Microban, located in Huntersville, North Carolina, is a company specializing in polymer and textiles that produces antimicrobial and antifungal technologies.
On the surface, Microban’s product is relatively unassuming: tiny, hard pellets of plastic, each about the size of a popcorn kernel, but found in more than 1,000 products in 30 countries–architectural window shades, countertops, bath mats, pet dishes, exercise gear, sponges, sandals and pillows, to name a few.
One of the company’s biggest manufacturing challenges is that each product requires a new formulation of the material. When one of Microban’s customers manufactures a product, that customer incorporates Microban’s proprietary polymer pellets in with its own. The two products combine in a melted stream of liquid plastic, and the finished product resists microbial buildup. This makes products that are on the consumer market more sanitary and safe.
The process requires Microban’s polymer engineers and chemists to work closely with customers to understand product substrates, performance features, and manufacturing processes to ensure compatibility with the customers’ products.
Source : industryweek.com
