REPORTING THE WORLD OF POLYURETHANES FOR OUR CUSTOMERS June 2013 Million dollar MDI investments A tough approach to flooring Stepping up footwear innovation Polyurea goes for gold in Brazil Turkish delight as polyurethane market continues to grow www.huntsman.com/pu
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R E P O R T I N G T H E W O R L D O F P O LY U R E T H A N E S F O R O U R C U S T O M E R S
June 2013
Million dollar MDI investments
A tough approach to flooring
Stepping up footwear innovation
Polyurea goes for gold in Brazil
Turkish delight aspolyurethane marketcontinues to grow
www.huntsman.com/pu
PUbriefing June 2013
At the end of January the NanjingJinling Huntsman New MaterialsCo., Ltd held a groundbreakingceremony to celebrate constructionof a world scale propylene oxide(PO) and methyl tertiary butyl ether(MTBE) facility in the NanjingChemical Industrial Park.
Work starts on new PO / MTBE facility in Nanjing, China
Nanjing Jinling Huntsman New Materials is a joint venture of the Huntsman ChemicalTrading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd and SinopecJinling Company, a subsidiary of Sinopec.Using world-class technology, the businesswill produce 550 mm lbs (240 kt) of PO and1.6 billion lbs (7400 kt) of MTBE per annum.
PO is an intermediate compound used tomake high value polyurethane materialsranging from energy efficient homeinsulation and building materials to comfortfoams for automobiles and furniture.
MTBE is a clean burning fuel additive thatimproves gasoline engine performance andreduces air pollution.
The project has capital costs of approximately$750 million USD (CNY 4.7 billion). Buildingwork is expected to be complete by the endof 2014. |
Investing for Growth with Customers 2Tony Hankins, President, Huntsman Polyurethanes
Our editorial theme in the last issue of PU review was ‘Investing for Growth with Customers Worldwide’ and we are continuingwith that theme for this issue, as we’ve made a number of strategically important investments in recent months that we’d like to highlight.
In the following pages, you’ll read about the $750 million joint venture Huntsman Polyurethanes has established with Sinopec to build and operate a PO / MTBE facility in Nanjing, China. In March we announced $135 million of new investments at ourworld scale MDI plants in Geismar, USA, and Rotterdam, the Netherlands. And, moving downstream, we’ve acquired a stake inNippon Aqua, a market leading Japanese polyurethane spray foam business, whilst breaking ground on a new TPU productionfacility in Jinshan, China.
The main feature of this issue is an interview with the General Manager of our new Turkish systems house, EMA, which weacquired just over a year ago. I had the pleasure of visiting EMA’s site and meeting with key Turkish customers a few months agoand I was struck by the energy and dynamism of both the people and the economy. We have a strong team, full of innovativeideas, and I’m very confident that we’re well positioned to leverage the opportunities offered by this fascinating market.
Innovation is impossible without sustained investment and I believe this issue powerfully displays that Huntsman Polyurethanesis committed to doing just that!
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With strong ongoing demand for methylene diphenyl diisocyanate(MDI), Huntsman is making major investments at two of its worldscale MDI manufacturing facilities. In March 2013 the companyannounced that it will be increasing capacity at its Geismar site inthe United States (U.S.), adding downstream processing capabilityat its Rotterdam plant in the Netherlands and embarking on apilot program on-site to explore the greening of the MDIproduction process.
Huntsman invests$135 million inMDI plants
Strengthening upstream costleadership position at GeismarHuntsman has announced that it willbe expanding operations at its MDIproduction plant at Geismar,Louisiana. News of the investmentbroke at a press conference at thesite on March 21, 2013, which washosted by Jon Huntsman Sr., Founderand Executive Chairman ofHuntsman. Louisiana State GovernorBobby Jindal was on hand to helpkick off the event, which was alsoattended by leaders from Louisiana’seconomic development body; thelocal parish President; the Presidentand CEO of the parish EconomicDevelopment Corp.; and many othercommunity leaders and officials.Nearly 200 plant associates alsoattended the event.
Geismar capacity will be increased by50 ktes to 500 ktes using improvedprocess technology developed byHuntsman. The expansion will enableHuntsman to support the growth ofits key customers and leverages thesignificant advantages of the Geismarsite, with its access to U.S. shale gas,strong logistics base and excellentintegration. The new capacity isexpected to come on-stream in 2014and will further consolidateHuntsman’s position as the leadingMDI producer in the Americas region.
