SCA Foam ProductsGeneral Packaging and Components

M a s t e r m i n d i n g t h e v i s i o nC h a l l e n g i n g c o n v e n t i o nE n g i n e e r i n g t h e c h a n g e

SCA Foam Products, part of the SCA Packaging Group, is a premier supplier of custom designed cushioning products, material handling and speciality components, serving the needs of many of the world’s largest manufacturing companies.

SCA Packaging operates from over 300 locations, throughout the UK, Europe and Asia. Our combined knowledge and experience makes us an ideal packaging solutions supplier.

With five strategically placed manufacturing sites in the UK, SCA Foam Products offers excellent geographical coverage to meet our customers’ requirements. Our commitment to investing in the most up to date design and manufacturing technology ensures the highest standard of product quality and efficient production capability within the industry.

Specially trained packaging design engineers located at the Northampton Technical Centre provide customers with powerful resources. Our proven design, engineering and technical problem solving expertise is recognised worldwide within the high tech, consumer electronics, major appliance and automotive markets. Packaging isno longer perceived as just packaging, it plays animportant role in the perception of quality products.

With state-of-the-art processing equipment,SCA Foam Products manufactures protective products using a variety of foam materials including expanded polystyrene, expanded polypropylene and all known co-polymers.

Our commitment is to serve the specific needs of our customers with simple cost effective packaging solutions.

Our capabilities and equipment at our technical centre located in Northampton are second to none. We are proud of our facilities but even more outstanding is our award winning technical design team.

SCA Foam Products design team’s individual talents are drawn from their engineering and CAD design backgrounds. Their skills cover many disciplines; engineering, graphic design, tooling, pattern making and sampling coupled with an extensive knowledge of materials.

These combined skills create a dynamic problem solving team whose innovative new concepts and ideas radically improve on a products’ packaging protection, whilst also satisfying client requirements to save cost and improve efficiency - logistical issues of delivery, assembly, storage and despatch are addressed as a matter of course.

Technical Centre

The state of the art technical centre in Northampton has the latest CAD design technology. Working with 7 networked Pro Engineer CAD stations the design team are leading the way with innovative packaging solutions.

High quality precision prototypes are produced directly from CAD data using the latest technology in CNC machinery. Our computer controlled machines have multi tool change capabilities to speed sample production and efficiency. These powerful machines cut low to high densities of expanded foam to produce accurate samples for fit and evaluation. Hot wire cutting is also used where the dimensional tolerances are not super critical.

SCA Foam Products has the capability to simulate transit conditions and evaluate physical and mechanical handling in the distribution environment to determine the effectiveness of the cushioning, durability and other critical design attributes of the pack.

All testing is done in house therefore data is available immediately.

Add SCA Foam Products global collaboration to our designers’ expertise and you truly have a world of knowledge at your fingertips.

Testing FacilitiesMultiple Type Drop Testing

The “heavyweight” drop tester accommodates large products such as home appliances, televisions and computer equipment ensuring simulation of true freefall drops. Transient acceleration signals are displayed on the system monitor and the computer analyses the results. The “lightweight” model tests smaller lighter packages that are generally handled manually.

‘Real Life’ Handling Test

Warehouse damage is dramatically reduced by our ability to recommend the correct materials and density suitable for clamp truck and manual handling. Using a calibrated clamp truck for ‘real life’ trials we measure pressure/deflection - vital information required to design protection for the vulnerable sides of large products.

Transport Simulator

Our transport simulator imitates the movement and vibration a product would be subjected to whilst being transported on a vehicle. This covers all road conditions and journey lengths. The pack moves freely on the simulator and all faces of the packageare tested, facilitating an accurate test for mixed loads.

Inclined Plane

The inclined plane simulates sudden arrest - such as a rail car shunting or a vehicle stopping rapidly. A test often required for the white goods industry and where products are stacked together on a pallet.

The individual talents and collective experience of SCA Foam Products design team, backed by state of the art testing facilities, always leads to exciting new packaging solutions.

Heavyweight Drop Tester

Lightweight Drop Tester

Inclined Plane

packaging, where the expanded foam plays a vital part in the aesthetic appeal of the product.

Colour can also add appeal to the packaging. A variety of coloured foams are available, from soft pastels to intense colour. Colour is ideal for product identification, differentiation, or just to suit a company’s corporate colour identity.

SCA Foam Products extensive knowledge and material neutral approach ensures we offer the best optimum engineered solution to meet your packaging requirements.

Our foam moulding facilities have state-of-the-art processing equipment to manufacture products to meet customer specifications and to address the requirements of a multitude of industries.

