Slovak petrochemical group Slovnaft (Bratislava; www.slovnaft.com) plans to start producing four new PP grades earmarked for the European market. Manufactured by means of Dow Chemical’s (Midland, Michigan / USA; www.dow.com) “Unipol” technology, the new grades are claimed not only to raise processing efficiency – while maintaining or even increasing the finished product’s performance – but also reportedly cut polymer consumption.

The new high-impact copolymers, marketed under the “Tatren IM 55 80”, “Tatren IM 75 81” and “Tatren IM 100 85” brand names are particularly suitable for high-speed injection moulding of thin-walled parts, Slovnaft says, adding that they provide dimensional stability even for larger products. Thanks to their good organoleptic properties, they can also be used for applications that come into contact with food.

Another new addition to Slovnaft’s portfolio is the new high-impact “Tatren IM 75 25” block copolymer, characterised by exceptional strength and stiffness. Ideal applications include thick-walled products, including storage and transport containers, garden machinery, disposable medical waste containers as well as technical parts, the Slovak group said, adding that the grade is also suitable for the automotive industry.