Tony Hankins, President of HuntsmanPolyurethanes, said: “The benefits ofshale gas have significantly improvedthe economics of investing in U.S.facilities and Huntsman has a numberof other investments planned, whichwill take advantage of lower-costnatural gas. In making this investmentwe benefited from the support of
Louisiana Economic Developmentand Ascension Parish EconomicDevelopment. We’d like to thank bothorganizations for their cooperationand support. This is an exciting timefor the team at Geismar and for ourwider polyurethanes business asa whole.”
Greater flexibility to providedownstream, customized productsIn Europe, Huntsman iscommissioning a new state-of-the-artMDI splitter and downstreamspecialties manufacturing unit at itsRotterdam facility in the Netherlands,which will enable Huntsman to servecustomers with a full range of next-generation, differentiated polyurethaneproducts for automotive, adhesives,coatings and other applications. Theunit is designed to handle globallysourced MDI precursor.
In a further endorsement of its work,the team at Rotterdam has alsoreceived funding from the Dutchgovernment for a pilot programexploring the greening of the MDIproduction process.
With financial support from Dutchofficials, the corporation isconstructing a testing plant on sitethat is 1:1000 of the size of astandard MDI facility. The unit will beused to scale up techniques alreadyproven in Huntsman’s laboratoriesand demonstrate that significantenergy savings and CO2 reductionscan be achieved at a full plant level byintensifying the MDI manufacturingprocess.
In exchange for funding, Huntsmanwill share generic learnings from thescale up process with othercompanies that are interested inmaking process improvements. The results are expected to betransformative with the potential tosave up to 1500 TJ of energy annuallyand reduce CO2 emissions by morethan 75,000 tes.
Tony Hankins said: “Investing in ourMDI splitting capability gives usgreater flexibility to providedownstream, customized products;and proactively pioneering processimprovements in partnership with theDutch government, will keep us at theforefront of developments in theEuropean polyurethanes industry formany years to come. Theseinvestments reinforce andacknowledge the quality of peopleand assets we have on site – andtheir combined future potential.”
In addition to its Geismar andRotterdam sites, Huntsman operatesa third world scale MDI facility inCaojing, Shanghai. |
Left to right:Louisiana State GovernorBobby Jindal andJon Huntsman Sr., Founderand Executive Chairmanof Huntsman.
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Building underway on Huntsman’s firstTPU production line in AsiaHuntsman is building a new thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) production facility at theJinshan Fine Chemical Industrial Park in Shanghai.
Once complete, the factory – Huntsman’s firstdedicated TPU plant in Asia Pacific – willproduce thousands of tonnes of product perannum, supporting rapidly growing demand inthe region and enabling the company tobetter serve its local customers.
The new facility will manufacture TPU for avariety of industrial and consumer applicationsincluding shoes, cables, seals, hoses, filmsand conveyor belts.
The project has obtained full support fromboth the Jinshan Fine Chemical IndustrialPark and the Jinshan district government.
Jan Verstraeten, Global Business Director ofHuntsman’s TPU business, said: “In creatingthis plant we have laid the foundations forexpansion in the biggest and fastest growingTPU market in the world – a move that willenhance our global and regional partnerships,and help us meet the distinct needs ofcustomers across Asia Pacific. As the build
progresses we are gathering global resourcesand recruiting new team members to supportthe venture. We are also inputting the verylatest technology to ensure that we candevelop products that will contribute to thekey sectors defined in China’s twelfth five-yearplan. This is an exciting development forChina, for our business in Asia and for theglobal TPU market as a whole.” |
In creating this plant we have laid thefoundations for expansion in the biggest andfastest growing TPU market in the world.
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The Huntsman booth featured a variety of products includingthe polyurethanes-based RUBITHERM® range, which providesexcellent thermal insulation properties contributing to greater energyefficiency. The polyurethanes division also participated in a lectureabout polyurea coatings and their practical application in Brazil.
In addition, the business unveiled details of its new HuntsmanAdvanced Technical Center (HATC) in Taboão da Serra/SP, Brazil.Scheduled for inauguration later this year, the center will providesignificant advances in the development of products aimed at theSouth American market. The research labs will be shared amongfour Huntsman divisions: Advanced Materials, PerformanceProducts, Polyurethanes and Textile Effects.
