KBA North America, a global press manufacturer based in Dallas, Texas, is pleased to promote to its customers a new environmentally-friendly plastic substrate from MicroGREEN Polymers, an innovative plastics company that develops economically and ecologically viable advanced plastics technologies to promote sustainable living. The InCycle plastic substrates were tested and run on the KBA Genius 52 UV press and displayed at a recent open house in Dallas.
 
"Printers are seeking new environmentally-friendly and sustainable substrates as well as new sheets to set their customers apart in the market," says Mark Hischar, president and CEO of KBA North America. "We're pleased to work with MicroGREEN Polymers and introduce InCycle to our customers to run on our presses."
 
The new 20mil InCycle plastic sheets from MicroGREEN Polymers are available in 28 x 40, 28 x 20, and 48 x 96 -inch, and web rolls. The KBA Genius 52 UV press printed on the InCycle substrate with four-color process inks and a UV coating inline, all cured via UV at the end of press. The basic InCycle brand sheet is made with up to 50% post consumer recycled content.
 
"Our end goal is to create a closed-loop substrate manufacturing system. In our process we take virgin and recycled PET plastic, extrude it, and, using our proprietary Ad-Air technology, create bubbles in it, which turns it into a very lightweight easily printed substrate with a solid, waterproof skin," says Chris Jacobs, MicroGREEN's director of marketing and product development. "The material itself is completely recyclable. We've created a sustainable alternative to solid plastic and poly-coated paperboard in packaging and graphic communication applications. We believe that our product will increase your sustainability scorecard rating, insulate you from EPR legislation, save you money with logistics, protect temperature-sensitive items, and offer a bright white/reflecting surface."
 
Founded in September 2002, MicroGREEN Polymers is a privately-held enterprise intended to commercialize its patented solid-state microcellular expansion technology called Ad-air, which significantly reduces the financial and ecological costs of many plastic products while maintaining key material characteristics. Ad-air technology is applicable to plastics in food and beverage packaging, general packaging, transportation, building materials, appliances and consumer electronics industries. MicroGREEN is headquartered in a 40,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Arlington, Washington.