Green Materials – Bio Plastics

Evolving the plastics marketplace

Name: NORDELL
Address: Dominion Way, Worthing, West Sussex, BN14 8NW
Telephone: +44 1903 235 765

Bioplastics are plastics that either: originate from a renewable resource, are biodegradable, or are both.

As new applications and technologies are developed, bioplastics represent an evolution within the plastics marketplace.

Bioplastics are part of the plastics’ growth story that is inspiring brand owners and manufacturers to find new applications and solutions for products.

Nordell remains at the forefront of new raw material developments, working with leading manufacturers to trial and develop new “Green” Bio-plastic solutions.

Although at this stage Bio-Plastics may not be suitable for all applications, our technical team can assist you in finding the best solution to meet the performance needs of your product.

Speak to us now, so that we can advise you of our Bio-Plastics solutions. Bio-plastics can reduce the environmental impact of your product’s raw materials.

renewable material test

In our quest to overcome the challenges associated with integrating sustainable materials into existing applications, our team has spearheaded a transformative initiative.

We have conceptualised a novel approach to facilitate the adoption of bioplastics by our customers across various market sectors.

This innovative idea involved the creation of a test product specifically designed to evaluate the properties and capabilities of new biomaterials under real-world conditions. This test piece features an array of design elements, including bosses, ribs, varying wall sections, multiple surface finishes, flexible clips, and diverse draft angles.

The goal was to simulate various scenarios that products might encounter, providing a comprehensive understanding of how these biomaterials perform.

We invested in advanced mould tooling to mould this test part, utilising our efficient modular insert system. This system streamlines the tooling process and significantly reduces both time and costs, making it an ideal choice for experimenting with various product designs.

Recognising the potential of this project, we reached out to our material supply partners with the bio-test plaque concept.

The overwhelmingly positive response reflected our partners' shared commitment to sustainable solutions.

As a result, we now injection mould these parts using this innovative modular tooling, showcasing a range of sustainable biomaterials provided by our partners.

Triflon Switch®

We have had good success working with a range of Biomaterials to replace plastics made with hydrocarbons.

One of the Biomaterials we have had a lot of success with is Triflon Switch®.

Trifilon Switch® offers designers a sustainable choice that works just like regular plastic for a variety of applications. It makes for an easy choice for those eco-minded visionaries who want to integrate bio-based materials into their products. It’s look and feel are organic. And when the lifetime of your product is over, your customers can either recycle it, send it back to us or send it to an industrial composting facility where it will turn back into soil.

Trifilon Switch® is a family of plant fiber reinforced biocomposites whose resins are starch-based aliphatic polyesters, commonly referred to as polylactic acid (PLA), made from responsibly-grown sugarcane and beetroot. All the main ingredients in Switch come from agricultural products. They’re also industrial compostable. That means Switch is a plastic that comes from plants and that disappears after use.

Although the development of greener solutions to hydro-carbon based materials is slow, we must continue to develop sustainable, renewable solutions. Every industry has a responsibility to drive green initiatives, and what seems like a niche today will be normal tomorrow. Look at the huge change in the Automotive market as significant momentum gathered and consumers now accept the transition to electric powered vehicles.

We have an obligation as responsible suppliers to raise the questions and to challenge current materials used to manufacture parts, many of which are only used today because they have always been used or the approval process for a material change is too challenging. We are here to challenge and support you if you wish to explore greener alternatives. Of course, we will only recommend greener material solutions if they can offer the same or improved performance.

Speak with our technical team, who can discuss your product’s performance needs and the potential for using bio-plastics.