Placing operations and manufacturing closer to its clients, theHATC will enable Huntsman to offer the latest infrastructure toolsand technological support to aid innovation.|
Huntsman promotesRUBITHERM® insulation inBrazil and announces newtechnical centerLast November, associates from Huntsmanrepresented the company at the FEIPLARCOMPOSITES & FEIPUR International Fairand Congress Composites, Polyurethane andEngineering Plastics in São Paulo, Brazil.
Huntsman acquires stake inJapanese SPF companyHuntsman has acquired a 20% stake in Nippon Aqua Co. Ltd. (NipponAqua), a spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation company based inYokohama, Japan – and has entered into a ten-year supply agreementwith the business.
Nippon Aqua is the SPF market leader inJapan. It has business operations in over30 locations across the country and is asubsidiary of leading residential homebuilderHinokiya Holdings Co. Ltd. Huntsmansupplies various advanced MDI-basedpolyurethanes systems to Nippon Aqua.
Tony Hankins, President of HuntsmanPolyurethanes, said: “We are delighted tohave the opportunity to invest in NipponAqua, a pioneer in the Japanese spraypolyurethane foam market. Following the
regrettable accident at the Fukushima Daiichinuclear plant in 2011, there’s a great focus onhow the country will source its energy needsand a growing demand among consumers for more effective insulation. Nippon Aqua iswell-positioned to satisfy this demand and welook forward to strengthening our relationshipwith them.” |
Huntsman Polyurethanes alsoparticipated in a lecture aboutpolyurea coatings and theirpractical application in Brazil.
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PU Review (PU R): How long has Huntsmanbeen operating in Turkey and how did it cometo acquire EMA?
Niki Revesz (NR): Huntsman has alwaysplayed an active role in the Turkish chemicalindustry making investments in productionand sales capabilities as well as distributorand systems house relationships across itsdifferent business divisions.
At the end of 2011, the polyurethanes divisionof Huntsman bought EMA – a strategic movedesigned to increase the company’scapabilities in markets where economicgrowth favors polyurethane consumption.The business had been looking for acquisitionopportunities in Turkey for some time andEMA – established in 2006 – was a goodfit from both a technical and a culturalperspective.
Turkish delight as polyurethanemarket continues to grow
PU R: Tell us about the market forpolyurethanes in Turkey?
Gulum Kabil (GK): There are extremelystrong market drivers for the polyurethanesindustry in Turkey and the surroundingregions. When EMA was first established, theTurkish economy was about average for adeveloping country. It had a B1 investmentrating and a gross national product (GNP)value of $350 billion (USD). Over the last fewyears that figure has doubled and the countryhas secured a better investment rating. This isremarkable considering the economicproblems elsewhere in Europe and thepolitical unrest experienced in some parts ofthe Middle East.
Hand in hand with rapid and sustainedeconomic growth, we’ve seen manufacturingexports rise. In parallel, demand hasincreased for housing, appliances, cars andother consumer items. Polyurethanes have a
The country is uniquelypositioned to bridge the gapbetween Europe and theMiddle East – and does sowith great success.
It’s been more than a year since Huntsman acquired Turkish systemshouse EMA Kimya Sanayi ve Tecaret A.S. PU Review travelled to Tuzla,south east of Istanbul, to speak to Mrs. Gulum Kabil, General Managerof Huntsman-EMA. Separately we also interviewed Niki Revesz, acommercial director at Huntsman Polyurethanes. Together theirresponses paint a picture of the local polyurethanes market and whatthe future holds now the business has a greater foothold in the region.
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crucial role to play in all of these areas andthat’s reflected in industry figures. In 2010Turkey’s MDI systems market grew at a rateof 13-15% per annum – one of the highestrates in the world.
PU R: Why do you think the country hasfared so well?
GK: There are a number of factors. One ofthe main reasons is demography. Thepopulation growth rate in Turkey in 2011 wasestimated at 1.3% and the population is veryyoung. The average age is only 30.
Geography is also important. The country isuniquely positioned to bridge the gap betweenEurope and the Middle East – and does sowith great success. Most Turkish companiesare small and entrepreneurial. They export tomany different regions – meaning risk isspread and that there is no major fallout attimes of financial or political uncertainty. Theproduction of intermediary products is alsohigh in Turkey. This makes it easier to findother export markets when there is adownturn and avoids competition with Asia.
PU R: So what are the key markets forpolyurethanes in Turkey?
GK: The markets are numerous and varied –from insulation to make buildings more energyefficient to foams and lightweight compositematerials that increase comfort in cars andcut fuel consumption.
