ColorMatrix, a leading innovator in liquid colorants and additives for plastic applications, has expanded its international facilities with the opening of a new state-of-the-art Global Technology Centre. The million pound investment will allow the company to enhance its cutting-edge capabilities in R&D, high-level materials analysis, product testing and trialling. As a result, ColorMatrix’s highly qualified team of scientists and engineers will remain at the forefront of innovation and closely support manufacturers throughout the packaging, extrusion, injection moulding and fluoropolymer industries.
The Global Technology Centre, based at ColorMatrix’s UK site, will house a new suite of instruments for material analysis and product testing, including major expansion to the spectroscopy and microscopy analysis laboratory. An FT-IR spectrometer, X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and a colour spectrophotometer will enable the highest levels of quality control and materials characterisation. The new instruments and equipment make ColorMatrix’s technology centre one of the best-equipped in the industry. It encompasses dedicated laboratories for product development, plastic processing and testing, gas barrier evaluation, spectroscopy, microscopy and separation science and technology.
“ColorMatrix prides itself on its R&D facilities, and the opening of the new Global Technology Centre will allow us to continue to drive innovation,” commented Mark Frost, director of development. “Improvements in plastic’s sustainability is a key focus for us. Our first-class product line demonstrates the capabilities of our R&D team, with innovative additives that improve recyclability, reduce energy usage and enable product lightweighting for manufacturers. The opening of the Global Technology Centre reaffirms our commitment to sustainable practices.”
The Global Technology Centre operates in tandem with a network of regional facilities to support local manufacturers in product commercialisation. Working one-on-one with manufacturers around the world, advances in technology are realised into innovative, practical applications by ColorMatrix’s on-the-ground experts. Expansion at the European headquarters in Knowsley follows a $250,000 investment at the Suzhou site in China, to upgrade laboratory facilities and better serve local customers, with new gas barrier testing and UV spectrophotometry. The capacity of the Itupeva plant in Brazil has been increased fourfold, boosting laboratory, warehouse and production facilities.
Beyond the highly qualified R&D teams, ColorMatrix’s in-house regulatory experts can provide comprehensive regulatory advice and documentation. With increasingly complex international legislation, navigating issues of compliance can be difficult. For manufacturers looking to develop or improve products or seeking leaner and greener manufacturing practices, ColorMatrix can provide support across the board, from R&D and trialling to marketing and compliance.