Microban International, a pioneer in the development of antimicrobial product protection technologies, is proud to announce a new distributor agreement with Rifra Masterbatches, a global player in the production of tailor-made additives – such as colour or various complexes – used to process plastic products. The two companies share a goal of providing novel masterbatches with antimicrobial properties, to be able to offer their injection, blow moulding, extrusion and compounding customers more choice in solutions.
Rifra Masterbatches has provided various additives to the packaging, building, medical device, E&E, and toy industries for over 40 years and, from its very earliest origins, has thrived on the philosophy of addressing the needs of its customers. The company has recognised an increasing interest in including antimicrobial technologies into plastics – especially in the heightened awareness of the current COVID-19 pandemic – and welcomes the opportunity to work with Microban, a leading expert in the field, to address this unmet need.
Antimicrobials have always been of interest for manufacturing companies, but adding them into products can be challenging and is fraught with regulatory loopholes. Microban has a wealth of expertise in incorporating built-in antimicrobial protection into a vast array of products, and has a similar customer-focused approach to Rifra. The partnership will begin as a distributor agreement, but both parties look forward to exploring further opportunities for the co-development of unique additive products which will combine features and simplify formulations.
Giorgio Rimini, Director of Business Development for Europe at Microban, said: “We are particularly excited about partnering with Rifra Masterbatches. It is a global player in the plastic additives field with an extremely bright future, and we look forward to discovering some really exciting prospects on the horizon together.”
Elisabetta Rampa, General Manager at Rifra Masterbatches, added: “Most masterbatch producers have decided to avoid an antimicrobial product portfolio because of the challenges associated with formulation and regulatory requirements. However, we wanted to address the needs of our customers, and have chosen to work with Microban, the global leader in the field, to achieve this goal.”
About Microban International
Part of Barr Brands International (BBI), Microban International is a global specialist in antimicrobial, odour control, smart surface and disinfection technologies. Our proactive systems keep products cleaner, and control odours better by preventing problems before they start. Microban drives innovation by combining science and creative solutions that enhance high-quality consumer, textile, industrial and medical products around the world. Today the Microban brand and technologies are featured on thousands of products worldwide. The company is headquartered in North Carolina with operations in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit www.microban.com.
About Rifra Masterbatches
Rifra Masterbatches SpA was born more than 40 years ago in Italy, and is one of the global players in the masterbatches field. With its mantra of “We complete your process”, the company strives to address, facilitate and solve problems related to the production process of its customers in various applications. At the base of the company’s Corporate Governance choices lies the value of fairness as an inspiring principle. One of the main values of Rifra is the person, therefore, the company has established a long collaboration with all of its stakeholders. Rifra guarantees the lowest possible impact on the environment and plays a large role in safeguarding social and environment sustainability. For more information, please visit https://www.rifra.it/en/.