Salt Lake City, Utah-Rhino Linings/HIT and Cargill Inc. walked off with top honours for innovation at the Alliance for the Polyurethanes Industry´s Polyurethanes 2006 Technical Conference, held 25-27 Sept in Salt Lake City.
Rhino Linings received the innovation award in the products category for its unique use of polyurethane in the Battle Jacket FCS, a spray polyurethane elastomer and proprietary additive which combines to expand and permanently seal holes from ballistic penetration.
Cargill won the innovation award in the technology category for its successful commercialisation of BiOH, a new polyols process technology representing a significant reduction in fossil fuel energy demand and major reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
API announced the winners of its polyurethane innovation awards during the closing session of the conference.
Rhino Linings´ self-sealing/self heating external fuel tanker membrane system "minimizes fuel leakage on US military fuel tankers, represents the level of product innovation that characterises the polyurethanes industry," said Dick Mericle of API, in a statement. "Out of all the entries we received this year, the attendees agreed that Rhino Linings/HIT stood out in its understanding and use of polyurethane to produce a superior end-use product.
"The use of Cargill´s exceptional technology validated and assured bio-based polyols as a real renewable formulating option for the polyurethane industry. This is a perfect example of how outstanding technology can help the industry to create a more sophisticated end-use product."
Pic: Rhino Linings' Bharat Naik (centre) receiving an innovation award from Jim Tobias of Air Products, API conference committee chair (left) and Dave Williams of Honeywell International, chair of the API management committee (right)."
