Technology
June 24, 2021
Lots of Lingo
Dow introduces polyurethane solutions sourced from recycled raw material to its MobilityScience™ platform in collaboration with Adient and Autoneum
Dow introduces more sustainable automotive solutions with SPECFLEX™ C and VORANOL™ C
HORGEN, SWITZERLAND – June 23, 2021 – Dow (NYSE: DOW) today announces a mass-balance approach to the production of new polyurethane solutions based on a circular feedstock sourced from a waste product of the mobility sector that replaces virgin fossil-fuel based feedstock. New SPECFLEX™ C and VORANOL™ C product ranges will initially be offered to the mobility sector in collaboration with leading automotive suppliers Adient and Autoneum.
SPECFLEX™ C and VORANOL™ C are designed to help automotive OEMs meet their market and regulatory demands for more circular products and reach their sustainability goals. Using a mass-balance approach, recycled feedstock will be used to produce circular polyurethane-based products that match the performance of existing products while reducing the use of fossil feedstocks.
“The automotive industry is undergoing significant change. This is being driven by market demand, the industry’s own ambition, and higher regulatory standards for reduced emissions and waste. The EU’s End-of-Life Directive is just one example of this. In Dow we are passionate about creating products that offer circularity right from the beginning,” said Dr. Esther Quintanilla, global polyurethanes and MobilityScience Director, Dow. “We have listened to the industry and are convinced that the mass-balance approach is a very efficient and validated way for automotive OEMs to meet regulatory standards and reach their own ambitious goals.”
Circular polyurethane range
SPECFLEX™ C and VORANOL™ C are certified by an independent mass-balance certification agency who will validate that the quantity of polyurethane intermediates produced from recycled materials corresponds to the appropriate quantity of end-product, thereby confirming the reporting is accurate and auditable.
“Dow’s industry-leading feedstock flexibility capability enables us to explore new feed streams that others may not be able to accommodate. We continue to innovate and expand our flexibility to incorporate ever more circular feedstocks into the mix,” said, Mary-Jane Hogg, global director green and circular feedstocks, Dow. “Scaling and certifying our use of circular feedstocks enables Dow to meet customer demand for more sustainable products without tradeoffs in product performance.” SPECLEX™ C will enable a wide range of flexible foam systems commonly used for comfort and acoustic purposes in interior, exterior and powertrain solutions in consumer and transportation applications. VORANOL™ C will enable the production of a wide range of low- to high-density foams with low viscosity that provides easier handling and the flexibility to choose the optimum loading level for any application.
Market-leading partnership
Adient, a market leader for seating in the automotive sector, and Autoneum, the leading acoustics and thermal management supplier, are partnering with Dow to pioneer the use of SPECFLEX™ C and VORANOL™ C.
“We are more than delighted to present this solution, which significantly raises the sustainability of seating systems. The urgent need to decarbonize the automotive industry goes far beyond powertrain emissions,” said David Nash, vice president foam & trim EMEA at Adient. “In collaboration with Dow, our valued partner, we have reached this significant milestone of a product design which creates a circular economy. As an important building block on the way to further decarbonize vehicle production the solution helps us to reduce fossil feedstocks by the re-integration of waste products without any compromise in quality and comfort.”
“SPECFLEX™ C and VORANOL™ C set new standards in terms of sustainability, which makes them a valuable complement to Autoneum’s sustainable product portfolio. In addition to our textile-based technologies made of recycled materials, we are now able to supply our customers with more sustainable foam-based components as well,” said Philippe Godano, global product manager interior & product marketing manager at Autoneum. “The new foam systems not only offer the same benefits as current automotive polyurethane foams such as geometrical adaptability and lightweight, but also lower the cradle-to-gate carbon footprint of cars significantly. By making use of recycled and locally obtained automotive waste, the products are also in line with Autoneum’s efforts in exploring shorter and more sustainable raw material supply chains.”