Huntsman-EMA sells more than 15,000 tesof polyurethane raw materials per year andwe’ve also established our own polyesterpolyol technology. Insulation is by far ourbiggest market. The highest volumes are intechnical insulation, followed by metal panelproduction, discontinuous spray systemsand then one component foams (OCF) fordraught proofing.
By size, footwear follows next. Specialistapplications such as the production ofwellington boots are extremely popular.The automotive market is also important.Admittedly the industry has been underpressure of late but with new models fromFord, Renault, Hyundai and Toyota comingthrough, things are looking up and there arecountless interior and exterior applicationsfor elastomer technologies.
In addition, we expect further growth infurniture. Turkey has a significant compositewood product market. Also, the use ofpolyurea is expected to grow at double theGNP rate – close to 10% per annum upuntil 2015.
EMA always had an exceptionallygood relationship with Huntsmanand culturally both companies werevery close to one another anyway.
Demand has increased forhousing, appliances, carsand other consumer items.Polyurethanes have a crucialrole to play in all of theseareas and that’s reflected inindustry figures.
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PU R: So is the expansion of the Turkish MDImarket sustainable?
GK: It certainly appears to be. Projections ofgross domestic product (GDP) per capita inTurkey show that the nation’s overall growthtrend will continue for the next three years.While the numbers look moderate comparedto the rest of Europe, the impact in sectors inTurkey that use polyurethanes will be intensebecause of the location of the country’sindustrial zones. These areas are locatedaround big cities such as Istanbul, Izmir andGaziantep and create 65% of the country’sGDP. Application wise, we expect growth inautomotive and footwear to be in line withGDP while insulation, adhesives, coatings,elastomer and foam markets look set to growat double the rate.
PU R: So it’s obvious why EMA and Turkeywas such an attractive proposition forHuntsman. Tell us what you think is so specialabout Huntsman-EMA one year on from theacquisition.
NR: Huntsman-EMA’s technological anddynamic structure, and the support it nowreceives as part of multinational company, is apowerful proposition that will help us grow ourmarket share. We have a dedicatedpolyurethanes team in Turkey, state-of-the-artproduction facilities at our disposal and strongopportunities for technology transfer. Thesecompetitive differentiators put us in an idealposition to capitalize on the opportunitiesforecast to arise in Turkey and thesurrounding regions over the coming years.
PU R: How does being part of a globalorganization compare to being a smallindependent systems house?
GK: The transition has actually been verysmooth. EMA always had an exceptionallygood relationship with Huntsman and culturally
both companies were very close to oneanother anyway. Despite our size differencewe were independently – and now unitedremain – 100% committed to maintaining thespirit of a small company. Customer intimacyis also paramount. This common groundhelped considerably in the monthsimmediately after the acquisition. Day to daynot much else has changed. Obviously therehas been more investment in the site and wehave adopted lots of Huntsman practices. Butoverall, the integration has been easy andstraightforward. Importantly, our customers,who we remain very close to, also welcomedthe deal. At the end of 2012 we held an eventto formally mark the creation of Huntsman-EMA and the feedback from customers whoattended was extremely positive.
PU R: Does Huntsman have any othersignificant plans for the region?
NR: Nothing specific at present. Currently,Huntsman-EMA is our only polyurethaneplatform in the Turkish region. Locally, as acorporation, we are committed to offering ourcustomers the highest levels of customerservice and to working with them to meet theexciting challenges that will undoubtedly arisewith the continued growth and evolution ofthe Turkish market. More generally we arethinking about opening more system housesin the style of Huntsman-EMA, building onthose we already operate in Russia, Indonesiaand India. |
We have a dedicatedpolyurethanes team in Turkey,state-of-the-art productionfacilities at our disposal andstrong opportunities fortechnology transfer.
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Polyurea competes in 2016 OlympicsIn 2012, Radial Química began renovating the tiered seating, entertainment andcinema areas of the Lagoon Complex in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, in preparationfor the 2016 Summer Olympics.
The Lagoon Complex will be the sitefor all rowing events held during theOlympics. To prepare for the crowdsand activities associated with theGames, the complex required awaterproofing system that wouldencompass audience seating areas, a covered grandstand and an upscalearea for bars and restaurants.
After competing with six othercompanies, Radial Química waschosen to complete the project. Itspartnership with a well-knownconsultant that is familiar withwaterproofing in Rio de Janeiro wasinstrumental in the selection process.
