With a new phase of REACH registration on the horizon, South Korea-based chemical producer Songwon (Ulsan; www.songwonind.com) has begun offering enhanced global regulatory support to buyers of its UV resins. As the world’s second largest manufacturer of polymer stabilisers and a major supplier of UV-absorbers and benzotriazoles, the Korean company said it has for some time focused its attention on understanding regulatory issues for light stabilisers used in plastics and coatings. Now, said Elena Scaltritti, business unit leader Polymer Stabilizers, the company’s dedicated regulatory affairs team will also offer in-depth support for UV absorbers to ensure that customers choose the right product, thus helping to reduce lengthy approval times.

Songwon’s in-house regulatory expertise will be supplemented by Luxembourg-based service provider Chemservice (Grevenmacher; www.chemservice-group.com), which assists the chemical producer in preparing for and complying with international and national chemical control legislation. “The action mode for some polymer additives has been designed in a way that might stipulate further scientific scrutiny,” said Dieter Drohmann, managing director Chemservice. However, underscoring the need for professional advice, he cautioned that toxicological profiles and undesirable properties must be made on a substance base and not on a chemical category.