The forthcoming UTECH North America strategic conference and exhibition has attracted high-profile polyurethane-based businesses from all over the world. The two-day event takes place in Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina on 4 and 5 June.
Below are some of the companies exhibiting at the event this year that responded to a call from UTI to submit information about what they plan to show.
Acmos has announced it will show its new generation of semi-permanent release agents for composites and rotomold at UTECH North America.
The company will also focus on its developments with water-based agents, it said.
Acmos Chemie develops and manufactures release agents for industrial applications where contact between two materials must be prevented or minimised.
Baltimore Innovations will demonstrate the Supersiv Zeolite Molecular Sieve tool - used to remove water from polyurethane resins.
Baltimore Innovations is named after the city in which industrial desiccants were first synthesised. The company is able to tackle in-formula moisture problems at competitive prices, according to its literature.
The Bradbury Co. Inc Stand 171
The Bradbury Co. Inc will showcase its new range of equipment for continuous polyurethane/PIR-insulated sandwich panel production.
Cannon Stand 218
Cannon will showcase the benefits of its Vacuum Assisted Injection process, which the company describes as “a major achievement in the field of domestic refrigerators.”
It also said it will present innovations around polyurethane and composites processing technologies. Six new or redesigned mixing heads will be presented.
The company will showcase its range of complete plants for the production of flexible and rigid slabstock foams, including the high-pressure metering equipment designed for alternative blowing agents as well as its innovation in the field of composites.
Process chemical designer, producer and supplier Chem-Trend – which focuses on release agents – will highlight its range of specialised process chemicals at UTECH North America.
Visitors will be able to speak with Chem-Trend personnel about its experience supplying chemicals for moulding, casting, forming and curing operations across a range of industries
Chem-Trend develops and manufactures release agents, mould cleaners, sealers, anti-squeak products and customised formulations for high-resiliency foam, integral skin, shoe soling, backfoam and other polyurethane applications.
Con-Tek Machine Stand 213
Con-Tek Machine will showcase its ability to design and build urethane fixture equipment for polyurethane processing.
Established in 1983, Con-Tek’s origins are in custom polyurethane foaming fixtures for insulated panels, doors and wide variety of refrigerated cabinets.
UTECH will be an opportunity to see Con-Tek’s manual booking fixtures, shuttle fixtures, stack fixtures and high volume continuous-discontinuous production fixture options.
Dorf Ketal Speciality Catalysts Stand 166
Dorf Ketal Speciality Catalysts will showcase the crosslinker and chain extender amine technologies used in polyurea and polyurethane coatings and elastomers.
The company’s Unilink and Clearlink aromatic and aliphatic chain extenders are used in applications ranging from cast elastomers and coatings to sealants and adhesives.
The company will demonstrate the versatility and efficiency of the organic titanates and zirconates in its Tyzor products and demonstrate the potential for its products in polyurea and elastomeric coating, polyurethane foams, urethane adhesive and sealant applications.
Evonik’s stall will show how the company has innovated its range of liquid polybutadienes with the addition of hydroxyl functionalised (HTPB) grades to its coating and adhesive resins product line Polyvest.
The product already included linear, maleic anhydride functionality but, according to Evonik, the new hydroxyl functionalised liquid polybutadiene paves the way for applications in polyurethane adhesives, coatings, electrical insulations and potting compounds.
The company said it will use UTECH North America to show how Polyvest HT can be used for prepolymers in polyurethane systems. The company will showcase its chemical, water and cold resistance, its electrical insulation properties and low moisture and oxygen permeability, it said.
At the Foam Supplies Inc stand, visitors will be able to learn why the company’s Ecomate blowing agent has been awarded US Environment Protection Agency SNAP-approval and how it meets future regulations, said the company.
The company, which provides turn-key technologies for polyurethane systems, adhesives and processing equipment, will explain how its products replace HFCs and hydrocarbons.
Gantrade Corporation’s urethane intermediates business will show visitors the benefits of technology which replaces mercury with environmentally-acceptable catalysts.
A global supplier of PTMEG polyols, aliphatic polyester polyols, specialty diol extenders and unique diamine curatives, Gantrade has developed long-standing strategic relationships with Dairen Chemical Company and Chang Chun Petrochemical.
