After announcing the underlying breakthrough in 1997, Dow Plastics (Europe: CH-8810 Horgen; www.dow.com) has now presented the first commercial product of its new “Inspire” series of polypropylenes, based on “Insite” technology. “Inspire 112 Performance Polymer” is a PP for blown film production which is claimed to ensure higher productivity, improved bubble stability and a higher take-off speed than conventional materials. This new polymer is specially tailored to current applications and can be used straightaway with existing machine technology. Over and above this, “Inspire 112” is designed for coextrusion or for blending with other ethylene-based polymers, ensuring a wide range of potential property combinations. All in all, the new PP is claimed to offer previously-unknown “material solutions and processing advantages”.

Reader Service: Detailed presentation of “Inspire 112” (Dow lecture manuscript): PIE-No. 44860.