Tag: Lubrizol

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The Lubrizol Corporation has announced its Sheffield, UK-based Diamond Dispersions business has won the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding short-term growth.

The award was presented for growth in overseas sales over the last three years.

Since 1966, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise recognizes British businesses that excel in four categories, including International Trade, Innovation, Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity. It is the highest official UK awards program.

Diamond Dispersions, which manufactures color concentrates used in the manufacture of inkjet inks, mainly for the digital printing of textiles, is no stranger to this accolade having previously won the Queen’s Award for International Trade in 2012. Overseas sales have more than doubled over the past three years, and the proportion of sales exported has increased to over 80% of total sales.

“We couldn’t be prouder to receive recognition for our continued efforts and commitment to grow the company in such a prestigious way”, says Keith Malone, commercial manager, Diamond Dispersions. “The Queen’s Award is an honor that is admired across the globe, not just in the UK – and it deeply matters to every one of us at Diamond Dispersions.”

“Over the last few years, our strategic planning has driven us to work more closely with print machine manufacturers (OEMS), enabling them to develop bespoke ink products,” shares Andrew Grantham, marketing manager, Diamond Dispersions. “The closer relationships we’ve built have been a key driver to our sales growth over the last three years.”

Diamond Dispersions has responded effectively to the rapidly growing digital print market by supporting customers as they seek to deliver customization, shorter print runs, just-in-time manufacturing and a desire for reduced stocks and wastage.

“We’ve also developed specific products for use in the pigmented digital textile printing market, which has huge potential for growth, “adds Grantham. “Pigment-based digital printing of cotton textiles, in particular, is much more environmentally friendly than dye-based printing as it requires less energy and water and eliminates waste-water effluent.”

“Ever since Diamond Dispersions was established in 2007, we have taken every opportunity to further improve and enhance our customer service,” concludes Grantham. “For example, to better serve customers locally and achieve the response times demanded by those customers, last year we made the decision to hold stock in several different countries including China, the US, India and Brazil.”

“The Queen’s Award is a great achievement and our whole team is justifiably very proud of the award,” shares Charles Nelson, general manager, Diamond Dispersions. “Lubrizol is planning further investments in the business to ensure we keep pace with growing demand.”

Diamond Dispersions will celebrate the award during a royal reception for Queen’s Awards’ winners in Summer 2019 and will host its own celebration in Sheffield in Autumn.

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Lubrizol Advanced Materials India Pvt. Ltd. signed an agreement in February with The Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT) for the supply of technical services and new application development of Estane(R) thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

ICT is a leading chemical technology research university in Mumbai, India.

The agreement was signed by Ms. Ursula Thakkar, Managing Director, Lubrizol Advanced Materials, and Prof. G. D. Yadav, Vice Chancellor, ICT. The agreement sets the stage for a close collaboration that aims to develop new end-use applications in the Indian industrial sector. Speaking on this occasion, Ms. Ursula Thakkar, Managing Director South Asia said, “We are very pleased to partner with ICT as part of our strategy to provide innovative solutions for our customers in India”.

Dr. Jesus Santamaria, Regional business director for Engineered Polymers, EMEAI added: “India is one of the key regions that is contributing – and will contribute much more in the future – to our global business growth. We acknowledge the specificities of India as a market, different from other regions and, as such, deserving a differentiated support. Growing TPU applications in mobility, electronics and Industry 4.0 (digitalization and automation) are positioning India at the forefront of technology. This agreement is critical to this vision as it will complement our current global technical centers with a local support from one of the most globally recognized chemical technology institutions.”

Lubrizol Engineered Polymers has more than 60 years of experience and a worldwide network that includes formulation design, manufacturing, R&D and cutting-edge technologies.

Lubrizol Engineered Polymers offers one of the broadest portfolios of engineered polymers available today including resins that are bio-based, recyclable, light stable, flame retardant, adhesive, chemically resistant, optically clear and fast cycling. Our technology crosses many industries and applications, including surface protection, power and fluid systems, sports and recreation, wearable devices, electronics and automotive.

