UBQ launches new bio-based additives and modifiers line to decarbonize packaging and supply chains

26 Jan 2024 --- UBQ Materials has announced its new Sustainability Product Portfolio of bio-based materials to reduce the environmental impact of packaging, supply chains and logistics. 

Each product line features “unique” and complementary properties to meet specific sustainability targets, including waste diversion, circularity, increased post-consumer recycled content and emissions removal and avoidance. 

“There is enormous potential in making logistics, supply chain and packaging more sustainable. Using bio-based, sustainable materials in secondary and tertiary packaging applications such as pallets and shipping crates that transport goods around the world, can reduce the environmental impact of global logistics operations,” Sophie Tuviahu, vice president for business development at UBQ Materials, tells Packaging Insights.

“However, as with many other industries, decarbonization has been a challenge due to higher costs and poor material performance.”

“UBQ Materials’ new UBQ ClimaPos is a climate-positive, bio-based sustainability additive that enables GHG removal and avoidance. Companies can integrate as little or as much of the additive into their plastic matrix to achieve or surpass a carbon reduction target objective,” Tuviahu says.

All of UBQ’s product lines utilize the company’s proprietary waste-to-materials conversion process, says Tuviahu.Utilizing waste conversion
The product lines are suitable as sustainability additives (10%-30% load of UBQ-based material) or as material replacements (25% and higher load of UBQ-based material). UBQ says the development enables compounders and manufacturers to determine the right load level to balance functionality with environmental sustainability benefits.

“All of the new product lines utilize our proprietary waste-to-materials conversion process. We are able to convert the entire household waste stream — including all organics and hard-to-recycle plastics — into our material,” asserts Tuviahu.

In UBQ’s new portfolio, Q Series is the “tried and tested” standard material replacement. 

“Q Series is made from waste and replaces fossil-based plastics in a one-to-one swap. It has been used across a range of industries and applications, including automotive, logistics and supply chains, and building and construction. Compatible with most polymers, Q Series can be employed in a range of packaging applications, including pallets and crates,” says the company’s vice president for business development. 

“Alongside these applications, companies can also add one of our new modifiers, UBQ Impact, an impact resistance enhancer that is used in combination with the Q Series material and UBQ ClimaPos to meet functional requirements, enabling businesses to bring climate-positive circularity to their products.”

Additives and replacements 
The product portfolio includes three bio-based sustainability additives and material replacements, each tailored for different sustainability needs, encompassing circularity, recyclability, low-carbon footprint and climate positivity: 

• UBQ ClimaPos: A bio-based, climate-positive sustainability additive that enables GHG removal and avoidance and assists companies in achieving or surpassing ambitious climate objectives.
• UBQ Q Series: The “standard” material replacement known as UBQ, the Q Series is a one-to-one material swap that blends with most polymers.
• UBQ Industrial: A material replacement engineered for high-value function and reliability in operational uses. It is a cost-effective material choice when appearance matters less than functionality.

“UBQ ClimaPos, like all of UBQ’s products, is made from waste. When companies use the additive in place of fossil-based plastics, they contribute to waste diversion and move toward circularity in their logistics operation,” explains Tuviahu.

“Organizations can also achieve sustainability targets including increased post-consumer recycled content and emissions removal and avoidance.”

Changing the packaging industryUBQ is using bio-based, sustainable materials in secondary and tertiary packaging applications such as pallets.
UBQ’s primary formulations can be combined with additional modifiers or enhancers to achieve desired properties, optimizing product development and reducing guesswork for product manufacturing. Supporting formulations for additional benefits include:

•  UBQ Nclozur: A sustainability modifier formulated for odor mitigation, ideal for indoor and interior applications, including automotive interiors and consumer products.
• UBQ Impact: An enhancer that blends with a range of polymer matrices to meet performance requirements, enabling businesses to bring climate-positive circularity to applications as diverse as decking, office furniture and car-door mirrors.

Tuviahu says that customer feedback has driven and shaped the new product range.

“Through our conversations with companies across industries, including PepsiCo and Nestlé, we have understood and seen the challenges that sustainability, circularity and decarbonization goals can bring.”

The new product range enables companies to maintain climate-positivity and functionality, a crucial step forward in creating change in the packaging industry, she asserts.

“As the logistic packaging transitions from single-use packaging to returnable packaging — making returnable packaging from the right materials — more sustainable ones, makes sense. Designing pallets and crates for the properties of more sustainable material is the next stage in this evolution,” concludes Tuviahu.

By Natalie Schwertheim