Millipore Corporation, a life science leader providing technologies, tools and services for bioscience research and biopharmaceutical manufacturing, today unveiled its first biodegradable and compostable product, the EcoStand tube holder, made from environmentally responsible bio-based plastic resin.

At the annual 2008 IWCS (International Wire and Cable Show), the thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) business unit of BASF Corporation introduced two new tough, halogen-free, high-heat grades of TPU for wire and cable jacketing applications. Both TPUs exhibit excellent abrasion resistance, toughness, low temperature properties, hydrolytic stability and fungus resistance per standard DIN tests.

Zwick is concentrating its activities in the plastics field through its own competence center. The "Plastics Testing Initiative" has been underway for two years, and the range of products for testing plastics is being systematically expanded within the framework of this initiative.

Honeywell announced that Popular Science magazine has awarded a 2008 Best of What's New Grand Award to hurricane-resistant curtains containing Honeywell's high-strength Spectra® fiber. The curtains were named the top innovation in home technology.

Introduced at Fakuma 2008, one product that is guaranteed not to make a big noise in the marketplace is the Rapid Silencing System (RSS) from Rapid Granulator AB, the Swedish world leader in plastics granulation technology. With increasingly stringent noise constraints being applied to the workplace by national and EU regulatory authorities, the RSS offers moulders and OEMs an innovative noise reducing solution.

A new series of concentrates for engineering-grade copolyester thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) includes a wide range of color choices, all of them fully compliant with the European Union's RoHS Directive, it was announced by Teknor Color Company. The company is introducing the products at IWCS / Focus (Booth 215).

FIPA GmbH offers vacuum suction cups that are optimized for use in the packaging industry and are made from the new material Tepuflex. Tepuflex is a polyurethane mixture that exhibits both the elasticity of rubber and the wear resistance of plastic. In addition, Tepuflex exhibits excellent mechanical properties. It has a Shore hardness rating of 50 and can be used at temperatures of between 0 and 70 °C.

The French leading tennis rackets manufacturer Babolat and high-performance thermoplastic polymers producer Arkema worked together to design the grommet systems of the new XS line. Babolat Xtra Sweetspot Technology use Pebax® elastomer to enhance lightness, comfort and tolerance of the game.

Each year, on the third Thursday of November, French vintner Boisset Family Estates flies thousands of bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau to eager wine lovers around the world, a harvest tradition celebrating the arrival of the refreshing, fruity wines. This year, however, Boisset is breaking with tradition. Instead of packaging its Beaujolais Nouveau wines from the historic wineries of Mommessin and Bouchard Aine & Fils in glass bottles, the progressive winemaker is using plastic.

Catalent Pharma Solutions, one of the leading providers of advanced technologies and outsourced services to the global pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consumer health industry, announces the introduction of the SECURE-VIAL™ technology, a new patent-pending delivery system for injectable drug products. Catalent is launching the SECURE-VIAL™ technology to the scientific community this week at the annual meeting of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS).

Researchers at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan have developed polymer films that change color instantaneously and reversibly in response to changes in the tension applied.

A new "capless" fuel filler system for the 2008 Ford Flex, Escape, F150, Expedition and Lincoln MKS vehicles is honored as a finalist in the Society of Plastics Engineers Most Innovative Use of Plastics Award in the chassis/powertrain category. The final winners will be honored at an event Nov. 20.

LaserBand, LLC, the leader in wristband technology, recently extended its baby wristband line with a new comfortable patient identification option for both parent and baby for use in maternity wards, labor and delivery units, and nurseries.

A thin layer of MXD6 is used as the middle layer of a 3-layer construction with no adhesive tie layers to reduce the gas permeability of the PET bottles. Bottles using this construction have been tested using the Petcore bottle to bottle protocol1. For the test clear, 3-layer, co-injected bottles were used containing approximately 5% of Nylon MXD6.

Against all expectations the environmental performance challenge for PET bottles (3% penetration in beer packaging today) is not vs. glass bottles, but in fact vs. steel and aluminum cans. This is one of the findings of an independently reviewed study based on specific customer data and commissioned by the Sidel Group.

RPC Containers Oakham has achieved another success for its renowned capabilities in in-mould labeling (IML), with the decision by long-standing customer Bird Brand to launch its latest product in an IML-decorated pail.

BaySystems™, the umbrella brand for the global polyurethane systems operations of Bayer MaterialScience, has been named an Energy Star partner for its Bayseal™ CC and PP grades of energy-efficient spray polyurethane foam insulation. Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) designed to help consumers save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices.

Berry Plastics Corporation, the industry's leading manufacturer of flexible films and tapes, has introduced X-FLEX™ Blast Protection System, an innovative, peel-and-stick solution that is designed specifically to absorb energy and mitigate debris hazards during a significant blast event.

While traditional PVC sheet protectors generate static electricity, Static Dissipative Sheet Protectors from 3M are designed to be non-static generating in addition to protecting documents. Made from durable, static dissipative polypropylene plastic, the new Static Dissipative Sheet Protectors from the 3M Electronic Solutions Division are a slim 2 mm, allowing more pages to fit in a binder.

DSM Engineering Plastics announced the expansion of its longstanding partnership with French firm Valeo to develop enhanced technologies for reducing the environmental impact from vehicles. Valeo Engine Management Systems, a division of Valeo, is leveraging the superior performance and aesthetics of Arnite polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polybutylene terephthalate/polyethylene (PBT/PET) resins from DSM Engineering Plastics in several innovative engine systems: