SK Functional Polymer (SKFP) is a subsidiary of Fortune 500 South Korean conglomerate, SK Group. The company has a long-standing experience in supply of specialty resins.
Interview with Dr. Nico Esselin, Development Group Manager, Compounds & Recycling at SKFP V.P
A brief description of the company and its activities.
Nico Esselin: SK Functional Polymer (SKFP) has more than 50 years of experience in the development and supply of specialty polyolefins. SKFP extensive range of specialty resins are suited to a large number of applications in packaging, automotive and construction. These products are produced in three manufacturing facilities in Europe (Balan, Carling and Mont) but are sold globally. More than 90% of its production is sold outside of France, especially in the USA, China, India, Germany and Italy. SKFP materials are marketed under the following brand names:
- LOTADER®: reactive ethylene-acrylate maleic anhydride terpolymers and reactive ethylene-acrylate glycidyl methacrylate terpolymers
- LOTRYL®: ethylene-acrylate copolymers
- EVATANE®: ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers
- OREVAC®: reactive anhydride maleic modified polyolefins.
- EVASINTM: EVOH ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers (a trademark of Chang Chun Petrochemicals, based in Taipei, Taiwan)
SK Functional Polymer markets an extensive range of specialty polyolefins that are suited to a large number of applications. SKFP next challenge is to become a major actor in the plastic circular economy by growing applications where its products help to recycle mechanically plastics wastes and are involved in the production of green energy.
Recycling / Upcycling
A second life can be given to recycled plastics such as rPET, rABS, rPA, rABS, rPE, rPP and their blends. Using the same principle as for virgin resins, SKFP additives can boost the performance of recycled resins.
Compatibilizers and particularly Recycled plastics / Polymer blends
LOTADER®, OREVAC® and LOTRYL® offer good compatibilization for polymer blends with improved properties.
The use of blends to improve mechanical properties and the development of recycled polymers in compounds require excellent polymer compatibilization. Functional polyolefins allows homogenizing polymeric components of blends and improving the mechanical properties and the processability.
Impact Modifiers
Temperature resistant thermoplastics (for example PA, PBT, PET, PPS, ABS and PC/ABS, PC/PBT alloys) are more and more frequently used in the automotive, electrical and electronic industries. These engineering plastics have good mechanical and thermal properties but their main weakness is their poor impact resistance.
A well established solution consists in homogeneously dispersing small particles of an elastomeric polymer (low Tg), such as LOTADER® or LOTRYL® flexible impact modifiers into the rigid matrix to inhibit its brittle behaviour. The benefits of SKFP resins for impact modification are:
- High impact resistance thanks to low Tg (below -30°C)
- Flexible materials to absorb energy and avoid craze propagation
- Excellent thermal stability which makes it compatible with the usual processing temperatures of most engineering plastics (> 250-300°C)
- Wide range of functionality & viscosity
Coupling Agents
The addition of fillers to polymers in order to improve mechanical strength (modulus), thermal properties like HDT (Heat Deflection Temperature) and Vicat is very commonly used.
Maleic anhydride grafted polyolefins, such as OREVAC® PP and PE, are used in the formulation to improve the properties of the compounds.
What are the main areas of activity of the company?
N.E: The key markets for SKFP resins are:
- COMPOUNDS & MECHANICAL RECYCLING
- Recycling agents (Orevac®, Lotader®, Lotryl®)
- Impact modifiers (Lotryl®, Lotader®)
- Coupling agents (Orevac®, Lotader®)
- Carrier for masterbatches (Lotryl®)
PACKAGING
- Tie layer (Orevac®, Lotader®)
- Sealing resins (Lotryl®, Evatane®)
- Seal-peel resins (Lotryl® Bestpeel)
AUTOMOTIVE
- Sound deadening foams (Lotryl®, Lotader®)
- Fuel tank (Orevac®)
CONSTRUCTION
- Insulation membranes (Lotader®, Lotryl®)
- Bitumen modification (Lotader®, Evatane®)
- Heating tubes (Orevac®)
What’s the news about new products/services?
