Butra Boonliang, SCG Chemicals Thailand, expects fire safety regulators to impose new regulations in Thailand in areas such as transportation and construction. In the future, new developments from Europe such as low smoke toxicity requirements are expected to be adopted in the rest of the world.
These changes combined with market advancements create new requirements for flame retardants. Singapore is developing as a servicing hub for airlines, leading to demand for high performance, low smoke flame retardants. Inter-connexion of high speed railways and of cargo services result in fire safety standards being harmonised upwards. The ideal flame retardant should be flexible for different polymer applications, easy to process, retain material performance and cost-effective. Market segments have different requirements, but there is a general trend to avoid halogenated FRs because of end-of-life issues and acid smoke gases.
SCG Chemicals, www.scgchemicals.com is launching the CIERRA-FR range of PIN flame retardants in the European market. These products ensure delayed ignition, reduced heat release, no acid smoke contribution, and uniform char formation.