Custom Colour Masterbatch

Broadway is a specialist in the manufacture of cost effective, polymer specific, custom colour masterbatches. We work to an industry-leading colour tolerance of just one Delta E and ensure all matches pass our strict QC process. Our FREE colour matching service means you have nothing to lose in allowing us to provide you with an accurate match, a competitive price and the promise of great service.

Requesting a colour match from Broadway is easy. You can complete our online form, or simply email or call us to inform our friendly sales team of your requirements.

With vast experience and the latest pigments to hand, our expert colourists provide the highest possible accuracy and consistency with your colours. Their deep understanding of pigments, dyes and polymers, combined with modern colouring technology allows the delivery of accurate and cost effective masterbatch formulations. Our custom colours can be combined with special effects from our impressive portfolio and we can incorporate performance enhancing additives and processing aids.

We’ll ensure compliance with your required regulatory standards, whilst seeking to minimise costs with intelligent raw material choices. Not only accurate and cost-effective, but efficient too – custom colour requests can be matched within three to five working days and production orders are typically dispatched within just five working days of an approved sample. Our team have formulated over 50,000 custom colour matches, so you can be sure your request is in safe hands.

Custom Colours

When our laboratory receives a colour match request, our experienced colourists will select appropriate pigments or dyestuffs to formulate your colour, considering your specific requirements. A ‘labshot’ is then created using a compatible base resin. The components of the formulation are mixed and moulded to produce a colour plaque. If necessary, this process is repeated with adjustments being made until the optimum result is achieved.

A masterbatch formula is then calculated based on the customers requested addition rate (let down %). A sample is manufactured under production conditions and moulded into colour plaques which are mailed for customer approval. Once approved, these plaques form the ‘master standard’ to which all future production is referred.

FREE Colour Match Request

Performance Additives

Additive masterbatches are commonly used in plastic manufacturing to alter the physical properties of the material. The performance of plastics can be enhanced with various additives – each changing the polymer in a different way, for a different purpose. For example, a UV absorber additive is frequently used to improve the colour fastness and slow the degradation of plastic items designed for outdoor use.

Our range of performance additives can improve processing or enhance the performance of your end component. We can supply additives as a stand-alone additive masterbatch or compound, or more commonly we’ll incorporate additives into your custom coloured masterbatches. Our expert team can tailor the addition rate of the additive for your specific manufacturing conditions and end-use requirements.

Special effects

We offer an impressive range of special effects for plastics. These are achieved using a select group of effect pigments, used in place of or alongside regular pigments and dyestuffs. Special effects are increasingly favoured in the design of modern plastic components. In response to ever-changing market demands, our expert technical team continues to expand our effects portfolio. See our Special Effects page to find out more.

Household brands such as Nescafe, Glade, V05 and Sensodyne have utilised our special effects for plastics. If you’re seeking visual distinction for your packaging or product, then our effect masterbatches can offer you the edge over your competitors. Combined with our custom colours, the possibilities are almost limitless.

Universal Colour Range

Need a colour quickly? We also have a universal range of 122 coloured masterbatches, offering a speedy, off-the-shelf solution. All 122 colours are formulated for a 1% let down rate and are compatible with a range of polymers, meaning you can enhance virtually any product with a splash of colour. Whether you’re a designer, moulder or recycler – Broadway’s Universal Colour Range gives you a quick and flexible option for colouring your plastic components.

As these are stocked products, next-day deliveries are often achievable (for UK orders placed before midday). With a minimum order quantity as low as 1kg, we cater for a variety of needs and samples are available on request. All colours in our universal range are free from heavy metals and conform to EN71 and AP(89)1 regulations.

Request your FREE Colour match today!

01986 875100 sales@broadwaycolours.com

Compatibility with your polymer of choice

Our custom masterbatches are polymer specific. This means they’re formulated for high performance when dosed into your chosen material. We can manufacture masterbatches for use with all the polymers outlined below, amongst others. If you’re running a material not listed here, please do get in contact with our expert technical team to see if we can meet your requirements.

