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Masterbatches: The Smart Choice for Plastic Colouring
The Advantages of Masterbatches - Simply Explained
What are Masterbatches?
Masterbatches are highly concentrated colour or additive formulations in a polymer carrier material. Compared with the final product, they contain a significantly higher concentration of colourants or additives, as these are carried in a maximally concentrated and dispersed form.
They are added in granule form directly to the plastic during processing and impart colour (as colour masterbatches), functionally (as additive batches) or both (as combination batches) to the intermediate or final product.
But what makes them so advantageous compared to liquid colours, pastes or powdered pigments?
Why Use Masterbatches for Colouring Plastics?
1. Masterbatch Advantage: Clean Production, Easy Handling
Compared with pigment powders, the use of masterbatches does not produce any dust emissions. All colourants and components are securely bound in solid form to the carrier polymer. This ensures:
- Clean production facilities and machinery
- Reduced cleaning effort
- Minimised contamination risk
2. Masterbatch Advantage: High Colour Accuracy, Precision & Repeatability
Masterbatches are precisely tailored to your target polymer, product application and production process. They are manufactured under strictly controlled conditions. As a result, they offer:
- Maximum colour impact due to high concentration capacity
- Colour consistency even over production runs spanning months or years, and during storage
- High durability and easy storage
- Accurate dosing for precise results
- Reliable reproducibility thanks to formulation fidelity and consistency in processing
3. Masterbatch Advantage: Economical and Efficient
Masterbatches save time and costs:
- Effective at low concentrations from just 1%
- Minimal waste and no disposal of leftover material as with liquid colours
- No complex disposal procedures, unlike some liquid colour systems
- Shorter changeover times
- Low storage requirements and available in tailored small quantities
4. Masterbatch Advantage: Function and Colour in One
In addition to colour, additives such as UV stabilisers, antistatic agents, or lubricants can be integrated into a masterbatch - reducing complexity, processing and storage costs.
5. Masterbatch Advantage: Quick & Flexible to Use
- Precise formulations according to RAL, Pantone or other colour systems
- Available in small granule sizes
- Can be produced as mono-concentrates for compounding or your own colour management
- Fast development and production times for a short time-to-market
Conclusion: Masterbatches Offer a Systematic Approach to Colouring
For many applications, masterbatches are the key to more efficient, cleaner and more stable plastic processing. They combine precise colouring with easy handling and high process reliability. They excel in cleanliness, additive flexibility and cost savings compared with liquid colours, pastes and powdered pigments. For manufacturers seeking consistent quality and reproducible results, masterbatches are usually the best choice.
Discover now whether your process could benefit too - we are happy to advise you!
Contact our Customer Service Team at or +49 9571 789-0.