Socar Polymer (Sumgayit / Azerbaijan; www.socarpolymer.az) has launched two grades of impact copolymer polypropylene resins. The company is for the first time using the “Hyperform” performance additive for PP from US-based Milliken Chemical (Spartanburg, South Carolina; www.milliken.com).

Socar noted that the two firms had been working collaboratively to develop the materials for the past year, noting that the grades use no organic peroxides. They are said to meet the company’s “zero-phthalate” philosophy whereby no catalysts or chemicals containing phthalate compounds are used at any stage of production.

The Azerbaijani company said the grades are suitable for thin-wall injection-moulded packaging applications such as caps, closures and opaque containers, houseware products, sporting goods and toys. They are currently being marketed to customers in Russia, Turkey and other countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States.