DSM’s Akulon® XS resin successfully helps barrier film developers overcome the traditional PA6 film processing challenges and achieve better film properties
LONDON, U.K. — 12 December 2016— Based on its recent analysis of the market for barrier films in flexible packaging, Frost & Sullivan recognizes DSM with the 2016 European Frost & Sullivan Award for Product Leadership. DSM’s product portfolio comprises its proprietary product, Akulon®, PA6 and its latest innovation Akulon® XS which is used exclusively for film extrusion in food, medical, and industrial product packaging. The Akulon® product line addresses a wide range of polyamide barrier film manufacturing needs, such as superior barrier properties and recyclability solutions.
With customers demanding a single film that can be used to package multiple types of products, DSM is being touted as the ideal barrier film partner. Due to its flexibility, barrier film developers are increasingly opting for DSM’s cost-effective Akulon product in retort packaging for both ready-to-eat products and fresh foods.
“Among resins, Akulon XS is proving a revolutionary product due to its special chemical and morphological structure, which combines the film property advantage of PA6 and the film processing advantage of PA6/66 types of copolymers,” said Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst, Arun Ramesh.
Fundamentally, the slower crystallization rate enabled by Akulon XS offers a broader production window for both mono and multi-layered co-extruded barrier film structures, which were previously impossible to achieve without mixing PA6 with expensive polyamides and copolymers. What’s more, Akulon XS has same end level of crystallinity to PA6, which is significantly higher than conventional polyamides copolymers. Film developers can therefore fully translate the film processing advantages into better film properties.
To ensure the films’ robustness, DSM employs two internal tools—the value calculation model and the lifecycle analysis tool. While the value calculation model analyses the product’s performance value, the lifecycle analysis tool evaluates the barrier film’s sustainability in terms of its effectiveness in reducing food wastage.
DSM works closely with customers and shares its extensive knowledge of material crystallization in different temperature ranges, so that customers can easily configure their machines to produce best-in-class barrier films.
Overall, DSM has set the stage for further growth in the European market by positioning itself as a provider of sustainable, high-quality, and certified barrier films for the food industry.
Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has developed a comprehensive product line that caters to the breadth of the market it serves. The award recognises the extent to which the product line meets customer base demands, the overall impact it has in terms of customer value, as well as increased market share.
Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognise companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.
About DSM
With extensive knowledge in the value chain associated with food and medical industries, DSM has continued to be a pioneer in the flexible packaging industry. Supported by a strong expertise in research & development and profound understanding of performance materials has allowed DSM to constantly innovate packaging solutions that focus on high-performance and sustainable films to the flexible packaging industry.
About Frost & Sullivan
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