The expanded foam materials we use include polystyrene (EPS), polypropylene (EPP), SupraCell™, Arcel and Hi-Heat resins. These foams have specific characteristics, which suit different application areas (please refer to Materials Matrix).

Engineered Foam Solutions

The versatility of expanded foam lends itself to be easily branded. Simply adding a plate within the tool can personalise your product by creating logos, numbers and lettering or instructions, for example for packing/unpacking directives. Recycling awareness can also be highlighted.

The plate can be easily interchanged for different information requirements or to update information changes.

Trade or product names are often included within customers’ expanded foam mouldings to enhance awareness of the company image or quality of the product.

Moulded foam parts can be more than just packaging; it can very much form part of the final product. The standard flat surface of the tooling may be produced ‘etched’ to create a textured finish or pattern, such as leather or grained effects. These options are usually chosen for automotive applications or for display

SCA Foam Products has developed insert moulding to another dimension. Using advanced manufacturing techniques (SupraTec); we can process ABS casings by moulding in expanded polystyrene to become airtight whilst allowing multiple materials to also be included, such as fixing components.

Working in partnership with Vent-Axia Ltd, the SupraTec process was applied to produce the award winning ‘Air Minder’ domestic heat recovery system.

The Air Minder unit consists of a two part outer casing with four turrets that are lined with polystyrene. Attention to shrinkage and tolerance has to be paramount to ensure the outer casing and expanded foam are sealed airtight together.

Channels are moulded into the polystyrene to fix and retain the internal components and provide cable routing.

SupraTecAn additional five fixing components are moulded into the Air Minder body casing.

Four ducting turrets are lined with expanded polystyrene using a unique three-dimensional moulding technique, which is the first ever process achievement of this kind.

With a global network of major suppliers, SCA Foam Products can recommend and supply the materials best suited to providing optimum product protection. Our extensive range of materials enables us to supply products to meet most manufacturing specifications and to address the requirements of a multitude of industries. We can even assemble and deliver your customised packaging line-side in a ready to use form.

Whatever your protective packaging requirements, you can rely on the expert in-house team at SCA Foam Products to provide a practical, cost effective high quality solution.

SCA Foam Products can also supply fabricated foam solutions, as well as moulded foams. We are converters of non-cross linked polyethylene foam, cross-linked polyethylene foam and polyurethane foam and can supply these materials produced using a variety of techniques.

Materials can be die cut, heat welded and assembled. We can also supply thermoformed, routed and water jet cut parts.

Fabricated foam solutions offer excellent cushioning and are ideal for smaller production runs, or where product launches have a very short time span. The tooling is less complex than for moulded foams and can be in place within days, as opposed to weeks. The range of stock materials we hold enables us to offer a fast delivery service.

Fabricated Foam Solutions

SupraCell™ is a reusable packaging system stronger than EPS, cheaper than EPE, EPP and Arcel and offers improved packaging performance.

Researched and developed over a 10-year period in

response to our customers’ demand for a material with

similar high quality properties to foams produced in

Asia, SCA Foam Products SupraCell™ now fills the

void.

SupraCell™ is a styrenic material process that affords

better product protection than expanded polystyrene

(EPS). It has proven to have 25% better cushioning,

with high fusion levels and improved tensile strength

and outperforms EPS in multi drop tests.

SupraCell™ is a lightweight, fully recyclable, robust

styrenic that compares to the properties of EPP, EPE

and Arcel, but at a more competitive cost.

Full transit tests have been carried out in house at SCA

Foam Products technical centre and in independent

trials by PIRA, SupraCell™ lived up to the expected

improvements in performance criteria.

SCA Foam Products manufactures SupraCell™ using a

process far more complex than the industry standard for

expanded polystyrene or polyolefin materials and is only

available from SCA Foam Products.

Originally created for the electronics industry,

SupraCell™ material has developed to become the

perfect low cost option for reusable packaging systems.

Ultra low densities are also available to replace EPS for

one trip packaging of very fragile goods.

SupraCell™

SupraSkin™ is a moulding process which is used to give an expanded foam body (EPP, EPS and all Co-Polymers) a skinned surface which offers increased tensile and compressive strength. It also can be used as a protective layer and can be enhanced aesthetically by the use of colour and surface finishes.

