Borealis, a leading provider of innovative, value creating plastics solutions, has started up a Parallel Pressure Reactor (PPR) research tool, supplied by U.S. R&D integration partner Symyx Technologies, as part of a project to drastically reduce the time taken to develop new materials. The first polymerisation trials were successfully completed on May 30, 2008, at Borealis' Innovation Centre in Porvoo, Finland.
The PPR is a fully automated workflow system that comprises 48 mini-reactors, each with a volume of just a few millilitres, which can simultaneously carry out 48 polymerisation experiments in a single day – far faster than current norms. It is ideally suited for catalyst and process research.
Borealis is responding to the ever-increasing need to minimise the time to bring new ideas to market. Current and upcoming investments by Borealis Innotech, its multi-site R&D organisation, are devoted to increasing basic research in polymerisation and process technology as one means of achieving that goal. Key end-use markets such as building and construction, as well as automotive and advanced packaging should benefit substantially from these investments.
"This new equipment provides a major step forward for our research community and helps us develop innovations much faster and more efficiently," says Alfred Stern, Borealis Vice President for Innovation and Technology.
Borealis is investing a total of around EUR 10 million in new R&D tools and a further EUR 60 million in improved infrastructure, which includes new laboratory buildings.
"These investments will provide the optimal environment to make our research teams more innovative, supporting our strategy to achieve a step change in innovation," adds Alfred Stern.
END
Borealis and Borouge are leading providers of innovative, value creating plastics solutions. With more than 40 years of experience in polyolefins and using our unique Borstar® technology, we focus on the infrastructure, automotive and advanced packaging markets. We have production facilities, innovation centres and service centres across Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific and work with customers in more than 170 countries around the world to provide plastic materials that make an essential contribution to society and to sustainable development. We are committed to the principles of Responsible Care® and to leading the way in 'Shaping the Future with Plastics™.’
Borstar is a registered trademark of Borealis A/S.
Shaping the Future with Plastics is a trademark of Borealis A/S.
Thank you for understanding that we are only able to respond to media enquiries. For all other inquiries, please reach out to us via these contact forms.
Media representatives can reach our media desk during work days in Austria between 8:30 a.m. and 17:00 p.m. (CET) via email or telephone.
High-resolution images and videos are available for download in our media gallery.
Group Media Desk
+43 1 22 400 899 (Vienna, Austria)
