Between color concentrates (precolored resin) or mixing virgin resin with color masterbatches, which is the preferred choice across various industry segments for varied application?
In the packaging industry that uses a large volume of commodity polymers such as PE and PP, more than 65% of the material is colored using masterbatches. In the consumer goods market that uses comparatively small volumes and a wider range of polymers such as ABS and engineering materials, the level using colored masterbatches is around 30%. Large processors may prefer to use a masterbatch purchase of large quantities provides them with economies of scale over more expensive pre colored compound.
Europe has the highest demand for precise colored products, including engineering plastics. Asia and Middle East prefer masterbatches compared to precolored material. Few precolored compounds for polyolefins or polystyrene leaves processors with little choice but to use masterbatches. A mix of two factors generally determines how a processor colors his end product. Historically, the use of compounds was promoted by polymer suppliers who had their own compounding facilities and provided coloration as part of their offerings to processors. However, recently many polymer producers have discontinued or lowered compounding operations and reduced the number of grades and colors they offer. Also, vendors and OEMs serving the electrical market often still believe they need to use precolored compound to meet regulatory and technically demanding quality standards.
Historically, precolored compounds provided optimum color control but with advances in dosing equipment and technology masterbatch competes, and, in many cases exceeds precolor in terms of control. Masterbatch offers the converter flexibility due to the fact that it does not need to store large quantities of precolored material. The automotive industry in North America has been the leader in converting molders to the use of masterbatches while other industries have been slower to adopt them. For the medical industry, avoidance of risk has kept a high share of color in pre colored compounds. In Asia, especially in China, there is still a wide use of pigment blends, and low compounding costs keep precolored polymers at very attractive prices, making masterbatches more difficult sell.
One advantage masterbatches may offer is lead time in emergency processing situations. Processors may need to have an extra two months of pre colored compound in storage because of slow deliveries and this can increase the risk of a color becoming obsolete.