It has integrated logistics and operations in Europe and Asia as well as the US.
Haltermann Stand 153
Haltermann supplies hydrocarbon solvents globally and is also providing n-, iso- and cyclopentane as well as corresponding blends for foam applications.
Hennecke Inc will showcase the thermoplastic mouldings with decorative film overlays and wooden inserts it developed in partnership with Engel Austria.
The partnership’s Clearmelt technology is an injection moulding process-related development which produces a hard shell and special surface effects.
Hennecke will also present its new Highline metering equipment, which the company describes as a cost-effective and energy-efficient solution for the two-component high-pressure processing of polyurethane.
Hightower Products will present its product range of water-based materials that deliver an open cell on flexible foam, non-silicone products for RIM where post bonding is required and other unique polymers.
Newly-formed company, Hightower Products supplies mould release to the polyurethane industry.
King Industries Inc plans to showcase K-Kat catalysts and K-Flex polyester diols at UTECH North America.
The company will present its range of catalysts, including both mercury and tin replacements, diols with a range of other properties as well as products with features including extended pot life, greater selectivity and better reactivity of secondary hydroxyl groups.
K-Flex polyesters are unique, saturated, aliphatic light-stable low-molecular weight diols with a narrow molecular weight distribution. Used for formulating higher solids, solvent-free and waterborne urethane system.
King Industries’ representatives will be on hand to discuss polyamide and sulfonate-based rheology modifiers, polyacrylate levelling agents, defoamers, dispersants, acid catalysts and liquid organic corrosion inhibitors.
Koda Distribution Group Stand 438
The Koda Distribution Group will showcase the brands behind the company – Ribelin, GMZ, EW Kaufmann and PT Hutchins.
Koda Group representatives will be available to explain the advantages of its comprehensive warehouse network, its sales representatives’ knowledge of territories and customer bases plus urethane raw materials purchases in bundle packages.
Kracht Corp will use UTECH North America to showcase its gear pump design innovations, the flow measurement devices it manufacturers for gear lubrication in wind power plants and ship gear systems.
Company representatives will show the company’s range of dosing and mixing plants for polyurethane foam production. Kracht’s electronic devices for flow and mixture ratio display and control output for one or several components or shot-size measurements will be highlighted at the show.
Kracht’s pumps are used as dosing pumps in low and high pressure plants, recirculation and filling pumps and as feed pumps for piston pumps. Kracht pressure relief valves are also built in polyurethane machines, said the company.
At Maquinol’s stand, visitors are invited to explore the capabilities of the company’s Uniblock Machine, which the firm describes as “a whole factory by itself.”
Equipped with a pressure controlled chamber and high-speed mixing head, the Uniblock stores formulas with other parameters (mixing speed and times) in its touch-screen console using Maquinol’s own software.
The company’s automatic pillow injection line injects vertically in closed moulds that are sized and styled to specification.
Polyurethane silicone surfactant manufacturer Maysta Chemicals will showcase its range of products for polyurethane rigid and flexible foams as well as shoe sole system production. Company representatives will demonstrate the aspects of its management that led to a sales volume in excess of 10kT last year.
Milliken will show visitors why its colorant technology - Reactint - has been colouring flexible polyurethane foam for 25 years.
Experts from the will explain how its range of stabilizers - Milliguard - provide reactive, polymeric antioxidants and UV-absorbers to protect polyurethane foam from degradation associated with UV radiation and oxidation.
The company will also showcase the Alphasan AF - a stable zinc pyrithione-based dispersion used to protect polyurethane foam from degradation, malodors and the staining caused by fungi and bacteria.
Mondi Coatings’ will showcase the innovation it devised for the flexible foam industry - Olmo Paper 2.0+ - a peelable process liner.
Mondi, supplier and solution provider for the flexible foam, building and insulation industries, will also demonstrate its extrusion coated and laminated materials.
Myriant is set to showcase its renewable feedstock, bio-succinic acid. The company’s 13.7kT/year commercial bio-succinic acid plant is the first of its kind and scale in North America, it claims and Myriant representatives will be on hand to explain the benefits of turning the petrochemical industry green, said the company.
