PolyOne Corporation, a premier global provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions, today announced that it is completing the development of a patent-pending fiber treatment technology that will enhance the performance of traditional wood plastic composites (WPCs).

This new technology will enable customers to differentiate their products in the marketplace by offering better performance and enhanced resistance to weathering, mold and mildew, scratching, staining, and water absorption.

PolyOne has also recently introduced a portfolio of customized chemical foaming agents for WPCs. These new additives will help manufacturers to achieve several critical objectives, from increasing sustainability and strength of the finished part to reducing part weight.

"We are confident that these new technologies will help drive customer success in a variety of applications," said John Van Hulle, senior vice president, president of Global Color, Additives & Inks. "This is another example of PolyOne’s commitment to delivering collaborative, customer-focused solutions that help to create value by enabling product differentiation, gains in market share, and growth."

Together, these developments are a significant extension of PolyOne’s OnColorTM WPC line of colorants. This line consists of fade-resistant, "cooler-to-the-touch" colorants in highly loaded, small bead form for better distribution of color during extrusion and molding operations, and streaker technology that yields the aesthetic appearance of tropical hardwoods in WPC formulations. Moreover, the OnColorTM Smartbatch WPC line incorporates both color and additive technology designed to eliminate processing steps while further enhancing the performance of WPCs.