The PBT material is said to offer a 20% saving in energy use

BASF’s high flow PBT material, launched at K in 2004, has won the eco efficiency label from Germany’s TuV organisation, owing to the energy saving opportunities that it offers. Ultradur High Speed uses a nano additive to boost the flow properties. According to the company it can either cut energy use by 20% or give a reduction in cycle time of 30%. In addition, the mould can have a simpler design and parts can have thinner walls, thus offering a saving in material use. A further benefit, BASF said, is that fewer rejects are produced because the mould fills more easily. The analysis for TuV approval – the first BASF engineering polymer to receive such an accolade – was carried out by Professor Hungerbuhler of Switzerland’s Federal Institute of Technology. The label is awarded to products or methods that perform better from an environmental and financial standpoint than comparable materials or methods.