MuCell Extrusion LLC and Styron have concluded an agreement for MuCell Extrusion LLC to acquire access to Styron’s patent portfolio for extrusion of Styrenic resins.This agreement gives MuCell Extrusion and its customers exclusive rights to the Styron patents related to Sheet technology for a wide variety of applications.
This agreement creates a significant strategic alliance between two companies with leading experience in the successful development and application of physical blowing agents to produce superior foamed products.
The combination of Styron’s CO2RE technology and MuCell’s expertise around technology and hardware is expected to help customers improve their competitive advantage in a shorter timeframe. Sheet for thermoforming, FFS, roll stock, paneling and high volume packaging will all see significant cost reductions by applying this technology.
"CO2RE is a patented plastic foaming technology that produces polystyrene sheets with a foamed core layer using physical blowing agents,” said John Case, Styrenics Global Marketing Manager, Styron. “The technology provides a good opportunity for the packaging market, where for example dairy and food service industries can improve their sustainability by reducing the density and weight of their product packaging. It also provides benefits in reduced energy and reduced raw material usage, as well as lower packaging waste disposable tax in the EU."
“MuCell provides expertise in Process and Equipment development, and Styron offers formulation expertise in resins. We believe this combination will bring significant benefits to our customers,” said Mark Lindenfelzer, President of MuCell. “The combination of our own patents and intellectual property, and Styron’s patents now gives our customers the opportunity to apply the most advanced foaming technology in their products,” he said.
MuCell technology is based on the direct injection of atmospheric gas (N2 or CO2) in its supercritical state. MuCell has applied this technology to most plastic materials and processes. Rigid sheet, low-density flexible sheet, Blown film, Cast film, pipe/tubing/profile, and blow molding manufacturing processes are all current applications using MuCell technology. MuCell’s innovative and accessible technology brings significant material weight-savings and cost reduction opportunities, without compromising physical product performance.
Earlier this year, Dow Chemical and MuCell reached an agreement for MuCell to acquire exclusive rights to Dow’s patent portfolio for flat sheet resin technology, and more recently Dow’s patents for Foam Film technology.
