Audia Elastomers advances new range of “sustainable” TPEs

Washington, Pennsylvania – Audia Elastomers has launched a range of thermoplastic elastomers tailored to “meet the sustainability needs of brand owners and consumers,” the company announced 13 Jan.

The AudiaFlex range is comprised of customisable grades, which are produced from post-consumer, post-industrial, bio-based, and marine-based sources. 

“We’re directly responding to the market forces that are demanding new sustainable material options,” said Frank Axelrod, vice president of sales and marketing for Audia Elastomers. 

Drivers, he said, includes legislation on single-use plastics, growing consumer demand for sustainable products, and the commitment from brand owners to achieve sustainability goals over the next five years. 

Manufactured at Audia facilities in Lafayette, Georgia. and Shenzhen, China, the new elastomers are claimed to match the properties of most virgin TPEs, including in terms of haptics, colour, adhesion and hardness. 

“They can compete in high-performance applications with conventional TPEs, TPVs, and TPU chemistries in personal care, consumer household, consumer electronics, automotive, and toys,” the company stated 

Grades include elastomers with up to 45% marine-waste plastics and 70% total recycled material content in a wide hardness range from 20 Shore A to 95 Shore A. 

Another, based on post-consumer recyclate, has 5-50% PCR content in hardness from 20 Shore A to 95 Shore A. These are said to offer “defined supply sources – yogurt cups – with consistent colour and provide FDA compliance. 

Audia is also producing elastomers incorporating 5-70% post-industrial recyclate content and grades with 5-90% of bio-based content for oxo-degradable and compostable applications.