After thoroughly researching theproject’s scope and the facility’sneeds, Radial Química recommendeda polyurea coating based onHuntsman Polyurethanes’ technology.This solution provided clear cost,performance and agility advantageswhen compared with traditionalsystems that require the removal ofcoatings, settlement of foundations,waterproofing, mechanical protectionand other reinforcements.
ApplicationRadial Química chose a polyureahybrid with the ability to cure in 35seconds. Application was specified attwo millimeters thick with a texturedfinish. Phase one of applicationincluded coating six cinemas. Phasetwo took the project to the bar andrestaurant areas located below theseating stands. For both phases atotal of 5,300 square meters ofmaterial was applied. Respectivelythe jobs required 90 and 39 daysto complete.
During installation there were anumber of obstacles to overcomeincluding the weather and the need towork outside of peak operating hours.Uniformity and optimal performanceof the coatings also had to beensured. To beat these challenges,Radial Química customized its team’sworking hours. It also developedbespoke primers for the dampsubstrates and additives to improvecoating performance in high humidity.
Surface preparationPrior to application, Radial Químicaanalyzed each of the surfaces to becoated to guarantee the highest-quality outcome. Preparation includedwashing and decontaminating,sanding, plastering with thixotropic
polyurethane adhesive and treatingstructural expansion joints andcracks with a polyurethaneprimer bi-component. In phase two,the team applied an acrylic-basedprimer and then a primer ofpolyurethane bi-component withmedium viscosity.
The future of polyurea in BrazilNow complete, the Lagoon Complexapplication is under warranty for fiveyears. However, with proper care andwithout vandalism, the work shouldlast for more than ten to fifteen years.
While polyurea has been used forsome time in flooring, soundproofing,metal component coating,shipbuilding and other applications,it is still a relatively new concept inBrazil for use in coatings. That isnow changing. In addition to theLagoon Complex, Radial Química hasbeen selected to apply polyurea tothe famous Maracana Stadium inRio de Janeiro, Brazil, which will hostthe 2014 World Cup Finals. In thisapplication, the polyurea will beapplied to the stadium’s rampsand stands. |
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Chemfloor, a Belgium-based company that specializes inflooring systems, turned to Huntsman Polyurethanes to helpit take a new approach. Together, the two organizationshave developed an innovative mortar system with a veryhigh polymer content that forms a non-penetrable floorcoating with superior resistance, durability and strength. The solution requires no primer, can be laid quickly anddries within one to two days, which minimizes operationaldowntime and disruption. With so many benefits, Chemflooris already seeing keen interest from customers.
En route to safer food transport Chemfloor has successfully installed its flooring system atwash facilities used to clean cargo containers, an industrialenvironment that can take a real battering from extremewear and tear. Chemicals released during the washprocess can put floors under the kind of strain that couldraise the risk of contamination, especially when food is intransit. The mortar floor overcomes the technicalchallenges to maintain longevity.
Floors for foundriesIn the manufacturing sector, Chemfloor customer Alucastis also benefitting from the new polymer flooring system.The company specializes in casting aluminum in itsfoundries at very high temperatures to create automotiveparts, using oil and water combinations for lubrication. The foundry floors need to withstand exposure to solvents,heavy forklift trucks and high temperatures where hot oiland water drip from casting ovens at around 90°C to120°C. In such a high-risk working environment, personal
safety is paramount and floors need to be as slip-resistantand safe as possible for all staff working there.Chemfloor’s flooring system based on Huntsman’sisocyanate chemistry caters to that need.
Dirk Steenackers, Manager at Chemfloor said: “Workingwith Huntsman Polyurethanes we’ve created a highlyeffective flooring system that is proven, reliable and easyto install. It is highly effective and versatile enough to meetthe needs of customers in many sectors. From foodprocessing to manufacturing, the new system makes itmuch easier to maintain a hygienic working environmentthat complies with stringent health and safetyrequirements. We expect it to open up a range of newEuropean markets and look forward to continuing ourpartnership with Huntsman Polyurethanes – whosetechnical support and commitment to working on projectsis second to none.” |
Conventional floors typically lack the resistance to withstand long-term exposureto chemicals released during industrial and manufacturing processes, while heavyloads can create additional structural stress. These pressures can weaken floorsin ways that impact on drainage, efficiency and hygiene.
Creating tough floors for tough tasks
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German company Footwear Concept& Design (FCD) and HuntsmanPolyurethanes have joined forces tocreate a one-shot, single unit, shellshoe for cyclists from injection-moldedTPU. The idea was to develop aunique concept to showcase thecompanies’ combined capabilities.
