Pittsfield, Mass-based Sabic Innovative Plastics — a global supplier of thermoplastic resins,
coatings, specialty compounds, films and sheets and a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Arabia-based
Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) — has collaborated with Atlanta-based modular carpet
manufacturer Interface Inc. and Universal Fibers — a Bristol, Va.-based supplier of solution-dyed
melt-pigmented fibers — to develop Valox iQ* 2205HV high-performance resin for use in Interface’s
new Convert™ carpet line, made using ReFresh® post-consumer recycled (PCR) nylon fiber supplied by
Universal Fibers.
Valox iQ* 2205HV resin is used as an additive to provide permanent stain resistance and to
maximize PCR content. It contains up to 65 percent post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
from plastic bottles that are upcycled to make polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), resulting in up to
55- to 75-percent fewer carbon dioxide emissions than are produced by the production of standard
PBT resin. According to SABIC, Valox iQ* 2205HV also helps disperse pigment throughout the polymer
melt to produce strong colors using fewer colorants.
“Valox iQ resin was developed as an environmentally responsible solution by incorporating
upcycled PET bottle content,” said Richard Crosby, global product marketing and technology leader,
Sabic Innovative Plastics. “Now, it’s being used as an important additive that, combined with other
environmental technologies, is helping to take sustainability to a whole new level. The versatile
Valox iQ resin technology is helping our customers in totally new market sectors to support their
most important environmental initiatives, like Universal Fibers’ ReFresh yarns and Interface’s new
Convert carpet.”
Crosby added that Sabic’s target applications for Valox iQ* 2205HV resin include the
automotive, outdoor vehicle and medical enclosure markets in addition to carpet applications.
August 11, 2009
