CLEVELAND, OH (October 18, 2023) — Specialty polymer additives, dispersions, and release agent manufacturer Polymer Solutions Group, LLC (PSG) announced today that it has earned the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Certified Biobased Product Label for its patented functional process aids, SureMix® CO² and SureMix® S6.
SureMix® functional process aids were designed to optimize processability and enhance the performance of silica and carbon black reinforced rubber and tire compounds without compromising physical or dynamic properties. This innovative solution is known for optimizing the dispersion of silica in rubber compounds, which significantly impacts various tire properties, such as rolling resistance, wet grip, and tread life.
SureMix® is distinctive for being 100% biobased, with a renewable content range from 84% to 91%, indicating a strong commitment to renewable resources and environmental sustainability. It improves rubber compounds’ mixing and processing efficiency, reducing energy consumption during tire manufacturing. The use of SureMix®, in turn, contributes to better fuel economy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions throughout the tire’s lifespan.
The product is available in different variants, including SureMix® CO², which focuses on enhancing curing, filler dispersion, and physical and dynamic properties, and SureMix® S6, which improves processing efficiency and energy consumption in extrusion. PSG’s SureMix® product line represents a transformative force in the tire and rubber industry, promoting eco-friendly and high-performance solutions to meet future demands.
“In today’s tire manufacturing process, the significance of responsible sourcing and operations cannot be overstated,” explained Dr. Rikki Lamba, PSG Managing Director, Additives. “SureMix® represents a 100% biobased product line that is pivotal in curbing energy consumption, reducing mixing time by 20-50%, and enhancing downstream processing. SureMix® empowers formulators to unleash the complete performance potential of their products without encountering processing constraints. Furthermore, the adoption of SureMix® allows manufacturers to drive progress in mobility and establish new standards for tire performance.”
SureMix® CO² and SureMix® S6 can now display a unique USDA label that highlights its percentage of biobased content. Third-party verification for a product’s biobased content is administered through the USDA BioPreferred® Program, which strives to increase the development, purchase, and use of biobased products.
Biobased products help address climate change by offering renewable alternatives to petroleum-based products; sequester carbon dioxide, lowering the concentration of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere that contribute to climate change; create and expand markets; are generally safer for people and the environment than their petroleum-based counterparts; and represent incredible technological advances and innovations.
The USDA Certified Biobased Product Label displays a product’s biobased content, which is the portion of a product that comes from a renewable source, such as plant, animal, marine, or forestry feedstocks. Utilizing renewable biobased materials displaces the need for non-renewable petroleum-based chemicals. Biobased products are cost-comparative, readily available, and perform as well as or better than their conventional counterparts.
Aaron Puhala, PSG’s Vice President of Innovation, emphasized, “The USDA Certified Biobased Product Label for SureMix® exemplifies PSG’s unwavering commitment to equipping our customers with the material technologies essential for addressing current challenges and fueling their future aspirations. PSG’s profound understanding of the hurdles compounders and material designers encounter ensures that customers will greatly benefit from SureMix®, which offers innovative and sustainable solutions.” He said, “SureMix® has consistently proven its ability to tackle manufacturing challenges and enhance tire performance, all while mitigating the need for higher silane loadings. Tire compounding has traditionally involved optimizing the art of compromise, but with SureMix®, we can achieve optimization without compromise.”
“We applaud Polymer Solutions Group, LLC for earning the USDA Certified Biobased Product Label,” said Vernell Thompson, USDA BioPreferred Program. “The label is intended to help spur economic development, create new jobs, and provide new markets for farm commodities. But the label also makes it easier for consumers and federal buyers to locate biobased products and consider planet-friendlier options during purchase decisions. By having their products become USDA Certified Biobased, Polymer Solutions Group, LLC joins an expanding list of businesses combatting inaccurate marketing claims and the practice of greenwashing, while also contributing to a thriving bioeconomy that decreases our reliance on petroleum.”
In the latest Economic Impact Report released by USDA, the biobased products industry supported 4.6 million American jobs; contributed $470 billion to the U.S. economy and generated 2.79 jobs in other sectors of the economy for every biobased job. Biobased products also have a substantial environmental impact, displacing about 9.4 million barrels of oil a year, with the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 12.7 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents per year.
About the USDA BioPreferred Program
With the goal of increasing the development, purchase, and use of biobased products, USDA’s BioPreferred® Program was first introduced in the 2002 Farm Bill and reauthorized in 2018. It requires federal agencies and contractors to give purchasing preference to biobased products. The USDA BioPreferred Program also includes a voluntary certification and labeling initiative for biobased products. This is referred to as the USDA Certified Biobased Product Label.
More than 1,800 companies across the U.S. and in 47 countries participate in the Program. From farm and field all the way through the manufacturing process, the expanding market for biobased products creates jobs, supports rural economic growth in America, and has a positive impact on our planet. Have questions? Please contact: Vernell Thompson, USDA BioPreferred Program at Vernell.Thompson@usda.gov.
About Polymer Solutions Group
PSG is an innovative manufacturer of class-leading proprietary and custom polymer additives, dispersions, and release agents for the rubber, plastic, and engineered wood industries. PSG offers a variety of customer-centric solutions that meet exacting specifications, provide superior performance characteristics, enhance processing efficiency, optimize supply chains, and lower overall costs. Trusted by the world’s leading companies in over 50 countries, PSG’s unparalleled products and application expertise are unmatched by any other supplier.
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