With legislative initiatives sounding the death knell for halogenated flame retardants, the race to find more sustainable alternatives is heating up. BASF (Ludwigshafen / Germany; www.basf.com) is no exception. BASF Venture Capital is investing USD 2.7m to support a new technology start-up FRX Polymers (Chelmsford, Massachussetts / USA; www.frxpolymers.com) as part of a USD 26.7m Series B financing round.

Founded in 2007, FRX produces flame retardants at three pilot plants, including two at Chelmsford and a third, larger, facility in Switzerland. “Demand for our outstandingly environmentally friendly products is increasing sharply,” said the company’s CEO Marc Lebel.

The FRX polymeric flame retardants – organic polymers with phosphorous as the active ingredient – have unique properties, says Oliver Guthmann, investment manager at BASF Venture Capital. Due to their polymeric structure, they do not migrate out and do not change the optical and mechanical properties of the plastic. They can be used as plastics as well, enabling the manufacture of thin transparent high heat products such as electronic sheet and LED light diffusers.

The start-up recently signed a long-term lease agreement with Bayer MaterialScience (BMS, Leverkusen / Germany; www.bayerbms.com) to build its own plant on the latter`s site in Antwerp / Belgium – see Plasteurope.com of 27.03.2012.