Novosystems (Seevetal / Germany; www.novosystems.de) is introducing a new micro-granulate additive that combines the benefits of liquid colours and conventional granulate batch material at the plastics processing trade fair “Fakuma 2011” (www.fakuma-messe.de), held in Friedrichshafen / Germany from 18 to 22 October.

“Novopearls” is a solid material that is claimed to offer the characteristics of liquid colours while making a higher degree of colouration possible and offering cost savings in comparison with conventional colour batches. The spherical micro-granulate, with an average diameter of 450µm, is based on a wax mixture that can be homogenised with many thermoplastics. The company said it is now possible to use the positive characteristics of liquid colours with higher levels of colouration while simultaneously reducing the amount of batch material added. A melting-point of 85 °C means that the micro-granulate melts in the screw faster than the basic plastic material to be coloured. Novosystems says this leads to rapid, streak-free homogenisation of the colour and the plastic, previously only be achievable with liquid colours. As a result of evenly dispersed pigments in the wax-based granulate, very small levels of additives – between 0.1% and 0.9% – can be used, with resulting cost savings of 20% to 30%.