N.E: SKFP next challenge is to transform into a major actor in the plastic circular economy by growing applications where its products help to recycle plastic wastes. SKFP develops a range of plastic recycling additives. It’s important to know the challenges in collection, sorting and reprocessing. SK Functional polymer developed the following solutions depending of the recycled plastic feedstocks.
SKFP Solutions for recycled ABS (rABS)
Acrylonitrile – Butadiene – Styrene resins (ABS) are widely used for applications in Automotive, E&E and Home appliance. These generate a large source of wastes. Impact performance of recycled ABS (rABS) often requires to be improved. Their viscosity may not be adapted to converting processes such as injection molding or extrusion. Using SKFP additives LOTRYL® 29MA03T & 40MA05T, ABS or rABS impact performance is significantly improved. As for its viscosity, measured by its MFI in the graph below, it can be controlled by adding LOTADER ® AX8900 or LOTRY L® 28BA700T.
SKFP Solutions for recycled HIPS (rHIPS)
High Impact PolyStyrene (HIPS) is used for home appliance fridges, toys, cups and automotive… Even though it can be easily sorted, rHIPS mechanical properties like impact strength or fluidity are negatively affected in the recycling loop. rHIPS properties are improved by adding Lotryl® 29MA03T for better impact resistance or by using Lotryl® 28BA700T to increase its fluidity.
SKFP Solutions for recycled polyamide (rPA)
Polyamides are difficult to sort due to different wastes origins. It then becomes a challenge to maintain good properties of the recycled feedstock. In presence of 25% PP or PE contaminants, LOTADER ® 3410 in PA6/PE or a blend of LOTADER ® 4700/OREVAC ® CA 100 in PA6/PP increase the elongation at break and impact strength above those of the virgin PA6. Other LOTADER ® and ORE VAC ® grades can also provide combination of processability and toughening at room or low temperature with optimum stiffness.
What are the ranges of products/services?
N.E: SK Functional Polymer markets an extensive range of specialty addititves marketed for food packaging, plastic recycling, construction under the following brand names:
- Lotader®: reactive ethylene-acrylate maleic anhydride terpolymers
- Lotader®AX : reactive ethylene-acrylate glycidyl methacrylate terpolymers
- Lotryl®: ethylene-acrylate copolymers
- Evatane®: ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers
- Orevac® G: reactive anhydride maleic grafted polyolefins (PE, PP, EVA)
What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
N.E: The market for mechanically recycled plastic is challenging. But the market is slightly recovering since the beginning of 2025.
What can you tell us about market trends?
N.E: We expect steady growth from now on. In addition, new solutions are still under development and ready to be used to take profit of the recovery. SK FP is ready to supply all recyclers, compounders and transformers who are requiring support. Pressure from legislation as well as consumers more and more drive the industry to increase plastic recycling rate and green initiatives. Recycling of postconsumer (PCR) and post-industrial (PIR) waste is a major challenge for the plastic industry. The presence of a wide variety of incompatible polymers in waste streams leads inevitably to phase separation and poor mechanical properties.
Improvements in the procedures in separating waste streams may lead to more effective recycling but those procedures are time consuming and rarely fully effective.
What are the most innovative products/services marketed?
N.E: SKFP strategy is to develop solutions meeting its customer needs. In construction membranes a need to improve the breathability -ability to transmit water vapor- of protecting membranes was identified and met by the introduction of a new grade, LOTRYL® 40MA05T. Not only this new product is available through SKFP but, in addition, it was demonstrated this product has superior performance in boosting the properties of some styrenics recycled plastics.
More recently SKFP introduce the most reactive LOTADER® AX8850 resin in order to meet the need of its customers for enhanced adhesion to metallic surfaces.
SKFP will continue to listen the voice of its customers to meet their needs.
