SOUTHBURY, Conn. and ATLANTA, March 27, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Gulf Corporation (NYSE: GGC) and Galata Chemicals today announced a collaborative effort to develop a line of flexible bio-based PVC compounds containing Drapex® Alpha, a primary plasticizer produced from renewable feedstocks by Galata Chemicals.
"Georgia Gulf is one of the leading technology companies in the vinyl industry, and we have used our decades of experience producing engineered vinyls to develop a line of bio-based compounds that are free of phthalates and heavy metals," said William H. Doherty, vice president-PVC Compounds. "These non-petroleum-based compounds are specifically designed to enable customers to meet their sustainability goals without compromising product quality or processing stability."
The bio-based vinyl compounds – which are ideal for wire and cable, medical uses and a range of general-purpose customer needs in the area of environmental-oriented applications – can be custom blended at Georgia Gulf's Aberdeen, Gallman, Madison and Prairie facilities in Mississippi.
"We will work closely with our customers to design an engineered compound that meets their unique property requirements and gives them the ability to promote their products to meet the sustainability needs of their customer base," Doherty said.
Drapex® Alpha is a highly efficient, bio-based primary plasticizer that can be used in place of a variety of conventional petroleum-based phthalate plasticizers with similar cost performance. Drapex® Alpha is suitable for a multitude of general purpose and specialty applications. PVC compounds containing the new plasticizer exhibit improved extraction resistance, substantially reduced amounts of volatile organic compounds, and enhanced processability.
"Working with Georgia Gulf, an industry leader focused on sustainable technical solutions, allows us to bring the Drapex® Alpha technology to the market quickly and enable a broad spectrum of consumers to realize substantial advantages of this new bio-based plasticizer," said Dr. Luc De Temmerman, president and CEO of Galata Chemicals.
Drapex® Alpha is commercially available from Galata Chemicals' facilities in North America and Europe and is part of Galata Chemicals' sustainable product offering which includes Drapex® Epoxidized Oils, OBS® Organic Based Heat Stabilizers and Soypex® additives for candles.
