Plastics that can prevent the spread of microorganisms - from bacteria, mould, fungi and algea - are becoming a major part of the manufacturing landscape across a breadth of industries.
The secret ingredient so many manufacturers are clamouring for is anti-microbial specialised additives, and Plastics Color Corp is leading the way with its innovative MicroBlok technology.
Anti-microbials are not to be confused with anti-bacterials. While the latter product prevents the development of bacteria and is generally a short-term solution, an anti-microbial offers a much broader scope of protection and in the case of specialised additives, is designed to be effective for as long as the lifespan of the product it has been built into. Because of its vast potential, the MicroBlok range has been expanded over the years to meet specific needs and to anticipate market requirement, and Plastics Color does not believe the rise and rise of this intelligent product is about to plateau.
Bringing value
Sarah Skidmore, Marketing Manager at Plastics Color, explained: "MicroBlok is one of those products that we continue to see interest in. Anti-microbial technology - specifically in medical - is gaining interest and at the moment in products ranging from components used in surgery all the way to everyday medical products that patients might use either at home or in hospital.
"The thing we're seeing with our customers who are interested in MicroBlok is a renewed interest in having a product that's going to perform. We've seen an influx in customers really understanding the values and benefits of anti-microbial technology, so they're willing to include it because they understand the value it brings to their product."
Fitness
MicroBlok could potentially be used in any product where microorganisms can proliferate and an interesting growth area for Plastics Color is in the fitness centre market, where handrails on gym equipment and even the furnishings of a gym such as the bin the towels get thrown into at the end of a workout are all potential breeding grounds.
"We always like to custom create our formulations by working in conjunction with customers to make sure that we provide the best solution to suit their end application, and we formulate so that we are providing the best product for the lifespan of that application," Skidmore said. "That's one of the benefits of an anti-microbial that's built into the product material.
"That's the case for our specialty lines - MicroBlok and MiBatch. We have the framework in place and our engineers understand what is involved in the additive package. It's so important for us to understand the resins being used, the processing requirements, the equipment being used, the end application and how the end user will interact with the part. All those factors give us the insight to ensure we get it right and we provide the additive package that will succeed."
'Game changer'
A rigorous testing process, where Plastics Color works hand in hand with the customer to develop their anti-microbial, is carried out and Skidmore emphasised that whenever a customer requests a sample for testing, the Plastics Color team will readily send them that sample and await feedback.
"We're happy to give any reassurance and expertise that we have in this field," she stated.
MicroBlok is currently enjoying continuing popularity in the US and a growing customerbase in Europe, in the pharmaceutical markets in particular along with Plastics Color's anti-counterfeiting innovation MiBatch.
Medical and pharmaceuticals are high-accountability marketplaces and therefore value is created when a product is not only anti-microbial but anti-counterfeit, protecting patients from bogus products and protecting intellectual property.
"MiBatch is going to be a big game changer with widespread implementation globally," Skidmore said.
MiBatch microscopic taggants are an intelligent tracking technology, custom-formulated during a spray pyrolysis creating spherical particles forming unique covert taggants. The taggants can be detected using X-ray fluorescent and laser detection devices and can function under a wide range of environmental conditions without affecting the performance of the product, whether it be a medical device, automotive component, pharmaceutical packaging or a consumer product.
"The great thing about MiBatch compared to other anti-counterfeiting systems is you can't take the additives out of the plastic part," Skidmore explained. "If you put an anti-counterfeiting hologram or sticker on a plastic product, you have the capability of pulling that sticker off whereas with MiBatch, the taggant goes into the material."
She emphasised that Plastics Color's MiBatch product stands apart from the competition because the information the MiBatch-impregnated product sends back is indisputable and customers can be certain that a package is indeed their product and not a counterfeit.
"That's the value: having the security of knowing as a brand owner, when you may come up against legal claims, warranty claims - risks of all sorts - you will not be held accountable for defaulted products that are not yours."
Anticipating the market
Bringing products like MiBatch and MicroBlok to market makes Plastics Color an exciting business to be a part of and Skidmore said the team takes a great deal of pride in what it does, but the business never stops developing, never stops listening to what the market needs, and never stops anticipating what will be required by various industries in the future.
"We definitely listen to the market - a lot of our flame retardant line was created because of a customer need, for example," Skidmore said. "Anything that comes from us from a specialty additives standpoint is completely custom made. It's 100 per cent built to meet the needs of the application and we really pride ourselves in having that relationship that is solution-focused with our customers."