Page 42 - Plastics News November 2019

KRAIBURG TPE caters to flexibility in the furniture sector

With advancements being made in the thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) sector, the material is replacing traditional
elastomers and thermoplastics in a variety of applications in the furniture industry. KRAIBURG TPE offers TPE
compounds that support applications in the furniture & fixtures industry and meet requirements for style, comfort,
safety, performance and functionality.

In the ever-evolving furniture industry, the market is Thus, for furniture parts like chair armrests and leg rests,
striving to innovate to present ergonomically designed it is important to have good chemical resistance against
furniture that will appeal to respective individuals and sebum.
their lifestyles.
Another advantage is the good UV and weathering
TPE appeal in furniture & fixtures resistance. With these properties, TPEs can be applied
on semi-outdoor and outdoor furniture & fixtures that
KRAIBURG TPE, a global TPE manufacturer of a wide range of
thermoplastic elastomer products and custom-engineered are exposed to high UV and extreme weather elements.
TPE solutions, offers TPEs that have the properties to THERMOLAST® K the building block for furniture&
accommodate to designers’ and manufacturers’ needs to fixtures
achieve the best match between product specification and KRAIBURG TPE’s THERMOLAST® K EX/UV series can be
choice of material for the furniture & fixtures industry.
applied on edge guards, furniture profiles as well as door
and window seals for outdoor applications. This series is
the material solution and choice for applications requiring
high UV and weather resistance. Furthermore, selected
compounds of this EX/UV series come with RAL GZ 716
approval, which meet the quality and test requirements
for plastic window profile systems, and, CSTB QB36
approval. These compounds are also recyclable and
resistant to acrylic paints. The series also offers excellent
adhesion to polypropylene (PP) and can be used as an
alternative to EPDM and PVC-P polymers.
With its excellent adhesion to polyamide, KRAIBURG TPE’s
KRAIBURG TPE’s compounds can be applied on door THERMOLAST® K AD/PA series adds value to furniture
dampers for cabinet and drawer closers, which help in in terms of style and functionality for furniture parts,
closing a door in a controlled manner. TPEs can also be used with design elements. Because of its soft touch feel,
in the castor wheels on kitchen trolleys, movable shelves this series of TPEs can also be applied on handles for
and cabinets, or possibly, on wheels for wheelchairs. indoor or outdoor furniture, like recliner chairs. This
KRAIBURG TPE’s compounds meet the requirements for series has excellent adhesion and can adhere to PA6 and
these applications, thanks to their excellent abrasion PA6.6, containing up to 50% glass fiber. In addition, this
resistance and high degree of scratch resistance.
series has high UV resistance and is UL94 HB listed for
Creating style and aesthetics the flammability test. Since colors play an important
role in the furniture industry, KRAIBURG TPE offers
Since creativity is one of the many important criteria
for designing furniture, KRAIBURG TPE’s material helps comprehensive color solutions that enable customization
designers and manufacturers to enhance their furniture of compound colorization, according to a desired color,
designs and, hence, increase the aesthetics, style, and in the most economical and optimal way possible; at
performance and functionality of finished products. the same time assuring the customer a globally consistent
color quality.KRAIBURG TPE is a global manufacturer of
KRAIBURG TPE offers materials that render smooth and thermoplastic elastomers. From its beginning in 2001 as
silky surfaces and very good chemical resistance against a subsidiary of the historical KRAIBURG Group founded in
sebum and sunscreen, which is especially useful for 1947, KRAIBURG TPE has pioneered in TPE compounds,
furniture that is in high contact with the human skin. today being the competence leader in this industry.

Plastics News November 2019 42