According to company literature, “Myriant’s bio-succinic acid enables its customers to improve the sustainability of their products while maintaining performance and without paying a green price premium.
NCFI Polyurethanes Stand 325
NCFI Polyurethanes has announced it will showcase its line of Custom Formulated Polyurethane Systems a the event.
NCFI Polyurethanes' Custom Foam Products division develops custom urethane solutions for flexible, rigid and semi-rigid moulding, integral skin moulding, pour-in-place insulation and void filling foams, fire-rated insulated panels, spray foams, cast and spray elastomers as well as other custom applications.
Novomer will showcase its newly-developed polycarbonate polyols Converge 212-10, Converge 212-20 and polypropylene carbonate diols of 1000 and 2000 molecular weights.
Available in production quantities in June 2014, Novomer will demonstrate the range’s UV, oxidative and hydrolytic stability for coatings.
Company representatives will explain how rigid foam cell size of less than 120 microns was achieved in machine trials and demonstrate how hot melt adhesives comprised of its polyols have “superior green strength.”
Visitors will also be able to find out how more than 40% of their mass has come from waste carbon dioxide, said a company press release.
Perstorp’s recently expanded line of polycaprolactones will be showcased and visitors will be able to explore its range of trimethylolpropane, specialty polyols and chain extenders.
Perstorp offers a full range of performance and cost-effective solutions for the polyurethane foams, elastomers, coating, adhesive and sealant markets.
The company said it will present the range of specialty materials its sources from global manufacturers and offers to producers of formulated products and manufacturing processes.
The company plans to promote a range of specialty products for moulded, rigid and slabstock foam applications – such as silicone surfactants and adhesives – and others it offers through its partnership with Spain’s Concentrol of Girona.
Polyurethane Process Industries (PPI) will showcase Italian firm, Impianti OMS’s range of polyurethane production equipment which it exclusively distributes in US markets.
From raw material storage to final stacking and packing lines, PPI will present the equipment – and explain the services – it offers manufacturers of flexible, rigid and elastomeric polyurethane.
PPI will highlight its experience and technical support in North America and show it has helped companies turn ideas into products from insulating panels for walls and roofs, beverage dispensers, insulated pipeline, faux brick and stone, medical sponges, aircraft food trays and manhole covers.
PPI also supplies systems that work with more environmentally friendly blowing agents, such as Pentane said the company.
Purplan Stand 525
At the Purplan stand company experts will be on hand to discuss the benefits of the company’s solutions for storing and processing liquid materials for polyurethane production.
Established in 2003, globally-operating Purplan offers customised solutions on the basis of “innovative technology, elaborate handcraft and flexibility” said the firm.
Polyurethane and PET reprocessing plant developer Rampf will outline the benefits of creating alternative polyols through acidolysis.
Together, the firms will demonstrate the economical and ecological advantages of reprocessing residual materials from polyurethane and PET production. Experts will be on hand to explain how their own tailor-made Rampf-built recycling capacity could yield alternative polyols, reducing reliance on raw materials and costing less. RAMPF Ecosystems is part of the international RAMPF Group.
Reaxis will showcase a selection of inorganic and organometallic catalyst products used for formulating polyurethane, polyester and silicone-based chemistries for CASE applications.
The company will explain how its R&D capabilities enable it to create high quality, value-added products and solutions, based on a wide range of metal chemistries, according to its brochure.
Reaxis personnel will be available to explain the benefits of its product range for pot-life extension, selectivity, shelf-life extension, delayed cure and enhanced cure.
Reverdia will present its 100% bio-based raw material Biosuccinium, a sustainable compound for producing polyester polyol and polyurethane products with substantially lower environmental footprints than traditional chemicals.
Reverdia’s representatives will be available to explain Biosuccinium’s viability as an alternative to conventional fossil-based chemicals such as adipic acid in polyester polyol and polyurethanes industry production.
The company will explain its plans for products from its 10kT/year plant in Cassano Spinola, Italy - “the world’s first dedicated large-scale plant for the production of succinic acid from renewable resources,” according to the company.
