have signed an agreement to partner in compounding thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

“We are happy to team-up with such a competent and complementary partner for processing TPU on a global scale,” said Dr. Thorsten Dreier, global head of Covestro’s TPU business. “Together with Teknor Apex, we want to develop customized products to grow together with our existing and new customers.” Covestro supports the marketing of the jointly developed products by Teknor Apex with its Desmoflex brand.

Covestro has been producing TPU in pure form for many years for use in various industry sectors. “Through compounding, i.e. mixing with other materials, the array of achievable properties can be increased considerably further,” the two companies said in a joint statement. “This is a particular strength of Teknor Apex.”

“We are excited to become Covestro’s preferred global compounding partner,” said Sachin Sakhalkar, vice president, TPE division, at Teknor Apex. “The combination of Covestro’s expertise in TPU resin with Teknor Apex’s custom formulation and compounding capabilities provide a compelling value driver for our combined customers worldwide.”

TPU is used in the automotive industry, in sports and leisure articles, the IT and electronics industry, medical technology and other sectors and can be made with various properties, ranging from soft to hard and from elastic to stiff, depending on customer requirements. All products have in common a high abrasion and wear resistance as well as chemical and weather resistance. The plastic granulate can be processed into profiles, strips, hoses, fibres, films or foams.