Portsmouth, UK – Network Rail is renewing a length of railway track through a busy main station on the south coast of England with longer-lasting fibre-reinforced foamed urethane (FFU) sleepers.These are manufactured by Sekisui.
Described as “critical” work by the company behind the UK rail infrastructure, wooden wheel timbers at Portsmouth & Southsea station are being replaced by FFU alternatives. These are said to last 30 years longer, while requiring less maintenance.
FFU is produced by reinforcing thermosetting hard urethane resin foam with long glass fibres. This makes it lightweight, while simultaneously offering durability, weather resistance and processability. In addition to railway systems, it has a wide range of applications, including architecture and civil engineering, truck beds and vessel decks, manufacturing plants and aquaculture facilities, as well as sporting facilities and parks.
Its use as material for railway sleepers spans more than 40 years, and it is currently being used by various railway companies in Japan. The material was first used in Europe in 2004, and this has since become a major market, with expectations of increasing demand in Germany and the UK.
Japan’s Sekisui is a significant manufacturer of synthetic wood. It opened a production plant in Roermond, Netherlands in 2023.