The company will also show how its experience with low-pH yeast technology at demonstration plant scale is essential to improved product quality. Reverdia is a joint venture between Royal DSM, a global life sciences and materials sciences company and Roquette Frères - the global starch and starch-derivatives company.
Repi LLC Stand 205
Visitors to Repi’s stand will be able to find out about the company’s R&D efforts to upgrade its existing UV Stabilizers, Anti-Scorching lines and new Phenol-free products.
The firm will also present vegetable oil-based and Phthalate-free lines utilised in elastomer applications alongside a CP1 Dosing Unit, which, said the company, can retrofit and be adapted to any low pressure polyurethane machine mixing head. The company also said a range of suitable colour valves is available on demand.
The company will show off examples of foams obtained using the Repitan Black High Intensity Series and other applications coloured with the latest fashion shades plus Repi’s automotive market range of VOC/FOG free black and colour solutions.
Rim Polymers Industries and International Pumps Manufacturing Inc Stand 167
Rim Polymers Industries will showcase its GMA brand of polyurethane plants and machinery at the event, the company said in a joint press release with its exhibition partner International Pump Manufacturing Inc.
The companies’ shared booth at the event will allow visitors to explore the capabilities of Rim’s range of automated polyurethane dispensing systems and speak to company personnel.
International Pumps Manufacturing Inc will show its core transfer pump products including the patented model – the OP 300S (stubby type) and OP 350 (55 gallon drum type) high performance pumps.
The extended line of specialty fitments and an IBC tote ‘kit’ that enables the user a quick and mobile alternative decanting method.
Siltech Stand 531
Siltech will showcase the proprietary technologies it develops, manufactures and markets including organo-functional silicone compounds.
Presenting its full line of cationic, quaternary and alkyl silicones as well as a portfolio of reactive silicone used in a variety of polyurethane applications including rigid foams, flexible foams and elastomers.
Stockmeier will showcase Stobielast S 002 - a US Department of Agriculture-approved renewable bio-based ingredient alongside products from its 9001-certified range designed for CASE applications.
Stockmeier Urethanes provides customised urethane solutions to markets such as transformers, capacitors, concrete stamps, filters, panel lamination, rubber mulch, sports and leisure flooring, and molded recycled rubber products.
Tosoh will present the company’s array of basic chemicals, plastic resins, an emission-free polyurethane catalyst and its self-manufactured chlor-alkali.
Representatives of Tosoh’s petrochemical operations will be available to outline the capacities in ethylene, polyethylene and functional polymers it can supply.
Representatives of the US farmer-funded organisation, the United Soybean Board will demonstrate the advantages soy-based technologies from the point of view of performance, versatility, cost and the environmental benefits.
Visitors to the stand will be able to learn more about how soybean derivatives form a sustainable bio-plastic feedstock for polyols and polyester resins.
The USB will showcase polyurethane foams and elastomers made with soy polyols, unsaturated polyester resins utilising soy oil as a component as well as epoxidised soybean oil as a chemical building block.
The organisation will present commercial successes based on soy bean feedstock including paints and coatings, fibres, adhesives, cleaners, solvents, paper and rubber.
Wanner is set to showcase Hydra-Cell Seal-less Pumps used in the transfer of polyols and isocyanates from large tanks to storage and day tanks.
Featuring a seal-less design and spring-loaded, horizontal check valves, Hydra-Cell can handle liquids with abrasive particulates up to 800 microns in size (depending on pump model) such as crystals that can form in isocyanates, according to the company.
The multiple diaphragm design of Hydra-Cell enables its pump to provide the virtually pulse-free flow often required for polyols without need for pulsation dampers, said the company.
The company will demonstrate the Hydra-Cell pump’s space-saving design, its flow and pressure capacity compared to larger pumps and its energy-efficient at UTECH North America, the company said.
UTECH North America 2014 will take place at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Sue Rothewell, business development director at event organisers Crain Communication, said she chose the venue for its inviting atmosphere, elegant style and warm welcome.
“The beauty and peacefulness of the town seems very well captured within this building and I am certain it will prove the perfect place for delegates to interact and share their thoughts on the wealth of industry innovation that will be presented during the exhibition and conference,” she said.
