Today’s manufacturers are focused on creating high-performing food contact products that appeal to consumers and stand out from competitors. However, as OEMs develop these products and improve innovation, they must also find ways to reduce unnecessary costs. High-performance polymers help manufacturers create outstanding new products and also offer impressive cost advantages in food contact applications. Specifically, Syensqo’s specialty polymers assist producers as they reduce costs and create effective food-grade components.
Savings in Polymer Design
Specialty polymers offer cost advantages in all stages of the production process, especially in design phases. Manufacturers searching for efficient materials that offer improved design flexibility are continually turning to high-performance plastics. Syensqo’s specialty polymers aid manufacturers by providing polymer design savings for a variety of food contact applications.
Functional Integration
Polymers enable manufacturers and designers to combine multiple functions into a single, well-designed component. Reducing the necessary number of components and developing multifunctional parts made from polymers helps manufacturers improve cost efficiency and decrease the time needed for production. The implementation of Syensqo’s specialty polymers is more cost-effective than engineering polymers, as high-performance polymers offer superior mechanical properties that ensure more reliable performance in demanding applications.
Lightweighting
A polymer-based design uses the minimum amount of material, which helps manufacturers immediately limit the cost of raw materials. Additionally, lighter products can impart a higher sense of quality with improved ergonomics and ease of use when moving and cleaning food contact goods. For example, KetaSpire® PEEK offers outstanding strength and resistance properties, while also being easy to clean for an effortless end-user experience.
Cost Advantages in Production
While traditionally used food contact materials, like metal and glass, are limited in their options for processing, Syensqo’s specialty polymers give manufacturers flexibility and efficiency throughout production. When injection moldable polymers like Ixef® PARA are used in certain high-volume components, manufacturers earn a cost-per-part lower than the cost of machining separate metal components.
Production Methods
While traditionally used food contact materials, like metal and glass, are limited in their options for processing, Syensqo’s specialty polymers give manufacturers flexibility and efficiency throughout production. When injection moldable polymers like Ixef® PARA are used in certain high-volume components, manufacturers earn a cost-per-part lower than the cost of machining separate metal components.
Post-Production Savings
The use of less efficient materials, like metals, often requires additional processing steps that increase costs and extend the manufacturing timeline. An injection-molded part, however, is typically ready for implementation in a product without other post-processing steps, such as assembly, polishing or painting. Syensqo's portfolio of injection moldable polymers, including Solef® PVDF, KetaSpire® PEEK, Amodel® PPA and Omnix® HPPA, offers manufacturers the capability to produce components that do not require trimming and are already the desired color for the application. This streamlined processing means producers can reduce costs by eliminating unnecessary equipment previously used for additional post-processing steps.
Benefits in Food Contact Applications
In addition to the numerous cost advantages that food-grade specialty polymers offer manufacturers, the reliable performance in consumer applications is unmatched. Syensqo’s specialty polymers offer a unique combination of properties that can help manufacturers innovate the most advanced food contact applications on the market. Veradel® PESU and Radel® PPSU, for example, allow manufacturers to develop transparent components that maintain excellent strength and heat resistance in essential applications like baby bottles.
Additionally, Syensqo streamlines production processes by approving many of our polymers for food contact with global independent organizations. With approvals from the FDA, NSF, European Union and more, Syensqo’s portfolio of high-performance polymers for food-grade applications is developed to simplify implementation for manufacturers. Our versatile portfolio also gives our scientists the ability to adapt polymers based on the unique needs of each customer and to respond to continually changing safety regulations.