LDPE

Low-Density Polyethylene – Slightly clearer than HDPE and far more flexible, mostly used for flexible packaging, carrier bags, flexible tubes, film applications etc. Like HDPE it has restricted transparent properties. It possesses excellent chemical resistance to alcohols, acids and alkalis. Limited resistance to hydrocarbon solvents and mineral oils. It will start to degrade when exposed to UV radiation for extended periods.

HDPE

High-Density Polyethylene – Slightly opaque white appearance used extensively in rigid bottle packaging, injection moulded caps and closures, crates etc. Its inherent whiteness can restrict the level of transparency achievable. HDPE possess better chemical and solvent resistance than LDPE.

PPHO / PPCO

Polypropylene (Homopolymer, Block Copolymer, Random Copolymer)
PPCO Random & PPHO – Fairly clear polymer used in caps and closures. Also used to manufacture houseware products, buckets toys and storage boxes. Polypropylene is flexible with no real restrictions to colour or effects. Random copolymer is clearer than homopolymer and more suitable for translucent colours.
PPCO Block – PPCO but modified for greater impact strength. The additive turns the polymer white giving it a high level of opacity. This can restrict the transparency achievable.

PET

Polyethylene-terephthalate – Polyesters are mechanically very strong and have good chemical resistance and barrier properties. PET is commonly used for making carbonated drink bottles. In addition, polyester can be spun and used to make textiles for clothes. PET is very clear which makes it good for translucent packaging, although a slight ‘yellowness’ can affect very light tints.

PBT

Polybutylene terephthalate – a thermoplastic crystalline engineering polymer that is often used as an insulator in electronics industries. It is a type of polyester with an excellent balance of properties and processing characteristics.

GPPS

General Purpose Polystyrene – Glass clear but with very little impact strength it is most commonly used in CD cases. Its high level of clarity makes it good for translucent colours although an occasional violet tint can be visible.

HIPS

High Impact Polystyrene – GPPS with the addition of an impact modifier to give greater impact strength. This additive turns the polymer white, various grades give different levels of opacity. Generally used for games pieces, toys etc. Its high level of whiteness makes translucent colours difficult to achieve. Specialist versions such as K-Resin and Styrolux are available on the market to give the same translucency as GPPS.

ABS

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene – A tougher version of HIPS used in components with a higher added value. ABS is more durable than components manufactured in HIPS although it shares its difficulties in matching translucent colours. Like HIPS specialist translucent grades are available. Due to its durability, ABS is utilised in the manufacture of casings for power tools.

PA66 / PA6

Electrical Connectors made from PA6 / PA66

Polyamide (6, 66) – Nylon is a general-purpose grade which is widely used for mechanical construction and maintenance. This is due to its optimal combination of mechanical strength, stiffness and mechanical damping properties, together with a good electrical insulating ability. This is why electrical housing is made from nylon. PA66 is commonly used as a replacement for metal in various applications, the chemical and physical properties of PA6 are very similar to PA66. PA6 has better impact resistance and solubility resistance than PA66, but its moisture absorption is also stronger.

SAN

Styrene acrylonitrile copolymer – Transparent and with excellent chemical resistance, heat resistance and gloss, SAN also has good rigidity, tensile and flexural strength. Due to its high gloss appearance, SAN tends to be used in cosmetic packaging applications. SAN can cause problems when colouring in light tints due to the violet dyestuffs present in it. These are used to visually ‘clean it up’ when manufactured.

PETG

Polyethylene terephthalate Glycol – PET with glycol added. The Glycol is added to give better flow properties but decreases the strength. PETG can be extruded to form bottles and into sheets to make ‘blister’ type packaging.

TPE / TPU

Thermoplastic Elastomer/Thermoplastic polyurethane – TPU has many applications including automotive instrument panels, caster wheels, power tools, medical devices, and a variety of extruded film, sheet, and profile applications. TPEs are used in a variety of applications in the automotive, medical, construction, electrical, appliance, packaging, and industrial markets.

