Star Thermoplastics Opens New TPE Rheology Lab

Online, January 12, 2012 (Newswire.com) - While nearly all producers of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) have plastic labs to provide formulation services for their customers, arguably none have plastics rheology labs with complete analytical instrumentation.

In ongoing growth moves, the Star Thermoplastics Division of Star Thermoplastic Alloys & Rubbers, Inc. announces the opening of the TPE industry's newest, largest and again, arguably the TPE industry's only plastics rheology/analytical instruments laboratory at the firm's expansive corporate headquarters facilities in Broadview, IL (near Chicago).

According to Star officials, the benefits of a lab fitted out with complete analytical instruments as compared to a standard plastics lab is the ability to analyze from a chemist's perspective any given formulation and either precisely match it, or in "tearing it apart" to determine individual elements in the TPE formulation, tweak that formulation to make it process and perform better, and in many cases offer it at a better price than what a TPE user might be paying. The benefits of such a facility are to measure the rheological properties over the full range, including shear and elongation.

"The net result," notes Star President Thomas A. Dieschbourg, who holds a Masters Degree in chemistry, "is that we can offer more depth with new or existing formulations, or determine the precise ingredients to make a given grade work for a customer and his application the very first time. Recent examples of this include at least 4 recent cases where a prospective customer tested 4-6 competitive TPE samples and found none of them suitable. We were then called in, given the application requirements and came up with a formulation that met all the requirements."

With investments in the dozens of instruments well into the six figure range, the lab spans two floors at the Chicago-area facility. In addition Star has a production line totally dedicated to producing and testing samples and actual finished products. As a result, this two-decade-old TPE provider has made a renewed commitment to the plastics industry.

According to Dieschbourg, "We invested in this fully equipped, multi-functional laboratory facility to further increase our level of customer focus, satisfaction and applications support. This initiative already has become a valuable resource to our growing customer base. The combination of a physical compound testing lab enables Star to undertake testing and definition of the material properties of TPE solids and liquids."

Star Thermoplastics, founded in 1993, is a leading provider of thermoplastic elastomers with many production lines to fill both large and small orders, a full-service rheological and analytical instrumentation laboratory and trained sales and technical support personnel across the continent. Company products are sold under the trade names Starflex, StarMed, StarBond, StarPrene, StarPet and StarGrip-X. With its newly enhanced rheological and analytical instrumentation laboratories, Star has the ability to duplicate any existing TPE with improved formulations at better prices.

For more information on the TPEs and services available from Star, contact: Star Thermoplastics, 2121 West 21st Street, Broadview, IL 60155. Tel: 708-343-1100. Fax: 708-343-1110. Web: www.starthermoplastics.com. Email: sales@starthermoplastics.com.