In comparison with skinning processes which bring two individual products with varying tolerances together, SupraSkin™ is produced in one complete process and therefore saves manufacturing costs. The other most common process is where a solid sheet plastic skin is introduced into the EPS mould at the end of the cycle to fuse the two products together. However, due to the fact that steam cannot pass through a solid, the mechanical bond is weak and produces no performance enhancements. The SupraSkin™ process is very similar EXCEPT that the membrane

SupraSkin™

EPS Sample

is porous and therefore facilitates the passage of steam, resulting in the expanded foam bead and the surface skin completely fusing together to become one component.

SupraSkin™ provides extra strength, improving impact protection as well as scuffing resistance. It has many applications in components where it can be used to replace injection moulded outer parts as well as improving the impact performance of the total unit.

The technical benefits of SupraSkin™ include:-

Improved impact protection

Added strength

Abrasion & scuffing resistance

Adds a protective covering

Moisture resistant

May be used to ‘hinge’ products

Various colours available

The SupraSkin™ process can be applied in various thicknesses and because it ‘melts’ with the EPS, there is no loss of definition. Detail such as lettering and recycling symbols etc. are still clearly visible.

SupraSkin™ Sample

Our expanded foam moulding expertise encompasses many diverse manufacturing processes, one of which is insert moulding. In lower densities it is flexible enough to grip other components into place or even moulded around other materials, such as plastic, metal fixings units and wood, making them an integral part of the component.

This is an ideal application where expanded foam components require fixing into place, forming part of the final product. A double transfer press automatically moulds in the additional parts. For example, an air conditioning pan unit is created by moulding expanded foam around a vacuum forming and a second stage moulds in plastic plugs and metal fixings, resulting in a lightweight, waterproof component ready to place. The options are endless and remember expanded foam is lightweight, insulating, sound deadening, protective and of course, fully recyclable.

Insert Moulding

Engineered ComponentsThe versatility and the energy management property of expanded foam lend itself to much more than just packaging. It may be moulded into shape to become a key part of the final product. For example, children’s car seats, water cooler insulation jackets and vacuum cleaner motor housing. Expanded foam is an ideal material for reducing noise and vibration and may even reduce the level of the outer packaging requirement. When expanded polypropylene is produced at high densities (eg 200g/l) it becomes rigid and has a high strength to weight ratio. Tooling costs can be as low as 10% of the price of injection moulding tools (£10,000 compared to £100,000) and has a much shorter lead-time. SCA Foam Products work with Pro Engineer solid modelling linked to CNC routers for accuracy and efficiency of producing samples.

PolyPallet™The Returnable Pallet Box SystemIn response to the demise in acceptability of wooden pallets in certain markets, SCA Foam Products Research & Development team has evolved a returnable pallet box system, which packs flat for the return journey.

The PolyPallet™ Box consists of a base pallet moulded in Arcel material and AC flute heavy grade corrugated sidewalls topped with an A flute grade lid. The sidewalls are held firmly to the Arcel base by a unique ‘stirrup lock’. Arcel is a very hardwearing, lightweight material that may be custom manufactured to suit customer’s individual product requirements.

For the return journey, the sleeve collapses downto fit within the outer perimeter of the pallet and the

Beam rackable (250kg - Report Pira Int.)

Stackable

Competitive pricing

Returnable / Reusable

4 way entry

Clean and contamination free

Timber free

Branding - Sleeve may be personalised with special markings

100% Recyclable

lid locks firmly over the top to complete the flat pack. Reducing the volume obviously creates major transport cost savings.

The PolyPallet™ Box system has been independently tested at Pira International (ISO 8611:1991) to ensure suitability of the pallet combination for storage in warehouse racking systems as well as in general stacking conditions.

Why Choose PolyPallet™?

If you are looking for a hygienic alternative to conventional wooden pallets, then look no further. SCA Foam Products

has the answer .... the PolyPallet™.

This expanded foam pallet is timber free, eliminating the need to meet the export requirements for wooden packaging materials of heat treatment or fumigation (ISPM 15).

Splinter, nail and dust free, PolyPallet™ is easier to handle than wooden pallets and they are so lightweight shipping costs may be reduced.

PolyPallet™Expanded Foam Pallet

PolyPallet™ is available in two standard sizes, 1200 x 1000 and Euro size 1200 x 800 but may also be custom designed to meet your requirements. The pallet surface may be adapted to customer’s own specifications. Or why not consider coloured pallets for easier product identification or branding.

End of life disposal is simple, as expanded foam is fully recyclable.