Additives

Whether you need anti-microbial, UV protection, anti-counterfeit or processing aids, our additives can be combined with colours and effects – tailored to meet your needs. Click to see our full range.

Find out more

Effects

We have an impressive and growing special effects portfolio – including a market-leading frosted effect for PET. Our effects are great for any brand seeking to gain product standout.

Find out more

Masterbatch & additive research & development

Compliance

Let us know your regulatory requirements and we’ll ensure our materials are compliant. Our technical experts have vast experience in compliance and are able to react swiftly to ensure our products meet your needs.

Find out more

Contact our expert team today to discuss your requirements.

01986 875100 sales@broadwaycolours.com

“Broadway have been a consistent factor in supplying us with hundreds of colours for almost 15 years, an efficient and customer service driven supplier who delivers on time every time. From supplying a colour plaque to delivering large lots of masterbatch on extremely short lead times, Broadway have never let us down!”

Mark B.
Operations Manager @ Synergy Plastics

“Broadway supply a comprehensive range of colourants for the SHARPSGUARD® range of products. While the day-to-day supply of colourants happen seamlessly to meet the exacting needs of Daniels Healthcare, in the background we work closely together to develop a range of colourants and other additives to future proof the SHARPSGUARD® range of products responsibly and sustainably. Broadway’s technical expertise is second to none which provides the basis to enhance new projects efficiently and effectively.”

Marc W.
Product Development & Technical Support Manager @ Daniels Healthcare

“Broadway have supported M&H for many years. They have a vast array of knowledge and work hard to support the requirements of their customers. They understand the need to respond quickly and efficiently with high quality products. I would not hesitate to recommend Broadway.”

Louise S.
Cluster Purchasing Manager @ Berry M&H Plastics

“It was surprising to see how much PCR content affected the final colour. Working with Broadway was great, as not only were they able to explain in great detail how the colour can be affected, but they were also able to show us, first-hand, how it looked. By carrying out the colour matching at the Broadway site and being able to feedback on the same day, it saved us precious time on development.”

Lauriane B.
Product Development Manager @ The Body Shop

“Broadway worked with us for several months to achieve the optimal results that our customer was looking for. This project was an absolute success for our business. Our experience with Broadway has always been positive, their biggest advantage is their great customer service and response time, this combined with a very good lead time for non standard colours makes Broadway one of the best masterbatch and compound suppliers that we have worked with.”

Vasco M.
Operations Manager @ SI Protech

“Broadway’s ability to offer small lot size shipments, not only gives us flexibility in production, but makes us nimble and efficient when it comes to our own clients’ needs. Concentrating on relationship building and understanding our own requirements fundamentally makes Broadway stand out from the crowd.”

Ben M.
Head of Sales & Marketing @ ACME Whistles

“Broadway have been our provider for some years now in all our technical material needs – offering expert technical knowledge and advice and providing bespoke solutions. Broadway have taken the stress out of trying to keep up to date with all our technical needs and provide us with a common sense approach to incorporating new materials and additives and adapting the materials to suit. They offer an up-to-date colour match service from a very experienced team and first-class technical approach, offering fast lead times. Broadway are a very competent team. They’re always on hand when we need them to react to our needs and we would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable, consistent and quality focused material supplier.”

Shaun M.
Director @ Rototek

What is masterbatch?

Masterbatch is used to add colour or enhanced properties to plastic components. It’s a concentrated formula of colourants and/or effects and/or additives, combined with fillers, encapsulated within a carrier plastic resin. Masterbatch is supplied in pellet form to be dosed into raw polymer for use in plastic manufacturing. Masterbatch can be used with virgin polymer or used with recycled plastic. We encourage customers to consider using PCR (post-consumer recycled) resins wherever possible. Want to know more? Check out our detailed article for a deeper explanation of masterbatch and its incredible role in enhancing product colours. Click here to learn more!

Why do I need masterbatch?

