Specialty Minerals Inc. (SMI) produces its antiblock talc additives from high-purity Montana platy talc ore. We offer a complete range of products to meet your antiblock needs for a wide array of thin plastic film applications and processes. Applications include food packaging (meat/cheese, candy/snacks), beverage containers, electronic packaging, stretch wrap, and garment packaging. Processes include blown film, casting, coextrusion, OPP, BOPP, water quench and lamination.

Our Barretts, Montana production plant is a state-of-the-art integrated facility encompassing mining, ore preparation, product sizing technology, and packaging operations.

General Purpose Specialty Minerals Talc Antiblocks
Our product line is segmented by end-use application. General-purpose film applications will benefit from the cost performance of our 100% talc products such as:

• ABT^® 2500 talc antiblock is the industry's universal standard talc for antiblock use, with an optimum particle size distribution.
• ABT^® 2501 talc antiblock is recommended where odor issues are of concern.
• Clear-Bloc^® 80 talc is produced from high purity platy talc with an optimum particle size distribution.
• Polybloc^® talc antiblock is treated for improved dispersion and enhanced compatibility with polyolefins and film additives. 
• Microbloc^® talc antiblock is treated for applications where enhanced adhesion between polymer and talc particle are important.

Click on a product’s name to download the technical data sheet for that product.

High Clarity Specialty Minerals Talc-Based Antiblocks
High-clarity packaging applications benefit from the improved optical performance provided by our talc-based minerals blends. Optibloc^® clarity antiblocks exhibit low additive interaction with stabilizers, slip agents, and polymer processing aids. This group includes:

• Optibloc^® 10 clarity antiblock is recommended for film applications that require highest clarity and lowest haze.
• Optibloc^® 25 clarity antiblock is recommended for film applications that require very high clarity and very low haze.

Click on a product name to download the technical data sheet for that product.

Click here to download an introduction to antiblocks and SMI talc-based antiblocks in LLDPE films.

All members of our antiblock product line benefit from rigid quality control and unsurpassed mineral purity. In addition, our products are supported by our modern, sophisticated plastics film applications laboratory, located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Learn more:

• What is an antiblock?
• Selecting a talc-based antiblock
  
  
• Replacing diatomaceous earth with SMI talc-based antiblocks
• Diatomaceous earth replacement study
• Replacing synthetic silica with SMI talc-based antiblocks
• Synthetic silica replacement study: blown film
  
  
• Economical SMI talc antiblocks
• SMI antiblocks for low-polymer process aid interaction
• SMI antiblocks for low-odor applications
• Reduced slip agent interaction with surface-treated talc antiblocks
  
  
• Blown Film Basics
• Cast Film Basics
• Specialty Minerals Antiblock Technical Service Support
  
  
• What is Talc? A mineral introductory page
  
  
• Download technical data sheets for Specialty Minerals products
  
• Request a sample
  
  
• About Specialty Minerals Inc.
• Specialty Minerals Plant Locations and Profiles
• Quality and ISO at Specialty Minerals
  
  
• Plastics Exhibitions: Where we are participating and where you can talk to Specialty Minerals staff about your formulations.
• Specialty Minerals Publications on talc-based antiblocks: Downloadable papers by Specialty Minerals on talc-based antiblocks and their applications.
• Useful plastics websites