Quality and consistency is the name of the game as manufacturers continually push equipment and technology to develop higher-performance products, says Julio Muzquiz, Technical Services Supervisor at Heartland Polymers. Those attributes matter even more as markets go through the ups and downs of economic volatility.

“We’re doing business in interesting times, and the challenges our customers face become our challenges,” he says “but I’ve been in this industry for 30 years, and it’s not going anywhere. There is a growing demand for the versatility of modern plastic manufacturing – especially for products that have recyclable potential and are as durable as polypropylene. Our job as a supplier is to provide a quality product to our customers, a product they can trust.”

Many sectors of the global economy brace for unprecedented conditions in supply, demand, and logistics, Muzquiz says the team at Heartland Polymers is very positive about the long-term health and growth of many segments, especially non-wovens, and caps and closures.

Caps for beverage containers, for example, require the highest degree of consistency so there is zero impact on taste, quality, and freshness.

“When a product comes into the market and develops a customer base, closures can’t give the contents any additional taste or variance. Consistency is king. Quality is fundamental, and our customers are discerning. They know what it tastes like every time they drink a certain product from that bottle. So, if you change that cap in any way, it can have an impact on that consistency -, the customer and retailers will pick up on it, and everyone loses”

Cleaner, less volatiles, less additives

All of that simply means that product quality is more important than ever.

Muzquiz talked about a recent visit to the Non-Wovens Institute, where he says the results for Heartland polypropylene were even better than expected

Muzquiz and the technical team will provide this third-party product testing data to customers. He explains how Heartland’s choice of production and proprietary catalyst technologies is key in reducing volatiles and residue in the manufacturing process.

It’s all about the customer

“All polymers when melted emit some level of volatiles, Heartland Polymers non-wovens grade is one of the cleanest, with almost no detectable level of volatiles. We achieve this by using the latest generation of catalysts and controlling our additive levels to the optimal levels.  The less additives, the fewer things that can break down and create problems for the converter. And then of course, that just translates into an easier, more successful experience for the customer.”

Heartland Polymers came to market with a promise to prove that better is possible, from sales and service to production and delivery. When asked if he feels the latest round of testing validates that promise, Muzquiz smiles.

“I’ll say we are very excited by our product performance to date, but this is just the start, and we will continue to improve and learn from our customers. We like to be integrated with our customers so we can optimize and get things perfect based on the real-life conditions they’re operating within. Better can always be better,” he says. “That’s part of our DNA at Heartland.”