Anyone creating a coloured plastic item will tend to require a coloured masterbatch. Broadway can develop and supply plastic colourants in the form of masterbatches, for plastic moulders to use in production. Masterbatch is almost always the preferred choice for colouring plastics. Most coloured plastic components we encounter in our daily lives will be coloured with masterbatch. As the pigments or dyes are encapsulated within a pellet, masterbatch ensures a much cleaner process than would otherwise be experienced by using liquid colours in plastic manufacturing. This can minimise waste and significantly reduce downtime in production. It also allows very accurate control of colour dosing and distribution. It’s not just about colour though, masterbatches can also be used to achieve a number of special finishes within plastics. Additive masterbatches can improve processing and enhance the properties of end components.

Which polymers do Broadway manufacture masterbatches for?

Broadway provide polymer specific masterbatches for use in HDPE, LDPE, PPCO, PPHO, PET, PBT, GPPS, HIPS, ABS, PA66/PA6, SAN, PETG and TPE/TPU. Our Universal Colour Range is designed for use in a variety of polymers.

What let down rate should I use?

The let down you use may be dependent on the way you dose or mix your colour. Using high quality gravimetric dosing equipment it may be possible to dose as low as 1%. This means one pellet of masterbatch to every 99 (equally-sized) pellets of your raw polymer. This tends to work more effectively when moulding high volumes of components, where you have the opportunity to optimise the process at the start of a long production run. With volumetric dosing or premixing, a higher let down is desirable to achieve a consistent colour in your end components. The higher the let down you use, the greater your colour stability will be. This is especially relevant for translucent colours and can be beneficial for highly colour critical applications. Although in such instances a compounded material might be more appropriate. High let down rates (a greater proportion of masterbatch to raw polymer) will increase your overall raw material costs, as masterbatch will cost significantly more than your raw polymer. An optimal let down rate will result in lower costs, without having a negative impact on the colour consistency of your end components. A masterbatch designed for a low let down rate will tend to be ‘highly loaded’. This means the formulation will contain a greater percentage of colourant to the amount of filler or carrier resin. As pigments and dyes are expensive components in the formulation, a masterbatch formulated for a low let down rate will tend to have an increased cost per kilo, compared to a masterbatch formulated for a high let down rate. But overall savings can still be achieved as less masterbatch will be needed in production. Our Universal Colour Range is formulated for a 1% let down rate, but it can be dosed at a higher rate if required.

What is the cost of Broadway’s colour matching service?

A colour match will usually be free, we’ll do the match and post sample plaques free of charge. On rare occasions where specialist constituents are needed to complete the match then Broadway will be in touch to discuss any associated costs before we start work.

How long will it take to get a colour match?

It will usually take our team 3-5 working days to dispatch a colour match sample following receipt of a new colour match request. Our team process several matches every day, if we have an exceptionally high volume of matches to produce then leadtimes may be longer. We advise all customers to request matches as soon as they can, in order to avoid any delays.

Can I get a free sample?

In many cases, small samples can be obtained free of charge. Please call us to discuss your requirements. Postage costs for samples will be dependant on location.

How long will it take for me to get a sample?

A colour sample from our universal range can often be delivered on a next day service. If you request a sample for a custom colour match then this will typically be dispatched within 5-7 working days of receipt of that request, along with your sample plaques.

What are the minimum order quantities for Broadway’s materials?

Universal Masterbatch: 1kg Custom Masterbatch: 5kg Custom Compounds: 25kg Universal Roto powders: Small lots available in multiples of 20kg Custom Roto powders: 1,200kg

How long will it take for my order to be dispatched?

Universal Masterbatch: From one working day (dependent on current stock availability) Custom Masterbatch: From five working days (dependent on current production schedules) Custom Compounds: From five working days (dependent on current production schedules) Universal Roto powders: From one working day (dependent on current stock availability) Custom Roto powders: From three weeks (dependent on current production schedules) Please remember to allow time for delivery. Broadway deliveries are reliant on external courier services.