Washington, Pennsylvania-based Audia Elastomers has announced the launch of its AudiaFlex family of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), which it calls “one of the industry’s first TPE portfolios that meet the sustainability needs of brand owners and consumers.” The new AudiaFlex portfolio includes what Audia calls customizable grades that are produced from postconsumer, postindustrial and marine-based scrap and others made with bio-based sources. “The AudiaFlex product line is a reflection of Audia’s commitment to sustainability,” says Frank Axelrod, vice president of sales and marketing for Audia Elastomers. “We’re directly responding to the market forces that are demanding new sustainable material options.” Axelrod is referring to legislation on single-use plastics, growing consumer demand for sustainable products and the commitment from brand owners to achieve sustainability goals over the next five years, according to Audia. AudiaFlex materials mirror the properties of most virgin TPEs and deliver comparable capabilities in terms of haptics, color, adhesion and durometer, says the plastic producer. Audia foresees applications in personal care, consumer household, consumer electronics, automotive and toy industry applications. The AudiaFlex grades are being manufactured at the company’s facilities in Lafayette, Georgia, and Shenzhen, China. The AudiaFlex PC line, based on postconsumer materials, is offered with from 5 to 50 percent postconsumer resin (PCR) content. AudiaFlex PI materials are based on postindustrial sources and incorporate from 5 to 70 percent postindustrial scrap content. The AudiaFlex OP line of TPEs consist of up to 45 percent marine waste and 70 percent total recycled material content. Audia says it is focused on recapturing beach cleanup materials, commercial fishing gear and ocean-bound plastics as the source for its OP line. Rounding out the series of sustainable materials is AudiaFlex Bio, which consists of from 5 to 90 percent bio-based content, with formulations available for oxo-degradable and compostable applications. Audia Elastomers designs and makes TPEs, thermoplastic vulcanizates, thermoplastic polyurethane and thermoplastic polyether ester elastomer materials and operates what it calls a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in LaFayette. It is part of the Audia group of companies that also includes Washington Penn, Uniform Color, Southern Polymer and Audia Liqui-Kolor. https://www.recyclingtoday.com/article/audia-plastic-recycling-thermoplastic-elastomers/