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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The Lubrizol Corporation has formed an exclusive global collaboration with CP Kelco, servicing the personal and home care markets with PURLLON(TM) Cellulose Liquid and KELCO-VIS(TM) Diutan Gum products.

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, CP Kelco is a market leader offering innovative products and solutions using nature-based chemistry.

The new relationship combines Lubrizol’s formulation expertise with CP Kelco’s broad knowledge of more sustainable solutions. This allows our technical teams the ability to expand our formulation expertise, bringing innovative solutions with increased naturality without compromising performance.

With this collaboration, Lubrizol will exclusively service the personal and home care markets for CP Kelco’s innovative Fermentation Derived Cellulose & Diutan Gum technologies.

Vice president and general manager of Personal, Home and Health Care, Deb Langer states, “We are always looking for ways to expand our offerings to our partners and the team is excited to elevate our sustainable portfolio with CP Kelco® Fermentation Derived Cellulose and Diutan Gum products.”

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Hathaway’s Lubrizol Corporation has announced that its LifeSciences business will feature a new medical device applications lab.

LifeSciences has invested significantly to expand its global development and manufacturing facilities, and the latest investment is a new state-of-the-art medical device applications lab in Brecksville, Ohio.

The lab features applications testing, small-scale compounding as well as injection molding for long-term implantables. The 1,800-square foot facility will also focus on accelerated R&D, from polymers to device scale up and testing in a short period of time.

“The new applications lab is another commitment to healthcare companies looking for a full-service development partner. We continue to invest in the right areas to provide valuable offerings where our customers are experiencing the most growth,” states Uwe Winzen, general manager, Lubrizol LifeSciences. “When customers partner with Lubrizol LifeSciences, they benefit from working with us at every stage in their development process.”

Offering more than 90 years of science and technology experience, Lubrizol is uniquely structured to partner with medical device manufacturers by providing proactive innovation, speed to market, and expertise for the most demanding projects. From materials to development and manufacturing, or anything in between – Lubrizol LifeSciences is equipped to support the needs of customers worldwide.

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Hathaway’s The Lubrizol Corp. and Vidalia Denim, a division of Vidalia Mills Co., have entered into a strategic relationship that makes Lubrizol a preferred supplier of stretch fibers in its denim fabrics.

Both companies will work closely to maximize the performance and eco-friendly attributes of Lubrizol’s X4zol™-J elastomeric fiber in Vidalia’s production of denim fabrics.

Dan Feibus, CEO of Vidalia Mills Co., stated: “The production of stretch fabrics holds such an important place in the denim industry today. Vidalia’s decision to work with Lubrizol as a preferred supplier of stretch fibers furthers our mission to build the most efficient and environmentally friendly denim mill in North America.”

Feibus added, “Lubrizol provides us with an innovative state-of-the-art solution for sustainably produced, high-performance stretch fiber, and represents a key element in the evolution of great denim products and we are extremely excited to be working with Lubrizol on this project. Lubrizol is a global leader whose commitment to constant innovation and best practice sustainable manufacturing are a perfect fit for Vidalia.”

“We at Lubrizol are truly excited about teaming up with Vidalia to incorporate our X4zol-J technology into their denim fabrics,” Rob Richardson, global business director for Performance Apparel at Lubrizol, said. “While X4zol-J has already been adopted by many strategic global denim brands, we see this as an essential next step in helping advance the apparel industry’s sustainability agenda.”

© 2018 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Hathaway’s Lubrizol Corporation will invest more than $25 million in its Calvert City, Kentucky manufacturing facility.

The investment will enable the company to meet increasing customer demand, and comes after a recent $10 million expansion at the site to further improve the company’s safety management standards and create a world class quality laboratory.

