INEOS Styrolution's K-Resin KR21 selected for refrigerator inliners in Asia

INEOS Styrolution, the leading global supplier of styrenics, announced that its K-Resin KR21 had been successfully commercialised by major household appliance manufacturers in Asia for refrigerator inliners. K-Resin KR21 is a new grade recently added to the K-Resin SBC product line. It was developed to provide toughness and low density at low temperatures. 

K-Resin KR21 is an excellent polymer modifier that extends the performance and processability for extrusion and injection moulding applications. It is an ideal polymer modifier for refrigerator liner applications due to its ability to improve the ESCR performance in HIPS (“high impact polystyrene”). Its low-density property also facilitates a higher production yield, making it a more cost-effective solution than other competing polymers.

One of the main reasons major household appliance manufacturers in Asia use K-Resin KR21 is its high impact resistance, good ESCR (Environmental Stress Crack Resistance), and chemical resistant properties, making it an ideal material for refrigerator inliners. The refrigerator inliner is an important component that ensures food safety by providing a hygienic and temperature-controlled environment. With K-Resin KR21, manufacturers can provide durable, efficient, and reliable refrigerator liners.

K-Resin KR21 is compliant with the USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Union (EU), and Chinese National GB regulations for food contact. Technical and Material safety data sheets are available.

“This successful commercialisation of K-Resin KR21 for refrigerator inliners, as well as K-Resin KR01, used for refrigerator LED lamp housing, shows our ongoing partnership with major household appliance manufacturers to expand our K-Resin footprint in new transparent applications,” says Marcela Villegas, Asia Pacific Vice President, Business Management. “We foresee a high potential of new applications for the development pipeline with the excellent balance of properties and versatility offered by K-Resin KR21 across a wide range of applications in other industries, including healthcare.” 

K-Resin is INEOS Styrolution's crystal-clear thermoplastic styrene-butadiene copolymer (SBC) and is well-known for its blend of sparkling clarity, impact toughness, stiffness, and exceptional gloss. The K-Resin range is an excellent material choice for applications requiring food contact regulation compliance. It has been used in various applications ranging from household appliances, packaging, toys, medical components, and displays for over 40 years.

INEOS Styrolution's range of crystal-clear thermoplastic SBC, namely K-Resin, Styrolux, and Styroflex, offers an impressive combination of high transparency, brilliance, and impact resistance, making them suitable for use in applications across various industries, including healthcare, packaging, and toys.

In conclusion, K-Resin KR21 is a great addition to INEOS Styrolution's K-Resin SBC product line and is an excellent material choice for refrigerator inliners. Its properties, compliance with food contact regulations, and cost-effectiveness make it an ideal solution for major household appliance manufacturers in Asia. With its 90 years of innovation in materials science, INEOS Styrolution is dedicated to providing customers with differentiated solutions that offer a competitive edge while investing in technology that enables closed-loop recyclability for styrenics while reducing carbon emissions.