ChemSpec to distribute Denka's Evolmer line in U.S.

UNIONTOWN, Ohio—Denka Co. Ltd. has entered an agreement with ChemSpec Ltd. to distribute Denka's Evolmer line of copolymers.

The agreement covers distribution of the Evolmer line in the U.S., according to ChemSpec.

"ChemSpec is proud to add this line to our portfolio and continues helping customers explore and achieve new solutions for their polymer compounding needs," the company said in a statement.

The Evolmer line comprises chloroprene and acrylonitrile and has balanced physical properties, ozone and oil resistance. It also demonstrates good durability and "flex-fatigue" resistance.

Evolmer is the third high-performance elastomer to be released by Denka in recent years, following a chloroprene product and Denka ER.

Evolmer used the knowledge gained in high-performance styrene resins in the development of the choloroprene and Denka ER products to develop the Evolmer line.

"The material's compression set remains low at low temperatures, and it has excellent flex-fatigue resistance in dynamic environments," Denka said when the line was under development in 2018. "Evolmer has well-balanced properties that set it apart from any previous elastomer."

The material has application in the automotive, construction machinery, electric equipment and electronics fields for sealants and fiber treatment materials.

Evolmer mimics the performance properties of hydrogenated nitrile rubber, Denka said.

Denka manufactures Evolmer at its Omi Plant in Itoigawa City, Japan. A new line was built there in October 2018, and Evolmer was released on the market in January 2019.

The company averages sales of 1,500 tons of the product per year.

ChemSpec, a subsidiary of the Paris-based Safic-Alcan Group, typically distributes throughout North America, working within the industrial polymer compounding market and the cosmetic ingredients industry.