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Marlex® Polyethylene Resins for Sheet Extrusion and Thermoforming

Plastic food containers with fruit

Sheet extrusion is a manufacturing process used to produce flat plastic sheets across a wide range of thicknesses and end-use applications. Polyethylene sheet is valued for its durability, chemical resistance, toughness and processability, making it suitable for packaging, industrial, recreational and environmental containment applications. 

CPChem offers a broad portfolio of Marlex® polyethylene resins engineered for sheet extrusion. Backed by decades of polymer expertise, our resins support both thin-gauge thermoforming applications and thick-sheet extrusion for demanding industrial and geomembrane uses. 

Explore Grades

 

HDPE Grades  LLDPE Grades  MDPE Grades

Applications of Polyethylene Sheet Extrusion

Polyethylene sheet extrusion serves three primary market segments:

Thermoformed Packaging

Thin-gauge polyethylene sheet is commonly thermoformed into rigid and semi-rigid packaging applications, including:

  • Drink cups
  • Deli containers
  • Produce trays
  • Margarine tubs
  • Baby wipe containers

 

These applications benefit from consistent sheet thickness, good stiffness and reliable forming performance.

Industrial & Recreational Sheet

Thick polyethylene sheet is used in applications requiring toughness, impact resistance and long-term durability, such as:

  • Truck bed liners
  • Pallets and crates
  • Automotive dunnage
  • Playground equipment
  • Recreational and marine components

 

Polyethylene’s resistance to chemicals, moisture and abrasion makes it well suited for harsh environments.

Geomembranes & Environmental Containment

Extruded polyethylene sheet is also used to manufacture geomembranes, where flat sheets are welded together to create large containment systems for:

  • Mining operations
  • Municipal waste disposal
  • Environmental protection and containment

 

Geomembrane applications demand resins with excellent stress crack resistance, long-term durability and consistent processing behavior.

Key Benefits of Marlex® Polyethylene for Sheet Extrusion


Marlex® polyethylene resins are engineered to deliver consistent performance across a wide range of sheet extrusion applications. 

Key benefits include:

Broad Processing Window

Marlex® resins offer stable melt flow and uniform output across varying line speeds and die configurations, helping processors maintain tight thickness tolerances and reduce scrap.

Excellent Thermoformability

Resins designed for thin-gauge applications provide reliable sag resistance, consistent sheet uniformity and predictable forming behavior, supporting high-throughput thermoforming operations.

Impact Strength and Toughness

Polyethylene sheet produced with Marlex® resins delivers the impact resistance and durability required for heavy-duty industrial, recreational and environmental containment applications.

Chemical and Environmental Resistance

Marlex® polyethylene resists chemicals, moisture and UV degradation, making it well suited for outdoor, marine and below-grade geomembrane applications.

Stress Crack Resistance

Select grades offer enhanced environmental stress crack resistance (ESCR), a critical performance requirement for geomembranes and long-service-life industrial sheet.

Dedicated Technical Support

CPChem's application engineers and Plastics Technical Center provide resin selection guidance, processing optimization and sample production to accelerate development timelines.

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HDPE Grades for Sheet Exrusion 

ProductApplicationMI
(g/10 min)		HLMI
(g/10 min)		Density ↑
(g/cm3)
Marlex® HXM 50100 PolyethyleneLarge Parts, Industrial Products—10.00.948
Marlex® HHM 5502-01ST PolyethyleneLarge Parts, Industrial Products0.25—0.955
Marlex® K606 PolyethyleneThermoforming0.7—0.964
.

MDPE Grades for Sheet Extrusion 

ProductApplicationMI
(g/10 min)		Density ↑
(g/cm3)
Marlex® 7104 PolyethyleneGeomembrane0.350.919
.

LLDPE Grades for Sheet Extrusion 

ProductApplicationMI
(g/10 min)		Density ↑
(g/cm3)
Marlex® 7104 PolyethyleneGeomembrane0.350.919

Technical Support for Your Application

CPChem provides application‑focused guidance to help customers select the right polyethylene resins and tailor formulations for both thin and thick sheet extrusion. Our technical experts work closely with processors to optimize line conditions, enhance consistency and support new application development. With access to sample production capabilities at our Plastics Technical Center in Bartlesville, Okla., we offer hands‑on validation and faster development cycles, a key advantage for customers innovating in sheet extrusion.

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