“Our Selkirk, NY, facility was one of the first production and compounding facilities to receive ISCC PLUS accreditation for the production of PPE resin and compounds based on renewable, bio-circular sources,” said Evelyn Pearson, a senior manager at Sabic. “We plan for Noryl grades formulated with these bio-based feedstocks to be certified under ISCC PLUS at Selkirk and other global Noryl compounding plants. This achievement underscores Sabic’s commitment to building a circular plastics industry.”

Global investment bank and advisory firm Stout acted as the exclusive sell-side advisor to EPP Team. Managing Director Mike Benson led the team for Stout, which also participated in the sale of Intertech Plastics to TriMas at the end of last month.

Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Rochester, NY, EPP manufactures complex, tight-tolerance injection molded components serving the firearms, medical, electrical, industrial, and consumer markets. The company utilizes data-driven scientific molding to offer a suite of design support, mold manufacturing, and value-added services. EPP is highly differentiated by its ability to perform complex precision and plastic optical molding, its commitment to scientific molding principles, and its expertise with in-house tool building, said the announcement.

EPP Team, d.b.a. Empire Precision Plastics (EPP), has been sold to Kouza Management, an affiliate of Kouza Capital, a family office based in Troy, MI, specializing in recapitalizations of lower-middle-market companies within the diversified industrials, technology, and consumer verticals.

Noryl NH5120BIO4 resin is suited for evaluation in housings and enclosures, heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) components, and photovoltaic/solar junction boxes. The bio-based, non-brominated/non-chlorinated flame-retardant resin has a UL flame rating of V1 at 1.5 mm with no intentionally added per- or polyfluorinated substances (PFAS). Noryl NH5120BIO4 resin delivers a balance of heat resistance, flow, hydrolytic and dimensional stability, and creep performance, and retains its mechanical properties in harsh outdoor environments.

Noryl GTX902BIO3 resin, a bio-based PPE alloy that provides chemical resistance and paintability for potential use in applications such as automotive wheel covers, automotive electrical components, and painted automotive trim.

Noryl GFN2BIO3 resin features high strength, hydrolytic and dimensional stability, low warpage, and low specific gravity. This bio-based material carries a UL746C outdoor suitability rating of F1 and is suited for indoor and outdoor applications in the building and construction and lawn and garden industries.

Formulated with polyphenylene ether base resins, the grades offer sustainable solutions for the automotive, building and construction, and lawn and garden industries.

“We’re pleased to provide customers with new choices to reduce the global warming potential of both existing and new applications made with Noryl materials,” said Joshua Chiaw, director, business management, LNP & Noryl, Specialties, Sabic. “Bio-based PPE feedstocks enable Sabic to efficiently produce sustainable Noryl materials that can serve as drop-in replacements for traditional grades — with equivalent performance and processability. Expansion of our Noryl resin portfolio with bio-based versions is a key part of our strategy for helping brands, OEMs, tier suppliers, and molders achieve their sustainability goals.”

Sabic is now offering bio-based versions of all Noryl, Flexible Noryl, Noryl GTX, and Noryl PPX resin grades to help customers meet increasingly rigorous sustainability goals. Formulated with polyphenylene ether (PPE) base resins certified under International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) Plus, the bio-based materials provide properties similar to those of fossil-based grades. Users can also select from multiple levels of bio-based content for the Noryl grade they select.

To demonstrate the feasibility of this bio-based approach, Sabic has commercialized three popular Noryl grades; however, these example materials represent only a small percentage of the full offering. The availability of bio-based versions broadens the choice of environmentally responsible Noryl resins beyond the company’s recently introduced post-consumer recycled (PCR)-based materials containing more than 25% PCR content.