Braskem America on August 17 introduced its new polypropylene (PP) thermoforming grade under the INSPIRA brand. This new PP grade is designed to replace polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in consumer packaging applications, including packaging of ready-made meals at grocery stores and restaurants which requires higher temperature resistance.
Braskem claims that its INSPIRA series can be an excellent replacement for PET because they have enhanced performance attributes and on-par optical properties. According to the company, its value-added PP product line has better thermal properties than PET and conventional PP copolymer. Hence, the INSPIRA series can be suitable for applications that demand a balance of clarity and heat resistance as well as continued re-use.
In June, Braskem announced the completion of its new PP production facility in La Porte, Texas which can produce more than 450,000 tons/year of the entire polypropylene PP portfolio, including impact copolymer, random copolymers, and homopolymer. The company started trial production in July and expected to initiate full-scale commercial production by this year’s third quarter.
