Polymer and fibre manufacturer Invista (Wichita, Kansas / USA; www.invista.com) has added “Polyclear” Seal PET 7001/7003 for low-melt applications to its range of sealing-grade PET polymers. The material was developed at the company’s continuous polyester polycondensation pilot line in Gersthofen / Germany.

Ottmar Schmidt, Invista’s polymer and resins general manager for Europe, said that two grades have been introduced – 7001 and 7003 – with the former being produced using an alternative catalyst. He added that the pilot line, which has a nameplate capacity of 40 kg/h with a throughput ranging from 20 kg/h to 56 kg/h, was key to the development of the two polymers. The company said that due to an increasing number of requests from customers, it has opened the plant to external parties interested in material and process development or small scale production of polyester for fibre, film, containers and engineering resin applications.