Serving the plastics industry Baerlocher Group

SERVING THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY

The Baerlocher group is a leading provider of additives for the plastics industry, offering a wide range of additives for all PVC applications. Industry Europe looks at the reasons behind its success.

The Baerlocher group has made a name for itself for products which include a broad range of stabilisers based on CaZn, CaOrg, Pb, BaZn and Sn, as well as other additives for all PVC applications. It supplies what are known as ‘one-packs’ under the brand name Baeropan®. These are customised additive formulations meeting the needs of a special application, developed together with the customer using Baerlocher know-how.

Other Baerlocher products established in the marketplace are Baerostab® (diverse stabiliser systems), Baeropol® (additive systems for polyolefins), Baerolub® (lubricants), Baerocid® (fatty acids), as well as Ceasit and Zincum (metal stearates).

Baerlocher has 13 production sites around the world and employs some 1200 people. Research and development are carried out in Germany (Munich-Unterschleissheim), France (Marseilles), Italy (Lodi), the USA (Dover, Ohio) and India (Mumbai). The group has a sales network that covers all major countries.

“As well as addressing the changes required by legislation, the industry also faces challenges when it comes to raw materials,” said a company representatve. “The situation here is critical. Over the last years, raw materials prices have increased significantly. In particular, the price of lead has increased and is expected to remain at a high level.”

Investing in Asia

In 2008, Baerlocher Malaysia started up a new production unit for vegetable-based calcium and zinc-stearate in Seremban, Malaysia. With this investment, Baerlocher addressed the significantly growing demand for these products from the

polymer industry in South East Asia and the Middle East.

Baerlocher has also been expanding its production capacity for lead-based stabilisers in flake form in Dewas, India, to meet the increased demand of the fast-growing PVC industry in the country, and as China has become the largest market for PVC, Baerlocher is in the process of establishing a production base there. Customers in China are currently supplied from its plant in Malaysia.

In November 2012, Baerlocher established an additional production plant in Changzhou, China. The plant can reach up to a capacity of 40,000 tonnes per year and will produce Ca-based and Pb-based stabiliser systems. The operation is supported by a state-of-the-art application laboratory.

Russian presence

Baerlocher is now present in most major markets worldwide, and runs production plants in 11 of them. To support the fastgrowing Russian market, the company runs a representative office in Moscow.

“This strong global presence is the basis for a close relationship with our customers worldwide and for a short and flexible supply chain,” said the company representative. “As the majority of our products are tailor-made, having manufacturing capabilities in all major markets allows us to respond rapidly to the needs of the individual customers.”

Carefully selected components

Baerlocher’s calcium-based stabilisers are broadly accepted stabiliser systems for the production of cables, pipes and fittings as well as profiles made out of PVC. In several markets and applications, Ca-based stabilisers have become the product of choice.

Baerlocher’s products consist of carefully selected components to ensure sustainability with regard to REACH and other directives, proprietary technology with reduced

dependency on critical raw materials as well as the advantageous melt products marketed as Baeropan SMS and Baeropan TX with better handling, dosage and processing characteristics.

Baerlocher was one of the first suppliers worldwide to offer calcium-based solid stabilisers for rigid calendered, extruded and blown films. The Baerostab NT 352 series is an alternative to existing stabiliser systems with a focus on odourless applications.

Developing the ranges

New liquid mixed metal products were developed to comply with the current status of directives like REACH. These products will be continuously optimised according to customer needs and can be used for all Plastisol applications as well as for calendering and extruding plasticised PVC.

Furthermore, Baerlocher has addressed the increasing global demand for methyl-tin with Baerostab MTS 1200. This type of stabiliser is widely used by the building industry in rigid applications, such as calendered films, pipes, injection moulding and sheets.

Owing to its high tin content this liquid methyl-tin mercaptide is a very efficient stabiliser. Baerostab MTS 1200 is suitable for the stabilisation of transparent and pigmented rigid PVC formulations, offers good early colour as well as colour hold and is approved for food contact applications in various countries. It also has hydrophobic characteristics.

Another extension of the product line is epoxidised soya-bean oil, globally marketed under the brand name Baerostab LSA.

Based on its extensive knowledge on stearates and lubricants, Baerlocher has also developed a complete range of lubricant one-packs for most wood–plastic composite applications. The Baerolub W-series provides higher throughput and surface quality, enhanced strength and flexural properties as well as reduced water absorption. n