Silvergate hatch masterbatch filler with unique shelling point

Silvergate Plastics, a producer of custom masterbatch, has flocked together with egg products maker Just Egg, based in Leicester, to make an eco-friendly filler.

Just Egg makes hard-boiled eggs for pickling and egg mayonnaise. Run by Pankaj Pancholi, the firm had chucked away 60 million eggshells each year, landing it with a £50,000 landfill bill.

Just Egg turned to Leicester University to identify an alternative solution. Materials scientists suggested using the egg shells, of which the major component is made of calcium carbonate, as a bio-filler for plastics.

Pancholi presented these findings at last year’s Plastikcity Conference in London where he met Silvergate Plastics.

Silvergate manufactures colour, additive and multi-component masterbatches that improve production processes, enhance the performance of end applications and maintain brand integrity.

Silvergate agreed to recoop crushed and cleaned egg shells from Just Egg, and process them into filler for masterbatch, which can be used in any application. The eggshells replace traditional filler and help reduce the amount of ground polymer used in the masterbatch formulation. This ground-breaking bio-filler can be used to create any colour, including black.