TARRAGONA, Spain (Sept. 21)—Dow Chemical Co. has inaugurated production of Versify propylene-ethylene copolymer-based plastomers and elastomers at its revamped plant in Tarragona.
The unit, rated at 57,000 metric tons per year, is the first commercial-scale facility for Versify, which Dow launched in February as a material for a range of end users, including packaging producers, manufacturers of thermoplastic elastomers and converters in the consumer products sector.
Versify materials are produced using new catalyst systems combined with Dow's proprietary Insite production technology. According to Dow, the propylene-ethylene copolymers can improve optics, sealing and hot tack performance, elasticity, flexibility, and softness in films, fibers and molded parts.
Versify enhances Dow's specialty polymer offering, according to Romeo Kreinberg, Dow Plastics' senior vice president. "The product range combines Dow's strength in catalyst and Dow's plastics portfolio process technology as well as material and polymer science to bridge current product performance gaps and help meet unmet customer needs," he said.