Having previously collaborated on thecreation of TPU / polyurethane soledshoes for a number of world-leadingfootwear brands, the teams knew theycould work well together so set aboutproducing an entire shoe upper in onepiece. The resulting mono hull offersmany advantages during manufacture.
After the piece is demolded, no labor-intensive stitching is required to fix thesole to the upper, which savesassembly time. Furthermore, this novelapproach could give footwearmanufacturers the potential to createcontemporary, ergonomically designedshoes that combine aesthetic formwith functional benefits and newfeatures. Shoes produced this wayhave no seams to cause discomfort;are easy to clean; are soft andcomfortable yet rigid enough toprovide good support; and arelightweight but durable.
Alfons Tremml, Commercial Managerfor Footwear at HuntsmanPolyurethanes, said: “This innovativeTPU system offers footwearmanufacturers a wide variety ofapplication opportunities with a uniquesales advantage. The range of
polyester and polyether gradematerials we have available offersoutstanding scope for customization.
“For example, the impact of sweatingwas mitigated in the cycling shoe byusing a polyether TPU grade thatmade it more resistant to hydrolysiscaused by humidity. Additionally, once the mold has been created, the one-shot injection molding process makes production versatileand cost effective.”
Successfully demonstrated in thecreation of a cycling shoe, HuntsmanPolyurethanes and FCD believe thesame system could be transferred toother applications and shoe designs,such as:
• Safety clogs with added internalprotection
• Lightweight, fast-drying, all-terrainhiking boots
• Stretchy strong overshoes for wetand dirty conditions
• Hydrophobic water shoes for thebeach and water sports.
Jens Schmidt, General Manager atFCD, commented: “This was anextremely productive collaboration.What worked so well was the team’sflexibility, willingness to cooperate andcommitment to see the projectthrough to completion in an extremelyshort time frame. HuntsmanPolyurethanes has been our preferredpartner for TPU solutions for a while.This project reinforces that was asound business decision. We’ve beenoverwhelmed by the reaction to thecycling shoe and look forward toworking with our colleagues atHuntsman Polyurethanes and ourcustomers to take the concept to market.” |
Concept shoe paves wayfor footwear innovationA new generation of footwear could soon be hitting thestreets thanks to a radical thermoplastic polyurethane(TPU) manufacturing system with the potential totransform many types of shoe production.
This innovative TPUsystem offers footwearmanufacturers a widevariety of applicationopportunities with aunique sales advantage
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Winning industry awards is always exciting butwhen it’s an accolade judged by your peer group,success is all the more satisfying. That was thecase for Huntsman Polyurethanes in Octoberwhen the team received the Center for thePolyurethanes Industry’s (CPI) 2012 PolyurethaneInnovation Award.
Awards success forHuntsman at CPI
Top innovation This special accolade recognizes companiesand individuals whose dedicated efforts bringinnovative, new products, technologies andinitiatives to market. Huntsman won theprestigious prize for its VITROX® compositeresin system, which is revolutionizing therepair of underground waste water pipes. The award was presented at the openingsession of the 2012 Polyurethanes TechnicalConference in Atlanta.
CPI Senior Director, Lee Salamone, said: “CPI congratulates Huntsman on winning the 2012 Polyurethane Innovation Award.VITROX® composite resins offer a creativesolution to the real-world challenges ofinfrastructure repairs and improvements.”
Keith Day, Vice President Global BusinessDevelopment at Huntsman Polyurethanes,added: “There is no greater honor than to be recognized as an innovator by your own industry. We look forward to continuingto provide our customers with innovativeproducts and solutions based on this novel chemistry.”
Top footwear presentationDuring the CPI Technical Conference,Huntsman Polyurethanes also received anaward for delivery of the best presentation inthe Elastomers and Footwear Session – thesecond consecutive year that the companyhas been honored for its work in this category.
Rafael Camargo delivered the address,entitled “Renewable footwear systems basedon polymers derived from waste carbondioxide”, in conjunction with Novomer Inc.The presentation covered footwear foamsusing an entirely new class of CO2-basedpolyols with potential sustainablecharacteristics. This novel platform technology enables polymer structures to be tailored for new specific applications. |
Pictured left to right: Marc Broekaert, EAMEBusiness Development, Coatings & Binders,Senior Expert, Huntsman; Steve Burns, VicePresident, Americas Polyurethanes, Huntsman;Lee Salamone, CPI Senior Director.
