What’s New

On Thursday, September 4, 2025, RDAbbott hosted a webinar titled “Breaking Barriers in Liquid Silicone Rubber: The Future of Custom LSR Compounding.” In this 45-minute presentation, Brian Swanton, Director of Process Engineering for NovationSi, explains how customized LSRs can be tailored at the formulation level before injection molding begins. NovationSi, RDAbbott’s manufacturing subsidiary, is a leader in custom silicone compounding.

Hallstar has developed a new line of polymeric plasticizers for fluoroelastomer (FKM) compounds, a class of high-performance materials that are challenging to plasticize because of their fluorinated backbones. Plasthall® P-920 and its dry version, Suprmix® Plasthall® P-20, act as processing aids and reduce viscosity with minimal impact on tensile properties. They enhance extrusion efficiency by lowering Mooney viscosity, which reduces torque and energy consumption.

The Los Angeles Rubber Group (TLARGI) will host its annual Technical Conference, Oktoberfest, and Mini Expo on Tuesday, October 7, at the Brea Community Center in Brea, California. The Technical Conference kicks off at 1:00 PM and includes a presentation by RDAbbott’s Rick Ziebell on Conductive Silicone Technology. Then, starting at 5:00 PM, the Oktoberfest and Mini Expo will begin— marking the first time RDAbbott and its manufacturing subsidiary, NovationSi, will be exhibiting side by side at this event.

RDAbbott has hired Dr. Ragin Amrutiya as its first Innovation Business Development Manager. In this newly created role, Ragin will drive business growth by identifying and developing new opportunities through innovative approaches, strategic partnerships, and market expansion. His work will blend strategic foresight with hands-on execution, guided by a passion for emerging technologies and entrepreneurial thinking.

RDAbbott now distributes select products from DENKA, one of the world’s largest producers of acetylene black, throughout North America. The distribution agreement includes the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Join us on Thursday, September 25, 2025, from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (ET) for this free webinar. This online event will feature new DuPont™ Liveo™ Class VI (C6) low-viscosity liquid silicone rubber (LSR) formulations for intricate, injection-molded healthcare components. We’re pleased to welcome Dr. Leanna Foster, R&D Scientist with DuPont Liveo™ Healthcare Solutions, as our presenter.

Cancarb Limited recently announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its Food Contact Notification (FCN) for Thermax® N990CG, a drop-in replacement for Thermax® N990 with low levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH).

The Ohio Rubber Group will hold its Fall Technical Meeting on Tuesday, September 23, at the Hilton Garden Inn Cleveland/Twinsburg in Twinsburg, Ohio. The event runs from 4:00 to 9:00 PM and includes technical presentations, a social hour, and dinner. Steve Griffin, RDAbbott’s Director of Business Development, is one of the presenters and will discuss Conductive Silicone Technology.

Hallstar’s polarity chart offers a visual guide for comparing plasticizers by polarity and molecular weight. This technical resource also outlines suggested applications, performance features, and compatible polymer systems—making it a valuable tool for formulators seeking optimal plasticizer solutions.

Hallstar is promoting renewable and readily available alternatives to trimellitate esters, chemical compounds that are used as plasticizers in rubber and PVC. Formulators who use these offsets can match the performance of synthetic trimellitate esters while strengthening their supply chains, reducing regulatory pressures, and advancing their environmental sustainability goals.