About Adient
Adient (NYSE: ADNT) is a global leader in automotive seating. With approximately 77,000 employees in 32 countries, Adient operates 202 manufacturing/assembly plants worldwide. We produce and deliver automotive seating for all major OEMs. From complete seating systems to individual components, our expertise spans every step of the automotive seat-making process. Our integrated, in-house skills allow us to take our products from research and design to engineering and manufacturing — and into more than 19 million vehicles every year. For more information on Adient, please visit www.adient.com.
About Autoneum
Autoneum is globally leading in acoustic and thermal management for vehicles. The Company develops and produces multifunctional, lightweight components and systems for interior floor and engine bay as well as the underbody. Customers include almost all automobile manufacturers in Europe, North & South America, Asia and Africa. Autoneum operates 53 production facilities and employs around 12 800 people in 24 countries. The Company with its headquarters in Winterthur, Switzerland, is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol AUTN). www.autoneum.com
About Dow MobilityScience™
Dow MobilityScience™ is a platform organized and designed to bring the full power of Dow to the transportation industry. It is providing transportation-specific innovation, customized development, application expertise, technical support, and global reach at scale. MobilityScience™ delivers value by providing expertise in sustainability with carbon management and circular economy solutions to support the move to low carbon mobility. The Mobility Platform team operates across businesses, functions, and geographies to coordinate one Dow global approach enhancing the customer experience. Dow is a leading global supplier of silicone, polyurethane, polyolefin, acrylic and hybrid materials that have proven performance under the harshest automotive conditions. For more information, visit www.dowmobilityscience.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
June 24, 2021
Lots of Lingo
Dow introduces polyurethane solutions sourced from recycled raw material to its MobilityScience™ platform in collaboration with Adient and Autoneum
Dow introduces more sustainable automotive solutions with SPECFLEX™ C and VORANOL™ C
HORGEN, SWITZERLAND – June 23, 2021 – Dow (NYSE: DOW) today announces a mass-balance approach to the production of new polyurethane solutions based on a circular feedstock sourced from a waste product of the mobility sector that replaces virgin fossil-fuel based feedstock. New SPECFLEX™ C and VORANOL™ C product ranges will initially be offered to the mobility sector in collaboration with leading automotive suppliers Adient and Autoneum.
SPECFLEX™ C and VORANOL™ C are designed to help automotive OEMs meet their market and regulatory demands for more circular products and reach their sustainability goals. Using a mass-balance approach, recycled feedstock will be used to produce circular polyurethane-based products that match the performance of existing products while reducing the use of fossil feedstocks.
“The automotive industry is undergoing significant change. This is being driven by market demand, the industry’s own ambition, and higher regulatory standards for reduced emissions and waste. The EU’s End-of-Life Directive is just one example of this. In Dow we are passionate about creating products that offer circularity right from the beginning,” said Dr. Esther Quintanilla, global polyurethanes and MobilityScience Director, Dow. “We have listened to the industry and are convinced that the mass-balance approach is a very efficient and validated way for automotive OEMs to meet regulatory standards and reach their own ambitious goals.”
Circular polyurethane range
SPECFLEX™ C and VORANOL™ C are certified by an independent mass-balance certification agency who will validate that the quantity of polyurethane intermediates produced from recycled materials corresponds to the appropriate quantity of end-product, thereby confirming the reporting is accurate and auditable.
“Dow’s industry-leading feedstock flexibility capability enables us to explore new feed streams that others may not be able to accommodate. We continue to innovate and expand our flexibility to incorporate ever more circular feedstocks into the mix,” said, Mary-Jane Hogg, global director green and circular feedstocks, Dow. “Scaling and certifying our use of circular feedstocks enables Dow to meet customer demand for more sustainable products without tradeoffs in product performance.” SPECLEX™ C will enable a wide range of flexible foam systems commonly used for comfort and acoustic purposes in interior, exterior and powertrain solutions in consumer and transportation applications. VORANOL™ C will enable the production of a wide range of low- to high-density foams with low viscosity that provides easier handling and the flexibility to choose the optimum loading level for any application.
