Keep it simple: An Innovative Coating Agent for EPS
10. June 2025
Our Contribution to Improved Sustainability. An Update from the Technical Applications Business Unit:
At the Technical Applications business unit of IOI Oleo, the combination of market understanding, application know-how and innovative research has always been at the centre of our activities. Particularly in the area of expandable polystyrene(EPS), we bring our oleochemical expertise to bear in numerous product solutions, always with the aspiration of optimising our customers’ performance and, at the same time, creating sustainable solutions. This self-perception often leads to developments that challenge established standards, as in the case of our new EPS coating agent.
In close cooperation with our Research & Development department, a product type emerged in the course of the past few years and months that could give a completely new face to the technology of coating agents for EPS. While classical coating systems for EPS consist of (partly complex) compositions of different glycerol esters in combination with metal stearates, our new solution shows that there are alternatives.
The highlight: Our product works as single component system and requires no mixing with additional components and provides not only comparable but, in many cases, even better performance results – in particular regarding the mechanical properties.
Further benefits are the variable usability (universally usable for: grey and white EPS, high and low target densities, EPS from extrusion and suspension polymerisation processes, with and without recyclate) and the reduced CO2 footprint through the minimised complexity and simplification of the supply chain.
What at first sight appears to be a simple work step is, however, actually the result of intensive development work and a targeted innovation strategy. As Steve Jobs aptly said: “Simple can be harder than complex.” We follow this principle with conviction and are committed to providing simple, sustainable and powerful solutions that, at the end of the day, make a real difference.
Dr. Andreas Wintzer
Dr. Andreas Wintzer is Technical Product Manager in the Technical Applications Business Unit at IOI Oleo GmbH. He studied Chemistry at TU Dortmund University with an emphasis on technical chemistry, particularly in the area of renewable raw materials. The extensive knowledge he acquired during his studies is the perfect basis for his work at IOI. Before joining IOI Oleo GmbH, Andreas completed a trainee programme at the European Space Agency in the Netherlands, then gained production experience as a technologist at Papierfabrik Hagen, which at the time belonged to the Stora Enso group. He enjoys sports, regularly rides to work by bike and preferably spends his leisure time with his family or friends.
