It is safe to say that Ethylene bis(stearamide) wax (EBS) has been used as part of a lubricant system in some formulations for rigid PVC for several decades. This long history of use, and some unique processing characteristics, presented a challenge when the supply of EBS wax became severely constrained in the second half of 2021 and early 2022. The R&D / Technical Service lab at Norac Additives took this opportunity to look at alternative ways to replace the EBS in a formulation by utilizing the ester lubricants available in our product line and adopting a system approach. Our work showed that there is no single ingredient available that can adequately substitute for the EBS in a rigid PVC formula. It was also noted that the EBS level being used in a formulation varied widely depending on formulation application. With that in mid, we have identified different combinations of lubricants that can be a 'performance equivalent' for those different starting points. Within our manufacturing we then have the ability to put the whole system together into a single product (NORAC XL) that can be used by the end customer. At Norac Additives we believe that the best performance comes from a tailored solution. If you have a need for an alternative because of supply, or you are just looking for better performance, get in touch with us so we can start the discussion.