December 2, 2019

BASF Acquires 3D Print Company

  11/28/2019 – Heidelberg, Germany – BASF New Business GmbH has formally agreed to acquire the online 3D printing service provider Sculpteo.

The agreement was signed on November 14, 2019 and is expected to become effective in the next few weeks pending regulatory approval by the relevant authorities. The acquisition of the French 3D printing specialist based in Paris and San Francisco will enable BASF 3D Printing Solutions GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BASF New Business GmbH, to market and establish new industrial 3D printing materials more quickly. Sculpteo’s management team fully supports the acquisition and will remain in place to provide customers and partners with this expanded service spectrum. For around a decade already, Sculpteo has operated an online platform with integrated production for the manufacturing of prototypes, individual objects, and serial production components with a range of different additive manufacturing technologies. Customers in various industrial sectors around the world use the Sculpteo service to produce new components rapidly and reliably. BASF will develop the existing Sculpteo 3D printing platform further into a global network. For customers and partners, BASF 3D Printing Solutions will thus be able to offer an additional channel for marketing their services and expanding their own customer bases. “Through the acquisition of Sculpteo, we can provide customers and partners with even faster access to our innovative 3D printing solutions. In addition, our customers will benefit from an extended range of services”, explains Dr. Dietmar Bender, Managing Director BASF 3D Printing Solutions. “Together with Sculpteo, we are pursuing our goal of establishing additive manufacturing as a proven technology for industrial mass production”, says Bender. Combining the strengths of both companies will provide Sculpteo’s existing customers with access to a more extensive portfolio of 3D printing materials. “We are excited to join the BASF team and thus benefit from BASF’s outstanding R&D to provide our customers with innovative solutions”, says Clément Moreau, CEO and Co-Founder of Sculpteo. Moreau will stay with Sculpteo as CEO. Beyond this, the Sculpteo Design Studio and BASF’s technical experts will collaborate to be able to support customers in their 3D printing projects from the early planning phase right through to the final printed part. This will enable BASF to offer its customers end-to-end industrial 3D printing solutions.

http://rubberworld.com/news.asp?id=28865

November 25, 2019

PFA Fall Meeting Highlights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Polyurethane Foam Association Fall Meeting Provides Forum For
Issues Discussion, Technical Advances

Jake Barnhardt Inducted Into The Flexible Polyurethane Foam Hall Of Fame

LOUISVILLE, KY (November 19, 2019)—The Polyurethane Foam
Association (PFA) recently concluded its fall meeting, which
spotlighted key regulatory issues and new technical developments.
PFA’s two-day meeting in early November was attended by more than
150 executives from foam manufacturers, chemical suppliers, and other
companies supporting the industry. Attendees saw presentations on
key industry issues including recycling, flammability, and regulatory
developments.

Keynote speaker, Dr. Sharon Kerrick of the University of Louisville
Business School, shared insights on how established companies in
mature industries continue to innovate. She was joined by executives
fromby Yum! Brands and Brown-Forman, both of which are
headquartered in Louisville.

In addition, a Technical Program featured presentations on innovations
and best practices on topics ranging from bismuth catalysts, additives to
minimize compression set, pour line technologies, plant security, and a
recent CertiPUR ® evaluation of VOC emissions from foam in Europe.
Jane Kniss of Evonik won the Herman Stone Technical Excellence
Award, as her technical presentation was voted best by those attending
the Technical Program. “The quality of the technical presentations was
exceptional this year,” noted Bill Gollnitz, Past President of PFA and
Moderator for the Technical Program. “Congratulations to Jane for
standing out in a prestigious field.”

Copies of the technical proceedings are included in registration fees for all attendees, and will
soon be made available for order at www.pfa.org.)

PFA also recognized three individuals for outstanding accomplishments in the flexible
polyurethane foam industry.  Van Delk of Dow Chemical and Tom Robitaille of Lonza were honored with Lifetime
Achievement Awards, while Jacob “Jake” Barnhardt, Jr., longtime President of NCFI
Polyurethanes, was inducted into the Flexible Polyurethane Foam Hall of Fame.

Barnhardt

Barnhardt began his more than 50-year career in the industry in 1964, when he became part of
the management team of the newly-formed North Carolina Foam Industries, now NCFI
Polyurethanes. NCFI perfected the “one shot” flexible foam manufacturing process that is the
industry standard today, and expanded its business to include technologies that found their way
into far-flung applications including the Space Shuttle. Barnhardt was at the first meeting that led
to the creation of PFA, and was a long-time supporter of the organization.