Timber Free

Hygienic - Ideal for food and

pharmaceutical usage

Lightweight

Durable

Splinter, nail & dust free

Pest free

Shock pallet potential

100% recyclable

Compressive CreepResistance Comparison

Resiliency Comparison Service TemperatureComparison

Compressive StrengthComparison

EPE EPP ARCEL EPS Hi Heat Resins

EPS &Hi Heat Resins

ARCEL EPP EPE EPS ARCEL & EPE

EPP Hi Heat Resins

EPE EPP ARCEL EPS Hi Heat Resins

Chemical Resistance Comparison to Gasoline-Type Solvents

EPS &Hi Heat Resins

ARCEL EPP EPEPoor

Fair

Good

Excellent

Properties

Typical Physical Properties of Moulded Foams

ASTM Test

Products

SupraCell™

EPPResins

EPSResins

ARCEL®

Resins

Hi HeatResins

TypicalDensity Range

Density ofFoam Tested

Compressive Strength(at 25% compression)

Tensile Strength(at break)

TensileElongation

TearStrength

DynamicSet

Compressive Creep(% of after 1,000 hours)

ServiceTemperature

ThermalResistancePer inch

pcf Kgs/m³ pcf Kgs/m³ psi kPa psi Kgs/cm² % lbs./in. Kgs/cm % 4 psi .28 Kgs/cm² ˚F ˚C 2.54 cm (R)

-

LightRegular

1.0-5.01.0-5.0

0.8-5.0

1.5-4.0

2.0-10.0

-

12-1418-22

16.2-80.116.2-80.1

12.8-80.1

24.0-64.1

32.0-162.0

-

1.31.9

1.25

2.0

6.0

-

14.022.0

20.830.4

20.0

32.0

96.1

D3575

UTPUTP

1016

21

18

225

UTPUTP

69.0110.3

144.8

124.1

1551.0

D3575

UTPUTP

3552

45

55

200

UTPUTP

2.53.7

3.2

3.9

14.1

D3575

UTPUTP

1822

<5

12

<5

D3575

UTPUTP

7.09.0

4.0

10.0

-

UTPUTP

1.21.6

0.7

1.8

-

D1596

UTPUTP

1.11.0

18

7.5

N.A.

D3575

UTPUTP

2.2@1 psi3.4@1 psi

2.0

2.5

<0.2

UTPUTP

<0.2

ARCO

175

190210

175

180

250

79

8899

79

82

121

C518

3.9

3.63.7

3.9

3.6

4.0

2.2@.07 kgs/cm²3.4@.07 kgs/cm²

2.0

2.5

ARCEL®

ResinsPolyethylene/Polystyrene

Copolymers

Material Selection MatrixFamily of Foams-Performance Characteristics and Application Areas

Product SupraCell™EPP

ResinsExpanded

Polypropylene

EPSResins

ExpandedPolystyrene

Hi HeatResins

ExpandedCopolymers

Performance Features

Regular: balance of flexibility and strength

Light: high energy absorption. Excellent cushioning

High StrengthcharacteristicsMouldable in very high densities, up to 10pcf/160.2kg/m³High service temperature, up to 250° F/121°C

A balance of flexibility and strengthTough-punctureresistantVery good solvent resistance

Good strengthGood first dropcushioningperformanceExcellent insulation value

High energyabsorptionExcellent cushioning over broad loading rangeHigh servicetemperature

Application Areas

Trade Names*

Regular: Reusable packaging bulk pack trays

Light: Protectivepackaging of highly fragile products

Lightweight automotive interior componentsBuilding panels and solar panelsCabinetry

Reusable packaging and packaging of heavyweight itemsBulk pack trays and tote binsWater sportsequipment

Packaging forconsumer electronics appliances, toysFood service cups, coolersInsulation-roofinsulation, sheathing board

Protective packaging of high-value, highly fragile electronicsHeat resistantpackagingEnergy-absorbing automotive-bumpers and components

SupraCell™ RegularSupraCell™ Light

NORYL®

GECET™ARCEL®STYROPOR®

NOVARIGIPORE®

ARPRO®

EPERAN PP®

NEOPOLEN P®

UTP = undergoing testing at present

Polymer / Density (kg/m³) Colours Variants

LD CN FR SD FM

• •

• •

••

•

• •

•

•

•

HD HL EV VA EM PPA MP (lbs/ft³)

15

18

24

29

30▪

32▪

33

45

50▪

60

70

115

80

600

300

34

47

79

120▪

70▪

50

45▪

30

25

35

65

80

26

450

300

15

240

33†

45

(1.0)

(1.1)

(1.5)

(1.6)

(1.6)

(1.8)

(1.9)

(2.0)

(2.0)

(2.1)

(2.2)

(2.8)

(2.9)

(3.1)

(3.7)

(4.1)

(4.4)

(4.9)

(5.0)

(7.2)

(7.5)

Key

▪ This product Black only.0 This product Black and White only.† This product Black, White & blue only.

