Teknor Apex stands out for its masterbatch solutions, offering both standard and custom blends meaning you get a highly concentrated mixture of pigments and additives pre-dispersed in a carrier resin. This translates to efficient coloring, consistent results, and the ability to add specific properties like flame retardancy or UV resistance—all in a single step during your plastic processing. Whether you need vibrant colors for consumer goods or performance-enhancing additives for industrial applications, Teknor Apex's masterbatch solutions can streamline your process and elevate your end product.
Polymer Colorants & Masterbatch Product Portfolio
Masterbatch
Dry Colorants
Teknor Apex's dry colorant portfolio enables optimal color options for rotational molders. Our knowledge of pigment and resin chemistry ensures vibrant, consistent colors while our expertise in rotational molding ensures a smooth process. We offer a range of standard colors for quick turnaround, along with the ability to custom-blend colors and add functional additives to meet your exact specifications. Dry colors can be supplied in bulk or custom pre-weighed unitized packages.
Pre-Colored Compounds
Simplify your production process and achieve consistent, high-quality results with Teknor Apex's pre-colored compounds. Unlike standard resins, these pre-blended materials come in a wide range of colors and are ready for fabrication when received by the molder translating to faster cycle times, reduced waste, and complete color control. Custom pre-colored compounds are available for all thermoplastic resins as well as bioresins and are suitable for use in all fabrication processes.
Colorant Selection Guide: Masterbatch vs. Dry vs. Pre-Colored
Method |
Best For |
Pros |
Cons |
Color Masterbatch |
Automated extrusion and injection molding |
Clean handling, consistent dispersion, compatible with automated dosing systems |
Requires dosing equipment and accurate letdown control |
Dry Colorants |
Rotational molding and select molding applications |
Flexible formulation, fast color changes, cost-effective in certain processes |
Dust generation, mixing variability, housekeeping requirements |
Pre-Colored Compounds |
Applications requiring tight color control and consistency |
Uniform dispersion, simplified processing, no color dosing required |
Higher material cost, less on-site color flexibility |
Advanced Color Technologies & Specialty Solutions
Low Heat Build Colorants
SpectraCool™ technology from Teknor Apex is a game-changer for dark-colored plastic parts. It reduces heat build-up during sun exposure, minimizing warping and keeping the surface cooler to the touch. This leads to increased product lifespan, improved aesthetics by preventing distortion, even potential cost savings by reducing reliance on heat-resistant additives. Create a more durable and comfortable end product with SpectraCool.
Special Effects
Infuse your plastic parts with visual intrigue with Teknor Apex special effects. Imagine adding a frosted translucence to highlight details or a burst of fluorescence to grab attention. Our offerings go beyond typical colors, allowing you to achieve unique aesthetics like a subtle shimmer or a sophisticated pearlescent finish. Elevate your product's visual appeal and set it apart on the shelf—and in the marketplace.
Super Concentrates®
Made up of Color Crystals®, Color Spheres® and Ultracolor® products, these ultra-high-performance concentrates deliver exceptional color vibrancy and functional properties at unmatched loading rates. Achieve superior aesthetics and performance in thin-walled applications or overcome processing challenges with minimal impact on your base resin sustainably and cost-effectively while pushing the boundaries of your plastic product design.
BioResin Colors and Concentrates
Embracing sustainability doesn't mean sacrificing performance. Teknor Apex's BioResin Colors and Concentrates allow you to achieve vibrant colors and essential functionalities in bio-based or biodegradable products. Available in PLA-carrier, biodegradable co-polyester carrier, and PETek® PET-carrier options, these concentrates seamlessly integrate into your existing processes for injection molding, extrusion, and blow molding.
Featured Colorants & Masterbatch Brands
Industry News and Technical Resources
Frequently Asked Questions:
Color masterbatch is a concentrated colorant that is mixed into natural resin during processing using a defined letdown ratio. Pre-colored compounds are fully compounded materials where the color is already dispersed in the polymer. Masterbatch offers flexibility in dosing and inventory, while pre-colored compounds provide maximum color consistency and simplified processing.
A super concentrate masterbatch contains a higher pigment loading than a standard color concentrate. This allows lower dosing levels, reduced inventory, and improved shipping efficiency. Super concentrates are often selected for high-volume production or when minimizing carrier resin impact is important.
Dry colorants are commonly used in rotational molding because they blend directly with polymer powder and support efficient color distribution during the heating cycle. Proper dispersion and controlled loading are important to achieve uniform color, minimize streaking, and maintain part quality in rotomolded products.
Polymer colorants are additives used to introduce color into plastic materials. They may be supplied as masterbatch, dry color, liquid color, or pre-colored compounds, depending on the processing method and application requirements.
Special effects are visual enhancements added to plastics to create distinctive finishes beyond solid color. These may include metallic, pearlescent, translucent, marble, glow-in-the-dark, or other custom aesthetic effects. Special effects are typically delivered through masterbatch or compound formulations designed to maintain consistent dispersion and surface appearance during processing.