With the addition of four new Biocomp products, produced by Microtec, a group company based in Mellaredo di Pianiga, to its product portfolio, Sirmax Group is continuing on the sustainable course set a number of years ago.

The four new grades, specifically developed for injection molding and extrusion/thermoforming are: Biocomp® IM 95, Biocomp® IM 95 CP, Biocomp® IM DPLA and Biocomp® IM FLEX.
The new grades are plant-based and formulated with natural additives and feature up to 100% renewably-sourced content (referencing to ASTM D 6866).
The main properties of the new grades are ease of processing – both by extrusion and moulding; good cycle times, even when using standard presses with non-dedicated screws for plasticisation; and a high resistance to heat deformation, with HDT up to 95°C (without pre- or post-crystallization processes).
The new products represent Microtec’s first venture into the injection molding space, said Diego Lombardo, managing director at Microtec. They also allow the company for the first time to supply its thermoforming customers with green compounds.
Microtec has also invested in production capacity: over the past months, the company expanded the plant from 5,000 to 17,000 sq. metres and doubled the number of extrusion lines, boosting its production capacity to 16,000 tons per year.
The four new grades introduced are suitable for the production of “single use” products or “semi-durable” goods which are wholly biodegradable and compostable according to the EN 13432 norm, certified “OK Compost INDUSTRIAL” by TUV-Austria. Applications include plates, glasses, cutlery, straws, clips for agriculture, pens, brushes, trays, jars, lids, coffee capsules, toys, closing caps, and more.
In view of the new and more stringent European regulations, the compounds aim to fill the new needs of the market, especially those of the food market, for innovative, sustainable solutions. All the Biocomp® compounds are suitable for food-contact applications in accordance with UE norms.

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