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IROGRAN® A85 P 5050 DP canbe used to produce durablecoated fabrics for inflatableboats, rafts, life preservers andsafety jackets; general-purposetarpaulin sheets; and membranesfor flexi-tanks and conveyor belts.
Created from a special formulaand manufactured via a uniqueproduction process, IROGRAN®
A85 P 5050 was developed toincrease the range of productsavailable to specifiers in thetextile lamination industry. Thematerial has very good physicalcharacteristics, combining
abrasion and tensile strength with a wide processing window.It also offers excellent rheologicaland morphological properties.
Combined, these features canhave a positive impact onproduction efficiencies, helping to stabilize processing, deliver a high output rate and reduceenergy consumption – ultimatelysaving manufacturers time and money. |
[email protected] /[email protected]
New TPU improvestextile coatingThermoplastic experts at Huntsman have developed anew polyether-based polyurethane with low meltproperties that is easy to process and is suitable forcoating textiles by calendering – a technique that givesfabric a smooth, glossy, hard-wearing finish.
But now – thanks to Huntsman Polyurethanes –that’s about to change. The company’scoatings experts have developed SUPRASEC®
2154 prepolymer – a new chemistry that makesit far easier to embed fire retardant properties inhot spray polyurea systems.
Used on the isocyanate or ‘A’ side of polyurea,SUPRASEC® 2154 prepolymer has built inflame retardant features. This meansformulators can put extra fire protectionadditives into the amine half of a system morefreely – helping them achieve the desiredresults, without creating an imbalance orimpacting on other essential coating properties.
SUPRASEC® 2154 prepolymer is based onHuntsman’s proven SUPRASEC® 2054prepolymer chemistry, which is known fordelivering consistent, high quality results. The technology will be targeted at applicationswhere passive fire prevention is required. For example in coating concrete and steelstructures in multi-storey car parks.
The innovation was unveiled on the first day ofthe European Coatings Show in Nürnberg,Germany – where it sparked plenty of interest.
Ian Rimmer, Commercial Manager – CoatingsEAME at Huntsman Polyurethanes, said: “We began talking about this product back inNovember at the Polyurea DevelopmentAssociation conference in Istanbul. The reactionwas extremely positive so we knew we’d takethe technology to ECS to discuss it with awider audience. Development has been slowand steady but that’s been intentional. There isclearly strong demand in this area and from theoutset we wanted to create a solution that wasabsolutely right and would deliver maximumbenefit. We think we’ve done just that. Initialtests have gone well and we are now into thescale up phase – having some interestingconversations with existing customers about a wide range of application opportunities.” |
New flame retardant prepolymersparks interestHistorically it’s always been difficult for coatings formulators to add flameretardant properties to polyurea without compromising overall performance.The risk of overloading the polyetheramine or ‘B’ side of the system hasalways been too great.
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Global events roundoff busy yearDespite the rise of new communication channels, industryevents are still hard to beat for face-to-face networkingwith customers, forging new contacts and demonstratingproducts. In the second half of 2012, teams from HuntsmanPolyurethanes made their mark at key conferences, tradeshows and exhibitions around the world.
IROGRAN® makes an impact In Q3 / 4 2012 the division’s TPU experts visited
Friedrichshafen in Germany for Fakuma; León in Mexico forANPIC; and Turkey for Plast Eurasia. At each event the focus was
on the team’s high performance, polyester-based IROGRAN® thermoplasticpolyurethanes (TPUs) for injection molding applications.
Central to the range is IROGRAN® A70 E 4675, a soft, versatile, engineeringmaterial with outstanding bond strength. Easily processed and with anexceptionally short cycle time it is ideal for the manufacture of thick walledtechnical parts where short cycle and fast demolding times are required, forexample cable bushings, plugs, wheels and castors. It is also widelyemployed across the automotive industry in the manufacture of over-moldeditems such as remote control car key fobs, sheets for dashboards, door andside panel cladding systems, and gear stick knobs.
Fast forward for footwearAt SIMAC, in Bologna, Italy the team formally launched DALTOPED® Lite, aninnovative polyether material for polyurethane soles that featured in the lastissue of PU Review. The new product generated a lot of interest. Also makingthe news was an innovative concept cycling shoe that was developed incollaboration with Footwear Concept Design, a member company within theShoe Alliance. See page 11 to read more on this development.
