— By Plasteurope.com staff — 

Additive specialist Greenchemicals (Desio, Italy; www.greenchemicals.eu) has acquired smaller competitor Polichem (Garlasco, Italy) for an undisclosed price.

With the acquisition, Greenchemicals, founded in 2010, is broadening its product portfolio. Polichem’s expertise in chain extenders, nucleating agents, and stabilisers for polyamides introduces a new segment where the buyer has had little presence until now.

Most recently, Greenchemicals has placed particular emphasis on expanding its range – its own production and merchandise – of additives to improve mechanically recycled thermoplastics. The current percentage of recycled additives in the portfolio could not be determined despite enquires from Plasteurope.com. The company’s core segment has always been halogen-free flame retardants and other additives for EPS and XPS applications. There are also additives for packaging and agricultural films, as well as for PU and PET and, to a lesser extent, engineering thermoplastics such as polyamides.

At the same time, Greenchemicals relies on a combination of mechanical and chemical technologies with its own recycling plant. Contaminated PET regrind from landfill sites is processed by sorting and subsequent glycolysis. The result is a polyester-oligo-polyol called Olpet for use as a polyurethane chain extender in foams, adhesives, paints, and coatings.

According to its own figures, Greenchemicals generated a turnover of EUR 45 mn at its seven sites worldwide in 2023.