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LATI UK Limited
About us
Founded in 1945, LATI is a family-owned, independent European manufacturer of thermoplastic polymer compounds for injection moulding. The company made its name through offering a wide range of high-performance flame retardant compounds for the electrical and electronics sector – and these continue to be an important part of its range.
More recently, LATI’s product portfolio has grown include a number of other specialist grades, including:
electrically conductive compounds for anti-static, ESD and shielding applications (LATIOHM, LATISTAT and LATISHIELD);
metal replacement materials designed for both structural and aesthetic applications (LATIGLOSS and LARAMID T);
thermally conductive compounds for heat dissipation (LATICONTHER);
high-temperature compounds;
self-lubricating materials for friction and wear parts (LATILUB);
detectable materials (x-ray and/or magnetically detectable) (LATIGRAY and MDT);
materials approved for drinking water and/or food contact;
3D printing materials (direct from granule FDM printing) and;
bio-based and recycled materials (LATIGEA and LATIECO).
Today’s product range includes compounds based on high-performance polymers from PP to PEEK, and finding application in a wide variety of industrial sectors: electronics and energy management; road, rail and air transportation; communications and data management; precision engineering and industrial machinery; food processing and medical devices.
As a leading all-round service provider, LATI’s fully-equipped technical assistance and R&D teams are available to support new applications, product development and problem solving activities.
A global network of sales staff, distributors and partners means that LATI products and support are available worldwide.
Products
Engineering thermoplastics
Engineering thermoplastics (ETP) include natural resins and materials reinforced with glass fibre or with mineral powders like talc, kaolin, and mica. PP, PA and PBT based reinforced compounds combine aesthetic quality and mechanical strength for flexible production processes, economic management and excellent price/performance ratio. Compounds filled with mineral powders deliver geometric stability and comply with dimensional tolerances. ETPs are also available in specific colours, with optimized MFI, stable to heat, UV rays and chemicals, and certified for drinking water and food contact.
Structural thermoplastics
Reinforced with glass and carbon fibers, LATI structural compounds deliver dimensional stability, rigidity, strength and resistance, even when exposed to extreme, repeated or long-lasting stresses. This is made possible thanks to an elastic modulus of over 40 GPa and breaking strength of nearly 300 MPa. The matrices used, from PP to PEEK, are reliable at continuous temperatures in excess of 250°C. Special versions are available, e.g. self-extinguishing, self-lubricating or certified for food and water contact. PA66 and PPA based LATIGLOSS compounds are designed for structural components of high aesthetic value.
Flame retardant thermoplastics
LATI flame retardant compounds limit the risk of fire in electrical and electronic applications, home appliances and e-mobility. We offer products optimized for UL94 flame retardancy tests, for GWIT, GWFI and GWEIPT glow wire tests under the IEC60335 standards, and for UL746b temperature ageing tests. We also offer a range of grades certified for use in rail applications, in conformity with EN45545 and NFPA130 standards. Formulas engineered on traditional systems are available with halogen, red phosphorous, intumescent systems, or systems with low environmental impact without halogens or red phosphorous.
Self-lubricating thermoplastics
LATILUB self-lubricating materials limit friction and wear between elements in relative motion like gears, bushings and bearings, cams, pins, sliding surfaces, and so on. Unlike metal or ceramic solutions, the LATILUB compounds do not require external lubricants or maintenance, ensuring cleanliness and reliability over time. The base polymers are modified with graphite and molybdenum disulphide, with silicon, PTFE and UHMWPE to drastically reduce the static and dynamic friction coefficient, or with aramid fibres to limit wear and abrasion. A solution for every pressure, speed, load and temperature requirement.
Electrically conductive thermoplastics
Polymers provide excellent electrical insulation properties. However, this can lead to the accumulation of electrostatic charges and consequently to safety issues for personnel and equipment, especially in explosive environments. LATI modifies the base resins with graphite, carbon black, antistatic polymers, fibres and carbon nanotubes to make LATIOHM and LATISTAT compounds electrically conductive, thereby permitting the adoption of plastic parts, for example, in ATEX environments. LATISHIELD compounds reinforced with steel fibres deliver electrical conductivity and shielding from electromagnetic emissions up to 60 db.
Thermally conductive thermoplastics
Graphite and special ceramics are dispersed in the polymer matrix, thereby enabling LATICONTHER compounds to deliver thermal conductivity values higher than 20 W/mK. Thermally conductive compounds can therefore efficiently transfer heat even through plastic elements, with multiple advantages in terms of weight, chemical resistance, processability, environmental impact and overall costs compared to metals like aluminium. The LATICONTHER range also includes certified self-extinguishing, EMI shielding and structural grades for automotive, lighting engineering, railway transportation and e-mobility applications.
