New material types and blends, new designs and new inline processes in plastics extrusion.

Customers can benefit from Primo's dedicated Innovation Centre and Materials Lab, where we can test new materials, blends, designs and extrusion manufacturing processes. 
The Technology & Innovation Centre and Materials Lab serves as a collaborative hub for customers to explore the latest advances in plastics extrusion and materials science, leading to innovative, high quality products that meet their specific needs while reducing production costs and time to market.

Where ideas become reality

At Primo, innovation is more than a concept—it’s a hands-on process. Our dedicated Technology & Innovation Centre, including the state-of-the-art Materials Lab, is where ideas become reality. 

Here, we collaborate with customers to test new materials, develop custom blends, refine designs, and optimise extrusion processes. The goal: to create high-quality, cost-effective plastic solutions tailored to your needs, while accelerating time to market.

Innovation starts with an idea

Any new product development starts with an idea, and in this phase, we truly innovate together. This is where we put the idea to the test regarding requirements, ease of use, agility in the production process, costs, sustainability, durability and many other important factors, including compliance with standards and legal requirements.

Together with a team of specialists you will end up with an idea that will make a difference.

This is how we work at the Technology & Innovation Centre:

• Customised solutions: We work with our customers to develop customised solutions that meet their specific product requirements.
• Material Innovation: The Materials Lab allows customers to explore a wide range of materials and blends to improve product performance, durability and cost efficiency.
• Design Optimisation: In the design phase, we seek to optimise product designs through prototyping and testing to ensure that the final extruded product is both efficient and aesthetically pleasing.
• Expert guidance: The company's team of experienced engineers and technicians provide valuable insight and support throughout the product development process, helping customers make informed decisions.
• Continuous improvement: Customers benefit from ongoing research and development to ensure their products remain at the forefront of industry advancements.

Primo’s Materials Lab is equipped with advanced instruments that allow us to analyse, test, and validate plastic materials and blends with precision. This ensures every product meets the highest standards for performance, durability, and compliance.

Here’s a look at the key instruments we use:

• Moisture Analyzer
  Measures moisture content in plastic granules to determine drying needs. Prevents defects like bubbles or weak spots in the final product.
• Durometer (Shore A or D)
  Tests surface hardness of polymers, ensuring resistance to indentation and meeting durability requirements.
• FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy)
  Identifies and analyses chemical composition to verify material type and detect contaminants, securing consistent quality.
• Light Box
  Simulates various lighting conditions for visual colour matching and inspection, ensuring colour consistency across environments.
• Spectrophotometer
  Uses light reflection to measure colour precisely, guaranteeing accurate and consistent aesthetics.
• Density Measurement
  Confirms material density to ensure it aligns with specifications, impacting weight and structural integrity.
• Heat Test
  Determines shrinkage and/or migration on profiles under heating conditions.
• DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry)
  Analyses thermal properties like melting points, crystallinity, and oxidation index time (OIT). Helps fine-tune production settings and assess recycled material degradation.

• Impact Tester (Charpy)
  Measures toughness and resistance to high-speed impact, evaluating brittleness and processing quality.
• VICAT/HDT
  Tests heat resistance and softening temperature. Crucial for products exposed to high temperatures, such as outdoor applications.
• MFI (Melt Flow Index)
  Assesses how easily a polymer flows when melted, providing insights into processing characteristics for smooth extrusion.
• Tensile Tester
  Measures strength and elongation under tension, evaluating mechanical properties like force, stiffness (E-modulus), and flexibility.
• Capillary Rheometer
  Analyses flow behaviour of molten plastic under varying temperatures and pressures. Supports die simulation and optimises extrusion parameters.
• UV Testing
  Simulates long-term exposure to UV light and weather, predicting outdoor performance and ensuring colour and mechanical stability.