Masterbatch is a solid product consisting of plastic or rubber mixed with additives at a high concentration. It is used to efficiently and evenly distribute additives throughout a plastic product. The manufacturing process involves mixing ingredients under heat and shear to produce homogenized pellets. Masterbatch can be added to polymers through volumetric or gravimetric dosing on the production line. Common types include color, white, black, and additive masterbatches. The Indian masterbatch market is expected to grow significantly due to increasing plastic product demand and penetration.

1. MASTERBATCH
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2. INTRODUCTION
 Masterbatch is a mixture that consists of rubber or
plastic with one or more compounding ingredients in
definite proportions but higher concentrations than in
a normal mix and that is used for convenience in
compounding.
 Masterbatch is a solid product (normally of plastic,
rubber, or elastomer) in which pigments or additives
are optimally dispersed at high concentration in a
carrier material. The carrier material is compatible
with the main plastic in which it will be blended during
molding, whereby the final plastic product obtains the
color or properties from the masterbatch.

3. How masterbatch is made
 In simple terms, manufacture is a two-stage process:
gathering ingredients and then mixing them together
by applying heat and shear to produce an
homogenized pellet. Generally high or low speed
mixers are used to produce a pre-mix of the additives
which is then compounded on roller mills, kneaders,
single or twin screw extruders. Even distribution
(dispersion) and development (breaking down) of the
additives throughout the carrier are essential. This
processing depends on several key elements:
formulation, quality of raw materials, quality of mixing
and compounding plant. Finally, the finished
masterbatch is pelletised (die-face or strand cut) or
ground.

4. Using masterbatch
 Masterbatch can be introduced to the processors'
base polymer on the production line in a number
of ways, the most successful methods being
volumetric or gravimetric dosing. In both
techniques, the masterbatch is added directly into
the polymer stream immediately before
processing. Volumetric dosing has the advantage
of relatively low capital investment but requires
calibrating every time the batch or colour is
changed (depending on the bulk density of the
material). Graviametric dosing is extremely
accurate, but plant is expensive.

5. Types of Masterbatches
 WHITE MASTERBATCHES
 COLOUR MASTERBATCHES
 BLACK MASTERBATCHES
 ADDITIVE MASTERBATCHES
 FILLER MASTERBATCHES

6. WHITE MASTERBATCHES
Application :
 Multilayer/ Monolayer Film
 Blow/ Rotational/ Injection Molding
 Lamination
 Non Woven Application
 Pipe extrusion

7. COLOUR MASTERBATCHES
Application:
 PP Filaments and Fibers
 PP NON-WOVEN Fabric
 Below moulded Bottles and drums
 Injection moldings specially for Chair,
Crates, housewares items made from
plastics like HDPE, PP and HIPS. Pipes for
irrigation and Telecom ducting applications.

8. BLACK MASTERBATCHES
Application :
 Garbage/ Shopping Bag
 Automotive/ Injection/ Blow/ Rotational
Molding
 Mono Filament
 HDPE Pipe
 Cable
 Critical Film Application

9. ADDITIVE MASTERBATCHES
Types:
 Optical brightener masterbatch
 Anti block/ Antioxidant masterbatch
 Silicone masterbatch/Slip
masterbatch
 Polymer processing aid masterbatch
 Nucleating masterbatch/Antistatic
masterbatch
 UV masterbatch

10. FILLER MASTERBATCHES
Application:
 PP and PE woven sacks
 Mono and multi layer films
 Blow molding
 Injection molding
 PS sheets

11. End Use
 Injection molding, blow molding, profile extrusion, sheet
extrusion, film extrusion, cast film, fibers and calendared
sheet processes commonly employ masterbatch.
 A basic method of determining whether you will benefit
from using masterbatch is to consider that small lots of
coloured compound invariably carry a surcharge. Further, if
you are using several colours in the same base polymer,
especially if it is an engineering polymer, you should
explore the cost of using masterbatch. Also, look at the
cost of stock holding tones of coloured compounded
material and weigh this up against using the space saved
by installing a plant that contributes to profit. Although
masterbatch can cost from £7 to £25 per kilo, it has the
potential to save hundreds of pounds per tone against
compounded materials.

12. Current Market of Masterbatch
 According to “India Masterbatch Market Forecast &
Opportunities, 2018”, the Masterbatch volume sales in India
are expected to grow at 23% CAGR till 2018. The market for
Masterbatch is driven by the growth in its end user industries as
well as the increasing penetration of plastic products in the
Indian market. However, use of plastics is being regulated by
Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India, as solid
plastic waste impacts the environment adversely and also
causes blockage of gutters, sewerage system and drains. With
the development of bio-additives, usage of masterbatches holds
positive prospects for the manufacturing of bio-degradable
plastics. Other important innovations such as development of
anti-microbial masterbatches, flame retardant masterbatches,
antioxidant masterbatches is set to drive the market for
masterbatches across various end user industries.

13. The leading players in
Masterbatches market in India
 Plastiblends India
 Clariant Chemicals
 Poddar Pigments
 Plastichemix
 Ampacet Corporation.