Robitaille

Robitaille’s 36-year career in the flexible polyurethane
foam industry included numerous technical achievements, including patents in the application of
lasers and for novel uses of antimicrobial compounds for commercial and industrial use. Many of
his applications can be found in common household items and footwear.

Delk

Delk spent more than 33 years at Dow, working as a Technical Service Manager. He was widely
recognized among Dow customers for his technical expertise among Dow customers, and as a
teacher and a mentor within the company.

“PFA is focused not only on the future, but it also recognizes the contributions of people who
have led the industry to where it is today,” said Chip Holton of NCFI Polyurethanes, PFA’s
President.

The Polyurethane Foam Association is a trade association founded in 1980 to help educate foam
users, allied industries and other stakeholders. PFA provides facts on environmental, health and
safety issues and technical information on the performance of FPF in consumer and industrial
products. FPF is used as a key comfort component in most upholstered furniture and mattress
products, along with automotive seating, carpet cushion, packaging, and numerous other
applications.

www.pfa.org

November 25, 2019

PFA Fall Meeting Highlights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Polyurethane Foam Association Fall Meeting Provides Forum For
Issues Discussion, Technical Advances

Jake Barnhardt Inducted Into The Flexible Polyurethane Foam Hall Of Fame

LOUISVILLE, KY (November 19, 2019)—The Polyurethane Foam
Association (PFA) recently concluded its fall meeting, which
spotlighted key regulatory issues and new technical developments.
PFA’s two-day meeting in early November was attended by more than
150 executives from foam manufacturers, chemical suppliers, and other
companies supporting the industry. Attendees saw presentations on
key industry issues including recycling, flammability, and regulatory
developments.

Keynote speaker, Dr. Sharon Kerrick of the University of Louisville
Business School, shared insights on how established companies in
mature industries continue to innovate. She was joined by executives
fromby Yum! Brands and Brown-Forman, both of which are
headquartered in Louisville.

In addition, a Technical Program featured presentations on innovations
and best practices on topics ranging from bismuth catalysts, additives to
minimize compression set, pour line technologies, plant security, and a
recent CertiPUR ® evaluation of VOC emissions from foam in Europe.
Jane Kniss of Evonik won the Herman Stone Technical Excellence
Award, as her technical presentation was voted best by those attending
the Technical Program. “The quality of the technical presentations was
exceptional this year,” noted Bill Gollnitz, Past President of PFA and
Moderator for the Technical Program. “Congratulations to Jane for
standing out in a prestigious field.”

Copies of the technical proceedings are included in registration fees for all attendees, and will
soon be made available for order at www.pfa.org.)

PFA also recognized three individuals for outstanding accomplishments in the flexible
polyurethane foam industry.  Van Delk of Dow Chemical and Tom Robitaille of Lonza were honored with Lifetime
Achievement Awards, while Jacob “Jake” Barnhardt, Jr., longtime President of NCFI
Polyurethanes, was inducted into the Flexible Polyurethane Foam Hall of Fame.

Barnhardt

Barnhardt began his more than 50-year career in the industry in 1964, when he became part of
the management team of the newly-formed North Carolina Foam Industries, now NCFI
Polyurethanes. NCFI perfected the “one shot” flexible foam manufacturing process that is the
industry standard today, and expanded its business to include technologies that found their way
into far-flung applications including the Space Shuttle. Barnhardt was at the first meeting that led
to the creation of PFA, and was a long-time supporter of the organization.

Robitaille

Robitaille’s 36-year career in the flexible polyurethane
foam industry included numerous technical achievements, including patents in the application of
lasers and for novel uses of antimicrobial compounds for commercial and industrial use. Many of
his applications can be found in common household items and footwear.

Delk

Delk spent more than 33 years at Dow, working as a Technical Service Manager. He was widely
recognized among Dow customers for his technical expertise among Dow customers, and as a
teacher and a mentor within the company.

“PFA is focused not only on the future, but it also recognizes the contributions of people who
have led the industry to where it is today,” said Chip Holton of NCFI Polyurethanes, PFA’s
President.

The Polyurethane Foam Association is a trade association founded in 1980 to help educate foam
users, allied industries and other stakeholders. PFA provides facts on environmental, health and
safety issues and technical information on the performance of FPF in consumer and industrial
products. FPF is used as a key comfort component in most upholstered furniture and mattress
products, along with automotive seating, carpet cushion, packaging, and numerous other
applications.

www.pfa.org

November 18, 2019

UPS and CVS Partner on Drone Delivery

November 18, 2019

UPS and CVS Partner on Drone Delivery