Sarlink, a specialist in high quality thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV) solutions, has officially opened a new production facility in Genk Belgium. The new plant will double Sarlink's global capacity and provide the company with a timely expansion as Thermoplastic Vulcanisate (TPV) material solutions are becoming more popular than ever, thanks to the material's unique balance of properties and benefits. Although technically part of the product group known as Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE), TPV is the only true elastomeric thermoplastic. It is produced in a complex proprietary and patented process by blending large quantities of EPDM rubber into a small continuous phase of plastic, whilst at the same time chemically crosslinking the rubber phase and controlling the morphology. The result is a unique and extremely versatile product that has rubber properties yet can be processed like plastics.
Sarlink TPV thus allows plastics converters to enter the traditional business domain of rubber processors. By replacing traditional solutions with TPV products, system costs can be significantly reduced. "An important trend in the TPV industry is that these application development activities are moving from the value chain to materials suppliers. Sarlink has made significant investments in application development facilities and resources, which are crucial for the successful conversion of other materials to TPV," says Sarlink Business Unit Director and President David Huizing. Sarlink is a truly global company with production operations and laboratories in Leominster MA (USA) and Genk (Belgium), and sales/marketing and technical support offices in Detroit MI (USA), Leominster MA (USA), Sittard (The Netherlands), Shanghai (China), Singapore and through business partner Toyobo in Japan.
05-May-09 
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