Ultrapolymers

Did you know? More of football is made of polymers than most fans realise. ⚽

From the ball and boots to water bottles, energy gel packs and reusable cups in the stands, polymers appear all over matchday.

Here’s a quick look at some of the materials that can sit behind performance, durability, comfort and convenience — on the pitch and beyond.

Discover more about polymers commonly used in the big game and follow Ultrapolymers for more polymer insights.

Thank you to everyone who joined Ultrapolymers at Equiplast, FIP - France Innovation Plasturgie and Interplas UK last week. We had some truly valuable conversations across the shows, from sustainability and supply chain challenges to new material options, design-to-production support, the realities of manufacturing in Europe and much more.

A big thank you as well to all of the Ultrapolymers team members who were involved at the events, those working behind the scenes to make them happen, and everyone continuing to support our customers while the team is out meeting the market.

If you were not able to make it to one of the shows, we would still love to hear from you. The Ultrapolymers team will be at PLAST 2026 in Italy soon, or you can explore our plastics portfolio and get in touch via our website 👉 https://bit.ly/ContactUltrapolymers

On World Food Safety Day, it’s worth recognising that circularity in food packaging must go hand in hand with safety, approvals and performance.

For packaging stakeholders, the challenge is clear:
How do you integrate recycled content while maintaining full confidence in food contact compliance?

Encouragingly, innovation is advancing rapidly. One strong example is the development of mechanically recycled polystyrene for dairy applications by INEOS Styrolution.

Through a multi-step recycling process, including deep NIR sorting, hot washing, melt filtration and pelletising, post-consumer polystyrene can be transformed into high-quality recyclate.

At the heart of this is INEOS Styrolution’s “super clean” process, registered under EU Regulation 2022/1616, enabling recycled polystyrene to achieve food contact quality, something historically associated mainly with PET.
Importantly, this is no longer just a concept. Adoption is already scaling, with commercial implementation demonstrating real market demand.
- Yoghurt cups were the first to hit the market using this material
- This was followed by sour cream cups with 30% recycled polystyrene now available in select ALDI SÜD regions
- The solution has been recognised with the German Packaging Award (Sustainability: recycled content)

Maintaining the performance of conventional polystyrene, robust quality controls and a significantly lower environmental footprint, these developments show how circular solutions are becoming a practical reality in food packaging.

At Ultrapolymers, we see this as a key step forward, helping customers navigate the balance between regulatory compliance, product performance and circularity goals.

Because with the right expertise and materials, it is possible for food safety and circularity to co-exist.

Recycled content targets are rising across Europe, and the question has changed.

It’s no longer if recycled content should be used… it’s how to introduce it quickly and reliably without risking performance or aesthetics.

Here’s a practical, industrial case study supported by SK Functional Polymer showing exactly that:
✅ 30% recycled content incorporated into PE/EVOH multilayer barrier blown film
✅ Designed to protect film quality and brand appearance
✅ Enabled through compatibilisation — bridging the polarity gap between PE and EVOH using LOTADER® 4210

Key takeaway: when compatibility is engineered correctly, recycled content can be introduced into demanding barrier structures without compromise.

🔎 Want to explore LOTADER® 4210 for recycled-content barrier and multilayer films? Read the article here -> https://bit.ly/recycled-barrier-films

Message us or contact the Ultrapolymers team, and we’ll help you assess the feasibility for your structure and process.

This week, Ultrapolymers is at three major industry events across Europe.

📍 Interplas UK – Hall 9, Stand S20 | Birmingham, NEC
📍 Equiplast – Pavilion 3, Stand 73 | Gran Via Venue, Barcelona
📍 FIP - France Innovation Plasturgie – Stand 38 | Eurexpo, Lyon

By Connecting Today and Tomorrow Ultrapolymers brings the right materials, the right support and the right conversations together. If you are looking for a partner to help you move forward with confidence, come and speak to us about your material needs, technical support, innovation goals and sustainability ambitions.

We look forward to seeing you there.

The plastics industry is changing — and the way we learn needs to change with it.

At Interplas, Amy Stanier, Digital Content and Academy at Ravago, will be presenting:
“Why the Plastic Industry Needs a New Approach to Learning”
📅 4th June
🕐 11am
📍Interplas Insights Stage (Hall 10 L120)

High-quality training exists across the plastics industry, however access to it is not always easy.

For many learners and people managers, the barriers are familiar:
time, cost, resources and availability.

This session will explore how more accessible, flexible learning solutions, such as The Academy, can help bridge knowledge gaps, support professional development and make it easier for people across the industry to improve their understanding of polymers.

It is also about something bigger: supporting current and future generations by making knowledge easier to access, share and apply.

If you are looking to develop your own polymer knowledge, support your team’s learning journey, or better equip people for the changing needs of the plastics industry, we would be pleased to see you there.

Register your interest or speak to the Ultrapolymers team to find out more (Contact Us here -> https://bit.ly/4sZ1aw8) or you can visit Ultrapolymers in Hall 9 on, Stand S20.

We’re exhibiting at Interplas! Come and meet Ultrapolymers Limited at Hall 9, Stand S20.

Our team will be at the show and looking forward to meeting with customers, partners and industry specialists from across the UK plastics industry.

With so much uncertainty around regulatory change, supply challenges, and sustainability demands, Interplas is a great opportunity to discuss the issues that matter most right now. We’ll be ready to discuss key industry topics, including regulatory developments, supply chain pressures, portfolio expansion, sustainability and the importance of learning.

If you’re attending, contact us to book a meeting or simply visit us at Hall 9, Stand S20 to start the conversation with Ultrapolymers.

Click Here to Contact Us -> https://bit.ly/UltrapolymersAtInterplas

This is your reminder to take a breather, literally...

We know it's tough at the moment. Logistics and material supply are putting pressure on all of us and our businesses. Now more than ever, it's important to give yourself a reset. And this only takes 5 minutes.

5 minutes of focused breathing is all it takes to make a real difference to the rest of your day. Deep, controlled breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, helping activate the parasympathetic nervous system, our body’s natural way of shifting from “fight or flight” to a calmer, more balanced state.

The result?
✔ Lower heart rate
✔ Reduced cortisol levels
✔ Improved oxygen flow
✔ A clearer, more focused mind

Creating space to slow down biologically supports better thinking, learning, and decision-making.

Take a breather and get in the zone for learning something new on The Academy 👉 https://bit.ly/LearnWithUltrapolymers.