Rosehill makes it big in the US with PU-bound TPV

By Simona Stankovska, staff reporterLondon/ Yorkshire -- Rosehill Polymers in the US has seen a $3 million increase in turnover from $4 million between August 2006 and July 2007. This is the result of a 300 percent rise in exports to America, thanks to the introduction of its new TPV (thermoplastic vulcanisate) granules and MCPU (moisture-curing polyurethane) binders.The Yorkshire, UK-based company, which invested £4 million in installing the new TPV line, said last year that it thought the material had "great potential to give a lot of extra turnover and growth." It has achieved this aim. Thanks to the success of the material Rosehill has opened a subsidiary in North Carolina, "to cope with the unprecedented demand" for the product, said the company in a statement."This new company will support our growing customer base in the US and will enable Rosehill to expand more easily in this market," said Alexander Celik, president, Rosehill USA Inc, in 31 July statement."We obviously had a presence in the US before, but now we have revamped that presence, tightened up and become more aggressive in the way we approach the market," added Stuart Wilson, sales and marketing manager at Rosehill, in a 3 Aug interview with Urethanes Technology International. "Our company in America has grown, our distributor has grown, all thanks to the combination of the binders and the TPV," he said.The TPV material, which was launched in November 2005, is bonded with MCPU, and was initially made as an infill for artificial grass pitches. But the company have taken it to another level, using it as a substitute for EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber), to form an attractive top-layer for playgrounds and multi-sports surfaces. "We feel that there is better use for recycled tyres, especially as they could cause harm to the environment," said Wilson.The company's sales, which used to be divided 50:50 between the UK and elsewhere are now 40:60, more heavily focused on exports, thanks to the product. Its annual turnover, depending on what time of year you measure it, is between £13 and £14 million.According to Wilson, this is only the first step for Rosehill. The material "has proven to have an even greater potential than everyone expected," he said. "We are only just titling the market here."We are closing the plant down in mid August in order to extend production so we can turn out more material, more quickly, in order to keep pace," he added.PIC: Wilson (left) and Celik of Rosehill: doing well in the US"