Milan, Italy – Huntsman has launched a new soft TPU for footwear soles at Simac, the leather, tanning and footwear trade show.
New Avalon TPU from Huntsman

The new material, called Avalon 55 AHG, is a designed to offer a balance of improved slip-resistance on both wet and dry surfaces. It has a nominal Shore A hardness of 55. Soft, thin, high-definition parts in a range of colours are possible with the material.
Huntsman said the new grade has better grip than rubber and other TPUs. It is suitable for outsoles, the company added. It passes ISO 13287 for slip resistance in PPE.
The product is oil- and petrol-resistant.
Both injection and carousel equipment can process Avalon 55AHG, said the company.
Huntsman added that it can be used with its Daltoped polyurethane mid-sole systems to make dual harness soles.
Craig Roberts, global footwear marketing manager at Huntsman, said: 'When it comes to dry and wet slip resistance this product is strides ahead of anything we’ve developed before. In independent tests, the material exceeds the slip requirements on various substrates including the challenging combination of steel with glycerine.'
Simac Tanning Tech runs in Milan from 20-22 February 2018.