High temperature thermoplastics
The evolution of processes and technology exposes polymers to increasingly high temperatures, both peak and continuous. LATI delivers compounds for high temperatures and maximum performance based on: PPS: for continuous applications up to 200°C, intrinsically self-extinguishing, with excellent dimensional stability and chemical resistance; PPA: reliable up to 150°C, perfect for high stress structural applications; PEEK: for uncompromising performance at continuous temperatures of up to 260°C; PSU-PES-PPSU: amorphous polymers, transparent, ideal for medical uses or for water and food contact at temperatures over 120°C.
Magnetically-detectable thermoplastics
MDTs (magnetically detectable thermoplastics) are designed to be individuated by any type of magnetic or X-ray detector, even when present in very small quantities. They are destined for use in applications where the presence of foreign matters and contaminants from any other origin must be prevented, e.g. in food and pharmaceutical industries. MDT formulas do not contain steel fibres, carbon or metal powders in order to prevent the release of dust or particles which are difficult to contain. Available for all thermoplastic resins in the LATI range of products, the MDT compounds have been developed for food contact applications.
Bio-based and recycled materials
The LATI response to the need for materials of renewable and sustainable origin is reflected in the LATIGEA, LATIECO and BIO families of compounds. LATIGEA compounds are obtained from basic polymers such as amorphous and semi-crystalline PLA or from other different biodegradable resins and / or resins from renewable sources, such as bio-based HDPEs and PAs LATIECO technical compounds are made with polymers obtained from chemical or mechanical recycling. Not only resins, but also fillers and reinforcements of natural origin: from vegetable fibres to food processing waste.
3D printing materials
LATI3Dlab is able to offer a wide range of materials for 3D printing, both from filament and direct from granule. LATI3Dlab’s ‘AM’ technical materials are available for 3D printing using all major thermoplastic resins. These include PLA, ABS, ASA, PETG, TPU, PP, PA, PC, PBT, PPS, Polysulphones and PEEK. Mineral or metallic fillers, fibre reinforcements, functional and process modifiers are added to the polymers, allowing them to be used in the most challenging applications: Self-lubricating materials suitable for applications where low wear and/or low friction is required; Self-extinguishing V0 for electrical and industrial parts; X-ray and/or metal detectable for food and medical applications; Electrically conductive/dissipative where compliance with ATEX regulations or signal or small power transmission is required; Thermally conductive for heat dissipation as a replacement for aluminium, e.g. in the lighting industry; Structural, where carbon or glass fibre enables the achievement of mechanical properties similar to those of injection moulding; Controlled density, where there is a need for materials with reduced or higher density than standard polymer Sustainable’ versions, made from 100% recycled or renewable non-petrochemical polymers and fillers/reinforcements.
News
Hager chooses LATI to reduce the carbon footprint of its Arc Fault Detection Device series
Hager Group has decided to further improve the sustainability of its offering by creating a new range of devices whose plastic parts are today made from recycled polymers.
The future of flame retardant materials: sustainability, safety and multifunctionality
What are the emerging trends in flame retardant compounds? From halogen-free solutions to recycled-based formulations, the industry is moving towards sustainability and integrated performance.
Ecovadis 2024: LATI awarded platinum medal for sustainability
We are proud to announce that for the fourth consecutive year, LATI has received Ecovadis recognition, earning the platinum medal for sustainability.
Orange technical compounds: safety and performance for electric mobility
Performance, safety, and color stability: the new orange compounds for a safer electric mobility, with LATI's IATF 16949-certified quality ensuring reliability and full traceability.
LATIGLOSS 62 H2 GS/600: When aesthetics, strength, and precision coexist in a single compound
High-end finishes, zero warpage, and metal-like mechanical performance: this is the new LATIGLOSS.
Hairstyling and High Temperatures: Material Technology in the BabylissPRO Flat Iron
From polymer selection to functional design: how a truly safe professional flat iron is created.
Lead-Free Brass and Structural Compounds: Innovative Materials for a Safer Future
European regulations and growing concerns for public health are driving the phase-out of leaded brass, pushing the industry towards innovative alternatives such as eco-friendly alloys and structural thermoplastic compounds.
EFEN chooses LATI: the sustainable solution for fuse holders and switches up to 1000 A
Discover how LATI’s LATAMID and LATIECO compounds deliver advanced performance and sustainability for reliable and durable industrial switches.