Kraiburg targets renewable TPE advances

Waldkraiburg, Germany - Kraiburg TPE has started a 'campaign' to develop custom-engineered thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) containing variable proportions of renewable raw materials

The goal, it said, is to meet rising demand for 'environmentally friendly' and sustainable TPEs through innovative developments with customers and other players in the supply chain.

A particular focus in on 'bio-based' materials that are truly sustainable in terms of saving resources and protecting the environment.

This, said Kraiburg, encompasses water footprints, with factors including irrigation, fertilizers, transport energy and energy consumed for reprocessing.

“Part of the challenge involves taking into account the environmental balance of the materials’ whole life cycles, including their impact on ecosystems and people’s health,”said CEO Franz Hinterecker

The Kraiiburg TPE boss noted that while customers' expectations of ‘bio-materials’ vary widely depending on the application, the company must meet strict criteria for materials’ conformity and performance.

Kraiburg TPE has, therefore, committed itself to sustainable business operations and to protecting the soil, water, air and biological diversity.

Under a code of conduct, environmentally harmful impacts are to be prevented by appropriate environmental protection measures, and resources are to be conserved.

Based on this principles, Kraiburg TPE is introducing a modular system to develop customer-specific materials with different proportions of renewable raw materials.

"The requirements are determined in close collaboration with each customer and translated into a sustainable and cost-effective solution by our developers," it explained.

The aim, so, is to get away from producing bio-based materials with very high proportions of renewable raw materials that are too costly and have very limited mechanical properties.

“The approach we’re taking is being well received particularly by customers who are looking for sustainable solutions but don’t want to do without cost-effectiveness and performance,” said Hinterecker