Custom Powders & Tolling

Custom Powders Engineered for Your Success

We handle the grinding, blending, and packaging—so you can focus on creating products that perform.

Our services cover the full powder processing spectrum—from particle size reduction to modification, mixing, custom grinding, packaging and beyond. Backed by extensive polymer expertise, Specialty Powders offers custom powders toll processing solutions designed to meet your product specifications, performance needs, and production timelines. From trial-scale testing to full-scale production, our tolling facility is built to deliver results that match your performance goals and regulatory requirements.

Our Core Services

Each service is backed by decades of hands-on experience and technical insight:

Attrition Milling (Ambient Grinding)

Ambient grinding is a widely used method for reducing polymers into fine powders under standard temperature conditions. As the material grinds, frictional heat eliminates the need for external cooling. It efficiently produces particle sizes from 2000 to 63 microns, with oversized particles automatically recycled until they meet spec—resulting in consistent, high-quality output. This method suits a broad range of materials, including polyethylene, polypropylene (HPP > 500 micron), polystyrene, nylon 6, ABS, TPEs, PET/PBT, polycarbonate, and various engineering or recycled resins.

Cryogenic Grinding

Cryogenic grinding is a specialized process for reducing heat-sensitive materials to fine powders. By using liquid nitrogen to freeze the material, it becomes brittle and grinds cleanly without thermal damage. This method achieves particle sizes similar to ambient grinding—typically between 2000 and 63 microns—while preserving material integrity, color, and performance. Ideal for low-melt or soft polymers, it’s commonly used for polycaprolactones, coPP (HPP < 500 micron), high-impact polystyrene, nylons (non-PA6), ABS, soft TPEs/TPOs, TPUs, low-melt polyesters, ionomers, and PLA.

Jet Pulverizing

Jet pulverizing uses compressed air or gas to accelerate and collide particles, producing ultra-fine powders without heat exposure. Ideal for heat-sensitive or brittle materials, this method achieves particle sizes below 45 microns with tight distribution control. As particles become airborne, they are either collected or recycled until properly sized. Jet pulverizing is commonly used for powder coatings, specialty additives, and extends to materials like waxes, chemicals, reactor granule polymers, inorganics, and other fine particle applications.

Granulation

Granulation is the first step in breaking down oversized materials—such as large parts, slabs, or solid pieces—into coarse, manageable granules. These materials are often too bulky to be fed directly into a mill, so granulation serves as a critical pre-processing stage. By reducing the size and improving the uniformity of the feedstock, granulation helps ensure smoother, more efficient milling, blending, or further processing. It's especially useful in recycling workflows and when working with regrind or off-spec product forms. The system is also capable of handling challenging materials like rubbers, elastomers, extruder purgings (such as polycarbonate), and scrap polyolefins.

Blending & Mixing

We offer a variety of mixers—from high-intensity batch blenders to tumble mixers—to handle materials in the form of powder, pellets, or granules. Capable of batch sizes ranging from 100 lb. to 12,000 lb., our blending services ensure your materials are uniformly distributed, whether you’re combining additives, colorants, fillers, or custom formulations. Precise mixing ensures consistent performance and product quality.

Size Classification

With multi-deck screening equipment, we sort and separate powders based on precise particle size ranges. This is essential for improving flowability, compaction, surface finish, and performance consistency. Whether you’re removing fines, oversize particles, or targeting a specific range, our classification services optimize powder usability in downstream applications.

Analytical Services

Our in-house analytical capabilities include particle size analysis, bulk density, moisture content, melt flow index, and visual inspection. We help ensure your processed powders meet strict performance, safety, and regulatory standards. These services are essential for maintaining quality control, process optimization, and customer assurance across all batches.

Bulk-to-Bulk Processing

Our facility is equipped to manage large-scale material handling, from incoming bulk containers to finished product packaging. We maintain material integrity and batch uniformity through every step—ensuring traceability, minimal waste, and consistent throughput for high-volume customers.

Research & Development

Need support for new product development? Our R&D team offers hands-on collaboration to help develop new powder formulations, processing methods, or scale-up plans. We assist with trial batches, performance validation, and iterative testing—giving you the flexibility to innovate without the upfront capital investment.

Powder Modification

We offer a full suite of powder characterization services to ensure your materials meet the required performance, quality, and processing standards. Particle size analysis is conducted using methods tailored to your material—Rotap for coarse to medium powders, Jet Sieve for finer particles, and laser diffraction (MicroTrac) for precise measurement of micro-sized particles in both wet and dry formats. In addition, we evaluate bulk density and flowability using ASTM D1895, moisture content, and surface fineness using tools like the Grindometer (NPIRI, Herman, or Micron standards). These insights help optimize your material for consistency, application performance, and regulatory compliance.

Flexible Packaging Capabilities

Our packaging solutions are as flexible as your needs. From 10 lb. bags to super sacks and gaylord boxes, we offer a range of options for both bulk shipment and retail-ready formats. Each package is labeled, sealed, and prepared to maintain cleanliness, prevent contamination, and support easy downstream integration.

From Prototype to Production—We’ve Got You Covered

With every service we offer, the goal is the same: to deliver precision powders that perform. Whether you’re in aerospace, automotive, 3D printing, consumer goods, or industrial manufacturing, Specialty Powders is the trusted partner to move your material forward.