Avient’s New Maxxam™ NHFR Polyolefin Formulations Achieve UL 94 5VA Rating at 2.0 mm to Enhance Appliance Fire Safety

September 28, 2026

Avient’s New Maxxam™ NHFR Non-Halogen Flame Retardant Polyolefin Formulations offer 5VA performance at thicknesses as low as 2.0 mm, addressing rising fire-safety requirements for household appliances

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Key Highlights

• New Maxxam™ NHFR Non-Halogen Flame Retardant Polyolefin Formulations offer UL 94 5VA flame rating at 2.0 mm and Glow-Wire Flammability Index of 960°C, addressing heightened fire safety standards for household appliances
• Non-halogenated chemistry helps to avoid corrosive gas generation during a fire event
• Non-PFAS* availability for customers proactively addressing evolving regulations

FRIEDRICHSHAFFEN, Germany – September 28, 2026 – Avient Corporation, an innovator of materials solutions, will introduce new Maxxam™ NHFR Non-Halogen Flame Retardant Polyolefin Formulations at the upcoming Fakuma international trade fair for plastics processing, October 12 – 16. The new formulations can achieve UL 94 5VA ratings at thicknesses as low as 2.0 mm — the highest level of UL 94 flame classification — helping manufacturers of unmonitored household appliances meet increasing global fire-safety standards, including IEC 60335 and UL 60335. At the same time, environmental regulations and customer preferences are mounting pressure to move away from halogenated chemistry and from flame-retardant and anti-dripping systems containing per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

How Maxxam™ NHFR Technologies Address What the Market Needs Now

Across major appliance categories — from refrigeration and cooking to HVAC and laundry — fire risk is drawing intensified regulatory scrutiny. Electrification, the proliferation of smart appliances, and rising power densities have accelerated the pace at which original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) must advance their flame-retardant material specifications. Regulatory bodies in Europe and North America have strengthened compliance frameworks—most notably through IEC 60335-2-24, which mandates enhanced fire-safety performance for refrigerating appliances. OEMs are increasingly moving beyond basic V-0-rated materials to 5VA-rated alternatives that offer the highest UL 94 flame classification.

“The breakthrough with these formulations is achieving UL 94 5VA flame performance at thicknesses as low as 2.0 mm," said Hermann Fuechter, Senior Manager, Global Strategic Marketing, Specialty Engineered Materials at Avient. "This capability provides appliance manufacturers with greater design flexibility — they can optimize part geometry, reduce wall sections where needed, and pursue metal-to-plastic conversion opportunities that weren't previously feasible with traditional flame-retardant materials. Combined with our non-halogenated chemistry and stable processing characteristics, these materials give OEMs the freedom to innovate while meeting the highest fire-safety standards.”

Key attributes of Maxxam NHFR Technologies:

• Regulatory Compliance at the Highest Level of Flame Classification
  • UL 94 5VA flame rating at 2.0 mm — the highest UL 94 classification, addressing requirements under IEC 60335 and UL 60335 for unmonitored household appliances, including extractor hoods, refrigerating appliances, and laundry equipment
  • Glow-Wire Flammability Index (GWFI) of 960°C tested per IEC 60695, supporting compliance with global electrical and appliance safety standards
• Design Flexibility That Opens New Engineering Possibilities
  • Thinner wall sections — achieving 5VA performance at 2.0 mm enables part geometry optimization and material use reduction without sacrificing flame performance
  • Metal-to-plastic conversion — thinner viable wall thicknesses open conversion opportunities that were previously constrained by material performance limitations
  • Complex part geometries achievable through standard injection molding processes
• Non-Halogenated, Non-PFAS* Chemistry Supporting Sustainability Objectives
  • Non-halogenated chemistry helps to avoid corrosive gas generation during a fire event, supporting safety considerations
  • Non-PFAS* availability for customers, proactively addressing evolving PFAS regulations in Europe and North America, and seeking alternatives to PFAS-containing, anti-dripping systems
  • Supports OEM sustainability objectives without compromising flame performance
• Reliable Processing and Mechanical Performance
  • Stable processing behavior on standard injection molding equipment, reducing conversion complexity for materials engineers and processors
  • Strong mechanical properties attainable in conjunction with the high-level flame rating
  • Reliable electrical performance, including the GWFI noted above, for use in electrically active appliance components

• Featured Applications

  The new Maxxam™ NHFR polyolefin technologies are developed for unmonitored household appliances requiring the highest level of UL 94 flame performance, including:

  • Extractor hoods and range ventilation components
  • Refrigerating appliance housings and structural components
  • HVAC system components
  • Laundry and dishwasher appliance housings and internal components
  • White goods components requiring metal-to-plastic conversion

Maxxam™ NHFR Technologies at Fakuma 2026

Avient will feature Maxxam™ NHFR technologies at Fakuma October 12 – 16, with specialists available to discuss performance details, regulatory requirements, and sampling in Hall B5, Booth 5104. Attendees interested in meeting with Avient’s team can schedule appointments in advance with the media contact below.

*Formulated without intentionally added per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances.

About Avient

Our purpose at Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT) is to be an innovator of materials solutions to help our customers succeed, while enabling a sustainable world. Our local touch and customer engagement, combined with our global presence, allows us to serve customers with agility. We harness the collective strength of more than 9,000 employees worldwide to collaborate and build on each other’s ideas. In doing so, we innovate solutions that help our customers overcome their challenges or capitalize on opportunities provided by the fast-changing world and secular trends. Our expanding portfolio of offerings includes colorants, advanced composites, functional additives, engineered materials, and Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™. By intersecting our broad portfolio of technologies with the product roadmaps of our customers, we help create differentiated and high-performance products that make the world better and more sustainable. Visit www.avient.com to learn more.  

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Media Contact
Nicole DeChant
Avient Corporation
nicole.dechant@avient.com