Advanced Polymer Alloys Announces New Grade of Alcryn® Melt-Processible Rubber

Alcryn MPR 2090 is designed as a performance alternative in high durometer elastomers

WILMINGTON, DE (PRWEB) August 27, 2003 --- Advanced Polymer Alloys, a division of Ferro Corporation (NYSE: FOE), today announced the availability of a new grade in its Alcryn® Melt-Processible Rubber (MPR) product line -- Alcryn MPR 2090. This is the first nominal 90 Shore A product ever offered by APA.

Alcryn MPR 2090 is an extension of the Alcryn MPR 2000 series, APAs most-often specified product line. Alcryn MPR 2090 is designed for applications that demand high performance with increased stiffness and a higher durometer. Specific examples include the automotive industry where Alcryn MPR 2090 can be used in wear surfaces such as bumpers in door latching systems where noise reduction is an issue.

Alcryn MPR is the perfect alternative to the TPUs currently in use," said Jeff Senich, APAs business development manager. Alcryn 2090 offers outstanding toughness, durability, and weathering performance without the processing difficulties sometimes associated with TPUs. This new product offers the same exceptional features as the other grades of Alcryn MPR, meaning it has great resistance to abrasion, fuel oils, and other harsh conditions. Whats more, it is easier to process than thermosets and most TPEs, which can save our customers time and money."

Among the applications where Alcryn MPR 2090 will be utilized are automotive components such as bumpers for door-latch mechanisms, bushings for suspension components, and other wear surfaces, along with other applications in consumer products, tools, and appliances.

The Alcryn MPR 2000 series -- available in black and colorable neutral grades -- is designed for injection-molding applications and complex profile extrusions. The entire series is designed to achieve higher flow rates during processing.

About Alcryn MPR
Alcryn MPR delivers the durable performance characteristics of rubber and easily processes on conventional plastics equipment, which provides cost savings. Alcryn MPR does not require compounding or pre-drying before processing. Since parts made from Alcryn require no vulcanization, scrap can be recycled repeatedly with no detrimental effect on performance or appearance.

When compared to soft TPEs and many vulcanized rubbers, Alcryn MPR outperforms in durability, coefficient of friction, and resistance to abrasion, chemicals, oils, fuels, and long-term exposure to sunlight and other aspects of weathering. Every grade in the product line can be made flame-retardant using a concentrate supplied by APA.

About APA
Advanced Polymer Alloys is a division of Ferro Corporation and the world's only manufacturer of Melt-Processible Rubber, sold under the brand name Alcryn. Based in Wilmington, Delaware, APA is dedicated to helping product manufacturers and part fabricators gain a marketing advantage by improving the customers product quality and simplifying their manufacturing processes.

Ferro Corporation is a major international producer of performance materials for industry, including electronic materials, pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals, color and glass performance systems, polymer additives, specialty plastics, and industrial coating systems. The company has operations in 20 countries and recorded sales of $1.5 billion in 2002.

For more information on the companys product line, visit APA on the Web at www.APAinfo.com or call 888-663-6005.

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Alcryn® and Melt-Processible Rubber (MPR) are trademarks or registered trademarks of Ferro Corporation. APA is a division of Ferro Corporation.