By Frank Esposito, Plastics News Staff
Chicago, Illinois - A the NPE 2009 show in Chicago, Spanish polyurethane materials firm Merquinsa (Stand W131043) and chemicals giant DuPont Co. (Stand W113011) have struck a deal to make products based on renewable resources.
The arrangement - announced 23 June at the show - calls for Merquinsa to produce a new family of Pearlthane ECO-brand thermoplastic polyurethane-based on DuPont's Cerenol-brand renewably sourced polyol.
The new materials are expected to be used in a wide range of footwear, sport and leisure, electronics and automotive applications. Merquinsa already makes Pearlthane ECO polyester and polyether products based on renewable resources.
"Pearlthane ECO made with DuPont Cerenol shows outstanding properties comparable to petrochemically based TPUs," officials with Barcelona, Spain-based Merquinsa said.
Ray Miller, Cerenol global business manager for Wilmington, Delaware-based DuPont, described Merquinsa as "a highly innovative polyurethane producer with a proven track record for introducing sustainable offerings."
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