Sustainable cable clutter

A biologically safe plasticizer: this is what convinced the LIFE jury about the PLA business unit.

There is a great demand for sustainable and harmless plasticizers. After all, they make up 40 to 50 percent of many PVC products. Even though the issue of sustainability takes a back seat in difficult economic times, Jan-Gerd Hansel, Head of Research and Development at the Polymer Additives Business Unit, is convinced that it will regain importance: “And then we'll be ready.”

The Business Unit is researching such a plasticizer for PVC applications. The initial focus is on the wire and cable industry. “We can draw on insights we gained years ago in our research,” says Hansel.

In the new project, particular attention is being paid to the selection of suitable raw materials. To this end, the team is currently investigating various synthesis building blocks that come from renewable sources or can be produced in a CO₂-neutral manner. Collaboration with other business units plays a crucial role in this. The goal is to procure suitable sustainable raw materials at competitive prices. “This is a crucial aspect,” says Hansel. The cost pressure among PVC manufacturers is enormous: China is flooding Europe with cheap products, meaning that even environmentally friendly plasticizers cannot exceed certain price thresholds.

Environmentally friendly production
This production process does not generate any salts or environmentally harmful waste, only water. This simplifies the entire manufacturing process. “And we also comply with the strict European and US regulations,” says Hansel.

The project convinced the LIFE jury, which approved a two-year budget for the team. “That's what we were counting on,” says Hansel. Now they can hire a lab technician who, together with the application engineering team, will devote himself entirely to testing in order to obtain the plasticizer with the best properties. “Of course, we are also in contact with our customers and want to tailor the product to their wishes,” says Hansel.

Plasticizers account for about one-fifth of the PLA BU's sales. The new green high-performance plasticizer could account for a larger share of this or open up a new business area. The team also took this into account in its application. “Together with our colleagues Gizem Cinar from Application Technology, Miriam Bührle from Production, and Max Siebenbrock from Marketing, we were able to present a convincing application concept,” says Hansel.