KRAIBURG TPE launches TPE materials containing recycled content, providing lagging properties with PA, PC/ABS or PP

KRAIBURG TPE, a global manufacturer of custom thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), has announced the launch of its latest product range. These solutions expand THERMOLAST® R
series to help customers use TPE with a higher proportion of recycled content. Compared with existing products, the material can reach 70% recycled content even in materials with low Shore A hardness. They are important milestones in the development of innovative compounds with excellent encapsulation properties. The market demand for environmentally friendly materials is growing, and KRAIBURG TPE is launching TPEs containing post-industrial and/or post-consumer recycled materials (PIR, PCR). TPE materials with recycled content align with customers’ sustainability visions and support customers in achieving their own sustainability goals.

This new high-performance compound can be specifically tailored to meet the requirements of different industries and market segments and can be encapsulated with PA, PC/ABS or PP. Such single-, two- or multi-component parts, with up to 79% recycled material content, are a completely new combination in the KRAIBURG TPE product range.

Overview of New Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE):

This series can be encapsulated with PA, PCR and PIR materials with a content between 43 – 60% (the specific proportion depends on its hardness). It can be used in applications requiring two-component parts encapsulated with PA in hardness ranges from 40 –
90 Shore A.

Can be encapsulated with PC and ABS, with post-consumer recycled content (PCR) and post-industrial recycled content (PIR) content ranging from 42 – 54%
(Exact proportion depends on its hardness) Suitable for a variety of multi-component parts that require lagging properties with ABS, PC or other technical thermoplastic materials, hardness range from 40 – 70 Shore A.

Second-generation general-purpose PCR TPE contains up to 79% recycled content. This series can be used in a variety of applications requiring encapsulation with PP, with a wide hardness range from 30 – 90 Shore
A does not vary. Due to their relatively high proportion of sustainable materials, they are a further development of our universal PCR compounds launched in 2022.

In addition, these compounds offer reliable quality, are available immediately, and can be coloured: all our new series of TPEs are available in natural colors and can be tinted in many different ways according to customer needs. This excellent coloring also allows for maximum flexibility in design.

This latest solution with multiple lagging options provides processing companies with comprehensive options to meet the changing needs of the industry and consumers. KRAIBURG TPE®
TPE containing recycled content is mainly targeted at product designers, product engineers and product managers in industry market segments such as power tools and electronic and electrical (E&E). In the consumer field, this TPE can realize home applications, sports and leisure applications. In general, these applications include handles and shock-absorbing elements.

Eugen, Senior Development Project Manager at KAIBO TPE
Andert said: “With TPEs containing recycled content, we are contributing to the sustainability goals of products of high technical quality. The sustainability goals of KRAIBURG TPE
As a core competency, with these new compounds we are actively closing the recycling loop and realizing our responsibility towards the environment and future generations. ”

The market positioning of these compounds focuses on sustainability and resource conservation. Using these compounds will help customers effectively reduce the carbon footprint of their final products while ensuring product durability. The chemical structure of these compounds and their combination of performance and sustainability make KRAIBURG TPE®
Stand out in the market. This new product range is fully launched.