Teknor Apex launches TPE with 35% sustainable content

Teknor Apex announced the launch of its new Monprene® S3 CP-15170 BLK, an eco-conscious thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) made with 35% sustainable content that includes UBQ™ and post-consumer recycled material. UBQ™ is a sustainable plastic substitute converted entirely from organic and unrecyclable waste.  Biobased and highly recyclable, UBQ™ offers a climate-positive solution towards a circular economy. By replacing oil-based raw materials with UBQ™ in TPE formulations, Teknor Apex is helping to address the global waste crisis, preserving finite natural resources, and reducing the carbon footprint of end products which utilise its TPE.

This new Monprene TPE is initially available in 70 Shore A and is coloured black. It performs and processes comparable to its standard TPE offset. The durometer and amount of sustainable content can be customized based on end use requirements.  This high flow TPE is designed specifically for injection moulding or overmoulding onto PP – ideal for consumer product applications requiring flexibility such as hand and power tools, consumer electronics and appliances that include soft-touch components, for anti-slip, comfort grip, and improved ergonomics. Monprene TPEs combine the performance of thermoset rubber with the processability of a thermoplastic and can still be recycled. 

UBQ™ is a novel worldwide patented material that has already been adopted by leading industry brands and enterprises for manufacturing durable products with reduced environmental footprints. Demand for UBQ™ continues to build globally, as companies work to reach carbon reduction commitments in the production of end-products. Teknor Apex has been an early adopter of UBQ™, paving the way for other materials companies to develop more sustainable products within a circular economy. As a result of increasing demand, UBQ Materials will open a new facility in the Netherlands with an annual production output of 80,000 tons of UBQ™, further bridging the gap between the global ecosystems of waste and materials.