All products are thermoformable, do not contain volatile organiccompounds (VOC’s) and are totally CFC and HCFC free.

Density Group code

Nominal Density identified i.e. 24 = 24kg/m³Ground rules for construction of codes are:-

Product Guide

(LD, HL, HD)(EV, VA, EM)(PPA)

cross-linked polyethylene foamcross-linked eythylene copolymerpolypropylene

PolymerType

DensityGroup

VariantCode

Colour(Full Name)

Variants

ConductiveFlame RetardantStatic dissipativeFlame retardant to meet FMVSS Specification

CNFRSDFM

Base Polymer Type

LDPEHDPEPolypropylenePE blendEthylene copolymerMetallocene catalysed polyethylene resin

MATERIAL

POLYETHYLENE

STRATOCELL®

PERFORMANCE

Extruded, closed cell polyethylene foamcushioning, insulating and barrierapplicationsCFC & HCFC freeRecyclable & reusableNon cross linked foam produced from lowdensity polyethylene (LDPE)RecyclableCFC & HCFC freeWithstands multiple dropsRange of thicknesses from 13mm to 100mmDensity 30kg/m³Available in anti static gradeLaminates easily with adhesive or bonds toitself by heat weldingWater resistant, excellent insulation

Zotefoams plc

LDHD

PPAHL

EV, VA EMMP

World Packaging Organisation

Working with: Rangemaster / Betacorque / Dyson Ltd /

Epson Telford Ltd / Electrolux Ltd

Worldstar Award

Institute Of Packaging Awards

Working with Rangemaster

Gold

SilverWorking with: Rockwood Electronics / B.O.S. Automotive / Merloni / Elettrodomestici UK / Dyson Ltd / Rangemaster / Electrolux Ltd / Epson Telford Ltd / Betacorque

BronzeWorking with: Indesit Company UK / SCA Tuscarora / Armour Plastics / Carron Phoenix / Merloni Elettrodomestici UK / Valor Heating Ltd / KEF Audio (UK) Ltd / Hornby Hobbies Ltd

Environmental Responsiveness Transit AwardWorking with Electrolux Ltd

Packaging Industry Awards

Packaging Innovation AwardWorking with Abbot PVC-U

JPC Award for Design & Development

Geographic Locations

UK Technical Centre & Administration

Cornhill CloseLodge Farm Industrial EstateNorthamptonNN5 7UBTel: + 44 (0) 1604 596800Fax: + 44 (0) 1604 759024ISO 9001:2000 Certificatione-mail: foam.products@sca.comwww.scafoamproducts.comwww.scapackaging.co.uk

Manufacturing Plants

NorthamptonCornhill CloseLodge Farm Industrial EstateNorthamptonNN5 7UBTel: + 44 (0) 1604 596850Fax: + 44 (0) 1604 755660ISO/TS16949:2002 CertificationISO 14001:1996 Certification

Spennymoor(Dedicated Automotive Plant)Merrington Lane Industrial EstateSpennymoorCo DurhamDL16 7XLTel: + 44 (0) 1388 825000Fax: + 44 (0) 1388 825019ISO/TS16949:2002 CertificationISO 14001:1996 CertificationISO 9001:2000 CertificationBS OHSAS 18001:2007

CorkHollymount Industrial Estate Hollyhill CorkTel: +353 21 439 26 22Fax: +353 21 439 35 15 ISO 9001:2000 CertificationBS OHSAS 18001:2007

TorpointNr MillbrookTorpointCornwallPL11 3AXTel: + 44 (0) 1752 822551Fax: + 44 (0) 1752 823551ISO 9002:1994 CertificationISO 9001:2000 CertificationBS OHSAS 18001:2007

LivingstonFirth RoadHoustoun Industrial EstateLivingstonWest Lothian EH54 5DJTel: + 44 (0) 1506 434201Fax: + 44 (0) 1506 430728ISO 9001:2000 CertificationISO 14001:1996 CertificationBS OHSAS 18001:2007

Cushi TushTM Baby Seat: www.cushitush.co.uk | LapRest Laptop Platform: www.laprest.co.ukPotty Innovations Gardening Products: www.pottyinnovations.co.uk |

JB Packaging Temperature Controlled Packaging: www.jbpackaging.co.ukCool Case Direct Temperature Controlled Packaging: www.coolcasedirect.ie