How Toll Manufacturing Accelerates Innovation in Polymer Development
Toll manufacturing enables faster research, development, and commercialisation which is particularly valuable in specialty polymer markets, where performance requirements, formulations, and regulatory expectations evolve quickly.
At Witton Chemicals, toll manufacturing plays a central role in supporting polymer development, with particular strength in solution and emulsion polymerisations. Alongside its proprietary polyacrylate Acriflow grades, Witton currently toll manufactures multiple co-polymers for third parties. These include several products that are similar in function to Acriflow but are distinct in formulation, performance characteristics, and intended application.
Historically, Witton has also contract manufactured a wide range of co-polymers, building deep process knowledge across numerous formulations and variations. This breadth of experience enables producers to innovate with confidence, drawing on proven manufacturing routes while retaining full ownership of their product concepts.
Successful polymer innovation depends on access to specialist reactors of different sizes, with associated processing and control systems, and quality controlled manufacturing, something that Witton continuously invests in. The capabilities of the Witton plant allow for complex or high-specification polymers to be developed and produced reliably, which may not be commercially viable for every producer to maintain in-house.
Equally important is technical collaboration. All toll manufacturing projects at Witton operate under robust NDAs, ensuring confidentiality of formulations, processes, and commercial information. This enables close, open collaboration with Witton’s technical team to refine polymer structures, optimise performance, and adapt formulations to specific end-use or market requirements.
Innovation only delivers value when it can be replicated at scale. Witton operates within rigorous quality management systems, providing full traceability, process control, and regulatory alignment throughout development and production. This ensures polymers developed during R&D can transition smoothly into commercial manufacture without compromising consistency or quality.
For producers developing acrylic homopolymers or co-polymers, this integrated approach reduces time-to-market, lowers technical risk, and provides confidence that innovative formulations can be manufactured reliably at volume.
Witton approaches toll manufacturing as a collaborative partnership rather than a transactional service. Through specialist polymer expertise, flexible production capability, and a proven track record in acrylic acid–based chemistries, Witton supports chemical and polymer producers in accelerating innovation, managing risk, and bringing differentiated products to market with confidence.