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Forthcoming events andtechnical presentations
PU China, Nanjing, China (September 10-12) �
Polyurethanes Technical Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, USA(September 23-25) �
Timber Expo 2013, Coventry, UK (September 24-25) �
World Energy Engineering Congress, Washington, D.C., USA(September 25-27) �
K2013, Dusseldorf, Germany (October 16-23) �
Western Coatings Show, Las Vegas, NV, USA (October 20-23)
Khimia, Moscow, Russia (October 28-31) �
APA Annual Meeting and EWTA Info Fair, Huntington Beach,California, USA (November 2-5)
Woodex Moscow, Moscow, Russia (November 26-29)
List of forthcoming events:
India welcomes VYDRO®
In Q4 the destination was Hyderabad for the 10th Indian GreenBuilding Congress – the largest show of its kind in India. Overthree days more than 800 individuals visited the VYDRO®
substrate booth, helping to generate at least 80 sales leads.
The popularity of a technical session on VYDRO® substratereflected growing demand for green roofs across India.Huntsman Polyurethanes’ Fabio Invernizzi explained to aninternational audience of architects and builders how VYDRO®
substrate works and the benefits it is delivering in customerapplications across Europe and Asia. The session attracted somany delegates that a moderator was needed to help chair adedicated Q&A session.
CWP growth in RussiaAlso in Q4, the Composite Wood Products (CWP) team visited Moscow for the RussianLesdrevmash fair – the largest woodworking equipment event in the country. At the fair,the team attracted major players from the Russian wood-based panels industry to theirbooth. Focusing on Russia is an important part of Huntsman Polyurethanes’ CWPstrategy. The benefits of MDI are just starting to be acknowledged by the regional woodpanel sector and huge opportunities lie ahead with the local construction industry onthe upswing and the creation of the country’s first OSB plant well underway.
For more information on the subjects covered in PU Reviewmagazine, please contact the editor:Ilse Vanden Brande, [email protected],+32 (0) 2 7589420
While all the information and recommendations in this publication are to the best ofour knowledge, information and belief accurate at the date of publication, nothingherein is to be construed as a warranty, express or otherwise.
AVALON®, DALTOPED®, IROGRAN®, VITROX® and VYDRO® are registeredtrademarks of Huntsman or an affiliate thereof in one or more, but not all,countries.
The tradenames above are registered trademarks of the following companies ortheir affiliates on one or more, but not all, countries.
Copyright © 2013 Huntsman Corporation. All rights reserved.
Designed and produced by: Chris Pearson creative communications.
TPU technology day in GermanyLate last year the Huntsman Polyurethanes thermoplasticpolyurethane (TPU) team staged a special technology day with its long-standing German distribution partner, Chemie-Plast.
The event, held in the German town of Porta Westfalica, was open to professionals with a technical or commercial interest inthermoplastics. Topics on the agenda included TPU seals;formulations for automotive applications; advances in bio-basedthermoplastics; polyamide and polyester developments; plus generaladvice regarding error prevention and trouble shooting in production.
More than 100 visitors attended, mainly from plastics processingcompanies. Delegates heard presentations about the issues andtrends affecting the industry, details of emerging markets and theincreasing importance of TPU solutions in increasing efficiencyacross manufacturing.
Kirsten Müller-Mohme, Managing Director at Chemie-Plast, said:“Hosting technology days gives us an opportunity to discuss ideasand explore new developments in conjunction with our partnersand customers. Our first technical event took place back in 2000.Since then we’ve hosted many others at regular intervals and ourcustomers always comment on how much they learn. Thanks tothe team at Huntsman Polyurethanes for helping us arrange suchan educational, event.”
Other organizations involved in the technology day included CTS(Compound Technology Services); SO.F.TER SPA; and theUniversity of Osnabrück together with Brabender Messtechnik. |
We create better energy efficiency and comfort. Together.
www.huntsman.com/pu
At Huntsman Polyurethanes, we believe that working in true collaboration with customers isthe only way to solve complex problems and find the solutions that will deliver real innovation.
So, we strive with a passion and determination to build the deep understanding of ourcustomers that’s required to get to the heart of their needs and establish lasting partnerships.
Our MDI-based polyurethanes and TPU technologies are used to meet the exactingneeds of the major automotive OEMs, providing superior seating comfort and durability,advanced acoustic absorbtion and high performance components, which optimizeweight and enhance safety. Combine our knowledge of polyurethanes systems with yourexpertise, and we’ll create better cars… together.
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