The facility specializes in the production of Carbopol® polymers and Pemulen(TM) polymeric emulsifiers. These polymers are used in consumer goods for the personal care, home care, and pharmaceutical markets. This expansion will include advanced, proprietary process technology that will allow the Calvert City facility to continue to provide Lubrizol’s partners with high quality products.

“In response to increasing market demand, this investment will enable us to expand production capacity and update our infrastructure at our Calvert City facility while continuously improving safety and quality,” states Deb Langer, senior vice president and general manager of Lubrizol Personal, Home and Healthcare. “The expansion is critical in allowing our team to continue to provide dedicated service and support to our global partners.”

© 2018 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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The Lubrizol Corporation has announced its Engineered Polymers business has selected MSA Marketing Services of America, as a new distributor for the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) portfolio of the company’s business throughout the Andean Countries.

MSA distributes engineering plastics with significant territory coverage for all Andean Countries and will focus efforts on Lubrizol’s Engineered Polymers’ portfolio on elastomers applications. They have warehouses and office facilities strategically located in Bogota, Colombia.

The agreement, which took effect July 1, 2018, includes the following key product lines which are well-suited for today’s innovative and demanding applications:

Estane(R) TPU: products are utilized in film and sheet, extrusion, blow molding, injection molding, over molding, calendaring and solution coating processes.

Isoplast(R) ETP: are hard and high flexural modulus polyurethane engineering resins with excellent chemical resistance and barrier properties.

Pearlbond(TM) TPU: Hot Melt Adhesives (HMA) and Reactive Hot Melts (HMPUR), typically used in automotive interior parts, bookbinding, furniture, textile and footwear.

Other products that will also be distributed by MSA are: Pearlthane(TM) TPU, Pearlthane(TM) ECO* TPU and Carbo-Rite(TM) Conductive Compounds.

Rogerio Colucci, Lubrizol engineered polymers business manager for Latin America comments, “It is exciting to work with MSA, as they have excellent in-depth knowledge of the engineering plastics markets in the Andean Countries. When combined with Lubrizol’s innovative and durable TPU solutions for specialized wire and cable, consumer, industrial, automotive and footwear applications, this will further enhance our ability to work closely with customers, helping them solve valuable problems and drive innovation and growth in the Andean Countries.”

George Lanza, president of MSA Group, comments, “With the new dynamics and demands of the high-tech resins market and considering the competitive value of taking advantage of the availability of advanced products that increase quality in a cost-effective manner, we are proud and fortunate to represent the products and the professional ethics of a large company such as Lubrizol. With this alliance we close the circle regarding our mission to continue helping our clients grow while maintaining the importance of understanding and appreciating the need to stay at the technological forefront in favor of a solid and sustainable growth.”

© 2018 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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The U.S. Department of the Interior reports that Americans throw away at least 300 million pairs of shoes each year. Unfortunately, the traditional rubber sole is not easily recyclable and need 30-40 years to breakdown in a landfill.

Berkshire Hathaway’s Lubrizol may have solved that problem with an innovative new material.

The company has debuted its new polymer-based material solutions for the footwear market, Estane TRX TPU and BounCell-X.

First displayed at Chinaplas 2018, the plastics and rubber trade fair in Shanghai,Estane TRX TPU is billed as an innovative rubber replacement for outdoor, athletic and work shoe outsoles. Outsoles made from Estane TRX TPU provide outstanding benefits for both consumers and footwear designers. Among its its features:

Automation
• Reduced labor costs via thermoplastic injection molding
• Automated production possibilities versus traditional rubber outsole molding

Sustainability
• Recycling* possibilities at outsole manufacturing and post with TPU (not available with thermoset rubbers)

Applications
• Exceptional slip resistance with wet ground conditions
• Excellent wear resistance against heat friction on the shoe outsole at room/high temperatures
• Transparent outsole allows color freedom for novel design
• Thinner TPU outsole improves flexible feeling and improves weight reduction

© 2018 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.