TIE LAYERS
Quality & R&D

The need to use base polymers that comply with dedicated Technical Delivery Specifications becomes almost mandatory for these applications, where there is often a strong focus on optical properties and the presence of gels.

In addition to the necessary control of the amount of maleic anhydride grafted onto the polymer matrix during the polyolefin grafting process—a factor directly related to the final adhesion strength of the adhesive layer—special attention is also given to monitoring the amount of free maleic anhydride, ensuring it remains well below the minimum concentrations set by current regulations. This guarantees, particularly in the food packaging sector and in multilayer tubes for drinking water transport, the ideal combination of performance and food contact suitability.

MPB’s R&D department relies on a highly specialized technical team with extensive experience, supported by a modern facility and advanced laboratory equipment.

Among the most valuable resources available to the department are the 5-layer blown film coextrusion line and the brand-new multilayer cast line—pilot machines that allow theoretical solutions to be tested, concretely highlighting their potential and limitations.

The Pilot Plants play a strategic role in the innovation process, enabling several key functions for research and development. In particular, they allow new materials to be tested on equipment that closely replicates the actual conditions of production lines, representing the ideal step between laboratory experiments and a costly industrial-scale scale-up. This approach is essential for MPB and is also highly valued by its Clients.

The plants are used to address two main R&D needs:

• Improving existing products or developing new ones through internal activities that allow testing of innovative formulations and configurations in a realistic production context.
• Conducting joint tests with Clients within shared R&D projects, aiming to develop customized solutions in an environment protected by NDAs.