Polish chemicals and plastics group Synthos has launched a new eco-friendly EPS grade for heat insulation panels which includes recycled polystyrene raw material.
Synthos, headquartered at Oświęcim in southern Poland, started extruding the product, ‘InVento Optima’ on a dedicated line installed at its base manufacturing site at the end of 2018.
Production of the material, which Synthos claims provides enhanced insulating efficiency, is taking place at a new state-of-the-art plant in Oświęcim. It significantly reduces heat loss in buildings, so cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the group said.
'InVento Optima' is made using an ecological geopolymer additive combining the features of a flame retardant substance and athermal properties. This allows the reduction or elimination of the traditional halogen flame retardant, according to Synthos.
Its new product will also shorten the processing time and assist in cutting the production cost of thermal insulation materials.
The new manufacturing process makes it possible to incorporate recyclate from processing PS secondary products as raw material. Its inclusion in the product mix can significantly reduce the role of the general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) polymer, depending on the quality of regranulate used.
Investment in research and development for the ‘InVento’ project dates back to 2009. The goal, led by a team led by Synthos’s PS plastics R&D manager Filip Kondratowicz, was to revolutionise expandable polystyrene manufacture with a modern, ecological and competitive process.
‘InVento’ products were initially made available in Poland and selected markets and feedback from customers demonstrate the new material is “a great success”. “InVento is considered the best product among those available on the market for converters and EPS end users,” declared group offshoot Synthos EPS earlier this year.
Synthos has also been investing heavily in expanding its manufacture of extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation panels at its plant in Oświęcim. It recently installed a new Italian supplied production line there.