'Tough' new HDPE grade shows SABIC’s dairy commitment

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) has launched a new blow-moulding grade of HDPE (high density polyethylene) to make bottles for milk, other dairy products and juices in ‘tough’ conditions.

The Dutch arm of the petrochemical giant (2011 turnover: $50.64bn) said that the new grade was principally targeted at bottles for UHT (ultra-high temperature) and sterilised milk produced on high-speed extrusion blowmoulding lines, especially in southern countries.

SABIC HDPE B5260ULS – which can be either coloured on the blow moulder or by using compounding equipment – was one of the few materials that had the necessary processing properties required by converters to run on equipment typically used for UHT and sterilised milk, the firm claimed.

A melt-flow rate (MFR at 2.16kg) of 2g/10 minutes* and a broad molecular weight distribution ensured good performance during extrusion and blowing, with the grade suitable for mono- and multi-layer constructions.

Gerrit-Jan Bekink, technical marketing engineer (HDPE) for SABIC, based in Sittard, The Netherlands, said: “HDPE B5260ULS – ULS stands for ultra-long shelf life – is a high purity grade that features good organoleptic properties [relating to potential transfer of packaging taste, odors to foods or beverages].

"[These] are especially important when using in-bottle sterilisation, where the packaging as well as the product are subjected to tough thermal and mechanical conditions," he added.

The new grade’s balanced mechanical properties – stiffness, impact and environmental stress crack resistance (ESCR) – were also well-suited for a demanding segment, Bekink added.

Mario Scholle, business manager HDPE for SABIC, Sittard said: “HDPE used in this application [UHT and sterilized milk] is not a commodity product; numerous processors are not in a position where they can quickly and easily change supplier.”

He added: “Through its unique technology SABIC has developed a product which could fit our customers’ needs.”

*Melt flow index (MFI) measures the ease of flow of a thermoplastic polymer, defined as the mass thereof in grams flowing through a capillary over 10 minutes, driven by gravimetric weights.

Processors require a polymer with an MFR high enough for it to be easily formed in a molten state, but not so high that this jeopardises the finished product’s mechanical strength.

Source: Saudi Basic Industries Corporation