Sabic (Riyadh / Saudi Arabia; www.sabic.com) has introduced several multimodal PE grades for blow moulding applications, specifically for bottles and containers in the household, industrial and chemical sectors. The high-performance range includes two HDPE grades - “Vestolen A BI5822” and “Vestolen A BI5828” - both claimed to deliver superior environmental stress-cracking resistance, which, Sabic says, is more than double that of comparable materials currently on the market. According to the Saudis, the property increases production efficiency, ensuring a high-performing, stiff, lightweight and robust material, not to mention improving weight-out and cycle times.

The chemical giant added it plans to launch an additional range of multimodal grades for blow moulding applications, which will have "excellent" low die swell properties that allow the materials to meet the "most stringent" demands of the packaging industry, including the UN standard for the packaging of hazardous goods. In addition to exhibiting a better chemical performance than comparable grades - both in terms of density and melt flow - Sabic says the new range also improves the production process by raising sustainability performance.

Commenting on the innovations, Gerrit-Jan Bekink, a technical marketing engineer for Sabic, explained, "These developments are the next step in our global strategy to invest in new technologies and products and will help us meet the rising product requirements from customers while also ensuring long-term supply."