A pioneer in the Australian polymer market and the country's sole manufacturer of polyethylene (PE), Qenos has been supplying PE to the flexible packaging manufacturing and processing industry for over 60 years. Now it plans to extend its industry reach with the launch of eXsource, a specialty polymer distribution business.
PKN spoke to Ged Beckton, eXsource business manager, about what drove the decision to launch eXsource.
Beckton said that the company had researched the polymer conversion market to investigate potential opportunities.
“What we discovered is that the Qenos brand enjoys a very strong reputation among convertors,” said Beckton. “Two important results emerged from our research that backed our decision to establish eXsource – firstly, Qenos is seen as a reliable, accountable supplier and, secondly, the market would welcome a direct source of local and international specialty polymers,” he said.
Beckton said the launch of the eXsource channel is an "exciting new chapter" for Qenos and represents a "significant investment" in the growing packaging market.
As part of the expansion, Qenos has taken on new staff to field a dedicated sales, marketing and customer service team.
On the distribution side, it will be leveraging existing warehousing and logistics solutions that are already supporting Qenos customers.
“With the coverage and scale of Qenos logistics, eXsource customers will enjoy an extended product range and services previously only available to larger polymer converters,” Beckton said.
The new eXsource channel will partner with leading principals to provide a wide range of polymers and additives from manufacturers such as Qenos, Bluestar, ExxonMobil Chemical, LyondellBasell and others.
The range of products on offer will include EVA, EAA, plastomers, HCR resins,tie layer resins, bitumen modifiers, tackifying resins, polymer modifiers, thermoplastic elastomers and polybutadiene.
Applications for the packaging industry include easy opening films, re-closable seals, barrier films, industrial packaging films, injection moulding and blow-moulding.
“The launch of eXsource means we can now offer businesses big and small an accountable and reliable supply of the best local and international polymers, Beckton said. “This will give businesses the option to directly source the quality raw materials they need, including specialty polymers and Qenos Polyethylene.”
A previous winner of the Victorian ‘Manufacturer of the Year’, Qenos’ ongoing commitment to the manufacturing and processing industries means eXsource customers will benefit from the significant investment and ongoing technological advances of the group.