Carlisle Enhances Commercial Soup Bowls Using New Eastman Tritan Copolyester

Kingsport, TN - Carlisle Food Service Products, a leading provider of food service supplies for the restaurant and hospitality industries, has partnered with Eastman Chemical Company to manufacture its line of commercial soup bowls using new Eastman Tritan copolyester. Offering excellent impact resistance and design flexibility for reusable dishware, the new-generation copolyester also provides significantly improved dishwasher durability. These unique attributes will allow Carlisle to provide solutions for the unmet needs of their customers.

Scheduled to launch in 2008 in North America, the new soup bowls were previewed at Eastman's booth at K 2007 in Messe Düsseldorf, Germany.

Professional Strength and Quality
A pioneer in the field of food service for over 50 years, Carlisle is committed to developing innovative products that meet the evolving needs of restaurant and hospitality professionals. Used in the restaurant, catering and hotel sectors, the soup bowls are manufactured with a range of plastics, including polycarbonate, polycarbonate-PET blends, and styrene acrylonitrile (SAN).

"In the commercial food service industry, products need to be highly durable to withstand the demanding commercial environment, which can include frequent cleanings and harsh handling," explains Brian Hutton, Director of Marketing, Carlisle. "A recent evaluation of our current line of commercial soup bowls indicated a need for product made from a new material that would not only be appropriate for the application, but would surpass all of our fitness-for-use requirements."

A New Solution
Drawing on their leading expertise in specialty plastics, Carlisle turned to Eastman in search of an alternative material. Through this collaboration, Carlisle discovered new Eastman Tritan copolyester. This innovative material offered the performance and manufacturing advantages that Carlisle sought for its soup bowl products.
Delivering exceptional toughness, Tritan can be molded into parts for various applications without incorporating high levels of residual stress. This enables the material to be used in a wide range of different designs, enabling Carlisle to consolidate the number of materials used to manufacture its diverse line of soup bowl products. The new-generation copolyester is also easy to process and can be used in molds designed for traditional polymers, including polycarbonate, which further contributes to Carlisle's production efficiencies.

"We were able to drop the new material into our existing operations without needing to make major modifications, which really facilitated the transition. Tritan also provides faster molding rates and a lower density than some of the materials we previously used for the soup bowls." comments Hutton.

Tritan's unique chemistry provides a higher glass transition temperature than traditional copolyesters, translating into superior heat resistance. In conjunction with the material's exceptional chemical resistance, hydrolytic stability, and lower residual stress, higher heat resistance allows molded products to withstand the harsh dishwasher environment without crazing, cracking or hazing from continual exposure to high heat, humidity, and aggressive cleaning detergents and sanitizers. This advantage allows Carlisle to extend the lifespan and preserve the aesthetics of its soup bowls, which are typically cleaned multiple times per day in commercial dishwashers.

"Partnering with Eastman early in our product redevelopment process has exceeded our expectations. Tritan's unique combination of properties allows us to offer our customers a new generation of products that not only deliver differentiated performance but also contribute to bottom-line efficiency," adds Hutton. "We are excited by the potential of the soup bowl project and are looking at ways to use the new material in other areas of our product portfolio.

We are committed to helping our customers drive growth through the development of innovative and differentiated products. Tritan is a testament to this commitment, and we look forward to exploring additional opportunities for this material with Carlisle in the future," comments Randy S. Beavers, business development manager, Specialty Plastics Business Organization, Eastman Chemical Company.

SOURCE: Carlisle Food Service Products