PACKAGING
Brand colour precision and consistency
Packaging demands brand-perfect colour, consistent visual impact, and adherence to regulatory frameworks. With the experience of 60,000 custom formulations and working within a colour tolerance of just one Delta E, you can be sure your brand colours are in safe hands. Our colourants are trusted by international consumer goods companies for use in their branded packaging.
Navigating packaging legislation and regulatory change
Packaging legislation across the UK and Europe is evolving rapidly, with regulatory frameworks like the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and the UK Plastic Packaging Tax placing increasing pressure on manufacturers to ensure compliance and sustainability. As a masterbatch supplier, we help packaging producers stay ahead of these complex requirements – whether it’s through developing formulations that support 30% PCR thresholds to avoid taxation, or providing technical guidance and materials for recyclability to meet EPR criteria.
Compliance with hazardous substance restrictions
In parallel, tightening restrictions on hazardous substances require precise control of raw materials and full transparency in additive sourcing. These include per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are increasingly being phased out due to their persistence in the environment, and certain azo dyes linked to toxicological concerns. Our formulations are fully compliant with current REACH and RoHS regulations, and we maintain robust documentation to support traceability and validate compliance. By combining regulatory insight with technical expertise, we assist customers in creating packaging solutions that are both legally compliant and commercially competitive.
Expertise in colour matching for recycled materials
Due to inherent tints and batch variances, the use of PCR (post-consumer recycled plastic) often poses colouring challenges, but we have vast experience in navigating these. Our on-site colour matching suite is a fantastic facility which allows us to demonstrate the visual limitations often posed by using high levels of recycled plastic, enabling you to see first-hand what can be achieved. You can approve several colour matches in a single day and leave with confidence that the colours you’ve approved will be faithfully replicated in production.
Functional additives to improve performance
We also offer additives to enhance packaging. GrapheneXcel enables thin-wall lightweighting and improves barrier properties – ideal for the packaging of perishable goods. MasterFoam has also proven successful in lightweighting packaging components, reducing polymer usage, improving productivity and lowering costs. Our special effect masterbatches can elevate the aesthetics of your product or packaging and we even offer an innovative anti-counterfeit additive. This can be used by brands to ensure specified masterbatches are used in every production run, it also allows genuine products to be differentiated from fakes.
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A trusted supplier to many market sectors
Compatibility with your polymer of choice
Our custom masterbatches are polymer specific – this means they’re formulated for optimum performance when dosed into your chosen material. We offer compatibility with a wide variety of plastics used across various industry sectors. A selection of the most commonly used polymers is listed below.
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
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.
Contact our expert team today to discuss your requirements.
