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Bloomer Expands to Barrier Blown Film with Optimum Purchase Bloomer Plastics, Inc., a leading processor of custom cast embossed flms for industrial, medical, and packaging markets (bloomerplastics.com), has now entered the barrier blown flm business through its recent purchase of Delaware, Ohio-based Optimum Plastics, a tech- nology leader and pioneer in high-barrier coextruded blown flms (optimumplastics.com). Adding engineered blown flm to Bloomer's cast flm portfolio will nearly double its revenue and employee base. Dutch Lactic Acid Producer Plans to Enter PLA Business Corbion Purac, a Dutch producer of lactic acid and lactides (U.S. offce in Lenexa, Kan.), has its sights on becoming a PLA resin producer. Corbion's CEO Tjerk de Ruiter recently commented, "Given our strong posi- tion in lactic acid, our unique high- heat technology, and the market need for a second PLA producer, we plan to forward integrate in the bioplas- tics value chain, from being a lactide provider to a PLA producer." Corbion's plan is to build a 165-million-lb/yr PLA plant in Thai- land, but de Ruiter said the frm will move ahead only if it can secure customer commitments for at least one-third of plant capacity. He also said Corbion will continue to explore strategic alliances as part of its PLA growth strategy, in order to enhance business opportunities while mitigat- ing associated risks. Corbion will continue to sell lactides to PLA polymerization customers. Worldwide PLA capacity is nearly sold out, de Ruiter said, and the PLA market is expected to reach 13 billion lb/yr by 2025. (800) 669-4092 • corbion.com Shop Online for Static Mixers Now you can specify and buy static mixers on line. Chemineer, Dayton, Ohio, recently announced the startup of its COMPASS (Chemineer Online Mixer Pric- ing and Selection System) online store offering Kenics static mixers. The store helps processors quickly and easily select and purchase the proper static mixer for their specifc application. The store offers 24/7 order entry to speed the ordering process and rapid ship- ment of the selected static mixer. The online confgurator allows customers to input the pipe diameter, fow rate, and viscosity for the applica- tion. The appropriate Kenics static mixer model is selected, eliminating selection guesswork or the need for additional assistance. (937) 454-3200 • chemineer.com Two New Alliances in Microcellular Foams Trexel, Inc., Wilmington, Mass. (trexel. com), recently announced two new partnerships with Milacron and Lubrizol. One agreement allows Milacron LLC, Batavia, Ohio, to incorporate Trexel's MuCell microcellular foam technology in its injection and blow molding equip- ment under the Milacron, Ferromatik, Uniloy, and Mold-Masters brands, while transferring the operating rights under Trexel's patents to the machine buyer without any added fees or costs. Trexel had a previous license agreement with Milacron back in 1999, allowing Milacron to provide MuCell- compatible screws and barrels on its injection machines, but the agreement had become dormant in subsequent years. This revival of the relationship allows Milacron (milacron.com) to supply turnkey MuCell systems, includ- ing MuCell gas-dosing equipment. Meanwhile, in partnership with Lubrizol Engineered Polymers, Wick- liffe, Ohio (lubrizol.com), Trexel helped develop BounCell-X, a new high-perfor- mance TPU foam technology utilizing Lubrizol's Estane TPUs. This plasticizer-free, low-density thermoplastic foam has a thin solid skin for durability and ability to utilize regrind or post-consumer recycle due to the absence of crosslinking agents or chemical blowing agents. BounCell-X can achieve a broad range of hardness and energy absorption for use in sports and recreation applications. DSM to Build U.S. Plant for Nylon 6 Film Resins The Netherlands' Royal DSM has announced that it will build its frst North American polymerization plant for high- viscosity nylon 6 flm grades. Scheduled to come on stream in mid-2016, the new plant will be built next to a facility in Augusta, Ga., operated by DSM Engineer- ing Plastics, Birmingham, Mich., which currently produces medium-viscosity Akulon and Novamid nylon 6, used in electrical/electronic, automotive, and consumer goods industries. (800) 333-4237 • dsmep.com Italian Compounder Starts Up U.S. Production Italy's So.F.Ter Spa (U.S. offce in Lebanon, Tenn.) has started production at its frst U.S. compounding plant, which has initial capacity of 50 million lb/yr of compounds based on 18 resin types, ranging from engineering plastics to TPEs and TPVs. One of the world's largest independent compounders, So.F.Ter specializes in the automotive, appliance, construction, electrical/electronics, footwear, and sports industries. It already has plants in Mexico and Brazil. (844) 657-6383 • softergroup.com 8 DECEMBER 2014 Plastics Technology PTonline.com T E C H N O L O G Y A N D I N D U S T R Y N E W S St ar t ing Up