Batch to the future

Rob Coker spoke with Broadway Colours’ new Technical Manager Dr. Chandres Surti about the contribution masterbatch makes to the challenge of sustainable packaging.

Congratulations on your appointment as the Technical Lead at Broadway Colours. In what ways will your academic background help improve the performance of the masterbatch, and how will that in turn improve the performance of the material in application?

My scientific and chemical background is quite diverse ranging from the traditional organic chemistry to biotechnology, speciality chemicals and monomers for the medical devices industry. My broad knowledge has furnished me with the skills to adapt and be flexible to changing environments and regulations, and to stay informed with new, innovative technologies.

With regards to masterbatch, my primary goal is to introduce a new level of innovation and chemical knowhow to the performance of our masterbatches – whether that be the introduction of new additives, bio-sourced polymers or recyclables.

Our intention is to increase the portfolio of products that we offer. We aim to provide a selection of masterbatches which can be tailored to suit specific end applications, for current and new end-users. These may include novel anti-microbials and biodegradables, but also maintaining a focus on providing our customers with new and innovative pigment effects.

Supporting sustainability is of course a key objective too. I’m looking to work with customers to find suitable applications for our ‘Supra-Sustainable’ range of masterbatch – reducing the volume of virgin polymer, particularly in compounds and roto powders. I’ll also be working closely with our customers to find solutions for PCR polymers.

How does a young academic become in interested in masterbatch development?

That is a good question. The world is changing very quickly before our eyes and we are facing new questions about the environment we live in. We have a collective responsibility to deal with the new challenges before us. Part of that is dealing with the plastics we use every day. There are challenges with recycling, improving performance and increasing the use of polymers from renewable sources. Developing the type of innovation we need to deal with these new world problems will need significant input from the academic environment. We must find and develop solutions to these problems.

As a company we have a strong desire to work with academics to help realise and commercialise innovative ideas. So, there’s a real opportunity for young academics to research and publish in the masterbatch field and become a leading figure in the industry.

How do you expect masterbatch providers will be able to support manufacturers in achieving their sustainability targets in the near future?

I think it’s important we provide manufacturers with the information they need to process and bring the end product to market. Our increased R&D capacity will allow us to do this more effectively. Processing PCR material to meet sustainability goals is always going to pose challenges. There’s a need for the masterbatch industry to take the technical lead and work with end-use manufacturers to help meet targets for their use of recycled material. Broadway Colours will continue to work with our customers, seeking to offer answers to all their sustainability questions. Whether that be providing technical knowhow on our Supra-Sustainable range, or partnering with our customers to develop innovative, sustainable materials, using bio-sourced alternatives to petroleum-based polymers.

The company has commissioned a new lab for you to lead. In what ways is this new facility state-of-the-art?

Broadway Colours is significantly investing for the future, both in our new laboratory and by increasing production capacity. There will be substantial improvement in our analytical and technical ability and we will be able to analyse raw materials and final products, as well as provide a faster and incredibly accurate colour matching capability.

The investment will bring a range of new equipment to enhance the business, and enable us to gather more information over raw material consistency to avoid downstream processing issues. It will also be a tool to support our customers whenever they experience problems and need guidance.

The increased analytical capability will accelerate the rate at which we can develop new additive and pigmented masterbatches, and gather the data for processing and manufacturing. We believe in working in partnership with our customers, hence the investment to grow Broadway Colours, but also to support our customers’ needs. In addition, there’s ongoing investment in our staffing, our brand, our website and the whole customer experience. I believe this shows the high level of commitment and confidence the Board of Directors has in Broadway Colours and its future.

Which is more important to the manufacturer: eye-catching packaging or recyclability?

Difficult question. I believe both will play a part. Consumer expectations are high and until consumer perceptions change, eye-catching packaging will remain a priority for brand owners. However, consumers are becoming increasing savvy and aware of the consequences of their purchases. Recyclability will become a marketing tool used to persuade the consumer, but there is no reason why the manufacturer must significantly compromise the eye-catching nature of their packaging to achieve their recyclability goals.

PCR material is here to stay, and we need to work with it. Whilst there may be some negative impact on aesthetics, our goal is to support our customers through the difficult stages. Whether that be regulatory advice and information, or by taking advantage of the wealth of experience our long-serving team of colour matching experts possesses. Using the depth of experience we have in-house, we seek to minimise the impact of utilising PCR material. So, I think both are achievable and both will remain important to the manufacturer. It’s important that the right choices are made, they must be for the sake of the environment and not simply for good PR.

Which is more important to the consumer?

There’s a growing level of consumer awareness when it comes to plastics, even if much of it isn’t evidence-based. Consumers are increasingly aware of the environmental impact that humankind and industry is having on the planet. There’s an acceptance that personal choices play a part in this. We all have a responsibility to support a sustainable future. If that means there will be slight changes in packaging material to achieve sustainable goals then the consumer will accept that, providing they understand the environmental benefits.

Consumers are aware of the challenges the plastics industry faces and they want to play their part in the solution. It’s up to brand owners and manufacturers to take the lead in informing consumers of the facts and the changes they are making to produce recyclable and sustainable packaging. Brand owners have a real opportunity to communicate these changes in a positive way.

How will your technical expertise help reconcile the two?

Being able to utilise recyclate and support the use of sustainable materials is something we’re continually working on at Broadway Colours. With the introduction and roll out of our Supra-Sustainable range, we have already met some of these needs. Our increased and improved technical capability will enable this progress to advance at pace. This will ultimately be beneficial to the consumer and manufacturer and will help in bridging the gap between the two. Our on-site colour matching suite provides the perfect facility for brand owners to visit us to approve samples using their specific PCR base material, which we know varies from batch to batch.

How do Broadway Colours masterbatches increase the amount of recyclate used in a product whilst at the same time decrease the use of virgin materials?

This is a technical challenge that masterbatch producers are facing. It will need the co-operation of raw material suppliers and brand owners to drive the change. There are challenges with the reproducibility and processability of recyclate. If there is consistency in the quality of the recyclate then this will filter down to masterbatch manufacturers and end users. In overall terms, Broadway Colours can offer greater influence in increasing the use of PCR through our compounding services.

Unlike with masterbatch, this isn’t just a small percentage of the final material used in the moulding process. We’re working with a customer in the horticultural sector who has an interest in us producing PCR-based compounds, incorporating our masterbatches. We’d welcome the opportunity to work with new customers to expand this area of our business and help others increase their use of PCR material.

There is of course a commercial element at play here. The drive to use less virgin polymer will have a beneficial return to the balance sheet, especially in current times when material is in short supply and costs have increased at unprecedented rates. We work with our partners to promote the use of recyclate, highlighting the benefits from both an environmental and marketing perspective. Our expanded analytical and technical capability will help us to guide a collective progression.