Market-leading partnership
Adient, a market leader for seating in the automotive sector, and Autoneum, the leading acoustics and thermal management supplier, are partnering with Dow to pioneer the use of SPECFLEX™ C and VORANOL™ C.
“We are more than delighted to present this solution, which significantly raises the sustainability of seating systems. The urgent need to decarbonize the automotive industry goes far beyond powertrain emissions,” said David Nash, vice president foam & trim EMEA at Adient. “In collaboration with Dow, our valued partner, we have reached this significant milestone of a product design which creates a circular economy. As an important building block on the way to further decarbonize vehicle production the solution helps us to reduce fossil feedstocks by the re-integration of waste products without any compromise in quality and comfort.”
“SPECFLEX™ C and VORANOL™ C set new standards in terms of sustainability, which makes them a valuable complement to Autoneum’s sustainable product portfolio. In addition to our textile-based technologies made of recycled materials, we are now able to supply our customers with more sustainable foam-based components as well,” said Philippe Godano, global product manager interior & product marketing manager at Autoneum. “The new foam systems not only offer the same benefits as current automotive polyurethane foams such as geometrical adaptability and lightweight, but also lower the cradle-to-gate carbon footprint of cars significantly. By making use of recycled and locally obtained automotive waste, the products are also in line with Autoneum’s efforts in exploring shorter and more sustainable raw material supply chains.”
About Adient
Adient (NYSE: ADNT) is a global leader in automotive seating. With approximately 77,000 employees in 32 countries, Adient operates 202 manufacturing/assembly plants worldwide. We produce and deliver automotive seating for all major OEMs. From complete seating systems to individual components, our expertise spans every step of the automotive seat-making process. Our integrated, in-house skills allow us to take our products from research and design to engineering and manufacturing — and into more than 19 million vehicles every year. For more information on Adient, please visit www.adient.com.
About Autoneum
Autoneum is globally leading in acoustic and thermal management for vehicles. The Company develops and produces multifunctional, lightweight components and systems for interior floor and engine bay as well as the underbody. Customers include almost all automobile manufacturers in Europe, North & South America, Asia and Africa. Autoneum operates 53 production facilities and employs around 12 800 people in 24 countries. The Company with its headquarters in Winterthur, Switzerland, is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol AUTN). www.autoneum.com
About Dow MobilityScience™
Dow MobilityScience™ is a platform organized and designed to bring the full power of Dow to the transportation industry. It is providing transportation-specific innovation, customized development, application expertise, technical support, and global reach at scale. MobilityScience™ delivers value by providing expertise in sustainability with carbon management and circular economy solutions to support the move to low carbon mobility. The Mobility Platform team operates across businesses, functions, and geographies to coordinate one Dow global approach enhancing the customer experience. Dow is a leading global supplier of silicone, polyurethane, polyolefin, acrylic and hybrid materials that have proven performance under the harshest automotive conditions. For more information, visit www.dowmobilityscience.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
June 21, 2021
Huntsman Introduces New TPU Grade
NEW IROGRAN® TPU GRADE FROM HUNTSMAN HAS IMPROVED PROPERTIES FOR FIRE HOSES AND TEXTILES
THE WOODLANDS, TX– Specialty Elastomers experts from Huntsman have developed a new thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) grade for technical extrusion parts and blown film applications that offers significant improvements over previous generation technologies when it comes to durability, production efficiency and reducing manufacturing waste. IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is the latest addition to a well-established family of elastomer products from Huntsman, which are renowned for their performance in a diverse range of industrial and consumer applications.
Developed in close partnership with Huntsman’s customers, IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU has greater tensile strength than the standard IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 elastomer grade originally developed in 2004. The new grade also offers improved film extrusion quality and high melt strength, which makes it ideal for blown film applications. Delivering better resistance to force in its melted state, which makes it less likely that an extruded film will break during production, IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU can help to significantly lower scrap rates, improve manufacturing throughput and cut waste in blown film processing.
IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is developed to solve the problems of customers in diverse markets including:
- TPU lay flat hoses used in high pressure industrial and municipal applications e.g., firefighting
- Textile lamination – as a breathable, waterproof layer for rugged performance apparel.
In the manufacture of TPU lay flat hoses, IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is applied via the “extrusion through-the-weave” process. In this application, the product’s greater tensile strength is highly advantageous – helping the resulting hoses cycle between periods of being tightly coiled and then extended and put under high water pressure levels. In the case of fire hoses, this pressure can typically be in the region of 8 and 20 bar (800 and 2000 kPa; 116 and 290 psi).
When it comes to textile lamination, IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is an excellent material for creating a waterproof, breathable film in rugged performance apparel (including gloves and footwear). Blown to create an extremely thin layer, which is then added to fabrics, IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU provides the protective properties needed to create high performance outdoor garments. Adhering well to different kinds of fabrics, IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU can aid the stretch and recovery of the materials it is used on. The nature of the grade also means the resulting films can be engineered to have different surface finishes, including gloss, smooth and matte effects
Trent Shidaker, Global Marketing Director, Elastomers at Huntsman, said: “IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is a highly versatile and durable elastomer. Soft to the touch, it’s ideal for apparel applications that need to stay in contact with the wearer for hours at a time; but it’s also strong enough to be used in municipal and industrial hoses that have to perform under the toughest conditions. Applying its development expertise, our elastomers team has enhanced the processing properties of IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU, without compromising the key performance attributes expected of products in this range – namely excellent hydrolytic resistance; fantastic wear performance; and microbial resistance. The result is an elastomer that can enable manufacturers to work more efficiently, cut waste and create longer-lasting products; a compelling proposition for the markets we serve.”
The basis of the chemistry of IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU goes back to 2004 when the flagship product was first developed. Later variations of the product were developed to create the family of elastomer products from Huntsman that customers have learned to know and love.
Other IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 TPU products available from Huntsman include:
- IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 – a legacy product, launched in 2004, that was first introduced for thin wall technical parts, thin wall extrusion profiles, spiral hoses, cable jacketing and film and sheet
- IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 FCM – launched in 2015, this grade has a similar base chemistry to the standard version of IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 but is formulated with raw materials that are compliant with FDA regulations for food processing belts and has an NSF 61 rating (approved for potable water applications).
- IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 UV – also launched in 2015, this product is fortified with proprietary additives that enable it to withstand UV exposure while maintaining excellent physical properties and appearance. This product is used for pneumatic tubing for airlines and industrial equipment and fracking hoses.
IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is made at the Huntsman Polyurethanes manufacturing facility in Ringwood Illinois. For more information about the full range of IROGRAN A 85 P 4394 TPU products available from Huntsman, please contact: joanna_marzec@huntsman.com.
June 21, 2021
Huntsman Introduces New TPU Grade
NEW IROGRAN® TPU GRADE FROM HUNTSMAN HAS IMPROVED PROPERTIES FOR FIRE HOSES AND TEXTILES
THE WOODLANDS, TX– Specialty Elastomers experts from Huntsman have developed a new thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) grade for technical extrusion parts and blown film applications that offers significant improvements over previous generation technologies when it comes to durability, production efficiency and reducing manufacturing waste. IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is the latest addition to a well-established family of elastomer products from Huntsman, which are renowned for their performance in a diverse range of industrial and consumer applications.
Developed in close partnership with Huntsman’s customers, IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU has greater tensile strength than the standard IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 elastomer grade originally developed in 2004. The new grade also offers improved film extrusion quality and high melt strength, which makes it ideal for blown film applications. Delivering better resistance to force in its melted state, which makes it less likely that an extruded film will break during production, IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU can help to significantly lower scrap rates, improve manufacturing throughput and cut waste in blown film processing.
IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is developed to solve the problems of customers in diverse markets including:
- TPU lay flat hoses used in high pressure industrial and municipal applications e.g., firefighting
- Textile lamination – as a breathable, waterproof layer for rugged performance apparel.
In the manufacture of TPU lay flat hoses, IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is applied via the “extrusion through-the-weave” process. In this application, the product’s greater tensile strength is highly advantageous – helping the resulting hoses cycle between periods of being tightly coiled and then extended and put under high water pressure levels. In the case of fire hoses, this pressure can typically be in the region of 8 and 20 bar (800 and 2000 kPa; 116 and 290 psi).
When it comes to textile lamination, IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is an excellent material for creating a waterproof, breathable film in rugged performance apparel (including gloves and footwear). Blown to create an extremely thin layer, which is then added to fabrics, IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU provides the protective properties needed to create high performance outdoor garments. Adhering well to different kinds of fabrics, IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU can aid the stretch and recovery of the materials it is used on. The nature of the grade also means the resulting films can be engineered to have different surface finishes, including gloss, smooth and matte effects
Trent Shidaker, Global Marketing Director, Elastomers at Huntsman, said: “IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is a highly versatile and durable elastomer. Soft to the touch, it’s ideal for apparel applications that need to stay in contact with the wearer for hours at a time; but it’s also strong enough to be used in municipal and industrial hoses that have to perform under the toughest conditions. Applying its development expertise, our elastomers team has enhanced the processing properties of IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU, without compromising the key performance attributes expected of products in this range – namely excellent hydrolytic resistance; fantastic wear performance; and microbial resistance. The result is an elastomer that can enable manufacturers to work more efficiently, cut waste and create longer-lasting products; a compelling proposition for the markets we serve.”
The basis of the chemistry of IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU goes back to 2004 when the flagship product was first developed. Later variations of the product were developed to create the family of elastomer products from Huntsman that customers have learned to know and love.
Other IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 TPU products available from Huntsman include:
- IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 – a legacy product, launched in 2004, that was first introduced for thin wall technical parts, thin wall extrusion profiles, spiral hoses, cable jacketing and film and sheet
- IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 FCM – launched in 2015, this grade has a similar base chemistry to the standard version of IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 but is formulated with raw materials that are compliant with FDA regulations for food processing belts and has an NSF 61 rating (approved for potable water applications).
- IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 UV – also launched in 2015, this product is fortified with proprietary additives that enable it to withstand UV exposure while maintaining excellent physical properties and appearance. This product is used for pneumatic tubing for airlines and industrial equipment and fracking hoses.
IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is made at the Huntsman Polyurethanes manufacturing facility in Ringwood Illinois. For more information about the full range of IROGRAN A 85 P 4394 TPU products available from Huntsman, please contact: joanna_marzec@huntsman.com.
June 9, 2021
Bio Butanediol Project
Bio-BDO venture by Cargill and Helm
9 June 2021 – 0 Submitted by Andrew Warmington
Agribusiness giant Cargill and German chemical marketing and distribution firm Helm have formed a joint venture called Qore and will invest $300 million to build the first commercial-scale, renewable 1,4-butanediol (BDO) facility in the US. This will be located at Cargill’s biotechnology campus and corn refining operation in Eddyville, Iowa, and should be in operation in 2024.
Qore has licensed Genomatica’s BDO process technology and is using Cargill’s global feedstock supply and fermentation manufacturing expertise to produce at least 65,000 tonnes/year, under the brand name Qira. Helm will work with brand owners, OEMs and their suppliers to incorporate Qira into their products.
Qira is made via the fermentation of plant-based sugars and it is claimed, can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 93% compared to the manufacture of the same chemical intermediates from fossil sources. Applications include fibres, biodegradable plastics, polyurethane coatings, sealants and artificial leathers.
https://www.specchemonline.com/bio-bdo-venture-cargill-and-helm
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